The allure of power and influence that a donor thinks they buy must be close to completely cancelled out by risk of bad publicity.
We could be near the end of big personal donations.
My father is a big supporter of the Coalition & has donated. He got invited to a bunch of dinners, with various politicos, but always found the other guests much more interesting! A great networking opportunity with various other businessmen and women...
The Sunday Times appears to dragging things out by using this story as a tease. Its YouGov poll always seems to be better for Labour than those of its sister paper, so I'm expecting a 3% Labour lead tonight or thereabouts to round off a very disappointing week for the Tories, who simply must do better, much better and soon if they are to have any real chance at all.
I actually think this is the real affect of the bad few weeks on NHS and tax dodging. It isn't really taking any votes away from the Tories, but their momentum and from gaining support in order to close that 1% gap and overtake Labour. Time is running out for the Tories to do that.
The campaign - such as it has been so far - has not touched on the economy. The Budget is the starting pistol. If the Tories can't get some traction at that point - when Labour should be on the back-foot - that will be the time for Tories to worry.
You may be right MM but it's beginning to smack of desperation somewhat isn't it to have to rely on a one trick pony such as a pre-election giveaway budget?
One trick ponies are fine if the trick still works....
Guess what the BBC newspaer review as gone on first with,the observer,ken Clarke story.
Noooooooooooooo never.....have they lost the Times and the Telegraph front pages as well? Dog eat them?
I predict that tomorrow on the BBC there is about as much mention of the Times, Telegraph and Sun stories as that of the fact that the Daily Mirror was the worst offender of phone hacking...and that we wont be getting any Panorama's on the Mirror's activities or Labour's donors (unlike in the way they spent years looking at Ashcroft).
Thomas is former Executive Vice-President of EDS EMEA, an American computer firm. He oversaw $12billion in annual revenue and 58,000 employees - and Thomas helped grow the company's profits by 20 per cent per annum.
He lives on Hopton Estate, Derbyshire, an historic house with its own shooting grounds. Thomas lives with wife Julie Thomas and dogs Roo and Winston on the splendid estate, which also boats 37,000 acres and was once a favourite of Princess Anne.
It was 37,000 at its peak. In the 1300s. It's now down to about 30 acres...
Guess what the BBC newspaer review as gone on first with,the observer,ken Clarke story.
I reckon the BBC feels it needs to keep a pro-Labour left wing bias to counter the mainly right wing newspaper bias
Only place I can think there is predominant pro-Labour bias in the papers is Scotland with the Record's large... but dwindling circulation that's an anti-nat thing tbh.
Different parts of the BBC seem to balance each other out too, Radio 4 must be the most left wing broadcaster on earth, Paul Mason very left wing too whereas Andrew Neill you can tell probably votes Conservative. He is the best reporter there though, Nick Robinson dropping bollocks recently.
Funny what has caught the attention of the BBC newspaper man on twitter...not all these Labour donor stories, oh noooo, it is why are the right wing media nasty to Ed Miliband.
Guess what the BBC newspaer review as gone on first with,the observer,ken Clarke story.
Noooooooooooooo never.....have they lost the Times and the Telegraph front pages as well? Dog eat them?
I predict that tomorrow on the BBC there is about as much mention of the Times, Telegraph and Sun stories as that of the fact that the Daily Mirror was the worst offender of phone hacking...and that we wont be getting any Panorama's on the Mirror's activities or Labour's donors (unlike in the way they spent years looking at Ashcroft).
Nelson from the people said these attacks are coming from a tory supporting newspaper - lol,nothing on the attacks on the tories by the mostly labour supporting guardian newspaper lol
I have had a fantastic day today at the English Institute of Sport watching British Indoor Athletics Championships
Highly recommend it if you get chance 7 hours of Great British athletics for £12
Katarina Johnson-Thomson (the Heptathlete) broke the British high jump record and a 17 year old multi eventer and world Junior heptathlon champion Morgan Lake also broke the British Junior HJ record.
Funny what has caught the attention of the BBC newspaper man on twitter...not all these Labour donor stories, oh noooo, it is why are the right wing media nasty to Ed Miliband.
The BBC seemed more interested in the ken Clarke story.
