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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Why GE2020 should NOT be between Osborne and Corbyn

SystemSystem Posts: 12,222
edited December 2015 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Why GE2020 should NOT be between Osborne and Corbyn

Today’s PMQs was without Cameron so it was George Osborne facing Labour’s official deputy Anna Eagle whose performance immediately set off betting speculation about her being Corbyn’s successor.

Read the full story here


«13

Comments

  • DiversityIsOurGodNowDiversityIsOurGodNow Posts: 65
    First!
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,986
    It's a lot easier to say who the Conservative leader shouldn't be than who it should.

    Hammond - boring
    May - too right
    Osborne - disliked
    Boris - too daft
    Justine Greening/Priti Patel - commanding, authoritative, charming, engaging
  • TCPoliticalBettingTCPoliticalBetting Posts: 10,819
    I agree with OGH.
  • madasafishmadasafish Posts: 659
    TCPoliticalBetting said:

    I agree with OGH.

    +1
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,300
    Eagle might have made jokes, but William Hague didn't exactly get the better of Tony Blair. She wasn't really much good, though the warmth of her welcome says something about Corbyn's leadership failings.
  • TCPoliticalBettingTCPoliticalBetting Posts: 10,819
    Morris_Dancer said:

    It's a lot easier to say who the Conservative leader shouldn't be than who it should.

    Hammond - boring
    May - too right
    Osborne - disliked
    Boris - too daft
    Justine Greening/Priti Patel - commanding, authoritative, charming, engaging

    May is not too right wing but I agree with your other views.

    She is closer to Cameron on social policies and "modernisation". Not entirely my favourite but she is a very competent Director, capable of being the CEO. Better than Osborne.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 54,041
    FPT (but more relevant here)


    TCPoliticalBetting said:


    I agree. Eagle was better than Osborne.
    http://order-order.com/2015/12/09/pmqs-sketch-osborne-red-faced-and-shouty-v-rock-rock-star-angela/

    I said:

    Simon Carr is wasted on Guido. The best political sketch writer by a distance. Funny but always aware of the underlying movement.

    I don't think Osbo did his leadership prospects a huge amount of good today and this article points that out deftly. It also points out there was a very good chance to make Corbyn look really foolish with Eagles' help. Referring to having a letter from Donald in Brussels shows she was well up for that.
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,175
    edited December 2015
    The comments in the header tell you way more about the prejudices of the author than anything about Osborne. I saw no arrogance or sneering- Eagle reprised her leader of the house performances - good but she stood out for not being Corbyn. Osborne may well not end up as leader but we could do without these snap judgements on the basis of one outing.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,986
    Point of order: flag-carriers or standard-bearers aren't the same as commanders-in-chief.

    :p

    Reminds me of a leader's most loyal lieutenants being referred to as the Praetorian Guard. One can only guess journalists don't read much history, given the Praetorian Guard probably killed more emperors than they saved.
  • Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,822
    I wonder if Hammond is too boring? And if he is, how much does it matter?

  • TCPoliticalBettingTCPoliticalBetting Posts: 10,819
    felix said:

    The comments in the header tell you way more about the prejudices of the author than anything about Osborne.

    You are just wrong. Osborne's polling is usually way below Cameron. He is also piling up resentment within his fellow Ministers and MPs.
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 39,672
    It's a shame for Osborne that he cannot get the sneer out of his voice. It seems that all the really compelling and talented Tories - Cameron aside - have presentation problems. But any of them would beat Corbyn.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,986
    Mr. Betting, Osborne's position might be compared to Antigonus Monopthalmus. The latter became so powerful that self-interest forced his inferior rivals (Ptolemy, Cassander, Seleucus and Lysimachus) to join together. In the end, Antigonus was killed by a coalition army at Ipsus.
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 39,672
    Richard_Nabavi said:

    I wonder if Hammond is too boring? And if he is, how much does it matter?

    He is part of the solid group of ministers, along with the likes of May and Fallon. Dependable but not inspiring. Good for an emergency, but maybe not so good to inspire.

  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 54,041
    TCPoliticalBetting said:

    felix said:

    The comments in the header tell you way more about the prejudices of the author than anything about Osborne.

    You are just wrong. Osborne's polling is usually way below Cameron. He is also piling up resentment within his fellow Ministers and MPs.
    I think the bigger point is that Osborne just seems to generate a visceral dislike that Cameron (other than on the fringes of UKIP) never has.

    It is a problem for him. If he wants to be leader he is going to have to soften his image considerably. He seems to have been trying this somewhat but his instincts are combative and all too often he can't help himself.

    He should read Simon Carr and reflect.
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,175
    TCPoliticalBetting said:

    felix said:

    The comments in the header tell you way more about the prejudices of the author than anything about Osborne.

    You are just wrong. Osborne's polling is usually way below Cameron. He is also piling up resentment within his fellow Ministers and MPs.
    Thank you for your opinion - I might suggest where you can file it - but I'll refrain.
  • HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098
    TCPoliticalBetting said:

    Morris_Dancer said:

    It's a lot easier to say who the Conservative leader shouldn't be than who it should.

    Hammond - boring
    May - too right
    Osborne - disliked
    Boris - too daft
    Justine Greening/Priti Patel - commanding, authoritative, charming, engaging

    May is not too right wing but I agree with your other views.

    She is closer to Cameron on social policies and "modernisation". Not entirely my favourite but she is a very competent Director, capable of being the CEO. Better than Osborne.
    No, Mr. Betting, May is too old and has too much baggage (where did the term "nasty party" come from). As for Mr. Dancer's suggestions; well, Greening (for whom I once had high hopes) has been House Trained by the DfID, surely the Conservative Party's least favourite department, and Ms Patel is just too damned hard in this cuddly age.

    The dazzling blue eyes of Liz Truss will I think command the election of Cameron's successor, with Javid cantering in a length and a half behind.
  • Danny565Danny565 Posts: 8,091
    I still don't understand the view that Theresa May is "too right-wing". Obviously Joe Public doesn't have a great deal of understanding of left/right anyway, but in terms of who most closely fits the "nasty party" Tory stereotype, surely most would agree that Osborne is closer to it than May is?

