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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » The Tory survival plan is based on the Lib Dems staying str

SystemSystem Posts: 11,696
edited January 2014 in General

politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » The Tory survival plan is based on the Lib Dems staying strong in CON-LAB battlegrounds but collapsing in CON-LD ones

It’s been repeated often enough on PB that an essential part of Labour’s polling position is based on the very large proportion of 2010 LD voters who’ve now switched to Labour. If this hadn’t happened or starts to slip away then EdM’s dreams of becoming PM are in trouble.

Read the full story here


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  • Options
    AnorakAnorak Posts: 6,621
    edited January 2014
    First.

    And here's an excellent quiz. I got a miserable 5/10.

    http://games.usvsth3m.com/crapper-mapper
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    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    How old is Lord Ashcrofts poll now ? 6 months ?

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    anotherDaveanotherDave Posts: 6,746
    The recent ComRes favourable/unfavourable party ratings found UKIP rather than LDs, to be the preferred second choice for Labour voters.

    http://comresupdates.eu.com/DCJ-24O6F-F21LMD8E11/cr.aspx
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    QuincelQuincel Posts: 3,949
    Anorak said:

    First.

    And here's an excellent quiz. I got a miserable 5/10.

    http://games.usvsth3m.com/crapper-mapper

    8/10, and I'm still gutted over the final one. I knew it...grrr.

    I'm not sure what this says about me, but I kinda like it...
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    LennonLennon Posts: 1,735
    FPT so apologies, but hoping that it might get a response:
    Totally O/T - but am playing around with the 2011 Census data by Parliamentary constituency - what would be the factors that people would associate with most potential 'UKIP' territory?
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    MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382
    TGOHF said:

    How old is Lord Ashcrofts poll now ? 6 months ?

    That won't wash I'm afraid. The LD share in LD-CON battlegrounds was just 1% off the the total found in Ashcroft's 2011 marginals polling.



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    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    About that Ukip MEP in Scotland...

    Sun Politics ‏@Sun_Politics 12m

    UKIP leader @Nigel_Farage calls handgun ban brought in after the Dunblane massacre 'ludicrous' http://bit.ly/M3GiRw
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    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    There has been much talk on PB about the population at large failing to feel the effect of the economic recovery as measured by economic metrics such as GDP growth, inflation or Real Household Disposable Income.

    I have countered to some posts by pointing out that there are a number of indices based on confidence surveys and national polls which chart changing perceptions of household finances and that these are generally showing a movement from pessimism to optimism.

    For PB to complete the circle we need to know how changes in expectations of financial health, as measured by such surveys, translate, if at all, into changes in voting intention.

    But to know that with any reliablity, would make us all richer and would sharply diminish Shadsy's earnings expectations.

    The monthly Markit Household Finances Index, which measures a wide range of 'tangible' effects of economic change, is not due until next week. But we do have published today the Markit Knight Frank House Price Sentiment Index.

    It is worth looking at the headlines:

    • Households in every region perceive that the value of their home will rise over the next 12 months

    • The future House Price Sentiment Index hit a record high in January, indicating that prices are expected to rise at the fastest pace since the index began in early 2009

    • Households in every region perceived that the value of their home rose during the month


    On the metric itself:

    Some 22.5% of the 1,500 homeowners surveyed across the UK said that the value of their home had risen over the last month, up from 7.7% in January last year. Only 5.1% of households said the value of their home had fallen over the last month, giving a HPSI reading of 58.7 [falling < 50 > rising ]

    It is also worth noting when changes in sentiment 'crossed over' from expectations of falling prices to rising prices. When asked about 'current prices' respondents only started to report equilibrium at the end of Q1 2013.

    Expectations that 'future prices' will start rising came in a year earlier. The Index for 'future prices' ("over the next year") is now up at 72.3, an all time record, and for 'current prices' at 58.7%, with all regions recording above 50.

    Expectations of house prices rising is a fundamental indicator of changing economic confidence levels and this Markit Index underpins what Cameron means when he says people are beginning to feel the benefits of economic recovery.

    Now could some reliable PBer do the calculations which will quantify the effect of rising economic confidence on voting intention?
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    FregglesFreggles Posts: 3,486
    Logistic regression, Avery. I imagine someone else can do it better than I
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    QuincelQuincel Posts: 3,949
    Lennon said:

    FPT so apologies, but hoping that it might get a response:

    Totally O/T - but am playing around with the 2011 Census data by Parliamentary constituency - what would be the factors that people would associate with most potential 'UKIP' territory?
    I did a bit of playing, and just found that high proportions of under 25 year-olds is really bad, the more over 65s the better, and the smaller the non-white % the better. The by-elections only seem to show a bit of tipping points, but there aren't enough data points to be sure. Annoyingly, W&SE is right in the grey area for all these demographics anyway.
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    mojitomojito Posts: 1
    My own nascent model also has Con gaining 18 from the LDs. Labour gain 19 from Yellows (Sunset Yellow?) and 50 from the Blue team.

    c. a million LD to Lab votes could be returning Labour supporters - these are likely to stay Red between now and the election. I jotted some ideas on this here http://www.thehustings.co.uk/ex-libdems-to-feed-the-labour-bid-for-power-in-2015/
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    anotherDaveanotherDave Posts: 6,746
    TGOHF said:

    About that Ukip MEP in Scotland...

    Sun Politics ‏@Sun_Politics 12m

    UKIP leader @Nigel_Farage calls handgun ban brought in after the Dunblane massacre 'ludicrous' http://bit.ly/M3GiRw

    There are 130,000 firearm owners, and 570,000 shotgun owners.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10220974

    Gun enthusiasts might well appreciate having a party on their side.
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    Mick_PorkMick_Pork Posts: 6,530
    edited January 2014
    "It’s been repeated often enough on PB that an essential part of Labour’s polling position is based on the very large proportion of 2010 LD voters who’ve now switched to Labour. If this hadn’t happened or starts to slip away then EdM’s dreams of becoming PM are in trouble."

    And as we all know by now just because it's repeated on PB doesn't make it true.

    Here we can clearly see the mass exodus from the lib dems under Clegg after the 2010 election.

    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/96/UK_opinion_polling_2010-2015.png

    No surprise there but what is worth looking at is the tory labour movement AFTER the lib dems started flatlining at around 10% for the next four years.

    Far from the lib dem exodus being the only factor the lib dem VI then becomes basically an irrelevance with the tories and labour still fighting it out. They then almost have a polling crossover at the time of Cammie's EU flounce that wasn't just before Osbrowne really kickstarted the kipppers with the omnishambles. Then the tory labour movement is being most clearly affected by the kipper rise, not the lib dems who by then are just part of the background noise. So it will continue. If the kippers crashed and burned in a Robert Kilroy-Silk like manner all those soft tory voters would start to run back to the tories pretty quickly as we saw from last May's kipper drop after the elections and the concomitant tory rise. That would put a labour lead in severe danger and the fact is it still might be since once the kipper vote gets high enough it takes an increasingly big chunk out of little Ed's polling too. But does such an enormous Farage crash look likely? Not right now it doesn't. Quite the reverse as we approach the May EU elections.

    So to cut a long story short, no, not everything hinges on the 2010 lib dems no matter how much that would please Clegg and his amusing spinners. They theoretically could make a big difference but right now and since late 2010 it looks far more like it needs a small atom bomb to shift the lib dems meaningfully from their flatlining at around 10%.

    An uptick in the lib dem VI is still likely for 2015, but a truly massive shift from where they are now? No. And certainly not under Calamity Clegg. The damage has been and is being done to their base right now.

    A party that is getting beat by the kippers in scotland (of all places) is one that has very little hope of being central to anything unless the ostrich faction around Clegg take their heads out of the sand.
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    MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382

    The recent ComRes favourable/unfavourable party ratings found UKIP rather than LDs, to be the preferred second choice for Labour voters.

    http://comresupdates.eu.com/DCJ-24O6F-F21LMD8E11/cr.aspx

    That was nationally. This is in the marginals A massive difference.

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    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    Anorak said:

    First.

    And here's an excellent quiz. I got a miserable 5/10.

    http://games.usvsth3m.com/crapper-mapper

    A rather perturbing 8/10
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    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    edited January 2014
    @mojito

    Welcome to the site. Do you have an easy link to a description of the model you're using for those projections? (I looked around a little but couldnt find one immediately - it was probably staring me in the face.) I hope there's monte carlo simulation in it but fear there isnt as there arent probabilities or ranges attached. We love monte carlo simulation on pbc.
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    I think what we'll see is a LibDem rogering at the GE that will benefit Dave in LD/Con fights and Redward in the Lab/Con ones. The Tory gains from this will be notably fewer than the losses. The LibDems are a bunch of %$3>0&s and lefty Labour types will be laughing all the way to Downing Street to see the yellow implosion screwing Dave too.
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,997
    Good afternoon, everyone.

