Ed Balls and 11 other members of the shadow cabinet claimed expenses for cleaning, gardening or odd jobs without submitting receipts,
Mr Balls claimed £1,610 for cleaners and his wife Yvette Cooper claimed £2,640 for cleaning and gardening, out of a total of £37,881 claimed by the 12 Labour MPs.
...A spokesman for Mr Balls on Monday defended his cleaning claims, saying: “Ed’s cleaner was and continues to be employed on PAYE and paid by bank transfer. These claims were made fully in accordance with the Fees Office rules.”
Story or not, this is from 2006....I think more interesting is Eddie's and Yvette expenses that only got a very cursory glance from a friendly journo 5 years ago.
Troughing MPs should be playing by the same rules as those they claim to represent.
No paper proof. No payment.
The Cooper Balls house flipping shenanigans warrant a very special and in-depth investigation.
Flightpath yes, when I was at Warwick I used to use the rifle range just by the Jaguar Factory, the university is in the suburban outskirts of Coventry on the way to Leamington
I wonder how Gordo's cleaner is getting on these days. At the rate they were being paid for seemingly doing very little, probably retired to the Algarve living in a mega mansion, having other people do the cleaning for them. Nobody has ever seen them though, the locals call them "sr e sra invisível"
I think it's quaint that posters are still picking over the bones of the ICM poll so long after the dogs barked and the caravan moved on (to use an old Arab proverb)
I think it's hilarious that a bunch of Lefties who have spent the last few days frothing at the mouth over beastly Tory tax avoiders are now resting their hopes on a poll carried out by Lord Ashcroft.
Really that would be very silly.
My view is LARGER will be the least accurate polls (Angus Reed of 2015) and are pretty worthless.
I think it's quaint that posters are still picking over the bones of the ICM poll so long after the dogs barked and the caravan moved on (to use an old Arab proverb)
I think it's hilarious that a bunch of Lefties who have spent the last few days frothing at the mouth over beastly Tory tax avoiders are now resting their hopes on a poll carried out by Lord Ashcroft.
Really that would be very silly.
My view is LARGER will be the least accurate polls (Angus Reed of 2015) and are pretty worthless.
That is a pity for Labour, as his marginal polls are the ones that give Labour most hope (in part by LibDem surviving against Tory and Labour outperforming UNS in Tory Labour marginals).
I am kinda of skeptical full stop how effective anything like that is. High net worth criminals already do it on a massive scale and the whole proceeds of crime act really only manages to get money back of morons.
snip.
I answered this on a previous thread. Most bonuses above a certain level are paid in shares which don't vest i.e. belong to the employee for a period. At any point during that period, if the employee leaves or misbehaves those shares can be forfeited. In theory you could make the period 10 years. Though, usually, vesting is on a rolling basis e.g. if over 5 years you get 20% in year 1, the next 20% in year 2 and so on.
Of course if the bonus doesn't get paid it can't be taxed so that's your bonus tax fecked right there.
I am sure Labour have thought all this through fully and it wasn't written on the back of a fag packet like todays announcements.
I had to laugh at Miliband giving the massive build up, we are going to totally change the whole economy, completely revamp the relationship of business and the employee, and here is the grand plan....Actually listening to the build up, I thought he was going to go nuclear and propose something major like maximum wages, x% of board must be front line workers, x% of profits must go to the workers in a mutual fund etc...nope some more apprenticeships...maybe...
What is really pathetic is that speech was billed as demonstrating that Labour was not anti business and all he can come up with is more government interference, regulation and cost. Not since Michael Foot has Labour seemed so utterly indifferent as to how this country makes its money.
and have just changed government, so I went over to meet the new ministers and see if we could get them to curb the trade. They are open to a dialogue.
The island is interesting - certainly very beautiful and fabulously clear, unpolluted skies. The people were very friendly, if low-key (young people seemed to reckon a good night out is to stand around chatting in a shopping mall, then go home to dinner with their parents), and the island seems largely trilingual (English, French, Creole). On the downside it's clearly still pretty poor - some shiny new skyscrapers but lots of shantytown housing, and a lot of nervousness about the future when their deal to sell sugar at favourable rates to the EU runs out in 2017. It has a high rating for honesty (though the former PM is under investigation for alleged corruption) and business-friendliness, and recently had peaceful elections with a smooth change of party in power.
Francis U - thanks for the apology. No problem, easily done.
I think it's quaint that posters are still picking over the bones of the ICM poll so long after the dogs barked and the caravan moved on (to use an old Arab proverb)
I think it's hilarious that a bunch of Lefties who have spent the last few days frothing at the mouth over beastly Tory tax avoiders are now resting their hopes on a poll carried out by Lord Ashcroft.
Really that would be very silly.
