UK Election 2010

[The Mikado]

As it happens, I am in favor of enfranchising prisoners.  Way to go, Roger, you made me like the Lib Dems more.

[Verily]

Something else. There was a TV debate in Wales as well. The Tory said 'Morgan' when she should have said 'Jones' and I suppose what passes for a press in Wales will have a bit of fun with that.

Who was at the debate? Ieuan Wyn Jones, clearly, and who for the Big Three?

Peter Hain for Labour, Cheryl Gillan for the Tories, Kirsty Williams for the Libs and Ieuan Wyn Jones for Plaid.

Boring, I'm guessing?

Also, LOL at the Conservatives for not even getting a Welsh politician there.

[minionofmidas]

I wonder if the Lib Dems can gain 100 seats in this election... certainly would be a unexpected result.

That's about what the current polls give them on UNS... that's because the Tory vote share is about unchanged from 2005, and most LD second places are either to the Tories (so they're only gaining the marginal ones that they conceivably could have gained last time around but didn't), or very distant ones in uber-safe Labour seats.
Of course, there'll be some random upsurges. There'll also be Tory-held marginals that will hold. Tory-LD contest seats don't really do uniform swinging much.

[minionofmidas]

I have to say, that is the most emotional statement I've ever seen out of Al on a political topic.

Is it? Interesting.

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Indeed they have. This does not in any way diminish my point

I would have said that that was your point.

[minionofmidas]

As it happens, I am in favor of enfranchising prisoners.  Way to go, Roger, you made me like the Lib Dems more.

That Labour should select Roger Godsiff to represent parts of Birmingham is highly offensive to ordinary decent law-abiding people. Especially the many Muslim ones among them in his constituency. (Where's the racial innuendo in this poster? I don't get it. Maybe there's a separate anti-Respect version of this vile thing? Notice that the "murderers and paedophiles" are a small minority of the convict population and Britain disenfranchises all of them, btw.)

[Mr. Morden]

If Labour ekes out a bare plurality of seats, but still comes in second or third in the popular vote, is there any chance that they might still dump Brown immediately after the election, and install someone else as Prime Minister presiding over a minority government?  Would there be any precedent for such a thing.....dumping your PM the second after you've "won" reelection?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

(Where's the racial innuendo in this poster? I don't get it. Maybe there's a separate anti-Respect version of this vile thing? Notice that the "murderers and paedophiles" are a small minority of the convict population and Britain disenfranchises all of them, btw.)

I think the anti-Yaqoob side of his campaign probably emphasises different things (Muslim-bashing makes no sense for Godsiff given his likely strategy). There's actually a little bit of homophobic innuendo in the leaflet, if you look closely enough. Not that it's anywhere near as bad as some of the stuff a couple of Respect cavassers have apparently (or so say rumours) had fun with.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Just thought that I'd highlight something that people have missed:

I resent the fact that the outcome of this election (whatever it ends up being) will have been determined by the petulant media's insistence on holding three vapid lightshows. Lord knows how this will end up (and He doesn't care), but those stupid debates will end up deciding everything. I don't think many people have grasped the full implications of that. But think about if for a minute.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I'm sure that there being an election on played no role in determining this decision.

[Serenity Now]

(Where's the racial innuendo in this poster? I don't get it. Maybe there's a separate anti-Respect version of this vile thing? Notice that the "murderers and paedophiles" are a small minority of the convict population and Britain disenfranchises all of them, btw.)

I think the anti-Yaqoob side of his campaign probably emphasises different things (Muslim-bashing makes no sense for Godsiff given his likely strategy). There's actually a little bit of homophobic innuendo in the leaflet, if you look closely enough. Not that it's anywhere near as bad as some of the stuff a couple of Respect cavassers have apparently (or so say rumours) had fun with.

Do tell?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Do tell?

I don't know much more than what I've just posted. I don't know if it's true or not, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was; Birmingham politics can be nasty and there are no clean hands.

[minionofmidas]

I didn't miss the "oh btw, the LD candidate looks like a dirty hippy" part... which isn't quite as cool as a hijab-wearing trotskyite but still cool with me. But I don't see where that's anti-homosexual. I don't know. Maybe I ought to know more either about the Lib Dem or about one of the criminal cases chosen for examples.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I didn't miss the "oh btw, the LD candidate looks like a dirty hippy" part... which isn't quite as cool as a hijab-wearing trotskyite but still cool with me. But I don't see where that's anti-homosexual. I don't know. Maybe I ought to know more either about the Lib Dem or about one of the criminal cases chosen for examples.

The former. Though it's possible that I'm over-close-reading it.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Issues with leaflets (and all kinds of other things) in Liverpool: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/england/8628676.stm

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Epic: http://jacobreesmogg.org.uk/

[minionofmidas]

Lol (okay, smiling). That was actually funny. If a little sad.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

I resent the fact that the outcome of this election (whatever it ends up being) will have been determined by the petulant media's insistence on holding three vapid lightshows. Lord knows how this will end up (and He doesn't care), but those stupid debates will end up deciding everything. I don't think many people have grasped the full implications of that. But think about if for a minute.

Just thought I should get that out the way.

... And just when I given up all hope on the forum.

[You kip if you want to...]

Issues with leaflets (and all kinds of other things) in Liverpool: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/england/8628676.stm

Yay, we have the attempted murderer demographic.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Looking at todays newspaper headlines when I was buying some milk earlier, most seem to be about the ash cloud thing, rather than the election.

[Phony Moderate]

I've just found out that Mike Smithson is a Liberal Democrat, which is....interesting.

[Verily]

I've just found out that Mike Smithson is a Liberal Democrat, which is....interesting.

He was the LD candidate in Bedford in... 1992, I think?

Edit: Sorry, North Bedfordshire. But 1992 was right.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Thought Smithson's politics were well known. Though it is a little funny given the political views of the average poster there these days.

[Phony Moderate]

Thought Smithson's politics were well known. Though it is a little funny given the political views of the average poster there these days.

And Anthony Wells is a Tory, and the party support amongst posters on UKPollingReport is more mixed.

[You kip if you want to...]

When these hundreds of thousands of stranded travellers arrive home, i'd love to know how many people find themselves thinking "Who or what is a 'Nick Clegg'?"

[RJEvans]

If Labour ekes out a bare plurality of seats, but still comes in second or third in the popular vote, is there any chance that they might still dump Brown immediately after the election, and install someone else as Prime Minister presiding over a minority government?  Would there be any precedent for such a thing.....dumping your PM the second after you've "won" reelection?

I'm predicting a hung parliament, but an environment in which Labour can form a coalition majority with the Libs. Given the unpopularity of Brown, I think it certain there will be a leadership challenge sometime in the future. It could be weeks after the election, it could be two years. I don't think Brown will resign and Miliband is the strongest contender to challenge Brown and win.