@kle4 - Fundamentally, though, the Twickenham voter is deciding that *he* will be represented by someone outside the constituency. Everyone else in his constituency may end up with sub-optimal local representation as a result but doesn't get the "upside" from the 'better' national distribution.
@MarkSenior - no, neither of your examples are comparable. The owner-occupier of two houses has legitimate interests in two constituencies and can select in which one to vote and be represented. The second example is clearly unethical - I don't know whether it is legal - but absolutely against the spirit of the rules.
You do spout a load of rubbish, Charles, though not always of course. But in this case, yes.
We have a broken voting system, which you Tories insisted in keeping when we had the chance to replace it.
It is a characteristic of the English that, when something does not work, we do something practical about it. And finally the law catches up.
Your lot need to change the rules so that people´s votes really do start to count. Mine never does. I always get a stupid Tory MP.
I think there is sufficient public unhappiness with much of the law and practice around equal opportunities in this country to make this a positive for UKIP.
Does this mean I'll be able to specifically ask only for immigrants - you know "Native Brits need not apply?"
I don't think I'd go as far as repealing everything, but I'd want to end curbs on speech, whether directly through legislation, or indirectly through things like university speech codes; scrap ethnic monitoring and targets; end the public sector equality duty.
I sent an email via my council's website the other day (I was notifying them of a broken link). Their contact form had a stage 2 asking me to classify myself by race.
Plus what about Labour and Blair when they kept Prescott on after he punched a voter.
That must have made Labour unattractive to you as the love child of Quasimodo and Iain Dowie.
Slightly different scenarios - retaliating to a physical assault by a stranger in the street vs physically assaulting an underling for not bringing you dinner on time.
So true...
And despite Prescott's idiosyncrasies, he's not an obnoxious twa*t.
Heard Nige on R4 this morning and he seems particularly in favour of British born workers. Is his proposal really to discriminate between them and British passport holders born abroad?
@nadhimzahawi: I'm not British Born Mr @Nigel_Farage I am as British as u r. Yr comments r offensive&racist. I wld b frightened 2live in country run by U.
A sudden drop in UKIPs vote share on Yougov may be on the cards?
No.
Look back to the conference and all the bad news stories - Kippers were adamant that this would not impact their polling. Well a drift down since Sept suggests otherwise.
The Kipper brand may have reached a level of toxicity above which it doesn't matter as vote identifiers don't care how rancid the brand is.
So if there is an accelerated drift it wont be rapid - check back in 4-6 weeks.
You really are clueless aren't you. My post was a joke because Nadhim Zahawi was one of the founders of Yougov.
PS It is hysterical responses like yours that make UKIPs future look assured.
Great idea to ignore the negative party and leader polling ratings that Nige is racking up. It worked so well for Ed Miliband.
You can kid yourself that the UKIP threat is over but there nothing yet that suggests their support is not continuing the same trend that it has followed for the last two years.
Look typing it in bold may make you feel better but it's not my polling data.
And as ever you completely miss the point. If it doesn't move the topline voting figures in the short term then it is irrelevant. In the longer term it does not matter because I can show you approval ratings for David Cameron from 2012-2013 where he was running at -30, worse than Farage is now. If a political inadequate such as Cameron can turn them around, a far more astute politician such as Farage can also.
I struggle to understand just where UKIP are aiming at the moment. Does Farage want to establish a true libertarian style party, or is it a party representing 'old fashioned' conservatism. My hunch is he'd love to do the former but the vast majority of Kippers are after the latter.
Heard Nige on R4 this morning and he seems particularly in favour of British born workers. Is his proposal really to discriminate between them and British passport holders born abroad?
@nadhimzahawi: I'm not British Born Mr @Nigel_Farage I am as British as u r. Yr comments r offensive&racist. I wld b frightened 2live in country run by U.
A sudden drop in UKIPs vote share on Yougov may be on the cards?
No.
Look back to the conference and all the bad news stories - Kippers were adamant that this would not impact their polling. Well a drift down since Sept suggests otherwise.
The Kipper brand may have reached a level of toxicity above which it doesn't matter as vote identifiers don't care how rancid the brand is.
So if there is an accelerated drift it wont be rapid - check back in 4-6 weeks.
You really are clueless aren't you. My post was a joke because Nadhim Zahawi was one of the founders of Yougov.
As for you 'than previously. After the county council elections inn 2013 it settled in the range of 9-11 points, last July/ August after the Euros it settled at 11-13 points. Now it has settled in the range of 13-15 points.
You can kid yourself that the UKIP threat is over but there nothing yet that suggests their support is not continuing the same trend that it has followed for the last two years.
PS It is hysterical responses like yours that make UKIPs future look assured.
Couple of exercises for you:
1. Do a Venn diagram, with circles for PBTories and for people who have a clue about anything. See the overlap? Me neither.
2. Try to read this explanation with a straight face:
A millionaire Tory MP has admitted claiming expenses for electricity used to run the stables on his private estate. Nadhim Zahawi MP said he was "mortified" by the discovery and promised to pay back any money found to have been wrongly claimed. Last week a Sunday Mirror investigation found Mr Zahawi had been paid £5,822 from the taxpayers' pocket for a single year's energy bills – more than any other MP. In a written apology posted on his website yesterday Mr Zahawi said he had "made a mistake" when calculating his electricity bill. He explained that costs from the horse riding school stables and yard manager's mobile home, part of a business which the MP runs on his estate, were accidentally included in the bill for his second home.
However their model only forecasts 27 Lib Dem deposits lost.
I think it'll be more than that.
Which of course means that the Lib Dem vote share can be alot lower than 13.4% and not affect those 24 seats they hold, or possibly lead to a few more....
I think there is sufficient public unhappiness with much of the law and practice around equal opportunities in this country to make this a positive for UKIP.
Does this mean I'll be able to specifically ask only for immigrants - you know "Native Brits need not apply?"
I don't think I'd go as far as repealing everything, but I'd want to end curbs on speech, whether directly through legislation, or indirectly through things like university speech codes; scrap ethnic monitoring and targets; end the public sector equality duty.
I sent an email via my council's website the other day (I was notifying them of a broken link). Their contact form had a stage 2 asking me to classify myself by race.
That's pretty much par for the course.
I find it quite intrusive when government institutions ask me my physical characteristics if I'm trying to sort out a local service. It makes me wonder whether I'll get a worse service if I pick the wrong one. There's always the temptation to claim I identify as a gay, Muslim, black, disabled woman and be guaranteed someone will come the next day.
