New Hodges Falkirk non story blog retweet in 5 4 3 2...
And Dan Hodges joins in, but not with a tweet...!
“Yesterday, after days of growing political fallout over the vote-rigging scandal, Labour finally issued a formal statement. The statement was drawn up after The Sunday Times had published the contents of over 1000 leaked emails to and from the local Unite official and CLP chair Stevie Deans, which threw a damning new light on the whole affair.”
''Which means that the cost of those outside that section are even larger.''
Absolutely. A small number of countries are incurring a large number of costs and social problems.
But we are not allowed to say that in case the race industry gets angry. They like to see immigration as one issue, rather than the multitude of issues that it is.
''If the report had separated out the groups you mention, they would probably make a similar net fiscal contribution per head to people from the EEA. ''
If not higher. Which means that others are letting down the side big time for the average to be so low....
A fictional detective goes into a chemist and asks for some laxatives
Priceless in light of what the Falkirk/Unite/Labour row nearly cost Scotland in terms of the near closure of Grangemouth. Twitter charlie whelan @charliewhelan 30s Hacks obsession with political process #falkirk shows how out of touch they are with real issues that effect real people like low pay
"It is great to be here in Battersea with you today. Last Friday, I was in my constituency, at the local Citizens Advice Bureau. And I talked to some people who had been preyed upon by payday lenders.There was a woman there in floods of tears."
It is great to be in (insert place here). Last (insert date and place) link to what the dear leader was doing then add cause of the week/theme from grid...all stand, all applaud, cheers...
He really does think that people aren't responsible for their own actions and need to be managed by the state in every facet of their lives.
Marxism lives.
So preyed upon they typed in the form and got the money...
"There is an old saying in politics that if you want to find the genuine rationale for any political crisis its best to look for the cock-up, rather than the conspiracy. Miliband has somehow managed to combine the two. Falkirk has become a gold-plated Labour Party cock-up and a gold-plated Labour Party conspiracy."
Outside of the Westminster village (& possibly Falkirk itself) does anyone actually give a toss about Falkirk ? I suppose if the story becomes about Ed's judgement it becomes prescient but I'd lump it in at about the same (non) prescience as Dave's relation (or not) with that other story.
"It is great to be here in Battersea with you today. Last Friday, I was in my constituency, at the local Citizens Advice Bureau. And I talked to some people who had been preyed upon by payday lenders.There was a woman there in floods of tears."
It is great to be in (insert place here). Last (insert date and place) link to what the dear leader was doing then add cause of the week/theme from grid...all stand, all applaud, cheers...
He really does think that people aren't responsible for their own actions and need to be managed by the state in every facet of their lives.
Marxism lives.
So preyed upon they typed in the form and got the money...
Those evil pay day lenders probably spent their cash for them on booze and fags too.
Outside of the Westminster village (& possibly Falkirk itself) does anyone actually give a toss about Falkirk ? I suppose if the story becomes about Ed's judgement it becomes prescient but I'd lump it in at about the same (non) prescience as Dave's relation (or not) with that other story.
I follow politics pretty closely and Falkirk is a story that I have allowed to pass me by. I have no idea of the ins and outs of Deans, Joyce et al, save when I hear someone putting pressure on EdM to do something (which makes me smile).
It is good once in a while to not follow a story (or miss PMQs one week) to understand how the 99.99% of the Great British Public views all of politics.
Outside of the Westminster village (& possibly Falkirk itself) does anyone actually give a toss about Falkirk ?
Read the Scottish papers - this is turning into a poisonous 'English Labour' defending 'English Unite bosses' against 'Scottish Labour & Scottish Voters'. And the solution - 'English Labour' will anoint the candidate of their choice for Falkirk on December 8.....
This is where they say, Japan was different because it was funded by domestic lending, yet the BoE printing money and buying its own debt doesn't count as domestic, it was a sign of magnificence by Osborne.
There's no hope, you'll be here all day.
Given an armed-cadre of five Latvian (homophobe) care-workers Wee-Timmy cannot help but to expose himself. Gormless McBruin chuckles at another useless eejit....
