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[popo]

I've never missed an opportunity to vote since I turned 18. I'm 24 now and I'm kind of disappointed in my generations lack of passion for/interest in being part of the political process, especially post-Referendum. We're going to be paying for these decisions for decades to come.

I agree. I have voted in every GE and referendum (even that silly Alternative Vote one) since I was of age - the point being that there are often no good choices. I do it out of duty but I can't say I have ever been passionate about voting. Perhaps because I have lived in three safe seats in a row and always on the losing side.

I heard some old guy on talk radio the other day going off on how he was voting for the tories because although they are a bunch of bastards, they are clever ruthless bastards - which to him was better than the useless Labour bastards and the racist UKIP bastards.

 

[popo]

As someone whos going to vote LibDem, it seems a really easy promise to make. Everyone but everyone is expecting the Cons to just get a bigger margin in this election. That's why it was called when it was called, that's the aim behind doing it.

The Dems would have to make huge gains in order to be a kingmaker for Labour in this election, since Labour and the SNP refuse to work together and Labour don;t look like dropping Corbyn before the election.

And since nobody at all is expecting the Cons to lose any seats, the Dems wouldn't need to team up with them anyway.

It would be like the Lib Dems promise on tuition fees. Easy to promise when you don't think you will have to implement it - and if you get lucky in a coalition you can blame the other parties for blocking it.

Labour are already pushing their credibility a bit by promising to resurrect the NHS and schools without putting taxes up too much, protecting pensions and not going on a borrowing spree.

As an aside. Labour would totally work with the SNP though if that was a way to government. They just can't say so before the election as it would be used against them (like last time).

 

[Halph n Halph]

Miserable buggers in here, give me more holidays.
CORBYN 4 PM!

And free beer on saturdays!!!!!

 

[Syder]

I agree. I have voted in every GE and referendum (even that silly Alternative Vote one) since I was of age - the point being that there are often no good choices. I do it out of duty but I can't say I have ever been passionate about voting. Perhaps because I have lived in three safe seats in a row and always on the losing side.

I heard some old guy on talk radio the other day going off on how he was voting for the tories because although they are a bunch of bastards, they are clever ruthless bastards - which to him was better than the useless Labour bastards and the racist UKIP bastards.

I live in a safe (51% and rising) Conservative constituency and it's pretty demoralising because the immediate area around me just screams working class. There's even a hospital built less than 10 years ago that's pretty close to having it's minor injuries unit closed.

People just don't turn out to vote.

I can't even think about voting Lib Dem because their candidate here sucks and they're even behind UKIP (although whether that will still be the case in June remains to be seen).

 

[DodgyGeezerFella]

Took that test under the guise of an absolute bastard -

 

[Maledict]

4 extra would bring us in line with the G20 average.

People arguing against extra holidays, seen it all now.

It's not that I'm arguing against the policy.

I'm arguing against the *politics*.

This is a tiny, minute policy which won't shift a vote. We are currently in the middle of the largest political change since we entered the EU, and in the first week of campaigning *this* is the only policy that's announced. Oh, and defending the fucking stupid triple lock for pensions, an unbelieveably dumb and unfair bribe to older people.

This is not how you win an election. This is not a vision for the future. This is not a position on the single question that will determine this election (Brexit). This is a nothing-burger of a policy that any competent party would have on page 96 of a manifesto in the small print.

It is bad politics from someone who isn't fit to run a student union bar, never mind the country's largest political party. I am insulted that Corbyn thinks this is worth spending one minute of campaign time discussing.

 

[chromatic9]

There'd be too many bank holidays bunched together. Not sure I'd like the stop start feeling to it. Could do with some summer ones.

Maybe I'm just super fucking naive (and a bit drunk), but who the fuck is actually voting Tory these days? Why do they still hold such a massive majority in England? Are there just too many fucking old people or something? Why are Lib Dem so shit?

One, Labour has collapsed. Two, Labour and Conservative are centre parties, the nation tends to flip flop from one to the other, these parties can be quite broad and appeal to many in various ways. Correlations to America can't really be drawn if that's where you're looking from. Germany has a centre right party in right now for example.

The broad scope of Labour and Conservative here makes Lib Dems hard to feature. Labour took their place a long time ago and it's just a small party. They do okay locally. I live in a Lib Dem area.

 

[Pixieking]

The broad scope of Labour and Conservative here makes Lib Dems hard to feature. Labour took their place a long time ago and it's just a small party. They do okay locally. I live in a Lib Dem area.

