Posted on 05/05/2005 7:59:15 AM PDT by tellw
The Vote is under way!
I imagine he was!
Also, I've had the chance to scroll around the interactive map available on the BBC main site - it is quite possibly one of the best interactive devices I have ever seen on the Internet. VERY impressive.
"Monster Raving Loony Party?" We have them too. We call them democrats. LOL!
We should have the first result in about an hour and 45 minutes, from Sunderland - safe Labour seat.
Regards, Ivan
If the Tories gain power over the pond, the Canadian anglos finally will find the courage they lost long ago under Trudeau.
(Just a thought on possible repercussions of a Tory win.)
Barnsley about 15 mins later never had Conservative MP safe Labour seat
Anyway early exist polls are often not reliable, and we learned this here in the last election, when "skewed" early exit poll show a Kerry landslide.
Yes, Sunderland and Barnsley are places where Tories lose their deposit. Forget it - maybe the Lib Dems will make a dent there, but unlikely.
Regards, Ivan
Our Canadian bretheren should vote Tory no matter what - Paul Martin definitely needs to be put out to pasture.
Regards, Ivan
I agree with you -- that is also my take on Blair. Glad to hear it from someone that lives there too!
And if they are as accurate as our exit polls were, Blair should win handily.
But he can read tea leaves, too.
How strong he will remain in a new (and in the highest) political office will be interesting. In fact, to me, it will be the measure of the man.
Leni
I suspect the interal pressures from the party would make Howard stick with the USA. Particularly from people who are still loyal to Mrs. Thatcher.
Regards, Ivan
Sure they should but they don't. Canadians are followers, not leaders. If the tories win in England, I think they will finally start to make the right choices.
"2) Howard would revise UK's abortion laws to make them more pro-life."
Just saw this and thought I should pick up on it. Michael Howard voted in favour of the current laws allowing abortion up to 24 weeks. He has recently indicated that he now favours amending this to 21 weeks.
None of that signals that the law would actually be changed if he became PM. The issue is treated as a conscience issue for MPs and they are not required to follow a party line in any vote. I'd seriously doubt that a bill reducing the limit would pass the Commons.
The Labour Party for the most part did not back Blair in the Iraq War, it was the Tories. This is not a referendum on the Iraq War and the liberals will be discouraged if their fellow liberal Blair goes down to defeat.
Because Blair supported ousting Saddam doesn't mean that his party felt the same way -- quite the opposite.
I disagree. The Bill would pass the Commons, as public opinion is behind it. Even Lord Steel, the fellow who introduced legislation to loosen abortion laws in the first place, has also called for the limit to be tightened. There would be considerable cross-party support.
Except from the likes of Glenda Jackson. But who cares what she thinks.
Regards, Ivan
I refuse to believe exit polling anyplace!
Thanks for the link.
It seems like they believe they can scrap tuition fees without raising additional funding.
I have to say that I probably agree with the conservatives over labour 99 out of a 100 times. I guess I am just blinded by admiration for the man you loathe. lol.
But, would you not agree that a major loss of labour seats, but labour returning to power with a majority is even worse news than a relative convincing labour victory.
Anyhow, I really despise the lib dems. Unfortunately, in Scandinavia such folks are abundant.
Dangerous world
When the Cold War ended, we all hoped that our children and grandchildren would grow up in a safer world.
That hope was shattered on September 11th 2001.
Our world changed. Taking a plane, going on the Tube - all these things suddenly carried a new risk.
Meanwhile, we face the spread of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.
How do we confront this sense of insecurity? How do we tackle these threats?
First, people need to be told the truth about the threats we face. And if we consider the threat to our freedom and our interests merit military action, we should not flinch.
Every day British servicemen and women face great danger in Iraq. The way they carry out their duties does Britain proud, and makes Britain proud.
I believe it was right to go to war. That's a controversial view. Many people would prefer me to say something else. But that is how I see it. And I owe it to you to tell you how I see it.
The world is a better place without Saddam Hussein.
Saddam had provoked two wars in the Gulf. He had used chemical weapons against other nations and against his own people. No one knew if and when he would get his hands on more weapons of mass destruction.
So I think it was right to go to war. But I also think it's right to tell the truth.
In the run-up to the war, Tony Blair did not tell the truth. He did not give a truthful account of the intelligence he received. He did not behave as a British Prime Minister should.
Tony Blair has said that mistakes were made. He has said he accepts responsibility. But it is not a question of responsibility. It is a question of credibility.
I hope that we will not face another war.
But the world is a very dangerous place, and you can never be sure.
What if this Prime Minister asks people to trust him again? Could the British people trust him a second time?
Conservative beliefs
If you want people to trust you, you must trust them.
Of course, I don't believe that we are right about everything and Labour politicians are wrong about everything.
Neither party has a monopoly on virtue.
But I do believe that there are times in our history when Conservative ideas are more relevant to the challenges Britain faces. And we have reached one of those times today.
I am a Conservative because I believe that if people are given a choice, they will make the right decision for themselves and their families.
I am a Conservative because I understand that families are better at spending their hard earned cash than governments are.
I am a Conservative because I want people to be big, and the State to be small.
I am a Conservative because I know that government should be accountable to the people, not people to the government.
And I am a Conservative because I have an inherent belief in fair play - no-one should be over mighty, not the trade unions, not the State, not corporations, not the European Union - not even the Prime Minister.
We want to live in a society where people have the freedom to get on in life and get on with their lives, safe in the knowledge that government will provide them with security. Freedom and security: two timeless Conservative ambitions.
This is what makes me a Conservative. And I believe it's what makes all of you Conservatives.
Full text of this speech at
http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=news.story.page&obj_id=116340&speeches=1
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.