    Welcome to pb.com, Mr. Mojito.

    Some are suggesting the Lotus and McLaren noses could be used by parents when they need to give their children 'the talk'...
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    anotherDaveanotherDave Posts: 6,746

    The recent ComRes favourable/unfavourable party ratings found UKIP rather than LDs, to be the preferred second choice for Labour voters.

    http://comresupdates.eu.com/DCJ-24O6F-F21LMD8E11/cr.aspx

    That was nationally. This is in the marginals A massive difference.

    Eastleigh was a LD/Con marginal. The Labour vote went up. The UKIP vote went up. The LD vote went down.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastleigh_by-election,_2013#Result
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    MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382
    Patrick said:

    I think what we'll see is a LibDem rogering at the GE that will benefit Dave in LD/Con fights and Redward in the Lab/Con ones. The Tory gains from this will be notably fewer than the losses. The LibDems are a bunch of %$3>0&s and lefty Labour types will be laughing all the way to Downing Street to see the yellow implosion screwing Dave too.

    On what grounds are you denying the polling evidence?

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    LennonLennon Posts: 1,735

    The recent ComRes favourable/unfavourable party ratings found UKIP rather than LDs, to be the preferred second choice for Labour voters.

    http://comresupdates.eu.com/DCJ-24O6F-F21LMD8E11/cr.aspx

    That was nationally. This is in the marginals A massive difference.

    Eastleigh was a LD/Con marginal. The Labour vote went up. The UKIP vote went up. The LD vote went down.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastleigh_by-election,_2013#Result
    ?? But the Tory vote also went down, and the swing was 0.25% LD to Tory. Which fits exactly what Mike is saying above... (unless I've totally missed something)
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    MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699
    In yesterday's Southend by election , Rennard's Lib Dems had a swing of 8.2% from Con to LD since 2012 , 7.3% since 2011 , 3.1% since 2010 and 13.4% since 2008 . That will benefit the Conservatives in Con/LD fights - Not .
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    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    Charles said:

    Anorak said:

    First.

    And here's an excellent quiz. I got a miserable 5/10.

    http://games.usvsth3m.com/crapper-mapper

    A rather perturbing 8/10
    Me too.

    Smithsonian and Paris wrong.

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    Mike,

    On the grounds that polling today and behaviour in the polling booth in May next year are two different things. The LibDems are having a dreadful time and will be seeking to differentiate themselves from Dave. To succeed, that means being more lefty and trying to win back some of their lost tribe (and the all things to all men approach in different seats won't work anymore). Going lefty will help Dave in Southern LD/Con marginals - the south of England is a pretty conservative place. But going lefty will not be enough to reverse the exodus to Labour in the North.
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    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    Top trolling from the Telegraph

    http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/iainmartin1/100256434/is-nigel-farage-losing-the-plot/

    "Is Nigel Farage losing the plot?"

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    anotherDaveanotherDave Posts: 6,746
    Lennon said:

    The recent ComRes favourable/unfavourable party ratings found UKIP rather than LDs, to be the preferred second choice for Labour voters.

    http://comresupdates.eu.com/DCJ-24O6F-F21LMD8E11/cr.aspx

    That was nationally. This is in the marginals A massive difference.

    Eastleigh was a LD/Con marginal. The Labour vote went up. The UKIP vote went up. The LD vote went down.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastleigh_by-election,_2013#Result
    ?? But the Tory vote also went down, and the swing was 0.25% LD to Tory. Which fits exactly what Mike is saying above... (unless I've totally missed something)
    He's saying Labour voters will vote LD in LD/Con marginals. In Eastleigh they seem to have chosen UKIP, which is what ComRes suggests they'd prefer.

    "In April there had been a seismic shift in support from ‘blue collar’ workers but the Lib Dems chose to ignore it and stick wiht the tactic that served them so well in the past – scaring voters who might otherwise support Labour into voting Lib Dem to “keep the Tories out”.

    Those voters now vote for Ukip – and it is no use arguing ‘Ukip can’t win here’ - that opportunity has been missed – voters now know Ukip can win in Eastleigh."

    http://www.eastleighnews.co.uk/2013/05/2013-county-election-results/
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    Mick_PorkMick_Pork Posts: 6,530
    edited January 2014
    AveryLP said:


    Now could some reliable PBer do the calculations which will quantify the effect of rising economic confidence on voting intention?

    Almost all Economists couldn't foresee their own world collapsing before the bank crash, so the idea that they will have any more success predicting VI is one of your more amusing notions, Seth O Logue.

    Here's what you do to figure out VI. Look at an opinion poll.

    Don't waste everyone's time with economic stats and calculations that have no hope whatsoever of factoring in the complexities of party support and allegiance and the multiplicity of ways people view their own situations and feed that into an economic feel good factor or not. Ironically trust is likely most crucial. (which is something economists are not overly blessed with by the public) So I'm afraid there is no chance whatsoever that your amusing economic stat fetish can possibly overturn such a basic and powerful factor as trust when it comes to knowing how people will view any supposed recovery through the prism of politics.
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    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    edited January 2014
    AveryLP said:

    Charles said:

    Anorak said:

    First.

    And here's an excellent quiz. I got a miserable 5/10.

    http://games.usvsth3m.com/crapper-mapper

    A rather perturbing 8/10
    Me too.

    Smithsonian and Paris wrong.

    Got both of those. I got China/Chile wrong and forget which other.

    (Smithsonian was easy though - clearly too much headroom to be a sub and too much lateral space to be a spaceship)
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    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633

    TGOHF said:

    How old is Lord Ashcrofts poll now ? 6 months ?

    That won't wash I'm afraid. The LD share in LD-CON battlegrounds was just 1% off the the total found in Ashcroft's 2011 marginals polling.

    You may be right but surely the uncertainty grows the longer the time since the poll - or are the shares for the GE cast in stone now ?
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    taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    Here's what you do to figure out VI. Look at an opinion poll.

    Are you arguing that a booming economy doesn't electorally favour the party that presides over it?

    If that's the case, why do politicians bother to appoint a chancellor.
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    TGOHF said:

    Top trolling from the Telegraph

    http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/iainmartin1/100256434/is-nigel-farage-losing-the-plot/

    "Is Nigel Farage losing the plot?"

    Now this morning he is furious with the way this has been reported. He has also described the 2010 manifesto as "drivel". This is curious because he helped launch said "drivel" in 2010, and it is suggested he co-authored the foreword to the document (although, oddly, not having a Ukip manifesto to hand, I cannot verify this right now).

    Yes, he did, It's been airbrushed out of the UKIP website but is available here, for now at least:

    http://www.general-election-2010.co.uk/2010-general-election-manifestos/UKIP-Party-Manifesto-2010.pdf
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    JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,901
    Somewhere in the early days the coalition parties made a strategic error. At the time of the AV referendum and HoL reform bill, they forgot how much they each depended on each other.

    Rather than reinforcing each other and benefiting long term, they now seem to seem to worry more about the tactical cost of each announcement and distance each other.

    * For each Tory position in support of the LDs, Tory MPs whinge about the benefits for UKIP.
    * For each LD position in support of the Tories, LD's worry about losing votes to Labour.

    It's quite a bad state of affairs.
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    MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382

    Lennon said:

    The recent ComRes favourable/unfavourable party ratings found UKIP rather than LDs, to be the preferred second choice for Labour voters.

    http://comresupdates.eu.com/DCJ-24O6F-F21LMD8E11/cr.aspx

    That was nationally. This is in the marginals A massive difference.

    Eastleigh was a LD/Con marginal. The Labour vote went up. The UKIP vote went up. The LD vote went down.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastleigh_by-election,_2013#Result
    ?? But the Tory vote also went down, and the swing was 0.25% LD to Tory. Which fits exactly what Mike is saying above... (unless I've totally missed something)
    He's saying Labour voters will vote LD in LD/Con marginals. In Eastleigh they seem to have chosen UKIP, which is what ComRes suggests they'd prefer.

    "In April there had been a seismic shift in support from ‘blue collar’ workers but the Lib Dems chose to ignore it and stick wiht the tactic that served them so well in the past – scaring voters who might otherwise support Labour into voting Lib Dem to “keep the Tories out”.

    Those voters now vote for Ukip – and it is no use arguing ‘Ukip can’t win here’ - that opportunity has been missed – voters now know Ukip can win in Eastleigh."

    http://www.eastleighnews.co.uk/2013/05/2013-county-election-results/
    The Ashcroft polling found 6% of 2010 LDs in LD-CON marginals switching to UKIP compared with 15% of 2010 CON voters and 5% of LAB voters.



