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  • MP_SEMP_SE Posts: 3,642

    AndyJS said:

    If the Tory Remainers seriously thought they were going to walk this referendum then they are utter morons. Anyone with half a brain could have told them it would be too close to call. Not understanding this shows Corbynesque levels of political judgement. And then on the other side you've got the increasingly ridiculous Boris, IDS, Patel, Grayling et al. God help us all!!

    It's likely that Labour voters in many parts of the country will split roughly 50/50, especially outside the big cities. Cameron should have factored that into his calculations.

    It's increasingly clear that the only calculation Dave made was about the bone he needed to throw to the Tory right back in 2012. Labour voters were automatically assumed to be pro-Remain. I suspect most who vote will be. But a hell of a lot won't turnout. This is not their argument.

    I have heard Labour voters say similar. They simply do not understand the EU enough to be able to comfortably back a side.

    Maybe this will change closer to the date of the referendum.
  • MP_SEMP_SE Posts: 3,642
    runnymede said:

    MP_SE said:

    glw said:

    What has thrown Dave and Remain is not the polls, they were expecting maybe 70 Tory MPs and from the cabinet IDS and Grayling to back Leave.

    They weren't expecting nearly half the Party backing Leave as well as Boris and Gove on Leave too.

    Really? Well maybe that ham-faced idiot of a PM should have done what he said he would do and come back with a renegotiation agreement that wasn't laughable. It is an entirely self-inflicted blunder, it serves him right if he can't command much support anymore.
    Indeed. Dave had numerous options available to him such as saying the deal was crap and campaigning to leave, saying the deal is crap but he will keep trying for something better, etc. He brought this all on himself.
    Now here's a thing. I was with a group of very switched on US hedge fund guys today who were very keen indeed to explore the notion that a LEAVE vote might somehow be ignored by the government/parliament. I wonder where they could have got that idea.
    50.5% Leave and 49.5% Remain on a sub 60% turnout would be interesting. I don't think they would dare to ignore the result though.
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 39,790
    MTimT said:

    Patrick Kidd
    Turns out that Ian Botham is more influential than Barack Obama after all https://t.co/sRZ8BFvcix

    He clearly appeals to the demographic that believes England is an island :-)

    Trying to work out if you are implying he appeals to everyone or just Little Englanders. (And yes, I get that England is not, per se, an island, but rather located on one)

    In reality I doubt his endorsement made much difference to anything. He came across as seeing himself as English and the issue as an English one. I think he is right. This referendum is not really about the UK, it's about England and where England sees itself in the world.

  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 63,567
    I'm late to the party tonight, but have we done the Cruz/Fiorina discussion?
  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    MP_SE said:

    AndyJS said:

    If the Tory Remainers seriously thought they were going to walk this referendum then they are utter morons. Anyone with half a brain could have told them it would be too close to call. Not understanding this shows Corbynesque levels of political judgement. And then on the other side you've got the increasingly ridiculous Boris, IDS, Patel, Grayling et al. God help us all!!

    It's likely that Labour voters in many parts of the country will split roughly 50/50, especially outside the big cities. Cameron should have factored that into his calculations.

    It's increasingly clear that the only calculation Dave made was about the bone he needed to throw to the Tory right back in 2012. Labour voters were automatically assumed to be pro-Remain. I suspect most who vote will be. But a hell of a lot won't turnout. This is not their argument.

    I have heard Labour voters say similar. They simply do not understand the EU enough to be able to comfortably back a side.

    Maybe this will change closer to the date of the referendum.
    If we go back to the turnout issue then we find the same as before.
    For instance in the latest ICM poll Leave has a 2 point lead, but with those 10/10 certain to vote that lead expanded to 8.5 points.
  • glwglw Posts: 10,020

    I'm late to the party tonight, but have we done the Cruz/Fiorina discussion?

    There was a great snarky headline for that on Fark, "Ted Cruz concedes California".
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 52,938

    I'm late to the party tonight, but have we done the Cruz/Fiorina discussion?

    http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/cruz-hopes-to-tap-into-immense-popularity-of-carly-fiorina

    “It’s no secret that Ted Cruz has some trouble with likeability,” the Republican strategist Harland Dorrinson said. “What better way to fix that than by choosing Carly Fiorina, a person everyone is absolutely crazy about?”
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited April 2016
    2012 local elections, UKIP share: 3.8%. Now on 20% according to YouGov.

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwA-5RleSBydcW41TmdEZXRVTFk/view?pref=2&pli=1
  • MTimTMTimT Posts: 7,034

    This referendum is not really about the UK, it's about England and where England sees itself in the world.

    Interesting. So do you think, in a way, that this referendum, and the way it is progressing, is partly a result of Sindy or at least strongly linked to it?
  • runnymederunnymede Posts: 2,536
    MP_SE said:

    runnymede said:

    MP_SE said:

    glw said:

    What has thrown Dave and Remain is not the polls, they were expecting maybe 70 Tory MPs and from the cabinet IDS and Grayling to back Leave.

    They weren't expecting nearly half the Party backing Leave as well as Boris and Gove on Leave too.

    Really? Well maybe that ham-faced idiot of a PM should have done what he said he would do and come back with a renegotiation agreement that wasn't laughable. It is an entirely self-inflicted blunder, it serves him right if he can't command much support anymore.
    Indeed. Dave had numerous options available to him such as saying the deal was crap and campaigning to leave, saying the deal is crap but he will keep trying for something better, etc. He brought this all on himself.
    Now here's a thing. I was with a group of very switched on US hedge fund guys today who were very keen indeed to explore the notion that a LEAVE vote might somehow be ignored by the government/parliament. I wonder where they could have got that idea.
    50.5% Leave and 49.5% Remain on a sub 60% turnout would be interesting. I don't think they would dare to ignore the result though.
    Well, funnily enough those were almost exactly the numbers they quoted,

    And then there was a suggestion that some Conservative MPs would refuse to support the necessary parliamentary moves to execute the referendum decision.

    Again, one wonders where these ideas came from.
  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100

    I'm late to the party tonight, but have we done the Cruz/Fiorina discussion?

    Well I can tell you that the New York Times found out that Cruz was losing to Trump by double digits in Indiana, hence the desperate attempts of the last few days from the Cruz camp with the Kasich deal and then the Fiorina thing.
  • SeanT said:

    Yes, much truth there. As I said before, europhiles do not understand the eurosceptic mindset. They don't realise this is VISCERAL for many people: Nationhood. Sovereignty. Betrayal. For europhiles it's just about money and hoover laws and boring stuff. Why the fuss.

    The same argument applies in reverse, as you're articulated in the past. You can make a visceral argument in favour of Europe and against the anachronistic and legalistic way of defining sovereignty.

