Support NeoGAF

[NandyRewman]

Voted Labour in a Lib/Con seat. Probably would've voted LibDem if they hadn't been in a coalition which ruined all of their credibility, for the last five years.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

They say/think they are centrist, that doesn't mean they are on a global scale.

I do dispute that graph pretty heavily. There's simply no way the SNP is that left of the Labour Party economically, this is the party that wants to cut corporation tax and retain the current rate of income tax rather than the 50% rate. Honestly, I'd have difficult placing their exact position because the SNP is a pretty divided party at the best of times that represents a lot of temporarily aligned groups that normally share very different ideas, but they're certainly not some socialist rebirth. Sturgeon doesn't even like the term socialist!

 

[Dougald]

I don't take it, simply because it says right on the card that you don't have to take it. Also a good excuse to breeze past any party tellers and say you don't know your polling number.

I just take it and tell them I didn't, hah

 

[Mr. Sam]

It just occurred to me that I might well have helped my local Green candidate get their deposit back and now I feel all warm inside.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

Hadn't realised just how close Norwich North was (4.6%). I expect Chloe Smith to hang on on the grounds that she's a much better local campaigner and people vote with the incumbent, but it should be a heck of a lot closer.

Norwich North is one of the most marginal seats in the entirety of the UK this election and one Labour really should win if they're looking to form government. Ashcroft's private polling showed a 1pnt Labour lead back in March and a tie a few weeks ago; if you live in that constituency you are blessed with the capacity to have a real impact, it will probably go down to the wire.

 

[Hot Coldman]

Voted Labour. My constituency is usually solid Labour (Scunthorpe) BUT I'm not taking any chance.

Plus the Greens have this whole "I agree with you but I don't necessarily BELIEVE in you" thing going on, and if I can believe in Labour to be "alright", so fuck it.

 

[Carl]

Fun/depressing thing - an interactive map for how much your local MP claimed in the past year: http://www.parliamentary-standards.org.uk/InteractiveMap.aspx

Christ, he claimed £180,000 in 2012/13. Down to £24,000 this year.

 

[MrChom]

Voted Labour in a Lib/Con seat. Probably would've voted LibDem if they hadn't been in a coalition which ruined all of their credibility, for the last five years.

I was a LibDem voter. Right up until they showed they had no spine. I'm naturally a socialist but I think the government is best governed from the centre, seeing the Lib Dems burn their remaining credibility over 5 years has been very upsetting. There were plenty of times where they could have abstained, or pushed harder....and then didn't, and that's just sad.

 

[QuicheFontaine]

I just take it and tell them I didn't, hah

You tease. You should have it poking out of your pocket conspicuously.

Edit:

Christ, he claimed £180,000 in 2012/13. Down to £24,000 this year.

Christ, mine was 'only' £34,000.

Come on Gaf. Who can get beat £180k and get the high score?

 

[Mr. Sam]

Christ, he claimed £180,000 in 2012/13. Down to £24,000 this year.

Did you accidentally add a zero? Because wow.

 

[Snarfington]

My seat is a 100% security Conservative seat, so I'll go with Labour or my boy from the Monster Raving Loonies who, aside from his silliness, has some great thoughts on the local community. It's nothing more than making my opinion known at this point regardless.

We have local elections too, and man, there's one guy there who is guaranteed to get in but he came canvassing and he just continues to be a right smarmy gt year in year out. He runs this place like a king. It's a shame.

 

[kmag]

A Google search for "statist centralisation" has failed me. Care to elaborate because the US, indeed, doesn't focus on such a thing. Or if we do, it's under a different title.

Centralisation means typically when given a choice between allowing decisions made at local level or a national level, they'd opt for rules and controls at the national level instead of devolving that down to the local level. Miliband in the past has promised to go against this tendency in the Labour party, but he's went a bit quiet on it.

