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  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    O/T

    Had a very interesting dinner with a good contact of mine in France (@Roger - we went to Sant'ana in Nice http://www.santana.fr/ - very unpretentious and really enjoyable food and wine - highly recommended if you are looking for somewhere new)

    He was saying that he could easily see a scenario where Hollande wins in 2017.

    His view: most French elections aren't decided until a couple of month before. If the economy begins to improve, then Hollande's rating should come up. There is something about Sarkozy that people don't feel comfortable with.

    In a Le Pen vs Hollande round 2, Hollande has a decent chance of winning (risk is that French people - his words - are "stupid and like playing with fire").

    I'm not going to comment on odds, and 2017 is obviously a long time away, but given current perception of Hollande would assume that there could be a value trade to be had (perhaps as a trading bet, if nothing else)
  • anotherDaveanotherDave Posts: 6,746

    I mean... the MP for the last 9 years must think this is scandalous

    Tom Barton @tombarton
    Local GP rep Brian Barmer says there are 9 GP vacancies in #Clacton, equivalent of 18,000 not having a GP #BattleForClacton
    Retweeted by Douglas Carswell

    Well if Carswell chooses not to live in Clacton why the fox should GPs go there either? Clearly Carswell does not think it the best place for his family so why be surprised when GPs avoid the place?
    You do understand that the Palace of Westminster is in London?
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,880
    GIN1138 LDs have said they will vote down a minority government
  • Plato said:

    Those are rather good - what album is that?

    Weller at his finest

    "The Butterfly Collector"

    So you finally got what you wanted
    You've achieved your aim by making the walking lame
    And when you just can't get any higher
    You use your senses to suss out this week's climber
    And the small fame that you've acquired
    Has brought you into cult status
    But to me you're still a collector

    There's tarts and whores but you're much more
    You're a different kind 'cause you want their minds
    And you just don't care 'cause you've got no pride
    It's just a face on your pillowcase
    That thrills you.............
    .

    It wasn't originally. It was the B-Side to 'Strange Town' but it is on this a compilation called 'That's Entertainment - The Collection' and probably on a fair few others

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thats-Entertainment-The-Collection-Jam/dp/B008PPFQTM/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1412633704&sr=8-8&keywords=the+jam
    great choice.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Great stats there. Thanx for the linky to Janis Ian = haven't come across her before, lovely voice.

    Well if the polls do not revert to a LAB lead by end of the week I would agree this is seriously bad news for Ed is crap.

    I am already getting a little nervous re my entrenched position LAB most seats on Betfair cash out still at a reasonable profit starting to look attractive.

    Ed is crap is a massive drag on LAB in my view but it looks like LAB are stuck with him for GE2015

    Your nightly update service of seat projections seems to becoming a little less reliable.... am sure normal service will be resumed shortly. EICAMNBLOTOFL
    Tonights YG LAB 309 CON 295 LD 18 Fook knows if EICIPM
    In 2009 the year before the GE2010, with Yougov and ICM, the opposition (C) always had a lead on Labour. With Yougov 90%+ of the leads were double figures.

    After the Conservative party conference of October 2007, the Labour Govt never had a lead on the Conservatives with ICM.
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633

    I mean... the MP for the last 9 years must think this is scandalous

    Tom Barton @tombarton
    Local GP rep Brian Barmer says there are 9 GP vacancies in #Clacton, equivalent of 18,000 not having a GP #BattleForClacton
    Retweeted by Douglas Carswell

    Well if Carswell chooses not to live in Clacton why the fox should GPs go there either? Clearly Carswell does not think it the best place for his family so why be surprised when GPs avoid the place?
    You do understand that the Palace of Westminster is in London?
    Carswell lives in Fulham. West of - parly. He can't get far enough away from Clacton....
  • TykejohnnoTykejohnno Posts: 7,362
    edited October 2014
    Michael Weiss @michaeldweiss

    Turkey wanted to invoke Article 5 before but US told it don't even think about it. If they did so now, it'd be in open defiance of US.


    Rami(ط) @RamiAlLolah

    #Turkey Defense Minister: #NATO Article 5 will be activated if Turkish territories got attacked.. #Syria #Iraq #ISIS


    WTF.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 19,972
    Nigel

    "I might have missed it previously but why are you so convinced a major collapse in October? Not disputing it nut just curious"

    Don't ask Huntsman{ He's not only the worst financial predictor on PB but probably in the world! You must be relatively new here if you don't know his history. Just ignore or you'll lose your shirt!
  • Re: LD Conference
    Somehow i missed this chap and thanks to LD Voice for highlighting it.
    DIMBLEBOT CALCULATES "POTTER" WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE "LIB DEM" PLAN FOR A "CHRISTMAS JUMPER TAX"

    The future of Lib Demmery is in his hands....
    http://www.libdemvoice.org/glasgow-gossip-2-jumpergate-42778.html

    Good nite. Dont be beastly to the Germans/Lib Dems...
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,376
    edited October 2014
    HYUFD said:

    GIN1138 LDs have said they will vote down a minority government

    They may say that, but in the latest EICIPM projection they only have 18 seats which implies they have lost something like 40 seats.

    I really don't think what is left of their broken party would want to go to the polls immediately after such a heavy battering.

    The Tories would be having an internal debate about whether to stick with Cameron for the autumn or replace him with Theresa or Boris and in such circumstances I think both Con and Lib would abstain on Queens Speech to allow EICIPM to govern with his 309 MP's until autumn or maybe spring 2016 and then have another go with the electorate.

  • Danny565Danny565 Posts: 8,091

    The coalition's approval ratings have improved markedly. I suspect that is why the polls are better. Cameron's speech obviously went down well, but how will people feel when they understand the true implications of it? The concerns of DavidL, a tory loyalist on here aboutt he future funding of the NHS (budget protected) under the Tories tells its own story.

    By "implications", do you mean how it will make deficit reduction harder? Again, people REALLY don't care about the deficit and it has nothing to do with the perceived "economic competence" of both parties.
  • So there's your new politics - Nimbyism..... send the houses back to Europe!!!

    Douglas Carswell ✔ @DouglasCarswell
    It's a clear choice on Thursday: Establishment parties want 12,000 extra houses foist on #clacton .... I don't. #battleofclacton
  • hunchmanhunchman Posts: 2,591
    Roger said:

    Nigel

    "I might have missed it previously but why are you so convinced a major collapse in October? Not disputing it nut just curious"

    Don't ask Huntsman{ He's not only the worst financial predictor on PB but probably in the world! You must be relatively new here if you don't know his history. Just ignore or you'll lose your shirt!

