politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Farage : “I want to fight a marginal” : The possible choices
During today’s interview with Andrew Neil on the Sunday Politics, the issue of where Nigel Farage wants to stand at the next election cropped up again and for the first time he gave an answer “I want to fight a marginal” he declared.
LOL, after Marr loses the plot and tells FM that Scotland will not get back into EU Carlotta plays the poor stroke victim card. Usual pansy unionists , like to issue threats but when called out their yellow streaks a mile wide are on full show. The Westminster propaganda unit should be forced to explain why its presenters are peddling their biased personal views in an interview. Sacking is too good for him.
What does he mean by a marginal — does it include seats that are likely to be marginals in 2015 even if they weren't in 2010? For example IIRC a recent opinion poll in Thanet South showed a close three way contest between Con, Lab and UKIP although it wasn't very marginal at the last election.
LOL, after Marr loses the plot and tells FM that Scotland will not get back into EU Carlotta plays the poor stroke victim card. Usual pansy unionists , like to issue threats but when called out their yellow streaks a mile wide are on full show. The Westminster propaganda unit should be forced to explain why its presenters are peddling their biased personal views in an interview. Sacking is too good for him.
Marr was actually being generous to Salmond when he said it would be quite hard for Scotland to get back into the EU, Barroso said it would be virtually impossible.
A marginal is a good idea because it means they can get in a low share of the vote, but I'm not really sure any of the suggestions on this list are that good prospects for them. I think their best chances are in Essex (Thurrock, Basildon etc.) or in a coastal town/city which has been hit hard by the collapse in domestic tourism (Great Yarmouth, Skegness, maybe some of the Cornish seats).
LOL, after Marr loses the plot and tells FM that Scotland will not get back into EU Carlotta plays the poor stroke victim card. Usual pansy unionists , like to issue threats but when called out their yellow streaks a mile wide are on full show. The Westminster propaganda unit should be forced to explain why its presenters are peddling their biased personal views in an interview. Sacking is too good for him.
Marr was actually being generous to Salmond when he said it would be quite hard for Scotland to get back into the EU, Barroso said it would be virtually impossible.
Both have no clue what they are talking about, merely spouting personal biased positions which are not reality, one to try and get help in new job and one as part of his current position and well known stance. Both overstepped the marrk.
LOL, after Marr loses the plot and tells FM that Scotland will not get back into EU Carlotta plays the poor stroke victim card. Usual pansy unionists , like to issue threats but when called out their yellow streaks a mile wide are on full show. The Westminster propaganda unit should be forced to explain why its presenters are peddling their biased personal views in an interview. Sacking is too good for him.
Marr was actually being generous to Salmond when he said it would be quite hard for Scotland to get back into the EU, Barroso said it would be virtually impossible.
What are you whining about now ? Politician gets tough interview scandal ?
It's tempting to assume the seats which traditionally have the highest BNP/UKIP support are their best chances, but I'm not sure that's ALWAYS a good guide -- in places like Oldham and Bradford, the far right have always got some consistent support due to ethnic tensions, but having such a large ethnic-minority population also means there's a fairly low ceiling on UKIP's potential support. They're probably only going to have a chance of getting to 30% or beyond in constituencies which are overwhelmingly white-dominated.
The row broke out during an increasingly testy interview on Sunday morning on BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show during which Mr Salmond repeated his claim an independent Scotland would start life in the EU.
After the presenter suggested otherwise, the First Minister reacted with outrage and harangued the presenter as to whether this was the “Andrew Marr analysis” or the corporation’s point of view.
But Mr Marr referred to an interview he conducted last month with Jose Manuel Barroso in which the European Commission President said it would be “extremely difficult, if not impossible” for a separate Scotland to join the EU.
He told Mr Salmond that Mr Barroso had been “absolutely adamant in private and in public on the sofa” and that he claimed to be speaking for “many other” European leaders.
LOL, after Marr loses the plot and tells FM that Scotland will not get back into EU Carlotta plays the poor stroke victim card. Usual pansy unionists , like to issue threats but when called out their yellow streaks a mile wide are on full show. The Westminster propaganda unit should be forced to explain why its presenters are peddling their biased personal views in an interview. Sacking is too good for him.
Marr was actually being generous to Salmond when he said it would be quite hard for Scotland to get back into the EU, Barroso said it would be virtually impossible.
What are you whining about now ? Politician gets tough interview scandal ?
Was not much of a tough interview, it was just interviewer giving his personal opinions rather than doing his job. He let his bitterness get the better of his supposed professionalism.
I thought the consensus was that Kent and (some parts of) East Anglia were the most fertile ground for UKIP - much as I'd love to see Farage have a go in Hampstead!
LOL, after Marr loses the plot and tells FM that Scotland will not get back into EU Carlotta plays the poor stroke victim card. Usual pansy unionists , like to issue threats but when called out their yellow streaks a mile wide are on full show. The Westminster propaganda unit should be forced to explain why its presenters are peddling their biased personal views in an interview. Sacking is too good for him.
Marr was actually being generous to Salmond when he said it would be quite hard for Scotland to get back into the EU, Barroso said it would be virtually impossible.
What are you whining about now ? Politician gets tough interview scandal ?
It's an interesting insight into the kind of journalism that will be tolerated in an SNP run Scotland.
The row broke out during an increasingly testy interview on Sunday morning on BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show during which Mr Salmond repeated his claim an independent Scotland would start life in the EU.
After the presenter suggested otherwise, the First Minister reacted with outrage and harangued the presenter as to whether this was the “Andrew Marr analysis” or the corporation’s point of view.
But Mr Marr referred to an interview he conducted last month with Jose Manuel Barroso in which the European Commission President said it would be “extremely difficult, if not impossible” for a separate Scotland to join the EU.
He told Mr Salmond that Mr Barroso had been “absolutely adamant in private and in public on the sofa” and that he claimed to be speaking for “many other” European leaders.
it was just interviewer giving his personal opinions rather than doing his job.
I think you'll find he was (gently) paraphrasing the opinion of the President of the EC.....an opinion Salmond ignores, instead preferring the opinions of miscellaneous retired chaps......
The row broke out during an increasingly testy interview on Sunday morning on BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show during which Mr Salmond repeated his claim an independent Scotland would start life in the EU.
After the presenter suggested otherwise, the First Minister reacted with outrage and harangued the presenter as to whether this was the “Andrew Marr analysis” or the corporation’s point of view.
But Mr Marr referred to an interview he conducted last month with Jose Manuel Barroso in which the European Commission President said it would be “extremely difficult, if not impossible” for a separate Scotland to join the EU.
He told Mr Salmond that Mr Barroso had been “absolutely adamant in private and in public on the sofa” and that he claimed to be speaking for “many other” European leaders.
More SNP bullying of disabled; March 10 2014 A senior SNP councillor shouted and swore at a disabled man at a bedroom tax meeting, a court heard. SNP councillor at Glasgow City Council, Billy McAllister, 48, told John Park to "f*** off" and said "You're f****** rumbled" when they both went to a meeting where Tommy Sheridan was speaking, in Ardoch Street, Possilpark last year. The SNP deputy leader was so aggressive when he shouted to Mr Park that he was "almost spitting" and had to be forcefully held back and was eventually dragged away. At Glasgow Sheriff Court McAllister pled guilty to acting in a threatening or abusive manner and shouting, swearing and gesticulating aggressively towards Mr Park on May 29, last year. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/glasgow-city-council-snp-deputy-3233648
it was just interviewer giving his personal opinions rather than doing his job.
