Gbye grey sky Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 6 hours ago, newjez said: Feel the Bern! https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/02/i-dont-think-he-needs-my-advice-bernie-sanders-applauds-jeremy-corbyn He is right. The rich and powerful have become so greedy that it has become impossible not to notice their avarice. Since 1980 democracy has increasingly been managed on their terms by powerful billionnaire media barons and legions of well-paid lobbyists - many of whom were former politicians or board members. The pendulum has swung too far and a correction is desperately needed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmo Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmo Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicF Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 (edited) [The Tory ad] includes a clip from Corbyn’s appearance on Sky News last month when interviewer Sophy Ridge asked whether he could “condemn unequivocally the IRA”. The Labour leader said: “Look, bombing is wrong, all bombing is wrong, of course I condemn it.” Ridge responded: “But you’re condemning all bombing, can you condemn the IRA without equating it to.” Corbyn said: “No.” The clip was cut off there but the full quote was: “No, I think what you have to say is all bombing has to be condemned and you have to bring about a peace process. Listen, in the 1980s Britain was looking for a military solution, it clearly was never going to work. Ask anyone in the British army at the time … I condemn all the bombing by the loyalists and the IRA.” Labour accuses Tories of fake news over video of Corbyn IRA comments Widely shared attack ad uses misleading edit of Corbyn’s interview on Sky News, cut to suggest he did not condemn bombing THEGUARDIAN.COM LikeShow More Reactions CommentShare https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/02/labour-accuses-tories-of-fake-news-over-video-of-corbyn-ira-comments Edited June 3, 2017 by NicF 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 On 2017-6-2 at 18:16, BacktoDemocracy said: I think a likely scenario is that a lot of Conservative older voters may simply not vote, they will never vote anything other than Tory but the about turn on pensions, the 'dementia' tax and the state of the NHS may unsettle them enough to see them refuse to turn out. I doubt that Labour will win seats but the Tories will lose seats by default. I cannot guess what impact this is going to have on brexit, this must be the biggest miscalculation since the Tories and Churchill in 1946?, the right are going to savage her if she does not increase the majority, Bojo, Gove et al, are going to have her for breakfast on the Saturday following. And meanwhile the whole of Europe is going to be having a laughfest at 'hapless Albion' Ruritania for ever and all because we are addicted to 'pomp and circumstances' My 90 year old grandma has always voted for the Conservatives, and has never voted for another party. She sent her postal vote last week with a cross next to the Lib Dems candidate! She actually thought about voting Labour, but someone told her that Jeremy Corbyn is a communist, so she thought she better hadn't! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BacktoDemocracy Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 10 minutes ago, LKC said: My 90 year old grandma has always voted for the Conservatives, and has never voted for another party. She sent her postal vote last week with a cross next to the Lib Dems candidate! She actually thought about voting Labour, but someone told her that Jeremy Corbyn is a communist, so she thought she better hadn't! What prompted that change. The sainted Theresa may have just taken too much for granted after experiencing no opposition as Home Secretary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BacktoDemocracy Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 2 hours ago, simmo said: Definitely fake news, a doctored extract of an interview which cuts Corbyns words off, published on Facebook because there are no controls over what can be published on there, another example of unregulated media being used to misrepresent so called news. This is as low and dirty as you can get, a political party actually indulging in the kind of antics that you would expect in the third world, and this bunch of liars are going to govern in the interests of all, you're having a laugh. This bunch go on and on about how a vote for them is a vote for strong govt. Lynton Crosby and his bunch of slimy reptiles should be sent back to Oz and told never to darken the portals of the so called"cradle of Democracy". This just makes this election a farce when they plumb these depths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 37 minutes ago, BacktoDemocracy said: What prompted that change. The sainted Theresa may have just taken too much for granted after experiencing no opposition as Home Secretary. I think a number of things really. I speak to her every Thursday, and she always has a pre-prepared list of questions for me about politics, things that are going on in the world etc, so we've had some quite robust discussions about UK political parties over the past few months which I think may have made her