The Election

['Press Start']

and it looks like all the power is ultimately with that smug Clegg character

Things could always be worse:

[vanpeebles]

Those eyes look very reptilian....

[NekoFever]

There has not been a single government in at least 30 years that held more than 50% popular support. Ours is an elected dictatorship, and these negotiations could yield a government with genuine popular support for the first time in my life.

It's even worse. The last time a government was elected by a majority of the electorate was 1931.

I fully support whatever gets us towards proportional representation. FPTP does create "strong" governments, but like pat says, it's an elected dictatorship, because more often than not a party with the backing of a minority of the public gets carte blanche to pass what it likes.

Look at 1979, where we got a landslide towards the most right-wing government in modern history, when more than half the people voted for the left-wing, progressive parties.

[Shez]

Labour promised the Lib Dems a referendum in 1997 regarding proportional representation - Still waiting.

[KIT786]

But if Labour don't give us a referendum can't the Lib Dims simply jump ship to the Tories and vote for a motion of non-confidence? and vise-versa

[Prototype]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gkHwU4DRA8

Boulton vs Campbell

The sky coverage to this has been shocking, as well as the rest of the news corporation. It just makes me hope that Labour get more power. Sky are backing Tories because Cameron wants to get rid of Ofcom.

[Charlie]

I've never trusted Sky. The protestors (who are largely reacting to the bullying seen in the first video) heard in the second clip sum up my feelings on Murdoch's corporation.

[Prototype]

Burley should be sacked. After the Andre debacle and also trying to protect Lampard because her husband is his agent. She and the other **** are supposed to be neutral. Hope Ofcom get a lot of complaints over her and the fatty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw9RL2leKw4

[Prototype]

I missed this too. He was at it again afterwards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NWAkxKQLQs&feature

Must be after a payrise.

[Charlie]

Haha. On that evidence I think it's fair to say Sky News is becoming the UK equivalent of Fox News (also owned by Murdoch) who's presenters frequently verbally attack and belittle guests who voice opposing opinions to that of the station. It's why I cancelled my Sky subscription, I didn't feel comfortable supporting Murdoch's propaganda machine, shame as I loved watching the documentary channels. And freeview is ****.

[merf]

this is really getting unseemly, the Lib Dems are a minority party who are now hawking themselves around in a grubby attempt to secure some power to the highest bidder, its like watching some old slapper trying to find the highest bidder at a nightclub, will they give up the goodies to the bloke who offered a bag of chips & battered sausage or the one offering a cranberry breezer ?

for all his talk of 'new politics' and 'failed old politics' Clegg is showing himself to be exactly the same as all of them, not that many doubted it.

[dataDave]

Haha. On that evidence I think it's fair to say Sky News is becoming the UK equivalent of Fox News (also owned by Murdoch) who's presenters frequently verbally attack and belittle guests who voice opposing opinions to that of the station. It's why I cancelled my Sky subscription, I didn't feel comfortable supporting Murdoch's propaganda machine, shame as I loved watching the documentary channels. And freeview is ****.

I just boycott television completely. I have done since before leaving home.

I don't pay fees or even a TV license. They reckon they can sting me with that on the internet usage but if they think they're all pro on knowing what we do online thesedays if they can prove in court that I've watched TV on the internet I'll gladly pay the £1,000 fine.

The only time I watch TV is in hotel rooms when getting ready, and even then it's just cartoons.

[ChrisF]

I have done since before leaving home.

I love it when people say they don't live at home anymore Where do you live then?!

[Charlie]

I just boycott television completely. I have done since before leaving home.

I don't pay fees or even a TV license. They reckon they can sting me with that on the internet usage but if they think they're all pro on knowing what we do online thesedays if they can prove in court that I've watched TV on the internet I'll gladly pay the ?1,000 fine.

The only time I watch TV is in hotel rooms when getting ready, and even then it's just cartoons.

TV's almost entirely ****, I agree, but I don't have any qualms paying for a TV license as I feel the BBC is one of the few things Britain can feel genuinely proud of. That's not to say the BBC don't churn out crap, they do, they churn out a lot of crap, but they also produce some of the finest, and more importantly, engaging television and radio in the world; programmes that actually engage the brain and serve, not to merely entertain, but to educate, inform and inspire people on matters of nature, travel, science, music and art. I have a lot of respect for the BBC.

[toythatkills]

And sport, man, sport! If there's no licence fee, Match of the Day goes back to ITV, and we all get Andy Townsend talking about football between advert breaks.