Another mention of tactical voting in favour of Scottish Labour. Now all we need is to see the slightest trace of that in the polls.
The only people who are talking about SLAB being saved by tactical voting are the London chatterati. I don't know a single Scots Tory who would cross the street to save a Labour politician from defeat. They have vilified us for far too long for us to give a shit what happens to Murphy and chums.
I've seen a comment that only 3 prospective Tory to Lab tactical voters out of, I assume, ca. 1000 sampled could be found in Jim Murphy's seat in the Ashcroft poll - and that is one with a high Tory content. Though when I looked at the data I couldn't confirm this. Might be worth a look by someone else as that is one area where if you believe the likes of the London chatterati (and to be fair, IIRC, some of the more pro_Labour/Union media in Scotland), the Tories should be lapping up Mr Murphy and SLAB as their saviours.
SLAB has a long-term systemic problem which won't be solved by May.Labour will have to circle the wagons around Paisley to keep the kill rate down to anything like 20.A good ground game at targeted seats can pull some round but in a game of damage limitation some SLAB MPs are dead men/women walking.
The following story appeared in the Sunday Herald yesterday. I can't judge the accuracy of this story - but it does suggest that there is some recognition of your point amongst some - which would of course abandon n SLAB MPs to the natives, and in the short term causes tensions and disputes. Bit late perhaps.
"SCOTTISH Labour's bid to hold on to its Westminster contingent is being hampered amid claims that too much of the party's energy is being used to save one Glasgow MP. Sources have told this newspaper that the party is showing favouritism towards shadow Scotland Secretary Margaret Curran by staging high-profile events in her constituency."
Too early to suggest that a defeat here might be the best thing in the medium term ?
We said that in 1996, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011
Schofield Report won us two Ashes series.
Moores is the Graham Taylor of cricket management.
Do I not like that.
Geoffrey Boycott - can you hear me... ?
The most painful thing about this is, we in part agreed to reschedule this winter's Ashes series, to last winter, to give us a better chance in the world cup.
That turned out well.
Great news is that Root is being rested for the Windies test series.
I remember going to Bangladesh plenty on business in about 1993-4. One of the things I was constantly asked about was whether I could pull any strings for a Test Match with England. They were absolutely desperate for it back then.
I didn't. So don't blame me. But if they pull off the win, against England, booting us out the World Cup, that country - which until now has been equally tormented by meteorology and cricket - will party hard. This really would be their arrival on the cricketing world stage.
Yep. We see this pattern at every General Election. We politics nerds think that someone's speech or tactical stance or poster is going to shift the polls, and then it turns out that nothing is happening. Campaigning largely cancels out, and it takes a real black swan - the Cleggasm looked a possibility last time - to make a difference.
In this weekend's canvassing, the number of people mentioning the following issues to me was:
But lots of people keenly interested in the election, exactly like football supporters - they're engaged in the contest rather than the issues. How's it going? Are we going to win? Here's what I think of candidate X! Did you see that awful leaflet from Y?
As GIN observed the other day, Labout supporters are just counting down the days. 8.5 weeks to go.
Too early to suggest that a defeat here might be the best thing in the medium term ?
We said that in 1996, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011
Schofield Report won us two Ashes series.
Moores is the Graham Taylor of cricket management.
Do I not like that.
Geoffrey Boycott - can you hear me... ?
The most painful thing about this is, we in part agreed to reschedule this winter's Ashes series, to last winter, to give us a better chance in the world cup.
That turned out well.
Great news is that Root is being rested for the Windies test series.
Because all the other top teams do that.
At least we're bringing back Trotty.
England will win this match by 5 wickets.
Selling root for tuppence a run (@57), can win even if England win I think
"*Cough* Story only for political anoraks *cough*"
Too early to tell. It's not the raw facts-Cameron won't debate Miliband-it's how a narrative is formed around the facts. I quite like 'silver spoons' 'Eton' and when 'courage' was removed from the syllabus?
An ideal launchpad for the resurrection of Spitting Image
Another mention of tactical voting in favour of Scottish Labour. Now all we need is to see the slightest trace of that in the polls.
The only people who are talking about SLAB being saved by tactical voting are the London chatterati. I don't know a single Scots Tory who would cross the street to save a Labour politician from defeat. They have vilified us for far too long for us to give a shit what happens to Murphy and chums.
