Mr. Socrates, some think GamerGate and UKIP are also alike in this regard.
Mr. Indigo, it's backward. We're drifting away from "reasonable men can have differing views" approach to "you can agree with me or hold an intolerable, unacceptable view"/"everything must be mandatory or forbidden".
Exactly. If the Red Cross was an organisation campaigning for gay marriage, or some related area I would be semi-sympathetic, but the whole incremental move toward ThoughtCrime bothers me, and governments and Quangos of all political stripes are guilty of it. Free speech disappeared long ago in this country, much to our shame, free thinking appears to be rapidly following it into obscurity.
Too true! Free speech got lost some time back. I'm not really following the argument, but that sticks out as the great tragedy for the whole so called Anglo-Saxon world and for Western civilisation in general.
Will UKIP, if it eventually gains power or influence start to reverse this PC barbarity? I don't know, but I'm backing them as the one and only rising force in the UK that might turn the tide.
"The Unions decided the last Labour Leader in the UK, why not the next one in Scotland?"
Because enough of those entitled to vote are absolutely desperate to stem the SNP tide and Murphy has name recognition at least to help them to achieve that.
The MSM have virtually anointed him already, and that with the fulsome support of BBC Scotland will prove more than enough.
Murphy's right wing Blairite views will eventually be rumbled by the electorate.
That will mean he has no chance of defeating Sturgeon in 2016 for Holyrood, but if he shores up the Labour vote in Scotland but Ed Miliband fails to win the GE, we may never see him in Holyrood, as his hat will be in the ring for Labour UK leader.
Mr. M, indeed. However, we must remind ourselves that just as a whiny little victim fetishist has the right to be offended by anything, so do we have the right to tell them that we don't care.
What happens if the "whiny little victim fetishist" has a point?
Mr. Socrates, some think GamerGate and UKIP are also alike in this regard.
Mr. Indigo, it's backward. We're drifting away from "reasonable men can have differing views" approach to "you can agree with me or hold an intolerable, unacceptable view"/"everything must be mandatory or forbidden".
Exactly. If the Red Cross was an organisation campaigning for gay marriage, or some related area I would be semi-sympathetic, but the whole incremental move toward ThoughtCrime bothers me, and governments and Quangos of all political stripes are guilty of it. Free speech disappeared long ago in this country, much to our shame, free thinking appears to be rapidly following it into obscurity.
What I dislike is how the term "liberal" has been perverted to mean "authoritarian social democratic". It blackens the reputation of liberalism, which is something truly great. The rule of law, representative government, trial by jury, a limited state, habeas corpus, abolitionism, universal suffrage, free speech, and many other things are all historically liberal concepts. It is English civilization's gift to the world, and now it's being trashed by people who have no understanding or appreciation for history, while pretending to represent the philosophy.
Latest opinion poll in Spain shows the right wing PP government is on course for a crushing defeat at the next GE. Left-wing parties currently have well over 50% support - with Podemos, only formally established last year, just ahead of the Socialists.
PP are far from perfect but their policies have brought growth, balanced books and a modest unemployment drop in the last few years. Podemos are essentially a left-wing UKIP and the PSOE are as corrupt as the PP. If Spain relaxes austerity the economy is doomed and it's just about big enough to spark another major EU crisis. As I say PP are far from perfect but they are the best offer in town right now.
To clarify Podemos are little more than a nota party - their polotical views do not resemble those of UKIP. Their popularity is down to the desire of most western European peoples' love for the politics of the magic money tree.
Resuffle as Jim Murphy resigns from Shadow Cabinet, What does Ed do next, keep a place open if JM doesn't win, shift a few more losers around, finally sack Harman for dropping him in the shit again?
Miliband can't realistically sack Harman. Partly that's due to her independent mandate as Deputy Leader, though that mandate's over seven years old now so perhaps less relevant, and it's not unprecedented for Labour's Deputy Leader to sit on the back-benches, though it is very rare.
More practically, it's because Miliband's own position is so weak: he needs all Labour's big hitters in the Shadow Cabinet and at least theoretically bound by collective responsibility. While Harman may not be universally admired, she has carved out a particular niche for herself on feminist issues and despite the gaffe about the t-shirts' origin, stunts like that reaffirm the support of her fan club who do rate feminist and 'equality' issues highly. Dropping Harman would be poorly received by them.
There's a bigger picture here, that you rightly pick up on, which is whether Miliband should instigate a major reshuffle following Murphy's resignation. My thoughts are that he'd be ill-advised to try, as weak leaders can bring problems on themselves sacking or demoting members of their team, or can simply find the reshuffle fall apart if someone refuses a new brief and would pose a potent threat from the back-benches so has to be kept on-board.
Miliband would do best to allocate the ID brief to another SC member for the time being, until the results of the Scottish Labour Leadership election are known.
Life in a market town... Is right. Free Movement of People in the EU isn't going anywhere. Even if Cameron could persuade Merkel and Hollande, or their successors, to abandon it (highly unlikely), then he still has to persuade all of the 25 other nations in the EU to give up free movement. As such a fundamental change requires unanimous agreement to a New EU Treaty.
