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  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 43,049
    edited April 2015
    SeanT said:

    TGOHF said:

    Eck's back

    @David_Cameron

    This footage will shock you: Alex Salmond laughs & boasts he’ll write Labour’s budget. Vote Conservative to stop it.

    https://amp.twimg.com/v/8771ab80-c4b9-4e9d-ba4b-a1bb4ccddc9e

    Wow. That has the potential to go viral, and do real damage to Labour. I shall retweet it now.
    give over it's a very funny joke.

    Alex Salmond = total operator.
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @JoeWatts_: Alex Salmond gives the Tory narrative a big push.... https://t.co/BkybNymKOC
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,228
    Carnyx said:

    Just noticed the Graun live feed reporting a Press Association study of the use of Twitter by PPCs:

    "Of the seven main parties, the SNP has managed to get all of its parliamentary candidates on Twitter - while Ukip has only managed to do so with 52% of its prospective MPs.

    The Scottish nationalists and Ukip top-and-tailed a Press Association table on Twitter participation. Labour were in second place with 92% of candidates on the micro-blogging site, while you can expect to see tweets from 84% of the Tories’ hopefuls.

    Plaid Cymru had 83% of its candidates on Twitter, compared to 77% of the Greens’ and 69% of the Lib Dems".

    And what percentage of voters bother with Twitter, let alone 'follow' their candidates? It's a lot easier to reach people via a leaflet through the letterbox.
  • MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382

    Given 1992 seems to be 'in vogue' as the benchmark for this years election, here's some sobering facts for the Tories:

    - If Cameron does 'as well' as Major did in '92 (-40 Seats) He wont be Prime Minister.

    - If Miliband does 'as badly' as Kinnock did in '92 (+42 Seats) He will be Prime Minister.

    If Labour are plus 42 seats, they will have taken 80-90 off the Tories and Liberals
    If the Cons lose net 40, they'll have lost ca 60 to Labour,
    Your maths are wrong. To win most seats allowing for, say, 5 SLAB MPs to be saved, LAB needs to make 41 gains off CON assuming that both parties are equal in net terms from LD and UKIP battles.

    41 gains would put LAB on 263 and reduce CON to 262. Add on to that the net seats from LD/UKIP encounters with CON and LAB .

    LAB would get to 41 gains from CON on a theoretical 3.51% CON to LAB swing in England+Wales.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    What I can't get my head around is that vox pops want Sturgeon as a politico in Westminster, but they're actually getting Salmond through ignorance.

    Most peculiar.
    Pulpstar said:

    SeanT said:

    WTF are the SNP playing at? Are they trying to destroy Labour's chance of election? It is surely in their interests for them to be kingmakers to a weak Miliband. Are they that convinced that a Tory government is better for the SNP longterm?

    Or are they just getting absurdly hubristic and cocky?

    Alex Salmond being Salmond tbh.

    Bad cop is bad cop !

    He's probably far enough ahead in Gordon to win, but he has to be careful mind - Con -> LD tactical switching there has a coherent intellectual argument, and sound basis.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,869

    Sean_F said:

    Plato said:

    From Mr Liddle's Speccy column...

    And the Labour leader Ed Miliband made a hugely useful contribution with a tweet saying that the people who died were among the poorest in the world and something should be done. I suppose if they had been moderately affluent it would have been less of a tragedy, Ed, you halfwit. Again, with Hodges and Miliband and the ludicrous Izzy Saunders, the response was all about infantile attitudinalising, nothing more than a wish to tell everybody else that they care more than every-body else and that therefore they are right.

    Here’s the deal. There are two ways in which we can act to prevent future boatloads of migrants from drowning in the Mediterranean, and only two ways. Let them all in, or stop them trying to come.
    I really dislike all the Something Must Be Done crowd - who don't actually do anything bar demanding sacking someone whose opinions they don't like. How completely self-righteous and pointless.
    "Something must be done" gave us the Iraq War.
    HMS Farage could sail out and pick up any floating Christians and put all the others on some sort of barge with homing instincts

    Not hard to find -they're the ones being chucked off the boat by Muslims.
  • Tissue_PriceTissue_Price Posts: 9,039
    isam said:

    @tissueprice

    Only just seen the question you asked.. You mean South Thanet?

    Nothing has changed IMO I think Farage will win very easily Ukip 4/6 probably the best bet

    As for the £500@4.2 laying Tories... Weird they just don't go 3.75

    Ta. Rob Ford reckons Farage fav but too short. Matt Goodwin wouldn't bet at current prices.
  • PolruanPolruan Posts: 2,083

    Looking at the LibDems seats it does appear there are 3 without an incumbent which have gone to the Tories.The LibDem brand has been damaged by coalition with the heartless Tories and so it will fall on the strengths of personality,independent thinking and constituency reputation.For these reasons I suggest evens at Corals is value for a LD hold in Torbay and St Ives is still backable for a LD hold at just under evens.Both candidates may just get over the line using their personal brand rather than their parties and certainly no pictures of Clegg on the leaflets.Places like these,Bath and Yeovil,the LibDems are like bindweed and you just can't get rid of them.

    I think Andrew George is likely to be in trouble in St Ives following the dumb "no tory coalition" comments - unless, I suppose, some electors actually believe it rather than being tipped over the edge by one blatant lie too many.

    The all important poster war is evenly blue and yellow. The LD posters have Andrew George in very large letters and a very small mention of the LDs. The Tory posters go one better and completely omit the party name.
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,328


    Jason Groves @JasonGroves1

    Ed Miliband says he will pay Mansion Tax on his £2.7m home, but insists it is not a mansion. 'That's just a term that's used...

    when the tax ends up being applied to pretty much every house in the country.

  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    The Spectator (@spectator)
    22/04/2015 13:59
    An ‘anti-racism’ event at a British university has banned white people specc.ie/1yS0JrM by @laraprendergast pic.twitter.com/DLlQfGUMon
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,328


    Jason Groves @JasonGroves1

    Ed Miliband says he will pay Mansion Tax on his £2.7m home, but insists it is not a mansion. 'That's just a term that's used...

    Will he claim it back on expenses though?
    Was he asked that?
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 43,393

    Carnyx said:

    Just noticed the Graun live feed reporting a Press Association study of the use of Twitter by PPCs:

    "Of the seven main parties, the SNP has managed to get all of its parliamentary candidates on Twitter - while Ukip has only managed to do so with 52% of its prospective MPs.

    The Scottish nationalists and Ukip top-and-tailed a Press Association table on Twitter participation. Labour were in second place with 92% of candidates on the micro-blogging site, while you can expect to see tweets from 84% of the Tories’ hopefuls.

    Plaid Cymru had 83% of its candidates on Twitter, compared to 77% of the Greens’ and 69% of the Lib Dems".

