Howdy, Stranger!

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

politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Even though he’s projecting that LAB will lost three quarte

1235

Comments

  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,040
    The Greens have dropped a £280bn/year spending commitment:

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/green-party/11383801/Greens-ditch-citizens-income-from-election-manifesto.html

    What are they going to do with all that spare money??
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,326
    Alistair said:

    Cyclefree said:

    antifrank said:

    pb public, please assist me with an ethical problem.

    I have for some years gone out of my way to avoid using Boots wherever possible because I find the service utterly crap (cf also W H Smiths). How do I now register my disapproval of businessmen languidly stirring up mindless political arguments?

    WH Smiths I agree with you. I'm amazed to find them still in business TBH.

    But I have always found the Boots near my place of work to be excellent. One of their pharmacists went out of their way to help me when I had to find urgently a medecine for my son that was hard to get.

    My own personal boycott is aimed at Starbucks - mainly on account of their absurdly overpriced and disgusting drinks.
    Easy to to boycott Starbucks given their coffee is shit.
    It is surprisingly hard to find coffee bars serving really good coffee. The sorts of bars that you can find in any small Italian town are as rare as hen's teeth, sadly.

  • SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    edited February 2015
    RobD said:

    The Greens have dropped a £280bn/year spending commitment:

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/green-party/11383801/Greens-ditch-citizens-income-from-election-manifesto.html

    What are they going to do with all that spare money??

    Bennett repeatedly said in her Andrew Neil interview, "We'll tell you how we'll pay for it in our fully costed manifesto".

    It turns out the way they'll pay for it is to drop it as a commitment between flouting it as a policy six months before the election and the manifesto. What a dishonest party.
  • RobD said:



    Yeah, whatever. You spelled it Loyalist.

    PB Tories
    PB Lefties
    PB Greens
    PB Nats
    PB Kippers
    PB Pompous Idiots

    etc
    You know what they say about PB Tories?

    PB Tories always learn. PB Tories are never wrong.

    The question is, does a PB Tory ever forget?
    I like PB Tories who say they're not Tories the best. Perhaps they've forgotten they're Tories?
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,040
    Socrates said:

    RobD said:

    The Greens have dropped a £280bn/year spending commitment:

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/green-party/11383801/Greens-ditch-citizens-income-from-election-manifesto.html

    What are they going to do with all that spare money??

    Bennett repeatedly said in her Andrew Neil interview, "We'll tell you how we'll pay for it in our fully costed manifesto".

    It turns out the way they'll pay for it is to drop it as a commitment between flouting it as a policy six months before the election and the manifesto. What a dishonest party.
    If they knew they were going to drop it, they should have used the interview to sell the idea as an aspiration, rather than a policy that would be implemented in the next parliament.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,040

    RobD said:



    Yeah, whatever. You spelled it Loyalist.

    PB Tories
    PB Lefties
    PB Greens
    PB Nats
    PB Kippers
    PB Pompous Idiots

    etc
    You know what they say about PB Tories?

    PB Tories always learn. PB Tories are never wrong.

    The question is, does a PB Tory ever forget?
    I like PB Tories who say they're not Tories the best. Perhaps they've forgotten they're Tories?
    PB Tory Pig Dogs??
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,326
    Socrates said:

    Scott_P said:

    @IsabelHardman: Q: What experience outside of politics do you have? Ed: I was an economic adviser in the Treasury.. I taught at Harvard.

    "Economic adviser in the Treasury" is the more ridiculous response of those two. He was a politically appointed special advisor.

    EdM is not really any different in that regard to most of the rest of the political class. Until you start having as MPs and Ministers people in their 40's and older you will face this issue. I'm willing to guess that, ex-MPs aside, the chances of someone in their 40's being adopted as a candidate, let alone becoming a Minister are so remote as to be non-existing.
  • peter_from_putneypeter_from_putney Posts: 6,956
    edited February 2015
    Earlier today, I backed EdM to be "Prime Minister after the General Election" at 2.52 with Betfair. In probability terms this equates to him having a 39.7% chance of getting the top job and a 60.3% of not getting it. Extraordinary imo.
    DYOR.
  • SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    I also like how the Greens demonstrate their localist, decentralising credentials by demanding a central government take-over of regionally-operated rail networks.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,411

    Earlier today, I backed EdM to be "Prime Minister after the General Election" at 2.52 with Betfair. In probability terms this equates to him having a 39.7% chance of getting the top job and a 60.3% of not getting it. Extraordinary imo.
    DYOR.

    Laying Cameron is even better as that gets you the "under a bus" option on May 8th too !

    (A finite probability)
  • Neil said:

    RobD said:



    The question is, does a PB Tory ever forget?

    I can confirm that we do. After a sufficient number of cocktails.
    I thought you were a PB Green!
  • FinancierFinancier Posts: 3,916
    Socrates said:

    Socrates said:

    Socrates said:

    A revenue tax is not possible at all, unless we leave the EU. The only sales-type tax an EU member state can impose is VAT.

    This is again one of those requirements forced on us by Brussels that is not at all needed for a single market (states in the US can have different systems), but entirely imposed in order to easily allow a later transition to federal control.
    Actually it's very sensible. There is not a snow-flake's chance in hell that, if we were to leave the EU, we'd not retain the EU VAT system. It would be completely bonkers not to, so it would one of the items that both sides would immediately sign up in trade treaty negotiations.
    How come it's not part of NAFTA then?
    What's NAFTA got to with anything? We're currently in the EU, we trade extensively with the EU, important industries such as car manufacturing are all set up to handle VAT throughout their supply chain, and it is a very well-designed tax. There would be conceivable reason to abandon it. Indeed the trend in recent years has been for countries around the world to adopt VAT systems:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value-added_tax
    I think VAT is a perfectly sensible system of taxation. However, there is absolutely no need why membership of a single market requires it to be the only type of sales-related tax. If a government chooses to charge corporation tax on revenue rather than profit, it should absolutely be allowed.
    Then that principle should be applied to all Not-For-Profit Organisations, Charities, NGOs, etc.
  • SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    Cyclefree said:

    Socrates said:

    Scott_P said:

    @IsabelHardman: Q: What experience outside of politics do you have? Ed: I was an economic adviser in the Treasury.. I taught at Harvard.

    "Economic adviser in the Treasury" is the more ridiculous response of those two. He was a politically appointed special advisor.

    EdM is not really any different in that regard to most of the rest of the political class. Until you start having as MPs and Ministers people in their 40's and older you will face this issue. I'm willing to guess that, ex-MPs aside, the chances of someone in their 40's being adopted as a candidate, let alone becoming a Minister are so remote as to be non-existing.
    Ed Miliband is 45. He could easily have had fifteen years in industry and then ten in politics.
  • Three months to save The NHS Crossover!
  • FinancierFinancier Posts: 3,916
    Socrates said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Socrates said:

    Scott_P said:

    @IsabelHardman: Q: What experience outside of politics do you have? Ed: I was an economic adviser in the Treasury.. I taught at Harvard.

    "Economic adviser in the Treasury" is the more ridiculous response of those two. He was a politically appointed special advisor.

    EdM is not really any different in that regard to most of the rest of the political class. Until you start having as MPs and Ministers people in their 40's and older you will face this issue. I'm willing to guess that, ex-MPs aside, the chances of someone in their 40's being adopted as a candidate, let alone becoming a Minister are so remote as to be non-existing.
    Ed Miliband is 45. He could easily have had fifteen years in industry and then ten in politics.
    But he did not!
  • SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    RobD said:

    Socrates said:

    RobD said:

    The Greens have dropped a £280bn/year spending commitment:

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/green-party/11383801/Greens-ditch-citizens-income-from-election-manifesto.html

    What are they going to do with all that spare money??

