Howdy, Stranger!

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

politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Labour ruling out ‘negative’ election campaign posters indi

124»

Comments

  • ThomasNasheThomasNashe Posts: 5,331
    GeoffM said:

    AndyJS said:

    After nearly 10 years in office, Angela Merkel's party has a lead in the polls of between 15 and 20 points:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_German_federal_election#Poll_results

    Not necessarily a popular view on here: but I think the answer to the problem of finding a viable govt for the UK after May would be best addressed by inviting her to run the UK alongside Germany.
    It's been tried a couple of times before.
    Yes, but this time I'm suggesting we just invite them instead of resisting.
  • MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699

    isam said:

    Has this been discussed?

    How many current Lib Dem seats will the Tories win at the GE?

    11-15 5/4
    16-20 5/4
    21-25 5/1
    6-10 5/1
    1-5 14/1
    26-30 15/1
    31-35 33/1
    None 33/1
    Over 35 66

    https://www.betfair.com/sport/politics

    A very ungenerous 42.5% overround from Betfair in pricing this market - small wonder their share price has doubled since it entered the world of fixed odds betting - but despite their apparent greed, what must seriously concern LibDems strategists is that in order to cover the two most fancied bands, i.e. 11-15 seats and 16-20 seats, Betfair will pay you measly odds of just 1/8 on your combined stake.
    If they are right in sertting such short odds and the yellows are set to suffer other massive losses from both Labour and the SNP, then its definitely a case of 3 or 4 London Taxis being sufficient to convey their brood to and from Westminster after 7 May.
    On that basis, Ladbrokes odds of 9/2 on them winning between 11 - 20 appears to offer far better value.
    Best value is clearly the 5/1 for 6-10 gains . Look at the list of Lib Dem seats by marginality .
    number 6 most vulnerable to the Conservatives is Sutton/Cheam which is a certain Lib Dem hold 9/10/11 are Cheadle North Cornwall and Eastbourne all probable Lib Dem holds so the result will be fewer than 10 so a saver on 1-5 may be in order
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    "UKIP takes on school for using their photos to illustrate Holocaust slideshow

    UKIP will lodge a formal complaint about “political indoctrination in schools” after a picture of its leader Nigel Farage was used during assemblies about the evils of the Holocaust":


    http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/555463/Ukip-takes-on-school-for-using-their-photos-to-illustrate-Holocaust-slideshow
  • GeoffM said:

    MikeK said:

    Scott_P said:
    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    By golly! A Tory - UKIP coalition. Huzzah!!!!!!!!!!! :);):D

    It might be good, but we have to see how much socialism is in your manifesto and how many socialist get in under the UKIP MP banner.
    Indeed. The interventionist lefty nonsense creeping into UKIPs 2015 offering is very depressing for those of us who hoped for a real blossoming of the fresh libertarian ideas of 2010. It's not too late but the direction of policy flow isn't positive for me right now.
    Do you mean we might be winning you back, Geoff?
  • GeoffM said:

    AndyJS said:

    After nearly 10 years in office, Angela Merkel's party has a lead in the polls of between 15 and 20 points:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_German_federal_election#Poll_results

    Not necessarily a popular view on here: but I think the answer to the problem of finding a viable govt for the UK after May would be best addressed by inviting her to run the UK alongside Germany.
    It's been tried a couple of times before.
    Yes, but this time I'm suggesting we just invite them instead of resisting.
    We did that in 1688, but then it was Parliament that was far-sighted enough to take the drastic action required.

    Who is going to issue the invitation this time?
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,904
    edited February 2015
    GeoffM UKIP still wants deeper spending cuts than the Coalition, an end to ringfencing overseas aid and maybe even the NHS based on Farage's comments and to cut the top tax rate back to 40p
  • isam said:

    Has this been discussed?

    How many current Lib Dem seats will the Tories win at the GE?

    11-15 5/4
    16-20 5/4
    21-25 5/1
    6-10 5/1
    1-5 14/1
    26-30 15/1
    31-35 33/1
    None 33/1
    Over 35 66

    https://www.betfair.com/sport/politics

    A very ungenerous 42.5% overround from Betfair in pricing this market - small wonder their share price has doubled since it entered the world of fixed odds betting - but despite their apparent greed, what must seriously concern LibDems strategists is that in order to cover the two most fancied bands, i.e. 11-15 seats and 16-20 seats, Betfair will pay you measly odds of just 1/8 on your combined stake.
    If they are right in sertting such short odds and the yellows are set to suffer other massive losses from both Labour and the SNP, then its definitely a case of 3 or 4 London Taxis being sufficient to convey their brood to and from Westminster after 7 May.
    On that basis, Ladbrokes odds of 9/2 on them winning between 11 - 20 appears to offer far better value.
    Beware that this does not lead to a Liberal miracle of the taxis...
  • saddenedsaddened Posts: 2,245
    MikeK said:

    Scott_P said:
    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    By golly! A Tory - UKIP coalition. Huzzah!!!!!!!!!!! :);):D

    Cool, UKIP can look after taxi driver uniforms and railway livery, while the Tories get on with everything else.
  • justin124justin124 Posts: 11,527

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    What paper do you read ?

    The Financial Times usually.
  • Still, independence and penury suits some. (Written by a supporter of an Indy Scotland).

    You support an Indy Scotland because it will result in penury?

  • AndyJS said:

    A bit astonished by the announcement that 11 year olds will have to be able to do their 12 times tables and read a book.

    They ought to be able to do both by the age of 7 or 8.

    Maybe they are trying to identify your average Labour voter? Understanding the difference between reading and comprehension is above the whit or wit of your average media/Nat clown progressive ....
  • MikeK said:

    Scott_P said:
    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    By golly! A Tory - UKIP coalition. Huzzah!!!!!!!!!!! :);):D

    It might be good, but we have to see how much socialism is in your manifesto and how many socialist get in under the UKIP MP banner.
    No Conservative pact with UKIP, says David Cameron
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27533313

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29409393
  • SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    @SouthamObserver

    "So what do the 10 million people who live in London do while those who commute in do all the work?"

    Some of them work, some of them do not. But clearly the economy of London benefits hugely from the efforts of the millions of commuters from Essex, Surrey and the other home counties. It's absurd to deprive the region of south east England of its economic engine. They wouldn't dare carve off Leeds and Sheffield from Yorkshire. But of course, it's one rule for the left wing parts of the country and another for the south.
  • GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071

    GeoffM said:

    MikeK said:

    Scott_P said:
    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    By golly! A Tory - UKIP coalition. Huzzah!!!!!!!!!!! :);):D

    It might be good, but we have to see how much socialism is in your manifesto and how many socialist get in under the UKIP MP banner.
    Indeed. The interventionist lefty nonsense creeping into UKIPs 2015 offering is very depressing for those of us who hoped for a real blossoming of the fresh libertarian ideas of 2010. It's not too late but the direction of policy flow isn't positive for me right now.
    Do you mean we might be winning you back, Geoff?
    I am genuinely undecided right now. The anti-encryption lunacy the other week had me sobbing into my Conservative cornflakes but some UKIP announcements since Christmas have been positively old-Labour.

    My house in the UK is in a fairly safe Conservative seat though so I don't think anyone is hugely bothered about my vote.
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,538

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    The people have forfeited the confidence of the Labour leadership and can only regain it through redoubled efforts.
  • SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    Expressing shock at the scale of immigration is not a "biggoted" (sic) comment under any logical definition.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,754

    GeoffM said:

    AndyJS said:

    After nearly 10 years in office, Angela Merkel's party has a lead in the polls of between 15 and 20 points:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_German_federal_election#Poll_results

    Not necessarily a popular view on here: but I think the answer to the problem of finding a viable govt for the UK after May would be best addressed by inviting her to run the UK alongside Germany.
    It's been tried a couple of times before.
    Yes, but this time I'm suggesting we just invite them instead of resisting.
    We did that in 1688, but then it was Parliament that was far-sighted enough to take the drastic action required.