''If the report had separated out the groups you mention, they would probably make a similar net fiscal contribution per head to people from the EEA. ''
If not higher. Which means that others are letting down the side big time for the average to be so low....
Or you might want to argue that asylum seekers should be allowed to work
Rules relating to asylum seekers working certainly don't explain the very sharp divergence between employment rates between the British-born population and non-EEA immigrants.
From the Telegraph Blog you linked to - "This is the extent of the ludicrous, cack-handed mess Labour has somehow managed to get itself into. This morning it is actually pretending the emails, redrafted witness statements and discussions about how to undermine the initial internal inquiry and flat-out rigging of the Falkirk selection are all illusory. The Sunday Times made them up. This newspaper made them up. The BBC made them up. Alistair Darling made them up. There is “no new evidence”.
There is an old saying in politics that if you want to find the genuine rationale for any political crisis its best to look for the cock-up, rather than the conspiracy. Miliband has somehow managed to combine the two. Falkirk has become a gold-plated Labour Party cock-up and a gold-plated Labour Party conspiracy.
There is new evidence. Not just some new evidence; masses of evidence. Thousands of emails jam packed full of the stuff. The police are investigating this non-evidence. The media are investigating this non-evidence. Now the time has come for Labour’s leader to wake up, to tell his communications team to wake up, and announce Labour is going to investigate this non-evidence itself."
New Hodges Falkirk non story blog retweet in 5 4 3 2...
And Dan Hodges joins in, but not with a tweet...!
“Yesterday, after days of growing political fallout over the vote-rigging scandal, Labour finally issued a formal statement. The statement was drawn up after The Sunday Times had published the contents of over 1000 leaked emails to and from the local Unite official and CLP chair Stevie Deans, which threw a damning new light on the whole affair.”
Outside of the Westminster village (& possibly Falkirk itself) does anyone actually give a toss about Falkirk ?
No they don't, and, even if they did, 'union tries to stitch up Labour selection' is not exactly going to make anyone choke over their cornflakes in surprise.
However, that doesn't mean the story isn't significant - it is, in two ways. Firstly it is a symptom of underlying tensions within Labour, which it will itself exacerbate - it's a proxy for policy and personality wars bubbling under the surface and indicative of poor leadership by Ed. Secondly, and more important, it's going to make Ed's relationship with the unions, and his attempt to reform the structure, extremely difficult.
''Which means that the cost of those outside that section are even larger.''
Absolutely. A small number of countries are incurring a large number of costs and social problems.
But we are not allowed to say that in case the race industry gets angry. They like to see immigration as one issue, rather than the multitude of issues that it is.
Modern lefty attitudes to arguments of race and immigration tend to clump immigrants as one monolithic block of people, much in the way fighters of real racism used to warn against
Outside of the Westminster village (& possibly Falkirk itself) does anyone actually give a toss about Falkirk ?
No they don't, and, even if they did, 'union tries to stitch up Labour selection' is not exactly going to make anyone choke over their cornflakes in surprise.
However, that doesn't mean the story isn't significant - it is, in two ways. Firstly it is a symptom of underlying tensions within Labour, which it will itself exacerbate - it's a proxy for policy and personality wars bubbling undeer the surface and indicative of poor leadership by Ed. Secondly, and more important, it's going to make Ed's relationship with the unions, and his attempt to reform the structure, extremely difficult.
WRT your second point, exactly.
Why? – Because in the background, but still looming large, is Ed Miliband's promise to reform Labour's relationship with the trade union movement. To discard old politics and old elites; to create "a politics that is open, transparent and trusted." - Fine words indeed, but with the Falkirk mess unresolved, and Labour's apparently half-hearted investigation unpublished, the idea of reform is frankly laughable.
Hodges shocks the world by declaring Falkirk/Grangemouth/somewhere in PB McTory Land a disaster for Ed Miliband. Meanwhile, Labour in the 40s and the Earth spins on
Paul Waugh @paulwaugh 1m Suspect Guardian will have to come clean on this by the day's end. Did they pass on names of UK intel officers? http://polho.me/1iJFc6o
In other news, if found to be true, this would be extremely damaging for the Guardian. Twitter Paul Waugh @paulwaugh 2m Suspect Guardian will have to come clean on this by the day's end. Did they pass on names of UK intel officers? http://polho.me/1iJFc6o
"The Guardian refused to deny that it had sent the identities of British spies overseas after detailed information appeared in an American newspaper.
