Morally that may be right. Politically and tactically, the first rule is: win fights rather than losing them, and if you need allies to win them make sure you have allies.
I think that is unfair to Cameron and shows a lack of understanding of what he was trying to do. There was no way he or anyone else thought that just by turning up there and having a good moan he was going to change the mind of the Sri Lankan government over anything.
But he has very effectively highlighted the plight of the Tamils and the abuses by the Sri Lankan government and given the media the opportunity to talk about them around the world. In doing so he has done more than any other leader to bring the issue to the top table and make the Sri Lankans realise it is not something that they will be able to sweep under the carpet.
There's British citizens murdered in that lot, including the family of a friend of mine so perhaps I am biased. I hope Cameron found time to seek assurances that the perpetrators of those crimes have been brought to justice.
And FFS, Nick Robinson puts deaths at 40,000. That is a truly terrible fact, but the world is full of truly terrible facts including atrocities which kill millions.
It'll be interesting to see how it pans out. The chances of Cameron looking terminally weak at the UN are quite high.
Fair enough. How many did the Tigers kill ? Do you condemn the Tigers just as much ?
More so, since they killed the family of a friend.
Apparently the shortlist for the next Conservative MP in Mid Worcs is:
Nigel Huddleston - works for Google, Tory Reform Group, second in Luton South in 2010 Edward Argar - Westminster councillor, third in Oxford East in 2010 Victoria Atkins - criminal prosecutor, second in the Gloucestershire PCC election Nusrat Ghani - public affairs, third in Birmingham Ladywood in 2010
I find it rather dispiriting that Huddlestone and Argar were also on the shortlist for Newark just a few weeks ago. Huddlestone was also on the list for Croydon South and Argar was on the list for the open primary at Tonbridge and Malling.
It is not unique to Leicester, or to recent times. In the eighties I would start the day as admitting house officer at a London hospital with a handful of beds for 25-30 emergency admissions. Since then there has been a decline in beds under all govts:
We have fewer beds per head than almost every OECD country, and often by a factor of two or more (France, Germany) despite having higher rates of heart disease, diabetes and obesity:
From your perspective, what would you say has led to this situation in your hospital?
Thanks. An interesting and worrying answer.
On a similar note: a member of my family was taken ill early one morning last week. It was a relief that it was at that time, as he had to be taken further to Burton, rather than to Stafford, which is currently closed at night. Given his past experience of Stafford A&E, he is very glad to be elsewhere.
Apparently their experience of Burton hospital has been first rate so far.
Stafford is a changed hospital (it needed to be!) But with real trouble recruiting. The reason that there A and E closes at night is that they cannot get the staff.
It is not unique to Leicester, or to recent times. In the eighties I would start the day as admitting house officer at a London hospital with a handful of beds for 25-30 emergency admissions. Since then there has been a decline in beds under all govts:
We have fewer beds per head than almost every OECD country, and often by a factor of two or more (France, Germany) despite having higher rates of heart disease, diabetes and obesity:
From your perspective, what would you say has led to this situation in your hospital?
Thanks. An interesting and worrying answer.
On a similar note: a member of my family was taken ill early one morning last week. It was a relief that it was at that time, as he had to be taken further to Burton, rather than to Stafford, which is currently closed at night. Given his past experience of Stafford A&E, he is very glad to be elsewhere.
Apparently their experience of Burton hospital has been first rate so far.
My Mum, as a prominent non-Tory, is going to be chairing the North Hampshire OP, so will try to get an inside report...
What do non-Tories do at a Tory open primary in a place like NE Hampshire? Do they vote for the most moderate candidate because they know it's 99% likely the blues will win the seat at the next election, or do they vote for the most extreme candidate in the hope that this might reduce the Conservative vote?
She's not going to vote because it would be inappropriate.
That said, I understand the party vets the applications before they get put forward and also has a veto if they really don't like the outcome, so there's not much point in game playing.
Also, for most people, life's too short. They probably just vote for the candidate they like the best. Which is usually a GP...
Apparently the shortlist for the next Conservative MP in Mid Worcs is:
Nigel Huddleston - works for Google, Tory Reform Group, second in Luton South in 2010 Edward Argar - Westminster councillor, third in Oxford East in 2010 Victoria Atkins - criminal prosecutor, second in the Gloucestershire PCC election Nusrat Ghani - public affairs, third in Birmingham Ladywood in 2010
I find it rather dispiriting that Huddlestone and Argar were also on the shortlist for Newark just a few weeks ago. Huddlestone was also on the list for Croydon South and Argar was on the list for the open primary at Tonbridge and Malling.
Funny that one of the candidates is called Edward Argar in the part of the country most associated with Edward Elgar.
As only the truly smart posters on here know - Ed Miliband is now on the edge.
The best odds I can see to play this is the 5-1 with Ladbrokes that he's gone before the 2015 general election. This is a trifle skimpy given how few of we sages have picked through the flotsam to now know of this seemingly unlikely certainty.
Is there a better market for we lucky few to now make a heap out of this insider info than that price?
@RichardTyndall "Brown lost the election in 2010. Cameron stupidly failed to win it."
Brown did lose the election in 2010, but I don't blame Cameron for failing to win it. I do blame those in the Conservative party who steadfastly refused to recognise the reasons why the party was not progressing enough to even get above 200 seats after 3 GE's defeats. And as result of this, they left Cameron with almost too big a mountain to scale in one GE.
Take the Conservative MP's who gleefully boasted of how a small majority would have allowed them to make life even more difficult for Cameron in Office, and who now sneer at 'his' failure to win an outright victory. And while ignoring their own part in handing him a party whose woeful Opposition performance and internal fighting had played a major part in making it an almost impossible task to achieve in one election. Out of interest, when was the last time the Conservatives or any other party managed to win an outright majority at a GE from a base of less than 200 MP's?
