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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » This might end the mini Cooper surge and the Burnham slump

SystemSystem Posts: 11,698
edited September 2015 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » This might end the mini Cooper surge and the Burnham slump

The head of Liz Kendall’s campaign has suggested that Labour supporters will give the party’s leadership to Jeremy Corbyn if they vote for Yvette Cooper.

Read the full story here


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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763
    ooh wimmin fight.
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    ooh wimmin fight.

    Dear Field Marshal, I hope you are ok and yesterday's thread on Osborne as our next PM didn't cause you too much distress or apoplexy.
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    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Speaking of our own population in need https://twitter.com/JonnyRotten8/status/640418688240340993
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    Follow the money

    William Hill ‏@sharpeangle: More money for Corbyn, including £2000 bet from Berkshire customer, at 2/7. Now 1/4; 9/2 Cooper; 8/1 Burnham; 100/1 Kendall. #Corbyn
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    SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    edited September 2015
    As per TSE's writings, the Clouseau vs Burhnam vs Cooper vs Kendall fight:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcAeFCO6C04
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    FPT: Mr. Hills, we'll see. Ling time yet and I imagine many now angry with the EU will see their anger dissipate and grumpily vote In as the lesser of two evils.

    Mr. Moses, there's an off-chance her migration idiocy will be the issue that defines Merkel (though the eurozone sovereign debt crisis could yet outshine it).

    On-topic: what a shower. They're picking from Arcadius, Honorius and Elagabalus.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,954
    I see you weren't going to let a 'Mini Cooper' opportunity slip by a second time.
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    I imagine it's too late to matter.

    It also makes me laugh how the press continually paint run-off voting as "complex". Makes you wonder...
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,107
    I think Perkins is right, as significant numbers of Burnham's supporters will have preferenced Corbyn over Cooper such that Corbyn is likely to beat Cooper but Burnham is likely to be preferenced by Cooper supporters over Corbyn (even if some held their nose). If Burnham does just manage to scrape ahead of Cooper into the final round then he has an outside chance still of taking the crown, especially if Corbyn is under 45% on round 1
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    Merkel's idotic decision and the consequences for free movement within the EU must be one of the biggest gifts to the Leave campain
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763

    ooh wimmin fight.

    Dear Field Marshal, I hope you are ok and yesterday's thread on Osborne as our next PM didn't cause you too much distress or apoplexy.
    Well I missed the fun part since you'd buggered off to the ballet or something.

    However I do think Osborne has his contribution to make, Since Cameron can;t make a tour of the refugee camps sending Osborne could help solve the crisis. I reckon no Syrian would seek to come to the Uk once they'd met him, he'd probably put them off Germany to. Why are we not deploying him ?
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,107

    Follow the money

    William Hill ‏@sharpeangle: More money for Corbyn, including £2000 bet from Berkshire customer, at 2/7. Now 1/4; 9/2 Cooper; 8/1 Burnham; 100/1 Kendall. #Corbyn

    Based on this information now is the best time to bet on Burnham on those odds, which have lengthened significantly from what they were and probably too much, I may well do so in the next few days, will see if there is any movement from yougov too
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    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,556
    edited September 2015

    ooh wimmin fight.

    Dear Field Marshal, I hope you are ok and yesterday's thread on Osborne as our next PM didn't cause you too much distress or apoplexy.
    Well I missed the fun part since you'd buggered off to the ballet or something.

    However I do think Osborne has his contribution to make, Since Cameron can;t make a tour of the refugee camps sending Osborne could help solve the crisis. I reckon no Syrian would seek to come to the Uk once they'd met him, he'd probably put them off Germany to. Why are we not deploying him ?
    It wasn't the opera, it was a Strictly Come Dancing Launch Party.

    Did the Osbornes wrong your family a few centuries ago or something? I know how you Irish hold a grudge
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    Mr. Eagles, who do you think's going to win?
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763

    ooh wimmin fight.

    Dear Field Marshal, I hope you are ok and yesterday's thread on Osborne as our next PM didn't cause you too much distress or apoplexy.
    Well I missed the fun part since you'd buggered off to the ballet or something.

    However I do think Osborne has his contribution to make, Since Cameron can;t make a tour of the refugee camps sending Osborne could help solve the crisis. I reckon no Syrian would seek to come to the Uk once they'd met him, he'd probably put them off Germany to. Why are we not deploying him ?
    It wasn't the opera, it was a Strictly Come Dancing Launch Party.

    Did the Osbornes wrong your family a few centuries ago or something? I know how you Irish hold a grudge
    were you performing ?
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763

    Mr. Eagles, who do you think's going to win?

    Hannibal, obviously.
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    Mr. Eagles, who do you think's going to win?

    I think Corbyn's going to win, but as I wrote the other day all the ingredients are there for Corbyn to lose.

    I'm all green fortunately whatever the result (unless somehow David Miliband or Alan Johnson win)
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    ooh wimmin fight.

    Dear Field Marshal, I hope you are ok and yesterday's thread on Osborne as our next PM didn't cause you too much distress or apoplexy.
    Well I missed the fun part since you'd buggered off to the ballet or something.

    However I do think Osborne has his contribution to make, Since Cameron can;t make a tour of the refugee camps sending Osborne could help solve the crisis. I reckon no Syrian would seek to come to the Uk once they'd met him, he'd probably put them off Germany to. Why are we not deploying him ?
    It wasn't the opera, it was a Strictly Come Dancing Launch Party.

    Did the Osbornes wrong your family a few centuries ago or something? I know how you Irish hold a grudge
    were you performing ?
    Only at the 80s bar later on.
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    Lolz - Since I published this article Burnham's moved from 10 to 11 on Betfair.
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    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,556
    edited September 2015
    kle4 said:

    I see you weren't going to let a 'Mini Cooper' opportunity slip by a second time.

    I wasn't, opportunities like this don't come around too often
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763

    ooh wimmin fight.

    Dear Field Marshal, I hope you are ok and yesterday's thread on Osborne as our next PM didn't cause you too much distress or apoplexy.
    Well I missed the fun part since you'd buggered off to the ballet or something.

    However I do think Osborne has his contribution to make, Since Cameron can;t make a tour of the refugee camps sending Osborne could help solve the crisis. I reckon no Syrian would seek to come to the Uk once they'd met him, he'd probably put them off Germany to. Why are we not deploying him ?
    It wasn't the opera, it was a Strictly Come Dancing Launch Party.

