DEM not gonna CON dis NATION: Rolling UK politics in the short-lived Cleggeron era

so weird

xxxp We'll cut public services by the score!

itv in with the first question

C4 surely? It was Gary Gibbon.

"new politics" such a fucking meaningless soundbite

first actual question i mean, not a "so will you be awesome?". probably because they're pissed off that they're not getting ad reform out of ofcom

The parties will bring forward early legislation to introduce a power of recall, allowing voters to force a by-election where an MP was found to have engaged in serious wrongdoing and having had a petition calling for a by-election signed by 10% of his or her constituents.

*cough* back door General Election *cough*

*cough*Clegg in trouble then*cough*

10% of constituents? So that's about a fifth of voters in most seats. The larks that could cause, especially on a tiny majority like this.

This 55% thing is making my head explode.

These laughing buffoons in the press gallery are fucking contemptible.

yeah that's got a lot of possibilities tbh

(xp)

Don't worry, there'll be safeguards to prevent people from actually being able to do anything!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FnmnuDiVno

I don't think there is any moral ground for them to insist on a fixed term and those margins when their authority is this shaky - it would feel more legitimate after a normal result.

and this shit will be depicted as grand constituional reform when 55% is chosen so transparently for immediate advantage

difficult to watch that bloviating nonce cunt boulton sitting fat and happy

so many simpering shits in the press corp

*constitutional

55% presumably chosen because it's the smallest number that prevents the LDs effectively calling an election.

^^^ clutching at straws

guys they're srengthening the govt, you ppl need stability don't u see?

Why not go ahead and make David Cameron Emperor. That'd be super-strong.

^visionatory^

was hoping the hacks would throw confetti at the end :(

You can remain in government with 293 seats, effectively.

doesn't this benefit the opposition too tho, potentially?

Don't see how. From this point forward, it's virtually impossible for the Tories to be unseated by a no confidence motion. There'd have to be 358 in favour. Even if the LDs suddenly broke off the coalition, the Tories would stay in power until May 2015. Quite how they'd govern with only 47% of the MPs, I have no idea. (But the LDs aren't going anywhere. Better get used to it).

When I was little, I used to thing the Conservatives were called Tories because they all had conservatories.

55% presumably chosen because it's the smallest number that prevents the LDs effectively calling an election.

and also binds the conservatives if they think they can try for a majority

darragh there is a time and a place

Even if the LDs suddenly broke off the coalition, the Tories would stay in power until May 2015. Quite how they'd govern with only 47% of the MPs, I have no idea. (But the LDs aren't going anywhere. Better get used to it).

― Michael Jones, Wednesday, May 12, 2010 2:59 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark

am a little shaken by this news but i still can't believe it'll last. we're only 14 hours in atm.

xp seems like the tories know that too, tbf

i may be misremembering, but weren't fixed-term parliaments something that the LDs were already calling for? (maybe in their manifesto?) so that it would prevent governments from calling/not calling elections based on what was politically opportune for them

or actually opportune for the electorate

xp, yes

strengthening the case for an airtight-secure personal voting system online that can kick a govt out with no notice tbh.

democracy delayed is democracy denied etc

Anybody done any thinking about how a 55% threshold would play in a parliament with proportional representation?

Felt a bit physically sick watching Simon Hughes hopping from channel to channel blowing smoke up Tory arses. Never trust a Liberal. Ever. Ever. Ever.

Again, I would be more than happy for this to happen at the behest of a government with a clear mandate, ie. one that did not take five days crawling to Downing Street. Also the fake-Americanizing of the process annoys me; in the US we have the congressional midterms to leaven our four--year fixed terms and not just the odd, pissly little byelection.

FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCKETY FUCK. My only silver lining was that this wouldn't last the year. FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you also have a separation between executive and... it's just a different system! and five years is way the hell too long. there's no damn reason for it except immediate gain for the coalition.

xpost

tracer otm but im still on "this is never gonna come off"

It's not really in the LibDems interests to rock this particular boat at all, they might as well all jump off a cliff.

we can only hope.

being politicians, i think they genuinely believe that "gain for the coalition" is "in the country's best interests".

buy yeah, this is not going to last five years. uncharted territory, but there's so many ways this could collapse. all this modern legislation doesn't change the fact that you're dealing with a fundamentally barmy and incompetent conservative party.

Thinking it'll all come down to how that first Tory budget is received.

and if this shit passes how will it die? it wd take both tories and libdems (facing electoral annihilation) to dissolve the coalition

fuck, i am an angry bastard today. for reallies, not in a talking-smack-on-ilx way. not been a very productive week.

More depressed than angry

it wd take both tories and libdems (facing electoral annihilation) to dissolve the coalition

not a big ask tbh.

just feeling rly dismayed more than fucked off right now

didn't expect anything good to come out of this election but this shit is beyond the pale

ha xp

Basically it's the second worst outcome (Tory majority being the worst).

Yeah, fuck New Labour and Labour in general but this is like a kick in the guts

I have v few opinions abt fixed-term vs not, but 5 years is too long, the mandate is too slim (but not slim enough that there seems much chance of it not going through), and just dropping it on us like this is fucking nuts, no? Why are twitter / the streets not full of people shouting about this?

yeah, i'm stanning for this deal, but i'm not feeling good. still, bigger picture: charles clarke lost his seat.

just the sinking feeling of the inevitable but horrible confirmation of names like osborne, hague, lansley, may, duncan-smith, pickles, ad nauseum