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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Guardian ICM phone poll sees the Tories down 3 and the Lib

SystemSystem Posts: 12,214
edited December 2014 in General

politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Guardian ICM phone poll sees the Tories down 3 and the Lib Dems up 3

Guardian ICM phone poll makes grim reading for the Tories. But the Lib Dems are on the up. pic.twitter.com/vepvSt8G2r

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Comments

  • chestnutchestnut Posts: 7,341
    So, polls for the Guardian and Independent say a swing back to the Lib Dems.
  • NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,564
    I'm a bit suspicious of the size of the changes, but it certainly seems as though the Tories have slipped a bit since the Autumn Statement. This may relate to the Tory emphasis put on the economy - as Gordon discovered, if you become noted for saying that the economy is doing really well, you get blamed if people think it's started to do badly.
  • woody662woody662 Posts: 255
    Looks like a push poll question on the autumn statement to me. Certainly doesn't tally with what I've found canvassing on the doorsteps in my marginal against last times figures. Maybe they are all lying to me.
  • Where's yer crossover now?

    LOL!
  • I'm a bit suspicious of the size of the changes, but it certainly seems as though the Tories have slipped a bit since the Autumn Statement.

    That statement is a bit hopeful, I think.

    In the period between the Rochester and Strood by-election and the Autumn statement [roughly a fortnight] there were three polls that gave Labour a 5% lead. In the fortnight following the Autumn statement there have been two polls that give Labour a 5% lead.

    I don't see any evidence of a change.
  • Bobajob_Bobajob_ Posts: 195
    Anti Tory tactical vote coming home.

    As forecast.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,578
    edited December 2014
    Not quite proof of trend of course, but didn't Tory polling drop before 2010 when they hinted about being honest about the need to cut and show restraint as well? I don't think people like being told more cuts are coming (even though that will happen to some extent whatever happens)

    Labour may contrive a way not to win a majority, but the Tories have so little hope of even managing that it seems.

    Though I wouldn't be surprised if many people simultaneously suggest we need to cut deeply and raise taxes, while at the same time decrying any plan to do one or both of those as too much. People, eh?
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,704
    Looks like two of the big three approaching their 1997 figures, with Labour well below.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,578
    edited December 2014
    chestnut said:

    So, polls for the Guardian and Independent say a swing back to the Lib Dems.

    If that becomes a trend, I'd be really interested to know why now - good news for them has not seemed to help over the years, being in or out of the news has not helped over the years, the passage of time has only made things worse up to now, and they don't even have the same reasoning for the potential Green rise.
  • Bobajob_Bobajob_ Posts: 195
    When is crossover/swingback expected to occur? I would be keen to hear from Rod Crosby.
  • Bobajob_ said:

    Anti Tory tactical vote coming home.

    As forecast.

    Why would anti-Tory tactical voters have told ICM last month that they were going to vote Tory?

    I've long suspected that the polls are vulnerable to intentional trolling on the part of the respondents contacted, but if I were trolling a pollster right now then I would tell them I was voting for Respect...
  • Bobajob_Bobajob_ Posts: 195
    The thread on the day of the autumn statement makes entertaining reading for the PB Lefties and the PB Kippers.
  • Looks like two of the big three approaching their 1997 figures, with Labour well below.

    If all three of the big three parties come close [within 1%] of their 1997 vote shares then I will eat my hat - and I have more than one to choose from!
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,704

    Looks like two of the big three approaching their 1997 figures, with Labour well below.

    If all three of the big three parties come close [within 1%] of their 1997 vote shares then I will eat my hat - and I have more than one to choose from!
    No, I don't think all three will, either. Tory ca 30%, LibDem ca 17% but Lab 33 or so %. Nate showing, UKIP 12 or so %.
  • IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    I've long suspected that the polls are vulnerable to intentional trolling on the part of the respondents contacted, but if I were trolling a pollster right now then I would tell them I was voting for Respect...

    I have long wondered why we seem prepared to believe that people will vote for a different candidate in a by-election to "send a message" expecting them to swing back to their main party, and at the same time don't expect them to lie to a pollster in the same timescale to "send a message", and the later doesn't even involve getting off the sofa to vote!
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @paulwaugh: Blimey. @gordonrayner says Bookies Coral has suspended betting on Queen abdicating in her Christmas message after rash of bets
  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    Horrible poll for the conservatives.
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    Scott_P said:

    @paulwaugh: Blimey. @gordonrayner says Bookies Coral has suspended betting on Queen abdicating in her Christmas message after rash of bets

    What was their price?

