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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Who’d be best for Britian – Macron or Le Pen. YouGov finds LEA

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    justin124justin124 Posts: 11,527
    A failure by the SNP to meet expectations in next week's local elections might well lead to a further slide in their poll ratings to the advantage of all the pro - Union parties.
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    Carolus_RexCarolus_Rex Posts: 1,414

    JackW said:

    Mike Smithson is absolutely correct about Le Pen.

    Marine Le Pen waddles and quacks like a fascist and the fact that she is microscopically less odious than her father is little consolation.

    Well, only if you divorce the word 'fascist' from its historical orgins. To take the most obvious point, one of the absolute key features of fascism was military triumphalism and the militarisation of youth - all those rallies with rows of clean-cut youths and pretty girls in uniform saluting the Great Leader. There's none of that sort of thing in Le Pen, is there? Also fascism was partly about co-operation between corrupt big business and the authoritarian state. Again, little sign of that in Le Pen.

    Of course, if the word 'fascist' is reduced to just meaning odious, then, yes, it's a fair description.
    Time to trot this out again:

    http://www.orwell.ru/library/articles/As_I_Please/english/efasc
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    isamisam Posts: 41,118

    Neither the polling, nor the site's Leavers' reaction to it, comes as a surprise. Who would have thought that those susceptible to xenophobic lies would hope that a close ally would be led by a fascist?

    Didn't most Leavers asked not say "le Pen"?
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    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,574

    But she's more than happy to play to and to take the votes of fascists.

    Not an uncommon characteristic in all sorts of elections & referendums.
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    DisraeliDisraeli Posts: 1,106

    Disraeli said:

    kle4 said:

    Pulpstar said:

    A question for the leavers.

    Lets assume a parallel (Fantasy right now) universe where the SNP had won the referendum.

    How strong would Sturgeon's hand be to make England, Wales and Northern Ireland bend to her will, to get a fantastic deal for Scotland.

    Not fantastically strong, but not nothing, and I'd hope we'd seek to be as reasonable as possible without disadvantaging ourselves too much.
    One big difference is that independence involves a transfer of sovereignty but Brexit does not. Most of the decisions are much more tangible and immediate.
    WHAT! :astonished:
    The whole point of Brexit is to transfer sovereignty back to Britain that had been acquired by the EU through our membership.
    Parliament was always sovereign - it just didn't feel like it, as the Government White Paper on Brexit said.
    In the EU the acquis communautaire is supreme. This body of EU law trumps all the legislatures of all of the member states, which includes the UK Parliament. In other words it is sovereign over all of them.

    Of course you actually know that, but you are just trying to be cute.
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    AlsoIndigoAlsoIndigo Posts: 1,852
    edited April 2017
    Christ on a bike.

    I notice there is no byline on this header, can't think why not!

    Most people I am sure voted Leave, or Trump and will vote Le Pen, not because they are fascists, or even have any sympathy for fascists, or for that matter vulgar New York limousine liberals, but because they are sick to the back teeth of being told the "right" way to vote by the establishment.
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    Pulpstar said:

    I agree with ThreeQuidder.
    Asking someone which is better for Britain is not the same as asking which they want.

    The r^2 correlation on those two questions would be 0.95+
    It would be interesting to see. I very much doubt it myself - I had dinner last night with a couple of (British) people who expressed the view that a Le Pen win might be in Britain's interests but also expressed the fervent hope she'd lose. That's anecdotal of course, and no doubt there would be a correlation, but 0.95+ is really strong and I can't see it.
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    rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 7,965

    Neither the polling, nor the site's Leavers' reaction to it, comes as a surprise. Who would have thought that those susceptible to xenophobic lies would hope that a close ally would be led by a fascist?

    Looking on the positive side - it makes me realise that in the UK we are actually quite fortunate with our Conservative party. I don't like them - but they're not in the same league as FN or the Republican party in the US... Right wing parties that are close or have obtained power.
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    calumcalum Posts: 3,046
    justin124 said:

    A failure by the SNP to meet expectations in next week's local elections might well lead to a further slide in their poll ratings to the advantage of all the pro - Union parties.

    It's difficult to gauge expectations due to the STV system - SLAB likely to lose control of Glasgow - should the SNP gain control that'd be a good measure of how their doing.

    SNP, SCON, SLID and the Greens should all make quite decent gains - SLAB are facing yet another electoral nightmare but the STV system will help save their blushes to an extent.
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    dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,291
    GeoffM said:

    PClipp said:

    GeoffM said:

    MTimT said:

    And you are blindingly wrong. It is a terrible question as it is open to totally different interpretations as to what is 'better'. Thus different people are answering different questions and you are comparing apples with oranges, something in all other contexts you would be railing against.
    You are simply wrong.

    The problem here is that the original question is so poor that someone answering the poll (including me, in this case) will project a variety of reasons on to my answer.
    Then Mike comes along and overlays my prejudices with his own and pulls out a single interpretation of the original (poor) question.
    Indeed - as was the question in the infamous Referendum.
    What 'infamous Referendum'?

    The Anschluss referendum voting paper was by far my favourite:

    https://austria-forum.org/attach/AEIOU/Anschluss/Bilder_zum_Anschluss/scaled-368x270-Stimmzettel-Anschluss.jpg
    The excuse that an office junior sent them out was used in Bristol last May.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3616398/Is-hint-Outrage-council-s-EU-referendum-voting-guide-shows-pencil-cross-box-Remain.html
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    ab195ab195 Posts: 477

    Neither the polling, nor the site's Leavers' reaction to it, comes as a surprise. Who would have thought that those susceptible to xenophobic lies would hope that a close ally would be led by a fascist?

    Oh come on, it's a self evident statement of fact that the process of leaving the EU would be made easier if the French were doing it too. So if you asked me the narrow question of which is best for Britain then I'd pick her. But I'll celebrate when she loses because I couldn't ever support the FN.

    In any case, unsurprisingly, most "leavers" said "don't care" or "that's their business".
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    prh47bridgeprh47bridge Posts: 442
    Pulpstar said:

    I agree with ThreeQuidder.
    Asking someone which is better for Britain is not the same as asking which they want.

    The r^2 correlation on those two questions would be 0.95+
    Proof?
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    marke09marke09 Posts: 926
    First there was just LGB then LGBT then LGBTQ now according to the Greens theres LGBTQA+

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2017/apr/28/general-election-2017-ukip-campaign-paul-nuttall-politics-live
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    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,574
    calum said:
    Was it just days ago that the Yoons were framing the TNS Kantar as the gold standard against which all other indy polls must be judged?

