NationStates Jolt Archive

American voters only, I would just like to see how the politics of Americans, particularly young Americans might compare with the British.

As many of you might know, there is an election coming up next month and I would just like to know who you would vote for if lets say you lived in Britain. For those who know little nor nothing about the parties, I have included the addresses for their respective manifestos.


The Labour Party, centre-right (leader: Tony Blair)

http://a4.g.akamai.net/7/4/15010/1/labourparty1.download.akamai.com/15010/manifesto_13042005_a3/flash/manifesto_2005.swf


The Conservative Party, further-right (leader: Michael Howard)

http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=manifesto.index.page


The Liberal Democrats, centre (leader: Charles Kennedy)

http://mobular.onlinedm.com/libdems/manifesto/england/


The British National Party, extreme-right (leader: Nick Griffin)

no 2005 manifesto as of yet, here is the party's website... http://www.bnp.org.uk/index.php


The Veritas Party, far-right (leader: Robert Kilroy Silk)

http://www.veritasparty.co.uk/


The English Democrats, further right (leader: Garry Bushell)

http://www.englishdemocrats.org.uk/downloads/ManMar2002.pdf


The Green Party, further left

http://manifesto.greenparty.org.uk/


The Communist Party of Britain, extreme left

http://www.communist-party.org.uk/downloads/CPB_ElectionManifesto2005.pdf

I took some kind of test offered and I scored highest with both the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats. I think of the two, I'm most inclined to go with the Lib Dems.

Stuck between the Lib Dems and the Greens somewhere, from the very little I know about the Brit parties.

I like the Green Party the most.

I'd probably lean towards the Liberal Democrats

I found it rather annoying when folks weighed in on who they thought the Americans should elect; I wouldn't presume to act so regarding another nation's election.

lib dems or greens

American voters only, I would just like to see how the politics of Americans, particularly young Americans might compare with the British.

This is a trick, right? Wouldn't we go to jail if we voted in British elections? Besides, it's like me opining on the best candidate for Governator in California, who the heck cares what I think?

i would vote for whoever is most likely to get Tony Blair out.

Green party i suppose. although my socialist standpoint is somewhere between them and the commies. Can't everyone have a scandinavian socialist country (btw i am american, who'da thunk it)

I don't live in Britain, nor do I know the conditions and atmosphere of living there so I could not rightfully or intelligently offer a suggestion of whom I think I would vote for.

Being English and all I should probably know all about our political parties.

But surely the leader of the English Democrats is not THE Garry Bushell. Annoying, bearded TV critic Garry Bushell. Tell me it isn't.

Mind you anyone's better than Kilroy.

If the National Party wasn't racist, I'd pick them.

Does anyone really think that Veritas will have anything like the success of UKIP?

I don't live in Britain, nor do I know the conditions and atmosphere of living there so I could not rightfully or intelligently offer a suggestion of whom I think I would vote for.

Same, but if I did, I'd probably be with either the Labour or Conservatives. I don't think the 'liberal democrats' exactly qualify as centrists, though, from what I've heard of Britain's parties.

If the National Party wasn't racist, I'd pick them.
No, really you wouldn't. Even racism aside, their other policies are pretty nasty, and socialist.

No, really you wouldn't. Even racism aside, their other policies are pretty nasty, and socialist.

Never mind, then.

I would have to say either Liberal Democrats, Green or Communist.

PS it seems that there are a lot of right to ultra-right wing parties in Britain... who'da thunk it?

Of course thats coming from a guy whose country has a Conservative-Reactionary/Theocratic and a Conservative-Center party, so your definition of far right and mine are probably a little different. :)

I'd vote for the conservative party, mostly because they seem like they want to lower taxes and decrease the government. In my oipnion less is more when it comes to gov't. They also want to clean up the hospitals which is something that should be done (note: I have not personnaly been to a hospital there but I do know that one of my parents collegues from england had a kidney infection when he was here in the states and got treated for it right away stateing afterwards that if he'd been in england "I probably would've died"). So that's my opinion, but in all reality, I am personnaly going to root for Tony Blair so that British Troops stay in Iraq and help our boys (and friends) out a little. Wow, I just wrote a paragraph on something that I really don't care about...oh well. Later.

