[JonnyBrad]

Everyone calling for Boris now.

[ashley678]

on the leaflets for boris it did say if you chose not to vote him first put him second cos it still counts lol.

[nib95]

on the leaflets for boris it did say if you chose not to vote him first put him second cos it still counts lol.

Smart and cheeky. Lol.

[ashley678]

wanted to also point out ken did say if he cant do some of the things he said he would by october 7th if he got in he would resign as mayor.

The BBC understands that the two extra ballot boxes were "found" in the Brent and Harrow constituency. The contents have to be counted.

lulz seriously

[killer_clank]

No one cares anymore, but boris has won.

[Sir_Crocodile]

Thank god for that.

I was dreading ken somehow sneaking in, even though intellectually I knew it was incredibly unlikely.

[CHEEZMO™]

May the 4th be with you?

Did I seriously hear that?

[phisheep]

Yep. You did. Or at least, so did I.

[Sir_Crocodile]

May the 4th be with you? Did I seriously hear that?

Sounds like wiff waff to me.

[phisheep]

Sounds like wiff waff to me.

Please. Whiff-whaff.

[ashley678]

alot of my friends on facebook have been saying may the 4th be with you am i missing something lol

[Sir_Crocodile]

Please. Whiff-whaff.

heh, hey, it's late.

Had to stay up for ken's stuffed ballot boxes

alot of my friends on facebook have been saying may the 4th be with you am i missing something lol

star wars

[Psychotext]

Was amazingly close in the end. No-one really seemed to think it was going to be that tight a run. Ken must be gutted.

[nib95]

Was amazingly close in the end. No-one really seemed to think it was going to be that tight a run. Ken must be gutted.

I'm gutted. Gutted I'm not in London right now to vote either.

[killer_clank]

Was amazingly close in the end. No-one really seemed to think it was going to be that tight a run. Ken must be gutted.

I it wasn't for the likes of the Green candidate being another Labour candidate in all but name he might have won.

[JonnyBrad]

I it wasn't for the likes of the Green candidate being another Labour candidate in all but name he might have won.

If Labour had put up pretty much anyone who wasn't Ken. They would have one.

Having lost by 4 points you wonder what would have happened without him getting caught with his pants down about tax. Blaming it on tabloid smears was pretty pathetic last night.

edit. Actually perhaps not. As was pointed out last night but i forgot. If Ken hadn't have been a Labour candidate, he would have stood anyway and split the vote. Labour were fucked either way i guess and had to pick him.

[PJV3]

Was amazingly close in the end. No-one really seemed to think it was going to be that tight a run. Ken must be gutted.

The job is more important to Ken than Boris, so yeah he's going to be devastated.
Ken made a big impact on the city, Boris hasn't done much besides banning booze on the tube.
Labour might have dodged a bullet with the result though.

[TCRS]

alot of my friends on facebook have been saying may the 4th be with you am i missing something lol

How “May the Fourth Be With You” Originated With Margaret Thatcher and a Guy Who Was Nearly Fired

http://www.themarysue.com/may-the-fo...aret-thatcher/

[Jackpot]

bwahaha, surely anyone even considering taking UKIP seriously should rethink their position.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=37611627

Billboards in Chicago paid for by The Heartland Institute point out that some of the world's most notorious criminals say they "still believe in global warming" – and ask viewers if they do, too…The billboard series features Ted Kaczynski, the infamous Unabomber; Charles Manson, a mass murderer; and Fidel Castro, a tyrant... ...Why did Heartland choose to feature these people on its billboards? Because what these murderers and madmen have said differs very little from what spokespersons for the United Nations, journalists for the "mainstream" media, and liberal politicians say about global warming.

One person who is on the list to speak is Roger Helmer, a British politician who has attended previous conferences. Having recently left the Conservative party as an MEP, the prominent climate sceptic is now the UK Independence Party's spokesperson on industry and energy. Earlier, I sent him an email with a link to Heartland's poster campaign press release and asked him: "Will you now be reconsidering attending in light of this new poster campaign for the conference? Do you approve of or condemn the poster campaign?" He confirmed he was still attending, adding: I am delighted that the Heartland campaign for the Chicago climate conference has succeeded in its purpose and attracted the attention of the Guardian. I urge Guardian readers to attend the conference if they can, but failing that, to follow it on the web.

