Justice secretary Michael Gove and the German-born Labour MP Gisela Stuart have been named as joint heads of the Vote Leave campaign to take Britain out of the EU, with Boris Johnson taking a key role. John Longworth, the former head of the British Chambers of Commerce, will also join the campaign committee having recently been forced out of his old job for expressing support for a Brexit. . http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/57b74004-e91d-11e5-bb79-2303682345c8.html#ixzz42nmepqxF
Boris escaping blame if leave lose as he is not the 'head' of the campaign? Wily fellow.
But doesn't it also mean that Gove is in the box seat to become next Tory leader should LEAVE win?
I doubt it - Gove doesn't have the personal appeal Boris has even if he leads leave to victory - Boris could probably satisfy many Remainer Tories even if the campaign has stirred up antipathy between Cameroons and others. Though obviously I speak only as an outsider.
"People are angry. I think we're seeing nothing less than the overthrow of our government… It's a peaceful overthrow so far. We're going to do it by ballots, not bullets, thank God, but this is a revolution. The people are that upset with the ruling class and frankly, they ought to be."
Huckabee added that he felt "nothing would be better for this country than to have an utter disruption of the ruling class in Washington."
Trump's plane is just taxiing into position - I'm watching on YouTube and the comments are brilliant.
I REALLY want Trump to win. Not just as a joke. I think he'd be a fairly good president. Better than Obama at foreign policy. And a kick up the arse for western establishments worldwide. Ours included.
He won't win, but we can dream.
Rod Crosby of this Parish, who unlike certain others I could mention *cough*, usually makes the right call, gives Trump a 75% chance of becoming the next POTUS.
Have Crosby and JackW disagreed so fervently before and if so who was right? Both are usually very accurate but are completely at odds now.
If The Donald wins the nomination then I think he will knock strips off Hilary or Bernie and become POTUS, making JackW sad, and looking at his bets.
Crosby calls it right after strong contrarian analysis. JackW gets it right speaking out of his ARSE. I'm with Crosby on this - Trump absolutely shreds Hillary in an all out war. It will be nasty. [And I am in the anyone but Trump camp].
The Republican Party haven't had a clue how to fight Trump. I have no confidence the Democrats have any better ideas.
That said, come November it will be Ovaries trumps Trump.
Quite. Hillary is a bloody awful candidate but Trump's ratings are not only poor with non-whites but also with women - and I suspect that up against Hillary, they'll get worse because he'll say something/s too sexist and personal against her that will turn off floating voters, and women in particular, in droves.
I've always had a scepticism of Rod's methods because they're a bit deterministic and I think on this occasion, while it should be the GOP's year - and would be with the right candidate - they'll miss out because of who's on their ticket. 2020 is likely to be a foregone conclusion though.
It's time to open our eyes to what's REALLY going on in this country...
...LEAVE are headed for a pounding at the ballot box.
My only fear is that there could be an army of elderly xenophobic voters in small towns and villages who are going under the radar at the moment but end up marching to the voting booths in numbers......
I'm torn between seeing this country as the progressive one that embraced Danny Boyle's vision of the Olympics and another which is altogether darker.
Norway has twice voted against EU membership. That doesn't make Norway a dark, xenophobic country.
It's dark in the winter.
The two countries in Europe where I gave seen the most extensive casual blatant xenophobia and racism are France and Holland. Well into the nineties if was common in offices and in the street to see excruciating examples of overtly offensive behaviour particularly towards non whites. Not the idiotic metropolitan PC claims of racism but outright discrimination and verbal attacks.
On topic (ish), I was talking to a Tory MP on Friday. From what he said, Osborne would be unlikely to make it to the final two now, never mind after a bad budget or a Leave vote. He might have been trying to gain support among his colleagues but to no great effect.
Is it Osborne's perceived unelectability with voters or his lack of Conservative policies or his treatment of other MPs or.....
I didn't get too much into that sort of detail as to why (other things to discuss) but thought it was a snippet worth passing on all the same.
Trump's plane is just taxiing into position - I'm watching on YouTube and the comments are brilliant.
I REALLY want Trump to win. Not just as a joke. I think he'd be a fairly good president. Better than Obama at foreign policy. And a kick up the arse for western establishments worldwide. Ours included.
He won't win, but we can dream.
Rod Crosby of this Parish, who unlike certain others I could mention *cough*, usually makes the right call, gives Trump a 75% chance of becoming the next POTUS.
Have Crosby and JackW disagreed so fervently before and if so who was right? Both are usually very accurate but are completely at odds now.
If The Donald wins the nomination then I think he will knock strips off Hilary or Bernie and become POTUS, making JackW sad, and looking at his bets.
Crosby calls it right after strong contrarian analysis. JackW gets it right speaking out of his ARSE. I'm with Crosby on this - Trump absolutely shreds Hillary in an all out war. It will be nasty. [And I am in the anyone but Trump camp].
Trump will lose due to getting slaughtered in Hispanic and educated white segments.
I know an amazingly large number of educated whites who are all in for Trump. Those who are against him are already overwhelmingly traditional Dem voters.
I am not sure what will happen with the Hispanics vote - if they have normal turnout, I wonder whether the fall off from the Romney Hispanic vote will be significant enough to impact the result given that Trump will probably win back more than the 1 million white GOP votes who sat out Romney. If Trump truly galvanizes a massive, monolithic Hispanic vote, then he might be in trouble. But there is a long while between now and the GE for Trump to pour oil on troubled waters once the nomination is in the bag.
