UK General Elections 2015: Who you voting for?

[emilymat]

watched the programme in full. You cannot expect Ed Milliband (whether you like him or not) to say to potential and existing Labour voters in Scotland "Ok, just go ahead and vote SNP, we'll do a deal"

I know the Labour Party in Scotland has real problems, but I don't believe for one minute they will lose every seat in that country. (I'll eat humble pie on this thread if I'm wrong).

The issue is that he has now backed himself into a corner from which he cannot escape. That is why he was trying to force Cameron to rule out a coalition with UKIP. The Labour Party, it appears are now slipping slightly in the polls, they are not in a position to win a majority so he has in effect just killed any chance that he might have had of getting the keys to Downing St. Who else is he going to do a deal with ? It certainly will not be UK and I am not convinced that the Lib Dums will be in any position to try and form a coalition. My personal thoughts are that the Lib Dums are going to get a shock.

I have a feeling that very soon, you are going to find out what humble pie tastes like.

Again, you may be right, and it might taste pretty nasty.

However, what is the difference between EM ruling out any deal with SNP, but Wonderwoman in Scotland is loudly applauded for ruling out any sort of deal with the Tories.?

I guess we have to wait and see, but if Labour do get more seats than the Tories, then I don't see why they cannot form a minority government. The SNP would not bring down such a government as that would force a new election and they (the SNP) would have everything to lose, given present popularity, as the only way for their vote would be down. Alex Salmond and co are pretty savvy political operators.

Where I differ also is that I believe Nick Clegg is secretly hoping for Labour to be the majority party. He can then do a deal with Labour which his dwindling number of supporters will be content with. That's of course if he holds his seat!

You may think I'm anti SNP, but it's not true. As I said before, their manifesto was something I agreed with almost totally except for Trident, which I don't believe is a realistic issue - in the sense it will go through, irrespective.

[JockPieandBeans]

Again, you may be right, and it might taste pretty nasty.

However, what is the difference between EM ruling out any deal with SNP, but Wonderwoman in Scotland is loudly applauded for ruling out any sort of deal with the Tories.?

I guess we have to wait and see, but if Labour do get more seats than the Tories, then I don't see why they cannot form a minority government. The SNP would not bring down such a government as that would force a new election and they (the SNP) would have everything to lose, given present popularity, as the only way for their vote would be down. Alex Salmond and co are pretty savvy political operators.

Where I differ also is that I believe Nick Clegg is secretly hoping for Labour to be the majority party. He can then do a deal with Labour which his dwindling number of supporters will be content with. That's of course if he holds his seat!

You may think I'm anti SNP, but it's not true. As I said before, their manifesto was something I agreed with almost totally except for Trident, which I don't believe is a realistic issue - in the sense it will go through, irrespective.

The difference is that EM and the Labour Party are desperate to get into No 10. The SNP is not fighting to get into No 10. If you knew anything about Scotland, you would know why she is applauded for saying that she would never do a deal with the Tories.

Research the last Minority Government. Minority Governments do not work. From where I am sitting, the SNP has nothing to lose and everything to gain. They are in a win win situation. I would also go as far as to say, that with the latest legislation on a 5 year fixed term Parliament, a minority Government should not be allowed.

Nick Clegg is an irrelevance and he will lose his seat at the GE. The Lib Dums would do a deal with the devil himself to get a seat at the trough.

Whether you are anti SNP or not is of no concern to me. I could not give a toss for any Party or Politician. They are all lying barstewards.

As for Trident, whether we need it or not is a separate issue. As a Scotsman, I do have to question why they are all based in Scotland. After all, England is the major partner in the Union, why are they not based there ?

[Eff1n2ret]

Research the last Minority Government. Minority Governments do not work. From where I am sitting, the SNP has nothing to lose and everything to gain. They are in a win win situation. I would also go as far as to say, that with the latest legislation on a 5 year fixed term Parliament, a minority Government should not be allowed.

With regard to Labour doing a deal with the SNP, it's an absolute certainty if the two parties together have a majority with which they can carry a legislative programme, whether it's a formal coalition or not. Miliband can't do anything other than say right up to next Thursday that he won't do a deal because he knows that if he did Labour voters will realise it doesn't matter if they vote Labour, SNP, or just don't vote at all. After Thursday he'll beround knocking on Alec Salmond's door. (Interesting that, Salmond will become the main player once again while wee Nicola is kicking her heels in Edinburgh - recipe for trouble?)

