Who was the wag who shouted "Who are you? " at Corbyn yesterday? That was probably the funniest thing I've ever seen in the house of commons. Pure comedy genius.
I suspect that the party will go for a unifying candidate, one from either side of this European split - look out for a Cabinet member who clearly is only softly supporting Leave or Remain.
Ahem.
Theresa May.
Obvious, innit?
(Assuming a Remain result, of course)
I'd agree save one point.
May does at times exude a somewhat sour disposition. I'm not intimating that she adopt a forced Blair smile but the ability to empathize, genuine or not, smile and appear more clubbable would go a long way.
Clearly a long stint at the Home Office does not enhance the chuckle muscles but even "The Great She Elephant" was often amused and showed it whilst retaining the nuclear handbag for necessary chastisement of the errant faithful and non believers.
I find Osbone very clubbable
In that you'd like to club him to death?
when those big baby seal pup eyes look up at you........ and then you think of your pension.
Mr. Eagles, that's an argument for the certainty of servitude over the uncertainty of freedom.
Better to be in servitude and earning millions/billions than being free and not having a pot to piss in
During Portillo's US railroad trip he talked about the US Civil War, and it occurred to me that the black slaves who fled to the North were taking a risk. Perhaps they should stuck to what they knew?
I see that analogy. If Cameron wins, one of the loony outers will take it so badly they'll shoot him.
I suspect that the party will go for a unifying candidate, one from either side of this European split - look out for a Cabinet member who clearly is only softly supporting Leave or Remain.
Ahem.
Theresa May.
Obvious, innit?
(Assuming a Remain result, of course)
I'd agree save one point.
May does at times exude a somewhat sour disposition. I'm not intimating that she adopt a forced Blair smile but the ability to empathize, genuine or not, smile and appear more clubbable would go a long way.
Clearly a long stint at the Home Office does not enhance the chuckle muscles but even "The Great She Elephant" was often amused and showed it whilst retaining the nuclear handbag for necessary chastisement of the errant faithful and non believers.
The Nabavi take on the Betfair PM after Cameron market. (In each case I've given the best odds to back, although some of the amounts available are piddling. I've not bothered with all of the Labour no-hopers):
Osborne 4.3 About right Boris 3.85 Far too short Corbyn 15.5 Are they completely mad? Javid 18.5 Too short May 13.5 Very good value Hunt 30.0 Too short Benn 22 Bonkers Nandy 70.0 Daft David Miliband 32.0 You cannot be serious! Dan Jarvis 28.0 Bonkers Hammond 40.0 A bit long Michael Gove 20.0 About right Paterson 130.0 Possible good-value long-shot Liz Truss 140.0 Possible good-value long-shot Nicky Morgan 160.0 A bit short Priti Patel 22.0 Too short Michael Fallon 200.0 Meh Justine Greening 200.0 Possible good-value long-shot
"Big firms warn EU exit threatens jobs" says the BBC news front headline, about the letter in the Times.
Amongst those "big firms" are - as well as the aforementioned pub landlord - the following (who should all be given a Queens Award for Self-Publicitiy):
Miss Plato, I'm sorry to hear that. Mr. Financier was a sound fellow.
Mr. Eagles, and if they do?
That also neglects the importance of being able to govern ourselves, and hold those who pass laws over us to account (which cannot be done with the ECJ, or QMV). You're weighing one possible downside more heavily than a positive certainty which is (in my view) greater still.
Miss Plato, I'm sorry to hear that. Mr. Financier was a sound fellow.
Mr. Eagles, and if they do?
That also neglects the importance of being able to govern ourselves, and hold those who pass laws over us to account (which cannot be done with the ECJ, or QMV). You're weighing one possible downside more heavily than a positive certainty which is (in my view) greater still.
Same applies with NATO, the unelected could take us into a war we oppose.
Who are surprisingly two guys from Brussels...Frankly if they would have been better to have just used 100 good sized firms, than anybody with a pulse to make it to 200...
I suspect that the party will go for a unifying candidate, one from either side of this European split - look out for a Cabinet member who clearly is only softly supporting Leave or Remain.
Ahem.
Theresa May.
Obvious, innit?
(Assuming a Remain result, of course)
I'd agree save one point.
May does at times exude a somewhat sour disposition. I'm not intimating that she adopt a forced Blair smile but the ability to empathize, genuine or not, smile and appear more clubbable would go a long way.
Clearly a long stint at the Home Office does not enhance the chuckle muscles but even "The Great She Elephant" was often amused and showed it whilst retaining the nuclear handbag for necessary chastisement of the errant faithful and non believers.
Interesting. I think May has a rather charming smile when she uses it in interviews. You're right that she often doesn't use it.
Imo (and this is just a hunch) she would connect very well with swing voters who would find her reasonable and reassuring. She would also provide a change in style from Cameron without herself appearing weird or extreme.
Don't disagree. She just needs to burnish her presentation skills somewhat.
I also believe her spell at the home office has necessarily hardened her to the realities of both high office and the dangerous world we live in.
On balance I think she is the best candidate to succeed Cameron.
At the party meeting with the Prime Minister last night, MPs including Steve Baker asked Cameron to ‘be nice to Boris’, not because they are particularly worried about the Mayor’s spirit being crushed but because there is some dismay in the him.
"A bit of a tease"? By any measure Boris Johnson behaved appallingly. He deserves what he got. It was still a mistake on the Prime Minister's part, of course.
Incidentally, Leavers need a more coherent story about the Prime Minister. They'll struggle to persuade the public that he's both a brutal bully and a wimp.
I imagine David Davis must be feeling a bit sour having lost the crown of Tory Shit of the Decade to Boris.
I'm never been a paricular Boris fan but why exactly did he behave appallingly. Was it because he ruined the PMs carefully choreographed stage show at the weekend? Like Boris was I'm still on the fence in this debate but overt control freakery is something that never appeals.
By all accounts (I accept we here will never know) he had transmitted pretty strong assurances to Cameron that he would support Remain, but then ratted at the
which way are you swinging Mr O ?
Ooh, you are awful.....
Back to Remain.
John, my friend and his colleagues have analysed the protections for the City of London/The Financial Services industry.
They've concluded they aren't robust as they'd like, and reliant on others in the EU rather than us having a veto/protection.
HOWEVER, all things considered they will be recommending me and others vote Remain, as Leave have yet to even address if we'll still have access to all the advantages of access to the single market/the financial passport.
