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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Topping the polls 2-4 weeks out is not always a guarantee o

SystemSystem Posts: 11,703
edited April 2014 in General

politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Topping the polls 2-4 weeks out is not always a guarantee of success – just ask Nick Clegg

Coming top in YouGov poll 2-4 weeks before an election doesn't always guarantee success
This from April 20 20010 pic.twitter.com/edWWeX8fnw

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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763
    What is the point of Ed Miliband ?
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    MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382

    What is the point of Ed Miliband ?

    He is LAB leader and on current polls likely to be next PM

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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763

    What is the point of Ed Miliband ?

    He is LAB leader and on current polls likely to be next PM

    chortle

    I thought the point of your thread was to say the polls aren't the same as the vote and guarantee nothing.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,048
    It is often good to remember that one should celebrate victory prematurely, though I suspect recent parties ahead in the polls will not dim their elation as while topping the polls a few weeks out is no guarantee of victory, in this instance success to some extent is already guaranteed in the Euros, and it's just a question of degree of success and whether the final result is a bit lower than the most optimistic estimates, or actually manages to match it.
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    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322

    As I said to Robert at the time I thought the paper was very poor. But on the section on the EEA it did highlight the problems (as the authors saw them) with membership and the conclusion I drew was that the overall recommendation was not to be a member. Bear in mind Switzerland is not a member of the EEA.

    So are you saying that you don't actually know whether UKIP's policy is to remain in the EEA and/or in EFTA? (I don't know the answer to that - it's a question I've been asking for five years and I've never got a coherent answer).

    FWIW my own view would be that leaving the EU and remaining in the EEA would be the worst of all worlds.
    You yourself have repeatedly linked a video of Farage saying they would use the EEA as a holding position to negotiate our own deal.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXsk0jroOog

    "The UKIP answer is this: there is absolutely nothing to fear from leaving the European Union, because on D+1 we would find ourselves part of the European Economic Area and with a free trade deal. And we should use our membership of the EEA as a holding position, from which we can negotiate, as the European Union's biggest export market in the world, as good a deal - my goodness me, if Switzerland can have one, we can have an even better one."

    There is nothing as blind as a man who will not see.
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    edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,151
    LibDems will be reassured to see that Nick Clegg has learned his lesson and avoided peaking too soon.
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    GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 20,920
    I think there is a lot of similarity between what's currently going on with Fradage and the Cleggasm.

    However, as most people perceive the EU Elections to be basically insignificant and a good opportunity to take the p*ss out of the entire political class, I would expect to see UKIP keep their position for this election.

    But it IS a warning for those attempting to draw conclusions about the general election, IMO, which is an entirely different kettle of fish.
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    MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053
    Mike Smithson now trying to damp down the heat caused by that fantastically good poll for UKIP. ;)
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763

    LibDems will be reassured to see that Nick Clegg has learned his lesson and avoided peaking too soon.

    Conservatives will be reassured to see Ed Miliband slipping below 35%. He peaked 2 years too early.
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    GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 20,920
    edited April 2014

    LibDems will be reassured to see that Nick Clegg has learned his lesson and avoided peaking too soon.

    Conservatives will be reassured to see Ed Miliband slipping below 35%. He peaked 2 years too early.
    Swingback always happens, but the real problem is that Ed's "peak" was pretty pathetic in the first place, so he didn't have a cushion for when the inevitable happened.
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    MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053
    GIN1138 said:

    I think there is a lot of similarity between what's currently going on with Fradage and the Cleggasm.

    However, as most people perceive the EU Elections to be basically insignificant and a good opportunity to take the p*ss out of the entire political class, I would expect to see UKIP keep their position for this election.

    But it IS a warning for those attempting to draw conclusions about the general election, IMO, which is an entirely different kettle of fish.

    Scuttlefish?
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    GrandioseGrandiose Posts: 2,323
    Socrates said:

    As I said to Robert at the time I thought the paper was very poor. But on the section on the EEA it did highlight the problems (as the authors saw them) with membership and the conclusion I drew was that the overall recommendation was not to be a member. Bear in mind Switzerland is not a member of the EEA.

    So are you saying that you don't actually know whether UKIP's policy is to remain in the EEA and/or in EFTA? (I don't know the answer to that - it's a question I've been asking for five years and I've never got a coherent answer).

    FWIW my own view would be that leaving the EU and remaining in the EEA would be the worst of all worlds.
    You yourself have repeatedly linked a video of Farage saying they would use the EEA as a holding position to negotiate our own deal.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXsk0jroOog

    "The UKIP answer is this: there is absolutely nothing to fear from leaving the European Union, because on D+1 we would find ourselves part of the European Economic Area and with a free trade deal. And we should use our membership of the EEA as a holding position, from which we can negotiate, as the European Union's biggest export market in the world, as good a deal - my goodness me, if Switzerland can have one, we can have an even better one."

    There is nothing as blind as a man who will not see.
    The defining characteristic of the EEA is the accedance to the internal market, including the freedom of movement of persons and residence. While being in the EEA on paper for a while might work on paper, there are two issues: firstly if the UK leaves under Farage, it'll be about immigration and under the EEA no change would be possible on that front; and secondly it makes for a surreal negotiating position. What's the incentive for the EU to cut a deal? If the UK is in the EEA in the interim, then it has almost everything it might bargain for.
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    TykejohnnoTykejohnno Posts: 7,362
    I smell a whiff of panic by the metropolitan liberal elite - lol


    Nick Cohen @NickCohen4

    Nigel Farage is a phoney. Scrutinise him and he'll crumble | Me in this morning's Observer

    Marco Giannangeli @marcogiann

    Tories launch most scathing attack on Ukip to date. COMMENT by Grant Shapps: Vote Tory if you want EU reform http://shr.gs/OlpeQOa

    Mariella Frostrup ✔ @mariellaf1

    @LouiseMensch I'd like world peace and Christmas every Sunday-both as likely as "reformed,professional, non-racist UKIP"!


    Louise Mensch ✔ @LouiseMensch

    .@craigawoodhouse exposes some devastating side by side UKIP-BNP posters in his @TheSunNewpaper piece today
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    SimonStClareSimonStClare Posts: 7,976
    Coming top in YouGov poll 2-4 weeks before an election doesn't always guarantee success This from April 20 20010

    20010 ? - With such advanced warning, I hope you have placed your bets accordingly.
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763

    I smell a whiff of panic by the metropolitan liberal elite - lol


    Nick Cohen @NickCohen4

    Nigel Farage is a phoney. Scrutinise him and he'll crumble | Me in this morning's Observer

    Marco Giannangeli @marcogiann

    Tories launch most scathing attack on Ukip to date. COMMENT by Grant Shapps: Vote Tory if you want EU reform http://shr.gs/OlpeQOa

    Mariella Frostrup ✔ @mariellaf1

    @LouiseMensch I'd like world peace and Christmas every Sunday-both as likely as "reformed,professional, non-racist UKIP"!


    Louise Mensch ✔ @LouiseMensch

    .@craigawoodhouse exposes some devastating side by side UKIP-BNP posters in his @TheSunNewpaper piece today

    If Lousie Mensch is so interested in UK politcis maybe she should stand as an MP.
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    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 32,058
    "Coming top in YouGov poll 2-4 weeks before an election doesn't always guarantee success
    This from April 20 20010 "

    Is it going to take the LibDems THAT long to recover?
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,387
    Rather than asking what is the point of Ed Miliband this thread might as well be what is the point of polls other than exit polls and last minute estimates?

    So far as UKIP are concerned they are clearly the protest party. Labour should worry that they are not. They have picked up the left wing of the Lib Dems but have completely failed to motivate or enthuse those who oppose the many decisions made by the Coalition (right or wrong). This is an unusual position for one of the main parties in opposition. It certainly gives them a much lower starting point as we come close to the last year before the election.

    It may be that this is because Ed is a failure and completely uninspirational. It may be that Labour remain tainted with past failures. It may however also result in any swingback being extremely muted because Labour does not have this oppositionist support now. In short the Labour vote may be firmer than we are used to.

