I know the polling is usually good for Boris, but I don't understand how it works out in the long-run, with the size of the skeleton in his closet (or not in his closet, since it's been reported in the past).
I'm sure in swinging liberal London it's no longer considered a big deal to (reportedly) cheat on your wife, (reportedly) get your mistress pregnant, and then (reportedly) pressure her into an abortion she didn't want - but surely for a lot of the UKIP base, for the WI of the shires, and for swing-voting housewives in Midland and Pennine marginals, that's still a big deal?
Either it's all a lie, in which case why didn't he sue, or he's bang to rights, and it should have been career-ending some time ago, certainly PM-aspiration ending? Surely?
Now look at the last five ending in today's just published sub sample 17-14-15-15-11. They are sub samples etc etc but it is at least arguable that the one discernable impact of the Crosby attack dog anti-Scottish nonsense will be - to wipeout the Scottish Tory!
Or you could look at the full Scotland poll conducted in the last week that sees the Tories up 2 in Scotland.
I'm surprised at that. I imagined most existing scottish tory voters would detest the snp and all it stands for.
Yep - what on earth is a vote for Labour for in Scotland now one has to ask.
Well in Argyll and Bute it's for a left winger who isn't a bigot.
A loser you mean , what a joke to imagine labour would have a left winger as a candidate.
Well rather a loser than a vile republican. Some of the screenshots of other social media formats are out there - the grovelling apology at the weekend may be the first of many...
Dear Dear Harry, you need to get that loser chip off your shoulder. If you tried you would find that Catholics are just normal people. Little words are scary for you boys , your inferirity complex is amazing. Only mixing with people who wear sashes affects your thinking, you need to get out more.
So why did the SNP issue a grovelling apology at the weekend ?
Harry, stop kidding yourself, on these matters even though you have done nothing , you still have to grovel and apologise that is politics today. He is still there and when elected will Labour still be whinging and crying. The frothing that is going on in the media is pathetic , The daily Retard/ Daily Heil are hilarious.
PS: Both sides with their pathetic "Hun" and "Tim" etc are pathetic cretins , it is only a football team for F**** sake, they all need to get over the chips they carry and get a life. Luckily they are a dying breed on both sides in Scotland, will be a great day when they are extinct.
SF gain Argyll and Bute.
harry, you really are bitter , you will have HammyAce saying the Tories will save the day shortly.
Luckily he wont be my MP - feel sorry for the poor people of that part of the world having him as their representative.
Democracy in action , people have had enough of cheating lying no marks and will make them pay.
Blimey, what are you going to do, corral ex-MPs in VietMcKong internment camps for re-education?
Those Labour Ex MP's will be too busy spending their ill gotten gains, most will be millionaires. Only a few of the donkeys don't make the magic million club after their time at the trough. Future litters will be squealing with indignation that their legacies have been taken away, stuck with council post sand the second division spoils they get there, or a few losers list posts at Holyrood.
The unanswered question hanging over the next Conservative leadership contest is WWGD?
If George Osborne decides to stand, he will probably be in the final two, where he will probably lose. He represents too much of a continuation of the current leadership team. Who would he face? Dunno.
I suspect that he knows he's not the man for the job, in which case his endorsement will probably be decisive. There have been a fair few press hints that he's going to back Boris Johnson. If he does, Boris is almost unstoppable.
I suspect that he's still keeping his powder dry and may not have decided himself. That makes all bets on this market unusually risky. Be warned.
George is going to endorse Sajid Javid.
Interesting fact. The last favourite to win the Tory leadership election was Harold MacMillan
For my own betting and tipping purposes, I hope you're right. But George Osborne is by some way the most unreadable major politician around at the moment. It's extraordinary how elusive such a prominent man can be.
I think the way he basically featured as little as possible in the 2010 election campaign and how they are reprising that non-appearance strategy this time round suggests to me that he doesn't want to be PM.
To badly quote the West Wing - he doesn't want to be the guy, he want's to be the guy the guy relies on.
Magnus Gardham @GardhamHT 8 mins8 minutes ago Put the latest TNS figures through the Scotland Votes online seat forecaster and you get SNP 57, Lab 1, LD 1
Another weekend of Mail/Express/Tele/Lynton hysteria and we'll be in whitewash territory.
Who is the Lab 1 - Willie Bain, Ian Murray or Russell Brown ?
''Blame labour, blame the the tories, blame the SNP, it's dead... moving to a federal system is the only way to save the country.''
I doubt even that will save it. Scotland will always want a bigger piece of the pie. As every day goes by, I wish a little more Malcolm G were leaving us.
Magnus Gardham @GardhamHT 8 mins8 minutes ago Put the latest TNS figures through the Scotland Votes online seat forecaster and you get SNP 57, Lab 1, LD 1
Another weekend of Mail/Express/Tele/Lynton hysteria and we'll be in whitewash territory.
Who is the Lab 1 - Willie Bain, Ian Murray or Russell Brown ?
The unanswered question hanging over the next Conservative leadership contest is WWGD?
If George Osborne decides to stand, he will probably be in the final two, where he will probably lose. He represents too much of a continuation of the current leadership team. Who would he face? Dunno.