    'Surge for Yes'
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    AlsoIndigoAlsoIndigo Posts: 1,852
    Another tedious thread of BrExit finger point and wild accusations and generalisations from Meeks & Co, life is frankly too short, I think I will go and watch a film.
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    marke09marke09 Posts: 926
    marke09 said:

    First there was just LGB then LGBT then LGBTQ now according to the Greens theres LGBTQA+

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2017/apr/28/general-election-2017-ukip-campaign-paul-nuttall-politics-live

    sorry it should read LGBTIQA+
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    rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 7,965

    Pulpstar said:

    I agree with ThreeQuidder.
    Asking someone which is better for Britain is not the same as asking which they want.

    The r^2 correlation on those two questions would be 0.95+
    Proof?
    Shall we run a poll asking... Do you want what's best for Britain?
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,874
    marke09 said:

    First there was just LGB then LGBT then LGBTQ now according to the Greens theres LGBTQA+

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2017/apr/28/general-election-2017-ukip-campaign-paul-nuttall-politics-live

    They should just rename it as QWERTY...as in QWERTY keyboard...or ASCII... containing all letters and characters...job done
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    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,493

    *Is* she a fascist? That word gets bandied around a dreadful lot these days.

    Hard to say. Someone ought to ask her "when did you stop being a fascist?".

    Probably, no, she's not. She's more of a populist-nationalist. But she's more than happy to play to and to take the votes of fascists.
    Was her dad a fascist? Is the current leader of FN a fascist?
    Her dad both was and is. No idea about the current leader, who is as much a 'leader' as Medvedev was ever president of Russia.
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,093

    Pulpstar said:

    I agree with ThreeQuidder.
    Asking someone which is better for Britain is not the same as asking which they want.

    The r^2 correlation on those two questions would be 0.95+
    Proof?
    Hopefully Yougov can run the question "Who do you want to win the presidency" to test my the theory.
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    prh47bridgeprh47bridge Posts: 442

    Neither the polling, nor the site's Leavers' reaction to it, comes as a surprise. Who would have thought that those susceptible to xenophobic lies would hope that a close ally would be led by a fascist?

    I voted Remain.

    I do not agree that saying Le Pen would be best for Britain is the same as hoping that France would be led by her. As I said previously, I think she may be the best option for Britain as we negotiate Brexit but I fervently hope she loses, preferably by a huge margin.

    And, as others have pointed out, most Leave voters appear to be don't knows. So how are they Le Pen supporters.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,043
    Oldies for Tories!

    Scotland 65+
    Con: 47
    SNP: 25
    Lab: 15
    LiD: 9

    Across the other age demographics the SNP is pretty stable: 48-45-49, while Con profile grows with age: 17-16-30. Lab does better younger: 23-22-13

    https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/2sjw512ap2/TimesResults_170427_Scotland_WestminsterVI_R1_W.pdf
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    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,722

    Christ on a bike.

    I notice there is no byline on this header, can't think why not!

    Most people I am sure voted Leave, or Trump and will vote Le Pen, not because they are fascists, or even have any sympathy for fascists, or for that matter vulgar New York limousine liberals, but because they are sick to the back teeth of being told the "right" way to vote by the establishment.

    Hmm so you are trying to stick it to "the man" (who he?) and so vote for a fascist? Is that how stupid you really think people are?
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,874
    marke09 said:

    marke09 said:

    First there was just LGB then LGBT then LGBTQ now according to the Greens theres LGBTQA+

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2017/apr/28/general-election-2017-ukip-campaign-paul-nuttall-politics-live

    sorry it should read LGBTIQA+
    You Intersex-ist...
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    GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 21,080
    Both are bad news for Britain in terms of Brexit but for different reasons...

    Macron will try and spur the EU on to give us a non-sensible deal and make us "pay" for voting to Leave.

    A Le Pen victory would be an existential crisis so great for the EU that Brexit would fall by the wayside... They'd have bigger fish to fry than us.

    Marcon would obviously be better overall as he isn't a racist and (probably) won't crash the French economy so if I had a vote I'd go for Macron.
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 54,459
    @Cyan

    Are you Stuart Truth?
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    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670

    Oldies for Tories!

    Scotland 65+
    Con: 47
    SNP: 25
    Lab: 15
    LiD: 9

    Across the other age demographics the SNP is pretty stable: 48-45-49, while Con profile grows with age: 17-16-30. Lab does better younger: 23-22-13

    https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/2sjw512ap2/TimesResults_170427_Scotland_WestminsterVI_R1_W.pdf

    What I haven't quite worked out is how Yes has risen 2 points whilst SNP vote has fallen in the YouGov.
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,093
    I reckon some of the big hitters for Le Pen must be big time Trump backers, hoping to septuple up.......
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    prh47bridgeprh47bridge Posts: 442
    rkrkrk said:

    Pulpstar said:

    I agree with ThreeQuidder.
    Asking someone which is better for Britain is not the same as asking which they want.

    The r^2 correlation on those two questions would be 0.95+
    Proof?
    Shall we run a poll asking... Do you want what's best for Britain?
    Of course people would answer Yes to that. However, try a poll asking Do you want what's best for Britain at any cost? I doubt that would produce anything like a unanimous Yes.
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    ParistondaParistonda Posts: 1,819
    marke09 said:

    marke09 said:

    First there was just LGB then LGBT then LGBTQ now according to the Greens theres LGBTQA+

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2017/apr/28/general-election-2017-ukip-campaign-paul-nuttall-politics-live

    sorry it should read LGBTIQA+
    How offensive to those people identifying as allosexual, aromatic, demisexual, or greysexual - they have all just been lumped in under a plus sign! Backwards troglodyte Green Party.

    But seriously, it's ridiculous to add all these extra letters and then stick a plus sign at the end. Either commit to it entirely, or just stick a plus sign after LGBT and be done with it.
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,093
    edited April 2017
    Alistair said:

    Oldies for Tories!

    Scotland 65+
    Con: 47
    SNP: 25
    Lab: 15
    LiD: 9

    Across the other age demographics the SNP is pretty stable: 48-45-49, while Con profile grows with age: 17-16-30. Lab does better younger: 23-22-13

    https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/2sjw512ap2/TimesResults_170427_Scotland_WestminsterVI_R1_W.pdf

    What I haven't quite worked out is how Yes has risen 2 points whilst SNP vote has fallen in the YouGov.
    You realise that is probably bad news for the SNP right ?
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,043
    Leader's ratings - all of them have taken a hit but Davidson enjoys the strongest rating and has the happiest supporters

    net 'well' (vs March) [among own VI]

    Sturgeon: +2 (-14) [+60]
    Davidson: +7 (-14) [+83]
    Dugdale: -29 (-13) [ -3]
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    ParistondaParistonda Posts: 1,819

    *Is* she a fascist? That word gets bandied around a dreadful lot these days.

    Hard to say. Someone ought to ask her "when did you stop being a fascist?".