Note that Electionforecast has both Cambridge and Hallam as fairly resolute Lib Dem holds currently too. (21% and 12% chance of going)
Election forecast are currently predicting the LDs to get 13.6% vote share, with a low possibility boundary of 10.7%.
If the Lib Dems carry on at 10% or w/e with ICM that lower bound surely has to fall.
Well so far this year their highest poll is 11% which they hit once.
In a recent podcast Mr Hanretty from Election Forcast mentioned something about discounting bad LD polls (and shy Tories). I think they've overdone it myself.
Note that Electionforecast has both Cambridge and Hallam as fairly resolute Lib Dem holds currently too. (21% and 12% chance of going)
Election forecast are currently predicting the LDs to get 13.6% vote share, with a low possibility boundary of 10.7%.
If the Lib Dems carry on at 10% or w/e with ICM that lower bound surely has to fall.
Well so far this year their highest poll is 11% which they hit once.
In a recent podcast Mr Hanretty from Election Forcast mentioned something about discounting bad LD polls (and shy Tories). I think they've overdone it myself.
I don't they've modelled the Lib Dem collapse outside their core seats sufficiently heavily. I mean does anyone really think they'll save their deposit in Thanet South ?
As the husband of a producer you're taking rather a detached view. What's happened to the producers fraternity or is it ok as long as its only the wife that gets it?
I struggle to understand just where UKIP are aiming at the moment. Does Farage want to establish a true libertarian style party, or is it a party representing 'old fashioned' conservatism. My hunch is he'd love to do the former but the vast majority of Kippers are after the latter.
I don't think he wants to create either. Its not about adhering to one particular ideology or another but finding solutions to the nations difficulties and reversing a trend of managed decline and all that has gone with it that has persisted in this country pretty much since 1945.
However that said there is a clear theme of decentralism in what UKIP proposes which should provide common ground on which both libertarians and 'Thatcherite' conservatives (even though the Thatcher government was centralizing in many ways) can feel comfortable with.
Do any kippers here want the law changed so they can discriminate against British citizens who happen to have been born abroad?
Or are they prepared to accept that St Nige might have made a mistake here?
Now it depends by which definition of British you wish to base the debate. Now does 'British born' mean 'born on British soil' or 'born of parents who are British citizens'.
Whichever way I think Farage might have been rather clumsy with his language.
Doesn't that now create four categories of British citizen?
1) born & bred British 2) born abroad, bred British 3) born in Britain to foreign parents 4) born abroad to foreign parents
What advantages/disadvantages do kippers think each group should get in employment law?
The UK trade deficit has narrowed to £616m in January from a five-year high of £2.1bn in December, latest figures from the Office for National Statistics have revealed.
Imports decreased by £2.5bn from December 2014, the largest monthly decrease since July 2006.
The large decrease in imports was mainly due to a £1.3bn fall in the imports of fuels, specifically oil.
Imports of oil were £2.2bn in January, their lowest level since May 2009.
Excluding the impact of falling oil prices on the trade deficit, which also led to a decline of UK fuel exports, the balance of trade in goods excluding oil also narrowed to a deficit of £7.8bn.
That was the lowest monthly deficit in goods since June 2013.
As the husband of a producer you're taking rather a detached view. What's happened to the producers fraternity or is it ok as long as its only the wife that gets it?
As a rule, Producers are a life-form readily comparable to Estate Agents, Bankers and possibly MPs. Most other crew members would be only too pleased to see one get their comeuppance.
Those who despise Farage will be clutching their pearls and reaching for the smelling salts.
Those who support him will either think 'maybe he expressed it a bit clumsily, but his heart is in the right place', at the very worst, or more likely, 'whats the fuss about?'
Comments that reinforce existing beliefs or prejudices rarely move polls.
Sometimes they do.
After breastfeeding and Kerry Smith Farage saw a substantial drop in his leader ratings which fed into the UKIP polling in subsequent months.
Unknowable, but couldn't that simply have been gravity catching up with Farage rather than those specific events?
Do any kippers here want the law changed so they can discriminate against British citizens who happen to have been born abroad?
Or are they prepared to accept that St Nige might have made a mistake here?
Now it depends by which definition of British you wish to base the debate. Now does 'British born' mean 'born on British soil' or 'born of parents who are British citizens'.
Whichever way I think Farage might have been rather clumsy with his language.
Doesn't that now create four categories of British citizen?
1) born & bred British 2) born abroad, bred British 3) born in Britain to foreign parents 4) born abroad to foreign parents
What advantages/disadvantages do kippers think each group should get in employment law?
Doesn't it bother you that 'assault' and 'racially motivated assault' are two different things?
As an aside, sorry @Socrates isn't around anymore, because his contention was that employers were prejudiced against British workers.
I believe that is true, though - gang bosses won't employ indigenes because they are lazy and useless, and don't speak the language (Romanian). Anyway I don't see that this refutes Socrates. It does of course raise the possibility of a massive backfire against Farage.
Those who despise Farage will be clutching their pearls and reaching for the smelling salts.
Those who support him will either think 'maybe he expressed it a bit clumsily, but his heart is in the right place', at the very worst, or more likely, 'whats the fuss about?'
Comments that reinforce existing beliefs or prejudices rarely move polls.
Sometimes they do.
After breastfeeding and Kerry Smith Farage saw a substantial drop in his leader ratings which fed into the UKIP polling in subsequent months.
Unknowable, but couldn't that simply have been gravity catching up with Farage rather than those specific events?
If I remember correctly Farage saw the second largest monthly drop in leader ratings of any leader this parliament.
Do any kippers here want the law changed so they can discriminate against British citizens who happen to have been born abroad?
Or are they prepared to accept that St Nige might have made a mistake here?
Now it depends by which definition of British you wish to base the debate. Now does 'British born' mean 'born on British soil' or 'born of parents who are British citizens'.
Whichever way I think Farage might have been rather clumsy with his language.
Doesn't that now create four categories of British citizen?
1) born & bred British 2) born abroad, bred British 3) born in Britain to foreign parents 4) born abroad to foreign parents
What advantages/disadvantages do kippers think each group should get in employment law?
If you are asking me then none. I do not see that there should be any discrimination between British citizens. I see no need to differentiate.
However their model only forecasts 27 Lib Dem deposits lost.
I think it'll be more than that.
Which of course means that the Lib Dem vote share can be alot lower than 13.4% and not affect those 24 seats they hold, or possibly lead to a few more....
On current trends I would be fairly confident that they will lose more than 27 deposits in Scotland and quite possibly 10x that number nationwide.
Those who despise Farage will be clutching their pearls and reaching for the smelling salts.