I've seen a comment that only 3 prospective Tory to Lab tactical voters out of, I assume, ca. 1000 sampled could be found in Jim Murphy's seat in the Ashcroft poll - and that is one with a high Tory content. Though when I looked at the data I couldn't confirm this. Might be worth a look by someone else as that is one area where if you believe the likes of the London chatterati (and to be fair, IIRC, some of the more pro_Labour/Union media in Scotland), the Tories should be lapping up Mr Murphy and SLAB as their saviours.
Why on earth would Scottish Tories help Labour out. The Lib Dems - I can see an argument for it perhaps around the Highlands... particularly with Danny. But Scottish Conservatism will be well served long term by the destruction of Scottish Labour/Lib Dems. I mean if both Scots Lab and Scots Lib Dem are mullered on the night then they may well both push to the left of the SNP leaving a gaping hole in what one could consider the natural UK centre ground for the Conservatives to fill. That could long term lead to three or four seats
I think @Easteross is more typical of the average Scots voter on this than @DavidL.
Noted, and I see some SLAB ativists have already registered the rights to the name 'Scottish Labour Party' independently (no pun intended) of Head Office in London. I am not sure what to make of this, mind you.
"A GROUP of Jim Murphy's supporters are preparing for Scottish Labour to break away from London and become a truly independent party in its own right, the Sunday Herald can reveal.
The senior activists have applied to register the name "Scottish Labour Party" as a legal trademark in the hope of a radical change.
Dennis Goldie, a former Labour council leader and Holyrood candidate in Falkirk, filed the application with the UK's Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in December."
This seems to be becoming a trend. After the election, I wonder whether we will see differential performance by these Labour candidates, and if so in which direction.
The candidates are idiots, Blair is the reason Labour were able to win seats in places like Northamptonshire in the first place.
Well done Sally Keeble
You on the other hand appear to think accepting the blood money of war criminals is an acceptable funding method for candidates
You dont seem to realise most Labour activists and supporters hate Blair as much as they hate Cameron
Aww shucks divvie don't you read my posts any more ?
PS how's the job front ?
Course I do, but can't be on 24hr tenterhooks!
Had a couple of interviews plus another couple this week and next week, thanks for asking. Not getting an overwhelming sense of demand for my talents, not sure if the Yes badges and face paint help in interview situations.
Unfortunately my mother's dementia is really starting to kick in so am seriously thinking about putting career plans (such as they are) on hold.
Good luck on the employment front. Perchance the YES badges and war paint aren't enough. At the next interview you should probably stand up, turn round and lift your kilt to reveal a fine ....
I hope that she makes it to Parliament, because she could add so much to debates that for many in Parliament are purely theoretical.
Not because you're on her at 1-3 ?
Well, that I am (though I hadn't realised when I placed the bet that Labour were going to be quite so shambolic in this constituency). But even if I had no money on her, I would still want her in Parliament so that her experiences could inform public debate.
I hope that she makes it to Parliament, because she could add so much to debates that for many in Parliament are purely theoretical.
Not because you're on her at 1-3 ?
Well, that I am (though I hadn't realised when I placed the bet that Labour were going to be quite so shambolic in this constituency). But even if I had no money on her, I would still want her in Parliament so that her experiences could inform public debate.
It's a good read, and looks like she may well give George a good fight.
Yep. We see this pattern at every General Election. We politics nerds think that someone's speech or tactical stance or poster is going to shift the polls, and then it turns out that nothing is happening. Campaigning largely cancels out, and it takes a real black swan - the Cleggasm looked a possibility last time - to make a difference.
In this weekend's canvassing, the number of people mentioning the following issues to me was:
But lots of people keenly interested in the election, exactly like football supporters - they're engaged in the contest rather than the issues. How's it going? Are we going to win? Here's what I think of candidate X! Did you see that awful leaflet from Y?
As GIN observed the other day, Labout supporters are just counting down the days. 8.5 weeks to go.
Always interesting to note your canvassing anecdotes Nick.
Perhaps at the close of poll on May 7th you might consider posting your expected result and majority. We might even have a PB competition on the Broxtowe declaration.
