Introduce yourself

[Deleted]

Jul 18, 2013 13:22:48 GMT erlend said:

Good choice for number 5. You are a child of the digital age so it is probably more integral to you than old fogies like many of us here (anyone over about 22). 3 and 4 are perfectly logical answers for UKIP. 2 probably splits the party in the same way it splits everyone else's party. 1 as you may be aware UKIP has a non libertarian line on but you are jnot the first to support it despite that.

So logically you are within parameters but as an outsider I think probably in the border zone with the Conservatives. I think many of them could give the same answers particularly younger ones for 1 and 5.

I would have given exactly the same answers as Drew at his age (including party affiliation, A level choices, question replies and choice of optional question were it an issue at the time). 

I think you have been a bit harsh being in your categorisation of old fogieness. I am 24 and there was computers in the house from before I was born, and the internet from when I was 6 or 7.

[erlend]

I was being provocative but actually if I take a 22year old as my example: They went to school 17 years ago ie 1996. Schools had computers and clearly your home did. But they were not integral to life. I would guess that only a minority had an email account and similarly used them for something more serious than games. I suppose I should look up stats to back up my teasing. Or wait for proof that I am bullshitting.

[Deleted]

I'm 24, and I think it's fair to say that I'm towards the younger limit of Westerners who remember life before the internet. Although my family first got internet access at home in 1998, it typically took about ten dial-up attempts to get connected, and when we were on, we had to pay premium-rate telephone charges and it was often far too slow to seem worthwhile anyway. And my father at the time was an FE college lecturer in computing and former programmer, and we were middle-class by any definition.

I distinctly remember in about 2002 my then 35-year-old aunt who at the time was a secondary school teacher in Brighton saying that she had never ever used the internet. Unthinkable now.

[mrhell]

Jul 18, 2013 15:34:37 GMT redweeg said:

Hi, Originally from Glasgow but now living and working in the NorthEast Joined Labour in the 90s and have only ever voted Labour or SSP, Looking forward to beating the SNP next year in the referendum not sure I fancy working with the tories and the Liberal Democrats however.

The Yes to AV people didn't work with Farage and looked what happened there.

On the age thing I was writing a dissertation in 1994 and heavily used the Guardian/Independent CD-ROM archive in my local library. I suspect that two years later I would have used the internet as much.

[J.G.Harston]

Jul 23, 2013 13:44:40 GMT @benjamin said:

I'm 24, and I think it's fair to say that I'm towards the younger limit of Westerners who remember life before the internet. Although my family first got internet access at home in 1998, it typically took about ten dial-up attempts to get connected, and when we were on, we had to pay premium-rate telephone charges and it was often far too slow to seem worthwhile anyway. And my father at the time was an FE college lecturer in computing and former programmer, and we were middle-class by any definition.

I distinctly remember in about 2002 my then 35-year-old aunt who at the time was a secondary school teacher in Brighton saying that she had never ever used the internet. Unthinkable now.

To remember life before the internet, you'd have to be at least 45 years old.

[Deleted]

I meant life before the internet was something that existed in the popular mindset as something that 'normal' people used (and had much content that would be of great use to us). For the vast majority of people in the UK, the significant change in this regard has been since the late 90s.

[Deleted]

My first introduction to the Internet was in 1996; aged sixteen.

[The Bishop]

First came across the internet as we know it now in the summer of 1994 (during the Labour leadership election) Remember being utterly transfixed by it - I had done an IT course in 1991 and the possibility of something like that had certainly been mentioned then, but not sure if I ever actually believed it.....

A year later joined CompuServe (of blessed memory) and the rest is history

[No Offence Alan]

My school got its first computer (a Commodore PET) in 1978, the term after I left.
< gets nostalgic over Texas calculators, logarithm tables and slide rules >
Got my first home internet access in 1996 with a 5.6 Kb dial-up line.

[electionknight]

Hi all. I was born and raised in Coventry, but I now live and work in Nuneaton. I started reading the forum about a month ago and decided to join. You may see me commenting on elections in the West Midlands sometimes.

[Crimson King]

Splendid- welcome
If you have a party allegiance you wish to have recorded you need to drop a pm to Kris

[AdminSTB]

He actually does come across as quite sane and even wise on his own blog sometimes. I don't know what it is about the forum that makes him, uh, not seem those things here.