I suspect that he knows he's not the man for the job, in which case his endorsement will probably be decisive. There have been a fair few press hints that he's going to back Boris Johnson. If he does, Boris is almost unstoppable.
I suspect that he's still keeping his powder dry and may not have decided himself. That makes all bets on this market unusually risky. Be warned.
George is going to endorse Sajid Javid.
Interesting fact. The last favourite to win the Tory leadership election was Harold MacMillan
For my own betting and tipping purposes, I hope you're right. But George Osborne is by some way the most unreadable major politician around at the moment. It's extraordinary how elusive such a prominent man can be.
I think the way he basically featured as little as possible in the 2010 election campaign and how they are reprising that non-appearance strategy this time round suggests to me that he doesn't want to be PM.
To badly quote the West Wing - he doesn't want to be the guy, he want's to be the guy the guy relies on.
I'm not sure you can read too much into that. Theresa May has been similarly low profile during the campaign and she clearly does want to be PM.
Magnus Gardham @GardhamHT 8 mins8 minutes ago Put the latest TNS figures through the Scotland Votes online seat forecaster and you get SNP 57, Lab 1, LD 1
Another weekend of Mail/Express/Tele/Lynton hysteria and we'll be in whitewash territory.
Who is the Lab 1 - Willie Bain, Ian Murray or Russell Brown ?
Democracy in action , people have had enough of cheating lying no marks and will make them pay.
Blimey, what are you going to do, corral ex-MPs in VietMcKong internment camps for re-education?
Those Labour Ex MP's will be too busy spending their ill gotten gains, most will be millionaires. Only a few of the donkeys don't make the magic million club after their time at the trough. Future litters will be squealing with indignation that their legacies have been taken away, stuck with council post sand the second division spoils they get there, or a few losers list posts at Holyrood.
Much as I disagree with your politics, I do find your use of invective most entertaining.
Democracy in action , people have had enough of cheating lying no marks and will make them pay.
Blimey, what are you going to do, corral ex-MPs in VietMcKong internment camps for re-education?
Those Labour Ex MP's will be too busy spending their ill gotten gains, most will be millionaires. Only a few of the donkeys don't make the magic million club after their time at the trough. Future litters will be squealing with indignation that their legacies have been taken away, stuck with council post sand the second division spoils they get there, or a few losers list posts at Holyrood.
Here is an anecdote that I imagine most of you will think I have made up - I was talking to an undecided voter from Broxtowe last night, and just about managed to persuade her to vote for NP. If you win by one vote Nick, lit was all down to me!
Lol !
I was there for a couple of days myself recently. It's looking good for Labour, which undoubtedly has the TV vote sewn up.
By coincidence, Eddie Izzard was also there at the same time.
Now look at the last five ending in today's just published sub sample 17-14-15-15-11. They are sub samples etc etc but it is at least arguable that the one discernable impact of the Crosby attack dog anti-Scottish nonsense will be - to wipeout the Scottish Tory!
Or you could look at the full Scotland poll conducted in the last week that sees the Tories up 2 in Scotland.
I'm surprised at that. I imagined most existing scottish tory voters would detest the snp and all it stands for.
Yep - what on earth is a vote for Labour for in Scotland now one has to ask.
Well in Argyll and Bute it's for a left winger who isn't a bigot.
A loser you mean , what a joke to imagine labour would have a left winger as a candidate.
Well rather a loser than a vile republican. Some of the screenshots of other social media formats are out there - the grovelling apology at the weekend may be the first of many...
Dear Dear Harry, you need to get that loser chip off your shoulder. If you tried you would find that Catholics are just normal people. Little words are scary for you boys , your inferirity complex is amazing. Only mixing with people who wear sashes affects your thinking, you need to get out more.
So why did the SNP issue a grovelling apology at the weekend ?
PS: Both sides with their pathetic "Hun" and "Tim" etc are pathetic cretins , it is only a football team for F**** sake, they all need to get over the chips they carry and get a life. Luckily they are a dying breed on both sides in Scotland, will be a great day when they are extinct.
SF gain Argyll and Bute.
harry, you really are bitter , you will have HammyAce saying the Tories will save the day shortly.
Luckily he wont be my MP - feel sorry for the poor people of that part of the world having him as their representative.
Almost anybody , except labour , is better than a Lib Dem chancer as your MP. Lib Dems have more faces than the town clock.
Martin Boon probably rightly annoyed that the Staggers keep calling ICM an "outlier" whilst lapping up the Panelbases with huge Labour leads.
Please. You're implying they are partisan poll deniers
@May2015NS: Since Thurs 3 polls have put the Tories ahead by 3-4 points. But have things really changed? Not really. Here's why: http://t.co/Ji8hXOFxgo
Now look at the last five ending in today's just published sub sample 17-14-15-15-11. They are sub samples etc etc but it is at least arguable that the one discernable impact of the Crosby attack dog anti-Scottish nonsense will be - to wipeout the Scottish Tory!
Or you could look at the full Scotland poll conducted in the last week that sees the Tories up 2 in Scotland.
I'm surprised at that. I imagined most existing scottish tory voters would detest the snp and all it stands for.
Yep - what on earth is a vote for Labour for in Scotland now one has to ask.
Well in Argyll and Bute it's for a left winger who isn't a bigot.
A loser you mean , what a joke to imagine labour would have a left winger as a candidate.