Statism is a bit more complicated and varies depending on context. In today's watered down definition it generally means a belief in Government intervention and control in markets, education etc.

It's not quite as simple as big/small government which tends to be one of the imaginary dividing lines in the US.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

£10,228.29

I don't think I'm winning this.

 

[Mr. Luchador]

Holy hell, the North Tyneside Labour MP - £100k plus every year?! That seems a lot, no idea if it is as I nothing to compare it too.

 

[Masquerader]

This is a pretty good run down of the parties leanings.

Lol, DUP is probably on par with UKIP in terms of right-wingedness, which is farther than Conservativesz at least.

 

[Crispy75]

Sounds like you guys have a healthy array of actual choices when voting. Must be nice :'(

A healthy array of choices, but a voting system that makes most of those choices irrelevant :-/

Although it does make me smile that I could have voted for Mr. Artificial Beast, candidate for the Cannabis Is Safer Than Alcohol Party

 

[Deleted member 231381]

Bear in mind you should expect expenses to be higher as you get further away from London, the poorer the constituency is, and the less senior the MP is.

 

[Matt_]

Pleasantly surprised this morning to see my facebook and tiwtter feed full of people that are voting
Im 21 so seeing a (relatively) high turn out from my age group, that isnt supposed to care, is nice

 

[NandyRewman]

I was a LibDem voter. Right up until they showed they had no spine. I'm naturally a socialist but I think the government is best governed from the centre, seeing the Lib Dems burn their remaining credibility over 5 years has been very upsetting. There were plenty of times where they could have abstained, or pushed harder....and then didn't, and that's just sad.

Completely agree. For me personally, being a student, having the tuition fees raised almost immediately after they were in government was the worst thing they could have done. And then they continued to do things like that. I just don't trust them, which is a huge shame really.

 

[Mr. Sam]

We have local elections too, and man, there's one guy there who is guaranteed to get in but he came canvassing and he just continues to be a right smarmy gig year in year out. He runs this place like a king. It's a shame.

For some reason this made me think of Clay Davis from The Wire and now I'm jealous of you. Sheeeit.

 

[Hot Coldman]

The best part of tonight will probably be seeing Nick Clegg lose his job.

 

[Atrophis]

Christ, he claimed £180,000 in 2012/13. Down to £24,000 this year.

Just checked mine. Previous years show payroll/staffing costs but 2014/2015 doesn't. Makes a big difference.

 

[CCS]

The best part of tonight will probably be seeing Nick Clegg lose his job.

Either that or it'll be saved by Tories voting to save him. I don't know which would be funnier.

 

[Hot Coldman]

Either that or it'll be saved by Tories voting to save him. I don't know which would be funnier.

Eh, I've seen a lot of cattiness between those two, I dunno if Tory voters have that kind of "preserve the coalition" mindset, inherently.

 

[PrivateRyan]

my MP was at £18,000 is that good or bad?

I've clicked around a few random MPs to see how the figure for my local MP compares - the lowest I've seen is £3,000-£5,000 (seen a few in this bracket including Oliver Letwin and Kate Hoey) and the highest is £45,000 (!!!)

EDIT: Talking about figures the past year only, not previous years

 

[Kathian]

Holy hell, the North Tyneside Labour MP - £100k plus every year?! That seems a lot, no idea if it is as I nothing to compare it too.

I think these are a bit unfair; these are their office and staffing costs. Without a breakdown into accommodation and travel its difficult to say - are cost associated with committees for example claimed on a different account?

 

[Goodlife]

Sigh.

Just found out the person I'm voting for is about 12 (well, not really, but looks it)

Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course and it's a no win seat for her (Greens) but she's a student and I've seen / heard nothing from her (obviously budget is an issue), just wish there was more of a fight.

I'll have to put my hat into the ring next time round

 

[Aegus]

You tease. You should have it poking out of your pocket conspicuously.

Edit:



Christ, mine was 'only' £34,000.