    And what percentage of voters bother with Twitter, let alone 'follow' their candidates? It's a lot easier to reach people via a leaflet through the letterbox.
    Oh, undoubtedly. But it all helps.

  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,415
    Polruan said:



    The all important poster war is evenly blue and yellow. The LD posters have Andrew George in very large letters and a very small mention of the LDs. The Tory posters go one better and completely omit the party name.

    I noted this in the Dore/Totley area of Hallam too. Obviously Hallam isn't a Tory/LD marginal - but Tory votes in Dore/Totley could kill Clegg whilst Coppard gets his from Crookes/Stannington.
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    Polruan said:

    The Tory posters go one better and completely omit the party name.

    Do they have the candidate name?

    @RossBrierley: "The name's Surname. Name Surname" http://t.co/ITula3yrnw
  • murali_smurali_s Posts: 3,067
    edited April 2015
    Plato said:

    No, that encourages people traffickers. Like kidnappers.

    IIRC since Australia took on a zero tolerance stance - the number of boat people like this has virtually stopped.


    Here’s the deal. There are two ways in which we can act to prevent future boatloads of migrants from drowning in the Mediterranean, and only two ways. Let them all in, or stop them trying to come.
    Or maybe some kind of search and rescue operations.

    Nah, that'd never work...



    Yep - in the process they've broken many of their international obligations.

    Abbott is a right tool! He also considers war criminals like Rajapakse as 'close friends' - just about sums up the type of man Abbott is!
  • dyedwooliedyedwoolie Posts: 7,786

    Given 1992 seems to be 'in vogue' as the benchmark for this years election, here's some sobering facts for the Tories:

    - If Cameron does 'as well' as Major did in '92 (-40 Seats) He wont be Prime Minister.

    - If Miliband does 'as badly' as Kinnock did in '92 (+42 Seats) He will be Prime Minister.

    If Labour are plus 42 seats, they will have taken 80-90 off the Tories and Liberals
    If the Cons lose net 40, they'll have lost ca 60 to Labour,
    Your maths are wrong. To win most seats allowing for, say, 5 SLAB MPs to be saved, LAB needs to make 41 gains off CON assuming that both parties are equal in net terms from LD and UKIP battles.

    41 gains would put LAB on 263 and reduce CON to 262. Add on to that the net seats from LD/UKIP encounters with CON and LAB .

    LAB would get to 41 gains from CON on a theoretical 3.51% CON to LAB swing in England+Wales.
    That's a different equation Mike. For Labour to gain net 42 seats they will need to take about 80 off the Libs and Tories. I didn't say for Labour to be largest party now did I?
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    That is a complete gift. Hubris pays in spades as an election narrative.

    *HaHaHa Face*
    Scott_P said:

    @JoeWatts_: Alex Salmond gives the Tory narrative a big push.... https://t.co/BkybNymKOC

  • logical_songlogical_song Posts: 9,932

    rcs1000 said:

    My next grandson takes his 11+ in a couple of years and I cannot see him passing, what is the point of coaching your kids to pass an exam that sends them to a school they will struggle at and be unhappy?

    Do remember that kids mature at different times. When I was seven, I was in the remedial class of a very state ordinary junior school in west London.

    And I went on to go to Cambridge. I was just (a) young in my year, and (b) a late developer.

    If your grandson is just a late developer, then not coaching him to get through the 11+ is doing him a great disservice.
    He will get some coaching, he is good at numbers and problem solving but his English work is not great.

    Anyway he will be the England goalkeeper in the 2030 World Cup!
    Sorting kids into at age 11 is counterproductive, they do develop at different rates (and boys slower than girls). Other posters have pointed out that kids could swap schools, but kids that age like to stay with their friends. The answer is streaming surely.
  • PolruanPolruan Posts: 2,083
    edited April 2015
    Carnyx said:

    Carnyx said:

    Just noticed the Graun live feed reporting a Press Association study of the use of Twitter by PPCs:

    "Of the seven main parties, the SNP has managed to get all of its parliamentary candidates on Twitter - while Ukip has only managed to do so with 52% of its prospective MPs.

    The Scottish nationalists and Ukip top-and-tailed a Press Association table on Twitter participation. Labour were in second place with 92% of candidates on the micro-blogging site, while you can expect to see tweets from 84% of the Tories’ hopefuls.

    Plaid Cymru had 83% of its candidates on Twitter, compared to 77% of the Greens’ and 69% of the Lib Dems".

    And what percentage of voters bother with Twitter, let alone 'follow' their candidates? It's a lot easier to reach people via a leaflet through the letterbox.
    Oh, undoubtedly. But it all helps.

    I guess it's a lot easier to use Twitter rather than leaflets to reach people who are a) on Twitter and b) habituated to throwing leaflets in the bin without reading them.
  • dyedwooliedyedwoolie Posts: 7,786


    Jason Groves @JasonGroves1

    Ed Miliband says he will pay Mansion Tax on his £2.7m home, but insists it is not a mansion. 'That's just a term that's used...

    It's a different world isn't it.

    Reminds me of Blair's claim a week or so ago, that he wasn't rich, and his massive earnings were all spent on 'infrastructure'.
    Ed probably has flying ducks on the wall of the Nanny's kitchen, which he only calls the scullery in private. He's a man of the people, for the people and he understands them implicitly
  • TheWatcherTheWatcher Posts: 5,262
    edited April 2015
    Cyclefree said:


    Jason Groves @JasonGroves1

    Ed Miliband says he will pay Mansion Tax on his £2.7m home, but insists it is not a mansion. 'That's just a term that's used...

    when the tax ends up being applied to pretty much every house in the country.

    I'm surprised the Tories haven't run up any 'Today's Mansion, is Tomorrow's Semi' posters, to get homeowners thinking.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,415
    LAB on 263 and reduce CON to 262

    What a result that would be.
  • dyedwooliedyedwoolie Posts: 7,786
    Pulpstar said:

    LAB on 263 and reduce CON to 262

    What a result that would be.

    No possible government.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,415

    Pulpstar said:

    LAB on 263 and reduce CON to 262

    What a result that would be.

    No possible government.
    Of course there is !

    262 Lab, 263 Con is far more problematic for the yellow peril ;)
  • dyedwooliedyedwoolie Posts: 7,786

    Cyclefree said:


    Jason Groves @JasonGroves1

    Ed Miliband says he will pay Mansion Tax on his £2.7m home, but insists it is not a mansion. 'That's just a term that's used...

    when the tax ends up being applied to pretty much every house in the country.

