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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » The SNP continues to be the big mover in the commons seats

SystemSystem Posts: 11,706
edited January 2015 in General

politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » The SNP continues to be the big mover in the commons seats’ spread markets – up ten seats in five weeks

The continuation of strong polling for the SNP before Christmas has reinforced the move upwards in the latest spread prices from Sporting Index. It is now exactly ten seats higher than it was in the last week in November.

Read the full story here


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Comments

  • Options
    GadflyGadfly Posts: 1,191
    First!
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    calumcalum Posts: 3,046
    I think the bookies have been slow to react to events in Scotland, which is on given the polling evidence and feedback from those of us on the ground in Central Scotland.

    I’ve avoided the consticuency markets and focused my betting on William Hill’s SLAB seats market. I’ve built a decent position in the 0-20 seats area, I’ll make profits if SLAB wins 0-5, 6-10, 11-15 and will break even at 16-20 seats. I built most of my 0-5 position at 125/1 (now down to 33/1) and it would pay out £16,000. Realistically though 11-15 seats at 7/1, is probably the best value bet.

    My sense is that the SNP surge still has some way to go and would anticipate SNP levelling out at around 50%. I think SLAB will struggle to hold onto the 20% support level, let alone their current 25%. I don’t think there is anything SLAB can do to turn things around in Scotland by GE2015, so they should just focus on a proper game plan for Holyrood 2016.
  • Options
    ArtistArtist Posts: 1,883
    Assuming eight SNP gains from the Lib Dems, that'd be 15 gains from Labour as a mid point. Seems high to me but it would tally with SNP being favourites to get the most seats in Scotland.
  • Options
    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,114
    FPT, Cyclefree, I was at Ayr races , lovely day , managed a few winners and came out about level on betting. Weather varied from lovely sunshine and blue sky to heavy hail showers. Great day all in though, very good meeting with all seven races having plenty runners and good few close run races.
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    volcanopetevolcanopete Posts: 2,078
    malcolmg said:

    FPT, Cyclefree, I was at Ayr races , lovely day , managed a few winners and came out about level on betting. Weather varied from lovely sunshine and blue sky to heavy hail showers. Great day all in though, very good meeting with all seven races having plenty runners and good few close run races.

    I always back Jim Goldie at Ayr blind.Did he have a winner?

  • Options
    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,114
    FPT: Divvie, good luck on job hunting , try your best to get the insurance company to pay what they should , too many people ripped off by them.
  • Options
    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,230
    malcolmg said:

    FPT, Cyclefree, I was at Ayr races , lovely day , managed a few winners and came out about level on betting. Weather varied from lovely sunshine and blue sky to heavy hail showers. Great day all in though, very good meeting with all seven races having plenty runners and good few close run races.

    Sounds wonderful.

    Have a great weekend.

  • Options
    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    edited January 2015

    isam said:

    Scott_P said:

    TGOHF said:

    So far he has just run away from any such tough questions.

    I know.

    Hardly a good look. What happened to the "new politics"?

    He bravely ran away...
    That's strange, I thought he wrote a widely praised article last Sunday that appeared to run contrary to the perceived Ukip line on immigrants? It was mentioned often enough on here I thought you would have seen it
    Don't bother trying to convice the Tory lunatics Sam. They only see what they want to see and find it impossible to comprehend any concept that hasn't been officially endorsed by the CCHQ. These are the same people who used to laugh about the idea of Labour-Bots during the last Government and yet had morphed into the Tory version with so much as a murmur.
    Some of the current Tory posters on here now are worse than the Labour-bots in terms of being reduced to making snide comments about UKIP being racist against brown people. And the actual Tory party is now working with the Guardian to leak stories critical of UKIP. And Tory supporters openly prefer to work with left-wing parties in Coalition rather than another conservative party.

    “The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.”
  • Options
    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    isam said:
    Really hard to say as it isnt clear what he posted.

  • Options
    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,114
    Cyclefree said:

    malcolmg said:

    FPT, Cyclefree, I was at Ayr races , lovely day , managed a few winners and came out about level on betting. Weather varied from lovely sunshine and blue sky to heavy hail showers. Great day all in though, very good meeting with all seven races having plenty runners and good few close run races.

    Sounds wonderful.

    Have a great weekend.

    Cyclefree, thankyou , always pleasant to read your posts and a breath of fresh air compared to many on here, if only more were like you.
  • Options
    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    Neil said:

    isam said:
    Really hard to say as it isnt clear what he posted.

    It's always absurd when media organisations don't report the offending comments. It's all part of the philosophy that us plebeian readers aren't too be trusted with deciding for ourselves, and should just nod our heads in agreement at what our betters have decided is inappropriate.
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,990
    Socrates said:

    Neil said:

    isam said:
    Really hard to say as it isnt clear what he posted.

    It's always absurd when media organisations don't report the offending comments. It's all part of the philosophy that us plebeian readers aren't too be trusted with deciding for ourselves, and should just nod our heads in agreement at what our betters have decided is inappropriate.
    I think the offending comments would either be 'cock' or 'no cock'....
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 41,006
    Neil said:

    isam said:
    Really hard to say as it isnt clear what he posted.

    Didn't he just play the game?
  • Options
    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    isam said:

    Neil said:

    isam said:
    Really hard to say as it isnt clear what he posted.

    Didn't he just play the game?
    I have no idea.

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    Ishmael_XIshmael_X Posts: 3,664
    isam said:
    Mmmm, football fans are notorious for their opposition to this kind of thing. I lived in Fulham in the 80s and well remember the terrifying pro-LGBT rights chanting outside Stamford Bridge.

  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 41,006
    Ishmael_X said:

    isam said:
    Mmmm, football fans are notorious for their opposition to this kind of thing. I lived in Fulham in the 80s and well remember the terrifying pro-LGBT rights chanting outside Stamford Bridge.

    "You're going home in a basque and suspender belt"
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    fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,279
    "Clearly this is driven by the polls and the absence of bad news for Sturgeon and her party. The fact that the election of Labour’s new Scottish leader, Jim Murphy, has failed to dent the SNP’s polling position is clearly helping."

    Mike, now that we are over the Indy Referendum, Salmond's resignation and Sturgeon's coronation tour its now business as usual up here in Scotland. And right now the SNP do have a few domestic problems which have been steadily piling up after being sidelined during the Indy Referendum campaign this year. Namely the state of the Scottish NHS.
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    Moses_Moses_ Posts: 4,865
    @socrates

    "And the actual Tory party is now working with the Guardian to leak stories critical of UKIP. "

    Do Tell ...... Preferably supported with evidence or a linky.

    :-)
  • Options
    Ishmael_XIshmael_X Posts: 3,664
    isam said:

    Ishmael_X said:

    isam said:
    Mmmm, football fans are notorious for their opposition to this kind of thing. I lived in Fulham in the 80s and well remember the terrifying pro-LGBT rights chanting outside Stamford Bridge.

    "You're going home in a basque and suspender belt"
    LOL

  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,990
    Neil said:

    isam said:

    Neil said:

    isam said:
    Really hard to say as it isnt clear what he posted.

    Didn't he just play the game?
    I have no idea.

