If Osborne is as useless as we're lead to believe, Labour should be beating the Tories to a pulp, week in and week out over the Economy. A good Shadow Chancellor would be up to the task.
Osborne wrecked Tory polling with the Omnishambles, they haven't recovered
Can you really defend Balls? I'm not sure that you can even bring yourself to type his name.
Let's see some polling of 2010 LDs, Balls usually leads Osborne
I wonder what they'll think of today's truly dire performance by the Shadow Chancellor on behalf of the Opposition.
Woeful or Wonderful?
I'd be surprised if it outweighed the Omnishambles impact
Funny, I'm not seeing that mentioned in the media today. Lots about Balls though.
Time to clear out the NewSense cache and press F5.
1. Bankstas 2. Immigration 3. EU 4. Private/Public sector split 5. Education 6. Global Warming Scam
Labour can only 1/2 talk about one of those i.e. the cartel capitalism aspect of energy prices minus the green aspects.
Tories can talk about the public/private split, 1/2 talk about education, a glimmer of talk about the global warming scam but minus any hints of any cartel capitalism aspect and also throw out some pretend glimmers on EU and immigration which are mostly negative because they're pretending.
so if you gave a score of 2 points for speaking to each category and 1 for 1/2 talking about it and say three glimmers add up to 1/2 then in terms of speaking to the actual reality of the situation the end result would be
labour 1 out of 12 vs tory (3 minus 3 glimmers = 2 1/2) out of 12
labour 1 vs tory 2 1/2 (out of 12)
so guess would be Balls is being rubbish cos he knows that score so labour needs someone who doesn't understand
If Osborne is as useless as we're lead to believe, Labour should be beating the Tories to a pulp, week in and week out over the Economy. A good Shadow Chancellor would be up to the task.
Osborne wrecked Tory polling with the Omnishambles, they haven't recovered
Can you really defend Balls? I'm not sure that you can even bring yourself to type his name.
Let's see some polling of 2010 LDs, Balls usually leads Osborne
I wonder what they'll think of today's truly dire performance by the Shadow Chancellor on behalf of the Opposition.
Woeful or Wonderful?
I'd be surprised if it outweighed the Omnishambles impact
Funny, I'm not seeing that mentioned in the media today. Lots about Balls though.
Time to clear out the NewSense cache and press F5.
Oh, and buy shares in Strepsils.
tonight's you gov will be along shortly to school us in how the autumn statement has been a disaster for the Cons...
If Osborne is as useless as we're lead to believe, Labour should be beating the Tories to a pulp, week in and week out over the Economy. A good Shadow Chancellor would be up to the task.
Osborne wrecked Tory polling with the Omnishambles, they haven't recovered
Can you really defend Balls? I'm not sure that you can even bring yourself to type his name.
Let's see some polling of 2010 LDs, Balls usually leads Osborne
I wonder what they'll think of today's truly dire performance by the Shadow Chancellor on behalf of the Opposition.
Woeful or Wonderful?
I'd be surprised if it outweighed the Omnishambles impact
Funny, I'm not seeing that mentioned in the media today. Lots about Balls though.
Time to clear out the NewSense cache and press F5.
Oh, and buy shares in Strepsils.
tonight's you gov will be along shortly to school us in how the autumn statement has been a disaster for the Cons...
How difficult can it be for Miliband to find a Shadow Chancellor who can actually do the job our taxes are paying him to do?
No Labour politician will fancy going up against a masterful Osborne as the UK economy recovers and then booms . Balls will have to stick around and take his richly deserved beating.
@tim - Now, radiant moonbeam, have you finally mastered the basics of the New Homes Bonus?
Because if you have, then you will join in my delight that Uncle Eric has announced this afternoon that Councils (outside London) will not have their NHB top-sliced by 40% to fund the LEPs.
Wise and capacious Uncle Eric always looks after his own. Many are the chicken tikka marsalas being consumed tonight in his honour.
Mr. Dickson, indeed, the Scottish people will determine the electoral circumstance in 15 years' time. But is it SNP policy to hold a second referendum, in the event of a No vote this time, in the near future (ie 15 years or so)?
I don't think that your view is correct. If NO loses then then if the Scottish government wants another vote then it would have to secure agreement from the UK government
If the UK Govt wanted to play silly buggers then fine by us. It would be a "brave" strategy. In the Yes Minister sense.
Amazing trap by Osborne today that may actually need someone other than Balls to address as well. The new proposition on a mechanism to force future governments to prioritise debt reduction over spending is a huge trap for Labour, accept it and lose support from core voters and Lib Dem 2010 voters, reject it and be painted as fiscally irresponsible and willing to throw away years of hard work to fatten up the public sector again.
Or quietly get rid of it and no one is any the wiser.
Things like this are only important if the media make a fuss about it. They might do but they probably won't.
It's a bit like the EU referendum bill, now that it's on the statute book they can't get rid of it easily so will have to abide by it. Obviously the next Labour government could get rid of both as Parliament can't tie the hands of future governments but in trying to remove them it will inevitably raise questions that Labour will fail to answer.
When Gordon Brown signed the Lisbon Treaty despite years of promising a referendum on it first, it was the Tories that ended up copping most of the flak from the media.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if the same thing happened again when Labour drop the referendum bill (which of course they will even though they will once again be committed to holding one in their manifesto).
Very few people give a sh*t about Europe. Look how little all this talk of referendum has done to the poll ratings.
I only heard clips and of course Balls didn't sound too bad but all the commentators agreed he was dreadful.
The person who came over best was the SNP spokesman who was articulate succinct and achieved his objective of blowing Osborne's statement out of the water while sounding measured
@tim - Now, radiant moonbeam, have you finally mastered the basics of the New Homes Bonus?
Because if you have, then you will join in my delight that Uncle Eric has announced this afternoon that Councils (outside London) will not have their NHB top-sliced by 40% to fund the LEPs.
Wise and capacious Uncle Eric always looks after his own. Many are the chicken tikka marsalas being consumed tonight in his honour.
It's not Marsala even in the fur coat and no knickers belt
Kindly keep your perversions to yourself. This is a family site and impressionable and vulnerable teenagers, such as IoS and Bobajob, sometimes visit.
Disaster. Even the FT think Ed might dump Balls...
@johnpmcdermott: "He gave an impersonation of a man above clever political tricks – and that’s the cleverest political trick of all." http://t.co/hB7bDkMWTD
You may be right about EdB, but bearing in mind your perpetual spelling mistakes and grammar howlers ("agressive" and "talks to fast" , you can hardly criticise his communication skills.
You joined PB just to criticise Mike's typing skills?