    I'm surprised the Tories haven't run up any 'Today's Mansion, is Tomorrow's Semi' posters, to get homeowners thinking.
    And point out they will be after private renters next - if you can afford to rent a 'mansion' you should pay mansion rental tax
  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    TGOHF said:

    Eck's back

    @David_Cameron

    This footage will shock you: Alex Salmond laughs & boasts he’ll write Labour’s budget. Vote Conservative to stop it.

    https://amp.twimg.com/v/8771ab80-c4b9-4e9d-ba4b-a1bb4ccddc9e

    The shocking footage which is just the same stuff that he said 2 weeks ago?
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 43,500
    Carnyx said:

    Just noticed the Graun live feed reporting a Press Association study of the use of Twitter by PPCs:

    "Of the seven main parties, the SNP has managed to get all of its parliamentary candidates on Twitter - while Ukip has only managed to do so with 52% of its prospective MPs.

    The Scottish nationalists and Ukip top-and-tailed a Press Association table on Twitter participation. Labour were in second place with 92% of candidates on the micro-blogging site, while you can expect to see tweets from 84% of the Tories’ hopefuls.

    Plaid Cymru had 83% of its candidates on Twitter, compared to 77% of the Greens’ and 69% of the Lib Dems".

    I'd be more likely to vote for a candidate that was not on Twitter, not less. It is truly the communication medium of the Damned.

    What matters more to me is whether the candidate has a personal website that concentrates on local issues, preferably in detail. Just parrotting the national party line is a big no-no to me.
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,328
    murali_s said:

    Plato said:

    No, that encourages people traffickers. Like kidnappers.

    IIRC since Australia took on a zero tolerance stance - the number of boat people like this has virtually stopped.


    Here’s the deal. There are two ways in which we can act to prevent future boatloads of migrants from drowning in the Mediterranean, and only two ways. Let them all in, or stop them trying to come.
    Or maybe some kind of search and rescue operations.

    Nah, that'd never work...

    Yep - in the process they've broken many of their international obligations.



    Presumably he's calculated that Australians prefer the international obligations to be broken rather than have a load of migrants end up on their shores without them having any say in the matter. Has there been much political comeback for this decision?

    If matters get worse in North Africa and the Middle East Europe too may have to make that choice. If we in Europe want to allow immigration but on our terms then we have to be able to turn away those we don't want. Otherwise we may as well tear up any immigration policy at all and simply accept whoever is lucky enough to survive the journey. That's not really a sensible policy.

  • StereotomyStereotomy Posts: 4,092

    Pulpstar said:

    LAB on 263 and reduce CON to 262

    What a result that would be.

    No possible government.
    Unless LD and SNP were both willing to prop up a LAB government (hard to see a scenario with those seat counts where LD&SNP don't both do extremely well
  • dyedwooliedyedwoolie Posts: 7,786
    Pulpstar said:

    Pulpstar said:

    LAB on 263 and reduce CON to 262

    What a result that would be.

    No possible government.
    Of course there is !

    262 Lab, 263 Con is far more problematic for the yellow peril ;)
    I mean no possible practical government that won't fall apart inside 6 months!
  • PeterCPeterC Posts: 1,275

    Given 1992 seems to be 'in vogue' as the benchmark for this years election, here's some sobering facts for the Tories:

    - If Cameron does 'as well' as Major did in '92 (-40 Seats) He wont be Prime Minister.

    - If Miliband does 'as badly' as Kinnock did in '92 (+42 Seats) He will be Prime Minister.

    Somewhat different starting point: Con maj c.a. 100 at the dissolution.

  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Flying ducks? Very Hilda Ogden.


    Jason Groves @JasonGroves1

    Ed Miliband says he will pay Mansion Tax on his £2.7m home, but insists it is not a mansion. 'That's just a term that's used...

    It's a different world isn't it.

    Reminds me of Blair's claim a week or so ago, that he wasn't rich, and his massive earnings were all spent on 'infrastructure'.
    Ed probably has flying ducks on the wall of the Nanny's kitchen, which he only calls the scullery in private. He's a man of the people, for the people and he understands them implicitly
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,328
    edited April 2015

    Cyclefree said:


    Jason Groves @JasonGroves1

    Ed Miliband says he will pay Mansion Tax on his £2.7m home, but insists it is not a mansion. 'That's just a term that's used...

    when the tax ends up being applied to pretty much every house in the country.

    I'm surprised the Tories haven't run up any 'Today's Mansion, is Tomorrow's Semi' posters, to get homeowners thinking.
    And point out they will be after private renters next - if you can afford to rent a 'mansion' you should pay mansion rental tax
    The Tory candidate in my constituency has done just that - some time back.

    Edited: not the bit about the rental but about the mansion tax ending up being applied to every house.
  • Voted yesterday in the coop member elections. three candidates for three boardroom positions: I now see here that three other candidates were blackballed.

    http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/apr/12/co-op-group-members-revolt-over-boardroom-elections

    So much for democracy.

    Anyway I have a general rule for such for/against elections where the number of candidates doesn't exceed the number of positions: simply don't make it clear that you're a Labour member and I'll give assent. Labour folks get the thumbs down. It's amazing how often the student union hacks shoot themselves in the foot by proudly proclaiming Labour membership.

    Anyway the type of national candidates seemed remarkably establishment types so I took a different tack and voted against Hazel Blears and abstained on the other two. Quite happy to be able to officially give Blears the thumbs down. Of course I voted against all Co-op political donations too.

    All pointless, but no more so than voting in any general election seat not decided by one vote.

  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,415
    Israel will be able to get a Gov't out of this lot:


    Likud 30
    Zionist Union 24
    Joint List 13
    Yesh Atid 11
    Kulanu 10
    The Jewish Home 8
    Shas Aryeh Deri 7
    Yisrael Beiteinu 6
    etc

    Similiarly the Finns in their election.

    Belgium can't, but that's err Belgium.

    Whatever the result I'm pretty confident we'll have a Gov't after the election.
  • dyedwooliedyedwoolie Posts: 7,786

    Pulpstar said:

    LAB on 263 and reduce CON to 262

    What a result that would be.

    No possible government.
    Unless LD and SNP were both willing to prop up a LAB government (hard to see a scenario with those seat counts where LD&SNP don't both do extremely well
    I'd give that 6 months before new elections and a Con/Kip landslide in England and Wales
  • PolruanPolruan Posts: 2,083
    Scott_P said:

    Polruan said:

    The Tory posters go one better and completely omit the party name.

    Do they have the candidate name?

    @RossBrierley: "The name's Surname. Name Surname" http://t.co/ITula3yrnw
    They do. Apparently he's "local, committed, and able to deliver" which suggests a promising career as a delivery driver should be easy enough to come by if this politics lark doesn't work out.
  • dyedwooliedyedwoolie Posts: 7,786
    Plato said:

    Flying ducks? Very Hilda Ogden.


    Jason Groves @JasonGroves1

    Ed Miliband says he will pay Mansion Tax on his £2.7m home, but insists it is not a mansion. 'That's just a term that's used...

