With the cabinet reshuffle, it seems that the conservatives have started to set their battle lines for next year.

Do you have any plans to vote any particular way? With the recent digital privacy debacle, and the general performance of Tory, Labour and Liberal over the past few years, I think i'm going to vote Green this time around. Sure, they have some batshit crazy environmental and transport policies, but i'd rather that than the current collection of moral and consequence free cunts, as the rest of their manifesto actually seems to give a shit about the "people".

I swapped from Tory to Liberal last time round, in a small part due to posts from people in here so it seems discussion can affect change i'm interested to hear what people think this time around.

Liberal Democrats. While being the junior partner in a coalition has ensured they've had to hold their noses and vote for legislation they would rather not enact, they have managed to implement more of their 2010 manifesto than the Tories have, while curbing the more extreme right-wing excesses of that party. Mistakes have been made, but I strongly believe that this government is a more socially responsible one than had the Conservatives got a majority.

I can't trust the Tories alone on social and welfare issues or the NHS, and I can't trust Labour alone to balance the books - I would be happier if the Lib Dems were involved in the next parliament with either main party. You will never find one party that fits your worldview totally; you just have to pick the best fit. The alternative would be the Greens, but they have too many policies that I just cannot take seriously.

I think the choices that have been made by the government in the reshuffle are to appeal to the voters that the Tories have lost to UKIP. They've also, sterlingly, manged to do this by getting rid of anyone with an ounce of comon sense and getting the batshit mentalists in. The LibDems will promise everyone a unicorn and CHRISTMAS EVERY DAY because they aren't going to be around for much longer in their current guise after doing so well "at blunting the Tory's nastier policies". Oh, no, wait, they did fuck all, pretty much the parliamentary equivalent of a brolly girl. Labour will ditch their current leader in the next 4 months, and get somoene else in and it won't make much of a difference.

I'm going to vote for anyone but the current incumbant for Shipley because I find him to be a loathsome and vile man.

To summarise, seeing as I called it pretty much exactly last time:

Make up of Commons

Tory: 0.48
Lab 0.46
Lib 0.1
Other 0.3

Postal vote registered and ready to go. No idea which way I will be voting yet, although I feel Conservative is most unlikely for me personally at this time. None of the other parties are pressing any buttons for me either at the moment, but that will inevitably change in the coming weeks.

I asked my dog which way I should vote and he reckons BISCUITS. Seems legit.

To be fair:

I like that Malia thinks that 134% of MPs will be elected.

Stunned

Pfft, I was being generous.

Cameron's now saying that the Northern Irish parties should attend any debates (BBC). I get the feeling he's acting to make any debate as unworkable as possible so they don't go ahead.

My suggestion: dance-off.

As usual, I can't find a party that matches my ideals, so not sure who to vote for at present.

Have you tried votesforpolicies.org.uk?

Has that been updated for 2015? I was looking at that a couple of weeks ago and it was still based on the manifestos from last time.

edit: nope, not updated yet, i'll keep an eye on it.

The BBC have a list of what was known back in December - link. All subject to change of course.

Sky news have predicted labour 285, con 265, lib dem 20 and snp 53 seats based on current data

With 326 needed for a majority? I could see a Lab/SNP coalition. Maybe the LDs too if they wanted to shore it up.

Cheers, that's pretty interesting. It seems I agree with pretty much all the main parties + greens at one point reading through the list, but on different aspects. I equally disagree with all of them on other things. That doesn't make the choice easy

Thing is, it's not even slightly unworkable. It's a group of people in a room with some cameras and microphones, which should probably be within the BBCs technical prowess.

Also, for once he's absolutely correct.

A BBC new poll I looked at this morning showed UKIP support at twice that of the Lib Dems which I just find utterly depressing.

Trust counts for a lot. I think in the past 5 years, the Lib Dems haven't loudly and visibly done enough to "act as a brake on Tory policies".