On topic (ish), I was talking to a Tory MP on Friday. From what he said, Osborne would be unlikely to make it to the final two now, never mind after a bad budget or a Leave vote. He might have been trying to gain support among his colleagues but to no great effect.
Which means it is Boris Johnson versus A N Other.
But who?
That was our conclusion - followed by the next one that Boris could well be PM by Christmas.
An awful lot depends on when the vacancy is. If it's this year then we're looking at current cabinet ministers only, plus Boris. That's not a great set of options. If it's 2019 then there's time for at least one big reshuffle to bring in new talent.
Quite. Hillary is a bloody awful candidate but Trump's ratings are not only poor with non-whites but also with women - and I suspect that up against Hillary, they'll get worse because he'll say something/s too sexist and personal against her that will turn off floating voters, and women in particular, in droves.
I've always had a scepticism of Rod's methods because they're a bit deterministic and I think on this occasion, while it should be the GOP's year - and would be with the right candidate - they'll miss out because of who's on their ticket. 2020 is likely to be a foregone conclusion though.
I seem to be alone on here in rating HRC as a decent candidate and more than a match for the populist. The problem for Trump will be the specifics not the generalities - once he is forced to put meat on the bones of his proposals, the Democrats will tear him and them apart.
Thoughtful Republicans might consider that an HRC Presidency, hampered as it will be by GOP control of the Senate and the House, will be the necessary pre-cursor for the election of a centrist Republican in 2020.
IF Trump wins, my view is the 2018 midterms will be catastrophic for the GOP and in 2020 they could finish up completely shut out.
Really entertaining match, final score Scotland 29-18 France – does England win 6 Nations?
YEP.
Eddie Jones wins his first Championship with a game to spare. Class.
This England team is the first to really give me the shivers since, probably, Wilko and Johnson et al. From Itoje to Vunipola to Farrell it either oozes class or competence. And, finally, we have a good coach.
I can genuinely see England winning the next World Cup. And I haven't felt that since 2002.
Don't forget Manu Tuilagi.
I just looked up and Billy Vunipola is only 23 and his brother 25.....As the line out of the inbetweeners goes...
You're 17?! Yeah, I just look older. There's looking older and then there's that! You look about 30!
Justice secretary Michael Gove and the German-born Labour MP Gisela Stuart have been named as joint heads of the Vote Leave campaign to take Britain out of the EU, with Boris Johnson taking a key role. John Longworth, the former head of the British Chambers of Commerce, will also join the campaign committee having recently been forced out of his old job for expressing support for a Brexit. . http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/57b74004-e91d-11e5-bb79-2303682345c8.html#ixzz42nmepqxF
It looks as though the BCC might have been correct to suspend Longworth ...
"People are angry. I think we're seeing nothing less than the overthrow of our government… It's a peaceful overthrow so far. We're going to do it by ballots, not bullets, thank God, but this is a revolution. The people are that upset with the ruling class and frankly, they ought to be."
Huckabee added that he felt "nothing would be better for this country than to have an utter disruption of the ruling class in Washington."
People have a really intense desire to see political events as revolutionary, without the bother of actually being revolutionary, for it so rarely merits the term. You see it all the time with the less restrained Kippers, Corbynistas and other aligned and non-aligned folks, convinced their candidates are entirely unlike anyone else in politics, that the very nature of politics will change with their lot in charge. Usually the differences are matters of degree, but people just love to think it is more than that.
Eddie Jones wins his first Championship with a game to spare. Class.
This England team is the first to really give me the shivers since, probably, Wilko and Johnson et al. From Itoje to Vunipola to Farrell it either oozes class or competence. And, finally, we have a good coach.
I can genuinely see England winning the next World Cup. And I haven't felt that since 2002.
What have we seen that will trouble the Australians and South Africans, let alone the Kiwis, next time ? It's in Japan next time so will that suit the Northern Hemisphere teams any more than England did last year ?
Justice secretary Michael Gove and the German-born Labour MP Gisela Stuart have been named as joint heads of the Vote Leave campaign to take Britain out of the EU, with Boris Johnson taking a key role. John Longworth, the former head of the British Chambers of Commerce, will also join the campaign committee having recently been forced out of his old job for expressing support for a Brexit. . http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/57b74004-e91d-11e5-bb79-2303682345c8.html#ixzz42nmepqxF
It looks as though the BCC might have been correct to suspend Longworth ...
Of course not. Still waiting to see when they suspend the two regional directors who gave been only campaigning for Remain.
In trouble, these are not good results for her particularly the AfD breakthrough, they are in double figures in every region.
The worst drop is in Baden - the fall in CDU support in the other two doesn't seem to be that great. The AfD is taking more from the SDP/Greens/Linke in other areas.
FDP look like clawing their way back into all three regional parliaments. IF the FDP can gety above 5% in the national election it will give Merkel another option if the CDU and SDP both lose ground.
Trump's plane is just taxiing into position - I'm watching on YouTube and the comments are brilliant.
I REALLY want Trump to win. Not just as a joke. I think he'd be a fairly good president. Better than Obama at foreign policy. And a kick up the arse for western establishments worldwide. Ours included.
He won't win, but we can dream.
Rod Crosby of this Parish, who unlike certain others I could mention *cough*, usually makes the right call, gives Trump a 75% chance of becoming the next POTUS.
Have Crosby and JackW disagreed so fervently before and if so who was right? Both are usually very accurate but are completely at odds now.
If The Donald wins the nomination then I think he will knock strips off Hilary or Bernie and become POTUS, making JackW sad, and looking at his bets.
