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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Ladrokes offering evens that the SNP will increase the numb

SystemSystem Posts: 12,183
edited July 2013 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Ladrokes offering evens that the SNP will increase the number Westminster MPs at GE2015

The big election between now and 2015, of course, is the Scottish Indy referendum in September 2014. If YES wins then, I’d assume, there’d still be Scottish MPs in the UK parliament until a full transfer of power has taken place.

Read the full story here


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Comments

  • MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053
    First of the Few. ;)
  • MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/
    Watson quits as Labour election chief.

    Ho,ho! Shinanigans in tims pastures
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,939
    I am seriously tempted by this bet but not for the reasons in the thread. I think the SNP will lose the referendum but increase their MPs on the "we need a strong team to negotiate devo max" ticket at the subsequent election.

    Unless there is a serious change in Lib Dem fortunes several of their seats will be up for grabs with the SNP well placed to take advantage. Given where most of their Westminster seats are Labour are less of a threat even if they do well in 2015 (which is a whole other story).
  • SlackbladderSlackbladder Posts: 9,773
    Mark Wallace ‏@wallaceme 1m
    So Tom Watson offered to resign on Tuesday and Miliband turned him down? "Weak, weak, weak"

  • TheWatcherTheWatcher Posts: 5,262
    MikeK said:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/
    Watson quits as Labour election chief.

    Ho,ho! Shinanigans in tims pastures

    'Mr Watson wrote on his blog that it was better for the "future unity" of the Labour Party that he resigned.'

    He's channelling Maggie. Unite! Unite!
  • AnorakAnorak Posts: 6,621
    edited July 2013
    What are the odds of a Tory majority in Scotland?

    I tried to place a bet but the Ladbrokes site just played the chorus from 'The Laughing Policeman' in a loop. Had to reboot in the end just to stop it. Weird.
  • Scrapheap_as_wasScrapheap_as_was Posts: 10,069
    Who could be appointed the new Labour party general election co-ordinator?

    Hmm.. time to ask Len!
  • AndreaParma_82AndreaParma_82 Posts: 4,714
    who will get Watson's role? Dugher?
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    He should have changed his name to Tom Miliband - rEd would have turfed him out instantly.

  • MonikerDiCanioMonikerDiCanio Posts: 5,792
    MikeK said:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/
    Watson quits as Labour election chief.

    Ho,ho! Shinanigans in tims pastures

    If Watson is resigning because of nepotism and cronyism , that puts at least half of Labour's front bench in difficulty.

  • what were the odds on Tom Watson being the next out of the shad cab? Was there even a market? Couldn't see one on Ladbrokes.
  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    Evens that the SNP will increase their seat count? It should be no longer than 1/2. I'm on.
  • SlackbladderSlackbladder Posts: 9,773

    who will get Watson's role? Dugher?

    What does Len say?? Look it's not as if Ed has anything to do with much anymore is it?
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,939
    Watson's resignation letter: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23186851

    A very curious document.

    He has not seen the report on Falkirk. Very, very odd given his position. He wants it published. Brave given his position. He has been undermined by the shadow cabinet. Interesting.
    He thinks Ed should get a life. Well, yes.
  • Scrapheap_as_wasScrapheap_as_was Posts: 10,069
    Has Len a family member or an ex in a band by any chance.... just asking?
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,712
    Tom Watson has resigned from the shadow cabinet:

    http://labourlist.org/2013/07/tom-watson-resigns-from-the-shadow-cabinet/
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    I bet Tony Blair is enjoying his massage even more right about now :D
  • AndreaParma_82AndreaParma_82 Posts: 4,714
    Considering that today's leaked report showed that Unite managed to lose more than half of recent selections, it's probably useful to ask Len and then bet on the other name.

    who will get Watson's role? Dugher?

    What does Len say?? Look it's not as if Ed has anything to do with much anymore is it?
  • RichardNabaviRichardNabavi Posts: 3,413
    Channelling Ed Miliband, I suspect a Buddhist stasis may well be the outcome this time round. But we need to hear from antifrank, the world's leading pundit on Scottish Westminster seats, who got 2010 spot-on when all the Scottish posters got it wrong.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,712
    The SNP shouldn't have much trouble picking up at least an extra 5 seats at the next general election.
  • TheWatcherTheWatcher Posts: 5,262
    Scottish politics.