    The main complaints about the Tories are usually that they're too uncompassionate to anyone who isn't rich - it's hardly ever that they're too tough on immigration, and it's never that they're too keen to look at people's internet records (which as far as I can gather are the main things that supposedly make May "right-wing").
  • Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,822
    edited December 2015
    SouthamObserver said:

    He is part of the solid group of ministers, along with the likes of May and Fallon. Dependable but not inspiring. Good for an emergency, but maybe not so good to inspire.

    That's certainly the image, and maybe it's not a bad one for the circumstances of an election which will be framed as Conservative competence & security vs Labour which has lost its marbles.

    It would be very interesting to see Hammond do something like a PMQs. He might surprise people.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,064
    Danny565 said:

    I still don't understand the view that Theresa May is "too right-wing". Obviously Joe Public doesn't have a great deal of understanding of left/right anyway, but in terms of who most closely fits the "nasty party" Tory stereotype, surely most would agree that Osborne is closer to it than May is?

    The main complaints about the Tories are usually that they're too uncompassionate to anyone who isn't rich - it's hardly ever that they're too tough on immigration, and it's never that they're too keen to look at people's internet records (which as far as I can gather are the main things that supposedly make May "right-wing").

    She is way too authoritative.
  • Danny565Danny565 Posts: 8,091
    I quite like Angela Eagle, and she is quite witty, but with the best will in the world I can't see her as leadership material.

    She didn't exactly set the world on fire even in the Mickey Mouse leadership contest a few months ago...
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 54,041
    Richard_Nabavi said:

    I wonder if Hammond is too boring? And if he is, how much does it matter?

    He's pretty dull and, to be honest, hasn't really starred in the way I thought he would at either defence or the FO. PMs in their second term tend to want to be their own FM and Osborne is playing backup on the EU. In Defence he inherited a nightmare and some progress was made but not enough. Losing 4/5 of our top brass would have helped. Fewer admirals than ships etc.

    Osborne is by far the brightest and best of them but the sneer, the sarcasm and the arrogance really need to go. I am not sure he can do it.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,986
    Mr. Max, d'you mean authoritarian?

    Mr. Llama, Conservatives like hard women.
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 39,672
    Richard_Nabavi said:

    SouthamObserver said:

    He is part of the solid group of ministers, along with the likes of May and Fallon. Dependable but not inspiring. Good for an emergency, but maybe not so good to inspire.

    That's certainly the image, and maybe it's not a bad one for the circumstances of an election which will be framed as Conservative competence & security vs Labour which has lost its marbles.

    It would be very interesting to see him Hammond something like a PMQs. He might surprise people.

    It depends on who Labour has in charge. If it is Corbyn it does not matter who the Tories pick, they win another majority. With someone more voter-friendly, it becomes an issue. That's when someone like Hammond might come into play for the reasons you give.
  • KingaKinga Posts: 59
    Must say, I was listening on R5L and it seemed pretty low key all round. Was surprised by the idea that either one "wiped the floor" with the other. The choice of topics was slightly odd, not least the SNP going on the logistics of weapons grade nuclear waste. Not something I really want to be discussed in such a forum.

    However the idea that thirty minutes of parliamentary theatre should decide future leadership prospects is clearly nonsense.

    Still, we're all entitled to an opinion.
  • PongPong Posts: 4,693
    I'm taking a break from PB for a bit.

    If anyone wants to contact me, I can be reached via vanilla message.

    so'long.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,986
    Mr. Pong, see you soon, hopefully.
  • DiversityIsOurGodNowDiversityIsOurGodNow Posts: 65
    According to the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, bacteria which reciprocally exchange amino acids stabilise their partnership on two-dimensional surfaces and limit the access of non-cooperating bacteria to exchanged nutrients. Scientists have shown that bacteria that do not contribute to metabolite production are excluded from the cooperative benefits.

    Maybe these bacteria could teach our government a thing or two.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,172
    edited December 2015
    HurstLlama said:

    TCPoliticalBetting said:

    Morris_Dancer said:

    It's a lot easier to say who the Conservative leader shouldn't be than who it should.

    Hammond - boring
    May - too right
    Osborne - disliked
    Boris - too daft
    Justine Greening/Priti Patel - commanding, authoritative, charming, engaging

    May is not too right wing but I agree with your other views.

    She is closer to Cameron on social policies and "modernisation". Not entirely my favourite but she is a very competent Director, capable of being the CEO. Better than Osborne.
    No, Mr. Betting, May is too old and has too much baggage (where did the term "nasty party" come from). As for Mr. Dancer's suggestions; well, Greening (for whom I once had high hopes) has been House Trained by the DfID, surely the Conservative Party's least favourite department, and Ms Patel is just too damned hard in this cuddly age.

    The dazzling blue eyes of Liz Truss will I think command the election of Cameron's successor, with Javid cantering in a length and a half behind.
    Avast, Mr Llama!

    May said: "Do you know what people call us? The Nasty Party"
  • Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,822
    Pong said:

    I'm taking a break from PB for a bit.

    If anyone wants to contact me, I can be reached via vanilla message.

    so'long.

    Don't forget to let us know if you spot any screaming value!

  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,172
    TCPoliticalBetting said:

    I agree with OGH.

    "OGH has taught you well!"
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 39,672
    Danny565 said:

    I quite like Angela Eagle, and she is quite witty, but with the best will in the world I can't see her as leadership material.

    She didn't exactly set the world on fire even in the Mickey Mouse leadership contest a few months ago...

    Given Labour has had EdM and then JC, Eagle or anyone else for that matter has a very, very low bar to navigate.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 19,994
    edited December 2015
    Interesting. She's got the thick-set look of Merkel which is a good start. It does seem that anyone who can produce a half decent commons performance is the new Messiah.

    If Corbyn steps aside to become Tracy Emin's Turner prize follow up to 'The Unmade Bed' Eagle has to be in with a shout
  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    One small advantage Labour are getting from their current chaos is the fact that quite a few MPs who otherwise would not have attracted attention are getting the opportunity to show what they can do. Angela Eagle is a good example of an MP who is taking full advantage of that opportunity.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,597
    Roger said:

    It does seem that anyone who can produce a half decent commons performance is the new Messiah.