Liberal democrats, although the guy has a wicked freaky experession that almost makes me want to run to the communists.

I would vote for either the Liberal Democrats or the Green Party. But mostly, I'd want someone who wouldn't be stupid enough to side with Bush!

PS it seems that there are a lot of right to ultra-right wing parties in Britain... who'da thunk it?
It is funny, considering that Britain is a country where the existence of the NHS is not only unquestioned, but that it will pay for your abortion, speaking of which is not even a big issue there!

I found it rather annoying when folks weighed in on who they thought the Americans should elect; I wouldn't presume to act so regarding another nation's election.

Its because America has an unfair ammount of influence over the rest of the world. Because of that, other countries felt entitled to be angry about what they saw in the American elections.

I'd vote for the conservative party, mostly because they seem like they want to lower taxes and decrease the government. ..... So that's my opinion, but in all reality, I am personnaly going to root for Tony Blair so that British Troops stay in Iraq and help our boys (and friends) out a little.
No, the Tories don't want to decrease the government. Their spending plans are just as unbridled as Labour's.

BTW, is the keeping of thousands of troops fighting in a country far away, at enormous cost, your idea of "small government"?

Just so Americans know, the Liberal democrats are not liberal as Americans understand them. They are far more old labour than liberal in their plans now.

I would have to decide between the English Democrats, the Conservative Party, or the Labour Party. The Veritas Party is interesting, but they seem a little naive, like the Libertarian Party of the US. The Labour Party simply because since I do not live in the UK, it seems as though the UK has been doing very well lately, sort of 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'. The Conservatives and the English Democrats seemed to be proud nationalistic parties that wouldn't give away the UK to Europe. The green party is too passionate about the Environment, and it seems they would spend your peoples money too heavily on issues that may tug at the heart strings and our feelings, but are not rational on the bottom line and may bankrupt the UK. The BNP seems too emotional too and downright scary. Communist Party? No way. Liberal Democrats seem shallow and naive as well.
I hope the UK never adopts the Euro, I am in the US Army in Germany and my exchange rate is bad enough already thank you very much. Yet, visiting London cost me around fifty pounds a day and I was living cheap, had a friend to stay with and everything. Which leads to my final statement, I do not know enough about living in the UK to give you a definative answer, but I hope that my digressions are interesting. I find new and different world outlooks fascinating myself, and even can give one a positive new level of maturity.

-Josh

Here's an interesting site, which briefly sums up the policies of the three main parties on various issues.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2004/party_policies_at_a_glance/default.stm

Having read the previous article from BBC, I still can't say I care for any of them (I find my distaste for political parties in general growing by the day...) but if I had to choose one it would be the Liberal Democrats. I'd still feel dirty afterwards though...

American voters only, I would just like to see how the politics of Americans, particularly young Americans might compare with the British.

As many of you might know, there is an election coming up next month and I would just like to know who you would vote for if lets say you lived in Britain. For those who know little nor nothing about the parties, I have included the addresses for their respective manifestos.


