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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Voting has closed now and the speculation begins

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  • Options
    I'm partaking in a YouGov survey.

    They are asking me who I admire the most, Cameron or Thatcher.
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    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820
    edited September 2015

    As I understand it (though I could be wrong) it means that if you work, say, as a British Gas engineer from home your working day begins when you leave home to drive to your first appointment, rather than when you arrive, as it was British Gas that made the appointment and arranged the allocated time-slot, and you travel there as a representative of British Gas. A commute is different as that is you just going to work.

    Yes, that seems to be what the court is saying, and I can't see how one could argue against it. It is, after all, completely consistent with the treatment of travel expenses and IIRC also with the health & safety responsibility of the employer.
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    SeanT said:

    I have heard the Tory strategy will be use House of Commons privilege and accuse associates of Corbyn of being anti-semites/anti British etc then that will give the media the cover to go medieval on Corbyn
    What's worse, Corbyn will KEEP giving them material. He's 66 years old. He's not going to change his views now. And what's more, he likes virtue signalling. He's a moral narcissist, so he will want to parade his "braver" views, to bask in the adoration of his fellow Trots - and he will be Leader of the Opposition, so he will have ample scope.

    And some of his material will be pretty fecking outrageous, not fit for TV. Jeremy Corbyn: the Roy "Chubby" Brown of left wing politics. Discuss.
    The morning thread will discuss this.

    The only issue is the Tories do it now, or risk Labour removing him, or wait closer to the Genera election?

    The risk in leaving it is that somehow Corbyn becomes popular and can then dismiss the attacks as nothing more than smears. It's a small risk, but it does exist. A departure after eighteen months and yet another leadership contest would surely suit the Tories.

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    JEO said:

    Another absolutely brainless decision from the EU - commuting will count as work for the working time directive.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34210002

    So if you work too long, simply move further away and you can replace hours of work with time sleeping on the train .

    In some jobs, e.g. rail work, time spent travelling to work is counted as 'work time' for the purposes of working hours. There have been incidents and near-misses where people have worked over their allotted hours when you count travel.
    For safety-related jobs, it's a good idea. For everything else, no.
    Does that mean that people get paid for the time spent travelling to work??
    If I am allowed by working time directive to work 48 hours then we must presume I do and get paid for 48 hours work.
    If I spend 1hr per day travelling to work - each way - then that is 10 hours per week I am not allowed to earn money out of my 48hr working week. Someone living 5 mins way round the corner effectively still get 48 hrs pay compared to my 38 hours. Unless my company pay me 48hrs pay for 38hrs work.
    Is there something lost in interpreting this regulation?

    As I understand it (though I could be wrong) it means that if you work, say, as a British Gas engineer from home your working day begins when you leave home to drive to your first appointment, rather than when you arrive, as it was British Gas that made the appointment and arranged the allocated time-slot, and you travel there as a representative of British Gas. A commute is different as that is you just going to work.

    They aren't engineers - they are technicians.

    Grrr.
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    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820
    edited September 2015
    duplicate
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,193
    SeanT said:

    I have heard the Tory strategy will be use House of Commons privilege and accuse associates of Corbyn of being anti-semites/anti British etc then that will give the media the cover to go medieval on Corbyn
    What's worse, Corbyn will KEEP giving them material. He's 66 years old. He's not going to change his views now. And what's more, he likes virtue signalling. He's a moral narcissist, so he will want to parade his "braver" views, to bask in the adoration of his fellow Trots - and he will be Leader of the Opposition, so he will have ample scope.

    And some of his material will be pretty fecking outrageous, not fit for TV. Jeremy Corbyn: the Roy "Chubby" Brown of left wing politics. Discuss.
    He's more the Jerry Sadowitz of left wing politics. Likely to get his lights punched out by an audience member...
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    glwglw Posts: 9,556
    Cyclefree said:

    But the latter is much much more damaging because he would effectively be saying that, even though there is a risk to Britain and British citizens, he will not authorise the action designed to keep them safe.

    "LOTO refuses to keep Britain safe from terrorists" is not a voter-winning headline for Labour.

    It doesn't matter the only thing the public will hear is "Corbyn would spare their lives". The nuances of the issue are irrelevant.
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    I'm partaking in a YouGov survey.

    They are asking me who I admire the most, Cameron or Thatcher.

    I had that earlier. The Corbyn/Osborne choice for PM was easier.
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    RobDRobD Posts: 59,029

    I'm partaking in a YouGov survey.

    They are asking me who I admire the most, Cameron or Thatcher.

    I had that earlier. The Corbyn/Osborne choice for PM was easier.
    tim will be spinning in his proverbial PB-grave!
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,193
    Cyclefree said:

    glw said:

    Cyclefree said:

    glw said:

    Nicely put:

    Tom Harris ‏@tnjharris

    The Tories are basically playing politics on "Easy" level now:

    He's not wrong.

    "Mr Corbyn questioned whether the RAF airstrike which killed Khan and a fellow UK jihadist Ruhul Amin was legal and confirmed he would not have authorised the attack."

    That's the 11% opinion, the Tories have the 66%.

    So is he saying that he would not have authorised an illegal attack - which I think would also be Cameron's position - or is he saying that, even if legal, he still would not have authorised?

    Either will do, the public aren't fretting about the rights of ISIS terrorists.
    But the latter is much much more damaging because he would effectively be saying that, even though there is a risk to Britain and British citizens, he will not authorise the action designed to keep them safe.

    "LOTO refuses to keep Britain safe from terrorists" is not a voter-winning headline for Labour.

    "LOTO refuses to keep Britain safe from his terrorist friends" is nearer to how it will be played out.

    Labour, Labour, Labour - what have you done?
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    I'm partaking in a YouGov survey.

    They are asking me who I admire the most, Cameron or Thatcher.

