MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
UK electoral campaign takes off; no party expected to win a clear majority
British Prime Minister David Cameron paid a courtesy call on Queen Elizabeth II, then launched a most non courteous attack on his main political rival as campaigning formally began Monday in the most unpredictable U.K. election in decades. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesI really hope Cameron gets kicked out on is pompous ass and takes that witch Teresa May with him.
Mar 31st, 2015 - 10:38 am - Link - Report abuse 0.....and to be replaced by red Ed and Alex Salmond.
Mar 31st, 2015 - 12:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Horrific
I think Cameron is the least bad option. I just hope the SNP aren't in any position to dictate events. Would Milliband really sell out the UK just to achieve his ambition of being PM?
Mar 31st, 2015 - 12:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@ 1
Mar 31st, 2015 - 12:37 pm - Link - Report abuse 0What! ... Vote this -
http://cdn.spectator.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brookes_SE3.jpg
Get this....
http://cdn.spectator.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brookes_SE3.jpg
Anyone voting for the conservatives had better prepare themselves for cuts of the like you have never known before, if they get in next time, the fire service, the police, social services, courts & judicial services, probation, UK border Agency, customs and excise, local authority services and many more. These will all be diminished beyond anything you would recognise and how long will it be before they start on the precious NHS, not long in my opinion.
Mar 31st, 2015 - 01:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You may think that these services don't matter, when they are gone, they are gone and in three more years of a Conservative government they will be.
Now let me think about this one...should I vote for Labour that dragged us into the recession that we are now only just clawing out way out of ....or the Tories that have brought us out of it....Mmmm....
Mar 31st, 2015 - 01:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Tough one...
Although I do have a problem...vote for Tories or Labour in Scotland is really a non vote and helps the SNP... only a Liberal vote has any chance....
A vote for SNP would give more influence in UK Parliament and may hold the balance of power....
So....what do I do...?
5 Britworker
Mar 31st, 2015 - 02:43 pm - Link - Report abuse 0All these services need to be sustainable based on national income. It's very nice to live beyond our means but it needs to be within afforable costs while also repaying the enormous national debt we already have.
I notice you missed out welfare payments which is the most astonomically large of all government expenditure.
“So....what do I do...?”
Mar 31st, 2015 - 02:47 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Indeed, an intriguing question - just one facet of an abundance of 'whatiferies' around this election.
It may depend upon how canny the Scots are. Certainly it may be an appealing prospect to have the tail that could wag the dog. However, in the independence referendum, Scots had the power to rid themselves of the Union, but aside from the Rab C Nesbitts , they chose not to do so. This was particularly so in the Western Isles, where all things are SNP, and nothing moves without a ‘grant’ or ‘subsidy’. They recognised that SNP give out freebies, however, they understood where the money really comes from. So yes it will be fascinating.
@7
Mar 31st, 2015 - 03:18 pm - Link - Report abuse 0When you ring for a police officer and a Latvian on minimum wage turns up in a G4S van and you have to ring a language line to tell him what has happened, you will be sorry you voted to get rid of your British bobby. That is what the Conservative government are planning.
True - they are also planning to bring back the workhouse, debtors prison and press gangs to help man the navy.
Mar 31st, 2015 - 03:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@10
Mar 31st, 2015 - 05:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Joking aside, we Brits are accustomed to safe streets and good public services for the most part, the Conservatives do not need to cut as deep and as fast as they are planning.
France had 120,000 ARMED police officers available to deal with the Charlie Ebdo massacre out of 220,000 officers in total. The UK has only 6000 armed officers and they want to reduce the total number of all officers in the UK down from 120,000 to 80,000, the vast majority unarmed, that is unbelievably dangerous.
How the hell is the UK going to be able to deal with a similar incident. The UK is probably the second best target after the US for Islamic terrorism and we are well overdue another attack, a 'spectacular' the terrorists call them. You cannot cut your police to these levels in just a few short years and expect no serious consequences.
