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pcernie
Legend
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2009 12:30 pm
Posts: 45931
Location: Belfast
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  | | | | Quote: Britain could be hit by a wave of "Greek style" unrest if a Tory government narrowly wins the election and brings in big spending cuts, Nick Clegg has warned.
The Liberal Democrat leader said he feared "serious social strife" if an administration with minimal support raised taxes, laid off public sector workers and froze wages.
Although he stressed he was "not campaigning for a hung parliament", he suggested it could be preferable to a government hampered by a lack of legitimacy.
Speaking in an interview with the Observer, Mr Clegg pointed out that Labour won office in 2005 with 22% of the eligible voters.
"Imagine the Conservatives go home and get an absolute majority, on 25% of the eligible vote," he said.
"They then turn around in the next week or two and say we're going to chuck up VAT to 20%, we're going to start cutting teachers, cutting police and the wage bill in the public sector.
"I think if you're not careful in that situation... you'd get Greek style unrest.
"And so, my warning to people who think the old politics still works, is be careful what you wish for."
Referring to the prospect of a hung parliament, Mr Clegg told the newspaper: "Do I think politicians working together can be a good thing? Of course it can."
Last month strikes and protests against the Greek government's austerity measures caused chaos, with thousands of people marching on the streets of Athens. | | | | |
I expected more from Clegg tbh  _________________Plain English advice on everything money, purchase and service related:
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| Sun Apr 11, 2010 10:09 am |
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bobbdobbs
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:10 pm
Posts: 5490
Location: just behind you!
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yes you are, as its the only way you will have any power. A government with a majority, even if its by one under the rules has full legitimacy. So Labour winning with a lower % of eligible vote are legitimate but Tories winning with a higher % are not  _________________Finally joined Flickr
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| Sun Apr 11, 2010 10:27 am |
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ShockWaffle
Doesn't have much of a life
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 6:50 am
Posts: 1911
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You are misrepresenting him. He isn't saying that a Labour can be legitimate in circumstances where a Tory one is not, he is pointing out that the next government is going to have to take an unusually high number of divisive decisions, and if it is elected by no more than a quarter of the population, then the other three quarters are liable to respond disrespectfully.
Any government elected with a parliamentary majority has a full mandate. But legitimacy, unlike mandate, is a matter of perception. Thatcher, Major and Blair all had problems with that perceived lack when they gained majorities, sometimes very large ones, with < 50% of the vote. This was especially so for Thatcher who had a significantly larger pair of balls than the other two, and subsequently took far more decisions in the face of popular opinion.
Although I diverge from Clegg when he includes people who don't vote at all as if they were voting against the government. If they don't vote their opinion isn't worth [LIFTED] to me.
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| Sun Apr 11, 2010 10:45 am |
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jonbwfc
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:26 pm
Posts: 17040
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'greek style unrest'? Is that with feta cheese and olives?
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| Sun Apr 11, 2010 11:35 am |
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big_D
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:25 pm
Posts: 10691
Location: Bramsche
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So, he is saying, that if a government gets elected, which actually takes responsibility for the economy and out of control public spending and tries to reign it in, that is a bad thing? 
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"Do you know what this is? Hmm? No, I can see you do not. You have that vacant look in your eyes, which says hold my head to your ear, you will hear the sea!" - Londo Molari
Executive Producer No Agenda Show 246
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| Sun Apr 11, 2010 11:43 am |
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F_A_F
Occasionally has a life
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 12:52 pm
Posts: 266
Location: Truro
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Depends if it's against the will of the majority or people, whether they voted for anyone or not. The Tories don't exactly have a track record of 'nice' policies; privatisation, mine closures, poll tax etc...
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| Sun Apr 11, 2010 11:48 am |
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jonlumb
Spends far too much time on here
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:44 pm
Posts: 4141
Location: Exeter
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Had a very bizarre moment yesterday when I bumped into an old school friend outside my house (baring in mind I live about 250 miles from where I went to school). This chap used to be absolutely True Blue, as conservative as Thatcher herself. These days he really doesn't give a monkey's about any of the main political parties, and simply works as a political operative for hire. He was also not planning on voting either. To me at least it was a rather telling sign about how bad the whole political system has become in people's eyes in those intervening years, if someone who was so massively into his politics as a young man could have become so disillusioned in just 10 years.
