Comments on Guy Fawkes' blog of parliamentary plots, rumours and conspiracy: Steve Richards : "Voters Aren't As Clever As Me"

Steve Richards = pompous arse.

2008-05-02T00:54:00.000+01:00

Steve Richards = pompous arse.

"They have fallen for the relentless anti-Livingst...

2008-05-01T20:34:00.000+01:00

"They have fallen for the relentless anti-Livingstone propaganda in the Evening Standard, spiced by the spineless imbeciles at Channel Four who echoed the orthodoxy by making a one-sided anti-Livingstone film."

I presume he means that Dispatches documentary. Wasn't this a film by mostly Left Wing journalists, apparently fed up with the corrupt, deserving attitude that pervades in the Mayor's office? Is this man on the pay-roll or something? Arrogant, conceited, self-righteous......

Doesn't this article sound so like Obama's "Pennsy...

2008-05-01T19:01:00.000+01:00

Doesn't this article sound so like Obama's "Pennsylvania voters are too stupid to vote for me because they like guns" rant? Same lefty attitude wherever you are in the world!

id @ 2.38: THANK YOU! This is the exact quandry I'...

2008-05-01T16:03:00.000+01:00

id @ 2.38: THANK YOU! This is the exact quandry I've been struggling with all day! At first I thought I was annoyed that the system was dumbing down to suit those who simply could not make an informed choice, a system defaulting to the uninterested, making assumptions that each voter would care to choose a second preference as if politics were some glorious live enactment of a panini sticker album. But no! The fact that it is the least unpopular candidate who wins rather than the most popular is an utter mockery of the democratic process and it is this that stokes my flames of fury.

The element of tactical voting is if anything increased and not eradicated and the fact remains that the MAJORITY, not a first past the post majority but a true proportionaly represented majority, did not want this candidate in the first place. Sweet irony then that it is exactly under this logic that this second choice candidate is elected. Well done Zanulabour you've managed to tinker with a perfectly good system and once again fuck it to death.

Today Steve Richards, tomorrow Pandora.

2008-05-01T15:35:00.000+01:00

Today Steve Richards, tomorrow Pandora.

Cheap time share bijou property available in Austr...

2008-05-01T15:26:00.000+01:00

Cheap time share bijou property available in Austria - sleeps 4. Could see if the bog eyed knob jockey fancies a stint as an actual gimp.

BBC London local tv news after 1pm national news t...

2008-05-01T15:06:00.000+01:00

BBC London local tv news after 1pm national news today has said that there's already reported "irregularities" (ie. fraud) in the London mayor vote.

As far as so far reported, two polling stations have been reported to be writing voter numbers on the top of the voting forms, thereby invalidating their votes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7377724.stm

I wonder if he has the sense to realise what an ar...

2008-05-01T15:01:00.000+01:00

I wonder if he has the sense to realise what an arrogant and conceited pillock that article makes him appear.It appears that we mere mortals are not worthy of him.I still buy the Sindy (but only for Alan Watkins).More of this and I will give it up.

Who is Steve Richards? Honest guv, I never heard o...

2008-05-01T14:48:00.000+01:00

Who is Steve Richards? Honest guv, I never heard of him. Will have to try google if nobody tells me.

transfattyacid said...Saves on bog roll I suppose....

2008-05-01T14:38:00.001+01:00

transfattyacid said...
Saves on bog roll I suppose.

Indeed. Only they call it Blog Roll over there.

Anonymong @ 12.29, your analysis, while correct, d...

2008-05-01T14:38:00.000+01:00

Anonymong @ 12.29, your analysis, while correct, doesn't change the fact that not 62% but 68% of the voters didn't want Colin in the first place. To have a system which means that the least unpopular candidate wins rather than the initally most popular makes a mockery of the entire process.

It was deliberately chosen in an attempt to give NuLiebour an inbuilt advantage as they figured that LimpDumbs would have an inbuilt tendency to prefer Liebour to Tories.

Flip-flop wearing (and minded) LimpDumbs still have to seriously consider how their wasted vote might allow an unwanted NuLiebour incumbent to remain in power. They merely know that their REAL vote is their second and instead of voting tactically initially they do so with their second preference.

The Independent is the only blog that takes it's s...

2008-05-01T13:54:00.000+01:00

The Independent is the only blog that takes it's self seriously that it puts it's rants on paper.

Saves on bog roll I suppose.

Having just gone to vote, whilst in the booth I sw...

2008-05-01T13:48:00.000+01:00

Having just gone to vote, whilst in the booth I switched my form for a copy of Steve's article that I'd smeared with a shit stain cross...

I hope this doesn't mean I've inadvertently voted for Livingslime??

Anonymous said..."Not a secret ballot.Your voter n...

2008-05-01T13:37:00.000+01:00

Anonymous said...

"Not a secret ballot.
Your voter number is being writen on a form alongside the reference number for each voting form."

Never has been.

Or at least since the early 70s when I had the honour of fighting through NALGO picket lines to be the Presiding Officer in a European election.

