The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[roydo]

Whatever your political stance, I think that the Coalition has actually been ok. Not in the sense that everything they have done I agree with, but insofar that it has stayed the course, by and large, despite an open dislike between the parties grassroots. I am sure tons of tories despise Cameron because of it, and the same with Clegg with Lib Dems, BUT, it has delivered a stable Government, ish.

Think history will treat it well.

 

[EverBlue86]

"British soldiers have “lost their capability” to interrogate terrorist insurgents because of strict new rules on questioning that even ban shouting in captives’ ears, military chiefs have warned.

The rules — detailed in court papers obtained by The Telegraph — also prevent military intelligence officers from banging their fists on tables or walls, or using “insulting words” when interrogating a suspect.

The regulations replaced a previous policy that had to be withdrawn after a series of legal challenges and the death in custody of Baha Mousa, an Iraqi detainee in Basra.

But there is growing disquiet within the ranks that the latest guidelines, officially called Challenge Direct, are so stringent that it makes interrogation pointless.

There is also concern that the rules can be so easily breached — especially given the pressure under which soldiers are operating — that military personnel will be left exposed to legal claims and possible disciplinary action. "

The bed wetters are running the asylum yet again!

 

[roydo]

"British soldiers have “lost their capability” to interrogate terrorist insurgents because of strict new rules on questioning that even ban shouting in captives’ ears, military chiefs have warned.

The rules — detailed in court papers obtained by The Telegraph — also prevent military intelligence officers from banging their fists on tables or walls, or using “insulting words” when interrogating a suspect.

The regulations replaced a previous policy that had to be withdrawn after a series of legal challenges and the death in custody of Baha Mousa, an Iraqi detainee in Basra.

But there is growing disquiet within the ranks that the latest guidelines, officially called Challenge Direct, are so stringent that it makes interrogation pointless.

There is also concern that the rules can be so easily breached — especially given the pressure under which soldiers are operating — that military personnel will be left exposed to legal claims and possible disciplinary action. "

The bed wetters are running the asylum yet again!

Just ask the CIA to do it.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

Kind of ironic that the army can't shout at people yet the police can pepper spray peaceful protesters on a whim

 

[Milk]

Whatever your political stance, I think that the Coalition has actually been ok. Not in the sense that everything they have done I agree with, but insofar that it has stayed the course, by and large, despite an open dislike between the parties grassroots. I am sure tons of tories despise Cameron because of it, and the same with Clegg with Lib Dems, BUT, it has delivered a stable Government, ish.

Think history will treat it well.

I suppose what a coalition does is to provide a check & balance against more extreme ideas and in that sense perhaps this one has worked. But I still prefer a strong single party Government although they can and do lead to the most monumental **** ups.

Who knows. Perhaps we are in for decades of coalitions of one hue or another. One day, even the Official Monster Raving Loony Party may hold the balance of power. I shall cleave to that

 

[red1]

@roydo

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-30479621

You were 100% right, the SNP won't do a deal with anyone unless they remove the trident. I was skeptical at first but now I think they lost their mind. Isn't that our nuclear deterrent? lol

 

[toffee matt]

@roydo

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-30479621

You were 100% right, the SNP won't do a deal with anyone unless they remove the trident. I was skeptical at first but now I think they lost their mind. Isn't that our nuclear deterrent? lol

Basically rules them out of any formal coalition as Labour and the Conservatives both won't remove nuclear weapons

 

[The Cowboy]

Basically rules them out of any formal coalition as Labour and the Conservatives both won't remove nuclear weapons

Well you say that, but you could also say the LibDems wouldn't enter a coalition with the Conservatives as they will not raise Student Fees. The first sniff of any sort of power and their scruples go out the window.

 

[EFCNIK]

Labour though. LOL

 

[Tubey]

@roydo

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-30479621

You were 100% right, the SNP won't do a deal with anyone unless they remove the trident. I was skeptical at first but now I think they lost their mind. Isn't that our nuclear deterrent? lol

They won't be in government then, plain and simple.

 

[R.E.T.N.U.B]

Well you say that, but you could also say the LibDems wouldn't enter a coalition with the Conservatives as they will not raise Student Fees. The first sniff of any sort of power and their scruples go out the window.

Well the Lib Dems would call that a compromise in order to get the important things like breast feeding on the New Brighton ferry through.

 

[Mrk]

Well you say that, but you could also say the LibDems wouldn't enter a coalition with the Conservatives as they will not raise Student Fees. The first sniff of any sort of power and their scruples go out the window.

To be fair, there's a lot of difference between a throwaway pointless policy like student fee's and a core policy like removing trident.

 

[Brennan]

To be fair, there's a lot of difference between a throwaway pointless policy like student fee's and a core policy like removing trident.

Hardly pointless.

 

[Mrk]

Hardly pointless.

My point was, it was pointless to promise to scrap them, not that the actual policy is pointless.

 

[Seanjd]

May 2015 possibilities - what do you think?

It is already pretty much guarenteed that no party can win a majority so we will either have a coalition government consisting of one of the 2 largest parties and a lesser party, however, at the moment it only looks as though, again, Lib Dems will have enough seats to do that.

Labour + Lib Dems = Labour lose lots more grass roots voters who despise the Lib Dems which will cripple them in 5 years time. If this does happen, however, it would be potentially the first time the second and fourth parties with most amount of votes would form a government. Very unrepresentative.

Tory + Lib Dems = More of the same - but will Clegg still be the leader, or will a new leader go against this?

According to polls, UKIP could win anywhere between 20-40 seats which won't put them into a position to bargain for a coalition, however, they have already ruled out forming a coalition with the Tories (perhaps because they know they won't win enough seats) and UKIP/Labour is, of course, a no go.

Possibility number 2 is that we see a minority government. Both Labour and Tories could win enough votes to see them form a minority government in which all decisions have to voted through the house (invcluding through the opposition) which would see A) quite an unproductive party and B) probably a very quick vote of no confidence from the house forcing another general election.

In conclusion, I would argue that 'winning' this election, ie. being in government in one form or another could be damaging for both Labour and Tories. If either decide to coalition, you could see a large number of votes lost in 2020. If either decide to form a minority government, they could be voted out of power within a year. Now of course, Cameron and Miliband want to win the election as their jobs depend on it. However, I think many of the back-benchers within the parties would rather stay in opposition to rebuild for the election after.