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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Time to have a dabble on Tristram Hunt at 33-1 for next LAB

SystemSystem Posts: 12,598
edited October 2013 in General

politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Time to have a dabble on Tristram Hunt at 33-1 for next LAB leader

Hunt came to public prominence as a TV historian. He’s telegenic and, as you’d expect a good communicator. He was promoted to the shadow cabinet by Ed Miliband in the reshuffle two weeks ago to take on Michael Gove.

Read the full story here


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Comments

  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    First!
  • Stuart_DicksonStuart_Dickson Posts: 3,557
    Bit more likely than Alistair Carmichael ever being Lib Dem leader.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    The Rentoul article on Hunt has a great headline:

    Tristram's handy if Ed Miliband loses Labour's love
    The Shadow Education Secretary has had such a good week that the party may have shifted on its axis

    http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/tristrams-handy-if-ed-miliband-loses-labours-love-8891653.html

    And a dig at Ed:

    "One Labour frontbencher told me that Ed Miliband had promoted the "telegenic" Hunt as a way of building up a rival to Chuka Umunna. If so, it worked about as well as making Stalin general secretary of the Communist Party as a counterbalance to Trotsky. "

    That said, one good week does not a new leader make - and I wonder if Labour really want to put a Public school Oxbridge graduate up against a Public school Oxbridge graduate....

    Even so, I doubt 33/1 will last long....
  • Stuart_DicksonStuart_Dickson Posts: 3,557
    Tristram Hunt now 16/1 with Paddy Power, and they will only let me put on a Max stake of 5 pounds 49 p. Can't be bothered at that price.
  • Stuart_DicksonStuart_Dickson Posts: 3,557
    Betfair have a market on next Labour leader but don't list Hunt.
  • KevinBarryKevinBarry Posts: 1
    Place a bet on the basis of a piece by John Rentoul? I think not, I want to win some money!
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,629
    welcome to PB Kevin!
  • DecrepitJohnLDecrepitJohnL Posts: 13,300
    edited October 2013
    Hunt is clearly a rising star, and David Cameron was Shadow Education Secretary, so Hunt is certainly in a post from which he can make his name, but when will the vacancy arise? If Labour wins or is largest party in 2015 then Miliband will be PM until 2020 at least.
  • AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    Tristram Hunt is off the top shelf.

    I can only think of one other in the Labour Party.

    I put it all down to telegenetics.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    RT @FXMC1957: 21 October 1975. Britain's unemployment figure reached 1 Million for the first time since World War 2.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 56,000
    edited October 2013
    *checks the calendar* This is a joke right? A sly dig at that paucity of talent in the Labour party? One week where, according to Rentoul, he wasn't very good but didn't make a mistake and he is a contender for leader?

    I mean, I know the bar isn't very high and there must be a desperation to find someone not tainted with the Brown stuff but really?

  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 56,000
    Plato said:

    RT @FXMC1957: 21 October 1975. Britain's unemployment figure reached 1 Million for the first time since World War 2.

    I remember that. There were serious discussions about whether society could hold together under the strain, whether social cohesion would collapse and whether there would be riots. Now getting unemployment down under 2.5m is an achievement, apparently.

    I also remember Nigel Lawson in the late 1980s saying that unemployment was not an economic issue, in that the country could afford the benefits (those were the days), it was a moral issue. Was it acceptable that so many of our fellow citizens were being denied the fruits of work? He was right, as usual.

  • fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,456
    What would Len McCluskey make of Tristram Hunt as a future Labour Leader?
  • RogerRoger Posts: 20,782
    Articulate clever young handsome personable.

    Doesn't stand a chance
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    fitalass said:

    What would Len McCluskey make of Tristram Hunt as a future Labour Leader?

    LOL
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    DavidL said:

    Plato said:

    RT @FXMC1957: 21 October 1975. Britain's unemployment figure reached 1 Million for the first time since World War 2.

    I remember that. There were serious discussions about whether society could hold together under the strain, whether social cohesion would collapse and whether there would be riots. Now getting unemployment down under 2.5m is an achievement, apparently.

    I also remember Nigel Lawson in the late 1980s saying that unemployment was not an economic issue, in that the country could afford the benefits (those were the days), it was a moral issue. Was it acceptable that so many of our fellow citizens were being denied the fruits of work? He was right, as usual.

    I dimly remember it being all over the papers, what was the population here back then 50m ish?
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Jon Hunt @BBCJonHunt
    BBC News - Brighton Green leader Kitcat blames 'ill-discipline' for poll slump bbc.in/1aySxKt
  • AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    Plato said:

    Jon Hunt @BBCJonHunt
    BBC News - Brighton Green leader Kitcat blames 'ill-discipline' for poll slump bbc.in/1aySxKt

    “Gimme a Break, Gimme a Break”
  • david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 18,357
    DecrepitJohnL said:

    Hunt is clearly a rising star, and David Cameron was Shadow Education Secretary, so Hunt is certainly in a post from which he can make his name, but when will the vacancy arise? If Labour wins or is largest party in 2015 then Miliband will be PM until 2020 at least.

    And that's a fair point but 33/1 was still an excellent set of odds. Hunt is only likely to become leader in opposition; beauty contests don't count for as much In government. As such, we probably are looking at 2020 or later for this bet to come in. The Labour Party would also need to be ready for another presentation-heavy leader and I think there's still caution on the part of many there, after what happened with the last one (yeah, three election wins but it turned out he was a NeoCon).