    Bennett repeatedly said in her Andrew Neil interview, "We'll tell you how we'll pay for it in our fully costed manifesto".

    It turns out the way they'll pay for it is to drop it as a commitment between flouting it as a policy six months before the election and the manifesto. What a dishonest party.
    If they knew they were going to drop it, they should have used the interview to sell the idea as an aspiration, rather than a policy that would be implemented in the next parliament.
    An aspiration because it's not affordable now, but will be after they've collapsed the tax base with their anti-growth economics?
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,040
    Socrates said:

    RobD said:

    Socrates said:

    RobD said:

    The Greens have dropped a £280bn/year spending commitment:

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/green-party/11383801/Greens-ditch-citizens-income-from-election-manifesto.html

    What are they going to do with all that spare money??

    Bennett repeatedly said in her Andrew Neil interview, "We'll tell you how we'll pay for it in our fully costed manifesto".

    It turns out the way they'll pay for it is to drop it as a commitment between flouting it as a policy six months before the election and the manifesto. What a dishonest party.
    If they knew they were going to drop it, they should have used the interview to sell the idea as an aspiration, rather than a policy that would be implemented in the next parliament.
    An aspiration because it's not affordable now, but will be after they've collapsed the tax base with their anti-growth economics?
    Something like that ;)
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,411
    Wednesday could be a great day to top up on EdM PM too.
  • RobD said:

    Mr. Eagles, abstaining would be a ridiculous request, because they could simply renege at any time.

    An English Parliament is necessary. English votes for English laws is better than the status quo, though it does not go far enough, and needs backing up by legislation so Scottish MPs cannot interfere in non-Scots, devolved matters.

    Dave could simply threaten to dissolve the Scottish assembly and appoint a regional governor if that happened. I hear it worked well elsewhere.....


    Where's Sunil when you need him??
    You're far too trusting! Orkney & Shetland are too remote to provide an effective demonstration, but don't worry - we will deal with your PB Tory friends soon enough!
  • Pulpstar said:

    The SNP ruling out a deal with the Conservatives is obvious at this time but Sturgeon/Salmond are switched on political operators and it is quite possible that Cameron could offer them much more devolution than Miliband. Is everyone saying that they would turn down the best offer for Scotland irrespective of how it is delivered

    Scottish polling indicates SNP supporters want a deal between Labour and the SNP.
    Even if it is not the best on the table.

  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,040

    RobD said:

    Mr. Eagles, abstaining would be a ridiculous request, because they could simply renege at any time.

    An English Parliament is necessary. English votes for English laws is better than the status quo, though it does not go far enough, and needs backing up by legislation so Scottish MPs cannot interfere in non-Scots, devolved matters.

    Dave could simply threaten to dissolve the Scottish assembly and appoint a regional governor if that happened. I hear it worked well elsewhere.....


    Where's Sunil when you need him??
    You're far too trusting! Orkney & Shetland are too remote to provide an effective demonstration, but don't worry - we will deal with your PB Tory friends soon enough!
    Well, given that there is only one tory in Scotland, a demonstration of the superlaser is more than overkill.
  • SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    I also like how Caroline Lucas defended the amateurishness of the Green operation because they had a "shoestring budget" and a mainly volunteer staff. It's funny how sometimes money needs to be generated if you want to do a professional job. Perhaps the Greens might want to consider that in light of their views on capitalism?
  • For those wot missed it yesterday:

    Sunil Prasannan ‏@Sunil_P2 · Feb 1
    ELBOW (Electoral Leader-Board Of the Week) 1st Feb: Lab 33.3, Con 32.9, UKIP 15.4, LD 6.9, Grn 6.3. Lowest Lab % lead

    https://twitter.com/Sunil_P2/status/561853144913555456
  • Socrates said:


    I think VAT is a perfectly sensible system of taxation. However, there is absolutely no need why membership of a single market requires it to be the only type of sales-related tax. If a government chooses to charge corporation tax on revenue rather than profit, it should absolutely be allowed.

    Allowed by whom? In the scenario we are talking about where we leave the EU, the government would choose to enter into a trade agreement with our EU friends. Parts of that would no doubt involve negotiation and potentially be controversial, but other parts of it, such as zero tariffs on goods, adoption by the UK of EU product type-approvals, and adoption by the UK of EU VAT law, would be absolute no-brainers which hardly need to be discussed, so obvious and uncontroversial are they.
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @TelePolitics: SNP gains 'to give David Cameron general election win' http://t.co/a20S4iJrJh
  • Neil said:

    o/t - Some posters have asked how many candidates the Green party will stand in May. The stated target has been 75% (upgraded to 500 in a comment by Caroline Lucas). They are now fund raising specifically to stand more:

    http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/green-party-in-your-seat/

    It seems crowdfunding could be quite a game-changer for the Green party. A way of mobilising online / social media support into something practical. The Bristol West candidate recently raised nearly £10k that way. May not sound much to you but with HQ party funding he'll have more cash to spend on this contest than previous Green party candidates in target seats could have dreamed of.

    Some of the pledge rewards are brilliant:
    Pledge £75 or more.
    Get invited to join your local candidate on a canvassing evening!
    "a game-changer for the Green party. A way of mobilising online / social media support "

    Climate Change offer - share a bath with our Green candidate!
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,937
    edited February 2015

    Earlier today, I backed EdM to be "Prime Minister after the General Election" at 2.52 with Betfair. In probability terms this equates to him having a 39.7% chance of getting the top job and a 60.3% of not getting it. Extraordinary imo.
    DYOR.

    Look at the man.

    Listen to him.

    Nothing extraordinary about those odds. He is a void, wrapped up in a vacuum, trapped in a bubble of froth. He has no respect from his troops. Who would die in a ditch for Ed? Very short list. Wouldn't even include his brother. Compare with the kippers on here who are very comfortable residing in Nige's lower colon. Nobody has a good word for you, Ed.

    With the exception of John Cooper Clarke.
  • Earlier today, I backed EdM to be "Prime Minister after the General Election" at 2.52 with Betfair. In probability terms this equates to him having a 39.7% chance of getting the top job and a 60.3% of not getting it. Extraordinary imo.
    DYOR.

    Look at the man.

    Listen to him.

    Nothing extraordinary about those odds. He is a void, wrapped up in a vacuum, trapped in a bubble of froth. He has no respect from his troops. Who would die in a ditch for Ed? Very short list. Wouldn't even include his brother. Compare with the kippers on here who are very comfortable residing in Nige's lower colon. Nobody has a good word for you, Ed.

    With the exception of John Cooper Clarke.
    OTOH: Lab 34 (-1), Con 31 (-3)
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453

    Look at the man.

    Listen to him.

    Nothing extraordinary about those odds. He is a void, wrapped up in a vacuum, trapped in a bubble of froth. He has no respect from his troops. Who would die in a ditch for Ed? Very short list. Wouldn't even include his brother. Compare with the kippers on here who are very comfortable residing in Nige's lower colon. Nobody has a good word for you, Ed.

    With the exception of John Cooper Clarke.

    In the distrustful Elsinore of the Labour Party, Ed Miliband is flanked by many, ranging from Ed Balls on the centre-Left to future hopes Chuka Umunna and Tristram Hunt to his Right, who suggest that they are putting up with their leader until the real thing comes along. The spasm of doubt over Ed’s abilities ranges from the Islington intellectual redoubts of the New Statesman, whose editor thinks Miliband is “haunted” by the prospect of defeat, to Jim Murphy, the new leader of Scottish Labour, who distrusts Miliband’s management of the fightback in Scotland, and Peter Mandelson (yes, it’s that man again), who recently told me that he was “helping” Ed, only to be now seen by Miliband loyalists as biding his time to promote his old protégé, Hunt.

