Lab still have a seats lead though - Although have gone from "Short By 19" to "Short By 31"!
It's rather unlucky for Labour. They fall just below 32.5%, on average. The Tories are on 33%. But, last week, Labour were on 33.5%, so were rounded up to 34%. Labour's vote share has dropped by 1%, not the headline 2%.
I've not commented on "UKIPland No discriminationgate" as it's one of those journalist twists politician's words who wants them to be twisted twist stories that means different things to different people, but I can't and won't defend David Coburn here.
It's certainly a stupid comment from David Coburn.
I see that Flightpath didn't retract the racially derogatory term he used on the previous thread.
Not surprising, you often find that people who throw accusations of racism around are doing it to hide their own prejudices.
Not surprising because it wasn't a racially derogatory comment. As millions of people of colour and those arbiters of all things racist, the NAACP, would tell you.
You already knew that, but it didn't prevent you doing what you claim to despise others for.
Ask Alan Hansen if its regarded as a racially derogatory term.
As Flightpath repeatedly throws accusations of racism around he should be judged by his own standards.
And on that he has failed.
It was not racially derogatory. Any accusation with some appendage like what Clarkson is alleged to have used eg you irish wotsit, or you coloured wotsit or you black wotsit is prejudicial and derogatory. But referring to UKIPs policy as removing rights from coloured people is no more derogatory that saying they want to remove rights from ethnic people or black people. its the policy itself which is derogatory. How should we describe its effects? Farage indeed claimed to be 'colour' blind. I am pointing out that people with coloured skin will have their rights taken away by Farage.
All you can do is nit pick over terms rather than denounce Farage for his clear and publicly uttered remarks.
David Herdson, This is the first time, in a long time, that you've written a thread intro that is straight from the MSM and the lab/lib/con stable. You assume, as do all MSM commentators, that UKIP will have no impact on the forthcoming GE, and can safely be ignored. I think you, and they, are going to be flumoxed by the eventual voting outcome.
I'd agree that it is the first time in a long time I've done that (actually, I've largely ignored the Lib Dems too), though I did explain why. Put simply, UKIP is not going to make a massive breakthrough. They may win a few seats or they may win just the odd one but their main impact will come indirectly in terms of Con-UKIP and Lab-UKIP swing, and that can be analysed through the Con/Lab prism.
Police have imposed £100 on-the-spot penalty notices on thousands of motorists for careless and inconsiderate driving, including offences such as undertaking, lane hogging and splashing pedestrians .........
At least 10,000 motorists have been fined for offences such as tailgating, hogging the middle lane and undertaking on the inside lane as part of a purge on “anti-social” driving, according to the new figures.
The majority of police forces around the country have taken advantage of new powers which allow officers to issue £100 penalty notices on-the-spot and add three points to motorists’ licence for careless driving.
The greatest number of £100 fines were issued by Police Scotland, who gave out 3,252 penalty notices, followed by 1,397 by the Metropolitan police, 621 by Nottinghamshire police and 608 in Gwent, South Wales.
By comparison, only three were issued by Durham police. Humberside issued just 12 tickets, although the force did order 793 motorists to attend safer driving courses and referred 151 of the most serious cases to the courts.
Forces such as South Wales, Dyfed-Powys and Essex, confirmed that they did not issue tickets at all for careless driving, but preferred to prioritise driver education instead."
Good for UKIP twitter.com/AngrySalmond/status/576700702942183424
The guy is clearly an idiot, but I can't see how it is racist. If someone referred to an Irish citizen using the name of a prominent member of the IRA for example, that would be offensive, but it's not racist. Or am I missing something.
Presumably it would be racist as it was on the basis of they're all Irish so let's assume they're all terrorists. But it's not a very edifying comment to dissect one way or another, though hardly unusual for Mr Coburn [edit] at least in the epater les bourgeois bienpensants stakes.
Coburn is a real nasty piece of work, if he is in any way typical of UKIP then they deserve to get nothing. A nastier more stupid goon I have never seen.
Good for UKIP twitter.com/AngrySalmond/status/576700702942183424
The guy is clearly an idiot, but I can't see how it is racist. If someone referred to an Irish citizen using the name of a prominent member of the IRA for example, that would be offensive, but it's not racist. Or am I missing something.
Uhuh. Except Abu Hamza was born in Egypt, and Humza Yousaf was born in Scotland of Kenyan/Pakistan immigrant parents. I wonder what similarity Coburn was trying to hang his hilarious 'joke' upon?
The bit on the media is spot on. Ed really should just go for Murdoch's jugular and pledge to cap the cost of sky. It'd be wildly popular amongst normal people. The top rated comment on this thread, linked to on my facebook feed, sums up the popular mood out there;
"I cancelled Sky last July after 25 years of unbroken loyalty - I threatened I'd leave if they didn't offer me a much better deal (like many people get) and, lo and behold, they said they could knock £10 off. Not much of a saving as I was already paying £94 a month and they'd sent me a letter saying they were going to increase it by another £5 or so"
C'mon Ed. Figure out a vaguely workable policy & send this out by text on May 6th;
"The success of the premier league shouldn't mean that loyal local supporters are priced out of watching their team. Vote labour tomorrow and, from next season it will cost no more than £20 a month to watch live PL football on TV."
Labour values, init.
Blimey ...... how can one possibly pay £99 per month to Sky for their services? I pay them just £9 per month for their unlimited broadband service (having originally been with O2 before they sold out to Sky). That'll do me nicely.
I see that Flightpath didn't retract the racially derogatory term he used on the previous thread.
Not surprising, you often find that people who throw accusations of racism around are doing it to hide their own prejudices.
Not surprising because it wasn't a racially derogatory comment. As millions of people of colour and those arbiters of all things racist, the NAACP, would tell you.
You already knew that, but it didn't prevent you doing what you claim to despise others for.
Ask Alan Hansen if its regarded as a racially derogatory term.
As Flightpath repeatedly throws accusations of racism around he should be judged by his own standards.
And on that he has failed.
I was very disappointed that no one pointed out what has been pointed out here when rhe race baiting mob went for Hansen.
Things like the disgraceful treatment of Hansen have alienated vast numbers of ordinary people who know a witch hunt when they see one.
Good for UKIP twitter.com/AngrySalmond/status/576700702942183424
The guy is clearly an idiot, but I can't see how it is racist. If someone referred to an Irish citizen using the name of a prominent member of the IRA for example, that would be offensive, but it's not racist. Or am I missing something.
Uhuh. Except Abu Hamza was born in Egypt, and Humza Yousaf was born in Scotland of Kenyan/Pakistan immigrant parents. I wonder what similarity Coburn was trying to hang his hilarious 'joke' upon?
Good for UKIP twitter.com/AngrySalmond/status/576700702942183424
The guy is clearly an idiot, but I can't see how it is racist. If someone referred to an Irish citizen using the name of a prominent member of the IRA for example, that would be offensive, but it's not racist. Or am I missing something.
Uhuh. Except Abu Hamza was born in Egypt, and Humza Yousaf was born in Scotland of Kenyan/Pakistan immigrant parents. I wonder what similarity Coburn was trying to hang his hilarious 'joke' upon?
I think we agree he is an idiot. The other comparison is ironic given Farage's comments yesterday where people were trying to reinterpret his comments about where people where born as being racist, where as your comments above show these days where you are born has very little to do with your race.
I would have thought Colchester was safe Lib Dem hold but the conservatives are bombarding us with calls and leaflets here.
I have had one leaflet and a survey / leaflet in the last week alone.
Ed features on their leaflet and they are playing the choice as between Conservatives and "Coalition of Chaos" (catchy - I like that).
I have replied to their survey pointing out that its all well and good them saying that we need "a common sense approach to immigration" but they have failed utterly and they have no control over EU immigration in any event.
I have also stressed that they need to take strong action against the sex grooming gangs and the public services who at best utterly failed in their duty of care and in cases turned a blind eye to the criminal behavior.
Shan't hold my breath but dear god anything but Ed.
Good for UKIP twitter.com/AngrySalmond/status/576700702942183424
The guy is clearly an idiot, but I can't see how it is racist. If someone referred to an Irish citizen using the name of a prominent member of the IRA for example, that would be offensive, but it's not racist. Or am I missing something.
Uhuh. Except Abu Hamza was born in Egypt, and Humza Yousaf was born in Scotland of Kenyan/Pakistan immigrant parents. I wonder what similarity Coburn was trying to hang his hilarious 'joke' upon?
I think we agree he is an idiot. The other comparison is ironic given Farage's comments yesterday where people were trying to reinterpret his comments about where people where born as being racist, where as your comments above show these days where you are born has very little to do with your race.