    It's a different world isn't it.

    Reminds me of Blair's claim a week or so ago, that he wasn't rich, and his massive earnings were all spent on 'infrastructure'.
    Ed probably has flying ducks on the wall of the Nanny's kitchen, which he only calls the scullery in private. He's a man of the people, for the people and he understands them implicitly
    And now what the metro set do to show they are really w/c
  • dyedwooliedyedwoolie Posts: 7,786
    Cyclefree said:

    Cyclefree said:


    Jason Groves @JasonGroves1

    Ed Miliband says he will pay Mansion Tax on his £2.7m home, but insists it is not a mansion. 'That's just a term that's used...

    when the tax ends up being applied to pretty much every house in the country.

    I'm surprised the Tories haven't run up any 'Today's Mansion, is Tomorrow's Semi' posters, to get homeowners thinking.
    And point out they will be after private renters next - if you can afford to rent a 'mansion' you should pay mansion rental tax
    The Tory candidate in my constituency has done just that - some time back.

    Edited: not the bit about the rental but about the mansion tax ending up being applied to every house.
    Then he should take my advice and point out to renters they are next
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    OT Culinary question - what would PBers recommend asparagus with? I've only tried it with chicken.

    Had delicious lambs liver with courgettes, french beans, mushrooms and onions yesterday. Oh and of course a bit of bubble and squeak.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,415
    Having a look through the local election results in Hallam at the moment, it shouldn't really be close for Clegg (He should be miles in front) on unnamed polling.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited April 2015
    A pinny and head scarf maybe a step too far, me thinks. Or Stan and his beer gut.

    Plato said:

    Flying ducks? Very Hilda Ogden.


    Jason Groves @JasonGroves1

    Ed Miliband says he will pay Mansion Tax on his £2.7m home, but insists it is not a mansion. 'That's just a term that's used...

    It's a different world isn't it.

    Reminds me of Blair's claim a week or so ago, that he wasn't rich, and his massive earnings were all spent on 'infrastructure'.
    Ed probably has flying ducks on the wall of the Nanny's kitchen, which he only calls the scullery in private. He's a man of the people, for the people and he understands them implicitly
    And now what the metro set do to show they are really w/c
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 22,736
    edited April 2015
    Plato said:

    That is a complete gift. Hubris pays in spades as an election narrative.

    *HaHaHa Face*

    Scott_P said:

    @JoeWatts_: Alex Salmond gives the Tory narrative a big push.... https://t.co/BkybNymKOC

    Whoooshh
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    I prefer Rocket ice lollies myself.

    Plato said:

    That is a complete gift. Hubris pays in spades as an election narrative.

    *HaHaHa Face*

    Scott_P said:

    @JoeWatts_: Alex Salmond gives the Tory narrative a big push.... https://t.co/BkybNymKOC

    Whoooshh
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    Plato said:

    OT Culinary question - what would PBers recommend asparagus with? I've only tried it with chicken.

    Had delicious lambs liver with courgettes, french beans, mushrooms and onions yesterday. Oh and of course a bit of bubble and squeak.

    Jamie Oliver does a fish tray bake with it - lemon etc.
  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    ''That's not really a sensible policy.''

    People are starting to want politicians who will put them first. Politicians who will think about the effect on them before calling for expensive help for Africans, many of whom could be criminals or even ISIS supporters.

    It's a novel idea, putting your constituents first, but I reckon it might catch on.
  • edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,708

    Carnyx said:

    Just noticed the Graun live feed reporting a Press Association study of the use of Twitter by PPCs:

    "Of the seven main parties, the SNP has managed to get all of its parliamentary candidates on Twitter - while Ukip has only managed to do so with 52% of its prospective MPs.

    The Scottish nationalists and Ukip top-and-tailed a Press Association table on Twitter participation. Labour were in second place with 92% of candidates on the micro-blogging site, while you can expect to see tweets from 84% of the Tories’ hopefuls.

    Plaid Cymru had 83% of its candidates on Twitter, compared to 77% of the Greens’ and 69% of the Lib Dems".

    I'd be more likely to vote for a candidate that was not on Twitter, not less. It is truly the communication medium of the Damned.
    Blimey, who have you been following?
  • SimonStClareSimonStClare Posts: 7,976
    edited April 2015
    Plato said:

    OT Culinary question - what would PBers recommend asparagus with? I've only tried it with chicken.

    Had delicious lambs liver with courgettes, french beans, mushrooms and onions yesterday. Oh and of course a bit of bubble and squeak.

    Asparagus + Salmon steaks en croute, served with a cheese sauce. - tis a staple at chez SSC.

    http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/european/french/salmon-en-croute.html
  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    My concerns about minority governments relate less to the deals that would have to be cut with the SNP, the Lib Dems or UKIP and more to the idea that the Prime Minister would need to consider seriously the views of the likes of Simon Danczuk or Peter Bone every time a backbencher fancied seeing his face in the newspapers.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited April 2015
    I've salmon fillets in the freezer - will give it a go. Thnx.

    EDIT Mr @SimonStClare Ah Ha! Great. Have some Colman's cheese sauce in the cupboard. Job done. And charlotte potatoes too...
    TGOHF said:

    Plato said:

    OT Culinary question - what would PBers recommend asparagus with? I've only tried it with chicken.

    Had delicious lambs liver with courgettes, french beans, mushrooms and onions yesterday. Oh and of course a bit of bubble and squeak.

    Jamie Oliver does a fish tray bake with it - lemon etc.
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 22,736
    £30bn Magic Money Tree

    Tories cannot be allowed to get to GE2015 without explaining the £30bn black hole
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 43,393
    Alistair said:

    TGOHF said:

    Eck's back

    @David_Cameron

    This footage will shock you: Alex Salmond laughs & boasts he’ll write Labour’s budget. Vote Conservative to stop it.

    https://amp.twimg.com/v/8771ab80-c4b9-4e9d-ba4b-a1bb4ccddc9e

    The shocking footage which is just the same stuff that he said 2 weeks ago?
    I also don't see any PB Tory shock at the potentially personally offensive comments by Mr Cameron about Mr Salmond being a thief. It's nothing new, either, but this time it's Mr Cameron choosing to revive them. No skin off my nose - or Mr Salmond's by now - but it does show a certain mentality, and one that won't help the Tory revival in Scotland.
  • PolruanPolruan Posts: 2,083

    Cyclefree said:

    Cyclefree said:


    Jason Groves @JasonGroves1

    Ed Miliband says he will pay Mansion Tax on his £2.7m home, but insists it is not a mansion. 'That's just a term that's used...

    when the tax ends up being applied to pretty much every house in the country.