    Probably, no, she's not. She's more of a populist-nationalist. But she's more than happy to play to and to take the votes of fascists.
    Was her dad a fascist? Is the current leader of FN a fascist?
    Her dad both was and is. No idea about the current leader, who is as much a 'leader' as Medvedev was ever president of Russia.
    Is the consensus view that Putin himself counts as a fascist? If anything this new wave of populism is all about emulating Putin's rule of Russia as much as possible. Yet you rarely hear Putin himself referred to as a fascist.
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    GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071

    *Is* she a fascist? That word gets bandied around a dreadful lot these days.

    Hard to say. Someone ought to ask her "when did you stop being a fascist?".

    Probably, no, she's not. She's more of a populist-nationalist. But she's more than happy to play to and to take the votes of fascists.
    Was her dad a fascist? Is the current leader of FN a fascist?
    Her dad both was and is. No idea about the current leader, who is as much a 'leader' as Medvedev was ever president of Russia.
    Is the consensus view that Putin himself counts as a fascist? If anything this new wave of populism is all about emulating Putin's rule of Russia as much as possible. Yet you rarely hear Putin himself referred to as a fascist.
    It's a bit like using "racist". The words have no specific meaning any longer - they've been bastardised and diluted as a result of being thrown around as a generic insult.
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    logical_songlogical_song Posts: 9,741
    What's a figure for the 'vast majority' of 650.
    Nuttall insists that Ukip candidates will be standing in the “vast majority” of seats.
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    CyanCyan Posts: 1,262

    Pulpstar said:

    Cyan said:

    kle4 said:

    justin124 said:

    I agree with those Tories there who have no wish to be represented by an adulterer.
    I bet they wouldn't give a crap about such a thing in France though.
    I agree with them too. If a politician's wife can't trust him, why should the country?

    Hard to imagine what the equivalent of a Tory would be in France. OK there are some Poujadist types, but where are the gentlemen's clubs or the private schools? One of the Grande Ecoles spawns quite a few "Islington" types who many Tories would cross the road to avoid.

    What does cashout say on your Betfair screen though.
    Last night Cyan was saying Le Pen was playing Macron like a fiddle over the appointment of the new FN leader. This morning he stood aside - http://www.politico.eu/article/national-front-would-be-leader-steps-aside-after-gas-chamber-comments/
    I was wrong and I'm surprised he stood aside shortly after I posted. That damages Le Pen. It suggests she makes crap appointments that have to be reversed.

    The Vel d'Hiv thing didn't: I think her opponents may have looked disingenuous on it. That's even if France, which was one of several countries where local officials helped round up Jews to be murdered by the Nazis, was the only country where they did it on unoccupied territory.

    Le Pen needs to paint Macron as the pro-German candidate: pro-Germany now, pro-the EU understood as run by Germany, pro-Merkel. So Macron is doing well to stick the "German" label on her, a different label but one that still says "Germany", in relation to Jalkh's gas-chamber questioning nearly 20 years ago. Thus a present-day issue on which he's weak is getting obscured.

    Macron trying to stick the OAS label on her is interesting. He's trying to keep the backing he has among Fillon supporters. He's saying "I'm like De Gaulle; Le Pen is like the OAS". The Fifth Republic came into existence because De Gaulle was considered to be the only guy who could prevent civil war.

    @Pulpstar - Thanks for your advice. I replied but through Vanilla so it went on the other thread. I'm not at +20 Le Pen, -1 Macron. I'm at +1 unit Le Pen, and minus two-thirds of a unit Macron, where two-thirds of a unit is the maximum I'm willing to lose. I will get walloped if Macron wins. But I still think Le Pen has got a good chance.


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    PongPong Posts: 4,693
    edited April 2017
    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/get-rich-quick-if-bookies-are-wrong-on-corbyn-wipeout-906pfnn5b?

    "Get rich quick if bookies are wrong on Corbyn wipeout"

    Just place an acca bet on these labour constituencies!

    Jeez.

    Andrew Norfolk - if you're lurking - you need another job.

    And the Times want people to pay money to read this shite?
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    Wikipedia defines fascism as:
    Fascism /ˈfæʃɪzəm/ is a form of radical authoritarian nationalism[1][2], characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition, and control of industry and commerce[3], that came to prominence in early 20th-century Europe.
    I'd score MLP as:
    Radical - yes
    Authoritarian - no
    Nationalist - yes
    Dictatorial - no
    Violent - no
    Control of industry - yes
    (No doubt her most serious detractors will assume that the violence, authoritarianism and dictatorship are waiting in the wings).

    So I'd summarise her as an ethnically diversive, economically controlling, softy bitch. A bit like Diane Abbot. The Horseshoe Theory being basically correct:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseshoe_theory
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    logical_songlogical_song Posts: 9,741

    *Is* she a fascist? That word gets bandied around a dreadful lot these days.

    Hard to say. Someone ought to ask her "when did you stop being a fascist?".

    Probably, no, she's not. She's more of a populist-nationalist. But she's more than happy to play to and to take the votes of fascists.
    Was her dad a fascist? Is the current leader of FN a fascist?
    Her dad both was and is. No idea about the current leader, who is as much a 'leader' as Medvedev was ever president of Russia.
    Some info on the 'current' leader (well he was current for a while).
    National Front would-be leader steps aside after gas chamber comments
    Jean-François Jalkh reportedly said it was impossible for Zyklon B to have been used in mass exterminations.
    http://www.politico.eu/article/national-front-would-be-leader-steps-aside-after-gas-chamber-comments/
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 54,459

    JackW said:

    Mike Smithson is absolutely correct about Le Pen.

    Marine Le Pen waddles and quacks like a fascist and the fact that she is microscopically less odious than her father is little consolation.

    Well, only if you divorce the word 'fascist' from its historical orgins. To take the most obvious point, one of the absolute key features of fascism was military triumphalism and the militarisation of youth - all those rallies with rows of clean-cut youths and pretty girls in uniform saluting the Great Leader. There's none of that sort of thing in Le Pen, is there? Also fascism was partly about co-operation between corrupt big business and the authoritarian state. Again, little sign of that in Le Pen.

    Of course, if the word 'fascist' is reduced to just meaning odious, then, yes, it's a fair description.
    Military triumphalism, check
    Sweetheart deals with select big business, check

    I'm not thinking of Le Pen, I'm thinking of...
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    GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071
    rcs1000 said:

    JackW said:

    Mike Smithson is absolutely correct about Le Pen.

    Marine Le Pen waddles and quacks like a fascist and the fact that she is microscopically less odious than her father is little consolation.

    Well, only if you divorce the word 'fascist' from its historical orgins. To take the most obvious point, one of the absolute key features of fascism was military triumphalism and the militarisation of youth - all those rallies with rows of clean-cut youths and pretty girls in uniform saluting the Great Leader. There's none of that sort of thing in Le Pen, is there? Also fascism was partly about co-operation between corrupt big business and the authoritarian state. Again, little sign of that in Le Pen.

