2005 General Election: Who Would You Vote For?

[jamesp]

Originally Posted by Mr T.

Because it stopped the Tories, and latterly any new government, using it as a politcal football and offering pre-election 'sweeteners' to the electorate come very general election. Strange that interest rates used to only become 'favourable' at election times, right? Regardless of your politics, this tactic was tantamount to wanton cynicism and a taking of the piss out of the electorate and tax-payer.



Whilst there is a grain of truth in your assertion, I'd rather have the mechanisms in the hands of economists and bankers than politicians any day of the week.

Yes I fell for that line of spin as well. The truth is that removing the setting of interest rates from the politicians and placing it in the hands of a central bank was one of the prerequisites of joining the euro. An area where either Tony bottled or Gordan won. Thank God!

I have long advocated that after the ERM fiasco Lamont and Major should of been hung for treason, at that time it was still on the statute books as a capital crime, or from the nearest lamp post. Now thanks to Tony and the European convention of human rights(anybody for responsibilities??) only the lamp post option remains. Then you realise that Major was not quite the Arse we all thought He was(relatively speaking).

If you want a good giggle and a jolt of what the Torry parties Halcyon days were like, read Gyles Brandreths "Breaking the Code", its surprising how self destructive these people really were.

[Toddster]

I truely believe that the Wombles (of Wimbledon) would do a better job than any party running at the moment. The least they would do is Keep Britain Tidy !

[Zdu]

I'm surprised by the amount of abstainers. Though I shouldn't be as it's probably less a percentage than the population as a whole.

I've got to admit I have a problem with the term "abstain". It implies refraining with an effort when, quite frankly, all I see is refraining due to apathy. I'm afraid I simply don't buy into any reason not to vote for a couple of reasons:

- Not liking any of the options is not a reason to not vote. It's an excuse. At the very least it can be broken down into the simple fact that there is a government to vote for or against. Vote for the party you hate least but at least vote. As somebody mentioned you've pretty much forfeited any right to complain about/ praise the next government if you couldn't be arsed to vote them in/ out. If that doesn't float your boat vote against the Party you least want representing you in your local area - where I live there is a BNP candidate standing... to not vote against these people is beyond my wildest comprehension.

- A bit of an old-fashioned argument this but to me all those who died in the War didn't do so because I could "abstain" from voting.

[Fathoms Down]

Its interesting, but have you thought that people get the governments they deserve? For example, who actually puts any time in to looking at a govenment's policies and track record before they vote for them? I'd wager that most people don't and go on who they've always voted for/who their family has always voted for/who the press say at the best. Not very scientific or accurate is it? (remember, the press are the people who tell us that there is a fox-hunting, islamic fundamentalist paedophile hiding around every corner). I agree that politics isn't the most exciting topic along with legal matters, ecconomics and international affairs but, unless you investiage these matters, how can you vote knowing you're doing the right thing?

[Steve S]

In our area historically a vote for any other party other than Labour was a vote for the Tories, I have voted for Labour and in the past have been a LPM but no more, now I see that there are no real differences between the 2 main parties.

Abstentions are all well and good but can allow extremists parties to win by default, personally I think that Labour has run out of ideas and do not really want to win the next election as I cannot believe that a party wishing to retain power would make the schoolboy errors of judgement that seem to happen everyday.

The Tories are all things to all men and I'm sure that if you remember back to the last year of Majors' government Labour were saying the exact same things " the only way is up" anyone

I will probably vote Labour but with a heavy heart in that a party I thought would improve Britain has not lived up to its potential.

Safe diving,
Steve.

[chrisch]

Originally Posted by Steve S

...... personally I think that Labour has run out of ideas....

I'm sure GWB will think up some more for them to implement!!

Chris

[hopper]

Originally Posted by Fathoms Down

I agree that politics isn't the most exciting topic along with legal matters, ecconomics and international affairs but, unless you investiage these matters, how can you vote knowing you're doing the right thing?

One of the problems that we have is that you have to vote for a political party who state that they will do "X" but then that same party may also want to do "Y" which you don't agree with.

Couldn't we have a sysytem where you had to vote for a party who then listed their top 10 manifesto pledges and you could then rank them in order of preference. All votes cast would then be collated and Government policy decided accordingly. 1 - 5 having to be implememted.

You could also go the whole hog and make it mandatory that the government accepted the oppositions top manefest pledge. Difficult to work I grant but atleast you would then have a say in how your vote influenced the party you voted for.

[Paul Oliver]

I have always been a Tory and will continue that based on my current employment.


If we follow Blair we have no Immigration Policy, Michael Howard has it right, his ideas are the way ahead, and the only way to resolve the issue.

If we carry on following EU policy we will be forced into Shengen and have no border control (like the resrt of europe).

[gobfish1]

I live in Salford, So its Labour , its allway,s been that way ,
and thats the way we i like it.

Steve G

[Mr T.]

Originally Posted by gobfish1

I live in Salford, So its Labour , its allway,s been that way ,
and thats the way we i like it.

Steve G

Although mate,

Let's be frank, they could put up a ferral donkey in a sombrero in Salford and as long as its rosette said 'Labour', they'd vote for it.