think about things in a different way, and make her understand that you don't have to vote for the same party that your father did (which is effectively what she was doing). She also said to me when I spoke to her last week, that although she voted for brexit in the referendum, she didn't like the path that the Conservatives were seeming to take. She feels that rather than getting on and negotiating a good outcome for all concerned, the Conservatives were basically spitting the dummy/making unacceptable threats with talk of no deal/tax haven stuff. I think the final nail in the coffin for the Conservatives was the winter fuel allowance and the 'dementia tax'. Not so much for her, she isn't wealthy by any stretch of the imagination but could manage without the winter fuel payment, and sold her house years ago so that can't be taken, but more on behalf of those people who are feeling the pinch. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Collie Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 Some different perspectives ‘Brexit ripped my heart out.’ How the UK Irish are voting ‘You either vote to improve your personal circumstances or to improve society’ about 6 hours ago Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and British prime minister Theresa May. Photograph: Andy Buchanan/Lindsey Parnaby/AFP/Getty Images As Britain prepares to go to the polls next week, Irish Times Abroad asks readers there who they intend to vote for, and why. Denise Power, living in Oxford, voting Labour “I will be voting for Labour even though my heart is Green. This will be the first time in any general election that I haven’t voted for the Green Party. Oxford will be a Tory stronghold, so even though I don’t want to vote strategically, there is a good reason to do so in this election. “Brexit ripped my heart out and made me feel unwelcome here. Only the fact that Oxford voted Remain has helped me recover from that. “With all elections or referendums you either vote to improve your personal circumstances or you vote to improve society. In this one, my vote will be used to improve society.” Brian Byrne, living in London, voting Conservative “In this election I’m faced with a dilemma of heart and head; my heart says for a better UK and a more collaborative society where people’s standard of living and potential in life is more equal, I would vote Labour with ease. But the reality of my situation is that I want my income to be protected, and being a high earner I would be in Labour’s sights from a taxation standpoint, which will lead my head to vote Conservative.” Joseph Heskin, living in Leamington Spa, voting Labour “Since I have been living in the UK, I have always voted Conservative. However, as a doctor, I have seen them wipe out the world’s greatest healthcare system without an ounce of regret. “Unfortunately the Lib Dems are currently as effective as a chocolate teapot, so for the first time in my life, and against every political fibre in my body, I am voting Labour, in the hope that it brings the UK a better future.” George Dundon, living in Devon, voting Liberal Democrat “I am an Irish national living in the UK since 2002, married to a German, with three children born here. Our one vote in our household is as precious to us as our EU citizenship. “Disgusted by the scapegoating of the Liberal Democrats in 2015 by the Tories, I joined the party soon after. The Brexit result and the Lib Dem offer of a referendum on the terms of the deal has vindicated my choice. “I have seen an open and tolerant nation have its soul gnawed from the inside out by fear, divisiveness and shameless political opportunism. I have been here for three national elections now, but this one is likely to be the most important in my lifetime.” Eoin Lyons, living in London, voting Labour “I live in the Vauxhall constituency of Kate Hoey, who has been a Labour MP since 1989. Despite my concern about her support for Brexit and occasional association with Nigel Farage, I will support Labour as I have done in the two other elections I have been here for. “I was tempted to vote tactically Liberal Democrat, but it could hand the seat to the Conservatives, which would be a disaster. If the Conservatives lose their majority things could get interesting.” Clyde McCrabbe, living in Berkshire, voting Conservative “I have seen first-hand how good an MP Theresa May – my local MP and now prime minister – is. Whether working tirelessly on local Maidenhead issues such as liaising with Great Western Railways to get us faster trains into and out of London, or on national issues such as Brexit, the prime minister is trustworthy, reliable and dependable.” John O’Brien, living in Glasgow, voting SNP “Ideally, I’d like to see Corbyn win. I know the Labour party is unlikely to win, but they have to be better than the Tories. The austerity cuts over here are brutal, and Theresa May looks out of her depth at every turn. “The problem we face is that as chaotic as the national Labour Party seem, Scottish Labour is in even worse shape. So in order to keep the Tories out, I’m voting for the best-placed party in my constituency to stop them: the SNP.” Alicia Mac Mahon, living in Edinburgh, voting Labour “I’m concerned about the direction the Conservatives