MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Fifty million people registered to vote and elect 650 Westminster MPs
49.5 million people are registered to cast their votes in the UK general election on Thursday 7 May. Polls open at 07:00 BST at around 50,000 polling stations across the United Kingdom. A total of 650 Westminster MPs will be elected, with about 50 million people registered to vote. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesFor all the criticism of the UK, we have a Vote for many voices. We can make a mess of things or make things better; it's always I a state of flux, but that's Democracy. Knock it if you like, but it's better than having your mind in a perpetual prison.
May 07th, 2015 - 08:32 am - Link - Report abuse 0I shall vote today, and no one can tell me what to vote. It's up to me.
@1 I can't buy your vote with a sausage roll and can of coke? Ah, well.
May 07th, 2015 - 09:07 am - Link - Report abuse 0I thought it was about 42m registered to vote in the U.K. Just wondering where the 50m came from.
Elaine- no votes cannot be bought- unlike Argentina where in the 1970s the Peron Govt udsed an old voting list and the old folks who had since died were pout down as having voted for the Peronista Party!
May 07th, 2015 - 10:01 am - Link - Report abuse 0Mind you some disturbinbg news from Uk that a number of Pakistani-Indian folks have been coerced by some hardline religous leaders to get postal votes - and have to give them to the local mullah to fill in. Apparently the postal vote rules are to be changed for next time!
Democracy at work.
May 07th, 2015 - 10:03 am - Link - Report abuse 0@3 Yes, that was my point.
May 07th, 2015 - 10:09 am - Link - Report abuse 0Elaine@2...I get your drift; thanks. And I can have my can, and sausage roll, whenever and mostly wherever I wish- in our democracy.
May 07th, 2015 - 12:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@2
May 07th, 2015 - 01:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Make it a greggs sausage roll and a can of coke and you'll be able to buy my vote☺
@6 & 7 :)
May 07th, 2015 - 01:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I checked the figures, MP, and about 42m are registered to vote with about 30m expected to vote.
Who else is staying up to watch the results come in? I love when elections are as unpredictable as this one. Democracy at its' finest. The politicians have spoken, now it is in the hands of the people to decide.
I'm predicting a tory/ukip coalition.
May 07th, 2015 - 02:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Democracy would work a bit better with PR.
May 07th, 2015 - 03:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0First past the post has lost its rationale with the rise of UKIP, Greens and SNP.
@10 Yeah, I have thought about proportional representation but don't see how it would work exactly. MPs also represent their constituency interests. How would you decide which constituencies have to have a candidate the majority didn't vote for.
May 07th, 2015 - 04:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I looked at the alternative voting ideas and how they would have affected the last election. The Tories would still have had the majority and Labour second highest number of seats. LibDems would have gained some seats and the other remained about the same.
I also don't really agree with the 'rise' of alternative parties. We have always had a fair number of minority parties.
@9. I really hope that you're right. I think back to the scotch independence referendum and recall how many lies Fishface (Salmond) told. I remember the threats Swiney (Swinney) issued. Back in 1707, England gave scotland a loan. Never repaid. Now worth more than £2 quadrillion. And yet, in 2014, the scotch still wanted to TAKE 9% of the UK's assets and, moreover, pick which bits they wanted. Here's an incredible piece of effrontery. The scotch not only wanted to TAKE some of our existing Royal Navy frigates, they also wanted to TAKE frigates the UK hasn't even built yet! They wanted Typhoon jet aircraft. And who did they have to pilot or maintain them? Any refuelling aircraft? Yeah, the scotch glider force. Anyone remember the 'scotch oil industry' that, after the independence vote went the 'wrong' way and the oil price dropped through the bottom of the bucket, suddenly became the 'UK oil industry' when Fishface 2 (Sturgeon) 'demanded' that the British government step in to assist.
May 07th, 2015 - 05:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Doesn't Kirchner like to 'demand' as well? Didn't Kirchner send a 'mission' to the land of the scotch hoping for support? Anybody see any similarities between the SNP (frequently called the Scottish Nazi Party by the scotch) and the Kirchner 'party'?
And look at the alternatives. The 'party' generally referred to as Liebour. The weaselly LibDems. Pretty 'argie'. Bad things not their fault or they were 'forced'. There haven't been any 'good' LibDem things. The Greens? Vomit is often green. Back to Liebour. Consider Miliband standing at the podium in the UN. Frequently compared to Wallace of Wallace & Gromit fame. He stands up and the General Assembly dissolves into laughter and catcalls. Get off Milly-Willy. Who do we want? We don't want a kid being forced by his grandpa (Clegg & Cable). We don't want a pair of dipsticks (Miliband & Balls (also known as Ballsup)). We don't want vomit. Who would YOU trust to slaughter invading argies?
@11. Think about the eternal squabbling!
@12 I just don't know how it could work. Obviously, people in favour of PR have the perfect solution and I would love to hear it.
May 07th, 2015 - 05:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0#12
May 07th, 2015 - 06:09 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Suspicion and mistrust between the two countries had prevented the union throughout the 17th century. The Scots feared that they would simply become another region of England, being swallowed up as had happened to Wales some four hundred years earlier. For England the fear that the Scots may take sides with France and rekindle the 'Auld Alliance' was decisive. England relied heavily on Scottish soldiers and to have them turn and join ranks with the French would have been disastrous.
An important article concerned a cash payment, called the Equivalent, to Scotland: nearly £400,000 was used to compensate Scotland for sharing the responsibility for England's national debt of £18 million.
ACT RATIFYING AND APPROVING TREATY OF THE TWO KINGDOMS OF SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND . January 16, 1707 .
