MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Vince Cable seems to be stirring the jobbies a bit of late. So what happens if they two parties decide that enough is enough and they no longer want to share power?
the sky will fall in
Vote of no confidence in the PM / government - if it passes new government to be formed that can get a vote thru, if not new elections
No chance of the coalition lasting IMO- the lib dems are gong to be hammered in the holyrood election and the english councils and will not get the AV vote thru.
Lib demns totally finished either way
no brainer new election after vote of no confidence i suppose Tories could try a minority govt as technically the crown calls an elections /asks someone to form a govt but seems highly unlikely they would ignore parliament
Wouldn't be at all surprised if the coalition falls apart shortly after the AV vote.
theyll all be out of a job and forced to sign on at the dole office
😆
i imagine it will be a torry minority government
personally i dont think the lib dems or the torries will let it fail, both too keen to stay in power
cable may well be sidelined even further hes a liability for cleggover
the whole world goes into a cataclysmic explosion of desperate unfounded concern.
the general public will hardly notice.
The uncertainty amongst the public and business will do the recovery no good whatsoever IMO. We need to believe the future looks better than the present for the recovery to be sustained
wishful thinking does seem like an excellent foundation to base your economy on
I just wonder what Cable has got on cameron?
I mean why hasnt the senile ol'giffer been given the long walk with the shotgun already by now?
Stoner - he has the power base inthe Lib dems - if he is sacked he would be able to take the coalition down. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer
gone past that now, shirley?
It's a busted flush anyway.
call a general, let labour back in to take the shit on the chin they dodged in 2010. There's virtually no difference in the spending plans between the two anyway when you look at what's affordable. Might as well let blinky take crap for it since he helped make the mess.
Nooooooooo, there would be nothing worse than Labour getting back in.
They f***ed up this country right royally with their 'borrow now - pay later' short sightedness. Edd Milliband hasn't got a clue has he? Where are his policies to tackle the debt? Oh I forgot he doesn't seem to have any. His constant criticizing of the Con/Dems smacks of desperation - perhaps trying to deflect attention away from Labour's lack of any credible alternative.
Yeah some failed votes then no confidence then dissolution and elections. Probably get a similar result too. Cable is just rattling Cams cage to remind him he's meant to be a one nationist not a Thatcherite.
They f***ed up this country right royally with their 'borrow now - pay later' short sightedness
yes nothing happened to the econmomy or banking [started in the american sub prime market] it was just labours fault. the tories agreed to match their spending btw prior to the collapse and george praised Ireland.
Junkyard, what happened in America only effected us in the way it did because the Labour government allowed under regulation, over exposure and reckless lending by UK banks to continue. This served through bubbling house prices and credit card lending to give the nation a false sense of security and wealth - a false security all built on borrowed money.
In the meantime Labour were employing more quangos and 'Jobs for the Boys' in the grossly inefficient public sector. Again all at the taxpayers expense funded by more borrowed money we couldn't pay back. Then there's the benefits system which Labour has let get way, way out of hand but lets not even go there.
No, the Tories are not perfect but they do seem to be tackling the problem head on. You may not like taking your medicine but then again who does? At least the Tories seem to stand up for the people who want to work, to build businesses that provide employment and ultimately wealth for the country through exports. Labour on the other hand seemed committed to ever increasing house prices and a benefits culture that rewards no-one but the workshy spongers in our midst.
Vince Cable seems to be stirring the jobbies a bit of late.
I don't see any problem at all. Vince Cable has made a point of not criticising Tory policy since being in government - and he still hasn't.
Criticising David Cameron for "inflaming extremism", or anything else simular for that matter, is meaningless cheap talk, as long as he doesn't criticise David Cameron's policies - and well he knows it.
The single most discredited individual is this squalid little pact between the Tories and the LibDems is Vince Cable - more so than even Nick Clegg imo. The backtracking and political acrobatics which Cable has had to preform since the general election is nothing short of breathtaking, he now badly needs to score some brownie points so that he doesn't look like just another Tory in the eyes of his party.
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Ed Milliband hasn't got a clue has he? .......... His constant criticizing of the Con/Dems smacks of desperation
Hardly desperation.........why would he be "desperate" ffs ? Every opinion poll for a considerable amount of time now, shows that he would be the next Prime Minister if a general election were to be held.
