UKGAF thread of Politics and Britishness.

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Dax01 said:
So, let me get this straight, most of you want a hung parliament in the hopes that it'll force one of the two major parties to work together or with some of the other smaller parties? If that produces results, what sort of results would they be?
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Well the two major parties aren't that well loved at all, with a 'whoever wins we lose' stance quite common online, so people want to force either of them to form a coalition with the Lib Dems (who are maybe closest to the Democrats in the US) who are the third biggest party and adopt some of their policies/ideas in exchange for allowing them to form a government. Thanks to the electoral system in this country meaning that the Lib Dems got 22.1% of the vote at the last election but only 9.6% of the seats in parliament (unlike the current government who got 35.3% of the vote but 55.2% of the seats) they have zero chance of winning the election, but their policies on reforming that voting system, returning civil liberties, the economic plans of their chancellor Vince Cable who is very widely respected, and their anti-war stance are things that many would like to see become part of the current government and this is the easiest way of doing it. If that takes place there is a chance of some of those policies being implemented, though it is very hard to predict.
 
killer_clank said:
With Clegg as leader? It wouldn't surprise me to see him do anything to get some power.
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Including alienating their entire support base? I know he would try to justify it by "bu-bu-bu we can influence the Tories and dictate compromises in their agenda!" but it would leave a really shitty taste in every Liberal Democrat voter's mouth to see them sell out their policies just to get first class seats on the gravy train.
 
Chinner said:
I disagree Empty, British politics as a whole is much more left than even American's left.
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True, true, it is a little bit of a lazy comparison as there is certainly a big gulf, but i think the lib dems are closest out of the three parties to the democrats in ideology, it's just that the political environments in which they operate are very different.
 
industrian said:
Including alienating their entire support base? I know he would try to justify it by "bu-bu-bu we can influence the Tories and dictate compromises in their agenda!" but it would leave a really shitty taste in every Liberal Democrat voter's mouth to see them sell out their policies just to get first class seats on the gravy train.
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If the Liberal Democrats can get more direct influence on policy by teaming up with the Tories, then I as a Liberal Democrat voter am all for it.
 
iapetus said:
If the Liberal Democrats can get more direct influence on policy by teaming up with the Tories, then I as a Liberal Democrat voter am all for it.
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Pretty much this. I'd rather a diluted influence than none at all.
 
Empty said:
True, true, it is a little bit of a lazy comparison as there is certainly a big gulf, but i think the lib dems are closest out of the three parties to the democrats in ideology, it's just that the political environments in which they operate are very different.
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i think the tories are probably closest to the democrats, really.

remember, we may think they're crazy, but they still support a 100% socialised and free healthcare system! imagine obama campaigning for that.
 
Bit worried.

Had a quick chat at work today about voting, and while people do like Lib Dems, no one wants the Torys in, so are 'tactically' voting for Labor. Bah.
 
Yeah investment in the games industry here is awesome, it is the kind of industry that we can and do compete in worldwide and with lots of growth ahead.

345triangle said:
i think the tories are probably closest to the democrats, really.

remember, we may think they're crazy, but they still support a 100% socialised and free healthcare system! imagine obama campaigning for that.
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They do, but they have to to get elected here. If we didn't have the NHS established they would certainly be against it. The political realities thanks to a further left, than the US, electorate drags the tories leftwards in terms of policy, but in pure ideological terms (ie how they imagine the role of the state in society etc [see cameron's party conference speech where he decried the state]) they are closer to the republicans, but that's maybe me being paranoid about what an incoming tory government will mean going forwards, as well as playing semantics. If you compare manifesto-manifesto then i agree with you.
 
Chriswok said:
Bit worried.

Had a quick chat at work today about voting, and while people do like Lib Dems, no one wants the Torys in, so are 'tactically' voting for Labor. Bah.
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Pretty much the same thought process with the people i speak to. Anyone but the Tories

The Lib Dems are seen as a joke, so that just leaves Labour.