My view is LARGER will be the least accurate polls (Angus Reed of 2015) and are pretty worthless.
Story or not, this is from 2006....I think more interesting is Eddie's and Yvette expenses that only got a very cursory glance from a friendly journo 5 years ago.
The Telegraph gave Balls a soft ride? No surprise there.
What is really pathetic is that speech was billed as demonstrating that Labour was not anti business and all he can come up with is more government interference, regulation and cost. Not since Michael Foot has Labour seemed so utterly indifferent as to how this country makes its money.
I hear that his advisors wanted him to do a photo op with a mobile sandwich van outside, but they didn't give receipts and left rather sharpishly when he started to lecture them on how they were probably a tax dodger. :-)
YouGov/Sun poll tonight - Labour and Tories tied: CON 32%, LAB 32%, LD 6%, UKIP 16%, GRN 8%
1. Con Lead
2. Lab Lead
1. Tie
It's still neck and neck basically isn't it?
#megapollingmonday
1. Con Lead
2. Tie
If you discount the comedy pollster. Surely everyone was laughing at Ashcroft even before the Great Retraction?
Lord Ashcroft's polling is very, very highly regarded by the powers that be at PB.com, evidenced by the fact that the findings receive more coverage and analysis than those of any other pollster.
and have just changed government, so I went over to meet the new ministers and see if we could get them to curb the trade. They are open to a dialogue.
The island is interesting - certainly very beautiful and fabulously clear, unpolluted skies. The people were very friendly, if low-key (young people seemed to reckon a good night out is to stand around chatting in a shopping mall, then go home to dinner with their parents), and the island seems largely trilingual (English, French, Creole). On the downside it's clearly still pretty poor - some shiny new skyscrapers but lots of shantytown housing, and a lot of nervousness about the future when their deal to sell sugar at favourable rates to the EU runs out in 2017. It has a high rating for honesty (though the former PM is under investigation for alleged corruption) and business-friendliness, and recently had peaceful elections with a smooth change of party in power.
Francis U - thanks for the apology. No problem, easily done.
YouGov/Sun poll tonight - Labour and Tories tied: CON 32%, LAB 32%, LD 6%, UKIP 16%, GRN 8%
1. Con Lead
2. Lab Lead
1. Tie
It's still neck and neck basically isn't it?
#megapollingmonday
1. Con Lead
2. Tie
If you discount the comedy pollster. Surely everyone was laughing at Ashcroft even before the Great Retraction?
Lord Ashcroft's polling is very, very highly regarded by the powers that be at PB.com, evidenced by the fact that the findings receive more coverage and analysis than those of any other pollster.
Doesn't mean it's any good though?
PB was quite closely associated with Angus Reid back in the day, as I'm sure you remember...
I think it's quaint that posters are still picking over the bones of the ICM poll so long after the dogs barked and the caravan moved on (to use an old Arab proverb)
I think it's hilarious that a bunch of Lefties who have spent the last few days frothing at the mouth over beastly Tory tax avoiders are now resting their hopes on a poll carried out by Lord Ashcroft.
Luckily I'm not one of the frothing ones so I am looking at 21 out of the last 28 showing Labour in the lead.
All that matters is eve of poll. If Labour are behind in those, it won't matter how often they were ahead in the past.
What is really pathetic is that speech was billed as demonstrating that Labour was not anti business and all he can come up with is more government interference, regulation and cost. Not since Michael Foot has Labour seemed so utterly indifferent as to how this country makes its money.
I hear that his advisors wanted him to do a photo op with a mobile sandwich van outside, but they didn't give receipts and left rather sharpishly when he started to lecture them on how they were probably a tax dodger. :-)
Director of UKIP Smear ‘Mockumentary’ In Court For Tax Fraud
The director of a controversial spoof documentary on Nigel Farage and UKIP will be appearing in Southwark Crown Court on Friday of this week, charged with cheating the public revenue.
Chris Atkins, a journalist and film-maker who gave evidence to the Leveson Inquiry, is accused of perpetrating a £2.5 million tax fraud plot along with twelve others. The Crown Prosecution Service say he was involved in a complex five-year scam to cheat the taxman, including seven investment bankers, the Ham and High reported at the time.
TimT I have always believed it will be very close, but I think it will be a Clinton v Christie battle which Clinton will eke out by about 1%, shades of Nixon v Humphrey in 1968 when Nixon was also running his second presidential election campaign 8 years after he narrowly lost his first
Even if they hadn't lost a wicket, Scotland are only on course for 130-140.
Better teams than Scotland might be 22/4 here - late swing and a top quality new-ball attack.
Perhaps but there are fundamental problems with Scottish cricket. It has gone backwards since independence in 1992. The contrast with Ireland, which as far as I understand has had a lot less investment, is quite marked.