    One hundred years ago Europe was collectively going mad tearing itself to pieces and surrendering its global leadership role. Subsequently the UK came out of WWII as the only moral victor which blinded us to how diminished we were and the importance of Making Europe Great Again. That mission is just as important today and as one of the great nations of Europe we shouldn't ever stand aside and think that we're better off leaving them to it.
    Indeed. For me, as a keen Remainer, the EU represents a triumph of cooperation for the people of Europe. No more dictatorial rule and pointless wars. Combined efforts on supranational issues such as fisheries and climate change. Freedom to live, work and trade across the whole continent that would have been unimaginable just a few generations ago. Sure, the EU has its flaws, as does any cooperative endeavour, but I would see Brexit as an ominous step back towards the primitive tribalism of the past, and I have some difficulty understanding the evident enthusiasm of so many to do so.
  • MTimTMTimT Posts: 7,034
    edited April 2016

    I'm late to the party tonight, but have we done the Cruz/Fiorina discussion?

    http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/cruz-hopes-to-tap-into-immense-popularity-of-carly-fiorina

    “It’s no secret that Ted Cruz has some trouble with likeability,” the Republican strategist Harland Dorrinson said. “What better way to fix that than by choosing Carly Fiorina, a person everyone is absolutely crazy about?”

    LOL. Got this email from the Cruz campaign 44 minutes AFTER he told the world (and no, I am not nor have ever been a Cruz supporter. I would even prefer a President Trump to a President Cruz):

    "Cruz For President

    "Tim,

    "I wanted you to be the first to know.

    "It's my honor and privilege to introduce you to Carly Fiorina – the next Vice President of the United States.

    "Carly and I are about to go on stage to make this important announcement official, but I wanted you – one of my closest and most loyal supporters – to hear it from me first. ....."

    PS and everyone is so crazy about Fiorina that she didn't win a single delegate.
  • Speedy said:

    MP_SE said:

    AndyJS said:

    If the Tory Remainers seriously thought they were going to walk this referendum then they are utter morons. Anyone with half a brain could have told them it would be too close to call. Not understanding this shows Corbynesque levels of political judgement. And then on the other side you've got the increasingly ridiculous Boris, IDS, Patel, Grayling et al. God help us all!!

    It's likely that Labour voters in many parts of the country will split roughly 50/50, especially outside the big cities. Cameron should have factored that into his calculations.

    It's increasingly clear that the only calculation Dave made was about the bone he needed to throw to the Tory right back in 2012. Labour voters were automatically assumed to be pro-Remain. I suspect most who vote will be. But a hell of a lot won't turnout. This is not their argument.

    I have heard Labour voters say similar. They simply do not understand the EU enough to be able to comfortably back a side.

    Maybe this will change closer to the date of the referendum.
    If we go back to the turnout issue then we find the same as before.
    For instance in the latest ICM poll Leave has a 2 point lead, but with those 10/10 certain to vote that lead expanded to 8.5 points.
    based on that it could even be a bigger lead.
    10/10 certainty declarations are usually based on what the voter says. Young voters typically overestimate whether they will vote or not.
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited April 2016

    SeanT said:

    Yes, much truth there. As I said before, europhiles do not understand the eurosceptic mindset. They don't realise this is VISCERAL for many people: Nationhood. Sovereignty. Betrayal. For europhiles it's just about money and hoover laws and boring stuff. Why the fuss.

    The same argument applies in reverse, as you're articulated in the past. You can make a visceral argument in favour of Europe and against the anachronistic and legalistic way of defining sovereignty.

    One hundred years ago Europe was collectively going mad tearing itself to pieces and surrendering its global leadership role. Subsequently the UK came out of WWII as the only moral victor which blinded us to how diminished we were and the importance of Making Europe Great Again. That mission is just as important today and as one of the great nations of Europe we shouldn't ever stand aside and think that we're better off leaving them to it.
    Indeed. For me, as a keen Remainer, the EU represents a triumph of cooperation for the people of Europe. No more dictatorial rule and pointless wars. Combined efforts on supranational issues such as fisheries and climate change. Freedom to live, work and trade across the whole continent that would have been unimaginable just a few generations ago. Sure, the EU has its flaws, as does any cooperative endeavour, but I would see Brexit as an ominous step back towards the primitive tribalism of the past, and I have some difficulty understanding the evident enthusiasm of so many to do so.
    Britain before 1973 was an example of "primitive tribalism"? I thought we were helping to do a lot of civilised things before 1973 like defeating fascism in 1939-45.
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 39,790
    MTimT said:

    This referendum is not really about the UK, it's about England and where England sees itself in the world.

    Interesting. So do you think, in a way, that this referendum, and the way it is progressing, is partly a result of Sindy or at least strongly linked to it?

    It's part of a long-term process, I'd say. I think it will end up with the UK as it's currently constructed ceasing to be. Botham framing it in terms of England undoubtedly reflects a strongly held sentiment among Leavers. Gove's is the only non-English accent prominently involved in the campaign and his seat is in Surrey. The Scots and the Welsh are watching on, essentially powerless to affect the debate.

  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 52,938
    MTimT said:

    I'm late to the party tonight, but have we done the Cruz/Fiorina discussion?

    http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/cruz-hopes-to-tap-into-immense-popularity-of-carly-fiorina

    “It’s no secret that Ted Cruz has some trouble with likeability,” the Republican strategist Harland Dorrinson said. “What better way to fix that than by choosing Carly Fiorina, a person everyone is absolutely crazy about?”
    PS and everyone is so crazy about Fiorina that she didn't win a single delegate.
    She got one in Iowa! :)
  • MTimTMTimT Posts: 7,034
    AndyJS said:

    SeanT said:

    Yes, much truth there. As I said before, europhiles do not understand the eurosceptic mindset. They don't realise this is VISCERAL for many people: Nationhood. Sovereignty. Betrayal. For europhiles it's just about money and hoover laws and boring stuff. Why the fuss.

    The same argument applies in reverse, as you're articulated in the past. You can make a visceral argument in favour of Europe and against the anachronistic and legalistic way of defining sovereignty.

    One hundred years ago Europe was collectively going mad tearing itself to pieces and surrendering its global leadership role. Subsequently the UK came out of WWII as the only moral victor which blinded us to how diminished we were and the importance of Making Europe Great Again. That mission is just as important today and as one of the great nations of Europe we shouldn't ever stand aside and think that we're better off leaving them to it.
    Indeed. For me, as a keen Remainer, the EU represents a triumph of cooperation for the people of Europe. No more dictatorial rule and pointless wars. Combined efforts on supranational issues such as fisheries and climate change. Freedom to live, work and trade across the whole continent that would have been unimaginable just a few generations ago. Sure, the EU has its flaws, as does any cooperative endeavour, but I would see Brexit as an ominous step back towards the primitive tribalism of the past, and I have some difficulty understanding the evident enthusiasm of so many to do so.
    Britain before 1973 was an example of "primitive tribalism"? I thought we were helping to do a lot of civilised things before 1973 like defeating fascism in 1939-45.
    And conglomerate corporations frequently split in order to survive, especially when the whole is too sclerotic to seize opportunities in a timely manner.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 63,567
    MTimT said:

    I'm late to the party tonight, but have we done the Cruz/Fiorina discussion?

    http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/cruz-hopes-to-tap-into-immense-popularity-of-carly-fiorina

    “It’s no secret that Ted Cruz has some trouble with likeability,” the Republican strategist Harland Dorrinson said. “What better way to fix that than by choosing Carly Fiorina, a person everyone is absolutely crazy about?”