    Who is going to issue the invitation this time?
    William of Orange was not German, he was Dutch.
  • peter_from_putneypeter_from_putney Posts: 6,956
    edited February 2015

    isam said:

    Has this been discussed?

    How many current Lib Dem seats will the Tories win at the GE?

    11-15 5/4
    16-20 5/4
    21-25 5/1
    6-10 5/1
    1-5 14/1
    26-30 15/1
    31-35 33/1
    None 33/1
    Over 35 66

    https://www.betfair.com/sport/politics

    A very ungenerous 42.5% overround from Betfair in pricing this market - small wonder their share price has doubled since it entered the world of fixed odds betting - but despite their apparent greed, what must seriously concern LibDems strategists is that in order to cover the two most fancied bands, i.e. 11-15 seats and 16-20 seats, Betfair will pay you measly odds of just 1/8 on your combined stake.
    If they are right in sertting such short odds and the yellows are set to suffer other massive losses from both Labour and the SNP, then its definitely a case of 3 or 4 London Taxis being sufficient to convey their brood to and from Westminster after 7 May.
    On that basis, Ladbrokes odds of 9/2 on them winning between 11 - 20 appears to offer far better value.
    Best value is clearly the 5/1 for 6-10 gains . Look at the list of Lib Dem seats by marginality .
    number 6 most vulnerable to the Conservatives is Sutton/Cheam which is a certain Lib Dem hold 9/10/11 are Cheadle North Cornwall and Eastbourne all probable Lib Dem holds so the result will be fewer than 10 so a saver on 1-5 may be in order
    In terms of objective value for money, I wouldn't argue with that. especially as Laddies are paying only 2/1 against 31-40- LD seats.
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118

    isam said:

    Has this been discussed?

    How many current Lib Dem seats will the Tories win at the GE?

    11-15 5/4
    16-20 5/4
    21-25 5/1
    6-10 5/1
    1-5 14/1
    26-30 15/1
    31-35 33/1
    None 33/1
    Over 35 66

    https://www.betfair.com/sport/politics

    A very ungenerous 42.5% overround from Betfair in pricing this market - small wonder their share price has doubled since it entered the world of fixed odds betting - but despite their apparent greed, what must seriously concern LibDems strategists is that in order to cover the two most fancied bands, i.e. 11-15 seats and 16-20 seats, Betfair will pay you measly odds of just 1/8 on your combined stake.
    If they are right in sertting such short odds and the yellows are set to suffer other massive losses from both Labour and the SNP, then its definitely a case of 3 or 4 London Taxis being sufficient to convey their brood to and from Westminster after 7 May.
    On that basis, Ladbrokes odds of 9/2 on them winning between 11 - 20 appears to offer far better value.
    I reckon the share price going up us more to do with the insanely unfair 40% premium charge levelled at any big winners... The effect of a monopoly/closed shop
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,538

    MikeK said:

    Scott_P said:
    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    By golly! A Tory - UKIP coalition. Huzzah!!!!!!!!!!! :);):D

    It might be good, but we have to see how much socialism is in your manifesto and how many socialist get in under the UKIP MP banner.
    No Conservative pact with UKIP, says David Cameron
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27533313

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29409393
    I don't think the Parliamentary arithmetic would favour such an arrangement. If it did, I imagine some kind of deal would be struck.
  • AndyJS said:

    A bit astonished by the announcement that 11 year olds will have to be able to do their 12 times tables and read a book.

    They ought to be able to do both by the age of 7 or 8.

    Maybe they are trying to identify your average Labour voter? Understanding the difference between reading and comprehension is above the whit or wit of your average media/Nat clown progressive ....
    Do you have any manners in your adult brain or remote sense of common decency???

    Why are you here and why are so rude and immature.

    If you have nothing nice to say say nothing at all. Grow up and be a responsible classy adult.

  • Charles said:

    Mr. 565, not sure that's a fair comparison. Blair had a golden economic inheritance, whereas the Coalition inherited a disaster and the situation is still bloody awful.

    That golden inheritance being based on the complete collapse of Conservative economic policy and a mountain of debt. Don't forget Cameron inhereited a growing (or recovering, if you prefer) economy too until Osborne got his hands on it.
    Growth achieved by pulling forward capital expenditure from the next two years.

    It's easy to do, but it causes a real problem for the guy responsible for the next years budget. In my sector we call it "channel stuffing" and it is heavily heavily frowned on by investors.
    Boosting spending to avoid or escape recession is a more noble cause. Ask the Greeks how austerity is working out.
  • MikeK said:

    Scott_P said:
    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    By golly! A Tory - UKIP coalition. Huzzah!!!!!!!!!!! :);):D

    It might be good, but we have to see how much socialism is in your manifesto and how many socialist get in under the UKIP MP banner.
    You don't know what socialism is.

    God your so immature and misinformed. You need a hobby. How about a socialism course in 1930s USSR.
  • GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071
    HYUFD said:

    GeoffM UKIP still wants deeper spending cuts than the Coalition, an end to ringfencing overseas aid and maybe even the NHS based on Farage's comments and to cut the top tax rate back to 40p

    Indeed - none of which are anything like as radical as I would like. I have always been a strong supporter of a flat rate of tax, for example. When UKIP offered that I was enthusiastic. I want to see healthcare delivered privately by insurance. I want to see, to pick another of your examples, charity returned to real charities instead of politically weaponised groups of taxpayer subsidised lefty lobbying businesses like Oxfam who have merged seamlessly with a compliant ministry.

    Nobody offers me any of these things and I am realistic enough to know that nobody will. So my vote will be a dirty compromise.
  • MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053

    MikeK said:

    Scott_P said:
    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    By golly! A Tory - UKIP coalition. Huzzah!!!!!!!!!!! :);):D

    It might be good, but we have to see how much socialism is in your manifesto and how many socialist get in under the UKIP MP banner.
    No Conservative pact with UKIP, says David Cameron
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27533313

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29409393
    It's the other way around: Farage has always said no pact with Cameron.
    And now I must away to my luncheon.
  • Any chance we can have a negative Tory thread? Or doesn't that not fit into the political betting business model?
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,580
    MikeK said:

    MikeK said:

    Scott_P said:
    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    By golly! A Tory - UKIP coalition. Huzzah!!!!!!!!!!! :);):D

    It might be good, but we have to see how much socialism is in your manifesto and how many socialist get in under the UKIP MP banner.
    No Conservative pact with UKIP, says David Cameron
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27533313

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29409393
    It's the other way around: Farage has always said no pact with Cameron.
    Indeed - many conservatives have been quite open that they are desperate for such a pact, and blaming Cameron for being too proud to do it, even though Farage closed the door on that one some time ago.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,580

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    Well since he didn't, Labour for one cannot really officially claim he should have - if the person who made the comments says those comments were wrong, anyone even reasonably defending them is thoroughly undermined, meaning the comments she made are effectively unchallengeable even if someone wanted to.

  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,580
    edited February 2015

    Any chance we can have a negative Tory thread? Or doesn't that not fit into the political betting business model?

    You do realise most threads are negative about the prospects of the Tories?
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,194
    Socrates said:

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    Expressing shock at the scale of immigration is not a "biggoted" (sic) comment under any logical definition.
    'Where are they all flocking from' she said. If you can't see what is wrong with that, then there is no point trying to discuss it any further.
  • Sunil's "Super-ELBOW" for January 2015 - 42 polls with fieldwork end-dates 1st Jan to 31st Jan, with a total wighted sample of 48,569:

    Lab 33.2 (-0.5)
    Con 32.2 (+0.2)
    UKIP 15.2 (-0.3)
    LD 7.3 (-0.1)
    Green 6.5 (+0.5)

    Lab lead 1.0 (-0.7)
  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    Scott_P said:

    @TelePolitics: Blairite MP Liz Kendall emerges as favourite in Labour leadership stakes http://t.co/5VbE0gV1qk

    Excellent news, she comes over very well in person and on TV, with the right mixture of passion and ability to communicate.