    Indeed. Who's next, I wonder?
  • SimonStClareSimonStClare Posts: 7,976
    It would appear that anyone in the Labour party that can string a sentence together, demonstrate a sense of humour or refrain from quoting vile dictators, will immediately see the stock rise in the betting markets when compared to Jeremy Corbyn.

    That’s two in as many weeks and I expect there’ll be plenty more to come.
  • TCPoliticalBettingTCPoliticalBetting Posts: 10,819
    Sunil_Prasannan said:

    TCPoliticalBetting said:

    I agree with OGH.

    "OGH has taught you well!"
    No, I call it as I see it.
  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    It was only last week that Tories declared Hilary Benn their favourite MP, now they dumped him for one of the Eagle sisters.
    I wonder whom they are going to declare their love to next week.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 120,016
    kle4 said:

    Roger said:

    It does seem that anyone who can produce a half decent commons performance is the new Messiah.

    Indeed. Who's next, I wonder?
    I tell you who it won't be.

    Andy Burnham. The Jar Jar Binks of politics.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,172
    TCPoliticalBetting said:

    Sunil_Prasannan said:

    TCPoliticalBetting said:

    I agree with OGH.

    "OGH has taught you well!"
    No, I call it as I see it.
    If only you knew the power of the Daft Side!
  • flightpath01flightpath01 Posts: 4,903
    SouthamObserver said:

    Danny565 said:

    I quite like Angela Eagle, and she is quite witty, but with the best will in the world I can't see her as leadership material.

    She didn't exactly set the world on fire even in the Mickey Mouse leadership contest a few months ago...

    Given Labour has had EdM and then JC, Eagle or anyone else for that matter has a very, very low bar to navigate.
    The reality is its been Eagle who has been shouty and pulling scowly faces from the front bench in the past.
    Tories need to give various leadership candidates a free ride and not leave the market open to Hilary. When and if the time comes we need another bun fight from multiple candidates, not a free run for someone to be anointed.
    Before everybody gets carried away,The Guardian pointed out -
    'Old PMQs isn’t so bad after all, is it? Certainly not on the basis of this exchange. That was a bit more like PMQs used to be, before Corbyn smothered it in seriousness, and although it was not particularly enlightening, it was at least jolly. Neither deputy really won, but Eagle was impressive because she managed to needle Osborne quite well while also quoting Tony Blair in a manner that won the approval of Labour MPs.'
    ' Overall, though, he [Osborne] was perfectly competent. But it served as a reminder that doing PMQs is actually much harder than it looks and David Cameron, who has now had 10 years’ practice, is a hard act to follow.'
  • richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    Speedy ... whoever they think will keep Labour in the dog house.... they have a lot of choices..
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 120,016
    On topic they said the same about Thatcher whose voice was said to contain nothing but sneer and condescension.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,597
    TheScreamingEagles said:

    kle4 said:

    Roger said:

    It does seem that anyone who can produce a half decent commons performance is the new Messiah.

    Indeed. Who's next, I wonder?
    I tell you who it won't be.

    Andy Burnham. The Jar Jar Binks of politics.
    That's unfair - Jar Jar was at least supposed to be funny.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,597
    TheScreamingEagles said:

    On topic they said the same about Thatcher whose voice was said to contain nothing but sneer and condescension.

    Did she have 10 years as chancellor to reinforce that perception though, as Osborne is going to?
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 120,016
    kle4 said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    On topic they said the same about Thatcher whose voice was said to contain nothing but sneer and condescension.

    Did she have 10 years as chancellor to reinforce that perception though, as Osborne is going to?
    She had four years as Leader of the Opposition and four years as Education Secretary, where she earned the sobriquet 'Thatcher the milk snatcher'
  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    edited December 2015
    richardDodd said:

    Speedy ... whoever they think will keep Labour in the dog house.... they have a lot of choices..

    Well they have already gone through 2 of the 67 MP's, 65 to go, if they go through one each week they will run out of them by February 2017.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,597
    TheScreamingEagles said:

    kle4 said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    On topic they said the same about Thatcher whose voice was said to contain nothing but sneer and condescension.

    Did she have 10 years as chancellor to reinforce that perception though, as Osborne is going to?
    She had four years as Leader of the Opposition and four years as Education Secretary, where she earned the sobriquet 'Thatcher the milk snatcher'
    I confess I had not recalled she was LoTO for that long.
  • volcanopetevolcanopete Posts: 2,078
    As for Tory leader,history teaches us to avoid the 1st 2 in the market at this stage.I cannot have Boris Johnson at any price.He is far more suited to take over from Brucie as MC for Strictly or even a re-run of the Generation Game,far more the entertainer than the politician.He strikes me as bone idle as well.As for Osborne,the 6-4 is way too short and a lay at the price.He may well think he has it in the bag with the amount of patronage in his gift but he has already dropped 2 major clangers,the 2012 Omnishambles budget and,more recently,the tax credits fiasco.It is entirely possible he may drop a third at any time which could do for him.How anyone could believe he is sort of master strategist confounds me.He also strikes me as a cold fish,short on empathy,and an unattractive character generally.He may also think he has Javid and Gove in the palm of his hand,maybe he has with Javid but I fancy Gove may not be.If he continues with his liberal interventions in the prison service,and saves a lot of money,he is ambitious enough to be a player at 28-1 with WH.His star could be in the ascendancy in 2020.
    Really,by a process of elimination.Theresa May,out to 8-1 now,may still the best option for the party.I see too there has been some money today for David Davis down to 50-1 and Rory Stewart down to 33-1 and there is still time enough for someone to come out of the pack,in the manner Hilary Benn has done for Labour.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 54,041
    TheScreamingEagles said:

    kle4 said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    On topic they said the same about Thatcher whose voice was said to contain nothing but sneer and condescension.