    Roger,

    I got a heck of a lot right as I've stated many times. Yes I got the stockmarket wrong, but I've called enough things right on here in the past. And I'm still waiting for when you call something right on here after all these years.......
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    surbiton said:

    I mean... the MP for the last 9 years must think this is scandalous

    Tom Barton @tombarton
    Local GP rep Brian Barmer says there are 9 GP vacancies in #Clacton, equivalent of 18,000 not having a GP #BattleForClacton
    Retweeted by Douglas Carswell

    The MP is not part of the Executive. The Tory government is the Executive.

    But part of the job of an MP is to lobby the executive.

    Do you think Carswell would be better placed to do this as a member of the governing party or as a defector?
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633

    So there's your new politics - Nimbyism..... send the houses back to Europe!!!

    Douglas Carswell ✔ @DouglasCarswell
    It's a clear choice on Thursday: Establishment parties want 12,000 extra houses foist on #clacton .... I don't. #battleofclacton

    Surely out of 12k there would be one he might want to live in...?

  • Sophie Jamieson @sophiejam

    .@edballsmp says Ed Miliband forgot "the most important things" in his speech #theagenda

    Didn't balls see the speech two weeks in advance ?

    It was in the written version though he just forgot to say it
    Luckily he remembered Gareth and to ask the nice girl apprentice to stand up for a clap...
  • hunchmanhunchman Posts: 2,591
    Charles said:

    O/T

    Had a very interesting dinner with a good contact of mine in France (@Roger - we went to Sant'ana in Nice http://www.santana.fr/ - very unpretentious and really enjoyable food and wine - highly recommended if you are looking for somewhere new)

    He was saying that he could easily see a scenario where Hollande wins in 2017.

    His view: most French elections aren't decided until a couple of month before. If the economy begins to improve, then Hollande's rating should come up. There is something about Sarkozy that people don't feel comfortable with.

    In a Le Pen vs Hollande round 2, Hollande has a decent chance of winning (risk is that French people - his words - are "stupid and like playing with fire").

    I'm not going to comment on odds, and 2017 is obviously a long time away, but given current perception of Hollande would assume that there could be a value trade to be had (perhaps as a trading bet, if nothing else)

    Hollande will be finished off long before 2017.

    Good night all.
  • TCPoliticalBettingTCPoliticalBetting Posts: 10,819
    edited October 2014
    Plato said:

    Great stats there. Thanx for the linky to Janis Ian = haven't come across her before, lovely voice.

    Well if the polls do not revert to a LAB lead by end of the week I would agree this is seriously bad news for Ed is crap.

    I am already getting a little nervous re my entrenched position LAB most seats on Betfair cash out still at a reasonable profit starting to look attractive.

    Ed is crap is a massive drag on LAB in my view but it looks like LAB are stuck with him for GE2015

    Your nightly update service of seat projections seems to becoming a little less reliable.... am sure normal service will be resumed shortly. EICAMNBLOTOFL
    Tonights YG LAB 309 CON 295 LD 18 Fook knows if EICIPM
    In 2009 the year before the GE2010, with Yougov and ICM, the opposition (C) always had a lead on Labour. With Yougov 90%+ of the leads were double figures.

    After the Conservative party conference of October 2007, the Labour Govt never had a lead on the Conservatives with ICM.
    Glad you do - great in concert and a real leftie. Recommend "Tea & Sympathy" and "Seventeen". I fell in love with her songs in mid 70s. For some fun try "Married in London".

    I hope one day to pay $10k for a home concert (charity). But the kids inheritance keeps coming up.

  • hunchman said:

    Roger said:

    Nigel

    "I might have missed it previously but why are you so convinced a major collapse in October? Not disputing it nut just curious"

    Don't ask Huntsman{ He's not only the worst financial predictor on PB but probably in the world! You must be relatively new here if you don't know his history. Just ignore or you'll lose your shirt!

    Roger,

    I got a heck of a lot right as I've stated many times. Yes I got the stockmarket wrong, but I've called enough things right on here in the past. And I'm still waiting for when you call something right on here after all these years.......
    Roger got the Indyref spot on, he was our man on the spot in Scotland.

    (and his oscar tips aren't too shabby either)
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    Socrates said:

    Tim_B said:

    Another item of Americana -

    I've mentioned on here before that baseball is in long term decline, with its audience declining and skewing older. They also are not that smart with their TV contracts.

    The playoffs are in full swing. They are on ESPN, TNT, Fox sports 1 and 2 and MLB Network. The last 3 are hard to find. ALL cable, not a single major network. Last night a game ran 6 hours 23 minutes! So far the Orioles and Royals are moving on. Both are small markets and baseball is increasingly regional.

    The NFL continues to dominate ratings at an ever increasing rate, and all games are on the major networks, other than Monday Night Football. After 30 years on ABC it went to ESPN, though games are available on network TV in the teams home markets.

    Even the Thursday night games on CBS, which have all been blowouts with an average victory margin of 28 points, get great ratings.

    I'm surprised by that. Baseball seems like a good spectator sport.

    (Cheerleaders are a great idea though. Well done American Football.)
    The second most watched sports game in the US this year was an association football match.
    I'm assuming that was a World Cup game. Regular soccer games on TV here get poor ratings, which is why the broadcasting rights are so cheap. Fox outbid ESPN by 400% to get the world cup rights for the next several, which are in time zones less useful for US viewers. NBC pays something like $80 million a year for all premier league games. Compare that to ESPN paying over $110 million PER GAME for Monday Night Football and you see the scale of the problem.

    World Cup soccer is big bucks and popular, but otherwise soccer simply isn't a big TV draw.
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118

    Plato said:

    Those are rather good - what album is that?

    Weller at his finest

    "The Butterfly Collector"

    So you finally got what you wanted
    You've achieved your aim by making the walking lame
    And when you just can't get any higher
    You use your senses to suss out this week's climber
    And the small fame that you've acquired
    Has brought you into cult status
    But to me you're still a collector

    There's tarts and whores but you're much more
    You're a different kind 'cause you want their minds
    And you just don't care 'cause you've got no pride
    It's just a face on your pillowcase
    That thrills you.............
    .

    It wasn't originally. It was the B-Side to 'Strange Town' but it is on this a compilation called 'That's Entertainment - The Collection' and probably on a fair few others

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thats-Entertainment-The-Collection-Jam/dp/B008PPFQTM/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1412633704&sr=8-8&keywords=the+jam
    My fav rarity is No One in the World... good version here w Steve Craddock in about 97

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqdXBI23yNA

  • Scrapheap_as_wasScrapheap_as_was Posts: 10,069
    edited October 2014
    TGOHF said:

    So there's your new politics - Nimbyism..... send the houses back to Europe!!!

