Rather than just endless speculation on here one thing that would be really useful is if someone could get hold of actual up to date electorate numbers.
I don't know how difficult this is. But if a lot of work is required could it be done for a sample of key seats?
Then compare to electorate in say 2013. This will then give an idea of the effect of Individual Voter Registration.
Some numbers were published a few weeks ago (can't remember where) showing the number of attainers (ie new people on register due to reaching 18) in certain seats was way, way, way down on normal.
Labour NEC panel to re-interview for Bradford West selection on Monday, following sudden resignation of Amina Ali. Again women only list
Can Lord A do a constituency poll for Bradford West, it will be interesting to see if Galloway is going to be re-elected.
10,000 missing postal votes.
Well it's a curious case, Galloway has a 10000 majority from the by-election 3 years ago. Even if Labour do try to stitch it up they will come face to face with several mighty obstacles. Besides the very large majority Galloway has emulated Lutfur Rahman in control of the local muslim vote, also Galloway is the most left wing MP at a time when very left wing and very right wing parties are very popular, add to that his national name recognition and it will be almost impossible for Labour to win there.
Incidentally, I think we may have had a game-changer today. Even the Beeb was struggling to find a coherent way of attacking Osborne's quite remarkable new initiative. The contrast between the grown-ups talking about how to deal with the interface between the NHS and social care on the one hand, and Labour on the other hand, was stark.
R5 Drive were pushing the Labour line of transferring a deficit very strongly but seemed to be struggling to find anyone who agreed with Burnham.
The fact that all this power was being delegated to a Labour dominated set of Councils made his attack seem even more incoherent than normal but the idea that this undermines the National HS is an interesting one. We have been looking for ways of breaking up this absurd leviathan for ages and it may be that Osborne has cracked it. Still pretty large units for management but a big step up on what we have at the moment.
Incidentally, I think we may have had a game-changer today. Even the Beeb was struggling to find a coherent way of attacking Osborne's quite remarkable new initiative. The contrast between the grown-ups talking about how to deal with the interface between the NHS and social care on the one hand, and Labour on the other hand, was stark.
R5 Drive were pushing the Labour line of transferring a deficit very strongly but seemed to be struggling to find anyone who agreed with Burnham.
The fact that all this power was being delegated to a Labour dominated set of Councils made his attack seem even more incoherent than normal but the idea that this undermines the National HS is an interesting one. We have been looking for ways of breaking up this absurd leviathan for ages and it may be that Osborne has cracked it. Still pretty large units for management but a big step up on what we have at the moment.
At one point, they had a lovely balance of a NHA Party spokesman vs a doctor who hated the idea of an market / private provision in the NHS but willing to entertain the idea of joined up budget. It is the no change other than much more money vs most minimal of changes in the NHS plus more money. Full range of opinions there.
Incidentally, I think we may have had a game-changer today. Even the Beeb was struggling to find a coherent way of attacking Osborne's quite remarkable new initiative. The contrast between the grown-ups talking about how to deal with the interface between the NHS and social care on the one hand, and Labour on the other hand, was stark.
Christ on a bike, yet another "Game Changer".Game Changer meet crossover January, oh look there is pulling away February talking to regular majority winning leads March who was dancing with Mansion Tax Miliband disaster.All partying away in PBHodgeland.
By the way I was focusing so much on UKIP's chances on seats that I forgot Bradford West. Galloway is at 5/4 to be re-elected with Ladbrokes and 11/8 with PP, it looks like a bargain right now.
R5 Drive were pushing the Labour line of transferring a deficit very strongly but seemed to be struggling to find anyone who agreed with Burnham.
The fact that all this power was being delegated to a Labour dominated set of Councils made his attack seem even more incoherent than normal but the idea that this undermines the National HS is an interesting one. We have been looking for ways of breaking up this absurd leviathan for ages and it may be that Osborne has cracked it. Still pretty large units for management but a big step up on what we have at the moment.
Even Burnham doesn't seem to agree with Burnham, and Balls certainly doesn't.
Incidentally, I think we may have had a game-changer today. Even the Beeb was struggling to find a coherent way of attacking Osborne's quite remarkable new initiative. The contrast between the grown-ups talking about how to deal with the interface between the NHS and social care on the one hand, and Labour on the other hand, was stark.
Christ on a bike, yet another "Game Changer".Game Changer meet crossover January, oh look there is pulling away February talking to regular majority winning leads March.All partying away in PBHodgeland.
I love this place.
Another? Really?
What was the previous one, or were you imagining things as usual?
And that commitment to free education and worker education arose from
Better together, as I may have heard somewhere...
That's actually quite a difficult question to answer. Once Universal Education began, it obviously took some years to develop but by the mid 18th century when it became a full flow, how much was that developed by Britain.
It is not clear whether Scotland could not have been a new Netherlands or Denmark or Portugal - very small countries which flourished (for whatever reason) despite being so much smaller than their comparator countries.
The impact of Darien is completely overblown. In fact, the only people who were hurt by Darien were the wealthy aristocracy. Without the Union, Scotland would have been a very equal society (more equal than the Netherlands) with a much better educated people than any other country on earth.
What is without doubt, however, is that had Scotland become independent at the same time as either Norway in 1902 or Ireland in 1922, she would, today, be the richest nation on earth.
England has clearly benefited greatly from the rape of Scotland.
England gained from the Union with Scotland, I agree, but that does not negate the fact that it was the Union with England that made Scotland great. It is not a zero sum game.
Darien was a failure because Scotland had neither the economic infrastructure nor the mercantile experience to make a succesful trading colony in the 17th century. Scotland was too late to the game and too weak to compete with the successful overseas colonies founded in the 16th and 17th centuries by Iberian, English, French, Dutch and Hanseatic rivals.
Scottish education was driven by Calvinism (itself an import from mainland Europe) as part of a Protestant revolution that changed the world and how it thought.
That seed fell in fertile soil in Scotland where the people were increasingly tired of being kept down by a feudal and Celtic culture based around clan loyalty. It gave them a wider universalist view of the world that transcended old barriers.
Darien failed, but Union with England combined English mercantile expertise, finance and naval prowress with Scottish ingenuity, work ethic and ambition. It gave access to the American and later Canadian, African, Indian and Australasian markets. There was little Free Trade at that time and without the British Empire Scotland would not have had shipyards on the Clyde, Jute mills in Dundee and Bengal, the Georgian New Town in Edinburgh or troops, pipebands, football, golf or whisky anywhere.
I apprecate times have changed, but it was the Union that made the Scottish Enlightentment a world phenomenon. Without it Scotland would have been more likely to be have been another Lithuania or Galicia than another Holland or Sweden. (And both of these were fading by 1707 too).
Incidentally, I think we may have had a game-changer today. Even the Beeb was struggling to find a coherent way of attacking Osborne's quite remarkable new initiative. The contrast between the grown-ups talking about how to deal with the interface between the NHS and social care on the one hand, and Labour on the other hand, was stark.
Christ on a bike, yet another "Game Changer".Game Changer meet crossover January, oh look there is pulling away February talking to regular majority winning leads March who was dancing with Mansion Tax Miliband disaster.All partying away in PBHodgeland.
I love this place.
More made up crap. Why do you bother? It's not as if we can't read what has actually been posted on here.
R5 Drive were pushing the Labour line of transferring a deficit very strongly but seemed to be struggling to find anyone who agreed with Burnham.
The fact that all this power was being delegated to a Labour dominated set of Councils made his attack seem even more incoherent than normal but the idea that this undermines the National HS is an interesting one. We have been looking for ways of breaking up this absurd leviathan for ages and it may be that Osborne has cracked it. Still pretty large units for management but a big step up on what we have at the moment.