  • Options
    MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382

    TGOHF said:

    Top trolling from the Telegraph

    http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/iainmartin1/100256434/is-nigel-farage-losing-the-plot/

    "Is Nigel Farage losing the plot?"

    Now this morning he is furious with the way this has been reported. He has also described the 2010 manifesto as "drivel". This is curious because he helped launch said "drivel" in 2010, and it is suggested he co-authored the foreword to the document (although, oddly, not having a Ukip manifesto to hand, I cannot verify this right now).

    Yes, he did, It's been airbrushed out of the UKIP website but is available here, for now at least:

    http://www.general-election-2010.co.uk/2010-general-election-manifestos/UKIP-Party-Manifesto-2010.pdf
    This is Farage at the launch of 2010 UKIP manifesto. Not many qualms about the detail.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm1CmWzWRgk&amp;desktop_uri=/watch?v=Sm1CmWzWRgk&amp;app=desktop
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    The heat Farage is getting now will help UKIP in the long run. Their basic position of EU exit and libertarian free markets is the right one. They have a charismatic and popular leader who communicates well. Where they suck is having more whackos in their membership than the other parties and general administrative immaturity. This sort of grief will force them to sharpen up. Areas like the manifesto, groundgame in seats, party rules, message control, etc wil lall improve in the run up to the GE.

    If Farage is the CEO what he needs is a damn good CFO, COO, etc to turn a protest movement into a credible party. Hell, the LibDems ain't there yet and they're in government!
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    Tissue_PriceTissue_Price Posts: 9,039
    This shouldn't be the Tory survival plan, and I don't think it is. It's as much a facet of Electoral Calculus's methodology than anything else. I think the LDs are going to get obliterated in non-held seats, except perhaps when they're a very clear 2nd.

    The Tory survival plan (which could yet be upgraded to a majority plan) is to retain their support from last time, and ideally win over some of the voters that they "lost" between 2008-2010; i.e. people who in the end "clung to nurse". If (a very big if, but the economic data is starting to suggest it may yet be possible) they do this they'll presumably be doing well enough to pick up a few seats off the LDs too.

    Furthermore, I don't think incumbency just applies at the local level; I think it applies nationally too.

    All that said I still expect NOM, Tories largest party, LDs down around 35-40.
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    Mick_PorkMick_Pork Posts: 6,530
    edited January 2014

    TGOHF said:

    Top trolling from the Telegraph

    http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/iainmartin1/100256434/is-nigel-farage-losing-the-plot/

    "Is Nigel Farage losing the plot?"

    Now this morning he is furious with the way this has been reported. He has also described the 2010 manifesto as "drivel". This is curious because he helped launch said "drivel" in 2010, and it is suggested he co-authored the foreword to the document (although, oddly, not having a Ukip manifesto to hand, I cannot verify this right now).

    Yes, he did, It's been airbrushed out of the UKIP website but is available here, for now at least:

    http://www.general-election-2010.co.uk/2010-general-election-manifestos/UKIP-Party-Manifesto-2010.pdf
    This is Farage at the launch of 2010 UKIP manifesto. Not many qualms about the detail.
    Election campaign ribticklers is it?

    He'll do well to beat this one.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYMN7l_wo5U
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    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    edited January 2014
    Mick_Pork said:

    AveryLP said:


    Now could some reliable PBer do the calculations which will quantify the effect of rising economic confidence on voting intention?

    Almost all Economists couldn't foresee their own world collapsing before the bank crash, so the idea that they will have any more success predicting VI is one of your more amusing notions, Seth O Logue.

    Here's what you do to figure out VI. Look at an opinion poll.

    Don't waste everyone's time with economic stats and calculations that have no hope whatsoever of factoring in the complexities of party support and allegiance and the multiplicity of ways people view their own situations and feed that into an economic feel good factor or not. Ironically trust is likely most crucial. (which is something economists are not overly blessed with by the public) So I'm afraid there is no chance whatsoever that your amusing economic stat fetish can possibly overturn such a basic and powerful factor as trust when it comes to knowing how people will view any supposed recovery through the prism of politics.
    Pork

    You really shouldn't go all anti-intellectual in a single post. Those familiar with your usual posting style will notice the change immediately and cry foul.

    If you really wanted to understand the link between economic performance/confidence and voting, then you need look no further than the recent Markit Bank of Scotland Report on Jobs.

    • Rates of staff appointments growth near record-highs in December

    • Permanent salaries increase at fastest pace in 11-year series history

    • Edinburgh sees strongest rise in both permanent and temporary staff placements

    The latest Bank of Scotland Report on Jobs signalled near-record increases in both permanent and temporary staff appointments in December. The sharp rates of staff placements growth generally reflected greater client demand. Permanent vacancies in particular rose at the fastest pace since July 2007 and were a factor behind the sharpest increase in starting salaries in the 11-year survey history.

    At 63.6 in December, the Bank of Scotland Labour Market Barometer – a composite indicator designed to provide a single figure snapshot of labour market conditions – indicated a marked improvement in Scottish job market conditions. Moreover, having risen for the fourth consecutive month, the Barometer signalled the second-fastest rate of growth since data collection started in January 2003.


    Nothing more clearly explains last night's surge in Scottish Tory votes and the decline of SNP voting to 2007 levels.
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    Danny565Danny565 Posts: 8,091
    I'd be interested on people's thoughts on the next election in Scotland. All the indications are that the Lib Dems' implosion is even more spectacular there than in the rest of the UK, so it will be interesting to see who takes their seats. Having just had a quick scan around, I think it's even possible the SNP could jump from 4th place to winning some of those LD seats.
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    anotherDaveanotherDave Posts: 6,746

    Lennon said:

    The recent ComRes favourable/unfavourable party ratings found UKIP rather than LDs, to be the preferred second choice for Labour voters.

    http://comresupdates.eu.com/DCJ-24O6F-F21LMD8E11/cr.aspx

    That was nationally. This is in the marginals A massive difference.

    Eastleigh was a LD/Con marginal. The Labour vote went up. The UKIP vote went up. The LD vote went down.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastleigh_by-election,_2013#Result
    ?? But the Tory vote also went down, and the swing was 0.25% LD to Tory. Which fits exactly what Mike is saying above... (unless I've totally missed something)
    He's saying Labour voters will vote LD in LD/Con marginals. In Eastleigh they seem to have chosen UKIP, which is what ComRes suggests they'd prefer.

    "In April there had been a seismic shift in support from ‘blue collar’ workers but the Lib Dems chose to ignore it and stick wiht the tactic that served them so well in the past – scaring voters who might otherwise support Labour into voting Lib Dem to “keep the Tories out”.

    Those voters now vote for Ukip – and it is no use arguing ‘Ukip can’t win here’ - that opportunity has been missed – voters now know Ukip can win in Eastleigh."

    http://www.eastleighnews.co.uk/2013/05/2013-county-election-results/
    The Ashcroft polling found 6% of 2010 LDs in LD-CON marginals switching to UKIP compared with 15% of 2010 CON voters and 5% of LAB voters.



    Your argument isn't about 2010 LD voters, it's about current-Labour voters. ComRes says LDs would be their third choice, UKIP would be their second choice.

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    Danny565 - Nobody in Scotland votes for SNP at westminster elections.
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    QuincelQuincel Posts: 3,949
    Charles said:

    AveryLP said:

    Charles said:

    Anorak said:

    First.

    And here's an excellent quiz. I got a miserable 5/10.

    http://games.usvsth3m.com/crapper-mapper

    A rather perturbing 8/10
    Me too.

    Smithsonian and Paris wrong.

    Got both of those. I got China/Chile wrong and forget which other.

    (Smithsonian was easy though - clearly too much headroom to be a sub and too much lateral space to be a spaceship)
    Ah, good points. I ruled out space due to the lack of hooks or other things to hold on to at various height levels, but then guessed sub foolishly.
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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    It looks like Nigel Farage is gifting material to any campaign by rivals to make him look like a loud-mouthed fool.
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    Mick_PorkMick_Pork Posts: 6,530
    edited January 2014
    AveryLP said:

    Mick_Pork said:

    AveryLP said:


    Now could some reliable PBer do the calculations which will quantify the effect of rising economic confidence on voting intention?

    Almost all Economists couldn't foresee their own world collapsing before the bank crash, so the idea that they will have any more success predicting VI is one of your more amusing notions, Seth O Logue.

    Here's what you do to figure out VI. Look at an opinion poll.

