2015 Election season ..........stuff it in here.

[city187]

Can you give any examples of policies you'd like to see but which aren't being offered by any of the parties?

Yes the way they deal with the banking industry for starters and not alot gets said about it. There the ones who are running this country and yet instead its gets made out that the working class on dole or immigration is why we are in the shit. They use scare tactics on the government by saying any banking restrictions caps will push investors abroard so nothing has actually changed. Oh and possibility of nhs getting privatised aswell. Did i do good. Can i have a gold star and pat on head please sir.

[Strokes]

Yes thats the real reason. Im a habitual masturbater and just cant leave the house to vote.

I have voted in past and wont make that mistake again. You go enjoy watching cam, miliband and the clang tour our country waving and smiling and kissing babies telling you how they can change everything for the best. And no i dont think im superior people just veiw things differently. Didnt mean to sound patronising but im sure a financial backer to a party will have far more say on policys and stuff when there puppet gets power then most voters put together.

I can't vote for Cameron or miliband as I'm not their constituencies, I'm not sure exactly you get democracy. You don't change anything on your own, you do it as group and usually the largest group in an area. If you feel isolated, unloved and dejected, it might well be you that is offering nothing.

[Guest Bilo]

With all due respect, tarring every politician with the same brush is just lazy.

 

I don't vote Tory, but I know they're sincere in the main part about their views. I know that they genuinely want to do the best for their country, that they take an awful amount of abuse for trying to do so and, compared to many jobs they could get in the private sector with their qualifications, don't get a lot of money to do it. The fact is that being an MP isn't all glamour; it's hard work, you get a lot of flack, the pressure is enormous and you're one wrong move or broken promise made in sincerity from losing your job for good. Why do it if you didn't care, if you were only out for yourself? 

 

In all honesty, if you want to change things, join a party and campaign. Try to change it from within, it's better to be in the tent pissing out than outside pissing in. If you don't want to join a party, stand for election as an independent and try to get elected that way. 

 

Otherwise, your choice is to sit at home and moan about the country on FoxesTalk. Maybe turning onto Top Gear on Dave while your missus goes out to vote. Your choice, but I think we all know which of those two choices has a cat in hell's chance of achieving the change you want.

[Guest Bilo]

Yes the way they deal with the banking industry for starters and not alot gets said about it. There the ones who are running this country and yet instead its gets made out that the working class on dole or immigration is why we are in the shit. They use scare tactics on the government by saying any banking restrictions caps will push investors abroard so nothing has actually changed. Oh and possibility of nhs getting privatised aswell. Did i do good. Can i have a gold star and pat on head please sir.

 

Until the frankly childish bit at the end, you were extolling some decent virtues.

 

Take the test and see how you get on!

 

https://voteforpolicies.org.uk/survey/1/select-issues

[MooseBreath]

Yes the way they deal with the banking industry for starters and not alot gets said about it. There the ones who are running this country and yet instead its gets made out that the working class on dole or immigration is why we are in the shit. They use scare tactics on the government by saying any banking restrictions caps will push investors abroard so nothing has actually changed. Oh and possibility of nhs getting privatised aswell. Did i do good. Can i have a gold star and pat on head please sir.

Nobody is saying they're going to privatise the NHS. Some parties are vehemently opposed to it so you're covered there.

On banks I'm not sure exactly what you want. Post-crisis measures have already been enforced, separating investment arms from retail arms for example. I'm sensing you're against bankers bonuses or something like that, I'm sure the greens or some other socialist scum have a policy to restrict them.

In fact it sounds like the greens probably tick most boxes for you, so perhaps you should vote for them?

[Guest]

With all due respect, tarring every politician with the same brush is just lazy.

 

I don't vote Tory, but I know they're sincere in the main part about their views. I know that they genuinely want to do the best for their country, that they take an awful amount of abuse for trying to do so and, compared to many jobs they could get in the private sector with their qualifications, don't get a lot of money to do it. The fact is that being an MP isn't all glamour; it's hard work, you get a lot of flack, the pressure is enormous and you're one wrong move or broken promise made in sincerity from losing your job for good. Why do it if you didn't care, if you were only out for yourself? 