They already out...it is a Prince Andrew story. Interview with some ex-girlfriend that from first glance is basically all the allegations against him are nonsense.
Incredible really, but illustrates what ukip have to put up with
"Nick Mirsky, Channel 4's head of documentaries, denied that the film, which airs ay 9pm, was 'anti-Ukip', but admitted that it did not have to be 'politically balanced' because was being shown outside of the official Election campaign period, which starts on March 30."
Guess what the BBC newspaer review as gone on first with,the observer,ken Clarke story.
I reckon the BBC feels it needs to keep a pro-Labour left wing bias to counter the mainly right wing newspaper bias
Only place I can think there is predominant pro-Labour bias in the papers is Scotland with the Record's large... but dwindling circulation that's an anti-nat thing tbh.
Different parts of the BBC seem to balance each other out too, Radio 4 must be the most left wing broadcaster on earth, Paul Mason very left wing too whereas Andrew Neill you can tell probably votes Conservative. He is the best reporter there though, Nick Robinson dropping bollocks recently.
I guess that that anyone who takes the Mail / Telegraph/ Express/ Murdoch press as gospel is going to find just about anything else rabidly left-wing. When I was a kid my parents took the Express and that was about all the political information I got and in the run up to the 1964 election when I was 13 I was totally convinced that nobody would possibly vote for Harold Wilson and Labour. To my huge astonishment Labour won, I learnt my first harsh political lesson.
Just looking at the polls above, it strikes me that there is something happening underneath the numbers.
It looks to me that the Greens and UKIP are deflating, and the votes splitting pretty equally between the Lib Dems, Labour and the Tories.
*However* wasn't it always the trend that the first 10-15 points of UK support came from the Tories, and it was only when they got to the mid/high teens that it began to eat into Labour. Do shouldn't Labour actually be *extending* their lead as it two groups (ex-LD--->Red Lib--->Green and Red UKIP) who should be more inclined to Labour that are declining?
If this is true, perhaps there is more to play for that people think for the Tories - provided that they can now squeeze the soft Blue Kippers disproportionately their way?
Perhaps someone with a better handle on the guts of the polling numbers could look at this? It's only a thought at this stage?
Just looking at the polls above, it strikes me that there is something happening underneath the numbers.
It looks to me that the Greens and UKIP are deflating, and the votes splitting pretty equally between the Lib Dems, Labour and the Tories.
*However* wasn't it always the trend that the first 10-15 points of UK support came from the Tories, and it was only when they got to the mid/high teens that it began to eat into Labour. Do shouldn't Labour actually be *extending* their lead as it two groups (ex-LD Green and Red UKIP) who should be more inclined to Labour that are declining?
If this is true, perhaps there is more to play for that people think for the Tories - provided that they can now squeeze the soft Blue Kippers disproportionately their way?
Perhaps someone with a better handle on the guts of the polling numbers could look at this? It's only a thought at this stage?
That's an interesting idea Charles and possibly worth investigating but only in the event of UKIP losing a significant chunk of their support. So far, they've possibly lost around 2% and even that has yet to be fully substantiated. One could pose a similar, albeit reverse question as regards a possible partial recovery (i.e. to double digits) by the LibDems ..... which party would this hurt most, Labour or Tory?
Incredible really, but illustrates what ukip have to put up with
"Nick Mirsky, Channel 4's head of documentaries, denied that the film, which airs ay 9pm, was 'anti-Ukip', but admitted that it did not have to be 'politically balanced' because was being shown outside of the official Election campaign period, which starts on March 30."
That's all right then...
Fuck it who cares what the loony left think anyway?
The quotes in the article don't say "especially" with regard to the SNP. A steadying hand from a popular party of government would do nothing but help Ed Miliband.
it might as well be entitled Clarke calls for Tory suicide pact.
He's proposing state funding of political parties at a point when the political establishment has never been so unpopular and the public debt stands at £1.2 trillion plus..
And they say Westminster politicians are out of touch with public opinion.Hard to believe isn't it?
Incredible really, but illustrates what ukip have to put up with
Maybe they should do a LibLabCon documentary where they pursue further integration with the EU. As the EU declines as an economic power unemployment goes up and immigration from EU countries increases placing public services and schools under further strain.
