politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » After two days of turbulence in the LAB leadership betting Yvette is the biggest loser
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As was widely predicted here at the time, Jeremy Corbyn’s nomination has certainly shaken up the leadership battle. Who would have thought that the veteran left-winger would appeal to the Unions and non-centre left element of the party? - Ans, er, most people I’d have thought.
I wonder if the anonymous Labour MP who said: “Jeremy Corbyn would do for our electoral chances what myxomatosis did for rabbits.” is an Andy Burnham supporter?
This is one of the rare occasions where AV gets tactical.
For example the left vote for Corbyn to send a message, the right rallies around Kendall, neither Burnham nor Cooper makes it to the final two, Kendall wins, even though she'd have lost a head-to-head against Burnham or Cooper.
This is one of the rare occasions where AV gets tactical.
For example the left vote for Corbyn to send a message, the right rallies around Kendall, neither Burnham nor Cooper makes it to the final two, Kendall wins, even though she'd have lost a head-to-head against Burnham or Cooper.
That's the trouble with 'sophisticated' electorates, although I wonder whether Labour members really would really try to game the system.
AV allows you to vote with your heart and your head. First preference for Corbyn, then decide who you want to win.
That's the idea, but there's a particular situation where that doesn't always work, namely the situation where your first choice is much more transfer-unfriendly than your second choice. Imagine 99 voters plan to vote as follows, and you get to make the final vote:
Say you agree with the Left camp. Vote Corbyn, he goes through against Kendall, she gets Burnham's transfers and wins. Alternatively you vote tactically for Burnham, he gets all Corbyn's transfers and Blairism is placed in a lead-lined coffin and buried in a swamp. *
* Only to emerge again in 2020 when Burnham or Cooper loses.
PS No disrespect to Cooper, the example only needs 3 contenders and Corbyn got the C.
This is one of the rare occasions where AV gets tactical.
For example the left vote for Corbyn to send a message, the right rallies around Kendall, neither Burnham nor Cooper makes it to the final two, Kendall wins, even though she'd have lost a head-to-head against Burnham or Cooper.
That's the trouble with 'sophisticated' electorates, although I wonder whether Labour members really would really try to game the system.
I agree, I don't think they'll try to game it, I think the left will fail to try to game it and end up putting the transfer-repellent guy in the last two.
Corbyn as Leader? Nothing could be better for the LDs. It would be like 83 all over again.
The biggest risk though is that some Tory crisis puts him in number 10.
It is inconceivable, on current numbers, that Corbyn could get into number 10. Even if 70 Tories left Cameron and formed the new Hang 'em, Flog 'em, anti-Catholic Repeal the 1832 Reform Act party, they would not back Corbyn - indeed, it's not hard to imagine they would cheerfully back Alex Salmond rather than Corbyn. EDIT: of course, the mere fact that Corbyn would be there would make such aggressive behaviour much less likely in the first place. Why destroy a government that on the whole works for you to let in government by hostile forces?
To get to number 10, he would have to win an election. While @Danny565 may not think that people who vote for right wing parties are necessarily right wing themselves (in which s/he is of course partially correct, although if they are prepared to vote for such parties they are clearly not tribally left-wing) it is also inconceivable that anyone willing to vote for Nigel Farage or David Cameron would vote for Corbyn.
It is also quite hard to see, given new rules on union funding, exactly where he would get the money to fight an election.
He wouldn't be a Michael Foot or an Iain Duncan Smith - he would be a George Lansbury. The only question would be who would play the role of Ernest Bevin.
Democracy is alive and well in one part of the EU anyway, congrats Hungary.
It's not so much a matter of democracy as a crisis that dwarfs Italy's. In the first three months of the year they got more asylum seekers in absolute numbers than Italy and the number per head of population is far in excess of anywhere else in the EU:
Democracy is alive and well in one part of the EU anyway, congrats Hungary.
It's not so much a matter of democracy as a crisis that dwarfs Italy's. In the first three months of the year they got more asylum seekers in absolute numbers than Italy and the number per head of population is far in excess of anywhere else in the EU:
Free Lunch: ECB enemy of the Euro Strangling Greek banks is legally and economically unjustifiable
Argues in essence that the ECB is failing in its duty under the treaties to "promote the smooth operation of payment systems" and "support the general economic policies in the Union with a view to contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the Union" which includes "imperative to break the vicious circle between banks and sovereigns" - that is to say, to make sure that the functioning of banks does not depend on the solvency of the state (and vice versa).
Democracy is alive and well in one part of the EU anyway, congrats Hungary.
It's not so much a matter of democracy as a crisis that dwarfs Italy's. In the first three months of the year they got more asylum seekers in absolute numbers than Italy and the number per head of population is far in excess of anywhere else in the EU:
The Hungarian government is unpleasant but any government would be doing something in the circumstances.
Just another breach in the EU theory - which always fails when it gets to practical matters, that the Eu-crats just dodge and fudge.
The break up of the EU would not stop the migrants. Muslims stopping slaughtering each other with gusto would be the only thing likely to turn off the taps, and that would take years to have an effect.
This Labour leader campaign keeps changing because:
(a) The cart is before the horse - the Labour party needs to decide first in which direction it wants to go - that is if it ever could decide that. (b) There is no apparent visionary leader available to elect.
Perhaps they have decided to let 2020 go and focus on 2025?
Tony Blair’s “The Journey” makes it clear that his journey was one from the left to the right.
The Blair that won the Labour leadership was significantly to the left of Liz Kendall today. Blair moved rightwards in office, and took (some of) his party with him. In fact, Blair moved rightwards very substantially.
That seems to me to be the main difference between Blair and Kendall, and why I’d be very surprised if Kendall could actually win from here.
In fact, I think its likely she’d split the party if she won.
In retrospect, the result at Morley and Outwood is turning out to be very significant.
Balls, like him or loathe him, is stronger than any of the 4 candidates actually on offer. (After all, he beat Burnham last time).
And I think Balls could have been an agent for necessary change in the Labour Party who could have carried most of it with him.
Democracy is alive and well in one part of the EU anyway, congrats Hungary.
It's not so much a matter of democracy as a crisis that dwarfs Italy's. In the first three months of the year they got more asylum seekers in absolute numbers than Italy and the number per head of population is far in excess of anywhere else in the EU:
The Hungarian government is unpleasant but any government would be doing something in the circumstances.
Just another breach in the EU theory - which always fails when it gets to practical matters, that the Eu-crats just dodge and fudge.
The break up of the EU would not stop the migrants. Muslims stopping slaughtering each other with gusto would be the only thing likely to turn off the taps, and that would take years to have an effect.
Agree, but has anyone in the EU come up with a practical proposal to counter both the Muslim threat as well as the economic migrants from sub-Sharan Africa as well as elsewhere?
Corbyn as Leader? Nothing could be better for the LDs. It would be like 83 all over again.
The biggest risk though is that some Tory crisis puts him in number 10.
It is inconceivable, on current numbers, that Corbyn could get into number 10. Even if 70 Tories left Cameron and formed the new Hang 'em, Flog 'em, anti-Catholic Repeal the 1832 Reform Act party, they would not back Corbyn - indeed, it's not hard to imagine they would cheerfully back Alex Salmond rather than Corbyn. EDIT: of course, the mere fact that Corbyn would be there would make such aggressive behaviour much less likely in the first place. Why destroy a government that on the whole works for you to let in government by hostile forces?
To get to number 10, he would have to win an election. While @Danny565 may not think that people who vote for right wing parties are necessarily right wing themselves (in which s/he is of course partially correct, although if they are prepared to vote for such parties they are clearly not tribally left-wing) it is also inconceivable that anyone willing to vote for Nigel Farage or David Cameron would vote for Corbyn.
It is also quite hard to see, given new rules on union funding, exactly where he would get the money to fight an election.
He wouldn't be a Michael Foot or an Iain Duncan Smith - he would be a George Lansbury. The only question would be who would play the role of Ernest Bevin.
Unlikely, I grant but not inconceivable. Corbyn could get Green voters on board and the Tories could commit hari-kiri over the Euroref result whichever way it goes. Tories have a wafer thin majority. Losing 40 seats would do it.
Not impossible at all. "Tories for Corbyn" beware, you may get what you wish for!
Tony Blair’s “The Journey” makes it clear that his journey was one from the left to the right.
The Blair that won the Labour leadership was significantly to the left of Liz Kendall today. Blair moved rightwards in office, and took (some of) his party with him. In fact, Blair moved rightwards very substantially.
