Been listening to a lot of radio news to-day. Seemed to be going much better for Labour. Not exactly coming apart for George but the gloss is being replaced with some pretty searching questions.
If yesterday was St George's day today was definitely Balls.
Been listening to a lot of radio news to-day. Seems to be going much better for Labour. Not exactly coming apart for George but the gloss is being replaced with some pretty searching questions.
If yesterday was St George's day today was definitely Balls.
TUD Sensational new poll when only last month they had No narrowly ahead by the same margin and Yes is still on 45% before don't knows are excluded, so sensational for Daily Record PR machine yes, not much beyond that
Shame about David Clegg he would be the ideal candidate for the Coalition
Please someone, correct me if I'm wrong, but there appear to be 2 survation polls out tonight.
SNP 47 Labour 28 Conservatives 14 Liberal Democrats 4 UKIP 3 Greens 2
and
David Clegg @davieclegg 48s48 seconds ago New @Survation / Daily Record poll Westminster voting intention: SNP 47%; LAB 26%; CON 16%; LD 4%; OTHER 7% #GE2015
Yep, there are 2. Bit naughty of Survation not to let one or other of their clients know.
Why?
An almost identical poll taken over almost the same period by the same pollster? What's the point?
Just got in and turned on QT to see the disgusting Shirley Williams is on.
I loathe that woman, the demise of social mobility lies squarely at her door, yet she she will grandstand like some grandee we should all admire. She destroyed the hopes of bright working class kids but the BBC wheel her out so she can feel important.
Please someone, correct me if I'm wrong, but there appear to be 2 survation polls out tonight.
SNP 47 Labour 28 Conservatives 14 Liberal Democrats 4 UKIP 3 Greens 2
and
David Clegg @davieclegg 48s48 seconds ago New @Survation / Daily Record poll Westminster voting intention: SNP 47%; LAB 26%; CON 16%; LD 4%; OTHER 7% #GE2015
Yep, there are 2. Bit naughty of Survation not to let one or other of their clients know.
Why?
An almost identical poll taken over almost the same period by the same pollster? What's the point?
Surely that is a good thing, less chance of an outlier. Anyway, they are a business and don't do this as a charity.
Been listening to a lot of radio news to-day. Seemed to be going much better for Labour. Not exactly coming apart for George but the gloss is being replaced with some pretty searching questions.
If yesterday was St George's day today was definitely Balls.
So YouGov post budget CON lead is just half what it was at the start of last week
Possibly because the Tories remain on 35 and Labour have climbed 2 whilst UKIP has dropped 1. Alternatively Labour had a 1 point lead last Wednesday.
Poll leads need to factor in the BBC's publicity. I think the trend will still be too close to call again by next week. The Conservatives need to start campaigning.
Scott P According to Anthony Wells tonight's yougov gives Tory 295, Labour 309, LD 18. Subtract 30 Scottish seats from Labour and you get Tory 295, Labour 279, so probably a Tory minority government with LD and DUP confidence and supply. I cannot see much else changing from now until polling day beyond the debates
I think you'd have about 35 Con marginals falling to Labour on a 4% swing*. Offset by 10 Lib Dem gains for Labour, and 12 for the Tories, a further 4 Tory losses to UKIP, and at least 26 Labour losses to the SNP.
So Tories 278, Labour 277, Lib Dems 25, SNP 40.
*assuming something special with further poll moves, late anti-Miliband swing, turnout or incumbency doesn't shave off another 20 seats in the Tories favour
Been listening to a lot of radio news to-day. Seemed to be going much better for Labour. Not exactly coming apart for George but the gloss is being replaced with some pretty searching questions.
If yesterday was St George's day today was definitely Balls.
every attack line from labour has now failed, 5million unemployed - fail, too far too fast -fail, double dip - fail, triple dip - fail, cost of living crisis - fail, 1930s levels of cuts - fail, weaponise the NHS - fail, HSBC deeds of variation gate - fail, Ed Miliband - FAIL
Been listening to a lot of radio news to-day. Seemed to be going much better for Labour. Not exactly coming apart for George but the gloss is being replaced with some pretty searching questions.
If yesterday was St George's day today was definitely Balls.
In my view,George and Cameron have totally lost it.
I suspect Labour will hammer on spending cuts till they are pretty close to a majority.
Just got in and turned on QT to see the disgusting Shirley Williams is on.
I loathe that woman, the demise of social mobility lies squarely at her door, yet she she will grandstand like some grandee we should all admire. She destroyed the hopes of bright working class kids but the BBC wheel her out so she can feel important.
I would happily shoot her.
I too mourn the passing of Grammar Schools but the prize for the person who closed the most goes to one Margaret Thatcher.
Please someone, correct me if I'm wrong, but there appear to be 2 survation polls out tonight.