Even you appear to understand the situation with your comment : [i]"Nooooooooo, there would be nothing worse than Labour getting back in".[/i]
Ed Milliband is far from "desperate". The coalition might be panicking though.
Floundering as well as panicking Ernie.
Clegg knows his goose is cooked - destroyed any chance of significant lib dem represenataion for a generation, leave the coalition and force and election face oblivion, stay and face oblivion at the next election.
Have you seen the polls for the holyrood election? Lib dems down to 6 ish % - could be down to 3 or 4 or 4 msps from 16 - and its quite possible they have none despite a form of PR.
Can you really see Milliband as Prime Minister? Just watch any PM's questions and you'll see him getting completely owned by David Cameron. He'll make a complete fool of the UK if he ever gets into power. We need someone with credibility to run this country - not some 'little oik' still wet behind the ears.
Still - the sad thing is though that a lot of people can't see that the cuts the current government are having to make are for the long term good of us all. I'm guessing that's why the public sector workers are protesting. Maybe they realise that if they get made redundant from the public sector then they will have to go out and get a proper job - a job in the private sector where they might occasionally have to skip a lunch break or have to work a little later than 5pm.
Northern star - and you see Cameron as anything but a lightweight still wet behind the ears?
As for the cuts - really sensible way to proceed my arse. Idealogical destruction of public services using the economic situation as an excuse.
Hahaha! David Cameron is a ****. A fascist **** at that.
Did anyone here his anti foreigner speech?
Can you really see Milliband as Prime Minister? ..........He'll make a complete fool of the UK if he ever gets into power.
Well make your mind up mate........do you think he is desperate and will never make PM or what ?
If you really think he doesn't stand a chance, why are you panicking ?
at the same time cables not gonna actually do anything hes just whinging this 'spat' between him and cameron is possibly a bit stage managed to let the lib dems save face and then just carry on with condem policy
camerons speech today was bollox anyway, reanouncing that he was gonna crack down on sham marriages, outside eu immigration cap and bogus unis limiting foreign students as announced last year
todays effeort was pure pandering to the reactionary bnp crowd before the local elections, he didnt actually announce anything new
as for labour...for teh benefit of northernstar
millibland and balls know theyd have to make cuts, their argument is that they would make them slower and more gradual without risking a double dip recession
what im not convinced theyd do and what the condems have failed to do is limit the countries exposure to another financial crash, the recent banking review was a complete cop out these guys are just as beholden to the money men as any government for the last 30 years.
Coalition Goverment formed at last election.
Why is it, I keep thinking it's a conservative government?
Lib dems have shown themselves as having no balls.
The conservatives are desperate to cut services to the core, and finally start killing off the 'NHS', an institution this country should be proud of.
Oh look, Vince Cable has apparently vindicated me by claiming that he completely supports David Cameron's [i][u]policy[/u][/i] on immigration. I don't know if that counts as another example of his "backtracking and political acrobatics" or whether he had never deviated from Tory policy in the first place.
[url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/8451995/Vince-Cable-backtracks-on-criticism-of-David-Camerons-immigration-claims.html ]Vince Cable backtracks on criticism of David Cameron's immigration claims[/url]
Quote :
[i]Vince Cable has indicated his support for the Government’s policy on tackling immigration, despite earlier accusing David Cameron of “inflaming extremism”.
"We are completely united behind the policy and the policy is about a cap." [/i]
ernie_lynch - MemberThe single most discredited individual is this squalid little pact between the Tories and the LibDems is Vince Cable - more so than even Nick Clegg imo. The backtracking and political acrobatics which Cable has had to preform since the general election is nothing short of breathtaking,
His squirming over the cuts was one of the most unedifying political spectacles I have seen as you could tell he didn't believe what he was saying and knew no one else did either.
Lost all his credibility in that one moment
forget the coalition. who gives a **** about a bunch of right-on cyclists going on about stuff! What's the point of that!
mmm... whilst that seems like a likely outcome, theres plenty of scope for a turnaround of fortunes (either by them holding it together for the full 5 yrs and having positive things to shout about OR by the LibDems positioning themselves as the people who stand up to the tories and pull the rug out when they try to do something really stupid!). In reality though their are loyal LibDem voters who have voted for them year after year despite it being a "wasted vote" - whilst there are some disgruntled floating voters - the loyal LibDems aren't going to jump ship that quickly (if they lean slightly to the right they are probably quite happy; if they lean slightly to the left they know the alternative is a tory government and its better to have some influence for a change).Clegg knows his goose is cooked - destroyed any chance of significant lib dem represenataion for a generation, leave the coalition and force and election face oblivion, stay and face oblivion at the next election.