    According to the Guardian, that's what he did.
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    AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    Epic fail — "Muslim extremists hoping to disrupt international travel across the Western world fell a little short of their goal when they hacked into a Bristol bus timetable instead":

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11321499/Bristol-bus-timetable-hacked-by-terrorists.html
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,990
    AndyJS said:

    Epic fail — "Muslim extremists hoping to disrupt international travel across the Western world fell a little short of their goal when they hacked into a Bristol bus timetable instead":

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11321499/Bristol-bus-timetable-hacked-by-terrorists.html

    Wonderful start to 2015. Guess you have to start small!!
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    malcolmg said:

    FPT: Divvie, good luck on job hunting , try your best to get the insurance company to pay what they should , too many people ripped off by them.

    Thanks malcolm, & to Cyclefree & others on previous thread.
    I shall recycle some of your invective on the insurance company if they remain unhelpful.
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    MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382
    fitalass said:

    "Clearly this is driven by the polls and the absence of bad news for Sturgeon and her party. The fact that the election of Labour’s new Scottish leader, Jim Murphy, has failed to dent the SNP’s polling position is clearly helping."

    Mike, now that we are over the Indy Referendum, Salmond's resignation and Sturgeon's coronation tour its now business as usual up here in Scotland. And right now the SNP do have a few domestic problems which have been steadily piling up after being sidelined during the Indy Referendum campaign this year. Namely the state of the Scottish NHS.

    Good point - but as yet this has yet to find its way into the polls.

  • Options
    BlueberryBlueberry Posts: 408
    isam said:

    Ishmael_X said:

    isam said:
    Mmmm, football fans are notorious for their opposition to this kind of thing. I lived in Fulham in the 80s and well remember the terrifying pro-LGBT rights chanting outside Stamford Bridge.

    "You're going home in a basque and suspender belt"
    I remember Culture Club filming a video at Stamford Bridge in the 80s. To much hilarity, the Shed greeted Boy George with "Ooh, ar, ooh, ooh ar, can you take a cu-cum-bah".
  • Options
    RobD said:

    AndyJS said:

    Epic fail — "Muslim extremists hoping to disrupt international travel across the Western world fell a little short of their goal when they hacked into a Bristol bus timetable instead":

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11321499/Bristol-bus-timetable-hacked-by-terrorists.html

    Wonderful start to 2015. Guess you have to start small!!
    If you've seen the film Four Lions.
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 41,006
    Moses_ said:

    @socrates

    "And the actual Tory party is now working with the Guardian to leak stories critical of UKIP. "

    Do Tell ...... Preferably supported with evidence or a linky.

    :-)

    Was in private eye in May
  • Options
    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 54,073
    Dr Ray Stantz: Everything was fine with our system until the power grid was shut off by dickless here.
    Walter Peck: They caused an explosion!
    Mayor: Is this true?
    Dr. Peter Venkman: Yes it's true... This man has no dick.
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 41,006
    Blueberry said:

    isam said:

    Ishmael_X said:

    isam said:
    Mmmm, football fans are notorious for their opposition to this kind of thing. I lived in Fulham in the 80s and well remember the terrifying pro-LGBT rights chanting outside Stamford Bridge.

    "You're going home in a basque and suspender belt"
    I remember Culture Club filming a video at Stamford Bridge in the 80s. To much hilarity, the Shed greeted Boy George with "Ooh, ar, ooh, ooh ar, can you take a cu-cum-bah".
    To be fair it's little wonder there are no footballers out of the closet when John Fashanu calls Wimbledon the brother he never had.

    Nice
  • Options
    On topic.

    I expect the Ashcroft polling is the next bug event to affect the SNP price.
  • Options
    isam said:

    Blueberry said:

    isam said:

    Ishmael_X said:

    isam said:
    Mmmm, football fans are notorious for their opposition to this kind of thing. I lived in Fulham in the 80s and well remember the terrifying pro-LGBT rights chanting outside Stamford Bridge.

    "You're going home in a basque and suspender belt"
    I remember Culture Club filming a video at Stamford Bridge in the 80s. To much hilarity, the Shed greeted Boy George with "Ooh, ar, ooh, ooh ar, can you take a cu-cum-bah".
    To be fair it's little wonder there are no footballers out of the closet when John Fashanu calls Wimbledon the brother he never had.

    Nice
    Did he really say that? What a ****.
  • Options
    SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    edited January 2015
    The difference between polling and betting is simply down on 2 factors, first is that when odds were first given they were set mostly on the basis of the last election results and second that the general public are always behind the curve.
    In both cases it takes a lot of money and time to shift odds closer to actual polling.

    That is why the more flexible sporting index is showing a much higher number of SNP seats than the more rigid Ladbrokes in individual seats, it's still about 20 seats short of what polls suggest but it's getting there faster.
  • Options
    fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,279
    edited January 2015
    I really hope that the New Year brings some good news on the job front. And don't let the Insurance company get away with this, get some sound advice and fight them on this one. Hopefully there are one or two experts lurking around PB who might be able to step in with some advice via vanilla messages.

    malcolmg said:

    FPT: Divvie, good luck on job hunting , try your best to get the insurance company to pay what they should , too many people ripped off by them.

    Thanks malcolm, & to Cyclefree & others on previous thread.
    I shall recycle some of your invective on the insurance company if they remain unhelpful.
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 41,006

    isam said:

    Blueberry said:

    isam said:

    Ishmael_X said:

    isam said:
    Mmmm, football fans are notorious for their opposition to this kind of thing. I lived in Fulham in the 80s and well remember the terrifying pro-LGBT rights chanting outside Stamford Bridge.

    "You're going home in a basque and suspender belt"
    I remember Culture Club filming a video at Stamford Bridge in the 80s. To much hilarity, the Shed greeted Boy George with "Ooh, ar, ooh, ooh ar, can you take a cu-cum-bah".
    To be fair it's little wonder there are no footballers out of the closet when John Fashanu calls Wimbledon the brother he never had.

    Nice
    Did he really say that? What a ****.
    According to Wally Downes on twitter... I assume it was on the BT sport doc, haven't seen it myself
  • Options
    Moses_Moses_ Posts: 4,865
    isam said:

    Moses_ said:

    @socrates

    "And the actual Tory party is now working with the Guardian to leak stories critical of UKIP. "

    Do Tell ...... Preferably supported with evidence or a linky.

    :-)

    Was in private eye in May
    Private eye.....!

    Hohoho... Oh pleeeeasse?
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    Moses_Moses_ Posts: 4,865
    Apparently Milibands close aide reckons that Blair got too many middle class people voting for them and as such had to pander to them. Make of that that you will? Such a report though is not going to endear Labour to the very voters they need on side in May.


    "Tony Blair attracted the ‘wrong people’ to support Labour, a key ally of Ed Miliband claimed last night.
    In an extraordinary intervention, Neal Lawson said the record election victories won by New Labour were ‘too big’, and had forced the party to pander to the middle classes while in government in order to keep their support."


    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2893838/Labour-doesn-t-want-middle-class-votes-Red-Ed-s-ally-says-Blair-attacked-wrong-people-record-election-victories.html#ixzz3Nh0OKz9x
    Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
  • Options
    fitalass said:

    I really hope that the New Year brings some good news on the job front. And don't let the Insurance company get away with this, get some sound advice and fight them on this one. Hopefully there are one or two experts lurking around PB who might be able to step in with some advice via vanilla messages.

    malcolmg said:

    FPT: Divvie, good luck on job hunting , try your best to get the insurance company to pay what they should , too many people ripped off by them.

