Commons motion to dissolve Parliament to be tabled.

[afleitch]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8079604.stm

Tabled by the SNP and Plaid Cymru, tonight it appears to have the backing of both the Lib Dems and the Tories. It is doomed to fail, but it's not about winning; it's about the statement and the airtime

[minionofmidas]

Oh. And here I thought the government had fallen.

[afleitch]

Oh. And here I thought the government had fallen.

It certainly feels like it has fallen! There's certainly a lack of confidence in the government. I don't expect Labour to turn on Brown; they would if it gave them a chance of holding on to power, but it's a futile move. For a government to fall in a 'vacuum' like this would fill me with some worry though, to be partisan and honest here I'll be more relaxed if the locals and Euros show the Tories on the path to government.

Then they can rip out the governments throat for all I care.

[afleitch]

The Guardian calls for Brown to go.

[ChrisJG777]

All of these recent events quite frankly leave me wondering what's going to happen to British politics in the future.  One thing's for sure, I still can't quite make up my mind who to vote for in the EU elections...initially leaning Labour, would never vote Conservative, the Lib Dems are far too pro-EU and none of the minor parties which I favour stand a chance of winning a seat...

Whatever the case may be, we need a change of government here, but I personally just can't stand the Tories and the Liberal Democrats have negligible chance of getting in government.  Bit of a rock and hard place here, and I bet that there are many more undecided voters out there too...

[CJK]

Wow... I don't think I've ever seen a total meltdown of a government like this.

[Verily]

All of these recent events quite frankly leave me wondering what's going to happen to British politics in the future.  One thing's for sure, I still can't quite make up my mind who to vote for in the EU elections...initially leaning Labour, would never vote Conservative, the Lib Dems are far too pro-EU and none of the minor parties which I favour stand a chance of winning a seat...

Whatever the case may be, we need a change of government here, but I personally just can't stand the Tories and the Liberal Democrats have negligible chance of getting in government.  Bit of a rock and hard place here, and I bet that there are many more undecided voters out there too...

The Lib Dems stand a better chance than Labour at forming government. And they could very well be the Official Opposition after the next election, which basically guarantees that they will form the government some day once the Tories run out their luck. If you hate the EU that much (why?) and don't want to reform it (why?) just vote Green or throw your vote away with Jury Team at Euros.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

To anyone following this more closely: Would you say Labour is in a similar position to the Republicans in 2006?

[Keystone Phil]

To anyone following this more closely: Would you say Labour is in a similar position to the Republicans in 2006?

I think it's clear that Labour is in an even worse position than the GOP was in 2008.

[Dan the Roman]

All of these recent events quite frankly leave me wondering what's going to happen to British politics in the future.  One thing's for sure, I still can't quite make up my mind who to vote for in the EU elections...initially leaning Labour, would never vote Conservative, the Lib Dems are far too pro-EU and none of the minor parties which I favour stand a chance of winning a seat...

Whatever the case may be, we need a change of government here, but I personally just can't stand the Tories and the Liberal Democrats have negligible chance of getting in government.  Bit of a rock and hard place here, and I bet that there are many more undecided voters out there too...

The Lib Dems stand a better chance than Labour at forming government. And they could very well be the Official Opposition after the next election, which basically guarantees that they will form the government some day once the Tories run out their luck. If you hate the EU that much (why?) and don't want to reform it (why?) just vote Green or throw your vote away with Jury Team at Euros.

Its next to impossible that the Lib Dems will overtake Labour. The Electoral system hands Labour more free seats in places like Leeds,  than the Lib Dems have in total, and unless and until the Lib Dems start actually winning working class votes they are not going anywhere except against the Tories.  If you had figures like you are seeing now, except with the Tories 5 points behind the Lib Dems, the Libs might be able to do it, but even if the Libs win 5% more of the vote they will be down 100 seats on Labour. The Liberal vote is spread out such that they need over 30% to get much over a 100.

