politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » After a week of big national developments we’ve ten local
Comments
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Indeed, so the higher amount is obviously justified.foxinsoxuk said:
The court has allowed it. The case now goes to court in September.ThreeQuidder said:
Personally?foxinsoxuk said:
Hunt increased the demand from £30 000 to £150 000 the day before the hearing. Looking to price the awkward squad out of court rather than fight the case on its merits. Rich mans justice.TheWhiteRabbit said:
You can't "ambush" someone with an order for security for costs under Part 25, which I assume is what has happened. It is money that would have been required for costs in any event, had an appropriate order for costs been made at the end.foxinsoxuk said:I see that my junior colleagues are doing well at crowdfunding their courtcase against Hunts new contract. Hunt ambushed them with a demand for a deposit against costs, but they seem to have it covered.
Whatever the merits of the case (the judge said it has merit and deserves its day in court), it does show how the Establishment stifles legal challenges:
https://www.crowdjustice.co.uk/case/nhs/
In any case, if it hadn't been justified the court wouldn't have allowed it.0 -
Courtesy of @BritainElects:
Warlingham West (Tandridge) result:
CON: 56.5% (-0.6)
LDEM: 33.6% (+12.6)
UKIP: 9.9% (-4.0)
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The SNP won a majority in 2011, and under a Parliamentary voting system that was meant to prevent it. Now that has really thrown up the draw backs of having a totally on message Government party that doesn't allow any dissent, and also totally dominates the Parliamentary committees with no secondary revising Chamber to scrutinise or curb poor legislation. Quite simple, there is no way that legislation like the appalling Named Person law would have survived its passage through Westminster and got the Statute books in its current form.RobD said:
"Lowest quality in Europe"? Is that a stat, or just an opinion?fitalass said:
As the article points out. "So in Holyrood, legislative proposals brought forward by the SNP government are neither challenged nor given proper scrutiny by SNP MSPs. Their correct function here is to bring independent critical thinking to the government’s policy. But instead, government bills are afforded obedient adulation, no matter how flawed. This results in Scotland producing the lowest quality legislation in Europe."RobD said:
Isn't the problem that it's a multi party state, only that one party completely eclipses the rest?fitalass said:Ouch!
The Scotsman - Alistair Bonnington: One-party state is an enemy of democracy
The latest example of this is the Named Person Law, as Jim Sillars pointed out, it would never have got through Westminster in its current form. That such an intrusive law could be passed with so little proper scrutiny should worry us all in Scotland.0 -
Stick to your guns Jezza!Moses_ said:BBC news
Jeremy Corbyn has dismissed an offer from challenger Owen Smith of becoming party president in the event his rival wins the Labour leadership.
He told BBC Newsnight it was "a job that doesn't exist" and compared the role to that of "director of football".
He also said his attitude to rebels who opposed his leadership would be one of "charity" rather than "malice"0 -
Another piece of the family silver being sold off.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36855983
Or as Hammond describes all UK cashpoint withdrawls sending wealth overseas :
The new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, said the Vocalink deal "shows that Britain remains an attractive destination for international investors".
It's so good to know that all these British owned and run businesses losing their ability to grow British wealth is such a great signal to the economy.0 -
A private company being sold is now "selling the family silver"?Lowlander said:Another piece of the family silver being sold off.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36855983
Or as Hammond describes all UK cashpoint withdrawls sending wealth overseas :
The new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, said the Vocalink deal "shows that Britain remains an attractive destination for international investors".
It's so good to know that all these British owned and run businesses losing their ability to grow British wealth is such a great signal to the economy.0 -
50% of Scotland backs the SNP. That's how democracy works. The only reason that Westminster needs a scrutinising chamber is because it gets a majority dictatorship based on 35% of the vote.fitalass said:
As the article points out. "So in Holyrood, legislative proposals brought forward by the SNP government are neither challenged nor given proper scrutiny by SNP MSPs. Their correct function here is to bring independent critical thinking to the government’s policy. But instead, government bills are afforded obedient adulation, no matter how flawed. This results in Scotland producing the lowest quality legislation in Europe."RobD said:
Isn't the problem that it's a multi party state, only that one party completely eclipses the rest?fitalass said:Ouch!
