The 2005 general election is nearly upon us. Which way will you vote, and you reasons why. Here is a brief list of the potential contestants, please add your own.


More tax!
Less tax!
Dont know!
Death to all infidels!
Who gives a shit?

The great pretender.

Great posts and strong views well done all of you. My post re the ladies was tonge in cheek and was intended to provoke them in to the discussion. Looks like I failed. It's really good to read different views, all put together so well, I've throughly enjoyed the last 10 minutes. My wedding anniversary today so I'm cooking the steaks. Splashed out on a bottle of champers as well, the real stuff, so I'll be pissed later on. I'll have one for you moneyplus, good luck.

Rab C Nesbitt for PM

MS

CORRUPTION HAPPENS//// ALSO UNDER A CAPITALIST///SYSTEM////IN GOOD ALL USA///IN GOOD OLD CAPITALISTIC EUC// DARE I SAY IN DEAR OLD UK./////

APPLE for PM!!--you've summed it all up so well. Unfortunately we have to have someone in charge so who do you back? Otherwise Anarchy and I'm definitely off!

micky
Don't be frit! Lets have a foto of your ma-in-law. I hear say she is a looker?

Congrats on your wedding anniversary. Comisserations to the lady. ~:-))

apple.
Socialists is what they are known as. Invariably Communists.
I.E USSR. Union of Soviet SOCIALIST Republics.
British Socialists have Commies among them. (Dennis Skinner--The Beast of Bolsover for one). A rose by any other name eh?

britollad. Get a new keyboard. It's playing up. Does the forward oblique stroke get stuck? Bin the board.

The chap I'm most disappointed with is Goldfinger - some people should stick to their level of primary competency and gf is a great tipster and stock-picker. But how can he view the budget as anything other than a chimera. Brown is actually giving away 1.8bill and raising 2.1bill. His 200 for pensioners council tax is for one year only. Boateng was slouched in a heap on Newsnight annihilated by Paxman. I think 67% of voters will see through the chenannigins and I believe GF will be embarrassed.

If Labour get in with a small majority then we could well see some fun, which will make the Major Government look like Premiership Champions. Howard is outpointing Blair every round so far but I suspect the contest doesn't have enough rounds. Never mind, to take over in a year or two with a decimated socialist party sounds a good idea.

Now, how about Alan Shearer for PM. Two great goals tonight but the one I really liked was Keiron Dyer's. Eight wins in a row! Fourth spot is on and a Champions League place, perhaps with an FA Cup and an Eufa Cup to go along with it. Only need another 15 wins!

Hey! This thread is a great idea. Apologies to kshammas though. I didn't have a cat to kick and anyone who says anything complimentary about Tony Bliar has me shouting at the Telly and dog slinking to its basket!

Eric

Eric - I don't like Blair either! But you must surely admit that when it comes to arguing effectively (and I can only comment on things such as Priminister's Questions) that Howard always ends up with egg on his face? Blair has an answer for everything. I don't like him, but he's good at what he does. I don't support all that many of Labour's policies, but I support more of them than other parties for the reasons I outlined previously. For example, still being a student myself I wholeheartedly disagree with the Labour policy on getting 50% of young people to university. That isn't what university is for; there is nothing wrong with skilled work - the life of academia is not for everyone. I, as a reasonably intelligent person, struggle more than my fair share with my degree, and personally I feel that learning for learning's sake is somewhat foolish. Other disagreements with Blair are on the war (I disagree fundamentally with the way we were led to war, but let's not forget that the Tories backed the government all the way) and the fox-hunting bill (though my personal position is anti-hunt I feel there will always be more pressing issues to attend to).

I just can't trust the Tories (he says, as he steals goldfingers tagline), and in particular could never be happy with Michael Howard in charge. Particularly their harping on about asylum seekers and immigrants. Their position to me borders on racism. Whilst I agree that one should look after one's own people first, I don't think it necessary for that to be to the detriment of others. I didn't see people complaining about the initiatives to bring doctors and nurses from overseas to get more people into the health service quickly.

Anyway, just my two (or twenty) penny's worth, and for my part I'm hoping for a somewhat narrower Labour victory.

Regards,
Kevin.

PS Eric, do you think Souness can persuade Shearer to give it another season?

Now we are really talking turkey! Can Souness persuade Shearer to give it another season: no! Can Shepherd: no! But might Shearer decide himself to go for another season: yes! First, jackie's record. Second: he's enjoying himself hugely at the moment. Third, fourth and fifth: the fans!

Regards, Eric

Come off it Eric, you said.......................................

"Howard is outpointing Blair every round so far but I suspect the contest doesn't have enough rounds." Ends, where do you get that from???????????????. I say he was like a football thug this afternoon on his reply, but Blair wether you like him or not will be retuned 90 plus seats majority. We need stability in this country especially for the market, the Torys will mess that up for sure. We dont need boom and bust again. Oh and by the way I am an Economist in fact a PHD Economist, "primary competency" you said? think again Eric please.
Theres no need to fall, out here. Im just taking it very light hearted. It aint worth taking it any other way.