Even Burnham doesn't seem to agree with Burnham, and Balls certainly doesn't.
Balls seems to be agreeing increasingly little with his front bench colleagues at the moment. Still think there is potential for real disruption there.
And that commitment to free education and worker education arose from the Presbyterian need for people to study and understand the Bible.
The second part of Scotlands greatness came from Union with England and consequent access to the world. It was the Georgians and Victorians that allowed that Scottish enlightenment to flourish in so many areas of industry, thought, sport, and other diverse fields.
Better together, as I may have heard somewhere...
That's actually quite a difficult question to answer. Once Universal Education began, it obviously took some years to develop but by the mid 18th century when it became a full flow, how much was that developed by Britain.
It is not clear whether Scotland could not have been a new Netherlands or Denmark or Portugal - very small countries which flourished (for whatever reason) despite being so much smaller than their comparator countries.
The impact of Darien is completely overblown. In fact, the only people who were hurt by Darien were the wealthy aristocracy. Without the Union, Scotland would have been a very equal society (more equal than the Netherlands) with a much better educated people than any other country on earth.
What is without doubt, however, is that had Scotland become independent at the same time as either Norway in 1902 or Ireland in 1922, she would, today, be the richest nation on earth.
England has clearly benefited greatly from the rape of Scotland.
I thought Irish Republicans were the Most Oppressed People Ever, but you rival them in self-pity.
Incidentally, I think we may have had a game-changer today. Even the Beeb was struggling to find a coherent way of attacking Osborne's quite remarkable new initiative. The contrast between the grown-ups talking about how to deal with the interface between the NHS and social care on the one hand, and Labour on the other hand, was stark.
Christ on a bike, yet another "Game Changer".Game Changer meet crossover January, oh look there is pulling away February talking to regular majority winning leads March.All partying away in PBHodgeland.
I love this place.
Another? Really?
What was the previous one, or were you imagining things as usual?
The Mansion Tax Riots was the last one. Millionaires getting their butlers to take to the streets and cause mischief. There are a whole host of Miliband "disasters" that were going to bring on the Tory surge towards nailed on majorities.
Incidentally, I think we may have had a game-changer today. Even the Beeb was struggling to find a coherent way of attacking Osborne's quite remarkable new initiative. The contrast between the grown-ups talking about how to deal with the interface between the NHS and social care on the one hand, and Labour on the other hand, was stark.
R5 Drive were pushing the Labour line of transferring a deficit very strongly but seemed to be struggling to find anyone who agreed with Burnham.
The fact that all this power was being delegated to a Labour dominated set of Councils made his attack seem even more incoherent than normal but the idea that this undermines the National HS is an interesting one. We have been looking for ways of breaking up this absurd leviathan for ages and it may be that Osborne has cracked it. Still pretty large units for management but a big step up on what we have at the moment.
At one point, they had a lovely balance of a NHA Party spokesman vs a doctor who hated the idea of an market / private provision in the NHS but willing to entertain the idea of joined up budget. It is the no change other than much more money vs most minimal of changes in the NHS plus more money. Full range of opinions there.
I miss Peter Allen. The program has gone markedly downhill since he left. There was an interview of a solicitor who was not very happy that his 17 year old client had been tasered 4-6 times while in a room with 6 cops that was frankly embarrassing.
The Mansion Tax Riots was the last one. Millionaires getting their butlers to take to the streets and cause mischief. There are a whole host of Miliband "disasters" that were going to bring on the Tory surge towards nailed on majorities.
No there weren't, and certainly not from me. You ought to read what I write more carefully. You might learn something.
The Mansion Tax Riots was the last one. Millionaires getting their butlers to take to the streets and cause mischief. There are a whole host of Miliband "disasters" that were going to bring on the Tory surge towards nailed on majorities.
No there weren't, and certainly not from me. You ought to read what I write more carefully. You might learn something.
No offence Richard, but I don't think anything would be learnt.
Incidentally, I think we may have had a game-changer today. Even the Beeb was struggling to find a coherent way of attacking Osborne's quite remarkable new initiative. The contrast between the grown-ups talking about how to deal with the interface between the NHS and social care on the one hand, and Labour on the other hand, was stark.
Christ on a bike, yet another "Game Changer".Game Changer meet crossover January, oh look there is pulling away February talking to regular majority winning leads March.All partying away in PBHodgeland.
I love this place.
Another? Really?
What was the previous one, or were you imagining things as usual?
It looks to me as though this may be the week the two parties have reached parity, in polling terms.
Incidentally, I think we may have had a game-changer today. Even the Beeb was struggling to find a coherent way of attacking Osborne's quite remarkable new initiative. The contrast between the grown-ups talking about how to deal with the interface between the NHS and social care on the one hand, and Labour on the other hand, was stark.
Have to say that it makes an interesting contrast to see Osborne devolve power to very Labour Greater Manchester, when Labour only ever devolved powers to bits of the country they thought they would control in perpetuity.
Incidentally, I think we may have had a game-changer today. Even the Beeb was struggling to find a coherent way of attacking Osborne's quite remarkable new initiative. The contrast between the grown-ups talking about how to deal with the interface between the NHS and social care on the one hand, and Labour on the other hand, was stark.
Christ on a bike, yet another "Game Changer".Game Changer meet crossover January, oh look there is pulling away February talking to regular majority winning leads March.All partying away in PBHodgeland.
I love this place.
Another? Really?
What was the previous one, or were you imagining things as usual?
It looks to me as though this may be the week the two parties have reached parity, in polling terms.
She said it was hard for her to bring her kids to Bradford for the next 70 days,can't labour find someone who lives in Bradford for Christ sake and again labour going for a all women short list.
Galloway must be laughing at the stupidity of the labour party.
Balls seems to be agreeing increasingly little with his front bench colleagues at the moment. Still think there is potential for real disruption there.
Yes, it really is an astonishing spectacle. You really have to rub your eyes in disbelief at the prospect that the Labour front bench might be in power in 10 weeks' time.
And - pace compouter2 - I do not mean that Labour's opponents can't believe it. I mean that the Labour front bench themselves give very firmly the impression that they don't believe it. They are not even pretending to be readying themselves for government. It's quite extraordinary, given the polling. It just doesn't add up.
YG Populus TNS Opinium ComRes (Indy on Sunday) Survation
I know thats controversial but 2015 demographics are unlike anything before. Don't trust online pollsters a jiffetyjotty & I'm also wobbling re phonesters cos of sampling problems.
Past performance does not equal future results. I'll repost 3 key questions which I think will determine which pollster does best in 2015
1) How well will past vote recall work this time when the political climate is so volatile? It will have been a 5 year parliament and voters will have had Euro and local elections + Holyrood and Welsh Assembly outside England. It doesn't matter if people get these elections muddled up if they always voted the same way. When people have voted for multiple parties this could be an issue 2) How well will turnout filters work? UKIP and the SNP have had some success in energising previous non-voters but how many of them will actually turnout to vote? 3) What impact will individual registration have? Some people may tell the pollsters they intend to vote and then turn up at the ballot box to find they can't
Balls seems to be agreeing increasingly little with his front bench colleagues at the moment. Still think there is potential for real disruption there.
Yes, it really is an astonishing spectacle. You really have to rub your eyes in disbelief at the prospect that the Labour front bench might be in power in 10 weeks' time.
And - pace compouter2 - I do not mean that Labour's opponents can't believe it. I mean that the Labour front bench themselves give very firmly the impression that they don't believe it. They are not even pretending to be readying themselves for government. It's quite extraordinary, given the polling. It just doesn't add up.