The most likely (and most rational) outcome is that they will, but you can't guarantee it as it will be the result of a negotiation
p.s you mean @Cyclefree was right yesterday. Now there's a surprise
His view is the EU have handled the Eurozone/Greek and Immigrant crisises very badly, they will deal with Brexit just as badly.
Plus they might harsh on us in the exit terms to stop others leaving. pour encourager les autres
We've got to keep in with them because they're both incompetent and malicious?
I suspect that the party will go for a unifying candidate, one from either side of this European split - look out for a Cabinet member who clearly is only softly supporting Leave or Remain.
Ahem.
Theresa May.
Obvious, innit?
(Assuming a Remain result, of course)
I'd agree save one point.
May does at times exude a somewhat sour disposition. I'm not intimating that she adopt a forced Blair smile but the ability to empathize, genuine or not, smile and appear more clubbable would go a long way.
Clearly a long stint at the Home Office does not enhance the chuckle muscles but even "The Great She Elephant" was often amused and showed it whilst retaining the nuclear handbag for necessary chastisement of the errant faithful and non believers.
Interesting. I think May has a rather charming smile when she uses it in interviews. You're right that she often doesn't use it.
Imo (and this is just a hunch) she would connect very well with swing voters who would find her reasonable and reassuring. She would also provide a change in style from Cameron without herself appearing weird or extreme.
Don't disagree. She just needs to burnish her presentation skills somewhat.
I also believe her spell at the home office has necessarily hardened her to the realities of both high office and the dangerous world we live in.
On balance I think she is the best candidate to succeed Cameron.
Theresa May would be objectively the best choice for the Conservatives if they are looking to appeal to the wider electorate. The evidence that they are thinking about that aspect of the job at all is lacking.
The Nabavi take on the Betfair PM after Cameron market. (In each case I've given the best odds to back, although some of the amounts available are piddling. I've not bothered with all of the Labour no-hopers):
Osborne 4.3 About right Boris 3.85 Far too short Corbyn 15.5 Are they completely mad? Javid 18.5 Too short May 13.5 Very good value Hunt 30.0 Too short Benn 22 Bonkers Nandy 70.0 Daft David Miliband 32.0 You cannot be serious! Dan Jarvis 28.0 Bonkers Hammond 40.0 A bit long Michael Gove 20.0 About right Paterson 130.0 Possible good-value long-shot Liz Truss 140.0 Possible good-value long-shot Nicky Morgan 160.0 A bit short Priti Patel 22.0 Too short Michael Fallon 200.0 Meh Justine Greening 200.0 Possible good-value long-shot
Thanks for that. My position is quite in line with that (not entirely coincidentally since I followed your advice on Paterson and one or two others).
"Big firms warn EU exit threatens jobs" says the BBC news front headline, about the letter in the Times.
Amongst those "big firms" are - as well as the aforementioned pub landlord - the following (who should all be given a Queens Award for Self-Publicitiy):
At the party meeting with the Prime Minister last night, MPs including Steve Baker asked Cameron to ‘be nice to Boris’, not because they are particularly worried about the Mayor’s spirit being crushed but because there is some dismay in the him.
"A bit of a tease"? By any measure Boris Johnson behaved appallingly. He deserves what he got. It was still a mistake on the Prime Minister's part, of course.
Incidentally, Leavers need a more coherent story about the Prime Minister. They'll struggle to persuade the public that he's both a brutal bully and a wimp.
I imagine David Davis must be feeling a bit sour having lost the crown of Tory Shit of the Decade to Boris.
I'm never been a paricular Boris fan but why exactly did he behave appallingly. Was it because he ruined the PMs carefully choreographed stage show at the weekend? Like Boris was I'm still on the fence in this debate but overt control freakery is somethinge
which way are you swinging Mr O ?
Ooh, you are awful.....
Back to Remain.
John, my friend and his colleagues have analysed the protections for the City of London/The Financial Services industry.
They've concluded they aren't robust as they'd like, and reliant on others in the EU rather than us having a veto/protection.
HOWEVER, all things considered they will be recommending me and others vote Remain, as Leave have yet to even address if we'll still have access to all the advantages of access to the single market/the financial passport.
The most likely (and most rational) outcome is that they will, but you can't guarantee it as it will be the result of a negotiation
p.s you mean @Cyclefree was right yesterday. Now there's a surprise
His view is the EU have handled the Eurozone/Greek and Immigrant crisises very badly, they will deal with Brexit just as badly.
Plus they might harsh on us in the exit terms to stop others leaving. pour encourager les autres
We've got to keep in with them because they're both incompetent and malicious?
I suspect that the party will go for a unifying candidate, one from either side of this European split - look out for a Cabinet member who clearly is only softly supporting Leave or Remain.
Ahem.
Theresa May.
Obvious, innit?
(Assuming a Remain result, of course)
Yes, never really a fan of hers but there's plenty worse!
Nah, she has the charisma of a speak-your-weight machine, and is never going to be forgiven for her "nasty party" remarks.
(Not to mention she talks complete totalitarian bollocks on Cyber Security) (And talks big on reducing immigration and then doesn't)
Worth reposting I think...among the PM's list of top business people supporting the EU
Waterloo Tea Limited (10 employees)
True Bridge Consultancy (3 employees)
The Prof's Tuition (4 employees)
Kendall Contracting (4 employees)
The Green Stationery Company (3 employees)
VIP Labels (2 employees)
and my personal fav -
Two Guys from Brussels (2 employees)
The sound of a barrel being scraped is deafening. Are these some of his wife's chums he rang up on Sunday afternoon to make up the numbers?
Perhaps I should do a straw poll of the various tradespeople I use and get their views...I'm pretty sure Tony the stonemason is for LEAVE, and Eric the roofer...
Theresa May would be objectively the best choice for the Conservatives if they are looking to appeal to the wider electorate. The evidence that they are thinking about that aspect of the job at all is lacking.
But we are in the middle of the nervous breakdown. After the catharsis of the referendum (especially if it's a reasonably clear Remain result), things will look very different. It's a cardinal mistake to think that the choice will be made on the emotions of yesterday.
At the party meeting with the Prime Minister last night, MPs including Steve Baker asked Cameron to ‘be nice to Boris’, not because they are particularly worried about the Mayor’s spirit being crushed but because there is some dismay in the party that the referendum debate is already getting so personal.
One Outer who likes Cameron observes sadly that ‘he was silly letting his temper show but it was sadly typical. He finds being challenged irksome’. Cameron probably also feels that the Mayor was a bit of a tease right up to the last minute, whereupon he humiliated him.
