Depressed Lefty red eye - The morning after the night before

[Nymphadora]

Hello

think I have to go sleep soon, need about 12 hours to make up for last night

have loved these threads, thanks all

here's to a minority tory gov cocking it all up

Ah, bollocks, my theory forgets to take into account the right wing biased press.

you rang???

Have been awake for a long time. Must go. still think all will be well in then end. Thank you for beng the best lefty women comrades. You've kept hope alive; see you on the barricades. j xxxx

Yes, like aubergine's analysis too. Man, who'd have thought at the start of these threads we'd have been saying a Con govt was the least worst option?

My my I paid for my late night today. I am whacked. Our seat stayed labour though so not all bad. The coloured map is rather depressing though, we are a teeny tiny boat of red sanity in a huge blue abyss.
My ds has also turned into David Cameron before my eyes. Of course, it may be the sleep deprivation, but he has developed one hell of an earnest look, not to mention a magnificent combover

Lentil
Yes, in my experience of coalitions in Germany they take a couple of weeks to sort everything out. They will perhaps have a consensus by Monday but they will have to do a great deal of haggling before it is done and dusted.

If the Tories were to form a minority gmt, could Lib Dem and Labour push through an Election Reform against their wishes? Presumably the small parties would all vote for reform.

I am in Glasgow & just got in from seeing Jamie Cullum. He talked about the country going to the dogs, Scotland are sensible and sang a song for GB. Red lights & all. I'll miss you but I'll get by seemed to be the message!

(btw well worth seeing he was fab!)

Delurking to say that I love this thread. It has kept me sane through the angst of today. I'm consoling myself by looking at the coloured-in map of London constituencies on the BBC website, and feeling grateful to live smack-bang in the middle of the red enclave that is East London, surrounded in all sides by a sea of blue. I wonder if we could form a breakaway lefty-utopia republic?

My Tory mum called me this evening to tell me about the dress Samantha Cameron wore to the polling station. Apparently it was an example of how to look "lovely and modest and classy" during pregnancy (I'm also pregnant). Right. Thanks for that Mum

I am going to miss these threads.

Not arnica cream, Justa, arnica tablets. Honestly. I wasn't a believer in homeopathy (not sure I am now) until I trapped my finger in the door. The nurse at my GP's surgery recommended it, and it was astonishingly amazing.

Re LibDem deal with the Tories - if you're anti, then you can write to the LibDems - they have asked people to do this:

[email protected]

and there's also a FB page been set up by another MNetter, again at the request of the LibDems, to help gauge the views of the public:

www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=100832939963708

I was so very depressed this morning, really was a little [shocked] at what we woke up to, but as the day has gone on I am also feeling a little better about things.

I think things are going to be very carefully thought out and scrutinised over then next while. No mistakes can be made.

DH did not believe in homoeopathy until SIL's horse was successfully treated for hay fever and asthma (don't laugh, the poor horse really did have hay fever).

I did have to agree with his comment, "Well, the horse cannot know it is a placebo".

Firstly to offer this song for New Labour from us lefties...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=clZaOixlgsE

I have been listening to it all night!

And secondly to present this sketchy first draft plan for some things to do next:

1. Let Cameron show his true colours enough to remind everyone what a Tory government is about and let his party be the one that is hated for the pulling in of the purse strings. [cruel to be kind emotion]

2. Fight for changing the voting system because if you are not chasing particular (arguably middle class) seats it will be easier to be true to your heart with policies and all important media appearances.

3. Be there for the next election ready, strong and true for real everday people with well thought out policies that benefit these people and don't deny that this is to the depths of your soul what you are about.

4. Stop hob-nobbing for funding. Embrace your political family - the Unions and their more democratic and much less corrupt funding systems.