The British newspaper has previously announced that it has shared some of its leaked GCHQ files with international partners but insisted on at least one occasion, that the identities of British spies were not included.
However, an article in the New York Times at the weekend appeared to signal that specific details of “British eavesdroppers” were contained in the files shared with it."
It is doing two things. Reducing the respect of the press for Milliband is not good for him anywhere, as they will be more brusque, questioning with a tougher line and making serious attempts to pick holes in his policies.
However the real damage will be to Labour in Scotland, where it could easily knock 7% to 10% off his GE 2015 Scotland vote. Where that goes is another question, the moribund LibDems may pick up a few bits, SNP may capture a few, however, I expect the Tory in Scotland will still be lonely even after the dilution of the Labour vote.
On the indy ref? It will harm No and help Yes. 3% off No and onto Yes is a 6% swing.
On the indy ref? It will harm No and help Yes. 3% off No and onto Yes is a 6% swing.
That's my worry - having the leaders of the Better Together Campaign and the Scottish Labour Party snubbed by London Labour does the Union no favours....
On the indy ref? It will harm No and help Yes. 3% off No and onto Yes is a 6% swing.
That's my worry - having the leaders of the Better Together Campaign and the Scottish Labour Party snubbed by London Labour does the Union no favours....
I know I am in a minority, but I expect Yes to have a narrow win. There would be an irony if it was Labour intransigence and the London centric domination of Labour in Scotland that was the force responsible for tipping over the final few % of voters needed for a Yes win.
After the idiotic incompetent constitutional changes of New Labour, you have to anticipate that the opposite of the intended outcome will occur.
Hodges shocks the world by declaring Falkirk/Grangemouth/somewhere in PB McTory Land a disaster for Ed Miliband. Meanwhile, Labour in the 40s and the Earth spins on
The only thing spinning here is you.
Nobody seriously thinks that the Falkirk debacle is an unalloyed triumph for Ed and Unite and a thin lead midterm against the Coalition is hardly a portend for Prime Minister Miliband !!
Hodges shocks the world by declaring Falkirk/Grangemouth/somewhere in PB McTory Land a disaster for Ed Miliband. Meanwhile, Labour in the 40s and the Earth spins on
The only thing spinning here is you.
Nobody seriously thinks that the Falkirk debacle is an unalloyed triumph for Ed and Unite and a thin lead midterm against the Coalition is hardly a portend for Prime Minister Miliband !!
Feel free to explain why you think Cameron has lost his ratings lead, reverting to type after holding it for 3 months out of the last 18?
Feel free to explain to PB why you think the general election is tomorrow ?
However the real damage will be to Labour in Scotland, where it could easily knock 7% to 10% off his GE 2015 Scotland vote.
I doubt that very much. Labour voters in Scotland continue to vote Labour despite knowing perfectly well what goes on.
The risk is to the Indy referendum - if Scottish Labour voters see independence as a way of reclaiming Scottish Labour from the English who ignore them and impose candidates from London....
How many mentions of "Big Seven" and Wonga will Ed Miliband manage in Prime Minister's Questions tomorrow? How many mentions of Falkirk will David Cameron manage tomorrow?
They would make for interesting spread betting markets.
"Lawyers acting for three mothers and one child from each family, all from the London area, said the "cruel and arbitrary" measure was "reminiscent of the days of the workhouse", and the women feared it would leave them destitute.
The legal challenge was supported by the Child Poverty Action Group and the Women's Aid Federation."
"Lawyers acting for three mothers and one child from each family, all from the London area, said the "cruel and arbitrary" measure was "reminiscent of the days of the workhouse", and the women feared it would leave them destitute.
The legal challenge was supported by the Child Poverty Action Group and the Women's Aid Federation."
Bet those single mothers won't pay their own legal fees.
"Lawyers acting for three mothers and one child from each family, all from the London area, said the "cruel and arbitrary" measure was "reminiscent of the days of the workhouse", and the women feared it would leave them destitute.
