suggested the leaders didn't realise the country doesn't want another 5 years of uncaring top down austerity from people who don't know what scraping the barrel means. .
Well, the country may not want that, but Ed M or Cameron, we're still getting top down austerity either way, and personally I don't see that the 'caring' factor will matter that much (there's only a limited set of options for cutting after all, particularly when some budgets but not all are protected), but it would appear really do think that a Labour cutting axe is better than a Tory cutting axe.
Just run a deficit like every household in britain does apart from the top tories.
My point was whether one thinks one needs to eliminate the deficit or not, both Tories and Labour intend to cut large amounts to do just that, and slightly different timescales and priorities will not make Labour cuts hurt those on the receiving end of them less than Tory cuts, even if someone believes, as they appear to, that Labour are doing it reluctantly while Tories are doing it joyfully. If someone doesn't like coalition austerity, turning to Labour is not that different a choice for someone to make.
What's been weird about the Tories' campaign this week is the missed opportunity. Looking at it objectively, why on Earth did they not have a big counter-intuitive tax change or announcement on pay to follow-up all the stuff about 'money-back Monday'? It ended up a complete damp squib because there were no new news lines out of it, just Cameron and Osborne congratulating themselves on their own brilliance, which predictably was muddied by the opposition making counter-claims and journalists not being too keen on swallowing obvious propaganda. If they had, they could've portrayed the non-dom policy as a gimmicky response to their own plans and something they were looking at doing anyway. Instead Labour have seized control of the news agenda, with the Tories reduced to desperate carping and this nasty trident tripe.
As a pessimist, I can only think that they're saving up their ammunition for later and this period of lackadaisical campaigning is designed to tease out Labour's strategy and generate over excitement among their enemies in order to hit when Labour have thrown their best populist punches. Rope-a-dope, if you will. The Tories have been so crap it surely has to be deliberate - they'll have to be careful though, if it isn't and this is their strategy they'll lose, possibly heavily. Ed Miliband will never be acclaimed as the father of the nation, but with every day he calmly deals with the nonsense coming from CCHQ, he looks more and more like the next PM, and if his personal ratings continue to edge up, even those who didn't think he was up to it will reluctantly accept that he's preferable to a busted flush in Cameron.
If you are in the red team which I doubt, I would hate to have you anywhere near the dressing room,the players would go over the white line already defeated.
Southam at least has an excuse as a spurs supporter and a terrible tipster to boot. He gets very election wrong from the USA to the Scottish referendum.
Pessimism is my way of not getting let down if it doesn't work out.
Also, the weekend just gone I predicted no more Lab leads during the campaign, so i think I should take over the PB Wooden Spoon for worst tipster
suggested the leaders didn't realise the country doesn't want another 5 years of uncaring top down austerity from people who don't know what scraping the barrel means. .
Well, the country may not want that, but Ed M or Cameron, we're still getting top down austerity either way, and personally I don't see that the 'caring' factor will matter that much (there's only a limited set of options for cutting after all, particularly when some budgets but not all are protected), but it would appear really do think that a Labour cutting axe is better than a Tory cutting axe.
Just run a deficit like every household in britain does apart from the top tories.
WTF are you on about? As people age, their savings increase. How do you manage to explain that with every house running a deficit?
suggested the leaders didn't realise the country doesn't want another 5 years of uncaring top down austerity from people who don't know what scraping the barrel means. .
Well, the country may not want that, but Ed M or Cameron, we're still getting top down austerity either way, and personally I don't see that the 'caring' factor will matter that much (there's only a limited set of options for cutting after all, particularly when some budgets but not all are protected), but it would appear really do think that a Labour cutting axe is better than a Tory cutting axe.
Just run a deficit like every household in britain does apart from the top tories.
WTF are you on about? As people age, their savings increase. How do you manage to explain that with every house running a deficit?
I suspect that Purseybear is yet another of those who doesn't know the difference between deficit and debt.
suggested the leaders didn't realise the country doesn't want another 5 years of uncaring top down austerity from people who don't know what scraping the barrel means. .
Well, the country may not want that, but Ed M or Cameron, we're still getting top down austerity either way, and personally I don't see that the 'caring' factor will matter that much (there's only a limited set of options for cutting after all, particularly when some budgets but not all are protected), but it would appear really do think that a Labour cutting axe is better than a Tory cutting axe.
Just run a deficit like every household in britain does apart from the top tories.
WTF are you on about? As people age, their savings increase. How do you manage to explain that with every house running a deficit?
