Very sad on a variety of levels, but the saddest thing of all is that the mawkish feckwit of a journalist who writes "died battling a brain tumour" when he means "died of a brain tumour" has not yet died on a spike (or rather, battling a spike).
Sorry to sound tetchy, it's just that I am battling stage 3 gusting 4 colon cancer and find that locution slightly irritating.
Have the people at UK Polling Report fallen asleep? The table showing their polling data hasn't been updated since 2 April nine days ago.
That's probably why Dr. Stephen Fisher hasn't yet updated his GE Seats Forecast which he usually does on a Friday based on UKPR's latest polling figures.
Perhaps Anthony is unwell? Or having a holiday? It must be hard work running that website and keeping it updated. I think AW does a grand job.
No - that's the odd thing, Anthony Wells continues to write the lead story every day - or at least it is written in the first person singular under his headlined name. It is just the polling data in the accompanying table which is so out of date.
There is no longer any point to the Liberal Democrats, one of the party’s most senior MPs has claimed. Voters cannot be blamed for abandoning the party, according to Jeremy Browne, a Liberal Democrat minister until October, who puts the blame at the feet of Nick Clegg for pandering to its left wing.
Is Jeremy Browne about to defect to the Tories? Now that would be a turn-up.
Very sad on a variety of levels, but the saddest thing of all is that the mawkish feckwit of a journalist who writes "died battling a brain tumour" when he means "died of a brain tumour" has not yet died on a spike (or rather, battling a spike).
Sorry to sound tetchy, it's just that I am battling stage 3 gusting 4 colon cancer and find that locution slightly irritating.
Yeah, that phrase annoys me as well.Another one that get's my goat is when they use "tragic" before the name of someone who died, sometimes many years ago.
Like their death defines them, even if they were brilliant, amazing, successful people who lived tremendously fun and fulfilled lives.
But that's the point, surely? When you hear Ed Balls, or Rachel Reeves, or Tristram Hunt speaking utter bollocks, you know that they know it's utter bollocks, and that provides a modicum of comfort that the practical application of the bollocks might, with a bit of luck, be less damaging than it would be if they sincerely meant it.
But the awful truth may be that Ed Miliband believes all the garbage he comes out with. The more we see of him, the more it looks as though this might really be true - that he really does think you can reduce energy prices by passing a law that energy prices must come down, or that housing in London can be made more available by forbidding housebuilders to sell on the internet, or that you can encourage more housebuilding by fining housebuilders for buying land to build on, or that companies can be divided into 'producers' and 'predators', or that he can just pass a law and everyone will get employment.
Sincerity? No thanks, not when he's sincerely off with the fairies.
There is no longer any point to the Liberal Democrats, one of the party’s most senior MPs has claimed. Voters cannot be blamed for abandoning the party, according to Jeremy Browne, a Liberal Democrat minister until October, who puts the blame at the feet of Nick Clegg for pandering to its left wing.
Is Jeremy Browne about to defect to the Tories? Now that would be a turn-up.
No, he's about to launch a book. Never take ANYTHING seriously from authors in that situation. Ask...
I'd just like it noted that IF Ed Miliband really IS doing a brave PR thing, and he is saying THIS IS WHAT I AM, VOTE FOR ME BECAUSE OF MY POLICIES NOT MY BACKGROUND...
then I sincerely applaud him. I've had enough of posho politicians pretending to enjoy beer.
Dunno about him, but I don't like beer. (Working on winning your vote. Are we there yet?)
Just remind us how much the current SNP Government has cost the Scots taxpayers trying to hide their non existent legal advice on EU membership! After Megrahi, letting our tax raising powers lapse in the last Parliament etc, I wouldn't trust Salmond & Co if they told me it was raining outside these days.
"So, from no chance to a slight chance. Westminster would "pre-empt any cataclysmic event" and tell you all how clever they are.
"
So.... vote YES on the "slight chance" that Westminster will agree to a currency union as the Scottish economy will collapse otherwise.
Is that the Nat prospectus?
Vote YES on the "slight chance" that Westminster will agree to a currency union as the Scottish economy will collapse otherwise!!
Ridic.
A large chunk of my family lives in Scotland. They are free to vote YES, and good luck to them, but I want them to do it knowing the facts, not a lot of dangerously wishful thinking.
If you really believe Osborne, Balls and Alexander then no problem. After all these guys never lie.
Sorry! Why are you bringing Salmond into a discussion about the westminster position on the£? If you want to share your thoughts about Salmond, start a fresh post.
