politicians sniping at each other

It's beyond annoying.

The problem is usually at PMQ's but if you ask a partisan question then you will get a partisan reply. The quality of both questions and answers should be raised. It's nothing new sadly it has been the state of play for years, it is the optimum chance to try and 'get one over' on your opponent.

Take the Labour back benches 'flapping their arms and making clucking noises' whilst Cameron was speaking. The Conservative MP for Blackpool Paul Maynard has cerebral palsy and he was being openly mocked by Labour MP's, utterly disgraceful.. When Ed Miliband stands at PQ's the Tory Lib Dem benches shout 'More, more' like a pack of hyenenas. All so b---y puerile.

The Speaker, Bercow, is a useless piece of work and should be given the boot too. He is so easy to read and has no control of the House, sometimes he let's bad behaviour run riot to make life uncomfortable for those he does not like and it is now so easy to know to who and when he let's it happen.

There must however be remembered there are excellent debates outside of PMQ's and that is when Parliament is at it's best.

apricot, you echo my own feelings. I've been heavily involved in politics for forty-odd years and have now had enough. It's all so predictable. I won't be staying up on the night - my losing sleep won't affect the results. I'm tuning my radio to Classic FM most mornings nowadays.

I can't bear the run up to an election. The BBC loves any old election, especially an American one which takes more than a year in preparation. Just tell us the results the next morning! I switch off the radio every time they mention it.
What's the point in listening to any lying hypocrite of a politician? I don't believe a word any of them says.

Good idea Anya, could well be a big shock for the politicians.
It seems to be all about scoring brownie points (or not) soontobe and not listening to what the opposition is saying and following a reasoned discussion.

A political commentator has said that he has been shocked by the number of people who are so very disallusioned with the main parties. And thinks that all the smaller parties will do a lot better than usual.

I dont know why the parties dont talk to and about each other a lot better. I suspect that some if it is that they lack some self control to do this. And as absent says, they have to defeat the other parties as well as get across their own party points.

I haven't the faintest idea who I want to vote for. There is neither I leader I can admire nor a party whose policies I could support. But then neither do I want to waste a vote that was hard fought for.

Perhaps the ballot papers should have a box, as do some surveys, reading none of the above .

There are a lot worse in other countries, some of them come to blows!However, amongst all the point scoring that goes on, there are often some relevent points as well.It's all part of the cut and thrust of parliament.

don't they say nowadays that its not considered safe to knock on doors even in pairs. Think about market researchers doing the same they work alone in the dark. No-one knocks on our doors, maybe cos even the staffies answer the doors in pairs.

Living in a very safe Tory seat, our complacent MP does not knock on doors or even appear in the constituency as far as I can see. Would love to see the smug bastard chap lose his seat.

my local MP is an arrogant slob, he was horrible when I approached him for a matter unconnected to politics, where he should have been polite, thinking I might be a possible voter.
Goodness knows who are the representatives of the other local parties.

rosequartz Not so bad if most people can't be bothered to listen and just vote how they have usually done but it is worse if people can't be bothered to listen and can't be bothered to vote.

No way am I voting for local MP! His arrogance is breathtaking.....

It is all a big turn-off and in the end most people can't be bothered to listen to them and just vote how they have usually done.

Your opponents are in the opposition parties; your enemies are in your own.

Our legal system and our parliamentary system are antagonistic: to win is more important than to establish what is the truth, or what is the best way forward for the country. I'm not sure whether this is the right or wrong way to go about things, but perhaps it's what suits us.

Is the monster raving loony party still in existence ?
maybe Ill vote for them.
its interesting to know its not just me who doesn't like the fighting and silliness.

I don't think it's that they lack the intelligence, or ability come to that.

It seems to be that civilised debate is out of fashion, and the media, especially tv, think that controversy and Big Brother-style confrontation will pull in viewers.

Is the monster raving loony party still in existence ?
maybe Ill vote for them.
its interesting to know its not just me who doesn't like the fighting and silliness.

So do I Ethelbags in fact the more I hear the less I wish to listen! They clearly don't know just how puerile and unedifying a spectacle they make (or don't care!)
I sometimes think it's because they totally lack the intelligence and ability to debate in a civilised manner, preferring to behave like an arrogant rabble.
Certainly spoiling my ballot paper is becoming more and more likely, for the first time in 43 years, sadly.

It is all very childish and does nothing to encourage voters to consider their policies and parties.

I did read somewhere that, even though some of them can have a real slanging match, they are sometimes good friends away from Parliament or the camera.

Perhaps they should imagine that they are in a sixth form debating society.

Just Grow Up and behave like 18 year olds!

And another thing, when did you last have a party member come to the door,ask your opinion and answer the points you have raised? It is many years since even local candidates came to our door.

I agree with all of your comments especially what annsixty said about children in the playground. Why do they think their silly behaviour will make us want to vote for them ?

I always use my vote but am finding it increasingly difficult to not just spoil the ballot paper. I would like to vote for the party which removes it's litter from the countryside immediately after the election (or not put it there in the first place). Too often it is only removed by the weather.

would love to bang their heads together especially on tv.

I think they're often encouraged to be rude and antagonistic by the interviewer, if there is one - most of us will have witnessed slanging matches where the supposed 'impartial' presenter joined in and actually made matters worse.

No one seems to let anyone finish a point, they all shout over each other and dignity goes out of the window.

I loathe listening to parliament on tv but DH has it on more or less every day. I hate the shouting and snide remarks. Reasoned measured debate . Where is it?

Children in the playground comes to mind and I am another one not at a
all impressed by "it wasn't me miss, he did it and I had to make it right".
I have voted since the 1950's and don't know what to do this time. Our present MP, a Lib Dem is retiring so a new decision.