Crosby calls it right after strong contrarian analysis. JackW gets it right speaking out of his ARSE. I'm with Crosby on this - Trump absolutely shreds Hillary in an all out war. It will be nasty. [And I am in the anyone but Trump camp].
Trump will lose due to getting slaughtered in Hispanic and educated white segments.
I know an amazingly large number of educated whites who are all in for Trump. Those who are against him are already overwhelmingly traditional Dem voters.
I am not sure what will happen with the Hispanics vote - if they have normal turnout, I wonder whether the fall off from the Romney Hispanic vote will be significant enough to impact the result given that Trump will probably win back more than the 1 million white GOP votes who sat out Romney. If Trump truly galvanizes a massive, monolithic Hispanic vote, then he might be in trouble. But there is a long while between now and the GE for Trump to pour oil on troubled waters once the nomination is in the bag.
Yes, but relatively speaking only. He got 45% of those voting for the GOP to Rubio's 28%, but it was not a large sample ...
No chance of this happening. Free movement is non-negotiable within EU.
The EEA too.
Though the chance of Turkey entering in the near future is zero, and while under Erdogan zero, plus any transitional arrangements would be very prolonged.
Its not going to be an issue for decades, and most likely never.
Justice secretary Michael Gove and the German-born Labour MP Gisela Stuart have been named as joint heads of the Vote Leave campaign to take Britain out of the EU, with Boris Johnson taking a key role. John Longworth, the former head of the British Chambers of Commerce, will also join the campaign committee having recently been forced out of his old job for expressing support for a Brexit. . http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/57b74004-e91d-11e5-bb79-2303682345c8.html#ixzz42nmepqxF
It looks as though the BCC might have been correct to suspend Longworth ...
Of course not. Still waiting to see when they suspend the two regional directors who gave been only campaigning for Remain.
Why 'of course not' ?
The BCC organisation as a whole had a position, and he evidently could not abide by that. His comments afterwards, and this new position, highlight this.
The way it was explained on the radio was that the BCC is a federal organisation. Individual groups (e.g. Cornwall) could come campaign for or against in the referendum; but as the groups were split the overall organisation had to maintain a position of neutrality.
That might not be right. But if it is (and no-one on here has said otherwise that I have seen) then he was out of order.
In trouble, these are not good results for her particularly the AfD breakthrough, they are in double figures in every region.
The worst drop is in Baden - the fall in CDU support in the other two doesn't seem to be that great. The AfD is taking more from the SDP/Greens/Linke in other areas.
FDP look like clawing their way back into all three regional parliaments. IF the FDP can gety above 5% in the national election it will give Merkel another option if the CDU and SDP both lose ground.
Yes. AfD support is a bit from everywhere, the high turnout probably suggests they have got non voters to the polling station.
FDP look as if they are coming back to life as they have cleared 5% in all the regions.
Merkel probably worst off on these results, I've just been listening to one of their spin doctors saying it's a debacle for them
In trouble, these are not good results for her particularly the AfD breakthrough, they are in double figures in every region.
The worst drop is in Baden - the fall in CDU support in the other two doesn't seem to be that great. The AfD is taking more from the SDP/Greens/Linke in other areas.
FDP look like clawing their way back into all three regional parliaments. IF the FDP can gety above 5% in the national election it will give Merkel another option if the CDU and SDP both lose ground.
FWIW, I don't think anyone in the current Tory cabinet rank would be anything like as good as Dave has been as Prime Minister.. If Boris gets it, then the party will sink. Its alright been a bit of a buffoon when you don't have any decisions to take.
Of those of Cabinet rank, Teresa May is the steadiest pair of hands by a long way and is probably one of the longest serving Home secretaries in centuries.
In trouble, these are not good results for her particularly the AfD breakthrough, they are in double figures in every region.
The worst drop is in Baden - the fall in CDU support in the other two doesn't seem to be that great. The AfD is taking more from the SDP/Greens/Linke in other areas.
FDP look like clawing their way back into all three regional parliaments. IF the FDP can gety above 5% in the national election it will give Merkel another option if the CDU and SDP both lose ground.
Only in the sense that CDU-SPD-FDP is another option to CDU-SDP. I don't see any option working at the moment that doesn't involve the two big parties.
No chance of this happening. Free movement is non-negotiable within EU.
The EEA too.
Though the chance of Turkey entering in the near future is zero, and while under Erdogan zero, plus any transitional arrangements would be very prolonged.
Its not going to be an issue for decades, and most likely never.
Firstly, it's free movement under the EU's own rules. Should the member states agree, then appropriate transitional measures can be put in place to accommodate their concerns.
Second, free movement is a bit hollow if its own. It's a skeleton given flesh (increasingly so) by directives like 2004/38, exploring what, exactly, the treaty entails. This is most observable in the progression from the free movement of workers to the free movement of people, but it will also entail the effect of Article 8 on the movement of their families, and a plethora of non-discrimination argument flowing from a constructive re-interpretation of Article 20 TFEU. As fairly steady as the direction of travel has been on these issues, it's not invioable. Europe is, after all, coming under the most sustained period of inward migration since Maastricht and the addition of Turkey would further that.
In Baden-Wurttemburg the big winners are the Greens and AfD - big losers are CDU and SPD both down more than 10%.
In Rheinland Greens are the big losers with SPD holding up well, small loss for CDU and a big jump for AfD.
In Saxony AfD are the huge winners - biggest losers are the SPD but both Linke and CDU losing ground as well.
