http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8440502.stm

I doubt it'll even be a consideration tbh

Even if the Tories do really well the most likely outcome is a hung parliament.

TBH I want the LibDems to have a go. I know, fanciful thinking but what the hell.

Labour and the Tories have both successively frakked up, I mean Cameron couldn't even decide on what one of his policies was yesterday, saying one thing for definite in the morning and then his "Advisors" stating the exact opposite in the afternoon and Labour, well, do I need say anything?

It would be great for Clegg to keep out of the early election campaigning for now. Let the other two knock each other about, bore the electorate rigid, and then pounce with the killer policies.

I'd like the Lib-Dems to have a crack at it. Who knows if 2010 will be their chance?

I kind of get the feeling that he will. They have a list of things they want done, and this would be the only way to achieve some of them.

COME ON THE LIBERALS!!

Or failing that, labour.

Anything but the tories.

your probably in for a big dissapointment then!

It doesn't matter who "wins" the "election", it won't make any difference to the man on the street.

True, the Civil Servants will still be the same.

Isn't that the kind of attitude that's got us into this mess in the first place?

I'm not having a dig at you particularly, but the general "Meh" about politics. We get the governments we deserve.

Labour got voted in by a vast majority, that does not seem to be voter apathy
the same as the 'CONS' before under thatcher

but this time i will vote for any party that is not mainstream
and i will give you a clue BNP, UKIP or anything else that is not one of the scum that is already sitting in our so called parliment

anything or anyone will do, except them that are in power or have access to power at this time
and if that upsets a few, shrug …

I don't dispute that. A quick look at the stats for the 1997, 2001 and 2005 elections, though, shows a drop in overall numbers of voters. What with the expenses scandal, the "unelected prime minister", the increasingly discredited "war on terror" and consequential infringements of civil liberties, and the economy will, I fear, discourage even more people from voting in May, and the drop will continue.

Our problem is with the system. Voters feel disenfranchised, feel their vote won't make a difference and therefore don't bother to vote. It's a downward spiral. First past the post means that less than a million voters - those who live in marginal constituencies - will most likely get to decide the outcome of the next election.

We need a change, and I think we're agreed that that won't be supplied by switching from red to blue. The Tories haven't demonstrated to me they have any better ideas than the current lot. The Lib-Dems may have all the ideas, but won't win a majority because of the system (one recent general election saw the LDs get 25% of the popular vote, but only 10% of the seats). Many people will vote for "fringe" parties, and if there's a fair wind, a lot of independent MPs will enter the House after the election. I would like to be one of them.

Where I live, I haven’t a cat in hell’s chance of influencing the outcome. It won’t matter for whom I vote, the Tories will get in - again. It’s a safe spot for the Tories, Labour don’t try, and the Lib Dems are second, but I can’t see them making gains here.

Come the election, I will get a couple of letters from the LIb Dems, a leaflet from each (and the BNP and the other more insane parties) and that is it. No chance to engage the candidates. No door knocking. I will only know that there is an election on because of what’s on the telly.




Yes - and after the last election, Channel 4 showed not only this idiocy, but also how the parties profiled voters to such an extent that they all ended up with the same results, and all ended up saying pretty much the same thing.



I doubt that will happen. I’m in balloon bursting mode today, and I think that people will think like they always do - vote against the incumbent and pick the safe looking chap. You know - the one who looks like he’s selling you a BMW, but you end up with a Skoda.

Voting for fringe parties achieves little. A few hundred votes are, a few hundred there will just fragment and show small pockets of resistance. Some of those will be there for genuine reasons, a lot will be there as a protest.

Taking my area - if the small parties didn’t stand, and there was a decent turn out, then the Lib Dems would be in for a fighting chance of gaining a seat, especially as they are the first port of call for protest voting. As it stands, the small parties, independents etc. are not achieving anything other than attracting a minority interest and ensuring that the regular blue/red switch continues.