UK General Election - May 7th 2015 (The Official Campaign Thread)

[Meeker]

Just why on God's green earth would Labor want to form a government that is at the mercy of the SNP? Just asking.

It's fun being the Prime Minister, even if the job sucks.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It is quite possible that 'at the mercy of' would not be exactly or entirely accurate. Though until we have the actual results in, speculation is a little pointless.

---

Farage has today claimed that some opinion polling companies are engaged in a conspiracy to make it look as though UKIP are not doing well. I present this without comment.

[afleitch]

EdStone
MiliStone
Limestone Vowboy

and other such Labour-ed puns.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Adding a moment of sudden surreality to this most bruising of General Elections is to be praised, surely?

---

Full figures on last night's YouGov: Con 34, Labour 33, UKIP 13, LDem 8, Greens 5, Others 7

Rather oddly the Sun on Sunday also has a YouGov poll, though completed a little earlier: Labour 35, Con 34, UKIP 12, LDem 9, Greens 5, Others 6

[afleitch]

There was a YouGov for Scotland

SNP 49
LAB 26 (+1)
CON 15 (-2)
LIB 7 (+2)
UKIP 2 (-1)
GRN 1

[Diouf]

Analysis by Loughborough University of positivity/negativity of press coverage, with scores weighted to reflect newspapers’ circulation.
Quite as expected; negative coverage of Labour and SNP have intensified during the campaign, while UKIP is almost being ignored to avoid that they retain and/or attract more (primarily Conservative) voters.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Via UKPollingreport, an additional detail from the one YouGov poll:

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[Diouf]

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Northern Ireland blank map.

[You kip if you want to...]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVPmRx8q-zI Ed. Election night 2010.

[Torie]

If the UK had elections like Atlasia, with rank order voting by constituency, who do you think would have the better chance of winning? It seems as if it might be as close as the present state of affairs. Is there any chat about doing it that way, rather than the proportional system? The present system seem to reward the informed (the clever tactical voters), and punish the ignorant (who just throw their vote away).

[Vega]

If the UK had elections like Atlasia, with rank order voting by constituency, who do you think would have the better chance of winning? It seems as if it might be as close as the present state of affairs. Is there any chat about doing it that way, rather than the proportional system? The present system seem to reward the informed (the clever tactical voters), and punish the ignorant (who just throw their vote away).

That would probably favor the Tories and the Lib Dems, I'd imagine.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

If the UK had elections like Atlasia, with rank order voting by constituency, who do you think would have the better chance of winning? It seems as if it might be as close as the present state of affairs. Is there any chat about doing it that way, rather than the proportional system? The present system seem to reward the informed (the clever tactical voters), and punish the ignorant (who just throw their vote away).

[Phony Moderate]

YouGov: Con 34, Lab 33, UKIP 12, Lib Dems 9, Greens 5

[Simfan34]

Just need to knock UKIP down a few and it'll be all right...

[Torie]

England should have a referendum as to whether they want Scotland to remain in the UK. The situation at this point, strikes me as kind of ludicrous. It really does not matter much really. It is not as if one needs a union to have a larger trade zone or for the common defense. So what is the point? And what was the justification for Scotland having too many seats in Parliament again?  And why are they voting on bills that have no impact on them locally? Isn't that like taxation without representation [responsibility for the consequences]?

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

[Tetro Kornbluth]

England should have a referendum as to whether they want Scotland to remain in the UK. The situation at this point, strikes me as kind of ludicrous. It really does not matter much really. It is not as if one needs a union to have a larger trade zone or for the common defense. So what is the point? And what was the justification for Scotland having too many seats in Parliament again?  And why are they voting on bills that have no impact on them locally? Isn't that like taxation without representation [responsibility for the consequences]?

Scotland is no longer over-represented in Parliament. That was resolved with the boundary review in the 2005-2010 parliament.

[136or142]

1.Labor paging Roy Moore?

2.Does anybody believe that people are lying to pollsters that they are supporting another party when they're actually going to vote British Union, errr, UKIP?

[Lief 🗽]

2.Does anybody believe that people are lying to pollsters that they are supporting another party when they're actually going to vote British Union, errr, UKIP?

It's possible. That would explain why UKIP does slightly better in internet polls (and thus Tories do slightly worse).

[Joe Republic]

https://uk.isidewith.com/political-quiz

97% Liberal Democrats
92% Labour
89% Green
73% Conservative
56% UKIP

Fair enough, I guess.    That's who I supported in 2010.  I still won't be upset when they are delivered a good thrashing this time, however.

[Ebowed]

A few interesting questions.  I got 97% Green, 94% Labour, 92% Lib Dem, 39% Torie, 16% UKIP.

I'm not really sure who I'm "rooting" for though.  Labour last time, but from what little I've read the Greens are hoping to 're-invent' themselves in this election, hoping to weed out some of the more fringe (i.e. anti-vaxxers, anti-flouride) elements and broadening its message across economic themes.  At least that's what the Green propaganda was telling me.   Ultimately, I just hope that the Conservatives lose.

[Gustaf]

Anyone have a summary of the polls?

[Tender Branson]

Anyone have a summary of the polls?

Yes, Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2015_United_Kingdom_general_election

Polls show a tight race, which could be good for turnout.

[bore]

I'm sorely tempted to vote Tory now.