The Fixed Term Parliament Act does provide for an election before the 5 years are up if there is a successful vote of no confidence in the government and it is not followed within 14 days with a successful vote of confidence. (So a government which loses a vote of confidence has two weeks in which to scurry round and try and patch up a new deal). I think that's quite possible as a scenario this time round.

[JockPieandBeans]

Research the last Minority Government. Minority Governments do not work. From where I am sitting, the SNP has nothing to lose and everything to gain. They are in a win win situation. I would also go as far as to say, that with the latest legislation on a 5 year fixed term Parliament, a minority Government should not be allowed.

With regard to Labour doing a deal with the SNP, it's an absolute certainty if the two parties together have a majority with which they can carry a legislative programme, whether it's a formal coalition or not. Miliband can't do anything other than say right up to next Thursday that he won't do a deal because he knows that if he did Labour voters will realise it doesn't matter if they vote Labour, SNP, or just don't vote at all. After Thursday he'll beround knocking on Alec Salmond's door. (Interesting that, Salmond will become the main player once again while wee Nicola is kicking her heels in Edinburgh - recipe for trouble?)

The Fixed Term Parliament Act does provide for an election before the 5 years are up if there is a successful vote of no confidence in the government and it is not followed within 14 days with a successful vote of confidence. (So a government which loses a vote of confidence has two weeks in which to scurry round and try and patch up a new deal). I think that's quite possible as a scenario this time round.

I had previously posted on this thread that it was my belief that Labour and the SNP would be in some form of coalition. I had also previously indicated that the 2 main Parties would be trying to avoid talking about coalitions and instead focus on trying to win an outright majority for themselves. It is highly unlikely at this stage that any of the 2 main Parties will win an outright majority.

The main point of my post was to highlight, IMO, the crass stupidity of Milliband, who, by openly declaring that there will be no deal with SNP. How stupid is he going to look if he now goes back on his word and strikes a deal with the SNP ? Or have we actually reached the stage that Politicians now no longer try to hide the utter contempt that they have for the electorate ?

Is it a recipe for trouble ? If you had asked me that a week ago I would have said no. It might equally have been quite a smooth transition, they both have similar outlooks and views, even if they don't want to follow the same road to get there. There was / is a lot of common ground. Sure, Milliband would have had to make concessions, I would even go as far as saying that some of those concessions would not have been popular in England, but that would be no different for any other coalition.

Today, after the way Milliband has forcibly put his case for no deal of any kind with the SNP, I cannot say the same. If he tries to do a deal now the SNP will hammer him with their demands. That is of course, if this whole thing has not already been scripted between Labour and the SNP behind closed doors. As I said above, they are all lying barstewards.

Thank you for clarifying that point for me. I was not really pointing towards a vote of no confidence. The main point I was trying to get across was that the Tories after the last election amended the term to a fixed 5 years. I would also have liked to have seen them having faith in their convictions and also amended it so that only a majority could form a Government. A minority Government being about as close to useless as you can get. Notwithstanding the waste of money on another election.

I also posted previously that I believed Labour would win 2 seats in Scotland and the Tory's 1 seat. Even with these ridiculously low numbers, I think I still got it wrong. That should make things really interesting in Scotland after the GE.

[emilymat]

This is my last post until after next Thursday.

Why?...well I've just heard on Radio 4 that the expected royal baby should give the conservatives a boost in the polls.

I just can't handle this any more

[Porkster]

There's irony in your OP mate... Expats can't vote...

[Porkster]

If I could vote it would definitely be UKIP

[emilymat]

There's irony in your OP mate... Expats can't vote...

Not rue. I've voted already.

[brewsterbudgen]

There's irony in your OP mate... Expats can't vote...

Of course they can.

[Porkster]

I couldn't even register because it said I've been living outside of the UK for over 15 years... AKA an Expatriate.

Sorry guys but you're wrong...

Unless you don't know what an expat is...?

Or you're not an expat at all?