Well rather a loser than a vile republican. Some of the screenshots of other social media formats are out there - the grovelling apology at the weekend may be the first of many...
Dear Dear Harry, you need to get that loser chip off your shoulder. If you tried you would find that Catholics are just normal people. Little words are scary for you boys , your inferirity complex is amazing. Only mixing with people who wear sashes affects your thinking, you need to get out more.
So why did the SNP issue a grovelling apology at the weekend ?
PS: Both sides with their pathetic "Hun" and "Tim" etc are pathetic cretins , it is only a football team for F**** sake, they all need to get over the chips they carry and get a life. Luckily they are a dying breed on both sides in Scotland, will be a great day when they are extinct.
SF gain Argyll and Bute.
harry, you really are bitter , you will have HammyAce saying the Tories will save the day shortly.
Luckily he wont be my MP - feel sorry for the poor people of that part of the world having him as their representative.
Almost anybody , except labour , is better than a Lib Dem chancer as your MP. Lib Dems have more faces than the town clock.
Disappointed that you are even trying to defend him malc - I thought you were better than that.
Martin Boon probably rightly annoyed that the Staggers keep calling ICM an "outlier" whilst lapping up the Panelbases with huge Labour leads.
Please. You're implying they are partisan poll deniers
@May2015NS: Since Thurs 3 polls have put the Tories ahead by 3-4 points. But have things really changed? Not really. Here's why: http://t.co/Ji8hXOFxgo
I do wonder if pundits are chasing the wrong fox. It might not be the headline Tory/Lab lead that's as important as the Tory/UKIP split.
''Blame labour, blame the the tories, blame the SNP, it's dead... moving to a federal system is the only way to save the country.''
I doubt even that will save it. Scotland will always want a bigger piece of the pie. As every day goes by, I wish a little more Malcolm G were leaving us.
LOL, We only want our own pie , but the troughers will not want to do the right thing and go to a federal system, they will choose oblivion first. Westminster sitting fat and bloated after eating all the cakes is in for a shock. Your favourite troughers are running about the sty squealing shocked that they will be a sandwich filler in the near future.
Democracy in action , people have had enough of cheating lying no marks and will make them pay.
Blimey, what are you going to do, corral ex-MPs in VietMcKong internment camps for re-education?
Those Labour Ex MP's will be too busy spending their ill gotten gains, most will be millionaires. Only a few of the donkeys don't make the magic million club after their time at the trough. Future litters will be squealing with indignation that their legacies have been taken away, stuck with council post sand the second division spoils they get there, or a few losers list posts at Holyrood.
Now look at the last five ending in today's just published sub sample 17-14-15-15-11. They are sub samples etc etc but it is at least arguable that the one discernable impact of the Crosby attack dog anti-Scottish nonsense will be - to wipeout the Scottish Tory!
Or you could look at the full Scotland poll conducted in the last week that sees the Tories up 2 in Scotland.
I'm surprised at that. I imagined most existing scottish tory voters would detest the snp and all it stands for.
Yep - what on earth is a vote for Labour for in Scotland now one has to ask.
Well in Argyll and Bute it's for a left winger who isn't a bigot.
A loser you mean , what a joke to imagine labour would have a left winger as a candidate.
Well rather a loser than a vile republican. Some of the screenshots of other social media formats are out there - the grovelling apology at the weekend may be the first of many...
Dear Dear Harry, you need to get that loser chip off your shoulder. If you tried you would find that Catholics are just normal people. Little words are scary for you boys , your inferirity complex is amazing. Only mixing with people who wear sashes affects your thinking, you need to get out more.
So why did the SNP issue a grovelling apology at the weekend ?
PS: Both sides with their pathetic "Hun" and "Tim" etc are pathetic cretins , it is only a football team for F**** sake, they all need to get over the chips they carry and get a life. Luckily they are a dying breed on both sides in Scotland, will be a great day when they are extinct.
SF gain Argyll and Bute.
harry, you really are bitter , you will have HammyAce saying the Tories will save the day shortly.
Luckily he wont be my MP - feel sorry for the poor people of that part of the world having him as their representative.
Almost anybody , except labour , is better than a Lib Dem chancer as your MP. Lib Dems have more faces than the town clock.
Given Chas Kennedy got 52.5% of the vote last time in his constituency and that he is the last of the big hitting 1980's vintage parliamentary Lib Dems north of the border with the retirement of Campbell, Bruce etc does he not retain an outside chance of retaining his seat with his added name recognition and documented opposition to the coalition? Or did his seemingly drunken performance on BBC QT seal his fate?
Democracy in action , people have had enough of cheating lying no marks and will make them pay.
Blimey, what are you going to do, corral ex-MPs in VietMcKong internment camps for re-education?
Those Labour Ex MP's will be too busy spending their ill gotten gains, most will be millionaires. Only a few of the donkeys don't make the magic million club after their time at the trough. Future litters will be squealing with indignation that their legacies have been taken away, stuck with council post sand the second division spoils they get there, or a few losers list posts at Holyrood.
Bye bye Labour troughers. Hello SNP troughers.
Eck set the benchmark of excess.
Sounds like sour grapes to me
Grapes with foie gras, in a rich vindaloo sauce. Ecks' favourite.