The legal challenge was supported by the Child Poverty Action Group and the Women's Aid Federation."
Bet those single mothers won't pay their own legal fees.
Luckily the taxpayer wont have to either - just these "charities"
I will. Why on Earth is having the money sorted into bundles of one denomination mean that is is unlikely to be the profits of legitimate cash trading?
"Lawyers acting for three mothers and one child from each family, all from the London area, said the "cruel and arbitrary" measure was "reminiscent of the days of the workhouse", and the women feared it would leave them destitute.
The legal challenge was supported by the Child Poverty Action Group and the Women's Aid Federation."
Bet those single mothers won't pay their own legal fees.
Luckily the taxpayer wont have to either - just these "charities"
I will. Why on Earth is having the money sorted into bundles of one denomination mean that is is unlikely to be the profits of legitimate cash trading?
Its a nonsense, there is no proof either way that the cash is legit or not. It is more the message that the piece sends out regarding honesty
"Lawyers acting for three mothers and one child from each family, all from the London area, said the "cruel and arbitrary" measure was "reminiscent of the days of the workhouse", and the women feared it would leave them destitute.
The legal challenge was supported by the Child Poverty Action Group and the Women's Aid Federation."
Bet those single mothers won't pay their own legal fees.
Luckily the taxpayer wont have to either - just these "charities"
o/t - Not looking quite so hopeful that Ireland's gay marriage referendum will be held next year (referendum fatigue apparently!). The Paddy Power odds on it being held in 2014 were very generous but:
"Mr Gilmore [Labour leader, Deputy PM] has said it could take place in late 2014 or early 2015.
However, Mr Shatter [FG Justice Minister] said yesterday it may be beneficial that 2014 is a referendum free year, but added he had no fixed view on the issue."
Given how polling on Irish referendums (Lisbon, abolishing Seanad) often significantly overestimates 'yes' support and given that Irish people only relatively recently voted to allow straight divorce by the slimmest of slim margins perhaps the value on the results markets is with 'no'?
On the indy ref? It will harm No and help Yes. 3% off No and onto Yes is a 6% swing.
That's my worry - having the leaders of the Better Together Campaign and the Scottish Labour Party snubbed by London Labour does the Union no favours....
I know I am in a minority, but I expect Yes to have a narrow win. There would be an irony if it was Labour intransigence and the London centric domination of Labour in Scotland that was the force responsible for tipping over the final few % of voters needed for a Yes win.
After the idiotic incompetent constitutional changes of New Labour, you have to anticipate that the opposite of the intended outcome will occur.
You're not the only one. I've said this too, a few threads back. Admittedly, I've made up this view based on absolutely no evidence at all but there you are. I wouldn't be surprised one bit to find Scotland voting for independence - and, if she does, good luck to her. I don't buy the argument that a small country is necessarily going to go to hell in a handbasket just because it's not embraced by bigger countries around it.
Outside of the Westminster village (& possibly Falkirk itself) does anyone actually give a toss about Falkirk ? I suppose if the story becomes about Ed's judgement it becomes prescient but I'd lump it in at about the same (non) prescience as Dave's relation (or not) with that other story.
yes, if it leads to Lamont getting dumped , it will strengthen Labour unless they reappoint Gray there can be no-one worse than her leading the donkeys in labour Scottish sub region
@Carlotta Do elaborate. What do you expect to happen to the Scottish vote?
Do pay attention - I explained earlier that the risk is that Scottish Labour voters seeing Scottish Labour leaders and members ignored by London Labour - who will impose a candidate on them next month in Falkirk - may see independence as a way of getting Scottish Labour back - and if Scotland leaves the Union Labour's life in rUK gets a whole lot more difficult...the Scottish Raj dominated UK Labour for decades - North London Labour appears indifferent to Scotland beyond lobby fodder.....
If I were Scottish, I'm pretty sure I'd vote yes, as the Union is probably an idea that has run its course. But I hope for - and fully expect - a No, for sentimental and political reasons rather than rational economic ones. But if the Scots go for it, I will wish them well. Scotland has a remarkably diverse economy and many of the vestiges of nationhood that mean the transition will be smooth despite what the the patrol-boats-on-the-Tweed scare mongerers may say.
