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

"Louise Mensch to quit as an MP, triggering Corby by-election"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19146805

I think this story is interesting, especially in light of some of the above posts about Tories. The by-election will be a good indicator of just how unpopular this government is. Considering the Tories weren't able to win an over-all majority against an unpopular Labour government at the last election, I foresee (and hope for) a humiliating defeat.

"Considering the Tories weren't able to win an over-all majority against an unpopular Labour government at the last election, "

Ah, well, the major flaw of the system we have is that a party need never gain an actual majority to 'win' an election. They simply failed to get the biggest minority. And when given the chance to make a start on changing this state of affairs we blew it because a significant enough amout of people either believed the lies or failed to think long term.

And just think, if it hadn't been for the insufferable arrogance of just one man, there would be a totally different government in now. Step forward Gordon Brown, whose insistence on staying as PM scuppered a deal with the LibDems.

LibDems didn't have to step forward with either

True. They could have stayed on the fringes for another forty years.

Some might say that's where they belong.

Some might say they'll be lucky if it's as short as forty years next time.


Just goes to prove, all the parties are s, filled with s

Sadly, the Lib Dems probably had a duty to assist in forming a government with the party with the biggest popular vote after the election. That's democracy.

Lost my vote forever though.

Two other scenarios. Cons go it alone (a mess without any coherence - issues dealt with on a horse traded subject by subject basis).

Libs form government with Lab (no moral justification for doing so - disenfranchising the biggest block of voters).

PP.

<< Cons go it alone (a mess without any coherence - issues dealt with on a horse traded subject by subject basis)>>

Worked pretty well for the SNP in Scotland. Basically, they did nothing contentious for four years. By doing nothing, they weren't in the news every day and the public gained the perception that they were competent.

PP

I do think there was a good case for having to assist the Conservatives to form a working government,

they were just too dutiful from the outset, to the idea (ideals?) of this coalition

"all the parties are s, filled with s"

swl, I think this is one of those rare occasions where you and I are in complete agreement!

George Osborne (The Chancellor of the Exchequer) responds (with others) to the tiff within the coalition.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19153398

'I think we've got to use this moment as an opportunity to focus 110% on the economy'.

So Mr Osborne thinks we can concentrate 110% does he? Worrying for the guy in charge of the country's cash.

PP

I'm quite alarmed to read that the government are going to use the time that would have been spent on the House of Lords Bill to concentrate on the economy, instead. They are doing rather enough of that as it is.

Well spotted, PP. The man's a fool.

110% is disturbing,

Jeremy Hunt reckons there are going to gold medals

bit creepy

110% is a turn of phrase commonly accepted as meaning "we're going to work extra hard on this", it's a little annoying due to it being managmentese but I think 'worrying' and 'disturbing' are going a bit far.

I thought Osbourne had a degree in Art; but then I found out it was History. Good for sorting things I suppose, but I think 110% was the rate of inflation after a bit more quantitative easing.

So he gives the banks a few billion for free, they charge customers 19% apr for some of it, then they give it back less a fee, pays themselves millions in bonus, and then report a loss for tax purposes.

Commonly accepted but stupid.

PP

The Americans have just landed a compact car sized Rover
on Mars and this thread seems bogged down in UK political
sniping. There are it seems more than one way to skin a
Curiosity.



~jwf~

The sniping is about things that affect our lives directly. The Mars landing is something that affects us when you take in the broader picture. Hopefully the landing will have a more profound and lasting influence.

It isn't just a figure of speech: there's nothing mathematically wrong with saying "110%", either. It would simply mean increasing the amount of time or effort currently spent on the economy by one tenth - ie, 10%.

why did you have to make a snipe of that post ~jwf~

to this thread and also of the Curiosity landing, it is not like it has gone un-noticed or celebrated