Will it make any difference if the Tories win a General Election?

[10ClarionSt]

I don't think anything will change, apart from the faces.
You won't get any prices going down. You'll still have high taxation, negative equity again, high fuel prices, Iraq and Afghanistan, motorists being hounded by all and sundry, immigration and security issues. What it comes down to now are the personalities. Do you like Dave or Gord? They'd all do the same things, but say it differently. Hence, I will not be voting. And didn't vote at the local elections. It's a complete waste of time.

[Lonnie]

Hi 10,
I think it will make a difference, (each to his/her own views), I don't think the Tories, (bearing in mind, they are not the same as when John Major was leader), will raise taxes, or invent new reasons for them.

As for Cameron, he, as so many people have said, appears to be Tony Blair MK 2, the difference is, he's got a good team round him, and he's not as authoritarian as Blair, so won't be allowed to get away with as much as Blair did.

As for the rest, we'll just have to wait and see.

[naomi24]

If you don't vote, you can't complain.

[jake-the-peg]

Financially most of the current issues are not oof the Government's making. Credit crises in the US, Oil prices going up etc.

Oppositions always pledge to cut waste (esp. Tory oppositions) but when they get in find it's much harder than they expect.

Tory Instincts are always to favour business interests over the individual - hence opposition to legislation like the minimum wage. So although I doubt they'd repeal that now you'd expect to see stuff to make it easier to fire staff and things like that.

I'd expect to see tinkering at the edges - things like Cameron's 3 strikes and your out benefit claimants - but that won't have a great effect on the whole economy.

That being said whether you vote or not is probably pretty immaterial because of the way we elect governments. Many seats are pretty safe and the colour of a Government can be down to as little as 100,000 voters in a country of 60 million

[Lonnie]

Agree 100% with naomi. its our votes that put the goverment in, and by not voting, your abusing our system of goverment.

I would say to people who chose not to vote, go to countries like China or Burma where you don't have the choice that we do, or the freedoms that voting brings us.

[jake-the-peg]

Someone who doesn't vote is abusing our system of government?

You don't think that's ever so slightly pretentious?

Rigging Westminster wards so houses in labour voting areas were left vacant is "abusing our system of government"

Allowing unelected chinless wonders and bishops a say in the government of the country even.

[ludwig]

Lonnie, It used to annoy me that people don't vote, but when you think about it, it's a good thing. They're too stupid to have an opinion and we should be thanking them for voluntarily removing themselves from the electoral process.

Electing governments is a serious business, and it's only right that these numbskulls don't involve themselves.

It's natural selection - the voting gene pool automatically limits itself to those people who give a sh1t.

[naomi24]

At least by registering your vote you do what you can to elect the government you want - or conversely get rid of the government you don't want. If you don't involve yourself in the electorial process, you can't complain about the outcome since you've made no effort to try to prevent it.

[Lonnie]

Methinks, i'll post just so jake can try to take my replies apart, got a thing about me, haven't you.

Carry on jake, I don't mind.

As for not voting, if you don't, then don't have a say about the way we are governed.

[naomi24]

Clarion, I agree with you. I've never seen a situation like the one we have now either, but that will never change unless people vote. If you feel there's nothing between political parties, and the politicians, then rather than take the defeatist stance by saying 'what's the point', perhaps you should consider going for what you feel to be the lesser of the two evils. If we don't at least try to change things, then we've no room for complaint.

[logic]

It doesn't matter who wins the ellection, the Government allways gets in.