I reckon we won't get one but right now it would sort the sheep from the goats!
I think the Queen should call for a vote of no confidence.
Mmm...interesting suggestion
Yeah, because the queen has never expected the tax-payer to foot the bill for a life of expense-free luxury.
She must be horrified at the thought of the simple common people being forced to pay for having one's moat cleaned, or one's light bulbs changed.
I don't mind paying to have a monarch - I do mind the country being run by morally bankrupt MPs
Sheep & Goats, General Election...
Are we talking about the Indian results?
so what happens when the morally bankrupt MP's with blue rosettes on get in power?
same old, same old.
I've been reading a few other threads about a GE recently. What is the best way to show utter distain for the current system? Spoilt paper? Abstenance? Or voting for anyone who's not one of the big three?
Green party for me...
I am working (as of this week) on putting up one of my good friends for a general election next year. If one was to be called now we could not run him, as we do not have a platfrom or any strategy for so much as avoiding the loss of our deposit. Give me a year and we have a prayer. If one is called tomorrow my constituency is inevitably a two-way between Labour (who have a good PPC) and the Tory incumbent, who is an ass. Give it time. 🙂
I don't mind paying to have a monarch - I do mind the country being run by morally bankrupt MPs
how odd
yes odd indeed happy to be fleeced by a monarch we have little input into but unhappy with MP's who we can at least show our displeasure via say Question Time or say casting a vote
Anyone recal how long it took the royalty to pay tax and how one of their castles burned down and was rebuilt at our expense? Now the owners of this castle [the general public] can get entry to this property .....for a reasonable fee.
If I was starting from scratch with a blank sheet of paper, I would not design a constitution in which the absolute source of authority was a hereditary monarch acting as God's representative in the UK. And I certainly wouldn't design it so that there was no separation of power at all because most powers of the monarch were exercised by the majority leader in the legislature.
But I do not want to give Jack Straw the idea that it is OK for him to re-think these arrangements at this stage, because I have an easier time recognising God and the Queen as a source of legitimate authority at present than I do Jack Straw. 🙂
Think spoiling your paper is an utter waste of time - if everyone protests like that then the winning party will do so with only a very small percentage of the total votes... which is just going to perpetuate this bollox. Vote for a party which isn't one of the big 2, and preferably not that bunch of racist cocks.
I have an easier time recognising God and the Queen as a source of legitimate authority at present than I do Jack Straw
But by personlising the minister you are entirely missing the point IMO.
Our Queen purveys a fantastic image for our country all around the world and is also the head of the commonwealth. Also dont forget all the good work she does. I know its not hard 'graft' but she is well into her eighties and still 'working'.
Imagine if we had no monarchy and Brown was our president our number 1 head of state? What an even more p*ss poor situation that would be for our nation.
IMO our Queen is worth every penny she gets and long may it last.
anagallis_arvensis - not odd at all. I'd much rather have a King or Queen than a President any day - but that's not the real issue here.
I want all the corrupt MPs to lose their authority and positions and a GE would be one way that could happen but it would need to happen now not when everyone's forgotten all this dishonorable, disgraceful behavior.
RobS The BNP and UKIP are the ONLY parties who actually, genuinely give a sh*t about the country. The rest as have been proved are only in it for 'nest-feathering'.
I think voting for the two parties I have mentioned will only change the 'big 3's policies and behaviour for the better.
Our Queen purveys a fantastic image for our country all around the world and is also the head of the commonwealth. Also dont forget all the good work she does. I know its not hard 'graft' but she is well into her eighties and still 'working'.
Imagine if we had no monarchy and Brown was our president our number 1 head of state? What an even more p*ss poor situation that would be for our nation.
then
The BNP and UKIP are the ONLY parties who actually, genuinely give a sh*t about the country
no point me carrying on the discussion I'd just get abusive.
It surprises me how steamed up people are getting over MP's with their noses in the trough. This news story seems to be taking up so much of our MP's time that they can't be doing much else. The system appears to have ground to a halt over the matter.