Those who support him will either think 'maybe he expressed it a bit clumsily, but his heart is in the right place', at the very worst, or more likely, 'whats the fuss about?'
Comments that reinforce existing beliefs or prejudices rarely move polls.
Sometimes they do.
After breastfeeding and Kerry Smith Farage saw a substantial drop in his leader ratings which fed into the UKIP polling in subsequent months.
Unknowable, but couldn't that simply have been gravity catching up with Farage rather than those specific events?
If I remember correctly Farage saw the second largest monthly drop in leader ratings of any leader this parliament.
PB Kippers think these sort of trivialities only impact Ed Miliband.
Do any kippers here want the law changed so they can discriminate against British citizens who happen to have been born abroad?
Or are they prepared to accept that St Nige might have made a mistake here?
Now it depends by which definition of British you wish to base the debate. Now does 'British born' mean 'born on British soil' or 'born of parents who are British citizens'.
Whichever way I think Farage might have been rather clumsy with his language.
Doesn't that now create four categories of British citizen?
1) born & bred British 2) born abroad, bred British 3) born in Britain to foreign parents 4) born abroad to foreign parents
What advantages/disadvantages do kippers think each group should get in employment law?
What advantages/disadvantages do you think each group should get in connection with the law on child rape, FGM and forced marriage?
Best to ignore Farage and the election and concentrate on the important matter that is Day 3 at Cheltenham. The STrategic Objective Decision Great Events (or STODGE) analytical apparatus has been at work so here goes:
1.30: PTIT ZIG for the home team. Yes, he tipped up at Ascot last time but his previous over course and distance and his defeat of JOSSES HILL read well and I'm not convinced VAUTOUR has done that much to be honest.
2.05: No idea.
2.40: My idea of the race of the week. WISHFULL THINKING has to come back from his King George shocker and while I've plenty of time for DON COSSACK, I think BALDER SUCCES will love the quicker ground and he'll do for me.
3.20: A sub standard renewal for this. SAPHIR DU RHEU didn't take to fences and could be the rising star but I much prefer the lighhtly-raced WHISPER who is another who will relsih the sound surface and won the Coral Cup last year.
4.00: Very tough - I quite like RAWNAQ each way at 25s and have had a few pounds on.
Those who despise Farage will be clutching their pearls and reaching for the smelling salts.
Those who support him will either think 'maybe he expressed it a bit clumsily, but his heart is in the right place', at the very worst, or more likely, 'whats the fuss about?'
Comments that reinforce existing beliefs or prejudices rarely move polls.
Sometimes they do.
After breastfeeding and Kerry Smith Farage saw a substantial drop in his leader ratings which fed into the UKIP polling in subsequent months.
Unknowable, but couldn't that simply have been gravity catching up with Farage rather than those specific events?
If I remember correctly Farage saw the second largest monthly drop in leader ratings of any leader this parliament.
PB Kippers think these sort of trivialities only impact Ed Miliband.
A river in Egypt.
I don't think negative numbers matter. The positive numbers (for various questions) do seem to be linked to VI.
eg. Positive views on YouGov's 'government record to date' seem to track Conservative VI.
You will, of course, be voting blue in Bedford Mike! Can't risk an Ed premiership.
I am voting in Twickenham. I've swapped my vote and will do what the other party to the swap wants.
Have you ever considered that what you are doing is unfair and unethical?
The people of Twickenham have the right to choose they want to represent their interests in Parliament.
You are taking that away from them because you believe that your personal desire to maximise the number of LibDem MPs is more important than their rights.
How unbelievably selfish.
FPT
Charles, as ever, elucidates my own view better than I could have written it myself.
You will, of course, be voting blue in Bedford Mike! Can't risk an Ed premiership.
I am voting in Twickenham. I've swapped my vote and will do what the other party to the swap wants.
Have you ever considered that what you are doing is unfair and unethical?
The people of Twickenham have the right to choose they want to represent their interests in Parliament.
You are taking that away from them because you believe that your personal desire to maximise the number of LibDem MPs is more important than their rights.
How unbelievably selfish.
FPT
Charles, as ever, elucidates my own view better than I could have written it myself.
Do any kippers here want the law changed so they can discriminate against British citizens who happen to have been born abroad?
Or are they prepared to accept that St Nige might have made a mistake here?
Now it depends by which definition of British you wish to base the debate. Now does 'British born' mean 'born on British soil' or 'born of parents who are British citizens'.
Whichever way I think Farage might have been rather clumsy with his language.
Doesn't that now create four categories of British citizen?
1) born & bred British 2) born abroad, bred British 3) born in Britain to foreign parents 4) born abroad to foreign parents
What advantages/disadvantages do kippers think each group should get in employment law?
Doesn't it bother you that 'assault' and 'racially motivated assault' are two different things?
It bothers me that someone could get a longer sentence or bigger fine depending on the skin colour of their victim, but if the offender has clearly picked their victim based solely on their race then I don't object to that person having some kind of reeducation included in their punishment.
Do any kippers here want the law changed so they can discriminate against British citizens who happen to have been born abroad?
Or are they prepared to accept that St Nige might have made a mistake here?
Now it depends by which definition of British you wish to base the debate. Now does 'British born' mean 'born on British soil' or 'born of parents who are British citizens'.
Whichever way I think Farage might have been rather clumsy with his language.
Doesn't that now create four categories of British citizen?
1) born & bred British 2) born abroad, bred British 3) born in Britain to foreign parents 4) born abroad to foreign parents
What advantages/disadvantages do kippers think each group should get in employment law?
What advantages/disadvantages do you think each group should get in connection with the law on child rape, FGM and forced marriage?
Its pretty obvious no groupm should get any advantage on that.
Why do you want to avoid the clear and obvious racist dog whistle from the barsteward Farage.
How come the SPIN above shows an implied lead of 8 - but when I go through the implied conservative lead is 14? (Tories 281 - 287, Labour 267 - 273 - it looks as if UKIP are the gainers 6 -8) Are the figures based on what they think will happen or how the money is placed? (I am a neophyte at Spread betting)
Best to ignore Farage and the election and concentrate on the important matter that is Day 3 at Cheltenham. The STrategic Objective Decision Great Events (or STODGE) analytical apparatus has been at work so here goes:
1.30: PTIT ZIG for the home team. Yes, he tipped up at Ascot last time but his previous over course and distance and his defeat of JOSSES HILL read well and I'm not convinced VAUTOUR has done that much to be honest.
2.05: No idea.
2.40: My idea of the race of the week. WISHFULL THINKING has to come back from his King George shocker and while I've plenty of time for DON COSSACK, I think BALDER SUCCES will love the quicker ground and he'll do for me.
