Hung Parliament

[Dos_Box]

Well, it looks like the results are (almost) finally in. The Conservatives have won more seats and polled more votes than any other party, yet it looks like the 2 losing parties will get to run the country!!

Aaaaaarrrrggggghhhh! Our democracy is broken!

[teejay]

Yep, probably about the worst result we could've hoped for. Trouble is if they bring in PR then this is likely to be the constitution of the government for the forceable future.

[danrhodes]

Well, it looks like the results are (almost) finally in. The Conservatives have won more seats and polled more votes than any other party, yet it looks like the 2 losing parties will get to run the country!!

Aaaaaarrrrggggghhhh! Our democracy is broken!

 

Correct, why can we not just have it so that the party that gets the most votes gets #10, surely thats more democratic than the system we have in place now?

 

I am also unsure what to think about all the people who didnt get chance to vote. I know in sheffield near me there were hundreds of people qued up to vote and they just got turned away, again, how is that right?

 

D

[Andrew_C]

If we had any form of fair representation, the Lib Dems would have three times as many seats as they have. Our Parliaments have been a stitch-up for too long!

[danrhodes]

If we had any form of fair representation, the Lib Dems would have three times as many seats as they have. Our Parliaments have been a stitch-up for too long!

 

Agreed, its a mess! Dos_Box has it in one "Our democracy is broken!"

[tmcd35]

If we had any form of fair representation, the Lib Dems would have three times as many seats as they have. Our Parliaments have been a stitch-up for too long!

 

Alas the Conservatives, allthough in a hung parliament, have too meny seats. Looks as if the LD's will roll over and allow Cameron to form a minority government. Net result the political reform we desperately need to resolve this is very unlikely to happen. My prediction - there'll be another election in side 18 months that would give the Tories a working majority. We'll not get another chance of reforming the voting system for a good 15-20 years. Oh-hum, life goes on....

[teejay]

If we had any form of fair representation, the Lib Dems would have three times as many seats as they have. Our Parliaments have been a stitch-up for too long!

 

Yep, if Labour hadn't fiddled the ward boundaries we would've seen more Lib Dem MP's. If you're after a PR system, as well as your extra Lib Dem MP's you would also have to accept having some BNP MP's.

[Hightower]

Well the way it looks to me is that Labours seats and LD's together still wouldn't form a majority. Personally, I think this is the result the country needs.

[broc]

Gordon Brown still has the Constitutional right of forming an alliance Government with the LibDems & others to keep the Tories out. He could offer the LibDems PR, some say on the economy & other policies and agree to hold a referendum in 12 months time & then call an election 12 months later under PR... assuming the electorate approve of PR .... Edited May 7, 2010 by broc

[broc]

Yep, if Labour hadn't fiddled the ward boundaries we would've seen more Lib Dem MP's. If you're after a PR system, as well as your extra Lib Dem MP's you would also have to accept having some BNP MP's.

Rest assured, if the Tories get in they will chop 150 MPs out of Westminister & this will ensure that neither Labour or the Libdems get in......

[teejay]

Well the way it looks to me is that Labours seats and LD's together still wouldn't form a majority. Personally, I think this is the result the country needs.

 

They will with the Scottish/Welsh national parties, which will be done at the expense of guaranteeing no budget reduction for the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly, meaning people in England will be facing all the cuts which will come in this parliament.

[jamesb]

Well, it may be that we actually get PR for the next election, since people will have to cut deals.

 

I'm actually looking forward to the wheeling and dealing between parties - it looks like the Lib Dems may have more influence than the number of seats they hold suggest. They'll be the deciding factor in any votes of no confidence.

 

Not only that, but individual MPs are going to have a lot more influence (I hope).

 

However it is quite obvious that the system is broken - the number of people actually turned away from polling stations demonstrates that quite nicely. It'll be very interesting to see if any challenges to the results do occur because of that.

[jamesb]

Gordon Brown still has the Constitutional right of forming an alliance Government with the LibDems & others to keep the Tories out. He could offer the LibDems PR, some say on the economy & other policies and agree to hold a referendum in 12 months time & then call an election 12 months later under PR... assuming the electorate approve of PR ....

 

Judging by previous hung parliaments, assuming it'll last 24 months to another election might be a bit optimistic.

 

The shortest was what, three days?

[localzuk]

Judging by previous hung parliaments, assuming it'll last 24 months to another election might be a bit optimistic.

 

The shortest was what, three days?

 

So long as they do something about electoral reform in that time, I'll be happy.

[broc]

Judging by previous hung parliaments, assuming it'll last 24 months to another election might be a bit optimistic.

 

The shortest was what, three days?

Longest was 53 months..... but Brown could keep the Libdems on board by promising electoral reform; it would have to be done via referendum & that would take time to organise. Assuming it was voted in favour by the electorate, both parties would want time to rebuild their finances before going to the polls again... so they would make it work....

[IT_Guy]

Its a farce that two countries with their own parliaments (Wales and Scotland) hold sway over the English, the English have voted decisively for a Conservative government.

 

I believe its time for a referendum on Scottish and Welsh devolution.

[featured_spectre]

I agree. We need to STOP funding free prescriptions for the Scots and the Welsh, and have a set cost across the countries, as well as giving them their own independent governments whom are accountable to the Queen. I think its massively unfair that they have their own governments and still have a huge say in the ENGLISH parliament.

[broc]

the English have voted decisively for a Conservative government.

Only 36.2% (so far) of those who voted have voted Tory...... hardly decisive.....

[jamesb]

Longest was 53 months..... but Brown could keep the Libdems on board by promising electoral reform; it would have to be done via referendum & that would take time to organise. Assuming it was voted in favour by the electorate, both parties would want time to rebuild their finances before going to the polls again... so they would make it work....

 

You're just trying to make me an optimist, aren't you?

[IT_Guy]

Only 36.2% (so far) of those who voted have voted Tory...... hardly decisive.....

 

36.2% of the British or English?

[sparkeh]

why can we not just have it so that the party that gets the most votes gets #10, surely thats more democratic than the system we have in place now?

 

Because that is only a worsening of the First Past the Post system where the governing party would so unrepresentative of the votes cast that it would be a joke?

The Government would not be able to pass any legislation because it would not have the majority in the Commons so the whole process would grind to a halt and Government paralysed?

Because when you actually think about it that idea leads to a less democratic system?

[localzuk]

Only 36.2% (so far) of those who voted have voted Tory...... hardly decisive.....

 

Precisely. If they had the right to rule with that percentage, that means that the voices of 63.8% of the country were being ignored. What kind of democracy is that?!

[ICT_GUY]

Yet another depressing nail in the coffin of collective ignorance. Still we wont be seeing quite so much of fugly Brown, but more of the smarmy git that is Cameron. Time to hit the home brew.

[danrhodes]

Yet another depressing nail in the coffin of collective ignorance. Still we wont be seeing quite so much of fugly Brown, but more of the smarmy git that is Cameron. Time to hit the home brew.

 

On the note of homebrew I went to get a kit from Asda last night!

 

Plus this is my 1000's post!

 

D

[Andrew_C]

I want to vote for a local individual*, who will represent the concerns of local people (roads, housing ) at a national level. I then want to be able to vote for an organisation that represents my views on national issues (defence, immigration, and kicking the Scots out of Westminster).

 

Upper and lower house.

 

Those turned away? The polls opened at 7AM, and if that was too much trouble, there is always a postal vote! Morons.

 

 

*I quite like my local Lab MP, but want a Lib Dem Govt.