    There may also be a significant strand of the electorate who either permanently or temporarily are prised free of either of the major parties. Where did they come from (since the tories are not very far short of their election support and Labour are well ahead) and where will they go if they do not stay with UKIP? On these questions turn the next election.
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    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    @Grandiose

    As long as we try to negotiate from within the EU, the other countries will think it's possible to get us to change our minds if they're tough enough. Once we've already left, they'll accept it's a done deal and do their best to retain access to their largest export market. In addition, once we are in the EEA we will be able to negotiate our own trading deals elsewhere, which will show the EU we are less dependent on them, providing us with greater leverage for a better deal.
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    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    @tykejohnno

    Opinion polls show the thing the British public want to renegotiate most from the EU is control of immigration. Richard Nabavi has already admitted that this will never happen within the EU. So if you want that, your best bet is not the Tories at all.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,787
    @Socrates - I'm sure there are others who argue that "just after we've told our larger partner to Foxtrot Oscar, they'll queue up to offer us a great deal on our terms".

    I think its fair to say that view is believed more fervently by its proponents than by more sceptical observers.....
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    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 32,058
    Socrates said:

    @Grandiose

    As long as we try to negotiate from within the EU, the other countries will think it's possible to get us to change our minds if they're tough enough. Once we've already left, they'll accept it's a done deal and do their best to retain access to their largest export market. In addition, once we are in the EEA we will be able to negotiate our own trading deals elsewhere, which will show the EU we are less dependent on them, providing us with greater leverage for a better deal.

    Why is it often assumed in certain quarters that in the EU it's Britain vs The Rest? I don't get that impression at all.
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    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    From that Grant Shapps column:

    "He (rightly) attacked EU waste but then voted against David Cameron’s plan to slash more than £8billion from the EU budget. "

    The reason UKIP voted against it is that it was a deal that increased the UK's contribution to Brussels. This is considered a win to the Tories.

    This is why they're all afraid of debating Farage. These bullshit Tory claims sound great on their own, but if you have anyone challenging it, they quickly fall apart.
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    edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,151
    edited April 2014
    DavidL said:

    Rather than asking what is the point of Ed Miliband this thread might as well be what is the point of polls other than exit polls and last minute estimates?

    So far as UKIP are concerned they are clearly the protest party. Labour should worry that they are not. They have picked up the left wing of the Lib Dems but have completely failed to motivate or enthuse those who oppose the many decisions made by the Coalition (right or wrong). This is an unusual position for one of the main parties in opposition. It certainly gives them a much lower starting point as we come close to the last year before the election.

    The other factor here is that first-term oppositions don't necessarily pick up a lot of votes. William Hague didn't, Michael Foot went backwards, Ted Heath went backwards. Harold Wilson picked up enough to beat Ted Heath, but it wasn't a big move and didn't result in a majority.
    DavidL said:

    There may also be a significant strand of the electorate who either permanently or temporarily are prised free of either of the major parties. Where did they come from (since the tories are not very far short of their election support and Labour are well ahead) and where will they go if they do not stay with UKIP? On these questions turn the next election.

    Excluding the didn't-and-won't-votes they're mainly the 2010 LibDems, that's why Mike keeps banging on about them.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,387
    This is the summary from Wiki about the consequences of EEA membership:

    "The EEA is based on the same "four freedoms" as the European Community: the free movement of goods, persons, services, and capital among the EEA countries. Thus, the EFTA countries that are part of the EEA enjoy free trade with the European Union.

    As a counterpart, these countries have to adopt part of the Law of the European Union. However they also contribute to and influence the formation of new EEA relevant policies and legislation at an early stage as part of a formal decision-shaping process.[7]

    The EFTA countries that are part of the EEA do not bear the financial burdens associated with EU membership, although they contribute financially to the European single market. After the EU/EEA enlargement of 2004, there was a tenfold increase in the financial contribution of the EEA States, in particular Norway, to social and economic cohesion in the Internal Market (€1167 million over five years).

    EFTA countries do not receive any funding from EU policies and development funds."

    So we still would have free movement of persons, we would still have to contribute significant sums to the "social and economic cohesion in the internal market", we would have much less of a say on EU law and we would still have to comply with it in any area connected with the single market.

    Is this really UKIP's solution?
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    TykejohnnoTykejohnno Posts: 7,362

    Dan Hodges @DPJHodges

    @sundersays So it's OK if Ukip's racism is directed at others - Romanians, Poles, Bulgarians etc - just not at you.

    Hodges is really making himself look silly.
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    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322

    @Socrates - I'm sure there are others who argue that "just after we've told our larger partner to Foxtrot Oscar, they'll queue up to offer us a great deal on our terms".

    I think its fair to say that view is believed more fervently by its proponents than by more sceptical observers.....

    Countries have interests, not feelings. Where the UK and the rump EU both have an interest in maintaining trade, they will do. They've shown a huge unwillingness to impose major sanctions on Russia when the country is annexing territory from its neighbours because it would hurt their economies. You think they're going to cut off their largest export market out of spite?
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    MonikerDiCanioMonikerDiCanio Posts: 5,792
    edited April 2014


    Dan Hodges @DPJHodges

    @sundersays So it's OK if Ukip's racism is directed at others - Romanians, Poles, Bulgarians etc - just not at you.

    Hodges is really making himself look silly.

    That's a highly defamatory remark by Hogdes. Why doesn't UKIP take legal action against these guttersnipes?

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    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    DavidL said:

    This is the summary from Wiki about the consequences of EEA membership:

    "The EEA is based on the same "four freedoms" as the European Community: the free movement of goods, persons, services, and capital among the EEA countries. Thus, the EFTA countries that are part of the EEA enjoy free trade with the European Union.

    As a counterpart, these countries have to adopt part of the Law of the European Union. However they also contribute to and influence the formation of new EEA relevant policies and legislation at an early stage as part of a formal decision-shaping process.[7]

    The EFTA countries that are part of the EEA do not bear the financial burdens associated with EU membership, although they contribute financially to the European single market. After the EU/EEA enlargement of 2004, there was a tenfold increase in the financial contribution of the EEA States, in particular Norway, to social and economic cohesion in the Internal Market (€1167 million over five years).

    EFTA countries do not receive any funding from EU policies and development funds."

    So we still would have free movement of persons, we would still have to contribute significant sums to the "social and economic cohesion in the internal market", we would have much less of a say on EU law and we would still have to comply with it in any area connected with the single market.

    Is this really UKIP's solution?

    No, it is not. It is considered a temporary position while we negotiate a better deal. I've posted this several times every times the issue comes up on pb. Including in both this thread and the previous one.

    Tory Europhiles seem to have a habit of asking a question, putting their fingers in their ears and singing "LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU", and then bemoaning the fact they never get a good answer.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,787
    edited April 2014
    Socrates said:

    @Socrates - I'm sure there are others who argue that "just after we've told our larger partner to Foxtrot Oscar, they'll queue up to offer us a great deal on our terms".

    I think its fair to say that view is believed more fervently by its proponents than by more sceptical observers.....

    You think they're going to cut off their largest export market out of spite?
    Aren't they also our largest trading partner?

    A situation that only applies to one of the parties between Scotland and rUK.....

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    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322

    Aren't they also our largest trading partner?

    Yes, which is why we both have an interest in maintaining a trade agreement after we leave the political union.
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    TykejohnnoTykejohnno Posts: 7,362
    edited April 2014


    Dan Hodges @DPJHodges

    @sundersays So it's OK if Ukip's racism is directed at others - Romanians, Poles, Bulgarians etc - just not at you.

    Hodges is really making himself look silly.

    That's a highly defamatory remark by Hogdes. Why doesn't UKIP take legal action against these guttersnipes?

    Hodges is losing it ;-)


    Dan Hodges @DPJHodges

    @sundersays Sunder, what's the answer. If Farage said people should be wary of Indian family moving into their street would that be racist



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    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 32,058
    edited April 2014
    Socrates said:

    DavidL said:

    This is the summary from Wiki about the consequences of EEA membership:

    "The EEA is based on the same "four freedoms" as the European Community: the free movement of goods, persons, services, and capital among the EEA countries. Thus, the EFTA countries that are part of the EEA enjoy free trade with the European Union.