Very sad on a variety of levels, but the saddest thing of all is that the mawkish feckwit of a journalist who writes "died battling a brain tumour" when he means "died of a brain tumour" has not yet died on a spike (or rather, battling a spike).
Sorry to sound tetchy, it's just that I am battling stage 3 gusting 4 colon cancer and find that locution slightly irritating.
Yeah, that phrase annoys me as well.Another one that get's my goat is when they use "tragic" before the name of someone who died, sometimes years ago. Like their death defines them, even if they were brilliant, amazing, successful people who lived tremendously fun and fulfilled lives.
Hope your treatment goes well.
The Millennium Dome had a Religion Zone where atheist lefty hipsters tried to explain faith to five year olds, in the way a Mormon would describe the joys of heroin to a North Korean.
Famously (this is entirely true) Jesus Christ was described, in the Religion Zone, as a "carpenter's son who died tragically young".
Jeremy Browne - MP for Taunton Deane with a Majority of 3,993 in 2010, where Ladbrokes have him as slight 4/5 favourite to hold this seat for the LibDems, just ahead of the Tories who are available at evens ...... hmm.
Very sad on a variety of levels, but the saddest thing of all is that the mawkish feckwit of a journalist who writes "died battling a brain tumour" when he means "died of a brain tumour" has not yet died on a spike (or rather, battling a spike).
Sorry to sound tetchy, it's just that I am battling stage 3 gusting 4 colon cancer and find that locution slightly irritating.
It really is NOT going to happen, if Scotland votes YES. No Westminster party will commit suicide by creating a tiny new ex-UK eurozone, vastly unpopular with voters.
Scotland, we want you to stay. You're part of the family! But if you go, you GO.
Oh dear. Someone still thinks politicians listen to people. The currency union will happen. Westminster will spin it. "Better a currency union than 1 million economic migrants flooding down south"
By your logic we have would have the Euro by now.
Quite.
And of course the only way you could sell this currency union, as an emergency measure, is AFTER Scotland has got into serious trouble, not before. The British voter would need to see evidence that this drastic and unwanted step was unavoidable.
And nothing that the rUK government does could stop 5 million rUK Brits voting with their deposits, and starting a run on Scottish banks.
Er! What Scottish Banks? RBS owned by British tax payers, with majority of business done via Nat West in England. BoS now owned by Lloyds and the British tax payers. Clydesdale owned by NAB.
London has the RBS and the BoS by the proverbial short and curlies.
Both could be broken off from the larger entities and sold to either the Scottish Government or to groups of Scottish business persons, that is if there are any left after the big companies have fled to England. The Scottish government should be willing to own at least one of them because it would give them some semblance of having a national bank equivalent to the BoE. Oil would then be used to back the pound Scots which would be pegged to the value of sterling.
Interesting fact: Scottish currency is not legal but is accepted by dispensation from Westminster.
Technically, all Scottish Bank notes would be invalid on the 19th September in the case of a Yes vote. Of course within Scotland, the notes would continue to be used, but, it could be doubtful if they would be able to be exchanged for other currencies.
Jeremy Browne - MP for Taunton Deane with a Majority of 3,993 in 2010, where Ladbrokes have him as slight 4/5 favourite to hold this seat for the LibDems, just ahead of the Tories who are available at evens ...... hmm.
Speaking of annoying phrases, my current pet hate is "you know what" ..... aargh!!
Mine is 'XXX are bracing themselves for YYY', by which is normally meant that YYY might possibly happen.
Perhaps even worse is 'break through the barrier' in reference to some statistic, as in 'Welsh population breaks through the three million barrier'. What three million barrier? Was it a particularly hard one to break through, unlike the 2.95 million barrier?
A coalition between Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg or Vince Cable would certainly be entertaining. That's the most likely result at the moment, given current polling numbers.
A coalition between Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg or Vince Cable would certainly be entertaining. That's the most likely result at the moment, given current polling numbers.
Labour won't go for a coalition with the Lib-Dems.
Ed Milliband probably would, but the PLP is too tribal. They will go the 1974 route with two elections, IMO.
If we have a coalition in 2015 it will be another Con/Lib one, otherwise it's a minority government and a second election in the autumn, IMO.
SeanT/Danny565 Miliband had some good coverage, just unfortunate that when he was granted an audience with Netanyahu, Bibi spent the meeting looking like he was trying not to laugh at the prospect of this man being considered a serious prospect as PM!
