Radio 2 in the Park 2024

[MrDoovdeHaxorz]

Hung parliament isn't an option we can actually vote for, is it?

[yorkieboy]

Hung parliament isn't an option we can actually vote for, is it?

No a hung parliament happens if neither party get a majority of seats in the house of commons so they need to join up with another party.

[John]

I haven't seen a poll so far that swings in the favour of labour. The website UK General Election 2010 (which isn't connected to any party) are holding a poll on there....

* Labour Party (25.35%, 8,116 Votes)

* Conservative Party (30.81%, 9,866 Votes)

* Liberal Democrats Party (15.58%, 4,990 Votes)

* UK Independence Party (UKIP) (6.43%, 2,058 Votes)

* Green Party (4.42%, 1,414 Votes)

* Plaid Cymru Party (0.91%, 291 Votes)

* Other Political Party (11.11%, 3,559 Votes)

* NONE OF THE ABOVE (2.06%, 659 Votes)

* Don't Know : Floating Voter (3.33%, 1,067 Votes)

http://www.general-election-2010.co.uk/

[MrDoovdeHaxorz]

Nor have I, I think the general expectation is for it all to go Cameron's way based on the seeming general opinion that he's the lesser of two evils.

[Robbie Keane]

http://www.ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/

That's the polling site you want to keep your eye on...

[krazy_chloe]

It's on my birthday. How selfish of them.

[E*F*4L]

And I actually wrote recently to a local conservative MP (and got no answer). Pig ignorant.

write to the party & complain, when i have wrote to my MP i have received a reply to say that the issue would be looked into & then some weeks later a reply regarding the issue i raised, i even went to see my MP, they should at least let you know they have received a letter, in fact go & see your MP & tell them & add that you won't be voting for them as they don't take your problems/issues seriously enough to even bother to reply, don't take no shit Viv you are paying them to do a job for you !

Oh yeah any chance of a poll, like that UM election?

yes a poll will be set up on the actual election day May 6th, it will be a separate thread though.

[DarkAngelMJH]

I have no idea who to vote for really, I really don't like Labour but also don't like Tories as they are against BBC. Yes things like that are liable to not get my pen to paper for them. Lib Dems have been in council here in Stockport for a good few years now and the roads are shocking so not voting for them either.

Maybe the Green Party as it's my favorite color?

[yorkieboy]

yes a poll will be set up on the actual election day May 6th, it will be a separate thread though.

Wouldn't it be better to have it before like the other polls, given we'll know pretty soon after May 6th which way everyone has voted?

[DC]

i had to laugh at the pro tories on question time tonight.

[Viv]

Maybe the Green Party as it's my favorite color?

Yeah, make an important decision about who heads your country based on a colour option!! No wonder this country is in pieces.

** I will write in, btw, Alan... will see what happens. It just cost them a voter though **

Check this! News just in via Twitter from the Independent (8 April 2010):-

"The founder of the Conservative Party's biggest group campaigning for gay rights has said she will now vote Labour at the general election after David Cameron failed to reprimand a Shadow Cabinet member for questioning gay rights.

Anastasia Beaumont-Bott, the first chairman of the LGBTory group, said she felt guilty for having told gay voters to back the Tories in the past after Chris Grayling, the shadow Home Secretary, said he believed bed and breakfast owners should have the right to ban gay couples from staying in their property. She called on the Tory leader to dismiss Mr Grayling. So far, Mr Cameron has refused to take any action against

...."

[Bumble_85]

You obviously missed the winking smiley indicating it wasn't a serious comment...

[dreamboy3000]

Not particularly big on the conservatives but it's time for a change.

So much bad as happened since Labour have been in power that I can't see myself voting for them.

Maybe UKIP seems as i've big beliefs on immigration like them.

[Robbie Keane]

Ah UKIP, the party for racists who don't want the burden of admitting they're such.

The party who believe in microchipped babies.

The party whose sole platform is Europe. If we're in a recession, it's because of the EU. If the environment is bad, it's because of the EU. If an old woman receives her gas bill a day early, it's because of those bastards in the EU and we should leave immediately.

Yeah. they're worth a comedy vote I guess.

[Viv]

Not particularly big on the conservatives but it's time for a change.

.

Change for the better though??

[dreamboy3000]

Voting fo UKIP doesn't make someone racist at all. I think you're confusing them with the BNP.

There is nothing wrong with a party that puts BRITISH people first in BRITAIN.

They would soon sort our pathetic immigration and asylum problems.

[E*F*4L]

Wouldn't it be better to have it before like the other polls, given we'll know pretty soon after May 6th which way everyone has voted?

not really, i will set one up at maybe this time (18:00) or a bit later on the 5th of May, one can be set up anytime of the year but the main point is that it shows a actual true reflection of who would be in power if it was up to UM geeks, i would like it if people voted in the UM poll exactly the same was as they did earlier on in the day during the real election, also i want to see how many UM geeks do go out & use their vote & having a poll on the day will help show this, i will be disappointed if it's below 90% ! (im talking about the main UM members & not the randoms who don't post to much)

i want to use this to get younger people out voting, & not like this idea to allow 16 years olds to vote just for the sake of it

[Bumble_85]

Voting fo UKIP doesn't make someone racist at all. I think you're confusing them with the BNP.

There is nothing wrong with a party that puts BRITISH people first in BRITAIN.

They would soon sort our pathetic immigration and asylum problems.

...

How would you classify someone as 'British'? Yeah, let's just ignore all those people who need help to be actual immigrants...

