General Election 2015

[MrBen]

Excited about the General Election?

No? Never has politics been this depressing. The Lib Dems are arguably in a worse state after playing second fiddle in the coalition. The tories are now so middle they've lost voters in droves to UKIP. And Labour are lost and don't have a leader with charisma and backbone to make any gains. Worse, they'll be obliterated in Scotland this time round.

The end result? Sordid pacts with fringe radicals and another crappy coalition.

Before 2010 the last hung parliament was 1974. In the current state I cant see that changing anytime soon.

It doesn't really make you want to go running to the polls on voting day does it?

[JohnL]

MrBen Wrote:

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> Excited about the General Election?

>

> No? Never has politics been this depressing. The

> Lib Dems are arguably in a worse state after

> playing second fiddle in the coalition. The tories

> are now so middle they've lost voters in droves to

> UKIP. And Labour are lost and don't have a leader

> with charisma and backbone to make any gains.

> Worse, they'll be obliterated in Scotland this

> time round.

>

> The end result? Sordid pacts with fringe radicals

> and another crappy coalition.

>

> Before 2010 the last hung parliament was 1974. In

> the current state I cant see that changing anytime

> soon.

>

> It doesn't really make you want to go running to

> the polls on voting day does it?

I'd have said UKIP are fallingback,Lib Dems broke promises

so are paying.

It's back to two parties ... except for the Scottish - and

there's an argument thats the fault of Scottish Labour.

[Otta]

Lib Dems didn't really break any promises though. They said "if the Lib Dems are in charge, we'll do this", but the Lib Dems have never been in charge. They've probably managed to influence a bit from within, which is good.

Don't get me wrong, they'll get smashed in the GE, and I think the coalition was more to do with Clegg's ego than anything else, but I don't really think it's fait to say they broke promises, as they have never been in a position to keep them.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Agree with you Otta, re the Lib Dems - they didn't win the election, so it's hardly fair for people to complain that their manifesto wasn't implemented.

[MrBen]

Scottish Labour = disaster

Labour had a hard core of support in Scotland since the early 1900's. A lot of that tradition's hardcore came from industry, Clyde ship building, mining etc - but that generation is now almost gone....and post referendum the SNP have snaffled all of the young majority vote.

[Loz]

Personally I think the only solution is to ditch Scotland. Else the SNP is going to cause constitutional mayhem.

[MrBen]

You mean Devo max?

[Louisa]

Labour was caught napping in Scotland and now the rest of us pay for their mistakes. A nationalist party propping up a second failed clear mandate for either main party to govern with. Electoral reform now I say.

Louisa.

[Loz]

MrBen Wrote:

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> You mean Devo max?

No, I mean expelliarmus. Scotexit. Vote 'Yes' for them.

[Otta]

Could be a good test.

You deal with up there, we'll deal with down here, we've got 4 or 5 years, let's see what happens.

[FraddsMan]

Don't watch the polls, watch the betting shops.

My ?50 bet on a Cameron led govt post election went on at 6/1. Now at 4/7.

Odds on a Conservative majority (326 - 350 seats) now at 5/1, for Labour majority (326-350 seats) now 14/1.

Mark you odds on another coalition are around 3/1.

[Loz]

FraddsMan Wrote:

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> My ?50 bet on a Cameron led govt post election went on at 6/1. Now at 4/7.

That's partly because, in the event that neither Tories or Labour get a full majority or can form a coalition, convention says that Cameron gets first dibs at forming a government.

[FraddsMan]

But that convention applied when I placed the bet.

My point is that bookies are shortening the odds on a Conservation majority - not to the point of a racing certainty but that's the direction of travel.

[Louisa]

In most poll of polls the tories have edged ahead by a point or two these past few weeks. The test comes over the coming day with reaction to the budget (if any). I was always under the impression the largest party had first go at forming a government, and based on current figures that will still be the tories by an average 15/20 seats.

Louisa.

[JohnL]

Louisa Wrote:

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> In most poll of polls the tories have edged ahead

> by a point or two these past few weeks. The test

> comes over the coming day with reaction to the

> budget (if any). I was always under the impression

> the largest party had first go at forming a

> government, and based on current figures that will

> still be the tories by an average 15/20 seats.

>

> Louisa.

I'd think both 'sides' will be forming 'proto' governments.

Any no confidence vote will come very quickly.

Don't know if that would mean Cameron resigns as PM and Leader of the Tories ?

[Mick Mac]

I predict a landslide victory for the Tories.

[Otta]

Tory UKIP Coalition.

[Louisa]

I predict the Libs will cling on to 25/35 seats and go in with the Tories again alongside some sort of confidence supply job with the DUP. Unless Labour can seriously pull ahead in the next month or so.

Louisa.

[david_carnell]

I predict no government will be formed.

Like Belgium, we'll carry on for a year and perform much better with no government than with one.

[JohnL]

david_carnell Wrote:

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> I predict no government will be formed.

>

> Like Belgium, we'll carry on for a year and

> perform much better with no government than with

> one.

and then get a taste for it :)

[Earl Aelfheah]

Otta Wrote:

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> Tory UKIP Coalition.

Too depressing to contemplate

[Otta]

I know, but that is my real fear.

[DaveR]

I would be surprised if UKIP end up with more than 5 seats which would make them pretty much irrelevant. I'm beginning to think that the maths make another Tory-Lib Dem coalition the most likely outcome, albeit it would probably split the Lib Dems.

[keekybreeks]

you reckon there will even be enough non disgraced kippers left to even stand for 5 seats by May ?

What does concern me is the libdem scum - they have killed themselves for a generation- their fault, they should pay, no sympathy- but the diretion of previous libdem voters ( long terms or swingers) is pivotal

of course they could go for a non event like the greens- the last time a slab of voters went green, we found ourselves invading most of the middle east as a result.

hmmmmm

[MrBen]

As a liberal Scot I've always voted Libdem or Labour. No Scot ever votes Tory.

But this time round if I vote Tory the rest have only got themselves to blame.