Just meant that loads of 'ordinary' people are up to their eyes in debt and get used to operating like that. It's not such a big deal if incomes still coming in. Think people will rather have a bit of fairness and gentle leadership than more of this bashing from the posh boys. Thats the way it comes over any rate.
suggested the leaders didn't realise the country doesn't want another 5 years of uncaring top down austerity from people who don't know what scraping the barrel means. .
Well, the country may not want that, but Ed M or Cameron, we're still getting top down austerity either way, and personally I don't see that the 'caring' factor will matter that much (there's only a limited set of options for cutting after all, particularly when some budgets but not all are protected), but it would appear really do think that a Labour cutting axe is better than a Tory cutting axe.
Just run a deficit like every household in britain does apart from the top tories.
'Every household in Britain' - I doubt it. Most people aren't that stupid.
I haven't been around today. Have the nats here apologised for perpetuating the lies and bullying about that girl who asked the question in the scottish debate?
Have a look at Wings over Scotland for a rather different story.
suggested the leaders didn't realise the country doesn't want another 5 years of uncaring top down austerity from people who don't know what scraping the barrel means. .
Well, the country may not want that, but Ed M or Cameron, we're still getting top down austerity either way, and personally I don't see that the 'caring' factor will matter that much (there's only a limited set of options for cutting after all, particularly when some budgets but not all are protected), but it would appear really do think that a Labour cutting axe is better than a Tory cutting axe.
Just run a deficit like every household in britain does apart from the top tories.
'Every household in Britain' - I doubt it. Most people aren't that stupid.
Most people don't have the choice.
See this is where the tories are a million miles from ordinary voters
If you are in the red team which I doubt, I would hate to have you anywhere near the dressing room,the players would go over the white line already defeated.
Southam at least has an excuse as a spurs supporter and a terrible tipster to boot. He gets very election wrong from the USA to the Scottish referendum.
Pessimism is my way of not getting let down if it doesn't work out.
Also, the weekend just gone I predicted no more Lab leads during the campaign, so i think I should take over the PB Wooden Spoon for worst tipster
A coveted award, no doubt. That's why I try to stay vague. Sure, I've predicted Labour wins of various sizes consistently, but haven't ruled out things like Tories most votes or stated boldly something like no Con leads.
Although speaking of poor tipsters, I thought it interesting Dan Hodges appears to have gone offscript for pundits, stating (on what will happen if Ed wins):
Within an hour, the analysts who spent the past year mocking him will start to talk about his resilience under pressure, his singlemindedness...this is how punditry works; all victories (and defeats) are retrospectively declared inevitable
He doesn't say anything about people who spend the past 5 years mocking Ed M though.
A fair point, to be sure. Although plenty of Tories, including those running the campaign strategy, seem to still believe the Cleggasm, temporary though it was, remains the largest single factor as to why they did not achieve a majority in 2010, so presumably if this is the new Cleggasm, those same Tories should remain despondent.
Be careful, the Cleggasm was a terrible case of premature excitement. The LDs lost seats that election, and the final result was very similar to the pre-debate polling. The Cleggasm was a transient polling phenomenon as ephemeral as the morning mist.
I got a fiver on Lab Majority at 42 earlier in the week. Good value but still unlikely. I cannot see Ed pulling it off, but could have most seats.
Totally lacklustre and complacent tory campaign to date. Undeniable. Porn filters and school tests ffs. Marginal unsubstantive stuff. Hope Lynton is only paid on results.
Also cannot deny EdM is pitching his mood music very well and successfully to the politically disengaged, financially and economically illiterate types out there with ZHC and non-doms. Unjustified perhaps but again undeniable in my view.
Hopefully I am just a big scardey-cat and they can get their arses in gear but I am thinking us Tories may lose big at the mo. Very nervous
suggested the leaders didn't realise the country doesn't want another 5 years of uncaring top down austerity from people who don't know what scraping the barrel means. .
Well, the country may not want that, but Ed M or Cameron, we're still getting top down austerity either way, and personally I don't see that the 'caring' factor will matter that much (there's only a limited set of options for cutting after all, particularly when some budgets but not all are protected), but it would appear really do think that a Labour cutting axe is better than a Tory cutting axe.
Just run a deficit like every household in britain does apart from the top tories.
'Every household in Britain' - I doubt it. Most people aren't that stupid.
Most people don't have the choice.
See this is where the tories are a million miles from ordinary voters
Gonna have to back that up with some facts, I think. You're implying disposable income (after housing, food etc.) is negative for most families.