Very sad on a variety of levels, but the saddest thing of all is that the mawkish feckwit of a journalist who writes "died battling a brain tumour" when he means "died of a brain tumour" has not yet died on a spike (or rather, battling a spike).
Sorry to sound tetchy, it's just that I am battling stage 3 gusting 4 colon cancer and find that locution slightly irritating.
In that situation you can sound as tetchy as you like. Sympathies and good luck.
A coalition between Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg or Vince Cable would certainly be entertaining. That's the most likely result at the moment, given current polling numbers.
Labour won't go for a coalition with the Lib-Dems.
Ed Milliband probably would, but the PLP is too tribal. They will go the 1974 route with two elections, IMO.
If we have a coalition in 2015 it will be another Con/Lib one, otherwise it's a minority government and a second election in the autumn, IMO.
The problem is in the current climate having a second election wouldn't be popular with MPs because they know how much the public detests them and they'd be afraid of losing seats to minor parties and independents.
Very sad on a variety of levels, but the saddest thing of all is that the mawkish feckwit of a journalist who writes "died battling a brain tumour" when he means "died of a brain tumour" has not yet died on a spike (or rather, battling a spike).
Sorry to sound tetchy, it's just that I am battling stage 3 gusting 4 colon cancer and find that locution slightly irritating.
All the best
Hope it's not too patronising to day this, but I saw a documentary yesterday (prob still on iplayer) about placebos that showed the beneficial neurological effects of positive thinking, and it did play a part, so try and stay positive if possible Ishmael
The Labour target list of 106 seats isn't entirely astute (for want of a better word) IMO. For example I think they're more likely to win South Derbyshire than Argyll & Bute which has never been won by the party in its 306 year history.
A coalition between Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg or Vince Cable would certainly be entertaining. That's the most likely result at the moment, given current polling numbers.
Labour won't go for a coalition with the Lib-Dems.
Ed Milliband probably would, but the PLP is too tribal. They will go the 1974 route with two elections, IMO.
If we have a coalition in 2015 it will be another Con/Lib one, otherwise it's a minority government and a second election in the autumn, IMO.
The problem is in the current climate having a second election wouldn't be popular with MPs because they know how much the public detests them and they'd be afraid of losing seats to minor parties and independents.
I don't think the PLP is that tribal - the overwhelming majority of politicians on all sides are hard-headed realists when it comes to winning power. If it took a coalition with the LibDems, fine.
Very sad on a variety of levels, but the saddest thing of all is that the mawkish feckwit of a journalist who writes "died battling a brain tumour" when he means "died of a brain tumour" has not yet died on a spike (or rather, battling a spike).
Sorry to sound tetchy, it's just that I am battling stage 3 gusting 4 colon cancer and find that locution slightly irritating.
If " the mawkish feckwit of a journalist" pisses you off and annoys you - Good!!!
Anything that increases your reservoir of energy and motivates you to keep fighting is good.
I wish you all the best, and every success in fighting and winning your 'battle'. - I don't know any other word for it....
You really believe that the current targeting of both the Conservatives and Libdems this week/weekend is going to result in a free ride for the Labour party to mop up as favourites? What did Harman and Miller have in common, think about it, and who was the biggest driver of the Leveson proposals? This current media frenzy of targeting politicians is all about Leveson and press freedom, there are going to be no winners on this one as it gets more messy, only losers.
A coalition between Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg or Vince Cable would certainly be entertaining. That's the most likely result at the moment, given current polling numbers.
Labour won't go for a coalition with the Lib-Dems.
Ed Milliband probably would, but the PLP is too tribal. They will go the 1974 route with two elections, IMO.
If we have a coalition in 2015 it will be another Con/Lib one, otherwise it's a minority government and a second election in the autumn, IMO.
The problem is in the current climate having a second election wouldn't be popular with MPs because they know how much the public detests them and they'd be afraid of losing seats to minor parties and independents.
I don't think the PLP is that tribal - the overwhelming majority of politicians on all sides are hard-headed realists when it comes to winning power. If it took a coalition with the LibDems, fine.
One feature of the coalition agreement was the way it helped the Tory leadership while screwing Tory backbenchers. For example, all the top government posts went to Tories but they made up for it with a lot of LibDem ministers a little bit lower down, reducing the number of bottom-rung posts for Tory MPs.
I guess Con and Lab backbenchers will be a bit better prepared next time, and it'll be harder for the leaderships to get away with that kind of thing.