SNP 47 Labour 28 Conservatives 14 Liberal Democrats 4 UKIP 3 Greens 2
and
David Clegg @davieclegg 48s48 seconds ago New @Survation / Daily Record poll Westminster voting intention: SNP 47%; LAB 26%; CON 16%; LD 4%; OTHER 7% #GE2015
Yep, there are 2. Bit naughty of Survation not to let one or other of their clients know.
Why?
An almost identical poll taken over almost the same period by the same pollster? What's the point?
2-point Tory lead as I suggested earlier. I think it'll be maintained on Saturday, then slide back to a tie.
As a matter of interest why hasn't labour commented on the hacking by Trinity Mirror Group
Maybe somebody would like to ask Ed's spin doctor for a comment about what it was like to work at the Mirror during this time? I mean he only worked at the Mirror during the 10 years this industrial scale hacking was going on.
So YouGov post budget CON lead is just half what it was at the start of last week
Think we need to wait for the weekend polls to really see how the budget has gone down, but the ratings for George look very good. Whether that translates into people wanting to give the Tories another go remains to be seen....
It's possible the general view could be "well done, now p*ss off"!
Been listening to a lot of radio news to-day. Seemed to be going much better for Labour. Not exactly coming apart for George but the gloss is being replaced with some pretty searching questions.
If yesterday was St George's day today was definitely Balls.
In my view,George and Cameron have totally lost it.
I suspect Labour will hammer on spending cuts till they are pretty close to a majority.
Are Labour planning to reverse the cuts? Balls said he agreed with the budget.
Just got in and turned on QT to see the disgusting Shirley Williams is on.
I loathe that woman, the demise of social mobility lies squarely at her door, yet she she will grandstand like some grandee we should all admire. She destroyed the hopes of bright working class kids but the BBC wheel her out so she can feel important.
I would happily shoot her.
I too mourn the passing of Grammar Schools but the prize for the person who closed the most goes to one Margaret Thatcher.
Every Government for the last fifty years is to blame, but Williams and others began the process and she should be shamed not wheeled out to give her warped opinions.
Just got in and turned on QT to see the disgusting Shirley Williams is on.
I loathe that woman, the demise of social mobility lies squarely at her door, yet she she will grandstand like some grandee we should all admire. She destroyed the hopes of bright working class kids but the BBC wheel her out so she can feel important.
I would happily shoot her.
I too mourn the passing of Grammar Schools but the prize for the person who closed the most goes to one Margaret Thatcher.
Welcome back Tabman!
Are you the same one who used to post here in 2005?
Been listening to a lot of radio news to-day. Seemed to be going much better for Labour. Not exactly coming apart for George but the gloss is being replaced with some pretty searching questions.
If yesterday was St George's day today was definitely Balls.
In my view,George and Cameron have totally lost it.
I suspect Labour will hammer on spending cuts till they are pretty close to a majority.
All that will do is concentrate the minds of the 40-45% of people in the country who believe austerity is a necessity. If Labour are going to push the cuts line it won't help them. It hasn't helped them for the last 5 years and I don't see why it would start now, if anything it would just make them look even more irresponsible. Clearly Ed Balls agrees which is why he has accepted all of the budget measures.
So YouGov post budget CON lead is just half what it was at the start of last week
Think we need to wait for the weekend polls to really see how the budget has gone down, but the ratings for George look very good. Whether that translates into people wanting to give the Tories another go remains to be seen....
It's possible the general view could be "well done, now p*ss off"!
The whole point the Tories are pushing more cuts and austerity is to avoid this very fate. "The job isn't done, don't squander all of our gains!".
Just got in and turned on QT to see the disgusting Shirley Williams is on.
I loathe that woman, the demise of social mobility lies squarely at her door, yet she she will grandstand like some grandee we should all admire. She destroyed the hopes of bright working class kids but the BBC wheel her out so she can feel important.
I would happily shoot her.
I too mourn the passing of Grammar Schools but the prize for the person who closed the most goes to one Margaret Thatcher.
Welcome back Tabman!
Are you the same one who used to post here in 2005?
2-point Tory lead as I suggested earlier. I think it'll be maintained on Saturday, then slide back to a tie.
As a matter of interest why hasn't labour commented on the hacking by Trinity Mirror Group
Maybe somebody would like to ask Ed's spin doctor for a comment about what it was like to work at the Mirror during this time? I mean he only worked at the Mirror during the 10 years this industrial scale hacking was going on.
It's an uneasy stand off. The second Ed lisps 'Coulson', Baldwins name will be scatter gunned across the media.
Labour will announce more tax rises to plug a £1.5 billion gap left by George Osborne’s raid on its campaign war-chest, a senior figure in the party said yesterday.
The chancellor stole two of Labour’s key money-raising measures to fund his own giveaways for first-time buyers, savers and workers in Wednesday’s budget.
Ed Balls yesterday chose to match all the handouts, even though that leaves a hole in funding earmarked for policies such as the pledge to cut tuition fees.
