The SNP "Yes, we have no EU membership plans" ought to give the greens some pause for thought.
I look forward to Wee Patrick's speech...
"We bitterly oppose the Tories removing Scotland from the EU against our will, so we will wholeheartedly support the SNP stance to not be members instead"
People are able to perform adroit mental gymnastics onsuch things. presumably they'd back it still onthe grounds it allows the prospect of rejoining this generation (a normal generation not a Scottish generation) even if doing so right away proves more problematic than hoped.
This has been the worst miss-step since May came to power by a distance.
Before TSE says it, her worst mis-step was the sacking of Osborne...
It was not so much the sacking, I don't see how he could have remained as Chancellor after the result, but the petty and vindictive way she did it. It was ungracious and completely failed to recognise that she would not have had a majority government to lead without his efforts.
it allowed her to demonstrate how not on board the Cameron train she was without actually disavowing the pm she had served under.
Astute observation. If she wanted to shoot a posh boy she wisely didn't shoot the Head Boy...
This has been the worst miss-step since May came to power by a distance.
Before TSE says it, her worst mis-step was the sacking of Osborne...
To be fair to Hammond, his Budget didn't reach the dizzying heights of an Osborne Omnishambles.
Isn't NI a bigger error than the pasty tax?
I still have a simmering doubt about the NI row. It could be viewed as kite flying - "can we REALLY get away with this change?" - and has been very rapidly binned - "no we can't!". Almost like they were expecting the row. And on a subject that left Labour flat-footed too - arguing to bin the change - and so allow partners in large City law firms to keep more of their mega-salaries.Up the workers!
Meanwhile, Spreadsheet Phil manages to successfully tiptoe around the slumbering elephant in the room - delivering a Budget/Spring Statement without ever once mentioning Brexit.
From the podcast, for SO and others: Ailsa Henderson: 'there is a claim that Scottish attitudes are distinct that they are more left wing, more meritocratic more communitarian but if you actually go picking for robust evidence of that you typically don't find it'
Similarly on the EU 'we found that on some of the measures [on Euroscepticism] the attitudes of Scots and those living in England and Wales was indistinguishable...Scots have always been as Eurosceptic as voters in England and in Wales"
"The fact that Scots are Eurosceptic comes as no surprise at all"
So unless you have data, a bit less of this 'Scotland and rUK are drifting apart' - its what the SNP would like you to believe - but its not true....
If only there had been so.e recent event to measure how much Scotland Vs the Rest of the UK wanted to stay in the EU. Hmmmmmm.
Nope, can't think of one.
Scotland has small country syndrome. That's why it voted to remain and cling to its nurse, twice.
Scotland has to vote for independence before it will ever see it has traded Westminster's Mary Poppins for Brussels' Nurse Ratched.
Indeed. It's the Yes/Leavers I respect the most (and have the most sympathy for) in all of this. Those who want to be properly independent. I can understand those who want to stay in the union, I can understand those who want to be fully independent. I don't understand or have any respect for those who are ready to trade Westminster for Brussels.
If the Tories are guilty, won't it be the party's agents who are at risk of fines or imprisonment rather than the MPs?
Both, I would hope. The agents are probably easier to prove intent, but Surely the mp is ultimately responsible, the agent acts for them, they are the ones who benefit, so they cannot shirk responsibility, it is their public duty to ensure no dirty tricks are used to get elected. Harder to prove intent if they heft the details to the agent, so comes down to the standard required for recklessness?
From the podcast, for SO and others: Ailsa Henderson: 'there is a claim that Scottish attitudes are distinct that they are more left wing, more meritocratic more communitarian but if you actually go picking for robust evidence of that you typically don't find it'
Similarly on the EU 'we found that on some of the measures [on Euroscepticism] the attitudes of Scots and those living in England and Wales was indistinguishable...Scots have always been as Eurosceptic as voters in England and in Wales"
"The fact that Scots are Eurosceptic comes as no surprise at all"
So unless you have data, a bit less of this 'Scotland and rUK are drifting apart' - its what the SNP would like you to believe - but its not true....
The fact that attitudes are pretty similar but that close to 50% of people still want independence says to me that the two countries are undoubtedly drifting apart.
I suspect that if you looked at the way in which English people and those in other parts of Europe view key issues there would be a large degree of agreement, too. But in this day and age, small differences matter. Why? Because our political leaderships find it easier to focus on, and emphasise, these. Who can forget the Tory electoral campaign of 2015, which essentially revolved around telling English voters that if they were not careful appalling Scots would be ruling over them.
From the podcast, for SO and others: Ailsa Henderson: 'there is a claim that Scottish attitudes are distinct that they are more left wing, more meritocratic more communitarian but if you actually go picking for robust evidence of that you typically don't find it'
Similarly on the EU 'we found that on some of the measures [on Euroscepticism] the attitudes of Scots and those living in England and Wales was indistinguishable...Scots have always been as Eurosceptic as voters in England and in Wales"
"The fact that Scots are Eurosceptic comes as no surprise at all"
So unless you have data, a bit less of this 'Scotland and rUK are drifting apart' - its what the SNP would like you to believe - but its not true....
If only there had been some recent event to measure how much Scotland Vs the Rest of the UK wanted to stay in the EU. Hmmmmmm.
Nope, can't think of one.
When you have the time, I commend the full podcast for an explanation of why similar levels of Euroscepticism may have led to differing voting behaviours in Scotland and England.
The reaction of Scottish voters, and complete clusterFeck rapid evolution of the SNP's EU position suggests that there is not a deep well of EU enthusiasm to be drawn on in Scotland....
Who can forget the Tory electoral campaign of 2015, which essentially revolved around telling English voters that if they were not careful appalling Scots would be ruling over them.
This has been the worst miss-step since May came to power by a distance.
Before TSE says it, her worst mis-step was the sacking of Osborne...
To be fair to Hammond, his Budget didn't reach the dizzying heights of an Osborne Omnishambles.
Isn't NI a bigger error than the pasty tax?
I still have a simmering doubt about the NI row. It could be viewed as kite flying - "can we REALLY get away with this change?" - and has been very rapidly binned - "no we can't!". Almost like they were expecting the row. And on a subject that left Labour flat-footed too - arguing to bin the change - and so allow partners in large City law firms to keep more of their mega-salaries.Up the workers!
Meanwhile, Spreadsheet Phil manages to successfully tiptoe around the slumbering elephant in the room - delivering a Budget/Spring Statement without ever once mentioning Brexit.
Things that make you go Hmmmmmm.....
"Almost like they were expecting the row" You are joking, are you not?
Who can forget the Tory electoral campaign of 2015, which essentially revolved around telling English voters that if they were not careful appalling Scots would be ruling over them.
Nothing quite like sending two files for review, getting them approved, making changes to one, sending them back to review, and then getting told the other one doesn't get approval... *sighs*
The SNP have been spectacularly good at focusing attention on the Big Shiny Thing that is independence. And thanks to the Speaker, yesterday turned into Scottish Questions of the Prime Minister. But....there are still big questions around their ability to actually govern. How long can pointing at the Big Shiny Thing keep the Scots from looking rather more closely at what is going on in education, health, housing...?