This is never going to happen.
Cameron may get some tinkering re benefits or job applications but that's it.
However this means the Brits must just suck it up, and accept unlimited EU immigration for the rest of time. This is never going to happen either.
Which means, logically and inevitably, one of two things. The immigration slows or reverses, naturally. Or we leave the EU.
The YouGov poll earlier showed Better Off Out would win 49-33, if we can't limit European immigration.
(Also, there's no chance European migration here will slow - it's picking up from Italy and Spain, and there's no end to the Eurozone crisis in sight.)
I have said in the past that Gerry Adams is going to win in Ireland. The Irish seem to be looking for an outside savior for years, and the SF is rising since Ireland went bust in 2010.
I wonder how much of Sinn Fein's current popularity is due to its resolute euroscepticism.
South of the Border, they're the party of protest. But, North and South of the Border, their ceiling is 25%.
SeanT The rise of Front National and Afd in France and Germany, as well as the Swedish Democrats, Geert Wilders etc means other EU parties cannot ignore immigration either or they will be as threatened as Cameron is by UKIP style populism
Mr. Socrates, some think GamerGate and UKIP are also alike in this regard.
Mr. Indigo, it's backward. We're drifting away from "reasonable men can have differing views" approach to "you can agree with me or hold an intolerable, unacceptable view"/"everything must be mandatory or forbidden".
Exactly. If the Red Cross was an organisation campaigning for gay marriage, or some related area I would be semi-sympathetic, but the whole incremental move toward ThoughtCrime bothers me, and governments and Quangos of all political stripes are guilty of it. Free speech disappeared long ago in this country, much to our shame, free thinking appears to be rapidly following it into obscurity.
Too true! Free speech got lost some time back. I'm not really following the argument, but that sticks out as the great tragedy for the whole so called Anglo-Saxon world and for Western civilisation in general.
Will UKIP, if it eventually gains power or influence start to reverse this PC barbarity? I don't know, but I'm backing them as the one and only rising force in the UK that might turn the tide.
We had Hilary apologising for the 1st Amendment over some "anti Islam" video.
While at the same time the media here gleefully told us that that video could never have been produced in the UK.
The media and the universities, who should be challenging limits of free speech, acquiesce. The only publication who ran the Mohamed cartoons, had their student editor suspended.
Mr. Socrates, some think GamerGate and UKIP are also alike in this regard.
Mr. Indigo, it's backward. We're drifting away from "reasonable men can have differing views" approach to "you can agree with me or hold an intolerable, unacceptable view"/"everything must be mandatory or forbidden".
Exactly. If the Red Cross was an organisation campaigning for gay marriage, or some related area I would be semi-sympathetic, but the whole incremental move toward ThoughtCrime bothers me, and governments and Quangos of all political stripes are guilty of it. Free speech disappeared long ago in this country, much to our shame, free thinking appears to be rapidly following it into obscurity.
Too true! Free speech got lost some time back. I'm not really following the argument, but that sticks out as the great tragedy for the whole so called Anglo-Saxon world and for Western civilisation in general.
Will UKIP, if it eventually gains power or influence start to reverse this PC barbarity? I don't know, but I'm backing them as the one and only rising force in the UK that might turn the tide.
I thought that the article that Socrates linked to last night, about May's proposals to ban "extremists" from social media was very sinister.
Life in a market town... Is right. Free Movement of People in the EU isn't going anywhere. Even if Cameron could persuade Merkel and Hollande, or their successors, to abandon it (highly unlikely), then he still has to persuade all of the 25 other nations in the EU to give up free movement. As such a fundamental change requires unanimous agreement to a New EU Treaty.
This is never going to happen.
Cameron may get some tinkering re benefits or job applications but that's it.
However this means the Brits must just suck it up, and accept unlimited EU immigration for the rest of time. This is never going to happen either.
Which means, logically and inevitably, one of two things. The immigration slows or reverses, naturally. Or we leave the EU.
The YouGov poll earlier showed Better Off Out would win 49-33, if we can't limit European immigration.
(Also, there's no chance European migration here will slow - it's picking up from Italy and Spain, and there's no end to the Eurozone crisis in sight.)
I suspect that European immigration to the UK is no more troublesome than that of East Anglians moving to London, what grates is the third world influx.
SeanT The rise of Front National and Afd in France and Germany, as well as the Swedish Democrats, Geert Wilders etc means other EU parties cannot ignore immigration either or they will be as threatened as Cameron is by UKIP style populism
Like Cameron they appear to have their fingers lodged firmly in their ears whilst singing "la-la-la" at the top of their voices at the moment. The political mainstream cannot comprehend a world in which one of them isn't in power. That won't change until one of the sceptic parties wins, or at least becomes a significant component of a coalition.. and in the same way the political mainstream would go in coalition with the devil himself rather than give any legitimacy to the insurgent parties.