Labour is the least poll sensitive party because below a certain point, there are seats they will never lose. Its like the Democrats in the US. No matter how badly they do, there is no real competition in urban and minority districts, and there are enough of them, that is impossible for them to fall below a certain point without being replaced. The Liberal Dems and the Tories on the other hand are largely fighting over the same types of seats outside of Universities, and as a result, the Liberals really need a Tory implosion, as almost happened in 2001-2003, to become the 2nd party.

In order for it to happen you would need figures like these:

Tories 36% Libs 33% Lab 21%

The H&K Predictor gives the following seats for that result

Tories 329  Libs 146  Lab 126

This is probably a bit unfair to the libs, but gives an idea of how hard a hill they have to climb.

[Smid]

To anyone following this more closely: Would you say Labour is in a similar position to the Republicans in 2006?

I think it would be more like... assume the 22nd Amendment never passed back in 1947, but for whatever reason, it hasn't changed anything up until 2008. Then assume that Bush decides he wants to go for a third term. He probably has a better chance of getting returned than the Labor Party in Britain.

[ChrisJG777]

All of these recent events quite frankly leave me wondering what's going to happen to British politics in the future.  One thing's for sure, I still can't quite make up my mind who to vote for in the EU elections...initially leaning Labour, would never vote Conservative, the Lib Dems are far too pro-EU and none of the minor parties which I favour stand a chance of winning a seat...

Whatever the case may be, we need a change of government here, but I personally just can't stand the Tories and the Liberal Democrats have negligible chance of getting in government.  Bit of a rock and hard place here, and I bet that there are many more undecided voters out there too...

The Lib Dems stand a better chance than Labour at forming government. And they could very well be the Official Opposition after the next election, which basically guarantees that they will form the government some day once the Tories run out their luck. If you hate the EU that much (why?) and don't want to reform it (why?) just vote Green or throw your vote away with Jury Team at Euros.

As has been explained, the Electoral System here really hates groups like the Lib Dems and other smaller parties.  Still, that's the FPTP system for you.

Also, I didn't necessarily say that I didn't want the EU reformed, however I do feel that the most likely groups to get in are either all for expanding the influence of the EU over the UK (Lib Dems), chronically useless (Labour) or I just simply wouldn't vote for them in a month of Sundays (Tories).  Also, groups like the UKIP, although they have a realistic chance of winning a seat, and they share a good portion of my sentiments on the EU, they're just too right wing for my tastes.

Hmm, I think I might go for the chronically useless ones here...

[doktorb]

There's always the Jury Team  xD

[The Man From G.O.P.]

To anyone following this more closely: Would you say Labour is in a similar position to the Republicans in 2006?

Cute BRTD, but not even close.

[afleitch]

Hazel Blears has resigned. They are walking rather than give Gordon the satisfaction of pusing them.

[doktorb]

Hazel Blears has resigned. They are walking rather than give Gordon the satisfaction of pusing them.

Will make the reshuffle even harder for him. Not much of a "government of all the talents" when you're forced to put Balls as Chancellor and Lammy as Minister for Education....

[big bad fab]

Tony for Foreign Secretary !!

[minionofmidas]

Tony for Foreign Secretary !!

Tony Benn is not an MP anymore.

Nor is Tony Blair, in case you meant that nut.

Gee, Gordon's probably right now hoping thathe called a general election last week.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Hazel Blears has resigned. They are walking rather than give Gordon the satisfaction of pusing them.

If enough MP's resign or otherwise are no longer under the Labour whip, might that lead to a no confidence vote that would be successful?

[Silent Hunter]

Hazel Blears has resigned. They are walking rather than give Gordon the satisfaction of pusing them.

If enough MP's resign or otherwise are no longer under the Labour whip, might that lead to a no confidence vote that would be successful?

Remember, Blears is only resigning from the Cabinet,  not the parliamentary party. She is still a Labour MP. She's also a self-seeking politicans that just cost some decent councilors their jobs...

[Democratic Hawk]

No general election until the independent enquiry into MPs expenses has been completed and any appropriate action taken

[doktorb]

Jim "To Err is" Devine and Kitty "Fall Of The House Of" Ussher fall - one by the ruling council, one by the publication of expenses....