@OliverCooper: Twice as many people want George Osborne to be Chancellor (40%) as want Ed Balls (20%). Britain wants a man with a plan. #bbcqt
Osborne will want to spike Labour's guns on the NHS. Then Labour will have nowhere else to run to.
I predict a big spending commitment in the coming weeks on that for the manifesto, linked to the LTEP natch.
He'll turn a strategic weakness for the Tories into a strength. That would be pure Osborne as well.
Well Osborne has briefed the Telegraph about taking a million out of 40p tax band. I presume there are other things he is going to claim the Lib Dem's wouldn't sign off.
Been listening to a lot of radio news to-day. Seemed to be going much better for Labour. Not exactly coming apart for George but the gloss is being replaced with some pretty searching questions.
If yesterday was St George's day today was definitely Balls.
In my view,George and Cameron have totally lost it.
I suspect Labour will hammer on spending cuts till they are pretty close to a majority.
Are Labour planning to reverse the cuts? Balls said he agreed with the budget.
It is not this budget that`s the problem for Con.
It is the fact that George is having to make spending cuts twice as deep in the next Parliament that is going to scare the horses.
George was crazy to make his intent clear in the Autumn statement and Labour will and must exploit it to the full.
The most curious thing about the LibDem alternative budget stunt - apart from how it got past the inevitable 'Err, wouldn't that make us look a bit silly?' objection - is that Danny A actually had a seriously good announcement to make today about clamping down on tax avoidance and evasion, which has been thrown away.
Labour will announce more tax rises to plug a £1.5 billion gap left by George Osborne’s raid on its campaign war-chest, a senior figure in the party said yesterday.
The chancellor stole two of Labour’s key money-raising measures to fund his own giveaways for first-time buyers, savers and workers in Wednesday’s budget.
Ed Balls yesterday chose to match all the handouts, even though that leaves a hole in funding earmarked for policies such as the pledge to cut tuition fees.
@OliverCooper: Twice as many people want George Osborne to be Chancellor (40%) as want Ed Balls (20%). Britain wants a man with a plan. #bbcqt
Osborne will want to spike Labour's guns on the NHS. Then Labour will have nowhere else to run to.
I predict a big spending commitment in the coming weeks on that for the manifesto, linked to the LTEP natch.
He'll turn a strategic weakness for the Tories into a strength. That would be pure Osborne as well.
Indeed, the spending rises pencilled in for 2018/19 and 2019/20 would easily be able to cover a real terms spending increase for the NHS and possibly even meeting the 2% military spending target by the end of spending period. Neutralise Labour's strong point and appeal to traditional Tory values with phantom numbers that Labour have no answer to. Sounds like an Osborne ploy.
@OliverCooper: Twice as many people want George Osborne to be Chancellor (40%) as want Ed Balls (20%). Britain wants a man with a plan. #bbcqt
So... twice as many people want Osborne to be Chancellor as Balls. No one want Miliband to be PM. Everyone hates Clegg. 55% of Scotland want to stay in the union 100% of English people want EVEL. The Green leader cannot walk and chew gum at the same time and UKIP have just lost 2 more candidates on the same day. To be honest if only Cameron were the most popular of the party leaders I'd be tempted to put a bet on the Tories to win.
Please someone, correct me if I'm wrong, but there appear to be 2 survation polls out tonight.
SNP 47 Labour 28 Conservatives 14 Liberal Democrats 4 UKIP 3 Greens 2
and
David Clegg @davieclegg 48s48 seconds ago New @Survation / Daily Record poll Westminster voting intention: SNP 47%; LAB 26%; CON 16%; LD 4%; OTHER 7% #GE2015
Yep, there are 2. Bit naughty of Survation not to let one or other of their clients know.
Why?
An almost identical poll taken over almost the same period by the same pollster? What's the point?
The most important figures to be released tomorrow will be the results of Biogen's report on the first full data in human trials from research on BIIB037 at an Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease conference in Nice, France. A billion dollar bet by the company but more important for millions of sufferers and their families.
2-point Tory lead as I suggested earlier. I think it'll be maintained on Saturday, then slide back to a tie.
As a matter of interest why hasn't labour commented on the hacking by Trinity Mirror Group
Maybe somebody would like to ask Ed's spin doctor for a comment about what it was like to work at the Mirror during this time? I mean he only worked at the Mirror during the 10 years this industrial scale hacking was going on.
It's an uneasy stand off. The second Ed lisps 'Coulson', Baldwins name will be scatter gunned across the media.
So far it is interesting that Tories haven't attacked appointment of Baldwin. Obviously not directly, but through dark arts. Lots of material about him in Ashcroft's book.
@OliverCooper: Twice as many people want George Osborne to be Chancellor (40%) as want Ed Balls (20%). Britain wants a man with a plan. #bbcqt
Osborne will want to spike Labour's guns on the NHS. Then Labour will have nowhere else to run to.