    There is no way they have laid much of that.
  • Bobajob_Bobajob_ Posts: 195
    The silence on here is deafening
  • Oh dear oh dear. 28% on the Gold Standard. If 2012 was the year of the Omnishambles Budget, how do we describe the 2014 Autumn Statement? When the Chancellor has to go to war with his own OBR because it had the temerity to report the facts you know its not gone quite as well as had been intended.....
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 54,014
    My only consolation on this poll is that my bet with isam about whether the Lib Dems will outpoll UKIP is looking better and better.

    See that Lazarus? Complete amateur.
  • Strange that both YouGovs this week have LDs down on 6, whereas the other three pollsters have them on double figures.
  • BenMBenM Posts: 1,795
    Woohoo!
  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    Has this poll moved the seat betting market much??
  • Bobajob_ said:

    The silence on here is deafening

    And you are adding to it.....why not go back to child tax credits and how it hurts 'average' families......
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    DavidL said:

    My only consolation on this poll is that my bet with isam about whether the Lib Dems will outpoll UKIP is looking better and better.

    See that Lazarus? Complete amateur.

    Yes.. what was that bet? You had £50@4/6?
  • numbercrunchernumbercruncher Posts: 136
    edited December 2014

    Strange that both YouGovs this week have LDs down on 6, whereas the other three pollsters have them on double figures.

    Here's some analysis of why the polls vary so much on the Lib Dems: http://t.co/Ia2JNQXO3D

    3% swing from CON to LIB is outside the MoE, but out of line with what other polls have been showing... Too bad ICM only polls monthly, because I'd quite like to see the next one already!
  • ArtistArtist Posts: 1,893

    Strange that both YouGovs this week have LDs down on 6, whereas the other three pollsters have them on double figures.

    YouGov seem to have a problem with too many Greens and not enough Lib Dems.
  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    Ah yes, I can see this poll was held back because it was super damaging to Labour.
  • BenMBenM Posts: 1,795
    Good to see the centre left easily outpolling the reactionary right.
  • Bobajob_ said:

    Anti Tory tactical vote coming home.

    As forecast.

    How do you "tactically vote" in an opinion poll?
  • BenM said:

    Good to see the centre left easily outpolling the reactionary right.

    For old time's sake!

    COA 42%
    LAB 33%

    :)
  • Indigo said:

    I've long suspected that the polls are vulnerable to intentional trolling on the part of the respondents contacted, but if I were trolling a pollster right now then I would tell them I was voting for Respect...

    I have long wondered why we seem prepared to believe that people will vote for a different candidate in a by-election to "send a message" expecting them to swing back to their main party, and at the same time don't expect them to lie to a pollster in the same timescale to "send a message", and the later doesn't even involve getting off the sofa to vote!
    Well, I think you are partly misinterpreting by-elections there. One of the big effects is differential turnout.

    Also: words matter. The wording in the polling question is about a general election. Maybe that has an effect.
  • DadgeDadge Posts: 2,052

    Bobajob_ said:

    Anti Tory tactical vote coming home.

    As forecast.

    How do you "tactically vote" in an opinion poll?
    The same way as you do in an election, except with less effort.
  • Strange that both YouGovs this week have LDs down on 6, whereas the other three pollsters have them on double figures.

    Here's some analysis of why the polls vary so much on the Lib Dems: http://t.co/Ia2JNQXO3D

    3% swing from CON to LIB is outside the MoE, but out of line with what other polls have been showing... Too bad ICM only polls monthly, because I'd quite like to see the next one already!
    Thanks for the article, interesting stuff!
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 54,014
    isam said:

    DavidL said:

    My only consolation on this poll is that my bet with isam about whether the Lib Dems will outpoll UKIP is looking better and better.

    See that Lazarus? Complete amateur.

    Yes.. what was that bet? You had £50@4/6?
    Yes. I think antifrank has twice as much but he is one of those greedy lawyer types that Malcolm likes to go on about. It is looking a lot better for me than it has for most of the last year.
  • BenM said:

    Good to see the centre left easily outpolling the reactionary right.

