Pound Dropping Against Dollar

[TelephoneAngel]

In response to Gordon Brown announcing he is resigning as Labour Leader.

Why would this be?

[Exaspera]

Forgive my ignorance, but wasn't he just reelected last week? Or is the whole thing all a tie?

[TelephoneAngel]

no, there are three parties and no one party was elected, they have to either have a minority labour rule with gordon brown or the liberals and conservatives form a government but if they can't, then labour and the liberals form a government.

Nobody knows who is in power yet they haven't ended their discussions about it.

It's called a hung parliament, the last one was about forty years ago.

[Exaspera]

That's what I thought I read last week. What a mess for y'all!

Did he say why he was resigning?

[TelephoneAngel]

That's what I thought I read last week. What a mess for y'all!

Did he say why he was resigning?

Hi

Yes it is a bit of a mess.
And there were riots on election day as well because many people could not vote due to there not being enough ballot papaers/long queues, which is unlawful so if they launch a legal challenge to that citing their human right to vote, the whole election could be declared void anyway.

Gordon said he was resigining by autumn to allow someone else to become leader of the labour party as he said that the fact they did not win weighs heavily on him as leader.

also he has very young children and i suspect that being prime minister isnt the best thing for them.

[Exaspera]

Hmmmmmmm! And then all he has to do is handle the strings of said replacement? He doesn't seem the type to give up that easily. But I should MYOB. Like we're so perfect over here.

Was a lower election turnout expected, hence the long lines and no ballots?

[TelephoneAngel]

Hmmmmmmm! And then all he has to do is handle the strings of said replacement? He doesn't seem the type to give up that easily. But I should MYOB. Like we're so perfect over here.

Was a lower election turnout expected, hence the long lines and no ballots?

No he doesn't but I guess he has some other plan.

And yes, typically the British voters are apathetic (I think it is quoted that turnout has been as low as 30 per cent in some areas historically to vote) why this is, I don't know, I can only think that perhaps we don't learn so much about the voting system as you do in the states?Or dont understand why it matters.

But this year people had enough of the problems (the same recession you've just gone through) and they turned out in droves to vote.

[TelephoneAngel]

Lol this is funny,do they do this in the states as well?

Sky news is just on constant discussion about the new parliament what it might be who might be in power, etc.

And they've wheeled out some really ancient expoliticians to pass comment.At the moment they are talking to Tony Benn aged 85 and Douglas Hurd aged 80.

ooh breaking news, looks like the liberals and conservatives may have made a deal for power in which case probably David Cameron will be prime minister.

[Exaspera]

Oh yes, we have lots of "talking heads" who love to do conjectures, George Stephanopolis of ABC comes to mind.

We also have the talking heads who come on after stuff like the "State of the Union Address" to explain to all of us what exactly we just heard.

[TelephoneAngel]

ooh breaking news, looks like the liberals and conservatives may have made a deal for power in which case probably David Cameron will be prime minister.

ok more breaking news, liberals and labour now in talks, so manybe not david cameron as prime minister, ignore previous breaking news!

[TelephoneAngel]

and now sky reporting that another election may be held shortly.

So nobody knows what's going on! Hoorah for UK politics!

[Rapscallion]

Well, to be fair it's usually fairly clear cut. Been odd as elections go this time.

Rapscallion

[Primer]

And yes, typically the British voters are apathetic (I think it is quoted that turnout has been as low as 30 per cent in some areas historically to vote) why this is, I don't know, I can only think that perhaps we don't learn so much about the voting system as you do in the states?Or dont understand why it matters.

We could only dream of a 30% turnout! I have heard our local newscasters be joyful at a 10% turnout!

[trailerparkmedic]

Not only do we do the talking head thing, all 3 cable news channels (CNN, MSNBC, Fox News) seem to devote most of their air time to it.

Wikipedia says 30ish percent is typical for congressional elections and 50ish percent is typical for presidential elections. I know it only goes down for things like primaries or smaller offices like mayor or school board. That's still more than I thought.

[TelephoneAngel]

breaking news from evening standard, well respected london newspaper, Gordon Brown is no longer prime minister and has left number 10 Downing Street.