I think you'll find he was (gently) paraphrasing the opinion of the President of the EC.....an opinion Salmond ignores, instead preferring the opinions of miscellaneous retired chaps......
I think you will find he said in "my opinion" based on the discredited view previously advanced by the job seeking Barosso. Usual biased BBC , it is endemic and they cannot hide their hatred of Alex Salmond and SNP for bringing their beloved unionist troughing to the brink of oblivion.
The row broke out during an increasingly testy interview on Sunday morning on BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show during which Mr Salmond repeated his claim an independent Scotland would start life in the EU.
After the presenter suggested otherwise, the First Minister reacted with outrage and harangued the presenter as to whether this was the “Andrew Marr analysis” or the corporation’s point of view.
But Mr Marr referred to an interview he conducted last month with Jose Manuel Barroso in which the European Commission President said it would be “extremely difficult, if not impossible” for a separate Scotland to join the EU.
He told Mr Salmond that Mr Barroso had been “absolutely adamant in private and in public on the sofa” and that he claimed to be speaking for “many other” European leaders.
it was just interviewer giving his personal opinions rather than doing his job.
I think you'll find he was (gently) paraphrasing the opinion of the President of the EC.....an opinion Salmond ignores, instead preferring the opinions of miscellaneous retired chaps......
I think you will find he said in "my opinion"
I think you will find he didn't:
The presenter said: “I think it would be quite hard to get back in, I have to say.”
The host tried to move onto his next question, but an angry Mr Salmond pulled him up about his comment.
He demanded to know whether it was “the Andrew Marr analysis” or “an expression of the BBC”.
Mr Marr denied it was either but an irate First Minister said: “You’ve just said what your opinion was.”
Mr Marr retorted that Mr Barroso “is currently the president of the European Commission, which is not a small job.”
And who, exactly, has 'discredited' Barroso's view?
Someone higher up in the European Commission?
Oh, that's right, there isn't anyone higher up in the Commission.....
More SNP bullying of disabled; March 10 2014 A senior SNP councillor shouted and swore at a disabled man at a bedroom tax meeting, a court heard. SNP councillor at Glasgow City Council, Billy McAllister, 48, told John Park to "f*** off" and said "You're f****** rumbled" when they both went to a meeting where Tommy Sheridan was speaking, in Ardoch Street, Possilpark last year. The SNP deputy leader was so aggressive when he shouted to Mr Park that he was "almost spitting" and had to be forcefully held back and was eventually dragged away. At Glasgow Sheriff Court McAllister pled guilty to acting in a threatening or abusive manner and shouting, swearing and gesticulating aggressively towards Mr Park on May 29, last year. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/glasgow-city-council-snp-deputy-3233648
Poor Monica, tapestry used to post more believable stuff than you do, you need to get over your fixation and get a life, post like a normal person.
LOL, after Marr loses the plot and tells FM that Scotland will not get back into EU Carlotta plays the poor stroke victim card. Usual pansy unionists , like to issue threats but when called out their yellow streaks a mile wide are on full show. The Westminster propaganda unit should be forced to explain why its presenters are peddling their biased personal views in an interview. Sacking is too good for him.
Marr was actually being generous to Salmond when he said it would be quite hard for Scotland to get back into the EU, Barroso said it would be virtually impossible.
What are you whining about now ? Politician gets tough interview scandal ?
I think we should cut poor @malcolmg a little slack.
As the prospect of a YES vote fades away quicker than Man Utd's prospect of Champions League football next season then these sad and wretched YES folk become more desperate, venal and deluded.
I've concluded it's a clear medical condition - and accordingly they are not responsible for their actions and we must offer them the milk of human kindness and clutch them warmly to our bosom.
The row broke out during an increasingly testy interview on Sunday morning on BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show during which Mr Salmond repeated his claim an independent Scotland would start life in the EU.
After the presenter suggested otherwise, the First Minister reacted with outrage and harangued the presenter as to whether this was the “Andrew Marr analysis” or the corporation’s point of view.
But Mr Marr referred to an interview he conducted last month with Jose Manuel Barroso in which the European Commission President said it would be “extremely difficult, if not impossible” for a separate Scotland to join the EU.
He told Mr Salmond that Mr Barroso had been “absolutely adamant in private and in public on the sofa” and that he claimed to be speaking for “many other” European leaders.
it was just interviewer giving his personal opinions rather than doing his job.
I think you'll find he was (gently) paraphrasing the opinion of the President of the EC.....an opinion Salmond ignores, instead preferring the opinions of miscellaneous retired chaps......
I think you will find he said in "my opinion"
I think you will find he didn't:
The presenter said: “I think it would be quite hard to get back in, I have to say.”
The host tried to move onto his next question, but an angry Mr Salmond pulled him up about his comment.
He demanded to know whether it was “the Andrew Marr analysis” or “an expression of the BBC”.
Mr Marr denied it was either but an irate First Minister said: “You’ve just said what your opinion was.”
Mr Marr retorted that Mr Barroso “is currently the president of the European Commission, which is not a small job.”
And who, exactly, has 'discredited' Barroso's view?
Someone higher up in the European Commission?
Oh, that's right, there isn't anyone higher up in the Commission.....
Those were not his exact words, you are lying as usual. He said Scotland would not get back in. Outside his remit and just more embarrassment for the Westminster propaganda unit.
it was just interviewer giving his personal opinions rather than doing his job.
I think you'll find he was (gently) paraphrasing the opinion of the President of the EC.....an opinion Salmond ignores, instead preferring the opinions of miscellaneous retired chaps......
I think you will find he said in "my opinion"
I think you will find he didn't:
The presenter said: “I think it would be quite hard to get back in, I have to say.”
The host tried to move onto his next question, but an angry Mr Salmond pulled him up about his comment.
He demanded to know whether it was “the Andrew Marr analysis” or “an expression of the BBC”.
Mr Marr denied it was either but an irate First Minister said: “You’ve just said what your opinion was.”
Mr Marr retorted that Mr Barroso “is currently the president of the European Commission, which is not a small job.”
And who, exactly, has 'discredited' Barroso's view?
Someone higher up in the European Commission?
Oh, that's right, there isn't anyone higher up in the Commission.....
Those were not his exact words, you are lying as usual. He said Scotland would not get back in. Outside his remit and just more embarrassment for the Westminster propaganda unit.
it was just interviewer giving his personal opinions rather than doing his job.
I think you'll find he was (gently) paraphrasing the opinion of the President of the EC.....an opinion Salmond ignores, instead preferring the opinions of miscellaneous retired chaps......
I think you will find he said in "my opinion"
I think you will find he didn't:
The presenter said: “I think it would be quite hard to get back in, I have to say.”
The host tried to move onto his next question, but an angry Mr Salmond pulled him up about his comment.
He demanded to know whether it was “the Andrew Marr analysis” or “an expression of the BBC”.
Mr Marr denied it was either but an irate First Minister said: “You’ve just said what your opinion was.”
Mr Marr retorted that Mr Barroso “is currently the president of the European Commission, which is not a small job.”
And who, exactly, has 'discredited' Barroso's view?
Someone higher up in the European Commission?
Oh, that's right, there isn't anyone higher up in the Commission.....
Those were not his exact words, you are lying as usual. He said Scotland would not get back in. Outside his remit and just more embarrassment for the Westminster propaganda unit.
Provide a link to his exact words.
you are the smart arse go and find it yourself , I know he was well out of order , absolutely lost the plot and should not be used on anything relating to the referendum due to his bias.
