UK 2012 council elections -
May 3rd, 2012, 05:27 PM
Results are coming in for the 2012 elections in the UK
whilst they won't effect the central government these elections will determine which parties control the various council elections with over 4700 council seats being decided on.
At the same time there are also the elections for the mayor of London.
As results come in, things are looking quite bad for the current government, a coalition between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats.
The Labour Party are making great progress, gaining new councilors and taking control of new councils. The question now is, will they have very good results or will they have great results.
So far the mean beating is coming to the Liberal Democrats who are loosing massively to Labour. Part of this is because the government have had six really terrible weeks. There is also a feeling among the Liberal supporters that the party sold out by joining forces with the Conservatives so Labour is collecting all the left wing votes and making massive gains because of it
Should be interesting to see what happens. If any American have questions about UK politics i'd be glad to answer
Is your Labour Party equivalent or roughly equivalent to the American understanding of left-wing, or is it attracting left-wing votes it would not have gotten otherwise for some other reason?
Is your Labour Party equivalent or roughly equivalent to the American understanding of left-wing, or is attracting left-wing votes it would not have gotten otherwise for some other reason?
yes Labour Party has traditionally been our biggest left wing party. They were the party that created the NHS. Obama may be called a left wing socialist a lot but Labour has historically represented what actual left wing socialists are.
Tony Blair made them a lot more centrists when he was their leader and had massive success with that, with Labour ruling Britian from 1997 to 2010.
The other big left wing/centrist party in the UK is the Liberal Democrats. However, in 2010 the LDs formed a government with the right wing conservative party. This had led to the LDs breaking promises and their supporters see them as having sold out and gone right wing. Labour is picking up seemingly all the left wing voters who feel betrayed by the Liberal Democrats and everyone who has been pissed off with the government and all their mess ups.
Thanks, you explained it clearly, and I was able to follow it. I didn't know you had two left-wing parties, how unfortunate.
It's also very informative to know that the Labour party is responsible for the NHS. I do read a little bit of news from over there, but I can't say I know very much of your politics.
I do like reading your Melanie Phillips.
As to prove that, they just announced that Labour has taken control of my own local council. Liberal Democrats lost all 4 of their council seats and Labour has gained 5. big result as the south west of England is very difficult territory for Labour
Thanks, you explained it clearly, and I was able to follow it. I didn't know you had two left-wing parties, how unfortunate.
It's also very informative to know that the Labour party is responsible for the NHS. I do read a little bit of news from over there, but I can't say I know very much of your politics.
I do like reading your Melanie Phillips.
Thanks to be honest i'm glad we have more than one left wing party. We have more than one right wing party too and I think it is better to have more parties because it means that we the voters get more choice.
For example, a lot of Conservative supporters think that the party is not right wing enough. so for those voters there is the UK Independance Party (commonly called UKIP) who are more right wing, especially on foreign policy.
Yeah it was Labour which began the NHS back in 1947, so it's very old now! One of people's biggest problems with the government is that they are trying to make the NHS more privateised. People love the NHS here and find it one of the best things about the country. Americans seem to have a massive fear of 'big government'. here is Britain we a massive fear of 'big corporations'
As to prove that, they just announced that Labour has taken control of my own local council. Liberal Democrats lost all 4 of their council seats and Labour has gained 5. big result as the south west of England is very difficult territory for Labour
What will that mean for you then? Are you happy about the change?
What will that mean for you then? Are you happy about the change?
I'm not sure how much it will effect me as I might be leaving the city in a couple of months. However I think that it is good in that it sends a message to the Liberal Democrats that we won't let them **** us over
I voted for the Liberal Democrats in the last general election because one of their big points was that they were going to be a party for students, and I'm a student myself. They had a massive campaign where all their main politicians promised to keep university funding the same and university fees the same. I was a fan of that policy and their focus on education so I voted for them.
But when they got in power, they almost immediately broke that. They didnt stand up for students at all and let the Conservatives cut university funding and massively raised costs. The Liberal Democrats all signed pledges to not raise university prices, and they've tripled them. My city is very student focused and for me I'm glad that the student population is punishing the Liberal Democrats for their betrayal
Slogan/motto:
Shouting at the world cause no one's listening...
Reputation:
May 3rd, 2012, 06:51 PM
Now are council seats like our senate/house seats? Or is it just a London thing?
All I really know about "councils" is the term council estate, which I learned from Dr. Who which I take to mean a type of government housing. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
The pain comes from knowing that we have never been safe, and therefore will never be safe again. It comes from knowing we can never be so ignorant again. It comes from knowing we can never be children again. Losing innocence. Remembering heaven. That was the essence of hell. -John Jakes
And we need more of them. Smaller government is better.
I think it depends on the culture. Britian was massively affected by the Second World War and saw the big government could work. Lately there is a massive scandal about press corporations and journalists being incredibly sleazy and corrupt. Most people here are glad that the government is stepping in to punish Rupert Murdoch and to implement regulation so that this terrible wide spread corruption will be wiped out
But when they got in power, they almost immediately broke that. They didnt stand up for students at all and let the Conservatives cut university funding and massively raised costs. The Liberal Democrats all signed pledges to not raise university prices, and they've tripled them. My city is very student focused and for me I'm glad that the student population is punishing the Liberal Democrats for their betrayal
I'm not surprised they broke their promises, and even less surprised that university costs have tripled. I'm sorry it turned out that way for you, of course.
What makes you think the Labour Party will do any differently?
I think it depends on the culture. Britian was massively affected by the Second World War and saw the big government could work. Lately there is a massive scandal about press corporations and journalists being incredibly sleazy and corrupt. Most people here are glad that the government is stepping in to punish Rupert Murdoch and to implement regulation so that this terrible wide spread corruption will be wiped out
I don't understand the big uproar about NOTW and all that's connected to it. It's a scandal, but scandals happen all the time. So punish them as allowed by your civil/criminal laws and move on. Why is it this particular scandal more terrible and widespread than other more pressing problems in your country?
I'm not surprised they broke their promises, and even less surprised that university costs have tripled. I'm sorry it turned out that way for you, of course.
What makes you think the Labour Party will do any differently?
I don't really trust any of them, but I feel the government has not been doing well. I haven't made my mind up who i'll vote for in the next election but hopefully the losses suffered by the government will kick them into action. Their health policy is hated, their economic policy isn't working . The Conservative party have a reputation for being rich, privileged and out of touch with the normal people. The current government is totally living up to that reputation.
Now Labour will also have corruption and will break some of their election promises most likely, but I don't think they'll be nearly as bad as the conservatives or liberals. if the current government turn things around and start making stuff work, then i'll back them in the election. If they continue to mess things up as badly as they have done over the last 2 months, then I reckon Labour deserves a chance.
Now Labour will also have corruption and will break some of their election promises most likely, but I don't think they'll be nearly as bad as the conservatives or liberals.
I doubt that your hopes would be realized, more like you'd be out of the frying pan into the fire, unfortunately.
Quote:
if the current government turn things around and start making stuff work, then i'll back them in the election.
What would they need to turn around to keep your vote?
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