Wouldn't this be a good time for Lib Dems to go all-out on their anti-Brexit stance? With Corbyn ruling-out another referendum, and the Lib Dems hitting a lot of the same points (roughly) as Labour, it might help them seize the centre-ground for Remainers who can't stomach Labour.

I'm not currently in the UK, so can't really tell what's going on on-the-ground - are Lib Dems too afraid of Leavers and their "traitor" insults to push their pro-EU policies?

 

[Mr Git]

We should have more national holidays - we've notably fewer compared to other countries. That they always have to be bank holidays says a lot about our culture, though. That and most people still work during them.

 

[brain_stew]

Labour going all in with shared public holidays for the 4 patron saints, c'mon.

I'd like to see anyone here defend this shit pile of a policy.

 

[tuxfool]

Actually I said that he should step outside of London a bit more and judge for himself.

It seems patently ridiculous and short-sighted to be afraid to explore your own country you live in.

Eh, the only places where I've received racist comments were outside of London. If somebody uses that as a reason I could take it at face value, depending on where they go.

 

[phisheep]

Maybe I'm just super fucking naive (and a bit drunk), but who the fuck is actually voting Tory these days? Why do they still hold such a massive majority in England? Are there just too many fucking old people or something? Why are Lib Dem so shit?

It's easy enough to do a rough calculation. Take everyone who voted for Brexit and add everyone who thinks Corbyn is a plonker and you get about 130% of the electorate. Then you have to subtract all the Scots and both the LibDems and it comes down to a more reasonable figure of nearly everybody. Everything else is noise.

 

[Linkstrikesback]

4 extra would bring us in line with the G20 average.

People arguing against extra holidays, seen it all now.

I get x number of days holiday a year. I'd rather they not be tied to 4 more random days in the year with no significance to me.

 

[Mr. Sam]

I get x number of days holiday a year. I'd rather they not be tied to 4 more random days in the year with no significance to me.

This is actually how my holiday days are calculated - I get 25 total and 5 are automatically minused as bank holidays.

But, I'll be honest, it's not really a deal breaker for me.

 

[captain wow]

Scottish Westminster voting intention:

SNP: 44% (-3)
CON: 33% (+5)
LAB: 13% (-1)
LDEM: 5% (+1)

(via Panelbase)
Chgs. w/ Jan 2017


Has this one been posted yet?

 

[Randy Lanzarote]

UKIP lurching further right. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39682939

A pledge to ban the full-face veils worn by some Muslim women is expected to be included in the UK Independence Party's general election manifesto.
Party leader Paul Nuttall will launch what he calls an "integration agenda" on Monday.

 

[phisheep]

Scottish Westminster voting intention:

SNP: 44% (-3)
CON: 33% (+5)
LAB: 13% (-1)
LDEM: 5% (+1)

(via Panelbase)
Chgs. w/ Jan 2017


Has this one been posted yet?

Crab mentioned it in UK PoliGAF just now:

Man, I might have to edit my prediction. The figures coming in from Scotland are just insane. It looks like Scotland is Ulster-ifying - pro/anti-independence has become the prevailing issue, and the "unionist" vote is beginning to reflect that by consolidating about whichever unionist party is doing the best in that constituency instead of being split between multiple parties. In practical terms, this means the Conservatives, with Labour being abandoned as pro-Indy Labour move to the SNP and pro-Union Labour move to the Conservatives. The other big shift is pro-Brexit SNP voters (about a third of the SNP's vote) are showing significant movement towards the Conservatives. Panelbase is showing the Conservatives picking up 12 seats (12!! in Scotland!!), including Angus Robertson losing his seat!

 

[Deleted member 231381]

For reference, that would be the best Conservative performance in Scotland since before Thatcher (voteshare wise, anyway - less in terms of seats because there are less marginals and votes are more clustered). I think the SNP have actually detoxified the Scottish Conservatives!

 

[AHA-Lambda]

^ Fucking hell ;_;

We're not getting independence are we?

 

[Hazzuh]

Some UKIP news from Marr:

Paul Nuttall unable to tell #marr whether he will stand as an MP on June 8.

Nuttall confirms Ukip branches will be asked not to stand against "good Brexiteers", as in 2010. Significant. Ukip are 2nd in 120 seats

 

[Deleted member 231381]

^ Fucking hell ;_;

We're not getting independence are we?

now please go back to working with rest of UK left plz

plz

i beg

 

[phisheep]

For reference, that would be the best Conservative performance in Scotland since before Thatcher (voteshare wise, anyway - less in terms of seats because there are less marginals and votes are more clustered). I think the SNP have actually detoxified the Scottish Conservatives!

