Robert Peston has morphed into Dan Cruickshank. And neither of them can enlighten us about the really very good progress we have made in cutting the structural deficit.
The govt are working on the theory that in an uncertain economic world you stick with the devil you know. Labour's and Brown's ratings improved when the 2008 crisis hit, despite their blatant culpability.
The tories are struggling to seal the deal. They are not really picking up support, only Labour's decline is reducing the lead. But every time the tories get a small lead it swings back to Labour.
After numerous attempts one has to ask why. And the answer is surely that the majority of people don't like this government very much. They don't like the choice either. But every time they start to look like they have made that choice they have second thoughts.
At the last election the tories had a lead of 8%. Less than that and they will probably start to lose marginal seats. I say probably because UKIP do have the prospect of making them more efficient in terms of seat wins. At the moment a lead of considerably less than that looks very likely. It just does not seem to matter how crap Ed gets. They can't break away.
But Ed hasn'tn voting.
Nobody wins when their leader is on minus 56%.
The Conservatives will finish ahead.
Votes or seats?
Both.
This cartoon does remind me of the "Cock. Robin" joke that was so popular at school.
Is it the lagershed yet?
I have a Superhero joke that I want to share.
Is that the one that involves Superman, Wonderwoman, and the Invisible Man?
I wonder what the impact of a sudden economic downturn will be on the election. Surely negative for the Tories as they have staked everything on good economic numbers.
Labour are going to walk this election if they can shore up their Scottish seats.
Not a chance of Labour shoring up those seats. The SNP played a very smart game over the weekend explicitly ruling out propping up a Conservative Government to remove the biggest reason why SNP / Labour voters would move back to Labour.
If a vote for the SNP is a vote for Miliband then you may as well just vote Labour and be done with it.
Interesting thought for you!
In nearly every one of the supposed SNP heartlands of the north east of Scotland, the vote was NO.
Alec Salmond had sooked up the anti "Glasgow orientated Labour" support - Tories who wouldn't want to be seen voting for them or the Novelle Tories. Now they are expected to swallow Sturgeon's socialist agenda Ain't gonna happen.
For those of a southerly disposition, "sooked" was intentional. Think Monica and Bill, and you will get a cigar!
The tories are struggling to seal the deal. They are not really picking up support, only Labour's decline is reducing the lead. But every time the tories get a small lead it swings back to Labour.
After numerous attempts one has to ask why. And the answer is surely that the majority of people don't like this government very much. They don't like the choice either. But every time they start to look like they have made that choice they have second thoughts.
At the last election the tories had a lead of 8%. Less than that and they will probably start to lose marginal seats. I say probably because UKIP do have the prospect of making them more efficient in terms of seat wins. At the moment a lead of considerably less than that looks very likely. It just does not seem to matter how crap Ed gets. They can't break away.
But Ed hasn'tn voting.
Nobody wins when their leader is on minus 56%.
The Conservatives will finish ahead.
Votes or seats?
Both.
This cartoon does remind me of the "Cock. Robin" joke that was so popular at school.
Is it the lagershed yet?
I have a Superhero joke that I want to share.
Is that the one that involves Superman, Wonderwoman, and the Invisible Man?
@tnewtondunn: YouGov/Sun poll tonight: Greens hit a record high under @YouGov of 8% - and Libs back to 5th. CON 33%, LAB 32%, UKIP 15%, GRN 8%, LDEM 7%
I wonder what the impact of a sudden economic downturn will be on the election. Surely negative for the Tories as they have staked everything on good economic numbers.
I think it will benefit the Tories, especially if our economy fares better than our peers.
Socialists do not do well electorally when the economy is tanking. Just look across the Channel.
Twitter BBC Newsnight @BBCNewsnight now40 seconds ago Coming up on #Newsnight tonight ... the deputy German finance minister says it would be a "catastrophe" if Britain leaves the EU
I wonder what the impact of a sudden economic downturn will be on the election. Surely negative for the Tories as they have staked everything on good economic numbers.
Interesting question.
I don't necessarily think it would be bad for the tories, but who knows who could benefit?
I suppose with her kitten heels Theresa May should be Catwoman although I suspect she is rather the kiss of death to liberal conservatism so I see her rather as Poison Ivy.
The tories are struggling to seal the deal. They are not really picking up support, only Labour's decline is reducing the lead. But every time the tories get a small lead it swings back to Labour.
After numerous attempts one has to ask why. And the answer is surely that the majority of people don't like this government very much. They don't like the choice either. But every time they start to look like they have made that choice they have second thoughts.