Come on Gaf. Who can get beat £180k and get the high score?

£188k in 2013/2014

£24k in 2014/2015 so far

 

[QuicheFontaine]

Just checked mine. Previous years show payroll/staffing costs but 2014/2015 doesn't. Makes a big difference.

Ah yes, just looked at the previous year. Adds ~£120,000 and gets me near the high score with £176,000

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

The best part of tonight will probably be seeing Nick Clegg lose his job.

if he does, bring back charlie

 

[Tak3n]

Eh, I've seen a lot of cattiness between those two, I dunno if Tory voters have that kind of "preserve the coalition" mindset, inherently.

The tories need Nick Clegg to win, they realise he is open to being moulded once more, if he loses then the tories are in real trouble as no coalition would be done until a leader has been decided

 

[Carl]

Did you accidentally add a zero? Because wow.

Nope.

£115k in 2010/11
£156k in 2011/12
£180k in 2012/13
£170k in 2013/14

Just checked mine. Previous years show payroll/staffing costs but 2014/2015 doesn't. Makes a big difference.

Ah yes, right you are. Didn't spot that. Even so, a hell of a lot of money.

 

[kmag]

I do dispute that graph pretty heavily. There's simply no way the SNP is that left of the Labour Party economically, this is the party that wants to cut corporation tax and retain the current rate of income tax rather than the 50% rate. Honestly, I'd have difficult placing their exact position because the SNP is a pretty divided party at the best of times that represents a lot of temporarily aligned groups that normally share very different ideas, but they're certainly not some socialist rebirth. Sturgeon doesn't even like the term socialist!

Actually Sturgeon's quietly dropped the corporation tax policy (which was Swinney's brain child) and they do now support the 50% tax rate. Although they support in principle an increase of the threshold to £50,000 when economic conditions allow.

The SNP will vote for the reintroduction of the 50 pence top tax rate for those earning more than £150,000. They would also call on the UK government to move forward cautiously with plans to increase the higher rate threshold to £50,000, ensuring first that tax revenues are sufficiently buoyant.
The party supports increases in the personal tax allowance but will also back an increase in the Work Allowance of 20 per cent.
The SNP are also in favour of a banker’s bonus tax.

http://www.tax.org.uk/media_centre/blog.

Sturgeon is more naturally left leaning that Salmond. Salmond was pretty New Labour despite his rhetoric, Swinney the finance minister would be a socially liberal Tory. The SNP is a pretty broad church, but the left of the party is on the ascendency after Swinney's disastrous reign as leader in the early 2000's put the right of the party back in the shed.

Sturgeon's Scottish cabinet reshuffle has rebalanced the front line SNP to the left. There's still some more right leaning politicians but outside of Swinney they're all pretty junior now.

 

[Snarfington]

Christ, he claimed £180,000 in 2012/13. Down to £24,000 this year.

Mine's at £130,000 in 13/14. Weird to think that's not close to the highest looking at yours.

 

[Übermatik]

Voted Labour. My constituency is usually solid Labour (Scunthorpe) BUT I'm not taking any chance.

Plus the Greens have this whole "I agree with you but I don't necessarily BELIEVE in you" thing going on, and if I can believe in Labour to be "alright", so fuck it.

You live in Scunthorpe?! I am so sorry.

Spoiler

I'm very close when back at home, I'm going hunt you down

 

[Daffy Duck]

Christ, he claimed £180,000 in 2012/13. Down to £24,000 this year.

In 2012/2013 Mr Nadhim Zahawi claimed £165,759.95.

 

[Hot Coldman]

You live in Scunthorpe?! I am so sorry.

Spoiler

I'm very close when back at home, I'm going hunt you down

I'm moving in like a month. Then I'm back at uni in September. So I'll live... I've endured 11 years, I can endure this much more

And like I said, at least it's not a Tory seat!