    She is also untainted by the last Labour government. I backed her when 50/1, and tipped it here.

  • Socrates said:

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    Expressing shock at the scale of immigration is not a "biggoted" (sic) comment under any logical definition.
    'Where are they all flocking from' she said. If you can't see what is wrong with that, then there is no point trying to discuss it any further.
    I doubt she was implying they are sheep.

  • GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071

    MikeK said:

    Scott_P said:
    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    By golly! A Tory - UKIP coalition. Huzzah!!!!!!!!!!! :);):D

    It might be good, but we have to see how much socialism is in your manifesto and how many socialist get in under the UKIP MP banner.
    You don't know what socialism is.

    God your so immature and misinformed. You need a hobby. How about a socialism course in 1930s USSR.
    Socialism is no great mystery.
    It's about about crippling your economy, destroying individual choice, repressing dissent, and killing your own citizens in specially designed camps.
  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    isam said:

    isam said:

    Has this been discussed?

    How many current Lib Dem seats will the Tories win at the GE?

    11-15 5/4
    16-20 5/4
    21-25 5/1
    6-10 5/1
    1-5 14/1
    26-30 15/1
    31-35 33/1
    None 33/1
    Over 35 66

    https://www.betfair.com/sport/politics

    A very ungenerous 42.5% overround from Betfair in pricing this market - small wonder their share price has doubled since it entered the world of fixed odds betting - but despite their apparent greed, what must seriously concern LibDems strategists is that in order to cover the two most fancied bands, i.e. 11-15 seats and 16-20 seats, Betfair will pay you measly odds of just 1/8 on your combined stake.
    If they are right in sertting such short odds and the yellows are set to suffer other massive losses from both Labour and the SNP, then its definitely a case of 3 or 4 London Taxis being sufficient to convey their brood to and from Westminster after 7 May.
    On that basis, Ladbrokes odds of 9/2 on them winning between 11 - 20 appears to offer far better value.
    I reckon the share price going up us more to do with the insanely unfair 40% premium charge levelled at any big winners... The effect of a monopoly/closed shop
    isam said:

    isam said:

    Has this been discussed?

    How many current Lib Dem seats will the Tories win at the GE?

    11-15 5/4
    16-20 5/4
    21-25 5/1
    6-10 5/1
    1-5 14/1
    26-30 15/1
    31-35 33/1
    None 33/1
    Over 35 66

    https://www.betfair.com/sport/politics

    A very ungenerous 42.5% overround from Betfair in pricing this market - small wonder their share price has doubled since it entered the world of fixed odds betting - but despite their apparent greed, what must seriously concern LibDems strategists is that in order to cover the two most fancied bands, i.e. 11-15 seats and 16-20 seats, Betfair will pay you measly odds of just 1/8 on your combined stake.
    If they are right in sertting such short odds and the yellows are set to suffer other massive losses from both Labour and the SNP, then its definitely a case of 3 or 4 London Taxis being sufficient to convey their brood to and from Westminster after 7 May.
    On that basis, Ladbrokes odds of 9/2 on them winning between 11 - 20 appears to offer far better value.
    I reckon the share price going up us more to do with the insanely unfair 40% premium charge levelled at any big winners... The effect of a monopoly/closed shop
    I am curious about this big charge. How does it work?
  • MP_SEMP_SE Posts: 3,642

    Seems that the Tories,like Labour have a problem with ex.ministers speaking out.Stephen Dorrell,Tory ex.minister has stated that Lansley's health reforms are 'the biggest mistake in this parliament.' I have to agree with him.

    It does look that way. But these were modified plans with LD fingers all over them. It became something designed by a committee with Letwin's input.... Enough said?
    So the question is: Are they so bad that it is worth running the risk and paying the cost of yet another reorganisation, or is it better to just leave alone and let the frontline staff get on with it?
    I don't honestly have the faintest idea.
    It looks like a fudge. Probably best to hope that the new NHS CEO is as good as Conservative and Labour think and let him get on and run it. Personally I think a small charge at the front ends such as personal presentation at A&E would reduce the pressures there. Such as £20 if not referred to by a doctor or brought in under "emergency" categories. The ambulance service seems able to seperate emergencies from the rest of work. For young working folk a £20 fee maybe better than the GP wait. Also charge £20 for visits while drunk.
    I would support the covering of all costs associated with A&E admissions due to alcohol and drugs. If it was £500 it could be paid in one go or in monthly installments. I think people need to start being more responsible with the lifestyles which they are living and it is wrong to expect the NHS to look after everyone no matter how poorly they look after themselves.

    Does anyone know which polling company came closest to predicting UKIP's share of the vote in the last EU elections?
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,173

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    1. There aren't 2 G's in bigoted - so much for NuLab educashun!
    2. Her comment wasn't bigoted.
    3. GB lacked to guts to criticize her to her face.
    4. Labour are still the nasty party when it comes to their base.
  • GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071

    Scott_P said:

    @TelePolitics: Blairite MP Liz Kendall emerges as favourite in Labour leadership stakes http://t.co/5VbE0gV1qk

    Excellent news, she comes over very well in person and on TV, with the right mixture of passion and ability to communicate.

    She is also untainted by the last Labour government. I backed her when 50/1, and tipped it here.

    Interesting how all of the positives that you see in her are PR related and nothing to do with what policies might or might not be clicking between her ears.

    (plus your betting position - and as a fellow punter I wish you good luck with that)
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118

    isam said:

    isam said:

    Has this been discussed?

    How many current Lib Dem seats will the Tories win at the GE?

    11-15 5/4
    16-20 5/4
    21-25 5/1
    6-10 5/1
    1-5 14/1
    26-30 15/1
    31-35 33/1
    None 33/1
    Over 35 66

    https://www.betfair.com/sport/politics

    A very ungenerous 42.5% overround from Betfair in pricing this market - small wonder their share price has doubled since it entered the world of fixed odds betting - but despite their apparent greed, what must seriously concern LibDems strategists is that in order to cover the two most fancied bands, i.e. 11-15 seats and 16-20 seats, Betfair will pay you measly odds of just 1/8 on your combined stake.
    If they are right in sertting such short odds and the yellows are set to suffer other massive losses from both Labour and the SNP, then its definitely a case of 3 or 4 London Taxis being sufficient to convey their brood to and from Westminster after 7 May.
    On that basis, Ladbrokes odds of 9/2 on them winning between 11 - 20 appears to offer far better value.
    I reckon the share price going up us more to do with the insanely unfair 40% premium charge levelled at any big winners... The effect of a monopoly/closed shop
    isam said:

    isam said:

    Has this been discussed?

    How many current Lib Dem seats will the Tories win at the GE?

    11-15 5/4
    16-20 5/4
    21-25 5/1
    6-10 5/1
    1-5 14/1
    26-30 15/1
    31-35 33/1
    None 33/1
    Over 35 66

    https://www.betfair.com/sport/politics

    A l pay you measly odds of just 1/8 on your combined stake.
    If they are right in sertting such short odds and the yellows are set to suffer other massive losses from both Labour and the SNP, then its definitely a case of 3 or 4 London Taxis being sufficient to convey their brood to and from Westminster after 7 May.
    On that basis, Ladbrokes odds of 9/2 on them winning between 11 - 20 appears to offer far better value.
    I reckon the share price going up us more to do with the insanely unfair 40% premium charge levelled at any big winners... The effect of a monopoly/closed shop
    I am curious about this big charge. How does it work?
    It's quite complicated but more or less, when you start making more than 250k a year they take 40% of your net winnings

    I don't make that much, but people I work with do so I end up paying it

    When I first heard it suggested I honestly thought it a wind up, but as they have no competition they can do what they like
  • Socrates said:

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    Expressing shock at the scale of immigration is not a "biggoted" (sic) comment under any logical definition.
    'Where are they all flocking from' she said. If you can't see what is wrong with that, then there is no point trying to discuss it any further.
    You are right there is clearly no value in discussing it because you are so blinkered and see any comment that even questions the value of mass immigration as being bigoted. Thankfully you are very much in an ill informed minority with that view.
  • GeoffM said:

    GeoffM said:

    MikeK said:

    Scott_P said:
    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    By golly! A Tory - UKIP coalition. Huzzah!!!!!!!!!!! :);):D

    It might be good, but we have to see how much socialism is in your manifesto and how many socialist get in under the UKIP MP banner.
    Indeed. The interventionist lefty nonsense creeping into UKIPs 2015 offering is very depressing for those of us who hoped for a real blossoming of the fresh libertarian ideas of 2010. It's not too late but the direction of policy flow isn't positive for me right now.
    Do you mean we might be winning you back, Geoff?
    I am genuinely undecided right now. The anti-encryption lunacy the other week had me sobbing into my Conservative cornflakes but some UKIP announcements since Christmas have been positively old-Labour.