OT For anyone who's been watching Mr Selfridge [from ITV and rather good period fun] ... if you missed it, it's on Netflix S1-2 and you can catch S3 on PBS Masterpiece. You'll need Hola to fake your country IP location - it's free and superb as an app.
Now look at the last five ending in today's just published sub sample 17-14-15-15-11. They are sub samples etc etc but it is at least arguable that the one discernable impact of the Crosby attack dog anti-Scottish nonsense will be - to wipeout the Scottish Tory!
Or you could look at the full Scotland poll conducted in the last week that sees the Tories up 2 in Scotland.
I'm surprised at that. I imagined most existing scottish tory voters would detest the snp and all it stands for.
Yep - what on earth is a vote for Labour for in Scotland now one has to ask.
Well in Argyll and Bute it's for a left winger who isn't a bigot.
..
So why did the SNP issue a grovelling apology at the weekend ?
SF gain Argyll and Bute.
harry, you really are bitter , you will have HammyAce saying the Tories will save the day shortly.
Luckily he wont be my MP - feel sorry for the poor people of that part of the world having him as their representative.
Almost anybody , except labour , is better than a Lib Dem chancer as your MP. Lib Dems have more faces than the town clock.
Disappointed that you are even trying to defend him malc - I thought you were better than that.
Harry I know absolutely nothing about him , not read anything on it. However given the nasty set that labour have I can say unless he is an axe murderer he is unlikely to be any worse than their good ones. When choice is a sock puppet Tory, a multi faceted Lib Dem , a certain no good Labourite or someone else, then it is an easy choice. If he is a ban un then people will not vote for him ( though labour running Scotland for 50 years kind of disproves that theory). I am not inclined to believe anything the Record says, they are notorious fibbers.
I still can't believe people mocked my guess of SNP 52 seats as ludicrously high.
Pulpstar was the best.
When Salmond resigned he thought his SNP plus 6.5 seat bets might be losers.
I'm a worried man when it comes to betting, I think its why when the dreamers come in of Scottish tacticals saving Edinburgh SW or w/e I really challenge them very hard.
Ms even worse IMO but that's why you're a labour candidate and I vote Ukip!
What do you do if you get a question from, say, "Sally Hughes".
Dear Mrs Hughes or Dear Miss Hughes? Some women feel it's an offensive intrusion to make an assumption about their married state. "Dear Sally"? - see discussion. "Dear Sally Hughes"? - just looks odd, as though you were a poorly-programmed computer.
Of course, if it's from "Evelyn Hughes" you don't even know their gender. And in one case the correspondent changed gender between the time she wrote to me about a housing issue and the time I called round to see him - I was chuffed to work out instantly what had happened and not blink.
Given Chas Kennedy got 52.5% of the vote last time in his constituency and that he is the last of the big hitting 1980's vintage parliamentary Lib Dems north of the border with the retirement of Campbell, Bruce etc does he not retain an outside chance of retaining his seat with his added name recognition and documented opposition to the coalition? Or did his seemingly drunken performance on BBC QT seal his fate?
It's only when you see posts like that that you are reminded how parochial Scotland is. It's almost as odd seeing Scotland wield such power in this election as it would be seeing outer London doing the same
Democracy in action , people have had enough of cheating lying no marks and will make them pay.
Blimey, what are you going to do, corral ex-MPs in VietMcKong internment camps for re-education?
Those Labour Ex MP's will be too busy spending their ill gotten gains, most will be millionaires. Only a few of the donkeys don't make the magic million club after their time at the trough. Future litters will be squealing with indignation that their legacies have been taken away, stuck with council post sand the second division spoils they get there, or a few losers list posts at Holyrood.
Bye bye Labour troughers. Hello SNP troughers.
Eck set the benchmark of excess.
Sounds like sour grapes to me
Grapes with foie gras, in a rich vindaloo sauce. Ecks' favourite.
SNP don't do PFI. Believe they actually made it illegal (kinda pointless).
£840m all from Scottish Budget.
Explains alot tbh.
Considering the Scottish Budget is only £50bn, they've delivered a £1bn Forth Crossing on time and under budget (if it was in England it would be part of UK Wide spending - as its Scotland its 100% Scottish Budget, Glasgow South Hospital is the lead project of about £3bn of current hospital investment programme. Again on time and under budget.
After Labour's debacle with Trams and Parliaments, the SNP offer a clear and obvious difference.
SNP say they will do something. They then do something. And they tend to do it very well.
Mr. Floater, not read the story (and not going to, trying to get a little work done) but after Rotherham it'd take a lot to surprise me in that area.
Thank goodness Miliband wants to outlaw Islamophobia.
Rod Liddle would be in grave danger of falling foul of such a new law, were it to pass, given how unapologetically critical he is of Islam.
Yet he still plans to vote for him anyway.
Not long after the Charlie Hedbo affair a friend of mine (English) in France said he would not be surprised to find Labour passing some sort of Islamic blasphemy law.
If Milliband's promise is implemented that is what we will, de facto, have.
I for one am not going to stop thinking and saying what I want about Islam or its followers. Just because a twerp like Milliband does not value freedom of thought and speech does not meant that I - and I hope others - feel the same. I am not going to be silenced by those who, unwittingly or otherwise, are following an Islamist agenda.