I never normally believe polls, but in this case I think this fall from grace probably is only partly to do with their Westminster colleagues, and a lot to do with their distinct lack of anything significant to say in Scotland. You might even argue that their lack of cooperation in forming a coalition in Scotland has shot them in the foot. They had the chance with the SNP to replace council tax with local income tax but their dispute over the details prevented a key change that would have convinced people that holyrood and westminster were different parties. People have forgotten what they represent (and some of the positive things they made happen when they were in partial power up here). Afterall the most hated ConDem policies of tuition fees and NHS reform are devolved issues (so don't actually harm Scots voters) and are NOT Scottish Liberal Democrat Policies for implimentation north of the border. But their real issue is most Scots would probably struggle to name more than 1 Lib Dem MSP.
Have you seen the polls for the holyrood election? Lib dems down to 6 ish % - could be down to 3 or 4 or 4 msps from 16 - and its quite possible they have none despite a form of PR.
However if you want to make Holyrood and Westminster analogies, then I'd say that Alex Salmond has shown that minority government can be made to work (albeit with a lot of compromise) and this is why, answering the OP's question, I don't think failure of the coalition would mean a prompt election. There's no reason why Call-me-dave couldn't hold together a minority government for a couple of years - afterall it would only make sense for the rest to try and force an election if they thought they would do better in that vote... ...which party would gain sudden support if there was an election in the Autumn?
the loyal LibDems aren't going to jump ship that quickly
Well the loyal ones might not - I guess that's why they call them "loyal". But it would appear from all recent opinion polls that over half of those who voted LibDem at the general election, wouldn't vote for them now. And that haemorrhage of non-loyal support for the LibDems has been borne out by recent by-elections results.
..which party would gain sudden support if there was an election in the Autumn?
Labour.
if there was an election tomorrow i think you would find a collapse in the vote rather than anything more positive.
Why vote Labour, screw the economy start wars.
Why vote Conservative, screw the economy shut the NHS down,
Why vote Lib Dem, it makes no difference.
SO why Vote?
Exactly.
The current options make the choice irrelevant.
Live your life according to your own rules and bollocks to central government. They are all as two faced, corrupt and vote-hungry as each other.
I take it you're a glass half empty (of p*ss with added razor blades) type of guy mrmo.
what the last few parliaments have done between the parties is undermine confidence in all politicians in this country. No-one trusts a politician and it's seen as immaterial whether they're Lib Lab or Con.
not at all, just looking at the evidence type of guy,
Labour, insufficient regulation of banks, allowing a huge house price bubble to develop, massive extension of student fees, starting of illegal wars, allowing an ever increasing benefits underclass, etc.
Tories, increasing unemployment, massively increasing student fees, pointless reforms of the NHS, pandering to the racists, etc.
Both parties are intent on gerrymandering the electoral landscape for their own ends, on centralising power despite what they say.
and the Lib dems why bother.
As for the racists at the BNP and UKIP....
No party in this country works for the long term good of this country, the only thing that matters is the next general election.
The problem is the woeful political education in this country, a voting system that means most votes are wasted, that denies a voice to the population. A system that seems to favour the rich and cronyism whilst ignoring the plight of the majority of the population.
So why bother voting when you will get shafted by everyone.
[i]Why vote Labour, screw the economy
start wars.
Why vote Conservative, screw the
economy shut the NHS down,
Why vote Lib Dem, it makes no
difference.
SO why Vote?[/i]
actually the condems seem to have taken us into another war - still it'll be good for arms sales in the region
I...... don't...... care.
Isn't that terrible. 
actually the condems seem to have taken us into another war
And illegally too. British actions have been in direct violation of UN resolution 1973 which only allows the protection of civilians - not the support of one side in achieving victory over the other. Resolution 1973 also requires an immediate ceasefire by all parties. A ceasefire would be hugely detrimental to the rebels as it would leave them isolated and in control of very little areas, therefore the UK, along with other Western powers, has carried out aerial bombardment in support of aggressive non-defensive action. Furthermore the UK government has openly talked of arming the rebels in complete and flagrant violation of UN resolution 1973, which requires Member States to ensure a strict implementation of the arms embargo to Libyan territory - there is no exemption for arms to rebel held areas.