In recent weeks the SNP have began to start losing votes at Holyrood with alarming regularity.
Former Scottish Labour Leader Iain Gray... Iain Gray@IainGrayMSP Mar 14 Iain Gray Retweeted David Clegg Dear John, it's 30 years since I taught maths, but, hate to see you stuck, & you have that indyref2 on your mind, you've got my number.....
Scottish Labour may be getting their mojo back - top trolling from Kezia yesterday:
From the podcast, for SO and others: Ailsa Henderson: 'there is a claim that Scottish attitudes are distinct that they are more left wing, more meritocratic more communitarian but if you actually go picking for robust evidence of that you typically don't find it'
Similarly on the EU 'we found that on some of the measures [on Euroscepticism] the attitudes of Scots and those living in England and Wales was indistinguishable...Scots have always been as Eurosceptic as voters in England and in Wales"
"The fact that Scots are Eurosceptic comes as no surprise at all"
So unless you have data, a bit less of this 'Scotland and rUK are drifting apart' - its what the SNP would like you to believe - but its not true....
If only there had been so.e recent event to measure how much Scotland Vs the Rest of the UK wanted to stay in the EU. Hmmmmmm.
Nope, can't think of one.
Scotland has small country syndrome. That's why it voted to remain and cling to its nurse, twice.
Scotland has to vote for independence before it will ever see it has traded Westminster's Mary Poppins for Brussels' Nurse Ratched.
Indeed. It's the Yes/Leavers I respect the most (and have the most sympathy for) in all of this. Those who want to be properly independent. I can understand those who want to stay in the union, I can understand those who want to be fully independent. I don't understand or have any respect for those who are ready to trade Westminster for Brussels.
This has been the worst miss-step since May came to power by a distance.
Before TSE says it, her worst mis-step was the sacking of Osborne...
It was not so much the sacking, I don't see how he could have remained as Chancellor after the result, but the petty and vindictive way she did it. It was ungracious and completely failed to recognise that she would not have had a majority government to lead without his efforts.
She let it be known not only that she was sacking him but that she personally upbraided him. Theories that could have co e from either side, the simplest answer, given news of her doing so was positively relieved, is she did it, it least because it allowed her to demonstrate how not on board the Cameron train she was without actually disavowing the pm she had served under.
It delighted the right wing press. That's why she did it.
Yes, but what on earth were Corbyn and McDonnell doing supporting the fruitcakes ?
They are not very good at their jobs. May wins because she is a mediocre lightweight up against incompetent flyweights who never raise their hands.
Looking at the Dutch governing coalition, it seems to have fallen from 79 seats to 42 in their election which is a significant rejection, though it is the smaller partner that has taken the biggest beating.
Wilders has advanced, though not as far as polls or the concerned commentariat suggested, as have the Greens.
The furthest right and the furthest left? Therefore, some evidence of growing polarisation within the Netherlands?
Did Wilders come second or third? I've seen reports he gained 6 seats and Labour version lost 6 seats.
David Davis will probably get his marching orders long before the Osgood/Daphne pairing of Bojo and Fox. He's being far too honest here for his own political good.
David Davis will probably get his marching orders long before the Osgood/Daphne pairing of Bojo and Fox. He's being far too honest here for his own political good.
Good morning all.
It strikes me that this is the kind of stuff that only PB and Twitter find interesting. I've warmed to Davis, while being horrified at the lack of substance he provided. Not sure the man on the Abergavenny omnibus will even be aware of the process.
David Davis will probably get his marching orders long before the Osgood/Daphne pairing of Bojo and Fox. He's being far too honest here for his own political good.
David Davis will probably get his marching orders long before the Osgood/Daphne pairing of Bojo and Fox. He's being far too honest here for his own political good.
Good morning all.
It strikes me that this is the kind of stuff that only PB and Twitter find interesting. I've warmed to Davis, while being horrified at the lack of substance he provided. Not sure the man on the Abergavenny omnibus will even be aware of the process.
Maybe not but this is the real business of Brexit. We are watching the sausage being made.
From the podcast, for SO and others: Ailsa Henderson: 'there is a claim that Scottish attitudes are distinct that they are more left wing, more meritocratic more communitarian but if you actually go picking for robust evidence of that you typically don't find it'
Similarly on the EU 'we found that on some of the measures [on Euroscepticism] the attitudes of Scots and those living in England and Wales was indistinguishable...Scots have always been as Eurosceptic as voters in England and in Wales"
"The fact that Scots are Eurosceptic comes as no surprise at all"
So unless you have data, a bit less of this 'Scotland and rUK are drifting apart' - its what the SNP would like you to believe - but its not true....
If only there had been so.e recent event to measure how much Scotland Vs the Rest of the UK wanted to stay in the EU. Hmmmmmm.
Nope, can't think of one.
Scotland has small country syndrome. That's why it voted to remain and cling to its nurse, twice.
Scotland has to vote for independence before it will ever see it has traded Westminster's Mary Poppins for Brussels' Nurse Ratched.
Indeed. It's the Yes/Leavers I respect the most (and have the most sympathy for) in all of this. Those who want to be properly independent. I can understand those who want to stay in the union, I can understand those who want to be fully independent. I don't understand or have any respect for those who are ready to trade Westminster for Brussels.
Understanding is easy: Brussels is not English.
Again, why Salmond was a better leader for independence than Nicola. She is a fully paid up EUphile. Salmond is a sceptic and clearly has no intention of offering EU membership. He wants to be fully independent, and I can respect that. Same with our own Malc. It's the EUfanatics who also support indepenthat just make no sense, I don't believe anyone could be so petty as to be happy with Brussels because they aren't English. Then again, some of our Yes/Remainers on here seem like the type...
Who can forget the Tory electoral campaign of 2015, which essentially revolved around telling English voters that if they were not careful appalling Scots would be ruling over them.
The SNP is not Scotland.
Absolutely not. But between them the SNP and Labour got just under 75% of the vote at the last general election. The Tory message to English voters about Scottish voters was very clear.
David Davis will probably get his marching orders long before the Osgood/Daphne pairing of Bojo and Fox. He's being far too honest here for his own political good.
David Davis will probably get his marching orders long before the Osgood/Daphne pairing of Bojo and Fox. He's being far too honest here for his own political good.
Not sure the man on the Abergavenny omnibus will even be aware of the process.
a sole man on the bus? What a waste of money that service must be.
David Davis will probably get his marching orders long before the Osgood/Daphne pairing of Bojo and Fox. He's being far too honest here for his own political good.
David Davis will probably get his marching orders long before the Osgood/Daphne pairing of Bojo and Fox. He's being far too honest here for his own political good.
Good morning all.
It strikes me that this is the kind of stuff that only PB and Twitter find interesting. I've warmed to Davis, while being horrified at the lack of substance he provided. Not sure the man on the Abergavenny omnibus will even be aware of the process.
Looking at the Dutch governing coalition, it seems to have fallen from 79 seats to 42 in their election which is a significant rejection, though it is the smaller partner that has taken the biggest beating.
Wilders has advanced, though not as far as polls or the concerned commentariat suggested, as have the Greens.
The furthest right and the furthest left? Therefore, some evidence of growing polarisation within the Netherlands?