    I had that earlier. The Corbyn/Osborne choice for PM was easier.
    The Cooper v Boris who would make the best PM Q was also trickier
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    I have heard the Tory strategy will be use House of Commons privilege and accuse associates of Corbyn of being anti-semites/anti British etc then that will give the media the cover to go medieval on Corbyn
    You mean the Tom Watson modus operandi approach to sullying your opponents? #McAlpine
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    SeanT said:

    I have heard the Tory strategy will be use House of Commons privilege and accuse associates of Corbyn of being anti-semites/anti British etc then that will give the media the cover to go medieval on Corbyn
    What's worse, Corbyn will KEEP giving them material. He's 66 years old. He's not going to change his views now. And what's more, he likes virtue signalling. He's a moral narcissist, so he will want to parade his "braver" views, to bask in the adoration of his fellow Trots - and he will be Leader of the Opposition, so he will have ample scope.

    And some of his material will be pretty fecking outrageous, not fit for TV. Jeremy Corbyn: the Roy "Chubby" Brown of left wing politics. Discuss.
    The morning thread will discuss this.

    The only issue is the Tories do it now, or risk Labour removing him, or wait closer to the Genera election?
    Stories should be peppered out over the next 4 years, so by the time we get to the pre-campaign period of the 2020GE his credibility is shot to shreds.

    Then they go in hard, very hard, with the full salvos over the last 6 months. As soon as the last Labour conference is out of the way.
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    SeanT said:

    I have heard the Tory strategy will be use House of Commons privilege and accuse associates of Corbyn of being anti-semites/anti British etc then that will give the media the cover to go medieval on Corbyn
    What's worse, Corbyn will KEEP giving them material. He's 66 years old. He's not going to change his views now. And what's more, he likes virtue signalling. He's a moral narcissist, so he will want to parade his "braver" views, to bask in the adoration of his fellow Trots - and he will be Leader of the Opposition, so he will have ample scope.

    And some of his material will be pretty fecking outrageous, not fit for TV. Jeremy Corbyn: the Roy "Chubby" Brown of left wing politics. Discuss.
    The morning thread will discuss this.

    The only issue is the Tories do it now, or risk Labour removing him, or wait closer to the Genera election?

    The risk in leaving it is that somehow Corbyn becomes popular and can then dismiss the attacks as nothing more than smears. It's a small risk, but it does exist. A departure after eighteen months and yet another leadership contest would surely suit the Tories.

    Smears are not smears if they're true. Particularly if Corbyn is basking in them. If he can be popular while he's doing that then the Tories have lost the argument anyway.

    Probably the bigger risk for the Tories is becoming too fixated on Corbyn and his nutcase associates and failing to make the positive case for their own policies, only to find that Labour neutralise the attacks by dumping Corbyn, putting the Tories behind the game against a fresh new Labour leader (even allowing for there being a fresh new Tory leader too).
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    I have heard the Tory strategy will be use House of Commons privilege and accuse associates of Corbyn of being anti-semites/anti British etc then that will give the media the cover to go medieval on Corbyn
    You mean the Tom Watson modus operandi approach to sullying your opponents? #McAlpine
    Saw an article in the Speccy earlier about how Tom Watson could be Labour's saviour.
    If Tom Watson is the answer, you're asking the wrong feckin' question.
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    @MSmithsonPB: If LAB, which took my £3, had let me vote it would have been

    1 Kendall
    2 Cooper
    3 Corbyn
    4 Burnham
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    isamisam Posts: 41,118
    David Cameron's "Play your cards wrong" ... Next years tally? 'Higher than a 299 you saaayyy??'

    https://twitter.com/dailymailuk/status/641984240989675522
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    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633

    I'm partaking in a YouGov survey.

    They are asking me who I admire the most, Cameron or Thatcher.

    How many Indyrefs did Maggie win ?
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    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,821
    edited September 2015
    AndyJS said:

    SeanT said:

    Just been having a debate on Twitter with an intelligent europhile who hadn't worked out why mass Syrian/3rd World migration into Sweden/Germany was a problem for his side in the euroref.

    He hadn't worked out that Free Movement means they can come here, in time.

    If that's the calibre of europhile thinking the INNERS have a big problem.

    This seems to be one of those occasions where the more "intelligent" someone apparently is the more stupid they are when it comes to noticing the obvious.
    Intelligence does not equal being correct or more likely to reach the right conclusion, only that you have a very good innate ability to learn. But that doesn't mean it's consistently exercised.

    In Sweden, before the war, the educated elites though euthanasia was a jolly good thing.

    Intelligent people tend to think they have no prejudices when, in fact, they do, it's just they are more sophisticated in their explanation of those so they end up both sounding like they are rationalised positions and, through that, convincing themselves that they are too.
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    I think Mike will be really disappointed if Labour don't elect Burnham

    He rates Burnham as highly as a I rate Mark Reckless.

    The thread headers during the Burnham leadership would have been fun.
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    PaulyPauly Posts: 897
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_general_election,_2018#Poll_results

    Sweden democrats now ahead in a second poll - hopefully now they'll stop criticising useless foreign polling companies. Roll on the eurosceptics...
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    RobDRobD Posts: 59,029
    edited September 2015
    isam said:

    David Cameron's "Play your cards wrong" ... Next years tally? 'Higher than a 299 you saaayyy??'

    https://twitter.com/dailymailuk/status/641984240989675522

    If they are dressed like that, and driving around in cars like that, I am not surprised that they were arrested. ;)
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    TGOHF said:

    I'm partaking in a YouGov survey.

    They are asking me who I admire the most, Cameron or Thatcher.

    How many Indyrefs did Maggie win ?
    I know. I voted for Thatcher in the end.

    The Tory PM that privatised so many industries and signed the Single European Act got my vote in the end.
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    isamisam Posts: 41,118
    RobD said:

    isam said:

    David Cameron's "Play your cards wrong" ... Next years tally? 'Higher than a 299 you saaayyy??'

    https:.com/dailymailuk/status/641984240989675522

    If they are dressed like that, and driving around in cars like that, I am not surprised that they were arrested. ;)
    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first
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    Burnham drifting on betfair - 15.5 now. Still, at least he kept his dignity during the contest. Oh.
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    SeanT said:

    I have heard the Tory strategy will be use House of Commons privilege and accuse associates of Corbyn of being anti-semites/anti British etc then that will give the media the cover to go medieval on Corbyn
    What's worse, Corbyn will KEEP giving them material. He's 66 years old. He's not going to change his views now. And what's more, he likes virtue signalling. He's a moral narcissist, so he will want to parade his "braver" views, to bask in the adoration of his fellow Trots - and he will be Leader of the Opposition, so he will have ample scope.