 

In all honesty, if you want to change things, join a party and campaign. Try to change it from within, it's better to be in the tent pissing out than outside pissing in. If you don't want to join a party, stand for election as an independent and try to get elected that way. 

 

Otherwise, your choice is to sit at home and moan about the country on FoxesTalk. Maybe turning onto Top Gear on Dave while your missus goes out to vote. Your choice, but I think we all know which of those two choices has a cat in hell's chance of achieving the change you want.

 

Not sure if that's addressed at me or not but simply because I stated that it could provide a message of change doesn't mean I'm tarring all politicians with the same brush. I know very well that it's not necessarily all take take take from politicians, the problem being that fighting that assertion from certain sections of the media is a difficult task. As Davie G mentioned somewhere earlier we're becoming a nation of soundbites and headline readers without looking past that.

 

I don't believe in allying myself with a party wholly by joining, and am happy to vote based upon party policies at the time of election. I know plenty of people who are the same. 

 

This clip always feels relevant to me

 

[Buce]

Yes thats the real reason. Im a habitual masturbater and just cant leave the house to vote.

I have voted in past and wont make that mistake again. You go enjoy watching cam, miliband and the clang tour our country waving and smiling and kissing babies telling you how they can change everything for the best. And no i dont think im superior people just veiw things differently. Didnt mean to sound patronising but im sure a financial backer to a party will have far more say on policys and stuff when there puppet gets power then most voters put together.

I get what you're saying, mate, and I feel your frustration: the system is far from perfect, and we don't always get the government we deserve.

But before you decide not to vote, reflect on this: a little over 70 years ago, a lot of good men fought and died so that we would have the freedom to choose who governs us; every vote that isn't cast is a slap in the face to each and every one of them, and pisses on their sacrifice.

[Rincewind]

There are a number of Tory MP's with links to private health companies.When contracts are given out who do you think are most likely to get them the NHS or the companies they have an interest in or give funds to the party coffers?

The chairman of the mail a viscount pays no tax as his business is not registered in the UK. He is also a personal friend of Cameron The Mail is registered in Bemuda. Which party do you think they support? Will it benefit the chairman/owner to publish stories that put the Cons in a bad light?

 

The above is part of the reason that I have lost a lot of faith in British politics. Sure there are some genuine MP's who do a good job but there are also many who are out of touch with the ordinary working man.As I am in a safe Labour seat it will not make any difference if I stay at home or write none of the above. I will just see who is standing and may vote for the least likely to win or the one likely to get fewest votes. After all they are  probably standing as a protest against the main parties.

[Guest Bilo]

Not sure if that's addressed at me or not but simply because I stated that it could provide a message of change doesn't mean I'm tarring all politicians with the same brush. I know very well that it's not necessarily all take take take from politicians, the problem being that fighting that assertion from certain sections of the media is a difficult task. As Davie G mentioned somewhere earlier we're becoming a nation of soundbites and headline readers without looking past that.

 

I don't believe in allying myself with a party wholly by joining, and am happy to vote based upon party policies at the time of election. I know plenty of people who are the same. 

 

This clip always feels relevant to me

 

 

Not addressed towards you, mate.

 

Probably should have made that clearer - good post though!

[Voll Blau]

Not voting is making a point. Its a boycott off the election system. Like when fans miss a game in protest. If we had the lowest ever voting turnout in history it will be a good thing as shows most people are sick of the same old crap and would of embarrassed Westminster to the rest of world. Its forever really only been labour or cons and nothing over all changes. So **** the vote and if your so blinded by it all that you think your vote changes things then good luck to you. Give a chicken free roam they think there free but there still going to end up on your plate at some point like the rest of them.

 

When have we ever seen a mass boycott of anything in this country? It just doesn't happen here as much as I would love to see more people involved in direct action.

 

The only thing you're doing to try and change the system outside the existing democratic framework is moaning on an internet football forum, unless you actually are involved in organising a mass boycott of the election? If you are, good luck to you becuase for all the boring, cliched points you've made on this page you actually would be doing something you believe in.

 

However, I suspect you're copping out so that you can feel smug when your mates who did vote moan if the governing party (or parties) makes a decision they don't agree with. Reminds me of the folks who have been harping on about how anti-Pearson they've been for the past five years just so they can claim to be right when we lose...

