To ask you to help me understand how it all works?

[namechangeafternamechange]

I accept that I have been somewhat politically ignorant over the years, I am nearly 33 and this is the first election I have ever paid attention to let alone voted in [blush ] so I need to ask what, to some, might be very stupid questions.

Firstly I have put the results on when I woke up before my tv got invaded by milkshake and seen that UKIP votes accounted for around 12% of the national vote whilst Lib Dem votes account for around 8% of the national votes (is that correct? ) but the Lib Dems hold 8 seats and UKIP only hold 1....how does that work?

Also, there are many, many people who seem horrified at the tories coming back into power. I have met only 1 person (my sister) who has voted conservatives so where have all these voters been hiding?

Last one...say I voted green and they got the vote in my area, do they remain my mp even if conservatives win overall? How does that work?

As I have said, I have been very ignorant over the years. I am far from thick, I am actually quite intelligent not that you can tell right now

Independent

I still don't get some parts of tories policies and I absolutely don't get my sister. My lovely nephew has SN and, if what I have read is true, she will be hard hit by tories yet she voted for them??

I voted for who shouted the loudest about saving the trust I work in as it has already been largely privatised with devastating effects

The person who has been voted in is a bit of a snake in the grass according to the site that was linked on MN earlier, I guess it can only be downhill from here for my trust. I am genuinely concerned about my career, I have invested 14 years and hoped to invest another 35ish

Prole that's brilliant! Lol
Is the UKIP the lone bloke standing on his own outside smoking a fag and drinking the pint of beer he bought himself, muttering under his breath about immigrants

Having read back prole your analogy is pure genius

Just as an aside, do you think if UKIP dropped the immigration bull and focused on other parts of their manifesto, they might do better next time? I did lots of reading and there were a few things that actually made sense but was a bit disturbed that immigration was brought into EVERYTHING! I live in an area where we have very few immigrants, our main problem is holidaymakers but please don't stop coming!

Racist parties often have other policies to sweeten the pill. The BNP are big fans of the NHS, as I recall. The main work is still the racism.

If you can tear yourself away from the parties partying, then there's a brilliant set of YouTube vids explaining the electoral system:

Wonder what the result would be if it was on total number of votes which decided which party got to number 10. Does not seem fair currently

You say that, monkeysox, but the UK decisively rejected a change from first past the post very recently indeed - 2011. (BBC news link)

The UK has voted overwhelmingly to reject changing the way MPs are elected - dealing a bitter blow to Nick Clegg on top of heavy Lib Dem poll losses.
Officials say 19.1m people voted in the second UK-wide referendum in history - a higher than expected turnout of 41%.
The final result put the Yes vote at 32.1% and the No vote at 67.9%.

m.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32601281

Tatty - I don't think people necessarily voted Tory, but like in the 1992 election, voted against Labour. I think lots of voters were put off Labour by the prospect of a Labour/SNP coalition the Tories highlighted so well (unfortunately imo). Coming so soon after the referendum, I think many voters felt/feel that SNP is only interested in Scottish issues not UK issues and would push for another referendum. Even though Sturgeon said that the SNP would not put for a referendum in the next parliament, English voters just didn't quite trust her. I think Cameron woefully underperformed in the run up to the election, whilst Ed grew on me (apart from the RB interview - cringe). LibDems were a good example of reminding politicians that the electorate have a long memory. I think Ed Balls going will also be good for Labour - clean slate and all that.
Still, on the bright side, Labour won the next 3 elections after 1992 - unfortunately with the odious Tony Blair.....!

Don't know if you're still following this OP, but I also want to give you flowers.

Well done for overcoming massive hurdles, congratulations on trying to educate yourself and good luck with your DC.

/emo/te/xthanks.png.pagespeed.ic.oE36IrFft1.png

(p.s. don't know if it'll post with flowers pic cos never tried to give them before, but please imagine the image if they're not there!)
(how do you insert things???)

dammit! It didn't work!

Momma to insert things you use the square bracket [ ] either side of the word [word e.g. flowers]

The list of words is underneath the message entry box on my computer screen or iPad screen, (assume same on phone but I don't have iPhone)

Good lord!

An election thread on MN that's informative, a little humorous, and doesn't include any vitriolic attacks due to other people's voting choices.

Thank you FadedRed. What an apt title to a thread... It's helped more than one person

yay! [big grin]

arse!

There isn't a giggle one, but that's what I'm doing now!!!!

You're welcome Momma
I agree there should be a [giggle] though a big will suffice.
Like the idea of an [arse] also.
Anybody got a clue when to use the ? IMO it looks too friendly for the toxic MIL threads.......

There was a thread about Toothless, the dragon-y non teddy bear for the teddy bear's picnic which the teacher tired to ban.

Did you see it?

This emoticon would have been perfect for that. Or for EDL posting about St George.

Otherwise, it's a bit specific!

Maybe some posters have an inner dragon?