Just had a thought there (which is rare for me). Is it really the politicians that should be taking the flack for all of this? Should i not be angled more towards a fair number of civil servants?
Can you really see Milliband as Prime Minister? Just watch any PM's questions and you'll see him getting completely owned by David Cameron. He'll make a complete fool of the UK if he ever gets into power. We need someone with credibility to run this country - not some 'little oik' still wet behind the ears.
Oh yes name calling to avoid answering the very pertinent questions Milliband asks is definitely 'owning'. 🙄
Or just lying:
[url] http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2011/03/sure-start-cameron-protected [/url]
In answer to the OP, I'm hoping for a revolution, and fervently hoping they can **** it up before I have to sit through yet another interminable Royal event........PLEASE???
Can you really see Milliband as Prime Minister? Just watch any PM's questions and you'll see him getting completely owned by David Cameron. He'll make a complete fool of the UK if he ever gets into power. We need someone with credibility to run this country - not some 'little oik' still wet behind the ears.Still - the sad thing is though that a lot of people can't see that the cuts the current government are having to make are for the long term good of us all. I'm guessing that's why the public sector workers are protesting. Maybe they realise that if they get made redundant from the public sector then they will have to go out and get a proper job - a job in the private sector where they might occasionally have to skip a lunch break or have to work a little later than 5pm.
Christ on a bendy bus you really are completely clueless, aren't you?
Holy cow, there's more!!! 😯
No, the Tories are not perfect but they do seem to be tackling the problem head on. You may not like taking your medicine but then again who does? At least the Tories seem to stand up for the people who want to work, to build businesses that provide employment and ultimately wealth for the country through exports. Labour on the other hand seemed committed to ever increasing house prices and a benefits culture that rewards no-one but the workshy spongers in our midst.
This bit made me laugh:
At least the Tories seem to stand up for the people who want to work
Yeah, cos they've a great track record on that one, haven't they? 🙄
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i liked this bit
a benefits culture that rewards no-one but the workshy spongers in our midst.
quality mouth foaming
Missed that on the first read, could develop into a good game of bigot bingo!
bigot bingo!
😆
BTW. When's are we changing to fix-term parliaments?
the scary thing about all this, something people never seem to get about human nature. Humans work best when they are working against something.
More is achieved trying to destroy than is ever achieved trying to build.
Yet people take in the anti immigration and anti benefits crap spouted by Labour and the Conservatives. I am not saying it must not be addressed, but maybe we should be looking at why so many people in this country are not in work rather than saying they are all dole scroungers. Maybe something needs to be done to ensure people can develop skills, rather than poaching trained staff from elsewhere.
Look at Hitler an incredible leader, but it was done by focusing on "them", it is their fault that we are where we are. I really would like to see a government say this is what is happening and this is why, but done to the benefit of all and not just as an act of cronyism, of backhanders, jobs for the boys etc.
But for all this too work you need to have a population that understands they are being played and as long as half the population are of below average intelligence what hope have you got.
Anyone think that conflict in the coalition is manufactured to help the Libdems look a little less like amoral sellouts?
[edit] Anyone see the bit on have I got news for you where Clegg is overheard saying to Dave that they need to find something to disagree on [/edit]
as long as half the population are of below average intelligence what hope have you got.
😆
How can half be below the average ? Is that not a contradiction ?
Either way, it's another blinding bingo ball.
Anyone think that conflict in the coalition is manufactured to help [s]the Libdems look a little less like amoral sellouts[/s] [i]people understand how coalitions work[/i]?
FIFY.
But for all this too work you need to have a population that understands they are being played and as long as half the population are of below average intelligence what hope have you got.
Intelligence isn't necessarily a factor, empathy is much more important imo. Doesn't matter if you know you're being played if you only care about yourself, and it doesn't matter if you're being played if you do stuff that helps other people.