    Did the Osbornes wrong your family a few centuries ago or something? I know how you Irish hold a grudge
    were you performing ?
    Only at the 80s bar later on.
    Do you like an older woman ?
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    Merkel's idotic decision and the consequences for free movement within the EU must be one of the biggest gifts to the Leave campain

    true
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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @juliahobsbawm: Interesting viewpoint on 'what if Jeremy Corbyn doesn't win' after all? from Conservative Home http://t.co/J5skJjxmr5
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    LG 1983.. Your posts do suggest that you favour Russia at almost all levels..In my history Russia has always been a major threat to our way of life... I see nothing at present to make me change that thought process.

    I suppose we just have a different perception of threat. I happen to believe that a threat like Russia is quite obvious and quantifiable. If our way of life is going to be destroyed, I suspect it is because we will give it away willingly, rather than have it taken away by the Russkyes. The danger is a stab in the back, not in the front.
    Your first interesting post of the night.

    Let me just say that I am not anti-Russian: I have great admiration for the Russian people, who have not been well served by any person or organisation that has ruled them. I particularly admire Russian engineering; during the Cold War they achieved some miracles within a rather unhelpful political and fiscal situation. It's a shame their computer developments never really matched the west, and that story might be used as an example of the benefits of capitalism over communism.

    That said, I disagree vehemently with what you wrote. If you were Georgian or Ukrainian you might have a somewhat different view.
    Thanks - I'll take the compliment and discard the backhanded bit!

    Of course I'd have a different view if I were a different nationality. If I were a South Osettian I might not have a very nice view of Georgia, and if I were from the Donbass, I probably wouldn't have a very nice view of Ukraine. @richardDodd was I believe discussing a threat to the UK's way of life.

    Since World War I (as an arbitrary point), I believe our physical health and mental prowess have declined, our culture has been weakened, our military has been decimated, our economy eviscerated, our sovereignty eroded, our liberties removed, and rational thought is on the verge of extinction. None of that has been done by the Russians. By and large we've embraced every step on our road to ruin.
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    geoffwgeoffw Posts: 8,176
    The selectorate plays paper scissors stone.
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    ooh wimmin fight.

    Dear Field Marshal, I hope you are ok and yesterday's thread on Osborne as our next PM didn't cause you too much distress or apoplexy.
    Well I missed the fun part since you'd buggered off to the ballet or something.

    However I do think Osborne has his contribution to make, Since Cameron can;t make a tour of the refugee camps sending Osborne could help solve the crisis. I reckon no Syrian would seek to come to the Uk once they'd met him, he'd probably put them off Germany to. Why are we not deploying him ?
    It wasn't the opera, it was a Strictly Come Dancing Launch Party.

    Did the Osbornes wrong your family a few centuries ago or something? I know how you Irish hold a grudge
    were you performing ?
    Only at the 80s bar later on.
    Do you like an older woman ?
    Please, I do have some standards. Granted they are lower than everybody else's.
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    tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,195
    This came up on Pienaar's Politics* today. Zoe Williams challenged Kendall about this and suggested that her camp were gaming the system. Burnham then came on said that he was the only one who could beat Corbyn. It's quite funny to think that Burnham's best tactic is to say 'you need to vote for me because if I get knocked out all my supporters are going to vote for Corbyn anyway'. If Labour end up with him as leader it will be almost as funny as if they get Corbyn. If Burnham wins he will lead Labour at the next election.

    * By the way, what an introverted collective Labour w**k that program is.
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    Burnham's inept leadership campaign has progressively shown that he would be as great a disaster as Corbyn if elected. He has done more somersaults than a Russian gymnast.
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    JWisemannJWisemann Posts: 1,082

    Mr. Eagles, who do you think's going to win?

    I think Corbyn's going to win, but as I wrote the other day all the ingredients are there for Corbyn to lose.

    I'm all green fortunately whatever the result (unless somehow David Miliband or Alan Johnson win)
    All the ingredients except having most people voting for him you mean?
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    Mr. Eagles, ahem. Who do you think is going to win Strictly Come Dancing?

    I recall you tipping Kirsty Gallagher some time ago.
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    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    An excuse for Olga Korbut 1972

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2NGqI6FqeQ
    redrose82 said:

    Burnham's inept leadership campaign has progressively shown that he would be as great a disaster as Corbyn if elected. He has done more somersaults than a Russian gymnast.

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    Good evening.

    What I find interesting is the POV expressed on PB since May 2015, that the British public is always, or nearly always right. This idea also indirectly implies that the people of other countries - Germany specifically - do not have such powers of analysis, and are wrong. Because, at least by the findings of this poll - the idea expressed that the 'majority' of the German public are sceptical, or against Merkel's policy on the subject is wrong. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/for-refugees-its-destination-germany/2015/09/05/c5bac7aa-53f5-11e5-b225-90edbd49f362_story.html

    The Germans, to a far greater extent than the British, the French or others, have opened their hearts — and wallets. According to a poll commissioned by the German public broadcaster ARD and released on Thursday, 88 percent said they would donate money or clothes to refugees or have already done so, while 67 percent said they would volunteer to help. Only 33 percent of those asked said Germany should take less refugees, compared with 37 percent who said they could take in as many as there are now, and 22 percent who said Germany should take more.

    This suggests that those willingly to help the refugees in Germany that we've seen in our media - are not merely a small minority of Germans, but in fact representative.

    I would say the British public, like the people of many other countries - sometimes are right, and other times are quite wrong - there is nothing about the British take on matters that makes us more wise or prescient than others.

    And on Ben Carson, he comes across as just as nutty as Trump tbh - having said abortion is the number one killer of Black Americans, and comparing the loss of baby seals to abortion, calling it the 'wanton slaughter of millions'.

    http://www.ontheissues.org/2016/Ben_Carson_Abortion.htm

    http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2015/08/ben-carson-abortions-are-main-cause-black-deaths
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    Ms. Apocalypse, is there not a third way? That differing countries have differing interests?
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    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,334
    edited September 2015
    redrose82 said:

    Burnham's inept leadership campaign has progressively shown that he would be as great a disaster as Corbyn if elected. He has done more somersaults than a Russian gymnast.

    And that is Labour's problem right there. Not one of these candidates is a genuinely formidable politician - at best, they're makeweights. Cooper would be the best of them, but even she has little chance of doing more than holding the party together and reorganising it pending the emergence of a potent campaigner, a la Kinnock. Labour's odds of winning the next election after the last five months are surely no better than 20/1 - and that may be generous.

