Tete en l’Air’s Feet On The Ground Diary

Dinah93

I've only seen one labour poster - and I don't think this area has ever been anything other than labour! I actually agree with a canny bit of what the Lib Dems say, but the way the system is set up at the moment they're stuffed. Have you seen the actual voter numbers though?

Conservative: 10, 152,0 57
Labour: 8, 211, 677
Lib Dem: 6, 426, 742

Thats a lot closer for the lib dems than the number of seats held would suggest. On this basis I definately agree with the idea of electoral reform.

Birdie85

I absolutely agree about the electoral reform, I know a few people (one's a teacher!!!) who voted Conservative because they knew that Lib Dem wouldn't get the seats so that's a pretty dodgy way to vote IMO! I understand why it has to be that way so that once the PM gets in he has enough supporters to pass new laws but it clearly isn't working very well right now when the country is so divided!

poddle911

Yes, tactical voting is risky business as it doesn't improve the LibDems' credibility even if people are agreeing with their policies. I'm very chuffed that Brighton has got the first Green seat - if nothing else it proves that things can change. Although all the surrounding constituencies have deflected from Labour and gone Tory which you wouldn't have predicted!

Lara44

I'm a long term Lib Dem voter, gutted that it's looking like they will return less seats than in 2005. Although I agree with the policy I think the amnesty for illegal immigrants hurt them quite a bit. Even though it was something George W. Bush supported and I am not sure you can cast him as a radical liberal! Sorry for hijacking your thread Tete

Dinah93

Lol I'm pretty much anti anything George Bush is pro! I can't remember which paper it was, but the day after his was voted in for the second term one of them just had a black front page which said 'oh no' in white. It was brilliant!

Birdie85

LOL! That was a truly disastrous thing to happen, I think even he was surprised!

Poor Tete will come home with her lovely new hair and be all confused as to how her thread turned into discussion time! Although it was to be expected on someone's thread, she just made the mistake of mentioning it first!

My area count still hasn't been finalised, they keep putting the ETA back! The young girl in my office didn't vote because she has no idea who stands for which party and what it means (she keeps asking who Clegg is and what colour he is and 'Is he the one you like?'....) she said she'd vote next year... errr, do you mean next time love?! What do they teach in schools nowadays?! She didn't even know how often a general election is held!

Dinah93

Must be having a recount Birdie

Birdie85

Ooooh hot off the press we're Conversative again! Labour were well down in the votes which doesn't surprise me! But gutted that LD didn't get the seat. Ah well, like I said, it would make no difference now!

Dinah93

Tete! Look it's your wedding shoes! Great minds clearly think alike.

Tete_en_l'Air

Hehe, nice bit of political debate to come home to!

Dinah93 wrote: »

They're in from our area at least Tete. Although not a suprise result. I'm not happy I'm moving to the one borough in the area that has turned blue. Damned Yarm farmers!

I was surprised at this actually but when you look at the votes there was only about 300 in it. When you look at the map thing you can definitely see where the money is in this country and for the NE it's an affluent area. I was quite surprised at Redcar going Lib Dem but maybe this was a bit of a protest against Labour for not bailing out Corus?

Dinah93 wrote: »

I work for a council (lovely 50% cuts predicted under the Tories), my mum is a teacher, we'd be mental to vote blue...

Almost everyone I know works in the public sector up here, it's a really worrying time now. The Conservatives openly said they were going to do away with Building Control, which my OH has just qualified in after seven years' training, but then the Libs are quite strong supporters of it so we'll have to see what happens there. Our Australian adventure may come sooner rather than later.

Poddle that's fab about going Green - in my constituency we had Red, Blue or Yellow, or BNP, UKIP or English Democrats to choose from - so if you don't want to go mainstream you have to be far right, hmmm.

Sigh. ANYWAY - Florence was so great everyone should go there! Beautiful! We had lovely weather too and it just makes it so much more enjoyable. Missed out a few things including the Uffizi because the queue was two hours long and with only being there a short time we thought it was a waste. We'll just have to go back one day. Pisa also lovely and the Tower is really surreal. Planning the next trip now! Although I did come home to a message from my best friend to say that the cottage in the lakes is booked for our girlie getwaway in November

Off work today which is fab, want to get all my washing done though. Spent a couple of hours yesterday working on my dress for college, just the zip and hem to do, and it looks like it might fit! I also think I rather like it, so I'm really pleased. Looking at doing a maxi dress next and am torn between this jersey fabric and this cotton one. After reading Dinah's account of working with jersey I'm swaying towards the cotton!