Politics

Nixon · Post by **Nixon** » Fri May 06, 2005 3:28 am

Could anyone not vote in this years UK Election?

I'm entitled to vote and all that, and Im on the electoral register (Local elections last year can confirm this), yet I wasn't given the card that allowed me to vote this year, not to my home address or my term time address. I was a little pissed off with this, not that my vote would change things majorly anyway (I'm a big Lib Dem, which is the second biggest party in Scotland) but I know I was not the only student in this position.

Bit disappointed as Labour are set to take a third term in power, and the tories are catching - unless Labour do something dramtic this term, I can see tories winning the next election.. :/

Villa · Post by **Villa** » Fri May 06, 2005 8:32 am

You don't need the card to vote.
However, without the card, you might have a hard time finding out where your local polling station is.

Usually, proof of address is sufficient - though in the case of students living away from home, this can be a tricky one to resolve.

Angus · Post by **Angus** » Fri May 06, 2005 8:49 am

I miss out on the vote by 10days.

VOTE LIB DEM.

Bit late now..eh? :p

Night · Post by **Night** » Fri May 06, 2005 8:59 am

Tony Blair is the best Tory leader we've ever had !

blue · Post by **blue** » Fri May 06, 2005 9:02 am

if i were old enough i woulda voted lib dem......labour got power...conservative still suck and hopefully lib dem will get the next one!

Padaxus · Post by **Padaxus** » Fri May 06, 2005 2:40 pm

so u would have voted just becuase Libs deserve a go???

tbh this is the attitude i see a lot now, less and less people knowing what there voting for.

blue · Post by **blue** » Fri May 06, 2005 2:51 pm

no pad i actually agreed with most of lib dems policies which were much better than the other 2 parties....how many of u are at uni and hate being crippled with tuition fee's? lib dems were tryna scrap those fees, which yes would not affect the guys almost finishing uni but the newcpomers it helps to not cripple them with debt when theyre leaving uni and tryna buy a house?

Post by **Calix** » Fri May 06, 2005 3:29 pm

Thing is;

In this country, we spend more money on University education than we do on ALL schooling up until age 18. Does that sound right to anyone?

By making students pay tuition fees, the money goes into schooling people until age 18. Past 18 you're an adult, you can pay for yourself, you still get loans.

Nixon · Post by **Nixon** » Fri May 06, 2005 3:30 pm

In england maybe, but I know for a fact I wouldn't be at Uni if I had to pay tutition fee's, I simply couldn't afford it, also, tutition fees = reason more english students studying in Scotland now, than Scottish students?

ps you can go to uni at 16

Post by **Calix** » Fri May 06, 2005 3:45 pm

More important for all to get a good education to 18 than for the select few to get free university education

Night · Post by **Night** » Fri May 06, 2005 3:55 pm

I left uni nearly £6k overdrawn about 18 years ago ... admittedly I pissed most of it away at the union bar but it's not really any different now than it was ages ago .. it still costs money :/

I'd love to say that it's a great life lesson (being in debt) but it actually sucked hard for 3-4 years while I worked to clear it ... education should be free .. but if it was 100% free ppl would take the piss and ultimately taxes would end up going up to subsidise it

education is bollocks anyway .. I've never used anything I learned in education in any job I had ... other than being able to drink beer of course !

Villa · Post by **Villa** » Fri May 06, 2005 4:01 pm

A bit of National Service would be useful in between school and University, IMO.

Night · Post by **Night** » Fri May 06, 2005 4:21 pm

agreed Villa

Padaxus · Post by **Padaxus** » Fri May 06, 2005 4:38 pm

left uni in 2001 i have 12k of debts.

Yeah lib dems might have scrapped tuition fees but where was they gonna get the money from to pay for it??

higher taxes tbh

BTW micheal howard resigned today, wonder wholl take over.

Conseratives retained folkestone as well so still a conservative as ever round here :/

Villa · Post by **Villa** » Fri May 06, 2005 4:42 pm

I would gladly pay slightly more in taxes if it meant an improved national health system, education and pensions.
In return, I would want unemployment benefits looked into; those who consistently do not find a job after say 12 months would be given the option to either take a job that is found for them by the benefits office, or they lose their benefits.
So many billions are wasted on false unemployment benefit claims, it's unreal.