    Douglas Carswell ✔ @DouglasCarswell
    It's a clear choice on Thursday: Establishment parties want 12,000 extra houses foist on #clacton .... I don't. #battleofclacton

    Surely out of 12k there would be one he might want to live in...?
    what is the UKIP policy on housing by the way?

    I struggle to see how they can primarily blame the EU for there being a shortage in new homes being built but am sure that's the reason... that or too many immigrants, but not them personally but the EU policy letting them all in of course.

  • Sophie Jamieson @sophiejam

    .@edballsmp says Ed Miliband forgot "the most important things" in his speech #theagenda

    Didn't balls see the speech two weeks in advance ?

    It was in the written version though he just forgot to say it
    Luckily he remembered Gareth and to ask the nice girl apprentice to stand up for a clap...
    Still no sign of my free owl. Very poor.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 19,972
    Charles

    "Had a very interesting dinner with a good contact of mine in France (@Roger - we went to Sant'ana in Nice http://www.santana.fr/ - very unpretentious and really enjoyable food and wine - highly recommended if you are looking for somewhere new)"

    I don't think it's new. I was taken there by some German clients a few years ago. Are you staying in Nice? Do you eat in Villefrance or Cap Ferrat ever?
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,880
    edited October 2014
    Charles I agree if Valls can get key reforms through and the economy going Hollande will be a beneficiary. The UMP is also hopelessly split, the country prefers Juppe, as does Chirac, the activists want Sarkozy and Fillon has threatened to run as an independent. A Le Pen v Hollande run off is entirely possible
  • JohnLilburneJohnLilburne Posts: 6,312

    Roger said:

    As I have said before it doesn't make a scrap of difference to most of us who wins the election Dave hasn't proved himself to be a fascist and Ed doesn't seem to have any different ideas.

    I just wish the 'Conservatives' would change their name. How can any forward thinking person not feel queasy being governed by a party which calls itself 'conservative'

    What we need is a decent ad man who can up with a new name for the Tories.

    So Roger, do you know any decent ad men? :-)
    The Canadians had Progressive Conservatives, surely an oxymoron if ever there was one. Or there's the example of New Labour, but if Boris were in charge he'd want a nod to the classics so how about "Neo Conservative"?

  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,880
    Gin1138 But if Ed M loses the popular vote no guarantee Labour will stick with him either
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669

    Michael Weiss @michaeldweiss

    Turkey wanted to invoke Article 5 before but US told it don't even think about it. If they did so now, it'd be in open defiance of US.


    Rami(ط) @RamiAlLolah

    #Turkey Defense Minister: #NATO Article 5 will be activated if Turkish territories got attacked.. #Syria #Iraq #ISIS


    WTF.

    Sounds about right - the parents of beheaded hostage Foley were told by the Obama administration that they would be prosecuted if they tried to raise the ransom money.
  • NinoinozNinoinoz Posts: 1,312
    TGOHF said:

    I mean... the MP for the last 9 years must think this is scandalous

    Tom Barton @tombarton
    Local GP rep Brian Barmer says there are 9 GP vacancies in #Clacton, equivalent of 18,000 not having a GP #BattleForClacton
    Retweeted by Douglas Carswell

    Well if Carswell chooses not to live in Clacton why the fox should GPs go there either? Clearly Carswell does not think it the best place for his family so why be surprised when GPs avoid the place?
    You do understand that the Palace of Westminster is in London?
    Carswell lives in Fulham. West of - parly. He can't get far enough away from Clacton....
    Fulham Broadway and Westminster are both on the District Line.

    And what exactly is wrong living near work, especially when it has antisocial hours?
  • JohnLilburneJohnLilburne Posts: 6,312
    Tim_B said:

    Socrates said:

    Tim_B said:

    Another item of Americana -

    I've mentioned on here before that baseball is in long term decline, with its audience declining and skewing older. They also are not that smart with their TV contracts.

    The playoffs are in full swing. They are on ESPN, TNT, Fox sports 1 and 2 and MLB Network. The last 3 are hard to find. ALL cable, not a single major network. Last night a game ran 6 hours 23 minutes! So far the Orioles and Royals are moving on. Both are small markets and baseball is increasingly regional.

    The NFL continues to dominate ratings at an ever increasing rate, and all games are on the major networks, other than Monday Night Football. After 30 years on ABC it went to ESPN, though games are available on network TV in the teams home markets.

    Even the Thursday night games on CBS, which have all been blowouts with an average victory margin of 28 points, get great ratings.

    I'm surprised by that. Baseball seems like a good spectator sport.

    (Cheerleaders are a great idea though. Well done American Football.)
    The second most watched sports game in the US this year was an association football match.
    I'm assuming that was a World Cup game. Regular soccer games on TV here get poor ratings, which is why the broadcasting rights are so cheap. Fox outbid ESPN by 400% to get the world cup rights for the next several, which are in time zones less useful for US viewers. NBC pays something like $80 million a year for all premier league games. Compare that to ESPN paying over $110 million PER GAME for Monday Night Football and you see the scale of the problem.

    World Cup soccer is big bucks and popular, but otherwise soccer simply isn't a big TV draw.
    here I agree with the Yanks, soccer is a shit game, can't understand why it is so popular.

  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    Charles said:

    surbiton said:

    I mean... the MP for the last 9 years must think this is scandalous

    Tom Barton @tombarton
    Local GP rep Brian Barmer says there are 9 GP vacancies in #Clacton, equivalent of 18,000 not having a GP #BattleForClacton
    Retweeted by Douglas Carswell

    The MP is not part of the Executive. The Tory government is the Executive.

    But part of the job of an MP is to lobby the executive.

    Do you think Carswell would be better placed to do this as a member of the governing party or as a defector?
    That was the first question in the debate! I thought I recognised the phrasing, how was Clackers?
  • RogerRoger Posts: 19,972
    Huntsman.

    "And I'm still waiting for when you call something right on here after all these years......."


    With all due respect people hold the sign of the cross when they hear you're in the same town as them! I'm surprised you aren't too embarrassed to show your face.
  • JohnLilburneJohnLilburne Posts: 6,312
    Charles said:

    surbiton said:

    I mean... the MP for the last 9 years must think this is scandalous

    Tom Barton @tombarton
    Local GP rep Brian Barmer says there are 9 GP vacancies in #Clacton, equivalent of 18,000 not having a GP #BattleForClacton
    Retweeted by Douglas Carswell

    The MP is not part of the Executive. The Tory government is the Executive.