The Scotsman - Alistair Bonnington: One-party state is an enemy of democracy
The latest example of this is the Named Person Law, as Jim Sillars pointed out, it would never have got through Westminster in its current form. That such an intrusive law could be passed with so little proper scrutiny should worry us all in Scotland.
If the SNP only got 35% of the vote, then the comittee stage would challenge pretty much every policy they put forward.0 -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7j8B0KsB80foxinsoxuk said:I have a friend who is in Left Unity. It is real Life of Brian splitters stuff, constant infighting. Lovely detailed policy making though. Castles in the air!
With meetings as exciting as this, I'm surprised anyone turns up. Certainly black and Asian people don't seem to... (It seems Left Unity is even less racially diverse than the ever-righteous-hence-much-taunted Lib Dems.)
Apparently the motion under debate at this stage was
“Despite the atrocities it has carried out and its attack on the Kurds, IS nevertheless represents an attempt to break fundamentally with the structure of religiously and ethnically divided nation states imposed on the region by Britain and France at the end of the First World War… Unlike a continuation of the framework of western-imposed nation states, it therefore, theoretically, has progressive potential.”
“The Caliphate represents an alternative political vision that is gathering support amongst Muslims across the Muslim world because… it stands for replacing the brutal regimes in which they live with a political system based on Islam that sets up an accountable executive, an organised judiciary, representative consultation, inal motions and amendments for the rule of law and citizenship; such a state could only be a stabilising force for the region and the European Left has to acknowledge and accept the widespread call for a Caliphate among Muslims as valid and an authentic expression of their emancipatory, anti-imperialist aspirations.”
They may want to have a think about why they score so few votes. The funniest thing about the Bermondsey and Old Southwark "split" (which seems to have produced pages and pages of argument and allegations between the rival factions) is that Comrade Abrams got 142 votes to Comrade Freeman's 20 (splitter!). Wikipedia records their vote shares as 0.1% and 0.0% respectively. A storm in a rounding error.0 -
and an election in Burbage Stretton, Hinckley Leicestershire0
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Did you even look at what happened?fitalass said:
It was the very fact that the SNP Government was beginning to take on the appearance of a one party state that cost them their majority at Holyrood just a couple of months ago. Ruth Davidson and the Scottish Conservatives ran a very successful election campaign by offering to be a strong opposition, and they dramatically increased their number of MSP's as a result.William_H said:It seems rather ridiculous to talk about a one party state when they don't even have a majority in the Scottish parliament
The SNP lost out on D'Hondt because there was a (fairly convincing) argument they would win all the FPTP seats and that the list vote would be better cast for other pro-Independence parties. Independence kept the majority and that meant a pretty significant pivot of the Greens to be "Independence come what may". Thats a big win for the SNP.
Of course, as a die hard, minority Unionist, I'm sure you will lie to yourself. Its pretty funny to watch.0 -
In fairness, Left Unity are an avowedly revolutionary party and do say they aren't pursuing an electoral path to power. Which is good news for them, since that doesn't seem to be a goer. Instead:
Unlike the Greens, Left unity is not an “electoralist party”, we don’t believe that winning seats in parliament or on councils is our main aim. This is because that is not where the real power lies. If we really want to change society we need to remove the generals and high command, unelected judges, police commanders, the bankers and multi national corporations that really run the country. We need a fighting party that builds from below popular organisations that can replace these power centres.
The rest of the article is quite interesting on why the Left Unity lot don't like the Greens very much and feel patronised when Greenies tell them that they should have joined the Greens rather than making their own little party up. You can find similar articles re TUSC, the SWP, the Community Part(ies), the Socialist Party and so on ad infinitum, all dissing each other and stating why they shouldn't merge with each deluded other lot.
