<% ballot="" ' Check nothing is broken broken = 0 if ballot = "" then broken = 1 end if set vt = Server.Createobject("mps.Vote") openresult = vt.Open("Vote", "sa", "") ' Created object? if IsObject(vt) = TRUE then ' Opened db? if openresult = True AND broken = 0 then ballotresult = vt.SetBallotName(ballot) ' read the vote votetotal=(vt.GetVoteCount(ballot, "yes")+vt.GetVoteCount(ballot, "no")) if votetotal <> 0 then ' there are votes in the database numberyes = vt.GetVoteCount(ballot, "yes") numberno = vt.GetVoteCount(ballot, "no") percentyes = Int((numberyes/votetotal)*100) percentno = 100 - percentyes ' fix graph so funny graph heights dont appear 'if percentyes = 0 then ' percentyes = 1 'end if 'if percentno = 0 then ' percentno = 1 'end if else ' summut went wrong frig it numberyes = 0 numberno = 0 percentyes = 50 percentno = 50 end if end if end if %> Votes so far:

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			Yes: <% =percentyes %>%		No: <% =percentno %>%

How can Blair's government claim to be working for a fairer society when it cuts benefits even for those who cannot find work? Why is it the poor who have to face the hard choices?The chances of more fair shares for ordinary people recede.Blair seems to have become Margaret Thatcher's Heir Apparent.
Clive Williams, UK

Other than changing what has worked for centuries, Blair and his government will not change a thing.
Michael, USA (British subject)

Unless you consider tuition fees, higher interest rates, 17 new taxes (including a raid on pension funds which affects the most vital savings plan most of us have), sell outs to Sinn Fein / IRA, cuts in MIRAS, massive sleaze in Local Government, abolition of Tessa's, etc. an improvement. Then there can only be one conclusion!
Kevin Foster, UK

I, and many others like me voted for a change of direction. I am by no means a traditional Labour supporter, quite the reverse in fact it took me 15 years. However I am now bitterly disappointed as all we are getting is more of the same.
One day I hope we might get a governmant who remember what it was like in opposition for long enough to actually DO something before they get hoodwinked by the blasted civil servants (got rot em!) into simply carrying on the same policies as the last lot...
Jenny Day, UK

Tony Blair is doing a great job and is having to make some hard choices that some people may not like, but things have to be done if they will change for the better in the long run.
People are too quick to be negative - in particular about the Millenium Dome: it will prove to be a major success and people will have to eat their words. Peter Mandelson is doing a brilliant job in difficult circumstances and I think he should be given some credit for being to positive and forward looking. I would like to see a promotion for Mandelson in 1998.
Bridget Mortlock, England

Britain can only befit from a government that delivers on the promises it makes. Labour promised to make education it's first priority, and then as soon as it got in power went ahead to abolish free higher education.
Mark Fowler, UK

It's difficult for me to assess Blair's government being out the country. But from what I have been hearing from relatives over there, things are changing for the better. I am particularly impressed by Blair's handling of the Northern Ireland's peace talks.
Kwaku Brefo, USA

I do not think that Tony Blair has changed Britain. As far as I can see it is headed in exactly the same direction as it was before. It is mildly reassuring to read that the new British Government appears to have more respect abroad, but in common with many other people I am disappointed at the loss of any semblance of socialism within the Labour Leadership. P.S. I hate the Tories not because I think it is "chic" but rather because it is simple common sense.
Elaine Woobey, Scotland

We must remember that we owe our successful economic position to two Tory prime ministers. Mrs. Thatcher created competition, an enterprise culture and efficiency, while John Major succeeded in his goal of creating a nation "at ease with itself". It was that "ease" that allowed us to take the risk of voting Labour.

