Possible General Election

[cwathen]

Regardless of the fact that you technically vote for a local candidate to represent your constituency, the great majority of people in this country must surely cast their vote based on who they want to run the country rather than who they want to run their local authority - indeed the big money on election campaigns is based around this asumption, the actual local person you vote for has only the most modest of advertising budgets and does most of their canvassing in person. I don't therefore buy the argument that Brown should not feel compelled to call an election - I think any prime minister should be voted in by the public and any change of leadership mid term should be swiftly followed by a general election to prove that the public do want this person in charge of the country.

Nevertheless, I agree that now Autumn is firmly upon us and the Winter not far behind, this is not a good time to call an election in terms of expected turnout. The times when people would battle the elements and the dark to turn out at elections are gone, we are now firmly in an era when people expect a nice sunny day and a long evening after work to go out and mark their 'X'.

But, surely Tony Blair should have seen this coming? Perhaps he held on too long? I can understand that he wanted to achieve the personal milestone of completing 10 years as Prime Minister and that is why he stuck it out into April, but was it really necessary to go on and do the extra 2 months before departing in June?

If he had gone about 6 weeks before he did, he'd still have done his 10 years, but the pressure that's now mounting on Brown to call an election would have happened at the beginning of August, not the end of September. Had he done that Potentially, an election campaign would allready have been fought and almost certainly won.

As it is now, he's under increasing pressure to call an election to prove his entitlement to lead out country. But he's torn between calling one at an unusual time of year which probably won't be too popular amongst the allready falling turnout, or he's going to have to battle on until the spring, with the tabloid press constantly screaming for giving the public the chance to vote for him whilst ignoring any good things he may be doing.

And given the general stupidity of much of the population, 6 months of relentless attacks from The Sun is enough to destroy public opinion of anyone, however unfounded those attacks may be.

[Stuart*]

An August or early September election sounds sensible in theory. However, it would not prove popular with party activists or MPs.

Aside from the fact that a large proportion of the electorate would be out of the country on holiday during the campaign, it would seriously impinge on MPs "well-deserved" 3 month summer holiday when they are normally either sunning themselves on the French Riviera or on funded "fact finding" missions to the Caribbean or Maldives.

Perhaps the growing move towards postal or internet voting would solve the problem of tempting people out of their homes in the depths of winter.

[barcode]

I just keep remembering about Sunny jim and 78:

If he called the election then we may never had Thatcher

[Stuart*]

I just keep remembering about Sunny jim and 78:
If he called the election then we may never had Thatcher

A remarkable memory barcode seeing as you weren't alive at the time
(I know what you meant though)

[Gavin Scott]

I just keep remembering about Sunny jim and 78:
If he called the election then we may never had Thatcher

A remarkable memory barcode seeing as you weren't alive at the time

What makes you say that?

Barcode has indicated that he is my age (or thereabouts) in several posts during his time here and on TVF. He's also indicated the presence of an ex wife.

It's all there in his posts - even if you have to read twice to be sure.

[barcode]

NOPE: I'm 22: 1985

No it not my Ex wife but my mates! ( she was a real she devil! ) ( only lasted 3months mind you! ) * I just remember a lot of information)

but thank you Gavin,

[Stuart*]

What makes you say that? Barcode has indicated that he is my age (or thereabouts) in several posts during his time here and on TVF.

Possibly the given age on his MySpace profile was my source (although I confess that could be a keyboard error). If the information there is correct then he is significantly younger than us.

He's also indicated the presence of an ex wife.

I remember the statement you refer to as I think it became someone's signature for a while. The age I believe him to be doesn't preclude the existence of a Mrs Barcode in the past. However, after many hours chatting on MSN I don't recall him mentioning her.

It's all there in his posts - even if you have to read twice to be sure.

Only twice

EDIT: I noticed that barcode had already responded while I was busy drafting my response

[Gavin Scott]

I think what I've learned today is to read thrice, write once.

[barcode]

...........and now here come the back lash and Strange whipping.............

[Stuart*]

...........and now here come the back lash and Strange whipping.............

Don't set Sput off on his sexual deviance "topic of the day" again

[GNiel]

rather than who they want to run their local authority

Electing a local MP has no effect on who runs your local authority. Council elections decide this.

does most of their canvassing in person.

Any party with a chance of winning a constituency would have a very large canvassing and leafleting team. Whilst they would always canvass, they would not do anywhere near ALL of the canvassing.

I think any prime minister should be voted in by the public and any change of leadership mid term should be swiftly followed by a general election to prove that the public do want this person in charge of the country.

Whilst this may be reasonable, this does not happen in any parliamentary country. The basis of this is that Acts of Parliament require a majority of the vote in parliament. It is not therefore TECHNICALLY the PM who runs the country, it is the legislative Parliament, as the PM must retain the support of a majority of elected MPs, these MPs cannot have a vote prior to being elected in their constituencies, hence there is no democratic void.

Nevertheless, I agree that now Autumn is firmly upon us and the Winter not far behind, this is not a good time to call an election in terms of expected turnout.

Do people just go out in daylight? No. There should technically be no difference in turnout, as people wishing to excerscise their democratic duty would not be put off by a drop of rain. My theory is that it is a short term parliament that tends to cause lower turnout in what tend to be autumn elections, regardless of when it is held.