As for Left Unity's Grand Strategy play, frankly, taking over or usurping the British Army is a bigger ask than winning an election - particularly with 2000 footsoldiers who are, based on video evidence, greying and beardy. As for "popular organisations that replace" the "unelected judges", are we going to have a backroom network of undercover "Socialistariah Courts", where left-wingers can go to seek true justice uncontaminated by parliament's oppressive capitalist laws? The FARC do that kind of thing in Colombia.[1][2]0 -
I've never felt more confident that Brexit will lead to Britain becoming the Singapore of Europe.MyBurningEars said:
http://leftunity.org/communist-platform-statement-on-the-candidacy-of-steve-freeman/kle4 said:
There's no point, they're just full of people who lack even the basic social skills to exist in a larger group. Hence the difference between the CPGB and the CPGB-ML, to pick just one example.Freggles said:What is the point of these small, insignificant, fractured ultra-left parties like 'People for Profit'?
My favourite is the fantastically ill named Left Unity. Which I believe itself had a split in at least one place, with a former Left Unity comrade standing as an indy against the other Left Unity candidate.0 -
There have been approx 7 Con retirements in the House of Lords in the last few months - they need to get as many new ones through as possible in order to give them at least a chance of winning a decent number of votes when Lab + LD combine against them.PlatoSaid said:THE TIMES: Cameron's honours list blocked by Whitehall #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers https://t.co/yYefMyMZVV
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You mean we're gonna ban chewing gum?!!williamglenn said:
I've never felt more confident that Brexit will lead to Britain becoming the Singapore of Europe.MyBurningEars said:
http://leftunity.org/communist-platform-statement-on-the-candidacy-of-steve-freeman/kle4 said:
There's no point, they're just full of people who lack even the basic social skills to exist in a larger group. Hence the difference between the CPGB and the CPGB-ML, to pick just one example.Freggles said:What is the point of these small, insignificant, fractured ultra-left parties like 'People for Profit'?
My favourite is the fantastically ill named Left Unity. Which I believe itself had a split in at least one place, with a former Left Unity comrade standing as an indy against the other Left Unity candidate.0 -
Reading Southcote Lab hold
Lab 934 Con 381 LDem 77 Green 660 -
Britain Elects @britainelects 10s10 seconds ago
Southcote (Reading) result:
LAB: 64.1% (+21.4)
CON: 26.1% (-8.8)
LDEM: 5.3% (+1.0)
GRN: 4.5% (+0.1)
No UKIP candidate from 2015.0 -
No, just being sarcastic about the cornucopia of lefty nutters we manage to produce.Sunil_Prasannan said:
You mean we're gonna ban chewing gum?!!williamglenn said:
I've never felt more confident that Brexit will lead to Britain becoming the Singapore of Europe.MyBurningEars said:
http://leftunity.org/communist-platform-statement-on-the-candidacy-of-steve-freeman/kle4 said:
There's no point, they're just full of people who lack even the basic social skills to exist in a larger group. Hence the difference between the CPGB and the CPGB-ML, to pick just one example.Freggles said:What is the point of these small, insignificant, fractured ultra-left parties like 'People for Profit'?
My favourite is the fantastically ill named Left Unity. Which I believe itself had a split in at least one place, with a former Left Unity comrade standing as an indy against the other Left Unity candidate.0 -
Noerthampton Westone Lib Dem gain from Con
LDem 583 Con 319 Lab 2700 -
I think this is Westone in Northampton:
LD 583
Con 319
Lab 270
I said they looked confident....0 -
12 seconds ago
Liberal Democrat GAIN Westone (Northampton) from Conservative.0 -
Interesting result. Are you local?tpfkar said:I think this is Westone in Northampton:
LD 583
Con 319
Lab 270
I said they looked confident....0 -
Doesn't seem like the lds gain much if at all in lab areas.0
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There's nothing for you herewilliamglenn said:
Interesting result. Are you local?tpfkar said:I think this is Westone in Northampton:
LD 583
Con 319
Lab 270
I said they looked confident....
