Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.

Options

politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Local By-Election Preview : January 29th 2015

2»

Comments

  • Options

    Thanks for that. You're a charming chappie, aren't you?

    You shouldn't equate not wishing to see pb.com hijacked day after day about this topic, with disinterest in, or complicity towards, the topic itself.

    Actually, why am I even bothering?

    Night.
    You are the one that accused Socrates of a religious and racist rant.
  • Options
    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633

    TGOHF said:

    Red comrade Hain going big love for the new communist regime in Athens on QT.

    Unfortunately even Ed M is not stupid enough to fall into that trap.
    The firebrand from PC has.
  • Options
    MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699
    Turnout in St Albans 37.5% relatively high for a January by election
  • Options
    AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    Wrexham is probably UKIP's best shot in Wales. They should be able to come second IMO.
  • Options

    To borrow a phrase from Boris.

    Two complete wan**rs

    twitter.com/GabrielScally/status/560422310944178176/photo/1

    Labour supporters attacking their own.

    Just what I want to see three months before the election.

    What makes it even funnier, it is on Labour's favoured turf, the NHS,

    Keep up the good work.

    Have you read atulh on Labour Uncut, he makes the point how the frothing lefties go to bits over these 'collaborators' challenging the party line and yet there is total silence when the 15 rabid lefty current MPs just this week wrote calling for a change in a host of their own policies....
  • Options
    FlightpathFlightpath Posts: 4,012
    Ishmael_X said:

    Ishmael_X said:

    The hypocricy from King Dan is fantastic. Check out his twitter page, where he was cheering on that other gobs***e Danczuk a few months back on the very same issue, who wants to go much further on immigration and is UKIP in all but name.

    Miliband 12/11/14 “Unlike the Tories, what we will never do is try to out-Ukip Ukip,”

    Farage 4/1/15 "If people don't speak English and they are dealing with English-speaking patients surely they shouldn't be employed in the first place."

    Labour 26/1/15 "Labour will make sure that all frontline public sector staff can speak English".

    That's hypocrisy.
    So "we will never try to out-Ukip Ukip" means "we will never have any area of policy agreement with Ukip"?
    Yes, if it's in an area where you never had or felt the need for having a policy at all until three weeks after Ukip announced one.

    If you look back you can see endless 'policy' speeches going way back to Blair in 2005
    (“For those planning to stay longer, we will restrict the right of settlement to skilled workers like doctors, engineers, nurses or teachers and will introduce English language tests for those hoping to settle permanently.”)
    and finishing with Brown in is now notorious 2007 speech to the TUC
    (“Let me add for those who come to Britain to do skilled work we will first require you to learn English, a requirement we are prepared to extend to lower skilled workers as well.”)
    which talk about immigrants learning English.

    I am happy to criticise them for simply being socialists, but you can criticise them for the language they are couched in or that nothing actually happened but they certainly talked about it.
  • Options
    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,566
    edited January 2015

    To borrow a phrase from Boris.

    Two complete wan**rs

    twitter.com/GabrielScally/status/560422310944178176/photo/1

    Labour supporters attacking their own.

    Just what I want to see three months before the election.

    What makes it even funnier, it is on Labour's favoured turf, the NHS,

    Keep up the good work.

    Have you read atulh on Labour Uncut, he makes the point how the frothing lefties go to bits over these 'collaborators' challenging the party line and yet there is total silence when the 15 rabid lefty current MPs just this week wrote calling for a change in a host of their own policies....
    I did.

    Labour supporters should follow my tempered measured response when dealing with UKIP collaborators, pig dogs and EU and Gay obsessed Loons within the Tory Party

    Edit: Did you hear, Nick Clegg admitted he was an Arsenal fan
  • Options
    Pulpstar said:

    Ishmael_X said:

    The hypocricy from King Dan is fantastic. Check out his twitter page, where he was cheering on that other gobs***e Danczuk a few months back on the very same issue, who wants to go much further on immigration and is UKIP in all but name.