    About one-third of that "centre-left" has been propping up two-thirds of the "reactionary right" in Government these past several years.

    Perhaps your aggregation of the parties is... meaningless?
  • Bobajob_Bobajob_ Posts: 195
    Interesting to see the effect of the Autumn Statement on the polling: Ozzy has a poor record of delivering statements to the house. Most of them unravel within 24 hours. You could argue that this was worse than the fabled omnishambles budget as it is closer to the election. Certainly the IFS critique cut through and proved damaging for the government, after sycophantic coverage from much of the press.
  • surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549
    So the Autumn Statement did the trick ?
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,578
    Scott_P said:

    @paulwaugh: Blimey. @gordonrayner says Bookies Coral has suspended betting on Queen abdicating in her Christmas message after rash of bets

    That would seem quite out of character, though I guess with other monarchs increasingly doing it and even a Pope doing it, it is at least conceivable HM might reconsider her position.
  • Thank goodness we were saved a thread on AV.

    Obviously bad news for the Conservatives, but it's a single poll (even if it is from the gold standard). The Lib Dem thing is potentially interesting.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,578
    surbiton said:

    So the Autumn Statement did the trick ?

    I actually would appreciate the Tories' tougher position, but given how spectacularly they failed on their 2010 plan, if someone like me was minded to like the new plan in theory, why would they assume it will happen? No doubt it will be revised as people object in any case. Or would, if they had a chance of winning a majority.
  • A truly shocking poll for the Tories from the Rolls Royce of the business.

    Surprisingly Sporting's GE Seats spread for the Blues is unchanged today at 279 - 285.

    Is this possibly the right time to sell?

    You decide, but remember spread-betting is high risk.
  • Dadge said:

    Bobajob_ said:

    Anti Tory tactical vote coming home.

    As forecast.

    How do you "tactically vote" in an opinion poll?
    The same way as you do in an election, except with less effort.
    Oh dear.

    Yes, you can tactically vote in a constituency, or a constituency poll.....but its far from clear how you tactically vote in a general poll....since its far from clear who you would be voting against.....

  • Bobajob_ said:

    Interesting to see the effect of the Autumn Statement on the polling

    What effect?

    In the fortnight before the Autumn statement, the Tories recorded shares of 27% and 28% in the opinion polls.

    In the fortnight after the Autumn statement, the Tories have recorded shares of 28% and 29% [twice] in the opinion polls.

    I say again. What effect?

  • surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549
    Bobajob_ said:

    The silence on here is deafening

    The PBTories have had an attack of the "Writer's Block". I am sure Dr. Osborne will come up with another wheeze and they will be cured.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,171
    It looks like Nick Clegg did the right thing keeping as far away from the Autumn Statement as possible.

    Maybe not an Omnishables Mk II, but George Osborne may have been less than near-perfect this time round. Plus, this time there is only 5 months to change the narrative.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,578
    edited December 2014

    Bobajob_ said:

    Interesting to see the effect of the Autumn Statement on the polling

    What effect?

    In the fortnight before the Autumn statement, the Tories recorded shares of 27% and 28% in the opinion polls.

    In the fortnight after the Autumn statement, the Tories have recorded shares of 28% and 29% [twice] in the opinion polls.

    I say again. What effect?

    If no effect then a shame for them that they need to actively improve (edit: by quite a bit), in addition to Labour doing worse. No effect does them as little good as negative effect.
  • kle4 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @paulwaugh: Blimey. @gordonrayner says Bookies Coral has suspended betting on Queen abdicating in her Christmas message after rash of bets

    That would seem quite out of character, though I guess with other monarchs increasingly doing it and even a Pope doing it, it is at least conceivable HM might reconsider her position.
    Much as the queen and the Duke of Edinburgh richly deserve retirement, in whatever time they have left together - it strikes me as entirely out of character. I'm sure there is an appropriate channel for such an act (PM in HoC would be my guess), but I strongly doubt her Christmas Broadcast is one of them.

    On the other hand, Alan Bennett's novella The Uncommon Reader has a brilliant ending.....

  • Bobajob_Bobajob_ Posts: 195
    Sandy

    Less than five months.