[Webbo]

 

The chairman of the mail a viscount pays no tax as his business is not registered in the UK. He is also a personal friend of Cameron The Mail is registered in Bemuda. Which party do you think they support? Will it benefit the chairman/owner to publish stories that put the Cons in a bad light?

 

They do, on a regular basis.

[reynard]

Why we need to engage people is because, if we don't, it drags politics down to the level that we have both described. That affects everyone and affects our democracy, economy etc (unlike personal decisions over football, walking or travel). It also becomes a vicious circle: people are clueless, so parties spout lies and offer low tax and high-quality public services to win elections; then they can't deliver and people don't know who/what to believe , become cynical and lose faith/interest in democratic politics etc.

 

If people started off with an understanding that you can't have low tax AND high-quality public services, that would be a start. Then they could decide what their political preferences were: low tax or high-quality public services or some compromise (mid-range taxes & services) - and could decide which taxes could be higher, which public spending could be cut etc.

 

Maybe the fears of political bias among teachers (of whatever persuasion) could be tackled by getting representatives of different political parties/groups to come into schools and explain their own views, answer questions, generate debate etc. The teacher could explain the democratic system etc, and the different parties could send in a representative to explain their basic political ideas etc?

 

Agree with just about all this. Unfortunately we will never get the grown up debate required to sort things out and to engage people. We have a population that as a whole (I'm not saying each individual here) wants more things but isn't basically prepared to pay for them. A good political education would help to alleviate this. Unfortunately there is no attempt made to make people understand what financial commitment they might be required to make to have the services so many seem to want to have.  No one really has any basic idea how much more they would have to contribute to create the amount of money required which is obviously far more than we are now raising and this has been the case for many years. If asked if they were happy to sacrifice their mobile phones or Sky Tv subscription to provide enough money to run the health service better or improve infrastructure I wonder how many would say yes. Politics is seen as too aloof by many and the fact that there are no local hustings any longer only goes to ensure that this opinion remains.

[Guest Bilo]

Agree with just about all this. Unfortunately we will never get the grown up debate required to sort things out and to engage people. We have a population that as a whole (I'm not saying each individual here) wants more things but isn't basically prepared to pay for them. A good political education would help to alleviate this. Unfortunately there is no attempt made to make people understand what financial commitment they might be required to make to have the services so many seem to want to have.  No one really has any basic idea how much more they would have to contribute to create the amount of money required which is obviously far more than we are now raising and this has been the case for many years. If asked if they were happy to sacrifice their mobile phones or Sky Tv subscription to provide enough money to run the health service better or improve infrastructure I wonder how many would say yes. Politics is seen as too aloof by many and the fact that there are no local hustings any longer only goes to ensure that this opinion remains.

 

There are, but they're not especially well advertised.

 

I attended a hustings on Friday and there were barely 20 people there, not surprising seeing as it was only mentioned on one or two social media sites.

 

A shame really, as it was an engaging debate.

[reynard]

Not voting is making a point. Its a boycott off the election system. Like when fans miss a game in protest. If we had the lowest ever voting turnout in history it will be a good thing as shows most people are sick of the same old crap and would of embarrassed Westminster to the rest of world. Its forever really only been labour or cons and nothing over all changes. So **** the vote and if your so blinded by it all that you think your vote changes things then good luck to you. Give a chicken free roam they think there free but there still going to end up on your plate at some point like the rest of them.

 

Have to say this is one of the most depressing posts I've read in a while. 800 years on from the Magna Carta have you ever really taken a good look at people like George Loveless, Thomas Clarkson, Emily Davison or George Lansbury or the countless others who have developed a tradition in this country of protest and a will; to change things with which they did not agree. Of course it is because of such people that we have a country where people, like you, are fully entitled to stay at home and do nothing and to moan about things without trying to change things for the better. Fortunately for us such people took the opposite view and often took great personal risks to try and make the changes they believed in which have resulted in us enjoying the relative freedoms we do today.

[reynard]

There are, but they're not especially well advertised.

 

I attended a hustings on Friday and there were barely 20 people there, not surprising seeing as it was only mentioned on one or two social media sites.

 

A shame really, as it was an engaging debate.

 Where was that?

