politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » First post-reshuffle poll has the public backing Cameron over Gove
What’s marked here is the readiness of those polled across the spectrum to back Cameron. Also note the contrast between the Gove doing good job numbers and the reshuffle finding. You would expect them to be closer.
I think this polling does not much more than show the continuing power of the media where Gove's opponents were given free rein to paint him as Beelzebub on a particularly bad day. I very much doubt that the majority of those polled were in a position to give any kind of substantive critique as to whether the reforms were a good thing or not.
This is not a whinge, it is recognition that Gove had completely lost the media argument for his reforms and failed to make the case in the court of public opinion as opposed to the House of Commons where he was dominant over a poor shadow. These are major failings in a politician, particularly a radical one, and they make the alleged decision by the tories to have Gove fronting their media in the run up to the next election....interesting.
Love this bit.. "The session ended with no rowdiness or euphoria. All was as quiet as the Dignitas clinic when Faure’s Requiem starts to play. Which may happen quite soon for weary old Ed.
On topic, the defenestration of Gove should come as a wake up call to Labour. Cameron and Osborne have no intention of relinquishing power next May. They will be ruthless over the next 9 months to achieve that.
I think this polling does not much more than show the continuing power of the media where Gove's opponents were given free rein to paint him as Beelzebub on a particularly bad day. I very much doubt that the majority of those polled were in a position to give any kind of substantive critique as to whether the reforms were a good thing or not.
This is not a whinge, it is recognition that Gove had completely lost the media argument for his reforms and failed to make the case in the court of public opinion as opposed to the House of Commons where he was dominant over a poor shadow. These are major failings in a politician, particularly a radical one, and they make the alleged decision by the tories to have Gove fronting their media in the run up to the next election....interesting.
A fair post, up to a point. But you forget that Gove had a huge number of cheerleaders in the media - perhaps more than any other minister. And any negative press he received would not have been worse than that thrown at, say, IDS, who has survived and whose policies seem to have majority public suport. It could just be that a lot of voters hate the idea of an ideologue running our schools and were judging Gove on what he had actually achieved, as opposed to what his cheerleaders claim he has achieved.
On topic, the defenestration of Gove should come as a wake up call to Labour. Cameron and Osborne have no intention of relinquishing power next May. They will be ruthless over the next 9 months to achieve that.
You've been warned, Ed....
There is absolutely no doubt that getting rid of Gove was a smart move in terms of politics. More importantly, it could also be a very good one in terms of policy. If someone less ideologically strident runs the DoE and is prepared to look at all evidence about what makes for a good school system we could begin to get somewhere.
I think this polling does not much more than show the continuing power of the media where Gove's opponents were given free rein to paint him as Beelzebub on a particularly bad day. I very much doubt that the majority of those polled were in a position to give any kind of substantive critique as to whether the reforms were a good thing or not.
This is not a whinge, it is recognition that Gove had completely lost the media argument for his reforms and failed to make the case in the court of public opinion as opposed to the House of Commons where he was dominant over a poor shadow. These are major failings in a politician, particularly a radical one, and they make the alleged decision by the tories to have Gove fronting their media in the run up to the next election....interesting.
A fair post, up to a point. But you forget that Gove had a huge number of cheerleaders in the media - perhaps more than any other minister. And any negative press he received would not have been worse than that thrown at, say, IDS, who has survived and whose policies seem to have majority public suport. It could just be that a lot of voters hate the idea of an ideologue running our schools and were judging Gove on what he had actually achieved, as opposed to what his cheerleaders claim he has achieved.
The fact that Gove had outriders in the media and that those parents who were lucky enough to get their kids into a free school were very enthusiastic makes his failure all the more stark.
I agree with your other post that the fact that Osborne and Cameron were willing to do this to one of their closest chums for political advantage shows a ruthlessness and focus that Cameron in particular only tends to show when he really means it. The tories are now on a war footing. Labour....not so much.
I think this polling does not much more than show the continuing power of the media where Gove's opponents were given free rein to paint him as Beelzebub on a particularly bad day. I very much doubt that the majority of those polled were in a position to give any kind of substantive critique as to whether the reforms were a good thing or not.
This is not a whinge, it is recognition that Gove had completely lost the media argument for his reforms and failed to make the case in the court of public opinion as opposed to the House of Commons where he was dominant over a poor shadow. These are major failings in a politician, particularly a radical one, and they make the alleged decision by the tories to have Gove fronting their media in the run up to the next election....interesting.
A fair post, up to a point. But you forget that Gove had a huge number of cheerleaders in the media - perhaps more than any other minister. And any negative press he received would not have been worse than that thrown at, say, IDS, who has survived and whose policies seem to have majority public suport. It could just be that a lot of voters hate the idea of an ideologue running our schools and were judging Gove on what he had actually achieved, as opposed to what his cheerleaders claim he has achieved.
The fact that Gove had outriders in the media and that those parents who were lucky enough to get their kids into a free school were very enthusiastic makes his failure all the more stark.
I agree with your other post that the fact that Osborne and Cameron were willing to do this to one of their closest chums for political advantage shows a ruthlessness and focus that Cameron in particular only tends to show when he really means it. The tories are now on a war footing. Labour....not so much.
Outriders? He had a fully signed-up coterie of worshippers in newspapers that between them dominate the market. The idea that it was the media which brought Gove down is absurd. He did it to himself and it happened because he could not see beyond his own prejudices and ideological beliefs. He was captured by his very own blob. And in the end, that did for him.
"The Conservatives have drawn up plans designed to limit the power of the European Court of Human Rights and to reassert the sovereignty of Parliament.
David Cameron has been presented with the proposals that would mean Parliament decided what constitutes a breach of human rights.
Strasbourg rulings on issues like votes for prisoners have angered many Tories.
Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, sacked in the reshuffle, is thought to have warned against the planned change.
BBC political editor Nick Robinson said a report written by a working group of Conservative lawyers predicts the so-called British Bill of Rights could force changes in the way the Strasbourg court operates."
In view of some of the illogical decisions made by and on behalf of the ECHR recently, surely this will find favour among the electorate - but will the LibDems try to block it?
Morning all and oh dear the LibDems attempt to distance themselves from the Government Spare Room subsidy is bombing big style. Eamonn Holmes slagged Simon Hughes off to his face. How much longer can the Orange Book LibDems put up with this nonsense?
Morning all and oh dear the LibDems attempt to distance themselves from the Government Spare Room subsidy is bombing big style. Eamonn Holmes slagged Simon Hughes off to his face. How much longer can the Orange Book LibDems put up with this nonsense?
Beginning to regret my wager with ISam - reckon the greens could beat the LDs at this rate.
I have little doubt that Cammo had private polling results in front of him when he designed his reshuffle. The problem with polling on individual Cabinet ministers is the proportion of the electorate who are actually qualified to decide whether Gove should go and IDS stay or vice versa. Probably smaller than Jack W's ARSE.
Gove's new job is of course simply to break up the coalition - hence the LDs timing of their whinge about an unfair tax they've been able to live with these last 3 years and more. Cammo can then produce the Bills he wants in his next manifesto, while the Mail and the Murdoch press berate Ed-Will-Never-Be for objecting to a snap election.
Morning all and oh dear the LibDems attempt to distance themselves from the Government Spare Room subsidy is bombing big style. Eamonn Holmes slagged Simon Hughes off to his face. How much longer can the Orange Book LibDems put up with this nonsense?
Morming all.
From what I've read on the subject this morning, it is Danny Alexander leading the charge against the subsidy - I might be mistaken, but isn't he an orange booker?
The LibDems really are in a hell of a mess ahead of the election. Trying to row away from a policy that could only have been implemented with their approval is not going to help them in the eyes of those who have gone off to Labour. And a semi-detached attitude to being in Govt. robs them of any ability to claim credit for the economic upturn.
Morning all and oh dear the LibDems attempt to distance themselves from the Government Spare Room subsidy is bombing big style. Eamonn Holmes slagged Simon Hughes off to his face. How much longer can the Orange Book LibDems put up with this nonsense?
Morming all.
From what I've read on the subject this morning, it is Danny Alexander leading the charge against the subsidy - I might be mistaken, but isn't he an orange booker?
Indeed, which should give pause for thought.
It appears Alexander isn't convinced aspects of the policy are working effectively especially in relation to the disabled and their carers.
The political aspects of the policy have also been lost - bedroom tax is the common currency rather than spare room subsidy just as poll tax was to community charge. Further the prospect of eviction notices being served, under the glare of the media, to the disabled isn't an image the Coalition should be encouraging in the coming months.
