Britain - The Official Thread

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ross
  • 13,443 comments
  • 767,924 views

How will you vote in the 2024 UK General Election?

  • Conservative Party

    Votes: 2 6.9%

  • Green Party

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Labour Party

    Votes: 14 48.3%

  • Liberal Democrats

    Votes: 2 6.9%

  • Other (Wales/Scotland/Northern Ireland)

    Votes: 1 3.4%

  • Other Independents

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Other Parties

    Votes: 2 6.9%

  • Spoiled Ballot

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Will Not/Cannot Vote

    Votes: 8 27.6%
  • Total voters
    29
  • Poll closed .
I dunno. I'm a long way from being a supporter of the Tories but no aspect of it grates enough to start a big rant about it. At its very worst it's a little poorly-worded, but I just don't see the "toffs looking down on the grubby classes" aspect that everyone else seems to see. "They" or no "they". I think people have gone so far down an "us" and "them" mentality that every time they see the word "they" it's assumed to be a distancing term, rather than a plain old plural pronoun.

As for the gambling thing, I don't see that being a big issue in relation to bingo tax either. Everyone I know who plays bingo (there aren't many, but some family of friends do) spends more on booze than they do on bingo when they go to bingo nights. People may as well say it's irresponsible them dropping beer tax by a penny because it makes it easier for people to binge drink.
TenEightyOne
Quite right too, I don't think that was ever in doubt was it?
Click to expand...
What aspect? If you mean politicians believing they should keep their noses out of the lives of their constituents then that's entirely in doubt. It's the first time in quite a while... or maybe ever... I've seen any politician suggest that it isn't their job to meddle in what people want to do.
 
homeforsummer
What aspect? If you mean politicians believing they should keep their noses out of the lives of their constituents then that's entirely in doubt. It's the first time in quite a while... or maybe ever... I've seen any politician suggest that it isn't their job to meddle in what people want to do.
Click to expand...

That's a wider generalisation which I'd agree with.

In this case I believe the Minister for Awkward Interviews asked if people should spend their pensions "windfall" on buying a Lamborghini. The Minister replied that it wasn't for Government to say how people should spend it. It's rather a non-story, I think.

Notice that the Minister stopped short of saying that Government shouldn't meddle with every other part of your life ;)
 
If only Cameron would stop meddling with the Internet, to appease the tabloids.
 


Was much better than I expected, it was like nothing had ever changed in their world :lol:

Beckham's acting was actually pretty good, was this the start of his acting career? cough Bond cough :sly:
 
Did anyone watch the Farage-Clegg debate?

I watched only a brief part of the second debate but I found the two of them repulsive.

Both pulled whatever figures they liked. Farage on immigration numbers, Clegg on 'EU laws'.

However, the lowest point was Clegg pulling the flyer out, he and everyone else knows it doesn't take a lot to produce a flyer, and AFAIK that flyer has been in existence before Farage's leadership.
 
I was following some commentary by friends on various social media.

I would post a summary but I can't find a single comment that is repeatable here.
 
I haven't caught up on it yet, I saw in this morning's press that Cameron is happy to hang the pair of them out to dry.

Farridge's side profile hasn't improved any, I just keep hearing "The Frog Chorus" in my head every time I see him.
 
I quite like Nigel Furraaaaaj.

The fact he's a blithering noblord who no more believes what falls out of his mouth than he could turn himself inside out isn't really important, because he's just one of thousands of MPs, MEPs and wannabes to such lofty office who are exactly the same.

I don't really listen to anything he says to know whether I agree or disagree with him, because it's patently nonsense, but he has about a thousand times more personality and character than Cameron, Clegg, Osbourne and Balls put together. I'd add Miliband to the list, but no-one's ever detected personality or character in him to quantify it in such a manner.
 
I like Cameron's stance on it as seen on the news this morning. He didn't have a dog in that fight as he put it. Both are extremists on the subject it has to be said. It was kind of like watching one of the 'lads' having a debate with the quiet kid in the class.
 
It was like watching the family cat and dog argue over how the household should be run. Neither party represented has a chance of getting into (direct) power any time soon. If ever.
 
Is it bad that I don't pay any attention to politics what so ever? I find it catastrophically boring, I couldn't tell you the difference between left and right wing, and I find nearly all politicians to be arrogant, pompous and completely insufferable.

All politics is to me is posh Eton educated nonses arguing for the sake of arguing.
 
In an incredibly simplified manner, the left is focused on improving social justice and equality, whereas the right is focused on maintaining social injustice and inequality, and with this you get the two extremes of course of communism and fascism.

I don't find British politics particularly interesting. There isn't much about the mainstream parties that makes them radically different from one another, and at each election it seems to be the case of just choose the lesser of three evils. Whereas in the States the relationship between Republicans and Democrats has a more tribalistic nature to it, and the two parties quite clearly contrast one another.
 
PeterJB
In an incredibly simplified manner, the left is focused on improving social justice and equality, whereas the right is focused on maintaining social injustice and inequality
Click to expand...
That's not so much simplified as it's tosh.

A simplified version would be that "the left" is a mindset of the community taking precedence over the individuals within it, while "the right" is a mindset that individuals never forfeit for the greater good.

In essence it depends on whether you're talking about the economic or the social spectrum, but in general it's not really possible to believe people should have their wealth redistributed (economic left - socialism) without a legal framework that prevents opting out (social left - fascism) nor that people should enjoy freedoms (social right - liberalism) without being able to keep their coin (economic right - capitalism).

Of course this doesn't stop the vast majority of people from thinking they should be allowed to do what they want and not pay tax while other people must be controlled and pay for things. This neatly covers why all three major parties are economically right of centre but socially left of centre.

As are both parties in the USA. They only really differ in how much God should get in the statute books...
 
Pagey279
Is it bad that I don't pay any attention to politics what so ever? I find it catastrophically boring, I couldn't tell you the difference between left and right wing, and I find nearly all politicians to be arrogant, pompous and completely insufferable.

All politics is to me is posh Eton educated nonses arguing for the sake of arguing.
Click to expand...
Is it worse that I am a politics and IR student yet rarely come to the opinion forum?
 
I have always had an interest in politics, and at the age of 18 have already found I have an allegiance to a particular party (although I am lead to believe its social etiquette not to specify). Its something I think everyone should be at least aware of what's happening with, because at the end of the day it can determine how you live your day to day life.
 
Ellis
I have always had an interest in politics, and at the age of 18 have already found I have an allegiance to a particular party
Click to expand...

MRLP?

Predicted passports for pets about 10 years before they actually became law.
 
Liquid
Not really.

Contribute, or don't. The fact that you study politics doesn't mean your presence is extra valued nor valued less.
Click to expand...
I just get this feeling that as we discus politics I should contribute but arguing isn't the reason I come to this site.
 
I'd love to see what would happen if Prince Charles met the Pope. :lol:
 
It must be said, it was a smashing orb that the pope gave to them. Would look grand on Liz's lounge table!
 
SNN0601ANN--_1952020a.jpg


That's quite an image, something you don't see everyday. From the Sun's website. Rarely do the beefeater's intervene.

DK
I'd love to see what would happen if Prince Charles met the Pope. :lol:
Click to expand...

:lol: I can only imagine!
 
Sheffield Half Marathon cancelled at the start due to shortage of water stations for the runners.

Runners run anyway, police try to stop them.

Huh?
 

Latest Posts

Back