You think the public has forgotten about MacShane who was jailed only 4 months ago or the other Labour MP's that have been jailed since 2010?
The difference is that Labour don't have any serious non-establishment competition on the left at the moment (apart from Do Not Vote) whereas Tory hopes depend on a delicate operation to hold onto voters tempted by UKIP. Under zero-sum FPTP rules, that means that Labour should be the short-term beneficiaries of a resurgence in voters thinking all the main parties are shit.
On the other hand, its worth looking at the article that was linked to down thread about the SNP/Yes Campaign's problem convincing women to vote for Independence. The next GE is going to be about the economy, and that is why the Labour party are going to lose it. While Labour might have a reducing polling lead right now, the increasing Cameron/Osborne lead over Miliband and Balls will not just be coming from Conservative voters.
You think the public has forgotten about MacShane who was jailed only 4 months ago or the other Labour MP's that have been jailed since 2010?
The difference is that Labour don't have any serious non-establishment competition on the left at the moment (apart from Do Not Vote) whereas Tory hopes depend on a delicate operation to hold onto voters tempted by UKIP. Under zero-sum FPTP rules, that means that Labour should be the short-term beneficiaries of a resurgence in voters thinking all the main parties are shit.
Anybody about who can suggest a quick effective pain relief for gout in the knee? Excruciating pain...........The only thing that is cheering me up is the indignation of Lib Dems being described by The Times as pointless...I think that may be going on my election lit...
Very sad on a variety of levels, but the saddest thing of all is that the mawkish feckwit of a journalist who writes "died battling a brain tumour" when he means "died of a brain tumour" has not yet died on a spike (or rather, battling a spike).
Sorry to sound tetchy, it's just that I am battling stage 3 gusting 4 colon cancer and find that locution slightly irritating.
Good luck. Ishmael...sorry to have posted my trivial problem now...apologies.
Anybody about who can suggest a quick effective pain relief for gout in the knee? Excruciating pain...........The only thing that is cheering me up is the indignation of Lib Dems being described by The Times as pointless...I think that may be going on my election lit...
Drinking plenty of water helps …3-4 litres per day. As well as taking the medication regularly!
Speaking of annoying phrases, my current pet hate is "you know what" ..... aargh!!
Mine is 'XXX are bracing themselves for YYY', by which is normally meant that YYY might possibly happen.
Perhaps even worse is 'break through the barrier' in reference to some statistic, as in 'Welsh population breaks through the three million barrier'. What three million barrier? Was it a particularly hard one to break through, unlike the 2.95 million barrier?
Oh, wait... (When used to indicate the contrary) At the end of the day Going forward
There is no longer any point to the Liberal Democrats, one of the party’s most senior MPs has claimed. Voters cannot be blamed for abandoning the party, according to Jeremy Browne, a Liberal Democrat minister until October, who puts the blame at the feet of Nick Clegg for pandering to its left wing.
Is Jeremy Browne about to defect to the Tories? Now that would be a turn-up.
No, he's about to launch a book. Never take ANYTHING seriously from authors in that situation. Ask...
I'd just like it noted that IF Ed Miliband really IS doing a brave PR thing, and he is saying THIS IS WHAT I AM, VOTE FOR ME BECAUSE OF MY POLICIES NOT MY BACKGROUND...
then I sincerely applaud him. I've had enough of posho politicians pretending to enjoy beer.
Dunno about him, but I don't like beer. (Working on winning your vote. Are we there yet?)
Sean has moved massively to the left in recent times Nick - I suspect it's the exposure to Telegraph commentators, perhaps just a delayed response to be surrounded by lefties, or perhaps it's this:
Comments
Sorry to sound tetchy, it's just that I am battling stage 3 gusting 4 colon cancer and find that locution slightly irritating.
Like their death defines them, even if they were brilliant, amazing, successful people who lived tremendously fun and fulfilled lives.
Hope your treatment goes well.
But the awful truth may be that Ed Miliband believes all the garbage he comes out with. The more we see of him, the more it looks as though this might really be true - that he really does think you can reduce energy prices by passing a law that energy prices must come down, or that housing in London can be made more available by forbidding housebuilders to sell on the internet, or that you can encourage more housebuilding by fining housebuilders for buying land to build on, or that companies can be divided into 'producers' and 'predators', or that he can just pass a law and everyone will get employment.
Sincerity? No thanks, not when he's sincerely off with the fairies.
So.... vote YES on the "slight chance" that Westminster will agree to a currency union as the Scottish economy will collapse otherwise.
