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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Why UKIP is set to damage Tories a lot more than LAB at GE2

SystemSystem Posts: 11,705
edited December 2014 in General

politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Why UKIP is set to damage Tories a lot more than LAB at GE2015

Today I’m off to London for a big event in Westminster to promote the GE2015 British Election Study – a huge academic imitative involving the universities of Manchester, Oxford and Nottingham that in the coming months will become an essential resource to all who follow politics closely.

Read the full story here


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    First ..... again!
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    The Liberal Democrats may be facing a greater wipeout than previously predicted, leaving them with fewer than 20 MPs after the next election, research based on the British Election Study has suggested.

    A conference in London on Tuesday will feature an analysis from Dr Steve Fisher of Oxford University, which concludes that Nick Clegg’s party appears to be losing votes more heavily in seats it currently holds than it is nationally.

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    FPT:
    Isam - The idea that poor people cant afford to eat healthily is utter nonsense.

    No more needs to be said


    Indeed, but very rich prople like the Archbishop of Canterbury will never understand such a concept.
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    At the 2011 Scottish parliamentary election the Liberal Democrats lost just 51% of their national vote share, but they actually managed to lose a whopping 82% of their constituencies.

    The precedent indicates that the Lib Dems will lose most votes where it matters most.
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,990

    First ..... again!

    I had the opportunity to go first, but decided not to use it. ;)
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    RobD said:

    First ..... again!

    I had the opportunity to go first, but decided not to use it. ;)
    Yeah, right Rob.
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    Speaking to the BBC, Mr Bird said they had a sexual relationship. But in her comments to the Times, Ms Bolter denies this.

    Mr Bird told the BBC: "We were in a relationship briefly, but that relationship developed well after she had been admitted to the approved candidates list, so her selection was not connected to that."

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30390554

    Well, that certainly interesting counter claim.
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    BTW, the duty on a packet of 20 cigarettes which was £1.20 in 1990, is now £6.50. And the likes of the AoC wonder why the poor get poorer.
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    peter_from_putneypeter_from_putney Posts: 6,875
    edited December 2014
    "Why UKIP is set to damage Tories a lot more than LAB at GE2015"
    It's true to say that I didn't expect a Smithsonesque Techniclor bar chart on the back of last night's poll showing the Tories moving into the lead on 34% (miracles take a little longer), but nevertheless this morning's thread header appears a little incongruous in such a context, at just the time when the Blues appear ready to mount a meaningful challenge against Labour in the lead up to the GE, now less than 5 months away.
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,990

    RobD said:

    First ..... again!

    I had the opportunity to go first, but decided not to use it. ;)
    Yeah, right Rob.
    You just wait until the next thread, my friend!!
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    AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395

    The Liberal Democrats may be facing a greater wipeout than previously predicted, leaving them with fewer than 20 MPs after the next election, research based on the British Election Study has suggested.

    A conference in London on Tuesday will feature an analysis from Dr Steve Fisher of Oxford University, which concludes that Nick Clegg’s party appears to be losing votes more heavily in seats it currently holds than it is nationally.

    That flatly contradicts Lord Ashcroft's findings which is that the LDs are doing much better in their own seats.
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    AndyJS said:

    The Liberal Democrats may be facing a greater wipeout than previously predicted, leaving them with fewer than 20 MPs after the next election, research based on the British Election Study has suggested.

    A conference in London on Tuesday will feature an analysis from Dr Steve Fisher of Oxford University, which concludes that Nick Clegg’s party appears to be losing votes more heavily in seats it currently holds than it is nationally.

    That flatly contradicts Lord Ashcroft's findings which is that the LDs are doing much better in their own seats.
    It is the difference between national online panel panel polls and single seat ones using the Lord A approach.

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    It will be a miracle of Lazarus-like proportions were the LibDems able to win thirtyish seats from their current poll ratings of around 8%. Of course their prospects will improve markedly should they increase their share of the vote to around 12%-13%, as I expect, principally at the expense of Labour.
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    audreyanneaudreyanne Posts: 1,376
    edited December 2014
    I hope you go with an open mind Mike. You do sometimes appear to be hell-bent on demonstrating that the Conservatives have no chance, even when facts have to be bent in your favour.

    Damaging headline in today's Times about UKIP.

    Meanwhile the Conservatives appear to be edging away from Labour. 34% is going the right way for them (us). Looking good for the 38-39% in May that I think will see them win outright.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    Speaking to the BBC, Mr Bird said they had a sexual relationship. But in her comments to the Times, Ms Bolter denies this.

    Mr Bird told the BBC: "We were in a relationship briefly, but that relationship developed well after she had been admitted to the approved candidates list, so her selection was not connected to that."

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30390554

    Well, that certainly interesting counter claim.

    Someone is going to come off with a huge amount of egg on their face from this. Mr Bird's claim would certainly be an unusual approach if he didn't have something to back it up and he is going to lose all credibility. If on the other hand he *does* have something to back it up then Ms Bolter is going to look like a Labour plant rather rapidly.
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    Indigo said:

    Speaking to the BBC, Mr Bird said they had a sexual relationship. But in her comments to the Times, Ms Bolter denies this.

    Mr Bird told the BBC: "We were in a relationship briefly, but that relationship developed well after she had been admitted to the approved candidates list, so her selection was not connected to that."

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30390554

    Well, that certainly interesting counter claim.

    Someone is going to come off with a huge amount of egg on their face from this. Mr Bird's claim would certainly be an unusual approach if he didn't have something to back it up and he is going to lose all credibility. If on the other hand he *does* have something to back it up then Ms Bolter is going to look like a Labour plant rather rapidly.
    MI6?
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    audreyanneaudreyanne Posts: 1,376
    edited December 2014


    It's true to say that I didn't expect a Smithsonesque Techniclor bar chart on the back of last night's poll showing the Tories moving into the lead on 34% (miracles take a little longer), but nevertheless this morning's thread header appears a little incongruous in such a context, at just the time when the Blues appear ready to mount a meaningful challenge against Labour in the lead up to the GE, now less than 5 months away.

    I'm not a fan of this breathless rush to post threads on every opinion poll. Nevertheless, given that this site usually does follow that mantra it's disappointing not to see something along your lines. You can be sure that if any other party (Lab, LD, UKIP, Green) had done the equivalent it would have been trailblazed.

    Chuckling to myself at the 'English Conservative vote collapse' nonsense which now feels a lifetime ago.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    edited December 2014
    “New Labour’s move to the liberal consensus on the EU and immigration in 2001, 2005 and 2010, left many of their core voters out in the cold a long time before UKIP were around.”

    Traditional Labour were driven away by the Blairite "intensely relaxed about people getting filthy rich" nonsense, and have been sitting on their hands for the last ten or so years. The Tories have been driven away by constant insults from their front bench and are turned off by the whole Guardanista huskies and hoodies nonsense, but only in the last few years. UKIP appear to be appealing to those disaffected groups, but this just means they are converting Tories directly, and pulling traditional Labourites off the sofa, but they are still voters that should be Labours voters.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    Indigo said:

    Speaking to the BBC, Mr Bird said they had a sexual relationship. But in her comments to the Times, Ms Bolter denies this.

    Mr Bird told the BBC: "We were in a relationship briefly, but that relationship developed well after she had been admitted to the approved candidates list, so her selection was not connected to that."

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30390554

    Well, that certainly interesting counter claim.

