Religion and Ethics Forum

General Category => Politics & Current Affairs => Topic started by: Hope on May 05, 2016, 08:11:49 AM

Title: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Hope on May 05, 2016, 08:11:49 AM
Just wondering what your election 'pack' conists of.  I shall be removing the Police and Crime Commissioner slate from mine and returning it to the officials as I regard the concept a bureaucratic irrelevance and I don't even what the turn-out figures to include me for that election.

Obviously, I'll be voting for the welsh Government.  Just trying to work out how best to relegate Labour to oppposition without letting in the likes of UKIP who seem to be drawing more on disenchanted Labour voters than voters from any other party here in Wales.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: L.A. on May 05, 2016, 08:23:42 AM
I think we only have a vote on Police Commissioner this time - and no one I know can tell me exactly what the Commissioner does - except draw a salary.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Harrowby Hall on May 05, 2016, 08:36:47 AM
I think we only have a vote on Police Commissioner this time - and no one I know can tell me exactly what the Commissioner does - except draw a salary.

Indeed. We, too, only have the Police Commissioner. 

Another stupid act by Cameron to go alongside putting party before nation after the Scottish referendum. Not to mention the Brexit referendum. His own grandchildren will blush with embarrassment when they study modern history at school.

His sole qualification for Tory party leadership was that his name wasn't Kenneth Clarke.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: ekim on May 05, 2016, 09:21:43 AM
  I shall be removing the Police and Crime Commissioner slate from mine and returning it to the officials as I regard the concept a bureaucratic irrelevance and I don't even what the turn-out figures to include me for that election.

We have a candidate for Police Commissioner whose policy is to abolish the post.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: john on May 05, 2016, 09:30:20 AM
"We have a candidate for Police Commissioner whose policy is to abolish the post."

Now him I'd vote for!
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Hope on May 05, 2016, 11:45:21 AM
"We have a candidate for Police Commissioner whose policy is to abolish the post."

Now him I'd vote for!
Likewise.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: floo on May 05, 2016, 11:57:20 AM
We have postal votes so sent ours back last week. It was hard to make a choice, especially where the Police Commissioner was concerned.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: jakswan on May 05, 2016, 02:58:47 PM
We have a party called Abolish the Welsh Assembly, lets get rid of the gravy train!
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: ProfessorDavey on May 05, 2016, 03:43:56 PM
We have both a district council election for our ward - happens pretty well every year, plus the Police and Crime Commissioner.

I think the latter is a complete waste of time and space and for the only time every deliberately refused to vote the first time there was an election for the post a few years ago. Just to convince myself I wasn't being just lazy I took a detour on my cycle back from the station to pass directly in front of the polling station but didn't go in.

Last time around turnout was about 15% which makes the election a farce - turnout was actually boosted in one place because their was a parish council by-election on the same day and I'd image parish council by-elections typically have about the lowest turnout of any normal election.

Bizarrely the Lib-Dem candidate for my local council election is also the Lib-Dem candidate for the Police and Crime Commissioner election which all seems a bit odd really, as were he to be elected to both he'd be a district councillor, a county councillor and the Police and Crime Commissioner.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: L.A. on May 05, 2016, 09:43:14 PM
"We have a candidate for Police Commissioner whose policy is to abolish the post."

Now him I'd vote for!
I suppose next time around, it might be good idea to put yourself forward as Police Commissioner pledging to reduce the Commissioners salary by 50% - that way you could get quite a lot of money for doing bugger-all and STILL save the taxpayer money!

A truly win-win situation.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Hope on May 06, 2016, 08:38:09 AM
So, with many results now in, we seem to have an interesting picture in Scotland - Labour currently 3rd behind the SNP and the Tories; Wales - Labour likely to remain the largest party in Cardiff Bay but Plaid, Tories and UKIP fighting out the minor places - and the Lib Dems likely to be a one-seat party. It has been interesting to see the political map (constituency) of Wales - red in the south east, south west and north east, with blue in the west and some of the north; the rest being green and yellow, but only a few seats despite the physical size of these colour swatches.

It has also been interesting to see how UKIP in Wales appears to have won their list seats - by taking large swings from Labour.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Hope on May 06, 2016, 08:48:00 AM
I suppose next time around, it might be good idea to put yourself forward as Police Commissioner pledging to reduce the Commissioners salary by 50% - that way you could get quite a lot of money for doing bugger-all and STILL save the taxpayer money!

