Pass the crisps: UK Election watch

  • Russell Brown,

    Britain's election campaign has been short, sharp – and most surprising. David Cameron's amble to victory was tripped up by Nick Clegg, while everyone wants to psychoanalyse Gordon Brown. What will happen in tomorrow's vote? And will happen next?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

497 Responses

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  • Russell Brown,

    Stephen Fry offers a blessed blessay: earnest, overwrought and still quite elegant.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I'm yawning with excitement just thinking about this one!

    I predict the thread will get fewer hits than the Obama thing.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    (Also: this guide to the candidates from Charlie Brooker is quite excellent.)

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    Gordon Brown finally hit some straps.

    What is interesting to NZ is how the British public are finally realising how fundamentally undemocratic a system FPP is. And yet, coverage of that aspect in our press is pathetic.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Stephen Fry offers a blessed blessay: earnest, overwrought and still quite elegant.

    God love the fragrant old whoopsie, but I did have to have a little giggle at (paraphrasing several thousands words) "some of my best friends are Tories and they're lovely people but they're still voting for a pack of lying bigot cave trolls." Which is rather insulting, petal.

    Anyway, no matter who wins the puppy will get it regardless.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    What is interesting to NZ is how the British public are finally realising how fundamentally undemocratic a system FPP is. And yet, coverage of that aspect in our press is pathetic.

    Really? That seems to be the only aspect getting any play at all, because actual policies aren't getting much play that I can see. Oh, and Nick Clegg is really cute -- or something.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    The BBC Friday Night Comedy Podcast is currently running four days a week (severely impacting on my productivity) running the Vote Now Show. This is basically how I get all my information on the British elections.

    how the British public are finally realising how fundamentally undemocratic a system FPP is

    This is what's really fascinating me: that the sheer three-horse-raceness of it is creating a real awareness of and pressure for electoral reform in Britain. Which would be ace, and is the reason I'm hoping the Lib Dems do really well.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Which is rather insulting, petal.

    I'm pretty sure it was meant to be.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I'm pretty sure it was meant to be.

    Well, yes it would be if Fry wasn't so congenitally nice he felt compelled to wrap him rather mild nastiness in the UK's entire cotton wool supply. :)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    how the British public are finally realising how fundamentally undemocratic a system FPP is

    They haven't quite caught up on the language front, though.

    Even the electoral reform campaign still talks about a "hung Parliament", even as it points out that 10 of the 16 countries with AAA international credit ratings have "hung" Parliaments (ie: no single party has an absolute majority) and 12 have proportional systems. The noose imagery seems less than productive to me.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    The noose imagery seems less than productive to me.

    Certainly -- especially when nobody really has a clue what the hell is going to happen. Dare I say it, but there's a hell of a lot of time, money and hot air expended on polls that are fundamentally irrelevant. To make even a wild guess about where a lot of marginals will fall, and how they might affect the final composition of the next Parliament, requires a lot more nerd-fu than I've got time or energy to pull out.

    Though if you're interested there's an unlikely but no impossible scenario where Labour can come third in the popular vote but still score a plurality of seats.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • jon_knox,

    Some of the billboards have been beyond my belief, such as National Service for 16 year olds and "I like their plans to help families". I can't recall seeing anyone other than the Tories advertising, other than the odd spoof in Central Londonistan.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/37831289@N00/sets/72157623874341050/

    Belgium • Since Nov 2006 • 464 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    The noose imagery seems less than productive to me.

    Oh. Is that what "hung" means? Man, I had this thing all wrong.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I can't recall seeing anyone other than the Tories advertising, other than the odd spoof in Central Londonistan.

    That's partly down to one of the quirks of the British system -- TV and radio advertising are banned during the campaign.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    Them's a nice "quirks".

    No doubt it's because they hate freedom of speech in the UK.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    That's partly down to one of the quirks of the British system -- TV and radio advertising are banned during the campaign.

    What do you mean? They still ought to be able to compete on equal footing on the billboard advertising. What I read somewhere (Private Eye, I think) was that the Tories were able to spend close to the cap (14 million pounds?) and Labour nowhere near that due to its dire financial straits.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Oh. Is that what "hung" means? Man, I had this thing all wrong.

    Can't be. That would be a "hanged parliament".

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    That's what I thought, but I don't dare point this kind of thing out.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Not even in jest?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    No. I never joke about grammar.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    That's partly down to one of the quirks of the British system -- TV and radio advertising are banned during the campaign.

    Their election seems quite strange. First time the debate has been televised (which would raise the question of why they had the debate before that, did it get broadcast on radio and did anyone listen?). No advertising.

    And yet on the daily show a week or so ago, they showed the hi-tech talking heads analysis playing with interactive shit on TV. Actually looked cool and vaguely intelligent, as compared to some of what the US channels do where it's playing with toys but making no sense.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Oh. Is that what "hung" means? Man, I had this thing all wrong.

    I think you'll find that there's just the ordinary 'hung parliament', which is what we get after an election while the minor parties sort out who they're going with. Perfectly normal.

    What appears likely in the UK is a 'well hung parliament'. Which is where after the elections everyone goes "holy fuck, what do we do now, we don't have a government!" and then a week later it all gets sorted out something like mature adults and the media go on about it for years while everyone pats themselves on the back.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • John Fouhy,

    No. I never joke about grammar.

    Terry Pratchett does:

    Salzella shrugged. 'We've got to do this properly. Did you know Dr Undershaft was strangled before he was hung?'

    'Hanged,' said Bucket, without thinking. 'Men are hanged. It's dead meat that's hung.'

    'Indeed?' said Salzella. 'I appreciate the information. Well, poor old Undershaft was strangled, apparently. And then he was hung.'

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 87 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    Apropos of nothing, while hanging pictures in a rather notable politicians house, on completion of the task they commented, 'well hung young man!'

    Yes. Thank you.

    Carry on.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • 81stcolumn,

    A whole generation of Britons acquired an allergy to “hung parliaments” and Liberal politics on the strength of the infamous 1974 first general election. Despite the fact that the parliament appeared doomed and any coalition at best unlikely; Ted Heath, the Prime minister of the day tried to form a coalition, he failed. Whether he should have tried and why he failed is a matter of some debate, but certainly in our house, the liberals got the blame, due in no small part I suspect to the efforts of the Tory press. The link to the election also includes a link to Jeremy Thorpe the then Liberal leader, his life and related scandal makes colourful reading. In terms of serious scandal New Zealand may yet have some catching up to do.

    Nawthshaw • Since Nov 2006 • 790 posts Report Reply

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