# Missing the Election?



## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

I'm stuck here in the UK for a little while but to compensate I must admit the General Election has grabbed me for the first time in ages.

The party in third place has just had a storming success in the first TV debate. The party in second place is benefitting from good news headlines re the economy, jobs, housing market, etc.. And the leading party's leader suggested that we will bomb China (OK he didn't mean it but linking Iran with China wasn't too clever ).

Beyond difficult to predict there is amusement as well. 

Prior to the debate conservatives were talking up Mr Brown's media talents because they thought he might get the sympathy vote. Lots of gritted teeth I think 

Alec Salmond was funny last night (as to be fair he often is), and the UKIP leader also. 

And a chat between three sensible senior politians after the debate was also amusing but relevant: Paddy Ashdown, David Blunket and William Haigh. 

These days I'm not normally stimulated but this one if nothing else is great entertainment and difficult to predict. It has revitalised my interest. I remember back in the 70s staying up all night watching the results roll in with lots of beer and the old swingometer  Might just do it again 

I just wondered if anyone permanently in Spain missed any of the goings on?
Or if your attentions were more focussed on the Spanish system?
Or if you found the longer you stay in Spain the less relevant to you it becomes?
Or you felt starved of input?
or ..................


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

just out of interest and not to distract from this post. I started a thread about that debate on TV last night in the forum lounge 

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/expat-forum-lounge/46545-leaders-debate-tv.html

Jo xxx


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

nigele2 said:


> I'm stuck here in the UK for a little while but to compensate I must admit the General Election has grabbed me for the first time in ages.
> 
> I just wondered if anyone permanently in Spain missed any of the goings on?
> Or if your attentions were more focussed on the Spanish system?
> ...


 
Definitely _*the longer you stay in Spain the less relevant to you it becomes*_ because I'm just not involved in life in the UK any more. I wish I was the kind of person who could keep up with it more and have a bit of a wider perspective on things, but it didn't work out that way. 
I find politics difficult to comprehend and like some other posters on here, tend to think that probably 70% - 80% of what we are fed is not the true story any way. I prefer to pick and mix articles from various sources and make my own jigsaw of what's happening out there. That probably means that I just take the news that fits my take on things, but I seriously don't think it matters 'cos no one knows anything anyway!!


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

Way I see it, they aren't interested in me so why should I be interested in them.

I wonder if they even considered the fact that the expat vote is worth quite a lot to them


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

Stravinsky said:


> Way I see it, they aren't interested in me so why should I be interested in them.


Strav how long have you been away? I was thinking perhaps when I am permanently in Spain I may over time lose interest. And I was thinking that is a little odd and hard to imagine as I will never lose touch with Watford FC  Does that make me sound shallow? 



Stravinsky said:


> I wonder if they even considered the fact that the expat vote is worth quite a lot to them


Maybe it is an economical decision. Take the most likely number of expat votes, take into account the cost, and then consider if you are top party and by how many! Probably just not worth the candle. And the type of policies that would please most expats would not be too popular at home.


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

SteveHall said:


> And a chat between three sensible senior politians after the debate was also amusing but relevant: Paddy Ashdown, David Blunket and William Haigh.
> 
> ** Since when did Wm Haigh lay claim to being a senior politician?
> 
> Spanish politics is MUCH more fun!


True if you're not Spanish I guess  

Now don't pick on poor old william. I'm far from right wing but anyone who survived sitting on Maggie's lap and is still around deserves credit  

Had to laugh when Paddy said "it is William isn't it?"


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

nigele2 said:


> Strav how long have you been away? I was thinking perhaps when I am permanently in Spain I may over time lose interest. And I was thinking that is a little odd and hard to imagine as I will never lose touch with Watford FC  Does that make me sound shallow?
> 
> Maybe it is an economical decision. Take the most likely number of expat votes, take into account the cost, and then consider if you are top party and by how many! Probably just not worth the candle. And the type of policies that would please most expats would not be too popular at home.


Ive been away 3.5 years, but I go back fairly regularly.

It came very apparent to me very quickly that once you leave the UK you are treated like a leper. You lose all kinds of thinks that you have paid for all your life. I worked for 34 years, came here before retirement age, and having paid in the full amount required, suddenly I had no health cover of any kind.

I go back to the UK for a few weeks and need to see a doctor, just for a quick chat. I'm stupid enough to tell the surgery I have just moved to Spain. I get an appointment for 2 minutes and pay £30 ... for nothing

I cant open a bank account because of money laundering ... well I can, but I have to start a business up to do it!!!!

The number of things you are stopped from doing in a country you have lived in all your life is staggering. And you have no one to complain to because they arent interested!

So thats really why. I love the country, I may well go back one day ... but I know even when that happens there will be all kinds of hurdles to jump.


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

Strav that's very interesting and very relevant to me at the mo. 

