2015 UK General Election

[Saxmoof]

[I_am_not_mafia]

The situation for Miliband in this election isn't do a deal with the SNP or the tories get in, the tories still won't be able to make a majority even with ukip, the lib dems and the dup

You have to admit it's unfair for a country of 5.5 million people to hold the balance of power over the other 55 million, I know that Scottish people have had Tory policies forced on them that no one there wanted over the years but everyone where i'm from in the north of England could say the same, where's our independence? 

1) If Miliband doesn't want anything to do with the SNP and the Tories can't get in either then there will be a re-election.
2) The country voted to keep first-past-the-post rather than AV so the UK has collectively asked for a system that allows situations where any small minority can hold the power.
3) Fight for regional devolution from Westminster like the Scots have if that's what you want. Hopefully as happened with the Scots though it won't take many decades.

[downbeatplumb]

Just after World War 2 manufacturing was 40% of the UK economy today it is 20% half of what it was the decline has been relentless.

The service industry now accounts for 66% of the economy.

How else can I see this other than a shift from manufacturing to service based economy?

Never said there wasn't. In fact, I said we had a tertiary based economy, which is true. Seriously, re-read what I said and see it for yourself. I also made no comment about the diversification of the UK economy from Manufacturing to Tertiary. I agree that's happened, and disagree that that is inherently bad. Services are a requirement of our global economy.

Services are a vital part of economies true but the traditional way to extricate a country from a recession is through manufacturing exports.
Maybe the UK overall isn't as bad as I had though. However the manufacturing is being concentrated. Take my town for example. We used to have a large TV factory, Chemical plant and a wall paper factory, all gone to be replaced with service industries employing a few where once hundreds worked.

The manufacturing jobs just aren't there.

Talking of percentages of the economy isn't very helpful. You can have a 99% secondary sector economy and it still produce less than 10th of a tertiary sector (exports don't just mean hard goods/raw materials). My point is that when people say 'the UK doesn't have a manufacturing sector' or 'the UK doesn't produce anything' , they are touting a demonstrable and factual untruth.

Maybe we produce but do we employ?
Does this support societies like it used to?
It doesn't appear to.

Again, I don't know where it comes from, but the UK produces hundreds of billions of pounds worth of exports and goods for consumption (BOP in favour of exports is not universally good, either).

Again, to reiterate, the only two points (facts) I'm trying to make in response here is that the UK is neither an economy that produces nothing nor is it 'irrelevant' on the global economic and social stage. It is a major player in both, one of the most powerful in fact. I haven't made any other points that can be responded to, including trident and how great Germany is. I don't care about either of those points.

Fair enough.

[ReptilianPeon]

[downbeatplumb]

One thing about UK elections they are quick.
The US seems to be deep in debate about theirs and it's not till next year.

[Edwardo Piet]

Labour if I vote. Like Labour about as much as Lib Dem. Anti-UKIP, Anti-Tory, like green more than Labour and Lib Dem but think Labour have the best chance of actually beating Tories and UKIP.

[Napoléon]

[Edwardo Piet]

Might as well vote whatever can beat Tory/UKIP

[robvalue]

I notice that David Cameron has been using the "shirt sleeves rolled up" tactic lately. I think it's supposed to make us believe he's "one of the people".

Maybe I'm being too cynical. Maybe he just wanted to roll his sleeves up. What fucking business is it of mine anyway? Twat.

[Edwardo Piet]

It's to prove he is not a true magician.