[Robbie Keane]

Voting fo UKIP doesn't make someone racist at all. I think you're confusing them with the BNP.

Nope. UKIP are notorious racists.

[Guest]

Not particularly big on the conservatives but it's time for a change.

The Tories aren't going to change anything. They'll simply be an augmented version of New Labour: more laissez-faire, more corruption, sleaze and scandals, more wars, more privatisation, more corporate handouts, less transparency, less willing to help the poor, the vulnerable and those on low incomes and passively promoting more social division and disintegration. And so on.

You see, in the end, it just becomes viciously cyclic. Nothing changes, at least, not for the better. Faces change, but the inherent attitudes and false convictions of the parties stay the same and we just end up with an evil in power that is either greater or lesser than the other with the sole purpose of protecting a rich minority. The lives and concerns of everyone and everything else is negligible.

[MrDoovdeHaxorz]

Nope. UKIP are notorious racists.

Wouldn't be the first person to think of them as BNP-Lite, wasn't that why Kilroy left and set up his own party?

[yorkieboy]

Voting fo UKIP doesn't make someone racist at all. I think you're confusing them with the BNP.

There is nothing wrong with a party that puts BRITISH people first in BRITAIN.

They would soon sort our pathetic immigration and asylum problems.

Alot of people who vote BNP aren't racist, their just naive. UKIP aren't as extreme and most of what they say isn't actually racist but if they actually got to power UK would probably be a pretty horrible place to live if you weren't white British.

[The Stig]

A letter and response I wrote to Mr Hunt, expressing my concerns over the conservatives view on BBC Radio 1. If Jono thinks this is worthy of a new thread in the R1 section then by all means shift it!

Dear Mr Hunt

My name is Christian Hewgill and I am an 18 year old first time voter from Leicestershire. I am currently an A Level Media and Communication student and from October will be studying Broadcast Journalism with Nottingham Trent University .

Despite at present not having totally made up my mind about where my vote will lie in this year’s General Election, it would be fair to say I am leaning more in the direction of the Conservatives. However one area of Conservative policy which concerns me is the party’s stance on the BBC, and more specifically the corporations programming which is aimed at my age group.

In a recent article in The Daily Telegraph by Jonathan Wynne-Jones, entitled “Radio 1 and Radio 2 must not damage their commercial rivals, say Conservatives”, you express your view that the stations must provide a clear service, in light of ample competition from commercial rivals. Whilst I of course agree with this stance, I am concerned that a Conservative government is doubting the service that the station provides.

It is my opinion that programming aimed at young people is something the BBC needs to improve on. For example, despite the fact I am directly in BBC Three’s target audience, I rarely find myself compelled to watch any of the channels programming, and feel that the “BBC Switch” strand is patronising and relies on juvenile humour, in other words it could not appeal to me any less. (I should however note that I am therefore pleased to hear of the BBC’s plans to discontinue the brand.)

However, one BBC station which does engage with me perfectly is BBC Radio 1. Over the past five years I have become an avid listener of the station. I feel that its music selection is excellent and appeals to all sorts of tastes and genres, and in my opinion most importantly, its DJ’s and presenters are quite comfortably the best in the business. DJ’s such as Chris Moyles, Greg James, Scott Mills, Huw Stephens and Sara Cox fill their shows with original content. The station’s news output “Newsbeat” simplifies, yet doesn’t patronise and continues to make young people like me aware of key issues such as the upcoming election. It is in these areas in which I feel Radio 1 holds major advantages over its commercial rivals. Due to large budget cuts and the increasing number of national media companies owning local radio stations all over the country (Global Radio and The Heart Network being prime examples) local radio to me appears cheaply produced, with stations offering little or no individuality. Local stations in my area such as Leicester Sound, Ram FM and Trent FM would be impossible to tell apart, were it not for jingles reminding us which station we are listening to and DJ’s repeating the stations name in every link. Radio shows contain little or no content, often playing 3 or 4 songs in a row, before a brief news bulletin, or perhaps a presenter alerting us of something they have read in the paper. This is not what I want from radio.

BBC Radio 1 is one of the few stations or channels at the BBC that successfully appeals to me as an 18 year old male. For me this is something that should be built on around the rest of the corporation. My concern under a Conservative government is that Radio 1 would become limited, and start to appear more like a local commercial radio station, something which sadly now is not something to aspire to.

It is my opinion that the BBC should perhaps look to apply BBC Radio 1’s success in other areas of its programming, and sincerely hope a Conservative government would support this.

While I appreciate how much of a busy time this must be for you I would be extremely grateful of a response and of course would be delighted to discuss this issue with you further. Many thanks for reading my letter.

Yours Sincerely

Christian Hewgill

I recieved a response less than 24 hours later...

Dear Mr Hewgill,

Thank you for your email regarding BBC radio output.

I completely agree that BBC Radio 1 provides quality output. The point that I have been trying to get across is that there are some areas of BBC output that are very similar to what the commercial sector already provides. We want to press the BBC to concentrate on quality output that otherwise would not be available. The BBC would be protected under a Conservative government, and I want to assure you of our commitment to the BBC. It is often the ency of the world, and we would not do anything to put it at risk.

I hope that this addressses your concerns.

Best wishes,

Jeremy

Jeremy Hunt MP

South West Surrey

Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

[DarkAngelMJH]

You obviously missed the winking smiley indicating it wasn't a serious comment...

I think Viv misses quite a lot that goes on.

[DC]

whatever the outcome, it's all going to be the same. unless my predictions for that twat cameron are true, to think you thought new labour were bad...