He has a long journey before he reaches the level of just being an idiot.
I see that Flightpath didn't retract the racially derogatory term he used on the previous thread.
Not surprising, you often find that people who throw accusations of racism around are doing it to hide their own prejudices.
Not surprising because it wasn't a racially derogatory comment. As millions of people of colour and those arbiters of all things racist, the NAACP, would tell you.
You already knew that, but it didn't prevent you doing what you claim to despise others for.
Ask Alan Hansen if its regarded as a racially derogatory term.
As Flightpath repeatedly throws accusations of racism around he should be judged by his own standards.
And on that he has failed.
It was not racially derogatory. Any accusation with some appendage like what Clarkson is alleged to have used eg you irish wotsit, or you coloured wotsit or you black wotsit is prejudicial and derogatory. But referring to UKIPs policy as removing rights from coloured people is no more derogatory that saying they want to remove rights from ethnic people or black people. its the policy itself which is derogatory. How should we describe its effects? Farage indeed claimed to be 'colour' blind. I am pointing out that people with coloured skin will have their rights taken away by Farage.
All you can do is nit pick over terms rather than denounce Farage for his clear and publicly uttered remarks.
Im still waiting to hear whether your loathing of discrimination means you agree that all private schools should be abolished and all state school places allocated by lottery to eliminate discrimination on the basis of wealth or lack of it?
I see that Flightpath didn't retract the racially derogatory term he used on the previous thread.
Not surprising, you often find that people who throw accusations of racism around are doing it to hide their own prejudices.
Not surprising because it wasn't a racially derogatory comment. As millions of people of colour and those arbiters of all things racist, the NAACP, would tell you.
You already knew that, but it didn't prevent you doing what you claim to despise others for.
Ask Alan Hansen if its regarded as a racially derogatory term.
As Flightpath repeatedly throws accusations of racism around he should be judged by his own standards.
And on that he has failed.
It was not racially derogatory. Any accusation with some appendage like what Clarkson is alleged to have used eg you irish wotsit, or you coloured wotsit or you black wotsit is prejudicial and derogatory. But referring to UKIPs policy as removing rights from coloured people is no more derogatory that saying they want to remove rights from ethnic people or black people. its the policy itself which is derogatory. How should we describe its effects? Farage indeed claimed to be 'colour' blind. I am pointing out that people with coloured skin will have their rights taken away by Farage.
All you can do is nit pick over terms rather than denounce Farage for his clear and publicly uttered remarks.
As far as I'm aware Farage favours equality under the law for all citizens.
I would have thought Colchester was safe Lib Dem hold but the conservatives are bombarding us with calls and leaflets here.
I have had one leaflet and a survey / leaflet in the last week alone.
Ed features on their leaflet and they are playing the choice as between Conservatives and "Coalition of Chaos" (catchy - I like that).
I have replied to their survey pointing out that its all well and good them saying that we need "a common sense approach to immigration" but they have failed utterly and they have no control over EU immigration in any event.
I have also stressed that they need to take strong action against the sex grooming gangs and the public services who at best utterly failed in their duty of care and in cases turned a blind eye to the criminal behavior.
Shan't hold my breath but dear god anything but Ed.
Does Russell have enough of a personal vote to make up for the LD slump?
With Labour in a distant third I had this one down as a Tory gain. 4.33 with Shadsy still.
The lack of stunning and ingenuous developments that no one else has thought of which are going to move the polls on here this morning has been disappointing.
It suggests to me the trend of a glacial movement to the Tories with UKIP remaining at elevated levels and the Lib Dems in all kinds of trouble is likely to continue to polling day. This should cheer those betting on Labour largest party but not many others. "Hung" may not prove an adequate description of the next Parliament.
The lack of stunning and ingenuous developments that no one else has thought of which are going to move the polls on here this morning has been disappointing.
It suggests to me the trend of a glacial movement to the Tories with UKIP remaining at elevated levels and the Lib Dems in all kinds of trouble is likely to continue to polling day. This should cheer those betting on Labour largest party but not many others. "Hung" may not prove an adequate description of the next Parliament.
Good for UKIP twitter.com/AngrySalmond/status/576700702942183424
The guy is clearly an idiot, but I can't see how it is racist. If someone referred to an Irish citizen using the name of a prominent member of the IRA for example, that would be offensive, but it's not racist. Or am I missing something.
Uhuh. Except Abu Hamza was born in Egypt, and Humza Yousaf was born in Scotland of Kenyan/Pakistan immigrant parents. I wonder what similarity Coburn was trying to hang his hilarious 'joke' upon?
I think we agree he is an idiot. The other comparison is ironic given Farage's comments yesterday where people were trying to reinterpret his comments about where people where born as being racist, where as your comments above show these days where you are born has very little to do with your race.
We certainly agree that he's an idiot, though I'd prefix it with 'f*cking racist'. I'm not of the school that thinks anyone who considers voting UKIP is a racist, but that doesn't automatically preclude all Kippers from being racists.
On a wider political point, if some obscure UKIP councillor had made similar remarks in England about e.g. Sadiq Khan, Farage would have had him out on his ear by lunchtime. Coburn will continue to drop shitbombs like this as long as he's in office; anyone looking for reasons why UKIP in Scotland will continue to flatline while the SCon vote consolidates might consider this buffooon as a contributory factor.
The lack of stunning and ingenuous developments that no one else has thought of which are going to move the polls on here this morning has been disappointing.
It suggests to me the trend of a glacial movement to the Tories with UKIP remaining at elevated levels and the Lib Dems in all kinds of trouble is likely to continue to polling day. This should cheer those betting on Labour largest party but not many others. "Hung" may not prove an adequate description of the next Parliament.
The budget.
Even I came up with that one several hours ago. Anything else?
At 7.57 in fact. I didn't even need to be fully awake.
The lack of stunning and ingenuous developments that no one else has thought of which are going to move the polls on here this morning has been disappointing.
Is Carinthia in Austria going bankrupt and the Austrian government declaring its not going to bail it out and its a bail-in for shareholders going to be an issue ? A lot of that debt is owned by European banks. Hypo seems to be sitting on about 10bn euros of debt for which someone is going to have to foot the bill. Deutsche Bank's investment arm apparently has quite a lot of it.
At present swingback seems to be limited to YouGov and Lord Ashcroft. Populus is actually showing a 2% Con to Lab swing since late August last year whilst MORI has Labour just ahead unlike the last three months of 2014.
I notice that muslims seem to be well entrenched in Scotland. I don't trust any of them, and thats not racism for those ignorant to think so, but on the muslim majority in the UK response to terrorism in the world perpetrated by Jihadists and Islamists. Good luck to Coburn; UKIP tells it like it is. This is the modern world, for those with eyes to see. Unhappily many don't wish to see whats staring them in the face.
I would have thought Colchester was safe Lib Dem hold but the conservatives are bombarding us with calls and leaflets here.
I have had one leaflet and a survey / leaflet in the last week alone.
Ed features on their leaflet and they are playing the choice as between Conservatives and "Coalition of Chaos" (catchy - I like that).
I have replied to their survey pointing out that its all well and good them saying that we need "a common sense approach to immigration" but they have failed utterly and they have no control over EU immigration in any event.
I have also stressed that they need to take strong action against the sex grooming gangs and the public services who at best utterly failed in their duty of care and in cases turned a blind eye to the criminal behavior.
Shan't hold my breath but dear god anything but Ed.
Does Russell have enough of a personal vote to make up for the LD slump?
With Labour in a distant third I had this one down as a Tory gain. 4.33 with Shadsy still.
He’s got quite a personal vote, plus the LD’s lead the Council (24 to 23 Tory, 9 Lab 4 Ind.)
The lack of stunning and ingenuous developments that no one else has thought of which are going to move the polls on here this morning has been disappointing.
It suggests to me the trend of a glacial movement to the Tories with UKIP remaining at elevated levels and the Lib Dems in all kinds of trouble is likely to continue to polling day. This should cheer those betting on Labour largest party but not many others. "Hung" may not prove an adequate description of the next Parliament.
The budget.
Even I came up with that one several hours ago. Anything else?
At 7.57 in fact. I didn't even need to be fully awake.
labours 5 pledges released today ? Ho ho. Nothing on education I see - admitting defeat I guess.
The lack of stunning and ingenuous developments that no one else has thought of which are going to move the polls on here this morning has been disappointing.