    I'm surprised the Tories haven't run up any 'Today's Mansion, is Tomorrow's Semi' posters, to get homeowners thinking.
    And point out they will be after private renters next - if you can afford to rent a 'mansion' you should pay mansion rental tax
    The Tory candidate in my constituency has done just that - some time back.

    Edited: not the bit about the rental but about the mansion tax ending up being applied to every house.
    Then he should take my advice and point out to renters they are next
    Not immediately clear how an asset/wealth tax would apply to people with no asset, but it's a thought. Might be worth talking up the threat of CGT on the value of the house when you move out of it (deemed sale, right?) at the same time.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 43,393

    Carnyx said:

    Just noticed the Graun live feed reporting a Press Association study of the use of Twitter by PPCs:

    "Of the seven main parties, the SNP has managed to get all of its parliamentary candidates on Twitter - while Ukip has only managed to do so with 52% of its prospective MPs.

    The Scottish nationalists and Ukip top-and-tailed a Press Association table on Twitter participation. Labour were in second place with 92% of candidates on the micro-blogging site, while you can expect to see tweets from 84% of the Tories’ hopefuls.

    Plaid Cymru had 83% of its candidates on Twitter, compared to 77% of the Greens’ and 69% of the Lib Dems".

    I'd be more likely to vote for a candidate that was not on Twitter, not less. It is truly the communication medium of the Damned.
    Blimey, who have you been following?
    #SNPout and #Historywoman?

  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826

    Pulpstar said:

    Pulpstar said:

    LAB on 263 and reduce CON to 262

    What a result that would be.

    No possible government.
    Of course there is !

    262 Lab, 263 Con is far more problematic for the yellow peril ;)
    I mean no possible practical government that won't fall apart inside 6 months!
    263 Lab, 262 Con could probably survive a couple of years.

    Fewer Lab than Con would make it tricky, especially once by-elections increase the opposition lead further.
  • NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    Carnyx said:

    one that won't help the Tory revival in Scotland.

    I'm not sure that being rude about the SNP is going to be a particular drag on Tory chances north of the border.
  • MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382

    Given 1992 seems to be 'in vogue' as the benchmark for this years election, here's some sobering facts for the Tories:

    - If Cameron does 'as well' as Major did in '92 (-40 Seats) He wont be Prime Minister.

    - If Miliband does 'as badly' as Kinnock did in '92 (+42 Seats) He will be Prime Minister.

    If Labour are plus 42 seats, they will have taken 80-90 off the Tories and Liberals
    If the Cons lose net 40, they'll have lost ca 60 to Labour,
    Your maths are wrong. To win most seats allowing for, say, 5 SLAB MPs to be saved, LAB needs to make 41 gains off CON assuming that both parties are equal in net terms from LD and UKIP battles.

    41 gains would put LAB on 263 and reduce CON to 262. Add on to that the net seats from LD/UKIP encounters with CON and LAB .

    LAB would get to 41 gains from CON on a theoretical 3.51% CON to LAB swing in England+Wales.
    That's a different equation Mike. For Labour to gain net 42 seats they will need to take about 80 off the Libs and Tories. I didn't say for Labour to be largest party now did I?
    Not correct. They won't. Every LAB gain from CON counts double in terms of plurality. LAB total up 1 CON total down 1 so gap moves by 2.

  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited April 2015
    Golly, that's so one-eyed. It's about SNP = BogeyMan. They've been playing this card against the Tories for ages. Now the shoe is on the other foot against Labour in E&W. Or Scotland.

    Oh, I forgot - everything is good news or no news for the SNP. :smirk:
    Carnyx said:

    Alistair said:

    TGOHF said:

    Eck's back

    @David_Cameron

    This footage will shock you: Alex Salmond laughs & boasts he’ll write Labour’s budget. Vote Conservative to stop it.

    https://amp.twimg.com/v/8771ab80-c4b9-4e9d-ba4b-a1bb4ccddc9e

    The shocking footage which is just the same stuff that he said 2 weeks ago?
    I also don't see any PB Tory shock at the potentially personally offensive comments by Mr Cameron about Mr Salmond being a thief. It's nothing new, either, but this time it's Mr Cameron choosing to revive them. No skin off my nose - or Mr Salmond's by now - but it does show a certain mentality, and one that won't help the Tory revival in Scotland.
  • AnorakAnorak Posts: 6,621
    Plato said:

    I've salmon fillets in the freezer - will give it a go. Thnx.

    EDIT Mr @SimonStClare Ah Ha! Great. Have some Colman's cheese sauce in the cupboard. Job done. And charlotte potatoes too...

    TGOHF said:

    Plato said:

    OT Culinary question - what would PBers recommend asparagus with? I've only tried it with chicken.

    Had delicious lambs liver with courgettes, french beans, mushrooms and onions yesterday. Oh and of course a bit of bubble and squeak.

    Jamie Oliver does a fish tray bake with it - lemon etc.
    Drizzle with olive oil, oven bake for 8-10 mins, splash of balsamic, sea salt and black pepper, then add some parmesan shavings. Top notch starter.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,228
    What's this? The Tories want to tax me for having a semi? It's all Priti Patel's fault!
  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826

    What's this? The Tories want to tax me for having a semi? It's all Priti Patel's fault!

    Bad news for LFC fans, we've got a couple of semi's and nothing to show for it.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Have parmesan handy too - this is culinary serendipity! Not so keen on balsamic so will use lemon juice instead. Wish me luck or it's kitty dining...
    Anorak said:

    Plato said:

    I've salmon fillets in the freezer - will give it a go. Thnx.

    EDIT Mr @SimonStClare Ah Ha! Great. Have some Colman's cheese sauce in the cupboard. Job done. And charlotte potatoes too...

    TGOHF said:

    Plato said:

    OT Culinary question - what would PBers recommend asparagus with? I've only tried it with chicken.

    Had delicious lambs liver with courgettes, french beans, mushrooms and onions yesterday. Oh and of course a bit of bubble and squeak.

    Jamie Oliver does a fish tray bake with it - lemon etc.
    Drizzle with olive oil, oven bake for 8-10 mins, splash of balsamic, sea salt and black pepper, then add some parmesan shavings. Top notch starter.
  • weejonnieweejonnie Posts: 3,820

    Pulpstar said:

    LAB on 263 and reduce CON to 262

    What a result that would be.

    No possible government.
    Libs agree to work with Labour, SNP on C&S.
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,328
    taffys said:

    ''That's not really a sensible policy.''

    People are starting to want politicians who will put them first. Politicians who will think about the effect on them before calling for expensive help for Africans, many of whom could be criminals or even ISIS supporters.

    It's a novel idea, putting your constituents first, but I reckon it might catch on.