    Did she have 10 years as chancellor to reinforce that perception though, as Osborne is going to?
    She had four years as Leader of the Opposition and four years as Education Secretary, where she earned the sobriquet 'Thatcher the milk snatcher'
    One of her greatest achievements. Drinking that half pint of warm, sour milk was absolute torture.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,844
    If Angela Eagle came across as intelligent, it says an awful lot about how stupid Osborne is. She is not perfectly familiar with some quite basic words, and has the politeness, charm and sophistication of a very spoiled and rather stupid child whose parents have not quite cottoned on to the latter disadvantage. She is also an authoritarian with a belligerent streak and her performance as Minister for Pensions, the highest office she has ever held, was nothing short of disastrous.

    But I can quite believe that she was impressive compared to the Jezziah or Osborne.
  • TCPoliticalBettingTCPoliticalBetting Posts: 10,819
    edited December 2015
    felix said:

    TCPoliticalBetting said:

    felix said:

    The comments in the header tell you way more about the prejudices of the author than anything about Osborne.

    You are just wrong. Osborne's polling is usually way below Cameron. He is also piling up resentment within his fellow Ministers and MPs.
    Thank you for your opinion - I might suggest where you can file it - but I'll refrain.
    Felix, I have filed it with my betting choices. Have you ever worked into a FTSE 100 Board where the FD was also the COO? I have and everything fell apart because they did not have the time to do anything right. Osborne believes that he alone can be the COO, the FD, the PR Director, the major Projects Director, the Contracts/Negotiations Director and the Strategy Director etc etc ..... oooh look here is another announcement and Osborne just has to do it... Arrogant indeed.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,422
    edited December 2015
    Some lucky sod has got matched at 15-1 already on Betfair with Eagle.
  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    volcanopete said:

    As for Tory leader,history teaches us to avoid the 1st 2 in the market at this stage.I cannot have Boris Johnson at any price.He is far more suited to take over from Brucie as MC for Strictly or even a re-run of the Generation Game,far more the entertainer than the politician.He strikes me as bone idle as well.As for Osborne,the 6-4 is way too short and a lay at the price.He may well think he has it in the bag with the amount of patronage in his gift but he has already dropped 2 major clangers,the 2012 Omnishambles budget and,more recently,the tax credits fiasco.It is entirely possible he may drop a third at any time which could do for him.How anyone could believe he is sort of master strategist confounds me.He also strikes me as a cold fish,short on empathy,and an unattractive character generally.He may also think he has Javid and Gove in the palm of his hand,maybe he has with Javid but I fancy Gove may not be.If he continues with his liberal interventions in the prison service,and saves a lot of money,he is ambitious enough to be a player at 28-1 with WH.His star could be in the ascendancy in 2020.
    Really,by a process of elimination.Theresa May,out to 8-1 now,may still the best option for the party.I see too there has been some money today for David Davis down to 50-1 and Rory Stewart down to 33-1 and there is still time enough for someone to come out of the pack,in the manner Hilary Benn has done for Labour.

    To condensate all that in a single line: "It's too early to tell"
  • richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    An Eagle makes a Cawwing noise...yep...that's Angela
  • TykejohnnoTykejohnno Posts: 7,362
    Eagle was excellent you say mike,funny she got caught out a couple of times like the tory back benches not happy Question.

    Osborne could have gone to town on her on just that.
  • TCPoliticalBettingTCPoliticalBetting Posts: 10,819
    volcanopete there is a lot of sense in your post below. But Gove has been an out rider for Osborne e.g. attacking May's department to help Osborne, I do not see that changing soon.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 54,041
    volcanopete said:

    As for Tory leader,history teaches us to avoid the 1st 2 in the market at this stage.I cannot have Boris Johnson at any price.He is far more suited to take over from Brucie as MC for Strictly or even a re-run of the Generation Game,far more the entertainer than the politician.He strikes me as bone idle as well.As for Osborne,the 6-4 is way too short and a lay at the price.He may well think he has it in the bag with the amount of patronage in his gift but he has already dropped 2 major clangers,the 2012 Omnishambles budget and,more recently,the tax credits fiasco.It is entirely possible he may drop a third at any time which could do for him.How anyone could believe he is sort of master strategist confounds me.He also strikes me as a cold fish,short on empathy,and an unattractive character generally.He may also think he has Javid and Gove in the palm of his hand,maybe he has with Javid but I fancy Gove may not be.If he continues with his liberal interventions in the prison service,and saves a lot of money,he is ambitious enough to be a player at 28-1 with WH.His star could be in the ascendancy in 2020.
    Really,by a process of elimination.Theresa May,out to 8-1 now,may still the best option for the party.I see too there has been some money today for David Davis down to 50-1 and Rory Stewart down to 33-1 and there is still time enough for someone to come out of the pack,in the manner Hilary Benn has done for Labour.

    An election between David Davis and Jeremy Corbyn.... Where are the Lib Dems when you need them?

    Thankfully won't happen. Mr Sulk is determined to burn every bridge that remains between him and the party.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,064
    Morris_Dancer said:

    Mr. Max, d'you mean authoritarian?

    Mr. Llama, Conservatives like hard women.

    Yes, my phone has autocomplete.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 43,539
    I'm still far from convinced Osborne wants the top job.
  • TCPoliticalBettingTCPoliticalBetting Posts: 10,819
    Pulpstar said:

    Some lucky sod has got matched at 15-1 already on Betfair with Eagle.

    Irony, Eagle was seen as on the left of the party and now is viewed as on the right of the party.... The axis inside Labour has had a massive shift.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,422
    edited December 2015
    Huzzah !

    £2 of Eagle laid at 17.0.

    Roll up roll up.
  • TCPoliticalBettingTCPoliticalBetting Posts: 10,819
    edited December 2015
    JosiasJessop said:

    I'm still far from convinced Osborne wants the top job.

    Oh he desperately wants it. Look at all of "his people" that he has got appointed. Claire Perry for example. They are not there because they supported Cameron strongly or that they are better than the rest of the back benchers. They are there as Osborne's people. A corrosive effect on the quality of Government.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,172
    kle4 said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    kle4 said:

    Roger said:

    It does seem that anyone who can produce a half decent commons performance is the new Messiah.