The devil will be in the upcoming detail and a number of cases are already in the courts but that will largely be lost upon a single report of bailiffs attempting to remove beds, oxygen bottles and other medical equipment.
The LibDems really are in a hell of a mess ahead of the election. Trying to row away from a policy that could only have been implemented with their approval is not going to help them in the eyes of those who have gone off to Labour. And a semi-detached attitude to being in Govt. robs them of any ability to claim credit for the economic upturn.
A poll on which parts of government the electorate do give credit for an economic upturn which the average voter considers to be a wholly theoretical concept (because it is only benefitting those who were extremely well off in the first place) would be most interesting...
When, a number of months back, I said that the Liberals would remove their support for the Bedroom Tax I met derision and ire from the usual suspects on here. Presumably they will now be gracious enough to concede the point.
Nevertheless, good to see. Regardless of the moral rights and wrongs of the policy, the fact is that it simply doesn't work in practice, the Law of Unintended Consequences playing large. Just an absolute dog of a policy that was not thought through by its pioneers.
Gove's new job is of course simply to break up the coalition - hence the LDs timing of their whinge about an unfair tax they've been able to live with these last 3 years and more. Cammo can then produce the Bills he wants in his next manifesto, while the Mail and the Murdoch press berate Ed-Will-Never-Be for objecting to a snap election.
Nah - not worth the trouble of bringing it forward by a handful of months and having a midwinter election, trying to explain why it was vital to have it now rather than May. But if they want to, bring it on - at constituency level we are ready and the Tories really are not, in my opinion (at least in my patch and those I've heard about).
I think this polling does not much more than show the continuing power of the media where Gove's opponents were given free rein to paint him as Beelzebub on a particularly bad day. I very much doubt that the majority of those polled were in a position to give any kind of substantive critique as to whether the reforms were a good thing or not.
This is not a whinge, it is recognition that Gove had completely lost the media argument for his reforms and failed to make the case in the court of public opinion as opposed to the House of Commons where he was dominant over a poor shadow. These are major failings in a politician, particularly a radical one, and they make the alleged decision by the tories to have Gove fronting their media in the run up to the next election....interesting.
Yes but the real fruits of Gove's Labour will not be seen for some years. The real changes that matter start in September with the new curriculum. revamped A Level starting the year after and then the totally transformed GCSE. Even those in education expect the new GSCE to be an improvement on what we have.
They complain about the pace of change but personally I agree with Gove, we have waited too long to get things done and say what you like about him he has made things happen.
Gove is a free spirit who basically doesn't care who he upsets and that is a lot of people whose toes he has trod on. His unpopularity is false in some ways because I doubt most people really are aware of exactly what he has done, most of the arguments in the media have been side issues. He hasn't been skilled in dealing with them in the media, either because he thought he was bombproof, or he didn't care.
If Cameron uses him carefully in the campaign Gove could be a major asset, going head to head against any opponent in debate he is as formidable as you will see in a modern politician, he really is capable of making a mess of many of those Labour front benchers. So sharp and quick witted, I don't there would be many takers to go up against him
Morning all and oh dear the LibDems attempt to distance themselves from the Government Spare Room subsidy is bombing big style. Eamonn Holmes slagged Simon Hughes off to his face. How much longer can the Orange Book LibDems put up with this nonsense?
Morming all.
From what I've read on the subject this morning, it is Danny Alexander leading the charge against the subsidy - I might be mistaken, but isn't he an orange booker?
Indeed, which should give pause for thought.
It appears Alexander isn't convinced aspects of the policy are working effectively especially in relation to the disabled and their carers.
The political aspects of the policy have also been lost - bedroom tax is the common currency rather than spare room subsidy just as poll tax was to community charge. Further the prospect of eviction notices being served, under the glare of the media, to the disabled isn't an image the Coalition should be encouraging in the coming months.
The devil will be in the upcoming detail and a number of cases are already in the courts but that will largely be lost upon a single report of bailiffs attempting to remove beds, oxygen bottles and other medical equipment.
All true but you are wise after the event Jack.
When I posted on here that the Liberal support for the BT was collapsing and would soon be removed, you told me I was wrong.
Could Cameron and Clegg decide to end the coalition this autumn ?
I suspect both Cameron and Clegg must be thinking that it may benefit both parties to end the coalition ahead of the party conferences, so that both parties are free to discuss their different policies ahead of the election. We have already heard that the Lib Dems want to make changes to the bedroom tax. I suspect that they also want to change other policies, possibly university tuition fees, which is causing a large liability to be built up on government accounts.
It would be possible for the Tories to continue between September and May on their own, with the Lib Dems agreeing to support key legislation.
If they continue the coalition right to the end, they will be trying to continue joint government, while also campaigning by stating their different policies. I doubt either party would think that this would be a wise move, as they will want to provide a clear message to the electorate about their policies.
I think this polling does not much more than show the continuing power of the media where Gove's opponents were given free rein to paint him as Beelzebub on a particularly bad day. I very much doubt that the majority of those polled were in a position to give any kind of substantive critique as to whether the reforms were a good thing or not.
This is not a whinge, it is recognition that Gove had completely lost the media argument for his reforms and failed to make the case in the court of public opinion as opposed to the House of Commons where he was dominant over a poor shadow. These are major failings in a politician, particularly a radical one, and they make the alleged decision by the tories to have Gove fronting their media in the run up to the next election....interesting.
A fair post, up to a point. But you forget that Gove had a huge number of cheerleaders in the media - perhaps more than any other minister. And any negative press he received would not have been worse than that thrown at, say, IDS, who has survived and whose policies seem to have majority public suport. It could just be that a lot of voters hate the idea of an ideologue running our schools and were judging Gove on what he had actually achieved, as opposed to what his cheerleaders claim he has achieved.
The fact that Gove had outriders in the media and that those parents who were lucky enough to get their kids into a free school were very enthusiastic makes his failure all the more stark.
I agree with your other post that the fact that Osborne and Cameron were willing to do this to one of their closest chums for political advantage shows a ruthlessness and focus that Cameron in particular only tends to show when he really means it. The tories are now on a war footing. Labour....not so much.
I don't know about that, my belief is Edward has shown his desire for power in the past, I reckon he really wants it badly and do whatever it takes, this reshuffle does show good signs Cameron is up for it as well, which at times I have had my doubts about.
"The Conservatives have drawn up plans designed to limit the power of the European Court of Human Rights and to reassert the sovereignty of Parliament.
David Cameron has been presented with the proposals that would mean Parliament decided what constitutes a breach of human rights.
Strasbourg rulings on issues like votes for prisoners have angered many Tories.
Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, sacked in the reshuffle, is thought to have warned against the planned change.
BBC political editor Nick Robinson said a report written by a working group of Conservative lawyers predicts the so-called British Bill of Rights could force changes in the way the Strasbourg court operates."
In view of some of the illogical decisions made by and on behalf of the ECHR recently, surely this will find favour among the electorate - but will the LibDems try to block it?
A pointless exercise. The UK cannot unilaterally decide to change the terms of its membership of the ECHR, no matter how strange some of the decisions might be. We can of course decide to ignore rulings from the court but we would then be in breach of our membership.
Morning all and oh dear the LibDems attempt to distance themselves from the Government Spare Room subsidy is bombing big style. Eamonn Holmes slagged Simon Hughes off to his face. How much longer can the Orange Book LibDems put up with this nonsense?
Morming all.
From what I've read on the subject this morning, it is Danny Alexander leading the charge against the subsidy - I might be mistaken, but isn't he an orange booker?
Indeed, which should give pause for thought.
It appears Alexander isn't convinced aspects of the policy are working effectively especially in relation to the disabled and their carers.
The political aspects of the policy have also been lost - bedroom tax is the common currency rather than spare room subsidy just as poll tax was to community charge. Further the prospect of eviction notices being served, under the glare of the media, to the disabled isn't an image the Coalition should be encouraging in the coming months.
The devil will be in the upcoming detail and a number of cases are already in the courts but that will largely be lost upon a single report of bailiffs attempting to remove beds, oxygen bottles and other medical equipment.
All true but you are wise after the event Jack.
When I posted on here that the Liberal support for the BT was collapsing and would soon be removed, you told me I was wrong.
Perhaps you might link the offending posts ?
I stand to be corrected but you will hunt in vain.
I've always had misgivings about this policy. Looks fine and dandy on paper as all policies do but then they run up against the reality of the real difficulties of real people and the disconnect between ministers and senior civil servants and normal human beings is laid bare.