    As a counterpart, these countries have to adopt part of the Law of the European Union. However they also contribute to and influence the formation of new EEA relevant policies and legislation at an early stage as part of a formal decision-shaping process.[7]

    The EFTA countries that are part of the EEA do not bear the financial burdens associated with EU membership, although they contribute financially to the European single market. After the EU/EEA enlargement of 2004, there was a tenfold increase in the financial contribution of the EEA States, in particular Norway, to social and economic cohesion in the Internal Market (€1167 million over five years).

    EFTA countries do not receive any funding from EU policies and development funds."

    So we still would have free movement of persons, we would still have to contribute significant sums to the "social and economic cohesion in the internal market", we would have much less of a say on EU law and we would still have to comply with it in any area connected with the single market.

    Is this really UKIP's solution?

    No, it is not. It is considered a temporary position while we negotiate a better deal. I've posted this several times every times the issue comes up on pb. Including in both this thread and the previous one.

    Tory Europhiles seem to have a habit of asking a question, putting their fingers in their ears and singing "LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU", and then bemoaning the fact they never get a good answer.
    So the day after we leave the EU, because we're a member of EEA "tens of thousands" of Romanians, Bulgarians whatever could still turn up at Dover requesting admission?
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    TomTom Posts: 273
    Tories nailed on for 2015 = Dan Hodges political seer
    UKIP are racists = Dan Hodges making himself look silly
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,787
    edited April 2014
    Looking at the YouGov on Cameron's renegotiation "not enough" and "too much/about right" are evenly balanced 42:40. Of course that splits along predictable lines:

    Con: 50:43
    Lab: 31:51
    LibD: 30:58
    UKIP: 84:10

    So it's really only UKIP supporters who are very upset about Cameron's negotiation - and to an extent Lab and Lib Dem, some of whom fear he is asking too much....
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    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322

    So the day after we leave the EU, because we're a member of EEA "tens of thousands" of Romanians, Bulgarians whatever could still turn up at Dover requesting admission?

    Yes, they could. However, they would not have much interest in doing so, because we would have made clear we would be leaving the EEA in time also, and they would not be able to stay after that.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,787
    Socrates said:

    Aren't they also our largest trading partner?

    Yes, which is why we both have an interest in maintaining a trade agreement after we leave the political union.
    Yes, but to pretend it will be on "our terms" may be optimistic....
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    MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382
    GIN1138 said:

    LibDems will be reassured to see that Nick Clegg has learned his lesson and avoided peaking too soon.

    Conservatives will be reassured to see Ed Miliband slipping below 35%. He peaked 2 years too early.
    Swingback always happens, but the real problem is that Ed's "peak" was pretty pathetic in the first place, so he didn't have a cushion for when the inevitable happened.
    Swingback doesn't ALWAYS happen. In the post it was mostly down to sub-standard polling that systemically over-stated LAB.

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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,787
    Socrates said:

    So the day after we leave the EU, because we're a member of EEA "tens of thousands" of Romanians, Bulgarians whatever could still turn up at Dover requesting admission?

    we would be leaving the EEA in time also, and they would not be able to stay after that.
    Where are we going to house Costa Del Geriatrica when they show up?

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    MonikerDiCanioMonikerDiCanio Posts: 5,792

    Socrates said:

    So the day after we leave the EU, because we're a member of EEA "tens of thousands" of Romanians, Bulgarians whatever could still turn up at Dover requesting admission?

    we would be leaving the EEA in time also, and they would not be able to stay after that.
    Where are we going to house Costa Del Geriatrica when they show up?

    They're already leaving wrecked Spain. In droves.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/10781350/End-to-Mediterranean-dream-for-90000-Britons-who-left-Spain-last-year.html
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    EastwingerEastwinger Posts: 351

    GIN1138 said:

    LibDems will be reassured to see that Nick Clegg has learned his lesson and avoided peaking too soon.

    Conservatives will be reassured to see Ed Miliband slipping below 35%. He peaked 2 years too early.
    Swingback always happens, but the real problem is that Ed's "peak" was pretty pathetic in the first place, so he didn't have a cushion for when the inevitable happened.
    Swingback doesn't ALWAYS happen. In the post it was mostly down to sub-standard polling that systemically over-stated LAB.

    So how do you explain declining opposition leads as an election approaches. Does the polling improve as we get nearer the date?

    And how do you explain swing back happening to both Con and Lab governments.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,787

    Socrates said:

    So the day after we leave the EU, because we're a member of EEA "tens of thousands" of Romanians, Bulgarians whatever could still turn up at Dover requesting admission?

    we would be leaving the EEA in time also, and they would not be able to stay after that.
    Where are we going to house Costa Del Geriatrica when they show up?

    They're already leaving wrecked Spain. In droves.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/10781350/End-to-Mediterranean-dream-for-90000-Britons-who-left-Spain-last-year.html
    According to official statistics Britons remain the second largest EU expatriate community in Spain after Romanians.
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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,967

    Socrates said:

    So the day after we leave the EU, because we're a member of EEA "tens of thousands" of Romanians, Bulgarians whatever could still turn up at Dover requesting admission?

    we would be leaving the EEA in time also, and they would not be able to stay after that.
    Where are we going to house Costa Del Geriatrica when they show up?

    Would British people be expelled from Spain?
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    DoubleCarpetDoubleCarpet Posts: 712
    edited April 2014
    O/T - last call for the India game, entries close 9pm Tuesday:

    http://www.electiongame.co.uk/india14/

    Also now out is South Africa, which closes a week later:

    http://www.electiongame.co.uk/sa14/

    Links for opinion polls, party profiles, media sites, and background in both games.

    Many thanks,

    DC
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,001

    O/T - last call for the India game, entries close 9pm Tuesday:

    http://www.electiongame.co.uk/india14/

    Also now out is South Africa, which closes a week later:

    http://www.electiongame.co.uk/sa14/

    Links for opinion polls, party profiles, media sites, and background in both games.

    Many thanks,


    DC

    Is the Belgium game still going ahead or have they decided not to have elections or something :) ?
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    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322

    Socrates said:

    So the day after we leave the EU, because we're a member of EEA "tens of thousands" of Romanians, Bulgarians whatever could still turn up at Dover requesting admission?

    we would be leaving the EEA in time also, and they would not be able to stay after that.
    Where are we going to house Costa Del Geriatrica when they show up?

    If we exclude the ones already leaving because of the financial crisis, I don't think many would move. The Spanish economy is in a severe slump, and they desperately need British retirees' spending power, whose pensions are paid for by the British government. There are also large British retiree populations in Florida and Australia, so I don't think the EU is particularly determinative here.
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    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322

    Socrates said:

    Aren't they also our largest trading partner?

    Yes, which is why we both have an interest in maintaining a trade agreement after we leave the political union.
    Yes, but to pretend it will be on "our terms" may be optimistic....
    I have never claimed it would be on "our terms". It will be on negotiated terms with both sides having major input. As would all the other trade agreements we would now be free to sign, but we can't because of French interests.
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    In the survey in which the LibDems were in the lead, they polled 45% among those aged 18-34, 31% among those 35-54, and 29% among those over 55. By contrast, in yesterday's poll, UKIP score 15% among those aged 18-24, 20% among those aged 26-39, 31% among those aged 40-59, and 45% among those over 60. Therein lie the reason why the Liberal Democrats performance in the 2010 general election to the House of Commons did not live up to the pre-election polling, and also why UKIP can be relatively confident that the same thing won't happen to them in this set of elections to the European "Parliament".
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    Life_ina_market_townLife_ina_market_town Posts: 2,319
    edited April 2014
    Sean_F said:

    Would British people be expelled from Spain?

    As Edward I expelled the Jews in 1290...
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    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    edited April 2014
    Time for some more swimming pools yellow boxes.

    The final SWIFT Index nowcast for Q1 2014 GDP growth was published on Friday.

    Not much change since last month. UK, US and OECD Aggregate nowcasts are unchanged.

    Germany notches down 0.1% on both quarter and year in Q1 2014 but remains unchanged for Q2.