At the last election the tories had a lead of 8%. Less than that and they will probably start to lose marginal seats. I say probably because UKIP do have the prospect of making them more efficient in terms of seat wins. At the moment a lead of considerably less than that looks very likely. It just does not seem to matter how crap Ed gets. They can't break away.
The problem is that people do not want continued austerity with no real jam at the end of it all. Both major parties are promising it though. The SNP and UKIP can pick up votes by blaming foreigners for the woes, and a magic solution.
Sometimes politicians are punished for lying, but this time they are being punished for (partial) honesty.
Oh I think their honesty is extremely partial. On both sides of the fence.
Let's face it: we can't handle the truth. We just can't.
Absolutely - but Labour want to spend like its 1999
All the parties do.
Especially on their pet projects and on buying the loyalty of their voters.
Although to be pedantic it would be very welcome if government spending was reduced to the proportions of 1999.
You do not think that the pressure on Labour to spend more than the tories would be more than they could withstand?
Just seen today's Telegraph report that UKIP are expecting to win Rochester by 15% at least and maybe more. I assume they wouldn't say this unless they were pretty confident about it.
Whenever I look at the Tory data, it seems that they are losing purely to UKIP.
That isn't about austerity and inequality, it's about immigrants and gay weddings.
The Tories are comfortably gaining net from their LibLab left.
Yes, Gideon thought the right had nowhere to go as they would never risk a Labour government. He wholly underestimated that social policies were as important, if not more important in some cases, than economic policies, and by subscribing to the liberal left social consensus made the rise of UKIP inevitable.
Haha yes. In his metropolitan cocoon it was impossible for him to think that there were people who did not sign up for the trendy metropolitan agenda.
So its confirmed then - people who are bigoted are not voting conservative any more.
I don't know about that. A lot of people who are conservative aren't voting Conservative.
If its true as said that, ''it's about immigrants and gay weddings.'' (is it?) then its about bigots not voting tory. When we read that Tim Montgomerie ''dismissed criticism that extending equal rights to gays and lesbians would weaken marriage. He said Tories and church leaders should support gay marriage '', then I think its safe to sayhat only the fruit loop faction of the tories, not merely semi detatched but permanantly unhinged, have got worked up about it.
But there seems little mileage in trying to exploit gay marriage ''Most supporters of the Conservatives and Ukip now support gay marriage, according to an Ipsos MORI poll pointing to a “sea change” in opinion ''.
So the 'fact' stated as a reason is hardly a fact at all. Quite what the attitude is with the kipper activists who have left (mainly) the tory party is I'm not so sure. They seem to have run off into a dead end as the public have turned out to be more broad minded than them.
Just seen today's Telegraph report that UKIP are expecting to win Rochester by 15% at least and maybe more. I assume they wouldn't say this unless they were pretty confident about it.
Ahem....South Yorkshire PCC......which Mr Farage thought they were going to win....
Just seen today's Telegraph report that UKIP are expecting to win Rochester by 15% at least and maybe more. I assume they wouldn't say this unless they were pretty confident about it.
Ahem....South Yorkshire PCC......which Mr Farage thought they were going to win....
Just taken the opportunity to equalise my profit on Rochester.
UKIP can be laid @ 1.02 if yer quick.... Or if someone wants a £3 punt on the tories @ 50/1?
Has a party ever been at such long odds defending a seat it holds ?
To justify those odds UKIP should be heading for a win by over 20%.
I think Labour were higher at Crewe and Nantwich.
There were no defections involved. It must surely be inevitable in those circumstances that the candidate would keep some of his vote. Labour seem to be almost encouraging a UKIP vote to embarrass the tories and when you hear that if the tories lose there would be a tory leadership election you can see why.
Whenever I look at the Tory data, it seems that they are losing purely to UKIP.
That isn't about austerity and inequality, it's about immigrants and gay weddings.
The Tories are comfortably gaining net from their LibLab left.
Yes, Gideon thought the right had nowhere to go as they would never risk a Labour government. He wholly underestimated that social policies were as important, if not more important in some cases, than economic policies, and by subscribing to the liberal left social consensus made the rise of UKIP inevitable.
Haha yes. In his metropolitan cocoon it was impossible for him to think that there were people who did not sign up for the trendy metropolitan agenda.
So its confirmed then - people who are bigoted are not voting conservative any more.
I don't know about that. A lot of people who are conservative aren't voting Conservative.
If its true as said that, ''it's about immigrants and gay weddings.'' (is it?) then its about bigots not voting tory. When we read that Tim Montgomerie ''dismissed criticism that extending equal rights to gays and lesbians would weaken marriage. He said Tories and church leaders should support gay marriage '', then I think its safe to sayhat only the fruit loop faction of the tories, not merely semi detatched but permanantly unhinged, have got worked up about it.