    And some of his material will be pretty fecking outrageous, not fit for TV. Jeremy Corbyn: the Roy "Chubby" Brown of left wing politics. Discuss.
    The morning thread will discuss this.

    The only issue is the Tories do it now, or risk Labour removing him, or wait closer to the Genera election?

    The risk in leaving it is that somehow Corbyn becomes popular and can then dismiss the attacks as nothing more than smears. It's a small risk, but it does exist. A departure after eighteen months and yet another leadership contest would surely suit the Tories.

    Smears are not smears if they're true. Particularly if Corbyn is basking in them. If he can be popular while he's doing that then the Tories have lost the argument anyway.

    Probably the bigger risk for the Tories is becoming too fixated on Corbyn and his nutcase associates and failing to make the positive case for their own policies, only to find that Labour neutralise the attacks by dumping Corbyn, putting the Tories behind the game against a fresh new Labour leader (even allowing for there being a fresh new Tory leader too).
    Very good point. The Tories sailed dangerously close to the wind with Miliband on that in the last parliament, IMHO.
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    RobDRobD Posts: 59,029
    isam said:

    RobD said:

    isam said:

    David Cameron's "Play your cards wrong" ... Next years tally? 'Higher than a 299 you saaayyy??'

    https:.com/dailymailuk/status/641984240989675522

    If they are dressed like that, and driving around in cars like that, I am not surprised that they were arrested. ;)
    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first
    Very good...! :D
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    Burnham drifting on betfair - 15.5 now. Still, at least he kept his dignity during the contest. Oh.

    I've come up with a very good insult about Burnham to be used tomorrow night.
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    Burnham drifting on betfair - 15.5 now. Still, at least he kept his dignity during the contest. Oh.

    Ha! Snorted a bit of coffee at that.

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    AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited September 2015

    AndyJS said:

    SeanT said:

    Just been having a debate on Twitter with an intelligent europhile who hadn't worked out why mass Syrian/3rd World migration into Sweden/Germany was a problem for his side in the euroref.

    He hadn't worked out that Free Movement means they can come here, in time.

    If that's the calibre of europhile thinking the INNERS have a big problem.

    This seems to be one of those occasions where the more "intelligent" someone apparently is the more stupid they are when it comes to noticing the obvious.
    Intelligence does not equal being correct or more likely to reach the right conclusion, only that you have a very good innate ability to learn. But that doesn't mean it's consistently exercised.

    In Sweden, before the war, the educated elites though euthanasia was a jolly good thing.

    Intelligent people tend to think they have no prejudices when, in fact, they do, it's just they are more sophisticated in their explanation of those so they end up both sounding like they are rationalised positions and, through that, convincing themselves that they are too.
    Remember the poll which showed 29% wanted to allow zero Syrian refugees into the country and which Newsnight and Channel 4 News found so objectionable? Well actually those 29% know perfectly well that if the official target was zero the reality would be tens of thousands at least, because that's how the real world works. There's always a substantial gap between the official target and what actually happens. Ordinary people are smart enough to realise that, others not so.
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    Pauly said:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_general_election,_2018#Poll_results

    Sweden democrats now ahead in a second poll - hopefully now they'll stop criticising useless foreign polling companies. Roll on the eurosceptics...

    And that's before the 3% shy rightwinger correction ;-)
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    taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first

    Do you think the Syria/immigration crisis will perk up UKIP's electoral fortunes?
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    I expect Corbyn to be humiliated and forced to resign with 3-4 months
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    JEOJEO Posts: 3,656

    SeanT said:

    I have heard the Tory strategy will be use House of Commons privilege and accuse associates of Corbyn of being anti-semites/anti British etc then that will give the media the cover to go medieval on Corbyn
    What's worse, Corbyn will KEEP giving them material. He's 66 years old. He's not going to change his views now. And what's more, he likes virtue signalling. He's a moral narcissist, so he will want to parade his "braver" views, to bask in the adoration of his fellow Trots - and he will be Leader of the Opposition, so he will have ample scope.

    And some of his material will be pretty fecking outrageous, not fit for TV. Jeremy Corbyn: the Roy "Chubby" Brown of left wing politics. Discuss.
    The morning thread will discuss this.

    The only issue is the Tories do it now, or risk Labour removing him, or wait closer to the Genera election?

    The risk in leaving it is that somehow Corbyn becomes popular and can then dismiss the attacks as nothing more than smears. It's a small risk, but it does exist. A departure after eighteen months and yet another leadership contest would surely suit the Tories.

    I disagree. Another leadership contest in 2021 filled with recriminations would be best for the Tories.

    Their tactic should be to launch a flurry of criticism now, so that he is quickly defined in the UK public's mind but too soon to be replaced, let him recover a bit in the polls so that he stays, and then leave off until late 2018.
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    isamisam Posts: 41,118
    RobD said:

    isam said:

    RobD said:

    isam said:

    David Cameron's "Play your cards wrong" ... Next years tally? 'Higher than a 299 you saaayyy??'

    https:.com/dailymailuk/status/641984240989675522

    If they are dressed like that, and driving around in cars like that, I am not surprised that they were arrested. ;)
    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first
    Very good...! :D
    I thank yow :)
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    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    YC is going to pip JC - I tells ya.

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    Good afternoon all.

    I have to confess that I was feeling a bit delicate this morning, after yesterday's distillery visit.

    I recommend the Auchentoshan 21 year old. In fact, I recommend all of their output!

    I like Glenclinchie from Edinburgh. Just a couple of drops of water with it.
    Glenkinchie.
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,193
    edited September 2015

    I think Mike will be really disappointed if Labour don't elect Burnham

    He rates Burnham as highly as a I rate Mark Reckless.

    The thread headers during the Burnham leadership would have been fun.