    Quite some years ago Matthew Parris wrote an article saying that the 1951 Refugee Convention would need to be rewritten because conceived at a time when travel was far more difficult it was simply unworkable at a time when it was far easier. His argument was that we cannot accept every refugee who gets here so since it's a numbers game rather than a question of categorisation ("Is the Nigerian in the leaky boat landing in Sicily really a refugee or a migrant?") we may as well tear up the Convention and decide who we want to let into the country and how many. Anyone outside those categories gets turned away.

    Sooner or later something like that is going to have to happen, it seems to me.

  • OblitusSumMeOblitusSumMe Posts: 9,143
    How many seats do people think will change hands? Perhaps this would make for an interesting spread bet.

    My best guess is 130, based on a triumphant SNP, vanquished Liberal Democrats and a solid, if unspectacular, performance by Labour in the Conservative/Labour marginals. For comparison, the number of seats changing hands in previous elections was:

    2010 - 115
    2005 - 62
    2001 - 27
    1997 - 184
    1992 - 52
    1987 - 46
    1983 - 70
    1979 - 73
    1974O - 29
    1974F - 63
    1970 - 86
    1966 - 55
    1964 - 75
    1959 - 39
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Great stats there, many thanx

    How many seats do people think will change hands? Perhaps this would make for an interesting spread bet.

    My best guess is 130, based on a triumphant SNP, vanquished Liberal Democrats and a solid, if unspectacular, performance by Labour in the Conservative/Labour marginals. For comparison, the number of seats changing hands in previous elections was:

    2010 - 115
    2005 - 62
    2001 - 27
    1997 - 184
    1992 - 52
    1987 - 46
    1983 - 70
    1979 - 73
    1974O - 29
    1974F - 63
    1970 - 86
    1966 - 55
    1964 - 75
    1959 - 39

  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,655
    FalseFlag said:


    Here’s the deal. There are two ways in which we can act to prevent future boatloads of migrants from drowning in the Mediterranean, and only two ways. Let them all in, or stop them trying to come.
    Or maybe some kind of search and rescue operations.

    Nah, that'd never work...

    Do as the Aussies do, intercept early and tow them back to their point of departure. Absolutely criminal to bring them to Europe, just encourages them.

    Of course they know the risk when they set out so I am not sure why they are presented as innocent victims rather than as calculating criminals breaking the law and in the process endangering others.


    I look forward to the passengers of the Mayflower being described as calculating criminals.
  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    edited April 2015

    Given 1992 seems to be 'in vogue' as the benchmark for this years election, here's some sobering facts for the Tories:

    - If Cameron does 'as well' as Major did in '92 (-40 Seats) He wont be Prime Minister.

    - If Miliband does 'as badly' as Kinnock did in '92 (+42 Seats) He will be Prime Minister.

    If Labour are plus 42 seats, they will have taken 80-90 off the Tories and Liberals
    If the Cons lose net 40, they'll have lost ca 60 to Labour,
    Your maths are wrong. To win most seats allowing for, say, 5 SLAB MPs to be saved, LAB needs to make 41 gains off CON assuming that both parties are equal in net terms from LD and UKIP battles.

    41 gains would put LAB on 263 and reduce CON to 262. Add on to that the net seats from LD/UKIP encounters with CON and LAB .

    LAB would get to 41 gains from CON on a theoretical 3.51% CON to LAB swing in England+Wales.
    That's a different equation Mike. For Labour to gain net 42 seats they will need to take about 80 off the Libs and Tories. I didn't say for Labour to be largest party now did I?
    Not correct. They won't. Every LAB gain from CON counts double in terms of plurality. LAB total up 1 CON total down 1 so gap moves by 2.

    No that's a different equation. AllyPally set the benchmark as being +42 seats as LAB did in '92. Allowing for 5 SLAB that means 77 gains in E&W to be +42 seats and on par with '92.

    The Tories are redundant in that equation. The comparison was to net changes for LAB in 92, not to the Tories.
  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    ''Sooner or later something like that is going to have to happen, it seems to me.''

    The main parties 'closed shop' reaction to this may be a bit more significant than they think.

    I feel a late tilt to UKIP coming on....
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,300
    Plato said:

    Have parmesan handy too - this is culinary serendipity! Not so keen on balsamic so will use lemon juice instead. Wish me luck or it's kitty dining...

    Anorak said:

    Plato said:

    I've salmon fillets in the freezer - will give it a go. Thnx.

    EDIT Mr @SimonStClare Ah Ha! Great. Have some Colman's cheese sauce in the cupboard. Job done. And charlotte potatoes too...

    TGOHF said:

    Plato said:

    OT Culinary question - what would PBers recommend asparagus with? I've only tried it with chicken.

    Had delicious lambs liver with courgettes, french beans, mushrooms and onions yesterday. Oh and of course a bit of bubble and squeak.

    Jamie Oliver does a fish tray bake with it - lemon etc.
    Drizzle with olive oil, oven bake for 8-10 mins, splash of balsamic, sea salt and black pepper, then add some parmesan shavings. Top notch starter.
    Had that for lunch today about 2 hours ago - tend to bake it for 12-14 minutes.

    Though I also had a poached egg with my asparagus,


  • weejonnieweejonnie Posts: 3,820
    Must admit - always suspicious when organisations start labelling UKIP (or any other organisation) as 'radical right'. Since they aren't.
  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340

    How many seats do people think will change hands? Perhaps this would make for an interesting spread bet.

    My best guess is 130, based on a triumphant SNP, vanquished Liberal Democrats and a solid, if unspectacular, performance by Labour in the Conservative/Labour marginals. For comparison, the number of seats changing hands in previous elections was:

    2010 - 115
    2005 - 62
    2001 - 27
    1997 - 184
    1992 - 52
    1987 - 46
    1983 - 70
    1979 - 73
    1974O - 29
    1974F - 63
    1970 - 86
    1966 - 55
    1964 - 75
    1959 - 39

    That looks a bit high to me - you may be double-counting Lib Dem losses and SNP gains. I'd suggest something like the following:

    45 SNP gains
    Something like 20 to 25 other Lib Dem losses
    Say 40 Labour/Tory shifts
    Roughly 5 others

    That makes 110-115. So, around the same as last time.
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,546
    Cyclefree said:

    taffys said:

    ''That's not really a sensible policy.''

    People are starting to want politicians who will put them first. Politicians who will think about the effect on them before calling for expensive help for Africans, many of whom could be criminals or even ISIS supporters.

    It's a novel idea, putting your constituents first, but I reckon it might catch on.

    Quite some years ago Matthew Parris wrote an article saying that the 1951 Refugee Convention would need to be rewritten because conceived at a time when travel was far more difficult it was simply unworkable at a time when it was far easier. His argument was that we cannot accept every refugee who gets here so since it's a numbers game rather than a question of categorisation ("Is the Nigerian in the leaky boat landing in Sicily really a refugee or a migrant?") we may as well tear up the Convention and decide who we want to let into the country and how many. Anyone outside those categories gets turned away.