And suggests that Labour may possibly have been hurt as much by the row over tax avoidance as the Tories. The public don't consider that either party has clean hands.
It honestly doesn't look like they Tories have been hurt at all by it, they have remained on about 31-33, it's Labour who have taken all of the damage.
The default assumption is that Conservatives are rich and sleezy albeit good at making money whilst Labour are poor but honest albeit crap at making money.
So things that have negative effects are the Conservatives being shown to be crap at making money and Labour being shown to be rich and sleezy.
And suggests that Labour may possibly have been hurt as much by the row over tax avoidance as the Tories. The public don't consider that either party has clean hands.
It honestly doesn't look like they Tories have been hurt at all by it, they have remained on about 31-33, it's Labour who have taken all of the damage.
The default assumption is that Conservatives are rich and sleezy albeit good at making money whilst Labour are poor but honest albeit crap at making money.
So things that have negative effects are the Conservatives being shown to be crap at making money and Labour being shown to be rich and sleezy.
Which is why this government should have brought in a maximum earnings limit for the public sector.
Having Labour support public sector fatcats would have been damaging for its image.
TimT I have always believed it will be very close, but I think it will be a Clinton v Christie battle which Clinton will eke out by about 1%, shades of Nixon v Humphrey in 1968 when Nixon was also running his second presidential election campaign 8 years after he narrowly lost his first
Not to mention polls which show Christie doing badly in all early states and nationwide. Currently there is a much much larger chance of Christie ending in jail than getting the GOP nomination.
As for Hillary, it's either a landslide victory for her like 1996 or 1988, no one is going to beat her next year.
YouGov/Sun poll tonight - Labour and Tories tied: CON 32%, LAB 32%, LD 6%, UKIP 16%, GRN 8%
I assume Cameron has a strategy to win over a third of those Kippers over the next 90 days to get the votes he needs to see him over the line.
With ICM he is already there.
I'm wondering with the shenanigans in the Hellenic part of the world, the EU will ask the UK to contribute to a bail out.
Which Cameron will veto, so we get Vetogasm II.
We all remembered what happened with the polling during Vetogasm.
To be honest, he could do worse than use his super-duper voter software to find out the UKIP defectors, and groups of voters that might have defected from Conservative to UKIP and personally email them - or better still, write a letter:
"Dear <<UKIP supporter>>, I understand that you might have felt let down by me as your Prime Minister over the last 5 years. I also recognise that perhaps you might not always feel like you've been treated with respect you deserve by myself, or members of my team, at times.
If that is so, let me start with an apology: I'm sorry. I recognise that we haven't always got it right. I also realise that you might once have been a loyal Conservative supporter, who supported the party through thick and thin. If that is so, I'd like to appeal to you today and ask if you'd please consider giving me 3 minutes of your time. Because I think a re-elected Conservative government would have a lot to offer you.
> Immigration (explain progress, apologise for cap not being reached, explain additional measures and explain how Tory government will still fight for more) > Europe (set out red-lines and concrete proposals for renegotiation > Defence (maintain 2% GDP NATO target) > Family (expand on further support in tax system during next parliament) > English votes for English laws (explain initiatives and make pledges) > Fighting for Conservative values (go for the heart; explain how a Conservative PM will fight for Conservative principles and lead the public debate)
>Contrast all above policies with labour. Explain what will *not* be negotiated away in a coalition, this time.
>End the letter respectfully, do not ask for money or donations.
Yours Sincerely,
David Cameron"
Keep up the civil and cordial contact until election day. And beyond.
Should have stuck to the real world outcomes, the real impact of 5 million lay offs, the financial sector leaving London, UDI from Scotland being entirely justified by a UDBrexit, massive inflation and currency devaluation.
You mean all the things we were told would happen if the UK left the ERM ?
And all those things we were told would happen if the UK didn't join the Euro ?
No - it's my job for a global NGO, and we're funded by donations from people who like animals. I've been in about 20 countries over the last few years, talking to Ministers and companies to try to whittle away animal testing - the EU ban on testing cosmetics with painful experiments on rabbits in 2013 was partly our doing, as is the forthcoming legislation in Brazil. We're expected to be restrained in spending (travel tourist class, stay in cheapish hotels, etc.) but I couldn't afford to do it self-funded.
Journo to MP: "Where's ya bin?". MP to journo: "I've bin to the House of Commons." Journo: "No. where's ya wheely Bin?" MP: "I've wheely bin to the House of Commons".
No - it's my job for a global NGO, and we're funded by donations from people who like animals. I've been in about 20 countries over the last few years, talking to Ministers and companies to try to whittle away animal testing - the EU ban on testing cosmetics with painful experiments on rabbits in 2013 was partly our doing, as is the forthcoming legislation in Brazil. We're expected to be restrained in spending (travel tourist class, stay in cheapish hotels, etc.) but I couldn't afford to do it self-funded.