    Of course, if the word 'fascist' is reduced to just meaning odious, then, yes, it's a fair description.
    Military triumphalism, check
    Sweetheart deals with select big business, check

    I'm not thinking of Le Pen, I'm thinking of...
    Blair
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    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    Pulpstar said:

    Alistair said:

    Oldies for Tories!

    Scotland 65+
    Con: 47
    SNP: 25
    Lab: 15
    LiD: 9

    Across the other age demographics the SNP is pretty stable: 48-45-49, while Con profile grows with age: 17-16-30. Lab does better younger: 23-22-13

    https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/2sjw512ap2/TimesResults_170427_Scotland_WestminsterVI_R1_W.pdf

    What I haven't quite worked out is how Yes has risen 2 points whilst SNP vote has fallen in the YouGov.
    You realise that is probably bad news for the SNP right ?
    None of the recent polls have been good for SNP.
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    logical_songlogical_song Posts: 9,741
    rcs1000 said:

    JackW said:

    Mike Smithson is absolutely correct about Le Pen.

    Marine Le Pen waddles and quacks like a fascist and the fact that she is microscopically less odious than her father is little consolation.

    Well, only if you divorce the word 'fascist' from its historical orgins. To take the most obvious point, one of the absolute key features of fascism was military triumphalism and the militarisation of youth - all those rallies with rows of clean-cut youths and pretty girls in uniform saluting the Great Leader. There's none of that sort of thing in Le Pen, is there? Also fascism was partly about co-operation between corrupt big business and the authoritarian state. Again, little sign of that in Le Pen.

    Of course, if the word 'fascist' is reduced to just meaning odious, then, yes, it's a fair description.
    Military triumphalism, check
    Sweetheart deals with select big business, check

    I'm not thinking of Le Pen, I'm thinking of...
    Trumphalism?
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    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,643

    *Is* she a fascist? That word gets bandied around a dreadful lot these days.

    Hard to say. Someone ought to ask her "when did you stop being a fascist?".

    Probably, no, she's not. She's more of a populist-nationalist. But she's more than happy to play to and to take the votes of fascists.
    Was her dad a fascist? Is the current leader of FN a fascist?
    Her dad both was and is. No idea about the current leader, who is as much a 'leader' as Medvedev was ever president of Russia.
    Is the consensus view that Putin himself counts as a fascist? If anything this new wave of populism is all about emulating Putin's rule of Russia as much as possible. Yet you rarely hear Putin himself referred to as a fascist.
    He certainly fits the description given by Richard Nabavi earlier. Yesterday Alexey Navalny was attacked on the street yet again. This is an example of a performance at a youth rally outside the Kremlin in front of a banner saying 'To the future with Putin':

    image
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    ThreeQuidderThreeQuidder Posts: 6,133

    I agree with ThreeQuidder.

    Asking someone which is better for Britain is not the same as asking which they want. I detest Marine Le Pen and would never vote for her in a million years. If asked which is better for France or which I want would go for Macron every time. But Macron is a Europhile who wants to take a hard line over Brexit including possibly revising the Le Touquet agreement which he sees as unfair to France. Le Pen on the other hand is a strong supporter of Brexit and appears to want a good deal for the UK. Given their respective positions there is certainly a case to be made that Le Pen would be better for Britain. If I'd been asked I might have said that she was. But that doesn't mean I want her. I don't. Indeed, if I did say that I thought Le Pen was better for Britain, I would regard it as seriously libellous if someone said that meant I wanted her. I want the best deal for Britain but not at any cost. And Le Pen as president of France is far too high a cost.

    But apparently anything is fair if it can potentially delegitimise Leave's victory.
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    Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905
    Alistair said:

    Oldies for Tories!

    Scotland 65+
    Con: 47
    SNP: 25
    Lab: 15
    LiD: 9

    Across the other age demographics the SNP is pretty stable: 48-45-49, while Con profile grows with age: 17-16-30. Lab does better younger: 23-22-13

    https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/2sjw512ap2/TimesResults_170427_Scotland_WestminsterVI_R1_W.pdf

    What I haven't quite worked out is how Yes has risen 2 points whilst SNP vote has fallen in the YouGov.
    The correlation between voting Yes and voting SNP is very strong, but not complete. They receive (I presume) additional votes from those who subscribe to the "best at standing up for Scotland at Westminster" proposition, the "best progressive party available" vote, and from anti-Tory die-hards.

    Obviously if voters whose primary motivation for backing the SNP isn't independence decide that they prefer a different offer, they can desert whilst continuing to maintain a belief that secession is a good idea.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,093
    Alistair said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Alistair said:

    Oldies for Tories!

    Scotland 65+
    Con: 47
    SNP: 25
    Lab: 15
    LiD: 9

    Across the other age demographics the SNP is pretty stable: 48-45-49, while Con profile grows with age: 17-16-30. Lab does better younger: 23-22-13

    https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/2sjw512ap2/TimesResults_170427_Scotland_WestminsterVI_R1_W.pdf

    What I haven't quite worked out is how Yes has risen 2 points whilst SNP vote has fallen in the YouGov.
    You realise that is probably bad news for the SNP right ?
    None of the recent polls have been good for SNP.
    Well it is difficult for any party to go forwards after getting 50+% of the vote in the election just gone.

    Not even Baldwin managed that trick, perhaps an inevitable decline.
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 59,145
    Pulpstar said:

    Alistair said:

    Oldies for Tories!

    Scotland 65+
    Con: 47
    SNP: 25
    Lab: 15
    LiD: 9

    Across the other age demographics the SNP is pretty stable: 48-45-49, while Con profile grows with age: 17-16-30. Lab does better younger: 23-22-13

    https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/2sjw512ap2/TimesResults_170427_Scotland_WestminsterVI_R1_W.pdf

    What I haven't quite worked out is how Yes has risen 2 points whilst SNP vote has fallen in the YouGov.
    You realise that is probably bad news for the SNP right ?
    But it is Good For Yes! :smiley:


    .... oh, my coat?
  • Options
    glwglw Posts: 9,583

    Is the consensus view that Putin himself counts as a fascist? If anything this new wave of populism is all about emulating Putin's rule of Russia as much as possible. Yet you rarely hear Putin himself referred to as a fascist.

    Putin with his very close ties to industry, the security services, and organised crime is a much better fit for modern fascism.

    Only last year Putin took almost direct control of the MVD internal security forces, more or less dropping their criminal investigation purpose*, naming the new organisation the National Guard. Now he intends to consolidate control of the FSB, SVR and other organisations under the umbrella of a new Ministry of State Security (MGB).

    Putin will have an immense security apparatus under his direct control, without any rivals in their chain of command.