But there seems little mileage in trying to exploit gay marriage ''Most supporters of the Conservatives and Ukip now support gay marriage, according to an Ipsos MORI poll pointing to a “sea change” in opinion ''.
So the 'fact' stated as a reason is hardly a fact at all. Quite what the attitude is with the kipper activists who have left (mainly) the tory party is I'm not so sure. They seem to have run off into a dead end as the public have turned out to be more broad minded than them.
Do you have any problems with Matthew Parris type bigots in the Conservative party ?
THE full depth of the crisis facing Ed Miliband in Scotland is laid bare today in a stark poll showing only two per cent of voters completely trust him.
The exclusive Survation survey for the Daily Record also suggests Labour are set to lose all but five of their 40 Scottish MPs in May’s Westminster election.
In contrast, the SNP have rocketed in popularity despite their defeat in the referendum and could go from six seats in 2010 to an astonishing 52 next year.
Such a result would effectively make it impossible for Labour to beat the Tories across the UK and kick David Cameron out of Downing Street.
Our poll of 1001 Scots shows the SNP would win 45.8 per cent of the popular vote in Scotland, Labour 23.9 per cent, the Conservatives 16.7 per cent and the Lib Dems 6.1 per cent.
THE full depth of the crisis facing Ed Miliband in Scotland is laid bare today in a stark poll showing only two per cent of voters completely trust him.
The exclusive Survation survey for the Daily Record also suggests Labour are set to lose all but five of their 40 Scottish MPs in May’s Westminster election.
In contrast, the SNP have rocketed in popularity despite their defeat in the referendum and could go from six seats in 2010 to an astonishing 52 next year.
Such a result would effectively make it impossible for Labour to beat the Tories across the UK and kick David Cameron out of Downing Street.
Our poll of 1001 Scots shows the SNP would win 45.8 per cent of the popular vote in Scotland, Labour 23.9 per cent, the Conservatives 16.7 per cent and the Lib Dems 6.1 per cent.
You should have listened to us PB Tories, we told you Ed was a turd, and you can't ever polish a turd
But it is Miliband’s personal trust ratings in Scotland that will be most worrying for Labour.
Only two per cent completely trust him, while a further seven per cent mostly trust him and 20 per cent slightly trust him. In contrast, 59 per cent of Scots either mostly or completely distrust him.
Amazingly, his ratings are slightly worse than David Cameron. Two per cent completely trust the PM but 12 per cent mostly trust him.
THE full depth of the crisis facing Ed Miliband in Scotland is laid bare today in a stark poll showing only two per cent of voters completely trust him.
The exclusive Survation survey for the Daily Record also suggests Labour are set to lose all but five of their 40 Scottish MPs in May’s Westminster election.
In contrast, the SNP have rocketed in popularity despite their defeat in the referendum and could go from six seats in 2010 to an astonishing 52 next year.
Such a result would effectively make it impossible for Labour to beat the Tories across the UK and kick David Cameron out of Downing Street.
Our poll of 1001 Scots shows the SNP would win 45.8 per cent of the popular vote in Scotland, Labour 23.9 per cent, the Conservatives 16.7 per cent and the Lib Dems 6.1 per cent.
THE full depth of the crisis facing Ed Miliband in Scotland is laid bare today in a stark poll showing only two per cent of voters completely trust him.
The exclusive Survation survey for the Daily Record also suggests Labour are set to lose all but five of their 40 Scottish MPs in May’s Westminster election.
In contrast, the SNP have rocketed in popularity despite their defeat in the referendum and could go from six seats in 2010 to an astonishing 52 next year.
Such a result would effectively make it impossible for Labour to beat the Tories across the UK and kick David Cameron out of Downing Street.
Our poll of 1001 Scots shows the SNP would win 45.8 per cent of the popular vote in Scotland, Labour 23.9 per cent, the Conservatives 16.7 per cent and the Lib Dems 6.1 per cent.
Whenever I look at the Tory data, it seems that they are losing purely to UKIP.
That isn't about austerity and inequality, it's about immigrants and gay weddings.
The Tories are comfortably gaining net from their LibLab left.
The majority of UKIP voters are against austerity, according to the polls. They're even more against it than the (remaining) Lib Dem voters.
I'm hoping to see some polling soon, that shows Kippers think you can end austerity/the deficit overnight by simply ending immigration.
