One thing I did notice in the R4 Farage interview is that he has picked up that annoying smug Salmond/Sturgeon nervous tick of laughing at his own jokes. Just makes him look more pompous.
You can see why Cameron didn't want too many of these "debates". Today's news is filled up with the media's own self-interested talking-up and all we will hear about tomorrow is who came across best or who made a gaffe with very little about actual policy. Radio 4 pretended it was the best opportunity for "direct contact with the voters" whereas the politicians would be better off continuing their tours of the country.
the sort of direct contact which the politicians hate involves people like Mrs Duffy and Gordon Brown.
Hard to disagree with your paragraph - the debates are sterile, and a means of excluding difficult issues. Sound bite politics for sound bite programmes.
But few politicians are awake to the fact that the world does not owe anyone in the UK a living and this is shown by the near dinosauric policies of many of our political parties. The world has moved on and there cannot be any return to the past and we have to try and shape our circumstances to the demands of the global and technical revolution that is going on around us.
Some PBers are developing business globally whilst others want to revert to past times and privileges that are no longer there and so mirror the political party leaders. Will we see any real thought innovation for GB at the debate tonight - I sincerely doubt it.
Very true.
The UK, both politicians and voters appear to believe that the world owes the UK a living, and are going to be shocked to find out that it doesn't. Our education is bad and getting worse, and will get dramatically worse under Labour, our productivity is a disgrace, and we are spending far more than we are earning, and it wont go on forever, as soon as another major economy looks like a better place to put your money than the UK, it is going to be hard for the government to borrow without paying a lot more for the pleasure. Never mind the hell that is going to be to pay when UK domestic interest rates move back to their historic normals of 3-5%.
I am going to be very interested in what happens when if (as rumoured) China opens Hong Kong to external investment as a tax haven with cast iron banking secrecy rules, and no realistic chance of western governments leaning on them to reveal tax details of their investors.
Mr. Gadfly, UKIP have been declining recently, but their support hasn't fallen off a cliff.
I don't believe that I suggested as much, but the constant decline since October suggests something is amiss, and I was simply postulating that I may not be alone in having become bored with Farage's drum.
Russia wants access to the Sea. Crimea, and Baltic are the targets. The pathetic 'resistance' to the expansion into Crimea will embolden Russia in the Baltic. What are NATO going to do? Bomb them? Hell Yes!, to coin a current expression.
The agenda for Russia is to destabilise and topple the USA from the position of primary global power and policeman and to see her decline. A goal that is common to China. An unholy alliance with a common cause that will make them work together in a limited but cooperative and strategic way.
I guess Cameron's calling card re Farage is the In-Out EU referendum. Assuming he gets that across it really only leaves Farage moaning about dirty foreigners. Given how employed-up Britain currently is that also should be fairly easy to lance.
That doesn't fly very far, kippers are not going to vote against any EU referendum bill, and in the Midlands and the north might actually add to the pro-referendum vote by taking votes from Labour.
Cameron has missed a trick here I think. He is so desperate to distance himself from the kippers, when in reality they are mostly picking up votes in the south in safe Tory seats and wont make a lot of difference, that his misses the opportunity to reduce the Labour vote in the Midlands and the North which in turn increases his chance of a majority. If the kippers were doing a bit better and took 6-8 seats from Labour in places like Heywood and Middleton he would be much closer to a majority.
Pedant alert: Labour losing a seat to UKIP doesn't move Cameron any closer to a majority. It moves him closer to a plurality.
I guess Cameron's calling card re Farage is the In-Out EU referendum. Assuming he gets that across it really only leaves Farage moaning about dirty foreigners. Given how employed-up Britain currently is that also should be fairly easy to lance.
That doesn't fly very far, kippers are not going to vote against any EU referendum bill, and in the Midlands and the north might actually add to the pro-referendum vote by taking votes from Labour.
Cameron has missed a trick here I think. He is so desperate to distance himself from the kippers, when in reality they are mostly picking up votes in the south in safe Tory seats and wont make a lot of difference, that his misses the opportunity to reduce the Labour vote in the Midlands and the North which in turn increases his chance of a majority. If the kippers were doing a bit better and took 6-8 seats from Labour in places like Heywood and Middleton he would be much closer to a majority.
Pedant alert: Labour losing a seat to UKIP doesn't move Cameron any closer to a majority. It moves him closer to a plurality.
I am aware of that, but in the context of the OP, the EU referendum, it's one more MP that will vote for it (UKIP), replacing an MP that would vote against it (LAB).
I guess Cameron's calling card re Farage is the In-Out EU referendum. Assuming he gets that across it really only leaves Farage moaning about dirty foreigners. Given how employed-up Britain currently is that also should be fairly easy to lance.
That doesn't fly very far, kippers are not going to vote against any EU referendum bill, and in the Midlands and the north might actually add to the pro-referendum vote by taking votes from Labour.
Cameron has missed a trick here I think. He is so desperate to distance himself from the kippers, when in reality they are mostly picking up votes in the south in safe Tory seats and wont make a lot of difference, that his misses the opportunity to reduce the Labour vote in the Midlands and the North which in turn increases his chance of a majority. If the kippers were doing a bit better and took 6-8 seats from Labour in places like Heywood and Middleton he would be much closer to a majority.
Pedant alert: Labour losing a seat to UKIP doesn't move Cameron any closer to a majority. It moves him closer to a plurality.
I am aware of that, but in the context of the OP, the EU referendum, it's one more MP that will vote for it (UKIP), replacing an MP that would vote against it (LAB).
That assumes that the 6-8 seats aren't replaced by 6-8 seats lost to Lab or others.
Last night watched a repeat of a programme giving the history of the Welsh Valleys, often illustrated by pictures of the changing times. It gave a very good illustration of the impact of technology and globalisation on the health or misery of that local economy. ... Some PBers are developing business globally whilst others want to revert to past times and privileges that are no longer there and so mirror the political party leaders. Will we see any real thought innovation for GB at the debate tonight - I sincerely doubt it.
Odd post. You celebrate the industrial revolution, yet claim others are dinosaurs harking after the past. I doubt you would accept that life for you and your family.
The only squeeze on UKIP is the one that has been maintained by the NSM and the lab/lib/con parties ever since the 2013 UKIP surge started. There has been some effect - naturally after 3 years of relentless negative propaganda - on UKIP, but not nearly as much as the polls suggest. There is going to be plenty of surprises and the knashing of teeth on May 8th.
I finally took the Telegraph 'which party for you survey?' and got ...
UKIP - 60% Conservatives - 55% Liberal Democrats - 53% Labour - 47% Green Party - 40%
I expected to be a bit NOTA but the only surprise was the Green vote which was quite high.
Tribally, I can't vote Tory. I'm too old to vote Green. I've always voted Labour or LD before but just for fun I'll vote Ukip as I should. I've become the dice man. I expect my IQ has dropped dramatically.
The Labour candidate, a granny with a predilection for kicking opponents, is certain to win anyway.
Ukip and the other minor parties will drift down as the BBC concentrates on the big two but black swans may be hovering.
Do black swans hover? Surely they swoop gracefully down?
And as the queen owns all the mute swans, does that mean that a black mute swan event has actually been ordered by her majesty?
Does anyone know who will decide the questions used at the debate, and on what basis? Will the general topics be discussed and/or agreed with the parties beforehand?
The questions themselves could well influence the result, for example if there was a question on the economy but not on health.
Could there be a curved ball thrown, such as someone from the audience bringing up the recent problems in Rotherham..?
The only squeeze on UKIP is the one that has been maintained by the NSM and the lab/lib/con parties ever since the 2013 UKIP surge started. There has been some effect - naturally after 3 years of relentless negative propaganda - on UKIP, but not nearly as much as the polls suggest. There is going to be plenty of surprises and the knashing of teeth on May 8th.
Does anyone know who will decide the questions used at the debate, and on what basis? Will the general topics be discussed and/or agreed with the parties beforehand?
The questions themselves could well influence the result, for example if there was a question on the economy but not on health.
Could there be a curved ball thrown, such as someone from the audience bringing up the recent problems in Rotherham..?
In no particular order I believe they are:
1) Economy 2) Health 3) Immigration 4) Future of Britain
Mr. 86, win for Farage on question 3 unless he contrives to bugger it up.
The three largest parties have presided over massive migration into the UK, and the Greens/nationalists aren't against it either. That could be Farage's moment [to paraphrase Harriet Harman], and he can tie it into all the other questions (lowering wages, pressurising limited health resources, do we want 2m extra people here from overseas in the next decade etc).