I have always thought Phillip Hammond is a possible Conservative leader, and Prime minister in the right circumstances , I said so previously. Very safe pair of hands. He did not want to repeat the words used by Fallon , on the daily politics, even though he had every opportunity when asked repeatedly by Andrew Neil.
suggested the leaders didn't realise the country doesn't want another 5 years of uncaring top down austerity from people who don't know what scraping the barrel means. .
Well, the country may not want that, but Ed M or Cameron, we're still getting top down austerity either way, and personally I don't see that the 'caring' factor will matter that much (there's only a limited set of options for cutting after all, particularly when some budgets but not all are protected), but it would appear really do think that a Labour cutting axe is better than a Tory cutting axe.
Just run a deficit like every household in britain does apart from the top tories.
'Every household in Britain' - I doubt it. Most people aren't that stupid.
Most people don't have the choice.
See this is where the tories are a million miles from ordinary voters
I haven't been around today. Have the nats here apologised for perpetuating the lies and bullying about that girl who asked the question in the scottish debate?
What are you wittering about you dunderheided halfwit
Things are hotting up. David Cameron came to my village today - and Ed Miliband was about 2 miles away last week. But nothing like the reception for Nick Clegg in 2010 - but doubt he will be here at all this time.
A fair point, to be sure. Although plenty of Tories, including those running the campaign strategy, seem to still believe the Cleggasm, temporary though it was, remains the largest single factor as to why they did not achieve a majority in 2010, so presumably if this is the new Cleggasm, those same Tories should remain despondent.
Be careful, the Cleggasm was a terrible case of premature excitement. [...] and the final result was very similar to the pre-debate polling.
Personally I'm wagering quite significantly on this strategy. Lots of noise but no overall movement in the campaign seems pretty plausible, and the odds suggest good value.
See this is where the tories are a million miles from ordinary voters
YouTube recommended to me Russell Brand Trews nonsense yesterday and I thought why not, lets see what the idiot has to say.
He spent 10 minutes banging on about how out of touch the Tories where, how they had people do stuff for them, etc....all while being chauffeured around London in a brand new Merc (and no he wasn't being ironic or making trying to make a comic point).
VIVA LA REVOLUTION is all I say, only as long as I get the chauffeur driven Merc like Russell.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
If you are in the red team which I doubt, I would hate to have you anywhere near the dressing room,the players would go over the white line already defeated.
Southam at least has an excuse as a spurs supporter and a terrible tipster to boot. He gets very election wrong from the USA to the Scottish referendum.
Pessimism is my way of not getting let down if it doesn't work out.
Also, the weekend just gone I predicted no more Lab leads during the campaign, so i think I should take over the PB Wooden Spoon for worst tipster
To be honest Danny , this election is the hardest one I remember to predict.
I know one thing though telling people they are now better off than they were in 2010 is a sad joke for many. Most people can feel in their water, that the system that crashed allover the world in 2008,still has the capacity to do it again, with banks still to big to fail especially in the UK.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
I am sure Labour supporters would not view the message as that negative, but regardless, the key there is 'will vote for', and that 35% will be enough. Perhaps we will all suffer for such foolishness if that happens, but pointing that out does not appear to be convincing people to back the Tories, so what options do they have left?
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
suggested the leaders didn't realise the country doesn't want another 5 years of uncaring top down austerity from people who don't know what scraping the barrel means. .
Well, the country may not want that, but Ed M or Cameron, we're still getting top down austerity either way, and personally I don't see that the 'caring' factor will matter that much (there's only a limited set of options for cutting after all, particularly when some budgets but not all are protected), but it would appear really do think that a Labour cutting axe is better than a Tory cutting axe.
Just run a deficit like every household in britain does apart from the top tories.
'Every household in Britain' - I doubt it. Most people aren't that stupid.
Most people don't have the choice.
See this is where the tories are a million miles from ordinary voters
Most people do have the choice. My income is nothing special and my wife's not working since we had a baby but we have always cut our cloth according to our income and save for a rainy day. I've as a rule saved some income on every payday since I was 17 and on minimum wage.
People have choices. Anyone who smokes, drinks, gambles, buys drugs, eats takeaway food or eats out at a restaurant etc is making a choice. Running a surplus for a rainy day is the sane way to run your finances.
really not convinced that Ed is attacking the rich.. Cracking down on tax dodging and some trifling changes to employment rights. Once upon a time the top rate of tax was 95% and the unions controlled nationalised industries. The rich survived that period so I'm sure they can survive 5 years of Ed
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Won't all politicos do the same.
