We're Sick Of The Lot Of You: Disgusted Voters Give All Three 'out Of Touch' Party Leaders The Worst Poll Ratings In History

[pilchardthecat]

This country is in dire need of some conviction politicians

[zebbedee]

This country is in dire need of some convicted politicians

Fixed for you

Well it was asking for it

[bmf]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2123754/Disgusted-voters-main-party-leaders-worst-poll-ratings-history.html

'Voters are so disgusted with politics that the three main party leaders are collectively the least popular in the history of polling.

A survey yesterday put the negative ratings of David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband at the lowest cumulative rating, a staggering -121 per cent.

The Prime Minister saw his personal rating – the difference between the number of voters who think he is doing a good job and those who do not – plunge to -27 in the latest YouGov poll.'

so to get us out of this mess we've got.....................oh dear!

for once I think joe public has got it right.

I find them all uninspiring careerist polticians with next to no relevant real world experience.George Osborne as Chancellor is even more laughable.

I think they've got it right but for the wrong reasons.

Politicians have got into power in the UK by promising unsustainable policies. Things have now come to a head as a result of this and politicians who can get into power (3 main parties only right now) are compelled to have realistic policies. Fringe parties who will never get in (take note lib dems) can make absurd promises just like the main parties used to.

The problem is UK citizens want to live beyond their means, lording it over the rest of the world despite being no more intelligent.

The UK will be in for a real shock when they realise that nobody can reboot the unsustainable policies of the last 15 years. The truism that if you have a crap job, crap grades and are lazy then you can't go on holiday twice a year, go down the pub all the time and buy the clothes you like. This reality check will effect everyone from the poor to the "managerial" middle classes.

[Shrink Proof]

This country is in dire need of some conviction politicians

Actually this country is in dire need of some politicians' convictions.

['Bart']

Worst politicians ever.

[tinker]

This country is in dire need of some conviction politicians

The amended version has been done.

The contempt they have for us is as brazen as it is breathtaking.

Get the impression now that the country is in serious trouble now, with who we have in charge and the underlying problems.

The rise of the career politician has done untold damage to the political, social and economic fabric of this country. It needs a reset and some new rules.

[Executive Sadman]

hah, i'll believe it when i see it. Other than a few plastic Talibanis in bradford, the last thing most people want is actual change. It scares the hell out of them.

[snowflux]

I think they've got it right but for the wrong reasons.

Politicians have got into power in the UK by promising unsustainable policies. Things have now come to a head as a result of this and politicians who can get into power (3 main parties only right now) are compelled to have realistic policies. Fringe parties who will never get in (take note lib dems) can make absurd promises just like the main parties used to.

The problem is UK citizens want to live beyond their means, lording it over the rest of the world despite being no more intelligent.

The UK will be in for a real shock when they realise that nobody can reboot the unsustainable policies of the last 15 years. The truism that if you have a crap job, crap grades and are lazy then you can't go on holiday twice a year, go down the pub all the time and buy the clothes you like. This reality check will effect everyone from the poor to the "managerial" middle classes.

Yes, I'd agree with that. FWIW, I don't think politicians are generally any more corrupt than they always have been, but increased exposure by the media combined with the impossibility of the current situation (resulting largely from the policies of former politicians) means that they're not going to be awfully popular whatever they do. Unfortunately, these circumstances provide a fertile ground for "conviction politicians" who are as likely to lead us to disaster as utopia. On the whole, I would prefer a boring, honest and pragmatic leader to a populist rabble-rouser.

[@contradevian]

The country is in dire need for some convincing politicians as the puppet act is wearing a bit thin.

Edited April 2, 2012 by "Steed"

[fluffy666]

Yes, I'd agree with that. FWIW, I don't think politicians are generally any more corrupt than they always have been, but increased exposure by the media combined with the impossibility of the current situation (resulting largely from the policies of former politicians) means that they're not going to be awfully popular whatever they do. Unfortunately, these circumstances provide a fertile ground for "conviction politicians" who are as likely to lead us to disaster as utopia. On the whole, I would prefer a boring, honest and pragmatic leader to a populist rabble-rouser.

To be honest, it seems like there is a 'Westminster village' mold for all of our current politicians, which straight jackets the policies allowed:

- Income tax rises are not allowed (The reaction to the 50p rate as being the Worst Thing Ever is the exception that proves the rule).

- Privatisation is always best, even for loss-making natural monopolies that need subsidies forever.