    Don't waste everyone's time with economic stats and calculations that have no hope whatsoever of factoring in the complexities of party support and allegiance and the multiplicity of ways people view their own situations and feed that into an economic feel good factor or not. Ironically trust is likely most crucial. (which is something economists are not overly blessed with by the public) So I'm afraid there is no chance whatsoever that your amusing economic stat fetish can possibly overturn such a basic and powerful factor as trust when it comes to knowing how people will view any supposed recovery through the prism of politics.
    Pork

    You really shouldn't go all anti-intellectual in a single post. Those familiar with your usual posting style will notice the change immediately and cry foul.
    Seth O Logue

    I'm afraid the blatant and obvious stupidity of any out of touch spinners who are deluded enough to think economic stats win an election, is far greater than any possible rebuke from the likes of you.

    Osbrowne was so happy about record unemployment stats since Feb 1997. So tell us all, how exactly did those great economic stats under John Major then help him in the 97 election? Because unless I'm very much mistaken Major and the tories were then subjected to the most devastating political defeat in modern westminster politics. Stats and all.

    If only he had you to help spin those stats more successfully, is that it?

    LOL
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    HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098
    @Tissue Price

    "The Tory survival plan (which could yet be upgraded to a majority plan) is to retain their support from last time, and ideally win over some of the voters that they "lost" between 2008-2010..."

    Then they need a new plan because that one ain't going to work.
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    MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699

    Lennon said:

    The recent ComRes favourable/unfavourable party ratings found UKIP rather than LDs, to be the preferred second choice for Labour voters.

    http://comresupdates.eu.com/DCJ-24O6F-F21LMD8E11/cr.aspx

    That was nationally. This is in the marginals A massive difference.

    Eastleigh was a LD/Con marginal. The Labour vote went up. The UKIP vote went up. The LD vote went down.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastleigh_by-election,_2013#Result
    ?? But the Tory vote also went down, and the swing was 0.25% LD to Tory. Which fits exactly what Mike is saying above... (unless I've totally missed something)
    He's saying Labour voters will vote LD in LD/Con marginals. In Eastleigh they seem to have chosen UKIP, which is what ComRes suggests they'd prefer.

    "In April there had been a seismic shift in support from ‘blue collar’ workers but the Lib Dems chose to ignore it and stick wiht the tactic that served them so well in the past – scaring voters who might otherwise support Labour into voting Lib Dem to “keep the Tories out”.

    Those voters now vote for Ukip – and it is no use arguing ‘Ukip can’t win here’ - that opportunity has been missed – voters now know Ukip can win in Eastleigh."

    http://www.eastleighnews.co.uk/2013/05/2013-county-election-results/
    The Ashcroft polling found 6% of 2010 LDs in LD-CON marginals switching to UKIP compared with 15% of 2010 CON voters and 5% of LAB voters.



    Your argument isn't about 2010 LD voters, it's about current-Labour voters. ComRes says LDs would be their third choice, UKIP would be their second choice.

    The Comres figures may be correct on a national basis but in the relatively small number of Con/LD marginals Table 5 of Lord Ashcroft's poll shows 79 current Labour voters moving to LD and just 8 moving to UKIP .
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,057
    Anorak said:

    First.

    And here's an excellent quiz. I got a miserable 5/10.

    http://games.usvsth3m.com/crapper-mapper

    7 out of 10. It's good to see the Tron, in Edinburgh in the quiz. I have some exceptionally fond memories of that pub. It changed my life ... ;-)
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    taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    If only he had you to help spin those stats more successfully, is that it?

    Oh come on Mick the answer to that one's easy.

    The tories weren't given credit for the late 90s boom because they were seen as the architects of the early 90s bust - remember the EMS crisis and dear old Norman Lamont?

    It's much easier to claim the credit this time around - and much more difficult for Ed 13 years in government Miliband to criticise.
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    MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382

    Lennon said:

    The recent ComRes favourable/unfavourable party ratings found UKIP rather than LDs, to be the preferred second choice for Labour voters.

    http://comresupdates.eu.com/DCJ-24O6F-F21LMD8E11/cr.aspx

    That was nationally. This is in the marginals A massive difference.

    Eastleigh was a LD/Con marginal. The Labour vote went up. The UKIP vote went up. The LD vote went down.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastleigh_by-election,_2013#Result
    ?? But the Tory vote also went down, and the swing was 0.25% LD to Tory. Which fits exactly what Mike is saying above... (unless I've totally missed something)
    He's saying Labour voters will vote LD in LD/Con marginals. In Eastleigh they seem to have chosen UKIP, which is what ComRes suggests they'd prefer.

    "In April there had been a seismic shift in support from ‘blue collar’ workers but the Lib Dems chose to ignore it and stick wiht the tactic that served them so well in the past – scaring voters who might otherwise support Labour into voting Lib Dem to “keep the Tories out”.

    Those voters now vote for Ukip – and it is no use arguing ‘Ukip can’t win here’ - that opportunity has been missed – voters now know Ukip can win in Eastleigh."

    http://www.eastleighnews.co.uk/2013/05/2013-county-election-results/
    The Ashcroft polling found 6% of 2010 LDs in LD-CON marginals switching to UKIP compared with 15% of 2010 CON voters and 5% of LAB voters.



    Your argument isn't about 2010 LD voters, it's about current-Labour voters. ComRes says LDs would be their third choice, UKIP would be their second choice.

    You haven't read what I wrote.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,057

    TGOHF said:

    Top trolling from the Telegraph

    http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/iainmartin1/100256434/is-nigel-farage-losing-the-plot/

    "Is Nigel Farage losing the plot?"

    Now this morning he is furious with the way this has been reported. He has also described the 2010 manifesto as "drivel". This is curious because he helped launch said "drivel" in 2010, and it is suggested he co-authored the foreword to the document (although, oddly, not having a Ukip manifesto to hand, I cannot verify this right now).

    Yes, he did, It's been airbrushed out of the UKIP website but is available here, for now at least:

    http://www.general-election-2010.co.uk/2010-general-election-manifestos/UKIP-Party-Manifesto-2010.pdf
    This is Farage at the launch of 2010 UKIP manifesto. Not many qualms about the detail.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm1CmWzWRgk&amp;desktop_uri=/watch?v=Sm1CmWzWRgk&amp;app=desktop
    It is fairly ludicrous statement from a ludicrous leader of an exceptionally ludicrous party.

    In other words, it could have been made by any party leader. ;-)

    In this case, it will be thrown in Farage's face at every election. It's a stupid thing for him to admit.
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    The key is not to think of LD/Lab switchers as positive supporters of either party. They are first and foremost anti-Tories. That will guide how they vote in 2015. Brown and the government he led were so toxic that they not only steered Labour to one of their worst vote shares in living memory, but also haemorrhaged the ATP vote. Seeing the Tories exercising power may well have revived it.
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    timmotimmo Posts: 1,469
    As for Southend yesterday that is an interesting result.
    From my spies on the ground the Tories actually thought they were going to lose the seat but Rennard came just in time..there may have been a swing because as usual the Lib Dem ground war is conducted primarily in locals through the use of postal votes and a lot of them would have gone back before this Monday when the scandal really broke.The GOTV on the day did not work for them and in fact energised some Tories to actually go out and vote..so this election result can not just be looked at normally
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,962

    Danny565 - Nobody in Scotland Glasgow votes for SNP at westminster elections.

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    timmotimmo Posts: 1,469
    In my area in a London Borough i met with the UKIP PPC yesterday and they are struggling to get candidates for the locals in May.
    They will be putting up only 1 candidate per ward rather than the 3 that are up in each ward.
    On the doorstep not much appetite in suburbia for UKIP
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    Mick_PorkMick_Pork Posts: 6,530
    edited January 2014
    Ashcroft is one of many sources for polling. There seems to be some confusion from some on PB that his is the last word on the matter in polling now. He's not, anymore than Angus Reid were at the 2010 elections. In fact if memory serves those who thought Angus Reid were the last word in polling for 2010 ended up with quite a large quantity of egg on their face.
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    LennonLennon Posts: 1,735
    timmo said:

    In my area in a London Borough i met with the UKIP PPC yesterday and they are struggling to get candidates for the locals in May.
    They will be putting up only 1 candidate per ward rather than the 3 that are up in each ward.
    On the doorstep not much appetite in suburbia for UKIP

    Which London Borough if you don't mind. If that's too much detail Lab/Tory, Inner/Outer, N/S/E/W?
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    GrandioseGrandiose Posts: 2,323
    "Now Farage wants to lift ban on handguns: After gay marriage causes storms, women are worth less in the City and his ‘drivel’ manifesto, is this the Ukip leader’s worst week?"