Economy should be Cameron's, Health Miliband's [although he might have a Welsh problem]. Future of Britain: we await the SNP's opinion with bated breath
Mr. F, not to mention it wouldn't exactly speak well of the EU. One imagines the cack-handed federalist cretins would seek to use such a catastrophe as a pretext for a euroland army.
Last night watched a repeat of a programme giving the history of the Welsh Valleys, often illustrated by pictures of the changing times. It gave a very good illustration of the impact of technology and globalisation on the health or misery of that local economy. ... Some PBers are developing business globally whilst others want to revert to past times and privileges that are no longer there and so mirror the political party leaders. Will we see any real thought innovation for GB at the debate tonight - I sincerely doubt it.
Odd post. You celebrate the industrial revolution, yet claim others are dinosaurs harking after the past. I doubt you would accept that life for you and your family.
The point is that the rest of the world, or a large part of it is having the next revolution, and we are largely being left behind due to our poor education, poor productivity and atrocious work ethic. We continue to expect to spend money we don't earn, it cant go on indefinitely. Our living standards will go backward, probably quite rapidly, in relative terms if we continue to sit here with our fingers in our ears clinging to old nostrums that the rest of the world is leaving behind.
The only squeeze on UKIP is the one that has been maintained by the NSM and the lab/lib/con parties ever since the 2013 UKIP surge started. There has been some effect - naturally after 3 years of relentless negative propaganda - on UKIP, but not nearly as much as the polls suggest. There is going to be plenty of surprises and the knashing of teeth on May 8th.
Ed Miliband and the SNP have both had to deal negative propaganda too, better that than the almost silence heard on the Lib Dems outside the now election rules.
Mr. 86, win for Farage on question 3 unless he contrives to bugger it up.
The three largest parties have presided over massive migration into the UK, and the Greens/nationalists aren't against it either. That could be Farage's moment [to paraphrase Harriet Harman], and he can tie it into all the other questions (lowering wages, pressurising limited health resources, do we want 2m extra people here from overseas in the next decade etc).
Economy should be Cameron's, Health Miliband's [although he might have a Welsh problem]. Future of Britain: we await the SNP's opinion with bated breath
Depends - on R4 this morning he came unstuck on his cap/target/Oz style policy - was making it up as he went along. Also the others may try and change it into a "how racist are you" debate.
You can see why Cameron didn't want too many of these "debates". Today's news is filled up with the media's own self-interested talking-up and all we will hear about tomorrow is who came across best or who made a gaffe with very little about actual policy. Radio 4 pretended it was the best opportunity for "direct contact with the voters" whereas the politicians would be better off continuing their tours of the country.
Nonsense. The "tours of the country" are almost a waste of time - every single one is a staged event involving a tiny number of people, only of interest when they go wrong. I've been arguing that there are few potential game-shifters left, but tonight's debate is one, for good or ill.
NP's hypothesis about 'skewed panels' - today's YouGov (Con +2) sees Govt approval go from -16 to -10. It also has Tory retention at 80% - high by usual standards (and equal to Labour).
Who is to blame for Council cuts: Central Govt: 40 (-5) Councils: 30 (+4)
Yes, noticed that too. My theory is that if secondaries show a sharp shift for no obvious reason, it's probably that the panel that day has too many on one side or the other. So, contra-intuitively, it's better to have a +4 in VI with no change in views of e.g. government approval, because that suggests that the essentially the same group of people are shifting. All the same, looking at all the polls, I think the current overall balance is probably around 35-34 Con/Lab.
Does anyone know who will decide the questions used at the debate, and on what basis? Will the general topics be discussed and/or agreed with the parties beforehand?
The questions themselves could well influence the result, for example if there was a question on the economy but not on health.
Could there be a curved ball thrown, such as someone from the audience bringing up the recent problems in Rotherham..?
In no particular order I believe they are:
1) Economy 2) Health 3) Immigration 4) Future of Britain
Thanks Mr 86, I didn't see that announcement.
The last two seem quite broad, possibly some scope for the outsiders there. Leanne Wood's contribution to Health could be interesting, and we know that Sturgeon thinks that Britain has no future. I wonder how Farage will play on Immigration, could he use it to attack on Health and Economy as well as the specific subject or will the moderator intervene?
Labour's reaction has indeed been surprisingly petulant.
It was rather amusing that Labour's reaction to being accused of hating business, was to rush for their favourite social media and demonstrate to anyone listening how much they hated business... very odd.
Does anyone know who will decide the questions used at the debate, and on what basis? Will the general topics be discussed and/or agreed with the parties beforehand?
The questions themselves could well influence the result, for example if there was a question on the economy but not on health.
Could there be a curved ball thrown, such as someone from the audience bringing up the recent problems in Rotherham..?
In no particular order I believe they are:
1) Economy 2) Health 3) Immigration 4) Future of Britain
After rummaging through PB my sources advise me that ITV politicos are musing on the follow four debate questions for tonight :
1. Are all kippers apart from Sean Fear total fruitcakes ? 2. Should the PB kipper tie joke only be paraded on April 1st ? 3. Why are kippers not more regularly found in food banks ? 4. If Farage loses Thanet South will he be fitted up like a kipper by traitorous pig dogs in the party ?
Prediction for tonight : To do well Farage Sturgeon Miliband
Badly Natalie Bennett Leanne Wood Clego
Dull :Cameron
Declared winner:Cameron
I have my app downloaded for the Yougov worm panel, in the 9-10 PM slot.
Should be fun!
My forecast: performances will be rated on party lines as much as on the night.
Sturgeon will annoy a lot of English people so will not score well.
Wood will get some sympathy, particularly for her call for equal funding percapita for Wales as Scotland. Interesting to see how the others react to bringing up Barnett formula.
Bennett: does quite well on a panel as compared to individual interviews. Will get the idealists vote.
Clegg: a polished debator who performed well previously, will score better than expected. Will look the sane centrist that he is.
Farage: looks under strain recently, and prone to developing policy on the hoof. Most questions will not be on Europe/immigration so couldd appear a monomaniac if he keeps returning to the issue. Interesting to see how Australian Points system goes down with Bennett.
Miliband: likely to be lost in the hububb without a distinctive voice or position.
Cameron: Will appear a little aloof, but the only one who looks like a Prime Minister.
Mr. 86, win for Farage on question 3 unless he contrives to bugger it up.
The three largest parties have presided over massive migration into the UK, and the Greens/nationalists aren't against it either. That could be Farage's moment [to paraphrase Harriet Harman], and he can tie it into all the other questions (lowering wages, pressurising limited health resources, do we want 2m extra people here from overseas in the next decade etc).
Economy should be Cameron's, Health Miliband's [although he might have a Welsh problem]. Future of Britain: we await the SNP's opinion with bated breath
Depends - on R4 this morning he came unstuck on his cap/target/Oz style policy - was making it up as he went along. Also the others may try and change it into a "how racist are you" debate.
UKIP own immigration, in the way that the Conservatives own the economy, and Labour own the NHS. The best thing for the latter is to move away from immigration ASAP.
Although Farage is a noted orator, I can't see tonight's debates giving UKIP any more than a temporary uptick in the polls.
In fact, I am very bearish on UKIP generally in this election. I could see a scenario where they polled around 7% and converted that to 1 or 2 seats.
Their best hope of progress is a Labour government that goes onto become deeply unpopular, which would probably see them become the main opposition in the vast majority of seats (in England at least). Although, in that scenario, I would expect a lurch to right for the Tories, which could weaken them in areas where they are strong presently.
I only thought Clegg would do well because the present LD share can hardly get any worse, can it?
I'm expecting a Farage bounce unfortunately which should then fade over the next 5 weeks. But the tories will be delighted at setting the agenda and winning the first few days.
I guess Cameron's calling card re Farage is the In-Out EU referendum. Assuming he gets that across it really only leaves Farage moaning about dirty foreigners. Given how employed-up Britain currently is that also should be fairly easy to lance.
Do you know any British student fruit-pickers? Nope. Me neither.
Anyone that has been out on the door step canvassing will be able to tell you that immigration is a far more motivating issue for the electorate than the EU referendum is. The people that Cameron has managed to keep onside with the referendum are Conservative activists like myself, not unaligned voters. If you want the unaligned on your side, it might be more effective to not imply they just dislike "dirty foreigners".
Last night watched a repeat of a programme giving the history of the Welsh Valleys, often illustrated by pictures of the changing times. It gave a very good illustration of the impact of technology and globalisation on the health or misery of that local economy. ... Some PBers are developing business globally whilst others want to revert to past times and privileges that are no longer there and so mirror the political party leaders. Will we see any real thought innovation for GB at the debate tonight - I sincerely doubt it.
