Reply to: Tarquin is right - Labour will win the election, barely

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Can't be fair if the conservatives get 44%, Labour gets 40 % and Labour get more seats.

Boundaries have to change or the voting system to PR.

Agreed, but with our system, there are always more people who voted for something other than what they got - we need PR.

[Green Mango]

It's known as altering the boundaries to suit party politics. They all do it, well those that get into power any rate.

Can't be fair if the conservatives get 44%, Labour gets 40 % and Labour get more seats.

Boundaries have to change or the voting system to PR.

[Bagpuss]

Its known as correcting the boundaries so that % vote gives a fair mp representation.

It's known as altering the boundaries to suit party politics. They all do it, well those that get into power any rate.

[Green Mango]

But then thay can gerrymander the boundaries once they get in

Its known as correcting the boundaries so that % vote gives a fair mp representation.

[Bagpuss]

Actually anyone listening to J Vine today will realise that labour do have an advantage.

Most of their seats are inner city and the industrial waste lands which have steadily been depopulating. Therefore they could win more seats by having less of the population voting for them than Tory. Also there are now aprox 80 non Lab/Tory MPs in parliament making it harder to get a majority. Apparently a 10% lead in the polls will only equate to about 20-30 seats majority.

But then thay can gerrymander the boundaries once they get in

[Gibbon]

Actually anyone listening to J Vine today will realise that labour do have an advantage.

Most of their seats are inner city and the industrial waste lands which have steadily been depopulating. Therefore they could win more seats by having less of the population voting for them than Tory. Also there are now aprox 80 non Lab/Tory MPs in parliament making it harder to get a majority. Apparently a 10% lead in the polls will only equate to about 20-30 seats majority.

[Churchill]

Do you have something to tell us?

Nope but I believe you do...

[Bagpuss]

Any tax-breaks for new fathers, eh Bagpuss?

Do you have something to tell us?

[Churchill]

It matters not one jot who gets in, the same civil servants will run the country. As for voting preference being determined by who pays you, it's a rather weak argument, as the government pays those 'workers' whoever they should be. As a side point... the largest rise in the welfare state was under Mrs T, did that create a generation of flipless Conservative voters?

Any tax-breaks for new fathers, eh Bagpuss?

[Bagpuss]

It matters not one jot who gets in, the same civil servants will run the country. As for voting preference being determined by who pays you, it's a rather weak argument, as the government pays those 'workers' whoever they should be. As a side point... the largest rise in the welfare state was under Mrs T, did that create a generation of feckless Conservative voters?

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Ooh 'ark at him. A Peoplesoft setup clerk accusing me of a lack of logic

My basic premise is that if people vote by self-interest, Labour has got quite a large consitituency. I already said I didnt have any evidence and that that was speculation.

So we agree your view is based on pub "wisdom" and prejudice, excellent.

[sasguru]

Logic isn't your strongpoint, is it? The only result that would prove your theory would be some proof that a huge proportion of the public sector voted Labour. If labour win, that only proves that (given our crap electoral system) significant numbers voted for them, nothing else - the rest of it is based on pub logic and prejudice.

Ooh 'ark at him. A Peoplesoft setup clerk accusing me of a lack of logic

My basic premise is that if people vote by self-interest, Labour has got quite a large consitituency. I already said I didnt have any evidence and that that was speculation.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

No evidence, just putting myself in the shoes of the various groups.

The results will tell if I'm right

Logic isn't your strongpoint, is it? The only result that would prove your theory would be some proof that a huge proportion of the public sector voted Labour. If labour win, that only proves that (given our crap electoral system) significant numbers voted for them, nothing else - the rest of it is based on pub logic and prejudice.

[Doggy Styles]

Isn't it sad that the best jobs in Britain are dull, office based jobs shuffling paper.

Very. Unless you count professional football.

[sasguru]

What about our astronauts?

They should take out Indian, Chinese or Russian citizenship if they want to have any chance of escaping the surly bonds of earth.

Otherwise, should they wish to remain British, retrain as lawyers or bankers or become MPs.

Isn't it sad that the best jobs in Britain are dull, office based jobs shuffling paper.