Very early thoughts - a real mixed bag.
That sounds less mixed and more a consistent story of AfD doing very well. Politicians across West are going to have to accept that the economic divide between left and right small fry to voters when cultural identity is threatened. Whatever economic merits of high levels of migration, political wall will not hold.
No chance of this happening. Free movement is non-negotiable within EU.
The EEA too.
Though the chance of Turkey entering in the near future is zero, and while under Erdogan zero, plus any transitional arrangements would be very prolonged.
Its not going to be an issue for decades, and most likely never.
Miss Plato, Osborne sees the danger. Turkey joining is not a popular prospect. His line's worthless in real terms, but some will buy it.
But there's no credible way Turkey will be joining: they've made little progress on the acquis commaitairre (sp), and then they won't get all the other EU members to vote for them to join, especially Greek Cyprus.
Besides all that, Erdogan might not be the person to take Turkey towards fulfilling the acquis commaitairre, even if his recent bust-up with Russia forces him to look westwards once more. His rather fractious relationship with the media (in which he quite resembles his new enemy Putin) isn't exactly in vogue within the EU.
Leave's paranoia about Turkey joining is ridiculous, especially when they have the nerve to call remain Project Fear ...
FWIW, I don't think anyone in the current Tory cabinet rank would be anything like as good as Dave has been as Prime Minister.. If Boris gets it, then the party will sink. Its alright been a bit of a buffoon when you don't have any decisions to take.
Of those of Cabinet rank, Teresa May is the steadiest pair of hands by a long way and is probably one of the longest serving Home secretaries in centuries.
Given David Cameron's aversion to reshuffles, it would not be surprising if similar claims are made for half the Cabinet and the Junior Minister for Dog Licences.
Merkel's style and approach has worked well for Germany for many years now, but eventually it would cease to work, even if it is not quite now, strengths becoming weakness. Instinctual search for compromise can become simple indecisiveness, thoughtfulness can become dithering, intended compassion can become over generosity.
If this is to be a serious problem for her, if it is, it has come about pretty quickly in political terms, and of her own making when it seemed she was still mostly unassailable.
Miss Plato, Osborne sees the danger. Turkey joining is not a popular prospect. His line's worthless in real terms, but some will buy it.
But there's no credible way Turkey will be joining: they've made little progress on the acquis commaitairre (sp), and then they won't get all the other EU members to vote for them to join, especially Greek Cyprus.
Besides all that, Erdogan might not be the person to take Turkey towards fulfilling the acquis commaitairre, even if his recent bust-up with Russia forces him to look westwards once more. His rather fractious relationship with the media (in which he quite resembles his new enemy Putin) isn't exactly in vogue within the EU.
Leave's paranoia about Turkey joining is ridiculous, especially when they have the nerve to call remain Project Fear ...
Miss Plato, Osborne sees the danger. Turkey joining is not a popular prospect. His line's worthless in real terms, but some will buy it.
But there's no credible way Turkey will be joining: they've made little progress on the acquis commaitairre (sp), and then they won't get all the other EU members to vote for them to join, especially Greek Cyprus.
Besides all that, Erdogan might not be the person to take Turkey towards fulfilling the acquis commaitairre, even if his recent bust-up with Russia forces him to look westwards once more. His rather fractious relationship with the media (in which he quite resembles his new enemy Putin) isn't exactly in vogue within the EU.
Leave's paranoia about Turkey joining is ridiculous, especially when they have the nerve to call remain Project Fear ...
He should learn from Canute. With statements like these the rest of the EU must wonder why they are opposed to us leaving? If we go it lets them integrate quicker and deeper.
FWIW, I don't think anyone in the current Tory cabinet rank would be anything like as good as Dave has been as Prime Minister.. If Boris gets it, then the party will sink. Its alright been a bit of a buffoon when you don't have any decisions to take.
Of those of Cabinet rank, Teresa May is the steadiest pair of hands by a long way and is probably one of the longest serving Home secretaries in centuries.
Given David Cameron's aversion to reshuffles, it would not be surprising if similar claims are made for half the Cabinet and the Junior Minister for Dog Licences.
Leaving aside party prejudices, May's survival in that post is noteworthy. New Labour had six in thirteen years; May is nearly six years not out.
Miss Plato, Osborne sees the danger. Turkey joining is not a popular prospect. His line's worthless in real terms, but some will buy it.
But there's no credible way Turkey will be joining: they've made little progress on the acquis commaitairre (sp), and then they won't get all the other EU members to vote for them to join, especially Greek Cyprus.
Besides all that, Erdogan might not be the person to take Turkey towards fulfilling the acquis commaitairre, even if his recent bust-up with Russia forces him to look westwards once more. His rather fractious relationship with the media (in which he quite resembles his new enemy Putin) isn't exactly in vogue within the EU.
Leave's paranoia about Turkey joining is ridiculous, especially when they have the nerve to call remain Project Fear ...
The idea that any Cypriot politician could back Turkey's accession to the EU is beyond ridiculous. And it requires all 28 members of the EU to agree to any country joining.
Mr. T, force people? I don't force people to read my books.
It's entirely up to PBers if they want to buy The Adventures of Sir Edric (out 31 March). If they choose to willingly depress or anger the only member of the site with his own army of amphibious, land-walking superfish and a space cannon, that's a choice my fellow members are free to make.
FWIW, I don't think anyone in the current Tory cabinet rank would be anything like as good as Dave has been as Prime Minister.. If Boris gets it, then the party will sink. Its alright been a bit of a buffoon when you don't have any decisions to take.