@Carlotta Do elaborate. What do you expect to happen to the Scottish vote?
Do pay attention - I explained earlier that the risk is that Scottish Labour voters seeing Scottish Labour leaders and members ignored by London Labour - who will impose a candidate on them next month in Falkirk - may see independence as a way of getting Scottish Labour back - and if Scotland leaves the Union Labour's life in rUK gets a whole lot more difficult...the Scottish Raj dominated UK Labour for decades - North London Labour appears indifferent to Scotland beyond lobby fodder.....
No group will lose out as much as Scottish Labour will from independence - they will probably be amongst the hardest no campaigners.
If I were Scottish, I'm pretty sure I'd vote yes, as the Union is probably an idea that has run its course. But I hope for - and fully expect - a No, for sentimental and political reasons rather than rational economic ones. But if the Scots go for it, I will wish them well. Scotland has a remarkably diverse economy and many of the vestiges of nationhood that mean the transition will be smooth despite what the the patrol-boats-on-the-Tweed scare mongerers may say.
Bob - can you imagine what the marginal tax rates would be like under a socialist scottish regimes ?
@Carlotta Unlike you to me, I don't hang on every word. So your forecast is that Labour voters will be more pro independence Fair enough. Let's see if you are right (you may be)
Correct - no one cares except the Village and the PB Tory obsessives who are more interested in Labour's internal democracy than that of their own party
If I were Scottish, I'm pretty sure I'd vote yes, as the Union is probably an idea that has run its course. But I hope for - and fully expect - a No, for sentimental and political reasons rather than rational economic ones. But if the Scots go for it, I will wish them well. Scotland has a remarkably diverse economy and many of the vestiges of nationhood that mean the transition will be smooth despite what the the patrol-boats-on-the-Tweed scare mongerers may say.
I'd vote "no" - but as you point out the economic case for the Union - overwhelming when the Union was created is now pretty marginal - especially with the growth in importance of the EU.
I do disagree with one comment (perhaps infelicitously expressed) "vestiges" of nationhood indeed!
Scotland is and has remained a nation state - simply one that was in a Union with another nation state.
@Carlotta Do elaborate. What do you expect to happen to the Scottish vote?
Do pay attention - I explained earlier that the risk is that Scottish Labour voters seeing Scottish Labour leaders and members ignored by London Labour - who will impose a candidate on them next month in Falkirk - may see independence as a way of getting Scottish Labour back - and if Scotland leaves the Union Labour's life in rUK gets a whole lot more difficult...the Scottish Raj dominated UK Labour for decades - North London Labour appears indifferent to Scotland beyond lobby fodder.....
Clearly a Scots breakaway is bad for Labour in the rUK, but there will be a political realignment therein, these things balance out in the long term. I would see England as a perpetual Tory state.
@Carlotta Unlike you to me, I don't hang on every word. So your forecast is that Labour voters will be more pro independence Fair enough. Let's see if you are right (you may be)
No - I wrote that the risk is they become more pro-independence - which is a heck of a risk for Miliband to take - assuming he's thought it through - which appears unlikely.....I'm sure the SNP won't mention Scottish Labour "obeying orders from London". Not once. Never. No siree!
Clearly a Scots breakaway is bad for Labour in the rUK, but there will be a political realignment therein, these things balance out in the long term. I would see England as a perpetual Tory state.
Assume you meant 'I wouldn't see England as .......', in which case, I agree
Clearly a Scots breakaway is bad for Labour in the rUK, but there will be a political realignment therein, these things balance out in the long term. I would see England as a perpetual Tory state.
Point taken - and agreed. My apologies. I am not one of the "Scotland isn't a country" crowd - hence my disapproval at having a Team GB, when in every other major sport Scotland has her own team.*
*a relatively trivial but illustrative example of your point
Clearly a Scots breakaway is bad for Labour in the rUK, but there will be a political realignment therein, these things balance out in the long term. I would see England as a perpetual Tory state.
Assume you meant 'I wouldn't see England as .......', in which case, I agree
Agree - it would be s bad thing - in any case it would be unlikely the Tories survived beyond three terms without murdering each other....
