h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So Forumites, as we can't discuss this in our usual palatial surroundings of A1146917 we've had to come over here to discuss the election.

*Erects a large stone sign saying 'The Mobile Forum' to make people feel at home*

*admires carving on stone*

*feigns total disinterest in the Election but turns on jug to make a pot of anyway*

*fains total interest in the election, but total disinterest in the so called 'alternatives' looking to recieve a vote I have absolutely no idea where to place my 'X; on poling day

I have a serious discussion.

How are you going to let The War affect your vote?

If you don't vote Labour on account of The War, then you increase the chances of the Conservatives getting in, and they'd have taken us into war as well. So that seems a bit pointless.

Not necessarily Z this is one of the items of spin put out by the two big parties to suggest that the minor parties have no role to play.

You could try putting you X over the whole paper, with a small essay about why you didn't feel you could vote for any of them. It probably won't do any good but it makes you feel better.

It would get read by the cadidates agents and returning officers.

I refuse to vote New Labour as a direct consequence of the war, for whatever reason in realit Tony Blair decide to go to war, it was at the very least a poor judgement choice. I won't vote conservative as they still seem a joke, and seem quite good of teh passt few weeks at making themselves as unelectible as possible So, do I vote Liberal?; It doesn't seem a good enough reason to me to vote for a party because 'they are not New Labour, and are Not Conservate', Of course, the war is but one factor, New labour made a few other good cok ups too like the way they hadnled the foot and mouth doobry, but hte war alone is sufficient reason no tto vote for them, the ID cards, detention without trial etc, just put some more icing on the cake....

I can't possibly comment to the above.

However, the following list all the difference between the big three

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2005/issues/html/grid.stm?s1=CON_UK&s2=LAB_UK&s3=LD_UK&x=9&y=11

I am probably going to let the war affect my vote, Labour really messed up in my opinion. However, it's not the only reason I won't be voting for them, I think they have made a couple of bad calls in the last four years. I don't know how I'd respond if the war was the deciding issue, I'm just glad I don't have to think about it

Good job I read that, thats Labour, conservatives and the liberal democratcs (because of their wanting to ban smoking in enclosed public p[laces) out of the running

Darn!

I suppose that proves you can't please all of the people all of the time.

I relaly am* very easy to please Right so thats the big three out of the question so I guess i ought to go look at the less populus parties. Hm, wonder if the Natural Law party still exists, I liked their ide at the 97 election whereby they'd scrap the army and generate an 'aura about the ocuntry' or some such thnig, in order to protect us against enimies <er yogic flying anyone?

Ahh haa. Closer reading of the infomration on that BBC link you gave above, reveals that even though the Lib Dems won't let me smoke wehre I want to, they will relax canibus law, so I'll ahve to quit the ciggies and take up pot instead.

I imagine that'd fit in well with the Natural Law party too

Have labour always supported increased spending on 'defence' or have they only started putting more funding aside for it recently?

"Not necessarily Z this is one of the items of spin put out by the two big parties to suggest that the minor parties have no role to play."

Whilst I appreciate your sentiments and realise that given your party you have a specific interest in this it is quite true that in our system the odds are stacked against a true three party system.

The FPP electoral system is mathmatically biased against third parties and naturally favours a two party system. I forget the name of it (will look up in my text books) but in the academic disclip[ine of political science there is only one thing approaching a law. Whilst the specifics elude me it works along the lines that different systems with the *same* voters produce different results.

FPP inherantly favours a two party system and inherantly punishes the third party. Why do you think the Lib Dems are so keen on electoral reform?

The only realistic possibility for Lib Dem power IMHO is to form a coalition on which the condition is voting reform even if none of the agenda gets in any way accepted (short term pain for long term gain). However Kennedy has already ruled out coalition and to be honest I cannot see Labour or the Tories reforming the voting system.

Turkeys, Voting and Xmas and all that...

"Not necessarily Z this is one of the items of spin put out by the two big parties to suggest that the minor parties have no role to play."

Whilst I appreciate your sentiments and realise that given your party you have a specific interest in this it is quite true that in our system the odds are stacked against a true three party system.

The FPP electoral system is mathmatically biased against third parties and naturally favours a two party system. I forget the name of it (will look up in my text books) but in the academic disclip[ine of political science there is only one thing approaching a law. Whilst the specifics elude me it works along the lines that different systems with the *same* voters produce different results.

FPP inherantly favours a two party system and inherantly punishes the third party. Why do you think the Lib Dems are so keen on electoral reform?

The only realistic possibility for Lib Dem power IMHO is to form a coalition on which the condition is voting reform even if none of the agenda gets in any way accepted (short term pain for long term gain). However Kennedy has already ruled out coalition and to be honest I cannot see Labour or the Tories reforming the voting system.

Turkeys, Voting and Xmas and all that..