    Miliband 12/11/14 “Unlike the Tories, what we will never do is try to out-Ukip Ukip,”

    Farage 4/1/15 "If people don't speak English and they are dealing with English-speaking patients surely they shouldn't be employed in the first place."

    Labour 26/1/15 "Labour will make sure that all frontline public sector staff can speak English".

    That's hypocrisy.
    Eh ?

    We have public sector frontline staff that can't currently speak English ?!
    That's 13 years of Edukachun under a Laboùr government for you.
  • Options
    SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    edited January 2015
    I just found out tonight about the Dutroux affair in Belgium, where supposedly more than a dozen senior politicians were connected to a paedophile ring:

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/apr/21/stephenbates
    http://articles.latimes.com/1998/jan/03/news/mn-4579/2

    Does this explain the lack of action in the UK? Is something similar going on here?
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    edited January 2015

    Scott_P said:

    @BBCAllegra: Fresh worries about Labour's NHS policy - this time from one of UK's most respected surgeons + former Lab minister http://t.co/IiOBMNRjds

    However, Mr Le Grande said the preferred provider policy was "daft".

    "It's protectionist, it's going to protect the inefficient. It's going to protect the incompetence, it's going to protect the low quality service," he said.


    Well, quite. Only the most ideologically obsessed, or those conflicted because they are themselves part of the vested interests being thus protected, could possibly disagree with that.
    It is not as simple as that. The NHS has to think wider and balance the short term interest with the wider public health and long term interest.

    So if a locality outsources all its knee and hip surgery to a private ISTC, the waiting list will come down, and the individuals will probably benefit (though some ISTCs have not worked too well, google Shepton Mallet scandal or Birkdale) but there will be no training of Medical Students, Junior Doctors or Theatre Nurses. It will also mean that the local NHS unit may not be viable in offering a fracture service as without the bread and butter work it is impossible to maintain the staffing and expertise required to run the out of hours. You think GP out of hours is a mess, wait until your local A and E closes because the fracture unit is no longer viable.
  • Options
    FlightpathFlightpath Posts: 4,012


    Survivors of child sex abuse have received death threats after their personal details and confidential communications with an abuse inquiry were published online.

    Home Secretary Theresa May has written to Mr Vaz describing her "dismay" at the Committee's publishing of the documents.

    http://news.sky.com/story/1417450/death-threats-after-files-published-online

    !!

    If Theresa May were to get her finger out and get on with the Inquiry she'd have some reason to grumble.
    Since whatever is announced is objected to she is facing some difficulty there. Do we now seriously expect anything before the Election?
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 40,988

    Ishmael_X said:

    Ishmael_X said:

    The hypocricy from King Dan is fantastic. Check out his twitter page, where he was cheering on that other gobs***e Danczuk a few months back on the very same issue, who wants to go much further on immigration and is UKIP in all but name.

    Miliband 12/11/14 “Unlike the Tories, what we will never do is try to out-Ukip Ukip,”

    Farage 4/1/15 "If people don't speak English and they are dealing with English-speaking patients surely they shouldn't be employed in the first place."

    Labour 26/1/15 "Labour will make sure that all frontline public sector staff can speak English".

    That's hypocrisy.
    So "we will never try to out-Ukip Ukip" means "we will never have any area of policy agreement with Ukip"?
    Yes, if it's in an area where you never had or felt the need for having a policy at all until three weeks after Ukip announced one.

    If you look back you can see endless 'policy' speeches going way back to Blair in 2005
    (“For those planning to stay longer, we will restrict the right of settlement to skilled workers like doctors, engineers, nurses or teachers and will introduce English language tests for those hoping to settle permanently.”)
    and finishing with Brown in is now notorious 2007 speech to the TUC
    (“Let me add for those who come to Britain to do skilled work we will first require you to learn English, a requirement we are prepared to extend to lower skilled workers as well.”)
    which talk about immigrants learning English.

    I am happy to criticise them for simply being socialists, but you can criticise them for the language they are couched in or that nothing actually happened but they certainly talked about it.
    Crazy to expect people to learn English if there are enough people to speak their own language to here anyway... Why would you?