As for the Tower Hamlets affair, if you really want to be depressed, look at the collection of idiots standing by Rahman and how many of those are in the London Labour party, people who seem not to understand the value of a legal system and who think that being black and/or a Muslim should ipso facto protect you from any sort of criticism whatever.
On topic, Boris is fine as London Mayor but will not be a good leader of the Tories or a good PM. The Tories need to look much further afield for their next leader: someone who speaks to and understands life outside inner London and the rather limited, rarefied circles that most politicos now move in.
'Ed really doesn't have a clue, does he understand that these evil shareholders of housebuilders, banks and utilities are yours and my pensions - but not his of course, we all pay taxes for that.'
Just like Ed saying he's going to force buy to let landlords to give 3 year leases only to find out that buy to let lenders forbid leases longer than 12 months.
It's only when you see posts like that that you are reminded how parochial Scotland is. It's almost as odd seeing Scotland wield such power in this election as it would be seeing the North East
Good publicity for the SNP in Scotland - but will people in England be thinking - "There go my tax pounds"
It's only when you see posts like that that you are reminded how parochial Scotland is. It's almost as odd seeing Scotland wield such power in this election as it would be seeing the North East
If only Labour could have built flagship hospitals with public money rather than lining their pals pockets with PFI deals and causing huge debts, maybe they would not be in such a mess.
I still can't believe people mocked my guess of SNP 52 seats as ludicrously high.
The last PB prediction competition was only twelve days ago and I'm amazed at the number of low estimates for SNP seats. The median was something like 41.
It's only when you see posts like that that you are reminded how parochial Scotland is. It's almost as odd seeing Scotland wield such power in this election as it would be seeing the North East
Good publicity for the SNP in Scotland - but will people in England be thinking - "There go my tax pounds"
No, our tax pounds are heading up the swanney on the 20 and 50 year PFI deals that the last Labour Gov't signed up to.
Speaking of long odds, I may have a look and see what the odds are on McLaren, Alonso and Button for various things (if such markets even exist). The car is fundamentally fast (around the Ferrari mark).
It's only when you see posts like that that you are reminded how parochial Scotland is. It's almost as odd seeing Scotland wield such power in this election as it would be seeing the North East
Good publicity for the SNP in Scotland - but will people in England be thinking - "There go my tax pounds"
Hospitals in the West Midlands are having to repay at least 10% of their annual turnover after taking out so-called “NHS mortgages” to build new facilities. A total of 10 new hospitals have been completed, or are currently being built, in the West Midlands under the private finance initiative (PFI). Figures obtained by the BBC claim that the NHS in England faces a total bill of £65 billion for 103 PFI hospital schemes, which involve private firms paying for and building new hospitals and mental health units, with the NHS paying the money back over a period of 30 or more years. Although the data shows that the value of the projects when they were built was only £11.3bn, this soars to £65.1bn over the lifetime of the deals once extra costs such as maintenance, cleaning and catering are taken into account.
'Ed really doesn't have a clue, does he understand that these evil shareholders of housebuilders, banks and utilities are yours and my pensions - but not his of course, we all pay taxes for that.'
Just like Ed saying he's going to force buy to let landlords to give 3 year leases only to find out that buy to let lenders forbid leases longer than 12 months.
You couldn't make it up.
Did I miss the constitutional amendment pursuant to which buy-to-let lenders acquired a veto power over the Queen-in-Parliament?
In some ways I wish we didn't keep getting Scottish polls like this one. Every time I think I need to just cover my stakes on some of my more speculative Scottish constituency bets, I get new information like this.
Miliband is going more and more extreme Marxist as the campaign progresses.
As Venezuela already exists, its a know fact that if he, by some chance wins and enacts what he says, the economy will completely bomb. It must be getting time to start hoarding the toilet rolls to minimise the risk to personal hygiene after May 7th.
Ms even worse IMO but that's why you're a labour candidate and I vote Ukip!
What do you do if you get a question from, say, "Sally Hughes".
Dear Mrs Hughes or Dear Miss Hughes? Some women feel it's an offensive intrusion to make an assumption about their married state. "Dear Sally"? - see discussion. "Dear Sally Hughes"? - just looks odd, as though you were a poorly-programmed computer.
Of course, if it's from "Evelyn Hughes" you don't even know their gender. And in one case the correspondent changed gender between the time she wrote to me about a housing issue and the time I called round to see him - I was chuffed to work out instantly what had happened and not blink.
'Tis not easy.
This is where Japanese gets it right. You usually refer to people by their names rather than "he/him" or "she/her" (or leave the subject out of the sentence altogether) and handle the honorific with a unisex "san" or "sama" depending on the politeness level. (Although the latter is a whole new can of worms.)
In some ways I wish we didn't keep getting Scottish polls like this one. Every time I think I need to just cover my stakes on some of my more speculative Scottish constituency bets, I get new information like this.
What's a boy to do in Rutherglen & Hamilton West?
Covering my stakes will cost me about £500 profit in Scotland when all is said and done I think. Follow your own advice and let them ride !
Ms even worse IMO but that's why you're a labour candidate and I vote Ukip!
What do you do if you get a question from, say, "Sally Hughes".