    * Technically this still exists, but effectively without the necessary officers to enforce federal law.
  • Options
    ChelyabinskChelyabinsk Posts: 489

    What's a figure for the 'vast majority' of 650.
    Nuttall insists that Ukip candidates will be standing in the “vast majority” of seats.

    37%, apparently.
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    isamisam Posts: 41,118

    marke09 said:

    marke09 said:

    First there was just LGB then LGBT then LGBTQ now according to the Greens theres LGBTQA+

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2017/apr/28/general-election-2017-ukip-campaign-paul-nuttall-politics-live

    sorry it should read LGBTIQA+
    How offensive to those people identifying as allosexual, aromatic, demisexual, or greysexual - they have all just been lumped in under a plus sign! Backwards troglodyte Green Party.

    But seriously, it's ridiculous to add all these extra letters and then stick a plus sign at the end. Either commit to it entirely, or just stick a plus sign after LGBT and be done with it.
    https://twitter.com/SerenaCCross/status/857728950130364420
  • Options
    CyanCyan Posts: 1,262
    edited April 2017
    Cyan said:

    Macron trying to stick the OAS label on her is interesting. He's trying to keep the backing he has among Fillon supporters. He's saying "I'm like De Gaulle; Le Pen is like the OAS". The Fifth Republic came into existence because De Gaulle was considered to be the only guy who could prevent civil war.

    Macron is trying to box Le Pen in.

    And the strange thing is...most Jews in France are of North African origin, and at the time of the Algerian war of independence most of their families supported French rule. More supported or joined the OAS than backed Algerian independence or De Gaulle.
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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340

    I agree with ThreeQuidder.

    Asking someone which is better for Britain is not the same as asking which they want. I detest Marine Le Pen and would never vote for her in a million years. If asked which is better for France or which I want would go for Macron every time. But Macron is a Europhile who wants to take a hard line over Brexit including possibly revising the Le Touquet agreement which he sees as unfair to France. Le Pen on the other hand is a strong supporter of Brexit and appears to want a good deal for the UK. Given their respective positions there is certainly a case to be made that Le Pen would be better for Britain. If I'd been asked I might have said that she was. But that doesn't mean I want her. I don't. Indeed, if I did say that I thought Le Pen was better for Britain, I would regard it as seriously libellous if someone said that meant I wanted her. I want the best deal for Britain but not at any cost. And Le Pen as president of France is far too high a cost.

    But apparently anything is fair if it can potentially delegitimise Leave's victory.
    More than 8 out of 10 of the Leave cats who expressed a preference are rooting for the fascist.

    More than 8 out of 10 of the Remain cats who expressed a preference are rooting for the metropolitan elitist.

    There is no reason to assume that Leavers and Remainers understood the question differently, merely that Remainers saw it as worse to have a fascist neighbour while Leavers didn't see that as a dealbreaker.

    It's entirely reasonable to conclude that the Leavers are altogether more comfortable with fascism taking hold of one of our closest neighbours.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,043
    edited April 2017
    Alistair said:

    Oldies for Tories!

    Scotland 65+
    Con: 47
    SNP: 25
    Lab: 15
    LiD: 9

    Across the other age demographics the SNP is pretty stable: 48-45-49, while Con profile grows with age: 17-16-30. Lab does better younger: 23-22-13

    https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/2sjw512ap2/TimesResults_170427_Scotland_WestminsterVI_R1_W.pdf

    What I haven't quite worked out is how Yes has risen 2 points whilst SNP vote has fallen in the YouGov.
    Far be it from me to rain on the Nats parade, but there's little evidence that support for independence has moved in 3 years. There is growing evidence that SNP support is declining - accompanied by a declining leader's rating:

    Sturgeon Net well (ex DK):

    Feb 15: +49
    Mar 15: +46
    Apr 15: +50
    May 15: +60
    Sep 15: +41
    Oct 15: +40
    Feb 16: +40
    Mar 16: +32
    Apr 16: +32
    May 16: +33
    Jul 16: +37
    Aug 16: +24
    Nov 16: +12
    Mar 17: +17
    Apr 17: +2

    It's been a great run - but, inevitably, Mr Gravity has come calling.....

  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 41,118

    I agree with ThreeQuidder.

    Asking someone which is better for Britain is not the same as asking which they want. I detest Marine Le Pen and would never vote for her in a million years. If asked which is better for France or which I want would go for Macron every time. But Macron is a Europhile who wants to take a hard line over Brexit including possibly revising the Le Touquet agreement which he sees as unfair to France. Le Pen on the other hand is a strong supporter of Brexit and appears to want a good deal for the UK. Given their respective positions there is certainly a case to be made that Le Pen would be better for Britain. If I'd been asked I might have said that she was. But that doesn't mean I want her. I don't. Indeed, if I did say that I thought Le Pen was better for Britain, I would regard it as seriously libellous if someone said that meant I wanted her. I want the best deal for Britain but not at any cost. And Le Pen as president of France is far too high a cost.

    But apparently anything is fair if it can potentially delegitimise Leave's victory.
    More than 8 out of 10 of the Leave cats who expressed a preference are rooting for the fascist.

    More than 8 out of 10 of the Remain cats who expressed a preference are rooting for the metropolitan elitist.

    There is no reason to assume that Leavers and Remainers understood the question differently, merely that Remainers saw it as worse to have a fascist neighbour while Leavers didn't see that as a dealbreaker.

    It's entirely reasonable to conclude that the Leavers are altogether more comfortable with fascism taking hold of one of our closest neighbours.
    Is this a long winded way of saying the bad guys won? :lol:
  • Options
    GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071

    Another tedious thread of BrExit finger point and wild accusations and generalisations from Meeks & Co, life is frankly too short, I think I will go and watch a film.

    @AlsoIndigo Do we get a film recommendation, please?
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    calum said:
    MOE
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,043
    Pulpstar said:

    Alistair said:

    Oldies for Tories!

    Scotland 65+
    Con: 47
    SNP: 25
    Lab: 15
    LiD: 9

    Across the other age demographics the SNP is pretty stable: 48-45-49, while Con profile grows with age: 17-16-30. Lab does better younger: 23-22-13

    https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/2sjw512ap2/TimesResults_170427_Scotland_WestminsterVI_R1_W.pdf

    What I haven't quite worked out is how Yes has risen 2 points whilst SNP vote has fallen in the YouGov.
    You realise that is probably bad news for the SNP right ?
    Haven't you been paying attention?

    Nothing is EVER bad news for the SNP!

    Leader's 'doing well' rating dropping by 58 points - a rounding error!
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    edited April 2017
    It's entirely reasonable to conclude that the Leavers are altogether more comfortable with fascism taking hold of one of our closest neighbours.
    Or (see my post) MLP only ticks three of the 6 fascist boxes. Same as Diane Abbot - and is, despite your constant repetition, not actually a fascist. Just someone whose politics you dislike. Presumably you think Farage is a fascist too. Whereas I think he's way more honourable than, say, Corbyn or Cameron. His politics ain't for everyone but he's been refeshingly honest about what they are.
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    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    Logic fail in the headline: "want" is totally unjustified by the data, which in any case has a majority of Leave voters saying "meh".