"A bit of a tease"? By any measure Boris Johnson behaved appallingly. He deserves what he got. It was still a mistake on the Prime Minister's part, of course.
Incidentally, Leavers need a more coherent story about the Prime Minister. They'll struggle to persuade the public that he's both a brutal bully and a wimp.
Bullies often are wimps when faced with people stronger than they are. A case against the PM is that he is very effective in the Commons against weak and unprepared opponents (Milliband, Corbyn, Boris yesterday) but less so when negotiating with those better prepared than him.
The skills needed for effective and caustic put downs in a debating chamber are not the skills needed for patient, effective, tenacious negotiations on often opaque detail. Cameron has the former. It is not at all clear that he has the latter.
At the party meeting with the Prime Minister last night, MPs including Steve Baker asked Cameron to ‘be nice to Boris’, not because they are particularly worried about the Mayor’s spirit being crushed but because there is some dismay in the him.
"A bit of a tease"? By any measure Boris Johnson behaved appallingly. He deserves what he got. It was still a mistake on the Prime Minister's part, of course.
Incidentally, Leavers need a more coherent story about the Prime Minister. They'll struggle to persuade the public that he's both a brutal bully and a wimp.
I imagine David Davis must be feeling a bit sour having lost the crown of Tory Shit of the Decade to Boris.
I'm never been a paricular Boris fan but why exactly did he behave appallingly. Was it because he ruined the PMs carefully choreographed stage show at the weekend? Like Boris was I'm still on the fence in this debate but overt control freakery is somethinge
which way are you swinging Mr O ?
Ooh, you are awful.....
Back to Remain.
John, my friend and his colleagues have analysed the protections for the City of London/The Financial Services industry.
They've concluded they aren't robust as they'd like, and reliant on others in the EU rather than us having a veto/protection.
HOWEVER, all things considered they will be recommending me and others vote Remain, as Leave have yet to even address if we'll still have access to all the advantages of access to the single market/the financial passport.
The most likely (and most rational) outcome is that they will, but you can't guarantee it as it will be the result of a negotiation
p.s you mean @Cyclefree was right yesterday. Now there's a surprise
Plus they might harsh on us in the exit terms to stop others leaving. pour encourager les autres
We've got to keep in with them because they're both incompetent and malicious?
It's a view I suppose.
Is the cost of access to the single market.
Some see that as a price worth paying.
That sounds to me like giving someone a choice between eating broken glass or drinking acid.
I suspect that the party will go for a unifying candidate, one from either side of this European split - look out for a Cabinet member who clearly is only softly supporting Leave or Remain.
Ahem.
Theresa May.
Obvious, innit?
(Assuming a Remain result, of course)
I'd agree save one point.
May does at times exude a somewhat sour disposition. I'm not intimating that she adopt a forced Blair smile but the ability to empathize, genuine or not, smile and appear more clubbable would go a long way.
Clearly a long stint at the Home Office does not enhance the chuckle muscles but even "The Great She Elephant" was often amused and showed it whilst retaining the nuclear handbag for necessary chastisement of the errant faithful and non believers.
Interesting. I think May has a rather charming smile when she uses it in interviews. You're right that she often doesn't use it.
Imo (and this is just a hunch) she would connect very well with swing voters who would find her reasonable and reassuring. She would also provide a change in style from Cameron without herself appearing weird or extreme.
Don't disagree. She just needs to burnish her presentation skills somewhat.
I also believe her spell at the home office has necessarily hardened her to the realities of both high office and the dangerous world we live in.
On balance I think she is the best candidate to succeed Cameron.
Theresa May would be objectively the best choice for the Conservatives if they are looking to appeal to the wider electorate. The evidence that they are thinking about that aspect of the job at all is lacking.
Theresa May would be objectively the best choice for the Conservatives if they are looking to appeal to the wider electorate. The evidence that they are thinking about that aspect of the job at all is lacking.
But we are in the middle of the nervous breakdown. After the catharsis of the referendum (especially if it's a reasonably clear Remain result), things will look very different. It's a cardinal mistake to think that the choice will be made on the emotions of yesterday.
I accept that. But why do you think that Conservative party members will not afford themselves the luxury of purity on the litmus test question when they believe they have the political space to do so?
At the party meeting with the Prime Minister last night, MPs including Steve Baker asked Cameron to ‘be nice to Boris’, not because they are particularly worried about the Mayor’s spirit being crushed but because there is some dismay in the him.
"A bit of a tease"? By any measure Boris Johnson behaved appallingly. He deserves what he got. It was still a mistake on the Prime Minister's part, of course.
Incidentally, Leavers need a more coherent story about the Prime Minister. They'll struggle to persuade the public that he's both a brutal bully and a wimp.
I imagine David Davis must be feeling a bit sour having lost the crown of Tory Shit of the Decade to Boris.
I'm never been a paricular Boris fan but why exactly did he behave appallingly. Was it because he ruined the PMs carefully choreographed stage show at the weekend? Like Boris was I'm still on the fence in this debate but overt control freakery is somethinge
which way are you swinging Mr O ?
Ooh, you are awful.....
Back to Remain.
John, my friend and his colleagues have analysed the protections for the City of London/The Financial Services industry.
They've concluded they aren't robust as they'd like, and reliant on others in the EU rather than us having a veto/protection.
HOWEVER, all things considered they will be recommending me and others vote Remain, as Leave have yet to even address if we'll still have access to all the advantages of access to the single market/the financial passport.
The most likely (and most rational) outcome is that they will, but you can't guarantee it as it will be the result of a negotiation
p.s you mean @Cyclefree was right yesterday. Now there's a surprise
Plus they might harsh on us in the exit terms to stop others leaving. pour encourager les autres
We've got to keep in with them because they're both incompetent and malicious?
It's a view I suppose.
Is the cost of access to the single market.
Some see that as a price worth paying.
That sounds to me like giving someone a choice between eating broken glass or drinking acid.
At the party meeting with the Prime Minister last night, MPs including Steve Baker asked Cameron to ‘be nice to Boris’, not because they are particularly worried about the Mayor’s spirit being crushed but because there is some dismay in the party that the referendum debate is already getting so personal.
One Outer who likes Cameron observes sadly that ‘he was silly letting his temper show but it was sadly typical. He finds being challenged irksome’. Cameron probably also feels that the Mayor was a bit of a tease right up to the last minute, whereupon he humiliated him.