Did Wilders come second or third? I've seen reports he gained 6 seats and Labour version lost 6 seats.
If the Tories are guilty, won't it be the party's agents who are at risk of fines or imprisonment rather than the MPs?
It's a high bar to jump, to find that an MP knowingly made a false declaration in his return of electoral expenses.
Especially as they will no doubt all say "this was expenditure centrally sanctioned/imposed and we were told by clever dicks in central office that it was outside of any expenses we needed to account for. It was not unreasonable to assume that those same clever dicks had, you know, checked this expenditure was OK - taken some legal advice, got prior clearance from the Electoral Commission, that sort of thing.
Seen from the inside of the Torbay campaign, the Battle Bus for example was viewed largely as a bloody nuisance - our well-organised team spent several days before hand packaging up leaflets into various walks, doing them pretty maps of where these people (all new to Torquay) needed to go, then on the day spent valuable time ferrying them around to those walks and then collecting them back when they had finished.
And the LibDem candidate then went to the local press, mocking the effectiveness of these volunteers, saying they were walking round clueless as to where they needed to be. So when your main opponent is gleefully chortling about how ineffective they were...you have to laugh at how much of a prat he looks in hindsight!
David Davis will probably get his marching orders long before the Osgood/Daphne pairing of Bojo and Fox. He's being far too honest here for his own political good.
David Davis will probably get his marching orders long before the Osgood/Daphne pairing of Bojo and Fox. He's being far too honest here for his own political good.
Good morning all.
It strikes me that this is the kind of stuff that only PB and Twitter find interesting. I've warmed to Davis, while being horrified at the lack of substance he provided. Not sure the man on the Abergavenny omnibus will even be aware of the process.
We are watching the sausage being made.
When I was building my house I had a code with the quantity surveyor - if there had been an ugly row with the builder or one of the suppliers, but the outcome was perfectly satisfactory, rather than discuss the process all they had to do was use the code word 'sausages'....
From the podcast, for SO and others: Ailsa Henderson: 'there is a claim that Scottish attitudes are distinct that they are more left wing, more meritocratic more communitarian but if you actually go picking for robust evidence of that you typically don't find it'
Similarly on the EU 'we found that on some of the measures [on Euroscepticism] the attitudes of Scots and those living in England and Wales was indistinguishable...Scots have always been as Eurosceptic as voters in England and in Wales"
"The fact that Scots are Eurosceptic comes as no surprise at all"
So unless you have data, a bit less of this 'Scotland and rUK are drifting apart' - its what the SNP would like you to believe - but its not true....
Ha Ha Ha , all the way from the Channel Islands our resident alleged "Scottish expert".
I think rather than clueless DD is only too well aware of the position the government must negotiate from.
Knowing his form I would hazard he is a hair's breadth from telling it like it is. Which would be off message to say the least.
Actually - that is a very fair point. The problem we have is how you turn the clearly disastrous effects of walking away and accepting WTO trading terms into a strong negotiating position. Davis made the point at the end that if we do walk away it does allow us to look at the other 60% of our export markets differently - but that ignores the very obvious fact that while we can make it easier for non-EU countries to import goods into the UK, they have absolutely no incentive to offer us better trading terms.
From the podcast, for SO and others: Ailsa Henderson: 'there is a claim that Scottish attitudes are distinct that they are more left wing, more meritocratic more communitarian but if you actually go picking for robust evidence of that you typically don't find it'
Similarly on the EU 'we found that on some of the measures [on Euroscepticism] the attitudes of Scots and those living in England and Wales was indistinguishable...Scots have always been as Eurosceptic as voters in England and in Wales"
"The fact that Scots are Eurosceptic comes as no surprise at all"
So unless you have data, a bit less of this 'Scotland and rUK are drifting apart' - its what the SNP would like you to believe - but its not true....
Ha Ha Ha , all the way from the Channel Islands our resident alleged "Scottish expert".
I cannot judge how much of an expert someone is on the subject, but you do know someone could be an expert on a country without living there? Investigation and analysis could make someone such an expert after all. You'll no doubt say neither has occurred, but merely coming from a distance doesn't prove anything. We have no end of experts on England after all, even from outside.
A separate Scotland would face years outside the EU single market, it has emerged after Iceland warned it could not start applying to join the European Free Trade Association until it is independent.
Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, the Icelandic Foreign Minister, said only sovereign states can be considered for membership under the organisation’s rules.
He said this “complicates matters” for Scotland if it were to seek entry any earlier, for example, the period between a Yes vote in a referendum and the point at which it actually left the United Kingdom.
Spare a thought for those who had been furtively touching themselves over the prospect of electoral success for 'Muslim scum' Geert, and who would have been looking forward to working out their frustration with a morning of consensual Nat bashing. They'll now have to spend the day explaining why there isn't a £70k, record breaking elephant in the room.
A separate Scotland would face years outside the EU single market, it has emerged after Iceland warned it could not start applying to join the European Free Trade Association until it is independent.
Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, the Icelandic Foreign Minister, said only sovereign states can be considered for membership under the organisation’s rules.
He said this “complicates matters” for Scotland if it were to seek entry any earlier, for example, the period between a Yes vote in a referendum and the point at which it actually left the United Kingdom.
These Nat upstarts are forever going around announcing how they'll be joining some club or other without ever asking if they're welcome. Ghastly people.
Poor Carlotta , only the fruitcakes support her warped viewpoints.
A separate Scotland would face years outside the EU single market, it has emerged after Iceland warned it could not start applying to join the European Free Trade Association until it is independent.
Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, the Icelandic Foreign Minister, said only sovereign states can be considered for membership under the organisation’s rules.
He said this “complicates matters” for Scotland if it were to seek entry any earlier, for example, the period between a Yes vote in a referendum and the point at which it actually left the United Kingdom.
Petition against a second referendum now over 144k. I wonder if it will make 200k today. Looking at the map if I was an SNP councillor in the north east I would be a tad concerned.
Hopefully the good people of Scotland will make their voices heard in the May elections, that the SNP need to get on with the day job and stop the divisiveness.
A separate Scotland would face years outside the EU single market, it has emerged after Iceland warned it could not start applying to join the European Free Trade Association until it is independent.
Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, the Icelandic Foreign Minister, said only sovereign states can be considered for membership under the organisation’s rules.
He said this “complicates matters” for Scotland if it were to seek entry any earlier, for example, the period between a Yes vote in a referendum and the point at which it actually left the United Kingdom.
Petition against a second referendum now over 144k. I wonder if it will make 200k today. Looking at the map if I was an SNP councillor in the north east I would be a tad concerned.
Hopefully the good people of Scotland will make their voices heard in the May elections, that the SNP need to get on with the day job and stop the divisiveness.
I hope so too but the collapse of SLAB means they are unlikely to get a bad result. A net gain of councillors is still very likely. Hopefully some of the SNP voters who are unionists (a surprisingly large number generated by the toxicity of the Tories pre Ruth) will start to have second thoughts.
David , even you are wishing on a star, things must be desperate for the Tories right enough.
