General Chat

But not as costly as denying it. Some things are worth paying for.

What? We live in a democracy? Since when? Last time I voted the government still got in!
But more seriously, looks like the tories (heaven forfend) could be elected. They will achieve approximately 35% of the votes cast. A huge majority, maybe 65% or more will not want them ruling this country. We won't even be allowed to choose our own president / prime minister. He (or she) will be elected by a few thousand voters in their own constituency and a couple of hundred mp's. And that is democracy? I don't think so - Its a sham and a farce.

But Eddie, there are moves afoot to change the political system, and remove the 'first past the post' system of election. Perhaps proportional representation will become a reality in this country after all.

However, I disagree that the election results mean we are not a democracy. The fact that we get a vote at all shows we ARE a democracy, even if the system is in itself wrong. If you don't think so , try living in the mdidle east.

What people also forget in a general election is that we dont' vote the government in. We vote the local MP in. So we could have our own local MP winning his seat in a general election, as we may have voted, but that does not mean he is in the same party as the majority which currently make up the government. It's not necessarily going to mean he will if we had proportional representation either.

Who told you that we live in a democracy? It's a consitutional monarchy, to give it it's corect title, with the queen as head of state. We've been that way since the Glorious Revolution in 1688.

We don't have a president....but you know who in advance will be the PM before you vote, as he will be the leader of the party.

What system would you suggest....?

i answered yes to all.but im thinking that if i voted for um ,would that class me as racist .which im deffo not.
i can understand peeps coming from other countrys to get a better life .we would if we were in some of there situations.but we have to draw the line somewhere.i dunno who i.ll vote for .we usually voted tory .last time i did labour and wished i never did it.so unless the monster raving loony party still exsists .i think im gonna have to think long and hard .xx

also i dont agree the politicians should have 2 homes unless they buy there own .why the hell should i pay for that.and all there stinkin perks.

I think people should get to grips with their history before getting all wound up about immigration. Britain forcibly occupied many countries worldwide in pursuit of their empire. But now lots of people want to adopt a siege mentality and shut our borders.

I don't know. There's no such thing as a pure bred Englishman, although I accept that in some dark corner of Scotland or Wales there may be some red headed bearded woman with 8 fingers on each hand and webbed feet that may have a direct pedigree back to Ug the Great.The point is, we are what we are due to immigration - be it saxons, jutes, gauls, vikings, whatever. It's what happens on islands.

I agree with Eldrick (gosh :-)))

It's also the age-old practice of blaming all the ills of the economy on immigrants that really annoys me - some people can't seem to see beyond sensationalist media headlines.

I'm amazed at myself that I can still be amazed at the bigotry voiced in this place.

Just how did all those people of colour get to the Caribbean?

Swam the Atlantic, did they?

The indigenous peoples of the Caribbean invited them to move in?

The English never paid much attention to anybody else's ideas about immigration, as far as I can see.

No one party is going to produce a manifesto which I approve of 100%, therefore I am sure a lot of people. like me, agree with sections of all parties manifestos, including the BNP.

Doesn't make any of us racist, just balanced in our wishes for the betterment of the UK as a whole.

I want a party that will benifit my family,no necessary me,but one that will over the next 5 years,but no one person can step in the mire we have at present and fill everyones wish,by the time their 5 years is up they wont even have scratched the surface and will no doubt be further in than we are now.

Remember the Political Compass? (My thread "Spring is here" is about it too.)

Here's what it has to say about the BNP, which should help us out here.

http://www.politicalcompass.org/ukparties2010


It's muddled thinking to simply describe the likes of the British National Party as "extreme right". The truth is that on issues like health, transport, housing, protectionism and globalisation, their economics are left of Labour, let alone the Conservatives.

It's in areas like police power, military power, school discipline, law and order, race and nationalism that the BNP's real extremism - as authoritarians - is clear. It's easy to see how the term national socialism came into being. The uncomfortable reality is that much of their support comes from former Labour voters.

This mirrors France's National Front. In running some local governments, they reinstated certain welfare measures which their Socialist predecessors had abandoned. Like similar authoritarian parties that have sprung up around Europe, they have come to be seen in some quarters as champions of the underdog, as long as the underdog isn't Black, Arab, gay or Jewish!

With mainstream Social Democratic parties adopting - reluctantly or enthusiastically - the new economic libertarian orthodoxy (neo-liberalism), much of their old economic baggage has been pinched by National Socialism. Election debates between mainstream parties are increasingly about managerial competence rather than any clash of vision and fundamental difference in economic direction.

*Puts head above pile of decluttering*

Eldrick, there's a big difference between immigration and invasion, the vikings, saxons, Romans and Normans didn't emigrate, they invaded LOL.

But what you are saying is dead right, there is no such thing as a pure Brit any more, if there ever was in the first place, because apparently we migrated from Europe anyway, we didn't evolve here.

What about the big picture? Regardless of how mongrel we already are, aren't there enough or too many people in this country already?? We won't be able to move on the roads at all in the future or have any green to look at if we carry on like we are doing.

Yes, we are overcrowded, but you can't put that down to immigration. The actual immigration big picture is viewed by asking why people want to come here and where are they coming from?

I personally have no problems with immigration, which is not to say I would like to see it go uncontrolled. After all, people are people, full stop.

Agree. The higher birthrate outside the UK & the higher living standards within it make immigration a manifest destiny. Wisdom lies in recognising our limitations.

I would vote for the young man standing here, because he is a good man, but I dont like his party. Isnt it time good men of all parties were given a chance at government?

Mac, no, I don't now. But I have done over many years and I've travelled a lot, which enables me to make an informed judgement over the value of other people from other countries.

I would guess that when you make a visit to a hospital, you wouldn't refuse treatment from a Muslim doctor. Or would you? I don't know.

But whether or not I have a lot of immigrant contact is neither here nor there. That doesn't make me wrong.

And Harold Shipman was English, I believe..........so there is no relevance regarding nationality of the doctor, which is my point.

And the islamic state and sharia law is just not going to happen, no matter how many times people repeat it. There are too many atheists, thank god, in this country!

Huh. And my cataract surgery was botched by a guy named ... well, I shouldn't do that. Let's say John Hill. And it was fixed by a guy I'll call Ahmed Mohamed.

Back when I had a biopsy under a general anaesthetic some years ago, when several women had recently suffered bad outcomes from anaesthetic for similar surgeries in my area, my good friend (also a lawyer) recommended that I let the anaesthiologist know I was a lawyer. So after he'd done his examination the day before surgery, I wagged my finger at him and said my friend who's a lawyer said to be sure I let you know I'm a lawyer, and I don't trust you people!

After he left the room, it struck me that he was Chinese ... and he might not have thought the people I was talking about were anaesthesiologists ...

So before he stuck the mask on my face in the OR, I said Wait, wait, I just want you to know that the people I don't trust are *anaesthesiologists*! His eyes crinkled so I figured I was safe. ;)