• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

David Cameron

Status
Not open for further replies.

MidnightFlyer

Veteran Member
Joined
16 May 2010
Messages
12,857
Simple question - love him or hate him?

I started the former but am slowly turning into the latter. Anyone else?
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

SS4

Established Member
Joined
30 Jan 2011
Messages
8,589
Location
Birmingham
Words cannot describe how much I want to deck him whenever I see his smug face
 

Ferret

Established Member
Joined
22 Jan 2009
Messages
4,124
Simple question - love him or hate him?

I started the former but am slowly turning into the latter. Anyone else?

Neither. Never been over-keen, more he was a better prospect than the walking disaster that was Gordon Brown in the latter stages of his short tenure. Still, we could be stuck with him for a while yet - Ed Miliband managed to seize magnificent failure from the jaws of a wonderful opportunity with his quickfire gaffes on the Euro and on Sarkozy speaking for Britain. Labour should be out of sight in the polls right now, and maybe if the right brother was in charge, they would be....
 

Aictos

Established Member
Joined
28 Apr 2009
Messages
10,403
I'm of the firm belief that regardless what political party got the majority vote in the 2010 Elections, they would all have had to carry out the same amount of savings therefore as I don't begrudge Cameron his job and appreciate it involves a lot of hard decisions, I can't possibly hate him or love him so am neutral although that probably won't stop me from backing his party at any future elections.
 

Ivo

Established Member
Joined
8 Jan 2010
Messages
7,307
Location
Bath (or Southend)
I'm of the firm belief that regardless what political party got the majority vote in the 2010 Elections, they would all have had to carry out the same amount of savings therefore as I don't begrudge Cameron his job and appreciate it involves a lot of hard decisions

This. I however would suggest that he is doing well with the task at hand, although I am a blue at heart.
 

Ivo

Established Member
Joined
8 Jan 2010
Messages
7,307
Location
Bath (or Southend)
Same goes the rest of the cabinet of millionaires

If I might take this quote for a moment?

Consider Labour. They claim to represent the working class. And exactly how many of Milliband's friends actually came from a working class background? Almost certainly... zero. Double standards.
 

scotsman

Established Member
Joined
6 Jul 2010
Messages
3,252
If I might take this quote for a moment?

Consider Labour. They claim to represent the working class. And exactly how many of Milliband's friends actually came from a working class background? Almost certainly... zero. Double standards.

Privately educated? Nowhere near

Significant business interests? Again, very few

Millionaires? Hardly...
 

Greenback

Emeritus Moderator
Joined
9 Aug 2009
Messages
15,268
Location
Llanelli
If I might take this quote for a moment?

Consider Labour. They claim to represent the working class. And exactly how many of Milliband's friends actually came from a working class background? Almost certainly... zero. Double standards.

This is partly why interest in politics has fallen to such low levels. There used to be clear differences between the main policies of Labour and the Tories. Now they all seem to have blurred into one, a bit like the end of Orwell's Animal Farm. They are all member sof what has become the political class - private school, university, profession (often law) followed by political success.

Where have all the real people gone?
 

Chew Chew

Member
Joined
29 Aug 2010
Messages
511
Simple question - love him or hate him?

Hate.

The cheek of him and Osborne to make millions of people poorer then come out with "We're all in this together" whilst they're multi-millionaires who can afford to do what they like is staggering.

Greenback makes a good point when he mentions a shortage of 'real' people in politics. I want to be represented locally, and for the country to be represented, by people who have had real life experiences so understand people and not career politicians.
 

Swr28

Member
Joined
30 Aug 2011
Messages
80
Location
The Cambrian since 1982
I dont think cameron can be counted just out yet. Firstly Cameron has no majority to do anything without Lib Dem consent. Secondly we still have a huge debt to pay off and thirdly,i think we will only begin to see Cameron's path in his second term.
 

Lampshade

Established Member
Joined
3 Sep 2009
Messages
3,713
Location
South London
Do you think he'll get one?

If they don't get a majority I'm not 100% the LibDems will form another coalition with them.

The chances of the LibDems retaining any of their seats is low.

The only 'other' party that stands in our constituency is UKIP and it's a Conservative safe seat, fantastic <(
 

Swr28

Member
Joined
30 Aug 2011
Messages
80
Location
The Cambrian since 1982
He is the only real choice at the moment, if Labour had David Milliband then Cameron would lose.

I think Ed Milliband is to weak to be Prime Minister, then again William Hague was a in similar position to Ed when the tories went into opposition in the 90s however he has made a comeback and proven to be a much stronger politician now.

I personally can see a coalition with one of the Nationalist parties in Northern Ireland....