    The election is 20 weeks tomorrow
  • surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549
    The Tories are facing a three pronged attack. Clearly, as election approaches, some Lib Dems are returning. UKIP causing Mayhem on the right flank. And, Labour taking lots and lots of seats in England.
  • On Liberal support I would caution against becoming too excited. In November Ashcroft put them on 10% two polls in a row, the second coincident with that month's ICM/Guardian which had them on 11%.

    Indeed, the ICM/Guardian has had the yellows in double figures in every poll this year, including 14% in January, 13% in May and 12% in March, April, July and August. If ICM were paid to poll as often as YouGov we would have a very different picture of the state of the polling. Worth considering.
  • I'm expecting the Ipsos Mori VI to be released tomorrow.
  • surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549
    So now we know the secret of the Lib Dem success. Stay off the TV screen. Don't remind the people that they are in bed with the Tories.
  • I'm expecting the Ipsos Mori VI to be released tomorrow.

    Tories likely to be behind in that too?
  • I'm expecting the Ipsos Mori VI to be released tomorrow.

    Tories likely to be behind in that too?
    Well they were 3 points ahead last time.
  • kle4 said:

    Bobajob_ said:

    Interesting to see the effect of the Autumn Statement on the polling

    What effect?

    In the fortnight before the Autumn statement, the Tories recorded shares of 27% and 28% in the opinion polls.

    In the fortnight after the Autumn statement, the Tories have recorded shares of 28% and 29% [twice] in the opinion polls.

    I say again. What effect?

    If no effect then a shame for them that they need to actively improve (edit: by quite a bit), in addition to Labour doing worse. No effect does them as little good as negative effect.
    Yes, at the time of the Conferences, when it became apparent that the lead was narrowing - perhaps because of Miliband's speech par excellence, or perhaps because of the defections to UKIP - I said that two more doses of the same movement would put the Tories into an election-winning position.

    I identified the Autumn Statement and the election campaign itself as the two opportunities for the Tories to engineer that movement. On the face of it, they've fluffed the first, but Bobajob is still hopelessly wrong with his interpretation...
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    John Rentoul @JohnRentoul
    Good graphic: the "reach" of parties across the left-right spectrum, by @Chris_Challis justqcharley.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/the-re… pic.twitter.com/Edmbo83ONN
  • antifrank said:

    Thank goodness we were saved a thread on AV.

    Obviously bad news for the Conservatives, but it's a single poll (even if it is from the gold standard). The Lib Dem thing is potentially interesting.

    I can still use it for the evening thread.

    Unless anything major happens.
  • Bobajob_ said:

    Sandy

    Less than five months.

    The election is 20 weeks tomorrow

    So it will be roughly a new moon on election day?

    Will that sway the voters one way or another?

    How does the werewolf vote break down?
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,578
    surbiton said:

    The Tories are facing a three pronged attack. Clearly, as election approaches, some Lib Dems are returning. UKIP causing Mayhem on the right flank. And, Labour taking lots and lots of seats in England.

    Quite. What surprises me is how lacking in confidence many Labour supporters are. Now granted, in my usual habitats Labour supporters are pretty rare so the few open and professed Labour people I know are perhaps less optimistic given the envelopment of Tory support they see everyday, but visiting family in more Labour friendly areas whenever politics comes up some Labour supporters I know just seem so despondent about their chances, even though they think the LDs will do even worse than polls predict.

    Anecdotal stuff I know, and Labour should be walking this rather than just being more likely to win, but I'm still surprised there's not more optimism about the result. Ed M does not have that many fans, but he isn't so bad as to erase all the factors working in Labour's favour.
  • antifrank said:

    Thank goodness we were saved a thread on AV.

    Obviously bad news for the Conservatives, but it's a single poll (even if it is from the gold standard). The Lib Dem thing is potentially interesting.

    I can still use it for the evening thread.

    Unless anything major happens.
    In which case, I'm rooting for Russia to invade Poland.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    John Rentoul @JohnRentoul
    Great chart of public sector job losses & private sector job gains by @TomMcTague dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2… pic.twitter.com/k1yN1Y4uGG
  • PongPong Posts: 4,693
    kle4 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @paulwaugh: Blimey. @gordonrayner says Bookies Coral has suspended betting on Queen abdicating in her Christmas message after rash of bets

    That would seem quite out of character, though I guess with other monarchs increasingly doing it and even a Pope doing it, it is at least conceivable HM might reconsider her position.
    hmm. 1/2 for queeny to step down by the end of the year?

