[English Bob]

Nice to see the Daily Mail photoshopping department are still plying their trade...

Out of interest, has anyone listened to the godawful 'election special' Newsbeats? The other day they had Gordon Brown on getting questioned by Tulip and a bunch of young 'Radio 1 listeners' and today it was Clegg's turn. It's truly awful listening, and I turned off pretty quickly. Seemed like a total pre-planned ambush by Radio 1, filling a room with Jeremy Kyle guests and goading them into attacking politicians. They pretty much spent the whole time bringing up Brown/Clegg on things they'd read in the newspapers, then constantly interrupting them when they tried to explain!

[MK Chris]

This ought to go into the 'annoying' thread really, but it's relevant to this. The Daily Mail have run the most despicable smear campaign on Nick Clegg and now it's reached new heights; with this monstrosity. I've honestly never known a newspaper article as bad, with the possible exception of the Sunday Express Dunblane debacle. Now, the article that Clegg wrote that they are referring to is this - you tell me if that's such an awful thing to say.

Then compare with the BNP's favourite Daily Mail columnist. Why do people by this shit-stirring, nasty rag?

[Boboff]

Why do people by this shit-stirring, nasty rag?

Ah, the Suduko, Julian Topher star signs, questions answered section ( Can anyone tell me is it true that a small mouse called Harry flew in the first Spitfire flight in 1939?) and the business section is excellent.

But mainly its just right wing Tories, who think Maggie was great, and delight in getting texts messages about "Paki's" "F in Immigrants" and black men's large Penipi

[Yudster]

I liked this
http://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/blog/?tag=ben-jerrys

[Latina]

Recent tweet from @timeshighered (The Times Higher Education supplement):

It's worth saying that we've not been affiliated with News International for a while. Our election message? Vote for whoever you want to!

[English Bob]

I'm genuinely starting to believe the media should NOT get involved in elections. My dad is a fanatical anti-Thatcherite, and he always used to tell me how The Sun managed to assassinate Neil Kinnock's character so much that they contributed largely to getting Thatcher elected!

They wield so much power, yet they wield it like a toddler with a lolly.

[SAV1OUR]

All of the Media, except 'The Independent'. Did James Murdoch really 'storm' their offices? Thats interesting:
http://www.newser.com/off-the-grid/post ... itain.html

[MK Chris]

Well luckily this time, people are seeing through it - the Tory papers stand to lose a lot if their man doesn't get in and they are running scared and it shows. It's resulted in filthy smears that I wouldn't be entirely surprised if they weren't fuelled by the Tory party themselves, but whether they are or not, they are transparent in what they're trying to do.

Rupert Murdoch's son James and his Chief Exec, Rebekah Brooks (neé Wade as the blogs are pointing out) marched into the Independent's offices today to have it out with their bosses because The Independent have taken out billboard ads saying "Rupert Murdoch doesn't decide this election, you do". They apparently very easily got through security and there are rumblings that this may have happened (speculative as it is) because The Independent share a building with The Daily Mail - and maybe, just maybe, the Daily Mail people were meeting with the Murdoch collective to discuss tactics to drive Nick Clegg into the ground. All speculation, but it does make you wonder how they were able to get through security so easily.

[Yudster]

I'm genuinely starting to believe the media should NOT get involved in elections. My dad is a fanatical anti-Thatcherite, and he always used to tell me how The Sun managed to assassinate Neil Kinnock's character so much that they contributed largely to getting Thatcher elected!

They wield so much power, yet they wield it like a toddler with a lolly.

I clearly remember that election and your dad is completely right.

[DevilsDuck]

How the hell does a 21 year old clearly remember that election?

[Yudster]

I have no idea. Why do you ask?

[Sidders]

I don't remember it and I'm 28.

Topher you say it's transparent, but I think a lot of people do fall for it too easily, and I think it does show going on past election results. Fortunatly though, a lot of these are the ones who don't bother voting "'cos they're all the same".

All the same, this election is pretty exciting, because literally anything could happen. I'm rather confused as to what will happen in the event of a hung parliament though. Can anyone enlighten me?

[foot-loose]

How the hell does a 21 year old clearly remember that election?

Yudster was 21 when Churchill was on the throne!

I'm rather confused as to what will happen in the event of a hung parliament though. Can anyone enlighten me?

We revert back to my original plan where Andy B is in charge and I get to chop the chavs baws off.

[DevilsDuck]

How the hell does a 21 year old clearly remember that election?

Yudster was 21 when Churchill was on the throne!

oh no no no no...........oh yes

[MK Chris]

All the same, this election is pretty exciting, because literally anything could happen. I'm rather confused as to what will happen in the event of a hung parliament though. Can anyone enlighten me?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/ ... 427233.stm

[MK Chris]

Also, did anyone notice the Sky News bias last night? Looked like they broke a few rules to me... they aren't supposed to show shots of the audience unless one of the leaders are specifically talking to a person in the audience. While Gordon Brown was speaking, they cut to a man yawning and when David Cameron said an unfunny joke, they cut to some people laughing. Not to mention Adam Boulton asking about Nick Clegg being on the front page of the Telegraph, when it was, as Clegg said, a nonsense story and they have provided the paperwork to back it up today.

[pjordan2000]

Yes I noticed that last night, I wasn't impressed with Sky News' coverage at all and then the poll at the end saying Cameron came out on top I thought was bit wide of the mark which was backed up afterwards when ITV's results came through with Clegg on top.

