For those planning to watch the leadership debate...

Malcolm.

carolt wrote: »

everyone says 'Oh, I won't vote for the Lib Dems because they are not going to be the party of govt, and so it's a wasted vote'.

I fiigure my returning MP has always won by more than one vote (I've lived in many areas of UK), so my vote has never counted for anything in any case. I'm therefore free to vote for who I want , not that it will count mind!

PrivatisetheNHSnow

Brown: passionately making promises that he knows are impossible to keep, starts grinning like a madman when he's criticised

the signs of a dangerous psychopath...

lostinrates

Malcolm. wrote: »

I fiigure my returning MP has always won by more than one vote (I've lived in many areas of UK), so my vote has never counted for anything in any case. I'm therefore free to vote for who I want , not that it will count mind!

you vote counts for exactly what very one elses does. It only takes a few, proportionally,bothering to vote, or swinging to change an area.

Graham_Devon

So, question for everyone...

I've had a look at a labour blog. They are hailing victory.

I've had a look at a tory blog, they are not hailing victory, but are very very comfortable and satisfied with how it went.

Got me thinking, reading the comments on here, and moreso the ITV comments, has this TV debate actually changed anyones feelings?

What I'm getting at, is are these TV debates worth anything? Those that hate Brown, seem to still hate Brown. Those that love Brown seem to love Brown whatever.

The ITV stuff is simply full of toff comments, as is the labour blog.

Does anyone reckon these are worthwhile? Or just something for lots of political sides to argue over, and all claim victory?

lostinrates

I'd forgotten about QT in al this excitment!

Raggs_2

http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog

Gives the reliable polls (well researched, well sampled etc) results. LD victory all round.

vivatifosi

lostinrates wrote: »

you vote counts for exactly what very one elses does. It only takes a few, proportionally,bothering to vote, or swinging to change an area.

I used to think the same as Malcolm, so in one local election DH and I voted tactically, because the party we wanted to support appeared to be a distant third and we were being told as much by the other two parties. The end result was that the guy we wanted to vote for lost by two votes to the person we chose to vote tactically for, who we'd only voted for because we didn't like the other option.

ETA: sorry to quote you lir, I was actually trying to quote Malcolm and forgot his was embedded in your post. I'm tired. Time for bed.

LilacPixie

Graham_Devon wrote: »

So, question for everyone...

I've had a look at a labour blog. They are hailing victory.

I've had a look at a tory blog, they are not hailing victory, but are very very comfortable and satisfied with how it went.

Got me thinking, reading the comments on here, and moreso the ITV comments, has this TV debate actually changed anyones feelings?

What I'm getting at, is are these TV debates worth anything? Those that hate Brown, seem to still hate Brown. Those that love Brown seem to love Brown whatever.

The ITV stuff is simply full of toff comments, as is the labour blog.

Does anyone reckon these are worthwhile? Or just something for lots of political sides to argue over, and all claim victory?

For me tonight and the chancellors debate a few weeks back has made me consider theLibDems as a party actually worth considering voting for rather than dismissing out of hand.

Malcolm.

lostinrates wrote: »

you vote counts for exactly what very one elses does. It only takes a few, proportionally,bothering to vote, or swinging to change an area.

I think our definition of a few, proportionally, is perhaps different.

There's a reason the few marginals receive all the politician's attention and many seats are referred to as 'safe'.

Rochdale_Pioneers

No point whatsoever in looking at any of the "vote now" polls - too easy for people to vote again and again, plus the result is coloured by the readership. The only valid polls are the YouGov and ComRes ones. And both had Clegg thrash Cameron. We expected Brown to come off worse and despite doing much better than I expected I'd still put him 3rd. He won't lose existing voters from that performance though.

For national polls, this is where the fun begins. The only way the Tories can win is to persuade a mass of voters across so many seats to vote for them regardless of their own political affiliation. The LibDems have done well so far in the campaign, and now that people know what their leader looks like, I expect them to surge. With a hung parliament likely voting LibDem is a positive vote, not a waste or a protest.

So, Brown consolidates his position, Cameron struggles, the LibDems surge. Nightmare for the Tories who need LibDem voters and waverers tp abandon the yellows and vote Blue. I think we'll see the three parties look much closer in the next few polls.