    LOL. Got this email from the Cruz campaign 44 minutes AFTER he told the world (and no, I am not nor have ever been a Cruz supporter. I would even prefer a President Trump to a President Cruz):

    "Cruz For President

    "Tim,

    "I wanted you to be the first to know.

    "It's my honor and privilege to introduce you to Carly Fiorina – the next Vice President of the United States.

    "Carly and I are about to go on stage to make this important announcement official, but I wanted you – one of my closest and most loyal supporters – to hear it from me first. ....."

    PS and everyone is so crazy about Fiorina that she didn't win a single delegate.
    at least Betfair is up-to-date, she is 7 for GOP VP candidate and Cruz is 7 for GOP nominee.
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 39,790
    AndyJS said:

    2012 local elections, UKIP share: 3.8%. Now on 20% according to YouGov.

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwA-5RleSBydcW41TmdEZXRVTFk/view?pref=2&pli=1



    It's a very high number. Does make you wonder about the polling. Will UKIP really get close to that in May?

  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    AndyJS said:

    2012 local elections, UKIP share: 3.8%. Now on 20% according to YouGov.

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwA-5RleSBydcW41TmdEZXRVTFk/view?pref=2&pli=1

    It's very convenient for them to be recording new all time highs a week before the local elections.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 63,567
    glw said:

    I'm late to the party tonight, but have we done the Cruz/Fiorina discussion?

    There was a great snarky headline for that on Fark, "Ted Cruz concedes California".
    Still, they can stay up all night in campaign hotels and tell each other how much they hate Trump. That's if Cruz isn't in another room with [Redacted].
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 52,938
    MTimT said:

    AndyJS said:

    SeanT said:

    Yes, much truth there. As I said before, europhiles do not understand the eurosceptic mindset. They don't realise this is VISCERAL for many people: Nationhood. Sovereignty. Betrayal. For europhiles it's just about money and hoover laws and boring stuff. Why the fuss.

    The same argument applies in reverse, as you're articulated in the past. You can make a visceral argument in favour of Europe and against the anachronistic and legalistic way of defining sovereignty.

    One hundred years ago Europe was collectively going mad tearing itself to pieces and surrendering its global leadership role. Subsequently the UK came out of WWII as the only moral victor which blinded us to how diminished we were and the importance of Making Europe Great Again. That mission is just as important today and as one of the great nations of Europe we shouldn't ever stand aside and think that we're better off leaving them to it.
    Indeed. For me, as a keen Remainer, the EU represents a triumph of cooperation for the people of Europe. No more dictatorial rule and pointless wars. Combined efforts on supranational issues such as fisheries and climate change. Freedom to live, work and trade across the whole continent that would have been unimaginable just a few generations ago. Sure, the EU has its flaws, as does any cooperative endeavour, but I would see Brexit as an ominous step back towards the primitive tribalism of the past, and I have some difficulty understanding the evident enthusiasm of so many to do so.
    Britain before 1973 was an example of "primitive tribalism"? I thought we were helping to do a lot of civilised things before 1973 like defeating fascism in 1939-45.
    And conglomerate corporations frequently split in order to survive, especially when the whole is too sclerotic to seize opportunities in a timely manner.
    Right, so it's obviously time for the City of London to shed itself of its host and for Cornwall to bring in a troubleshooter leader from the hospitality industry...
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited April 2016
    UKIP: I guess they'll get around 15%, not 20%. Not sure about the LDs: they could be anything from 10% to around 17%.
  • Plato_SaysPlato_Says Posts: 11,822

    glw said:

    I'm late to the party tonight, but have we done the Cruz/Fiorina discussion?

    There was a great snarky headline for that on Fark, "Ted Cruz concedes California".
    Still, they can stay up all night in campaign hotels and tell each other how much they hate Trump. That's if Cruz isn't in another room with [Redacted].
    :smiley:
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    Jacqui Smith on Sky News paper review: ludicrous for Cameron to have EU referendum in the first place.
  • MTimTMTimT Posts: 7,034

    MTimT said:

    AndyJS said:

    SeanT said:

    Yes, much truth there. As I said before, europhiles do not understand the eurosceptic mindset. They don't realise this is VISCERAL for many people: Nationhood. Sovereignty. Betrayal. For europhiles it's just about money and hoover laws and boring stuff. Why the fuss.

    The same argument applies in reverse, as you're articulated in the past. You can make a visceral argument in favour of Europe and against the anachronistic and legalistic way of defining sovereignty.

    One hundred years ago Europe was collectively going mad tearing itself to pieces and surrendering its global leadership role. Subsequently the UK came out of WWII as the only moral victor which blinded us to how diminished we were and the importance of Making Europe Great Again. That mission is just as important today and as one of the great nations of Europe we shouldn't ever stand aside and think that we're better off leaving them to it.
    Indeed. For me, as a keen Remainer, the EU represents a triumph of cooperation for the people of Europe. No more dictatorial rule and pointless wars. Combined efforts on supranational issues such as fisheries and climate change. Freedom to live, work and trade across the whole continent that would have been unimaginable just a few generations ago. Sure, the EU has its flaws, as does any cooperative endeavour, but I would see Brexit as an ominous step back towards the primitive tribalism of the past, and I have some difficulty understanding the evident enthusiasm of so many to do so.
    Britain before 1973 was an example of "primitive tribalism"? I thought we were helping to do a lot of civilised things before 1973 like defeating fascism in 1939-45.
    And conglomerate corporations frequently split in order to survive, especially when the whole is too sclerotic to seize opportunities in a timely manner.
    Right, so it's obviously time for the City of London to shed itself of its host and for Cornwall to bring in a troubleshooter leader from the hospitality industry...
    No, but bigger is not always better. And yes, I do believe that a Britain outside of the EU will fare better economically than a Britain inside the EU, and far better than the average of EU countries.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 124,735

    Changes since the last poll

    Con 30 (-1)
    Lab 33 (-1)
    UKIP 20 (+3)
    LD 6 (-2)

    UKIP are up 7% on the general election and the Tories are down 7%, Labour could be largest party at the next election without adding a single Tory voter. Even if Remain narrowly win (which I still think likely) the UKIP problem will still be there, the Tories will need some swing back to be returned again
  • MP_SEMP_SE Posts: 3,642

    SeanT said:

    Yes, much truth there. As I said before, europhiles do not understand the eurosceptic mindset. They don't realise this is VISCERAL for many people: Nationhood. Sovereignty. Betrayal. For europhiles it's just about money and hoover laws and boring stuff. Why the fuss.