    If I went to work in a non English speaking country w my family and there were large parts of cities where English people lived, I'd live in that part and speak English

    Limit the numbers and a bigger % will speak good English

    The politicians can talk about doing this or that but it won't work, they just haven't hit the guts to do the only thing that will
  • Options
    scotslassscotslass Posts: 912
    If the suggestions from Lord Ashcroft are correct about the Scottish seats are correct then will it be time for someone to suggest that Jim Murpy's spell as Labour leader should be brought to a rapid close?
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 40,988
    Dangermouse (@Dangermouse_UK)
    29/01/2015 23:23
    1,500 Cases Of FGM Seen In The Last Five Years At One Birmingham Hospital - Breitbart bit.ly/1uFaK3P via @BreitbartNews MAn Alive!
  • Options
    FlightpathFlightpath Posts: 4,012
    isam said:

    Ishmael_X said:

    Ishmael_X said:

    The hypocricy from King Dan is fantastic. Check out his twitter page, where he was cheering on that other gobs***e Danczuk a few months back on the very same issue, who wants to go much further on immigration and is UKIP in all but name.

    Miliband 12/11/14 “Unlike the Tories, what we will never do is try to out-Ukip Ukip,”

    Farage 4/1/15 "If people don't speak English and they are dealing with English-speaking patients surely they shouldn't be employed in the first place."

    Labour 26/1/15 "Labour will make sure that all frontline public sector staff can speak English".

    That's hypocrisy.
    So "we will never try to out-Ukip Ukip" means "we will never have any area of policy agreement with Ukip"?
    Yes, if it's in an area where you never had or felt the need for having a policy at all until three weeks after Ukip announced one.

    If you look back you can see endless 'policy' speeches going way back to Blair in 2005
    (“For those planning to stay longer, we will restrict the right of settlement to skilled workers like doctors, engineers, nurses or teachers and will introduce English language tests for those hoping to settle permanently.”)
    and finishing with Brown in is now notorious 2007 speech to the TUC
    (“Let me add for those who come to Britain to do skilled work we will first require you to learn English, a requirement we are prepared to extend to lower skilled workers as well.”)
    which talk about immigrants learning English.

    I am happy to criticise them for simply being socialists, but you can criticise them for the language they are couched in or that nothing actually happened but they certainly talked about it.
    Crazy to expect people to learn English if there are enough people to speak their own language to here anyway... Why would you?
    If I went to work in a non English speaking country w my family and there were large parts of cities where English people lived, I'd live in that part and speak English

    ...
    If you went as a retired ex-pat then you might be happy not learning the local language - but it would be your problem.
    Do you seriously expect to go and, importantly, 'work' as well as live permanently somewhere and not learn the language. I have relatives who live abroad - have done for decades and they work and speak the language like natives.
  • Options
    Socrates said:

    I just found out tonight about the Dutroux affair in Belgium, where supposedly more than a dozen senior politicians were connected to a paedophile ring:

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/apr/21/stephenbates
    http://articles.latimes.com/1998/jan/03/news/mn-4579/2

    Does this explain the lack of action in the UK? Is something similar going on here?

    Socrates said:

    I just found out tonight about the Dutroux affair in Belgium, where supposedly more than a dozen senior politicians were connected to a paedophile ring:

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/apr/21/stephenbates
    http://articles.latimes.com/1998/jan/03/news/mn-4579/2

    Does this explain the lack of action in the UK? Is something similar going on here?

    Socrates said:

    I just found out tonight about the Dutroux affair in Belgium, where supposedly more than a dozen senior politicians were connected to a paedophile ring:

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/apr/21/stephenbates
    http://articles.latimes.com/1998/jan/03/news/mn-4579/2

    Does this explain the lack of action in the UK? Is something similar going on here?

    Not sure but I would tend to say yes, the Dutroux stuff has been in the public domain for some time
  • Options
    isam said:

    Dangermouse (@Dangermouse_UK)
    29/01/2015 23:23
    1,500 Cases Of FGM Seen In The Last Five Years At One Birmingham Hospital - Breitbart bit.ly/1uFaK3P via @BreitbartNews MAn Alive!