Morning all and oh dear the LibDems attempt to distance themselves from the Government Spare Room subsidy is bombing big style. Eamonn Holmes slagged Simon Hughes off to his face. How much longer can the Orange Book LibDems put up with this nonsense?
Morming all.
From what I've read on the subject this morning, it is Danny Alexander leading the charge against the subsidy - I might be mistaken, but isn't he an orange booker?
Indeed, which should give pause for thought.
It appears Alexander isn't convinced aspects of the policy are working effectively especially in relation to the disabled and their carers.
[snip]
Alexander and the LDs supported the bill and kept quiet over the interim years - lets not dress this up as anything more than yet another distancing initiative.
Morning all and oh dear the LibDems attempt to distance themselves from the Government Spare Room subsidy is bombing big style. Eamonn Holmes slagged Simon Hughes off to his face. How much longer can the Orange Book LibDems put up with this nonsense?
Morming all.
From what I've read on the subject this morning, it is Danny Alexander leading the charge against the subsidy - I might be mistaken, but isn't he an orange booker?
Indeed, which should give pause for thought.
It appears Alexander isn't convinced aspects of the policy are working effectively especially in relation to the disabled and their carers.
[snip]
Alexander and the LDs supported the bill and kept quiet over the interim years - lets not dress this up as anything more than yet another distancing initiative.
Certainly that is another consequence of their shift.
But as you indicated if Deep Orange Booker Alexander is the driving force there has to be more to the shift than just distancing. Perchance the yellow peril, faced with some evidence, think it's better to amend the policy rather than await a car crash.
The most charitable among us might even ponder that the LibDems were saving the Conservatives from themselves ....
Of course if Gove can help Dave win the election he can be rewarded with the CoTE role when GO broadens his CV by moving to FS. As we have seen with GO, being a great CoTE can improve your ratings no end. Gove may be carried aloft through the streets of Doncaster yet.
Morning all and oh dear the LibDems attempt to distance themselves from the Government Spare Room subsidy is bombing big style. Eamonn Holmes slagged Simon Hughes off to his face. How much longer can the Orange Book LibDems put up with this nonsense?
Morming all.
From what I've read on the subject this morning, it is Danny Alexander leading the charge against the subsidy - I might be mistaken, but isn't he an orange booker?
Indeed, which should give pause for thought.
It appears Alexander isn't convinced aspects of the policy are working effectively especially in relation to the disabled and their carers.
[snip]
Alexander and the LDs supported the bill and kept quiet over the interim years - lets not dress this up as anything more than yet another distancing initiative.
Certainly that is another consequence of their shift.
You appear to have misunderstood my original post in response to Easterross, - which was to question the validity of the claim that 'orange bookers' would be angered by the apparent u-turn by the LDs.
"The Conservatives have drawn up plans designed to limit the power of the European Court of Human Rights and to reassert the sovereignty of Parliament.
David Cameron has been presented with the proposals that would mean Parliament decided what constitutes a breach of human rights.
Strasbourg rulings on issues like votes for prisoners have angered many Tories.
Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, sacked in the reshuffle, is thought to have warned against the planned change.
BBC political editor Nick Robinson said a report written by a working group of Conservative lawyers predicts the so-called British Bill of Rights could force changes in the way the Strasbourg court operates."
In view of some of the illogical decisions made by and on behalf of the ECHR recently, surely this will find favour among the electorate - but will the LibDems try to block it?
A pointless exercise. The UK cannot unilaterally decide to change the terms of its membership of the ECHR, no matter how strange some of the decisions might be. We can of course decide to ignore rulings from the court but we would then be in breach of our membership.
The words being quoted by the BeeB this morning was that UK legislation would have primacy over the ECHR.
Morning all and oh dear the LibDems attempt to distance themselves from the Government Spare Room subsidy is bombing big style. Eamonn Holmes slagged Simon Hughes off to his face. How much longer can the Orange Book LibDems put up with this nonsense?
Morming all.
From what I've read on the subject this morning, it is Danny Alexander leading the charge against the subsidy - I might be mistaken, but isn't he an orange booker?
Indeed, which should give pause for thought.
It appears Alexander isn't convinced aspects of the policy are working effectively especially in relation to the disabled and their carers.
The political aspects of the policy have also been lost - bedroom tax is the common currency rather than spare room subsidy just as poll tax was to community charge. Further the prospect of eviction notices being served, under the glare of the media, to the disabled isn't an image the Coalition should be encouraging in the coming months.
The devil will be in the upcoming detail and a number of cases are already in the courts but that will largely be lost upon a single report of bailiffs attempting to remove beds, oxygen bottles and other medical equipment.
All true but you are wise after the event Jack.
When I posted on here that the Liberal support for the BT was collapsing and would soon be removed, you told me I was wrong.
Perhaps you might link the offending posts ?
I stand to be corrected but you will hunt in vain.
I've always had misgivings about this policy. Looks fine and dandy on paper as all policies do but then they run up against the reality of the real difficulties of real people and the disconnect between ministers and senior civil servants and normal human beings is laid bare.
Jack - I am not calling into question your distaste for the Bedroom Tax. But when I pointed out that Farron had removed party support, and that the Liberals were thus preparing for a reverse ferret you told me that Farron had no such power.
A pointless exercise. The UK cannot unilaterally decide to change the terms of its membership of the ECHR, no matter how strange some of the decisions might be. We can of course decide to ignore rulings from the court but we would then be in breach of our membership.
Yes, it's reminiscent of Tony Blair at the lowest points of triangulation. Are we in favour of inconveniently popular theme which we privately think unwise? "Well, we're in favour of it in principle and will work to make it happen..." Of course, if Cameron were to say what we'd do if the ECHR then ruled that we were in breach, that would be different, but I suspect he won't.
I assume that the Tory conference will at last feature the unveiling of Cameron's renegotiation objectives - there has to be a reason why they're still not clearly stated, less than 3 years before we're supposed to be voting on the Treaty ratified by 27 countries to approve them. The tricky thing is that they'll be full of this sort of stuff, which makes Eurosceptical gestures without actually changing things.
There was mounting opposition to the spare room subsidy axe within Scottish Lib Dems. Alexander's about turn should be seen in that light. Staring at the prospect of losing 7 or more of their 11 MPs in Scotland, they need all their few remaining activists on board. So chuck them a bone.
Meanwhile another "trust" problem for the LDs image with voters and they re-position themselves on the sides of welfare claimants. Not a wise move. More asterisk ratings?
I think this polling does not much more than show the continuing power of the media where Gove's opponents were given free rein to paint him as Beelzebub on a particularly bad day. I very much doubt that the majority of those polled were in a position to give any kind of substantive critique as to whether the reforms were a good thing or not.
This is not a whinge, it is recognition that Gove had completely lost the media argument for his reforms and failed to make the case in the court of public opinion as opposed to the House of Commons where he was dominant over a poor shadow. These are major failings in a politician, particularly a radical one, and they make the alleged decision by the tories to have Gove fronting their media in the run up to the next election....interesting.
A fair post, up to a point. But you forget that Gove had a huge number of cheerleaders in the media - perhaps more than any other minister. And any negative press he received would not have been worse than that thrown at, say, IDS, who has survived and whose policies seem to have majority public suport. It could just be that a lot of voters hate the idea of an ideologue running our schools and were judging Gove on what he had actually achieved, as opposed to what his cheerleaders claim he has achieved.
The fact that Gove had outriders in the media and that those parents who were lucky enough to get their kids into a free school were very enthusiastic makes his failure all the more stark.
I agree with your other post that the fact that Osborne and Cameron were willing to do this to one of their closest chums for political advantage shows a ruthlessness and focus that Cameron in particular only tends to show when he really means it. The tories are now on a war footing. Labour....not so much.
Laughable.
Any parent sending their kid to an untested "Free School" run by a rightwing ideologue is being nothing less than reckless with their kids education.
Labour will allow the deranged FRee School policy to wither on the vine post election. They should deliver the coup de grace on day 1 in office but we know how politics works.
A poll on which parts of government the electorate do give credit for an economic upturn which the average voter considers to be a wholly theoretical concept (because it is only benefitting those who were extremely well off in the first place) would be most interesting...
It will be interesting to see if those many hundreds of thousands who have employment under this Govt. but didn't under Labour wish to lash out at the rich for having more by kicking out the Govt. that has turned things around so they can work. It is possible of course. But it would have stoked their ire more if the rich weren't paying 5% more income tax now than under virtually all of the time of the last Labour Govt.
The poorest have been taken out of tax.
The richest are paying more tax, the tax rates and the closing of loopholes ensuring that.
