UK General Election

Yes, political parties here (and in Europe generally) tend to be to the left of the US political spectrum. Even our Conservatives, in the main, believe in our National Health Service (what some here call 'socialised medicine'). But our political parties, like yours, are in reality coalitions of interest groups: the Conservatives, for example, are roughly divided into patrician 'compassionate conservatives' (historically 'one nation Tories' or 'wets'; typically those from a more privileged, aristocratic background who feel that because they have been blessed with a superior status they have a civic duty to try to better the lot of other less fortunate than themselves) -v- nationalist, monetarist, more libertarian/ small government advocates (historically the Thatcherite or 'dry' wing; typically more middle-class or even blue-collar people who've made good or are doing OK; those most likely to vote Republican in the US); there are also Eurofederalist -v- Eurosceptic factions; and, finally, 'modernisers' -v- 'traditionalists', particularly on social issue eg: same-sex civil unions. These divisions overlap to a degree eg: a 'one nation Tory' may well be a social traditionalist whereas a Thatcherite might be a moderniser.

In order to find out where you might fit in, I'd need you to expand on what you mean by 'left-leaning but with conservative social leanings'...sounds like you might be a socially tradional one nation Tory but I'd need to know more!

 

Well, the FTSE's down by over 2% but part of that is a revaluation after yesterday's big gain. Sterling marginally down against the dollar but up against the Euro. Maybe tomorrow's going to be the nasty day...

Meanwhile, Cons are talking again to the Lib Dems...

 

It now looks like Labour have thrown in the towel and that we're heading for a Con-LibDem government with David Cameron as PM...

 

Better than Lib-Lab.

Well, Brown's resigned! Cameron will form the next government and be PM.

 

Pictures here

 

Um...Cameron's always been a Conservative; difference is that he's now PM. Labour will go into Opposition, with their Deputy Leader Harriet Harman (formerly 'People's Commissar for Wimmin') as Acting Leader until they have a leadership election probably in September. Then they'll have to regroup and re-establish themselves...

 

Chief priorities: reducing our almighty deficit, strong defence policy, government spending cuts, smaller government, eventually - when we can afford them - tax cuts

 

Um...no; that's a charity benefit gig.

 

Oh, we still have November 5th here. In some parts they still set fire to an effigy of the Pope that night!