    I would disagree with @TSE's thread yesterday re Cable and Osborne in one way and one way only - I think whoever wins this leadership election, the Tories are already taking 2020 for granted and therefore quite a number of candidates will be pondering whether it is worth going for the leadership (bearing in mind too that a great many will anticipate a long period in opposition after a long period in government - so it may be now or never for Javid and Patel).

    It is also likely to lead to considerable hubris and bad government, but that's a bit of a case of plus ça change plus c'est la même chose for this country.

    And with that, good night and have a good week.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,954
    edited September 2015
    I don't think the British public is always right, but if I did, I would have thought the theory would be that they know what is right for Britain rather than some moral standing contest, which is far far murkier than determining what is socially, culturally or financially acceptable or beneficial for one's own nation.
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    LG 1983.. Your posts do suggest that you favour Russia at almost all levels..In my history Russia has always been a major threat to our way of life... I see nothing at present to make me change that thought process.

    I suppose we just have a different perception of threat. I happen to believe that a threat like Russia is quite obvious and quantifiable. If our way of life is going to be destroyed, I suspect it is because we will give it away willingly, rather than have it taken away by the Russkyes. The danger is a stab in the back, not in the front.
    Your first interesting post of the night.

    Let me just say that I am not anti-Russian: I have great admiration for the Russian people, who have not been well served by any person or organisation that has ruled them. I particularly admire Russian engineering; during the Cold War they achieved some miracles within a rather unhelpful political and fiscal situation. It's a shame their computer developments never really matched the west, and that story might be used as an example of the benefits of capitalism over communism.

    That said, I disagree vehemently with what you wrote. If you were Georgian or Ukrainian you might have a somewhat different view.
    Thanks - I'll take the compliment and discard the backhanded bit!

    Of course I'd have a different view if I were a different nationality. If I were a South Osettian I might not have a very nice view of Georgia, and if I were from the Donbass, I probably wouldn't have a very nice view of Ukraine. @richardDodd was I believe discussing a threat to the UK's way of life.

    Since World War I (as an arbitrary point), I believe our physical health and mental prowess have declined, our culture has been weakened, our military has been decimated, our economy eviscerated, our sovereignty eroded, our liberties removed, and rational thought is on the verge of extinction. None of that has been done by the Russians. By and large we've embraced every step on our road to ruin.
    "physical health and mental prowess have declined"

    We're living longer than ever. I'm not sure how we'd measure 'mental prowess'.

    "Culture weakened"

    Define the culture, and how it has been weakened.

    "Military decimated"

    Just five decades ago we were spending around 10% of our GDP on the military. Do you wish to go back to those sort of levels? If not, what levels?

    "Economy eviscerated"

    Please expand.

    "Rational thought on the verge of extinction"

    Again, expand.

    It does sound a little like you don't like the modern world, and want to get off the ride. No wonder you like Putin.
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    JWisemann said:

    Mr. Eagles, who do you think's going to win?

    I think Corbyn's going to win, but as I wrote the other day all the ingredients are there for Corbyn to lose.

    I'm all green fortunately whatever the result (unless somehow David Miliband or Alan Johnson win)
    All the ingredients except having most people voting for him you mean?
    No, tell us more about your comment from earlier on this year that anyone who thought the Tories would get 300plus seats in May was living in a fantasy world.
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    tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,195
    edited September 2015

    Good evening.

    What I find interesting is the POV expressed on PB since May 2015, that the British public is always, or nearly always right. This idea also indirectly implies that the people of other countries - Germany specifically - do not have such powers of analysis, and are wrong. Because, at least by the findings of this poll - the idea expressed that the 'majority' of the German public are sceptical, or against Merkel's policy on the subject is wrong. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/for-refugees-its-destination-germany/2015/09/05/c5bac7aa-53f5-11e5-b225-90edbd49f362_story.html

    I think you're confusing a few things here. If people on here are suggesting that the British people are nearly always right what I think they're are probably suggesting is that they vote in a way that gets them the result that fits what they want. Someone, I can't remember who, thinks that somehow the voters collectively give the result (like the hung parliament of 2010) that occurs even though that's not actually an option on the ballot.

    If the Germans want to open their doors to 800,000 refugees that's their right and Merkel seems like the right politician for them. But it doesn't mean that they should expect others to do the same.

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    Mr. Eagles, ahem. Who do you think is going to win Strictly Come Dancing?

    I recall you tipping Kirsty Gallagher some time ago.

    Jamelia and Peter Andre should win it, Pop Princes and Princesses do well in strictly.

    Decent outsiders (aka the trading bets)

    Daniel O'Donnell as he some very passionate votes who might disproportionately for him.

    Iwan Thomas could get the bloc Welsh Vote and sportsmen do have a good history on strictly.

    Ainsley Harriott and Jeremy Vine could be this year's John Sargeant.

    I'm on team Kirstie Gallacher, I've seen her in real life, I nearly tripped up over my tongue. She could turn Sir Elton John into a heterosexual
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    Moses_Moses_ Posts: 4,865

    Mr. Eagles, who do you think's going to win?

    I think Corbyn's going to win, but as I wrote the other day all the ingredients are there for Corbyn to lose.

    I'm all green fortunately whatever the result (unless somehow David Miliband or Alan Johnson win)
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3223862/David-Miliband-s-hopes-comeback-dashed-new-poll-reveals-beaten-Jeremy-Corbyn-leadership-bid.html
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    Mr. Eagles, hmm. Fair enough.

    Alesha Dixon did well [though making her a judge was just stupid].

    On the other contest: I concur Corbyn will win. It's crazy, but that's how daft Labour MPs have been. It's Caligula following Tiberius.
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    RogerRoger Posts: 18,894
    The Apocalypse.

    A heart warming article. What a wretched government we have.

    Bravo for Merkel and the Germans.
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,107
    edited September 2015
    Moses_ said:

    Mr. Eagles, who do you think's going to win?

    I think Corbyn's going to win, but as I wrote the other day all the ingredients are there for Corbyn to lose.

    I'm all green fortunately whatever the result (unless somehow David Miliband or Alan Johnson win)
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3223862/David-Miliband-s-hopes-comeback-dashed-new-poll-reveals-beaten-Jeremy-Corbyn-leadership-bid.html
    Only amongst Labour voters, amongst voters as a whole David Miliband is comfortably ahead of Corbyn, as indeed is Burnham, who does best with the public of the 4 contendors. However, while Corbyn is ahead with Labour voters he is not over 50% which emphasises how if he is to be beaten it will be on preferences
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    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    Good evening.