    I'll lay at that price :)
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,578

    Bobajob_ said:

    Sandy

    Less than five months.

    The election is 20 weeks tomorrow

    So it will be roughly a new moon on election day?

    Will that sway the voters one way or another?

    How does the werewolf vote break down?
    They trend toward the LDs/Greens, an offshoot of the weirdy beardys.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 119,960
    edited December 2014
    antifrank said:

    antifrank said:

    Thank goodness we were saved a thread on AV.

    Obviously bad news for the Conservatives, but it's a single poll (even if it is from the gold standard). The Lib Dem thing is potentially interesting.

    I can still use it for the evening thread.

    Unless anything major happens.
    In which case, I'm rooting for Russia to invade Poland.
    Actually the thread was about the economy which if I had published before the ICM poll would have made me look brilliantly perceptive.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,121
    edited December 2014
    Lab 2.6% ahead on simple average of this week's five polls so far.

    A "part-ELBOW" without ICM (tables not published) has them 1.8% ahead (simple average 2.0% without ICM).
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,578
    Plato said:

    John Rentoul @JohnRentoul
    Good graphic: the "reach" of parties across the left-right spectrum, by @Chris_Challis justqcharley.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/the-re… pic.twitter.com/Edmbo83ONN

    Hmm,

    There is a big gap right of centre, between Liberals and Conservatives, exactly where most UK voters actually rate themselves

    A wonder both are not doing better then really.

    Though the ending of the piece is a bit odd,

    It is currently almost impossible for a new party to gather support. Will this ever change?

    As we've seen the answer is it is not impossible for a new party, it just takes a long time or the right circumstances.
  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    edited December 2014
    Plato said:

    John Rentoul @JohnRentoul
    Great chart of public sector job losses & private sector job gains by @TomMcTague dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2… pic.twitter.com/k1yN1Y4uGG

    Would be interested to know if that's corrected for the English colleges re-classification and the banks nationalisation/de-nationalisation
  • FlightpathFlightpath Posts: 4,012

    kle4 said:

    Bobajob_ said:

    Interesting to see the effect of the Autumn Statement on the polling

    What effect?

    In the fortnight before the Autumn statement, the Tories recorded shares of 27% and 28% in the opinion polls.

    In the fortnight after the Autumn statement, the Tories have recorded shares of 28% and 29% [twice] in the opinion polls.

    I say again. What effect?

    If no effect then a shame for them that they need to actively improve (edit: by quite a bit), in addition to Labour doing worse. No effect does them as little good as negative effect.
    Yes, at the time of the Conferences, when it became apparent that the lead was narrowing - perhaps because of Miliband's speech par excellence, or perhaps because of the defections to UKIP - I said that two more doses of the same movement would put the Tories into an election-winning position.

    I identified the Autumn Statement and the election campaign itself as the two opportunities for the Tories to engineer that movement. On the face of it, they've fluffed the first, but Bobajob is still hopelessly wrong with his interpretation...
    The tory share has not jumped up since the Autumn Statement but it has not moved the other way.
    Should it have moved up? That is, because of the Statement? The Govt were doing the economically competent thing. If the govt are percieved as suddenly cutting too deeply then what was the alternative? Spend more? Are the public wanting a govt to spend more and not cut the deficit? Where does the deficit come from? Part comes from economic activity. But part comes from spending. So what is the electorate saying.

    If it is saying it does not want economic competence then indeed the tories are stuffed.
    If it is worrried about bogus accusations about 1930 levels of spending and lies from Vince Cable then we may have an answer. It is not the Statement - it is the politics.
  • Normally the ICM phone poll fieldwork is three days from Friday and Sunday inclusive.

    This one took five days, Friday through to Tuesday.

    That assumes they must have had a really poor response rate to have had to go into a fourth and fifth day to get the 1000 strong response.
  • Normally the ICM phone poll fieldwork is three days from Friday and Sunday inclusive.

    This one took five days, Friday through to Tuesday.

    That assumes they must have had a really poor response rate to have had to go into a fourth and fifth day to get the 1000 strong response.

    xmas shopping season?
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,507
    edited December 2014
    The lawyer for the families of Iraqi's "abused" by British soldiers was on R5 an hour ago...f##king disgrace.

    He admitted that it became clear that things weren't as claimed ages ago, but he was still pushing the line that shouting at a prisoner or banging a tent peg on a table was abuse etc.