    Given an open goal, Miliband flunks it rather often, from “forgetting” the deficit in his conference speech to a floundering Prime Minister’s Question Time this week on whether he is “weaponising” the NHS. This is precisely what Miliband intends to do, even if the word is a liability.
    http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/anne-mcelvoy-number-10-will-go-to-whoever-most-looks-like-a-prime-minister-10018114.html
  • Sunil's "Super-ELBOW" for January 2015, Lab 33.2, Con 32.2, UKIP 15.2, LD 7.3, Grn 6.5, lowest "monthly" Lab lead 1.0

    https://twitter.com/Sunil_P2/status/561968177815748608
  • Sunil Prasannan ‏@Sunil_P2 · Feb 1
    Lowest Labour % lead since ELBOW started in August = 0.4%

    https://twitter.com/Sunil_P2/status/561853487974084609
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,040

    Sunil's "Super-ELBOW" for January 2015, Lab 33.2, Con 32.2, UKIP 15.2, LD 7.3, Grn 6.5, lowest "monthly" Lab lead 1.0

    If only there were a Super-ARSE.

  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,411
    edited February 2015

    Earlier today, I backed EdM to be "Prime Minister after the General Election" at 2.52 with Betfair. In probability terms this equates to him having a 39.7% chance of getting the top job and a 60.3% of not getting it. Extraordinary imo.
    DYOR.

    Look at the man.

    Listen to him.

    Nothing extraordinary about those odds. He is a void, wrapped up in a vacuum, trapped in a bubble of froth. He has no respect from his troops. Who would die in a ditch for Ed? Very short list. Wouldn't even include his brother. Compare with the kippers on here who are very comfortable residing in Nige's lower colon. Nobody has a good word for you, Ed.

    With the exception of John Cooper Clarke.
    If Labour get the most seats, what would your assessment of the "next PM" be in that scenario in terms of probabilities.

    Btw Hope you took the 9-4 as tipped up by yours truly for Kevin in Torbay a while ago ;)
  • RobD said:

    RobD said:

    Mr. Eagles, abstaining would be a ridiculous request, because they could simply renege at any time.

    An English Parliament is necessary. English votes for English laws is better than the status quo, though it does not go far enough, and needs backing up by legislation so Scottish MPs cannot interfere in non-Scots, devolved matters.

    Dave could simply threaten to dissolve the Scottish assembly and appoint a regional governor if that happened. I hear it worked well elsewhere.....


    Where's Sunil when you need him??
    You're far too trusting! Orkney & Shetland are too remote to provide an effective demonstration, but don't worry - we will deal with your PB Tory friends soon enough!
    Well, given that there is only one tory in Scotland, a demonstration of the superlaser is more than overkill.
    Ejaculate?! In our moment of triumph?! I think you over-estimate their chances!
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,040

    RobD said:

    RobD said:

    Mr. Eagles, abstaining would be a ridiculous request, because they could simply renege at any time.

    An English Parliament is necessary. English votes for English laws is better than the status quo, though it does not go far enough, and needs backing up by legislation so Scottish MPs cannot interfere in non-Scots, devolved matters.

    Dave could simply threaten to dissolve the Scottish assembly and appoint a regional governor if that happened. I hear it worked well elsewhere.....


    Where's Sunil when you need him??
    You're far too trusting! Orkney & Shetland are too remote to provide an effective demonstration, but don't worry - we will deal with your PB Tory friends soon enough!
    Well, given that there is only one tory in Scotland, a demonstration of the superlaser is more than overkill.
    Ejaculate?! In our moment of triumph?! I think you over-estimate their chances!
    Typo, or your universal translator is broken? ;)
  • SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322

    Socrates said:


    I think VAT is a perfectly sensible system of taxation. However, there is absolutely no need why membership of a single market requires it to be the only type of sales-related tax. If a government chooses to charge corporation tax on revenue rather than profit, it should absolutely be allowed.

    Allowed by whom? In the scenario we are talking about where we leave the EU, the government would choose to enter into a trade agreement with our EU friends. Parts of that would no doubt involve negotiation and potentially be controversial, but other parts of it, such as zero tariffs on goods, adoption by the UK of EU product type-approvals, and adoption by the UK of EU VAT law, would be absolute no-brainers which hardly need to be discussed, so obvious and uncontroversial are they.
    Why does EU VAT law need to be included in the agreement? Why can't we just allow the iUK and rEU to choose their own taxation systems? There's no need to ban the iUK from charging a turnover tax if it decides to.

    I also disagree on EU product type-approvals. That's true for UK exports to Europe, but we probably wouldn't want our products to have to meet EU standards for export to Canada and the US, for example.
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,173



    Yeah, whatever. You spelled it Loyalist.

    PB Tories
    PB Lefties
    PB Greens
    PB Nats
    PB Kippers
    PB Pompous Idiots

    etc
    Love it - especially the last one!
  • shadsyshadsy Posts: 289
    The Ladbrokes forecast, based on counting up the favourites in each individual seat, has moved the SNP up from 22 to 30 in the last fortnight.

    287 Labour (-9)
    274 Conservatives (+1)
    31 Liberal Democrats (nc)
    30 SNP (+8)
    5 UKIP (nc)
    3 PC (nc)
    1 Green (nc)
    1 Speaker
    18 Northern Ireland

    http://politicalbookie.com/2015/02/02/ladbrokes-election-forecast-snp-up-8-seats/
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,411
    shadsy said:

    The Ladbrokes forecast, based on counting up the favourites in each individual seat, has moved the SNP up from 22 to 30 in the last fortnight.

    287 Labour (-9)
    274 Conservatives (+1)
    31 Liberal Democrats (nc)
    30 SNP (+8)
    5 UKIP (nc)
    3 PC (nc)
    1 Green (nc)
    1 Speaker
    18 Northern Ireland

    http://politicalbookie.com/2015/02/02/ladbrokes-election-forecast-snp-up-8-seats/

    Billy Hills Inverclyde 11-8 still
  • Danny565Danny565 Posts: 8,091
    Pulpstar said:

    Labour could make a gain in Scotland btw.

    Yeah - East Dunbartonshire and Edinburgh West both had very high anti-independence votes, and the SNP start off very far behind, so Labour could gain one or both of them even if they lose tons of other seats.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,411
    edited February 2015
    Danny565 said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Labour could make a gain in Scotland btw.

    Yeah - East Dunbartonshire and Edinburgh West both had very high anti-independence votes, and the SNP start off very far behind, so Labour could gain one or both of them even if they lose tons of other seats.
    I think East Dunbartonshire will be shown to be a close 2 horse race in Ashcroft's poll. At least that's what I'm hoping given my big red on the Dems there.
  • john_zimsjohn_zims Posts: 3,399
    @Socrates

    'I also disagree on EU product type-approvals. That's true for UK exports to Europe, but we probably wouldn't want our products to have to meet EU standards for export to Canada and the US, for example.'

    Instead of using EU standards that are universally approved & used by numerous countries around the world you would prefer to get approval on a country by country basis?

    Assume you have no connection with business.
  • Neil said:

    antifrank said:
    The recently installed Scottish Labour Party leader was trying to canvass opinion on a housing estate in the western part of the city, which should be Labour territory. But the group of Scottish National Party (SNP) supporters at his heels made this almost impossible. Every time he raised his hand to a doorbell, they yelled: “Liar at your door, love!” “Red Tory scum!” “What about the 100,000 dead Iraqis?”