PoliticsHome@politicshome35s .@edballsmp on #AS2013 "350 Tory MPs shouting at top of their voice b/c don’t want to hear truth about cost of living crisis" #bbc
PoliticsHome@politicshome35s .@edballsmp on #AS2013 "350 Tory MPs shouting at top of their voice b/c don’t want to hear truth about cost of living crisis" #bbc
To be fair, that could have been a poke at the LibDems.
Any PB Tory struggling to understand the lack of a poll bounce for their brilliant recovery?
@jamestplunkett: Even with growth up, wage forecasts are down. The typical worker may now earn £3,000 a year less in 2018 than 2009: http://t.co/YIzgeBwoNj
More dodgy tweets, tim?
The correct stats:
OBR EFO, December 2013 ============================================================== % Change on a year earlier (unless otherwise stated) Outturn Forecast Labour Market 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 ------------------------------------------------------------- Employment 29.2 29.5 29.8 29.9 30.1 30.3 30.5 (millions)
Amazing trap by Osborne today that may actually need someone other than Balls to address as well. The new proposition on a mechanism to force future governments to prioritise debt reduction over spending is a huge trap for Labour, accept it and lose support from core voters and Lib Dem 2010 voters, reject it and be painted as fiscally irresponsible and willing to throw away years of hard work to fatten up the public sector again.
Osborne is very sneaky. Step by step with the OBR and the social security spending cap he is making it very, very difficult for any future Labour Chancellor to behave like Brown did. If successful it may be his greatest single contribution to the future financial stability of this country.
PoliticsHome@politicshome35s .@edballsmp on #AS2013 "350 Tory MPs shouting at top of their voice b/c don’t want to hear truth about cost of living crisis" #bbc
If Balls was a cat, tim would have put him out of our misery by now.
Amazing trap by Osborne today that may actually need someone other than Balls to address as well. The new proposition on a mechanism to force future governments to prioritise debt reduction over spending is a huge trap for Labour, accept it and lose support from core voters and Lib Dem 2010 voters, reject it and be painted as fiscally irresponsible and willing to throw away years of hard work to fatten up the public sector again.
Osborne is very sneaky. Step by step with the OBR and the social security spending cap he is making it very, very difficult for any future Labour Chancellor to behave like Brown did. If successful it may be his greatest single contribution to the future financial stability of this country.
Indeed - and the cap on benefits which has to pass a credibility test.
Of course Miliband's government will get round it by stuffing the OBR full of their cronies - Blanchflower will be after a job.
Amazing trap by Osborne today that may actually need someone other than Balls to address as well. The new proposition on a mechanism to force future governments to prioritise debt reduction over spending is a huge trap for Labour, accept it and lose support from core voters and Lib Dem 2010 voters, reject it and be painted as fiscally irresponsible and willing to throw away years of hard work to fatten up the public sector again.
Or quietly get rid of it and no one is any the wiser.
Things like this are only important if the media make a fuss about it. They might do but they probably won't.
It's a bit like the EU referendum bill, now that it's on the statute book they can't get rid of it easily so will have to abide by it. Obviously the next Labour government could get rid of both as Parliament can't tie the hands of future governments but in trying to remove them it will inevitably raise questions that Labour will fail to answer.
When Gordon Brown signed the Lisbon Treaty despite years of promising a referendum on it first, it was the Tories that ended up copping most of the flak from the media.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if the same thing happened again when Labour drop the referendum bill (which of course they will even though they will once again be committed to holding one in their manifesto).
Very few people give a sh*t about Europe. Look how little all this talk of referendum has done to the poll ratings.
Yes they do Mike and you know it.
If you want to make assertions here you have to be able to back them up. Yesterday to YouGov's "which of the following do you think are the most important issues facing you and your family? Please tick up to three. just 5% chose Europe. See
Amazing trap by Osborne today that may actually need someone other than Balls to address as well. The new proposition on a mechanism to force future governments to prioritise debt reduction over spending is a huge trap for Labour, accept it and lose support from core voters and Lib Dem 2010 voters, reject it and be painted as fiscally irresponsible and willing to throw away years of hard work to fatten up the public sector again.
Or quietly get rid of it and no one is any the wiser.
Things like this are only important if the media make a fuss about it. They might do but they probably won't.
It's a bit like the EU referendum bill, now that it's on the statute book they can't get rid of it easily so will have to abide by it. Obviously the next Labour government could get rid of both as Parliament can't tie the hands of future governments but in trying to remove them it will inevitably raise questions that Labour will fail to answer.
When Gordon Brown signed the Lisbon Treaty despite years of promising a referendum on it first, it was the Tories that ended up copping most of the flak from the media.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if the same thing happened again when Labour drop the referendum bill (which of course they will even though they will once again be committed to holding one in their manifesto).
Very few people give a sh*t about Europe. Look how little all this talk of referendum has done to the poll ratings.
Yes they do Mike and you know it.
If you want to make assertions here you have to be able to back them up. Yesterday to YouGov's "which of the following do you think are the most important issues facing you and your family? Please tick up to three. just 5% chose Europe. See
Indeed - and the cap on benefits which has to pass a credibility test.
Osborne can't bind his successors, but if labour want to get rid of the OBR or the cap on social security benefits, then they will probably have to say so in their manifesto.
Osborne is forcing labour to either agree or disagree in a way they can't fudge.
"The drop in gross domestic product of 0.7 per cent in the second quarter of 2012 was greeted with incredulity by those who have been saying for months that the UK is not in a double dipper when we obviously are. "
Amazing trap by Osborne today that may actually need someone other than Balls to address as well. The new proposition on a mechanism to force future governments to prioritise debt reduction over spending is a huge trap for Labour, accept it and lose support from core voters and Lib Dem 2010 voters, reject it and be painted as fiscally irresponsible and willing to throw away years of hard work to fatten up the public sector again.
Or quietly get rid of it and no one is any the wiser.
Things like this are only important if the media make a fuss about it. They might do but they probably won't.
It's a bit like the EU referendum bill, now that it's on the statute book they can't get rid of it easily so will have to abide by it. Obviously the next Labour government could get rid of both as Parliament can't tie the hands of future governments but in trying to remove them it will inevitably raise questions that Labour will fail to answer.
When Gordon Brown signed the Lisbon Treaty despite years of promising a referendum on it first, it was the Tories that ended up copping most of the flak from the media.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if the same thing happened again when Labour drop the referendum bill (which of course they will even though they will once again be committed to holding one in their manifesto).
Very few people give a sh*t about Europe. Look how little all this talk of referendum has done to the poll ratings.
Yes they do Mike and you know it.
