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Mootoo
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16 Jul 2015, 6:32 pm

I'm trying to think of ways to combat the sheer hypocrisy spouting from their every pour... but how? Posting online is all I can do currently, but how would that change them? I'm thinking of possibly either starting petitions, sending complaints... but what else? The problem is that all these seeming zombies who are probably addicted to Britain's Got Talent just secretly voted for them... and now they think they have a mandate to do anything. I guess if concentration camps was on their manifesto they'll assume they'll have a mandate too...

Ultimately, I hope the SNP kicks them straight in their vile balls...



Fnord
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16 Jul 2015, 6:38 pm

Infiltrate their ranks. Work from within to stymie their efforts while keeping a low profile and using every passive-aggressive trick you can think of.



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16 Jul 2015, 6:49 pm

I think your phrase about them thinking they have a mandate to do anything is a bit over the top. Post-war history shows that governments elected with overall majorities as small as Cameron's either struggle to get much done (eg Atlee's second government, 1950-51), or are torn apart by dissent within their own ranks (Callaghan's Labour government 1976-79, Major's Tory government 1992-97). I think that if things are going to unravel for the Tories, that's how it will happen.

It's unlikely to come about as a result of extra-parliamentary opposition, which has been pathetically weak since Thatcher crushed the mineworkers in 1984-85: the Anti- Iraq war demos had very little impact against the Blair government, and attempts by Trade Unions to rally opposition to the Coalitions policies on thing like pension reform were equally ineffectual. I don't think there's much you personally can do.....



The_Walrus
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16 Jul 2015, 7:07 pm

Join Labour, and vote for candidates in this order:

1) Kendall
2) Cooper
3) Burnham
4) Corbyn

That's the order in which they are likely to take votes off the Conservatives and win election in 2020. Not only are they likely to directly take votes off the Conservatives, but the further Labour are to the right, historically the better that third parties have done (see: 1997).

Seem a bit short term? I think writing to your MP is the best strategy. Be aware of by-elections and volunteer to help the party most likely to win who isn't the Tories (even if you don't live locally, phone calls can help). Local and regional elections as well as Parliamentary by-elections. That's assuming your strategy is simply to undermine the Tories. If you find any other parties equally reprehensible then factor that in.

Find MPs who are supportive of your cause and support them, even informally. Be that Corbyn and Lucas or Davis and Carswell, I think encouraging those people can only help you.



Mootoo
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17 Jul 2015, 5:00 am

DeepHour, if small majorities can't do much how are they managing to piss off not only the lawyers but doctors too? And destroy the unions? Sure, they backed off from the ridiculous vote on fox hunting, but they seem like they're going ahead with banning flower smelling and possibly the Human Rights Act. Because, a one-party state that disregards both animals and humans' life is exactly what we currently need with Putin and other extremists around...

Not to mention the budget, which affects so many and has been criticized by so many... they can just do that without even a vote? What kind of democracy is this? Osborne can just do exactly what his hedgefunders want without anyone being able to do anything except complain while inequality and social strife increases? (Knife crime and unemployment just went up.)

Oh, and, thank goodness for the courts who just overruled them over the snoopers' charter...



The_Walrus
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17 Jul 2015, 6:35 am

Mootoo wrote:

Not to mention the budget, which affects so many and has been criticized by so many... they can just do that without even a vote?

No, there are votes.

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(Knife crime and unemployment just went up.)
Not worth looking into. Tiny increases after a long term period of decline. If these trends continue in the next few quarters, then you've got something to shout about.



Mootoo
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17 Jul 2015, 6:48 am

Votes where? Between Osborne and his Eton chums? Who could vote that could possibly have a differing opinion?

By the way, the BBC and the NHS too, which are probably going to be abolished in the next few years... all possible with a tiny majority?

Oh, and it's hilarious that I actually agreed with two ministers in the last two days about both prisons closing and the prosecution of MH17. But, what would one know, they might have some sense at some point.



The_Walrus
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17 Jul 2015, 9:49 am

Mootoo wrote:
Votes where? Between Osborne and his Eton chums? Who could vote that could possibly have a differing opinion?

Osborne didn't go to Eton. The budget requires a majority of MPs to pass. If all the Conservatives vote for it then that's a majority of elected Parliamentary representatives.

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By the way, the BBC and the NHS too, which are probably going to be abolished in the next few years... all possible with a tiny majority?

The BBC and the NHS won't be abolished.



Mootoo
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17 Jul 2015, 10:05 am

I'm delighted you're so certain, but I wouldn't be so much myself...



starfox
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17 Jul 2015, 1:02 pm

Join the peoples assembly. Keep up to date with news, events, conservative policy and look for loopholes.


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The_Walrus
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17 Jul 2015, 1:17 pm

Mootoo wrote:
I'm delighted you're so certain, but I wouldn't be so much myself...

OK, let me put that another way: there is no reason whatsoever to think that either institution will be abolished. The government has just released a report about the future of the BBC which doesn't remotely suggest getting rid of it, and it repeatedly issues statements in favour of the NHS. Abolishing either would be electoral suicide and would be undone by the next government.

You'd be wasting your time to worry about either happening. It would be like worrying about nuclear war.



Mootoo
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17 Jul 2015, 3:24 pm

I doubt it's suicide when they were already playing with the NHS' privatization in the coalition and yet they got a slim majority. Emergency services were even suffering just before the election, and yet they got a majority. People's voting reasons are weird.



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17 Jul 2015, 5:05 pm

Just ignore the government. Work for change where you are. Go plant an allotment. Learn a skill. Start a microbusiness. Maybe run for the local council.



starfox
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17 Jul 2015, 5:16 pm

I even think you might be right magneto. If we did that we would change society anyways. I'd still keep an eye on what's going on but small actions over a long period of time have far more power and impact than one quick large action.


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0_equals_true
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17 Jul 2015, 5:21 pm

The_Walrus wrote:
Join Labour, and vote for candidates in this order:

1) Kendall
2) Cooper
3) Burnham
4) Corbyn

That's the order in which they are likely to take votes off the Conservatives and win election in 2020. Not only are they likely to directly take votes off the Conservatives, but the further Labour are to the right, historically the better that third parties have done (see: 1997).


Tbh Labour has lost so much credibility, there is big question mark whether they would remain the second party, it is a dependent on if Lib Dems might can convince the public that without clegg, they would be a credible challenge.

Certainly the current runner have so little creditably it would have to be another leadership election (remember the conservatives had several leader in opposition).

In fact the candidates that withdrew, probably did so for that reason, they didn't think the party was ready for them.



0_equals_true
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17 Jul 2015, 5:23 pm

Mootoo wrote:
I doubt it's suicide when they were already playing with the NHS' privatization in the coalition and yet they got a slim majority. Emergency services were even suffering just before the election, and yet they got a majority. People's voting reasons are weird.


The NHS has a serious problem no matter how you cut it, whoever is in power will have to deal with it.

Either NI will have to go up for some. Or there will need to be some supplement based on use, like in Europe.