    Thanks malcolm, & to Cyclefree & others on previous thread.
    I shall recycle some of your invective on the insurance company if they remain unhelpful.
    Thanks, I shall ride into 2015 on a wave of PB goodwill!
  • Options
    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    Moses_ said:

    @socrates

    "And the actual Tory party is now working with the Guardian to leak stories critical of UKIP. "

    Do Tell ...... Preferably supported with evidence or a linky.

    :-)

    I can't provide a link because Private Eye don't have their stories online, but this was well documented last year. The Tories were part of an anti-UKIP campaign by all three establishment parties and leaked stories to the Guardian. This followed on from Crosby saying that they would do a below the radar campaign to find mistakes from minor UKIP members:

    http://www.politicshome.com/uk/story/36426/
  • Options
    SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    edited January 2015

    fitalass said:

    "Clearly this is driven by the polls and the absence of bad news for Sturgeon and her party. The fact that the election of Labour’s new Scottish leader, Jim Murphy, has failed to dent the SNP’s polling position is clearly helping."

    Mike, now that we are over the Indy Referendum, Salmond's resignation and Sturgeon's coronation tour its now business as usual up here in Scotland. And right now the SNP do have a few domestic problems which have been steadily piling up after being sidelined during the Indy Referendum campaign this year. Namely the state of the Scottish NHS.

    Good point - but as yet this has yet to find its way into the polls.

    Domestic problems didn't bring down the BQ in Canada, they threw all the problems of Quebec not on their governance but on the lack of independence and still received 40-50% of the vote each time, until the Quebec nationalist voters figured out they wont get out of Canada and that independence was a lost cause, only then they reverted in the normal pattern of voting for the left.

    I expect the SNP saga to be mostly a replay of the BQ.
  • Options
    Danny565Danny565 Posts: 8,091
    edited January 2015
    Moses_ said:

    Apparently Milibands close aide reckons that Blair got too many middle class people voting for them and as such had to pander to them. Make of that that you will? Such a report though is not going to endear Labour to the very voters they need on side in May.


    "Tony Blair attracted the ‘wrong people’ to support Labour, a key ally of Ed Miliband claimed last night.
    In an extraordinary intervention, Neal Lawson said the record election victories won by New Labour were ‘too big’, and had forced the party to pander to the middle classes while in government in order to keep their support."


    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2893838/Labour-doesn-t-want-middle-class-votes-Red-Ed-s-ally-says-Blair-attacked-wrong-people-record-election-victories.html#ixzz3Nh0OKz9x
    Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

    Labour are currently much closer to the levels of middle-class support that Blair got, than they are to the working-class support that Blair got. Hence why Cambridge is looking fairly good for a Labour gain while they struggle mightily in the likes of Cannock Chase.
  • Options
    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    Danny565 said:

    Labour are currently much closer to the levels of middle-class support that Blair got, than they are to the working-class support that Blair got.

    Because they refuse to do anything on immigration other than "listen to concerns". That's the problem with being led by an out-of-touch political geek with an ideology that is hostile to the British working class.
  • Options
    JohnLilburneJohnLilburne Posts: 6,017
    Neil said:

    isam said:
    Really hard to say as it isnt clear what he posted.

    We are never told. PC has gone so far that the press seem afraid to publish what people are alleged to have said.
  • Options
    FlightpathFlightpath Posts: 4,012
    Socrates said:

    Moses_ said:

    @socrates

    "And the actual Tory party is now working with the Guardian to leak stories critical of UKIP. "

    Do Tell ...... Preferably supported with evidence or a linky.

    :-)

    I can't provide a link because Private Eye don't have their stories online, but this was well documented last year. The Tories were part of an anti-UKIP campaign by all three establishment parties and leaked stories to the Guardian. This followed on from Crosby saying that they would do a below the radar campaign to find mistakes from minor UKIP members:

    http://www.politicshome.com/uk/story/36426/
    UKIP is morphing into an LD style all things to all men party. Its peddling its lefty credentials now. The guardian will be loving it soon. Any policy will do as long as it appeals to the people in front of you. Work out the cost later.
    http://order-order.com/2015/01/02/red-ukip-call-for-higher-unemployment-benefits/
  • Options
    BlueberryBlueberry Posts: 408
    isam said:

    Blueberry said:

    isam said:

    Ishmael_X said:

    isam said:
    Mmmm, football fans are notorious for their opposition to this kind of thing. I lived in Fulham in the 80s and well remember the terrifying pro-LGBT rights chanting outside Stamford Bridge.

    "You're going home in a basque and suspender belt"
    I remember Culture Club filming a video at Stamford Bridge in the 80s. To much hilarity, the Shed greeted Boy George with "Ooh, ar, ooh, ooh ar, can you take a cu-cum-bah".
    To be fair it's little wonder there are no footballers out of the closet when John Fashanu calls Wimbledon the brother he never had.

    Nice
    It's only a matter of time I think. I'd guess somewhere like Holland, Spain or USA may be first to produce a really world class player who comes out, and then, perhaps transfers to the PL. Or it could be the UK - look at Elton John at Watford - I don't think anyone cares about his sexuality.

    Most football supporters have gay friends these days what with watching football now being a middle class activity, and all stadiums have cameras everywhere so any fan being abusive would end up on Match of the Day or YouTube. I think the abuse would soon die down.
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,990
    edited January 2015

    Neil said:

    isam said:
    Really hard to say as it isnt clear what he posted.

    We are never told. PC has gone so far that the press seem afraid to publish what people are alleged to have said.
    He either said 'cock' or 'no cock' in response to a picture. This can be gleaned by what is stated in the article. Hardly PC gone mad, it just doesn't add anything to the story to add a tweet saying 'cock' (although with the Mail, perhaps it does??)
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,054
    edited January 2015
    Socrates said:

    Neil said:

    isam said:
    Really hard to say as it isnt clear what he posted.

    It's always absurd when media organisations don't report the offending comments. It's all part of the philosophy that us plebeian readers aren't too be trusted with deciding for ourselves, and should just nod our heads in agreement at what our betters have decided is inappropriate.
    Agreed - it's surprising how widespread the view that people cannot be trusted to respond 'appropriately' - or alternatively would be struck dumb in horror and we cannot have that - in response to terrible views or comments really is. It can be taken to dangerous places, such a course. In this instance perhaps the lack of definitive explication hardly impacts things much, things seem pretty clear, but it is a trend that has at times been worrying.
  • Options
    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,369
    Moses_ said:

    Apparently Milibands close aide reckons ...

    The article doesn't actually say Neil Lawson is a close aide of Miliband, and he isn't. He's the one-man spokesman of Compass, and has ploughed his specialised furrow for years.

    As for allegedly offensive tweets by footballers, I'm not sure that the right way to handle them would be to publish them in national newspapers. Ignoring them seem more on the mark, unless they're illegal, in which case the normal process of justice should be followed.

  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    Ishmael_X said:

    isam said:
    Mmmm, football fans are notorious for their opposition to this kind of thing. I lived in Fulham in the 80s and well remember the terrifying pro-LGBT rights chanting outside Stamford Bridge.

    I recall that following the racist chanting at Zenit St Petersberg, for the second leg the Man City fans were singing "free Pussy Riot" etc.

    It is not often that football fans come out for radical feminists!
  • Options
    JohnLilburneJohnLilburne Posts: 6,017

    Socrates said:

    Moses_ said:

    @socrates

    "And the actual Tory party is now working with the Guardian to leak stories critical of UKIP. "

    Do Tell ...... Preferably supported with evidence or a linky.

