NationStates Jolt Archive

two questions:

1. When is the next general election?
2. What are the polls currently showing in regards to Blair?

1) When the PM decides. Has to be before June 2006, though (5 year limit).
2) Still ahead of the Tories, but he's got a hammering in the European elections and local by-elections. Cite (http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/95965/1/.html).

The Tories won't win - They will gain more seats. As will the Lib Dems.
Labour may change it's leader though.........

I'm starting to think that the Lib Dems will win the elections. Labour and Conservatives suffered a hammering in the Leicester by-elections!

I'm starting to think that the Lib Dems will win the elections. Labour and Conservatives suffered a hammering in the Leicester by-elections!

Winning by-elections is one thing. Holding on to them at a General Election is quite another.

Labour and the Tories are entrenched in the UK, after decades of carefully drawing the constituency boundaries to break the country into Labour and Tory areas. There are a few maverick zones here and there, but not nearly enough to make a difference. This is why the Lib Dems can get 25% of the national vote and only end up with 10% of the seats, and how Labour or the Tories can get 40% of the vote and yet win by a "landslide". It's also why the Lib Dems are so keen on proportional representation, and Labour and the Tories aren't.

Leicester South's former MP (prior to his untimely death), Jim Marshall, was a really decent fella, the only reason I didn't oppose Labour when I lived there. However, I'm glad to see Labour suffer at the hands of the Lib Dems in the by-election because, irrespective of party loyalty, it's good to see that we may at last be getting a more open democracy with greater choice for the electorate. That said, the Lib Dems have no chance of victory.

For those who don't know...

Conservative = centre-right to right
Labour = left to centre-right (the right wing of the party is in control)
Lib Dems = centre-right to centre-left (the left is in control)

Some may disagree with my admittedly left-wing perspective...

Leicester South's former MP (prior to his untimely death), Jim Marshall, was a really decent fella, the only reason I didn't oppose Labour when I lived there. However, I'm glad to see Labour suffer at the hands of the Lib Dems in the by-election because, irrespective of party loyalty, it's good to see that we may at last be getting a more open democracy with greater choice for the electorate. That said, the Lib Dems have no chance of victory.

For those who don't know...

Conservative = centre-right to right
Labour = left to centre-right (the right wing of the party is in control)
Lib Dems = centre-right to centre-left (the left is in control)

Some may disagree with my admittedly left-wing perspective...

Much as some people say I cannot see New Labour as being center right, I would say they are more centerist.

Labour are center right! have a look at www.politicalcompass.org there are some grpahs on there whihc show where labour is.

It is time for a proper left wing government, we must bring about socail change NOW!

Political Compass ain't exactly the greatest indicator of political positioning.

Enerica, I understand and to a degree accept you point. It's hard to determine where the centre is. I guess my point is that the left is no longer in control of the perty even if most Labour party members are left of centre.

Political Compass ain't exactly the greatest indicator of political positioning.

Enerica, I understand and to a degree accept you point. It's hard to determine where the centre is. I guess my point is that the left is no longer in control of the perty even if most Labour party members are left of centre.

Yes I agree with that, it is no longer as socialist as it once was, shown to a large part through the fact that Blair has not undone the Thatcherite policies. I think it is the Thatcherite legacy that to a degree could have forced them that way.

The Labour Party isn't nearly as socialist as it once was, if at all. Look up "Clause 4".

Labour are center right! have a look at www.politicalcompass.org there are some grpahs on there whihc show where labour is.

It is time for a proper left wing government, we must bring about socail change NOW!

Thats very well and good depending on what you aim to change. But any left wing party wouldn't get the needed funds from buisnesses or other organisations to run a decent election campaign and very few people would vote for them.

I'm a conservative supporter myself

I think that Labour defending its majority is almost certain. They may loose some seats but they are going to remain the majority.
The real important question is: What is with the EU constituition referendum.
It is scheduled to take place after the election (a good tactical decision by Blair). However: it seems to be unlikely that Blair is going to win that one over. What happends than. Do you think he is going to try a second referendum himself or is he going to leave that to his likely successor Gordon Brown??

Labour has changed a lot since the 1980s. Today it is pretty centrists.
Tony Blair is standing in the area of foreign policy in the tradition of Churchill and Thatcher. He is clearly standing for the special relationship of the UK with the US. He is in the field of foreign and security policy clearly following the conservative school and tradition.