    What I find interesting is the POV expressed on PB since May 2015, that the British public is always, or nearly always right. This idea also indirectly implies that the people of other countries - Germany specifically - do not have such powers of analysis, and are wrong. Because, at least by the findings of this poll - the idea expressed that the 'majority' of the German public are sceptical, or against Merkel's policy on the subject is wrong.

    No it doesn't

    It's an expression of the principle of the wisdom of crowds, an economic theory developed around a decade ago.

    Essentially, the average is more likely to be 'correct' than any individual point

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wisdom_of_Crowds

    In the case of policy decisions, it is perfectly possible for different decisions to be appropriate for Germany and for the UK, reflecting, inter alia, their history, population density, demographic trends, infrastructure capacity, etc.

    Essentially, Merkel's decision is right in the context of German history; while the GBP are right in their view that immigration has been too extensive and poorly integrated over the last decade and more for a new wave of immigration to be the right solution for the country
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    @Morris_Dancer There probably is a third way. Germany arguably has more ability to absorb and welcome more immigration than we do. They also have low birth rate, too which means that welcoming many refugees make sense for them. But much of the commentary, appears to be that the GBP's entire analysis of the situation, and opposed to simply what is in our immediate interests - is right.

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    "physical health and mental prowess have declined"

    We're living longer than ever. I'm not sure how we'd measure 'mental prowess'.

    "Culture weakened"

    Define the culture, and how it has been weakened.

    "Military decimated"

    Just five decades ago we were spending around 10% of our GDP on the military. Do you wish to go back to those sort of levels? If not, what levels?

    "Economy eviscerated"

    Please expand.

    "Rational thought on the verge of extinction"

    Again, expand.

    It does sound a little like you don't like the modern world, and want to get off the ride. No wonder you like Putin.

    1. We're living a little longer. If you exclude dying from childbirth, life expectancy has not really increased - 3 score years and 10 still isn't too far off the truth. Medical science has succeeded in keeping us alive for a few more years of uncomfortable senescence. Chronic disease is through the roof compared to how it used to be. Cancer, allergies, auto-immune conditions etc. It's a total fallacy that we're healthier than our ancestors, and a large part of that is due to our poor diet.

    2. I see culture as a set of shared beliefs and values that bind us as a nation. You don't agree this has weakened? As for how, decline of organised religion and failure to assimilate waves of immigration would seem to be two.

    3. I take it then that you accept my point.

    4. I refer you to the balance of trade.

    I don't want to get off any ride, I want the ride to take a turn in the right direction. We're so terribly sure that we're much cleverer than our ancestors, but we're living through nothing they wouldn't have recognised or had a name for. I'm a historian - everything goes in circles, there's nothing new under the sun. Sadly people these days don't realise that.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,954
    Plato said:

    htps://twitter.com/suttonnick/status/640613960450899969

    On the face of it that seems to make sense - it's money going toward a foreign issue, even if it is one which is to be transplanted to Britain.
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    Charles said:

    Good evening.

    What I find interesting is the POV expressed on PB since May 2015, that the British public is always, or nearly always right. This idea also indirectly implies that the people of other countries - Germany specifically - do not have such powers of analysis, and are wrong. Because, at least by the findings of this poll - the idea expressed that the 'majority' of the German public are sceptical, or against Merkel's policy on the subject is wrong.

    No it doesn't

    It's an expression of the principle of the wisdom of crowds, an economic theory developed around a decade ago.

    Essentially, the average is more likely to be 'correct' than any individual point

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wisdom_of_Crowds

    In the case of policy decisions, it is perfectly possible for different decisions to be appropriate for Germany and for the UK, reflecting, inter alia, their history, population density, demographic trends, infrastructure capacity, etc.

    Essentially, Merkel's decision is right in the context of German history; while the GBP are right in their view that immigration has been too extensive and poorly integrated over the last decade and more for a new wave of immigration to be the right solution for the country
    Yes it does - because the commentary is not necessarily on merely what is right for Britain, but rather on the situation as a whole, and in particular how Cameron has handled the crisis in comparison to Merkel. That is what I was referring to.
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,107
    redrose82 said:

    Burnham's inept leadership campaign has progressively shown that he would be as great a disaster as Corbyn if elected. He has done more somersaults than a Russian gymnast.

    Burnham has been top of most polls of the public so far, Corbyn has generally been last on those done on a net basis
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    ROGER. How many refugees are you taking in..Oh..and Merkel is an idiot. ..
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    DadgeDadge Posts: 2,038
    Plato said:

    Speaking of our own population in need https://twitter.com/JonnyRotten8/status/640418688240340993

    I wish we could nip this tw*ttish "I'll just leave this here" trend in the bud.
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    Ms. Apocalypse, it's been argued here many times by various people [including me], that Merkel's approach is stupid. It's a lighthouse which will attract many ships, some of which will crash into rocks. It's turning on a tap that cannot easily be turned off.

    It's validating those who bypass the regulations and laws on migration/refugee status and encouraging more to make dangerous journeys, whilst enriching people smugglers.

    The argument for it appears to be:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RybNI0KB1bg
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    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Germans had Nazis too in living memory. That's s big local factor.

    @Morris_Dancer There probably is a third way. Germany arguably has more ability to absorb and welcome more immigration than we do. They also have low birth rate, too which means that welcoming many refugees make sense for them. But much of the commentary, appears to be that the GBP's entire analysis of the situation, and opposed to simply what is in our immediate interests - is right.

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    Miss Plato, quite. Which is especially ironic, as Germany's trying to impose its will on other European nations.
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    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    A really smart move by Osborne. Riding two horses in the same direction.
    kle4 said:

    Plato said:

    htps://twitter.com/suttonnick/status/640613960450899969

    On the face of it that seems to make sense - it's money going toward a foreign issue, even if it is one which is to be transplanted to Britain.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,954
    HYUFD said:

    redrose82 said:

    Burnham's inept leadership campaign has progressively shown that he would be as great a disaster as Corbyn if elected. He has done more somersaults than a Russian gymnast.

