UK elections on May 6th

[Deleted]

I think that quite a few of us outsiders have never completely understood how these elections work. First of all, I would like to know how the date is chosen. In the U.S., the date of just about all elections is already set for the next hundred years or more. In France, parliament can be dissolved and snap elections called in certain circumstances, but basically there is a 5-year legislature with a rule along the lines of "the next election must be held between May 1st and May 20th of 20xx". There is a little latitude for setting the date (obligatorily a Sunday) due to variable circumstances that might not be known 5 years ahead of time (don't ask me for an example).

But when we read articles about the UK, it is always "Gordon Brown is expected to call elections in 2010" and then "Gordon Brown is expected to call elections this spring" and so forth and so on until the date is finally set. How long can parliament go between elections?

Perhaps we'll get to some of the stranger aspects of British politics after a few more posts...

[bjd]

From the FOAK:
A general election must take place before each parliamentary term begins. Since the maximum term of a parliament is five years, the interval between successive general elections can exceed that period by no more than the combined length of the election campaign and time for the new parliament to assemble (typically five to eight weeks). The actual election may be held at any time before the end of the five-year term. The five years runs from the first meeting of Parliament following the election. The timing of an election is at the discretion of the incumbent Prime Minister. This timing is usually political, and thus if a government is popular then the election is often "called" after around four years in power.

[Deleted]

I'm not sure if I find that very ethical.

[spindrift]

Today I received a letter from George Osborne, Conservative Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Millbank, London SW1 telling me that (if elected) it will be his job to 'get Britain's economy moving...and I want you to know how I plan to do it'.

He then 'wants to be straight with me - whoever wins the election, there will have to be cuts in public spending'!

furthermore -


'We will bring in a tax on banks now'....

There is a tear-off slip at the bottom of the letter that suggests
'TELL US WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND THE CHANGES BRITAIN NEEDS'.

Turning over I see 3 columns to be filled in:

1) Which of the following conservative economic plans do you support? (7 choices)
2) What other issues would you most like to see the next government deal with? (blank)
3) [bWould you ind saying how you intend to vote at the general election?][/b] 7 choices

and finally - 'Regardless of how you intend to vote, who would you prefer to see as Prime Minister after the next general election? David Cameron or Gordon Brown.

Into the bin goes this rubbish.

[Deleted]

;D

[fumobici]

[tillystar]

I was walking throuh Trafalgur Square to work yesterday and there were 3 helicopters hovering overhead. They were low and loud and it was quite unnerving and for a moment I imagind I had found myself in some horror film and they were abou to open fire on the crowds in the square. No, I realised, they were waiting for Gordon Brown to drive from 10 Downing Street to Buckingham Palace to ask the Queen to dissolve Parliment.

By the time I walked back thorg inthe evening he had obviously done so as the square was now full of people handing out political leaflets and the floor was covered in blue and red screwed up paper balls.

[spindrift]

:Dfumobici - I like 'People that matter have gazebos'....

[fumobici]

[Deleted]

So, the UK is getting its first televised electoral debate this evening. Are people interested in this? Do they think it's a good idea? Those of us from countries which have had televised electoral debates for decades are of course wondering why the UK waited for so long, especially since it has such a lively debating culture.

[spindrift]

No, I am not interested in this debate. The party I may vote for is not taking part.

[Deleted]

Yes, I know which party you support.

[spindrift]

How can you know? You absolutely don't know.

[fumobici]

Well who was absent? UKIP, Greens and BNP. Anyone else?

[lagatta]

Is Respect (small leftwing party, vehicle for George Galloway) still around? Perhaps they split in two?

What on earth is the difference between UKIP and BNP? They seem pretty much the same, is UKIP trying to be more presentable?

I see that the Celtic nationalist parties, SNP (Scotland) and Plaid Cymru (Wales) are also fielding candidates in the UK-wide elections.