Edited May 3, 2015 by Porkster

[emilymat]

I couldn't even register because it said I've been living outside of the UK for over 15 years... AKA an Expatriate.

Sorry guys but you're wrong...

Unless you don't know what an expat is...?

Or you're not an expat at all?

There's no need to get funny with other posters.

The answer is simple.

If you are an ex-pat (which I am - living in Thailand) you must have been registered to vote in a constituency in the UK during the last 10 years. If you meet this criteria then you can vote in that constituency either through a proxy (who has the vote in the same constituency) or by post.

You also retain that registration for ever, unless you advise them otherwise.

So, you are wrong in your assumption we are not being accurate with you, but unfortunately you do not qualify as you have been away 15 years and have, presumably, not registered.

[soundman]

Don't report a post just because you think it is inaccurate or don't agree with it.

Feel free to refute or debate with your own set of facts.

Thank-you.

[brewsterbudgen]

I couldn't even register because it said I've been living outside of the UK for over 15 years... AKA an Expatriate.

Sorry guys but you're wrong...

Unless you don't know what an expat is...?

Or you're not an expat at all?

There's no need to get funny with other posters.

The answer is simple.

If you are an ex-pat (which I am - living in Thailand) you must have been registered to vote in a constituency in the UK during the last 10 years. If you meet this criteria then you can vote in that constituency either through a proxy (who has the vote in the same constituency) or by post.

You also retain that registration for ever, unless you advise them otherwise.

So, you are wrong in your assumption we are not being accurate with you, but unfortunately you do not qualify as you have been away 15 years and have, presumably, not registered.

Correct. I really don't know why people make such statements without being aware of the facts!

[Ricardo]

Still waiting for my postal-vote form to arrive, here in Chiang Mai, what chance do I now have to return it to the UK by this Thursday's vote ? !

I feel like complaining, because even though I've followed their system and registered in my former constituency, I am still effectively disenfranchised by the UK's so-called democratic-system & bureaucratic-failures !

Is it cock-up, or deliberate, and how can one tell the difference ?

[brewsterbudgen]

Still waiting for my postal-vote form to arrive, here in Chiang Mai, what chance do I now have to return it to the UK by this Thursday's vote ? !

I feel like complaining, because even though I've followed their system and registered in my former constituency, I am still effectively disenfranchised by the UK's so-called democratic-system & bureaucratic-failures !

Is it cock-up, or deliberate, and how can one tell the difference ?

The deadline was around 21 April, so it's way too late now. Next time apply (by email) for a proxy or postal proxy vote, which avoids anything being sent to or from Thailand.

[billd766]

There's irony in your OP mate... Expats can't vote...

Do some research before posting wrong information.

Yes they can provided that they meet the qualifications.

I do and my proxy vote will be going to UKIP at Taunton Deane.

[billd766]

I couldn't even register because it said I've been living outside of the UK for over 15 years... AKA an Expatriate.

Sorry guys but you're wrong...

Unless you don't know what an expat is...?

Or you're not an expat at all?

There's no need to get funny with other posters.

The answer is simple.

If you are an ex-pat (which I am - living in Thailand) you must have been registered to vote in a constituency in the UK during the last 10 years. If you meet this criteria then you can vote in that constituency either through a proxy (who has the vote in the same constituency) or by post.

You also retain that registration for ever, unless you advise them otherwise.

So, you are wrong in your assumption we are not being accurate with you, but unfortunately you do not qualify as you have been away 15 years and have, presumably, not registered.

I belive that you have to renew every year by 1st November. The electoral office at the country you are registered with should send you a form. Somerset CC sent me one by snail mail last year and I got it late. I argued successfully that it was their fault for sending overseas not by airmail to save a few pennies and won.

[emilymat]

Billd.

I'm not very good at this copying of documents etc. So, I set out the exact text of the PDF letter I received from my local borough council.

Dear Mr ....

I'm writing to let you know that your recent application to be added to the electoral register has been successful. You don't need to do anything else. You won't need to register again unless your entitlement to be registered changes.

You should let us know if you change your name or address.

Yours Sincerely

...

Electoral Registration Officer.

So, as far as I can tell, by implication from the letter, is annual renewal is not required. Hope this is useful.

[brewsterbudgen]

There's irony in your OP mate... Expats can't vote...