Flying to 20 countries! What about the polar bears?
Just teasing, I actually, genuinely, appreciate the work you do for animal welfare.
TimT I have always believed it will be very close, but I think it will be a Clinton v Christie battle which Clinton will eke out by about 1%, shades of Nixon v Humphrey in 1968 when Nixon was also running his second presidential election campaign 8 years after he narrowly lost his first
Not to mention polls which show Christie doing badly in all early states and nationwide. Currently there is a much much larger chance of Christie ending in jail than getting the GOP nomination.
As for Hillary, it's either a landslide victory for her like 1996 or 1988, no one is going to beat her next year.
The US is so evenly divided along partisan lines now, that I doubt if anyone will get a landslide, save in exceptional circumstances.
I think it's quaint that posters are still picking over the bones of the ICM poll so long after the dogs barked and the caravan moved on (to use an old Arab proverb)
I think it's hilarious that a bunch of Lefties who have spent the last few days frothing at the mouth over beastly Tory tax avoiders are now resting their hopes on a poll carried out by Lord Ashcroft.
Luckily I'm not one of the frothing ones so I am looking at 21 out of the last 28 showing Labour in the lead.
TimT I have always believed it will be very close, but I think it will be a Clinton v Christie battle which Clinton will eke out by about 1%, shades of Nixon v Humphrey in 1968 when Nixon was also running his second presidential election campaign 8 years after he narrowly lost his first
@ HYUFD: Think the Christie bubble has well and truly burst (thoughts of Mr Creosote - need mental bleach). As I said upthread, I think there will effectively be a two-tiered GOP primary: Bush vs Rubio followed by winner vs Walker.
@ Speedy "no one is going to beat her next year". I admire your confidence. She may win (I don't think she will), but it will not be a landslide.
YouGov/Sun poll tonight - Labour and Tories tied: CON 32%, LAB 32%, LD 6%, UKIP 16%, GRN 8%
I assume Cameron has a strategy to win over a third of those Kippers over the next 90 days to get the votes he needs to see him over the line.
With ICM he is already there.
I'm wondering with the shenanigans in the Hellenic part of the world, the EU will ask the UK to contribute to a bail out.
Which Cameron will veto, so we get Vetogasm II.
We all remembered what happened with the polling during Vetogasm.
To be honest, he could do worse than use his super-duper voter software to find out the UKIP defectors, and groups of voters that might have defected from Conservative to UKIP and personally email them - or better still, write a letter:
"Dear <<UKIP supporter>>, I understand that you might have felt let down by me as your Prime Minister over the last 5 years. I also recognise that perhaps you might not always feel like you've been treated with respect you deserve by myself, or members of my team, at times.
If that is so, let me start with an apology: I'm sorry. I recognise that we haven't always got it right. I also realise that you might once have been a loyal Conservative supporter, who supported the party through thick and thin. If that is so, I'd like to appeal to you today and ask if you'd please consider giving me 3 minutes of your time. Because I think a re-elected Conservative government would have a lot to offer you.
> Immigration (explain progress, apologise for cap not being reached, explain additional measures and explain how Tory government will still fight for more) > Europe (set out red-lines and concrete proposals for renegotiation > Defence (maintain 2% GDP NATO target) > Family (expand on further support in tax system during next parliament) > English votes for English laws (explain initiatives and make pledges) > Fighting for Conservative values (go for the heart; explain how a Conservative PM will fight for Conservative principles and lead the public debate)
>Contrast all above policies with labour. Explain what will *not* be negotiated away in a coalition, this time.
>End the letter respectfully, do not ask for money or donations.
Yours Sincerely,
David Cameron"
Keep up the civil and cordial contact until election day. And beyond.
TimT I have always believed it will be very close, but I think it will be a Clinton v Christie battle which Clinton will eke out by about 1%, shades of Nixon v Humphrey in 1968 when Nixon was also running his second presidential election campaign 8 years after he narrowly lost his first
@ HYUFD: Think the Christie bubble has well and truly burst (thoughts of Mr Creosote - need mental bleach). As I said upthread, I think there will effectively be a two-tiered GOP primary: Bush vs Rubio followed by winner vs Walker.
@ Speedy "no one is going to beat her next year". I admire your confidence. She may win (I don't think she will), but it will not be a landslide.
Interesting times.
Who will deal with a post Putin Russia. Assume he get cancer or is under a bus. Whatever follows is likely to be worse.
How will USA cope with Russia and China working in harmony to rid the globe of the Americanisation that they resent from the last 60 years?