    Still, there are usually excellent odds to be had on the person who becomes the next leader if you can identify them far enough out. Brown was a rare exception. Mike's right to have a punt on a possible. There's every possibility that Hunt may become another name on the long list of might-have-beens, but there's also the chance he won't and I do think he has value there.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 20,782

    "Tristram's handy if Ed Miliband loses Labour's love"

    I suppose he's saving 'Love Labour's Lost' for a defection
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    Plato said:

    DavidL said:

    Plato said:

    RT @FXMC1957: 21 October 1975. Britain's unemployment figure reached 1 Million for the first time since World War 2.

    I remember that. There were serious discussions about whether society could hold together under the strain, whether social cohesion would collapse and whether there would be riots. Now getting unemployment down under 2.5m is an achievement, apparently.

    I also remember Nigel Lawson in the late 1980s saying that unemployment was not an economic issue, in that the country could afford the benefits (those were the days), it was a moral issue. Was it acceptable that so many of our fellow citizens were being denied the fruits of work? He was right, as usual.

    I dimly remember it being all over the papers, what was the population here back then 50m ish?
    56 million.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demography_of_the_United_Kingdom
  • AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    Roger said:

    Articulate clever young handsome personable.

    Doesn't stand a chance

    Speak for yourself, Roger.

    Never stopped me.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    norman smith @BBCNormanS
    25,000 jobs to be created through building of new nuclear power station at #hinkley say Govt

    norman smith @BBCNormanS
    Govt say #EDF will be responsible for decommissioning costs at #Hinkley Point and share of costs of waste management
  • Life_ina_market_townLife_ina_market_town Posts: 2,319
    edited October 2013
    According to the Secretary of State for Energy an Climate Change, '[f]or the first time, a nuclear power station in this country will not have been built with money from the British taxpayer.' (Per Press Release on Hinkley Point C) So what exactly is a stake price of £92.50/MWh (linked to Consumer Prices Inflation), if it is not money from the British taxpayer? The government treats the public like fools.
  • SMukeshSMukesh Posts: 1,759
    If Labour loses in 2015,then Hunt has a good chance.For when they lose,they`ll move right to be a Blairite party.
  • SMukeshSMukesh Posts: 1,759
    7% of UK energy to be clean!

    Is Davey setting up the big Lib Dem policy success in energy come 2015.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    SMukesh said:

    7% of UK energy to be clean!

    Is Davey setting up the big Lib Dem policy success in energy come 2015.

    Commentator on R4 making the point that this is a good deal if we are going to hit our carbon reduction targets.....

  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    Which unions can Hunt count on for producing mail shots to be stuffed in with leadership ballot papers ??
  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    At 33/1 this is a good bet, but he should consider changing his name by deed poll to Colin.
  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    I cannot see it. Does Tristam have either the vision or support of the party?

    I agree that there is a major talent shortage on the front bench, but talent for TV is not the only requirement.
  • SimonStClareSimonStClare Posts: 7,976
    Roger said:

    Articulate clever young handsome personable.

    Doesn't stand a chance


    chortle...!
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 56,000
    It will be at least a couple of decades before we know whether we got a good or a bad price for Hinkley Point. Long enough for Davey and the rest of this government to be safely off the scene.

    What we know right now is that there is an assurance of base supply for large industrial users in the UK, that that will not be cheap energy but it may not be expensive either depending upon what happens in other markets over time, that we have another major infrastructure project up and running and that a decision that ought to have been made more than 10 years ago has finally been made.

    The deal is clearly complex but does allow some clawback if costs undershoot (wouldn't bank on that George) and a reduction in the strike price if they agree to develop a second site: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/10392510/Hinkley-Point-good-for-Britain-says-Ed-Davey.html

    As I say way too early to tell but at least we are getting on with it at last.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 20,782
    edited October 2013
    @DavidL

    "I mean, I know the bar isn't very high and there must be a desperation to find someone not tainted with the Brown stuff but really?"

    Actually you're being unfair. He has every quality needed to be a leader in the X Factor age. He's better looking than Dave. Cleverer than Dave. More articulate as Dave. Without the Bullingdon baggage of Dave. Not OTT plummy like Dave.

    But most important he's Labour. He chose his own way. He didn't just get in line behind every Etonian toff before him into the Tory Party. The British have always preferred someone who zigs when then the rest of the herd zags. Something no one can suggest Dave has done

  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    tim said:

    Osbornes personality flaws will be with us long after he's gone away

    @TelePolitics: Blog: Should the Government really be selling off Britain to China, a country that spies on us? http://t.co/7psw1CLuIk

    Don't you read the polls tim?

    "BRITS WELCOME CHINESE WITH OPEN ARMS"

    http://yougov.co.uk/news/2013/10/17/china-most-important-trade-partner/
  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    When the lights go out, we will be very glad of the power at any price, and it is a fairly secure supply.

    As PFI deals go, it is a good one.
    DavidL said:

    It will be at least a couple of decades before we know whether we got a good or a bad price for Hinkley Point. Long enough for Davey and the rest of this government to be safely off the scene.

    What we know right now is that there is an assurance of base supply for large industrial users in the UK, that that will not be cheap energy but it may not be expensive either depending upon what happens in other markets over time, that we have another major infrastructure project up and running and that a decision that ought to have been made more than 10 years ago has finally been made.

    The deal is clearly complex but does allow some clawback if costs undershoot (wouldn't bank on that George) and a reduction in the strike price if they agree to develop a second site: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/10392510/Hinkley-Point-good-for-Britain-says-Ed-Davey.html

    As I say way too early to tell but at least we are getting on with it at last.