A Cameroon saying UKIP want to end all immigration is like a lefty saying the Tories want to abolish the welfare state
What amount of net immigration do you want next year after Nige has swept UKIP to victory?
As little or as much as is necessary
Who decides the level? And how?
Maybe Milibaldrick should decide?
The market for skilled jobs decides
Is there an established and effective method for the jobs market to regulate levels of immigration? I really don't know, so genuine question.
My idea is that any economic migrant can come provided they get paid £1000 per week.
Which would guarantee high skilled, high value adding immigrants who would create more wealth than they consumed.
Would we deport them if the company they worked for went bust a few months later? Or would they have a period to find a new job prior to deportation?
I'd let them have some time to look for a new job, proportionate to how long they'd been working here, then they'd have to leave and apply for future employment whilst back in their own country.
THE full depth of the crisis facing Ed Miliband in Scotland is laid bare today in a stark poll showing only two per cent of voters completely trust him.
The exclusive Survation survey for the Daily Record also suggests Labour are set to lose all but five of their 40 Scottish MPs in May’s Westminster election.
In contrast, the SNP have rocketed in popularity despite their defeat in the referendum and could go from six seats in 2010 to an astonishing 52 next year.
Such a result would effectively make it impossible for Labour to beat the Tories across the UK and kick David Cameron out of Downing Street.
Our poll of 1001 Scots shows the SNP would win 45.8 per cent of the popular vote in Scotland, Labour 23.9 per cent, the Conservatives 16.7 per cent and the Lib Dems 6.1 per cent.
Just seen today's Telegraph report that UKIP are expecting to win Rochester by 15% at least and maybe more. I assume they wouldn't say this unless they were pretty confident about it.
Ahem....South Yorkshire PCC......which Mr Farage thought they were going to win....
Were there any polls for the South Yorkshire PCC? None that I can remember.
There have been four(?) for R & S, all showing comfortable UKIP leads.
It all depends on getting the DNVs out.
UKIP also have a far better candidate in R & S, a key weakness rectified by UKIP, notwithstanding Tory bleatings on this site.
THE full depth of the crisis facing Ed Miliband in Scotland is laid bare today in a stark poll showing only two per cent of voters completely trust him.
The exclusive Survation survey for the Daily Record also suggests Labour are set to lose all but five of their 40 Scottish MPs in May’s Westminster election.
In contrast, the SNP have rocketed in popularity despite their defeat in the referendum and could go from six seats in 2010 to an astonishing 52 next year.
Such a result would effectively make it impossible for Labour to beat the Tories across the UK and kick David Cameron out of Downing Street.
Our poll of 1001 Scots shows the SNP would win 45.8 per cent of the popular vote in Scotland, Labour 23.9 per cent, the Conservatives 16.7 per cent and the Lib Dems 6.1 per cent.
I wonder what the impact of a sudden economic downturn will be on the election. Surely negative for the Tories as they have staked everything on good economic numbers.
I think it will benefit the Tories, especially if our economy fares better than our peers.
Socialists do not do well electorally when the economy is tanking. Just look across the Channel.
True. This is why the govt are being up front about it. Point 1 is that its a very fair point to make and to forewarn people. There is an economic slow down in many places and its facile of Ed Balls to pretend otherwise. Point 2 is that the UK economy itself is not in bad shape and the govt can point to real progress in controlling its discretionary spending and cutting our state spending and state jobs. We are better placed than the rest of the world and they can say, 'thanks to us' so 'stay with us'. Point 3 is that the govt will hope to get support as being a credible govt in the circumstances of a possible crisis. Point 4 - which is a conspiracy theory point - is that the 'govt' in question is a coalition; in highlighting the world problems it gives the LDs some wriggle room for going into the election with justifiable reasons for sticking with 'the' coalition - ie the world is still an unsafe economic place and we still need a credible govt (ie one with us in it).
With the Green vote rising but with the LD vote having little further downside anymore it seems to me to be a big incentive to the LDs to work with the Tories come the election. Will they take it? Everything in their behavious so far says no.
I don't know, even as someone who's generally very pessimistic about Labour's chances in the election, I'm not entirely sure these Scottish figures are really that representative. Scottish polls for any particular election are never really reliable until a few weeks before. Before the 2010 election, the SNP had a very big lead until a little while before as well. And then before the 2011 Holyrood election, Labour were ahead in the polls by miles before people started to focus on the specific election and there was suddenly a big switch.
Even if (as I'm currently expecting) Labour come behind the Tories UK-wide next year, I'd still expect them to hold on to the vast majority of their Scottish seats.
Whenever I look at the Tory data, it seems that they are losing purely to UKIP.