Odd post. You celebrate the industrial revolution, yet claim others are dinosaurs harking after the past. I doubt you would accept that life for you and your family.
Nobody needs to accept anything for themselves or their family. You just have to get people off their backsides and do something about it personally.
Look at education, the Victorians and their successors loved it, the Chinese and other Asians love it, the Africans love it - so why are we employing truancy officers and showing a declining performance compared to our global competitors?
Why do about half the adults in Wales have only a literacy and numeracy standard of an 11 year old? The answer is a combination of political ideology (all must win prizes) and a nigh total lack of aspiration for excellence by most politicians at all levels, who accept that average is good enough. Well accepting average of a declining standard can only lead to unemployment and bankruptcy.
He has - not unexpectedly perhaps - handed the first three days to the Tories in his daily "review of the campaign day" series.
I can't fault his reasons for doing so though.
Damn.
I think this is how it will continue for the rest of the campaign. Ed Miliband has entirely based his campaign on the single issue of the NHS. His economic message is restricted to old left-wing socialism. His immigration message is believing it could all be solved by a higher minimum wage. His foreign policy position has been unethical flip-flopping to appease the Left of the party. His political team are about as charismatic as he is.
Mr. Foxinsox, disagree strongly on Wood. Her funding call will just piss off the English.
Mr. M, welcome to the PB Tories
I suspect that it will to a degree, but PC are not the anti-Unionists that SNP are; and bringing up the Barnett formula could create difficulties between Labour and SNP.
Tonight's debates aside, it has been a strong performance by the Tories in the first 3 days of campaigning.
The polls are sure to react to tonight's events even if the effects are temporary, so it think it will be the back end of next week/next weekend when we can look again at polling and see where we are.
My guess is that the squeeze on UKIP/LD/GREEN will continue. I wouldn't be surprised to see a poll that gives the big 2 a combined share of 75% or one of the big 2, 40%, before the campaign is over, although I doubt either of these will be achieved on the actual day.
Last night watched a repeat of a programme giving the history of the Welsh Valleys, often illustrated by pictures of the changing times. It gave a very good illustration of the impact of technology and globalisation on the health or misery of that local economy. ... Some PBers are developing business globally whilst others want to revert to past times and privileges that are no longer there and so mirror the political party leaders. Will we see any real thought innovation for GB at the debate tonight - I sincerely doubt it.
Odd post. You celebrate the industrial revolution, yet claim others are dinosaurs harking after the past. I doubt you would accept that life for you and your family.
Nobody needs to accept anything for themselves or their family. You just have to get people off their backsides and do something about it personally.
Look at education, the Victorians and their successors loved it, the Chinese and other Asians love it, the Africans love it - so why are we employing truancy officers and showing a declining performance compared to our global competitors?
Why do about half the adults in Wales have only a literacy and numeracy standard of an 11 year old? The answer is a combination of political ideology (all must win prizes) and a nigh total lack of aspiration for excellence by most politicians at all levels, who accept that average is good enough. Well accepting average of a declining standard can only lead to unemployment and bankruptcy.
I have often thought it a sad state of affairs that we consider Education Secretary in this country to be a less important role than Home Secretary or Foreign Secretary, when it is actually a far more important role for the well-being of our country long-term. The teacher unions excuse poor performance on family background, and there's a bigotry of low expectations all round. We need to take heed of immigrant families from places like India and China, who push their children to be as good as they can be.
Mr. Foxinsox, disagree strongly on Wood. Her funding call will just piss off the English.
Mr. M, welcome to the PB Tories
The Barnett formula benefits Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland depends on the oil, but looking back at historic GERS they have certainly overpaid - definitely in the 80s for sure.
Even with oil revenues taken out, Scotland is above the UK average (Below England) - here is a crucial difference, Wales could never make it alone financially whereas Scotland most certainly could.
Moving to a Needs based formula would be bad news for Scotland, worse than independence I think. If Wales moved to a needs based formula it would do as well as it does currently under Barnett.
If the nation states were independent, England would benefit the most and in the round I think Scotland would be broadly neutral. Wales would suffer. NI would be a basket case on it's own, and have no choice but to become part of the Republic. London would do best of all.
Mr. 86, win for Farage on question 3 unless he contrives to bugger it up.
The three largest parties have presided over massive migration into the UK, and the Greens/nationalists aren't against it either. That could be Farage's moment [to paraphrase Harriet Harman], and he can tie it into all the other questions (lowering wages, pressurising limited health resources, do we want 2m extra people here from overseas in the next decade etc).
Economy should be Cameron's, Health Miliband's [although he might have a Welsh problem]. Future of Britain: we await the SNP's opinion with bated breath
Depends - on R4 this morning he came unstuck on his cap/target/Oz style policy - was making it up as he went along. Also the others may try and change it into a "how racist are you" debate.
UKIP own immigration, in the way that the Conservatives own the economy, and Labour own the NHS. The best thing for the latter is to move away from immigration ASAP.
Did not hear R4 but if TGOHF thinks Farage came unstuck its not a good omen for 'owning' a policy. Farage's attitude when he talks about being safer to play in the streets without immigrants comes across pretty clear to me. Best I can say about him is he is barmy.
Farage could do well by doing very little if he manages to provoke a hostile response in the others by asking a rhetorical question or posing a what-if. It's kept Ukip going up to about a month ago. Professional politicians should be aware of this, but you never know.
Ukip's best medium term chance is a Labour government in thrall to the SNP; a haggis-barrel deal and resentment elsewhere. I can see a rise for almost every other party bar Labour.
Last night watched a repeat of a programme giving the history of the Welsh Valleys, often illustrated by pictures of the changing times. It gave a very good illustration of the impact of technology and globalisation on the health or misery of that local economy. ... Some PBers are developing business globally whilst others want to revert to past times and privileges that are no longer there and so mirror the political party leaders. Will we see any real thought innovation for GB at the debate tonight - I sincerely doubt it.
Odd post. You celebrate the industrial revolution, yet claim others are dinosaurs harking after the past. I doubt you would accept that life for you and your family.
Nobody needs to accept anything for themselves or their family. You just have to get people off their backsides and do something about it personally.
Look at education, the Victorians and their successors loved it, the Chinese and other Asians love it, the Africans love it - so why are we employing truancy officers and showing a declining performance compared to our global competitors?
Why do about half the adults in Wales have only a literacy and numeracy standard of an 11 year old? The answer is a combination of political ideology (all must win prizes) and a nigh total lack of aspiration for excellence by most politicians at all levels, who accept that average is good enough. Well accepting average of a declining standard can only lead to unemployment and bankruptcy.
Mr. 86, win for Farage on question 3 unless he contrives to bugger it up.
The three largest parties have presided over massive migration into the UK, and the Greens/nationalists aren't against it either. That could be Farage's moment [to paraphrase Harriet Harman], and he can tie it into all the other questions (lowering wages, pressurising limited health resources, do we want 2m extra people here from overseas in the next decade etc).
Economy should be Cameron's, Health Miliband's [although he might have a Welsh problem]. Future of Britain: we await the SNP's opinion with bated breath
Depends - on R4 this morning he came unstuck on his cap/target/Oz style policy - was making it up as he went along. Also the others may try and change it into a "how racist are you" debate.
UKIP own immigration, in the way that the Conservatives own the economy, and Labour own the NHS. The best thing for the latter is to move away from immigration ASAP.
Did not hear R4 but if TGOHF thinks Farage came unstuck its not a good omen for 'owning' a policy. Farage's attitude when he talks about being safer to play in the streets without immigrants comes across pretty clear to me. Best I can say about him is he is barmy.
What matters is what the voters think. By some margin, voters rate UKIP best on immigration. It's inevitable TGOHF would think Farage came over badly. The average right wing voter could take a very different view.
Although Farage is a noted orator, I can't see tonight's debates giving UKIP any more than a temporary uptick in the polls.
In fact, I am very bearish on UKIP generally in this election. I could see a scenario where they polled around 7% and converted that to 1 or 2 seats.
Their best hope of progress is a Labour government that goes onto become deeply unpopular, which would probably see them become the main opposition in the vast majority of seats (in England at least). Although, in that scenario, I would expect a lurch to right for the Tories, which could weaken them in areas where they are strong presently.
Farage could easily come unstuck on the NHS tonight. His party has rather implausibly promised to keep it as it is, but Farage himself has wanted to change to an insurance based system. With Farages notorious making it up on the hoof, there could be real problems here.
Mr. 86, win for Farage on question 3 unless he contrives to bugger it up.
The three largest parties have presided over massive migration into the UK, and the Greens/nationalists aren't against it either. That could be Farage's moment [to paraphrase Harriet Harman], and he can tie it into all the other questions (lowering wages, pressurising limited health resources, do we want 2m extra people here from overseas in the next decade etc).