Just as well I followed his advice and voted for t...

2008-05-01T13:15:00.000+01:00

Just as well I followed his advice and voted for the newtered one fourteen times. No worries there.

annonymous @ 12.29 I get the principle yes, it's q...

2008-05-01T13:06:00.000+01:00

annonymous @ 12.29 I get the principle yes, it's quite straight forward but if the other candidates are unappealing nay abhorrent to Brendans supporters why should they be precluded from reinforcing their support for him in the run-off count? Why should they be forced to either waste a vote or vote tactically? The tactical voting element is not erradicated.

Whether the x in the second column is counted again or not I would rather excercise my right and excercise it honestly, without the risk of spoiling my paper and without being disenfranchised of my true and (albeit unwritten) constitutional chartered right as a citizen.

There is far more to elections than basic economics, some people are more concerned with jurisprudential liberties concerning their votes.

annonymous @ 12.29 I get the principle yes, it's q...

2008-05-01T13:05:00.000+01:00

Please leave Steve Richards alone. The poor love i...

2008-05-01T13:00:00.000+01:00

Please leave Steve Richards alone. The poor love is having a lot of personal problems at the moment and is undergoing what can only be described as mental, emotional, and, financial torment along with some very worrying sexual confusion.

He's driving us all mad here at the Indy but we're managing to tolerate him, just! Hopefully he'll be on his way soon.

Thanks for listening.

Has Brown issued the crewe and Nantwich by-electio...

2008-05-01T12:40:00.000+01:00

Has Brown issued the crewe and Nantwich by-election writ to shore up his short term position after heavy local election loses?

It maybe the only way he can quell a leadership battle by silencing the PLP into loyality whilst the by-election takes place. If he loses he will be out anyway but if he wins it would be a gamble worth taking.

I think he will lose and Brown's short term political gain will be eclipsed by long term political pain for him!

What is it with you and the Independent, Guido?

2008-05-01T12:31:00.000+01:00

What is it with you and the Independent, Guido?

Phoenix,. this might help demonstrate how the alte...

2008-05-01T12:29:00.000+01:00

Phoenix,. this might help demonstrate how the alternative vote makes for a more representative result

Three candidates. Alice has 30% support, Brendan has 38%, Colin has 32% support. In a first past the post election, Brendan wins.

The thing is 60% of people hate Brendan. Vehemently. And wouldn't mind Alice or Colin against Brendan.

Alternative vote stops people having to vote tactically. Alice's voters can give their second vote to Colin and vice versa.

When it comes to the vote, Alice is eliminated and 95% of her second vote goes to Colin.

In the second round, Brendan has an extra 2% of the whole vote thanks to Alice. But Colin has a whopping extra 28%. Brendan has a total of 40%, Colin has 60%.

This result is much more reflective of the opinions and views of the whole constituency than before.

Robert Mugabe has offered to send the UK election ...

2008-05-01T12:26:00.000+01:00

Robert Mugabe has offered to send the UK election monitors to make sure the elections today are "free and fair", what with widespread postal voting fraud and all that. Maybe Gordon Brown and Red Ken should talk up such an offer?! Oh wait, New Labour are the benefits of postal voting fraud, better keep out any monitoring of votes.

Boris is 2nd best campaign - Remember to let Boris...

2008-05-01T12:20:00.000+01:00

Boris is 2nd best campaign -

Remember to let Boris know he's 2nd best by marking him as your 2nd place candidate! That'll show those nasty tories.......

Steve said..."Now travellers whiz through the tick...

2008-05-01T12:13:00.000+01:00

Steve said..."Now travellers whiz through the ticket machines with their oyster cards, the rate of increase in cars entering the city has stalled and buses run around the clock"

But Steve.. your fawning is not sincere enough. Have you come to praise Caesar or to bury him?

Truly Livingstone is a Caesar..
Steve.. The pitiful title Mayor! So small for someone so great.
Magnus Livingstone .. no wait.. Emporer Livingstone.
And let the grateful merchants of The City mint coinage in his image, in gratitude for his stewardship.

Come Steve Richards, jest not at the misguided Equestrian classes, but let us go forth and raise a subscription for the building of an enormous Triumphal Arch to honor The Great Livingstone.

A giant Pyramid of stone at Canary Wharf for his eventually but hopefully far off demise.
A Bronze Colossus straddling the Thames at Blackfriars, with the boldest of inscriptions ..........

"Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

annoymous @ 11.04 I asked the Presiding officer al...

2008-05-01T12:11:00.000+01:00

annoymous @ 11.04 I asked the Presiding officer although I'm sure her strengths probably lie with cleaning rather than anything involving anything other than basic motor-skills.

annonymous @ 11.36 Thanks for the advice. Probably the best approach. I did consider that option however I baulk at deliberately wasting a vote for the sake of bureacratic corruption and so just played it straight.

I still maintain that the system is designed to accomodate the radically undecided rather than those with formed and informed opinion.