Dear Mrs Hughes or Dear Miss Hughes? Some women feel it's an offensive intrusion to make an assumption about their married state. "Dear Sally"? - see discussion. "Dear Sally Hughes"? - just looks odd, as though you were a poorly-programmed computer.
Of course, if it's from "Evelyn Hughes" you don't even know their gender. And in one case the correspondent changed gender between the time she wrote to me about a housing issue and the time I called round to see him - I was chuffed to work out instantly what had happened and not blink.
'Tis not easy.
If she signed the question 'Sally Hughes' I'd feel quite comfortable using 'Sally'
Mr. Floater, not read the story (and not going to, trying to get a little work done) but after Rotherham it'd take a lot to surprise me in that area.
Thank goodness Miliband wants to outlaw Islamophobia.
Rod Liddle would be in grave danger of falling foul of such a new law, were it to pass, given how unapologetically critical he is of Islam.
Yet he still plans to vote for him anyway.
Not long after the Charlie Hedbo affair a friend of mine (English) in France said he would not be surprised to find Labour passing some sort of Islamic blasphemy law.
If Milliband's promise is implemented that is what we will, de facto, have.
I for one am not going to stop thinking and saying what I want about Islam or its followers. Just because a twerp like Milliband does not value freedom of thought and speech does not meant that I - and I hope others - feel the same. I am not going to be silenced by those who, unwittingly or otherwise, are following an Islamist agenda.
As for the Tower Hamlets affair, if you really want to be depressed, look at the collection of idiots standing by Rahman and how many of those are in the London Labour party, people who seem not to understand the value of a legal system and who think that being black and/or a Muslim should ipso facto protect you from any sort of criticism whatever.
On topic, Boris is fine as London Mayor but will not be a good leader of the Tories or a good PM. The Tories need to look much further afield for their next leader: someone who speaks to and understands life outside inner London and the rather limited, rarefied circles that most politicos now move in.
Michael Ezra (@MichaelEzra) 27/04/2015 07:47 Defend corruption and electoral fraud! Via @rob_marchant pic.twitter.com/fypd6OK0r1
Slightly off topic... I've decided to sell any shares I have that are Scotland-related. That is, Aggreko and Weir. It strikes me that, whatever the outcome on 7th May, such multinationals will be wary of a domicile in Scotland with devomax, indyref and euroref factors swirling around. Equally, international investors will be pushing them to re-domicile in a more stable environment. But, of course, DYOR.
In some ways I wish we didn't keep getting Scottish polls like this one. Every time I think I need to just cover my stakes on some of my more speculative Scottish constituency bets, I get new information like this.
What's a boy to do in Rutherglen & Hamilton West?
Covering my stakes will cost me about £500 profit in Scotland when all is said and done I think. Follow your own advice and let them ride !
Generally, that's what I'm going to do. But there are one or two seats which I've backed fairly heavily at quite long odds where the SNP may well just fall short. Do I go for the purist value loser in such seats? You're probably right, I probably should.
Speaking of long odds, I may have a look and see what the odds are on McLaren, Alonso and Button for various things (if such markets even exist). The car is fundamentally fast (around the Ferrari mark).
Tipped at 250/1 and 10/3 now... So probably not going to cop
Hospitals in the West Midlands are having to repay at least 10% of their annual turnover after taking out so-called “NHS mortgages” to build new facilities. A total of 10 new hospitals have been completed, or are currently being built, in the West Midlands under the private finance initiative (PFI). Figures obtained by the BBC claim that the NHS in England faces a total bill of £65 billion for 103 PFI hospital schemes, which involve private firms paying for and building new hospitals and mental health units, with the NHS paying the money back over a period of 30 or more years. Although the data shows that the value of the projects when they were built was only £11.3bn, this soars to £65.1bn over the lifetime of the deals once extra costs such as maintenance, cleaning and catering are taken into account.
There is an astounding payment schedule for an Ayshire schools PFI scheme.
Slightly off topic... I've decided to sell any shares I have that are Scotland-related. That is, Aggreko and Weir. It strikes me that, whatever the outcome on 7th May, such multinationals will be wary of a domicile in Scotland with devomax, indyref and euroref factors swirling around. Equally, international investors will be pushing them to re-domicile in a more stable environment. But, of course, DYOR.
In some ways I wish we didn't keep getting Scottish polls like this one. Every time I think I need to just cover my stakes on some of my more speculative Scottish constituency bets, I get new information like this.
PFI may have been one of the worst policy mistakes of the last Labour government in my opinion, but I think the current government are still signing new PFI deals.
It's one of the things that leads me to think that British politics has been essentially in stasis since Blair became leader of the Labour party. The Blairite consensus is still with us.
Hospitals in the West Midlands are having to repay at least 10% of their annual turnover after taking out so-called “NHS mortgages” to build new facilities. A total of 10 new hospitals have been completed, or are currently being built, in the West Midlands under the private finance initiative (PFI). Figures obtained by the BBC claim that the NHS in England faces a total bill of £65 billion for 103 PFI hospital schemes, which involve private firms paying for and building new hospitals and mental health units, with the NHS paying the money back over a period of 30 or more years. Although the data shows that the value of the projects when they were built was only £11.3bn, this soars to £65.1bn over the lifetime of the deals once extra costs such as maintenance, cleaning and catering are taken into account.