After the state Maggie and her gang left the country in Major was on a hiding to nothing. Labour will sort it out.
>Colin Gaunt, UK

His style of governing is to make as little effort as possible but with as much hype and glitz as possible. I feel that he is manipulating the population into handing over control of their lives to the government: "Come here children, let us protect you in return for nice shiny things." Blair seems to be all for banning things he doesn't like. Guns, alcopops, tobacco advertising and a whole host of things since he came into power. I for one resent being treated like a child not trusted to make his own choices.
Mike Richardson, England

True, the Labour promise has come alive - a New Britain that is sweeping away the drag of old thinking. While many British people are sceptical of "hype" and media terms such as "New Britain", the Americans can teach us that truly inspirational ideas, a well articulated vision, can motivate people to generate REAL change on the ground.
Jay Marathe USA (British National)

I voted Tory in 97 but I think Blair is doing a great job. He seems to have adopted the main Tory values but actually implements policies rather than talking about them. Welsh Devolution was a total scam, but you can't have everything
Rhidian Jones, UK

All the Labour Government has done has stolen Margaret Thatcher's policies. Wake up UK it's time to get it together... Time will tell, Maggie will go down as Great Britain's greatest PM!!!!!!!!!
Wayne, USA

South Africa has just emerged from a totalitarian regime - one that controlled every part of life. Many say that the UK is going the same way, with the erosion of personal rights both under this government and the previous one. The fundamental thing that we are missing is 'government of the people, by the people, for the people'. Government has an entrenched desire to ensure that it controls its citizenry by word, thought and deed. This cannot be allowed to happen. Either the people are responsible enough to effectively police themselves, or they're not. If not, then what does that say about the sort of politicians they voted for?
Neil Robertson, South Africa

The constitutional changes that the Labour Government are forcing through with ill-advised devolution and wooly plans to replace the House Of Lords are very dangerous. British people don't know how lucky they are to have such stable government and well-working institutions. Blair should stop trying to make a place in the history books for himself and start thinking about the well-being of the country. He will face a terrible backlash in the future when people wake up to what is happening.
Peter Wallace, Brazil

It's very chic to "hate the Tories" but an awful lot of people owe their jobs to Tory polices. Things have not started well for Labour and they are discovering that government is very different to being in opposition. It will take time for the changes they propose to work and judging after only 6 or 7 months perhaps tells us more about the culture of instant gratification we have created than their actual performance. Come the next election, if things are not noticeably better then I will use my vote accordingly although the way the political parties are converging on so many issues it's becomingly increasingly difficult to see how that will be.
Darren Stephens, United Kingdom

Tony Blair is doing his best to drag the UK into the 21st century. Surely people didn't except his to walk on water and change water into wine! He has been in power merely months and has done more in that short time than the motley Tory crew had done in the last 18 years.
Dolores Jukes, United Kingdom

The Northern Ireland peace talks will not produce a conclusive settlement. Cracks will begin to show in the Labour Government, and Tony Blair's popularity will plummet.
Michael Kirk, United Kingdom

Although the news we get over here is sketchy on British politics Labour seem to be doing a great job. They are working hard it seems at unifying the country's classes and regions. Although the issue of devolution is prevelant, this only shows the marvelous diversity of a great nation all unified in their equality. It serves to see the smaller country's of Wales and Scotland regaining some of their esteem and pride. It's a brave thing that Labour's doing. Of course their is always room for improvement.
Lee Gray, USA

Blair is emulating Clinton and isn't focusing on the nation's problems. Britain should stand on its own two feet. Britain survived before and will do again!
Nick Ashton, USA

I am a north Staffordshire lad living abroad. Certainly on the world stage, Britain is looking like it's finally ready to take on and be a player in 2000. I left a decaying Britain in 1987 at the age of 20, sick and tired, and cynical of life in the UK under the Tories. Keep it up Tony, it looks great from here.
Dave Berrisford, Vancouver, Canada

Before we reassure ourselves that Labour couldn't possibly be "worse than the Tories" let's take a moment to recall that during the period of Tory rule Britain went from being the worst economy in Europe to being about the healthiest, we went from begging the IMF for a series of huge loans to being one of the contributors to IMF loans to South Korea, from being a notorious economic basket case to being one of the larger net contributors to EU funds, and from having about the highest unemployment in Europe to having nearly the lowest. It's very chic to "hate the Tories" but an awful lot of people owe their jobs to Tory polices.
Jon livesey USA

