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woodster - 7/5/10 at 09:28 AM

at number 10 ...... i think hes doing the maths

flak monkey - 7/5/10 at 09:30 AM

Tories cant win an overall majority now, which is only a good thing.

coozer - 7/5/10 at 09:33 AM

The tory's can take the biggest share of the vote and be the 'peoples choice'

Then Broon can canoodle with his pals and do a deal with the Clog and keep the tory's out.

Hardly democratic in my book.

We are faced with more of the same misery and taxation.

My preferred option in UKIP hardly made a noise.

Why do we bother?

skinned knuckles - 7/5/10 at 09:38 AM

yep, the system is wrong. how can it be possible that the 2 parties that received the lowest votes end up in charge, leaving the peoples choice sat on the losing side?

boggle - 7/5/10 at 09:44 AM

fix......

cd.thomson - 7/5/10 at 09:47 AM

quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey
Tories cant win an overall majority now, which is only a good thing.


well... if you're a miner and this was the 1980s.

For the rest of us, its quite a bad thing.

MikeFellows - 7/5/10 at 09:50 AM

if you look at the current voting figures

Conservatives 10.2m votes
Labour 8.2m
Lib Dem 6.4m

its a strange one as a lot more people voted conservative but jointly a whole lot more people voted labour and lib dem.

however it doesn't seem right that you can join forces post election.

flak monkey - 7/5/10 at 09:57 AM

Why would you want a chancellor with zero experience and who is a total muppet when the countries economy is rather delicate?

Is that really such a good move? I dont think so some how. He was only chosen as he was one of Camerons school chums.

As for Cameron, according to a rather interesting article I was reading the other day his only quality as a leader is optimism - how very useful.

mad4x4 - 7/5/10 at 09:57 AM

System is very non-democratic

needs to be proporational rep. based on actual number of votes not this SEATS crap.

flak monkey - 7/5/10 at 10:02 AM

PR has its drawbacks as well.

Its very complex and means that voters need to have abetter understanding of individual party policies. most of whom dont as they just blindly vote for the same party over and over.

It also is more likely to lead to a hung parliament where there are more than 2 main parties. Which there are in the UK if you look at the breakdown of votes from this election.

Alfa145 - 7/5/10 at 10:03 AM

Yawn..............

cd.thomson - 7/5/10 at 10:04 AM

the issue with a hung parliament and proportional rep is that literally nothing will ever get done.

You think its bad now, just wait until you have 2+ opposition parties with similar amounts of control but different interests playing tug o' war with the country.

Look at israel...they have the most democratic system in the world and they have to change government every 3 minutes because of it.

eddie99 - 7/5/10 at 10:04 AM

Agree, i think its ridiculous that even though the tories got 2million more votes. They wont be in power, and the labour and lib dems can now decide to join together and end up in power. As said, it should be done in total number of votes, not this seats way.

AndyW - 7/5/10 at 10:05 AM

quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey
Tories cant win an overall majority now, which is only a good thing.


well... if you're a miner and this was the 1980s.

For the rest of us, its quite a bad thing.



Agreed totally....

02GF74 - 7/5/10 at 10:10 AM

quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey
Tories cant win an overall majority now, which is only a good thing.


well... if you're a miner and this was the 1980s.

For the rest of us, its quite a bad thing.


Never understood the miner's case being brought up. From what I recall, and I was very young at the time, the reason they said that the pits were closed down was because they were uneconimocal.

I understood that as meaning it was cheaper to buy coal from eatern europe/china/south ameerica/wherever than it was to dig it out of the ground in yorkshire/wales.

Now as the main use of coal is for generating electricity. To support the UK mining the result would have been either higher electricity prices or higher taxes to subsidise the coal industry.

Judging by that amount of whingeing when 1 pence is put onto the price of petrol, or when the gas or leccy goes up, I doubt anyone would be happy with those 2 options, hence the mines closed.