    Don't worry Harriet will sort it.
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 40,988

    isam said:

    Ishmael_X said:

    Ishmael_X said:

    The hypocricy from King Dan is fantastic. Check out his twitter page, where he was cheering on that other gobs***e Danczuk a few months back on the very same issue, who wants to go much further on immigration and is UKIP in all but name.

    Miliband 12/11/14 “Unlike the Tories, what we will never do is try to out-Ukip Ukip,”

    Farage 4/1/15 "If people don't speak English and they are dealing with English-speaking patients surely they shouldn't be employed in the first place."

    Labour 26/1/15 "Labour will make sure that all frontline public sector staff can speak English".

    That's hypocrisy.
    So "we will never try to out-Ukip Ukip" means "we will never have any area of policy agreement with Ukip"?
    Yes, if it's in an area where you never had or felt the need for having a policy at all until three weeks after Ukip announced one.

    If you look back you can see endless 'policy' speeches going way back to Blair in 2005
    (“For those planning to stay longer, we will restrict the right of settlement to skilled workers like doctors, engineers, nurses or teachers and will introduce English language tests for those hoping to settle permanently.”)
    and finishing with Brown in is now notorious 2007 speech to the TUC
    (“Let me add for those who come to Britain to do skilled work we will first require you to learn English, a requirement we are prepared to extend to lower skilled workers as well.”)
    which talk about immigrants learning English.

    I am happy to criticise them for simply being socialists, but you can criticise them for the language they are couched in or that nothing actually happened but they certainly talked about it.
    Crazy to expect people to learn English if there are enough people to speak their own language to here anyway... Why would you?
    If I went to work in a non English speaking country w my family and there were large parts of cities where English people lived, I'd live in that part and speak English

    ...
    If you went as a retired ex-pat then you might be happy not learning the local language - but it would be your problem.
    Do you seriously expect to go and, importantly, 'work' as well as live permanently somewhere and not learn the language. I have relatives who live abroad - have done for decades and they work and speak the language like natives.
    Good for them

    Plenty don't though and the reason is there is no need when the community you live in all speak your native tongue anyway

  • Options
    FlightpathFlightpath Posts: 4,012
    ''wait until your local A and E closes because the fracture unit is no longer viable.''

    Mr Fox - you do point to the limits of outsourcing, but you do use an extreme example. I'm not sure that is helpful. A hospital deals with cases until it reaches its capacity. The private company can deal with cases from several hospitals as they need it.

    Off topic I have just seen Alan Johnson's 'moment of the week' on TV where he strangely seems to talk down the Green Party leader and talk up the UKIP leader.
    Now why would he do that I wonder. I mean its not as if we could expect him (a sitting MP) to take the opportunity of being paid as a BBC commentator to make crude political advantage.
  • Options
    37.5% is a pretty high turnout for any British council by election.
  • Options
    JohnLilburneJohnLilburne Posts: 6,016

    Scott_P said:

    @MrHarryCole: Hear Labour were refusing all day to put anyone up on #Newsnight to talk about NHS. Have they managed to weaponise someone yet? Why so shy?

    Labour ought to be embarrassed.
    But its also amusing to read that the co editor of Guido Fawkes, went to Tonbridge School before reading politics at Edinburgh and has never had a 'proper job' in his still juvenile life. Remind me just what is the big hate for the the anti establishment figures that love Guido?
    I think we might have different standards for internet journalists and people who want to run the country.

  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548

    ''wait until your local A and E closes because the fracture unit is no longer viable.''

    Mr Fox - you do point to the limits of outsourcing, but you do use an extreme example. I'm not sure that is helpful. A hospital deals with cases until it reaches its capacity. The private company can deal with cases from several hospitals as they need it.

    Off topic I have just seen Alan Johnson's 'moment of the week' on TV where he strangely seems to talk down the Green Party leader and talk up the UKIP leader.
    Now why would he do that I wonder. I mean its not as if we could expect him (a sitting MP) to take the opportunity of being paid as a BBC commentator to make crude political advantage.