"A bit of a tease"? By any measure Boris Johnson behaved appallingly. He deserves what he got. It was still a mistake on the Prime Minister's part, of course.
Incidentally, Leavers need a more coherent story about the Prime Minister. They'll struggle to persuade the public that he's both a brutal bully and a wimp.
I imagine David Davis must be feeling a bit sour having lost the crown of Tory Shit of the Decade to Boris.
I'm never been a paricular Boris fan but why exactly did he behave appallingly. Was it because he ruined the PMs carefully choreographed stage show at the weekend? Like Boris was I'm still on the fence in this debate but overt control freakery is something that never appeals.
By all accounts (I accept we here will never know) he had transmitted pretty strong assurances to Cameron that he would support Remain, but then ratted at the last minute for his leadership ambitions. Every other Leaver, Gove, Villiers, Grayling, my own MP Dom Raab, have behaved with integrity and deserve respect during the campaign.
Mrs BoJo came out pretty strongly for Leave in the papers last week, would be interesting to know what domestic considerations came into play if he was wavering all over the place as originally suggested.
Adam Afriyie With only scraps offered by an intransigent & arrogant EU elite, we'll be stronger, safer and better off out @vote_leave@Grassroots_Out
He was the future once .... according to himself.
Soames was so right on Afriyie
The Mail on Sunday reports that Soames told the MP for Windsor: "You are a chateau bottled nuclear powered ****. You are totally f***ing disloyal, a f***ing disgrace to your party, your fellow MPs, your prime minister and your country."
"This is nothing more than a grotesque f***ing vanity project to promote your absurd f***ing campaign to become party leader. You aren’t up to it, man!"
Who are surprisingly two guys from Brussels...Frankly if they would have been better to have just used 100 good sized firms, than anybody with a pulse to make it to 200...
Having watched that, my joy is complete... How could anyone not be convinced by the Remain case after such a compelling argument from two such intellectual giants?
"Big firms warn EU exit threatens jobs" says the BBC news front headline, about the letter in the Times.
Amongst those "big firms" are - as well as the aforementioned pub landlord - the following (who should all be given a Queens Award for Self-Publicitiy):
Waterloo Tea Limited (10 employees)
True Bridge Consultancy (3 employees)
The Prof's Tuition (4 employees)
Kendall Contracting (4 employees)
The Green Stationery Company (3 employees)
VIP Labels (2 employees)
and my personal fav -
Two Guys from Brussels (2 employees)
If there are two million businesses in the UK it seem pretty pathetic to only get a couple hundred on the letter.
I accept that. But why do you think that Conservative party members will not afford themselves the luxury of purity on the litmus test question when they believe they have the political space to do so?
It's not as much of a litmus test question as it appears either from the media, or most certainly from the comments here. Of course as a question it's disproportionately salient at the moment, but that's misleading.
When the result is in, what will be the point of the litmus test? The die will be cast, if you excuse the mixed metaphor. It will help not to have shown an unedifying degree of enthusiasm for the EU, but I don't think Leave/Remain by itself will be crucial (assuming a Remain result).
F1: from the BBC livefeed: "Meanwhile, Horner said Bernie Ecclestone will table a proposal to reverse the top 10 qualifiers on the grid to try to increase excitement.”
Ecclestone should resign. Tired of him coming out with nonsense (cf medals and sprinklers).
Adam Afriyie With only scraps offered by an intransigent & arrogant EU elite, we'll be stronger, safer and better off out @vote_leave@Grassroots_Out
He was the future once .... according to himself.
Soames was so right on Afriyie
The Mail on Sunday reports that Soames told the MP for Windsor: "You are a chateau bottled nuclear powered ****. You are totally f***ing disloyal, a f***ing disgrace to your party, your fellow MPs, your prime minister and your country."
"This is nothing more than a grotesque f***ing vanity project to promote your absurd f***ing campaign to become party leader. You aren’t up to it, man!"
I fear they will not be exchanging Christmas cards in the coming years.
Adam Afriyie With only scraps offered by an intransigent & arrogant EU elite, we'll be stronger, safer and better off out @vote_leave@Grassroots_Out
He was the future once .... according to himself.
Soames was so right on Afriyie
The Mail on Sunday reports that Soames told the MP for Windsor: "You are a chateau bottled nuclear powered ****. You are totally f***ing disloyal, a f***ing disgrace to your party, your fellow MPs, your prime minister and your country."
"This is nothing more than a grotesque f***ing vanity project to promote your absurd f***ing campaign to become party leader. You aren’t up to it, man!"
I fear they will not be exchanging Christmas cards in the coming years.
I've become a real fan of Nick Soames in recent weeks. His Twitter account is hilarious
I accept that. But why do you think that Conservative party members will not afford themselves the luxury of purity on the litmus test question when they believe they have the political space to do so?
It's not as much of a litmus test question as it appears either from the media, or most certainly from the comments here. Of course as a question it's disproportionately salient at the moment, but that's misleading.
When the result is in, what will be the point of the litmus test? The die will be cast, if you excuse the mixed metaphor. It will help not to have shown an unedifying degree of enthusiasm for the EU, but I don't think Leave/Remain by itself will be crucial (assuming a Remain result).
As I said in the thread header, much will depend on the result of the referendum. If Remain wins narrowly, the majority of Conservative members will have voted Leave and will be itching for a third bite at the cherry.
At the party meeting with the Prime Minister last night, MPs including Steve Baker asked Cameron to ‘be nice to Boris’, not because they are particularly worried about the Mayor’s spirit being crushed but because there is some dismay in the party that the referendum debate is already getting so personal.
One Outer who likes Cameron observes sadly that ‘he was silly letting his temper show but it was sadly typical. He finds being challenged irksome’. Cameron probably also feels that the Mayor was a bit of a tease right up to the last minute, whereupon he humiliated him.
"A bit of a tease"? By any measure Boris Johnson behaved appallingly. He deserves what he got. It was still a mistake on the Prime Minister's part, of course.
Incidentally, Leavers need a more coherent story about the Prime Minister. They'll struggle to persuade the public that he's both a brutal bully and a wimp.
Bullies often are wimps when faced with people stronger than they are. A case against the PM is that he is very effective in the Commons against weak and unprepared opponents (Milliband, Corbyn, Boris yesterday) but less so when negotiating with those better prepared than him.