Also Barosso's opinion matters not a jot , the EU countries will decide and any fool knows they will not be voting to have all their people chucked out of Scotland , idiots can hope but they are destined to be disappointed.
it was just interviewer giving his personal opinions rather than doing his job.
I think you'll find he was (gently) paraphrasing the opinion of the President of the EC.....an opinion Salmond ignores, instead preferring the opinions of miscellaneous retired chaps......
I think you will find he said in "my opinion"
I think you will find he didn't:
The presenter said: “I think it would be quite hard to get back in, I have to say.”
The host tried to move onto his next question, but an angry Mr Salmond pulled him up about his comment.
He demanded to know whether it was “the Andrew Marr analysis” or “an expression of the BBC”.
Mr Marr denied it was either but an irate First Minister said: “You’ve just said what your opinion was.”
Mr Marr retorted that Mr Barroso “is currently the president of the European Commission, which is not a small job.”
And who, exactly, has 'discredited' Barroso's view?
Someone higher up in the European Commission?
Oh, that's right, there isn't anyone higher up in the Commission.....
Those were not his exact words, you are lying as usual. He said Scotland would not get back in. Outside his remit and just more embarrassment for the Westminster propaganda unit.
Provide a link to his exact words.
you are the smart arse go and find it yourself , I know he was well out of order , absolutely lost the plot and should not be used on anything relating to the referendum due to his bias.
You are the one who wrote that I lied - if you are confident of your claim, provide the link.
Otherwise it will just be marked down to SNP bullying, bluff and bluster....your choice....
I see there was some discussion on the previous thread about through-running of trains between HS2 and HS1. There are currently plans for this, albeit by (in my mind) a highly non-optimal and massively expensive single track line parallel to the North London Line. This link-line is generating a heck of a lot of publicity, mainly because Stanley Johnson (BoJo's father) owns a house nearby.
AIUI there are a few problems with this link:
1) It is single-track, and therfore low capacity.
2) It is massively expensive.
3) There is apparently little demand for such through services.
4) There is little planned excess capacity on HS2 once it is built; and it may be better if that capacity was used on services north of London.
5) There is the problem of passport controls. At the moment, they are (I think) at St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet and Ashford. You would need similar systems at any other stations regional trains called at. It is much more convenient to have them when trains are changed at SPI. I don't know why on-train checks are frowned upon. Of course, it could be more sensible to do without passport checks ...
On the other hand, if the link is ever to be needed, it will be cheaper to do it (or at least some of its works) with phase 1, rather than later when the work will cause disruption to services. This is the same reason ISTR it is proposed to build the earthworks for part of the link to Heathrow (i.e. the junctions) during the first phase, *before* the line itself is planned to be built in phase 2.
Someone also mentioned trains to the continent were advertised up north when the chunnel opened. It was planned for there to be so-called "North of London (NoL) trains run from the rest of the UK through the chunnel. British Rail ordered seven Eurostar trains for £180 million (as an idea of scale, 31 slightly longer sets were ordered for Chunnel services).
It never happened, besides some test trains. For one thing, it was symied from the start: the trains would not stop in London to prevent the services competing with domestic ones. Fortunately most of these trains eventually found other uses after remaining idle for years.
As for HS2 being a white elephant: it may be, but I doubt it, particularly in the long term. If capacity is to continue to grow (and no-one has really come up with reasons why it will not), then there is going to be a massive capacity crunch. Sadly, existing lines can only be upgraded only so much.
As an example, the WCML upgrade should be remembered. It cost £8-9 billion over the original budget, was years late, and was nowhere near the promised functionality (e.g. 125 MPH instead of 140MPH). It also caused massive disruption for years to the travelling public. Upgrading exsiting lines is hidesouly expensive, and we get relatively little extra capacity for your millions. All the easy things to improve capacity (e.g. electrification and new signalling systems) are slowly being done. For instance, rebuilding Reading station and removing a bottleneck that annoyed Brunel is costing over £400 million.
So let's hear what your alternative plans are. Go on. It's an area where a couple of hundred million, or even a few billion, doesn't do very much compared to the scale of the problem.
it was just interviewer giving his personal opinions rather than doing his job.
I think you'll find he was (gently) paraphrasing the opinion of the President of the EC.....an opinion Salmond ignores, instead preferring the opinions of miscellaneous retired chaps......
I think you will find he said in "my opinion"
I think you will find he didn't:
The presenter said: “I think it would be quite hard to get back in, I have to say.”
The host tried to move onto his next question, but an angry Mr Salmond pulled him up about his comment.
He demanded to know whether it was “the Andrew Marr analysis” or “an expression of the BBC”.
Mr Marr denied it was either but an irate First Minister said: “You’ve just said what your opinion was.”
Mr Marr retorted that Mr Barroso “is currently the president of the European Commission, which is not a small job.”
And who, exactly, has 'discredited' Barroso's view?
Someone higher up in the European Commission?
Oh, that's right, there isn't anyone higher up in the Commission.....
Those were not his exact words, you are lying as usual. He said Scotland would not get back in. Outside his remit and just more embarrassment for the Westminster propaganda unit.
Provide a link to his exact words.
Also Barosso's opinion matters not a jot
So it hasn't been 'discredited' then - just filed under 'ignore' as the SNP does with all awkward facts.
And I think Spain has bigger fish to fry than worrying about the handful of Spanish expats in Scotland who you want to chuck out if you don't get in the EU.....
After years of having to endure the Labour bias at the BBC, it is ironic to watch the SNP suffer from the same hand. Marr biased? Why would someone married to a Labour party member and hack, who had edited a Labour supporting newspaper etc etc and started off his show today with a sofa containing a Labour leftie and someone who slept with the top 2 of the Labour party. Marr and Labour go together like ....
I thought the consensus was that Kent and (some parts of) East Anglia were the most fertile ground for UKIP - much as I'd love to see Farage have a go in Hampstead!
Speaking as a Hampstead resident, I can assure Mr Farage that there are more prospective seats for UKIP
Surely any "marginal" that Farage fights will be within easy reach of London!
The obvious constituency remains Thanet South.
With UKIP's recent council election successes, it is arguably a three way marginal already having been Labour between 1997-2010.
Farage has also stood in the constituency before (2005) and it is the home of Alan Bown, the UKIP donor who sponsored, inter alia, the recent Survation polls of marginals. Farage's prospects are further enhanced by Laura Sandys, the Tory incumbent, stepping down in 2015.
What would however make this contest electric would be for Farage to announce his candidacy in Thanet South and then for Boris Johnson to be selected as his Tory opponent.
Neither Nige nor BoJo need to win a constituency in 2015 - they both have existing better paid jobs - but there could be no greater personal political triumph than BoJo putting UKIP to the sword or vice versa.
This contest would be 24 hour box office. Stroke and heart attack incidence among the angry retired who populate the constituency would shatter all known records.
More SNP bullying of disabled; March 10 2014 A senior SNP councillor shouted and swore at a disabled man at a bedroom tax meeting, a court heard. SNP councillor at Glasgow City Council, Billy McAllister, 48, told John Park to "f*** off" and said "You're f****** rumbled" when they both went to a meeting where Tommy Sheridan was speaking, in Ardoch Street, Possilpark last year. The SNP deputy leader was so aggressive when he shouted to Mr Park that he was "almost spitting" and had to be forcefully held back and was eventually dragged away. At Glasgow Sheriff Court McAllister pled guilty to acting in a threatening or abusive manner and shouting, swearing and gesticulating aggressively towards Mr Park on May 29, last year. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/glasgow-city-council-snp-deputy-3233648
Poor Monica, tapestry used to post more believable stuff than you do, you need to get over your fixation and get a life, post like a normal person.