    One is reminded of the missing electoral registers from the Glenrothes By-Election in 2009.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 38,885
    Wow, political dynamite about Tom Watson.
  • Scrapheap_as_wasScrapheap_as_was Posts: 10,069
    Patrick O'Flynn‏@oflynnexpress12m
    Watson resigning, Austin (a close ally of Ed Balls) breaking ranks on the EU. Shadow Cabinet discipline is breaking down.

  • Scrapheap_as_wasScrapheap_as_was Posts: 10,069
    I think I've got a bug too like Tom but mine is Scottpititis.

    Paul Waugh‏@paulwaugh4m
    Tom Watson pulled out of journo lunch cos he's got the norovirus. After today's news is @ed_mililband sick as a parrot or over the moon?


    Robin Brant‏@robindbrant5m
    ...the day after we now know that tom watson offered to resign.

    Robin Brant‏@robindbrant5m
    as has been noted by others the ed m internal pmqs briefing note seen by media yesterday had 'i'd rather have tom watson working for me'...
  • SlackbladderSlackbladder Posts: 9,773
    Paul Waugh ‏@paulwaugh 2m
    Meanwhile, Tom Watson ally, Lab MP Ian Austin calls for EU referendum next yr. Is EdM in control? pic.twitter.com/cgxq2Z16lB

    Wheres Ed??
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,712
    Some people in the Labour Party may have been observing events in Australia and wondering why we can't have leadership elections a bit more often over here.
  • Scrapheap_as_wasScrapheap_as_was Posts: 10,069

    Paul Waugh ‏@paulwaugh 2m
    Meanwhile, Tom Watson ally, Lab MP Ian Austin calls for EU referendum next yr. Is EdM in control? pic.twitter.com/cgxq2Z16l

    Wheres Ed??

    And more importantly - Where's tim?

    Tony Blair, TGWU.
  • IcarusIcarus Posts: 993
    Tom Watson is on the NEC and he hasn't seen the Falkirk report commissioned by the NEC!!!

    Who can see it?
  • corporealcorporeal Posts: 2,549
    DavidL said:

    I am seriously tempted by this bet but not for the reasons in the thread. I think the SNP will lose the referendum but increase their MPs on the "we need a strong team to negotiate devo max" ticket at the subsequent election.

    Unless there is a serious change in Lib Dem fortunes several of their seats will be up for grabs with the SNP well placed to take advantage. Given where most of their Westminster seats are Labour are less of a threat even if they do well in 2015 (which is a whole other story).

    Which seats are the well positioned in? Off the top of my head there were very few if any 2010Lib Dem seats with a strong SNP result.
  • RichardNabaviRichardNabavi Posts: 3,413
    Andy_JS said:

    Some people in the Labour Party may have been observing events in Australia and wondering why we can't have leadership elections a bit more often over here.

    LOL!

    So, taking the parallel a bit further, Tom has resigned in order to organise... a return of Gordon???
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633

    Paul Waugh ‏@paulwaugh 2m
    Meanwhile, Tom Watson ally, Lab MP Ian Austin calls for EU referendum next yr. Is EdM in control? pic.twitter.com/cgxq2Z16l

    Wheres Ed??

    And more importantly - Where's tim?

    Tony Blair, TGWU.
    Falkirk is tim's "Northern Rock will blow over by Friday" ;)
  • AndreaParma_82AndreaParma_82 Posts: 4,714
    edited July 2013
    Don't you recall the Loans saga a few years ago? NEC members never see anything, apparently. It's NEC Officers running the show.
    Icarus said:

    Tom Watson is on the NEC and he hasn't seen the Falkirk report commissioned by the NEC!!!

    Who can see it?

  • Scrapheap_as_wasScrapheap_as_was Posts: 10,069
    has tim resigned as well with tom?
  • AndreaParma_82AndreaParma_82 Posts: 4,714
    on topic

    Falkirk, SNP gain?
  • MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053
    @Scrapheap_as_was
    And more importantly - Where's tim?

    No! I don't beleive it! tim can't be Watson, can he? LOL
  • AndreaParma_82AndreaParma_82 Posts: 4,714
    Oh, I hope you didn't miss the news that Barry Gardiner is the new DEFRA shadow junior minister taking Tom Harris' place.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    LabourforaReferendum
    @Lab4aRef
    Great to see another Labour frontbench member supports an EU referendum (via @oflynnexpress) pic.twitter.com/fLEcJ6V4Xo
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633

    on topic

    Falkirk, SNP gain?

    Joyce to stand as an Indy ? Better the devil you know.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,963
    MikeK said:

    @Scrapheap_as_was
    And more importantly - Where's tim?

