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M
Good question. Traditionally speaking the Conservatives (AKA Tories) are meant to be right wing and got the middle and upper class votes (privatisation, deregulation and the free market etc). Labour are supposed to be the lefties and appealed to the working class (socialist policies, trade unions, nationalisation etc). The LibDems, in recent decades have always been stuck in the middle. Their supposed priorities are civil liberties and democracy (eg. they're opposed to ID cards and they want proportional representation).
However, more recently, all three parties seem to have lost their roots and seem happy to abandon their traditional ideals to gain some opportunistic votes. This can be seen with Tony Blair's New Labour, which took the party further right, presumably in an attempt to win the middle class vote (which they apparently managed and gave them a landslide victory in '97). At the same time, they still managed to become increasingly authoritarian and are who I blame for our present Big Brother Nanny State (no prizes for guessing that they didn't get my vote).
In the most recent campaign the Tories seemed to be embracing, or at least tolerating some left wing principles (eg. coming out giving their full support to the NHS). And the LibDems seem just as quick to abandon their liberal ideals where it suits them (eg. they were all-out in favour of smoking bans).
So, it's a horrible horrible mess. The thing is, many people are tribal voters and are still voting based on the parties' old ideals. So the lads in Leeds working men's clubs will still vote Labour, even though they've completely lost touch with the working class, and the toffs still vote Tory.
In the wake of all this, some smaller parties have been able to fill the policy void left by the other 3. For example, the British National Party, while often accused of being 'extreme right wing' are actually very economically left wing. Also, the UK Independence Party have managed to steal some Tory voters (and members) because they are genuinely right wing.
Of course I don't believe it really matters who we elect as long as we're part of the EU. All the 3 main parties are pro-EU (some more than others, but at this stage the extent matters little).
That's a brief summary of a few things that spring to mind, and it is no doubt tainted by my own personal political beliefs, but there you go.
However, more recently, all three parties seem to have lost their roots and seem happy to abandon their traditional ideals to gain some opportunistic votes. This can be seen with Tony Blair's New Labour, which took the party further right, presumably in an attempt to win the middle class vote (which they apparently managed and gave them a landslide victory in '97). At the same time, they still managed to become increasingly authoritarian and are who I blame for our present Big Brother Nanny State (no prizes for guessing that they didn't get my vote).
In the most recent campaign the Tories seemed to be embracing, or at least tolerating some left wing principles (eg. coming out giving their full support to the NHS). And the LibDems seem just as quick to abandon their liberal ideals where it suits them (eg. they were all-out in favour of smoking bans).
So, it's a horrible horrible mess. The thing is, many people are tribal voters and are still voting based on the parties' old ideals. So the lads in Leeds working men's clubs will still vote Labour, even though they've completely lost touch with the working class, and the toffs still vote Tory.
In the wake of all this, some smaller parties have been able to fill the policy void left by the other 3. For example, the British National Party, while often accused of being 'extreme right wing' are actually very economically left wing. Also, the UK Independence Party have managed to steal some Tory voters (and members) because they are genuinely right wing.
Of course I don't believe it really matters who we elect as long as we're part of the EU. All the 3 main parties are pro-EU (some more than others, but at this stage the extent matters little).
That's a brief summary of a few things that spring to mind, and it is no doubt tainted by my own personal political beliefs, but there you go.
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M
I've been following it and still am while I, like everyone, am still waiting for some kind of government to actually take shape.
I see good ideas in all the main 3 party policies and so it was hard to choose who to vote for, but I did my duty and cast my vote, little good it did though as the local MP wasn't removed which was all I was really hoping for as a hung parliament seemed likely from several weeks ahead of the results.
My only big dissapointent was that the Liberal Democrats lost seats in the House of Commons, knowing we were heading for a minority government of one type or another I was hoping they might get a higher share of seats so it wouldn't remain a mostly two party system, I don't neccesarily think proportional representation is the way to go but some changes in the electoral system are definetly needed.
Whatever happens next I'll be surprised if we manage to make it the full 5 years before the next general election is called, as whatever government comes in could well self-destruct at some point because the UK is not accustomed to this type of co-operation.
I see good ideas in all the main 3 party policies and so it was hard to choose who to vote for, but I did my duty and cast my vote, little good it did though as the local MP wasn't removed which was all I was really hoping for as a hung parliament seemed likely from several weeks ahead of the results.