    Nice people, the SNP.

    Still, I suppose that Labour can't complain, given that all the SNP have done is copy and refine Labour's own politics of hate.
    Surely the PB Loyalist view that the more abuse Murphy gets, the more it shows how effective he is in reinforcing Labour's northern stronghold obtains here?

    Or not.

    True, one wonders why the SNP are so afraid of him.
    So the PB Loyalists

    PB Loyalists? I like the idea of a paramilitary outfit dedicated to the defence of an obscure political blog. Who do we direct our sectarian hatred towards? The provos over at Guido's site I suppose?
    The Orange Book Order
  • JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,291
    Neil said:

    RobD said:



    The question is, does a PB Tory ever forget?

    I can confirm that we do. After a sufficient number of cocktails.
    Where am I?
    Bournemouth
    Why am I here?
    After a sufficient number of cocktails.
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    Dan Hodges (@DPJHodges)
    02/02/2015 12:42
    "You people in the media" says famous dustman Owen Jones...
  • SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    edited February 2015
    Can Labour really replace Ed Miliband with Tristram Hunt? If Labour lose the election, Cameron would surely still be in power, and Labour would put up against the privately educated Oxbridge graduate with a cut glass accent and a background in policy research and visual media, a privately educated Oxbridge graduate with a cut glass accent and a background in policy research and visual media.

    Hunt is clearly light years ahead of Ed Miliband in competency, and it would be nice to get a leftie with some understanding of history, but he fails the USP test doesn't he?
  • RobD said:

    RobD said:

    RobD said:

    Mr. Eagles, abstaining would be a ridiculous request, because they could simply renege at any time.

    An English Parliament is necessary. English votes for English laws is better than the status quo, though it does not go far enough, and needs backing up by legislation so Scottish MPs cannot interfere in non-Scots, devolved matters.

    Dave could simply threaten to dissolve the Scottish assembly and appoint a regional governor if that happened. I hear it worked well elsewhere.....


    Where's Sunil when you need him??
    You're far too trusting! Orkney & Shetland are too remote to provide an effective demonstration, but don't worry - we will deal with your PB Tory friends soon enough!
    Well, given that there is only one tory in Scotland, a demonstration of the superlaser is more than overkill.
    Ejaculate?! In our moment of triumph?! I think you over-estimate their chances!
    Typo, or your universal translator is broken? ;)
    It wasn't my fault, sir! PLEASE don't de-activate me! I told him not to go, but he's faulty, malfunctioning, babbling on about his mission!
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    Greens u turn on 'hug a jihadi'

    Isabel Hardman (@IsabelHardman)
    02/02/2015 12:43
    Two U-turns in one morning from the Greens… and an uninspiring but solid performance from Bennett on #AskTheLeaders specc.ie/1AivgPd
  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    Cyclefree said:

    Alistair said:

    Cyclefree said:

    antifrank said:

    pb public, please assist me with an ethical problem.

    I have for some years gone out of my way to avoid using Boots wherever possible because I find the service utterly crap (cf also W H Smiths). How do I now register my disapproval of businessmen languidly stirring up mindless political arguments?

    WH Smiths I agree with you. I'm amazed to find them still in business TBH.

    But I have always found the Boots near my place of work to be excellent. One of their pharmacists went out of their way to help me when I had to find urgently a medecine for my son that was hard to get.

    My own personal boycott is aimed at Starbucks - mainly on account of their absurdly overpriced and disgusting drinks.
    Easy to to boycott Starbucks given their coffee is shit.
    It is surprisingly hard to find coffee bars serving really good coffee. The sorts of bars that you can find in any small Italian town are as rare as hen's teeth, sadly.

    Glasgow's and Edinburgh's large Scots-Italian communities are a real boon when it comes to good coffee in Scotland.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,937
    Pulpstar said:

    Earlier today, I backed EdM to be "Prime Minister after the General Election" at 2.52 with Betfair. In probability terms this equates to him having a 39.7% chance of getting the top job and a 60.3% of not getting it. Extraordinary imo.
    DYOR.

    Look at the man.

    Listen to him.

    Nothing extraordinary about those odds. He is a void, wrapped up in a vacuum, trapped in a bubble of froth. He has no respect from his troops. Who would die in a ditch for Ed? Very short list. Wouldn't even include his brother. Compare with the kippers on here who are very comfortable residing in Nige's lower colon. Nobody has a good word for you, Ed.

    With the exception of John Cooper Clarke.
    If Labour get the most seats, what would your assessment of the "next PM" be in that scenario in terms of probabilities.

    Btw Hope you took the 9-4 as tipped up by yours truly for Kevin in Torbay a while ago ;)
    I think if Ed gets ahead of the Tories but well-short of a majority, it will be a period of government paralysis. No-one will want Ed there. His colleagues will be working the angles on when and how to shift him out. He will get counsel from an inner core of Yes-Men, whose judgment to date has been pitiful. They will just reinforce his feeling of paranoia.

    He will be torn by conflicting advice on how any policy will play out in Scotland versus the rest of the UK. The markets will be in no mood to give him a break. Interest rates will be one to watch - he may be unable to do anything to prevent a sizeable hike if market sentiment goes against the UK - arguably,with Boots, we are already hearing that he will have no honeymoon with big business. It will be brutal from day one. And he will sit in Downing Street wondering what the hell to do next.

    His only friends will be in Brussels. And the Kipppers will have but a few days before they have to up their blood pressure meds...

    Yes, thanks, Torbay looking very promising for the Blues.
  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    Pulpstar said:

    Danny565 said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Labour could make a gain in Scotland btw.

    Yeah - East Dunbartonshire and Edinburgh West both had very high anti-independence votes, and the SNP start off very far behind, so Labour could gain one or both of them even if they lose tons of other seats.
    I think East Dunbartonshire will be shown to be a close 2 horse race in Ashcroft's poll. At least that's what I'm hoping given my big red on the Dems there.
    Two horse race between LDs and the Conservatives. ;)
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,411

    Pulpstar said:

    Earlier today, I backed EdM to be "Prime Minister after the General Election" at 2.52 with Betfair. In probability terms this equates to him having a 39.7% chance of getting the top job and a 60.3% of not getting it. Extraordinary imo.
    DYOR.

    Look at the man.

    Listen to him.

    Nothing extraordinary about those odds. He is a void, wrapped up in a vacuum, trapped in a bubble of froth. He has no respect from his troops. Who would die in a ditch for Ed? Very short list. Wouldn't even include his brother. Compare with the kippers on here who are very comfortable residing in Nige's lower colon. Nobody has a good word for you, Ed.

    With the exception of John Cooper Clarke.
    If Labour get the most seats, what would your assessment of the "next PM" be in that scenario in terms of probabilities.

    Btw Hope you took the 9-4 as tipped up by yours truly for Kevin in Torbay a while ago ;)
    I think if Ed gets ahead of the Tories but well-short of a majority, it will be a period of government paralysis. No-one will want Ed there. His colleagues will be working the angles on when and how to shift him out. He will get counsel from an inner core of Yes-Men, whose judgment to date has been pitiful. They will just reinforce his feeling of paranoia.

    He will be torn by conflicting advice on how any policy will play out in Scotland versus the rest of the UK. The markets will be in no mood to give him a break. Interest rates will be one to watch - he may be unable to do anything to prevent a sizeable hike if market sentiment goes against the UK - arguably,with Boots, we are already hearing that he will have no honeymoon with big business. It will be brutal from day one. And he will sit in Downing Street wondering what the hell to do next.

    His only friends will be in Brussels. And the Kipppers will have but a few days before they have to up their blood pressure meds...