Ed Balls has created his own diversion today though:
It looks to me as though this may be the week the two parties have reached parity, in polling terms.
They've been neck-and-neck for a while, with probably a tiny Labour lead. I agree with Nick P that nothing much has changed for several weeks; if there has been a pro-Tory move in the last couple of weeks, it's very small.
Balls seems to be agreeing increasingly little with his front bench colleagues at the moment. Still think there is potential for real disruption there.
Yes, it really is an astonishing spectacle. You really have to rub your eyes in disbelief at the prospect that the Labour front bench might be in power in 10 weeks' time.
And - pace compouter2 - I do not mean that Labour's opponents can't believe it. I mean that the Labour front bench themselves give very firmly the impression that they don't believe it. They are not even pretending to be readying themselves for government. It's quite extraordinary, given the polling. It just doesn't add up.
The failure of Ed Miliband's leadership lies not in pre-distribution jargon or sarnie eating. It lies in his inability to form a coherent disciplined team with a clear programme of proposals, over a period of sevefal years. Shocking.
Balls seems to be agreeing increasingly little with his front bench colleagues at the moment. Still think there is potential for real disruption there.
Yes, it really is an astonishing spectacle. You really have to rub your eyes in disbelief at the prospect that the Labour front bench might be in power in 10 weeks' time.
And - pace compouter2 - I do not mean that Labour's opponents can't believe it. I mean that the Labour front bench themselves give very firmly the impression that they don't believe it. They are not even pretending to be readying themselves for government. It's quite extraordinary, given the polling. It just doesn't add up.
Ed Balls has created his own diversion today though:
"I'm a 'long slow burn' in bed"
Translation - Porker has trouble 'raising the flag' and Yvette falls asleep after half an hour.
Incidentally, I think we may have had a game-changer today. Even the Beeb was struggling to find a coherent way of attacking Osborne's quite remarkable new initiative. The contrast between the grown-ups talking about how to deal with the interface between the NHS and social care on the one hand, and Labour on the other hand, was stark.
Christ on a bike, yet another "Game Changer".Game Changer meet crossover January, oh look there is pulling away February talking to regular majority winning leads March.All partying away in PBHodgeland.
I love this place.
Another? Really?
What was the previous one, or were you imagining things as usual?
It looks to me as though this may be the week the two parties have reached parity, in polling terms.
We've been here before - Labour were reduced to an ELBOW lead of only 0.5% on 23rd November last year
She said it was hard for her to bring her kids to Bradford for the next 70 days,can't labour find someone who lives in Bradford for Christ sake and again labour going for a all women short list.
Galloway must be laughing at the stupidity of the labour party.
Wtf did Labour chose a bloody tower Hamlets Councillor - just smacks of some weird sort of PC racism...
YG Populus TNS Opinium ComRes (Indy on Sunday) Survation
I know thats controversial but 2015 demographics are unlike anything before. Don't trust online pollsters a jiffetyjotty & I'm also wobbling re phonesters cos of sampling problems.
Past performance does not equal future results. I'll repost 3 key questions which I think will determine which pollster does best in 2015
1) How well will past vote recall work this time when the political climate is so volatile? It will have been a 5 year parliament and voters will have had Euro and local elections + Holyrood and Welsh Assembly outside England. It doesn't matter if people get these elections muddled up if they always voted the same way. When people have voted for multiple parties this could be an issue 2) How well will turnout filters work? UKIP and the SNP have had some success in energising previous non-voters but how many of them will actually turnout to vote? 3) What impact will individual registration have? Some people may tell the pollsters they intend to vote and then turn up at the ballot box to find they can't
Without going into specifics, one pollster told me "we're all nervous about this one". Given size and complexity of the flows between parties (and the issues you guys mentioned), there's an unprecedented amount of ways they could cock this up...
YG Populus TNS Opinium ComRes (Indy on Sunday) Survation
I know thats controversial but 2015 demographics are unlike anything before. Don't trust online pollsters a jiffetyjotty & I'm also wobbling re phonesters cos of sampling problems.
I'll add a 4th question. Will the LD vote % better reflect their position in stage 1 or stage 2 of Ashcroft's constituency polls.
It looks to me as though this may be the week the two parties have reached parity, in polling terms.
They've been neck-and-neck for a while, with probably a tiny Labour lead. I agree with Nick P that nothing much has changed for several weeks; if there has been a pro-Tory move in the last couple of weeks, it's very small.
With 5 or 6 weeks to the GE,can't the tories dump the lib dems out of Government and run as a minority Con Government for the last month up to the GE ;-)
I'm sure that would give the blue's a poll boost as a con Government ;-)
It's a thought ;-)
When I say dump the lib dems out,I mean persuade our yellow friends it's in they best interest to go it alone ;-)
YG Populus TNS Opinium ComRes (Indy on Sunday) Survation
I know thats controversial but 2015 demographics are unlike anything before. Don't trust online pollsters a jiffetyjotty & I'm also wobbling re phonesters cos of sampling problems.
Past performance does not equal future results. I'll repost 3 key questions which I think will determine which pollster does best in 2015
1) How well will past vote recall work this time when the political climate is so volatile? It will have been a 5 year parliament and voters will have had Euro and local elections + Holyrood and Welsh Assembly outside England. It doesn't matter if people get these elections muddled up if they always voted the same way. When people have voted for multiple parties this could be an issue 2) How well will turnout filters work? UKIP and the SNP have had some success in energising previous non-voters but how many of them will actually turnout to vote? 3) What impact will individual registration have? Some people may tell the pollsters they intend to vote and then turn up at the ballot box to find they can't
Without going into specifics, one pollster told me "we're all nervous about this one". Given size and complexity of the flows between parties (and the issues you guys mentioned), there's an unprecedented amount of ways they could cock this up...
Two ways to play the election as a punter - either try to pick off seemingly wrong prices or wade in with big brass balls.
She said it was hard for her to bring her kids to Bradford for the next 70 days,can't labour find someone who lives in Bradford for Christ sake and again labour going for a all women short list.
Galloway must be laughing at the stupidity of the labour party.
Wtf did Labour chose a bloody tower Hamlets Councillor - just smacks of some weird sort of PC racism...
Incidentally, I think we may have had a game-changer today. Even the Beeb was struggling to find a coherent way of attacking Osborne's quite remarkable new initiative. The contrast between the grown-ups talking about how to deal with the interface between the NHS and social care on the one hand, and Labour on the other hand, was stark.
I take it you are referring to the Hospitals in Manchester being devolved to Greater Manchester Councils and then to a locally elected area Mayor.
It brings to mind DC's EVEL and I wonder if he is aware that this could come back and bite Osborne in the nether regions.
If my understanding is correct, EVEL is meant to stymie the Evil Scots Nats being allowed to vote on purely English matters which are devolved in Scotland, but there is still the question of London MP's being allowed to vote on English policies that the rest of the English MP's cannot vote on London devolved matters, and now Manchester MP's will have the problem with Health.
I believe that the constituency of Tatton is quite close to Greater Manchester. Heaven forfend that any one would question the Chancellors ability to vote on health matters that he has so cunningly devolved.
England gained from the Union with Scotland, I agree, but that does not negate the fact that it was the Union with England that made Scotland great. It is not a zero sum game.
Darien was a failure because Scotland had neither the economic infrastructure nor the mercantile experience to make a succesful trading colony in the 17th century. Scotland was too late to the game and too weak to compete with the successful overseas colonies founded in the 16th and 17th centuries by Iberian, English, French, Dutch and Hanseatic rivals.