    EU(28) notches up 0.1% on for the quarter and 0.2% for the year in the quarterly and annual measures for both Q1 and Q2. Both Q1 and Q2 predictions have been upgraded in each of the last three months.

    The SWIFT Index forecast for the UK in Q1 2014 is below analyst and market expectations at 0.6% (2.9%).

    SWIFT undershot Q4 2013 last time, nowcasting 0.4% against the ONS outturn of 0.7%. My expectations are that SWIFT will be closer than last time, but still below the ONS figure which is due on Tuesday 20 April at 9:30 am.

    First up the UK:
    ***************************United Kingdom************************

    SWIFT Index - November 2012 to March 2014
    GDP Growth estimated
    Outcomes from OECD (Expenditure Approach)
    QoQ = Quarter on Previous Quarter;
    YoY = Quarter on Same Quarter Previous Year

    United Kingdom
    | Actual | Nowcast | Forecast
    | | 3 2 1 | 3 2 1
    Period | | |
    2014 Q2 QoQ(%) | | | 0.5 0.5 0.6
    YoY(%) | | | 2.7 2.7 2.7
    | | |
    2014 Q1 QoQ(%) | | 0.6 0.6 0.7 | 0.5 0.6 0.6
    YoY(%) | | 2.9 2.9 2.9 | 2.4 2.4 2.6
    | | |
    2013 Q4 QoQ(%) | 0.7 | 0.4 0.3 0.5 | 0.5 0.5 0.4
    YoY(%) | 2.7 | 2.4 2.2 2.3 | 2.2 2.3 1.7
    | | |
    2013 Q3 QoQ(%) | 0.8 | 0.7 0.8 0.5 | 0.8 1.3 1.0
    YoY(%) | 1.5 | 1.4 1.5 1.0 | 1.5 1.4 1.1
    | | |
    2013 Q2 QoQ(%) | 0.7 | 0.7 0.1 0.1 | 0.0 -0.1 0.3
    YoY(%) | 1.3 | 1.4 1.1 1.1 | 1.6 1.6 1.6
    | | |
    2013 Q1 QoQ(%) | 0.4 | 1.0 1.0 0.6 | 0.6
    YoY(%) | 0.2 | 1.3 1.3 0.9 | 1.6
  • Options
    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    *******************************Germany***************************


    SWIFT Index - November 2012 to March 2014
    GDP Growth estimated
    Outcomes from OECD (Expenditure Approach)
    QoQ = Quarter on Previous Quarter;
    YoY = Quarter on Same Quarter Previous Year

    Germany
    | Actual | Nowcast | Forecast
    | | 3 2 1 | 3 2 1
    Period | | |
    2014 Q2 QoQ(%) | | | 0.4 0.4 0.4
    YoY(%) | | | 1.4 1.4 1.4
    | | |
    2014 Q1 QoQ(%) | | 0.3 0.4 0.4 | 0.3 0.3 0.3
    YoY(%) | | 1.7 1.8 1.7 | 1.7 1.6 1.6
    | | |
    2013 Q4 QoQ(%) | 0.4 | 0.3 0.2 0.3 | 0.4 0.4 0.3
    YoY(%) | 1.4 | 1.4 1.3 1.4 | 1.5 1.7 1.3
    | | |
    2013 Q3 QoQ(%) | 0.3 | 0.4 0.5 0.3 | 0.4 0.3 0.3
    YoY(%) | 0.6 | 0.6 0.8 0.4 | 0.1 0.0 0.9
    | | |
    2013 Q2 QoQ(%) | 0.7 | 0.4 0.3 0.3 | 0.3 0.4 0.3
    YoY(%) | 0.5 | -0.1 -0.1 0.9 | 0.9 1.0 0.4
    | | |
    2013 Q1 QoQ(%) | 0.0 | 0.9 0.9 0.5 | 0.5
    YoY(%) | -0.3 | 0.8 0.8 0.4 | 0.7
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    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    ****************************United States************************


    SWIFT Index - November 2012 to March 2014
    GDP Growth estimated
    Outcomes from OECD (Expenditure Approach)
    QoQ = Quarter on Previous Quarter;
    YoY = Quarter on Same Quarter Previous Year

    United States
    | Actual | Nowcast | Forecast
    | | 3 2 1 | 3 2 1
    Period | | |
    2014 Q2 QoQ(%) | | | 0.5 0.5 0.6
    YoY(%) | | | 2.8 2.8 3.1
    | | |
    2014 Q1 QoQ(%) | | 0.6 0.6 0.6 | 0.3 0.3 0.4
    YoY(%) | | 2.9 2.9 3.1 | 3.1 2.1 2.2
    | | |
    2013 Q4 QoQ(%) | 0.7 | 0.7 0.3 0.5 | 0.6 0.5 0.4
    YoY(%) | 2.6 | 2.7 2.0 2.1 | 1.6 2.0 1.5
    | | |
    2013 Q3 QoQ(%) | 0.9 | 0.4 0.6 0.4 | 0.3 0.3 0.7
    YoY(%) | 2.0 | 1.9 1.6 1.2 | 0.0 0.0 1.6
    | | |
    2013 Q2 QoQ(%) | 0.6 | 0.3 0.3 0.2 | 0.1 0.2 0.5
    YoY(%) | 1.6 | -0.1 -0.1 1.7 | 1.3 1.6 2.1
    | | |
    2013 Q1 QoQ(%) | 0.3 | 0.5 0.6 0.9 | 0.4
    YoY(%) | 1.3 | 1.5 1.7 1.9 | 2.4
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,005
    Good afternoon, everyone.

    This is an old 'story' but on the most-read list and quite amusing (I imagine many will have seen it before). It's about doctors' slang:
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3159813.stm
  • Options
    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    *****************************OECD Total**************************


    SWIFT Index - November 2012 to March 2014
    GDP Growth estimated
    Outcomes from OECD (Expenditure Approach)
    QoQ = Quarter on Previous Quarter;
    YoY = Quarter on Same Quarter Previous Year

    OECD
    | Actual | Nowcast | Forecast
    | | 3 2 1 | 3 2 1
    Period | | |
    2014 Q2 QoQ(%) | | | 0.5 0.5 0.5
    YoY(%) | | | 2.1 2.1 2.2
    | | |
    2014 Q1 QoQ(%) | | 0.5 0.5 0.5 | 0.4 0.5 0.4
    YoY(%) | | 2.2 2.2 2.3 | 2.2 1.9 2.2
    | | |
    2013 Q4 QoQ(%) | 0.5 | 0.6 0.4 0.3 | 0.3 0.5 0.4
    YoY(%) | 2.0 | 2.1 1.7 1.4 | 1.5 2.0 1.6
    | | |
    2013 Q3 QoQ(%) | 0.9 | 0.3 0.6 0.4 | 0.2 0.2 0.3
    YoY(%) | 1.4 | 1.1 1.6 1.1 | 0.8 1.0 0.9
    | | |
    2013 Q2 QoQ(%) | 0.6 | 0.3 0.4 0.0 | 0.2 0.4 0.3
    YoY(%) | 1.0 | 0.9 1.0 1.0 | 1.1 1.1 1.7
    | | |
    2013 Q1 QoQ(%) | 0.3 | 0.8 0.7 0.8 | 0.5
    YoY(%) | 0.6 | 1.1 0.9 1.6 | 1.3
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    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    ****************************Europe (EU 28)***********************


    SWIFT Index - November 2012 to March 2014
    GDP Growth estimated
    Outcomes from OECD (Expenditure Approach)
    QoQ = Quarter on Previous Quarter;
    YoY = Quarter on Same Quarter Previous Year

    Europe (EU 28)
    | Actual | Nowcast | Forecast
    | | 3 2 1 | 3 2 1
    Period | | |
    2014 Q2 QoQ(%) | | | 0.5 0.4 0.3
    YoY(%) | | | 1.7 1.5 1.1
    | | |
    2014 Q1 QoQ(%) | | 0.5 0.4 0.3 | 0.3 0.2 0.1
    YoY(%) | | 1.6 1.5 1.2 | 1.1 0.8 0.9
    | | |
    2013 Q4 QoQ(%) | 0.4 | 0.2 0.1 0.2 | 0.2 0.3 0.3
    YoY(%) | 1.0 | 0.8 0.6 0.7 | 0.7 0.9 0.8
    | | |
    2013 Q3 QoQ(%) | 0.2 | 0.3 0.3 0.3 | 0.2 0.3 0.2
    YoY(%) | 0.1 | 0.1 0.2 0.0 | -0.1 -0.3 -0.1
    | | |
    2013 Q2 QoQ(%) | 0.4 | 0.3 0.0 0.1 | 0.1 0.1 0.1
    YoY(%) | -0.1 | -0.3 -0.5 0.6 | 0.6 0.6 0.2
    | | |
    2013 Q1 QoQ(%) | -0.1 | 0.9 0.9 0.2 | 0.3
    YoY(%) | -0.8 | 0.4 0.4 0.0 | 0.1
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    dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,290

    Good afternoon, everyone.