A truly win-win situation.
The problem as that the deposit one has to pay to stand for PCC is £5K, whilst the equivalent for an MP is £500.  Not sure what it is for MSPs and AMs, let alone MLAs.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: L.A. on May 06, 2016, 08:58:30 AM
I see that you have just acquired your very own troop of clowns in Wales.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2016-wales-36207410
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Hope on May 06, 2016, 09:03:55 AM
I see that you have just acquired your very own troop of clowns in Wales.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2016-wales-36207410
Its worth noting that there are no UKIP constituency AMs.  That will be disappointing for Farage.  However, it currently 5 too many UKIP AMs for my liking.  Mind you, I'm not really sure what the party will do/stand for once the referendum next month has taken place, regardless of the outcome.  It seems to be more divided on issues other than Brexit than the Tory and Labour parties put together!!
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: L.A. on May 06, 2016, 09:23:33 AM
Its worth noting that there are no UKIP constituency AMs.  That will be disappointing for Farage.  However, it currently 5 too many UKIP AMs for my liking.  Mind you, I'm not really sure what the party will do/stand for once the referendum next month has taken place, regardless of the outcome.  It seems to be more divided on issues other than Brexit than the Tory and Labour parties put together!!

It would be nice to think that they would all self-destruct in the event of a REMAIN vote..
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Hope on May 06, 2016, 09:29:51 AM
It would be nice to think that they would all self-destruct in the event of a REMAIN vote..
I think that Labour and the Tories will simply carry on with normal life, because they both have realistic policies that are completely independent of the BREXIT/BREMAIN decision.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: jakswan on May 06, 2016, 09:36:16 AM
Looks like SNP have lost control of Scotland with Labour now not even the official opposition. Just goes to show your best bet is to spin your policies to sound left in Scotland, if you actually pitch a left-wing policy it will fail.

Sturgeon will have to get into bed with someone to form the government.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: jakswan on May 06, 2016, 09:37:10 AM
I think that Labour and the Tories will simply carry on with normal life, because they both have realistic policies that are completely independent of the BREXIT/BREMAIN decision.

If we don't vote out they'll campaign for another referendum.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Nearly Sane on May 06, 2016, 10:06:31 AM
Looks like SNP have lost control of Scotland with Labour now not even the official opposition. Just goes to show your best bet is to spin your policies to sound left in Scotland, if you actually pitch a left-wing policy it will fail.

Sturgeon will have to get into bed with someone to form the government.

More likely to run a minority govt as they did 2007 2011. They are 2 seats short of majority and will generally get support from Greens wjo are somewhat further to the left than Labour.  Your analysis in terms of the reasons for Labour's demise is simplistic - they are not currently seen as left wing - just incompetent
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: jakswan on May 06, 2016, 10:30:39 AM
More likely to run a minority govt as they did 2007 2011. They are 2 seats short of majority and will generally get support from Greens wjo are somewhat further to the left than Labour.  Your analysis in terms of the reasons for Labour's demise is simplistic - they are not currently seen as left wing - just incompetent

So you are dismissing my simplistic analysis with your simplistic analysis.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Hope on May 06, 2016, 01:34:37 PM
Since UKIP seem to have picked up a sizeable number of Labour voters here in Wales, could we see a Labour/UKIP coalition in Cardiff Bay?   ;)
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Hope on May 06, 2016, 02:33:25 PM
Looks like SNP have lost control of Scotland with Labour now not even the official opposition. Just goes to show your best bet is to spin your policies to sound left in Scotland, if you actually pitch a left-wing policy it will fail.

Sturgeon will have to get into bed with someone to form the government.
Wasn't the last Scottish (SNP) Government a minority one? 
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Ricky Spanish on May 06, 2016, 03:01:11 PM
"The SNP will retain its grip on government, after having claimed 59 of the 73 constituency seats up for grabs - up six on their 2011 result.

Overall, the SNP will occupy 63 of the 129 seats at Holyrood, with the Conservatives becoming the second-largest party on 31. Labour took 24, the Greens six, and the Lib Dems five." 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2016-36215186#
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Ricky Spanish on May 06, 2016, 03:08:09 PM
Also - look how blue the border counties are on the map. I was struggling to understand why the Selfservatives managed to do so well up here, then it dawned on me. They have rebranded themselves as The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.

Traditionally Scottish Labour called themselves a Party for the Unionist but as they turned more blue than red they kinda lost their way!!
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Hope on May 06, 2016, 03:09:30 PM
Overall, the SNP will occupy 63 of the 129 seats at Holyrood, with the Conservatives becoming the second-largest party on 31. Labour took 24, the Greens six, and the Lib Dems five."  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2016-36215186#
Did the Greens have any seats in the last Scottish Parliament?
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: wigginhall on May 06, 2016, 03:59:13 PM
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ChxkWDbXEAALzTM.jpg

Quite an arresting image of London after the election of an extremist terrorist Mayor.   Only trouble is, I can't work out if it's satire by somebody, or for real, since the ES is such a ghastly right-wing rag. 

