Theresa May calls General Election on 8th June.

[fowler9]

Labour threaten to tax the rich, but as such people are adept at tax avoidance they raise taxes for average earners. The Tories claim wealth creators will flee if they raise taxes, realise the poor can't pay much tax, so also raise tax for average earners. By the time defence and health spending have been taken out the pot, most claims are spin.

I personally think we have to find a third way. We can't carry on the way we are, the rich aren't going to take a hit in the pocket alone. So how are we going to do it? A lot of the very wealthy are making money just from having money. This is simply not sustainable and cannot continue and will eventually result in the super rich being left in an untenable situation. They can carry on being super rich but the world burns around them.

 

[meridian2]

I personally think we have to find a third way. We can't carry on the way we are, the rich aren't going to take a hit in the pocket alone. So how are we going to do it? A lot of the very wealthy are making money just from having money. This is simply not sustainable and cannot continue and will eventually result in the super rich being left in an untenable situation. They can carry on being super rich but the world burns around them.

Apart from a few land owners and industrialists, most of UK's wealthy make money from moving money around in one form or another. The only wealth creation is for themselves. It's a variety of gambling where three cherries come up every time. What the government does about it when politicians of all stripes benefit directly or indirectly from such activities is hard to say.

 

[fowler9]

Apart from a few land owners and industrialists, most of UK's wealthy make money from moving money around in one form or another. The only wealth creation is for themselves. It's a variety of gambling where three cherries come up every time. What the government does about it when politicians of all stripes benefit directly or indirectly from such activities is hard to say.

It has to change.

 

[Butts]

Well were you there for the "practice run" today - ie the Local Elections.

I must have been one of the first people in Newport/Wales/UK to vote this Morning.

Admitted to Polling Sation at 0655 - Voted at 0700 precisely.....

Three Votes....

Welsh Conservative
Welsh Conservative
Plaid Cymru

After years of Postal Voting in Scotland it was great to be there in person

 

[EM2]

Well were you there for the "practice run" today - ie the Local Elections.

Give us a chance, I've only just finished my breakfast!

 

[najaB]

Thanks for reminding me - I forgot to put my postal vote in the mail. Going to drop it it off at the council office at lunchtime.

 

[Green Lane]

Got to the polling station just after 7am to vote for Liverpool City Region metro mayor.

They told me I was the first one to vote there today.

 

[pemma]

Got to the polling station just after 7am to vote for Liverpool City Region metro mayor.

They told me I was the first one to vote there today.

If media reports are true a lot of eligible people aren't going to bother voting for either the Liverpool region metro mayor or the Greater Manchester metro mayor.

 

[Green Lane]

If media reports are true a lot of eligible people aren't going to bother voting for either the Liverpool region metro mayor or the Greater Manchester metro mayor.

Indeed, I get the general impression that it is going to be a low turnout.

One of my collleagues simply forgot that voting was today (until I reminded him).

I think today's elections have been somewhat overshadowed by the June general election.

 

[Howardh]

If media reports are true a lot of eligible people aren't going to bother voting for either the Liverpool region metro mayor or the Greater Manchester metro mayor.

I don't recognise "Greater Manchester" and therefore if I voted it would, by default, mean I accept it.

The only way I would vote would be if a candidate promised us a referendum on "going back" into Lancashire, which is way, far and beyond more important than the EU!

I've had my county taken off me in 1974, now my citizenship of the EU, not a happy bunny in these towers!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I personally think we have to find a third way. We can't carry on the way we are, the rich aren't going to take a hit in the pocket alone. So how are we going to do it? A lot of the very wealthy are making money just from having money. This is simply not sustainable and cannot continue and will eventually result in the super rich being left in an untenable situation. They can carry on being super rich but the world burns around them.

I take it you are including the sizable amount of people in USA who appear to fall into the bracketed tranche championed by the current President.

You say we have to find a "third way" but even if very large numbers of the population conjoin in this aspiration, how will such a group be able to achieve what you say by the methodology employed by which they aspire to bring about this?