The Labour Party, centre-right (leader: Tony Blair)

http://a4.g.akamai.net/7/4/15010/1/labourparty1.download.akamai.com/15010/manifesto_13042005_a3/flash/manifesto_2005.swf


The Conservative Party, further-right (leader: Michael Howard)

http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=manifesto.index.page


The Liberal Democrats, centre (leader: Charles Kennedy)

http://mobular.onlinedm.com/libdems/manifesto/england/


The British National Party, extreme-right (leader: Nick Griffin)

no 2005 manifesto as of yet, here is the party's website... http://www.bnp.org.uk/index.php


The Veritas Party, far-right (leader: Robert Kilroy Silk)

http://www.veritasparty.co.uk/


The English Democrats, further right (leader: Garry Bushell)

http://www.englishdemocrats.org.uk/downloads/ManMar2002.pdf


The Green Party, further left

http://manifesto.greenparty.org.uk/


The Communist Party of Britain, extreme left

http://www.communist-party.org.uk/downloads/CPB_ElectionManifesto2005.pdf

Being British I can tell you all this about this misleading post:

1. The Labour Party is centre left wing - only Blair and the Blairite faction verge slightly on the right. The majority of the backbenchers and most of the Cabinet are pretty much socialists who (for the sake of power) have sacrificed most of their principles and have consented to be led by a right winger whom many commentators actually liken to Margaret Thatcher (without any of the talent or honesty).

2.The Lib Dems are left wing. Very left wing indeed. Their proposals include 50% income tax on those who earn over £100,000, the legalisation of cannabis (down the slippery slope we slide) and other similar absurdities. They are a hodge podge of liberal and socialists but the Lib Dems get so little press coverage (their campaign is so mind numbingly rubbish they deserve none) that their furius internal disputes between the two rival factions are covered up.

3. Believe it or not, Kilroy Silk was a Labour MP. At one point. Before a life of TV chat shows with the Great Unwashed hardened him into the racist moron he is today.

4. You missed off the following parties:
Natural Law Party (karma etc etc)

Plaid Cymuru (Welsh nationalists)

Scottish Nationalist Party (Scottish nationalists)

The Monster Raving Looney Party (great fun)

The Democratic Unionist Party (Northern Irish unionists)

Sinn Fein (Irish republicans who do not take their seats in Parliament because they have to swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen on taking office)

The National Front ('There aint no black in the Union Jack!' and other such appalling racist sentiments. They are like the BNP but with a big stick)

It's not accurate to state that Labour is centre-right, the Tories further right and so on. Labour in particular encompasses a wide range of views, from centre-right to significantly left. The Tories range from centre to significantly right, though this campaign has been fought from the right (socially, anyway).

Also, there are about a bejillion socialist/communist parties (all with a about three members each) and the English Democrats are a non-entity.

Finally, there are the Scottish Nationalists, Scottish Socialists (who have more than three votes!), Plaid Cymru (Welsh nationalists) and four mainstream Northern Irish parties to consider.

I have no objection to commentary from non-Brits; indeed, I welcome it. For one thing, maybe we can finally persuade deluded Democrats that getting rid of Blair will not bring about a utopian left-of-centre state, but that a conservative government will emerge instead.

EDIT: ah, I was beaten to it. The two other NI parties are Ulster Unionists (conservative) and Social Democratic Labour (think moderate Sinn Fein, who are socialist). I disagree completely with the comments concerning the Lib Dems, they're in thrall to the market. Legalising cannabis is hardly a far left policy.

I am not well-versed in British politics and I so I don't think I could choose a candidate as of yet.

Whoever will keep on Bush's side and keep the troops in Iraq is my opinion. I don't know who all is on which side of the spectrum, being from America. England, not that anyone outside of America cares, is pretty much one of the only European countries that are not hated by Americans right now. Most of my friends, who are against the war and Bush, are angered at Europe, becuase while they are against this war, they wish our troops (America and England, and the other countries helping[i know there are roughly 30 i think others, but they aren't helping in major amounts]) didn't have to handle the whole thing by themselves.
Pretty much in summary of that, is why I don't know anything about England's politics, I would side with whoever sides with Bush and stays in Iraq, fighting the right fight.