[SNIP]
I apprecate times have changed, but it was the Union that made the Scottish Enlightentment a world phenomenon. Without it Scotland would have been more likely to be have been another Lithuania or Galicia than another Holland or Sweden. (And both of these were fading by 1707 too).
The failure of Darien was nothing to do with its commercial benefit - in fact today the most profitable commercial enterprise in the entire world is the Darien Scheme - it's called the Panama Canal. If anything it was ahead of its time and the problem was a lack of understanding of disease. Darien wasn't just a great idea in 1695, it is a great idea in 2015 which is why Panama is building the second Panama canal to accommodate largest boats.
Yes the lack of colonies would have been a strong impediment to Scotland. But it was the same in Prussia which still became a Major Power despite lacking any colonies and it did so by copying the Scottish model of Universal Education and by developing their own enlightenment.
There are lots of European countries which were caused no harm by lacking colonies. Sweden and Norway did perfectly well with no colonial ambitions and Denmark had given that up by 1700 and still did spectacularly well. Northern European protestant countries found no detriment to being "empires".
In the industrial revolution, just making steam engines 200% more efficient (a Scottish invention based on Scottish study at a Scottish university) was significantly profitable to the country that developed it. In so many other fields the Scottish University advantage made profound differences.
Let's be realistic, over 100 years of Universal Education made Scotland the best placed country in the world to progress since 1700. Arguably America copied Scotland's model and made it very successful.
Size might have been an issue. But reality says, Scotland would have done very, very well without the Union. And brilliantly since 1975.
She said it was hard for her to bring her kids to Bradford for the next 70 days,can't labour find someone who lives in Bradford for Christ sake and again labour going for a all women short list.
Galloway must be laughing at the stupidity of the labour party.
Wtf did Labour chose a bloody tower Hamlets Councillor - just smacks of some weird sort of PC racism...
Guardian report suggested that the local clan elders used their block vote for her because their preferred candidate didn't make the shortlist and the other two candidates on the shortlist were local people they wanted to stop.
Sounds like she was surprised to win, and was maybe only hoping to make a good showing in the selection meeting so that she would have a better chance at a seat in London sometime later.
Thursday's Times front page: Putin ready to turn off Europe's gas supply #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/dmHWtBzFSP
He's running out of winter. Although Germany should have done it, after all, it's only Germany and Poland that care about Russian gas.
When the Ukraine stops cutting off the gas from the Donbass then Russia will withdraw the demand for payment. A humanitarian disaster has already been inflicted on the Donbass from the invasion, freezing them is beyond the pale.
She said it was hard for her to bring her kids to Bradford for the next 70 days,can't labour find someone who lives in Bradford for Christ sake and again labour going for a all women short list.
Galloway must be laughing at the stupidity of the labour party.
Wtf did Labour chose a bloody tower Hamlets Councillor - just smacks of some weird sort of PC racism...
Guardian report suggested that the local clan elders used their block vote for her because their preferred candidate didn't make the shortlist and the other two candidates on the shortlist were local people they wanted to stop.
Sounds like she was surprised to win, and was maybe only hoping to make a good showing in the selection meeting so that she would have a better chance at a seat in London sometime later.
I hope Labour's ground game is a bit more organised in Bradford East Probably backed Labour too short there though I doubt it will lose.
I believe that the constituency of Tatton is quite close to Greater Manchester. Heaven forfend that any one would question the Chancellors ability to vote on health matters that he has so cunningly devolved.
The Chancellor, like all Conservatives, has been keen to take party politics out of the NHS for years. He'll no doubt be delighted if parliament's role is to set the overall budget and goals, and leave delivery to locally accountable bodies.
She said it was hard for her to bring her kids to Bradford for the next 70 days,can't labour find someone who lives in Bradford for Christ sake and again labour going for a all women short list.
Galloway must be laughing at the stupidity of the labour party.
Wtf did Labour chose a bloody tower Hamlets Councillor - just smacks of some weird sort of PC racism...
Thursday's Times front page: Putin ready to turn off Europe's gas supply #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/dmHWtBzFSP
He's running out of winter. Although Germany should have done it, after all, it's only Germany and Poland that care about Russian gas.
When the Ukraine stops cutting off the gas from the Donbass then Russia will withdraw the demand for payment. A humanitarian disaster has already been inflicted on the Donbass from the invasion, freezing them is beyond the pale.
I believe the Donbass cheloveks haven't paid for their gas. How the world works, in case you hadn't noticed.
Thursday's Times front page: Putin ready to turn off Europe's gas supply #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/dmHWtBzFSP
He's running out of winter. Although Germany should have done it, after all, it's only Germany and Poland that care about Russian gas.
When the Ukraine stops cutting off the gas from the Donbass then Russia will withdraw the demand for payment. A humanitarian disaster has already been inflicted on the Donbass from the invasion, freezing them is beyond the pale.
I believe the Donbass cheloveks haven't paid for their gas. How the world works, in case you hadn't noticed.
I just realised you said "invasion", can't believe you agree Russia has invaded the Ukraine, but welcome to civilization.
Thursday's Times front page: Putin ready to turn off Europe's gas supply #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/dmHWtBzFSP
He's running out of winter. Although Germany should have done it, after all, it's only Germany and Poland that care about Russian gas.
When the Ukraine stops cutting off the gas from the Donbass then Russia will withdraw the demand for payment. A humanitarian disaster has already been inflicted on the Donbass from the invasion, freezing them is beyond the pale.
I believe the Donbass cheloveks haven't paid for their gas. How the world works, in case you hadn't noticed.
I just realised you said "invasion", can't believe you agree Russia has invaded the Ukraine, but welcome to civilization.
Number cruncher - I work in MR (not political polling) and I can easily imagine they are nervous. All these factors this time around make it much more likely someone will have a reputation damaging bad result. Add in some extra factors that can affect polling in a normal election:
1) Your last poll before the election is an outlier 2) Your polling is accurate but there is late swing at the ballot box.
Just to give an idea how volatile it is
In 2010, Lab lost 6% of the vote mainly to LD and Con. UKIP gained 1% presumably mostly from Con. turnout was up 4%. Allowing a bit for churn and excluding new voters and those who died, we can say maybe 12% of voters changed their vote.
Now looking at the current polls, UKIP are up 12%, the Greens up 5%, the SNP up 2% so we could easily be looking at 20-25% changing their vote from last time
The impact of Darien is completely overblown. In fact, the only people who were hurt by Darien were the wealthy aristocracy. Without the Union, Scotland would have been a very equal society (more equal than the Netherlands) with a much better educated people than any other country on earth.
Tut Tut, must be a quick Darien quote from the SNP bible.
The Darien Bubble was quite spectacular in it's time and certainly managed to impoverish a large number of investors when the project failed.
The scheme was probably well intended and looking back on it, you can see that it had the good idea of building a road across the isthmus and joining the Pacific and Atlantic. This would have obviously increased Scottish maritime and trade power well in advance of the Panama Canal being built.
However, when the shares came to be traded, they were in today's parlance, ramped up and split beyond belief. Whole congregations saved up to buy whole shares or even small percentage/fraction shares, the same with cities, towns, villages and communities right across the country.
It became a patriotic duty (sound familiar?) to buy into the scheme, after all, it was going to make Scotland one of the richest countries on the planet and every one would share in it.
The major problem was that the Scots took the wrong trade goods to the Darien area. There was no call for woolen clothes and fabrics in the tropics, let alone the latest scottish fashions suitable for the weather Scotland had experienced at that time (Mini ice age 20 to 30 years earlier).