This Govt. has overseen a narrowing of the gap between rich and poor. It seems to be somewhat less intensely relaxed than its predecessor about the filthy rich.....
The middle face paying more under Labour.
Expect this message to be hammered for the next nine months.
Morning all and oh dear the LibDems attempt to distance themselves from the Government Spare Room subsidy is bombing big style. Eamonn Holmes slagged Simon Hughes off to his face. How much longer can the Orange Book LibDems put up with this nonsense?
Morming all.
From what I've read on the subject this morning, it is Danny Alexander leading the charge against the subsidy - I might be mistaken, but isn't he an orange booker?
Indeed, which should give pause for thought.
It appears Alexander isn't convinced aspects of the policy are working effectively especially in relation to the disabled and their carers.
The political aspects of the policy have also been lost - bedroom tax is the common currency rather than spare room subsidy just as poll tax was to community charge. Further the prospect of eviction notices being served, under the glare of the media, to the disabled isn't an image the Coalition should be encouraging in the coming months.
The devil will be in the upcoming detail and a number of cases are already in the courts but that will largely be lost upon a single report of bailiffs attempting to remove beds, oxygen bottles and other medical equipment.
All true but you are wise after the event Jack.
When I posted on here that the Liberal support for the BT was collapsing and would soon be removed, you told me I was wrong.
Perhaps you might link the offending posts ?
I stand to be corrected but you will hunt in vain.
I've always had misgivings about this policy. Looks fine and dandy on paper as all policies do but then they run up against the reality of the real difficulties of real people and the disconnect between ministers and senior civil servants and normal human beings is laid bare.
Jack - I am not calling into question your distaste for the Bedroom Tax. But when I pointed out that Farron had removed party support, and that the Liberals were thus preparing for a reverse ferret you told me that Farron had no such power.
I see you've failed to find an offending article.
The Farron post was on my part entirely correct. The President of the Liberal Democrats is a largely superannuated honorific position and most certainly does not have the power of veto on party policy let alone LibDem policy positions within government.
If you take a longer view, there's no substantial conflict between the two (Mick on Slugger: http://goo.gl/V31uNy)... I sort of buy the spin that this is an counterintuitive sort of promotion...
Thus, I think, the poll is measuring something that does not have a substantial reality...
Morning all and oh dear the LibDems attempt to distance themselves from the Government Spare Room subsidy is bombing big style. Eamonn Holmes slagged Simon Hughes off to his face. How much longer can the Orange Book LibDems put up with this nonsense?
Morming all. From what I've read on the subject this morning, it is Danny Alexander leading the charge against the subsidy - I might be mistaken, but isn't he an orange booker?
Indeed, which should give pause for thought.
It appears Alexander isn't convinced aspects of the policy are working effectively especially in relation to the disabled and their carers.
[snip]
Alexander and the LDs supported the bill and kept quiet over the interim years - lets not dress this up as anything more than yet another distancing initiative.
Certainly that is another consequence of their shift.
You appear to have misunderstood my original post in response to Easterross, - which was to question the validity of the claim that 'orange bookers' would be angered by the apparent u-turn by the LDs.
Orange bookers now fear for their seats. Polling under 10% with 10 months left creates a feeling of desperation.
Totally Off Topic Following the colonisation late last year of the southern counties by the European sub species of the Swallowtail butterfly , we are now getting news of the arrival in Eastern counties of another species the Yellow Legged aka Scarce Swallowtail . This species has extended its range in the last few years from Eastern Europe into Sweden Denmark Finland and the Netherlands and has now arrived in the UK for the first time apart from one solitary record back in 1952 .
I think this polling does not much more than show the continuing power of the media where Gove's opponents were given free rein to paint him as Beelzebub on a particularly bad day. I very much doubt that the majority of those polled were in a position to give any kind of substantive critique as to whether the reforms were a good thing or not.
This is not a whinge, it is recognition that Gove had completely lost the media argument for his reforms and failed to make the case in the court of public opinion as opposed to the House of Commons where he was dominant over a poor shadow. These are major failings in a politician, particularly a radical one, and they make the alleged decision by the tories to have Gove fronting their media in the run up to the next election....interesting.
A fair post, up to a point. But you forget that Gove had a huge number of cheerleaders in the media - perhaps more than any other minister. And any negative press he received would not have been worse than that thrown at, say, IDS, who has survived and whose policies seem to have majority public suport. It could just be that a lot of voters hate the idea of an ideologue running our schools and were judging Gove on what he had actually achieved, as opposed to what his cheerleaders claim he has achieved.
The fact that Gove had outriders in the media and that those parents who were lucky enough to get their kids into a free school were very enthusiastic makes his failure all the more stark.
I agree with your other post that the fact that Osborne and Cameron were willing to do this to one of their closest chums for political advantage shows a ruthlessness and focus that Cameron in particular only tends to show when he really means it. The tories are now on a war footing. Labour....not so much.
Laughable.
Any parent sending their kid to an untested "Free School" run by a rightwing ideologue is being nothing less than reckless with their kids education.
Labour will allow the deranged FRee School policy to wither on the vine post election. They should deliver the coup de grace on day 1 in office but we know how politics works.
Not so reckless as having to send your children to failing schools that are run by councils who are more concerned about ideology than the education of the children.
I think this polling does not much more than show the continuing power of the media where Gove's opponents were given free rein to paint him as Beelzebub on a particularly bad day. I very much doubt that the majority of those polled were in a position to give any kind of substantive critique as to whether the reforms were a good thing or not.
This is not a whinge, it is recognition that Gove had completely lost the media argument for his reforms and failed to make the case in the court of public opinion as opposed to the House of Commons where he was dominant over a poor shadow. These are major failings in a politician, particularly a radical one, and they make the alleged decision by the tories to have Gove fronting their media in the run up to the next election....interesting.
A fair post, up to a point. But you forget that Gove had a huge number of cheerleaders in the media - perhaps more than any other minister. And any negative press he received would not have been worse than that thrown at, say, IDS, who has survived and whose policies seem to have majority public suport. It could just be that a lot of voters hate the idea of an ideologue running our schools and were judging Gove on what he had actually achieved, as opposed to what his cheerleaders claim he has achieved.
The fact that Gove had outriders in the media and that those parents who were lucky enough to get their kids into a free school were very enthusiastic makes his failure all the more stark.
I agree with your other post that the fact that Osborne and Cameron were willing to do this to one of their closest chums for political advantage shows a ruthlessness and focus that Cameron in particular only tends to show when he really means it. The tories are now on a war footing. Labour....not so much.
Laughable.
Any parent sending their kid to an untested "Free School" run by a rightwing ideologue is being nothing less than reckless with their kids education.
Labour will allow the deranged FRee School policy to wither on the vine post election. They should deliver the coup de grace on day 1 in office but we know how politics works.
I'm confused as to how the Labour party will allow Free Schools to continue from the opposition benches.
It's very good of them of course but I rather think they should be turning their attention to the process of electing the new LotO .... I'm sure Ed will pass on the phone number of the secretary of the leader of UNITE.
Morning all and oh dear the LibDems attempt to distance themselves from the Government Spare Room subsidy is bombing big style. Eamonn Holmes slagged Simon Hughes off to his face. How much longer can the Orange Book LibDems put up with this nonsense?
Morming all. From what I've read on the subject this morning, it is Danny Alexander leading the charge against the subsidy - I might be mistaken, but isn't he an orange booker?
Indeed, which should give pause for thought.
It appears Alexander isn't convinced aspects of the policy are working effectively especially in relation to the disabled and their carers.
[snip]
Alexander and the LDs supported the bill and kept quiet over the interim years - lets not dress this up as anything more than yet another distancing initiative.
Certainly that is another consequence of their shift.
You appear to have misunderstood my original post in response to Easterross, - which was to question the validity of the claim that 'orange bookers' would be angered by the apparent u-turn by the LDs.
Orange bookers now fear for their seats. Polling under 10% with 10 months left creates a feeling of desperation.
"Go back to your constituencies - and prepare for interment!"
Totally Off Topic Following the colonisation late last year of the southern counties by the European sub species of the Swallowtail butterfly , we are now getting news of the arrival in Eastern counties of another species the Yellow Legged aka Scarce Swallowtail . This species has extended its range in the last few years from Eastern Europe into Sweden Denmark Finland and the Netherlands and has now arrived in the UK for the first time apart from one solitary record back in 1952 .
Mark, that sounds like a coded message .... a whole paragraph of euphemisms for PB LibDems to man the trenches ??
Is "Yellow Legged" the leader of the insurrection ??