    My house in the UK is in a fairly safe Conservative seat though so I don't think anyone is hugely bothered about my vote.
    Never mind about that ..... persuade Casino to follow you back into the Tory fold and I'll concede six First ..... again!s to you. Now I can't say fairer than that.
  • Socrates said:

    @SouthamObserver

    "So what do the 10 million people who live in London do while those who commute in do all the work?"

    Some of them work, some of them do not. But clearly the economy of London benefits hugely from the efforts of the millions of commuters from Essex, Surrey and the other home counties. It's absurd to deprive the region of south east England of its economic engine. They wouldn't dare carve off Leeds and Sheffield from Yorkshire. But of course, it's one rule for the left wing parts of the country and another for the south.

    It's not a lefty plot, Socrates. Leeds and Sheffield are in Yorkshire. London is not in Surrey or Essex. It has been recognised as a distinct regional and political entity for decades (centuries?). Currently London has a Tory mayor.

  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    GeoffM said:

    Scott_P said:

    @TelePolitics: Blairite MP Liz Kendall emerges as favourite in Labour leadership stakes http://t.co/5VbE0gV1qk

    Excellent news, she comes over very well in person and on TV, with the right mixture of passion and ability to communicate.

    She is also untainted by the last Labour government. I backed her when 50/1, and tipped it here.

    Interesting how all of the positives that you see in her are PR related and nothing to do with what policies might or might not be clicking between her ears.

    (plus your betting position - and as a fellow punter I wish you good luck with that)
    She is a Leicester MP, so I have seen her speak on a number of occasions. She also holds the Health brief for long term conditions, something that I follow.

    She is a centrist candidate, but not a rent-a-clone empty suit. It is what Labour needs.
  • GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071
    MP_SE said:

    Seems that the Tories,like Labour have a problem with ex.ministers speaking out.Stephen Dorrell,Tory ex.minister has stated that Lansley's health reforms are 'the biggest mistake in this parliament.' I have to agree with him.

    It does look that way. But these were modified plans with LD fingers all over them. It became something designed by a committee with Letwin's input.... Enough said?
    So the question is: Are they so bad that it is worth running the risk and paying the cost of yet another reorganisation, or is it better to just leave alone and let the frontline staff get on with it?
    I don't honestly have the faintest idea.
    It looks like a fudge. Probably best to hope that the new NHS CEO is as good as Conservative and Labour think and let him get on and run it. Personally I think a small charge at the front ends such as personal presentation at A&E would reduce the pressures there. Such as £20 if not referred to by a doctor or brought in under "emergency" categories. The ambulance service seems able to seperate emergencies from the rest of work. For young working folk a £20 fee maybe better than the GP wait. Also charge £20 for visits while drunk.
    I would support the covering of all costs associated with A&E admissions due to alcohol and drugs. If it was £500 it could be paid in one go or in monthly installments. I think people need to start being more responsible with the lifestyles which they are living and it is wrong to expect the NHS to look after everyone no matter how poorly they look after themselves.

    Does anyone know which polling company came closest to predicting UKIP's share of the vote in the last EU elections?
    All A&E admissions could be covered under personal insurance - with that insurance not paying out under certain admission criteria including the conditions you cite.

    Shop around and get the coverage you prefer. Some policies would probably cover alcohol related admissions with a premium set appropriately.

    The savings achieved are passed on to the taxpayer by a tax cut so for the average slightly unhealthy slightly accident-prone individual it's revenue neutral.
  • felix said:

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    1. There aren't 2 G's in bigoted - so much for NuLab educashun!
    2. Her comment wasn't bigoted.
    3. GB lacked to guts to criticize her to her face.
    4. Labour are still the nasty party when it comes to their base.

    I do love a badly spelled snarky spelling comment.

  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    isam said:

    isam said:

    isam said:

    Has this been discussed?

    How many current Lib Dem seats will the Tories win at the GE?

    11-15 5/4
    16-20 5/4
    21-25 5/1
    6-10 5/1
    1-5 14/1
    26-30 15/1
    31-35 33/1
    None 33/1
    Over 35 66

    https://www.betfair.com/sport/politics

    A .
    I reckon the share price going up us more to do with the insanely unfair 40% premium charge levelled at any big winners... The effect of a monopoly/closed shop
    isam said:

    isam said:

    Has this been discussed?


    Over 35 66

    https://www.betfair.com/sport/politics

    A l pay you measly odds of just 1/8 on your combined stake.
    If they are right in sertting such short odds and the yellows are set to suffer other massive losses from both Labour and the SNP, then its definitely a case of 3 or 4 London Taxis being sufficient to convey their brood to and from Westminster after 7 May.
    On that basis, Ladbrokes odds of 9/2 on them winning between 11 - 20 appears to offer far better value.
    I reckon the share price going up us more to do with the insanely unfair 40% premium charge levelled at any big winners... The effect of a monopoly/closed shop
    I am curious about this big charge. How does it work?
    It's quite complicated but more or less, when you start making more than 250k a year they take 40% of your net winnings

    I don't make that much, but people I work with do so I end up paying it

    When I first heard it suggested I honestly thought it a wind up, but as they have no competition they can do what they like
    No risk of me getting that surcharge the, my total at risk/potential winnings in the election (and football) come to three rather than six figures.
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,173
    edited February 2015

    felix said:

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    1. There aren't 2 G's in bigoted - so much for NuLab educashun!
    2. Her comment wasn't bigoted.
    3. GB lacked to guts to criticize her to her face.
    4. Labour are still the nasty party when it comes to their base.

    I do love a badly spelled snarky spelling comment.

    Err - where is the spelling error above Mr. SarcasmObserver?


  • "I reckon the share price going up us more to do with the insanely unfair 40% premium charge levelled at any big winners... The effect of a monopoly/closed shop

    I am curious about this big charge. How does it work?

    It's quite complicated but more or less, when you start making more than 250k a year they take 40% of your net winnings

    I don't make that much, but people I work with do so I end up paying it

    When I first heard it suggested I honestly thought it a wind up, but as they have no competition they can do what they like."


    I must admit I hadn't heard about this form of Betfair "surtax" either. Is it actually in their published terms and conditions or is it something one only becomes aware of (I should be so lucky) when one hits that £250K ceiling?
  • Just watched Salmond's interview on Murnaghan in the snow from Aberdeen - I was watching the tennis live.

    Textbook example of how to conduct interview to maximum effect. He will be major factor come the election.

    Meanwhile wee Douglas looked like the guy who stabbed his own sister in the back when she was in Murphy's job.
  • woody662woody662 Posts: 255

    GeoffM said:

    Scott_P said:

    @TelePolitics: Blairite MP Liz Kendall emerges as favourite in Labour leadership stakes http://t.co/5VbE0gV1qk

    Excellent news, she comes over very well in person and on TV, with the right mixture of passion and ability to communicate.

    She is also untainted by the last Labour government. I backed her when 50/1, and tipped it here.