I think the Tories today have been an absolute disgrace. The attacks on Miliband smack of desperation.
There's a big chunk of the polling sample that is currently undecided. These are weighted down enormously even though 60% of them voted in 2010 because obviously they don't express a voting intention.
The interesting thing is that 34% of the undecideds that voted in 2010 did so for the Tories (only 17% voted Labour & 22% voted Lib Dem) and the total group of undecideds as a whole is largely favourable to the Tories (at least compared to Labour) but they just can't bring themselves to even say they will vote for the party. It looks (from the Survation numbers) like the difference between these and the people who are current Tory voters is that they view the party as on the side of the wealthy, they have got worse off over the past 5 years, and the most important issue to them is the cost of living.
So the trick for the Tories will be trying to get these people interested and actually turning out for the party on 7 May (based on this sample they will be unlikely to vote Labour). With the way the campaign is going I hope there are some juicy policies that will actually make people like these undecideds better off.
suggested the leaders didn't realise the country doesn't want another 5 years of uncaring top down austerity from people who don't know what scraping the barrel means. .
Well, the country may not want that, but Ed M or Cameron, we're still getting top down austerity either way, and personally I don't see that the 'caring' factor will matter that much (there's only a limited set of options for cutting after all, particularly when some budgets but not all are protected), but it would appear really do think that a Labour cutting axe is better than a Tory cutting axe.
Just run a deficit like every household in britain does apart from the top tories.
We're not 'top Tories', and we do not run a deficit. In fact, we're likely to pay off the remainder of our mortgage this year, so we'll be debt-free. All because we're stingy gits who don't spend a great deal. And we're managing on one (albeit reasonable) salary.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Boris is the one leader who can appeal to both UKIP supporters and Lib Dems. The Tories will have no choice but to make him their leader in opposition.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Once upon a time the top rate of tax was 95% and the unions controlled nationalised industries. The rich survived that period so I'm sure they can survive 5 years of Ed
Indeed. The terror in some quarters on both sides of the divide when it looks like 'the other lot' will get in is quite ridiculous most of the time. Maybe in 1979 there was a credible case that another Labour term would have done deep long-term harm to the country, but most of the time it's one modestly good politician against another. The worst was the 2008 Mayoral Election, where both sides seemed convinced London wouldn't still be standing after 4 years of the other.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Won't all politicos do the same.
I think the Tories today have been an absolute disgrace. The attacks on Miliband smack of desperation.
But with a hint of truth in it. Labour's campaign has been, if anything, worse.
suggested the leaders didn't realise the country doesn't want another 5 years of uncaring top down austerity from people who don't know what scraping the barrel means. .
Well, the country may not want that, but Ed M or Cameron, we're still getting top down austerity either way, and personally I don't see that the 'caring' factor will matter that much (there's only a limited set of options for cutting after all, particularly when some budgets but not all are protected), but it would appear really do think that a Labour cutting axe is better than a Tory cutting axe.
Just run a deficit like every household in britain does apart from the top tories.
We're not 'top Tories', and we do not run a deficit. In fact, we're likely to pay off the remainder of our mortgage this year, so we'll be debt-free. All because we're stingy gits who don't spend a great deal. And we're managing on one (albeit reasonable) salary.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Won't all politicos do the same.
I think the Tories today have been an absolute disgrace. The attacks on Miliband smack of desperation.
When everyone was throwing the kitchen sink at Brown and lefties on here were complaining, I distinctly remember you saying they should shut up because in politics everything is "fair game".
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Won't all politicos do the same.
I think the Tories today have been an absolute disgrace. The attacks on Miliband smack of desperation.
You won't find any argument from me. The Tories have been politically naive over the last couple of days. They need to give the country something positive a vision of Britain that people can look forwards to. Last time Dave was pimping his big society vision, it may not have been my cup of tea, but it was at least something. This time they are too bogged down in facts and statistics which just turns people off, plus a bunch of negative attacks on Ed which, again, just turns people off.
The Tories are missing Steve Hilton big time IMO.
Whatever people say about Labour and Ed, he is still giving people a vision of Britain, a poorer but fairer country where the wealthy are less so, but his 35% are comfortable with that and they don't seem to care that it means more taxes for everyone else and the Tories are doing literally nothing to give an opposing vision of wealth creation and positive capitalism. I said it some time last year, but the Tories seem to be scared of being capitalist and they are running away from wealth creation. It is a very big mistake. Yes social media will howl and whine if Dave and George come out in favour of it, but they will do that whatever the weather. Middle England wants wealth creation, Dave needs to offer it.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Boris is the one leader who can appeal to both UKIP supporters and Lib Dems. The Tories will have no choice but to make him their leader in opposition.