Do some research before posting wrong information.

Yes they can provided that they meet the qualifications.

I do and my proxy vote will be going to UKIP at Taunton Deane.

I thought the UKIP bubble had well and truly burst. They'll be lucky to get one MP!

[evadgib]

Still waiting for my postal-vote form to arrive, here in Chiang Mai, what chance do I now have to return it to the UK by this Thursday's vote ? !

I feel like complaining, because even though I've followed their system and registered in my former constituency, I am still effectively disenfranchised by the UK's so-called democratic-system & bureaucratic-failures !

Is it cock-up, or deliberate, and how can one tell the difference ?

I'm in the same boat. I no longer have family in the ward in which I have a vote therefore nominating a proxy wasn't an option. I will be complaining via the appropriate channels next week, inc media.

[brewsterbudgen]

Still waiting for my postal-vote form to arrive, here in Chiang Mai, what chance do I now have to return it to the UK by this Thursday's vote ? !

I feel like complaining, because even though I've followed their system and registered in my former constituency, I am still effectively disenfranchised by the UK's so-called democratic-system & bureaucratic-failures !

Is it cock-up, or deliberate, and how can one tell the difference ?

I'm in the same boat. I no longer have family in the ward in which I have a vote therefore nominating a proxy wasn't an option. I will be complaining via the appropriate channels next week, inc media.

Your proxy can vote by post from anywhere. You just need to apply before the deadline!

[green job]

I am the same as most, cannot vote. The way I see it is, I hope a party gets in that can put this 4th Reich thing to bed forever,

[Ricardo]

Still waiting for my postal-vote form to arrive, here in Chiang Mai, what chance do I now have to return it to the UK by this Thursday's vote ? !

I feel like complaining, because even though I've followed their system and registered in my former constituency, I am still effectively disenfranchised by the UK's so-called democratic-system & bureaucratic-failures !

Is it cock-up, or deliberate, and how can one tell the difference ?

I'm in the same boat. I no longer have family in the ward in which I have a vote therefore nominating a proxy wasn't an option. I will be complaining via the appropriate channels next week, inc media.

Your proxy can vote by post from anywhere. You just need to apply before the deadline!

I did, I registered several months ago, and they're supposed to send me a voting-paper before an election, aren't they ?

But it doesn't matter who I might have nominated in my place, if they don't post the voting-paper in time to reach me, and for my reply to get back to them.

Hint, to the Returning-Officer, letters to Thailand take longer to arrive, than local UK-post !

It's not rocket-science, or is it, I'm sure things ran better in the old days, when we were all still working there !

Never mind, next time it won't matter, as I too will have been gone for 15-years by then, so will no-longer have a vote anyway. Yay for Democrazy !

Won't stop them from wanting to tax me though, will it ? Didn't our American cousins once have a bit of a barney, over the principle "no taxation without representation", I'm coming to see what they meant !

[brewsterbudgen]

Still waiting for my postal-vote form to arrive, here in Chiang Mai, what chance do I now have to return it to the UK by this Thursday's vote ? !

I feel like complaining, because even though I've followed their system and registered in my former constituency, I am still effectively disenfranchised by the UK's so-called democratic-system & bureaucratic-failures !

Is it cock-up, or deliberate, and how can one tell the difference ?

I'm in the same boat. I no longer have family in the ward in which I have a vote therefore nominating a proxy wasn't an option. I will be complaining via the appropriate channels next week, inc media.

Your proxy can vote by post from anywhere. You just need to apply before the deadline!

I did, I registered several months ago, and they're supposed to send me a voting-paper before an election, aren't they ?

But it doesn't matter who I might have nominated in my place, if they don't post the voting-paper in time to reach me, and for my reply to get back to them.

Hint, to the Returning-Officer, letters to Thailand take longer to arrive, than local UK-post !

It's not rocket-science, or is it, I'm sure things ran better in the old days, when we were all still working there !

Never mind, next time it won't matter, as I too will have been gone for 15-years by then, so will no-longer have a vote anyway. Yay for Democrazy !

Won't stop them from wanting to tax me though, will it ? Didn't our American cousins once have a bit of a barney, over the principle "no taxation without representation", I'm coming to see what they meant !