Cameron came from almost nowhere to win a resounding victory in the Conservative Leadership contest, he also went onto take the Conservative party from an incredible low seat base to almost winning an outright majority. That is quite an achievement, and a damn sight better than his most recent predecessors since 1997. After eight years as Conservative Leader both in Opposition and in Government, Cameron remains the biggest net asset the Conservative party have in their armoury to fight the next GE alongside an accelerating economic recovery. And even more importantly, he has proved himself a very able PM, a fact which is going to make it far harder to shift him from No10 than the current polls suggest.
Is it true that Stevie Deans will be one of the QT panel members when it's from Falkirk next week? Along with Alastair Darling too perhaps and may be Eric Joyce and Carlotta Hodges?
@RichardTyndall "Brown lost the election in 2010. Cameron stupidly failed to win it."
Brown did lose the election in 2010, but I don't blame Cameron for failing to win it. I do blame those in the Conservative party who steadfastly refused to recognise the reasons why the party was not progressing enough to even get above 200 seats after 3 GE's defeats. And as result of this, they left Cameron with almost too big a mountain to scale in one GE.
Take the Conservative MP's who gleefully boasted of how a small majority would have allowed them to make life even more difficult for Cameron in Office, and who now sneer at 'his' failure to win an outright victory. And while ignoring their own part in handing him a party whose woeful Opposition performance and internal fighting had played a major part in making it an almost impossible task to achieve in one election. Out of interest, when was the last time the Conservatives or any other party managed to win an outright majority at a GE from a base of less than 200 MP's?
Cameron came from almost nowhere to win a resounding victory in the Conservative Leadership contest, he also went onto take the Conservative party from an incredible low seat base to almost winning an outright majority. That is quite an achievement, and a damn sight better than his most recent predecessors since 1997. After eight years as Conservative Leader both in Opposition and in Government, Cameron remains the biggest net asset the Conservative party have in their armoury to fight the next GE alongside an accelerating economic recovery. And even more importantly, he has proved himself a very able PM, a fact which is going to make it far harder to shift him from No10 than the current polls suggest.
Stafford is a changed hospital (it needed to be!) But with real trouble recruiting. The reason that there A and E closes at night is that they cannot get the staff.
It is not unique to Leicester, or to recent times. In the eighties I would start the day as admitting house officer at a London hospital with a handful of beds for 25-30 emergency admissions. Since then there has been a decline in beds under all govts:
We have fewer beds per head than almost every OECD country, and often by a factor of two or more (France, Germany) despite having higher rates of heart disease, diabetes and obesity:
From your perspective, what would you say has led to this situation in your hospital?
Thanks. An interesting and worrying answer.
On a similar note: a member of my family was taken ill early one morning last week. It was a relief that it was at that time, as he had to be taken further to Burton, rather than to Stafford, which is currently closed at night. Given his past experience of Stafford A&E, he is very glad to be elsewhere.
Apparently their experience of Burton hospital has been first rate so far.
Again, thanks for the answer.
Another question, if I may: what are the costs enshrined in each hospital bed? Obviously it won't just be the cost of the building, bed and associated equipment, which are capital costs, but other items.
Are those other costs just staffing, or is there much more to it than that?
Sky : "Union intimidation inquiry to report in 6 months - led by top QC"
David Cameron has cranked up the pressure over Ed Miliband’s links with the unions by setting up an independent inquiry into their use of ‘intimidation tactics’. The inquiry will examine the ‘bully-boy’ behaviour highlighted in Unite’s recent dispute with the owners of Grangemouth oil refinery. The union’s ‘leverage’ team sent mobs to the homes of company executives as part of its campaign against cuts to pay and pensions at the Scottish petrochemicals plant.
@RichardTyndall "Brown lost the election in 2010. Cameron stupidly failed to win it."
Brown did lose the election in 2010, but I don't blame Cameron for failing to win it. I do blame those in the Conservative party who steadfastly refused to recognise the reasons why the party was not progressing enough to even get above 200 seats after 3 GE's defeats. And as result of this, they left Cameron with almost too big a mountain to scale in one GE.
Take the Conservative MP's who gleefully boasted of how a small majority would have allowed them to make life even more difficult for Cameron in Office, and who now sneer at 'his' failure to win an outright victory. And while ignoring their own part in handing him a party whose woeful Opposition performance and internal fighting had played a major part in making it an almost impossible task to achieve in one election. Out of interest, when was the last time the Conservatives or any other party managed to win an outright majority at a GE from a base of less than 200 MP's?
Cameron came from almost nowhere to win a resounding victory in the Conservative Leadership contest, he also went onto take the Conservative party from an incredible low seat base to almost winning an outright majority. That is quite an achievement, and a damn sight better than his most recent predecessors since 1997. After eight years as Conservative Leader both in Opposition and in Government, Cameron remains the biggest net asset the Conservative party have in their armoury to fight the next GE alongside an accelerating economic recovery. And even more importantly, he has proved himself a very able PM, a fact which is going to make it far harder to shift him from No10 than the current polls suggest.
It is exactly that denial of reality that will ensure the Tories lose in 2015.
The Greatest Story ever? Puts Fred Goodwin to shame.
Crystal meth shame of bank chief: Counting off £20 notes to buy hard drugs, this is the man who ran the Co-op Bank... three days after telling MPs how it lost £700m
Methodist minister Paul Flowers, 63, was caught on camera buying drugs
Apparently the shortlist for the next Conservative MP in Mid Worcs is:
Nigel Huddleston - works for Google, Tory Reform Group, second in Luton South in 2010 Edward Argar - Westminster councillor, third in Oxford East in 2010 Victoria Atkins - criminal prosecutor, second in the Gloucestershire PCC election Nusrat Ghani - public affairs, third in Birmingham Ladywood in 2010
I find it rather dispiriting that Huddlestone and Argar were also on the shortlist for Newark just a few weeks ago. Huddlestone was also on the list for Croydon South and Argar was on the list for the open primary at Tonbridge and Malling.
I suppose they must be good candidates if they keep getting past the selection panels
I've read through the comments on this thread, and just thought about them. Not a pretty picture.