    No! I don't beleive it! tim can't be Watson, can he? LOL

    I doubt even Tom Watson can find the time to send 5,300 PB messages in three and a bit months :)
  • Scrapheap_as_wasScrapheap_as_was Posts: 10,069
    Given Watson's form and chums, is it time for me to dust off my Yvette bets for next Leader of the Opposition.....

    Tory Treasury‏@ToryTreasury25s
    MT @WikiGuido: Best pals Watson and Austin lived together. Watson resigns, Austin calls for EU ref. Miliband knifed. http://guyfawk.es/18ypWci

    Niall Paterson‏@skynewsniall37s
    Why did @tom_watson reveal that, having offered to resign, @Ed_Miliband asked him to stay on? Doesn't exactly do his Buddha-boss any favours
  • SlackbladderSlackbladder Posts: 9,773

    Given Watson's form and chums, is it time for me to dust off my Yvette bets for next Leader of the Opposition.....

    Tory Treasury‏@ToryTreasury25s
    MT @WikiGuido: Best pals Watson and Austin lived together. Watson resigns, Austin calls for EU ref. Miliband knifed. http://guyfawk.es/18ypWci

    Niall Paterson‏@skynewsniall37s
    Why did @tom_watson reveal that, having offered to resign, @Ed_Miliband asked him to stay on? Doesn't exactly do his Buddha-boss any favours

    Time to dust off the 'save ed' campaign materials :)
  • PongPong Posts: 4,693
    Watson had fun writing that letter!
  • JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,291

    has tim resigned as well with tom?

    Isn't the correct diplomatic term "the Ambassador has been summoned home for urgent consultations"? In tim's case, this means a reversed charges call to his old playmates in Labour's North West 'media' (sic) office for the 'line'. I imagine, on the basis of previous form, it will be back to Messiah Gove and his bibles, and a massive house-building programme on Salisbury Plain.
  • AndreaParma_82AndreaParma_82 Posts: 4,714
    @Sunil from Ilford East

    In the previous thread, Foxcroft and West were people, not constituencies. Vicky and Catherine.
  • Scrapheap_as_wasScrapheap_as_was Posts: 10,069
    I think we are all now awaiting Sage Hodges next tweet or blog aren't we?

    Only the PB Tories of course...
  • RichardNabaviRichardNabavi Posts: 3,413
    edited July 2013
    A perceptive comment on Watson's letter, over on Guido:

    cynic says:
    July 4, 2013 at 3:10 pm

    “You have it in you to be an outstanding Labour Prime Minister.”

    Damning by faint praise? Why not simply say “I believe you will be an outstanding Labour Prime Minister”?
  • SquareRootSquareRoot Posts: 7,095
    Kudos to Antifrank who said a month or so ago that something would turn up to keep us entertained over the summer months..
  • SlackbladderSlackbladder Posts: 9,773
    Sunny Hundal ‏@sunny_hundal 32s
    Tom Watson: "The marketing men, the spin people and the special advisers: they've won [within Labour]." OUCH http://bit.ly/125iAWc

    Here come the knives....
  • IcarusIcarus Posts: 993
    Quotes from the Buddha:


    "An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind."

    "Unity can only be manifested by the Binary. Unity itself and the idea of Unity are already two."

    He clearly knew what he was talking about did Buddha
  • MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053
    Watson to Miliband: "Let me say this: I'm proud of your Buddha-like qualities of patience, deep thought, compassion and resolve."

    Anyone got a spare taliban to blow up this Buddha? After all how many Buddhas does one need?

  • SlackbladderSlackbladder Posts: 9,773
    tim said:

    What's going on here then, has Dan Hodges got something else right besides his Timeline at the moment?
    Two in a week?

    Don't worry tim, go back to sleep..UNITE is a non-story.
  • My money is on there not being any Scottish MSP's. Eddie Izard will joined the 'Stay in" side along with Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg. If they can all be in the winning side together then I will start giving astrology more credence...
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Oh what fun we're having today *move along now, nothing to see*
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,963

    @Sunil from Ilford East

    In the previous thread, Foxcroft and West were people, not constituencies. Vicky and Catherine.

    Ah, I see, I knew they didn't seem to be places in London ;)
  • JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,291
    tim said:

    What's going on here then, has Dan Hodges got something else right besides his Timeline at the moment?
    Two in a week?

    Hi tim, how was the briefing?