Their spokesperon for energy thinks believing in man-made global warming is only for mass-murderers.

[dalin80]

bwahaha, surely anyone even considering taking UKIP seriously should rethink their position. http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=37611627 Their spokesperon for energy thinks believing in man-made global warming is only for mass-murderers.

At first glance I believe he is only glad for the increased attention in the conference?

People voting for labour again is a far greater surprise and concern.

[Dambrosi]

At first glance I believe he is only glad for the increased attention in the conference? People voting for labour again is a far greater surprise and concern.

Cute.

Pray tell, good Sir, who will you be voting for in the next General Election in May 2015? assuming the coalition lasts that long

[nib95]

Guy on Question Time stated that £120 BILLION in tax goes uncollected, evaded or unpaid, mainly by big corporations. How much truth is there to that?

[Dambrosi]

Who knows? Me, I'd think it'd be more than that. I mean, ONLY £120 billion? Psshhh. Zomg and his pals could spend that on yachts and Caribbean beach parties in a week.

In other news, more potential trouble for the coalition as their proposed new minimum price for alcohol policy to combat binge drinking* would probably be illegal under EU competition laws, leaving the government open to potentially massive lawsuits from the drinks industry, and that they were warned as such by their advisers a whole four days before they decided to announce the policy anyway.

Seems to me that, with judgment like that, this government deserves all the crap it gets.

*Wouldn't work anyway, since alcohol is a narcotic like any other, and addicts will spend whatever it takes to get their next fix. Which the government's advisers also said in their report that Cameron and Clegg ignored.

[dalin80]

Cute. Pray tell, good Sir, who will you be voting for in the next General Election in May 2015? assuming the coalition lasts that long

To satisfy your curiosity probably con again if things stay as they are.

[phisheep]

Guy on Question Time stated that £120 BILLION in tax goes uncollected, evaded or unpaid, mainly by big corporations. How much truth is there to that?

Given HMRC's definition of tax (which is basically all the money they haven't got yet), this sounds on the low side. However, this isn't necessarily the big corporations' fault - quite the reverse. If the taxes are too complicated or ill-defined for HMRC to collect them, then there's something wrong with the tax system.

[Protome]

At first glance I believe he is only glad for the increased attention in the conference? People voting for labour again is a far greater surprise and concern.

It'd be more surprising if people were continuing to vote for Lib Dems. Those voters have to go somewhere, and why would they go to the party who have given Lib Dems their excuse for abandoning their electorate?
It shouldn't be remotely surprising that Labour are gaining votes after what the Lib Dems did.

[Dambrosi]

To satisfy your curiosity probably con again if things stay as they are.

...I didn't actually expect you to answer that. Thank you.

That said, why? Do you have a rational reason, or is it on of those life-long tribal loyalty things? Because, with things as they are, I can't think of a rational reason to keep the status quo.

As Protome said, people flocking from the quisling* Lib-Dems to the opposition, no matter who they may be, should be no surprise to anyone. And, of course, Labour are going to be the main beneficiaries of that shift. Why is that a surprise or concern?

[TCRS]

Queens speech:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/tv/bbc_...ment/watchlive

Love all that pageantry.

[Guerrillas in the Mist]

Doesn't start until 11:30, yeah? Just some talking heads on BBC Parliament at the moment.

[PJV3]

Ministers exercise rare right of veto to end 19-month campaign to let public see assessment of risks involved in NHS overhaul

The worst case scenarios must be end of the world level nastiness. It's a shame this flew under the radar yesterday.

[killer_clank]

just about to start fairly soon. crazy pagentry going on.

[PJV3]

just about to start fairly soon. crazy pagentry going on.

It's a good day to go out and do a bit of burglary.

[killer_clank]

god, fuck the house of lords and their moaning. unelected pricks. they should be elected or get the fuck out.