    Now those are all Westminster issues, but will it affect the Mail's approach in May?
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    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    timmo said:

    They will be putting up only 1 candidate per ward rather than the 3 that are up in each ward.
    On the doorstep not much appetite in suburbia for UKIP

    If they average 1 per ward across London that would be a huge increase over 2010. And the appetite for them probably depends on the suburb you are in. I would be surprised if they didnt win a smattering of seats across London.
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    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,352
    Danny565 said:

    I'd be interested on people's thoughts on the next election in Scotland. All the indications are that the Lib Dems' implosion is even more spectacular there than in the rest of the UK, so it will be interesting to see who takes their seats. Having just had a quick scan around, I think it's even possible the SNP could jump from 4th place to winning some of those LD seats.

    Scotland's impossible to call at the moment, because one has to assume that the referendum will do something striking to several parties, whichever way it goes. I'd have thought a "No" would knock the SNP badly, but I've heard the opposite theory - that people would rally round them to get "maximum nationalism without separation". Who knows? They'd surely do well after a "Yes", as people looked to them to launch the ship they'd built.

    Mike's thesis looks right. Considering that we've had three quarters of a Parliament, it's remarkable how little animus there is between Labour and LibDems - less so than in 2011, in fact. If they continue to pick fights with Cameron over this and that, I think they'll hold at least half the usual Labour tactical vote. Conversely, the absence of campaign finance will make the modest LibDem effort in the Con/Lab marginals obvious - especially (something not mentioned before, I think) in seats where there is a nearby LibDem seat to defend.

    And yes (to taffys), I don't think the economy is going to change anything much in the remaining year and a bit. The Labour 37-39% has continued regardless of really pretty good economic news - they are by and large implacable anti-Tory voters, patiently waiting to vote them out. If the Tories could get to 40% they'd be in business, but that really does need a UKIP meltdown.
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    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    Mick_Pork said:

    Ashcroft is one of many sources for polling. There seems to be some confusion from some on PB that his is the last word on the matter in polling now. He's not, anymore than Angus Reid were at the 2010 elections. In fact if memory serves those who thought Angus Reid were the last word in polling for 2010 ended up with quite a large quantity of egg on their face.

    Food for thought, Pork.

    http://bit.ly/LQFcrJ
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    timmotimmo Posts: 1,469
    Id rather not say the borough but its a South London one of the orange variety
    Lennon said:

    timmo said:

    In my area in a London Borough i met with the UKIP PPC yesterday and they are struggling to get candidates for the locals in May.
    They will be putting up only 1 candidate per ward rather than the 3 that are up in each ward.
    On the doorstep not much appetite in suburbia for UKIP

    Which London Borough if you don't mind. If that's too much detail Lab/Tory, Inner/Outer, N/S/E/W?
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    timmotimmo Posts: 1,469
    Neil said:

    timmo said:

    They will be putting up only 1 candidate per ward rather than the 3 that are up in each ward.
    On the doorstep not much appetite in suburbia for UKIP

    If they average 1 per ward across London that would be a huge increase over 2010. And the appetite for them probably depends on the suburb you are in. I would be surprised if they didnt win a smattering of seats across London.
    I think you are right and its a pretty smart move by then to catch at least some seats as people will vote 2 Cons and a UKIP or 2 LDs and a UKIP or just UKIP...
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    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633

    Danny565 said:

    The Labour 37-39% has continued regardless

    Apart from May 2010 when it turned out at 29% (and 27.9% in England).


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    LennonLennon Posts: 1,735
    timmo said:

    Id rather not say the borough but its a South London one of the orange variety

    Thanks - that's more interesting. If you had said 'Tower Hamlets' I would have been impressed that they managed to get as many as 1 per ward.
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    Danny565 - Nobody in Scotland votes for SNP at westminster elections.

    On a numerical comparison that also means 'nobody in Scotland' votes for Tories & LDs at Westminster elections (which may literally be true for the LDs come 2015). This suggests Scotland is currently governed at Westminster by parties nobody voted for, which is certainly a feeling abroad north of the border.
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    CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,878

    Danny565 - Nobody in Scotland votes for SNP at westminster elections.

    Obviously not literally true, but there is, I suspect, a great deal of tactical voting "to keep the Tories out", which favours Labour and (until now) LD under FPTP: the SNP is always going to be a minority at Westminster by definition, so in a sense an SNP MP can do relatively little en masse (though they can do some very potent qualitative things. e.g. lift the lid, with Plaid Cymru, on the Cash for Peerages scandal). That alone would explain much of the difference between Westminster and Scottish Pmt voting, as the SNP can become a majority party in Scotland, so a vote is not seen as wasted.

    If some factor such as being seen as hugging Tories for the Union mean that the Labour vote goes down outside their current stronghold area, then things could get interesting. There are areas in the old Labour heartlands which used to have wall to wall red rosettes but are now partly SNP. Midlothian is one that I can think of - council and Scottish Pmt are SNP but the Westminster seat is still a Labour MP.


    But in any case we need to wait and see what happens at the Indy referendum. A yes would presumably man that people would vote for the non-London parties because of the ongoing negotiations that would be needed. Under FPTP that would mean the SNP. It is also conceivable that an immediate GE in 2014 could be called if Cameron and the Tories fall on a Yes, or that the Pmt term is extended to Inpependence Day in March 2016 - we had interesting arguments for both, a week or two back on PB as you may have seen. A no would probably not make that much difference at Westminster given the current situation.

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    tpfkartpfkar Posts: 1,548
    timmo said:

    Neil said:

    timmo said:

    They will be putting up only 1 candidate per ward rather than the 3 that are up in each ward.
    On the doorstep not much appetite in suburbia for UKIP

    If they average 1 per ward across London that would be a huge increase over 2010. And the appetite for them probably depends on the suburb you are in. I would be surprised if they didnt win a smattering of seats across London.
    I think you are right and its a pretty smart move by then to catch at least some seats as people will vote 2 Cons and a UKIP or 2 LDs and a UKIP or just UKIP...
    Don't forget the effort involved in getting 10 nominations per ward - they have to live in the ward. So to sign up 1 candidate for all the wards is much more work than getting 3 candidates in 1/3 of the wards, and it probably takes a core person without any knowledge of who to ask some time to do it. So if they really are standing one everywhere, it indicates again the lack of targeting and the lack of focus on what they need to do to win seats.

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    The key is not to think of LD/Lab switchers as positive supporters of either party. They are first and foremost anti-Tories. That will guide how they vote in 2015. Brown and the government he led were so toxic that they not only steered Labour to one of their worst vote shares in living memory, but also haemorrhaged the ATP vote. Seeing the Tories exercising power may well have revived it.

    Some but not all. You're forgetting that in 2005 there were big Lab/LD swings in seats like Liverpool Wavertree, Newcastle N etc where the Tories have no chance of winning on the back of the Iraq war and Tuition fees. In the N, LDs were seen as Labour-lite and built up votes in Labour seats. At the last local elections in these cities they got a hammering.
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    Mick_PorkMick_Pork Posts: 6,530
    edited January 2014
    taffys said:

    If only he had you to help spin those stats more successfully, is that it?

    Oh come on Mick the answer to that one's easy.

    The tories weren't given credit for the late 90s boom because they were seen as the architects of the early 90s bust - remember the EMS crisis and dear old Norman Lamont?

    It's much easier to claim the credit this time around - and much more difficult for Ed 13 years in government Miliband to criticise.

    Easy? What planet do you hail from. Even Osbrowne must know that having the likes of him demanding credit from the voters for any (as yet) theoretical feel good factor would be one of his most 'inspired' master strategies to date. (and there is plenty to choose from)

    It's not going to BE about giving credit. It's going to be "Don't let labour ruin it again" 24/7 set to footage of the economic crash played out in slow motion with Darling and Brown in starring roles.

    The reason a feel-good factor matters is that for that attack to work most effectively the voter can't just turn straight round and ask "Don't let Labour ruin what again?" Which they will if they don't feel like anything has improved sufficiently or there is not the prospect of it doing so with any great success under Osbrowne.

    If there is no real feel-good factor it also means that little Ed's "cost of living crisis" is going to resonate that much more with voters, even if he personally doesn't.

    Nobody is going to win it throwing economic stats about. It's all about trust.
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    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    tpfkar said:

    timmo said:

    Neil said:

    timmo said:

    They will be putting up only 1 candidate per ward rather than the 3 that are up in each ward.
    On the doorstep not much appetite in suburbia for UKIP

    If they average 1 per ward across London that would be a huge increase over 2010. And the appetite for them probably depends on the suburb you are in. I would be surprised if they didnt win a smattering of seats across London.
    I think you are right and its a pretty smart move by then to catch at least some seats as people will vote 2 Cons and a UKIP or 2 LDs and a UKIP or just UKIP...
    Don't forget the effort involved in getting 10 nominations per ward - they have to live in the ward. So to sign up 1 candidate for all the wards is much more work than getting 3 candidates in 1/3 of the wards, and it probably takes a core person without any knowledge of who to ask some time to do it. So if they really are standing one everywhere, it indicates again the lack of targeting and the lack of focus on what they need to do to win seats.