    Burnham has been top of most polls of the public so far
    If so, I really don't understand the public anymore - I thought him the best five years ago, but even cursory attention to this campaign has made him seem very poor IMO. Cooper's been invisible most of the time again, but has at least shown flashes of potential at times.
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    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Are you still planning to elope?
    HYUFD said:

    redrose82 said:

    Burnham's inept leadership campaign has progressively shown that he would be as great a disaster as Corbyn if elected. He has done more somersaults than a Russian gymnast.

    Burnham has been top of most polls of the public so far, Corbyn has generally been last on those done on a net basis
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    JEOJEO Posts: 3,656
    Given the record of the British public and the German public on questions like the Eurozone, I think it is evident the British public is more sensible then the German public.

    A big part of this is history. We have centuries of representative governance in a gradual evolution into democracy. This has cause the British public to be thoughtful and prudent. Germany has only had representative governance for three generations, even less in the East, and came to it suddenly after constitutional cataclysms of fascism and communism. Their collective psyche is still suffering from the aftershocks of this. Careful prudence is thrown out the window when it comes to visceral reactions to things like inflation, or atoning for their Nazi past.
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    john_zimsjohn_zims Posts: 3,399
    @Roger

    'A heart warming article. What a wretched government we have. '


    Are you going to be staying in France so Syrian refugees can use your flat in Soho ?

    Or is it just more vacuous moral posturing ?
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    Plato said:

    Germans had Nazis too in living memory. That's s big local factor.

    @Morris_Dancer There probably is a third way. Germany arguably has more ability to absorb and welcome more immigration than we do. They also have low birth rate, too which means that welcoming many refugees make sense for them. But much of the commentary, appears to be that the GBP's entire analysis of the situation, and opposed to simply what is in our immediate interests - is right.

    Indeed, I think that's a really big factor as well.
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    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Well said.
    JEO said:

    Given the record of the British public and the German public on questions like the Eurozone, I think it is evident the British public is more sensible then the German public.

    A big part of this is history. We have centuries of representative governance in a gradual evolution into democracy. This has cause the British public to be thoughtful and prudent. Germany has only had representative governance for three generations, even less in the East, and came to it suddenly after constitutional cataclysms of fascism and communism. Their collective psyche is still suffering from the aftershocks of this. Careful prudence is thrown out the window when it comes to visceral reactions to things like inflation, or atoning for their Nazi past.

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    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    Charles said:

    Good evening.

    What I find interesting is the POV expressed on PB since May 2015, that the British public is always, or nearly always right. This idea also indirectly implies that the people of other countries - Germany specifically - do not have such powers of analysis, and are wrong. Because, at least by the findings of this poll - the idea expressed that the 'majority' of the German public are sceptical, or against Merkel's policy on the subject is wrong.

    No it doesn't

    It's an expression of the principle of the wisdom of crowds, an economic theory developed around a decade ago.

    Essentially, the average is more likely to be 'correct' than any individual point

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wisdom_of_Crowds

    In the case of policy decisions, it is perfectly possible for different decisions to be appropriate for Germany and for the UK, reflecting, inter alia, their history, population density, demographic trends, infrastructure capacity, etc.

    Essentially, Merkel's decision is right in the context of German history; while the GBP are right in their view that immigration has been too extensive and poorly integrated over the last decade and more for a new wave of immigration to be the right solution for the country
    Yes it does - because the commentary is not necessarily on merely what is right for Britain, but rather on the situation as a whole, and in particular how Cameron has handled the crisis in comparison to Merkel. That is what I was referring to.
    I don't think there is an objective answer.

    I personally think that what Cameron is doing is right - but then I've always been a fan of targeted interventions rather than grand gestures. I think that also fits with the British mindset.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,954

    Miss Plato, quite. Which is especially ironic, as Germany's trying to impose its will on other European nations.

    Indeed - even if we believe it to be the morally superior (or even, somehow, in a practical sense) option, is it clear all of Europe is on board (and if they are, would they have been so had it not been announced as a fait accompli)?

    But then, I suppose Germany would be of the view that if on balance most of Europe supported something, then it's ok to ride roughshod over the others who are not, and since they usually can work something out with France, which will sweep along a few undecideds and those who go with the winning option for the sake of unity, plus the natural EU supporters, they generally feel what they want will, in the end, be the accepted view of Europe anyway so who cares if there is pushback initially. They'll fall in to line, can be ignored, or outvoted.
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,999
    edited September 2015
    Mr. Charles, I think lots of people are still pissed Labour let rip with immigration (NB the Coalition/Conservatives haven't got anything like a grip on it, but that's a sin of omission rather than commission).

    The Rotherham disgrace has only highlighted the dangers of disparate cultures being allowed to exist, with enclaves rather than integration.

    Plus, we already have high levels of immigration which makes people reluctant for us to take more.

    And we're the end of the chain. So, migrants claiming to be refugees have to travel through half a dozen or more safe countries before deciding they're ready to settle down (which is migration, not fleeing danger).

    Oh, and we opted out of Schengen. And having a German Chancellor trying to dictate UK policy is never going to be popular.

    Edited extra bit: and we're spending more than twice the German amount in aid to help those who've fled the Syrian conflict.
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763
    Roger said:

    The Apocalypse.

    A heart warming article. What a wretched government we have.

    Bravo for Merkel and the Germans.

    LOL

    how come you werent saying that in June and Grexit ?
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    All questions on the Eurozone do, is reveal different attitudes to the EU as a result of circumstance rather than the British public being 'more wise'. This is the same wise public, that while has a history of euroscepticism for the most part has claimed in various polls that they'll vote 'YES' rather than 'NO' in the upcoming EU referendum.
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    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    That's fear of loss. A totally different psychological response

    All questions on the Eurozone do, is reveal different attitudes to the EU as a result of circumstance rather than the British public being 'more wise'. This is the same wise public, that while has a history of euroscepticism for the most part has claimed in various polls that they'll vote 'YES' rather than 'NO' in the upcoming EU referendum.

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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,107
    Plato said:

    Are you still planning to elope?

    HYUFD said:

    redrose82 said:

    Burnham's inept leadership campaign has progressively shown that he would be as great a disaster as Corbyn if elected. He has done more somersaults than a Russian gymnast.