Whoever will keep on Bush's side and keep the troops in Iraq is my opinion. I don't know who all is on which side of the spectrum, being from America. England, not that anyone outside of America cares, is pretty much one of the only European countries that are not hated by Americans right now. Most of my friends, who are against the war and Bush, are angered at Europe, becuase while they are against this war, they wish our troops (America and England, and the other countries helping[i know there are roughly 30 i think others, but they aren't helping in major amounts]) didn't have to handle the whole thing by themselves.
Pretty much in summary of that, is why I don't know anything about England's politics, I would side with whoever sides with Bush and stays in Iraq, fighting the right fight.Fine, but PLEASE note that what England as an entity wants is irrelevant. The nation is the UK.

Of the major parties, Labour and the Tories will keep troops in Iraq. Possibly NI Unionists as well, I'm not sure.

this should be a poll.

I really have no opinion on the British election. I think they should vote their concience. They have to live with the results, not me.

Maybe if they play their cards right they can someday once again have an 'unfair amount of influence over the rest of the world'
(LOL - Neo's line cracked me up!)

My opinion is not valid as I am not British and have little knowledge of the realities of modern Britain, but as an American I support Tony Blair for being a friend to America. However, my beliefs lie more with Veritas.

B0zzy
the poms had a huge influence on the world from ~800 to ~1900. Only after the world wars did the americans overtake them
You ever hear of the Commonwealth? they are all ex-British empire. Not to mention a few others that seperated like India and Zimbabwe.
Even now they have a large influence, which is why the pound is worth so much

In regards to the british vote I'm australian and I voted with the Australian Liberals with are right but more left then the American democrats.
After checking the link by chcken pi I agree mostly with Tories, although I am unaware of base British conditions

Labour, because Tony Blair is hard-fucking-core.

B0zzy
the poms had a huge influence on the world from ~800 to ~1900. Only after the world wars did the americans overtake them
You ever hear of the Commonwealth? they are all ex-British empire. Not to mention a few others that seperated like India and Zimbabwe.

Umm, that's pretty much what I said, in alot fewer words.

Oh, and currenct value has much less to do with political clout than economic policy.

I'd just like to clarify that most of these parties (and definately the big 3) would be considered quite lefty from an American P.O.V.

Conservative Party

Sounds good overall.

yeah... being a semi conservativeish person... i'd vote for eh... a central-right party... blairs seems the best, but hes an idiot.. so i guess i'd go with the nazi national party../. hahaha... too bad they're racist... thats lame... it's okay to be a dictator if you just treat EVERYONE bad hahah.. just kidding.. i don't know... center right someone

No doubt at all, especially in this election: Raving Monster Looney Party (or whatever the offical title is). If they weren't running anyone in my district, I'd stand for office.

People here complain about the quality of our campaigns, this election of yours looks to be absurd to me - fighting over which party's plan will raise taxes more, with each party claiming it wants to screw the elecctorate over more. Seems like the Raving Monster Loonies are the sane ones in the woodpile.

I'd vote for Labour, but I can't stand Blair. I'd hope that Gordon Brown would end up taking over at No. 10, but I'm not sure what the likelihood of that would be in the near future.

I'd probably pick any of these three below. It would depend.

The Labour Party, centre-right (leader: Tony Blair)

The Liberal Democrats, centre (leader: Charles Kennedy)

The Green Party, further left

I'd vote for Blair. He's helping our country out in Iraq and I think it's the right thing to do. However, I don't claim to know a whole lot more than that about British politics. Seems most similar to our leader(s).

The Labourites are absolutely not "center right." While Blair's foreign policy gets all the attention, domestically he is actually very left wing, especially relating to government spending.

I'd just like to clarify that most of these parties (and definately the big 3) would be considered quite lefty from an American P.O.V.
I agree that British politics is generally to the left of the US's, but I can't accept that the Conservatives would be classified as 'lefty'. They're sticking with big government spending purely because they know that, rightly or wrongly, Brits support it. In most other respects, they're significantly to the (traditional) right.

The Labourites are absolutely not "center right." While Blair's foreign policy gets all the attention, domestically he is actually very left wing, especially relating to government spending.
Not on civil liberties he's not. And most of his economic policy is social democratic, not socialist. In short, I disagree.