Economy should be Cameron's, Health Miliband's [although he might have a Welsh problem]. Future of Britain: we await the SNP's opinion with bated breath
Depends - on R4 this morning he came unstuck on his cap/target/Oz style policy - was making it up as he went along. Also the others may try and change it into a "how racist are you" debate.
UKIP own immigration, in the way that the Conservatives own the economy, and Labour own the NHS. The best thing for the latter is to move away from immigration ASAP.
Did not hear R4 but if TGOHF thinks Farage came unstuck its not a good omen for 'owning' a policy. Farage's attitude when he talks about being safer to play in the streets without immigrants comes across pretty clear to me. Best I can say about him is he is barmy.
What matters is what the voters think. By some margin, voters rate UKIP best on immigration. It's inevitable TGOHF would think Farage came over badly. The average right wing voter could take a very different view.
Will be up on R4 later I'm sure - 8.10am on today - judge for yourself.
Mr. 86, win for Farage on question 3 unless he contrives to bugger it up.
The three largest parties have presided over massive migration into the UK, and the Greens/nationalists aren't against it either. That could be Farage's moment [to paraphrase Harriet Harman], and he can tie it into all the other questions (lowering wages, pressurising limited health resources, do we want 2m extra people here from overseas in the next decade etc).
Economy should be Cameron's, Health Miliband's [although he might have a Welsh problem]. Future of Britain: we await the SNP's opinion with bated breath
Depends - on R4 this morning he came unstuck on his cap/target/Oz style policy - was making it up as he went along. Also the others may try and change it into a "how racist are you" debate.
UKIP own immigration, in the way that the Conservatives own the economy, and Labour own the NHS. The best thing for the latter is to move away from immigration ASAP.
Did not hear R4 but if TGOHF thinks Farage came unstuck its not a good omen for 'owning' a policy. Farage's attitude when he talks about being safer to play in the streets without immigrants comes across pretty clear to me. Best I can say about him is he is barmy.
Last night watched a repeat of a programme giving the history of the Welsh Valleys, often illustrated by pictures of the changing times. It gave a very good illustration of the impact of technology and globalisation on the health or misery of that local economy. ... Some PBers are developing business globally whilst others want to revert to past times and privileges that are no longer there and so mirror the political party leaders. Will we see any real thought innovation for GB at the debate tonight - I sincerely doubt it.
Odd post. You celebrate the industrial revolution, yet claim others are dinosaurs harking after the past. I doubt you would accept that life for you and your family.
The point is that the rest of the world, or a large part of it is having the next revolution, and we are largely being left behind due to our poor education, poor productivity and atrocious work ethic. We continue to expect to spend money we don't earn, it cant go on indefinitely. Our living standards will go backward, probably quite rapidly, in relative terms if we continue to sit here with our fingers in our ears clinging to old nostrums that the rest of the world is leaving behind.
The rest of the world is investing in R&D, focusing on innovation and the roll-out of high quality products. In this country, we reward most those who are the best at cutting costs and delivering quarterly dividends. It has been the same for many a long year - the perennial British disease.
Nick Clegg could have a difficult time tonight as currently he seems to have each foot placed either side of a great divide. He wants to claim success for the economy, tax levels etc, but also wants to be pro-Europe, pro-immigration etc. Will he just prevaricate?
Ms Wood is far to the left of EdM, is a republican and an idealist. She bemoans lack of investment (UK and global) in Wales but when asked why a global country should invest there, she cannot come up with an answer. The truth is that Wales' reputation on health and education is too well known and so Wales struggles to recruit good doctors and surgeons, good academics and industrialists.
Nick Clegg could have a difficult time tonight as currently he seems to have each foot placed either side of a great divide. He wants to claim success for the economy, tax levels etc, but also wants to be pro-Europe, pro-immigration etc. Will he just prevaricate?
Ms Wood is far to the left of EdM, is a republican and an idealist. She bemoans lack of investment (UK and global) in Wales but when asked why a global country should invest there, she cannot come up with an answer. The truth is that Wales' reputation on health and education is too well known and so Wales struggles to recruit good doctors and surgeons, good academics and industrialists.
She is almost as far left as Bennett. The SNP, though shifting left recently does believe in the Monarchy still. As I said in my previous post, Wales could never ever make it alone. It would suffer at least a 10% retraction, probably alot more. This shoots alot of Plaid's arguments dead at birth.
Last night watched a repeat of a programme giving the history of the Welsh Valleys, often illustrated by pictures of the changing times. It gave a very good illustration of the impact of technology and globalisation on the health or misery of that local economy. ... Some PBers are developing business globally whilst others want to revert to past times and privileges that are no longer there and so mirror the political party leaders. Will we see any real thought innovation for GB at the debate tonight - I sincerely doubt it.
Odd post. You celebrate the industrial revolution, yet claim others are dinosaurs harking after the past. I doubt you would accept that life for you and your family.
Nobody needs to accept anything for themselves or their family. You just have to get people off their backsides and do something about it personally.
Look at education, the Victorians and their successors loved it, the Chinese and other Asians love it, the Africans love it - so why are we employing truancy officers and showing a declining performance compared to our global competitors?
Why do about half the adults in Wales have only a literacy and numeracy standard of an 11 year old? The answer is a combination of political ideology (all must win prizes) and a nigh total lack of aspiration for excellence by most politicians at all levels, who accept that average is good enough. Well accepting average of a declining standard can only lead to unemployment and bankruptcy.
I have often thought it a sad state of affairs that we consider Education Secretary in this country to be a less important role than Home Secretary or Foreign Secretary, when it is actually a far more important role for the well-being of our country long-term. The teacher unions excuse poor performance on family background, and there's a bigotry of low expectations all round. We need to take heed of immigrant families from places like India and China, who push their children to be as good as they can be.
Mr Cameron's darkest hour to me as PM was the day he moved the Education Secretary out of the way, mainly to avoid further confrontation with "The Blob" and avoid bringing education into the election debate.
There are nearly 3 BILLION aspirational Indians and Chinese waiting to take our place on the world stage, while we as a country seem to care only about what we can do without offending the producers...
Last night watched a repeat of a programme giving the history of the Welsh Valleys, often illustrated by pictures of the changing times. It gave a very good illustration of the impact of technology and globalisation on the health or misery of that local economy. ... Some PBers are developing business globally whilst others want to revert to past times and privileges that are no longer there and so mirror the political party leaders. Will we see any real thought innovation for GB at the debate tonight - I sincerely doubt it.
Odd post. You celebrate the industrial revolution, yet claim others are dinosaurs harking after the past. I doubt you would accept that life for you and your family.
The point is that the rest of the world, or a large part of it is having the next revolution, and we are largely being left behind due to our poor education, poor productivity and atrocious work ethic. We continue to expect to spend money we don't earn, it cant go on indefinitely. Our living standards will go backward, probably quite rapidly, in relative terms if we continue to sit here with our fingers in our ears clinging to old nostrums that the rest of the world is leaving behind.
The rest of the world is investing in R&D, focusing on innovation and the roll-out of high quality products. In this country, we reward most those who are the best at cutting costs and delivering quarterly dividends. It has been the same for many a long year - the perennial British disease.
Only agree in parts. The rest of the world is investing in high academic standards from an early age for all pupils, whilst in the UK the teaching profession accepts that a declining average is OK. Only in a few areas does the UK have any world-class research and innovation left.
Last night watched a repeat of a programme giving the history of the Welsh Valleys, often illustrated by pictures of the changing times. It gave a very good illustration of the impact of technology and globalisation on the health or misery of that local economy. ... Some PBers are developing business globally whilst others want to revert to past times and privileges that are no longer there and so mirror the political party leaders. Will we see any real thought innovation for GB at the debate tonight - I sincerely doubt it.
Odd post. You celebrate the industrial revolution, yet claim others are dinosaurs harking after the past. I doubt you would accept that life for you and your family.
The point is that the rest of the world, or a large part of it is having the next revolution, and we are largely being left behind due to our poor education, poor productivity and atrocious work ethic. We continue to expect to spend money we don't earn, it cant go on indefinitely. Our living standards will go backward, probably quite rapidly, in relative terms if we continue to sit here with our fingers in our ears clinging to old nostrums that the rest of the world is leaving behind.
The rest of the world is investing in R&D, focusing on innovation and the roll-out of high quality products. In this country, we reward most those who are the best at cutting costs and delivering quarterly dividends. It has been the same for many a long year - the perennial British disease.
Tell me about it. I have run businesses in the UK and here is Asia, there is no comparison in the levels of productivity. I except to feel fairly depressed moving back to the UK later in the year...