    Mike's inadvertent Mr T impression "The man is fool!" was great fun.
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    TGOHF said:

    YC is going to pip JC - I tells ya.

    And the thread after she wins will be entitled "Will the country elect as PM someone who has in all likelihood felated Ed Balls?"
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    I heard that Baghdad has accepted Germany's kind offer of citizenship and the population are on their way. May be far fetched but what on earth has Merkel done and at what point will she be forced to retract and how can she retract.
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    isamisam Posts: 41,118
    taffys said:

    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first

    Do you think the Syria/immigration crisis will perk up UKIP's electoral fortunes?

    Wouldn't have thought so in the little by elections... No one bothers voting in them Except die hards do they? I'd have thought a Westminster by election would see them doing well though
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    MattWMattW Posts: 18,918

    AndyJS said:

    SeanT said:

    Just been having a debate on Twitter with an intelligent europhile who hadn't worked out why mass Syrian/3rd World migration into Sweden/Germany was a problem for his side in the euroref.

    He hadn't worked out that Free Movement means they can come here, in time.

    If that's the calibre of europhile thinking the INNERS have a big problem.

    This seems to be one of those occasions where the more "intelligent" someone apparently is the more stupid they are when it comes to noticing the obvious.
    Intelligence does not equal being correct or more likely to reach the right conclusion, only that you have a very good innate ability to learn. But that doesn't mean it's consistently exercised.

    In Sweden, before the war, the educated elites though euthanasia was a jolly good thing.

    Intelligent people tend to think they have no prejudices when, in fact, they do, it's just they are more sophisticated in their explanation of those so they end up both sounding like they are rationalised positions and, through that, convincing themselves that they are too.
    As did the Fabians ...
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    JEOJEO Posts: 3,656

    I heard that Baghdad has accepted Germany's kind offer of citizenship and the population are on their way. May be far fetched but what on earth has Merkel done and at what point will she be forced to retract and how can she retract.

    By the point she will retract there will be several million on the ground in Europe. It would take a level of mobilisation equivalent to the D-Day landings to send even half of them back.
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    RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737
    isam said:

    taffys said:

    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first

    Do you think the Syria/immigration crisis will perk up UKIP's electoral fortunes?

    Wouldn't have thought so in the little by elections... No one bothers voting in them Except die hards do they? I'd have thought a Westminster by election would see them doing well though
    Looks like 2015 will join 1992 and 1998 as the only years in history without a by-election...
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    taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    ''I'd have thought a Westminster by election would see them doing well though.''

    Especially when Corbs rolls out his immigration policy, I guess.
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    isam said:

    taffys said:

    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first

    Do you think the Syria/immigration crisis will perk up UKIP's electoral fortunes?

    Wouldn't have thought so in the little by elections... No one bothers voting in them Except die hards do they? I'd have thought a Westminster by election would see them doing well though
    Ideal if it was a northern by election
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    TGOHF said:

    YC is going to pip JC - I tells ya.

    And the thread after she wins will be entitled "Will the country elect as PM someone who has in all likelihood felated Ed Balls?"
    Why do you do this?!?
    Mind Bleach!

    That's going to stick with me for days now.

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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    RobD said:

    isam said:

    David Cameron's "Play your cards wrong" ... Next years tally? 'Higher than a 299 you saaayyy??'

    https://twitter.com/dailymailuk/status/641984240989675522

    If they are dressed like that, and driving around in cars like that, I am not surprised that they were arrested. ;)
    Even the SYP should be able to spot something fishy. And then immediately arrest all their victims...
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    JEO said:

    I heard that Baghdad has accepted Germany's kind offer of citizenship and the population are on their way. May be far fetched but what on earth has Merkel done and at what point will she be forced to retract and how can she retract.

    By the point she will retract there will be several million on the ground in Europe. It would take a level of mobilisation equivalent to the D-Day landings to send even half of them back.
    And if they still keep coming
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    TGOHF said:

    YC is going to pip JC - I tells ya.

    Yes. I can't see how it could possibly be allowed to be otherwise. So far as our establishment/security services go, Corbyn has got 'security risk' written all over him. There is absolutely no way he will be allowed to be a potential PM.

    Sadly as I see it.
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    TGOHF said:

    YC is going to pip JC - I tells ya.

    And the thread after she wins will be entitled "Will the country elect as PM someone who has in all likelihood felated Ed Balls?"
    Why do you do this?!?
    Mind Bleach!

    That's going to stick with me for days now.

    I'll use this picture in the thread and well you can imagine the rest

    http://thebackbencher.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/ed-balls.jpg
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    Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 49,629
    edited September 2015
    Good morning. In less than 48 hours, Left-wing activists from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest political battle in the history of mankind. Mankind - that word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests.

    Perhaps its fate that day is the 12th of Septmber, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom, not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution - but from Austerity. We're fighting for our right to live, to exist.

    And should we win the day, the 12th of September will no longer be known as a Labour Party holiday, but as the day when the world declared in one voice:

    "We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on! We're going to survive!"

    The day, we celebrate our Independence Day!

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    Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    NFL starts tonight - Steelers at Patriots. Tom Brady in search of redemption and they unveil their Super Bowl banner. NFL Sunday Ticket starts this weekend, with the amazing Red Zone Channel. America's Team host the Giants on the NBC Sunday Night game.

    The unwatchable exhibition games are finally over! I can't wait!

    I still have not visited Jerry World, something I need to rectify soon.

    Carrie Underwood is back with the theme song....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdS5vkADA0I
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    watford30watford30 Posts: 3,474
    edited September 2015

    I heard that Baghdad has accepted Germany's kind offer of citizenship and the population are on their way. May be far fetched but what on earth has Merkel done and at what point will she be forced to retract and how can she retract.

    Well, that depends how many have already upped sticks and are on their way.

    1 million? 10 million?

    'Ach, but you kant come here, I only zaid 800,000'

    Merkel's probably made one of the worst decisions and announcements by a European politician, ever.
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    AndyJS said:

    AndyJS said:

    SeanT said:

    Just been having a debate on Twitter with an intelligent europhile who hadn't worked out why mass Syrian/3rd World migration into Sweden/Germany was a problem for his side in the euroref.