Totally Off Topic Following the colonisation late last year of the southern counties by the European sub species of the Swallowtail butterfly , we are now getting news of the arrival in Eastern counties of another species the Yellow Legged aka Scarce Swallowtail . This species has extended its range in the last few years from Eastern Europe into Sweden Denmark Finland and the Netherlands and has now arrived in the UK for the first time apart from one solitary record back in 1952 .
Totally Off Topic Following the colonisation late last year of the southern counties by the European sub species of the Swallowtail butterfly , we are now getting news of the arrival in Eastern counties of another species the Yellow Legged aka Scarce Swallowtail . This species has extended its range in the last few years from Eastern Europe into Sweden Denmark Finland and the Netherlands and has now arrived in the UK for the first time apart from one solitary record back in 1952 .
If you take a longer view, there's no substantial conflict between the two (Mick on Slugger: http://goo.gl/V31uNy)... I sort of buy the spin that this is an counterintuitive sort of promotion...
Thus, I think, the poll is measuring something that does not have a substantial reality...
I tend to agree with your take. This morning's announcements - from the Tories on the ECHR and from the Lib Dems on the Bedroom Tax are clear signs of both parties revving up the engines on their respective election campaigns. The business of government is now over and we face a charade over the next half year and a bit as each party implements its differentiation strategy in full.
Were it not for the inconveniently-timed referendum on Scottish Independence this September I would argue that we should hold the general election in two months time and get it over with.
This long drawn out campaign is going to be absurd.
In an attempt to land a Smithson (50/1 winner plus) I've opted for Lee Westwood EW for the Open in the hope he finds his putter at last.
Widely available @ 60/1 plus.
He's at such long odds as his recent form has been not so great - but class is permanent right ? He could easily finish top 5 if his confidence comes back. Or miss the cut at +12.
"My understanding is there was an argument inside government between the two halves of the coalition and that argument has gone on for three months. So what the coalition cannot decide in three months this House has to decide in one day. This seems to me entirely improper because of the role of Parliament – we have three roles:
One is to scrutinise legislation, one is to prevent unintended consequences, and one is to defend the freedom and liberty of our constituents.
This undermines all three and we should oppose this motion."
A pity there are not more MPs like him in the Commons.
In an attempt to land a Smithson (50/1 winner plus) I've opted for Lee Westwood EW for the Open in the hope he finds his putter at last.
Widely available @ 60/1 plus.
He's at such long odds as his recent form has been not so great - but class is permanent right ? He could easily finish top 5 if his confidence comes back. Or miss the cut at +12.
Quite so.
My golf betting is normally restricted to the four majors for the very sound reason that it's reliably pretty awful - Adam Scott excepted.
I think this polling does not much more than show the continuing power of the media where Gove's opponents were given free rein to paint him as Beelzebub on a particularly bad day. I very much doubt that the majority of those polled were in a position to give any kind of substantive critique as to whether the reforms were a good thing or not.
This is not a whinge, it is recognition that Gove had completely lost the media argument for his reforms and failed to make the case in the court of public opinion as opposed to the House of Commons where he was dominant over a poor shadow. These are major failings in a politician, particularly a radical one, and they make the alleged decision by the tories to have Gove fronting their media in the run up to the next election....interesting.
A fair post, up to a point. But you forget that Gove had a huge number of cheerleaders in the media - perhaps more than any other minister. And any negative press he received would not have been worse than that thrown at, say, IDS, who has survived and whose policies seem to have majority public suport. It could just be that a lot of voters hate the idea of an ideologue running our schools and were judging Gove on what he had actually achieved, as opposed to what his cheerleaders claim he has achieved.
The fact that Gove had outriders in the media and that those parents who were lucky enough to get their kids into a free school were very enthusiastic makes his failure all the more stark.
I agree with your other post that the fact that Osborne and Cameron were willing to do this to one of their closest chums for political advantage shows a ruthlessness and focus that Cameron in particular only tends to show when he really means it. The tories are now on a war footing. Labour....not so much.
Laughable.
Any parent sending their kid to an untested "Free School" run by a rightwing ideologue is being nothing less than reckless with their kids education.
Labour will allow the deranged FRee School policy to wither on the vine post election. They should deliver the coup de grace on day 1 in office but we know how politics works.
Not so reckless as having to send your children to failing schools that are run by councils who are more concerned about ideology than the education of the children.
Better to send them to failing free schools instead so long as they're run by people who think right!
"The Conservatives have drawn up plans designed to limit the power of the European Court of Human Rights and to reassert the sovereignty of Parliament.
David Cameron has been presented with the proposals that would mean Parliament decided what constitutes a breach of human rights.
Strasbourg rulings on issues like votes for prisoners have angered many Tories.
Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, sacked in the reshuffle, is thought to have warned against the planned change.
BBC political editor Nick Robinson said a report written by a working group of Conservative lawyers predicts the so-called British Bill of Rights could force changes in the way the Strasbourg court operates."
In view of some of the illogical decisions made by and on behalf of the ECHR recently, surely this will find favour among the electorate - but will the LibDems try to block it?
A pointless exercise. The UK cannot unilaterally decide to change the terms of its membership of the ECHR, no matter how strange some of the decisions might be. We can of course decide to ignore rulings from the court but we would then be in breach of our membership.
The words being quoted by the BeeB this morning was that UK legislation would have primacy over the ECHR.
The EU is now a signatory to the Convention, and that has supremacy.
It just can't be done.
However the HRA has what is mostly an image problem. The fact is, most opposition revolves around a handful of cases, when the majority of claims brought under the HRA are attempts (whether good ones or not) to prevent the arbitrary or excessive use of power by the state.
In an attempt to land a Smithson (50/1 winner plus) I've opted for Lee Westwood EW for the Open in the hope he finds his putter at last.
Widely available @ 60/1 plus.
He's at such long odds as his recent form has been not so great - but class is permanent right ? He could easily finish top 5 if his confidence comes back. Or miss the cut at +12.
Quite so.
My golf betting is normally restricted to the four majors for the very sound reason that it's reliably pretty awful - Adam Scott excepted.
But I do like a little tickle ....
Mr Scott appears to be gripping onto that silly long putter for as long as he is legally allowed - he would not be a popular winner with me. He has 18 months to go before they are banned.
I think this polling does not much more than show the continuing power of the media where Gove's opponents were given free rein to paint him as Beelzebub on a particularly bad day. I very much doubt that the majority of those polled were in a position to give any kind of substantive critique as to whether the reforms were a good thing or not.
A fair post, up to a point. But you forget that Gove had a huge number of cheerleaders in the media - perhaps more than any other minister. And any negative press he received would not have been worse than that thrown at, say, IDS, who has survived and whose policies seem to have majority public suport. It could just be that a lot of voters hate the idea of an ideologue running our schools and were judging Gove on what he had actually achieved, as opposed to what his cheerleaders claim he has achieved.
The fact that Gove had outriders in the media and that those parents who were lucky enough to get their kids into a free school were very enthusiastic makes his failure all the more stark.
I agree with your other post that the fact that Osborne and Cameron were willing to do this to one of their closest chums for political advantage shows a ruthlessness and focus that Cameron in particular only tends to show when he really means it. The tories are now on a war footing. Labour....not so much.
Laughable.
Any parent sending their kid to an untested "Free School" run by a rightwing ideologue is being nothing less than reckless with their kids education.
Labour will allow the deranged FRee School policy to wither on the vine post election. They should deliver the coup de grace on day 1 in office but we know how politics works.
Not so reckless as having to send your children to failing schools that are run by councils who are more concerned about ideology than the education of the children.
Better to send them to failing free schools instead so long as they're run by people who think right!
Well done! You have defined the problem - they are run by people who do not think right and who are much more concerned with the producers than the consumers. Also many are not aspirational and are happy if the children attain average in an average school which is well below average on the UK - let alone the global - scale.
In an attempt to land a Smithson (50/1 winner plus) I've opted for Lee Westwood EW for the Open in the hope he finds his putter at last.
Widely available @ 60/1 plus.
He's at such long odds as his recent form has been not so great - but class is permanent right ? He could easily finish top 5 if his confidence comes back. Or miss the cut at +12.
Quite so.
My golf betting is normally restricted to the four majors for the very sound reason that it's reliably pretty awful - Adam Scott excepted.
But I do like a little tickle ....
Mr Scott appears to be gripping onto that silly long putter for as long as he is legally allowed - he would not be a popular winner with me. He has 18 months to go before they are banned.
If you take a longer view, there's no substantial conflict between the two (Mick on Slugger: http://goo.gl/V31uNy)... I sort of buy the spin that this is an counterintuitive sort of promotion...