I've not seen one of these for many years. It would be so good to have them re-established as a regular thing. After all we are supposed to be voting for local candidates to represent us as well as national issues.

[Stadt]

There's a question time thing at my school on Thursday (Argar will be there) and I don't know whether to go or not, I'm 95% sure  they'll just tow the line and I'm not going to learn anything new and I don't have any questions for them, there's not even a green candidate I can terrorise.

[Strokes]

There's a question time thing at my school on Thursday (Argar will be there) and I don't know whether to go or not, I'm 95% sure  they'll just tow the line and I'm not going to learn anything new and I don't have any questions for them, there's not even a green candidate I can terrorise.

You won't learn much if you don't attend. Assuming your free to leave if it's not to your taste, why not go?

[city187]

However, I suspect you're copping out so that you can feel smug when your mates who did vote moan if the governing party (or parties) makes a decision they don't agree with. Reminds me of the folks who have been harping on about how anti-Pearson they've been for the past five years just so they can claim to be right when we lose...

Wow you got that from a couple of messages on how i didnt want to vote. Your good, what am i thinking right now what number?????clue its not 8. And the pearson thing you said too brilliant id love to be you.

[Stadt]

You won't learn much if you don't attend. Assuming your free to leave if it's not to your taste, why not go?

It's during a lesson too, I'm really not sure

[Voll Blau]

Wow you got that from a couple of messages on how i didnt want to vote. Your good, what am i thinking right now what number?????clue its not 8. And the pearson thing you said too brilliant id love to be you.

 

So are you organising a mass boycott or not?

[Guest Bilo]

 Where was that?

I've not seen one of these for many years. It would be so good to have them re-established as a regular thing. After all we are supposed to be voting for local candidates to represent us as well as national issues.

 

Skegness.

 

An interesting seat, being a key battleground between UKIP and Conservatives. Farage has already been up here numerous  times.......

 

The UKIP candidate wasn't at the hustings though, he claimed he felt intimidated by a previous biased hustings. Most of the whispers among party activists (Labour and Tory) were that he was actually ill-prepared and got his arse handed to him.

[Guest Bilo]

So are you organising a mass boycott or not?

 

Based on some of his responses, I'm beginning to think he may not be old enough to vote.

 

He may not even be old enough to vote under Labour's proposed voting reforms.

[Benji]

Who actually thinks there vote matters at all really. Your fooling yourself if you think you make a difference. Its ok if you wana pick labour or cons but if you dont like me then wheres the point. Choosing between cam or miliband is like deciding weather you want to eat sh*t or drink piss so id rather do neither. Politicians are as far away from the real world then ever before.

 

Oh come on, anyone who chooses to eat shit in that scenario is a vile animal.

[The Doctor]

As an aside I'm getting very annoyed with this whole campaign now. Just ridiclous promise after ridiculous promise from everyone, totally unaffordable nonsense from all sides trying to buy votes.

 

I'm not even sure I blame the political parties anymore, the electorate appear to be so stupid they simply have no chance of being elected unless they promise these things, as a collective we seem to want Scandanavian levels of public spending combined with American tax rates, increased spending on everything from foreign aid to the miltary all while making sure every single thing we spend money on is ringfenced.

 

It's crazy. Labour promise a load of ridiculous things and they shoot ahead in the polls, so the Tories come out with a bizarre unfunded 8billion pledge on the NHS to level it up, I dread to think what this will end up as by the start of May.

 

Hats off to the Green party for the best piece of fantasy today, the've costed 'the earth' (a snip at 1.6billion) in thier manifesto and despite implementing the citizens income (280billion a year) they have somehow managed to bring the deficit down to 21million a year by 2020. I can't wait for the Andrew Neil interview to see how they got to that.

 

1.6bn for a planet? Bargain - all the minerals and precious metals you can pull out should more than make up for it. Perhaps that's how they're bringing the deficit down.

[Strokes]

I remember back in the 70's our family were living in a council house of about 15 years. We were offered the chance to buy. Before that we had improved it CH rewired decorated etc.The price quoted was more than our neighbour's who had done sod all to theirs. We considered this to be unfair so did not bother. Of course the value was more but we had already spent the extra of improving it.

I don't understand this, he would be buying a house that needed more spending on it. You didn't spend the money on it as an investment at the time so whats the issue?