There is an astounding payment schedule for an Ayshire schools PFI scheme.
Hospitals in the West Midlands are having to repay at least 10% of their annual turnover after taking out so-called “NHS mortgages” to build new facilities. A total of 10 new hospitals have been completed, or are currently being built, in the West Midlands under the private finance initiative (PFI). Figures obtained by the BBC claim that the NHS in England faces a total bill of £65 billion for 103 PFI hospital schemes, which involve private firms paying for and building new hospitals and mental health units, with the NHS paying the money back over a period of 30 or more years. Although the data shows that the value of the projects when they were built was only £11.3bn, this soars to £65.1bn over the lifetime of the deals once extra costs such as maintenance, cleaning and catering are taken into account.
There is an astounding payment schedule for an Ayshire schools PFI scheme.
PFI may have been one of the worst policy mistakes of the last Labour government in my opinion, but I think the current government are still signing new PFI deals.
It's one of the things that leads me to think that British politics has been essentially in stasis since Blair became leader of the Labour party. The Blairite consensus is still with us.
It is an astoundingly financially illiterate idea. Instead of the government borrowing the money directly at government rates we pay a private company to borrow the money at commercial rates. The myth is that we pass off the risk to the private company but the reality is that the public needs the infrastructure so cannot afford to allow the private company to fail. There is no risk.
Hospitals in the West Midlands are having to repay at least 10% of their annual turnover after taking out so-called “NHS mortgages” to build new facilities. A total of 10 new hospitals have been completed, or are currently being built, in the West Midlands under the private finance initiative (PFI). Figures obtained by the BBC claim that the NHS in England faces a total bill of £65 billion for 103 PFI hospital schemes, which involve private firms paying for and building new hospitals and mental health units, with the NHS paying the money back over a period of 30 or more years. Although the data shows that the value of the projects when they were built was only £11.3bn, this soars to £65.1bn over the lifetime of the deals once extra costs such as maintenance, cleaning and catering are taken into account.
There is an astounding payment schedule for an Ayshire schools PFI scheme.
PFI may have been one of the worst policy mistakes of the last Labour government in my opinion, but I think the current government are still signing new PFI deals.
It's one of the things that leads me to think that British politics has been essentially in stasis since Blair became leader of the Labour party. The Blairite consensus is still with us.
There's nothing wrong with PFI deals in principle, it's just that under Labour they were spectacularly badly negotiated. It's not a surprise - Labour were (and remain) supremely uninterested in value for money, so of course they didn't get value for money.
If as suspected ICM have a large Tory lead it won't be an outlier. It'll either be correct or the death of ICM as a serious pollster. Two in a row aren't outliers. I'd say the stakes are higher for ICM than they are for Tory / labour this time.
Hospitals in the West Midlands are having to repay at least 10% of their annual turnover after taking out so-called “NHS mortgages” to build new facilities. A total of 10 new hospitals have been completed, or are currently being built, in the West Midlands under the private finance initiative (PFI). Figures obtained by the BBC claim that the NHS in England faces a total bill of £65 billion for 103 PFI hospital schemes, which involve private firms paying for and building new hospitals and mental health units, with the NHS paying the money back over a period of 30 or more years. Although the data shows that the value of the projects when they were built was only £11.3bn, this soars to £65.1bn over the lifetime of the deals once extra costs such as maintenance, cleaning and catering are taken into account.
There is an astounding payment schedule for an Ayshire schools PFI scheme.
PFI may have been one of the worst policy mistakes of the last Labour government in my opinion, but I think the current government are still signing new PFI deals.
It's one of the things that leads me to think that British politics has been essentially in stasis since Blair became leader of the Labour party. The Blairite consensus is still with us.
One of the problems in my view is the incessant focus on the 'deficit' rather than an overall understanding of financing costs - such a focus actively encourages PFI type deals as it pushes costs from this year into future periods, and so 'saves' money on a 'current year' basis.
If as suspected ICM have a large Tory lead it won't be an outlier. It'll either be correct or the death of ICM as a serious pollster. Two in a row aren't outliers. I'd say the stakes are higher for ICM than they are for Tory / labour this time.
Conversely, if ICM has a Labour lead, will we finally see some movement in the Most Seats market?
PFI may have been one of the worst policy mistakes of the last Labour government in my opinion, but I think the current government are still signing new PFI deals.
It's one of the things that leads me to think that British politics has been essentially in stasis since Blair became leader of the Labour party. The Blairite consensus is still with us.
There's nothing wrong with PFI deals in principle, it's just that under Labour they were spectacularly badly negotiated. It's not a surprise - Labour were (and remain) supremely uninterested in value for money, so of course they didn't get value for money.
Alistair gives a good summary of why I disagree with you a couple of posts below yours.
Comments
I'm sure in swinging liberal London it's no longer considered a big deal to (reportedly) cheat on your wife, (reportedly) get your mistress pregnant, and then (reportedly) pressure her into an abortion she didn't want - but surely for a lot of the UKIP base, for the WI of the shires, and for swing-voting housewives in Midland and Pennine marginals, that's still a big deal?
Either it's all a lie, in which case why didn't he sue, or he's bang to rights, and it should have been career-ending some time ago, certainly PM-aspiration ending? Surely?