I have said in the past that Gerry Adams is going to win in Ireland. The Irish seem to be looking for an outside savior for years, and the SF is rising since Ireland went bust in 2010.
I wonder how much of Sinn Fein's current popularity is due to its resolute euroscepticism.
South of the Border, they're the party of protest. But, North and South of the Border, their ceiling is 25%.
SeanT The rise of Front National and Afd in France and Germany, as well as the Swedish Democrats, Geert Wilders etc means other EU parties cannot ignore immigration either or they will be as threatened as Cameron is by UKIP style populism
But they will. The Swedish centre right preferred the left to govern than get SD support. Needless to say the Swedish left had no problem getting into bed with the heirs to Stalin.
Life in a market town... Is right. Free Movement of People in the EU isn't going anywhere. Even if Cameron could persuade Merkel and Hollande, or their successors, to abandon it (highly unlikely), then he still has to persuade all of the 25 other nations in the EU to give up free movement. As such a fundamental change requires unanimous agreement to a New EU Treaty.
This is never going to happen.
Cameron may get some tinkering re benefits or job applications but that's it.
However this means the Brits must just suck it up, and accept unlimited EU immigration for the rest of time. This is never going to happen either.
Which means, logically and inevitably, one of two things. The immigration slows or reverses, naturally. Or we leave the EU.
The YouGov poll earlier showed Better Off Out would win 49-33, if we can't limit European immigration.
(Also, there's no chance European migration here will slow - it's picking up from Italy and Spain, and there's no end to the Eurozone crisis in sight.)
I suspect that European immigration to the UK is no more troublesome than that of East Anglians moving to London, what grates is the third world influx.
You can't say that!
It's racist! That's why the media only ever talk about EU immigration. Unlike the third world voters Labour imported, I suspect EU immigration has a large short/medium term component.
Latest opinion poll in Spain shows the right wing PP government is on course for a crushing defeat at the next GE. Left-wing parties currently have well over 50% support - with Podemos, only formally established last year, just ahead of the Socialists.
Looks like OGH has managed to shift the Betfair market slightly with this article. UKIP have gone from 1.06 to 1.14 in the last few hours and Tories from 12 to 7.2:
Life in a market town... Is right. Free Movement of People in the EU isn't going anywhere. Even if Cameron could persuade Merkel and Hollande, or their successors, to abandon it (highly unlikely), then he still has to persuade all of the 25 other nations in the EU to give up free movement. As such a fundamental change requires unanimous agreement to a New EU Treaty.
This is never going to happen.
Cameron may get some tinkering re benefits or job applications but that's it.
However this means the Brits must just suck it up, and accept unlimited EU immigration for the rest of time. This is never going to happen either.
Which means, logically and inevitably, one of two things. The immigration slows or reverses, naturally. Or we leave the EU.
The YouGov poll earlier showed Better Off Out would win 49-33, if we can't limit European immigration.
(Also, there's no chance European migration here will slow - it's picking up from Italy and Spain, and there's no end to the Eurozone crisis in sight.)
I suspect that European immigration to the UK is no more troublesome than that of East Anglians moving to London, what grates is the third world influx.
Immigration from East Anglia to London is far, far lower due to the fact that Londoners don't earn five times as much money as East Anglians do. Also, I'm not aware of any East Anglians defecating in public around Marble Arch.
SeanT The rise of Front National and Afd in France and Germany, as well as the Swedish Democrats, Geert Wilders etc means other EU parties cannot ignore immigration either or they will be as threatened as Cameron is by UKIP style populism
At the moment, the some of the established centre-right parties in Europe are trying to pretend the insurgent parties will go away, but that's a vain hope.
The T-shirt fiasco is but the latest example of the complacency that has characterised his leadership, as well as his lack of self awareness and complete inability to connect with the everyday electorate. It is extraordinary that Labour even has a chance of winning most seats next year with him in charge. God bless the Toxic Tories and FPTP.
You say that. But when the Tories are sandwiched between Unelectable Ed and UKIP, they have a pretty good shot at being the Least Worst Option candidate next May. Which is Ed's greatest crime - making people all "meh..." about the Tories.
I idly wonder if a delegation of people at the top in Labour could yet persuade Ed to stand down over the next couple of weeks? But then I remember he is there at the pleasure of the party paymasters, so normal political considerations go out the window. Are the Trade Unions prepared to admit they dropped a bollock? Can't see it...
You forget the intellectual self confidence. He's a freak. Everyone knows he's a freak, Except he himself.
Weird Ed is not a total fuckwit despite what "events" may show. He can't be entirely without self knowledge. I bet hes got depression and is only going through the motions himself until defeat next year.
Life in a market town... Is right. Free Movement of People in the EU isn't going anywhere. Even if Cameron could persuade Merkel and Hollande, or their successors, to abandon it (highly unlikely), then he still has to persuade all of the 25 other nations in the EU to give up free movement. As such a fundamental change requires unanimous agreement to a New EU Treaty.
This is never going to happen.
Cameron may get some tinkering re benefits or job applications but that's it.