    But who expects targeted UKIP gains in the area being discussed here? I expect they will have 3 candidates in their key wards in, say, Havering where they should pick seats. But if they can only muster as many candidates as there are wards in a borough they wont pick up a seat then one per ward is probably the best distribution (though pity the bugger who has to do the legwork / paperwork).
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    The key is not to think of LD/Lab switchers as positive supporters of either party. They are first and foremost anti-Tories. That will guide how they vote in 2015. Brown and the government he led were so toxic that they not only steered Labour to one of their worst vote shares in living memory, but also haemorrhaged the ATP vote. Seeing the Tories exercising power may well have revived it.

    Some but not all. You're forgetting that in 2005 there were big Lab/LD swings in seats like Liverpool Wavertree, Newcastle N etc where the Tories have no chance of winning on the back of the Iraq war and Tuition fees. In the N, LDs were seen as Labour-lite and built up votes in Labour seats. At the last local elections in these cities they got a hammering.

    That's because the choice was Labour or LD - and there was a chance to punish the LDs for betraying the ATP. We'll see lots more of that in 2015. I would not fancy the chances of many LDs in seats where Labour has a chance of winning. It's very different where the choice is Tory or LD.

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    MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699

    The key is not to think of LD/Lab switchers as positive supporters of either party. They are first and foremost anti-Tories. That will guide how they vote in 2015. Brown and the government he led were so toxic that they not only steered Labour to one of their worst vote shares in living memory, but also haemorrhaged the ATP vote. Seeing the Tories exercising power may well have revived it.

    Some but not all. You're forgetting that in 2005 there were big Lab/LD swings in seats like Liverpool Wavertree, Newcastle N etc where the Tories have no chance of winning on the back of the Iraq war and Tuition fees. In the N, LDs were seen as Labour-lite and built up votes in Labour seats. At the last local elections in these cities they got a hammering.
    In the last local elections in Newcastle the Lib Dems did NOT get a hammering in Newcastle especially in the wards forming Newcastle North . Liverpool , you are correct .
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    LennonLennon Posts: 1,735
    Neil said:

    tpfkar said:

    timmo said:

    Neil said:

    timmo said:

    They will be putting up only 1 candidate per ward rather than the 3 that are up in each ward.
    On the doorstep not much appetite in suburbia for UKIP

    If they average 1 per ward across London that would be a huge increase over 2010. And the appetite for them probably depends on the suburb you are in. I would be surprised if they didnt win a smattering of seats across London.
    I think you are right and its a pretty smart move by then to catch at least some seats as people will vote 2 Cons and a UKIP or 2 LDs and a UKIP or just UKIP...
    Don't forget the effort involved in getting 10 nominations per ward - they have to live in the ward. So to sign up 1 candidate for all the wards is much more work than getting 3 candidates in 1/3 of the wards, and it probably takes a core person without any knowledge of who to ask some time to do it. So if they really are standing one everywhere, it indicates again the lack of targeting and the lack of focus on what they need to do to win seats.

    But who expects targeted UKIP gains in the area being discussed here? I expect they will have 3 candidates in their key wards in, say, Havering where they should pick seats. But if they can only muster as many candidates as there are wards in a borough they wont pick up a seat then one per ward is probably the best distribution (though pity the bugger who has to do the legwork / paperwork).
    Genuine question having not ever done it - but how much work is it to find 10 nominees in a ward? 10% hit rate on doorknocks, 1% ? I guess that unless they were BNP or whatever, I would willingly nominate for any party if I am going to vote for them or not on the basis that democracy is better with higher participation and options - but I am probably odd.
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    Mick_PorkMick_Pork Posts: 6,530
    edited January 2014

    The key is not to think of LD/Lab switchers as positive supporters of either party. They are first and foremost anti-Tories. That will guide how they vote in 2015. Brown and the government he led were so toxic that they not only steered Labour to one of their worst vote shares in living memory, but also haemorrhaged the ATP vote. Seeing the Tories exercising power may well have revived it.

    Some but not all. You're forgetting that in 2005 there were big Lab/LD swings in seats like Liverpool Wavertree, Newcastle N etc where the Tories have no chance of winning on the back of the Iraq war and Tuition fees. In the N, LDs were seen as Labour-lite and built up votes in Labour seats. At the last local elections in these cities they got a hammering.

    That's because the choice was Labour or LD - and there was a chance to punish the LDs for betraying the ATP. We'll see lots more of that in 2015. I would not fancy the chances of many LDs in seats where Labour has a chance of winning. It's very different where the choice is Tory or LD.

    You don't perhaps foresee a small problem when those lib dems that still remain wheel out their bar charts and tell labour voters that only the lib dems can keep the tories out of power?

    I would advise against Clegg standing next to Cameron when delivering that message for a start.
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    anotherDaveanotherDave Posts: 6,746

    The key is not to think of LD/Lab switchers as positive supporters of either party. They are first and foremost anti-Tories. That will guide how they vote in 2015. Brown and the government he led were so toxic that they not only steered Labour to one of their worst vote shares in living memory, but also haemorrhaged the ATP vote. Seeing the Tories exercising power may well have revived it.

    Some but not all. You're forgetting that in 2005 there were big Lab/LD swings in seats like Liverpool Wavertree, Newcastle N etc where the Tories have no chance of winning on the back of the Iraq war and Tuition fees. In the N, LDs were seen as Labour-lite and built up votes in Labour seats. At the last local elections in these cities they got a hammering.

    That's because the choice was Labour or LD - and there was a chance to punish the LDs for betraying the ATP. We'll see lots more of that in 2015. I would not fancy the chances of many LDs in seats where Labour has a chance of winning. It's very different where the choice is Tory or LD.

    In Tory/LD Eastleigh, Labour voters chose UKIP. In Tory/LD Folkstone, they appear to choose Labour.

    http://survation.com/2013/12/alan-bown-polls-4-new-constituencies/


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    tpfkartpfkar Posts: 1,548
    A quick question for the experts here.

    Has an MP ever been elected to parliament for a party supporting either a straight In-Out EU referendum or a Better off Out party?

    MPs with these views in opposition to their party policy don't count. I can't think of a single one. Can anyone here?
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    OblitusSumMeOblitusSumMe Posts: 9,143
    Mick_Pork said:

    "It’s been repeated often enough on PB that an essential part of Labour’s polling position is based on the very large proportion of 2010 LD voters who’ve now switched to Labour. If this hadn’t happened or starts to slip away then EdM’s dreams of becoming PM are in trouble."

    And as we all know by now just because it's repeated on PB doesn't make it true.
    ...

    So to cut a long story short, no, not everything hinges on the 2010 lib dems no matter how much that would please Clegg and his amusing spinners. They theoretically could make a big difference but right now and since late 2010 it looks far more like it needs a small atom bomb to shift the lib dems meaningfully from their flatlining at around 10%.

    Absolutely right Mick, as I've tried to argue on here before. At the time of the fallout from the Omnishambles budget, Con-Lab switchers contributed more to the Labour lead than LibDem-Lab switchers.

    There has been more movement then is generally accepted in support between the two largest parties, and some of those 2010 Tories currently declaring their vote for UKIP may well end up voting for the main opposition party at the GE in 2015.
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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,875
    timmo said:

    In my area in a London Borough i met with the UKIP PPC yesterday and they are struggling to get candidates for the locals in May.
    They will be putting up only 1 candidate per ward rather than the 3 that are up in each ward.
    On the doorstep not much appetite in suburbia for UKIP

    I think that UKIP will find it hard to field a full slate of candidates in London. After all, that's about 1,850 candidates. 900 or so candidates would be a reasonable achievement.

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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,875
    Neil said:

    tpfkar said:

    timmo said:

    Neil said:

    timmo said:

    They will be putting up only 1 candidate per ward rather than the 3 that are up in each ward.
    On the doorstep not much appetite in suburbia for UKIP

    If they average 1 per ward across London that would be a huge increase over 2010. And the appetite for them probably depends on the suburb you are in. I would be surprised if they didnt win a smattering of seats across London.
    I think you are right and its a pretty smart move by then to catch at least some seats as people will vote 2 Cons and a UKIP or 2 LDs and a UKIP or just UKIP...
    Don't forget the effort involved in getting 10 nominations per ward - they have to live in the ward. So to sign up 1 candidate for all the wards is much more work than getting 3 candidates in 1/3 of the wards, and it probably takes a core person without any knowledge of who to ask some time to do it. So if they really are standing one everywhere, it indicates again the lack of targeting and the lack of focus on what they need to do to win seats.

