UK General Election on 5th May - voting intentions?

[Matabiri]

Splendid

Have you been reading about all the graffiti of the posters using industrial Tippex?

My favourite adjustment:
"Are you thinking? We're not."

 

[richardm]

I haven't until now!

"Are you smoking what we're smoking?"

Apparently it's undemocratic, according to the Tories. Personally I think it's rather amusing!

 

[Darat]

 

[Matabiri]

"Bring back matron and you'll get better hospitals ...and a good spanking"

Fnarr.

 

[Rolfe]

Ah, that was quite fun, though I doubt if it was very informative.

The first one told me I should vote LibDem, but then SNP wasn't offered as a possibility. If I was English I might well consider voting LibDem, but I'm seriously anti the LibDems in Scotland, which is a bit schizoid but there you go. It's just the extraordinarily dishonest rhetoric I've heard them come out with in interviews in Scotland, something I've not encountered to nearly the same extent in England.

The second one had me way to the left of what it considered to be the average SNP voter. I can only conclude that they've had very few SNP voters on the site, and that those they have had have been unusually right-wing. At the end they came out with something about the BNP, which is just nuts, as this is the last party I'd have the slightest smidgin of sympathy for. Interestingly enough, my views tallied much more with those of other people who read the same newspaper as me than with any other criterion. The power of the press!

Rolfe.

 

[brodski]

I love adult political debate.


ETA Damm, my picture did not appear. How do you add pictures to your posts?

 

[Darat]

Stamp Duty anyone?

I should say before I make my comments on the latest Conservative announcement that I think the current Stamp Duty system is archaic and should be abolished.

In effect it seems as if the Tories will be eliminating the 1% band completely so no Stamp Duty at all on houses under £250,000. I listened to their announcement this morning and I heard a very curious thing.

The reason Howard gave for doing this is that it will help first time buyers and young families buy a home. His reasoning is that you can’t pay the Stamp Duty via a mortgage, in other words even if you are buying a house with a 100% mortgage you actually need to payout the Stamp Duty (from savings?). I wonder doesn’t this just seem to be encouraging people to take on more debt?

Also in my opinion this will increase the price of housing under £250,000 whilst at the same time creating a strong “ceiling price” at £250,000. (In fact my next door neighbours have just put their house on the market at £265,000, I wonder how they will react?)

 

[Matabiri]

Stamp Duty anyone?

I should say before I make my comments on the latest Conservative announcement that I think the current Stamp Duty system is archaic and should be abolished.

If not abolished (how often does such a tax get abolished?) then at least made genuinely progressive.

For furriners: Stamp duty is a tax on property sales (the name comes from documents having to be stamped - and there is in fact a man who does this; he has a variety of stamps for different values). It is charged at 1% of the total value of the exchange above £120,000 (i.e. if you buy a property for £115,000 you pay no stamp duty, if you buy one for £125,000 you pay £1,250 in tax) and 3% of the total value for properties costing more than £250,000 (if you buy a property for £245,000, you pay £2,450 tax; if the property costs £255,000 you pay £7,650).

 

[Jaggy Bunnet]

If not abolished (how often does such a tax get abolished?) then at least made genuinely progressive.

For furriners: Stamp duty is a tax on property sales (the name comes from documents having to be stamped - and there is in fact a man who does this; he has a variety of stamps for different values). It is charged at 1% of the total value of the exchange above £120,000 (i.e. if you buy a property for £115,000 you pay no stamp duty, if you buy one for £125,000 you pay £1,250 in tax) and 3% of the total value for properties costing more than £250,000 (if you buy a property for £245,000, you pay £2,450 tax; if the property costs £255,000 you pay £7,650).

[pedant]Actually, Stamp Duty is no longer payable on transfers of property, but only on transfers of stocks, securities and certain partnership interests. Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is payable on sales of property.[/pedant]

They have also abolished the man with the stamp as SDLT is self-assessed.

 

[richardm]

I love adult political debate.


ETA Damm, my picture did not appear. How do you add pictures to your posts?

What, from the quiz sites? Copied the HTML they produced for you and then edit out the surplus stuff. Since I also gave a link to their site I'm sure they won't complain too much!

 

[Matabiri]

They have also abolished the man with the stamp as SDLT is self-assessed.

[Extrapedant]

Possibly for residential; however I know a commercial property solicitor who has dealt with him.

On big deals there's so much tax to pay the stamps run for several pages, apparently.

[/Extrapedant]

 

[Minkster]

I chose Conservative for no other reason that they have a number of policies that I feel matter to me, even though they are relatively minor (mostly around cars, roads, fuel and speed cameras) although I also resent the Labour government for bringing in the IR35 tax rule which effectively ended my days as an IT contractor.

On the whole Iraq thing, I would hate to have to go through that again with the SAME people making the SAME mistakes as before (and believe me, if Blair gets in this time the arrogance will go through the roof). I'm not saying the Tories wouldn't have made the same mistakes, but if they see Labour get turfed out partly because of their cock-ups then future govts may think twice before lying so blatantly to the public over something people feel so strongly about.

