Current Events > UK General Election today! Here's an explanation for beginners on UK politics.

(+) Yeah! (+)

For those that haven't been following it very closely, here are the basics.

The main contenders are the Conservatives, until Boris Johnson, which is a centre-right party; then, there is Labour, under Jeremy Corbyn, which is a left party. There are also various other, less significant parties. The SNP, who mostly look out for Scottish interests. The Green Party, which is fairly self explanatory, but have never had more than 1 seat in the House of Commons. The Liberal Democrats, which were the third biggest party in the UK until 2015, when they were crushed (and I mean, REALLY crushed). The Brexit Party, headed up by Nigel Farrage. UKIP, which are similar. Plaid Cymru, who look out for Wales. BNP, who are xenophobic and racist. The DUP are an Irish party.

Brexit is probably the biggest issue in this election. Boris Johnson says he'll get it done by January. Jeremy Corbyn says he'll have it done 6 months from now. The Lib Dems say they'll cancel it altogether.

Predictions by YouGov, an independent group who analyses these things, say that Conversatives are going to win by a significant or large margin, with Labour second. No hung Parliament. Personally, I'm not so sure. Boris Johnson has had some serious problems in the last week, to say nothing of not everyone is a right-wing voter, or keen on having a "character" as prime minister. The results will start to be counted late this evening, and the outcome will be announced, probably, in the early hours of the morning. I haven't decided if I'll stay up yet or not.

Questions? Thoughts? Any British people on CE planning to vote?


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MeIon Bread posted...

The main contenders are the Conservatives, until Boris Johnson, which is a centre-right party;

I really don't think the Conservatives can be called centre-right. But it's a Sunhawk topic so I shouldn't expect accuracy or honesty.

Right?

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corneliusmagus posted...

I really don't think the Conservatives can be called centre-right. But it's a Sunhawk topic so I shouldn't expect accuracy or honesty.

That's what they are though.

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I'm confused, Sunhawk.
While call Boris anything else other than "worse than Trump because he's actually smart"?
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I'm softened - a little - on Boris. I still don't like his politics, or attitude problem, but he does have charisma, and he wants to actually get Brexit DONE. That's something.

Are you British, Rd?


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MeIon Bread posted...

I'm softened - a little - on Boris. I still don't like his politics, or attitude problem, but he does have charisma, and he wants to actually get Brexit DONE. That's something.

Are you British, Rd?

I'm Irish so might as well be since the Brexit situation is fucking up Ireland too

Boris is scum. His act is "I'm an idiot lol" but in reality he's very manipulative.
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Funkydog posted...

That's what they are though.

It's what they claim to be sure. But they're clearly a far right party at this point that is racist to the core and have disturbing end goals in mind with their policies.

corneliusmagus posted...

I really don't think the Conservatives can be called centre-right. But it's a Sunhawk topic so I shouldn't expect accuracy or honesty.

oh, especially not honesty! lol! they are all arguing in bad faith, which no good christian like you or me should accept.

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corneliusmagus posted...

It's what they claim to be sure. But they're clearly a far right party at this point that is racist to the core and have disturbing end goals in mind with their policies.

Please do explain
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RdVEHfJqAvUPIbk posted...

Please do explain

I believe the conservative party's ultimate goal regarding disabled people and certain other vulnerable groups is total extermination.

I hate the Tories more than most, but even I think them commiting genocide is...highly unlikely.

Are you feeling okay?


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RdVEHfJqAvUPIbk posted...

I'm Irish so might as well be since the Brexit situation is fucking up Ireland too

Boris is scum. His act is "I'm an idiot lol" but in reality he's very manipulative.

This. Boris is compared to Trump a lot, but he's really the opposite. Trump pretends to be smart, but he's an idiot while Boris pretends to be an idiot, but is rather Machevellian

They've actively encouraged and caused through their partners in the media the demonisation of disabled people, to the point that violent attacks on disabled people has increased significantly.

corneliusmagus posted...

They've actively encouraged and caused through their partners in the media the demonisation of disabled people, to the point that violent attacks on disabled people has increased.

and certain other vulnerable groups. (but mainly disabled people.)

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Wewillrocku posted...

and certain other vulnerable groups. (but mainly disabled people.)

Yep. Racial attacks too and others but I'm not sure about those.

Did you see that thing in the news the other day, about increased threats against and attacks against MPs? What do you think about it?

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my grandma is a victim of the conservative attacks and often writes me snail mail about them.......what about your grandma?

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corneliusmagus posted...

It's what they claim to be sure. But they're clearly a far right party at this point that is racist to the core and have disturbing end goals in mind with their policies.