[Johnny 1989]

All of the Media, except 'The Independent'. Did James Murdoch really 'storm' their offices? Thats interesting:
http://www.newser.com/off-the-grid/post ... itain.html

Wankers

[timp]

This is the first general election that I have voted in and the first one that I've truly cared about. I'm not just going to be voting for the Lib Dems because I'm jumping on some kind of bandwagon but because I genuinely think they have the best policies, and I hate all these nonsense stories from even the Daily Telegraph which I thought was a respectable paper. Hopefully the 3rd and final debate will show up who really will be the best leader for our country.

On a side point, some people have said 'I'm not voting Lib Dem because they want the Euro' What they fail to mention is that they want it during economically beneficial times, not now, and only after a referendum.

[MK Chris]

the Daily Telegraph which I thought was a respectable paper.

Don't be fooled by the fact that it's a broadsheet; its nickname is still The Torygraph.

[TIAL]

As above this is also the first General Election that I've had an active interest in. Whilst it is partly interesting to speak about all the issues I have to say I am finding all a bit of an overload of politics. I'm looking forward to it all being over in some respects, but I also really care about some of the viewpoints held.

I've read the manifestos, balanced all the viewpoints and taken all the relevant issue quizzes and the like. I'm definitely voting Lib Dem because their policies match what I believe in. I think of myself as an open-minded liberal type of person who doesn't want to vote Tory and certainly couldn't face another 5 years of Gordon Brown.

What I do object to however is the demonisation of the Tories seen over loads of the social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook. Whilst I really don't agree with the policies of the Tories, I kind of feel a lot of people get about over-zealous about the whole thing. Once such 'liberal' I know has said that anyone who has pledged their support for the Conservatives on Facebook he has de-friended and refused to speak to. Others get into pointless slagging matches when their only form of defence comes in the form of 'LOL Cameron is a rich public school kid with a weird face." Now it might be true but it totally devalues the whole point of claiming to be 'Liberal' and uses the exact form of class-based argument that people accuse the Tories of. I can see why many with no clue about the policies will vote Lib Dem this time, it's such an easy bandwagon to jump on to - one that I happen to agree with, but really, people who vote Tory shouldn't be demonised in this way, it just reflects badly on Lib Dem supporters.

[Johnny 1989]

As above this is also the first General Election that I've had an active interest in. Whilst it is partly interesting to speak about all the issues I have to say I am finding all a bit of an overload of politics. I'm looking forward to it all being over in some respects, but I also really care about some of the viewpoints held.

I've read the manifestos, balanced all the viewpoints and taken all the relevant issue quizzes and the like. I'm definitely voting Lib Dem because their policies match what I believe in. I think of myself as an open-minded liberal type of person who doesn't want to vote Tory and certainly couldn't face another 5 years of Gordon Brown.

What I do object to however is the demonisation of the Tories seen over loads of the social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook. Whilst I really don't agree with the policies of the Tories, I kind of feel a lot of people get about over-zealous about the whole thing. Once such 'liberal' I know has said that anyone who has pledged their support for the Conservatives on Facebook he has de-friended and refused to speak to. Others get into pointless slagging matches when their only form of defence comes in the form of 'LOL Cameron is a rich public school kid with a weird face." Now it might be true but it totally devalues the whole point of claiming to be 'Liberal' and uses the exact form of class-based argument that people accuse the Tories of. I can see why many with no clue about the policies will vote Lib Dem this time, it's such an easy bandwagon to jump on to - one that I happen to agree with, but really, people who vote Tory shouldn't be demonised in this way, it just reflects badly on Lib Dem supporters.

Now that's what I call an over-reaction I mean I may not agree with someones political views but I wouldn't defriend them because they voted Tory.

[TIAL]

Indeed. Maybe I just have a massively over opinionated bunch of friends when it comes to the Election

And I start working on it (issuing postal votes) tomorrow!

[Yudster]

I've never been bothered about "class" _- and Nick Clegg is a "Posh Boy" too after all. I really don't care, I have enough friends of that social group to know that they aren't all automatically evil. BUT - people like Bernard Jenkin who have demonstrated their complete disregard for the ordinary constituent by their immoral finacial activities - of which they are completely unrepentant - deserve all the demonisation that the internet can throw at them. And yes I know financial immorality isn't confined to Tory MPs but they are by far the worst and most demanding of privilege of any of them, and financially corrupt people in other walks of life aren't making a living by pretending to represent us and our interests. At least merchant bankers don't try to tell anyone that they have anyone's interests at heart but their own, you know where you stand with them.

I wouldn't stop talking to my friends who will (I know they will) vote for Jenkin, but at a certain level I would definitely be unable to respect them. Having said that, one of the MPs of recent years that I like and respect for their unusual level of integrity is a Tory, so I suppose for me its about individuals rather than party politics - which probably isn't very helpful!

[MK Chris]

We had dinner at my paternal grandparents' house on Friday and ended up getting into a political debate. My Grandpa was a staunch Labour supporter all his life and bought the Mirror for years (alright the Mirror is not great, but there are - albeit few - worse alternatives) and now he's turned into a staunch Tory. And he reads the Daily Mail. My Nana pretty much is the same as him, but I think she's led by him. I found myself trying to persuade them that what they've read about the Lib Dems and Nick Clegg is almost all total smears and lies. My Nana even said that she was really worried what would happen to the country if the Lib Dems get in. Firstly, the Lib Dems are not going to get in; secondly, this is a prime example of the Daily Mail preying on the fears of its readers. I * hate the Tory press and now my Grandparents, much as I love them both, have turned into exactly the sort of people I berate on a regular basis for believing the lies of those scumbag journalists.

*sigh*