    This is an old 'story' but on the most-read list and quite amusing (I imagine many will have seen it before). It's about doctors' slang:
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3159813.stm

    GROLIES TTFO.


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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,005
    edited April 2014
    F1: hmm. Simona de Silvestro is a Sauber driver (not sure what the precise designation is, could be test, reserve or 'please give us media attention so we can attract sponsors*').

    She did 112 laps the other day:
    http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2014/04/26/simona-does-112-laps/

    The number matters because to race in F1 you need a super licence, and part of that is having driven a certain mileage in an F1 car (you *can* get around this, but the usual route is F1 car mileage in testing). However, that's no guarantee she's being lined up for a race seat, it might just be to enable her to drive during practice sessions.

    Sauber's driver lineup now could be described as expendable. Sutil's competent and Gutierrez seems ok but neither are setting the world alight. Sirotkin, as far as I know, is still pencilled-in for next year (bringing money with him) and a lady driver would be very marketable (perhaps especially in a team with a female team principal).

    *NB not a crack at Sauber. The team does well on a shoestring but it, Lotus, Caterham and Marussia are either on financial life support or heading there. They really do need cash (almost as much as me, in fact).

    Edited extra bit: just checked her Wikipedia page. She's 26 this year. Slightly on the older side (Kvyat's just 19, and Vettel's only 27 this year) but not past it.
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    TomTom Posts: 273
    I recall pre 2010 ogh arguing that Tory ratings spiked when dave was in the news a lot. Is it the same with nige, and that all publicity (at this point) is good publicity. Won't last forever but makes clegg's debate decision look even worse, apart from the fact it seems to have also stalled the Tories and taken a point or two from labour.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,787
    Can Ed Miliband Save the Union
    When Ed Miliband goes to Scotland and declares that ‘It is Labour that’s got to win this referendum’ it is a statement of political reality as much as it is braggadocio. The Tories have only one MP north of the border and the Liberal Democrats are the fourth party in the Scottish parliament. If this vote is to be won, Labour—as by far the largest Unionist party—will have to get the No camp over the line.

    http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2014/04/can-ed-miliband-save-the-union/
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763
    Salmond sounding desperate to ingratiate himself with Brussels. What else can he give away ?

    http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/scotland-is-eu-resources-lynchpin-says-salmond-1-3390389
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,001
    For a top premier league footballer, Suarez seems to find it harder to stay on his feet than my 90 year old granny.
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,001
    And she's dead !
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    anotherDaveanotherDave Posts: 6,746
    DavidL said:

    This is the summary from Wiki about the consequences of EEA membership:

    "The EEA is based on the same "four freedoms" as the European Community: the free movement of goods, persons, services, and capital among the EEA countries. Thus, the EFTA countries that are part of the EEA enjoy free trade with the European Union.

    As a counterpart, these countries have to adopt part of the Law of the European Union. However they also contribute to and influence the formation of new EEA relevant policies and legislation at an early stage as part of a formal decision-shaping process.[7]

    The EFTA countries that are part of the EEA do not bear the financial burdens associated with EU membership, although they contribute financially to the European single market. After the EU/EEA enlargement of 2004, there was a tenfold increase in the financial contribution of the EEA States, in particular Norway, to social and economic cohesion in the Internal Market (€1167 million over five years).

    EFTA countries do not receive any funding from EU policies and development funds."

    So we still would have free movement of persons, we would still have to contribute significant sums to the "social and economic cohesion in the internal market", we would have much less of a say on EU law and we would still have to comply with it in any area connected with the single market.

    Is this really UKIP's solution?

    The IEA Brexit prize winner recommended membership of the EFTA, without membership of the EEA, or free movement of persons.

    http://www.iea.org.uk/publications/research/the-iea-brexit-prize-a-blueprint-for-britain-openness-not-isolation
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,061

    F1: hmm. Simona de Silvestro is a Sauber driver (not sure what the precise designation is, could be test, reserve or 'please give us media attention so we can attract sponsors*').

    She did 112 laps the other day:
    http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2014/04/26/simona-does-112-laps/

    The number matters because to race in F1 you need a super licence, and part of that is having driven a certain mileage in an F1 car (you *can* get around this, but the usual route is F1 car mileage in testing). However, that's no guarantee she's being lined up for a race seat, it might just be to enable her to drive during practice sessions.

    Sauber's driver lineup now could be described as expendable. Sutil's competent and Gutierrez seems ok but neither are setting the world alight. Sirotkin, as far as I know, is still pencilled-in for next year (bringing money with him) and a lady driver would be very marketable (perhaps especially in a team with a female team principal).

    *NB not a crack at Sauber. The team does well on a shoestring but it, Lotus, Caterham and Marussia are either on financial life support or heading there. They really do need cash (almost as much as me, in fact).

    Edited extra bit: just checked her Wikipedia page. She's 26 this year. Slightly on the older side (Kvyat's just 19, and Vettel's only 27 this year) but not past it.

    I'm all for women in F1, whether in the pits, behind the scenes or driving. The reason there have been few female F1 drivers is more down to culture than skill and strength.

    There are, allegedly, some drives to correct this with some of the teams. And it involves starting young, and sackings.

    (BTW, remember when Red Bull sent a woman to collect the constructor's trophy in Bahrain last year? There's a story behind that.)
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    Sadly a dying form of communication. FLK (funny looking kid) is the only one of those that I have seen recently, and that is borderline respectable for where a doctor suspects a congenital syndrome but unable to name a specific diagnosis.




    Good afternoon, everyone.

    This is an old 'story' but on the most-read list and quite amusing (I imagine many will have seen it before). It's about doctors' slang:
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3159813.stm

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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,005
    Mr. Jessop, what's the Red Bull story?

    Mr. Foxinsox, they're really quite creative.
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    HopiSenHopiSen Posts: 48

    GIN1138 said:

    LibDems will be reassured to see that Nick Clegg has learned his lesson and avoided peaking too soon.

    Conservatives will be reassured to see Ed Miliband slipping below 35%. He peaked 2 years too early.
    Swingback always happens, but the real problem is that Ed's "peak" was pretty pathetic in the first place, so he didn't have a cushion for when the inevitable happened.
    Swingback doesn't ALWAYS happen. In the post it was mostly down to sub-standard polling that systemically over-stated LAB.

    So how do you explain declining opposition leads as an election approaches. Does the polling improve as we get nearer the date?

    And how do you explain swing back happening to both Con and Lab governments.
    Oppositions lose vote share in the final year before elections. Even Hague and Howard lost a point or so, only exception I know of was in 1958-59, where there was little change, I think offhand that Labour were in bit of mess in 58 and united as election got closer).

    However, sometimes governments lose _more_ vote share. For example in 79: Tories went from 46 in April 78, to 44 in GE, but Labour went from 44 to 38. So, based on that you'd predict that Lab vote share next year would be lower than is now, but you'd be much less certain that Tory vote share will be higher -especially as Mike often points out, as this is a coalition, things could be different this time.

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    CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,913
    edited April 2014

    Can Ed Miliband Save the Union
    When Ed Miliband goes to Scotland and declares that ‘It is Labour that’s got to win this referendum’ it is a statement of political reality as much as it is braggadocio. The Tories have only one MP north of the border and the Liberal Democrats are the fourth party in the Scottish parliament. If this vote is to be won, Labour—as by far the largest Unionist party—will have to get the No camp over the line.

    http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2014/04/can-ed-miliband-save-the-union/

    Thanks for putting that up- I read it with interest. The question which the article does not address is, how is he going to do it? And with whom?

