{"id":1533,"date":"2015-05-07T19:33:13","date_gmt":"2015-05-07T18:33:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/?p=1533"},"modified":"2015-05-07T23:00:00","modified_gmt":"2015-05-07T22:00:00","slug":"how-a-2-coin-changed-the-landscape-of-british-politics-forever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/?p=1533","title":{"rendered":"How a \u00a32 coin changed the landscape of British politics FOREVER"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2011, a Scottish couple, Colin and Chris Weir bought five EuroMillions tickets. \u00a0The tickets cost \u00a32 each.<\/p>\n

\"\u00a32\"\"Euro<\/a><\/p>\n

Colin and Chris won \u00a3161,653,000 pounds<\/p>\n

\"Celebration\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

and celebrated the fact!<\/p>\n

So how on earth did that change the landscape of UK politics?<\/p>\n

Well, Colin and Chris gave \u00a33m to the Scottish National Party (SNP) and a further \u00a33m to the same party for their independence campaign. \u00a0This money has accounted for about 80% of the SNP’s funding. \u00a0With this money, the SNP has radically changed the balance of power in Scotland – and the SNP are likely to win over 50 seats in today’s general election. \u00a0By this time tomorrow, we will all know the exact number.<\/p>\n

In turn, this has devastated one of the Labour Party’s strongholds. \u00a0The two main\u00a0political parties – the Conservative party and the Labour party – stand neck-and-neck in the closest run election for 40 years. \u00a0It has been the first campaign where the minority parties have been invited to debate on the same stage as the two major parties. \u00a0That, alone, has changed the whole way that people vote. \u00a0The number of people who have said to me that they are confused and don’t know which way to vote has been many more than previous elections. \u00a0Should I vote blue, green, yellow, red, or purple? \u00a0Who knows?<\/p>\n

In five years time, in\u00a02020, the SNP could have forced the independence of Scotland. \u00a0The United Kingdom might no longer exist. \u00a0Britain might have left Europe. \u00a0All these things are possible outcomes in a scenario of different winners or losers. \u00a0Who will win? \u00a0Who will lose? \u00a0Who knows?<\/p>\n

However, it is very probable that the next election will be before 2020 particularly if there is no party with a clear majority. \u00a0The same happened in 1974 – a year I remember well. \u00a0My father was an MP from 1970-74 and gave up his seat in Aberdeenshire, Scotland before that double election year. \u00a0Several years of uncertainty ensued. \u00a0It was probably another Scottish butterfly – North Sea Oil – that saved the Union that time around. \u00a0I’m not sure what the saviour of the Union could be this time around. \u00a0Maybe another lottery ticket? \u00a0Maybe the second coming? \u00a0Who knows?<\/p>\n

Many believe that the whole democratic machine is broken. \u00a0That the UK’s first past the post system is out of date and unfair. \u00a0The Green Party might win 10% of the National vote – yet only win one seat. \u00a0The SNP might win 4% of the vote and win 50 seats. Yet neither of the largest parties supports the idea of proportional representation. \u00a0How can the system be changed for the better when the vested interests of the two main parties don’t support the idea? \u00a0Who knows?<\/p>\n

And yet the eventual impact of the “Butterfly Effect<\/a>“<\/span> of the Weirs’ \u00a32 coin might well not yet be played out. \u00a0The result of this British General Election might well cause an even bigger set of knock-on effects in the global financial markets and even cause this current bubble to burst. \u00a0Who knows?<\/p>\n

The EuroMillions Jackpot this Friday stands at \u00a329m. \u00a0We seem to live in a Lottery Society where the only certainty is that someone will win or the game will roll-over. \u00a0Going to buy five tickets. \u00a0Much more fun! \u00a0Game on! \u00a0Will I win? \u00a0Who knows?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In 2011, a Scottish couple, Colin and Chris Weir bought five EuroMillions tickets. \u00a0The tickets cost \u00a32 each. Colin and Chris won \u00a3161,653,000 pounds   and celebrated the fact! So how on earth did that change the landscape of UK politics? Well, Colin and Chris gave \u00a33m to the Scottish National Party (SNP) and a … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “How a \u00a32 coin changed the landscape of British politics FOREVER”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[88,41,67,38],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6DQGK-oJ","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":328,"url":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/?p=328","url_meta":{"origin":1533,"position":0},"title":"Assange, Argyris and Aristotle","author":"Lorne Mitchell","date":"10\/12\/2010","format":false,"excerpt":"At the end of the week where Julian Assange was locked up and everyone has been commenting on the value (or threat) of Wikileaks, I thought I would reflect on what I see is going on here. 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