Cameron - Time for Britain to sink or swim?

[Guest MattP]

Fair enough, suppose we all see it different!

His speech does seemed to have worked though whatever people made of it, a small bounce bringing Labour back in close to him.

YouGov poll today:

Tories cut Labour lead to 7 points - CON 34%, LAB 41%, LIB 8%, UKIP 10%

[leicsmac]

Get your readies on another hung Parliament come 2015. Tories may be deeply unpopular vankers but Miliband is about as far away from statesman material as I am.

Goodness only knows what will happen then - doubt any party would be able to form a coalition that would last for any length of time.

Looks like a fiasco on the horizon to me...but then it could bring in voting reform, which IMO is a step in the right direction.

[Bob Weasel Fox]

Sadly they are all the same.... Full of shit.

This x 10 billion

[MooseBreath]

I think these days all we can expect is constant yo-yo-ing from one party to another. People like to blame their life problems on the politicians and the media is only to happy to provide them with all the ammunition they need. People will then vote against whoever is in power, hoping that somehow the other party will swoop down and shower them with diamonds which of cause won't happen, so they'll then vote against them and on and on and on.

If labour get back into power now then **** it, in leaving the country and not coming back until they've gone.

[RobHawk]

Its definitely time for a change! I just can't see a viable alternative party anywhere!!

[Guest MattP]

If labour get back into power now then **** it, in leaving the country and not coming back until they've gone.

I'm starting to make plans as well just in case....

[RobHawk]

I'm starting to make plans as well just in case....

You guys are making a perfect argument for the Foxestalk masses to vote labour!

[Guest MattP]

You guys are making a perfect argument for the Foxestalk masses to vote labour!

I don't think the Foxestalk masses needed any encouragement anyway

[ithuriel]

Why would i want to vote Labour?

Last time a labour canvasser came to my door i told them to get off my property pronto and told them i'd never vote for them again.

UKIP from now on most probably.

[Guest MattP]

Why would i want to vote Labour?

Last time a labour canvasser came to my door i told them to get off my property pronto and told them i'd never vote for them again.

UKIP from now on most probably.

I've never had a Labour canvasser but they I don't think a single person within a mile radius here votes for them, I once told a Lib Dem to "get off my property you pervert" in the voice of the Family Guy Peado mind after one too many....

[Guest]

Moaning short-termists - which party? well, all 3 of them. Is there a significant difference between any of the 3 parties. I can't really see it. wanting the best for Britain I wish that the parties would again stand on prinicples a little more extreme, in order to give voters a reason to choose one over the other. Say whatever you want about the likes of Maggie and Michael but you would never have had a difficulty differentiating what they wanted for Britain nor that they had a long term view to create what they wanted.

Present politicians are short-termist selfish individuals on the whole seemingly looking out for their own jobs more than the health of the country and ALL of it's population. It's no wonder people are so apathethic about voting.

Where has the idea of Nationalisation gone in the labour party?

Efficient Nationalised companies are not just a theoretical idea, they are in fact more practically possible than a moral capitalist (and they do exist).

either have parties whose views differ fundamentally or make all mps independant.

[davieG]

That's always been the case DG. Pre about 1934, almost EVERY member of any cabinet was educated at Oxford. Thats not the case now and it doesn't mean you should stop trying.

Even the BNP won seats at the last but one election I think? For the first time ever.

For me it's clear really.

A. Moan and bitch about politics and politicians

Or

B. Really try to do something about it.

Now it's happening with the Police & Crime Commissioner elections although I think the whole elected police commissioner thing is totally a unnecessary waste of time and money.

Independent candidates in the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections have expressed concerns they have been put at a disadvantage by the way the election is being run.

The PCC, who will replace the police authority, will be responsible for setting priorities for the police force, overseeing its budget and hiring the chief constable.

Candidates standing as independents across England have highlighted the lack of state funding for mail shots and the £5,000 deposit required to stand - £4,500 more than the deposit required for general election candidates - as a disadvantage to them. The deposit will be lost if the would-be PCC fails to receive 5% of the vote.

Last month independent candidate Gillian Radcliffe announced she was pulling out of the race in South Yorkshire partly due to the cost.

"An expert in political campaigns has told me that even 'doing it on the cheap' would cost at least £50,000. I simply don't have that sort of money, or anything like it," she said.

'Badly planned'

The former chairman of Hampshire Police Authority, Simon Hayes, who is standing as an independent candidate in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, said: "The minister Nick Herbert said when he launched the PCC scheme that they wanted to encourage independent individuals to put themselves forward.

"A lot of us did. So it was disappointing that the government decided not to pay for leaflets to be sent out (with information on the views of the candidates) as in a general election."

But despite the lack of free mailshots, Mr Hayes said he had been encouraged by the support he had received from the public.

Counter terrorism expert Colin Skelton, an independent standing in Wiltshire, said: "The election has been very badly planned. It is skewed against independents.

"First we have to get 100 signatures, and then a £5,000 deposit, which is easy for the party political machine.

"The government did make a big show about wanting independent candidates, but the whole business of this is very bureaucratic and it's a big financial cost."

'Political tug of war'

But Mr Skelton said despite a lack of resources and party organisation he had "delivered more than 6,000 leaflets and gone through a pair of socks".

Former police commander Martin Surl, who is standing as an independent in Gloucestershire, said non-party political candidates were also hit by local MPs using their influence to back party candidates.

He said the whole process had ended up slanted against independents.

"The election on 15 November should be about who's the best person to satisfy the needs and expectations of the community, not another political tug of war between right and left, Tory and Labour," Mr Surl said.

UKIP candidate for Northamptonshire Jim MacArthur, a former member of the RAF police, said he thought it should not be a "political election, but the big parties are using their party machines".

"We are getting our online manifestos up (on the internet), but many people, especially older people, don't go online."

He said good candidates with experience, but without major party backing or funding, would be put off by the £5,000 deposit required.

The Green Party candidate for Cleveland, Joe Michna, said the huge deposit was putting off independent and small party candidates and because of this he was probably going to be the only candidate standing for the Greens in England and Wales.

'In same boat'

He said in Cleveland there were 250,000 households and only the larger parties would have the organisation to get leaflets to all voters.

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Information about every candidate will be published online and, for anyone who wants it, delivered in written form...”

Home Office spokesman

"It is grossly unfair. We get the impression it's been designed to favour the larger parties which naturally have the resources," Mr Michna said.

James Joyce, a Liberal Democrat candidate in Norfolk, said he had serious concerns about the way the election had been organised.

"It is not a fair playing field. I can't believe we have got into a situation where there is no state funding for postal shots," he said.

"The problem with the manifestos being on the internet is that some people don't have it. It will advantage the big parties. It is wrong."

But the Conservative candidate for Bedfordshire, Jas Parmar, said: "As far as the large deposit is concerned I am in the same boat as the independent candidates. I have put up £5,000 out of my own pocket as well.

"As far as free publicity is concerned, we are in austere times. At the moment the public would not forgive us for wasting their money. The last thing we want to do is waste public money.

"Independents may not get publicity free of charge but then neither do I."

Essex Labour candidate Val Morris-Cook said the government should provide state funding for a mailshot to electors as well providing earlier access to the postal vote register.

"There should be a level playing field for all candidates. I think the government needs to relook at this," she said.

Responding to the criticism, a Home Office spokesman said: "Every household will receive information about the November elections for PCCs from the Electoral Commission.

"Furthermore, information about every candidate will be published online and, for anyone who wants it, delivered in written form, via a free phone line. Everyone will be able to get the information they need about every candidate standing."