I predict a big spending commitment in the coming weeks on that for the manifesto, linked to the LTEP natch.
He'll turn a strategic weakness for the Tories into a strength. That would be pure Osborne as well.
Indeed, the spending rises pencilled in for 2018/19 and 2019/20 would easily be able to cover a real terms spending increase for the NHS and possibly even meeting the 2% military spending target by the end of spending period. Neutralise Labour's strong point and appeal to traditional Tory values with phantom numbers that Labour have no answer to. Sounds like an Osborne ploy.
That's my view. There was an awful lot of cash he didn't pledge to spend on Wednesday. He might want to match the £30bn pa projected NHS "funding gap" in its entirety (or at least a fair chunk of it) with the savings from the fiscal consolidation.
He'll say Labour could never afford to do it. So the NHS will be better off in Tory hands.
I don't think he'll commit to the 2% target for defence, because it's too expensive, but I do expect some sort of additional pledge on defence. Perhaps on army numbers.
Been listening to a lot of radio news to-day. Seemed to be going much better for Labour. Not exactly coming apart for George but the gloss is being replaced with some pretty searching questions.
If yesterday was St George's day today was definitely Balls.
In my view,George and Cameron have totally lost it.
I suspect Labour will hammer on spending cuts till they are pretty close to a majority.
Are Labour planning to reverse the cuts? Balls said he agreed with the budget.
It is not this budget that`s the problem for Con.
It is the fact that George is having to make spending cuts twice as deep in the next Parliament that is going to scare the horses.
George was crazy to make his intent clear in the Autumn statement and Labour will and must exploit it to the full.
Again, Labour's Tory cuts mantra hasn't cut through for 5 years, why would it suddenly do so now? People just don't believe Labour on the economy. It is why Ed Balls accepted the budget measures and Ed Miliband has not been seen or heard while it is all still in the news. He will pop up next week some time and make a speech about the NHS and completely ignore the economy because Labour can't win on the economy.
David Clegg @davieclegg 48s48 seconds ago New @Survation / Daily Record poll Westminster voting intention: SNP 47%; LAB 26%; CON 16%; LD 4%; OTHER 7% #GE2015
That is pretty terrible still but is it not a slight recovery for Labour from recent polls that have had the SNP over 50 and Labour struggling to beat 20?
No the SNP are up within the MOE in this poll. Only the subsamples in UK wide polls have Labour below 20 and the SNP above 50.
Please someone, correct me if I'm wrong, but there appear to be 2 survation polls out tonight.
SNP 47 Labour 28 Conservatives 14 Liberal Democrats 4 UKIP 3 Greens 2
and
David Clegg @davieclegg 48s48 seconds ago New @Survation / Daily Record poll Westminster voting intention: SNP 47%; LAB 26%; CON 16%; LD 4%; OTHER 7% #GE2015
Yep, there are 2. Bit naughty of Survation not to let one or other of their clients know.
Why?
An almost identical poll taken over almost the same period by the same pollster? What's the point?
@OliverCooper: Twice as many people want George Osborne to be Chancellor (40%) as want Ed Balls (20%). Britain wants a man with a plan. #bbcqt
Osborne will want to spike Labour's guns on the NHS. Then Labour will have nowhere else to run to.
I predict a big spending commitment in the coming weeks on that for the manifesto, linked to the LTEP natch.
He'll turn a strategic weakness for the Tories into a strength. That would be pure Osborne as well.
Indeed, the spending rises pencilled in for 2018/19 and 2019/20 would easily be able to cover a real terms spending increase for the NHS and possibly even meeting the 2% military spending target by the end of spending period. Neutralise Labour's strong point and appeal to traditional Tory values with phantom numbers that Labour have no answer to. Sounds like an Osborne ploy.
That's my view. There was an awful lot of cash he didn't pledge to spend on Wednesday. He might want to match the £30bn pa projected NHS "funding gap" in its entirety (or at least a fair chunk of it) with the savings from the fiscal consolidation.
He'll say Labour could never afford to do it. So the NHS will be better off in Tory hands.
I don't think he'll commit to the 2% target for defence, because it's too expensive, but I do expect some sort of additional pledge on defence. Perhaps on army numbers.
On the 2% target I think he will make it an aspiration to be above the target by the end of the spending period and make no mention of the in between years where there will be no pledge to maintain 2%. It will give him the headlines without committing real money.
The lady from the Tax Payers Alliance should not be allowed any form of human contact in her role as she is an appalling speaker.
Seems fine from here, pointing out some sensible money saving policies to my mind tbh. But neither Labour nor Conservatives are going to touch the triple lock/winter fuel with a barge poll
Please someone, correct me if I'm wrong, but there appear to be 2 survation polls out tonight.