The hidden cost to the taxpayer was payment of unemployment benefit to the ex-miners.

At the time there was talk of decimation of jobs for future generation but thre was interview with a miner and the last thing he said he wanted hist sons to do was to work down t'piut - hard and very dirty job so don't kid yourselves over that one.

The sad fact of life is we all want to grab as much money as possible for ourselves and resent giving it to others via taxes.

NS Dev - 7/5/10 at 10:39 AM

quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey
Tories cant win an overall majority now, which is only a good thing.


well... if you're a miner and this was the 1980s.

For the rest of us, its quite a bad thing.


Agreed! That one puzzled me too!

DaveFJ - 7/5/10 at 10:44 AM

well as it stands right at this moment it is still possible that a Labour/Liberal coalition will still not be enough to form a majority!!

guess that would leave Conservative/liberal...

liberative? Conserberal?

stevebubs - 7/5/10 at 10:53 AM

quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey
Why would you want a chancellor with zero experience and who is a total muppet when the countries economy is rather delicate?

Is that really such a good move? I dont think so some how. He was only chosen as he was one of Camerons school chums.

As for Cameron, according to a rather interesting article I was reading the other day his only quality as a leader is optimism - how very useful.


As opposed to Brown (who only Scots have voted for previously), and who as Chancellor raised taxes and national debt, and as PM reduced our personal freedoms?

Shoot the lot of 'em if you ask me...

dhutch - 7/5/10 at 10:58 AM

quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey
Tories cant win an overall majority now, which is only a good thing.
Indeed.

In my mind that fact that they cannot pull a majority in the current economic climate speaks volumes.

As does comparison to represenatiatioal results to that of the seats gained.


Daniel

flak monkey - 7/5/10 at 11:02 AM

quote:
Originally posted by dhutch
quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey
Tories cant win an overall majority now, which is only a good thing.
Indeed.

In my mind that fact that they cannot pull a majority in the current economic climate speaks volumes.

As does comparison to represenatiatioal results to that of the seats gained.


Daniel


Exactly my point!

MakeEverything - 7/5/10 at 11:02 AM

I didnt vote, because they are all lying, cheating thieving shysters that dont have anyones interests but their own in mind.

I wouldnt trust ANY of them to Open a packet of sweets for my little boy, let alone submit their own expenses or run a country.

A complete waste of fkin time. Bring on the revolution to overthrow the fat cats at Parliament.

cd.thomson - 7/5/10 at 11:04 AM

quote:
Originally posted by dhutch
In my mind that fact that they cannot pull a majority in the current economic climate speaks volumes.

Daniel


Only if you assume everybody is a floating vote.

I think the more accurate assumption is that the results between the three parties under the current system will generally be stable as floating voters are the minority. Unless a party does something horrific that alienates their died-in-the-wool voters then the results will always be close cut.

You're still looking at one of the biggest swings in voting for a long time which is more accurate way of illustrating how the country wants labour out.

coozer - 7/5/10 at 11:05 AM

For the record...

Thatcher provoked the 1984 miners strike to get back at the miners after the last strike in 74 brought the conservative government down.

North east pits were very economical, productivity was huge BUT uk coal didn't get the subsidies that foreign imports did.

200 years of coal mining in this area hardly touched the reserves and its interesting to note that most of the collieries weren't 'closed' as such. They were officially 'mothballed', then the shafts were filled in rather quickly....

Houghton Colliery developed a new face, invested 10m in new machinery and was closed down before production started as the books showed a loss.....

She closed the shipyards, closed the pits, then raised the mortgage rate to 17%

I hope she burns in hell....

55ant - 7/5/10 at 11:06 AM

can i get a reeee vote

theconrodkid - 7/5/10 at 11:11 AM

if you take away all the votes gained by dubious practices like 20 asians suddenly living in a 2 bed flat and all the dirty tricks and lies pulled by gormless clown and his bunch of commie surrender monkeys the right party would have got in.
now we are faced with a couple more years of downward spiral,you think some places in africa or greece are bad,you aint seen nothing yet.

