Re: The U.K. Election thread

[taipan]

What's the penalty for not voting? Are you allowed to spoil your ballot paper or is there a "none of the above" option?

How would they know who spoiled it?

[JGK]

What's the penalty for not voting? Are you allowed to spoil your ballot paper or is there a "none of the above" option?

You aren't really allowed to spoil you ballot paper or write none of the above but there is nothing stopping you from doing so (as I have done at least once).

There is a modest fine for not voting.

[beamer]

What's the penalty for not voting? Are you allowed to spoil your ballot paper or is there a "none of the above" option?

How would they know who spoiled it?

Well over here, ballot papers are numbered so although voting is anonymous, they can trace a voter for example in the case of suspected electoral fraud.

Anyway, this was one of the best stories of the election, a Tory candidate benefiting from an unconventional vote:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/welsh-voter-inadvertently-helps-to-reelected-tory-mp-after-drawing-penis-on-ballot-paper-10238218.html

[Guest]

dearie me.  i seem to have touched a chord here.  all this froth and bubble over a few harmless observations
touchy bunch, arent you

You're the one that started swearing like a child.

[Big Dog]

I'm staying out of this one.

[skully]

dearie me.  i seem to have touched a chord here.  all this froth and bubble over a few harmless observations
touchy bunch, arent you

And you're not? FMD, you got bent out of shape because I called you grumpy (I've yet to see anything but grumpy posts from you so far - is this meant to impress?). I expressed an opinion about some nong protesters, vilks agreed with me, you lumbered in and defended the indefensible (the idiot protesters) and got offended at my retort (which was largely a pisstake). Dearie me indeed.

At least come forth with a little more than righteous indignation if you want to slag an opinion.

dearie me. i seem to have touched a chord here. all this froth and bubble over a few harmless observations
touchy bunch, arent you

You're the one that started swearing like a child.

A point I made in my initial response.

[Guest]

Possibly the first time in FB history that me and skully have held the same view against an opposing 3rd party (in this case ETG) .

[skully]

Heh, a fair call, vilks.

[Merlin]

dearie me.  i seem to have touched a chord here.  all this froth and bubble over a few harmless observations
touchy bunch, arent you

You remind me of the "fuzzie wuzzies" to whom Corporal Jones makes several references in Dad's Army.
"They don't like it up 'em, you know Sir, no, they don't"

You make inane "statements" and use flowery language to suit your cause.
And then when the sparks fly (you make girly remarks like the one above) and you are challenged,
you have no proper response at all!

Skulls is right - you are a grumpy old tosser for which nothing is quite as it should be!

[skully]

Anywho, I've defended the poorly supported (if not erroneous) slagging of an opinion I posted. ETG is a welcome poster in this forum (maybe ease up on the constant grump routine - JMHO) - no hard feelings.

[taipan]

So Merls, Skully and Vilks in the same corner.

The new triumvirate?

[Merlin]

So Merls, Skully and Vilks in the same corner.

The new triumvirate?

Holy sh*t ... unthinkable .... before this date!

[Brass Monkey]

Your point is?

labour farked up. Live with it.

My point is that UK pay in real terms decreased by an average of 3.8% in the period 2010-2015. And that's an average: not separating the differential rates between the top few and the many.

And on your second line: already pointed out that I believe Labour fluffed and/or lost key arguments, rather than - as I suppose you mean - "farking up" the economy.

"New" Labour governments did indeed contribute to a much bigger economic crisis in advance, in Blair/Brown's desire to be and appear extraordinarily business-friendly after 1997 - deregulation of financial institutions being a key idiocy - but that is by no means "crashing the car", "wrecking the economy", "worse than Greece", "bankrupting the UK", and the various other melodramatic horror propaganda used for ulterior (political) motives.

Live with it. End of

Yes, yes, yes. We're all going to have to. Doesn't make it any easier.

[Lindsay no.2]

Looking to the future it appears that David Lammy (a relatively high profile Labour MP in London, for those of us from outside the UK who probably rightly have no idea who I'm referring to) thinks that in order to re-connect with the electorate Labour should embark upon a:

"...permanent conversation with the public..."

Well, I must say I'm looking forward to that. Can't see how that could possibly be annoying or counter-productive or depressing as hell.

[Basil]

Looking to the future it appears that David Lammy (a relatively high profile Labour MP in London, for those of us from outside the UK who probably rightly have no idea who I'm referring to) thinks that in order to re-connect with the electorate Labour should embark upon a:

"...permanent conversation with the public..."

Well, I must say I'm looking forward to that. Can't see how that could possibly be annoying or counter-productive or depressing as hell.

So, we have a politician who says that the great unwashed public should be listened to. Wow, this lad should go far!

[lardbucket]

What's the penalty for not voting? Are you allowed to spoil your ballot paper or is there a "none of the above" option?

You aren't really allowed to spoil you ballot paper or write none of the above but there is nothing stopping you from doing so (as I have done at least once).

There is a modest fine for not voting.

No, there is a modest fine for not turning up to a voting booth and having your name ticked off. You can drop a blank sheet in the box, draw a big dick or write 'pack of useless qunts' on your paper, or write Ban India all over it, if you like.

[JGK]

I was trying not to over complicate it.

[Ethics? The Gall!]

thing is they only try to fine you if you register and dont turn up. dont register and you dont get hassled
the authorities still havent worked that out

[taipan]

thing is they only try to fine you if you register and dont turn up.  dont register and you dont get hassled
the authorities still havent worked that out

Democracy in its finest form.

[Ethics? The Gall!]

the right to vote also implies the right to not vote if you so choose. there are different ways of doing that including invalidating the ballot paper. if you turn up all you have to do is go into a booth and fold up the ballot paper without marking it and then drop it in the box

preferential system means your vote can end up supporting someone you dont want in there. and given the standard of candidates thats most of em

[JGK]

the right to vote also implies the right to not vote if you so choose.  there are different ways of doing that including invalidating the ballot paper.  if you turn up all you have to do is go into a booth and fold up the ballot paper without marking it and then drop it in the box  

preferential system means your vote can end up supporting someone you dont want in there.  and given the standard of candidates thats most of em

Some might argue that there is no right to vote. Rather, there is an obligation to vote.

[taipan]

Some might argue that those you are forced to vote for have an obligation not to lie to the public.

[JGK]

Some might argue that those you are forced to vote for have an obligation not to lie to the public.

Indeed.

[Bradman]

the right to vote also implies the right to not vote if you so choose.  there are different ways of doing that including invalidating the ballot paper.  if you turn up all you have to do is go into a booth and fold up the ballot paper without marking it and then drop it in the box  

preferential system means your vote can end up supporting someone you dont want in there.  and given the standard of candidates thats most of em

Some might argue that there is no right to vote.  Rather, there is an obligation to vote.

The High Court agrees..........for now.

[beamer]

Maybe people who don't vote should pay extra tax or be charged for free public services, as they are obviously indicating they don't care about such matters.

[Sponsored content]