However this means the Brits must just suck it up, and accept unlimited EU immigration for the rest of time. This is never going to happen either.
Which means, logically and inevitably, one of two things. The immigration slows or reverses, naturally. Or we leave the EU.
The YouGov poll earlier showed Better Off Out would win 49-33, if we can't limit European immigration.
(Also, there's no chance European migration here will slow - it's picking up from Italy and Spain, and there's no end to the Eurozone crisis in sight.)
Quite a lot can be achieved by what SeanT calls "tinkering". Fundamentally the treaty provisions on the free movement of workers haven't changed since Maastricht.
The provisions on the free movement of people have been crafted, largely without treaty change, since then via a combination of European citizenship and the zealous application of non-discrimination ideas, to create a regime rather inconsistent with the treaties themselves.
We also have the push/pull factors of entitlement to benefits (including job-seeking benefits) and our ability to assess financial support. For a long time Britain did not go as far as it could have in restricting these. Pushing further might require treaty change but not alteration of fundamental principle.
"The Unions decided the last Labour Leader in the UK, why not the next one in Scotland?"
Because enough of those entitled to vote are absolutely desperate to stem the SNP tide and Murphy has name recognition at least to help them to achieve that.
The MSM have virtually anointed him already, and that with the fulsome support of BBC Scotland will prove more than enough.
Murphy's right wing Blairite views will eventually be rumbled by the electorate.
That will mean he has no chance of defeating Sturgeon in 2016 for Holyrood, but if he shores up the Labour vote in Scotland but Ed Miliband fails to win the GE, we may never see him in Holyrood, as his hat will be in the ring for Labour UK leader.
Murphy is also a 'big beast'. Scots like that - Scots rightly resent the notion that they must have 2nd class politicians from the 3 main parties, who send their smartest Scots pols to Westminster.
This is one reason the SNP are doing so well. All their best talents are in Holyrood. Their firepower is concentrated.
Murphy, however, is not 2nd class. I suspect he will do quite well, and stop a Nat wipe out of Labour, though I still expect the SNP to make gains.
As you say, the interesting question is what happens if Labour loses in 2015. After the inevitable Miliband departure Murphy would be a prime candidate for overall Labour leader. Indeed I'd make him arguably the favourite, above Burnham and Cooper.
Can he lead in Holyrood AND Westminster?
Simple answer to that last question is no.
I don't think any major political party will elect a leader from anywhere other than England going forward.
Having a Party leader sitting for a seat in a devolved part of the UK would create all sorts of issues and I just can't see it happening - unless there is a complete rebalancing of the UK constitutional settlement with a brand new set of parliaments. And that isn't going to happen!
I would agree with that, but such odd sorts of feminists do exist. They're usually those who are into identity politics and the issues that surround the abuse scandals cause such difficult questions for the sort of person who see politics and society through such lenses that the easiest option is to say nothing.
Mr. Socrates, some think GamerGate and UKIP are also alike in this regard.
Mr. Indigo, it's backward. We're drifting away from "reasonable men can have differing views" approach to "you can agree with me or hold an intolerable, unacceptable view"/"everything must be mandatory or forbidden".
Exactly. If the Red Cross was an organisation campaigning for gay marriage, or some related area I would be semi-sympathetic, but the whole incremental move toward ThoughtCrime bothers me, and governments and Quangos of all political stripes are guilty of it. Free speech disappeared long ago in this country, much to our shame, free thinking appears to be rapidly following it into obscurity.
Too true! Free speech got lost some time back. I'm not really following the argument, but that sticks out as the great tragedy for the whole so called Anglo-Saxon world and for Western civilisation in general.
Will UKIP, if it eventually gains power or influence start to reverse this PC barbarity? I don't know, but I'm backing them as the one and only rising force in the UK that might turn the tide.
I thought that the article that Socrates linked to last night, about May's proposals to ban "extremists" from social media was very sinister.
'Cameron made a clear distinction between Islam as a benign religion and radical Islamism which he described as medieval ideology that must be defeated in all of its forms. He added that an analysis of those who had been convicted of terrorism, in many cases showed that they had been influenced by preachers who claimed not to encourage violence but whose world view could be used as justification for terrorism.
The scope of Cameron’s tendency to limit the freedom of speech and free intellectual and academic inquiry, however, became obvious when Cameron directly compared this ”dangerous world view” with those who raise justified questions about the involvement of deep state elements or rogue networks in false flag terrorism. Indeed, Cameron’s conclusion is setting the stage for a rapid decline into totalitarianism where raising justified questions about state crimes equals terrorism. Cameron said:
”We know this world view; The peddling of lies that 9/11 was somehow a Jewish plot, or that the 7/7 attacks in London were staged. … We must be clear, to defeat the ideology of extremism, not just violent extremism”.'
So in the cause of defeating militant Islam, our Government also intends to crack down on independent enquiry into Government actions. These are frightened people who realise the jig is nearly up. And they are not going to leave power without a lot of ugliness.