That seems to me to be the main difference between Blair and Kendall, and why I’d be very surprised if Kendall could actually win from here.
In fact, I think its likely she’d split the party if she won.
In retrospect, the result at Morley and Outwood is turning out to be very significant.
Balls, like him or loathe him, is stronger than any of the 4 candidates actually on offer. (After all, he beat Burnham last time).
And I think Balls could have been an agent for necessary change in the Labour Party who could have carried most of it with him.
True, but really Labour would have run with anyone who would give them election victory in 1997, let alone two more elections. Also Blair and his gang successfully hi-jacked the desperate Labour party for their own purposes.
Free Lunch: ECB enemy of the Euro Strangling Greek banks is legally and economically unjustifiable
Argues in essence that the ECB is failing in its duty under the treaties to "promote the smooth operation of payment systems" and "support the general economic policies in the Union with a view to contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the Union" which includes "imperative to break the vicious circle between banks and sovereigns" - that is to say, to make sure that the functioning of banks does not depend on the solvency of the state (and vice versa).
The difference is that in normal economies a central bank isn't risking the government separating from it. In this case the FT is asking the ECB to throw good money after bad.
Tony Blair’s “The Journey” makes it clear that his journey was one from the left to the right.
The Blair that won the Labour leadership was significantly to the left of Liz Kendall today. Blair moved rightwards in office, and took (some of) his party with him. In fact, Blair moved rightwards very substantially.
That seems to me to be the main difference between Blair and Kendall, and why I’d be very surprised if Kendall could actually win from here.
In fact, I think its likely she’d split the party if she won.
In retrospect, the result at Morley and Outwood is turning out to be very significant.
Balls, like him or loathe him, is stronger than any of the 4 candidates actually on offer. (After all, he beat Burnham last time).
And I think Balls could have been an agent for necessary change in the Labour Party who could have carried most of it with him.
Mostly fair points YBarddCwsc. However, one thought does occur to me. Balls might have reformed the Labour party, on the basis that those people who didn't like him either respected him or were genuinely afraid of him. But a man who cannot win what should have been a pretty safe Labour seat - the equivalent of Wakefield, which even the odious Mary Creagh held without too much difficulty - strikes me as somebody who would not be an electoral asset to any party he led.
Do you think - and I really would like to know the answer - that Labour have no chance of winning the next election either? Because that seems the logical corollary of your comments and that has pretty profound implications for this leadership race as well. If Labour are electing somebody to reform the party structures rather than a potential Prime Minister, then their best option by far is surely Yvette Cooper, as notwithstanding the HIPS fiasco she is the best organiser and of course would have Balls' support from outside the Commons.
If they are trying for power, I think it's still Liz Kendall. If it's to shore up the core vote, it's Andy Burnham. If it's to turn the party into an apocalyptic religious movement with all the political relevance of the Scientologists - well, they have that option too.
And if it is Yvette Cooper, do you think she could 'do a Howard', implement those reforms, and then resign in favour of someone better - and if so, whom?
Kai, my dog, died suddenly last night. Tumour, which caused internal bleeding and a sudden collapse.
MD: Sorry to hear about your loss - always a shock when it is unexpected. You must get another one who as a puppy may seem faster than some of those F1 cars.
Unlikely, I grant but not inconceivable. Corbyn could get Green voters on board and the Tories could commit hari-kiri over the Euroref result whichever way it goes. Tories have a wafer thin majority. Losing 40 seats would do it.
Not impossible at all. "Tories for Corbyn" beware, you may get what you wish for!
The way the green votes are spread might increase Labour's share, but wouldn't win them many seats. Tacking to the left might win back a few in Scotland if the SNP imploded, which also seems possible. To really challenge the Conservatives, they have to take votes off them directly, however, and even in the worst case scenario you posit, it's hard to see any Tory voters switching to a Corbyn led Labour rather than to UKIP.
Democracy is alive and well in one part of the EU anyway, congrats Hungary.
It's not so much a matter of democracy as a crisis that dwarfs Italy's. In the first three months of the year they got more asylum seekers in absolute numbers than Italy and the number per head of population is far in excess of anywhere else in the EU:
The Hungarian government is unpleasant but any government would be doing something in the circumstances.
Just another breach in the EU theory - which always fails when it gets to practical matters, that the Eu-crats just dodge and fudge.
The break up of the EU would not stop the migrants. Muslims stopping slaughtering each other with gusto would be the only thing likely to turn off the taps, and that would take years to have an effect.
Agree, but has anyone in the EU come up with a practical proposal to counter both the Muslim threat as well as the economic migrants from sub-Sharan Africa as well as elsewhere?
I note that 70% of the asylum seekers in Hungary are Kosovars, and that Albania features in the top 5 for asylum applications in the UK. Ghana features in the West African migrant figures, yet is arguably the most successful West African state.
There is no easy solution to this. The draw of life in Europe or North America and Australasia is a very strong one. Close off legal entry and create a market for illegal entry.
Double irritating story: modern art 'copies' something from three and a half thousand years ago, making it worse, and the BBC decide to use the despicable revisionist BCE dating nonsense: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-33411219
Saw the Nefertiti bust (stop giggling) on a BBC4 art programme. It's very impressive indeed.
Edited extra bit: cheers, Mr. Pubgoer, Mr. Financier.
Free Lunch: ECB enemy of the Euro Strangling Greek banks is legally and economically unjustifiable
Argues in essence that the ECB is failing in its duty under the treaties to "promote the smooth operation of payment systems" and "support the general economic policies in the Union with a view to contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the Union" which includes "imperative to break the vicious circle between banks and sovereigns" - that is to say, to make sure that the functioning of banks does not depend on the solvency of the state (and vice versa).
The difference is that in normal economies a central bank isn't risking the government separating from it. In this case the FT is asking the ECB to throw good money after bad.
I think it is saying either you are in monetary union or you are not (and are really just a hard currency peg with a fancy name). The current actions are an attempt by all sides to have their cake and eat it. Syriza want bail outs with no austerity. Germany wants an unrealistic euro exchange rate, and a currency union without the down sides. France wants a socialist utopia without having to pay for it.
Free Lunch: ECB enemy of the Euro Strangling Greek banks is legally and economically unjustifiable
Argues in essence that the ECB is failing in its duty under the treaties to "promote the smooth operation of payment systems" and "support the general economic policies in the Union with a view to contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the Union" which includes "imperative to break the vicious circle between banks and sovereigns" - that is to say, to make sure that the functioning of banks does not depend on the solvency of the state (and vice versa).
The difference is that in normal economies a central bank isn't risking the government separating from it. In this case the FT is asking the ECB to throw good money after bad.
I looked at the article. The man's a fool. Of course nobody cares about Greece, and rescuing it would make no difference. But nor would letting it go bankrupt, and that's why the ECB won't do it. Because it would set an appalling precedent with Spain still in the wings, which WOULD make a huge hole in the Eurozone's budgets if it had to be rescued, or require money printing on a scale not seen since the invasion of the Ruhr. Therefore it is better to make an example of the Greeks than to see the entire currency disintegrate.
It's alarming to think how little strategic vision some financial journalists have. We saw the same thing in Ireland a few years ago when, unforgettably, a journalist called Brendan Keenan argued that as the houses had been built, the banks would lose no money on them and therefore the bad loans would be 'about 1% of their [the banks'] loan book.' Of course, he was so incredibly wrong that he was promoted, but I do hope we won't see the same thing over again.
Free Lunch: ECB enemy of the Euro Strangling Greek banks is legally and economically unjustifiable
Argues in essence that the ECB is failing in its duty under the treaties to "promote the smooth operation of payment systems" and "support the general economic policies in the Union with a view to contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the Union" which includes "imperative to break the vicious circle between banks and sovereigns" - that is to say, to make sure that the functioning of banks does not depend on the solvency of the state (and vice versa).
The difference is that in normal economies a central bank isn't risking the government separating from it. In this case the FT is asking the ECB to throw good money after bad.
I looked at the article. The man's a fool. Of course nobody cares about Greece, and rescuing it would make no difference. But nor would letting it go bankrupt, and that's why the ECB won't do it. Because it would set an appalling precedent with Spain still in the wings, which WOULD make a huge hole in the Eurozone's budgets if it had to be rescued, or require money printing on a scale not seen since the invasion of the Ruhr. Therefore it is better to make an example of the Greeks than to see the entire currency disintegrate.
This will be a post to treasure when the inevitable last minute fudge is made
Corbyn as Leader? Nothing could be better for the LDs. It would be like 83 all over again.