That isn't about austerity and inequality, it's about immigrants and gay weddings.
The Tories are comfortably gaining net from their LibLab left.
The majority of UKIP voters are against austerity, according to the polls. They're even more against it than the (remaining) Lib Dem voters.
I'm hoping to see some polling soon, that shows Kippers think you can end austerity/the deficit overnight by simply ending immigration.
A Cameroon saying UKIP want to end all immigration is like a lefty saying the Tories want to abolish the welfare state
What amount of net immigration do you want next year after Nige has swept UKIP to victory?
As little or as much as is necessary
Who decides the level? And how?
Maybe Milibaldrick should decide?
The market for skilled jobs decides
Is there an established and effective method for the jobs market to regulate levels of immigration? I really don't know, so genuine question.
I don't know either, but I cant see why not really. If we are short of skills to do a certain job then we can advertise overseas with out restriction to people who are qualified. There needn't be an immigration quota. If every doctor and nurse dropped dead and we had to replace them all with immigrants from Sri Lanka then that's what we would do, if possible
I wonder what the impact of a sudden economic downturn will be on the election. Surely negative for the Tories as they have staked everything on good economic numbers.
I think it will benefit the Tories, especially if our economy fares better than our peers.
Socialists do not do well electorally when the economy is tanking. Just look across the Channel.
With the Green vote rising but with the LD vote having little further downside anymore it seems to me to be a big incentive to the LDs to work with the Tories come the election. Will they take it? Everything in their behavious so far says no.
The Green vote is not rising whatever the opinion polls say . It has fallen in almost every single council by election in the last 6 months including those held last week .
If I was a labour supporter/pro independence during the independence for Scotland elections,the way labour took control of the debates would have p!$$ed me off to join the SNP ;-)
I thought a independent Scotland would have helped the tories but it seems a pro union win with thousands of disgruntled labour voters who seem to be blaming labour for the no win ,is just as good ;-)
THE full depth of the crisis facing Ed Miliband in Scotland is laid bare today in a stark poll showing only two per cent of voters completely trust him.
The exclusive Survation survey for the Daily Record also suggests Labour are set to lose all but five of their 40 Scottish MPs in May’s Westminster election.
In contrast, the SNP have rocketed in popularity despite their defeat in the referendum and could go from six seats in 2010 to an astonishing 52 next year.
Such a result would effectively make it impossible for Labour to beat the Tories across the UK and kick David Cameron out of Downing Street.
Our poll of 1001 Scots shows the SNP would win 45.8 per cent of the popular vote in Scotland, Labour 23.9 per cent, the Conservatives 16.7 per cent and the Lib Dems 6.1 per cent.
Whenever I look at the Tory data, it seems that they are losing purely to UKIP.
That isn't about austerity and inequality, it's about immigrants and gay weddings.
The Tories are comfortably gaining net from their LibLab left.
The majority of UKIP voters are against austerity, according to the polls. They're even more against it than the (remaining) Lib Dem voters.
I'm hoping to see some polling soon, that shows Kippers think you can end austerity/the deficit overnight by simply ending immigration.
A Cameroon saying UKIP want to end all immigration is like a lefty saying the Tories want to abolish the welfare state
What amount of net immigration do you want next year after Nige has swept UKIP to victory?
As little or as much as is necessary
Who decides the level? And how?
Maybe Milibaldrick should decide?
The market for skilled jobs decides
Is there an established and effective method for the jobs market to regulate levels of immigration? I really don't know, so genuine question.
I don't know either, but I cant see why not really. If we are short of skills to do a certain job then we can advertise overseas with out restriction to people who are qualified. There needn't be an immigration quota. If every doctor and nurse dropped dead and we had to replace them all with immigrants from Sri Lanka then that's what we would do, if possible
That is the current law. At present if when I advertise a post for more than 4 weeks there is no appointable UK or EU applicant, then I can interview and appoint non-EU candidates, who are then granted a permanent visa.
We recently have appointed a Syrian, an Indian and a Russian by this means.
@JohnRentoul: Average of today's GB polls would put Lab 3 seats short of majority. With Survation taking 35 seats from Lab in Scotland, Lab+LD wd be short
Whenever I look at the Tory data, it seems that they are losing purely to UKIP.
That isn't about austerity and inequality, it's about immigrants and gay weddings.
The Tories are comfortably gaining net from their LibLab left.
The majority of UKIP voters are against austerity, according to the polls. They're even more against it than the (remaining) Lib Dem voters.
I'm hoping to see some polling soon, that shows Kippers think you can end austerity/the deficit overnight by simply ending immigration.