55ant - 7/5/10 at 11:35 AM

have to agree with conrod, whoever gets in will have to do some awfull things, massive spending cuts etc, and then we will all get to vote again in a year or so. if cameron and clegg form up within a year we wont want them anymore, so who is left after that.

02GF74 - 7/5/10 at 11:55 AM

quote:
Originally posted by coozer
For the record...

Thatcher ....

I hope she burns in hell....



..... like I said, I don't know the ins and out was was little.


..... but she had lovely hair!?!?!

jimmyjoebob - 7/5/10 at 11:59 AM

I would rather let Osbourne become Chancellor than keep the morons that have sold off most of the country's assets and left us with a horrendous deficit!

Labour has left the country's finances in chaos every time they have been in power. FACT! They have never dealt with a recovery before so don't chance it now.

BenB - 7/5/10 at 12:02 PM

They're all a load of egotistical muppets. When they're in power they move from post to post as if its possible to become an "expert" on something overnight then over-ride the opinion of the true experts (e.g. Iraq war, recent events on drugs).

If they a prerequosit for being the minister for X should be actually having some past experience and knowledge of X in the flipping first place. May be then they wouldn't make such a dog's dinner of trying to organise it.

cd.thomson - 7/5/10 at 12:13 PM

quote:
Originally posted by BenB
They're all a load of egotistical muppets. When they're in power they move from post to post as if its possible to become an "expert" on something overnight then over-ride the opinion of the true experts (e.g. Iraq war, recent events on drugs).

If they a prerequosit for being the minister for X should be actually having some past experience and knowledge of X in the flipping first place. May be then they wouldn't make such a dog's dinner of trying to organise it.


+1

the country should be run by a coalition of specialists: scientists (health and research), economists (economy), diplomats (foreign policy and internal PR), commanding officers (defence), town planners (infrastructure) and teachers (education) - all with clearly defined roles

each election time candidates in each area are selected by nationwide panels of specialists in the fields before going to a national public vote with a first past the post system in all six areas.

02GF74 - 7/5/10 at 12:33 PM

^^^^ gosh you some sort of radical fundamentalist suggesting the the govenrment should be composed of competant, intelligent people who have the nation's interest and not their own?

blimey - you'll next be suggesting clarkson should be the minister of transport.

whitestu - 7/5/10 at 12:44 PM

quote:

For the record...

Thatcher provoked the 1984 miners strike to get back at the miners after the last strike in 74 brought the conservative government down.

North east pits were very economical, productivity was huge BUT uk coal didn't get the subsidies that foreign imports did.

200 years of coal mining in this area hardly touched the reserves and its interesting to note that most of the collieries weren't 'closed' as such. They were officially 'mothballed', then the shafts were filled in rather quickly....

Houghton Colliery developed a new face, invested 10m in new machinery and was closed down before production started as the books showed a loss.....

She closed the shipyards, closed the pits, then raised the mortgage rate to 17%

I hope she burns in hell....



Spot on Coozer - I was there during the strike, part way through my apprenticeship, and saw what went on. Still have a problem with the Tories as a result.

cd.thomson - 7/5/10 at 12:47 PM

quote:
Originally posted by whitestu
Still have a problem with the Tories as a result.


Do you still have a problem with the germans too

turbodisplay - 7/5/10 at 12:49 PM

What people may miss is that yes there is an srgument for labour, as they may be a stronger side to deal with recovery. BUT as they won`t admit they are wrong GB is still pressing ahead with ID cards -waste on money and in a few years time it will be compulsary to carry at all times, (where will the average girl on a night out put it - or me when playing rugby and carry nothing of value except £10 and the house keys).
He still thinks spend spend spend is the plan.
At least the tories will scrap the waste of money ideas due to being new and not tied to plans that won`t work, but still press ahead so not looking like doing a u-turn.
They only one thing i disagree with is the upgrading of trident. As we cannot launch without the UNs say so what is the point. It will take hours or days to mobilise a nuclear counter strike.

