Re: The next five years
 

seeing that the majority of electorate did not vote, they didn't want any of these *******.:rolleyes: ya can do owt wi figures.

Re: The next five years
 

Sorry Cashy, but 65% did vote, which is the majority.
Voter turnout at UK general elections 1945 – 2010 | UK Political Info

Not turning into AndrewB, honest.

Re: The next five years
 

yeh but how many voted Tory? then how many did note vote. thats the real percentage.;)

Re: The next five years
 

With yer own figures 35% did not vote, 65% voted but split between all parties who stood, right? now tell me who the majority voted for?

Re: The next five years
 

Okay, I really don't want to argue this, but...
2010, 10,706,647 voted Conservative, turnout 65.1%, share 36.1%
2005, 9,556,183 voted Labour, turnout 61.4%, share 35.2%
2001, 10,724,895 voted Labour, turnout 59.4%, share 40.7%
1997, 13,518,167 voted Labour, turnout 71.4%, share 43.2%
1992, 14,092,891 voted Conservative, turnout 77.7%, share 42.3%
1987, 13,736,395 voted Conservative, turnout 75.3% share 42.2%
1983, 13,012,316 voted Conservative, turnout 72.4%, share 42.4%
1979, 13,697,690 voted Conservative, turnout 76%, share 43.9%
1974, 11,457,079 voted Labour, turnout 72.8%, share 39.2%
1974, 11,639,243 voted Labour, turnout 78.8%, shrare 37.1%

I could go on...
its all here http://www.ukpolitical.info/2010.htm

Re: The next five years
 

ok dont argue then, off those 1.1% more voted tory, than those who dont give a stuff, dont say much fer any of the political parties does it? i maintain that many many of the electorate consider em all to be complete *******. its the saddos that try to say most people didn't want labour, or any arguement about the virtues of any off em i feel sorry for. wake up n smell the coffee. pmsl

Re: The next five years
 

Cashy, the sad fact is we have to governed by someone(this was a frequently used response by my daughter when she was trying to convert me to use my vote....and before anyone jumps down my throat...Idid visit the polling station, but couldn't bring myself in all conscience to vote for any of those candidates whose names were on the list....so I spoiled my vote)...it has long been the situation that the party that is elected is NOT the choice of the majority of those who live in the country.

To be honest I am now a bit jaded with all the political argy-bargy.
We are in a mess(largely made by the Labour government, and ably assisted by the banks ....who by the way were given the freedom to do what the hell they liked by....wait for it.... Gordon Brown, it was he who took the regulation of the banking system away from the tight laced Bank of England and handed it to the FSA)....now what we really need to do is stop arguing and roll our sleeves up and sort the mess out in the best way that we can.
Yes, it is going to take some doing, and it is going to hurt......and seeing as the majority of those in this country atr the hoi polloi, I guess it will be us who will pay......but for goodness sake let's get on with it.

Re: The next five years
 

yep am well aware of that fact, i am past caring as i won't live to see a proper government, i also am well fed up of it all, but getting even more fed up of those who try to tell us whomever party it is, that people want this, people dont want that, i used to be one of those as no doubt many who don't vote were,;)

Re: The next five years
 

Cashy, I am sorry that you are so despondent........and in a way I can understand why.
You have devoted your life to the union movement who in turn supported the Labour party.....however the Labour party as you and I knew it ceased to exist when Tony Blair promoted New Labour.......these politicians were not the working class men who had scaled the heights of the political tree......they were privileged young men who knew nothing about hard physical work.......and the industrial revolution was a period that they might have studied for exams.......it had little relevance to them. they had attended elitist schools and university.......many of the politicians(certainly the Labour ones) had backgrounds in industry, had done real work.....work that made their hands dirty, but their hearts proud.
It is a different world of politics now...all spin - smoke and mirrors.
The parties let us vote in the assumption that it will keep us, the hoi polloi quiet and acquiescent in thinking that we actually have a say in what happens to the country........when in actual fact the politicians tell us fairy stories that will sway us to elect them and then they will do any damn thing that they please...purely because they can.......telling us all the while that we gave them the mandate.

Did you vote for open borders? did you vote for us to give away money to the EU?(the rebates the Margaret Thatcher negotiated for us) did you vote for all the knee jerk policies that eroded our liberties....the surveillance that is supposed to protect us, but in lots of cases merely watches us?
Did you vote for criminals to be released early? Did you vote for the judiciary to be little more than political pawns? For the police to be politicised by targets that must be met.....for the health service to be likewise target seekers instead of carers......for the Quangos that guzzle taxpayer money like it is going out of fashion....for much of legislation to be masterminded at Brussels by people who are unelected by us.

It is a sad and sorry state that we live in......and if I were younger I would seriously consider moving away from this country....sadly ther aren't many places that want retired, gobby nursing sisters.

Re: The next five years
 

margaret yer correct i am despondant, but please don't be sorry, i have never been as relaxed, am also very happy people who i value understand the reasons,i have very little stress in my life, so all in all, i honestly don't think its a bad thing.;)

Re: The next five years
 

Cashy, you didn't sound relaxed......but I have just read that you have not been too well over the past few days and that can take its toll.
I hope you don't think I am getting at you, because nothing could be further from the truth.
I understand where you are coming from, part of me feels the same...but I feel that we can't do much about it....and I refuse to get uptight about things that I, personally, have little or no control over.

Re: The next five years
 

Margaret, as you well know, I have similar views to you on the current state of UK politics. I didn't think I could be even more disillusioned, but after last week's little stitch up, I am. I can understand those who vote on a lesser of two (now three) evils basis, but I can't for the life of me comprehend how anyone can actively have faith in them. Anyway, I'm off up the pub now to forget about it all! :D

Re: The next five years
 

the thing is Wyn, while we are wrangling among ourselves, it gives these shysters(and that is the kindest name I can call them) a chance to bury bad news...sneak things under the radar, bamboozle us poor shmucks....we would be better employed in getting to grips with things and sorting oursleves out.......How, I hear you ask?
If I knew the answer to that one I wouldn't be sitting here pounding the keys I would be in some plush office in Westmister.
What I do know is that all the griping and whinging gets nothing done, and it doesn't make us feel better either....so what's the use? answers please on a postcard to Gordon Brown...no address needed, it will find him.....I'm sure he isn't getting that much fan mail these days.

Enjoy your beer, while you can afford it :)

Re: The next five years
 

Well I've read the last few posts on this thread from cashy, Margaret and Wyn, and I can say I agree with all you've said, made interesting reading

Re: The next five years
 

Thing is john, i know there are good people in all the big 3 parties, trouble is they aint in n high enough position, nor is there enough of em, to make the changes required.;)