One thing that saddens me, is the amount of chyte written on here by clueless numpties banging on about the Tories needing to make 'necessary' cuts in public services, without any idea of the impact of such cuts. Reading the FT on the 8.15 from some rural village to The Big City every day doesn't suddenly make you an expert on the realities of government policies and their impact on society as a whole...
So, the Tories make loads of people in public Sector jobs unemployed. Crime rises as a result. This will require more policing. Oh dear, the police have been cut too. Oops.
Fear of crime increases. Stress increases. Mental illness increases. Physical illness increases. Drug and alcohol addiction increases. The NHS can't cope. There isn't an alternative. The country gets sicker. Money is ultimately needed to put right the mistakes made by making such drastic cuts.
Isn't that the bit where Labour usually come in? Spend loads on shoring up the health service, get things back towards where they ought to be? Then end up with massive debts cos there weren't money to pay for stuff in't first place?
As for Labour needing to borrow such huge amounts to sort out the Tories mess; well, if the Tories had in fact created so much wealth within society, surely stuff like the NHS should be well catered for, no? Wasn't the privatisation of everything under Thatcher going to create loads of money to pay for public services etc?
Meanwhile, the 8.15ers curse cos their train's bin cancelled due to folk ripping up the tracks to flog for scrap to get money to buy food for their families...
Big Society. Great, innit?
We're all in it together, you know...
jobbyheid - Member
Anyone think that conflict in the coalition is manufactured to help the Libdems look a little less like amoral sellouts?[edit] Anyone see the bit on have I got news for you where Clegg is overheard saying to Dave that they need to find something to disagree on [/edit]
Oh totally. Dave can say 'ohhh immigrants' and get the people back who maybe floating towards UKIP before the local elections and Cable can say 'That's not very nice' and have liberals go 'always knew Cable had a backbone!'
We're all in it together, you know...
[img] 
[/img]
[i]But for all this too work you need to have a population that understands they are being played and as long as half the population are of below average intelligence what hope have you got. [/i]
So where are you in that statistic ??
Exactly, Lifer, exactly.
People for whom cuts will have little if any impact on their own lives, banging on about how 'necessary' these cuts are.
But put their taxes up to pay for things rather than have those who really need certain services go without them, and those who have plenty will scream blue murder....
what happened in America only effected us in the way it did because the Labour government allowed under regulation, over exposure and reckless lending by UK banks to continue.
two points your beloved tories deregulated the market and secondly other countries were equally affected by the slump [ though we have a higher % of GDP from finance so perhaps took a bigger hit]Did george praise Ireland and their economy as a good model - how did they do compared to us - you dont like answering questions where reality does not match your view
No, the Tories are not perfect but they do seem to be tackling the problem head on. You may not like taking your medicine but then again who does?
Well it remains to be seen if this medicine will actually work many people , including noble winning economists think it wont. How many times have they changed the expected growth figure so far and always in a downward direction
At least the Tories seem to stand up for the people who want to work
WTF does that even mean they are putting people on the dole 😯 are you claiming labour - there is clue in their name BTW that is rather obvious - dont want people to work 🙄
to build businesses that provide employment and ultimately wealth for the country through exports
Unfortunately they export rather a lot of the wealth they create including the Deputy Chair of this esteemed organisation you support
Labour on the other hand seemed committed to ever increasing house prices
house prices are determined by the market and supply and demand are you suggesting that we tinker with the market
and a benefits culture that rewards no-one but the workshy spongers in our midst.
Rewards .... why not go down a Job Centre and try and live off £60 a week you too can reap these rewards.
Still - the sad thing is though that a lot of people can't see that the cuts the current government are having to make are for the long term good of us all.
what poor people who need these services those people?
I'm guessing that's why the public sector workers are protesting. Maybe they realise that if they get made redundant from the public sector then they will have to go out and get a proper job - a job in the private sector where they might occasionally have to skip a lunch break or have to work a little later than 5pm
yes those lazy people in the NHS,fire, the police and the army are terrified of not finishing at 5 pm and got forbid they dont get to have a 2 hr business lunch on expensese.
you really need to get a grip [grow up are you young?] thinking all public sector workers are lazy is as stupid as thinking all private sector workers work hard [ most of the serial posters on here work in the private sector for example] or they are all heartless capitalist scumbags.
Well that's the Tory argument shot to pieces then. Not that it takes a lot really. Tory policies generally revolve around the idea of making a select few very wealthy indeed, at the expense of everyone else.