Is Carinthia in Austria going bankrupt and the Austrian government declaring its not going to bail it out and its a bail-in for shareholders going to be an issue ? A lot of that debt is owned by European banks. Hypo seems to be sitting on about 10bn euros of debt for which someone is going to have to foot the bill. Deutsche Bank's investment arm apparently has quite a lot of it.
Strikes me as a story that will struggle to get on the financial pages, let alone off them.
Slightly weird though. Austria has done reasonably well over the last few years and it is not obvious why they are allowing such a mess on their own doorstep. A message for the Greeks perhaps?
The ability of those managing the EZ to take careful aim at their own feet is not to be underestimated.
I notice that muslims seem to be well entrenched in Scotland. I don't trust any of them, and thats not racism for those ignorant to think so, but on the muslim majority in the UK response to terrorism in the world perpetrated by Jihadists and Islamists. Good luck to Coburn; UKIP tells it like it is. This is the modern world, for those with eyes to see. Unhappily many don't wish to see whats staring them in the face.
And that sort of post is what encourages a Muslim sense of “victimhood” and encourage jihadist preachers.
The lack of stunning and ingenuous developments that no one else has thought of which are going to move the polls on here this morning has been disappointing.
It suggests to me the trend of a glacial movement to the Tories with UKIP remaining at elevated levels and the Lib Dems in all kinds of trouble is likely to continue to polling day. This should cheer those betting on Labour largest party but not many others. "Hung" may not prove an adequate description of the next Parliament.
Scotland and EVFEL.
This is going to be a Tory theme, but could injure Labour in England quite heavily.
I notice that muslims seem to be well entrenched in Scotland. I don't trust any of them, and thats not racism for those ignorant to think so, but on the muslim majority in the UK response to terrorism in the world perpetrated by Jihadists and Islamists. Good luck to Coburn; UKIP tells it like it is. This is the modern world, for those with eyes to see. Unhappily many don't wish to see whats staring them in the face.
At present swingback seems to be limited to YouGov and Lord Ashcroft. Populus is actually showing a 2% Con to Lab swing since late August last year whilst MORI has Labour just ahead unlike the last three months of 2014.
It all could well be noise around the parties being level or as good as, and probably is.
Ok.At long last a reasonably impartial piece from Herdson though still written from A conservative point of view and perhaps he cannot help that.
I would add
Budget for the Tories.
1930 style cuts for Labour.And attacks on Conservatives from their coalition partners which hasn`t started yet.
My view Conservatives have all the cards in their hand-supposedly a strong leader,a strong economy,media biased massively in their favour and yet they are not gaining momentum. Their campaign doesn`t seem to focus on the central theme they have identified(economy,leadership) but veering in all directions such as Salmond and Miliband. However they hold the cards and perhaps they might gain momentum in the next few weeks.
Labour have some things stacked up against them-supposedly an unpopular leader,media massively biased in favour of their opponents.But their campaign has some focus and they are slowly lining their guns(1930 style cuts,NHS) in order for the shootout to the death.
I would have thought Colchester was safe Lib Dem hold but the conservatives are bombarding us with calls and leaflets here.
I have had one leaflet and a survey / leaflet in the last week alone.
Ed features on their leaflet and they are playing the choice as between Conservatives and "Coalition of Chaos" (catchy - I like that).
I have replied to their survey pointing out that its all well and good them saying that we need "a common sense approach to immigration" but they have failed utterly and they have no control over EU immigration in any event.
I have also stressed that they need to take strong action against the sex grooming gangs and the public services who at best utterly failed in their duty of care and in cases turned a blind eye to the criminal behavior.
Shan't hold my breath but dear god anything but Ed.
Does Russell have enough of a personal vote to make up for the LD slump?
With Labour in a distant third I had this one down as a Tory gain. 4.33 with Shadsy still.
He’s got quite a personal vote, plus the LD’s lead the Council (24 to 23 Tory, 9 Lab 4 Ind.)
Still looksthat is should be tighter than 4.33 to me.
The lack of stunning and ingenuous developments that no one else has thought of which are going to move the polls on here this morning has been disappointing.
It suggests to me the trend of a glacial movement to the Tories with UKIP remaining at elevated levels and the Lib Dems in all kinds of trouble is likely to continue to polling day. This should cheer those betting on Labour largest party but not many others. "Hung" may not prove an adequate description of the next Parliament.
The budget.
Even I came up with that one several hours ago. Anything else?
At 7.57 in fact. I didn't even need to be fully awake.
labours 5 pledges released today ? Ho ho. Nothing on education I see - admitting defeat I guess.
There's nothing on anything. Entirely vacuous statements.
Coburn is a real nasty piece of work, if he is in any way typical of UKIP then they deserve to get nothing. A nastier more stupid goon I have never seen.
Coburn is a very nice guy, I've met him and conversed with him for more than 10 minutes at the 2013 UKIP convention. He does have strong views on some things as do most of us and thats the basis for free speech. Of course now someone may want to kill him: fancy that!
At present swingback seems to be limited to YouGov and Lord Ashcroft. Populus is actually showing a 2% Con to Lab swing since late August last year whilst MORI has Labour just ahead unlike the last three months of 2014.
It is just a coincidence that Youguv polls for a Tory newspaper and Ashcroft is a Tory Lord.
I notice that muslims seem to be well entrenched in Scotland. I don't trust any of them, and thats not racism for those ignorant to think so, but on the muslim majority in the UK response to terrorism in the world perpetrated by Jihadists and Islamists. Good luck to Coburn; UKIP tells it like it is. This is the modern world, for those with eyes to see. Unhappily many don't wish to see whats staring them in the face.
How about we switch Muslim for Christian, would you be happy with that?
This is the modern world, the sooner all antiquidated religious superstition and claptrap nonsense is gone the better. Agreed?
At present swingback seems to be limited to YouGov and Lord Ashcroft. Populus is actually showing a 2% Con to Lab swing since late August last year whilst MORI has Labour just ahead unlike the last three months of 2014.
It is just a coincidence that Youguv polls for a Tory newspaper and Ashcroft is a Tory Lord.
I notice that muslims seem to be well entrenched in Scotland. I don't trust any of them, and thats not racism for those ignorant to think so, but on the muslim majority in the UK response to terrorism in the world perpetrated by Jihadists and Islamists. Good luck to Coburn; UKIP tells it like it is. This is the modern world, for those with eyes to see. Unhappily many don't wish to see whats staring them in the face.
Dear Dear
Open your eyes @malcolmg, you may see the path you are walking may take you to disaster.
I notice that muslims seem to be well entrenched in Scotland. I don't trust any of them, and thats not racism for those ignorant to think so, but on the muslim majority in the UK response to terrorism in the world perpetrated by Jihadists and Islamists. Good luck to Coburn; UKIP tells it like it is. This is the modern world, for those with eyes to see. Unhappily many don't wish to see whats staring them in the face.
And that sort of post is what encourages a Muslim sense of “victimhood” and encourage jihadist preachers.
No one has to encourage jihadist preachers, they do it all by themselves, as instructed, so they themselves say, by the Quran. The idea that muslims need to be encouraged -whatever that means - is a falsehood spread by the fainthearted and so called liberal do gooders.
I notice that muslims seem to be well entrenched in Scotland. I don't trust any of them, and thats not racism for those ignorant to think so, but on the muslim majority in the UK response to terrorism in the world perpetrated by Jihadists and Islamists. Good luck to Coburn; UKIP tells it like it is. This is the modern world, for those with eyes to see. Unhappily many don't wish to see whats staring them in the face.
How about we switch Muslim for Christian, would you be happy with that?
Catholic would be a better substitute.
This is the modern world, the sooner all antiquidated religious superstition and claptrap nonsense is gone the better. Agreed?
This is a very odd thing to say in a post condemning bigotry.
I notice that muslims seem to be well entrenched in Scotland. I don't trust any of them, and thats not racism for those ignorant to think so, but on the muslim majority in the UK response to terrorism in the world perpetrated by Jihadists and Islamists. Good luck to Coburn; UKIP tells it like it is. This is the modern world, for those with eyes to see. Unhappily many don't wish to see whats staring them in the face.
How about we switch Muslim for Christian, would you be happy with that?
This is the modern world, the sooner all antiquidated religious superstition and claptrap nonsense is gone the better. Agreed?
Oh I agree wholeheartedly with you on this: religion in all its forms is anathema to me. On your first point: no, I wouldn't switch Muslim for Christian in this case. Christians are being murdered wholesale by ISIS and others in Syria and Iraq.