Are these sparsely populated rural seats so they look impressively big and blue on the map? (That's probably more important going forward than it ought to be.)

 

[Jezbollah]

It really would be something if the Portillo award went to Angus Robertson, given the SNP's performance in 2015.

 

[IdreamofHIME]

I think the SNP have actually detoxified the Scottish Conservatives!

Ruth Davidson is extremely popular. Never underestimate the power of the cult of personality.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

Are these sparsely populated rural seats so they look impressively big and blue on the map? (That's probably more important going forward than it ought to be.)

The biggest and bluest. To be precise:

Aberdeen South SNP -> Con
West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine SNP -> Con
Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk SNP -> Con
Dumfries and Galloway SNP -> Con
East Dunbartonshire SNP -> LibDem
East Lothian SNP -> Con
Edinburgh South Labour -> Con
Edinburgh South West SNP -> Con
Moray SNP -> Con
Perth and North Perthshire SNP -> Con
East Renfrewshire SNP -> Con
Stirling SNP -> Con

by the current projections.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

It really would be something if the Portillo award went to Angus Robertson, given the SNP's performance in 2015.

Yeah, never mind Clive Lewis, that would be individual upset of the night by far if it were to happen. The Westminster leader of the SNP defeated by the Scottish Conservatives would be an absolute shockwave to the system.

 

[daviyoung]

Corbyn doing pretty well on the Andrew Marr show just now.

 

[AHA-Lambda]

The biggest and bluest. To be precise:

Aberdeen South SNP -> Con
West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine SNP -> Con
Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk SNP -> Con
Dumfries and Galloway SNP -> Con
East Dunbartonshire SNP -> LibDem
East Lothian SNP -> Con
Edinburgh South Labour -> Con
Edinburgh South West SNP -> Con
Moray SNP -> Con
Perth and North Perthshire SNP -> Con
East Renfrewshire SNP -> Con
Stirling SNP -> Con

by the current projections.

Yeah, never mind Clive Lewis, that would be individual upset of the night by far if it were to happen. The Westminster leader of the SNP defeated by the Scottish Conservatives would be an absolute shockwave to the system.

Shit like this happens then we won't get a 2nd referendum

 

[pswii60]

Bribing us with bank holidays now?! What about those on hourly wages? Won't they just end up losing out financially because of this?

 

[daviyoung]

Bribing us with bank holidays now?! What about those on hourly wages? Won't they just end up losing out financially because of this?

Bank holiday = overtime pay right? As long as the business is open.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

I've got to admit, I've never really understood the point of bank holidays. You could abolish them all and just add it to minimum paid holiday allowance - then you get to pick when your holiday is instead of instead of having the government do it for you.

But that's because I'm a member of the metropolitan elite and don't understand the value of days of community significance that are dictated by individuals whims and instead form part of a cultural consensus, I suppose.

 

[daviyoung]

I've got to admit, I've never really understood the point of bank holidays. You could abolish them all and just add it to minimum paid holiday allowance - then you get to pick when your holiday is instead of instead of having the government do it for you.

Well you could do that with weekends too.

 

[Hazzuh]

Jeremy Corbyn refuses to say he would approve the use of nuclear weapons under any circumstances if he is PM. #marr

Corbyn refuses to say that keeping Trident will be in the Labour manifesto

Corbyn says he'd keep UK troops in Estonia 'for the moment' but wants to build relationship btwn Nato + Russia #marr

Jeremy Corbyn refuses to say he would authorise a drone strike on the leader of Isis if it was sought by military chiefs #marr

 

[Guerrillas in the Mist]

Perth and North Perthshire SNP -> Con

Living in Perth, I'm not surprised at all - a lot of toxicity directed towards the SNP at the moment.

 

[mytisbrewin]

I agree. I have voted in every GE and referendum (even that silly Alternative Vote one) since I was of age - the point being that there are often no good choices. I do it out of duty but I can't say I have ever been passionate about voting. Perhaps because I have lived in three safe seats in a row and always on the losing side.

I am in the same situation, vote every election and referendum, but not once has my vote counted for anything as it has always been for the losing side. I looked at the records and the last time the conservatives didn't win this seat was 1945.

 

[PJV3]

now please go back to working with rest of UK left plz

plz

i beg

How is that going to work, they need to rejoin labour because the Tories have weaponised the SNP south of the border.

