I am getting heartily sick of all this talk of hung parliaments. I've just composed a letter out to voters in east Bristol, urging them to take a look at policies instead.I am also getting very, very fed up with Nick Clegg. He's getting rather full of himself, isn't he? How dare he presume to dictate to the Labour Party who we should have as our leader in the event of a Lib-Lab deal? Memo to Nick: we choose our leader, you don't. And if we were to have any say over the Lib Dem leadership, it wouldn't be you. We've read the Orange Book and we have just an inkling that you're something of a closet Tory.
Speaking of closet Tories, the Lib Dems in Bristol are of course fielding a former Tory councillor, in the person of Mike Popham. I have yet to see much evidence that he has repented his right-wing ways. If you vote Lib Dem in Bristol East you either: a) split the progressive vote and let the Tories in by the back door; b) vote for a party whose leader seems to be expressing a clear preference for getting into bed with Cameron; or c) vote in Popham and get a Tory MP in all but name!
You would of course be far better voting Labour... You know where you are with us ;-)
8 comments:
The problem it seems is that a lot of people actually do want a hang parliament. Both Labour and Conservatives have come out with ideas that the public don't like and at least in my workplace they expect these policies never to see the light of day with a hung parliament.
Also how do you know Labour is going to get a majority. Interesting sight today, travelling through Westbury on Trim, usually full of vote conservative signs, majority changed to Lib Dem. If there is a hung parliament and the Liberal Democrats actually do get the most votes, surely they can appoint who they like. There seems to be a lot of counting of chickens by all sides.
As for politics, I received four pamphlets recently. Conservatives and Lib dems were addressed directly to me, Labour wasn't. Both the conservatives and Lib Dems covered major local issues, Labour national issue. The Lib Dems went even further joining one of the protest groups, where as Conservatives message seemed to be were thinking of you.
I just hope that this is a local thing as here the Labour candidate seems to be someone who doesn't want to get elected and unfortunately a Labour vote is a wasted vote!
You would of course be far better voting Labour... You know where you are with us
Er...yes I think that is your problem.
That aside I agree with your comments about Clegg. This country faces massive problems yet Clegg's main priority is voting reform. Party before country it seems
You miss the point Chris... in the unlikely event the Lib Dems are the largest party and are asked to form a Govt, yes Nick Clegg could appoint whoever he likes to the Govt.
What he cannot do is dictate to the Labour Party who we should have as our party leader! And it's appalling arrogant of him to try.
(Given that the media spin has been largely unspun, this post may be moot. Nonetheless-)
With all respect, Kerry, try turning that around, and perhaps you would have a better idea of where the LibDems are coming from (if you are at all interested in having such an idea, as opposed to the political point-scoring that usually passes for debate in an election campaign).
Labour could not *dictate* to the Lib Dems that they somehow "owe" Labour their support if Labour comes 3rd in terms of share of the vote, even if they have the most seats.
Labour could not *dictate* to the Lib Dems that they commit political suicide (and you know full well that that is what it would be!) by helping to retain a Prime Minister who had lost overall control of the Commons *and* the popular vote in the country. The electorate would - rightly - cry foul.
Which is, in effect, all that Clegg has said - once you cut out all the overblown media spin.
It won't be the Lib Dems dictating to you. It will be the *electorate* dictating to you *and* the Lib Dems, according to the result delivered at the ballot box, the inescapable mathematics of our "potty" electoral system and the political and pragmatic realities that would exist in such a scenario (assuming, of course, that such a scenario arose - of which, it must be pointed out, the odds are actually pretty low).
Of course, it is far easier to get onto one's high horse than to listen carefully to what is actually being said. :-)
I think you're being a little naive in attributing noble motives to Mr Clegg. Isn't this at least in part an attempt to damage Gordon Brown's credibility prior to the vote on May 6th?
Was that comment ironic or was it posted before bigot gate?
Of course Nick Clegg can't dictate who the Labour leader is, but it does seem that all major parties are acting as if they already know the results of the election before it has started. If anything it's rather arrogant for him to believe he'll be in that postion to decide.
At the moment it doesn't seem possible to predict the result. The support for the Conservatives doesn't seem to be as strong as suguested, where as some Labour candiates don't seem to be trying or getting themselves in trouble. Also we all remember the Prepare for government speech, so even Lib Dem support could disappear.
...we choose our leader, you don't...
Shot by both sides?
Shot in the foot, more like.
"I've just composed a letter out to voters in east Bristol, urging them to take a look at policies instead.
Did you invite them to take a look at http://voteforpolicies.org.uk/ ?
No, I thought not....
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