    :-)

    I can't provide a link because Private Eye don't have their stories online, but this was well documented last year. The Tories were part of an anti-UKIP campaign by all three establishment parties and leaked stories to the Guardian. This followed on from Crosby saying that they would do a below the radar campaign to find mistakes from minor UKIP members:

    http://www.politicshome.com/uk/story/36426/
    UKIP is morphing into an LD style all things to all men party. Its peddling its lefty credentials now. The guardian will be loving it soon. Any policy will do as long as it appeals to the people in front of you. Work out the cost later.
    http://order-order.com/2015/01/02/red-ukip-call-for-higher-unemployment-benefits/
    A move towards contributory benefits and away from handouts would perhaps not entirely coincidentally stop recent immigrants getting them.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,054

    Socrates said:

    Moses_ said:

    @socrates

    "And the actual Tory party is now working with the Guardian to leak stories critical of UKIP. "

    Do Tell ...... Preferably supported with evidence or a linky.

    :-)

    I can't provide a link because Private Eye don't have their stories online, but this was well documented last year. The Tories were part of an anti-UKIP campaign by all three establishment parties and leaked stories to the Guardian. This followed on from Crosby saying that they would do a below the radar campaign to find mistakes from minor UKIP members:

    http://www.politicshome.com/uk/story/36426/
    UKIP is morphing into an LD style all things to all men party. Its peddling its lefty credentials now. The guardian will be loving it soon. Any policy will do as long as it appeals to the people in front of you. Work out the cost later.
    http://order-order.com/2015/01/02/red-ukip-call-for-higher-unemployment-benefits/
    Works very well until you have little choice but to have to join the governance game with the rest of the, and even if they win 10 seats UKIP can probably avoid that easy enough, as the LDs managed to do until they had over 50. So it shouldn't be a problem for them for quite some time I should think.

    That said, I personally have little problem with a pick and mix style of policy offering. The idea Labour or the Tories are defined by their ideological underpinnings today would be ludicrous, despite how much the partisans on both sides attempt to convince us otherwise, and if UKIP can come up with a mix of left or right that appeals to most people, nothing wrong with that. The same idea, perhaps less obviously, is undertaken when you see the main two jump all over the nonsensical political spectrum to issues once perceived as traditionally left or right on specific issues, if it will win them votes. UKIP are still formulating an identity now they are more of a major party is all.
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548

    Socrates said:

    Moses_ said:

    @socrates

    "And the actual Tory party is now working with the Guardian to leak stories critical of UKIP. "

    Do Tell ...... Preferably supported with evidence or a linky.

    :-)

    I can't provide a link because Private Eye don't have their stories online, but this was well documented last year. The Tories were part of an anti-UKIP campaign by all three establishment parties and leaked stories to the Guardian. This followed on from Crosby saying that they would do a below the radar campaign to find mistakes from minor UKIP members:

    http://www.politicshome.com/uk/story/36426/
    UKIP is morphing into an LD style all things to all men party. Its peddling its lefty credentials now. The guardian will be loving it soon. Any policy will do as long as it appeals to the people in front of you. Work out the cost later.
    http://order-order.com/2015/01/02/red-ukip-call-for-higher-unemployment-benefits/
    A move towards contributory benefits and away from handouts would perhaps not entirely coincidentally stop recent immigrants getting them.
    A move to a contribution based scheme would have much more purpose if (as in Labours version of a 5 year ban on immigrants getting benefits) if we were to remain in the EU...

    Also as most EU immigrants are in work, JSA matters much less than tax credits.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,054

    Moses_ said:

    Apparently Milibands close aide reckons ...

    As for allegedly offensive tweets by footballers, I'm not sure that the right way to handle them would be to publish them in national newspapers. Ignoring them seem more on the mark, unless they're illegal, in which case the normal process of justice should be followed.

    But since it wasn't ignored as it is being widely reported and we are supposed to be condemning the man, we really should know specifically and unequivocally what for, rather than glean it from the context.
  • Options
    JohnLilburneJohnLilburne Posts: 6,017
    RobD said:

    Neil said:

    isam said:
    Really hard to say as it isnt clear what he posted.

    We are never told. PC has gone so far that the press seem afraid to publish what people are alleged to have said.
    He either said 'cock' or 'no cock' in response to a picture. This can be gleaned by what is stated in the article. Hardly PC gone mad, it just doesn't add anything to the story to add a tweet saying 'cock' (although with the Mail, perhaps it does??)
    Well if all he did was to post Cock or No Cock in response to an online game, it doesn't seem too reprehensible. No one expects footballers to be too bright, after all.
  • Options
    JohnLilburneJohnLilburne Posts: 6,017

    Ishmael_X said:

    isam said:
    Mmmm, football fans are notorious for their opposition to this kind of thing. I lived in Fulham in the 80s and well remember the terrifying pro-LGBT rights chanting outside Stamford Bridge.

    I recall that following the racist chanting at Zenit St Petersberg, for the second leg the Man City fans were singing "free Pussy Riot" etc.

    It is not often that football fans come out for radical feminists!
    Are you sure that Man City fans know what a Pussy Riot is? It sounds like something you wouldn't mind a free one of.

  • Options
    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    RobD said:

    AndyJS said:

    Epic fail — "Muslim extremists hoping to disrupt international travel across the Western world fell a little short of their goal when they hacked into a Bristol bus timetable instead":

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11321499/Bristol-bus-timetable-hacked-by-terrorists.html

    Wonderful start to 2015. Guess you have to start small!!
    Reminds me of the most inspired piece of (British) counter-terrorism recently... they hacked into an Al-Qaeda training manual and replaced bomb-making instructions with a recipe for cupcakes...
  • Options
    CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,957

    fitalass said:

    "Clearly this is driven by the polls and the absence of bad news for Sturgeon and her party. The fact that the election of Labour’s new Scottish leader, Jim Murphy, has failed to dent the SNP’s polling position is clearly helping."

    Mike, now that we are over the Indy Referendum, Salmond's resignation and Sturgeon's coronation tour its now business as usual up here in Scotland. And right now the SNP do have a few domestic problems which have been steadily piling up after being sidelined during the Indy Referendum campaign this year. Namely the state of the Scottish NHS.

    Good point - but as yet this has yet to find its way into the polls.

    Just because SLAB say it exists is not a good philosophical position for a Scottish Tory to adopt as a verification of the truth.

    In any case, the Scottish Health Service- to give it its proper name before Mr Rifkind's mischievous change - does have problems - the biggest single problem, in many areas, by far being the PFI/PPP inheritance from Labour and the Tories. Not only did this destroy many existing hospitals and replace them with much less in the way of facilities, but it burdened them into future decades with ridiculous levels of payment and a managerial inflexibility that has to be seen to be believed.

  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,990

    RobD said:

    Neil said:

    isam said:
    Really hard to say as it isnt clear what he posted.

    We are never told. PC has gone so far that the press seem afraid to publish what people are alleged to have said.
    He either said 'cock' or 'no cock' in response to a picture. This can be gleaned by what is stated in the article. Hardly PC gone mad, it just doesn't add anything to the story to add a tweet saying 'cock' (although with the Mail, perhaps it does??)
    Well if all he did was to post Cock or No Cock in response to an online game, it doesn't seem too reprehensible. No one expects footballers to be too bright, after all.
    I'm just wondering how many more times we can say cock without the ban hammer coming down ;)
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548

    Ishmael_X said:

    isam said:
    Mmmm, football fans are notorious for their opposition to this kind of thing. I lived in Fulham in the 80s and well remember the terrifying pro-LGBT rights chanting outside Stamford Bridge.

