General Election 2015

[.V.]

Written by a Conservative a few years ago

http://m.huffpost.com/uk/entry/2007552

 

[SALTIRE]

They'll try anything to get votes will they :

 

[Madglover]

Does the election more than any other show how broken our voting system is?

It gives far more influence to some peoples votes than other. Could a regional PR split do better?

We are heading towards a situation when 4% of the vote nets 50 seats for a part while 13% of the vote will earn 4 seats party.

Does this not seem hugely unbalanced and leads to a situation where very marginal party could have a huge influence on the country?

 

[Mr. Scruff]

The country already had an option to change and decided that they'd listen to the no campaigns assertion that essentially they were too stupid to tick more than one box.

On reflection I'd have to agree.

 

[Red]

I think this is a great point!

They'll try anything to get votes will they :

That photo was taken on Cameron's private farm. The un-released photographs show him going on to slaughtering the lamb and then serving it up to his family.

 

[TheMinsterman]

It's very, very difficult to make legislation that makes a clear separation between EU nationals and everyone else. Frankly, we're already on slightly ropey legal ground with some of our practices. And that's just to stop a small number of EU undesirables at the border. The bottom line is the general consensus is that EU nationals should be treated in the same way as own country nationals. If we make any attempt to diverge from this I strongly suspect the Commission will infract us.

Is there really nothing we can do to tackle low paying migrant work to try and close this exploit which attracts so many of them here at the expense of British labour? It's not really about treating them differently per se, just closing exploits companies use to get cheap foreign labour and similar things, which in of itself would reduce the numbers without needing control of our borders.

 

[Ellis]

Is there really nothing we can do to tackle low paying migrant work to try and close this exploit which attracts so many of them here at the expense of British labour? It's not really about treating them differently per se, just closing exploits companies use to get cheap foreign labour and similar things, which in of itself would reduce the numbers without needing control of our borders.

It largely depends on what you mean by exploitation? If they're undercutting below the minimum wage levels then naturally it's possible to clamp down on the employee's responsible. But other than that, there isn't that much available as its the nature of a common market (which isn't necessary a bad thing). I'm not sure why labour dropped their idea of lowering corporation tax for those who pay a proper wage to employees. I thought it was a pretty good centre-left orientated policy.

There was a case a few years back (Kraus) which ruled about this sort of thing. Any measure or legislation which may not be discriminatory but hampers or makes the exercise of free movement less attractive breaks community law.

 

[SALTIRE]

The Scottish debate will be on the telly tomorrow and I'll be tuning in for it to see what everyone is saying. I'll be muting that fat little tory every time she utters a word, but I'll listen to all other views.

 

[Pyeman]

I'm not sure why labour dropped their idea of lowering corporation tax for those who pay a proper wage to employees. I thought it was a pretty good centre-left orientated policy.

This sounds like a good idea in principle, but how would they decide what constitutes a 'proper wage'?

 

[Tilbury]

The living wage is a good start, but even that could be increased.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

All they care about is the numbers, so if the tax break doesn't save them more money than moving the jobs overseas would, then they'd just do that instead. Obviously lots of companies can't do that, like retailers, but manufacturers could.

 

[Alty]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32198938

Oh Christ. He's back.

Miliband has rightly said he wants to move away from the New Labour era. So why the hell is Blair being wheeled out to articulate the party's EU policy??

 

[Pyeman]

Did anyone hear Natalie Bennett on radio 4 this morning?

Media reporting that her interview was another car crash. Just wondering if anyone could verify?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/pol...interview-on-BBC-Radio-4-Today-programme.html

Doesn't seem that bad, not compared to the last one anyway.

I didn't realise quite how mental the Greens policy toward the military was though I have to say.

 

[Pyeman]

Thanks for the link. I must admit, after I posted my previous comment, I realised how easy it would be to find online and so I gave the full thing a listen on the radio 4 website. I'm with you on the military policy, and I was also surprised by the suggestion of decriminalising membership of known terrorist groups, although admittedly even she didn't seem to like the sound of that particular policy idea.

She seems to be trying really hard to balance the wishes of her party members, who largely contribute to the 'long term vision' of the party that she continually refers to, and the immediate concerns of the electorate. In doing so, she inevitably comes across as reluctant to support some of the ideas put forward on her own party's website.

Doesn't give the impression of a leader full of conviction in her party's beliefs.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

I think Farage is in a similar position although the other way around. He seems to have genuine libertarian principles and supports drug legalization, whereas UKIP's base mostly just seems to like conservatism turned up to eleven.

 

[Benji]

You guys seen Cameron eating a hot dog with a knife and fork? It's worse than Miliband struggling with his bacon butty. It's about time to really test the leaders by giving each of them a full pizza in the next televised debate.

 

[Veggie Legs]

Does anyone know of a website that gives a broad, impartial overview of what each of the main parties stands for? My girlfriend is looking for something she can use with kids she teaches (age 14 and 15) to get them engaged with the election. Probably something along these lines, but shorter.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

There's this from the Telegraph paper. Not traditionally an impartial paper but it seems pretty balanced. Goes through the basics of what an election is and how it works, and then has some nice clicky links to high level topics and what each party thinks on those topics.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/general-election-2015/11475255/definition.html

Any good?

 

[Veggie Legs]

That looks good, thanks.

 

[Red]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32198938

Oh Christ. He's back.

Miliband has rightly said he wants to move away from the New Labour era. So why the hell is Blair being wheeled out to articulate the party's EU policy??

Indeed, it seems odd. I can only think Bliar is being presented to get some kind of feel good factor going. In reality most people can't stand the sight of him and will never forgive him for Iraq.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

Do they not risk making Miliband look like even more of a lightweight by comparison?

 

[Red]

I'd say so. Say what we like about Blair, but he was prime ministerial.

 

[.V.]

I'm not sure it works, but it'll stand out

 

[Pliny Harris]

Genuinely laughed when I saw it. Cracking vid.

 

[merseyboyred]

The less they focus on Bennett the better.

 

[Murphy]

Question.

I'll be at Uni when the GE takes place, do I get a vote in both my home and Uni constituency, or just one or the other? Have absolutely no idea and I'd rather someone on here can clear it up before I have to delve deeper

 

[Alty]

It's supposed to be one or the other. Technically it's fraud to vote in both. But it definitely happens A LOT.

 

[Veggie Legs]

One or the other. I should think you can only be on the electoral register in one place.

 

[This Charming Mike]

I'm not sure it works, but it'll stand out

The resemblance to Farage is uncanny