    Sooner or later something like that is going to have to happen, it seems to me.

    I don't know whether Matthew Parris would still agree with what he wrote then, but he was right.
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    45 SNP gains
    20 LD losses
    20 Labour/Tory shifts
    3 others

    I would go under 100 .

  • PolruanPolruan Posts: 2,083

    What's this? The Tories want to tax me for having a semi? It's all Priti Patel's fault!

    I think the suggestion was that in future Ed Miliband would want to milk your semi for all it's worth actually.
  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    ''I look forward to the passengers of the Mayflower being described as calculating criminals.''

    What an absurd comparison.
  • JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    edited April 2015
    Plato said:

    OT Culinary question - what would PBers recommend asparagus with? I

    The kitchen bin .... :naughty:

  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    Polruan said:

    What's this? The Tories want to tax me for having a semi? It's all Priti Patel's fault!

    I think the suggestion was that in future Ed Miliband would want to milk your semi for all it's worth actually.
    I don't think he'll make that stand up.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,415
    45 SNP gains
    30 LD losses
    30 Labour gains
    2 UKIP gains.
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,328
    Polruan said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Cyclefree said:


    Jason Groves @JasonGroves1

    Ed Miliband says he will pay Mansion Tax on his £2.7m home, but insists it is not a mansion. 'That's just a term that's used...

    when the tax ends up being applied to pretty much every house in the country.

    I'm surprised the Tories haven't run up any 'Today's Mansion, is Tomorrow's Semi' posters, to get homeowners thinking.
    And point out they will be after private renters next - if you can afford to rent a 'mansion' you should pay mansion rental tax
    The Tory candidate in my constituency has done just that - some time back.

    Edited: not the bit about the rental but about the mansion tax ending up being applied to every house.
    Then he should take my advice and point out to renters they are next
    Not immediately clear how an asset/wealth tax would apply to people with no asset, but it's a thought. Might be worth talking up the threat of CGT on the value of the house when you move out of it (deemed sale, right?) at the same time.
    Well if you have an asset whose price is £2.1 mio but you have a mortgage of £1.9 mio you only own - outright - a £200K asset so shouldn't be caught at all. But that's not the basis of the Labour policy.

    Personally, I'd have thought it a racing certainty that if Labour get in and introduce the tax it will end up being levied on houses worth very much less than £2 mio and, inevitably, on all property. I wouldn't be surprised to see CGT levied on sale on the owner as well as stamp duty on the buyer.

    Certainly it will no more remain a "mansion tax" than income tax has remained a temporary tax to fight the Napoleonic wars.

    That's the argument the Tories ought to be going with. But one suspects that once in they too will make use of this source of revenue.

  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    Sean_F said:

    Cyclefree said:

    taffys said:

    ''That's not really a sensible policy.''

    People are starting to want politicians who will put them first. Politicians who will think about the effect on them before calling for expensive help for Africans, many of whom could be criminals or even ISIS supporters.

    It's a novel idea, putting your constituents first, but I reckon it might catch on.

    Quite some years ago Matthew Parris wrote an article saying that the 1951 Refugee Convention would need to be rewritten because conceived at a time when travel was far more difficult it was simply unworkable at a time when it was far easier. His argument was that we cannot accept every refugee who gets here so since it's a numbers game rather than a question of categorisation ("Is the Nigerian in the leaky boat landing in Sicily really a refugee or a migrant?") we may as well tear up the Convention and decide who we want to let into the country and how many. Anyone outside those categories gets turned away.

    Sooner or later something like that is going to have to happen, it seems to me.

    I don't know whether Matthew Parris would still agree with what he wrote then, but he was right.
    'Globalisation makes assimilation seem redundant and old-fashioned. 'The process acts as a sort of reverse colonisation, where groups of people are self-contained, going back and forth between their countries, exploiting sophisticated networks and using instant communication on phones and the Internet.'

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-390230/Britain-faces-mass-migration-warns-Admiral.html
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,546
    taffys said:

    ''I look forward to the passengers of the Mayflower being described as calculating criminals.''

    What an absurd comparison.

    It's entirely reasonable that people should want to leave poverty-stricken third world countries and settle in rich countries. And, it's entirely reasonable that rich countries should not wish to admit them in huge numbers.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    I've pan fried my asparagus in butter previously - baked feels a bit dry, I've an electric oven ATM and tend to avoid using it. Gas is so much better.
    dr_spyn said:

    Plato said:

    Have parmesan handy too - this is culinary serendipity! Not so keen on balsamic so will use lemon juice instead. Wish me luck or it's kitty dining...

    Anorak said:

    Plato said:

    I've salmon fillets in the freezer - will give it a go. Thnx.

    EDIT Mr @SimonStClare Ah Ha! Great. Have some Colman's cheese sauce in the cupboard. Job done. And charlotte potatoes too...

    TGOHF said:

    Plato said:

    OT Culinary question - what would PBers recommend asparagus with? I've only tried it with chicken.

    Had delicious lambs liver with courgettes, french beans, mushrooms and onions yesterday. Oh and of course a bit of bubble and squeak.

    Jamie Oliver does a fish tray bake with it - lemon etc.
    Drizzle with olive oil, oven bake for 8-10 mins, splash of balsamic, sea salt and black pepper, then add some parmesan shavings. Top notch starter.
    Had that for lunch today about 2 hours ago - tend to bake it for 12-14 minutes.

    Though I also had a poached egg with my asparagus,


  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @George_Osborne: Salmond remarks confirm that weak Miliband + SNP in charge = economic chaos for UK. Two big risks of election have just collided
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 43,500

    Carnyx said:

    Just noticed the Graun live feed reporting a Press Association study of the use of Twitter by PPCs:

    "Of the seven main parties, the SNP has managed to get all of its parliamentary candidates on Twitter - while Ukip has only managed to do so with 52% of its prospective MPs.

    The Scottish nationalists and Ukip top-and-tailed a Press Association table on Twitter participation. Labour were in second place with 92% of candidates on the micro-blogging site, while you can expect to see tweets from 84% of the Tories’ hopefuls.

    Plaid Cymru had 83% of its candidates on Twitter, compared to 77% of the Greens’ and 69% of the Lib Dems".

    I'd be more likely to vote for a candidate that was not on Twitter, not less. It is truly the communication medium of the Damned.
    Blimey, who have you been following?
    I don't follow anyone. I forge my own path. ;-)

    The moment you go on Twitter, you become one of the Damned. It's official.
  • SMukeshSMukesh Posts: 1,759
    Tories and SNP playing a mutually beneficial game.MILI needs to rule out a deal with SNO
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,328
    rcs1000 said:

    FalseFlag said:


    Here’s the deal. There are two ways in which we can act to prevent future boatloads of migrants from drowning in the Mediterranean, and only two ways. Let them all in, or stop them trying to come.
    Or maybe some kind of search and rescue operations.