Oh please God no.
Another southern Oxbridge numpty's about the last thing the Conservatives need.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Boris is the one leader who can appeal to both UKIP supporters and Lib Dems. The Tories will have no choice but to make him their leader in opposition.
As soon as the exit polls confirm the Tories are behind I'm backing Boris at any reasonable odds. Not really worth doing now on the off chance that the Tories may still be in government.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Won't all politicos do the same.
I think the Tories today have been an absolute disgrace. The attacks on Miliband smack of desperation.
If Ed gets into No 10 he is going to find it a lot harder peddling his loony policies in No 10 than out of..
I have always thought that people expecting a radical Ed M in No.10 would be surprised. Things are not flexible enough to allow that, and a seasoned political animal like Ed knows that I am sure.
As such, he'll probably not be a disaster as PM either, merely kind of crappy, which is all most of us hope for from our PMs I think,
If Ed gets into No 10 he is going to find it a lot harder peddling his loony policies in No 10 than out of..
I have always thought that people expecting a radical Ed M in No.10 would be surprised. Things are not flexible enough to allow that, and a seasoned political animal like Ed knows that I am sure.
As such, he'll probably not be a disaster as PM either, merely kind of crappy, which is all most of us hope for from our PMs I think,
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Won't all politicos do the same.
I think the Tories today have been an absolute disgrace. The attacks on Miliband smack of desperation.
Call me old fashioned but driving the British economy into a brick wall while killing millions of innocents sort of sticks in my mind as "an absolute disgrace"
Hey what do I know though I just have to pick up the tab left by the loony left.
really not convinced that Ed is attacking the rich.. Cracking down on tax dodging and some trifling changes to employment rights. Once upon a time the top rate of tax was 95% and the unions controlled nationalised industries. The rich survived that period so I'm sure they can survive 5 years of Ed
No the rich didn't survive that period, the rich emigrated and took their money with them - paying no taxes to the UK.
Even famous left-wing idols like John Lennon emigrated away from the UK removing all taxes with them.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Won't all politicos do the same.
I think the Tories today have been an absolute disgrace. The attacks on Miliband smack of desperation.
Disgrace , not really , but inept and following the wrong strategy , yes .
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Boris is the one leader who can appeal to both UKIP supporters and Lib Dems. The Tories will have no choice but to make him their leader in opposition.
It's a bit odd that Boris should appeal to Kippers given that he's far more fanatical about the EU and immigration than Cameron is...
But I do agree, the Tories will have to rally around Boris quickly because if it is a Lab minority with SNP support it will be terribly unstable and could collapse at any moment.
A quick leadership contest and then the Tories on an election will be needed within six months, IMO.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Boris is the one leader who can appeal to both UKIP supporters and Lib Dems. The Tories will have no choice but to make him their leader in opposition.
Oh please God no.
Another southern Oxbridge numpty's about the last thing the Conservatives need.
Boris is utterly the wrong person to be PM. I'd campaign against him, and I've never campaigned.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Won't all politicos do the same.
I think the Tories today have been an absolute disgrace. The attacks on Miliband smack of desperation.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Won't all politicos do the same.
I think the Tories today have been an absolute disgrace. The attacks on Miliband smack of desperation.
Disgrace , not really , but inept and following the wrong strategy , yes .
See this is where the tories are a million miles from ordinary voters
YouTube recommended to me Russell Brand Trews nonsense yesterday and I thought why not, lets see what the idiot has to say.
He spent 10 minutes banging on about how out of touch the Tories where, how they had people do stuff for them, etc....all while being chauffeured around London in a brand new Merc (and no he wasn't being ironic or making trying to make a comic point).
VIVA LA REVOLUTION is all I say, only as long as I get the chauffeur driven Merc like Russell.
If you're on the left, he's even worse as he's an idiotic embarrassment. Dismal individual like his pal Hari. The Daily Beast, which is on the left had this fantastic review of his book and his tenuous grasp of factual information.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Won't all politicos do the same.
I think the Tories today have been an absolute disgrace. The attacks on Miliband smack of desperation.
But with a hint of truth in it. Labour's campaign has been, if anything, worse.
But I want to hear from the Lib Dems. Please...?