If you want to make assertions here you have to be able to back them up. Yesterday to YouGov's "which of the following do you think are the most important issues facing you and your family? Please tick up to three. just 5% chose Europe. See
Osborne is very sneaky. Step by step with the OBR and the social security spending cap he is making it very, very difficult for any future Labour Chancellor to behave like Brown did. If successful it may be his greatest single contribution to the future financial stability of this country.
The next step, IMO, is for Dave to call on Ed to sack Balls in the next PMQs for being wrong on every single economic decision this country has taken. Essentially making Balls invulnerable. Well that is after coming up with a decent line on the energy price freeze.
Here's an off the wall idea for an acceptable compromise on the energy sector. Companies must spend x% on investing in new power generation or they will be subject to a 20% marginal tax on profits in addition to regular corporation tax. Make that a new requirement of being present in the UK energy market. Also make dividend payments from infrastructure and essential utility companies in the UK subject to a much higher rate of tax, too many easy shareholder returns available which turn companies into cash cows destroying investment.
Labour govts always spend less on benefits than Tory ones, that won't be a problem
Any news yet on whether the pensioner freebies are included, there's you election issue, are the Tories so scared of UKIP that they'll carry on paying them all along with moving all the wind farms offshore at massive cost?
Who pays off the visa is not a good indication of who spent the money - every married man knows that.
From previous thread - thank you @AveryLP and @Flockers_pb for your considered responses to my bemused questioning about the voter-friendliness of retiring at 70.
Will be very interesting to see how this one plays in the polls in coming months. Today certainly hasn't been an inheritance tax-style gamechanger; the data is perhaps slowly going Osborne's way (though, as ever, you can present it any way you like), and as @Flockers_pb said, the Conservatives are no doubt hoping that an underlying perception of competence will win them the next election.
Which is all fine until "events, dear boy, events". It only takes one major factory closure or one more skeleton in the banking closet to make it all look very, very fragile. I'm not convinced we're past that stage yet.
Three years ago the PB Tories cheered Osbornes claims of economic triumph in the 2010 Autmn Statememt where he claimed to have established growth and put the recovery on track
Last year they cheered the Omnishambles budget
Now they are cheering a triumphant Chancellor proclaiming a recovery where everyone working is worse off.
Can anyone spot a pattern here?
Is the pattern that you cheered when there was bad economic news afterwards ?
Labour govts always spend less on benefits than Tory ones, that won't be a problem
Any news yet on whether the pensioner freebies are included, there's you election issue, are the Tories so scared of UKIP that they'll carry on paying them all along with moving all the wind farms offshore at massive cost?
Tim, just take it on the chin mate.
Osborne had a good day and has outflanked the hapless Balls on the economy. It will make no difference in the polls though, so just accept a bad day at the office and don't bother getting wound up defending the indefensible.
@CCHQPress: Labour MP: "Ed Miliband should really have sacked [Ed Balls] in the last reshuffle. It was a sign of weak leadership that he didn't." #Weak
Very few people give a sh*t about Europe. Look how little all this talk of referendum has done to the poll ratings.
If you want to make assertions here you have to be able to back them up. Yesterday to YouGov's "which of the following do you think are the most important issues facing you and your family? Please tick up to three. just 5% chose Europe. See
No Mike as I have said often on here before it is you who lives in a fantasy land with your warped interpretation of polls. Every time I challenge you on it you ignore it so I will do it once again.
Since you use these polls from Yougov and Ipsos Mori to claim that 'no one gives a sh*t (a new slant from the man who gave us no one gives a monkeys) about Europe do you also then believe that no one gives a sh*t about
Defence Petrol Prices Terrorism Public Services Taxation Council tax Public Transport and Privatisation?
All these issues scored lower than Europe in the latest November Ipsos Mori issues index.
If you think no one gives a sh*t about these then you do indeed live in a fantasy land.
Of course it is more likely you are just putting your own biased slant on the results because that one issue happens to be one you don't give a sh*t about.
"A separate Scotland would immediately default on its International debt obligations"
That's a winner Malc.
Not quite what I said Scott, if rump UK steal the assets they cannot expect to claim a share of the debts, subtle difference. Approx 10% of all UK assets are ours if we are to share the UK £1.5 trillion debt built up by Westminster.
By the way , RBS book was excellent , worth a lot more than the 49p I paid for it , thanks for recomending
Three years ago the PB Tories cheered Osbornes claims of economic triumph in the 2010 Autmn Statememt where he claimed to have established growth and put the recovery on track
Last year they cheered the Omnishambles budget
Now they are cheering a triumphant Chancellor proclaiming a recovery where everyone working is worse off.
Can anyone spot a pattern here?
Is the pattern that you cheered when there was bad economic news afterwards ?
The point is that whenever Osborne proclaims his genius it is cheered on here and always goes wrong in the real world.
I'll also note that the people who get everything wrong are keen to ignore the IDS car crash, after years of telling us his biblical zeal would somehow outweigh his incompetence.
Apart from the falling unemployment, the falling deficit, the best growth in Europe and the collapse of the share price of Ed Balls ?
Ok ok all that is small beer compared to a pasty tax....
600 candidates have now been selected for GE2015, including incumbents.
40% of incumbents have been reselected or have announced their retirement: 224 and 36 respectively.
New selections / reselections I became aware of today:
Gareth Thomas: Lab, Harrow West David Tredinnick: Con, Bosworth Robert Flello: Lab, Stoke South Hugh Bayley: Lab, York Central Glyn Davies: Con, Montgomeryshire Michael Fallon: Con, Sevenoaks George Hollingbery: Con, Sevenoaks David Amess: Con, Southend West Lyn Brown: Lab, West Ham Therese Coffey: Con, Suffolk Coastal Stephen Hammond: Con, Wimbledon Rehman Chishti: Con, Gillingham & Rainham Jonathan Lord: Con, Woking
@faisalislam: SNP won't be happy: OBR forecasts even smaller oil and gas revenues due to production/sterling, £5bn less in next half decade
Having skipped through some of the SNP's document, I note that they want to retain their "share" of the BoE based on London. But keep all of the oil & gas fields that are currently owned by the whole country and just happen to be located near Scotland.
Hmmm.
You need to read up on international law regarding territorial waters. You can certainly keep the Bank of England if you wish , just means you keep the £1.5 Trillion debt it has and would be better option for Scotland.
Law which says that they belong to the whole of Britain at the moment.
So Scotland will simply get their "share" (a lot less than 100%).
Fields found after independence would be treated differently.