    The same argument applies in reverse, as you're articulated in the past. You can make a visceral argument in favour of Europe and against the anachronistic and legalistic way of defining sovereignty.

    One hundred years ago Europe was collectively going mad tearing itself to pieces and surrendering its global leadership role. Subsequently the UK came out of WWII as the only moral victor which blinded us to how diminished we were and the importance of Making Europe Great Again. That mission is just as important today and as one of the great nations of Europe we shouldn't ever stand aside and think that we're better off leaving them to it.
    Indeed. For me, as a keen Remainer, the EU represents a triumph of cooperation for the people of Europe. No more dictatorial rule and pointless wars. Combined efforts on supranational issues such as fisheries and climate change. Freedom to live, work and trade across the whole continent that would have been unimaginable just a few generations ago. Sure, the EU has its flaws, as does any cooperative endeavour, but I would see Brexit as an ominous step back towards the primitive tribalism of the past, and I have some difficulty understanding the evident enthusiasm of so many to do so.
    Where to begin... Cooperation... Tribalism...
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 63,567
    Looks like Trump has reset his campaign tonight a little to be POTUS candidate and not GOP nominee candidate.
  • pbr2013pbr2013 Posts: 649
    MP_SE said:

    SeanT said:

    Yes, much truth there. As I said before, europhiles do not understand the eurosceptic mindset. They don't realise this is VISCERAL for many people: Nationhood. Sovereignty. Betrayal. For europhiles it's just about money and hoover laws and boring stuff. Why the fuss.

    The same argument applies in reverse, as you're articulated in the past. You can make a visceral argument in favour of Europe and against the anachronistic and legalistic way of defining sovereignty.

    One hundred years ago Europe was collectively going mad tearing itself to pieces and surrendering its global leadership role. Subsequently the UK came out of WWII as the only moral victor which blinded us to how diminished we were and the importance of Making Europe Great Again. That mission is just as important today and as one of the great nations of Europe we shouldn't ever stand aside and think that we're better off leaving them to it.
    Indeed. For me, as a keen Remainer, the EU represents a triumph of cooperation for the people of Europe. No more dictatorial rule and pointless wars. Combined efforts on supranational issues such as fisheries and climate change. Freedom to live, work and trade across the whole continent that would have been unimaginable just a few generations ago. Sure, the EU has its flaws, as does any cooperative endeavour, but I would see Brexit as an ominous step back towards the primitive tribalism of the past, and I have some difficulty understanding the evident enthusiasm of so many to do so.
    Where to begin... Cooperation... Tribalism...
    Fisheries? Really?
  • MTimTMTimT Posts: 7,034
    edited April 2016

    Looks like Trump has reset his campaign tonight a little to be POTUS candidate and not GOP nominee candidate.

    His foreign policy talk seems to have gone down like a lead balloon. And this picture is hardly one of someone brimming with confidence and 'Presidential'.

    http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/donald-trump-foreign-policy-speech-reaction-222544

    PS I do understand that the policy geeks who trashed him today are precisely those who failed to understand the rise of Trumpism ...
  • pbr2013pbr2013 Posts: 649
    AndyJS said:

    Jacqui Smith on Sky News paper review: ludicrous for Cameron to have EU referendum in the first place.

    Shouldn't she be watching porn with her husband? Or was that another one?
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 63,567
    MTimT said:

    Looks like Trump has reset his campaign tonight a little to be POTUS candidate and not GOP nominee candidate.

    His foreign policy talk seems to have gone down like a lead balloon. And this picture is hardly one of someone brimming with confidence and 'Presidential'.

    http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/donald-trump-foreign-policy-speech-reaction-222544
    I should have said 'tried to reset'
  • MTimTMTimT Posts: 7,034

    MTimT said:

    Looks like Trump has reset his campaign tonight a little to be POTUS candidate and not GOP nominee candidate.

    His foreign policy talk seems to have gone down like a lead balloon. And this picture is hardly one of someone brimming with confidence and 'Presidential'.

    http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/donald-trump-foreign-policy-speech-reaction-222544
    I should have said 'tried to reset'
    Not sure his supporters give a damn about that speech, but it might be important for the independents and swing voters he needs to get to Pennsylvania Avenue.
  • pbr2013 said:

    MP_SE said:

    SeanT said:

    Yes, much truth there. As I said before, europhiles do not understand the eurosceptic mindset. They don't realise this is VISCERAL for many people: Nationhood. Sovereignty. Betrayal. For europhiles it's just about money and hoover laws and boring stuff. Why the fuss.

    The same argument applies in reverse, as you're articulated in the past. You can make a visceral argument in favour of Europe and against the anachronistic and legalistic way of defining sovereignty.

    One hundred years ago Europe was collectively going mad tearing itself to pieces and surrendering its global leadership role. Subsequently the UK came out of WWII as the only moral victor which blinded us to how diminished we were and the importance of Making Europe Great Again. That mission is just as important today and as one of the great nations of Europe we shouldn't ever stand aside and think that we're better off leaving them to it.
    Indeed. For me, as a keen Remainer, the EU represents a triumph of cooperation for the people of Europe. No more dictatorial rule and pointless wars. Combined efforts on supranational issues such as fisheries and climate change. Freedom to live, work and trade across the whole continent that would have been unimaginable just a few generations ago. Sure, the EU has its flaws, as does any cooperative endeavour, but I would see Brexit as an ominous step back towards the primitive tribalism of the past, and I have some difficulty understanding the evident enthusiasm of so many to do so.
    Where to begin... Cooperation... Tribalism...
    Fisheries? Really?
    Without a common fisheries policy, it's hard to see how fish stocks could have lasted this long. Given that fish are no respecters of territorial waters, each nation would have had a strong incentive to maximise their catches before the fish were caught by other nations. Tragedy of the commons.
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited April 2016
    Trump now on 987 delegates according to RCP. California, New Jersey and West Virginia would take him over the winning line; no need to win Indiana.

    http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/republican_delegate_count.html
  • EPGEPG Posts: 6,674

    On the matter of balance in this website's leading articles, I had a look at the articles since my little item on the 18th April which can be assessed as "anti REMAIN" because it suggested a mistake by Cameron in his tactics.

    Since that article, on the subject of the referendum IMHO there were:-
    3 articles proLEAVE/antiREMAIN, 5 articles neutral, 8 articles antiLEAVE/proREMAIN

    During that period the evidence in recent polls is that LEAVE has improved vs REMAIN.
    Does this website have to be balanced? The answer is of course No. Do LEAVE supporters have some justification to complain about it? The answer is Yes. I therefore leave the main authors to think about this.