That the Traders did not seemingly notify the major European power controlling the area was highly undiplomatic and did not please the local Spanish forces when they found out about the intruders. The Spanish locals were at that time a little peeved with English "Pirates" and probably did not care that there was a difference between Scots and English who both came from the same island anyway.
When the scheme collapsed, it virtually bankrupted the whole of Scotland but not probably the rampers who had sold out, taking their large profits and moved on, much like the hedge funds and banks of today.
I believe that the constituency of Tatton is quite close to Greater Manchester. Heaven forfend that any one would question the Chancellors ability to vote on health matters that he has so cunningly devolved.
The Chancellor, like all Conservatives, has been keen to take party politics out of the NHS for years. He'll no doubt be delighted if parliament's role is to set the overall budget and goals, and leave delivery to locally accountable bodies.
I believe that the constituency of Tatton is quite close to Greater Manchester. Heaven forfend that any one would question the Chancellors ability to vote on health matters that he has so cunningly devolved.
The Chancellor, like all Conservatives, has been keen to take party politics out of the NHS for years. He'll no doubt be delighted if parliament's role is to set the overall budget and goals, and leave delivery to locally accountable bodies.
I believe that the constituency of Tatton is quite close to Greater Manchester. Heaven forfend that any one would question the Chancellors ability to vote on health matters that he has so cunningly devolved.
The Chancellor, like all Conservatives, has been keen to take party politics out of the NHS for years. He'll no doubt be delighted if parliament's role is to set the overall budget and goals, and leave delivery to locally accountable bodies.
I believe that the constituency of Tatton is quite close to Greater Manchester. Heaven forfend that any one would question the Chancellors ability to vote on health matters that he has so cunningly devolved.
The Chancellor, like all Conservatives, has been keen to take party politics out of the NHS for years. He'll no doubt be delighted if parliament's role is to set the overall budget and goals, and leave delivery to locally accountable bodies.
Ah! But will the Chancellor be able to keep his sticky fingers out of the pie? If he can, he will be the first in British history.
Thursday's Times front page: Putin ready to turn off Europe's gas supply #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/dmHWtBzFSP
He's running out of winter. Although Germany should have done it, after all, it's only Germany and Poland that care about Russian gas.
When the Ukraine stops cutting off the gas from the Donbass then Russia will withdraw the demand for payment. A humanitarian disaster has already been inflicted on the Donbass from the invasion, freezing them is beyond the pale.
I believe the Donbass cheloveks haven't paid for their gas. How the world works, in case you hadn't noticed.
I just realised you said "invasion", can't believe you agree Russia has invaded the Ukraine, but welcome to civilization.
The first proper war caused directly by the EU.
No, it's caused by the good old nineteenth century concept of irredentism and the idea that anyone who speaks Russian is Vladimir Vladimirovich's. A pernicious concept if there ever was one. It's a bit like saying that anyone who speaks Spanish should be part of Spain.
Balls seems to be agreeing increasingly little with his front bench colleagues at the moment. Still think there is potential for real disruption there.
Yes, it really is an astonishing spectacle. You really have to rub your eyes in disbelief at the prospect that the Labour front bench might be in power in 10 weeks' time.
And - pace compouter2 - I do not mean that Labour's opponents can't believe it. I mean that the Labour front bench themselves give very firmly the impression that they don't believe it. They are not even pretending to be readying themselves for government. It's quite extraordinary, given the polling. It just doesn't add up.
Ed Balls has created his own diversion today though:
"I'm a 'long slow burn' in bed"
Don't those that smoke normally do so after cocking up............
Balls seems to be agreeing increasingly little with his front bench colleagues at the moment. Still think there is potential for real disruption there.
Yes, it really is an astonishing spectacle. You really have to rub your eyes in disbelief at the prospect that the Labour front bench might be in power in 10 weeks' time.
And - pace compouter2 - I do not mean that Labour's opponents can't believe it. I mean that the Labour front bench themselves give very firmly the impression that they don't believe it. They are not even pretending to be readying themselves for government. It's quite extraordinary, given the polling. It just doesn't add up.
Ed Balls has created his own diversion today though:
"I'm a 'long slow burn' in bed"
What next? "Yvette? A genuine three-holer". I think at this point I ought to get my coat.
Balls seems to be agreeing increasingly little with his front bench colleagues at the moment. Still think there is potential for real disruption there.
Yes, it really is an astonishing spectacle. You really have to rub your eyes in disbelief at the prospect that the Labour front bench might be in power in 10 weeks' time.
And - pace compouter2 - I do not mean that Labour's opponents can't believe it. I mean that the Labour front bench themselves give very firmly the impression that they don't believe it. They are not even pretending to be readying themselves for government. It's quite extraordinary, given the polling. It just doesn't add up.
Ed Balls has created his own diversion today though:
"I'm a 'long slow burn' in bed"
Don't those that smoke normally do so after cocking up............
Err.....The economy?
It could be flames licking various bits of Yvette...
So scrap the Trust and create basically a new Trust...we have been here before with the board of governors. All that ends up happening is a load of money spent, the same old "political" appointments are made and they turn up, collect their money and tell us that the BBC got it about right...or in the case of Pattern, I don't know, make yourself look like a total tit who has no idea what is going on.
They have also kicked any real solution to the license fee into the long grass. There is no way into todays world they can enforce it, and saying oh well you have to now pay it otherwise watching iPlayer on catchup will be breaking the law not going to work.
Thursday's Times front page: Putin ready to turn off Europe's gas supply #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/dmHWtBzFSP
He's running out of winter. Although Germany should have done it, after all, it's only Germany and Poland that care about Russian gas.
When the Ukraine stops cutting off the gas from the Donbass then Russia will withdraw the demand for payment. A humanitarian disaster has already been inflicted on the Donbass from the invasion, freezing them is beyond the pale.
I believe the Donbass cheloveks haven't paid for their gas. How the world works, in case you hadn't noticed.
I just realised you said "invasion", can't believe you agree Russia has invaded the Ukraine, but welcome to civilization.
The first proper war caused directly by the EU.
No, it's caused by the good old nineteenth century concept of irredentism and the idea that anyone who speaks Russian is Vladimir Vladimirovich's. A pernicious concept if there ever was one. It's a bit like saying that anyone who speaks Spanish should be part of Spain.
All English-speaking countries (de facto or de jure) should be part of the Commonwealth!
So scrap the Trust and create basically a new Trust...we have been here before with the board of governors. All that ends up happening is a load of money spent, the same old "political" appointments are made and they turn up, collect their money and tell us that the BBC got it about right...or in the case of Pattern, I don't know, make yourself look like a total tit who has no idea what is going on.
They have also kicked any real solution to the license fee into the long grass. There is no way into todays world they can enforce it, and saying oh well you have to now pay it otherwise watching iPlayer on catchup will be breaking the law not going to work.
It's unacceptable in this day and age that people are forced to pay a licence fee - which is really a tax - of 145.50 gbp for merely owning or renting a TV set.
Ditch the fee and go to a subscription model. That gives you - during fundraising periods - direct feedback on what people want to see and what they don't. That helps with production, program purchase, and scheduling. PBS and NPR over here are the perfect example of this - how you can run a TV and radio network without the need for advertising.
It's not the 1950s any more. Everything the BBC offers is available elsewhere.
Thursday's Times front page: Putin ready to turn off Europe's gas supply #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/dmHWtBzFSP
He's running out of winter. Although Germany should have done it, after all, it's only Germany and Poland that care about Russian gas.
When the Ukraine stops cutting off the gas from the Donbass then Russia will withdraw the demand for payment. A humanitarian disaster has already been inflicted on the Donbass from the invasion, freezing them is beyond the pale.