Let's consider some out side views: The military are pissed off due to unnecessary cuts, NHS staff are over worked and criticised, Civil Service cuts, Fire Service problems, Police problems, Local Council problems. People annoyed that while their household expenses has increased, their wages haven't - and the 1% get richer while the 99% doesn't.
We are getting into a dangerous territory. Pretty soon, if we are not careful, we will be asking the French Government to borrow their Guillotines. And I think we can all think of who should be getting a haircut first.
The Greatest Story ever? Puts Fred Goodwin to shame.
Crystal meth shame of bank chief: Counting off £20 notes to buy hard drugs, this is the man who ran the Co-op Bank... three days after telling MPs how it lost £700m
Methodist minister Paul Flowers, 63, was caught on camera buying drugs
The last time JohnO and I pointed out that David Davis would have been a disastrous leader of the Tory party, we were called elite metropolitan high flyers.
Which amused us both.
I'll say it again, David Davis is crap, he would have us yearning for the halcyon days of the leadership of IDS.
The Greatest Story ever? Puts Fred Goodwin to shame.
Crystal meth shame of bank chief: Counting off £20 notes to buy hard drugs, this is the man who ran the Co-op Bank... three days after telling MPs how it lost £700m
Methodist minister Paul Flowers, 63, was caught on camera buying drugs
Former Labour councillor Rev Flowers yesterday apologised for his 'stupid and wrong' actions and blamed the 'pressures of my role with the Co-op Bank'. Flowers was the £132,000-a-year chairman of the 'ethical' Co-op Bank from 2010 until May this year when he stepped down as the bank's financial woes became apparent. The bank lost £700 million in the first six months of this year.
The Greatest Story ever? Puts Fred Goodwin to shame.
Crystal meth shame of bank chief: Counting off £20 notes to buy hard drugs, this is the man who ran the Co-op Bank... three days after telling MPs how it lost £700m
Methodist minister Paul Flowers, 63, was caught on camera buying drugs
Former Labour councillor Rev Flowers yesterday apologised for his 'stupid and wrong' actions and blamed the 'pressures of my role with the Co-op Bank'. Flowers was the £132,000-a-year chairman of the 'ethical' Co-op Bank from 2010 until May this year when he stepped down as the bank's financial woes became apparent. The bank lost £700 million in the first six months of this year.
Well he was a former Labour councillor, but I don't think it was for Glasgow.
Very few. I spent many years at a good old Irish Catholic firm. There was one person who did - and that was an absolute scandal which pretty much shocked everyone.
Top tip for the evening. If the police ask to search your Ferrari after you have crashed it into a lamppost don't say "Yes, of course, officer. Provided you don't look in the glove compartment." Especially if you have a bag of Colombian marching powder in said location.
How long before Carlotta et al will claim this is going to damage the Labour Party?
We all know if it had been a former Conservative councillor of a bank with close links to the Tories you'd already be on your 97th post about "chumocracy" "incompetence" and "Cameron's judgement".
So a second poll has Cameron's Tories on 28/29%, less even than Major's 30% in 1997. The Duke of Wellington in 1832 got 29.2% so if this trend is confirmed, not only will Cameron never have won a majority, he would also poll the lowest share of the vote of any Tory leader in history!
ONCE they were sworn enemies. Now Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency is working with Saudi officials on contingency plans for a possible attack on Iran if its nuclear programme is not significantly curbed in a deal that could be signed in Geneva this week.
Apparently the shortlist for the next Conservative MP in Mid Worcs is:
Nigel Huddleston - works for Google, Tory Reform Group, second in Luton South in 2010 Edward Argar - Westminster councillor, third in Oxford East in 2010 Victoria Atkins - criminal prosecutor, second in the Gloucestershire PCC election Nusrat Ghani - public affairs, third in Birmingham Ladywood in 2010
I find it rather dispiriting that Huddlestone and Argar were also on the shortlist for Newark just a few weeks ago. Huddlestone was also on the list for Croydon South and Argar was on the list for the open primary at Tonbridge and Malling.
Blinking hell part 2, I missed story when it broke earlier on this month
Saudi Arabia has invested in Pakistani nuclear weapons projects, and believes it could obtain atomic bombs at will, a variety of sources have told BBC Newsnight.
While the kingdom's quest has often been set in the context of countering Iran's atomic programme, it is now possible that the Saudis might be able to deploy such devices more quickly than the Islamic republic.
Earlier this year, a senior Nato decision maker told me that he had seen intelligence reporting that nuclear weapons made in Pakistan on behalf of Saudi Arabia are now sitting ready for delivery.
A hospital bed and bits is just a thousand pounds or so, the reason a hospital bed costs so much is the cost of the associated staff, medicines and procedures.
The cost of having a fairly well patient in a bed waiting to go home is fairly minimal, just some food and low intensity nursing. Indeed having such a patient in a bed is often cheaper for the old NHS, in that it prevents a doctor from admitting a patient for elective surgery or investigation, which is very expensive.
So it suits the current purchasers to try to run hospitals at close to 100% occupancy, as it prevents expensive care in other healthcare sectors. Rationing in our system is by restricting resources and opaque beaurocracy rather than cost to the patient, as in some other countries systems.
Stafford is a changed hospital (it needed to be!) But with real trouble recruiting. The reason that there A and E closes at night is that they cannot get the staff.
It is not unique to Leicester, or to recent times. In the eighties I would start the day as admitting house officer at a London hospital with a handful of beds for 25-30 emergency admissions. Since then there has been a decline in beds under all govts:
We have fewer beds per head than almost every OECD country, and often by a factor of two or more (France, Germany) despite having higher rates of heart disease, diabetes and obesity:
From your perspective, what would you say has led to this situation in your hospital?
Thanks. An interesting and worrying answer.
On a similar note: a member of my family was taken ill early one morning last week. It was a relief
Again, thanks for the answer.
Another question, if I may: what are the costs enshrined in each hospital bed? Obviously it won't just be the cost of the building, bed and associated equipment, which are capital costs, but other items.
Are those other costs just staffing, or is there much more to it than that?
The Greatest Story ever? Puts Fred Goodwin to shame.
