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Honky Tonk Man Rocks Off Regular Offline Rocks Off Rules You Bastards Posts: 2,272 London Gender:	The 2010 UK General Election May 6^th, 2010 at 3:02pm Ah, go on! Why not? I hope my fellow Brits have all toddled off to their respective polling stations and cast their vote to ensure we suffer no more at the hands of Brown and his left-wing cronies.
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Joey Rocks Off Regular Online Posts: 20,641 Omaha , NE Gender:	Re: The 2010 UK General Election Reply #1 - May 6^th, 2010 at 3:13pm " I hope my fellow Brits have all toddled off to their respective polling stations and cast their vote " !!!!!
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sweetcharmedlife Rocks Off Regular Offline Do the horrendous to that if you can Posts: 11,943 San Mateo Gender:	Re: The 2010 UK General Election Reply #2 - May 6^th, 2010 at 3:17pm Joey,they're electing a PM. Not a BM. That leaves you out.
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Honky Tonk Man Rocks Off Regular Offline Rocks Off Rules You Bastards Posts: 2,272 London Gender:	Re: The 2010 UK General Election Reply #3 - May 6^th, 2010 at 3:24pm Joey wrote on May 6^th, 2010 at 3:13pm: " I hope my fellow Brits have all toddled off to their respective polling stations and cast their vote " !!!!! Hmm... possibly! He did indeed fair fairly well in the first of the three televised debates - and many do indeed feel the Liberals are a viable alternative.
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mojoman Rocks Off Regular Offline HMERLS Posts: 6,590 joyzee Gender:	Re: The 2010 UK General Election Reply #4 - May 6^th, 2010 at 3:56pm listening to mr framptons latest-Thank you Mr Churchill
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Some Guy Rocks Off Regular Offline Posts: 16,063 Atlanta Gender:	Re: The 2010 UK General Election Reply #5 - May 6^th, 2010 at 4:18pm any drones out there?
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Gazza

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Re: The 2010 UK General Election
Reply #6 - May 6^th, 2010 at 7:08pm

Honky Tonk Man wrote on May 6^th, 2010 at 3:24pm:

Joey wrote on May 6^th, 2010 at 3:13pm:

" I hope my fellow Brits have all toddled off to their respective polling stations and cast their vote "

!!!!!

Hmm... possibly! He did indeed fair fairly well in the first of the three televised debates - and many do indeed feel the Liberals are a viable alternative.

If they do, it speaks volumes for the failings in our education system and would be proof that the electorate has shit for brains.

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Pdog Rocks Off Regular Offline Posts: 6,130 aTx Gender:	Re: The 2010 UK General Election Reply #7 - May 6^th, 2010 at 8:36pm I hope that folks in the UK turn out better than over here... our turnout rate is so low for those who are eligible... Just a shame so many take this great right for granted.... so... who is the new king of great britain anyway?
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Gazza

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Re: The 2010 UK General Election
Reply #8 - May 7^th, 2010 at 6:27am

Pdog wrote on May 6^th, 2010 at 8:36pm:

I hope that folks in the UK turn out better than over here... our turnout rate is so low for those who are eligible... Just a shame so many take this great right for granted....
so... who is the new king of great britain anyway?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/default.stm

Not quite all the 650 seats have been decided yet, but the Conservatives will be the largest party, albeit without an overall majority - so its likely that David Cameron wil be P.M, heading a minority government unless he can strike a deal with a few minor parties to form a coalition.

Technically speaking, as incumbent PM, Gordon Brown has the right to try and make a deal with other parties to form a government although thats unlikely to happen. If he can't, then the Queen will ask Cameron, as leader of the largest party, to try and form one.

This is only the second change of government in the UK since 1979 (Labour have been in power since 1997). We also tend not to have coalition or minority governments (hasnt been one since the 70s), so I would imagine that if Cameron gets in we'll have another election in a few months to see if he can get a majority.

A hung parliament (and therefore a weak government) at a time of economic uncertainty like we have now would be an outcome we really DONT need.