    How about a series of articles digging deep into recent polls to see how valid the weightings and samples they are now using compared to the findings from the review of GE2016? Now that would add some real value to the website compared to what we can read elsewhere.

    Sounds like a good idea, someone should do it.
  • YouGov poll: 35% of voters thought that leaving would be good for the NHS 17% thought it would be bad.
  • eekeek Posts: 28,798
    AndyJS said:

    Jacqui Smith on Sky News paper review: ludicrous for Cameron to have EU referendum in the first place.

    Yes but it was coalition policy fodder to be dropped when the tories didn't quite win a majority.. Then they won acmajority and discovered they had no means of avoiding one...
  • YouGov: 35% said UK worse off by leaving compared with 22% who said UK would be better off. So 13% lead for Remain, up 6% in a fortnight.
  • edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,709
    Leavers using "Yes we can" - this is exactly what they need. It's the hope/change angle they were missing but with a bit of cheeky anti-establishment cynicism thrown it. They should drop "Take back control" thing and run with this.
  • YouGov: In has a 14% lead on the EU being good for jobs & 23% lead among those who said that Britain would lose influence if it left the EU.
  • The tables aren't up, but looks like the supplementaries indicate Osborne/Obama/General economic announcements have moved voters to In, think Leave is worse for jobs & the economy
  • YouGov said that the Ukip surge could be down to the poll’s methodology.
  • They haven't confirmed it, but it looks like that poll is using (new) methodology favourable to Leave and UKIP.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 120,433
    edited April 2016
    Looks like Osborne's report has worked for Remain.
  • john_zimsjohn_zims Posts: 3,399
    edited April 2016
    @FeersumEnjineeya


    'Without a common fisheries policy, it's hard to see how fish stocks could have lasted this long.'


    Before we joined the Common Market and Heath gave up our territorial waters we had a significant and thriving fishing industry which after 40 years of membership has been decimated.

  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited April 2016
    Not a good advertisement for local democracy:

    "Broadheath ward election in Widnes due to be uncontested for third successive year"
    http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/local-news/broadheath-ward-election-widnes-due-11206972
  • edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,709
    Boris should do a Yes We Can speech.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,417

    Looks like Osborne's report has worked for Remain.

    TSE: What have I done?

    Darth Gideon (aka Chancellor Osborne): You are fulfilling your destiny, TSE. Become my apprentice. Learn to use the Daft Side of the Force. There's no turning back now.

    TSE: I will do whatever you ask. Just help me save Theresa's political career. I can't live without her. If she resigns, I don't know what I will do.

    Darth Gideon: To cheat political osbcurity is a power only one has achieved through centuries of the study of the Force. But if we work together, I know we can discover the secret to eternal AV Threads!

    TSE: I pledge myself to your teachings. To the ways of the REMAIN Campaign.

    Darth Gideon: Good. Good! The Force is strong with you, TSE. A powerful REMAINER you will become. Henceforth, you shall be known as Darth... Eagles.

    TSE: Thank you... my Master.

    Darth Gideon: Lord Eagles... rise.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,417

    Boris should do a Yes We Can speech.

    Be LEAVE!!
  • shiney2shiney2 Posts: 672
    edited April 2016

    Boris should do a Yes We Can speech.

    Be LEAVE!!

    Boris knows how to best US Presidential level nay sayers.

    2 out of 2, so far.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uus-qT8FIIE
  • edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,709
    So if UKIP clean up in the local elections in May, what does that do to the referendum in June? On the one hand leave get a lot of MOMENTUM and lots of positive media coverage, but on the other they're more closely associated with UKIP and anti-UKIP people are more motivated to turn out.
  • edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,709

    Boris should do a Yes We Can speech.

    Be LEAVE!!
    He should definitely not do a Be LEAVE speech.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 52,938

    Boris should do a Yes We Can speech.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbFbZmNrOCo
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,171
    In honor of the special day.......... Ed Balls.
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    New York Times predicts Trump will finish on 1,289 delegates, 52 more than he needs to win the nomination.

    http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/03/30/upshot/trump-clinton-delegate-calculator.html
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited April 2016
    One of the most unexpected things about the US primary season is that it's quite possible Trump will reach the required number of delegates before Clinton does. Trump currently has about 80% of the target and Clinton roughly 70% (excl. superdelegates).
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,253

    If the Tory Remainers seriously thought they were going to walk this referendum then they are utter morons. Anyone with half a brain could have told them it would be too close to call. Not understanding this shows Corbynesque levels of political judgement. And then on the other side you've got the increasingly ridiculous Boris, IDS, Patel, Grayling et al. God help us all!!

    It's been pretty unedifying so far. For me the highlight to date is May's speech - even though I disagree with her on the ECHR.......I was disappointed by Gove's effort - seemed a bit below par, and of course 'the Albanian model' will run & run.....
  • AndyJS said:

    New York Times predicts Trump will finish on 1,289 delegates, 52 more than he needs to win the nomination.

    http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/03/30/upshot/trump-clinton-delegate-calculator.html

    Rod Crosby was coming up with these sorts of numbers and with convincing data evidence many, many weeks ago.
  • peter_from_putneypeter_from_putney Posts: 6,956
    edited April 2016
    The really big betting opportunity over recent weeks, largely missed or seemingly ignored, not least by the clever PB thread writers has been the extraordinary movement in Donald Trump's odds against him becoming the the GOP nominee for POTUS. Just a few short weeks ago these odds on Betfair were around 1.25 (i.e. 1/4 in old money), then two weeks ago the odds lengthened to around 2.0 (i.e. evens), only to shorten back to 1.25 again over the past few days.
    So two really big opportunities to have made money on the betting exchange over the course of the past 2 - 3 weeks, which frankly was not really identified and majored upon by PB.com, despite now looking so blindingly obvious with the benefit of that wonderful thing known as hindsight.

    Speaking of which, I wonder whether we'll ever see Trump's outright POTUS odds back at the 6.2/6.4 level with Betfair as highlighted by Pulpstar a couple of days ago, which have since shortened to 5.4/5.5 in what was already then and now ever more of a two horse race.
  • DecrepitJohnLDecrepitJohnL Posts: 13,300
    That question gets dangerously close to push-polling in that it seeks to frame the debate as a particular binary choice.
  • IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    That question gets dangerously close to push-polling in that it seeks to frame the debate as a particular binary choice.
    One has to ask how much the issues were explained to them. Did they know for example that we don't have free trade with China, US, Brazil, India or indeed most of our non-EU trading partners, largely because we are in the EU and after many rounds of discussions they are either making slow progress (india has completed 7 rounds of talks without agreement, mercosur is going to be bad for the UK, TTIP is founding) or have been kicked into the long grass (China), and yet we do very large amounts of trade with these countries, all the same.
  • IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    Indigo said:

    TTIP is founding

    floundering ofc.