    It's not in the interests of any Labour MSP to upset a lot of their voters (at least 1/4 of Labour voters) by standing up and declaring for union, which means losing their seats at the next election, if they think they are likely to keep their seats whatever happens with indy.

    And even MPs in Scottish seats have (in my current estimate) a 50% chance of keeping their seat for say 2 years after a yes, and 50% for longer in the case of a no, if they do the same and keep shtum.[edit: assuming 1: 1 odds for yes/no, very roughly]. But if they get up on their hind legs that last percentage decreases rapidly given the polling we are getting. 1 in 4 or something.

    So that leaves the Tories, who have their own problems, the LDs who have the same problem as Labour, the Labour peers, and Labour from down south. Which includes people like Mr Miliband who might as well be from the Planet Tralfamadore by comparison with what the average Scottish Labour voter expects. Not even telling the locals in Motherwell that a Labour shadow cabinet was in town was a big mistake, and it did not go down well - and that is core territory.

    I don't agree with Mr SeanT that the heart will be ripped out of the Labour party if Scotland votes yes - simply because Labour has long pulled itseld out of its Scottish roots. The question is whether it can reconnect with those for long enough and it may be too late now: even Mr Brown is not as respected as he once was.
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,005
    Mr. Carnyx, better to take a tactical defeat than a strategic one. Averting pain (whether it's reducing the deficit or Labour trying to avoid losing some votes in another election) usually only makes it worse, and is a sign of cowardice.

    Mind you, recent history tells us Labour sometimes prioritises tactical, short-term gains over strategic ones (cf devolution).
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763
    HopiSen said:

    GIN1138 said:

    LibDems will be reassured to see that Nick Clegg has learned his lesson and avoided peaking too soon.

    Conservatives will be reassured to see Ed Miliband slipping below 35%. He peaked 2 years too early.
    Swingback always happens, but the real problem is that Ed's "peak" was pretty pathetic in the first place, so he didn't have a cushion for when the inevitable happened.
    Swingback doesn't ALWAYS happen. In the post it was mostly down to sub-standard polling that systemically over-stated LAB.

    So how do you explain declining opposition leads as an election approaches. Does the polling improve as we get nearer the date?

    And how do you explain swing back happening to both Con and Lab governments.
    Oppositions lose vote share in the final year before elections. Even Hague and Howard lost a point or so, only exception I know of was in 1958-59, where there was little change, I think offhand that Labour were in bit of mess in 58 and united as election got closer).

    However, sometimes governments lose _more_ vote share. For example in 79: Tories went from 46 in April 78, to 44 in GE, but Labour went from 44 to 38. So, based on that you'd predict that Lab vote share next year would be lower than is now, but you'd be much less certain that Tory vote share will be higher -especially as Mike often points out, as this is a coalition, things could be different this time.

    Well maybe, but this time it's 4 party politics so it's harder to predict. The remarkable thing is the Conservatives holding 30+% despite UKIP.
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    EasterrossEasterross Posts: 1,915
    Afternoon all, glad to see Mike is repeating the point I made this morning about the Cleggasm in 2010.

    Separately, what a pathetic bunch the scribes on ConHome are. You would hardly believe we are on the fringes of crossover. From the moaning among the posters you would think we are being led by Gordon Brown!
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,005
    Mr. Easterross, are you suggesting a site once dubbed ContinuityIDS is not pro-Cameron?
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    MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053
    OMG! Yellow Box Pox has infested PB again.
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    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820
    edited April 2014
    Socrates said:

    You yourself have repeatedly linked a video of Farage saying they would use the EEA as a holding position to negotiate our own deal.

    "The UKIP answer is this: there is absolutely nothing to fear from leaving the European Union, because on D+1 we would find ourselves part of the European Economic Area and with a free trade deal. And we should use our membership of the EEA as a holding position, from which we can negotiate, as the European Union's biggest export market in the world, as good a deal - my goodness me, if Switzerland can have one, we can have an even better one."

    There is nothing as blind as a man who will not see.

    It's certainly not me being blind.

    OK, let's make the assumption it is UKIP's policy NOT to remain part of the EEA. I'd like to see them state that clearly, but, as you rightly point out, in some interviews that does appear to be Farage's position, whereas in others he says we'd be like Norway.

    If it is the case, then he was talking dishonest garbage citing EEA membership as a reason not to fear leaving the EU. In addition, he talks dishonest garbage when he cites Norway as a model (which he did as recently as the Clegg/Farage debates). If we're not going to remain in the EEA, Norway is completely irrelevant, and he should be honest enough to admit it is completely irrelevant.

    That leaves Switzerland as a possible model, with a tailored agreement, whereby we would negotiate access to the Single Market. If we look at Switzerland, that tailored agreement includes the free movement of workers and citizens - which is why there was such a fuss about the recent referendum:

    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/content/20140221IPR36669/html/EU-cannot-accept-cherry-picking-by-Switzerland

    Now, it might be that we could negotiate access to the Single Market excluding free movement of workers, but frankly I doubt it. It would be a key negotiating point, and I think our position on that point would be quite weak, for three reasons. Firstly, as Richard T pointed out on the previous thread, it is a founding principle of the EU and Single Market. Secondly, we have too many Britons living in other EU countries to be able to act tough. Thirdly, we actually want free movement of, say, French and German bankers, in order to retain the City as the prime financial centre in Europe, so it would be hard for us to argue against it.

    It's always hard to predict exactly what the outcome of negotiations would be, but I would extremely surprised, bordering on dumbfounded, if PM Farage was able to come back from Brussels (or more likely Berlin) waving a trade agreement giving us access to the Single Market which was substantially different, in terms of movement of people, from what we already have.
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    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    Gotta love Jose.
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    EasterrossEasterross Posts: 1,915
    I find the arguments of our UKIP friends about the EU as believable as those by Eck and the YESNP. The Norwegian Foreign Minister recently questioned why the UK would want to leave the EU. As he pointed out, Norway has to sign up to all new EU laws and has to contribute to parts of the cost of running the EU but it has no vote at the top table and no say in how the EU is run.

    Let's just suppose UKIP led the UK or rUK out of the EU. The first thing the French would do is tell Nigel Farage to fcuk off as De Gaul did for 2 decades to successive UK PMs and money would evaporate from the City of London faster than Labour donors from the Coop bank.
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    HopiSenHopiSen Posts: 48



    Well maybe, but this time it's 4 party politics so it's harder to predict. The remarkable thing is the Conservatives holding 30+% despite UKIP.

    True: You could make a case that _both_ big parties have more 'upside' than normal, as there's more voters in the 'others' pool to squeeze. However, in the eighties, there were a quarter of votes sitting with the alliance (about the same as the combined UKIP/LD vote today), and the opposition still lost share.

    If Tories are to win, they have to do two things, one get a big slice of the UKIP vote, and see Lab vote soften, either by sitting at home, or (less likely?) converting to Tories. Their problem, I think, is that trying to do both might lead to contradictory strategies.

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    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820
    HopiSen said:

    If Tories are to win, they have to do two things, one get a big slice of the UKIP vote, and see Lab vote soften, either by sitting at home, or (less likely?) converting to Tories. Their problem, I think, is that trying to do both might lead to contradictory strategies.

    Not really. The way to do both is to point out the danger that a Miliband government would wreck the recovery. As political messages go, this one not only has the merit of being easy to communicate, it also has the unusual merit of being true.
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    SimonStClareSimonStClare Posts: 7,976
    I hope TSE has a box of man-size tissues with him.
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    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322

    If it is the case, then he was talking dishonest garbage citing EEA membership as a reason not to fear leaving the EU. In addition, he talks dishonest garbage when he cites Norway as a model (which he did as recently as the Clegg/Farage debates). If we're not going to remain in the EEA, Norway is completely irrelevant, and he should be honest enough to admit it is completely irrelevant.