The skills needed for effective and caustic put downs in a debating chamber are not the skills needed for patient, effective, tenacious negotiations on often opaque detail. Cameron has the former. It is not at all clear that he has the latter.
In any case, we're only being given one side of the story.
It could just as easily be that Johnson told Cameron he was undecided on Friday, e-mailed him on Saturday, and texted him on Sunday.
F1: from the BBC livefeed: "Meanwhile, Horner said Bernie Ecclestone will table a proposal to reverse the top 10 qualifiers on the grid to try to increase excitement.”
Ecclestone should resign. Tired of him coming out with nonsense (cf medals and sprinklers).
Maybe but F1 needs radical reform otherwise it will die. Season after season it's becoming more of a borefest...
Adam Afriyie With only scraps offered by an intransigent & arrogant EU elite, we'll be stronger, safer and better off out @vote_leave@Grassroots_Out
He was the future once .... according to himself.
Soames was so right on Afriyie
The Mail on Sunday reports that Soames told the MP for Windsor: "You are a chateau bottled nuclear powered ****. You are totally f***ing disloyal, a f***ing disgrace to your party, your fellow MPs, your prime minister and your country."
"This is nothing more than a grotesque f***ing vanity project to promote your absurd f***ing campaign to become party leader. You aren’t up to it, man!"
My respect for the wardrobe has just increased exponentially, - from a very low base however.
As I said in the thread header, much will depend on the result of the referendum. If Remain wins narrowly, the majority of Conservative members will have voted Leave and will be itching for a third bite at the cherry.
Even if that's true, and I'm not sure it is, there's clearly not going to be another bite at the cherry anytime soon. So it will be shelved as a hot issue for a while.
Mr. S, things do need to change, but Ecclestone's idiotic comments [which he knows full well are stupid] grate. He's a large part of the problems the sport has.
Mr. Eagles, we're only meeting that by accounting bullshit (moving some spending from another department and labelling it Defence) and most members don't hit 2%, and there's no penalty beyond the Frown of Disapproval.
And that's irrelevant to a debate about whether we should be in the EU.
I'm very much an inner but exit is tempting in that it would help precipitate the managed decline of the city. A too large financial sector is not healthy for an economy, which should be focusing on financing the needs of industry i.e producing the stuff we really need. Of course part of the reason we have such large financial sector is that we are doing much of the financing for the rest of the world. A good thing you might say. But 2008 was a game-changer. It was a reminder that financial institutions are not 100% secure and need the state to stand behind them. Either we are part of a broader banking union and accept an external regulator or we manage down the system.
As I said in the thread header, much will depend on the result of the referendum. If Remain wins narrowly, the majority of Conservative members will have voted Leave and will be itching for a third bite at the cherry.
Even if that's true, and I'm not sure it is, there's clearly not going to be another bite at the cherry anytime soon. So it will be shelved as a hot issue for a while.
Really? With the state of the Eurozone? The need for real reform inside the EC? It is foolish to believe that the EC is on some golden path and will just carry on as is. Remaining is not a choice for people that want a settled situation.
Really? With the state of the Eurozone? The need for real reform inside the EC? It is foolish to believe that the EC is on some golden path and will just carry on as is. Remaining is not a choice for people that want a settled situation.
I thought it was the EU that was supposed to show how wicked it is by not accepting the results of referendums
Adam Afriyie With only scraps offered by an intransigent & arrogant EU elite, we'll be stronger, safer and better off out @vote_leave@Grassroots_Out
He was the future once .... according to himself.
Soames was so right on Afriyie
The Mail on Sunday reports that Soames told the MP for Windsor: "You are a chateau bottled nuclear powered ****. You are totally f***ing disloyal, a f***ing disgrace to your party, your fellow MPs, your prime minister and your country."
"This is nothing more than a grotesque f***ing vanity project to promote your absurd f***ing campaign to become party leader. You aren’t up to it, man!"
For anyone looking for the causes of a great Conservative split just look at the attitude of the toadying supporters of Cameron. They do Cameron no favours. It is the people with more balance that Cameron should listen to.
Adam Afriyie With only scraps offered by an intransigent & arrogant EU elite, we'll be stronger, safer and better off out @vote_leave@Grassroots_Out
He was the future once .... according to himself.
Soames was so right on Afriyie
The Mail on Sunday reports that Soames told the MP for Windsor: "You are a chateau bottled nuclear powered ****. You are totally f***ing disloyal, a f***ing disgrace to your party, your fellow MPs, your prime minister and your country."
"This is nothing more than a grotesque f***ing vanity project to promote your absurd f***ing campaign to become party leader. You aren’t up to it, man!"
My respect for the wardrobe has just increased exponentially, - from a very low base however.
I think you'll find Nicholas Soames wardrobe has a massively impressive base but is somewhat more challenged in other key areas ....
I suspect that the party will go for a unifying candidate, one from either side of this European split - look out for a Cabinet member who clearly is only softly supporting Leave or Remain.
Ahem.
Theresa May.
Obvious, innit?
(Assuming a Remain result, of course)
I'd agree save one point.
May does at times exude a somewhat sour disposition. I'm not intimating that she adopt a forced Blair smile but the ability to empathize, genuine or not, smile and appear more clubbable would go a long way.
Clearly a long stint at the Home Office does not enhance the chuckle muscles but even "The Great She Elephant" was often amused and showed it whilst retaining the nuclear handbag for necessary chastisement of the errant faithful and non believers.
At the party meeting with the Prime Minister last night, MPs including Steve Baker asked Cameron to ‘be nice to Boris’, not because they are particularly worried about the Mayor’s spirit being crushed but because there is some dismay in the him.
"A bit of a tease"? By any measure Boris Johnson behaved appallingly. He deserves what he got. It was still a mistake on the Prime Minister's part, of course.
Incidentally, Leavers need a more coherent story about the Prime Minister. They'll struggle to persuade the public that he's both a brutal bully and a wimp.
I imagine David Davis must be feeling a bit sour having lost the crown of Tory Shit of the Decade to Boris.
I'm never been a paricular Boris fan but why exactly did he behave appallingly. Was it because he ruined the PMs carefully choreographed stage show at the weekend? Like Boris was I'm still on the fence in this debate but overt control freakery is something that never appeals.
By all accounts (I accept we here will never know) he had transmitted pretty strong assurances to Cameron that he would support Remain, but then ratted at the
which way are you swinging Mr O ?
Ooh, you are awful.....
Back to Remain.
John, my friend and his colleagues have analysed the protections for the City of London/The Financial Services industry.