Anyone got any sensible ideas as to how we can get our country back on track, or are we doomed?
Should i not be angled more towards a fair number of civil servants?
I fair point, very senior civil servants wield far more power than most people realise.
Although even more shocking, and also not common knowledge, is the power which industrialists and bankers wield, despite not being democratically accountable to anyone.
[b][i]As a minister, I experienced the power of industrialists and bankers to get their way by use of the crudest form of economic pressure, even blackmail, against a Labour Government. Compared to this, the pressure brought to bear in industrial disputes is minuscule. This power was revealed even more clearly in 1976 when the IMF secured cuts in our public expenditure. These lessons led me to the conclusion that the UK is only superficially governed by MPs and the voters who elect them. Parliamentary democracy is, in truth, little more than a means of securing a periodical change in the management team, which is then allowed to preside over a system that remains in essence intact. If the British people were ever to ask themselves what power they truly enjoyed under our political system they would be amazed to discover how little it is, and some new Chartist agitation might be born and might quickly gather momentum[/i][/b] - Tony Benn 1988
Tony Benn entered politics an aristocratic very much on the right-wing of the Labour Party. It was those revelations he experienced in government which moved him to take a left-wing socialist stance.
"How can half be below the average ? Is that not a contradiction ?"
True for a "normal", bell-curve distribution. I think "intelligence", as measured by IQ*, does follow a "normal" distribution.
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*A discredited measure these days
I think "intelligence", as measured by IQ*, does follow a "normal" distribution. *A discredited measure these days
It's not IQ which needs to be discredited imo, it's the concept of "intelligence" ........ a largely overrated attribute which is often rendered meaningless.
We're all in it together, you know...
Funny, but I've not heard Dave utter than one for quite a while now
Whether we like it or not, this lot are going to hang on in there for the full five years. Guaranteed! The Tories have set about doing what they do best - making the rich, richer and the rest of us poorer with unrestrained glee. They're loving it! Getting to dress up their self-interested, ideologically driven 'reforms' up as necessary, even essential. They're destruction-testing extreme ChicagoSchool economics at a time when that model has never been so obviously exposed for the myth that it is
The Lib Dems will go along with whatever Dave tells them as they know they're doomed electorally now anyway .
Milliband (and the labour party generally) are worse than useless as there's a rump (Blairite) mass of MPs who are secretly quite supportive of what Dave is doing. They are just as dazzled by the banks, big business and privatisation, and wish they'd have had the balls to do it themselves.
We're all doomed! Christ only knows what this country will be like by the time this lot have finished. But it won't be pretty, I'm afraid
Elfinsafety, what's your issue? I'm not a Tory fan, I just see that when a government seems to be trying hard to bring a turnaround in this country all people want to do is shoot them down in flames. I can see from your attitude to the cuts you seem very much in the 'not in my back yard' camp.
What's your alternative - perhaps keep on with the borrowing and spending until this country falls off a financial cliff like Greece or Ireland?
The current government policies have significant credibility with the IMF. Can you say the same for Labour? How perhaps would you propose to fix this mess?
Funny, but I've not heard Dave utter than one for quite a while nowWhether we like it or not, this lot are going to hang on in there for the full five years. Guaranteed! The Tories have set about doing what they do best - making the rich, richer and the rest of us poorer with unrestrained glee. They're loving it! Getting to dress up their self-interested, ideologically driven 'reforms' up as necessary, even essential. They're destruction-testing extreme ChicagoSchool economics at a time when that model has never been so obviously exposed for the myth that it is
The Lib Dems will go along with whatever Dave tells them as they know they're doomed electorally now anyway .
Milliband (and the labour party generally) are worse than useless as there's a rump (Blairite) mass of MPs who are secretly quite supportive of what Dave is doing. They are just as dazzled by the banks, big business and privatisation, and wish they'd have had the balls to do it themselves.We're all doomed! Christ only knows what this country will be like by the time this lot have finished. But it won't be pretty, I'm afraid
It's rare that I agree with a post concerning a politically contentious subject word for word, but that is pretty much spot on imo. Although whilst I agree that a full 5 years of this nasty coalition is reasonably likely, I think the unknown factor in the equation is the LibDem membership. It should not imo be underestimated just how anti-Tory and left-wing much of the LibDem membership actually is, and there is therefore always a possibility of a rebellion/coup within the party - however enthusiastic Clegg/Cable/Alexander might be about jumping into bed with the Tories.