I have said in the past that Gerry Adams is going to win in Ireland. The Irish seem to be looking for an outside savior for years, and the SF is rising since Ireland went bust in 2010.
I wonder how much of Sinn Fein's current popularity is due to its resolute euroscepticism.
South of the Border, they're the party of protest. But, North and South of the Border, their ceiling is 25%.
SeanT On present polls in France Marine Le Pen could win in 2017 just before an EU referendum, Cameron would then look moderate. I agree free movement will not be abandoned, but even Merkel has said she wants to end benefits for new migrants
SeanT The rise of Front National and Afd in France and Germany, as well as the Swedish Democrats, Geert Wilders etc means other EU parties cannot ignore immigration either or they will be as threatened as Cameron is by UKIP style populism
But Cameron will never get agreement for A New Treaty, limiting free movement, from all 28 nations. Plenty of them benefit hugely from free movement. And of course many would have to hold referendums, some of which would be lost, blah blah.
The Irresistible force of British hostility to immigration is meeting the immovable object of fundamental EU Law.
The complexity and difficulty of changing anything is a huge weakness for the EU as events will make its inflexibility more and more absurd with time.
The T-shirt fiasco is but the latest example of the complacency that has characterised his leadership, as well as his lack of self awareness and complete inability to connect with the everyday electorate. It is extraordinary that Labour even has a chance of winning most seats next year with him in charge. God bless the Toxic Tories and FPTP.
You say that. But when the Tories are sandwiched between Unelectable Ed and UKIP, they have a pretty good shot at being the Least Worst Option candidate next May. Which is Ed's greatest crime - making people all "meh..." about the Tories.
I idly wonder if a delegation of people at the top in Labour could yet persuade Ed to stand down over the next couple of weeks? But then I remember he is there at the pleasure of the party paymasters, so normal political considerations go out the window. Are the Trade Unions prepared to admit they dropped a bollock? Can't see it...
You forget the intellectual self confidence. He's a freak. Everyone knows he's a freak, Except he himself.
Weird Ed is not a total fuckwit despite what "events" may show. He can't be entirely without self knowledge. I bet hes got depression and is only going through the motions himself until defeat next year.
Putting aside that I make it closer to 59% of Reckless support voted for the establishment parties in 2010 I think the biggest mistake is to assume people who claimed they have voted are in fact people who did not vote. What is more likely is that they did vote and have either misunderstood the question and told them how they voted in the Euros or actually did vote in 2010 but have misremembered (some may have confused the EDP with UKIP for example).
Mr. M, indeed. However, we must remind ourselves that just as a whiny little victim fetishist has the right to be offended by anything, so do we have the right to tell them that we don't care.
What happens if the "whiny little victim fetishist" has a point?
There's no problem if they do have a valid point. I should still have the freedom not to care.
SeanT On present polls in France Marine Le Pen could win in 2017 just before an EU referendum, Cameron would then look moderate. I agree free movement will not be abandoned, but even Merkel has said she wants to end benefits for new migrants
Quite wrong there, old chap. Merkel will turn out to be the principle snake in the grass:
Mr. Socrates, some think GamerGate and UKIP are also alike in this regard.
Mr. Indigo, it's backward. We're drifting away from "reasonable men can have differing views" approach to "you can agree with me or hold an intolerable, unacceptable view"/"everything must be mandatory or forbidden".
Exactly. If the Red Cross was an organisation campaigning for gay marriage, or some related area I would be semi-sympathetic, but the whole incremental move toward ThoughtCrime bothers me, and governments and Quangos of all political stripes are guilty of it. Free speech disappeared long ago in this country, much to our shame, free thinking appears to be rapidly following it into obscurity.
Too true! Free speech got lost some time back. I'm not really following the argument, but that sticks out as the great tragedy for the whole so called Anglo-Saxon world and for Western civilisation in general.
Will UKIP, if it eventually gains power or influence start to reverse this PC barbarity? I don't know, but I'm backing them as the one and only rising force in the UK that might turn the tide.
For anyone concerned by this matter, can I suggest making a comment on the Red Cross website? I have done so and will report back the response I get. It will be interesting to see what they say. I am not against gay weddings, but completely support the gentleman's right to campaign against, if that is what he feels.
Neil Bibby MSP, Graeme Pearson MSP, Frank Roy MP have been added to Murphy's list Jim Sheridan has nominated Neil Findlay Boyack is still at 7
Dugdale has reached the required number of nominations. William Bain MP, Neil Bibby MSP, Sheila Gilmore MP, Pamela Nash MP has been added Clark is at 5 with Sheridan and Eleine Smith MSP added today
I see there has been much debate on this thread about the EU and Immigration. People are aware that as of yesterday Immigration is one of the areas that is now subject to Qualified Majority Voting and whilst we retain an option to revert to unanimity until 31st March 2017 it will not be long before control of our borders will no longer be something that is sovereign to the UK Parliament.
Talking of free speech: I posted a comment on here yesterday lamenting the fact that I had allowed the UKIP comments to change my mind about my competition prediction, and how annoyed I was at myself for allowing that to affect my number.