I notice that muslims seem to be well entrenched in Scotland. I don't trust any of them, and thats not racism for those ignorant to think so, but on the muslim majority in the UK response to terrorism in the world perpetrated by Jihadists and Islamists. Good luck to Coburn; UKIP tells it like it is. This is the modern world, for those with eyes to see. Unhappily many don't wish to see whats staring them in the face.
How about we switch Muslim for Christian, would you be happy with that?
Catholic would be a better substitute.
This is the modern world, the sooner all antiquidated religious superstition and claptrap nonsense is gone the better. Agreed?
This is a very odd thing to say in a post condemning bigotry.
There is a saying to the effect that the difference between a dog and a wolf is three meals.
It's an interesting thought experiment to wonder how many atrocities would need to be conducted in mainland Britain within a short time period before bigotry becomes the default behaviour.
I notice that muslims seem to be well entrenched in Scotland. I don't trust any of them, and thats not racism for those ignorant to think so, but on the muslim majority in the UK response to terrorism in the world perpetrated by Jihadists and Islamists. Good luck to Coburn; UKIP tells it like it is. This is the modern world, for those with eyes to see. Unhappily many don't wish to see whats staring them in the face.
And that sort of post is what encourages a Muslim sense of “victimhood” and encourage jihadist preachers.
No. "victimhood" is a tactic - not just in that environment but generally. It's an effective tactic because it fools the voting stupid who walk amongst us.
I would have thought Colchester was safe Lib Dem hold but the conservatives are bombarding us with calls and leaflets here.
I have had one leaflet and a survey / leaflet in the last week alone.
Ed features on their leaflet and they are playing the choice as between Conservatives and "Coalition of Chaos" (catchy - I like that).
I have replied to their survey pointing out that its all well and good them saying that we need "a common sense approach to immigration" but they have failed utterly and they have no control over EU immigration in any event.
I have also stressed that they need to take strong action against the sex grooming gangs and the public services who at best utterly failed in their duty of care and in cases turned a blind eye to the criminal behavior.
Shan't hold my breath but dear god anything but Ed.
Does Russell have enough of a personal vote to make up for the LD slump?
With Labour in a distant third I had this one down as a Tory gain. 4.33 with Shadsy still.
He does work hard for his constituents.
I am speaking from personal experience here too.
My first impressions from meeting him was that he was only interested in what he had to say and did not seem to understand the issue my wife and I were seeking help with.
To be honest as we left his surgery we thought it had been an utter, utter waste of time.
Then he came out and surprised us by making some very insightful comments about our situation.
He then got himself involved and Essex's knee jerk response to his intervention got things moving in our favour.
Mind you I still had major, major problems with Essex and it took an intervention by a judge to finally resolve issues- but we feel certain that he broke the logjam.
As an aside our issue showed me that far to many "public servants" really do not give a shit about the people they are supposed to be helping, even vulnerable children.
Sir Bob being an exception and also one of the local primary school heads who was prepared to tell the truth and stand up to County unlike so many others we had dealt with.
Also (re the seat) when I have discussed his position on here before the general feeling was he was fairly safe.
Time will tell and I honestly have not made my mind up yet - I feel I owe him but I just cannot stand the idea of an Ed Milliband government, so, if I thought the tories could win here I might have to vote for them.
Also I cannot stomach the Lib's approach to the EU so absolutely conflicted.
The only certainty is that Labour will never get my vote.
This is the modern world, the sooner all antiquidated religious superstition and claptrap nonsense is gone the better. Agreed?
This is a very odd thing to say in a post condemning bigotry.
Tone of voice doesn't always come across well in writing online, I thought it was clear I was responding in kind to Mike's comment, especially his use of the phrase modern world. Seeing how far he'll take it, has he an issue with all religion or just one. Something makes me think he won't actually agree with that statement.
This is the modern world, the sooner all antiquidated religious superstition and claptrap nonsense is gone the better. Agreed?
This is a very odd thing to say in a post condemning bigotry.
Tone of voice doesn't always come across well in writing online, I thought it was clear I was responding in kind to Mike's comment, especially his use of the phrase modern world. Seeing how far he'll take it, has he an issue with all religion or just one. Something makes me think he won't actually agree with that statement.
I notice that muslims seem to be well entrenched in Scotland. I don't trust any of them, and thats not racism for those ignorant to think so, but on the muslim majority in the UK response to terrorism in the world perpetrated by Jihadists and Islamists. Good luck to Coburn; UKIP tells it like it is. This is the modern world, for those with eyes to see. Unhappily many don't wish to see whats staring them in the face.
How about we switch Muslim for Christian, would you be happy with that?
This is the modern world, the sooner all antiquidated religious superstition and claptrap nonsense is gone the better. Agreed?
Oh I agree wholeheartedly with you on this: religion in all its forms is anathema to me. On your first point: no, I wouldn't switch Muslim for Christian in this case. Christians are being murdered wholesale by ISIS and others in Syria and Iraq.
Hmm so I was wrong in my post above, you did agree. Kudos for your frankness at least.
Many have been murdered wholesale by Christians (Catholics and Protestant) in the past, including the not so distant past. Does that make all the same, if the actions of ISIS are attributable to all Muslims were the actions of the IRA and UVF attributable to all Catholics and Protestants?
This is the modern world, the sooner all antiquidated religious superstition and claptrap nonsense is gone the better. Agreed?
This is a very odd thing to say in a post condemning bigotry.
Tone of voice doesn't always come across well in writing online, I thought it was clear I was responding in kind to Mike's comment, especially his use of the phrase modern world. Seeing how far he'll take it, has he an issue with all religion or just one. Something makes me think he won't actually agree with that statement.
The irony with Hansen was that he was trying to make an anti-racist point. Still didn't save him from the outrage bus.
Words are slippery customers if they change their meaning and no one lets we Oldies know.
When, and it will happen, Black is defined as being derogatory unless used by black people, could you send a message to everyone over forty to let them know, please. No point using social media, though.
Get the police to send a letter personally addressed to us as you can't trust the kids, can you?
This is the modern world, the sooner all antiquidated religious superstition and claptrap nonsense is gone the better. Agreed?
This is a very odd thing to say in a post condemning bigotry.
Tone of voice doesn't always come across well in writing online, I thought it was clear I was responding in kind to Mike's comment, especially his use of the phrase modern world. Seeing how far he'll take it, has he an issue with all religion or just one. Something makes me think he won't actually agree with that statement.
ah, you were being sarcastic.
Partially but not entirely, no. I am an athest and do believe all religion is superstitious nonsense. So is the belief in ghosts, the paranormal, alien abductions and astrology so its not just religion nowadays.
Hats off to the surgeon who worked out which malignant bits of Nigel Farage had to be removed. That must have been a complex operation.
You are nearly as obsessed about Farage and Kippers as Flightpath is. I notice you didn't answer the post on the previous thread about whether you would accept a democratically elected UKIP government and if not, on what basis would you put your views as being superior to the electorate.
The electorate are capable of getting things wrong. My conscience is not dictated to by democratic votes.
Fortunately, the British public are far too sensible to elect a highly reactionary xenophobic rabble, so your hypothetical doesn't arise.
Nigel Farage would be delighted that I commented on his planted news story this morning. Attention whores always are.
How's the blog? ( just for yourself to keep betting notes on, that you link to on here and announce whenever you update)
The irony with Hansen was that he was trying to make an anti-racist point. Still didn't save him from the outrage bus.
Words are slippery customers if they change their meaning and no one lets we Oldies know.
When, and it will happen, Black is defined as being derogatory unless used by black people, could you send a message to everyone over forty to let them know, please. No point using social media, though.
Get the police to send a letter personally addressed to us as you can't trust the kids, can you?
I was assaulted many years ago (Circa 1999 I think) by a bunch of lads, in my bleary eyed state they seemed to be of mixed race. Anyway I trotted off to the police station (It was about 3 AM in Coventry, and about a mile away) to report the assault. I wasn't particularly injured by the situation as the kicks and punches seemed to have landed on my thigh, shoulder, back etc rather than face - wasn't even robbed either was just a random assault.
Anyway moving on the police seemed more concerned that I'd used the word halfcast to describe the lads as they were of mixed race rather more so than the fact me and my mate were assaulted.
At present swingback seems to be limited to YouGov and Lord Ashcroft. Populus is actually showing a 2% Con to Lab swing since late August last year whilst MORI has Labour just ahead unlike the last three months of 2014.
latest polls compared to 12 months earlier:
ICM 2014: Lab 38 Con 34 ICM 2015: Con 36 Lab 32
Ipsos 2014: Lab 35 Con 32 Ipsos 2015: Lab 34 Con 33
Comres 2014: Lab 38 Con 30 Comres 2015: Con 34 Lab 32
Opinium 2014: Lab 34 Con 31 Opinium 2015: Con 34 Lab 34
At present swingback seems to be limited to YouGov and Lord Ashcroft. Populus is actually showing a 2% Con to Lab swing since late August last year whilst MORI has Labour just ahead unlike the last three months of 2014.