Are you saying that Councillor McAllister did not appear in court , did not plead guilty , was/is not a SNP councillor or are you simply spouting your usual drivel .
Farage better hurry up and pick a marginal, then he should just get on and campaign in the seat between now and the next GE. But the longer he leaves it before selecting one, the worse it will look if he then just tries to arrogantly parachute himself in at the last minute on the assumption that it should be an easy winner for him. It didn't work last time in Bercow's seat, and it looked terrible that he tried to beat the Speaker of the HoC's, the one MP who cannot actively run a political campaign at a GE.
FPT. Marquee Mark - "BTW, anyone who has not yet caught up with "True Detective" is missing out on arguably the finest writing yet in a TV series. Outstanding."
True Detective has been absolutely gripping as it draws you in even more week by week, and Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson have been superb.
Well happy days - our season only ends with another 1-0 loss at home rather than the expected thumping... I think thats For 1 Against 24 in goals vs top 4 this season with 1 game to go.
More SNP bullying of disabled; March 10 2014 A senior SNP councillor shouted and swore at a disabled man at a bedroom tax meeting, a court heard. SNP councillor at Glasgow City Council, Billy McAllister, 48, told John Park to "f*** off" and said "You're f****** rumbled" when they both went to a meeting where Tommy Sheridan was speaking, in Ardoch Street, Possilpark last year. The SNP deputy leader was so aggressive when he shouted to Mr Park that he was "almost spitting" and had to be forcefully held back and was eventually dragged away. At Glasgow Sheriff Court McAllister pled guilty to acting in a threatening or abusive manner and shouting, swearing and gesticulating aggressively towards Mr Park on May 29, last year. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/glasgow-city-council-snp-deputy-3233648
Poor Monica, tapestry used to post more believable stuff than you do, you need to get over your fixation and get a life, post like a normal person.
Are you saying that Councillor McAllister did not appear in court , did not plead guilty , was/is not a SNP councillor or are you simply spouting your usual drivel .
Talking of (former) SNP felons:
DISGRACED former MSP Bill Walker is set to be released from prison as early as next week having only served half of his 12-month sentence.
The ex-SNP politician was jailed after being exposed as a violent and abusive partner over a 28-year span in court.
A weight has been taken off all Spurs fans shoulders - rather than the horrible tension all the way through to mid May before failing at the last, we can now relax in knowing the disappointment is out of the way before the clocks even go forward.... no lasagne gate, no last game nervous result watching just a lovely 2 months of pointless football now until the new manager from a failed World Cup team is brought in during the summer.
Might I say this all happened for AVB and then Spurs from the moment that 'tim' said Spurs were on the up pre-Xmas - all time wrong call.
More SNP bullying of disabled; March 10 2014 A senior SNP councillor shouted and swore at a disabled man at a bedroom tax meeting, a court heard. SNP councillor at Glasgow City Council, Billy McAllister, 48, told John Park to "f*** off" and said "You're f****** rumbled" when they both went to a meeting where Tommy Sheridan was speaking, in Ardoch Street, Possilpark last year. The SNP deputy leader was so aggressive when he shouted to Mr Park that he was "almost spitting" and had to be forcefully held back and was eventually dragged away. At Glasgow Sheriff Court McAllister pled guilty to acting in a threatening or abusive manner and shouting, swearing and gesticulating aggressively towards Mr Park on May 29, last year. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/glasgow-city-council-snp-deputy-3233648
The poor, bullied disabled chap is about 20 stone and has a chib mark Ernst Röhm would be proud of. Before the altercation he made a remark (which he doesn't deny) about the suicide of the SNP cllr's brother. Still, you Britnats have to find your martyrs where you can.
I see there was some discussion on the previous thread about through-running of trains between HS2 and HS1. There are currently plans for this, albeit by (in my mind) a highly non-optimal and massively expensive single track line parallel to the North London Line. This link-line is generating a heck of a lot of publicity, mainly because Stanley Johnson (BoJo's father) owns a house nearby.
AIUI there are a few problems with this link:
1) It is single-track, and therfore low capacity.
2) It is massively expensive.
3) There is apparently little demand for such through services.
4) There is little planned excess capacity on HS2 once it is built; and it may be better if that capacity was used on services north of London.
5) There is the problem of passport controls. At the moment, they are (I think) at St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet and Ashford. You would need similar systems at any other stations regional trains called at. It is much more convenient to have them when trains are changed at SPI. I don't know why on-train checks are frowned upon. Of course, it could be more sensible to do without passport checks ...
On the other hand, if the link is ever to be needed, it will be cheaper to do it (or at least some of its works) with phase 1, rather than later when the work will cause disruption to services. This is the same reason ISTR it is proposed to build the earthworks for part of the link to Heathrow (i.e. the junctions) during the first phase, *before* the line itself is planned to be built in phase 2.
Someone also mentioned trains to the continent were advertised up north when the chunnel opened. It was planned for there to be so-called "North of London (NoL) trains run from the rest of the UK through the chunnel. British Rail ordered seven Eurostar trains for £180 million (as an idea of scale, 31 slightly longer sets were ordered for Chunnel services).
It never happened, besides some test trains. For one thing, it was symied from the start: the trains would not stop in London to prevent the services competing with domestic ones. Fortunately most of these trains eventually found other uses after remaining idle for years.
In the midlands and north we've been told for years we'd be able to travel directly to the continent without having to transit between Euston and St Pancras. And now Boris Johnson's father's house is proving to be a problem.
Sunder Katwala @sundersays Everton now 2 points behind Spurs, with two games in hand, and 3 pts ahead of Man Utd, with one game in hand; so 5th place is quite open
More SNP bullying of disabled; March 10 2014 A senior SNP councillor shouted and swore at a disabled man at a bedroom tax meeting, a court heard. SNP councillor at Glasgow City Council, Billy McAllister, 48, told John Park to "f*** off" and said "You're f****** rumbled" when they both went to a meeting where Tommy Sheridan was speaking, in Ardoch Street, Possilpark last year. The SNP deputy leader was so aggressive when he shouted to Mr Park that he was "almost spitting" and had to be forcefully held back and was eventually dragged away. At Glasgow Sheriff Court McAllister pled guilty to acting in a threatening or abusive manner and shouting, swearing and gesticulating aggressively towards Mr Park on May 29, last year. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/glasgow-city-council-snp-deputy-3233648
The poor, bullied disabled chap is about 20 stone and has a chib mark Ernst Röhm would be proud of. Before the altercation he made a remark (which he doesn't deny) about the suicide of the SNP cllr's brother. Still, you Britnats have to find your martyrs where you can.
What's a little character assassination to the SNP......of course, only one of them ended up in court......
In the midlands and north we've been told for years we'd be able to travel directly to the continent without having to transit between Euston and St Pancras. And now Boris Johnson's father's house is proving to be a problem.
I'd rather the link be built. At least, I'd rather a 'proper' link was built, rather the proposed bodge-job. But it does look as though the relative lack of demand, massively high cost, objections and operational difficulties will get in the way.
As a matter of interest, how many trains from the Midlands and the North do you think would be supported per day through the Chunnel? What is the realistic demand?
