[Archived] The General Election 2015

[Jock]

My choice on the Fylde coast is a Tory ( gay rent boy, drugs scandal) or an anti Fracking Independent. No point in the others, they won't get anywhere near.

[thenodrog]

Time to vote with the good people of Clitheroe, Whalley, Waddington, Dunsop Bridge, Slaidburn, Gisburn, Whitewell and all the Range Rover driving millionaire farmers of the Ribble Valley and Forest of Bowland. There can't be many more North West constituencies with such ludricous boundaries?

Move then Shaun. Go back to living in a street fronted terrace with a nice flagged backyard with an outside bog in some urban wasteland if that's what it takes to make you happy. I'm sure you will find plenty on here who will swap houses with you.

btw if you'd thought a bit sooner I bet gav would have swapped in a flash.

I just thought it was good to see an impartial view from an observer, not trying to change anyone's minds.

Everyone votes for who they want to regardless!!

Not sure it's impartial. His opinion seems at odds with the majority of informed opinion. Also why come here to study in 2013 under a Conservative govt? Whats wrong with studying in the good ol US of A? Where's he left his principles.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Miliband might not need the SNP, there appears to be a swing to Labour in final polls. Conservatives will have to hope the polls are wrong, I just don't see it.

The only positive point is that this might kill of UKIP, they have lost their chance for a voice at a EU referendum.

[ultrablue]

Why would I vote for a party I don't actively WANT in power (which is the whole point of voting in the first place)?

To vote tactically is dishonest imo and stops the voter having any right to complain when politicians are equally dishonest.

I'm with you - I don't like our First Past the Post system. But when another election rolls around and I have a say on who I think is the lesser of two evils, then I'm not going to waste my chance on an also-ran.

Don't hate the player - hate the game

[only2garners]

Move then Shaun. Go back to living in a street fronted terrace with a nice flagged backyard with an outside bog in some urban wasteland if that's what it takes to make you happy. I'm sure you will find plenty on here who will swap houses with you.

I think that was Shaun's point. He lives in Lostock Hall, which together with Bamber Bridge and Walton-le-Dale has been taken out of the South Ribble seat and dumped in Ribble Valley.

[Jock]

I think that was Shaun's point. He lives in Lostock Hall, which together with Bamber Bridge and Walton-le-Dale has been taken out of the South Ribble seat and dumped in Ribble Valley.

Lostock Hall in Ribble Valley what nutter thought that one up?

[thenodrog]

Lostock Hall in Ribble Valley what nutter thought that one up?

That would be God I think.

Lostock Hall is on the South Bank of the Ribble and the River actually runs right through Walton le Dale

[Rover_Shaun]

I don't even get the Ribble Valley perks of having 'someone' put their hand down my pants either.

We may be near the Ribble but it's hardly a valley around here. Unless you class two kerb stones as one.

I think it was to even Ribble Valley up population size wise. (yet The Wirral has 4 MP's!!!!) However South Ribble are bad enough. They also voted Tory last time. So even if I was 1/4 mile away t'other side o'tardy gate I'd still be an alien.

[Jock]

That would be God I think.

Lostock Hall is on the South Bank of the Ribble and the River actually runs right through Walton le Dale

So every town that runs along the Ribble should be in the same constituency? I didn't realise they divided the seats up by the Rivers of Britain you smart arsed tvvat.

[Jock]

Lostock Hall and Brig is nowhere near the Hillbillies

[Salgado Is Still A Hero]

http://benjaminstudebaker.com/2015/05/02/britain-for-the-love-of-god-please-stop-david-cameron/

[K-Hod]

http://benjaminstudebaker.com/2015/05/02/britain-for-the-love-of-god-please-stop-david-cameron/

http://www.brfcc.com/mb/index.php/topic/30413-the-general-election-2015/page-53

[Mike E]

I'm with you - I don't like our First Past the Post system. But when another election rolls around and I have a say on who I think is the lesser of two evils, then I'm not going to waste my chance on an also-ran.

Don't hate the player - hate the game

We agree there. The system sucks. Another reason UKIP gets my vote (the only party to mention electoral reform during the debates).

[Biddy]

Lib Dems wanted electoral reform last term. The best they managed to get the conservatives to agree to was the "Alternative Vote". We, the public, voted on that referendum in 2011 and rejected it as it was confused and a badly fought campaign.