The biggest risk though is that some Tory crisis puts him in number 10.
He wouldn't be a Michael Foot or an Iain Duncan Smith - he would be a George Lansbury. The only question would be who would play the role of Ernest Bevin.
Balls would be a more dangerous leader to deal with than any of the current contenders IMHO. given his close escape in 2010, it does seem 'odd' that Labour didn't do enough to help keep the big beast. At one time, a by-election would have been arranged to get someone like him back in The Commons asap.
Spain in the hole for €25 billion, and both Italy and France for near twice that. I cannot see those creditors agreeing to a further haircut to support an unreformed Greece.
If Syrizia couldn't come up with an acceptable proposal in the last 5 months then who can realistically see one now?
Corbyn as Leader? Nothing could be better for the LDs. It would be like 83 all over again.
The biggest risk though is that some Tory crisis puts him in number 10.
He wouldn't be a Michael Foot or an Iain Duncan Smith - he would be a George Lansbury. The only question would be who would play the role of Ernest Bevin.
Damn - should have thought of that. So who will be Blofeld?
Spain in the hole for €25 billion, and both Italy and France for near twice that. I cannot see those creditors agreeing to a further haircut to support an unreformed Greece.
If Syrizia couldn't come up with an acceptable proposal in the last 5 months then who can realistically see one now?
But its a lose-lose scenario for the EU. If the Greece are bailed out then the Spaniards and the Italians are going to want equal treatment. If they don't then they are flying in the teeth of the advice of the IMF, and Greece will leave the Euro proving to the markets that the euro isn't a currency union at all, but a hard currency peg, at which point speculators will start trying to push the next one out.
Free Lunch: ECB enemy of the Euro Strangling Greek banks is legally and economically unjustifiable
Argues in essence that the ECB is failing in its duty under the treaties to "promote the smooth operation of payment systems" and "support the general economic policies in the Union with a view to contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the Union" which includes "imperative to break the vicious circle between banks and sovereigns" - that is to say, to make sure that the functioning of banks does not depend on the solvency of the state (and vice versa).
The difference is that in normal economies a central bank isn't risking the government separating from it. In this case the FT is asking the ECB to throw good money after bad.
I looked at the article. The man's a fool. Of course nobody cares about Greece, and rescuing it would make no difference. But nor would letting it go bankrupt, and that's why the ECB won't do it. Because it would set an appalling precedent with Spain still in the wings, which WOULD make a huge hole in the Eurozone's budgets if it had to be rescued, or require money printing on a scale not seen since the invasion of the Ruhr. Therefore it is better to make an example of the Greeks than to see the entire currency disintegrate.
This will be a post to treasure when the inevitable last minute fudge is made
I think that the EU is likely to provide some emergency relief to the Greek people, but to the Greek government or Central Bank? Much less likely.
Is today make or break for Greece in terms of getting some way down a negotiating path? I know there have been countless 'deadlines' before, but this time, with the banking situation, there is a genuine, real-world pressure to get this resolved quickly, one way or the other.
Mr. Pulpstar, cheers. He was only six, so it's rather a shock.
Double irritating story: modern art 'copies' something from three and a half thousand years ago, making it worse, and the BBC decide to use the despicable revisionist BCE dating nonsense: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-33411219
Saw the Nefertiti bust (stop giggling) on a BBC4 art programme. It's very impressive indeed.
Edited extra bit: cheers, Mr. Pubgoer, Mr. Financier.
It's standard BBC practice now. Boris Johnson fulminated on the subject at the time of the change:
Free Lunch: ECB enemy of the Euro Strangling Greek banks is legally and economically unjustifiable
Argues in essence that the ECB is failing in its duty under the treaties to "promote the smooth operation of payment systems" and "support the general economic policies in the Union with a view to contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the Union" which includes "imperative to break the vicious circle between banks and sovereigns" - that is to say, to make sure that the functioning of banks does not depend on the solvency of the state (and vice versa).
The difference is that in normal economies a central bank isn't risking the government separating from it. In this case the FT is asking the ECB to throw good money after bad.
I looked at the article. The man's a fool. Of course nobody cares about Greece, and rescuing it would make no difference. But nor would letting it go bankrupt, and that's why the ECB won't do it. Because it would set an appalling precedent with Spain still in the wings, which WOULD make a huge hole in the Eurozone's budgets if it had to be rescued, or require money printing on a scale not seen since the invasion of the Ruhr. Therefore it is better to make an example of the Greeks than to see the entire currency disintegrate.
This will be a post to treasure when the inevitable last minute fudge is made
Greece has already, in effect, been let go. The closure of the banks was the moment that happened. The 'fudge' would therefore be beyond the last minute. Even if some kind of humanitarian package is agreed, I think the ECB will wait until the demonstration is amply clear even to Podemos so that if/when they come to power, they will grasp that they can have austerity on the ECB's terms or austerity on hedge funds' terms. Of course, every fresh disaster that befalls Greece in itself makes a triumph for Podemos less likely.
Is today make or break for Greece in terms of getting some way down a negotiating path? I know there have been countless 'deadlines' before, but this time, with the banking situation, there is a genuine, real-world pressure to get this resolved quickly, one way or the other.
Mr. Pulpstar, cheers. He was only six, so it's rather a shock.
Sorry to hear about your dog MD. What breed was Kai? I used to keep retrievers, and I was told by the vet that they get tumours very easily - in fact, he said anything beyond five was good for a retriever.
Listening to comments from Belgium, Netherlands and Germany, it would appear that Greece would get a favourable hearing if it would do three things: Raise retirement age to 65 or even 67 (a cause of a lot of personal resentment) Cut its bloated public sector Reform its taxation and cut the corruption.
Somehow I think this would be too far for the Greek PM with the referendum result behind him.
Hounds leave a big hole when they go. Going suddenly is such a shock.
Hope you can offer a lovely home to a another muttley when you're ready. I find it really helps me to remember the things I loved about the missing friend.
Mr. Antifrank, thanks for that. It's bloody ridiculous. I refused to buy an otherwise intriguing history on the basis of the revisionist nonsense of BCE.
Listening to comments from Belgium, Netherlands and Germany, it would appear that Greece would get a favourable hearing if it would do three things: Raise retirement age to 65 or even 67 (a cause of a lot of personal resentment) Cut its bloated public sector Reform its taxation and cut the corruption.
Somehow I think this would be too far for the Greek PM with the referendum result behind him.
Agreed. The whole point of the referendum was to try and wriggle out of doing those things! I wonder they didn't add 'find a practicable method of unsupported porcine aviation' to the list...
Tony Blair’s “The Journey” makes it clear that his journey was one from the left to the right.
The Blair that won the Labour leadership was significantly to the left of Liz Kendall today. Blair moved rightwards in office, and took (some of) his party with him. In fact, Blair moved rightwards very substantially.
That seems to me to be the main difference between Blair and Kendall, and why I’d be very surprised if Kendall could actually win from here.
In fact, I think its likely she’d split the party if she won.
In retrospect, the result at Morley and Outwood is turning out to be very significant.
Balls, like him or loathe him, is stronger than any of the 4 candidates actually on offer. (After all, he beat Burnham last time).
And I think Balls could have been an agent for necessary change in the Labour Party who could have carried most of it with him.
I said this a couple of weeks ago. The Labour party is seriously lacking in talent. Balls was and is a far more substantial figure than any of those standing for the leadership. I think he also understood more about the dark arts of framing elections having learned from Brown and Blair. The man that Cameron described as "the most irritating in British politics" could get under the skin of the Government in a way that none of the others can.
Burnham has been fairly consistently made to look foolish by Hunt.
Cooper is a clever woman but a leaden speaker who really struggles to hold an audience.
Kendall has so far shown an aptitude for sound bites but little else. She has the most potential, I think, to develop into someone who could make Labour electable but it is a hell of a gamble.
Corbyn is presumably there to show Labour hasn't lost its sense of humour entirely.
None comes close to Balls as an operator, a thinker or a driving force who could have made their party an electoral force to be reckoned with.
Incidentally, I was at a dinner party last night with a number of Labour members. They were all voting for Kendall. The idea that she can not appeal to SLAB members is plainly incorrect.
Tony Blair’s “The Journey” makes it clear that his journey was one from the left to the right.
The Blair that won the Labour leadership was significantly to the left of Liz Kendall today. Blair moved rightwards in office, and took (some of) his party with him. In fact, Blair moved rightwards very substantially.