I hope that she makes it to Parliament, because she could add so much to debates that for many in Parliament are purely theoretical.
Not because you're on her at 1-3 ?
Well, that I am (though I hadn't realised when I placed the bet that Labour were going to be quite so shambolic in this constituency). But even if I had no money on her, I would still want her in Parliament so that her experiences could inform public debate.
Having read that I hope she wins. However I fear that such testimony may be one of the reasons she doesn't.
Aww shucks divvie don't you read my posts any more ?
PS how's the job front ?
Course I do, but can't be on 24hr tenterhooks!
Had a couple of interviews plus another couple this week and next week, thanks for asking. Not getting an overwhelming sense of demand for my talents, not sure if the Yes badges and face paint help in interview situations.
Unfortunately my mother's dementia is really starting to kick in so am seriously thinking about putting career plans (such as they are) on hold.
Very sorry to read your news. My mother lives with me and although she is incredibly well and fit at 80, every time I go away on business, I worry sick in case she falls in the garden and with no neighbours, could lie there until I raise the alarm with a neighbouring farmer.
I do hope you are able to organise things because you cannot let it effectively end your working life. Try putting the badges on backwards Good luck old boy, you are facing what many of us fear.
@Indigo All our borrowing has been pissed against the wall for many years, and borrowing doesn't actually fall. What you need to do to cover this fact is to grow our economy, or, you can choose to inflate it, and hope no one notices. The problem with the latter is that people are getting better and better at noticing this, and it means that "corrections" happen far more frequently.
I would be highly surprised if our economy grows enough, we are on the wrong side of the productivity curve compared to most of the developing world, who are both more productive and cheaper than us. We used to have a technology advantage, but largely we now don't (just consider where all the cutting edge Apple gear is made, and 90% of the laptops in the world).
Globalisation was always going to have winners and losers, the third world is a winner, standards of living there are improving by the day, that is because money and work is moving there, and it is moving there from the first world, ie from us.
The only plausible way we are going to match them on productivity is a substantial fall in the standard of our living, our productivity is falling because we are getting culturally lazy and that is almost impossible to change. Education is unlikely to improve, and if Labour get back in power is will get a whole lot worse as the blob take back all the improvements made under Gove.
This isn't right. Bringing new workers and consumers into the economy increases the productivity of both new workers and existing workers. For example, if you're a British journalist working for the Daily Mail, the same piece about the bra-less Kim Kardashian displaying her cleavage in a DEEPLY plunging cat-suit can now be read by millions of people in India. This makes you a vastly more productive journalist, even if you're doing exactly the same work and producing the same output. That's before you start using the newly available labour pool to actually get more done, for example by leveraging image-recognition cleavage detection software made by a team in the Philippines.
This seems to be becoming a trend. After the election, I wonder whether we will see differential performance by these Labour candidates, and if so in which direction.
The candidates are idiots, Blair is the reason Labour were able to win seats in places like Northamptonshire in the first place.
Well done Sally Keeble
You on the other hand appear to think accepting the blood money of war criminals is an acceptable funding method for candidates
You dont seem to realise most Labour activists and supporters hate Blair as much as they hate Cameron
Aww shucks divvie don't you read my posts any more ?
PS how's the job front ?
Course I do, but can't be on 24hr tenterhooks!
Had a couple of interviews plus another couple this week and next week, thanks for asking. Not getting an overwhelming sense of demand for my talents, not sure if the Yes badges and face paint help in interview situations.
Unfortunately my mother's dementia is really starting to kick in so am seriously thinking about putting career plans (such as they are) on hold.
Sorry to hear that divvie, good luck hunting.
My father had Parkinsons so a similar position to your mother, not that easy to manage. I was fortunate in that my brother gave up work to look after him, the most I could help out was giving him a break from care ( he has friends in Glasgow and would go to the Scottish cup final !) . But I don't think he ever regretted doing it and he's now back in work. I suspect given the state of my MiL it'll be my turn in the near future.
Maybe I can teach her to blog ?
Thanks to you and others for good wishes. Unless we're unlucky enough to die before our folks, I guess most of us will encounter some version of these situations, hard going though.
I look forward to your MiL's blogs on the manifold qualities of her son in law.