    Bollocks. Read the whole headline.

    Who’d be best for Britian – Macron or Le Pen. YouGov finds LEAVE voters want the fascist
    That's incorrect.

    You could say "those Leave voters that expressed an opinion" wanted MLP.

    A clear majority didn't give a view
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,093
    I can't honestly believe Michael Thrasher has put his name to that article.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,093

    Alistair said:

    Oldies for Tories!

    Scotland 65+
    Con: 47
    SNP: 25
    Lab: 15
    LiD: 9

    Across the other age demographics the SNP is pretty stable: 48-45-49, while Con profile grows with age: 17-16-30. Lab does better younger: 23-22-13

    https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/2sjw512ap2/TimesResults_170427_Scotland_WestminsterVI_R1_W.pdf

    What I haven't quite worked out is how Yes has risen 2 points whilst SNP vote has fallen in the YouGov.
    Far be it from me to rain on the Nats parade, but there's little evidence that support for independence has moved in 3 years. There is growing evidence that SNP support is declining - accompanied by a declining leader's rating:

    Sturgeon Net well (ex DK):

    Feb 15: +49
    Mar 15: +46
    Apr 15: +50
    May 15: +60
    Sep 15: +41
    Oct 15: +40
    Feb 16: +40
    Mar 16: +32
    Apr 16: +32
    May 16: +33
    Jul 16: +37
    Aug 16: +24
    Nov 16: +12
    Mar 17: +17
    Apr 17: +2

    It's been a great run - but, inevitably, Mr Gravity has come calling.....

    It will do for May too, but not yet.
  • Options
    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,874
    Pulpstar said:
    "The Crown Prosecution Service will announce its decision during the campaign."

    Thrasher seems certain the CPS will announce all this during the campaign. I thought we established that this is far from certain, the cut off date for one of the earliest cases is after the GE, let alone all the others.
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    CyanCyan Posts: 1,262
    edited April 2017
    Patrick said:

    Wikipedia defines fascism as:
    Fascism /ˈfæʃɪzəm/ is a form of radical authoritarian nationalism[1][2], characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition, and control of industry and commerce[3], that came to prominence in early 20th-century Europe.
    I'd score MLP as:
    Radical - yes
    Authoritarian - no
    Nationalist - yes
    Dictatorial - no
    Violent - no
    Control of industry - yes
    (No doubt her most serious detractors will assume that the violence, authoritarianism and dictatorship are waiting in the wings).

    So I'd summarise her as an ethnically diversive, economically controlling, softy bitch. A bit like Diane Abbot. The Horseshoe Theory being basically correct:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseshoe_theory

    Oh Wikipedia! One could say Hitler wasn't a fascist. He didn't call himself one. There are different strands. The OAS was formed in Spain. The whole Algerian experience is crucial to understanding the divisions in France today. German, Spanish and Catholic fascisms all fed into it.

    A lot of violence - civil war - could well be around the corner in France. While the NF don't go around smashing up their opponents' meetings, they are certainly playing on a recognition of that possibility and it is clear that they would take a side in it.

    As for the horseshoe theory, well sometimes it's applicable, and we all know Stalin was as bad as Hitler, and so would Trotsky have been if he'd had the chance. But if you're sitting in a football stadium in Chile, having been rounded up by far-right totalitarian state goons, and you're waiting to be tortured or disappeared, and it's all because you're a trade union or community activist or a member of a left-wing social democratic party that favours a redistribution of wealth away from the super-rich, you're probably not going to buy it.
  • Options
    logical_songlogical_song Posts: 9,741
    Scott_P said:
    Unlikely, but a lesser problem did for Fillon.
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 59,145

    Pulpstar said:
    "The Crown Prosecution Service will announce its decision during the campaign."

    Thrasher seems certain the CPS will announce all this during the campaign. I thought we established that this is far from certain, the cut off date for one of the earliest cases is after the GE, let alone all the others.
    I thought one of the earliest cut off dates was mid May, May 22nd IIRC.
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,874
    Pulpstar said:
    "The Crown Prosecution Service will announce its decision during the campaign."

    Thrasher states they WILL make a decision during the GE campaign. I thought we established that even the earliest case can be left until after, let alone the later cases.

    Now I wouldn't be exactly shocked if they do drop the bombshell at a very inconvenient time, but it isn't a nailed on certainty as suggested by Thrasher.
  • Options
    perdixperdix Posts: 1,806
    glw said:

    Is the consensus view that Putin himself counts as a fascist? If anything this new wave of populism is all about emulating Putin's rule of Russia as much as possible. Yet you rarely hear Putin himself referred to as a fascist.

    Putin with his very close ties to industry, the security services, and organised crime is a much better fit for modern fascism.

    Only last year Putin took almost direct control of the MVD internal security forces, more or less dropping their criminal investigation purpose*, naming the new organisation the National Guard. Now he intends to consolidate control of the FSB, SVR and other organisations under the umbrella of a new Ministry of State Security (MGB).

    Putin will have an immense security apparatus under his direct control, without any rivals in their chain of command.

    * Technically this still exists, but effectively without the necessary officers to enforce federal law.
    Putin is head of the Russian political mafia which works closely with the criminal mafia.

  • Options
    paulyork64paulyork64 Posts: 2,461
    worsley and eccles south looks like a 2-horse race between labour and tories.

    Paddys have tory 8/13 labour 6/5

    coral (and I think ladbrokes too) have labour 2/5 tory 7/4

    one or both is badly wrong. I'm on tories at 7/4 with coral. very big UKIP vote to squeeze.
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,093

    Scott_P said:
    Unlikely, but a lesser problem did for Fillon.
    Fillon was up against Emmanuel Macron.

    Theresa May is facing Jeremy Corbyn.
  • Options
    JasonJason Posts: 1,614

    Pulpstar said:
    "The Crown Prosecution Service will announce its decision during the campaign."

    Thrasher states they WILL make a decision during the GE campaign. I thought we established that even the earliest case can be left until after, let alone the later cases.

    Now I wouldn't be exactly shocked if they do drop the bombshell at a very inconvenient time, but it isn't a nailed on certainty as suggested by Thrasher.
    Even if it is bad news for the Tories, it still won't make any differnce to the outcome. People are voting for who is going to be PM - May or Corbyn. In the privacy of a voting booth, the common sense and pragmatism of the public will prevail, as always.
  • Options
    logical_songlogical_song Posts: 9,741

    What's a figure for the 'vast majority' of 650.
    Nuttall insists that Ukip candidates will be standing in the “vast majority” of seats.

