General Election 2015 Match Day Thread (Merged)

[Red-Robbo]

His majority is bigger than 6 in real terms.

331 on a pass line of 322?

Speaker doesn't vote and SF has 4 MPs.

 

332 when 326 is the half-way line. It makes a majority of 12 - as obviously if you're six up the rest are six down, but it also means that if for whatever reason six Tories aren't there, they cannot pass votes. The status of the speaker is irrelevant, and SF have reversed their earlier policy, have Westminster offices and attend "votes that matter to the Northern Irish people".

 

To put it in historical context, John Major got 336 seats and his government had to depend on Ulster Unionist support (the UUP were the province's biggest party then, unlike now) but even so he gradually watched his party becoming unable to pass legislation and parliament gripped by paralysis. Little wonder that in '97 he was swept away by a Labour landslide.

[Aussie]

You would agree getting a majority and seeing off every other leader is bloody fantastic achievement in the circumstances.

[RedYoshi]

You would agree getting a majority and seeing off every other leader is bloody fantastic achievement in the circumstances.

 

Three people out of work already.

 

It begins...

[Aussie]

I'm hardly a true blue. I'm no party member. I just vote for whatever is in my family's best interests and the fact is Labour don't govern in my interest and never have.

I certainly don't have a party loyalty though.

[Aussie]

Three people out of work already.

It begins...

You forgot Jay Emmanuel Thomas.

Two of the three you mention are still in work. They've just been demoted thru poor performance.

[chipdawg]

[dezgimed]

I'm inclined to agree with Aussie on this one.

This "Rich get richer poor get poorer" line makes no sense to me.

I'm from a working class poor background and I don't hear my folks moaning about austerity and I'm doing ok for myself.

Bottom line if people want too much for too little. Work your bollocks off and you'll make something of your life, blaming whichever government is in at the time is just the easy way out.

[Aussie]

One thing Natalie Bennett learned from Bob Brown in Australia is that with the Greens you can offer whatever the fk you like because you'll never have to implement them.

That's how he built a 10% vote share for far left party in a very conservative minded country.

[RedYoshi]

You forgot Jay Emmanuel Thomas.

Two of the three you mention are still in work. They've just been demoted thru poor performance.

 

I had. Why did you have to remind me?! Now I am sad.

 

True, but that fact doesn't help my already poor attempt at a joke.

 

In all honesty, though, it is quite depressing that success is (or can be) judged on "getting one over" on your opponents, as opposed to doing something good for the country. There has been no success yet - that can only be judged over time.

 

And no-one has yet countered the fact that benefit fraud accounts for a minute proportion of money lost in comparison to high income tax avoidance/evasion.

[chipdawg]

I'm hardly a true blue. I'm no party member. I just vote for whatever is in my family's best interests and the fact is Labour don't govern in my interest and never have.

I certainly don't have a party loyalty though.

Me and some mates were discussing the attitude of voting for whichever party is "most beneficial for me" in the pub last night and none of us think that way when casting a vote. We all think "who is do we think is going to make the country a better place". Your viewpoint is equally valid, it's just not one that we could identify with. I suspect it's partly to do with the fact that we were all public sector/university employed, but our backgrounds are fairly varied

[Stoke_Gifford_Red]

I know this is a "general election" thread but I'm surprised local elections haven't been covered.

Across the country Conservatives and UKIP progressed quite considerably, however, in Bristol the real advance came from the Greens. Out of the 70 seats in Bristol 30 are Labour, 16 Conservative, 13 Green, 10 Lib Dems and 1 UKIP.

[Aussie]

Fair enough. I've had similar convos with work colleagues and very few in my office backed Labour because we'd all be worse off.

I'm sure if you went down on the warehouse floor the attitude is probably different in some ways but not in the whole class division some may say.

The South East was almost a white wash in favour of Cameron and we aren't all millionaires in these parts.

[Aussie]

I voted UKIP in the Oxfordshire council paper.

Just wanted to register my opinion on immigration without damaging the chances of Dave keeping the LAB/SNP out.

I think quite a few thought that way.

[dezgimed]

Sorry but the labour lot seem to want too many favours, like they're owed something.

"The working man". What is that exactly?

Because it's so much harder working in a factory than doing 70 hours a week in the office? Load of nonsense.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

Get a job then, at least 8 million other people with jobs are also on benefits as well.

 

I don't need one, I paid in extra for a good pension it's called planning not whingeing and expecting somebody else to pay for a life of leisure as if it was a life choice or an entitlement.

 

PS:- Bill instead of getting all bitter and twisted over the election result, campaign for the labour party to actually put up a credible leader and somebody that unions thought they manipulate.

[Portland Bill]

In my job I drive round Bristol bill,knowle west and southmead have their labour flags out,and they are outside havvvving a fag,obviously don't work

I had a Labour flag out,you may well have seen me out outside having a fag.......... Before going to work at 2PM!

Glad to see you have done such a big in depth study though!!

[Barrs Court Red]

I know this is a "general election" thread but I'm surprised local elections haven't been covered.

Across the country Conservatives and UKIP progressed quite considerably, however, in Bristol the real advance came from the Greens. Out of the 70 seats in Bristol 30 are Labour, 16 Conservative, 13 Green, 10 Lib Dems and 1 UKIP.

South Glos is 40 Conservative 14 Labour and 16 Lib Dem.

[Barrs Court Red]

I don't need one, I paid in extra for a good pension it's called planning not whingeing and expecting somebody else to pay for a life of leisure as if it was a life choice or an entitlement.

PS:- Bill instead of getting all bitter and twisted over the election result, campaign for the labour party to actually put up a credible leader and somebody that unions thought they manipulate.

