#UKGE2017

[nanila]

Dear 18-25 year old voters,
It's an omnishambles of a result and it's going to take months to sort out. But OMG well done all of you for turning up - an estimated 72% of you - and confounding the initial expectations for this general election. Keep it up. You swung it. I'm so pleased for you.
Love,
Nanila

Dear people in power,
See that letter up above? Start paying attention, start thinking long-term and start putting in place policies that aren't going to screw over their futures.
Kiss kiss bye bye,
Nanila

Comments

[cactus_rs]

That ~10% drop in UKIP votes warmed my heart. Hope in these dark times.

[siliconshaman]

A lot of those joined the Conservatives... that's interesting in many ways.

[nanila]

A little bit, but they (in theory anyway) got what they wanted with the referendum result on their most important issue. The rest of their ugly xenophobic racist little agenda has been neatly reabsorbed into the main parties' to varying degrees. That's why I found it more heartening that young people turned out and voted for something positive: a brand of socialism that a lot of people thought was dead.

[niqaeli]

I am so delighted for you all, because I know so many folks who were flatly terrified and fearing of a Tory landslide. And they didn't get that nonsense, I gather! It's some other nonsense, I am sure, but... not the worst case that everyone was bracing for? And for that, I am terribly glad. <3

[nanila]

It is still a horrific sort of nonsense, including the prospect of a coalition with the ultra-right DUP in Northern Ireland.

As someone quipped, "Theresa May warned us about voting in a coalition of chaos. She just didn't say she'd be leading it."

[haggis]

It's like the sound of the cavalry coming over the hill, to turn the tide of the battle. And just maybe the war? Young people don't read the tabloids ...

[nanila]

I sincerely hope so.

[clanwilliam]

And so badly needed - the Keele story last night was a shocker, especially when you see the size of the majority.

[nanila]

I am peeved that they needed to, but very proud that so many students returned after being turned away the first time.

[roarofsilence]

Preach

[nanila]

*fist-bump* I'm feeling hopeful about politics for the first time in almost a year.

[sfred]

<3

[nanila]

♥ back at you.

[forthwritten]

I am so proud and impressed by the youth vote!

[nanila]

Isn't it fantastic! The commentary on the election-related posts by young people (in the Guardian) has been impressive too.

[hilarita]

Yup.

[nanila]

\o/ Thank goodness for this ray of hope.

[cmcmck]

She blew it!

Tee hee! :o)

And as you say, well done the young'uns!

[nanila]

I would have to dig very deep indeed to find any sympathy for the person who called this election.

[siliconshaman]

And now the horse-trading begins...

One disadvantage of this, we're going to have days if not weeks of breathless [and baseless] speculation wrapped up as 'news' in the media.

Still, at least the Tories are unlikely to form a government. They'd need a partner to do that, and after what happened to the LibDems last time, nobody is likely to hold their noses and touch that idea with a barge-pole.

[cmcmck]

The DUP will and therein lies a real problem.

[bryangb]

And now we may well have the DUP, aka the right-wing of the Puritan Party & the political wing of the UDA (the Protestant/Unionist equivalent of the IRA) in coalition with control-freak St Theresa. Lovely.

The one consolation with that would be that it shouldn't take too many of the less-extreme Tories to rebel in order to sink anything especially loony. I hope. Please.

And as someone on Twitter pointed out, "To be fair Theresa May warned of coalition of chaos propped up by extremist terrorist sympathisers. She just didn't say she'd be leading it."

[nanila]

I hope so too. UGH, the DUP. >:(

Also, HA! Yes, I was struggling to remember where I'd seen that quote.

[redsixwing]

Well done indeed! I can't say I understand most of the bits about why May gets to form a government when she lost her majority, but am reading BBC and learning a lot.

I'm delighted that the thing meant to give her more of a sense of inevitability has kicked her feet out from underneath, instead.

[nanila]

I'm delighted that the thing meant to give her more of a sense of inevitability has kicked her feet out from underneath, instead.

Yes. And I'm glad that young people have been so galvanised to deliver that kicking, after being roundly scorned by (seemingly) everyone as lazy, entitled, uncaring brats.

[paw_prints]

Good on the youngsters! It's an interesting result. I'm not sure "result" is quite the right term! More of a case of watch this space to see what happens.

[nanila]

Yes, and it's not looking pretty if a deal with the DUP is on the cards. :/

[ayebydan]

♥

SNP were always going to lose seats. Holding 95% of the seats just...is not a thing that happens. I am glad not all the losses went to the Tories and more than that I am SUPER HAPPY my MP retained for SNP. He and his partner are wonderful people. And on a personal note I have done so much footwork recently and got SO WET that I am glad 'we won'. :P Miffed SKYnews called it as 'Linlithgow' and not 'Linlithgow and Falkirk East' Because I have walked over a hell of a lot of that second bit with highly suspect maps in hand!

I am SO proud of my fellow youth, especially in England. The Scottish youth have been not too bad over the past couple of elections but wow that red surge. I think many feared Corbyn's registrations would not result in actual votes as we have seen similar things before so that was awesome.

DUP though. I mean....WOW.


But then Cantebury! Tory since the Great Reform act of 1830! Now Labour!

[nanila]

♥!

Go you for putting in the ground work for your MP. I'm hopeful about politics for the first time in almost a year.

[ironed_orchid]

<3

[nanila]

<3!

[silveradept]

My goodness, what we could do in the States with that kind of turnout.

Well done, youngsters. You have made things less terrible than they could have been.

[nanila]

Indeed. It would be wonderful to have that level of turnout in the USA.

Considering that they may have the opportunity to vote again in the next few months, I hope the result has galvanised them for the future.

[cesy]

I am so glad about the youth turnout.

[nanila]

Isn't it great! And I love that so many of the comments from them about they way they voted are so positive and so hopeful.

[omnipotent]

I love this post. Especially the second letter.

[nanila]

*fist-bump* Thanks.

[pheloniusfriar]

It was a wondrous and joyful thing to witness! I hope they can keep it up when the next, soon and inevitable, general election happens.

[nanila]

\o/ Yes, it's looking like things are headed that way...

[mysterysquid]

T'was nice to see!

Hoping our Labor mob are taking notes..

[nanila]

Fingers crossed they are.