In what way has it been worse, Labour are up in the polls since the start and have two big leads today. Their campaign has been very, very good so far. It may not appeal to me or you, but to their 35% it has struck all of the right notes.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Won't all politicos do the same.
I think the Tories today have been an absolute disgrace. The attacks on Miliband smack of desperation.
So in your view its perfectly acceptable to damage the country and the economy as "all politicos do the same" - but mudslinging is an "absolute disgrace".
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Boris is the one leader who can appeal to both UKIP supporters and Lib Dems. The Tories will have no choice but to make him their leader in opposition.
Oh please God no.
Another southern Oxbridge numpty's about the last thing the Conservatives need.
Indeed, the Conservatives need to win seats north of Watford.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Boris is the one leader who can appeal to both UKIP supporters and Lib Dems. The Tories will have no choice but to make him their leader in opposition.
It's a bit odd that Boris should appeal to Kippers given that he's far more fanatical about the EU and immigration than Cameron is...
Which is why the Kippers won't be flocking anywhere. The Kipper numbers will no doubt be boosted every time Boris opens his mouth and spouts some of his usual rubbish.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Won't all politicos do the same.
I think the Tories today have been an absolute disgrace. The attacks on Miliband smack of desperation.
But with a hint of truth in it. Labour's campaign has been, if anything, worse.
But I want to hear from the Lib Dems. Please...?
In what way has it been worse, Labour are up in the polls since the start and have two big leads today. Their campaign has been very, very good so far. It may not appeal to me or you, but to their 35% it has struck all of the right notes.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Won't all politicos do the same.
I think the Tories today have been an absolute disgrace. The attacks on Miliband smack of desperation.
I've not noticed you condemn Ed 's oft repeated attacks on Cameron and Osborne because of their background over which they have no control.
If Ed gets into No 10 he is going to find it a lot harder peddling his loony policies in No 10 than out of..
I have always thought that people expecting a radical Ed M in No.10 would be surprised. Things are not flexible enough to allow that, and a seasoned political animal like Ed knows that I am sure.
As such, he'll probably not be a disaster as PM either, merely kind of crappy, which is all most of us hope for from our PMs I think,
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Boris is the one leader who can appeal to both UKIP supporters and Lib Dems. The Tories will have no choice but to make him their leader in opposition.
Oh please God no.
Another southern Oxbridge numpty's about the last thing the Conservatives need.
Indeed, the Conservatives need to win seats north of Watford.
That appears to be a revelation to most PB Tories.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Won't all politicos do the same.
I think the Tories today have been an absolute disgrace. The attacks on Miliband smack of desperation.
But with a hint of truth in it. Labour's campaign has been, if anything, worse.
But I want to hear from the Lib Dems. Please...?
In what way has it been worse, Labour are up in the polls since the start and have two big leads today. Their campaign has been very, very good so far. It may not appeal to me or you, but to their 35% it has struck all of the right notes.
Worse in terms of truthfulness and nastiness.
And yes, that includes today's events.
It doesn't matter. Labour strategists have realised that their 35% want to be sold this vision and it will get their man into Number 10. Very much like the SNP supporters who didn't care about the economic reality of an independent Scotland, Labour's 35% don't care that all of the changes they are proposing means higher taxes for everyone and fewer jobs. They want that society of higher taxes and more money for public services.
If Ed gets into No 10 he is going to find it a lot harder peddling his loony policies in No 10 than out of..
I have always thought that people expecting a radical Ed M in No.10 would be surprised. Things are not flexible enough to allow that, and a seasoned political animal like Ed knows that I am sure.
As such, he'll probably not be a disaster as PM either, merely kind of crappy, which is all most of us hope for from our PMs I think,
More terrifyingly, he could be really good...
That would be nice. I cannot say I'm encouraged to believe that based on what we've seen from him, but I do think Tories attempting to console themselves that they will definitely in win in 2020 at least, should Ed win in 2015, should not be too certain of that - it is predicated on the assumption Ed is a fool and will be a disaster, which as I say seems unlikely to be so extreme a reaction.
suggested the leaders didn't realise the country doesn't want another 5 years of uncaring top down austerity from people who don't know what scraping the barrel means. .
Well, the country may not want that, but Ed M or Cameron, we're still getting top down austerity either way, and personally I don't see that the 'caring' factor will matter that much (there's only a limited set of options for cutting after all, particularly when some budgets but not all are protected), but it would appear really do think that a Labour cutting axe is better than a Tory cutting axe.
Just run a deficit like every household in britain does apart from the top tories.