    37%, apparently.
    Looks like a 'vast minority' doesn't it?
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    NigelbNigelb Posts: 63,731
    Looking very Ferrari in Russia.
    Just rebacked them for the championship, Vettel for pole... and a couple of quid on Raikkonen for the win at 17.5.
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,093
    I'll put it down as a joke article by Thrasher, seeing as he mentions Shipley and recapturing Scotland !

    A very dry sense of humour indeed.
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    MTimTMTimT Posts: 7,034
    Cyan said:

    Patrick said:

    Wikipedia defines fascism as:
    Fascism /ˈfæʃɪzəm/ is a form of radical authoritarian nationalism[1][2], characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition, and control of industry and commerce[3], that came to prominence in early 20th-century Europe.
    I'd score MLP as:
    Radical - yes
    Authoritarian - no
    Nationalist - yes
    Dictatorial - no
    Violent - no
    Control of industry - yes
    (No doubt her most serious detractors will assume that the violence, authoritarianism and dictatorship are waiting in the wings).

    So I'd summarise her as an ethnically diversive, economically controlling, softy bitch. A bit like Diane Abbot. The Horseshoe Theory being basically correct:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseshoe_theory

    Oh Wikipedia! One could say Hitler wasn't a fascist. He didn't call himself one. There are different strands. The OAS was formed in Spain. The whole Algerian experience is crucial to understanding the divisions in France today. German, Spanish and Catholic fascisms all fed into it.

    A lot of violence - civil war - could well be around the corner in France. While the NF don't go around smashing up their opponents' meetings, they are certainly playing on a recognition of that possibility and it is clear that they would take a side in it.

    As for the horseshoe theory, well sometimes it's applicable, and we all know Stalin was as bad as Hitler, and so would Trotsky have been if he'd had the chance. But if you're sitting in a football stadium in Chile, having been rounded up by far-right totalitarian state goons, and you're waiting to be tortured or disappeared, and it's all because you're a trade union or community activist or a member of a left-wing social democratic party that favours a redistribution of wealth away from the super-rich, you're probably not going to buy it.
    So, Cyan, is your name a reflection of your politics - environmentalist blue?
  • Options
    AnorakAnorak Posts: 6,621
    On topic: from the title of the article, I can only assume Mike lives under a bridge and has an antipathy toward billy goats.
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    MTimTMTimT Posts: 7,034
    Charles said:

    Logic fail in the headline: "want" is totally unjustified by the data, which in any case has a majority of Leave voters saying "meh".

    Bollocks. Read the whole headline.

    Who’d be best for Britian – Macron or Le Pen. YouGov finds LEAVE voters want the fascist
    That's incorrect.

    You could say "those Leave voters that expressed an opinion" wanted MLP.

    A clear majority didn't give a view
    Charles, you can't even say that.

    1. Coming to an analytical conclusion and wanting something are two entirely different things involving entirely different parts of the brain. I think it would be better for me to go to the gym every day and work out seriously, but I don't want to.
    2. The question as to 'what is better' is open to many different interpretations, and so it is impossible to know which question each respondent answered.
  • Options
    calumcalum Posts: 3,046

    Scott_P said:
    Unlikely, but a lesser problem did for Fillon.
    I've got a NOC position at 6/1 to hedge against any surprise fall in Tory support - Tories below 40/ Labour high 20%s - is all it would take. That said, my betting position is heavily on the blues to wipe the floor - but 7 weeks is a long time for the Tories to avoid snatching defeat from victory !!
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    CyanCyan Posts: 1,262
    MTimT said:

    Cyan said:

    Patrick said:

    Wikipedia defines fascism as:
    Fascism /ˈfæʃɪzəm/ is a form of radical authoritarian nationalism[1][2], characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition, and control of industry and commerce[3], that came to prominence in early 20th-century Europe.
    I'd score MLP as:
    Radical - yes
    Authoritarian - no
    Nationalist - yes
    Dictatorial - no
    Violent - no
    Control of industry - yes
    (No doubt her most serious detractors will assume that the violence, authoritarianism and dictatorship are waiting in the wings).

    So I'd summarise her as an ethnically diversive, economically controlling, softy bitch. A bit like Diane Abbot. The Horseshoe Theory being basically correct:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseshoe_theory

    Oh Wikipedia! One could say Hitler wasn't a fascist. He didn't call himself one. There are different strands. The OAS was formed in Spain. The whole Algerian experience is crucial to understanding the divisions in France today. German, Spanish and Catholic fascisms all fed into it.

    A lot of violence - civil war - could well be around the corner in France. While the NF don't go around smashing up their opponents' meetings, they are certainly playing on a recognition of that possibility and it is clear that they would take a side in it.

    As for the horseshoe theory, well sometimes it's applicable, and we all know Stalin was as bad as Hitler, and so would Trotsky have been if he'd had the chance. But if you're sitting in a football stadium in Chile, having been rounded up by far-right totalitarian state goons, and you're waiting to be tortured or disappeared, and it's all because you're a trade union or community activist or a member of a left-wing social democratic party that favours a redistribution of wealth away from the super-rich, you're probably not going to buy it.
    So, Cyan, is your name a reflection of your politics - environmentalist blue?
    ?? Nope, I'm radical leftwing and no believer in human-caused climate change.

    My tendency when betting is to back the possibility I least want: Leave, Trump, Le Pen. It was heartening to see Mélenchon rise in the polls. So sad he won't be the next president.
  • Options
    dyedwooliedyedwoolie Posts: 7,786
    edited April 2017
    Pulpstar said:

    I'll put it down as a joke article by Thrasher, seeing as he mentions Shipley and recapturing Scotland !

    A very dry sense of humour indeed.

    Given that there is zero chance of a successful prosecution before June 8 and the matter will be sub judice it is very much a spurious article
  • Options
    mattmatt Posts: 3,789
    Pulpstar said:

    I'll put it down as a joke article by Thrasher, seeing as he mentions Shipley and recapturing Scotland !

    A very dry sense of humour indeed.

    It reads like, to take on the fascist theme, Hitler's plans for the USSR. Week 1, Kharkov, Week 2, Moscow, Week 3, Stalingrad, Week 4, Vladivostock. Easy. Generals, make it happen.

    I can see the sense of humour passing true believers by (but would they be reading Sky?).
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    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820
    Pulpstar said:

    I can't honestly believe Michael Thrasher has put his name to that article.

    It's hilarious, and clearly meant to be.