They've concluded they aren't robust as they'd like, and reliant on others in the EU rather than us having a veto/protection.
p.s you mean @Cyclefree was right yesterday. Now there's a surprise
His view is the EU have handled the Eurozone/Greek and Immigrant crisises very badly, they will deal with Brexit just as badly.
Plus they might harsh on us in the exit terms to stop others leaving. pour encourager les autres
I don't want to be the member of a club that will threaten me to stop me leaving
Adam Afriyie With only scraps offered by an intransigent & arrogant EU elite, we'll be stronger, safer and better off out @vote_leave@Grassroots_Out
He was the future once .... according to himself.
Soames was so right on Afriyie
The Mail on Sunday reports that Soames told the MP for Windsor: "You are a chateau bottled nuclear powered ****. You are totally f***ing disloyal, a f***ing disgrace to your party, your fellow MPs, your prime minister and your country."
"This is nothing more than a grotesque f***ing vanity project to promote your absurd f***ing campaign to become party leader. You aren’t up to it, man!"
For anyone looking for the causes of a great Conservative split just look at the attitude of the toadying supporters of Cameron. They do Cameron no favours. It is the people with more balance that Cameron should listen to.
Nicholas Soames as Mr Toad .... it certainly doesn't require a leap of faith.
I'm very much an inner but exit is tempting in that it would help precipitate the managed decline of the city. A too large financial sector is not healthy for an economy, which should be focusing on financing the needs of industry i.e producing the stuff we really need. Of course part of the reason we have such large financial sector is that we are doing much of the financing for the rest of the world. A good thing you might say. But 2008 was a game-changer. It was a reminder that financial institutions are not 100% secure and need the state to stand behind them. Either we are part of a broader banking union and accept an external regulator or we manage down the system.
FFS. If you have a problem with the size of the financial services, dont aim to make it smaller, aim to grow the rest of your economy.
It's like saying Scotland is too dependent on oil revenue, so lets stop drilling for the stuff.
Adam Afriyie With only scraps offered by an intransigent & arrogant EU elite, we'll be stronger, safer and better off out @vote_leave@Grassroots_Out
He was the future once .... according to himself.
Soames was so right on Afriyie
The Mail on Sunday reports that Soames told the MP for Windsor: "You are a chateau bottled nuclear powered ****. You are totally f***ing disloyal, a f***ing disgrace to your party, your fellow MPs, your prime minister and your country."
"This is nothing more than a grotesque f***ing vanity project to promote your absurd f***ing campaign to become party leader. You aren’t up to it, man!"
For anyone looking for the causes of a great Conservative split just look at the attitude of the toadying supporters of Cameron. They do Cameron no favours. It is the people with more balance that Cameron should listen to.
Nicholas Soames as Mr Toad .... it certainly doesn't require a leap of faith.
Really? With the state of the Eurozone? The need for real reform inside the EC? It is foolish to believe that the EC is on some golden path and will just carry on as is. Remaining is not a choice for people that want a settled situation.
I thought it was the EU that was supposed to show how wicked it is by not accepting the results of referendums
I would accept the outcome but you wrote expecting no situation to develop where the EC was not put back into play by a crisis, or its failure to keep to the Cameron deal etc.
At the party meeting with the Prime Minister last night, MPs including Steve Baker asked Cameron to ‘be nice to Boris’, not because they are particularly worried about the Mayor’s spirit being crushed but because there is some dismay in the party that the referendum debate is already getting so personal.
One Outer who likes Cameron observes sadly that ‘he was silly letting his temper show but it was sadly typical. He finds being challenged irksome’. Cameron probably also feels that the Mayor was a bit of a tease right up to the last minute, whereupon he humiliated him.
"A bit of a tease"? By any measure Boris Johnson behaved appallingly. He deserves what he got. It was still a mistake on the Prime Minister's part, of course.
Incidentally, Leavers need a more coherent story about the Prime Minister. They'll struggle to persuade the public that he's both a brutal bully and a wimp.
Bullies often are wimps when faced with people stronger than they are. A case against the PM is that he is very effective in the Commons against weak and unprepared opponents (Milliband, Corbyn, Boris yesterday) but less so when negotiating with those better prepared than him.
The skills needed for effective and caustic put downs in a debating chamber are not the skills needed for patient, effective, tenacious negotiations on often opaque detail. Cameron has the former. It is not at all clear that he has the latter.
In any case, we're only being given one side of the story.
It could just as easily be that Johnson told Cameron he was undecided on Friday, e-mailed him on Saturday, and texted him on Sunday. It is reported today that first Boris emailed him then when no reply came he texted him. But Cameron's people pushed out the "texted minutes beforehand" line.
Adam Afriyie With only scraps offered by an intransigent & arrogant EU elite, we'll be stronger, safer and better off out @vote_leave@Grassroots_Out
He was the future once .... according to himself.
Soames was so right on Afriyie
The Mail on Sunday reports that Soames told the MP for Windsor: "You are a chateau bottled nuclear powered ****. You are totally f***ing disloyal, a f***ing disgrace to your party, your fellow MPs, your prime minister and your country."
"This is nothing more than a grotesque f***ing vanity project to promote your absurd f***ing campaign to become party leader. You aren’t up to it, man!"
For anyone looking for the causes of a great Conservative split just look at the attitude of the toadying supporters of Cameron. They do Cameron no favours. It is the people with more balance that Cameron should listen to.
Nicholas Soames as Mr Toad .... it certainly doesn't require a leap of faith.
Interesting analysis with the correct calls, I think . The one nuance I would make for the Narrow Remain scenario is that whoever is chosen will have to accept the Remain result, ie a moderate Eurosceptic rather than a died in the wool one. Boris looks to be a suitable candidate.
I would accept the outcome but you wrote expecting no situation to develop where the EC was not put back into play by a crisis, or its failure to keep to the Cameron deal etc.
As I said in the thread header, much will depend on the result of the referendum. If Remain wins narrowly, the majority of Conservative members will have voted Leave and will be itching for a third bite at the cherry.
Even if that's true, and I'm not sure it is, there's clearly not going to be another bite at the cherry anytime soon. So it will be shelved as a hot issue for a while.
How much of the renegotiation has to survive before we decide we have been sold a up.
Legal opinions seem to feel that the emergency brake has a very high chance of being challenged at the ECJ almost immediately, what would be our position if that was shot down but the rest of the "deal" survived for the time being.