    But part of the job of an MP is to lobby the executive.

    Do you think Carswell would be better placed to do this as a member of the governing party or as a defector?
    Well, there's certainly less of a conflict of interest if he is a member of a not-the-Government party.

  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    Roger said:

    Charles

    "Had a very interesting dinner with a good contact of mine in France (@Roger - we went to Sant'ana in Nice http://www.santana.fr/ - very unpretentious and really enjoyable food and wine - highly recommended if you are looking for somewhere new)"

    I don't think it's new. I was taken there by some German clients a few years ago. Are you staying in Nice? Do you eat in Villefrance or Cap Ferrat ever?

    Meant new for me!

    Am staying at Nice airport hotel tonight as need to be back in London to chair a board meeting tomorrow morning.

    In the past I've tended to stay around Antibes rather than further east (I hate Monaco with a passion). I did go to Chevre d'Or a few years ago and keen to find an excuse to go back :)
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,880
    Newsnight LD balls seemed to narrowly prefer Ed M TO DC as a coalition partner, but partly 'for the entertainment value' as one activist put it, others wanted voters to decide
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    isam said:

    Charles said:

    surbiton said:

    I mean... the MP for the last 9 years must think this is scandalous

    Tom Barton @tombarton
    Local GP rep Brian Barmer says there are 9 GP vacancies in #Clacton, equivalent of 18,000 not having a GP #BattleForClacton
    Retweeted by Douglas Carswell

    The MP is not part of the Executive. The Tory government is the Executive.

    But part of the job of an MP is to lobby the executive.

    Do you think Carswell would be better placed to do this as a member of the governing party or as a defector?
    That was the first question in the debate! I thought I recognised the phrasing, how was Clackers?
    No idea. But the weather in Nice is lovely.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,880
    Kurd leader Salih Muslim 'Downtown #Kobani is cleaned up of #ISIS - #Kobane will not fall!"
  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    MikeK said:

    FPT:
    @foxinsoxuk said:

    Farage favours doing nothing to intervene in the Middle East. I think Respect take the same position.
    ------------------------------------
    For your info Foxy, kippers are not automations and we all think for ourselves. On the ISIL threat I differ with the party line, but makes me not one bit less a kipper. Thats what make UKIP different from your run of the mill party.

    This is a rare example of me agreeing with Farage. I think we should stay clear of military action.

    I also opposed bombing Assad last year.

    This is not our fight, and a half dozen Tornados blowing up a pick up truck is neither here or there.

    If we go to war, then it should be no holds barred, in the style of Patton, and if we are not going to do that we should leave the fighting to those who will be ruthless.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,880
    Coalition airstrikes now taking place tonight on ISIS positions outside Kobane
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    Charles said:

    isam said:

    Charles said:

    surbiton said:

    I mean... the MP for the last 9 years must think this is scandalous

    Tom Barton @tombarton
    Local GP rep Brian Barmer says there are 9 GP vacancies in #Clacton, equivalent of 18,000 not having a GP #BattleForClacton
    Retweeted by Douglas Carswell

    The MP is not part of the Executive. The Tory government is the Executive.

    But part of the job of an MP is to lobby the executive.

    Do you think Carswell would be better placed to do this as a member of the governing party or as a defector?
    That was the first question in the debate! I thought I recognised the phrasing, how was Clackers?
    No idea. But the weather in Nice is lovely.
    You know, Antibes is probably the place I have been to most often on holiday, as one of my best mates has a place there, right in the main street near the market... Rue d'aubernon, I believe. So beautiful
  • anotherDaveanotherDave Posts: 6,746
    edited October 2014

    TGOHF said:

    So there's your new politics - Nimbyism..... send the houses back to Europe!!!

    Douglas Carswell ✔ @DouglasCarswell
    It's a clear choice on Thursday: Establishment parties want 12,000 extra houses foist on #clacton .... I don't. #battleofclacton

    Surely out of 12k there would be one he might want to live in...?
    what is the UKIP policy on housing by the way?

    I struggle to see how they can primarily blame the EU for there being a shortage in new homes being built but am sure that's the reason... that or too many immigrants, but not them personally but the EU policy letting them all in of course.
    How could net immigration possibly not be putting pressure on housing?
  • manofkent2014manofkent2014 Posts: 1,543
    edited October 2014
    GIN1138 said:

    I really, really don't understand the Lib-Dems.

    They are using their final party conference to attack the party they are in government with, while at the same time not ruling out another government with the terrible, baby eating Tories.

    If the Tories are so dreadful why are they still in government with them long after the economic crisis has passed?

    The more they attack their coalition partners the more self serving they appear.

    Instead of everything being negative, why don't they sing the praise's for all they have achieved in government? They HAVE achieved many things but they seem to hate talking about these things or taking any credit for the wider coalition achievements.

    They spend 50 years hankering for a hung parliament/coalition and when they get it they give the appearance of hating every minute of it.

    "Differentiation" has been going on for years and has achieved absolutely nothing for the Lib's. Why don't they try actually sounding positive about their time in government instead?

    When they have lost as many of their supporters to Labour as they have and they lost them within weeks of joining the coalition is it surprising they are trying to win some of them back?

    Have you seen the photos of their conference? Tumbleweed rolling down the aisles wouldn't look out of place

    In any case Cameron isn't back in Downing Street yet and they probably reckon Labour will possible be the largest party. They need to try and smooth the way for an arrangement with them and that means rejecting the Tories as noisily as possible. It's all part of the game.....
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    isam said:

    Charles said:

    isam said:

    Charles said:

    surbiton said:

    I mean... the MP for the last 9 years must think this is scandalous

    Tom Barton @tombarton
    Local GP rep Brian Barmer says there are 9 GP vacancies in #Clacton, equivalent of 18,000 not having a GP #BattleForClacton
    Retweeted by Douglas Carswell

    The MP is not part of the Executive. The Tory government is the Executive.

    But part of the job of an MP is to lobby the executive.

    Do you think Carswell would be better placed to do this as a member of the governing party or as a defector?
    That was the first question in the debate! I thought I recognised the phrasing, how was Clackers?
    No idea. But the weather in Nice is lovely.
    You know, Antibes is probably the place I have been to most often on holiday, as one of my best mates has a place there, right in the main street near the market... Rue d'aubernon, I believe. So beautiful
    Indeed. I've stayed down on the Cap a couple of times, but never in Antibes itself.

    Off to Oslo and northern Norway in the next couple of weeks, so will be a lot less warm...
  • TGOHF said:

    So there's your new politics - Nimbyism..... send the houses back to Europe!!!