3.20: A sub standard renewal for this. SAPHIR DU RHEU didn't take to fences and could be the rising star but I much prefer the lighhtly-raced WHISPER who is another who will relsih the sound surface and won the Coral Cup last year.
4.00: Very tough - I quite like RAWNAQ each way at 25s and have had a few pounds on.
4.40: No idea.
"No idea" must be a very fit horse, if it's running in two races on the same day :-)
The UK trade deficit has narrowed to £616m in January from a five-year high of £2.1bn in December, latest figures from the Office for National Statistics have revealed.
Imports decreased by £2.5bn from December 2014, the largest monthly decrease since July 2006.
The large decrease in imports was mainly due to a £1.3bn fall in the imports of fuels, specifically oil.
Imports of oil were £2.2bn in January, their lowest level since May 2009.
Excluding the impact of falling oil prices on the trade deficit, which also led to a decline of UK fuel exports, the balance of trade in goods excluding oil also narrowed to a deficit of £7.8bn.
That was the lowest monthly deficit in goods since June 2013.
Sort of like - we're still sinking into the mud - but not as quickly. Great news!
the balance of payments can include things like returns on overseas investments etc. So if the rest of the world is doing badly but we are doing well then our investments are poor and others investments here do well. So if we are relatively economically well off our balance of payments can look bad.
Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) 12/03/2015 11:50 Since the other parties all want to debate ABOUT me, how about they DEBATE ME instead? How about it? @David_Cameron, @Ed_Miliband?
Do any kippers here want the law changed so they can discriminate against British citizens who happen to have been born abroad?
Or are they prepared to accept that St Nige might have made a mistake here?
Now it depends by which definition of British you wish to base the debate. Now does 'British born' mean 'born on British soil' or 'born of parents who are British citizens'.
Whichever way I think Farage might have been rather clumsy with his language.
Doesn't that now create four categories of British citizen?
1) born & bred British 2) born abroad, bred British 3) born in Britain to foreign parents 4) born abroad to foreign parents
What advantages/disadvantages do kippers think each group should get in employment law?
If you are asking me then none. I do not see that there should be any discrimination between British citizens. I see no need to differentiate.
You said you though Farage was "clumsy" to use British-born as his differentiator. I think it was clearly a stupid mistake.
I've got a fair few friends who are hard working, tax paying, British passport holders who were born abroad to foreign parents. I deplore any suggestion that employers should be legally able to discriminate against them because of the circumstances of their birth.
Do any kippers here want the law changed so they can discriminate against British citizens who happen to have been born abroad?
Or are they prepared to accept that St Nige might have made a mistake here?
Now it depends by which definition of British you wish to base the debate. Now does 'British born' mean 'born on British soil' or 'born of parents who are British citizens'.
Whichever way I think Farage might have been rather clumsy with his language.
Doesn't that now create four categories of British citizen?
1) born & bred British 2) born abroad, bred British 3) born in Britain to foreign parents 4) born abroad to foreign parents
What advantages/disadvantages do kippers think each group should get in employment law?
Farage has already described my kids as 'hidden foreigners' - what is 'bred British?' - my daughter has an English dad and a mum born in the USSR who's escaped to Denmark aged 10 - my little Bulka is being raised as a Russian speaking Anglo-Dane mash-up; what 'British job' might she steal from a 'pure' Briton in years to come and would it be ok to discriminate on the basis of her racial origins (Jewish, Russian, White English)?
Do any kippers here want the law changed so they can discriminate against British citizens who happen to have been born abroad?
Or are they prepared to accept that St Nige might have made a mistake here?
Now it depends by which definition of British you wish to base the debate. Now does 'British born' mean 'born on British soil' or 'born of parents who are British citizens'.
Whichever way I think Farage might have been rather clumsy with his language.
Doesn't that now create four categories of British citizen?
1) born & bred British 2) born abroad, bred British 3) born in Britain to foreign parents 4) born abroad to foreign parents
What advantages/disadvantages do kippers think each group should get in employment law?
What advantages/disadvantages do you think each group should get in connection with the law on child rape, FGM and forced marriage?
I struggle to understand just where UKIP are aiming at the moment. Does Farage want to establish a true libertarian style party, or is it a party representing 'old fashioned' conservatism. My hunch is he'd love to do the former but the vast majority of Kippers are after the latter.
I don't think he wants to create either. Its not about adhering to one particular ideology or another but finding solutions to the nations difficulties and reversing a trend of managed decline and all that has gone with it that has persisted in this country pretty much since 1945.
I'd suggest it's a lot simpler than that: there's a gap in the electoral market for a franchise like UKIP, therefore UKIP exists. UKIP didn't spring spontaneously into being first and then convert a few people into UKIPpers. UKIP came into being because there are people who'll support it.
It's no different from there being a market niche for The Daily Mirror and another for The Sun. You do not need to support the views or attitudes espoused by either paper in order to see the business case for them. If you think like a Mirror reader, you will make a better fist of producing a newspaper for Mirror readers, perhaps.
At bottom I doubt there are that many pols who are that deeply wedded to their proclaimed views. You'd think it would be close to 100% of them, if they can be bothered to stand for Parliament. Based on the defection rate between them I suspect something in the 30% would in fact be closer. The other 70% could swap parties without much trouble.
This seem especially likely in the case of no-mark pols who've homed in on jobs where a record of total non-achievement is acceptable, such as all MEPs of all parties.
As such UKIP is a wholly Establishment party and Farage in particular is a very traditional Establishment figure.
Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) 12/03/2015 11:50 Since the other parties all want to debate ABOUT me, how about they DEBATE ME instead? How about it? @David_Cameron, @Ed_Miliband?
How about Farage stops hs racist dog whistles. I see you have again come dutifully running to his side at the call. Roll over let him tickle your tummy.
Watcher. as you say producers are the most likely to be attacked. I was in the Holiday Inn in Glasgow when a particularly stupid member of the fraternity announced he'd had a one night stand with the loaders new girlfriend. This clearly rankled because at dinner the loader physically attacked him. As you would expect the loader was sent home the following morning
I struggle to understand just where UKIP are aiming at the moment. Does Farage want to establish a true libertarian style party, or is it a party representing 'old fashioned' conservatism. My hunch is he'd love to do the former but the vast majority of Kippers are after the latter.
I don't think he wants to create either. Its not about adhering to one particular ideology or another but finding solutions to the nations difficulties and reversing a trend of managed decline and all that has gone with it that has persisted in this country pretty much since 1945.