A Kipper on here then flagged my comment up as "Troll".
Lots of people seem to get uppity when you say something they don't agree with. Whether the Red Cross or Kippers...
Talking of free speech: I posted a comment on here yesterday lamenting the fact that I had allowed the UKIP comments to change my mind about my competition prediction, and how annoyed I was at myself for allowing that to affect my number.
A Kipper on here then flagged my comment up as "Troll".
Lots of people seem to get uppity when you say something they don't agree with. Whether the Red Cross or Kippers...
You should feel honoured that somebody bothered! Considering the signal to noise ratio on here sometimes it's amazing the Troll button hasn't worn out through over-use
Talking of free speech: I posted a comment on here yesterday lamenting the fact that I had allowed the UKIP comments to change my mind about my competition prediction, and how annoyed I was at myself for allowing that to affect my number.
A Kipper on here then flagged my comment up as "Troll".
Lots of people seem to get uppity when you say something they don't agree with. Whether the Red Cross or Kippers...
Which kippers were bigging up a win in South Yorkshire?
Mike Smithson is a lib dem and he was the main cheerleader for ukip in that one
TUD/Carnyx Westminster voting intention shows Labour rising from 23% to 29% with Murphy as leader
I'm not doubting the data but is there any good reason why this should be the case? It's not as if the Scottish Labour leader has any meaningful role re Westminster. I could understand it more were they the Holyrood figures, which have an element of acting as a proxy for 'best First Minister'.
Talking of free speech: I posted a comment on here yesterday lamenting the fact that I had allowed the UKIP comments to change my mind about my competition prediction, and how annoyed I was at myself for allowing that to affect my number.
A Kipper on here then flagged my comment up as "Troll".
Lots of people seem to get uppity when you say something they don't agree with. Whether the Red Cross or Kippers...
Which kippers were bigging up a win in South Yorkshire?
Mike Smithson is a lib dem and he was the main cheerleader for ukip in that one
It was an overall impression from the bullishness of the Kippers (that wasn't fully justified).
SeanT The rise of Front National and Afd in France and Germany, as well as the Swedish Democrats, Geert Wilders etc means other EU parties cannot ignore immigration either or they will be as threatened as Cameron is by UKIP style populism
But Cameron will never get agreement for A New Treaty, limiting free movement, from all 28 nations. Plenty of them benefit hugely from free movement. And of course many would have to hold referendums, some of which would be lost, blah blah.
The Irresistible force of British hostility to immigration is meeting the immovable object of fundamental EU Law.
The complexity and difficulty of changing anything is a huge weakness for the EU as events will make its inflexibility more and more absurd with time.
If you think it's bad now, look at what it was like before Lisbon.
But either way freedom of movement is pretty much the whole point of the thing. You wouldn't get a majority to change it, let alone unanimity. I'm not even sure Cameron can get one other PM to support changing it, and even he probably doesn't really support it either.
I see in the latest Yougov poll that unsurprisingly the plurality now favour withdrawal by 43-37 and it only needed a bill for £1.7 billion to do it. So much for UKIP's success depressing Euroscepticism more widely
Page 15 for Murphy led SLab VI & page 2 for current Holyrood VI.
Thanks! I'm still utterly bemused at how the Westminster bubble have convinced themselves that Murphy is some "heavyweight" despite absolutely no evidence the public thinks this.
They really should've convinced Gordon to go for it. (Actually, I'm increasingly starting to think the national Labour party should pick up the phone to him and beg him to come back.)
Frontline jottings: cracking canvasses for 3 days running - enough people in total (623) to shift from idle anecdote to being encouraging. The spread was one WWC ward, one wealthy ward and one mixed swing ward. Very high marginal election awareness and unprecedentedly low don't- know levels - the Tories are very Tory, Labour voters are very Labour, Kippers are very Kipper. The local Kipper campaign has now kicked off, with a leaflet reportedly focusing on Rotherham (haven't seen it yet) - their first reported canvass was in deepest Guardian territory, presumably on a "we'll show them we can go anywhere" basis. Their candidate is a businessman from Ilkeston in Derbyshire.
BTW, noticed a response in today's YG - a large majority disagree that Asian men are more likely than others to abuse children sexually. Even a plurality of UKIP voters think it's a general problem affecting all races and all parts of Britain. That's possibly a reason why UKIP hasn't really taken off in the PCC as many expected, since they did campaign very explicitly on the abuse issue.
TUD I may have misread it, although am not sure if I am looking at the same yougov poll as you in terms of the Labour 23% Westminster score, yougov polls with Scottish figures do vary.
Either way, Murphy still increases the Labour total, albeit he still has a long way to go
Page 15 for Murphy led SLab VI & page 2 for current Holyrood VI.
Thanks! I'm still utterly bemused at how the Westminster bubble have convinced themselves that Murphy is some "heavyweight" despite absolutely no evidence the public thinks this.
They really should've convinced Gordon to go for it. (Actually, I'm increasingly starting to think the national Labour party should pick up the phone to him and beg him to come back.)