Stanber where have I sworn (and if I have my sincere appologies) and please stop being petty re- to the English language, this is not a personal debate and Im sure your a very nice person no matter what your political preferences are. Please take it in the nature it was set up for. At the end of the day we should all remain online buddies , were just having a good tounge thrashing surely?.
Lets face it theres nothing else to do on rotten days like today.

GF.

Forget democracy, one man will choose the next government - Rupert Murdoch

The New York Times reports that The Sun, Britain's most widely read newspaper, followed Murdoch's lead in dropping its traditional conservative affiliation to endorse Tony Blair, the New Labor candidate. News Corp.'s other British papers, The Times of London, The Sunday Times and the tabloid News of the World, all concurred. The papers account for about 35% of the newspaper market in Britain. Blair backed "a communications bill in the British Parliament that would loosen restrictions on foreign media ownership and allow a major newspaper publisher to own a broadcast television station as well a provision its critics call the 'Murdoch clause' because it seems to apply mainly to News Corp.

Tony dances to his tune! Also it was Murdoch who pushed for and backed the invasion of Iraq openly saying "for it's oil".

That's why I refuse to register to vote - It's a set up!

An excelent set up Brian. LOL.

GF.

kshammas and apple - ive always been a labour supporter all my life and waited 18 terrible years for them to get in. The problem is Tony Blair is a liar, how can you trust a thing the smug git says. I'd like labour to stay in but get rid of b'liar.

Tony blair good at what he does? try telling that to an Iraqi.

So when will fony step aside for the grabber? Surely people can see the set up for what it is.


As for the budget, when will we get the real details? Cos the reality sure as hell wasnt presented by fun loving gordon.

loving the B'liar! never thought of that...someone send that to Murdoch!

Kivver,

All politicians are liars!

They have to lie to get elected, get used to it!

However, Blair has truly earned the title BLiar because his record on Iraq was so bad it takes your breath away.

The only thing that takes your breath away even more is the fact that so many people believed him.

I could see through it so why couldn't the majority of other people?


BTW
Did you see Howard on the news last week parading his kids in front of the cameras?

They were saying, "My dad's always right & he always knows what's best for me & you can trust him."

Oh please! Treat the voters like grownups for goodness sake!

What would you expect them to say?
Some kids get on with their parents & some don't.
They wouldn't be anywhere near the camera if they didn't get on with their parents.

They agreed to do it & they were probably given a script.

They think that the voters are so naive that they will fall for such pewtrid crap.

The worrying thing is that some people will fall for it.

GF.

Sincere apologies! It was not you. It was someone who was replying to you and
I took offence.
As for wrong usage, forgive my being pickie. Being a proud Tory it grated a little.
Forgiven?

moneyplus,

You want me for PM ????????

I don't think so.

I would take the job if I could just start tommorow BUT I don't think I could face all the hassle I would have to go through to get there.

All the parties would be sharpening their knives to get me.

The Murdoch media empire would set out to get me, there would be no privacy, it would be a living hell.

Would I risk all that with such a low chance of winning?


That is the system we have got.

We need better laws for elections that are nailed down in a constitution that can not be changed by the politicians, only by the voters.

I support state funding of political parties, he who pays the piper calls the tune.
It should be illegal in any way give money to a political party that has got seats. Those with seats should be funded by the taxpayer with the top 2 parties getting 10million per year & the others getting a proportion of 10million related to the number of votes that they got at the preceding election.

This would put end to such things as Formula1/Tobbaco donations to parties.


As for having someone in charge so who do I back?

NOT Just 1 person?????????

That is part of the problem, the PM has the power to hand out cabinet posts, that is too much leverage.

I think that parliament should legally have to elect the PM after every general election & in the middle of each 4.5 year term & the cabinet every year but be able to take an extra vote in between if they want to.

On balance, I want to see a coalition of Liberal & Labour.

The priority is to keep the economy growing & not have any sudden changes in economic policy to put that at risk.

Hopefully, the Liberals would curb the worst excesses of Blairs right wing agenda.

There are of course no guarantees.
After all we are talking about politicians.

Excellent post Apple. I wish there was a lot more debate like this instead of the forced TV programmes where the politicos seem incapable of answering Paxman and co. with a straight yes or no! waffle while brain engages it seems to me.
Trouble with a coalition of any sort is the parties are so wide apart on their pledges nothing would get through--only in war situation does coalition appear to work. Agree on the money points you made--it's not worth all the abuse and contempt heaped on you as a politician but they brought it on themselves--power sex money and greed is a strong brew!! I think look at each individual MP if they've done a good job for their constituents vote them in again. If they do as their told and don't bother to show up in Parliament ditch them. I'm never going to favour any but the Tories though. :)

moneyplus,

You said, nothing would get through.

That would be a good thing.

Year in, year out, they pass more & more & more laws.

Why do we need all these new laws?????????

They need them more than we do, they have to keep passing more laws to pretend to justify their existence.

In practice though, it wouldn't be nothing, the really urgent & important things would go through & THERE WOULD A LOT MORE DEBATE.

That is a problem for them, not for us, they would hate it.

It would be heated debate & that would attract media attention so the voters would be better informed.

So a coalition could be a very good thing.

Its got to be howard,,,,,,,frankie howard,,the season ticket holder.