news just in...definitely hung parliament...no chance of conservative majority

If Nick Clegg joins forces with cameron he will lose all credibility.As the tories will never entertain his 10k tax abolition.trident,europe,PR,student fees etc What is teh bloody point

so what do we think is going to happen after daves speech?

Mumofeightplusfour, that sounds great. Can we pass this on to the MP's? Actually, I am going to send this idea to my MP.

possibly a national government with those with the best credentials from all parties . cabinet posts divided between parties on the basis of there number of seats or percentage of votes cast . this govenment working for the good of the whole country putting party interests a side to see us through a very difficult financial era . utopia but it has done be during the great depression of 31 to 40

Can. Not. Spell. Today.

Gahh

Any of these may be aligned to a Party or be Independent

Thus in your local area you may, for example, have a Conservative Mayor, three Green Councellers and a Labour Member of Parliament

JetSetwilly - they are different people, doing different jobs.

You vote for your local Member of Parliament (they represent you at National level and local level - if they are doing the job properly)

You also vote for local Councillers
(they represent you in your local ward, on local/personal issues)

An area or two also have votes for the local Mayor (local Mayoral duties - representing you locally and abroad)

JSWilly, I didn't understand any of this stuff either til I looked it all up on the net (just said something similar on the PR thread). They should start teaching it in schools. How are we supposed to make informed votes if we don't understand how the whole thing works?

jetsetwilly- in national government your representative is your mp. This is who you have just voted for.
Local government is what you would call your council is what you vote for in local elections. As someone said they deal with rubbish collections, planning permission etc.

GB now giving his speech

right goodness i think i'm getting there, thanks

so can your local representative ever be the same as your national MP?

sorry I sound so dim, I'm embarrassed I have to ask such basic questions (after voting as well! not that it would have changed my vote) but I guess the only way you can find out.. thanks

Ah yes - that would be my dream RawChocolate

Raw you're not far off how I think it would be best. Not quite sure how to work it but the people vote onthe position (presumably the top ones) individually so you can vote for chancellor, pm etc.
I can see how its not really doable but hey I can dream
We need a mn party then we could cover all views but still have the sensible factor

At risk of seeming very naive, why can't all the parties work together? Have a cabinet made of people from each party, and have people doing each job who are best at it? Surely thats what the country have voted for?

It would then mean that each issue would be discussed fully and people would be putting their energy into solving problems, rather than jostling for power and prestige?

Isn't the best thing about mumsnet, the way you can read a thread with one view, and maybe finish is with another?

Local elections are not your mp they are for the local council.
National votes are for your mp who will stand in parliament representing your area. The party with the most mps wins normally.

JetSet, the two votes have nothing to do with each other. The local government council is independent of Westminster, they look after local issues such as rubbish collection, granting building planning, permission, etc.

JSWilly, (tell me if I've got this wrong anyone) but, aren't local elections to vote for local councillors who vote on local government decisions, and national elections are to vote for your local party member who you would like to be a Member of Parliament and have a seat in the House of Commons to vote on the passing of new laws?

right sorry I was confused there (sorry tired)

we are talking about one vote if we had a PR system, at present we don't, we have local and national elections so two votes

right???

I find it interesting that lib dems basically came third but look like they may have the final say

I'm all for some kind of reform How its workable I dont know but other countries manage it

And there's still scope for tactical voting with PR. Remember the Euro elctions when the Greens urged voters to vote Green to keep the BNP out. It backfired and let the BNP in.

I would imagine the alternative vote system would be better for 'nice' smaller parties eg Green and less good for nasty ones. If I was given a list, I could imagine putting green but never in a million years BNP - I suspect that goes for the majority of people.