    Hint: It's what he says about Shipley which gives it away, and if you didn't sniff it out as a spoof then, look at the next 'reason'!
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    MTimTMTimT Posts: 7,034
    Cyan said:

    MTimT said:

    Cyan said:

    Patrick said:

    Wikipedia defines fascism as:
    Fascism /ˈfæʃɪzəm/ is a form of radical authoritarian nationalism[1][2], characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition, and control of industry and commerce[3], that came to prominence in early 20th-century Europe.
    I'd score MLP as:
    Radical - yes
    Authoritarian - no
    Nationalist - yes
    Dictatorial - no
    Violent - no
    Control of industry - yes
    (No doubt her most serious detractors will assume that the violence, authoritarianism and dictatorship are waiting in the wings).

    So I'd summarise her as an ethnically diversive, economically controlling, softy bitch. A bit like Diane Abbot. The Horseshoe Theory being basically correct:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseshoe_theory

    Oh Wikipedia! One could say Hitler wasn't a fascist. He didn't call himself one. There are different strands. The OAS was formed in Spain. The whole Algerian experience is crucial to understanding the divisions in France today. German, Spanish and Catholic fascisms all fed into it.

    A lot of violence - civil war - could well be around the corner in France. While the NF don't go around smashing up their opponents' meetings, they are certainly playing on a recognition of that possibility and it is clear that they would take a side in it.

    As for the horseshoe theory, well sometimes it's applicable, and we all know Stalin was as bad as Hitler, and so would Trotsky have been if he'd had the chance. But if you're sitting in a football stadium in Chile, having been rounded up by far-right totalitarian state goons, and you're waiting to be tortured or disappeared, and it's all because you're a trade union or community activist or a member of a left-wing social democratic party that favours a redistribution of wealth away from the super-rich, you're probably not going to buy it.
    So, Cyan, is your name a reflection of your politics - environmentalist blue?
    ?? Nope, I'm radical leftwing and no believer in human-caused climate change.

    My tendency when betting is to back the possibility I least want: Leave, Trump, Le Pen. It was heartening to see Mélenchon rise in the polls. So sad he won't be the next president.
    Thanks and good. Things to agree on and things to disagree on makes for livelier debate.
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,093

    Pulpstar said:

    I can't honestly believe Michael Thrasher has put his name to that article.

    It's hilarious, and clearly meant to be.

    Hint: It's what he says about Shipley which gives it away, and if you didn't sniff it out as a spoof then, look at the next 'reason'!
    It had me laughing actually, then I remembered my betting position :)
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    isamisam Posts: 41,118
    edited April 2017
    Stoke on Trent Central

    4/7 Lab (from 4/11)
    2/1 Con (from 5/1)
    6/1 UKIP

    https://www.oddschecker.com/politics/british-politics/stoke-on-trent-central/winning-party

  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 41,118
    William Hill go 10/11 each of two in Dagenham

    Fries my brain to see Labour that price and not value

    https://www.oddschecker.com/politics/british-politics/dagenham-and-rainham/winning-party

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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 36,145

    Pulpstar said:

    I can't honestly believe Michael Thrasher has put his name to that article.

    It's hilarious, and clearly meant to be.

    Hint: It's what he says about Shipley which gives it away, and if you didn't sniff it out as a spoof then, look at the next 'reason'!

    Pulpstar said:

    I can't honestly believe Michael Thrasher has put his name to that article.

    It's hilarious, and clearly meant to be.

    Hint: It's what he says about Shipley which gives it away, and if you didn't sniff it out as a spoof then, look at the next 'reason'!</blockquote

    Agreed.

    I think that even if the CPS does bring charges, this could only damage May if it could be blamed on her in some way. I don't think it can be.
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    marke09marke09 Posts: 926
    Shadow chancellor John McDonnell says today’s slow down in economic growth will help Labour tempt back Ukip supporters.

    McDonnel said the fall in the rate of growth from 0.7% to 0.3% was one of the reasons the prime minister is refusing to take part in TV debates with Jeremy Corbyn.
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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 36,145

    Neither the polling, nor the site's Leavers' reaction to it, comes as a surprise. Who would have thought that those susceptible to xenophobic lies would hope that a close ally would be led by a fascist?

    You've got us bang to rights Alistair. We love nothing more than going home to sing the Horst Wesel Lied while watching Triumph of the Will.
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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    isam said:

    William Hill go 10/11 each of two in Dagenham

    Fries my brain to see Labour that price and not value

    https://www.oddschecker.com/politics/british-politics/dagenham-and-rainham/winning-party

    It's not too far from you - how active are UKIP in this seat? This may be vital information.
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    AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    O/T:

    "Oxford University has apologised for saying that avoiding eye contact could be "everyday racism" after it was accused of discriminating against autistic people.

    The claim was included in a list of "racial micro-aggressions" in an equality and diversity unit newsletter.

    But the university was criticised for being "insensitive" to autistic people who can struggle making eye contact.

    It said it had made a mistake and not taken disabilities into account."

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-39742670
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,093
    isam said:

    Stoke on Trent Central

    4/7 Lab (from 4/11)
    2/1 Con (from 5/1)
    6/1 UKIP

    https://www.oddschecker.com/politics/british-politics/stoke-on-trent-central/winning-party

    I got on at 5-1, current prices about right maybe ?

    No Nuttall running this time round. Tories could well win from 3rd.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,043
    Pulpstar said:

    Alistair said:

    Oldies for Tories!

    Scotland 65+
    Con: 47
    SNP: 25
    Lab: 15
    LiD: 9

    Across the other age demographics the SNP is pretty stable: 48-45-49, while Con profile grows with age: 17-16-30. Lab does better younger: 23-22-13

    https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/2sjw512ap2/TimesResults_170427_Scotland_WestminsterVI_R1_W.pdf

    What I haven't quite worked out is how Yes has risen 2 points whilst SNP vote has fallen in the YouGov.
    Far be it from me to rain on the Nats parade, but there's little evidence that support for independence has moved in 3 years. There is growing evidence that SNP support is declining - accompanied by a declining leader's rating:

    Sturgeon Net well (ex DK):

    Feb 15: +49
    Mar 15: +46
    Apr 15: +50
    May 15: +60
    Sep 15: +41
    Oct 15: +40
    Feb 16: +40
    Mar 16: +32
    Apr 16: +32
    May 16: +33
    Jul 16: +37
    Aug 16: +24
    Nov 16: +12
    Mar 17: +17
    Apr 17: +2

    It's been a great run - but, inevitably, Mr Gravity has come calling.....

    It will do for May too, but not yet.
    Inevitably, as night follows day. But those arguing the SNP decline is over egged might want to reflect on the leader's rating.....
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    GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,150
    Nevermind a new bridge across the Thames! We need new bridges across the Tyne and the Tees!

    Maybe more marginals after June should help.
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    logical_songlogical_song Posts: 9,741
    How many months is it?
    Trump misses his old life.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-39743332/what-trump-misses
    I'm sure we can come to some arrangment.
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    CyanCyan Posts: 1,262
    Latest Odoxa poll: 4% swing to Le Pen between 24-25 and 26-27 April.

    image
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