    Douglas Carswell ✔ @DouglasCarswell
    It's a clear choice on Thursday: Establishment parties want 12,000 extra houses foist on #clacton .... I don't. #battleofclacton

    Surely out of 12k there would be one he might want to live in...?
    what is the UKIP policy on housing by the way?

    I struggle to see how they can primarily blame the EU for there being a shortage in new homes being built but am sure that's the reason... that or too many immigrants, but not them personally but the EU policy letting them all in of course.
    How could net immigration possibly not be putting pressure on housing?
    So the housing policy is......

    reduce immigration and leave EU? Job done.

    Well it keeps the policy document short and the message simple I suppose.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,880
    SeanT Indeed, with their backs to the wall the Kurds can be tough cookies and ruthless too. Daily Mail reported 2 British ISIS fighters executed by Kurds http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2780816/Did-allies-execute-two-British-ISIS-fighters-Former-SAS-soldier-claims-saw-UK-jihadis-captured-Kurdish-forces-Iraq-desert-believes-killed.html

    As your video shows we need to step up the pressure on Turkey
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    SeanT said:

    Tim_B said:

    Socrates said:

    Tim_B said:

    Another item of Americana -

    I've mentioned on here before that baseball is in long term decline, with its audience declining and skewing older.

    The playoffs are in full swing. They are on ESPN, TNT, Fox sports 1 and 2 and MLB Network. The last 3 are hard to find. ALL cable, not a single major network. Last night a game ran 6 hours 23 minutes! So far the Orioles and Royals are moving on. Both are small markets and baseball is increasingly regional.

    The NFL continues to dominate ratings at an ever increasing rate, and all games are on the major networks, other than Monday Night Football. After 30 years on ABC it went to ESPN, though games are available on network TV in the teams home markets.

    Even the Thursday night games on CBS, which have all been blowouts with an average victory margin of 28 points, get great ratings.

    I'm surprised by that. Baseball seems like a good spectator sport.

    (Cheerleaders are a great idea though. Well done American Football.)
    The second most watched sports game in the US this year was an association football match.
    I'm assuming that was a World Cup game. Regular soccer games on TV here get poor ratings, which is why the broadcasting rights are so cheap. Fox outbid ESPN by 400% to get the world cup rights for the next several, which are in time zones less useful for US viewers. NBC pays something like $80 million a year for all premier league games. Compare that to ESPN paying over $110 million PER GAME for Monday Night Football and you see the scale of the problem.

    World Cup soccer is big bucks and popular, but otherwise soccer simply isn't a big TV draw.
    But I remember when you were telling us lacrosse - yes, professional LACROSSE - was more popular than soccer in the States.

    lol.

    Soccer is clearly the ascendant sport in America (as everywhere else in the world). It will overtake ice hockey and probably, one distant day, baseball. More American kids play soccer than any other sport. In the end that WILL tell.

    On the upside for American exceptionalists, it means America will win the World Cup within 20 years. You read it here first.
    For soccer to succeed here, it needs US born and raised stars and a good product. There are a few good US born players now. They mostly play overseas. The dilemma is simple - you're going to get a scholarship to college. Which one? NBA or NFL means a chance of big bucks. Baseball is declining. NFL is the biggest bucks, but with risks due to injury etc. Soccer is fine, but there's no serious money, the product (Major League Soccer) is awful, with stadiums in unattractive parts of town for the most part. The LA Galaxy with its place in Compton is a prime example
  • Y0kelY0kel Posts: 2,307
    I forgot to mention regarding why Turkish troops havent got involved in Kobani so far.

    The understanding is that the Kurds themselves didn't want Turkish troops involved full stop. Not only that, Turkish proposals & terms to get involved were rejected.
  • FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,928
    Dynamite from Allegra Stratton on Newsnight. Looks like Lib Dems have been briefing about the difficulties of doing a deal with Labour. Why oh why would they be getting into debates about most votes/most seats at this stage? And what a ridiculous reason Allegra was given for not doing a deal with Labour. The Lib Dems would look like the nasty party in said coalition????? What? Apparently they would be seen as the ones having to enforce fiscal discipline. Have they learnt nothing from the coalition? he idea that a party outnumbered 10:1 is somehow going to be, or seen to be, behind the government's fiscal plans is laughable. Labour will get the fiscal plans they want just as the Tories did last time. The best the Lib Dems could hope for would be to influence things on the fringes. It seems increasingly clear that the Lib Dem leadership is determined not to work with Labour. Given the parties' convergence in policy and the Tories flirtation with Ukip, I find this amazing.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 19,972
    edited October 2014
    Charles

    "In the past I've tended to stay around Antibes rather than further east (I hate Monaco with a passion). I did go to Chevre d'Or a few years ago and keen to find an excuse to go back :)"

    La Chevre d'or is for lovers not clients......You must try La Columbe d'or in Vence for lunch. It works for either. My favourite at the moment is La mer germaine in Villefranche.
  • All these polls showing Tory leads must be outliers! They must be!
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,880
    Yokel Well we could still supply the Kurds with more heavy weaponary as well as air support even if the Turks remain outside for now
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669

    All these polls showing Tory leads must be outliers! They must be!

    Maybe that train has left the station :-)
  • RogerRoger Posts: 19,972
    edited October 2014
    Sean

    "Menton is the last truly lovely place on the Riviera. The rest of it is swamped in summer (when you want to be there). The light remains magical but, sigh, the busloads of tourists, everywhere. Ugh."

    For once our tastes coincide. I visited Cocteau's museum at the week end and I think that afternoon and early evening it was among the most beautiful places I've ever seen. I've been many times before but the light is never quite the same.
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited October 2014
    "Pete Wishart ‏@PeteWishart 1h1 hour ago

    Labour at a Yougov 4 year low on 33%. Meanwhile Tory/UKIP on 48%. What a wonderful UK we're staying in."


    twitter.com/PeteWishart/status/519249631159791616
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited October 2014
    Betfair:
    Overall majority:

    None 2.24
    Lab 3.15
    Con 4
    Oth 200

    http://www.betfair.com/exchange/politics/market?id=1.101416490

    Most seats:

    Lab 1.76
    Con 2.32
    LD 900
    Oth 95

    http://www.betfair.com/exchange/politics/market?id=1.101416473
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,880
    SeanT Exactly right, night!
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    Speaking of TV shows, the complete 'WKRP in Cincinnati' comes out October 28th, WITH the original music. It was a rock station after all.
  • oxfordsimonoxfordsimon Posts: 5,844
    All this talk of Labour leadership issues, I wonder how long before we get a number of polls that ask the question 'If X were leader of the Labour Party, how would you vote?'