Crystal meth shame of bank chief: Counting off £20 notes to buy hard drugs, this is the man who ran the Co-op Bank... three days after telling MPs how it lost £700m
Methodist minister Paul Flowers, 63, was caught on camera buying drugs
Former Labour councillor Rev Flowers yesterday apologised for his 'stupid and wrong' actions and blamed the 'pressures of my role with the Co-op Bank'. Flowers was the £132,000-a-year chairman of the 'ethical' Co-op Bank from 2010 until May this year when he stepped down as the bank's financial woes became apparent. The bank lost £700 million in the first six months of this year.
Well he was a former Labour councillor, but I don't think it was for Glasgow.
Bradford. He stepped down to "focus on his work with the COOP".......
I mean, David Davis? More electable than Cameron??
DD would have been absolutely slaughtered. One can argue about whether he'd have been slightly less or slightly more unsuited to be leader than IDS, but it's dancing on pinheads.
The last time JohnO and I pointed out that David Davis would have been a disastrous leader of the Tory party, we were called elite metropolitan high flyers.
Which amused us both.
I'll say it again, David Davis is crap, he would have us yearning for the halcyon days of the leadership of IDS.
Being mildly tired and emotional - I blame Poirot - I shouldn't really be posting (and had promised myself not to ) but can I modestly and temperately echo the quietly understated TSE by suggesting that "DAVID DAVIS IS UTTER CRAP"!
The last time JohnO and I pointed out that David Davis would have been a disastrous leader of the Tory party, we were called elite metropolitan high flyers.
Which amused us both.
I'll say it again, David Davis is crap, he would have us yearning for the halcyon days of the leadership of IDS.
Being mildly tired and emotional - I blame Poirot - I shouldn't really be posting (and had promised myself not to ) but can I modestly and temperately echo the quietly understated TSE by suggesting that "DAVID DAVIS IS UTTER CRAP"!
Gosh, I do feel better for that.
So you're going to be in Bournemouth in the morning?
"Flowers, who is gay, also boasts of using illicit substances including ketamine, a powerful Class C tranquilliser nicknamed 'ket', along with cannabis and club drug GHB. In one text, Flowers wrote how his plans for a party were 'turning into a two day, drug fuelled gay orgy!!!' In another, he boasted of how he was 'snorting some good stuff'. That was sent on the day he was first scheduled to appear before the Commons committee, but the session ran out of time to hear him. And last week, he said in a text: 'I'm on ket tonight.'"
"Flowers, who is gay, also boasts of using illicit substances including ketamine, a powerful Class C tranquilliser nicknamed 'ket', along with cannabis and club drug GHB. In one text, Flowers wrote how his plans for a party were 'turning into a two day, drug fuelled gay orgy!!!' In another, he boasted of how he was 'snorting some good stuff'. That was sent on the day he was first scheduled to appear before the Commons committee, but the session ran out of time to hear him. And last week, he said in a text: 'I'm on ket tonight.'"
Oh he's gay?
Now I understand why the Co-Op are based in Manchester.
I'll say that Mike and Fita are right about this - Cameron is by far the strongest figure in the Tory Party. I have said before that I am not as down on him as Tim. He's a decent PM on the world stage.
The party quite clearly had to move to the left after the shambles of Hague and Howard, and Cameron was the only viable candidate on the modernising wing of the party. While Sean has a point about his poshness, I would challenge him to tell us who would do any better 18 months out?
The problem there is that for all the modernisation he still went into an election prioritising an Inheritance Tax cut for the wealthiest in the middle of a recession with bloody unbelievable Baronet fronting it. And then let the same twit link a cut in the top rate to a pasty tax.
5% off the polls in each case.
Daves problem is he alienates three groups
UKIP leaning men Centrist women C1's and C2's particularly outside the South East
Who would do better? Theresa May would do better among the first two groups imo. The removal of the chinless clique around Cameron which would inevitably follow a change may well help with the third group.
Actually, Anna Soubry could be an excellent choice but the Tories do not know this. Why she is still contesting Broxtowe I do not know. I still think Broxtowe is an insurance. Clarke will retire just in time for her to inherit Rushcliffe.
"Flowers, who is gay, also boasts of using illicit substances including ketamine, a powerful Class C tranquilliser nicknamed 'ket', along with cannabis and club drug GHB. In one text, Flowers wrote how his plans for a party were 'turning into a two day, drug fuelled gay orgy!!!' In another, he boasted of how he was 'snorting some good stuff'. That was sent on the day he was first scheduled to appear before the Commons committee, but the session ran out of time to hear him. And last week, he said in a text: 'I'm on ket tonight.'"
Nick Sutton tweets : Scotland on Sunday front page - "Cable orders Grangemouth union probe" #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/xkQc8N8b2q
Mossad has been working with Saudi intelligence for many years.
And for a laugh, Mossad/Shin Beth or whichever of the Israeli agencies you can think of, has also dealt with the Iran agencies before the Revolution and may be still doing so.
They may not be really active at "removing" certain people, but they are really, really interested at what is going on in their target societies.
ONCE they were sworn enemies. Now Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency is working with Saudi officials on contingency plans for a possible attack on Iran if its nuclear programme is not significantly curbed in a deal that could be signed in Geneva this week.
"Flowers, who is gay, also boasts of using illicit substances including ketamine, a powerful Class C tranquilliser nicknamed 'ket', along with cannabis and club drug GHB. In one text, Flowers wrote how his plans for a party were 'turning into a two day, drug fuelled gay orgy!!!' In another, he boasted of how he was 'snorting some good stuff'. That was sent on the day he was first scheduled to appear before the Commons committee, but the session ran out of time to hear him. And last week, he said in a text: 'I'm on ket tonight.'"
Oh he's gay?
Now I understand why the Co-Op are based in Manchester.
I've probably partied with him in Poptastic.
Richard Littlejohn could not have invented this bloke.
The last time JohnO and I pointed out that David Davis would have been a disastrous leader of the Tory party, we were called elite metropolitan high flyers.