 

[richardm]

if they see Labour get turfed out partly because of their cock-ups then future govts may think twice before lying so blatantly to the public over something people feel so strongly about.

Hohoho! That's a good one

We're talking about politicians, remember!

Meanwhile, remember that the Tories and Lib Dems were present at the same intelligence briefings as Labour. The Tories still supported the war - the Lib Dems didn't.

You may - or may not - want to draw some conclusions from that.

 

[Reginald]

I chose Conservative for no other reason that they have a number of policies that I feel matter to me, even though they are relatively minor (mostly around cars, roads, fuel and speed cameras) although I also resent the Labour government for bringing in the IR35 tax rule which effectively ended my days as an IT contractor.

On the whole Iraq thing, I would hate to have to go through that again with the SAME people making the SAME mistakes as before (and believe me, if Blair gets in this time the arrogance will go through the roof). I'm not saying the Tories wouldn't have made the same mistakes, but if they see Labour get turfed out partly because of their cock-ups then future govts may think twice before lying so blatantly to the public over something people feel so strongly about.

Cars, roads, fuel and speed cameras? Would you care to be a little more specific about these? I'm interested in what the conservatives are offering you as a voter on these issues.

 

[asthmatic camel]

Hohoho! That's a good one

We're talking about politicians, remember!

Meanwhile, remember that the Tories and Lib Dems were present at the same intelligence briefings as Labour. The Tories still supported the war - the Lib Dems didn't.

You may - or may not - want to draw some conclusions from that.

Heh, politicians...yep, trustworthy as you like, all of them. Completely concerned about your personal wellbeing they are; selfless individuals who care not one jot for their personal status and wealth.

In reality, we get one chance every four years to replace one set of liars with another. The best that can happen is that they're given an electoral bloody nose once in a while.

 

[Interesting Ian]

<center></center><h1>Who should I vote for?</h1><h2>Your expected outcome:</h2>Liberal Democrat


<h2>Your actual outcome:</h2>

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td align="right" style="border-right:2px solid black;" height="20" valign="middle"><font color="black">Labour -12 </font>

</td><td width="50%" align="left" height="20" valign="middle"></td></tr><tr><td align="right" style="border-right:2px solid black;" height="20" valign="middle"><font color="black">Conservative -35 </font>

</td><td width="50%" align="left" height="20" valign="middle"></td></tr><tr><td align="right" style="border-right:2px solid black;" height="20" valign="middle"></td><td width="50%" align="left" height="20" valign="middle">

<font color="black">Liberal Democrat 38</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right" style="border-right:2px solid black;" height="20" valign="middle"><font color="black">UK Independence Party -2 </font>

</td><td width="50%" align="left" height="20" valign="middle"></td></tr><tr><td align="right" style="border-right:2px solid black;" height="20" valign="middle"></td><td width="50%" align="left" height="20" valign="middle">

<font color="black">Green 36</font></td></tr></table>

You should vote: Liberal Democrat

The LibDems take a strong stand against tax cuts and a strong one in favour of public services: they would make long-term residential care for the elderly free across the UK, and scrap university tuition fees. They are in favour of a ban on smoking in public places, but would relax laws on cannabis. They propose to change vehicle taxation to be based on usage rather than ownership.



Take the test at Who Should You Vote For


Hmmm . . I wouldn't scrap university tuition fees.

 

[Interesting Ian]

Hmm, here's another one, this time with a bit more detailed analysis of the results. Apparently on one axis I'm a rabid lefty and on the other axis I'm in tune with the Conservatives. Yikes.

Yes, I am bored at work today.

Compared to the whole population...

4.9% are significantly to your left
10.0% have views about the same as yours
85.1% are significantly to your right

WOW! I just thought of myself as being slightly left of centre.

 

[Minkster]

Cars, roads, fuel and speed cameras? Would you care to be a little more specific about these? I'm interested in what the conservatives are offering you as a voter on these issues.

I drive a LOT (partly to get to and from work and partly to visit friends/family who all live some distance away). I just find the tory transport policy much more in line with my personal situation than any of the alternatives.

This link doesn't cover everything but it gives the basics.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/issues/4329921.stm

 

[Minkster]

Hohoho! That's a good one

We're talking about politicians, remember!

Meanwhile, remember that the Tories and Lib Dems were present at the same intelligence briefings as Labour. The Tories still supported the war - the Lib Dems didn't.

You may - or may not - want to draw some conclusions from that.

hmmmmm....not 100% sure about your later point. This is certainly the first I've heard of that. I always believed the 45 minute thing was purely down to Blairs intelligence at the time - and then there was the govt statement that turned out to be some uni kids essay and so on....

I also believed that the Tories supported the action - especially after it started and especially since it was based on govt intelligence, but later on they attacked Blair for lies about the intelligence. Blair never responded by saying 'but you were there and you bought it too', which leads me to think they weren't.

If you see what I mean!

 

[Interesting Ian]

I chose Conservative for no other reason that they have a number of policies that I feel matter to me, even though they are relatively minor (mostly around cars, roads, fuel and speed cameras)

Speed cameras are great. Do the Conservatives approve of them?