We will have less police than Sri Lanka, Poland and by comparison vastly less than other countries with far less influence in the world. For example:
Argentina - 205,000
Bangladesh - 135,000
Germany - 243,000
Spain - 243,000
Italy - 276,000
So the UK, the fastest growing economy in Europe with the only growing population, thinks it can police it all with 80,000 officers - they are off their f***ing rockers!
9Britworker. This is so true. The left hate and distrust the police, its in their socialist DNA and the right want to 'own' the police to protect themselves and cow the rest of the population, it is in their DNA. The police are only just hanging on by a thread as the independant Office that they were intended to be, but either side will deliver the coup de grace within weeks of the election being concluded. This will reduce our country to that of others who have Roman or Napolionic based gendarmerie based justice systems.
Mar 31st, 2015 - 05:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Got to laugh, labours latest election gem, complaining about how long it has taken for the Tories to clear up the ferkin mess labour left us in, PMSL at that one! If labour want my vote, they better stop treating us like a bunch of half wit mugs with short memories!
Mar 31st, 2015 - 06:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I find it astounding that most people here blame Labour for the global financial crisis that beset us.
Mar 31st, 2015 - 06:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Between 1997 and 2007 our economy grew faster than any major European economy (inc. France, Germany, and Italy).
We suffered badly in the financial crisis largely because of our somewhat over-reliance on our large financial services sector.
@ 14 inthegutter
Mar 31st, 2015 - 07:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You seem to have forgotten that The Cunt Brown © Jeremy Clarkson 2010 started it all in the UK when he bailed out Northern Rock because he couldn't weather the loss of 6,000 Labour votes in the NE.
He then, together with the US Fed, declared certain organisations were too big to fail instead of letting them take their medicine after failing at the game of Russian roulette they were all playing with other people's money. It was the trading arm of these outfits that brought the shit storm down on prudent investors such as myself.
And, they are still at it, so that really worked well, NOT.
The result is all too clear to see: massive national debts bailing out many organisations and indeed countries which the present idiots have no chance of ever clawing back.
If they win the next election they will make the term “austerity” a national disaster for many generations to come.
Until the fiscal drag caused by the EU is removed from the UK it will always be thus.
VOTE UKIP!
The best way to vote,
Mar 31st, 2015 - 07:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0is to vote the day AFTER the referendum,
then you wont have to moan for the next five years, wishing you had voted for the other party,
and you cant be blamed either...lol
still,
if you wake up in time, before you go back for another kip-
vote UKIP, ..
@16
Mar 31st, 2015 - 09:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I always voted Conservative, I know what is coming with them and their cuts will be jaw dropping by anyone's standards.
I don't particularly want to vote labour, UKIP are my preferred option but my concern is that they will align with the Conservatives.
Its going to be difficult, i'm still a bit undecided I suppose, but it definitely won't be Conservative
Thanks for the advice folks on how I should vote....not...
Mar 31st, 2015 - 10:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If I vote SNP...what if they align with Labour and Labour get in....
This is a difficult election...
There is no clever vote....
Decisions , decisions,
Mar 31st, 2015 - 11:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 013 years and bankrupt, you cant repair this in just 5 years,
so the conns do need more time,
13 years and just over 4 million unemployed,
the conns have it below 1.9 million,
they need more time,
Labour then cannot be trusted,
the dippy libs cant even govern themselves.
the conservatives, will probably get back in with the majority they need, of the help of UKIP,
ukip I think will bring change , they may not get in, but I hope they get enough votes to have some power over the conns in a coalition,
at the very least they would get us our referendum on Europe,
I think I will vote UKIP,
just my opinion.
@ 15 ChrisR
Apr 01st, 2015 - 01:12 am - Link - Report abuse 0Sorry, you slightly lost me there. Just for clarity, who did you mean when you wrote;
”If THEY [my capitals] win the next election THEY will make the term “austerity” a national disaster for many generations to come.
Thanks!