    Indeed. Who's next, I wonder?
    I tell you who it won't be.

    Andy Burnham. The Jar Jar Binks of politics.
    That's unfair - Jar Jar was at least supposed to be funny.
    Meesa Dark Side now.

    Okee-day?

    http://www.buzzfeed.com/isaacfitzgerald/darth-jar-jar#.abjvVe1nz
  • TCPoliticalBettingTCPoliticalBetting Posts: 10,819
    ydoethur said:

    If Angela Eagle came across as intelligent, it says an awful lot about how stupid Osborne is. She is not perfectly familiar with some quite basic words, and has the politeness, charm and sophistication of a very spoiled and rather stupid child whose parents have not quite cottoned on to the latter disadvantage. She is also an authoritarian with a belligerent streak and her performance as Minister for Pensions, the highest office she has ever held, was nothing short of disastrous.

    But I can quite believe that she was impressive compared to the Jezziah or Osborne.

    I agree, Eagle is third division and bested Osborne.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,172
    DavidL said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    kle4 said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    On topic they said the same about Thatcher whose voice was said to contain nothing but sneer and condescension.

    Did she have 10 years as chancellor to reinforce that perception though, as Osborne is going to?
    She had four years as Leader of the Opposition and four years as Education Secretary, where she earned the sobriquet 'Thatcher the milk snatcher'
    One of her greatest achievements. Drinking that half pint of warm, sour milk was absolute torture.
    Is that a follow-on from the previous thread?? :lol:
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,172
    TheScreamingEagles said:

    On topic they said the same about Thatcher whose voice was said to contain nothing but sneer and condescension.

    Naught but AV-Proponent propaganda!
  • flightpath01flightpath01 Posts: 4,903
    SimonStClare said:

    It would appear that anyone in the Labour party that can string a sentence together, demonstrate a sense of humour or refrain from quoting vile dictators, will immediately see the stock rise in the betting markets when compared to Jeremy Corbyn.
    That’s two in as many weeks and I expect there’ll be plenty more to come.

    Corbyn quotes Hoxha and things are so bad in the PLP that Eagles gets cheers from them for quoting Blair.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 54,041
    Sunil_Prasannan said:

    DavidL said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    kle4 said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    On topic they said the same about Thatcher whose voice was said to contain nothing but sneer and condescension.

    Did she have 10 years as chancellor to reinforce that perception though, as Osborne is going to?
    She had four years as Leader of the Opposition and four years as Education Secretary, where she earned the sobriquet 'Thatcher the milk snatcher'
    One of her greatest achievements. Drinking that half pint of warm, sour milk was absolute torture.
    Is that a follow-on from the previous thread?? :lol:
    No, that was quite enough education for one day.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 55,046
    edited December 2015
    A good exchange between the deputies, well played by Angela in injecting a little old-fashioned humour and political slapstick into proceedings. The contrast with Corbyn couldn't be much clearer. Thought Osborne was okay, but it's not an easy gig and Dave is very good at the weekly set piece with a decade's worth of practice.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,172
    @TSE

    Can you briefly spot Michael Howard in this one? :lol:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvA6_Qj9b0s
  • SquareRootSquareRoot Posts: 7,095
    I thought Osborne's put downs made points very well, the tone might not to be everyone's liking, but one performance from Eagle whose shrill voice would sink the entire navy is not something on which to start making judgement calls

    Eagle will not be LOTO and OGH will continue to dislike Osborne. That's as far as it goes.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 55,046
    edited December 2015
    Speedy said:

    volcanopete said:

    As for Tory leader,history teaches us to avoid the 1st 2 in the market at this stage.I cannot have Boris Johnson at any price.He is far more suited to take over from Brucie as MC for Strictly or even a re-run of the Generation Game,far more the entertainer than the politician.He strikes me as bone idle as well.As for Osborne,the 6-4 is way too short and a lay at the price.He may well think he has it in the bag with the amount of patronage in his gift but he has already dropped 2 major clangers,the 2012 Omnishambles budget and,more recently,the tax credits fiasco.It is entirely possible he may drop a third at any time which could do for him.How anyone could believe he is sort of master strategist confounds me.He also strikes me as a cold fish,short on empathy,and an unattractive character generally.He may also think he has Javid and Gove in the palm of his hand,maybe he has with Javid but I fancy Gove may not be.If he continues with his liberal interventions in the prison service,and saves a lot of money,he is ambitious enough to be a player at 28-1 with WH.His star could be in the ascendancy in 2020.
    Really,by a process of elimination.Theresa May,out to 8-1 now,may still the best option for the party.I see too there has been some money today for David Davis down to 50-1 and Rory Stewart down to 33-1 and there is still time enough for someone to come out of the pack,in the manner Hilary Benn has done for Labour.

    To condensate all that in a single line: "It's too early to tell"
    So lay the favourite.

    Also remember that if Cameron follows through on his promise to retire before 2020 then the next PM is going to be a Conservative - the next PM market has better odds than the next Con leader market due to a Rt Hon J Corbyn MP being third favourite. Lay the top 3 in that market!
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,931
    In other news, it appears Trump is RIGHT about no go areas for police:

    A Lancashire Police officer told MailOnline: 'There are Muslim areas of Preston that, if we wish to patrol, we have to contact local Muslim community leaders to get their permission'.

    One officer from Yorkshire said on the online forum Police.Community: 'I'm not allowed to travel in half blues to work anymore IN MY OWN CAR as we're 'All at risk of attack' - yet as soon as someone points out the obvious it's 'divisive.'

    He added: 'In this instance he (Trump) isn't wrong. Our political leaders are best either ill-informed or simply being disingenuous.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3352406/Scotland-Yard-mocks-Trump-s-claims-London-police-terrified-Muslim-areas-officers-claim-tycoon-RIGHT.html

    Sorry if already posted.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,064
    JosiasJessop said:

    I'm still far from convinced Osborne wants the top job.

