Comments for Josh's Blog http://www.joshheald.me.uk Life in Yorkshire, with silly days out, thought and politics, and a wedding to plan! It doesn't seem grim to me... Fri, 07 May 2010 19:15:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on Election 2010 by Josh http://www.joshheald.me.uk/2010/05/election-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-488 Josh Fri, 07 May 2010 19:15:28 +0000 http://www.joshheald.me.uk/?p=61#comment-488 They've been thoroughly trounced, which is really encouraging. I'm not a big fan of the more tinkery forms of PR that create two types of MP, as we see in Scotland with one brand who are accountable to a constituency, and one who arent. I prefer full multi-member STV with no mucking about, which would (assuming each enlarged constituency returns between 3-6 MPs) probably mean that they got between 6-11 MPs, depending on how concentrated their vote was. I've not done the maths, that's just an estimate. It's all quite academic I think; we shouldn't arrange our electoral system to keep out small/fringe/extreme groups, we should campaign strongly against those who are dangerous, just as Hope Not Hate did so successfully this time around. We also have absolutely no idea how many people would vote for them under PR, how many protest votes would be made in another way, etc etc. At the end of the day, I'm very pleased that they have been pushed back in these elections, and I intend to help push them back further wherever I get the opportunity in by-elections, EP elections, and local elections. They’ve been thoroughly trounced, which is really encouraging. I’m not a big fan of the more tinkery forms of PR that create two types of MP, as we see in Scotland with one brand who are accountable to a constituency, and one who arent. I prefer full multi-member STV with no mucking about, which would (assuming each enlarged constituency returns between 3-6 MPs) probably mean that they got between 6-11 MPs, depending on how concentrated their vote was. I’ve not done the maths, that’s just an estimate.
It’s all quite academic I think; we shouldn’t arrange our electoral system to keep out small/fringe/extreme groups, we should campaign strongly against those who are dangerous, just as Hope Not Hate did so successfully this time around. We also have absolutely no idea how many people would vote for them under PR, how many protest votes would be made in another way, etc etc.
At the end of the day, I’m very pleased that they have been pushed back in these elections, and I intend to help push them back further wherever I get the opportunity in by-elections, EP elections, and local elections.

]]> Comment on Election 2010 by Matt http://www.joshheald.me.uk/2010/05/election-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-487 Matt Fri, 07 May 2010 18:57:50 +0000 http://www.joshheald.me.uk/?p=61#comment-487 There are obviously different ways of doing PR, but the BNP got 1.9% of the vote overall, so they'd almost get an MP only if new constituencies had 50 MPs decided by PR. (That's not quite correct, but I think it's very roughly correct.) PR would probably encourage people to vote differently, but I don't know if the extreme parties would see more votes or less. In the <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/election2010/council/html/region_99999.stm" rel="nofollow">local elections</a> they've lost 22 seats (so far, 125 of 164 declared). There are obviously different ways of doing PR, but the BNP got 1.9% of the vote overall, so they’d almost get an MP only if new constituencies had 50 MPs decided by PR. (That’s not quite correct, but I think it’s very roughly correct.) PR would probably encourage people to vote differently, but I don’t know if the extreme parties would see more votes or less.

In the local elections they’ve lost 22 seats (so far, 125 of 164 declared).

]]> Comment on This is my unimpressed face. by Josh http://www.joshheald.me.uk/2009/06/this-is-my-unimpressed-face/comment-page-1/#comment-460 Josh Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:15:43 +0000 http://www.joshheald.me.uk/?p=38#comment-460 Dave, I'm not sure you read the 'gibbering from my rag', since you're the one who's missed my point. My problem with that election result, and specifically the returning of two members of BNP to Brussels, was that it was due to a historically low turnout of just 34.48%. The people have <b>not</b> spoken, certainly not in favour of the BNP - barely a third of them said anything. I'm not being superior, and I won't tell anyone how to vote, but I was and still am outraged at the huge number of people who didn't bother to come out and say <i>anything at all</i>. That's the one and only reason the BNP are in Brussels, preaching hate in the name of the UK is because the people stayed at home. Dave,
I’m not sure you read the ‘gibbering from my rag’, since you’re the one who’s missed my point. My problem with that election result, and specifically the returning of two members of BNP to Brussels, was that it was due to a historically low turnout of just 34.48%.
The people have not spoken, certainly not in favour of the BNP – barely a third of them said anything. I’m not being superior, and I won’t tell anyone how to vote, but I was and still am outraged at the huge number of people who didn’t bother to come out and say anything at all. That’s the one and only reason the BNP are in Brussels, preaching hate in the name of the UK is because the people stayed at home.