I can see Brown stepping down if they do win though and Cameron would also be toast almost immediately in the event of a Conservative loss, the knifes are already out for poor Dave with Georgie Osbourne having to take the flak for his buddy.
 
Dabanton said:
Cameron would also be toast almost immediately in the event of a Conservative loss, the knifes are already out for poor Dave with Georgie Osbourne having to take the flak for his buddy.
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As long as Boris filled the leadership vacancy, I could tolerate that.
 
Chriswok said:
Bit worried.

Had a quick chat at work today about voting, and while people do like Lib Dems, no one wants the Torys in, so are 'tactically' voting for Labor. Bah.
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I think a lot of people are embarrassed to say that they're going to vote tory as they know that Cameron gets a lot of flak.

I just wish the election would hurry to fuck up so all this wondering can be over.
 
Salazar said:
As long as Boris filled the leadership vacancy, I could tolerate that.
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Question; how would they get him into Parliament? I suppose the Mandelson route is out of the question for an opposition party.
 
Latest YouGov polling (opinions taken BEFORE today's budget) shows
CON 36 LAB 34 LD 17
This would make Labour the largest party, with Labour just 10 seats short of a majority (yes even though they get 2% less - messed up electoral system)
However, those are the weighted figures. YouGov heavily upscale LAB and downscale CON because they are unable to find enough Labour voters when they set their questions (!!!)
The unweighted figures are CON 42 LAB 28
This would produce a Tory landslide.

So... what do people think of weighted opinion polls?
 
D4Danger said:
late to this but great news for the gaming industry.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8585477.stm

considering how much the UK contributes to the gaming industry in talent and sales this is long overdue.
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Does this mean games will be cheaper? Or is this simply designed to increase profits? Is this common in britain? I'm pretty sure that the rest of the entertainment industry would scream bloody murder if this happened in Sweden.

I hope it means cheaper games though, so i can import even more games from the UK =)
 
jorma said:
Does this mean games will be cheaper? Or is this simply designed to increase profits? Is this common in britain? I'm pretty sure that the rest of the entertainment industry would scream bloody murder if this happened in Sweden.

I hope it means cheaper games though, so i can import even more games from the UK =)
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Cheaper games? :lol No chance. It's being implemented in order to encourage more games to be made/based here. There's a similar scheme already in place for the film industry.
 
jorma said:
Does this mean games will be cheaper? Or is this simply designed to increase profits? Is this common in britain? I'm pretty sure that the rest of the entertainment industry would scream bloody murder if this happened in Sweden.

I hope it means cheaper games though, so i can import even more games from the UK =)
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It means it will be cheaper to make games in the UK, meaning more game companies will move here, expand or start up here, meaning more UK jobs and potentially more games being made. The price we pay for games wont change.
 
J Tourettes said:
Cheaper games? :lol No chance. It's being implemented in order to encourage more games to be made/based here. There's a similar scheme already in place for the film industry.
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I see. Yeah, we have similar things for the movie industry here, now that i think of it. Tax breaks are probably much better since everyone would gain from it, instead of only 'approved' projects that apply for funding.
 
lol
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ok-Girl-discovers-shes-lost-Saturday-job.html
9qfzog.jpg


newspapers obession with facebook is soooooooo tedious
 
Chinner said:
Sources of News:
The Sun (tabloid): Owned by Murdoch. Right Wing and populist in views. Swap sides last year and now supports the tories. ALWAYS supports the troops.
Daily Mirror (tabloid): Always supports Labour.
Daily Star(tabloid): isn't a newspaper.
The Times: Owned by Murdoch, right wing broadsheet.
The Guardian: Left wing paper. Bit long winded like all heavy hitters, but the best newspaper.
The DailyTele(tory)graph: Right wing broadsheet, probably the best place to go if you want to read right wing news.
The Independent: Usually supports Lib Dems, good little newspaper but has shit circulation sales. Will probably be bought out soon by an ex KGB dude (I think).
Daily Mail: Known for causing moral panics. Read by middle age housewives. Wildly entertaining, but worrying influential.
The Financial Times: Don't care.