    The recent budget should have removed all doubt. He clearly wants to be PM. His phantom money would have been banked and the deficit reduced if he didn't want the job, that he spent it on reducing austerity and increasing spending was a very clear sign that he wanted the top job.
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    Trump must be delighted at the reaction to his speech, it's everything he was hoping for. Maximum publicity. What he would have dreaded is being ignored, but modern lefties are incapable of exhibiting that quality.
  • ThreeQuidderThreeQuidder Posts: 6,133
    Sandpit said:

    Speedy said:

    volcanopete said:

    As for Tory leader,history teaches us to avoid the 1st 2 in the market at this stage.I cannot have Boris Johnson at any price.He is far more suited to take over from Brucie as MC for Strictly or even a re-run of the Generation Game,far more the entertainer than the politician.He strikes me as bone idle as well.As for Osborne,the 6-4 is way too short and a lay at the price.He may well think he has it in the bag with the amount of patronage in his gift but he has already dropped 2 major clangers,the 2012 Omnishambles budget and,more recently,the tax credits fiasco.It is entirely possible he may drop a third at any time which could do for him.How anyone could believe he is sort of master strategist confounds me.He also strikes me as a cold fish,short on empathy,and an unattractive character generally.He may also think he has Javid and Gove in the palm of his hand,maybe he has with Javid but I fancy Gove may not be.If he continues with his liberal interventions in the prison service,and saves a lot of money,he is ambitious enough to be a player at 28-1 with WH.His star could be in the ascendancy in 2020.
    Really,by a process of elimination.Theresa May,out to 8-1 now,may still the best option for the party.I see too there has been some money today for David Davis down to 50-1 and Rory Stewart down to 33-1 and there is still time enough for someone to come out of the pack,in the manner Hilary Benn has done for Labour.

    To condensate all that in a single line: "It's too early to tell"
    So lay the favourite.

    Also remember that if Cameron follows through on his promise to retire before 2020 then the next PM is going to be a Conservative - the next PM market has better odds than the next Con leader market due to a Rt Hon J Corbyn MP being third favourite. Lay the top 3 in that market!
    That doesn't necessarily follow. He could time his departure such that the new Tory leader is announced on the day that Parliament is dissolved for the general election. He'd then stay as PM until the day after the GE, with the election campaign being fronted by his successor.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,172
    Luckyguy1983 said:

    In other news, it appears Trump is RIGHT about no go areas for police:

    A Lancashire Police officer told MailOnline: 'There are Muslim areas of Preston that, if we wish to patrol, we have to contact local Muslim community leaders to get their permission'.

    One officer from Yorkshire said on the online forum Police.Community: 'I'm not allowed to travel in half blues to work anymore IN MY OWN CAR as we're 'All at risk of attack' - yet as soon as someone points out the obvious it's 'divisive.'

    He added: 'In this instance he (Trump) isn't wrong. Our political leaders are best either ill-informed or simply being disingenuous.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3352406/Scotland-Yard-mocks-Trump-s-claims-London-police-terrified-Muslim-areas-officers-claim-tycoon-RIGHT.html

    Sorry if already posted.

    Luke - "No! That's not true! That's impossible!"
    Darth Vader - "Search your feelings! You know it to be true!"
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,931
    AndyJS said:

    Trump must be delighted at the reaction to his speech, it's everything he was hoping for. Maximum publicity. What he would have dreaded is being ignored, but modern lefties are incapable of exhibiting that quality.

    The modern 'righties' haven't been much better. I think I'm most disappointed at British people giving a hoot, and worse thinking they have a right to a say. This is an issue of American domestic policy. I don't think that we have a right to intervene any more than I want the US to intervene in British domestic policy; we should just mind our own. Reminds me of the morons on facebook who turned their profile pics rainbow when the US passed gay marriage. Seemed to pass them by when Britain brought it in.
  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    edited December 2015
    AndyJS said:

    Trump must be delighted at the reaction to his speech, it's everything he was hoping for. Maximum publicity. What he would have dreaded is being ignored, but modern lefties are incapable of exhibiting that quality.

    This:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D51cPEnsuw&feature=youtu.be

    Plus this:

    https://twitter.com/Ricky_Vaughn99/status/674623985104068608


    Probably Equals President Trump.
    Or at least Trump the nominee.
  • TCPoliticalBettingTCPoliticalBetting Posts: 10,819
    DavidL said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    kle4 said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    On topic they said the same about Thatcher whose voice was said to contain nothing but sneer and condescension.

    Did she have 10 years as chancellor to reinforce that perception though, as Osborne is going to?
    She had four years as Leader of the Opposition and four years as Education Secretary, where she earned the sobriquet 'Thatcher the milk snatcher'
    One of her greatest achievements. Drinking that half pint of warm, sour milk was absolute torture.
    Probably saved the health of a lot of children. Especially in the summer.
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    "Nearly Two-Thirds of Likely GOP Primary Voters Back Trump's Muslim Ban
    More than a third say it makes them more likely to vote for him, according to an online PulsePoll conducted by Purple Strategies on Tuesday."

    http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-12-09/bloomberg-politics-poll-trump-muslim-ban-proposal
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 120,016
    O/T - Rowena Davis has just got engaged to someone who has written a PB thread.

    Remember when PBers hearts were Itchen for Rowena?
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 54,041
    MaxPB said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I'm still far from convinced Osborne wants the top job.

    The recent budget should have removed all doubt. He clearly wants to be PM. His phantom money would have been banked and the deficit reduced if he didn't want the job, that he spent it on reducing austerity and increasing spending was a very clear sign that he wanted the top job.
    I think this is simplistic. Osborne is focussed on the program and the program is designed to ensure that the Conservatives are restored to their position as the natural party of government after the Blair interruption. That is why the centre ground abandoned by Labour is so attractive to him. He has been working towards this level of dominance for his party all his adult life. Ganesh's excellent biography of him makes that very clear.

    It is also clear that he is very self aware of his limitations. What I suspect has happened is that he has looked around for a successor to Cameron and not found anyone better than himself, despite his limitations. Gove is another signed up to the project but he has the same limitations as Osborne, arguably to an even greater degree. Javid is not setting the heather or the regulations on fire at business in the way that had been hoped. Where are the other true believers of the project? There are a few bubbling under but none have seized their opportunities to date to really shine.