    I am sure there are various little groups seeing if they can raise the cash to see how their preferred candidate would improve Labour's standing...(if at all, of course)
  • fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,320
    edited October 2014
    FPT. @antifrank said: "I've been in London for just under 25 years now. No one has ever stood up for the elderly on public transport. Ever."

    I think that is very sad to be honest. I have on many occasions over the years offered up my seat to elderly people on public transport, and I have also been offered a seat while pregnant or with my young children many years ago. In fact, just a few weeks ago I saw a retired couple offer up their seats on a bus with standing room only to two young children on a bus into Aberdeen. I was already standing, or I would have offered up my seat.
  • Y0kelY0kel Posts: 2,307
    edited October 2014
    SeanT said:

    Y0kel said:

    I forgot to mention regarding why Turkish troops havent got involved in Kobani so far.

    The understanding is that the Kurds themselves didn't want Turkish troops involved full stop. Not only that, Turkish proposals & terms to get involved were rejected.

    That is possibly true, but the optics for Ankara are horrible. The sight of ALL those static, silent Turkish tanks on the border, almost nodding their approval as ISIS moved into Kobane, ready to rape and behead everyone they found? Eeesh.

    Tonight there are reports of Kurds violently rioting all across Turkey, from Mardin to Istanbul. There are 12 million Kurds in Turkey. They will not forget.

    Erdogan may have bought a tactical victory against the PKK, at the expense of an historic and strategic defeat - giving his restive Kurdish minority a reason to hate the Turks all over again.
    Yep they are bad, and the Kobani fight has been very prominent in the Turkish media.

    Im not sure thats quite it though regarding Erdogan's tactics. All the stuff coming out of Turkish officials off and on record is that they won't let Kobani go to the wall. You correctly point out that the Turkish Kurds won't forget and bearing in mind the peace talks between the govt and their own Kurdish separatists, the government doesn't want to upset that applecart too much.

    The Turks however are in a well mixed up position; their position on Assad, the absence of unity with their Western friends over no-fly zones etc and the lack of a clear and comprehensive Western strategy, the traditional concern over Kurdish separatism, the threat of ISIS (polling in Turkey suggests the population overall get it but apparently AKP government supporters get it somewhat less ) are all pulling them in contradictory directions.

    My understanding is that the Turks are running MEDEVAC operations out of Kobani but it is not clear if the Kurdish request for kit to come the other way has been fulfilled.
  • oxfordsimonoxfordsimon Posts: 5,844
    fitalass said:

    FPT. @antifrank said: "I've been in London for just under 25 years now. No one has ever stood up for the elderly on public transport. Ever."

    I think that is very sad to be honest. I have on many occasions over the years offered up my seat to elderly people on public transport, and I have also been offered a seat while pregnant or with my young children many years ago. In fact, just a few weeks ago I saw a retired couple offer up their seats on a bus with standing room only to two young children on a bus into Aberdeen.

    I wonder whether free bus passes for retired people has changed the attitudes of their fellow fare-paying passengers. 'Why should I give up my seat? I paid for it...'
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669

    fitalass said:

    FPT. @antifrank said: "I've been in London for just under 25 years now. No one has ever stood up for the elderly on public transport. Ever."

    I think that is very sad to be honest. I have on many occasions over the years offered up my seat to elderly people on public transport, and I have also been offered a seat while pregnant or with my young children many years ago. In fact, just a few weeks ago I saw a retired couple offer up their seats on a bus with standing room only to two young children on a bus into Aberdeen.

    I wonder whether free bus passes for retired people has changed the attitudes of their fellow fare-paying passengers. 'Why should I give up my seat? I paid for it...'
    I lived in London from 1969-75. It happened frequently but that's a while ago now.
  • SeanT said:

    Charles said:

    isam said:

    Charles said:

    isam said:

    Charles said:

    surbiton said:

    I mean... the MP for the last 9 years must think this is scandalous

    Tom Barton @tombarton
    Local GP rep Brian Barmer says there are 9 GP vacancies in #Clacton, equivalent of 18,000 not having a GP #BattleForClacton
    Retweeted by Douglas Carswell

    The MP is not part of the Executive. The Tory government is the Executive.

    But part of the job of an MP is to lobby the executive.

    Do you think Carswell would be better placed to do this as a member of the governing party or as a defector?
    That was the first question in the debate! I thought I recognised the phrasing, how was Clackers?
    No idea. But the weather in Nice is lovely.
    You know, Antibes is probably the place I have been to most often on holiday, as one of my best mates has a place there, right in the main street near the market... Rue d'aubernon, I believe. So beautiful
    Indeed. I've stayed down on the Cap a couple of times, but never in Antibes itself.

    Off to Oslo and northern Norway in the next couple of weeks, so will be a lot less warm...
    Menton is the last truly lovely place on the Riviera. The rest of it is swamped in summer (when you want to be there). The light remains magical but, sigh, the busloads of tourists, everywhere. Ugh.

    Remaining beautiful untouched bits of the Med: southeastern Sicily, Montenegro (but disappearing fast), some obscure Greek and Italian islands (Capraia, Skyros, Alicudi), Gozo off Malta, and..... that's about it.



    I was in Geneva and Montreux a couple of weeks ago.

  • Danny565Danny565 Posts: 8,091
    Is it time to start putting bets on Harriet Harman as next Labour leader? If Ed is ousted now, I doubt they would want a leadership contest and would probably just go for a "unity" candidate. She's the only suitable one apart from Alan Johnson (who shows no sign of wanting it)...
  • oxfordsimonoxfordsimon Posts: 5,844
    Danny565 said:

    Is it time to start putting bets on Harriet Harman as next Labour leader? If Ed is ousted now, I doubt they would want a leadership contest and would probably just go for a "unity" candidate. She's the only suitable one apart from Alan Johnson (who shows no sign of wanting it)...

    Harman would see Labour losing even more votes - they would be better off sticking with Ed rather than his undeserving deputy. (I never understood how she managed to avoid having to resign after having been in charge of Labour's 2010 Election campaign and having done so badly)
  • fitalass said:

    FPT. @antifrank said: "I've been in London for just under 25 years now. No one has ever stood up for the elderly on public transport. Ever."

    I think that is very sad to be honest. I have on many occasions over the years offered up my seat to elderly people on public transport, and I have also been offered a seat while pregnant or with my young children many years ago. In fact, just a few weeks ago I saw a retired couple offer up their seats on a bus with standing room only to two young children on a bus into Aberdeen. I was already standing, or I would have offered up my seat.

    Unlike antifrank, I've been everywhere in London by Tube, National Rail, DLR and Tramlink!

