Elections

[mrph]

The results look pretty good, from my point of view. Blair gets a kick in the teeth, the BNP get almost nothing. The Conservatives get a bit of a boost, but not enough to suggest that they'll walk straight back into government next year... and the Liberal Democrats also get a bit of a boost.

Was pleased to see that we didn't have a BNP candidate standing in the local elections, too. They did field candidates in the Euro elections though, and I'm hoping they get nothing...

Comments

[mikey-de-sade.livejournal.com]

As bizzarre as it sounds, I believe that if the BNP actually got a voice in the UK, they're influence would diminish really quickly. They're anti immigration and asylum seeker agenda comes with a completely anti abortion policy, a re-instating of capital punishment, the removal of media independence (all media would need approval from the state), and that's not to mention a complete withdrawl from the world stage.

Their voice needs to be heard so that people can see how absurd they are...they're not even threatening anymore, just amusing!

[mikey-de-sade.livejournal.com]

And I forgot to mention their "repatriation" policy...whereby they would fund the repatriation of any non uk (white) who wishes to leave the UK!

Hmmmm.....

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

I think that having the BNP actually get a seat would be a positive thing.

In much the same way as when La Pen got to the primaries in the french presidential election - the turn out went up ballistically, because all the previous apathetical 'can't be arsed, it doesn't make a difference' voters decided that actually, they did have an opinion here.

[mrph.livejournal.com]

Well, it's already happened, hasn't it? Hence the emphasis on keeping them out this time, and Howard's speech in Burnley...

[mikey-de-sade.livejournal.com]

Indeed! This is my point exactly!

:-)

[zarbi.livejournal.com]

As they say they are not racist - would they fund my "repatriation" to a place of my choice if they get in?

[inulro.livejournal.com]

I don't care if they'll pay for me to move back home, I'm still not voting for them!

[taoist-goth.livejournal.com]

Great to see that now the people have an opportunity to kick Blair's arse for the Iraq war, they're doing so. Solidly.

Hurrah for democracy! Boo for Blair thinking himself indestructible!

[spangle-kitten.livejournal.com]

I was a poll clerk in the election yesterday and I was genuinely terrified that the BNP would get somewhere...was quite surprised by what some voters said to me along the lines of "I don't care who I vote for as long as it's not the BNP" Democracy...kinda!

Scared

[zarbi.livejournal.com]

I'm very worried. I agree Blair needs a slap, but we now have a stage where we would have a hung parliament. A few more percent and the Tories get in.

I'm totally amazed as how anyone could vote Tory - as someone wrote recently, the posters which say "Feel let down by Labour? - vote Conservative" were the same as saying "Feeling hungry? - eat these eyeballs". The solution is a lot worse than the problem.

Re: Scared

[merlina.livejournal.com]

agreed! The real tragedy is that Blair destroyed the Labour party - or that the Labour party allowed itself to be destroyed, a process begun by Kinnock and his 'modernisers' and continued to an extent which would have been inconceivable not that long ago. That means there isn't, for many people, a tenable alternative

Re: Scared

[zarbi.livejournal.com]

I a bland, soft-left sort of person, and so I had no objection to Kinnock and Hattersley, especially when people like Benn were far more interested in in-fighting than getting into power and actually having some chance of doing good (well, that was my impression of things). I was prepared to put up with a lot from Blair in order to see Labour back in power, but I have lost patience. Tution fees and pointless stupid delays on things such as same-sex rights, fox hunting, and reform of the Lords were very annoying. What I simply can't understand, and what makes me think Blair must go, is the fixation with Bush - what is the strange fascination with America? I would have expected a Labour prime minister to be opposed to the politices of such a fundamentalist right-winger as Bush out of principle.

Re: Scared

[emarkienna.livejournal.com]

pointless stupid delays on things such as same-sex rights

Don't get me wrong, there are an awful lot of things that I dislike Labour for - but my view was that at least they had brought gay rights forward, and my impression was that they were a lot better than Conservatives for this..? Eg, it was under Labour that we finally got equal age of consent for same-sex (the delays on this were due to the House of Lords), whilst Conservatives until recently supported Section 28 IIRC.

Re: Scared

[ruth-lawrence.livejournal.com]

Yup. I'm scared too. I'm worried that votes will go, probably via our preference system, to our right wing as a result of Labor's homophobic behaviour, especially in inner-city seats Labor needs to win to gain govt, where the govt person is pro-queer (there are six or eight of these).

At least we have viable minor parties who are likely to support us, but they can't hold against a homophobic bill in
the Senate if Labor supports it.

At least our Labor party opposes our involvement in Iraq.

And at least our loony, racist party seems dead (except possibly in benighted Queensland).

We queers are over a barrel though. Iraq is so bad, we can't vote in the interest of our community, that is for pro-queer candidates regardless of other affiliation.

I wrote stiff letters to assorted politicians, for all the good it's likely to have done. Maybe I should write an article and see if a newpaper will print it, after the election.

[ruth-lawrence.livejournal.com]

I was hoping that'd be your take on it, mrph, wot with my being a furriner and not totally au fait with Brit politics.

Kewl!

Better than nowt.