    If Osborne sees a leader with a similar vision emerge over the next couple of years I would not be surprised if he stood aside. If he doesn't then I suspect he will think it his duty to do it himself.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,172
    TheScreamingEagles said:

    O/T - Rowena Davis has just got engaged to someone who has written a PB thread.

    Remember when PBers hearts were Itchen for Rowena?

    Who?? :lol:
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,844
    edited December 2015
    MaxPB said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I'm still far from convinced Osborne wants the top job.

    The recent budget should have removed all doubt. He clearly wants to be PM. His phantom money would have been banked and the deficit reduced if he didn't want the job, that he spent it on reducing austerity and increasing spending was a very clear sign that he wanted the top job.
    If that is so, it is also a sign of his great weakness - that he is very prone to superficially attractive short-term strategies without realising the potentially disastrous long-term consequences. If George Osborne replaces Cameron in 2018, it seems reasonable to assume he will be in power for seven years. It further seems not merely likely but certain there will be an economic downturn before 2025, which will be seventeen years after the previous one began. Therefore, Osborne will have to explain why the public finances remain in appalling shape - which, thanks to his spending spree, they will be - having been the key figure in government for 15 years.

    I seem to remember there was some other Chancellor convinced of his own omnibrilliance and divine right to rule who did something similar not long ago, running a £50 billion deficit at the height of an unstable boom before lying repeatedly about what he had said and done and why everything had gone wrong. I further seem to remember that he led his party to its second-worst result, in terms of the popular vote, in the age of universal suffrage. OGH once told me (some years ago) that Osborne was too like Brown for comfort. At the time I was doubtful, but I now think he had a point.

    That is a very long-winded way of saying that Osborne may want the top job, but is clearly totally unsuited to it.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 55,046
    ThreeQuidder said:

    Sandpit said:

    Speedy said:

    volcanopete said:

    As for Tory leader,history teaches us to avoid the 1st 2 in the market at this stage.I cannot have Boris Johnson at any price.He is far more suited to take over from Brucie as MC for Strictly or even a re-run of the Generation Game,far more the entertainer than the politician.He strikes me as bone idle as well.As for Osborne,the 6-4 is way too short and a lay at the price.He may well think he has it in the bag with the amount of patronage in his gift but he has already dropped 2 major clangers,the 2012 Omnishambles budget and,more recently,the tax credits fiasco.It is entirely possible he may drop a third at any time which could do for him.How anyone could believe he is sort of master strategist confounds me.He also strikes me as a cold fish,short on empathy,and an unattractive character generally.He may also think he has Javid and Gove in the palm of his hand,maybe he has with Javid but I fancy Gove may not be.If he continues with his liberal interventions in the prison service,and saves a lot of money,he is ambitious enough to be a player at 28-1 with WH.His star could be in the ascendancy in 2020.
    Really,by a process of elimination.Theresa May,out to 8-1 now,may still the best option for the party.I see too there has been some money today for David Davis down to 50-1 and Rory Stewart down to 33-1 and there is still time enough for someone to come out of the pack,in the manner Hilary Benn has done for Labour.

    To condensate all that in a single line: "It's too early to tell"
    So lay the favourite.

    Also remember that if Cameron follows through on his promise to retire before 2020 then the next PM is going to be a Conservative - the next PM market has better odds than the next Con leader market due to a Rt Hon J Corbyn MP being third favourite. Lay the top 3 in that market!
    That doesn't necessarily follow. He could time his departure such that the new Tory leader is announced on the day that Parliament is dissolved for the general election. He'd then stay as PM until the day after the GE, with the election campaign being fronted by his successor.
    Yes that's a possibility. I did think a while ago that Dave might announce his resignation as party leader at Conference 2019, thus allowing his successor in that role 7 or 8 months to formulate a manifesto - while DC remained as PM. The new party leader can then front the election campaign, taking over the top job if successful.
  • MP_SEMP_SE Posts: 3,642
    TCPoliticalBetting said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I'm still far from convinced Osborne wants the top job.

    Oh he desperately wants it. Look at all of "his people" that he has got appointed. Claire Perry for example. They are not there because they supported Cameron strongly or that they are better than the rest of the back benchers. They are there as Osborne's people. A corrosive effect on the quality of Government.
    Claire Perry lacks the intellectual ability to anything other than sit on the back benches. Speaks volumes about Osborne.
  • SimonStClareSimonStClare Posts: 7,976
    Sunil_Prasannan said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    O/T - Rowena Davis has just got engaged to someone who has written a PB thread.

    Remember when PBers hearts were Itchen for Rowena?

    Who?? :lol:
    http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2014/05/20/guest-slot-five-reasons-to-bet-on-labour-winning-the-euros-this-thursday/
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,844
    SimonStClare said:

    Sunil_Prasannan said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    O/T - Rowena Davis has just got engaged to someone who has written a PB thread.

    Remember when PBers hearts were Itchen for Rowena?

    Who?? :lol:
    http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2014/05/20/guest-slot-five-reasons-to-bet-on-labour-winning-the-euros-this-thursday/
    Interesting article - not least, for being completely wrong. Indeed, as I recall Labour were only saved from a truly disastrous third place by an exceptionally good result in London.
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,300
    Just been looking at the damage at Ullswater. Just goes to show the power of water.

    https://twitter.com/owenhumphreys1/status/674610443751727105?lang=en
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 54,041
    MP_SE said:

    TCPoliticalBetting said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I'm still far from convinced Osborne wants the top job.

    Oh he desperately wants it. Look at all of "his people" that he has got appointed. Claire Perry for example. They are not there because they supported Cameron strongly or that they are better than the rest of the back benchers. They are there as Osborne's people. A corrosive effect on the quality of Government.
    Claire Perry lacks the intellectual ability to anything other than sit on the back benches. Speaks volumes about Osborne.
    This would be the Claire Perry who graduated from Brasenose College and then got an MBA at Harvard? That Claire Perry? The one employed by Bank of America, McKinsey & Co and Credit Suisse (all known for employing fools of course) before coming into politics?

