Alright Dave?

Read the forum code of contact

Member for

17 years 10 months

Posts: 3,778

Well Cameron did it, lots of moans from benifit streets who were to busy eating PIZZZAAaaaaaaa to go out and vote.

Original post

Member for

11 years 5 months

Posts: 11,141

And may yet get a majority. I see accommodation with Scotland and boundary changes, p****sed on by the late unlamented Clegg, on the horizon. And of course although enough Scots voted SNP to take the seats that's a long way from assuming there is now a majority for independence.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,566

Ajockalypse now...

The Scottish Natsionalist Party will be bathing in fountains of IRN BRU and munching on deep fried Mars Bars long into the weekend...

Member for

14 years 5 months

Posts: 3,447

But I like pizza.

Seriously though, the 'underclass' you refer to, Trolly (though that word disappeared from the tabloid lexicon when they realised it) are to the right of centre in England. I suspect Cameron's surprise victory had more to do with them putting down the pizza..

Turkeys voting for Christmas, maybe, but a look at the demographics is interesting.

Member for

13 years 5 months

Posts: 3,381

Well Cameron did it, lots of moans from benifit streets who were to busy eating PIZZZAAaaaaaaa to go out and vote.

Absurd but unsurprising that the UK doesn't have compulsory voting. Democracy in the UK (or in most other places, to be fair) has never really been about allowing ordinary people to run the country, but rather manufacturing the consent necessary for the real powerbrokers to continue pursuing their narrow interests as they always have. For most nations today, democracy is simply a checkbox to be ticked to qualify as a modern state, not an ideological commitment. Same is true here -- our system of compulsory voting is merely a vestige of a more idealistic and egalitarian age.

Member for

17 years 5 months

Posts: 8,980

It makes you wonder about the present system when

The SDP get 56 seats with 1,454,436 total votes taken.
and the Lib Dems take 8 with 2,399,866 total votes taken.

But the likes of the Greens take 1 with 1,154,562 total votes taken.
And UKIP take 1 with 3,875,409 total votes taken.

The SDP and The Lib Dems could have caused chaos and held the country to ransom with voting numbers that between them were less than that UKIP took.
Talk about the SNP vote being totally disproportinate in what they nearly achieved and the amount of voters, the country was nearly held to ransom by a minority party.

One wonders if changes will be a foot to prevent this happening again, especially as we have no say in a lot of the Scottish policies and laws now.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 8,464

Yes, there will be significant power devolved to Scotland, including tax raising powers. At the same time, we will see English votes for English policies, and that will sort out the low majority issue.

I doubt there will be electoral reform. No-one voted for it last parliament, and there will be no appetite for it now - except amongst those who lost.

Member for

13 years 5 months

Posts: 3,381

It makes you wonder about the present system when

The SDP get 56 seats with 1,454,436 total votes taken.
and the Lib Dems take 8 with 2,399,866 total votes taken.

But the likes of the Greens take 1 with 1,154,562 total votes taken.
And UKIP take 1 with 3,875,409 total votes taken.

Actually the case of Scotland and the SNP demonstrates precisely why a geographic system of representation is (still) necessary to capture and recognise such localised sentiments. But at the same time, it's clear that in the modern world -- where many issues transcend local boundaries -- non-geographic representation is needed as well. A modern democratic system designed from the ground up would indeed differ significantly from the systems that are in place in most nations today. One can debate the philosophical merits of various proposals, but the basic reason why we will not see such reform is that the presently entrenched powers and interests in the various nations would not benefit from it -- they will protect their existing power and perogatives, as power everywhere always has and always will.

Member for

11 years 5 months

Posts: 11,141

Yes, there will be significant power devolved to Scotland, including tax raising powers. At the same time, we will see English votes for English policies, and that will sort out the low majority issue.

I doubt there will be electoral reform. No-one voted for it last parliament, and there will be no appetite for it now - except amongst those who lost.

I agree, that wil always be the losers gripe, although I am quite sure the boundary changes which Clegg refused will be actioned. They are genuinely, long over due.

Member for

12 years 8 months

Posts: 851

English votes for English policies is very difficult to achieve within our current constitution. It is not going to be a quick fix.
There is a link to a Guardian report on this issue below. I know many may not accept on principle anything written there, but it does give an indication of the problems facing such legislation.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/24/english-votes-english-laws-absurdity-separatist

From the Telegraph, as you would expect a more positive spin but it still outlines the main issues and the main snag- how do you decide which policies genuinely affect only England?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/11160728/Everything-you-need-to-know-about-English-votes-for-English-laws.html

Member for

11 years 5 months

Posts: 11,141

I agree - Vernon Bogdanor talks a lot of sense.

Member for

12 years 11 months

Posts: 6,535

....."how do you decide which policies affect only England...?"

The squeals arising from Irish, Scots and Welsh Nationalists will very quickly tell you.

Member for

12 years 8 months

Posts: 851

Yes, I understand your point and can see it would be quite entertaining from the outside looking in, but in all seriousness that isn't a practical way to form effective legislation for England or UK&NI

Member for

11 years 5 months

Posts: 11,141

I'm for a new referendum to settle it once and for all. Just because a majority of Scots voted for SNP candidates mainly against Labour does not mean that suddenly there's been a large swing for independence. Let's put it to the test. I don't much care whichever way the vote goes.

Profile picture for user 1batfastard

Member for

11 years 2 months

Posts: 3,650

Hi All,
Anybody know what the turn out was like ?

Geoff.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 16,832

I'm for a new referendum to settle it once and for all.

As am I. But this time we should all get to vote.

Moggy

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 16,832

Hi All,
Anybody know what the turn out was like ?

It was like 66%

Profile picture for user 1batfastard

Member for

11 years 2 months

Posts: 3,650

Hi All,
Moggy,
Many thanks :eagerness: You don't happen to recall the last turn out figures do you as 66% seems a poor turn out to me or is that about average ?

Geoff.

Member for

11 years 5 months

Posts: 11,141

It's always there or thereabouts Geoff.

Moggy - that's a damn good idea so we all get the chance to kick them out of the Union!!;)

Member for

17 years 5 months

Posts: 8,980

It's the Scots and the referendum issues that get me, if you hold a referendum and lose accept it, what annoys me are the calls for further referendums until you get one that agrees with your point of view.... They've had their chance and said no, so that should be.

Member for

11 years 5 months

Posts: 11,141

Mmmm - reminiscent of another bunch of wishful thinkers in Brussels!