    Yes, thanks, Torbay looking very promising for the Blues.
    That's the key though, Labour Most seats is 2.2 or so and Ed Miliband PM is 2.5

    The betting markets make no judgement on how long or short he'll last there, or how awful his term may be ;)
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,411
    Alistair said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Danny565 said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Labour could make a gain in Scotland btw.

    Yeah - East Dunbartonshire and Edinburgh West both had very high anti-independence votes, and the SNP start off very far behind, so Labour could gain one or both of them even if they lose tons of other seats.
    I think East Dunbartonshire will be shown to be a close 2 horse race in Ashcroft's poll. At least that's what I'm hoping given my big red on the Dems there.
    Two horse race between LDs and the Conservatives. ;)
    What odds do you want on the Tories in East Dunbartonshire :) ?

    500-1 I'll offer you, 1 pint max stake.
  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    I see it is Wednesday before the Scottish poling is released.
  • NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,568
    Pulpstar said:



    What odds do you want on the Tories in East Dunbartonshire :) ?

    500-1 I'll offer you, 1 pint max stake.

    500 pints! Calling William Hague...

  • GrandioseGrandiose Posts: 2,323
    felix said:



    Yeah, whatever. You spelled it Loyalist.

    PB Tories
    PB Lefties
    PB Greens
    PB Nats
    PB Kippers
    PB Pompous Idiots

    etc
    Love it - especially the last one!
    Judging by name alone "PB Pompous Idiots" could be made for me!!
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 43,498
    TGOHF said:

    antifrank said:
    The recently installed Scottish Labour Party leader was trying to canvass opinion on a housing estate in the western part of the city, which should be Labour territory. But the group of Scottish National Party (SNP) supporters at his heels made this almost impossible. Every time he raised his hand to a doorbell, they yelled: “Liar at your door, love!” “Red Tory scum!” “What about the 100,000 dead Iraqis?”

    Nice people, the SNP.

    Still, I suppose that Labour can't complain, given that all the SNP have done is copy and refine Labour's own politics of hate.
    Surely this supports the PB Loyalist view that the more abuse Murphy gets, the more it shows how effective he is in reinforcing Labour's northern stronghold?

    Or not.

    I like the way you see Scotland as being in the grips of a Northern Ireland-style civil war. Loyalists on one side, Republicans on the other, presumably. Testament, I guess, to eight years of successful SNP rule.

    Oh dear, thickness of skin failure.

    But then we don't have anything like Celtic v Rangers either.

    Oversold and over hyped

    From yesterday

    http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/6317208/Cops1-Yobs0.html?teaser=true

    "By KENNY ANGOVE Published: 13 hrs ago
    POLICE claimed victory over Old Firm thugs after keeping a lid on yesterday’s powderkeg match.
    Cops praised the behaviour of the “vast majority” of fans at Hampden."
    Certainly no worse than any of the big English derbies for sure, a myth only in the minds of southerners.
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,173
    Alistair said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Alistair said:

    Cyclefree said:

    antifrank said:

    pb public, please assist me with an ethical problem.

    I have for some years gone out of my way to avoid using Boots wherever possible because I find the service utterly crap (cf also W H Smiths). How do I now register my disapproval of businessmen languidly stirring up mindless political arguments?

    WH Smiths I agree with you. I'm amazed to find them still in business TBH.

    But I have always found the Boots near my place of work to be excellent. One of their pharmacists went out of their way to help me when I had to find urgently a medecine for my son that was hard to get.

    My own personal boycott is aimed at Starbucks - mainly on account of their absurdly overpriced and disgusting drinks.
    Easy to to boycott Starbucks given their coffee is shit.
    It is surprisingly hard to find coffee bars serving really good coffee. The sorts of bars that you can find in any small Italian town are as rare as hen's teeth, sadly.

    Glasgow's and Edinburgh's large Scots-Italian communities are a real boon when it comes to good coffee in Scotland.
    Mojacar, Almeria, Spain - Coffee comes with glass of orange juice, glass of water, donuts and other pastries - cost €1.50 - about £1.12. Oh and that comes with a sea view and 325odd sunny days every year and no such thing aa a hose-pipe ban:))
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    Alistair said:

    I see it is Wednesday before the Scottish poling is released.

    Lord Ashcroft @LordAshcroft · 3h 3 hours ago
    Pls retweet that my Scottish individual constituency poll will be released at 11am Wed at http://lordashcroftpolls.com Register there to receive


    Meanwhile the Telegraph is having a titter

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

    "Ed Miliband tells Boots boss who lives in Monaco: Pay your taxes"

    I'm sure the Monaconian government will welcome this reminder to their citizen.

  • felixfelix Posts: 15,173
    Grandiose said:

    felix said:



    Yeah, whatever. You spelled it Loyalist.

    PB Tories
    PB Lefties
    PB Greens
    PB Nats
    PB Kippers
    PB Pompous Idiots

    etc
    Love it - especially the last one!
    Judging by name alone "PB Pompous Idiots" could be made for me!!
    There's no shortage of other candidates I fear .. self included.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,123
    edited February 2015
    I see Labour maintain their lead in Populus.

    Latest Populus VI: Lab 34 (-1), Con 31 (-3), LD 8 (-2), UKIP 14 (-), Others 13 (+6). Tables here: http://t.co/u4NiwRQCjn
    4 hours ago
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 43,498

    Pulpstar said:

    The SNP ruling out a deal with the Conservatives is obvious at this time but Sturgeon/Salmond are switched on political operators and it is quite possible that Cameron could offer them much more devolution than Miliband. Is everyone saying that they would turn down the best offer for Scotland irrespective of how it is delivered

    Scottish polling indicates SNP supporters want a deal between Labour and the SNP.
    Even if it is not the best on the table.

    Fine at this stage given they would never want to do a deal with the Tories. However once reality and if enough on offer then it will be a different story.
  • Alistair said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Alistair said:

    Cyclefree said:

    antifrank said:

    pb public, please assist me with an ethical problem.

    I have for some years gone out of my way to avoid using Boots wherever possible because I find the service utterly crap (cf also W H Smiths). How do I now register my disapproval of businessmen languidly stirring up mindless political arguments?

    WH Smiths I agree with you. I'm amazed to find them still in business TBH.

    But I have always found the Boots near my place of work to be excellent. One of their pharmacists went out of their way to help me when I had to find urgently a medecine for my son that was hard to get.

    My own personal boycott is aimed at Starbucks - mainly on account of their absurdly overpriced and disgusting drinks.
    Easy to to boycott Starbucks given their coffee is shit.
    It is surprisingly hard to find coffee bars serving really good coffee. The sorts of bars that you can find in any small Italian town are as rare as hen's teeth, sadly.

    Glasgow's and Edinburgh's large Scots-Italian communities are a real boon when it comes to good coffee in Scotland.
    It amazes me how some areas of Edinburgh are able to sustain the number of coffee shops that exist. Morningside, Bruntsfield etc. have silly numbers of coffee shops.
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 22,736

    For those wot missed it yesterday:

    Sunil Prasannan ‏@Sunil_P2 · Feb 1
    ELBOW (Electoral Leader-Board Of the Week) 1st Feb: Lab 33.3, Con 32.9, UKIP 15.4, LD 6.9, Grn 6.3. Lowest Lab % lead

    https://twitter.com/Sunil_P2/status/561853144913555456

    Whats the running Sunil on this week?

    lol
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,173
    TGOHF said:

    Alistair said:

    I see it is Wednesday before the Scottish poling is released.