Incredible really, but illustrates what ukip have to put up with
"Nick Mirsky, Channel 4's head of documentaries, denied that the film, which airs ay 9pm, was 'anti-Ukip', but admitted that it did not have to be 'politically balanced' because was being shown outside of the official Election campaign period, which starts on March 30."
That's all right then...
Fuck it who cares what the loony left think anyway?
Me,they run most our TV media news, especially the BBC ,they help defeat anything done on open door immigration.
Thomas is former Executive Vice-President of EDS EMEA, an American computer firm. He oversaw $12billion in annual revenue and 58,000 employees - and Thomas helped grow the company's profits by 20 per cent per annum.
He lives on Hopton Estate, Derbyshire, an historic house with its own shooting grounds. Thomas lives with wife Julie Thomas and dogs Roo and Winston on the splendid estate, which also boats 37,000 acres and was once a favourite of Princess Anne.
EDS is a very frequent benefactor of government contracts.
Guess what the BBC newspaer review as gone on first with,the observer,ken Clarke story.
I reckon the BBC feels it needs to keep a pro-Labour left wing bias to counter the mainly right wing newspaper bias
Only place I can think there is predominant pro-Labour bias in the papers is Scotland with the Record's large... but dwindling circulation that's an anti-nat thing tbh.
Different parts of the BBC seem to balance each other out too, Radio 4 must be the most left wing broadcaster on earth, Paul Mason very left wing too whereas Andrew Neill you can tell probably votes Conservative. He is the best reporter there though, Nick Robinson dropping bollocks recently.
I guess that that anyone who takes the Mail / Telegraph/ Express/ Murdoch press as gospel is going to find just about anything else rabidly left-wing. When I was a kid my parents took the Express and that was about all the political information I got and in the run up to the 1964 election when I was 13 I was totally convinced that nobody would possibly vote for Harold Wilson and Labour. To my huge astonishment Labour won, I learnt my first harsh political lesson.
Some time in the mid 60s there was a push by Labour to get more women party members. I still remember a headline in the Express saying something like "Wilson to get 25,000 women into Labour".
Thomas is former Executive Vice-President of EDS EMEA, an American computer firm. He oversaw $12billion in annual revenue and 58,000 employees - and Thomas helped grow the company's profits by 20 per cent per annum.
He lives on Hopton Estate, Derbyshire, an historic house with its own shooting grounds. Thomas lives with wife Julie Thomas and dogs Roo and Winston on the splendid estate, which also boats 37,000 acres and was once a favourite of Princess Anne.
EDS is a very frequent benefactor of government contracts.
Incredible really, but illustrates what ukip have to put up with
Maybe they should do a LibLabCon documentary where they pursue further integration with the EU. As the EU declines as an economic power unemployment goes up and immigration from EU countries increases placing public services and schools under further strain.
I guess most people see that in everyday life! Let them indulge a few of their fantasies
A steadying hand from a popular party of government would do nothing but help Ed Miliband.
I think you may over-estimate the SNP's popularity in England......
Found the polling data:
If the result of the next election is a hung Parliament with the SNP the third largest party, would you support or oppose the party you voted for doing a deal with the SNP in order to form a government? (only asked of Con or Lab VI)
Net support: OA: -22 Con: -62 Lab: -1
Do you think it would be a good or bad thing if the SNP was part of a Westminster coalition government after the next election? (asked of all) Net good: -34
When OGH declared this week a triumph for Ed I did suggest we wait for the Sunday's......
Me too. Wisdom's proved right by her actions. Miliband and Labour needed to be squeaky clean before dishing dirt. Said it could come back to bite them hard.
Also is it true the Guardian shelter half their £850m reserves in the Caymans?
All the profit from the sale of Autotrader (which I think raised about £1bn in two tranches) was structured through a BVI)(?) company and using other exemptions to avoid any tax on the disposal.
Bit rich of them to get high horsed about this? That's the trouble with moral crusades. Who's actually that moral?
BBC, Guardian, the lot have structured their affairs to be "tax efficient". Call it "vanilla" tax avoidance, but the hypocrisy is widespread in the media industry.
Ask everyone in Roger's favourite club The Groucho, 'Who works through a tax avoiding service company?' There will be a sea of hands in the air.