    Someone is going to come off with a huge amount of egg on their face from this. Mr Bird's claim would certainly be an unusual approach if he didn't have something to back it up and he is going to lose all credibility. If on the other hand he *does* have something to back it up then Ms Bolter is going to look like a Labour plant rather rapidly.
    MI6?
    Hardly. For obvious reasons (ie. we dont know) its not possible to say what has happened at the moment, its just that should Mr Bird have some evidence to back up his claim, people are going to start to notice that Ms Bolter was a loyal member of the Labour Party until three months ago.
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    peter_from_putneypeter_from_putney Posts: 6,875
    edited December 2014
    Broadly speaking, at this relatively advanced pre-election stage, the Tories can realistically only gain or lose support in any measure from/to UKIP and Labour can only gain or lose support from/to the LibDems.
    On this hypothesis, you'd have to conclude that if UKIP's share of the vote exceeds that of the LibDems by >7% (eg 17% vs 10%) then Labour are destined to win the GE. If on the other hand UKIP's share of the vote exceeds that of the LibDems by <5% (eg 16% vs 11%) then the Tories appear likely to prevail. Of course other factors will play their part, including whether the SNP wins say 15 or 30 seats at Westminster, but the principal determining factor will be the UKIP vs LibDem share of the vote.
    Simples really.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    edited December 2014
    Interesting table in https://yougov.co.uk/news/2014/10/25/report-british-attitudes-defence-security-and-arme/

    Which of the following pose a serious threat to the UK
    1. Terror Attacks from Former UK Citizens - 69%
    2. Terror Attacks from Foreign Citizens - 68%
    3. Immigration - 55%

    We cant do anything like as much as we would like about any of those because of the Freedom of Movement. EU and three main parties appear to be out of step with the public again.
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    It will be interesting to see whether the YouGov poll figures last night will result in Sporting Index nudging up their spread for Tory seats and correspondingly nudging down their spread for Labour. One senses they probably should but I personally doubt they will, particularly if OGH has indeed carried out his recently expressed intention of selling Tories seats in this market.
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    peter_from_putneypeter_from_putney Posts: 6,875
    edited December 2014

    Broadly speaking, at this relatively advanced pre-election stage, the Tories can realistically only gain or lose support in any measure from/to UKIP and Labour can only gain or lose support from/to the LibDems.
    On this hypothesis, you'd have to conclude that if UKIP's share of the vote exceeds that of the LibDems by >7% (eg 17% vs 10%) then Labour are destined to win the GE. If on the other hand UKIP's share of the vote exceeds that of the LibDems by <5% (eg 16% vs 11%) then the Tories appear likely to prevail. Of course other factors will play their part, including whether the SNP wins say 15 or 30 seats at Westminster, but the principal determining factor will be the UKIP vs LibDem share of the vote.
    Simples really.</p>

    I suspect, although I stand to be proved wrong, that the recent serious falling-out between the coalition partners will very much limit the degree of movement of votes between the two parties in question which might otherwise, naturally have taken place. We now have very much more entrenched, adversarial positions between them which seems likely to impact on voters switching their allegiance.
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763
    The people damaging the conservative vote are the conservatives. There's no point blaming UKIP if your party can't keep its support,
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    The people damaging the conservative vote are the conservatives. There's no point blaming UKIP if your party can't keep its support,

    It does rather sounds like two shops sited across the road from each other that have been used to having their own customers for years, with a certain number of customers changing loyalty every few years because of certain special offers, or because the new manager was smoother than the old one. Then all of a sudden a brash new shop opens up down the road, its loud , its proud, offers some special offers that the established shops wouldn't dare to for risk of offending their long standing customers, and it lures away 1 in 5 of their customers. Perhaps the established shops should stop resting on their laurels and try and get those customers back rather than holding coffee mornings with their remaining customers to insult the new shop and its customers and say how they weren't really their sort of people anyway.
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    If we are soon to see a positive shift in the Tories GE prospects (probably too early to say as yet), then the value betting-wise is surely in the range of their say 30th - 60th most vulnerable seats, which have long been considered hopelessly lost to Labour and therefore where some decent odds-against opportunities are available for Tory holds.
    Some degree of care is required in terms demographic and geographic selection, taking account also of the UKIP factor. If our in-house expert antifrank has time on his hands then his assistance would be very welcome in picking out the "best buys".The bookies may be relied upon to close down such opportunities very quickly were the Tories to demonstrate any sort of sustained lead in the polls.
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    TapperTapper Posts: 14
    If UKIP adopted many Green policies, the breakthrough would happen. Fracking. GMOs. Diesel. Fluoride. Does Farage even know about such politics?
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    "If UKIP adopted many Green policies"

    The words "might", "fly" and "pigs" spring to mind!
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    Tapper said:

    If UKIP adopted many Green policies, the breakthrough would happen. Fracking. GMOs. Diesel. Fluoride. Does Farage even know about such politics?

    UKIP voters are mostly the dispossessed from the two main parties who left them out in the cold when they moved into the liberal/progressive centre ground. I cant see those white van men and shire Tories/golf-club bores being overjoyed to see their party adopting the same Guardianista policies.
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    RogerRoger Posts: 18,904
    "Speaking to the BBC, Mr Bird said they had a sexual relationship. But in her comments to the Times, Ms Bolter denies this."

    An everyday story of UKIP folk.

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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    Roger said:

    "Speaking to the BBC, Mr Bird said they had a sexual relationship. But in her comments to the Times, Ms Bolter denies this."

    An everyday story of UKIP folk.

    Well one of them is telling whoppers, I dont think we are in position to know who yet, but it will be interesting to see how the story progresses.
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 54,072

    It will be a miracle of Lazarus-like proportions were the LibDems able to win thirtyish seats from their current poll ratings of around 8%. Of course their prospects will improve markedly should they increase their share of the vote to around 12%-13%, as I expect, principally at the expense of Labour.

    Below 10%, the LibDems will be lucky to hold on to a dozen seats. At 15%, they'll probably hold 35, given the lower threshold for winning caused by the rise of ukip.

    Like you, I expect then to match their NEV share of the last couple of locals and end up at 12-13%, which probably means the the 29-31 of the spreads is exactly right. That being said, I think it is quite a lot more likely that they underperform.
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    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    Swiftly = 4 weeks later...

    @robindbrant: BBC understands @ukip first aware of the claims in early November, bird was suspended after an initial inquiry by external consultants
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,075
    Indigo said:

    Roger said:

    "Speaking to the BBC, Mr Bird said they had a sexual relationship. But in her comments to the Times, Ms Bolter denies this."

    An everyday story of UKIP folk.

    Well one of them is telling whoppers, I dont think we are in position to know who yet, but it will be interesting to see how the story progresses.
    Bird's been very, very stupid. Having a relationship with someone you professionally have power over - even after selection, as he claims, leaves yourself open to all sorts of problems. If you do have such a relationship, let people know so it is not a secret.

    Frankly, he should not be let back into such a role again.

    BTW, so far UKIP appear to have dealt with this (potentially much more serious) situation far better than the Lib Dems did.
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    RogerRoger Posts: 18,904
    "Mr Bird told the BBC: "We were in a relationship briefly, but that relationship developed well after she had been admitted to the approved candidates list, so her selection was not connected to that."

    Even white van man with three flags draped over his semi must have had a chuckle at that one
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    Weatherspoons trying to join Civil Registrars and Northern Irish cake bakers
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2865580/Irish-gipsies-sue-Wetherspoons-pub-100-000-race-discrimination-turned-away.html
    At this point, the group claim that a third doorman appeared and explained that entry was barred because of problems after the same conference last year.
    If a landlord becomes unable to turn away a group of people because they caused trouble at the venue the previous year, then its going to get very messy when groups of football supporters, or Hell's Angels, or possibly even the Bullingdon Club want to make a repeat booking. The Equalities Act is a typical bit of Harpersonism, mostly has its heart in the right place, but the implementation is a disaster.
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    Morning all

    “a huge academic imitative” - a typo? or is the academic initiative just hackneyed and banal?
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    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    Vote Ukip get Ed and this..