Too early to suggest that a defeat here might be the best thing in the medium term ?
We said that in 1996, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011
Schofield Report won us two Ashes series.
Moores is the Graham Taylor of cricket management.
Do I not like that.
Geoffrey Boycott - can you hear me... ?
The most painful thing about this is, we in part agreed to reschedule this winter's Ashes series, to last winter, to give us a better chance in the world cup.
That turned out well.
Great news is that Root is being rested for the Windies test series.
Because all the other top teams do that.
At least we're bringing back Trotty.
England will win this match by 5 wickets.
Selling root for tuppence a run (@57), can win even if England win I think
Cochrane of the Telegraph is the joke figure of Scottish journalism. Mad as a hatter and with a tired and emotional fixation with the union. Rely on anything he says is like reaching for straws in your Pims!
Adam Memon, CPS think tank To be clear, @edballsmp's vision of catastrophe based on day to day spending at 2002 levels and size of state at virtually same as in 2000
Of course Norman "Wigan Pier" Smith, says the scale of cuts Ed Balls was suggesting was bordering on apocalyptic.
Cochrane of the Telegraph is the joke figure of Scottish journalism. Mad as a hatter and with a tired and emotional fixation with the union. Rely on anything he says is like reaching for straws in your Pims!
I'm waiting to see the SNP conference at the SECC. Should be able to ride the high from that all the way till polling day I reckon.
I don't come to mock Ed Miliband's shiny new TV-Debate-or-Prison law, though it deserves mockery, as much as does its author.
More than mockery is required, because Miliband's proposal is so much worse than buffoonery. It's a revealing slip, the more so because I doubt the Labour leader has the psychological machinery to comprehend why his proposal found few supporters, other than among the robo-human replicants supplied by Len McCluskey to stand in place of actual Labour candidates around the country (sorry, "this great nation of ours"). It's that psychological deficit which is so politically fatal.
David Cameron would be put on trial for refusing to take part in televised party leader election debates in accordance with the wishes of the broadcasters, if Ed Miliband has his way.
If we make the charitable assumption that this is not just a stunt, we can say it corresponds to the default position of socialists that whatever they think is good should be made compulsory. Perhaps Mr Miliband will later propose that watching the debates should also become mandatory.
This seems to be becoming a trend. After the election, I wonder whether we will see differential performance by these Labour candidates, and if so in which direction.
The candidates are idiots, Blair is the reason Labour were able to win seats in places like Northamptonshire in the first place.
Well done Sally Keeble
You on the other hand appear to think accepting the blood money of war criminals is an acceptable funding method for candidates
You dont seem to realise most Labour activists and supporters hate Blair as much as they hate Cameron
War Criminal? Easy to throw around that kind of thing when its an opinion rather than a fact. I for one am proud to be a Labour voter and a supporter of the Iraq War. Go ask the Kurds or the Kosovans if they think Blair is a war criminal? I think they'd reply that Milosevic and Hussein were the real criminals.
@Scott_P What is the expected prison term for non attendance at any future televised debate? hmmm? Shilling and retweeting for your party is admirable, but sometimes it is better to actually think things through first, rather than rely on blatantly false facts and statements.
I hope that she makes it to Parliament, because she could add so much to debates that for many in Parliament are purely theoretical.
That is some story. Stark contrast to the usual SPAD - I really hope she gets in. In fact, it'd be quite depressing if she didn't. Over to you, Bradford ...
@Scott_P What is the expected prison term for non attendance at any future televised debate? hmmm? Shilling and retweeting for your party is admirable, but sometimes it is better to actually think things through first, rather than rely on blatantly false facts and statements.
I'm more worried about the penalties for those viewing at home. They are bound to be amongst the enhancmenents to the law when it comes out of committee stage. How long do you get for yawning when on of the candidates is speaking? What happens if you sneak out to make a cuppa half way through and of course the big one: What happens if you prefer to watch the footie on the other side?
I don't come to mock Ed Miliband's shiny new TV-Debate-or-Prison law, though it deserves mockery, as much as does its author.
More than mockery is required, because Miliband's proposal is so much worse than buffoonery. It's a revealing slip, the more so because I doubt the Labour leader has the psychological machinery to comprehend why his proposal found few supporters, other than among the robo-human replicants supplied by Len McCluskey to stand in place of actual Labour candidates around the country (sorry, "this great nation of ours"). It's that psychological deficit which is so politically fatal.