Might as well repair/upgrade them (locost style ) or scrap most of them.

Darren

RK - 7/5/10 at 12:54 PM

The same people who complain about government interference, are the same people who complain that IVA costs so much. You can't have your cake and eat it too. It all depends on how you want your borrowed money the government uses, to be redistributed.

Thatcher and Reagan arguably caused this whole economic situation we are in right now. You can't borrow forever. Sooner or later someone wants their money back. See: Greece... Iceland... and more on the horizon.

ali f27 - 7/5/10 at 12:56 PM

My take on a hung parliment is that the public cannot see any one party as capable of running the show

whitestu - 7/5/10 at 01:12 PM

quote:

Do you still have a problem with the germans too


No, quite like them!

I voted for Cameron actually, so hoping they have changed!

scootz - 7/5/10 at 01:12 PM

quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey
Tories cant win an overall majority now, which is only a good thing.


well... if you're a miner and this was the 1980s.

For the rest of us, its quite a bad thing.


Or you're from Scotland. Period! The shafting we took under the last Tory Government will never be forgotten!

They've only ever won 1 out of the available 59 seats (previously 72) in Scotland for a few decades now.

FRANKIE BOYLE THATCHER RANT (NSFW)

chrsgrain - 7/5/10 at 01:29 PM

quote:

Or you're from Scotland. Period! The shafting we took under the last Tory Government will never be forgotten!

They've only ever won 1 out of the available 59 seats (previously 72) in Scotland for a few decades now.



Yep - and who do you think has kept the Labour Party in power for the last 13 years in England - cos they've NEVER had a majority in England EVER.... and the Scottish MP's voted on things (like Foundation trusts) which couldn't affect their constituents, over the objections of the MP's who represented the people who it would affect....

20% more funding per capita in Scotland in public services, 2p on my Income tax to pay for the Scottish ability to spend but not tax.... not to mention bail out the Scottish banks (HBOScotland, RBScotland), the bill for which will primarily be met by the English taxpayer....

Hmm - wonder who's getting the best deal here....

bmseven - 7/5/10 at 01:31 PM

Hung Parliament


If only it was true

jabbahutt - 7/5/10 at 02:08 PM

Easy let the Scots and the Welsh govern themselves and spend what they like on whatever they like.

But not a single penny from England goes to either then we'll see how the standard of living in England alters, you shouldn't get ot pick and choose what you do and don't have independance on.

And before North sea gas or oil crops into the argument feel free to keep it and sell it as you're going to need every pound to keep funding free degrees and higher standards of public services etc.

scootz - 7/5/10 at 02:35 PM

Yes please!

A1 - 7/5/10 at 03:02 PM

this may have been mentioned, but what about all those who didnt get their vote?
I even heard that our soldiers on the front line werent getting their vote cause they didnt get the ballots out in time...?

scootz - 7/5/10 at 03:15 PM

Absolutely disgusting if members of our Armed Forces didn't get their votes counted!

The collection and administration of their ballot papers should be a priority!

jabbahutt - 7/5/10 at 03:27 PM

yep if anyone deserves a vote it's those who put their lives on the line and allow us to sit here and type safely about things like this

Badger_McLetcher - 7/5/10 at 04:09 PM

quote:
Originally posted by jabbahutt
yep if anyone deserves a vote it's those who put their lives on the line and allow us to sit here and type safely about things like this

+1

However, I honestly don't think any of the parties are better. They've all done crap things.
We're in a situation now where we have professional politicians (what is this crap?!?), and the whole political class are distant from reality. None are exempt, all are pretty much corrupt, and it won't change.

britishtrident - 7/5/10 at 04:16 PM

quote:
Originally posted by jabbahutt
Easy let the Scots and the Welsh govern themselves and spend what they like on whatever they like.