    He hadn't worked out that Free Movement means they can come here, in time.

    If that's the calibre of europhile thinking the INNERS have a big problem.

    This seems to be one of those occasions where the more "intelligent" someone apparently is the more stupid they are when it comes to noticing the obvious.
    Intelligence does not equal being correct or more likely to reach the right conclusion, only that you have a very good innate ability to learn. But that doesn't mean it's consistently exercised.

    In Sweden, before the war, the educated elites though euthanasia was a jolly good thing.

    Intelligent people tend to think they have no prejudices when, in fact, they do, it's just they are more sophisticated in their explanation of those so they end up both sounding like they are rationalised positions and, through that, convincing themselves that they are too.
    Remember the poll which showed 29% wanted to allow zero Syrian refugees into the country and which Newsnight and Channel 4 News found so objectionable? Well actually those 29% know perfectly well that if the official target was zero the reality would be tens of thousands at least, because that's how the real world works. There's always a substantial gap between the official target and what actually happens. Ordinary people are smart enough to realise that, others not so.
    What links 'ordinary' and intelligent people together, if it's not too patronising to put it that way, is social proof.

    Intelligence people tend to hang around with other intelligent people and will tend to socially prove themselves for social acceptance within their own peer group, with its attitudes and perspectives, and against others. It usually ends in brandishing 'ordinary' people as bigoted, or stupid.

    It's human nature.
  • Options
    stodgestodge Posts: 12,932
    Afternoon all :)

    I wonder if it was as much as £10 that caused Abbott's odds to shorten. Sometimes people need to remember just how little money is bet on politics in this country compared to racing, football or even the forthcoming Rugby World Cup.

    I don't have a dog in the Labour leadership race either - I've got better things to spend £3 on. I will be fascinated to see how Corbyn reacts to victory - if memory serves, Michael Foot had stood against Callaghan after Wilson's resignation so the expectation wasn't perhaps the same.

    The process has been shambolic and the degree to which that weakens the legitimacy of any successful candidate will depend on the margin of victory. I've talked about Corbyn before - I believe his weakness will be the inability to adapt to the quickfire, media driven atmosphere of modern politics.

    The direction of Labour between now and 2020 is harder to fathom - the evolution of more combative and distinctive policies seems likely and it may be that audacity and credibility will become strange bedfellows in Labour going forward. None of that is unreasonable - parties should think the unthinkable. After all, no one thought much of monetarism or privatisation in Conservative ranks for many years as the Party was wedded to Butskellism.

    The Conservatives, as this week has shown, have problems of their own on a number of issues and the inevitable midterm dip (or slump) in popularity may give Labour a boost and as I opined this morning, given we are barely four months into a sixty month electoral cycle, attempting to define the look of the world in 2019-20 now is a thankless task indeed.

  • Options
    RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737
    isam said:
    I thought the Purdey haircut went out in 1978...
  • Options
    RodCrosby said:

    isam said:

    taffys said:

    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first

    Do you think the Syria/immigration crisis will perk up UKIP's electoral fortunes?

    Wouldn't have thought so in the little by elections... No one bothers voting in them Except die hards do they? I'd have thought a Westminster by election would see them doing well though
    Looks like 2015 will join 1992 and 1998 as the only years in history without a by-election...
    Still over three months to go...
  • Options
    taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    ''I've talked about Corbyn before - I believe his weakness will be the inability to adapt to the quickfire, media driven atmosphere of modern politics.''

    B8llocks. Corbyns beliefs and policies are his weakness.
  • Options
    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633

    TGOHF said:

    YC is going to pip JC - I tells ya.

    Yes. I can't see how it could possibly be allowed to be otherwise. So far as our establishment/security services go, Corbyn has got 'security risk' written all over him. There is absolutely no way he will be allowed to be a potential PM.

    Sadly as I see it.
    Tin foiled again !
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    watford30 said:

    I heard that Baghdad has accepted Germany's kind offer of citizenship and the population are on their way. May be far fetched but what on earth has Merkel done and at what point will she be forced to retract and how can she retract.

    Well, that depends how many have already upped sticks and are on their way.

    1 million? 10 million?

    'Ach, but you kant come here, I only zaid 800,000'

    Merkel's probably made one of the worst decisions and announcements by a European politician, ever.
    And to announce it without agreement with the EU demonstrates an arrogance that is undemocratic and shows all that is wrong in the EU
  • Options
    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    TGOHF said:

    YC is going to pip JC - I tells ya.

    And the thread after she wins will be entitled "Will the country elect as PM someone who has in all likelihood felated Ed Balls?"
    Why do you do this?!?
    Mind Bleach!

    That's going to stick with me for days now.

    Did you say sticky...

    :naughty:
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    JEO said:

    Another absolutely brainless decision from the EU - commuting will count as work for the working time directive.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34210002

    So if you work too long, simply move further away and you can replace hours of work with time sleeping on the train .

    Sleeping? I just look out for junctions, stations, the odd disused station - even a bit of trainspotting!
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 59,029

    RodCrosby said:

    isam said:

    taffys said:

    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first

    Do you think the Syria/immigration crisis will perk up UKIP's electoral fortunes?

    Wouldn't have thought so in the little by elections... No one bothers voting in them Except die hards do they? I'd have thought a Westminster by election would see them doing well though
    Looks like 2015 will join 1992 and 1998 as the only years in history without a by-election...
    Still over three months to go...
    Well, the writ has to be moved. So the window is smaller.
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    Danny565Danny565 Posts: 8,091



    Probably the bigger risk for the Tories is becoming too fixated on Corbyn and his nutcase associates and failing to make the positive case for their own policies, only to find that Labour neutralise the attacks by dumping Corbyn, putting the Tories behind the game against a fresh new Labour leader (even allowing for there being a fresh new Tory leader too).

    Clive Lewis will swoop in and take over from Corbyn about a year before the election. He's a lefty economically and also a bit "doveish" on foreign policy, but has (a) served in the Army so it would literally be impossible for the Tories to paint him as "anti-British", and (b) is more charismatic than Corbyn.
  • Options
    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,193

    RodCrosby said:

    isam said:

    taffys said:

    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first

    Do you think the Syria/immigration crisis will perk up UKIP's electoral fortunes?