    Burnham has been top of most polls of the public so far, Corbyn has generally been last on those done on a net basis
    I am sure he is quite happy with his Dutch wife, Marie-France Van Heel, however of the candidates running Burnham is clearly the most electable in my view. Had David Miliband, Alan Johnson, Chuka Umunna or Dan Jarvis been running that may have been different, but none are so Labour has to go with the best it has got
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,999
    edited September 2015
    Mr. HYUFD, or Ed Balls?
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    The_ApocalypseThe_Apocalypse Posts: 7,830
    edited September 2015
    And I also wouldn't necessarily say that the GBP are thoughtful, either. This is the group of people that believes we should have no immigration for the next two years. This is the public that expects Scandanavian style public services, but is reluctance to accept the increase in taxes needed to fund it. They may be thoughtful sometimes, but not all the time.
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,107
    edited September 2015
    kle4 said:

    HYUFD said:

    redrose82 said:

    Burnham's inept leadership campaign has progressively shown that he would be as great a disaster as Corbyn if elected. He has done more somersaults than a Russian gymnast.

    Burnham has been top of most polls of the public so far
    If so, I really don't understand the public anymore - I thought him the best five years ago, but even cursory attention to this campaign has made him seem very poor IMO. Cooper's been invisible most of the time again, but has at least shown flashes of potential at times.
    Cooper is more intelligent than Burnham, Corbyn and Kendall, I will give her that, but she is a Brownite with little charisma.
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    Plato said:

    That's fear of loss. A totally different psychological response

    All questions on the Eurozone do, is reveal different attitudes to the EU as a result of circumstance rather than the British public being 'more wise'. This is the same wise public, that while has a history of euroscepticism for the most part has claimed in various polls that they'll vote 'YES' rather than 'NO' in the upcoming EU referendum.

    But if you don't like the EU, why is it a big loss?
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    Ms. Apocalypse, any large change of circumstance can be cause for trepidation. It's why people stick with boyfriends/girlfriends with whom they're no longer in love.
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    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Awful
    Former British army sergeant who lost both his legs to a bomb blast in Afghanistan is refused NHS treatment because he had a new surgical procedure in Australia

    Jay Baldwin was told by hospital staff that he could no longer receive NHS treatment following his operation
    He lost both of his legs whilst fighting for his country in Afghanistan
    Former army sergeant travelled to Australia for osseointegration surgery


    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3224235/Former-British-army-sergeant-lost-legs-bomb-blast-Afghanistan-refused-NHS-treatment-new-surgical-procedure-Australia.html#ixzz3kzXXXaL8
    Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
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    Ms. Apocalypse, any large change of circumstance can be cause for trepidation. It's why people stick with boyfriends/girlfriends with whom they're no longer in love.


    I understand that change can sometimes be scary, but then there is good change and bad change. Surely, for many not being in the EU would be a good change - so why wouldn't good change be welcomed?
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    1. We're living a little longer. If you exclude dying from childbirth, life expectancy has not really increased - 3 score years and 10 still isn't too far off the truth. Medical science has succeeded in keeping us alive for a few more years of uncomfortable senescence. Chronic disease is through the roof compared to how it used to be. Cancer, allergies, auto-immune conditions etc. It's a total fallacy that we're healthier than our ancestors, and a large part of that is due to our poor diet.

    2. I see culture as a set of shared beliefs and values that bind us as a nation. You don't agree this has weakened? As for how, decline of organised religion and failure to assimilate waves of immigration would seem to be two.

    3. I take it then that you accept my point.

    4. I refer you to the balance of trade.

    I don't want to get off any ride, I want the ride to take a turn in the right direction. We're so terribly sure that we're much cleverer than our ancestors, but we're living through nothing they wouldn't have recognised or had a name for. I'm a historian - everything goes in circles, there's nothing new under the sun. Sadly people these days don't realise that.

    I don't accept any of those points. Taking just life expectancy: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/mortality-ageing/mortality-in-england-and-wales/average-life-span/rpt-average-life-span.html
    and
    http://www.maxroser.com/gains-for-all-life-expectancy-by-age/

    Although IANAE, I also disagree with the rest of your conclusions about health as well. Allergies may have increased, but is that an actual increase or just an increase in reporting? And on the other hand, we are now protected against many diseases that were prevalent just a few decades ago.

    ===

    On another point: "we're living through nothing they wouldn't have recognised or had a name for."

    Really? My great-granddad lived from something like 1870 to 1965. In that time we had the advent of radio, electric goods, commonplace indoor plumbing, the telephone, the internal combustion engine and cars, planes, space travel, and masses more. It was a period of incredibly compressed change, both technologically and socially (and it is difficult to separate the two). He managed to evolve and mostly cope with these changes. I'm not sure his grandfather would have recognised the world of 1965.

    On a more general point: what area / period of history do you specialise in?
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    Ms. Apocalypse, because there's doubt. We have creatures like Clegg claiming "3 million jobs are at risk". Which is true, in the same way tens of millions of lives are at risk from crossing the road each day.

    The established parties and broadcast media are very much in favour, though print media, whilst split, is mostly against.

    People tend naturally to the status quo unless there's a compelling pull or push factor (or factors). Immigration, hot on the heels of the eurozone woe [still unresolved], *might* be that factor, though I remain to be convinced. I think lots of those expressing their discontent now will still vote In when the time comes, unless things worsen.
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    JEOJEO Posts: 3,656

    All questions on the Eurozone do, is reveal different attitudes to the EU as a result of circumstance rather than the British public being 'more wise'. This is the same wise public, that while has a history of euroscepticism for the most part has claimed in various polls that they'll vote 'YES' rather than 'NO' in the upcoming EU referendum.

    People say all sorts of things to opinion polls. The polls that matter are the ones at the ballot box.

    The very different attitudes to the EU as a result of circumstance shows the greater wisdom of the British over the Germans that I am talking about. The British can assess the European Union on a sensible pragmatic basis, where the Germans leap at the thing irrationally as a way to apologise to the rest of Europe for their history. Now that the Nazis are beginning to fall out of living memory, Euroscepticism is beginning to creep in, but it will need Merkel's generation of politicians to be replaced before it starts making major headway.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,954

    And I also wouldn't necessarily say that the GBP are thoughtful, either. This is the group of people that believes we should have no immigration for the next two years. This is the public that expects Scandanavian style public services, but is reluctance to accept the increase in taxes needed to fund it. They may be thoughtful sometimes, but not all the time.

    Quite so. There are any number of policy areas where politicians are effectively punished for telling the truth (and so are usually too weak to do more than avoid or obfuscate the topic, where they aren't intentionally perpetuating the mental disconnect) about what the public expects or wants, and what it will actually take and cost to do it.
    HYUFD said:

    kle4 said:

    HYUFD said:

    redrose82 said:

    Burnham's inept leadership campaign has progressively shown that he would be as great a disaster as Corbyn if elected. He has done more somersaults than a Russian gymnast.

