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Showing posts with label general election. Show all posts
Showing posts with label general election. Show all posts

Sunday 11 June 2017

Poor Mrs May?

For a start, I was one of the many millions in the UK who did not vote for Mrs May (UK Prime minister) and the Conservatives. It looks like the rich are richer and the poor poorer under her party. This is wrong. If we are to have austerity let us all share the pain. As for a working alliance with the Democratic Unionists (DUP) in Northern Ireland, I am sure this will go down in history as a mistake.

To be fair, many expected a landslide with the Conservatives winning a big, clear, majority.  Instead, we ended up with a hung parliament and Mrs May hanging on by a whisker.  Most people rejected her autocratic style.

In some way I feel sorry for her. A week ago she could do no wrong, whereas now she is vilified.

Who knows what the future holds? It will be several years before the dust settles,  but beware any party that ignores the people it serves.

Oh, we still await a true charismatic leader in any UK party.

Wednesday 7 June 2017

Vote tomorrow

Whatever your political views, you have a democratic right to vote for the candidate of your choice in the General Election tomorrow. A vote not used is just wasted. Use it, please. Even if your candidate is not successful it registers your interest for the party of your choice.

Thursday 1 June 2017

General Election in the UK

We have a General Election in the UK next week. At the beginning of the campaign, the pundits were talking of a landslide victory for the ruling Conservative Party. Now, in the last week, things are much closer. Last time the experts were wrong. It will be interesting to see who is right.

Monday 14 September 2015

Jeremy Corbyn elected Labour leader

You either love him or hate him it seems. Jeremy Corbyn has been elected as the new UK Labour leader by a huge majority that would not have been believed just a few months ago.

I cannot see his left wing views finding favour with the voting public and I cannot see Labour regaining government at the next General Election due in 2020. He has radical views (very left wing). Personally, I think some of his ideas are good ones. We live in interesting times.

After WW2 a very left wing government was elected (ousting Churchill) and introduced the NHS and nationalised the mines and the railways. Who can tell what people will want in 2020? Maybe when Cameron leaves office we will see a big swing to the left?

Tuesday 5 May 2015

Election blues

See http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/05/05/richard-littlejohn-labour-jimmy-savile_n_7210932.html?1430818808 .

People are getting rather stupid about the upcoming UK General Election voting for which is on this Thursday.  The real difference between Labour and Conservatives is actually not that great.

 We are likely to be in a hung parliament with another coalition, so the policies of either Labour or Conservatives will have to be moderated. Both want the deficit to be reduced. Both want to keep the NHS free at point of use. Both want to keep Trident (I don't).

In the end, I hope we end up with another coalition involving the Lib Dems.

Thursday 30 April 2015

Neck and neck still

The UK General Election next week still looks far too close to call. Some opinion polls show the Conservatives ahead and others show Labour.  UKIP seem to be gradually losing support.

At the moment my intention is to vote Lib Dem as they do have a chance of winning here in East Cambs. Labour really have no chance at all having won just 6.5% of the vote last time. UKIP could well split the Conservative vote, so the Lib Dems have a decent chance. Personally, I think the moderating influence of the Lib Dems on either the Conservatives or Labour would be a good thing. I supported the Greens in the European elections but in a "first past the post" General Election they (sadly) have no chance here. Elsewhere, who knows?

Saturday 25 April 2015

UK General Election

With less than 2 weeks to go this will be the closest election in years and it is very unlikely a clear winner will emerge: Labour and Conservatives are neck and neck with some polls saying one is marginally ahead only to be contradicted by another poll! Some sort of coaltion appears to be the most probable outcome but whether Labour or Conservatives are the main party is anyone's guess.

Tuesday 21 April 2015

Still too close to call

The UK General Election is on May 7th (2 weeks only) and the leading parties are still too close to know who will get the most votes. It depends on which poll you look at who is deemed ahead. The margin of error is greater than the difference, so essentially they are tied.

Monday 20 April 2015

UK General Election - First past the post

A reminder than the UK General Election, which is only a few weeks away, is "first past the post" so if you are just one vote behind you lose everything. In the European elections I voted Green, but fear this will be a wasted vote in a "first past the post" contest.  Tactical voting will be needed.

For example, in my constituency Labour really have no chance of winning as they only got 6.5% of the vote last time. The Lib Dems (currently in coalition with the majority Conservative government) have a real chance of winning - they came a good second last time - especially as we have UKIP nowadays and the Conservatives could lose some votes to them. The most probable outcome is a Conservative win again in this constituency.

Nationally, the outcome is almost certainly another coalition government as the polls show Labour and Conservatives neck and neck nationally. UKIP support nationally is fading, although I always suspected this would be the case.

Friday 17 April 2015

That General Election in the UK

Well, I look at the BBC pages on the polls and it is clearly going to be a hung parliament with some sort of coalition the most likely outcome.