We are stuck with first past the post.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Voted this morning in Clitheroe and the polling station appeared to be a lot busier than in previous elections (though it may just be that time period). I was probably the youngest one there, nearly all looked to be in the 65+ category in terms of age.

Rock solid Tory seat though I am expecting a reduced majority for the incumbent this time.

Nationally it would appear that turnout might be quite high, not sure who this will specifically benefit but we shall see later tonight.

[only2garners]

Lib Dems wanted electoral reform last term. The best they managed to get the conservatives to agree to was the "Alternative Vote". We, the public, voted on that referendum in 2011 and rejected it as it was confused and a badly fought campaign.

We are stuck with first past the post.

What a spectacular own goal that was by the Tories. They refused to support the referendum on AV and as a result it was lost. Because of that decision and their failure to agree on some form of Lords reform the Lib Dems refused to support the proposal to amend constituency boundaries to reduce them to 600 and even out voter numbers in each one. Had they supported and got electoral reform and subsequently the boundary changes they would be set to win today.

I think there are going to be plenty of people suddenly deciding that electoral reform is a good idea from tomorrow. All the UKIP supporters who see a 10%+ share of the vote and 1 or 2 MPs for example, whilst the SNP get 50+ seats on a 4% share. The Lib Dems will be less affected as they have learned to play the system and concentrate their efforts on specific seats but their number of MPs will still be well below the 8/9% of the share currently predicted. However, proper change will need the support of one of the two main parties and turkeys still find it difficult to vote for Christmas.

[Rover_Shaun]

I wonder if Nigel's memory has recovered enough to remember to vote?

[only2garners]

However South Ribble are bad enough. They also voted Tory last time. So even if I was 1/4 mile away t'other side o'tardy gate I'd still be an alien.

Same effect Shaun. They took Lostock Hall etc out of South Ribble and added Tarleton, Banks, Rufford, Croston and Eccleston in so it became a fairly safe Tory seat, although if the Lord Ashcroft poll is to be believed it is "too close to call". I'd better go and vote.

[Baz]

So, who gets first dibs at forming a coalition- the party with the highest number of votes, or the party with the highest number of seats?

It could be that tight.

[RibbleValleyRover]

So, who gets first dibs at forming a coalition- the party with the highest number of votes, or the party with the highest number of seats?

It could be that tight.

The incumbent PM gets the first go so Cameron. I would think if he has less seats than Labour he will have to resign and say he can't do a deal, but if the polls are wrong and he does end up with most seats then I would expect him to try and form a government. Now this might collapse in a few days if it turns out he just can't get the numbers to work.

So the first thing we are looking for is who has the most seats at the end of it, that will decide what happens next.

[chaddyrovers]

I voted for the party who I think has the best Leader and is the best man to be PM of this country and who policies I agree with

That was David Cameron and Conservative

[Guest]

Why would I vote for a party I don't actively WANT in power (which is the whole point of voting in the first place)?

To vote tactically is dishonest imo and stops the voter having any right to complain when politicians are equally dishonest.

If the slate was clean, Mike, you're right in your intentions, and it's refreshing to think that way. However, it's also naive. To call tactical voters "dishonest" is extremely harsh. Maybe I say that because I tactically voted in the previous election. Nevertheless, at worst, I think it's short-termism, but nothing more than that. A tactical voter is trying to stop the other major rival from getting the seat and potentially toppling the overall result. I don't think that's being dishonest, and it's just a natural reaction to a first-past-the-post system.

[jim mk2]

The incumbent PM gets the first go so Cameron. I would think if he has less seats than Labour he will have to resign and say he can't do a deal, but if the polls are wrong and he does end up with most seats then I would expect him to try and form a government. Now this might collapse in a few days if it turns out he just can't get the numbers to work.

So the first thing we are looking for is who has the most seats at the end of it, that will decide what happens next.

The Conservatives are likely to have the most seats and will therefore have the first attempt at forming a government but it depends on whether they can form a coalition with Lib Dems and probably the DUP to give them a Commons majority. I'm not sure what the magic number is but I think it's around the 320 mark.

[chaddyrovers]

U need 326 seats to form a government

[yoda]

The Conservatives are likely to have the most seats and will therefore have the first attempt at forming a government but it depends on whether they can form a coalition with Lib Dems and probably the DUP to give them a Commons majority. I'm not sure what the magic number is but I think it's around the 320 mark.

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