Spare a thought for those who had been furtively touching themselves over the prospect of electoral success for 'Muslim scum' Geert, and who would have been looking forward to working out their frustration with a morning of consensual Nat bashing. They'll now have to spend the day explaining why there isn't a £70k, record breaking elephant in the room.
It's a wee shame, so it is.
A heart of stone and all that ;-)
I feel the pain of those who were hoping to lecture the out of touch liberal elite about fascists winning the day in the Netherlands. Instead, the pesky old Dutch give the overwhelming majority of their votes to pro-EU parties. And now onto France.
I am going to predict that there will be no second Independence Referendum held before the Holyrood elections in 2021 despite the SNP's receeding window of opportunity to hold one as Brexit draws nearer. There is simple no appetite in Scotland for a repeat of the two year Indy Ref campaign and vote held in 2014 while memories of that divisive campaign remain so fresh in the minds of many Scots on both sides.
The SNP have decided yet again to put their domestic obligations as a Government on hold in favour of concentrating on the UK Brexit last July in the hope that it would push a Yes vote over the line in the polls. And they have thrown everything including the kitchen sink of Sturgeon's personal reputation as a politician in a bid to drive a grudge and grievance wedge between the rest of the UK and Scotland over the last eight months. They failed, and more importantly, they forgot that the loss of their majority at Holyrood was a clear message from the Scottish electorate that it was now time to get on with the day job of focusing on the economy and running public services.
When Scotland voted in the Holyrood election last year, we were in no doubt that we were facing an EU Referendum just two months later. And yet the SNP led by new Leader Nicola Sturgeon still failed to retain the majority the party had achieved in 2011. How quickly we forget that the whole campaign that delivered that result ended up being framed around the need to provide a strong opposition to hold the SNP Government to account on both constitutional and domestic issues.
And while Scotland saw a huge increase in political engagement during that last two year Indepedence campaign, be in no doubt about just how incredible nasty and divisive the campaign was towards the end, pitting family and friends against each other. The EU Referendum campaign or result never came close to matching that or Nicola Sturgeon's hysterical rhetoric in the aftermath because the ties to the Union still remain far stronger than those to the EU we only joined four decades ago. And another key point, Scotland has its first local elections in six years this May because this is the first time we could fit them in seperately!! The whole country is facing activist/voter fatigue!
Is that John McTernan in disuise there, Tories are really flapping today. Worried your 20 year reich is crumbling, what will the nasties do if they cannot torture and rob the poor and the sick.
A separate Scotland would face years outside the EU single market, it has emerged after Iceland warned it could not start applying to join the European Free Trade Association until it is independent.
Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, the Icelandic Foreign Minister, said only sovereign states can be considered for membership under the organisation’s rules.
He said this “complicates matters” for Scotland if it were to seek entry any earlier, for example, the period between a Yes vote in a referendum and the point at which it actually left the United Kingdom.
Petition against a second referendum now over 144k. I wonder if it will make 200k today. Looking at the map if I was an SNP councillor in the north east I would be a tad concerned.
Apart from the revolt in the SNP's original heartland (and apathy in its new 'City of Freedom' - as a Forfarian I shall spare the site my opinion of Dundee...) - its interesting to see how the rest of the UK is keeping out of it - only handfuls of voters in constituencies outside Scotland...
Ever more desperate, feeble claims of being a Channel Isles PROUD Scot are pathetic. Stick your bile under your deckchair.
Spare a thought for those who had been furtively touching themselves over the prospect of electoral success for 'Muslim scum' Geert, and who would have been looking forward to working out their frustration with a morning of consensual Nat bashing. They'll now have to spend the day explaining why there isn't a £70k, record breaking elephant in the room.
It's a wee shame, so it is.
A heart of stone and all that ;-)
I feel the pain of those who were hoping to lecture the out of touch liberal elite about fascists winning the day in the Netherlands. Instead, the pesky old Dutch give the overwhelming majority of their votes to pro-EU parties. And now onto France.
Rutte has won clearly but his platform saw a notably tougher line on immigration, at least in his rhetoric and Wilders party is now the main opposition in the Netherlands as it lies in second place with 95% of votes counted
" ‘The Commission has found no evidence to suggest that the [Conservative] Party had funded the Battlebus2015 campaign with the intention that it would promote or procure the electoral success of candidates’ (para. 106).
MPs in constituencies visited by the battlebus would have no reason to consider whether it should be included in their local return – they were directed that the bus would be visiting as part of CCHQ’s national spending."
and
"Police have focused on the Tory Battle Bus tour, which visited a number of different areas during the campaign and was staffed mainly by volunteers.
Over 20 Conservative MPs could be involved and the CPS will decide whether the cases should be heard in court by the end of May."
Seems the police were investigating something the EC has exonerated the MPs for.
Does this mean there won't be prosecutions or was this a separate investigation?
The CPS have until the end of May to decide.
The Conservative statement today accepts the errors and fine but draws the attention to the fines that all the parties have had over these issues. The party also say all the battlebus expenditure was for the national campaign.
It does seem that the process needs to be streamined for all parties to stop all of them commiting errors in their accounting.
I think rather than clueless DD is only too well aware of the position the government must negotiate from.
Knowing his form I would hazard he is a hair's breadth from telling it like it is. Which would be off message to say the least.
Actually - that is a very fair point. The problem we have is how you turn the clearly disastrous effects of walking away and accepting WTO trading terms into a strong negotiating position. Davis made the point at the end that if we do walk away it does allow us to look at the other 60% of our export markets differently - but that ignores the very obvious fact that while we can make it easier for non-EU countries to import goods into the UK, they have absolutely no incentive to offer us better trading terms.
There will be no facilitating of imports into the UK unless it is reciprocated for UK exports otherwise a deal is not worth having
From the podcast, for SO and others: Ailsa Henderson: 'there is a claim that Scottish attitudes are distinct that they are more left wing, more meritocratic more communitarian but if you actually go picking for robust evidence of that you typically don't find it'
Similarly on the EU 'we found that on some of the measures [on Euroscepticism] the attitudes of Scots and those living in England and Wales was indistinguishable...Scots have always been as Eurosceptic as voters in England and in Wales"
"The fact that Scots are Eurosceptic comes as no surprise at all"
So unless you have data, a bit less of this 'Scotland and rUK are drifting apart' - its what the SNP would like you to believe - but its not true....
If only there had been so.e recent event to measure how much Scotland Vs the Rest of the UK wanted to stay in the EU. Hmmmmmm.
Nope, can't think of one.
Scotland has small country syndrome. That's why it voted to remain and cling to its nurse, twice.
From the podcast, for SO and others: Ailsa Henderson: 'there is a claim that Scottish attitudes are distinct that they are more left wing, more meritocratic more communitarian but if you actually go picking for robust evidence of that you typically don't find it'
Similarly on the EU 'we found that on some of the measures [on Euroscepticism] the attitudes of Scots and those living in England and Wales was indistinguishable...Scots have always been as Eurosceptic as voters in England and in Wales"
"The fact that Scots are Eurosceptic comes as no surprise at all"
So unless you have data, a bit less of this 'Scotland and rUK are drifting apart' - its what the SNP would like you to believe - but its not true....
Ha Ha Ha , all the way from the Channel Islands our resident alleged "Scottish expert".