The Labourites are absolutely not "center right." While Blair's foreign policy gets all the attention, domestically he is actually very left wing, especially relating to government spending.
the bnp is to the left of blair on many social spending issues

the bnp is to the left of blair on many social spending issues
Heh. Socialist economics and racist authoritarian social policy. Not exactly a libertarian wet dream...

The liberal democrats.

I dont like what i've read of "new labour" and i love the english far too much to punish them with a conservative.

The liberal democrats.

I dont like what i've read of "new labour" and i love the english far too much to punish them with a conservative.

"Old" labour wasn't all that good either.

Don't make me laugh! Us Americans don't vote. We just complain. If we do vote we vote for the most charasmatic, coniving, corrupted, power-hungry, down-right evil candidate possible. We think it's funny to have lousy politicians. "Hahahahaha! They declared war! Hahahahahahah! Stupid President Bush!" ;)

Do you guys not have a libertarian party?

If one of those mentioned is your version of the LP, I didn't notice. I skimmed through those manifestoes pretty quickly.

i would vote for whoever is most likely to get Tony Blair out.
exactamente

exactamente
But why? If you're American and want him out because he supports George Bush, you're effectively supporting the establishment of a more right wing government here. If you're a Democrat, then that's lunacy! If not, then no worries, of course.

An archy, libertarians of the sort that you're asking about are very rare. It's very much a fringe ideology that only seems to have gotten any support on the internet... in short: no, we don't.

The Labourites are absolutely not "center right." While Blair's foreign policy gets all the attention, domestically he is actually very left wing, especially relating to government spending.

Nonsense, Blair has too many flat tax rates to ever be considered left wing, the socialist agenda of Labour died with their "redistribution" party line when Blair got rid of it in 1996. In terms of social policy, he has turned marijuana into a Class B drug, he is handing out ID cards, imprisoning terror "suspects" without trial and has still refused to add homosexuals to the Human Rights Act. My friend, I think you'll find Blair stands firmly to the right.

The BNP. They'll put an end to "happy slapping."

Don't make me laugh! Us Americans don't vote. We just complain. If we do vote we vote for the most charasmatic, coniving, corrupted, power-hungry, down-right evil candidate possible.
Seems like an apt description of Bill Clinton or Richard Nixon to me...

From an American perspective, these seem to be the approximate equivalents of the UK parties:

Conservative (Centrist Repbulicans): Arnold Schwarzenegger, Arlen Specter, John McCain
Labour (Centrist Democrats): Harry Reid, Ben Nelson, Joe Lieberman
LibDem (Liberal Democrats): Barbara Boxer, Ted Kennedy, Dennis Kucinich

There isn't any UK party comparable to the mainstream Republican party in the US, which probably explains why the extreme right has a lot greater voice. The UKIP and the BNP are actually much closer to Pat Buchanan (who left the GOP) than the Bush White House.

The Conservative Party. Looks like I'm in the minority here.

I'd vote for the conservative party, mostly because they seem like they want to lower taxes and decrease the government. In my oipnion less is more when it comes to gov't. They also want to clean up the hospitals which is something that should be done (note: I have not personnaly been to a hospital there but I do know that one of my parents collegues from england had a kidney infection when he was here in the states and got treated for it right away stateing afterwards that if he'd been in england "I probably would've died"). So that's my opinion, but in all reality, I am personnaly going to root for Tony Blair so that British Troops stay in Iraq and help our boys (and friends) out a little. Wow, I just wrote a paragraph on something that I really don't care about...oh well. Later.

Michael Howard (yay) and the conservatives (yay thatcher) want to stayin iraq as well. even if the iraq war was a bit pointless. i wasn't against it but i wasn't for it either.

and tony blair is a bit of a plonker whose credibility was seriously damaged by the iraq war