    @Sun_Politics: Labour urge business chiefs to do their 'patriotic duty' and campaign to stay in the EU: http://t.co/IkbzC3M7cT
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    'English Conservative vote collapse'

    audreyanne - you've certainly locked onto the few short words recently expressed above, as indeed have a number of other posters. Doubtless they will be quoted and re-quoted ad nauseam should the implied collapse not in fact materialise.
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    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    rcs1000 said:

    It will be a miracle of Lazarus-like proportions were the LibDems able to win thirtyish seats from their current poll ratings of around 8%. Of course their prospects will improve markedly should they increase their share of the vote to around 12%-13%, as I expect, principally at the expense of Labour.

    Below 10%, the LibDems will be lucky to hold on to a dozen seats. At 15%, they'll probably hold 35, given the lower threshold for winning caused by the rise of ukip.

    Like you, I expect then to match their NEV share of the last couple of locals and end up at 12-13%, which probably means the the 29-31 of the spreads is exactly right. That being said, I think it is quite a lot more likely that they underperform.
    Nonsense Robert.

    The LibDems are presently polling <10% with most pollsters including Lord A but his constituency polling clearly indicates the yellow peril securing >25 seats.

    PBers need to remember that the LibDem share of the vote is not a direct crossover to seats. Previous general elections refer.

    Ukip are in the reverse position - likely to poll around the LibDem number but failing to pick up many wins.



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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    BTW, so far UKIP appear to have dealt with this (potentially much more serious) situation far better than the Lib Dems did.

    Not sure how its more serious.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2717242/Night-Lib-Dem-s-groping-Lord-left-Susan-weeping-rage-humiliation-Speaking-fully-time-life-long-party-supporter-Clegg-lost-moral-compass.html
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    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    Roger said:

    "Mr Bird told the BBC: "We were in a relationship briefly, but that relationship developed well after she had been admitted to the approved candidates list, so her selection was not connected to that."

    Even white van man with three flags draped over his semi must have had a chuckle at that one

    White-Van-Man is set to become extinct under the Coalition as all the roads become jammed with 29 million Bulgarian/Rumanian drivers and the priority lane for £1K a week Portuguese bricklayers becomes law.

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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    edited December 2014
    JackW said:

    Nonsense Robert.

    The LibDems are presently polling <10% with most pollsters including Lord A but his constituency polling clearly indicates the yellow peril securing >25 seats.

    PBers need to remember that the LibDem share of the vote is not a direct crossover to seats. Previous general elections refer.

    I think we also need to remember the Ashcroft polls for Heywood and Middleton to see their limitations.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,075
    Indigo said:

    BTW, so far UKIP appear to have dealt with this (potentially much more serious) situation far better than the Lib Dems did.

    Not sure how its more serious.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2717242/Night-Lib-Dem-s-groping-Lord-left-Susan-weeping-rage-humiliation-Speaking-fully-time-life-long-party-supporter-Clegg-lost-moral-compass.html
    Groping is wrong, but to my mind is not as serious as something involving sexual activity.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    Indigo said:

    BTW, so far UKIP appear to have dealt with this (potentially much more serious) situation far better than the Lib Dems did.

    Not sure how its more serious.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2717242/Night-Lib-Dem-s-groping-Lord-left-Susan-weeping-rage-humiliation-Speaking-fully-time-life-long-party-supporter-Clegg-lost-moral-compass.html
    Groping is wrong, but to my mind is not as serious as something involving sexual activity.
    One party claims it was consensual, the other denies it happened at all. At worst its a party ethics issue, there is nothing unlawful there. The facts of the matter such as have been disclosed at the moment seem to be he made a couple of rather tasteless passes at her and she turned him down.
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    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    Indigo said:

    JackW said:

    Nonsense Robert.

    The LibDems are presently polling <10% with most pollsters including Lord A but his constituency polling clearly indicates the yellow peril securing >25 seats.

    PBers need to remember that the LibDem share of the vote is not a direct crossover to seats. Previous general elections refer.

    I think we also need to remember the Ashcroft polls for Heywood and Middleton to see their limitations.
    General constituency polling is tricky but the Lord A polls have the merit of significant samples and enough of them to detect a trend, in the LibDem case of a substantial incumbency factor that we knew was likely.

    I'm much more cautious about by-election polling where the national spotlight, large shifts of opinion and tactical voting tend to blur the picture and make an accurate snapshot from a poll to the count more difficult.

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    audreyanneaudreyanne Posts: 1,376
    edited December 2014
    JackW said:

    Roger said:

    "Mr Bird told the BBC: "We were in a relationship briefly, but that relationship developed well after she had been admitted to the approved candidates list, so her selection was not connected to that."

    Even white van man with three flags draped over his semi must have had a chuckle at that one

    White-Van-Man is set to become extinct under the Coalition as all the roads become jammed with 29 million Bulgarian/Rumanian drivers and the priority lane for £1K a week Portuguese bricklayers becomes law.

    That made me laugh over my Lidl muesli, which is excellent by the way.
    Indigo said:

    JackW said:

    Nonsense Robert.

    The LibDems are presently polling <10% with most pollsters including Lord A but his constituency polling clearly indicates the yellow peril securing >25 seats.

    PBers need to remember that the LibDem share of the vote is not a direct crossover to seats. Previous general elections refer.

    I think we also need to remember the Ashcroft polls for Heywood and Middleton to see their limitations.
    Hehe. 17% error by Lord Ashcroft yet still Mike Smithson genuflects before him.*

    * Don't forget that an Ashcroft opinion poll is just a snapshot, in much the same way that a rail timetable is an aspiration.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,075
    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    BTW, so far UKIP appear to have dealt with this (potentially much more serious) situation far better than the Lib Dems did.

    Not sure how its more serious.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2717242/Night-Lib-Dem-s-groping-Lord-left-Susan-weeping-rage-humiliation-Speaking-fully-time-life-long-party-supporter-Clegg-lost-moral-compass.html
    Groping is wrong, but to my mind is not as serious as something involving sexual activity.
    One party claims it was consensual, the other denies it happened at all. At worst its a party ethics issue, there is nothing unlawful there. The facts of the matter such as have been disclosed at the moment seem to be he made a couple of rather tasteless passes at her and she turned him down.
    "At worst its a party ethics issue"

    It bl**dy hell is a party ethics issue. Hopefully the next person put into that position will be able to keep their privates private, at least around candidates. Not doing so just risks bringing the organisation into disrepute (as the Lib Dems discovered to their cost). As I say, so far UKIP have responded well, although I have grave doubts about Bird being reinstated into the same position.

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    NinoinozNinoinoz Posts: 1,312
    JackW said:

    Roger said:

    "Mr Bird told the BBC: "We were in a relationship briefly, but that relationship developed well after she had been admitted to the approved candidates list, so her selection was not connected to that."

    Even white van man with three flags draped over his semi must have had a chuckle at that one

    White-Van-Man is set to become extinct under the Coalition as all the roads become jammed with 29 million Bulgarian/Rumanian drivers and the priority lane for £1K a week Portuguese bricklayers becomes law.

    I see you have given up trying to entice Kippers back and have resorted to ridicule.

    Best of luck with this strategy.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    edited December 2014

    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    BTW, so far UKIP appear to have dealt with this (potentially much more serious) situation far better than the Lib Dems did.