More SNP bullying of disabled; March 10 2014 A senior SNP councillor shouted and swore at a disabled man at a bedroom tax meeting, a court heard. SNP councillor at Glasgow City Council, Billy McAllister, 48, told John Park to "f*** off" and said "You're f****** rumbled" when they both went to a meeting where Tommy Sheridan was speaking, in Ardoch Street, Possilpark last year. The SNP deputy leader was so aggressive when he shouted to Mr Park that he was "almost spitting" and had to be forcefully held back and was eventually dragged away. At Glasgow Sheriff Court McAllister pled guilty to acting in a threatening or abusive manner and shouting, swearing and gesticulating aggressively towards Mr Park on May 29, last year. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/glasgow-city-council-snp-deputy-3233648
Before the altercation he made a remark (which he doesn't deny) about the suicide of the SNP cllr's brother.
Responding to the allegation Mr Park said he was "disgusted" and denied making any comment.
He said: "I'm disgusted that someone would use the death of a family member to try and justify their behaviour."
Arguably, Eastleigh is a three way LD/Con/UKIP marginal...
But I think Farage will lose wherever he stands, despite his popularity in some quarters. His is the most disliked party according to last weeks poll on PB passim.
it was just interviewer giving his personal opinions rather than doing his job.
I think you'll find he was (gently) paraphrasing the opinion of the President of the EC.....an opinion Salmond ignores, instead preferring the opinions of miscellaneous retired chaps......
I think you will find he said in "my opinion"
I think you will find he didn't:
The presenter said: “I think it would be quite hard to get back in, I have to say.”
The host tried to move onto his next question, but an angry Mr Salmond pulled him up about his comment.
He demanded to know whether it was “the Andrew Marr analysis” or “an expression of the BBC”.
Mr Marr denied it was either but an irate First Minister said: “You’ve just said what your opinion was.”
Mr Marr retorted that Mr Barroso “is currently the president of the European Commission, which is not a small job.”
And who, exactly, has 'discredited' Barroso's view?
Someone higher up in the European Commission?
Oh, that's right, there isn't anyone higher up in the Commission.....
Those were not his exact words, you are lying as usual. He said Scotland would not get back in. Outside his remit and just more embarrassment for the Westminster propaganda unit.
Provide a link to his exact words.
you are the smart arse go and find it yourself , I know he was well out of order , absolutely lost the plot and should not be used on anything relating to the referendum due to his bias.
Also Barosso's opinion matters not a jot , the EU countries will decide and any fool knows they will not be voting to have all their people chucked out of Scotland , idiots can hope but they are destined to be disappointed.
Unfortunately, I can see only one person seems to have lost his plot !
More SNP bullying of disabled; March 10 2014 A senior SNP councillor shouted and swore at a disabled man at a bedroom tax meeting, a court heard. SNP councillor at Glasgow City Council, Billy McAllister, 48, told John Park to "f*** off" and said "You're f****** rumbled" when they both went to a meeting where Tommy Sheridan was speaking, in Ardoch Street, Possilpark last year. The SNP deputy leader was so aggressive when he shouted to Mr Park that he was "almost spitting" and had to be forcefully held back and was eventually dragged away. At Glasgow Sheriff Court McAllister pled guilty to acting in a threatening or abusive manner and shouting, swearing and gesticulating aggressively towards Mr Park on May 29, last year. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/glasgow-city-council-snp-deputy-3233648
Before the altercation he made a remark (which he doesn't deny) about the suicide of the SNP cllr's brother.
Responding to the allegation Mr Park said he was "disgusted" and denied making any comment.
He said: "I'm disgusted that someone would use the death of a family member to try and justify their behaviour."
Golly, you have been a busy little bee. It's marvellous how you scurry of to read up on the doings of the West of Scotland at the drop of a hat. It seems from Mr Park's account there he was a model of restraint and probity, virtually saint-like. Who to believe, eh?
Last footie post - Suarez stayed at Liverpool and wasn't sold.
Spurs have sold over time Bale, Modric, Berbatov, Carrick - you rip the heart out of the team letting your best player go (but for big money cos Levy is good at that we know) every time, you don't progress.
I thought the consensus was that Kent and (some parts of) East Anglia were the most fertile ground for UKIP - much as I'd love to see Farage have a go in Hampstead!
Speaking as a Hampstead resident, I can assure Mr Farage that there are more prospective seats for UKIP
UKIP will not get its deposit back in Hampstead. Maybe, in most places in London perhaps excepting the Eastern part of London.
Why are UKIP doing so well in the Midlands and the South West? Have the Tories been particularly weak in those areas recently?
ComRes - Euro VI
English Midlands : 39% Wales & South-west of England : 36% North of England : 31% South-east of England : 29% Scotland : 6%
Stuart:
The English Midlands have been exposed to some of the more drastic aspects of culture change through immigration.
The South-West has always been very independent-minded and resent any interference - especially from Europe; and Cornwall in particular resents Spanish fishermen ever since Ted Heath gave away the UK's fishing rights and severely cut their fishing industry.
I suspect it is more East Midlands than West Midlands.
Nope, apparently not.
UKIP VI by English region:
45% : Yorks & Humber 44% : East 42% : West Mids 42% : South West 35% : South East 30% : East Mids 26% : North West 23% : London 16% : North East
'Indy-supporting Tory banned from Scottish conference'
... Life-long party supporter Henry Christian had his application rejected for the event after organisers discovered he had campaigned for pro-independence group Yes Scotland.
The 41-year-old has been a party member since he was a teenager, stood for the Tories in the 2012 council elections in Edinburgh and was vice chairman of the now defunct Edinburgh West Conservatives.
... The Sunday Post can also reveal that desperate Tory bosses sent out invitations to non-party members in Edinburgh in a bid to fill the empty seats at its conference.
A spokeswoman for Yes Scotland said: “Banning one of their own members from conference because he supports independence hardly matches David Cameron’s pledge to respect the wishes of the Scottish people.
... Meanwhile, the Sunday Post understands people living in the EH3 postcode area of Edinburgh were invited to the conference in a bid to fill up the auditorium, which had rows of empty seats even when the PM was speaking.
What does he mean by a marginal — does it include seats that are likely to be marginals in 2015 even if they weren't in 2010? For example IIRC a recent opinion poll in Thanet South showed a close three way contest between Con, Lab and UKIP although it wasn't very marginal at the last election.
Yes, I agree. The 'marginal seat' remark was off the cuff and should be open to generous and not narrow interpretation. He's also agreed in other interviews that Kent is quite possible. So, a seaside seat in Kent would be my guess.
More SNP bullying of disabled; March 10 2014 A senior SNP councillor shouted and swore at a disabled man at a bedroom tax meeting, a court heard. SNP councillor at Glasgow City Council, Billy McAllister, 48, told John Park to "f*** off" and said "You're f****** rumbled" when they both went to a meeting where Tommy Sheridan was speaking, in Ardoch Street, Possilpark last year. The SNP deputy leader was so aggressive when he shouted to Mr Park that he was "almost spitting" and had to be forcefully held back and was eventually dragged away. At Glasgow Sheriff Court McAllister pled guilty to acting in a threatening or abusive manner and shouting, swearing and gesticulating aggressively towards Mr Park on May 29, last year. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/glasgow-city-council-snp-deputy-3233648
Before the altercation he made a remark (which he doesn't deny) about the suicide of the SNP cllr's brother.
Responding to the allegation Mr Park said he was "disgusted" and denied making any comment.