Which amused us both.
I'll say it again, David Davis is crap, he would have us yearning for the halcyon days of the leadership of IDS.
Being mildly tired and emotional - I blame Poirot - I shouldn't really be posting (and had promised myself not to ) but can I modestly and temperately echo the quietly understated TSE by suggesting that "DAVID DAVIS IS UTTER CRAP"!
Gosh, I do feel better for that.
Care to tell us what you think of Eric Pickles and Grant Shapps?
LoL. Winsome grasshopper, I am not THAT pissed!
Uncle Eric is by no means the master of his own destiny: that's the reality and we grass-roots know the score, but we cope. C'est la vie.
Shapps isn't actually a major player in the great scheme of things. Again, we grass-roots know the game and the score. I'm still a happy bunny. Keep the Eye on the Prize.
Some of the comments from the PB Tories are sounding a little desperate tonight. Cameron needs about a 6% lead over Labour to get an overall majority. To do that 2 things need to happen:-
1. He needs to get UKIP back to below 5% or he will be the first Tory facing a GE with a seriously split right-wing vote..
2. Labour needs to lose the large chunk of left Lib Dems that moved en masse back to Labour on the day the Coalition was announced and have resolutely stayed there ever since. , Otherwise Milliband will go into the next GE as the first Labour leader in decades not facing a massive split in left of centre votes.
The Tories probably need both of these things to happen if they are going to win a majority and at the moment neither looks very likely. Things therefore do not look good for Dave however much people like Scott P post random polling figures to try and keep their spirits up.
The last time JohnO and I pointed out that David Davis would have been a disastrous leader of the Tory party, we were called elite metropolitan high flyers.
Which amused us both.
I'll say it again, David Davis is crap, he would have us yearning for the halcyon days of the leadership of IDS.
Being mildly tired and emotional - I blame Poirot - I shouldn't really be posting (and had promised myself not to ) but can I modestly and temperately echo the quietly understated TSE by suggesting that "DAVID DAVIS IS UTTER CRAP"!
Gosh, I do feel better for that.
Care to tell us what you think of Eric Pickles and Grant Shapps?
How did Ed Balls convince the Co-op bank to take over the Britannia? Threaten to cut off his Ketamine supply?
The last time JohnO and I pointed out that David Davis would have been a disastrous leader of the Tory party, we were called elite metropolitan high flyers.
Which amused us both.
I'll say it again, David Davis is crap, he would have us yearning for the halcyon days of the leadership of IDS.
Being mildly tired and emotional - I blame Poirot - I shouldn't really be posting (and had promised myself not to ) but can I modestly and temperately echo the quietly understated TSE by suggesting that "DAVID DAVIS IS UTTER CRAP"!
Gosh, I do feel better for that.
Care to tell us what you think of Eric Pickles and Grant Shapps?
How did Ed Balls convince the Co-op bank to take over the Britannia? Threaten to cut off his Ketamine supply?
Jesus these scumbags have a lot to answer for.
You don't think the Co op weren't licking their lips at snapping up tax payer bailed out branches ?
"There are currently 29 Co-operative/Labour MPs in the House of Commons, including Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, as well as 15 members of the House of Lords"
"Since party funding records began, their donations to the Co-operative Party have been generally increasing, from £228,893.25 in 2001 to £809,000 in 2011
The Group have donated to Labour as well, giving as much as £89,356 in 2004 and £50,000 in the first quarter of 2012
However, the Co-operative Party also donate to Labour, giving an average of over £100,000 a year between 2001 and 2011
Labour is also one of the organisations, and only political party, to benefit from indirect donations from the Co-operative Bank credit card schemes, which has so far raised over £2m for the Party"
Surbiton It all goes back to the point Cameron can only win with the centre and the right, a campaign focused on one is not enough
Fox It depends how you classify restored, but of course if Osborne started cutting the likes of overseas aid and non-frontline NHS spending too they would be restored a lot quicker. Very much enjoyed the film too, see below.
Tim I don't think Cameron getting in a jag and going to his family pile in Oxfordshire and then to Eton going 'It's still there, it's still there' would have quite the same effect as Major going to Brixton!!
Labour insiders believe that the party should be further ahead in the polls at this stage in the parliamentary cycle in order to secure victory at the next election in 2015.
Mr Miliband has been struggling to shake off the scandal over allegations of vote rigging by Unite union officials in the selection of a parliamentary candidate in Falkirk, which dogged Labour during the summer.
Unite has given Labour more than £8million under Mr Miliband’s leadership and the Tories are determined to maintain the pressure on the Labour leader over his links to the union.
RichardN I don't think Davis would have been slaughtered, but I also don't think he would have done as well as Cameron. I would have expected a Davis led Tory party to poll about 33%, roughly the same as Howard got, with maybe Brown still on 29% and Clegg rising to 26%. People said the same of Abbott in Australia and that he was unelectable compared to the more Cameron-like Malcolm Turnbull, but Abbott won at the second time of asking because voters were so fed up with Labor. Davis could eventually have done the same, and stopped leakage to UKIP which is now taking Cameron to a level below that which Davis would have gone
Twitter Dan Hodges @DPJHodges 25m I have a feeling we're going to be hearing a little less from Labour about how the Co-op is their model for ethical banking....
Some of the comments from the PB Tories are sounding a little desperate tonight. Cameron needs about a 6% lead over Labour to get an overall majority. To do that 2 things need to happen:-
1. He needs to get UKIP back to below 5% or he will be the first Tory facing a GE with a seriously split right-wing vote..
2. Labour needs to lose the large chunk of left Lib Dems that moved en masse back to Labour on the day the Coalition was announced and have resolutely stayed there ever since. , Otherwise Milliband will go into the next GE as the first Labour leader in decades not facing a massive split in left of centre votes.
The Tories probably need both of these things to happen if they are going to win a majority and at the moment neither looks very likely. Things therefore do not look good for Dave however much people like Scott P post random polling figures to try and keep their spirits up.
Amazing. Thanks for this, none of us had a clue that this is the position.