The massive increases in public borrowing dwarf the sums these people have wrongly taken from the public purse. I guess it's the personal gain element of these expense claims, but our focus of frustration should really be on the gross incompetenece of government, financial regulators and the greedy bankers. The mess the economy is in is a far bigger issue than MP's on the fiddle!
For sure, MP's caught with their hand's in the till, like the individual with the mortgage claim for a non-existent loan, should go to prison!
MP's unfair pensions will cost us much more than the expenses issue however. What about putting them in the same boat as the rest of us? What about balancing the wider public sector's bullet proof pensions with those of the private sector? Did you know the average private pension will yield just £1600 per annum? A far cry from the puffed up claims of the salesman's patter, or the reassuring waffle from your employer!
YES, we need a general election! The current administration have shown they aren't up to the job and they have had long enough to get it right. In many cases they caused a lot of the problems they are claiming to put right now. Politicians - hypocrits!
Like any washed up administration, they will cling on to power to the bitter end unless they are forced to go to the country. In the meantime we'll have to endure more of their "do-gooder" commercially bereft idealism. Hugely expensive to the tax payer, but for little benefit (often resulting in further expense to the public purse).
Grumpy old fart that I am!
How would a general election change anything? Is it only the ministers currently in power who have been claiming expenses with the aid of a damaged moral compass?
The BNP and UKIP are the ONLY parties who actually, genuinely give a sh*t about the country
Oh dear.
trailmonkey - MemberThe BNP and UKIP are the ONLY parties who actually, genuinely give a sh*t about the country
Oh dear.
Indeed, an epic fail there. Numpty.
Agreed a general election on it's own would be hopeless if the system isn't sorted out but that I mean not only a correct functioning expenses procedure but also a fair way by which the peoples vote is counted. At some point there must be out of the 650 a selection of those that have show some moral standing i.e. not on the take.
Spongebob - you're right and what worries me most is that I get the feeling that it's been the banks that have been running the country instead of the government by way of back-handers to those MPs that have been recently caught out and were responsible for the key decision making.
It would be nice to hear what these fringe parties have to say for themselves,and if they make a fool of themselves in the process then so be it.I'm not sure how people can vote BNP when they only hear the parties policies via a biased standpoint of other parties or the opinions of media commentators.
I say give them a platform to tell you what they believe in,then make your own mind up.
[i]I want all the corrupt MPs to lose their authority [/i]
Most have, remember that most of these MPs have merely claimed what the system allows them to do. Most of the really bent ones (claiming for paid off motgages, married couples claiming for each others second homes etc etc) have been found out and either had the party whip withdrawn, or been "given" the option of paying it back.
GE isn't going to change a thing, same parties will contest it, the blue coloured one will probably win. Plus ca change...
The BNP and UKIP are the ONLY parties who actually, genuinely give a sh*t about the countryOh dear.
Oh dear oh dear oh dear.
Troll, or Care in the Community case?
Poor bloke. Life must be a constant torture for him... 🙁
Spongebob puts my opinions much better than I could express them. Concerning the Monarchy, sure they cost money, but the Monarch pays all the profits from Royal holdings into the Treasury, from which she gets back funding to run all the Royal households. I read somewhere that the Governent makes something like £30 million a year profit from the Queen, quite apart from money spent by tourists who come here because we have a Monarchy. FWIW, several years ago I read somewhere that the cost to the German people for running a Federal system was at least twice what our Monarchy costs us. Can you imagine what President Blair and his grinning harpy of a spouse would have cost us every year? And look at the cost of the American elections. Give me a Monarchy, and a House of Commons with a third less MP's in it, plus a non-partisan Upper House for checks and balances on the Lower House.
Can you imagine what President Blair and his grinning harpy of a spouse would have cost us every year?
Weren't the Blair's expenses claims [i]accidentally[/i] shredded?
Quote from sunday times
"The only honest man to enter parliament was Guye Fawkes"
...did you see the news about the BNP using an American stock photo on their leaflet about keeping 'British jobs for British workers'...
...and the Polish Spitfire....
Twunts, utter, utter twunts.
did you see the news about the BNP using an American stock photo on their leaflet about keeping 'British jobs for British workers'
The only time I'll be suprised is when they're [b] not[/b] making asshats of themselves.