  • Moses_Moses_ Posts: 4,865
    dugarbandier Posts: 1,758
    12:32AM
    meanwhile, here's a thing:

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/27/tusk-rejects-tsipras-request-eu-summit-greece-bailout

    debt maturing in July



    .....and the run up to the EU breaking a country ( even if it was their own fault) will be right before our own referendum. Great timing guys ....way to go!

    I think we will see the decision deferred in some way until the UK votes remain then the EU will surgically remove the Greeks marbles with a blunt spoon.

  • MTimTMTimT Posts: 7,034

    That question gets dangerously close to push-polling in that it seeks to frame the debate as a particular binary choice.
    Indeed. Stunning the result is that close given the prejudicial nature of the question - as if trade will become difficult if we leave the EU.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,312

    The really big betting opportunity over recent weeks, largely missed or seemingly ignored, not least by the clever PB thread writers has been the extraordinary movement in Donald Trump's odds against him becoming the the GOP nominee for POTUS. Just a few short weeks ago these odds on Betfair were around 1.25 (i.e. 1/4 in old money), then two weeks ago the odds lengthened to around 2.0 (i.e. evens), only to shorten back to 1.25 again over the past few days.
    So two really big opportunities to have made money on the betting exchange over the course of the past 2 - 3 weeks, which frankly was not really identified and majored upon by PB.com, despite now looking so blindingly obvious with the benefit of that wonderful thing known as hindsight.

    Speaking of which, I wonder whether we'll ever see Trump's outright POTUS odds back at the 6.2/6.4 level with Betfair as highlighted by Pulpstar a couple of days ago, which have since shortened to 5.4/5.5 in what was already then and now ever more of a two horse race.

    I'm not an expert and don't follow it closely, but the question that needed to be asked was "had things changed in Wisconsin? Or was that result always going to happen?" I think someone on here said that the hiatus of primaries allowed talk to develop of how Trump would be stopped and people believed it.
  • GideonWiseGideonWise Posts: 1,123
    Cameron has penned a piece in the Guardian with Brendan Barber arguing against Brexit. Why not go the whole way and co-author with Corbyn?

    He's a disgrace and I can't wait to see the Tory party bring him down.
  • Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 32,728

    pbr2013 said:

    MP_SE said:

    SeanT said:

    Yes, much truth there. As I said before, europhiles do not understand the eurosceptic mindset. They don't realise this is VISCERAL for many people: Nationhood. Sovereignty. Betrayal. For europhiles it's just about money and hoover laws and boring stuff. Why the fuss.

    The same argument applies in reverse, as you're articulated in the past. You can make a visceral argument in favour of Europe and against the anachronistic and legalistic way of defining sovereignty.

    One hundred years ago Europe was collectively going mad tearing itself to pieces and surrendering its global leadership role. Subsequently the UK came out of WWII as the only moral victor which blinded us to how diminished we were and the importance of Making Europe Great Again. That mission is just as important today and as one of the great nations of Europe we shouldn't ever stand aside and think that we're better off leaving them to it.
    Indeed. For me, as a keen Remainer, the EU represents a triumph of cooperation for the people of Europe. No more dictatorial rule and pointless wars. Combined efforts on supranational issues such as fisheries and climate change. Freedom to live, work and trade across the whole continent that would have been unimaginable just a few generations ago. Sure, the EU has its flaws, as does any cooperative endeavour, but I would see Brexit as an ominous step back towards the primitive tribalism of the past, and I have some difficulty understanding the evident enthusiasm of so many to do so.
    Where to begin... Cooperation... Tribalism...
    Fisheries? Really?
    Without a common fisheries policy, it's hard to see how fish stocks could have lasted this long. Given that fish are no respecters of territorial waters, each nation would have had a strong incentive to maximise their catches before the fish were caught by other nations. Tragedy of the commons.
    That is a stunningly bad interpretation of reality. It was the CFP which helped destroy fish stocks. One only has to look at two examples - Norwegian waters where staying out of the CFP is probably what saved North and Norwegian Sea fish stocks and the Irish Box where opening up the area to the CFP resulted in a catastrophic collapse.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 61,262
    shiney2 said:

    Boris should do a Yes We Can speech.

    Be LEAVE!!

    Boris knows how to best US Presidential level nay sayers.

    2 out of 2, so far.

    That was the one time I thought Boris might be able to go all the way.
  • JohnLoonyJohnLoony Posts: 1,790
    Ed Balls
  • IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    Cameron has penned a piece in the Guardian with Brendan Barber arguing against Brexit. Why not go the whole way and co-author with Corbyn?

    He's a disgrace and I can't wait to see the Tory party bring him down.

    Agreed.

    Although expect Nabavi & Co to come along and try to justify it shortly.
  • IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    Very good article in the telegraph today, might be a bit pro-BrExit for some tastes, but if so leave that part to one side and concentrate on the message to the Tories on dropping the narrowness and negativity on policy generally and appealing to a broader electorate, especially the younger voters

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/27/only-brexit-can-force-the-tories-to-abandon-fear-and-win-young-h/
    There are no positive visions of the future of the sort that could inspire young people, no attempt to explain that centre-Right policies are the ethically correct choice. The Big Society was the only exception but it was sold badly and quietly abandoned.

    Even worse, the other Tory tactic is retreat: on bashing banks, on taxes, the living wage, foreign aid and numerous other areas, the Government has accepted that we need Left-wing solutions, just milder ones than Corbyn suggests. The result is endless surrenders: on welfare cuts, on trade union reforms, on Sunday trading.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 61,262
    AndyJS said:

    Jacqui Smith on Sky News paper review: ludicrous for Cameron to have EU referendum in the first place.

    You see, this is where I credit Cameron.

    Labour would *never* in a million years have allowed a referendum, or even thought about trusting the people, as is perfectly clear from comments from some of the leading politicians of the New Labour years, and their cheerleaders in the media. Some of whom have even suggested blithely "ignoring" a Leave result.

    For all his faults, and he has made me furious during this campaign, Cameron made the pledge and is delivering on the pledge*.

    (I'll be generous and gloss over, for now, the other EU pledges in the past he hasn't managed to keep, and how he's trying to ensure the deck is well-stacked this time)
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 61,262
    JohnLoony said:

    Ed Balls

    Ed Balls.
  • david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 18,004

    The really big betting opportunity over recent weeks, largely missed or seemingly ignored, not least by the clever PB thread writers has been the extraordinary movement in Donald Trump's odds against him becoming the the GOP nominee for POTUS. Just a few short weeks ago these odds on Betfair were around 1.25 (i.e. 1/4 in old money), then two weeks ago the odds lengthened to around 2.0 (i.e. evens), only to shorten back to 1.25 again over the past few days.
    So two really big opportunities to have made money on the betting exchange over the course of the past 2 - 3 weeks, which frankly was not really identified and majored upon by PB.com, despite now looking so blindingly obvious with the benefit of that wonderful thing known as hindsight.