He said: "I'm disgusted that someone would use the death of a family member to try and justify their behaviour."
Arguably, Eastleigh is a three way LD/Con/UKIP marginal...
But I think Farage will lose wherever he stands, despite his popularity in some quarters. His is the most disliked party according to last weeks poll on PB passim.
And according to ComRes's January poll UKIP is the most liked party.
Harry Hayfield: "... so I have gone for seats where the top three parties are separated by less than 10% and so would like to present (for Mr. Farage’s consideration) a list of potential seats that he might like to contest (ranked by numerical majority at the last election):"
Huh? Why have you omitted Argyll & Bute from your list?
Lib Dem 32%, Con 24%, Lab 23%, SNP 19%, Green 2%, Ind 1%, Jacobite 0% Liberal Democrat majority of 3,431
If Farage goes for anywhere other than one of those seats already identified in Kent and Lincolnshire then he is a fool.
His first and only aim should be to win a seat. Going for anything other than one of the UKIP council strongholds is vainglorious and suicidal.
RT
Does Nige really want a Westminster seat? He seems quite happy iin the EU Parliament, which brings him more visibility and remuneration than any HoC seat would.
What he might be looking for in 2015 is a high visibility battle he could safely lose. After all this is what he chose in 2010.
Methinks 1) non metropolitan-liberal tories 2) economic swing voters (join of C1/C2) who can see their kid's futures disappearing 3) bitter ex labour
(with the bitter ex-labour vote proportional to the local groundswell rather than any direct pitch i.e. pitched directly but with a low local groundswell = low percentage will vote, not pitched at all but with high local groundswell = higher percentage will vote)
so a seat where there's a lot of (2) and maybe more (1) than (3) (but not too much more or the area will be too insulated from what's happening) then pitch at (1) and (2) to maximize the groundswell as maximum groundswell will maximize (3)
that's my guess anyway.
main thing though is the keep them guessing because as soon as he announces there'll be dirty tricks galore from the media and all those "independent" funded political orgs.
Harry Hayfield: "... so I have gone for seats where the top three parties are separated by less than 10% and so would like to present (for Mr. Farage’s consideration) a list of potential seats that he might like to contest (ranked by numerical majority at the last election):"
Huh? Why have you omitted Argyll & Bute from your list?
Lib Dem 32%, Con 24%, Lab 23%, SNP 19%, Green 2%, Ind 1%, Jacobite 0% Liberal Democrat majority of 3,431
Lol.
The idea of Farage standing in Argyll & Bute is hilarious. He should do it, if only for the comedic value. And at least he would have a valid excuse for hiring a light aircraft on election day ...
If Farage goes for anywhere other than one of those seats already identified in Kent and Lincolnshire then he is a fool.
His first and only aim should be to win a seat. Going for anything other than one of the UKIP council strongholds is vainglorious and suicidal.
RT
Does Nige really want a Westminster seat? He seems quite happy iin the EU Parliament, which brings him more visibility and remuneration than any HoC seat would.
What he might be looking for in 2015 is a high visibility battle he could safely lose. After all this is what he chose in 2010.
The above is rather silly talk. Farage has said, in no uncertain terms, on The Weekly Politics, today, that he is not even thinking of standing as MP until the May Euro/local elections are concluded. He added, that he will then give it serious thought where to stand and that if UKIP fails to win westminster seats, he will resign as party leader.
If Farage goes for anywhere other than one of those seats already identified in Kent and Lincolnshire then he is a fool.
His first and only aim should be to win a seat. Going for anything other than one of the UKIP council strongholds is vainglorious and suicidal.
RT
Does Nige really want a Westminster seat? He seems quite happy iin the EU Parliament, which brings him more visibility and remuneration than any HoC seat would.
What he might be looking for in 2015 is a high visibility battle he could safely lose. After all this is what he chose in 2010.
The above is rather silly talk. Farage has said, in no uncertain terms, on The Weekly Politics, today, that he is not even thinking of standing as MP until the May Euro/local elections are concluded. He added, that he will then give it serious thought where to stand and that if UKIP fails to win westminster seats, he will resign as party leader.
If that 93% Crimea vote is genuine and also that kind of percentage will gradually taper off as you go further from the south and east then it looks likely there'll be a stage 2.
If that 93% Crimea vote is genuine and also that kind of percentage will gradually taper off as you go further from the south and east then it looks likely there'll be a stage 2.
It's not, anti-Russian groups said a week or so ago they would boycott the vote. It's probably a safe majority for rejoining Russia, but not 93%.
If that 93% Crimea vote is genuine and also that kind of percentage will gradually taper off as you go further from the south and east then it looks likely there'll be a stage 2.
It's not, anti-Russian groups said a week or so ago they would boycott the vote. It's probably a safe majority for rejoining Russia, but not 93%.
The Ulster vote in 1973 was boycotted by the Nationalist community by and large. That produced a 99% vote for the Union!!:
If that 93% Crimea vote is genuine and also that kind of percentage will gradually taper off as you go further from the south and east then it looks likely there'll be a stage 2.
It's not, anti-Russian groups said a week or so ago they would boycott the vote. It's probably a safe majority for rejoining Russia, but not 93%.
Polling a few years ago showed a safe majority in favour of the current settlement.
If that 93% Crimea vote is genuine and also that kind of percentage will gradually taper off as you go further from the south and east then it looks likely there'll be a stage 2.
It's not, anti-Russian groups said a week or so ago they would boycott the vote. It's probably a safe majority for rejoining Russia, but not 93%.
Polling a few years ago showed a safe majority in favour of the current settlement.
If that 93% Crimea vote is genuine and also that kind of percentage will gradually taper off as you go further from the south and east then it looks likely there'll be a stage 2.
It's not, anti-Russian groups said a week or so ago they would boycott the vote. It's probably a safe majority for rejoining Russia, but not 93%.
Polling a few years ago showed a safe majority in favour of the current settlement.
The vote resulted in an overwhelming majority of those who voted stating they wished to remain in the UK. The nationalist boycott contributed to a turnout of only 58.7% of the electorate. In addition to taking a majority of votes cast, the UK option received the support of 57.5% of the total electorate. According to the BBC, less than 1% of the Catholic population turned out to vote.[2]
If that 93% Crimea vote is genuine and also that kind of percentage will gradually taper off as you go further from the south and east then it looks likely there'll be a stage 2.
It's not, anti-Russian groups said a week or so ago they would boycott the vote. It's probably a safe majority for rejoining Russia, but not 93%.
Polling a few years ago showed a safe majority in favour of the current settlement.
If that 93% Crimea vote is genuine and also that kind of percentage will gradually taper off as you go further from the south and east then it looks likely there'll be a stage 2.
It's not, anti-Russian groups said a week or so ago they would boycott the vote. It's probably a safe majority for rejoining Russia, but not 93%.
Polling a few years ago showed a safe majority in favour of the current settlement.
If that 93% Crimea vote is genuine and also that kind of percentage will gradually taper off as you go further from the south and east then it looks likely there'll be a stage 2.
It's not, anti-Russian groups said a week or so ago they would boycott the vote. It's probably a safe majority for rejoining Russia, but not 93%.
Polling a few years ago showed a safe majority in favour of the current settlement.
Sunil, it was before many things. The question has to be whether that is a genuine shift in the views of the demos or whether they have in fact been frustrated by current events.
If that 93% Crimea vote is genuine and also that kind of percentage will gradually taper off as you go further from the south and east then it looks likely there'll be a stage 2.