]]> Comment on This is my unimpressed face. by dave http://www.joshheald.me.uk/2009/06/this-is-my-unimpressed-face/comment-page-1/#comment-459 dave Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:01:52 +0000 http://www.joshheald.me.uk/?p=38#comment-459 Josh, you along with the vast majority of brain dead communist liars in hope not hate, totally miss the point. The people have spoken and despite the fact that your retarded minds cannot grasp the reality of what happened, I will try explain, "the people considered your views and the BNP's decided for themselves". No amount of lies in the papers or from thieving, disgraced politicians has had any effect thanks to the BNP website. So, the scum, the great unwashed, the peasants as you call the people when they are not around and believe they are all thick and need to be told how to vote by their betters, namely you, have seen that they can upset the status quo and do not believe you any more. Judging by the shrieks and gibbering from your rag, seems to have worked. Josh, you along with the vast majority of brain dead communist liars in hope not hate, totally miss the point. The people have spoken and despite
the fact that your retarded minds cannot grasp the reality of what happened, I will try explain, “the people considered your views and the BNP’s decided for themselves”. No amount of lies in the papers or from thieving, disgraced politicians has had any effect thanks to the BNP website. So, the scum, the great unwashed, the peasants as you call the people when they are not around and believe they are all thick and need to be told how to vote by their betters, namely you, have seen that they can upset the status quo and do not believe you any more. Judging by the shrieks and gibbering from your rag, seems to have worked.

]]> Comment on This is my unimpressed face. by Josh http://www.joshheald.me.uk/2009/06/this-is-my-unimpressed-face/comment-page-1/#comment-402 Josh Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:46:22 +0000 http://www.joshheald.me.uk/?p=38#comment-402 Exactly right! There were loads and loads of parties to choose from, many too small to have ever been a part of the expenses scandal due to never having an MP- you could easily protest vote while stopping fascists from getting power and funding!! Exactly right! There were loads and loads of parties to choose from, many too small to have ever been a part of the expenses scandal due to never having an MP- you could easily protest vote while stopping fascists from getting power and funding!!

]]> Comment on This is my unimpressed face. by Lucy http://www.joshheald.me.uk/2009/06/this-is-my-unimpressed-face/comment-page-1/#comment-401 Lucy Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:45:50 +0000 http://www.joshheald.me.uk/?p=38#comment-401 I'm so annoyed at all the people who didn't vote 'as a protest', but are still whinging about things. Voting is a protest, you stupid twat! People have worked and DIED for our right to vote, how dare you not use it?!? I’m so annoyed at all the people who didn’t vote ‘as a protest’, but are still whinging about things. Voting is a protest, you stupid twat! People have worked and DIED for our right to vote, how dare you not use it?!?

]]> Comment on All about Josh by Peter Fowler http://www.joshheald.me.uk/about/comment-page-1/#comment-390 Peter Fowler Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:52:01 +0000 #comment-390 Sorry Josh I gave you the wrong herbert email. anthonyherbert@btconnect.com Sorry Josh I gave you the wrong herbert email.
anthonyherbert@btconnect.com

]]> Comment on All about Josh by Peter Fowler http://www.joshheald.me.uk/about/comment-page-1/#comment-389 Peter Fowler Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:41:17 +0000 #comment-389 Josh how are you? I seem to have lost contact with your Mum and Dad. Could you give tham an urgent message that Paul Carter is going out to Dubai at the weekend and would like to catch up maybe a game of Tennis. We hope all is going well. If your Dad needs more info could he email Sandra and Anthony who saw Paul on a flight to Edinburgh. Love to them all. Peter a.herbert@farmline.com Josh how are you?
I seem to have lost contact with your Mum and Dad.

Could you give tham an urgent message that Paul Carter is going out to Dubai at the weekend and would like to catch up maybe a game of Tennis. We hope all is going well. If your Dad needs more info could he email Sandra and Anthony who saw Paul on a flight to Edinburgh. Love to them all.

Peter

a.herbert@farmline.com

]]> Comment on I like to ride my… by Josh http://www.joshheald.me.uk/2009/03/i-like-to-ride-my/comment-page-1/#comment-224 Josh Tue, 17 Mar 2009 08:42:39 +0000 http://www.joshheald.me.uk/?p=34#comment-224 Thanks! :) It's more fun in a twosome, to be honest, with a picnic or pub lunch in the middle ;) Thanks! :)
It’s more fun in a twosome, to be honest, with a picnic or pub lunch in the middle ;)

]]> Comment on I like to ride my… by Matt http://www.joshheald.me.uk/2009/03/i-like-to-ride-my/comment-page-1/#comment-221 Matt Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:58:27 +0000 http://www.joshheald.me.uk/?p=34#comment-221 Looks great! Especially after taking off the stickers. I'm useless at riding somewhere for the sake of it, I need a reason to go somewhere, but cycling to Slimelight worked fine last week, and to Camden for a gig yesterday. Looks great! Especially after taking off the stickers.

I’m useless at riding somewhere for the sake of it, I need a reason to go somewhere, but cycling to Slimelight worked fine last week, and to Camden for a gig yesterday.

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