But not a single penny from England goes to either then we'll see how the standard of living in England alters, you shouldn't get ot pick and choose what you do and don't have independance on.

And before North sea gas or oil crops into the argument feel free to keep it and sell it as you're going to need every pound to keep funding free degrees and higher standards of public services etc.


In that case you fight your own wars and not take the massive taxes lumped on our whisky exports.

britishtrident - 7/5/10 at 04:18 PM

quote:
Originally posted by scootz
quote:
Originally posted by chrsgrain
quote:

Or you're from Scotland. Period! The shafting we took under the last Tory Government will never be forgotten!

They've only ever won 1 out of the available 59 seats (previously 72) in Scotland for a few decades now.



Yep - and who do you think has kept the Labour Party in power for the last 13 years in England - cos they've NEVER had a majority in England EVER.... and the Scottish MP's voted on things (like Foundation trusts) which couldn't affect their constituents, over the objections of the MP's who represented the people who it would affect....

20% more funding per capita in Scotland in public services, 2p on my Income tax to pay for the Scottish ability to spend but not tax.... not to mention bail out the Scottish banks (HBOScotland, RBScotland), the bill for which will primarily be met by the English taxpayer....

Hmm - wonder who's getting the best deal here....


I agree...


I think you will find that neither HBOS or RBS are in any way really scottish apart from the names.

scootz - 7/5/10 at 04:23 PM

Scotland would do very well financially on it's own... I have no doubt of that. For me, the only debate lies in whether you're a Nationalist or a Unionist!

Whilst I'm British I will want and fight for the best for Britain, but if I am offered the choice of Scotland becoming an independent country, then I will embrace it and then I will want and fight for the best for Scotland.

britishtrident - 7/5/10 at 04:25 PM

quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey
PR has its drawbacks as well.

Its very complex and means that voters need to have abetter understanding of individual party policies. most of whom dont as they just blindly vote for the same party over and over.

It also is more likely to lead to a hung parliament where there are more than 2 main parties. Which there are in the UK if you look at the breakdown of votes from this election.


PR is awful as a system how the heck anyone can work out the results I will never know, the ballot papers are hard enough for voters to understand, but in Scotland it has produced a Parliament that actually works rather well. In Edinburgh only really has proved troublesome once when the budget was blocked by a single Green MSP, but all the other parties all got into a huddle and fixed that within 24hrs.

richard thomas - 7/5/10 at 07:10 PM

quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey
Tories cant win an overall majority now, which is only a good thing.


well... if you're a miner and this was the 1980s.

For the rest of us, its quite a bad thing.


Unless like me you work in the defence industry and are living under the threat of the Tories/Lib Dems exercising the right to cancel defence contracts where clauses allow e.g. Eurofighter Typhoon tranche 3, Carriers etc. on the day that they get in to power, leading to thousands of direct job losses not to mention the support industries that will immediately follow....which means that major defence requirement procurements will come from overseas (particularly America), leaving us at the mercy of worldwide politics....Americans might not be our 'best buddies' for ever. Not to mention the fact that we lose our place in the world as major innovators and leaders in new technology.



But never mind, maybe I could get employed selling insurance....mortgage protection policy in case of job loss anyone?

Odd how violent riots and clashes due to political/social unrest have gone out of fashion since the Eighties.....

As a note, I was born in a mining community in Wales, and vividly remember the hammering that my family and local community got in the eighties - not much fun living off food parcel handouts and donations - which is why I decided to get into an industry which would allow me the opportunity to work and live all over the UK including lengthy stints in England and Scotland, which I have done and enjoyed, finally recently settling with my family in England which currently suits me fine. No I don't see the point of splitting the UK into pieces, which Plaid and the SNP would like to do, and yes I would like to see in England the benefits of things such as free prescriptions which I was entitled to in Wales. But I don't hold a grudge against those fortunate enough to be able to take advantage of such benefits due to where they live...it's not something they put in place themselves, the politicians did it for them.