    I recall that following the racist chanting at Zenit St Petersberg, for the second leg the Man City fans were singing "free Pussy Riot" etc.

    It is not often that football fans come out for radical feminists!
    Are you sure that Man City fans know what a Pussy Riot is? It sounds like something you wouldn't mind a free one of.

    I don't think they were interested in word analysis, so much as winding up the fans watching in Russia!
  • Options

    Socrates said:

    Moses_ said:

    @socrates

    "And the actual Tory party is now working with the Guardian to leak stories critical of UKIP. "

    Do Tell ...... Preferably supported with evidence or a linky.

    :-)

    I can't provide a link because Private Eye don't have their stories online, but this was well documented last year. The Tories were part of an anti-UKIP campaign by all three establishment parties and leaked stories to the Guardian. This followed on from Crosby saying that they would do a below the radar campaign to find mistakes from minor UKIP members:

    http://www.politicshome.com/uk/story/36426/
    UKIP is morphing into an LD style all things to all men party. Its peddling its lefty credentials now. The guardian will be loving it soon. Any policy will do as long as it appeals to the people in front of you. Work out the cost later.
    http://order-order.com/2015/01/02/red-ukip-call-for-higher-unemployment-benefits/
    A move towards contributory benefits and away from handouts would perhaps not entirely coincidentally stop recent immigrants getting them.
    But what would be the impact in, say, the poorer parts of Clacton?
  • Options
    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763
    Carnyx said:

    fitalass said:

    "Clearly this is driven by the polls and the absence of bad news for Sturgeon and her party. The fact that the election of Labour’s new Scottish leader, Jim Murphy, has failed to dent the SNP’s polling position is clearly helping."

    Mike, now that we are over the Indy Referendum, Salmond's resignation and Sturgeon's coronation tour its now business as usual up here in Scotland. And right now the SNP do have a few domestic problems which have been steadily piling up after being sidelined during the Indy Referendum campaign this year. Namely the state of the Scottish NHS.

    Good point - but as yet this has yet to find its way into the polls.

    Just because SLAB say it exists is not a good philosophical position for a Scottish Tory to adopt as a verification of the truth.

    In any case, the Scottish Health Service- to give it its proper name before Mr Rifkind's mischievous change - does have problems - the biggest single problem, in many areas, by far being the PFI/PPP inheritance from Labour and the Tories. Not only did this destroy many existing hospitals and replace them with much less in the way of facilities, but it burdened them into future decades with ridiculous levels of payment and a managerial inflexibility that has to be seen to be believed.

    lol

    because the bloke running the treasury 1997-2007 was an English Tory ?
  • Options
    JohnLilburneJohnLilburne Posts: 6,017
    kle4 said:

    Moses_ said:

    Apparently Milibands close aide reckons ...

    As for allegedly offensive tweets by footballers, I'm not sure that the right way to handle them would be to publish them in national newspapers. Ignoring them seem more on the mark, unless they're illegal, in which case the normal process of justice should be followed.

    But since it wasn't ignored as it is being widely reported and we are supposed to be condemning the man, we really should know specifically and unequivocally what for, rather than glean it from the context.
    And if I'm not told what people posted, I can't make up my own mind on how appalling it is or, indeed, if the law is a ass. What the hell is an illegal tweet anyway? Newspapers should still have qualified privilege to report it. Although I tend to the view that if something upsets the Daily Mail it is to be encouraged.

  • Options
    JohnLilburneJohnLilburne Posts: 6,017
    Charles said:

    RobD said:

    AndyJS said:

    Epic fail — "Muslim extremists hoping to disrupt international travel across the Western world fell a little short of their goal when they hacked into a Bristol bus timetable instead":

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11321499/Bristol-bus-timetable-hacked-by-terrorists.html

    Wonderful start to 2015. Guess you have to start small!!
    Reminds me of the most inspired piece of (British) counter-terrorism recently... they hacked into an Al-Qaeda training manual and replaced bomb-making instructions with a recipe for cupcakes...
    Where is the like button when you need it?

  • Options
    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    Manama: Saudi Arabia’s efforts to edge closer to setting a minimum age for marriage have received a blow after the Grand Mufti said there was nothing wrong with girls below 15 getting married.

    “There is currently no intention to discuss the issue,” Shaikh Abdul Aziz Al Shaikh said, quoted by local daily Al Riyadh on Sunday.

    http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/saudi-arabia-grand-mufti-says-no-opposition-to-underage-marriage-1.1429882

    And these are the anti-Al Qaeda groups that don't count as "extremists"...
  • Options
    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322

    Socrates said:

    Moses_ said:

    @socrates

    "And the actual Tory party is now working with the Guardian to leak stories critical of UKIP. "

    Do Tell ...... Preferably supported with evidence or a linky.

    :-)

    I can't provide a link because Private Eye don't have their stories online, but this was well documented last year. The Tories were part of an anti-UKIP campaign by all three establishment parties and leaked stories to the Guardian. This followed on from Crosby saying that they would do a below the radar campaign to find mistakes from minor UKIP members:

    http://www.politicshome.com/uk/story/36426/
    UKIP is morphing into an LD style all things to all men party. Its peddling its lefty credentials now. The guardian will be loving it soon. Any policy will do as long as it appeals to the people in front of you. Work out the cost later.
    http://order-order.com/2015/01/02/red-ukip-call-for-higher-unemployment-benefits/
    Quick! The Tories are getting criticised and the criticism is substantiated! Better change the subject!

    That was an impressive level of whataboutism, even for you.
  • Options
    MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382
    Good news

    David Herdson returns to his Saturday slot tomorrow - the first since his wife's car crash.
  • Options
    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322

    Socrates said:

    Moses_ said:

    @socrates

    "And the actual Tory party is now working with the Guardian to leak stories critical of UKIP. "

    Do Tell ...... Preferably supported with evidence or a linky.

    :-)

    I can't provide a link because Private Eye don't have their stories online, but this was well documented last year. The Tories were part of an anti-UKIP campaign by all three establishment parties and leaked stories to the Guardian. This followed on from Crosby saying that they would do a below the radar campaign to find mistakes from minor UKIP members:

    http://www.politicshome.com/uk/story/36426/
    UKIP is morphing into an LD style all things to all men party. Its peddling its lefty credentials now. The guardian will be loving it soon. Any policy will do as long as it appeals to the people in front of you. Work out the cost later.
    http://order-order.com/2015/01/02/red-ukip-call-for-higher-unemployment-benefits/
    A move towards contributory benefits and away from handouts would perhaps not entirely coincidentally stop recent immigrants getting them.
    But what would be the impact in, say, the poorer parts of Clacton?
    Beneficial, if it encourages a work ethic.
  • Options
    CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,957

    Carnyx said:

    fitalass said:

    "Clearly this is driven by the polls and the absence of bad news for Sturgeon and her party. The fact that the election of Labour’s new Scottish leader, Jim Murphy, has failed to dent the SNP’s polling position is clearly helping."

    Mike, now that we are over the Indy Referendum, Salmond's resignation and Sturgeon's coronation tour its now business as usual up here in Scotland. And right now the SNP do have a few domestic problems which have been steadily piling up after being sidelined during the Indy Referendum campaign this year. Namely the state of the Scottish NHS.