    Lord Ashcroft @LordAshcroft · 3h 3 hours ago
    Pls retweet that my Scottish individual constituency poll will be released at 11am Wed at http://lordashcroftpolls.com Register there to receive


    Meanwhile the Telegraph is having a titter

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

    "Ed Miliband tells Boots boss who lives in Monaco: Pay your taxes"

    I'm sure the Monaconian government will welcome this reminder to their citizen.

    I dare say he's rich enough to pay all that's due. I wonder if he's ever been involved in any shabby inheritance tax avoiding plans.
  • TheWatcherTheWatcher Posts: 5,262
    edited February 2015
    TGOHF said:

    Alistair said:

    I see it is Wednesday before the Scottish poling is released.

    Lord Ashcroft @LordAshcroft · 3h 3 hours ago
    Pls retweet that my Scottish individual constituency poll will be released at 11am Wed at http://lordashcroftpolls.com Register there to receive


    Meanwhile the Telegraph is having a titter

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

    "Ed Miliband tells Boots boss who lives in Monaco: Pay your taxes"

    I'm sure the Monaconian government will welcome this reminder to their citizen.

    Ed M can criticise others for legal tax avoidance when the Miliband family cough up the Inheritance Tax they dodged on his father's estate . Until then, he just another hypocrite.
  • NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,568

    Earlier today, I backed EdM to be "Prime Minister after the General Election" at 2.52 with Betfair. In probability terms this equates to him having a 39.7% chance of getting the top job and a 60.3% of not getting it. Extraordinary imo.
    DYOR.

    Yes - and Pulpstar is right to point out that if Labour gets most seats, Ed will be PM. A Tory-SNP-LibDem-UUP-UKIP coalition to stop him is not worth a second's consideration for any serious tipster.
  • BenMBenM Posts: 1,795

    Pulpstar said:

    Earlier today, I backed EdM to be "Prime Minister after the General Election" at 2.52 with Betfair. In probability terms this equates to him having a 39.7% chance of getting the top job and a 60.3% of not getting it. Extraordinary imo.
    DYOR.

    Look at the man.

    Listen to him.

    Nothing extraordinary about those odds. He is a void, wrapped up in a vacuum, trapped in a bubble of froth. He has no respect from his troops. Who would die in a ditch for Ed? Very short list. Wouldn't even include his brother. Compare with the kippers on here who are very comfortable residing in Nige's lower colon. Nobody has a good word for you, Ed.

    With the exception of John Cooper Clarke.
    If Labour get the most seats, what would your assessment of the "next PM" be in that scenario in terms of probabilities.

    Btw Hope you took the 9-4 as tipped up by yours truly for Kevin in Torbay a while ago ;)
    I think if Ed gets ahead of the Tories but well-short of a majority, it will be a period of government paralysis. No-one will want Ed there. His colleagues will be working the angles on when and how to shift him out. He will get counsel from an inner core of Yes-Men, whose judgment to date has been pitiful. They will just reinforce his feeling of paranoia.

    He will be torn by conflicting advice on how any policy will play out in Scotland versus the rest of the UK. The markets will be in no mood to give him a break. Interest rates will be one to watch - he may be unable to do anything to prevent a sizeable hike if market sentiment goes against the UK - arguably,with Boots, we are already hearing that he will have no honeymoon with big business. It will be brutal from day one. And he will sit in Downing Street wondering what the hell to do next.

    His only friends will be in Brussels. And the Kipppers will have but a few days before they have to up their blood pressure meds...

    Fantasy stuff.

    Here's my go.

    Ed will have beaten Cameron, who will slink off stage right to be forgotten and unlamented by a grateful electorate.

    The Tories will very much be in existential crisis and may not survive a putsch from the UKIP wing. The catastrophic consequences of lurching ever rightward could see the Right out of power in Britain for a very very long time. And not unjustifiably so.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,411
    An article from ~ 2008, but just as relevant now.

    http://www.totalpolitics.com/print/2113/swing-constituencies-north-west-england.thtml

    I think the North West will be a rich hunting ground for Labour this time round.
  • MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053
    edited February 2015
    Was there a Populus poll today?

    Oh I see there is one printed by Sunil, but according to the Populus web site this one dates back to January 30th, unless I'm reading it wrong.
  • SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    BenM said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Earlier today, I backed EdM to be "Prime Minister after the General Election" at 2.52 with Betfair. In probability terms this equates to him having a 39.7% chance of getting the top job and a 60.3% of not getting it. Extraordinary imo.
    DYOR.

    Look at the man.

    Listen to him.

    Nothing extraordinary about those odds. He is a void, wrapped up in a vacuum, trapped in a bubble of froth. He has no respect from his troops. Who would die in a ditch for Ed? Very short list. Wouldn't even include his brother. Compare with the kippers on here who are very comfortable residing in Nige's lower colon. Nobody has a good word for you, Ed.

    With the exception of John Cooper Clarke.
    If Labour get the most seats, what would your assessment of the "next PM" be in that scenario in terms of probabilities.

    Btw Hope you took the 9-4 as tipped up by yours truly for Kevin in Torbay a while ago ;)
    I think if Ed gets ahead of the Tories but well-short of a majority, it will be a period of government paralysis. No-one will want Ed there. His colleagues will be working the angles on when and how to shift him out. He will get counsel from an inner core of Yes-Men, whose judgment to date has been pitiful. They will just reinforce his feeling of paranoia.

    He will be torn by conflicting advice on how any policy will play out in Scotland versus the rest of the UK. The markets will be in no mood to give him a break. Interest rates will be one to watch - he may be unable to do anything to prevent a sizeable hike if market sentiment goes against the UK - arguably,with Boots, we are already hearing that he will have no honeymoon with big business. It will be brutal from day one. And he will sit in Downing Street wondering what the hell to do next.

    His only friends will be in Brussels. And the Kipppers will have but a few days before they have to up their blood pressure meds...

    Fantasy stuff.

    Here's my go.

    Ed will have beaten Cameron, who will slink off stage right to be forgotten and unlamented by a grateful electorate.

    The Tories will very much be in existential crisis and may not survive a putsch from the UKIP wing. The catastrophic consequences of lurching ever rightward could see the Right out of power in Britain for a very very long time. And not unjustifiably so.
    You realise that UKIP are stealing votes off of Labour too, right? That doesn't exactly fit with the Tories putting off the electorate by moving in that direction. Leaving the EU is as popular as staying in, and 70% of the public support reducing immigration.
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 22,736
    MikeK said:

    Was there a Populus poll today?

    Todays Populus LAB 337 CON 259 LD 25 EICIPM(2.50 on Betfair)
  • MikeK said:

    Was there a Populus poll today?

    Oh I see there is one printed by Sunil, but according to the Populus web site this one dates back to January 30th, unless I'm reading it wrong.

    But the end-date was today, Mike! So it counts as belonging to this week, per ELBOW ;)
  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670

    TGOHF said:

    Alistair said:

    I see it is Wednesday before the Scottish poling is released.

    Lord Ashcroft @LordAshcroft · 3h 3 hours ago
    Pls retweet that my Scottish individual constituency poll will be released at 11am Wed at http://lordashcroftpolls.com Register there to receive


    Meanwhile the Telegraph is having a titter

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

    "Ed Miliband tells Boots boss who lives in Monaco: Pay your taxes"

    I'm sure the Monaconian government will welcome this reminder to their citizen.