@pulpstar@antifrank and others, have loaded the Green Party leaflet from Bristol West. Front cover happy smiling faces of ordinary Greens with Natalie Bennett and Darren Hall, spotted several happy Green councillors on the cover. Can be found on https://electionleaflets.org/
Includes Bar Chart - 'recent' Council elections which show that they can win. Doesn't say which one or ones.
Want a fully funded NHS, fine if that actually means something, and they have some idea of the implications for GDP, taxes et al.
Last night watched a repeat of a programme giving the history of the Welsh Valleys, often illustrated by pictures of the changing times. It gave a very good illustration of the impact of technology and globalisation on the health or misery of that local economy. ... Some PBers are developing business globally whilst others want to revert to past times and privileges that are no longer there and so mirror the political party leaders. Will we see any real thought innovation for GB at the debate tonight - I sincerely doubt it.
Odd post. You celebrate the industrial revolution, yet claim others are dinosaurs harking after the past. I doubt you would accept that life for you and your family.
Nobody needs to accept anything for themselves or their family. You just have to get people off their backsides and do something about it personally.
Look at education, the Victorians and their successors loved it, the Chinese and other Asians love it, the Africans love it - so why are we employing truancy officers and showing a declining performance compared to our global competitors?
Why do about half the adults in Wales have only a literacy and numeracy standard of an 11 year old? The answer is a combination of political ideology (all must win prizes) and a nigh total lack of aspiration for excellence by most politicians at all levels, who accept that average is good enough. Well accepting average of a declining standard can only lead to unemployment and bankruptcy.
I have often thought it a sad state of affairs that we consider Education Secretary in this country to be a less important role than Home Secretary or Foreign Secretary, when it is actually a far more important role for the well-being of our country long-term. The teacher unions excuse poor performance on family background, and there's a bigotry of low expectations all round. We need to take heed of immigrant families from places like India and China, who push their children to be as good as they can be.
Mr Cameron's darkest hour to me as PM was the day he moved the Education Secretary out of the way, mainly to avoid further confrontation with "The Blob" and avoid bringing education into the election debate.
There are nearly 3 BILLION aspirational Indians and Chinese waiting to take our place on the world stage, while we as a country seem to care only about what we can do without offending the producers...
Last night watched a repeat of a programme giving the history of the Welsh Valleys, often illustrated by pictures of the changing times. It gave a very good illustration of the impact of technology and globalisation on the health or misery of that local economy. ... Some PBers are developing business globally whilst others want to revert to past times and privileges that are no longer there and so mirror the political party leaders. Will we see any real thought innovation for GB at the debate tonight - I sincerely doubt it.
Odd post. You celebrate the industrial revolution, yet claim others are dinosaurs harking after the past. I doubt you would accept that life for you and your family.
The point is that the rest of the world, or a large part of it is having the next revolution, and we are largely being left behind due to our poor education, poor productivity and atrocious work ethic. We continue to expect to spend money we don't earn, it cant go on indefinitely. Our living standards will go backward, probably quite rapidly, in relative terms if we continue to sit here with our fingers in our ears clinging to old nostrums that the rest of the world is leaving behind.
The rest of the world is investing in R&D, focusing on innovation and the roll-out of high quality products. In this country, we reward most those who are the best at cutting costs and delivering quarterly dividends. It has been the same for many a long year - the perennial British disease.
Only agree in parts. The rest of the world is investing in high academic standards from an early age for all pupils, whilst in the UK the teaching profession accepts that a declining average is OK. Only in a few areas does the UK have any world-class research and innovation left.
And what about the private sector? Compare and contrast the performance here with what is going on elsewhere. Look at our patenting levels, look at the R&D spend. It is pathetic. And that is not the fault of teachers. In terms of schools, the UK sits in the mid-range alongside almost all our major competitors. Certainly not good enough, but no worse than most of those we are up against. But the performance of our companies is dire in comparison. The business culture here is all about shaving margins, cutting costs and investing as little as possible in new technology. Our productivity levels are abysmal because the people who run our companies are happy to build on the back of low-cost labour.
Last night watched a repeat of a programme giving the history of the Welsh Valleys, often illustrated by pictures of the changing times. It gave a very good illustration of the impact of technology and globalisation on the health or misery of that local economy. ... Some PBers are developing business globally whilst others want to revert to past times and privileges that are no longer there and so mirror the political party leaders. Will we see any real thought innovation for GB at the debate tonight - I sincerely doubt it.
Odd post. You celebrate the industrial revolution, yet claim others are dinosaurs harking after the past. I doubt you would accept that life for you and your family.
Nobody needs to accept anything for themselves or their family. You just have to get people off their backsides and do something about it personally.
Look at education, the Victorians and their successors loved it, the Chinese and other Asians love it, the Africans love it - so why are we employing truancy officers and showing a declining performance compared to our global competitors?
Why do about half the adults in Wales have only a literacy and numeracy standard of an 11 year old? The answer is a combination of political ideology (all must win prizes) and a nigh total lack of aspiration for excellence by most politicians at all levels, who accept that average is good enough. Well accepting average of a declining standard can only lead to unemployment and bankruptcy.
Are supporting higher spending on education?
No, I support more efficient education, with better educated and subject qualified and aspirational teachers, longer school hours and get rid of the nonsense about children from poor backgrounds are disadvantaged. My grammar school was full of children whose parents could hardly afford their uniform (the school did provide grants for the needy) but all the parents were very keen for their children to achieve the best of their capability and to utilise their talents These parents also got involved with the PTA and supported their children - a bit different from what happens in some schools today.
Last night watched a repeat of a programme giving the history of the Welsh Valleys, often illustrated by pictures of the changing times. It gave a very good illustration of the impact of technology and globalisation on the health or misery of that local economy. ... Some PBers are developing business globally whilst others want to revert to past times and privileges that are no longer there and so mirror the political party leaders. Will we see any real thought innovation for GB at the debate tonight - I sincerely doubt it.
Odd post. You celebrate the industrial revolution, yet claim others are dinosaurs harking after the past. I doubt you would accept that life for you and your family.
Nobody needs to accept anything for themselves or their family. You just have to get people off their backsides and do something about it personally.
Look at education, the Victorians and their successors loved it, the Chinese and other Asians love it, the Africans love it - so why are we employing truancy officers and showing a declining performance compared to our global competitors?
Why do about half the adults in Wales have only a literacy and numeracy standard of an 11 year old? The answer is a combination of political ideology (all must win prizes) and a nigh total lack of aspiration for excellence by most politicians at all levels, who accept that average is good enough. Well accepting average of a declining standard can only lead to unemployment and bankruptcy.
I have often thought it a sad state of affairs that we consider Education Secretary in this country to be a less important role than Home Secretary or Foreign Secretary, when it is actually a far more important role for the well-being of our country long-term. The teacher unions excuse poor performance on family background, and there's a bigotry of low expectations all round. We need to take heed of immigrant families from places like India and China, who push their children to be as good as they can be.
Mr Cameron's darkest hour to me as PM was the day he moved the Education Secretary out of the way, mainly to avoid further confrontation with "The Blob" and avoid bringing education into the election debate.
There are nearly 3 BILLION aspirational Indians and Chinese waiting to take our place on the world stage, while we as a country seem to care only about what we can do without offending the producers...
China and India especially should worry about providing indoor plumbing for their people.
Me, I am more worried about immigration and the decline in educational and economic standards that has resulted in.
Mr. 86, win for Farage on question 3 unless he contrives to bugger it up.
The three largest parties have presided over massive migration into the UK, and the Greens/nationalists aren't against it either. That could be Farage's moment [to paraphrase Harriet Harman], and he can tie it into all the other questions (lowering wages, pressurising limited health resources, do we want 2m extra people here from overseas in the next decade etc).
Economy should be Cameron's, Health Miliband's [although he might have a Welsh problem]. Future of Britain: we await the SNP's opinion with bated breath
Depends - on R4 this morning he came unstuck on his cap/target/Oz style policy - was making it up as he went along. Also the others may try and change it into a "how racist are you" debate.
UKIP own immigration, in the way that the Conservatives own the economy, and Labour own the NHS. The best thing for the latter is to move away from immigration ASAP.
Did not hear R4 but if TGOHF thinks Farage came unstuck its not a good omen for 'owning' a policy. Farage's attitude when he talks about being safer to play in the streets without immigrants comes across pretty clear to me. Best I can say about him is he is barmy.