I am 54 years old, and have voted Labour since I was 18. Never again. The 'New' Labour Party has betrayed everything it ever stood for in a desperate bid for a middle-class vote that may yet prove transitory. When that vote eventually shifts again for an even cheaper tender, Labour may find it has thrown out the baby with the bathwater.
John Luby, Scotland

Tony Blair is an upstart non-entity who has no legal remit to exercise any of the changes we have seen since he came to power in May.
G.T Fleming, UK

Give the Man a Chance .......Viewed from Washington DC, Tony Blairs vital image is extremely impressive in showing the world and the world markets that Britain has a leader who will modernise the country and make it a better place for investment. Remember that while the honeymoon may be waning he still commands a greater lead in the polls than any other Prime Minister. Short termism is the curse of Britain.
jmcinespie, USA

They came to power on a show of unity and good intentions. It is now clear that their policies have not been thought out clearly and there is no unity within the party. Funny that it almost seems like the Tory government.
Nitin Chandarana, England

Worse than the Conservatives? It's impossible. I think that the Labour government is good for Britain, Europe and the rest of the world.
S. Soulane, Holland

I am extreamly disappointed so far with this new labour government. They gave us such hopes of a new beginning and a new era for the ordinary people. So far they have shown me that they are as rotton as the conservatives. When can we have a government that can provide adequate resources to the people of this country. Cut out the red tape and the billions wasted, the sleaze, the back bitting etc., Get real and do something for this country.
Liz Hopkins, UK

Blair has given Britain a competitive edge in Europe and the rest of the world. He has developed upon the reforms of the Thatcher years and helped create an image of Britain that is competitive and marketable in the world market place.
Graham Copp, USA

Thousands of people voted for Tony Blair's Labour Party on 1 May. Since then, we have seen the introduction of tuition fees for students and the reduction of single parent benefit to name but two. This isn't what we voted for! I expect Tony Blair was off many people's Christmas card lists this year!
Andy Cole, UK

Yes, I think this government has changed Britain for the better. Even with all the problems and manufactured criticisms the country seems to be more positive and to be looking forward. Last year at this time there seemed to be a huge cloud of doom over the country. This seems to have lifted.
Sue Webb, UK

Labour has come to power on the back of many people's hopes for a just and equal society but once in power they have adopted the Tories' agenda and seem determined to cut benefits for single parents and the disabled. How can actions like this be said to make Britain a better place?
Holly North, UK

Of course they have.....using Conservative policies.
Robert Busby, UK

Since Labour's victorious rise to power I have been appalled at the changes that are going on within local government. My daughter Nicola is 11 years old and suffers from Cerebral Palsy. Recently we were informed that our only source of respite was to be removed due to recent changes within the social works criteria for respite and this is as a direct result of New Labour's policies. I have supported Labour for over 16 years now but I think I have reached a turning point in my life and mabey it's time for a change.
John Mason & Family, UK

I wholeheartedly support Mr. Blair's devolution proposals. I believe that Australia, Germany and even Canada, along with the U.S.A. have proven that Federalism works best in a democracy. How odd that in most democracies it is the Conservative party calling for more local control. However, in Britain, it seems the Conservatives want all power in No. 10 (and English) hands. Also, In a democracy, occasional electoral change is healthy and good. It reminds all politicians that even if they belong to a party that has a natural majority (as the Tories do), no party has a divine right to win elections, suffrage still rests with the people who are governed. My guess that when the Tories (or some other conservative alignment) once again regains power, as will certainly happen at some point in the future, they will have enacted healthy reforms, and be a better party in the long run because of it.
Dan Wentzel, America (California)

I knew Labour were going to be bad, but I didn't think they'd be THIS bad THIS soon! Student fees, tobacco sponsorship, farming disputes, cabinet infighting, MPs and their children arrested... how on earth did we let this bunch of incompetents get power? And how many more gaffes will they produce before we have a chance to get rid of them? God help us when the strikes start...
Andrew Oakley, UK

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