UK General Election 2017

Discussion in 'Elections' started by The Biscuitman, Dec 11, 2014.

  1. Colm

    Colm Member

    Aug 17, 2004
    UK
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Clegg might lose his seat, he is currently behind in the polls in Sheffield Harlem. When was the last time a leader of a political party lost his seat at an election.
     
  2. American Brummie

    Jun 19, 2009
    There Be Dragons Here
    Club:
    Birmingham City FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Tom Daschle?
     
  3. Anthony

    Anthony Member+

    Chelsea
    United States
    Aug 20, 1999
    Chicago
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    When I mean the "rank and file" I am not referring to the LibDem backbenchers but rather the general party membership.

    But a broader question is what exactly is the purpose of the LibDems anymore? Back when Labour was looking to nationalize everything (the McDonald and Altee eras) or during the looney left era the Liberals made a certain amount of sense. During the Gaitskell period the Liberal party pretty much disappeared. Today, what role does it place today? Even on the European question -- while many in Labour's rank and file may have questions on Britain and the EU, is the official Labour position that much different from the LibDems?
     
  4. Naughtius Maximus

    Jul 10, 2001
    Shropshire
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    A while ago, that's for sure.

    TBH I suspect the price of the liberals being involved in any element of governing would be for Clegg to be given the heave-ho anyway so I think the point's moot.
     
  5. Naughtius Maximus

    Jul 10, 2001
    Shropshire
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Hmmm... they're a pretty odd lot, tbh. I've known some of them trawling around on the canvassing trail and, like most left-wingers, they're very much a mixed bunch who like an argument.

    I'm not sure there IS a coherent position because some will feel they want to maintain their 'virginity' whilst others just want to be involved after so long in the wilderness.
    There hasn't been any substantial difference between Labour and the Liberals since Kinnock in 1987 when the tories got 42% and the anti-tory vote was 53%. The problem was that the left wing vote was split in half.
     
  6. Waliatiger

    Waliatiger Member+

    Jul 1, 2013
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    The biggest different between the LD and Labour is their respective voters and there base of support in the country. The Iraq war vote with labour spearheading that campaign and the LD being opposed to the war made the LDs very popular with those on labour left hence the increase of their share of the popular vote in 2010. However when the LDs got into bed with the tories they basically signed there sucicide letter as a party.

    The More tory lite members of the LDs like Clegg really hurt their party. The LD imo have always been a socially liberal party that was mainly middle class and could reach areas of the country that Labour could not (southwest, south, northern Scotland etc). For the LD to be viable again they most stake out a clear leftist yet mainstream agenda and not just look like opportunist and hunger for power.
     
  7. Colm

    Colm Member

    Aug 17, 2004
    UK
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Latest polling

    Ipsos MORI

    LAB - 35
    CON - 33
    UKIP - 10
    GRN - 8
    LDEM - 7

    Panelbase

    LAB - 34
    CON - 33
    UKIP - 16
    LDEM - 8
    GRN - 4

    Lord Ashcroft

    LAB - 33
    CON - 33
    UKIP - 13
    LDEM - 9
    GRN - 6

    Yougov

    LAB - 34
    CON - 34
    UKIP - 14
    LDEM - 7
    GRN - 5

    Populus

    LAB - 34
    CON - 33
    UKIP - 14
    LDEM - 9
    GRN - 4
     
  8. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Why you always have to bring it to the USA, he was probably asking about the last time in the UK. ;)
     
    American Brummie repped this.
  9. White/Blue_since1860

    Orange14 is gay
    Jan 4, 2007
    Bum zua City
    Club:
    TSV 1860 München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    Ah we'll give you this cheated title altough we havent been to a final for almost 9 months now.... but looking at this recap of German-English football rivalry I can live with that.


    "Waddle showing great women's football" :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
     
  10. JohnR

    JohnR Member+

    Jun 23, 2000
    Chicago, IL
    That's as much of a rivalry as England-U.S. is a rivalry.
     
  11. White/Blue_since1860

    Orange14 is gay
    Jan 4, 2007
    Bum zua City
    Club:
    TSV 1860 München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    Well yes. But until the 90ies it was something like a rivalry and more from the English side that the German. Nowadays Germany usually has to play a few more important games afterwards.
     