    Not sure how its more serious.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2717242/Night-Lib-Dem-s-groping-Lord-left-Susan-weeping-rage-humiliation-Speaking-fully-time-life-long-party-supporter-Clegg-lost-moral-compass.html
    Groping is wrong, but to my mind is not as serious as something involving sexual activity.
    One party claims it was consensual, the other denies it happened at all. At worst its a party ethics issue, there is nothing unlawful there. The facts of the matter such as have been disclosed at the moment seem to be he made a couple of rather tasteless passes at her and she turned him down.
    "At worst its a party ethics issue"

    It bl**dy hell is a party ethics issue. Hopefully the next person put into that position will be able to keep their privates private, at least around candidates. Not doing so just risks bringing the organisation into disrepute (as the Lib Dems discovered to their cost). As I say, so far UKIP have responded well, although I have grave doubts about Bird being reinstated into the same position.

    So to summarise, an alleged party ethics issue is more serious than the alleged unwanted groping of a number of women ?
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    audreyanneaudreyanne Posts: 1,376

    Indigo said:

    BTW, so far UKIP appear to have dealt with this (potentially much more serious) situation far better than the Lib Dems did.

    Not sure how its more serious.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2717242/Night-Lib-Dem-s-groping-Lord-left-Susan-weeping-rage-humiliation-Speaking-fully-time-life-long-party-supporter-Clegg-lost-moral-compass.html
    Groping is wrong, but to my mind is not as serious as something involving sexual activity.
    I'm intrigued to know what type of groping you have in mind that isn't sexual?
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    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787

    JackW said:

    Roger said:

    "Mr Bird told the BBC: "We were in a relationship briefly, but that relationship developed well after she had been admitted to the approved candidates list, so her selection was not connected to that."

    Even white van man with three flags draped over his semi must have had a chuckle at that one

    White-Van-Man is set to become extinct under the Coalition as all the roads become jammed with 29 million Bulgarian/Rumanian drivers and the priority lane for £1K a week Portuguese bricklayers becomes law.

    That made me laugh over my Lidl muesli, which is excellent by the way.
    Indigo said:

    JackW said:

    Nonsense Robert.

    The LibDems are presently polling <10% with most pollsters including Lord A but his constituency polling clearly indicates the yellow peril securing >25 seats.

    PBers need to remember that the LibDem share of the vote is not a direct crossover to seats. Previous general elections refer.

    I think we also need to remember the Ashcroft polls for Heywood and Middleton to see their limitations.
    Hehe. 17% error by Lord Ashcroft yet still Mike Smithson genuflects before him.
    I tried muesli once.

    Vile muck - like pouring milk onto the contents of a hamster cage floor and likely less appetizing .... but each to their own.

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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,075

    Indigo said:

    BTW, so far UKIP appear to have dealt with this (potentially much more serious) situation far better than the Lib Dems did.

    Not sure how its more serious.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2717242/Night-Lib-Dem-s-groping-Lord-left-Susan-weeping-rage-humiliation-Speaking-fully-time-life-long-party-supporter-Clegg-lost-moral-compass.html
    Groping is wrong, but to my mind is not as serious as something involving sexual activity.
    I'm intrigued to know what type of groping you have in mind that isn't sexual?
    Sexual intercourse, is probably a better term to use ...
  • Options
    RogerRoger Posts: 18,904
    Jessop

    "Groping is wrong, but to my mind is not as serious as something involving sexual activity."

    They should employ you to write the next UKIP manifesto
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,075
    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    BTW, so far UKIP appear to have dealt with this (potentially much more serious) situation far better than the Lib Dems did.

    Not sure how its more serious.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2717242/Night-Lib-Dem-s-groping-Lord-left-Susan-weeping-rage-humiliation-Speaking-fully-time-life-long-party-supporter-Clegg-lost-moral-compass.html
    Groping is wrong, but to my mind is not as serious as something involving sexual activity.
    One party claims it was consensual, the other denies it happened at all. At worst its a party ethics issue, there is nothing unlawful there. The facts of the matter such as have been disclosed at the moment seem to be he made a couple of rather tasteless passes at her and she turned him down.
    "At worst its a party ethics issue"

    It bl**dy hell is a party ethics issue. Hopefully the next person put into that position will be able to keep their privates private, at least around candidates. Not doing so just risks bringing the organisation into disrepute (as the Lib Dems discovered to their cost). As I say, so far UKIP have responded well, although I have grave doubts about Bird being reinstated into the same position.

    So to summarise, an alleged party ethics issue is more serious than the alleged unwanted groping of a number of women ?
    That is not an accurate summary.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,075
    Roger said:

    Jessop

    "Groping is wrong, but to my mind is not as serious as something involving sexual activity."

    They should employ you to write the next UKIP manifesto

    I'm not sure I worded that sentence as well as I could ... :-(
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    radsatser said:

    @ Tapper
    " If UKIP adopted many Green policies, the breakthrough would happen. Fracking. GMOs. Diesel. Fluoride. Does Farage even know about such politics? "

    Are you mad.?

    UKIP fundementally oppose the whole concept of Green politics, as will most of the new Green supporters when the lights start going out.

    We can all play silly b*ggers thinking we can influence the natural cycle of the planet, but when Green policies drag our lifestyles down, in their quest to return us to a pre-industrial society, the doo doo will hit the fan, when tw*ts can't twitter anymore, and Facebook becomes CleftStickBook.

    Apart from that I have yet to meet a Greenie who is not a rabid leftie.

    try Prince Charles and his ilk.

    you can have a red green, or you can have a misanthropic aristo green. I think I fall somewhere inbetween...
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    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    Roger said:

    Jessop

    "Groping is wrong, but to my mind is not as serious as something involving sexual activity."

    They should employ you to write the next UKIP manifesto

    A fish rots from the head down - and the leadership sets the tone. When you have a general air of certain attitudes it isn't surprising if the next level below see this as an invitation to indulge.
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    FinancierFinancier Posts: 3,916
    Dragging PBers back to the subject of the thread (if what has occupied most of this thread is what goes on at Dirty Dick's then nuff said!)

    OGH quotes, "many of Labour’s core supporters had already deserted their party between 2001 and 2010 as a reaction to Tony Blair and New Labour and have since moved to UKIP."

    So where did they go between 2001 and 2010? Did they switch to the LDs and have now partly gone back home, did they support BNP or English Democrats, or did they become part of the DNV constituency? Or did they just vote Labour out of habit and misplaced loyalty?

    It would be interesting if Mike could get this information from his meeting today.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,075
    TGOHF said:

    Roger said:

    Jessop

    "Groping is wrong, but to my mind is not as serious as something involving sexual activity."

    They should employ you to write the next UKIP manifesto

    A fish rots from the head down - and the leadership sets the tone. When you have a general air of certain attitudes it isn't surprising if the next level below see this as an invitation to indulge.
    That's being unfair on UKIP. I bet all parties could face this sort of problem, and if they have any sense they would have put precautions and guidelines in place after the Rennard mess occurred.

    My rule of thumb: 5 in 100 people will be thieves to varying degrees, whilst 1 in 100 will be rapists (*). Therefore an organisation of 10,000 people will have 100 rapists in, and 500 thieves.

    An organisation cannot be expected to know if someone will commit a crime when they hire if there has been no previous offending history. There therefore has to be good procedures in place so that when any activity takes place, it is detected and dealt with fairly to all parties.

    Even that can be hard: look at how long Myles Bradbury got away with his crimes, and he was caught, not because of complaints against him by patients, but because of his computer activity.

    (*) This means the activity has occurred, or will occur, at least once, sometime in their life.
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    FinancierFinancier Posts: 3,916
    Brent Crude now at $65.4in early trading.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,402
    Is it time for me to dust down my more efficient vote scenario again? Whilst it may be true that UKIP is currently taking more votes of the Tories than Labour (and the evidence for that seems to be mixed once they get over about 12%) that does not mean that the Tories will be the most damaged in seats.

