News UK general election 2015 discussion

[Moll Flanders]

Somebody started a Twitter account called Cool Ed Miliband with mock ups of his face on famous people.

Twitter account features Ed Miliband transformed into James Bond and others | Daily Mail Online

 

[Moll Flanders]

Election 2015 polls: This is how Ed Miliband gets to 323 seats and becomes Prime Minister | May2015: 2015 General Election Guide

 

[Second Summer]

I thought this would be particularly relevant to us:
Election 2015 smaller parties: Animal Welfare Party - BBC News (29. April 2015)

The Animal Welfare Party has four candidates in this election. The seats are for Kensington, Holborn & St. Pancras, Hackney North & Stoke Newington, and Putney. More about the candidates here:
Current Elections | Animal Welfare PartyAnimal Welfare Party

 

[Second Summer]

Looks like Miliband is gambling a bit:
I won't be PM with SNP deal, says Miliband - BBC News (30. April 2015)

I suppose he's thinking the SNP won't support a Conservative government in any case, but might support a minority Labour government even without a deal.

 

[Muggle]

My family have just been trying to convince me to vote Tory.
Because tactical voting to keep UKIP out (it's the deputy leader of UKIP that is standing here and she's really focusing on local issues. Like that we're losing our A&E )

I was half tempted. Then I went on they work for you. He's voted for equal marriage and other gay rights things so that's a plus.
He voted for the badger cull.

Yeah, no effing way. Not even to keep UKIP out.

 

[Moll Flanders]

I keep hearing that they think there could be a lot of so called 'shy' Tory voters that will give the Conservatives a boost at the last minute.

 

[Second Summer]

I keep hearing that they think there could be a lot of so called 'shy' Tory voters that will give the Conservatives a boost at the last minute.

You'd think the pollsters would take that into account, unless this is somehow a new phenomenon?

 

[Moll Flanders]

^ I don't think I had heard the term before now. They are comparing the situation to the 1992 election when Labour and the media thought Labour were going to win but then a lot of Tory voters came out and voted.

What if the polls are wrong? Shy Tories could deliver an election surprise - Telegraph

 

[Second Summer]

Well, it looks like the "Shy Tories" have come out in great numbers today - the Tories are close to an outright majority:

The survey taken at polling stations across the UK suggests the Tories will get 316 MPs to Labour's 239 when all the results have been counted.

It suggests the Lib Dems will get 10 MPs, the SNP 58, Plaid Cymru 4, UKIP 2 and the Greens two.

More: Election 2015: Exit poll puts Tories close to majority - BBC News (7. May 2015 - article is subject to updates)

 

[AeryFairy]

Hoping the actual results are vastly different from the exit polls.

 

[ledboots]

Hoping the actual results are vastly different from the exit polls.

My dad used to lie to the exit pollers here in the US because it is a secret ballot and none of their business. One time he told them he voted for Donald Duck, and the pollster wrote it down.

 

[Muggle]

It's nearly half 5 and I'm giving up. Need sleep!

But some serious losses for the Lib Dems and Labour. Vince Cable has gone!
Douglas Alexander lost to who is now the youngest MP since 1667.
SNP hasn't had a complete wipe out of Scotland. Lib Dems have held Orkney and Shetland (although they aren't really Scotland [emoji12]), Labour have so far held one seat in Edinburgh and the Tories have held onto their one Scottish seat. But still it looks like the SNP are likely to get the rest.

Boris has won his (incredibly safe) seat. Not going to lie, I would love for him to become Prime Minster just because he's so utterly ridiculous.

They're saying that Ed Balls might lose his seat! No! Not Ed Balls!
Re-count happening in South Thanet. Seriously hoping that the Tories will win there (only seat I want the Tories to win) because then Farage will **** off.

Oh and the Tory guy won here. Bugger.


Ed Balls.

 

[Second Summer]

Looks like the Tories will be able to form their own government without anyone else, with very nearly an outright majority, but in practise it will be a majority because Sinn Fein don't meet in the UK parliament out of spite, uh, principle.