Near enough to give them an hour yesterday delivering some eve of poll leaflets in the sunshine.0 -
Wait, left unity don't care about winning elections, but have a problem with unelected judges?! Surely their issue is the wrong unelected establishment is in power not the principle of it bring unelected, given they don't even care about their own election. Nutters.
Good night.0 -
Winning here. Will be aiming for Toby's seat in 2020 I reckonbigjohnowls said:12 seconds ago
Liberal Democrat GAIN Westone (Northampton) from Conservative.
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Hold up seems Northampton was the 33% swing.0
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I think Left Unity don't disagree with the idea of unelected judges, just about who should unelect themkle4 said:Wait, left unity don't care about winning elections, but have a problem with unelected judges?! Surely their issue is the wrong unelected establishment is in power not the principle of it bring unelected, given they don't even care about their own election. Nutters.
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No news on the hinted at hereditary peerage? @JohnO will be disappointed.MikeL said:
There have been approx 7 Con retirements in the House of Lords in the last few months - they need to get as many new ones through as possible in order to give them at least a chance of winning a decent number of votes when Lab + LD combine against them.PlatoSaid said:THE TIMES: Cameron's honours list blocked by Whitehall #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers https://t.co/yYefMyMZVV
Truss looking quite resplendent there!0 -
The Lib Dems came quite close to winning this ward in 2015. Even so - a very big advance.williamglenn said:
Interesting result. Are you local?tpfkar said:I think this is Westone in Northampton:
LD 583
Con 319
Lab 270
I said they looked confident....0 -
I believe it was only 46.5% in May this year.Lowlander said:
50% of Scotland backs the SNP. That's how democracy works. The only reason that Westminster needs a scrutinising chamber is because it gets a majority dictatorship based on 35% of the vote.fitalass said:
As the article points out. "So in Holyrood, legislative proposals brought forward by the SNP government are neither challenged nor given proper scrutiny by SNP MSPs. Their correct function here is to bring independent critical thinking to the government’s policy. But instead, government bills are afforded obedient adulation, no matter how flawed. This results in Scotland producing the lowest quality legislation in Europe."RobD said:
Isn't the problem that it's a multi party state, only that one party completely eclipses the rest?fitalass said:Ouch!
The Scotsman - Alistair Bonnington: One-party state is an enemy of democracy
The latest example of this is the Named Person Law, as Jim Sillars pointed out, it would never have got through Westminster in its current form. That such an intrusive law could be passed with so little proper scrutiny should worry us all in Scotland.
If the SNP only got 35% of the vote, then the comittee stage would challenge pretty much every policy they put forward.0 -
It turns out that the LD candidate represented the area for 23 years until he was ejected in 2011. It happened to me as well that year - perhaps I could make a comeback!slade said:
The Lib Dems came quite close to winning this ward in 2015. Even so - a very big advance.williamglenn said:
Interesting result. Are you local?tpfkar said:I think this is Westone in Northampton:
LD 583
Con 319
Lab 270
I said they looked confident....0 -
I think the point being made is that there is no internal scrutiny/opposition, and all measures proposed by the executive are effectively rubber stamped.Lowlander said:
50% of Scotland backs the SNP. That's how democracy works. The only reason that Westminster needs a scrutinising chamber is because it gets a majority dictatorship based on 35% of the vote.fitalass said:
As the article points out. "So in Holyrood, legislative proposals brought forward by the SNP government are neither challenged nor given proper scrutiny by SNP MSPs. Their correct function here is to bring independent critical thinking to the government’s policy. But instead, government bills are afforded obedient adulation, no matter how flawed. This results in Scotland producing the lowest quality legislation in Europe."RobD said:
Isn't the problem that it's a multi party state, only that one party completely eclipses the rest?fitalass said:Ouch!
