Get Ready for a Rollicking UK Election Night
This week’s general election in the UK seems to be attracting more attention stateside than usual. It may be that the right has — or had — a chance of returning to power, or it may be how close the race is and the drama that will unfold if no party gets a majority. Whatever the attraction, political junkies are fascinated by the theater.
And what a display its been, with the first ever televised leader debates, the rise of Nick Clegg, and the infamous “bigot” episode, where the prime minister called one of his own supporters a bigot on an open microphone.
David Cameron had his 28-point lead collapse into hung parliament territory (here’s some fine analysis from Peter Hitchens on how that happened), and Cameron’s loss has been a boon to UKIP, a conservative party that finished second in the European elections. Margaret Thatcher isn’t happy with Cameron either: she will vote for him because he is a Conservative — but that is the only reason.
If there is a “hung parliament,” as most polls suggest, election night will not be the end of it. It will depend on which party has the most seats and with whom each can make a deal to push them over the top. No one will actually know a thing for a while, as these negotiations are done in private and involve lots of dealing over cabinet positions. It may be Sunday before anyone has a clue who will be running the UK for the foreseeable future.
As Cameron has ruled out an alliance with the Liberal Democrats, he might enter into a coalition with the Northern Ireland parties like the Ulster Unionists and the Democratic Unionists. There is also a belief that Gordon Brown of Labour and Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrats have a deal to keep Cameron out.
Other things to look out for: Will the neo-Nazi British National Party get any seats? The socialist Greens? The Euro-skeptic, free-market, Thatcherite UKIP? The Scottish Nationalist Party? Plaid Cymru? To these parties, what matters is receiving concentrated support in certain areas rather than weak support throughout the country.
Check out the BiasedBBC hosted live chat starting at 10pm Thursday.
Please add any info sources you might stumble across here for your fellow politically-interested.
It would be more accurate to describe this as a non-election, a non-event. Melanie Phillips called this an election in Lemmingland which pretty much sums it up. Cameron is no Conservative, just an opportunist & not much different from lack-luster Mr Brown from the failed Labour Party. Mr Clegg is the English equivalent of Obama. No matter how you look at it, formerly Great Britain is going down the toilet, heading for insolvency. Britian’s political & cultural elite have betrayed their country, sold it out. Of course, the election would mean a bit more if Britain was still a sovereign country but as a colony of the EU, that unaccountable, undemocratic bureaucratic monster, the British PM is just a viceroy carrying out EU edicts. Leftism, political correctness, multi-culturalism, Muslims, Britain is going to Hell.
Does the outcome of this election really matter, since the Islamists will be running Britain in 30 years anyway?
Calling the BNP ‘Neonazis’ is unproductive (they actually support Israel or at least are neutral on issues and they have Jewish councillors) because it misses the actual problem with these guys and why so many people are nowadays voting for them.
Andrew urgently needs to swat up on what ‘(Neo)Nazis’ actually are — the BNP is staunchly anti-Islamist, whereas real Neonazis regard them as friends and brothers in arms. In other words, the BNP is an anathema to real neo-nazis.
Also see: http://www.tellthechildrenthetruth.com
The BNP is going to be a serious issue in the future, but not realising or admitting what kind of problem and wildly screaming ‘nazi’ isn’t going to help the dire situation that will develop over the next few years as the BNP will become a mainstream party because they are Labour’s natural heirs and they have the flexible pub table manifesto that chimes in with what most Brits actually want and they are not beholden to business(yet) — ironically they are the cleanest party around (no expenses, no lobbying, no bribes, no pork…)
Soon the ‘nazi’ dog whistle isn’t going to cut the mustard anymore (people already don’t care about being called ‘racist’, ‘bigot’ or ‘nazi’) and then you’ll not be able to reach them even with good reasoning as this sort of browbeating makes folks stubborn.
BNP is basically pre-multicultural-insanity Labour Party.
“Soon the ‘nazi’ dog whistle isn’t going to cut the mustard anymore (people already don’t care about being called ‘racist’, ‘bigot’ or ‘nazi’) and then you’ll not be able to reach them even with good reasoning as this sort of browbeating makes folks stubborn.”
It doesn’t work on people like me because it isn’t true. Not because we are immunized. You call the real racists a racist and you are promised some serious attention from them. Because THEY actually stand to lose something by being accuratly addressed.
RHC: You are kidding aren’t you? Nothing neo-Nazi about the BNP… the how about this or maybe this. Their manifesto is certainly nationalistic and socialist.
Mr. Dodge:
What’s you take on the English Defense League?
I stick by my earlier prediction. If Cameron doesn’t do well enough, there will be a groundswell to draft Hannan to be the Conservative leader. For Hannan is being very deferential to Cameron, just as John Major was to Margaret Thatcher before she resigned the leadership of the British Conservative Party, and started a leadership race that resulted in Major winning two elections as leader of the British Conservative Party.