    At the last election the Tory vote of nearly 37% was incredibly inefficient because they built up huge, pointless majorities in most of southern England. If their majority in, say, Kent seats is now halved or more by the UKIP effect but they still manage to win a similar share of the vote nationally then logic indicates that they are winning more votes somewhere else such as the south west, the midlands or even London on recent polling. That effect might well give them seats which were out of reach in 2010, particularly Lib Dem ones.

    34% was something of an outlier but if that became a regular thing over this month with UKIP still in the higher teens I would suggest my hypothesis is likely to be tested.
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    radsatser said:

    @ Tapper
    " If UKIP adopted many Green policies, the breakthrough would happen. Fracking. GMOs. Diesel. Fluoride. Does Farage even know about such politics? "

    Are you mad.?

    UKIP fundementally oppose the whole concept of Green politics, as will most of the new Green supporters when the lights start going out.

    We can all play silly b*ggers thinking we can influence the natural cycle of the planet, but when Green policies drag our lifestyles down, in their quest to return us to a pre-industrial society, the doo doo will hit the fan, when tw*ts can't twitter anymore, and Facebook becomes CleftStickBook.

    Apart from that I have yet to meet a Greenie who is not a rabid leftie.

    try Prince Charles and his ilk.

    you can have a red green, or you can have a misanthropic aristo green. I think I fall somewhere inbetween...
    Some small g 'green' policies make sense.
    For example, it isn't good to have a lot of our energy supply in the hands of unfriendly foreign powers. It is a good idea to insulate houses, so less money is wasted, fewer power stations are needed and less CO2 is created.
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    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    Ninoinoz said:

    JackW said:

    Roger said:

    "Mr Bird told the BBC: "We were in a relationship briefly, but that relationship developed well after she had been admitted to the approved candidates list, so her selection was not connected to that."

    Even white van man with three flags draped over his semi must have had a chuckle at that one

    White-Van-Man is set to become extinct under the Coalition as all the roads become jammed with 29 million Bulgarian/Rumanian drivers and the priority lane for £1K a week Portuguese bricklayers becomes law.

    I see you have given up trying to entice Kippers back and have resorted to ridicule.

    Best of luck with this strategy.
    Thank you.

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    FinancierFinancier Posts: 3,916

    radsatser said:

    @ Tapper
    " If UKIP adopted many Green policies, the breakthrough would happen. Fracking. GMOs. Diesel. Fluoride. Does Farage even know about such politics? "

    Are you mad.?

    UKIP fundementally oppose the whole concept of Green politics, as will most of the new Green supporters when the lights start going out.

    We can all play silly b*ggers thinking we can influence the natural cycle of the planet, but when Green policies drag our lifestyles down, in their quest to return us to a pre-industrial society, the doo doo will hit the fan, when tw*ts can't twitter anymore, and Facebook becomes CleftStickBook.

    Apart from that I have yet to meet a Greenie who is not a rabid leftie.

    try Prince Charles and his ilk.

    you can have a red green, or you can have a misanthropic aristo green. I think I fall somewhere inbetween...
    Some small g 'green' policies make sense.
    For example, it isn't good to have a lot of our energy supply in the hands of unfriendly foreign powers. It is a good idea to insulate houses, so less money is wasted, fewer power stations are needed and less CO2 is created.
    Energy efficiency was a neglected subject until recent years, as was energy security (get/make your own). A lot more co-ordinated (and not devolved) R&D is needed on both subjects.
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    Good morning, everyone.

    Is this really the case? If many UKIP supporters (today) left Labour from 2001-2010 then why did UKIP's ratings languish so low for that period?

    Plus, over the last year or two the Conservatives have flatlined, Labour have declined and UKIP increased. Of course, it may be more complex than Conservatives staying where they are and Labour supporters turning purple, but that's the net result.
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    Indigo said:

    Roger said:

    "Speaking to the BBC, Mr Bird said they had a sexual relationship. But in her comments to the Times, Ms Bolter denies this."

    An everyday story of UKIP folk.

    Well one of them is telling whoppers, I dont think we are in position to know who yet, but it will be interesting to see how the story progresses.
    BTW, so far UKIP appear to have dealt with this (potentially much more serious) situation far better than the Lib Dems did.
    Agreed.

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    DavidL said:

    Is it time for me to dust down my more efficient vote scenario again? Whilst it may be true that UKIP is currently taking more votes of the Tories than Labour (and the evidence for that seems to be mixed once they get over about 12%) that does not mean that the Tories will be the most damaged in seats.

    At the last election the Tory vote of nearly 37% was incredibly inefficient because they built up huge, pointless majorities in most of southern England. If their majority in, say, Kent seats is now halved or more by the UKIP effect but they still manage to win a similar share of the vote nationally then logic indicates that they are winning more votes somewhere else such as the south west, the midlands or even London on recent polling. That effect might well give them seats which were out of reach in 2010, particularly Lib Dem ones.

    34% was something of an outlier but if that became a regular thing over this month with UKIP still in the higher teens I would suggest my hypothesis is likely to be tested.

    Yes, and recall that the Tories also won a good 15 seats more than they 'should' have done in uniform swing. They were very lucky in grabbing hold of a number of super-marginals partly thanks, IMHO, to Ashcroft's targeting strategy. FPTP was rather kind to them.

    Cameron (and his team, to be fair) actually came very close to pissing his chances of becoming PM up the wall. Imagine Labour on 265 seats, the Lib Dems on 61 and the Tories on 290. Enough for a Lib-Lab coalition under David Miliband with a slim overall majority.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    TGOHF said:

    Roger said:

    Jessop

    "Groping is wrong, but to my mind is not as serious as something involving sexual activity."

    They should employ you to write the next UKIP manifesto

    A fish rots from the head down - and the leadership sets the tone. When you have a general air of certain attitudes it isn't surprising if the next level below see this as an invitation to indulge.
    Not sure the Tory party is the right one to throw the first stone there.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_to_Basics_(campaign)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Major#.22Sleaze.22
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Mellor#Resignation
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Aitken#Perjury_conviction_and_imprisonment
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Major#Revelation_of_affair
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Archer#Trial
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sara_Keays#Parkinson.27s_resignation
    etc

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    Financier said:

    Brent Crude now at $65.4in early trading.

    At that price, I feel like buying a couple of barrels and refining it myself.
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    EICAWNBPM


    Dan Hodges retweeted
    Red Box‏@timesredbox·13 hrs13 hours ago
    .@PCollinsTimes "Labour will poll lower than it is already polling and that won't be enough. They will poll 30 per cent on election day"

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    peter_from_putneypeter_from_putney Posts: 6,875
    edited December 2014

    DavidL said:

    Is it time for me to dust down my more efficient vote scenario again? Whilst it may be true that UKIP is currently taking more votes of the Tories than Labour (and the evidence for that seems to be mixed once they get over about 12%) that does not mean that the Tories will be the most damaged in seats.

    At the last election the Tory vote of nearly 37% was incredibly inefficient because they built up huge, pointless majorities in most of southern England. If their majority in, say, Kent seats is now halved or more by the UKIP effect but they still manage to win a similar share of the vote nationally then logic indicates that they are winning more votes somewhere else such as the south west, the midlands or even London on recent polling. That effect might well give them seats which were out of reach in 2010, particularly Lib Dem ones.

    34% was something of an outlier but if that became a regular thing over this month with UKIP still in the higher teens I would suggest my hypothesis is likely to be tested.

    Yes, and recall that the Tories also won a good 15 seats more than they 'should' have done in uniform swing. They were very lucky in grabbing hold of a number of super-marginals partly thanks, IMHO, to Ashcroft's targeting strategy. FPTP was rather kind to them.