Is that the Nat prospectus?
Vote YES on the "slight chance" that Westminster will agree to a currency union as the Scottish economy will collapse otherwise!!
Ridic.
A large chunk of my family lives in Scotland. They are free to vote YES, and good luck to them, but I want them to do it knowing the facts, not a lot of dangerously wishful thinking.
If you really believe Osborne, Balls and Alexander then no problem.
After all these guys never lie.
Sorry! Why are you bringing Salmond into a discussion about the westminster position on the£?
If you want to share your thoughts about Salmond, start a fresh post.
And of course the only way you could sell this currency union, as an emergency measure, is AFTER Scotland has got into serious trouble, not before. The British voter would need to see evidence that this drastic and unwanted step was unavoidable.
And nothing that the rUK government does could stop 5 million rUK Brits voting with their deposits, and starting a run on Scottish banks.
Er! What Scottish Banks? RBS owned by British tax payers, with majority of business done via Nat West in England. BoS now owned by Lloyds and the British tax payers. Clydesdale owned by NAB.
London has the RBS and the BoS by the proverbial short and curlies.
Both could be broken off from the larger entities and sold to either the Scottish Government or to groups of Scottish business persons, that is if there are any left after the big companies have fled to England. The Scottish government should be willing to own at least one of them because it would give them some semblance of having a national bank equivalent to the BoE. Oil would then be used to back the pound Scots which would be pegged to the value of sterling.
Interesting fact: Scottish currency is not legal but is accepted by dispensation from Westminster.
Technically, all Scottish Bank notes would be invalid on the 19th September in the case of a Yes vote. Of course within Scotland, the notes would continue to be used, but, it could be doubtful if they would be able to be exchanged for other currencies.
Perhaps even worse is 'break through the barrier' in reference to some statistic, as in 'Welsh population breaks through the three million barrier'. What three million barrier? Was it a particularly hard one to break through, unlike the 2.95 million barrier?
i FRONT PAGE: Inquiry into Tory conference 'sex party paid on expenses.' #skypapers pic.twitter.com/OjMgK5Egpo
•Hillary Clinton (D) 45% {47%} [47%] (46%) {46%} [47%]
•Jeb Bush (R) 44% {46%} [43%] (44%) {45%} [43%]
•Hillary Clinton (D) 46% {46%} [45%] (42%) {42%} [43%]
•Chris Christie (R) 44% {42%} [42%] (43%) {45%} [46%]
•Hillary Clinton (D) 47% {49%} [47%] (47%) {48%} [50%] (52%)
•Rand Paul (R) 43% {43%} [44%] (43%) {44%} [41%] (40%)
•Hillary Clinton (D) 48% {49%} [48%]
•Mike Huckabee (R) 43% {42%} [43%]
http://www.argojournal.com/2014/04/poll-watch-ppp-d-north-carolina-2016_10.html
Would the Open Championship be played at Scottish courses any more, if Scotland is not part of the UK?
Whither the R & A?
Awwwwwwww....
Aren't there about 100 flippers? RT @junayed_: Spot the difference. pic.twitter.com/zLmulaWGav
Ed Milliband probably would, but the PLP is too tribal. They will go the 1974 route with two elections, IMO.
If we have a coalition in 2015 it will be another Con/Lib one, otherwise it's a minority government and a second election in the autumn, IMO.
Hope it's not too patronising to day this, but I saw a documentary yesterday (prob still on iplayer) about placebos that showed the beneficial neurological effects of positive thinking, and it did play a part, so try and stay positive if possible Ishmael
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argyllshire_(UK_Parliament_constituency)
Anything that increases your reservoir of energy and motivates you to keep fighting is good.
I wish you all the best, and every success in fighting and winning your 'battle'. - I don't know any other word for it....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mySv0PLANyU
All I need now is Morris Dancer to find the hilarious Yorkshire version link for U-tube. [Or has Dave - oop-norf - Herdson banned it...?]
I guess Con and Lab backbenchers will be a bit better prepared next time, and it'll be harder for the leaderships to get away with that kind of thing.
' Ed Miliband is favourite once again now.'
You think the public has forgotten about MacShane who was jailed only 4 months ago or the other Labour MP's that have been jailed since 2010?
Excruciating pain...........The only thing that is cheering me up is the indignation of Lib Dems being described by The Times as pointless...I think that may be going on my election lit...
At the end of the day
Going forward
I have many, many more...
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/may/24/daughter-father-political-influence-leftwing