Did you receive this?

We currently have you registered to vote as either an overseas elector or a crown servant, and it has come to our attention that you have not yet submitted an application for an absent vote. Without an absent vote, you will be unable to vote in the UK Parliamentary election on the 7^th May 2015.

The options available for absent voting are as follows:

Postal vote - A postal vote can be sent to your home address or any other address that you give (this includes overseas addresses). You will need to consider whether there will be enough time to receive and return your ballot paper by Election Day (postal votes are sent out approximately ten working days before an election). The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5.00pm on 21^st April 2015. Any applications received after this date will not be accepted.

Proxy vote - proxy voting allows you to appoint someone you trust to vote in your place on Election Day. The person you wish to appoint as your proxy can only act as proxy if they are over the age of eighteen and are a verified registered elector. A person cannot be a proxy for more than two people at any one election or referendum. If your proxy does not live close to the polling district in which you were last registered, they can arrange for a postal vote to be sent to them. This is called a postal proxy. The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 5.00pm on 28^th April 2015. Any applications received after this date will not be accepted. If you are appointing a proxy who will require a postal vote, they must submit their postal proxy application by 5.00pm on 21^st April 2015 otherwise they must vote in person.

Please see attached applications to vote by post/proxy. Once you have completed an application for an absent vote you will need to return it to us. If you are appointing a proxy who would like to vote by post please specify this on the application you complete. You can send the completed application to us by email (direct to this email address), by fax to 02075273289, or in the post to the address listed at the bottom of this email.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

[evadgib]

Still waiting for my postal-vote form to arrive, here in Chiang Mai, what chance do I now have to return it to the UK by this Thursday's vote ? !

I feel like complaining, because even though I've followed their system and registered in my former constituency, I am still effectively disenfranchised by the UK's so-called democratic-system & bureaucratic-failures !

Is it cock-up, or deliberate, and how can one tell the difference ?

I'm in the same boat. I no longer have family in the ward in which I have a vote therefore nominating a proxy wasn't an option. I will be complaining via the appropriate channels next week, inc media.

Your proxy can vote by post from anywhere. You just need to apply before the deadline!

I registered when HMG made it possible towards the end of past year. In the 21st century i'm nonetheless dissappointed that we're only able to participate via a system devised in the 19th. To me this smacks of disenfranchisement by stealth & makes a mockery of the money wasted setting up what with hindsight amounts to another state sponsored con trick. Edited May 4, 2015 by evadgib

[Ricardo]

Did you receive this?

We currently have you registered to vote as either an overseas elector or a crown servant, and it has come to our attention that you have not yet submitted an application for an absent vote. Without an absent vote, you will be unable to vote in the UK Parliamentary election on the 7^th May 2015.

The options available for absent voting are as follows:

Postal vote - A postal vote can be sent to your home address or any other address that you give (this includes overseas addresses). You will need to consider whether there will be enough time to receive and return your ballot paper by Election Day (postal votes are sent out approximately ten working days before an election). The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5.00pm on 21^st April 2015. Any applications received after this date will not be accepted.

Proxy vote - proxy voting allows you to appoint someone you trust to vote in your place on Election Day. The person you wish to appoint as your proxy can only act as proxy if they are over the age of eighteen and are a verified registered elector. A person cannot be a proxy for more than two people at any one election or referendum. If your proxy does not live close to the polling district in which you were last registered, they can arrange for a postal vote to be sent to them. This is called a postal proxy. The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 5.00pm on 28^th April 2015. Any applications received after this date will not be accepted. If you are appointing a proxy who will require a postal vote, they must submit their postal proxy application by 5.00pm on 21^st April 2015 otherwise they must vote in person.

Please see attached applications to vote by post/proxy. Once you have completed an application for an absent vote you will need to return it to us. If you are appointing a proxy who would like to vote by post please specify this on the application you complete. You can send the completed application to us by email (direct to this email address), by fax to 02075273289, or in the post to the address listed at the bottom of this email.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Nope ! Guess it must still be in-the-post !

Like evadgib I registered several months ago, and did receive a letter confirming that I was now registered.

Now I can only hope that my preferred candidate does still win the constituency of Thanet-South !

