Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[garbon]

Basically the argument to dismiss concerns on the ease of voter fraud is that it is on such miniscule scale that it doesn't infihence anything.

I am sorry but all citizens have equal votes. If some random vote that got falsely entered is dismissed as irrelevant then All votes are irrelevant.

So the solution is to not vote at all?

[Tamas]

No. I mean that on a philosophical level at least, if you say the loss of one vote because fraud is irrelevant because of the relevancy of a singe vote is negligible, then that's the value and price you put on all individual's vote.

[Razgovory]

I guess Lib Dem gains are from people not knowing who else to vote for?

I'd vote for them, and I don't even agree with them.  I simply can't stand with a party that tolerates ethnic hatred.

[mongers]

You know the scene used in big circuses whilst they change over between acts, well the UK IS that exploding clown's car and it's crew of buffoons.   

[Oexmelin]

So yeah, I get that most of this is unnecessary if we assume that everyone is aware of everything and nobody wants to cheat, but you must admit, that such a system puts a bigger gravity on an individual vote. More than "well yeah a few might be fraudulent but what does one vote matter?"

I think your post makes it clear that it's not the sheer quantity of rules, and overseeing bodies that guarantees the democratic process: it's the respect afforded to it. It can certainly withstand pencil, and superficial identification, and it can be circumvented at the institutional level. I'm with Mongers on this: simplicity reinforces the necessary message of trust. I think there are ways to infuse gravitas in the process, and I do think that a registration card, or some vouching document being sent to you is a good idea, but to assume that this necessary entails massive voter fraud, and to perpetuate that message, is a mistake that undermines the process far more. 

[Monoriu]

You need to implement a national ID system for any (semi) serious identity checking. 

[Tamas]

So yeah, I get that most of this is unnecessary if we assume that everyone is aware of everything and nobody wants to cheat, but you must admit, that such a system puts a bigger gravity on an individual vote. More than "well yeah a few might be fraudulent but what does one vote matter?"

I think your post makes it clear that it's not the sheer quantity of rules, and overseeing bodies that guarantees the democratic process: it's the respect afforded to it. It can certainly withstand pencil, and superficial identification, and it can be circumvented at the institutional level. I'm with Mongers on this: simplicity reinforces the necessary message of trust. I think there are ways to infuse gravitas in the process, and I do think that a registration card, or some vouching document being sent to you is a good idea, but to assume that this necessary entails massive voter fraud, and to perpetuate that message, is a mistake that undermines the process far more.

This is a good point. 

I guess, it just ended up to disappoint me because of how in the past I also didn't realise how heavily first-past-the-post is geared toward the maintenance of established political elites. That plus an apparent lax attitude on election oversight made the whole process feel a bit of a pretense.


Anyways, I don't want to sound overly critical, the British political system has a lot of strengths and outside of politics this general national attitude of "who'd actually bother to abuse this?" results in a far more liveable place than Hungary is.


Going back to Brexit: I think the local election result will scare both the Tory MPs to accept May's deal, as well as Labour to make a deal with her in exchange of some meaningless endorsement of their "priorities". I think the two big parties will make a play to avoid European elections at the last moment.

[Duque de Bragança]

A quarter of century ago, the Channel Tunnel was opened officially.  How times have changed. 
https://www.dw.com/en/england-france-channel-tunnel-marks-25-years/a-48601598
http://www.lefigaro.fr/histoire/archives/tunnel-sous-la-manche-il-y-a-25-ans-une-double-ceremonie-officielle-d-ouverture-20190503

The Figaro link recalls the strange, for our Brexit time, optimistic atmosphere back then: linking Britain to the continent and putting an end to British insularity, physical if not mental.
The Queen of England delivered a French speech, which I actually remember in parts, mentioning French élan and British pragmatism.

La reine, qui s'exprime à son tour en français, relève qu'au «cours du siècle présent, au plus dur de l'épreuve, la conjugaison de l'élan français et du pragmatisme britannique a fait merveille. Le tunnel proclame cette vérité simple: continuons aujourd'hui à faire cause commune pour le bénéfice de l'humanité tout entière». «Le peuple français et le peuple britannique, aussi différents soient-ils, d'une région à l'autre et d'une personne à l'autre, et en dépit de leur rivalité séculaire, se complètent bien, mieux sans doute qu'il n'y paraît à première vue», fait ensuite remarquer la souveraine.

[Tamas]

The spokesman also confirmed that the Conservatives are preparing to fight the European parliamentary elections. "We are up and running, and our message is, there's only one party that can deliver Brexit," he said.

The government formally announced yesterday that it will not have a Brexit deal agreed in time to take part in the EU-wide poll on 23 May.

"Our aim is that these MEPs never take up their seats," the spokesman added, although Downing Street has conceded they may need to do so for a short period if the withdrawal agreement has not yet been passed.

Asked why the Conservatives were taking part in elections they did not want to take place, the spokesman said, "because it's democracy."

He said May would be taking place in some campaign events.

[mongers]

Don't worry chaps, it's all going swimmingly. 

[Tamas]

Theresa May has compared herself to Liverpool football club in predicting she could make a remarkable comeback on Brexit even though Europe is winning and the clock is ticking.

[garbon]

Archie?

[Barrister]

Archie?

Hey, why not?

I read somewhere it could be considered an African-American name as well, which they thought was important?

[garbon]

Seems like a nickname/familiar name to me. Not that I'd want them to have an Archibald but Archie just sounds like what one is called by not the actual name.

[crazy canuck]

The father prefers to be known as Harry rather than Henry, so it is not all that surprising that he would not burden his child with a more formal name.