    In your absence I've been doing my best to convince the sceptics that when you wrote 'overblown' you meant 'overboard' as you had a news sense of Tom's fate.
  • AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    tim pays homage

    image
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,939
    corporeal said:

    DavidL said:

    I am seriously tempted by this bet but not for the reasons in the thread. I think the SNP will lose the referendum but increase their MPs on the "we need a strong team to negotiate devo max" ticket at the subsequent election.

    Unless there is a serious change in Lib Dem fortunes several of their seats will be up for grabs with the SNP well placed to take advantage. Given where most of their Westminster seats are Labour are less of a threat even if they do well in 2015 (which is a whole other story).

    Which seats are the well positioned in? Off the top of my head there were very few if any 2010Lib Dem seats with a strong SNP result.
    Gordon is an obvious one, especially if Sir Malcolm doesn't stand again. But I think it is worth looking at the Holyrood results. The SNP took NE Fife for example. Again if Ming doesn't stand seats like that will be vulnerable even if the SNP did badly the last time. There are seats in the Borders as well. The tories will be hopeful there but we always are in Scotland and it doesn't work out very often. West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine is another one where the SNP have done better in other elections than at the last Westminster ones.

  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    This paragraph was surely penned by Sion Simon - I can't believe Tom Watson didn't write this in jest.

    “So to make it harder for them let me say this: I’m proud of your Buddha-like qualities of patience, deep thought, compassion and resolve. I remain your loyal servant."
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,963
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha

    Some of the fundamentals of the teachings attributed to Gautama Buddha are:

    The Four Noble Truths: that suffering is an ingrained part of existence; that the origin of suffering is craving for sensuality, acquisition of identity, and annihilation; that suffering can be ended; and that following the Noble Eightfold Path is the means to accomplish this;
    The Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration;
    Dependent origination: the mind creates suffering as a natural product of a complex process;
    Rejection of the infallibility of accepted scripture: Teachings should not be accepted unless they are borne out by our experience and are praised by the wise. See the Kalama Sutta for details;
    Anicca (Sanskrit: anitya): That all things that come to be have an end;
    Dukkha (Sanskrit: duḥkha): That nothing which comes to be is ultimately satisfying;
    Anattā (Sanskrit: anātman): That nothing in the realm of experience can really be said to be "I" or "mine";
    Nibbāna (Sanskrit: Nirvāna): It is possible for sentient beings to realize a dimension of awareness which is totally unconstructed and peaceful, and end all suffering due to the mind's interaction with the conditioned world.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited July 2013
  • SlackbladderSlackbladder Posts: 9,773

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha

    Some of the fundamentals of the teachings attributed to Gautama Buddha are:

    The Four Noble Truths: that suffering is an ingrained part of existence; that the origin of suffering is craving for sensuality, acquisition of identity, and annihilation; that suffering can be ended; and that following the Noble Eightfold Path is the means to accomplish this;
    The Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration;
    Dependent origination: the mind creates suffering as a natural product of a complex process;
    Rejection of the infallibility of accepted scripture: Teachings should not be accepted unless they are borne out by our experience and are praised by the wise. See the Kalama Sutta for details;
    Anicca (Sanskrit: anitya): That all things that come to be have an end;
    Dukkha (Sanskrit: duḥkha): That nothing which comes to be is ultimately satisfying;
    Anattā (Sanskrit: anātman): That nothing in the realm of experience can really be said to be "I" or "mine";
    Nibbāna (Sanskrit: Nirvāna): It is possible for sentient beings to realize a dimension of awareness which is totally unconstructed and peaceful, and end all suffering due to the mind's interaction with the conditioned world.

    Can't be right... theres nothing there about kniving your brother in the back, or being an opportunistic little ****.
  • MrJonesMrJones Posts: 3,523
    I'd have thought the SNP vote would go up if the referendum loses.
  • Scrapheap_as_wasScrapheap_as_was Posts: 10,069
    certainly makes this one of the worst weeks Miliband has had as Labour leader. He desperately needs to change the debate before his party’s jitters turn into a full mid-term wobble.


    http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/07/what-tom-watsons-resignation-means-for-labour/
  • MrJonesMrJones Posts: 3,523
    Not convinced that the Labour version of the Notting Hill set rigging selections for their blood relatives is better than the unions rigging it for their idealogical relatives.
  • RichardNabaviRichardNabavi Posts: 3,413
    Of course, as we've all been saying, one of Labour's big strengths is that the party is so united.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
    Watsion:

    "I’ve seen the merry-go-round turn too many times. Whereas the Shadow Cabinet’s for people who still want to get dizzy."