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"The woman is a riddle inside a mystery wrapped in an enigma I've had sex with."
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| Sun Apr 11, 2010 11:51 am |
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LaptopAcidXperience
Occasionally has a life
Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 10:01 am
Posts: 433
Location: Harrogate
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If he's a political operative he's probably well aware democracy in this country is a sham.
Not voting or spoiling your ballot paper is the only really democratic decision anyone can make, short of revolting.
_________________ get an iphone not a life.
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| Sun Apr 11, 2010 6:42 pm |
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Amnesia10
Legend
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:02 am
Posts: 29240
Location: Guantanamo Bay (thanks bobbdobbs)
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I am in favour of a hung parliament. I would normally consider myself a Labour supporter, though have decided not to support them this time. I will opt for LIberal, even though in my constituency it might not help. If the Tories get into power there will be trouble from the unions but not Greek Style riots. We are not that way inclined as a nation. If Labour get into power the unions will give the government trouble and the same would also apply to a hung parliament.
_________________Do concentrate, 007... "You are gifted. Mine is bordering on seven seconds." https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTg5MzczNTkhttp://astore.amazon.co.uk/wwwx404couk-21
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| Sun Apr 11, 2010 9:58 pm |
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LaptopAcidXperience
Occasionally has a life
Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 10:01 am
Posts: 433
Location: Harrogate
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There won't be riots here because we'll just bend over and take it like we have done for centuries.
There will be the odd murmur of discontent but if it looks like it's getting serious the people in question will either be paid off (the petrol protests guy) or discredited (David Icke), or bumped off (David Kelley).
_________________get an iphone not a life.
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| Sun Apr 11, 2010 11:52 pm |
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ShockWaffle
Doesn't have much of a life
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 6:50 am
Posts: 1911
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OMG, is all that stuff about the Queen being a lizard from outer space a plot to make it look like Icke says stupid things?
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| Mon Apr 12, 2010 4:08 am |
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LaptopAcidXperience
Occasionally has a life
Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 10:01 am
Posts: 433
Location: Harrogate
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Lizards aside, the other ridiculous stuff he said is starting to look pretty near the mark.
I'm sure someone told me recently the lizard stuff had been taken out of context or he was speaking metaphorically.
Either way he was most certainly discredited and I think given the nature of some of his opinions only a complete sheep would not even consider his points in the current socio political and economic climate.
_________________get an iphone not a life.
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| Mon Apr 12, 2010 5:34 am |
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finlay666
Spends far too much time on here
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:40 pm
Posts: 4876
Location: Newcastle
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Yeah, in all honesty she just had REALLY dry skin from a condition that made it look like scales This is the guy you want to watch out for:   _________________TwitterCharlie Brooker: Macs are glorified Fisher-Price activity centres for adults; computers for scaredy cats too nervous to learn how proper computers work; computers for people who earnestly believe in feng shui.
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| Mon Apr 12, 2010 5:43 am |
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finlay666
Spends far too much time on here
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:40 pm
Posts: 4876
Location: Newcastle
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I honestly hope you don't start quoting Nostradamous next. _________________TwitterCharlie Brooker: Macs are glorified Fisher-Price activity centres for adults; computers for scaredy cats too nervous to learn how proper computers work; computers for people who earnestly believe in feng shui.
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| Mon Apr 12, 2010 5:44 am |
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Amnesia10
Legend
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:02 am
Posts: 29240
Location: Guantanamo Bay (thanks bobbdobbs)
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I can go with that. Now when will we be rioting? _________________Do concentrate, 007... "You are gifted. Mine is bordering on seven seconds." https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTg5MzczNTkhttp://astore.amazon.co.uk/wwwx404couk-21
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| Mon Apr 12, 2010 5:40 pm |
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