I didn't know Ailsa Henderson, Head of Politics and International Relations at the University of Edinburgh lived in the Channel Islands.....
Does this mean there won't be prosecutions or was this a separate investigation?
The CPS have until the end of May to decide.
The Conservative statement today accepts the errors and fine but draws the attention to the fines that all the parties have had over these issues. The party also say all the battlebus expenditure was for the national campaign.
It does seem that the process needs to be streamined for all parties to stop all of them commiting errors in their accounting.
Oh yeah, I'm sure that will do it. Up until another tight election and another clever dick thinks they've found a loophole.
The SNP have been spectacularly good at focusing attention on the Big Shiny Thing that is independence. And thanks to the Speaker, yesterday turned into Scottish Questions of the Prime Minister. But....there are still big questions around their ability to actually govern. How long can pointing at the Big Shiny Thing keep the Scots from looking rather more closely at what is going on in education, health, housing...?
Twitter David Clegg@davieclegg Mar 14 Meanwhile, back to the SNP's "top priority". John Swinney's local high school is asking the parents to teach maths.
Former Scottish Labour Leader Iain Gray... Iain Gray@IainGrayMSP Mar 14 Iain Gray Retweeted David Clegg Dear John, it's 30 years since I taught maths, but, hate to see you stuck, & you have that indyref2 on your mind, you've got my number.....
LOL, one or two pathetic votes supported by the no hope Tories and their labatory friends. Votes on nothing. Your no hope no policy losers could not run a bath. Give us a clue as to what momentous votes were lost, I can hardly wait.
David Davis will probably get his marching orders long before the Osgood/Daphne pairing of Bojo and Fox. He's being far too honest here for his own political good.
David Davis will probably get his marching orders long before the Osgood/Daphne pairing of Bojo and Fox. He's being far too honest here for his own political good.
Not sure the man on the Abergavenny omnibus will even be aware of the process.
a sole man on the bus? What a waste of money that service must be.
As long as that sole man is a tory voting pensioner money will be found.
From the podcast, for SO and others: Ailsa Henderson: 'there is a claim that Scottish attitudes are distinct that they are more left wing, more meritocratic more communitarian but if you actually go picking for robust evidence of that you typically don't find it'
Similarly on the EU 'we found that on some of the measures [on Euroscepticism] the attitudes of Scots and those living in England and Wales was indistinguishable...Scots have always been as Eurosceptic as voters in England and in Wales"
"The fact that Scots are Eurosceptic comes as no surprise at all"
So unless you have data, a bit less of this 'Scotland and rUK are drifting apart' - its what the SNP would like you to believe - but its not true....
And yet a lot of scots and English believe it is true, so it has effect.
KLE , how would you know better than the the view from the Channel Islands, are you silly enough to think that actually living in the countries mentioned gives you any insight. Listen to the sage she has her finger on teh pulse ( or somewhere at least ).
A separate Scotland would face years outside the EU single market, it has emerged after Iceland warned it could not start applying to join the European Free Trade Association until it is independent.
Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, the Icelandic Foreign Minister, said only sovereign states can be considered for membership under the organisation’s rules.
He said this “complicates matters” for Scotland if it were to seek entry any earlier, for example, the period between a Yes vote in a referendum and the point at which it actually left the United Kingdom.
Petition against a second referendum now over 144k. I wonder if it will make 200k today. Looking at the map if I was an SNP councillor in the north east I would be a tad concerned.
Id not take a bet on that just yet.
Scottish Tories have to live on believing in miracles.
For those who are worried that there aren't enough exciting events in European politics in the next few months, here is a handy schedule:
- the TV debate of French presidential candidates on 20 March - the German regional election in the Saar region on 26 March - the Turkish constitutional referendum on 16 April - the first round of the French presidential election on 23 April, followed by the run-off vote on 7 May - the leadership vote in Italy's centre-left Democratic Party on 30 April - the German regional elections in big North Rhine-Westphalia on 7 May and Schleswig-Holstein on 14 May - the French parliamentary elections on 11 and 18 June - the German general election on 24 September
Spare a thought for those who had been furtively touching themselves over the prospect of electoral success for 'Muslim scum' Geert, and who would have been looking forward to working out their frustration with a morning of consensual Nat bashing. They'll now have to spend the day explaining why there isn't a £70k, record breaking elephant in the room.
It's a wee shame, so it is.
A day of cat videos no doubt, possibly the sort that display on dinner plates on a welsh dresser
I am going to predict that there will be no second Independence Referendum held before the Holyrood elections in 2021 despite the SNP's receeding window of opportunity to hold one as Brexit draws nearer. There is simple no appetite in Scotland for a repeat of the two year Indy Ref campaign and vote held in 2014 while memories of that divisive campaign remain so fresh in the minds of many Scots on both sides.
The SNP have decided yet again to put their domestic obligations as a Government on hold in favour of concentrating on the UK Brexit last July in the hope that it would push a Yes vote over the line in the polls. And they have thrown everything including the kitchen sink of Sturgeon's personal reputation as a politician in a bid to drive a grudge and grievance wedge between the rest of the UK and Scotland over the last eight months. They failed, and more importantly, they forgot that the loss of their majority at Holyrood was a clear message from the Scottish electorate that it was now time to get on with the day job of focusing on the economy and running public services.
When Scotland voted in the Holyrood election last year, we were in no doubt that we were facing an EU Referendum just two months later. And yet the SNP led by new Leader Nicola Sturgeon still failed to retain the majority the party had achieved in 2011. How quickly we forget that the whole campaign that delivered that result ended up being framed around the need to provide a strong opposition to hold the SNP Government to account on both constitutional and domestic issues.
And while Scotland saw a huge increase in political engagement during that last two year Indepedence campaign, be in no doubt about just how incredible nasty and divisive the campaign was towards the end, pitting family and friends against each other. The EU Referendum campaign or result never came close to matching that or Nicola Sturgeon's hysterical rhetoric in the aftermath because the ties to the Union still remain far stronger than those to the EU we only joined four decades ago. And another key point, Scotland has its first local elections in six years this May because this is the first time we could fit them in seperately!! The whole country is facing activist/voter fatigue!
Is that John McTernan in disuise there, Tories are really flapping today. Worried your 20 year reich is crumbling, what will the nasties do if they cannot torture and rob the poor and the sick.
"torture and rob the poor and the sick"
Things must be going badly for the SNP when malc is on the Buckie for breakfast.....
Spare a thought for those who had been furtively touching themselves over the prospect of electoral success for 'Muslim scum' Geert, and who would have been looking forward to working out their frustration with a morning of consensual Nat bashing. They'll now have to spend the day explaining why there isn't a £70k, record breaking elephant in the room.
It's a wee shame, so it is.
A heart of stone and all that ;-)
I feel the pain of those who were hoping to lecture the out of touch liberal elite about fascists winning the day in the Netherlands. Instead, the pesky old Dutch give the overwhelming majority of their votes to pro-EU parties. And now onto France.
The SNP "Yes, we have no EU membership plans" ought to give the greens some pause for thought.
I look forward to Wee Patrick's speech...