The Labour donor on the front page of the Sunday Times is Sir David Garrard and who was implicated in the Cash for Honours Scandal. He donated 690k alone last year
But the best bit
He was living as a tax exile in Switzerland after his retirement when he was nominated for a peerage. His name was withdrawn after revelations that he was among Labour supporters who had made secret loans to the party.
Thomas is former Executive Vice-President of EDS EMEA, an American computer firm. He oversaw $12billion in annual revenue and 58,000 employees - and Thomas helped grow the company's profits by 20 per cent per annum.
He lives on Hopton Estate, Derbyshire, an historic house with its own shooting grounds. Thomas lives with wife Julie Thomas and dogs Roo and Winston on the splendid estate, which also boats 37,000 acres and was once a favourite of Princess Anne.
EDS is a very frequent benefactor of government contracts.
Peter Kellner has revised his election prediction for the Sunday Times,
He says
"I have therefore reduced my prediction for Labour’s Scottish seat tally from 31 to 24. If Murphy cannot trim the SNP’s lead from 20 points to 6-8 points, Labour could end up with as few as 10-15 seats. There is even a chance that Labour’s Scottish losses would more than wipe out its gains south of the border, leaving the party with even fewer MPs than in 2010."
Piece ends with
As things stand, Cameron could be the first Tory leader for more than half a century to have good reason to say on election night: “Thank you, Scotland.”
Looks like it's open season on Labour in the Sunday's.
Question is, will nay of the national broadcasters run with any of these stories? Obviously the BBC won't unless they are forced to by Sky or ITV...
No because they are clearly desperate nonsense that won't shift a single vote.
Was the Tories story desperate nonsense ?
If politics was logical the revelation that Labour is as stuffed with dodgy donors and members as the Cons the information should harm Labour more. It shows them up as untrustworthy duplicitous hypocrites and it shows the Tory party acting as expected, pick your own insults to describe them.
Peter Kellner has revised his election prediction for the Sunday Times,
He says
"I have therefore reduced my prediction for Labour’s Scottish seat tally from 31 to 24. If Murphy cannot trim the SNP’s lead from 20 points to 6-8 points, Labour could end up with as few as 10-15 seats. There is even a chance that Labour’s Scottish losses would more than wipe out its gains south of the border, leaving the party with even fewer MPs than in 2010."
Piece ends with
As things stand, Cameron could be the first Tory leader for more than half a century to have good reason to say on election night: “Thank you, Scotland.”
@TheWatcher Since a few of the Tory donors are hedge funds, one would suppose that they would be giving the Tory party advice? Unless of course they know of even better ways?
Peter Kellner has revised his election prediction for the Sunday Times,
He says
"I have therefore reduced my prediction for Labour’s Scottish seat tally from 31 to 24. If Murphy cannot trim the SNP’s lead from 20 points to 6-8 points, Labour could end up with as few as 10-15 seats. There is even a chance that Labour’s Scottish losses would more than wipe out its gains south of the border, leaving the party with even fewer MPs than in 2010."
Piece ends with
As things stand, Cameron could be the first Tory leader for more than half a century to have good reason to say on election night: “Thank you, Scotland.”
I wonder where his evidence for this prediction are coming from?
The Tory press are having to fight a reactive, defensive rear guard action, with mixed messages that 'labour don't have any business friends but yet look look they are just as bad as our lot with taking money from dodgy business people somehow at the same time'. It's a mess, to be responding move by move in such a transparent fashion - they really need to be making serious headway with the agenda but labour have them on the break time after time. They are playing a poor hand badly.
The Labour donor on the front page of the Sunday Times is Sir David Garrard and who was implicated in the Cash for Honours Scandal. He donated 690k alone last year
But the best bit
He was living as a tax exile in Switzerland after his retirement when he was nominated for a peerage. His name was withdrawn after revelations that he was among Labour supporters who had made secret loans to the party.
Peter Kellner has revised his election prediction for the Sunday Times,
He says
"I have therefore reduced my prediction for Labour’s Scottish seat tally from 31 to 24. If Murphy cannot trim the SNP’s lead from 20 points to 6-8 points, Labour could end up with as few as 10-15 seats. There is even a chance that Labour’s Scottish losses would more than wipe out its gains south of the border, leaving the party with even fewer MPs than in 2010."