Of those of Cabinet rank, Teresa May is the steadiest pair of hands by a long way and is probably one of the longest serving Home secretaries in centuries.
Given David Cameron's aversion to reshuffles, it would not be surprising if similar claims are made for half the Cabinet and the Junior Minister for Dog Licences.
Leaving aside party prejudices, May's survival in that post is noteworthy. New Labour had six in thirteen years; May is nearly six years not out.
Miss Plato, Osborne sees the danger. Turkey joining is not a popular prospect. His line's worthless in real terms, but some will buy it.
But there's no credible way Turkey will be joining: they've made little progress on the acquis commaitairre (sp), and then they won't get all the other EU members to vote for them to join, especially Greek Cyprus.
Besides all that, Erdogan might not be the person to take Turkey towards fulfilling the acquis commaitairre, even if his recent bust-up with Russia forces him to look westwards once more. His rather fractious relationship with the media (in which he quite resembles his new enemy Putin) isn't exactly in vogue within the EU.
Leave's paranoia about Turkey joining is ridiculous, especially when they have the nerve to call remain Project Fear ...
No, the Schengen zone is to allow Turks to enter it without a visa. Just as we allow Canadians to come to the UK without a visa.
Mr. Jessop, yes and no. Cameron doesn't like doing reshuffles very often. I'd guess the life expectancy, as it were, of a Cameron minister must be miles better than one of Blair's.
Merkel's style and approach has worked well for Germany for many years now, but eventually it would cease to work, even if it is not quite now, strengths becoming weakness. Instinctual search for compromise can become simple indecisiveness, thoughtfulness can become dithering, intended compassion can become over generosity.
If this is to be a serious problem for her, if it is, it has come about pretty quickly in political terms, and of her own making when it seemed she was still mostly unassailable.
She went beyond compassion, and beyond over-generosity, into outright fecking lunacy. She is - without exaggeration - personally responsible for the deaths of many hundreds of migrants in the Med, who, without her insane promise, would never have risked the journey.
For that alone she must be removed from office, and expelled from the history of the good. She did bad. She did very very very bad.
A very poor decision indeed. I know we're all armchair generals, but outside of receiving pats on the back for being so wonderful, it was hard to see why she thought it was a good decision. And I say that as someone who was perfectly happy for the UK to take a lot more refugees than we offered to do. But that method was just so wrong.
Miss Plato, Osborne sees the danger. Turkey joining is not a popular prospect. His line's worthless in real terms, but some will buy it.
But there's no credible way Turkey will be joining: they've made little progress on the acquis commaitairre (sp), and then they won't get all the other EU members to vote for them to join, especially Greek Cyprus.
Besides all that, Erdogan might not be the person to take Turkey towards fulfilling the acquis commaitairre, even if his recent bust-up with Russia forces him to look westwards once more. His rather fractious relationship with the media (in which he quite resembles his new enemy Putin) isn't exactly in vogue within the EU.
Leave's paranoia about Turkey joining is ridiculous, especially when they have the nerve to call remain Project Fear ...
No, the Schengen zone is to allow Turks to enter it without a visa. Just as we allow Canadians to come to the UK without a visa.
Something to note for those thinking of heading to Canada soon...that hasn't been very well advertised. Canada are introducing a similar scheme to the US ESTA scheme (well it was supposed to already be introduced but IT implementation has been screwed up).
Miss Plato, Osborne sees the danger. Turkey joining is not a popular prospect. His line's worthless in real terms, but some will buy it.
But there's no credible way Turkey will be joining: they've made little progress on the acquis commaitairre (sp), and then they won't get all the other EU members to vote for them to join, especially Greek Cyprus.
Besides all that, Erdogan might not be the person to take Turkey towards fulfilling the acquis commaitairre, even if his recent bust-up with Russia forces him to look westwards once more. His rather fractious relationship with the media (in which he quite resembles his new enemy Putin) isn't exactly in vogue within the EU.
Leave's paranoia about Turkey joining is ridiculous, especially when they have the nerve to call remain Project Fear ...
The idea that any Cypriot politician could back Turkey's accession to the EU is beyond ridiculous. And it requires all 28 members of the EU to agree to any country joining.
Why is a President of the EU (with Merkel's backing) discussing it if it is impossible?
Mr. Jessop, yes and no. Cameron doesn't like doing reshuffles very often. I'd guess the life expectancy, as it were, of a Cameron minister must be miles better than one of Blair's.
I've just had a check of health secretaries: New Labour had six again, Cameron 2.
And if Cameron wants stability in leadership positions, he's very wise. You cannot learn the job if you're being swapped out every year.
Mr. Jessop, yes and no. Cameron doesn't like doing reshuffles very often. I'd guess the life expectancy, as it were, of a Cameron minister must be miles better than one of Blair's.
IDS has been Work and Pensions Secretary for coming up to six years. Labour had six in the preceding six years.
That's probably an extreme example, and there are no doubt examples of dullards left in place due to Cameron's aversion to reshuffles (and difficulty moving people around fully due to the LD issue), but it does feel like his approach is best.
Mr. Jessop, yes and no. Cameron doesn't like doing reshuffles very often. I'd guess the life expectancy, as it were, of a Cameron minister must be miles better than one of Blair's.
I've just had a check of health secretaries: New Labour had six again, Cameron 2.
And if Cameron wants stability in leadership positions, he's very wise. You cannot learn the job if you're being swapped out every year.
Miss Plato, Osborne sees the danger. Turkey joining is not a popular prospect. His line's worthless in real terms, but some will buy it.