OllyT Agree on the first point, less so on the second, as that would simply stop the Tories winning LD seats, while saving a few from Labour, so little net benefit overall. The Tories both need to win back voters from UKIP and win a few who voted for Clegg in 2010
RichardN I don't think Davis would have been slaughtered, but I also don't think he would have done as well as Cameron. I would have expected a Davis led Tory party to poll about 33%, roughly the same as Howard got, with maybe Brown still on 29% and Clegg rising to 26%. People said the same of Abbott in Australia and that he was unelectable compared to the more Cameron-like Malcolm Turnbull, but Abbott won at he second time of asking because voters were so fed up with Labor. Davis could eventually have done the same, and stopped leakage to UKIP which is now taking Cameron to a level below that which Davis would have gone
He would have been absolutely taken apart by the Labour smear and attack operation.
The guy has many virtues, but he's slow on his feet (not to mention being incredibly flaky, as his bizarre flounce demonstrated). His words would have been twisted and he'd have been painted (unfairly) as some kind of Neanderthal racist.
It would have been carnage.
Labour were afraid of Cameron, and rightly so. (If you don't believe me, read for example Chris Mullins' diaries). That's why they've spent the last six years or so stoking up class prejudice against him. It's not pretty, but it's partially successful, now that they've refined their methods compared with the early attempts:
Darn: the new series of Borgen has started but I've missed most of it. I'm a bit 20th century in preferring to watch TV "live" rather than on iPlayer.
I have series 1 and 2 - is this series 3?
Yes, the third and final one. I like it, but not as much as The Bridge and The Killing, because it's a bit too much like real life, and yet a bit soap opera. Maybe I just know the scene too well. But it's endearing to see all the Danish politicians weaving around on bikes and perched on chairs in a semi-derelict cellar - it's a long time since i lived there, but I do miss the sheer lack of pomp and affectation in Danish politics.
RichardN I don't think Davis would have been slaughtered, but I also don't think he would have done as well as Cameron. I would have expected a Davis led Tory party to poll about 33%, roughly the same as Howard got, with maybe Brown still on 29% and Clegg rising to 26%. People said the same of Abbott in Australia and that he was unelectable compared to the more Cameron-like Malcolm Turnbull, but Abbott won at the second time of asking because voters were so fed up with Labor. Davis could eventually have done the same, and stopped leakage to UKIP which is now taking Cameron to a level below that which Davis would have gone
So had David Davis 'lost' in 2010 to a Lab-Lib coalition, which your 33-29-26 figures would have produced - thus leading the Tories to their fourth successive defeat - you still think he would be leader now???
Abbott was also hardlu the sharpest tool in the box, and was also despised as a Neanderthal by the Sydney and Melbourne liberal elite, but he stuck to his message and watched Labour fall apart. There is no reason Davis would not have done the same. NewLabour was scared of Cameron, Brown actually thought Davis could be a more dangerous opponent
Abbott was also hardlu the sharpest tool in the box, and was also despised as a Neanderthal by the Sydney and Melbourne liberal elite, but he stuck to his message and watched Labour fall apart. There is no reason Davis would not have done the same
Sure, but that assumes the other side fall apart. Why should they? Labour in the UK are very disciplined.
Abbott was also hardlu the sharpest tool in the box, and was also despised as a Neanderthal by the Sydney and Melbourne liberal elite, but he stuck to his message and watched Labour fall apart. There is no reason Davis would not have done the same
For pity's sake, mate, if Davis had lost in 2010 - which he would have - he wouldn't have had a second chance. The Tories would have probably elected....ooor...er...hold on....David Cameron!
Abbott was also hardlu the sharpest tool in the box, and was also despised as a Neanderthal by the Sydney and Melbourne liberal elite, but he stuck to his message and watched Labour fall apart. There is no reason Davis would not have done the same
I'm sorry - that is rubbish. Game Theory says you should do what your opponent least wants you to do, and that was choose Cameron. As soon as he was chosen, many Labourites thought the game was up.
As many people have pointed out upthread it wouldn't matter if he hadn't surrounded himself with so many chinless chumps simply because they share his background
Hague, May, Gove, IDS, Hammond... yes, I see what you mean
RichardN I don't think Davis would have been slaughtered, but I also don't think he would have done as well as Cameron. I would have expected a Davis led Tory party to poll about 33%, roughly the same as Howard got, with maybe Brown still on 29% and Clegg rising to 26%. People said the same of Abbott in Australia and that he was unelectable compared to the more Cameron-like Malcolm Turnbull, but Abbott won at he second time of asking because voters were so fed up with Labor. Davis could eventually have done the same, and stopped leakage to UKIP which is now taking Cameron to a level below that which Davis would have gone
He would have been absolutely taken apart by the Labour smear and attack operation.
The guy has many virtues, but he's slow on his feet (not to mention being incredibly flaky, as his bizarre flounce demonstrated). His words would have been twisted and he'd have been painted (unfairly) as some kind of Neanderthal racist.
It would have been carnage.
Labour were afraid of Cameron, and rightly so. (If you don't believe me, read for example Chris Mullins' diaries). That's why they've spent the last six years or so stoking up class prejudice against him. It's not pretty, but it's partially successful, now that they've refined their methods compared with the early attempts:
Of course, since Labour (who have little else to say, and nothing sensible) have gone on about nothing else for several years.
It's Labour's only card: class prejudice.
It may be a trump card, of course. Pity Britain if it is.
As many people have pointed out upthread it wouldn't matter if he hadn't surrounded himself with so many chinless chumps simply because they share his background
Even as Labour's lead increases slightly, he still beats Ed on Leader's ratings.
JohnO Yes, as he still would have seen a rise in seats on those figures and led the largest party in vote share in parliament. Davis would now be in the Ed Miliband position, having the opposition all to himself, with the Liberals tied down to a tired and unpopular Labour government. There would also have been no Tory support for gay marriage, climate change, opposition to grammar schools etc which has seen so many defections to UKIP. Davis would also have taken a harder line on Europe and immigration
Abbott was also hardlu the sharpest tool in the box, and was also despised as a Neanderthal by the Sydney and Melbourne liberal elite, but he stuck to his message and watched Labour fall apart. There is no reason Davis would not have done the same
For pity's sake, mate, if Davis had lost in 2010 - which he would have - he wouldn't have had a second chance. The Tories would have probably elected....ooor...er...hold on....David Cameron!