"We bitterly oppose the Tories removing Scotland from the EU against our will, so we will wholeheartedly support the SNP stance to not be members instead"
All 3 Scottiish Tories appear to be crossing fingers and toes and wishing on a star today
David Davis will probably get his marching orders long before the Osgood/Daphne pairing of Bojo and Fox. He's being far too honest here for his own political good.
I think the word you are looking for is "stupid" even if least "stupid" of the 3 numpties negotiating Brexit
I am going to predict that there will be no second Independence Referendum held before the Holyrood elections in 2021 despite the SNP's receeding window of opportunity to hold one as Brexit draws nearer. There is simple no appetite in Scotland for a repeat of the two year Indy Ref campaign and vote held in 2014 while memories of that divisive campaign remain so fresh in the minds of many Scots on both sides.
The SNP have decided yet again to put their domestic obligations as a Government on hold in favour of concentrating on the UK Brexit last July in the hope that it would push a Yes vote over the line in the polls. And they have thrown everything including the kitchen sink of Sturgeon's personal reputation as a politician in a bid to drive a grudge and grievance wedge between the rest of the UK and Scotland over the last eight months. They failed, and more importantly, they forgot that the loss of their majority at Holyrood was a clear message from the Scottish electorate that it was now time to get on with the day job of focusing on the economy and running public services.
When Scotland voted in the Holyrood election last year, we were in no doubt that we were facing an EU Referendum just two months later. And yet the SNP led by new Leader Nicola Sturgeon still failed to retain the majority the party had achieved in 2011. How quickly we forget that the whole campaign that delivered that result ended up being framed around the need to provide a strong opposition to hold the SNP Government to account on both constitutional and domestic issues.
And while Scotland saw a huge increase in political engagement during that last two year Indepedence campaign, be in no doubt about just how incredible nasty and divisive the campaign was towards the end, pitting family and friends against each other. The EU Referendum campaign or result never came close to matching that or Nicola Sturgeon's hysterical rhetoric in the aftermath because the ties to the Union still remain far stronger than those to the EU we only joined four decades ago. And another key point, Scotland has its first local elections in six years this May because this is the first time we could fit them in seperately!! The whole country is facing activist/voter fatigue!
Is that John McTernan in disuise there, Tories are really flapping today. Worried your 20 year reich is crumbling, what will the nasties do if they cannot torture and rob the poor and the sick.
"torture and rob the poor and the sick"
Things must be going badly for the SNP when malc is on the Buckie for breakfast.....
How very Tory, only thing you can do is try to insult the bringer of truth
From the podcast, for SO and others: Ailsa Henderson: 'there is a claim that Scottish attitudes are distinct that they are more left wing, more meritocratic more communitarian but if you actually go picking for robust evidence of that you typically don't find it'
Similarly on the EU 'we found that on some of the measures [on Euroscepticism] the attitudes of Scots and those living in England and Wales was indistinguishable...Scots have always been as Eurosceptic as voters in England and in Wales"
"The fact that Scots are Eurosceptic comes as no surprise at all"
So unless you have data, a bit less of this 'Scotland and rUK are drifting apart' - its what the SNP would like you to believe - but its not true....
And yet a lot of scots and English believe it is true, so it has effect.
KLE , how would you know better than the the view from the Channel Islands, are you silly enough to think that actually living in the countries mentioned gives you any insight. Listen to the sage she has her finger on teh pulse ( or somewhere at least ).
Why do you persist with the demonstrable nonsense that Ailsa Henderson, Head of Politics and International Relations at the University of Edinburgh is from the Channel Islands?
Too much Turnip Wine for breakfast?
Or typical Nat 'can't engage with the substance so resorts to ill-informed abuse'?
From the podcast, for SO and others: Ailsa Henderson: 'there is a claim that Scottish attitudes are distinct that they are more left wing, more meritocratic more communitarian but if you actually go picking for robust evidence of that you typically don't find it'
Similarly on the EU 'we found that on some of the measures [on Euroscepticism] the attitudes of Scots and those living in England and Wales was indistinguishable...Scots have always been as Eurosceptic as voters in England and in Wales"
"The fact that Scots are Eurosceptic comes as no surprise at all"
So unless you have data, a bit less of this 'Scotland and rUK are drifting apart' - its what the SNP would like you to believe - but its not true....
And yet a lot of scots and English believe it is true, so it has effect.
KLE , how would you know better than the the view from the Channel Islands, are you silly enough to think that actually living in the countries mentioned gives you any insight. Listen to the sage she has her finger on teh pulse ( or somewhere at least ).
Why do you persist with the demonstrable nonsense that Ailsa Henderson, Head of Politics and International Relations at the University of Edinburgh is from the Channel Islands?
Too much Turnip Wine for breakfast?
Or typical Nat 'can't engage with the substance so resorts to ill-informed abuse'?
" ‘The Commission has found no evidence to suggest that the [Conservative] Party had funded the Battlebus2015 campaign with the intention that it would promote or procure the electoral success of candidates’ (para. 106).
MPs in constituencies visited by the battlebus would have no reason to consider whether it should be included in their local return – they were directed that the bus would be visiting as part of CCHQ’s national spending."
and
"Police have focused on the Tory Battle Bus tour, which visited a number of different areas during the campaign and was staffed mainly by volunteers.
Over 20 Conservative MPs could be involved and the CPS will decide whether the cases should be heard in court by the end of May."
Seems the police were investigating something the EC has exonerated the MPs for.
" ‘The Commission has found no evidence to suggest that the [Conservative] Party had funded the Battlebus2015 campaign with the intention that it would promote or procure the electoral success of candidates’ (para. 106).
Who can forget the Tory electoral campaign of 2015, which essentially revolved around telling English voters that if they were not careful appalling Scots would be ruling over them.
The SNP is not Scotland.
Absolutely not. But between them the SNP and Labour got just under 75% of the vote at the last general election. The Tory message to English voters about Scottish voters was very clear.
Understandably, English voters weren't keen on the prospect. The SNP is not popular, South of the Border.
Looking at the Dutch governing coalition, it seems to have fallen from 79 seats to 42 in their election which is a significant rejection, though it is the smaller partner that has taken the biggest beating.
Wilders has advanced, though not as far as polls or the concerned commentariat suggested, as have the Greens.
The furthest right and the furthest left? Therefore, some evidence of growing polarisation within the Netherlands?
Did Wilders come second or third? I've seen reports he gained 6 seats and Labour version lost 6 seats.
The party names have totally confused me.
Wilders and the PVV gained 5 seats to get to 20, comfortable progress from 2012, but still some way behind where they were in 2010 (24 seats).
D66, who are pro-business LibDems, gained 7 seats to reach 19. The CDA, who are Cameroonian Conservatives, gained 6 seats to also so reach 19. The Greens were the biggest single gainer on the night, going from 4 to 14.
So, who lost? The ruling VVD dropped 8 seats to 33. The real carnage, though, was on the traditional left. The PvdA (Labour Party) lost 29 seats, falling to just 9, while the Socialists shed 1 to 14.
I'd love to have been a fly on the wall for the conversation that Nigel Farage had with him. One wonders what they had to discuss or what messages were being passed on.