A Cameroon saying UKIP want to end all immigration is like a lefty saying the Tories want to abolish the welfare state
What amount of net immigration do you want next year after Nige has swept UKIP to victory?
As little or as much as is necessary
Who decides the level? And how?
Maybe Milibaldrick should decide?
The market for skilled jobs decides
Is there an established and effective method for the jobs market to regulate levels of immigration? I really don't know, so genuine question.
I don't know either, but I cant see why not really. If we are short of skills to do a certain job then we can advertise overseas with out restriction to people who are qualified. There needn't be an immigration quota. If every doctor and nurse dropped dead and we had to replace them all with immigrants from Sri Lanka then that's what we would do, if possible
That is the current law. At present if when I advertise a post for more than 4 weeks there is no appointable UK or EU applicant, then I can interview and appoint non-EU candidates, who are then granted a permanent visa.
We recently have appointed a Syrian, an Indian and a Russian by this means.
Ah! Well it shouldn't be that difficult to apply to EU citizens as well then! Glad that I am not such an extremist after all
Mike Huckabee following Jeb Bush's visit to London last week with one of his own this week, tweeting about the view of Parliament from the London Eye https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/534421723182284801 (Nicola Sturgeon is one of his followers for some reason!)
Also, great cartoon Marf and particularly apt as I have just been watching Gotham on C5
I don't know, even as someone who's generally very pessimistic about Labour's chances in the election, I'm not entirely sure these Scottish figures are really that representative. Scottish polls for any particular election are never really reliable until a few weeks before. Before the 2010 election, the SNP had a very big lead until a little while before as well. And then before the 2011 Holyrood election, Labour were ahead in the polls by miles before people started to focus on the specific election and there was suddenly a big switch.
Even if (as I'm currently expecting) Labour come behind the Tories UK-wide next year, I'd still expect them to hold on to the vast majority of their Scottish seats.
YouGov underestimated the Labour lead over SNP by 10% in the 2010 election.
Ipsos Mori also had the SNP ahead in November 2009.
Whenever I look at the Tory data, it seems that they are losing purely to UKIP.
That isn't about austerity and inequality, it's about immigrants and gay weddings.
The Tories are comfortably gaining net from their LibLab left.
The majority of UKIP voters are against austerity, according to the polls. They're even more against it than the (remaining) Lib Dem voters.
I'm hoping to see some polling soon, that shows Kippers think you can end austerity/the deficit overnight by simply ending immigration.
A Cameroon saying UKIP want to end all immigration is like a lefty saying the Tories want to abolish the welfare state
What amount of net immigration do you want next year after Nige has swept UKIP to victory?
As little or as much as is necessary
Who decides the level? And how?
Maybe Milibaldrick should decide?
The market for skilled jobs decides
Is there an established and effective method for the jobs market to regulate levels of immigration? I really don't know, so genuine question.
I don't know either, but I cant see why not really. If we are short of skills to do a certain job then we can advertise overseas with out restriction to people who are qualified. There needn't be an immigration quota. If every doctor and nurse dropped dead and we had to replace them all with immigrants from Sri Lanka then that's what we would do, if possible
That is the current law. At present if when I advertise a post for more than 4 weeks there is no appointable UK or EU applicant, then I can interview and appoint non-EU candidates, who are then granted a permanent visa.
We recently have appointed a Syrian, an Indian and a Russian by this means.
Ah! Well it shouldn't be that difficult to apply to EU citizens as well then! Glad that I am not such an extremist after all
Why shouldn't I hire who I want to hire, without going through your rigmarole?
Amazingly, his ratings are slightly worse than David Cameron.
And that's the election, right there.
Ed Miliband Will Never be Prime Minister
Miliband (well Labour) seemed to take the YES victory a bit flatfooted - or perhaps it was Cameron's response - ie more devo mut also EVEL - that befuddled them. Labour screamed blue murder about EVEL and ... well I don't know... did this come across as wanting to delay more devo? I do not think one can ever underestimate how easy it is to take the wrong end of the stick, not least when repeated through the misty lense of the media. or have I been misled? If the polls are remotely true than Labour seem to have lost relevance in Scotland and the SNP are moving into socialist territory. What then about non socialists?
Whenever I look at the Tory data, it seems that they are losing purely to UKIP.
That isn't about austerity and inequality, it's about immigrants and gay weddings.
The Tories are comfortably gaining net from their LibLab left.
The majority of UKIP voters are against austerity, according to the polls. They're even more against it than the (remaining) Lib Dem voters.
I'm hoping to see some polling soon, that shows Kippers think you can end austerity/the deficit overnight by simply ending immigration.