#15
Apr 01st, 2015 - 09:15 am - Link - Report abuse 0The bailouts were not the problem. If we hadn't bailed out the banks the whole crisis would have been much much worse. Of course, it's difficult to prove this. The problem was the serious lack of regulation before hand; both Labour and the Conservatives were complicit in this.
The undeniable fact however, is that during Labour's last tenure, prior to the GLOBAL financial crisis (a largely external event), that our economy grew faster (and debt shrunk) than any other large advanced European economy.
IMO, some of UKIP's concerns (or more accurately the concerns of those who vote for UKIP) are legitimate; for example the impact of unskilled immigration from the EU and the slide towards European federalism. However, the problem with UKIP is that these sensible concerns go hand in hand with “good old fashioned conservatism” (why do they want to scrap sex education for under 11s?) . Their politicians are often demonstrated to be homophobic, racist, and/or sexist. Moreover, many of them come across as naive amateurs.
It now appears lucky that the Conservatives did such a good job at convincing everyone to vote down the AV proposal as both UKIP and the Tories will suffer.
I dislike fixed electoral terms. Thankfully we would need a referendum to change our federal elections.
Apr 01st, 2015 - 11:54 am - Link - Report abuse 0I probably dislike them more than all the Chicken Littles on here.
Inthegutter:
Apr 01st, 2015 - 12:37 pm - Link - Report abuse 01. Current immigration policy of both Labour and Conservatives is inherently racist... if you're European, come on in; if you're not, full points selection. UKIP proposes points apply to everyone. Yet that's racist, apparently.
2. UKIP at least attempts to root it out and expel it - that woman activist recently was expelled as soon as her comments came out. Others too. Diane Abbott said something equally racist several years ago and is still a serving Labour MP! And she's not the only in Lab or Con.
3. UKIP bar ex-BNP from joining. Labour have at least 6 serving as county councillors with many more as members. The Tories too have ex-BNP in their ranks.
4. UKIP's female PPC's are chosen on merit, not all-female shortlists like the other parties. I'd say that was less sexist. And if you're referring to Godfrey Bloom - he was expelled from the party for sexism, wasn't he?
5. UKIP's Scotland MEP is openly gay and UKIP's LGBT branch is very active. A number of their PPC's are also openly gay.
6. As for naive amatuers, well, unlike other politicians, they've all had jobs in the real world before politics. For example, I'd rather have an ex-soldier (UKIP's defence spokesman) in charge of the MoD than some Oxbridge grad who read PPE and has never worked outside Westminster, wouldn't you?
I'm not a UKIP member but the spin, lies, and double standards inflicted on them by politicians and media alike stinks to high heaven. Agree or not with UKIP, but at least objectively read what they say for yourself and then form an opinion. I'm certain you already have, but too many haven't and could be missing out on the chance to finally take Con and Lab to task for decades of mismanagement and deceit.
23
Apr 01st, 2015 - 01:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0That's all very well, back down in the reality sphere UKIP are not going to be in power so what exactly will a UKIP vote achieve in relation to a Labour or Conservative Govt...
Is it a Con or Lab vote...?
Well, even without MP's, after the EU elections they didn't do too bad at driving Lab and Con into debates they wanted to avoid. Because of UKIP, Cameron has promised a (sure to be rigged big time!) referendum on the EU.
Apr 01st, 2015 - 03:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0And because they realised how many voters they're losing, Con, Lab and Lib are now discussing immigration without immediately branding anyone who does as racist - so much so, Con are copying UKIP and even Lab are saying they want to control immigration. They're both vote hunting, obviously.
And this was before UKIP got 2 MP's - something else that made people stop and think when both called a by-election after defecting. A long list of Con, Lab, and Lib defectors never did that. With more MP's, especially with a minority/small majority government, UKIP could drive the debate even more.
In the reality sphere, you're right, UKIP won't be in power. But where they stand a chance of getting a seat, I would vote for them. In my own constituency they're not standing (Lib Dem safe seat with, in fairness, a decent incumbent).