  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    Roger said:

    But most important he's Labour. He chose his own way.

    Really?

    "Hunt is the son of Julian Hunt, a meteorologist and leader of the Labour Group on Cambridge City Council in 1972-3, who was created a Labour Life Peer on the recommendation of Tony Blair in 2000."

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristram_Hunt

    If he was the son of a Tory politician your argument might have more validity........
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    tim said:

    Osbornes personality flaws will be with us long after he's gone away

    @TelePolitics: Blog: Should the Government really be selling off Britain to China, a country that spies on us? http://t.co/7psw1CLuIk

    "Brown offers £50M to Chinese to tackle climate change"


    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7194864.stm


    Whilst promising that Uk will buy Chinese consumer goods.

    Pre Labour's bust mind you...
  • MonikerDiCanioMonikerDiCanio Posts: 5,792
    Roger said:

    @DavidL

    "I mean, I know the bar isn't very high and there must be a desperation to find someone not tainted with the Brown stuff but really?"

    Actually you're being unfair. He has every quality needed to be a leader in the X Factor age. He's better looking than Dave. Cleverer than Dave. More articulate as Dave. Without the Bullingdon baggage of Dave. Not OTT plummy like Dave.

    But most important he's Labour. He chose his own way. He didn't just get in line behind every Etonian toff before him into the Tory Party. The British have always preferred someone who zigs when then the rest of the herd zags. Something no one can suggest Dave has done

    Hunt looks like a blond Mitt Romney. Rather ridiculous and plastic.

  • AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    edited October 2013
    tim said:

    Life_ina_market_town said:

    According to the Secretary of State for Energy an Climate Change, '[f]or the first time, a nuclear power station in this country will not have been built with money from the British taxpayer.' (Per Press Release on Hinkley Point C) So what exactly is a stake price of £92.50/MWh (linked to Consumer Prices Inflation), if it is not money from the British taxpayer? The government treats the public like fools.

    LOL

    Osborne thinks the British energy consumer transferring resources at a fixed price to the Chinese Communist Party is an example of free enterprise.
    As with East Coast Rail and the Royal Mail, any govt can own a chunk of the UK as long at its not the UK govt.
    tim

    China has foreign exchange reserves of $3.5 trillion and averages around $20 billion dollars trade surplus a month.

    The UK has foreign exchange reserves of $106 billion, around 3% of China's, and has run an average trade deficit of £1.2 billion per month for the past sixty years.

    China has the technology, experience, financial resources and will to set up a nuclear power station in the UK?

    Pray tell me, Sir, how Labour would finance such a project in lieu of direct Chinese investment.

    It is my understanding that it would be difficult to generate nuclear power from a spare room on a housing benefit subsidy
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    tim said:

    CarlottaVance said:

    tim said:

    Osbornes personality flaws will be with us long after he's gone away

    @TelePolitics: Blog: Should the Government really be selling off Britain to China, a country that spies on us? http://t.co/7psw1CLuIk

    Don't you read the polls tim?

    "BRITS WELCOME CHINESE WITH OPEN ARMS"

    http://yougov.co.uk/news/2013/10/17/china-most-important-trade-partner/

    That's a pol about Chinese tourists and business visitors, what has it got to do with guaranteeing the investments of the Communist Party?
    You don't read the polls:

    "China tops the list of regions that the UK should forge closer trading partnerships with (53%), somewhat ahead of Europe (35%), Australia and New Zealand (34%) and North America (33%)."



  • OblitusSumMeOblitusSumMe Posts: 9,143
    Well, he does have a full head of hair.

    If Hunt the Historian became leader of Labour, could we please have Dan Snow as leader of the Liberal Democrats and Niall Ferguson as leader of the Conservatives?

    Political speeches could become more interesting with well-spoken history experts at the top.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 20,782
    @DiCanio

    "Hunt looks like a blond Mitt Romney. Rather ridiculous and plastic"

    It's buy one get one free at Specsavers this week.
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 40,054
    Even more worrying than giving a totalitarian government a fundamental role in developing our energy infrastructure is the idea of giving its banks full access to the City.

    The government is absolutely right to see the enormous opportunities there are in trading with Chia, but it does seem to be very wide eyed about it, as opposed to open eyed. I think we were very badly stung by Dave's meeting with the Dalai Lama. That really pissed the Chinese off and so now to get back in the good books we have had to make more compromises than would otherwise have been the case.
  • Gerry_ManderGerry_Mander Posts: 621
    SouthamObserver said:

    Even more worrying than giving a totalitarian government a fundamental role in developing our energy infrastructure is the idea of giving its banks full access to the City.

    The government is absolutely right to see the enormous opportunities there are in trading with Chia, but it does seem to be very wide eyed about it, as opposed to open eyed. I think we were very badly stung by Dave's meeting with the Dalai Lama. That really pissed the Chinese off and so now to get back in the good books we have had to make more compromises than would otherwise have been the case.

    Do you think it was wrong for Dave to meet the Dalai Lama?
  • OblitusSumMeOblitusSumMe Posts: 9,143
    Roger said:

    @DavidL

    "I mean, I know the bar isn't very high and there must be a desperation to find someone not tainted with the Brown stuff but really?"

    Actually you're being unfair. He has every quality needed to be a leader in the X Factor age. He's better looking than Dave. Cleverer than Dave. More articulate as Dave. Without the Bullingdon baggage of Dave. Not OTT plummy like Dave.