Like saying it's a bad omen for Ed Miliband if Dan Hodges thinks he came unstuck
Last night watched a repeat of a programme giving the history of the Welsh Valleys, often illustrated by pictures of the changing times. It gave a very good illustration of the impact of technology and globalisation on the health or misery of that local economy. ... Some PBers are developing business globally whilst others want to revert to past times and privileges that are no longer there and so mirror the political party leaders. Will we see any real thought innovation for GB at the debate tonight - I sincerely doubt it.
Odd post. You celebrate the industrial revolution, yet claim others are dinosaurs harking after the past. I doubt you would accept that life for you and your family.
The point is that the rest of the world, or a large part of it is having the next revolution, and we are largely being left behind due to our poor education, poor productivity and atrocious work ethic. We continue to expect to spend money we don't earn, it cant go on indefinitely. Our living standards will go backward, probably quite rapidly, in relative terms if we continue to sit here with our fingers in our ears clinging to old nostrums that the rest of the world is leaving behind.
The rest of the world is investing in R&D, focusing on innovation and the roll-out of high quality products. In this country, we reward most those who are the best at cutting costs and delivering quarterly dividends. It has been the same for many a long year - the perennial British disease.
Nick Clegg could have a difficult time tonight as currently he seems to have each foot placed either side of a great divide. He wants to claim success for the economy, tax levels etc, but also wants to be pro-Europe, pro-immigration etc. Will he just prevaricate?
Ms Wood is far to the left of EdM, is a republican and an idealist. She bemoans lack of investment (UK and global) in Wales but when asked why a global country should invest there, she cannot come up with an answer. The truth is that Wales' reputation on health and education is too well known and so Wales struggles to recruit good doctors and surgeons, good academics and industrialists.
I share your thoughts on education. But in turn it falls back to aspiration of the parents. If they are content to live off subsidies ("investment") whether from English Mansions or North Sea Oil, then there is no incentive to work hard.
Britain generally, and Wales and Scotland in particular, used to have a strong culture of the Protestant work ethic. Without some return of that spirit we are never going to achieve in education or anything else.
Nicky Morgan is continuing the work in England on Education, but in a more low key way.
Last night watched a repeat of a programme giving the history of the Welsh Valleys, often illustrated by pictures of the changing times. It gave a very good illustration of the impact of technology and globalisation on the health or misery of that local economy. ... Some PBers are developing business globally whilst others want to revert to past times and privileges that are no longer there and so mirror the political party leaders. Will we see any real thought innovation for GB at the debate tonight - I sincerely doubt it.
Odd post. You celebrate the industrial revolution, yet claim others are dinosaurs harking after the past. I doubt you would accept that life for you and your family.
The point is that the rest of the world, or a large part of it is having the next revolution, and we are largely being left behind due to our poor education, poor productivity and atrocious work ethic. We continue to expect to spend money we don't earn, it cant go on indefinitely. Our living standards will go backward, probably quite rapidly, in relative terms if we continue to sit here with our fingers in our ears clinging to old nostrums that the rest of the world is leaving behind.
The rest of the world is investing in R&D, focusing on innovation and the roll-out of high quality products. In this country, we reward most those who are the best at cutting costs and delivering quarterly dividends. It has been the same for many a long year - the perennial British disease.
Mr. 86, win for Farage on question 3 unless he contrives to bugger it up.
The three largest parties have presided over massive migration into the UK, and the Greens/nationalists aren't against it either. That could be Farage's moment [to paraphrase Harriet Harman], and he can tie it into all the other questions (lowering wages, pressurising limited health resources, do we want 2m extra people here from overseas in the next decade etc).
Economy should be Cameron's, Health Miliband's [although he might have a Welsh problem]. Future of Britain: we await the SNP's opinion with bated breath
Depends - on R4 this morning he came unstuck on his cap/target/Oz style policy - was making it up as he went along. Also the others may try and change it into a "how racist are you" debate.
UKIP own immigration, in the way that the Conservatives own the economy, and Labour own the NHS. The best thing for the latter is to move away from immigration ASAP.
Did not hear R4 but if TGOHF thinks Farage came unstuck its not a good omen for 'owning' a policy. Farage's attitude when he talks about being safer to play in the streets without immigrants comes across pretty clear to me. Best I can say about him is he is barmy.
Like saying it's a bad omen for Ed Miliband if Dan Hodges thinks he came unstuck
Tim Scott (@timscottukip) 30/10/2014 18:09 "They're all voting UKIP" wails E.Sussex Tory MP on train back from Rochester last night- heard on phone by Nigel Jones UKIP Eastbourne PPC
There are nearly 3 BILLION aspirational Indians and Chinese waiting to take our place on the world stage, while we as a country seem to care only about what we can do without offending the producers...
On a related topic I found this article in the paper yesterday extremely depressing.
Surveys suggest that only 8 per cent of 18 to 25-year-olds can wire a plug. But then the same surveys report that only 12 per cent can use a drill..... The answer is not that they can’t do DIY, it is that they do not want to. In this they are becoming more like the French, for whom vast superstore aisles of red and white means wine, not rawlplugs.
At the same time invention, creation, making stuff is becoming a huge movement in the USA. The maker movement is all over the country there, not just with magazines full of things to make, but lots of cutting edge technology being open sourced and democratised. It a lot of community centres in the USA its not uncommon to find lazer cutters, 3d printers, CNC mills and other high end production machinery available to rent by the hour or the job, so people can design and build their own products. Its challenging, empowering stuff, and we are going in the opposite direction... sad.
Mr Cameron's darkest hour to me as PM was the day he moved the Education Secretary out of the way, mainly to avoid further confrontation with "The Blob" and avoid bringing education into the election debate.
There are nearly 3 BILLION aspirational Indians and Chinese waiting to take our place on the world stage, while we as a country seem to care only about what we can do without offending the producers...
Entirely agree.
Yet the solutions are unclear. The only 'big' policy in education in GE2015 (outside further education) is UKIP's towards grammar schools, which does f'all for the place where the real problem lies: the ~20% of children who leave school functionally illiterate and/or innumerate.
That is where the education debate should concentrate on. But as it is hard to solve, everyone looks away.
We cannot compete as a country - in business or morally - when we are letting so many of our children down.
In terms of schools, the UK sits in the mid-range alongside almost all our major competitors. Certainly not good enough, but no worse than most of those we are up against.
Its worse than it looks. The elephants in the room for international competitors are China, South Korea and Japan. Look at the current PISA rankings
1 China Shanghai, China 2 Singapore 3 Hong Kong, China 4 Taiwan 5 South Korea 6 Macau, China 7 Japan 26 UK
Nick Clegg could have a difficult time tonight as currently he seems to have each foot placed either side of a great divide. He wants to claim success for the economy, tax levels etc, but also wants to be pro-Europe, pro-immigration etc. Will he just prevaricate?
Ms Wood is far to the left of EdM, is a republican and an idealist. She bemoans lack of investment (UK and global) in Wales but when asked why a global country should invest there, she cannot come up with an answer. The truth is that Wales' reputation on health and education is too well known and so Wales struggles to recruit good doctors and surgeons, good academics and industrialists.
I share your thoughts on education. But in turn it falls back to aspiration of the parents. If they are content to live off subsidies ("investment") whether from English Mansions or North Sea Oil, then there is no incentive to work hard.
Britain generally, and Wales and Scotland in particular, used to have a strong culture of the Protestant work ethic. Without some return of that spirit we are never going to achieve in education or anything else.
Nicky Morgan is continuing the work in England on Education, but in a more low key way.
"Content to live off subsidies" - can you define that a bit more precisely? As that well-known leftie Boris Johnson said yesterday, there are plenty of very well paid company CEOs who are effectively subsidised by the state topping up on the extremely low wages they pay their very hard working employees.
Out there in the real world, if you are working all day with a long commute on top because you cannot afford to live close to your employment (see cleaners etc in London), then you do not have the time - literally - to do much else. Many children are left to their own devices not because their parents are feckless wasters content to live off the state, but because their parents are only at home at the extreme ends of each day.
Nick Clegg could have a difficult time tonight as currently he seems to have each foot placed either side of a great divide. He wants to claim success for the economy, tax levels etc, but also wants to be pro-Europe, pro-immigration etc. Will he just prevaricate?
Ms Wood is far to the left of EdM, is a republican and an idealist. She bemoans lack of investment (UK and global) in Wales but when asked why a global country should invest there, she cannot come up with an answer. The truth is that Wales' reputation on health and education is too well known and so Wales struggles to recruit good doctors and surgeons, good academics and industrialists.
I share your thoughts on education. But in turn it falls back to aspiration of the parents. If they are content to live off subsidies ("investment") whether from English Mansions or North Sea Oil, then there is no incentive to work hard.
Britain generally, and Wales and Scotland in particular, used to have a strong culture of the Protestant work ethic. Without some return of that spirit we are never going to achieve in education or anything else.
