The Official 2005 YakYak Election Poll

[Acronym]

Owen went through too many parties. Menzies Campbell and Paddy Ashdown, point taken (and don't rule out Campbell challenging for the LD leadership eventually, I'd suggest...)

[HGFB]

Just been watching the Lib Dems on tv. Local Income tax? That sounds to me like a poll tax in sheep's clothing and will probably get the same reaction as the poll tax did.

[Jedburgh]

Just been watching the Lib Dems on tv. Local Income tax? That sounds to me like a poll tax in sheep's clothing and will probably get the same reaction as the poll tax did.

Just pretend to abandon it then rename it the Community Services Supplement or something. Job's a good'un

[HGFB]

I'm not sure how the Lib Dems expect to get in with a policy like that to be honest. It's all very well sticking to your principles and creating what may no doubt be a fairer policy but it isn't going to get them many votes is it?

They need to whore themselves out to public opinion and tell everyone they're going to send johnny foreigner back where he bally well comes from*







* Manchester

[venusian]

Just been watching the Lib Dems on tv. Local Income tax? That sounds to me like a poll tax in sheep's clothing and will probably get the same reaction as the poll tax did.

It's not a poll tax because it's based on your ability to pay (or rather your income, which is often the same thing) rather than the nominal value of your house (rates) or that fact that you exist (poll tax). The idea is that those whose income is flat - pensioners, students, the disabled etc - don't have their incoming eroded by above-inflation increases in council tax.

With regard to getting votes, the "Axe The Tax" campaign actually went down rather well. Everybody wants rid of taxes.

[betamax]

With regard to getting votes, the "Axe The Tax" campaign actually went down rather well. Everybody wants rid of taxes.

And yet they still want top notch public services, more police and better hospitals. People are hillarious.

Politician: "In this hand I have our plans for government if you vote us into power. Please ignore the transparent falshoods. In this hand I have a jar of invisible bees. *Shakes jar*

The People: Oooooooh Beeeeeeeeeees!

[Jimaroid]

I heard a radio interview with Kilroy Silk at lunchtime today. Proper shouty listening:

The people in this country don't want a multi-cultural society.

Well I'm people and I do, you gert-big twat.

[Stone]

The people in this country don't want a multi-cultural society.

Well I'm people and I do, you gert-big twat.

Not enough people. Obviously.

I'm not very impressed with the LibDems claiming to abolish uni tuition fees though - there's much better ways to spend our tax. Just as one option, why not give up on forcing 50% of teenagers into uni and then axe tuition fees when it's back down to a sensible level?

Stone

[Mayhem]

From what I heard they were looking to fund the abolition of student fees with revenue from the new 50% level of income tax they would introduce.

[Tmuk]

Just as one option, why not give up on forcing 50% of teenagers into uni and then axe tuition fees when it's back down to a sensible level?

Stone

Makes a lot of sense. I've just finished Uni. I didn't really want to go, and 80% of my loan went on nights out and CDs.
I could be wrong, but isn't what you said kind of the Tory way of thinking on this issue?

[Stone]

Makes a lot of sense. I've just finished Uni. I didn't really want to go, and 80% of my loan went on nights out and CDs.
I could be wrong, but isn't what you said kind of the Tory way of thinking on this issue?

I'd just call it sensible (;)) but I think it is. It irritates me how many people are being forced into unnecessary debt because they got told to go to uni 'because it's a good experience'

Stone

[Tmuk]

Makes a lot of sense. I've just finished Uni. I didn't really want to go, and 80% of my loan went on nights out and CDs.
I could be wrong, but isn't what you said kind of the Tory way of thinking on this issue?

I'd just call it sensible (;)) but I think it is. It irritates me how many people are being forced into unnecessary debt because they got told to go to uni 'because it's a good experience'

Stone

I know, and I think I learned a lot more in my college course, which was very hands on and practical. At Uni all I learned about was bloody French post-modernists...fat lot of use that is to me now!

[Munky]

why not give up on forcing 50% of teenagers into uni

Forgive my ignorance, but isn't it still optional or am I missing something here.

[Stone]

why not give up on forcing 50% of teenagers into uni

Forgive my ignorance, but isn't it still optional or am I missing something here.

It is, but the govt's leaning heavily on all secondary education institutions to get people to go to university, even if they'd have been better at a tech college or another alternative. The idea seems to be, 'Intelligent people go to university, therefore if more people go to university then there'll be more intelligent people'. Which of course led to more and more places being renamed 'University of...' so they can claim more people are going to university

Stone

[Munky]

why not give up on forcing 50% of teenagers into uni

Forgive my ignorance, but isn't it still optional or am I missing something here.

It is, but the govt's leaning heavily on all secondary education institutions to get people to go to university, even if they'd have been better at a tech college or another alternative. The idea seems to be, 'Intelligent people go to university, therefore if more people go to university then there'll be more intelligent people'. Which of course led to more and more places being renamed 'University of...' so they can claim more people are going to university

Stone

Ah, understood. I thought they'd introduced a new scheme or something.

I guess that goes some way to explaining why most new graduates I've worked with in the past few years have been surprisingly useless.