    But most important he's Labour. He chose his own way. He didn't just get in line behind every Etonian toff before him into the Tory Party. The British have always preferred someone who zigs when then the rest of the herd zags. Something no one can suggest Dave has done

    But he is called Tristram. It's a ruddy awful name, even leaving aside the class overtones, because the second "r" makes it absurdly difficult to pronounce for a first name.

    He's got the Hugh Grant open-necked shirt look quite comfortably though. That won't do him any harm among the all-important 45-65 female demographic.
  • AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    edited October 2013
    tim said:

    Osbornes personality flaws will be with us long after he's gone away

    @TelePolitics: Blog: Should the Government really be selling off Britain to China, a country that spies on us? http://t.co/7psw1CLuIk

    Do we not spy on China?

    If we can buy oil from Saudi Arabia and gas from Russia, why on earth should we not be buying nuclear energy generation capability from China?

  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    AveryLP said:

    tim said:

    Osbornes personality flaws will be with us long after he's gone away

    @TelePolitics: Blog: Should the Government really be selling off Britain to China, a country that spies on us? http://t.co/7psw1CLuIk

    If we can buy oil from Saudi Arabia and gas from Russia, why on earth should we not be buying nuclear energy generation capability from China?

    Right wing nationalist totalitarians good, left wing nationalist totalitarians bad?

    It's a funny old world, tim's-world......

  • AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    tim said:

    @Avery

    "Cameron Says China Uncertainty Requires U.K. to Maintain Nuclear Deterrent"

    “Are we really happy to say that we’d give up our independent nuclear deterrent when we don’t know what is going to happen with Iran, we can’t be certain of the future in China?”

    http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2010-04-15/cameron-says-china-uncertainty-requires-u-k-to-maintain-nuclear-deterrent.html


    Any idea what changed?

    Nothing.

  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 40,054
    Gerry_Mander said:

    SouthamObserver said:

    Even more worrying than giving a totalitarian government a fundamental role in developing our energy infrastructure is the idea of giving its banks full access to the City.

    The government is absolutely right to see the enormous opportunities there are in trading with Chia, but it does seem to be very wide eyed about it, as opposed to open eyed. I think we were very badly stung by Dave's meeting with the Dalai Lama. That really pissed the Chinese off and so now to get back in the good books we have had to make more compromises than would otherwise have been the case.

    Do you think it was wrong for Dave to meet the Dalai Lama?

    From the perspective of UK national interest it undoubtedly was. We are not the US. We can't just get away with these things. Given the Chinese are instinctively anti-British anyway it was spectacularly ill-advised.

  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,776
    Good morning, everyone.

    Moderately amused and entirely unsurprised that a evil Tory toff!!! chap with a privileged background is seen as good because he's in Labour, whereas if he were in the Conservatives he'd be seen in quite a different light.

    Done most of the early discussion piece for India, and I'll try and get that up fairly shortly.
  • dugarbandierdugarbandier Posts: 2,596
    AveryLP said:

    tim said:

    Osbornes personality flaws will be with us long after he's gone away

    @TelePolitics: Blog: Should the Government really be selling off Britain to China, a country that spies on us? http://t.co/7psw1CLuIk

    Do we not spy on China?

    If we can buy oil from Saudi Arabia and gas from Russia, why on earth should we not be buying nuclear energy generation capability from China?

    I'm all in favour of new nuclear, but given the public safety track record of Chinese officials, there might be some concern that any safety data from Chinese built and operated reactors might rival Tepco for transparency
  • FattyBolgerFattyBolger Posts: 299
    Being newish to PB I understandthere may be some widget to filter out specific posters who you may find for example repetitive, snide and ungracious. Can someone point me in the right direction. Thanks
  • OblitusSumMeOblitusSumMe Posts: 9,143
    SouthamObserver said:

    Even more worrying than giving a totalitarian government a fundamental role in developing our energy infrastructure...

    As I understand it, all the Chinese are giving us is a large wodge of cash. It's the French who will be directly involved in building the things.

    It's pretty embarrassing that we can have a huge frenzy of excitement about making a quick profit on the sale of Royal Mail shares, but we can't find the money to fund investment in our energy infrastructure. Instead we will be sending money overseas for decades.
  • JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,312
    SouthamObserver said:

    Gerry_Mander said:

    SouthamObserver said:

    Even more worrying than giving a totalitarian government a fundamental role in developing our energy infrastructure is the idea of giving its banks full access to the City.

    The government is absolutely right to see the enormous opportunities there are in trading with Chia, but it does seem to be very wide eyed about it, as opposed to open eyed. I think we were very badly stung by Dave's meeting with the Dalai Lama. That really pissed the Chinese off and so now to get back in the good books we have had to make more compromises than would otherwise have been the case.

    Do you think it was wrong for Dave to meet the Dalai Lama?

    From the perspective of UK national interest it undoubtedly was. We are not the US. We can't just get away with these things. Given the Chinese are instinctively anti-British anyway it was spectacularly ill-advised.

    Harry Pollitt would be proud of you, wouldn't he, tim?
  • AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    edited October 2013
    dugarbandier said:

    AveryLP said:

    tim said:

    Osbornes personality flaws will be with us long after he's gone away

    @TelePolitics: Blog: Should the Government really be selling off Britain to China, a country that spies on us? http://t.co/7psw1CLuIk

    Do we not spy on China?

    If we can buy oil from Saudi Arabia and gas from Russia, why on earth should we not be buying nuclear energy generation capability from China?