    More "demob happy" than "gravitas-to-go". ....

    Another one for next werk's PMQs.....

    Just as well there's nothing to see here in this fuss about nothing....
  • Scrapheap_as_wasScrapheap_as_was Posts: 10,069
    one of Labour's big strengths is that the party is so unite

    corrected for you Richard.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
    MrJones said:

    I'd have thought the SNP vote would go up if the referendum loses.

    Short of an absolute humiliation (very unlikely....) I too think the SNP will do well in 2015 - either off the back of victory - or to negotiate the best DevoMax deal....
  • RichardNabaviRichardNabavi Posts: 3,413
    Tom Newton Dunn @tnewtondunn

    Worth reading in full: the most self-indulgent and patronising resignation letter ever written
  • MonikerDiCanioMonikerDiCanio Posts: 5,792
    Plato said:

    This paragraph was surely penned by Sion Simon - I can't believe Tom Watson didn't write this in jest.

    “So to make it harder for them let me say this: I’m proud of your Buddha-like qualities of patience, deep thought, compassion and resolve. I remain your loyal servant."


    Watson's final paragraph is especially enjoyable ;

    " John Humphrys asked me why you were not at Glastonbury this weekend. I said Labour leaders can’t be seen standing in muddy fields listening to bands. And then I thought how terribly sad that this is true. So: be that great Labour leader that you can be, but try to have a real life too. And if you want to see an awesome band, I recommend Drenge. "

    I think the source of Gordon Brown's absurd Arctic Monkeys claim has revealed himself.
  • NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    Given what is likely to happen to Scottish Lib Dems in 2015 I would have thought there was scope for both Labour and SNP gains in Scotland.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724

    Plato said:

    This paragraph was surely penned by Sion Simon - I can't believe Tom Watson didn't write this in jest.

    “So to make it harder for them let me say this: I’m proud of your Buddha-like qualities of patience, deep thought, compassion and resolve. I remain your loyal servant."


    Watson's final paragraph is especially enjoyable ;

    " John Humphrys asked me why you were not at Glastonbury this weekend. I said Labour leaders can’t be seen standing in muddy fields listening to bands. And then I thought how terribly sad that this is true. So: be that great Labour leader that you can be, but try to have a real life too. And if you want to see an awesome band, I recommend Drenge. "

    I think the source of Gordon Brown's absurd Arctic Monkeys claim has revealed himself.
    I think you may be correct!
  • SlackbladderSlackbladder Posts: 9,773

    Plato said:

    This paragraph was surely penned by Sion Simon - I can't believe Tom Watson didn't write this in jest.

    “So to make it harder for them let me say this: I’m proud of your Buddha-like qualities of patience, deep thought, compassion and resolve. I remain your loyal servant."


    Watson's final paragraph is especially enjoyable ;

    " John Humphrys asked me why you were not at Glastonbury this weekend. I said Labour leaders can’t be seen standing in muddy fields listening to bands. And then I thought how terribly sad that this is true. So: be that great Labour leader that you can be, but try to have a real life too. And if you want to see an awesome band, I recommend Drenge. "

    I think the source of Gordon Brown's absurd Arctic Monkeys claim has revealed himself.
    The reason that labour leaders aren't in muddy field listening to bands is because they aren't middle aged saddos' pretending to still have an element of their youth even though their hair and waistline says otherwise...
  • I’m proud of your Buddha-like qualities of patience, deep thought, compassion and resolve

    Translation: you spend all day sitting round pontificating and are a complete pushover.
  • corporealcorporeal Posts: 2,549
    DavidL said:

    corporeal said:

    DavidL said:

    I am seriously tempted by this bet but not for the reasons in the thread. I think the SNP will lose the referendum but increase their MPs on the "we need a strong team to negotiate devo max" ticket at the subsequent election.

    Unless there is a serious change in Lib Dem fortunes several of their seats will be up for grabs with the SNP well placed to take advantage. Given where most of their Westminster seats are Labour are less of a threat even if they do well in 2015 (which is a whole other story).

    Which seats are the well positioned in? Off the top of my head there were very few if any 2010Lib Dem seats with a strong SNP result.
    Gordon is an obvious one, especially if Sir Malcolm doesn't stand again. But I think it is worth looking at the Holyrood results. The SNP took NE Fife for example. Again if Ming doesn't stand seats like that will be vulnerable even if the SNP did badly the last time. There are seats in the Borders as well. The tories will be hopeful there but we always are in Scotland and it doesn't work out very often. West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine is another one where the SNP have done better in other elections than at the last Westminster ones.