SNP 47 Labour 28 Conservatives 14 Liberal Democrats 4 UKIP 3 Greens 2
and
David Clegg @davieclegg 48s48 seconds ago New @Survation / Daily Record poll Westminster voting intention: SNP 47%; LAB 26%; CON 16%; LD 4%; OTHER 7% #GE2015
Yep, there are 2. Bit naughty of Survation not to let one or other of their clients know.
Technically they're both for the same client - The Labour Party. One for its Daily Record unit, one for its Unison unit.
Been listening to a lot of radio news to-day. Seemed to be going much better for Labour. Not exactly coming apart for George but the gloss is being replaced with some pretty searching questions.
If yesterday was St George's day today was definitely Balls.
In my view,George and Cameron have totally lost it.
I suspect Labour will hammer on spending cuts till they are pretty close to a majority.
Are Labour planning to reverse the cuts? Balls said he agreed with the budget.
It is not this budget that`s the problem for Con.
It is the fact that George is having to make spending cuts twice as deep in the next Parliament that is going to scare the horses.
George was crazy to make his intent clear in the Autumn statement and Labour will and must exploit it to the full.
Again, Labour's Tory cuts mantra hasn't cut through for 5 years.
The worry may be that it doesn't have to cut through for everyone, just a few. So long as Labour bafflingly hold on to the 'no cuts' crowd, and the 'maybe the Labour cuts won't be as bad because Labour don't get an erection from hurting people unlike the Tories' crowd, that few should be enough.
Been listening to a lot of radio news to-day. Seemed to be going much better for Labour. Not exactly coming apart for George but the gloss is being replaced with some pretty searching questions.
If yesterday was St George's day today was definitely Balls.
In my view,George and Cameron have totally lost it.
I suspect Labour will hammer on spending cuts till they are pretty close to a majority.
Are Labour planning to reverse the cuts? Balls said he agreed with the budget.
It is not this budget that`s the problem for Con.
It is the fact that George is having to make spending cuts twice as deep in the next Parliament that is going to scare the horses.
George was crazy to make his intent clear in the Autumn statement and Labour will and must exploit it to the full.
Again, Labour's Tory cuts mantra hasn't cut through for 5 years, why would it suddenly do so now? People just don't believe Labour on the economy. It is why Ed Balls accepted the budget measures and Ed Miliband has not been seen or heard while it is all still in the news. He will pop up next week some time and make a speech about the NHS and completely ignore the economy because Labour can't win on the economy.
Mate.Do you guys even live in the real world?
If it was all going so swimmingly and Labour`s campaign wasn`t working,why did your genius chancellor had to row back from his supposed austerity measures in the autumn statement?
So YouGov post budget CON lead is just half what it was at the start of last week
Think we need to wait for the weekend polls to really see how the budget has gone down, but the ratings for George look very good. Whether that translates into people wanting to give the Tories another go remains to be seen....
It's possible the general view could be "well done, now p*ss off"!
It may be one glass of chablis too many, but i have lost track, yougov now have the tories with a two point lead. Which is half the level of last week ?? So last week was four points, Did i miss that.
Well every news bulletin managed to contain the snippet that depending on the fraction of a percent you use will determine whether we're talking about Osborne taking spending back to the early sixties or the early thirties!
This was usually followed by Danny Alexander mentioning "Cathy Come Home". Not exactly a great sell for us Ken Loach fans
Been listening to a lot of radio news to-day. Seemed to be going much better for Labour. Not exactly coming apart for George but the gloss is being replaced with some pretty searching questions.
If yesterday was St George's day today was definitely Balls.
In my view,George and Cameron have totally lost it.
I suspect Labour will hammer on spending cuts till they are pretty close to a majority.
Are Labour planning to reverse the cuts? Balls said he agreed with the budget.
It is not this budget that`s the problem for Con.
It is the fact that George is having to make spending cuts twice as deep in the next Parliament that is going to scare the horses.
George was crazy to make his intent clear in the Autumn statement and Labour will and must exploit it to the full.
Again, Labour's Tory cuts mantra hasn't cut through for 5 years, why would it suddenly do so now? People just don't believe Labour on the economy. It is why Ed Balls accepted the budget measures and Ed Miliband has not been seen or heard while it is all still in the news. He will pop up next week some time and make a speech about the NHS and completely ignore the economy because Labour can't win on the economy.
It did work to some extent last time though. Fear is a powerful driver as we saw with Scottish Independence Referendum.
Tories promising huge cuts, Labour are promising no cuts after next year...Both are bollocks, but people don't understand much beyond this kind of level and the media don't really explain it.
Peston on BBC1 10pm started off bad for Con but then put up a graph showing National Debt much higher under Lab - so all in all not too bad.
But what was hilarious was that the National Debt figures were for 2035/36 - NOT a typo!
When we can't forecast what will happen over the next 12 months how crazy is it to even talk about what the figures may be in 20 years time!
