General election, how will you vote?

[The Doctor]

Voted labour, hoping enough get behind them to kick out Galloway...

[Guest MattP]

It is a valid point. I've never known a Labour area that isn't a complete dive. But what came first, the chicken or the egg? (Brighton is lovely, I don't think the Greens are nearly as bad as is made out).

 

Brighton Paviliion has basically became a suburb of Islington. Rich middle class gay white liberals have sold up and moved there, house prices have exploded in the last 10 years.

[Finnegan]

How much difference is there between living next to gay middle class liberals and straight middle class tories? Swap out the sound of Brahms for a bit of trashy euro club pop and the labrador in the garden for a pug in a jeweled collar and surely both are equally bland?

[Guest]

How much difference is there between living next to gay middle class liberals and straight middle class tories? Swap out the sound of Brahms for a bit of trashy euro club pop and the labrador in the garden for a pug in a jeweled collar and surely both are equally bland?

 

Is there a difference between a gay liberal and a straight Tory. There must be stats out there telling us how many Tory and Liberal mps are gay - let's have them!

[Bobby Hundreds]

How much difference is there between living next to gay middle class liberals and straight middle class tories? Swap out the sound of Brahms for a bit of trashy euro club pop and the labrador in the garden for a pug in a jeweled collar and surely both are equally bland?

 

It's the "straight" middle class Tories that will be taking small boys into their properties.

[Nod.E]

Voted tory last time out and expected myself to do the same again without a second thought this time.

Done all the online questionnaires which align you with a party and it comes out conservative, but there is the nagging doubt in my head that the economic improvements are not a direct result of cuts. 

Read a lot about austerity stunting growth and feel inclined to vote labour as their cuts are set to be nothing like as steep as conservatives, meaning the UK economy is likely to grow quicker under labour leadership.

All seems pretty pointless anyway as Altrincham Sale West is the safest Conservative seat in Greater Manchester. 

[Strokes]

How much difference is there between living next to gay middle class liberals and straight middle class tories? Swap out the sound of Brahms for a bit of trashy euro club pop and the labrador in the garden for a pug in a jeweled collar and surely both are equally bland?

With the middle class Tories, there is a chance for some posh totty at least......unless you are into fag hag's?

[Guest]

With the middle class Tories, there is a chance for some posh totty at least......unless you are into fag hag's?

 

At your age shouldn't you be hoping the liberal gals are liberal?

 

Or the green's green.

[Strokes]

At your age shouldn't you be hoping the liberal gals are liberal?

Or the green's green.

You're making out like women would be able to resist my charm and good looks.

[Guest]

You're making out like women would be able to resist my charm and good looks.

 

Not at all. But maybe the more liberal (or blind) ones may be able to resist less.

[Guest Col city fan]

We're now being lectured on morality by Russell Brand and Steve Coogan, you can't make this shit up.

Am I the only one who thinks Russell Brand is an utter tosser?

Just voted...Blue as usual

[Benji]

Am I the only one who thinks Russell Brand is an utter tosser?

Just voted...Blue as usual

 

I think this is one occasion where you'll be in the majority (the Brand bit...).

[Guest Col city fan]

I think this is one occasion where you'll be in the majority (the Brand bit...).

You're probably right bud

[Robin JD Popley]

Voted Liberal Democrat. :)

 

Think the most two likely outcomes will be; The Conservatives and us in Coalition again but with reduced numbers on either side.

 

Or more feasibly (due to arithmetic) Labour led Coalition with us (formal Coalition) supported by the SNP, Greens, Plaid and NI progressives etc on big reforms (vote and supply to our Government).

[Alf Bentley]

Voted Liberal Democrat. :)

 

Think the most two likely outcomes will be; The Conservatives and us in Coalition again but with reduced numbers on either side.

 

Or more feasibly (due to arithmetic) Labour led Coalition with us (formal Coalition) supported by the SNP, Greens, Plaid and NI progressives etc on big reforms (vote and supply to our Government).

 

I'd certainly settle for your second option right now. About the best outcome possible for left voters, as it seems impossible for Labour to win an overall majority, and highly unlikely that such an alliance would be possible without the SNP (Lab + LD likely to be 310 or less, even on a good night, and Plaid + SDLP + Green will be in single figures).

 

Your first option isn't the worst possible outcome. Not sure which would be worse, a Tory overall majority (unlikely) or Tory government reliant on UKIP and/or DUP (slightly more chance, but hopefully still unlikely).

 

If the outcome is another Tory/LD deal, though, perhaps Confidence & Supply is more likely. Even quite Tory-sympathetic Lib Dems like Clegg won't want to seem too closely tied to the Tories for too long. 10 years in coalition would make them seem like a party of the soft right and they'd risk losing a lot of their core vote.