Next , you are dreaming , by all International Laws , even agreed by Westminster , 91% are in Scottish waters and they make up 97% of the value as oil is worth more than gas. Just because Westminster book it in a slush fund so they can say Scotland need subsidies does not make it in English waters. That old canard was scotched many years ago.
Amazing trap by Osborne today that may actually need someone other than Balls to address as well. The new proposition on a mechanism to force future governments to prioritise debt reduction over spending is a huge trap for Labour, accept it and lose support from core voters and Lib Dem 2010 voters, reject it and be painted as fiscally irresponsible and willing to throw away years of hard work to fatten up the public sector again.
Or quietly get rid of it and no one is any the wiser.
Things like this are only important if the media make a fuss about it. They might do but they probably won't.
It's a bit like the EU referendum bill, now that it's on the statute book they can't get rid of it easily so will have to abide by it. Obviously the next Labour government could get rid of both as Parliament can't tie the hands of future governments but in trying to remove them it will inevitably raise questions that Labour will fail to answer.
When Gordon Brown signed the Lisbon Treaty despite years of promising a referendum on it first, it was the Tories that ended up copping most of the flak from the media.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if the same thing happened again when Labour drop the referendum bill (which of course they will even though they will once again be committed to holding one in their manifesto).
Very few people give a sh*t about Europe. Look how little all this talk of referendum has done to the poll ratings.
Yes they do Mike and you know it.
If you want to make assertions here you have to be able to back them up. Yesterday to YouGov's "which of the following do you think are the most important issues facing you and your family? Please tick up to three. just 5% chose Europe. See
I can't open the link but where did immigration feature?
Try this link to see Europe rated 3rd from bottom to "most important issues facing you and your family" question. Respondees could tick up to three. http://goo.gl/lL4UIj
This happens in poll after poll. Europe has little salience even amongst UKIP voters. Just 18% included Europe amongst their 3 choices. 82% of them didn't.
I think Tim is right. I sense that telling people that they're well off when they don't feel it might be counterproductive.
I don't sense most people's problems with the Tories are to do with abstract concepts like the defecit. It could be that his best friend today is the storm that's knocked his excruciatingly self satisfied face off the headlines
Three years ago the PB Tories cheered Osbornes claims of economic triumph in the 2010 Autmn Statememt where he claimed to have established growth and put the recovery on track
Last year they cheered the Omnishambles budget
Now they are cheering a triumphant Chancellor proclaiming a recovery where everyone working is worse off.
Can anyone spot a pattern here?
Is the pattern that you cheered when there was bad economic news afterwards ?
The point is that whenever Osborne proclaims his genius it is cheered on here and always goes wrong in the real world.
I'll also note that the people who get everything wrong are keen to ignore the IDS car crash, after years of telling us his biblical zeal would somehow outweigh his incompetence.
Apart from the falling unemployment, the falling deficit, the best growth in Europe and the collapse of the share price of Ed Balls ?
Ok ok all that is small beer compared to a pasty tax....
A "pasty tax" that cost the Tories 5% in the polls Well I guess that's the same analysis that said an energy price policy was irrelevant at the same time as proclaiming imminent poll crossover.
And the deficit is £50 Billion more this year than triumphant George said it would be when you believed him in 2010
£50Bn in 4 years ? Darling was that far out in 5 months in 2008.
Amazing trap by Osborne today that may actually need someone other than Balls to address as well. The new proposition on a mechanism to force future governments to prioritise debt reduction over spending is a huge trap for Labour, accept it and lose support from core voters and Lib Dem 2010 voters, reject it and be painted as fiscally irresponsible and willing to throw away years of hard work to fatten up the public sector again.
Or quietly get rid of it and no one is any the wiser.
Things like this are only important if the media make a fuss about it. They might do but they probably won't.
It's a bit like the EU referendum bill, now that it's on the statute book they can't get rid of it easily so will have to abide by it. Obviously the next Labour government could get rid of both as Parliament can't tie the hands of future governments but in trying to remove them it will inevitably raise questions that Labour will fail to answer.
When Gordon Brown signed the Lisbon Treaty despite years of promising a referendum on it first, it was the Tories that ended up copping most of the flak from the media.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if the same thing happened again when Labour drop the referendum bill (which of course they will even though they will once again be committed to holding one in their manifesto).
Very few people give a sh*t about Europe. Look how little all this talk of referendum has done to the poll ratings.
Yes they do Mike and you know it.
If you want to make assertions here you have to be able to back them up. Yesterday to YouGov's "which of the following do you think are the most important issues facing you and your family? Please tick up to three. just 5% chose Europe. See
I can't open the link but where did immigration feature?
Try this link to see Europe rated 3rd from bottom to "most important issues facing you and your family" question. Respondees could tick up to three. http://goo.gl/lL4UIj
This happens in poll after poll. Europe has little salience even amongst UKIP voters. Just 18% included Europe amongst their 3 choices. 82% of them didn't.
Please see Richard's post below.
You accuse me of being in fantasy land yet you choose to decide that there is no correlation between Europe and immigration.
What deluded rubbish will you come up with next, that Huhne is the sharpest brain in politics?
Balls was average at best today. He's a liability in that position. Having said that, listening in at lunchtime the Commons just sounded even more rowdy and confrontational than ever. Do people really think this is good? In no other area of business is conducted as if by a particularly manic football crowd, why do the people who are supposed to look after our interests think this is acceptable?
Balls was average at best today. He's a liability in that position. Having said that, listening in at lunchtime the Commons just sounded even more rowdy and confrontational than ever. Do people really think this is good? In no other area of business is conducted as if by a particularly manic football crowd, why do the people who are supposed to look after our interests think this is acceptable?
I heard the exchange on the BBC. It was a joke by the female presenter and one which was understood and appreciated by Tim Montgomerie. What a sad humourless clown Guido must be.
Amazing trap by Osborne today that may actually need someone other than Balls to address as well. The new proposition on a mechanism to force future governments to prioritise debt reduction over spending is a huge trap for Labour, accept it and lose support from core voters and Lib Dem 2010 voters, reject it and be painted as fiscally irresponsible and willing to throw away years of hard work to fatten up the public sector again.
Or quietly get rid of it and no one is any the wiser.
Things like this are only important if the media make a fuss about it. They might do but they probably won't.
It's a bit like the EU referendum bill, now that it's on the statute book they can't get rid of it easily so will have to abide by it. Obviously the next Labour government could get rid of both as Parliament can't tie the hands of future governments but in trying to remove them it will inevitably raise questions that Labour will fail to answer.
When Gordon Brown signed the Lisbon Treaty despite years of promising a referendum on it first, it was the Tories that ended up copping most of the flak from the media.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if the same thing happened again when Labour drop the referendum bill (which of course they will even though they will once again be committed to holding one in their manifesto).