Clearly a Scots breakaway is bad for Labour in the rUK, but there will be a political realignment therein, these things balance out in the long term. I would see England as a perpetual Tory state.
Clearly a Scots breakaway is bad for Labour in the rUK, but there will be a political realignment therein, these things balance out in the long term. I would see England as a perpetual Tory state.
Assume you meant 'I wouldn't see England as .......', in which case, I agree
@Carlotta Unlike you to me, I don't hang on every word. So your forecast is that Labour voters will be more pro independence Fair enough. Let's see if you are right (you may be)
No - I wrote that the risk is they become more pro-independence - which is a heck of a risk for Miliband to take - assuming he's thought it through - which appears unlikely.....I'm sure the SNP won't mention Scottish Labour "obeying orders from London". Not once. Never. No siree!
That's a reasonably sensible position for the SNP to take - in the event of independence they will argue that they need a robust political dynamic, and Scottish Labour should be a key part of that. 'They won't say it themselves as they are dictated to by London, but they want you to give them the freedom... A vote for independence isn't a vote for the SNP forever...'
Point taken - and agreed. My apologies. I am not one of the "Scotland isn't a country" crowd - hence my disapproval at having a Team GB, when in every other major sport Scotland has her own team.*
*a relatively trivial but illustrative example of your point
It's not a major point - but I suspect you would be far from an atypical Londoner if you viewed Scotland as "North Britain with kilts, bagpipes and Haggis". It appears to be the view in Dartmouth Park....
Clearly a Scots breakaway is bad for Labour in the rUK, but there will be a political realignment therein, these things balance out in the long term. I would see England as a perpetual Tory state.
Assume you meant 'I wouldn't see England as .......', in which case, I agree
Agree - it would be s bad thing - in any case it would be unlikely the Tories survived beyond three terms without murdering each other....
It's unlikely that any government goes beyond three terms without tearing themselves apart. Look what happened to labour..
I thought Ed's Blairnacht was supposed to get rid of these sort of soundings....
leading member of the shadow cabinet echoed the calls. The former minister said: "Ed Miliband stuck his neck out quite far in ordering the initial inquiry but something led him to pull it again double quick. Now he just wants everything to go away but it won't.
"Some of the worst abuses in Falkirk were not [investigated] in the first report, they were after that inquiry. We need to know what happened. It's Ed Miliband's call."
"One of Labour’s most distinguished and longest-serving party stalwarts has announced he is voting Yes in next year’s independence referendum.
Sir Charles Gray, who was leader of Strathclyde Regional Council from 1986-92, says independence is the way ahead of the Labour party north of the border."
Clearly a Scots breakaway is bad for Labour in the rUK, but there will be a political realignment therein, these things balance out in the long term. I would see England as a perpetual Tory state.
So why aren't you living in Scotland then ?
I meant *wouldn't* see - typo alert! Sorry
It's OK BaJ I have you down as confused of Congleton. A Northerner who moved south and then complains about paying tax to fund the relatives he left behind and all the while living in the Tory heartlands. I bet you left your whippet behind too.
What would the role of the SNP be in an independent Scotland? I have often wondered if they'd end up disbanding (I.e. the centre-left and Tartan Tory factions going their separate ways)
Comments
"It is great to be in (insert place here).
Last (insert date and place) link to what the dear leader was doing,
Anecdote.
then add cause of the week/theme from grid.
Conclude with One Nation Labour...
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/11/sorry-ed-but-britain-is-now-booming/
“Yesterday, after days of growing political fallout over the vote-rigging scandal, Labour finally issued a formal statement. The statement was drawn up after The Sunday Times had published the contents of over 1000 leaked emails to and from the local Unite official and CLP chair Stevie Deans, which threw a damning new light on the whole affair.”
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100244380/cock-up-and-conspiracy-what-do-labour-and-ed-miliband-think-theyre-doing-over-falkirk/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
Absolutely. A small number of countries are incurring a large number of costs and social problems.
But we are not allowed to say that in case the race industry gets angry. They like to see immigration as one issue, rather than the multitude of issues that it is.