Weren't the Blair's expenses claims accidentally shredded?
No it was done on purpose.
Spot the italics?
Anyone for a revolution? Or a nice cup of tea, perhaps?
anagallis_arvensis - Memberno point me carrying on the discussion I'd just get abusive.
No need to get abusive.
Just point out to the daft racist plonker the complete and utter absurdity of suggesting that as an alternative, to vote for the two most corrupt, dishonest, and criminal, parties in British politics.
No party offers the British people more convicted criminals as candidates, than BNP.
Here are some of [b]the most recent cases[/b] where BNP members have been convicted :
[url= http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/the-real-bnp/BNP-a-party-of-convictions.php ]BNP: A party of convictions[/url]
UKIP the 'posh' racists, or 'BNP with blazers' if you will, are now down to just 9 MEPs.
In the case of Ashley Mote UKIP MEP for South East England, he was convicted and jailed on [b]21[/b] counts of [b]fraud[/b].
[url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6975627.stm ]UKIP MEP is jailed for benefit fraud[/url]
Tom Wise UKIP MEP for the East of England, he was charged last month with false accounting and money laundering after an investigation into claims that they misused thousands of pounds of expenses.
[url= http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6136068.ece ]UKIP MEP Tom Wise charged with fiddling accounts and money laundering[/url]
Those two organisations of nasty, corrupt, lying racists, which Oxboy is so keen to support, make politicians of the main parties seem like complete amateurs and, positively saintly, in comparison.
But tell me Oxboy, do you extend that call to vote BNP to [b]all[/b] users of this forum - including black and asian ones ?
Your answer would be interesting as it would suggest how close you are to the BNP. Because the 'official' BNP line is that they are of course not racist. Far from it - in fact, it is [b]them[/b] who are the 'victims of racism'. In the same way as the German Nazis claimed that they were the 'victims of Judaism'.
The BNP extend this breathtakingly absurd logic to democracy. The most fundamentally anti-democratic party in Britain today, constantly whinges on a daily basis that it is denied it's democratic rights - it is indeed the 'victim of anti-democratic actions'.
Still, conspirational paranoia is nothing new when it comes to fascists and racists - it must surely be after all, some form of mental illness ...
I can't stand the BNP, that was an awful call from Oxboy.
But I am considering voting UKIP for the European Elections only.
..."the most fundamentally anti-democratic party in Britain today"... I thought that was Nu Labour. :0)
We do need a shake-up in British politics, so that people feel re-connected with the political process and don't feel the need to go BNP as a 'protest' vote.
I was actually considering going Green myself... pretty sure they give a damn about the country. Indeed - they give a damn about the whole planet, which has to be even better 😉 I may go Lib Dem even - used to vote SNP but moved south of the border!
I will drive nails through my eyeballs long before I vote BNP or UKIP thanks.
SamThomas - MemberI can't stand the BNP, that was an awful call from Oxboy.
But I am considering voting UKIP for the European Elections only.
Eh? Whilst praps not quite as bad as the BNP, they are still a pretty dodgy bunch of right-wingers, who would drag this country backwards, socially and culturally. Robert Kilroy Silk, anyone?
Lib-Dems here as the candidate will probably be a friend of a friend. Greens as a an outside bet.
I will never vote fascist/racist the last bastion of the ill-informed.
where is the screaming lord when you need him ?
A BNP leaflet came through our door the other day. Apparently we need to vote for them to stop the flood of 80 million muslim turks. The population of Turkey is 72 million.
They're not all utterly corrupt, our Lib Dem MP, David Howarth, commutes to London by train from Cambridge and claimed nothing for a 2nd home, as he doesn't have one - just claimed for rail fares.
[i]just claimed for rail fares[/i]
i pay for my own commute to work.
SamThomas - MemberI can't stand the BNP, that was an awful call from Oxboy.
But I am considering voting UKIP for the European Elections only.