My only big dissapointent was that the Liberal Democrats lost seats in the House of Commons, knowing we were heading for a minority government of one type or another I was hoping they might get a higher share of seats so it wouldn't remain a mostly two party system, I don't neccesarily think proportional representation is the way to go but some changes in the electoral system are definetly needed.
Whatever happens next I'll be surprised if we manage to make it the full 5 years before the next general election is called, as whatever government comes in could well self-destruct at some point because the UK is not accustomed to this type of co-operation.
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M
I think the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives could do it but the reality is there is too much difference between them and even if they can make an agreement I doubt it'll last very long.
There's a better chance the Liberal Democrats and Labour would be more stable together but given the election results they would have minimal public support, even when the new Labour leader is in place, I think that government would be doomed from the start.
Like I said I don't really think it matters as we'll be going back to the polls before long, but the only viable government would have to be led by the Conservatives, and given the options I just don't think they'll manage it.
But now Gordon Brown is stepping down as Labour leader they might do better in another poll, so maybe the Conservatives will make more concessions, will be interesting if not productive.
There's a better chance the Liberal Democrats and Labour would be more stable together but given the election results they would have minimal public support, even when the new Labour leader is in place, I think that government would be doomed from the start.
Like I said I don't really think it matters as we'll be going back to the polls before long, but the only viable government would have to be led by the Conservatives, and given the options I just don't think they'll manage it.
But now Gordon Brown is stepping down as Labour leader they might do better in another poll, so maybe the Conservatives will make more concessions, will be interesting if not productive.
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The same would be true of minor parties in the US, and there would be quite a few of them, I think. They might muster a small percentage of the vote but never have any representation in Congress. The Libertarian Party, a far right party, would be an example. I am unaware of any sentiment here, though, to change the system.
M
I think it is only coming to the front now because for the first time in a very long time no party has won the election outright and the Liberal Democrats have, also for the first time in a long time, a real chance to influence the legeslative agenda of the next government and so they are pushing for a change that will benefit them in the future.
If the election had been won outright I doubt it would have become an issue, but speaking personally I think it is long past time that a more democratic system was put in place, lots of talk about being a democracy but it isnt much of one in practice.
If the election had been won outright I doubt it would have become an issue, but speaking personally I think it is long past time that a more democratic system was put in place, lots of talk about being a democracy but it isnt much of one in practice.
M
At this very moment the Labour government elected in 2005 then led by Tony Blair now led by Gordon Brown is still governing because no-one won the election, the parties are currently negotiating to form a coalition government, but no-one knows what two parties will do it.
The Liberal Democrats can join with whom they choose and we are all wating to see, that's why proportional representation is now an issue because it is partly about which of the Conservative and Labour parties will make the most concessions on that and other issues, if Labour or Conservatives had won outright the Liberal Democrat policies wouldn't have gotten any consideration at all, so despite the fact they came third in the election they actually have the power to effectively choose the next government of the UK.
The Liberal Democrats can join with whom they choose and we are all wating to see, that's why proportional representation is now an issue because it is partly about which of the Conservative and Labour parties will make the most concessions on that and other issues, if Labour or Conservatives had won outright the Liberal Democrat policies wouldn't have gotten any consideration at all, so despite the fact they came third in the election they actually have the power to effectively choose the next government of the UK.
M
I'm not so wise on the finer details so I could be wrong, but as I understand it the system here, like the US system doesn't gaurantee the party that wins the popular vote wins the election.
It is possible for a party to win more seats in the House of Commons but get less votes overall, this is again why the Liberal Democrats want to bring in proportional representation as their vote share doesn't come close to fairly reflecting their level of representation.
In the current situation, should the Liberal Democrats enter government with Labour that would mean the party who won the popular vote, the Conservatives, would be in oppositon.
I guess you could liken that scenario in very broad terms to Al Gore's run for the US Presidency because I understand he apparently won the popular vote but lost on the Electoral College.
It is possible for a party to win more seats in the House of Commons but get less votes overall, this is again why the Liberal Democrats want to bring in proportional representation as their vote share doesn't come close to fairly reflecting their level of representation.
In the current situation, should the Liberal Democrats enter government with Labour that would mean the party who won the popular vote, the Conservatives, would be in oppositon.
I guess you could liken that scenario in very broad terms to Al Gore's run for the US Presidency because I understand he apparently won the popular vote but lost on the Electoral College.