    I'm all in favour of new nuclear, but given the public safety track record of Chinese officials, there might be some concern that any safety data from Chinese built and operated reactors might rival Tepco for transparency
    But it will be built to UK safety standards under UK supervision.

    Councillor Jobsworth will be seconded from the Lib Dems to supervise installation once he has completed his training and been awarded a suitable qualification.

  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,718
    Are the Chinese worse than the Saudis? At least the former are not funding the ideology behind much of the terrorism we suffer from.
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 40,054
    AveryLP said:

    tim said:

    Osbornes personality flaws will be with us long after he's gone away

    @TelePolitics: Blog: Should the Government really be selling off Britain to China, a country that spies on us? http://t.co/7psw1CLuIk

    Do we not spy on China?

    If we can buy oil from Saudi Arabia and gas from Russia, why on earth should we not be buying nuclear energy generation capability from China?

    I very much hope that our government can see the difference between private companies buying oil from the Saudis and the British taxpayer underpinning the creation of a nuclear power plant in the heart of England.

  • JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    So far the jury is out on Dr (You know I'm a Cambridge PhD) The Honourable Tristram Hunt.

    His first round of media interviews on appointment were promising but his HoC Emergency Question last week was a mare. Barely half an hour long, badly attended by the Labour benches and comfortably bested by David Laws.

    Fortunately for the good Dr Hunt the Coalition has thrown him a juicy bone with their dissent over free schools.

    Perhaps he'll be a lucky general.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    SouthamObserver said:

    AveryLP said:

    tim said:

    Osbornes personality flaws will be with us long after he's gone away

    @TelePolitics: Blog: Should the Government really be selling off Britain to China, a country that spies on us? http://t.co/7psw1CLuIk

    Do we not spy on China?

    If we can buy oil from Saudi Arabia and gas from Russia, why on earth should we not be buying nuclear energy generation capability from China?

    a nuclear power plant in the heart of England.
    Isn't Hinkley Point on the coast?

  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 40,054
    FattyBolger said:

    Being newish to PB I understandthere may be some widget to filter out specific posters who you may find for example repetitive, snide and ungracious. Can someone point me in the right direction. Thanks

    What a wonderful and incisive addition to PB you look set to be. Can you make sure you filter me out? Cheers.

  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    JackW said:

    His first round of media interviews on appointment were promising but his HoC Emergency Question last week was a mare. Barely half an hour long, badly attended by the Labour benches and comfortably bested by David Laws.

    Yes, I got the impression he hadn't done his homework and thought he could rely on TV soundbites.....lets see whether he learns for his next outing......

  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 60,839
    Tristram was in my corridor in my first year at university. As was his cousin.

    I would put money on Kwasi Kwarteng to be the first of my university set to make it to either the cabinet or the leadership of a political party.
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 40,054
    CarlottaVance said:

    SouthamObserver said:

    AveryLP said:

    tim said:

    Osbornes personality flaws will be with us long after he's gone away

    @TelePolitics: Blog: Should the Government really be selling off Britain to China, a country that spies on us? http://t.co/7psw1CLuIk

    Do we not spy on China?

    If we can buy oil from Saudi Arabia and gas from Russia, why on earth should we not be buying nuclear energy generation capability from China?

    a nuclear power plant in the heart of England.
    Isn't Hinkley Point on the coast?

    I was not being literal.

  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    tim said:

    Good point from Will Hutton

    That's not something you read often.....

    And forgive me if I remain a sceptic of Will Hutton's analysis:

    "If only Britain had joined the euro
    If Gordon Brown had chosen to join the single currency 10 years ago, both the European Union and Britain would be stronger now"

    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jun/13/if-britain-had-joined-the-euro
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,321
    Whatever happened to that ethical Co-Op Banking model which was upheld only a year ago by Ed Miliband? http://www.party.coop/2012/07/09/ed-miliband-mp-sets-out-his-banking-reform-plans-at-the-co-operative-bank-hq/
  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    The central question about Chinese investment in British infrastructure is whether it is value for money for Britain. As a Chinese man once said:

    "It doesn't matter whether it's a white cat or a black, I think; a cat that catches mice is a good cat."

    It's quite funny to see some of the people who praised Boris Johnson's article last night showing low level xenophobia this morning.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,776
    Bondholders take control of Co-op Bank, it seems:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24605864
  • AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    CarlottaVance said:

    SouthamObserver said:

    AveryLP said:

    tim said:

    Osbornes personality flaws will be with us long after he's gone away

    @TelePolitics: Blog: Should the Government really be selling off Britain to China, a country that spies on us? http://t.co/7psw1CLuIk

    Do we not spy on China?

    If we can buy oil from Saudi Arabia and gas from Russia, why on earth should we not be buying nuclear energy generation capability from China?

    a nuclear power plant in the heart of England.
    Isn't Hinkley Point on the coast?

    Carlotta

    I think you have found the chink in SO's arbour.

  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    SouthamObserver said:

    CarlottaVance said:

    SouthamObserver said:

    AveryLP said:

    tim said:

    Osbornes personality flaws will be with us long after he's gone away

    @TelePolitics: Blog: Should the Government really be selling off Britain to China, a country that spies on us? http://t.co/7psw1CLuIk

    Do we not spy on China?

    If we can buy oil from Saudi Arabia and gas from Russia, why on earth should we not be buying nuclear energy generation capability from China?

    a nuclear power plant in the heart of England.
    Isn't Hinkley Point on the coast?

    I was not being literal.

    Nor littoral.......

  • AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    tim said:

    Grovelling George

    @peterwalker99: Good point from Will Hutton: why does Osborne laud China's far-from-free-market economy? http://t.co/Zn8CazO7bl

    George is a Master Strategist. He knows when to submit to the powerful.

  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,776
    Mr. Bolger, I don't use it myself but I think the widget is the work of Mr. Tokyo.
  • WelshJonesWelshJones Posts: 66
    Milliband = Foot
    Hunt = Blair.

    Note that Britain long ago fell out with Blair clones as prospective PMs and is seeking an older, wiser, more experienced-outside-politics person who (preferably) has a science/engineering degree.

    In his favour, he was not, AFAIK, a SPAD and his degree is not an Oxford PPE one.

    So why, pray, is he not addressed as 'Doctor Hunt' by interviewers? The choice is not his to make............
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,575
    Stuart_Dickson said:

    Tristram Hunt now 16/1 with Paddy Power, and they will only let me put on a Max stake of 5 pounds 49 p. Can't be bothered at that price.

    Stuart, at least it has saved you throwing a fiver down the drain
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    edited October 2013
    dr_spyn said:

    Whatever happened to that ethical Co-Op Banking model which was upheld only a year ago by Ed Miliband? http://www.party.coop/2012/07/09/ed-miliband-mp-sets-out-his-banking-reform-plans-at-the-co-operative-bank-hq/

    Quite an 'ethical bank' thats facing a further £100 million for PPI mis-selling......

    "Co-op Bank is also expected to announce later today that its provisions for the costs of compensating customers for mis-selling PPI insurance or for flaws in lending documentation, inter alia, will be around £100m greater than it expected."

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24605864

    I wonder if holders of big over drafts at the COOP should worry about regime change?
  • Gerry_ManderGerry_Mander Posts: 621
    FattyBolger said:

    Being newish to PB I understandthere may be some widget to filter out specific posters who you may find for example repetitive, snide and ungracious. Can someone point me in the right direction. Thanks

    Mr/Ms Bolger, you will need Edmund's widget. I got it from a link on this site a few weeks ago. I can't see it now, but a quick googloe produced this from a few years ago. It might be out of date, or it might point you to an up to date release. http://edmundintokyo.wordpress.com/2010/04/08/a-more-efficient-way-to-waste-time-on-politicalbetting-com-firefox-only/#install
  • JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    tim said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Are the Chinese worse than the Saudis? At least the former are not funding the ideology behind much of the terrorism we suffer from.

    Is anyone arguing Saudi Arabia should be given the Osborne tonguing and special status regarding banks and nuclear that China just got?

    I think it's fair to note that governments of all colours have been tonguing the Saudi's for decades.

    Or are you indicating that only Labour should be economically rimming the Gulf states ??

  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 44,135
    @tim

    what exactly is it about the Chinese that you don't like, tim?

    You remind me of the 2012 Republicans.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,575
    Life_ina_market_town said:

    According to the Secretary of State for Energy an Climate Change, '[f]or the first time, a nuclear power station in this country will not have been built with money from the British taxpayer.' (Per Press Release on Hinkley Point C) So what exactly is a stake price of £92.50/MWh (linked to Consumer Prices Inflation), if it is not money from the British taxpayer? The government treats the public like fools.

    LIAMT : You are nearly correct. They are total fools and stupid enough to think above is real and in reality do not care a jot about the public , but think they are so smart they will keep the public on board.
  • AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    edited October 2013
    rcs1000 said:

    Tristram was in my corridor in my first year at university. As was his cousin.

    I would put money on Kwasi Kwarteng to be the first of my university set to make it to either the cabinet or the leadership of a political party.

    If your Dad is leader of Cambridge Council then I am sure the corridor could have been filled with all his sisters, and his cousins and his aunts.

  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 60,839
    dugarbandier said:

    AveryLP said:

    tim said:

    Osbornes personality flaws will be with us long after he's gone away

    @TelePolitics: Blog: Should the Government really be selling off Britain to China, a country that spies on us? http://t.co/7psw1CLuIk

    Do we not spy on China?

    If we can buy oil from Saudi Arabia and gas from Russia, why on earth should we not be buying nuclear energy generation capability from China?

    I'm all in favour of new nuclear, but given the public safety track record of Chinese officials, there might be some concern that any safety data from Chinese built and operated reactors might rival Tepco for transparency
    All the Chinese are providing is cheap financing. The reactors will be managed by EDF, the (largely state owned) French electricity giant, who has a pretty good safety record. The reactors are based on the Areva (also French) EPR design.

    Two EPR reactors are currently under construction in Europe (one at Flamanville in France, the other in Finland). Both have blown out their budgets (current cost estimates of $11bn, against a budget of around $4bn a piece), and are massively late (in service dates of 2015/16 against plans of 2008). I hope the contract we have is such that we - the taxpayers - will not be paying if these reactors are late and/or over-budget.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    TOPPING said:

    @tim

    what exactly is it about the Chinese that you don't like, tim?

    You remind me of the 2012 Republicans.

    Its most odd - he's especially keen on Chinese students - even if they attend dodgy language schools.....

  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 40,054
    edited October 2013
    antifrank said:

    The central question about Chinese investment in British infrastructure is whether it is value for money for Britain. As a Chinese man once said:

    "It doesn't matter whether it's a white cat or a black, I think; a cat that catches mice is a good cat."

    It's quite funny to see some of the people who praised Boris Johnson's article last night showing low level xenophobia this morning.