I think Cameron is trying too hard at the moment to please everyone and keep his good image with certain newspapers...Blair Mk2? :shock:
 

Xenophon PCDGS

Veteran Member
Joined
17 Apr 2011
Messages
32,269
Location
A semi-rural part of north-west England
You have to look to Tony Blair and his vision of New Labour, promulgated to directly appeal to the voters from the south of England that they needed to gather from "Middle England", with a certain Peter Mandelson and Alastair Campbell, to wonder if this was recognisable as a "Labour Party" as understood by former Labour stalwarts. It certainly was not the party of traditionalist Labour MP's such as Dennis Skinner.

People look at David Cameron and take away a visual image of an archetypal Conservative, but what image would you say that Tony Blair portrayed at the peak of his power, especially with his far-too-close alliance with a Republican president such as George W. Bush.
 

Chew Chew

Member
Joined
29 Aug 2010
Messages
511
The chances of the LibDems retaining any of their seats is low.

That's very true but unless things start turning round pretty quickly I think the Tories will get less seats at the next election than they currently have and Labour will increase their number of seats so a coalition will be required again. Even if the number of LibDem seats are halved it could be hugely important to get them onside.

Who would sit with the Tories to give them a majority after the way the unpopular policies were heaped onto the Libdems earlier on? The Unionist politicians from Northern Ireland would probably be a safe bet but who else?

If the SNP keep up the huge gains they made at the Scottish elections in the UK elections then someone will have to negotiate with them but with SNP MPs not normally voting on issues that don't impact on Scotland that could be a difficult one in terms of getting votes through parliament.

There are certainly interesting times ahead.

The only 'other' party that stands in our constituency is UKIP and it's a Conservative safe seat, fantastic <(

In the seat I live in only the Tories and LibDems have a chance of winning it. Been that way for at least 30 years.
 

RichW1

Member
Joined
9 Aug 2010
Messages
400
Location
Harrogate
An objective point or two if I may...

The public sector has to shrink - fact whatever party you bat for. Simply there has to be a larger private sector to pay for the massive and increasing cost through technology of the public sector services every developed country should have. This means there will be a tough transition period and that will affect the poor disproportionately, not out of David Cameron wanting to hurt poor people (be honest, no-one wants to do that in any party) but because the jobs and services that have over-bloated the public sector will hurt the poor to some extent. There cannot be change without unintended consequences that are just unfortunate facts of life. But...on the up side, when this transition is made a much more dynamic economy is possible and an increase in public sector possible. But money doesn't grow on trees and it's more entrepreneurs being able to start business that will pay for public services.

Secondly, small point ...the Conservatives in the UK are far to the left of the Republicans in the US. Not many conservatives themselves would associate with such ill-conceived views of the world. The two main parties in the States are not comparable with our own.
 

ainsworth74

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Global Moderator
Joined
16 Nov 2009
Messages
27,542
Location
Redcar
I don't particularly like him but I think he was better than the alternative. Though the way I actually voted last election had nothing to do with the party leaders and everything to do with who I thought would be the best MP for my constituency.
 

Minilad

Established Member
Joined
26 Feb 2011
Messages
4,343
Location
Anywhere B link goes
Words cannot describe how much I want to deck him whenever I see his smug face

This. And even more so when I saw him pictured jogging round a park in a Villa shirt. I have never been more embarrassed to support the Villa as I did right then
 

Schnellzug

Established Member
Joined
22 Aug 2011
Messages
2,926
Location
Evercreech Junction
I don't particularly like him but I think he was better than the alternative. Though the way I actually voted last election had nothing to do with the party leaders and everything to do with who I thought would be the best MP for my constituency.

That, i think, is the basic problem with the system that we have. What we're supposed to vote for is for our own local MPs, isn't it, but what we always actually end up electing is the government that attempts to run the country. I think the two are incompatible really; Ministers and members of the Cabinet and all those important types* couldn't possibly spare any time to worry about what their individual constituencies are concerned about, could they? i think the main problem with the Political system is that it's a career and a means to move higher up the ladder of power; I think the two things ought to be separated, so that the people we elect are concerned, and solely concerned, with the People who elect them, and not with seeing it as the first step on the ladder of Power.

*important in their own minds, at least

oh, david "Cam" cameron? He's the worst of the lot, by sheer virtue of the fact that since he is where he is today, it must have meant that he was the most ambitious. People who seek power just want to have control over people. These people are immoral.
 

Minilad

Established Member
Joined
26 Feb 2011
Messages
4,343
Location
Anywhere B link goes
That, i think, is the basic problem with the system that we have. What we're supposed to vote for is for our own local MPs, isn't it, but what we always actually end up electing is the government that attempts to run the country. I think the two are incompatible really; Ministers and members of the Cabinet and all those important types* couldn't possibly spare any time to worry about what their individual constituencies are concerned about, could they? i think the main problem with the Political system is that it's a career and a means to move higher up the ladder of power; I think the two things ought to be separated, so that the people we elect are concerned, and solely concerned, with the People who elect them, and not with seeing it as the first step on the ladder of Power.