I think it's quaint that posters are still picking over the bones of the ICM poll so long after the dogs barked and the caravan moved on (to use an old Arab proverb)
I think it's hilarious that a bunch of Lefties who have spent the last few days frothing at the mouth over beastly Tory tax avoiders are now resting their hopes on a poll carried out by Lord Ashcroft.
Luckily I'm not one of the frothing ones so I am looking at 21 out of the last 28 showing Labour in the lead.
TimT I have always believed it will be very close, but I think it will be a Clinton v Christie battle which Clinton will eke out by about 1%, shades of Nixon v Humphrey in 1968 when Nixon was also running his second presidential election campaign 8 years after he narrowly lost his first
Not to mention polls which show Christie doing badly in all early states and nationwide. Currently there is a much much larger chance of Christie ending in jail than getting the GOP nomination.
As for Hillary, it's either a landslide victory for her like 1996 or 1988, no one is going to beat her next year.
The US is so evenly divided along partisan lines now, that I doubt if anyone will get a landslide, save in exceptional circumstances.
Speedy SeanF Wrong on both counts. Jeb Bush in the end won't run as he will not be certain of beating Hillary and he will not want to damage the brand for his son George P, the Bushes real presidential hopeful, leaving the way clear for Christie to be the establishment choice and win New Hampshire.
In the general election after 8 years of the Democrats it will be no landslide, and Obama is no Reagan for Clinton to latch onto as Bush Snr did in 1988. Nixon saw his poll lead gradually eroded in 1968 until polling day, indeed reporters quipped that if there had been another week Humphrey would have won, to which Nixon responded 'I knew when the election was!'
Like 1968 which saw Wallace running and getting a significant voteshare, 2016 is ripe for a third party candidate, maybe Trump as well as a Green candidate to Hillary's left, Sanders?
I think it's quaint that posters are still picking over the bones of the ICM poll so long after the dogs barked and the caravan moved on (to use an old Arab proverb)
I think it's hilarious that a bunch of Lefties who have spent the last few days frothing at the mouth over beastly Tory tax avoiders are now resting their hopes on a poll carried out by Lord Ashcroft.
Luckily I'm not one of the frothing ones so I am looking at 21 out of the last 28 showing Labour in the lead.
....Do you remember that ICM poll in 2014 or was it '15. The one that had the Tories on 37 or was it 36....I think it was 37 and Labour were trailing on 31? ..... I remember it like yesterday. Dave or was it George Cameron was leader and it looked like he was going to win. ICM was the Gold Standard then you know. Unravelled pretty fast after that but it was a glorious few days. Heads held high chests out...we talked about little else right up to the election three months later..........Sorry where did I leave my slippers
Amazing blend of Africa, Asia, France and England.
You can feel like you're in the Caribbean, then like you're in Kent, in the space of an hour.
Yes, what a good description. Singapore is a bit like that too, I thought - partly very much in Asia, partly in a time warp of England ca. 1955.
Thanks, Sadddened. I think I got the job back in 2011 partly because animal welfare people are seen to be a bit fringey, and a former MP and pharma executive is mainstream (dull) enough for the most nervous Minister or CEO to be willing to meet. When I was an MP I spent a year chairing a working group between the BUAV, RSPCA and ABPI (pharma industry): we agreed on about 20 points where the animal side felt there could be genuine reductions in suffering and the industry side felt they were only doing the experiments because of outdated legislation. As at that stage nobody had thought about my working for them and I didn't make a public fuss to get votes, the BUAV put it down to my being genuinely interested, and when I was job-hunting that weighed with them too.
I notice JackW hasn't posted on here much since Fifty Shades Of Grey was released at the flicks...
#justsaying
Does anyone know how it finishes? I got asked to leave half-way through
Terribly.
It is the worst film ever, and I'm someone who has watched every Twilight film.
Even worse than Titanic?
Titanic had the redeeming feature of Kate Winslet in it
Didn't save it for me... Terrible film. Possibly the worst film ever and certainly worst film to have won Oscars IMO.
Braveheart was the worst film ever to win the Oscars.
So historically inaccurate.
That said, people at the time, Mel Gibson was the wrong person to play a Scot, but look at him now, an alcoholic racist, he's the perfect person to play a Scot.
I notice JackW hasn't posted on here much since Fifty Shades Of Grey was released at the flicks...
#justsaying
Does anyone know how it finishes? I got asked to leave half-way through
Terribly.
It is the worst film ever, and I'm someone who has watched every Twilight film.
Even worse than Titanic?
Titanic had the redeeming feature of Kate Winslet in it
Didn't save it for me... Terrible film. Possibly the worst film ever and certainly worst film to have won Oscars IMO.
Braveheart was the worst film ever to win the Oscars.
So historically inaccurate.
That said, people at the time, Mel Gibson was the wrong person to play a Scot, but look at him now, an alcoholic racist, he's the perfect person to play a Scot.