It's not, anti-Russian groups said a week or so ago they would boycott the vote. It's probably a safe majority for rejoining Russia, but not 93%.
Polling a few years ago showed a safe majority in favour of the current settlement.
If that 93% Crimea vote is genuine and also that kind of percentage will gradually taper off as you go further from the south and east then it looks likely there'll be a stage 2.
It's not, anti-Russian groups said a week or so ago they would boycott the vote. It's probably a safe majority for rejoining Russia, but not 93%.
Polling a few years ago showed a safe majority in favour of the current settlement.
Sunil, it was before many things. The question has to be whether that is a genuine shift in the views of the demos or whether they have in fact been frustrated by current events.
The Ulster vote in 1973 was also boycotted by a significant minority of the community, and resulted in a 99% vote for the UK, which is even more impressive than today's Crimea poll, no?
...the recent descendents of Russians imported when Russia murdered en masse the indigenous population in the USSR days.
Not quite - even before the Tatars were deported in 1944, the Russians were the largest community in Crimea:
1939 Crimea census:
Russians 50% Tatars 19% Ukrainians 14%
Unfortunately the deportation of the Crimean Tartars wasn't the bit of murdering I was referring to. The bit of murdering I was referring to was this one. That bit of murdering (which was rather a lot of murdering) is the reason why there were so few ethnic Ukranians at the time of the 1939 census.
Interesting that Farage has apparently said he will resign within 12 hours if Ed secures a parliamentary majority. The solution is in his hands!!
I watched the Neil interview today and got the impression he said he'd go if two conditions were met: Labour win the GE on a non-referendum manifesto and UKIP fail to win a seat.
Comments
By the way, has anyone flown with Kulula? Are they as entertaining as this link suggests?
https://www.servicecentral.com.au/article/kulula-quotes/1547/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/qdqllyg
Very creative marketing - look for Aviation 101.
CarlottaVance said:
SNP bullies stroke victim:
SNP challenges BBC after First Minister appears on Andrew Marr show
http://news.stv.tv/politics/268687-snp-challenges-bbc-after-first-minister-appears-on-andrew-marr-show/
LOL, after Marr loses the plot and tells FM that Scotland will not get back into EU Carlotta plays the poor stroke victim card. Usual pansy unionists , like to issue threats but when called out their yellow streaks a mile wide are on full show. The Westminster propaganda unit should be forced to explain why its presenters are peddling their biased personal views in an interview. Sacking is too good for him.
The row broke out during an increasingly testy interview on Sunday morning on BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show during which Mr Salmond repeated his claim an independent Scotland would start life in the EU.
After the presenter suggested otherwise, the First Minister reacted with outrage and harangued the presenter as to whether this was the “Andrew Marr analysis” or the corporation’s point of view.
But Mr Marr referred to an interview he conducted last month with Jose Manuel Barroso in which the European Commission President said it would be “extremely difficult, if not impossible” for a separate Scotland to join the EU.
He told Mr Salmond that Mr Barroso had been “absolutely adamant in private and in public on the sofa” and that he claimed to be speaking for “many other” European leaders.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scottish-independence/10701331/Andrew-Marr-accused-of-bias-over-Scottish-independence.html
A spokesman for Mr Salmond said last night he did not intend to lodge a complaint as he responded during the interview.
March 10 2014
A senior SNP councillor shouted and swore at a disabled man at a bedroom tax meeting, a court heard.
SNP councillor at Glasgow City Council, Billy McAllister, 48, told John Park to "f*** off" and said "You're f****** rumbled" when they both went to a meeting where Tommy Sheridan was speaking, in Ardoch Street, Possilpark last year.
The SNP deputy leader was so aggressive when he shouted to Mr Park that he was "almost spitting" and had to be forcefully held back and was eventually dragged away.
At Glasgow Sheriff Court McAllister pled guilty to acting in a threatening or abusive manner and shouting, swearing and gesticulating aggressively towards Mr Park on May 29, last year.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/glasgow-city-council-snp-deputy-3233648
The presenter said: “I think it would be quite hard to get back in, I have to say.”
The host tried to move onto his next question, but an angry Mr Salmond pulled him up about his comment.
He demanded to know whether it was “the Andrew Marr analysis” or “an expression of the BBC”.
Mr Marr denied it was either but an irate First Minister said: “You’ve just said what your opinion was.”
Mr Marr retorted that Mr Barroso “is currently the president of the European Commission, which is not a small job.”
And who, exactly, has 'discredited' Barroso's view?
Someone higher up in the European Commission?
Oh, that's right, there isn't anyone higher up in the Commission.....
As the prospect of a YES vote fades away quicker than Man Utd's prospect of Champions League football next season then these sad and wretched YES folk become more desperate, venal and deluded.
I've concluded it's a clear medical condition - and accordingly they are not responsible for their actions and we must offer them the milk of human kindness and clutch them warmly to our bosom.
And then have them sectioned.
'Gross misconduct' is 'quoting the opinion of the President of the European Commission'?
I think you should read what you write.......I fear you are becoming a stranger to reason......
You'll over-excite Sir Roderick and get Neil speculating on your shoe fixation.
Also Barosso's opinion matters not a jot , the EU countries will decide and any fool knows they will not be voting to have all their people chucked out of Scotland , idiots can hope but they are destined to be disappointed.
Otherwise it will just be marked down to SNP bullying, bluff and bluster....your choice....
AIUI there are a few problems with this link:
1) It is single-track, and therfore low capacity.
2) It is massively expensive.
3) There is apparently little demand for such through services.
4) There is little planned excess capacity on HS2 once it is built; and it may be better if that capacity was used on services north of London.
5) There is the problem of passport controls. At the moment, they are (I think) at St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet and Ashford. You would need similar systems at any other stations regional trains called at. It is much more convenient to have them when trains are changed at SPI. I don't know why on-train checks are frowned upon. Of course, it could be more sensible to do without passport checks ...
On the other hand, if the link is ever to be needed, it will be cheaper to do it (or at least some of its works) with phase 1, rather than later when the work will cause disruption to services. This is the same reason ISTR it is proposed to build the earthworks for part of the link to Heathrow (i.e. the junctions) during the first phase, *before* the line itself is planned to be built in phase 2.
Someone also mentioned trains to the continent were advertised up north when the chunnel opened. It was planned for there to be so-called "North of London (NoL) trains run from the rest of the UK through the chunnel. British Rail ordered seven Eurostar trains for £180 million (as an idea of scale, 31 slightly longer sets were ordered for Chunnel services).
It never happened, besides some test trains. For one thing, it was symied from the start: the trains would not stop in London to prevent the services competing with domestic ones. Fortunately most of these trains eventually found other uses after remaining idle for years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_Eurostar
TBC
As for HS2 being a white elephant: it may be, but I doubt it, particularly in the long term. If capacity is to continue to grow (and no-one has really come up with reasons why it will not), then there is going to be a massive capacity crunch. Sadly, existing lines can only be upgraded only so much.
As an example, the WCML upgrade should be remembered. It cost £8-9 billion over the original budget, was years late, and was nowhere near the promised functionality (e.g. 125 MPH instead of 140MPH). It also caused massive disruption for years to the travelling public. Upgrading exsiting lines is hidesouly expensive, and we get relatively little extra capacity for your millions. All the easy things to improve capacity (e.g. electrification and new signalling systems) are slowly being done. For instance, rebuilding Reading station and removing a bottleneck that annoyed Brunel is costing over £400 million.