    But seriously I have seen people give up their seats on the Tube, and I even do so myself :)
  • Danny565Danny565 Posts: 8,091
    edited October 2014

    Danny565 said:

    Is it time to start putting bets on Harriet Harman as next Labour leader? If Ed is ousted now, I doubt they would want a leadership contest and would probably just go for a "unity" candidate. She's the only suitable one apart from Alan Johnson (who shows no sign of wanting it)...

    Harman would see Labour losing even more votes - they would be better off sticking with Ed rather than his undeserving deputy. (I never understood how she managed to avoid having to resign after having been in charge of Labour's 2010 Election campaign and having done so badly)
    Mandelson and Douglas Alexander were in charge of the 2010 election campaign.
  • Y0kelY0kel Posts: 2,307
    HYUFD said:

    Yokel Well we could still supply the Kurds with more heavy weaponary as well as air support even if the Turks remain outside for now

    Count the airstrikes this evening so far: Reportedly 4. Bloody awful. The eastern side of the town is where the focus is trying to grind down the IS advance from that side in particular. This is where the attack choppers need to be rather than fixed wing. The other option is just wipe everything outside the city and IS zones in it, though ISIS logistical tail is not huge and it is a case of we had to destroy the city in order to save it.

    The well over a thousand Kurdish fighters do have a reasonable amount of kit there but have asked for more. In reality they could do with more troops as well. My assumption is that what they want is infantry support gear within the city streets themselves such as medium machine guns, grenade launchers and so on. One of the first things that you seek in an infantry battle is sheer weight of accurate fire and nothing beats lots and lots of belt fed stuff.

    Getting it to them wouldn't be an issue.
  • JBriskinJBriskin Posts: 2,380
    [I have also been offered a seat while pregnant]

    Not so keen on Jimmy Carr so much nowadays but, y'know, I might have some lurker fans or something-

    "I've realised... I'd rather see a pregnant woman standing on public transport...than a fat woman sitting down crying"
  • JBriskinJBriskin Posts: 2,380
    [Is it time to start putting bets on Harriet Harman as next Labour leader?]

    No
  • anotherDaveanotherDave Posts: 6,746

    TGOHF said:

    So there's your new politics - Nimbyism..... send the houses back to Europe!!!

    Douglas Carswell ✔ @DouglasCarswell
    It's a clear choice on Thursday: Establishment parties want 12,000 extra houses foist on #clacton .... I don't. #battleofclacton

    Surely out of 12k there would be one he might want to live in...?
    what is the UKIP policy on housing by the way?

    I struggle to see how they can primarily blame the EU for there being a shortage in new homes being built but am sure that's the reason... that or too many immigrants, but not them personally but the EU policy letting them all in of course.
    How could net immigration possibly not be putting pressure on housing?
    So the housing policy is......

    reduce immigration and leave EU? Job done.

    Well it keeps the policy document short and the message simple I suppose.
    "Net Migration to the UK in the year ending March 2014 was 243,000"

    http://www.migrationwatchuk.org/latest-immigration-statistics

    The population of Swansea is 240,000. So that the population of a new Swansea in one year.
  • JBriskinJBriskin Posts: 2,380
    [So that the population of a new Swansea in one year.]

    We'll need somewhere the size of Wales at this rate.
  • manofkent2014manofkent2014 Posts: 1,543
    edited October 2014

    TGOHF said:

    So there's your new politics - Nimbyism..... send the houses back to Europe!!!

    Douglas Carswell ✔ @DouglasCarswell
    It's a clear choice on Thursday: Establishment parties want 12,000 extra houses foist on #clacton .... I don't. #battleofclacton

    Surely out of 12k there would be one he might want to live in...?
    what is the UKIP policy on housing by the way?

    I struggle to see how they can primarily blame the EU for there being a shortage in new homes being built but am sure that's the reason... that or too many immigrants, but not them personally but the EU policy letting them all in of course.
    How could net immigration possibly not be putting pressure on housing?
    So the housing policy is......

    reduce immigration and leave EU? Job done.

    Well it keeps the policy document short and the message simple I suppose.
    UKIP Housing Policy aims to incentivise the use of empty housing (c 700,000 properties), relax planning restrictions to allow the conversion of office and commercial buildings into domiciles and co-ordinate and incentivise the reclamation of brownfield land maximising the amount of housing built on brownfield sites (estimated capacity 1.5 to 2.5 million properties). In doing so it aims to protect the green belt as much as possible.

    UKIP also identify that Nick Boles Tory Housing Minister indicated that at least 86,000 houses out of the current 200,000 minimum per annum required are required to accommodate the additional 200,000 immigrants net entering the country every year. So if we cut net immigration by the 75% or so proposed by UKIP (by reducing net immigration to no more than 50,000 per annum) then that's at least a 25% reduction in the demand on housing.

    At least UKIP have someone looking at this issue. IIRC The Tories didn't have anyone covering Energy or Business at their conference. Are they just keeping the seats warm for Vince & Ed in some Vote Tory get Libdem stitch up that's already been worked out ?

  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,880
    Yokel Agree entirely, hopefully those supplies of needed arms will arrive, night
  • JBriskinJBriskin Posts: 2,380
    [Are they just keeping the seats warm for Vince & Ed in some Vote Tory get Libdem stitch up that's already been worked out ?]

    That would be so F-ing sweet - Dear God, I promise I will celebrate even more than I did the indyref if there's another ConDem coalition.
  • JBriskin said:

    [Are they just keeping the seats warm for Vince & Ed in some Vote Tory get Libdem stitch up that's already been worked out ?]

    That would be so F-ing sweet - Dear God, I promise I will celebrate even more than I did the indyref if there's another ConDem coalition.

    So would I. The Tory party would explode!
  • JBriskinJBriskin Posts: 2,380
    Kurds Kurds Kurds - Kurds Kurds Kurds

    Why does everyone love the Kurds so much - even Guido's mate was tweeting a picture today.

    I got my haircut by a Kurd one time - I asked where he was from - he said Kurdistan - I was like, hmmm, imaginary countries, not valid.
  • JBriskinJBriskin Posts: 2,380

    JBriskin said:

    [Are they just keeping the seats warm for Vince & Ed in some Vote Tory get Libdem stitch up that's already been worked out ?]

    That would be so F-ing sweet - Dear God, I promise I will celebrate even more than I did the indyref if there's another ConDem coalition.

    So would I. The Tory party would explode!
    Wrong wrong wrong - the labour voting media types and their millions and millions of chavvy and middle class followers would.

    Might leave a bit of nuke crater.

