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Cameron calls for general election after Blair's exit

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2087549.ece

Focus: Would it be in the interests of Brown to call an election? If so, would you vote and for who?

I would agree that an election would be the best course of action for Brown to take. I don't necessarily agree with Cameron's reasoning that Brown wouldn't have the public mandate, Labour won the election and will therefor have it untill the next one regardless of who is in charge. You vote for the candidate you wish to represent your constituency and personal interests in Parliament, not for the Prime Minister after all. But I don't think a majority of the population actualy votes this way, so it would come down to how confident Gordon feels. I personally don't trust him and certainly wouldn't want him as PM. Dodgy chancellor, undoubtedly to become dodgy PM.

Would the big clunking fist swing hard enough?

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    sav wrote:
    http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2087549.ece

    Focus: Would it be in the interests of Brown to call an election? If so, would you vote and for who?

    I would agree that an election would be the best course of action for Brown to take. I don't necessarily agree with Cameron's reasoning that Brown wouldn't have the public mandate, Labour won the election and will therefor have it untill the next one regardless of who is in charge. You vote for the candidate you wish to represent your constituency and personal interests in Parliament, not for the Prime Minister after all. But I don't think a majority of the population actualy votes this way, so it would come down to how confident Gordon feels. I personally don't trust him and certainly wouldn't want him as PM. Dodgy chancellor, undoubtedly to become dodgy PM.

    Would the big clunking fist swing hard enough?


    The Labour Party does have its mandate, after all people do vote for candidates in constituencies due to the silly nature of our system. I personally think that the threat of a Tory win combined with a new party leader will once again force Labour supporters to come out and vote. Though I am however concerned about image based politics nowadays and Cameron does seem to have that side of his party's 'upgrade' if you will under control. Call me condescending but i'm not sure if i trust the average voter not to see through this chirade. Yes, he's the fresh faced leader of a political party. But it still seems to be as if the party is exactly the same underneath. Just because they've changed the track doesn't mean their not playing the same album.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Renzo wrote:
    I personally think that the threat of a Tory win combined with a new party leader will once again force Labour supporters to come out and vote.

    Labour supporters are dwindling fast. Even at the last election when the Conservatives ran a right wing election campaign, in England, on votes alone, the Conservatives won more votes than Labour. Labour have alienated so many of their traditional supporters to such an extent that I seriously doubt Gordon Brown and the prospect of David Cameron is enough for them to go back to Labour.
    Renzo wrote:
    Though I am however concerned about image based politics nowadays

    Do you really think 'image based politics' is something new?
    Renzo wrote:
    Call me condescending but i'm not sure if i trust the average voter not to see through this chirade.

    I'm guessing you mean charade. If Cameron will be to the Conservatives what Blair has been to Labour it will be anything but a charade.
    Renzo wrote:
    Yes, he's the fresh faced leader of a political party. But it still seems to be as if the party is exactly the same underneath. Just because they've changed the track doesn't mean their not playing the same album.

    Heh, I hope you're right.

    For me my support of Cameron boils down to the fact that he's preferable to Brown and my disgust for much of what Labour stands for these days.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I still don't think it's a certaincy that Brown will stand unopposed or even win. I think the likelyhood of a labout mobilisation would be around the leadership campaign - and whether a suitable opponent can be found.

    Especially since it's increasingly clear that the attempts to portray Brown as some silent opposition to Blair's politics have failed consistently. Given that, and the probable lack of grass roots support for Brown in rank and file members I find it very hard to believe he'll stand unopposed.

    But British politics is a damn strange thing - I don't know a person who expect Major to win re-election, and yet he did.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    "Blair and Brown are two cheeks of the same arse".

    And I despise both of them equally.

    I have a theory that the Government is actually bankrupt (a lot of people I know share it), and it'll be the Tories (yet again) who have to become unpopular by fixing Labour's fiscal incompetence.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm tempted to vote tory at the next election I can vote in, simply on the tax issues alone.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    MrG wrote:
    I'm tempted to vote tory at the next election I can vote in, simply on the tax issues alone.

    How is your constituency rated, is it a safe seat for any particular party?

    That's one thing I can't stand about FPTP, your vote essentially means nothing if it's a safe seat.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't get why they're now asking for a general election when Brown become leader, when their last election campaign had the slogan "Vote Blair, Get Brown." I think everyone pretty much knew that Blair wasn't going to be the leader for the full term and Brown would most likely take over, so I don't see the problem. He's only suggesting it because it sounds good and he knows it won't happen. I'd love to see him have to cobble some actual election policies together if the government said "right, we're having another election in a month." I don't think it'd be good for anyone tbh.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think it's a silly move by the Tories and shows that they don't themselves quite believe they could win a general election.

    If Brown wasn't as good as Blair, as the Tories have been claiming, they would only be delighted that Brown is going to be in charge for a year or two, so they can comprehensively demolish him for that period and ensure a massive win at the next election.

    But by wanting to have an election when Blair leaves they just look as desperately trying to take advantage of the few electoral points they are ahead of Labour now before they evaporate.
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