The Scotsman - Alistair Bonnington: One-party state is an enemy of democracy
The latest example of this is the Named Person Law, as Jim Sillars pointed out, it would never have got through Westminster in its current form. That such an intrusive law could be passed with so little proper scrutiny should worry us all in Scotland.
If the SNP only got 35% of the vote, then the comittee stage would challenge pretty much every policy they put forward.0 -
Lab 940
Con 302
LD 180
People Before Profit 129
UKIP 104
Lab 56.8% (+2.8)
Con 18.2% (+5.4)
LD 10.9% (+5.1)
LPBP 7.8% (-5.6)
UKIP 6.3%
Read more: http://vote-2012.proboards.com/thread/8254/elections-july-21st#ixzz4F5WnGxXl0 -
Chorley Rural North, Lancashire
Con 1144 (43.8%; +2.7)
Lab 1042 (39.9%; +2.1)
UKIP 303 (11.6%; -5.7)
LD 125 (4.8%; +1.0)
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41.7% in the regional vote, which is the relevant one for top-up seats.justin124 said:
I believe it was only 46.5% in May this year.Lowlander said:
50% of Scotland backs the SNP. That's how democracy works. The only reason that Westminster needs a scrutinising chamber is because it gets a majority dictatorship based on 35% of the vote.fitalass said:
As the article points out. "So in Holyrood, legislative proposals brought forward by the SNP government are neither challenged nor given proper scrutiny by SNP MSPs. Their correct function here is to bring independent critical thinking to the government’s policy. But instead, government bills are afforded obedient adulation, no matter how flawed. This results in Scotland producing the lowest quality legislation in Europe."RobD said:
Isn't the problem that it's a multi party state, only that one party completely eclipses the rest?fitalass said:Ouch!
The Scotsman - Alistair Bonnington: One-party state is an enemy of democracy
The latest example of this is the Named Person Law, as Jim Sillars pointed out, it would never have got through Westminster in its current form. That such an intrusive law could be passed with so little proper scrutiny should worry us all in Scotland.
If the SNP only got 35% of the vote, then the comittee stage would challenge pretty much every policy they put forward.0 -
Since when did being a donor to a political party give a person a legal interest in how it interprets its rules?0
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Draft text of Trump's speech - http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/full-transcript-donald-trump-nomination-acceptance-speech-at-rnc-225974
Big business, elite media and major donors are lining up behind the campaign of my opponent because they know she will keep our rigged system in place. They are throwing money at her because they have total control over everything she does. She is their puppet, and they pull the strings.
That is why Hillary Clinton’s message is that things will never change. My message is that things have to change – and they have to change right now.
America is a nation of believers, dreamers, and strivers that is being led by a group of censors, critics, and cynics.
Remember: all of the people telling you that you can’t have the country you want, are the same people telling you that I wouldn’t be standing here tonight. No longer can we rely on those elites in media, and politics, who will say anything to keep a rigged system in place.0 -
Really trying to learn from the Brexit campaign then.williamglenn said:Draft text of Trump's speech - http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/full-transcript-donald-trump-nomination-acceptance-speech-at-rnc-225974
Big business, elite media and major donors are lining up behind the campaign of my opponent because they know she will keep our rigged system in place. They are throwing money at her because they have total control over everything she does. She is their puppet, and they pull the strings.
That is why Hillary Clinton’s message is that things will never change. My message is that things have to change – and they have to change right now.
America is a nation of believers, dreamers, and strivers that is being led by a group of censors, critics, and cynics.
