You don't really understand how voting works in this country.
Nick Clegg was elected, as was Gordon Brown. The people don't elect PMs.
( Kroney, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:03, 1 reply, 13 years ago)

The people didn't vote for a coalition directly either
they just got one by default due to the result and some power politics by one N.Clegg.
(localboy purveyor of pisspoor puns, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:06, Reply)

They voted for the MPs in their constituencies.
We don't vote for which party wins the Parliament. That is not what our votes are for. That is decided by mathematics. The fact that a coalition happened is down to maths.

What I'm saying here is it's nothing to do with us. We vote for our local MPs. That's it. Saying that anyone is unelected or whatever is as inaccurate as it is nonsensical.
( Kroney, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:09, Reply)

Kroney, you are unelected
Is that inaccurate or nonsensical?
( Peej, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:12, Reply)

I am not an MP.

( Kroney, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:13, Reply)

So people vote for the personality of the MP and not the party they represent?
and the bad mid term council election results for any councillor in the same party as the government are down to their bad personalities?
(localboy purveyor of pisspoor puns, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:14, Reply)

OK, so what happens is a bunch of candidates stand for election where you live.
You vote for them based on their policies. Depending on how many votes they get, somebody wins. We say they've won a "seat". The amount of "seats" across the country are counted. If one party gets the most "seats" (there's one "seat" per physical seat in Parliament, you see) by a particular margin, then they've got a "majority" in Parliament. The head of that party, who's elected by the party members, gets to be PM. That's elected by the party members, not you. He gets to be in Parliament because he also has won a "seat" in his "constituency".

If one party doesn't win enough "seats" to win a "majority", they have to form a "coalition". This is usually done with the party that's come third in the "seat" race.

And that is how it works. If anybody votes for any reason other than the above, such as personalities, they are an idiot. If they vote for a party based on who the leader is, who's probably based in a constituency miles and miles away from them, they're a full-blown fuckwit.
( Kroney, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:19, Reply)

"there's one seat per physical seat in Parliament, you see"
that's not true. They're benches.
(PsychoChomp, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:21, Reply)

Sorry, one "seat" per metaphorical seat in Parliament.
Perhaps I should have said "arse-space".
( Kroney, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:22, Reply)

How did that work for Cyril Smith?

( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:24, Reply)

Your reasoning is flawless
unfortunately one of the drawbacks of democracy is that fuckwits can vote too.
(localboy purveyor of pisspoor puns, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:25, Reply)

Which is why I advocate an enlightened oligarchy based on restricted power of vote.
Power to vote would be granted by an examination which would include, but not be limited to, testing you to make sure you actually know what it is you're voting for.

Many, many people wouldn't bother to sit the test.
( Kroney, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:28, Reply)

By default you mean: because of the result of the election?

(PsychoChomp, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:10, Reply)