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Lib Dems Shock Victory over Labour!

GarzaUK

British, Irish and everything in-between.
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This is great since the the Lib Dems have had a horrible month. Leader resigning over booze problems, a sex scandal, a potential leader denying his sexuality. Then this.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4699862.stm

The party secured an 1,800 majority on a 16.24% swing, overturning an 11,500 Labour majority at the last election.

That is what hell of a mother ****ing swing. Over 13,000 votes. What is interesting is that Gordon Brown and David Cameron both campaigned in Scotland - along with boozy Charlie boy.

I have regained my hopes for the Lib Dems, I thought they had screwed it up. :mrgreen:

Out of interest anyone see the debate of the 3 Lib Dem leader candidates on question time last night???
 
GarzaUK said:
This is great since the the Lib Dems have had a horrible month. Leader resigning over booze problems, a sex scandal, a potential leader denying his sexuality. Then this.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4699862.stm



That is what hell of a mother ****ing swing. Over 13,000 votes. What is interesting is that Gordon Brown and David Cameron both campaigned in Scotland - along with boozy Charlie boy.

I have regained my hopes for the Lib Dems, I thought they had screwed it up. :mrgreen:

Out of interest anyone see the debate of the 3 Lib Dem leader candidates on question time last night???

The by-election turnout was 34,578 voters - or 48.69% of the electorate - down by 11.21% on the General Election.
35,000 total votes?...We got city council members that get more than that...

Is this really bigger than it sounds?...:confused:
 
cnredd said:
35,000 total votes?...We got city council members that get more than that...

Is this really bigger than it sounds?...:confused:

For a swing of this magnitude yeah its big. This seat was a Labour safe seat with a 11,500 majority.
Scotland only has 8 million people. This was only a portion of Scotland - Dunfermline and East Fife, not particular populous if I remember. Here is the results. Only about 32,000 votes in total.

Willie Rennie (Lib Dem) 12,391 votes
Catherine Stihler (Labour) 10,591
Douglas Chapman (Scottish National Party) 7,261
Carrie Ruxton (Conservatives) 2,702
John McAllion (SSP) 537
James Hargreaves (SCP) 411
Thomas Minogue (AFBTP) 374
Ian Borland (UKIP) 208
Dick Rodgers (CG) 103
 
GarzaUK said:
This seat was a Labour safe seat with a 11,500 majority.

So that statement was a tad incorrect. It was the safest seat in the UK for Tony Blair. And it was taken by a party that has a current leadership race and a gay sex scandal in the last month.
Not only that the seat taken is where Gordon Brown (the guy who will replace Blair) lives, it is very much Labour Heartland. Imagine Texas voting Democrat and you get the picture. :smile:

Have that Tony Blair! :shoot :drink
 
I'm from sweden but my impression it is sad that leftist people in UK cheer on the liberals. But even more sad that it's a smart thing. Because from my impression liberals havn't become much more leftist, but labour have become much more right wing.
 
It's certianly embarassing for Gordon, but not too surprising. Normally this would be dismissed - Lib Dems usually win by-election thanks to people protest voting, and them being the only ones who give a toss, so I wouldn't be too surprised if it did return to Labour come 2009/10.

However, the fact it was previously such a large Labour majority, and the other parties threw such unusually large weight into it make it a particularly disconcerting loss for Labour.

That majority is slipping away; looks like things arn't going get any easier for Blair - think this'll hasten his retirement?
 
Plain old me said:
It's certianly embarassing for Gordon, but not too surprising. Normally this would be dismissed - Lib Dems usually win by-election thanks to people protest voting, and them being the only ones who give a toss, so I wouldn't be too surprised if it did return to Labour come 2009/10.

However, the fact it was previously such a large Labour majority, and the other parties threw such unusually large weight into it make it a particularly disconcerting loss for Labour.

That majority is slipping away; looks like things arn't going get any easier for Blair - think this'll hasten his retirement?

The main shock I think was that everyone though the Lib Dems were dead and buried after all the booze and gay scandals. I enjoyed reading the sun crying over this Liberal victory. In fact I loved it.

If things donn't go his way this week, we might have a new PM this time next week.
Monday I think education reforms are being debated.
Tuesday ID cards bill, which I think will be defeated with the Lib Dems, Cons and Labour rebels against it.
Wednesday is that "watered" down terror laws which is 50/50.

With this new Iraq abuse scandal as well I wouldn't be surprised if Blair packed it in. After all he nearly quit over Abu Gharib (spelling). Why should he stay if he can't secure his legacy because of himself. It looks like Blair said goodbye to his legacy with his Iraq decision. :smile: What goes around comes around Mr. Blair.
 
GarzaUK said:
The main shock I think was that everyone though the Lib Dems were dead and buried after all the booze and gay scandals. I enjoyed reading the sun crying over this Liberal victory. In fact I loved it.

I know, I'm surprised at that; I really thought this had done it for the Lib Dems. They've campaigned on being the 'clean' and 'honest' party since Iraq and I really thought it'd be a case of the bigger they come the harder they fall.

GarzaUK said:
If things donn't go his way this week, we might have a new PM this time next week.
Monday I think education reforms are being debated.
Tuesday ID cards bill, which I think will be defeated with the Lib Dems, Cons and Labour rebels against it.
Wednesday is that "watered" down terror laws which is 50/50.

Looks like Blair's gonna miss the ID Cards bill...

Stuck in South Africa

We'll have to see how it goes...Brown's certainly gearing up for the leadership .

GarzaUK said:
It looks like Blair said goodbye to his legacy with his Iraq decision. :smile: What goes around comes around Mr. Blair.

I think his legacy is set. There'll be controversy over whether he is famous or infamous, but he's going to definately be more then a footnote in history.
 
Plain old me said:
That majority is slipping away; looks like things arn't going get any easier for Blair - think this'll hasten his retirement?

Oh, I do hope so.
 
The New Labour Party did'nt just fail to listen to the people, they were deaf.
They seem to pander to every whim of earinged, beer bellyed, treehugging, lefties, and they forget who pays their wages.
All politicians of every political colour, are rated a little higher than vermin on the social ladder. They should be held accountable for the promises they keep after being elected. If after a small period of time they are not seen to be doing the job they should be booted. If they were in Industry they would not last two minutes.

People are sick to death of the PC brigade attacking smokers, meat eaters,
car drivers , hunters, fishermen, heterosexuals, men, the church, monarchy,
circus,s, zoo's ,farmers, food, and Benny HIll. I am sure you can think of others. Thank God these people are on their way out now (GOOD RIDDANCE)
they were as much use as a chocolate fireguard.
 
oh come on everyone should b attacking benny hill!!

on the by-election it was particulary interesting given the lib-dems latest scandels that all over their campaign were phrases like "vote for willie"
 
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