General politics discussion thread

[nfc90210]

I saw someone highlight this on another forum, and I thought that it was a good illustration of some of the characters who have been elected as UKIP councilors. All 16 UKIP Councillors in Lincoln have refused to sign an anti-racism pledge. That is what is. Richard Geoffrey Fairman, one of those Councillors, explained his reasoning for not signing. It's the simple mindedness of his reasoning that I find staggering. http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/05/18..._n_3297890.html

...UKIP Councillor Richard Geoffrey Fairman told The Huffington Post UK they were surprised by the motion, which was put forward so late as to give the party little time to digest it. He said: "Some parts of it were politically correct and therefore not right. My main stance is anything that is politically correct is probably wrong. These parts concerned racism and human rights, the human rights that are allowing criminals in this country to avoid deportation."...

Edited May 19, 2013 by nfc90210

[The King Of Swing]

Nothing surprises me when it comes to UKIP.

 

Odds on the Tories imploding before 2015? Between Europe and gay marriage they are looking like a complete shambles right now.

[Sergio Mendacious]

I feel like I have to go over to voting Labor in the next election - taken from a distance, the Liberals are a broken mess ideologically, and I would rather run across hot coals than vote Tory or UKIP.

[Loki]

The crucial factor in the next election will be what happens to the voters who've often voted for the Lib Dems as a protest or out of disinterest in the other 2 parties. Opinion polls suggest that both those voters they won from the Tories AND from Labour are punishing them for going into coalition, meaning their support will collapse.

 

Ironically though, even with only half to two thirds of their current MPs, they'll still hold the balance of power and still end up in government, probably with Labour.

 

It's an uncomfortable mess - our voting system doesn't naturally mesh well with coalition situations, but of course in their infinite wisdom the general public voted against voting reform, so this is the mess we've asked for.

 

I wonder if any Tories are regretting being so anti voting reform - with the rise of UKIP they might have benefitted from it quite a lot.

[Up Chuck]

I've just found out there's going to be a public meeting about the Bedroom Tax (yes, I know it isnlt actually a tax)

 

A week late on this, but you really don't need to point out it isn't a tax, because it might as well be. There are nowhere near enough smaller houses for the people being hit with it to move into, therefore they have no choice but to pay it, therefore it's effectively a tax.

[nfc90210]

I found the website below today. It asks you to choose between a series of policies relating to different issues and then reveals which party you agree with the most. I thought that it was interesting. I'm a fan of the Political Compass as well. I just like this kind of thing.

 

http://voteforpolicies.org.uk/

 

I got 75% Labour and 25% Green. At the end you supply your post code and it shows you a general overall of the results for your constituency. In Islington North it seems my views are in line with my fellow residents.

 

Here are the results from 1403 completed surveys in your constituency

 

Green Party

30.06%

 

Labour

24.28%

 

Lib Dems

18.99%

 

Conservatives

13.83%

 

UKIP

8.71%

 

BNP

4.13%

Edited May 23, 2013 by nfc90210

[Maverick]

I got

 

Green Party

25.00%

Labour

25.00%

BNP

25.00%

UKIP

25.00%

 

Apparently I like the BNP's views on education there's a scary thought. I'm not suprised my results are all over the place as I don't particularly like any party hence don't vote as I detest tribal politics, but try and get involved in things that interest me when I can.

 

My constituency results where

 

Green Party

28.60%

Labour

19.42%

Lib Dems

15.24%

Conservatives

13.99%

BNP

11.90%

UKIP

10.86%

 

We're a mixed up lot over here.

[d-d-d-dAz]

75% Green

25% Labour.

 

I'm not in any way surprised.

[hallicks]

Green Party 21.75%

Labour 20.71%

Conservatives 16.67%

Lib Dems 16.38%

UKIP 14.25%

BNP 10.24%

 

Tunbirgde Wells goes Green!

 

I scored 100% green. Think that makes me politically unviable.

[Chest Rockwell]

I think I'm definitely in the group of the majority of the general public - at first I thought "this looks interesting", I struggled to pick four categories that I cared about particularly, and then got to the walls of policy text and thought "fuck this" and closed the window.

Edited May 23, 2013 by Chest Rockwell

[John Stephens]

My results were:

 

BNP 50.00%

Green Party 16.67%

Lib Dems 16.67%

UKIP 16.67%

 

My Constituency results were:

 

 

 

Green Party 23.36%

Labour 22.03%

Lib Dems 16.95%

Conservatives 16.10%

UKIP 12.86%

BNP 8.71%

 

According to the results I agree with the BNP on Crime, immigration and Economy. UKIP on the Health/NHS and the Green party on Welfare.

 

Was quite suprised by these results. Never thought I would agree with the BNP so much. Think i will have to go through this again and see if I get the same result.

[d-d-d-dAz]

I'd have found it really, really hard to vote BNP/UKIP.

 

Not on a moral level (but yeah, obviously, that too) but because the answers were telegraphed. Are they the actual words from their manifestos/assorted literature? Foreigner this, foreigner that.

 

I was genuinely repulsed by the 'we will only employ British people in the NHS, anyone of third world origin will be refused as their own country needs them more' line.

Edited May 23, 2013 by d-d-d-dAz

[JNLister]

Agreeing with a range of individual policies from the same party doesn't necessarily mean you'd think they should be in government because in reality those policies wouldn't work. UKIP's economic policy is pretty much "cut taxes", "increase spending" and "cut the deficit", all of which most people would generally agree with, but together make no sense.

[Loki]

So, a bit under the radar, but there's a seriously bad piece of legislation that's under consideration at the moment in the area of legal aid. Here's a good article on it:

 

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/...eived-and-illib

 

Basically, the right of every citizen to receive legal aid and to be represented by a solicitor of their choice, is being torn up in an attempt to save 220 million pounds. This will effectively turn the right to legal representation into a privilege for those with enough money.

 

Here's an official petition so sign if you feel minded to:

 

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/48628

 

And there's an early day motion in Parliament protesting about it

 

http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2013-14/36

[SpursRiot2012]

Are you sure about that, Loki? The way it reads to me is that this will put a stop to those who have the money for their own legal help from using the legal aid system? Someone like me, who is usually broke, would still be able to get one of those high quality duty solicitors to come down the station and get me the fuck outta there.

 

Are you sure about that, Loki? The way it reads to me is that this will put a stop to those who have the money for their own legal help from using the legal aid system? Someone like me, who is usually broke, would still be able to get one of those high quality duty solicitors to come down the station and get me the fuck outta there.