I believe SLab didn't even issue an invite to Brown for last week's Glasgow Gala event (though it sounded a horror show).
Looks like OGH has managed to shift the Betfair market slightly with this article. UKIP have gone from 1.06 to 1.14 in the last few hours and Tories from 12 to 7.2:
Are they? Excellent! Regrettably I will have to take your word for it. Today they are so up the arse of the climate fascists that I've had to turn over. This tv is too expensive to look good with a shoe embedded in it.
Is there a "stereotypical job for a UKIP candidate"? Does anyone know from a look at their PPC selections?
A lot of them are self-employed business people. Not many work in the NHS, although a couple of doctors have been selected in Westmorland and Carshalton.
Frontline jottings: cracking canvasses for 3 days running - enough people in total (623) to shift from idle anecdote to being encouraging. The spread was one WWC ward, one wealthy ward and one mixed swing ward. Very high marginal election awareness and unprecedentedly low don't- know levels - the Tories are very Tory, Labour voters are very Labour, Kippers are very Kipper. The local Kipper campaign has now kicked off, with a leaflet reportedly focusing on Rotherham (haven't seen it yet) - their first reported canvass was in deepest Guardian territory, presumably on a "we'll show them we can go anywhere" basis. Their candidate is a businessman from Ilkeston in Derbyshire.
BTW, noticed a response in today's YG - a large majority disagree that Asian men are more likely than others to abuse children sexually. Even a plurality of UKIP voters think it's a general problem affecting all races and all parts of Britain. That's possibly a reason why UKIP hasn't really taken off in the PCC as many expected, since they did campaign very explicitly on the abuse issue.
Thanks Nick, I always look forward to reading your canvassing reports.
Comments
Will UKIP, if it eventually gains power or influence start to reverse this PC barbarity? I don't know, but I'm backing them as the one and only rising force in the UK that might turn the tide.
If it held the balance of power its anti austerity agenda would create further headaches for Merkel
"The Unions decided the last Labour Leader in the UK, why not the next one in Scotland?"
Because enough of those entitled to vote are absolutely desperate to stem the SNP tide and Murphy has name recognition at least to help them to achieve that.
The MSM have virtually anointed him already, and that with the fulsome support of BBC Scotland will prove more than enough.
Murphy's right wing Blairite views will eventually be rumbled by the electorate.
That will mean he has no chance of defeating Sturgeon in 2016 for Holyrood, but if he shores up the Labour vote in Scotland but Ed Miliband fails to win the GE, we may never see him in Holyrood, as his hat will be in the ring for Labour UK leader.
Podemos is a Spanish Syriza
More practically, it's because Miliband's own position is so weak: he needs all Labour's big hitters in the Shadow Cabinet and at least theoretically bound by collective responsibility. While Harman may not be universally admired, she has carved out a particular niche for herself on feminist issues and despite the gaffe about the t-shirts' origin, stunts like that reaffirm the support of her fan club who do rate feminist and 'equality' issues highly. Dropping Harman would be poorly received by them.
There's a bigger picture here, that you rightly pick up on, which is whether Miliband should instigate a major reshuffle following Murphy's resignation. My thoughts are that he'd be ill-advised to try, as weak leaders can bring problems on themselves sacking or demoting members of their team, or can simply find the reshuffle fall apart if someone refuses a new brief and would pose a potent threat from the back-benches so has to be kept on-board.
Miliband would do best to allocate the ID brief to another SC member for the time being, until the results of the Scottish Labour Leadership election are known.
(Also, there's no chance European migration here will slow - it's picking up from Italy and Spain, and there's no end to the Eurozone crisis in sight.)
We had Hilary apologising for the 1st Amendment over some "anti Islam" video.
While at the same time the media here gleefully told us that that video could never have been produced in the UK.
The media and the universities, who should be challenging limits of free speech, acquiesce. The only publication who ran the Mohamed cartoons, had their student editor suspended.
David Miliband: Banana!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Northern_Ireland
It's racist! That's why the media only ever talk about EU immigration. Unlike the third world voters Labour imported, I suspect EU immigration has a large short/medium term component.
Fair points, but It is an odd sort of feminist thought which allows Harman's silence on abuse of girls in Northern Towns to be unquestioned.
Blair saw through her, and it is a still a source of amusement and amazement that she has recovered from her rapid demotion in 1998.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1998/07/98/cabinet_reshuffle/139774.stm
Spains economy goes down the toilet etc etc.
http://www.betfair.com/exchange/politics/market?id=1.115707446
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden_Democrats
The provisions on the free movement of people have been crafted, largely without treaty change, since then via a combination of European citizenship and the zealous application of non-discrimination ideas, to create a regime rather inconsistent with the treaties themselves.
We also have the push/pull factors of entitlement to benefits (including job-seeking benefits) and our ability to assess financial support. For a long time Britain did not go as far as it could have in restricting these. Pushing further might require treaty change but not alteration of fundamental principle.
I don't think any major political party will elect a leader from anywhere other than England going forward.