    Wouldn't have thought so in the little by elections... No one bothers voting in them Except die hards do they? I'd have thought a Westminster by election would see them doing well though
    Looks like 2015 will join 1992 and 1998 as the only years in history without a by-election...
    Still over three months to go...
    We could still have 100+ by-election this year - if enough Labour MP's resign in disgust at LOTO Corbyn....
  • Options
    "B8llocks. Corbyns beliefs and policies are his weakness."

    If people voted on policy then Labour would have won in May (majorities agreed with most of their flagship policies). They didn't because they didn't seem fit to govern and Ed Miliband wasn't prime minister-like.
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    AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    RodCrosby said:

    isam said:

    taffys said:

    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first

    Do you think the Syria/immigration crisis will perk up UKIP's electoral fortunes?

    Wouldn't have thought so in the little by elections... No one bothers voting in them Except die hards do they? I'd have thought a Westminster by election would see them doing well though
    Looks like 2015 will join 1992 and 1998 as the only years in history without a by-election...
    No by-election in Barrow & Furness?
  • Options
    O/T From this weeks Popbitch:
    Every day, the BBC updates its
    Papers Review blog – a page which
    includes a picture of the front
    page of each of the UK's major
    national newspapers.

    But someone ought to be a bit
    more careful where they source
    these pictures from. The images
    are accurate, but the filenames
    can sometimes be a little...
    well, let's say injudicious.

    This week saw these filenames
    appear. See if you can guess
    which is which:

    ...thescumfrontpage050915(1).jpg
    ...torygraf.jpg
    ...heil.jpg
    ...getsworse.jpg
    ...durt.jpg
    ...moron.jpg
    ...stahhhhh.jpg
  • Options

    @MSmithsonPB: So I didn't after all get a LAB leadership vote. I want my £3 back.

    "Those Labour Leadership candidates you sold me, they won't mate. They just walk around, pontificating, and not mating. You sold me... queer candidates. I want my £3 back."

  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 41,118
    watford30 said:

    I heard that Baghdad has accepted Germany's kind offer of citizenship and the population are on their way. May be far fetched but what on earth has Merkel done and at what point will she be forced to retract and how can she retract.

    Well, that depends how many have already upped sticks and are on their way.

    1 million? 10 million?

    'Ach, but you kant come here, I only zaid 800,000'

    Merkel's probably made one of the worst decisions and announcements by a European politician, ever.
    The ultimate self flagellation. A German leader inviting close on a million Asian refugees whose men have fondness for blue eyed blondes into the country
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 59,029
    AndyJS said:

    RodCrosby said:

    isam said:

    taffys said:

    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first

    Do you think the Syria/immigration crisis will perk up UKIP's electoral fortunes?

    Wouldn't have thought so in the little by elections... No one bothers voting in them Except die hards do they? I'd have thought a Westminster by election would see them doing well though
    Looks like 2015 will join 1992 and 1998 as the only years in history without a by-election...
    No by-election in Barrow & Furness?
    Is a vote on Trident due?
  • Options
    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    JSpring said:

    "B8llocks. Corbyns beliefs and policies are his weakness."

    If people voted on policy then Labour would have won in May

    Lord Ashcroft's polling that was released today utterly refutes that claim.
  • Options
    Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    Oh dear - BBC World News talks about the Toronto Film Festival, and it mentions a lesbian love story having a prestigious slot.
  • Options
    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,193
    edited September 2015
    Danny565 said:



    Probably the bigger risk for the Tories is becoming too fixated on Corbyn and his nutcase associates and failing to make the positive case for their own policies, only to find that Labour neutralise the attacks by dumping Corbyn, putting the Tories behind the game against a fresh new Labour leader (even allowing for there being a fresh new Tory leader too).

    Clive Lewis will swoop in and take over from Corbyn about a year before the election. He's a lefty economically and also a bit "doveish" on foreign policy, but has (a) served in the Army so it would literally be impossible for the Tories to paint him as "anti-British", and (b) is more charismatic than Corbyn.
    This Clive Lewis? I think Angela Merkel just killed his chances....

    "“On the record, I’ve questioned our rhetoric on immigration… I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for immigration and the fact that my dad came from the West Indies. Everything this country has done for me I am so grateful for and I’ve made the most of it. I don’t think that should be denied to others who want to come here and contribute to our economy and society”.

    http://www.concrete-online.co.uk/interview-clive-lewis-labour-candidate-for-norwich-south/
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    taffys said:

    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first

    Do you think the Syria/immigration crisis will perk up UKIP's electoral fortunes?

    I had Cooper down as a winner in the Election game based on two main considerations:
    1. Take no notice of the tw*ttersphere, especially with regard to "leftie" issues.
    2. A friend who's a Labour activists says that, when he asks his mates how they're going to vote, JC is markedly less poplar that YC and AB.

    Not very scientific approach, I know, - and almost certainly wrong, it would appear. Oh well, at least I haven't staked any money on the outcome...

    But I have been wondering lately how people see the vote share for other parties being affected if JC is installed as leader? To me, it would look like the Conservatives, Ukip and the LibDems should benefit but maybe the Greens could lose a few votes?
  • Options
    chestnutchestnut Posts: 7,341
    Great line from the Ashcroft paper on Corbyn:

    "Why is he standing? Maybe it's on his bucket list."
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    RobDRobD Posts: 59,029
    What's the betting on a Tory 50% poll in this parliament? One can dream.....
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    stodgestodge Posts: 12,932
    taffys said:

    ''I've talked about Corbyn before - I believe his weakness will be the inability to adapt to the quickfire, media driven atmosphere of modern politics.''

    B8llocks. Corbyns beliefs and policies are his weakness.

    Wrong. We don't know the extent to which Corbyn, as leader, will "allow" his beliefs and policies to become those of the Party. It's perfectly possible that, in order to maintain party unity, he will tack toward some of the elements of the Brown/Miliband era.

