Posted on 02/17/2005 12:39:24 PM PST by srm913
Lowest turnout since 1918 predicted for UK election
AFP , LONDON Thursday, Feb 17, 2005,Page 6 The UK is lurching toward the lowest turnout for a general election since 1918 when troops were returning from the First World War, according to a new poll published yesterday.
But voter apathy aside, Prime Minister Tony Blair can take heart that his ruling Labour Party has the biggest lead over the main opposition Conservative Party since May 2003, the NOP survey in The Independent newspaper found.
An election is widely expected to be called for May 5 and, while Labour is favorite to win, the party has warned of the danger of a back-door Conservative victory if people fail to make an appearance at the ballot box.
Only 55 percent of people contacted in the latest poll said they would vote, two points lower than in the run-up to the 2001 general election, when the turnout of 59 percent was the lowest since 1918, the newspaper said.
"We are very worried about the low turnout. When it drops below 50 percent, it becomes very volatile and the Tories could pick up seats we have held for years," a senior advisor to the prime minister was quoted in the daily as saying.
At the same time, 42 percent of people asked said they would vote Labour -- up four points from January -- while 30 percent rallied for the Conservatives -- a 2 percent drop from the previous month, the poll found.
NOP, a member of the British polling council, interviewed 953 adults by telephone between Feb. 11 and Feb. 13.
AFP , LONDON Thursday, Feb 17, 2005,Page 6 The UK is lurching toward the lowest turnout for a general election since 1918 when troops were returning from the First World War, according to a new poll published yesterday.
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I do not know where people get these figures from.
I cannot understand how anyone would vote Labour after their domestic policies have been exposed and hteir inability to convince people about their foreign policy.
I do not think the last European and council elections had a low turnout so I think this election will be an ok turnout.
The WOT would only suffer if the Liberal DEmocrats get into power.
If the Tories or Labour get in the WOT will not suffer.
If Labour get in then Britain will suffer domestically.
Not at all, the Conservatives are also staunch supporters of the War on Terror. As an expat Brit, I admire Blair's standing by the US in Afghanistan and Iraq but his domestic policies are AWFUL! No conservative or libertarian in his right mind would support them.
Good. I'm glad to hear I was wrong, actually.
His domestic policies are fine. He's the best thing that has happened to Britain since Churchill (and I include Thatcher in that). Britain is a truly great place to live.
(says me getting on a plane to New York tommorow!)
Gosh, is it time to elect a new Queen already? Or is this for "Big Ears" replacement?
I know others have replied, but I just wanted to reassure you that a Conservative victory will not affect the WOT one bit.
Do you really think so? That surprises me.
I think he is better than Major but vastly inferior to Thatcher. That said he is better than mostve the 20th centuries Conservative PMs.
He is tough on islamic terrorists but hasnt shown the same spine dealing with Sinn Fein-IRA. I like his making the Bank of England independent but he shows no interest in lowering taxes, has made only a few steps to bringing real choice to healthcare and has allowed Brown to spend spend spend! Perhaps things look better from a UK persepective - I havent been home for a good few years.
His domestic policies are fine.
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The first term was good but it has been downhill ever since.
He wants to repeat the mistake of Thatcher by selling off more council houses (ie welath redistribution).
He has not done enough about immigration. He and his Cabinet have lied consistantly (They knew Blackwatch was being sent to North Iraq but lied and said it was not definite when my friend who was in Iraq was actually preparing for the move and had been for several months).
I hate the idea of ID cards and think fox hunting has been the most divisive folly of the last hundred years.
his domestic policies are AWFUL!
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PING
He did a few good things but his mandate from 1997 has stayed the same in terms of wealth redistribution and immigration/multi-culturalism while the country has changed.
"fox hunting has been the most divisive folly of the last hundred years"
Not to mention unjust and ill thought out! A dreadful coalition of bunny huggers and class warriors brought that about.
The only domestic policy of his which I thoroughly agree with is granting independence to the Bank of England; that was extremely well done.
Apart from that, the additional spending his government put in has not helped matters one iota. It needs more capitalism, not less.
Regards, Ivan
His northern and Scottish base will not care but he is aiming at the wrog people in my mind.
Personally I could not care about foxeshunting either way but I hate the way it has wasted so much time and money.
I have much stronger feelings about abortion than I do about killing foxes.
They're about to become three-time losers.
I don't know, Howard and the "conservatives" have been awfully weak on the war in Iraq. For the first time in my life I'm rooting AGAINST the Tories.
Then what's the deal with this guy Howard that everyone is criticizing?? I thought he was a Conservative leader that was against the WOT.
He's not against it and his election wouldnt weaken the UK's commitment one iota; he has however, tried to score some cheap shots on Blair regarding the war.
You're likely right - few people outside the countryside have an interest in protecting peoples right to hunt foxes and its not as serious as an issue as abortion and others.
Ironically the same groups that gave lots of cash to New Labour and brought about this policy would also like to ban sport fishing - which would go down like a lead ballon in Labour-voting working class districts.
You're likely right - few people outside the countryside have an interest in protecting peoples right to hunt foxes and its not as serious as an issue as abortion and others.
Ironically the same groups that gave lots of cash to New Labour and brought about this policy would also like to ban sport fishing - which would go down like a lead ballon in Labour-voting working class districts.
Howard criticised Blair for the 'dodgy dossier'. That's about it. He said he thought that Blair had exaggerated his excuse for war. It's not an un-conservative position. Howard would have handled it differently, but the result would have been similar.
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