It is just a coincidence that Youguv polls for a Tory newspaper and Ashcroft is a Tory Lord.
Total coincidence - pollsters have every reason to be accurate in terms of their reputation. Those hiring the pollster are likely to have influence on the questions posed but nothing more.
Hats off to the surgeon who worked out which malignant bits of Nigel Farage had to be removed. That must have been a complex operation.
You are nearly as obsessed about Farage and Kippers as Flightpath is. I notice you didn't answer the post on the previous thread about whether you would accept a democratically elected UKIP government and if not, on what basis would you put your views as being superior to the electorate.
The electorate are capable of getting things wrong. My conscience is not dictated to by democratic votes.
Fortunately, the British public are far too sensible to elect a highly reactionary xenophobic rabble, so your hypothetical doesn't arise.
Nigel Farage would be delighted that I commented on his planted news story this morning. Attention whores always are.
How's the blog? ( just for yourself to keep betting notes on, that you link to on here and announce whenever you update)
Antifrank's blog has had some great posts particularly in relation to Scotland. I'll owe him a pint if it all comes off.
Good for UKIP twitter.com/AngrySalmond/status/576700702942183424
The guy is clearly an idiot, but I can't see how it is racist. If someone referred to an Irish citizen using the name of a prominent member of the IRA for example, that would be offensive, but it's not racist. Or am I missing something.
Uhuh. Except Abu Hamza was born in Egypt, and Humza Yousaf was born in Scotland of Kenyan/Pakistan immigrant parents. I wonder what similarity Coburn was trying to hang his hilarious 'joke' upon?
I notice that muslims seem to be well entrenched in Scotland. I don't trust any of them, and thats not racism for those ignorant to think so, but on the muslim majority in the UK response to terrorism in the world perpetrated by Jihadists and Islamists. Good luck to Coburn; UKIP tells it like it is. This is the modern world, for those with eyes to see. Unhappily many don't wish to see whats staring them in the face.
How about we switch Muslim for Christian, would you be happy with that?
This is the modern world, the sooner all antiquidated religious superstition and claptrap nonsense is gone the better. Agreed?
Oh I agree wholeheartedly with you on this: religion in all its forms is anathema to me. On your first point: no, I wouldn't switch Muslim for Christian in this case. Christians are being murdered wholesale by ISIS and others in Syria and Iraq.
Hmm so I was wrong in my post above, you did agree. Kudos for your frankness at least.
Many have been murdered wholesale by Christians (Catholics and Protestant) in the past, including the not so distant past. Does that make all the same, if the actions of ISIS are attributable to all Muslims were the actions of the IRA and UVF attributable to all Catholics and Protestants?
This idea of equivalence in the history of religions is, to put it mildly, barmy. The idea that because the Christians both Catholic from early times,and Lutherian from the 16th century murdered and forcibly converted people, in any way justifies Moslem behavour today, is the sort of thing cretinous fools put about to alleviate their own supine consciences.
When the muslim Jihad swept out of the Arabian desert in the 7th century, they also committed the crimes of torture and forcible conversion on whole peoples.
We must face the fact that today Islam is a religion and political body of expansion and death to all those that oppose it. And this, wether it's Sunni or Shia making the running.
Antifrank can be very reasonable, sometimes too much so; and too easy to tease as a result.
A couple of weeks ago, I asked how he would respond if a Kipper said that he found it offensive being called a Kipper. He took the question seriously but the correct answer was "Get a life, you moron."
We've now managed to provoke a less reasonable side - so he is human after all.
The Kippers need to remember that he may think you are lowlife of the worst order but he won't offend you by calling you a Kipper.
There is though a valid debate to be had as to whether if a religion has doctrines that permit or encourage its members to attack others and those doctrines are an active part of the religion as to whether those who choose to be members of it and live in the UK should be subjected to civil sanctions.
I think David Herdson's analysis lacks a little in that it focuses too much on the diminishing power of the centre right newspapers and ignores the influence of the generally centre left TV companies. Since they disappeared behind their paywalls I no longer read the Sun and Times and as the Telegraph disappears behind its own paywall my attention to their increasing dire news coverage will also fade. I'm sure the same will be true of many other people who get their news off the internet.
Despite that other than the Times and Telegraph I do not expect any of the newspapers to give the Tories whole hearted support. Too many of their potential readers will sit in the Tory right /UKIP space for them to have the luxury of dismissing UKIPs proposals. The Sun , Mail will be pro Tory but will be sufficiently supportive of UKIP not to totally disaffect its readers and the Express could possibly come out in favour of UKIP. The left of centre newspapers I expect will fall behind Labour simply because the Libdems and Greens are so far behind them. However, there may be some interesting splits in the way the newspapers call their support between the dailies and the Sundays
Moving on, whilst right of centre newspapers might want to present the Tory agenda in a positive light that is hardly going to be the case in regard the BBC, C4 and the increasingly left swinging Sky. Where ITV and C5 will sit is unclear
Of course TV coverage will be based on major party status and ensuring fairness of coverage. However that does not exclude challenging politicians to defend their positions and the likes of the BBC can use the 'equal' coverage of Libdems, Labour and even UKIP to counter any Tory advantage in the newspaper media. Whatever Tories want to believe in terms of major party status it is three against one. Just as in the debates if the Tories are out in front in the polls even by a whisker then they will be the primary target of the other parties obviously.
The idea that the newspapers will set the agenda is dubious. I believe the TV will set the agenda with the key news periods being the 6pm and 9-10pm TV news coverage of that days events and TV interviews before the newspapers have even had a chance to have their say.
Whilst major party status will shut out the Greens it will not shut out UKIP or the Libdems and they will be able to counter any newspaper bias with their TV visibility. Off course the Libdems will be hampered by their being a junior coalition partner but that said they have the benefit of having insights into the higher echelons of the Tory party and contacts in Whitehall which Labour and UKIP don't. It would not surprise me if they produce some tidbits from their time in government that are unhelpful to the Tories.
At present swingback seems to be limited to YouGov and Lord Ashcroft. Populus is actually showing a 2% Con to Lab swing since late August last year whilst MORI has Labour just ahead unlike the last three months of 2014.
latest polls compared to 12 months earlier:
ICM 2014: Lab 38 Con 34 ICM 2015: Con 36 Lab 32
Ipsos 2014: Lab 35 Con 32 Ipsos 2015: Lab 34 Con 33
Comres 2014: Lab 38 Con 30 Comres 2015: Con 34 Lab 32
Opinium 2014: Lab 34 Con 31 Opinium 2015: Con 34 Lab 34
As for UKIP their big advantage is that they can talk about as Trevor Phillips calls it 'UKIP Land' which primarily means a Britain that is no longer constrained by the EU. They can offer change that none of the other parties can offer. Given they are withholding their manifesto until after the release of the other parties manifestos I expect there to be some surprises there which may steal the narrative for some part of the election. Further to that as we have seen this week as well trying to keep the immigration debate out of the news is nigh on impossible and we have yet to even get into the EU referendum issue
Add to that the concerns being raised about the lack lustre nature of the Tory manifesto and it may prove difficult for the Tories to control the agenda no matter how hard the right wing newspapers try.
As for the issues in reality the Tories have only really got the Economy and Unemployment as major successes but that is off the back of £375 billion QE and in excess of £500 billion in borrowing. I expect those figures to be repeated time and time again. There is also the issue of cuts which all the parties have got to address and already the Tories are having uneasy moments over the defence budget. Education is a qualified but contraversial success. Welfare and Health are open to all sorts of interpretations and then comes immigration, foreign policy, housing policy where despite their best efforts in reality the Tories have failed.
Given Labour have now announced immigration as one of their key commitments (and clearly see it as a stick to beat the Tories with) I see no way that the Tories can avoid it. It will be a high profile issue in the election.
Lastly character and popularity. Given current standings I do not think Miliband and Clegg's can get much worse (without some serious scandal). As such basically their reputations can only really be improved whereas both Cameron and Farage could see their ratings go either way based on a few days bad press
I presume there were calls for John Prescott to quit when he called Chuka Umunna Chumbawamba. Those on the left cannot be racist, however, those on the right can most definately be racist.
Hats off to the surgeon who worked out which malignant bits of Nigel Farage had to be removed. That must have been a complex operation.