I'd suggest it's a lot simpler than that: there's a gap in the electoral market for a franchise like UKIP, therefore UKIP exists. UKIP didn't spring spontaneously into being first and then convert a few people into UKIPpers. UKIP came into being because there are people who'll support it.
It's no different from there being a market niche for The Daily Mirror and another for The Sun. You do not need to support the views or attitudes espoused by either paper in order to see the business case for them. If you think like a Mirror reader, you will make a better fist of producing a newspaper for Mirror readers, perhaps.
At bottom I doubt there are that many pols who are that deeply wedded to their proclaimed views. You'd think it would be close to 100% of them, if they can be bothered to stand for Parliament. Based on the defection rate between them I suspect something in the 30% would in fact be closer. The other 70% could swap parties without much trouble.
This seem especially likely in the case of no-mark pols who've homed in on jobs where a record of total non-achievement is acceptable, such as all MEPs of all parties.
As such UKIP is a wholly Establishment party and Farage in particular is a very traditional Establishment figure.
Who knew?
'Huge numbers of Britons would support an anti-immigration English nationalist party if it was not associated with violence and fascist imagery, according to the largest survey into identity and extremism conducted in the UK.
A Populus poll found that 48% of the population would consider supporting a new anti-immigration party committed to challenging Islamist extremism, and would support policies to make it statutory for all public buildings to fly the flag of St George or the union flag.'
Do any kippers here want the law changed so they can discriminate against British citizens who happen to have been born abroad?
Or are they prepared to accept that St Nige might have made a mistake here?
Now it depends by which definition of British you wish to base the debate. Now does 'British born' mean 'born on British soil' or 'born of parents who are British citizens'.
Whichever way I think Farage might have been rather clumsy with his language.
Doesn't that now create four categories of British citizen?
1) born & bred British 2) born abroad, bred British 3) born in Britain to foreign parents 4) born abroad to foreign parents
What advantages/disadvantages do kippers think each group should get in employment law?
Farage has already described my kids as 'hidden foreigners' - what is 'bred British?' - my daughter has an English dad and a mum born in the USSR who's escaped to Denmark aged 10 - my little Bulka is being raised as a Russian speaking Anglo-Dane mash-up; what 'British job' might she steal from a 'pure' Briton in years to come and would it be ok to discriminate on the basis of her racial origins (Jewish, Russian, White English)?
Hadn't thought of people with only one British parent.. Does that mean we need some new categories? We ought to probably consider whether it's better to have a British father or a British mother..
Do any kippers here want the law changed so they can discriminate against British citizens who happen to have been born abroad?
Or are they prepared to accept that St Nige might have made a mistake here?
Now it depends by which definition of British you wish to base the debate. Now does 'British born' mean 'born on British soil' or 'born of parents who are British citizens'.
Whichever way I think Farage might have been rather clumsy with his language.
Doesn't that now create four categories of British citizen?
1) born & bred British 2) born abroad, bred British 3) born in Britain to foreign parents 4) born abroad to foreign parents
What advantages/disadvantages do kippers think each group should get in employment law?
What advantages/disadvantages do you think each group should get in connection with the law on child rape, FGM and forced marriage?
Its pretty obvious no groupm should get any advantage on that.
Why do you want to avoid the clear and obvious racist dog whistle from the barsteward Farage.
If I had set up in business raping 13 year olds in 1997 I would have gone to prison in 1998.
Why do you write "barsteward"?
And why have we heard no PBtory over the last 48 hours saying that hitting producers is one thing, and "that bridge has got a slope on it" - pure, spite-filled racism-as-entertainment - is another? It is hilarious watching them dress up as anti-racists, as if they were trying their big sister's clothes on. Hint: there is no rule that avin' a laugh at slitty-eyed chinkies is exempt from the rules.
But despite the support for the Coalition’s economic record, there is no sign of it translating into more votes for the Tories.
Labour is in first place on 34 per cent, with the Conservatives at 33. Ukip have jumped four points to 13 per cent in the last month, while the Liberal Democrats are up two to eight. The Greens have slipped to fifth place on six.
Do any kippers here want the law changed so they can discriminate against British citizens who happen to have been born abroad?
Or are they prepared to accept that St Nige might have made a mistake here?
Now it depends by which definition of British you wish to base the debate. Now does 'British born' mean 'born on British soil' or 'born of parents who are British citizens'.
Whichever way I think Farage might have been rather clumsy with his language.
Doesn't that now create four categories of British citizen?
1) born & bred British 2) born abroad, bred British 3) born in Britain to foreign parents 4) born abroad to foreign parents
What advantages/disadvantages do kippers think each group should get in employment law?
Doesn't it bother you that 'assault' and 'racially motivated assault' are two different things?
It bothers me that someone could get a longer sentence or bigger fine depending on the skin colour of their victim, but if the offender has clearly picked their victim based solely on their race then I don't object to that person having some kind of reeducation included in their punishment.
The principle of discrimination based on gross characteristics you can't change already exists. Men get longer prison sentences than women for the same offences, for example. There is no law that says this must happen, but that is what does happen.
Incidentally the logic of Farage's reported view (if reported right) is that he would alter employment law to discriminate against ex-Gurkhas.
Those who despise Farage will be clutching their pearls and reaching for the smelling salts.
Those who support him will either think 'maybe he expressed it a bit clumsily, but his heart is in the right place', at the very worst, or more likely, 'whats the fuss about?'
Comments that reinforce existing beliefs or prejudices rarely move polls.
Sometimes they do.
After breastfeeding and Kerry Smith Farage saw a substantial drop in his leader ratings which fed into the UKIP polling in subsequent months.
Unknowable, but couldn't that simply have been gravity catching up with Farage rather than those specific events?
If I remember correctly Farage saw the second largest monthly drop in leader ratings of any leader this parliament.
Its hardly significant. Largest drop for each leader over a month (that I could find (Mori):
Do any kippers here want the law changed so they can discriminate against British citizens who happen to have been born abroad?
Or are they prepared to accept that St Nige might have made a mistake here?
Now it depends by which definition of British you wish to base the debate. Now does 'British born' mean 'born on British soil' or 'born of parents who are British citizens'.
Whichever way I think Farage might have been rather clumsy with his language.
Doesn't that now create four categories of British citizen?
1) born & bred British 2) born abroad, bred British 3) born in Britain to foreign parents 4) born abroad to foreign parents
What advantages/disadvantages do kippers think each group should get in employment law?
If you are asking me then none. I do not see that there should be any discrimination between British citizens. I see no need to differentiate.