    Interesting how all of the positives that you see in her are PR related and nothing to do with what policies might or might not be clicking between her ears.

    (plus your betting position - and as a fellow punter I wish you good luck with that)
    She is a Leicester MP, so I have seen her speak on a number of occasions. She also holds the Health brief for long term conditions, something that I follow.

    She is a centrist candidate, but not a rent-a-clone empty suit. It is what Labour needs.
    Pleasant enough, wears massive heels and for inbetweeners fans, she is apparently hooked up with Mr Gilbert.
  • felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    1. There aren't 2 G's in bigoted - so much for NuLab educashun!
    2. Her comment wasn't bigoted.
    3. GB lacked to guts to criticize her to her face.
    4. Labour are still the nasty party when it comes to their base.

    I do love a badly spelled snarky spelling comment.

    Err - where is the spelling error above Mr. SarcasmObserver?

    See 3. Unless your problem is English grammar your first to should be spelled the.

  • GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071

    GeoffM said:

    Scott_P said:

    @TelePolitics: Blairite MP Liz Kendall emerges as favourite in Labour leadership stakes http://t.co/5VbE0gV1qk

    Excellent news, she comes over very well in person and on TV, with the right mixture of passion and ability to communicate.

    She is also untainted by the last Labour government. I backed her when 50/1, and tipped it here.

    Interesting how all of the positives that you see in her are PR related and nothing to do with what policies might or might not be clicking between her ears.

    (plus your betting position - and as a fellow punter I wish you good luck with that)
    She is a Leicester MP, so I have seen her speak on a number of occasions. She also holds the Health brief for long term conditions, something that I follow.

    She is a centrist candidate, but not a rent-a-clone empty suit. It is what Labour needs.
    That's also interesting, thanks. The general public don't get to see the depth of people with special interests in common so you have the advantage over us there.

    I picked up on the way you phrased your comment with a certain sadness because of the obvious political trend in more media-aware countries since WW2 towards outwardly articulate, empathetic and presentable candidates with less regard for intellectual vigour. Except Ed, obviously, who lacks all of those things.
  • felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    1. There aren't 2 G's in bigoted - so much for NuLab educashun!
    2. Her comment wasn't bigoted.
    3. GB lacked to guts to criticize her to her face.
    4. Labour are still the nasty party when it comes to their base.

    I do love a badly spelled snarky spelling comment.

    Err - where is the spelling error above Mr. SarcasmObserver?
    G's doesn't need the apostrophe which should only be used for possessives. In addition you have "to" for "the" and I would argue you should say Labour is, not Labour are (although many people wouldn't). But let's see what Southam pulls you up on...

  • felixfelix Posts: 15,173

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    1. There aren't 2 G's in bigoted - so much for NuLab educashun!
    2. Her comment wasn't bigoted.
    3. GB lacked to guts to criticize her to her face.
    4. Labour are still the nasty party when it comes to their base.

    I do love a badly spelled snarky spelling comment.

    Err - where is the spelling error above Mr. SarcasmObserver?

    See 3. Unless your problem is English grammar your first to should be spelled the.

    So the error was not spelling - apology accepted.
  • GeoffM said:

    MP_SE said:

    Seems that the Tories,like Labour have a problem with ex.ministers speaking out.Stephen Dorrell,Tory ex.minister has stated that Lansley's health reforms are 'the biggest mistake in this parliament.' I have to agree with him.

    It does look that way. But these were modified plans with LD fingers all over them. It became something designed by a committee with Letwin's input.... Enough said?
    So the question is: Are they so bad that it is worth running the risk and paying the cost of yet another reorganisation, or is it better to just leave alone and let the frontline staff get on with it?
    I don't honestly have the faintest idea.
    It looks like a fudge. Probably best to hope that the new NHS CEO is as good as Conservative and Labour think and let him get on and run it. Personally I think a small charge at the front ends such as personal presentation at A&E would reduce the pressures there. Such as £20 if not referred to by a doctor or brought in under "emergency" categories. The ambulance service seems able to seperate emergencies from the rest of work. For young working folk a £20 fee maybe better than the GP wait. Also charge £20 for visits while drunk.
    I would support the covering of all costs associated with A&E admissions due to alcohol and drugs. If it was £500 it could be paid in one go or in monthly installments. I think people need to start being more responsible with the lifestyles which they are living and it is wrong to expect the NHS to look after everyone no matter how poorly they look after themselves.

    Does anyone know which polling company came closest to predicting UKIP's share of the vote in the last EU elections?
    All A&E admissions could be covered under personal insurance - with that insurance not paying out under certain admission criteria including the conditions you cite.

    Shop around and get the coverage you prefer. Some policies would probably cover alcohol related admissions with a premium set appropriately.

    The savings achieved are passed on to the taxpayer by a tax cut so for the average slightly unhealthy slightly accident-prone individual it's revenue neutral.
    Your model assumes no funds are absorbed by increased bureaucracy at hospitals or insurance companies. Most insurance-based health services comparable to the NHS are more expensive for this reason.
  • Socrates said:

    @SouthamObserver

    "So what do the 10 million people who live in London do while those who commute in do all the work?"

    Some of them work, some of them do not. But clearly the economy of London benefits hugely from the efforts of the millions of commuters from Essex, Surrey and the other home counties. It's absurd to deprive the region of south east England of its economic engine. They wouldn't dare carve off Leeds and Sheffield from Yorkshire. But of course, it's one rule for the left wing parts of the country and another for the south.

    It's not a lefty plot, Socrates. Leeds and Sheffield are in Yorkshire. London is not in Surrey or Essex. It has been recognised as a distinct regional and political entity for decades (centuries?).
    Only for just over 100 years. Before that, apart from the City, it was divided between the counties of Essex, Kent, Surrey and Middlesex.
  • Socrates said:

    @SouthamObserver

    "So what do the 10 million people who live in London do while those who commute in do all the work?"

    Some of them work, some of them do not. But clearly the economy of London benefits hugely from the efforts of the millions of commuters from Essex, Surrey and the other home counties. It's absurd to deprive the region of south east England of its economic engine. They wouldn't dare carve off Leeds and Sheffield from Yorkshire. But of course, it's one rule for the left wing parts of the country and another for the south.

    It's not a lefty plot, Socrates. Leeds and Sheffield are in Yorkshire. London is not in Surrey or Essex. It has been recognised as a distinct regional and political entity for decades (centuries?).
    Only for just over 100 years. Before that, apart from the City, it was divided between the counties of Essex, Kent, Surrey and Middlesex.

    Indeed. So, no lefty plot anywhere to be seen.

  • Socrates said:

    @SouthamObserver

    "So what do the 10 million people who live in London do while those who commute in do all the work?"

    Some of them work, some of them do not. But clearly the economy of London benefits hugely from the efforts of the millions of commuters from Essex, Surrey and the other home counties. It's absurd to deprive the region of south east England of its economic engine. They wouldn't dare carve off Leeds and Sheffield from Yorkshire. But of course, it's one rule for the left wing parts of the country and another for the south.

    It's not a lefty plot, Socrates. Leeds and Sheffield are in Yorkshire. London is not in Surrey or Essex. It has been recognised as a distinct regional and political entity for decades (centuries?).
    Only for just over 100 years. Before that, apart from the City, it was divided between the counties of Essex, Kent, Surrey and Middlesex.
    It does demonstrate some of the idiocy of dividing England into regions. The current South East region includes places as far away from each other as Oxford, Southampton and Dover, with London in the middle but somehow not part of it. It would IMO be better to have a region made up of London and the adjacent counties, if you want to have such things.

  • felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    1. There aren't 2 G's in bigoted - so much for NuLab educashun!
    2. Her comment wasn't bigoted.
    3. GB lacked to guts to criticize her to her face.
    4. Labour are still the nasty party when it comes to their base.

    I do love a badly spelled snarky spelling comment.

    Err - where is the spelling error above Mr. SarcasmObserver?

    See 3. Unless your problem is English grammar your first to should be spelled the.

