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Post by legios on Apr 22, 2010 20:21:56 GMT
I have known a couple of small-scale farmers and I can honestly say that they were not making what I would call excessive amounts of money - certainly not considering the hours that they put in. The margins involved in farming are not as big as you might think once you start to consider costs like animal feed, equipment, vets bills....
For the record I am inclined towards the Liberal Democrats on balance. Not because I entirely agree with them on everything (there are one or two things in their economic and defense policies that don't entirely convince me for a start) but because of the parties likely to stand in my constituency they are the ones closest to my own viewpoints.
Karl
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2010 8:48:53 GMT
Gordon Brown shot himself in the foot yesterday. Nobody could have failed to have not seen on the news the gaff he made when he thought a microphone he was using had been turned off when it wasn't. To make matters worse when he was forced into an apology a short while later he apologised with a massive smirk on his face thereby hinting that he didn't really mean what he was saying during the apology.
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dyrl
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Transforming robots are no match for combat waitresses from the future!
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Post by dyrl on Apr 30, 2010 16:54:57 GMT
I have a question to you all about that gaffe -
maybe I'm missing something - but why did the PM apologize? Weren't the lady's statements biggoted - or am I missing something?
I understand that it's not smart to let yourself be heard publically insulting a voter - but it seems even more unwise to make such a comment and then go back and apologize for it when it might actually have been a correct remark?
Or have the lady's fears/statements been mischaracterized?
Pete
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Post by skillex on May 6, 2010 23:20:46 GMT
Well, here we go. It's going to be a long night and - personally speaking - I'm worried that it's not going to be a good one. Still too close to call, though.
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on May 7, 2010 18:03:47 GMT
I must say I'm finding it all fascinating. All the parties today seem to be behaving very sensibly and carefully, ignoring pressure from the 24-hour media to rush into anything disastrous. They all seem to recognise that the country hasn't given any of them a right to have it all their own way. I'm hoping the Lib Dems somehow manage to get a solid deal with either the Cons or the Labour Party that enables them to change the electoral system forever.
Anyway, the hung Parliament hasn't led to the sky falling.
I went to bed at 10, woke up at 1.30 and watched most of the action in the small hours on my bedroom telly. Been monitoring developments all day today at work on the BBC News website.
The Lib Dems have 57 seats. With 23% of the votes, in a fair voting system they would have 150 seats. But they have held Cardiff Central!
Scotland looks very different from the rest of the UK - no mandate at all for the Cons there.
Also: first Green MP! Woohoo!
But more than one in three voters didn't vote.
Martin
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Post by Bogatan on May 7, 2010 18:22:53 GMT
As I had nothing to do today, I stayed up all night, it was quite facinating. Sadly labour woman kept her seat here, though she went from a 7000+ majority to 670 this time.
Personally the only big down side right now is the negative effect on the pound just as I need to buy dollars, but even that has dropped less than I expected.
Andy
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Post by Shockprowl on May 7, 2010 18:36:39 GMT
It has all been very exciting, and it's not over yet! I'm gutted for the Liberals though, guess it's a symptom of the unfair system we have. I was really wanting them to do well this time, shake things up abit. Well, we'll see what happens next!
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2010 9:54:35 GMT
I'm actually hoping that the Lib Dems form a coalition with Labour because they have more in common with Browns party than what they do Cameron's. Although in all reality I never expected the Lib Dems to win - the voting system sees to that, I did expect them to do better than what they actually did do.
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Post by blueshift on May 8, 2010 10:03:19 GMT
Oh, same.
The Lib Dems DID get more votes than before however. They just got... less seats.
I've love to see a proper voting system in place. My preference would be for a Single Transferable Vote system.
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on May 8, 2010 11:13:11 GMT
It would be easier for the Lib Dems to link up with Labour if Brown stood down for someone new.
Very difficult for them to do so while Brown remains in charge.
So many people voted for the Lib Dems in order to get rid of the current regime, the PM needs to have a new face.
But it's also difficult for them to link up with the Tories when their policies are so different.
And if they don't link up with either, they will also be blamed, and people will point fingers and say, this is what would happen all the time if we had PR.
Tough decision. Would be made much easier if Brown stood down.
Martin
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2010 16:54:25 GMT
I don't think Brown will stand down because he seems far too arrogant to do such a thing. I'm guessing Clegg will still team up with Labour and settle for Brown and co being superior over him in the coalition. Him refusing to accept such terms won't bode well for his election prospects in another four years.
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on May 10, 2010 17:29:00 GMT
I don't think Brown will stand down because he seems far too arrogant to do such a thing. Methinks you owe him an apology. And... KAPOW! Labour are back in the game. Martin |
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Post by legios on May 10, 2010 20:41:53 GMT
I'm not actually surprised to see Gordon Brown go in all honesty. He did hint during the campaign that anything less than a clear victory might cause him to decide to do something else instead.
It also allows his party to engage in talks with the Liberal Democrats with a bit more optimism, given some of the things that were carefully half-said during the campaign. In some respects he might well be seeing it as in both his own best interests, and those of his party.
Karl
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on May 11, 2010 17:21:12 GMT
And... KAPOW! Labour are back in the game. And now... KA-THOOOM! They're out of it again. Martin |
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Post by blueshift on May 11, 2010 17:31:07 GMT
How bizarre. It looks like Labour themselves have scuppered the deal. The muppets.
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on May 12, 2010 5:57:08 GMT
At least the coalition gives Cameron a way to get out of having to sell a Conservative Secretary of State for Scotland to the Scots.
Maybe I've a fool, but I'm feeling pretty optimistic this morning.
Wales is now governed by a Labour/Plaid coalition in Cardiff and a Tory/Lib Dem coalition in London. How marvellous!
Martin
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Post by Shockprowl on May 12, 2010 12:07:38 GMT
I'm feeling optimistic as well. I'm hoping that the Coalition between the Conservatives and the Liberals will allow for this 'new style of politics' to actually come about, because they will have to work together to get stuff done, seeing things from two perspectives.
I was quite moving the way Brown went, like him or dislike him, I think he tried his best.
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2010 19:51:42 GMT
I'm not quite sure what the Tory/Lib Dem coalition would achieve. I always thought that both parties were on pretty much the opposite sides of the rope to each other and as such I figured a Labour/Lib Dem coalition would have worked better. It would certainly be interesting though how this all played out.
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