[English Bob]

I don't consider myself an authority on politics at all Yuds, but what makes you think you are? You make some very grand statements about the parties, can you back them up? Why are the Lib Dems 'a shambles' exactly? The Lib Dems always win my local council elections, and do a good job improving things.

[kendra k]

Ha, I forgot about your crushes on UK politicians... not liking Mr Brown any more Kendra?

\\

Gordon Brown and I are now seeing other people. It's for the best. Prescott and I still hang.

[Yudster]

I don't consider myself an authority on politics at all Yuds, but what makes you think you are? You make some very grand statements about the parties, can you back them up? Why are the Lib Dems 'a shambles' exactly? The Lib Dems always win my local council elections, and do a good job improving things.

The Lib Dem MP who has held the constituency next to mine has done a sterling job for them for the last 20 years or so. He is a brilliant constituency MP. I am talking about parties though, not individuals, and national, not local government.

And I don't know that I'd call myself an authority on politics, but I have plenty of experience from various angles, starting with being the daughter of a Labour party activist and growing up with a constant stream of politicians of various levels of responsibility (and various parties) in and out of my home. My observations on the Lib Dem situation (and any others) are based on observation, same as yours I expect, but I imagine my frame of reference for that observation might be a little more broad than some people's. My neighbour's kids used to be kept up at night by their parents having parties - I remember sitting on the stairs late at night listening to Tony Benn and Bob Russell (who was then in the local Labour Party but is now the Lib Dem MP for Colchester) arguing about policy and social reform. Its been pretty inevitable that having grown up in that environment I have kept a keen interest and stayed informed. (Caveat = "You Asked")

I'm not trying to influence anyone as far as who they should vote for is concerned - I don't even know who I am going to vote for yet (although in my constituency the likelihood of anyone other than the sitting MP getting back in is, unfotunately, almost zero). I just want people to look beyond the TV images, try to understand what its all about, get interested and above all, vote for SOMEONE. This thread (and the original one) have been a real eye opener, its great to see that people do think about this stuff. That's all I care about.

[Nicola_Red]

On Twitter Tim Minchin is making the case for voting to be made compulsory, as it is in Australia. What do people think about that idea?

[foot-loose]

On one hand it kinda argues with democracy. On the other, I think it makes sense.

Id say yes, it should be, but I can see a lot of others disagreeing.

[Johnny 1989]

I caught the newspaper review of The Andrew Marr show today and they covered an article - predictably either in the Mail on Sunday or the Sunday Express, can't remember which - questioning how British Nick Clegg is (because his wife is Spanish, his mother's Dutch I think and someone else in his family is from somewhere else). As the person who brought the article up said, well yes, he is British. He has a rich heritage from other cultures, so what? If anything that's something to be proud of.

Also, it's old news now, but I forgot to post it here - from the ITV post-debate coverage:

http://yfrog.com/b8z4pj

To be fair the Mail & Express are as bad as each other these days, I'm surprised they haven't blamed Brown for the current "ash" problems we have at present.

[MK Chris]

Not my constituency, since I moved from Newport Pagnell I've been in Milton Keynes South (well, South West until this election) as opposed to Milton Keynes North East (which is about to become North), but the Monster Raving Looney Party have fielded a candidate there! Brilliant.

I agree with Yudster, it's important that people get out and vote but I think to make it compulsory to vote would alienate more people than ever - and besides, it would make no difference; more people would just ruin their voting cards. I know it's important to vote, but I also know people who feel they can't vote for any of the candidates available and that is their prerogative really. All that should be done is to encourage those people that they should be voting. Again, I agree with Yudster - I hope the Lib Dem support translates into more people voting. One in four voted for them last time, but because of the voting system in this country, they only ended up with 62 MPs.

Oh: TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER, WHICH YOU CAN DO HERE.

[MK Chris]

What are other people's views on the voting system by the way? I think the first past the post system is wrong personally, but what do others think? I was just discussing with my manager and he doesn't agree with proportional representation on its own for the reason that he is more drawn to the Lib Dems on a national level, but in his constituency the Tory candidate does a bloody good job getting involved in the local community, he knows him and knows he is a good local MP. For that reason, he would prefer two votes - one for your MP and one for the national Government, which would therefore be proportional representation. You could easily, then, end up with a party in Government with a minority of MPs, but then that works in America - you can have a Republican president with a broadly Democrat congress. Besides, there's a strong argument that says Government should not be formed from just one party really, but people who are best for the job. There's little doubt in my mind that Vince Cable should be the next Chancellor of the Exchequer, regardless of who is in power.