Other than that, the Con's appear to have policies, right or wrong, good or bad. Labour just seem to have poor soundbites and naff all else. If they get in, Milibrain, with Salmond grinding the organ, will destroy the country and hand it to Brussels before we ever get the chance to vote them out again.
@ 20 ilsen
Apr 01st, 2015 - 05:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I apologise for getting myself all in a tizwas about the election.
It is the Conservatives that will make the UK look worse than Greece regarding austerity if they attain unfettered government.
If they have to align with UKIP to form a government the UK will at last get a referendum on the EU.
Thanks ChrisR. I understand your point better.
Apr 01st, 2015 - 07:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Now, about this here referendum of which you speak. ...
Just imagine the UK holds a referendum on IN/OUT of the EU and then Argentina completely ignores the results and keeps on telling lies about the status of the UK and Europe. ... and keeps trying to drum up support for their version.
Or saying it is disputed, or calling it the European Question or something. ..
What you gonna do then?*
(They've got form for it, you know. ..)
* lol!
;-0 )))))))))
@27 Ilsen
Apr 01st, 2015 - 07:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It'll be the EU that ignore the result, assuming we get a no vote in the first place since it will be so misleading, loaded and rigged. Cleggie already loading it by saying EU migrants and 16-18 year olds should be allowed to vote and that he should have a say in what the question actually is.
The Electoral Commission will have it's work cut out - apparently the europhiles have been getting advice in the best way to run elections from the Tower Hamlets council... they're expecting a turnout of 117% with 101% giving a Yes vote!!!
I hope the sheeple wake up, smell the coffee and vote No if and when it happens. If not, we'll become regions of the EU and Argentina will be able to waltz in to Port Stanley with no UK in existence to prevent it (topical for you) along with all the horrible repercussions for us that will follow.
Schneckster
Apr 01st, 2015 - 08:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I was enjoying reading all your well laid out posts until you too went all Chicken Little at the end too.
Chicken Little? ROFL!
Apr 01st, 2015 - 08:47 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Well, in the 70's we (well I didn't, I was about 2 at the time) voted for a common market. Now, we have an EU President, EU flag, EU national anthem, EU foreign minister, EU central bank, EU Court and EU currency. They have already said that since they now have all those, for which none of us voted, they need an EU Army to ensure it's foreign policy carries weight... commentators have suggested this as the reason for UK defence cuts in recent years... and an internal defence force. The UK is already marked up as regions but given the speed at which sovereignty is being handed to Brussels, Westminster will quickly become an anachronistic fop to delude us we still elect our government. The House of Lords issued a report stating that approx 75% of our laws now come from Brussels, most of which are enacted by Westminster as “Statutory Instruments” requiring no Commons debate or vote for it to become UK law.
They have overruled 2 national referenda (France and Ireland), threatened reprisals against Iceland for rescinding their application, and threatened legal action against Switzerland (non-member) for not following EU law. They effectively deposed the Italian government to get a technocrat in charge and pretty much brought down the Greek government, though that's backfiring. And as for what they've stoked up in Ukraine...
Given the EU's lack of support for EU law in the border problems with Spain over Gibraltar and regular incursions into Gib waters by Spanish vessels, do you really think they give a damn about BOT's like the Falklands?
Call me Chicken Little if you like but when the EU President says “If The Public Doesn't Want EU Expansion, 'We Do It Anyway'” and, among others, has previously said that nation states should be abolished, then I'd rather “cluck” than go “baaa”.
@ 27 ilsen
Apr 01st, 2015 - 09:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Do what we do now: ignore them until they are stupid enough to try something physical on the Islanders and then do what The Blessed Margaret failed to do because of the idiot Raygun Ronnie Reagan and destroy the infrastructure of the top end of TDC.
Starting with the Casa Rosada and then ALL aircraft runways however designated (inc the Chin one), all standing planes, all the train stations and major rail junctions, the major road and junction structures, all power stations (ex. nuclear) and of course sink the rest of the ships of the laughingly called 'navy': but you expected that response, didn't you?