That seems to me to be the main difference between Blair and Kendall, and why I’d be very surprised if Kendall could actually win from here.
And I think Balls could have been an agent for necessary change in the Labour Party who could have carried most of it with him.
Do you think - and I really would like to know the answer - that Labour have no chance of winning the next election either? Because that seems the logical corollary of your comments and that has pretty profound implications for this leadership race as well. If Labour are electing somebody to reform the party structures rather than a potential Prime Minister, then their best option by far is surely Yvette Cooper, as notwithstanding the HIPS fiasco she is the best organiser and of course would have Balls' support from outside the Commons.
If they are trying for power, I think it's still Liz Kendall. If it's to shore up the core vote, it's Andy Burnham. If it's to turn the party into an apocalyptic religious movement with all the political relevance of the Scientologists - well, they have that option too.
And if it is Yvette Cooper, do you think she could 'do a Howard', implement those reforms, and then resign in favour of someone better - and if so, whom?
I am not a member of the Labour Party, and in fact I am very negative about what Labour has done to Wales, so I am not the best person to answer these questions impartially.
IMO, Labour do have a chance of winning the next election because the effects of the Euro referendum are unpredictable and uncontrollable.
As we have seen in Scotland & in Greece, these referendums have the capacity to surprise. It will take an exceptionally sure-footed performance by the Tories to get through the referendum without blowing themselves up, or the country up.
So, Labour’s chances of winning in 2020 are largely down to the Tories mishandling, and so probably pretty much independent of whether they choose Burnham or Cooper.
I am not as negative about Andy Burnham as OGH, but -- if I was voting -- I’d vote for Cooper.
I think Cooper could win in 2020 versus the Tories led by Osborne, say. I think Burnham could as well, but Cooper would be better.
I don’t subscribe to the line that Kendall (from what I have seen of her) is a Saviour of the Labour Party.
Sorry to hear the news about your dog, Morris Dancer
On the Greek crisis, interesting news here:
According to Greek newspaper Kathimerini: According to sources in Brussels, 16 of the other 18 countries in the eurozone are in favor of letting Greece leave the eurozone and they will have to weigh up the cost of any agreement to keep Athens in the single currency.
Part border collie, part, er, something else (we reckoned bull terrier, on account of his destructive powers. Very few even 'tough' chew toys could withstand his jaws for more than a minute).
Thanks, Miss Plato. Very likely a new hound will be had, but not for a few weeks.
@YBarddCwsc - thanks, a very interesting analysis. Of course, referendums to have the capacity to surprise. Look how badly the SNP lost the Scottish one, and what happened there...
In relation to your first sentence, my grandparents lived in the valleys for fifty years from 1938 to 1990. In that time, they voted in every election, be it ever so small and insignificant. They always voted for 'whichever party might beat Labour.' More realistically, they always voted for whichever party was most likely to come a distant second.
It made no difference, but at least they felt they were not to blame for the appalling corruption of the Welsh Labour machine in the Valleys.
Listening to comments from Belgium, Netherlands and Germany, it would appear that Greece would get a favourable hearing if it would do three things: Raise retirement age to 65 or even 67 (a cause of a lot of personal resentment) Cut its bloated public sector Reform its taxation and cut the corruption.
Somehow I think this would be too far for the Greek PM with the referendum result behind him.
The ridiculous behaviour of Varoufakis really has not helped. He may be gone but the Greeks still seem to think that they have an entitlement rather than a need to plead and ask for generosity.
Spain in the hole for €25 billion, and both Italy and France for near twice that. I cannot see those creditors agreeing to a further haircut to support an unreformed Greece.
If Syrizia couldn't come up with an acceptable proposal in the last 5 months then who can realistically see one now?
In March 2010 about 40% of total European lending to Greece was via French banks, today only 0.6% is. In the absence of the various 'Greek' loans, France would have been forced into a massive bailout of its banking system. Instead, French banks were able virtually to eliminate their exposure to Greece by selling bonds, allowing bonds to mature, and taking partial write-offs in 2012. The bailout effectively mutualized much of their exposure within the Eurozone.
ECB actions in regards to the Greek banks at the behest of other member states is indeed legally and economically unjustifiable.
I always fancied an English Bull Terrier - there's something odd looking but really cute about them - in a thuggish way. I think I never got over the one in The Incredible Journey!
Part border collie, part, er, something else (we reckoned bull terrier, on account of his destructive powers. Very few even 'tough' chew toys could withstand his jaws for more than a minute).
Thanks, Miss Plato. Very likely a new hound will be had, but not for a few weeks.
I would have thought Ireland and Portugal are more likely. They would be in the firing line as well if Greece goes.
I am more surprised about your dog from that information, so I can understand your shock. Hope you can find another dog when you are ready (as Plato said).
Tony Blair’s “The Journey” makes it clear that his journey was one from the left to the right.
The Blair that won the Labour leadership was significantly to the left of Liz Kendall today. Blair moved rightwards in office, and took (some of) his party with him. In fact, Blair moved rightwards very substantially.
That seems to me to be the main difference between Blair and Kendall, and why I’d be very surprised if Kendall could actually win from here.
In fact, I think its likely she’d split the party if she won.
In retrospect, the result at Morley and Outwood is turning out to be very significant.
Balls, like him or loathe him, is stronger than any of the 4 candidates actually on offer. (After all, he beat Burnham last time).
And I think Balls could have been an agent for necessary change in the Labour Party who could have carried most of it with him.
I said this a couple of weeks ago. The Labour party is seriously lacking in talent. Balls was and is a far more substantial figure than any of those standing for the leadership. I think he also understood more about the dark arts of framing elections having learned from Brown and Blair. The man that Cameron described as "the most irritating in British politics" could get under the skin of the Government in a way that none of the others can.
Burnham has been fairly consistently made to look foolish by Hunt.
Cooper is a clever woman but a leaden speaker who really struggles to hold an audience.
Kendall has so far shown an aptitude for sound bites but little else. She has the most potential, I think, to develop into someone who could make Labour electable but it is a hell of a gamble.
Corbyn is presumably there to show Labour hasn't lost its sense of humour entirely.
None comes close to Balls as an operator, a thinker or a driving force who could have made their party an electoral force to be reckoned with.
Incidentally, I was at a dinner party last night with a number of Labour members. They were all voting for Kendall. The idea that she can not appeal to SLAB members is plainly incorrect.
Labour members who attend dinner parties are not representative. Pie and pea suppers are more our sort of thing.
Part border collie, part, er, something else (we reckoned bull terrier, on account of his destructive powers. Very few even 'tough' chew toys could withstand his jaws for more than a minute).
Thanks, Miss Plato. Very likely a new hound will be had, but not for a few weeks.
Edited extra bit: cheers Ms. Apocalypse.
Which 2 countries aren't? France and Italy?
There's speculation that it could be either France and Italy, or Cyprus. Italy did seem rather keen to keep Greece in the Eurozone yesterday, and I wouldn't be surprised if France yielded to Germany. So the other two could very well be Italy and Cyprus.
Kai, my dog, died suddenly last night. Tumour, which caused internal bleeding and a sudden collapse.
Sorry to hear that Mr. Dancer. As the owner of a near 15 year old wire-haired fox terrier who has increasingly unreliable pins, it is something I will have to cope with before too long. And I'll be in bits when it happens.
Tony Blair’s “The Journey” makes it clear that his journey was one from the left to the right.
The Blair that won the Labour leadership was significantly to the left of Liz Kendall today. Blair moved rightwards in office, and took (some of) his party with him. In fact, Blair moved rightwards very substantially.
That seems to me to be the main difference between Blair and Kendall, and why I’d be very surprised if Kendall could actually win from here.
In fact, I think its likely she’d split the party if she won.
In retrospect, the result at Morley and Outwood is turning out to be very significant.
Balls, like him or loathe him, is stronger than any of the 4 candidates actually on offer. (After all, he beat Burnham last time).
And I think Balls could have been an agent for necessary change in the Labour Party who could have carried most of it with him.
I said this a couple of weeks ago. The Labour party is seriously lacking in talent. Balls was and is a far more substantial figure than any of those standing for the leadership. I think he also understood more about the dark arts of framing elections having learned from Brown and Blair. The man that Cameron described as "the most irritating in British politics" could get under the skin of the Government in a way that none of the others can.
Burnham has been fairly consistently made to look foolish by Hunt.
Cooper is a clever woman but a leaden speaker who really struggles to hold an audience.