    Good point - but as yet this has yet to find its way into the polls.

    Just because SLAB say it exists is not a good philosophical position for a Scottish Tory to adopt as a verification of the truth.

    In any case, the Scottish Health Service- to give it its proper name before Mr Rifkind's mischievous change - does have problems - the biggest single problem, in many areas, by far being the PFI/PPP inheritance from Labour and the Tories. Not only did this destroy many existing hospitals and replace them with much less in the way of facilities, but it burdened them into future decades with ridiculous levels of payment and a managerial inflexibility that has to be seen to be believed.

    lol

    because the bloke running the treasury 1997-2007 was an English Tory ?
    Nothing to do with him being English or Aldebaranian.

    It was the Tories who invented the PPP/PFI system, though it did not develop fully until the Blair years.

  • Options
    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763
    Carnyx said:

    Carnyx said:

    fitalass said:

    "Clearly this is driven by the polls and the absence of bad news for Sturgeon and her party. The fact that the election of Labour’s new Scottish leader, Jim Murphy, has failed to dent the SNP’s polling position is clearly helping."

    Mike, now that we are over the Indy Referendum, Salmond's resignation and Sturgeon's coronation tour its now business as usual up here in Scotland. And right now the SNP do have a few domestic problems which have been steadily piling up after being sidelined during the Indy Referendum campaign this year. Namely the state of the Scottish NHS.

    Good point - but as yet this has yet to find its way into the polls.

    Just because SLAB say it exists is not a good philosophical position for a Scottish Tory to adopt as a verification of the truth.

    In any case, the Scottish Health Service- to give it its proper name before Mr Rifkind's mischievous change - does have problems - the biggest single problem, in many areas, by far being the PFI/PPP inheritance from Labour and the Tories. Not only did this destroy many existing hospitals and replace them with much less in the way of facilities, but it burdened them into future decades with ridiculous levels of payment and a managerial inflexibility that has to be seen to be believed.

    lol

    because the bloke running the treasury 1997-2007 was an English Tory ?
    Nothing to do with him being English or Aldebaranian.

    It was the Tories who invented the PPP/PFI system, though it did not develop fully until the Blair years.

    the basic form of PFI is no different from a lease. It was the added extras in the Brown years which screwed the whole thing up. Nats like yourself just refuse to face up to the fact that if it were an iScotland Brown would have been your PM and royally screwed the place up.
  • Options
    volcanopetevolcanopete Posts: 2,078
    Encouraging for SLAB.The renewed vigour under Murphy could see a good result with Labour losses in single figures.Remains awful for the LibDems in Scotland and they will do well to keep 4.
  • Options
    CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,957

    Carnyx said:

    Carnyx said:

    fitalass said:

    "Clearly this is driven by the polls and the absence of bad news for Sturgeon and her party. The fact that the election of Labour’s new Scottish leader, Jim Murphy, has failed to dent the SNP’s polling position is clearly helping."

    Mike, now that we are over the Indy Referendum, Salmond's resignation and Sturgeon's coronation tour its now business as usual up here in Scotland. And right now the SNP do have a few domestic problems which have been steadily piling up after being sidelined during the Indy Referendum campaign this year. Namely the state of the Scottish NHS.

    Good point - but as yet this has yet to find its way into the polls.

    Just because SLAB say it exists is not a good philosophical position for a Scottish Tory to adopt as a verification of the truth.

    In any case, the Scottish Health Service- to give it its proper name before Mr Rifkind's mischievous change - does have problems - the biggest single problem, in many areas, by far being the PFI/PPP inheritance from Labour and the Tories. Not only did this destroy many existing hospitals and replace them with much less in the way of facilities, but it burdened them into future decades with ridiculous levels of payment and a managerial inflexibility that has to be seen to be believed.

    lol

    because the bloke running the treasury 1997-2007 was an English Tory ?
    Nothing to do with him being English or Aldebaranian.

    It was the Tories who invented the PPP/PFI system, though it did not develop fully until the Blair years.

    the basic form of PFI is no different from a lease. It was the added extras in the Brown years which screwed the whole thing up. Nats like yourself just refuse to face up to the fact that if it were an iScotland Brown would have been your PM and royally screwed the place up.
    Interesting counterfactual idea, but Gordon Brown is the last person in the world to have had such a position, simply because independence presupposes total defeat for SLAB. It's the SNP who have led the fight for fiscal rectitude against PFI/PPP.

  • Options
    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763
    Carnyx said:

    Carnyx said:

    Carnyx said:

    fitalass said:

    "Clearly this is driven by the polls and the absence of bad news for Sturgeon and her party. The fact that the election of Labour’s new Scottish leader, Jim Murphy, has failed to dent the SNP’s polling position is clearly helping."

    Mike, now that we are over the Indy Referendum, Salmond's resignation and Sturgeon's coronation tour its now business as usual up here in Scotland. And right now the SNP do have a few domestic problems which have been steadily piling up after being sidelined during the Indy Referendum campaign this year. Namely the state of the Scottish NHS.

    Good point - but as yet this has yet to find its way into the polls.

    Just because SLAB say it exists is not a good philosophical position for a Scottish Tory to adopt as a verification of the truth.

    In any case, the Scottish Health Service- to give it its proper name before Mr Rifkind's inflexibility that has to be seen to be believed.

    lol

    because the bloke running the treasury 1997-2007 was an English Tory ?
    Nothing to do with him being English or Aldebaranian.

    It was the Tories who invented the PPP/PFI system, though it did not develop fully until the Blair years.

    the basic form of PFI is no different from a lease. It was the added extras in the Brown years which screwed the whole thing up. Nats like yourself just refuse to face up to the fact that if it were an iScotland Brown would have been your PM and royally screwed the place up.
    Interesting counterfactual idea, but Gordon Brown is the last person in the world to have had such a position, simply because independence presupposes total defeat for SLAB. It's the SNP who have led the fight for fiscal rectitude against PFI/PPP.

    ROFL

    SNP and fiscal rectitude ? Hows that oil price ?

    You remain stuck in a Lalal land where SLAB could never be in power, the recent history of Scotland suggests otherwise.

    And now we enter that interesting phase where the Holyrood govt no longer has a benign environment on which to keep spending. It will be interesting to see how the SNP handle it.

    Blame the english just for a change ?
  • Options

    Good news

    David Herdson returns to his Saturday slot tomorrow - the first since his wife's car crash.

    Bloody hell I feel really bad now. I had noticed that David had not been around recently but had missed the news as to why. Apologies to David and hope things are improving for him and his wife.
  • Options

    Good news

    David Herdson returns to his Saturday slot tomorrow - the first since his wife's car crash.

    I also missed the news of the accident. Hope David's wife gets well soon.
  • Options
    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    Carnyx said:

    In any case, the Scottish Health Service- to give it its proper name before Mr Rifkind's mischievous change - does have problems

    I should have had money on none of those problems being the fault of the party who have been in power in Scotland all these past years...

    SNP - Some Nother guys Problem

    Blame somebody, anybody, else...
  • Options
    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453

    ROFL

    SNP and fiscal rectitude ? Hows that oil price ?

