I haven't been following the UK elections very closely (because I can't make much sense of it all), but I've seen a good bit of coverage. And, I must say, since one of the (now former-) PM candidates is named "Mr. Clegg", I've been surprised by the lack of smart-alecky references to Pink Floyd's "Corporal Clegg":
I hope it just that I've missed it, because this seems like a nice opportunity for jokes. Even if he doesn't have a wooden leg.
No, I can't be bothered to Google.
I suspect Saucerful of Secrets is in the running for least-owned PF album. Quoting “Corporal Clegg” is likely to win blank stares.
And yet it has happened at least twice to date on the fegmaniax-l.
(Probably a lot more Floyd fans own “A Nice Pair” than own Saucerful.)
Quoting “Corporal Clegg” is likely to win blank stares.
it’s a shame to let a pun go unmade because of the audience’s ignorance.
Nick Clegg is a kingmaker.
OK, it’s not that complicated.
The three biggest parties are Conservatives (Tories) who are like Republicans. Labour who are are like Democrats and Liberal-Democrats who are like very-left-leaning Democrats. There are other parties, but these are the big three.
There are 650 seats up for grabs so a party needs at least 326 for a majority. Without a majority then they couldn’t pass any legislation as the others would gang up and vote against them (and if this happens it can force another election.)
After yesterdays vote the final stats are:
Tories: 306 seats.
Labour: 258 seats.
LibDems: 57 seats.
So no one party has overall control which, for some reason I can’t be arsed to Google, is called a ‘hung parliament’ (cue giant cock joke.)
So, either the Tories or Labour will have to form an alliance with the LibDems in order to form a government with a working majority. Hence the leader of the LibDems, Nick Clegg, is a kingmaker.
However, the LibDems want electoral reform (yay!) and the Tories don’t, so the next few days will be interesting as something will have to give. Horse-trading.
Why do the LibDems want electoral reform? Well, they only got a measly 57 seats, yet they got 23% of the vote … and 23% of 650 seats is about 150. Fucked up and I hope it is changed.
Now, the constitution says we cannot be without a goverment, so Gordon Brown is still Prime Minister until this is all resolved. We probably won’t know who is going to form the alliance until Monday.
In about 3 weeks there is the opening of parliament which includes a vote on the initial package of measures that the new government wishes to introduce. If that vote is lost (as happened in 1974) then there will be another election.
As our national debt is so fucking massive whoever takes power is going to regret it. In order to keep our AAA credit rating we need to reduce the debt very quickly (look what’s happened to Greece) and this means tax rises, VAT rises and massive cuts in public services and public spending. It could be a long hot summer.
Puns! Never apologize, never explain. –Dogbert
OK, it’s not that complicated.
ok, that makes sense.
then there will be another election.
now that sounds exciting! :)
i like how your elections are over in a matter of weeks (at least from our perspective). the campaign is always on, in the US. people have been talking about the 2012 election since 2008.
There has been a fair amount of electioneering going on for a while simply because there *had* to be an election before the end of the month (as it’s been 5 years since the last one.) Everyone knew this was coming.
However, unlike the US, the current government can call an election whenever it likes with only about 4 weeks notice. The only stipulation is you can’t go more than 5 years without one. This situation is, IMHO, absurd because what *usually* happens is the government calls an election when it knows it can win. Not this time though – Gordon Brown knew he’d get a kicking and he waited as long as he could. Funnily enough, when he took over from Tony Blair he was riding high in the opinion polls and there were rumours he’d call a snap election to get a mandate from the public … but he bottled it.
But this country doesn’t have a history of successful hung parliaments/coalitions so another election this year is quite possible IMHO – depends on if all sides can agree on a solution to our enormous deficit problem.
Now I’m thinking about a “wooden leg” mix which would begin with “Corporal Clegg” and “Shipping Up to Boston”. But what else?
that’s tough.
The Shins have a song called “Phantom Limb”, but it doesn’t actually mention phantom limbs in the lyrics.
Steely Dan’s “Peg” ? *rimshot*
Green Day “prosthetic head”?
King Missile, “Detachable Penis” !
Heh.