Spoiler

Even if it's surrounded by them

 

[Mr. Sam]

Mine's at £130,000 in 13/14. Weird to think that's not close to the highest looking at yours.

I think Atrophis makes a good point (i.e. staffing understandably costs a lot):

Just checked mine. Previous years show payroll/staffing costs but 2014/2015 doesn't. Makes a big difference.

 

[Mr. Luchador]

I think these are a bit unfair; these are their office and staffing costs. Without a breakdown into accommodation and travel its difficult to say - are cost associated with committees for example claimed on a different account?

Yeah, I guess so. I'm new to all this, was just surprised to see such a high figure. I think the MP was earning £64k salary though.

 

[mclem]

voted.

I watched andrew neil doing "We're on the way to election day" to hype myself up as always

I was trying to find that last night and couldn't. I just love the inflection on Portillo.

Sudden realisation: I've not had candidates come to my door this time around. I did for the last two.

 

[Carl]

You live in Scunthorpe?! I am so sorry.

Spoiler

I'm very close when back at home, I'm going hunt you down

Lincolnshire bros.

 

[Faddy]

I've clicked around a few random MPs to see how the figure for my local MP compares - the lowest I've seen is £3,000-£5,000 (seen a few in this bracket including Oliver Letwin and Kate Hoey) and the highest is £45,000 (!!!)

EDIT: Talking about figures the past year only, not previous years

I looked at my Mps figures and this year is down over £100,000. Either the reports for this year don't include everything or there is a massive fiddle going on.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

Actually Sturgeon's quietly dropped the corporation tax policy (which was Swinney's brain child) and they do now support the 50% tax rate. Although they support in principle an increase of the threshold to £50,000 when economic conditions allow.

http://www.tax.org.uk/media_centre/blog.

Sturgeon is more naturally left leaning that Salmond. Salmond was pretty New Labour despite his rhetoric, Swinney the finance minister would be a socially liberal Tory. The SNP is a pretty broad church, but the left of the party is on the ascendency after Swinney's disastrous reign as leader in the early 2000's put the right of the party back in the shed.

Sturgeon's Scottish cabinet reshuffle has rebalanced the front line SNP to the left. There's still some more right leaning politicians but outside of Swinney they're all pretty junior now.

Yeah, I was aware the tectonics plate on the party were shifting, but you see my point, right? It's difficult to classify the SNP economically and they're certainly not "40% more leftwing than Labour" as that metric has it (such that a scale is possible, anyway).

 

[Deleted member 231381]

I looked at my Mps figures and this year is down over £100,000. Either the reports for this year don't include everything or there is a massive fiddle going on.

Staff pay hasn't been processed yet. It's the largest part of MPs expenses by far.

 

[CyclopsRock]

IMO there's no such thing as a "global center". The left-right spectrum only works on a country-by-country basis I think.

 

[Kathian]

IMO there's no such thing as a "global center". The left-right spectrum only works on a country-by-country basis I think.

Totally agree. The attempts to make it a global standard by some is ridiculous. It was quite fun hearing the Young American Republicans all popping in to help 'the right' out.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

I was trying to find that last night and couldn't. I just love the inflection on Portillo.

Yep. The charlie stand-in also cracks me up.

blair stand in creeps me out though, reminds me of the smiler from transmetropolitan.

 

[FlammableD]

Voted Lib Dem in a solidly Lib Dem vs Tories seat. Apart from being not the Conservatives, Lib Dem are the most favourable option I have available to me.

 

[Spuck-uk]

Yep. The charlie stand-in also cracks me up.

blair stand in creeps me out though, reminds me of the smiler from transmetropolitan.

Well, the Smiler was based on Blair..


Found out my local constituency gave more votes to the Liberal party last time out (no, not the lib dems) than the conservatives wet fart of 3.1%. Go 'ed Liverpool

 

[D4Danger]

Proud to say that I just voted for the first time (as a UK voter) for the Green Party.