Thus, I think, the poll is measuring something that does not have a substantial reality...
True or not (and i don't think it is) it's not going to look like that from the outside. I doubt it looks like that on the inside either but the judge of that will be May's smirkiness. If May is smirky Gove will be getting tittered at in private as well as public.
In an attempt to land a Smithson (50/1 winner plus) I've opted for Lee Westwood EW for the Open in the hope he finds his putter at last.
Widely available @ 60/1 plus.
He's at such long odds as his recent form has been not so great - but class is permanent right ? He could easily finish top 5 if his confidence comes back. Or miss the cut at +12.
Quite so.
My golf betting is normally restricted to the four majors for the very sound reason that it's reliably pretty awful - Adam Scott excepted.
But I do like a little tickle ....
Mr Scott appears to be gripping onto that silly long putter for as long as he is legally allowed - he would not be a popular winner with me. He has 18 months to go before they are banned.
I confess to not being a fan of the long putter.
Is the issue finally settled ?
Well long putters aren't banned but "anchoring" the putter to your body will be banned from 1st Jan 2016.
I am looking at the Tory manoeuvring on ECHR with increasing incredulity. I just find it inconceivable that the UK could withdraw from the ECHR. I do not think it is possible for it to do so and remain a part of the EU without changes to the current Treaties either.
All this because of few idiotic decisions like those about giving prisoners the vote? It is madness and frankly not grown up government.
There are problems with the make up and competence of the Court in Strasburg. Some of the judgments, as our own Supreme Court have pointed out, verge on incoherence. Surely this is where the energy needs to be spent. Alternatively we can positively encourage the Supreme Court approach where they have regard to but do not think themselves bound by prior decisions of the Strasburg Court, possibly by amendment of the Human Rights Act.
But at the moment, having sacked some very competent lawyers who were opposed, the Tories are in danger of making fools of themselves.
In an attempt to land a Smithson (50/1 winner plus) I've opted for Lee Westwood EW for the Open in the hope he finds his putter at last.
Widely available @ 60/1 plus.
He's at such long odds as his recent form has been not so great - but class is permanent right ? He could easily finish top 5 if his confidence comes back. Or miss the cut at +12.
Quite so.
My golf betting is normally restricted to the four majors for the very sound reason that it's reliably pretty awful - Adam Scott excepted.
But I do like a little tickle ....
Mr Scott appears to be gripping onto that silly long putter for as long as he is legally allowed - he would not be a popular winner with me. He has 18 months to go before they are banned.
I confess to not being a fan of the long putter.
Is the issue finally settled ?
Well long putters aren't banned but "anchoring" the putter to your body will be banned from 1st Jan 2016.
I am looking at the Tory manoeuvring on ECHR with increasing incredulity. I just find it inconceivable that the UK could withdraw from the ECHR. I do not think it is possible for it to do so and remain a part of the EU without changes to the current Treaties either.
All this because of few idiotic decisions like those about giving prisoners the vote? It is madness and frankly not grown up government.
There are problems with the make up and competence of the Court in Strasburg. Some of the judgments, as our own Supreme Court have pointed out, verge on incoherence. Surely this is where the energy needs to be spent. Alternatively we can positively encourage the Supreme Court approach where they have regard to but do not think themselves bound by prior decisions of the Strasburg Court, possibly by amendment of the Human Rights Act.
But at the moment, having sacked some very competent lawyers who were opposed, the Tories are in danger of making fools of themselves.
Maybe.
However, luckily, I think it's all politics.
If the Tories lose, it won't matter.
If they win, and go into coalition, then the EU referendum will be the red line and anything ECHR related can be ditched on the pyre of the Lib Dems.
If they win outright, they'll have an EU referendum to organise, and "it's all the same, isn't it?". By which I mean that it isn't, but that's how it will play.
I am looking at the Tory manoeuvring on ECHR with increasing incredulity. I just find it inconceivable that the UK could withdraw from the ECHR. I do not think it is possible for it to do so and remain a part of the EU without changes to the current Treaties either.
All this because of few idiotic decisions like those about giving prisoners the vote? It is madness and frankly not grown up government.
There are problems with the make up and competence of the Court in Strasburg. Some of the judgments, as our own Supreme Court have pointed out, verge on incoherence. Surely this is where the energy needs to be spent. Alternatively we can positively encourage the Supreme Court approach where they have regard to but do not think themselves bound by prior decisions of the Strasburg Court, possibly by amendment of the Human Rights Act.
But at the moment, having sacked some very competent lawyers who were opposed, the Tories are in danger of making fools of themselves.
I quite agree. The way to deal with some of the barmier judgments is to amend the HRA to say that while the UK courts should follow the ECHR they do not need to have regard to each and every judgment issued by the court. Dominic Raab explained a possible way forward in his book.
It is simply not conceivable - and not sensible politics either - to withdraw from a Convention that was largely written by British lawyers.
I am looking at the Tory manoeuvring on ECHR with increasing incredulity. I just find it inconceivable that the UK could withdraw from the ECHR. I do not think it is possible for it to do so and remain a part of the EU without changes to the current Treaties either.
All this because of few idiotic decisions like those about giving prisoners the vote? It is madness and frankly not grown up government.
There are problems with the make up and competence of the Court in Strasburg. Some of the judgments, as our own Supreme Court have pointed out, verge on incoherence. Surely this is where the energy needs to be spent. Alternatively we can positively encourage the Supreme Court approach where they have regard to but do not think themselves bound by prior decisions of the Strasburg Court, possibly by amendment of the Human Rights Act.
But at the moment, having sacked some very competent lawyers who were opposed, the Tories are in danger of making fools of themselves.
I quite agree. The way to deal with some of the barmier judgments is to amend the HRA to say that while the UK courts should follow the ECHR they do not need to have regard to each and every judgment issued by the court. Dominic Raab explained a possible way forward in his book.
It is simply not conceivable - and not sensible politics either - to withdraw from a Convention that was largely written by British lawyers.
I could be wrong but wasn't it one of Churchill's idea or an idea he supported.
Churchillian brand of Toryism would not be acceptable to the modern Tories who are beginning to resemble the Tea Party.
"My understanding is there was an argument inside government between the two halves of the coalition and that argument has gone on for three months. So what the coalition cannot decide in three months this House has to decide in one day. This seems to me entirely improper because of the role of Parliament – we have three roles:
One is to scrutinise legislation, one is to prevent unintended consequences, and one is to defend the freedom and liberty of our constituents.
This undermines all three and we should oppose this motion."
A pity there are not more MPs like him in the Commons.
Sounds good - who was it?
On the LD bedroom tax revision proposal ("only if there is alternative accommodation available"), isn't the snag that the availability of suitable alternative accommodation changes literally every day? How would it work in practice at the borderline? Family A is told "pay more or move". They look around, find somewhere smaller at a lower rent, and prepare to move. Family B next door are told the same thing. But family A have taken the last available smaller property. So B is exempt.
The rational strategy for A in this situation is to play for time, arguing that the alternative is unsuitable because it's upstairs and someone is disabled or there's no public transport to work or some other more or less valid reason. While they argue, B comes under pressure to move there instead, which would relieve the pressure on A. But next week, a property becomes available, and B isn't exempt after all anyway, and so on. Council officials will spend many happy hours trying to sort it out, costing lots of money. Is it workable at all?
I think this polling does not much more than show the continuing power of the media where Gove's opponents were given free rein to paint him as Beelzebub on a particularly bad day. I very much doubt that the majority of those polled were in a position to give any kind of substantive critique as to whether the reforms were a good thing or not.
This is not a whinge, it is recognition that Gove had completely lost the media argument for his reforms and failed to make the case in the court of public opinion as opposed to the House of Commons where he was dominant over a poor shadow. These are major failings in a politician, particularly a radical one, and they make the alleged decision by the tories to have Gove fronting their media in the run up to the next election....interesting.
There's a blog in the DT from John McTearnan that says Gove was in on the shuffle and that he knew all along he was moving. I think he'll make an excellent Chief Whip myself. He'd become the story and his particularly pugnacious manner/masked with excessive politeness became his Achilles Heel towards the end...as the polling showed. He'd lost the media darling argument, much better to move on and let someone less controversial bed in the reforms.
I feel pretty upbeat about the Reshuffle - I don't care how many wimmin there are in Cabinet, they're there to do a good job not to top up the Ovary Quota
I think this polling does not much more than show the continuing power of the media where Gove's opponents were given free rein to paint him as Beelzebub on a particularly bad day. I very much doubt that the majority of those polled were in a position to give any kind of substantive critique as to whether the reforms were a good thing or not.