    The current tariff structure means that hospitals lose money on emergency work and make it on the elective work.

    Trusts have to work to nationally set tariffs. It would be possible to adjust tariffs to reverse this, but it cannot be done quickly. Once a unit loses its staff, they are hard to replace - even recruiting abroad.

    It is not some bizarre scare story of mine, just that a critical mass of services are required in order to keep an acute hospital viable. So in Nottingham, Circle healthcare got the contract for dermatology, so the staff voted with their feet by leaving, junior doctors had to train elsewhere (Leicester gained a couple) and the people of Nottingham lost an integrated dermatology service:

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nhs-services-cut-in-nottingham-after-doctors-quit-rather-than-work-for-private-firm-9931763.html
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,131
    BUSH: “Hey, Hill. It’s Jeb.”

    CLINTON: “Hey, Jeb. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

    BUSH: “Well, it’s true — I’m thinking about running for president.”

    CLINTON: “Well, Jeb, so am I.”

    BUSH: “I just wanted to call and give you a heads-up in hopes we could work something out.”

    CLINTON: “What do you mean, Jeb? It’s clearly my turn: Bush, Clinton, Bush. Now, Clinton.”

    BUSH: “Well, Hillary, there hasn’t been a Republican White House without a Bush since 1977, and we’re ready to be back.”

    CLINTON: “Let me shoot straight with you, Jeb, OK? Bill and I are dead broke and need a place to stay. 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is calling me home — I’ve still got the back door key. Being president offers a lot more job security than writing another memoir.”

    BUSH: “Well, the Bushes have weathered attacks before. And READ MY LIPS, Hillary: We’re not backing down this time.”

    CLINTON: “Well, you’re right — maybe we can work something out. We both agree on so many issues: bigger government, Common Core, and amnesty for illegal immigrants.”

    BUSH: “Well, we’ve both got problems. You’ve got problems with the grass roots, and I’ve got all those damn conservatives. What say, we make a deal?”

    [Call beeps in.]

    BUSH: “Sorry, Hillary, but I have to go. Mitt keeps calling.”


    Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/rand-paul-secret-tape-114739.html#ixzz3QGBcdgH9
  • Options
    Sean_F said:

    A simple average puts the Conservatives 0.3% ahead, this week.

    I make it 0.4% on simple average - need the latest YG table for ELBOW.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,987
    What's the word on the street in St Albans ?
  • Options
    St. Albans Council seam to be taking their time.
  • Options
    BTW yesterday's YG (the 33 v 33 one) was actually Lab 33.3, Con 32.5 :)
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548

    ''wait until your local A and E closes because the fracture unit is no longer viable.''

    Mr Fox - you do point to the limits of outsourcing, but you do use an extreme example. I'm not sure that is helpful. A hospital deals with cases until it reaches its capacity. The private company can deal with cases from several hospitals as they need it.

    Off topic I have just seen Alan Johnson's 'moment of the week' on TV where he strangely seems to talk down the Green Party leader and talk up the UKIP leader.
    Now why would he do that I wonder. I mean its not as if we could expect him (a sitting MP) to take the opportunity of being paid as a BBC commentator to make crude political advantage.

    The current tariff structure means that hospitals lose money on emergency work and make it on the elective work.

    Trusts have to work to nationally set tariffs. It would be possible to adjust tariffs to reverse this, but it cannot be done quickly. Once a unit loses its staff, they are hard to replace - even recruiting abroad.

    It is not some bizarre scare story of mine, just that a critical mass of services are required in order to keep an acute hospital viable. So in Nottingham, Circle healthcare got the contract for dermatology, so the staff voted with their feet by leaving, junior doctors had to train elsewhere (Leicester gained a couple) and the people of Nottingham lost an integrated dermatology service:

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nhs-services-cut-in-nottingham-after-doctors-quit-rather-than-work-for-private-firm-9931763.html
    I should have pointed out: as well as putting all services out to bid by "any qualified provider" the HSC bill removed the obligation of providers or even the Secretary of State for Health to provide comprehensive services. The NHS is not obligated to keep your A/E open!