What about if the Eurozone passed a banking regulation we didn't like by QMV, and when we challenged it, it got talked around for an evening and then went ahead anyway.
FarmersForBritain The popular media assumption that UK farmers will lose all subsidies if we leave the EU is purely speculation and has no basis in fact.
Adam Afriyie With only scraps offered by an intransigent & arrogant EU elite, we'll be stronger, safer and better off out @vote_leave@Grassroots_Out
He was the future once .... according to himself.
Soames was so right on Afriyie
The Mail on Sunday reports that Soames told the MP for Windsor: "You are a chateau bottled nuclear powered ****. You are totally f***ing disloyal, a f***ing disgrace to your party, your fellow MPs, your prime minister and your country."
"This is nothing more than a grotesque f***ing vanity project to promote your absurd f***ing campaign to become party leader. You aren’t up to it, man!"
For anyone looking for the causes of a great Conservative split just look at the attitude of the toadying supporters of Cameron. They do Cameron no favours. It is the people with more balance that Cameron should listen to.
Nicholas Soames as Mr Toad .... it certainly doesn't require a leap of faith.
How much of the renegotiation has to survive before we decide we have been sold a up.
Legal opinions seem to feel that the emergency brake has a very high chance of being challenged at the ECJ almost immediately, what would be our position if that was shot down but the rest of the "deal" survived for the time being.
Since the Leave side have tied themselves in knots telling us that the renegotiation achieved exactly nothing, whether it unravels or not is irrelevant, surely? They can't have it both ways.
Adam Afriyie With only scraps offered by an intransigent & arrogant EU elite, we'll be stronger, safer and better off out @vote_leave@Grassroots_Out
He was the future once .... according to himself.
Soames was so right on Afriyie
The Mail on Sunday reports that Soames told the MP for Windsor: "You are a chateau bottled nuclear powered ****. You are totally f***ing disloyal, a f***ing disgrace to your party, your fellow MPs, your prime minister and your country."
"This is nothing more than a grotesque f***ing vanity project to promote your absurd f***ing campaign to become party leader. You aren’t up to it, man!"
Who was the wag who shouted "Who are you? " at Corbyn yesterday? That was probably the funniest thing I've ever seen in the house of commons. Pure comedy genius.
Yes it was. And even funnier was Corbyn's po-faced response.
How much of the renegotiation has to survive before we decide we have been sold a up.
Legal opinions seem to feel that the emergency brake has a very high chance of being challenged at the ECJ almost immediately, what would be our position if that was shot down but the rest of the "deal" survived for the time being.
Since the Leave side have tied themselves in knots telling us that the renegotiation achieved exactly nothing, whether it unravels or not is irrelevant, surely? They can't have it both ways.
Okay you have had your smart arse point score, now answer the question.
Wonder how many days in a row the BBC can lead with the risks / leap in the dark style headlines on a potential EU exit?
Their 9am BBC R4 News clip was a classic. Earlier in the Today programme was an interview with a Remainer the Virgin Money CEO and a Leaver an Investment chap. They both had almost equal time. But when the 9am news was run only the VirginMoney lady was quoted.... Who would have thunk it?
Really? With the state of the Eurozone? The need for real reform inside the EC? It is foolish to believe that the EC is on some golden path and will just carry on as is. Remaining is not a choice for people that want a settled situation.
I thought it was the EU that was supposed to show how wicked it is by not accepting the results of referendums
I would accept the outcome but you wrote expecting no situation to develop where the EC was not put back into play by a crisis, or its failure to keep to the Cameron deal etc.
Whatever it does will be interpreted as a failure to keep to the deal. (That's not meant as a jibe. It's just reality.)
Should a Leaver take over after a narrrow Remain win they will come under pressure to call another referendum at every turn, especially if polling suggests the public has changed its mind. They will resist this as being politically farcical and they will then be attacked as "a secret Europhile" etc.
In short, in the event of a Brexit vote, Article 50 looks unavoidable. The idea that it could be held off to seek a renegotiation of ongoing membership is thwarted by domestic political imperatives. The idea that it could be resisted to secure better Brexit terms is equally scuppered by the interests of the other member states. The Prime Minister’s words on Article 50 are not just tactical.
ullies often are wimps when faced with people stronger than they are.
Absolutely. The very definition of a bully is surely someone who prays on those weaker than him, and crawls to those his equal or above.
Its a theme out might develop. Its a shame David Cameron didn;t put an ounce of his supposed toughness into his negotiations with Francois Hollande.
This is such a fallacy. The idea that Dave didn't get a better deal because he didn't play hardball with the French (or anyone else). His first problem was that he's never got any cash in the bank from other EU leaders. Take this from Merkel a few months ago.
Secondly his whole renegotiation strategy was based on the idea that he HAD to get something. It couldn't be seen to fail. So what he did was go around Europe not to make demands but to ask what they would give him. A clear sign of weakness - but since he was always determined to stay in, well his position was weak.
Thirdly it was ludicrous to think he could ever transform the EU single-handedly in time for a 2017 referendum. Not least when they're rather more worried about migration and the Euro problems.
Still there's little point in me mentioning this to all those Tories who have a fetish for handbagging and think that's the height of skillful diplomacy.
Comments
Look who's planning to dip into them again.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3457362/George-Osborne-planning-4BILLION-raid-middle-class-pensioners-scrapping-tax-free-lump-sums.html
I fear he may be no longer with us. We were pretty good friends.
Nigel Farage = Jefferson Davis?
Question is who is Ulysses S Grant?
Osborne 4.3 About right
Boris 3.85 Far too short
Corbyn 15.5 Are they completely mad?
Javid 18.5 Too short
May 13.5 Very good value
Hunt 30.0 Too short
Benn 22 Bonkers
Nandy 70.0 Daft
David Miliband 32.0 You cannot be serious!
Dan Jarvis 28.0 Bonkers
Hammond 40.0 A bit long
Michael Gove 20.0 About right
Paterson 130.0 Possible good-value long-shot
Liz Truss 140.0 Possible good-value long-shot
Nicky Morgan 160.0 A bit short
Priti Patel 22.0 Too short
Michael Fallon 200.0 Meh
Justine Greening 200.0 Possible good-value long-shot
Amongst those "big firms" are - as well as the aforementioned pub landlord - the following (who should all be given a Queens Award for Self-Publicitiy):
Waterloo Tea Limited (10 employees)
True Bridge Consultancy (3 employees)
The Prof's Tuition (4 employees)
Kendall Contracting (4 employees)
The Green Stationery Company (3 employees)
VIP Labels (2 employees)
and my personal fav -
Two Guys from Brussels (2 employees)
Mr. Eagles, and if they do?