    What's xenophobic about having concerns that laying out the red carpet for a totalitarian regime is not necessarily in our long term national interest? Given the inherent uncertainty surrounding such forms of government and their rejection of concepts such as an independent judiciary, freedom of movement, thought and capital, what looks a good deal now may well look very different in a few years' time - especially as we do have an independent judiciary. Statements that GO has made over the last week seem to indicate he may not have the clearest and most forensic understanding of how China functions. But, then again, if the government did have a proper appreciation of the Communist Party regime there is no way Dave would have met the Dalai Lama.

  • JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    WelshJones said:

    Milliband = Foot
    Hunt = Blair.

    Note that Britain long ago fell out with Blair clones as prospective PMs and is seeking an older, wiser, more experienced-outside-politics person who (preferably) has a science/engineering degree.

    In his favour, he was not, AFAIK, a SPAD and his degree is not an Oxford PPE one.

    So why, pray, is he not addressed as 'Doctor Hunt' by interviewers? The choice is not his to make............

    As the son of a Baron he is Dr The Honourable Tristram Hunt.

  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 44,498
    edited October 2013
    Plato said:

    RT @FXMC1957: 21 October 1975. Britain's unemployment figure reached 1 Million for the first time since World War 2.

    Tories, erasing their bloopers from history since, well, forever really..

    '1972: UK unemployment tops one million
    The number of people out of work and claiming benefit has risen above one million for the first time since the 1930s.
    There were angry demonstrations in the House of Commons when the jobless total was confirmed as 1,023,583.'

    http://tinyurl.com/y8r77tf

  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,575
    OblitusSumMe said:

    SouthamObserver said:

    Even more worrying than giving a totalitarian government a fundamental role in developing our energy infrastructure...

    As I understand it, all the Chinese are giving us is a large wodge of cash. It's the French who will be directly involved in building the things.

    It's pretty embarrassing that we can have a huge frenzy of excitement about making a quick profit on the sale of Royal Mail shares, but we can't find the money to fund investment in our energy infrastructure. Instead we will be sending money overseas for decades.
    You could not make it up , the Tory genius, give all our money to the Chinese for 35 years and in return they will give a wedge of it to our French friends to build a monstrosity and milk the public, whilst some chums will no doubt grace the boardrooms of all involved.
    Makes Brown's PFI look clever and a bargain.
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 44,135
    CarlottaVance said:

    TOPPING said:

    @tim

    what exactly is it about the Chinese that you don't like, tim?

    You remind me of the 2012 Republicans.

    Its most odd - he's especially keen on Chinese students - even if they attend dodgy language schools.....

    It's obviously the wrong kind of foreigner.

    As for those snide comments about those beloved communists, well he might as well be channeling Mitt.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 60,839
    SouthamObserver said:

    antifrank said:

    The central question about Chinese investment in British infrastructure is whether it is value for money for Britain. As a Chinese man once said:

    "It doesn't matter whether it's a white cat or a black, I think; a cat that catches mice is a good cat."

    It's quite funny to see some of the people who praised Boris Johnson's article last night showing low level xenophobia this morning.

    What's xenophobic about having concerns that laying out the red carpet for a totalitarian regime is not necessarily in our long term national interest? Given the inherent uncertainty surrounding such forms of government and their rejection of concepts such as an independent judiciary, freedom of movement, thought and capital, what looks a good deal now may well look very different in a few years' time - especially as we do have an independent judiciary. Statements that GO has made over the last week seem to indicate he may not have the clearest and most forensic understanding of how China functions. But, then again, if the government did have a proper appreciation of the Communist Party regime there is no way Dave would have met the Dalai Lama.

    SO: you can rest easy, all China is providing is a cheque.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,575
    Plato said:

    norman smith @BBCNormanS
    25,000 jobs to be created through building of new nuclear power station at #hinkley say Govt

    norman smith @BBCNormanS
    Govt say #EDF will be responsible for decommissioning costs at #Hinkley Point and share of costs of waste management

    He forgot to add that it was 25000 French jobs
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,776
    Mr. Observer, there may well be legitimate criticisms about Chinese engagement. However, on energy, Labour had 13 years and spent most of that time making energy more expensive instead of actually building any power stations. There wouldn't be such an urgent need for new stations if Labour hadn't dicked about.

    It's good to see some new stations will be built shortly [in relative terms].

    It'd be nice if we increased gas reserves so we could last longer than a week if supplies were cut off, though...
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 40,054
    SeanT said:

    You mean Dr the Honourable Tristram Julian William Hunt MP, the privately-schooled, Cambridge-educated son of Lord Hunt?

    Do it, Labour. Do it. The Tories should then elect a CDE state-schooled woman to lead them against Labour. The result would be a Conservative landslide.

    Just like in 1997.

  • dugarbandierdugarbandier Posts: 2,596
    rcs1000 said:

    dugarbandier said:

    AveryLP said:

    tim said:

    Osbornes personality flaws will be with us long after he's gone away

    @TelePolitics: Blog: Should the Government really be selling off Britain to China, a country that spies on us? http://t.co/7psw1CLuIk

    Do we not spy on China?

    If we can buy oil from Saudi Arabia and gas from Russia, why on earth should we not be buying nuclear energy generation capability from China?

    I'm all in favour of new nuclear, but given the public safety track record of Chinese officials, there might be some concern that any safety data from Chinese built and operated reactors might rival Tepco for transparency
    All the Chinese are providing is cheap financing. The reactors will be managed by EDF, the (largely state owned) French electricity giant, who has a pretty good safety record. The reactors are based on the Areva (also French) EPR design.