A Cameroon saying UKIP want to end all immigration is like a lefty saying the Tories want to abolish the welfare state
What amount of net immigration do you want next year after Nige has swept UKIP to victory?
As little or as much as is necessary
Who decides the level? And how?
Maybe Milibaldrick should decide?
The market for skilled jobs decides
Is there an established and effective method for the jobs market to regulate levels of immigration? I really don't know, so genuine question.
Yup, you just let people come and go. The market regulates itself, because people want to go where they can find jobs and people want to create jobs where they can hire the people they need. Good to see UKIP finally coming around on this.
Whenever I look at the Tory data, it seems that they are losing purely to UKIP.
That isn't about austerity and inequality, it's about immigrants and gay weddings.
The Tories are comfortably gaining net from their LibLab left.
The majority of UKIP voters are against austerity, according to the polls. They're even more against it than the (remaining) Lib Dem voters.
I'm hoping to see some polling soon, that shows Kippers think you can end austerity/the deficit overnight by simply ending immigration.
A Cameroon saying UKIP want to end all immigration is like a lefty saying the Tories want to abolish the welfare state
What amount of net immigration do you want next year after Nige has swept UKIP to victory?
As little or as much as is necessary
Who decides the level? And how?
Maybe Milibaldrick should decide?
The market for skilled jobs decides
Is there an established and effective method for the jobs market to regulate levels of immigration? I really don't know, so genuine question.
I don't know either, but I cant see why not really. If we are short of skills to do a certain job then we can advertise overseas with out restriction to people who are qualified. There needn't be an immigration quota. If every doctor and nurse dropped dead and we had to replace them all with immigrants from Sri Lanka then that's what we would do, if possible
That is the current law. At present if when I advertise a post for more than 4 weeks there is no appointable UK or EU applicant, then I can interview and appoint non-EU candidates, who are then granted a permanent visa.
We recently have appointed a Syrian, an Indian and a Russian by this means.
Ah! Well it shouldn't be that difficult to apply to EU citizens as well then! Glad that I am not such an extremist after all
Why shouldn't I hire who I want to hire, without going through your rigmarole?
Its going through rigmarole to hire a British person?
Comments
TSE you are wrong yet again, Farage as the Joker, not Ed Milliband.
The govt are working on the theory that in an uncertain economic world you stick with the devil you know. Labour's and Brown's ratings improved when the 2008 crisis hit, despite their blatant culpability.
Surely negative for the Tories as they have staked everything on good economic numbers.
UKIP can be laid @ 1.02 if yer quick.... Or if someone wants a £3 punt on the tories @ 50/1?
Crossover on two fronts
Tom Newton Dunn @tnewtondunn 39s40 seconds ago
YouGov/Sun poll tonight: Greens hit a record high under @YouGov of 8% - and Libs back to 5th. CON 33%, LAB 32%, UKIP 15%, GRN 8%, LDEM 7%
Maybe Milibaldrick should decide?
Socialists do not do well electorally when the economy is tanking. Just look across the Channel.
BBC Newsnight @BBCNewsnight now40 seconds ago
Coming up on #Newsnight tonight ... the deputy German finance minister says it would be a "catastrophe" if Britain leaves the EU
I don't necessarily think it would be bad for the tories, but who knows who could benefit?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCc8XJGSOag
Populus 29 (Aug 2013) - latest 35
Yougov 27 (May 2013) - latest 33
Ipsos 27 (Mar 2013) - latest 32
ICM 28 (May 2013) - latest 31
ComRes 26 (June 2013) - latest 30
Opinium 27 (May 2013) - latest 29
Ashcroft 25 (may 2014) - latest 29
Survation 24 (May 2013) - latest 29
I'd be far too subtle for political campaigning.
To justify those odds UKIP should be heading for a win by over 20%.
When we read that Tim Montgomerie ''dismissed criticism that extending equal rights to gays and lesbians would weaken marriage. He said Tories and church leaders should support gay marriage '', then I think its safe to sayhat only the fruit loop faction of the tories, not merely semi detatched but permanantly unhinged, have got worked up about it.
But there seems little mileage in trying to exploit gay marriage ''Most supporters of the Conservatives and Ukip now support gay marriage, according to an Ipsos MORI poll pointing to a “sea change” in opinion ''.
So the 'fact' stated as a reason is hardly a fact at all. Quite what the attitude is with the kipper activists who have left (mainly) the tory party is I'm not so sure. They seem to have run off into a dead end as the public have turned out to be more broad minded than them.
A turnaround like Sunday's would give CON 35 LAB 29.