Very few people give a sh*t about Europe. Look how little all this talk of referendum has done to the poll ratings.
Yes they do Mike and you know it.
If you want to make assertions here you have to be able to back them up. Yesterday to YouGov's "which of the following do you think are the most important issues facing you and your family? Please tick up to three. just 5% chose Europe. See
I can't open the link but where did immigration feature?
Try this link to see Europe rated 3rd from bottom to "most important issues facing you and your family" question. Respondees could tick up to three. http://goo.gl/lL4UIj
This happens in poll after poll. Europe has little salience even amongst UKIP voters. Just 18% included Europe amongst their 3 choices. 82% of them didn't.
Please see Richard's post below.
You accuse me of being in fantasy land yet you choose to decide that there is no correlation between Europe and immigration.
What deluded rubbish will you come up with next, that Huhne is the sharpest brain in politics?
If you don't like it here and think that it is "rubbish" then you don't have to stay.
I think Tim is right. I sense that telling people that they're well off when they don't feel it might be counterproductive.
I don't sense most people's problems with the Tories are to do with abstract concepts like the defecit. It could be that his best friend today is the storm that's knocked his excruciatingly self satisfied face off the headlines
Agreed. Ozzy clearly beat Balls today (I haven't actually seen it, just going from what I read on here) but the problem is that, merely by being on telly, Ozzy repels voters. It's unfortunate for him but he just has that manner, that face. Agree that the storm washing him away by actually be a good thing for the Conservatives.
Amazing trap by Osborne today that may actually need someone other than Balls to address as well. The new proposition on a mechanism to force future governments to prioritise debt reduction over spending is a huge trap for Labour, accept it and lose support from core voters and Lib Dem 2010 voters, reject it and be painted as fiscally irresponsible and willing to throw away years of hard work to fatten up the public sector again.
Or quietly get rid of it and no one is any the wiser.
Things like this are only important if the media make a fuss about it. They might do but they probably won't.
It's a bit like the EU referendum bill, now that it's on the statute book they can't get rid of it easily so will have to abide by it. Obviously the next Labour government could get rid of both as Parliament can't tie the hands of future governments but in trying to remove them it will inevitably raise questions that Labour will fail to answer.
When Gordon Brown signed the Lisbon Treaty despite years of promising a referendum on it first, it was the Tories that ended up copping most of the flak from the media.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if the same thing happened again when Labour drop the referendum bill (which of course they will even though they will once again be committed to holding one in their manifesto).
Very few people give a sh*t about Europe. Look how little all this talk of referendum has done to the poll ratings.
Yes they do Mike and you know it.
If you want to make assertions here you have to be able to back them up. Yesterday to YouGov's "which of the following do you think are the most important issues facing you and your family? Please tick up to three. just 5% chose Europe. See
I can't open the link but where did immigration feature?
Try this link to see Europe rated 3rd from bottom to "most important issues facing you and your family" question. Respondees could tick up to three. http://goo.gl/lL4UIj
This happens in poll after poll. Europe has little salience even amongst UKIP voters. Just 18% included Europe amongst their 3 choices. 82% of them didn't.
Please see Richard's post below.
You accuse me of being in fantasy land yet you choose to decide that there is no correlation between Europe and immigration.
What deluded rubbish will you come up with next, that Huhne is the sharpest brain in politics?
If you don't like it here and think that it is "rubbish" then you don't have to stay.
I didn't say that at all, you accused me of living in fantasy land and I responded, as did Richard.
Amazing trap by Osborne today that may actually need someone other than Balls to address as well. The new proposition on a mechanism to force future governments to prioritise debt reduction over spending is a huge trap for Labour, accept it and lose support from core voters and Lib Dem 2010 voters, reject it and be painted as fiscally irresponsible and willing to throw away years of hard work to fatten up the public sector again.
Or quietly get rid of it and no one is any the wiser.
Things like this are only important if the media make a fuss about it. They might do but they probably won't.
It's a bit like the EU referendum bill, now that it's on the statute book they can't get rid of it easily so will have to abide by it. Obviously the next Labour government could get rid of both as Parliament can't tie the hands of future governments but in trying to remove them it will inevitably raise questions that Labour will fail to answer.
When Gordon Brown signed the Lisbon Treaty despite years of promising a referendum on it first, it was the Tories that ended up copping most of the flak from the media.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if the same thing happened again when Labour drop the referendum bill (which of course they will even though they will once again be committed to holding one in their manifesto).
Very few people give a sh*t about Europe. Look how little all this talk of referendum has done to the poll ratings.
Yes they do Mike and you know it.
If you want to make assertions here you have to be able to back them up. Yesterday to YouGov's "which of the following do you think are the most important issues facing you and your family? Please tick up to three. just 5% chose Europe. See
I can't open the link but where did immigration feature?
Try this link to see Europe rated 3rd from bottom to "most important issues facing you and your family" question. Respondees could tick up to three. http://goo.gl/lL4UIj
This happens in poll after poll. Europe has little salience even amongst UKIP voters. Just 18% included Europe amongst their 3 choices. 82% of them didn't.
Please see Richard's post below.
You accuse me of being in fantasy land yet you choose to decide that there is no correlation between Europe and immigration.
What deluded rubbish will you come up with next, that Huhne is the sharpest brain in politics?
If you don't like it here and think that it is "rubbish" then you don't have to stay.
No because this site is not about your opinions, it is about betting and politics. Unless you think that you should uniquely be unchallengeable when you make illogical and unsupportable statements?
As always you have been unable to answer the basic logic of the point I made. Just like every other time you misinterpret these issues polls.
@tim - Now, radiant moonbeam, have you finally mastered the basics of the New Homes Bonus?
Because if you have, then you will join in my delight that Uncle Eric has announced this afternoon that Councils (outside London) will not have their NHB top-sliced by 40% to fund the LEPs.
Wise and capacious Uncle Eric always looks after his own. Many are the chicken tikka marsalas being consumed tonight in his honour.
It's not Marsala even in the fur coat and no knickers belt
Kindly keep your perversions to yourself. This is a family site and impressionable and vulnerable teenagers, such as IoS and Bobajob, sometimes visit.
Oh to be a teen again in the fur coat and no knickers belt John
Isn't it the Coalitions budget? Does Danny Alexander have any input?
I more than hinted on that very early this morning.
Wonder how the windfarms are faring in the North Sea?
I have been rather more concerned about how the 10,000 odd oil workers are faring. They evacuated Buchan Alpha last night as they were not sure the platform would be able to survive the storm.