And a bunch of tiny parties and coalitions.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2010

[gertie]

fumobici, isn't that pretty much the true battle cry of politicians everywhere? Unless there are some mighty odd politicians somewhere.

[Deleted]

So, tonight was the second debate. I haven't read yet what happened, but beforehand they were saying that the Lib-Dem guy was being increasingly impressive.

[spindrift]

Lagatta - UKIP's main aim is for Britain to leave the EU. I am very much in favour of this. We are poor enough in this country without funding penniless eastern european countries.

As far as I know, the BNP wants an end to immigration but more than that, wants non-white criminals repatriated to their country of origin and other extreme measures.

As it is turning out the constituency where I live is a Marginal Seat with the Lib Dems firmly in control. I shall probably have to vote Conservative - the City (London) says that the Conservatives will be good for business ....and that's all I'm interested in.

[bjd]

I just read this interesting article for the British elections on the BBC

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/election_2010/8655697.stm

In France, if you want to vote by proxy, you have to go register with the police and get a card, which is then presented by the voter you choose at the polling booth. Obviously, it doesn't work like that in England. And, even though I have Canadian citizenship, I can't vote in Canada because I am non-resident.

[Deleted]

3 days to go!

YouGov for The Sunday Times has the Conservatives inching forward at the expense of Labour, who come third. Today's result shows only small changes, with the Conservatives gaining one point at the expense of Labour, who fall to third place behind the Lib Dems.

Conservatives 35 percent
Labour 27 percent
Lib Dems 28 percent
Others 10 percent
(Fieldwork 30th April – 1st May; Sample size 1,483)

A ComRes for the Sunday Mirror/Independent on Sunday poll has Conservative lead up to 10 points, highest since February; Lib Dems in third. That would leave the Conservatives with 315 seasts - only 11 seats short of a majority - according to the generic seat predictor used by ComRes. Labour would have 236 and the Liberal Democrats 69. Other parties would have 12.

Conservatives 38 percent (+2 from April 28 poll)
Labour 28 percent (-1)
Lib Dems 25 percent (-1)
Others 9 percent (No change)
(ComRes phoned 1,019 GB adults on 30 April to 1 May 2010)

[spindrift]

I'm torn between voting for the Conservatives (for change) or UKIP (my preference for Out of Europe).

[tillystar]

The Govenor of the Bank of England and other commentators are saying that whoever wins will be unelectable for a generation because of the tough measures they will have to take to get us out of the recession. Makes me rethink who I vote for...it might be worth putting up with them for 4 yrs to know they won't be back for a bit.

Lagatta - the BNP will also offer £50,000 to all non-white British nationals to "go home". (I am very much against this as it discriminates against me as a White British person, I'd bugger off for £50,000)

Oh and most of those at the top are all ex-NF and had blood on their toe-caps in the 80s, but have "reformed". Charming bunch.

[fumobici]

[Deleted]

Election day has arrived! Can't wait! (okay, another 50 minutes before the official date in the UK)

[fumobici]

Looks like either a lib-lab coalition or a Tory minority government is in the offing. Given the austerity measures that loom as necessary the "winner" of this election may pay a heavy price down the road for being the ones who were forced to make unpopular cuts in public spending.

[spindrift]

I've just returned from the Polling Station. I was the only voter in it.

[tillystar]

I was there at 7am when they opened and it was really busy with people voting before work.

The first person got to check the boxes were empty, I wish I'd got up 5 minutes earlier so I could have done it and felt all important ;D

[spindrift]

It's now 22:14 and the polling stations have closed. When we will have our first results?

[tillystar]

Sunderland are always first, they usually get them in under an hour - won't be any surprises there though, it's a pretty safe Labour seat.

I am nodding off already, not sure if I can keep up long enough to see the outcome before morning.

[spindrift]

I'm wondering whether the Libdems will lose to the Conservatives in Winchester ;D

Labour's won Sunderland......