Remember: all of the people telling you that you can’t have the country you want, are the same people telling you that I wouldn’t be standing here tonight. No longer can we rely on those elites in media, and politics, who will say anything to keep a rigged system in place.0 -
One big difference between Trump and Leave, and what makes me hesitate to invest more in Trump at Betfair, is that it's easier to stop one man than one side of a referendum campaign.nunu said:
Really trying to learn from the Brexit campaign then.williamglenn said:Draft text of Trump's speech - http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/full-transcript-donald-trump-nomination-acceptance-speech-at-rnc-225974
Big business, elite media and major donors are lining up behind the campaign of my opponent because they know she will keep our rigged system in place. They are throwing money at her because they have total control over everything she does. She is their puppet, and they pull the strings.
That is why Hillary Clinton’s message is that things will never change. My message is that things have to change – and they have to change right now.
America is a nation of believers, dreamers, and strivers that is being led by a group of censors, critics, and cynics.
Remember: all of the people telling you that you can’t have the country you want, are the same people telling you that I wouldn’t be standing here tonight. No longer can we rely on those elites in media, and politics, who will say anything to keep a rigged system in place.
He's trying to win votes from Democrats, especially Sanders supporters. And he will win some. Clinton can't exactly say that people should vote against Trump because he's isolationist, not militarily aggressive enough, and wrong to criticise elite rule, rigging and corruption. She has almost as poor a perceived profile as he does.
What she can hammer away at is that he's a dangerous nutter with zero experience in public service. But since he's saying the country is broken, which it is, his political brand is pretty strong.0 -
Exactly, and this does not make for good robust legislation.RobD said:
I think the point being made is that there is no internal scrutiny/opposition, and all measures proposed by the executive are effectively rubber stamped.Lowlander said:
50% of Scotland backs the SNP. That's how democracy works. The only reason that Westminster needs a scrutinising chamber is because it gets a majority dictatorship based on 35% of the vote.fitalass said:
As the article points out. "So in Holyrood, legislative proposals brought forward by the SNP government are neither challenged nor given proper scrutiny by SNP MSPs. Their correct function here is to bring independent critical thinking to the government’s policy. But instead, government bills are afforded obedient adulation, no matter how flawed. This results in Scotland producing the lowest quality legislation in Europe."RobD said:
Isn't the problem that it's a multi party state, only that one party completely eclipses the rest?fitalass said:Ouch!
The Scotsman - Alistair Bonnington: One-party state is an enemy of democracy
The latest example of this is the Named Person Law, as Jim Sillars pointed out, it would never have got through Westminster in its current form. That such an intrusive law could be passed with so little proper scrutiny should worry us all in Scotland.
If the SNP only got 35% of the vote, then the comittee stage would challenge pretty much every policy they put forward.0 -
"zero experience in public service"
The mood has changed people don't care about this anymore, or if they do think the experience Hilary has is bad.0 -
Can we take bets on how many times he will say "take back control"?0
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Let's make PB great again!nunu said:Can we take bets on how many times he will say "take back control"?
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PB is already great!Sunil_Prasannan said:
Let's make PB great again!nunu said:Can we take bets on how many times he will say "take back control"?
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Manafort: "Many women feel they can't afford their lives. Their husbands can't afford to pay for the family bills." Trump's campaign manager on why women will vote for Trump.0
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PB has always been great, which is more than we can say for either the USA or the UK. I think society in both countries reached a peak some time in the 1990s — perhaps around 1993 or 1994 — and it's been a slow decline ever since. I like watching those videos of complete rides on the various tube lines, partly because they were filmed around that time and it's interesting to remind oneself of what life was like then. The Central Line video, which oddly enough I picked up on VHS from a stall at the West Somerset Steam Railway at Minehead, was filmed in February 1992 for example.Sunil_Prasannan said:
Let's make PB great again!nunu said:Can we take bets on how many times he will say "take back control"?
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The fact we have enjoyed two AV threads already this year (count them!) truly shows PB is at it's zenith. Long may it continue!AndyJS said:
PB has always been great,Sunil_Prasannan said:
Let's make PB great again!nunu said:Can we take bets on how many times he will say "take back control"?