You are nearly as obsessed about Farage and Kippers as Flightpath is. I notice you didn't answer the post on the previous thread about whether you would accept a democratically elected UKIP government and if not, on what basis would you put your views as being superior to the electorate.
The electorate are capable of getting things wrong. My conscience is not dictated to by democratic votes.
Fortunately, the British public are far too sensible to elect a highly reactionary xenophobic rabble, so your hypothetical doesn't arise.
Nigel Farage would be delighted that I commented on his planted news story this morning. Attention whores always are.
How's the blog? ( just for yourself to keep betting notes on, that you link to on here and announce whenever you update)
Antifrank's blog has had some great posts particularly in relation to Scotland. I'll owe him a pint if it all comes off.
Maybe so, but strange that someone who writes something just for his own reference to keep a record of his betting thoughts and look back on after to see where he erred and succeeded feels the need to publish it, and announce when it is updated with links... Why would you if it's just for yourself?
Then calls other people who write books that are serialised attention seeking whores
Hats off to the surgeon who worked out which malignant bits of Nigel Farage had to be removed. That must have been a complex operation.
You are nearly as obsessed about Farage and Kippers as Flightpath is. I notice you didn't answer the post on the previous thread about whether you would accept a democratically elected UKIP government and if not, on what basis would you put your views as being superior to the electorate.
The electorate are capable of getting things wrong. My conscience is not dictated to by democratic votes.
Fortunately, the British public are far too sensible to elect a highly reactionary xenophobic rabble, so your hypothetical doesn't arise.
Nigel Farage would be delighted that I commented on his planted news story this morning. Attention whores always are.
How's the blog? ( just for yourself to keep betting notes on, that you link to on here and announce whenever you update)
Antifrank's blog has had some great posts particularly in relation to Scotland. I'll owe him a pint if it all comes off.
Maybe so, but strange that someone who writes something just for his own reference to keep a record of his betting thoughts and look back on after to see where he erred and succeeded feels the need to publish it, and announce when it is updated with links... Why would you if it's just for yourself?
Then am alls other people who write books that are serialised attention seeking whores
Prob a wet dream
I dunno, I'm a fan of the blog though and find it a useful resource. Others may disagree
Hats off to the surgeon who worked out which malignant bits of Nigel Farage had to be removed. That must have been a complex operation.
You are nearly as obsessed about Farage and Kippers as Flightpath is. I notice you didn't answer the post on the previous thread about whether you would accept a democratically elected UKIP government and if not, on what basis would you put your views as being superior to the electorate.
The electorate are capable of getting things wrong. My conscience is not dictated to by democratic votes.
Fortunately, the British public are far too sensible to elect a highly reactionary xenophobic rabble, so your hypothetical doesn't arise.
Nigel Farage would be delighted that I commented on his planted news story this morning. Attention whores always are.
How's the blog? ( just for yourself to keep betting notes on, that you link to on here and announce whenever you update)
Antifrank's blog has had some great posts particularly in relation to Scotland. I'll owe him a pint if it all comes off.
Maybe so, but strange that someone who writes something just for his own reference to keep a record of his betting thoughts and look back on after to see where he erred and succeeded feels the need to publish it, and announce when it is updated with links... Why would you if it's just for yourself?
Then am alls other people who write books that are serialised attention seeking whores
Prob a wet dream
I dunno, I'm a fan of the blog though and find it a useful resource. Others may disagree
Who can argue that he called the SNP surge? But that's nothing to do with the point I'm making
Judaism was not the first religion to say there is only One God, but it was the first religion that in praying to the one god, didn't demand human sacrifice. A Hefer was substituted to be offered up instead
Judaism: from a tribe of nomads called Hebrews that settled on both sides of the river Jordan, sometime about 1100 BC.
And therin endeth this short lesson. Any more; I charge £50 per hour.
At present swingback seems to be limited to YouGov and Lord Ashcroft. Populus is actually showing a 2% Con to Lab swing since late August last year whilst MORI has Labour just ahead unlike the last three months of 2014.
It is just a coincidence that Youguv polls for a Tory newspaper and Ashcroft is a Tory Lord.
Total coincidence - pollsters have every reason to be accurate in terms of their reputation. Those hiring the pollster are likely to have influence on the questions posed but nothing more.
Pollsters are judged on the last poll before the election.What happens in the middle doesn`t affect their reputation much!
At present swingback seems to be limited to YouGov and Lord Ashcroft. Populus is actually showing a 2% Con to Lab swing since late August last year whilst MORI has Labour just ahead unlike the last three months of 2014.
It is just a coincidence that Youguv polls for a Tory newspaper and Ashcroft is a Tory Lord.
Total coincidence - pollsters have every reason to be accurate in terms of their reputation. Those hiring the pollster are likely to have influence on the questions posed but nothing more.
Pollsters are judged on the last poll before the election.What happens in the middle doesn`t affect their reputation much!
Re - YouGov - Peter Kellner is a well known Labour supporter.
Antifrank can be very reasonable, sometimes too much so; and too easy to tease as a result.
A couple of weeks ago, I asked how he would respond if a Kipper said that he found it offensive being called a Kipper. He took the question seriously but the correct answer was "Get a life, you moron."
We've now managed to provoke a less reasonable side - so he is human after all.
The Kippers need to remember that he may think you are lowlife of the worst order but he won't offend you by calling you a Kipper.
'Tory' is in its origin a term of derision. Its now become shorthand. The epithet 'PB Tory' in its inception even more so since it implies as I understand it some blind adherence to a false argument. This sort of accusation is lets face it not uncommon when it comes to political argument.
This idea of equivalence in the history of religions is, to put it mildly, barmy. The idea that because the Christians both Catholic from early times,and Lutherian from the 16th century murdered and forcibly converted people, in any way justifies Moslem behavour today, is the sort of thing cretinous fools put about to alleviate their own supine consciences.
When the muslim Jihad swept out of the Arabian desert in the 7th century, they also committed the crimes of torture and forcible conversion on whole peoples.
We must face the fact that today Islam is a religion and political body of expansion and death to all those that oppose it. And this, wether it's Sunni or Shia making the running.
The issue isn't saying all religions are the same, that's obviously untrue. The issue is assigning the evils done by some in their religion's name to all others of that religion. No more are all Muslims terrorists than all Christians are, even though there were or are religious-inspired terrorists for both.
Does anybody where threre's a methodology statement for the Ashcroft polls? I've been searching all over.
This is from the summary of the March 9th poll:
1,003 adults were interviewed by telephone between 6 and 8 March 2015. Results have been weighted to be representative of all adults in Great Britain. Half of the interviews were conducted by landline and half by mobile phone. Results are weighted by recalled past vote at the last general election and stated likelihood to turn out at the next. A proportion of those who don't know or refuse to say how they will vote are reallocated to the party they voted for at the 2010 general election.
I see that Flightpath didn't retract the racially derogatory term he used on the previous thread.
Not surprising, you often find that people who throw accusations of racism around are doing it to hide their own prejudices.
Not surprising because it wasn't a racially derogatory comment. As millions of people of colour and those arbiters of all things racist, the NAACP, would tell you.
You already knew that, but it didn't prevent you doing what you claim to despise others for.
Ask Alan Hansen if its regarded as a racially derogatory term.
As Flightpath repeatedly throws accusations of racism around he should be judged by his own standards.
And on that he has failed.
It was not racially derogatory. Any accusation with some appendage like what Clarkson is alleged to have used eg you irish wotsit, or you coloured wotsit or you black wotsit is prejudicial and derogatory. But referring to UKIPs policy as removing rights from coloured people is no more derogatory that saying they want to remove rights from ethnic people or black people. its the policy itself which is derogatory. How should we describe its effects? Farage indeed claimed to be 'colour' blind. I am pointing out that people with coloured skin will have their rights taken away by Farage.
All you can do is nit pick over terms rather than denounce Farage for his clear and publicly uttered remarks.
I see you still haven't the manners to admit your error.
As to Farage, what has his comments to do with me ? Discuss him with UKIP members if you want.
I'm more interested in pointing out the government inaction towards the racist gangrape of two hundred thousand children (antifrank's calculation) and the toleration of the public services of it.
That you think Farage's views are of more concern says a lot about you.
At present swingback seems to be limited to YouGov and Lord Ashcroft. Populus is actually showing a 2% Con to Lab swing since late August last year whilst MORI has Labour just ahead unlike the last three months of 2014.
It is just a coincidence that Youguv polls for a Tory newspaper and Ashcroft is a Tory Lord.