Twitter
charlie whelan @charliewhelan 30s
Hacks obsession with political process #falkirk shows how out of touch they are with real issues that effect real people like low pay
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100244380/cock-up-and-conspiracy-what-do-labour-and-ed-miliband-think-theyre-doing-over-falkirk/
I suppose if the story becomes about Ed's judgement it becomes prescient but I'd lump it in at about the same (non) prescience as Dave's relation (or not) with that other story.
It is good once in a while to not follow a story (or miss PMQs one week) to understand how the 99.99% of the Great British Public views all of politics.
There is an old saying in politics that if you want to find the genuine rationale for any political crisis its best to look for the cock-up, rather than the conspiracy. Miliband has somehow managed to combine the two. Falkirk has become a gold-plated Labour Party cock-up and a gold-plated Labour Party conspiracy.
There is new evidence. Not just some new evidence; masses of evidence. Thousands of emails jam packed full of the stuff. The police are investigating this non-evidence. The media are investigating this non-evidence. Now the time has come for Labour’s leader to wake up, to tell his communications team to wake up, and announce Labour is going to investigate this non-evidence itself."
However, that doesn't mean the story isn't significant - it is, in two ways. Firstly it is a symptom of underlying tensions within Labour, which it will itself exacerbate - it's a proxy for policy and personality wars bubbling under the surface and indicative of poor leadership by Ed. Secondly, and more important, it's going to make Ed's relationship with the unions, and his attempt to reform the structure, extremely difficult.
Daily Mail's @ShippersUnbound asks EdM: "On a scale of 1 to 10 just how frightened of @Unite4Len and @tom_watson are you?"
oh dear....
Why? – Because in the background, but still looming large, is Ed Miliband's promise to reform Labour's relationship with the trade union movement. To discard old politics and old elites; to create "a politics that is open, transparent and trusted." - Fine words indeed, but with the Falkirk mess unresolved, and Labour's apparently half-hearted investigation unpublished, the idea of reform is frankly laughable.
So outside Falkirk & Scotland, no, this is not directly damaging. If it paints Labour as an 'English' party in Scotland it could be very damaging.
However, the collateral damage this is inflicting is being airily waved away at their peril....
Suspect Guardian will have to come clean on this by the day's end. Did they pass on names of UK intel officers? http://polho.me/1iJFc6o
Guardian ever increasing in trouble it seems....
Twitter
Paul Waugh @paulwaugh 2m
Suspect Guardian will have to come clean on this by the day's end. Did they pass on names of UK intel officers? http://polho.me/1iJFc6o
The British newspaper has previously announced that it has shared some of its leaked GCHQ files with international partners but insisted on at least one occasion, that the identities of British spies were not included.
However, an article in the New York Times at the weekend appeared to signal that specific details of “British eavesdroppers” were contained in the files shared with it."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/10426204/Guardian-refuses-to-say-whether-it-sent-details-of-British-spies-overseas.html
However the real damage will be to Labour in Scotland, where it could easily knock 7% to 10% off his GE 2015 Scotland vote. Where that goes is another question, the moribund LibDems may pick up a few bits, SNP may capture a few, however, I expect the Tory in Scotland will still be lonely even after the dilution of the Labour vote.
On the indy ref? It will harm No and help Yes. 3% off No and onto Yes is a 6% swing.
After the idiotic incompetent constitutional changes of New Labour, you have to anticipate that the opposite of the intended outcome will occur.
" "He doesn't give an EDF," says @edballsmp "With questions like that he've never going to be npower, is he?" replies @George_Osborne #banter"
Not brilliant, but we can't make bricks without straw.
Nobody seriously thinks that the Falkirk debacle is an unalloyed triumph for Ed and Unite and a thin lead midterm against the Coalition is hardly a portend for Prime Minister Miliband !!
A lot of retweets but what did Ed answer ? I'm guessing 11 or 12 ?
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g3/andyc27/big20Jock20saville.jpg
Any polling evidence for this "collateral damage" of which you speak, or just something that came into your head?
They would make for interesting spread betting markets.
Judges ruled that regulations brought in by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith were lawful and did not breach human rights."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24818747
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbfXr3pQOtg
- No comment -
"Lawyers acting for three mothers and one child from each family, all from the London area, said the "cruel and arbitrary" measure was "reminiscent of the days of the workhouse", and the women feared it would leave them destitute.