    But who expects targeted UKIP gains in the area being discussed here? I expect they will have 3 candidates in their key wards in, say, Havering where they should pick seats. But if they can only muster as many candidates as there are wards in a borough they wont pick up a seat then one per ward is probably the best distribution (though pity the bugger who has to do the legwork / paperwork).
    I agree. In places like Brent, Harrow, Westminster, Kensington, Wandsworth, it would make far more sense for UKIP to do as you suggest, rather than trying to field 3 candidates in a handful of wards.



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    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    Sean_F said:

    timmo said:

    In my area in a London Borough i met with the UKIP PPC yesterday and they are struggling to get candidates for the locals in May.
    They will be putting up only 1 candidate per ward rather than the 3 that are up in each ward.
    On the doorstep not much appetite in suburbia for UKIP

    I think that UKIP will find it hard to field a full slate of candidates in London. After all, that's about 1,850 candidates. 900 or so candidates would be a reasonable achievement.

    I would be over 10 times the number they had last time!
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    Tissue_PriceTissue_Price Posts: 9,039
    tpfkar said:

    Has an MP ever been elected to parliament for a party supporting either a straight In-Out EU referendum or a Better off Out party

    Galloway? Not sure what Respect's position is (or was).

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    isamisam Posts: 40,963
    edited January 2014
    The anti UKIP people on here shouting that Farage has made himself look silly, the 2010 manifesto said this or that, its going to be a disaster for them etc should realise that they think almost everything that ukip do or say is silly, wrong headed, etc, including the things that have made them popular already

    You are factoring in your dislike twice

    ...and nothing is going to shift Lib Dem tuition fees off the 2010 broken promise No1 spot



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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,875
    tpfkar said:

    A quick question for the experts here.

    Has an MP ever been elected to parliament for a party supporting either a straight In-Out EU referendum or a Better off Out party?

    MPs with these views in opposition to their party policy don't count. I can't think of a single one. Can anyone here?

    Were the Lib Dems not suggesting an In/Out referendum in 2005?

    I'm pretty sure too that, at various points, Sinn Fein, and various Unionist parties have advocated withdrawal.
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    MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699

    The key is not to think of LD/Lab switchers as positive supporters of either party. They are first and foremost anti-Tories. That will guide how they vote in 2015. Brown and the government he led were so toxic that they not only steered Labour to one of their worst vote shares in living memory, but also haemorrhaged the ATP vote. Seeing the Tories exercising power may well have revived it.

    Some but not all. You're forgetting that in 2005 there were big Lab/LD swings in seats like Liverpool Wavertree, Newcastle N etc where the Tories have no chance of winning on the back of the Iraq war and Tuition fees. In the N, LDs were seen as Labour-lite and built up votes in Labour seats. At the last local elections in these cities they got a hammering.

    That's because the choice was Labour or LD - and there was a chance to punish the LDs for betraying the ATP. We'll see lots more of that in 2015. I would not fancy the chances of many LDs in seats where Labour has a chance of winning. It's very different where the choice is Tory or LD.

    In Tory/LD Eastleigh, Labour voters chose UKIP. In Tory/LD Folkstone, they appear to choose Labour.

    http://survation.com/2013/12/alan-bown-polls-4-new-constituencies/


    In Eastleigh 2010 Labour voters went 12 to LD 9 to UKIP in Ashcroft's poll and 3 to LD 2 to UKIP in Survation's Eastleigh poll
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    tpfkartpfkar Posts: 1,548
    Lennon said:

    Neil said:

    tpfkar said:

    timmo said:

    Neil said:

    timmo said:

    They will be putting up only 1 candidate per ward rather than the 3 that are up in each ward.
    On the doorstep not much appetite in suburbia for UKIP

    If they average 1 per ward across London that would be a huge increase over 2010. And the appetite for them probably depends on the suburb you are in. I would be surprised if they didnt win a smattering of seats across London.
    I think you are right and its a pretty smart move by then to catch at least some seats as people will vote 2 Cons and a UKIP or 2 LDs and a UKIP or just UKIP...
    Don't forget the effort involved in getting 10 nominations per ward - they have to live in the ward. So to sign up 1 candidate for all the wards is much more work than getting 3 candidates in 1/3 of the wards, and it probably takes a core person without any knowledge of who to ask some time to do it. So if they really are standing one everywhere, it indicates again the lack of targeting and the lack of focus on what they need to do to win seats.

    But who expects targeted UKIP gains in the area being discussed here? I expect they will have 3 candidates in their key wards in, say, Havering where they should pick seats. But if they can only muster as many candidates as there are wards in a borough they wont pick up a seat then one per ward is probably the best distribution (though pity the bugger who has to do the legwork / paperwork).
    Genuine question having not ever done it - but how much work is it to find 10 nominees in a ward? 10% hit rate on doorknocks, 1% ? I guess that unless they were BNP or whatever, I would willingly nominate for any party if I am going to vote for them or not on the basis that democracy is better with higher participation and options - but I am probably odd.
    If you have some organisation or presence in a ward, it's easy. But they must be on the electoral roll, and they mustn't have nominated anyone else. For example you can ask deliverers or known supporters. I've always done my nomination forms by asking people in a bar where I know everyone is local and on the electoral roll. If not, you can either knock on doors and hope to find supporters / people who like you feel there should be a choice but that could take a long time. Far smarter to e.g. stand outside a local shop in the ward and ask people as they come in (with a copy of the electoral roll in hand, just to check.) To do that in a stack of wards where you don't have a presence sounds like hard work when you don't have enough candidates to go round though.


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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    @isam Do you think it's clever to say that you haven't read your own party's last manifesto when you wrote the foreword to it?
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    Mick_PorkMick_Pork Posts: 6,530
    taffys said:

    Here's what you do to figure out VI. Look at an opinion poll.

    Are you arguing that a booming economy doesn't electorally favour the party that presides over it?

    If that's the case, why do politicians bother to appoint a chancellor.

    Not at all. I'm saying that throwing economic stats about is utterly pointless since voters instinctively know whether they are better off or not. That's why it's called a feel good factor. Idiots spouting economic stats telling you to feel good is doomed to failure and risks a "you've never had it so good" backlash if they do it incessantly when the public disagrees.
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    tpfkartpfkar Posts: 1,548
    Sean_F said:

    tpfkar said:

    A quick question for the experts here.

    Has an MP ever been elected to parliament for a party supporting either a straight In-Out EU referendum or a Better off Out party?

    MPs with these views in opposition to their party policy don't count. I can't think of a single one. Can anyone here?

    Were the Lib Dems not suggesting an In/Out referendum in 2005?

    No. The policy on a referendum at the next treaty change was introduced by Ming Campbell so 2006 or 2007, with only lukewarm support in the party.
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    Tissue_PriceTissue_Price Posts: 9,039
    tpfkar said:

    A quick question for the experts here.

    Has an MP ever been elected to parliament for a party supporting either a straight In-Out EU referendum or a Better off Out party?

    MPs with these views in opposition to their party policy don't count. I can't think of a single one. Can anyone here?

    Tony Blair?

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    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    Lennon said:


    Genuine question having not ever done it - but how much work is it to find 10 nominees in a ward? 10% hit rate on doorknocks, 1% ? I guess that unless they were BNP or whatever, I would willingly nominate for any party if I am going to vote for them or not on the basis that democracy is better with higher participation and options - but I am probably odd.

    Depends on a lot of factors - in a ward you work hard and know well it should be less than an hour depending on the time of day (because you should have "go to" people). In a ward you have never stepped foot in before? Argh, some places it can be hours. I cant think of a more thankless task than being responsible for ensuring a minor party gets as many candidates as possible in an all-out election in a London borough. And then you get the complaints "why arent you standing in my ward?".
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    LennonLennon Posts: 1,735
    tpfkar said:

    Lennon said:

    Neil said:

    tpfkar said:

    timmo said:

    Neil said:



    If they average 1 per ward across London that would be a huge increase over 2010. And the appetite for them probably depends on the suburb you are in. I would be surprised if they didnt win a smattering of seats across London.

    I think you are right and its a pretty smart move by then to catch at least some seats as people will vote 2 Cons and a UKIP or 2 LDs and a UKIP or just UKIP...
    Don't forget the effort involved in getting 10 nominations per ward - they have to live in the ward. So to sign up 1 candidate for all the wards is much more work than getting 3 candidates in 1/3 of the wards, and it probably takes a core person without any knowledge of who to ask some time to do it. So if they really are standing one everywhere, it indicates again the lack of targeting and the lack of focus on what they need to do to win seats.