Edited extra bit: stonking poll for the SNP there.
To badly quote the West Wing - he doesn't want to be the guy, he want's to be the guy the guy relies on.
http://www.centrallettingservices.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/New-Glasgow-South-Hospital.jpg
I doubt even that will save it. Scotland will always want a bigger piece of the pie. As every day goes by, I wish a little more Malcolm G were leaving us.
Eck set the benchmark of excess.
Can you just drop me an email? arklebar@gmail.com
Thanks
@May2015NS: Since Thurs 3 polls have put the Tories ahead by 3-4 points. But have things really changed? Not really. Here's why: http://t.co/Ji8hXOFxgo
He's doing a "speech" but it's more Michael McIntyre saying "hi" to all the C-Listers on Comedy Roadshow.
WTF.
Looks like I have a good value losing bet.
£840m all from Scottish Budget.
It may well be the penultimate ICM as having a bank holiday just before Election Day is an arse for pollsters.
The latter may be driving the former.
Guardian-ICM poll shortly. Hmmm.- copyright @LordAshcroft
http://www.buzzfeed.com/jamieross/its-been-easy-its-been-to-outdo-the-snp
When Salmond resigned he thought his SNP plus 6.5 seat bets might be losers.
I am not inclined to believe anything the Record says, they are notorious fibbers.
Easy, it could be labour 40, Con 32!!!
Dear Mrs Hughes or Dear Miss Hughes? Some women feel it's an offensive intrusion to make an assumption about their married state.
"Dear Sally"? - see discussion.
"Dear Sally Hughes"? - just looks odd, as though you were a poorly-programmed computer.
Of course, if it's from "Evelyn Hughes" you don't even know their gender. And in one case the correspondent changed gender between the time she wrote to me about a housing issue and the time I called round to see him - I was chuffed to work out instantly what had happened and not blink.
'Tis not easy.
Lots of extra SNP publicity today with the first patients moving in to the brand new Southern General.
http://www.centrallettingservices.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/New-Glasgow-South-Hospital.jpg
It's only when you see posts like that that you are reminded how parochial Scotland is. It's almost as odd seeing Scotland wield such power in this election as it would be seeing outer London doing the same
After Labour's debacle with Trams and Parliaments, the SNP offer a clear and obvious difference.
SNP say they will do something. They then do something. And they tend to do it very well.
If Milliband's promise is implemented that is what we will, de facto, have.
I for one am not going to stop thinking and saying what I want about Islam or its followers. Just because a twerp like Milliband does not value freedom of thought and speech does not meant that I - and I hope others - feel the same. I am not going to be silenced by those who, unwittingly or otherwise, are following an Islamist agenda.
As for the Tower Hamlets affair, if you really want to be depressed, look at the collection of idiots standing by Rahman and how many of those are in the London Labour party, people who seem not to understand the value of a legal system and who think that being black and/or a Muslim should ipso facto protect you from any sort of criticism whatever.
On topic, Boris is fine as London Mayor but will not be a good leader of the Tories or a good PM. The Tories need to look much further afield for their next leader: someone who speaks to and understands life outside inner London and the rather limited, rarefied circles that most politicos now move in.
'Ed really doesn't have a clue, does he understand that these evil shareholders of housebuilders, banks and utilities are yours and my pensions - but not his of course, we all pay taxes for that.'
Just like Ed saying he's going to force buy to let landlords to give 3 year leases only to find out that buy to let lenders forbid leases longer than 12 months.
You couldn't make it up.
I was like nah
Makes my 70/1 on Button winning the 2009 title look a bit so-so.
I bet he's not the only SNPer that tucked into that...
So many missed opportunities given the confidence I had.
Speaking of long odds, I may have a look and see what the odds are on McLaren, Alonso and Button for various things (if such markets even exist). The car is fundamentally fast (around the Ferrari mark).
The cost of Labour's legacy:
Hospitals in the West Midlands are having to repay at least 10% of their annual turnover after taking out so-called “NHS mortgages” to build new facilities.
A total of 10 new hospitals have been completed, or are currently being built, in the West Midlands under the private finance initiative (PFI).
Figures obtained by the BBC claim that the NHS in England faces a total bill of £65 billion for 103 PFI hospital schemes, which involve private firms paying for and building new hospitals and mental health units, with the NHS paying the money back over a period of 30 or more years.
Although the data shows that the value of the projects when they were built was only £11.3bn, this soars to £65.1bn over the lifetime of the deals once extra costs such as maintenance, cleaning and catering are taken into account.
What's a boy to do in Rutherglen & Hamilton West?
As Venezuela already exists, its a know fact that if he, by some chance wins and enacts what he says, the economy will completely bomb. It must be getting time to start hoarding the toilet rolls to minimise the risk to personal hygiene after May 7th.
27/04/2015 07:47
Defend corruption and electoral fraud! Via @rob_marchant pic.twitter.com/fypd6OK0r1
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/fury-at-729m-bill-to-build-schools-1426587
It's one of the things that leads me to think that British politics has been essentially in stasis since Blair became leader of the Labour party. The Blairite consensus is still with us.
The best way of telling the way the political wind is blowing
17 polls for 11 organisations
CON -8
LAB -13
UKIP +8
LD +1
GREEN +1