  12. Anthony

    Anthony Member+

    Chelsea
    United States
    Aug 20, 1999
    Chicago
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Since World War I it has happened to the Liberals quite a bit. Asquith twice lost his seat, once in 1918 when he lead the Liberals outside of Lloyd-George's coalition and again in 1924 when he headed the (temporarily) reunified party. Samuel lost in 1935 and Sinclair in 1945.

    Official Labour leader Arthur Henderson lost his in 1931 when the Labour party split over how to deal with the Depression with most of the party refusing to join the Labour Prime Minster's all party National Government.
     
  13. Naughtius Maximus

    Jul 10, 2001
    Shropshire
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    What's the old song? 'Two world wars and one world cup'? ;) :D
     
  14. JohnR

    JohnR Member+

    Jun 23, 2000
    Chicago, IL
    Two world wars, eh? Thanks to the French in the first and the Russians in the second, you moochers.
     
  15. Colm

    Colm Member

    Aug 17, 2004
    UK
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
  16. Naughtius Maximus

    Jul 10, 2001
    Shropshire
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    So the answer to the question is, 70 years ago? Seems about right.

    Anyway, here's an interesting take on the so-called 'right to buy' policy...

    http://www.independent.co.uk/voices...own-firemen-and-zebra-crossings-10182810.html

    Right to buy: When will aspirational people be able to buy their own firemen and zebra crossings?

    Of course, it's not about a 'right to buy'. Fact is that EVERYONE has a 'right to buy'. What the tories are talking about is a right to buy 'CHEAP'. Hmm... I wonder if the same right will be given to people who rent from private landlords?:cautious:

    Still, at least we haven't got to the point where they're just standing outside the polling booths, handing out fivers to people promising to vote tory.

    Oh, SHIT! I shouldn't have written that... it'll give them ideas :mad:

    We're getting back to the ideas of the old rotten boroughs like 'Old Sarum' where the tories simply sell themselves to the highest bidder.

     
  17. White/Blue_since1860

    Orange14 is gay
    Jan 4, 2007
    Bum zua City
    Club:
    TSV 1860 München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    I dont remember the US ever won a world cup. ;)
     
  18. White/Blue_since1860

    Orange14 is gay
    Jan 4, 2007
    Bum zua City
    Club:
    TSV 1860 München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
  19. Naughtius Maximus

    Jul 10, 2001
    Shropshire
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    The key part, to me, was this...

    The problem is that the party the Tories are best placed to gain from otherwise are the Lib Dems – and Nick Clegg’s party is already included in the Cameron bloc above.

    Even if they DO win seats, if they're just seats where they already HAD a vote, that's no real advantage.
     
  20. Naughtius Maximus

    Jul 10, 2001
    Shropshire
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    They didn't... :)
     
  21. Colm

    Colm Member

    Aug 17, 2004
    UK
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    The anti tory block is huge in terms of seats, SNP, Plaid Cymru, SDLP, Greens and if Clegg loses his seat you could include the Lib Dems in that block. Lib Dems have said they will not join the tories if the tories join up with the DUP and UKIP. So there are only 2 possible coalitions for the tories

    Conservatives + Lib Dems
    Conservatives + UKIP + DUP

    none of those 2 coalitions would be enough to get an overall majority.
     
  22. White/Blue_since1860

    Orange14 is gay
    Jan 4, 2007
    Bum zua City
    Club:
    TSV 1860 München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    A whole party could change the block depending on one(!) MP losing his seat or not? wow
     
  23. lanman

    lanman BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 30, 2002
    Its actually two. Clegg still has a chance to return. Danny Alexander is toast.
     
  24. Naughtius Maximus

    Jul 10, 2001
    Shropshire
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    I wouldn't mind betting the liberal leadership would jump at the chance of another go with the tories if push came to shove, for the same reason as last time... they want to get their bums on ministerial car seats.
     
  25. Colm

    Colm Member

    Aug 17, 2004
    UK
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    They'll only go in with the Tories as long as there is no UKIP/DUP
     

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