I believe the Donbass cheloveks haven't paid for their gas. How the world works, in case you hadn't noticed.
I just realised you said "invasion", can't believe you agree Russia has invaded the Ukraine, but welcome to civilization.
The first proper war caused directly by the EU.
No, it's caused by the good old nineteenth century concept of irredentism and the idea that anyone who speaks Russian is Vladimir Vladimirovich's. A pernicious concept if there ever was one. It's a bit like saying that anyone who speaks Spanish should be part of Spain.
All English-speaking countries (de facto or de jure) should be part of the Commonwealth!
Canada is quite happy to be so - trust me the USA would not.
So scrap the Trust and create basically a new Trust...we have been here before with the board of governors. All that ends up happening is a load of money spent, the same old "political" appointments are made and they turn up, collect their money and tell us that the BBC got it about right...or in the case of Pattern, I don't know, make yourself look like a total tit who has no idea what is going on.
They have also kicked any real solution to the license fee into the long grass. There is no way into todays world they can enforce it, and saying oh well you have to now pay it otherwise watching iPlayer on catchup will be breaking the law not going to work.
It's unacceptable in this day and age that people are forced to pay a licence fee - which is really a tax - of 145.50 gbp for merely owning or renting a TV set.
Ditch the fee and go to a subscription model. That gives you - during fundraising periods - direct feedback on what people want to see and what they don't. That helps with production, program purchase, and scheduling. PBS and NPR over here are the perfect example of this - how you can run a TV and radio network without the need for advertising.
It's not the 1950s any more. Everything the BBC offers is available elsewhere.
I actually look at it just from the reality of the technology side of things. This report says no change for another 10+ years, because it isn't possible. What utter BS. I already can watch the BBC and their program in many different ways without the infamous detector van having any idea I have done so.
And only today they are talking about the roll out of 5G in the next few years, making on the move streaming / download far faster than even current home broadband speeds. Long gone are the days when we all crowd around the wireless or the moving picture box in one physical location.
Furthermore, it is already possible to find HD tv shows online within 5 mins of broadcast...in far better quality than say iPlayer. Where do you think we will be in just 2-3 years, let alone another 10.
This quaint idea that we all stump up £150 for a 3-4 unscrambled channels in the multi-channel, multi-platform tv and movie on-demand world is something out of last century.
Thursday's Times front page: Putin ready to turn off Europe's gas supply #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/dmHWtBzFSP
He's running out of winter. Although Germany should have done it, after all, it's only Germany and Poland that care about Russian gas.
When the Ukraine stops cutting off the gas from the Donbass then Russia will withdraw the demand for payment. A humanitarian disaster has already been inflicted on the Donbass from the invasion, freezing them is beyond the pale.
I believe the Donbass cheloveks haven't paid for their gas. How the world works, in case you hadn't noticed.
I just realised you said "invasion", can't believe you agree Russia has invaded the Ukraine, but welcome to civilization.
The first proper war caused directly by the EU.
No, it's caused by the good old nineteenth century concept of irredentism and the idea that anyone who speaks Russian is Vladimir Vladimirovich's. A pernicious concept if there ever was one. It's a bit like saying that anyone who speaks Spanish should be part of Spain.
All English-speaking countries (de facto or de jure) should be part of the Commonwealth!
Canada is quite happy to be so - trust me the USA would not.
We can go back in time and have the French fleet outside Yorktown scattered by a freak storm
I see why the BBC are going big on Jimmy Saville in the NHS now...it appears that the same report that is wittering about the BBC Trust has also given them a massive kicking about their own failures over Saville, pay-outs and a host of other things....quick over there Saville, NHS,
@FrancisUrquhart Oddly enough, Saville and his like speak to one of the problems that haunts the UK, and possibly most other countries. The inability of those involved to stand up and say "no". It can only be done if people trust those around them, while the "State" prefers what it calls "individualism" but is really making sure that trust never gets to grow.
Afghanistan have a good chance of beating Scotland in the cricket.That is after they weren't that far off really upsetting the apple cart in the last match against Sri Lanka. Quite incredible really given the situation in the country and basically no cricket pedigree.
So scrap the Trust and create basically a new Trust...we have been here before with the board of governors. All that ends up happening is a load of money spent, the same old "political" appointments are made and they turn up, collect their money and tell us that the BBC got it about right...or in the case of Pattern, I don't know, make yourself look like a total tit who has no idea what is going on.
They have also kicked any real solution to the license fee into the long grass. There is no way into todays world they can enforce it, and saying oh well you have to now pay it otherwise watching iPlayer on catchup will be breaking the law not going to work.
It's unacceptable in this day and age that people are forced to pay a licence fee - which is really a tax - of 145.50 gbp for merely owning or renting a TV set.
Ditch the fee and go to a subscription model. That gives you - during fundraising periods - direct feedback on what people want to see and what they don't. That helps with production, program purchase, and scheduling. PBS and NPR over here are the perfect example of this - how you can run a TV and radio network without the need for advertising.
It's not the 1950s any more. Everything the BBC offers is available elsewhere.
I actually look at it just from the reality of the technology side of things. This report says no change for another 10+ years, because it isn't possible. What utter BS. I already can watch the BBC and their program in many different ways without the infamous detector van having any idea I have done so.
And only today they are talking about the roll out of 5G in the next few years, making on the move streaming / download far faster than even current home broadband speeds. Long gone are the days when we all crowd around the wireless or the moving picture box in one physical location.
Furthermore, it is already possible to find HD tv shows online within 5 mins of broadcast...in far better quality than say iPlayer. Where do you think we will be in just 2-3 years, let alone another 10.
This quaint idea that we all stump up £150 for a 3-4 unscrambled channels in the multi-channel, multi-platform tv and movie on-demand world is something out of last century.
Thursday's Times front page: Putin ready to turn off Europe's gas supply #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/dmHWtBzFSP
He's running out of winter. Although Germany should have done it, after all, it's only Germany and Poland that care about Russian gas.
When the Ukraine stops cutting off the gas from the Donbass then Russia will withdraw the demand for payment. A humanitarian disaster has already been inflicted on the Donbass from the invasion, freezing them is beyond the pale.
I believe the Donbass cheloveks haven't paid for their gas. How the world works, in case you hadn't noticed.
I just realised you said "invasion", can't believe you agree Russia has invaded the Ukraine, but welcome to civilization.
The first proper war caused directly by the EU.
No, it's caused by the good old nineteenth century concept of irredentism and the idea that anyone who speaks Russian is Vladimir Vladimirovich's. A pernicious concept if there ever was one. It's a bit like saying that anyone who speaks Spanish should be part of Spain.
All English-speaking countries (de facto or de jure) should be part of the Commonwealth!
Canada is quite happy to be so - trust me the USA would not.
We can go back in time and have the French fleet outside Yorktown scattered by a freak storm
I'm experiencing a freak storm this evening and overnight
Thursday's Times front page: Putin ready to turn off Europe's gas supply #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/dmHWtBzFSP
He's running out of winter. Although Germany should have done it, after all, it's only Germany and Poland that care about Russian gas.
When the Ukraine stops cutting off the gas from the Donbass then Russia will withdraw the demand for payment. A humanitarian disaster has already been inflicted on the Donbass from the invasion, freezing them is beyond the pale.
I believe the Donbass cheloveks haven't paid for their gas. How the world works, in case you hadn't noticed.
I just realised you said "invasion", can't believe you agree Russia has invaded the Ukraine, but welcome to civilization.
The first proper war caused directly by the EU.
