Thats it, I give up. I'm never voting again!!!

[jiggajagga]

I used to be an old labour voter then they turned right. I'd rather die than vote tory at any time.
I thought at least with the Lib Dems that they had retained some semblance of fair play and their stance on the Iraq war strenghened that view.
I have just heard that they have agreed to partly privatise the post office and to cut benefits to single parents ( in reality that means cuts to single parents kids!! ) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4774314.stm

I have no-0ne left to vote for in my area. I'm disenfranchised. I wonder how many more there are out there?

 

[MatthewCuffe]

Totally disenfranchised.

The left-wing of this country has been bullied out of Parliament.

Time to regenerate. The options in the House of Commons at the moment are (with the exception of 50ish Labour MPs, Plaid Cymru MPs, and a couple of independents) right-wing. None of them speak for me.

We had a Green candidate last time, so I voted for them. The first-past-the-post system prevents such a voice being represented.

The left needs to regenerate, and we need to bring in reform of our system of the magnitude of 1832, 1867, 1884, 1918 etc.

 

[aurora green]

What a bunch of fuck bags. Makes me so angry...Surely Labour have thought of this (cutting benifits to single parent families)???
Outrageous. More kids growing up in poverty, it's a disgusting idea.

 

[boskysquelch]

I wonder how many more there are out there?

I gave up a few elections ago.

 

[gentlegreen]

I am now age-wise equidistant between the Eaton boy, and Bleurgh ..

The other day I was wondering why I couldn't get interested about any of the party leaders ... then someone suggested this :-

http://www.politicalcompass.org/

Quite an eye-opener - found out I'm basically a commie libertarian green loony - time to form a new party methinks

*fires up bong*

.

 

[netbob]

The left needs to regenerate, and we need to bring in reform of our system of the magnitude of 1832, 1867, 1884, 1918 etc.

IMO that's only going to happen when people start rejoining the Labour Party and it starts getting it's balls back a bit. If you look at pretty much any advance (in lefty terms) in the last century it came from or through the Labour Party (either in government or part of a national government).

The only caveat to that opinion is an increase in MP's indipendence from the Whips via increased accountability from constituents using the internet (see publicwhip.com, hearfromyourmp.com). You could end up with it being much easier for leftwing labour and LibDem MP's being able to justify their stance within a rightwing party by popular support. Although ofcourse the same applies to MPs of all political backgrounds.

As far as not voting at all goes jiggajagga, surely you should still spoil your ballot paper to prove that it is lack of choice rather than apathy that is stopping you voting?

 

[MatthewCuffe]

Memespring and Gentlegreen - with both of you.

I advocate a fusion of Labour and Green.

Kick out the New Labour drones one by one, and get a proper left-wing party back again.

Root 'em out like weeds in a garden - http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/02/334012.html

GREEN LABOUR!

 

[Fullyplumped]

What a bunch of fuck bags. Makes me so angry...Surely Labour have thought of this (cutting benifits to single parent families)???
Outrageous. More kids growing up in poverty, it's a disgusting idea.

Actually.... Labour did end Lone Parent Premium in Income Support and One Parent Benefit - then it increased Income Support (followed by Tax Credits) and Child Benefit for all families to a much greater extent. This achieved a reduction in child poverty, but it also helped to tackle the perception by low income parents that lone parents were getting some special advantage.

That's why you don't hear so many complaints about the Labour government cutting children's benefits.

But none of this should in any way let it off the hook. It set targets of halving child poverty by 2010 and eradicating it completely by 2020. It has made real progress but it is not going to meet the 2010 target on present performance.

 

[tollbar]

Voting reform, where it has been introduced in Scotland for the scottish parliament, has created a position where the Green party has 7 seats and the Scottish Socialist Party has 6. Voting reform is a prerequisite for any sort of meaningful political change at UK level. Those in favour of people rejoining the labour party should remember that the constitution and ethos of that parrty has now changed to the extent that any mass attempt to move that party to the left would almost certainly lead to mass expulsions. It also has to be remembered that whatever labours record of introducing social reforms, and those were mainly introduced under very different historical conditions, labour in Government has no record of opposing imperialist war, the deployment of nuclear weapons and also has a long record of moving to the right when in government whenever media hostility rears its head.

