The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[daylightrobber]

Largest party will be given the first option to form a Government.

In the event of a hung parliament this isn't true. The incumbent Prime Minister is entitled to remain in office to see whether he or she has enough support to stay on. The Conservatives wouldn't have to form a coalition but they must "command the confidence of the elected House of Commons" i.e. not get voted down at the Queens Speech

Now the party with the most MPs after every election since 1929 has proceeded to take power. But there’s no rule preventing any smaller party or parties taking over if they can command confidence.

 

[The Esk]

In the event of a hung parliament this isn't true. The incumbent Prime Minister is entitled to remain in office to see whether he or she has enough support to stay on. The Conservatives wouldn't have to form a coalition but they must "command the confidence of the elected House of Commons" i.e. not get voted down at the Queens Speech

Now the party with the most MPs after every election since 1929 has proceeded to take power. But there’s no rule preventing any smaller party or parties taking over if they can command confidence.

Apologies, you are correct

 

[Durham Toffee]

In the event of a hung parliament this isn't true. The incumbent Prime Minister is entitled to remain in office to see whether he or she has enough support to stay on. The Conservatives wouldn't have to form a coalition but they must "command the confidence of the elected House of Commons" i.e. not get voted down at the Queens Speech

Now the party with the most MPs after every election since 1929 has proceeded to take power. But there’s no rule preventing any smaller party or parties taking over if they can command confidence.

Now THAT is a truckload of trouble there isn't it...?

 

[Milk]

I can tell you all now which party are going to walk this election on percentage of votes cast (unfortunately it ain't going to be the Official Monster Raving Loony Party although the core support is holding up well).

The winner by a country mile is ..............




















The Apathy Party (even in Scotland)

 

[Clint Planet]

The British fear of hung parliaments and coalition governments is overdeveloped, in my opinion. I mean, even seasoned political commentators were saying this coalition would fall long before 2015 and that Britain would be somehow paralysed but look where we are. And would Labour voters really have rather had a Tory majority than a government containing some Lib Dems? We've been brainwashed by the two major parties into thinking that "strong government" (whatever that actually is) is paramount.

 

[chewee]

Correct

Post 2010 election this is why Gordon Brown refused to stand down (He sat as PM for 4 additional days after the election). His outside hope was a Con / Lib Dem coalition deal couldn't be done.

Ideally for Labour they are the biggest party, makes the process going forward an awful lot easier.

We are entering a new era of politics with several minority parties potentially having seats and a decent % share of the vote, the old 2 party system is all but dead. Most of what has gone before has been precident based on two parties dominating, this goes out the window now.

 

[peteblue]

The British fear of hung parliaments and coalition governments is overdeveloped, in my opinion. I mean, even seasoned political commentators were saying this coalition would fall long before 2015 and that Britain would be somehow paralysed but look where we are. And would Labour voters really have rather had a Tory majority than a government containing some Lib Dems? We've been brainwashed by the two major parties into thinking that "strong government" (whatever that actually is) is paramount.

There maybe something in having a Tory Government with a side portion of Socialism. I can't see any benefit in having a socialist Labour Government with a large side portion of Scottish Nationalists. I'd be happy with a combination of Tory and Labour tbh, it might just get this country pulling together..........I do however believe we are sleepwalking into a Lab/SNP government, which will produce economic and political madness, flight of foreign investment, and consign the UK to the scrapheap......

 

[Clint Planet]

Inequality news:

http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/apr/09/poorer-children-literacy-nurses

 

[Clint Planet]

Poverty news:

http://www.theguardian.com/science/...dren-could-be-affected-by-poverty-study-shows

 

[daylightrobber]

Correct

Post 2010 election this is why Gordon Brown refused to stand down (He sat as PM for 4 additional days after the election). His outside hope was a Con / Lib Dem coalition deal couldn't be done.

Ideally for Labour they are the biggest party, makes the process going forward an awful lot easier.

We are entering a new era of politics with several minority parties potentially having seats and a decent % share of the vote, the old 2 party system is all but dead. Most of what has gone before has been precident based on two parties dominating, this goes out the window now.

Again, not quite true. Brown didn't refuse to stand down. The Labour party entered negotiations with the Lib Dems to try to form government, as was their right. However, Labour weren't prepared to offer the Lib Dems what the Lib Dems were looking for (on reflection probably that Clegg could be deputy PM) so the Lib Dems talked to the Conservatives and a coalition was formed.

 

[chewee]

Clegg rejected the idea of propping up Brown. If I remember correctly he said it was only right to enter negotiations with the largest party first?

 

[1966efc]

Yup. Tories had the most seats and the biggest popular vote. Labour + Lib Dems still didn't stack up to a majority government.

 

[Clint Planet]

Clegg rejected the idea of propping up Brown. If I remember correctly he said it was only right to enter negotiations with the largest party first?

The truth is, he despised Brown so much he couldn't see himself able to work under him.

 

[1966efc]

The truth is, he despised Brown so much he couldn't see himself able to work under him.

We'll have to wait for his memoirs on that. Had he done a deal with Labour, it would have been rickety in Commons voting terms and would have lacked any pretence of having a moral basis.

 

[Clint Planet]

We'll have to wait for his memoirs on that.

It was an open secret at the time.