But there's no credible way Turkey will be joining: they've made little progress on the acquis commaitairre (sp), and then they won't get all the other EU members to vote for them to join, especially Greek Cyprus.
Besides all that, Erdogan might not be the person to take Turkey towards fulfilling the acquis commaitairre, even if his recent bust-up with Russia forces him to look westwards once more. His rather fractious relationship with the media (in which he quite resembles his new enemy Putin) isn't exactly in vogue within the EU.
Leave's paranoia about Turkey joining is ridiculous, especially when they have the nerve to call remain Project Fear ...
The idea that any Cypriot politician could back Turkey's accession to the EU is beyond ridiculous. And it requires all 28 members of the EU to agree to any country joining.
Why is a President of the EU (with Merkel's backing) discussing it if it is impossible?
The President of the EU can say what he likes.
But a new country requires a new treaty signed by all 28 members of the EU.
And you are woefully ignorant of Cyrpus if you think that any Cypriot government could vote for Turkey's accession while there Turkish troops stationed on the island.
Miss Plato, Osborne sees the danger. Turkey joining is not a popular prospect. His line's worthless in real terms, but some will buy it.
But there's no credible way Turkey will be joining: they've made little progress on the acquis commaitairre (sp), and then they won't get all the other EU members to vote for them to join, especially Greek Cyprus.
Besides all that, Erdogan might not be the person to take Turkey towards fulfilling the acquis commaitairre, even if his recent bust-up with Russia forces him to look westwards once more. His rather fractious relationship with the media (in which he quite resembles his new enemy Putin) isn't exactly in vogue within the EU.
Leave's paranoia about Turkey joining is ridiculous, especially when they have the nerve to call remain Project Fear ...
No, the Schengen zone is to allow Turks to enter it without a visa. Just as we allow Canadians to come to the UK without a visa.
I thought the visa free was to apply to the whole EU not just the Schengen zone. The UK and Ireland are not in Schengen yet there is no requirement for visas to travel here for anyone already legally entitled to be in the EU.
That said I agree that Leave are being stupid trying to big up the Turkey accession stuff. It plays to entirely the wrong kind of message and as an argument is so full of holes that it just makes them look daft.
Miss Plato, Osborne sees the danger. Turkey joining is not a popular prospect. His line's worthless in real terms, but some will buy it.
But there's no credible way Turkey will be joining: they've made little progress on the acquis commaitairre (sp), and then they won't get all the other EU members to vote for them to join, especially Greek Cyprus.
Besides all that, Erdogan might not be the person to take Turkey towards fulfilling the acquis commaitairre, even if his recent bust-up with Russia forces him to look westwards once more. His rather fractious relationship with the media (in which he quite resembles his new enemy Putin) isn't exactly in vogue within the EU.
Leave's paranoia about Turkey joining is ridiculous, especially when they have the nerve to call remain Project Fear ...
The idea that any Cypriot politician could back Turkey's accession to the EU is beyond ridiculous. And it requires all 28 members of the EU to agree to any country joining.
Why is a President of the EU (with Merkel's backing) discussing it if it is impossible?
The President of the EU can say what he likes.
But a new country requires a new treaty signed by all 28 members of the EU.
And you are woefully ignorant of Cyrpus if you think that any Cypriot government could vote for Turkey's accession while there Turkish troops stationed on the island.
On Daily Poloics last Friday they were discussing Cyprus, and how there is some hope for a deal. Not sure if it was reunification, or maybe some thing less grandiose.
Miss Plato, Osborne sees the danger. Turkey joining is not a popular prospect. His line's worthless in real terms, but some will buy it.
But there's no credible way Turkey will be joining: they've made little progress on the acquis commaitairre (sp), and then they won't get all the other EU members to vote for them to join, especially Greek Cyprus.
Besides all that, Erdogan might not be the person to take Turkey towards fulfilling the acquis commaitairre, even if his recent bust-up with Russia forces him to look westwards once more. His rather fractious relationship with the media (in which he quite resembles his new enemy Putin) isn't exactly in vogue within the EU.
Leave's paranoia about Turkey joining is ridiculous, especially when they have the nerve to call remain Project Fear ...
No, the Schengen zone is to allow Turks to enter it without a visa. Just as we allow Canadians to come to the UK without a visa.
I thought the visa free was to apply to the whole EU not just the Schengen zone. The UK and Ireland are not in Schengen yet there is no requirement for visas to travel here for anyone already legally entitled to be in the EU.
That said I agree that Leave are being stupid trying to big up the Turkey accession stuff. It plays to entirely the wrong kind of message and as an argument is so full of holes that it just makes them look daft.
Is that because we have an agreement with Schengen? This deal will not apply to the UK.
Miss Plato, Osborne sees the danger. Turkey joining is not a popular prospect. His line's worthless in real terms, but some will buy it.
But there's no credible way Turkey will be joining: they've made little progress on the acquis commaitairre (sp), and then they won't get all the other EU members to vote for them to join, especially Greek Cyprus.
Besides all that, Erdogan might not be the person to take Turkey towards fulfilling the acquis commaitairre, even if his recent bust-up with Russia forces him to look westwards once more. His rather fractious relationship with the media (in which he quite resembles his new enemy Putin) isn't exactly in vogue within the EU.
Leave's paranoia about Turkey joining is ridiculous, especially when they have the nerve to call remain Project Fear ...
The idea that any Cypriot politician could back Turkey's accession to the EU is beyond ridiculous. And it requires all 28 members of the EU to agree to any country joining.