One question, Andrew. Do you think John Major, or some other former Conservative cabinet minister would make an acceptable Governor General of Canada? I’ve raised this, because it looks like the current one, Haitian born
Michaelle Jean, will not have her term renewed. For, as I see it, Canada needs to affirm ties with British Commonwealth nations, because the Commonwealth needs each member now more than ever since Hitler, Goebbels, Speer, Goering, and the rest of the Nazis were the masters of Europe.
Well the Centre for Social Cohesion which is anti-Islamist and anti-neo-Nazi would beg to differ. The BNP are keen to withdraw British troops from Afghanistan and their London organiser Jeffery Marshall is courting Islamist support on that basis. Nick Griffin, their leader raised money from Libya’s Gaddafi. You can see more on the BNP over at CST. Or how about this bit of convergence between the BNP and Islamists.
Andrew,
Alas, I am not joking(I wish I was!), and by calling the BNP Neonazis you’re belittling the threat they are posing _and_ you are amplifying it. You can only combat what you understand, and you can only understand when you can look without flinching and oversimplification.
Note I’m not saying they are not dangerous as such in fact, I’m telling you they are far more of a problem than you think they are. If they were only Neo-nazis, it would be a doddle to sink them. But they are not! The are something new we haven’t quite seen, and they also are not easily ‘bought’, at least not at that stage — they are believers in their cause and fervently so, everyone of them had to overcome stigma and fear of being a bad person(tm) in order to join.
Fact is, they are totally anti-islamist, and so, it’s impossible for them to be Nazis, as this creates political division by zero… in fact, they are traitors to the Nazi scene and openly viewed as such by many and even if they wanted to, there is no way back into the fold for them.
Please read the link I gave you and understand the political pedigree of the Islamists, then do some research about ‘Grey Wolf’, ‘NPD’ and the other associated groups and so on.
Also, the BNP are one of the most flexible political machines as they happen to be rather fancy-free in many aspects that hamper the traditional parties and so can promise people what they actually want, rather than the traditional parties who offer the least evil compromise(tm) to their punters, and this is is their greatest strength, along with people who write them off as hopeless Neo-nazis and fools.
They have already collected many decent folks who see them as the only alternative to a lying political class, now, that may temper them, but then again, the NSDAP actually had a lot of decent, well-meaning patriots in it, right up to ‘night of the long knives’.
Think 5-20 years ahead here, Griffin is a very capable man — politically he has done a number of things we would not have thought possible only a few years ago.
I am still not sure about the EDL, however they have been condemned as a zionist plot by some in the BNP.
Unfortunately for us poor Brits there is no choice at all The Tories are just Nu Liebour ‘lite and with the same left wing PC, MC , Yuman rites , elf’ ‘ n’ safety , Islamophile, LBGT moonbats running them. The Liberals are a complete non entity the BNP have great ideas but are irrevocably tarred with the RACIST badge by the moonbats and UKIP are too small to ever get power.
At least in the USA you only have the choice of two virtually IDENTICAL parties but even with such a small choice as that you Americans got it so HORRIBLY WRONG last time by not INVESTIGATING and knowing who you were voting for.
Someone on another thread said isn’t it amazing we found more about the Times Square Mohammedan bomber in 50 hours than we ever have about the LYING MOHAMMEDAN BOGUS POTUS to date and he is absolutely correct.
What BOTH our countries need and will never get is a clan sweep of all the corrupt power hungry Politicians, Judiciary and Bureaucrats down to the lowest level then to start again. But that s only a pipe dream.
Someone I am not sure who said and I admit I am paraphrasing ‘Never vote for anyone who puts themselves up for office because that is a sure sign they are the wrong person for the job’ I believe they are absolutely correct in their assumption.
A lot of Americans are also longing for “a clean sweep”.
Reading Hayek’s “Road to Serfdom” and looking at present day Britain makes me about as comfortable as a sword-swallower with the hiccups. One of Hayek’s ideas is that well intentioned policies to provide social justice, plus manufactured addiction to nanny state entitlements have unintended consequences. In the long term he thought that socialism would unwittingly prepare the ground for a switch from left wing socialism (Labour) to right wing socialism (BNP). Obviously, that won’t happen in this election but what about the coming decade?.
If indeed a slow, but gigantic train wreck has begun in the entitlement addicted nanny states of Europe (because their unfunded obligations cannot be sustained), then what? After Greece wrecks, what will the stunned population do? Might they demand “a strong leader” to clean up the wreckage. Would the “strong leader” resemble a Mussolini or a Franco?
I fervently hope not, but this is beginning to keep me awake at night.
Profidious Albion. Your country is dead, the medical examiner is a little late filling out the death certificate.
Unfortunately for us poor Brits there is no choice at all The Tories are just Nu Liebour ‘lite and with the same left wing PC, MC , Yuman rites , elf’ ‘ n’ safety , Islamophile, LBGT moonbats running them. The Liberals are a complete non entity the BNP have great ideas but are irrevocably tarred with the RACIST badge by the moonbats and UKIP are too small to ever get power.