We're not 'top Tories', and we do not run a deficit. In fact, we're likely to pay off the remainder of our mortgage this year, so we'll be debt-free. All because we're stingy gits who don't spend a great deal. And we're managing on one (albeit reasonable) salary.
And the country is not a household budget.
Try again.
But are you happy
I've spent the day out in the sunshine with my nine-month old baby, or as much time as I thought his skin could handle.
Hell yes, I'm happy.
Happier than a miserable, nasty Scotsman, at least.
Too early to tell whether this is just a couple of blips or the beginnings of a trend to Lab. What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
Ed is appealing to the 35% - and appalling to the 65%. He will say any policy that attacks 'the rich' and the great unwashed will vote for a lifestyle that they can never afford.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
It doesn't matter. He just wants the keys to Number 10. Whatever he needs to do or say to get there seems irrelevant. Hitting the non-doms is economically damaging, hitting ZHCs is economically damaging, raising corporation tax is economically damaging. He doesn't care and neither does the segment of the electorate he is appealing to. Labour strategists have seen that they can win on 35% and they are playing a blinder to capture them.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
Won't all politicos do the same.
I think the Tories today have been an absolute disgrace. The attacks on Miliband smack of desperation.
You are just parroting what Ed said..
Says Polly , one of our pb tory budgies .
..still smarting from that bet on the Euro you lost..
really not convinced that Ed is attacking the rich.. Cracking down on tax dodging and some trifling changes to employment rights. Once upon a time the top rate of tax was 95% and the unions controlled nationalised industries. The rich survived that period so I'm sure they can survive 5 years of Ed
No the rich didn't survive that period, the rich emigrated and took their money with them - paying no taxes to the UK.
Even famous left-wing idols like John Lennon emigrated away from the UK removing all taxes with them.
Indeed, the Conservatives need to win seats north of Watford.
The ashcroft marginals polls suggest they are able to win big time in the Midlands. And parts of the North too.
CON is going to hold Warwick, Leamington and Loughborough meanwhile losing Sherwood, Broxtowe, Warwickshire North, Nuneaton in the Midlands. Being a Coventry boy it's an area I've followed quite closely.
Comments
As a pessimist, I can only think that they're saving up their ammunition for later and this period of lackadaisical campaigning is designed to tease out Labour's strategy and generate over excitement among their enemies in order to hit when Labour have thrown their best populist punches. Rope-a-dope, if you will. The Tories have been so crap it surely has to be deliberate - they'll have to be careful though, if it isn't and this is their strategy they'll lose, possibly heavily. Ed Miliband will never be acclaimed as the father of the nation, but with every day he calmly deals with the nonsense coming from CCHQ, he looks more and more like the next PM, and if his personal ratings continue to edge up, even those who didn't think he was up to it will reluctantly accept that he's preferable to a busted flush in Cameron.
Also, the weekend just gone I predicted no more Lab leads during the campaign, so i think I should take over the PB Wooden Spoon for worst tipster
http://gawker.com/5945948/conservative-site-mitt-romney-is-winning-if-you-just-change-the-polls-to-make-him-win
Lynton will last until he's got rid of the last Libdem.
£20@60.25 obtained
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/general-election-2015/politics-blog/11525945/General-election-campaign-who-won-day-11.html
Obviously Question Time and This Week but wasn't sure what else?
See this is where the tories are a million miles from ordinary voters
Although speaking of poor tipsters, I thought it interesting Dan Hodges appears to have gone offscript for pundits, stating (on what will happen if Ed wins):
Within an hour, the analysts who spent the past year mocking him will start to talk about his resilience under pressure, his singlemindedness...this is how punditry works; all victories (and defeats) are retrospectively declared inevitable
He doesn't say anything about people who spend the past 5 years mocking Ed M though.
http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/9494602/ed-miliband-could-still-win-heres-what-would-happen-next/
I got a fiver on Lab Majority at 42 earlier in the week. Good value but still unlikely. I cannot see Ed pulling it off, but could have most seats.
Also cannot deny EdM is pitching his mood music very well and successfully to the politically disengaged, financially and economically illiterate types out there with ZHC and non-doms. Unjustified perhaps but again undeniable in my view.
Hopefully I am just a big scardey-cat and they can get their arses in gear but I am thinking us Tories may lose big at the mo. Very nervous
"Just run a deficit like every household in britain does apart from the top tories."
I suspect very few people run a deficit - that's the way to homelessness.
Very safe pair of hands.
