Posted on 05/10/2015 2:47:26 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
I am no expert in UK politics and I have never played an MP or even a barrister on TV, but I did forego a room at a Holiday Inn Express last night to stay up to the small hours watching BBC World at home, so I won’t let a lack of knowledge stop me. I think — and I hope this is not just wishful thinking — that the results of Thursday’s election in the UK augur poorly for the U.S. Democratic Party in 2016.
Now most people know by now that the SNP (Scottish National Party) swamped Scotland, winning near every parliamentary seat, and that the Conservative Party did extremely well, much better than expected, winning 331 seats and gaining a majority of Parliament without need of coalition partners.
What most people outside the UK don’t realize, however — and you certainly wouldn’t know if you read the absurd coverage in the Wall Street Journal – is how the popular vote went. (The UK has a peculiar system where a party could come in second in virtually every election and end up with no seats in Parliament.) Of the five largest parties, the Conservatives gained 36.9% of the vote, Labour 30.4%, UKIP (UK Independence Party) 12.6%, Liberal Democrats 7.9%, SNP 4.7% and Green 3.8%. (Perhaps the relatively good showing of the Greens, just making its way into the top five of umpteen parties, accounts for the relatively poor showing — only 8,419 votes en toto – for the ”Cannabis Is Safer Than Alcohol party.” Yes, they have one.)
By far the party that saw the biggest increase in popularity from the 2010 election was the EU-skeptical UKIP, which went up 9.5%, more than tripling the gain of any other party, including the SNP (Scotland is not that populous). Although UKIP has only one measly parliamentary seat due to that odd UK electoral process, this means that the two top right-leaning parties garnered a whopping 49.5% of the vote. Predictions had been for a close election. It wasn’t.
Silent majority? Seems like it was, but why? For one thing, the media, including the all-dominant Beeb, leans left in the UK and wants to convince themselves and others that they are in good shape, spouting their party line time after time until it becomes accepted cant by them and their global audience. We know that this happens here in the U.S. as well and many people get browbeaten by it, tending to keep their opinions to themselves. It may even be worse over there.
One of the inaccuracies of polling is that low-information voters tend to get over-counted because they tend not to vote in the end. At the same time, many who are keeping their heads down lest they be accused — almost always falsely — of racism, homophobia, greed, etc., are undercounted. This could well have been what happened in the UK and in the U.S. during the 2014 election when Republicans did better than expected. Will it happen in 2016? It’s not impossible, especially with the conditions in our country being what they are.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, the Monster Raving Loony Party garnered only 8,398 votes in the UK election. Bragging rights once again to the Cannabis Is Safer Than Alcohol party. Take that to the pub and smoke it!
*****
Roger L. Simon’s “Diary of a Mad Voter” will debut on PJ Media on Monday, May 11.
The election of Margaret Thatcher turned out to be an omen for Democrats back in ‘79.
I watch several British shows on Netflix, and they talk about Margaret Thatcher they way the media here talks about Reagan, with mocking and distain.
It was a relief to see the Conservatives win, but the anti-EU party (UKIP) got twice as many votes as the Scottish national party but only got 1 member elected to parliament???
The very concept of “England”is under assault, and the land is soon to be turned into another Lebanon, where the majority Christian population was either converted forcibly to Islam, or so intimidated by the insurgent Muslims that imposed Shari’ah law against popular will or demand for the changes in the legal system, they could not resist effectively.
The Scots are merely trying to take control of their own destiny, by attempting to sever themselves from the cancer that is overtaking the rest of Great Britain. But considering the penetration already by the radical Islamic Jihadists, it may be too little, too late.
last time I spent time in England was in the mid 80s, but made a couple of biz trips in the 90s......mussie trash everywhere.
Im of the opinion all is lost in the UK now.
When you are importing millions of “voters” you may be less worried about upsets.
Why would the Democrats have any fear of election results as long as they control the companies that supply and program the voting machines?
My household is a perfect example, my wife and kids can make suggestion and I encourage their imput, but, I, like the computerized voting machine, will make the final decision based upon how I am programed , by those who 'programed' me.
thinking that the party of the democrat are going to be concerned over the upcoming elections, are not only wishful thinking, it is plain out and out stupid.
It’s true that conservatism swept the West in ‘80. How wonderful those days were. It was my first intro into politics as a “Young Republican” in NYC. Will it happen again?
There’s a movement there to get proportional representation. Some are fed up with this.
The conservative “victory” in UK will mean about as much as the Republican congressional “victory” in 2014.
Very little, in other words. As an example and not off topic, I am disgusted beyond words at the wave of attacks on Pamela Geller over the thwarted terrorist attack in Garland TX. She is held responsible rather than the evil muzzie (dead) bastards who perpetrated the assault. Sick. sick!
Both the U.S. & U.K. leader classes are busy making their peace with Satan. His name is Allah.
It makes no sense to me.
I wish I could believe that.
If we had fair elections, I would believe it, but with the democrat’s rampant voter fraud, I don’t know how they’ll lose as election. We have millions of new democrat voters now. Just cause they’re here illegally won’t stop them for voting - early and often.
If you think the Scots had an iota of what you propose in their minds, then you do not know a thing about Scotland. The SNP is about as left wing as the Labour Party. They only differ on the status of Scotland, but both are as politically correct as they get. There is no better supporters of a Leviathan welfare state than the Scots. Scotland is the most left wing place in the British Isles. Sinn Fein might be too conservative for them. Braveheart does not exist, even the movie was comic book history.
Salute!
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