Which would guarantee high skilled, high value adding immigrants who would create more wealth than they consumed.
Or should that be ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
I'd imagine it would be quite popular with punters, easier to price than the seats spread - and much less volatile, allowing a small spread.
That would be awesome.
A minor mistake in the grand scheme of things by Clegg.
THE full depth of the crisis facing Ed Miliband in Scotland is laid bare today in a stark poll showing only two per cent of voters completely trust him.
The exclusive Survation survey for the Daily Record also suggests Labour are set to lose all but five of their 40 Scottish MPs in May’s Westminster election.
In contrast, the SNP have rocketed in popularity despite their defeat in the referendum and could go from six seats in 2010 to an astonishing 52 next year.
Such a result would effectively make it impossible for Labour to beat the Tories across the UK and kick David Cameron out of Downing Street.
Our poll of 1001 Scots shows the SNP would win 45.8 per cent of the popular vote in Scotland, Labour 23.9 per cent, the Conservatives 16.7 per cent and the Lib Dems 6.1 per cent.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/poll-bombshell-ed-milliband-shows-4646014
But it is Miliband’s personal trust ratings in Scotland that will be most worrying for Labour.
Only two per cent completely trust him, while a further seven per cent mostly trust him and 20 per cent slightly trust him. In contrast, 59 per cent of Scots either mostly or completely distrust him.
Amazingly, his ratings are slightly worse than David Cameron. Two per cent completely trust the PM but 12 per cent mostly trust him.
Ed Miliband Will Never be Prime Minister
Its all hypothetical of course.
There have been four(?) for R & S, all showing comfortable UKIP leads.
It all depends on getting the DNVs out.
UKIP also have a far better candidate in R & S, a key weakness rectified by UKIP, notwithstanding Tory bleatings on this site.
Point 1 is that its a very fair point to make and to forewarn people. There is an economic slow down in many places and its facile of Ed Balls to pretend otherwise.
Point 2 is that the UK economy itself is not in bad shape and the govt can point to real progress in controlling its discretionary spending and cutting our state spending and state jobs. We are better placed than the rest of the world and they can say, 'thanks to us' so 'stay with us'.
Point 3 is that the govt will hope to get support as being a credible govt in the circumstances of a possible crisis.
Point 4 - which is a conspiracy theory point - is that the 'govt' in question is a coalition; in highlighting the world problems it gives the LDs some wriggle room for going into the election with justifiable reasons for sticking with 'the' coalition - ie the world is still an unsafe economic place and we still need a credible govt (ie one with us in it).
With the Green vote rising but with the LD vote having little further downside anymore it seems to me to be a big incentive to the LDs to work with the Tories come the election. Will they take it? Everything in their behavious so far says no.
Survation Record poll finds that 88% of those who voted YES in IndyRef now support SNP
Even if (as I'm currently expecting) Labour come behind the Tories UK-wide next year, I'd still expect them to hold on to the vast majority of their Scottish seats.
It should also be about now that we get a Wales specific poll.
UKIP won Clacton, but hadn't stood in 2010, the previous election.
UKIP didn't stand in Rochester and Strood in 2010, the previous election.
If UKIP win in R & S, when was the last time this happened consecutively:
1. By different parties
2. By the same party.
I thought a independent Scotland would have helped the tories but it seems a pro union win with thousands of disgruntled labour voters who seem to be blaming labour for the no win ,is just as good ;-)
But if anyone wishes to have a bet on 52 SNP MPs they are completely mad.
We recently have appointed a Syrian, an Indian and a Russian by this means.
SNP gain Bootle!
Also, great cartoon Marf and particularly apt as I have just been watching Gotham on C5
Ipsos Mori also had the SNP ahead in November 2009.
Ed came over very well IMO
Ed Miliband Will Never be Prime Minister
Miliband (well Labour) seemed to take the YES victory a bit flatfooted - or perhaps it was Cameron's response - ie more devo mut also EVEL - that befuddled them.
Labour screamed blue murder about EVEL and ... well I don't know... did this come across as wanting to delay more devo? I do not think one can ever underestimate how easy it is to take the wrong end of the stick, not least when repeated through the misty lense of the media. or have I been misled?
If the polls are remotely true than Labour seem to have lost relevance in Scotland and the SNP are moving into socialist territory. What then about non socialists?
But if he hasn't bothered to get himself educated, he shouldn't.
You want a system that discourages people from bettering themselves.
Well, it's a view, I suppose.
@MSmithsonPB
I'm told that a constituency poll currently being carried out in Brighton Pavillion - the Green's only seat
Can only be good for LAB IMO.