I take your point, but if Brown had had a care for figures 20 years ahead in 2000 then we would not have been in this mess in the first place. Where Brown was thinking was just to 2006 when he wanted to become leader. To make matters worse he kept the careless spending going until he had bludgeoned everyone into submission.
@OliverCooper: Twice as many people want George Osborne to be Chancellor (40%) as want Ed Balls (20%). Britain wants a man with a plan. #bbcqt
Osborne will want to spike Labour's guns on the NHS. Then Labour will have nowhere else to run to.
I predict a big spending commitment in the coming weeks on that for the manifesto, linked to the LTEP natch.
He'll turn a strategic weakness for the Tories into a strength. That would be pure Osborne as well.
Indeed, the spending rises pencilled in for 2018/19 and 2019/20 would easily be able to cover a real terms spending increase for the NHS and possibly even meeting the 2% military spending target by the end of spending period. Neutralise Labour's strong point and appeal to traditional Tory values with phantom numbers that Labour have no answer to. Sounds like an Osborne ploy.
That's my view. There was an awful lot of cash he didn't pledge to spend on Wednesday. He might want to match the £30bn pa projected NHS "funding gap" in its entirety (or at least a fair chunk of it) with the savings from the fiscal consolidation.
He'll say Labour could never afford to do it. So the NHS will be better off in Tory hands.
I don't think he'll commit to the 2% target for defence, because it's too expensive, but I do expect some sort of additional pledge on defence. Perhaps on army numbers.
On the 2% target I think he will make it an aspiration to be above the target by the end of the spending period and make no mention of the in between years where there will be no pledge to maintain 2%. It will give him the headlines without committing real money.
The cost to the military in providing humanitarian assistance around the world and for training foreign troops should be paid for out of the Aid budget.
Been listening to a lot of radio news to-day. Seemed to be going much better for Labour. Not exactly coming apart for George but the gloss is being replaced with some pretty searching questions.
If yesterday was St George's day today was definitely Balls.
In my view,George and Cameron have totally lost it.
I suspect Labour will hammer on spending cuts till they are pretty close to a majority.
Are Labour planning to reverse the cuts? Balls said he agreed with the budget.
It is not this budget that`s the problem for Con.
It is the fact that George is having to make spending cuts twice as deep in the next Parliament that is going to scare the horses.
George was crazy to make his intent clear in the Autumn statement and Labour will and must exploit it to the full.
Again, Labour's Tory cuts mantra hasn't cut through for 5 years.
The worry may be that it doesn't have to cut through for everyone, just a few. So long as Labour bafflingly hold on to the 'no cuts' crowd, and the 'maybe the Labour cuts won't be as bad because Labour don't get an erection from hurting people unlike the Tories' crowd, that few should be enough.
AKA the 35% strategy. Not sure it works without Scotland delivering ca. 50 seats. I believe Labour are campaigning mainly on the NHS because they realise that as well. Ed Miliband hasn't been seen since yesterday afternoon because I don't think he wants to be associated with any kind of campaigning on economic issues.
@OliverCooper: Twice as many people want George Osborne to be Chancellor (40%) as want Ed Balls (20%). Britain wants a man with a plan. #bbcqt
So... twice as many people want Osborne to be Chancellor as Balls. No one want Miliband to be PM. Everyone hates Clegg. 55% of Scotland want to stay in the union 100% of English people want EVEL. The Green leader cannot walk and chew gum at the same time and UKIP have just lost 2 more candidates on the same day. To be honest if only Cameron were the most popular of the party leaders I'd be tempted to put a bet on the Tories to win.
Yeah, to be honest despite my insistence upon being pessimistic about Tory fortunes, there are polls like that which suggest they really should be doing a lot better as individually and on important measures they seem to do great in some places, and yet that stubborn brand problem remains one of the biggest factors in, remarkably, making even a most seats win very hard for them.
Well every news bulletin managed to contain the snippet that depending on the fraction of a percent you use will determine whether we're talking about Osborne taking spending back to the early sixties or the early thirties!
This was usually followed by Danny Alexander mentioning "Cathy Come Home". Not exactly a great sell for us Ken Loach fans
Those dates mean nothing to most people. Ditto that film title. 'Cathy? Was she on the X Factor?'
The woman in the audience claiming Islamist extremism has nothing to do with Islam... Noone called her out on those comments. Disgraceful attitude, nothing to do with Islam, nothing to see here, move along...
Been listening to a lot of radio news to-day. Seemed to be going much better for Labour. Not exactly coming apart for George but the gloss is being replaced with some pretty searching questions.
If yesterday was St George's day today was definitely Balls.
In my view,George and Cameron have totally lost it.
I suspect Labour will hammer on spending cuts till they are pretty close to a majority.
Are Labour planning to reverse the cuts? Balls said he agreed with the budget.
It is not this budget that`s the problem for Con.
