"Labour's disastrous economic policies meant Britain was one of the first into recession and now we are the last out."

Shocked I am. Shocked.

Government policy has nothing to do with common sense.

Obaaaaaamaaaaaa!

/Wait, what?

Screw you Times. A hung parliament is the only good scenario that could come out of the next election.

In other news house prices are going up again!

Seth'n'Spectrum: Screw you Times. A hung parliament is the only good scenario that could come out of the next election.

Vote Tory or we're all going to die!

/am I doing it right, Rupert?

Bad_Seed: Vote Tory or we're all going to die!

/am I doing it right, Rupert?

Well, that certainly seems to be the Times' line.

Right, and David Cameron is going to fix the decline of British industry somehow... with Euroscepticism! And more spending! But less spending! And less taxes! But more spending, because the New Tories are, adorably, almost-Labour! But with Euroscepticism!

Perhaps I'm not getting Cameron's charm (it's that he's totally posh and handsome, right?) but, aside from bashing Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling for every decision they've made, I've yet to see any consistency on finances and the economy from the Tories. I suppose an actual platform and clear principles awaits an election.

bobbette: I've yet to see any consistency on finances and the economy from the Tories. I suppose an actual platform and clear principles awaits an election.

The Tory policy is implicit in this sentence:

the country could face losing its AAA debt rating as investors panicked over whether the majority party had the authority to push through the fiscal tightening needed to get the UK's finances back on track.

Seth'n'Spectrum: Screw you Times. A hung parliament is the only good scenario that could come out of the next election.

Exactly. What's wrong with a coalition government? The electoral system here in New Zealand practically guarantees one every election.

From what I gather, the British electorate is too weary of the Conservatives and tired of Labour. So a Labour-Liberal Democrat government might be the way to go.

Damn, I was really eyeing England as a possible location to flee to when the civil war 2 starts here in the states.

abolish the monarchy, arrest them for crimes against humanity (their ancestors, since they carry the line as natural leaders) seize all their property and sell it off.

bobbette: Perhaps I'm not getting Cameron's charm (it's that he's totally posh and handsome, right?)

I, for one, find his pudgy face to be dreamy. *SWOON*


TheMissedCallofCthulhu: Damn, I was really eyeing England as a possible location to flee to when the civil war 2 starts here in the states.

Don't forget about CANADIA (though most do). They still spell wourds with an extra 'u' and pronounce the letter 'z' as "zed" so it's just like ol' blighty!

thisispete: From what I gather, the British electorate is too weary of the Conservatives and tired of Labour. So a Labour-Liberal Democrat government might be the way to go.

This is what I'm hoping for but it seems unlikely. It's the only result I would consider 'good' that could come out of this whole thing. Enduring problem: Who the fark is Nick Clegg?

mekkab: Don't forget about CANADIA (though most do). They still spell wourds with an extra 'u' and pronounce the letter 'z' as "zed" so it's just like ol' blighty!

Yeah, but they don't have a funny accent when they do it so it's creepy and not adorable.

That's some fine governing there, Gordon Brown. If any UK farkers are still voting for Labour the next election, they ought to be carted off to the mental hospital.

Seth'n'Spectrum: Enduring problem: Who the fark is Nick Clegg?

That's been an enduring problem for every Liberal leader since... well, since they ran out Lloyd George.

gopher321: "Labour's disastrous economic policies meant Britain was one of the first into recession and now we are the last out."

Shocked I am. Shocked.

It's funny because nobody is out of recession. We're just getting started here.

2

Why wouldn't a Conservative-LibDem coalition be possible? Or a breakup of the Lib Dems into a left-liberal (that could more or less merge with the Greens) and right-liberal party? (The latter is done in the Netherlands with the D66 and VVD).

stpickrell: Why wouldn't a Conservative-LibDem coalition be possible?

The whole idea of a coalition is purely theoretical, but diametrically opposed policies could a hindrance to Tory-Lib Dem deal.

Or a breakup of the Lib Dems into a left-liberal (that could more or less merge with the Greens) and right-liberal party? (The latter is done in the Netherlands with the D66 and VVD).

Why would the Lib Dems split their party and condemn themselves to ever greater irrelevance. They biggest problem isn't ideological disunity, but that they haven't manage to crack the problem of actually getting elected. The Netherlands has proportional representation and multi-party rainbow coalitions in ever government. The UK has an electoral system which brutally penalises small parties and it hasn't had a coalition since (AFAIK) Churchill's government during the war.