It never ceases to amaze me how people could seriously think something that happens in the House of Commons will have any impact on people's opinions in the real world, and that the "winners" or "losers" in parliament battles actually mean anything. When people at home see the people who are supposed to represent us braying and treating politics like a grotesque sport with their ego-based slanging matches, every single politician involved is a loser as far as the public are concerned.
Asian people 11 times more likely to be stopped at UK borders, analysis finds
EHRC analysis suggests stereotyping rather than intelligence may be key factor in use of counter-terrorism powers
....Pakistani people were 52 times more likely to be stopped than white people, 135 times more likely to be questioned and examined for more than an hour, and 154 times more likely to be detained.
On topic, I think the Autumn Statement may pass voters by. There were no eye catching or meaningful tax cuts (I initially thought the U21 NI was clever until I realised it was employers' NI) and in any event the storm has washed away Ozzy's big day. Which, as I said earlier, may actually play in the Tories' favour as it keeps him off the news leads.
Asian people 11 times more likely to be stopped at UK borders, analysis finds
EHRC analysis suggests stereotyping rather than intelligence may be key factor in use of counter-terrorism powers
....Pakistani people were 52 times more likely to be stopped than white people, 135 times more likely to be questioned and examined for more than an hour, and 154 times more likely to be detained.
Asian people 11 times more likely to be stopped at UK borders, analysis finds
EHRC analysis suggests stereotyping rather than intelligence may be key factor in use of counter-terrorism powers
....Pakistani people were 52 times more likely to be stopped than white people, 135 times more likely to be questioned and examined for more than an hour, and 154 times more likely to be detained.
Any Labour supporter who witnessed the shanmeful response from Balls today must be totally dismayed..It is not only Osborne who is knocked off the top of the news by the storm ..it is also the total disaster that is Balls....anyone want to discuss the Pasty Tax , apparently it is a major topic at the moment in some circles
On topic, I think the Autumn Statement may pass voters by. There were no eye catching or meaningful tax cuts (I initially thought the U21 NI was clever until I realised it was employers' NI) and in any event the storm has washed away Ozzy's big day. Which, as I said earlier, may actually play in the Tories' favour as it keeps him off the news leads.
I certainly think he has missed a chance for a rebound in Tory VI.He talked tangentially to the subject people wanted him to talk about and I suspect that in a couple of weeks,Labour VI will increase.
On this issue, they are prize idiots, to put it mildly.
And doing it at many times the cost of coal or gas. Supporters of wind power are prize idiots to put it mildly.
Of course it will take time to pay off the initial investment. But after that it's the closest thing to free energy on offer.
In that case why are we paying so much more for wind power than conventional power generation? If there is an economic case for it then why do we have to subsidise it?
Since the recent studies show that the lifespan of a wind turbine is far shorter than expected - even more so offshore, the economic case for wind power in its current form is extremely dodgy.
Asian people 11 times more likely to be stopped at UK borders, analysis finds
EHRC analysis suggests stereotyping rather than intelligence may be key factor in use of counter-terrorism powers
....Pakistani people were 52 times more likely to be stopped than white people, 135 times more likely to be questioned and examined for more than an hour, and 154 times more likely to be detained.
Balls - what a total waste of space, one cant' help but feel he's had his day and if Ed had cojones he'd get rid of him. His absence from the political scene these last 8 weeks shows how damaged he is.
Asian people 11 times more likely to be stopped at UK borders, analysis finds
EHRC analysis suggests stereotyping rather than intelligence may be key factor in use of counter-terrorism powers
....Pakistani people were 52 times more likely to be stopped than white people, 135 times more likely to be questioned and examined for more than an hour, and 154 times more likely to be detained.
On this issue, they are prize idiots, to put it mildly.
That is, on what seems to be about the windiest day for 50 years in the parts of the country where the wind farms are. Perhaps we could have a survey on 25 December to gauge public consumption of roast turkey on an average weekday.
Asian people 11 times more likely to be stopped at UK borders, analysis finds
EHRC analysis suggests stereotyping rather than intelligence may be key factor in use of counter-terrorism powers
....Pakistani people were 52 times more likely to be stopped than white people, 135 times more likely to be questioned and examined for more than an hour, and 154 times more likely to be detained.
"Asian people 11 times more likely to be stopped at UK borders, analysis finds"
yes, but what do you expect ? You're shifty looking bastards. I put it down to the choice of footwear.
It's my sarcasm that gets me more into trouble
UK Border Agency Staff: Do you have any weapons?
Me: Why, what do you need?
Say that in an Irish accent and then sue them for racism.
begorrah,
I'm back off to Australia at the end of this month, and 12 years on, I'm still persona non grata with QANTAS.
This could be be an interesting time for me.
I'm sure they'll admire your tact and diplomacy. Start off by asking why their cricket team is full of cheating wusses. It's the kind of thing Aussies appreciate.
So much the better for him doing a sensible, economics-first Statement and skipping the gimmicks then. The long-term benefit will be felt just the same.
On this issue, they are prize idiots, to put it mildly.
And doing it at many times the cost of coal or gas. Supporters of wind power are prize idiots to put it mildly.
And Cameron and Osborne have decided to move the subsidies into offshore super expensive wind farms because they are scared of UKIP In their heartlands, beyond satire
On this issue, they are prize idiots, to put it mildly.
That is, on what seems to be about the windiest day for 50 years in the parts of the country where the wind farms are. Perhaps we could have a survey on 25 December to gauge public consumption of roast turkey on an average weekday.
I assume most Scottish windfarms have been shut down today because the optimum speed is about 30-40 mph and it's been a lot windier than that, which is obviously very unusual.
Asian people 11 times more likely to be stopped at UK borders, analysis finds
EHRC analysis suggests stereotyping rather than intelligence may be key factor in use of counter-terrorism powers
....Pakistani people were 52 times more likely to be stopped than white people, 135 times more likely to be questioned and examined for more than an hour, and 154 times more likely to be detained.
"Asian people 11 times more likely to be stopped at UK borders, analysis finds"
yes, but what do you expect ? You're shifty looking bastards. I put it down to the choice of footwear.
It's my sarcasm that gets me more into trouble
UK Border Agency Staff: Do you have any weapons?
Me: Why, what do you need?
Say that in an Irish accent and then sue them for racism.
begorrah,
I'm back off to Australia at the end of this month, and 12 years on, I'm still persona non grata with QANTAS.
This could be be an interesting time for me.
I'm sure they'll admire your tact and diplomacy. Start off by asking why their cricket team is full of cheating wusses. It's the kind of thing Aussies appreciate.
Have you seen the racial insensitivity in Australian cricket, their head coach was banned for abusing Sri Lankans.