Personally, I think the UKIP support will weaken and a coalition involving the Lib-Dems (with either the Conservative or Labour) could be probable. This would be no bad thing.

We have only a few weeks left. There is still plenty of time for politicians to make gaffs, that could lose them a lot of support.

Wednesday 1 April 2015

FTSE 100 up today

The FTSE 100 share index was up again today by 0.54%. It is still some way below its high spot which was over 7000. As the next General Election approaches and there is continuing uncertainty in Greece, more rapid fluctuations are likely.

At the moment, the outcome of the next General Election outcome is a total guess. The 2 big parties (Conservatives and Labour) are still neck and neck at 34% according to recent opinion polls.

Tuesday 31 March 2015

Big FTSE 100 falls

The FTSE 100 index fell to 6773 tonight, which is a fall of 1.72%. I think further falls are possible as we run towards the next General Election, the outcome of which is very uncertain.

Monday 30 March 2015

Poll tracker

We are now officially in the run-up to the next General Election here in the UK.The two major parties, Conservative and Labour are neck and neck with 34% of the vote. In politics 6 weeks to the General Election is a long time and the odd gaff could rapidly change things.

I am still undecided who to vote for but at the moment it is probably LibDem. If not "first pass the post" I'd probably be voting Green. In this constituency I shall be voting tactically.

For the poll tracker see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/poll-tracker .

Tuesday 24 March 2015

FTSE 100 falls a bit

Although still above 7000, the FTSE 100 index fell 0.26% today. It was in positive territory for most of the day.

I think we could see a lot of turbulence in the run-up to the next UK General Election and in the days and weeks that follow. All the polls suggest a tight result with a clear winner unlikely.

It would not surprise me to have another coalition government. In my view this would be no bad thing if the Lib-Dems were part. I hope UKIP do not do well as they seem to be a messy party with few thought out policies. All they really want it seems is the UK out of Europe. Most of us want a better deal with more control of our borders, but a vote for one of the major parties is likely to be more useful in a "first past the post" election

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business/markets/europe/lse_ukx .

Monday 16 March 2015

UK General Election - May 7th 2015

Well, this time I really have no-idea who to vote for! Historically, this was a safe Conservative seat but the standing MP (Sir James Paice) is not up for re-election. Tactical voting is probably essential. As stated previously  there are things in the policies of all parties I like. There are also bad things about most parties. I think I shall be using my "first pass the post" vote to vote for the least bad party.  There is no single party I want to vote into power. At the moment it is either Labour (but I cannot stand Ed or some of his shadow cabinet) or Conservative (David Cameron is a good leader, but I dislike many of his policies). Last time I voted Lib Dem, but fear wasting my vote this time around. I voted Green in the European  elections, but here it was not "first pass the post".

Thursday 26 February 2015

The May General Election

It looks increasingly likely that the next UK General Election will be a very close thing and the outcome close.  A hung parliament is a likely outcome.   Being a "first past the post" election, voting for the smaller parties could well result in a wasted vote.  So, it looks like I may be voting for the "least worst" option rather than the party I would really choose.

Last time I voted Lib Dem and I voted Green in the European elections. All I know is I shall not be voting UKIP. I don't like some Conservative policies and I find Ed Miliband a useless leader.  Hobson's choice?

Thursday 5 February 2015

"On your side"

Ed Miliband does not come across as a charismatic leader, but then again, nor do the leaders of the other parties. Churchill was charismatic back in WW2.

At the moment I have no idea for whom I shall be voting at the next general election this spring here in the UK.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31139811 .

Friday 23 January 2015

7 party TV election debate?

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30955379 .

It looks likely that one of the TV election debates will include representatives from 7 main parties. There is also a debate planned between Ed Milliband and David Cameron.

Sunday 7 December 2014

Alex Salmond MP at Westminster?

The BBC website reports that the ex SNP leader Alex Salmond is to stand for a seat at Westminster in the next General Election in May 2015. He wants ti ensure promises made at the Scottish Referendum are kept.

Friday 28 November 2014

Immigration and the Conservative party

With not long to the next General Election here in the UK, the Conservatives are now trying, against the odds, to win hearts and minds in the debate on immigration. The latest idea is to grossly restrict benefits for 4 years for people who immigrate to the UK. Unfortunately for a small island like ours (?) we find ourselves real magnet for people wanting to move within the EU. Those that move and work here help our economy with growth in the UK stronger than in the rest of Europe. Whether or not this latest idea will reduce nett inward migration I do not know.  UKIP is making its voice heard and the Conservative party is rattled.

I still have no idea which party to support in the General Election next year. The outcome is likely to be close with minor parties holding the balance of power or being asked to form a coalition with either Labour or the Conservatives.  I actually quite like David Cameron, but slightly prefer Labour values. Sadly I think the Labour leader is not too charismatic or good as a leader. Last time I voted for the Liberal Democrats.  In the EU elections (not first past the post) I voted Greens.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30224493 .