No, it's caused by the good old nineteenth century concept of irredentism and the idea that anyone who speaks Russian is Vladimir Vladimirovich's. A pernicious concept if there ever was one. It's a bit like saying that anyone who speaks Spanish should be part of Spain.
All English-speaking countries (de facto or de jure) should be part of the Commonwealth!
*grabs lapel* I love democracy, I love the Commonwealth....
Thursday's Times front page: Putin ready to turn off Europe's gas supply #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/dmHWtBzFSP
He's running out of winter. Although Germany should have done it, after all, it's only Germany and Poland that care about Russian gas.
When the Ukraine stops cutting off the gas from the Donbass then Russia will withdraw the demand for payment. A humanitarian disaster has already been inflicted on the Donbass from the invasion, freezing them is beyond the pale.
I believe the Donbass cheloveks haven't paid for their gas. How the world works, in case you hadn't noticed.
I just realised you said "invasion", can't believe you agree Russia has invaded the Ukraine, but welcome to civilization.
The first proper war caused directly by the EU.
No, it's caused by the good old nineteenth century concept of irredentism and the idea that anyone who speaks Russian is Vladimir Vladimirovich's. A pernicious concept if there ever was one. It's a bit like saying that anyone who speaks Spanish should be part of Spain.
All English-speaking countries (de facto or de jure) should be part of the Commonwealth!
*grabs lapel* I love democracy, I love the Commonwealth....
Thursday's Times front page: Putin ready to turn off Europe's gas supply #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/dmHWtBzFSP
He's running out of winter. Although Germany should have done it, after all, it's only Germany and Poland that care about Russian gas.
When the Ukraine stops cutting off the gas from the Donbass then Russia will withdraw the demand for payment. A humanitarian disaster has already been inflicted on the Donbass from the invasion, freezing them is beyond the pale.
I believe the Donbass cheloveks haven't paid for their gas. How the world works, in case you hadn't noticed.
I just realised you said "invasion", can't believe you agree Russia has invaded the Ukraine, but welcome to civilization.
The first proper war caused directly by the EU.
No, it's caused by the good old nineteenth century concept of irredentism and the idea that anyone who speaks Russian is Vladimir Vladimirovich's. A pernicious concept if there ever was one. It's a bit like saying that anyone who speaks Spanish should be part of Spain.
All English-speaking countries (de facto or de jure) should be part of the Commonwealth!
*grabs lapel* I love democracy, I love the Commonwealth....
Thursday's Times front page: Putin ready to turn off Europe's gas supply #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/dmHWtBzFSP
He's running out of winter. Although Germany should have done it, after all, it's only Germany and Poland that care about Russian gas.
When the Ukraine stops cutting off the gas from the Donbass then Russia will withdraw the demand for payment. A humanitarian disaster has already been inflicted on the Donbass from the invasion, freezing them is beyond the pale.
I believe the Donbass cheloveks haven't paid for their gas. How the world works, in case you hadn't noticed.
I just realised you said "invasion", can't believe you agree Russia has invaded the Ukraine, but welcome to civilization.
The first proper war caused directly by the EU.
No, it's caused by the good old nineteenth century concept of irredentism and the idea that anyone who speaks Russian is Vladimir Vladimirovich's. A pernicious concept if there ever was one. It's a bit like saying that anyone who speaks Spanish should be part of Spain.
All English-speaking countries (de facto or de jure) should be part of the Commonwealth!
*grabs lapel* I love democracy, I love the Commonwealth....
Well, they do play cricket...
Quite right
So it's a combination of "Casey at the bat" and "Play up, Play up, and play the game."
Thursday's Times front page: Putin ready to turn off Europe's gas supply #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/dmHWtBzFSP
He's running out of winter. Although Germany should have done it, after all, it's only Germany and Poland that care about Russian gas.
When the Ukraine stops cutting off the gas from the Donbass then Russia will withdraw the demand for payment. A humanitarian disaster has already been inflicted on the Donbass from the invasion, freezing them is beyond the pale.
I believe the Donbass cheloveks haven't paid for their gas. How the world works, in case you hadn't noticed.
I just realised you said "invasion", can't believe you agree Russia has invaded the Ukraine, but welcome to civilization.
The first proper war caused directly by the EU.
No, it's caused by the good old nineteenth century concept of irredentism and the idea that anyone who speaks Russian is Vladimir Vladimirovich's. A pernicious concept if there ever was one. It's a bit like saying that anyone who speaks Spanish should be part of Spain.
All English-speaking countries (de facto or de jure) should be part of the Commonwealth!
*grabs lapel* I love democracy, I love the Commonwealth....
Well, they do play cricket...
Quite right
So it's a combination of "Casey at the bat" and "Play up, Play up, and play the game."
'Oats. A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people.' Sam Johnson, Dictionary
You are wrong quite a lot, aren't you?
I think that was a joke.
There's probably not a Scot alive with a reading age above 12 who isn't aware of the good doctor's definition.
The culture and knowledge of Scotland seems quite alien and unknown to the man on the Clapham Omnibus.
While we know about the Clapham Omnibus.
Scotland is an ancient, beautiful but historically peripheral nation of 5 million people. England is a great country of 55 million people which has changed the world in myriad ways, and given the planet its first true global language, as well as the Industrial Revolution, the Beatles. Shakespeare, the internet, and the ICE TWINS, by S K Tremayne.
It is unsurprising that English awareness of Scotland is trivial compared to Scottish awareness of England. You are, culturally, a mouse in bed with an elephant. Like Canada and America.
I can see why this drives many Scots to support independence, yet, paradoxically, I doubt independence would change much. See the way Ireland is dominated by British culture and media, even now.
This would win "Bollox post of the Year " by a country mile. Pure drivel written by a deluded halfwit.
Comments
Con +1
Con +1
Tied
Tied
I don't know how difficult this is. But if a lot of work is required could it be done for a sample of key seats?
Then compare to electorate in say 2013. This will then give an idea of the effect of Individual Voter Registration.
Some numbers were published a few weeks ago (can't remember where) showing the number of attainers (ie new people on register due to reaching 18) in certain seats was way, way, way down on normal.
This just might be important. Can anyone do it?
Even if Labour do try to stitch it up they will come face to face with several mighty obstacles. Besides the very large majority Galloway has emulated Lutfur Rahman in control of the local muslim vote, also Galloway is the most left wing MP at a time when very left wing and very right wing parties are very popular, add to that his national name recognition and it will be almost impossible for Labour to win there.
The fact that all this power was being delegated to a Labour dominated set of Councils made his attack seem even more incoherent than normal but the idea that this undermines the National HS is an interesting one. We have been looking for ways of breaking up this absurd leviathan for ages and it may be that Osborne has cracked it. Still pretty large units for management but a big step up on what we have at the moment.
I love this place.
Galloway is at 5/4 to be re-elected with Ladbrokes and 11/8 with PP, it looks like a bargain right now.
What was the previous one, or were you imagining things as usual?
Darien was a failure because Scotland had neither the economic infrastructure nor the mercantile experience to make a succesful trading colony in the 17th century. Scotland was too late to the game and too weak to compete with the successful overseas colonies founded in the 16th and 17th centuries by Iberian, English, French, Dutch and Hanseatic rivals.
Scottish education was driven by Calvinism (itself an import from mainland Europe) as part of a Protestant revolution that changed the world and how it thought.
That seed fell in fertile soil in Scotland where the people were increasingly tired of being kept down by a feudal and Celtic culture based around clan loyalty. It gave them a wider universalist view of the world that transcended old barriers.