Were I living in england I would be supporting the moves sponsored by the RMT and others to discuss the formation of a new workers party.

 

[MatthewCuffe]

Have you got a link to the new worker's party discussions?

 

[MatthewCuffe]

Green Labour.

Think globally, act locally.
Think locally, act globally.

 

[TAE]

This is a very depressing situation.


We sooo badly need proportional representation in the country. The concept of Green Labour sounds mighty good to me.

 

[Matt S]

We've been trying really hard to point to this increasing 'centrist clone' theme in British politics, but no-one is listening. It's an incredibly frustrating situation.

Matt

 

[kakuma]

i bet tony i quaking in his boots that the green labour coalition di so well on a 4 year old internet site

how can people act surprised that the ones who run the country are cunts, they wouldnt get control of the country if they werent cunts

 

[shagnasty]

this policy does come from an mp who nearly joined the tories whether it is official lib-dem policy is to be seen .but most posts point to a need for left wing politics .i suppose the only hope is that history repeats itself.such as ramsey mcdonald betrayal and then the 48 labour land slide which created the things that made this country a caring and decent place

 

[Fong]

I had a look at that political compass.

Apparently I am just slightly more Libertarian then Ghandi. Just down a block or two.

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -5.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.49

ETA: Holy crap, I AM the Dalal Lama we occupy exactly the same spot on the politcal compass. How cool is that

 

[kakuma]

I had a look at that political compass.

Apparently I am just slightly more Libertarian then Ghandi. Just down a block or two.

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -5.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.49

ETA: Holy crap, I AM the Dalal Lama we occupy exactly the same spot on the politcal compass. How cool is that

dalai lama sent people to prison for killing insects, he isnt really that liberal

 

[netbob]

Were I living in england I would be supporting the moves sponsored by the RMT and others to discuss the formation of a new workers party.

Do you think enough people identify themselves as workers (regardless of whether they actually are or not) to form a whole new political party AND win an election?

 

[rebel warrior]

Well, the best hope seems to me for now is if Respect and the Greens can get their act together by agreeing not to stand against each other wherever possible. That could help pave the way for the sort of radical new 'Red-Green alliance' that is needed.

Hopefully, these discussions on a local basis are taking place...

 

[snadge]

Well, the best hope seems to me for now is if Respect and the Greens can get their act together by agreeing not to stand against each other wherever possible. That could help pave the way for the sort of radical new 'Red-Green alliance' that is needed.

Hopefully, these discussions on a local basis are taking place...

I want fuck all do with respect for a start.

 

[rebel warrior]

I want fuck all do with respect for a start.

So what is your alternative?

 

[snadge]

So what is your alternative?

not voting

 

[In Bloom]

Who was it who said that repeating the same action over and over again and expecting different results is a sign of insanity? Never can remember.

 

[Lava]

I think it was Einstein.

 

[HarrisonSlade]

ETA: Holy crap, I AM the Dalal Lama we occupy exactly the same spot on the politcal compass. How cool is that

Have you invited nea Nazis to dinner too?

 

[HarrisonSlade]

So what is your alternative?

Baiting Trots?

 

[bluestreak]

voting eh? i'm with in bloom and einstein on this one.

no point. you vote for a politician, you elect a politician.

 

[rebel warrior]

So you think that in say, Venezuela the election of Chavez has made no difference at all as he is 'just a politician'?

Bollocks - his victory has given confidence to the movements of oppressed and exploited of that country and inspired the Left internationally.

 

[MatthewCuffe]

Hear Hear.

Ditto Evo Morales in Bolivia.

There ARE differences between one politician and the next.

 

[In Bloom]

So you think that in say, Venezuela the election of Chavez has made no difference at all as he is 'just a politician'?

Pretty limited impact, really. The poor and exploited are still poor and exploited, just slightly less so.