I just see that when a government seems to be trying hard to bring a turnaround in this country
Then you are very, very blinkered and ignorant to the reality of things, my friend.
What's your alternative
For a government with some balls to stop pandering to big business and turn wealth-creation for the few into resource creation for the many. And yes, that means heavier taxation of the wealthy, something that the Tories will never do, as they prefer to keep themselves and their own rich and powerful and most people subservient and docile. Do you genuinely think they really give a stuff about the majority of people in the UK? I'd really like to see some hard evidence that supports such a fantastical notion...
There's more than enough to go round, it just needs to be spread about a bit more equally.
Nothernstar - cuts = increased unemployment = decreased tax take =increased benefits bill = increased government spending. Teh basic leson from all previous recessions. See Roosevelt adn the new deal and the 30s crash for the classic lesson.
So we have a choice = spend money to keep people in work and the economy running or spend money to keep people on benefits.
Waht we need is a gentle reduction over time in spending as a proportion of GDP and to increase GDP. Increase GDP enough and no need to cut spending at all
Please note that our tax and spending is not high in terms of European countries such as germany and France
What's your alternative - perhaps keep on with the borrowing and spending until this country falls off a financial cliff like Greece or Ireland?
You're not paying attention NorthernStar. Ireland for example, is precisely in the shit because it has, since the recession, being implementing very deep and wide ranging austerity measures - they have for several years, been going down exactly the same road that we are now going down.
so who are you voting for this time Ernie?
or are you standing as an "independent" candidate? 😉
It should not imo be underestimated just how anti-Tory and left-wing much of the LibDem membership actually is, and there is therefore always a possibility of a rebellion/coup within the party - however enthusiastic Clegg/Cable/Alexander might be about jumping into bed with the Tories.
I believe this to be likely / almost certain once the damage to the Lib Dems becomes clear after the may 5th elections and the failure to secure PR in any form
I'm voting for binners Big and Daft.
he's not standing for election
or are you importing candidates for the local elections in your area?
What's your alternative - perhaps keep on with the borrowing and spending until this country falls off a financial cliff like Greece or Ireland?
for the third time the same Ireland that the Chancellor was praising for the conomic handling before falling off a cliff
PS you cannot say you are not a fan then praise them repeatedly whilst slagging of labour.
IMF commenting on the labour management before the collapse.For over a decade, the United Kingdom has sustained low inflation and rapid economic growth-an exceptional achievement. More recently, the economy grew by 3 percent in 2007, and inflation returned to target after a temporary elevation. All this is the fruit of strong policies and policy frameworks, which provide a strong foundation to weather global shocks.
hmmmmmm the IMF, isn't GB trying to get himself positioned to run that?
he's not standing for election
What are you - his agent ?
PS you cannot say you are not a fan then praise them repeatedly whilst slagging of labour.
You can when you realise just how lonely being a Tory can sometimes be.
It should not imo be underestimated just how anti-Tory and left-wing much of the LibDem membership actually is, and there is therefore always a possibility of a rebellion/coup within the party
The possibility of a Lib Dem rebellion or coup of sufficient scale to break the coalition occurring is at present pretty low - IMO almost non-existent. Basically I don't think the Lib Dem membership is as left-leaning as you do.
That said, never say never, and TJ's post sure points out a potential flash point...
after the may 5th elections and the failure to secure PR in any form
The below link is the one I wanted - Leader approval ratings by party...
http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/category/leader-approval-ratings/
You can when you realise just how lonely being a Tory can sometimes be.
Remember before the election, when hardly anyone on here admitted to being a Tory supporter, then all came out of the woodwork after the Tories got in?
What are you - his agent ?
no I'm not. If he is standing in nhis local area he needs to sack his. 😉
so who are you actually going to vote for then? 😉
or does voting delay the revolution?
perhaps the gobby shouty left wing bitter ranters who never let it go and attack on mass [ you know who [s]we [/s] you are ]dissuade some from admitting this that ane no want to admit to being a **** even when it is true
I'm voting for ernie - he needs the support of wishy washy middle class guardian reading liberals