TimT I have always believed it will be very close, but I think it will be a Clinton v Christie battle which Clinton will eke out by about 1%, shades of Nixon v Humphrey in 1968 when Nixon was also running his second presidential election campaign 8 years after he narrowly lost his first
@ HYUFD: Think the Christie bubble has well and truly burst (thoughts of Mr Creosote - need mental bleach). As I said upthread, I think there will effectively be a two-tiered GOP primary: Bush vs Rubio followed by winner vs Walker.
@ Speedy "no one is going to beat her next year". I admire your confidence. She may win (I don't think she will), but it will not be a landslide.
Interesting times.
Who will deal with a post Putin Russia. Assume he get cancer or is under a bus. Whatever follows is likely to be worse.
How will USA cope with Russia and China working in harmony to rid the globe of the Americanisation that they resent from the last 60 years?
The only saving grace is that it is nigh on impossible to think of China and Russia working in harmony and they will be very unequal partners if they do. China's interests are so different from Putin's now. I only see China picking and choosing moments of cooperation when it suits it, and usually to Russia's disadvantage.
I notice JackW hasn't posted on here much since Fifty Shades Of Grey was released at the flicks...
#justsaying
Does anyone know how it finishes? I got asked to leave half-way through
Terribly.
It is the worst film ever, and I'm someone who has watched every Twilight film.
Even worse than Titanic?
Titanic had the redeeming feature of Kate Winslet in it
Didn't save it for me... Terrible film. Possibly the worst film ever and certainly worst film to have won Oscars IMO.
Braveheart was the worst film ever to win the Oscars.
So historically inaccurate.
That said, people at the time, Mel Gibson was the wrong person to play a Scot, but look at him now, an alcoholic racist, he's the perfect person to play a Scot.
"Worst" as in absurd. But, it was a hugely entertaining film.
TimT I have always believed it will be very close, but I think it will be a Clinton v Christie battle which Clinton will eke out by about 1%, shades of Nixon v Humphrey in 1968 when Nixon was also running his second presidential election campaign 8 years after he narrowly lost his first
@ HYUFD: Think the Christie bubble has well and truly burst (thoughts of Mr Creosote - need mental bleach). As I said upthread, I think there will effectively be a two-tiered GOP primary: Bush vs Rubio followed by winner vs Walker.
@ Speedy "no one is going to beat her next year". I admire your confidence. She may win (I don't think she will), but it will not be a landslide.
Interesting times.
Who will deal with a post Putin Russia. Assume he get cancer or is under a bus. Whatever follows is likely to be worse.
How will USA cope with Russia and China working in harmony to rid the globe of the Americanisation that they resent from the last 60 years?
The only saving grace is that it is nigh on impossible to think of China and Russia working in harmony and they will be very unequal partners if they do. China's interests are so different from Putin's now. I only see China picking and choosing moments of cooperation when it suits it, and usually to Russia's disadvantage.
What was the response of China in the UN to Russia entering Ukraine? For the first time, no condemnation.
They have a galvanising common goal and will work together to achieve it.
TimT Disagree, think it will end up Christie v Paul and Cruz, and Jeb Bush won't even run. The ticket will then be Christie-Rubio against maybe Clinton-Castro
I notice JackW hasn't posted on here much since Fifty Shades Of Grey was released at the flicks...
#justsaying
Does anyone know how it finishes? I got asked to leave half-way through
Terribly.
It is the worst film ever, and I'm someone who has watched every Twilight film.
Even worse than Titanic?
Titanic had the redeeming feature of Kate Winslet in it
Fearures, plural. Perhaps we should have a mockudrama where the Titanic missed the iceberg and arrived safely and somebody got off and immediately ran their car over and killed somebody of future importance, thereby changing the course of history.
I notice JackW hasn't posted on here much since Fifty Shades Of Grey was released at the flicks...
#justsaying
Does anyone know how it finishes? I got asked to leave half-way through
Terribly.
It is the worst film ever, and I'm someone who has watched every Twilight film.
Even worse than Titanic?
Titanic had the redeeming feature of Kate Winslet in it
Fearures, plural. Perhaps we should have a mockudrama where the Titanic missed the iceberg and arrived safely and somebody got off and immediately ran their car over and killed somebody of future importance, thereby changing the course of history.
I notice JackW hasn't posted on here much since Fifty Shades Of Grey was released at the flicks...
#justsaying
Does anyone know how it finishes? I got asked to leave half-way through
Terribly.
It is the worst film ever, and I'm someone who has watched every Twilight film.
Even worse than Titanic?
Titanic had the redeeming feature of Kate Winslet in it
Didn't save it for me... Terrible film. Possibly the worst film ever and certainly worst film to have won Oscars IMO.
