British Politics Thread.

[Mr Mystery]

Antics over the referendum? You mean Westminster Antics surely? Scare tactics, refusing to discuss what might and might not be on the table, refusing to allow a Devo Max option, then suddenly using Devo Max as a reward for doing as Westminster tells you?

Again - I'm far from a Scottish Nationalist in this matter, but Westminster really did show why so many in Scotland wanted the referendum in the first place throughout.

Now, imagine you live where I live, in the South East of England. Tory Heartlands. Birthplace of the NIMBY Classes. And UKIP seem poised to do well (or so they keep telling everyone. I'm far from convinced. Tactical voting will be the death of them. If it's a choice between Tories and UKIP, I know who I'm voting for. And it's Tory, despite being lefty). Imagine this area was in Scotland's boat - and told 'it doesn't matter who you vote for, because we'll just ignore you anyway'....there would be an entirely righteous uproar.

The representation of Scotland within the UK Government is not the issue here. It's that the main political parties feel they can dictate who gets into power by actively deciding certain parties will simply be a wasted vote. That is not democratic.

And it's not just those who vote SNP who will see their democractic voice stripped away - it's every single voter in Scotland, because Milliband has just decided if they don't have the seat, well sod the country.

And where should it stop? Should Labour and the Tories simply declare 'vote for whom you like. We'll just form a coalition between us and balls to everyone else'? That's getting dangerously close to a dictatorship of sorts.

Seriously. Remove where the seats happen to be from the equation, and consider it again. 10% of the population being told their democratic rights simply don't matter.

[Psychosplodge]

Now, imagine you live where I live, in the South East of England. Tory Heartlands. Birthplace of the NIMBY Classes. Imagine this area was in Scotland's boat - and told 'it doesn't matter who you vote for, because we'll just ignore you anyway'....there would be an entirely righteous uproar..

But that's exactly what happened for however long labour was in for last time....

[Mr Mystery]

And lets look at what percentage of the eligible voters in the UK took the Tories into their current position......

The turnout was 65%, so that means that 23.5% of the electorate (those registered to vote) voted for the Conservatives. That is probably the most relevant figure - if you take a % of the total population you are including children and foreigners who are not able to vote. However -

23.5%.....Less than a quarter.

And you're telling me 10% of the voter base of this country shouldn't matter because reasons?

Again, remove the geographic position of the seats in question, and look at what is actually happening here.....

[Psychosplodge]

the entire voter base is ignored for four, four and a half years at a time

[Mr Mystery]

But that's exactly what happened for however long labour was in for last time....

This is quite different.

It's looking like no one party will be able to form a majority government from it's own MPs. So it will be coalition time once again (something I feel is better for now. The swings between long term Labour or Tory isn't good).

And a Coalition should reflect the voter base as accurately as possible.

If we switch around the current Labour and Tory ownership of seats, if Labour did form a coalition with the SNP, and again worst case scenario where SNP have a landslide in Scotland - they'd hold more seats between them than the current coalition.

But that's not going to happen, because Milliband.

[grimmas]

A

And lets look at what percentage of the eligible voters in the UK took the Tories into their current position......



23.5%.....Less than a quarter.

And you're telling me 10% of the voter base of this country shouldn't matter because reasons?

Again, remove the geographic position of the seats in question, and look at what is actually happening here.....

thats still 2 and a half times the total population of Scotland. The 10% is the maximum the SNP can get and not everyone in Scotland votes for them. The fact is by there very nature they represent a small section of the population of the UK and as such it would be undemocratic for them lead, as they will never possess a mandate to do so. Why would Labour enter a coalition with a part who's main desire is to break up the UK ( something The SNP also doesn't have a mandate for) something which would ensure very won't get reeleccted for a very long time if ever. There's more chance the Tories would go for it, it'd work for them quite well.

[Mr Mystery]

Once more with feeling.....

Ignore exactly which potential coalition party has been ruled out, and instead focus on the representation denied.

Any coalition should, at bare minimum, be comprised of the First and Third place parties, yes?

Last time around, Third Place went to Lib Dems, with 56 seats. They of course formed a coalition with The Conservatives, who held 302, the most of any one party.

Lib Dems are on course for electoral annihilation - this is what happens when you abandon not only your policies but your principles for them merest whiff of power.

That means Third Place is very, very much up for grabs.

If the SNP represented every seat in Scotland, at 72, they would represent more a mandate than the Lib Dems ever did (and let's face it, ever will).

But it's a-ok to just rule out allying with them?

What if it was the other way around. SNP had formed a hypothetical coalition with the Tories, bringing 56 seats in 2010. And this election, Labour had ruled out forming any kind of coalition with the Lib Dems and their potential 72 seats.....

If we were looking at a majority government, no problem. You votes, and your either wins or your loses. That's democracy.

But when we're on an all but unavoidable course for another coalition, nobody should be ruling anyone out ahead of the actual election.

[Psychosplodge]

We might see a minority government.

[Mr Mystery]

Nah, I doubt it. Lab/Con coalition? Given their entirely self serving natures, I seriously would not rule it out.

Not sure who that would leave as the opposition thought.

Barry from Accounts?

[Psychosplodge]

It'd collapse. And then they'd both be in even more **** next election as a lot of people vote to keep a party out don't they? Hence the Libdem supporters bitter about their coalition.