It is the fact that George is having to make spending cuts twice as deep in the next Parliament that is going to scare the horses.
George was crazy to make his intent clear in the Autumn statement and Labour will and must exploit it to the full.
Again, Labour's Tory cuts mantra hasn't cut through for 5 years.
The worry may be that it doesn't have to cut through for everyone, just a few. So long as Labour bafflingly hold on to the 'no cuts' crowd, and the 'maybe the Labour cuts won't be as bad because Labour don't get an erection from hurting people unlike the Tories' crowd, that few should be enough.
AKA the 35% strategy. Not sure it works without Scotland delivering ca. 50 seats.
Granted, that does make it even riskier than it was before, when it was foolish to rely on it, but pretty achievable. Serves them right for being complacent in the heartlands I guess even if, amazingly, it is still possible for them to win without, and still more likely than a Tory win.
Now you mention it, I hadn't noticed Ed M has been so low key since yesterday. Come on Ed, you really aren't that bad, stop listening to the spin doctors telling you to stay away.
Just got in and turned on QT to see the disgusting Shirley Williams is on.
I loathe that woman, the demise of social mobility lies squarely at her door, yet she she will grandstand like some grandee we should all admire. She destroyed the hopes of bright working class kids but the BBC wheel her out so she can feel important.
I would happily shoot her.
I too mourn the passing of Grammar Schools but the prize for the person who closed the most goes to one Margaret Thatcher.
I believe it was the Local Authorities in Thatcher's time who were responsible for the grammar school closures.
Been listening to a lot of radio news to-day. Seemed to be going much better for Labour. Not exactly coming apart for George but the gloss is being replaced with some pretty searching questions.
If yesterday was St George's day today was definitely Balls.
In my view,George and Cameron have totally lost it.
I suspect Labour will hammer on spending cuts till they are pretty close to a majority.
Are Labour planning to reverse the cuts? Balls said he agreed with the budget.
It is not this budget that`s the problem for Con.
It is the fact that George is having to make spending cuts twice as deep in the next Parliament that is going to scare the horses.
George was crazy to make his intent clear in the Autumn statement and Labour will and must exploit it to the full.
Again, Labour's Tory cuts mantra hasn't cut through for 5 years, why would it suddenly do so now? People just don't believe Labour on the economy. It is why Ed Balls accepted the budget measures and Ed Miliband has not been seen or heard while it is all still in the news. He will pop up next week some time and make a speech about the NHS and completely ignore the economy because Labour can't win on the economy.
Mate.Do you guys even live in the real world?
If it was all going so swimmingly and Labour`s campaign wasn`t working,why did your genius chancellor had to row back from his supposed austerity measures in the autumn statement?
I'm not a Tory. If I were it would be a very unhappy marriage...
Also, in the real world Labour are the least trusted party on the economy and Osborne has a 20 point lead on economic competence over Balls. The cuts message isn't cutting through. If it was Labour would be 10 points up in the polls and Osborne would have taken a penny off the basic rate yesterday. The reason behind Osborne reducing the final year surplus isn't because of Labour's Tory cuts crap, it is because of Labour's highly effective NHS campaigning. That extra money is all going to be spent on the NHS to neutralise Labour's strongest campaigning tool.
The most curious thing about the LibDem alternative budget stunt - apart from how it got past the inevitable 'Err, wouldn't that make us look a bit silly?' objection - is that Danny A actually had a seriously good announcement to make today about clamping down on tax avoidance and evasion, which has been thrown away.
Oh well.
But it sums up their 5 wasted years as a coalition partner. Once gain they trash their own government. They the LDs are a wing of government. They think they can get re elected by behaving as if the last 5 years have been like a plot out of Dallas. They think the electorate will behave like Pam and wake up on polling day to see a reanimated Clegg walk through the door who did not run over by a Tory SUV. It was all a dream.
Who are they kidding? As a wing of government that might want to have influence in government they need to bank such influence as they have had and get on with supporting themselves and the govt in the election. They have thrown away the opportunity that coalition gave them. The rump of their support don't care. They deserve oblivion - not for being libdems but for wasting whatever it is they stand for. They are pointless.
Sajid Javid to Will Self: "I have worked for the minimum wage actually" Maybe Self has no idea about Sajid's upbringing #bbcqt
Why do the bbc keep bringing this prat on.
Er. How? The minimum wage was introduced in 1998. By this time Sajid was about 29 years old. According to his wiki page after university (approx. age 21) he "immediately" went to work for Chase bank, followed by a stellar career at Deutshe bank and then politics.
So, when exactly did this MP work for the minimum wage?
Comments
If yesterday was St George's day today was definitely Balls.
Shame about David Clegg he would be the ideal candidate for the Coalition
I loathe that woman, the demise of social mobility lies squarely at her door, yet she she will grandstand like some grandee we should all admire. She destroyed the hopes of bright working class kids but the BBC wheel her out so she can feel important.