So if you live in England and would like to see the same benefits, or are unhappy about subsidies to the other parts of the UK, get up off your arse and go and give your local MP some grief over it - he/she works for YOU!



Jus my two pence worth....

scootz - 7/5/10 at 07:50 PM

2p well spent!

richard thomas - 7/5/10 at 08:37 PM

I'm now off the soapbox....

MakeEverything - 7/5/10 at 09:06 PM

quote:
Originally posted by richard thomas
he/she works for YOU!


Thats what they all have us believing.

Fozzie - 7/5/10 at 09:35 PM

Well actually.....England is the only country within the UK that doesn't have its own assembly/parliament .... and before you shout London/Westminster .... No! .... that is the Parliament for the entire UK.... NOT England.....

Does anyone know, or can tell me, as to why this is so? .... or if there is any reason why we do not have this 'representation'?.....

Fozzie ...

richard thomas - 7/5/10 at 09:43 PM

And we let them get away with it, our own lethargy stops us pestering them until they take notice/action....we have ourselves to blame!

scootz - 7/5/10 at 09:52 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Fozzie
Does anyone know, or can tell me, as to why this is so? .... or if there is any reason why we do not have this 'representation'?.....

Fozzie ...


Widespread Apathy on the part of the English population!

cd.thomson - 7/5/10 at 09:54 PM

quote:
Originally posted by scootz
quote:
Originally posted by Fozzie
Does anyone know, or can tell me, as to why this is so? .... or if there is any reason why we do not have this 'representation'?.....

Fozzie ...


Widespread Apathy on the part of the English population!


i think the idea is that nothing will ever get done due to the coalitions formed never able to reach decisions on stuff

Fozzie - 7/5/10 at 10:06 PM

Hmmmm ...apathy...you could be right........

Not sure about the coalition thing though (English...not UK/Westminster), the Welsh have different parties as do the Irish and Scots....and they manage to do the best they can for their countrymen.....Interestingly, if you look at just the English results.....it should be even smoother.....

I think I will leave it a week or two, and I feel an email writing session to my brand new MP (last one resigned...lol) .... be interesting to see what he has to say about why England are the only ones not represented....

Thanks for your replies......I thought it may have been something more than just apathy, as to why we weren't represented because no one on the 'election tv specials' over the last 24 hours has even mentioned it...

Fozzie

scootz - 7/5/10 at 10:14 PM

I can see what Craig says to a point too... on a practical level it would be a right PITA to implement and administer due to the sheer size of England.

I think that if the UK is to continue as the UK, then each of the nations should have their own parliament and Westminster should only meet to discuss matters of national importance / relevance.

richard thomas - 7/5/10 at 10:16 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Fozzie
Well actually.....England is the only country within the UK that doesn't have its own assembly/parliament .... and before you shout London/Westminster .... No! .... that is the Parliament for the entire UK.... NOT England.....

Does anyone know, or can tell me, as to why this is so? .... or if there is any reason why we do not have this 'representation'?.....

Fozzie ...


Fozzie, it's because there is no public outcry, only murmuring amogst the masses - this thread being an example.

Fozzie - 7/5/10 at 10:33 PM

Scootz and Craig, yes I understand what you are saying, but it should be feasible....and the size of the country shouldn't be a factor.....

Scootz, I think you are right, we should all have our 'assemblies' that would be fairer when 'regional' agendas are argued in Westminster.

Richard......You are right.....hence I will be 'asking questions' to my MP .... ...soon...
(let's see what he is made of) ... I will keep you updated...