    And tried to come up with all these excuses why people "mis-remembered" what happened to them.

    Also pushing this total BS line that other prisoners could definitely believe that it was the prisoners shouting as they were being executed / tortured. Utter utter BS.
  • TheWatcherTheWatcher Posts: 5,262
    Bobajob_ said:

    The thread on the day of the autumn statement makes entertaining reading for the PB Lefties and the PB Kippers.

    Why would anyone bother re-reading tens of posts from the multiple bobajobs?
  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    That assumes they must have had a really poor response rate to have had to go into a fourth and fifth day to get the 1000 strong response.

    Are you saying this poll might be a 'rogue'
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,578

    kle4 said:

    Bobajob_ said:

    Interesting to see the effect of the Autumn Statement on the polling

    What effect?

    In the fortnight before the Autumn statement, the Tories recorded shares of 27% and 28% in the opinion polls.

    In the fortnight after the Autumn statement, the Tories have recorded shares of 28% and 29% [twice] in the opinion polls.

    I say again. What effect?

    If no effect then a shame for them that they need to actively improve (edit: by quite a bit), in addition to Labour doing worse. No effect does them as little good as negative effect.
    Yes, at the time of the Conferences, when it became apparent that the lead was narrowing - perhaps because of Miliband's speech par excellence, or perhaps because of the defections to UKIP - I said that two more doses of the same movement would put the Tories into an election-winning position.

    I identified the Autumn Statement and the election campaign itself as the two opportunities for the Tories to engineer that movement. On the face of it, they've fluffed the first, but Bobajob is still hopelessly wrong with his interpretation...
    If it is saying it does not want economic competence then indeed the tories are stuffed.
    If it is worrried about bogus accusations about 1930 levels of spending and lies from Vince Cable then we may have an answer. It is not the Statement - it is the politics.
    People want economic competence. We just don't really know what that entails. If things are doing ok, people won't want to see as much cutting even if they say they want to see some, as they assume competent cutting will not affect them in any way somehow. If thingsare still not ok, the Tories failed in their first 5 years, why give them more? Ed has tried to pre-empt the same thing happening to him by saying he needs 10 years to fix the Tory mess, but I don't think that will work.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,406
    Pong said:

    kle4 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @paulwaugh: Blimey. @gordonrayner says Bookies Coral has suspended betting on Queen abdicating in her Christmas message after rash of bets

    That would seem quite out of character, though I guess with other monarchs increasingly doing it and even a Pope doing it, it is at least conceivable HM might reconsider her position.
    hmm. 1/2 for queeny to step down by the end of the year?

    I'll lay at that price :)
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2542999/Windsor-wager-halts-royal-bets-200-stake-placed-Queen-abdicate-year-sees-bookmaker-suspend-market.html

    Coral have taken a staggeringly huge wager of.... TWO HUNDRED POUNDS.
  • Normally the ICM phone poll fieldwork is three days from Friday and Sunday inclusive.

    This one took five days, Friday through to Tuesday.

    That assumes they must have had a really poor response rate to have had to go into a fourth and fifth day to get the 1000 strong response.

    Tories on holiday?

    :)
  • taffys said:

    That assumes they must have had a really poor response rate to have had to go into a fourth and fifth day to get the 1000 strong response.

    Are you saying this poll might be a 'rogue'

    More Wolverine than Rogue?
  • I wonder if the public finally catching on to the fiscal irresponsibility of the government.
  • TheWatcherTheWatcher Posts: 5,262

    kle4 said:

    Bobajob_ said:

    Interesting to see the effect of the Autumn Statement on the polling

    What effect?

    In the fortnight before the Autumn statement, the Tories recorded shares of 27% and 28% in the opinion polls.

    In the fortnight after the Autumn statement, the Tories have recorded shares of 28% and 29% [twice] in the opinion polls.

    I say again. What effect?

    If no effect then a shame for them that they need to actively improve (edit: by quite a bit), in addition to Labour doing worse. No effect does them as little good as negative effect.
    Yes, at the time of the Conferences, when it became apparent that the lead was narrowing - perhaps because of Miliband's speech par excellence, or perhaps because of the defections to UKIP - I said that two more doses of the same movement would put the Tories into an election-winning position.