Darien failed, but Union with England combined English mercantile expertise, finance and naval prowress with Scottish ingenuity, work ethic and ambition. It gave access to the American and later Canadian, African, Indian and Australasian markets. There was little Free Trade at that time and without the British Empire Scotland would not have had shipyards on the Clyde, Jute mills in Dundee and Bengal, the Georgian New Town in Edinburgh or troops, pipebands, football, golf or whisky anywhere.
I apprecate times have changed, but it was the Union that made the Scottish Enlightentment a world phenomenon. Without it Scotland would have been more likely to be have been another Lithuania or Galicia than another Holland or Sweden. (And both of these were fading by 1707 too).
Goodnight.
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/11816379.UPDATE__Bradford_West_Labour_candidate_Amina_Ali_confirms_resignation___just_days_after_selection/
She said it was hard for her to bring her kids to Bradford for the next 70 days,can't labour find someone who lives in Bradford for Christ sake and again labour going for a all women short list.
Galloway must be laughing at the stupidity of the labour party.
And - pace compouter2 - I do not mean that Labour's opponents can't believe it. I mean that the Labour front bench themselves give very firmly the impression that they don't believe it. They are not even pretending to be readying themselves for government. It's quite extraordinary, given the polling. It just doesn't add up.
1) How well will past vote recall work this time when the political climate is so volatile? It will have been a 5 year parliament and voters will have had Euro and local elections + Holyrood and Welsh Assembly outside England. It doesn't matter if people get these elections muddled up if they always voted the same way. When people have voted for multiple parties this could be an issue
2) How well will turnout filters work? UKIP and the SNP have had some success in energising previous non-voters but how many of them will actually turnout to vote?
3) What impact will individual registration have? Some people may tell the pollsters they intend to vote and then turn up at the ballot box to find they can't
"I'm a 'long slow burn' in bed"
Makes me nervous about my Next Chancellor bets...
With 5 or 6 weeks to the GE,can't the tories dump the lib dems out of Government and run as a minority Con Government for the last month up to the GE ;-)
I'm sure that would give the blue's a poll boost as a con Government ;-)
It's a thought ;-)
When I say dump the lib dems out,I mean persuade our yellow friends it's in they best interest to go it alone ;-)
It brings to mind DC's EVEL and I wonder if he is aware that this could come back and bite Osborne in the nether regions.
If my understanding is correct, EVEL is meant to stymie the Evil Scots Nats being allowed to vote on purely English matters which are devolved in Scotland, but there is still the question of London MP's being allowed to vote on English policies that the rest of the English MP's cannot vote on London devolved matters, and now Manchester MP's will have the problem with Health.
I believe that the constituency of Tatton is quite close to Greater Manchester. Heaven forfend that any one would question the Chancellors ability to vote on health matters that he has so cunningly devolved.
Yes the lack of colonies would have been a strong impediment to Scotland. But it was the same in Prussia which still became a Major Power despite lacking any colonies and it did so by copying the Scottish model of Universal Education and by developing their own enlightenment.
There are lots of European countries which were caused no harm by lacking colonies. Sweden and Norway did perfectly well with no colonial ambitions and Denmark had given that up by 1700 and still did spectacularly well. Northern European protestant countries found no detriment to being "empires".
In the industrial revolution, just making steam engines 200% more efficient (a Scottish invention based on Scottish study at a Scottish university) was significantly profitable to the country that developed it. In so many other fields the Scottish University advantage made profound differences.
Let's be realistic, over 100 years of Universal Education made Scotland the best placed country in the world to progress since 1700. Arguably America copied Scotland's model and made it very successful.
Size might have been an issue. But reality says, Scotland would have done very, very well without the Union. And brilliantly since 1975.
Sounds like she was surprised to win, and was maybe only hoping to make a good showing in the selection meeting so that she would have a better chance at a seat in London sometime later.
It's like "hello Labour, is this what we are".
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1) Your last poll before the election is an outlier
2) Your polling is accurate but there is late swing at the ballot box.
Just to give an idea how volatile it is
In 2010, Lab lost 6% of the vote mainly to LD and Con. UKIP gained 1% presumably mostly from Con. turnout was up 4%. Allowing a bit for churn and excluding new voters and those who died, we can say maybe 12% of voters changed their vote.
Now looking at the current polls, UKIP are up 12%, the Greens up 5%, the SNP up 2% so we could easily be looking at 20-25% changing their vote from last time
The Darien Bubble was quite spectacular in it's time and certainly managed to impoverish a large number of investors when the project failed.
The scheme was probably well intended and looking back on it, you can see that it had the good idea of building a road across the isthmus and joining the Pacific and Atlantic. This would have obviously increased Scottish maritime and trade power well in advance of the Panama Canal being built.
However, when the shares came to be traded, they were in today's parlance, ramped up and split beyond belief. Whole congregations saved up to buy whole shares or even small percentage/fraction shares, the same with cities, towns, villages and communities right across the country.
It became a patriotic duty (sound familiar?) to buy into the scheme, after all, it was going to make Scotland one of the richest countries on the planet and every one would share in it.
The major problem was that the Scots took the wrong trade goods to the Darien area. There was no call for woolen clothes and fabrics in the tropics, let alone the latest scottish fashions suitable for the weather Scotland had experienced at that time (Mini ice age 20 to 30 years earlier).
That the Traders did not seemingly notify the major European power controlling the area was highly undiplomatic and did not please the local Spanish forces when they found out about the intruders. The Spanish locals were at that time a little peeved with English "Pirates" and probably did not care that there was a difference between Scots and English who both came from the same island anyway.
When the scheme collapsed, it virtually bankrupted the whole of Scotland but not probably the rampers who had sold out, taking their large profits and moved on, much like the hedge funds and banks of today.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/emilyashton/danny-alexander-fights-to-save-his-political-career-the-tori
Swing(ers) back ?
Don't those that smoke normally do so after cocking up............
Err.....The economy?
So scrap the Trust and create basically a new Trust...we have been here before with the board of governors. All that ends up happening is a load of money spent, the same old "political" appointments are made and they turn up, collect their money and tell us that the BBC got it about right...or in the case of Pattern, I don't know, make yourself look like a total tit who has no idea what is going on.
They have also kicked any real solution to the license fee into the long grass. There is no way into todays world they can enforce it, and saying oh well you have to now pay it otherwise watching iPlayer on catchup will be breaking the law not going to work.
Ditch the fee and go to a subscription model. That gives you - during fundraising periods - direct feedback on what people want to see and what they don't. That helps with production, program purchase, and scheduling. PBS and NPR over here are the perfect example of this - how you can run a TV and radio network without the need for advertising.
It's not the 1950s any more. Everything the BBC offers is available elsewhere.
And only today they are talking about the roll out of 5G in the next few years, making on the move streaming / download far faster than even current home broadband speeds. Long gone are the days when we all crowd around the wireless or the moving picture box in one physical location.
Furthermore, it is already possible to find HD tv shows online within 5 mins of broadcast...in far better quality than say iPlayer. Where do you think we will be in just 2-3 years, let alone another 10.
This quaint idea that we all stump up £150 for a 3-4 unscrambled channels in the multi-channel, multi-platform tv and movie on-demand world is something out of last century.
Oddly enough, Saville and his like speak to one of the problems that haunts the UK, and possibly most other countries.
The inability of those involved to stand up and say "no".
It can only be done if people trust those around them, while the "State" prefers what it calls "individualism" but is really making sure that trust never gets to grow.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/jimmy-savile/11434635/Jeremy-Hunt-to-apologise-to-Savile-victims-as-horrific-scale-of-abuse-emerges.html
Do they still have those detector vans?
I love democracy, I love the Commonwealth....