Election Year or Fear!

[Geoff Parkstone]

Liberals / LibDems have been a joke since Rinka was taken out back in the 70's, apart from a brief glimmer of potential relevance that was swiftly pissed away by Clegg, who really should have stayed walking the moors arounf Holmfirth.

[SithHappens]

Maybe, although an old work colleague of mine always said to vote you should have to pass an IQ test of sorts.

Although I suspect that was because he thought everyone who disagreed with him was thick.

I didnt know you and Swale used to work together

I don't feel it should be compulsory but feel we should do more to encourage a bigger turnout.

Would online voting increase turnout?

Im sure online voting is the shape of things to come, but there is a lot to be said for the "in person" approach, not least being that election fraud is much more likely with online voting and can be done on a mass basis. One half way decent hacker could get the Monster Raving Loony candidate elected in Islington North or Clacton with relative simplicity Im sure. Oh wait, they are already in....

Compulsory voting has its appeals but I suspect that would work better in a proportional representation based environment.

Same Grandad always said if you don't vote you have absolutely no right to complain or moan about those in government.

In a way thats true but how many constituencies are rotten? Despite above average swings in each of the last two elections, there are still many people effectively disenfranchised by the "vote for a pig if it has a blue/red rosette on" mentality. Even in the last elections with its huge pro labour swing there was still no point voting for them in my constituency.

With your 'quoting' ability i don't think you'd pass said IQ test.

I'm only joking BTW.

I guess hacking etc is the concern with online voting but I'd think there would be some way to avoid it Who knows though. In covid early figures were found to be wrong when it was discovered they were using an older version of excel to record cases which had a limit on number of rows so online voting might be a stretch.

[MadAmster]

Comments here on Farridge immediately turn my mind to Wilders. Another one trick pony. Immigration/Islam.

He berated other leaders 2 years ago for not saying they'd increase the minimum wage significantly and for not saying they'd scrap the 385 Euro excess on health care. He was going to look after "Henk and Ingrid". Fictional folk indicating the poorer 50% of white Dutch people. In that election he was by far the largest party. First budget, No significant increase in the minimum wage. The immediate scrapping of the health care excess didn't happen. They announced it would reduce to 175 Euro... in 2027. They also then played about with tax rates, the upshot of which saw generous tax breaks for corporations and the rich. The toughest ever immigration Laws promised, the focal point of everything that comes out of his mouth, haven't materialised.

All mouth and trousers basically, as is, IMO, Farridge. The man whose Limited Company representatives elected to Derbyshire County Council are starting to fall like flies. 2 have already resigned on health frounds. Others are contemplating their navels as they are struggling to both the work of a County Councillor and their normal job. I can see more quitting.

[ramAnag]

Talking of ‘all mouth and trousers’ - as MA was - see the loathsome (imo) Joey Barton is the latest to try and seemingly hide behind the flag today.
Warned by the judge not to try such a stunt again at his sentencing, I doubt it’s the last we’ll hear of it, but it all just about sums up my shame at the way both the UK and English flags are repeatedly being hijacked these days.

[SithHappens]

Sith, this myth that immigration "costs" this country is just that. There has been any amount of research by different organisations which clearly show that immigrants on the whole are net contributors to the country. Not to mention that the majority end up in higher paid skilled jobs that contribute to society and the economy as well.

Yes there is a lot of hyperbole in the media and by certain politicians that talk about the costs of Asylum seekers, often ironically by the very politicians who created the issue, by housing them in hotels and awarding expensive contracts to private companies, whilst neglecting to process their claims quickly, deporting those who didn't qualify timely and losing track of many failed asylum seekers who have just disappeared.

Its also deeply ironic that the majority of people getting all worked up about immigration and asylum live in parts of the country that have very small (often less than 1%) proportion of the population that are immigrants! Clacton being a prime example.

Apologies I wasn't referring to immigration via free movement or legal means. I'm well aware they have a positive contribution to the economy.

[Andy_Faber]

Apologies I wasn't referring to immigration via free movement or legal means. I'm well aware they have a positive contribution to the economy.

In what way Sith? All the independant stuff I can find says legal migration's impact on the economy (using GDP Per Capita) has, I'll quote 'little positive effect', 'very small positive or negative effect' and 'no significant economic benefit'. The main argument seems to be that simple GDP increases, which isn't a valid measure of net contribution. And I'm aware that many (in fact obviously more, as they are a larger part of the population) non-immigrants are also a drain, but that's not the subject at hand.

[swaledale]

In what way Sith? All the independant stuff I can find says legal migration's impact on the economy (using GDP Per Capita) has, I'll quote 'little positive effect', 'very small positive or negative effect' and 'no significant economic benefit'. The main argument seems to be that simple GDP increases, which isn't a valid measure of net contribution. And I'm aware that many (in fact obviously more, as they are a larger part of the population) non-immigrants are also a drain, but that's not the subject at hand.

You need to do a little bit more research then, because, although studies vary, often according to what they are trying to prove, i.e. whether migration is a plus or negative to the economy, one thing that is common across all is that the GDP increase is in a very small range, 0.5 - 2%.

Even if one ignores the wider contribution made by migrants to society, such as providing workers to keep essential services running.

One of the most egregious myths surrounding immigration is the idea that immigrants act as a drain on the public finances - when in fact the opposite is true, with migrants contributing more to the public finances than the average native-born Brit.

While British natives likely take more out of public finance by being born and educated here, most migrants move to this country once they are of working age. The Office of Budget Responsibility has projected that the average migrant, who moves to this country at the age of 25 and lives until 80, will contribute £341,000 to public finances over the course of their lives - more than the average Brit. Compared to the average UK adult, skilled worker migrant tax receipts were approximately £4,100 higher, providing a much-needed boost to the Treasury. And if immigrants are unemployed, they are less likely than UK-born citizens to claim unemployment benefits - 22% compared to 31%.

[SithHappens]

Talking of ?all mouth and trousers? - as MA was - see the loathsome (imo) Joey Barton is the latest to try and seemingly hide behind the flag today.
Warned by the judge not to try such a stunt again at his sentencing, I doubt it?s the last we?ll hear of it, but it all just about sums up my shame at the way both the UK and English flags are repeatedly being hijacked these days.

He's a vile human being in my opinion, was as a player, is today. He's a misogynistic racist homophobic wife beating bully.

[Geoff Parkstone]

He's a vile human being in my opinion, was as a player, is today. He's a misogynistic racist homophobic wife beating bully.

Footballers should just stick to football. Lineker, Neville, Barton I'm sure there are more. STFU

[ramAnag]

Footballers should just stick to football. Lineker, Neville, Barton I'm sure there are more. STFU

Why? Can’t see how Barton being (imo) objectionable means that other former footballers shouldn’t voice an opinion.