Keep Calm and Carry On

[andrewducker]

As I write this, there are 44 seats to announce and the Conservatives need 39 to get a majority. This seems somewhat unlikely, although I don't know exactly what areas are left, so I can't be sure.

However, even if we get a Tory government, it won't be the end of the world. No, I wouldn't vote for them. No, they aren't my idea of good government. But life would carry on, there are limits to what they can change in 4 years, and they're unlikely to roll back the minimum wage, halve the spending on the NHS or repeal the legislation allowing civil partnerships.

In short, the Tories are not demons from Hell, summoned to lay waste to Britain, but politicians who have different ideas about how to run the country - and would probably fit right into the Democrats in the USA. The level of panic I'm seeing seems to be more suitable for the former than the latter.

Now, if the BNP got in _then_ I'd be panicking.

Comments

[randomchris.livejournal.com]

Actually, I'd like to see the BNP get one MP (but no more) so that everyone could point and laugh at them at the start of each session of Parliament.

[missedith01.livejournal.com]

the Tories are not demons from Hell, summoned to lay waste to Britain

They haven't got started yet! I would say the minimum wage and the NHS at least would be at risk if they had a healthy majority.

I also seem to remember a lot of laying waste to my part of Britain in the early eighties ...

OK, I don't actually believe they're demons from hell ... that much I'll give you :-)


A hung parliament (maybe) - I can hardly believe it! (((bounce)))

[momentsmusicaux.livejournal.com]

You did read that Indie article you linked to, no?

They really are.

[missedith01.livejournal.com]

LJ ate my post ... what I was trying to say is that there are communities where the last Tory govt with a large majority DID lay waste ... and this (as well as a little tribalism of course) is why they are so genuinely feared and abhored by some people.

I would say a large tory majority would put the min wage and the NHS at risk.

They aren't demons from hell tho, I'll give you that. :-)

[ninebelow.livejournal.com]

There are 14 London seats to declare and Labour should be able to pick up at least half of them.

[burkesworks.livejournal.com]

Still to come we've got;

Oldham East & Saddleworth
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Blyth Valley
Wansbeck
Fermanagh & South Tyrone
Bethnal Green & Bow
Brent Central
Buckingham
East Ham
West Ham
Leyton & Wanstead
Lewisham Deptford

...all of which are seats where the Conservatives have between nought and buckley's chance. This Parliament's going to be more hung than Ron Jeremy, and just as ugly.

[fjm.livejournal.com]

roll back the minimum wage, halve the spending on the NHS or repeal the legislation allowing civil partnerships.

The only one of those that's safe is the NHS and that's only because Cameron appreciates it personally. For the rest, you are kidding yes? The Tories have been complaining about the minimum wage for ever, and gay marriage could prove a useful sop to the loony wing.

[robhu.livejournal.com]

In short, the Tories are not demons from Hell, summoned to lay waste to Britain, but politicians who have different ideas about how to run the country - and would probably fit right into the Democrats in the USA. The level of panic I'm seeing seems to be more suitable for the former than the latter.
I agree with you, there's a level of panic going on in LJ land that isn't very connected to reality.