    Burnham has been top of most polls of the public so far
    If so, I really don't understand the public anymore - I thought him the best five years ago, but even cursory attention to this campaign has made him seem very poor IMO. Cooper's been invisible most of the time again, but has at least shown flashes of potential at times.
    Cooper is more intelligent than Burnham, Corbyn and Kendall, I will give her that, but she is a Brownite with little charisma.
    'Little charisma' is underselling it. At times her blandness is genuinely terrifying, which is weird as I'm sure she's a pleasant and warm person - I mean, didn't she and the family go on a Sound of Music themed holiday? That's so particular and a little odd that it definitely shows some level of personality, and demonstrating any personality at all seems very hard for her on TV at least.
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    Plato said:

    An excuse for Olga Korbut 1972

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2NGqI6FqeQ

    redrose82 said:

    Burnham's inept leadership campaign has progressively shown that he would be as great a disaster as Corbyn if elected. He has done more somersaults than a Russian gymnast.

    Olga Korbut is from Belarus.

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    I've just come back from the Jeremy Corbyn meeting in Cambridge. There were more people locked out from the 1400 capacity Great St Mary's Church than at the entire EU roadshow in Peterborough last Wednesday.

    Corbyn spoke easily and comfortably, without note. He refers to himself in the third person throughout, which sounds odd. But the mood was that he could have said anything, and he'd have had to wait for the applause to die down.

    He said that EM was much too simialar to the Tories. 'We won't make that mistake in 2020. We'll offer a new, socialist approach.'

    He did mention UKIP and the Green voters, as potential supporters for 'our new socialist Labour party'.
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    JEOJEO Posts: 3,656
    I don't think it's true at all that the British public just vote for the politicians saying nice things. George Osborne and David Cameron told them for five years we could not live beyond our means any more, cut people's standard of living in the short term, and got rewarded for it. When the British public makes a mistake, it's usually because they haven't come to the right conclusion soon enough, but given enough time they do so.
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    Mr. Kendrick, did he convert you to socialism?
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,107

    I've just come back from the Jeremy Corbyn meeting in Cambridge. There were more people locked out from the 1400 capacity Great St Mary's Church than at the entire EU roadshow in Peterborough last Wednesday.

    Corbyn spoke easily and comfortably, without note. He refers to himself in the third person throughout, which sounds odd. But the mood was that he could have said anything, and he'd have had to wait for the applause to die down.

    He said that EM was much too simialar to the Tories. 'We won't make that mistake in 2020. We'll offer a new, socialist approach.'

    He did mention UKIP and the Green voters, as potential supporters for 'our new socialist Labour party'.

    Michael Foot used to pack out public meetings too, less so the voting booth
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,954
    edited September 2015

    Ms. Apocalypse, any large change of circumstance can be cause for trepidation. It's why people stick with boyfriends/girlfriends with whom they're no longer in love.


    I understand that change can sometimes be scary, but then there is good change and bad change. Surely, for many not being in the EU would be a good change - so why wouldn't good change be welcomed?
    Few people are in passionate support of the EU, but not as many as some think outright hate it either. A lot of people may have very little good to say about the EU, but may not be certain the change would be good (they may think it might be, or at least not bad, but are not sure), and it is very very hard to prove that it could not be worse, particularly as that is the entire message of the other side, that it will be.

    Lack of certainty among the masses is one of the ways people and groups in seemingly weak positions are able to forge a path through a mess, carry people along with them down, in hindsight, dangerous paths, and take advantage of matters to succeed when the array of forces against them seems too much for them to prevail against. Those driving the EU are not beset by doubts or second thoughts, but the public are, and the EU opponents are not, at present, united enough to present such a confident force as to remove doubts from the public.

    For the longest time I was not happy with the EU but felt we'd probably be worse off outside, so that was that, but eventually I just got so godsdamned sick of their crap. I still don't know we'd be better off, but I know we'd probably feel worse if we stayed in regardless.
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,107

    And I also wouldn't necessarily say that the GBP are thoughtful, either. This is the group of people that believes we should have no immigration for the next two years. This is the public that expects Scandanavian style public services, but is reluctance to accept the increase in taxes needed to fund it. They may be thoughtful sometimes, but not all the time.

    Good public services depend on more than just money and high taxes do not generally a growing economy make.
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,107
    kle4 said:

    And I also wouldn't necessarily say that the GBP are thoughtful, either. This is the group of people that believes we should have no immigration for the next two years. This is the public that expects Scandanavian style public services, but is reluctance to accept the increase in taxes needed to fund it. They may be thoughtful sometimes, but not all the time.

    Quite so. There are any number of policy areas where politicians are effectively punished for telling the truth (and so are usually too weak to do more than avoid or obfuscate the topic, where they aren't intentionally perpetuating the mental disconnect) about what the public expects or wants, and what it will actually take and cost to do it.
    HYUFD said:

    kle4 said:

    HYUFD said:

    redrose82 said:

    Burnham's inept leadership campaign has progressively shown that he would be as great a disaster as Corbyn if elected. He has done more somersaults than a Russian gymnast.

    Burnham has been top of most polls of the public so far
    If so, I really don't understand the public anymore - I thought him the best five years ago, but even cursory attention to this campaign has made him seem very poor IMO. Cooper's been invisible most of the time again, but has at least shown flashes of potential at times.
    Cooper is more intelligent than Burnham, Corbyn and Kendall, I will give her that, but she is a Brownite with little charisma.
    'Little charisma' is underselling it. At times her blandness is genuinely terrifying, which is weird as I'm sure she's a pleasant and warm person - I mean, didn't she and the family go on a Sound of Music themed holiday? That's so particular and a little odd that it definitely shows some level of personality, and demonstrating any personality at all seems very hard for her on TV at least.
    Balls and Cooper are classic wonks, they should be big figures in the Cabinet/Shadow Cabinet, senior advisers etc. However neither should be the front man/woman trying to sell the product
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    Mr. Kendrick, did he convert you to socialism?

    He wants more migrants, and lower rents. The circle is squared by....well, he's sticking to the big picture for now. And he is, unlike Mandleson, not all relaxed about the rich getting richer. In fact, he's furious about it.
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    Mr. Kendrick, so... his challenging and unorthodox approach to mathematics, economics and history put you off?
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    Mr. Kendrick, so... his challenging and unorthodox approach to mathematics, economics and history put you off?