Ah, I've been told that it is satire.  If it was real, there would be sycophantic headlines saying how wonderful Boris is. 
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: ProfessorDavey on May 06, 2016, 04:40:49 PM
Wasn't the last Scottish (SNP) Government a minority one?
No
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Brownie on May 06, 2016, 06:18:30 PM
Very funny Wigginhall.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: wigginhall on May 06, 2016, 06:20:50 PM
Very funny Wigginhall.

You won't find it funny when we have sharia law, all men will have to wear the niqab, and dawn prayers will be in every street at 4am.   This is not a UKIP ad.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Ricky Spanish on May 06, 2016, 07:15:11 PM
"Sadiq Khan was officially declared the new Mayor of London this evening after an election battle which officially began in March, but stretched back to last year. With a decisive victory of nine percent over his rival he comfortably saw off Zac Goldsmith to clinch the position which will see him serve until 2020.

The road to victory has not been a smooth ride for the Labour candidate, whose policies include freezing London transport fares for four years, restoring London’s air quality to legal and safe levels and aiming to make fifty percent of new homes in the city affordable.

Although garnering a consistent lead in the polls from the outset, his campaign has been tarnished by what can only be described as an organised crusade by his Conservative counterpart to discredit the British-born Muslim MP."

READ MORE HERE:  http://tinyurl.com/hd3kcee
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Walt Zingmatilder on May 06, 2016, 07:20:54 PM
A labour victory in London is as nothing to an extra Tory councillor in Tunbridge Wells.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Walt Zingmatilder on May 06, 2016, 07:24:43 PM
Labour victory? Not unless their candidate got 400% of the vote.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Walt Zingmatilder on May 06, 2016, 07:32:11 PM
This is the BBC John Pienarse reporting.

After their appalling victory in London, we can now say that Labour are finally finished and will not get back into power until well into the next geological era with a finality even more final than the last finality.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Walt Zingmatilder on May 06, 2016, 08:00:41 PM
After her landslide victory over the SNP in which she triumphantly forced them into a humiliating first place.

.......Why not Ruth Davidson for our next PM?
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Hope on May 06, 2016, 08:36:24 PM
Labour victory? Not unless their candidate got 400% of the vote.
Labour held the Blaenau Gwent constituency by 650 or so votes, having held it by 10K+ votes 5 years ago.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Hope on May 06, 2016, 08:37:33 PM
You won't find it funny when we have sharia law, all men will have to wear the niqab, and dawn prayers will be in every street at 4am.   This is not a UKIP ad.
When will this occur, wiggi?
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Shaker on May 06, 2016, 08:47:12 PM
Whoosh ...
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: jeremyp on May 06, 2016, 09:00:40 PM

The road to victory has not been a smooth ride for the Labour candidate, whose policies include freezing London transport fares for four years, restoring London’s air quality to legal and safe levels and aiming to make fifty percent of new homes in the city affordable.


Very laudable, but does he know how he is going to do it?
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: The Accountant, OBE, KC on May 06, 2016, 11:01:24 PM
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ChxkWDbXEAALzTM.jpg

Quite an arresting image of London after the election of an extremist terrorist Mayor.   Only trouble is, I can't work out if it's satire by somebody, or for real, since the ES is such a ghastly right-wing rag. 

Ah, I've been told that it is satire.  If it was real, there would be sycophantic headlines saying how wonderful Boris is.
Haha!

Yes that angle did spectacularly backfire on Zac despite the one-sided coverage by the Evening Standard. 
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Walt Zingmatilder on May 06, 2016, 11:33:36 PM
Watching BBC election coverage with Evan Davies and MP Matthew Hancockweirdly trying to make the London elections evaporate.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: jakswan on May 09, 2016, 08:46:10 AM
Maajid Nawz
www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/05/08/the-secret-life-of-sadiq-khan-london-s-first-muslim-mayor.html

Quote
Until then, discrimination will continue to feed the poisonous tribalism fueling modern identity politics. This applies whether that discrimination comes in the form of right-wing anti-Muslim bigotry, or in the form of the left-wing bigotry of low expectations that holds Muslims to lesser, illiberal standards. Until these twin bigotries are dealt with, Sadiq Khan’s religious affiliation will, sadly, remain a topic of debate.

Wiggs, take note.
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: Shaker on May 09, 2016, 08:50:05 AM
For heaven's sake, does nobody do sarcasm any more?
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: jakswan on May 09, 2016, 09:19:15 AM
For heaven's sake, does nobody do sarcasm any more?

Yes that and tribalism these days, its far easier you don't have make an actual argument or do any actual thinking. The play book is "demonise the opposition, the opposition are demons I must be right".
Title: Re: Today's (5th May) elections
Post by: L.A. on May 09, 2016, 03:14:46 PM
Yes that and tribalism these days, its far easier you don't have make an actual argument or do any actual thinking. The play book is "demonise the opposition, the opposition are demons I must be right".

Though in the case of UKIP that's not a problem, they are entirely Self-Demonising.