Nicky Morgan is continuing the work in England on Education, but in a more low key way.
"Content to live off subsidies" - can you define that a bit more precisely? As that well-known leftie Boris Johnson said yesterday, there are plenty of very well paid company CEOs who are effectively subsidised by the state topping up on the extremely low wages they pay their very hard working employees.
Out there in the real world, if you are working all day with a long commute on top because you cannot afford to live close to your employment (see cleaners etc in London), then you do not have the time - literally - to do much else. Many children are left to their own devices not because their parents are feckless wasters content to live off the state, but because their parents are only at home at the extreme ends of each day.
Which is why schools should open for longer at both ends of the day.
In terms of schools, the UK sits in the mid-range alongside almost all our major competitors. Certainly not good enough, but no worse than most of those we are up against.
Its worse than it looks. The elephants in the room for international competitors are China, South Korea and Japan. Look at the current PISA rankings
1 China Shanghai, China 2 Singapore 3 Hong Kong, China 4 Taiwan 5 South Korea 6 Macau, China 7 Japan 26 UK
I agree that our kids are not as good as those in Asia at doing well in PISA tests. But the rankings themselves are misleading as they are based on points scored. If you look at where we sit, it is in the same points range as most of our competitors - and as the OECD itself says there is a margin of error within these which means the actual placings may not be accurate. And, of course, what really matters is how the education that kids get helps them in the real world and here the news is actually not that bleak:
Last night watched a repeat of a programme giving the history of the Welsh Valleys, often illustrated by pictures of the changing times. It gave a very good illustration of the impact of technology and globalisation on the health or misery of that local economy. ...
snip
snip
snip
And what about the private sector? Compare and contrast the performance here with what is going on elsewhere. Look at our patenting levels, look at the R&D spend. It is pathetic. And that is not the fault of teachers. In terms of schools, the UK sits in the mid-range alongside almost all our major competitors. Certainly not good enough, but no worse than most of those we are up against. But the performance of our companies is dire in comparison. The business culture here is all about shaving margins, cutting costs and investing as little as possible in new technology. Our productivity levels are abysmal because the people who run our companies are happy to build on the back of low-cost labour.
SO, with due and great respect you are not thinking clearly or realistically. As global standards of education and technology increase (just look at the Asian technical universities who were not on the high ranks of the league tables a few years ago) and their labour and associated on-costs are far lower, we are finding more difficult to compete on a price level with India and China - even though their technology may not be as good. For example Siemens has been losing contracts on price.
So R&D has become an expensive luxury in both time and money - but one that is vitally needed. Many of our companies that invested in R&D either do not exist any more (e.g. ICI) or belong to multinationals who control how and where R&D is done. The UK though ancient working practices and using outdated technology has lost the ability to make many things (e.g commercial ships, computers, bulk chemicals, oil refineries etc). Most of our modern development is in the medical field but little elsewhere.
We had the chance in the late 1990s/early 2000s to be a leader in renewable energy, but more and wasteful time was spent on the politics of devolution and due to the unnecessary deficit and debt built up in those years, we have hamstrung ourselves financially and stand little chance of catching up.
There are nearly 3 BILLION aspirational Indians and Chinese waiting to take our place on the world stage, while we as a country seem to care only about what we can do without offending the producers...
On a related topic I found this article in the paper yesterday extremely depressing.
Surveys suggest that only 8 per cent of 18 to 25-year-olds can wire a plug. But then the same surveys report that only 12 per cent can use a drill..... The answer is not that they can’t do DIY, it is that they do not want to. In this they are becoming more like the French, for whom vast superstore aisles of red and white means wine, not rawlplugs.
At the same time invention, creation, making stuff is becoming a huge movement in the USA. The maker movement is all over the country there, not just with magazines full of things to make, but lots of cutting edge technology being open sourced and democratised. It a lot of community centres in the USA its not uncommon to find lazer cutters, 3d printers, CNC mills and other high end production machinery available to rent by the hour or the job, so people can design and build their own products. Its challenging, empowering stuff, and we are going in the opposite direction... sad.
I thought that wiring a plug is positively discouraged nowadays, with sealed plugs to avoid electrocution. Outside work (where some basic wiring is often needed), I haven't wired a plug for years.
Britain generally, and Wales and Scotland in particular, used to have a strong culture of the Protestant work ethic. Without some return of that spirit we are never going to achieve in education or anything else.
Brazil and similar countries makes the best footballers because its seen as a way out of poverty, most of Asia people have a culture of working their butts off because there is no social security except falling back on your extended family, they have motivation to be good, we have a very generous welfare system which a) we cant afford and b) give a lot of people no incentive to make an effort (if you pay people to sit on a couch, they will), the increased incidence of b) will exacerbate a) until it becomes untenable.
Nicky Morgan is continuing the work in England on Education, but in a more low key way.
Low key is generous. She has given the blob exactly what they wanted with her idiotic British values rules, which they have interpreted to mean the latest politically correct values that would make Ed Miliband blush. She successfully kept the blob more happy (although not much more happy judging by the thread yesterday on teachers votes) and pissed off whole swathes of socially conservative and religious votes that don't like OFSTED inspectors asking their 9 year old daughters about lesbianism.
Britain generally, and Wales and Scotland in particular, used to have a strong culture of the Protestant work ethic. Without some return of that spirit we are never going to achieve in education or anything else.
Brazil and similar countries makes the best footballers because its seen as a way out of poverty, most of Asia people have a culture of working their butts off because there is no social security except falling back on your extended family, they have motivation to be good, we have a very generous welfare system which a) we cant afford and b) give a lot of people no incentive to make an effort (if you pay people to sit on a couch, they will), the increased incidence of b) will exacerbate a) until it becomes untenable.
Nicky Morgan is continuing the work in England on Education, but in a more low key way.
Low key is generous. She has given the blob exactly what they wanted with her idiotic British values rules, which they have interpreted to mean the latest politically correct values that would make Ed Miliband blush. She successfully kept the blob more happy (although not much more happy judging by the thread yesterday on teachers votes) and pissed off whole swathes of socially conservative and religious votes that don't like OFSTED inspectors asking their 9 year old daughters about lesbianism.
There are nearly 3 BILLION aspirational Indians and Chinese waiting to take our place on the world stage, while we as a country seem to care only about what we can do without offending the producers...
On a related topic I found this article in the paper yesterday extremely depressing.
Surveys suggest that only 8 per cent of 18 to 25-year-olds can wire a plug. But then the same surveys report that only 12 per cent can use a drill..... The answer is not that they can’t do DIY, it is that they do not want to. In this they are becoming more like the French, for whom vast superstore aisles of red and white means wine, not rawlplugs.
At the same time invention, creation, making stuff is becoming a huge movement in the USA. The maker movement is all over the country there, not just with magazines full of things to make, but lots of cutting edge technology being open sourced and democratised. It a lot of community centres in the USA its not uncommon to find lazer cutters, 3d printers, CNC mills and other high end production machinery available to rent by the hour or the job, so people can design and build their own products. Its challenging, empowering stuff, and we are going in the opposite direction... sad.
I thought that wiring a plug is positively discouraged nowadays, with sealed plugs to avoid electrocution. Outside work (where some basic wiring is often needed), I haven't wired a plug for years.
Yes on the narrow point you are right, but I suggest wilfully missing the point that our younger generation is rapidly losing interesting in making stuff, and that suppliers that are in business to sell products to "make stuff" are scaling back their offerings in the face of public apathy. Probably half my generation would have made repairs at home, and the vast majority of my father's generation, but its easier, and involves less effort (and less satisfaction I would say) to hire a polish handyman, and go out to a wine bar.
Comments
Hard to disagree with your paragraph - the debates are sterile, and a means of excluding difficult issues. Sound bite politics for sound bite programmes.
The UK, both politicians and voters appear to believe that the world owes the UK a living, and are going to be shocked to find out that it doesn't. Our education is bad and getting worse, and will get dramatically worse under Labour, our productivity is a disgrace, and we are spending far more than we are earning, and it wont go on forever, as soon as another major economy looks like a better place to put your money than the UK, it is going to be hard for the government to borrow without paying a lot more for the pleasure. Never mind the hell that is going to be to pay when UK domestic interest rates move back to their historic normals of 3-5%.
I am going to be very interested in what happens when if (as rumoured) China opens Hong Kong to external investment as a tax haven with cast iron banking secrecy rules, and no realistic chance of western governments leaning on them to reveal tax details of their investors.
The agenda for Russia is to destabilise and topple the USA from the position of primary global power and policeman and to see her decline. A goal that is common to China. An unholy alliance with a common cause that will make them work together in a limited but cooperative and strategic way.