    But who expects targeted UKIP gains in the area being discussed here? I expect they will have 3 candidates in their key wards in, say, Havering where they should pick seats. But if they can only muster as many candidates as there are wards in a borough they wont pick up a seat then one per ward is probably the best distribution (though pity the bugger who has to do the legwork / paperwork).
    Genuine question having not ever done it - but how much work is it to find 10 nominees in a ward? 10% hit rate on doorknocks, 1% ? I guess that unless they were BNP or whatever, I would willingly nominate for any party if I am going to vote for them or not on the basis that democracy is better with higher participation and options - but I am probably odd.
    If you have some organisation or presence in a ward, it's easy. But they must be on the electoral roll, and they mustn't have nominated anyone else. For example you can ask deliverers or known supporters. I've always done my nomination forms by asking people in a bar where I know everyone is local and on the electoral roll. If not, you can either knock on doors and hope to find supporters / people who like you feel there should be a choice but that could take a long time. Far smarter to e.g. stand outside a local shop in the ward and ask people as they come in (with a copy of the electoral roll in hand, just to check.) To do that in a stack of wards where you don't have a presence sounds like hard work when you don't have enough candidates to go round though.


    Thanks - very helpful. Obviously in London you could probably get 3/4 wards at a time standing outside a strategically located Tube station on the ward boundaries - assuming you're quick enough to be able to check multiple Electoral Rolls at once.
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    anotherDaveanotherDave Posts: 6,746

    The key is not to think of LD/Lab switchers as positive supporters of either party. They are first and foremost anti-Tories. That will guide how they vote in 2015. Brown and the government he led were so toxic that they not only steered Labour to one of their worst vote shares in living memory, but also haemorrhaged the ATP vote. Seeing the Tories exercising power may well have revived it.

    Some but not all. You're forgetting that in 2005 there were big Lab/LD swings in seats like Liverpool Wavertree, Newcastle N etc where the Tories have no chance of winning on the back of the Iraq war and Tuition fees. In the N, LDs were seen as Labour-lite and built up votes in Labour seats. At the last local elections in these cities they got a hammering.

    That's because the choice was Labour or LD - and there was a chance to punish the LDs for betraying the ATP. We'll see lots more of that in 2015. I would not fancy the chances of many LDs in seats where Labour has a chance of winning. It's very different where the choice is Tory or LD.

    In Tory/LD Eastleigh, Labour voters chose UKIP. In Tory/LD Folkstone, they appear to choose Labour.

    http://survation.com/2013/12/alan-bown-polls-4-new-constituencies/


    In Eastleigh 2010 Labour voters went 12 to LD 9 to UKIP in Ashcroft's poll and 3 to LD 2 to UKIP in Survation's Eastleigh poll
    "In April there had been a seismic shift in support from ‘blue collar’ workers but the Lib Dems chose to ignore it and stick with the tactic that served them so well in the past – scaring voters who might otherwise support Labour into voting Lib Dem to “keep the Tories out”.

    Those voters now vote for Ukip – and it is no use arguing ‘Ukip can’t win here’ - that opportunity has been missed – voters now know Ukip can win in Eastleigh."

    http://www.eastleighnews.co.uk/2013/05/2013-county-election-results/
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    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    Lennon said:

    Obviously in London you could probably get 3/4 wards at a time standing outside a strategically located Tube station on the ward boundaries - assuming you're quick enough to be able to check multiple Electoral Rolls at once.

    In London you are doing well to get tube commuters to accept a leaflet as they exit the station. Try to engage them in conversation or wait while you check them against the electoral roll?! No chance!
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    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419
    tpfkar said:

    Sean_F said:

    tpfkar said:

    A quick question for the experts here.

    Has an MP ever been elected to parliament for a party supporting either a straight In-Out EU referendum or a Better off Out party?

    MPs with these views in opposition to their party policy don't count. I can't think of a single one. Can anyone here?

    Were the Lib Dems not suggesting an In/Out referendum in 2005?

    No. The policy on a referendum at the next treaty change was introduced by Ming Campbell so 2006 or 2007, with only lukewarm support in the party.
    Wasn't the In/Out referedum Ming Campbell called for specifically over ratifying Lisbon, rather than any subsequent treaty?
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    On the LibDems' prospects in Scotland, are we not likely to see a difference between the central belt (industrialised or ex-industrialised, urban, traditionally Labour or Labour-lite), and the Celtic fringe where the old Liberals always did well, even in the darkest days?
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    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419
    Mick_Pork said:

    taffys said:

    Here's what you do to figure out VI. Look at an opinion poll.

    Are you arguing that a booming economy doesn't electorally favour the party that presides over it?

    If that's the case, why do politicians bother to appoint a chancellor.

    Not at all. I'm saying that throwing economic stats about is utterly pointless since voters instinctively know whether they are better off or not. That's why it's called a feel good factor. Idiots spouting economic stats telling you to feel good is doomed to failure and risks a "you've never had it so good" backlash if they do it incessantly when the public disagrees.
    What "you've never had it so good" backlash? At the election after Macmillan said that, the Tories won with their best performance in over 20 years.
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    isamisam Posts: 40,963
    antifrank said:

    @isam Do you think it's clever to say that you haven't read your own party's last manifesto when you wrote the foreword to it?

    No of course not, but I dont think UKIP voters care that much about 5 years ago, as the polls show. Most current UKIP supporters have joined since 2010, so it doesnt matter...


    Farage probably didnt read a lot of it...

    My point here is that people on PB that dont like UKIP keep predicting disaster for them because they are judging them by their standards, not UKIP voters standards and by what they want to happen rather than what is happening.

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    LennonLennon Posts: 1,735
    Neil said:

    Lennon said:

    Obviously in London you could probably get 3/4 wards at a time standing outside a strategically located Tube station on the ward boundaries - assuming you're quick enough to be able to check multiple Electoral Rolls at once.

    In London you are doing well to get tube commuters to accept a leaflet as they exit the station. Try to engage them in conversation or wait while you check them against the electoral roll?! No chance!
    Mentally I was thinking on a rainy Saturday whilst they are waiting in the station wondering when to make a dash for it... but very fair point!
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,057
    isam said:

    The anti UKIP people on here shouting that Farage has made himself look silly, the 2010 manifesto said this or that, its going to be a disaster for them etc should realise that they think almost everything that ukip do or say is silly, wrong headed, etc, including the things that have made them popular already

    You are factoring in your dislike twice

    ...and nothing is going to shift Lib Dem tuition fees off the 2010 broken promise No1 spot

    Not for the first time, you are letting your fandom for UKIP get in the way of common sense. We've had this discussion before, about UKIP's support for three high-speed lines in the 2010 manifesto. You got into all sort of sophistry about connecting London and Birmingham.

    When Farage launches a manifesto in 2015, expect people to ask him if he's read it, and if he has, how much will still be UKIP policy in a year's time.

    It's a question that will take some skill to manoeuvre. Farage may have that skill (although perhaps not); one thing is sure, many other UKIP politicians do not.

    The problem is simple: UKIP is centred on giving Europe a good bashing. Aside from that, they don't really have a solid core of policies. They are a protest, popularist party.
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    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419

    The key is not to think of LD/Lab switchers as positive supporters of either party. They are first and foremost anti-Tories. That will guide how they vote in 2015. Brown and the government he led were so toxic that they not only steered Labour to one of their worst vote shares in living memory, but also haemorrhaged the ATP vote. Seeing the Tories exercising power may well have revived it.

    Some but not all. You're forgetting that in 2005 there were big Lab/LD swings in seats like Liverpool Wavertree, Newcastle N etc where the Tories have no chance of winning on the back of the Iraq war and Tuition fees. In the N, LDs were seen as Labour-lite and built up votes in Labour seats. At the last local elections in these cities they got a hammering.

    That's because the choice was Labour or LD - and there was a chance to punish the LDs for betraying the ATP. We'll see lots more of that in 2015. I would not fancy the chances of many LDs in seats where Labour has a chance of winning. It's very different where the choice is Tory or LD.

    In Tory/LD Eastleigh, Labour voters chose UKIP. In Tory/LD Folkstone, they appear to choose Labour.

    http://survation.com/2013/12/alan-bown-polls-4-new-constituencies/


    In Eastleigh 2010 Labour voters went 12 to LD 9 to UKIP in Ashcroft's poll and 3 to LD 2 to UKIP in Survation's Eastleigh poll
    As the Labour vote share in Eastleigh barely shifted between 2010 and 2013, there must have been some movement the other way, if those polls are right?
This discussion has been closed.