    North East Fife has the SNP in 4th place and 30 percentage points behind the Lib Dems. West Aberdeenshire 3rd place and 23 behind...
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,939
    Total speculation but I wonder if the Falkirk report that Watson has not been allowed to see was critical of him and Ed was worried that a copy of it might have leaked before PMQs. Might explain the defensive lines about TW in his ever so helpful briefing notes.

    I also wonder if not letting him see it played a fairly large part in his decision. It's not exactly a vote of confidence from the Buddha is it? TW is really annoying but he is not stupid and that was in the letter for a reason.
  • Scrapheap_as_wasScrapheap_as_was Posts: 10,069
    Michael Deacon‏@MichaelPDeacon6m
    The best thing about the Tom Watson letter is that Watson is 46, Miliband 43, and yet it's written as if their respective ages are 60 and 16

    http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/willheaven/100224958/why-tom-watsons-resignation-is-a-personal-victory-for-david-cameron/
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,300
    Bad news about Tom Watson resigning - Now he'll have all day, every day to come up with his crazy conspiracy theories and indulge his silly personal vendetta's. :(
  • Greetings to all PBers from Ljubljana.
    If James Kelly is around, the Slovenian mountains were looking very picturesque as I came into land earlier.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,939
    corporeal said:

    DavidL said:

    corporeal said:

    DavidL said:

    I am seriously tempted by this bet but not for the reasons in the thread. I think the SNP will lose the referendum but increase their MPs on the "we need a strong team to negotiate devo max" ticket at the subsequent election.

    Unless there is a serious change in Lib Dem fortunes several of their seats will be up for grabs with the SNP well placed to take advantage. Given where most of their Westminster seats are Labour are less of a threat even if they do well in 2015 (which is a whole other story).

    Which seats are the well positioned in? Off the top of my head there were very few if any 2010Lib Dem seats with a strong SNP result.
    Gordon is an obvious one, especially if Sir Malcolm doesn't stand again. But I think it is worth looking at the Holyrood results. The SNP took NE Fife for example. Again if Ming doesn't stand seats like that will be vulnerable even if the SNP did badly the last time. There are seats in the Borders as well. The tories will be hopeful there but we always are in Scotland and it doesn't work out very often. West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine is another one where the SNP have done better in other elections than at the last Westminster ones.

    North East Fife has the SNP in 4th place and 30 percentage points behind the Lib Dems. West Aberdeenshire 3rd place and 23 behind...
    And yet the SNP won NE Fife in the Holyrood elections. They have local representatives as well. Sir Ming is very popular personally but if he stands down someone is going to win that seat and it is not going to be the Liberals.

  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
    George Eaton reckons Dougkas Alexander a good choice to replace Watson as election coordinator:

    http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/07/after-watson-who-will-run-labours-general-election-campaign

    If nothing else, it sends McCluskey the reply given in Arkell vs Presdram....
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,939

    George Eaton reckons Dougkas Alexander a good choice to replace Watson as election coordinator:

    http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/07/after-watson-who-will-run-labours-general-election-campaign

    If nothing else, it sends McCluskey the reply given in Arkell vs Presdram....

    Sadiq Khan got Ed Miliband elected as leader of the Labour party. It is increasingly obvious to all what a remarkable achievement that was. The man is a campaigning genius.

  • corporealcorporeal Posts: 2,549
    DavidL said:

    corporeal said:

    DavidL said:

    corporeal said:

    DavidL said:

    I am seriously tempted by this bet but not for the reasons in the thread. I think the SNP will lose the referendum but increase their MPs on the "we need a strong team to negotiate devo max" ticket at the subsequent election.

    Unless there is a serious change in Lib Dem fortunes several of their seats will be up for grabs with the SNP well placed to take advantage. Given where most of their Westminster seats are Labour are less of a threat even if they do well in 2015 (which is a whole other story).

    Which seats are the well positioned in? Off the top of my head there were very few if any 2010Lib Dem seats with a strong SNP result.
    Gordon is an obvious one, especially if Sir Malcolm doesn't stand again. But I think it is worth looking at the Holyrood results. The SNP took NE Fife for example. Again if Ming doesn't stand seats like that will be vulnerable even if the SNP did badly the last time. There are seats in the Borders as well. The tories will be hopeful there but we always are in Scotland and it doesn't work out very often. West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine is another one where the SNP have done better in other elections than at the last Westminster ones.

