British Election

Josiah, most of us are sick and tired of the election. They will promise us anything to get a vote, but it will all turn out to be lies and empty gestures. The most 'dangerous' element will be the roll of the SNP. Now, they have done some good things that make Scotland a great place to live, but their aim is for an independent socialist Scotland, defence replaced by a white flag and the Westminster government bowing to their every loony left demand.

Doubtless they will win a majority in Scotland, but it is vital that one of the major UK parties gets a majority so that the SNP's influence can be kept north of the border. Well, that's my view anyway.
 
Thanks Captain. British and American politicians may be equally hypocritical, but British politics is very much a different kettle of fish.
 

Capt Lightning said:
Josiah, most of us are sick and tired of the election. They will promise us anything to get a vote, but it will all turn out to be lies and empty gestures. The most 'dangerous' element will be the roll of the SNP. Now, they have done some good things that make Scotland a great place to live, but their aim is for an independent socialist Scotland, defence replaced by a white flag and the Westminster government bowing to their every loony left demand.

Doubtless they will win a majority in Scotland, but it is vital that one of the major UK parties gets a majority so that the SNP's influence can be kept north of the border. Well, that's my view anyway.
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I agree with you Captain, we are also sick and tired of politicians as well as the election, they are in the main totally self absorbed, and make out they are all for helping anybody who will vote for them. You basically can't believe a word they say these days, not that they ever were entirely trustworthy!!

Because it promises to be a very close run result, it will make good entertainment tomorrow night, that's probably the only interesting thing about it, as after the election, whoever gets in power it will be more of the same I fear....... Its time for a couple of Annie's G & Ts :)
 
I'm sorry you're all so depressed about it. Did I see somewhere that there is a female running for PM? Or was she someone from a minor party that doesn't have a chance? As much of an anglophile as I am, I confess I have never quite understood the parliamentary system. :confused:
 
Glinda said:
I'm sorry you're all so depressed about it. Did I see somewhere that there is a female running for PM? Or was she someone from a minor party that doesn't have a chance? As much of an anglophile as I am, I confess I have never quite understood the parliamentary system. :confused:
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From film and video it looks like a "organized brawl". I know that is a hasty viewpoint.
 
It's complicated. Yes, Glinda, the leader of the Scottish National Party is female but she isn't running for a Westminster seat so could not be PM. She is called First Minister and is the leader of the Scottish Parliament.

Only possibilities are Cameron - a Tory/Conservative, and Ed Milliband - Labour. There is also the Green party, the Liberal Democrats, and Plaid Cymru which is the same as the SNP only it's Wales only. No way will I try to explain coalitions, etc. which is what we've had for the last disastrous 5 years. It all still does my head in as I'm still getting used to it!

No party will get a clear majority, so after tomorrow there will be lots of deals being made. Could take weeks. It took 3 days in 2010 election.

I voted about 10 days ago as I do a postal vote. I will not say which party I voted for as I don't want to get into any arguments. However, I am a paying member of one party but am voting for another.

Josiah, aye, a big bottle of gin!!
 
Interesting times.

Our system is such that the English get more votes than the Scots, Welsh or Irish (one person, one vote, and there's more of them!).

For the first time ever there may be a Westminster government that the English haven't voted for!

The rest of us are used to -it the Scots have not voted for a Conservative government since the 50s and the Welsh never since universal suffrage, but all too often we've ended up with one, like now.

The English say that the tail is wagging the dog, what they mean is that it is no longer they who may be doing the wagging!
 
Josiah said:
Why are the Scots so much more liberal (in the US sense) than the English?
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For a variety of reasons Josiah, history and the fact that the government is centred in London the wealthiest part of the UK. http://is.gd/PKk0ku Here is an answer I found which makes sense to me:

My theory is that the Scots, like the Welsh and Irish, were originally Gaelic peoples, whose society was based on clans.

Clan societies were more egalitarian, and for males to rise in stature within the clan, they often had to prove themselves. Often this was on the battlefield, but later it was through academic achievement, invention, or something else.