    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/14/emergency-departments-fighting-for-life-nhs-marketisation?CMP=share_btn_tw
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,987

    BTW yesterday's YG (the 33 v 33 one) was actually Lab 33.3, Con 32.5 :)

    Broken, sleazy...
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,987

    ''wait until your local A and E closes because the fracture unit is no longer viable.''

    Mr Fox - you do point to the limits of outsourcing, but you do use an extreme example. I'm not sure that is helpful. A hospital deals with cases until it reaches its capacity. The private company can deal with cases from several hospitals as they need it.

    Off topic I have just seen Alan Johnson's 'moment of the week' on TV where he strangely seems to talk down the Green Party leader and talk up the UKIP leader.
    Now why would he do that I wonder. I mean its not as if we could expect him (a sitting MP) to take the opportunity of being paid as a BBC commentator to make crude political advantage.

    The current tariff structure means that hospitals lose money on emergency work and make it on the elective work.

    Trusts have to work to nationally set tariffs. It would be possible to adjust tariffs to reverse this, but it cannot be done quickly. Once a unit loses its staff, they are hard to replace - even recruiting abroad.

    It is not some bizarre scare story of mine, just that a critical mass of services are required in order to keep an acute hospital viable. So in Nottingham, Circle healthcare got the contract for dermatology, so the staff voted with their feet by leaving, junior doctors had to train elsewhere (Leicester gained a couple) and the people of Nottingham lost an integrated dermatology service:

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nhs-services-cut-in-nottingham-after-doctors-quit-rather-than-work-for-private-firm-9931763.html
    I should have pointed out: as well as putting all services out to bid by "any qualified provider" the HSC bill removed the obligation of providers or even the Secretary of State for Health to provide comprehensive services. The NHS is not obligated to keep your A/E open!

    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/14/emergency-departments-fighting-for-life-nhs-marketisation?CMP=share_btn_tw
    Wasn't Circle the same provider that got the Hichingbrooke contract ?

  • Options
    saddenedsaddened Posts: 2,245
    Britain elects, tweeting Tories hold both saint Albans seats, no figures given. Can't link as on my kindle which makes it a pain.
  • Options
    Tissue_PriceTissue_Price Posts: 9,039
    CON DOUBLE HOLD

    Britain Elects ‏@britainelects 32s33 seconds ago
    Marshalswick South (St Albans) vote result:
    CON: 667
    CON: 647
    LD: 495
    LD: 488
    GRN: 450
    LAB: 406
    LAB: 312
    GRN: 166
    UKIP: 148
    UKIP: 147
  • Options
    Tissue_PriceTissue_Price Posts: 9,039
    Interesting Green figures there
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    Pulpstar said:

    ''wait until your local A and E closes because the fracture unit is no longer viable.''

    Mr Fox - you do point to the limits of outsourcing, but you do use an extreme example. I'm not sure that is helpful. A hospital deals with cases until it reaches its capacity. The private company can deal with cases from several hospitals as they need it.

    Off topic I have just seen Alan Johnson's 'moment of the week' on TV where he strangely seems to talk down the Green Party leader and talk up the UKIP leader.
    Now why would he do that I wonder. I mean its not as if we could expect him (a sitting MP) to take the opportunity of being paid as a BBC commentator to make crude political advantage.

    The current tariff structure means that hospitals lose money on emergency work and make it on the elective work.

    Trusts have to work to nationally set tariffs. It would be possible to adjust tariffs to reverse this, but it cannot be done quickly. Once a unit loses its staff, they are hard to replace - even recruiting abroad.

    It is not some bizarre scare story of mine, just that a critical mass of services are required in order to keep an acute hospital viable. So in Nottingham, Circle healthcare got the contract for dermatology, so the staff voted with their feet by leaving, junior doctors had to train elsewhere (Leicester gained a couple) and the people of Nottingham lost an integrated dermatology service:

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nhs-services-cut-in-nottingham-after-doctors-quit-rather-than-work-for-private-firm-9931763.html
    I should have pointed out: as well as putting all services out to bid by "any qualified provider" the HSC bill removed the obligation of providers or even the Secretary of State for Health to provide comprehensive services. The NHS is not obligated to keep your A/E open!