 

[Barn]

I don't recognise "Greater Manchester" and therefore if I voted it would, by default, mean I accept it.

The only way I would vote would be if a candidate promised us a referendum on "going back" into Lancashire, which is way, far and beyond more important than the EU!

Do you think that Lancashire should actually have administrative responsibliities over Manchester or do you simply 'feel' as if you're in Lancashire?

It seems strange to suggest that councillors in Preston should be making decisions not only over the small towns and rural areas in Lancashire but also what is arguably England's second city.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Do you think that Lancashire should actually have administrative responsibliities over Manchester or do you simply 'feel' as if you're in Lancashire?

It seems strange to suggest that councillors in Preston should be making decisions not only over the small towns and rural areas in Lancashire but also what is arguably England's second city.

I was not aware that the councillors in Preston had any jurisdiction over Birmingham...:roll:

 

[pemma]

I was not aware that the councillors in Preston had any jurisdiction over Birmingham...:roll:

No it's Hebden Bridge, which Manchester is a suburb of: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26472423

 

[Barn]

I was not aware that the councillors in Preston had any jurisdiction over Birmingham...:roll:

I have a soft spot for Manchester.

 

[me123]

Just been to vote for my councillor. My chance to vote for a town councillor has been denied, as only two candidates (of the same political party) bothered to register for two seats, so they got elected automatically. Should there not be a right to accept or decline candidates in these instances? (i.e. instead of an election, why not propose that these candidates be elected to the position and give voters a yes/no choice?). There's a significant problem this year with uncontested seats in Wales, which seems to be in no small part because the wards are generally tiny.

I suspect a low turnout (although still plenty of time to go yet, and there's an electorate of under 1000). Only one of the polling booths had a sharpened pencil in it - that's not a good sign.

Meanwhile, in Glasgow, UKIP are fielding possibly their most insane candidate to date - meet Gisela Allen. (Manifesto)

 

[pemma]

Just been to vote for my councillor. My chance to vote for a town councillor has been denied, as only two candidates (of the same political party) bothered to register for two seats, so they got elected automatically.

That's particularly annoying when a councillor stands down and a by-election isn't triggered and someone who stood in a previous election but failed to get elected, gets given a seat.

The town council wards in my town are rigged. Around half the voters in the town are Conservatives but there's one area where few people would vote Conservative and they are covered by a double sized ward electing 6 councillors, opposed to 3 which means the Conservatives have a reasonable chance of winning every seat when if the boundaries were fair there would be 3 seats the Conservatives would have a very slim chance of winning.

 

[DarloRich]

stand yourself and make people choose.

 

[pemma]

stand yourself and make people choose.

That would only prevent it on one occasion - the next time the same problem would occur again.

 

[DarloRich]

That would only prevent it on one occasion - the next time the same problem would occur again.

not if you win

 

[Howardh]

Do you think that Lancashire should actually have administrative responsibliities over Manchester or do you simply 'feel' as if you're in Lancashire?

It seems strange to suggest that councillors in Preston should be making decisions not only over the small towns and rural areas in Lancashire but also what is arguably England's second city.

We get the whole county Palatine boundary back, and then sub-divide it into boroughs for policing, transport etc (just like as it used to be) with Preston being the co-ordinating city. Bolton, with a population of around 300k, should be able to handle it's own affairs. Even smaller Bury has a council that seems to know what it's doing.

It worked in the past!

But on top of that, try finding a current map which shows the proper Palatine boundary. Virtually non-existent, even with web searches. Do kids of town years born in Manchester KNOW they are actually Lancastrians?

Grrr.

 

[me123]

stand yourself and make people choose.

I'm sure I'd have stood a brilliant chance - a Scottish person who's lived in the country for less than a year and will almost certainly not be here in two years time. My command of the Welsh language extends to "Bore Da" and "Popty Ping". Not to mention the fact that I've already got a full time job and would not have the time to actually do the job.

I wouldn't even vote for me!