David Cameron would be put on trial for refusing to take part in televised party leader election debates in accordance with the wishes of the broadcasters, if Ed Miliband has his way.
If we make the charitable assumption that this is not just a stunt, we can say it corresponds to the default position of socialists that whatever they think is good should be made compulsory. Perhaps Mr Miliband will later propose that watching the debates should also become mandatory.
What I found most troubling about Miliband's idea is that there doesn't appear to be any get out even if the broadcasters put ridiculous requirements in place.
"So, good evening, wannabe Prime Minister's, you each have just a minute to persuade me, Ant, and him, Dec, to vote for you. You must give your answers for precisely one minute without hesitation, deviation or repetition. Fail - and you get dropped in the tank of rancid fish guts. And if the worm goes below the line -
(audience chants - "No ifs, no buts, drop them in the guts! No ifs, not buts, drop them in the guts!...")
Yep - you get dropped in the tank of rancid fish guts...."
"Now, Mister Farage, you have one minute to convince us on this topic. Oh, and you have to do it while talking like a pirate. The topic - why immigration is the best thing that has ever happened for Britain...."
@Scott_P What is the expected prison term for non attendance at any future televised debate? hmmm? Shilling and retweeting for your party is admirable, but sometimes it is better to actually think things through first, rather than rely on blatantly false facts and statements.
I'm more worried about the penalties for those viewing at home. They are bound to be amongst the enhancmenents to the law when it comes out of committee stage. How long do you get for yawning when on of the candidates is speaking? What happens if you sneak out to make a cuppa half way through and of course the big one: What happens if you prefer to watch the footie on the other side?
You've seen A Clockwork Orange? Eyes wide open....
@Hengists_Gift Dave desperately wanted the debates to take place, he is on record both before and after the last election as saying they were an essential part of democracy? Unfortunately, despite his best efforts to afford the public this boon, the broadcasters and other parties have been unreasonable. The way forward would logically be to enshrine a framework that would stop such a terrible amount of party politicking and broadcaster shenanigans in future? Or perhaps Dave has decided that the debates are no longer good for democracy, and has reverse ferreted on his previously deeply held convictions? Still, none few of the papers will ask him such troubling questions, so all is well. (Broadcasters might hold a different view, but I am sure he can avoid troublesome televised interviews)
@Hengists_Gift Dave desperately wanted the debates to take place, he is on record both before and after the last election as saying they were an essential part of democracy? Unfortunately, despite his best efforts to afford the public this boon, the broadcasters and other parties have been unreasonable. The way forward would logically be to enshrine a framework that would stop such a terrible amount of party politicking and broadcaster shenanigans in future? Or perhaps Dave has decided that the debates are no longer good for democracy, and has reverse ferreted on his previously deeply held convictions? Still, none few of the papers will ask him such troubling questions, so all is well. (Broadcasters might hold a different view, but I am sure he can avoid troublesome televised interviews)
But it obviously wont actually happen, even EdM isn't that stupid. Should he win the election he won't introduce this law, if he finds himself 5-10 points ahead in the polls before the next election the very last thing he will want to do is be forced into a TV debate that would just sprinkle pixie dust on his opponent. This is purely about electoral positioning for this election, and is therefore disingenuous bullshit.
@Hengists_Gift Dave desperately wanted the debates to take place, he is on record both before and after the last election as saying they were an essential part of democracy? Unfortunately, despite his best efforts to afford the public this boon, the broadcasters and other parties have been unreasonable. The way forward would logically be to enshrine a framework that would stop such a terrible amount of party politicking and broadcaster shenanigans in future? Or perhaps Dave has decided that the debates are no longer good for democracy, and has reverse ferreted on his previously deeply held convictions? Still, none few of the papers will ask him such troubling questions, so all is well. (Broadcasters might hold a different view, but I am sure he can avoid troublesome televised interviews)
Televised debates between leaders are not very enlightening, especially when they are only 1.5 hours long and there are seven or eight party leaders. It is too easy for participants to filibuster questions to use up time in such formats.
