Off Topic The Politics Thread

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Should the UK remain a part of the EU or leave?

  • Stay in

    Votes: 56 47.9%
  • Get out

    Votes: 61 52.1%

  • Total voters
    117
  • Poll closed .
I only observed from afar, but was Her Majesty's Government's reception of the newest dictator of China as nauseatingly obsequious as it seemed? ££££$$$$$ Kerching!!!!!
 
Amusing song reportedly sung by Middlesbrough fans at the weekend, to the tune of Lord Of The Dance.....

Cameron, wherever you may be
Your'e not fit to run our country
You ****ed a pig and made it squeal
Get off your arse and save our steel
 
Chewbacca arrested in Ukraine after campaigning for Darth Vader

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Chewbacca was arrested at a polling station in Odessa when local elections were taking place across Ukraine. He was reportedly apprehended when lending support to Darth Vader, who was attempting to vote at the time.
 
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Chewbacca arrested in Ukraine after campaigning for Darth Vader

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Chewbacca was arrested at a polling station in Odessa when local elections were taking place across Ukraine. He was reportedly apprehended when lending support to Darth Vader, who was attempting to vote at the time.

Why would Chewie campaign for Lord Vader?
 
What's all this blather today about the House of Lords rejecting a bill?
Difficult to give an interesting answer on this, but basically 2 things:

- Lords make Osborne rethink his Tax Credit plans for those on low wages, which the more you look at them look punitive on some. Labour and Liberal Lords voted against (several times) but also some Tories critical, including ex Chancellor Nigel Lawson. In fact Osborne doesn't need to deliver on this to meet his fiscal targets, so it's a piece of ideology. He'll change it because quite a few Tory MPs are unhappy with it too, and their majority is pretty slim

- Broader point is the role of the House of Lords constitutionally - they have blocked (in fact the most they can do is delay, Osborne is not obliged to change the policy) a peice of the Government's budget. The argument is that the people have elected the Government, not the Lords, which shouldn't interfere. So they have done a good thing (in many people's opinion, including many Tories) but it's somehow anti-democratic.

Just highlights the very strange role of the House of Lords, surely the lowest quality second chamber in any democratic nation.
 
The Tories have had a mare with this policy.

The Constitutional question is another matter, but really highlights the need for an elected second chamber.
 
The Tories have had a mare with this policy.

The Constitutional question is another matter, but really highlights the need for an elected second chamber.

You could keep nominated peers, but make the parties' numbers in the second chamber reflect the percentages of votes cast for the commons.
 
The Tories have had a mare with this policy.

The Constitutional question is another matter, but really highlights the need for an elected second chamber.
You could keep nominated peers, but make the parties' numbers in the second chamber reflect the percentages of votes cast for the commons.
**** it, bin it and start again, you only hear of them when they do stuff like yesterday which just highlights what an anarchronism it is. What is a second chamber for? Primarily to suggest amendments to legislation proposed by the first chamber I think. To do that you need experienced, professional people not a bunch of people appointed by patronage.
 
**** it, bin it and start again, you only hear of them when they do stuff like yesterday which just highlights what an anarchronism it is. What is a second chamber for? Primarily to suggest amendments to legislation proposed by the first chamber I think. To do that you need experienced, professional people not a bunch of people appointed by patronage.


It's a safety valve, or supposed to be I think.