Why is a President of the EU (with Merkel's backing) discussing it if it is impossible?
The President of the EU can say what he likes.
But a new country requires a new treaty signed by all 28 members of the EU.
And you are woefully ignorant of Cyrpus if you think that any Cypriot government could vote for Turkey's accession while there Turkish troops stationed on the island.
It's more a statement of intent from the President, not a discussion.And an intention not held very widely.
Miss Plato, Osborne sees the danger. Turkey joining is not a popular prospect. His line's worthless in real terms, but some will buy it.
But there's no credible way Turkey will be joining: they've made little progress on the acquis commaitairre (sp), and then they won't get all the other EU members to vote for them to join, especially Greek Cyprus.
Besides all that, Erdogan might not be the person to take Turkey towards fulfilling the acquis commaitairre, even if his recent bust-up with Russia forces him to look westwards once more. His rather fractious relationship with the media (in which he quite resembles his new enemy Putin) isn't exactly in vogue within the EU.
Leave's paranoia about Turkey joining is ridiculous, especially when they have the nerve to call remain Project Fear ...
FWIW, I don't think anyone in the current Tory cabinet rank would be anything like as good as Dave has been as Prime Minister.. If Boris gets it, then the party will sink. Its alright been a bit of a buffoon when you don't have any decisions to take.
Of those of Cabinet rank, Teresa May is the steadiest pair of hands by a long way and is probably one of the longest serving Home secretaries in centuries.
Given David Cameron's aversion to reshuffles, it would not be surprising if similar claims are made for half the Cabinet and the Junior Minister for Dog Licences.
Leaving aside party prejudices, May's survival in that post is noteworthy. New Labour had six in thirteen years; May is nearly six years not out.
The Home Secretary and indeed the Home Office as a major Gov't Department just seems much lower profile than was previously the case ..... less legislation being enacted and no pesky nuisance factors such as ID cards, etc.
FWIW, I don't think anyone in the current Tory cabinet rank would be anything like as good as Dave has been as Prime Minister.. If Boris gets it, then the party will sink. Its alright been a bit of a buffoon when you don't have any decisions to take.
Of those of Cabinet rank, Teresa May is the steadiest pair of hands by a long way and is probably one of the longest serving Home secretaries in centuries.
Given David Cameron's aversion to reshuffles, it would not be surprising if similar claims are made for half the Cabinet and the Junior Minister for Dog Licences.
Leaving aside party prejudices, May's survival in that post is noteworthy. New Labour had six in thirteen years; May is nearly six years not out.
FWIW, I don't think anyone in the current Tory cabinet rank would be anything like as good as Dave has been as Prime Minister.. If Boris gets it, then the party will sink. Its alright been a bit of a buffoon when you don't have any decisions to take.
Of those of Cabinet rank, Teresa May is the steadiest pair of hands by a long way and is probably one of the longest serving Home secretaries in centuries.
Given David Cameron's aversion to reshuffles, it would not be surprising if similar claims are made for half the Cabinet and the Junior Minister for Dog Licences.
Leaving aside party prejudices, May's survival in that post is noteworthy. New Labour had six in thirteen years; May is nearly six years not out.
The Home Secretary and indeed the Home Office as a major Gov't Department just seems much lower profile than was previously the case ..... less legislation being enacted and no pesky nuisance factors such as ID cards, etc.
Don't forget half the department was hived off to Justice.
You should have stood firm instead of being drawn into the short term mire of pbCOM nastiness. Merkel will be judged by the gentle hand of history where she will be viewed as one of the most enlightened, and compassionate leaders in European history.
I'd rather stand shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Merkel, rather than the particularly vile, narcissistic seant and his like who couldn't see what is good if it dropped down on them.
Merkel's style and approach has worked well for Germany for many years now, but eventually it would cease to work, even if it is not quite now, strengths becoming weakness. Instinctual search for compromise can become simple indecisiveness, thoughtfulness can become dithering, intended compassion can become over generosity.
If this is to be a serious problem for her, if it is, it has come about pretty quickly in political terms, and of her own making when it seemed she was still mostly unassailable.
She went beyond compassion, and beyond over-generosity, into outright fecking lunacy. She is - without exaggeration - personally responsible for the deaths of many hundreds of migrants in the Med, who, without her insane promise, would never have risked the journey.
For that alone she must be removed from office, and expelled from the history of the good. She did bad. She did very very very bad.
A very poor decision indeed. I know we're all armchair generals, but outside of receiving pats on the back for being so wonderful, it was hard to see why she thought it was a good decision. And I say that as someone who was perfectly happy for the UK to take a lot more refugees than we offered to do. But that method was just so wrong.
Comments
Greens ahead in Baden-Wurttemburg 32-27.5 over CDU.
In Saxony CDU top but AfD a strong second.
SPD ahead in Rheinland-Pfalz.
CDU lead AfD 29-23 in Saxony.
"People are angry. I think we're seeing nothing less than the overthrow of our government… It's a peaceful overthrow so far. We're going to do it by ballots, not bullets, thank God, but this is a revolution. The people are that upset with the ruling class and frankly, they ought to be."
Huckabee added that he felt "nothing would be better for this country than to have an utter disruption of the ruling class in Washington."
Breaking News at Newsmax.com http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/huckabee-trump-peaceful-overthrow/2016/03/12/id/718788/#ixzz42nruHTuw
Huge shift
I've always had a scepticism of Rod's methods because they're a bit deterministic and I think on this occasion, while it should be the GOP's year - and would be with the right candidate - they'll miss out because of who's on their ticket. 2020 is likely to be a foregone conclusion though.