    So the error was not spelling - apology accepted.

    So you meant to write "to", did you? I fear you're fibbing, but if not I am happy to apologise and will instead agree with you that you are illiterate.

  • felixfelix Posts: 15,173

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    1. There aren't 2 G's in bigoted - so much for NuLab educashun!
    2. Her comment wasn't bigoted.
    3. GB lacked to guts to criticize her to her face.
    4. Labour are still the nasty party when it comes to their base.

    I do love a badly spelled snarky spelling comment.

    Err - where is the spelling error above Mr. SarcasmObserver?
    G's doesn't need the apostrophe which should only be used for possessives. In addition you have "to" for "the" and I would argue you should say Labour is, not Labour are (although many people wouldn't). But let's see what Southam pulls you up on...

    Lol - Pedantry rules over substance any day. And still no spelling errors.
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @elashton: Oh nice. Labour MPs have branded Liz Kendall's apparent leadership bid "The Blair Witch Project", acc to @JGForsyth http://t.co/ytGHBuvZlh
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @JohnRentoul: Labour won't use Cameron's image in election posters @IndyOnSunday http://t.co/ndWsYFwdX7 Because (a) scared of him (b) can't afford posters
  • I would like to point out they did carve off Sheffield from Leeds, when they took Sheffield out of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and created South Yorkshire in the 70s.

    As such Yorkshire if four small carved up regions.

    If we were only whole unit, we'd be running the country.
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,173
    edited February 2015

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    1. There aren't 2 G's in bigoted - so much for NuLab educashun!
    2. Her comment wasn't bigoted.
    3. GB lacked to guts to criticize her to her face.
    4. Labour are still the nasty party when it comes to their base.

    I do love a badly spelled snarky spelling comment.

    Err - where is the spelling error above Mr. SarcasmObserver?

    See 3. Unless your problem is English grammar your first to should be spelled the.

    So the error was not spelling - apology accepted.

    So you meant to write "to", did you? I fear you're fibbing, but if not I am happy to apologise and will instead agree with you that you are illiterate.

    Rofl - Of course me illiterate man - me read the Mail and the Sun - what's your excuse for being a pedant?


    Oh and btw: Illiterate.

    1.
    a person who is unable to read or write.

    Perhaps you exaggerate my faults a little.
  • GeoffM said:

    MP_SE said:

    Seems that the Tories,like Labour have a problem with ex.ministers speaking out.Stephen Dorrell,Tory ex.minister has stated that Lansley's health reforms are 'the biggest mistake in this parliament.' I have to agree with him.

    It does look that way. But these were modified plans with LD fingers all over them. It became something designed by a committee with Letwin's input.... Enough said?
    So the question is: Are they so bad that it is worth running the risk and paying the cost of yet another reorganisation, or is it better to just leave alone and let the frontline staff get on with it?
    I don't honestly have the faintest idea.
    It looks like a fudge. Probably best to hope that the new NHS CEO is as good as Conservative and Labour think and let him get on and run it. Personally I think a small charge at the front ends such as personal presentation at A&E would reduce the pressures there. Such as £20 if not referred to by a doctor or brought in under "emergency" categories. The ambulance service seems able to seperate emergencies from the rest of work. For young working folk a £20 fee maybe better than the GP wait. Also charge £20 for visits while drunk.
    I would support the covering of all costs associated with A&E admissions due to alcohol and drugs. If it was £500 it could be paid in one go or in monthly installments. I think people need to start being more responsible with the lifestyles which they are living and it is wrong to expect the NHS to look after everyone no matter how poorly they look after themselves.

    Does anyone know which polling company came closest to predicting UKIP's share of the vote in the last EU elections?
    All A&E admissions could be covered under personal insurance - with that insurance not paying out under certain admission criteria including the conditions you cite.

    Shop around and get the coverage you prefer. Some policies would probably cover alcohol related admissions with a premium set appropriately.

    The savings achieved are passed on to the taxpayer by a tax cut so for the average slightly unhealthy slightly accident-prone individual it's revenue neutral.
    Your model assumes no funds are absorbed by increased bureaucracy at hospitals or insurance companies. Most insurance-based health services comparable to the NHS are more expensive for this reason.

    I had lunch last week in Silicon Valley with a bloke who had a cycling accident last year and had to go to their version of A&E in an ambulance. He was there for three hours and had a couple of x-rays. Total bill - $40,000.

  • RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737

    Scott_P said:

    @TelePolitics: Blairite MP Liz Kendall emerges as favourite in Labour leadership stakes http://t.co/5VbE0gV1qk

    Excellent news, she comes over very well in person and on TV, with the right mixture of passion and ability to communicate.

    She is also untainted by the last Labour government. I backed her when 50/1, and tipped it here.

    Another example of the paucity of experience and talent in the People's Party. A former spad to Hewitt and Harman.

    "Untainted by the last Labour government." Maybe that's because she was only elected in 2010? Now touted as "leadership" material.

    Deary me...

  • felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    1. There aren't 2 G's in bigoted - so much for NuLab educashun!
    2. Her comment wasn't bigoted.
    3. GB lacked to guts to criticize her to her face.
    4. Labour are still the nasty party when it comes to their base.

    I do love a badly spelled snarky spelling comment.

    Err - where is the spelling error above Mr. SarcasmObserver?

    See 3. Unless your problem is English grammar your first to should be spelled the.

    So the error was not spelling - apology accepted.

    So you meant to write "to", did you? I fear you're fibbing, but if not I am happy to apologise and will instead agree with you that you are illiterate.

    Using one word when you mean another isn't really a spelling error, is it?

  • felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    1. There aren't 2 G's in bigoted - so much for NuLab educashun!
    2. Her comment wasn't bigoted.
    3. GB lacked to guts to criticize her to her face.
    4. Labour are still the nasty party when it comes to their base.

    I do love a badly spelled snarky spelling comment.

    Err - where is the spelling error above Mr. SarcasmObserver?

    See 3. Unless your problem is English grammar your first to should be spelled the.

    So the error was not spelling - apology accepted.

    So you meant to write "to", did you? I fear you're fibbing, but if not I am happy to apologise and will instead agree with you that you are illiterate.

    Rofl - Of course me illiterate man - me read the Mail and the Sun - what's your excuse for being a pedant?

    Erm, it was you who was snarkily pointing out someone else's spelling. See your 1. Bless.

  • I would like to point out they did carve off Sheffield from Leeds, when they took Sheffield out of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and created South Yorkshire in the 70s.

    As such Yorkshire if four small carved up regions.

    If we were only whole unit, we'd be running the country.

    Look on the bright side, you lost Middlesbrough.
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    As predicted...

    @DPJHodges: Labour's response to Stefano Pessina is madness. Foreign? Wealthy? Britain don't want your stinkin' money...
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @BBCNormanS: The @theSNP call for one of the 7 party leader #TVdebates to be held in Scotland
  • Socrates said:

    @SouthamObserver

    "So what do the 10 million people who live in London do while those who commute in do all the work?"

    Some of them work, some of them do not. But clearly the economy of London benefits hugely from the efforts of the millions of commuters from Essex, Surrey and the other home counties. It's absurd to deprive the region of south east England of its economic engine. They wouldn't dare carve off Leeds and Sheffield from Yorkshire. But of course, it's one rule for the left wing parts of the country and another for the south.

    It's not a lefty plot, Socrates. Leeds and Sheffield are in Yorkshire. London is not in Surrey or Essex. It has been recognised as a distinct regional and political entity for decades (centuries?).
    Only for just over 100 years. Before that, apart from the City, it was divided between the counties of Essex, Kent, Surrey and Middlesex.
    It does demonstrate some of the idiocy of dividing England into regions. The current South East region includes places as far away from each other as Oxford, Southampton and Dover, with London in the middle but somehow not part of it. It would IMO be better to have a region made up of London and the adjacent counties, if you want to have such things.

