Should you vote tactically?

Gracefully said, pompa. Having been caught out once myself, with a limerick, I sympathise with you.

I think that is a very gracious apology pompa.

Jokes can backfire as what one person thinks is funny, another takes offence at.

From our knowledge of pompa's past posts I am happy to assume that the joke had no intention of giving offence.

I seldom take offence at jokes, as they are just....well....jokes.

I heartedly agree Mishap and I cannot for one second imagine that pompa would be offensive.

IMO there will always be times when someone's post will hit a raw spot or make a GN wince, but rarely would that have been the intention of any poster surely?

I certainly didn't see the joke as intending to be sexist etc.

I think grumppa put that very well, a graceful comment and apology from pompa.

Blimey there are a lot of people having a sense of humour bypass on here today. I thought it was funny. If we analyse every joke someone will be offended. So how many of you humour police made ooing noises at Poldark? Or is that unacceptable sexism? Lighten up folks, these are serious times and we have got an election to debate.

If someone made a joke like that about me, it would make me feel horrid.

The joke would have been less unpleasant if it had not involved a real person. I am assuming people who think the joke is funny do not like NS.

Well said GillT!

I'm at an utter loss, other than spoiling my vote, regarding which Party.
Living in a too long very longstanding Conservative safe seat it's absolutely highly unlikely any other Party will get a look in.
What does one do is those circumstances?

Just watched Nicola Sturgeon being interviewed by Evan Davis. She was brilliant. Came across as very sincere and cared about the English and the union.
She put Cameron in his place about how he is now trying to split the union, having wanted Scotland to stay in it last year. I cannot understand how anyone who last year wanted Scotland to stay as part of the Westminster government can now tell the SNP to keep out of the vote.

I'm sure you're not horrid, petallus.

NS is in the public eye and must be used to jokes being made about her, as I'm sure MT was. I agree with others that as pompa has apologised the 'debate' should move on.

(Doubt that it will, though...)

Nicola Sturgeon is an impressive woman. She puts her point across well and is very clear and cool. It is not surprising that she is head of SNP.

But I do not really want to see too many SNP MPs as it is divisive to the UK.

By the way pompa - I once had a limerick deleted. I survived!

I may just be speaking for myself here, but I find it strange that Scotland voted to stay as part of the UK and yet now, the very party that lost that vote are possibly going to control the balance of power in the country that they wanted to disassociate themselves from. I think it will cause a lot of bad feeling and I feel very uncomfortable about it.

Me too.

And they seem to be very aggressive in their tactics and the language being bandied about.

The main problem with this election [again imo] is that the two Eds need to go; Labour needs to lose the election and change their leadership. It's as important for the country to have a strong opposition party as it is to have the right part in Government and this has been lacking recently. I'm saying this with great sadness, as a lifelong Labour supporter. I'm really scared of what the Conservatives are planning for our future but will most probably not vote Labour and, given that I would rather gauge my eyes out than vote UKIP I'm not sure where that leaves me .

You're a brave woman, Tegan! Respect.

I think Scotland want to eat their cake and have it, and NS starting to seem to me to be prepared to join up with anyone who'll have her, to put it bluntly.
Labour are unconvincing to me and UKIP's a sinking ship IMO.

I'm out.........

I believe the population of England and Wales is something in the region of 60 million, whilst Scotland's is 5 million plus. The SNP holding the balance of power will not be in the interests of that majority, they come across as very divisive and partisan. We shall have to wait and see just how much power they are able to wield.

We cannot have our argument both ways and declare Scotland and it's people we would dearly like to remain as part of the UK, and then declare their mandate that charges the SNP to represent them in Westminster as something we cannot accept. It simply doesn't work like that.

Did any one else watch Nicola Sturgeon?
She does not want to be divisive; she wants what's best for Scotland, obviously, but as Scotland voted to stay in the United Kingdom, she will go along with that and do what she thinks is best for the United Kingdom.
Just watched Panorama, where they had an American statistician going around Britain, crunching the numbers and deciding it will be too close to call.
However, what he said about Scotland was that it isn't surprising that the SNP will win so many seats. The Yes vote gained 45% of the vote. They are the ones voting SNP. The No vote was split between all the other parties.
Anyone getting 45% of the vote in first past the post voting will win the seat.
If they were not voting SNP, they would be voting labour anyway, so either way, labour would win.
Westminster has never had the interests of the Scots at heart. All they wanted was their oil money.

Exactly, whitewave. Unfortunately, TerriBull, that's parliamentary democracy British style and, until we can agree on a proportional system, we just have to lump it.The SNP is a legitimately constituted political party as are all the other regional parties such as Ulster Unionists, Sinn Féinn. The press is making a meal of the supposed threat of the SNP. I doubt that they have any proof of this, but it makes great headlines.

Loopy, Nicola Sturgeon has said repeatedly that the SNP will never join up with the Tories, so you are wrong on that. If the Tories get to do their queen's speech, SNP MPs will vote against it. The only way it would get passed would be if some Labour MPs voted for it. Can you see that happening?

The whole thing about a coalition is that various political parties will get into bed with any number of others in order to gain a working majority. Watch Borgan that will tell you!!! We may not like it but is what we voted for as a United Kingdom.

Coalitions are not something that we are used to so that is the reason that we may feel uncomfortable at the end result.

Agreed, whitewave. That's what I said earlier. Nicola Sturgeon realises that, and has said how ridiculous Cameron is by taking that stance. He's not doing himself any favours by being anti Scotland now.

I thought Ed had ruled out any 'arrangement' with the SNP. Has that now gone by the board?