I would happily shoot her.
Roger's record remains untarnished...
@OliverCooper: Twice as many people want George Osborne to be Chancellor (40%) as want Ed Balls (20%). Britain wants a man with a plan. #bbcqt
Alternatively Labour had a 1 point lead last Wednesday.
Poll leads need to factor in the BBC's publicity. I think the trend will still be too close to call again by next week. The Conservatives need to start campaigning.
So Tories 278, Labour 277, Lib Dems 25, SNP 40.
*assuming something special with further poll moves, late anti-Miliband swing, turnout or incumbency doesn't shave off another 20 seats in the Tories favour
I suspect Labour will hammer on spending cuts till they are pretty close to a majority.
Not 'till they are pretty close to going below 200 seats'?
It's possible the general view could be "well done, now p*ss off"!
Are you the same one who used to post here in 2005?
Are you still LD?
I predict a big spending commitment in the coming weeks on that for the manifesto, linked to the LTEP natch.
He'll turn a strategic weakness for the Tories into a strength. That would be pure Osborne as well.
Or maybe if he reads PB he'll say 'isam was right' ... He is saying all the things that Tim et al slaughtered me for
I expect the Tories will hammer tax rises till they are pretty close to a majority...
And ColinW (also known as ColinC)
It is the fact that George is having to make spending cuts twice as deep in the next Parliament that is going to scare the horses.
George was crazy to make his intent clear in the Autumn statement and Labour will and must exploit it to the full.
http://images.amcnetworks.com/ifc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/dr-strangelove-stanley-kubrick-2.jpg
Oh well.
I expect the Tories will hammer tax rises till they are pretty close to a majority...
New Banker's Bonus Tax?
But what was hilarious was that the National Debt figures were for 2035/36 - NOT a typo!
When we can't forecast what will happen over the next 12 months how crazy is it to even talk about what the figures may be in 20 years time!
To be honest if only Cameron were the most popular of the party leaders I'd be tempted to put a bet on the Tories to win.
James Chapman (Mail) @jameschappers
.@Survation for Record has SNP extending lead: SNP 47 LAB 26 CON 16 LIB 4. Voters would back independence 45/43 in a second #indyref
First Survation Scotland VI published today was 10th to 16th March.
SNP 47, Labour 28
19pts
Second Survation Scotland VI was 12th to 17th March.
SNP 47, Labour 26
21pts
He'll say Labour could never afford to do it. So the NHS will be better off in Tory hands.
I don't think he'll commit to the 2% target for defence, because it's too expensive, but I do expect some sort of additional pledge on defence. Perhaps on army numbers.
Shirley Williams is well past her sell by date.
Paul Waugh @paulwaugh
Sajid Javid to Will Self: "I have worked for the minimum wage actually" Maybe Self has no idea about Sajid's upbringing #bbcqt
Why do the bbc keep bringing this prat on.
If it was all going so swimmingly and Labour`s campaign wasn`t working,why did your genius chancellor had to row back from his supposed austerity measures in the autumn statement?
Whatever happened to Mike Smithson???
Aker on ?
"every attack line from labour has now failed"
Well every news bulletin managed to contain the snippet that depending on the fraction of a percent you use will determine whether we're talking about Osborne taking spending back to the early sixties or the early thirties!
This was usually followed by Danny Alexander mentioning "Cathy Come Home". Not exactly a great sell for us Ken Loach fans
Tories promising huge cuts, Labour are promising no cuts after next year...Both are bollocks, but people don't understand much beyond this kind of level and the media don't really explain it.
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2015/03/is-nigel-farage-becoming-ron-paul/
Iain Martin @iainmartin1
I don't want to be abusive, but Will Self is such a pillock. @bbcquestiontime
Now you mention it, I hadn't noticed Ed M has been so low key since yesterday. Come on Ed, you really aren't that bad, stop listening to the spin doctors telling you to stay away.
Also, in the real world Labour are the least trusted party on the economy and Osborne has a 20 point lead on economic competence over Balls. The cuts message isn't cutting through. If it was Labour would be 10 points up in the polls and Osborne would have taken a penny off the basic rate yesterday. The reason behind Osborne reducing the final year surplus isn't because of Labour's Tory cuts crap, it is because of Labour's highly effective NHS campaigning. That extra money is all going to be spent on the NHS to neutralise Labour's strongest campaigning tool.
Who are they kidding?
As a wing of government that might want to have influence in government they need to bank such influence as they have had and get on with supporting themselves and the govt in the election.
They have thrown away the opportunity that coalition gave them. The rump of their support don't care. They deserve oblivion - not for being libdems but for wasting whatever it is they stand for. They are pointless.
Croydon must be cheaper than Hammersmith lol
So, when exactly did this MP work for the minimum wage?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/matt/
Labour 474
Conservative 131
Plaid Cymru 62
Independent 52
Liberal Democrats 26