How very Tory, only thing you can do is try to insult the bringer of truth
Bringer of truth. Lol! The SNP wouldn't recognise the truth if a great big bundle of truth was hand delivered by the Truth Monster, wrapped up in a box marked "Truth: Open with Care"....
Truth isn't the SNP's currency. Although, truth be told, we still aren't sure WHAT the SNP's currency is....
If you ever hear the words "This is the BBC from London" you know something big has happened!
Or they start playing 'Haunted Dancehall'......
I like the fact that the secret (now not a secret) phrase to be used over telephone lines is "London Bridge is down". Sounds like a Gerard Butler film.
From the podcast, for SO and others: Ailsa Henderson: 'there is a claim that Scottish attitudes are distinct that they are more left wing, more meritocratic more communitarian but if you actually go picking for robust evidence of that you typically don't find it'
Similarly on the EU 'we found that on some of the measures [on Euroscepticism] the attitudes of Scots and those living in England and Wales was indistinguishable...Scots have always been as Eurosceptic as voters in England and in Wales"
"The fact that Scots are Eurosceptic comes as no surprise at all"
So unless you have data, a bit less of this 'Scotland and rUK are drifting apart' - its what the SNP would like you to believe - but its not true....
And yet a lot of scots and English believe it is true, so it has effect.
KLE , how would you know better than the the view from the Channel Islands, are you silly enough to think that actually living in the countries mentioned gives you any insight. Listen to the sage she has her finger on teh pulse ( or somewhere at least ).
Why do you persist with the demonstrable nonsense that Ailsa Henderson, Head of Politics and International Relations at the University of Edinburgh is from the Channel Islands?
Too much Turnip Wine for breakfast?
Or typical Nat 'can't engage with the substance so resorts to ill-informed abuse'?
Looking at the Dutch governing coalition, it seems to have fallen from 79 seats to 42 in their election which is a significant rejection, though it is the smaller partner that has taken the biggest beating.
Wilders has advanced, though not as far as polls or the concerned commentariat suggested, as have the Greens.
The furthest right and the furthest left? Therefore, some evidence of growing polarisation within the Netherlands?
Did Wilders come second or third? I've seen reports he gained 6 seats and Labour version lost 6 seats.
The party names have totally confused me.
Wilders and the PVV gained 5 seats to get to 20, comfortable progress from 2012, but still some way behind where they were in 2010 (24 seats).
D66, who are pro-business LibDems, gained 7 seats to reach 19. The CDA, who are Cameroonian Conservatives, gained 6 seats to also so reach 19. The Greens were the biggest single gainer on the night, going from 4 to 14.
So, who lost? The ruling VVD dropped 8 seats to 33. The real carnage, though, was on the traditional left. The PvdA (Labour Party) lost 29 seats, falling to just 9, while the Socialists shed 1 to 14.
(Labour Party) lost 29 seats, falling to just 9...
Who can forget the Tory electoral campaign of 2015, which essentially revolved around telling English voters that if they were not careful appalling Scots would be ruling over them.
The SNP is not Scotland.
Absolutely not. But between them the SNP and Labour got just under 75% of the vote at the last general election. The Tory message to English voters about Scottish voters was very clear.
Understandably, English voters weren't keen on the prospect. The SNP is not popular, South of the Border.
I had labour voters begging me on the doorstep to stop her in the week run up to the GE. Under no circumstance was she to be part of any coalition. And this is in a constituency that is little more than a few miles away from the Scottish border.
Those posters of Salmond and Sturgeon with Miliband in their top pocket were as powerful as anything produced in the 80s by the Conservatives.
" ‘The Commission has found no evidence to suggest that the [Conservative] Party had funded the Battlebus2015 campaign with the intention that it would promote or procure the electoral success of candidates’ (para. 106).
MPs in constituencies visited by the battlebus would have no reason to consider whether it should be included in their local return – they were directed that the bus would be visiting as part of CCHQ’s national spending."
and
"Police have focused on the Tory Battle Bus tour, which visited a number of different areas during the campaign and was staffed mainly by volunteers.
Over 20 Conservative MPs could be involved and the CPS will decide whether the cases should be heard in court by the end of May."
Seems the police were investigating something the EC has exonerated the MPs for.
" ‘The Commission has found no evidence to suggest that the [Conservative] Party had funded the Battlebus2015 campaign with the intention that it would promote or procure the electoral success of candidates’ (para. 106).
What was it for then?
Good point but they must have decided it was seen to be promoting the party nationally, as it would as it travelled across the nation. But that statement in itself must prejeudice any case against the mp's
The surprising thing is they released this now without seeing how it would be interpreted
If you ever hear the words "This is the BBC from London" you know something big has happened!
Or they start playing 'Haunted Dancehall'......
Just finished reading the article. Thanks for sharing, was very interesting - although did feel a tad uncomfortable reading it.
It was quite an emotional read. It throws up all sorts of uncomfortable questions.
The mundane detail of important events is something of a fascination to me. People rarely think about the details of hooking up microphones and the like for the papal conclave for example.
Technical question, sort of - life is busy and I'm awlays happy to read PB headers and skim the comments elow the line, but I almost never have time to sit down and listen to a podcast, so the admirable effort in making them completely passes me by, even when it sounds interesting, as it often does. Is that unusual, and most of you are keenly listening?
If you ever hear the words "This is the BBC from London" you know something big has happened!
Or they start playing 'Haunted Dancehall'......
Just finished reading the article. Thanks for sharing, was very interesting - although did feel a tad uncomfortable reading it.
It was quite an emotional read. It throws up all sorts of uncomfortable questions.
I don't know whether it was a throwaway comment - and indeed whether anyone other than the future king knows - but I had read in the past of Charles taking George as his regnal name - George VII sounds a bit luckier than Charles III......theres also been a bit of popular rehabilitation of George III going on recently.....
" ‘The Commission has found no evidence to suggest that the [Conservative] Party had funded the Battlebus2015 campaign with the intention that it would promote or procure the electoral success of candidates’ (para. 106).
MPs in constituencies visited by the battlebus would have no reason to consider whether it should be included in their local return – they were directed that the bus would be visiting as part of CCHQ’s national spending."
and
"Police have focused on the Tory Battle Bus tour, which visited a number of different areas during the campaign and was staffed mainly by volunteers.
Over 20 Conservative MPs could be involved and the CPS will decide whether the cases should be heard in court by the end of May."
Seems the police were investigating something the EC has exonerated the MPs for.
" ‘The Commission has found no evidence to suggest that the [Conservative] Party had funded the Battlebus2015 campaign with the intention that it would promote or procure the electoral success of candidates’ (para. 106).
What was it for then?
Good point but they must have decided it was seen to be promoting the party nationally, as it would as it travelled across the nation. But that statement in itself must prejeudice any case against the mp's
The surprising thing is they released this now without seeing how it would be interpreted
I think the seat Farage thought will be interesting.From the reports I saw it was vast amounts spent on hotel bills etc from people outside the area and not declared over many weeks.So not just a bus traveling around the country .
I think rather than clueless DD is only too well aware of the position the government must negotiate from.
Knowing his form I would hazard he is a hair's breadth from telling it like it is. Which would be off message to say the least.