[Devil Wincarnate]

Never really got round to introducing myself.  Originally from Manchester (Stretford & Urmston) but now live in Winchester via stints in Oxford and abroad, and back in Manchester.

I stood for the Tories as a paper candidate on Manchester City Council in 2010.

[timokane]

Missed the introduction bit but I have been following with the odd contribution for a couple of months now.. Became a Labour Councillor on Hyndburn council in 1996 got back in with a majority of two in 2000, lost my seat to an independent in 2006 and against all odds beat the same candidate in 2010 on General Election Day. Recently refs elected to stand for Labour in the Clayton le moors ward in Hyndburn next May. I understand people of all hues want to fight their own corner but I reckon all speculation about the outcome of the 2015 general election revolves around one question, which is why would anyone who did not vote Tory at the last election vote Tory at the next election. More difficult to answer than you think.

[Deleted]

Sept 24, 2013 11:38:53 GMT timokane said:

Missed the introduction bit but I have been following with the odd contribution for a couple of months now.. Became a Labour Councillor on Hyndburn council in 1996 got back in with a majority of two in 2000, lost my seat to an independent in 2006 and against all odds beat the same candidate in 2010 on General Election Day. Recently refs elected to stand for Labour in the Clayton le moors ward in Hyndburn next May. I understand people of all hues want to fight their own corner but I reckon all speculation about the outcome of the 2015 general election revolves around one question, which is why would anyone who did not vote Tory at the last election vote Tory at the next election. More difficult to answer than you think.

Just look at Germany. I suspect we will take 2-3% from the Liberals, voters who want to stop labour at any cost.

Increasingly I would be willing to vote for any of the LDs, torys or UKIP who would beat labour, and there must be many who think likewise. I thus think we will spread our vote more efficiently than previously and yours will be increasingly polarised towards urban areas where we don't win any seats anyway. 

I don't think we will get a majority, but remain confident that we will beat labour, at least in terms of share of the vote.

[slon]

Sept 24, 2013 11:38:53 GMT timokane said:

Missed the introduction bit but I have been following with the odd contribution for a couple of months now.. Became a Labour Councillor on Hyndburn council in 1996 got back in with a majority of two in 2000, lost my seat to an independent in 2006 and against all odds beat the same candidate in 2010 on General Election Day. Recently refs elected to stand for Labour in the Clayton le moors ward in Hyndburn next May. I understand people of all hues want to fight their own corner but I reckon all speculation about the outcome of the 2015 general election revolves around one question, which is why would anyone who did not vote Tory at the last election vote Tory at the next election. More difficult to answer than you think.

Devil you know syndrome ...... and if the devil manages to convince people that there has been any sort of economic recovery then it is a sure thing.
Particularly considering Lab has saddled themselves with an unelectable leader and Libs have shot themselves in both feet by betrayal of their core supporters.

[The Bishop]

Is this thread the best place for these discussions?

Though in reply to the above posts, I could - as is customary at this juncture - point out that the Tories haven't increased their vote share in power since the 50s

[Deleted]

Sept 24, 2013 12:16:37 GMT The Bishop said:

Is this thread the best place for these discussions?

Though in reply to the above posts, I could - as is customary at this juncture - point out that the Tories haven't increased their vote share in power since the 50s

That is only true because of the formation of the SDP. 1983 would certainly have been an increase otherwise, and thats the last time we were in government after one term. 

[Crimson King]

Sept 24, 2013 12:16:37 GMT The Bishop said:

Is this thread the best place for these discussions?

Though in reply to the above posts, I could - as is customary at this juncture - point out that the Tories haven't increased their vote share in power since the 50s

perhaps the 2015 GE thread would be appropriate, unless discussing the 2015 GE there would be considered dangerously of topic

[positivelight]

Just joined. I'm a Green. It's a very long story but was a former Lib Dem. Left LD two years before the Coalition was formed in 2010. In fairness, I wasn't happy with Clegg's ideas or how he was elected and simply opted to vote for them and give up membership. In 2010 in the hope to try help the PPC for Ashford, who was a nice dude indeed and didn't think much else until the deed was done and the rest is history. In recent months I read up on things and I re-asses everything I thought and found out that Green politics suited what I believed in and go from there. I read the defection thread and felt uneasy about being honest about my LD past. but isn't honesty what politics should be about? Maybe I'm not the only one who has asked that....

I'm 28, plays drums, loves bands, loves his car. Name's Chris btw.
Sup