"Stu Francis is a crack wh0re"

[alexsarll]

I noticed that my new jar of echinacea says that it should not be taken for more than eight consecutive weeks. I think I've been taking it for at least two years. I sought assurances from my patrons that going cold turkey would not see me fall victim to all those accumulated illnesses, and received them - but all with a certain enigmatic quality. This could be interesting.

On Newsnight all the party leaders were taking the fairly uncontroversial position that the unnecessary death of 36-hour old babies is a Bad Thing. But only Wee Charlie Kennedy seemed willing to mention the reason this happened - the compartmentalisation of hospitals and the moronic-going-on-murderous imposition of tendering for catering, cleaning &c - and to pledge an end to it.
I've never really doubted that I was going to vote Lib Dem at the next general election, but this has often been simply because I was damned if I'd vote for Howard or Blair, rather than any actual belief that they were a good idea. After last night, I'm actually feeling like it would be a pro- rather than anti- vote. Sure, their policy on Europe stinks - but with any luck the French referendum is going to derail the EU constitution, so that won't be such a pressing issue.
(I'm actually feeling thoroughly pro-France at the moment, especially since it's also a distinct possibility that they'll take the Olympic bullet for us)

They also had a piece on the Birmingham postal vote fraud which, aside from the outright theft of some people's votes, mentioned "Asian communities and their different traditions", such as "respected elders" making decisions on behalf of their whole families. Personally, I find that language a little too value-free for discussion of archaic patriarchal dictatorship.

A third item was simply funny; a look at how spending on useless 'Government advertising' (aka propaganda) had trebled under Labour, complete with 1988 footage of Tony Blair complaining about similar behaviour by the Tories.

[Poll #459832]

Comments

[publicansdecoy.livejournal.com]

But would vote Lib Dem if could, obviously.

-x-

[tiny-tear.livejournal.com]

Same here!

[violentbec.livejournal.com]

still time to register, dude.

[davebushe.livejournal.com]

Green, Lib Dem or indeed Peter Milligan :)

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Ah, happy memories...

Though his X-Men run is going to torpedo that tactic if it doesn't improve soon.

[666inmyheart.livejournal.com]

I will vote Lib Dem, but I do like the thought of a candidate in a white suit. It appeals to my sense of the Bryan Ferry.

*Also hopes she is registered to vote at her current address. Didn't see a registation card. Gets a bit worried.

xx

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

I was about to edit just to call you on your puzzling choices above, so thanks for explaining.

Judging by the chap they're putting forward, it will only be a metaphorical white suit. Though he is being backed by Brian Eno, so it still has some Ferry resonances.

[london-imp.livejournal.com]

Eek, i've got to find out where i'm registered, if at all.

[gregjames.livejournal.com]

I would vote but my favourite muppet hasn't got a party. With only Dr.Teeth, Fozzie Bear and Bunsen as the choices I can't be @rsed.

[ex-dumbgenius.livejournal.com]

I would prefer to vote for the Monster Raving Loony Party, say, if they were standing for election, but probably I will vote for the closest alternative - Lib Dems. Or possibly Greens.

[ex-dumbgenius.livejournal.com]

Oh, it occurs to me that I am voting in Andrew Smith's ward this time, so I will be voting Lib Dem.

[renegadechic.livejournal.com]

i dont feel informed enough to make a decision and even on the most superficial level am unsure as to whether any of the parties do represent my own views especially on more of the mainstream well known issues. at the same time though, im not 100% on my views as i dont know what any pros and cons or anything else are of each situation. i am not interesting in chosing an "other" party to vote for purely because i wouldnt want to vote for conservative or labour. i never base opinions on what i am against and finding out which i am least against and voting for that out of default

Nicky xxx

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Until such time as I have enough loyal followers to form a party, I'm always going to be voting for someone who has at least some policies with which I disagree.

[azureskies.livejournal.com]

There should be an "I would probably vote Labour, only our Labour MP is a piece of incompetent sub-human scum and should never be allowed in Parliament ever again, so if there's a Socialist Labour candidate I'll probably go for him again, and otherwise just be boring and go for Lib Dems or something" option, really.

Or at least an "Other".

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

The problem with 'Other' is all the people who tick it and then don't explain it. So I'd rather have nothing to tick but still get the explanations, as here.

[marnameow.livejournal.com]

You forgot

[x] Am currently up to eyebrows in election work and this lj business is distracting me from it all with... more election moogh.

[darkmarcpi.livejournal.com]

I prefer not to say, only in as much as I've not yet made up my mind.