He did not want to repeat the words used by Fallon , on the daily politics, even though he had every opportunity when asked repeatedly by Andrew Neil.
So, "it depends on the odds" haha
Hahahaha!
You are really suggesting that people with a mortgage aren't even paying the interest due every month?
"He doesn't say anything about people who spend the past 5 years mocking Ed M though."
Presumably he spends the next five years mocking him too.
He spent 10 minutes banging on about how out of touch the Tories where, how they had people do stuff for them, etc....all while being chauffeured around London in a brand new Merc (and no he wasn't being ironic or making trying to make a comic point).
VIVA LA REVOLUTION is all I say, only as long as I get the chauffeur driven Merc like Russell.
What it definitely isn't is the start of a move towards the Tories. So underneath all the excitement and bluster the only objective conclusion is that Ed is either saying the right thing or the acceptable thing ; but that Dave and Lynton are currently peddling the wrong message
I know one thing though telling people they are now better off than they were in 2010 is a sad joke for many.
Most people can feel in their water, that the system that crashed allover the world in 2008,still has the capacity to do it again, with banks still to big to fail especially in the UK.
When it goes down the pan - he will blame the bankers and the rich - but never himself.
The best we on the centre right can hope for is that the economy holds up and the Lib Dems recover in opposition and splits the left again and UKIP subsides and the right unites properly. As for 2015-2020, it'll be a wild ride.
People have choices. Anyone who smokes, drinks, gambles, buys drugs, eats takeaway food or eats out at a restaurant etc is making a choice. Running a surplus for a rainy day is the sane way to run your finances.
http://www.lynnnews.co.uk/news/local/latest-local-news/earl-of-leicester-announces-ukip-backing-1-6681630
If Ed gets into No 10 he is going to find it a lot harder peddling his loony policies in No 10 than out of..
Majorca is suddenly looking a nice place to retire to and taking loadsadosh at circa 1.40 to £1
I think the Tories today have been an absolute disgrace. The attacks on Miliband smack of desperation.
There's a big chunk of the polling sample that is currently undecided. These are weighted down enormously even though 60% of them voted in 2010 because obviously they don't express a voting intention.
The interesting thing is that 34% of the undecideds that voted in 2010 did so for the Tories (only 17% voted Labour & 22% voted Lib Dem) and the total group of undecideds as a whole is largely favourable to the Tories (at least compared to Labour) but they just can't bring themselves to even say they will vote for the party. It looks (from the Survation numbers) like the difference between these and the people who are current Tory voters is that they view the party as on the side of the wealthy, they have got worse off over the past 5 years, and the most important issue to them is the cost of living.
So the trick for the Tories will be trying to get these people interested and actually turning out for the party on 7 May (based on this sample they will be unlikely to vote Labour). With the way the campaign is going I hope there are some juicy policies that will actually make people like these undecideds better off.
And the country is not a household budget.
Try again.
But I want to hear from the Lib Dems. Please...?
The Tories are missing Steve Hilton big time IMO.
Whatever people say about Labour and Ed, he is still giving people a vision of Britain, a poorer but fairer country where the wealthy are less so, but his 35% are comfortable with that and they don't seem to care that it means more taxes for everyone else and the Tories are doing literally nothing to give an opposing vision of wealth creation and positive capitalism. I said it some time last year, but the Tories seem to be scared of being capitalist and they are running away from wealth creation. It is a very big mistake. Yes social media will howl and whine if Dave and George come out in favour of it, but they will do that whatever the weather. Middle England wants wealth creation, Dave needs to offer it.
Another southern Oxbridge numpty's about the last thing the Conservatives need.
As such, he'll probably not be a disaster as PM either, merely kind of crappy, which is all most of us hope for from our PMs I think,
Hey what do I know though I just have to pick up the tab left by the loony left.
Even famous left-wing idols like John Lennon emigrated away from the UK removing all taxes with them.
But I do agree, the Tories will have to rally around Boris quickly because if it is a Lab minority with SNP support it will be terribly unstable and could collapse at any moment.
A quick leadership contest and then the Tories on an election will be needed within six months, IMO.
Although I actually quite like him.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/11/02/russell-brand-s-revolution-for-morons.html
Think you have your priorities backwards there.
So your the one following him.
And yes, that includes today's events.
The ashcroft marginals polls suggest they are able to win big time in the Midlands. And parts of the North too.
Invite back the real thing instead
It will be very difficult to get it back.
Hell yes, I'm happy.
Happier than a miserable, nasty Scotsman, at least.
..still smarting from that bet on the Euro you lost..