Kendall has so far shown an aptitude for sound bites but little else. She has the most potential, I think, to develop into someone who could make Labour electable but it is a hell of a gamble.
Corbyn is presumably there to show Labour hasn't lost its sense of humour entirely.
None comes close to Balls as an operator, a thinker or a driving force who could have made their party an electoral force to be reckoned with.
Incidentally, I was at a dinner party last night with a number of Labour members. They were all voting for Kendall. The idea that she can not appeal to SLAB members is plainly incorrect.
Labour members who attend dinner parties are not representative. Pie and pea suppers are more our sort of thing.
Tony Blair’s “The Journey” makes it clear that his journey was one from the left to the right.
The Blair that won the Labour leadership was significantly to the left of Liz Kendall today. Blair moved rightwards in office, and took (some of) his party with him. In fact, Blair moved rightwards very substantially.
That seems to me to be the main difference between Blair and Kendall, and why I’d be very surprised if Kendall could actually win from here.
In fact, I think its likely she’d split the party if she won.
In retrospect, the result at Morley and Outwood is turning out to be very significant.
Balls, like him or loathe him, is stronger than any of the 4 candidates actually on offer. (After all, he beat Burnham last time).
And I think Balls could have been an agent for necessary change in the Labour Party who could have carried most of it with him.
I said this a couple of weeks ago. The Labour party is seriously lacking in talent. Balls was and is a far more substantial figure than any of those standing for the leadership. I think he also understood more about the dark arts of framing elections having learned from Brown and Blair. The man that Cameron described as "the most irritating in British politics" could get under the skin of the Government in a way that none of the others can.
Burnham has been fairly consistently made to look foolish by Hunt.
Cooper is a clever woman but a leaden speaker who really struggles to hold an audience.
Kendall has so far shown an aptitude for sound bites but little else. She has the most potential, I think, to develop into someone who could make Labour electable but it is a hell of a gamble.
Corbyn is presumably there to show Labour hasn't lost its sense of humour entirely.
None comes close to Balls as an operator, a thinker or a driving force who could have made their party an electoral force to be reckoned with.
Incidentally, I was at a dinner party last night with a number of Labour members. They were all voting for Kendall. The idea that she can not appeal to SLAB members is plainly incorrect.
Labour members who attend dinner parties are not representative. Pie and pea suppers are more our sort of thing.
Possibly so.
But I was mildly surprised it was unanimous. None of them thought she was the finished article by any means but they liked the fact she had a more interesting and thought provoking viewpoint, that she was good at standing her ground in interviews, that she at least gave the impression of thinking for herself instead of trotting out tired old clichés. And, frankly, they were a little bit desperate for someone who could inspire some hope. Not an uncommon situation for Labour supporters in Scotland these days.
Tony Blair’s “The Journey” makes it clear that his journey was one from the left to the right.
The Blair that won the Labour leadership was significantly to the left of Liz Kendall today. Blair moved rightwards in office, and took (some of) his party with him. In fact, Blair moved rightwards very substantially.
That seems to me to be the main difference between Blair and Kendall, and why I’d be very surprised if Kendall could actually win from here.
In fact, I think its likely she’d split the party if she won.
In retrospect, the result at Morley and Outwood is turning out to be very significant.
Balls, like him or loathe him, is stronger than any of the 4 candidates actually on offer. (After all, he beat Burnham last time).
And I think Balls could have been an agent for necessary change in the Labour Party who could have carried most of it with him.
I said this a couple of weeks ago. The Labour party is seriously lacking in talent. Balls was and is a far more substantial figure than any of those standing for the leadership. I think he also understood more about the dark arts of framing elections having learned from Brown and Blair. The man that Cameron described as "the most irritating in British politics" could get under the skin of the Government in a way that none of the others can.
Burnham has been fairly consistently made to look foolish by Hunt.
Cooper is a clever woman but a leaden speaker who really struggles to hold an audience.
Kendall has so far shown an aptitude for sound bites but little else. She has the most potential, I think, to develop into someone who could make Labour electable but it is a hell of a gamble.
Corbyn is presumably there to show Labour hasn't lost its sense of humour entirely.
None comes close to Balls as an operator, a thinker or a driving force who could have made their party an electoral force to be reckoned with.
Incidentally, I was at a dinner party last night with a number of Labour members. They were all voting for Kendall. The idea that she can not appeal to SLAB members is plainly incorrect.
Labour members who attend dinner parties are not representative.
Maybe. But they are the ones who seem to have the knack for getting their party elected....
Tony Blair’s “The Journey” makes it clear that his journey was one from the left to the right.
The Blair that won the Labour leadership was significantly to the left of Liz Kendall today. Blair moved rightwards in office, and took (some of) his party with him. In fact, Blair moved rightwards very substantially.
That seems to me to be the main difference between Blair and Kendall, and why I’d be very surprised if Kendall could actually win from here.
In fact, I think its likely she’d split the party if she won.
In retrospect, the result at Morley and Outwood is turning out to be very significant.
Balls, like him or loathe him, is stronger than any of the 4 candidates actually on offer. (After all, he beat Burnham last time).
And I think Balls could have been an agent for necessary change in the Labour Party who could have carried most of it with him.
I said this a couple of weeks ago. The Labour party is seriously lacking in talent. Balls was and is a far more substantial figure than any of those standing for the leadership. I think he also understood more about the dark arts of framing elections having learned from Brown and Blair. The man that Cameron described as "the most irritating in British politics" could get under the skin of the Government in a way that none of the others can.
Burnham has been fairly consistently made to look foolish by Hunt.
Cooper is a clever woman but a leaden speaker who really struggles to hold an audience.
Kendall has so far shown an aptitude for sound bites but little else. She has the most potential, I think, to develop into someone who could make Labour electable but it is a hell of a gamble.
Corbyn is presumably there to show Labour hasn't lost its sense of humour entirely.
None comes close to Balls as an operator, a thinker or a driving force who could have made their party an electoral force to be reckoned with.
Incidentally, I was at a dinner party last night with a number of Labour members. They were all voting for Kendall. The idea that she can not appeal to SLAB members is plainly incorrect.
Labour members who attend dinner parties are not representative.
Maybe. But they are the ones who seem to have the knack for getting their party elected....
Miss Plato, he was relatively dim for a border collie, which adds credence to the bull terrier theory
Mr. Doethur, saw a map on Sky News last night of countries that were soft/mixed/hard [ahem] towards Greece's plight. Don't know about Portugal, but Ireland was definitely hard-line red.
And yeah, a bolt from the blue.
Mr. Mark, cheers. Had that end of the spectrum too, first dog was nearly 17 when we had to have her put down.
On a lighter note than morbid woe, a new PS4 version has come out (or will, soon) in Japan. This makes it the third (possibly fourth) bloody console in a row where I buy one and an updated, better version comes out within a year.
.....
Edited extra bit: Mr. Doethur, Miliband likes dinners so much he has two kitchens
Cheers, Mr. Gadfly. Not going to listen to that right now.
Miss Plato, he was relatively dim for a border collie, which adds credence to the bull terrier theory
Mr. Doethur, saw a map on Sky News last night of countries that were soft/mixed/hard [ahem] towards Greece's plight. Don't know about Portugal, but Ireland was definitely hard-line red.
And yeah, a bolt from the blue.
Mr. Mark, cheers. Had that end of the spectrum too, first dog was nearly 17 when we had to have her put down.
On a lighter note than morbid woe, a new PS4 version has come out (or will, soon) in Japan. This makes it the third (possibly fourth) bloody console in a row where I buy one and an updated, better version comes out within a year.
.....
Sorry to hear about your dog MD.
My son, who is my source of knowledge on these matters, has been incredibly rude about the PS4 since it came out and made it clear that we were not to buy him one. It will be interesting to see if they have overcome the perceived drawbacks before Christmas. Ahem.
Mr. Doethur, saw a map on Sky News last night of countries that were soft/mixed/hard [ahem] towards Greece's plight. Don't know about Portugal, but Ireland was definitely hard-line red. .....
Doesn't look as though Merkel feels the referendum result has actually changed anything. Which makes the whole exercise an example of extended masochism even worse than Fifty Shades of Grey. It's almost as painful as teaching set 5 of Year 9 last thing on Friday afternoon.
EDIT: before there is any construction placed on that, I was thinking of how painful it is for the teacher.
It's generally reckoned to be the superior console. Is he a PC gamer?
Yes, he has an x box but seems to use it less and less having moved onto PC based games.
I am afraid that I rather let his rants about the deficiencies of particular pieces of technology rather wash over me. He was not impressed with the X Box 1 either.