 

It sounds as if they'll give their membership a say this time, too, and Lib Dem party membership is to the left of Clegg. Of course, old Cleggie has to win his own seat first, though I expect him to manage that with the help of Tory tactical voters. If he does lose Sheffield Hallam but the Lib Dems are in a position to negotiate a deal, I wonder if Clegg will still lead the negotiations? I presume he'd do so, but would he then have to stand down as leader? I read the other day that there is currently no Lib Dem Deputy Leader, either, as it was Malcolm Bruce, who is retiring from parliament at this election..... There could be all kinds of chaos starting from tomorrow...

[Alf Bentley]

Am I the only one who thinks Russell Brand is an utter tosser?

Just voted...Blue as usual

 

I reckon I'm in the majority who think that Brand can be a bit of a tosser, but that you're a much bigger tosser, Col. 

Just jesting, bud....

 

I went to see Brand at De Montfort Hall last year and his show was very funny. He even had a bit of self-awareness, as it was themed around "The Messiah Complex".

He'd wind me up in person, though, with his manic jabber and invasion of personal space (as others have highlighted). In his manner, he reminds me of an old mate who spent most of the time off his head on speed!

 

On the one hand he does something quite good in getting young people to take an interest in politics/society who might not otherwise do so.

On the other hand, he's been a right willy puller encouraging impressionable people not to vote (until recently) and encouraging impatient, ill-considered extra-parliamentary "street" solutions to political grievances.

Voting and democracy aren't the be-all and end-all of politics, but they're important and should be treated with respect. That's partly why I'd never want to do postal voting (unless I was incapacitated). The ritual of going to a polling station symbolises the importance of democracy for me....but I'm probably a naive romantic fool! 

 

"Blue is the colour; Football is the game; But blue's for Chelsea & Tories; Now that's a fvcking shame!"

[Danno]

[Alf Bentley]

 

They do an excellent spoof of brainless internet forum debates in "Private Eye" that reads just like this!

 

Is this a spoof? Please don't tell me it's real! 

[Danno]

Unfortunately i think it's real Alf. Looking forward to going the poland station later.

[MooseBreath]

Lib Dems on the soft right could potentially do very well. Had they not monumentally fvcked up on tuition fees and pretty much destroyed their reputation they'd be coming out of this coalition with a lot of economic credibility. Another five years and a slight jump to the right to curtail any damaging socialist urges and they could be seen as a credible, safe alternative to the big two, and potentially clean up in 2020 with disillusioned voters who have forgotten the tuition fee debacle. Lib Dems surely know this and will be more than happy to ride the tories coat tails for another five years while people live enough of the good life to forgive their past indiscretions.

[Alf Bentley]

Lib Dems on the soft right could potentially do very well. Had they not monumentally fvcked up on tuition fees and pretty much destroyed their reputation they'd be coming out of this coalition with a lot of economic credibility. Another five years and a slight jump to the right to curtail any damaging socialist urges and they could be seen as a credible, safe alternative to the big two, and potentially clean up in 2020 with disillusioned voters who have forgotten the tuition fee debacle. Lib Dems surely know this and will be more than happy to ride the tories coat tails for another five years while people live enough of the good life to forgive their past indiscretions.

 

There's some truth in that, Moose (ignoring the pro-Tory coalition rhetoric).

 

Could also tie in with a realignment on the right if the Tories split over Europe. You could end up with a hard-right party or loose alliance between Tory Thatcherites and Kippers, on the one hand, and a soft-right party or loose alliance between more pragmatic Tories and right-shifting "Orange Book"-type Lib Dems like Clegg & co.

[Strokes]

Its a myth that UKIP are right wing.

[ADK]

The trouble for the Lib Dems is losing one of their big voter blocs, the student vote. The student vote is now going to the Green party, and I don't think they will get the chance to show how incompetent they are for a while so will gradually leech more and more of the progressive vote.

 

I have no idea why Clegg made such a U-turn on tuition fees, the whole Lib Dem strategy was so flawed after the election. As a Lib Dem supporter I was aware they would probably lose the protest vote, and there would be a swing back to Labour without much chance of gaining from the Tories. However, I don't know if the party will ever recover now.

 

They could be looking at 15% + of the vote and having gained long term credibility as a party of government with a good outlook as they are in favour of the electoral reform everyone now wants and don't have the same difficulties with their voter base that Labour and the Conservative have (Labour especially).

 

Personally I'm torn between wanting to support the Lib Dems as I consider them my natural party and wanting to punish them for their U-turn on tuition fees (the most important issue for me last time).

[Captain...]

 

There were a couple of young uns at the polling station today, the got lost on the way even though it was opposite their house, they didn't even know which party currently held the seat, they weren't even sure if they could vote, they had a letter or something, and when they got in to the station they saw the example ballot and were surprised to see what UKIP actually stood for, (U.K. Independence Party, not borderline racist views) I couldn't decide whether they should be applauded for voting despite being clueless, or should have been prevented from voting on the grounds of ignorance.

[bluesbrothers]

Bluesbrothers' Election Prediction 2015:

Warning - NSFL (Not Safe For LibLabCon)