In Rheinland Greens are the big losers with SPD holding up well, small loss for CDU and a big jump for AfD.
In Saxony AfD are the huge winners - biggest losers are the SPD but both Linke and CDU losing ground as well.
Very early thoughts - a real mixed bag.
Lost 2 regions and needs to form coalition with AfD in third.
An awful lot depends on when the vacancy is. If it's this year then we're looking at current cabinet ministers only, plus Boris. That's not a great set of options. If it's 2019 then there's time for at least one big reshuffle to bring in new talent.
Thoughtful Republicans might consider that an HRC Presidency, hampered as it will be by GOP control of the Senate and the House, will be the necessary pre-cursor for the election of a centrist Republican in 2020.
IF Trump wins, my view is the 2018 midterms will be catastrophic for the GOP and in 2020 they could finish up completely shut out.
I just looked up and Billy Vunipola is only 23 and his brother 25.....As the line out of the inbetweeners goes...
You're 17?!
Yeah, I just look older.
There's looking older and then there's that! You look about 30!
Osborne: government will stop Turks moving to UK if it joins EU http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/europe/article4712119.ece
FDP look like clawing their way back into all three regional parliaments. IF the FDP can gety above 5% in the national election it will give Merkel another option if the CDU and SDP both lose ground.
Though the chance of Turkey entering in the near future is zero, and while under Erdogan zero, plus any transitional arrangements would be very prolonged.
Its not going to be an issue for decades, and most likely never.
The BCC organisation as a whole had a position, and he evidently could not abide by that. His comments afterwards, and this new position, highlight this.
The way it was explained on the radio was that the BCC is a federal organisation. Individual groups (e.g. Cornwall) could come campaign for or against in the referendum; but as the groups were split the overall organisation had to maintain a position of neutrality.
That might not be right. But if it is (and no-one on here has said otherwise that I have seen) then he was out of order.
FDP look as if they are coming back to life as they have cleared 5% in all the regions.
Merkel probably worst off on these results, I've just been listening to one of their spin doctors saying it's a debacle for them
Of those of Cabinet rank, Teresa May is the steadiest pair of hands by a long way and is probably one of the longest serving Home secretaries in centuries.
Never mind about the size of the GOP candidates' hands, has anyone else noticed that Rubio has exceptionally LONG EARS?
Second, free movement is a bit hollow if its own. It's a skeleton given flesh (increasingly so) by directives like 2004/38, exploring what, exactly, the treaty entails. This is most observable in the progression from the free movement of workers to the free movement of people, but it will also entail the effect of Article 8 on the movement of their families, and a plethora of non-discrimination argument flowing from a constructive re-interpretation of Article 20 TFEU. As fairly steady as the direction of travel has been on these issues, it's not invioable. Europe is, after all, coming under the most sustained period of inward migration since Maastricht and the addition of Turkey would further that.
It's likr George Galloway winning in Surrey.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/fl/florida_republican_presidential_primary-3555.html
Besides all that, Erdogan might not be the person to take Turkey towards fulfilling the acquis commaitairre, even if his recent bust-up with Russia forces him to look westwards once more. His rather fractious relationship with the media (in which he quite resembles his new enemy Putin) isn't exactly in vogue within the EU.
Leave's paranoia about Turkey joining is ridiculous, especially when they have the nerve to call remain Project Fear ...
If this is to be a serious problem for her, if it is, it has come about pretty quickly in political terms, and of her own making when it seemed she was still mostly unassailable.
If you think he will, I'm offering evens.
Loved that sarcastic quip from George Osborne this morning "we worked hard in government to make sure the Lib Dems could write their memoirs" - lol.
Its membership goodies without membership
With statements like these the rest of the EU must wonder why they are opposed to us leaving? If we go it lets them integrate quicker and deeper.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Secretary#Home_Secretaries.2C_2001.E2.80.93present
Mr. T, force people? I don't force people to read my books.
It's entirely up to PBers if they want to buy The Adventures of Sir Edric (out 31 March). If they choose to willingly depress or anger the only member of the site with his own army of amphibious, land-walking superfish and a space cannon, that's a choice my fellow members are free to make.
And if Cameron wants stability in leadership positions, he's very wise. You cannot learn the job if you're being swapped out every year.
That's probably an extreme example, and there are no doubt examples of dullards left in place due to Cameron's aversion to reshuffles (and difficulty moving people around fully due to the LD issue), but it does feel like his approach is best.
But a new country requires a new treaty signed by all 28 members of the EU.
And you are woefully ignorant of Cyrpus if you think that any Cypriot government could vote for Turkey's accession while there Turkish troops stationed on the island.
That said I agree that Leave are being stupid trying to big up the Turkey accession stuff. It plays to entirely the wrong kind of message and as an argument is so full of holes that it just makes them look daft.
What's the latest in DC? Has Pulps got any chance of his £13 odd?
You should have stood firm instead of being drawn into the short term mire of pbCOM nastiness. Merkel will be judged by the gentle hand of history where she will be viewed as one of the most enlightened, and compassionate leaders in European history.
I'd rather stand shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Merkel, rather than the particularly vile, narcissistic seant and his like who couldn't see what is good if it dropped down on them.
No delegates for either Trump or lyin' Ted.
Almost certainly the last good news of any sort Rubio will receive this cycle...
I see it's 3,000 voters! Florida, I suspect, will have a few more than that...