Braveheart was the worst film ever to win the Oscars.
So historically inaccurate.
That said, people at the time, Mel Gibson was the wrong person to play a Scot, but look at him now, an alcoholic racist, he's the perfect person to play a Scot.
"Worst" as in absurd. But, it was a hugely entertaining film.
Well you know me, I'm a stickler for historical accuracy.
I remember in an old Empire Magazine, they listed 173 historical inaccuracies in the film.
TimT I have always believed it will be very close, but I think it will be a Clinton v Christie battle which Clinton will eke out by about 1%, shades of Nixon v Humphrey in 1968 when Nixon was also running his second presidential election campaign 8 years after he narrowly lost his first
@ HYUFD: Think the Christie bubble has well and truly burst (thoughts of Mr Creosote - need mental bleach). As I said upthread, I think there will effectively be a two-tiered GOP primary: Bush vs Rubio followed by winner vs Walker.
@ Speedy "no one is going to beat her next year". I admire your confidence. She may win (I don't think she will), but it will not be a landslide.
Interesting times.
Who will deal with a post Putin Russia. Assume he get cancer or is under a bus. Whatever follows is likely to be worse.
How will USA cope with Russia and China working in harmony to rid the globe of the Americanisation that they resent from the last 60 years?
The only saving grace is that it is nigh on impossible to think of China and Russia working in harmony and they will be very unequal partners if they do. China's interests are so different from Putin's now. I only see China picking and choosing moments of cooperation when it suits it, and usually to Russia's disadvantage.
What was the response of China in the UN to Russia entering Ukraine? For the first time, no condemnation.
They have a galvanising common goal and will work together to achieve it.
China's entire history in the UN Security Council since taking the seat from Taiwan has been not to condemn others and to oppose meddling in the internal affairs of other nations (worried about its own human rights record etc...) It is only recently becoming more vocal at the UN, now it has overseas interests and access to raw materials to protect.
Comments
No paper proof. No payment.
The Cooper Balls house flipping shenanigans warrant a very special and in-depth investigation.
I'm wondering with the shenanigans in the Hellenic part of the world, the EU will ask the UK to contribute to a bail out.
Which Cameron will veto, so we get Vetogasm II.
We all remembered what happened with the polling during Vetogasm.
1. Lab Lead
1. Con Lead
1. Tie
So still looks neck and neck...
The other pollsters aren't whining at the coverage of other pollsters.
Great Sun front cover.
http://www.lemauricien.com/article/macaques-exportation-danimaux-equipe-la-buav-rencontre-ministre-dayal
- they are a major primate exporter for this sort of thing
http://www.buav.org/undercover-investigations/a-living-nightmare
and have just changed government, so I went over to meet the new ministers and see if we could get them to curb the trade. They are open to a dialogue.
The island is interesting - certainly very beautiful and fabulously clear, unpolluted skies. The people were very friendly, if low-key (young people seemed to reckon a good night out is to stand around chatting in a shopping mall, then go home to dinner with their parents), and the island seems largely trilingual (English, French, Creole). On the downside it's clearly still pretty poor - some shiny new skyscrapers but lots of shantytown housing, and a lot of nervousness about the future when their deal to sell sugar at favourable rates to the EU runs out in 2017. It has a high rating for honesty (though the former PM is under investigation for alleged corruption) and business-friendliness, and recently had peaceful elections with a smooth change of party in power.
Francis U - thanks for the apology. No problem, easily done.
There's probably only two things that can alter the VI between now and May 7th.
The budget and the campaign.
The largest and sustained change in voting was the 2012 Budget.
#justsaying
http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/predictive-intelligence-20150213
Give it a month for this to start grinding Ed down.
PB was quite closely associated with Angus Reid back in the day, as I'm sure you remember...
But I thought ICM was 36/32?
Any explanation?
It is the worst film ever, and I'm someone who has watched every Twilight film.
Journalists too drunk to count?
Director of UKIP Smear ‘Mockumentary’ In Court For Tax Fraud
The director of a controversial spoof documentary on Nigel Farage and UKIP will be appearing in Southwark Crown Court on Friday of this week, charged with cheating the public revenue.
Chris Atkins, a journalist and film-maker who gave evidence to the Leveson Inquiry, is accused of perpetrating a £2.5 million tax fraud plot along with twelve others. The Crown Prosecution Service say he was involved in a complex five-year scam to cheat the taxman, including seven investment bankers, the Ham and High reported at the time.
http://www.breitbart.com/london/2015/02/16/exclusive-director-of-ukip-smear-mockumentary-in-court-for-tax-fraud/
I trust Ed Miliband will be very very angry about this!
So things that have negative effects are the Conservatives being shown to be crap at making money and Labour being shown to be rich and sleezy.