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Tumbled Rocks Off Regular Offline Posts: 1,206 Gender:	Re: The 2010 UK General Election Reply #9 - May 7^th, 2010 at 9:02am Will this mean welfare reform and immigration reform? If there is no majority it will mean very little gets done as it does here won't it?
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Gazza Unholy Trinity Admin Offline Rat Bastid "We piss anywhere, man.." Posts: 13,231 Belfast, UK Gender:	Re: The 2010 UK General Election Reply #10 - May 7^th, 2010 at 9:20am Tumbled wrote on May 7^th, 2010 at 9:02am: Will this mean welfare reform and immigration reform? If there is no majority it will mean very little gets done as it does here won't it? a) Most certainly (in theory anyway). All the parties have different policies on both issues b) Correct.
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Tumbled

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Re: The 2010 UK General Election
Reply #11 - May 7^th, 2010 at 9:28am

I don't understand why Gordon Brown is not stepping down. How come he has the option to do a referendum.

Now I see he is trying to make friends with the liberal democrats to form a coalition.

Never mind you already answered the question

Meanwhile: the GBP plummets... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1274083/FTSE-Dow-Jones-slump-amid-hung-p...

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« Last Edit: May 7^th, 2010 at 9:47am by Tumbled »

Remember to keep your nose to the grindstone, your shoulder to the wheel, your feet on the ground, your eye on the ball, your ear to the ground, your finger on the pulse, your head on your shoulders, the pedal to the metal, a song in your heart, your hand on the helm and the bull by the horns

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Teiz

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Re: The 2010 UK General Election
Reply #12 - May 7^th, 2010 at 9:43am

Can someone please explain the benefit of a winner-take-all/first past the post system? Isn't it more fair to have the European mainland system, in which the percentage of the vote becomes the percentage of the seats? I'm not saying it's better mind you, but it must be frustrating to be a liberal in the UK: pretty solid following, but just a few seats in het house...I would never vote for the Dutch Green Party if it wouldn't matter, now they have 8 to 12 seats in the house each round.

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Ade Rocks Off Regular Offline What's Occuring? Posts: 3,147 London, U.K Gender:	Re: The 2010 UK General Election Reply #13 - May 7^th, 2010 at 9:47am an amazing, amazing night - i stayed up till 4am, engrossed in the stunning, unfolding events.
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Ade

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Re: The 2010 UK General Election
Reply #14 - May 7^th, 2010 at 9:53am

Teiz wrote on May 7^th, 2010 at 9:43am:

Can someone please explain the benefit of a winner-take-all/first past the post system?

Theoretically the elctorate decide who's the next P.M and not a bunch of MP's in smoke-filled back rooms ( a cert with coalitions)

First past the post is a system i believe in, and a system i'm most comfortable with.
However, the situation remains....we have a hung parliament, and Cameron is talking to Clegg.....watch this space.

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Joey Rocks Off Regular Online Posts: 20,641 Omaha , NE Gender:	Re: The 2010 UK General Election Reply #15 - May 7^th, 2010 at 10:11am " we have a hung parliament, and Cameron is talking to Clegg.....watch this space " Cheers Ade !!!!! Meet you for breakfast / lunch tomorrow at Mick & Pete's Local : !!!!! " Welsh Rarebit , Ronnie ! " Joey Clegg ! ™
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Gazza

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Re: The 2010 UK General Election
Reply #16 - May 7^th, 2010 at 10:13am

Teiz wrote on May 7^th, 2010 at 9:43am:

Can someone please explain the benefit of a winner-take-all/first past the post system? Isn't it more fair to have the European mainland system, in which the percentage of the vote becomes the percentage of the seats? I'm not saying it's better mind you, but it must be frustrating to be a liberal in the UK: pretty solid following, but just a few seats in het house...I would never vote for the Dutch Green Party if it wouldn't matter, now they have 8 to 12 seats in the house each round.

One word - stability. Its also less prone to corruption, as you're less likely to have to make underhand deals with small parties who end up wielding influence and power way in excess of their electoral mandate. With PR, we'd NEVER have a government elected with a majority. How many governments and elections have countries like Italy and Ireland had since World War Two? A recipe for chaos. Apart from the Lib Dems, I don't really think there's much demand for it. We DO use it for European and local government elections, though.