@YBarddCwsc - thanks, a very interesting analysis. Of course, referendums to have the capacity to surprise. Look how badly the SNP lost the Scottish one, and what happened there...
In relation to your first sentence, my grandparents lived in the valleys for fifty years from 1938 to 1990. In that time, they voted in every election, be it ever so small and insignificant. They always voted for 'whichever party might beat Labour.' More realistically, they always voted for whichever party was most likely to come a distant second.
It made no difference, but at least they felt they were not to blame for the appalling corruption of the Welsh Labour machine in the Valleys.
Ah, well, our family can’t claim such a clear conscience. My Uncle was a Valleys Labour MP. He’s deceased now, and his constituency has been partly redrawn.
There was a by-election, some years ago. Another Labour MP won the seat and is in fact still the MP for the successor seat.
Nothing has changed. Expect the constituency is now much, much. much poorer.
Listening to comments from Belgium, Netherlands and Germany, it would appear that Greece would get a favourable hearing if it would do three things: Raise retirement age to 65 or even 67 (a cause of a lot of personal resentment) Cut its bloated public sector Reform its taxation and cut the corruption.
Somehow I think this would be too far for the Greek PM with the referendum result behind him.
The ridiculous behaviour of Varoufakis really has not helped. He may be gone but the Greeks still seem to think that they have an entitlement rather than a need to plead and ask for generosity.
I suspect that if Euclid Tsakalotos lives up to his reputation as an opponent of Euro membership then the Eurozone might soon be looking back at Varoufakis rather wistfully.
Spain in the hole for €25 billion, and both Italy and France for near twice that. I cannot see those creditors agreeing to a further haircut to support an unreformed Greece.
If Syrizia couldn't come up with an acceptable proposal in the last 5 months then who can realistically see one now?
In March 2010 about 40% of total European lending to Greece was via French banks, today only 0.6% is. In the absence of the various 'Greek' loans, France would have been forced into a massive bailout of its banking system. Instead, French banks were able virtually to eliminate their exposure to Greece by selling bonds, allowing bonds to mature, and taking partial write-offs in 2012. The bailout effectively mutualized much of their exposure within the Eurozone.
ECB actions in regards to the Greek banks at the behest of other member states is indeed legally and economically unjustifiable.
The tin foil brigade might have a point when charging that the so-called bail-out was to rescue French and German banks and not the Greek economy.
I guess the biggest upcoming political betting event is going to be the EU referendum. (Personally I see the Labour leadership thing as a sideshow - the new leader will not win a GE but will be an IDS or Kinnock type enabler for a later potential victor). So...how about a thread on the implications of Greece on the EU referendum? The Euro and the EU have never looked to be in more trouble than they do right now. There are all sorts of 'beginning of the end' articles in the news highlighting the fundamental mis-design of the Euro and how it can never end well. The EU we may be asked to leave or stay with in a year or more could be a very different beast from today. What's becoming brutally apparent is that the EU exists to further the interests of the EU and not its member states and even less the interests of its peoples. It's a project loved by political elites across Europe but with very little core support among the men on the Clapham or Coblenz or Cordoba Omnibus. For me the biggest awakening seems to be that the left is starting to hate the EU! Blimey. Times change huh?
Condolences Mr Dancer for your four legged friend.
Let us all remember where we were on this morning exactly ten years ago, as London was the target of terrorists the morning after the jubilation of the Olympics being awarded to the city.
If you missed this - well I laughed most heartily, what on Earth were they thinking of? 10/10 for creativity, err...
Six HSBC staff are sacked after filming ISIS-style mock execution during team-building day out at go-karting centre
Bank staff wore black overalls and balaclavas during eight-second video Colleague kneels in orange jumpsuit as one worker shouts 'Allahu Akbar' Another brandishes a coat hanger as a fake knife during mock execution Men - thought to be legal staff - were sacked by HSBC after video emerged
I guess the biggest upcoming political betting event is going to be the EU referendum. (Personally I see the Labour leadership thing as a sideshow - the new leader will not win a GE but will be an IDS or Kinnock type enabler for a later potential victor). So...how about a thread on the implications of Greece on the EU referendum? The Euro and the EU have never looked to be in more trouble than they do right now. There are all sorts of 'beginning of the end' articles in the news highlighting the fundamental mis-design of the Euro and how it can never end well. The EU we may be asked to leave or stay with in a year or more could be a very different beast from today. What's becoming brutally apparent is that the EU exists to further the interests of the EU and not its member states and even less the interests of its peoples. It's a project loved by political elites across Europe but with very little core support among the men on the Clapham or Coblenz or Cordoba Omnibus. For me the biggest awakening seems to be that the left is starting to hate the EU! Blimey. Times change huh?
I think the problem with that is that no one honestly knows what the impact would be. There are such a huge number of variables and such a huge number of possible outcomes combined with different possible political reactions to those outcomes that until we see some stabilisation of the Greek situation it isn't really possible to speculate in any meaningful way about what the impact will be on the UK referendum.
Very sorry to hear about Kai, Morris. As with people, a swift passing is the best for the victim, but the hardest on the family.
On topic, a straw in the wind is that Cooper seems to be edging ahead on CLP nominations, though we need Andrea to update us. These are reasonably significant in terms of polling the fairly active members - they are typically (all?) OMOV affairs, not an executive stitch-up, so something like a fifth of the membership will be taking part.
Personally I think a significant risk of both Kendall and Corbyn is that substantial numbers of members would simply leave, including some big names. They'd need to do some big tent gestures very quickly.
If you missed this - well I laughed most heartily, what on Earth were they thinking of? 10/10 for creativity, err...
Six HSBC staff are sacked after filming ISIS-style mock execution during team-building day out at go-karting centre
Bank staff wore black overalls and balaclavas during eight-second video Colleague kneels in orange jumpsuit as one worker shouts 'Allahu Akbar' Another brandishes a coat hanger as a fake knife during mock execution Men - thought to be legal staff - were sacked by HSBC after video emerged
I was sitting at home with a copy of the DT - Kelly Holmes beaming out from the front page, wrapped in a flag. Then R5 started reporting the *power surges* and a caller rang in from Tavistock Sq. Matthew Bannister couldn't quite believe what he was saying.
He was superb that day - for those old enough to remember, Mr Bannister as Controller moved R1 from AM 1084-1089 to FM only.
Condolences Mr Dancer for your four legged friend.
Let us all remember where we were on this morning exactly ten years ago, as London was the target of terrorists the morning after the jubilation of the Olympics being awarded to the city.
He's a member of the PC Master Race, then. Mostly it's tongue-in-cheek mockery (the PC is undoubtedly more flexible/powerful, but also less accessible and costlier than consoles).
Miss Plato, that's just odd. What were they thinking of?
Cheers, Mr. Sandpit.
Mr. Patrick, whilst I share your lack of confidence in the capabilities of the quartet, it's a long way to the 2020 vote.
Mr. Doethur, not seen/read Fifty Shades of Grey, though I've read many comments from people who bought it due to hype and thought it a steaming mound of tosh.
Of course, being inclusive, diverse, and politically correct, Sir Edric's third instalment has its share of S&M, as well as a homosexual couple and a main character who eats people.
I guess the biggest upcoming political betting event is going to be the EU referendum. (Personally I see the Labour leadership thing as a sideshow - the new leader will not win a GE but will be an IDS or Kinnock type enabler for a later potential victor). So...how about a thread on the implications of Greece on the EU referendum? The Euro and the EU have never looked to be in more trouble than they do right now. There are all sorts of 'beginning of the end' articles in the news highlighting the fundamental mis-design of the Euro and how it can never end well. The EU we may be asked to leave or stay with in a year or more could be a very different beast from today. What's becoming brutally apparent is that the EU exists to further the interests of the EU and not its member states and even less the interests of its peoples. It's a project loved by political elites across Europe but with very little core support among the men on the Clapham or Coblenz or Cordoba Omnibus. For me the biggest awakening seems to be that the left is starting to hate the EU! Blimey. Times change huh?
I think the problem with that is that no one honestly knows what the impact would be. There are such a huge number of variables and such a huge number of possible outcomes combined with different possible political reactions to those outcomes that until we see some stabilisation of the Greek situation it isn't really possible to speculate in any meaningful way about what the impact will be on the UK referendum.
I think the Greek endgame is only days away. Their banks are fucked. Completely. They need money NOW. Who is willing to 'lend' them some?
