The 2015 General Election

[Condimentalist]

Arguably Miliband won it by seeming genuinely vulnerable. His squeal at the end was a bit much though... if he gets brought to the verge of tears by Paxman asking nasty questions about his brother it doesn't bode too well for his meetings with world leaders    

[Villarocker]

The audience needed to ask Cameron how he managed to sell off Royal Mail for half its worth.

[VillaChris]

 

if he quits then wont there have to be another election if midterm?

 

No, because you voted for someone else, unless you live in Witney, West Oxfordshire and put your X next to his name.

 

It's the basic contradiction in the system, we all watch Cameron vs Milliband and wonder about trident and the NHS. Then we have to vote for the local guy that has no influence on any of that but will write a letter to planning about that conservatory extension application for us.

 

My local tory appears to be a fairly decent guy. But if I vote for him I get Osbourne and May et al making decisions.

 

 

Ha first time I voted in 2010 I was at Keele Uni and didn't realise this so I was a bit confused when I saw the options of MPs for Newcastle Under Lyme. Think I voted for Paul Farelly in the end who I think represented Labour. Ironic I left that area that summer through graduating.

 

On Cameron, isn't it perceived he'll quit if there is finally an EU vote in 2017, bit like Salmond did. Would give the new incumbent two years to pitch for a longer term. Not sure how it would worked if it's a hung parliament though.

[VillaChris]

Just watching the Channel 4 thing an hour later, how come Ed didn't get the Paxman treatment as that was the main thing I was tuning in for.

 

Edit: Sorry thought this was only on for an hour and got confused as I thought they did the Paxo interview first and then answered the questions for both leaders.

Edited March 26, 2015 by VillaChris

[sharkyvilla]

It did seem a bit unfair that they changed the running order, but then that's on Cameron for not agreeing to a one-on-one. It's his own fault really. Weirdly the first poll had 54% for Cameron.

[Alpaywasawesome]

Has anyone heard of this new party: Justice for Men and Boys

 

It's running on an anti-feminist ticket, and the leader is a former consultant to the Conservative party. Apparently men and boys have it really bad. I don't know about the state of divorce settlements, but if fathers are really denied rights to their children - of course controlling for the requirement that they are a 'fit and proper' parent and not an abusive alcoholic asshole -  that is quite horrific. 

 

Its one of those weird fringe parties I feel, I'm worried the kind who may call for a reintroduction of National Service for the good of young boys and men. Not like it'd be a bad thing honestly, some of the youngsters these days are **** hooligans. Okay maybe not National Service, but better schools and economic prospects would get rid of idle hands which tend to do bad stuff. 

Edited March 26, 2015 by Alpaywasawesome

[CarewsEyebrowDesigner]

That party can **** away off.

[Genie]

I saw some of the number 10 programme, Paxman firstly told a difficult to believe story about a man who walks 4 hours to work and is sometimes only given 1 or 2 hours work on minimum wage then asked DC if he could survive on a 0 hours contract... how on earth would that work as PM? He turns up in the morning and gets told no thanks not today.

Turned it off again.

[bickster]

I saw some of the number 10 programme, Paxman firstly told a difficult to believe story about a man who walks 4 hours to work and is sometimes only given 1 or 2 hours work on minimum wage then asked DC if he could survive on a 0 hours contract... how on earth would that work as PM? He turns up in the morning and gets told no thanks not today.

Turned it off again.

Was the story too harrowing for you? Or don't you believe stuff like that goes on?

If only we could tell Cameron, no thanks not today. Well actually in a few weeks time… we can

[sharkyvilla]

The likelihood of someone walking 4-6 miles a day to work and back seems very far-fetched to me.

[chrisp65]

The likelihood of someone walking 4-6 miles a day to work and back seems very far-fetched to me.

 

well if it helps, I used to walk 3 miles to work and 3 miles back

admitedly less, but perfectly doable

 

why on earth would walking a fairly long way to work appear far fetched?

 

Incidentally, I'm currently commuting 4 or 6 hours a day several days a week - but by car. 

[chrisp65]

I went along to a local politics meeting tonight - proper traditional upstairs room of a pub meeting.

 

I'd resolved to say nothing, just listen. Once the floor was opened for questions on a strictly hands up and be pointed at to speak basis the first question wasn't answered properly and I was straight in and haranguing the speaker for not answering and not being plausible or having a quantifiable plan. Didn't put my hand up either!

 

Good fun.

[coda]

There was a bloke in Detroit walking over 20 miles (return journey) to work for a decade. His story went viral and people raised $300,000 for him.

[sharkyvilla]

That's a pretty extreme case though. I'm struggling to think of a scenario where someone would have to walk that far to get to a zero hours contract job, or at least in high enough numbers for it to be a consequence of goverment policy but I'm willing to be proved wrong.

[Alpaywasawesome]

That party can **** away off.

 

Just curious, do you know something specifically awful about that party? Pray tell, I had no idea they existed until now. 

[OutByEaster?]

 

That party can **** away off.

 

Just curious, do you know something specifically awful about that party? Pray tell, I had no idea they existed until now. 

 

The only thing I know about them is your description, which for the record sounds specifically awful.

[bickster]

That's a pretty extreme case though. I'm struggling to think of a scenario where someone would have to walk that far to get to a zero hours contract job, or at least in high enough numbers for it to be a consequence of goverment policy but I'm willing to be proved wrong.

He's probably walking because his zero hours contract doesn't give him enough money to be able to afford public transport or a taxi. If he doesn't go, he earns zero. If he quits the job, he gets no benefits. Maybe you don't realise what its like being in that position. Its not a case of why would someone do that, its a case of they have to do that to survive, the alternative being begging in the street. That really is a product of government policy. Its an extreme example probably but I'd also suggest it isn't an isolated incident.

There are people in our place who walk 5 miles to work everyday (and back), though in their cases it isn't poverty they do it out of choice to stay healthy.

[Genie]

Was the story too harrowing for you? Or don't you believe stuff like that goes on?

I don't think asking the multi millionaire PM whether he could live on a zero hours contract is adding any value for anyone.

[OutByEaster?]

I think zero hours contracts have been demonised to a large extent - there's an idea that they've replaced 'proper' jobs which whilst I'm sure is true in some cases isn't their primary purpose, for the most part they exist because successive governments have made casual work very difficult to maintain, there's a desire to do two things - force companies to offer zero hours contracts to workers who would previously have been casual (and in doing so remove them from the unemployment figures as they're now 'employees' rather than 'workers') and impart employee rights onto a previously disposable workforce.

 

The company I work for offers zero hours contracts, our previous casual workforce became a legal risk to the company - zero hours contracts give the employee better holiday conditions, auto-enrolment on our pension, rights to full disciplinary process and access to the same benefits and training as any other employee - none of which were available to the casual workforce.

 

In industries where business's don't open five (or seven) days a week, the zero hour contract has improved conditions for a huge proportion of the workforce. Are there bad ones? Sure, there are lots of bad ones, it's a mile from being perfect, but it's not quite the evil act that political posturing would have you believe.

[CarewsEyebrowDesigner]

 

That party can **** away off.

 

Just curious, do you know something specifically awful about that party? Pray tell, I had no idea they existed until now. 

 

 

Anyone that describes themselves as 'anti-feminist' can **** away off.

Anyone who thinks feminists hate men is as daft as a brush.

Anyone who can say with a straight face that men are 'absolutely excluded' from British society is deluded..

Anyone who thinks women think of themselves as 'divine creatures' is a misogynist shitbag.

 

Other than that I'm sure they're swell.