One of these days, a submitter will learn the difference between the UK and England.

mikemoto: That's some fine governing there, Gordon Brown. If any UK farkers are still voting for Labour the next election, they ought to be carted off to the mental hospital.

Not when you look at the alternative.

I personally think we should give the Liberals a chance, it can't get any worse than "New" Labour or the Conservatives.

Have the British considered letting the Irish conquer them?

They seem to know how to run an economy.

AuralArgument: abolish the monarchy, arrest them for crimes against humanity (their ancestors, since they carry the line as natural leaders) seize all their property and sell it off.

That's not the problem, Gordon Brown has become the James Callaghan of this Britain's generation. If the economic crisis gets worse for Britain, the crisis will be much worse than the strikes in 1979 and Brown with the Labour Party will be voted out as the majority party in Great Britain. Either the Conservatives or Liberal Democrats will gain power. More than likely, the Liberal Democrats and Britain will want an integration of Europe and not of America. Enjoy losing your pounds.

I was really eyeing England as a possible location to flee to when the civil war 2 starts here in the states.

Really? England? For the longest time Switzerland was my backup country. Of course, I used to have the situation where a job in Switzerland was just a phone call away (I worked there in early 90s) but that opportunity has gone away. Between that and Switzerland joining the UN, I dont think I have a backup country anymore.

/eh, might still be Switzerland
//Would need to learn German. Or French. Or Italian. Or Romansh.

AuralArgument: abolish the monarchy, arrest them for crimes against humanity (their ancestors, since they carry the line as natural leaders) seize all their property and sell it off.

Depending on how far back down the family tree you mean, they could be your ancestors, also.

No one's complaining about the headline's use of "England" to refer to the UK? Really?

Of course, we don't care about such things here in the nation of Texas...

MonkeyAngst: No one's complaining about the headline's use of "England" to refer to the UK? Really?

Of course, we don't care about such things here in the nation of Texas...

I think I'm more concerned about the headline's implication that losing their triple-A debt rating is the same thing as facing bankruptcy.

I mean, sure, it would be shocking if Britain went down to AA or whatever, but it's not like that would force them to immediately default.

should have kept up that rationing stuff.
now 1/5 of brits are coked out.
they brought this upon themselves

They should deregulate more. And cut Taxes.

AuralArgument:
abolish the monarchy, arrest them for crimes against humanity (their ancestors, since they carry the line as natural leaders) seize all their property and sell it off.

We get the vast majority of their money already with the Crown estate rents going straight to the taxman in return for a small allowance. Add in the amount we take in on the tourism money, it be like shooting ourselves in the foot if you think about it money wise.

unlikely: They should deregulate more. And cut Taxes.

Reaganomics. Experience can't kill it. You can only hope to contain it.

bobbette: Right, and David Cameron is going to fix the decline of British industry somehow... with Euroscepticism! And more spending! But less spending! And less taxes! But more spending, because the New Tories are, adorably, almost-Labour! But with Euroscepticism!

Perhaps I'm not getting Cameron's charm (it's that he's totally posh and handsome, right?) but, aside from bashing Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling for every decision they've made, I've yet to see any consistency on finances and the economy from the Tories. I suppose an actual platform and clear principles awaits an election.

I agree with this and have been thinking that for a while. It doesn't matter which party they work for whatever any of them say just sounds like pissing in the wind.

I'll buy Buckingham Palace for 10 quid.

sounds like the start of R.O.D


sorry anime geek

TheMissedCallofCthulhu: Damn, I was really eyeing England as a possible location to flee to when the civil war 2 starts here in the states.

After the US economy collapses, I'm thinking Australia

Tjos Weel: Have the British considered letting the Irish conquer them?

They seem to know how to run an economy.

You must be joking.

...but not Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland? Phew, that was close.

So either

A. England has left the UK

or

B. Subby haz teh tard

Tjos Weel: I was really eyeing England as a possible location to flee to when the civil war 2 starts here in the states.

Really? England? For the longest time Switzerland was my backup country. Of course, I used to have the situation where a job in Switzerland was just a phone call away (I worked there in early 90s) but that opportunity has gone away. Between that and Switzerland joining the UN, I dont think I have a backup country anymore.

/eh, might still be Switzerland
//Would need to learn German. Or French. Or Italian. Or Romansh.

Mine's Italy. Been studying the language and history for years. I should be able to make it there. Now, I only need the funds to move my stuff there :(