Piece ends with
As things stand, Cameron could be the first Tory leader for more than half a century to have good reason to say on election night: “Thank you, Scotland.”
I wonder where his evidence for this prediction are coming from?
Peter Kellner has revised his election prediction for the Sunday Times,
He says
"I have therefore reduced my prediction for Labour’s Scottish seat tally from 31 to 24. If Murphy cannot trim the SNP’s lead from 20 points to 6-8 points, Labour could end up with as few as 10-15 seats. There is even a chance that Labour’s Scottish losses would more than wipe out its gains south of the border, leaving the party with even fewer MPs than in 2010."
Piece ends with
As things stand, Cameron could be the first Tory leader for more than half a century to have good reason to say on election night: “Thank you, Scotland.”
I wonder where his evidence for this prediction are coming from?
I expect the gap between SNP and labour to narrow.
Peter Kellner has revised his election prediction for the Sunday Times,
He says
"I have therefore reduced my prediction for Labour’s Scottish seat tally from 31 to 24. If Murphy cannot trim the SNP’s lead from 20 points to 6-8 points, Labour could end up with as few as 10-15 seats. There is even a chance that Labour’s Scottish losses would more than wipe out its gains south of the border, leaving the party with even fewer MPs than in 2010."
Piece ends with
As things stand, Cameron could be the first Tory leader for more than half a century to have good reason to say on election night: “Thank you, Scotland.”
I wonder where his evidence for this prediction are coming from?
I expect the gap between SNP and labour to narrow.
Oh, and blairite Peter Kellner really is a joke and bad for yougov's credibility - it's like ICM suddenly started getting Dan Hodges to do their official commentary. Everything is always bad news for Ed.
Peter Kellner has revised his election prediction for the Sunday Times,
He says
"I have therefore reduced my prediction for Labour’s Scottish seat tally from 31 to 24. If Murphy cannot trim the SNP’s lead from 20 points to 6-8 points, Labour could end up with as few as 10-15 seats. There is even a chance that Labour’s Scottish losses would more than wipe out its gains south of the border, leaving the party with even fewer MPs than in 2010."
Piece ends with
As things stand, Cameron could be the first Tory leader for more than half a century to have good reason to say on election night: “Thank you, Scotland.”
I would have thought that simple arithmetic would be within the scope of Kellner's ken.
It doesn't matter how Scotland votes in terms of Cameron's chance of being PM. Either he outweighs Scotland with English seats or he can't achieve a majority. In which case Labour decides between S&C from the SNP or Grand Coalition with the Tories.
Comments
YG is slow.
How many Labour vs how many tory politicians / Lords done time for expense fiddles?
I predict that tomorrow on the BBC there is about as much mention of the Times, Telegraph and Sun stories as that of the fact that the Daily Mirror was the worst offender of phone hacking...and that we wont be getting any Panorama's on the Mirror's activities or Labour's donors (unlike in the way they spent years looking at Ashcroft).
Only place I can think there is predominant pro-Labour bias in the papers is Scotland with the Record's large... but dwindling circulation that's an anti-nat thing tbh.
Different parts of the BBC seem to balance each other out too, Radio 4 must be the most left wing broadcaster on earth, Paul Mason very left wing too whereas Andrew Neill you can tell probably votes Conservative. He is the best reporter there though, Nick Robinson dropping bollocks recently.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2953843/It-s-liberal-left-poppycock-Ukip-fury-C4-predicts-race-riots-Farage-wins-election.html
UKIP won't win the GE, so the rest of the article is hypothetical whataboutery.
Highly recommend it if you get chance 7 hours of Great British athletics for £12
Katarina Johnson-Thomson (the Heptathlete) broke the British high jump record and a 17 year old multi eventer and world Junior heptathlon champion Morgan Lake also broke the British Junior HJ record.
Class young British sprinters also on show
I am now following TSE on twitter so will set my phone alarm when he tweets it
Its all good
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B91fEsAIMAANQDh.jpg:large
That's all right then...
It looks to me that the Greens and UKIP are deflating, and the votes splitting pretty equally between the Lib Dems, Labour and the Tories.