    North East Fife has the SNP in 4th place and 30 percentage points behind the Lib Dems. West Aberdeenshire 3rd place and 23 behind...
    And yet the SNP won NE Fife in the Holyrood elections. They have local representatives as well. Sir Ming is very popular personally but if he stands down someone is going to win that seat and it is not going to be the Liberals.

    People have shown an ability to vote different ways at different elections. In the Lib Dem seats they're mostly very badly positioned (4th place and 30 points behind is a highlighted seat). Would suggest losses generally seem much more likely to Labour than SNP setting election records left and right
  • richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    HPubgoer..Be careful in that town.. it can get quite wild..so I am told
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,963
    Wimbledon ladies' final will be between Sabine Lisicki and Marion Bartoli, neither has won a Grand Slam before!
  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    On topic, here is the Scottish play:

    http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/region_scotland/

    The SNP's six current seats are Angus, Banff & Buchan, Dundee East, Moray, Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Western Isles) and Perth & North Perthshire. In four out of six, the Conservatives are the closest challengers - it seems unlikely after five years of Conservatives in UK government that the Conservatives will achieve a positive swing in such seats. The other two are Dundee East and Na h-Eileanan an Iar, and while neither is exactly safe, the polling since 2010 so far suggests that there has been a swing to the SNP rather than to Labour. Their current seats look likely holds.

    Given the SNP's performance since 2010, it will have high hopes of making further progress. This is not as easy as it seems, given the large majorities that many Scottish Westminster seats have (and don't get too carried away with Holyrood and local election results - those are different elections under different systems for different purposes, and the Scots are sophisticated voters). But the SNP will looking to profit from the Lib Dem casualties in seats such as Inverness Nairn Badenoch & Strathspey, Gordon and Argyll & Bute. And that's before we start to look at possible gains from Labour.

    So evens look very tasty for the SNP tallying more than 6.5 seats.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,939
    corporeal said:

    DavidL said:

    corporeal said:

    DavidL said:

    corporeal said:

    DavidL said:

    I am seriously tempted by this bet but not for the reasons in the thread. I think the SNP will lose the referendum but increase their MPs on the "we need a strong team to negotiate devo max" ticket at the subsequent election.

    Unless there is a serious change in Lib Dem fortunes several of their seats will be up for grabs with the SNP well placed to take advantage. Given where most of their Westminster seats are Labour are less of a threat even if they do well in 2015 (which is a whole other story).

    Which seats are the well positioned in? Off the top of my head there were very few if any 2010Lib Dem seats with a strong SNP result.
    Gordon is an obvious one, especially if Sir Malcolm doesn't stand again. But I think it is worth looking at the Holyrood results. The SNP took NE Fife for example. Again if Ming doesn't stand seats like that will be vulnerable even if the SNP did badly the last time. There are seats in the Borders as well. The tories will be hopeful there but we always are in Scotland and it doesn't work out very often. West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine is another one where the SNP have done better in other elections than at the last Westminster ones.

    North East Fife has the SNP in 4th place and 30 percentage points behind the Lib Dems. West Aberdeenshire 3rd place and 23 behind...
    And yet the SNP won NE Fife in the Holyrood elections. They have local representatives as well. Sir Ming is very popular personally but if he stands down someone is going to win that seat and it is not going to be the Liberals.

    People have shown an ability to vote different ways at different elections. In the Lib Dem seats they're mostly very badly positioned (4th place and 30 points behind is a highlighted seat). Would suggest losses generally seem much more likely to Labour than SNP setting election records left and right
    You may be right and I may be wrong but if you look at most of the SNP seats they are in areas that the tories did well before they got the pox. The Lib Dem seats I suggest all fall into that category. They are not natural Labour seats, not at all. Unless the tories can recover in Scotland they will be wide open.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,441

    Greetings to all PBers from Ljubljana.
    If James Kelly is around, the Slovenian mountains were looking very picturesque as I came into land earlier.

    Ljubljana lovely place. Head for Triglav national park and the mountains.
  • FensterFenster Posts: 2,115
    edited July 2013
    Tacking to the coalition spending plans was the core cause of this current Labour in-fighting.

    I suspect there is a deep, visceral and waspish disgust among Brownites that Ed Miliband and Ed Balls have done the sensible thing in moving towards the acceptance of cuts and austerity.