    Cameron (and his team, to be fair) actually came very close to pissing his chances of becoming PM up the wall. Imagine Labour on 265 seats, the Lib Dems on 61 and the Tories on 290. Enough for a Lib-Lab coalition under David Miliband with a slim overall majority.
    Good point Casino and of course the Tories were also helped in the 2010 GE from an overall balance of power sense, if not in relation to the coalition numbers, by the LibDems achieving around 15 seats fewer than their most pessimistic pre-election estimates.
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    We all love Polly T.


    Guido Fawkes ✔@GuidoFawkes
    Where to start with @PollyToynbee's column today? Bemoans "puniess" of Labour's attack on private schools - to which she sent her children .
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    With friends like these... http://politicshome.com/uk/story/45850/
    A senior German MP is to advise David Cameron to embrace the economic benefits of immigration, rather than crack down on the UK’s intake.

    Stephan Mayer, a spokesman on home affairs for Angela Merkel’s coalition, will say that the Prime Minister’s plans for EU migrants will have little impact as the economy is such a pull for those looking for work.
    Just when Cameron thinks he has convinced the voters they dont need to vote UKIP because he has a plan to sort out the problem, along comes one of Merkel's right hand men and tells everyone that it won't make any difference.
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    Morning all,

    On topic: I'm looking forward to the detail of Ed Fieldhouse's discussion that Greens and UKIP have fewer people to discuss their views with. Obviously I've not seen any detail but seems to me on the face of it unlikely. Just looking at the surge in Green support - it seems to be coming from young, urban professionals, deserting LibDems and students (they've had a big pick-up in their Young Greens section). I find it odd that is possible that such supporters do not have friends with similar views. In addition, what about social media?
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    bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 21,900
    Todays BJESUS

    9.12.14 LAB 319 (320) CON 267(267) LD 31(31) UKIP 1(1) Others 32(31) (Ed is crap is PM)
    Last weeks BJESUS in brackets Last weeks BJESUS in brackets
    BJESUS (Big John Election Service Uniform Swing) BJESUS (Big John Election Service Uniform Swing)
    Using current polling adjusted for 149 days left to go factor and using UKPR standard swingometer
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    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787

    DavidL said:

    Is it time for me to dust down my more efficient vote scenario again? Whilst it may be true that UKIP is currently taking more votes of the Tories than Labour (and the evidence for that seems to be mixed once they get over about 12%) that does not mean that the Tories will be the most damaged in seats.

    At the last election the Tory vote of nearly 37% was incredibly inefficient because they built up huge, pointless majorities in most of southern England. If their majority in, say, Kent seats is now halved or more by the UKIP effect but they still manage to win a similar share of the vote nationally then logic indicates that they are winning more votes somewhere else such as the south west, the midlands or even London on recent polling. That effect might well give them seats which were out of reach in 2010, particularly Lib Dem ones.

    34% was something of an outlier but if that became a regular thing over this month with UKIP still in the higher teens I would suggest my hypothesis is likely to be tested.

    Yes, and recall that the Tories also won a good 15 seats more than they 'should' have done in uniform swing. They were very lucky in grabbing hold of a number of super-marginals partly thanks, IMHO, to Ashcroft's targeting strategy. FPTP was rather kind to them.

    Cameron (and his team, to be fair) actually came very close to pissing his chances of becoming PM up the wall. Imagine Labour on 265 seats, the Lib Dems on 61 and the Tories on 290. Enough for a Lib-Lab coalition under David Miliband with a slim overall majority.
    I'm not sure a Lab/LibDem coalition would have resulted from those numbers. If we recall in 2010 a substantial number of Labour MPs were actively hostile to the possibility even as the respective negotiating teams were in discussions.

    Many would have had bad memories of the 77-79 Lib/Lab pact where a weak government was at the mercy of the grim reaper and the machinations of Ulster politics.

    The post 2010 government required a workable majority and the only viable option was the Con/LibDem coalition.

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    anotherDaveanotherDave Posts: 6,746

    Good morning, everyone.

    Is this really the case? If many UKIP supporters (today) left Labour from 2001-2010 then why did UKIP's ratings languish so low for that period?

    Plus, over the last year or two the Conservatives have flatlined, Labour have declined and UKIP increased. Of course, it may be more complex than Conservatives staying where they are and Labour supporters turning purple, but that's the net result.

    I assume the 2001-2010 Labour supporters deserted to 'did not vote', UK election turnout fell during that period.

    http://www.ukpolitical.info/Turnout45.htm

    There was an article some time ago that said many of Labour's heartland seats had more ex-Labour voters than current-Labour voters.

    Getting those people to vote UKIP is something else though. I was astonished Labour won the South Yorkshire Police Crime Commissioner election.
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    Good morning, everyone.

    Is this really the case? If many UKIP supporters (today) left Labour from 2001-2010 then why did UKIP's ratings languish so low for that period?

    Plus, over the last year or two the Conservatives have flatlined, Labour have declined and UKIP increased. Of course, it may be more complex than Conservatives staying where they are and Labour supporters turning purple, but that's the net result.

    Agree it is odd that UKIP vote was low. We'll have to see the detail. But, I suspect the researchers will say that Labour had lost these voters to NV, and now they have found a new home - UKIP.
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    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,369
    Financier said:

    Dragging PBers back to the subject of the thread (if what has occupied most of this thread is what goes on at Dirty Dick's then nuff said!)

    OGH quotes, "many of Labour’s core supporters had already deserted their party between 2001 and 2010 as a reaction to Tony Blair and New Labour and have since moved to UKIP."

    So where did they go between 2001 and 2010? Did they switch to the LDs and have now partly gone back home, did they support BNP or English Democrats, or did they become part of the DNV constituency? Or did they just vote Labour out of habit and misplaced loyalty?

    It would be interesting if Mike could get this information from his meeting today.

    A lot went DNV. Whether they'll really vote next year remains to be seen, though they say they will (stated certainty about the same as Tories and Lab).


    It's true to say that I didn't expect a Smithsonesque Techniclor bar chart on the back of last night's poll showing the Tories moving into the lead on 34% (miracles take a little longer), but nevertheless this morning's thread header appears a little incongruous in such a context, at just the time when the Blues appear ready to mount a meaningful challenge against Labour in the lead up to the GE, now less than 5 months away.

    I'm not a fan of this breathless rush to post threads on every opinion poll. Nevertheless, given that this site usually does follow that mantra it's disappointing not to see something along your lines. You can be sure that if any other party (Lab, LD, UKIP, Green) had done the equivalent it would have been trailblazed.

    Chuckling to myself at the 'English Conservative vote collapse' nonsense which now feels a lifetime ago.
    There were three polls yesterday, showing Lab +3, Lab+3 (shifted to +1 by assuming DNVs return to their former parties) and Con +1. I wouldn't say that the evidence that anything whatever is happening is compelling. And Mike's point that Labour is doing better in England remains accurate and confirmed by virtually every poll. Conversely we undoubtedly have a Scottish problem, which Saturday's leader selection may or may not influence.

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    Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,568
    Morning all. This UKIP story seems to be getting very intriguing.
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    radsatser said:

    @ Tapper
    " If UKIP adopted many Green policies, the breakthrough would happen. Fracking. GMOs. Diesel. Fluoride. Does Farage even know about such politics? "

    Are you mad.?

    UKIP fundementally oppose the whole concept of Green politics, as will most of the new Green supporters when the lights start going out.

    We can all play silly b*ggers thinking we can influence the natural cycle of the planet, but when Green policies drag our lifestyles down, in their quest to return us to a pre-industrial society, the doo doo will hit the fan, when tw*ts can't twitter anymore, and Facebook becomes CleftStickBook.

    Apart from that I have yet to meet a Greenie who is not a rabid leftie.