But it all leaves a bad taste in the mouth, to be cheated or abused (frozen-pension, NHS-charging, lack-of-representation,etc) yet again, by the system ... is it surprising that so many British citizens talk so negatively about the country of their birth ?

[emilymat]

What we can do next time - which may be later this year, and if we haven't left or are six feet under - is one of those 'vote swap' deals that are all the rage in the UK.

Here in Thailand we can set up a group via TVF and, for instance, I'll say "I won't vote Labour, if someone promises me they won't vote Tory". etc, etc. It will take all the stress out of it. Mind you, to work properly it would need proportional representation. Who knows, that may well come sooner than we think after this anticipated debacle!

[Eff1n2ret]

Did you receive this?

We currently have you registered to vote as either an overseas elector or a crown servant, and it has come to our attention that you have not yet submitted an application for an absent vote. Without an absent vote, you will be unable to vote in the UK Parliamentary election on the 7^th May 2015.

The options available for absent voting are as follows:

Postal vote[/size] -[/size] A postal vote can be sent to your home address or any other address that you give (this includes overseas addresses). You will need to consider whether there will be enough time to receive and return your ballot paper by Election Day (postal votes are sent out approximately ten working days before an election). The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5.00pm on 21^st April 2015. Any applications received after this date will not be accepted.[/size]

Proxy vote - proxy voting allows you to appoint someone you trust to vote in your place on Election Day. The person you wish to appoint as your proxy can only act as proxy if they are over the age of eighteen and are a verified registered elector. A person cannot be a proxy for more than two people at any one election or referendum. If your proxy does not live close to the polling district in which you were last registered, they can arrange for a postal vote to be sent to them. This is called a postal proxy. The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 5.00pm on 28^th April 2015. Any applications received after this date will not be accepted. If you are appointing a proxy who will require a postal vote, they must submit their postal proxy application by 5.00pm on 21^st April 2015 otherwise they must vote in person.

Please see attached applications to vote by post/proxy. Once you have completed an application for an absent vote you will need to return it to us. If you are appointing a proxy who would like to vote by post please specify this on the application you complete. You can send the completed application to us by email (direct to this email address), by fax to 02075273289, or in the post to the address listed at the bottom of this email.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Nope ! Guess it must still be in-the-post !

Like evadgib I registered several months ago, and did receive a letter confirming that I was now registered.

Now I can only hope that my preferred candidate does still win the constituency of Thanet-South !

But it all leaves a bad taste in the mouth, to be cheated or abused (frozen-pension, NHS-charging, lack-of-representation,etc) yet again, by the system ... is it surprising that so many British citizens talk so negatively about the country of their birth ?

The whole system for overseas voting sucks. I've twice been told by the registration department of my local council that they haven't received forms, and I actually started to wonder whether there is somebody there who doesn't believe in expat voting and is just binning the paperwork.

The latest is that I emailed my son (my proxy voter) over the weekend to tell him how I wished to vote. He replied that he'd asked the council for a postal vote, but they hadn't given him one. He did, however, have a voting card. He is a busy manager who works long hours and has to travel frequently. His own vote is in a neighbouriong constituency, so we just hope he has time to get round to both polling stations on Thursday.

Postal voting from Thailand just won't work. If you applied for a postal vote you'll get the ballot paper some time during the next week or two. They ought to enable an online system for expats.

[billd766]

There's irony in your OP mate... Expats can't vote...

Do some research before posting wrong information.

Yes they can provided that they meet the qualifications.

I do and my proxy vote will be going to UKIP at Taunton Deane.

I thought the UKIP bubble had well and truly burst. They'll be lucky to get one MP!

The only way to be certain is to wait until the last results come in on Friday night or Saturday morning. I am not sure how Laura Bailhache will get on but the seat used to swap between the Conservatives and the Lib/Dems though the last MP was Jeremy Browne Lib/Dem and he is not standing this time.

In the last 2 elections at Taunton Deane the UKIP vote increased greatly.

[piersbeckett]

I'm predicting the overwhelming majority of expats vote UKIP. Classy lot that they are.

Socialisation plays a part in who one votes for, but many people who aren't working class want their country back and you haven't answered the question.

I voted with my feet.

Edited May 5, 2015 by piersbeckett