The traditional Gaelic attitude to wealth was "Who are you, and how are you different from me, except that you have more money, wealth and stuff?" This was not so much disrespect, as it was a belief that money and wealth should not be the sole measure of success in any society.

In comparison, English society was much more hierarchical and status-conscious. This hierarchy was reinforced by the English monarchy and the Church of England, which had a strong obsession with rank, status and titles. To this day, many Scots have a strong disdain for the House of Lords and the monarchy, which they regard as so much nonsense.

While the British Empire was growing and expanding, there was more tolerance for this social structure because who wanted to leave a growing empire? By the time the Empire was gone though, Margaret Thatcher came out with her policies which encouraged money, wealth, stuff and bling. Basically she said that people should embrace wealth, and not be ashamed of it, and those who did not embrace wealth were lazy losers.

This was a highly divisive policy, and rekindled the Scottish distrust of hierarchy with the SNP and the Scottish independence movement, which was focused on the Tories and their embrace of The City and the financial sector. Maybe unconsciously, the excesses of Thatcher's and London's policies rekindled the Scottish identity, and coalesced into the independence movement. After all, almost no one stays in Scotland in order to become wealthy. If they want to become rich, they head for London.

Even from the grave, Margaret Thatcher's policies continue to divide British society.
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The latest on the election http://is.gd/RSNyM5 http://is.gd/G6srnN
 
I'm quite sure those in the US heard about the independence referendum which took place last September in which those who reside in Scotland, age 16 and up and were eligible to vote, on whether Scotland should 'divorce' the rest of the UK. One reason was that Scots would never again get a government they didn't vote for and would only have a government that cared about Scotland. There are only 5 million in Scotland and 55 million in the rest of the UK. The vote was 45 yes, 55 no. There could always be another vote.

This is why there is a lot of anti-Scotland sentiment being heard during this election. Just heard a man being interviewed on the news saying that Scots shouldn't have a say in an 'English' parliament. Funny, I thought it was a UK parliament. :rolleyes:
 
There's a joke that there are more pandas in the zoo (there are 2 in Edinburgh) than tories in Scotland (there is one Tory MP).
 
I've asked my husband who has always been left wing and says it's in his genes being of Scots and Irish blood. He says it's too complicated to explain why Scotland is more left than right.
 
Just heard it said that a British election is like changing madams in a brothel, but that could apply to the U.S. Just as well...:D
 
Ralphy1 said:
Just heard it said that a British election is like changing madams in a brothel, but that could apply to the U.S. Just as well...:D
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The US has a much more straightforward voting system and is the one I understand better. I vote in both.

I don't think DH and I ever discussed politics before we got married. But it was a good thing we totally agreed!
 
Hmm, yes, unless you take politics as entertainment it certainly can cause difficulties in a relationship...
 
Ralphy1 said:
Hmm, yes, unless you take politics as entertainment it certainly can cause difficulties in a relationship...
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Not at all Ralphy, my mother and her family were very staunch Labour people, my father who just happened to be a Scotsman was a Conservative man and there was nothing wrong with their relationship, it is all about respect for another persons feelings and opinions.
 
My dad was a democrat and my mom would never say who she voted for as she thought it was private, but we all knew she often voted republican. They got along very well and this didn't cause any issues. My siblings were split, two republicans, two democrats, but that has changed to only one still being republican - a brother. We love him anyway.
 
Bee said:
Fortunate..............or............a very sensible family????
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Sensible family.

My cousin is coming to visit and we have agreed not to discuss politics, religion or sex. Not sure why he mentioned sex but I'd say it's due to some of my pro gay marriage posts on FB.
 
I had an MIL once that would not countenance the same "big three" that you mentioned. It led to some long, boring gatherings that also led to too much drinking...:D
 
If one is unable to discuss the big three, how on earth to stay conscious without resorting to booze or pot?? Hmmm. Perhaps secret, illicit sex to pass the time? Lol. In my family, at one time or another, everything on the political spectrum was represented. Led to some spirited debates, but little rancor. It was viewed as the family sport.
 

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