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Britain may turn into Europe’s most politically unpredictable country
reuters.com ^ | November 21, 2014 | Anatole Kaletsky

Posted on 11/22/2014 1:33:11 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper

... Britain could become literally ungovernable after the election, with no single party or coalition of parties able to form a majority government. Current public opinion polls predict that neither the Conservatives nor the Labour Party will win enough seats to form a majority government — even in a coalition with Liberal Democrats.

Conservative-Liberal and Labour-Liberal majorities may both prove arithmetically impossible because of the rise of previously insignificant fringe parties. The Scottish Nationalists look able to boost their six seats in Parliament to anything between 20 and 50, largely at Labour’s expense. The United Kingdom Independence Party is threatening dozens of Conservative incumbents. Meanwhile, the Liberals are almost certain to lose about half their 56-seat representation. As a result, a ruling coalition may have to include not just two parties but three or four, including fringe nationalist groups.

The Scottish National Party is sure to demand another Scottish independence referendum as its price for supporting a coalition, while the UK Independent Party will likely insist on Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union. It is hard to imagine either Labour or Conservatives agreeing to such terms.

This means that a government may have to be formed without a majority in Parliament. While minority governments are quite common in continental Europe, the British Parliament has only once failed to produce a government majority — during a brief interlude in 1974 under Harold Wilson. It created seismic upheavals in Britain’s adversarial politics.

The second reason for concern is that a multiparty coalition or minority government, even if it can be patched together in post-election haggling, will probably collapse within a year or two.

(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: britain

1 posted on 11/22/2014 1:33:11 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper
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2 posted on 11/22/2014 1:48:07 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper

All countries who have more than two functioning parties need to take note here. The larger parties need to listen to the fears and concerns of their constituents they need to stop promoting Islam, incompatible immigration, climate change and they need to stop undermining the institutions (like marriage) that are the strength of society. Finally we are seeing that people have had enough of the left’s idea of a Utopian society but they have also had enough of mealy mouthed (supposed) conservatives. Voters are almost prepared to wreck the system to see a change. If the larger parties fail to see this it will only get worse for them!


3 posted on 11/22/2014 2:51:41 AM PST by melsec (There's a track, winding back, to an old forgotten shack along the road to Gundagai..)
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To: melsec

It will get worse for the country to. Westminster arrogance and corruption almost destroyed the united kingdom and may do yet if the SNP gets its way.


4 posted on 11/22/2014 2:55:16 AM PST by sinsofsolarempirefan
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To: Berlin_Freeper
"Britain could become literally ungovernable after the election..."

Not bloody likely, as they say. The government agencies will continue to function. The head of state, the Queen, will continue in her post and attempt to form a government of some sort.

5 posted on 11/22/2014 3:00:03 AM PST by Former Proud Canadian (Gold and Silver, Accept No Substitutes)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Labor could also lose seats to UKIP. Not just the Tories.

I would not be surprised to see the UKIP take a majority of seats and bring in the Tories to form a majority.


6 posted on 11/22/2014 4:29:40 AM PST by Cowboy Bob (They are called "Liberals" because the word "parasite" was already taken.)
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To: melsec
This should be repeated, only louder:

All countries who have more than two functioning parties need to take note here.

The larger parties need to listen to the fears and concerns of their constituents they need to stop promoting Islam, incompatible immigration, climate change and they need to stop undermining the institutions (like marriage) that are the strength of society.

Finally we are seeing that people have had enough of the left’s idea of a Utopian society but they have also had enough of mealy mouthed (supposed) conservatives.

Voters are almost prepared to wreck the system to see a change.

If the larger parties fail to see this it will only get worse for them!

~melsec

7 posted on 11/22/2014 5:48:04 AM PST by Savage Beast (Hubris and denial overwhelm Western Civilization. Nemesis and tragedy always follow.)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Britian is headed for crack up in 15 years.

Obama has guaranteed that the USA will head for crack up in 30 years


8 posted on 11/22/2014 5:57:27 AM PST by ckilmer (q)
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To: sinsofsolarempirefan

It may well turn into a free country once again. The first of many more.


9 posted on 11/22/2014 7:05:04 AM PST by Forward the Light Brigade (Into the Jaws of H*ll Onward! Ride to the sound of the guns!)
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To: melsec
Via immigration[legal/illegal], national debt, globalization, outsourcing, manufacturing innovation, etc will create more populist concerns here.

Both parties[US] are vulnerable from a populist pov.

10 posted on 11/22/2014 9:45:18 AM PST by Theoria (I should never have surrendered. I should have fought until I was the last man alive)
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To: Cowboy Bob
Labor could also lose seats to UKIP. Not just the Tories.

Native Britons, Labour and Tory, are likely unhappy over immigration, and the refusal of the two "major" parties to do anything about it.

UKIP platform

11 posted on 11/22/2014 9:51:24 AM PST by PapaBear3625 (You don't notice it's a police state until the police come for you.)
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To: Savage Beast

Thank you!


12 posted on 11/22/2014 3:34:44 PM PST by melsec (There's a track, winding back, to an old forgotten shack along the road to Gundagai..)
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To: sinsofsolarempirefan

“It will get worse for the country too.” Yes to see the system fail would not be good for anyone really - I do not advocate for it but it’s what I believe is happening. Only the strong or the well prepared may benefit from a situation like this.


13 posted on 11/22/2014 3:48:19 PM PST by melsec (There's a track, winding back, to an old forgotten shack along the road to Gundagai..)
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To: Theoria

“Both parties[US] are vulnerable from a populist pov.” It almost seems that your current President is determined to see things crash. His party and the GOP are pretty much complicit in letting it happen.

Here in Australia, we have the ability to vote in independents or smaller parties into both the lower and upper houses. At times like these more independents seem to end up in the Senate to keep the ruling party in check and prevent an ideological free for all. Politicians hate it when they are in power but love it when they are not.

The more the trust there is at the voting booth during a particular election cycle the less independents we seem to find in the Senate. Some would disagree with me but I think it is the great balance of our system and we have really needed it since our great Prime Minister (John Howard) was voted out.


14 posted on 11/22/2014 4:05:13 PM PST by melsec (There's a track, winding back, to an old forgotten shack along the road to Gundagai..)
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