- Uncontrolled immigration is desirable, anyone saying otherwise is either racist or anti-business.

- Council/state built housing is undesirable.

- High house prices are A Good Thing. So are low wages.

- On no account should the financial sector be restricted in any way.

And so on (feel free to add your own). You may agree with some of the above, but the thing is that as far as I can tell, no mainstream party is disagreeing with any of the above.

[We’re all in this together]

Who would YOU choose to lead us?

I'll stick me neck out to start the ball rolling, and say, er, just a sec, no wait, there must be someone, hang on a minute I'll get back to you...

[winkie]

Who would YOU choose to lead us?

I'll stick me neck out to start the ball rolling, and say, er, just a sec, no wait, there must be someone, hang on a minute I'll get back to you...

There is nothing available at the moment that is worth voting for.....

[Bramblepicker]

The problem is, in order to get this country back on a sustainable track, lots of people (mainly boomers) will have to take some pain - there's no way a politician who is properly honest about this will be voted in. Unfortunately this may only happen if the younger generation end up feeling even more desperate, thus forcing the issue.

It's going to be an interesting 5-10 years to come.

I agree that none of the political parties speak to me on any relevant level - quite depressing that I'm unlikely to vote next election...

[Sour Mash]

The problem is, in order to get this country back on a sustainable track, lots of people (mainly boomers) will have to take some pain - there's no way a politician who is properly honest about this will be voted in. Unfortunately this may only happen if the younger generation end up feeling even more desperate, thus forcing the issue.

Just about everyone - except of course the elite - is going to have to accept a lower standard of living as they move into the next generation.

The pensioners currently enjoying generous pensions and a good standard of living in their retirement will be the last of their kind.

The middle aged people with a nice (paid for) house, a couple of decent cars and plenty of disposable income will be the last to have this.

The 20- and 30-somethings with all the latest gadgets, flash car, designer clothes, couple of foreign holidays a year and ridiculous non-job will be not be followed by another generation enjoying that easy ride.

The kids being brought up with just about every 'toy' and convenience they want are the last ones who are going to experience such an easy childhood.

There's a massive readjustment coming, people don't seem to get that this isn't just another recession. Our life of living high on the hog by a mix of putting it all on credit and screwing over the rest of the World has hit the buffers; It will take out out major global conflict to try to maintain anything like it as the pool of available resources shrinks and other more, resilient economies start to bloom.

[Roman Roady]

At the moment the EU is a bunch of Sovereign states each lead by Eurocrats.

All other political choices are subverted either overtly (Greece) by stealth (most other states).

It works when everyone has a job and food on the table.

We are going to see if this un-easy truce can be sustained in the new economic environment.

IMPO its either the EU super state or individual states wresting power back from the EU.

The round of elections in the next few years will be VERY interesting, starting with France in the next few weeks.

From the unemployment numbers (24%???)I guess we are lucky that Spain got its elections out of the way a while back.

IMPO, medium to long term, we will see an extremist Government emerge from the PIIGS...probably from the larger two who cannot be bailed out relatively painlessly.

[Game_Over]

In a democracy politicians get elected by being popular

And the easiest way to be popular is by promising everyone free stuff.

So how does democracy deal with 20 years of politicians having to take stuff away from people?

Don't know the answer to this.

Logically I can only see a reset being caused by a catastrophic failure of the system.

Strangely those on the left seem to think this will mean the end of rich people and capitalism

whereas in reality it will mean the end of the public sector and the welfare state.

Surely people will eventually face up to reality and wind these things down in an orderly fashion???

On the other hand I guess not.

[alexw]

I think they've got it right but for the wrong reasons.

Politicians have got into power in the UK by promising unsustainable policies. Things have now come to a head as a result of this and politicians who can get into power (3 main parties only right now) are compelled to have realistic policies. Fringe parties who will never get in (take note lib dems) can make absurd promises just like the main parties used to.

The problem is UK citizens want to live beyond their means, lording it over the rest of the world despite being no more intelligent.

The UK will be in for a real shock when they realise that nobody can reboot the unsustainable policies of the last 15 years. The truism that if you have a crap job, crap grades and are lazy then you can't go on holiday twice a year, go down the pub all the time and buy the clothes you like. This reality check will effect everyone from the poor to the "managerial" middle classes.

Garbage.