    London is essentially a metropolitan region already. The south-east region is not much more than a geographic construct, is it? There's no SE council, government, services or tax.

  • I would like to point out they did carve off Sheffield from Leeds, when they took Sheffield out of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and created South Yorkshire in the 70s.

    As such Yorkshire if four small carved up regions.

    If we were only whole unit, we'd be running the country.

    Look on the bright side, you lost Middlesbrough.
    Best thing Ted Heath ever did, apart from taking us in the European Community
  • felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    1. There aren't 2 G's in bigoted - so much for NuLab educashun!
    2. Her comment wasn't bigoted.
    3. GB lacked to guts to criticize her to her face.
    4. Labour are still the nasty party when it comes to their base.

    I do love a badly spelled snarky spelling comment.

    Err - where is the spelling error above Mr. SarcasmObserver?

    See 3. Unless your problem is English grammar your first to should be spelled the.

    So the error was not spelling - apology accepted.

    So you meant to write "to", did you? I fear you're fibbing, but if not I am happy to apologise and will instead agree with you that you are illiterate.

    Using one word when you mean another isn't really a spelling error, is it?

    No, it's illiteracy.

  • MP_SEMP_SE Posts: 3,642
    edited February 2015


    I had lunch last week in Silicon Valley with a bloke who had a cycling accident last year and had to go to their version of A&E in an ambulance. He was there for three hours and had a couple of x-rays. Total bill - $40,000.

    Like alcohol related A&E admissions, sports injuries are something which in my opinion should be covered by private insurance. It is not unreasonable to expect those who take part in sports, particularly "extreme sports" take out some form of insurance to cover any injuries which they might sustain. I would exclude road cycling as it is a form of transport, but include say, horse riding, rugby, martial arts, etc.
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,173

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    1. There aren't 2 G's in bigoted - so much for NuLab educashun!
    2. Her comment wasn't bigoted.
    3. GB lacked to guts to criticize her to her face.
    4. Labour are still the nasty party when it comes to their base.

    I do love a badly spelled snarky spelling comment.

    Err - where is the spelling error above Mr. SarcasmObserver?

    See 3. Unless your problem is English grammar your first to should be spelled the.

    So the error was not spelling - apology accepted.

    So you meant to write "to", did you? I fear you're fibbing, but if not I am happy to apologise and will instead agree with you that you are illiterate.

    Rofl - Of course me illiterate man - me read the Mail and the Sun - what's your excuse for being a pedant?

    Erm, it was you who was snarkily pointing out someone else's spelling. See your 1. Bless.

    So that would be no excuse then. Oh and 'bless' - patronising with it!
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,514
    Scott_P said:

    @BBCNormanS: The @theSNP call for one of the 7 party leader #TVdebates to be held in Scotland

    stand by for gaelic sub titles
  • I would like to point out they did carve off Sheffield from Leeds, when they took Sheffield out of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and created South Yorkshire in the 70s.

    As such Yorkshire if four small carved up regions.

    If we were only whole unit, we'd be running the country.

    They took Coventry out of Warwickshire too.

  • RodCrosby said:

    Scott_P said:

    @TelePolitics: Blairite MP Liz Kendall emerges as favourite in Labour leadership stakes http://t.co/5VbE0gV1qk

    Excellent news, she comes over very well in person and on TV, with the right mixture of passion and ability to communicate.

    She is also untainted by the last Labour government. I backed her when 50/1, and tipped it here.

    Another example of the paucity of experience and talent in the People's Party. A former spad to Hewitt and Harman.

    "Untainted by the last Labour government." Maybe that's because she was only elected in 2010? Now touted as "leadership" material.

    Deary me...

    How long had Cameron been an MP when he became Tory leader?

  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,514

    I would like to point out they did carve off Sheffield from Leeds, when they took Sheffield out of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and created South Yorkshire in the 70s.

    As such Yorkshire if four small carved up regions.

    If we were only whole unit, we'd be running the country.

    They took Coventry out of Warwickshire too.

    I always consider that a net gain
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @ToryBusiness: Rather than listening to one of Britain's biggest employers, Labour are attacking them: http://t.co/ULMmyWLvgx

    @DPJHodges: When Ed did "Predators" speech, some of us said "this will come back to bite you". Labour duly gets bitten. Labour cries "why bite us?".
  • felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    1. There aren't 2 G's in bigoted - so much for NuLab educashun!
    2. Her comment wasn't bigoted.
    3. GB lacked to guts to criticize her to her face.
    4. Labour are still the nasty party when it comes to their base.

    I do love a badly spelled snarky spelling comment.

    Err - where is the spelling error above Mr. SarcasmObserver?

    See 3. Unless your problem is English grammar your first to should be spelled the.

    So the error was not spelling - apology accepted.

    So you meant to write "to", did you? I fear you're fibbing, but if not I am happy to apologise and will instead agree with you that you are illiterate.

    Rofl - Of course me illiterate man - me read the Mail and the Sun - what's your excuse for being a pedant?

    Erm, it was you who was snarkily pointing out someone else's spelling. See your 1. Bless.

    So that would be no excuse then. Oh and 'bless' - patronising with it!

    Got it - you can do it to others, but no-one's allowed to do it to you. You're a giver, not a taker. A bit of an Aussie. Double bless with a big X.

  • RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737

    RodCrosby said:

    Scott_P said:

    @TelePolitics: Blairite MP Liz Kendall emerges as favourite in Labour leadership stakes http://t.co/5VbE0gV1qk

    Excellent news, she comes over very well in person and on TV, with the right mixture of passion and ability to communicate.

    She is also untainted by the last Labour government. I backed her when 50/1, and tipped it here.

    Another example of the paucity of experience and talent in the People's Party. A former spad to Hewitt and Harman.

    "Untainted by the last Labour government." Maybe that's because she was only elected in 2010? Now touted as "leadership" material.

    Deary me...

    How long had Cameron been an MP when he became Tory leader?

    I said the same about him...
  • I would like to point out they did carve off Sheffield from Leeds, when they took Sheffield out of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and created South Yorkshire in the 70s.

    As such Yorkshire if four small carved up regions.

    If we were only whole unit, we'd be running the country.

    They took Coventry out of Warwickshire too.

    I always consider that a net gain

    Til the day he died my father-in-law always wrote Coventry, Warwickshire as the address when writing letters there.

  • felixfelix Posts: 15,173

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    justin124 said:

    Scott_P said:

    @tnewtondunn: EXCL: Big YouGov poll of Sun readers gives 7 point lead to Tories. CON 35%, LAB 28%, UKIP 26%, LD 3%, GRN 2% http://t.co/sCzG5kXaM9

    I suppose one should expect little else of the 'thickos' who read such a rag.
    How embarrassed you should be as this gets reposted again and again. So reminiscent of Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy at the last election. Labour really ars the nasty party when it comes to their base.
    Duffy did make a biggoted comment. Brown should have stood by what he said.
    1. There aren't 2 G's in bigoted - so much for NuLab educashun!
    2. Her comment wasn't bigoted.
    3. GB lacked to guts to criticize her to her face.
    4. Labour are still the nasty party when it comes to their base.

    I do love a badly spelled snarky spelling comment.

    Err - where is the spelling error above Mr. SarcasmObserver?

    See 3. Unless your problem is English grammar your first to should be spelled the.

    So the error was not spelling - apology accepted.

    So you meant to write "to", did you? I fear you're fibbing, but if not I am happy to apologise and will instead agree with you that you are illiterate.

    Rofl - Of course me illiterate man - me read the Mail and the Sun - what's your excuse for being a pedant?

    Erm, it was you who was snarkily pointing out someone else's spelling. See your 1. Bless.

    So that would be no excuse then. Oh and 'bless' - patronising with it!

    Got it - you can do it to others, but no-one's allowed to do it to you. You're a giver, not a taker. A bit of an Aussie. Double bless with a big X.