Fozzie

scootz - 7/5/10 at 10:36 PM

And apathy is not just confined to the English... we're all guilty of it! Life is pretty cosy for the vast majority of the population of the UK, so we just grumble and let things pass us by that we don't agree with. After a period of time we'll wake-up to find we are in a right mess.... and far far worse than we are in just now. We'll all seek to apportion blame, but there will be no-one to blame but ourselves... we saw it coming... we moaned about it a bit... but did we take action?

Where the Scots and Welsh do differ slightly from the English (other than being better-looking and more intelligent - obviously!) is that many of us have been indoctrinated (consciously and sub-consciously) to have a collective sense of being continually downtrodden by our biggest neighbour. The majority of this is borne out of historical squabbles and past injustice, but it exists nonetheless and it makes many of us spiky and sensitive to every little thing that comes out of Westminster. It effectively makes us more likely to kick up a stink and demand things. It also helps that there are less voices in Scotland / Wales / NI as that means there are less contrasting points of view and less arguments about how to go forward.

I'm rambling now...

Fozzie - 7/5/10 at 10:51 PM

Ah.....Scootz ..... I think that is the major misnomer .....

Just because Westminster is situated in England, it is not 'the' English ....
Whatever comes out of Westminster is from the UK Parliament not from the English Parliament ...we haven't and never have had one......

Gordon Brown for example, is Scottish and his Constituency is in Scotland ....absolutely nowt to do with England or the English .....as were at one time or another in the past 13 years, the major players of the Labour Cabinet, but their 'office' is Westminster, which of course is situated in England, but that doesn't make it 'English'......it is the UK Government

So I don't really understand why, just because Parliament is sited in England.....it is somehow the fault of the English ....but you are correct, I think, in saying that historically the English have been 'blamed' for Westminsters decisions ....

Fozzie

scootz - 7/5/10 at 11:08 PM

Sorry... it's my 'Scottishness' - should have explained!

The term 'Westminster' is used disparagingly by many Scots when discussing politics. The perception being an anglo-centric body.

Fozzie - 7/5/10 at 11:21 PM

quote:
Originally posted by scootz
Sorry... it's my 'Scottishness' - should have explained!

The term 'Westminster' is used disparagingly by many Scots when discussing politics. The perception being an anglo-centric body.


No worries.....Scootie ...

As you know my OH is a Highlander (half)... and we spend time whenever we can up there......
His rellies are always blethering away about the English ... usually about politics ......until we say, 'well actually Broon is Scot, and so are most of the Cabinet'......LOL

Fozzie

RK - 8/5/10 at 01:18 AM

Just be careful what you wish for. We have 10 provinces here and all of them hate the federal government at one point or another, especially the ninnies here where I live presently. I also think that anybody advocating separation should be, um, hung.

Fozzie - 8/5/10 at 08:25 AM

quote:
Originally posted by RK
Just be careful what you wish for. We have 10 provinces here and all of them hate the federal government at one point or another, especially the ninnies here where I live presently. I also think that anybody advocating separation should be, um, hung.


No RK...you misunderstood (me)! .... in no way would I want the collective countries that make up the UK to become separated......

I would just like it, if, like NI, Scotland and Wales who have their own regional (country) Assemblies/Parliament, England did too.....and were then collectively governed by the UK Government at Westminster.....surely that is only fair in a democracy?

Fozzie

RK - 8/5/10 at 09:48 PM

Warning: know-it-all-foreigner commenting (again) on things he has no business talking about:

All I meant was that it just gets to be more and more of the very people nobody really wants: politicians, all arguing constantly for BORROWED money, that WE (you in this case, UK taxpayers) have to pay to borrow. More government is not necessarily a good thing.

I am not an expert obviously, but your constitutional monarchy system of government seems to work, and has been borrowed by us, as well as a lot of other places for good reason. A Scottish parliament, Welsh parliament, Northern Irish parliament, English parliament (why not?)... next thing you know you've got one for the Shetlanders, the Outer Hebrides, as well as the Home Counties (cause that's where all the money is! - you can call it the Beautiful South (BS for short) Parliament). How many politicians is that?