are trying to take the UK. However, living in Scotland also adds an extra level of concern. I believe the SNP will do very well locally, but they can have little influence in Westminster, which is critical during Brexit negotiations. Also, the SNP appear to not want to work with Labour. It’s very much a waiting game albeit a frustrating one.” Richard Tynan, living in Cambridge, voting Labour “I’m a final-year student of computer science at Cambridge. I grew up in Laois and emigrated three years ago to study. I’ll be voting for Labour. Although my beliefs align mostly with the Liberal Democrats, I’ve been disappointed with their campaign this election. “Between the political climate and Brexit, I can’t help but feel a little hopeless when it comes to politics here.” Stephen Stokes, living in Southport, voting Lib Dem “As a former mayor of Greystones (2013-2014) and president of Bury Liberal Democrats (2016-present), I am proud to be supporting the Liberal Democrats. “Some of the highest-profile issues the Liberal Democrats have solutions for are Brexit, NHS and the economy. “Consistently the Liberal Democrats have put forward a positive vision for European unity. A bedrock value of liberalism is to secure open trade. Therefore the Liberal Democrats are calling for a referendum on any Brexit deal to ensure that a bad deal will not be railroaded through.” Heather Burke, living in Oxford, voting Labour I am studying law as an undergraduate at the University of Oxford. A lot of my friends have changed their votes from Labour to Lib Dem, as they see Jeremy Corbyn as a sinking ship, but I am determined to stick with him. Labour is tolerant and fair-minded and they have students and young people as a top priority; that’s why I’m voting for them.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Collie Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 A fair synopsis? UK election: the polls, the issues, the candidates Why isn’t Brexit a big issue? Why is Corbyn polling so strongly? Could May lose? about 6 hours ago Denis Staunton 1 Theresa May or Jeremy Corbyn? Yes, she could lose and he might win, but that is unlikely to happen. Photograph: Jack Hill and Andy Buchanan/ AFP/Getty Images Why is Britain going to the polls next week? The next election was not due until May 2020 and Theresa May needed a two-thirds majority in the House of Commons to bring it forward by three years. She said she needed a fresh mandate and a bigger majority to strengthen her hand in Brexit negotiations with the European Union. And she claimed that opposition parties and the House of Lords were threatening to obstruct legislation needed to take Britain out of the EU. In fact, the Conservatives have faced little parliamentary opposition over Brexit. But when May made the election announcement in May, polls showed the Conservatives more than 20 points ahead of Labour, pointing to a landslide victory. Winning a fresh mandate would also allow May to abandon some of David Cameron’s 2015 manifesto commitments and put her stamp on the government. And if she wins next week, she will not have to go to the country again until 2022, three years after Britain leaves the EU. This could take some pressure off the negotiations and allow for a transitional period to ease the adjustment of leaving. Has Brexit dominated the campaign? It has hardly figured at all. May started the campaign promising to provide “strong and stable leadership” for Brexit. But she has said little about her approach to the negotiations or the shape of the deal she hopes to secure, beyond repeating that “no deal is better than a bad deal”. The Conservatives put May at the centre of the campaign, framing the election as a choice between her leadership qualities and those of Jeremy Corbyn. Labour has avoided talking about Brexit for much of the campaign, partly because the party is divided on the issue and because most outgoing Labour MPs represented seats which voted to leave the EU. The Liberal Democrats hoped to win the support of diehard Remain voters with their promise of a referendum on the final Brexit deal, but the strategy has not shown much sign of success. What is at stake for Theresa May? Everything. She made herself the central plank of her party’s campaign, with merchandise bearing her name in huge letters and that of the party almost invisible. This meant that a landslide victory would be a powerful personal mandate, binding dozens of new MPs in loyalty to the prime minister. But she has run a calamitous campaign, the defining moment of which was her screeching U-turn over a key manifesto commitment on how the old should pay for social care. In a single move, she trashed her image of strength and stability and has been on the defensive ever since. If the Conservatives return with a majority of more than 100, all this campaign drama will be forgotten quickly. But if the majority is much smaller, the prime minister will be blamed, and her authority over her own party will start to evaporate. Is this Jeremy Corbyn’s last roll of the dice? Most of his MPs would like to think so but his allies argue that, if Labour wins a bigger share of the vote than it did in 2015 under Ed Miliband, Corbyn will have performed well. Miliband won just 30.4 per cent of the