    @ReutersBiz: Oil declines in thin, volatile trading: http://t.co/UaChArKNjl
  • Options
    volcanopetevolcanopete Posts: 2,078
    Carnyx said:

    fitalass said:

    "Clearly this is driven by the polls and the absence of bad news for Sturgeon and her party. The fact that the election of Labour’s new Scottish leader, Jim Murphy, has failed to dent the SNP’s polling position is clearly helping."

    Mike, now that we are over the Indy Referendum, Salmond's resignation and Sturgeon's coronation tour its now business as usual up here in Scotland. And right now the SNP do have a few domestic problems which have been steadily piling up after being sidelined during the Indy Referendum campaign this year. Namely the state of the Scottish NHS.

    Good point - but as yet this has yet to find its way into the polls.



    Just because SLAB say it exists is not a good philosophical position for a Scottish Tory to adopt as a verification of the truth.

    In any case, the Scottish Health Service- to give it its proper name before Mr Rifkind's mischievous change - does have problems - the biggest single problem, in many areas, by far being the PFI/PPP inheritance from Labour and the Tories. Not only did this destroy many existing hospitals and replace them with much less in the way of facilities, but it burdened them into future decades with ridiculous levels of payment and a managerial inflexibility that has to be seen to be believed.

    Osborne has continued the madness with PF2-mutton dressed as lamb-still PFI.The problem for any EU government is the 3% limit which the Treasury has insisted are rules when,in effect they are guidelines.The end product is that we are borrowing £ 300 billion for at least 13% when we could do so with gilts at 3%.The bankers need to take a big hair-cut and the rest is dealt with my QE instead so you buy out all the contracts at 10p in the £.This would save us an absolute fortune and give public services breathing space by taking the contracts centrally.

    I would form a PFI central contracts committee based in the Cabinet Office and commence renegotiation with the PFI bankers immediately and inform them we must get our house in order so bankers will have to take the haircut.


    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/private-finance-2-pf2
  • Options
    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983

    Good news

    David Herdson returns to his Saturday slot tomorrow - the first since his wife's car crash.

    I also missed the news of the accident. Hope David's wife gets well soon.
    Ditto.

    Best wishes to David and family (particularly Mrs Herdson obviously).

  • Options
    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763

    Carnyx said:

    fitalass said:

    "Clearly this is driven by the polls and the absence of bad news for Sturgeon and her party. The fact that the election of Labour’s new Scottish leader, Jim Murphy, has failed to dent the SNP’s polling position is clearly helping."

    Mike, now that we are over the Indy Referendum, Salmond's resignation and Sturgeon's coronation tour its now business as usual up here in Scotland. And right now the SNP do have a few domestic problems which have been steadily piling up after being sidelined during the Indy Referendum campaign this year. Namely the state of the Scottish NHS.

    Good point - but as yet this has yet to find its way into the polls.



    Just because SLAB say it exists is not a good philosophical position for a Scottish Tory to adopt as a verification of the truth.

    In any case, the Scottish Health Service- to give it its proper name before Mr Rifkind's mischievous change - does have problems - the biggest single problem, in many areas, by far being the PFI/PPP inheritance from Labour and the Tories. Not only did this destroy many existing hospitals and replace them with much less in the way of facilities, but it burdened them into future decades with ridiculous levels of payment and a managerial inflexibility that has to be seen to be believed.

    Osborne has continued the madness with PF2-mutton dressed as lamb-still PFI.The problem for any EU government is the 3% limit which the Treasury has insisted are rules when,in effect they are guidelines.The end product is that we are borrowing £ 300 billion for at least 13% when we could do so with gilts at 3%.The bankers need to take a big hair-cut and the rest is dealt with my QE instead so you buy out all the contracts at 10p in the £.This would save us an absolute fortune and give public services breathing space by taking the contracts centrally.

    I would form a PFI central contracts committee based in the Cabinet Office and commence renegotiation with the PFI bankers immediately and inform them we must get our house in order so bankers will have to take the haircut.


    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/private-finance-2-pf2
    precisely.
  • Options
    CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,957



    [edit]


    ROFL

    SNP and fiscal rectitude ? Hows that oil price ?

    You remain stuck in a Lalal land where SLAB could never be in power, the recent history of Scotland suggests otherwise.

    And now we enter that interesting phase where the Holyrood govt no longer has a benign environment on which to keep spending. It will be interesting to see how the SNP handle it.

    Blame the english just for a change ?

    What on earth are you talking about? We're the ones who want full responsibility - no problem about whose fault it is then.

    As for SLAB, their entire policy was based on preventing a referendum for independence, and therefore fiddling the voting system, and then when they fouled that up, getting in bed with Tories after decades denouncing them as spawn of the Thatcherite devil, allowing Mr Cameron to stab them in the back, etc. etc. They bet all on indyref and there is no way anything recogniseably SLAB could survive after losing an indyref. Not least because there is no such entity as a Scottish Labour Party - merely the local branch of Mr Miliband's organization. Less autonomy than the Scottish Tories or LDs, in fact. To talk of Labour in an independent Scotland is meaningless. No doubt some of the SLAB pols might survive and regroup, but that isn't the same thing at all.
  • Options
    CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,957

    Carnyx said:

    fitalass said:

    "Clearly this is driven by the polls and the absence of bad news for Sturgeon and her party. The fact that the election of Labour’s new Scottish leader, Jim Murphy, has failed to dent the SNP’s polling position is clearly helping."

    Mike, now that we are over the Indy Referendum, Salmond's resignation and Sturgeon's coronation tour its now business as usual up here in Scotland. And right now the SNP do have a few domestic problems which have been steadily piling up after being sidelined during the Indy Referendum campaign this year. Namely the state of the Scottish NHS.

    Good point - but as yet this has yet to find its way into the polls.



    Just because SLAB say it exists is not a good philosophical position for a Scottish Tory to adopt as a verification of the truth.

    In any case, the Scottish Health Service- to give it its proper name before Mr Rifkind's mischievous change - does have problems - the biggest single problem, in many areas, by far being the PFI/PPP inheritance from Labour and the Tories. Not only did this destroy many existing hospitals and replace them with much less in the way of facilities, but it burdened them into future decades with ridiculous levels of payment and a managerial inflexibility that has to be seen to be believed.

    Osborne has continued the madness with PF2-mutton dressed as lamb-still PFI.The problem for any EU government is the 3% limit which the Treasury has insisted are rules when,in effect they are guidelines.The end product is that we are borrowing £ 300 billion for at least 13% when we could do so with gilts at 3%.The bankers need to take a big hair-cut and the rest is dealt with my QE instead so you buy out all the contracts at 10p in the £.This would save us an absolute fortune and give public services breathing space by taking the contracts centrally.

    I would form a PFI central contracts committee based in the Cabinet Office and commence renegotiation with the PFI bankers immediately and inform them we must get our house in order so bankers will have to take the haircut.


    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/private-finance-2-pf2
    Quite so. That's very much the spirit of debate in Scotland.

    IIRC at least one major public body in Scotland has already bitten the bullet and paid the Danegeld to eliminate the arrangement.

  • Options
    Best wishes for Mrs H
  • Options
    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    Carnyx said:

    They bet all on indyref

    Good thing they won it then.
  • Options
    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763
    Carnyx said:



    [edit]


    ROFL

    SNP and fiscal rectitude ? Hows that oil price ?

    You remain stuck in a Lalal land where SLAB could never be in power, the recent history of Scotland suggests otherwise.

    And now we enter that interesting phase where the Holyrood govt no longer has a benign environment on which to keep spending. It will be interesting to see how the SNP handle it.

