if the election was held today (UK)

[D_Andreas Sukov]

i would say it would ammuse us mre than anything.

 

[798686]

:tongue:

 

[Jason]

When the NE of England had its referendum a few years back on the issue of establishing regional parliaments within England (a crackpot idea which the people of the NE rejected) the English district of Berwick gave serious thought to leaving this proposed region and joining Scotland.

Berwick-upon-Tweed was a Scottish city under English occupation at the time of the union of the crowns of England and Scotland and has remained a bit of an oddity. Today it is in England but its football team is considered Scottish. However the district of Berwick is bigger than the city and covers areas that have always been England, for example the seaside town of Seahouses. Yet there seemed to be a fair measure of support for joining Scotland even from here. From the perspective of North Northumberland London seems pretty remote, but Edinburgh is on the doorstep.

More seriously best practice identified by Scotland in any matter should be introduced in England - and vice versa. My view is that we need better systems for doing just this (and also with Wales, NI, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar and perhaps even Ireland). The proposed framework is an umbrella organisation "The Council of the Isles".

 

[123scotty]

yes i agree england should be involved in the process. the 300 year old union wasnt really well written and is best well by its sell by date. it needs rewritten to reflect what the countries need now. as a side line i read somewhere about a one world government. unbiased as i am could i suggest maybe edinburgh ?

 

[Jason]

The Act of Union has functioned for 300+ years. It worked, safeguarded the Scottish legal system and the Church of Scotland, and is now a framework within which the devolved parliament works. As human documents go that isn't bad. If during the last 300 years - or at any time in the future - there is a settled majority in Scotland for independence then Scotland will become an independent nation.

The contrasts with the Act of Union and the Lisbon Treaty are stark. Does the Lisbon treaty preserve the integrity of national laws? Does it encourage national churches? Does it allow for the repatriation of powers to the nation states? And does anyone in their worst nightmares think that this abhorrent treaty will still be informing our laws in more than 300 years.

 

[mitchymo]

And does anyone in their worst nightmares think that this abhorrent treaty will still be informing our laws in more than 300 years.

Of course not, we'el all be living on Europa by then.

 

[tomthelad91]

It doesn't really matter who I vote for - this is a very very safe Labour seat.
Who says democracy gives the power to change ^

 

[123scotty]

It doesn't really matter who I vote for - this is a very very safe Labour seat.
Who says democracy gives the power to change ^

scotland as an example has been a labour strong hold for a very long time. it is only in recent past enough people who want change voted different.your vote counts and if enough people agree with you things will change. thats what democratic voting is about.

 

[Jason]

It doesn't really matter who I vote for - this is a very very safe Labour seat.
Who says democracy gives the power to change ^

It matters.

You are right that a feature of our constituency system is that it is only the marginals that acutually make a difference for the next parliament. While there are more of these than ever before they are still a minority.

But in a safe Labour seat in the West Mids your vote still matters. It certainly serves as an opinion poll. There is a real danger of fringe parties - particularly BNP - showing well in such seats and a vote for a mainstrem party would dilute their showing. The sort of funding that parties will in the future put into such constituencies depends in part on the way the figures stack.

One scenario is that after the election Labour go from bad to worse. As a party they are financially broke. Legislation to restrict donations from organisations (which we will probably get) would restrict Trades Union donations to Labour. We could soon be looking at a scenario where the Lib Dems are the opposition with Labour a rump party. In such circumstances constituencies that were solid Labour become future marginals.

Or if this seems too academic then vote because you can. It is part of our democratic legacy, part of what it means to be British.

 

[798686]

Of course not, we'el all be living on Europa by then.

Rather than in it? :tongue:

 

[freyasworld]

There was only one honest person in the Houses of Parliament....but they killed him Guy Fawkes!

 

[freyasworld]

lol!


i think we need to realise, we are not by any means a bog country any more. if we say to china, "dont do this" why would they listen? they have no reason to. the Olympic threat is a good idea. but if we bar their athletes we would recieve far more pressure from countries then support. to encourgage disruption of national anthems is also a bad idea. that sort of behaviour is not tolerated in any sport. for a government to encourage it of a particular nation would make us look childish

Hit them with an import tariff, oops all of a sudden cheap chinese products are not so cheap anymore! trade war....bring it on, afterall what do they buy from Britain...few landrovers!

 

[Drifterwood]

Hit them with an import tariff, oops all of a sudden cheap chinese products are not so cheap anymore! trade war....bring it on, afterall what do they buy from Britain...few landrovers!

Oh Lord

The EU uses very stringent tariffs already and then yeah, find me circuit board manufacturers in the UK.

I don't want to be rude Freya, but you are somewhat behind the game.

 

[freyasworld]

Oh Lord

The EU uses very stringent tariffs already and then yeah, find me circuit board manufacturers in the UK.

I don't want to be rude Freya, but you are somewhat behind the game.

Invotec.....europes largest supplier of PCB's with turnover of >45mil and a British company! That's just one that springs to mind....so no I am not behind the game, if there is a level playing field then any company/country can compete! If there is a gap in the market then someone will fill it.

 

[123scotty]

Invotec.....europes largest supplier of PCB's with turnover of >45mil and a British company! That's just one that springs to mind....so no I am not behind the game, if there is a level playing field then any company/country can compete! If there is a gap in the market then someone will fill it.

i agree there is some very good manufacturing pcb and chip suppliers still operating in the uk. but mass market processors i.e. like intel and i think amd are using china as a manufacturing base. more labour available at very cheap pricing. i dont agree with chinas labour practices or some of its polices. but tariff barriers only act as a protection for poor performing companies lacking vision and investment. i remember seventies britain the same old swill was dished up then. china is a world workshop at the moment but then again so was east germany , hong kong , tiwan, korea, the cheap labour circus only stays in town for so long before it moves on to the next town. the world is a small place and goods can be shipped from and to anywhere. you have to be in front have ideas , vision, imagination,inventors, and thats what countries like china lack. thats what we have.