Seems the Tories have a taste for referenda all of a sudden! What with EU membership and now even for non-issues: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... w-law.html Would be good if we had one, I think.

Seems the Tories have a taste for referenda all of a sudden! What with EU membership and now even for non-issues: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... w-law.html Would be good if we had one, I think.

Seems they haven't got a bleeding clue tbh.

They should get on with making decisions and pack in with the "let's consult the people" bullcrap.

Quote ="Dally"Seems the Tories have a taste for referenda all of a sudden! What with EU membership and now even for non-issues: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... w-law.html Would be good if we had one, I think.'" Reading what you've posted, you think it would be a good idea to have a referendum on a non-issue.

Quote ="Dally"Seems the Tories have a taste for referenda all of a sudden! What with EU membership and now even for non-issues: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... w-law.html Would be good if we had one, I think.'" Reading what you've posted, you think it would be a good idea to have a referendum on a non-issue.

And given that [url=http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/news-and-media/news-releases/electoral-commission-media-centre/news-releases-reviews-and-research/costs-of-running-a-uk-wide-poll-published-for-first-timeClegg's Folly[/url cost £75m, I think we'd all agree that that there are better things to spend money on.

Better to let the bigots have their say via the Daily Mail.

Saracasm not your strong point?

They're grasping at straws. They know it'll get through the next commons vote, so they're hoping there are enough narrow-minded s amongst the general public that a referendum would stop it.

It's certainly not yours.

They're certainly doing that, looking at the comments section.

Seems that spelling isn't.

Another sop to UKIP voters and potential voters?

So soon after the weekend's sight of government ministers saying they'd leave the EU?

The Tories are such disarray that even Titan has given up his party membership and joined UKIP.

They are perfectly welcome to leave, as far as I'm concerned.

Makes Private Eye's "From the message boards" look sensible

Makes Private Eye's "From the message boards" look sensible

So wait a minute.

We get to decide on whether gay people getting married is a "good thing", but we don't get to decide whether we p*ss multiple billions of pounds we don't have on taking 20 minutes off a train journey between Birmingham and Manchester?

Thereby improving both parties.
Result.

Given the sort of polls Mr. Gove relies upon, maybe the admins should write to HM Gov offering to hold an EU in/out poll on RLFans, that would be quick, simple, and cost them very little.

The comments sections are always a good check on your own sensibilities.



Indeed, I dare say we could cover the cost with a whip round.

Just before the election in 2010 the Tories introduced their "contract for equalities" document which said they recognised civil partnerships and would recognise them in the tax system.

It also said they would consider changing the law to allow civil partnerships to be called marriages and classified as such.

So putting this bill through, presumably having given due consideration to the issues, is actually keeping a promise the Tory party made as outlined in a major policy document launched by the then shadow equalities minister Theresa May.

There is no need for a referendum as it was a clear party policy before the last election and anyone voting for them can't really object to this bill on the basis of it not being party policy.

The fact their own MP's want to scupper it reflects badly on them.

First of all why did they stand for a party with such a clear policy on this in the first place if they are so against it?

Is it because they fear UKIP?

Either way its disingenuous because it was either right to have this as party policy and so they should defend it given it was, not now claim the opposite or they are showing total lack of principle if they are willing to rip up party policy in the face of a bunch of nutters in UKIP particularly when opinion polls support the bill?

Dave O has it spot on in terms of the Conservative Party's pre-election comments a it's disingenuous at best for the likes of Lord Carey and Co to go around claiming there was no commitment and it was never mentioned.

I do think this is absolutely a case of Tory Central Office and (some) in the Parliamentary party being very shaken by the rise of UKIP in the recent elections and wanting to combat that. The same goes utterly for all the pronouncements on the EU, first from the likes of Lawson and now the likes of standing ministers.

It seems like a UKIPisation of right-wing politics, and I think is the latest incarnation of the Conservatives' problems with the EU, with the added ingredient of equal marriage.

I want a referendum on Tory marriage. Of course in our fascist world today you can't express views like that because you just get branded a bigot but some of us find their disgusting practices offensive and just don't think its right that the law should endorse it through allowing marriage.

Was gay marriage included in their election manifesto though? I have not trawled through it all but did find this:

"We will recognise marriage and civil partnerships in the tax system in the next Parliament."

Reference to "civil parntnerships" may imply not but as I say I have not through it all.

So, could it be the 150 MPs are in fact honourable keepers of manifesto pledges?

I think we should have referendums on everything.

It'd be interesting to watch politicians changing their opinions on everything.

If we had referenda on eveything there would be no need for MPs.

You're catching up, aren't you?