    The Greens were in a German coalition for years. I don't recall the country being returned to a pre-industrial society.
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    anotherDaveanotherDave Posts: 6,746
    JackW said:

    Indigo said:

    JackW said:

    Nonsense Robert.

    The LibDems are presently polling <10% with most pollsters including Lord A but his constituency polling clearly indicates the yellow peril securing >25 seats.

    PBers need to remember that the LibDem share of the vote is not a direct crossover to seats. Previous general elections refer.

    I think we also need to remember the Ashcroft polls for Heywood and Middleton to see their limitations.
    General constituency polling is tricky but the Lord A polls have the merit of significant samples and enough of them to detect a trend, in the LibDem case of a substantial incumbency factor that we knew was likely.

    I'm much more cautious about by-election polling where the national spotlight, large shifts of opinion and tactical voting tend to blur the picture and make an accurate snapshot from a poll to the count more difficult.

    The BES people weren't very impressed by the Ashcroft polling. The Westminster Hour presenter put forward the Ashcroft/incumbency polling as an alternative picture to the BES finding of the LDs doing worst in their strongest seats, and they said that a two stage question was pushing voters to change their first answer.

    http://www.britishelectionstudy.com/bes-resources/bes-on-the-westminster-hour/

    http://www.britishelectionstudy.com/bes-resources/what-the-bes-suggests-about-constituency-variation-in-party-performance-by-stephen-fisher-university-of-oxford/
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    One for the Europhiles, the sane among us already know this:

    http://www.capx.co/how-norway-beats-the-eu/
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    anotherDaveanotherDave Posts: 6,746
    "Ukip and the Greens are disadvantaged because their supporters have less like-minded friends."

    I don't believe that. UKIP got ~20 in the 2013, and 2014 local elections. That's a big chunk of the electorate.

    Coupled together with UKIP doing better among men than women, and 30-35% of all voters prepared to consider voting UKIP, and there's a lot of like people to chat about the election with.

    ----

    The BES people on the Westminster Hour mentioned that the two parties who's vote was most strongly correlated was the LDs and the Greens, because there's so much crossover. So whenever there are LD minded people in a group, there are Green-minded people in a group.
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    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787

    JackW said:

    Indigo said:

    JackW said:

    Nonsense Robert.

    The LibDems are presently polling <10% with most pollsters including Lord A but his constituency polling clearly indicates the yellow peril securing >25 seats.

    PBers need to remember that the LibDem share of the vote is not a direct crossover to seats. Previous general elections refer.

    I think we also need to remember the Ashcroft polls for Heywood and Middleton to see their limitations.
    General constituency polling is tricky but the Lord A polls have the merit of significant samples and enough of them to detect a trend, in the LibDem case of a substantial incumbency factor that we knew was likely.

    I'm much more cautious about by-election polling where the national spotlight, large shifts of opinion and tactical voting tend to blur the picture and make an accurate snapshot from a poll to the count more difficult.

    The BES people weren't very impressed by the Ashcroft polling. The Westminster Hour presenter put forward the Ashcroft/incumbency polling as an alternative picture to the BES finding of the LDs doing worst in their strongest seats, and they said that a two stage question was pushing voters to change their first answer.

    http://www.britishelectionstudy.com/bes-resources/bes-on-the-westminster-hour/

    http://www.britishelectionstudy.com/bes-resources/what-the-bes-suggests-about-constituency-variation-in-party-performance-by-stephen-fisher-university-of-oxford/
    Indeed.

    We need to recall that the Lord A polls are a nowcast and it's a given that a two stage question, particularly in LibDem seats, will alter the numbers but of course this is hardly news as they have been outperforming national polling in individual seats for decades.

  • Options

    radsatser said:

    @ Tapper
    " If UKIP adopted many Green policies, the breakthrough would happen. Fracking. GMOs. Diesel. Fluoride. Does Farage even know about such politics? "

    Are you mad.?

    UKIP fundementally oppose the whole concept of Green politics, as will most of the new Green supporters when the lights start going out.

    We can all play silly b*ggers thinking we can influence the natural cycle of the planet, but when Green policies drag our lifestyles down, in their quest to return us to a pre-industrial society, the doo doo will hit the fan, when tw*ts can't twitter anymore, and Facebook becomes CleftStickBook.

    Apart from that I have yet to meet a Greenie who is not a rabid leftie.

    The Greens were in a German coalition for years. I don't recall the country being returned to a pre-industrial society.
    But German energy policy has been a catastrophe that has their business secretary in open warfare with their energy secretary. They've gone seriously green (with extravagant subsidies), and so when the wind doesn't blow or sun doesn't shine they need to burn alot of coal (imported from USA). Their power is MUCH more expensive than before and their GHG emissions have gone UP! Energy costs are a key item distinguishing international competitiveness (as per tax or wages) and German industry pays an unaffordable price for its energy. And their maunfacturing PMIs now reflect this. They've sacrificed industrial competitiveness on the altar of Gaia.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    Interesting article from Spiked a couple of weeks ago, starts from the Thornburn incident and broadens it to contemplate Labour disregard for white van man, and the working classes in general. Surprisingly strongly worded for a left-leaning publication.

    http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/why-labour-loathes-white-van-man/16227
    So Thornberry’s tweet of disdain is not an anathema to the Labour Party. Quite the opposite: the modern Labour Party has been built on its loathing of working-class people’s lifestyles and aspirations. It’s those stupid buggers’ own fault, you see, for failing to recognise back then that state socialism was in their own best interests, just as they now fail to recognise that less material consumption is in their best interests. The Labour Party is still demonising the aspirations and ambitions that Thatcher’s Tories once appealed to. Miliband and his band of mediocrities are not ruining the party of the working man; they are merely continuing its worst traditions.
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    BenMBenM Posts: 1,795
    Why any woman would go anywhere near UKIP beats me.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,402

    EICAWNBPM


    Dan Hodges retweeted
    Red Box‏@timesredbox·13 hrs13 hours ago
    .@PCollinsTimes "Labour will poll lower than it is already polling and that won't be enough. They will poll 30 per cent on election day"

    I have to say that if the trend of the last 18 months or so remains in place 30% for Labour looks quite aspirational.
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    anotherDaveanotherDave Posts: 6,746
    edited December 2014
    The BES have an article on this, and a nice info-graphic.

    http://www.britishelectionstudy.com/bes-resources/all-roads-lead-to-ukip-by-geoff-evans-and-jon-mellon-university-of-oxford/

    The 2005 Labour voters switched to not-Labour parties in the 2010 election, and then to current-UKIP.
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    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    BenM said:

    Why any woman would go anywhere near UKIP beats me.

    Into spanking are you? .... better not film it for profit or you'll get your collar felt by the police. Mind you, perhaps a bit of rough in uniform suits .....

    Each to their own ....

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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    One for the Europhiles, the sane among us already know this:

    http://www.capx.co/how-norway-beats-the-eu/

    The data are published by EUR lex and the EFTA Secretariat: they show Norway actually adopted only 9.05 per cent of EU directives and regulations.

    The reason Norway, unlike Switzerland, has to apply any EU legal acts at all is, frankly, that its pro-EU leaders have never accepted the result of the 1994 referendum, and continue to hanker after membership.
    Quite.
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 54,072
    Patrick said:

    radsatser said:

    @ Tapper
    " If UKIP adopted many Green policies, the breakthrough would happen. Fracking. GMOs. Diesel. Fluoride. Does Farage even know about such politics? "

    Are you mad.?

    UKIP fundementally oppose the whole concept of Green politics, as will most of the new Green supporters when the lights start going out.

    We can all play silly b*ggers thinking we can influence the natural cycle of the planet, but when Green policies drag our lifestyles down, in their quest to return us to a pre-industrial society, the doo doo will hit the fan, when tw*ts can't twitter anymore, and Facebook becomes CleftStickBook.

