Just received from the Daily Politics...
"About two thirds of British people believe Gordon Brown should call a General Election as early as possible, according to an Opinion Poll conducted for BBC2's Daily Politics programme, to be broadcast today at 12:00pm.When asked in the poll if they thought Gordon Brown should call a General Election at the earliest possible opportunity, 65% agreed, compared with 33% who disagreed.
The poll also asked whether MPs named and shamed in the newspapers over their expense claims should be forced to stand down from Parliament. Again about two thirds (64%) agreed, compared with 34% who disagreed. People polled from the lower social group, DE, are more critical of MPs than people from the higher social group, AB. 73% of social class DE said in our poll that MPs named and shamed in the newspapers over their expense claims should be forced to stand down from Parliament compared with 51% from social class AB.
And on the possible effect on turnout, 28% of those polled said they were less likely to vote in the forthcoming European Elections because of the revelations about MPs' expenses. However, 25% said they were more likely to vote. 47% said it would make no difference."
I wish he would but no chance. Can any of you see Gutless Brown calling an election this week? He'll wait and hope the country suffers a collective senior moment and forget
ReplyDeleteI actually think 65 percent in the current climate is quite low.
ReplyDeleteMuch as an election might be nice, I don't think it would be appropriate. An election should be about the future of our country, not the past of some MP's. Any election now wouldn't focus on the economy, health, education or any of the other issues that are crucial for the future.
ReplyDelete'Scuse me guvnor. I wus wondrin ow I can get some of this 'ere house renovatin' free of charge?
ReplyDeleteI fancy a second 'ome in London as well, and I can tell a pork-pie as quick as the rest of 'em, so I'd be up for makin' a good politician.
I'm 'appy to take a bung for changin' a law or two, and the old trouble and strife is good at cleanin' so I should be able to make a bob-or-two there. Wat cher fink?
Call an election?
ReplyDeleteNot without the government losing its majority in a HC vote of no confidence.
Steve Richards is a right wet leftie prat. He's attacking the public now because more and more Liebour politicians are being found out. When the Tories were getting beaten up by the DT where was Richards then?
ReplyDeleteWill Crappison be de-selected?
ReplyDeleteWho the hell in their right mind would want to win an election just now?
ReplyDeleteWe should just let Broon stew in his own scotch broth until he either quits and gets out of politics completely - some hope. And then let his successor stew in his own juice until the election next May. By then Cameron might have a chance of turning things round but not until he gets rid of the ghastly Letwin and starts to do his own thinking and writing his own manifesto.
I think can safely assume he knows the story about turkey and christmas.
ReplyDeleteI think that if an election were announced in the next week or two, I'd actually stand as an independent.
ReplyDeleteConsidering the current climate against the incumbent parties, I might actually stand a chance!
(of actually getting elected or just saving my deposit I leave to you)
Acting in anger never leads to anything good. Before the expenses scandal I would have agreed with an early election, but I fear if we went to the polls now we'd see extremists in the Commons and lose well behaved, honourable MPs in the process. I think Parliament needs time to put the system right and the public need to make an objective assessment of our own MPs
ReplyDeleteI am in the majority then for a change, and am not surpirsed by the poll results.
ReplyDeleteChances of a GE actually being called though?...
Absolutely right - GE in October. It gives everyone time to make their cases to their constituencies and to the electorate, who will decide on individuals and parties.
ReplyDeleteIt makes a new start to the political process and allows parliament to regain its moral authority - which it has lost, thus making it discredited and ineffective.
Will Gord have the guts? Perhaps if he is pushed by opinion polls like this one - it might even count in his favour a little, though I would expect him to be swept away in the GE whenever it happens.
Thought this was pretty funny from The Daily Mash
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thedailymash.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1763&Itemid=28
Would you care to remind us all of the size of the pay-offs that those leaving Westminster receive out of our pockets, please, Iain?
ReplyDeleteAlso, are there any precedents for MPs (disgraced or otherwise) not taking these various grants (or their pension), or are we we all going to get it up the jacksy once more even as we lance the pus from the boil?
I watched you on the lunch time news Iain, defending the indefensible, i.e. the 'good, hard working' MPs who have not claimed anything.
ReplyDeleteTosh. They were part of the system and must have known what was going on, and that it was wrong.
I am reminded of the quote ‘The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.’
Any sitting MP not standing down/retiring/being kicked out, of any party, will be dreading a GE. You can just imagine the leafleting that will going on: “That b***** had you the taxpayer pay for his/her armchair/TV/teabags/whatever, but I will be honest etc..”.
ReplyDeleteI guess if you are feeling a bit "short" at the moment and need the money an early election could be welcome for some of that lot
ReplyDelete"MPs who lose their seat or stand down receive between six and 12 months’ salary, equivalent to £32,383 to £64,766, depending on their age and length of service. They can also claim a maximum of £40,799 for “winding-up costs” to terminate office leases and pay off staff, including spouses who worked for them. Ministers get three months’ salary in addition when they leave the Government."
Looks like Labour are stuck with Brown then as any replacement would have to go to the country straight away anyway.
ReplyDeleteLabour are in deep trouble.
The Conservative Party is full of saboteurs. Today Christopher Chope, supported by 11 other Tory idiots - will attack the minimum wage in the House.
ReplyDeletePerhaps we should simply deselect the whole bloody lot of them and start again in the hopes of finding MPs who are sane, honest and hard working. Intelligence not an essential.
Conservative Party in the European Elections?
ReplyDeletetinyurl.com/wheresclarky
One of Iain's favourite bloggers, Craig Murray, has just launched a petition asking the Queen to dissolve parliament.
ReplyDeleteIain, I request you highlight this as it is an important step to restoring faith in parliament.
Link here
There is a new petition on the No10 website...
ReplyDeletehttp://petitions.number10.gov.uk/GoToCountryNow/
I've just signed it. Can we get more signatures than the 'resign' petition?
wv batty (honest)
An election now wouldn't be a step towards restoring faith in Parliament. Rather it would be chance for the BNP to make significant gains at the expense of the mainstream parties, and possibly even take a seat or two. Even if they don't, any significant increase in their share of the national vote would start to give them something of a popular mandate and would encourage them keep pressing their racist drivel on the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteI'm happier to wait til next year (no way Gordo's going to move before then), and see people make more considered choices once the dust has settled. There will still be casualties of the current scandal, but less knee-jerking.
The country is crying out for a General Election. Its not knee jerk, they want a new Parliament with a fresh mandate that must put reform at the top of its pile.
ReplyDeletevery few of us believe that the present incumbants can be trusted with any sort of reform. I honestly dont think that brown can now lumber on for another year, i dont think his health will hold out quite honestly.
Election now and nothing else will do.