    Blame the english just for a change ?

    What on earth are you talking about? We're the ones who want full responsibility - no problem about whose fault it is then.

    As for SLAB, their entire policy was based on preventing a referendum for independence, and therefore fiddling the voting system, and then when they fouled that up, getting in bed with Tories after decades denouncing them as spawn of the Thatcherite devil, allowing Mr Cameron to stab them in the back, etc. etc. They bet all on indyref and there is no way anything recogniseably SLAB could survive after losing an indyref. Not least because there is no such entity as a Scottish Labour Party - merely the local branch of Mr Miliband's organization. Less autonomy than the Scottish Tories or LDs, in fact. To talk of Labour in an independent Scotland is meaningless. No doubt some of the SLAB pols might survive and regroup, but that isn't the same thing at all.
    well a nice re-run of Nat demons but I remain as puzzled as ever as to what the SNP will do different except try to spend non-existent oil money.

    As ever the only formula for clapped out nationalist movements remains to accentuate the few differences there might be and to create them where none exist.
  • Options
    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    Carnyx said:

    What on earth are you talking about? We're the ones who want full responsibility - no problem about whose fault it is then.

    Is this what Nicola calls "full responsibility"?
    Sturgeon ... called on Holyrood’s parties to unite around a plea to the UK Government to ease the tax burden on the sector and support innovation.

    She said: “The industry wants us to unite to call on the UK Government to accelerate action around the new investment allowance, they want us to unite to call on them to increase support for innovation, and I think we should call on the UK Government to take more action around reducing the supplementary charge.
    http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/first-minister-nicola-sturgeon-urged-4837553

    Those bastards in Westminster. Why won't they bail us out when our figures are wrong..?
  • Options
    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,369

    Good news

    David Herdson returns to his Saturday slot tomorrow - the first since his wife's car crash.

    Bloody hell I feel really bad now. I had noticed that David had not been around recently but had missed the news as to why. Apologies to David and hope things are improving for him and his wife.
    Hear hear - and welcome back David.

  • Options
    GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071

    Good news

    David Herdson returns to his Saturday slot tomorrow - the first since his wife's car crash.

    Bloody hell I feel really bad now. I had noticed that David had not been around recently but had missed the news as to why. Apologies to David and hope things are improving for him and his wife.
    Hear hear - and welcome back David.

    Indeed, welcome back and best wishes to Mrs H.
    Even if I'm playing catch-up I read every thread on PB (with a bit of skimming!) and I missed the news first time around (if indeed it was announced)
  • Options
    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,608
    edited January 2015

    Good news

    David Herdson returns to his Saturday slot tomorrow - the first since his wife's car crash.

    Bloody hell I feel really bad now. I had noticed that David had not been around recently but had missed the news as to why. Apologies to David and hope things are improving for him and his wife.
    I don't think David Herdson's bad news was mentioned publicly on PB, which is why you shouldn't feel bad.
  • Options
    Sort of on topic

    Tories to outspend Labour by 3 to 1 in general election

    Ed Miliband’s campaign chief insists party can win key seats through ‘conversation by conversation’ local activism

    http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jan/02/labour-general-election-campaign-douglas-alexander
  • Options
    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763

    Sort of on topic

    Tories to outspend Labour by 3 to 1 in general election

    Ed Miliband’s campaign chief insists party can win key seats through ‘conversation by conversation’ local activism

    http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jan/02/labour-general-election-campaign-douglas-alexander

    Tories to outspend Labour by 3 to 1 in general election

    they sort of need to

    but advertising can never make up for a weak product
  • Options

    Sort of on topic

    Tories to outspend Labour by 3 to 1 in general election

    Ed Miliband’s campaign chief insists party can win key seats through ‘conversation by conversation’ local activism

    http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jan/02/labour-general-election-campaign-douglas-alexander

    Tories to outspend Labour by 3 to 1 in general election

    they sort of need to

    but advertising can never make up for a weak product
    George Osborne is the most popular politician in the country*

    He's not a weak product. He's the Bollinger to Labour's white lightning.

    *technically he's the least unpopular politician in the country.
  • Options
    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453

    advertising can never make up for a weak product

    Ed is ****ed then
  • Options
    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763

    Sort of on topic

    Tories to outspend Labour by 3 to 1 in general election

    Ed Miliband’s campaign chief insists party can win key seats through ‘conversation by conversation’ local activism

    http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jan/02/labour-general-election-campaign-douglas-alexander

    Tories to outspend Labour by 3 to 1 in general election

    they sort of need to

    but advertising can never make up for a weak product
    George Osborne is the most popular politician in the country*

    He's not a weak product. He's the Bollinger to Labour's white lightning.

    *technically he's the least unpopular politician in the country.
    I once had a badge for a Trabant de Luxe. Same thing.
  • Options
    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763
    Scott_P said:

    advertising can never make up for a weak product

    Ed is ****ed then
    neither blue nor red is looking convincing.
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,990

    Sort of on topic

    Tories to outspend Labour by 3 to 1 in general election

    Ed Miliband’s campaign chief insists party can win key seats through ‘conversation by conversation’ local activism

    http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jan/02/labour-general-election-campaign-douglas-alexander

    Tories to outspend Labour by 3 to 1 in general election

    they sort of need to

    but advertising can never make up for a weak product
    George Osborne is the most popular politician in the country*

    He's not a weak product. He's the Bollinger to Labour's white lightning.

    *technically he's the least unpopular politician in the country.
    And the most popular heir-to-a-baronetcy to boot!
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 41,006
    Who has come down 10 on the back of the SNP rise in spins market ?
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 41,006
    edited January 2015
    .
  • Options

    Sort of on topic

    Tories to outspend Labour by 3 to 1 in general election

    Ed Miliband’s campaign chief insists party can win key seats through ‘conversation by conversation’ local activism

    http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jan/02/labour-general-election-campaign-douglas-alexander

    Tories to outspend Labour by 3 to 1 in general election

    they sort of need to

    but advertising can never make up for a weak product
    George Osborne is the most popular politician in the country*

    He's not a weak product. He's the Bollinger to Labour's white lightning.

    *technically he's the least unpopular politician in the country.
    I once had a badge for a Trabant de Luxe. Same thing.
    Always knew you were a Commie.

    Only lefties are so enraged by Osborne's brilliance :-)
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548

    Scott_P said:

    advertising can never make up for a weak product

    Ed is ****ed then
    neither blue nor red is looking convincing.
    Looking at the midpoint of the spreads above, it seems that is the punters view too. I cannot see a viable government on those figures.

    PS sorry to hear of DH and TUDs misfortunes, I hope the New Year brings better fortunes.
  • Options
    RobD said:

    Sort of on topic

    Tories to outspend Labour by 3 to 1 in general election

    Ed Miliband’s campaign chief insists party can win key seats through ‘conversation by conversation’ local activism

    http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jan/02/labour-general-election-campaign-douglas-alexander

    Tories to outspend Labour by 3 to 1 in general election

    they sort of need to

    but advertising can never make up for a weak product
    George Osborne is the most popular politician in the country*

    He's not a weak product. He's the Bollinger to Labour's white lightning.

    *technically he's the least unpopular politician in the country.
    And the most popular heir-to-a-baronetcy to boot!
    He achieved all of this after his career ending tears at Lady Thatcher's funeral.
This discussion has been closed.