Eh, I hate the Tories as much as any sane person should (a lot) but think calling them a far right is as helpful an untrue as saying all of Labour is anti semitic.

Tories are certainly full of bigoted views/leaders though, won't deny and are certainly at fault of the rising xenophobia. Boris being a massive part of this with his many, many comments that just get ignored.

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What was the proposed strategy for canceling Brexit?

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Funkydog posted...

Eh, I hate the Tories as much as any sane person should (a lot) but think calling them a far right is as helpful an untrue as saying all of Labour is anti semitic.

Tories are certainly full of bigoted views/leaders though, won't deny.

I think it depends if you think there's a difference between far right and extreme right. I consider the lib dems centre right and I'm sure you'll disagree with that.

corneliusmagus posted...

I consider the lib dems centre right and I'm sure you'll disagree with that.

It's like I've stepped off the edge of the world.


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corneliusmagus posted...

I think it depends if you think there's a difference between far right and extreme right. I consider the lib dems centre right and I'm sure you'll disagree with that.

Lib dems seem to sway around the centre mark, but I can agree Tories are faaaaar more right than them if you do put lib dems as solely centre right.

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I don't think the Tories would manage to try to imprison children if their parents are illegal immigrants, for example.

They might be far right but they're not genocidal monsters
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Vote Labour.
Corbyn would make an excellent PM.

Bump.

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Interesting. So we'll know election results tomorrow then?

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Sure.

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Yeah, the Conversatives got over 350 seats, and Labour only got about 200. SNP did well, with about 50.

I don't know wtf is happening to this country. Conversatives are really bad, but people vote for them in droves, even at their own expense. Things got more right-wing here every year. I now know how liberal Americans felt in 2016, you know?

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you can kiss the NHS and Scotland goodbye. have fun

at least BoJo is more intelligent than Trump, for better or for worse

treewojima posted...

at least BoJo is more intelligent than Trump, for better or for worse

el oh el

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Wewillrocku posted...

treewojima posted...

at least BoJo is more intelligent than Trump, for better or for worse

el oh el

his frat boy demeanor and foot-in-mouth syndrome is very carefully orchestrated. he's otherwise a ruthless and skilled politician

Trump is just senile

he sounds like a mastermind, way above the level of donald trump. what a conservative sneaky man.

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MeIon Bread posted...

Yeah, the Conversatives got over 350 seats, and Labour only got about 200. SNP did well, with about 50.

I don't know wtf is happening to this country. Conversatives are really bad, but people vote for them in droves, even at their own expense. Things got more right-wing here every year. I now know how liberal Americans felt in 2016, you know?

The blame is one person's fault: Jeremy Corbyn.

Trelve posted...

The blame is one person's fault: Jeremy Corbyn.

explain

Omnislasher posted...

explain

The man was deeply unpopular and steeped in anti-semetism allegations. The opinion polls saying who would you most like to be prime minister? Corbyn or Johnson? Johnson always came out on top. Hell, even Theresa May was more preferred to be prime minister than Corbyn. He lost the general election in 2017, he lost the European Elections in 2019 and now he's lost a general election again. How much more proof do you need that the man is unelectable? He refused to take a side on Brexit until he was forced to, alienating both Leave and Remain.

Now Labour has had their worst result since 1935, you can either double down and say it's everyone's fault but St. Jeremy or you can elect someone more in line with the rest of the country. Tony Blair won three elections in a row, just as an FYI.

Trelve posted...

The man was deeply unpopular and steeped in anti-semetism allegations.

there you have the keyword. allegations. allegations engineered by a duplicitous elite media and establishment which maintains support for the state of israel as a strategic position. and in pursuing this interest it has managed to effectively smear in the public mind anyone who calls out the criminal actions of the state of israel for what they are (edit: or in the case of high-profile politicians, even so much as associates with anyone who does so) as antisemitic. this smear is an absurdity and a disgrace to any rational, informed person. it's the same story as on the other side of the atlantic. this does not amount to an indictment of any individual, such as jeremy corbyn, it illustrates a morally bankrupt ruling class and a dysfunctional political culture.

Omnislasher posted...

there you have the keyword. allegations. allegations engineered by a duplicitous fake news elite media and establishment which maintains support for the deep state as a strategic position. and in pursuing this interest it has managed to effectively smear in the public mind anyone who calls out the criminal actions of the FBI for what they are as conspiracy theorists. this smear is an absurdity and a disgrace to any rational, informed person. it's the same story as on the other side of the atlantic. this does not amount to an indictment of any individual, such as Donald Trump, it illustrates a morally bankrupt ruling class and a dysfunctional political culture.

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moronic post