    Speaking of which, I wonder whether we'll ever see Trump's outright POTUS odds back at the 6.2/6.4 level with Betfair as highlighted by Pulpstar a couple of days ago, which have since shortened to 5.4/5.5 in what was already then and now ever more of a two horse race.

    I did do a piece a couple of weeks ago suggesting laying off Trump, though that was probably a touch late in the day. However, having tipped him throughout the race at longer odds throughout, that was to some extent banking profits.

    But yes, there was a big opportunity in a short time to make and then lock a(nother) profit.

    How easy was it to foresee that? Not particularly. The drive down in Trump's price was due to him doing silly things at unpredictable moments. While he's always had the capacity to do something stupid (and still does), there was no way of foretelling the abortion row or his excessive (even to him) willingness to pick fights within the party. The combined effect of those made it look like the GOP were heading for a brokered convention, and that anything short of 1237 would be legitimate in denying him the crown.

    So the downside. Then the up. Could his NE primary successes have been foreseen on the scale they came in at? Yes, there was polling but Trump outperformed it. We could - and should - have foreseen that New York would probably act as a boost but it still all turned on Trump not doubling down on his errors. To his credit, he has put past blunders behind him by admitting his errors - but anticipating his rebound meant anticipating his not making any more which was something of a stab in the dark. His odds were rather like a cricket match where the batting side recovers from a collapse with a good partnership but it'd only take one wicket to throw them back again - and the batsmen at the crease have a history of swinging out.
  • MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053
    Good morning.
    Gave the Times a quick glance this morning and it's full of woe for the economy, with a Brexit or no.
  • david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 18,004
    Just to follow up on PtP's comment again, the site has been dominated by the referendum recently, which as the major domestic political event in non-metropolitan England at the moment isn't surprising. It has consequences well beyond June.

    But it has crowded out the abundance of other markets to some extent. Not only the US presidential but the coverage given the Scottish election, compared to that given in 2011, is much less. That's unsurprising: there was less going on in 2011 (though we did have a referendum then too).
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,663
    edited April 2016

    The really big betting opportunity over recent weeks, largely missed or seemingly ignored, not least by the clever PB thread writers has been the extraordinary movement in Donald Trump's odds against him becoming the the GOP nominee for POTUS. Just a few short weeks ago these odds on Betfair were around 1.25 (i.e. 1/4 in old money), then two weeks ago the odds lengthened to around 2.0 (i.e. evens), only to shorten back to 1.25 again over the past few days.
    So two really big opportunities to have made money on the betting exchange over the course of the past 2 - 3 weeks, which frankly was not really identified and majored upon by PB.com, despite now looking so blindingly obvious with the benefit of that wonderful thing known as hindsight.

    Speaking of which, I wonder whether we'll ever see Trump's outright POTUS odds back at the 6.2/6.4 level with Betfair as highlighted by Pulpstar a couple of days ago, which have since shortened to 5.4/5.5 in what was already then and now ever more of a two horse race.

    The 1.5 for no second ballot tipped up by White Rabbit (Now 1.4) is a huge price at Paddy's still
  • MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053

    AndyJS said:

    Jacqui Smith on Sky News paper review: ludicrous for Cameron to have EU referendum in the first place.

    You see, this is where I credit Cameron.

    Labour would *never* in a million years have allowed a referendum, or even thought about trusting the people, as is perfectly clear from comments from some of the leading politicians of the New Labour years, and their cheerleaders in the media. Some of whom have even suggested blithely "ignoring" a Leave result.

    For all his faults, and he has made me furious during this campaign, Cameron made the pledge and is delivering on the pledge*.

    (I'll be generous and gloss over, for now, the other EU pledges in the past he hasn't managed to keep, and how he's trying to ensure the deck is well-stacked this time)
    Didn't Cameron make the referendum pledge, when he and everyone else thought that Labour would win the GE last year, and so never expected to be PM?
  • IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    (I'll be generous and gloss over, for now, the other EU pledges in the past he hasn't managed to keep, and how he's trying to ensure the deck is well-stacked this time)

    And that the expectation was to drop this one in coalition talks until he unexpectedly got a majority, and was lumbered with it.
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,430

    That question gets dangerously close to push-polling in that it seeks to frame the debate as a particular binary choice.
    Not necessarily. Opponents of independence in Scotland, almost to a man and woman, think that it would be bad for the Scottish economy. Supporters , again almost to a man and woman, think that it would it would make no difference or may even help the economy, No-one claims to support a position on principle thinking there's a detriment.

    In this case, supporters of Brexit believe there's no economic risk to Britain leaving the free trade arrangements with the EU.

    We should also know the exact question asked.
  • IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    Just to follow up on PtP's comment again, the site has been dominated by the referendum recently, which as the major domestic political event in non-metropolitan England at the moment isn't surprising. It has consequences well beyond June.

    Hear hear.

    Perhaps if we could drop half the articles ramping for Remain which heavily outnumber those for Leave (yes, we all know the reasons why) and include more articles on other topics I am sure tempers would be less frayed all around.

  • IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    edited April 2016
    FF43 said:


    In this case, supporters of Brexit believe there's no economic risk to Britain leaving the free trade arrangements with the EU.

    I think that is the minority of Leaver's, most acknowledge the potential for some modest short terms economic issues, but feel they have been massively overblown in terms of both scale and duration, and that that would be easily outweighed in the medium to long term by stronger performance.

    My problem with this poll is the implication that trade would stop or get dramatically worse with the EU outside of the four freedoms, and I am not sure there is much evidence for that, people will still want to buy and sell the same things, the changes in tariffs will be miniscule, and unlikely to have much effect, there will be some inconvenience and hence loss of profit to some companies who compete in those markets, but they will get over it, and over time will expand into other markets to compensate. Ultimately all sorts of non-EU countries (China! USA!) with no free trade agreement sell very successfully into the EU right now, to it is fatuous to suggest we could not.
  • WandererWanderer Posts: 3,838

    The really big betting opportunity over recent weeks, largely missed or seemingly ignored, not least by the clever PB thread writers has been the extraordinary movement in Donald Trump's odds against him becoming the the GOP nominee for POTUS. Just a few short weeks ago these odds on Betfair were around 1.25 (i.e. 1/4 in old money), then two weeks ago the odds lengthened to around 2.0 (i.e. evens), only to shorten back to 1.25 again over the past few days.
    So two really big opportunities to have made money on the betting exchange over the course of the past 2 - 3 weeks, which frankly was not really identified and majored upon by PB.com, despite now looking so blindingly obvious with the benefit of that wonderful thing known as hindsight.

    Speaking of which, I wonder whether we'll ever see Trump's outright POTUS odds back at the 6.2/6.4 level with Betfair as highlighted by Pulpstar a couple of days ago, which have since shortened to 5.4/5.5 in what was already then and now ever more of a two horse race.

