Election

[bixy]

So who's going to win the election and will it make any difference to those of us living in France? To answer my own question, unless the result affects the pound, then probably not. I thought this election might be more interesting than previous ones, with talk of a hung parliament and a Liberal resurgence. That is, until I looked at the odds the bookies are offering. They are quoting only 1 to 6 for the Tories being the largest party and evens for them having an overall majority. This would seem to contradict all the opinion polls. However the bookies are not daft and they ususally get these things right - after all it's their money at risk. I may have a punt at evens - I think that's not a bad bet. My own prediction is Tories with an overall majority of about 20, Liberals improved but only to about 75 seats. Anyone else care to make a prediction?

Patrick

[Russethouse]

 Pundits say that if its only a slim majority or hung parliament the pound could fall in value and that could hit a number of British people living in France.

[MrCanary]

I believe the best thing for the pound would be a clear Tory majority, but before anyone jumps down my throat, I am not an expert.

One thing is for sure, any thoughts I had about voting LibDem were cancelled out by the live debate. I thought Clegg was a sychophantic little nerd. All he did was copy the other two and dress the comments up as his own. Yeuk!

[Russethouse]

Think you may be on your own there Mel, many people thought he did exceptionally well in the debate, it was Brown trying to get Clegg to agree with him against Cameron that made me cringe.

We live in pretty much a marginal with Conservatives on 35%, Labour 34% and Lib Dem 24%. 

Help !!!

[MrCanary]

If you judge Clegg by his surface presentation, he was good. If you look deeper and analyse what he said, he was less good. Having said that, he was probably the best of a poor bunch with brown the worst (in my opinion).

[MrCanary]

PS

To be honest, if one of them could say something to cause a strengthening of the pound, that is who I would vote for. But yes, I accept this is probably in cloud cuckooland!

[MrCanary]

And on a lighter note...

The title of this thread is the same subject that my Chinese surgeon regularly questions me on following my prostate operation 18 months ago... (true!)

[ebaynut]

We must, whatever happens get rid of Labour from power. There is only one party who will be able to get rid of Brown and his party. We must ALL vote for that party.

Gordon Brown and Tony Blair have let the country down, and have also badly let their own supporters down.

I don't and never have voted Labour, but I understand why some people choose to, but the policies of "new" Labour are far removed from  the traditional Labour party and what it stood for.

Cameron is young, energetic and I would rather have an Eton educated person in charge of running the country, then someone from a state school, with its poor education standards.

Brown and Labour created the financial and total mess the UK is in at present, don't please for one minute trust them to get us out.

A vote for Nick and the Libs will only help Gordon hang around longer, if he loses and I pray he will, his party will soon get rid of him, and then we can try to put the last 13 years behind us.  [8-|]

 

[Russethouse]

Frankly I see Camerons Eton education as rather a handicap as it tends to polarize opinion and thats all people see rather than the policies. When Brown was educated state education was different.

[La Guerriere]

I have a theory that David Cameron doesn't actually exist and all we are seeing is a computer graphic person .... he always looks slightly unreal ...

[mint]

Thanks for that:  I hadn't worked out for myself quite what is so weird about him.  Now I think it's that high, smooth forehead with hardly a frown line in sight........

[woolybanana]

The Mekon?

[bubbles]

Totally agree.

I can't believe that he ever actually has to shave.

[NickP]

Ebaynut wrote,

"Cameron is young, energetic and I would rather have an Eton educated person in charge of running the country, then someone from a state school, with its poor education standards."

I don't think that going to Eton is any criteria for being any better or smarter than anybody else. In fact just the opposite. The biggest bunch of smarmy gits as you would find anywhere. [:P]

[woolybanana]

To which party are you referring?

[mint]

Wouldn't go that far, Nick.  However, it must be remembered that Eton (or indeed many of the major public schools) are comprehensive schools for those with money.

Certainly, apart from one or two top schools who do choose on ability, you get your name put down by the old man, he takes out some sort of school fees plan for you and it's a smooth progression from there.