This is not a whinge, it is recognition that Gove had completely lost the media argument for his reforms and failed to make the case in the court of public opinion as opposed to the House of Commons where he was dominant over a poor shadow. These are major failings in a politician, particularly a radical one, and they make the alleged decision by the tories to have Gove fronting their media in the run up to the next election....interesting.
A fair post, up to a point. But you forget that Gove had a huge number of cheerleaders in the media - perhaps more than any other minister. And any negative press he received would not have been worse than that thrown at, say, IDS, who has survived and whose policies seem to have majority public suport. It could just be that a lot of voters hate the idea of an ideologue running our schools and were judging Gove on what he had actually achieved, as opposed to what his cheerleaders claim he has achieved.
The fact that Gove had outriders in the media and that those parents who were lucky enough to get their kids into a free school were very enthusiastic makes his failure all the more stark.
I agree with your other post that the fact that Osborne and Cameron were willing to do this to one of their closest chums for political advantage shows a ruthlessness and focus that Cameron in particular only tends to show when he really means it. The tories are now on a war footing. Labour....not so much.
Laughable.
Any parent sending their kid to an untested "Free School" run by a rightwing ideologue is being nothing less than reckless with their kids education.
Labour will allow the deranged FRee School policy to wither on the vine post election. They should deliver the coup de grace on day 1 in office but we know how politics works.
I suppose "untested" on this basis means not signed off by the leftist teaching establishment. The fact that these free schools have been overwhelmed by parents trying to get their kids in says a lot. I trust parents to be able to tell what is right for their kids more than Labour partisans. Labour's policy of rejecting any teacher qualified in a different style of teaching (like Montessori) because they haven't gone through a PGCE is just pure idiocy.
Morning all and oh dear the LibDems attempt to distance themselves from the Government Spare Room subsidy is bombing big style. Eamonn Holmes slagged Simon Hughes off to his face. How much longer can the Orange Book LibDems put up with this nonsense?
I've just seen this and thought WTF? It's pathetic mealy-mouthed stuff - arguing against your own enacted policy as part of HMG within the SAME parliament. Spineless from the Yellows - who's going to believe them?
I guess the bad boy made them do it and then ran away...
"My understanding is there was an argument inside government between the two halves of the coalition and that argument has gone on for three months. So what the coalition cannot decide in three months this House has to decide in one day. This seems to me entirely improper because of the role of Parliament – we have three roles:
One is to scrutinise legislation, one is to prevent unintended consequences, and one is to defend the freedom and liberty of our constituents.
This undermines all three and we should oppose this motion."
A pity there are not more MPs like him in the Commons.
Sounds good - who was it?
On the LD bedroom tax revision proposal ("only if there is alternative accommodation available"), isn't the snag that the availability of suitable alternative accommodation changes literally every day? How would it work in practice at the borderline? Family A is told "pay more or move". They look around, find somewhere smaller at a lower rent, and prepare to move. Family B next door are told the same thing. But family A have taken the last available smaller property. So B is exempt.
The rational strategy for A in this situation is to play for time, arguing that the alternative is unsuitable because it's upstairs and someone is disabled or there's no public transport to work or some other more or less valid reason. While they argue, B comes under pressure to move there instead, which would relieve the pressure on A. But next week, a property becomes available, and B isn't exempt after all anyway, and so on. Council officials will spend many happy hours trying to sort it out, costing lots of money. Is it workable at all?
I am looking at the Tory manoeuvring on ECHR with increasing incredulity. I just find it inconceivable that the UK could withdraw from the ECHR. I do not think it is possible for it to do so and remain a part of the EU without changes to the current Treaties either.
All this because of few idiotic decisions like those about giving prisoners the vote? It is madness and frankly not grown up government.
There are problems with the make up and competence of the Court in Strasburg. Some of the judgments, as our own Supreme Court have pointed out, verge on incoherence. Surely this is where the energy needs to be spent. Alternatively we can positively encourage the Supreme Court approach where they have regard to but do not think themselves bound by prior decisions of the Strasburg Court, possibly by amendment of the Human Rights Act.
But at the moment, having sacked some very competent lawyers who were opposed, the Tories are in danger of making fools of themselves.
I quite agree. The way to deal with some of the barmier judgments is to amend the HRA to say that while the UK courts should follow the ECHR they do not need to have regard to each and every judgment issued by the court. Dominic Raab explained a possible way forward in his book.
It is simply not conceivable - and not sensible politics either - to withdraw from a Convention that was largely written by British lawyers.
I could be wrong but wasn't it one of Churchill's idea or an idea he supported.
Churchillian brand of Toryism would not be acceptable to the modern Tories who are beginning to resemble the Tea Party.
It was David Maxwell-Fyfe, one of the English lawyers who prosecuted at the Nuremberg trials who played a leading part in its drafting. It was finalised in 1950 and came into force in 1953. It was heavily influenced by English common law.
The problems are not so much the Convention itself but the way that some of the judgments have been reached by lawyers not versed in the English legal tradition and not what we would consider proper lawyers in any case. Plus they tend not to follow their own precedents or give inconsistent views etc. But these are issues which can be dealt with and a number of senior lawyers have suggested ways of doing so in a manner which is more subtle and feline than full-on confrontation.
Comments
Perhaps you should issue a monthly top ten ?
Any inspired thoughts out there ?
This is not a whinge, it is recognition that Gove had completely lost the media argument for his reforms and failed to make the case in the court of public opinion as opposed to the House of Commons where he was dominant over a poor shadow. These are major failings in a politician, particularly a radical one, and they make the alleged decision by the tories to have Gove fronting their media in the run up to the next election....interesting.
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2014/07/dave-the-radical-feminist-gets-a-helping-hand-from-harriet/
Love this bit..
"The session ended with no rowdiness or euphoria. All was as quiet as the Dignitas clinic when Faure’s Requiem starts to play. Which may happen quite soon for weary old Ed.
You've been warned, Ed....
I agree with your other post that the fact that Osborne and Cameron were willing to do this to one of their closest chums for political advantage shows a ruthlessness and focus that Cameron in particular only tends to show when he really means it. The tories are now on a war footing. Labour....not so much.
EICIPM
David Cameron has been presented with the proposals that would mean Parliament decided what constitutes a breach of human rights.
Strasbourg rulings on issues like votes for prisoners have angered many Tories.
Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, sacked in the reshuffle, is thought to have warned against the planned change.
BBC political editor Nick Robinson said a report written by a working group of Conservative lawyers predicts the so-called British Bill of Rights could force changes in the way the Strasbourg court operates."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28339686
In view of some of the illogical decisions made by and on behalf of the ECHR recently, surely this will find favour among the electorate - but will the LibDems try to block it?
No wonder the level of UK productivity has been so weak .... at least in Scrap Inc.
Gove's new job is of course simply to break up the coalition - hence the LDs timing of their whinge about an unfair tax they've been able to live with these last 3 years and more. Cammo can then produce the Bills he wants in his next manifesto, while the Mail and the Murdoch press berate Ed-Will-Never-Be for objecting to a snap election.
From what I've read on the subject this morning, it is Danny Alexander leading the charge against the subsidy - I might be mistaken, but isn't he an orange booker?
It appears Alexander isn't convinced aspects of the policy are working effectively especially in relation to the disabled and their carers.
The political aspects of the policy have also been lost - bedroom tax is the common currency rather than spare room subsidy just as poll tax was to community charge. Further the prospect of eviction notices being served, under the glare of the media, to the disabled isn't an image the Coalition should be encouraging in the coming months.
The devil will be in the upcoming detail and a number of cases are already in the courts but that will largely be lost upon a single report of bailiffs attempting to remove beds, oxygen bottles and other medical equipment.
Thanks for your earlier comments.
Nevertheless, good to see. Regardless of the moral rights and wrongs of the policy, the fact is that it simply doesn't work in practice, the Law of Unintended Consequences playing large. Just an absolute dog of a policy that was not thought through by its pioneers.
They complain about the pace of change but personally I agree with Gove, we have waited too long to get things done and say what you like about him he has made things happen.
Gove is a free spirit who basically doesn't care who he upsets and that is a lot of people whose toes he has trod on. His unpopularity is false in some ways because I doubt most people really are aware of exactly what he has done, most of the arguments in the media have been side issues. He hasn't been skilled in dealing with them in the media, either because he thought he was bombproof, or he didn't care.
