They're all having a laugh. None of them can think for themselves because they tow the party line too much. Having said that some of them can be loose cannons.
What ever happened to the Monster Raving Loony Party?
It was never the same after Screaming Lord Sutch passed away.
People say that you must vote.
No thanks. The newly formed government will do what they want to do without my vote.
After the General Election some forecasters have predicted a hung parliament .
Whatever way I vote it will be significantly not representative of my views. Of course politics is all about choosing the best fit, but its gone a little too far now. Perhaps I will vote for a non-aligned party like the Greens. However, it is still politics. At the end of the day my concerns are significantly shared by the Labour party more than any other party. Likewise, I cannot identify with any other party.
In some other respects, I would feel better not voting as to vote at all is compromise for me with a system I have come to detest and distrust. Perhaps passive resistance is all we have left to signify change until there is something that deserves my vote. Other than voting, I try to align myself with other aspects of behaviour and values that make some difference.
Whatever way I vote it will be significantly not representative of my views. Of course politics is all about choosing the best fit, but its gone a little too far now. Perhaps I will vote for a non-aligned party like the Greens. However, it is still politics. At the end of the day my concerns are significantly shared by the Labour party more than any other party. Likewise, I cannot identify with any other party.
In some other respects, I would feel better not voting as to vote at all is compromise for me with a system I have come to detest and distrust. Perhaps passive resistance is all we have left to signify change until there is something that deserves my vote. Other than voting, I try to align myself with other aspects of behaviour and values that make some difference.
Will we see or even have the opportunity to question any of the candidates in the run up to the General Election?
Are we really interested?
I'd say 'no'.
Democracy in name only.
Will we see or even have the opportunity to question any of the candidates in the run up to the General Election? Are we really interested? I'd say 'no'. Democracy in name only.
Always been the case, not sure if democracy would ever work, vested interest and the powerful control the machinary. US even worse, have to be a multi-millionaire to get in and half the people don't vote, it's a joke.
There are realistically 3 ways to vote in Rotherham.
1. Vote Labour and continue with the party that puts racial harmony as a higher priority than child rape.
2. Vote Conservative and force my grandparents to turn in their grave. In effect a wasted vote.
Actually, on economy they have done a very good job with the rubbish left to them by Labour, but are perhaps going too far. The NHS cuts are going to get tougher under the tories
3. Vote UKIP
A vote for UKIP is the only realistic tactical vote in Rotherham in order to remove these Labour Luddites who are happy to live in a borough that is a complete dump, full of litter, and has no self esteem. But Farage - in government - really? Hard to swallow.
I feel I must vote - but whatever I vote it goes against my instincts. I feel it is my duty as a parent and a grandparent to vote against the party who swept pae_do_philia under the carpet.
I don't believe in telling other people how to vote - but it is my belief that this labour council is not fit for purpose and we would genuinely be better off voting for an independent such as Martin Bell.
Personally, I'm not ready to see a Labour government quite just yet (can you imagine Ed Balls as Chancellor - makes me weep). I think the Tories deserve another term to continue the job they started sorting out the economy.
So I will be voting for Clegg
I dislike tactical voting but basically there is no other choice where I live, so although I dislike him and his party for not standing by their principles on tuition fees and he is the least credible of the party leaders, it's either vote for Clegg or Labour will get in.
I'll probably vote for UKIP. You vote for UKIP in Rotherham and you will get UKIP. Don't believe all the other hype that's being spouted such as vote for UKIP and you get Labour. It's a load of botox!
I am not a fan of any of the economic policy's under the coalition. As usual it is scapegoating the poor and underprivileged and freezing the wages of public sector workers while cherry picking from the Governments pockets by the wealthy elite. The private sector then often provide more expensive services, poorly trained and even less accountable services. Its simply the difference between the right and the left in Politics world wide.
On the other hand we have too many policies from the left that leave many feeling cold and unheard especially when it comes to immigration, national identity and the abuse of benefits.
The choice is stark as always and really depends on a persons own inner inclinations about justice. Does a person choose the rights of the worker and the poor, or the rights and privilege of the wealthy and national identity.
In real life there are many people that give to their communities both rich and poor and provide support to the vulnerable while upholding the rights of everyone to be provided with equal opportunity.