You said you though Farage was "clumsy" to use British-born as his differentiator. I think it was clearly a stupid mistake.
I've got a fair few friends who are hard working, tax paying, British passport holders who were born abroad to foreign parents. I deplore any suggestion that employers should be legally able to discriminate against them because of the circumstances of their birth.
That might be the availability of statistics.
Separating out the recent immigrants in employment statistics is not (as far as I know) do-able from ONS figures, but british-born is.
(I'm basing all that on some Fraser Nelson articles on The Spectator website!)
But despite the support for the Coalition’s economic record, there is no sign of it translating into more votes for the Tories.
Labour is in first place on 34 per cent, with the Conservatives at 33. Ukip have jumped four points to 13 per cent in the last month, while the Liberal Democrats are up two to eight. The Greens have slipped to fifth place on six.
Do any kippers here want the law changed so they can discriminate against British citizens who happen to have been born abroad?
Or are they prepared to accept that St Nige might have made a mistake here?
Now it depends by which definition of British you wish to base the debate. Now does 'British born' mean 'born on British soil' or 'born of parents who are British citizens'.
Whichever way I think Farage might have been rather clumsy with his language.
Doesn't that now create four categories of British citizen?
1) born & bred British 2) born abroad, bred British 3) born in Britain to foreign parents 4) born abroad to foreign parents
What advantages/disadvantages do kippers think each group should get in employment law?
Farage has already described my kids as 'hidden foreigners' - what is 'bred British?' - my daughter has an English dad and a mum born in the USSR who's escaped to Denmark aged 10 - my little Bulka is being raised as a Russian speaking Anglo-Dane mash-up; what 'British job' might she steal from a 'pure' Briton in years to come and would it be ok to discriminate on the basis of her racial origins (Jewish, Russian, White English)?
Hadn't thought of people with only one British parent.. Does that mean we need some new categories? We ought to probably consider whether it's better to have a British father or a British mother..
Could just implement the rules that applied in South Africa. I think they covered most options.
Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) 12/03/2015 11:50 Since the other parties all want to debate ABOUT me, how about they DEBATE ME instead? How about it? @David_Cameron, @Ed_Miliband?
How about Farage stops hs racist dog whistles. I see you have again come dutifully running to his side at the call. Roll over let him tickle your tummy.
Yep Farage whistles and you came as predictably as the sun sets....
'Huge numbers of Britons would support an anti-immigration English nationalist party if it was not associated with violence and fascist imagery
There's the rub. An "anti-immigration English nationalist party" not "associated with violence and fascist imagery" would be like a Dalek not associated with extermination.
Any such party would instantly be a magnet to fascists.
I have to say that the Prime Minister has plunged downwards yesterday in the opinion of many people.It was distinctly un-prime minesterial of him to refer to the leader of the opposition as 'despicable.' This may suit him and his friends but it certainly won't do for anyone who values honour and decency.
But despite the support for the Coalition’s economic record, there is no sign of it translating into more votes for the Tories.
Labour is in first place on 34 per cent, with the Conservatives at 33. Ukip have jumped four points to 13 per cent in the last month, while the Liberal Democrats are up two to eight. The Greens have slipped to fifth place on six.
The polling data on supplementary questions are just so contradictory. Tories great on the economy and best for the long term and people feeling better about their finances, but loads of people want a change and very few a Tory government.
I am glad my companies don't have brands like that...
The Guardian article seems OTT to me. 39% preferring to call themselves English rather than British is hardly earth shattering news. As for flying the St Georges' flag or union flag from public buildings, again, so what? The troubling finding is 63% of white britons thinking immigration to the UK had been a bad thing. And 52% believe Islam creates problems. That's significant but it hardly points to English nationalism.
@kle4 - Fundamentally, though, the Twickenham voter is deciding that *he* will be represented by someone outside the constituency. Everyone else in his constituency may end up with sub-optimal local representation as a result but doesn't get the "upside" from the 'better' national distribution.
@MarkSenior - no, neither of your examples are comparable. The owner-occupier of two houses has legitimate interests in two constituencies and can select in which one to vote and be represented. The second example is clearly unethical - I don't know whether it is legal - but absolutely against the spirit of the rules.
You do spout a load of rubbish, Charles, though not always of course. But in this case, yes.
We have a broken voting system, which you Tories insisted in keeping when we had the chance to replace it.
It is a characteristic of the English that, when something does not work, we do something practical about it. And finally the law catches up.
Your lot need to change the rules so that people´s votes really do start to count. Mine never does. I always get a stupid Tory MP.
And with a voting system which never gave a clear majority you would then complain about parties in coalitions always breaking with their manifestos and making backroom deals. There is no perfect democracy - if you push the system in another direction then you get another set of anomalies.
I have to say that the Prime Minister has plunged downwards yesterday in the opinion of many people.It was distinctly un-prime minesterial of him to refer to the leader of the opposition as 'despicable.' This may suit him and his friends but it certainly won't do for anyone who values honour and decency.
ER, the LOTO was dishing out his own share of insults in case you didn't notice...
The Tories are leaving the big push a little late aren't they? Have they accounted for an eleventh hour immigrant crisis boost for Farage or Labour's very late ad campaign or the Libs turning on them with a ferocity that would make a tyrannosaurus blush?
But despite the support for the Coalition’s economic record, there is no sign of it translating into more votes for the Tories.
Labour is in first place on 34 per cent, with the Conservatives at 33. Ukip have jumped four points to 13 per cent in the last month, while the Liberal Democrats are up two to eight. The Greens have slipped to fifth place on six.
The polling data on supplementary questions are just so contradictory. Tories great on the economy and best for the long term and people feeling better about their finances, but loads of people want a change and very few a Tory government.
I am glad my companies don't have brands like that...
It is possible to think the government has done a good job but to still want rid of them.
Wasn't it Sir Winston who remarked (after being kicked out in 1945) that "when it come's to politics the British don't do gratitude"?
But despite the support for the Coalition’s economic record, there is no sign of it translating into more votes for the Tories.
Labour is in first place on 34 per cent, with the Conservatives at 33. Ukip have jumped four points to 13 per cent in the last month, while the Liberal Democrats are up two to eight. The Greens have slipped to fifth place on six.
It's all too late to have a big impact on voting intention. But it may be worth the couple of voting points needed to change the balance of power.
I seem to recall a YouGov question earlier in this parliament where people thought government (of whichever party) did more harm than good to the economy.
This might just be measuring 'could have been worse', rather than 'good'.