    Ed M can criticise others for legal tax avoidance when the Miliband family cough up the Inheritance Tax they dodged on his father's estate . Until then, he just another hypocrite.
    They haven't avoided any tax
  • MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053
    Robin Hunter-Clarke ‏@CllrRobinHC 19m19 minutes ago
    Some exciting news coming up later today... Stay tuned #Skegness #Boston #UKIP pic.twitter.com/DW37o1VpeJ

    But please don't ask me what it is
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,631
    MaxPB said:

    Socrates said:

    @edmundintokyo

    The quote was "Labour will have a world-leading commitment in government to take all of the carbon out of our energy by 2030"

    That is literally going to be impossible. Even with win farms the foundations for wind turbines are made from cement which releases a lot of CO2 when manufactured. Taking manufacturing into account the aluminium and cement for wind turbines means that it takes longer than the service life of the unit to offset the emissions from manufacturing.
    If that is true, then the kilowatts of power used to create and install a wind turbine is smaller than the number of kilowatts of power it generates.

    But simple maths tells you that can't be true, because there are - in certain places - totally unsubsidised wind turbines that earn their owners an economic return. The maker of the turbine would have to pay for their electricity and other other power to build it. From a straight mathematical perspective, selling unsubsidised power would mean that it would never be possible to make a profit. And, in fact, given that wind turbine makers pay retail or commercial rates for power to build them, and wind farm owners only recieve grid or "feed in" tariff rates. (Even the latter of which is, I believe, below retail or commercial rates.)
  • Ben Stokes hits fifteen sixes in one innings for the Lions:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/31094679

    Why didn't England give him time and help him find his form so he could be in the World cup squad, instead we are stuck with Woakes.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,411
    MikeK said:

    Robin Hunter-Clarke ‏@CllrRobinHC 19m19 minutes ago
    Some exciting news coming up later today... Stay tuned #Skegness #Boston #UKIP pic.twitter.com/DW37o1VpeJ

    But please don't ask me what it is

    Interesting... this seat has my second largest UKIP bet !
  • Alistair said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Alistair said:

    Cyclefree said:

    antifrank said:

    pb public, please assist me with an ethical problem.

    I have for some years gone out of my way to avoid using Boots wherever possible because I find the service utterly crap (cf also W H Smiths). How do I now register my disapproval of businessmen languidly stirring up mindless political arguments?

    WH Smiths I agree with you. I'm amazed to find them still in business TBH.

    But I have always found the Boots near my place of work to be excellent. One of their pharmacists went out of their way to help me when I had to find urgently a medecine for my son that was hard to get.

    My own personal boycott is aimed at Starbucks - mainly on account of their absurdly overpriced and disgusting drinks.
    Easy to to boycott Starbucks given their coffee is shit.
    It is surprisingly hard to find coffee bars serving really good coffee. The sorts of bars that you can find in any small Italian town are as rare as hen's teeth, sadly.

    Glasgow's and Edinburgh's large Scots-Italian communities are a real boon when it comes to good coffee in Scotland.
    Indeed, though Crolla's risks disappearing up its over-priced arse.
  • MikeK said:

    Was there a Populus poll today?

    Todays Populus LAB 337 CON 259 LD 25 EICIPM(2.50 on Betfair)
    Have you lumped on BJO?
  • FinancierFinancier Posts: 3,916
    BenM said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Earlier today, I backed EdM to be "Prime Minister after the General Election" at 2.52 with Betfair. In probability terms this equates to him having a 39.7% chance of getting the top job and a 60.3% of not getting it. Extraordinary imo.
    DYOR.

    Look at the man.

    Listen to him.

    Nothing extraordinary about those odds. He is a void, wrapped up in a vacuum, trapped in a bubble of froth. He has no respect from his troops. Who would die in a ditch for Ed? Very short list. Wouldn't even include his brother. Compare with the kippers on here who are very comfortable residing in Nige's lower colon. Nobody has a good word for you, Ed.

    With the exception of John Cooper Clarke.
    If Labour get the most seats, what would your assessment of the "next PM" be in that scenario in terms of probabilities.

    Btw Hope you took the 9-4 as tipped up by yours truly for Kevin in Torbay a while ago ;)
    I think if Ed gets ahead of the Tories but well-short of a majority, it will be a period of government paralysis. No-one will want Ed there. His colleagues will be working the angles on when and how to shift him out. He will get counsel from an inner core of Yes-Men, whose judgment to date has been pitiful. They will just reinforce his feeling of paranoia.

    He will be torn by conflicting advice on how any policy will play out in Scotland versus the rest of the UK. The markets will be in no mood to give him a break. Interest rates will be one to watch - he may be unable to do anything to prevent a sizeable hike if market sentiment goes against the UK - arguably,with Boots, we are already hearing that he will have no honeymoon with big business. It will be brutal from day one. And he will sit in Downing Street wondering what the hell to do next.

    His only friends will be in Brussels. And the Kipppers will have but a few days before they have to up their blood pressure meds...

    Fantasy stuff.

    Here's my go.

    Ed will have beaten Cameron, who will slink off stage right to be forgotten and unlamented by a grateful electorate.

    The Tories will very much be in existential crisis and may not survive a putsch from the UKIP wing. The catastrophic consequences of lurching ever rightward could see the Right out of power in Britain for a very very long time. And not unjustifiably so.
    Please define exactly what and in what quantity the electorate will be grateful for.
  • Pulpstar said:

    MikeK said:

    Robin Hunter-Clarke ‏@CllrRobinHC 19m19 minutes ago
    Some exciting news coming up later today... Stay tuned #Skegness #Boston #UKIP pic.twitter.com/DW37o1VpeJ

    But please don't ask me what it is

    Interesting... this seat has my second largest UKIP bet !
    Could be a poll.

    I know UKIP have commissioned some polling in their target seats.

  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,631
    @MaxPB: thinking about it, the "total emissions" to build argument must be wrong. Why?

    Let's assume a wind turbines has an economic life of 20 years and has a utilisation factor of 20%.

    Therefore a 1MW plant will produce 1,460 days worth of power over its life. So, 35GW hours worth of power over 20 years.

    To have consumed more than 35GW hours of power to produce and install a 1MW turbine is not theoretically possible, because a 1MW turbine will cost you about £2m to buy and install, and 35GW of power would cost you £6.4m.

    And that's assuming all the costs of the wind turbine are energy (which is clearly ridiculous).
  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670

    Alistair said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Alistair said:

    Cyclefree said:

    antifrank said:

    pb public, please assist me with an ethical problem.

    I have for some years gone out of my way to avoid using Boots wherever possible because I find the service utterly crap (cf also W H Smiths). How do I now register my disapproval of businessmen languidly stirring up mindless political arguments?

    WH Smiths I agree with you. I'm amazed to find them still in business TBH.

    But I have always found the Boots near my place of work to be excellent. One of their pharmacists went out of their way to help me when I had to find urgently a medecine for my son that was hard to get.

    My own personal boycott is aimed at Starbucks - mainly on account of their absurdly overpriced and disgusting drinks.
    Easy to to boycott Starbucks given their coffee is shit.
    It is surprisingly hard to find coffee bars serving really good coffee. The sorts of bars that you can find in any small Italian town are as rare as hen's teeth, sadly.

    Glasgow's and Edinburgh's large Scots-Italian communities are a real boon when it comes to good coffee in Scotland.
    Indeed, though Crolla's risks disappearing up its over-priced arse.
    Best coffee in Edinburgh is Artisan Roast. Best coffee in Glasgow has way too many options to choose one as best. Maybe Little Italy on Bytes Road. But then there's Tinderbox just next door and Dino's . . .
  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    Have you lumped on BJO?

    I think 2.50 would be something of an 'average down' trade, unfortunately....
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,411

    Pulpstar said:

    MikeK said:

    Robin Hunter-Clarke ‏@CllrRobinHC 19m19 minutes ago
    Some exciting news coming up later today... Stay tuned #Skegness #Boston #UKIP pic.twitter.com/DW37o1VpeJ

    But please don't ask me what it is

    Interesting... this seat has my second largest UKIP bet !
    Could be a poll.

