More seriously on the same point the Cleggasm provided the Libdems with their largest vote total since 1987 and had they avoided the lure of power (particularly in coalition with the Tories) .
Except that there wouldn't be an election in 2015.
Wouldn't there? In such a scenario granted there would be no certainty if there was an election or not but 2015 would still have been a possibility. However, let me satisfy your desire for accuracy.
could have put them in an even stronger position in future general elections
Just for fun, but the Survation poll in electoral calculus gives a Labour majority of >100 and UKIP take one seat in Cornwall. You have to laugh at the silliness of it.
@Charles - My ranking of current opinion pollsters would be ICM > MORI > YouGov > The Rest of the Online Hordes. It's a shame we only have two regular phone pollsters left.
that's what I though - but given the lack of a CtV filter, am not sure I'd give YouGov the #3 slot. Think it 2 + the rest.
The real problems in society are when we don't have stable loving families (e.g. those poor abused children in care and really sold / trafficked into sex slavery) not a gay couple wanting a wedding and to be treated like everyone else.
And who want to be able to provide a stable loving home to those children unfortunate enough not to have one. If Gerald Howarth had spent the weekend with the family I stayed with he might have given a very different speech today.
Agree completely. Given everything we know about the disastrous life chances of children in care, we should put them with whatever loving families are available as soon as possible to give those children a chance. And if gay parents are willing and able to look after them. why let distaste about their sexual preferences stand in the way?
It's interesting that it's those Tory MPs who have actual experience who are the most thoughtful on this e.g. Maude changing his mind following his brother's experience etc. It's as if the Howarths of this world can't see past peoples' sexual preferences to the whole person and to their desire to live a normal happy life just like the rest of us. Why is this so hard?
"If it is any help I didn't find, during my quite extensive time in Nihon (mid-late 90's, to be fair but I haven't heard much to the contrary since) the Japanese also - in general, I'm not talking about journalists on the Economist - struggled to distinguish between the Irish and the Brits. Really, from their point of view, there is not much difference."
Well if they can't even distinguish between the Irish and the English then it's a failure of the Japanese education system, and not something that's relevant to this debate.
"If it is any help I didn't find, during my quite extensive time in Nihon (mid-late 90's, to be fair but I haven't heard much to the contrary since) the Japanese also - in general, I'm not talking about journalists on the Economist - struggled to distinguish between the Irish and the Brits. Really, from their point of view, there is not much difference."
Well if they can't even distinguish between the Irish and the English then it's a failure of the Japanese education system, and not something that's relevant to this debate.
"If it is any help I didn't find, during my quite extensive time in Nihon (mid-late 90's, to be fair but I haven't heard much to the contrary since) the Japanese also - in general, I'm not talking about journalists on the Economist - struggled to distinguish between the Irish and the Brits. Really, from their point of view, there is not much difference."
Well if they can't even distinguish between the Irish and the English then it's a failure of the Japanese education system, and not something that's relevant to this debate.
"If it is any help I didn't find, during my quite extensive time in Nihon (mid-late 90's, to be fair but I haven't heard much to the contrary since) the Japanese also - in general, I'm not talking about journalists on the Economist - struggled to distinguish between the Irish and the Brits. Really, from their point of view, there is not much difference."
Well if they can't even distinguish between the Irish and the English then it's a failure of the Japanese education system, and not something that's relevant to this debate.
Without Googling - I trust you - rattle off the names of the four main islands of the Japanese home archipeligo.
If these polls continue, the only way the Tories can survive is if they do a deal with UKIP. And that can only happen without Cameron. His position is now extremely precarious.
Of course: SOME OF US HAVE BEEN PREDICTING THIS FOR YEARS.
UKIP always had potential, and in the last decade an enormous space has opened up - for a populist rightwing non-racist party to flourish, especially with a Tory party led by effete liberal poshos.
Remember, you read it on pb first. Though not from tim or OGH.
Doing a deal with UKIP is not the answer. People like me who find UKIP and the sorts of Tories we've seen on our TV screens for the last few weeks repellent - and loathe Labour for what it has done to the country and its statist and authoritarian tendencies - are even less likely to vote Tory if they turn into UKIP.
Disliking gays and foreigners and harking back to some imagined and glorious past is an electoral cul de sac. Thatcher may have shown respect for her activists but she was a radical and stood up to vested interests. UKIP want to go back to their comfort blanket. How are they going to deal with Britain as it is not as they would like it to be?
That's a question to which none of the parties has an answer, frankly.
In 2014 there will be elections to the European Parliament, by a form of proportional representation If this election was to take place tomorrow instead, how do you think you would be most likely to vote in a European Election (figures normalised to exclude Don't Knows, WNV/ Refused:
Con 20.03% Lab 30.62% LD 8.40% UKIP 29.97% Green 5.56% SNP 2.58% BNP 1.81% PC 0.78% Other 0.26%
Comments
could have put them in an even stronger position in future general elections
Better?
Cameron needs to spite his MP's, call an election and let the 2 Ed's inflict the necessary pain.
Perhaps you meant the drink?
It's interesting that it's those Tory MPs who have actual experience who are the most thoughtful on this e.g. Maude changing his mind following his brother's experience etc. It's as if the Howarths of this world can't see past peoples' sexual preferences to the whole person and to their desire to live a normal happy life just like the rest of us. Why is this so hard?
Lab 35.3%
Con 23.4%
UKIP 22.9%
LD 10.2%
Be fun to see what happens if they get into power.
Disliking gays and foreigners and harking back to some imagined and glorious past is an electoral cul de sac. Thatcher may have shown respect for her activists but she was a radical and stood up to vested interests. UKIP want to go back to their comfort blanket. How are they going to deal with Britain as it is not as they would like it to be?
That's a question to which none of the parties has an answer, frankly.
Yes 150
NO 340
Lots of abstentions
In 2014 there will be elections to the European Parliament, by a form of proportional representation If this election was to take place tomorrow instead, how do you think you would be most likely to vote in a European Election (figures normalised to exclude Don't Knows, WNV/ Refused:
Con 20.03%
Lab 30.62%
LD 8.40%
UKIP 29.97%
Green 5.56%
SNP 2.58%
BNP 1.81%
PC 0.78%
Other 0.26%
"(4) Like I said, I really can't wait until 2014."
On that we agree, although you might be less thrilled to hear that the main thing I'm looking forward to is the look on your face.
The man who thinks that Scots will prove themselves to be "loyal, patriotic Brits"?
Chortle.