View From The Top

I suppose, to me, there is not a viable left wing alternative to the status quo. By viable I mean having a major influence on government. The Greens, whilst becoming more mainstream, are merely a refuge for me. Can't speak for others though.

If you read the comments section underneath you'll see that a number say the same as me, the Greens already offer a left wing alternative. If I'm honest, I think the left is still reeling and has yet to work out how to move forward, or at least in an organised way.

Not always. All parties are imposing candidates. Not always of course, but it does appear to be happening more and more often.

Plenty have moved over to The Greens. Not for environmental reasons but for their more left wing economic vision. Myself included.

Not so easy with imposed candidates etc. 3 or 4 elections ago a certain David Cameron was the tory candidate in our seat. No links, probably couldn't find it on the map and imposed by London. Locals were not impressed. There is a disconnect on this country between central government and the regions and I can't see it changing anytime soon.

I don't think so. For many that is too far to the left. It's striking a balance for everyone. Parties need to be electable but there also needs to be a clear difference between them and whilst there are now some signs of divergence there is still some way to go. That said, my biggest gripe (at the moment) is that there are far, far too many career Oxbridge MP clones who really haven't a clue about the real world and seem trapped in the Westminster bubble. This applies to MPs of all parties.

MPs support whoever they think will keep them in their seats. That's why the tory back benchers allow Dave to stay. Constituent party's of all colours, tend to be much more critical until election time, then fall into line. The problem was, as far as I see it anyway, is that those if us on the left had a case of Hobson's Choice; either vote for Tony or risk the tories getting in. My wife voted Labour just to keep the tories out, where as I voted Green, finding myself unable to vote for Blair. How the Left move forward I really don't know but Labour aren't left wing enough for me any more as they squabble and fight for the middle ground with the tories and lib/dems. I guess they are having a crisis of identity as the tories did post-Maastricht.

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Which, for all of us, is a great pity and shows the real lack of real democracy there is in the country.

They were unelectable. Blair, for all his faults, made them electable but his messiah complex got in the way. He brought politics to the centre ground and that is where every election is now fought. There isn't an awful lot between One Nation tories and "New" Labour.

I'd bet on Palace/Hull/Cardiff going down so the bookies are doing well out of me this season!

That would be some achievement if we have blocks 37, 38, 39 & 40!

1st one wouldn't surprise me the latter would leave me feeling rather gutted.

BTP just love CAFC, they keep them in business!

So angry Deppo; so angry.

I came out 37.5% Green, 37.5% Labour and 25% Liberal. http://voteforpolicies.org.uk/survey/results/527292BF96B7A Check out yours here. http://voteforpolicies.org.uk/survey/select

We are an Island of coal yet we are ****ed for energy whilst the PLC's rake the ££ for their City shareholders. To overcome that we guaranteed double the rate (so much for a free market) to a foreign company that is using Chinese money. That'll be privatised energy for you.

True story.

They are now so small time that I can't even be bothered to take the p**s.

Yes it did. I quite my membership of the party over Iraq and have never rejoined and nor did I vote for Blair, or Brown as a matter of fact. I call it having principles. The man is a war criminal and his legacy is of death, destruction and a religious civil war that is still claiming 100s of lives.

Jog on, plenty were, as soon as he took us to war in Iraq. How much treasure and blood did that man cost this nation. I wouldn't trust the c**t to tell me the sun was shining let alone his version of history.

At least you don't even pretend to be an adult.

I teach a young lady called Jasmine, except it's spelt Jazzmin.

There is a chap who posts on here, a very good friend of mind, works in The City, works hard for it as well and is very, very well rewarded for his endeavours. When QE started and continued, along with low interest rates, he said to me that only an idiot couldn't get rich through the next couple if years. It appears, to me, that those who led us to the edge have done very well out if it whilst the rest if us have suffered.

So something that may of helped them to find their daughter was suppressed by them? They certainly haven't got anything to hide have they.