My partner (could easily make it wife if there was benefit) Pilar is Spanish. Worked for more than 30 years in Spain (now 52) but because she is not working now and has no wish to add to the unemployment numbers she will lose all pension benefit. And further she has been told she is not entitled to health service although she still visits health services in Spain without questions (she officially is resident in Asturias, not the UK).

So one plan was for her to be resident in the UK (say 138 days a year) and work for my business (last 8 years of her working life) and thus get UK pension and health benefit.

But that would from the sound of it set big hurdles if we then retire to Spain.

What a mess it all is


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

I have a relative that spent a huge part of her life bringing up their children, and then later started a career. Unfortunately at a relatively early age her husband had to stop work due to illness. Just as she was approaching pensionable age. So she asked for a forecast, and discovered that because of all the time she had spent bringing up kids, she was entitled to hardly any old age pension. So is is stuck with a forces pension which is not huge, and of course cant get state pension yet!!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

nigele2 said:


> I will never lose touch with Watford FC


I suppose you are a closet fan of Elton as well?


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> I suppose you are a closet fan of Elton as well?


As we say, 'you don't choose to be a Watford fan', it is a responsibility thrown at you from birth. But we are loyal and stick together through thick and thin. Elton is one of us and we love him to death (not in the physical sense you understand )

We're Elton's taylor made army


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

I'm interested in the Election as, like many other Brits in Spain, we have investments in the UK and pay UK taxes. I'm also interested as I am living in an EU member state as is of course the UK. UK economic policies will have some effect on interest rates and the standing of sterling. My interest nowadays is however objective and detached and I'll be watching the results come in on May 6 rather like I'll watch England in the World Cup.
I don't have a vote, haven't registered for one since the first year out of the UK. This is very odd for me as most of my adult life has been 'political' in one way or another. I fought two UK Parliamentary elections and one European election amongst other things so this detachment is really strange. 
As to why, I'm not really sure. I think it's been a slow process of realising that national politicians have very little power or influence over the economy. Since the end of the Cold War and the increasing globalisation of the world's economies it's the markets that pull the strings. Whoever wins power on May 6th can only tinker around at the edges.The money-men will call the shots. 
Those of you old enough will remember Harold Wilson banging on about the 'Gnomes of Zurich'. Well, the gnomes have morphed into monstrous hydra. They're really in charge now. We now have a market society, not a market economy imo and many of the changes we've seen over the last twenty years are irreversible.
As for last night's debate.... unless he came on drunk or with his zip undone or something similar, Clegg could only win. Most viewers had never seen him perform at length before. He was new and fresh and most importantly was neither of the other two. Cameron I thought didn't perform as well as expected. He was slick and smooth but lacked depth, imo. As for Brown...he had substance but his performance was not appealing. He spoke as if he had a vast audience in front of him, not a smallish group in a tv studio and at times appeared to be lecturing. He also isn't blessed with youthful, handsome looks. 
I think lots of people will exercise less diligence when they cast their vote than when buying a new car or sofa and the media is to blame for trivialising politics by turning it into entertainment...a sort of 'Britain's got (or hasn't) talent'.
Funny how Tories like William Hague, Ann Widdecombe and Michael Portillo are natural tv entertainers who appeal even to people who didn't like their brand of politics...


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

nigele2 said:


> As we say, 'you don't choose to be a Watford fan', it is a responsibility thrown at you from birth. But we are loyal and stick together through thick and thin. Elton is one of us and we love him to death (not in the physical sense you understand )
> 
> We're Elton's taylor made army


It must be a bit like Norwich fans...... but for Elton substitute Delia???


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## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

nigele2 said:


> I'm stuck here in the UK for a little while but to compensate I must admit the General Election has grabbed me for the first time in ages.
> 
> The party in third place has just had a storming success in the first TV debate. The party in second place is benefitting from good news headlines re the economy, jobs, housing market, etc.. And the leading party's leader suggested that we will bomb China (OK he didn't mean it but linking Iran with China wasn't too clever ).
> 
> ...


IF I missed British politicians... I think I would re-load, take better aim and fire again:ranger:


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

dunmovin said:


> IF I missed British politicians... I think I would re-load, take better aim and fire again:ranger:


I'm glad I am well away from it all, especially if Willie is going to start firing his old WWI musket - can you still get the balls for it Willie? Keep your powder dry with all this rain.


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## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

baldilocks said:


> I'm glad I am well away from it all, especially if Willie is going to start firing his old WWI musket - can you still get the balls for it Willie? Keep your powder dry with all this rain.


nah.... swapped that for a brand new Barret M107 years back...


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

dunmovin said:


> nah.... swapped that for a brand new Barret M107 years back...


The most lethal weapon I ever owned was a spud-gun - it was quite safe, with my aim I never hit anything anyway - my Dad reckoned I could never hit the side of a barn, - *from the inside*.


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