Far better are televised interrogations of individual leaders by interviewers such as Andrew Neil et al who have done their homework and have time to press leaders about unanswered questions.
@Scott_P What is the expected prison term for non attendance at any future televised debate? hmmm? Shilling and retweeting for your party is admirable, but sometimes it is better to actually think things through first, rather than rely on blatantly false facts and statements.
I'm more worried about the penalties for those viewing at home. They are bound to be amongst the enhancmenents to the law when it comes out of committee stage. How long do you get for yawning when on of the candidates is speaking? What happens if you sneak out to make a cuppa half way through and of course the big one: What happens if you prefer to watch the footie on the other side?
You're going to have to prise the mute button from my cold dead hands.
@David_Evershed So, why was Dave so sure they were essential David? Was he just saying things because they were convenient at the time? How often does he state things he doesn't actually believe, is this a common feature of his premiership?
On TV debates and viewers: these are issues that have been mocked similarly regarding the Kinect for the Xbone.
The camera can see whether you're watching the screen or not. There's been talk (satirical, I think) of 'achievements' [usually given for progression in videogames] for watching X amount of adverts.
They've de-bundled the Kinect now, but that was one of various reasons I was never going to buy an Xbox One.
Saw in the paper that Hogan-Howe reckons homes should have CCTV to help identify burglars. That's creepy as hell. I'm quite happy to be a luddite, with no Google-glass, no chip under my skin and no mobile phone.
@David_Evershed So, why was Dave so sure they were essential David? Was he just saying things because they were convenient at the time? How often does he state things he doesn't actually believe, is this a common feature of his premiership?
Oh get down off that high horse, he is saying them for the same reason Ed is saying them, short term political expedience, their politicians, what did you expect. Ed is saying this about debates because its convenient for him now, next time it might not be and he will be against it. Politicians are unprincipled liars shock!
Incidentally, the battle for Ealing Central and Acton is really hotting up. Getting about two postings a week from Con and Lab. Nothing as yet from the Lib Dems, though.
Yep. We see this pattern at every General Election. We politics nerds think that someone's speech or tactical stance or poster is going to shift the polls, and then it turns out that nothing is happening. Campaigning largely cancels out, and it takes a real black swan - the Cleggasm looked a possibility last time - to make a difference.
In this weekend's canvassing, the number of people mentioning the following issues to me was:
But lots of people keenly interested in the election, exactly like football supporters - they're engaged in the contest rather than the issues. How's it going? Are we going to win? Here's what I think of candidate X! Did you see that awful leaflet from Y?
As GIN observed the other day, Labout supporters are just counting down the days. 8.5 weeks to go.
Since you're here, was accepting a £1000 donation from Blair, worth the negative publicity it has generated?
@Indigo You might have a valid point, but at the moment it will not stick, because Ed has said he wants a framework in place to avoid such confusion. If he gets into power, he may backslide on the commitment, but for the moment, you are reduced to fantasies about gulags and internments if people don't appear on them or indeed watch. Makes you all look rather sad and desperate to me, but opinions vary.
@David_Evershed So, why was Dave so sure they were essential David? Was he just saying things because they were convenient at the time? How often does he state things he doesn't actually believe, is this a common feature of his premiership?
What's particularly odd about Sally Keeble's decision to refuse money from Tony Blair is that she happily served as a minister in his government until 2003, when she was reshuffled out.
Come off it, it's a MoE movement as have just about all Tory movements since Christmas.
Yes I know..just saying if the Tory PBs are cracking open the bubbly at a poll rating of 32% after 5 months of non stop media Mili bashing and "good" economic news propoganda..they must be even more desperate than.I thought
As the I says senior Tories are in despair at their poll ratings and turning on Crosby for his negative strategy
Yes the Tories must be in deep despair now and civil war breaking out in the Tory ranks and blue on blue. The whole thing is a complete shambles. Crosby under fire maybe he will be ousted for such terrible performances. Poll ratings crashing through the floor with Labour streets ahead.
............according to that very long term, staunchly right wing news paper ......... The I.
I think I see a slight issue with your logic I mean talk about being naive..... Blimey!
What's particularly odd about Sally Keeble's decision to refuse money from Tony Blair is that she happily served as a minister in his government until 2003, when she was reshuffled out.