Total coincidence - pollsters have every reason to be accurate in terms of their reputation. Those hiring the pollster are likely to have influence on the questions posed but nothing more.
Pollsters are judged on the last poll before the election.What happens in the middle doesn`t affect their reputation much!
Re - YouGov - Peter Kellner is a well known Labour supporter.
Fellow Youguv founder Nadine Zahawi is a Tory MP.
People may have their political allegiances but they know which side of their bread is buttered.
Hoping to get the pre-race piece up within the next hour or so.
A not-quite-tip. Bottas has a bad back and *may* not race. He's 4.5 with Ladbrokes Not To Be Classified. That's either a dead cert [or null and void...] or very unlikely to come off. If you don't mind a risky bet, it's worth considering.
This idea of equivalence in the history of religions is, to put it mildly, barmy. The idea that because the Christians both Catholic from early times,and Lutherian from the 16th century murdered and forcibly converted people, in any way justifies Moslem behavour today, is the sort of thing cretinous fools put about to alleviate their own supine consciences.
When the muslim Jihad swept out of the Arabian desert in the 7th century, they also committed the crimes of torture and forcible conversion on whole peoples.
We must face the fact that today Islam is a religion and political body of expansion and death to all those that oppose it. And this, wether it's Sunni or Shia making the running.
The issue isn't saying all religions are the same, that's obviously untrue. The issue is assigning the evils done by some in their religion's name to all others of that religion. No more are all Muslims terrorists than all Christians are, even though there were or are religious-inspired terrorists for both.
The big difference is that Islam has major states which apply Islamic law which itself contains the seeds for violent interpretations and actions: think only of Saudi Arabia and death sentences for apostates, illegality of prosyletising other religions, amputations or stoning to death for crimes such as theft or infidelity, and suppression of women's freedom. The problem with Islam is not its scriptures or even the hadith, it is the fact that intolerance for others and the concept of jihad are baked into the mainstream of the religion. Until the mainstream backs off from its inherent intolerance and sense of superiority justifying conquest, then Islam per se will be part of the problem.
Antifrank can be very reasonable, sometimes too much so; and too easy to tease as a result.
A couple of weeks ago, I asked how he would respond if a Kipper said that he found it offensive being called a Kipper. He took the question seriously but the correct answer was "Get a life, you moron."
We've now managed to provoke a less reasonable side - so he is human after all.
The Kippers need to remember that he may think you are lowlife of the worst order but he won't offend you by calling you a Kipper.
'Tory' is in its origin a term of derision. Its now become shorthand. The epithet 'PB Tory' in its inception even more so since it implies as I understand it some blind adherence to a false argument. This sort of accusation is lets face it not uncommon when it comes to political argument.
What do people really mean when they say neocon?
You are right. I think neocon started the other way around, something they called themselves in a positive light as new conservatives with the implication of being enlightened by past lessons. It has since been used by those who oppose their ideas to link it with the worst manifestations/consequences of implementing their policies (no matter how faulty the implementation).
I presume there were calls for John Prescott to quit when he called Chuka Umunna Chumbawamba. Those on the left cannot be racist, however, those on the right can most definitely be racist.
Chumbawamba is a music band who threw water over him isn't it? Anyway don't you miss the point? The ''...or Abu Hamza as I call him...'' remark was equating a Scottish government minister, Humza Yousaf, to a terrorist based on him being a muslim and or his name. In any event just when you think we have run out of potential stupid remarks from UKIP candidates we come up with this... And all this after the great Leader said there was no need for equalities legislation.
As ever with UKIP they come out with the 'slip of the tongue' excuse, despite the boorish Coburn himself saying he thought he was making a private remark. As it is the dog whistle is out and echoing around. Wink wink nudge nudge.
In the past he also made fun of SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon for her "mad scary eyes" and compared Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson to porridge. Strikes me that the BBC has found a perfect replacement for Clarkson.
Comments
How can anyone be that naive. When you're on the phone to a journalist............
All you can do is nit pick over terms rather than denounce Farage for his clear and publicly uttered remarks.
Except Abu Hamza was born in Egypt, and Humza Yousaf was born in Scotland of Kenyan/Pakistan immigrant parents. I wonder what similarity Coburn was trying to hang his hilarious 'joke' upon?
I pay them just £9 per month for their unlimited broadband service (having originally been with O2 before they sold out to Sky). That'll do me nicely.
Things like the disgraceful treatment of Hansen have alienated vast numbers of ordinary people who know a witch hunt when they see one.
I have had one leaflet and a survey / leaflet in the last week alone.
Ed features on their leaflet and they are playing the choice as between Conservatives and "Coalition of Chaos" (catchy - I like that).
I have replied to their survey pointing out that its all well and good them saying that we need "a common sense approach to immigration" but they have failed utterly and they have no control over EU immigration in any event.
I have also stressed that they need to take strong action against the sex grooming gangs and the public services who at best utterly failed in their duty of care and in cases turned a blind eye to the criminal behavior.
Shan't hold my breath but dear god anything but Ed.
If his words damn him, why stop him digging a hole?
With Labour in a distant third I had this one down as a Tory gain. 4.33 with Shadsy still.
It suggests to me the trend of a glacial movement to the Tories with UKIP remaining at elevated levels and the Lib Dems in all kinds of trouble is likely to continue to polling day. This should cheer those betting on Labour largest party but not many others. "Hung" may not prove an adequate description of the next Parliament.
On a wider political point, if some obscure UKIP councillor had made similar remarks in England about e.g. Sadiq Khan, Farage would have had him out on his ear by lunchtime. Coburn will continue to drop shitbombs like this as long as he's in office; anyone looking for reasons why UKIP in Scotland will continue to flatline while the SCon vote consolidates might consider this buffooon as a contributory factor.
At 7.57 in fact. I didn't even need to be fully awake.
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/jeremy-warner/11455671/Austria-is-fast-becoming-Europes-latest-debt-nightmare.html etc)
3.15 - whoever is selling Labour on the exchange right now is the sort of person who lumped on Silvianaco Conti yesterday.
Slightly weird though. Austria has done reasonably well over the last few years and it is not obvious why they are allowing such a mess on their own doorstep. A message for the Greeks perhaps?
The ability of those managing the EZ to take careful aim at their own feet is not to be underestimated.
This is going to be a Tory theme, but could injure Labour in England quite heavily.
I would add
Budget for the Tories.
1930 style cuts for Labour.And attacks on Conservatives from their coalition partners which hasn`t started yet.
My view
Conservatives have all the cards in their hand-supposedly a strong leader,a strong economy,media biased massively in their favour and yet they are not gaining momentum.
Their campaign doesn`t seem to focus on the central theme they have identified(economy,leadership) but veering in all directions such as Salmond and Miliband.
However they hold the cards and perhaps they might gain momentum in the next few weeks.
Labour have some things stacked up against them-supposedly an unpopular leader,media massively biased in favour of their opponents.But their campaign has some focus and they are slowly lining their guns(1930 style cuts,NHS) in order for the shootout to the death.
Unknown factor:the debates
This is the modern world, the sooner all antiquidated religious superstition and claptrap nonsense is gone the better. Agreed?
On your first point: no, I wouldn't switch Muslim for Christian in this case. Christians are being murdered wholesale by ISIS and others in Syria and Iraq.
There is a saying to the effect that the difference between a dog and a wolf is three meals.
It's an interesting thought experiment to wonder how many atrocities would need to be conducted in mainland Britain within a short time period before bigotry becomes the default behaviour.
It's an effective tactic because it fools the voting stupid who walk amongst us.
Note the various sequences of 4 heads and 4 tails.
Now think back to the polling.
I am speaking from personal experience here too.
My first impressions from meeting him was that he was only interested in what he had to say and did not seem to understand the issue my wife and I were seeking help with.
To be honest as we left his surgery we thought it had been an utter, utter waste of time.
Then he came out and surprised us by making some very insightful comments about our situation.
He then got himself involved and Essex's knee jerk response to his intervention got things moving in our favour.
Mind you I still had major, major problems with Essex and it took an intervention by a judge to finally resolve issues- but we feel certain that he broke the logjam.
As an aside our issue showed me that far to many "public servants" really do not give a shit about the people they are supposed to be helping, even vulnerable children.
Sir Bob being an exception and also one of the local primary school heads who was prepared to tell the truth and stand up to County unlike so many others we had dealt with.
Also (re the seat) when I have discussed his position on here before the general feeling was he was fairly safe.
Time will tell and I honestly have not made my mind up yet - I feel I owe him but I just cannot stand the idea of an Ed Milliband government, so, if I thought the tories could win here I might have to vote for them.