So let's hear what your alternative plans are. Go on. It's an area where a couple of hundred million, or even a few billion, doesn't do very much compared to the scale of the problem.
Every little helps.
And I think Spain has bigger fish to fry than worrying about the handful of Spanish expats in Scotland who you want to chuck out if you don't get in the EU.....
With UKIP's recent council election successes, it is arguably a three way marginal already having been Labour between 1997-2010.
Farage has also stood in the constituency before (2005) and it is the home of Alan Bown, the UKIP donor who sponsored, inter alia, the recent Survation polls of marginals. Farage's prospects are further enhanced by Laura Sandys, the Tory incumbent, stepping down in 2015.
What would however make this contest electric would be for Farage to announce his candidacy in Thanet South and then for Boris Johnson to be selected as his Tory opponent.
Neither Nige nor BoJo need to win a constituency in 2015 - they both have existing better paid jobs - but there could be no greater personal political triumph than BoJo putting UKIP to the sword or vice versa.
This contest would be 24 hour box office. Stroke and heart attack incidence among the angry retired who populate the constituency would shatter all known records.
FPT. Marquee Mark - "BTW, anyone who has not yet caught up with "True Detective" is missing out on arguably the finest writing yet in a TV series. Outstanding."
True Detective has been absolutely gripping as it draws you in even more week by week, and Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson have been superb.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/ex-el-al-expert-iran-likely-involved-in-mh-370/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
DISGRACED former MSP Bill Walker is set to be released from prison as early as next week having only served half of his 12-month sentence.
The ex-SNP politician was jailed after being exposed as a violent and abusive partner over a 28-year span in court.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/shamed-bill-walker-set-for-early-prison-release-1-3342446
Who could imagine that SNP members or supporters could be intemperate and abusive?
https://sites.google.com/site/markandrich/suck.JPG
Con first (so maximise annoyance to the Blues), LD second, Lab back a bit, UKIP holding their deposit).
Con 37.58%
LD 37.42%
Lab 16.34%
UKIP 5.06%
Assume a LD-Lab swing and some LD-UKIP (sod-the-lot-of-em). Needs an overall 16% swing against the Tory.
Might I say this all happened for AVB and then Spurs from the moment that 'tim' said Spurs were on the up pre-Xmas - all time wrong call.
Sunder Katwala @sundersays
Everton now 2 points behind Spurs, with two games in hand, and 3 pts ahead of Man Utd, with one game in hand; so 5th place is quite open
I'd rather the link be built. At least, I'd rather a 'proper' link was built, rather the proposed bodge-job. But it does look as though the relative lack of demand, massively high cost, objections and operational difficulties will get in the way.
As a matter of interest, how many trains from the Midlands and the North do you think would be supported per day through the Chunnel? What is the realistic demand?
Oldham & Saddleworth, Bradford East and Great Grimsby.
My hunch still is Boston, Lincs. or Thanet South.
He said: "I'm disgusted that someone would use the death of a family member to try and justify their behaviour."
http://news.stv.tv/west-central/267927-billy-mcallister-admits-to-abusive-behaviour-by-shouting-at-man/
Still, any lie will do for the SNP......
But I think Farage will lose wherever he stands, despite his popularity in some quarters. His is the most disliked party according to last weeks poll on PB passim.
It seems from Mr Park's account there he was a model of restraint and probity, virtually saint-like. Who to believe, eh?
Spurs have sold over time Bale, Modric, Berbatov, Carrick - you rip the heart out of the team letting your best player go (but for big money cos Levy is good at that we know) every time, you don't progress.
UKIP VI by English region:
45% : Yorks & Humber
44% : East
42% : West Mids
42% : South West
35% : South East
30% : East Mids
26% : North West
23% : London
16% : North East
...the recent descendents of Russians imported when Russia murdered en masse the indigenous population in the USSR days.
Not quite - even before the Tatars were deported in 1944, the Russians were the largest community in Crimea:
1939 Crimea census:
Russians 50%
Tatars 19%
Ukrainians 14%
Two Iranians using false passports in a bid to seek asylum in Europe
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-26600361
... Life-long party supporter Henry Christian had his application rejected for the event after organisers discovered he had campaigned for pro-independence group Yes Scotland.
The 41-year-old has been a party member since he was a teenager, stood for the Tories in the 2012 council elections in Edinburgh and was vice chairman of the now defunct Edinburgh West Conservatives.
... The Sunday Post can also reveal that desperate Tory bosses sent out invitations to non-party members in Edinburgh in a bid to fill the empty seats at its conference.
A spokeswoman for Yes Scotland said: “Banning one of their own members from conference because he supports independence hardly matches David Cameron’s pledge to respect the wishes of the Scottish people.
... Meanwhile, the Sunday Post understands people living in the EH3 postcode area of Edinburgh were invited to the conference in a bid to fill up the auditorium, which had rows of empty seats even when the PM was speaking.
http://www.sundaypost.com/news-views/politics/indy-supporting-tory-banned-from-scottish-conference-1.271164
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ukip-tops-independent-on-sunday-poll-as-the-nations-favourite-party-9069625.html
How many seats are you expecting the LDs to lose in this May's locals?
I thought ACORN went out of biz?! "@thedailybeast: 93% of Crimea Votes to Join Russia http://thebea.st/1hplMUy "
Next Russian targets in Ukraine: Kharkov, the Donbass region.
His first and only aim should be to win a seat. Going for anything other than one of the UKIP council strongholds is vainglorious and suicidal.
Huh? Why have you omitted Argyll & Bute from your list?
Lib Dem 32%, Con 24%, Lab 23%, SNP 19%, Green 2%, Ind 1%, Jacobite 0%
Liberal Democrat majority of 3,431
Does Nige really want a Westminster seat? He seems quite happy iin the EU Parliament, which brings him more visibility and remuneration than any HoC seat would.
What he might be looking for in 2015 is a high visibility battle he could safely lose. After all this is what he chose in 2010.
1) non metropolitan-liberal tories
2) economic swing voters (join of C1/C2) who can see their kid's futures disappearing
3) bitter ex labour
(with the bitter ex-labour vote proportional to the local groundswell rather than any direct pitch i.e. pitched directly but with a low local groundswell = low percentage will vote, not pitched at all but with high local groundswell = higher percentage will vote)
so a seat where there's a lot of (2) and maybe more (1) than (3) (but not too much more or the area will be too insulated from what's happening) then pitch at (1) and (2) to maximize the groundswell as maximum groundswell will maximize (3)
that's my guess anyway.
main thing though is the keep them guessing because as soon as he announces there'll be dirty tricks galore from the media and all those "independent" funded political orgs.
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/mar/16/bbc-justify-andrew-marr-remarks-scotland-right-join-eu
The idea of Farage standing in Argyll & Bute is hilarious. He should do it, if only for the comedic value. And at least he would have a valid excuse for hiring a light aircraft on election day ...
Farage has said, in no uncertain terms, on The Weekly Politics, today, that he is not even thinking of standing as MP until the May Euro/local elections are concluded.
He added, that he will then give it serious thought where to stand and that if UKIP fails to win westminster seats, he will resign as party leader.
I'm impressed.
http://www.yourthurrock.com/2014/02/05/tim-aker-announced-as-ukip-candidate-for-thurrock/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland_sovereignty_referendum,_1973
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland_sovereignty_referendum,_1973
Sunil, it was before many things. The question has to be whether that is a genuine shift in the views of the demos or whether they have in fact been frustrated by current events.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland_sovereignty_referendum,_1973