Guardian comes out for Lib Dems

[TheHeathenOfSuburbia]

Goodness me, I wasn't expecting that!

Looky here

That's going to be in tomorrow's paper, right? Apologies if I'm a day behind....

Yep, was announced about 7pm so your not a day behind. I didn't expect it either. It hasn't seemed particularly not-Labour the past week.

probably means that the Guardian thinks that Labour don't stand a chance, and that they prefer the Liberals to the Tories

The Guardian could never back the Tories

That is slightly at odds with the following perceptive article on The Guardian's Comment is Free by Jonathan Freedland.

Leaders' debate: barring an earthquake, David Cameron is on his way to No 10

What conclusions to draw? That TV debates are now part of the British political scene. That immigration is taboo no more. And that, barring another earthquake, David Cameron is on his way to Downing Street.

Well, seat-wise, Labour aren't going to do too badly I should think...

Blimey, it's long, isn't it? Basically boils down to they want voting reform and don't fancy more Gordon Brown.

Liking the 'matched priorities' section

Yeah, but it's not inconsistent to say, we'd like the Lib Dems to win; but Cameron is going to.

I imagine they got used to backing the losing side throughout the 80s/early 90s...

last year The Guardian was flirting with the Tories in unseemly fashion almost a replay of the Cool Britannia nonsense of Tony's heyday

I think the Guardian have their own polls and they know that Cameron will win. I think they know that Labour will be out of government. They want the Liberals to be part of a coalition government, because they prefer Liberal policies such as their green and European policies etc. to the Tories, who the Guardian doesn't trust.

There was an article last week, maybe, by Alan Rusbridger about how they were having a staff meeting to decide their position, and they had a CiF thread going so that readers could leave their comments.

It was kind of split (the meeting, not the thread) but they came out with a "vote with your values" compromise stance that stressed they were were pro-electoral reform, although it sounded as if many still saw the role of the Lib Dems as propping up Labour when in need.

However, the Guardian's political editor, Patrick Wintour, is staunchly pro-Labour, and it was he who then wrote the story that made it sound as if the Lib Dems were automatically going to form a pact with the Tories. (He's been more balanced since).

Anyway, I don't know what's been going on since, but now this! I don't actually feel that papers need to come out for a party - just as long as their reporting doesn't misrepresent the facts.

I'm sorry, you weren't expecting it?

MN premotes the lib dems.

MN polls show lib dems ahead in polls.

Guardian loves NC, there's a shocker.

The Guardian is traditionally pro-Labour and AFAIK has no connection with MN?

The Mirror must be the only national paper left that is pro-Labour.

Must be a fun atmosphere at Labout HQ tonight.

I couldn't give a toss which newspaper supports which party. I'm going to make up my own mind.

Most people I have spoken to, friends, family, colleagues are all voting labour regardless.

There will be people out there believing what the papers say though

I'm betting on a second election before the year is out

Bollocks. I only buy the Guardian to confirm my prejudices, not challenge 'em. Am too old for that...

fuck 'em. Still, that'll save us a quid a day. And me and dp will have to find something nice to do of a Saturday, instead of ploughing and bitching through the unbearable smugfest that is the weekend G.

Scottishmummy, Nah, I tink the tories have the momentum now. But this confirmed for me that Labour are finished. Libdems should do very well.

Hmmm, that should make for some interesting comment in the letters section come Monday...

If it's true, I won't be buying the Guardian again.

SHJ PMSL

It is true

Could someone answer a question for me please? The guardian wants me to vote Lib Dem, but says that there is still a place for tactical voting where you are in a Lab/Con marginal seat, to stop the seat going to the conservatives. I am not sure what constitutes a marginal seat. The numbers from the 2005 election for my constituency are:

Lab 45.8%
Con 33.1%
Lib 18.4%

Does this make my constituency a Lab/Con marginal? Apparently it's number 111 on the conservative target list.

I haven't decided yet, and won't be told who to vote for by the guardian, just want to understand the 'issues'. Thanks muchly.

The more I read this the more convinced I become that by the next election we will essentially have a two party system like the UK had in the 19th Century. It will be consistof a Conservative Party and a Lib Dem (or New Labour) Party and a few fringe nationalist parties.

The rise of Labour in the early part of the 20th Century was a historical anomally and now mass unionised labour in factories/ports no longer exists we are slipping back to the old model of a Whig (Liberal) party that is suported by a metropolitan merchant/intelligencia and a Tory Party supported in the shires. The old Labour voter will essentialy have no one to vote for or will chose not to vote and disenfranchise themselves.

I disagree, BeeenBeta - I think Labour have alienated a lot of their core vote, and there is a massive split in the centre left. And the Conservatives have moved a lot closer to the centre, too. All of which, imo, argues for Proportional Representation. The closer to the centre the parties come, the less argument, imo, for first past the post.

Wem - in answer to your question. If you assume that both Cons and Lab have lost an equal number of the votes to Libs, you're still looking at either a Con or Lab MP in your area, because the swing to Libs would have to be immense in you area. Though, who knows, it might be immense - I haven't any idea how the canvassing is going.

If you assume that the Libs are picking up voters from mainly Lab supporters in you area, which is probably more likely, you are looking at a Con MP. Unless all those potential Lib voters vote Lab.

I think.

But you're right - it's your vote. If you feel strongly for one party, or one candidate, this is your chance to make that feeling known. In fact, pretty much your only chance (!) so ... .

beenbeta - I think the most positive reason to vote lib dem is to get a better voting system. If the tories get a large majority we will have lost the chance to sort the voting system out and could well go back to two party politics and continue the trend of governments supported by fewer than 50% of the population.

I didn't know that about Justine . But MN doesn't have an editorial line pro-Lib Dem, it's just the sum of its users...

(waits to be told there's actually a big 'vote Lib Dem' on the front page, that I never visit..)

wem - I'd say your seat will either be Lab or Con this time next week. Most likely Con. But at this point, I have reached the opinion; sod it, just vote for who you want to win. Too many shifts in polls to second-guess.