    No, that's not the case at all. He's just showing how the equating of free trade access with EU membership is ridiculous. It's like when someone on here the other day was talking about the UK moving to a federal situation, and used Germany and the USA to demonstrate some points. Does that mean we need to adopt the precise constitutional structure of Germany/the US or else they're irrelevant? Of course not. There are a number of countries with federal systems, and we could combine aspects of all of their systems were we to become a federation. In the same way, outside the EU we would no longer be in a EU-style straight jacket and we could negotiate our own deal that would combine aspects of multiple countries.

    That leaves Switzerland as a possible model, with a tailored agreement, whereby we would negotiate access to the Single Market. If we look at Switzerland, that tailored agreement includes the free movement of workers and citizens - which is why there was such a fuss about the recent referendum:

    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/content/20140221IPR36669/html/EU-cannot-accept-cherry-picking-by-Switzerland

    Yet the EU still has not taken action, and the action they are threatening is cancelling of a student exchange and a common research program. I think we could accept opting out of such things if it means getting control of our borders. And we'd be in an even stronger position as the outrage over Switzerland is because they signed up to common movement where we would not have, and also because we count for far more economically than Switzerland does.

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    Danny565Danny565 Posts: 8,091
    edited April 2014

    HopiSen said:

    If Tories are to win, they have to do two things, one get a big slice of the UKIP vote, and see Lab vote soften, either by sitting at home, or (less likely?) converting to Tories. Their problem, I think, is that trying to do both might lead to contradictory strategies.

    Not really. The way to do both is to point out the danger that a Miliband government would wreck the recovery. As political messages go, this one not only has the merit of being easy to communicate, it also has the unusual merit of being true.
    But the average person doesn't care about the so-called "recovery", because they're not seeing any benefits from it, so would have nothing to fear from wrecking it. The prospect of City of London bankers and southern-based CEOs of big corporations not being able to fill their pockets more is not a prospect which will terrify northerners into voting Tory.
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763
    HopiSen said:



    Well maybe, but this time it's 4 party politics so it's harder to predict. The remarkable thing is the Conservatives holding 30+% despite UKIP.

    True: You could make a case that _both_ big parties have more 'upside' than normal, as there's more voters in the 'others' pool to squeeze. However, in the eighties, there were a quarter of votes sitting with the alliance (about the same as the combined UKIP/LD vote today), and the opposition still lost share.

    If Tories are to win, they have to do two things, one get a big slice of the UKIP vote, and see Lab vote soften, either by sitting at home, or (less likely?) converting to Tories. Their problem, I think, is that trying to do both might lead to contradictory strategies.

    I can see Cameron getting back a slice of the kipper vote without having to try, the Stop Miliband theme will maybe get hin 5-7% back. But he will not get enough for a majority since he doesn't know how to manage a broad church. Ed's vote is softening in any event and he will fall below 35% by polling day imo. Everyone will still be saying they agree with Nick come may 2015.
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    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 31,014
    edited April 2014

    I find the arguments of our UKIP friends about the EU as believable as those by Eck and the YESNP. The Norwegian Foreign Minister recently questioned why the UK would want to leave the EU. As he pointed out, Norway has to sign up to all new EU laws and has to contribute to parts of the cost of running the EU but it has no vote at the top table and no say in how the EU is run.

    Let's just suppose UKIP led the UK or rUK out of the EU. The first thing the French would do is tell Nigel Farage to fcuk off as De Gaul did for 2 decades to successive UK PMs and money would evaporate from the City of London faster than Labour donors from the Coop bank.

    Nope that is almost entirely wrong from start to finish. The areas of EU law that Norway has to sign up to as part of the EEA are extremely limited and are a considerable portion of them involving such things as might be covered by things like trading standards/quality etc have to be signed up to by all countries exporting into the EU whether they are inside or not. Secondly the amount of money paid by Norway is a fraction of what it would pay were it a full member - and the same would apply to the UK.

    Finally the idea that business would disappear from London as a result of our leaving the EU is just laughable. It is exactly the same argument that Eurofanatics made about the UK joining the Euro and we all know how accurate those scare stories turned out to be. The EU needs the UK as a trading partner. Should we choose to leave that will remain the case and negotiations will be on that basis not on the scaremongering by those who can't bare to even consider our leaving.
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763

    HopiSen said:

    If Tories are to win, they have to do two things, one get a big slice of the UKIP vote, and see Lab vote soften, either by sitting at home, or (less likely?) converting to Tories. Their problem, I think, is that trying to do both might lead to contradictory strategies.

    Not really. The way to do both is to point out the danger that a Miliband government would wreck the recovery. As political messages go, this one not only has the merit of being easy to communicate, it also has the unusual merit of being true.
    Except of course it doesn't travel that well and many people can't see the difference between Miliband and Cameron. If this is the cameroons big hope then they'll fail on their own terms once again. Cameron can't break out of his Southern mentality.
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    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820
    @Socrates - You're missing the point.

    We are, I think, agreed (though Richard T oddly isn't) that leaving the EU but relying on the existing EEA structure is a waste of time, the worst of all worlds. In particular, it would mean no substantive difference on the free movement of workers and citizens. Agreed?

    So, if we leave the EU, we would have to NEGOTIATE some different deal with them. That does not mean that we can simply insist on full access to the Single Market on terms we want. It would be a negotiation - and my contention is that, as for Switzerland, the other side would not budge on the principle of the free movement of workers (there might be a bit of wriggle room on non-workers). I have explained my reasons for saying this. Farage (like Alex Salmond) seems to think a negotiation is a one-way street, where your counterparty's priorities are irrelevant. Well, it's not.

    As for the Switzerland position following the referendum, it's early days, but my prediction is that the EU view will prevail.
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    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    Socrates said:

    @tykejohnno

    Opinion polls show the thing the British public want to renegotiate most from the EU is control of immigration. Richard Nabavi has already admitted that this will never happen within the EU. So if you want that, your best bet is not the Tories at all.

    Wrong. If you don't like what the Tories manage to negotiate then you can vote to leave. Support UKIP and you won't get the opportunity to decide.

    It's the classic conundrum: snipe from the sidelines but have no impact on the outcome, or compromise a little and get most of what you want
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    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820

    Except of course it doesn't travel that well and many people can't see the difference between Miliband and Cameron. If this is the cameroons big hope then they'll fail on their own terms once again. Cameron can't break out of his Southern mentality.

    Then Miliband may well become PM and voters will find out the difference the hard way. It's certainly a risk which I am taking steps to protect myself against.
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763
    Danny565 said:

    HopiSen said:

    If Tories are to win, they have to do two things, one get a big slice of the UKIP vote, and see Lab vote soften, either by sitting at home, or (less likely?) converting to Tories. Their problem, I think, is that trying to do both might lead to contradictory strategies.

    Not really. The way to do both is to point out the danger that a Miliband government would wreck the recovery. As political messages go, this one not only has the merit of being easy to communicate, it also has the unusual merit of being true.
    But the average person doesn't care about the so-called "recovery", because they're not seeing any benefits from it, so would have nothing to fear from wrecking it. The prospect of City of London bankers and southern-based CEOs of big corporations not being able to fill their pockets more is not a prospect which will terrify northerners into voting Tory.
    Yup, 10,000 more votes in South Surrey means nothing, he needs 54 factory worker in North Warwickshire or 93 pensioners in Bolton West.
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    Danny565Danny565 Posts: 8,091

    Except of course it doesn't travel that well and many people can't see the difference between Miliband and Cameron. If this is the cameroons big hope then they'll fail on their own terms once again. Cameron can't break out of his Southern mentality.

    Then Miliband may well become PM and voters will find out the difference the hard way. It's certainly a risk which I am taking steps to protect myself against.
    Don't I remember you saying that, if Ed Miliband wins next time, he'd be guaranteed a second term?
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    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 31,014

    @Socrates - You're missing the point.

    We are, I think, agreed (though Richard T oddly isn't) that leaving the EU but relying on the existing EEA structure is a waste of time, the worst of all worlds. In particular, it would mean no substantive difference on the free movement of workers and citizens. Agreed?

