UK Election Debate - Discussion Afterwards

[Elomin Sha]

The live debate by Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg is starting soon on ITV1. Besides me anyone going to watch it?
If you don't have access to a tv go here: http://www.itv.com/electiondebate/

[iamafish]

i plan on watching it, but i'll have to wrest the TV from my brother. I have it recorded so I'll start it late and skip through the ads.

[Keab42]

I really want to watch it but my brain is too addled. I'll probably catch the BBC one whenever that's on.

It amused me this morning they were playing some soundbites from the 3 leaders with their views of the debate. Brown was despondant, Cameron was saying they'd only get through 8 questions and Clegg was just excited (not sure whether that's because he seems like a decent bloke or is just excited to be allowed to do some important politics. Seriously, when it was his turn to do a budget rebuttal the entire Labour and Tory parties just left. He was left speaking to his own party and the 2 chancellors.)

[Elomin Sha]

Do it the way I am, I don't think I'll get adverts through the website.

[Elomin Sha]

ITV is rubbish online as it is on tv. Keeps repeating every 5 seconds.

[Machalllewis]

I've got an A level in Politics. I won't be watching and I won't be voting. Theres no frigging point, people vote for the most ridiculous reasons. My Dad votes Labour because his great uncle was one back in the 70's. Thats so stupid! Labour is NOTHING like it was in the 70's and he's just showing solidarity for no goddamn reason. Thats not saying that I hate Labour, I'm just so indifferent. They could all start crapping the streets and declaring themselves Raja and I still wouldn't care.

I mentioned at the start that I have an A level in Politics just so you know that this isn't coming from some lazy or ill-informed bias. I've scratched the shiny surface and underneath theres mud. Petty bickering and wild speculations are all that there really is to any of the three major parties and prejudice and mis-trust of people unlike you or merely wishing to solidify your own position are all that there is to any other party.

All of the parties are middle these days and make promises that will never ever be fulfilled, not cos they are lazy but simply because they are promising things that are either impossible or merely incredibly incredibly poor decisions.

If I did decide to wander over to the voting booth then you can bet I'd spoil my ballot.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not an anarchist, Government is obviously important its just that at the end of the day it doesn't really matter who you pick. Either Conservative or Labour will make the best of a bad situation and try their hardest but still won't be able to follow through with what they are saying and in the end its all the same no matter which one of them gets into power. All MP's and the PM will wake up, go to work, possibly embezzle some taxes on the way there (the whole tax thing is another thing that I have no real gripe with) make the same decisions as their counterpart would have done (while the counterpart screams how much better they would have done given the wonderful benefit of hindsight), do what they can to run the country, go home and sleep.

Editted for reasons of spelling/grammar.

[Keab42]

There was a fantastic news story some months back. They let the Youth Parliament take over the House of Commons for a day. The thing all the reporters commented on was that the kids were far better behaved than the real MPs, there was none of the cheering, jeering, booing and paper waving that real MPs do.

I really like the live parliament stuff that the BBC broadcasts, it makes you realise just how silly the whole system is.

[Ayailla]

I don't honestly know enough about politics to contribute. I feel as if I SHOULD vote, but I would rather not vote for the wrong party out of ignorance.
It's times like this that I wish the MRLP were still running. *sigh*

[Machalllewis]

I don't honestly know enough about politics to contribute. I feel as if I SHOULD vote, but I would rather not vote for the wrong party out of ignorance.
It's times like this that I wish the MRLP were still running. *sigh*

Precisely my point! The MRLP were the only group actually liked by the silent majority because they were amusing.

Oh by the by tl;dr for my post above - After studying politics for two years I've decided the whole thing is pointless, it doesn't matter who you vote for the outcome as regards a daily level is essentially the same.

[Elomin Sha]

Unless we let the Lib Dems have a chance.

[Machalllewis]

Unless we let the Lib Dems have a chance.

Pity they're non-existant. Also do you really think they'd be that much different? Maybe get in PR but then we'd be in the same place but our vote would be more serious but way more confusing.

Edit: Thats a serious maybe by the way, they would have to outnumber every other goddamn party.

Not Editted: Considering the guy on the streets approach of "I last heard that Labour was the worse ones so Imma vote for the Tories" the last thing he needs is a more confusing vote.

Double Edit: Oh and can I say that voting Tories over Labour is like voting Sauron over Dr Doom. Ones slightly more evil and soul destroying but at the end of the day it doesn't matter.

[Elomin Sha]

Clegg seems to be doing quite well at the moment.

[Machalllewis]

Clegg seems to be doing quite well at the moment.