The only benefit to having the regional parties present is to find out who they are and aren't willing to get into bed with, and which policies are absolute red lines for them.

Otherwise stuff will get lost in the noise. It'd be pretty unworkable.

If you're going to have one, I can't see how you can not have all of them.

Because the debates would not function in an hour format. There would be too many people stood up wanting to say stuff.

So have none.

(I meant one regional party, by the way)

Personally I think that they *have* done as well as they could have done in that respect, but I agree it's a common perception that they haven't.

What really annoys me is when people are interviewed and criticise them for not delivering on their manifesto promises, and totally miss the point that they are a minority partner in a coalition government so don't have the power to force legislation through.

Wouldn't EVEL make a coalition with the SNP a disaster for any kind of legislative agenda?

Also the fact that they've delivered more of their manifesto promises than the Tories have, and the Tories are now taking credit for most of those.

The Conservatives have been quite clever, and the LDs naive in government.

Sometimes, I find it hard to believe that Galloway's twitter account isn't a parody.

Sinister Facebook to remind people to register to vote (Grauniad).

Anything that gets the word out is good, but much will depend on what happens if you click the link.

Of course, haven't all the cool kids moved elsewhere now their parents are on it?

Today was reporting that the Tories are spending £100k a month on Facebook to labour's £10k.

I would be fascinated to know how each advert has been carefully worded and targetted. I've played around with Sinister Facebook's 'buy an ad' feature on occasion, and it's amazing how precise you can aim an ad. They're probably aiming them at elderly votes in key marginals, as those are most likely to vote so will be the ones who will matter.

I'm still glad we have tight campaign finance laws over here, although it's still an area where things will always stink. But I don't like the idea of state funding either - if a voluntary organisation can't raise the money from its members, frnakly it should either revise its message and approach or die.

The main target of UKIP, basically.

This is dispiriting about Galloway and Bradford.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/the- ... e-galloway




Makes Bradford sound backwards, corrupt and in the control of a few people. Galloway plays to this, of course, but it is still wrong. it will be of interest to see how the new voter registration affects the election.

I spend a lot of time trying to convince people our age and, importantly, younger, that they should vote, even if they hate all concerned or can't see the point. The more other generations show up to the polls, the more parties might, eventually, take some notice of them.

https://voteforpolicies.org.uk/

The new site is up, who do you most align to?

Labour 40%
Liberal Democrats 30%
Green Party 20%
UKIP 10%

Surprised at the UKIP one, though it's their NHS policy which is unexpectedly sane.

Mr Middle of the Road here:

Green Party 30%
Conservatives 20%
Labour 20%
Liberal Democrats 20%
UKIP 10%

Green Party 50%
Labour 30%
Liberal Democrats 20%

As with previous elections, I think I'll vote for the party promising better schools and hospitals.

Yes, but I think that voting for a party with a cat in hell's chance of getting anywhere is not a foolish consideration, especially when facing the danger of another five years of Tory rule. I'm aware that this is a chicken and egg thing but whilst voting for purely for policies is all very well I can't help but think that it ignores the fact that politics requires collectivism and compromise, the acceptance that you can't have everything you want.

*cough* Lib Dem voters in 2010 *cough*

Also, the policies might be fine but the abilities of those wishing to administer them ought to count for something too.

50% Lib Dem
33% Labour
17% Green

Sounds about right

Lib Dem 40%
Green 20%
Labour 20%
Conservative 10%
UKIP 10%



Only real surprises for me are the UKIP on NHS and Labour on Defence.
I don't think it will surprise anyone that I seem to agree with the Tories on the economy

33% lib dem. 16.7% lab, green, tory and ukip

Tory on economy, labour on education, lib dem on Europe and defense and green on NHS. Mainly because I have some things I would never consider, no matter what else is in tje set.

As predicted. Capitalist scum.

You wouldn't understand, you hemp-wearing commie.

Grow your hair out

Green Party 80%
Liberal Democrats 20%

Someone Actually Electable: 0%, then.