Lets face it the world and our country and every street is divided along the lines of wealth, status and health. What is the right thing to do? Some believe in the strong over the weak and others believe it is pure random chance that some have and others dont. Some believe that being strong is about caring for everyone and having equal opportunities.
Perhaps we should ask if we believe in the dominance of the few over the many? David Attenborough suggested that the plight of Africa was simple evolution: too many people and not enough land, he said; and, human beings are a plague on the earth. Of course I doubt he would consider himself so much as a little cold virus. To confuse us all even more it was a Tory politician who rebuked him and a Labour MP who supported him. I mention this because what we have here are the same issues we as voters and indeed humans in a society have. We are conflicted by some of our beliefs and they do not fit in to one neat set of party politics. Perhaps this is the problem and it is why we have a coalition. It explains perhaps also why the Liberals got into bed with their sworn enemies and compromised themselves.
So, unless there is a party of one (me) to vote for, I am well and truly stuck.
Its a right old mess, the more you try to work out which way to vote for the more you get confused and wonder what's the point antway? Will my vote really count? Whichever Party or Coalition get in its going to get worse for the Working Man and Country whatever spin they put on it.
Agreement from me, The Labour party doesn't really represent me anymore, and the debacle they've presided over here in our town is nothing short of criminal. It seems to me that the Labour party ethos is driven by middle class liberals in London, and not by those it purports to represent. Having said that, i could never vote for any of the current lot, because they are far further away from my viewpoint than ever they were.
So there's my conundrum, do i vote for a Labour party that doesn't represent my views anymore purely in an attempt to block UKIP? or do i abstain, something that goes against everything i've ever been taught as a kid about democracy and always voting.
If Labour get elected in Rotherham again, the public should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. Although UKIP do seem to have a lot of loony representatives, I agree with some of their policies, the problem for me is that other UKIP policies seem to be more right wing than even the Tory's.
BUT, I will vote UKIP, if only to rid our town of the self serving, Politically correct, grasping nest featherers of the Labour Party in our Borough!!!
Agreement from me, The Labour party doesn't really represent me anymore, and the debacle they've presided over here in our town is nothing short of criminal. It seems to me that the Labour party ethos is driven by middle class liberals in London, and not by those it purports to represent. Having said that, i could never vote for any of the current lot, because they are far further away from my viewpoint than ever they were.
So there's my conundrum, do i vote for a Labour party that doesn't represent my views anymore purely in an attempt to block UKIP? or do i abstain, something that goes against everything i've ever been taught as a kid about democracy and always voting.
^^^ Same here Mm, it's hard to reconcile one way or the other......
Very eloquently put Ian, I think you speak for many and it is no surprise that voting in last general elections was down to 65% and membership of the main parties is down from 3.8% to below 1% of the electorate. People are not engaging with the political class any longer because they are all clones of each other and they all put party before country. We need more George Galloway's, Dennis Skinner's, Tony Benn's, Alex Samond's, Anne Widdecombe's and yes Nigel Farage's ... these are all MP's who vote and speak out on matters of principle and conscience. You may not agree with them but Parliament desperately needs the mavericks, the rebels, the free thinkers to move the debate and keep us from the situation we have today - a giant pit of festering political identikit gloop.
So absolutely, feel no shame about voting for UKIP - we need to smack the bird cage on occasion.
Very eloquently put Ian, I think you speak for many and it is no surprise that voting in last general elections was down to 65% and membership of the main parties is down from 3.8% to below 1% of the electorate. People are not engaging with the political class any longer because they are all clones of each other and they all put party before country. We need more George Galloway's, Dennis Skinner's, Tony Benn's, Alex Samond's, Anne Widdecombe's and yes Nigel Farage's ... these are all MP's who vote and speak out on matters of principle and conscience. You may not agree with them but Parliament desperately needs the mavericks, the rebels, the free thinkers to move the debate and keep us from the situation we have today - a giant pit of festering political identikit gloop.
So absolutely, feel no shame about voting for UKIP - we need to smack the bird cage on occasion.
Once again i cannot argue with the logic, and yeh, Ian made a very very good point, but for myself, with my background (striking miner etc etc) i can't bring myself to even contemplete voting for a party represented by someone like Farage, an unashamed Thatcherite, i couldn't look myself in the eye.....
Totally agree about the Skinners, Galloways and Benns by the way.