    That's very true. There were some useful BTL posts (particularly in the first phase) that I remember but it's not something the site highlighted.
  • david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 18,004
    MikeK said:

    AndyJS said:

    Jacqui Smith on Sky News paper review: ludicrous for Cameron to have EU referendum in the first place.

    You see, this is where I credit Cameron.

    Labour would *never* in a million years have allowed a referendum, or even thought about trusting the people, as is perfectly clear from comments from some of the leading politicians of the New Labour years, and their cheerleaders in the media. Some of whom have even suggested blithely "ignoring" a Leave result.

    For all his faults, and he has made me furious during this campaign, Cameron made the pledge and is delivering on the pledge*.

    (I'll be generous and gloss over, for now, the other EU pledges in the past he hasn't managed to keep, and how he's trying to ensure the deck is well-stacked this time)
    Didn't Cameron make the referendum pledge, when he and everyone else thought that Labour would win the GE last year, and so never expected to be PM?
    No, up until May last year he was still angling for a second coalition with the Lib Dems. He expected 20-30 LDs left rather than eight. The pledge was certainly made in part to kick the can down the road in the last parliament but was made in good faith all the same.

    Worth noting that the LDs offered an In/Out referendum in 2005 on the Constitution, so would have found the concept difficult to reject
  • DecrepitJohnLDecrepitJohnL Posts: 13,300
    FF43 said:

    That question gets dangerously close to push-polling in that it seeks to frame the debate as a particular binary choice.
    Not necessarily. Opponents of independence in Scotland, almost to a man and woman, think that it would be bad for the Scottish economy. Supporters , again almost to a man and woman, think that it would it would make no difference or may even help the economy, No-one claims to support a position on principle thinking there's a detriment.

    In this case, supporters of Brexit believe there's no economic risk to Britain leaving the free trade arrangements with the EU.

    We should also know the exact question asked.
    The question -- at least as it can be inferred from the tweet -- implies there will be a trade embargo should one side win. That is what push-polling is.
  • WandererWanderer Posts: 3,838

    Just to follow up on PtP's comment again, the site has been dominated by the referendum recently, which as the major domestic political event in non-metropolitan England at the moment isn't surprising. It has consequences well beyond June.

    But it has crowded out the abundance of other markets to some extent. Not only the US presidential but the coverage given the Scottish election, compared to that given in 2011, is much less. That's unsurprising: there was less going on in 2011 (though we did have a referendum then too).

    The thing is, the referendum discussion rarely touches on betting at all.
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,430

    FF43 said:

    That question gets dangerously close to push-polling in that it seeks to frame the debate as a particular binary choice.
    Not necessarily. Opponents of independence in Scotland, almost to a man and woman, think that it would be bad for the Scottish economy. Supporters , again almost to a man and woman, think that it would it would make no difference or may even help the economy, No-one claims to support a position on principle thinking there's a detriment.

    In this case, supporters of Brexit believe there's no economic risk to Britain leaving the free trade arrangements with the EU.

    We should also know the exact question asked.
    The question -- at least as it can be inferred from the tweet -- implies there will be a trade embargo should one side win. That is what push-polling is.
    You're right. You were referring to the question and I was really talking about the answer. It would be useful to know what the actual question was though. Tweets have a tendency to misrepresent polls.
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    Happy Ed Balls Day!

    Labour had a bit of a PR mare yesterday. What they need now is a calm and steady hand, someone renowned for their PR nous, a guaranteed media performer, unlikely to gaffe.

    Step forward Lucy Powell...

    @PolhomeEditor: Lucy Powell refuses to say she'd be happy to sit alongside Naz Shah in the Commons. "I don't want to pre-determine the investigation."
  • runnymederunnymede Posts: 2,536

    That question gets dangerously close to push-polling in that it seeks to frame the debate as a particular binary choice.
    Indeed, given that it is, at best, certainly is incredibly misleading, the result is remarkably close.
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,756
    Judging by this week's polling, it seems that Obama's visit was not necessarily to Remain's advantage.
  • WandererWanderer Posts: 3,838
    Sean_F said:

    Judging by this week's polling, it seems that Obama's visit was not necessarily to Remain's advantage.

    I think it should be thought of as part of an ongoing barrage which I now think will be effective in the end.
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 39,790
    MikeK said:

    AndyJS said:

    Jacqui Smith on Sky News paper review: ludicrous for Cameron to have EU referendum in the first place.

    You see, this is where I credit Cameron.

    Labour would *never* in a million years have allowed a referendum, or even thought about trusting the people, as is perfectly clear from comments from some of the leading politicians of the New Labour years, and their cheerleaders in the media. Some of whom have even suggested blithely "ignoring" a Leave result.

    For all his faults, and he has made me furious during this campaign, Cameron made the pledge and is delivering on the pledge*.

    (I'll be generous and gloss over, for now, the other EU pledges in the past he hasn't managed to keep, and how he's trying to ensure the deck is well-stacked this time)
    Didn't Cameron make the referendum pledge, when he and everyone else thought that Labour would win the GE last year, and so never expected to be PM?

    He made the pledge to get him through a difficult political moment when the Tory right had him over a barrel. Without that there'd be no referendum now. Within Labour the same dynamics don't exist so it's not something a Labour leader would ever be forced into doing.

  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    tlg86 said:

    The really big betting opportunity over recent weeks, largely missed or seemingly ignored, not least by the clever PB thread writers has been the extraordinary movement in Donald Trump's odds against him becoming the the GOP nominee for POTUS. Just a few short weeks ago these odds on Betfair were around 1.25 (i.e. 1/4 in old money), then two weeks ago the odds lengthened to around 2.0 (i.e. evens), only to shorten back to 1.25 again over the past few days.
    So two really big opportunities to have made money on the betting exchange over the course of the past 2 - 3 weeks, which frankly was not really identified and majored upon by PB.com, despite now looking so blindingly obvious with the benefit of that wonderful thing known as hindsight.

    Speaking of which, I wonder whether we'll ever see Trump's outright POTUS odds back at the 6.2/6.4 level with Betfair as highlighted by Pulpstar a couple of days ago, which have since shortened to 5.4/5.5 in what was already then and now ever more of a two horse race.

    I'm not an expert and don't follow it closely, but the question that needed to be asked was "had things changed in Wisconsin? Or was that result always going to happen?" I think someone on here said that the hiatus of primaries allowed talk to develop of how Trump would be stopped and people believed it.
    That was me, the betting market has been a battle between NeverTrumps and reality. Every time Trump won a primary reality pushed his price in, every time there was a pause NeverTrumps pushed his price out. The big gap before New York allowed NeverTrumps plenty of time to chuck their money away pushing his price way put with talk of delegate shennanigans at a brokered convention.

    Alas I didn't follow my own excellent advice and stick more on Trump when he went above evens pre new York.
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