Actually - that is a very fair point. The problem we have is how you turn the clearly disastrous effects of walking away and accepting WTO trading terms into a strong negotiating position. Davis made the point at the end that if we do walk away it does allow us to look at the other 60% of our export markets differently - but that ignores the very obvious fact that while we can make it easier for non-EU countries to import goods into the UK, they have absolutely no incentive to offer us better trading terms.
Which is of course another reason why a transition period is unlikely to work. A transition period will mean that any deal we would like to do with that 60% would be pushed back for the length of the transition period. Otherwise we would be opening the door for regulatory arbitrage.
Looking at the Dutch governing coalition, it seems to have fallen from 79 seats to 42 in their election which is a significant rejection, though it is the smaller partner that has taken the biggest beating.
Wilders has advanced, though not as far as polls or the concerned commentariat suggested, as have the Greens.
The furthest right and the furthest left? Therefore, some evidence of growing polarisation within the Netherlands?
Did Wilders come second or third? I've seen reports he gained 6 seats and Labour version lost 6 seats.
The party names have totally confused me.
Wilders and the PVV gained 5 seats to get to 20, comfortable progress from 2012, but still some way behind where they were in 2010 (24 seats).
D66, who are pro-business LibDems, gained 7 seats to reach 19. The CDA, who are Cameroonian Conservatives, gained 6 seats to also so reach 19. The Greens were the biggest single gainer on the night, going from 4 to 14.
So, who lost? The ruling VVD dropped 8 seats to 33. The real carnage, though, was on the traditional left. The PvdA (Labour Party) lost 29 seats, falling to just 9, while the Socialists shed 1 to 14.
Technical question, sort of - life is busy and I'm awlays happy to read PB headers and skim the comments elow the line, but I almost never have time to sit down and listen to a podcast, so the admirable effort in making them completely passes me by, even when it sounds interesting, as it often does. Is that unusual, and most of you are keenly listening?
I listen to them in their entirety rarely, as time to Pen a few words is easy, for a whole podcast not.
Comments
arguing to bin the change - and so allow partners in large City law firms to keep more of their mega-salaries.Up the workers!
Meanwhile, Spreadsheet Phil manages to successfully tiptoe around the slumbering elephant in the room - delivering a Budget/Spring Statement without ever once mentioning Brexit.
Things that make you go Hmmmmmm.....
The reaction of Scottish voters, and complete clusterFeck rapid evolution of the SNP's EU position suggests that there is not a deep well of EU enthusiasm to be drawn on in Scotland....
You are joking, are you not?
Nothing quite like sending two files for review, getting them approved, making changes to one, sending them back to review, and then getting told the other one doesn't get approval... *sighs*
https://twitter.com/kezdugdale/status/841943278199164928
I think rather than clueless DD is only too well aware of the position the government must negotiate from.
Knowing his form I would hazard he is a hair's breadth from telling it like it is. Which would be off message to say the least.
The party names have totally confused me.
It strikes me that this is the kind of stuff that only PB and Twitter find interesting. I've warmed to Davis, while being horrified at the lack of substance he provided. Not sure the man on the Abergavenny omnibus will even be aware of the process.
2nd I think.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39287689
scroll down for chart
Seen from the inside of the Torbay campaign, the Battle Bus for example was viewed largely as a bloody nuisance - our well-organised team spent several days before hand packaging up leaflets into various walks, doing them pretty maps of where these people (all new to Torquay) needed to go, then on the day spent valuable time ferrying them around to those walks and then collecting them back when they had finished.
And the LibDem candidate then went to the local press, mocking the effectiveness of these volunteers, saying they were walking round clueless as to where they needed to be. So when your main opponent is gleefully chortling about how ineffective they were...you have to laugh at how much of a prat he looks in hindsight!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39289195
2.10 Golden Doyen
2.50 Empire of Dirt
3.30 Nichols Canyon
4.10 Tango de Juilley
Empire is 3/1, the others well into double figures, to small stakes some e/w doubles etc should provide some fun.
Be lucky
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4317908/Cherie-Blair-gazumped-3million-house.html
It's a wee shame, so it is.
I feel the pain of those who were hoping to lecture the out of touch liberal elite about fascists winning the day in the Netherlands. Instead, the pesky old Dutch give the overwhelming majority of their votes to pro-EU parties. And now onto France.
https://twitter.com/wblau/status/842111250595229697
Roger Gale on R4 already trying the 'astounding that the EC have preempted/tainted ongoing investigations' line.
" ‘The Commission has found no evidence to suggest that the [Conservative] Party had funded the Battlebus2015 campaign with the intention that it would promote or procure the electoral success of candidates’ (para. 106).
MPs in constituencies visited by the battlebus would have no reason to consider whether it should be included in their local return – they were directed that the bus would be visiting as part of CCHQ’s national spending."
and
"Police have focused on the Tory Battle Bus tour, which visited a number of different areas during the campaign and was staffed mainly by volunteers.
Over 20 Conservative MPs could be involved and the CPS will decide whether the cases should be heard in court by the end of May."
Seems the police were investigating something the EC has exonerated the MPs for.
The Conservative statement today accepts the errors and fine but draws the attention to the fines that all the parties have had over these issues. The party also say all the battlebus expenditure was for the national campaign.
It does seem that the process needs to be streamined for all parties to stop all of them commiting errors in their accounting.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/16/what-happens-when-queen-elizabeth-dies-london-bridge
It is quite astounding actually, the EC could have waited to make this announcement after the CPS report and/or prosecution.
- the TV debate of French presidential candidates on 20 March
- the German regional election in the Saar region on 26 March
- the Turkish constitutional referendum on 16 April
- the first round of the French presidential election on 23 April, followed by the run-off vote on 7 May
- the leadership vote in Italy's centre-left Democratic Party on 30 April
- the German regional elections in big North Rhine-Westphalia on 7 May and Schleswig-Holstein on 14 May
- the French parliamentary elections on 11 and 18 June
- the German general election on 24 September
(H/t to Berenberg Bank)
Things must be going badly for the SNP when malc is on the Buckie for breakfast.....
https://twitter.com/kevincollier/status/842071609510899727
Too much Turnip Wine for breakfast?
Or typical Nat 'can't engage with the substance so resorts to ill-informed abuse'?
Or they start playing 'Haunted Dancehall'......
What was it for then?
D66, who are pro-business LibDems, gained 7 seats to reach 19. The CDA, who are Cameroonian Conservatives, gained 6 seats to also so reach 19. The Greens were the biggest single gainer on the night, going from 4 to 14.
So, who lost? The ruling VVD dropped 8 seats to 33. The real carnage, though, was on the traditional left. The PvdA (Labour Party) lost 29 seats, falling to just 9, while the Socialists shed 1 to 14.
Truth isn't the SNP's currency. Although, truth be told, we still aren't sure WHAT the SNP's currency is....
A great day to be part of the liberal elite or whatever the cat fetishing fascists call it these days.
UK General Election prediction for 2025?
Those posters of Salmond and Sturgeon with Miliband in their top pocket were as powerful as anything produced in the 80s by the Conservatives.
The surprising thing is they released this now without seeing how it would be interpreted
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/16/survive-nuclear-war-british-way-pack-tin-opener-loo-rolls-jam/