If Cameron uses him carefully in the campaign Gove could be a major asset, going head to head against any opponent in debate he is as formidable as you will see in a modern politician, he really is capable of making a mess of many of those Labour front benchers. So sharp and quick witted, I don't there would be many takers to go up against him
When I posted on here that the Liberal support for the BT was collapsing and would soon be removed, you told me I was wrong.
I suspect both Cameron and Clegg must be thinking that it may benefit both parties to end the coalition ahead of the party conferences, so that both parties are free to discuss their different policies ahead of the election. We have already heard that the Lib Dems want to make changes to the bedroom tax. I suspect that they also want to change other policies, possibly university tuition fees, which is causing a large liability to be built up on government accounts.
It would be possible for the Tories to continue between September and May on their own, with the Lib Dems agreeing to support key legislation.
If they continue the coalition right to the end, they will be trying to continue joint government, while also campaigning by stating their different policies. I doubt either party would think that this would be a wise move, as they will want to provide a clear message to the electorate about their policies.
Essentially subsidy will be withdrawn if the Local Authority (Or whoever is responsible for housing) cannot find a house/flat with less bedrooms.
This was very different to the Daily Mirror splash "Clegg plans to axe bedroom tax"
I have a dinner engagement at a posh restaurant in Mayfair today.
After that I will be watching the Open golf championship on TV.
So unless something outrageous happens, like Clegg dropping his trousers in Whitehall, I won't be around much today.
I stand to be corrected but you will hunt in vain.
I've always had misgivings about this policy. Looks fine and dandy on paper as all policies do but then they run up against the reality of the real difficulties of real people and the disconnect between ministers and senior civil servants and normal human beings is laid bare.
Alexander and the LDs supported the bill and kept quiet over the interim years - lets not dress this up as anything more than yet another distancing initiative.
But as you indicated if Deep Orange Booker Alexander is the driving force there has to be more to the shift than just distancing. Perchance the yellow peril, faced with some evidence, think it's better to amend the policy rather than await a car crash.
The most charitable among us might even ponder that the LibDems were saving the Conservatives from themselves ....
Titter ....
Of course if Gove can help Dave win the election he can be rewarded with the CoTE role when GO broadens his CV by moving to FS. As we have seen with GO, being a great CoTE can improve your ratings no end. Gove may be carried aloft through the streets of Doncaster yet.
Off topic
Golf - on Cabrera e/w
Cricket - green pitch, England at 2.66
But when I pointed out that Farron had removed party support, and that the Liberals were thus preparing for a reverse ferret you told me that Farron had no such power.
I assume that the Tory conference will at last feature the unveiling of Cameron's renegotiation objectives - there has to be a reason why they're still not clearly stated, less than 3 years before we're supposed to be voting on the Treaty ratified by 27 countries to approve them. The tricky thing is that they'll be full of this sort of stuff, which makes Eurosceptical gestures without actually changing things.
A fine few days of sport ahead.
The soothing tones of Peter Alice at the Open and the thwack of leather and wood at Lords - Deep joy.
Meanwhile another "trust" problem for the LDs image with voters and they re-position themselves on the sides of welfare claimants. Not a wise move. More asterisk ratings?
Any parent sending their kid to an untested "Free School" run by a rightwing ideologue is being nothing less than reckless with their kids education.
Labour will allow the deranged FRee School policy to wither on the vine post election. They should deliver the coup de grace on day 1 in office but we know how politics works.
The poorest have been taken out of tax.
The richest are paying more tax, the tax rates and the closing of loopholes ensuring that.
This Govt. has overseen a narrowing of the gap between rich and poor. It seems to be somewhat less intensely relaxed than its predecessor about the filthy rich.....
The middle face paying more under Labour.
Expect this message to be hammered for the next nine months.
The Farron post was on my part entirely correct. The President of the Liberal Democrats is a largely superannuated honorific position and most certainly does not have the power of veto on party policy let alone LibDem policy positions within government.
Please do not ascribe to me views I do not hold.
http://www.garethepps.org.uk/2014/07/17/why-the-bedroom-tax-must-be-abolished-not-tinkered-with/
Thus, I think, the poll is measuring something that does not have a substantial reality...
Following the colonisation late last year of the southern counties by the European sub species of the Swallowtail butterfly , we are now getting news of the arrival in Eastern counties of another species the Yellow Legged aka Scarce Swallowtail . This species has extended its range in the last few years from Eastern Europe into Sweden Denmark Finland and the Netherlands and has now arrived in the UK for the first time apart from one solitary record back in 1952 .
It's very good of them of course but I rather think they should be turning their attention to the process of electing the new LotO .... I'm sure Ed will pass on the phone number of the secretary of the leader of UNITE.
Is "Yellow Legged" the leader of the insurrection ??
http://labourlist.org/2014/07/is-ed-miliband-a-victim-of-everyday-sexism/
This surely is a massive boost for the "Yes" campaign ? *innocent face*
Widely available @ 60/1 plus.
Today's the start of the Test.
You know the rules, and you know the punishment for violating the rules.
Were it not for the inconveniently-timed referendum on Scottish Independence this September I would argue that we should hold the general election in two months time and get it over with.
This long drawn out campaign is going to be absurd.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28339686
Conscious uncoupling?
"My understanding is there was an argument inside government between the two halves of the coalition and that argument has gone on for three months. So what the coalition cannot decide in three months this House has to decide in one day. This seems to me entirely improper because of the role of Parliament – we have three roles:
One is to scrutinise legislation, one is to prevent unintended consequences, and one is to defend the freedom and liberty of our constituents.
This undermines all three and we should oppose this motion."
A pity there are not more MPs like him in the Commons.
My golf betting is normally restricted to the four majors for the very sound reason that it's reliably pretty awful - Adam Scott excepted.
But I do like a little tickle ....
It just can't be done.
However the HRA has what is mostly an image problem. The fact is, most opposition revolves around a handful of cases, when the majority of claims brought under the HRA are attempts (whether good ones or not) to prevent the arbitrary or excessive use of power by the state.
Is the issue finally settled ?
All this because of few idiotic decisions like those about giving prisoners the vote? It is madness and frankly not grown up government.
There are problems with the make up and competence of the Court in Strasburg. Some of the judgments, as our own Supreme Court have pointed out, verge on incoherence. Surely this is where the energy needs to be spent. Alternatively we can positively encourage the Supreme Court approach where they have regard to but do not think themselves bound by prior decisions of the Strasburg Court, possibly by amendment of the Human Rights Act.
But at the moment, having sacked some very competent lawyers who were opposed, the Tories are in danger of making fools of themselves.
Lords pitch a tad greenish. Pace bowler heaven.
Toss winner to bowl.
Looking "cool" does not work in the long run.
However, luckily, I think it's all politics.
If the Tories lose, it won't matter.
If they win, and go into coalition, then the EU referendum will be the red line and anything ECHR related can be ditched on the pyre of the Lib Dems.
If they win outright, they'll have an EU referendum to organise, and "it's all the same, isn't it?". By which I mean that it isn't, but that's how it will play.
It is simply not conceivable - and not sensible politics either - to withdraw from a Convention that was largely written by British lawyers.
Churchillian brand of Toryism would not be acceptable to the modern Tories who are beginning to resemble the Tea Party.
I don't think the British lawyers drafting the ECHR planned for it to be used to give prisoners the vote.
On the LD bedroom tax revision proposal ("only if there is alternative accommodation available"), isn't the snag that the availability of suitable alternative accommodation changes literally every day? How would it work in practice at the borderline? Family A is told "pay more or move". They look around, find somewhere smaller at a lower rent, and prepare to move. Family B next door are told the same thing. But family A have taken the last available smaller property. So B is exempt.
The rational strategy for A in this situation is to play for time, arguing that the alternative is unsuitable because it's upstairs and someone is disabled or there's no public transport to work or some other more or less valid reason. While they argue, B comes under pressure to move there instead, which would relieve the pressure on A. But next week, a property becomes available, and B isn't exempt after all anyway, and so on. Council officials will spend many happy hours trying to sort it out, costing lots of money. Is it workable at all?
I feel pretty upbeat about the Reshuffle - I don't care how many wimmin there are in Cabinet, they're there to do a good job not to top up the Ovary Quota
I guess the bad boy made them do it and then ran away...
Next ....
The problems are not so much the Convention itself but the way that some of the judgments have been reached by lawyers not versed in the English legal tradition and not what we would consider proper lawyers in any case. Plus they tend not to follow their own precedents or give inconsistent views etc. But these are issues which can be dealt with and a number of senior lawyers have suggested ways of doing so in a manner which is more subtle and feline than full-on confrontation.