No selection on merit or ability as in the former Grammar Schools.  Certainly that was the case though I wouldn't like to say what it's like these days.  Where, for example, do David Bechkam's children go to school, I wonder?[:D]

[NickP]

"Where, for example, do David Bechkam's children go to school, I wonder? [:D]

Probably somewhere posh. [:(]

[Russethouse]

Where, for example, do David Bechkam's children go to school, I wonder?

In the USA !

[spectateur]

I beg to differ on this one. Surely the one thing that the UK does need is a coalition government.

That government must totally reform the UK electoral system and provide some proper democracy. How much longer have the great majority of the electorate have to put up with a dictatorship that is governing on the basis of 25 to 30% of votes cast. Another 5 years of this, no matter which party rules, would be a total disaster

Why on earth should a coalition government be considered 'bad' by the all powerful financial masters?.This is scare mongering by the right wing media.

After all most of the countries in the western world are run by coalition governments,some good and some bad but none of them have a minority dictating matters.

[NickP]

[quote user="spectateur"]I beg to differ on this one. Surely the one thing that the UK does need is a coalition government. That government must totally reform the UK electoral system and provide some proper democracy. How much longer have the great majority of the electorate have to put up with a dictatorship that is governing on the basis of 25 to 30% of votes cast. Another 5 years of this, no matter which party rules, would be a total disaster Why on earth should a coalition government be considered 'bad' by the all powerful financial masters?.This is scare mongering by the right wing media. After all most of the countries in the western world are run by coalition governments,some good and some bad but none of them have a minority dictating matters.[/quote]

Well said that man [B]

[bixy]

As the OP I wasn't really intending to start off a political discussion. Rather I thought it would be interesting to speculate on the outcome of the election based on the (mis?)information that is available to us. However, I can't resist commenting on the views of ebaynut. Surely you get into Eton, not on the basis of intelligence but on how much money your parents have got. Having been to Eton only proves that you had rich parents. Just for the record, my son went to the local comp. He has a PhD and is a world authority in his scientific field. My daughter went to the same comp. and she got a good honours degree from one of our best universities. Clearly, they would have done a lot better had we been able to afford to send them to Eton [if they take girls that is].

Patrick

[Russethouse]

After all most of the countries in the western world are run by coalition governments,some good and some bad but none of them have a minority dictating matters.

And what is the influence on the fnancial markets  do these  countries have ?

[baypond]

The one bad thing about coalitions tends to be that a small coalition partner can carry the balance of power. In Israel for example this means that to gain the minority party's votes, the laarger partner has to make concessions on items that help only a minority of the population.

I think we are odds on for a colaition government, and I think Gordon Brown has done a nice stitch up on the Conservatives by climbing into bed with the Lib/Dems. Conservatives buggest problem is Cameron and fact that Labour somehow stole the middle ground, and made a mess of it.

[NickP]

[quote user="Russethouse"]

After all most of the countries in the western world are run by coalition governments,some good and some bad but none of them have a minority dictating matters.

And what is the influence on the fnancial markets  do these  countries have ?

[/quote]

 Explain to me the benefits of our influence on the financial markets. I think our only influence is to try and teach other countries to borrow as much money as we do

[ebaynut]

[quote user="spectateur"]I beg to differ on this one. Surely the one thing that the UK does need is a coalition government. That government must totally reform the UK electoral system and provide some proper democracy. How much longer have the great majority of the electorate have to put up with a dictatorship that is governing on the basis of 25 to 30% of votes cast. Another 5 years of this, no matter which party rules, would be a total disaster Why on earth should a coalition government be considered 'bad' by the all powerful financial masters?.This is scare mongering by the right wing media. After all most of the countries in the western world are run by coalition governments,some good and some bad but none of them have a minority dictating matters.[/quote]

Do you really want Mr Brown, Mr Straw and Ms Mandleson to cling to power?

Give me strength, what is wrong with you????

I personally, and you can call me old fashioned if you wish,  think for what they have done to the UK, a date at Tower hill, a sharp axe (well not that sharp, lets not get it over too quick ) and the chopping block is what they really deserve. [:)]