Monty Panesar was the subject of an apparent 'racist' jibe by the Cricket Australia Twitter feed ahead of the first day of the second Test at Adelaide.
The official account of Australia's governing body showed four Sikh men wearing Teletubbies outfits with the message: 'Will the real Monty Panesar please stand up.'
None of the men are Panesar and it seems to suggest that one of them could be the England spinner. The tweet was deleted and Cricket Australia later posted 'We apologise for any offence caused by our earlier tweet. That was certainly not the intention. It has been removed.'
Asian people 11 times more likely to be stopped at UK borders, analysis finds
EHRC analysis suggests stereotyping rather than intelligence may be key factor in use of counter-terrorism powers
....Pakistani people were 52 times more likely to be stopped than white people, 135 times more likely to be questioned and examined for more than an hour, and 154 times more likely to be detained.
"Asian people 11 times more likely to be stopped at UK borders, analysis finds"
yes, but what do you expect ? You're shifty looking bastards. I put it down to the choice of footwear.
It's my sarcasm that gets me more into trouble
UK Border Agency Staff: Do you have any weapons?
Me: Why, what do you need?
Say that in an Irish accent and then sue them for racism.
begorrah,
I'm back off to Australia at the end of this month, and 12 years on, I'm still persona non grata with QANTAS.
This could be be an interesting time for me.
I'm sure they'll admire your tact and diplomacy. Start off by asking why their cricket team is full of cheating wusses. It's the kind of thing Aussies appreciate.
Have you seen the racial insensitivity in Australian cricket, their head coach was banned for abusing Sri Lankans.
Monty Panesar was the subject of an apparent 'racist' jibe by the Cricket Australia Twitter feed ahead of the first day of the second Test at Adelaide.
The official account of Australia's governing body showed four Sikh men wearing Teletubbies outfits with the message: 'Will the real Monty Panesar please stand up.'
None of the men are Panesar and it seems to suggest that one of them could be the England spinner. The tweet was deleted and Cricket Australia later posted 'We apologise for any offence caused by our earlier tweet. That was certainly not the intention. It has been removed.'
So much the better for him doing a sensible, economics-first Statement and skipping the gimmicks then. The long-term benefit will be felt just the same.
After dumping the rebalancing and his deficit plan he's got a housing boom with falling living standards if you are working while pensioners are fed freebies
Surely that's enough short termism for any Tory?
And yet he's still head and shoulders above Balls. Just how totally shit are the 2 Eds ? One can't do economics and the other can't sack the useless one.
Osborne who has only managed to reduce the deficit by 7 billion in 3 years wants us to believe that he`s going to reduce it by 111 billion in the next 5.
Osborne who has only managed to reduce the deficit by 7 billion in 3 years wants us to believe that he`s going to reduce it by 111 billion in the next 5.
Comments
Time to clear out the NewSense cache and press F5.
Oh, and buy shares in Strepsils.
1. Bankstas
2. Immigration
3. EU
4. Private/Public sector split
5. Education
6. Global Warming Scam
Labour can only 1/2 talk about one of those i.e. the cartel capitalism aspect of energy prices minus the green aspects.
Tories can talk about the public/private split, 1/2 talk about education, a glimmer of talk about the global warming scam but minus any hints of any cartel capitalism aspect and also throw out some pretend glimmers on EU and immigration which are mostly negative because they're pretending.
so if you gave a score of 2 points for speaking to each category and 1 for 1/2 talking about it and say three glimmers add up to 1/2 then in terms of speaking to the actual reality of the situation the end result would be
labour 1 out of 12 vs tory (3 minus 3 glimmers = 2 1/2) out of 12
labour 1 vs tory 2 1/2 (out of 12)
so guess would be Balls is being rubbish cos he knows that score so labour needs someone who doesn't understand
http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/12/osborne-thinks-budget-discipline-labours-biggest-weakness-hes-not-wrong
Because if you have, then you will join in my delight that Uncle Eric has announced this afternoon that Councils (outside London) will not have their NHB top-sliced by 40% to fund the LEPs.
Wise and capacious Uncle Eric always looks after his own. Many are the chicken tikka marsalas being consumed tonight in his honour.
The person who came over best was the SNP spokesman who was articulate succinct and achieved his objective of blowing Osborne's statement out of the water while sounding measured
@johnpmcdermott: "He gave an impersonation of a man above clever political tricks – and that’s the cleverest political trick of all." http://t.co/hB7bDkMWTD
How are Labour going to raise living standards, they will need more than Izzy Wizzy lets got Ozzie... or busy.
PoliticsHome@politicshome35s
.@edballsmp on #AS2013 "350 Tory MPs shouting at top of their voice b/c don’t want to hear truth about cost of living crisis" #bbc
The correct stats:
@bbcquestiontime: The panel for tonight's #bbcqt - @dannyalexander, @RachelReevesMP, David Davis, @wmarybeard and @NickFerrariLBC.
Of course Miliband's government will get round it by stuffing the OBR full of their cronies - Blanchflower will be after a job.
http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/jul6j6xizi/YG-Archives-Pol-Trackers-Issues(2)-041213.pdf
You live in a fantasy land.
Following on from all the chat about pre GE Leaders debates, how about one between the various Chancellor candidates?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2518768/Autumn-Statement-disaster-leaves-Ed-Balls-red-faced.html
And 55% for immigration, which can also be considered a proxy for European issues.
Just saying.
Osborne can't bind his successors, but if labour want to get rid of the OBR or the cap on social security benefits, then they will probably have to say so in their manifesto.
Osborne is forcing labour to either agree or disagree in a way they can't fudge.
Quite clever for an incompetent fop...
@GuidoFawkes: SKETCH: The Week the Speaker Lost Control of the House http://t.co/kqRJ0dHws3
I didn't think that was possible.
From this May..
http://www.newstatesman.com/economics/economics/2013/05/i-nearly-fell-over-laughing-when-i-heard-mervyn-king-say-theres-recover
From Oct 12
http://www.newstatesman.com/economics/economics/2012/10/here’s-why-unemployment-has-fallen-and-why-it-will-rise-again-soon
From Aug 12
http://www.newstatesman.com/economics/economics/2012/08/recession-deniers-should-shut-down-we-continue-go
"The drop in gross domestic product of 0.7 per cent in the second quarter of 2012 was greeted with incredulity by those who have been saying for months that the UK is not in a double dipper when we obviously are. "
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/david-blanchflower/2011/04/shadow-chancellor-coalition
"Balls has got the Tories on the run"
Here's an off the wall idea for an acceptable compromise on the energy sector. Companies must spend x% on investing in new power generation or they will be subject to a 20% marginal tax on profits in addition to regular corporation tax. Make that a new requirement of being present in the UK energy market. Also make dividend payments from infrastructure and essential utility companies in the UK subject to a much higher rate of tax, too many easy shareholder returns available which turn companies into cash cows destroying investment.