    Two EPR reactors are currently under construction in Europe (one at Flamanville in France, the other in Finland). Both have blown out their budgets (current cost estimates of $11bn, against a budget of around $4bn a piece), and are massively late (in service dates of 2015/16 against plans of 2008). I hope the contract we have is such that we - the taxpayers - will not be paying if these reactors are late and/or over-budget.
    I stand corrected, thanks.

    Taxpayers are always on the hook for nuclear in the end, esp wrt decommissioning. On the other hand, that underwriting may well be necessary to keep the lights on
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    malcolmg said:

    Plato said:

    norman smith @BBCNormanS
    25,000 jobs to be created through building of new nuclear power station at #hinkley say Govt

    norman smith @BBCNormanS
    Govt say #EDF will be responsible for decommissioning costs at #Hinkley Point and share of costs of waste management

    He forgot to add that it was 25000 French jobs
    Since that directly contradicts Ed Davey, I suppose you've got a link for that?

  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    FattyBolger said:

    Being newish to PB I understandthere may be some widget to filter out specific posters who you may find for example repetitive, snide and ungracious. Can someone point me in the right direction. Thanks

    Check out the sidebar for Edmund in Tokyo's widget - it may be called EiT - it enables you to Favourite or Ignore posters. It's great.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,575
    Plato said:

    FattyBolger said:

    Being newish to PB I understandthere may be some widget to filter out specific posters who you may find for example repetitive, snide and ungracious. Can someone point me in the right direction. Thanks

    Check out the sidebar for Edmund in Tokyo's widget - it may be called EiT - it enables you to Favourite or Ignore posters. It's great.
    Yes wonderful if you only want to see your own bigoted point of view. Why bother coming on teh site if you don't want to hear a range of opinions.
  • JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    Unfortunately according to present rules should in time Hunt be sworn of the Privy Council, become a medical doctor, be awarded an honorary doctorate and then accept a life peerage he wouldn't be :

    Dr, Dr, Dr The Right Honourable, Right Honourable, Honourable Tristram Hunt
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 40,054
    edited October 2013
    Morris_Dancer said:

    Mr. Observer, there may well be legitimate criticisms about Chinese engagement. However, on energy, Labour had 13 years and spent most of that time making energy more expensive instead of actually building any power stations. There wouldn't be such an urgent need for new stations if Labour hadn't dicked about.

    It's good to see some new stations will be built shortly [in relative terms].

    It'd be nice if we increased gas reserves so we could last longer than a week if supplies were cut off, though...

    I am not defending Labour's record on energy. That is indefensible. I am questioning the current government's engagement with the Chinese Communist Party. I think the bottom line is that Dave's meeting with the Dalai Lama was one very costly photo opportunity.

  • RogerRoger Posts: 20,782
    @Obitus

    "But he is called Tristram. It's a ruddy awful name, even leaving aside the class overtones, because the second "r" makes it absurdly difficult to pronounce for a first name."

    It's the ultimate test for the electorate. Can they get their tongue round 'Tristram' or as antifrank suggests must they be fed a diet of Nick Dave Ed and Colin?
  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    SouthamObserver said:

    antifrank said:

    The central question about Chinese investment in British infrastructure is whether it is value for money for Britain. As a Chinese man once said:

    "It doesn't matter whether it's a white cat or a black, I think; a cat that catches mice is a good cat."

    It's quite funny to see some of the people who praised Boris Johnson's article last night showing low level xenophobia this morning.

    What's xenophobic about having concerns that laying out the red carpet for a totalitarian regime is not necessarily in our long term national interest? Given the inherent uncertainty surrounding such forms of government and their rejection of concepts such as an independent judiciary, freedom of movement, thought and capital, what looks a good deal now may well look very different in a few years' time - especially as we do have an independent judiciary. Statements that GO has made over the last week seem to indicate he may not have the clearest and most forensic understanding of how China functions. But, then again, if the government did have a proper appreciation of the Communist Party regime there is no way Dave would have met the Dalai Lama.

    Money has no odour. We can turn our back on China on the basis that we don't like its government, but that would be remarkably foolish given the size of its economy and its rapid growth. Or we can try to get a piece of the action. I'm in favour of trying to get a piece of the action.

    You can hardly present yourself as principled if you think that David Cameron shouldn't have met the Dalai Lama because it might upset the Chinese government.
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 40,054
    rcs1000 said:

    SouthamObserver said:

    antifrank said:

    The central question about Chinese investment in British infrastructure is whether it is value for money for Britain. As a Chinese man once said:

    "It doesn't matter whether it's a white cat or a black, I think; a cat that catches mice is a good cat."

    It's quite funny to see some of the people who praised Boris Johnson's article last night showing low level xenophobia this morning.

    What's xenophobic about having concerns that laying out the red carpet for a totalitarian regime is not necessarily in our long term national interest? Given the inherent uncertainty surrounding such forms of government and their rejection of concepts such as an independent judiciary, freedom of movement, thought and capital, what looks a good deal now may well look very different in a few years' time - especially as we do have an independent judiciary. Statements that GO has made over the last week seem to indicate he may not have the clearest and most forensic understanding of how China functions. But, then again, if the government did have a proper appreciation of the Communist Party regime there is no way Dave would have met the Dalai Lama.

    SO: you can rest easy, all China is providing is a cheque.

    As I say downthread the bigger concern for me is the access to the City.

  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    More swearing by a Tory MP:

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2467597/You-chateau-bottled-nuclear-powered----Tory-grandee-Soames-launches-astonishing-tea-room-broadside-EU-referendum-rebel-Afriyie.html
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