What would it take for another general election to be held?

[mcquiggd]

OK, right... Stockbridge is where the clothes in the charity shops are better than what you normall get new in the shops.

Yep... council tax to match.....

[Fungus]

An edge? In what way? Only being independent stops you from being a minor province, which automatically carries all the negative aspects with it (I don't mean that the English people in general want to exploit Scotland, on the contrary I realise that they personally are prepared to subsidise "the regions" - I just think it doesn't work out that way).

And Brown (to name the biggest one) is so keen on being PM of the UK that he'll do anything to prove he's not in any way anything other than British.

BTW
1. Don't you think the term "sweaties" is insulting?
2. Why are you doing that? Have I done anything to merit it, like insulting you?
3. Jocko-land, same comment. Am I insulting England? I don't wish to.

Can't say I understand this business of Scots thinking that Scotland is dominated by the English. After all, a county like Norfolk is in the same position, in that it subsumes to the will of Parliament most of whose members are not Norfolkians. I suspect we English have to much scorn and cynicism of politicians to want our own regional assemblies despite Thumper Prescott's best efforts.

[expat]

Can't say I understand this business of Scots thinking that Scotland is dominated by the English. After all, a county like Norfolk is in the same position, in that it subsumes to the will of Parliament most of whose members are not Norfolkians. I suspect we English have to much scorn and cynicism of politicians to want our own regional assemblies despite Thumper Prescott's best efforts.

Well, the essence I suppose is what you feel part of. If the carrot-farmers feel English all the way through then they are.

The same goes within Scotland, which is far from monolithic: there is a certain cynicism about handing everything over to Edinburgh lawyers instead of Islington lawyers, does it make a difference? But it does, because the location and scope of the legislature is not the whole thing.

As for the regional assemblies, I think that paradoxically that is a way to keep the UK together. Scottish devolution is not stable as it is, it will tend to grow; and going back is not an option, so a federal system is on the cards. But a federal arrangement with such an imbalance in size as between England and Scotland is not likely to last. Hence the regional assembly option. It doesn't interest me because I want to see Scottish independence, and England's governance thereafter is not my business; but if I were for the union I'd be interested.

[expat]

Can't say I understand this business of Scots thinking that Scotland is dominated by the English.

Apologies, I realise that in my post I'm not answering your question. It's a long answer, it's late, and I've got a lot to do. Sorry. I'll do the full half-hour argument some other time

[Lucifer Box]

Heard an interview with a guy from the electoral commission a few weeks ago. He reckoned that with the way the constituency borders are currently arranged, Labour could get a minority of the popular vote but still command a parliamentary majority. He also said that even after the 2008 re-arrangement, he thought it was "virtually impossible" for labour not to win.

[bogeyman]

OK Taff I'll let you off. Christ knows why. But we are just about the only 2 peoples in this corner of Europe that have never fought each other.

Too far away!

Anyway, I think we should rejoice in our separate ethnic identities: you a hairy legged caber tosser, and I a sheep-shagging troglodyte.

[bogeyman]

Heard an interview with a guy from the electoral commission a few weeks ago. He reckoned that with the way the constituency borders are currently arranged, Labour could get a minority of the popular vote but still command a parliamentary majority. He also said that even after the 2008 re-arrangement, he thought it was "virtually impossible" for labour not to win.

You really are the devil, aren't you LB? You'll keep me awake tonight with that sort of talk.

Is there any hard evidence of gerrymandering by this government? If so, surely something can be done about it - or have they been very clever in covering their tracks?

[expat]

you a hairy legged caber tosser

I've been called that before but that's the first time anybody's specified what kind.

[Lucifer Box]

You really are the devil, aren't you LB? You'll keep me awake tonight with that sort of talk.

Is there any hard evidence of gerrymandering by this government? If so, surely something can be done about it - or have they been very clever in covering their tracks?

Unfortunately, in this case, the devil doesn't have all the best tunes.

I'm not sure there's anything that can be done about gerrymandering. It's a time-honoured political procedure as old as politics itself.