Eh? Whilst praps not quite as bad as the BNP, they are still a pretty dodgy bunch of right-wingers, who would drag this country backwards, socially and culturally. Robert Kilroy Silk, anyone?
Sorry,
To make it clearer.
I generally dislike UKIP, but I also hate the EU. And they are the only party who will get us out of the EU, hence voting for them for the European elections. Note, [u]only[/u] the european elections.
I am quite a fan of the green party otherwise.
Pieface - if you're going to start ridiculing the BNP and what their dipstick members say, then this thread will run and run.
I'll throw this contribution in anyway ......
[url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/local-elections/5331700/British-pensioners-on-BNP-election-leaflet-are-actually-Italian-models.html ]'British pensioners' on BNP election leaflet are actually Italian models[/url]
they are the only party who will get us out of the EU
That's not true.
[url= http://no2eu.com/candidates.html ]No2EU - Yes to Democracy[/url]
True. Maybe I should have said, only big party.
Oh dear, I think you people are under the impression that we live in a democratic society.
You may say it was a bad call by me and I must be a 'care in the community case' or have a 'mental illness', but voting Green wont ever worry the main stream parties. They would laugh that one off. To be honest who wouldnt? Voting far right will thats their worst fear!
If anything will make them put their houses in order that will.
Ah well back to my padded cell.
😈
Dear God. I thought he'd crawled back under his stone... 🙄
Let's just keep voting for either head of the phallus, just to keep the other out. How traditionally servile. You Brits know your place.
Or maybe vote for somebody else.
?who would drag this country backwards, socially and culturally.
And I suppose it's taken for granted amongst some folks here and the pro-globalisation types that "new arrivals" do the opposite?
Go to bed; you're obviously tired, and this is all a bit too much for you.
Ooooh, stuck for a response? again?
Nice to know that "rudeboy" is pro globalisation. What would your brethren back home think?
Sorry, you've lost me there. I have no idea what you're talking about.
I suspect neither do you, really.
But feel free to blether away; I may have a read in the morning, if I feel like a laugh.
Nighty night!
Have you gone to bed?
Are you tired?
Is this too much for you?
Sorry, you've lost me there. I have no idea what you're talking about.
Unsurprisingly.
I suspect neither do you, really.
A "rudeboy" ad hominem response. I've noticed he does this frequently. Play the ball sweetie, play the ball...
But [b]feel free to blether away[/b]; I may have a read in the morning, if I feel like a laugh.
Hmmm, thank you. Here, have some Dopamine. Considering your documented fear of "early rising" and "life style" presence on this mountainbike forum, it suggests you may have little else to do today. Have a laugh on me.
Nighty night!
It's mid morning here, but you weren't to know that. Outside of your specula etc...
just claimed for rail faresi pay for my own commute to work.
To be fair, MPs are supposed to have two "work sites": Westminster and their home constituency office. I think it's fair that he claims for travel from home to one of those offices (but not both simultaneously). I think that would be the practice in most private companies.
I also would say that I don't mind if non-Home Counties MPs rent a 1-bedroom apt in Zone 1/2 at market rates. Again, most private companies that needed their employees at a remote location for an extended period would do the same thing. There are hundreds of serviced/executive apartment companies in London filled with businesspeople. But this whole "live with my parents, pay rent to my sister, dredge my moat" bullsh1t is just taking the pish.
"...quite apart from money spent by tourists who come here because we have a Monarchy. FWIW, several years ago I read somewhere that the cost to the German people for running a Federal system was at least twice what our Monarchy costs us."
This makes no sense whatsoever.
1) People don't visit the UK because it has a monarchy today. Some of them come to gawp at the old castles, absolutely true. But if the monarchy were abolished, they would still come. People still visit Versailles, the Kremlin, the Taj Mahal, Neuschwanstein Castle and whatever the castle in Prague is called even though their royal families have been shot/dissolved/expropriated/whatever.
In fact, if the monarchy were abolished, the tourists would be able to wander around more of the palaces because the dole scum would have been evicted.