    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/14/emergency-departments-fighting-for-life-nhs-marketisation?CMP=share_btn_tw
    Wasn't Circle the same provider that got the Hichingbrooke contract ?

    Yes. They run treatment centres too and a private hospital in Bath. I was invited to join them at startup but was not convinced by their business model.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,987
    Helpfully everyone has put up two candidates - so I assume straight summation of the totals is OK...

    3.7% Con -> LD Swing, Greens up 6.5% I make it.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,987
    edited January 2015
    Although one of the Greens has LOST votes (On a smaller turnout) - so yes a good night for the Greens and slightly poor for the Tories here I think.
  • Options
    MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699
    Pulpstar said:

    Helpfully everyone has put up two candidates - so I assume straight summation of the totals is OK...

    3.7% Con -> LD Swing, Greens up 6.5% I make it.

    Not quite correct if you take average vote of the 2 candidates

    Con 33.5% down 5.5%
    LDem 25.0% up 6.0%
    Lab 18.3% down 4.7%
    Green 15.7% up 5.7%
    UKIP 7.5% down 1.5%

    Changes from May 2014
  • Options
    Pulpstar said:

    Helpfully everyone has put up two candidates - so I assume straight summation of the totals is OK...

    3.7% Con -> LD Swing, Greens up 6.5% I make it.

    I think it's better to actually just use the higher polling candidate for each party.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,987
    @MarkSenior Sure you don't have a Lib Dem and Labour number mixed up ?
  • Options
    MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699

    Pulpstar said:

    Helpfully everyone has put up two candidates - so I assume straight summation of the totals is OK...

    3.7% Con -> LD Swing, Greens up 6.5% I make it.

    I think it's better to actually just use the higher polling candidate for each party.
    Why , the calculation is easier but the result is distorted here where there is such a large discrepancy between the 2 Green candidates results . They were on the ballot paper as Green Party 1st and 2nd choice respectively . You could equally argue that it is better to take the lowest polling candidate for each party
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,987
    929 979
    651 486
    441 573
    188 258
    123 232



    39.3 Con
    23.4 LD
    20.9 Lab
    9.2 Green
    7.3 UKIP
  • Options
    justin124justin124 Posts: 11,527

    When was the last time a whole week of YouGovs went by with no Lab lead? OGH will know that one for sure.

    I'm multi tasking, but I think this is the first time since Dec 2010 that YouGov have gone a week without a Lab lead.
    The detail of last night's _ Wednesday - Yougov poll showed Con 32.5% - Lab 33.25%. Only rounding made them even.
  • Options
    justin124 said:

    When was the last time a whole week of YouGovs went by with no Lab lead? OGH will know that one for sure.

    I'm multi tasking, but I think this is the first time since Dec 2010 that YouGov have gone a week without a Lab lead.
    The detail of last night's _ Wednesday - Yougov poll showed Con 32.5% - Lab 33.25%. Only rounding made them even.
    I just said that :)
  • Options
    Why the difference in the Green vote ? Simple. Just look at the descriptions on the ballot paper for the two Green candidates. Once says "Green Party First Choice Candidate". The other says "Green Party Second Choice Candidate". So, it's inevitable in a two seat election with such descriptions that the poor Second Choice candidate gets no split votes. Why do the Greens think they have the right to decide ? The voters decide. Typical Greens.
  • Options
    MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699
    Pulpstar said:

    929 979
    651 486
    441 573
    188 258
    123 232



    39.3 Con
    23.4 LD
    20.9 Lab
    9.2 Green
    7.3 UKIP

    ?????????? You are adding together 2 different elections in 2012 and 2014 - Why ?
  • Options
    Mark Senior is right. To work out the %s, you should take the average votes for each Party.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,987

    Pulpstar said:

    929 979
    651 486
    441 573
    188 258
    123 232



    39.3 Con
    23.4 LD
    20.9 Lab
    9.2 Green
    7.3 UKIP

    ?????????? You are adding together 2 different elections in 2012 and 2014 - Why ?
    Because I completely misread the "script" :)
  • Options

    Pulpstar said:

    Helpfully everyone has put up two candidates - so I assume straight summation of the totals is OK...

