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That certainly doesn't just apply to the UK. It's getting harder and harder to find any honest politicians.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave B
I tend to vote towards the middle ground of radical conservative or liberal views. I've never voted for a Democratic President, but have voted for quite a few Democrats on a more local level. I have voted for Independents as well. I refuse to vote down any party line, ever.
Really? I don't agree at all. I too think Ed Miliband is a fairly useless, ineffectual figure, but I believe he is likely to win the next election and become PM. When he was elected Labour leader I considered this fanciful, but — through few, or no, actions of his own — now my view has changed. Would he be a good PM? I very much doubt it, but nor do I believe his brother would have been as impressive a leader as many seem to.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
Well I hope that you are correct. As the Labour party under Ed Milliband has got to be better than the bunch we have in at the moment.Quote:
Originally Posted by BDunnell
At present, I have no-one for whom to vote. Previously I always voted Liberal Democrat, because I found myself more in agreement with the party's policies than those of any other party, and we had an excellent local candidate in my home constituency; I worked in the constituency and Parliament for him when he was first elected, and on a personal level it pains me to find myself now so vehemently opposed to his, and the party's, role in government. I believe the Lib Dems have been utterly ruined by their involvement in this administration, and that their future now lies as something along the lines of the FDP in Germany, namely as a coalition partner party rather than as an independent political force. I never once as a supporter wanted the Lib Dems to be in government, partly because it was clearly never a likely proposition but largely because I thought it would mean the abandonment of important principles, and also because I view being an effective opposition as an honourable function which would thus have to be discarded. The party has ditched the policies — commitment to free higher education, higher top rate of tax — with which I most closely identified, so there is no option for me but no longer to support them.
The Conservatives I would never, under any circumstances, vote for; it is good, I feel, that a social liberal now leads the Tory party, and on those grounds I hope he remains in that post, if not as Prime Minister. Labour I will not support, as a point of principle following the Iraq war. And the other parties — UKIP, the Greens? No way. One seldom comes across sensible independent candidates either. So, at present there is no reason for me to go to the ballot box in 2015 other than to exercise my democratic right, and that I will not do merely for the sake of it. Why should I, when I find myself vehemently opposed to all three main parties?
Of that I'm not sure. The Labour front bench is deeply unimpressive, with perhaps one or two exceptions. In fact, there is a real dearth of talent in all the parties. I cannot imagine the Tories being able to find a leader superior to Cameron; Alan Johnson would undoubtedly have made a better Labour leader than Ed Miliband, but has effectively ruled himself out; and only Vince Cable would be a serious alternative contender for the Lib Dem leadership.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
I have long left the idealism of youth behind. I was a left wing voter in the 70s and 80s and was vehemently opposed to the ideology of Thatcherites. As a result of the Labour Party being hi-jacked by career politicians, who have never done a day's real work in their lives, I now feel disenfranchised. Blair is the template for the 'no convictions' politics that seem to pervade the LP currently. Until they get back to be truly representative of the average joe they will struggle to become a credible alternative in the minds of the increasingly apathetic UK electorate - even then they'd be permanently scuppered if the Scottish vote is lost to the independence cause.
There is a difficulty in this, however: what constitutes the 'average Joe' today is very different from the definition of 20, let alone 30, years ago. Working-class solidarity is largely a thing of the past. No party can hope to win an election these days on the basis of its core vote.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mintexmemory
I live in hope that this was more down to the misguided evangelical zeal of their leader at the time, rather than indicative of their general policy.Quote:
Originally Posted by BDunnell
I vote for the person whom I perceive as being the best proponent of what I think government should do. Best among those running that is. Sometimes that person is a republican, sometimes a democrat, sometimes an independent and sometimes a libertarian.
Agree entirely, and therin lies the problem. I wouldn't claim to be prolier than thou, I certainly don't have a traditional 'working class' job although my background is very much one of working class Londoners. However the constituency that the cyphers in charge of the LP is reaching out to in order to widen their appeal is just that which will disenchant the traditionalist wing. Labour can't win another election in the UK, the Tories can only lose them. All I pray is that UK dislike of extremes will continue to leave the fascists as a fringe as opposed to the mainstream evident in France and ItalyQuote:
Originally Posted by BDunnell