Politics Thread!

[gravy]

Anyway, don't forget to vote tomorrow!

[pogo]

A couple of other observations. UKIP have collapsed over the course of this campaign, from around 20% of the vote to closer to 10%. I think this was always likely, but it means they will have little to show for their first place in the EU parliament not long ago. They may also have little impact on the overall result, having taken votes from all three other main parties rather than just the Tories.

35% would normally be more than enough to win. In 2005 Labour got a reduced but still healthy majority with only 35.2% of the vote, and with the Lib Dem vote collapsed it should be much easier for the two main parties to avoid a hung parliament. What’s different is the SNP, who look likely to turn less than half the vote of the Lib Dems into twice as many seats as them, more than all the other minor parties together.

[gravy]

http://www.dontbeafuckingidiot.uk/

And the poll of the pollsters

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... r-election

Mostly predicting Milliband ending up in number 10

And! Not a fan of Kay Burley but this made me laugh, our chancellor today

[The ghost of raids past]

http://www.dontbeafuckingidiot.uk/

And the poll of the pollsters

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... r-election

Mostly predicting Milliband ending up in number 10

And! Not a fan of Kay Burley but this made me laugh, our chancellor today

if that poll is right its Salmond ending up in number 10

[offyoutoddle]

its the look on his face that makes it for me.

nice find

[zip accident]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-32451429

Can I wear a giant rosette?

No. The only people permitted to wear a rosette are the candidates and their polling agents. The rosette must be plain and not refer to the candidate or bear a slogan. Size used to be an issue. While the Electoral Commission doesn't specify dimensions at this election, guidance in 2008 set out a maximum width of "three to four inches".

Can I discuss the candidates with my partner?

No. Political discussion is banned inside the polling station. Polling station staff will intervene if people are heard to be discussing the merits of different candidates or parties - it may unsettle other voters. Neither can one ask someone whom they are voting for as this will compromise the secrecy of the poll. If you want to debate the pros and cons of a certain candidate you must do so outside. Neither can people distribute party leaflets or other literature in the polling station. Anyone seen doing so will be asked to take them outside.

I've made a mistake and voted for the wrong person. Can I vote again?

Yes, providing you haven't already posted your ballot paper in the box. Return to the desk and tell staff what has happened. They'll be able to cancel your ballot paper and issue you with a new one.

Can I sign my ballot paper?

People do occasionally sign their ballots. If the name is identifiable your vote will not count. They are considered rejected ballots because the voter has revealed their identity and breached the rules of a secret ballot. Signing your ballot paper was fairly common in the 19th Century when candidates would pay people to vote for them. Under that system it was possible for the candidate to check up later who had voted for them by looking for signatures, and pay out accordingly. Today, however innocent the motive, a signature renders a ballot "rejected".

Also can I take a selfie? (long answer, basically photos of other people's votes very illegal (big fines, short prison), so probably best not) and several more.

[Ollie]

It’s the “clear alternative” part. Cameron does not have to resign just because he cannot form a government. Labour needs to be able to show it can form one.

That's doubtless the argument Cameron intends to use in order to hang on until the Queen's Speech on May 27th. But if he makes it that far, and his government's Queen's Speech gets voted down, he should then resign regardless, and Miliband automatically gets next crack of the whip as the person most likely to be able to command the confidence of the majority of the House. Miliband won't, in that situation, have to demonstrate in advance that he can - his test will come in due course, when his government's Queen's Speech gets put to the vote.

[pogo]

Cameron has to stay in charge until another government is formed: we need someone to mind the shop until it’s clear who will be taking over. When exactly that happens might be quite contentious. Without a formal coalition or partnership with the SNP I can’t see how Miliband can do anything but hold a vote and see if they support him. If they do then he’s PM. If the SNP don’t then Cameron is still PM and absent some other plausible arrangement we get another election.

Cameron is very constrained in what he can do while waiting for the next government to be formed. He has to bear in mind that he is in effect a caretaker PM without a mandate and must act accordingly. So no major new policies or initiatives, no budget, no treaties signed, no laws passed. Obviously the longer we go without a government the more not having one (with a mandate) causes problems.

[gravy]

Cameron has to stay in charge until another government is formed: we need someone to mind the shop until it’s clear who will be taking over.

It's already clear if everyone keeps on saying what they have been saying: SNP have made it clear they won't go against Labour in vote of confidence and the Lib Dems will do business with Labour.

And the the Tories hve been hammering home that there is a clear alternative, one they don't like for sure, but it's a Lab / SNP powerblock working against the right.

Be amazing watching Cameron switch from scaremongering about what we can be expected if the Cons can't command a majority to claimimg it's not clear what can be expected now the cons can't command a majority

[offyoutoddle]

So no major new policies or initiatives, no budget, no treaties signed, no laws passed. Obviously the longer we go without a government the more not having one (with a mandate) causes problems.

sounds like a template for a philosophical anarchists wet dream. They can't spend anyone's money or start wars. I wonder if it will be another predicted nightmare situation that will not actually end up that bad once all the scaremongering is called out

[gravy]

PM without a mandate and must act accordingly

Well that hasn't stopped him this last five years

[Ollie]

The important thing to keep in mind is that the leader who can command the support of the majority of democratically elected MPs will be the legitimate Prime Minister, regardless of whether or not David Cameron personally or any of the press happens to agree with the policies that any of those MPs were democratically elected to represent.

[offyoutoddle]

interesting how in the past we never experienced coalitions, and always talked of our 'strong' majorities as if coalitions were a bad thing. Now it really does seem that they will be the norm here as in many countries in Europe, as I can't see a return to the past of clear majorities in the near future. Another vaunted nightmare situation that didn't end the world for us. Common theme at the moment in politics. I wonder if it is fair to say political disenfranchisement is what drove it mainly here, and what drives it in Europe? If it is the same, I also wonder why we were behind that trend here? Or is it really as simple as it took us in the UK longer than in Europe to realise the bell ends were hoodwinking us all...

[venusian]

Lets see what happens first. If nobody can form a convincing government then they're be another election in short order and that will push the drifters back to the regular dogmatic gangs: UKIP to Tory, Green & LD to Labour etc. Then we'll return to our accustomed Punch and Judy show.

With luck Ed will turn out to be good at holding together a coalition of the willing and co-operative politics will come to seem a bit more normal.

[Little stoned kiwi]

Being the two largest parties, I assume Labour and Conservatives both occupy the centre and probably have a lot in common. They should form a coalition and tell the smaller extreme parties where to go jump.
Pigs will fly first though.