That would cause at least 50 pence worth of damage and put them back to the 1800's.
Well worth the cost in diplomatic flack and Gollum (if he still lives) making his way to the UN (on foot of course) to make a complaint.
The argies are so stupid it will come to that.
Both Gibraltar and Falkland Islands are still British with not even a glimmer of change.
Apr 02nd, 2015 - 10:17 am - Link - Report abuse 0Chicken Little.
@ChrisR Ambo
Apr 02nd, 2015 - 05:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Do what we do now: ignore them until they are stupid enough to try something physical on the Islanders and then do what The Blessed Margaret failed to do because of the idiot Raygun Ronnie Reagan and destroy the infrastructure of the top end of TDC.”
And then what Idiot?, where are you going to hide to avoid complete destruction?
Are you planning to commite suicide or what?
@ 33 DanyBerger
Apr 02nd, 2015 - 07:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I do wish La Camping It Up would find the original DanyBerger, the one with the brain and experience in plastic printing / modelling instead of twats like you.
Do we have to tolerate your utter stupidity, for example:
“And then what Idiot?, where are you going to hide to avoid complete destruction?”
How would that come about when what was left of the population would have no electricity (as usual), no water (as usual), no sewage system (as usual), no government to 'organise' the 'workers' [that one really cracks me up] and best of all: NO MONEY!
WTF is going to come to your aid, the Chin? Don't think so and don't expect anybody in SA to lift a finger to help in case they get much of the same for themselves.
You clearly have not understood the complete and utter desolation the action I really hope does happen if you attack the Islands again. No way of moving anything anywhere: people, goods, fuel, anything.
TDC really would be DARK! And all of you would be howling how unfair it was on you lot, just because you attacked the Malvinas! Who'd have thunk it?
Ha, ha, ha, stupid argies.
@ChrisR
Apr 03rd, 2015 - 01:15 am - Link - Report abuse 0Still same Dany mate, just ask..
what you have posted have no sense
Ok I know that you will come now with your sub and BMG 109 T missiles, etc.
Well lets see... Obama refused to perform an attack over Syria infrastructure with Tamahawks because first will be not effective and also so expensive they cost close to 2 million dollar each. And for Syria they calculated a cople of hundreds of them to be used.
This missile is not intended to perform massive attaks, because you want to left Argentina without water, electricity, transportation and all the shit you can imagine, right? Is what you said.
Syria is a little country with a surface of 185.180 km2 and with little infrastructure.
Argentina has more than 15 times the territory of Syria and with far larger infrastructure and desiminated all over the territory (think to bomb a territory comparable to the EU) now get your calculator and figure out how many missiles would you need to destroy Argentina's infrastructure and not be killed in the process.
can you see? Not even buying the total US production of BMG 109 your will archive that.
Also the Americans will not sell you missiles to bomb Argentine soil, and if they do and the argis just sit to see how you bomb them you will be broke because US calculates 10 billons per year to archive that in Syria and you will need 10 years to do the same in Argentina and will be 15 time more expensive.
Yo cannot launch 3000 missiles all together to archive what you say.
But Russia and China will be more than happy to sell missiles to Argentina the next day after your first launch to reach you in UK meanwhile they assemble their argies nukes and you will be easy than Syria to be bombed.
Imagine the BOE blowed up, the stock exchange and the city of London, with 3 shots game over for Britain and total chaos. Haha
You are an old lion without teeth and wanting to eat a big elephant.
Be carefull to not be crashed by the elephant
Can we talk about plastics now?
Well, apparently the SNP and UKIP did well
Apr 03rd, 2015 - 11:48 am - Link - Report abuse 0the labour lib/dem fell down the well,
conservatives built the well
and the greens threw money into the well,
and of course the welsh lady just wished for more money,
2 hours of boredom for most,
but despite the rhetoric UKIP did rather well.
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