Listening to comments from Belgium, Netherlands and Germany, it would appear that Greece would get a favourable hearing if it would do three things: Raise retirement age to 65 or even 67 (a cause of a lot of personal resentment) Cut its bloated public sector Reform its taxation and cut the corruption.
Somehow I think this would be too far for the Greek PM with the referendum result behind him.
The ridiculous behaviour of Varoufakis really has not helped. He may be gone but the Greeks still seem to think that they have an entitlement rather than a need to plead and ask for generosity.
I suspect that if Euclid Tsakalotos lives up to his reputation as an opponent of Euro membership then the Eurozone might soon be looking back at Varoufakis rather wistfully.
I didn't know he had that reputation. It makes it an interesting appointment.
I increasingly suspect that all the main players have decided that Grexit is inevitable and are simply playing a blame game for whose fault it is. The Germans seem to have moved on from economic aid as a part of the EZ to humanitarian aid when Greece is not.
The ECB meanwhile, is worried about how much debt it is going to have to write off and wants to be seen to have done what it can to limit that, hence the insistence on more security for the current loans, even if that security will inevitably prove to be less than useless in the event of a Grexit.
When you come to casting your vote, are you thinking of going for the person you really want to win first [or sending a signal]? And do you have to indicate second/third preferences, or is that optional?
I guess the biggest upcoming political betting event is going to be the EU referendum. (Personally I see the Labour leadership thing as a sideshow - the new leader will not win a GE but will be an IDS or Kinnock type enabler for a later potential victor). So...how about a thread on the implications of Greece on the EU referendum? The Euro and the EU have never looked to be in more trouble than they do right now. There are all sorts of 'beginning of the end' articles in the news highlighting the fundamental mis-design of the Euro and how it can never end well. The EU we may be asked to leave or stay with in a year or more could be a very different beast from today. What's becoming brutally apparent is that the EU exists to further the interests of the EU and not its member states and even less the interests of its peoples. It's a project loved by political elites across Europe but with very little core support among the men on the Clapham or Coblenz or Cordoba Omnibus. For me the biggest awakening seems to be that the left is starting to hate the EU! Blimey. Times change huh?
I think the problem with that is that no one honestly knows what the impact would be. There are such a huge number of variables and such a huge number of possible outcomes combined with different possible political reactions to those outcomes that until we see some stabilisation of the Greek situation it isn't really possible to speculate in any meaningful way about what the impact will be on the UK referendum.
I think the Greek endgame is only days away. Their banks are fucked. Completely. They need money NOW. Who is willing to 'lend' them some?
We've heard this one before - I wouldn't underestimate the amount of fudge Brussells has.
Comments
As was widely predicted here at the time, Jeremy Corbyn’s nomination has certainly shaken up the leadership battle. Who would have thought that the veteran left-winger would appeal to the Unions and non-centre left element of the party? - Ans, er, most people I’d have thought.
I wonder if the anonymous Labour MP who said: “Jeremy Corbyn would do for our electoral chances what myxomatosis did for rabbits.” is an Andy Burnham supporter?
For example the left vote for Corbyn to send a message, the right rallies around Kendall, neither Burnham nor Cooper makes it to the final two, Kendall wins, even though she'd have lost a head-to-head against Burnham or Cooper.
It was only 2 months ago that WITH published polling punters were flying blind :-)
The biggest risk though is that some Tory crisis puts him in number 10.
This message was brought to you by Tories for Corbyn
Right: 35 Kendall > Burnham > Corbyn
Centre: 32 Burnham > Kendall > Corbyn
Left: 32 Corbyn > Burnham > Kendall
Say you agree with the Left camp. Vote Corbyn, he goes through against Kendall, she gets Burnham's transfers and wins. Alternatively you vote tactically for Burnham, he gets all Corbyn's transfers and Blairism is placed in a lead-lined coffin and buried in a swamp. *
* Only to emerge again in 2020 when Burnham or Cooper loses.
PS No disrespect to Cooper, the example only needs 3 contenders and Corbyn got the C.
I think Lamb is too long though. He did well at last nights hustings. Farron should be favourite but not by so much.
Democracy is alive and well in one part of the EU anyway, congrats Hungary.
To get to number 10, he would have to win an election. While @Danny565 may not think that people who vote for right wing parties are necessarily right wing themselves (in which s/he is of course partially correct, although if they are prepared to vote for such parties they are clearly not tribally left-wing) it is also inconceivable that anyone willing to vote for Nigel Farage or David Cameron would vote for Corbyn.
It is also quite hard to see, given new rules on union funding, exactly where he would get the money to fight an election.
He wouldn't be a Michael Foot or an Iain Duncan Smith - he would be a George Lansbury. The only question would be who would play the role of Ernest Bevin.
http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21656230-hungary-shuts-door
The Hungarian government is unpleasant but any government would be doing something in the circumstances.
Free Lunch: ECB enemy of the Euro
Strangling Greek banks is legally and economically unjustifiable
Argues in essence that the ECB is failing in its duty under the treaties to "promote the smooth operation of payment systems" and "support the general economic policies in the Union with a view to contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the Union" which includes "imperative to break the vicious circle between banks and sovereigns" - that is to say, to make sure that the functioning of banks does not depend on the solvency of the state (and vice versa).
(a) The cart is before the horse - the Labour party needs to decide first in which direction it wants to go - that is if it ever could decide that.
(b) There is no apparent visionary leader available to elect.
Perhaps they have decided to let 2020 go and focus on 2025?
I put a tenner on at 500/1.
Does that make me crayzeee? Probably!
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NZ7NjHC3Kh4/UJz5RhXefFI/AAAAAAAAU2s/nUbMwplnC-w/s1600/Michelle-Obama-flag-president-2016-jpg-purple64ets.jpg
The Blair that won the Labour leadership was significantly to the left of Liz Kendall today. Blair moved rightwards in office, and took (some of) his party with him. In fact, Blair moved rightwards very substantially.
That seems to me to be the main difference between Blair and Kendall, and why I’d be very surprised if Kendall could actually win from here.
In fact, I think its likely she’d split the party if she won.
In retrospect, the result at Morley and Outwood is turning out to be very significant.
Balls, like him or loathe him, is stronger than any of the 4 candidates actually on offer. (After all, he beat Burnham last time).
And I think Balls could have been an agent for necessary change in the Labour Party who could have carried most of it with him.
Not impossible at all. "Tories for Corbyn" beware, you may get what you wish for!
Kai, my dog, died suddenly last night. Tumour, which caused internal bleeding and a sudden collapse.
On-topic: this is why AV is stupid.
Corbyn seems to actually have found a mystical land, which scientists only theorised about, which exists to the left of Ed Miliband.
Do you think - and I really would like to know the answer - that Labour have no chance of winning the next election either? Because that seems the logical corollary of your comments and that has pretty profound implications for this leadership race as well. If Labour are electing somebody to reform the party structures rather than a potential Prime Minister, then their best option by far is surely Yvette Cooper, as notwithstanding the HIPS fiasco she is the best organiser and of course would have Balls' support from outside the Commons.
If they are trying for power, I think it's still Liz Kendall. If it's to shore up the core vote, it's Andy Burnham. If it's to turn the party into an apocalyptic religious movement with all the political relevance of the Scientologists - well, they have that option too.
And if it is Yvette Cooper, do you think she could 'do a Howard', implement those reforms, and then resign in favour of someone better - and if so, whom?
There is no easy solution to this. The draw of life in Europe or North America and Australasia is a very strong one. Close off legal entry and create a market for illegal entry.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-33411219
Saw the Nefertiti bust (stop giggling) on a BBC4 art programme. It's very impressive indeed.
Edited extra bit: cheers, Mr. Pubgoer, Mr. Financier.
It's alarming to think how little strategic vision some financial journalists have. We saw the same thing in Ireland a few years ago when, unforgettably, a journalist called Brendan Keenan argued that as the houses had been built, the banks would lose no money on them and therefore the bad loans would be 'about 1% of their [the banks'] loan book.' Of course, he was so incredibly wrong that he was promoted, but I do hope we won't see the same thing over again.
*shakes cobwebs from head*
Cooper +58~
Corbyn +12~
Burnham +46~
Kendall +21~
D Miliband -37~
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33421521
Spain in the hole for €25 billion, and both Italy and France for near twice that. I cannot see those creditors agreeing to a further haircut to support an unreformed Greece.
If Syrizia couldn't come up with an acceptable proposal in the last 5 months then who can realistically see one now?