    Apart from that I have yet to meet a Greenie who is not a rabid leftie.

    The Greens were in a German coalition for years. I don't recall the country being returned to a pre-industrial society.
    But German energy policy has been a catastrophe that has their business secretary in open warfare with their energy secretary. They've gone seriously green (with extravagant subsidies), and so when the wind doesn't blow or sun doesn't shine they need to burn alot of coal (imported from USA). Their power is MUCH more expensive than before and their GHG emissions have gone UP! Energy costs are a key item distinguishing international competitiveness (as per tax or wages) and German industry pays an unaffordable price for its energy. And their maunfacturing PMIs now reflect this. They've sacrificed industrial competitiveness on the altar of Gaia.
    Most German coal consumption (Probably 75+%) is locally produced lignite.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,402
    Indigo said:

    One for the Europhiles, the sane among us already know this:

    http://www.capx.co/how-norway-beats-the-eu/

    The data are published by EUR lex and the EFTA Secretariat: they show Norway actually adopted only 9.05 per cent of EU directives and regulations.

    The reason Norway, unlike Switzerland, has to apply any EU legal acts at all is, frankly, that its pro-EU leaders have never accepted the result of the 1994 referendum, and continue to hanker after membership.
    Quite.


    The reason they have to adopt EU legislation is that they are in EFTA and it is a condition of that organisation's free access to the Single Market that they adopt the relevant legislation, legislation they have not even had a vote on.

    A rather better point is that if the figure is true it does demonstrate how much of the EU's prodigious legal output is not related to the single market. In my opinion that is the real problem.
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    anotherDaveanotherDave Posts: 6,746
    BenM said:

    Why any woman would go anywhere near UKIP beats me.

    Inability to empathise BenM? You'll lose modern-man points for that!
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    rcs1000 said:

    Patrick said:

    radsatser said:

    @ Tapper
    " If UKIP adopted many Green policies, the breakthrough would happen. Fracking. GMOs. Diesel. Fluoride. Does Farage even know about such politics? "

    Are you mad.?

    UKIP fundementally oppose the whole concept of Green politics, as will most of the new Green supporters when the lights start going out.

    We can all play silly b*ggers thinking we can influence the natural cycle of the planet, but when Green policies drag our lifestyles down, in their quest to return us to a pre-industrial society, the doo doo will hit the fan, when tw*ts can't twitter anymore, and Facebook becomes CleftStickBook.

    Apart from that I have yet to meet a Greenie who is not a rabid leftie.

    The Greens were in a German coalition for years. I don't recall the country being returned to a pre-industrial society.
    But German energy policy has been a catastrophe that has their business secretary in open warfare with their energy secretary. They've gone seriously green (with extravagant subsidies), and so when the wind doesn't blow or sun doesn't shine they need to burn alot of coal (imported from USA). Their power is MUCH more expensive than before and their GHG emissions have gone UP! Energy costs are a key item distinguishing international competitiveness (as per tax or wages) and German industry pays an unaffordable price for its energy. And their maunfacturing PMIs now reflect this. They've sacrificed industrial competitiveness on the altar of Gaia.
    Most German coal consumption (Probably 75+%) is locally produced lignite.
    Thanks for the clarification. I read the other day that their import of (now alot cheaper) US coal has soared and is used to spin turbines on calm dark days (but I accept it is not the majority). I assume you accept the basic premise of my post, though. That they've gone full Ed Davey and it is ruinous to their economic prospects.
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    JackW said:

    DavidL said:

    Is it time for me to dust down my more efficient vote scenario again? Whilst it may be true that UKIP is currently taking more votes of the Tories than Labour (and the evidence for that seems to be mixed once they get over about 12%) that does not mean that the Tories will be the most damaged in seats.

    At the last election the Tory vote of nearly 37% was incredibly inefficient because they built up huge, pointless majorities in most of southern England. If their majority in, say, Kent seats is now halved or more by the UKIP effect but they still manage to win a similar share of the vote nationally then logic indicates that they are winning more votes somewhere else such as the south west, the midlands or even London on recent polling. That effect might well give them seats which were out of reach in 2010, particularly Lib Dem ones.

    34% was something of an outlier but if that became a regular thing over this month with UKIP still in the higher teens I would suggest my hypothesis is likely to be tested.

    Yes, and recall that the Tories also won a good 15 seats more than they 'should' have done in uniform swing. They were very lucky in grabbing hold of a number of super-marginals partly thanks, IMHO, to Ashcroft's targeting strategy. FPTP was rather kind to them.

    Cameron (and his team, to be fair) actually came very close to pissing his chances of becoming PM up the wall. Imagine Labour on 265 seats, the Lib Dems on 61 and the Tories on 290. Enough for a Lib-Lab coalition under David Miliband with a slim overall majority.
    I'm not sure a Lab/LibDem coalition would have resulted from those numbers. If we recall in 2010 a substantial number of Labour MPs were actively hostile to the possibility even as the respective negotiating teams were in discussions.

    Many would have had bad memories of the 77-79 Lib/Lab pact where a weak government was at the mercy of the grim reaper and the machinations of Ulster politics.

    The post 2010 government required a workable majority and the only viable option was the Con/LibDem coalition.

    It wouldn't have been a certainty but a 2nd viable option would certainly have been on the table, on those figures. That's have made things very interesting, with no guarantees he'd become PM as he was always going to be on the actual GE2010 result.
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    DavidL said:

    Is it time for me to dust down my more efficient vote scenario again? Whilst it may be true that UKIP is currently taking more votes of the Tories than Labour (and the evidence for that seems to be mixed once they get over about 12%) that does not mean that the Tories will be the most damaged in seats.

    At the last election the Tory vote of nearly 37% was incredibly inefficient because they built up huge, pointless majorities in most of southern England. If their majority in, say, Kent seats is now halved or more by the UKIP effect but they still manage to win a similar share of the vote nationally then logic indicates that they are winning more votes somewhere else such as the south west, the midlands or even London on recent polling. That effect might well give them seats which were out of reach in 2010, particularly Lib Dem ones.

    34% was something of an outlier but if that became a regular thing over this month with UKIP still in the higher teens I would suggest my hypothesis is likely to be tested.

    Yes, and recall that the Tories also won a good 15 seats more than they 'should' have done in uniform swing. They were very lucky in grabbing hold of a number of super-marginals partly thanks, IMHO, to Ashcroft's targeting strategy. FPTP was rather kind to them.

    Cameron (and his team, to be fair) actually came very close to pissing his chances of becoming PM up the wall. Imagine Labour on 265 seats, the Lib Dems on 61 and the Tories on 290. Enough for a Lib-Lab coalition under David Miliband with a slim overall majority.
    Good point Casino and of course the Tories were also helped in the 2010 GE from an overall balance of power sense, if not in relation to the coalition numbers, by the LibDems achieving around 15 seats fewer than their most pessimistic pre-election estimates.
    Yes, I was predicting around 75-80 seats IIRC. It does beg the question: if the Lib Dems failed to gain seats, and actually lost them, whilst polling at an all time high, why do so many people think they'll defy gravity now they're polling close to an all time low?

    Something doesn't compute.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    DavidL said:

    A rather better point is that if the figure is true it does demonstrate how much of the EU's prodigious legal output is not related to the single market. In my opinion that is the real problem.

    As the same article maintains, they haven't adopted anything to do with agriculture and fisheries, foreign policy, defence, immigration, criminal justice, regional policy or human rights.
    Those who regard these 4,724 acts as an erosion of Norwegian sovereignty seem strangely unfussed about 52,183 directives and regulations that the United Kingdom and other EU states had to adopt over the same period.
This discussion has been closed.