    Well - it took you a while and no you still ain't got it - never will - not gonna happen...
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,514

    I would like to point out they did carve off Sheffield from Leeds, when they took Sheffield out of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and created South Yorkshire in the 70s.

    As such Yorkshire if four small carved up regions.

    If we were only whole unit, we'd be running the country.

    They took Coventry out of Warwickshire too.

    I always consider that a net gain

    Til the day he died my father-in-law always wrote Coventry, Warwickshire as the address when writing letters there.

    Most of Solihull did the same they didn't want to be in West Midlands
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 119,963
    edited February 2015

    I would like to point out they did carve off Sheffield from Leeds, when they took Sheffield out of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and created South Yorkshire in the 70s.

    As such Yorkshire if four small carved up regions.

    If we were only whole unit, we'd be running the country.

    They took Coventry out of Warwickshire too.

    I always consider that a net gain
    Time for us all to agree, Ted Heath was the greatest Prime Minister ever.

    He took Middlesbrough out of Yorkshire, and Coventry out of Warwickshire.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 54,025
    edited February 2015
    There are some interesting statistics reported in David Smith's ST column (largely available here:http://www.economicsuk.com/blog/002076.html#more )

    He points out there has been a significant increase in consumer confidence:

    "Figures on Friday showed that the main measure of consumer confidence in Britain, produced by GfK-NOP, rose strikingly in January, by five points.

    Every measure of the index rose, with people’s perception of their financial situation over both the past 12 months and the next 12 months each up by four points, their perception of the general economic situation over the past 12 months up by 5 points and over the next 12 months by four. Their willingness to make major purchases rose by six points on the month.

    Even more dramatic are the comparisons with a year ago. People’s assessment of how the economy has been doing is up 15 points, while perceptions of their own financial position have shown a 10-point improvement. As Michael Saunders, an economist at Citi, puts it: “The ‘feel-better’ factor is back.”"


    I think it is not so much a question of whether this is driving the Tory recovery but rather why is the Tory recovery so modest in light of these changes. After a grim start caused by a desperate need to show the markets that the UK was once again taking its fiscal position even vaguely seriously and the EU depression the economy has been improving markedly for nearly 2 years now with dramatic consequences for employment.

    And the consequences have been a shift in the Tory's favour of 3-4%. Their gain has probably come more from the rise of the Greens as red liberals despair of Ed than the economy. Clearly Ed's cost of living crisis spiel is going to fall onto ever stonier ground but this election is not about him. If it was it would be over already.

    I really don't understand why so many people seem so confident that the meh effect of the last 2 years is suddenly going to change dramatically and much more swiftly over the next 3 months. I think the trend will continue edging the tories into the lead but not by nearly as much as they won by the last time.
  • Roger, if you are around, the next thread is going up shortly, can you please comment on the thread "No". Thanks in advance
  • Scott_P said:

    @ToryBusiness: Rather than listening to one of Britain's biggest employers, Labour are attacking them: http://t.co/ULMmyWLvgx

    @DPJHodges: When Ed did "Predators" speech, some of us said "this will come back to bite you". Labour duly gets bitten. Labour cries "why bite us?".

    It's disastrous for Ed that the non-UK resident, billionaire boss of a tax avoiding, minimum wage paying company that derives a large part of its income from NHS prescriptions is criticising him. It should play havoc with the demographics Labour needs to win over.

  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @steve_hawkes: New Statesman editor says Labour has "lost confidence", Ed Miliband looks "haunted" and Ed Balls has given up
  • Roger, if you are around, the next thread is going up shortly, can you please comment on the thread "No". Thanks in advance

    Ah, I detect a 50/1 tip coming up!
  • JohnLilburneJohnLilburne Posts: 6,312
    edited February 2015
    MP_SE said:


    I had lunch last week in Silicon Valley with a bloke who had a cycling accident last year and had to go to their version of A&E in an ambulance. He was there for three hours and had a couple of x-rays. Total bill - $40,000.

    Like alcohol related A&E admissions, sports injuries are something which in my opinion should be covered by private insurance. It is not unreasonable to expect those who take part in sports, particularly "extreme sports" take out some form of insurance to cover any injuries which they might sustain. I would exclude road cycling as it is a form of transport, but include say, horse riding, rugby, martial arts, etc.
    That's a bit of a problem as exercise, overall, is good for you, makes you healthier, and less likely to need medical treatment. So if you are going to have them covered by private health insurance in an otherwise taxpayer-funded system, it is yet another disincentive to people to keep themselves healthy.

  • peter_from_putneypeter_from_putney Posts: 6,956
    edited February 2015
    O/T
    Here's a link to a review apprating in The Dailt Telegraph of The Finborough Arms, Earls Court which is run by Stonch (not "Stodge" as I mistakenly referred to him - apologies) :
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/pubs/11362334/The-Finborough-Arms-London-pub-review.html
    Charles is going to check it out, in a purely professional capacity of course for PB.com, as a possible venue for an overnight ticket-only venue on 7-8 May.
    Here's hoping someone will run with this idea.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,411

    Scott_P said:

    @TelePolitics: Blairite MP Liz Kendall emerges as favourite in Labour leadership stakes http://t.co/5VbE0gV1qk

    Excellent news, she comes over very well in person and on TV, with the right mixture of passion and ability to communicate.

    She is also untainted by the last Labour government. I backed her when 50/1, and tipped it here.

    Sorry but this story is complete tosh - she is available at 20-1 with Ladbrokes - Burnham, Cooper and Chuka are the betting favourites.
  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    GeoffM said:

    GeoffM said:

    Scott_P said:

    @TelePolitics: Blairite MP Liz Kendall emerges as favourite in Labour leadership stakes http://t.co/5VbE0gV1qk

    Excellent news, she comes over very well in person and on TV, with the right mixture of passion and ability to communicate.

    She is also untainted by the last Labour government. I backed her when 50/1, and tipped it here.

    Interesting how all of the positives that you see in her are PR related and nothing to do with what policies might or might not be clicking between her ears.

    (plus your betting position - and as a fellow punter I wish you good luck with that)
    She is a Leicester MP, so I have seen her speak on a number of occasions. She also holds the Health brief for long term conditions, something that I follow.

    She is a centrist candidate, but not a rent-a-clone empty suit. It is what Labour needs.
    That's also interesting, thanks. The general public don't get to see the depth of people with special interests in common so you have the advantage over us there.

    I picked up on the way you phrased your comment with a certain sadness because of the obvious political trend in more media-aware countries since WW2 towards outwardly articulate, empathetic and presentable candidates with less regard for intellectual vigour. Except Ed, obviously, who lacks all of those things.
    You may be interested in this Kendall quote:

    "Some people criticise Labour for backing patient choice, saying what most people want is a good local hospital.
    This is true. But what if your local hospital isn’t good?
    A recent Freedom of Information request revealed that the number of patients who chose to go to Mid Staffordshire hospital through ‘Choose and Book’ fell from 15,700 in 2007/8 to 6,500 in 2012/13.
    In other words, almost two thirds fewer patients chose to go to Mid Staffordshire in the space of 5 years.
    Would anyone seriously want to have denied people this choice?"

    From: http://web.archive.org/web/20131110145411/http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2013/02/13/labour-finds-its-voice-on-nhs-reform/

    She would not frighten the horses with that sort of approach.
  • New Thread
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118



    "I reckon the share price going up us more to do with the insanely unfair 40% premium charge levelled at any big winners... The effect of a monopoly/closed shop

    I am curious about this big charge. How does it work?

    It's quite complicated but more or less, when you start making more than 250k a year they take 40% of your net winnings

    I don't make that much, but people I work with do so I end up paying it

    When I first heard it suggested I honestly thought it a wind up, but as they have no competition they can do what they like."

    I must admit I hadn't heard about this form of Betfair "surtax" either. Is it actually in their published terms and conditions or is it something one only becomes aware of (I should be so lucky) when one hits that £250K ceiling?

    Think it kicks in once you start winning what would be 250k pa for a few months
This discussion has been closed.