Mr. Pulpstar, cheers. He was only six, so it's rather a shock.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/borisjohnson/8788464/BC-or-BCE-The-BBCs-edict-on-how-we-date-events-is-AD-absolute-drivel.html
Laid £25 at an average of 34s atm on him.
Raise retirement age to 65 or even 67 (a cause of a lot of personal resentment)
Cut its bloated public sector
Reform its taxation and cut the corruption.
Somehow I think this would be too far for the Greek PM with the referendum result behind him.
Hounds leave a big hole when they go. Going suddenly is such a shock.
Hope you can offer a lovely home to a another muttley when you're ready. I find it really helps me to remember the things I loved about the missing friend.
Px
Burnham has been fairly consistently made to look foolish by Hunt.
Cooper is a clever woman but a leaden speaker who really struggles to hold an audience.
Kendall has so far shown an aptitude for sound bites but little else. She has the most potential, I think, to develop into someone who could make Labour electable but it is a hell of a gamble.
Corbyn is presumably there to show Labour hasn't lost its sense of humour entirely.
None comes close to Balls as an operator, a thinker or a driving force who could have made their party an electoral force to be reckoned with.
Incidentally, I was at a dinner party last night with a number of Labour members. They were all voting for Kendall. The idea that she can not appeal to SLAB members is plainly incorrect.
IMO, Labour do have a chance of winning the next election because the effects of the Euro referendum are unpredictable and uncontrollable.
As we have seen in Scotland & in Greece, these referendums have the capacity to surprise. It will take an exceptionally sure-footed performance by the Tories to get through the referendum without blowing themselves up, or the country up.
So, Labour’s chances of winning in 2020 are largely down to the Tories mishandling, and so probably pretty much independent of whether they choose Burnham or Cooper.
I am not as negative about Andy Burnham as OGH, but -- if I was voting -- I’d vote for Cooper.
I think Cooper could win in 2020 versus the Tories led by Osborne, say. I think Burnham could as well, but Cooper would be better.
I don’t subscribe to the line that Kendall (from what I have seen of her) is a Saviour of the Labour Party.
On the Greek crisis, interesting news here:
According to Greek newspaper Kathimerini:
According to sources in Brussels, 16 of the other 18 countries in the eurozone are in favor of letting Greece leave the eurozone and they will have to weigh up the cost of any agreement to keep Athens in the single currency.
Part border collie, part, er, something else (we reckoned bull terrier, on account of his destructive powers. Very few even 'tough' chew toys could withstand his jaws for more than a minute).
Thanks, Miss Plato. Very likely a new hound will be had, but not for a few weeks.
Edited extra bit: cheers Ms. Apocalypse.
Which 2 countries aren't? France and Italy?
In relation to your first sentence, my grandparents lived in the valleys for fifty years from 1938 to 1990. In that time, they voted in every election, be it ever so small and insignificant. They always voted for 'whichever party might beat Labour.' More realistically, they always voted for whichever party was most likely to come a distant second.
It made no difference, but at least they felt they were not to blame for the appalling corruption of the Welsh Labour machine in the Valleys.
The ridiculous behaviour of Varoufakis really has not helped. He may be gone but the Greeks still seem to think that they have an entitlement rather than a need to plead and ask for generosity.
ECB actions in regards to the Greek banks at the behest of other member states is indeed legally and economically unjustifiable.
I am more surprised about your dog from that information, so I can understand your shock. Hope you can find another dog when you are ready (as Plato said).
But I was mildly surprised it was unanimous. None of them thought she was the finished article by any means but they liked the fact she had a more interesting and thought provoking viewpoint, that she was good at standing her ground in interviews, that she at least gave the impression of thinking for herself instead of trotting out tired old clichés. And, frankly, they were a little bit desperate for someone who could inspire some hope. Not an uncommon situation for Labour supporters in Scotland these days.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKB1PCU90N0
Miss Plato, he was relatively dim for a border collie, which adds credence to the bull terrier theory
Mr. Doethur, saw a map on Sky News last night of countries that were soft/mixed/hard [ahem] towards Greece's plight. Don't know about Portugal, but Ireland was definitely hard-line red.
And yeah, a bolt from the blue.
Mr. Mark, cheers. Had that end of the spectrum too, first dog was nearly 17 when we had to have her put down.
On a lighter note than morbid woe, a new PS4 version has come out (or will, soon) in Japan. This makes it the third (possibly fourth) bloody console in a row where I buy one and an updated, better version comes out within a year.
.....
Edited extra bit: Mr. Doethur, Miliband likes dinners so much he has two kitchens
Cheers, Mr. Gadfly. Not going to listen to that right now.
Marxist, banana, butty.....
My son, who is my source of knowledge on these matters, has been incredibly rude about the PS4 since it came out and made it clear that we were not to buy him one. It will be interesting to see if they have overcome the perceived drawbacks before Christmas. Ahem.
It's generally reckoned to be the superior console. Is he a PC gamer?
A little more here as well:
http://uk.businessinsider.com/afp-eurozone-leaders-to-hold-emergency-summit-on-greece-2015-7?r=US
Doesn't look as though Merkel feels the referendum result has actually changed anything. Which makes the whole exercise an example of extended masochism even worse than Fifty Shades of Grey. It's almost as painful as teaching set 5 of Year 9 last thing on Friday afternoon.
EDIT: before there is any construction placed on that, I was thinking of how painful it is for the teacher.
I am afraid that I rather let his rants about the deficiencies of particular pieces of technology rather wash over me. He was not impressed with the X Box 1 either.
There was a by-election, some years ago. Another Labour MP won the seat and is in fact still the MP for the successor seat.
Nothing has changed. Expect the constituency is now much, much. much poorer.
I guess the biggest upcoming political betting event is going to be the EU referendum. (Personally I see the Labour leadership thing as a sideshow - the new leader will not win a GE but will be an IDS or Kinnock type enabler for a later potential victor). So...how about a thread on the implications of Greece on the EU referendum? The Euro and the EU have never looked to be in more trouble than they do right now. There are all sorts of 'beginning of the end' articles in the news highlighting the fundamental mis-design of the Euro and how it can never end well. The EU we may be asked to leave or stay with in a year or more could be a very different beast from today. What's becoming brutally apparent is that the EU exists to further the interests of the EU and not its member states and even less the interests of its peoples. It's a project loved by political elites across Europe but with very little core support among the men on the Clapham or Coblenz or Cordoba Omnibus. For me the biggest awakening seems to be that the left is starting to hate the EU! Blimey. Times change huh?
Condolences Mr Dancer for your four legged friend.
Let us all remember where we were on this morning exactly ten years ago, as London was the target of terrorists the morning after the jubilation of the Olympics being awarded to the city.
On topic, a straw in the wind is that Cooper seems to be edging ahead on CLP nominations, though we need Andrea to update us. These are reasonably significant in terms of polling the fairly active members - they are typically (all?) OMOV affairs, not an executive stitch-up, so something like a fifth of the membership will be taking part.
Personally I think a significant risk of both Kendall and Corbyn is that substantial numbers of members would simply leave, including some big names. They'd need to do some big tent gestures very quickly.
And with that, I must head off for my training day. Hope everyone has a good day, and best wishes to MD in particular.
He was superb that day - for those old enough to remember, Mr Bannister as Controller moved R1 from AM 1084-1089 to FM only.
He's a member of the PC Master Race, then. Mostly it's tongue-in-cheek mockery (the PC is undoubtedly more flexible/powerful, but also less accessible and costlier than consoles).
Miss Plato, that's just odd. What were they thinking of?
Cheers, Mr. Sandpit.
Mr. Patrick, whilst I share your lack of confidence in the capabilities of the quartet, it's a long way to the 2020 vote.
Mr. Doethur, not seen/read Fifty Shades of Grey, though I've read many comments from people who bought it due to hype and thought it a steaming mound of tosh.
Of course, being inclusive, diverse, and politically correct, Sir Edric's third instalment has its share of S&M, as well as a homosexual couple and a main character who eats people.
I increasingly suspect that all the main players have decided that Grexit is inevitable and are simply playing a blame game for whose fault it is. The Germans seem to have moved on from economic aid as a part of the EZ to humanitarian aid when Greece is not.
The ECB meanwhile, is worried about how much debt it is going to have to write off and wants to be seen to have done what it can to limit that, hence the insistence on more security for the current loans, even if that security will inevitably prove to be less than useless in the event of a Grexit.
When you come to casting your vote, are you thinking of going for the person you really want to win first [or sending a signal]? And do you have to indicate second/third preferences, or is that optional?