Not clear on whether the Greens will get one or two MPs - the BBC article seems to be contradicting itself on this issue.

Also interesting to see how the UKIP has done - either one or two MPs.

Edit: Now the Tories are predicted to get 329 seats, enough for a small majority. And Greens only one seat. UKIP possibly two ...

 

[shyvas]

The conservative seats are getting higher by the hour:
Cameron Closes In On Shock Majority Victory

 

[Moll Flanders]

I was going to stay up and watch but after seeing the exit poll I didn't bother. They had been saying that as well as the shy Tory voters coming out to vote, some people usually end up voting for the government that are already in power. The grey haired brigade usually vote Tory as well.

My area has stayed Labour. My husband was talking to some men at his work yesterday and they said they voted Conservative because they read in The Sun newspaper that they should. You can't argue with that logic.

Another Conservative government won't affect us negatively but I wouldn't want to be a person relying on benefits or living on a lower wage in the next five years. It looks like the food banks will be kept in business.

 

[Second Summer]

Another Conservative government won't affect us negatively

I realize you're talking about your own situation, but what about the NHS for example?

 

[Moll Flanders]

I forgot to check as I'm half asleep, Natalie Bennett came third. Apparently her personal popularity had dropped lots during the campaign which isn't great.

I realize you're talking about your own situation, but what about the NHS for example?

Yes, the NHS is messed up but I'm not going to lie, some Tory policies are helpful to us. The NISA tax free £15k, the new pension rules etc... Young people might have been tempted over to the Tories by the promise of a Help to Buy ISA. Some people are doing well economically so I think that is why people vote Tory.

 

[Ann Chovie]

Another Conservative government won't affect us negatively but I wouldn't want to be a person relying on benefits or living on a lower wage in the next five years. It looks like the food banks will be kept in business.

I did sit up mostof the night watching the good old BBC coverage Moll.

And , in common with my work mates at CAB who deal with benefit clients and distribute food vouchers I have come to work in a state of disbelief and dread.

We have experienced massive funding cuts and are currently limping along on transitional funding only until the next financial year when funding is reviewed again. Our hopes of being funding for the future were low anyway and are now completely dashed under a Conservative government who are commited to more welfare benefit reform.

Potentially this leaves the homeless, the disabled, the elderly and the vunerable generally at the mercy of more and more complicated, stringent benefit assessments they no longer understand or meet the criteria for and no one to advise them where to go next...except the food banks of course!

Equally, friends working in the NHS are in mourning today at the prospect of further and further cuts to budgets from an already haemorrheing
health service where workers hang on by their nails to maintain a service that is crumbling under them.

So..in our neck of the woods it is a very sombre and sad day.

 

[Moll Flanders]

I did sit up mostof the night watching the good old BBC coverage Moll.

And , in common with my work mates at CAB who deal with benefit clients and distribute food vouchers I have come to work in a state of disbelief and dread.

We have experienced massive funding cuts and are currently limping along on transitional funding only until the next financial year when funding is reviewed again. Our hopes of being funding for the future were low anyway and are now completely dashed under a Conservative government who are commited to more welfare benefit reform.

I'm wondering where the next welfare cuts will be as they were being very cagey about them. I read that it might be the Carer's Allowance which would be a nightmare (as well as being completely unethical) as carers save the NHS lots of money.

 

[shyvas]

I forgot to check as I'm half asleep, Natalie Bennett came third. Apparently her personal popularity had dropped lots during the campaign which isn't great.



Yes, the NHS is messed up but I'm not going to lie, some Tory policies are helpful to us. The NISA tax fee £15k, the new pension rules etc... Young people might have been tempted over to the Tories by the promise of a Help to Buy ISA. Some people are doing well economically so I think that is why people vote Tory.

Overhere, the majority of seats are left wing since 2012. It has had catastrophic results for the Securité Sociale (equivalent of UK's NHS)
resulting in poorer health care for people who have low salaries.
Apparently many people put off visiting their GP as they are out of pocket if they don't have an additional private insurance.