[Bo-Locks]

We can always rely on Skinner.

[killer_clank]

He should renationalise electricity and water. No doubt these bills will privatise them more.

[Jackpot]

Unelected and heriditary peers sound obscene for a democracy to have on the face of it, but how would an elected House of Lords be different from the rubber-stamping House of Commons we have now? Also it was the Lords that protected us from legislation on extending the time you can be held without charge or trial and other shit laws, whilst elected MPs were falling over each other to reduce our freedoms.

[vcassano1]

Unelected and heriditary peers sound obscene for a democracy to have on the face of it, but how would an elected House of Lords be different from the rubber-stamping House of Commons we have now? Also it was the Lords that protected us from legislation on extending the time you can be held without charge or trial and other shit laws, whilst elected MPs were falling over each other to reduce our freedoms.

Agreed. David Davis had a really good article about this: http://tgr.ph/ICj4uk . (Besides the abysmal point about the AV referendum) I cannot believe that I actually agree with that man, but there you go.

In theory, an elected House of Lords makes sense, but I'm not sure it needs to be radically changed right now. It certainly does need some trimming and some improving but not radical changes, in my view.

[zomgbbqftw]

HS2 kicked into the long grass! Result!

[PJV3]

MP's complaining about the house of lords challenging the Commons is a pathetic smoke screen. As long as they act as a rubber stamp for the executive we will never have a proper democracy. Both houses are useless.

End the 3 line whip, seperate the executive and put the powers formerly held by the monarch into a proper legal framework.

[Sir Fragula]

Idea for Lords reform:

• Nominated by county-level executive.
• Individually approved or rejected by voters in yes/no poll.
• Serve for 10 year terms.
• Ban party membership for Lords. (I wish)

There - no FPTP system allowing a Lord to get in on 1/3 the popular vote. Each county would put forward candidates with broad cross-party appeal in order to get majority. 10 year terms are long enough to not be worried about constant re-election, but short enough to prevent apathy.

What do you think?

[PJV3]

Idea for Lords reform: Nominated by county-level executive. Individually approved or rejected by voters in yes/no poll. Serve for 10 year terms. Ban party membership for Lords. (I wish) There - no FPTP system allowing a Lord to get in on 1/3 the popular vote. Each county would put forward candidates with broad cross-party appeal in order to get majority. 10 year terms are long enough to not be worried about constant re-election, but short enough to prevent apathy. What do you think?

I would like a membership that changes per policy area, keep a core of elected members(different parties to the commons) and then draw in experts and people involved in the debate. bodies like the unions, employers or even customers could be represented. The CBI, TUC and other organisations affected by legislation would elect their representatives.

For extra spice you could allow public speakers drawn by lottery to address the house a certain number of times a year. Special Brew man could talk about alcohol pricing.

[Sir Fragula]

Would be interesting. You'd have a Lords: Law sub-cameral system, Lords: Econo, Lords: Enviro etc...

[CHEEZMO™]

Am I the only one who doesn't really mind the Lords?

[PJV3]

Am I the only one who doesn't really mind the Lords?

The only good thing is they have a few people from outside politics, the commons is the house that needs real reform But i would start from scratch, get rid of the monarchy and change the voting system.

[J Tourettes]

The only good thing is they have a few people from outside politics, the commons is the house that needs real reform But i would start from scratch, get rid of the monarchy and change the voting system.

What would you do after lunch?

[PJV3]

What would you do after lunch?

Hmmm, End the war on drugs and restart the HOTOL space programme. And BAN COCO POPS.

[J Tourettes]

Hmmm, End the war on drugs and restart the HOTOL space programme. And BAN COCO POPS.

You have my vote.

[CHEEZMO™]

And BAN COCO POPS.

Fuck off.

[killer_clank]

And BAN COCO POPS.

BOO THIS MAN.

[zomgbbqftw]

Hmmm, End the war on drugs and restart the HOTOL space programme. And BAN COCO POPS.

Fuck that shit. Ban fucking shredded wheat before banning coco pops!