Second part is slightly harsh, Bill has been very magnanimous in defeat, unlike the spin doctor behaving like a pouty school girl because the lib Dems got crushed.

[Red-Robbo]

Sorry but the labour lot seem to want too many favours, like they're owed something.

"The working man". What is that exactly?

Because it's so much harder working in a factory than doing 70 hours a week in the office? Load of nonsense.

I think the division is between people who have to work for a living and have no way of "minimising their tax exposure" and those who can live off inherited income like Osborne and Cameron on which they (or the father in Cam's case) avoid paying tax.

Working people doesn't mean cloth caps and going into a factory any more.

And the issue isn't taxing the rich so they suffer. It's fairness in taxation, so everyone in a job gets a living wage and we all pay a fair amount towards the services we all require, our children's futures and to be looked after when we are old.

Cameron made big headlines last year over his so-called Google Tax, whereby big tax-avoiding multinationals would be forced to pay a fair rate on their activities in the UK.

Recently, I read in the FT that Amazon are still only paying 0.15% of their estimated UK profits in tax. From my small rented office, I pay 20% corporation tax.

People want fairness and we want not to be ripped off.

If some want to characterise that as "class war" well that is their idiocy.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

Second part is slightly harsh, Bill has been very magnanimous in defeat, unlike the spin doctor behaving like a pouty school girl because the lib Dems got crushed.

 

I thought the first line of his reply to me was harsh and unnecessary.

[Portland Bill]

[dezgimed]

I think the division is between people who have to work for a living and have no way of "minimising their tax exposure" and those who can live off inherited income like Osborne and Cameron on which they (or the father in Cam's case) avoid paying tax.

Working people doesn't mean cloth caps and going into a factory any more.

And the issue isn't taxing the rich so they suffer. It's fairness in taxation, so everyone in a job gets a living wage and we all pay a fair amount towards the services we all require, our children's futures and to be looked after when we are old.

Cameron made big headlines last year over his so-called Google Tax, whereby big tax-avoiding multinationals would be forced to pay a fair rate on their activities in the UK.

Recently, I read in the FT that Amazon are still only paying 0.15% of their estimated UK profits in tax. From my small rented office, I pay 20% corporation tax.

People want fairness and we want not to be ripped off.

If some want to characterise that as "class war" well that is their idiocy.

Fair enough. But how big is this section of people?

Must be fairly small, as a proportion?

[Stoke_Gifford_Red]

South Glos is 40 Conservative 14 Labour and 16 Lib Dem.

That's a gain for the Conservatives isn't it? Will make it interesting to work on "citywide" projects with an anti-Tory majority in Bristol and a Tory majority in South Glos, afterall the tram failed due to disagreements between the different councils.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

I think the division is between people who have to work for a living and have no way of "minimising their tax exposure" and those who can live off inherited income like Osborne and Cameron on which they (or the father in Cam's case) avoid paying tax.

Working people doesn't mean cloth caps and going into a factory any more.

And the issue isn't taxing the rich so they suffer. It's fairness in taxation, so everyone in a job gets a living wage and we all pay a fair amount towards the services we all require, our children's futures and to be looked after when we are old.

Cameron made big headlines last year over his so-called Google Tax, whereby big tax-avoiding multinationals would be forced to pay a fair rate on their activities in the UK.

Recently, I read in the FT that Amazon are still only paying 0.15% of their estimated UK profits in tax. From my small rented office, I pay 20% corporation tax.

People want fairness and we want not to be ripped off.

If some want to characterise that as "class war" well that is their idiocy.

 

I agree but firstly change the tax laws, make them totally transparent and leave no loop holes and ensure however hard it gets no more than 50% max, here in France pretty much everybody pays 50% in taxes etc. but employers pay another 50% for each employer, but the difference is old age pension is commensurate to earnings and achievable much younger.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

[Portland Bill]

I thought the first line of his reply to me was harsh and unnecessary.

It wasn't aimed at you and you know that.

You said being on benefits shouldn't be a life choice.

I'm well aware that you are retired, your well aware I know that!

What I was pointing out to you, was the fact that 8 million people IN WORK WITH JOBS, are also claiming benefits.

[Portland Bill]

Exactly where did I say that?.

Oh come on E's, are you trying to play the 'I'm a dumbo card'

You didn't say it, It wasn't aimed at you,again you know that!

That Nice French air must be making you paranoid!

[Barrs Court Red]

That's a gain for the Conservatives isn't it? Will make it interesting to work on "citywide" projects with an anti-Tory majority in Bristol and a Tory majority in South Glos, afterall the tram failed due to disagreements between the different councils.

In all honesty I see little cooperation between the two anyway.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

It wasn't aimed at you and you know that.

You said being on benefits shouldn't be a life choice.

I'm well aware that you are retired, your well aware I know that!

What I was pointing out to you, was the fact that 8 million people IN WORK WITH JOBS, are also claiming benefits.

 

Oh come on E's, are you trying to play the 'I'm a dumbo card'

You didn't say it, It wasn't aimed at you,again you know that!

That Nice French air must be making you paranoid!

 

Ditto Bill, I think you are also very aware of the people on benefits to which I was referring, I haven't got a problem with the people who GENUINELY need it and for whatever reason, but it is not a life/career choice that is not what the welfare state was set up for but somehow has morphed into.

[Red-Robbo]

Fair enough. But how big is this section of people?

Must be fairly small, as a proportion?

 

 

You're right. A very small section.

 

But a very big proportion of national wealth.

 

The richest 1% of Britons own more than 26% of national assets.The poorest 10% under 0.15%.

 

When you look at the 30 OECD countries only the US, Mexico and Israel have more uneven wealth distribution.

 

Most of our more successful competitors, and countries ranked as having the best quality of life, have more even wealth distribution, based on a fairer incomes and taxation policy.