    Nah, that'd never work...

    Do as the Aussies do, intercept early and tow them back to their point of departure. Absolutely criminal to bring them to Europe, just encourages them.

    Of course they know the risk when they set out so I am not sure why they are presented as innocent victims rather than as calculating criminals breaking the law and in the process endangering others.
    I look forward to the passengers of the Mayflower being described as calculating criminals.

    What law did they break when they sailed across the Atlantic?

  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @bbcnickrobinson: Are you shocked or amused ? Was Alex Salmond boasting or joking when he he told an @SNP meeting "I’m writing the Labour Party Budget!”
  • PolruanPolruan Posts: 2,083
    Scott_P said:

    @George_Osborne: Salmond remarks confirm that weak Miliband + SNP in charge = economic chaos for UK. Two big risks of election have just collided

    Thing is, if Miliband is weak etc etc, maybe Salmond writing the budget would be an upgrade, right? Or is he definitionally unfit to write budgets cos he's Scottish, like?
  • FalseFlagFalseFlag Posts: 1,801
    taffys said:

    ''I look forward to the passengers of the Mayflower being described as calculating criminals.''

    What an absurd comparison.

    I would however quite like to avoid the fate of the American Indians.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited April 2015
    Ha! Been a long time since I tried any fruit or veg and thought YUCK!

    The most revolting was pomegranate - like unripe bananas on steroids/teeth suckingly dry - and star fruit, urgh. Oh and kumquats. I'd like to try jack fruit - they're like uber pineapples from Mexico IIRC. I'm not too keen on pineapples myself but always willing to try something new.

    My mum loved exotic/novelty stuff and I endured so many I've lost count. Nothing is more horrible than school dinner stewed rhubarb. Visually ghastly.
    JackW said:

    Plato said:

    OT Culinary question - what would PBers recommend asparagus with? I

    The kitchen bin .... :naughty:

  • JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    Cyclefree said:

    rcs1000 said:

    FalseFlag said:


    Here’s the deal. There are two ways in which we can act to prevent future boatloads of migrants from drowning in the Mediterranean, and only two ways. Let them all in, or stop them trying to come.
    Or maybe some kind of search and rescue operations.

    Nah, that'd never work...

    Do as the Aussies do, intercept early and tow them back to their point of departure. Absolutely criminal to bring them to Europe, just encourages them.

    Of course they know the risk when they set out so I am not sure why they are presented as innocent victims rather than as calculating criminals breaking the law and in the process endangering others.
    I look forward to the passengers of the Mayflower being described as calculating criminals.
    What law did they break when they sailed across the Atlantic?



    According to Nick Clegg there was no exit check on their passports.

  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,064
    SMukesh said:

    Tories and SNP playing a mutually beneficial game.MILI needs to rule out a deal with SNO

    He can't because that would basically end any chance of him becoming PM. Without SNP support there is no way he can make it into No. 10.
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    Scott_P said:

    @bbcnickrobinson: Are you shocked or amused ? Was Alex Salmond boasting or joking when he he told an @SNP meeting "I’m writing the Labour Party Budget!”

    The clue is in whether Eck laughed - he laughs at all of his own jokes - a psychology student could probably expand on the reasons why.
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    Chris Leslie having a bit of a Mare on DP debate.

    Andrew Neil "How does the Mansion Tax work?"

    Chris Leslie "Danny Alexander said it would..."

    Ummm
  • PeterCPeterC Posts: 1,275
    edited April 2015
    SMukesh said:

    Tories and SNP playing a mutually beneficial game.MILI needs to rule out a deal with SNO

    Of course it's deliberate - Alex and Nicola know exactly what they are doing. Miliband can rule out whatever he likes, but the fact is that if Con > Lab and Lab + SNP > 323 he is dependent on them. That's the point.

  • Bob__SykesBob__Sykes Posts: 1,179
    Surely the story, if any, behind the "terrifying" Salmond video is that Salmond is still calling the shots (or he thinks he is) not Sturgeon?
  • Tissue_PriceTissue_Price Posts: 9,039
    ComRes ‏@ComResPolls

    We've got an exclusive poll of voters in #UKIP target seats out later today for @ITVNews. Tune in this evening for full results. #GE2015
  • JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    Plato said:

    Ha! Been a long time since I tried any fruit or veg and thought YUCK!

    The most revolting was pomegranate - like unripe bananas on steroids/teeth suckingly dry - and star fruit, urgh. Oh and kumquats. I'd like to try jack fruit - they're like uber pineapples from Mexico IIRC. I'm not too keen on pineapples myself but always willing to try something new.

    My mum loved exotic/novelty stuff and I endured so many I've lost count. Nothing is more horrible than school dinner stewed rhubarb. Visually revolting.

    JackW said:

    Plato said:

    OT Culinary question - what would PBers recommend asparagus with? I

    The kitchen bin .... :naughty:

    I subscribe to the Margaret Thatcher (a la Spitting Image) view on vegetables. They should do as they're told.

  • PolruanPolruan Posts: 2,083
    Cyclefree said:

    Polruan said:



    Not immediately clear how an asset/wealth tax would apply to people with no asset, but it's a thought. Might be worth talking up the threat of CGT on the value of the house when you move out of it (deemed sale, right?) at the same time.

    Well if you have an asset whose price is £2.1 mio but you have a mortgage of £1.9 mio you only own - outright - a £200K asset so shouldn't be caught at all. But that's not the basis of the Labour policy.

    Personally, I'd have thought it a racing certainty that if Labour get in and introduce the tax it will end up being levied on houses worth very much less than £2 mio and, inevitably, on all property. I wouldn't be surprised to see CGT levied on sale on the owner as well as stamp duty on the buyer.

    Certainly it will no more remain a "mansion tax" than income tax has remained a temporary tax to fight the Napoleonic wars.

    That's the argument the Tories ought to be going with. But one suspects that once in they too will make use of this source of revenue.

    I do agree that it should be a net equity tax rather than an absolute value tax, there's an inherent injustice there. Unfortunately in countries with wealth taxes (Spain springs to mind) there's a lot of scope of avoidance through combinations of artificial holding companies and/or leveraging the asset with an offshore loan which you effectively make to yourself via some kind of concealed structure. So it's a lot cleaner to tax the gross asset.

    CGT on principal private residence with a reinvestment relief would be a much better way to raise revenue, deal with the socially and economically damaging transfer of wealth up the generations as a result of house price superinflation, and generally distribute housing stock more efficiently. But it would be too easy for the Daily Mail to portray it as harming those it would benefit so it's not going to happen.
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