    3.7% Con -> LD Swing, Greens up 6.5% I make it.

    I think it's better to actually just use the higher polling candidate for each party.
    Why , the calculation is easier but the result is distorted here where there is such a large discrepancy between the 2 Green candidates results . They were on the ballot paper as Green Party 1st and 2nd choice respectively . You could equally argue that it is better to take the lowest polling candidate for each party
    OK if there were two seats available, then the aggregate should be used.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,987
    A portent for May ?!

    Bad news for the Conservatives if so...
  • Options
    And Ashcroft this week was actually 32.2 Lab, 31.5 Con.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,987

    And Ashcroft this week was actually 32.2 Lab, 31.5 Con.

    At this rate puter will need to get the goalposts out again !
  • Options
    Seems a pretty good result for the LDs to me. Good base to win next time. Does anyone know if the Ward is in St Albans constituency ? If it is, the Ward would be a good bet for an LD win next time.
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,989
    justin124 said:

    When was the last time a whole week of YouGovs went by with no Lab lead? OGH will know that one for sure.

    I'm multi tasking, but I think this is the first time since Dec 2010 that YouGov have gone a week without a Lab lead.
    The detail of last night's _ Wednesday - Yougov poll showed Con 32.5% - Lab 33.25%. Only rounding made them even.
    'Clutching' and 'straws' comes to mind! There is a reason YouGov is the PB Tory Gold Standard (of the week).
  • Options

    Mark Senior is right. To work out the %s, you should take the average votes for each Party.

    Aggregate should be more appropriate for a two-seater.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,987

    Seems a pretty good result for the LDs to me. Good base to win next time. Does anyone know if the Ward is in St Albans constituency ? If it is, the Ward would be a good bet for an LD win next time.

    It's 10-1 if you fancy it with Paddys, I've pissed a fiver up the wall betting on the Tories in Bath however today so I don't really fancy another loser.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,987
    This is one seat the Conservatives won't want a collapse of the Labour vote in.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,987
    Mind you 1-9 Conservatives (Ladbrokes) looks distinctly unappealing off the back of this.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,987
    " in 2011, the Conservatives became the largest party (gaining five seats) but have found it very hard going ever since. The reason? Labour have started to make inroads. Between 2011 and 2014, Labour have made seven gains all from the Liberal Democrats and with St. Albans constituency being one of Ed Milliband’s must win seats two Labour gains here would certainly put him in a good mood, the problem is though UKIP."

    This paragraph makes no sense to me at all.
  • Options
    RobD said:

    justin124 said:

    When was the last time a whole week of YouGovs went by with no Lab lead? OGH will know that one for sure.

    I'm multi tasking, but I think this is the first time since Dec 2010 that YouGov have gone a week without a Lab lead.
    The detail of last night's _ Wednesday - Yougov poll showed Con 32.5% - Lab 33.25%. Only rounding made them even.
    'Clutching' and 'straws' comes to mind! There is a reason YouGov is the PB Tory Gold Standard (of the week).
    Peace has cost you your strength. Victory has defeated you :)
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,987
    Hmm Good result for Lib Dem and Green, poor result for Conservatives, and as Prof Curtice would say - "This is certainly not the sort of result that portents an incoming Labour Government !"
  • Options
    Green average this week in the polls 6.6, LibDems 6.9
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,987

    Green average this week in the polls 6.6, LibDems 6.9

    Greens don't have major party status, Cameron seems determined to kibosh the debates so I think they'll get squeezed at the GE. They haven't reached a UKIP like critical mass yet.
  • Options
    Pulpstar said:

    Green average this week in the polls 6.6, LibDems 6.9

    Greens don't have major party status, Cameron seems determined to kibosh the debates so I think they'll get squeezed at the GE. They haven't reached a UKIP like critical mass yet.
    But they are almost at cross-over with the LDs!
This discussion has been closed.