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Good question:
"Short-fuse Britain: why is everyone so bloody angry?"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/short-fuse-britain-why-is-everyone-so-bloody-angry/
"Last weekend, my children and I were nearly knocked into the canal by a cyclist incandescent with rage that I was walking by the canal. He was followed by a peleton of similarly rude men in a tearing hurry who refused to give way to pedestrians, as they are supposed to."0 -
Really weird how the U.S and U.K unemployment rates have been shadowing each other for years now. Both at 4.9%. I know the labor participation rate in the U.S has been falling, and the numbers will be measured differently, but still I find it a bit odd given how different our economies are.0
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We seem to be similarly angry as well.nunu said:Really weird how the U.S and U.K unemployment rates have been shadowing each other for years now. Both at 4.9%. I know the labor participation rate in the U.S has been falling, and the numbers will be measured differently, but still I find it a bit odd given how different our economies are.
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Mmmmm.... Ivanka 0
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Looks windy in the conference center!0
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Here he is!0
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Trump Force One!Sunil_Prasannan said:Here he is!
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"Conrad Black
The brilliant Donald Trump deserves to win
His political achievements are already unprecedented, and his insight amounts to genius"
http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/07/the-brilliant-donald-trump-deserves-to-win/0 -
He's standing there with an independent hair....RobD said:
Trump Force One!Sunil_Prasannan said:Here he is!
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"Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble, Grub."
- and Donald.
Welcome to Trumpton0 -
The Democrats will be Ivanquished.Sunil_Prasannan said:Mmmmm.... Ivanka
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Didn't say "get her out"... a shame
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That's real self-discipline.RobD said:Didn't say "get her out"... a shame
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Walker is wank. Vested interests my arse. He exempted public unions that supported him from his union 'reform' laws.Philip_Thompson said:
Walker was an excellent Reagan/Thatcherite governor taking on vested interests and would make a great President IMO.HYUFD said:
To be fair to Cruz though he never pretended to support Trump unlike Gove with Boris. Cruz gave Trump his congratulations but just refused to endorse him. Of the convention so far I think Scott Walker gave the best speech and if Trump-Pence loses I could see a Cruz v Walker battle in 2020 for the GOP nominationSpeedy said:It seems my view that Cruz doing a Gove on Trump only helps Trump, is starting be to shared by others in the media:
https://twitter.com/matthewjdowd/status/756106221367726080
As I said, people may like or may not like Caesar, but they definitely don't like Brutus.
Walker will be no less a wank candidate in 2020 than he was this time out. He has a middling governors record at best with a miasma of scandal and corruption hanging around him.0 -
The legislation that was supported by Labour?fitalass said:
The SNP won a majority in 2011, and under a Parliamentary voting system that was meant to prevent it. Now that has really thrown up the draw backs of having a totally on message Government party that doesn't allow any dissent, and also totally dominates the Parliamentary committees with no secondary revising Chamber to scrutinise or curb poor legislation. Quite simple, there is no way that legislation like the appalling Named Person law would have survived its passage through Westminster and got the Statute books in its current form.RobD said:
"Lowest quality in Europe"? Is that a stat, or just an opinion?fitalass said:
As the article points out. "So in Holyrood, legislative proposals brought forward by the SNP government are neither challenged nor given proper scrutiny by SNP MSPs. Their correct function here is to bring independent critical thinking to the government’s policy. But instead, government bills are afforded obedient adulation, no matter how flawed. This results in Scotland producing the lowest quality legislation in Europe."RobD said:
Isn't the problem that it's a multi party state, only that one party completely eclipses the rest?fitalass said:Ouch!
The Scotsman - Alistair Bonnington: One-party state is an enemy of democracy
The latest example of this is the Named Person Law, as Jim Sillars pointed out, it would never have got through Westminster in its current form. That such an intrusive law could be passed with so little proper scrutiny should worry us all in Scotland.0