    I presume that you are basing that on her misspeaking about debt and deficit? Maybe just a little superficial?
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,172
    SimonStClare said:

    Sunil_Prasannan said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    O/T - Rowena Davis has just got engaged to someone who has written a PB thread.

    Remember when PBers hearts were Itchen for Rowena?

    Who?? :lol:
    http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2014/05/20/guest-slot-five-reasons-to-bet-on-labour-winning-the-euros-this-thursday/
    Thanks, but I was referring to Rowena! :lol:
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,844
    edited December 2015
    DavidL said:

    MP_SE said:

    TCPoliticalBetting said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I'm still far from convinced Osborne wants the top job.

    Oh he desperately wants it. Look at all of "his people" that he has got appointed. Claire Perry for example. They are not there because they supported Cameron strongly or that they are better than the rest of the back benchers. They are there as Osborne's people. A corrosive effect on the quality of Government.
    Claire Perry lacks the intellectual ability to anything other than sit on the back benches. Speaks volumes about Osborne.
    This would be the Claire Perry who graduated from Brasenose College and then got an MBA at Harvard? That Claire Perry? The one employed by Bank of America, McKinsey & Co and Credit Suisse (all known for employing fools of course) before coming into politics?

    I presume that you are basing that on her misspeaking about debt and deficit? Maybe just a little superficial?
    George W. Bush has an MBA from Harvard as well. So does Ed Balls. So does Anatole Kaletsky (well, Economics). Merely having lots of letters after your name is no guarantee of intellect, speaking as somebody who has four degrees and two professional memberships to add to his signature.
  • weejonnieweejonnie Posts: 3,820
    TCPoliticalBetting said:

    DavidL said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    kle4 said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    On topic they said the same about Thatcher whose voice was said to contain nothing but sneer and condescension.

    Did she have 10 years as chancellor to reinforce that perception though, as Osborne is going to?
    She had four years as Leader of the Opposition and four years as Education Secretary, where she earned the sobriquet 'Thatcher the milk snatcher'
    One of her greatest achievements. Drinking that half pint of warm, sour milk was absolute torture.
    Probably saved the health of a lot of children. Especially in the summer.
    Wasn't it a third? And if you look up the details you will find that she was against it - but had to implement Government policy.

    "Responding to the demands to end free school milk, Mrs Thatcher said: "I think that the complete withdrawal of free milk for our school children would be too drastic a step and would arouse more widespread public antagonism than the saving justifies."
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 63,143
    Sunil_Prasannan said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    O/T - Rowena Davis has just got engaged to someone who has written a PB thread.

    Remember when PBers hearts were Itchen for Rowena?

    Who?? :lol:
    Such teasing. Let's have the detail!
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,064
    DavidL said:

    MaxPB said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I'm still far from convinced Osborne wants the top job.

    The recent budget should have removed all doubt. He clearly wants to be PM. His phantom money would have been banked and the deficit reduced if he didn't want the job, that he spent it on reducing austerity and increasing spending was a very clear sign that he wanted the top job.
    I think this is simplistic. Osborne is focussed on the program and the program is designed to ensure that the Conservatives are restored to their position as the natural party of government after the Blair interruption. That is why the centre ground abandoned by Labour is so attractive to him. He has been working towards this level of dominance for his party all his adult life. Ganesh's excellent biography of him makes that very clear.

    It is also clear that he is very self aware of his limitations. What I suspect has happened is that he has looked around for a successor to Cameron and not found anyone better than himself, despite his limitations. Gove is another signed up to the project but he has the same limitations as Osborne, arguably to an even greater degree. Javid is not setting the heather or the regulations on fire at business in the way that had been hoped. Where are the other true believers of the project? There are a few bubbling under but none have seized their opportunities to date to really shine.

    If Osborne sees a leader with a similar vision emerge over the next couple of years I would not be surprised if he stood aside. If he doesn't then I suspect he will think it his duty to do it himself.
    Not really, we're in the first year of the cycle, if he had gone ahead with the tax credit cuts and taken the hit, the Tories would be in a better place in 2020 to win the election. There would be more people in employment, they would be better paid, they would be working more hours and benefit dependency would be lower than it is now. The decision to back down is good for the short term and helps Osborne secure the leadership, not the Tories to reshape the country by 2020 and put Labour out of the competition for a long time.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,046
    Just realised I've missed all the Carmichael fun. :(
  • Stark_DawningStark_Dawning Posts: 9,716
    Just watched it and Eagle really doesn't live up to Mike's ludicrous hype. It was a smug and grating performance that put me in mind of a sarcastic school mistress. As for her stuff on the EU referendum - smacked of us plebs not being trustworthy enough to give the right answer.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 54,041
    ydoethur said:

    DavidL said:

    MP_SE said:

    TCPoliticalBetting said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I'm still far from convinced Osborne wants the top job.

    Oh he desperately wants it. Look at all of "his people" that he has got appointed. Claire Perry for example. They are not there because they supported Cameron strongly or that they are better than the rest of the back benchers. They are there as Osborne's people. A corrosive effect on the quality of Government.
    Claire Perry lacks the intellectual ability to anything other than sit on the back benches. Speaks volumes about Osborne.
    This would be the Claire Perry who graduated from Brasenose College and then got an MBA at Harvard? That Claire Perry? The one employed by Bank of America, McKinsey & Co and Credit Suisse (all known for employing fools of course) before coming into politics?

    I presume that you are basing that on her misspeaking about debt and deficit? Maybe just a little superficial?
    George W. Bush has an MBA from Harvard as well. So does Ed Balls. So does Anatole Kaletsky (well, Economics). Merely having lots of letters after your name is no guarantee of intellect, speaking as somebody who has four degrees and two professional memberships to add to his signature.
    Maybe you are too modest but I would seriously doubt she could get into Brasenose without being in the top 1% in the country in her cohort. And her professional career is worthy of respect too.

    She may or may not prove to be a good politician but to suggest she only has the intellectual capacity for the backbenches is frankly ridiculous.
This discussion has been closed.