[Yudster]

The American system looks to have a lot going for it on the face of it. What would the drawbacks be? I'm sure there must be some. Otherwise, PR would certainly be better than the current system, which I think the country has literally outgrown. That however is something I very much doubt would change unless we got a Lib Dem government with a very very large majority!

[MK Chris]

A referendum on the issue could be the price of their backing in the event of a hung parliament though.

[kendra k]

You could easily, then, end up with a party in Government with a minority of MPs, but then that works in America - you can have a Republican president with a broadly Democrat congress. Besides, there's a strong argument that says Government should not be formed from just one party really, but people who are best for the job.

Have you been paying attention to the American legislature for the last 8 years? It doesn't really work anymore. This nation has become too partisan to the point that it's toxic. As a result, it's impossible for anything to happen in a timely fashion. The Republicans are losing a grip on their base and loathe to help fix the problems they created. (I'm thinking about our recent jobs bill/transportation authorization extension, where people lost their benefits for almost a week and the entire USDOT (and all of their recovery projects) were furloughed), because a couple Republicans wanted to make a stand for the Tea Party whackos.

Of course, I live in the most dysfunctional state in the union when it comes to this. We're currently besieged with minority rule.

[English Bob]

I've always been in favour of a reformed voting system, mainly proportional representation. One vote should count as one vote, not the seats/constituencies nonsense.

My area is strange, our local council elections always result in Lib Dems winning, Labour doesn't even field a candidate in my area. However my constituency is ALWAYS won by the smug Tory tosspot that is Andrew Robathan. Oxford-educated, former military officer who is anti-EU and deeply conservative in his views. He keeps getting elected by all the right-wing farmers in my area...but he seems to do bugger all, he's never in the newspapers campaigning, never see him mingling with the public...bah!

[Yudster]

Sounds like my MP, completely invisible unless there's a chance to put his name to something glamorous on telly or in the papers -only the last time he got in the papers it was for being a wanky expenses thief. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you - Bernard Jenkin!

[MK Chris]

I never see our MP, but then I never saw our MP when I was in Milton Keynes North East either. Both are marginal seats, but only really for Labour and the Tories. Which is odd, because as in English Bob's case, we have Lib Dem councillors all over the place - Milton Keynes' mayor is Lib Dem at the moment.

[dimtimjim]

Lib Dems always win in my local area.... But can I name my MP? Nah! Will be some smug money grabbing git. I vote for the greater national good, not the local hero.

[DevilsDuck]

Well, our last MP was Anthony Steen.....thats right, the one who used tax payers money to build a moat and duck island complete with a duck house!

[MK Chris]

Blimey, your constituency is blue through and through - all Tory since 1885 except 1923-1924, when you had a Liberal.

[MK Chris]

Yeah. I looked your MP up on Wikipedia and from there your constituency.

[dimtimjim]

I'm not too surprised really, it's a pretty middle class area.

Cool, posh totty!!

[English Bob]

Haha! An election leaflet for my current MP, the Tory git Andrew Robathan came through the door today. Its the first time I've actually seen his face! Shows how politically active he is! Funny how they do bugger all for the rest of the time, but come election time the leaflets arrive...begging for your votes

[Johnny 1989]

Ilford South's local MP is Mike Gapes, he's been the MP for our area for 12-15 years & in all honesty hasn't done a bad job, in my opinion. A lot of locals know what he looks like & he does actually walk round town outside of election campaigns. As he reminds us in his latest leaflet, that it's actually Tory & Lib Dem councillors that have been in for the last 8-10 years and the list of plans between those two parties that they have spent thousands if not millions on & then scrapped the projects after several years of wasted money is shocking.

I've also noted before these elections that it only seems to be our local Labour MP & few remaining councillors that actually care about the area, the Tory lot really don't give a sod round here, they care only about the richer Ilford North & Woodford areas, Ilford South always gets left behind when the majority Tory council draw up their plans for the year.

[Yudster]

There are local elections happening too, but please make sure you don't confuse the issues of local government with national. Its a very very different kettle of fish.

[MK Chris]

I was speaking to my mum's other half last night, a lifelong Labour supporter. He thinks that when push comes to shove, the Tories will win this general election easily and probably by their biggest majority for a while. He also thinks that if Labour do win, they'll change the voting system to one of proportional representation, which is far fairer.

[MK Chris]

Oh dear, the Daily Mail is worried that their man won't be getting in... just take a look at the front page of the 'debate' section on their web site:


Here's a nail-on-the-head blog about it.

[Latina]

I love how certain people and sections of the media are getting scared of the Lib Dems. I bet Nick Clegg loves it too.