vote, and most polls put Labour a few points ahead of that. Labour had 229 seats before the election and Corbyn’s allies would regard holding 200 as a good enough result for him to stay on as leader. A number of challengers are limbering up but none will move immediately after the election. They will wait for the trade unions to make the first move in any attempt to persuade Corbyn to step aside. But if Labour does not win the election and Corbyn refuses to go, he will face a challenge. Will the latest polls cheer him up? Yes, the polls have tightened dramatically in recent weeks, with a YouGov poll this week putting the Conservatives just three points ahead of Labour. Corbyn’s own popularity has risen too, although he still lags well behind May as the best choice for prime minister in national polls. Corbyn can claim some credit for Labour’s improvement in the polls, not least because his easy, relaxed campaigning style has contrasted favourably with May’s uptight demeanour. And Labour’s manifesto, which was too left-wing for many of the party’s MPs, has been popular among voters. A promise to scrap third-level tuition fees has been especially popular with young voters, who are backing Labour by a margin of two to one. Corbyn’s problem is that young voters tend to be less likely than older ones to show up on polling day. He must hope that the unusual level of enthusiasm he has generated in the young will motivate them to defy precedent and go out and vote next week. What happened to the Lib Dems and Ukip? The Liberal Democrats were expected to be one of the success stories of this election, with pundits predicting that they would increase their seats from nine to 20 or 30. The party positioned itself as the voice of the 48 per cent who voted to remain in the EU last year, with an uncompromising approach to Brexit aimed at overturning the referendum decision. The strategy fizzled out within the first few days of the campaign as it became clear that Brexit was not the main focus for voters. With the Conservatives focusing on leadership and Labour on economic justice, the Liberal Democrats’ message on Europe got lost. Party leader Tim Farron lacks charisma, and polls suggest that, although the Liberal Democrats could pick up a couple of seats, they could also lose some, including Farron’s. Ukip’s vote started collapsing in last month’s local elections, when they won just one seat, and the party looks set to be wiped out next week. Paul Nuttall is a less effective leader than Nigel Farage but Ukip’s biggest problem is that, when Britain voted to leave the EU, success robbed the party of a purpose. Most of Ukip’s voters look set to vote Conservative, reuniting the British right after almost 20 years and boosting May’s chances of victory. What does the election mean for Northern Ireland? Northern Ireland elects 18 MPs, although Sinn Féin, which won four in 2015, does not take its seats at Westminster. Although one or two seats could change hands next week, a dramatic change in representation seems unlikely. The election could have an impact on Northern Ireland, however, if the Conservatives return with a much bigger majority. The narrow majority won by Cameron in 2015 propelled the Conservatives into a tacit agreement with the Democratic Unionist Party at Westminster. A bigger majority would make such an arrangement unnecessary. And Scotland? Could it lead to another referendum? The Scottish National Party’s (SNP) extraordinary haul of 56 out of Scotland’s 59 seats in 2015 is unlikely to be repeated next week. Two of the party’s MPs lost the whip during the last parliament due to scandals and became Independents. But the biggest threat to the SNP comes from a resurgent Scottish Conservative Party under Ruth Davidson. A poll in the Herald on Friday suggested that the Conservatives could increase their Scottish seats from one to eight, toppling a number of high-profile figures in the SNP, including deputy leader Angus Roberston. The SNP have tried to avoid talking about independence during this campaign but the Conservatives want to speak of little else. They hope to consolidate the anti-independence vote behind Davidson, who opposes the SNP’s plan to hold a second independence referendum. A strong showing for the Conservatives would still leave the SNP with the overwhelming majority of Scotland’s Westminster seats but it will make a second independence referendum a little less likely. Could Theresa May lose the election? Yes, but she probably won’t. Despite Labour’s poll surge, every poll still has the Conservatives ahead, and none has put May’s party below 42 per cent since the campaign started. The Conservatives won 99 more seats than Labour in 2015, so it would have to suffer heavy losses for Labour to become the biggest party at Westminster. Ukip’s collapse helps the Conservatives, because most of the eurosceptic party’s voters are expected to back May and in 45 seats, Labour’s majority is less than two thirds of the vote Ukip won in 2015. And the Liberal Democrats, who were expected to regain many of the seats they lost to the Conservatives last time, are now seen as a threat in only a handful of places. May’s problem is that early talk of a landslide means that even a comfortable majority of 40 or 50 will leave some Conservatives feeling disappointed – or even mutinous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Collie Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 There is a fundamental issue with the way that the UK elects their MPS with the first past the post system. It disciminates against smaller parties and quite often leads to MPs being elected who do not have the support of the majority of the voters in their constituency. A single transferable vote is a much better system. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 2 minutes ago, Collie said: There is a fundamental issue with the way that the UK elects their MPS with the first past the post system. It disciminates against smaller parties and quite often leads to MPs being elected who do not have the support of the majority of the voters in their constituency. A single transferable vote is a much better system. The STV/proportional representation system is used in Scottish local elections (and in NI). We're moving to Scotland in a couple of months, so I've been reading up! It does seem a fairer way of voting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Collie Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 13 minutes ago, LKC said: The STV/proportional representation system is used in Scottish local elections (and in NI). We're moving to Scotland in a couple of months, so I've been reading up! It does seem a fairer way of voting. Good luck with the move. It is far fairer, in a single seat constituency, it is the first to get >50% of the vote that wins. Your vote counts through the eliminations. You could vote as follows and if it ends up as Labour v Tories for the seat and you are a a Green or EDL supporter you can make your vote count all the way through, while still voting for your 1st preference 1 The Greens 2 Lib Dems 3 Labour or 1 English Defence league 2 UKIP 3 Tories 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BacktoDemocracy Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 1 hour ago, LKC said: I think a number of things really. I speak to her every Thursday, and she always has a pre-prepared list of questions for me about politics, things that are going on in the world etc, so we've had some quite robust discussions about UK political parties over the past few months which I think may have made her think about things in a different way, and make her understand that you don't have to vote for the same party that your father did (which is effectively what she was doing). She also said to me when I spoke to her last week, that although she voted for brexit in the referendum, she didn't like the path that the Conservatives were seeming to take. She feels that rather than getting on and negotiating a good outcome for all concerned, the Conservatives were basically spitting the dummy/making unacceptable threats with talk of no deal/tax haven stuff. I think the final nail in the coffin for the Conservatives was the winter fuel allowance and the 'dementia tax'. Not so much for her, she isn't wealthy by any stretch of the imagination but could manage without the winter fuel payment, and sold her house years ago so that can't be taken, but more on behalf of those people who are feeling the pinch. She sounds admirably independent and able to make judgements, I hope I am still as aware at that age. She seems much more able to accommodate new thinking than many on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 7 minutes ago, BacktoDemocracy said: She sounds admirably independent and able to make judgements, I hope I am still as aware at that age. She seems much more able to accommodate new thinking than many on here. She's incredible! My mum (nan's daughter) won't even have clocked that there is a general election! Nan often says to me that she's learned more since I moved to Australia than ever before, because we spend a dedicated 90 minutes on the phone every week, where we can talk about absolutely everything and I can look things up for her. Before that we spoke most days, but it tended to be mundane 'weather talk' if you know what I mean! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 4 hours ago, NicF said: [The Tory ad] includes a clip from Corbyn’s appearance on Sky News last month when interviewer Sophy Ridge asked whether he could “condemn unequivocally the IRA”. The Labour leader said: “Look, bombing is wrong, all bombing is wrong, of course I condemn it.” Ridge responded: “But you’re condemning all bombing, can you condemn the IRA without equating it to.” Corbyn said: “No.” The clip was cut off there but the full quote was: “No, I think what you have to say is all bombing has to be condemned and you have to bring about a peace process. Listen, in the 1980s Britain was looking for a military solution, it clearly was never going to work. Ask anyone in the British army at the time … I condemn all the bombing by the loyalists and the IRA.” Labour accuses Tories of fake news over video of Corbyn IRA comments Widely shared attack ad uses misleading edit of Corbyn’s interview on Sky News, cut to suggest he did not condemn bombing THEGUARDIAN.COM LikeShow More Reactions CommentShare https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/02/labour-accuses-tories-of-fake-news-over-video-of-corbyn-ira-comments Utter Disgrace. To think these lying for rags run the country? What more lies have they told? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 3 minutes ago, newjez said: Utter Disgrace. To think these lying for rags run the country? What more lies have they told? When the Daily Mail ran the story, they didn't even put the appropriate clip in the piece. Instead they put a clip about immigration. Of course the frothing at the mouth DM readers didn't care, and lapped up the misinformation they'd been fed with gusto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 6 hours ago, Collie said: There is a fundamental issue with the way that the UK elects their MPS with the first past the post system. It disciminates against smaller parties and quite often leads to MPs being elected who do not have the support of the majority of the voters in their constituency. A single transferable vote is a much better system. God yes, but sadly the British people were to stupid to understand this. I don't like Australia's system where you need to number every candidate though. I much prefer optional preferential voting, where you can choose to pass your vote down if you wish. But the current system is stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BacktoDemocracy Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Just watched the news, national and local, May's cuts of the police and intelligence services as Home Secretary are becoming a talking point and it is a point that cuts through to the heart of running the country, "Strong and Stable" just ain't going to cut it. I doubt that May will improve her majority, the head that wears the crown is looking less and less stable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 On 03/06/2017 at 12:48, Collie said: Good luck with the move. It is far fairer, in a single seat constituency, it is the first to get >50% of the vote that wins. Your vote counts through the eliminations. You could vote as follows and if it ends up as Labour v Tories for the seat and you are a a Green or EDL supporter you can make your vote count all the way through, while still voting for your 1st preference 1 The Greens 2 Lib Dems 3 Labour or 1 English Defence league 2 UKIP 3 Tories LOL, the EDL aren't a political party! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmo Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 54 minutes ago, Quoll said: LOL, the EDL aren't a political party! don't spoil it for him 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 On 04/06/2017 at 04:14, newjez said: God yes, but sadly the British people were to stupid to understand this. I don't like Australia's system where you need to number every candidate though. I much prefer optional preferential voting, where you can choose to pass your vote down if you wish. But the current system is stupid. You don't have to number every candidate in Australia, that is a myth. I like the compulsion to vote here too. You can opt to spoil your ballot but you must show up and your vote is more likely to count for something than it would where I lived in the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 1 hour ago, Gbye grey sky said: You don't have to number every candidate in Australia, that is a myth. I like the compulsion to vote here too. You can opt to spoil your ballot but you must show up and your vote is more likely to count for something than it would where I lived in the UK. You did when I counted votes, but that was some years ago. Obviously you can follow party lines. But if you start numbering, then I was sure you had to number all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 (edited) 12 minutes ago, newjez said: You did when I counted votes, but that was some years ago. Obviously you can follow party lines. But if you start numbering, then I was sure you had to number all? I worked at a polling station last year and counted votes for the Federal Government. Many voted for a single candidate and those votes counted just the same. Others made just 2 or 3 preferences. All are counted. it is a myth that is largely perpretrated by the two main parties as they are aware that fringe parties often attract first preferences but are unlikely to be elected so they seek to persuade such voters to give them 2nd preference so that they gain these votes on the 2nd round. Edited June 5, 2017 by Gbye grey sky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 12 minutes ago, Gbye grey sky said: I worked at a polling station last year and counted votes for the Federal Government. Many voted for a single candidate and those votes counted just the same. Others made just 2 or 3 preferences. All are counted. it is a myth that is largely perpretrated by the two main parties as they are aware that fringe parties often attract first preferences but are unlikely to be elected so they seek to persuade such voters to give them 2nd preference so that they gain these votes on the 2nd round. http://www.aec.gov.au/Voting/How_to_Vote/ It sort of is, and sort of isn't. House of representatives you can leave one blank. Senate, six in the top, or twelve in the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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