I have to say that the Prime Minister has plunged downwards yesterday in the opinion of many people.It was distinctly un-prime minesterial of him to refer to the leader of the opposition as 'despicable.' This may suit him and his friends but it certainly won't do for anyone who values honour and decency.
Anyone who values honour and decency will agree that calling innocent and principled people 'dodgy' is indeed despicable.
Of the PM and the Leader of the Opposition, there is only one who is decent, and it's not Ed Miliband.
But despite the support for the Coalition’s economic record, there is no sign of it translating into more votes for the Tories.
Labour is in first place on 34 per cent, with the Conservatives at 33. Ukip have jumped four points to 13 per cent in the last month, while the Liberal Democrats are up two to eight. The Greens have slipped to fifth place on six.
The polling data on supplementary questions are just so contradictory. Tories great on the economy and best for the long term and people feeling better about their finances, but loads of people want a change and very few a Tory government.
I am glad my companies don't have brands like that...
It is possible to think the government has done a good job but to still want rid of them.
Wasn't it Sir Winston who remarked (after being kicked out in 1945) that "when it come's to politics the British don't do gratitude"?
Sure I understand, but I think it does point to the Tory brand still being damaged goods.
Thanks very much for sorting the economy out now p*ss off!!!!
That's pretty much Labour's view of the Tories.
A key difference between Labour on the one hand and the Tories on the other is that the former recognise that periods of Tory government are necessary to Labour, to create the wealth that Labour exists and intends to tax away and squander. Labour therefore needs occasional terms of Tory rule.
The Tories have no such reciprocal need for terms of Labour rule. Labour does nothing in power that the Tories need to be done and that they can benefit from when they themselves are back in power.
If the Tories didn't exist Labour would have to invent them but the opposite is in no way true. All Labour governments lose power amid total crisis, whereas Conservative ones have tended to lose power when the electorate has forgotten what Labour actually means.
The Guardian article seems OTT to me. 39% preferring to call themselves English rather than British is hardly earth shattering news. As for flying the St Georges' flag or union flag from public buildings, again, so what? The troubling finding is 63% of white britons thinking immigration to the UK had been a bad thing. And 52% believe Islam creates problems. That's significant but it hardly points to English nationalism.
"Troubling" would be if white Britons thought immigrants were bad people, but I don't see why it is troubling if many find immigration to be a bad thing. I'm not very fussed about the issue myself (although less congestion in London would be nice), but if other people are, then that sounds like a worry we should listen to rather than something to be troubled by.
The Tories are leaving the big push a little late aren't they? Have they accounted for an eleventh hour immigrant crisis boost for Farage or Labour's very late ad campaign or the Libs turning on them with a ferocity that would make a tyrannosaurus blush?
For the Tories, I would think the pressure is on Osborne to first not have a pasty / granny tax budget (despite both of those things being nonsense, that is how it got painted) and much than that he has to move the needle to the Tories. I think that is a huge ask, given lack of money and that as stated below Tory brand is still damaged.
I have to say that the Prime Minister has plunged downwards yesterday in the opinion of many people.It was distinctly un-prime minesterial of him to refer to the leader of the opposition as 'despicable.' This may suit him and his friends but it certainly won't do for anyone who values honour and decency.
Anyone who values honour and decency will agree that calling innocent and principled people 'dodgy' is indeed despicable.
Of the PM and the Leader of the Opposition, there is only one who is decent, and it's not Ed Miliband.
A simple average of this week's 8 polls gives Conservative 33.6%, to Labour 32.7%.
But if Labour has a lead in tonight;s YouGov and tomorrow's Populus poll it will be virtually "neck and neck" still.
Must admit I did think the Tories had finally pulled away this week but looks like nothing has changed really.
Tick. Tock.
Unless Labour has really big leads in Yougov and Populus, we can say with confidence that Labour's lead has been eliminated, even if the Conservatives don't have a lead.
But despite the support for the Coalition’s economic record, there is no sign of it translating into more votes for the Tories.
Labour is in first place on 34 per cent, with the Conservatives at 33. Ukip have jumped four points to 13 per cent in the last month, while the Liberal Democrats are up two to eight. The Greens have slipped to fifth place on six.
The polling data on supplementary questions are just so contradictory. Tories great on the economy and best for the long term and people feeling better about their finances, but loads of people want a change and very few a Tory government.
I am glad my companies don't have brands like that...
Economy is the top issue in Scotland (according to Scottish subsamples) but they're choosing the SNP rather than the Conservatives.
A simple average of this week's 8 polls gives Conservative 33.6%, to Labour 32.7%.
But if Labour has a lead in tonight;s YouGov and tomorrow's Populus poll it will be virtually "neck and neck" still.
Must admit I did think the Tories had finally pulled away this week but looks like nothing has changed really.
Tick. Tock.
This pattern of relatively good Conservative results from Sunday to Tuesday, followed by relatively good Labour results fro the rest of the week is a curious one.
Comments
We have a broken voting system, which you Tories insisted in keeping when we had the chance to replace it.
It is a characteristic of the English that, when something does not work, we do something practical about it. And finally the law catches up.
Your lot need to change the rules so that people´s votes really do start to count. Mine never does. I always get a stupid Tory MP.
And despite Prescott's idiosyncrasies, he's not an obnoxious twa*t.
https://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchive/88/Political-Monitor-Satisfaction-Ratings-1997Present.aspx?view=wide#2013
1. Do a Venn diagram, with circles for PBTories and for people who have a clue about anything. See the overlap? Me neither.
2. Try to read this explanation with a straight face:
A millionaire Tory MP has admitted claiming expenses for electricity used to run the stables on his private estate.
Nadhim Zahawi MP said he was "mortified" by the discovery and promised to pay back any money found to have been wrongly claimed.
Last week a Sunday Mirror investigation found Mr Zahawi had been paid £5,822 from the taxpayers' pocket for a single year's energy bills – more than any other MP.
In a written apology posted on his website yesterday Mr Zahawi said he had "made a mistake" when calculating his electricity bill.
He explained that costs from the horse riding school stables and yard manager's mobile home, part of a business which the MP runs on his estate, were accidentally included in the bill for his second home.
I think it'll be more than that.
Which of course means that the Lib Dem vote share can be alot lower than 13.4% and not affect those 24 seats they hold, or possibly lead to a few more....
In a recent podcast Mr Hanretty from Election Forcast mentioned something about discounting bad LD polls (and shy Tories). I think they've overdone it myself.
http://kpedley.podbean.com
As the husband of a producer you're taking rather a detached view. What's happened to the producers fraternity or is it ok as long as its only the wife that gets it?