5. AND PLEEEAAAASE - DO NOT FRAGMENT DO NOT FRAGMENT DO NOT FRAGMENT!!! This actually is my biggest fear...

I'm really not sure how a Hamnegg coalition would work.
Commentators and some members of the Tories have mentioned giving the Libs 1 or 2 seats in the Cabinet. Would these be Cable and Clegg? If that was the case, you'd hope that in many ways they would be 'the voices of reason' trying to moderate, expand and modernise the Tory viewpoint. However, they would be up against 10 or more others. (Not sure how many there are in a Cabinet)

Now, like senior management in business, the Cabinet are expected publically to support whatever decision is made within those walls, to show a united front whatever their personal views are. If Clegg and Cable didn't agree, what would happen? In a normal situation when ministers strongly disagree and voice this in public, they often resign or are replaced. If that were to happen, would the coalition collapse?

Don't envy Clegg at all. He has been portrayed as a man of principle, (I hope he is but am not totally convinced just yet) so how would he be able to remain quiet and tow the line if he profoundly disagreed with cabinate decisions? Then again, I suppose he say they wanted to withdraw from the coalition, leaving a minority gov. If he wants to affect policy and law-making he would have to be within the cabinet, wouldn't he? What position would he take? Or would they have to create a new position, or leave him a minister without portfolio?

Sorry if that's rambling...up early with DS2. Grrrr.

.

Interesting Guardian article Prolesworth, bit chilling really especially the stuff about fundamentalism. Also it said the the Tories have become deeply ideological - I always thought one of the reasons a lot of voters like them is because they are not ideological. This never made sense to me, I think behind closed doors they are strongly ideological but perhaps not all singing from the same song sheet on some of the details. (sorry, that was clear as mud).

The LibDems cannot sell out - they will be finished if they do, the Tories will spit them up and chew them out and the public will take a 'see we knew they were not a 'serious' party, smug, we told you so' attitude (as will much of the press).

The more I think about this the more I think we are headed for a Tory minority (hah!) or a Lib/Lab/Minorities coalition which will stabalise the economy and, when the time is right, go for electoral reform (when Tory majorities will become a thing of the past for evermore - hah!).

We cannot lose, unless Clegg sells out. The Tories are still so shadowed by Thatcher (hah!).

Only thing to worry about is a Tory minority which calls an election fairly soon and gets a majority in it by convincing people we need to stop all the shilly shallying around. The left would need to join forces and go full out for electoral reform together during the campaign.

Thanks for the links to LibDem stuff - we must let them know that we are behind them but not to watch them be used by the Tories for their own means.

Don't know why I have become so opinionated all of a sudden but that is my valiant, proud and optimistic view!

Not caught up with thread

Have been mulling PR and getting keener and keener

They wonder why there is voter apathy in the UK, but my vote has never counted at all in a general election. I really might as well not bother. It's a safe tory seat and every time I turn out knowing it's pointless. And they wonder why people lose interest. It must be v exciting if you're in a marginal seat but other than that...

Then we wouldn't have to vote tactically and stuff - we could all vote for who we actually wanted and it would mean something. I often randomise in the booth and it's because I know it doesn't matter. Then again, I often randomise towards a very small party - again - that vote won't make any difference to who wins and won't have any chance of getting a representative in for that country.

And then - why are people who live in the countryside worth more than me? I never quite realised that before this election - but it's not on is it.

So RARARA for electoral reform.

So true ISNT.

I explained how our system works to my French DH and he said 'but that's not democratic' with a face like this .

If the Tories get through they do plan some changes to the way voting works - they will reduce the number of MPs and redraw some boundaries to their own advantage. Our system will become ever less democratic than it is now.

As you say RARARA for electoral reform!!!!

I've never really thought about it properly before, beyond my idea that my vote is worthless because I'm a lefty in a right wing enclave

The realisation that some hunting shooting fishing fox-fur bedecked silver spooned "what ho jeeves have you seen my barrell of gold bars" types are worth more than me (in voting terms) has made me grind my teeth. And actually, in this country, well yes of course they are worth more than me (in voting terms) I mean it wouldn't be any other way.

At least i don;t live in buckinghamshire.

I was when they said that traditionally the otehr parties don't put up any opposition in the speakers seat.

I guess the theory is that he doesn't get a vote in parliament? So is "not really" whatever party he is? Or is it because if he lost it would be a right PITA?

Eitehr way it's just wrong and utterly anti-democracy.

at Hamnegg from dh too.

World has gone mad today we are watching newspapers on the BBC and the first one I agreed with was the Daily Mail.