Give me a break. A hung parliament in the U.K.?
They’re all public school boys!
Andrew,
I have a feeling that this election will show how crap polls are,and how the media hasn’t a clue either?
We like voting Lib Dems locally and as a protest vote against Labour/Conservative,but for a general election people will falter.
I think we are more private in who we vote for and on social issues ,i remember a poll (none political) that showed 40% had put down their religion as ‘Jedi’.
So the polls will show we don’t like polls because it is none of their business.
I don’t quite know why,but here is a list of other parties that have stood
for election,and people have voted for them.
Church of the Militant Elvis Party
Death, Dungeons and Taxes Party
Dog Lovers Party
Fancy Dress Party
Glow Bowling Party
Happening Happy Hippy Party
(I Want to Drop a Blancmange Down Terry Wogan’s Y-Fronts Party, for which Pamela Stephenson stood for parliament
Mongolian Barbecue Great Place to Party: it stood in the 1997 election, scoring just 112 votes in Wimbledon, but achieved some fame through its absurd name, which was argued to be one of a wave of new parties that were using their name to advertise.
New Millennium Bean Party
Miss Great Britain Party, a political party in the United Kingdom founded in 2008, whose candidates are mostly women who have entered the Miss Great Britain beauty contest
Official Monster Raving Loony Party
Raving Loony Green Giant Party
Rock ‘n’ Roll Loony Party
Scottish Jacobite Party
Teddy Bear Alliance
Nobody should try to predict what the British public will do.
Those of you wishing to see live coverage, albeit by the BBC, here is a tip.
“For Americans interested in the #ukelection, C-SPAN 3 begins simulcasting BBC1 coverage at 4:55 PM EDT.”
My mate Iain Murray will be live-blogging it over @ The Corner.
In the meanwhile Tories won in UK. However, the victory by Tories in UK is being totally ignored by most of the media. It is just not fashionable to mention victory in Europe by conservatives. The headlines must be “Victory for Conservatives” in UK, or Are European following conservatives in US?
Actually they didn’t win. It was Conservative with the most votes and a hung parliament. Something I predicted in these pages months ago (and for several years).
We Jews are going to get the worst possible outcome — a Labour/Nazi (er, LDP) alliance, with Herr Clegg getting the Foreign Ministry so he can help exterminate Israel. He’ll probably make that old Nazi Jenny Tonge the ambassador to us evil Zionazis.
If I were Israel, I would downgrade or even break diplomatic relations rather than have to talk to that vile Nazi POS.
Given that Daniel Hannan has written clearly about the flaws of PR, which the Liberal Democrats prefer, if Cameron goes that far to
kowtow to Clegg on PR, and on Israel, Cameron will be facing a caucus revolt.
Now, take a look at this: I believe there is two real options on the table.
1) Allow the Greeks to have a moratorium on their debt for 3-years to give them time to phase in some austerity measures.
And this goes against everything I feel with regard to the EU project and Britain’s role in it.
2)
Is for Germany, France, Netherlands,Poland,Benelux to create North Euro ccy and link it to GBP around the level 0.75-0.85. With Ireland locking back in with GBP at par. Then Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark link into a sterling area with a rate equal to tdy’s rates. I have included Norway, Denmark,Sweden and Finland to shield these countries from the expected fallout and to promote trade with Asian sterling area. Giving them a trade boost
Then club Med including ‘Italy’ if she wants can be in the weak Euro to take advantage of the tourism from Northern states of Europe and link their ccy to the GBP at 40% devaluation to current rates. This should kick start them over the next 5-years.
Would like to see sterling zone area extended to include HK,Australia, Canada, India, NZ, Sing,Malaysia linking to the gbp area at an appropriate rate to promote trade.
Then China & Japan can form an Asian monetary union if they need.
The resurrection of a Sterling area would be beneficial to world trade & be big enough to handle China funds safely as a bonafide reserve ccy. I suspect they will seek to lower their dollar holdings soon, taking advantage of this up tick and expect them to move into gbp around the 1.25/35 area, which will see gbp (cable) rise again back to 1.70 and china revalue by 15% against dollar, which is much needed.
If the above does not happen to assist trade and help countries out I see WW3 all the ingredients are there in place, we just need the excuse from some mad man.
For it came from here: http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/ambroseevans-pritchard/100005425/time-for-capital-controls-in-europe/
I would make two changes. One is to include Poland with a North/south axis from Estonia to Greece, and then going west to Spain and Portugal. Why? Because Poland was championing Ukraine and Georgia in Brussels, and it did not go over well in Berlin.
Plus, I would extend the Asian Tigers by removing China, but adding South Korea and Taiwan.
As for Israel, you can be sure that Daniel Hannan will continue to pursue her best interests.
Cameron is already facing a revolt, because he failed to deliver. He has to tread very carefully in any deal with the L-Ds should it come to that. Then again the L-Ds could be playing both sides and end up doing a deal with Labour. If that happens, the activists will get rid of Cameron sharpish.