However that said there is a clear theme of decentralism in what UKIP proposes which should provide common ground on which both libertarians and 'Thatcherite' conservatives (even though the Thatcher government was centralizing in many ways) can feel comfortable with.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Decentralism
1) born & bred British
2) born abroad, bred British
3) born in Britain to foreign parents
4) born abroad to foreign parents
What advantages/disadvantages do kippers think each group should get in employment law?
http://metro.co.uk/2015/03/11/steamy-enthusiasts-are-buying-little-naked-figures-in-compromising-positions-for-their-model-railways-5098087/
The topic was also in The Sun, but not the Sunil on Sunday...
http://www.nojam.com/at/ge2015
A river in Egypt.
He's a fat ugly troughing inarticulate philandering warmongering oik. Eggs are the least he deserves.
Best to ignore Farage and the election and concentrate on the important matter that is Day 3 at Cheltenham. The STrategic Objective Decision Great Events (or STODGE) analytical apparatus has been at work so here goes:
1.30: PTIT ZIG for the home team. Yes, he tipped up at Ascot last time but his previous over course and distance and his defeat of JOSSES HILL read well and I'm not convinced VAUTOUR has done that much to be honest.
2.05: No idea.
2.40: My idea of the race of the week. WISHFULL THINKING has to come back from his King George shocker and while I've plenty of time for DON COSSACK, I think BALDER SUCCES will love the quicker ground and he'll do for me.
3.20: A sub standard renewal for this. SAPHIR DU RHEU didn't take to fences and could be the rising star but I much prefer the lighhtly-raced WHISPER who is another who will relsih the sound surface and won the Coral Cup last year.
4.00: Very tough - I quite like RAWNAQ each way at 25s and have had a few pounds on.
4.40: No idea.
3 am the producer gets a call. ..........
Star. 'Can you come up here immediately'
Producer.'.......I'm on my way.....'
Star. 'This girl you sent up .....she doesn't even know what a BJ is!'
Producer. 'Right. I'm going to show you this once and once only'
eg. Positive views on YouGov's 'government record to date' seem to track Conservative VI.
Charles, as ever, elucidates my own view better than I could have written it myself.
Why do you want to avoid the clear and obvious racist dog whistle from the barsteward Farage.
12/03/2015 11:50
Since the other parties all want to debate ABOUT me, how about they DEBATE ME instead? How about it? @David_Cameron, @Ed_Miliband?
I've got a fair few friends who are hard working, tax paying, British passport holders who were born abroad to foreign parents. I deplore any suggestion that employers should be legally able to discriminate against them because of the circumstances of their birth.
'I am voting in Twickenham. I've swapped my vote and will do what the other party to the swap wants.'
Sounds like Cable's in a little local difficulty..
It's no different from there being a market niche for The Daily Mirror and another for The Sun. You do not need to support the views or attitudes espoused by either paper in order to see the business case for them. If you think like a Mirror reader, you will make a better fist of producing a newspaper for Mirror readers, perhaps.
At bottom I doubt there are that many pols who are that deeply wedded to their proclaimed views. You'd think it would be close to 100% of them, if they can be bothered to stand for Parliament. Based on the defection rate between them I suspect something in the 30% would in fact be closer. The other 70% could swap parties without much trouble.
This seem especially likely in the case of no-mark pols who've homed in on jobs where a record of total non-achievement is acceptable, such as all MEPs of all parties.
As such UKIP is a wholly Establishment party and Farage in particular is a very traditional Establishment figure.
'Huge numbers of Britons would support an anti-immigration English nationalist party if it was not associated with violence and fascist imagery, according to the largest survey into identity and extremism conducted in the UK.
A Populus poll found that 48% of the population would consider supporting a new anti-immigration party committed to challenging Islamist extremism, and would support policies to make it statutory for all public buildings to fly the flag of St George or the union flag.'
http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/feb/27/support-poll-support-far-right
Why do you write "barsteward"?
And why have we heard no PBtory over the last 48 hours saying that hitting producers is one thing, and "that bridge has got a slope on it" - pure, spite-filled racism-as-entertainment - is another? It is hilarious watching them dress up as anti-racists, as if they were trying their big sister's clothes on. Hint: there is no rule that avin' a laugh at slitty-eyed chinkies is exempt from the rules.
Labour is in first place on 34 per cent, with the Conservatives at 33. Ukip have jumped four points to 13 per cent in the last month, while the Liberal Democrats are up two to eight. The Greens have slipped to fifth place on six.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/boost-for-george-osbornes-election-budget-as-more-than-half-say-he-is-doing-a-good-job-10103294.html
Incidentally the logic of Farage's reported view (if reported right) is that he would alter employment law to discriminate against ex-Gurkhas.
Cameron -13 (July 2011)
Miliband -11 (March 2013)
Clegg -16 (Nov 2010)
Farage -14 (Dec 2014)
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/boost-for-george-osbornes-election-budget-as-more-than-half-say-he-is-doing-a-good-job-10103294.html
UKIP up 4, George near perfect Chancellor.
Separating out the recent immigrants in employment statistics is not (as far as I know) do-able from ONS figures, but british-born is.
(I'm basing all that on some Fraser Nelson articles on The Spectator website!)
Con 33 (-1) Lab 34 (-2) LD 8 (+2) UKIP 13 (+4) Greens 6 (-1)
Any such party would instantly be a magnet to fascists.
Thanks very much for sorting the economy out now p*ss off!!!!
I am glad my companies don't have brands like that...
Wasn't it Sir Winston who remarked (after being kicked out in 1945) that "when it come's to politics the British don't do gratitude"?
This might just be measuring 'could have been worse', rather than 'good'.
Of the PM and the Leader of the Opposition, there is only one who is decent, and it's not Ed Miliband.
Whisper to win the World Hurdle at 3.20pm
Must admit I did think the Tories had finally pulled away this week but looks like nothing has changed really.
Tick. Tock.
Anyway, part-ELBOW figures for the week so far to follow.
A key difference between Labour on the one hand and the Tories on the other is that the former recognise that periods of Tory government are necessary to Labour, to create the wealth that Labour exists and intends to tax away and squander. Labour therefore needs occasional terms of Tory rule.
The Tories have no such reciprocal need for terms of Labour rule. Labour does nothing in power that the Tories need to be done and that they can benefit from when they themselves are back in power.
If the Tories didn't exist Labour would have to invent them but the opposite is in no way true. All Labour governments lose power amid total crisis, whereas Conservative ones have tended to lose power when the electorate has forgotten what Labour actually means.
https://twitter.com/IpsosMORI
http://bet2015.co.uk/
Scottish punters can work out the rest.