Having Labour support public sector fatcats would have been damaging for its image.
http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/christie-faces-growing-doubts-within-gop-about-his-2016-campaign-n305406
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/atlantic-city-meltdown-chris-christie-115204.html
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/poll-chris-christie-approval-ratings-115173.html
Not to mention polls which show Christie doing badly in all early states and nationwide.
Currently there is a much much larger chance of Christie ending in jail than getting the GOP nomination.
As for Hillary, it's either a landslide victory for her like 1996 or 1988, no one is going to beat her next year.
"Dear <<UKIP supporter>>, I understand that you might have felt let down by me as your Prime Minister over the last 5 years. I also recognise that perhaps you might not always feel like you've been treated with respect you deserve by myself, or members of my team, at times.
If that is so, let me start with an apology: I'm sorry. I recognise that we haven't always got it right. I also realise that you might once have been a loyal Conservative supporter, who supported the party through thick and thin. If that is so, I'd like to appeal to you today and ask if you'd please consider giving me 3 minutes of your time. Because I think a re-elected Conservative government would have a lot to offer you.
> Immigration (explain progress, apologise for cap not being reached, explain additional measures and explain how Tory government will still fight for more)
> Europe (set out red-lines and concrete proposals for renegotiation
> Defence (maintain 2% GDP NATO target)
> Family (expand on further support in tax system during next parliament)
> English votes for English laws (explain initiatives and make pledges)
> Fighting for Conservative values (go for the heart; explain how a Conservative PM will fight for Conservative principles and lead the public debate)
>Contrast all above policies with labour. Explain what will *not* be negotiated away in a coalition, this time.
>End the letter respectfully, do not ask for money or donations.
Yours Sincerely,
David Cameron"
Keep up the civil and cordial contact until election day. And beyond.
And all those things we were told would happen if the UK didn't join the Euro ?
As Top Phone Hackers, they're likely to be the best at Bin Foraging too.
MP to journo: "I've bin to the House of Commons."
Journo: "No. where's ya wheely Bin?"
MP: "I've wheely bin to the House of Commons".
You can feel like you're in the Caribbean, then like you're in Kent, in the space of an hour.
Just teasing, I actually, genuinely, appreciate the work you do for animal welfare.
@ Speedy "no one is going to beat her next year". I admire your confidence. She may win (I don't think she will), but it will not be a landslide.
Who will deal with a post Putin Russia. Assume he get cancer or is under a bus. Whatever follows is likely to be worse.
How will USA cope with Russia and China working in harmony to rid the globe of the Americanisation that they resent from the last 60 years?
In the general election after 8 years of the Democrats it will be no landslide, and Obama is no Reagan for Clinton to latch onto as Bush Snr did in 1988. Nixon saw his poll lead gradually eroded in 1968 until polling day, indeed reporters quipped that if there had been another week Humphrey would have won, to which Nixon responded 'I knew when the election was!'
Like 1968 which saw Wallace running and getting a significant voteshare, 2016 is ripe for a third party candidate, maybe Trump as well as a Green candidate to Hillary's left, Sanders?
http://electionforecast.co.uk/
....Do you remember that ICM poll in 2014 or was it '15. The one that had the Tories on 37 or was it 36....I think it was 37 and Labour were trailing on 31? ..... I remember it like yesterday. Dave or was it George Cameron was leader and it looked like he was going to win. ICM was the Gold Standard then you know. Unravelled pretty fast after that but it was a glorious few days. Heads held high chests out...we talked about little else right up to the election three months later..........Sorry where did I leave my slippers
That would all result in EICIPM
:-)
Thanks, Sadddened. I think I got the job back in 2011 partly because animal welfare people are seen to be a bit fringey, and a former MP and pharma executive is mainstream (dull) enough for the most nervous Minister or CEO to be willing to meet. When I was an MP I spent a year chairing a working group between the BUAV, RSPCA and ABPI (pharma industry): we agreed on about 20 points where the animal side felt there could be genuine reductions in suffering and the industry side felt they were only doing the experiments because of outdated legislation. As at that stage nobody had thought about my working for them and I didn't make a public fuss to get votes, the BUAV put it down to my being genuinely interested, and when I was job-hunting that weighed with them too.
So historically inaccurate.
That said, people at the time, Mel Gibson was the wrong person to play a Scot, but look at him now, an alcoholic racist, he's the perfect person to play a Scot.
"Turnip"
They have a galvanising common goal and will work together to achieve it.
Perhaps we should have a mockudrama where the Titanic missed the iceberg and arrived safely and somebody got off and immediately ran their car over and killed somebody of future importance, thereby changing the course of history.
I remember in an old Empire Magazine, they listed 173 historical inaccuracies in the film.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B-AMOFVIcAAWIQ4.jpg