I've been speaking to a Labour chap this morning.
The people who refused the Blair money are going to look so principled and honourable were the Chilcot report to leak during the election campaign.
Comments
The following story appeared in the Sunday Herald yesterday. I can't judge the accuracy of this story - but it does suggest that there is some recognition of your point amongst some - which would of course abandon n SLAB MPs to the natives, and in the short term causes tensions and disputes. Bit late perhaps.
"SCOTTISH Labour's bid to hold on to its Westminster contingent is being hampered amid claims that too much of the party's energy is being used to save one Glasgow MP.
Sources have told this newspaper that the party is showing favouritism towards shadow Scotland Secretary Margaret Curran by staging high-profile events in her constituency."
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/labour-insiders-saving-currans-a-drain-on-resources.1425801336
I didn't. So don't blame me. But if they pull off the win, against England, booting us out the World Cup, that country - which until now has been equally tormented by meteorology and cricket - will party hard. This really would be their arrival on the cricketing world stage.
http://urban-echo.co.uk/exclusive-bradford-west-labour-candidate-naz-shah-reveals-all/
I hope that she makes it to Parliament, because she could add so much to debates that for many in Parliament are purely theoretical.
In this weekend's canvassing, the number of people mentioning the following issues to me was:
Debates: 0
Scotland: 1
Tuition fees: 1
Immigration figures: 0
NHS: 3
But lots of people keenly interested in the election, exactly like football supporters - they're engaged in the contest rather than the issues. How's it going? Are we going to win? Here's what I think of candidate X! Did you see that awful leaflet from Y?
As GIN observed the other day, Labout supporters are just counting down the days. 8.5 weeks to go.
Surely if debate gate was a 'disaster for Cameron' it must have been a 'triumph for Ed'?
"*Cough* Story only for political anoraks *cough*"
Too early to tell. It's not the raw facts-Cameron won't debate Miliband-it's how a narrative is formed around the facts. I quite like 'silver spoons' 'Eton'
and when 'courage' was removed from the syllabus?
An ideal launchpad for the resurrection of Spitting Image
http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/scottish-politics/activists-apply-to-trademark-scottish-labour-party-in-hope-of-break-with-.120139169
"A GROUP of Jim Murphy's supporters are preparing for Scottish Labour to break away from London and become a truly independent party in its own right, the Sunday Herald can reveal.
The senior activists have applied to register the name "Scottish Labour Party" as a legal trademark in the hope of a radical change.
Dennis Goldie, a former Labour council leader and Holyrood candidate in Falkirk, filed the application with the UK's Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in December."
You on the other hand appear to think accepting the blood money of
war criminals is an acceptable funding method for candidates
You dont seem to realise most Labour activists and supporters
hate Blair as much as they hate Cameron
Sorry to note your mothers condition.
A bit more feisty in convo w Anna Soubry than the 'nothing to see here' statesman act we get on here
"Labour may have stumbled into finding a powerful opponent for George Galloway. Courtesy of Patrick Wintour on twitter, this has to be read:"
What a story! She'd get my vote
Perhaps at the close of poll on May 7th you might consider posting your expected result and majority. We might even have a PB competition on the Broxtowe declaration.
I have staked the £20 you owe me on it, 10th time I have asked you!!
Kit man should probably get the bags back for flight back to England.
I do hope you are able to organise things because you cannot let it effectively end your working life. Try putting the badges on backwards
Only Buttler can save England from being eliminated along with Afghanistan at the qualifying stages.
Thanks to you and others for good wishes. Unless we're unlucky enough to die before our folks, I guess most of us will encounter some version of these situations, hard going though.
I look forward to your MiL's blogs on the manifold qualities of her son in law.
http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/9751231/court-to-rule-on-wednesday-if-giedo-van-der-garde-will-drive-for-sauber-in-melbourne
Bit late.
Perhaps contra-intuitively, upbeat Scottish Labour conference:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/general-election-2015/11457973/Rumours-of-Scottish-Labours-demise-are-premature.html
NICK AND ALL POIINTS SOUTH
Cochrane of the Telegraph is the joke figure of Scottish journalism. Mad as a hatter and with a tired and emotional fixation with the union. Rely on anything he says is like reaching for straws in your Pims!