The legal challenge was supported by the Child Poverty Action Group and the Women's Aid Federation."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7RIgs3eygo
John Rentoul @JohnRentoul 1m
Special advisers are a good & democratic thing, but Guido & I are agreed on Clegg's hypocrisy http://order-order.com/2013/11/05/that-clegg-spad-hypocrisy-in-full/ …
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/fraser-nelson/2013/11/sorry-ed-but-britain-is-now-booming/
Wodger is this sites in-house clown! Do not allow fake [Brummie/Scouse offies/farmers] to spoil the general amusement!
:that-is-all:
Britain is booming, don't let Labour EDF it up.
http://www.cityam.com/blog/1383644028/services-pmi-rockets-625-its-highest-16-years#
Page 23- http://www.cpag.org.uk/sites/default/files/CPAG-accounts-2012-13_0.pdf
UK taxpayers ~ 100k to this 'charity'
http://www.businessinsider.com/uk-services-pmi-2013-11
"Mr Gilmore [Labour leader, Deputy PM] has said it could take place in late 2014 or early 2015.
However, Mr Shatter [FG Justice Minister] said yesterday it may be beneficial that 2014 is a referendum free year, but added he had no fixed view on the issue."
http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/1105/484662-same-sex-marriage/
Given how polling on Irish referendums (Lisbon, abolishing Seanad) often significantly overestimates 'yes' support and given that Irish people only relatively recently voted to allow straight divorce by the slimmest of slim margins perhaps the value on the results markets is with 'no'?
FWIW I liked all three power puns - those of Balls, Ozzy and Tim
http://www.which.co.uk/switch/energy-suppliers/energy-companies-rated
If I were Scottish, I'm pretty sure I'd vote yes, as the Union is probably an idea that has run its course. But I hope for - and fully expect - a No, for sentimental and political reasons rather than rational economic ones. But if the Scots go for it, I will wish them well. Scotland has a remarkably diverse economy and many of the vestiges of nationhood that mean the transition will be smooth despite what the the patrol-boats-on-the-Tweed scare mongerers may say.
Bob - can you imagine what the marginal tax rates would be like under a socialist scottish regimes ?
Vote "NAW"
Unlike you to me, I don't hang on every word.
So your forecast is that Labour voters will be more pro independence
Fair enough. Let's see if you are right (you may be)
Correct - no one cares except the Village and the PB Tory obsessives who are more interested in Labour's internal democracy than that of their own party
I do disagree with one comment (perhaps infelicitously expressed) "vestiges" of nationhood indeed!
Scotland is and has remained a nation state - simply one that was in a Union with another nation state.
Let's see what the SNP's White Paper brings....
I wasn't aware Londoners could vote! I might vote for an independent London, seeing as everyone hates us let's see how they like it without us*
*except I am a patriotic Englishman
Clearly a Scots breakaway is bad for Labour in the rUK, but there will be a political realignment therein, these things balance out in the long term. I would see England as a perpetual Tory state.
Point taken - and agreed. My apologies. I am not one of the "Scotland isn't a country" crowd - hence my disapproval at having a Team GB, when in every other major sport Scotland has her own team.*
*a relatively trivial but illustrative example of your point
leading member of the shadow cabinet echoed the calls. The former minister said: "Ed Miliband stuck his neck out quite far in ordering the initial inquiry but something led him to pull it again double quick. Now he just wants everything to go away but it won't.
"Some of the worst abuses in Falkirk were not [investigated] in the first report, they were after that inquiry. We need to know what happened. It's Ed Miliband's call."
"One of Labour’s most distinguished and longest-serving party stalwarts has announced he is voting Yes in next year’s independence referendum.
Sir Charles Gray, who was leader of Strathclyde Regional Council from 1986-92, says independence is the way ahead of the Labour party north of the border."
http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/scottish-independence-sir-charles-gray-in-yes-vow-1-3172473
What would the role of the SNP be in an independent Scotland? I have often wondered if they'd end up disbanding (I.e. the centre-left and Tartan Tory factions going their separate ways)