    Whoever is at fault for the current economic mess (whether it was Labour, the world economy or even Osborne) every sensible person in the land knows it has to be fixed. And Balls and Miliband did the correct thing in accepting it.

    The Serwotka/McCluskey/Unite/Owen Jones/Labour left approach of more borrowing, more spending, pay rises for public sector workers and no cuts that actually affect anyone had to be ignored. Balls and Miliband - to their credit - did ignore it. Probably not because they absolutely wanted to (in reality Cameron and Osborne don't want to make people poorer), but because they know that when in office they will face a Hollande-style problem, and avoiding cuts will be impossible.

    Balls and Miliband have reputations and egos to protect, they won't want to go down in history as people who told untruths to get elected and then did the opposite in office. So they accepted austerity.

    But accepting austerity is probably impossible for McCluskey. And impossible for the paylords at Unite and the gang who got Miliband elected. The troubles in Falkirk, Watson's resignation and Ian Austin's intervention are all knock on effects of the new Labour direction on economic policy.

    If Miliband is made of stern stuff then now is his Clause 4 moment. Walk away from the bonkers element of the unions and he'll be a lot more electable among the 45% or so who voted for Blair.
  • JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    The latest 2015 GE ARSE projection has the SNP up at 12 seats.

    Take the evens from the magic sign while it lasts .... not long me thinks.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Karie Murphy (Tom Watson's office manager) suspended from the Labour party. More to Watson's resignation that first thought.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
    Tom Ross DT tweets:

    "Labour suspends two party members over Falkirk row - Karie Murphy, Tom Watson's assistant, and the Falkirk Labour chair, Stephen Deans"
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
    Hodges:

    "Obviously it’s that relationship with the unions, and in particular with his old flatmate Len McCluskey, that is seen to be the reason for his decision to return to the backbenches. Only time will reveal the full extent of Watson’s full involvement in the affair. But despite the increasingly ludicrous efforts by Unite and sections of the Labour commentariat to brush the scandal under the carpet, what was going on in Falkirk was a disgrace, and Tom Watson knew it. Tonight Len McCluskey should also be considering his position."

    http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100224969/tom-watson-won-battles-but-his-brutal-political-style-is-a-relic-of-the-past-after-the-falkirk-disgrace-he-had-to-go/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
  • JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    Storm in a tea cup this Falkirk UNITE affair ....

    Titters ....
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,939
    @Fenster
    "Balls and Miliband have reputations and egos to protect, they won't want to go down in history as people who told untruths to get elected and then did the opposite in office. "

    It was going quite well until that bit.

    If Balls and Miliband have moved it is nothing to do with the truth and everything to do with the polling. Just like right wing tories who believe that Europe is a winner (it really, really isn't) there is a large part of Labour that will forever be in denial about the need to cut spending. Like Cameron, the leaders will do and say what they think is necessary to win, whatever they think.
  • Scrapheap_as_wasScrapheap_as_was Posts: 10,069
    The Sage of Hodges speaks and his next call is..

    "what was going on in Falkirk was a disgrace, and Tom Watson knew it. Tonight Len McCluskey should also be considering his position."
  • RichardNabaviRichardNabavi Posts: 3,413
    @Plato - Hmm.. sounds like rather more than an over-enthusiastic recruitment campaign.

    Meanwhile, another QTWTAIN:

    http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/07/will-watsons-departure-prevent-new-round-labour-bloodletting
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
    DavidL said:

    George Eaton reckons Dougkas Alexander a good choice to replace Watson as election coordinator:

    http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/07/after-watson-who-will-run-labours-general-election-campaign

    If nothing else, it sends McCluskey the reply given in Arkell vs Presdram....

    Sadiq Khan got Ed Miliband elected as leader of the Labour party. It is increasingly obvious to all what a remarkable achievement that was. The man is a campaigning genius.
    You undoubtedly have Labour's best interests at heart!

  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 119,774
    David Cameron was like a young Hannibal at PMQs yesterday.

    Master of all he surveys.

    Tom Watson proved today he is Paullus.

    Now is Ed Miliband Varro?
  • The person that I am visiting has told me to come prepared to go to the beach. I sent them a photo of a bloke wearing a football shirt and a knotted hanky saying this is what the English look like on a beach.
    Some jokes can get lost in translation, but yes I hope to get up into the mountains for a day or two.

    Greetings to all PBers from Ljubljana.
    If James Kelly is around, the Slovenian mountains were looking very picturesque as I came into land earlier.

    Ljubljana lovely place. Head for Triglav national park and the mountains.
This discussion has been closed.