Also I cannot stomach the Lib's approach to the EU so absolutely conflicted.
The only certainty is that Labour will never get my vote.
Many have been murdered wholesale by Christians (Catholics and Protestant) in the past, including the not so distant past. Does that make all the same, if the actions of ISIS are attributable to all Muslims were the actions of the IRA and UVF attributable to all Catholics and Protestants?
Words are slippery customers if they change their meaning and no one lets we Oldies know.
When, and it will happen, Black is defined as being derogatory unless used by black people, could you send a message to everyone over forty to let them know, please. No point using social media, though.
Get the police to send a letter personally addressed to us as you can't trust the kids, can you?
Anyway moving on the police seemed more concerned that I'd used the word halfcast to describe the lads as they were of mixed race rather more so than the fact me and my mate were assaulted.
ICM 2014: Lab 38 Con 34
ICM 2015: Con 36 Lab 32
Ipsos 2014: Lab 35 Con 32
Ipsos 2015: Lab 34 Con 33
Comres 2014: Lab 38 Con 30
Comres 2015: Con 34 Lab 32
Opinium 2014: Lab 34 Con 31
Opinium 2015: Con 34 Lab 34
Tonight's polling predictions:
Opinium - Con Lead 1%
ComRes - Con Lead 2%
YouGov - Con Lead 3%
The idea that because the Christians both Catholic from early times,and Lutherian from the 16th century murdered and forcibly converted people, in any way justifies Moslem behavour today, is the sort of thing cretinous fools put about to alleviate their own supine consciences.
When the muslim Jihad swept out of the Arabian desert in the 7th century, they also committed the crimes of torture and forcible conversion on whole peoples.
We must face the fact that today Islam is a religion and political body of expansion and death to all those that oppose it. And this, wether it's Sunni or Shia making the running.
Antifrank can be very reasonable, sometimes too much so; and too easy to tease as a result.
A couple of weeks ago, I asked how he would respond if a Kipper said that he found it offensive being called a Kipper. He took the question seriously but the correct answer was "Get a life, you moron."
We've now managed to provoke a less reasonable side - so he is human after all.
The Kippers need to remember that he may think you are lowlife of the worst order but he won't offend you by calling you a Kipper.
I think David Herdson's analysis lacks a little in that it focuses too much on the diminishing power of the centre right newspapers and ignores the influence of the generally centre left TV companies. Since they disappeared behind their paywalls I no longer read the Sun and Times and as the Telegraph disappears behind its own paywall my attention to their increasing dire news coverage will also fade. I'm sure the same will be true of many other people who get their news off the internet.
Despite that other than the Times and Telegraph I do not expect any of the newspapers to give the Tories whole hearted support. Too many of their potential readers will sit in the Tory right /UKIP space for them to have the luxury of dismissing UKIPs proposals. The Sun , Mail will be pro Tory but will be sufficiently supportive of UKIP not to totally disaffect its readers and the Express could possibly come out in favour of UKIP. The left of centre newspapers I expect will fall behind Labour simply because the Libdems and Greens are so far behind them. However, there may be some interesting splits in the way the newspapers call their support between the dailies and the Sundays
Moving on, whilst right of centre newspapers might want to present the Tory agenda in a positive light that is hardly going to be the case in regard the BBC, C4 and the increasingly left swinging Sky. Where ITV and C5 will sit is unclear
Of course TV coverage will be based on major party status and ensuring fairness of coverage. However that does not exclude challenging politicians to defend their positions and the likes of the BBC can use the 'equal' coverage of Libdems, Labour and even UKIP to counter any Tory advantage in the newspaper media. Whatever Tories want to believe in terms of major party status it is three against one. Just as in the debates if the Tories are out in front in the polls even by a whisker then they will be the primary target of the other parties obviously.
The idea that the newspapers will set the agenda is dubious. I believe the TV will set the agenda with the key news periods being the 6pm and 9-10pm TV news coverage of that days events and TV interviews before the newspapers have even had a chance to have their say.
Whilst major party status will shut out the Greens it will not shut out UKIP or the Libdems and they will be able to counter any newspaper bias with their TV visibility. Off course the Libdems will be hampered by their being a junior coalition partner but that said they have the benefit of having insights into the higher echelons of the Tory party and contacts in Whitehall which Labour and UKIP don't. It would not surprise me if they produce some tidbits from their time in government that are unhelpful to the Tories.
Cont......
2015 Lab 33 Con 34 1/4
Lab -3.25 Con +2.50
2.875 Lab -> Con swing on these numbers.
As for UKIP their big advantage is that they can talk about as Trevor Phillips calls it 'UKIP Land' which primarily means a Britain that is no longer constrained by the EU. They can offer change that none of the other parties can offer. Given they are withholding their manifesto until after the release of the other parties manifestos I expect there to be some surprises there which may steal the narrative for some part of the election. Further to that as we have seen this week as well trying to keep the immigration debate out of the news is nigh on impossible and we have yet to even get into the EU referendum issue
Add to that the concerns being raised about the lack lustre nature of the Tory manifesto and it may prove difficult for the Tories to control the agenda no matter how hard the right wing newspapers try.
As for the issues in reality the Tories have only really got the Economy and Unemployment as major successes but that is off the back of £375 billion QE and in excess of £500 billion in borrowing. I expect those figures to be repeated time and time again. There is also the issue of cuts which all the parties have got to address and already the Tories are having uneasy moments over the defence budget. Education is a qualified but contraversial success. Welfare and Health are open to all sorts of interpretations and then comes immigration, foreign policy, housing policy where despite their best efforts in reality the Tories have failed.
Given Labour have now announced immigration as one of their key commitments (and clearly see it as a stick to beat the Tories with) I see no way that the Tories can avoid it. It will be a high profile issue in the election.
Lastly character and popularity. Given current standings I do not think Miliband and Clegg's can get much worse (without some serious scandal). As such basically their reputations can only really be improved whereas both Cameron and Farage could see their ratings go either way based on a few days bad press
What is Judaism then?
Then calls other people who write books that are serialised attention seeking whores
Prob a wet dream
But just for you, here goes.
Judaism was not the first religion to say there is only One God, but it was the first religion
that in praying to the one god, didn't demand human sacrifice. A Hefer was substituted to be offered up instead
Judaism: from a tribe of nomads called Hebrews that settled on both sides of the river Jordan, sometime about 1100 BC.
And therin endeth this short lesson. Any more; I charge £50 per hour.
A Vince intervention that will please the Tories
But his pre-conference interview in The Guardian will have, for once, delighted the Tories. For in it, Cable rules out a deal with the SNP.
Now, this is a turn-around from Cable. Just last month, he said “We’re perfectly happy to work with the SNP. There’s no taboo on the SNP. ”
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2015/03/a-vince-intervention-that-will-please-the-tories/
What do people really mean when they say neocon?
1,003 adults were interviewed by telephone between 6 and 8 March
2015. Results have been weighted to be representative of all adults in
Great Britain. Half of the interviews were conducted by landline and half by mobile phone. Results are weighted by recalled past vote at the last general election and stated likelihood to turn out at the next. A proportion of those who don't know or refuse to say how they will vote are reallocated to the party they voted for at the 2010 general election.
http://lordashcroftpolls.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ANP-summary-150309X1.pdf
As to Farage, what has his comments to do with me ? Discuss him with UKIP members if you want.
I'm more interested in pointing out the government inaction towards the racist gangrape of two hundred thousand children (antifrank's calculation) and the toleration of the public services of it.
That you think Farage's views are of more concern says a lot about you.
People may have their political allegiances but they know which side of their bread is buttered.
Hoping to get the pre-race piece up within the next hour or so.
A not-quite-tip. Bottas has a bad back and *may* not race. He's 4.5 with Ladbrokes Not To Be Classified. That's either a dead cert [or null and void...] or very unlikely to come off. If you don't mind a risky bet, it's worth considering.
Anyway don't you miss the point? The ''...or Abu Hamza as I call him...'' remark was equating a Scottish government minister, Humza Yousaf, to a terrorist based on him being a muslim and or his name.
In any event just when you think we have run out of potential stupid remarks from UKIP candidates we come up with this... And all this after the great Leader said there was no need for equalities legislation.
As ever with UKIP they come out with the 'slip of the tongue' excuse, despite the boorish Coburn himself saying he thought he was making a private remark. As it is the dog whistle is out and echoing around. Wink wink nudge nudge.
In the past he also made fun of SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon for her "mad scary eyes" and compared Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson to porridge. Strikes me that the BBC has found a perfect replacement for Clarkson.