UK Blogs:
Liberal Conspiracy
Guy Fawkes's blog


In memory of SmokeyDave
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Independent has now been bought for a pound. Also have to object to the grauniad being the best as it's so painfully right on at times. However it's definitely one of the best.

EDIT: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8587469.stm
 
The Financial Times is actually a really good paper, especially if you like world news and don't want to be bothered reading "Man dissappeared down manhole!" or "Benefit mum has 21st child!" I started reading it last week and despite it being more expensive it's really worth it because it has slightly less advertising and more actual news. Though yes it does give a lot of coverage to companies and the economy. Otherwise I read the Guardian, Telegraph has gone even further to the right and The Mail still calls America "the former British colony".
 
SmokyDave said:
I'm all about the Daily Star. Quality journalism, hard hitting stories and tits. Well, one of those three things anyway.
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I often wonder what kind of people 'read' the Daily Star. :lol
 
Mr. Sam said:
I read The Independent.
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This right here.
Well, i used to read it more, i'd buy it at least twice a week but lately i haven't been keeping up.
 
Dabanton said:
I often wonder what kind of people 'read' the Daily Star. :lol
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2nw22bd.gif


:lol :lol :lol
no offense man, you're golden!

I gave up on papers a long time ago, they take too long to read, I'd rather pick up a book or some comics. I realised after a while that the news kinda feeds itself too, there is actually very little that the news has to say that I need to hear.
 
I find it quite funny that not one of the major parties is anywhere near close to the general gaf consensus.

enParties.gif


EDIT: Unless you consider Green a major party, that is.
 
J Tourettes said:
I find it quite funny that not one of the major parties is anywhere near close to the general gaf consensus.

gif

EDIT: Unless you consider Green a major party, that is.
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I was talking to my missus about this yesterday and I think it's because in general, it's authoritarian people that want to go into politics. Us pansy libertarians would rather sit back and criticise (or be ineffectual like the greens).
 
The Daily Star actually has really good circulation rates. So if the Sun, Mirror, Star and Mail prove, is that people love news mixed with celebrity bullshit and tits.

Concerning what I read, The Indie is a good paper. I usually read it when I want to take a break from The Guardian.

Also: As I said in the OP, I read somewhere that the Green Party are anti-science, so I'm never going to vote for them.
 
J Tourettes said:
I find it quite funny that not one of the major parties is anywhere near close to the general gaf consensus.

enParties.gif


EDIT: Unless you consider Green a major party, that is.
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That chart is all sorts of wrong
 
Jedeye Sniv said:
I was talking to my missus about this yesterday and I think it's because in general, it's authoritarian people that want to go into politics. Us pansy libertarians would rather sit back and criticise (or be ineffectual like the greens).
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I think you might be on to something there chap!

What's that quote about anyone wanting to become a politician should not be allowed to be one?

Also, I'm begrudgingly impressed at the avatar quote ;)
 
Chinner said:
The Daily Star actually has really good circulation rates. So if the Sun, Mirror, Star and Mail prove, is that people love news mixed with celebrity bullshit and tits.

Concerning what I read, The Indie is a good paper. I usually read it when I want to take a break from The Guardian.

Also: As I said in the OP, I read somewhere that the Green Party are anti-science, so I'm never going to vote for them.
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They are. A few minutes googling turns up quite a few articles. It's a shame really as I like a lot of their other policies.
 
Chinner said:
The Daily Star actually has really good circulation rates. So if the Sun, Mirror, Star and Mail prove, is that people love news mixed with celebrity bullshit and tits.

Concerning what I read, The Indie is a good paper. I usually read it when I want to take a break from The Guardian.

Also: As I said in the OP, I read somewhere that the Green Party are anti-science, so I'm never going to vote for them.
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How can you be Anti-Science? :lol They going to start locking us in towers for looking at the Stars?
 
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