That also neglects the importance of being able to govern ourselves, and hold those who pass laws over us to account (which cannot be done with the ECJ, or QMV). You're weighing one possible downside more heavily than a positive certainty which is (in my view) greater still.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYMf3R1JA68
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/news-events/news/2016/february/maths-a-level-standards.html
I also believe her spell at the home office has necessarily hardened her to the realities of both high office and the dangerous world we live in.
On balance I think she is the best candidate to succeed Cameron.
Plus they might harsh on us in the exit terms to stop others leaving. pour encourager les autres
We've got to keep in with them because they're both incompetent and malicious?
It's a view I suppose.
http://lordashcroftpolls.com/2016/02/has-the-renegotiation-done-more-to-boost-remain-or-leave/
With only scraps offered by an intransigent & arrogant EU elite, we'll be stronger, safer and better off out @vote_leave @Grassroots_Out
Some see that as a price worth paying.
(Not to mention she talks complete totalitarian bollocks on Cyber Security)
(And talks big on reducing immigration and then doesn't)
Waterloo Tea Limited (10 employees)
True Bridge Consultancy (3 employees)
The Prof's Tuition (4 employees)
Kendall Contracting (4 employees)
The Green Stationery Company (3 employees)
VIP Labels (2 employees)
and my personal fav -
Two Guys from Brussels (2 employees)
The sound of a barrel being scraped is deafening. Are these some of his wife's chums he rang up on Sunday afternoon to make up the numbers?
Perhaps I should do a straw poll of the various tradespeople I use and get their views...I'm pretty sure Tony the stonemason is for LEAVE, and Eric the roofer...
Incidentally, Leavers need a more coherent story about the Prime Minister. They'll struggle to persuade the public that he's both a brutal bully and a wimp.
Bullies often are wimps when faced with people stronger than they are. A case against the PM is that he is very effective in the Commons against weak and unprepared opponents (Milliband, Corbyn, Boris yesterday) but less so when negotiating with those better prepared than him.
The skills needed for effective and caustic put downs in a debating chamber are not the skills needed for patient, effective, tenacious negotiations on often opaque detail. Cameron has the former. It is not at all clear that he has the latter.
Mrs BoJo came out pretty strongly for Leave in the papers last week, would be interesting to know what domestic considerations came into play if he was wavering all over the place as originally suggested.
The Mail on Sunday reports that Soames told the MP for Windsor: "You are a chateau bottled nuclear powered ****. You are totally f***ing disloyal, a f***ing disgrace to your party, your fellow MPs, your prime minister and your country."
"This is nothing more than a grotesque f***ing vanity project to promote your absurd f***ing campaign to become party leader. You aren’t up to it, man!"
When the result is in, what will be the point of the litmus test? The die will be cast, if you excuse the mixed metaphor. It will help not to have shown an unedifying degree of enthusiasm for the EU, but I don't think Leave/Remain by itself will be crucial (assuming a Remain result).
"Meanwhile, Horner said Bernie Ecclestone will table a proposal to reverse the top 10 qualifiers on the grid to try to increase excitement.”
Ecclestone should resign. Tired of him coming out with nonsense (cf medals and sprinklers).
Absolutely. The very definition of a bully is surely someone who prays on those weaker than him, and crawls to those his equal or above.
Its a theme out might develop. Its a shame David Cameron didn;t put an ounce of his supposed toughness into his negotiations with Francois Hollande.
You know the two organisations are fundamentally different. But even so, that's irrelevant, because the debate is about the EU.
Miss Jones, I thought he'd recovered from that?
The skills needed for effective and caustic put downs in a debating chamber are not the skills needed for patient, effective, tenacious negotiations on often opaque detail. Cameron has the former. It is not at all clear that he has the latter.
In any case, we're only being given one side of the story.
It could just as easily be that Johnson told Cameron he was undecided on Friday, e-mailed him on Saturday, and texted him on Sunday.
Mr. Eagles, we're only meeting that by accounting bullshit (moving some spending from another department and labelling it Defence) and most members don't hit 2%, and there's no penalty beyond the Frown of Disapproval.
And that's irrelevant to a debate about whether we should be in the EU.
Why would those two not be Osborne and Johnson?
They should go for Patel. She's clearly the more attractive proposition.
It's like saying Scotland is too dependent on oil revenue, so lets stop drilling for the stuff.
It could just as easily be that Johnson told Cameron he was undecided on Friday, e-mailed him on Saturday, and texted him on Sunday.
It is reported today that first Boris emailed him then when no reply came he texted him. But Cameron's people pushed out the "texted minutes beforehand" line.
Text here:
http://www.nusghani.org.uk/news/brexit-or-not-brexit
It seems Mclaren still have major engine issues and Alonso is not a happy bunny in Barcelona...
Legal opinions seem to feel that the emergency brake has a very high chance of being challenged at the ECJ almost immediately, what would be our position if that was shot down but the rest of the "deal" survived for the time being.
What about if the Eurozone passed a banking regulation we didn't like by QMV, and when we challenged it, it got talked around for an evening and then went ahead anyway.
The popular media assumption that UK farmers will lose all subsidies if we leave the EU is purely speculation and has no basis in fact.
https://twitter.com/Jacob4MK/status/701851075691868165
Who would have thunk it?
Should a Leaver take over after a narrrow Remain win they will come under pressure to call another referendum at every turn, especially if polling suggests the public has changed its mind. They will resist this as being politically farcical and they will then be attacked as "a secret Europhile" etc.
https://constitution-unit.com/2016/02/23/does-the-prime-minister-have-to-invoke-article-50-if-we-vote-for-brexit/
http://indy100.independent.co.uk/article/angela-merkel-once-told-david-cameron-what-everyone-in-europe-really-thinks-of-him--Z1qKdognre
Secondly his whole renegotiation strategy was based on the idea that he HAD to get something. It couldn't be seen to fail. So what he did was go around Europe not to make demands but to ask what they would give him. A clear sign of weakness - but since he was always determined to stay in, well his position was weak.
Thirdly it was ludicrous to think he could ever transform the EU single-handedly in time for a 2017 referendum. Not least when they're rather more worried about migration and the Euro problems.
Still there's little point in me mentioning this to all those Tories who have a fetish for handbagging and think that's the height of skillful diplomacy.