2) The German Federal government has actual, operational/executive responsibility for external relations, federal law, enviromental regulation, standards etc for a population of 82 million people. The cost of the monarchy just has to manage the affairs of a small number of people in the household. If what you say is accurate, then the fact that they need half the German federal budget to do it is a searing indictment of their ineptitude and inefficiency.
In practice I think your figure just doesn't make sense or is missing some vital information. Perhaps you can dig up the relevant info.
I had to google what specula are. I wish I hadn't bothered!
So are we are agreed, all main political parties suck and we need electoral reform?
So what's your party going to be called and what's your manifesto? (keep it brief pls).
Mine would be along the lines of a commercially focused but socially responsible party. Focused on aiding enterprise at all levels, not giving freeloaders a comfortable ride, but rewarding industry. No extra special treatment for any one group - we are all the same aren't we? A Meritocracy run by a toff free bunch of normal people! Local councils that treat people like customers instead of cash cows. Encouraging all people to focus on personal responsibility, especially regarding finances. We ought to be living within out means. Having a little consideration for the effects our own actions might have on others.
And I could bang on for pages and pages about what I might do. Less of my ideas, what about yours?
1.) People don't visit the UK because it has a monarchy today
Ummm, actually thats not true IMHO, in a totally unscientific sample of people I've met from Canada, Caribbean, NZ and other commonwealth countries, a lot of people from the ex colonies want to come over here to see the Queen as they are proud of their/our Royal Family.
The Queens birthday is a public holiday in most of the commonwealth, FFS most UK citizens don't even know when it is!
Oxboy ... you've obviously read my post, but you haven't answered my question - why not ?
It was a very simple and straightforward question. And you're clearly keen to give advise on how people on this forum should vote.
So I'll ask the question again.
Are you calling on [i]just[/i] British born white forum users to vote BNP, or are you saying that black and asian forum users should also vote BNP ?
Please answer the question ....... I think you should.
If it weren't for their completely cloud cuckoo, away with the fairies 'defence policies' I'd probably vote Green.
uh?
A multi-cultural society benefits our nation in many ways. I supposrt it fully. What is not good is letting anyone come and live here without knowing if they can contribute, whether they qualify to live here. Britain should not be a free for all! The BNP is morally broke and harbour too many knuckle heads who display the ugliest tendencies. They are just wrong! Parties like these make it impossible to rationally debate immigration without being immediately branded as a bigot and a racist. So we end up in a right old mess and still nobody can open their mouths to suggest a solution without being shot down for being,,, racist.
I suspect that is why the main parties avoid the subject like the plague.
"FFS most UK citizens don't even know when it is!"
But we dont care, thats the point.
Parties like these make it impossible to rationally debate immigration without being immediately branded ans a bigot and a racist.
But only if we choose to let them make it impossible. I'm more than happy to have to 'rationally debate immigration'. And I have absolutely no fear of been branded a bigot and a racist. Because I know I'm not.
Although I'm always suspicious of those who 'fear' being branded as bigots and racists - as I suspect that it's often, because they actually are.
FFS most UK citizens don't even know when it is
We might do if we got a day's holiday out of it too.
Sooner have a republic myself.
I got a BNP leaflet through the door today. Went out and asked the postman not to put stuff like that through my door. He does not in any way want to, but is legally obliged to (along with all other parties' manifesto leaflets). He said he'd rather just put them all in the bin, but he'd lose his job. fair enough.
The BNP don't desrve to be part of 'democracy'. Like **** would they allow it, if God Forbid they ever came to power. Bunch of nonces, thugs and wife-batterers...
SP doesn't 🙂
So the BNP can't count on your support these coming elections then RudeBoy ?
Although I suggest you that should hold your fire before making a final decision ..... I'm think Oxboy might come back to tell non-white forum users how they should vote.
Ooh, you're right. And DrDoolittle/Sodafarls, too... 😯
Now that's not fair RB, unless I'm mistaken, there's only one person on this forum who urged people to vote BNP.
........ I'm just waiting to find out if his post was only aimed at white British born people on here.
[url] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8054657.stm [/url]
These people have no shame or honour
Yeah, Oxboy seems like a simpleton, whilst Sodoolittle just likes a good joust.
Bored now anyway.