*important in their own minds, at least

oh, david "Cam" cameron? He's the worst of the lot, by sheer virtue of the fact that since he is where he is today, it must have meant that he was the most ambitious. People who seek power just want to have control over people. These people are immoral.

What was it Billy Conolly said once. The desire to be a politician should automatically bar you from ever being one
 

Hydro

Established Member
Joined
5 Mar 2007
Messages
2,204
I have no feeling towards him at all. Completely neutral. He is bland, characterless and predictable. He's a politician.

Same for Milliband. In fact, same for everyone. They all speak in soundbites or woolly weasel words. Milliband just has to say the opposite of Cameron.

I don't particularly like Boris, or Prescott, but at least in those pair you can see traces of humanity and it not feel staged.
 

Schnellzug

Established Member
Joined
22 Aug 2011
Messages
2,926
Location
Evercreech Junction
I have no feeling towards him at all. Completely neutral. He is bland, characterless and predictable. He's a politician.

Same for Milliband. In fact, same for everyone. They all speak in soundbites or woolly weasel words. Milliband just has to say the opposite of Cameron.

And that's another thing. Has anyone ever thought, the party system and the existence of an Opposition is actually anti-democratic? Because surely, what democracy means is that the Will of the People is always right, right? So if the People elect a particular government, that must be the right one. So the very existence of an Opposition is actually opposing the will of the People.


That is, of course, if the Government was actually elected by the majority of the people; which is another question altogether, when you think that mr. Tony Blair was elected last time by about 20% of the total electorate, and Mr. david Cameron didn't even get enough to get first past the Post without the help of mr. nick clegg. So on the whole, I think, even if it was working as it was supposed to, it's actually against the basic principles of Democracy.
 

Chew Chew

Member
Joined
29 Aug 2010
Messages
511
when you think that mr. Tony Blair was elected last time by about 20% of the total electorate

35.2% of the vote.

Mr. david Cameron didn't even get enough to get first past the Post

36.1% of the vote.

That's what happens though you have some constituencies that are much larger than other constituencies though.

I think the Scottish parliament has it the right way with the list seats as well as the FPTP seats.
 

Oswyntail

Established Member
Joined
23 May 2009
Messages
4,183
Location
Yorkshire
And that's another thing. Has anyone ever thought, the party system and the existence of an Opposition is actually anti-democratic? Because surely, what democracy means is that the Will of the People is always right, right? So if the People elect a particular government, that must be the right one. So the very existence of an Opposition is actually opposing the will of the People.
...
I agree that, within Parliament, the Party system is undemocratic. But I would dispute the rest of your statement.
a) "The will of the people is always right". It is not the "will of the people" in the detail of European Currency, workers rights, transport, school meals etc that is being expressed in an election. It is the choice of the people of who will act as their representative when the minutiae are decided. Parliament acts not by the will of the people, but in the best interests of the people (which may be contrary to their will anyway). How that best interest is decided is the really interesting question.
b) The role of the opposition (despite what has happened since 1979) is not primarily to oppose, but to scrutinise. This has primarily failed since 1997, when, with a crushing Government majority, proper scrutiny of legislation was not allowed. If you can pretend that all Government legislative proposals are, by definition, the will of the people, then that is fine. But there was such volume and poor drafting under the last Government, that, even had a labour Government been returned, most of it would have had to be re-written (Which is actually, in the main, what is happening at present in the Health Bill, and in discussions about Human Rights).

As for David Cameron, I think he is doing a good job (define the job of PM, though!). With any luck, he will neutralise the right-wing fringe in his party, and make it less feasible that the left-wing fringe of Labour will ever take over. Personally, I would like to see more of the coalition model of co-operative scrutiny rather than yah-boo opposition (Does Miliband understand this approach, though?)
 

HST Power

Established Member
Joined
25 Nov 2010
Messages
3,704
As a die-hard Conservative supporter I will always stand by David Cameron.

Since coming to power, tough decisions have been made. Decisions that were not an option, but fundamentally essential for the well being of the country. Economically and socially we were falling down the pan, and it was the job of the present Government to sort it out.

I do feel that Cameron has lost some of his drive, but nonetheless, I am a Conservative supporter first and foremost and if this Government is to continue successfully it is essential that all Conservatives stand by him. We may not agree with every choice, or every decision that he makes, but if we want to be re-elected come the next election we don't turn our backs on our leader, we support him, and stand firm as supporters of the Conservative Party.

Whether it be Osborne, Hague, May, Clark or Cameron, they all have my support. Today, tommorow and for the future ahead.

Conservatives all the way.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top