And your evidence that Davis would have lost in 2010 is what exactly ???
Comments
More so, since they killed the family of a friend.
Oh and he doesn't understand how the policy works ref deficit not much else it seems.
More bubbly Nick ?
On a similar note: a member of my family was taken ill early one morning last week. It was a relief that it was at that time, as he had to be taken further to Burton, rather than to Stafford, which is currently closed at night. Given his past experience of Stafford A&E, he is very glad to be elsewhere.
Apparently their experience of Burton hospital has been first rate so far.
Or are they riding with it as they think it's popular so just picking at the edges rather than do that?
Populism for the people.... or principles, you tell me?
Burton has a good reputation.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b019ch5q
The best odds I can see to play this is the 5-1 with Ladbrokes that he's gone before the 2015 general election. This is a trifle skimpy given how few of we sages have picked through the flotsam to now know of this seemingly unlikely certainty.
Is there a better market for we lucky few to now make a heap out of this insider info than that price?
Brown did lose the election in 2010, but I don't blame Cameron for failing to win it. I do blame those in the Conservative party who steadfastly refused to recognise the reasons why the party was not progressing enough to even get above 200 seats after 3 GE's defeats. And as result of this, they left Cameron with almost too big a mountain to scale in one GE.
Take the Conservative MP's who gleefully boasted of how a small majority would have allowed them to make life even more difficult for Cameron in Office, and who now sneer at 'his' failure to win an outright victory. And while ignoring their own part in handing him a party whose woeful Opposition performance and internal fighting had played a major part in making it an almost impossible task to achieve in one election. Out of interest, when was the last time the Conservatives or any other party managed to win an outright majority at a GE from a base of less than 200 MP's?
Cameron came from almost nowhere to win a resounding victory in the Conservative Leadership contest, he also went onto take the Conservative party from an incredible low seat base to almost winning an outright majority. That is quite an achievement, and a damn sight better than his most recent predecessors since 1997. After eight years as Conservative Leader both in Opposition and in Government, Cameron remains the biggest net asset the Conservative party have in their armoury to fight the next GE alongside an accelerating economic recovery. And even more importantly, he has proved himself a very able PM, a fact which is going to make it far harder to shift him from No10 than the current polls suggest.
Another question, if I may: what are the costs enshrined in each hospital bed? Obviously it won't just be the cost of the building, bed and associated equipment, which are capital costs, but other items.
Are those other costs just staffing, or is there much more to it than that?
The inquiry will examine the ‘bully-boy’ behaviour highlighted in Unite’s recent dispute with the owners of Grangemouth oil refinery.
The union’s ‘leverage’ team sent mobs to the homes of company executives as part of its campaign against cuts to pay and pensions at the Scottish petrochemicals plant.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2508498/Bully-boy-unions-face-inquiry-Cameron-sets-review-use-intimidation-tactics.html#
Crystal meth shame of bank chief: Counting off £20 notes to buy hard drugs, this is the man who ran the Co-op Bank... three days after telling MPs how it lost £700m
Methodist minister Paul Flowers, 63, was caught on camera buying drugs
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2508464/Crystal-meth-shame-bank-chief-Counting-20-notes-buy-hard-drugs-man-ran-Co-op-Bank--days-telling-MPs-lost-700m.html
Let's consider some out side views: The military are pissed off due to unnecessary cuts, NHS staff are over worked and criticised, Civil Service cuts, Fire Service problems, Police problems, Local Council problems. People annoyed that while their household expenses has increased, their wages haven't - and the 1% get richer while the 99% doesn't.
We are getting into a dangerous territory. Pretty soon, if we are not careful, we will be asking the French Government to borrow their Guillotines. And I think we can all think of who should be getting a haircut first.
Which amused us both.
I'll say it again, David Davis is crap, he would have us yearning for the halcyon days of the leadership of IDS.
Former Labour councillor Rev Flowers yesterday apologised for his 'stupid and wrong' actions and blamed the 'pressures of my role with the Co-op Bank'.
Flowers was the £132,000-a-year chairman of the 'ethical' Co-op Bank from 2010 until May this year when he stepped down as the bank's financial woes became apparent. The bank lost £700 million in the first six months of this year.
You'd need to be high to bankroll Ed Balls...
Top tip for the evening. If the police ask to search your Ferrari after you have crashed it into a lamppost don't say "Yes, of course, officer. Provided you don't look in the glove compartment." Especially if you have a bag of Colombian marching powder in said location.
How did he get his job?
Because if you do, that might give an answer to "What we're they smoking at the Co-op Bank that led to their problems?"
ONCE they were sworn enemies. Now Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency is working with Saudi officials on contingency plans for a possible attack on Iran if its nuclear programme is not significantly curbed in a deal that could be signed in Geneva this week.
Saudi Arabia has invested in Pakistani nuclear weapons projects, and believes it could obtain atomic bombs at will, a variety of sources have told BBC Newsnight.
While the kingdom's quest has often been set in the context of countering Iran's atomic programme, it is now possible that the Saudis might be able to deploy such devices more quickly than the Islamic republic.
Earlier this year, a senior Nato decision maker told me that he had seen intelligence reporting that nuclear weapons made in Pakistan on behalf of Saudi Arabia are now sitting ready for delivery.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24823846
"Breaking Bad Loans"
or something..
A hospital bed and bits is just a thousand pounds or so, the reason a hospital bed costs so much is the cost of the associated staff, medicines and procedures.
The cost of having a fairly well patient in a bed waiting to go home is fairly minimal, just some food and low intensity nursing. Indeed having such a patient in a bed is often cheaper for the old NHS, in that it prevents a doctor from admitting a patient for elective surgery or investigation, which is very expensive.