State pension yes, other boondoggles no.
Will be very interesting to see how this one plays in the polls in coming months. Today certainly hasn't been an inheritance tax-style gamechanger; the data is perhaps slowly going Osborne's way (though, as ever, you can present it any way you like), and as @Flockers_pb said, the Conservatives are no doubt hoping that an underlying perception of competence will win them the next election.
Which is all fine until "events, dear boy, events". It only takes one major factory closure or one more skeleton in the banking closet to make it all look very, very fragile. I'm not convinced we're past that stage yet.
Last year Ed Balls said there could be no recovery.
This year Ed balls said there is no recovery.
Is there a pattern here? Are the PB Kinnocks still cheering?
Osborne had a good day and has outflanked the hapless Balls on the economy. It will make no difference in the polls though, so just accept a bad day at the office and don't bother getting wound up defending the indefensible.
It makes no difference anyway.
"Roger, everyone knows the BBC is stuffed full of Pinkos, not reds"
Politics by pantone.
http://www.lmhotfoilprinters.co.uk/site/images/colourChart.jpg
Since you use these polls from Yougov and Ipsos Mori to claim that 'no one gives a sh*t (a new slant from the man who gave us no one gives a monkeys) about Europe do you also then believe that no one gives a sh*t about
Defence
Petrol Prices
Terrorism
Public Services
Taxation
Council tax
Public Transport
and Privatisation?
All these issues scored lower than Europe in the latest November Ipsos Mori issues index.
If you think no one gives a sh*t about these then you do indeed live in a fantasy land.
Of course it is more likely you are just putting your own biased slant on the results because that one issue happens to be one you don't give a sh*t about.
By the way , RBS book was excellent , worth a lot more than the 49p I paid for it , thanks for recomending
Ok ok all that is small beer compared to a pasty tax....
600 candidates have now been selected for GE2015, including incumbents.
40% of incumbents have been reselected or have announced their retirement: 224 and 36 respectively.
New selections / reselections I became aware of today:
Gareth Thomas: Lab, Harrow West
David Tredinnick: Con, Bosworth
Robert Flello: Lab, Stoke South
Hugh Bayley: Lab, York Central
Glyn Davies: Con, Montgomeryshire
Michael Fallon: Con, Sevenoaks
George Hollingbery: Con, Sevenoaks
David Amess: Con, Southend West
Lyn Brown: Lab, West Ham
Therese Coffey: Con, Suffolk Coastal
Stephen Hammond: Con, Wimbledon
Rehman Chishti: Con, Gillingham & Rainham
Jonathan Lord: Con, Woking
That old canard was scotched many years ago.
This happens in poll after poll. Europe has little salience even amongst UKIP voters. Just 18% included Europe amongst their 3 choices. 82% of them didn't.
I don't sense most people's problems with the Tories are to do with abstract concepts like the defecit. It could be that his best friend today is the storm that's knocked his excruciatingly self satisfied face off the headlines
http://order-order.com/2013/12/05/five-live-censor-tim-montgomerie-for-bbc-criticism/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
http://news.sky.com/
Bit of a bugger that.
You accuse me of being in fantasy land yet you choose to decide that there is no correlation between Europe and immigration.
What deluded rubbish will you come up with next, that Huhne is the sharpest brain in politics?
http://order-order.com/2013/12/05/five-live-censor-tim-montgomerie-for-bbc-criticism/"
I heard the exchange on the BBC. It was a joke by the female presenter and one which was understood and appreciated by Tim Montgomerie. What a sad humourless clown Guido must be.
Blimey, calm down Mike.
Wonder how the windfarms are faring in the North Sea?
As always you have been unable to answer the basic logic of the point I made. Just like every other time you misinterpret these issues polls.
Ed Balls would be a fantastic chancellor and certainly will do a better job than the towel folder.
This is the day when Osborne`s plan is exposed for what it is.A cyclicial recovery based on debt and not expected to last according to OBR themselves.
Asian people 11 times more likely to be stopped at UK borders, analysis finds
EHRC analysis suggests stereotyping rather than intelligence may be key factor in use of counter-terrorism powers
....Pakistani people were 52 times more likely to be stopped than white people, 135 times more likely to be questioned and examined for more than an hour, and 154 times more likely to be detained.
http://www.theguardian.com/law/2013/dec/05/asian-people-stopped-uk-borders-analysis
http://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/
But UKIP and Farage are against it.
On this issue, they are prize idiots, to put it mildly.
Oh wait ......
yes, but what do you expect ? You're shifty looking bastards. I put it down to the choice of footwear.
UK Border Agency Staff: Do you have any weapons?
Me: Why, what do you need?
Since the recent studies show that the lifespan of a wind turbine is far shorter than expected - even more so offshore, the economic case for wind power in its current form is extremely dodgy.
Say that in an Irish accent and then sue them for racism.
begorrah,
This could be be an interesting time for me.
I'm sure they'll admire your tact and diplomacy. Start off by asking why their cricket team is full of cheating wusses. It's the kind of thing Aussies appreciate.
Chris Leslie - makes Balls look good.
I've trod in better.
Monty Panesar was the subject of an apparent 'racist' jibe by the Cricket Australia Twitter feed ahead of the first day of the second Test at Adelaide.
The official account of Australia's governing body showed four Sikh men wearing Teletubbies outfits with the message: 'Will the real Monty Panesar please stand up.'
None of the men are Panesar and it seems to suggest that one of them could be the England spinner. The tweet was deleted and Cricket Australia later posted 'We apologise for any offence caused by our earlier tweet. That was certainly not the intention. It has been removed.'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-2518449/The-Ashes-2013-14-Monty-Panesar-subject-apparent-racist-jibe-tweet-Cricket-Australia.html
Knowing my look, on my flight to Australia, I'll be sat next to Phil Woolas.
And yet he's still head and shoulders above Balls. Just how totally shit are the 2 Eds ? One can't do economics and the other can't sack the useless one.
Wrong - primary school maths - if it goes to 68 in 2035 then cut-off point is people born in 1967 - ie anyone 46 or under today.
So anyone 47, 48 or 49 unaffected.
Even people who are 46 may be OK as they would hit 67 in 2034 so retire then - though presumably there will be a transition year.
Staggering level of incompetence - a primary school child should be able to work it out.
If only pigs an fly...
And when did Labour reduce it ?