We have 20%+ of our working population in some way either non-productive or not producing goods and services at all. There's no shortage of goods & services whatsoever, demand is lacking, that's the issue. The same is true of most nations.

To say that the masses need to have more crappy life-styles, and consequently massively increase the non-productive numbers through unemployment is just absurd. This is the german approach to club med, tell me how well that is working out for them?

[bewildered_renter]

They (the political parties) have got into the habit of chasing the floating voters (my guess is that those people are the most clueless, too) rather than building support through conviction politics.

I think that Derek Draper, for one time in his life only, got it right when he was interviewed on TV a good few years ago, and complained about the parties working from the feedback they got from floaters who were plied with free wine and twiglets. Of course, this was after he was ousted from the system he was previously happy to exploit.

[snowflux]

To be honest, it seems like there is a 'Westminster village' mold for all of our current politicians, which straight jackets the policies allowed:

- Income tax rises are not allowed (The reaction to the 50p rate as being the Worst Thing Ever is the exception that proves the rule).

- Privatisation is always best, even for loss-making natural monopolies that need subsidies forever.

- Uncontrolled immigration is desirable, anyone saying otherwise is either racist or anti-business.

- Council/state built housing is undesirable.

- High house prices are A Good Thing. So are low wages.

- On no account should the financial sector be restricted in any way.

And so on (feel free to add your own). You may agree with some of the above, but the thing is that as far as I can tell, no mainstream party is disagreeing with any of the above.

The fact that there is little to differentiate between our main parties is largely the fault of our first-past-the-post voting system. Look at countries with more sensible systems; witness e.g. the meteoric rise of the Pirate party in Germany. Our system rules out anything like that, and that, apparently, is the way we like it - or is that not what our recent referendum demonstrated? The voters of the UK voted for identikit parties, and now they're complaining that they have what they voted for!

[We’re all in this together]

Abolish General Elections and the Dissolution of Parliament.

Instead limit each member of parliament to a five year term – eg, latest recruit George Galloway would have to step down in March 2017 at the latest.

The result after a few years’ natural wastage would resemble any large organisation, with a relatively high but reasonable 20% annual labour turnover, and a couple of byelections each week. The greatest benefit would be continuity of policies rather than the current five year plan.

The other fantasy (if I may, before I have to return to my cell) would be proper democracy, whereby the people elect their representatives, the representatives choose their leader, and the leader chooses their management team. The political colour of the House would reflect that of the voters, while the political direction of the country would be less subject to violent swerves for short term advantage.

[Georgia O'Keeffe]

You cant beat a good multi generational credit cycle ending for causing social and thus political deterioration, Mooby the golden calf would struggle at the end of a credit cycle, no political party has a chance of real popularity until the credit cycle restarts, with any luck the UK will by then have rejected special flowerocracy but the signs arent good even on here"its labour, no its the tories, no its right wing, no its left wing, no its socialism, no its capitalism" no its special flowers having to tie my shoelaces because im sure im a bit thick and not worthy of having a valid opinion actually, I NEEEED someone to represent my opinion even if ive never met them and dont know them from Adam

Edited April 2, 2012 by Georgia O'Keeffe

[Game_Over]

Garbage.

We have 20%+ of our working population in some way either non-productive or not producing goods and services at all. There's no shortage of goods & services whatsoever, demand is lacking, that's the issue. The same is true of most nations.

To say that the masses need to have more crappy life-styles, and consequently massively increase the non-productive numbers through unemployment is just absurd. This is the german approach to club med, tell me how well that is working out for them?

The Germans are probably headed for another period of National Socialism

that should mop up a few 10's of millions of Europes unemployed youth.

I have two sons so I really don't want this to happen

but things are not looking good

[robo1968]

The Germans are probably headed for another period of National Socialism

that should mop up a few 10's of millions of Europes unemployed youth.

I have two sons so I really don't want this to happen

but things are not looking good

didn't they try that once before?

can't remember how it ended though

[Cinzano Bianco]

The issue surely is that the type of people that want to be politicians are not the type of people you want running the country.

Perhaps the best solution is some kind of jury duty type call up for local government roles. This might not mean you get the best person for the job in terms of skills, but the average Joe has different priorities to politicians, who don't really represent their constituencies to my mind.

Enshrining manifestos in law would also be a reasonable step, hopefully forcing politicians to be more realistic.

[200p]

I don't think any politician is having a good time.

If I was one, keep smiling, keep promising, keep taking the pay cheque.