    So, if we leave the EU, we would have to NEGOTIATE some different deal with them. That does not mean that we can simply insist on full access to the Single Market on terms we want. It would be a negotiation - and my contention is that, as for Switzerland, the other side would not budge on the principle of the free movement of workers (there might be a bit of wriggle room on non-workers). I have explained my reasons for saying this. Farage (like Alex Salmond) seems to think a negotiation is a one-way street, where your counterparty's priorities are irrelevant. Well, it's not.

    As for the Switzerland position following the referendum, it's early days, but my prediction is that the EU view will prevail.

    Bear in mind Richard that one reason I disagree with you about the EEA (though I am not wedded to the idea) is because I do not see immigration per se as such a big issue at the moment. Though I accept that in trying to sell the immigration argument Farage has a much bigger problem with the EEA.

    To kind of throw a spanner in my own argument as well but in the interests of fairness it is also not entirely clear whether or not we would automatically be in the EEA/EFTA if we left the EU. This is something that RIchard North and I have been discussing and something that I believe he was planning on raising in the form of a question with the current EFTA General Secretary.
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    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820

    Yup, 10,000 more votes in South Surrey means nothing, he needs 54 factory worker in North Warwickshire or 93 pensioners in Bolton West.

    Those 54 factory workers have every reason to vote Tory:

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-23/u-k-manufacturing-confidence-rises-to-highest-in-four-decades.html

    Labour's attempt to present this as not a proper recovery and not benefiting the whole country is a neat bit of spin, but not one which stands up to even cursory scrutiny.
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763

    Except of course it doesn't travel that well and many people can't see the difference between Miliband and Cameron. If this is the cameroons big hope then they'll fail on their own terms once again. Cameron can't break out of his Southern mentality.

    Then Miliband may well become PM and voters will find out the difference the hard way. It's certainly a risk which I am taking steps to protect myself against.
    How ? This is the argument you don't get but which danny has just summed up. Out here nobody cares if Southerners have higher taxes and slower house price inflation. It doesn't affect us much. We simply scratch our heads and ask why you lot want to put Labour back in power by not appealing to a wider audience. If Ed hurts you, well you voted for it.
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    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820
    Danny565 said:

    Don't I remember you saying that, if Ed Miliband wins next time, he'd be guaranteed a second term?

    Not quite.

    My position is that I do guarantee that he will very rapidly be exceptionally unpopular, but sadly that doesn't mean that he wouldn't get a second term. It would depend on whether current and former Conservatives unify or split further. On past (and to an extent present) form, I wouldn't be confident that they wouldn't cut off their noses to spite our faces.
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    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820

    To kind of throw a spanner in my own argument as well but in the interests of fairness it is also not entirely clear whether or not we would automatically be in the EEA/EFTA if we left the EU. This is something that RIchard North and I have been discussing and something that I believe he was planning on raising in the form of a question with the current EFTA General Secretary.

    Yes, that is a very interesting question.

    In practice, though, it might be a bit academic - there would surely have to be some new negotiated relationship whatever happens.
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    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322

    @Socrates - You're missing the point.

    We are, I think, agreed (though Richard T oddly isn't) that leaving the EU but relying on the existing EEA structure is a waste of time, the worst of all worlds. In particular, it would mean no substantive difference on the free movement of workers and citizens. Agreed?

    I disagree it would be the worst of all worlds. It would be better than EU membership, but still worse than a custom deal with immigration controls.

    So, if we leave the EU, we would have to NEGOTIATE some different deal with them. That does not mean that we can simply insist on full access to the Single Market on terms we want. It would be a negotiation - and my contention is that, as for Switzerland, the other side would not budge on the principle of the free movement of workers (there might be a bit of wriggle room on non-workers). I have explained my reasons for saying this. Farage (like Alex Salmond) seems to think a negotiation is a one-way street, where your counterparty's priorities are irrelevant. Well, it's not.

    As for the Switzerland position following the referendum, it's early days, but my prediction is that the EU view will prevail.

    I agree that we will not get Single Market access on all the perfect terms we would want. However, as examples like South Korea and Mexico have shown, expansive free trade deals are possible without the freedom of movement provision. We would be able to get a stronger deal than either of these countries because (a) we are a much larger economy, (b) there are a lot of continental European businesses that are currently operating under the current provisions so would lobby their own government to maintain openness and (c) the EU side would have to acknowledge after the British public voted for a referendum to leave on the EU in a large part because of immigration, they would know a British PM could not agree to this long term.

    There would likely be some changes, but we would get around 90% of what we currently have. The lost 10% pales compared to the huge amount of trade we could get through negotiating FTAs with the USA, Australia, India, China and Latin America.
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763

    Yup, 10,000 more votes in South Surrey means nothing, he needs 54 factory worker in North Warwickshire or 93 pensioners in Bolton West.

    Those 54 factory workers have every reason to vote Tory:

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-23/u-k-manufacturing-confidence-rises-to-highest-in-four-decades.html

    Labour's attempt to present this as not a proper recovery and not benefiting the whole country is a neat bit of spin, but not one which stands up to even cursory scrutiny.
    Shows how much you understand about manufacturing I'm afraid. Osborne has done next to bugger all bar turn up for photo ops celebrating other people's achievements.
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    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    Charles said:

    Socrates said:

    @tykejohnno

    Opinion polls show the thing the British public want to renegotiate most from the EU is control of immigration. Richard Nabavi has already admitted that this will never happen within the EU. So if you want that, your best bet is not the Tories at all.

    Wrong. If you don't like what the Tories manage to negotiate then you can vote to leave. Support UKIP and you won't get the opportunity to decide.

    It's the classic conundrum: snipe from the sidelines but have no impact on the outcome, or compromise a little and get most of what you want
    The Tories will never win a majority at the next election, thus we are not going to get a referendum in the 2015-2020 period. The question is whether we will get one post-2020. We are much more likely to get that with a strong UKIP performance in 2015, rather than them becoming a busted flush that underperforms.
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    Life_ina_market_townLife_ina_market_town Posts: 2,319
    edited April 2014
    There is always the unilateral position, which we implemented after the corn laws were repealed by the Importation Act 1846, which could be adopted after any future secession from the European Union. That is not to make a deal with the Union at all, and to declare the United Kingdom a free trade zone. Now it is true that European Union exports' would trade freely within the United Kingdom, but our exports would be subject to the common external tariff. But what is to object to the best deal possible for the British consumer? Furthermore, it would not be in the continentals' interest to prevent us exporting goods to them, because if we did not, from where would we get the Euros to pay for their exports? Unlike our Victorian and Edwardian ancestors, we now also have the additional protection of the WTO.

    Unfortunately, I doubt whether any politician would be "courageous" enough to advocate such a policy.
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    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 31,014

    To kind of throw a spanner in my own argument as well but in the interests of fairness it is also not entirely clear whether or not we would automatically be in the EEA/EFTA if we left the EU. This is something that RIchard North and I have been discussing and something that I believe he was planning on raising in the form of a question with the current EFTA General Secretary.

    Yes, that is a very interesting question.

    In practice, though, it might be a bit academic - there would surely have to be some new negotiated relationship whatever happens.
    I think the reason the question came up is that there are some who claim (and I was one of them until recently but am now not so sure) that our status as an independent signatory to the EFTA agreement in addition to the EU meant that we would automatically be a member if and when we left. I am no longer clear on the treaty status of that.
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    Poor old TSE.

    No doubt he bet on Chelsea as a hedge, so at least he'll have made some money!!
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    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820
    edited April 2014

    Shows how much you understand about manufacturing I'm afraid. Osborne has done next to bugger all bar turn up for photo ops celebrating other people's achievements.

    Osborne has put in place a macro-economic policy which puts us (despite the appalling starting position he inherited, and the external headwinds since) to the top of the league table on growth, whilst simultaneously reducing the deficit and keeping unemployment relatively low. He has also changed the tax incentives to help business, and made major structural changes to provide stability.

    His job is to provide that macro framework, and he has done it extremely well. It's up to others to build their businesses within that stable framework, and there is every sign that that is exactly what is happening (and as you rightly say that gives him some photo-opportunities).

    Anyone who doesn't think Miliband can wreck all this is frankly out with the fairies.
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