My friend Mike, who coincidentally I'm pinting with tonight, is a Lib Dem member. I believe has worked for the party and/or one its MPs in the past too. He did always tell me lots of positive reasons to vote for them, rather than just doing so solely in preference to Labour/Conservative but, often with the LDs I get the feeling that, e.g. with their views on the Iraq war, they are being contrary deliberately, and sometimes purely, to make sure their party is perceived as a different choice to the (in many ways similar) other two parties. In some ways they are just as guilty as New Labour of using marketing research to tweak their policies to suit what voters want, rather than sticking to specific party ideals and trying to market them.

If I was voting purely on crime, I'd probably vote Conservative.

(I also think that immigration is a far more complex issue than it's made out to be, and that there are some valid, debatable reasons for being anti-immigration, but whenever the Conservatives attempt to highlight the issues, they do so in a cack-handed and racist way that doesn't do them any favours, nor the issue itself).

Right, that's hurt my head...I really should stick to talking about music...

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

"(I also think that immigration is a far more complex issue than it's made out to be, and that there are some valid, debatable reasons for being anti-immigration, but whenever the Conservatives attempt to highlight the issues, they do so in a cack-handed and racist way that doesn't do them any favours, nor the issue itself)"

Concur. Like, exactly which of our neighbours are evil regimes from which people need to flee *here*?

[hazyjayne.livejournal.com]

Gah! I use to be so much better informed, or at least I was at the last election (I was a Politics student at the time, so that might had been some to do with it...)... I feel I ought to go around the different websites and read up on everything... but sadly there are only 24 hours in a day...

Oh and with regards to the Liberal Democrates, do you think they would actually do half the things they say they are going to do IF they got elected?

[ex-dumbgenius.livejournal.com]

Oh and with regards to the Liberal Democrates, do you think they would actually do half the things they say they are going to do IF they got elected?

Has any party ever done this?

[intermix.livejournal.com]

I am registered, but it is here in London, and the elections will be when I am in Nottingham (as far as I am aware).

I voted Respect for the Mayor of London one last time, just 'cos it made me giggle. While my interest in politics is minimal (everyone f*cks it up, no matter what they try), I would vote Lib Dem.

[marnameow.livejournal.com]

Postal Vote = solves that one there.

[innerbrat]

I am fairly sure the deadline for registering was 9th March, and it wasn't until that week I found out I wasn't registered to vote, as technically I've been homeless for nine months...

[perfectlyvague.livejournal.com]

But due to landlord fudging the council tax, I won't be voting here. I'll just be cancelling out my father's Conservative vote in a place with a landslide Labour majority. The people of Stroud would still vote Labour in if they proposed tax cuts for paedophiles.

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

I would like to vote Lib Dem, but I live in the Poplar & Canning Town constituency, for which the BNP got a 5% share of the vote in the last election (cheery) and there is a HUGE Labour majority. I mean HUGE. Over 60% of the vote since forever. My vote really is worthless now, whereas last time I voted Lib Dem and they beat the Oxford Tories, mwahahaha.

Find out about your MP! And some more stuff!

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

I dispute the idea that any vote is wasted. Because if everyone voted, and everyone voted according to their conscience, many of these 'unshakable' majorities would be dwarfed and the map would change overnight.

"You must become the change you hope to see in the world," as Gandhi said.

[rentaghost31.livejournal.com]

The whole 'respected elder' thing happens quite a lot over here, or at least more regularly than you might think. Whole families tend to vote the same way, usually following their traditional route, unfortunately.

I wasn't in when the electoral register lady called and forgot to send my form in. This isn't like me, but my vote isn't critical anyway, as I vote for a party who are a minority in my area.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

It did strike me as odd that one of my friendslist politicos should have voted as you did, aye.

[burnyourbones.livejournal.com]

If the Lib Dems don't win I'm moving to Berlin.
Well, I'm finishing my degree first, then moving to Berlin.

[johnnybrolly.livejournal.com]

In my constituency it is a fairly close battle bewteen Lab and Con. I would like to vote Lib Dem (I'm a Lib Dem party member), but I cannea because I still can't bear the thought of a Conservative winning. Tictacal voting, is still something I am to be convinced is a bad idea.

Whatever anyone says, and however bad Labour have been, the Conservatives are much worse. Just look at Letwin's face and tell me he wouldn't f#ck up the economy in less than a year.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Like I said to Marna above - with that sort of logic Labour would never even have become the second party.
And if you're actually a Lib Dem *member*, I think it's fairly hopeless if you're not voting for them.

[theresnorain.livejournal.com]

This has just made me realise that I wont be registered to vote having just moved - ARSE!

[marnameow.livejournal.com]

You should be still registered and able to vote at your old address.

[thermaland.livejournal.com]

I will definitely vote - I always do - but I haven't decided yet. Got to find out who is running here and so on. Probably either Lib-dem or loony left, depends. Maybe Green if my avocado plants look really bitching that week.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

My bonsai is dying on its @rse so I'm not sure the Greens would want my vote...