    I know UKIP have commissioned some polling in their target seats.

    Will Robin be allowed to wear his school uniform in the House of Commons ?
  • AnorakAnorak Posts: 6,621
    edited February 2015
    rcs1000 said:

    @MaxPB: thinking about it, the "total emissions" to build argument must be wrong. Why?

    Let's assume a wind turbines has an economic life of 20 years and has a utilisation factor of 20%.

    Therefore a 1MW plant will produce 1,460 days worth of power over its life. So, 35GW hours worth of power over 20 years.

    To have consumed more than 35GW hours of power to produce and install a 1MW turbine is not theoretically possible, because a 1MW turbine will cost you about £2m to buy and install, and 35GW of power would cost you £6.4m.

    And that's assuming all the costs of the wind turbine are energy (which is clearly ridiculous).

    Not the whole story when maintenance, decommissioning and disposal are added - but I can't see it changing the outcome of your calc.

    But what price a noble eagle? Or darting swallow? IS IT WORTH IT, WHEN THE FEATHERS RAIN DOWN??!!?? 'course it is :)
  • MikeK said:

    Robin Hunter-Clarke ‏@CllrRobinHC 19m19 minutes ago
    Some exciting news coming up later today... Stay tuned #Skegness #Boston #UKIP pic.twitter.com/DW37o1VpeJ

    But please don't ask me what it is

    Obvious thought is that the person cropped from the photo is a new UKIP supporter - either a substantial donor, or a defector prominent in local politics.

    UKIP have form on over-hyping this sort of thing now, of course.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,411
    http://www.oddschecker.com/politics/british-politics/next-chancellor

    I know the pie chart isn't exactly a "money" chart, but you can see here why the bookies make money.

    If you don't think it is going to be Ed Balls, then you're betting into colossal over-round.
  • MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053
    MossadNews ‏@MossadNews 4m4 minutes ago
    U.S. Considers Supplying Arms to Ukraine Forces, Officials Say U.S. Considers Supplying Arms to Ukraine Forces,... http://fb.me/1IsRlQncT

    Thing could get very hot if they do.......
  • philiphphiliph Posts: 4,704
    MaxPB said:

    Socrates said:

    @edmundintokyo

    The quote was "Labour will have a world-leading commitment in government to take all of the carbon out of our energy by 2030"

    That is literally going to be impossible. Even with win farms the foundations for wind turbines are made from cement which releases a lot of CO2 when manufactured. Taking manufacturing into account the aluminium and cement for wind turbines means that it takes longer than the service life of the unit to offset the emissions from manufacturing.
    I was asking that very question (not on here) on Saturday as I drove past an array of wind farms in Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and France. Your clairvoyance saves me researching up the answer! Thanks
  • SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    @rcs1000

    One missing piece of your argument is that there the renewables obligation means that there are different market rates for green energy and non-green energy. So theoretically you could get the higher price from generating green energy, and a lower price for the (mostly) non-green energy you used to build it.

    Although realistically this is likely to be more than covered by non-energy costs.
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,538

    For those wot missed it yesterday:

    Sunil Prasannan ‏@Sunil_P2 · Feb 1
    ELBOW (Electoral Leader-Board Of the Week) 1st Feb: Lab 33.3, Con 32.9, UKIP 15.4, LD 6.9, Grn 6.3. Lowest Lab % lead

    https://twitter.com/Sunil_P2/status/561853144913555456

    Whats the running Sunil on this week?

    lol
    Lab 34, Con 31, UKIP 14, Others 21.

  • SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    MikeK said:

    MossadNews ‏@MossadNews 4m4 minutes ago
    U.S. Considers Supplying Arms to Ukraine Forces, Officials Say U.S. Considers Supplying Arms to Ukraine Forces,... http://fb.me/1IsRlQncT

    Thing could get very hot if they do.......

    No chance. It will just be a financing game, and Russia won't be able to afford to keep up with the US.
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    Alistair said:

    TGOHF said:

    Alistair said:

    I see it is Wednesday before the Scottish poling is released.

    Lord Ashcroft @LordAshcroft · 3h 3 hours ago
    Pls retweet that my Scottish individual constituency poll will be released at 11am Wed at http://lordashcroftpolls.com Register there to receive


    Meanwhile the Telegraph is having a titter

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

    "Ed Miliband tells Boots boss who lives in Monaco: Pay your taxes"

    I'm sure the Monaconian government will welcome this reminder to their citizen.

    Ed M can criticise others for legal tax avoidance when the Miliband family cough up the Inheritance Tax they dodged on his father's estate . Until then, he just another hypocrite.
    They haven't avoided any tax
    Neither has the Boots boss.
  • NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    MikeK said:

    MossadNews ‏@MossadNews 4m4 minutes ago
    U.S. Considers Supplying Arms to Ukraine Forces, Officials Say U.S. Considers Supplying Arms to Ukraine Forces,... http://fb.me/1IsRlQncT

    Thing could get very hot if they do.......

    Especially under False Flag's collar!

  • SocratesSocrates Posts: 10,322
    Alistair said:

    TGOHF said:

    Alistair said:

    I see it is Wednesday before the Scottish poling is released.

    Lord Ashcroft @LordAshcroft · 3h 3 hours ago
    Pls retweet that my Scottish individual constituency poll will be released at 11am Wed at http://lordashcroftpolls.com Register there to receive


    Meanwhile the Telegraph is having a titter

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

    "Ed Miliband tells Boots boss who lives in Monaco: Pay your taxes"

    I'm sure the Monaconian government will welcome this reminder to their citizen.

    Ed M can criticise others for legal tax avoidance when the Miliband family cough up the Inheritance Tax they dodged on his father's estate . Until then, he just another hypocrite.
    They haven't avoided any tax
    They haven't evaded any tax, but they certainly avoided it.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,411
    Neil said:


    MikeK said:

    MossadNews ‏@MossadNews 4m4 minutes ago
    U.S. Considers Supplying Arms to Ukraine Forces, Officials Say U.S. Considers Supplying Arms to Ukraine Forces,... http://fb.me/1IsRlQncT

    Thing could get very hot if they do.......

    Especially under False Flag's collar!

    Any news on ALP :) ?
  • rcs1000 said:

    @MaxPB: thinking about it, the "total emissions" to build argument must be wrong. Why?

    Let's assume a wind turbines has an economic life of 20 years and has a utilisation factor of 20%.

    Therefore a 1MW plant will produce 1,460 days worth of power over its life. So, 35GW hours worth of power over 20 years.

    To have consumed more than 35GW hours of power to produce and install a 1MW turbine is not theoretically possible, because a 1MW turbine will cost you about £2m to buy and install, and 35GW of power would cost you £6.4m.

    And that's assuming all the costs of the wind turbine are energy (which is clearly ridiculous).

    I am suspicious of claims that wind turbines don't reduce carbon dioxide emissions, but one factor you have overlooked is the carbon released from concrete production, which is not all from the energy required, but from the chemical process involved - I believe it's the oxidation of calcium carbonate, but the details elude me at present.

    This chemical process is responsible for ~10% of global anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions, so the concrete required for the foundations of a wind turbine will be a large fraction of the total carbon dioxide emissions.

    One factor in the argument will be the carbon that is not emitted by the electricity generated by the wind turbine. You will get a different figure depending on whether you assume that wind displaces coal, gas or nuclear from energy generation. I could imagine someone using the grid average for the UK - which would include zero-carbon* electricity generated from wind turbines!

    * That is, zero at the point of production.
This discussion has been closed.