Perhaps they should move to the Scottish council electoral system - larger wards that elect multiple candidates using the Single Transferrable Vote. I don't think that any election is uncontested in Scotland today.

 

[Howardh]

I'm sure I'd have stood a brilliant chance - a Scottish person who's lived in the country for less than a year and will almost certainly not be here in two years time. My command of the Welsh language extends to "Bore Da" and "Popty Ping". Not to mention the fact that I've already got a full time job and would not have the time to actually do the job.

That sounds the perfect CV to become an MP, especially not having time to do the job! maybe you could edit a newspaper in your spare time

 

[backontrack]

not if you win

And if you lose, then you can stand again next time!

me123 for office

 

[Dave1987]

What a choice this country faces on June 8th. A Labour Party who can't even get basic maths right. Or a Tory party hell bent on destroying the relationship with our biggest trading partner and destroying the NHS. Never been so ashamed to be British.

 

[Howardh]

What a choice this country faces on June 8th. A Labour Party who can't even get basic maths right. Or a Tory party hell bent on destroying the relationship with our biggest trading partner and destroying the NHS. Never been so ashamed to be British.

Never have the Scots been so well off...they've someone to vote for! I should be voting Libdem, but as they get about two votes on a good day round these parts, I'll probably be voting Labour for the first time ever as it's a Labour/Tory marginal because I want to kick our Tory MP for allowing us to be taken out of the EU - even though there's sod all chance of Labour getting into power and then somehow, someway keeping us all-but-in the EU.

On the positive side, it's 5 years to the next election, and in that time the country should be able to see the mess it's created (waving bye-bye to the Tory rich who have sold up to live abroad) and a pro-EU party (UKIE??) has time to get established.

However, if by chance the Libdems get on a roll....

 

[me123]

What a choice this country faces on June 8th. A Labour Party who can't even get basic maths right. Or a Tory party hell bent on destroying the relationship with our biggest trading partner and destroying the NHS. Never been so ashamed to be British.

Tell me about. I'm likely to vote Labour on the grounds that they actually stand a chance here to unseat a Tory (someone who actually seems to be a decent guy in fairness, but I disagree with him on just about everything and think he would be better employed in the Welsh assembly given his main area of interest is devolved).

Under a fair electoral system (AV in this instance), I'd at least have the opportunity to "vote 'til I boke" (as they're saying in Scotland). I could vote for my preferred candidate and still lend support to Labour as a secondary preference. You may well see very different results under this system, as people are no longer made to feel that they are wasting their vote by choosing a smaller party. But nope, I have to choose one candidate, and with only two candidates standing a chance here I've got to choose between a Conservative candidate with whom I disagree, and a Labour candidate who will be supporting a party that can't even form a credible opposition (and will almost certainly implode in just over a month), who has a history of dodgy expense claims.

 

[Barn]

with only two candidates standing a chance here I've got to choose between a Conservative candidate with whom I disagree, and a Labour candidate who will be supporting a party that can't even form a credible opposition (and will almost certainly implode in just over a month), who has a history of dodgy expense claims.

In that case, a mere disagreement with every one of the former's policies sounds like the lesser evil!

 

[ExRes]

What a choice this country faces on June 8th. A Labour Party who can't even get basic maths right. Or a Tory party hell bent on destroying the relationship with our biggest trading partner and destroying the NHS. Never been so ashamed to be British.

It's your right to be as ashamed as you like, some of us were and are ashamed of being sold down the river by lies into Europe in the first place, don't forget the politicians were quite happy to destroy the trading partnerships we had at that time in order to cosy up to the French and their partners

 

[RichmondCommu]

On the positive side, it's 5 years to the next election, and in that time the country should be able to see the mess it's created (waving bye-bye to the Tory rich who have sold up to live abroad) and a pro-EU party (UKIE??) has time to get established.

However, if by chance the Libdems get on a roll....

I'm afraid the Conservative majority will be so great after the election that they will be in power for the next ten years.