    I identified the Autumn Statement and the election campaign itself as the two opportunities for the Tories to engineer that movement. On the face of it, they've fluffed the first, but Bobajob is still hopelessly wrong with his interpretation...
    The tory share has not jumped up since the Autumn Statement but it has not moved the other way.
    Should it have moved up? That is, because of the Statement? The Govt were doing the economically competent thing. If the govt are percieved as suddenly cutting too deeply then what was the alternative? Spend more? Are the public wanting a govt to spend more and not cut the deficit? Where does the deficit come from? Part comes from economic activity. But part comes from spending. So what is the electorate saying.

    If it is saying it does not want economic competence then indeed the tories are stuffed.
    If it is worrried about bogus accusations about 1930 levels of spending and lies from Vince Cable then we may have an answer. It is not the Statement - it is the politics.
    Perhaps the electorate has no clue whatsoever as to what might happen if the money runs out.
    Maybe the message will only sink in when it does, and massive and immediate cuts happen.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,578
    Oliver_PB said:

    I wonder if the public finally catching on to the fiscal irresponsibility of the government.

    I would have thought people start off assuming any government is fiscally irresponsible and need to be convinced otherwise, rather than finding any actual proof of the irresponsibility being required.
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,300
    Plato said:

    John Rentoul @JohnRentoul
    Good graphic: the "reach" of parties across the left-right spectrum, by @Chris_Challis justqcharley.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/the-re… pic.twitter.com/Edmbo83ONN

    I wonder how a plot on a radar chart would highlight where parties differ on a range of issues.
  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    People want economic competence.

    People want low taxes, balanced budgets AND great services.

    Nobody has the guts to tell them that's impossible.
  • perdixperdix Posts: 1,806
    Leading questions in the Guardian poll. Who'da believed it?
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,534
    I don't think the Autumn Statement made any difference one way or the other. The Tories have been averaging 32% for weeks, 1-2% behind Labour. Of course, that means you get occasional polls putting Labour 5% ahead, or showing the Tories nudging ahead.

    This poll is dreadful for the Conservatives, but it's only one poll, and other polls conducted at the same time have been better for them.

    What's unusual is the very low combined figure for Con and UKIP, at 42%, compared to an average of 47%.
  • HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098
    Alistair said:

    Plato said:

    John Rentoul @JohnRentoul
    Great chart of public sector job losses & private sector job gains by @TomMcTague dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2… pic.twitter.com/k1yN1Y4uGG

    Would be interested to know if that's corrected for the English colleges re-classification and the banks nationalisation/de-nationalisation
    Even if it doesn't those numbers are too small to affect the overall picture. That said the figures themselves do contain a lot of hidden non-changes. For example a charity I did some work for has taken over a lot of staff from the public sector. They are the same people doing the same job and, indirectly, still being paid by the taxpayer (the charity is almost 100% government funded) they just no longer fall under the public sector label. That reclassification has been happening quite a lot (see the defence sector for more examples), but quite to what extent I wouldn't like to guess, but it is still less than the number of new jobs created.

    As an aside the idea or reclassifying public servants as private sector employees was put forward by Sir Arnold in Yes Prime Minister back in the 1980s. I am sure that there are people in government (civil service and elected) now who regard that programme not as a political satire but as a series of instructional videos.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,406
    I see "Scribbler" is getting free advertising from the Daily Mail:

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2876736/Obscene-cards-sully-message-Christmas-Sexual-profane-anti-Christian-messages-display-children.html

    I'll probably go to card factory.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,578

    kle4 said:

    Bobajob_ said:

    Interesting to see the effect of the Autumn Statement on the polling

    What effect?

    In the fortnight before the Autumn statement, the Tories recorded shares of 27% and 28% in the opinion polls.

    In the fortnight after the Autumn statement, the Tories have recorded shares of 28% and 29% [twice] in the opinion polls.

    I say again. What effect?

    If no effect then a shame for them that they need to actively improve (edit: by quite a bit), in addition to Labour doing worse. No effect does them as little good as negative effect.
    Yes, at the time of the Conferences, when it became apparent that the lead was narrowing - perhaps because of Miliband's speech par excellence, or perhaps because of the defections to UKIP - I said that two more doses of the same movement would put the Tories into an election-winning position.