 

[pswii60]

Bank holiday = overtime pay right? As long as the business is open.

Depends on the business.

But it's a ridiculous idea. Just another way to fuck our economy and dissuade investment. We've got enough of that already with Brexit.

 

[TheMagician]

 

[Jezbollah]

Shit like this happens then we won't get a 2nd referendum

To be honest, I could see one happening sooner if this is the case. Having a referendum won by No for the second time in a few years after the "peak" of the SNP's popularity would surely confine the question answered for a couple of decades. And maybe bury the SNP just like May is trying to do with Labour.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

How is that going to work, they need to rejoin labour because the Tories have weaponised the SNP south of the border.

that's what I meant - I meant SNP voters, rather than SNP as a party. Until we have a PR system, I don't see how the left can possibly win unless we are willing to work under a single, national party. That will require compromises by all parties - e.g. of course the Lib Dem voters won't be willing to switch to Labour while Corbyn is leader - but I just don't see any other feasible path. FPTP means the SNP are hyper-represented in Scotland all out of proportion to their vote, which means the Conservatives are coalesced around as the natural counterweight unionist party. Under PR, Labour and SNP can co-exist more easily and it becomes harder for the Conservatives to use coalition of chaos because frankly they'd probably have to use coalitions as well.

 

[pswii60]

What's the source for this data? And when posting stuff like this can we please make sure we back it up with a reference? Facebook is bad enough.

 

[Randy Lanzarote]

Bank holiday = overtime pay right? As long as the business is open.

My brother works for Miller & Carter, part of the Mitchell and Butler chain, he told me last week they do not get bank holidays as overtime pay. Just standard hourly rate. Not sure if this is the same across the sector, but wouldn't be surprised.

 

[StayDead]

How can Scottish people be even beginning to think of Conservatives. Oh god I hate politics, because people just seem determined to vote for the person who's going to hurt them more.

 

[HigXx]

My brother works for Miller & Carter, part of the Mitchell and Butler chain, he told me last week they do not get bank holidays as overtime pay. Just standard hourly rate. Not sure if this is the same across the sector, but wouldn't be surprised.

Yeah, Im in a Wetherspoons and its exactly the same pay

 

[Juicy Bob]

Apparently I side most with Plaid Cymru.

Great.

 

[empyrean]

Depends on the business.

But it's a ridiculous idea. Just another way to fuck our economy and dissuade investment. We've got enough of that already with Brexit.

Stop talking nonsense. We have hardly any bank holidays compete with other countries. http://metro.co.uk/2015/04/03/happy...d-has-more-bank-holidays-than-the-uk-5131970/

As if adding 4 more days would result in big business going "yeah you know what, lets not bother".

 

[CyclopsRock]

This year's election night thread is going to be beautiful, beautiful chaos. I don't have my weird rotating table anymore though (if anyone remembers that from last time).

This Scottish numbers are crazy. Not only would it obviously be a blow for the SNP (even if not quite as bad as the numbers might make it seem), it would also somewhat blow a hole in the whole English Tories, Scotland a bastion of Liberalism schtick.

 

[Hazzuh]

Does anyone have any idea what sort of candidates are standing for the Tories in Scotland? Surely some of the stuff they will be expected to support in the HoC would be totally toxic in Scotland (ie hard Brexit-y stuff)? I guess the Tory whips could just look the other way because they'll have a 100+ seat majority but still..

 

[phisheep]

I've got to admit, I've never really understood the point of bank holidays. You could abolish them all and just add it to minimum paid holiday allowance - then you get to pick when your holiday is instead of instead of having the government do it for you.

But that's because I'm a member of the metropolitan elite and don't understand the value of days of community significance that are dictated by individuals whims and instead form part of a cultural consensus, I suppose.

It's community thing. Probably seen at the most extreme in the (now sadly almost vanished) Lancashire Wakes weeks when entire towns would decamp to the seaside simultaneously. Still happens on a smaller scale, days out with friends and their families, barbecue for the neighbours, getting together with far-flung family, village fetes, are all made a bunch easier without having to synchronise everybody's days off months in advance.

You might not notice it now, but you'd probably miss it if they went away.

 

[AHA-Lambda]

Does anyone have any idea what sort of candidates are standing for the Tories in Scotland? Surely some of the stuff they will be expected to support in the HoC would be totally toxic in Scotland (ie hard Brexit-y stuff)? I guess the Tory whips could just look the other way because they'll have a 100+ seat majority but still..

Something tells me those same Scottish tories wouldn't give a damn