I can promise you that Lib Dem won't make it in. They might have a higher proportion of seats than usual, possibly enough to make them a threat in 10 years time if they don't screw it up. But they are so much of a nothing.

They're hardly the MRLP but still nothing compared to Labour and Tory.

[Agloriouscuppa]

So long as the BNP stay down, although I've heard they're likely to get in at Bristol, or Birmingham or one of the other Silly B-towns.

[Elomin Sha]

When I said Clegg was doing well I meant in the debate.

[Machalllewis]

Its sad that people are actually turning to the BNP.

Oh sorry Elomin like I said though. He could come across as the biggest hope for the world. That dude could be like Obama but still Lib Dems aren't gonna get much.

Heres my prediction. Its gonna be a close call between Labour and Tory but Tories are gonna get in with a hung parliament. Or alternatively Labour just squeak by in full control. If the election had been called this time last year then it would have been sure thing Tory. Its been quite canny of Labour to hold on this long.

[teeb]

It's times like this that I wish the MRLP were still running. *sigh*

They are; they just rebranded. They're now called UKIP.

[Elomin Sha]

It should be interesting what happens since so many MPs will be standing down after the election.

[James Ether]

It's times like this that I wish the MRLP were still running. *sigh*

They are; they just rebranded. They're now called UKIP.

I think this deserves a hi-five!

I'm probably going to vote Lib Dems or Green Party. They're the parties that are closest to my own views when I bother to look up manifestos.

[Machalllewis]

It's times like this that I wish the MRLP were still running. *sigh*

They are; they just rebranded. They're now called UKIP.

If you're saying that they're a joke then well done for the political satire. No kidding.

UKIP fucking suck. Well done for hating the EU jackholes. OH GOD! SO MANY PEOPLE ENTER OUR COUNTRY! THATS A FUCKING GOOD THING YOU NATIONALIST POSSESSIVE ASSHOLES! I'm just annoyed cos they have the gall to advertise in my area. Fuck UKIP. They're so scared of the Euro. Ohhhhhh we have to share money with the Jonny Foreigners. Fuck their racist asses.

[Ed.]

It's times like this that I wish the MRLP were still running. *sigh*

They are; they just rebranded. They're now called UKIP.

If you're saying that they're a joke then well done for the political satire. No kidding.

UKIP fucking suck. Well done for hating the EU jackholes. OH GOD! SO MANY PEOPLE ENTER OUR COUNTRY! THATS A FUCKING GOOD THING YOU NATIONALIST POSSESSIVE ASSHOLES! I'm just annoyed cos they have the gall to advertise in my area. Fuck UKIP. They're so scared of the Euro. Ohhhhhh we have to share money with the Jonny Foreigners. Fuck their racist asses.

seriously they are no worse than the others (possible exception of lord how can you simultaneously be "uggh their all crap" and "fuck those guys"

also the EURO would suck its one thing brown did right avoiding it look at RoI right now they cant devalue their money which makes exports suffer keeping the pound softened the blow. EU is not an end to nationalism its just a new forum for all her faults thatcher had the right stance on the EU and I fucking hate the woman.

also mach you are falling into a giant nirvana fallacy becasue no party is good they are all pointless voting for the least bad one is worth doing even if its just the one that's marginally more competent.

as for people turning to the BNP it amazes me that the government and people like you are happy to keep feeding them voters. with stuff like

"OH GOD! SO MANY PEOPLE ENTER OUR COUNTRY! THATS A FUCKING GOOD THING YOU NATIONALIST POSSESSIVE ASSHOLES!"

How about justifying that which no one ever does i know not to be hoodwinked by some facist twat with a harmless racist uncle image but many will and I don't entirely blame them.

[ThrashJazzAssassin]

Yeah, would've loved to watch, but, well... Outnumbered was on BBC1....

[Elomin Sha]

After watching and in my mind Nick Clegg came out on top making some valid points about what needed to be done but there is always the question of how he would do what he would suggest correctly. Gordon Brown actually did pretty well but floundered on certain areas.
David Cameron was a bit of a flop, sound bite after sound bite with non actual show of what he wants (similar to Brown but more so).

Overall:
Clegg won out on the debate. Brown second by a margin and Cameron third by way a big drop.
How this would translate to votes is anyone's guess. I'd say the Lib Dems would get more seats but it'd be close between Tories and Labour I think Labour would slightly edge it.

[Ed.]

the thing is clegg can promiss you anything he's never going to be PM

[Ayailla]

I think Clegg did well but he got on my nerves too much to win.