    I identified the Autumn Statement and the election campaign itself as the two opportunities for the Tories to engineer that movement. On the face of it, they've fluffed the first, but Bobajob is still hopelessly wrong with his interpretation...
    The tory share has not jumped up since the Autumn Statement but it has not moved the other way.
    Should it have moved up? That is, because of the Statement? The Govt were doing the economically competent thing. If the govt are percieved as suddenly cutting too deeply then what was the alternative? Spend more? Are the public wanting a govt to spend more and not cut the deficit? Where does the deficit come from? Part comes from economic activity. But part comes from spending. So what is the electorate saying.

    If it is saying it does not want economic competence then indeed the tories are stuffed.
    If it is worrried about bogus accusations about 1930 levels of spending and lies from Vince Cable then we may have an answer. It is not the Statement - it is the politics.
    Perhaps the electorate has no clue whatsoever as to what might happen if the money runs out.
    Maybe the message will only sink in when it does, and massive and immediate cuts happen.
    Might be necessary some day. But if there's one area our politicians and government thrive, it is muddling along and finding stopgap solutions, so some moment of epiphany for the electorate on the subject is probably some way off. I mean, most Greeks still support retaining the Euro don't they, which is a resilient opinion given you'd have expected a reaction, fair or not, against it given what has happened.
  • BenMBenM Posts: 1,795
    taffys said:

    People want economic competence.

    People want low taxes, balanced budgets AND great services.

    Nobody has the guts to tell them that's impossible.

    People don't give two hoots for balanced budgets.
  • perdixperdix Posts: 1,806

    The lawyer for the families of Iraqi's "abused" by British soldiers was on R5 an hour ago...f##king disgrace.

    He admitted that it became clear that things weren't as claimed ages ago, but he was still pushing the line that shouting at a prisoner or banging a tent peg on a table was abuse etc.

    And tried to come up with all these excuses why people "mis-remembered" what happened to them.

    Also pushing this total BS line that other prisoners could definitely believe that it was the prisoners shouting as they were being executed / tortured. Utter utter BS.

    We have too many parasitic lawyers in this country. Time for them to do some useful work like digging ditches.

  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,300
    Pulpstar said:

    Pong said:

    kle4 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @paulwaugh: Blimey. @gordonrayner says Bookies Coral has suspended betting on Queen abdicating in her Christmas message after rash of bets

    That would seem quite out of character, though I guess with other monarchs increasingly doing it and even a Pope doing it, it is at least conceivable HM might reconsider her position.
    hmm. 1/2 for queeny to step down by the end of the year?

    I'll lay at that price :)
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2542999/Windsor-wager-halts-royal-bets-200-stake-placed-Queen-abdicate-year-sees-bookmaker-suspend-market.html

    Coral have taken a staggeringly huge wager of.... TWO HUNDRED POUNDS.
    An elderly man wearing an Admiral's uniform was seen entering several bookmaker's.

  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,406

    The lawyer for the families of Iraqi's "abused" by British soldiers was on R5 an hour ago...f##king disgrace.

    He admitted that it became clear that things weren't as claimed ages ago, but he was still pushing the line that shouting at a prisoner or banging a tent peg on a table was abuse etc.

    And tried to come up with all these excuses why people "mis-remembered" what happened to them.

    Also pushing this total BS line that other prisoners could definitely believe that it was the prisoners shouting as they were being executed / tortured. Utter utter BS.

    He'd better be pro-bono.
  • richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    Darn it...missed Robot Reeves..I love a good laugh in the afternoons
  • Bobajob_Bobajob_ Posts: 195
    Watcher

    One might equally ask why they would want to read endless posts from you obsessing about my alter egos!

    I could bring Scout and Fett back at some point, if you are missing them!
  • The Tories are suing the traitorous pig dog defector.
  • BenMBenM Posts: 1,795
    edited December 2014



    I identified the Autumn Statement and the election campaign itself as the two opportunities for the Tories to engineer that movement. On the face of it, they've fluffed the first, but Bobajob is still hopelessly wrong with his interpretation...

    What evidence is there of VI shifting much during the campaign?

    Wasn't the lesson of 2010 that even including Cleggasm the polls reverted to the position they were in at the start of the campaign?

    I might be wrong here.
  • Ah yes, don't like the findings = rubbish the poll
  • Darn it...missed Robot Reeves..I love a good laugh in the afternoons

    Rachel Reeves? Where??
This discussion has been closed.