    I enjoyed my evening, and I was interviewed afterwards by France 24. I owned up to voting UKIP. Would I change to Corbyn? Well, it was all a bit public on the street in central Cambridge...
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    Mr. Kendrick, fair enough.

    I might well have been less forthcoming with my own vote last election had it not been a delight to oust Balls.
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    Plato said:

    An excuse for Olga Korbut 1972

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2NGqI6FqeQ

    redrose82 said:

    Burnham's inept leadership campaign has progressively shown that he would be as great a disaster as Corbyn if elected. He has done more somersaults than a Russian gymnast.

    Olga Korbut is from Belarus.
    Olga Korbut is a naturalised American Citizen. If there is an electoral college vote to be had in Arizona she can contribute to it.
  • Options



    I don't accept any of those points. Taking just life expectancy: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/mortality-ageing/mortality-in-england-and-wales/average-life-span/rpt-average-life-span.html
    and
    http://www.maxroser.com/gains-for-all-life-expectancy-by-age/

    Although IANAE, I also disagree with the rest of your conclusions about health as well. Allergies may have increased, but is that an actual increase or just an increase in reporting? And on the other hand, we are now protected against many diseases that were prevalent just a few decades ago.

    ===

    On another point: "we're living through nothing they wouldn't have recognised or had a name for."

    Really? My great-granddad lived from something like 1870 to 1965. In that time we had the advent of radio, electric goods, commonplace indoor plumbing, the telephone, the internal combustion engine and cars, planes, space travel, and masses more. It was a period of incredibly compressed change, both technologically and socially (and it is difficult to separate the two). He managed to evolve and mostly cope with these changes. I'm not sure his grandfather would have recognised the world of 1965.

    On a more general point: what area / period of history do you specialise in?

    #

    Your report confirms exactly what I said:
    'Therefore, between 1841 and 1900 the modal age at death was much higher than the other two averages; modal age at death in 1841 was 71 for males and 77 for females and in 1900 it was 68 years and 73 years respectively.'

    According to the report it's now 85 and 89. With over a century advances in medical science, medical care, and lifestyle improvement, we've added just over 10 years of what for many will be a confused and illness-plagued later life. We're ageing and getting more infirm at more or less the same rate as we ever were.

    No it's not an increase in reporting, it's an increase.

    Here's cancer: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/incidence/all-cancers-combined#heading-One

    Asthma (source says it reached highest level in 90's): http://www.asthma.org.uk/asthma-facts-and-statistics

    Allergies: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2111268/

    The first ever heart attack in America was in 1912 you know.

    I'm actually a marketing manager but my undergraduate degree was in Modern History, Economic History and Politics.

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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
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    JEO said:

    All questions on the Eurozone do, is reveal different attitudes to the EU as a result of circumstance rather than the British public being 'more wise'. This is the same wise public, that while has a history of euroscepticism for the most part has claimed in various polls that they'll vote 'YES' rather than 'NO' in the upcoming EU referendum.

    People say all sorts of things to opinion polls. The polls that matter are the ones at the ballot box.

    The very different attitudes to the EU as a result of circumstance shows the greater wisdom of the British over the Germans that I am talking about. The British can assess the European Union on a sensible pragmatic basis, where the Germans leap at the thing irrationally as a way to apologise to the rest of Europe for their history. Now that the Nazis are beginning to fall out of living memory, Euroscepticism is beginning to creep in, but it will need Merkel's generation of politicians to be replaced before it starts making major headway.
    Yes, and looking at most polls on the EU referendum the GBP are intending to vote YES at the ballot box, despite immigration being their number one concern and doubting whether Cameron will get much from negotiations - (and that's after endorsing the proposal to hold an EU referendum for months, if not years now). Those as a collective are a set of contradictory beliefs, rather than a pragmatic assessment. A pragmatic assessment of immigration certainly isn't one which desires immigration to be stopped for the next two years altogether. I also don't see Germany's keenness to atone for their history as irrational, either. Euroscepticism is pretty minimal in Germany, and for the most part it looks like it'll stay that way. Alternative for Germany have, actually lost support recently rather than gaining it.
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    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,389

    I've just come back from the Jeremy Corbyn meeting in Cambridge. There were more people locked out from the 1400 capacity Great St Mary's Church than at the entire EU roadshow in Peterborough last Wednesday.

    Corbyn spoke easily and comfortably, without note. He refers to himself in the third person throughout, which sounds odd. But the mood was that he could have said anything, and he'd have had to wait for the applause to die down.

    He said that EM was much too simialar to the Tories. 'We won't make that mistake in 2020. We'll offer a new, socialist approach.'

    He did mention UKIP and the Green voters, as potential supporters for 'our new socialist Labour party'.

    Looking forward to him trotting (!) out the "new socialist Labour party" line away from closed fanclub meetings, on College Green, for example or Marr, or...or...
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    Really? My great-granddad lived from something like 1870 to 1965. In that time we had the advent of radio, electric goods, commonplace indoor plumbing, the telephone, the internal combustion engine and cars, planes, space travel, and masses more. It was a period of incredibly compressed change, both technologically and socially (and it is difficult to separate the two). He managed to evolve and mostly cope with these changes. I'm not sure his grandfather would have recognised the world of 1965.

    On a more general point: what area / period of history do you specialise in?

    To address this point, technology changes, tools change, but people do not, and nor do the dynamics of the way they interact. Psychology remains the same, which is why you can see common themes in the rise and fall of all nations and empires, whether they used bows and arrows or lasers.

    Social trends too - is there anything we're seeing with our binge drinking culture that wasn't already depicted in Hogarth's 'Gin Lane'? http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/picture/2012/sep/12/william-hogarth-gin-lane

    Everything has happened before, sadly people think history stopped and we are somehow different. Future generations will regard us as one of the most unutterably stupid generations in the history of mankind.
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    Plato said:

    twitter.com/suttonnick/status/640613960450899969

    'Foreign aid to pay for Syrian refugees here' -- well done Osborne and Cameron.
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    Plato said:

    twitter.com/suttonnick/status/640613960450899969

    'Foreign aid to pay for Syrian refugees here' -- well done Osborne and Cameron.
    Yes, for ONCE (is this a first) I totally agree with you, Osborne, and Cameron.
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