    The same will be true for the next Conservative Party leader - he or she will need to accommodate those who did not vote with David Cameron in the EU Referendum as an example.

  • Options
    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633

    O/T From this weeks Popbitch:
    Every day, the BBC updates its
    Papers Review blog – a page which
    includes a picture of the front
    page of each of the UK's major
    national newspapers.

    But someone ought to be a bit
    more careful where they source
    these pictures from. The images
    are accurate, but the filenames
    can sometimes be a little...
    well, let's say injudicious.

    This week saw these filenames
    appear. See if you can guess
    which is which:

    ...thescumfrontpage050915(1).jpg
    ...torygraf.jpg
    ...heil.jpg
    ...getsworse.jpg
    ...durt.jpg
    ...moron.jpg
    ...stahhhhh.jpg

    The BBC has prior form for renaming pic file names reflecting the biases of their employees. I'd bet that the file names were created close to home.
  • Options
    http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2015/09/who-will-win-labours-london-mayoral-nomination-tomorrow

    Executive summary: Tessa or Sadiq will win, not at all clear which.
  • Options
    RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737

    RodCrosby said:

    isam said:

    taffys said:

    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first

    Do you think the Syria/immigration crisis will perk up UKIP's electoral fortunes?

    Wouldn't have thought so in the little by elections... No one bothers voting in them Except die hards do they? I'd have thought a Westminster by election would see them doing well though
    Looks like 2015 will join 1992 and 1998 as the only years in history without a by-election...
    Still over three months to go...
    But realistically about a month for something to "happen" which results in a 2015 by-election...
  • Options
    Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 49,629
    edited September 2015
    RobD said:

    What's the betting on a Tory 50% poll in this parliament? One can dream.....

    "Listen to me. Learn from me. I was not the best because I won elections quickly. I was the best because the Selectorate loved me. Win the Selectorate, and you will win your freedom."
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,193
    RobD said:

    What's the betting on a Tory 50% poll in this parliament? One can dream.....

    If it is properly weighted for certainty to vote, it could be 60%....
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 41,118
    RobD said:

    What's the betting on a Tory 50% poll in this parliament? One can dream.....

    2/7 no 5/2 yes?
  • Options
    taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    edited September 2015
    ''They didn't because they didn't seem fit to govern and Ed Miliband wasn't prime minister-like. ''

    ROFL. Yeh right, if it wasn;t for those short attention span f8ckwit voters, labour would have won...

    You were right all along...
  • Options
    SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    edited September 2015
    2016 Alert:

    2nd poll today showing Trump's going up even more and 3rd poll that shows him beating Hillary.

    http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/polls/emerson-college-polling-society-22699

    Coupled with Hillary losing to Sanders in Iowa and New Hampshire in the polls, keep an eye on November 27th, the filing deadline to participate in the N.H. primary, in fact 15 states have filing deadlines before the end of the year, so Biden will have to make a decision by then.

    http://ballotpedia.org/Important_dates_in_the_2016_presidential_race
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    Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 49,629
    edited September 2015
    RodCrosby said:

    RodCrosby said:

    isam said:

    taffys said:

    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first

    Do you think the Syria/immigration crisis will perk up UKIP's electoral fortunes?

    Wouldn't have thought so in the little by elections... No one bothers voting in them Except die hards do they? I'd have thought a Westminster by election would see them doing well though
    Looks like 2015 will join 1992 and 1998 as the only years in history without a by-election...
    Still over three months to go...
    But realistically about a month for something to "happen" which results in a 2015 by-election...
    According to Wiki:

    Longest period without a by-election[edit]

    All periods of over a year between by-elections are listed:
    20 November 1997 - 10 June 1999: 567 days
    7 November 1991 - 6 May 1993: 546 days
    12 March 1987 - 14 July 1988: 489 days
    14 February 2002 - 18 June 2003: 489 days
    12 November 2009 - 13 January 2011: 427 days
    23 May 1974 - 26 June 1975: 399 days
    18 June 2003 - 15 July 2004: 393 days
    29 June 2006 - 19 July 2007: 385 days

    1992, 1998 and 2010 are the only calendar years in history without a single by-election. Since 1992 and 2010 were nonetheless general election years, 1998 stands as the only year in British history without any parliamentary election.
  • Options
    TheWhiteRabbitTheWhiteRabbit Posts: 12,388
    edited September 2015

    As I understand it (though I could be wrong) it means that if you work, say, as a British Gas engineer from home your working day begins when you leave home to drive to your first appointment, rather than when you arrive, as it was British Gas that made the appointment and arranged the allocated time-slot, and you travel there as a representative of British Gas. A commute is different as that is you just going to work.

    Yes, that seems to be what the court is saying, and I can't see how one could argue against it. It is, after all, completely consistent with the treatment of travel expenses and IIRC also with the health & safety responsibility of the employer.
    It's a perfectly sensible decision. It only affects those without a fixed place of work.

    I know care workers who provide support where they spend a large chunk of their time travelling to customers' (clients' ?) homes. And yet they're only on the system for the 30 mns they spend there.

    It will also allow progress on employers who abuse the "place of work" provisions in different ways, such as rotating it, which was being obscured by this issue.
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    SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    TGOHF said:

    JSpring said:

    "B8llocks. Corbyns beliefs and policies are his weakness."

    If people voted on policy then Labour would have won in May

    Lord Ashcroft's polling that was released today utterly refutes that claim.
    It's a LordA poll, so it goes straight to the bin.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,258
    edited September 2015
    MattW said:

    JEO said:

    Another absolutely brainless decision from the EU - commuting will count as work for the working time directive.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34210002

    So if you work too long, simply move further away and you can replace hours of work with time sleeping on the train .

    In some jobs, e.g. rail work, time spent travelling to work is counted as 'work time' for the purposes of working hours. There have been incidents and near-misses where people have worked over their allotted hours when you count travel.

    For safety-related jobs, it's a good idea. For everything else, no.
    Does that mean that contracts can stipulate how close you live?

    Or that asking the question becomes illegal in interviews?
    I've wondered about that in the past, but I'm not in that industry. I think it means the employer has to factor in time to get to the workplace. From what I've read, the regulations stipulate a certain maximum time - say twelve hours - and the shift patterns are somewhat less - say ten hours, to account for this.