To do well
Farage
Sturgeon
Miliband
Badly
Natalie Bennett
Leanne Wood
Clego
Dull :Cameron
Declared winner:Cameron
The questions themselves could well influence the result, for example if there was a question on the economy but not on health.
Could there be a curved ball thrown, such as someone from the audience bringing up the recent problems in Rotherham..?
Mr. H, if NATO members are attacked and there's no response, NATO becomes utterly pointless.
1) Economy
2) Health
3) Immigration
4) Future of Britain
The three largest parties have presided over massive migration into the UK, and the Greens/nationalists aren't against it either. That could be Farage's moment [to paraphrase Harriet Harman], and he can tie it into all the other questions (lowering wages, pressurising limited health resources, do we want 2m extra people here from overseas in the next decade etc).
Economy should be Cameron's, Health Miliband's [although he might have a Welsh problem]. Future of Britain: we await the SNP's opinion with bated breath
http://labour-uncut.co.uk/2015/04/01/labours-response-to-the-tories-business-letter-has-been-an-epic-act-of-political-self-harm/#more-19465
Labour's reaction has indeed been surprisingly petulant.
The last two seem quite broad, possibly some scope for the outsiders there. Leanne Wood's contribution to Health could be interesting, and we know that Sturgeon thinks that Britain has no future. I wonder how Farage will play on Immigration, could he use it to attack on Health and Economy as well as the specific subject or will the moderator intervene?
Question posed as train slowing down in built-up area, answer given as outside showed rolling green fields...
He has - not unexpectedly perhaps - handed the first three days to the Tories in his daily "review of the campaign day" series.
I can't fault his reasons for doing so though.
Damn.
1. Are all kippers apart from Sean Fear total fruitcakes ?
2. Should the PB kipper tie joke only be paraded on April 1st ?
3. Why are kippers not more regularly found in food banks ?
4. If Farage loses Thanet South will he be fitted up like a kipper by traitorous pig dogs in the party ?
Sound all too fishy to me.
Should be fun!
My forecast: performances will be rated on party lines as much as on the night.
Sturgeon will annoy a lot of English people so will not score well.
Wood will get some sympathy, particularly for her call for equal funding percapita for Wales as Scotland. Interesting to see how the others react to bringing up Barnett formula.
Bennett: does quite well on a panel as compared to individual interviews. Will get the idealists vote.
Clegg: a polished debator who performed well previously, will score better than expected. Will look the sane centrist that he is.
Farage: looks under strain recently, and prone to developing policy on the hoof. Most questions will not be on Europe/immigration so couldd appear a monomaniac if he keeps returning to the issue. Interesting to see how Australian Points system goes down with Bennett.
Miliband: likely to be lost in the hububb without a distinctive voice or position.
Cameron: Will appear a little aloof, but the only one who looks like a Prime Minister.
Winner: Cameron.
Mr. M, welcome to the PB Tories
In fact, I am very bearish on UKIP generally in this election. I could see a scenario where they polled around 7% and converted that to 1 or 2 seats.
Their best hope of progress is a Labour government that goes onto become deeply unpopular, which would probably see them become the main opposition in the vast majority of seats (in England at least). Although, in that scenario, I would expect a lurch to right for the Tories, which could weaken them in areas where they are strong presently.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBkrbTmWAAA-UTt.jpg
Something to offend everyone.
Look at education, the Victorians and their successors loved it, the Chinese and other Asians love it, the Africans love it - so why are we employing truancy officers and showing a declining performance compared to our global competitors?
Why do about half the adults in Wales have only a literacy and numeracy standard of an 11 year old? The answer is a combination of political ideology (all must win prizes) and a nigh total lack of aspiration for excellence by most politicians at all levels, who accept that average is good enough. Well accepting average of a declining standard can only lead to unemployment and bankruptcy.
These still have EICIPM despite 3 days of Tories leading the news agenda
The polls are sure to react to tonight's events even if the effects are temporary, so it think it will be the back end of next week/next weekend when we can look again at polling and see where we are.
My guess is that the squeeze on UKIP/LD/GREEN will continue. I wouldn't be surprised to see a poll that gives the big 2 a combined share of 75% or one of the big 2, 40%, before the campaign is over, although I doubt either of these will be achieved on the actual day.
If that continues to be the case ARSE comes into play.
Tonight is big for EICIPM
Mr Farage reminds one of the talking Action Man doll that was so popular in my childhood. A limited phraseology endlessly repeated #r4today
Even with oil revenues taken out, Scotland is above the UK average (Below England) - here is a crucial difference, Wales could never make it alone financially whereas Scotland most certainly could.
Moving to a Needs based formula would be bad news for Scotland, worse than independence I think. If Wales moved to a needs based formula it would do as well as it does currently under Barnett.
If the nation states were independent, England would benefit the most and in the round I think Scotland would be broadly neutral. Wales would suffer. NI would be a basket case on it's own, and have no choice but to become part of the Republic. London would do best of all.
Best I can say about him is he is barmy.
Ukip's best medium term chance is a Labour government in thrall to the SNP; a haggis-barrel deal and resentment elsewhere. I can see a rise for almost every other party bar Labour.
Edit - up now - 2hrs 10 mins in..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05nxgd9
Ms Wood is far to the left of EdM, is a republican and an idealist. She bemoans lack of investment (UK and global) in Wales but when asked why a global country should invest there, she cannot come up with an answer. The truth is that Wales' reputation on health and education is too well known and so Wales struggles to recruit good doctors and surgeons, good academics and industrialists.
There are nearly 3 BILLION aspirational Indians and Chinese waiting to take our place on the world stage, while we as a country seem to care only about what we can do without offending the producers...
Dial @DialMforMurdo 11h11 hours ago
@plasmatron @DouglasDaniel It's the endearing way Curran is clutching his elbow as if he's real. Here's the full set http://tinyurl.com/l9j6qx5
Includes Bar Chart - 'recent' Council elections which show that they can win. Doesn't say which one or ones.
Want a fully funded NHS, fine if that actually means something, and they have some idea of the implications for GDP, taxes et al.
Me, I am more worried about immigration and the decline in educational and economic standards that has resulted in.
FFS grow up.
Britain generally, and Wales and Scotland in particular, used to have a strong culture of the Protestant work ethic. Without some return of that spirit we are never going to achieve in education or anything else.
Nicky Morgan is continuing the work in England on Education, but in a more low key way.
https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson
30/10/2014 18:09
"They're all voting UKIP" wails E.Sussex Tory MP on train back from Rochester last night- heard on phone by Nigel Jones UKIP Eastbourne PPC
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/interiors/renovating/11507710/Lets-learn-to-abandon-our-DIY-dreams.html At the same time invention, creation, making stuff is becoming a huge movement in the USA. The maker movement is all over the country there, not just with magazines full of things to make, but lots of cutting edge technology being open sourced and democratised. It a lot of community centres in the USA its not uncommon to find lazer cutters, 3d printers, CNC mills and other high end production machinery available to rent by the hour or the job, so people can design and build their own products. Its challenging, empowering stuff, and we are going in the opposite direction... sad.
That is where the education debate should concentrate on. But as it is hard to solve, everyone looks away.
We cannot compete as a country - in business or morally - when we are letting so many of our children down.
1 China Shanghai, China
2 Singapore
3 Hong Kong, China
4 Taiwan
5 South Korea
6 Macau, China
7 Japan
26 UK They are doing very nicely there. The money they are making from us is pulling millions of people out of poverty very efficiently.
Out there in the real world, if you are working all day with a long commute on top because you cannot afford to live close to your employment (see cleaners etc in London), then you do not have the time - literally - to do much else. Many children are left to their own devices not because their parents are feckless wasters content to live off the state, but because their parents are only at home at the extreme ends of each day.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-26823184
Again, plenty of room for improvement, but an indication that we are not as bad as we are often told.
I thought that wiring a plug is positively discouraged nowadays, with sealed plugs to avoid electrocution. Outside work (where some basic wiring is often needed), I haven't wired a plug for years.
The Spectator (@spectator)
02/04/2015 09:43
'The truth is hard': an interview with Roger Scruton specc.ie/1y0wxuc pic.twitter.com/MlUQ1Zq3gQ
Yes on the narrow point you are right, but I suggest wilfully missing the point that our younger generation is rapidly losing interesting in making stuff, and that suppliers that are in business to sell products to "make stuff" are scaling back their offerings in the face of public apathy. Probably half my generation would have made repairs at home, and the vast majority of my father's generation, but its easier, and involves less effort (and less satisfaction I would say) to hire a polish handyman, and go out to a wine bar.