To be clear, @edballsmp's vision of catastrophe based on day to day spending at 2002 levels and size of state at virtually same as in 2000
Of course Norman "Wigan Pier" Smith, says the scale of cuts Ed Balls was suggesting was bordering on apocalyptic.
http://www.sportingindex.com/spread-betting/politics/british/mm4.uk.meeting.5065157/uk-general-election-constituency-indices-a-b
What is the expected prison term for non attendance at any future televised debate?
hmmm?
Shilling and retweeting for your party is admirable, but sometimes it is better to actually think things through first, rather than rely on blatantly false facts and statements.
What I found most troubling about Miliband's idea is that there doesn't appear to be any get out even if the broadcasters put ridiculous requirements in place.
"So, good evening, wannabe Prime Minister's, you each have just a minute to persuade me, Ant, and him, Dec, to vote for you. You must give your answers for precisely one minute without hesitation, deviation or repetition. Fail - and you get dropped in the tank of rancid fish guts. And if the worm goes below the line -
(audience chants - "No ifs, no buts, drop them in the guts! No ifs, not buts, drop them in the guts!...")
Yep - you get dropped in the tank of rancid fish guts...."
"Now, Mister Farage, you have one minute to convince us on this topic. Oh, and you have to do it while talking like a pirate. The topic - why immigration is the best thing that has ever happened for Britain...."
Dave desperately wanted the debates to take place, he is on record both before and after the last election as saying they were an essential part of democracy?
Unfortunately, despite his best efforts to afford the public this boon, the broadcasters and other parties have been unreasonable.
The way forward would logically be to enshrine a framework that would stop such a terrible amount of party politicking and broadcaster shenanigans in future?
Or perhaps Dave has decided that the debates are no longer good for democracy, and has reverse ferreted on his previously deeply held convictions?
Still, none few of the papers will ask him such troubling questions, so all is well.
(Broadcasters might hold a different view, but I am sure he can avoid troublesome televised interviews)
'Jos is Giant'
'Jossies pygmies' (if we lose)
(By 'we' I mean England even though I live in East London)
'I love you Buttler'
'The Buttler did it'
In the Bangladeshi times
'I hate you Buttler!'
Far better are televised interrogations of individual leaders by interviewers such as Andrew Neil et al who have done their homework and have time to press leaders about unanswered questions.
Butler's pretty good
So, why was Dave so sure they were essential David?
Was he just saying things because they were convenient at the time?
How often does he state things he doesn't actually believe, is this a common feature of his premiership?
The camera can see whether you're watching the screen or not. There's been talk (satirical, I think) of 'achievements' [usually given for progression in videogames] for watching X amount of adverts.
They've de-bundled the Kinect now, but that was one of various reasons I was never going to buy an Xbox One.
Saw in the paper that Hogan-Howe reckons homes should have CCTV to help identify burglars. That's creepy as hell. I'm quite happy to be a luddite, with no Google-glass, no chip under my skin and no mobile phone.
CJs in
' I didn't get where I am today by knocking off the runs against World Cup minnows...'
7 down, still needing 38 off 25 balls.
You might have a valid point, but at the moment it will not stick, because Ed has said he wants a framework in place to avoid such confusion.
If he gets into power, he may backslide on the commitment, but for the moment, you are reduced to fantasies about gulags and internments if people don't appear on them or indeed watch.
Makes you all look rather sad and desperate to me, but opinions vary.
We're floating in the moonlit sky...
It would be tragic if it weren't so funny.
Labour = Bangladesh
No way they should win on paper, but....
Denied us victory against the Aussies.
Now this.
It's a view.
Broad hits the next ball for six.
Who knew Boycott was such an authority on mental health?!
How often do you think he's state things that he doesn't actually believe?
Yes the Tories must be in deep despair now and civil war breaking out in the Tory ranks and blue on blue. The whole thing is a complete shambles. Crosby under fire maybe he will be ousted for such terrible performances. Poll ratings crashing through the floor with Labour streets ahead.
............according to that very long term, staunchly right wing news paper ......... The I.
I think I see a slight issue with your logic I mean talk about being naive..... Blimey!
The people who refused the Blair money are going to look so principled and honourable were the Chilcot report to leak during the election campaign.