It isnt a major issue, thats why. it is discussed because UKIP have pushed the issue into mainstream conversation yet they are predicted to get a whopping 1-3 seats. Wow, what a hot topic!
Who saw Question Time last night? I refuse to call them 'debates' because.. well, they're not. Cameron was as shifty and evasive as you'd expect on almost everything. I thought Ed needed to be more 'agreeable' on the question from that idiot who parrotted the tories line about them overspending. Yes, it's almost total bullshit but that's the line that the tories and lib/dem, (tory-lite), and their 'meeja' have been pushing for the past several years. Telling the guy he doesn't know what he's talking about, whilst true, isn't maybe the best way to get elected. People don't like to be told they're idiots... even if they are. By the time Cleggie turned up the audience were pretty excitable but, as I expected. he sounded plausible enough... of course, he always sounds plausible... it's what he DOES that's the issue.
Exactly, UKIP are going to be irrelevant the morning after the election. The NHS is the most important topic right now along with the economy i.e deficit, benefit cuts and of course what coalitions of minority government will be formed after the election etc.. DUP, Sinn Fein and maybe plaid cymru will have more than seats than UKIP. UKIP are nobodies and if Farage doesn't win his seat he will resign and their party is finished. and you mentioned "English Parliament" as an extremely important issue
Just caught bits of it. Probably going to watch it in full later in the weekend. Turns out there were a couple of Tory plants in the undecided crew though. http://labourlist.org/2015/05/about-that-question-time-audience/
He's an excellent orator (one of the best around at the moment) and very good at thinking on his feet, but he has a record that's very difficult to defend in full.
That's exactly the point. The guy who was saying he could have chosen to support a minority labour government instead of a minority tory one was wrong but the truth is that the liberals could have come to a confidence and supply agreement on certain things and left more contentious ones to individual votes. With the bedroom tax, for instance, there was a choice between increasing taxes on the well-off or cutting benefits to the poor. Let the tories propose it and, if it fails, they'd be forced to look at alternatives. The point is that it wouldn't have even GOT to that point if not for the liberals support of the tory-led government.
No I was talking about the "Tory plants" you mentioned and that were mentioned in the article. Im amazed cause if someone dared to that over here it would cause a major shitstorm.
I actually think the lib dems have done pretty well over the last 5 years in respect of bring the minor party in a coalition. you are always going to take a kicking in that position yet if you dig beneath the headlines you will see income tax threshold up to £10k, pupil premium introduced, respite help for carers, dementia research, free school meals, enquiry into torture & rendition et etc. The list goes on. Here is a good website highlifhting much of it http://whatthehellhavethelibdemsdone.com/ they rightly take a kicking over uni costs though
Yeah, like the guy said, if it was labour there WOULD be shitstorm. Coz it's labour, nothing will be said about it.
Is this election this weekend? This campaign season has been going on forever like an American election campaign.
I haven't got a problem with them for what they've done, tbh. It's the fact that I think all this stuff about them having to be get their arses on to ministerial cars seats 'for stability' is bollocks. They wanted to appear like they belonged in government for appearances sake and that was more important than what they did as part of the government. As for what they've done, don't forget, the increase in the tax threshold also helps everyone ABOVE the low paid and to precisely the same extent in cash terms, even if the proportion might be lower. It's just a continuation of the tories 'tax-cutting' agenda IOW. The increases in VAT harm the poor more, as do the reductions in benefits, the bedroom tax, etc. etc. If the liberals weren't bolted on to the side of the tories like a rather crap motorbike and sidecar, they could have simply said, "no... we ain't doing that. You'll have to think of another way", (hint: raising taxes on the rich for instance???). But then Cleggie wouldn't have been able to call himself the 'deputy prime-minister' would he... so feck him, I say
It's next Thursday 7th May. It seems to have gone on for a long time for us because the date has been set for 5 years but, in fact, they've only actually been canvassing for votes for a couple of weeks. In a sense, politics is ALWAYS going on, isn't it.