Having a Party leader sitting for a seat in a devolved part of the UK would create all sorts of issues and I just can't see it happening - unless there is a complete rebalancing of the UK constitutional settlement with a brand new set of parliaments. And that isn't going to happen!
'Cameron made a clear distinction between Islam as a benign religion and radical Islamism which he described as medieval ideology that must be defeated in all of its forms. He added that an analysis of those who had been convicted of terrorism, in many cases showed that they had been influenced by preachers who claimed not to encourage violence but whose world view could be used as justification for terrorism.
The scope of Cameron’s tendency to limit the freedom of speech and free intellectual and academic inquiry, however, became obvious when Cameron directly compared this ”dangerous world view” with those who raise justified questions about the involvement of deep state elements or rogue networks in false flag terrorism. Indeed, Cameron’s conclusion is setting the stage for a rapid decline into totalitarianism where raising justified questions about state crimes equals terrorism. Cameron said:
”We know this world view; The peddling of lies that 9/11 was somehow a Jewish plot, or that the 7/7 attacks in London were staged. … We must be clear, to defeat the ideology of extremism, not just violent extremism”.'
So in the cause of defeating militant Islam, our Government also intends to crack down on independent enquiry into Government actions. These are frightened people who realise the jig is nearly up. And they are not going to leave power without a lot of ugliness.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland_(European_Parliament_constituency)
http://www.wokinghamukip.org.uk/?p=27
Their candidate in 2010 was Ann Zebedee:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/f24.stm
What about his intellectual self confidence?
http://eastmidslibdems.org.uk/en/article/2014/928074/advertisement-for-parliamentary-candidate-for-daventry-constituency
41% of Ukip voters believe in ghosts, compared to only 26% of Tory voters. What can Cameron do to lure these people back??
http://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/document/otjwvdct9z/SunResults_141027_Ghosts-Website.pdf
I should still have the freedom not to care.
https://twitter.com/CunningtoP
http://www.politicshome.com/uk/story/45158/merkel_rebuffs_uk_free_movement_demands.html
Merkel 'rebuffs UK free movement demands'
Does anyone know from a look at their PPC selections?
There's an interesting (and consistent) gender gap, too.
I really don't know if ghosts exist, or if they do, what they are.
Neil Bibby MSP, Graeme Pearson MSP, Frank Roy MP have been added to Murphy's list
Jim Sheridan has nominated Neil Findlay
Boyack is still at 7
Dugdale has reached the required number of nominations. William Bain MP, Neil Bibby MSP, Sheila Gilmore MP, Pamela Nash MP has been added
Clark is at 5 with Sheridan and Eleine Smith MSP added today
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_in_the_Council_of_the_European_Union#Treaty_of_Lisbon_.282014_onwards.29
Current Holyrood VI: SNP 46, Lab 28
Holyrood VI with a Murphy led SLab: SNP 47, Lab 29
A Kipper on here then flagged my comment up as "Troll".
Lots of people seem to get uppity when you say something they don't agree with. Whether the Red Cross or Kippers...
Edwina Curry - chocolate mouse, or anything with raw eggs.
Mark Oaten ... okay ... forget that one.
Poppy seller burned in aerosol attack in Manchester
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-29870960
Mike Smithson is a lib dem and he was the main cheerleader for ukip in that one
https://www.facebook.com/thesun/posts/1023435367682902
It was an overall impression from the bullishness of the Kippers (that wasn't fully justified).
However, that wasn't the point.
Len mccluskey: beer and sandwiches
Jim Murphy : Irun bru
Paddy Ashdown: British army operational rations
But either way freedom of movement is pretty much the whole point of the thing. You wouldn't get a majority to change it, let alone unanimity. I'm not even sure Cameron can get one other PM to support changing it, and even he probably doesn't really support it either.
So that didn't have a happy ending.
TUD Theyougov poll asked an initial voting intention question for Westminster then later asked a voting intention with Murphy leading Labour
http://tinyurl.com/knstr9z
Page 15 for Murphy led SLab VI & page 2 for current Holyrood VI.
Boris : scouse
George W Bush: French fries
http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/n965i9mzb8/YG-Archive-Pol-Sunday-Times-results-311014.pdf
They really should've convinced Gordon to go for it. (Actually, I'm increasingly starting to think the national Labour party should pick up the phone to him and beg him to come back.)
It also shows SLab currently on 27% for Westminster, not 23%.
BTW, noticed a response in today's YG - a large majority disagree that Asian men are more likely than others to abuse children sexually. Even a plurality of UKIP voters think it's a general problem affecting all races and all parts of Britain. That's possibly a reason why UKIP hasn't really taken off in the PCC as many expected, since they did campaign very explicitly on the abuse issue.
Either way, Murphy still increases the Labour total, albeit he still has a long way to go
The divorce has been ongoing for 6 months already. Personally I had more fun in my year after separating than just about any other year of my life.
new thread
Today they are so up the arse of the climate fascists that I've had to turn over.
This tv is too expensive to look good with a shoe embedded in it.