The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[Bruce Wayne]

For us lot in the north, £300k would be a property for the rich, but you have to bear in mind that house prices in the South are on average 3x the price they are here, so £300k isn't actually a house for the rich there, far from it.

It's a job to find a 1 bed flat for less than £300k in London. Certainly not a new build.

 

[SNova]

I side with Labour on most political issues of the 2015 Election.
93% Lab, 87% Green, 85% LD, 52% Tory, agreeing on environment & education (which I really don't!) & 43% UKIP (which really offends me)

Why does that offend you? Regardless of your personal beliefs the quiz is based on policies and ukip policies are pretty good in my opinion.

 

[Pienaar's gloves]

That ISideWith thingy brought me up at 91% Green, 89% Labour.

Phew.

 

[The Esk]

ukip policies are pretty good in my opinion

Genuinely, as a matter of interest, which policies do you think are good?

 

[daylightrobber]

Why does that offend you? Regardless of your personal beliefs the quiz is based on policies and ukip policies are pretty good in my opinion.

I'm afraid as I see them as a party who prey on people's insecurities to spread racism and xenophobia. I accept that they may have some policies which could be applied and work successfully. However, I can't see past my first point.

My Mrs is French and I spend a lot of time in France. A lot of people point at the Left in France and blame them for many of the country's woes. However, it ought to be acknowledged that the rise of the far right is causing every bit as much damage to the country. I strongly believe that communities are the bedrock of any society and nation. When communities are turned in on each other, society starts to fail and the nation suffers. This is so obviously taking place in many parts of France right now. I don't want it to happen here.

I guess I just don't think there is a place for a party like UKIP in 21st century Britain.

Edit....
I should probably emphasise that I do not for one minute think that every UKIP supporter is aligned to the party's way of thinking in regards to their prejudice.

 

[The Esk]

Interesting short video on the Guardian website where Simon Jenkins in his own words says "Cameron is finished"

http://www.theguardian.com/commenti...n-david-cameron-hugh-muir-simon-jenkins-video

 

[davek]

Interesting short video on the Guardian website where Simon Jenkins in his own words says "Cameron is finished"

http://www.theguardian.com/commenti...n-david-cameron-hugh-muir-simon-jenkins-video

That's a bold statement with the polls deadlocked and the possibility of a 'shy Tory' swingback.

Personally I think we're heading for another election in the autumn. I dont see the Tories gaining the necessary seats to avoid needing to govern without 2/3 other parties. Ditto Labour. All that ^^^ notwithstanding cataclysmic events, of course. But it's looking like a crisis of sorts come May 8th.

 

[The Esk]

That's a bold statement with the polls deadlocked and the possibility of a 'shy Tory' swingback.

Personally I think we're heading for another election in the autumn. I dont see the Tories gaining the necessary seats to avoid needing to govern without 2/3 other parties. Ditto Labour. All that ^^^ notwithstanding cataclysmic events, of course. But it's looking like a crisis of sorts come May 8th.

I suspect you may be correct Dave, however interestingly within the London Labour Party there is a fair amount of optimism that Labour are doing well in the key London marginals. In contrast yesterday I bumped into a keen activist for the Conservatives here in London and he's normally pretty chipper, but was quite downcast yesterday. He's pro Cameron but was not enthusiastic about their prospects.

Anecdotal of course, but interesting

 

[The Esk]

Just returning to the concept of fairness for a moment, I found an interesting quote from Adam Smith in the Theory of Moral Sentiments :

" If justice is removed, the great, immense fabric of human society.... must in a moment crumble into atoms"

I found it in an interesting TED talk on "Why we need to rethink capitalism" by Paul Tudor Jones.

https://www.ted.com/talks/paul_tudor_jones_ii_why_we_need_to_rethink_capitalism#t-529431

 

[1966efc]

I suspect you may be correct Dave, however interestingly within the London Labour Party there is a fair amount of optimism that Labour are doing well in the key London margins. In contrast yesterday I bumped into a keen activist for the Conservatives here in London and he's normally pretty chipper, but was quite downcast yesterday. He's pro Cameron but was not enthusiastic about their prospects.

Anecdotal of course, but interesting

I heard that Hendon, Brentford & Isleworth, Enfield North and Brent Central were looking good; Harrow East touch & go; may well lose Hampstead due to the mansion tax idea. On Merseyside, Wirral West might go Labour but there is the additional Shy Wool factor at play.

 

[daylightrobber]

Just returning to the concept of fairness for a moment, I found an interesting quote from Adam Smith in the Theory of Moral Sentiments :

" If justice is removed, the great, immense fabric of human society.... must in a moment crumble into atoms"

I found it in an interesting TED talk on "Why we need to rethink capitalism" by Paul Tudor Jones.

https://www.ted.com/talks/paul_tudor_jones_ii_why_we_need_to_rethink_capitalism#t-529431

What a fantastic line. Love it & really impressed with a lot of TEDs on the subject. There's another good one by Richard Wilkinson (author of 'The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better For Everyone - a very interesting read) about the harm of economic inequality on society.

http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_wilkinson

 

[daylightrobber]

Genuinely, as a matter of interest, which policies do you think are good?

Here's the 2 I like. The WAG tax and the proposal to charge owners of empty properties 150% council tax.

 

[peteblue]

I heard Huyton might vote Labour......

 

[davek]

I suspect you may be correct Dave, however interestingly within the London Labour Party there is a fair amount of optimism that Labour are doing well in the key London margins. In contrast yesterday I bumped into a keen activist for the Conservatives here in London and he's normally pretty chipper, but was quite downcast yesterday. He's pro Cameron but was not enthusiastic about their prospects.

Anecdotal of course, but interesting

I just wonder how London differs to the rest of the country. I think it's something like 12% lead for Labour there and they're polling way above national average. In the rest of the country I wouldn't underestimate the ability of some people to fall for the scare tactics of vote Labour-get SNP if it's stated long enough.

Overall though I dont think that will be critical in this election. As always the economy/personal finances will be. There's a lead on the economy for the Tories which is cancelled out by the number of those polled stating they feel worse off since 2010 and that this will get worse in the near future. I think that neutralises the anti-Labour attack and it's the reason we see the SNP being trundled out and attacks on Miliband's character.

It's going to be very tight unless something unforeseen happens now.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I suspect you may be correct Dave, however interestingly within the London Labour Party there is a fair amount of optimism that Labour are doing well in the key London marginals. In contrast yesterday I bumped into a keen activist for the Conservatives here in London and he's normally pretty chipper, but was quite downcast yesterday. He's pro Cameron but was not enthusiastic about their prospects.

Anecdotal of course, but interesting

I was just having a bad day.