    In the case of train drivers who can start or end a shift in a different town from their home, that can mean the railway company puts them up in hotels (or there used to be railway-run hostels, I've no idea if they've gone with privatisation).

    Note IANAE, but I believe the above is about right.

    Edit: or maybe not: see appendix B of http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/2867/managing_rail_fatigue.pdf
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 59,029

    RodCrosby said:

    RodCrosby said:

    isam said:

    taffys said:

    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first

    Do you think the Syria/immigration crisis will perk up UKIP's electoral fortunes?

    Wouldn't have thought so in the little by elections... No one bothers voting in them Except die hards do they? I'd have thought a Westminster by election would see them doing well though
    Looks like 2015 will join 1992 and 1998 as the only years in history without a by-election...
    Still over three months to go...
    But realistically about a month for something to "happen" which results in a 2015 by-election...
    According to Wiki:

    Longest period without a by-election[edit]

    All periods of over a year between by-elections are listed:
    20 November 1997 - 10 June 1999: 567 days
    7 November 1991 - 6 May 1993: 546 days
    12 March 1987 - 14 July 1988: 489 days
    14 February 2002 - 18 June 2003: 489 days
    12 November 2009 - 13 January 2011: 427 days
    23 May 1974 - 26 June 1975: 399 days
    18 June 2003 - 15 July 2004: 393 days
    29 June 2006 - 19 July 2007: 385 days

    1992, 1998 and 2010 are the only calendar years in history without a single by-election. Since 1992 and 2010 were nonetheless general election years, 1998 stands as the only year in British history without any parliamentary election.
    And it was just before House of Lords by elections too! Wonder if those would have counted.
  • Options
    RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737

    RodCrosby said:

    RodCrosby said:

    isam said:

    taffys said:

    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first

    Do you think the Syria/immigration crisis will perk up UKIP's electoral fortunes?

    Wouldn't have thought so in the little by elections... No one bothers voting in them Except die hards do they? I'd have thought a Westminster by election would see them doing well though
    Looks like 2015 will join 1992 and 1998 as the only years in history without a by-election...
    Still over three months to go...
    But realistically about a month for something to "happen" which results in a 2015 by-election...
    According to Wiki:

    Longest period without a by-election[edit]

    All periods of over a year between by-elections are listed:
    20 November 1997 - 10 June 1999: 567 days
    7 November 1991 - 6 May 1993: 546 days
    12 March 1987 - 14 July 1988: 489 days
    14 February 2002 - 18 June 2003: 489 days
    12 November 2009 - 13 January 2011: 427 days
    23 May 1974 - 26 June 1975: 399 days
    18 June 2003 - 15 July 2004: 393 days
    29 June 2006 - 19 July 2007: 385 days

    1992, 1998 and 2010 are the only calendar years in history without a single by-election. Since 1992 and 2010 were nonetheless general election years, 1998 stands as the only year in British history without any parliamentary election.
    I wrote most of that myself, and forgot about 2010!
    Must be brain-softening...
  • Options
    PaulyPauly Posts: 897
    NI Collapse, elections imminent? Please give the uninformed masses the thread we don't know we want. :D
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    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    Peter Robinson resigns.
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    taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    ''It's perfectly possible that, in order to maintain party unity, he will tack toward some of the elements of the Brown/Miliband era.''

    If you are correct then that will be a huge disappointment to those who are backing him. But as you say, we will see.
  • Options
    GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071
    watford30 said:

    I heard that Baghdad has accepted Germany's kind offer of citizenship and the population are on their way. May be far fetched but what on earth has Merkel done and at what point will she be forced to retract and how can she retract.

    Well, that depends how many have already upped sticks and are on their way.

    1 million? 10 million?

    'Ach, but you kant come here, I only zaid 800,000'

    Merkel's probably made one of the worst decisions and announcements by a European politician, ever.
    I think "Let's split Poland between us; nobody will do anything about it" is also a contender.

    Also by a German as it happens. Arrogance is a feature, not a bug.

  • Options
    Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 49,629
    edited September 2015
    RodCrosby said:

    RodCrosby said:

    RodCrosby said:

    isam said:

    taffys said:

    I thought that was a photo of a Danish motorway at first

    Do you think the Syria/immigration crisis will perk up UKIP's electoral fortunes?

    Wouldn't have thought so in the little by elections... No one bothers voting in them Except die hards do they? I'd have thought a Westminster by election would see them doing well though
    Looks like 2015 will join 1992 and 1998 as the only years in history without a by-election...
    Still over three months to go...
    But realistically about a month for something to "happen" which results in a 2015 by-election...
    According to Wiki:

    Longest period without a by-election[edit]

    All periods of over a year between by-elections are listed:
    20 November 1997 - 10 June 1999: 567 days
    7 November 1991 - 6 May 1993: 546 days
    12 March 1987 - 14 July 1988: 489 days
    14 February 2002 - 18 June 2003: 489 days
    12 November 2009 - 13 January 2011: 427 days
    23 May 1974 - 26 June 1975: 399 days
    18 June 2003 - 15 July 2004: 393 days
    29 June 2006 - 19 July 2007: 385 days

    1992, 1998 and 2010 are the only calendar years in history without a single by-election. Since 1992 and 2010 were nonetheless general election years, 1998 stands as the only year in British history without any parliamentary election.
    I wrote most of that myself, and forgot about 2010!
    Must be brain-softening...
    Figures from the House of Commons Library show that between 1979 and [2011], the average time between an MP's death and the subsequent by-election - or general election in cases where there was no by-election - has been 73 days.

    In Feltham and Heston it was 35 days, making it the third 'quickest' by election in 33 years


    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16214243
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,130
    RobD said:

    What's the betting on a Tory 50% poll in this parliament? One can dream.....

    I have a feeling we'll all be disappointed at how relatively 'normal' polling is, with Tory leads for a bit, Labour then getting decent (but not necessarily high enough for an opposition) leads, which if are not decent enough will lead possibly to an ousting.
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