XV Whereas by the terms of this Treaty the subjects of Scotland, for preserving an equality of trade throughout the United Kingdom, will be liable to several customs and excises now payable in England, which will be applicable towards payment of the debts of England contracted before the Union, it is agreed that Scotland shall have an equivalent for what the subjects thereof shall be so charged towards payment of the said debts of England in all particulars whatsoever in manner following, viz., that before the union of the said kingdoms the sum of £ 398,085 10s. be granted to Her Majesty by the Parliament of England for the uses after mentioned, being the equivalent to be answered to Scotland for such parts of the said customs and excises upon all excisable liquors with which that kingdom is to be charged upon the Union as will be applicable to the payment of the said debts of England, according to the proportions which the present customs in Scotland.
Maybe I missed something here. You will no doubt be able to show me in the wording where your “ loan” is mentioned or could you just be gnashing your gums as per usual.
I take it you are voting English Nazi party ?
do you, 3rd class plebs, vote in this elections?
May 07th, 2015 - 06:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0if so, who are you going to vote for?
the edl?
lol
losers
@15 What is the reason for your obsession with class?
May 07th, 2015 - 06:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0We have a secret ballot here.
elaina
May 07th, 2015 - 06:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0bet ALL of you will vote for the same candidate.
about classes, you should explain that to me.
why all of you, and england in general are so obsessed with classes, classism, etc.
maybe this is the reason:
“Classism: A distraction from the pinch of poverty”
http://thebackbencher.co.uk/classism-a-distraction-from-the-pinch-of-poverty/
The mixed constituency / list system works OK in Scotland and Wales but lists are pretty miserable for democracy as it is impossible to get rid of someone who is top of list for a major party. So its just the same as having a lousy MP in a safe seat. Constituency PR works in NI, it actually over-represents the minority at present. But it is very complicated (first the quota has to be calculated, then votes counted, then reallocated, then recounted ad nauseum until all seats filled) and needs effective party machines to instruct their voters precisely who to vote for and in which order. Plus it takes all day to count. FPTP for all its faults is very quick and simple. Person with the most votes wins.
May 07th, 2015 - 06:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@18 When PR was applied - in theory - to the last election results, the predicted outcome was not so different to FPTP.
May 07th, 2015 - 06:57 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@17 You don't and never will know.
You are the only one here to constantly mention class in your posts. It is your very own obsession.
I have no idea why the Scots think that having one nationalist party in control of everything is in anyway a desirable, especially as we all saw their thugish behaviour towards other parties. It seems that they didn't want them in charge to run an independent country, but it's ok for them to be in charge when they have the English financially underwriting them. What a duplicitous two faced people they have become.
May 07th, 2015 - 09:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I expected some claptrap from the wee man by now, but we do have PC - the petite voice.
May 07th, 2015 - 10:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Interesting exit polls. This is going to be a fascinating night.
May 07th, 2015 - 10:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Exit polls have been confirming that a lot of people have been tactical voting like myself to prevent a Labour/SNP coalition..no one believes Miliband ...he would sell his principles and the UK to be Prime Minster...
May 07th, 2015 - 11:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If the exit polls are correct...that will be the finish of him....Yay....
Puppet @21....I put aside my preferences for the greater good...so STFU.....
Wee man??? I very much doubt we see eye to eye...your eye to my chin probably...
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7448/14217715423_6280d56d4a_o.jpg
The feather bonnet is just under 13 inches from the head band to the top.....so work out my height ...Wee man....;-)))
Voice, slapped in the moosh with a wet sturgeon! The socialist Scotch Republic.
May 07th, 2015 - 11:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Do you march, left, left,… .left left left. Bahahahaha
The exit polls won't be correct despite the last two being incredibly accurate.
May 08th, 2015 - 12:08 am - Link - Report abuse 023 Nobody wants to know about you Scotch bonnet.
“The exit polls won't be correct despite the last two being incredibly accurate.”
May 08th, 2015 - 01:26 am - Link - Report abuse 0Says the renowned political analyst Jo Bloggs....
It's UK elections we're talking about not sheep....stick to what you know....
23 wee man
May 08th, 2015 - 03:37 am - Link - Report abuse 0It doesn't matter how tall you claim to be - you're a “wee man”.
Well, at least you guys got rid of Cameron................
May 08th, 2015 - 05:50 am - Link - Report abuse 0:)
28 Stevie
May 08th, 2015 - 07:27 am - Link - Report abuse 0You fool
If anything, its a Conservative, and probably majority by 2 seats
You mean.... you didn't get rid of Cameron??
May 08th, 2015 - 07:41 am - Link - Report abuse 0Oh well... But I'm sure UKIP got plenty of seats...
#20 Englishworker
May 08th, 2015 - 09:34 am - Link - Report abuse 0I see your anti Scot rhetoric is in full flow again.
You are inferring hat the whole of Scotland voted SNP whereas 50% did.
That means that 50% did not ! But of course you would not mention that as it would interfere with your prejudice.
As to thugish behaviour you only had to look at the English press with their attitude to the SNP.
So I have become a duplicetous two faced individual because I would not grovel to the “self-proclaimed honest and admirable English” ?
The best bit of news was that George Galloway got dumped.
Anyway it should be interesting times with Alec Salmond back in Westminster.
He will run rings round the Tory posh boys !
When can we expect the workhouses and soup kitchens to open....that's Tory policy, isn't it ?
Soup kitchens.. It will be deoch bhan for those north of the border ; )
May 09th, 2015 - 08:40 am - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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