    Maybe Ed M not so bad after all.

  • manofkent2014manofkent2014 Posts: 1,543
    edited October 2014
    JBriskin said:

    JBriskin said:

    [Are they just keeping the seats warm for Vince & Ed in some Vote Tory get Libdem stitch up that's already been worked out ?]

    That would be so F-ing sweet - Dear God, I promise I will celebrate even more than I did the indyref if there's another ConDem coalition.

    So would I. The Tory party would explode!
    Wrong wrong wrong - the labour voting media types and their millions and millions of chavvy and middle class followers would.

    Might leave a bit of nuke crater.

    Maybe Ed M not so bad after all.

    I'm not wrong. The only way the Tories will willingly accept getting into bed with the Libdems again is if Cameron comes to them on bended knee and asks them to approve it. Given the areas of outright conflict between the two parties I doubt if there is a Coalition deal that Cameron could sell to his party that the Libdems also backed.

    Now If Cameron and Osborne organise a fait accomplis and tell their party they are back in Coalition, I think the Tories will go into meltdown.
  • JBriskinJBriskin Posts: 2,380

    JBriskin said:

    JBriskin said:

    [Are they just keeping the seats warm for Vince & Ed in some Vote Tory get Libdem stitch up that's already been worked out ?]

    That would be so F-ing sweet - Dear God, I promise I will celebrate even more than I did the indyref if there's another ConDem coalition.

    So would I. The Tory party would explode!
    Wrong wrong wrong - the labour voting media types and their millions and millions of chavvy and middle class followers would.

    Might leave a bit of nuke crater.

    Maybe Ed M not so bad after all.

    I'm not wrong. The only way the Tories will willingly accept getting into bed with the Libdems again is if Cameron comes to them on bended knee and asks them to approve it. Given the areas of outright conflict between the two parties I doubt if there is a Coalition deal that Cameron could sell to his party that the Libdems also backed.

    Now If Cameron and Osborne organise a fait accomplis and tell their party they are back in Coalition, I think the Tories will go into meltdown.
    Are you Labour? I don't mean that in an offence way - your analysis just doesn't sound right to me, sounds like someone from the outside looking in.

    If you are Con then I will certainly bear your opinion in mind a bit more.

  • JBriskinJBriskin Posts: 2,380
    Sorry, you've clearly implied your Labour,

    Don't mind me too much Mr Kent - I don't read too well and my typing's not much better.
  • JBriskinJBriskin Posts: 2,380
    And on that note, with Ms B giving me very unsubtle hints, time for bed,

    Night all.
  • manofkent2014manofkent2014 Posts: 1,543
    edited October 2014
    That you think I might be Labour when I'm quoting UKIP policy is intriguing. However, I'm a former Conservative party member and until 2013 I had never voted anything but Conservative. It's common knowledge though of how precarious the nature of Cameron's relationship with the 1922 committee is and also whats been publicly stated by parts of the PCP and factions of the party membership.

    http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/423366/No-new-coalition-with-Nick-Clegg-unless-we-all-get-vote-say-top-Conservatives

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/10342234/Tory-faithful-tell-Cameron-to-pull-out-of-Coalition.html

    Some pre-defined agreement with the Libdems that does not get the acceptance of the Conservative party will go down like a lead balloon full of nitro-glycerine. Remember for it to happen Cameron will have failed twice to get a majority (whatever the reasons for that failure it would still be a failure). His party relieved as it will be will still likely not be best disposed to him.
  • old_labourold_labour Posts: 3,238
    In Boston, passengers are invariable polite to the elderly and the disabled. If someone in a wheelchair is waiting at a bus stop, the driver lowers the bus, wheel them in and secures the wheelchair in an area reserved for the disabled. When they get off the driver helps them off the bus, etc.

    Twenty years ago, some people thought it was a waste of time adapting the buses for the infirm and disabled, but now a lot of wheelchair users use them because they are so accessible which can only be good if it gets people out and helps them to maintain and extend their social networks.

    I took a picture of a bus queue in Edinburgh once because because people were queing in single file. You never see that in London.
    fitalass said:

    FPT. @antifrank said: "I've been in London for just under 25 years now. No one has ever stood up for the elderly on public transport. Ever."

    I think that is very sad to be honest. I have on many occasions over the years offered up my seat to elderly people on public transport, and I have also been offered a seat while pregnant or with my young children many years ago. In fact, just a few weeks ago I saw a retired couple offer up their seats on a bus with standing room only to two young children on a bus into Aberdeen. I was already standing, or I would have offered up my seat.

  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    I was on the Boston subway a few days ago and someone actually struck up a conversation with me, something that's never happened on the London tube.
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    Roger said:

    Charles

    "In the past I've tended to stay around Antibes rather than further east (I hate Monaco with a passion). I did go to Chevre d'Or a few years ago and keen to find an excuse to go back :)"

    La Chevre d'or is for lovers not clients......You must try La Columbe d'or in Vence for lunch. It works for either. My favourite at the moment is La mer germaine in Villefranche.

    It was on my honeymoon that I went to Chevre d'or!

    But thanks for the recommendations. Trying to create a reason to celebrate.
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    JBriskin said:

    JBriskin said:

    [Are they just keeping the seats warm for Vince & Ed in some Vote Tory get Libdem stitch up that's already been worked out ?]

    That would be so F-ing sweet - Dear God, I promise I will celebrate even more than I did the indyref if there's another ConDem coalition.

    So would I. The Tory party would explode!
    Wrong wrong wrong - the labour voting media types and their millions and millions of chavvy and middle class followers would.

    Might leave a bit of nuke crater.

    Maybe Ed M not so bad after all.

    I'm not wrong. The only way the Tories will willingly accept getting into bed with the Libdems again is if Cameron comes to them on bended knee and asks them to approve it. Given the areas of outright conflict between the two parties I doubt if there is a Coalition deal that Cameron could sell to his party that the Libdems also backed.

    Now If Cameron and Osborne organise a fait accomplis and tell their party they are back in Coalition, I think the Tories will go into meltdown.
    There will be no fait accompli. Approval by the 1922 Ctte will be the minimum. If Cameron can protect h red lines, and make sure there is some way the Lib Dems can be bound in so they have to keep their word Cameron will get the support he needs*

    * But they will reserve the right to grumble about it for the next 5 years
  • FinancierFinancier Posts: 3,916
    YG poll

    Both Con & LAB 2010 retentions at 77%.

    LD 2010 split back to normal: Con:12; LAB:37; LD: 29

    Gender: Male: Cons: 33; LAB: 35.
    Female: Cons:38; LAB: 32

This discussion has been closed.