*However* wasn't it always the trend that the first 10-15 points of UK support came from the Tories, and it was only when they got to the mid/high teens that it began to eat into Labour. Do shouldn't Labour actually be *extending* their lead as it two groups (ex-LD--->Red Lib--->Green and Red UKIP) who should be more inclined to Labour that are declining?
If this is true, perhaps there is more to play for that people think for the Tories - provided that they can now squeeze the soft Blue Kippers disproportionately their way?
Perhaps someone with a better handle on the guts of the polling numbers could look at this? It's only a thought at this stage?
I wasn't astonished though.
"Yes, I have also learned that a huge number of voters are greedy and stupid."
Don't be too hard on yourself Geoff, we all have out faults.
In fact one of his posts on here earlier tonight contained EICIPM.
I will have him voting Tory in Sheffield Hallam at this rate
Ken Clarke says Tory party must shun wealthy donors to avoid scandal
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/feb/14/ken-clarke-tory-party-shun-wealthy-donors
it might as well be entitled Clarke calls for Tory suicide pact.
He's proposing state funding of political parties at a point when the political establishment has never been so unpopular and the public debt stands at £1.2 trillion plus..
And they say Westminster politicians are out of touch with public opinion.Hard to believe isn't it?
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B91zyQgIUAAq7nV.jpg
Neil Henderson @hendopolis 26s26 seconds ago
I've had page 2 and 6 of the sun on Sunday - make of this what you will #tomorrowspaperstoday
You at the Unlimited Screening of Focus this Monday?
twitter.com/hendopolis/status/566736443201306624/photo/1
We had it this week.
I hate kids and grand kids and i have 4 and 9 myself
I think we're going to have to wait until 6am.
Me too ...... goodnight all!
If the result of the next election is a hung Parliament with the SNP the third largest party, would you support or oppose the party you voted for doing a deal with the SNP in order to form a government? (only asked of Con or Lab VI)
Net support:
OA: -22
Con: -62
Lab: -1
Do you think it would be a good or bad thing if the SNP was part of a Westminster coalition government after the next election? (asked of all)
Net good: -34
http://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/document/k24ox3l7ay/YG-Archive-Pol-Sunday-Times-results-060215.pdf
I am definitely not mentioning any more !!!
Question is, will nay of the national broadcasters run with any of these stories? Obviously the BBC won't unless they are forced to by Sky or ITV...
"NHS private health provider accused of US hospice fraud
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/feb/14/nhs-private-contractor-optum-hospice-fraud"
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mohamed-al-fayed-denies-rape-young-5166223
Labour have.
No exact figures, but Lab has a three point lead.
Okaaay.....
But the best bit
He was living as a tax exile in Switzerland after his retirement when he was nominated for a peerage. His name was withdrawn after revelations that he was among Labour supporters who had made secret loans to the party.
2017 will be a good year.
He says
"I have therefore reduced my prediction for Labour’s Scottish seat tally from 31 to 24. If Murphy cannot trim the SNP’s lead from 20 points to 6-8 points, Labour could end up with as few as 10-15 seats. There is even a chance that Labour’s Scottish losses would more than wipe out its gains south of the border, leaving the party with even fewer MPs than in 2010."
Piece ends with
As things stand, Cameron could be the first Tory leader for more than half a century to have good reason to say on election night: “Thank you, Scotland.”
Books will be written about that project; How Not to Run Government IT.
Since a few of the Tory donors are hedge funds, one would suppose that they would be giving the Tory party advice?
Unless of course they know of even better ways?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2953955/Key-Miliband-backer-offshore-tax-row-Labour-donor-transferred-shares-Liechtenstein-Jersey-later-sold-reported-37-million.html
Mohamed Al Fayed certainly did well from the tax man under Tories and Labour...
Inland Revenue blunders saved Fayed millions
http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/jan/06/johnsweeney
Anyway, a few minutes of Valentine's Day left, but the second* best thing to come out of Sheffield
*or third if you include The League
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfph3043yZU
It doesn't matter how Scotland votes in terms of Cameron's chance of being PM. Either he outweighs Scotland with English seats or he can't achieve a majority. In which case Labour decides between S&C from the SNP or Grand Coalition with the Tories.