So it suits the current purchasers to try to run hospitals at close to 100% occupancy, as it prevents expensive care in other healthcare sectors. Rationing in our system is by restricting resources and opaque beaurocracy rather than cost to the patient, as in some other countries systems.
I mean, David Davis? More electable than Cameron??
DD would have been absolutely slaughtered. One can argue about whether he'd have been slightly less or slightly more unsuited to be leader than IDS, but it's dancing on pinheads.
Gosh, I do feel better for that.
I think I will make it compulsory for women to apply makeup when driving.
Just so they'll look in the fecking mirror occasionally.
Edit: And yes I am as understated as my shoes!
Dan Hodges @DPJHodges 6m
I have a feeling we're going to be hearing a little less from Labour about how the Co-op is their model for ethical banking....
"Flowers, who is gay, also boasts of using illicit substances including ketamine, a powerful Class C tranquilliser nicknamed 'ket', along with cannabis and club drug GHB.
In one text, Flowers wrote how his plans for a party were 'turning into a two day, drug fuelled gay orgy!!!' In another, he boasted of how he was 'snorting some good stuff'. That was sent on the day he was first scheduled to appear before the Commons committee, but the session ran out of time to hear him. And last week, he said in a text: 'I'm on ket tonight.'"
Now I understand why the Co-Op are based in Manchester.
I've probably partied with him in Poptastic.
http://youtu.be/cknGCCG-XKU
1979: 1.2m
1992: 0.5m
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/09/conservative-party-membership-has-nearly-halved-throughout-david-camerons-premiership/
So by my reckoning about 35% of the population must be stoners.
Mossad has been working with Saudi intelligence for many years.
And for a laugh, Mossad/Shin Beth or whichever of the Israeli agencies you can think of, has also dealt with the Iran agencies before the Revolution and may be still doing so.
They may not be really active at "removing" certain people, but they are really, really interested at what is going on in their target societies.
And won.
Uncle Eric is by no means the master of his own destiny: that's the reality and we grass-roots know the score, but we cope. C'est la vie.
Shapps isn't actually a major player in the great scheme of things. Again, we grass-roots know the game and the score. I'm still a happy bunny. Keep the Eye on the Prize.
1. He needs to get UKIP back to below 5% or he will be the first Tory facing a GE with a seriously split right-wing vote..
2. Labour needs to lose the large chunk of left Lib Dems that moved en masse back to Labour on the day the Coalition was announced and have resolutely stayed there ever since. ,
Otherwise Milliband will go into the next GE as the first Labour leader in decades not facing a massive split in left of centre votes.
The Tories probably need both of these things to happen if they are going to win a majority and at the moment neither looks very likely. Things therefore do not look good for Dave however much people like Scott P post random polling figures to try and keep their spirits up.
The only person who doesn't want a Full Independent Public Inquiry is Ed "FIPI" Miliband...
Funny that.
Unspoofable
Jesus these scumbags have a lot to answer for.
Here's some facts and figures
http://unlockdemocracy.org.uk/blog/entry/donor-of-the-week-the-co-operative-group
"There are currently 29 Co-operative/Labour MPs in the House of Commons, including Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, as well as 15 members of the House of Lords"
"Since party funding records began, their donations to the Co-operative Party have been generally increasing, from £228,893.25 in 2001 to £809,000 in 2011
The Group have donated to Labour as well, giving as much as £89,356 in 2004 and £50,000 in the first quarter of 2012
However, the Co-operative Party also donate to Labour, giving an average of over £100,000 a year between 2001 and 2011
Labour is also one of the organisations, and only political party, to benefit from indirect donations from the Co-operative Bank credit card schemes, which has so far raised over £2m for the Party"
Fox It depends how you classify restored, but of course if Osborne started cutting the likes of overseas aid and non-frontline NHS spending too they would be restored a lot quicker. Very much enjoyed the film too, see below.
Tim I don't think Cameron getting in a jag and going to his family pile in Oxfordshire and then to Eton going 'It's still there, it's still there' would have quite the same effect as Major going to Brixton!!
Mr Miliband has been struggling to shake off the scandal over allegations of vote rigging by Unite union officials in the selection of a parliamentary candidate in Falkirk, which dogged Labour during the summer.
Unite has given Labour more than £8million under Mr Miliband’s leadership and the Tories are determined to maintain the pressure on the Labour leader over his links to the union.
Lab 33 (+1)
Con 31 (unchanged)
LD 16
UKIP 12
Dan Hodges @DPJHodges 25m
I have a feeling we're going to be hearing a little less from Labour about how the Co-op is their model for ethical banking....
The guy has many virtues, but he's slow on his feet (not to mention being incredibly flaky, as his bizarre flounce demonstrated). His words would have been twisted and he'd have been painted (unfairly) as some kind of Neanderthal racist.
It would have been carnage.
Labour were afraid of Cameron, and rightly so. (If you don't believe me, read for example Chris Mullins' diaries). That's why they've spent the last six years or so stoking up class prejudice against him. It's not pretty, but it's partially successful, now that they've refined their methods compared with the early attempts:
http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2008/05/crewe-campaign-labour-election
Dawn Butler (former Brent South MP)
http://www.dawnbutler.org.uk/
Parmijt Dhanda (former Gloucester MP)
http://www.parmjitdhanda.co.uk/
Sabina Khan
http://www.sabinakhan.co.uk/
Sundar Thava
http://www.drsundarthava.org.uk/
Zaffar van Kalwala (Brent Cllr)
http://zaffar4brentcentral.com/
Amazing story about the Co-op bank chief. What a lad!
•Chris Christie 22% (21%)
•Rand Paul 20% (15%)
•Marco Rubio 16% (18%)
•Jeb Bush 12% (16%)
•Ted Cruz 12%
•Scott Walker 5% (6%)
It's Labour's only card: class prejudice.
It may be a trump card, of course. Pity Britain if it is.
http://www.betfair.com/exchange/politics/market?id=1.101416490
As you know to your cost.