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Jesus Christ Rocks Off Regular Offline Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Posts: 525 Heaven Gender:	Re: The 2010 UK General Election Reply #17 - May 7^th, 2010 at 11:09am I don't understand this political thread...why aren't any of you swearing and calling each other names? Are the Clegg supporters mindless drones, or Cameron's? Who's the Marxist candidate and have you seen his birth certificate? This doesn't seem like politics at all.
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Ade

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Re: The 2010 UK General Election
Reply #18 - May 7^th, 2010 at 1:52pm

Jesus Christ wrote on May 7^th, 2010 at 11:09am:

I don't understand this political thread...why aren't any of you swearing and calling each other names? Are the Clegg supporters mindless drones, or Cameron's? Who's the Marxist candidate and have you seen his birth certificate?

This doesn't seem like politics at all.

the electorate are always right.
We leave the mudslinging and the unsavoury behaviour to the politicians, over hear.

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Ade Rocks Off Regular Offline What's Occuring? Posts: 3,147 London, U.K Gender:	Re: The 2010 UK General Election Reply #19 - May 7^th, 2010 at 1:57pm Pdog wrote on May 6^th, 2010 at 8:36pm: I hope that folks in the UK turn out better than over here... our turnout rate is so low for those who are eligible... Just a shame so many take this great right for granted.... so... who is the new king of great britain anyway? average turnout = 65%, up on 2005
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Tumbled Rocks Off Regular Offline Posts: 1,206 Gender:	Re: The 2010 UK General Election Reply #20 - May 7^th, 2010 at 2:55pm Jesus: The answer is they are more civilized and educated on the other side of the ocean. What I don't understand is why they even vote at all if coalitions are formed afterward and the queen still has to announce the PM. and the loser gets to hold referendums. It just doesn't make any sense.
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lotsajizz

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Re: The 2010 UK General Election
Reply #21 - May 7^th, 2010 at 3:32pm

Teiz wrote on May 7^th, 2010 at 9:43am:

Can someone please explain the benefit of a winner-take-all/first past the post system? Isn't it more fair to have the European mainland system, in which the percentage of the vote becomes the percentage of the seats? I'm not saying it's better mind you, but it must be frustrating to be a liberal in the UK: pretty solid following, but just a few seats in het house...I would never vote for the Dutch Green Party if it wouldn't matter, now they have 8 to 12 seats in the house each round.

Who the fuck wants to be Italy?!?! Ouch!

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"He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man." Dr. Johnson.

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Gazza

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Re: The 2010 UK General Election
Reply #22 - May 7^th, 2010 at 3:53pm

Tumbled wrote on May 7^th, 2010 at 2:55pm:

Jesus: The answer is they are more civilized and educated on the other side of the ocean.

What I don't understand is why they even vote at all if coalitions are formed afterward and the queen still has to announce the PM. and the loser gets to hold referendums. It just doesn't make any sense.

Coalitions are rarely formed afterwards because as we rarely have minority governments they're generally not necessary. And if they ar, its always as a short term fix.

And I've no idea where you get this 'loser gets to hold referendums' idea from. Complete fiction.

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« Last Edit: May 7^th, 2010 at 3:54pm by Gazza »

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jostorm

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Re: The 2010 UK General Election
Reply #23 - May 7^th, 2010 at 4:14pm

Jesus Christ wrote on May 7^th, 2010 at 11:09am:

I don't understand this political thread...why aren't any of you swearing and calling each other names? Are the Clegg supporters mindless drones, or Cameron's? Who's the Marxist candidate and have you seen his birth certificate?

This doesn't seem like politics at all.

Funny!
But there are more similarities between our two countries's politics than meet the eye, JC!
We now have a hung parliament - You now have a well-hung President.
As to pointless mud-slinging: As Gazza said, we leave that to our politicians...And, if I may speak for all of us, we ROers residing in the UK are still suffering from severe acute post-traumatic-stress-syndrome after having even partially read your Obama thread, so our fragile psyche does not allow us to attack our brethren. Plus, our philosophy of life is more "everyone is entitled to their very personal views on politics without being attacked or offended". It's a direct by-product from having an older and wiser cicilisation. You may want to try that sometime.....

Nolte - The Rocks Off patron saint

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Ade Rocks Off Regular Offline What's Occuring? Posts: 3,147 London, U.K Gender:	Re: The 2010 UK General Election Reply #24 - May 7^th, 2010 at 4:17pm as Gazza correctly states, a short term fix. The last Hung Election was March 1974...a second election was called in October of that year. Quite feasible we have another General Election sooner rather than later.
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