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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » TSE on Making Your Mind Up on who to back at Eurovision.
Whilst the polls show Brits remain cynical about Eurovision and think it is all about politics, some of us enjoy Eurovision for that reason, for the music and the betting opportunities.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PBykhFyy-ZE#t=0s
The other attraction is completely inumerate commentators who try to keep the suspense going out of ignorance long after it is actually all over.
Unless...
http://www.vickyfoxcroft.com/
Comedy fops at their finest.
That would be hilarious. If so, surely he'd be toast?
(Whose interest in and enjoyment of all things Eurovision has disturbed his friends for many years)
Yeh! Well it disturbs me too. To see and hear those inelegant wankers parade their pop's is, to me, pure agony. The last worthwhile and singable tune was Waterloo. since then Eurovision has been a cultural desert.
That sounds more like someone trying to spin and attach the phrase to Cameron personally.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22544741
Cammie has been reported in the FT as using the phrase "swivel-eyed" to refer to tories who talk to him about Europe. I'm afraid the inept Cameroon spinners can't slither out of that one.
The question is who called the tory party activists "mad swivel eyed loons" because they have actually noticed by now as have their MPs and they don't seem best pleased oddly enough.
The problem for the fops is there's so many chums to choose from in Cammie's chumocracy. So this could go on for quite some time as assorted amusing twits dangle in the wind.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/may/17/london-risk-takers-eu-bonus-cap
Germany will do badly because of the Euro crisis, they will get few votes from the mediterranian.
My favourite is Finland: pretty girl, catchy number, will pick up Scandanavian and Baltic votes as well as good costumes and staging.
With large Russian minorities in a number of CIS countries and both good song and singer, Russia looks good, Ukraine also for similar reasons.
Greece has a good song and lively staging, and may get a sympathy vote as well as 12 from Cyprus. The Greek Diaspora may also help with votes in other countries.
Denmark is strong favourite and has Scandanavian votes likely, but the Scandanavians do share their votes out more widely.
I have a couple of quid on each of the above, except Denmark, each way, to add interest to the night. Also couldnt resist a couple of quid on someone getting Nul points.
Viva Eurovision! The worlds biggest TV audience apart from sporting events.
He also repeated France’s view that “limits must be set” to prevent the break-up of Europe: the president, who fears a “British contagion” spreading to other members, will resist any attempt to unravel European treaties to allow Mr Cameron to repatriate powers.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/db628364-bf09-11e2-a9d4-00144feab7de.html#axzz2TebP2mKg
(Paywall)
Bearing in mind we need unanimous agreement for David Cameron's repatriation, this doesn't look good.
I can confirm that the #swivelgate #loongate remark was said at the recent #FriendsOfNUCADinner @NUCA_79 #IsItOkayToLaughAtYourOwnJokes
The president is John HAyes MP, but he doesnt seem likely to be "close to Cameron"
I sense another public relations and media omnishambles could be on the cards if they keep this up.
I'm finding this chase difficult to get excited about when what the unfortunate quarry said is so patently true
Fact is that they would pay if they studied in England so why would we have to pay for them out of the tiny Scottish budget when any Scottish student would be charged in England. They cannot have their cake and eat it. I do agree we should not be subsidising people from EU, but to say it is done for anti English reasons is pathetic. It may be political but certainly not anti English.
If so, then no one is singled out are they?
If my first statement is false, then fair enough
In England everyone is charged to study at university.
In Scotland if you are Scottish you are not charged
In Scotland if you are from any other EU country you are not charged.
If you are from England, Wales or Northern Ireland you are charged.
Now I don't think this is anti-English, just unfair. But to try and compare it with the case for Scots students in England is just stupid.
On an ironic note, (with £10 stakes) my tennis tips this year are presently surpassing my F1 tips. Not sure if that means my tennis tips are doing well or my F1 tips are awful.
Why on earth would a Scottish person study in England if its freemans at home?
"Now I don't think this is anti-English, just unfair. Butu top try and compare it with the case for Scots students in England is just stupid."
Actually it's a fairly well balanced argument. The English have chosen to charge students whereas other European and Scottish students go to their universities free of charge. To allow English students to avoid paying by going to a Scottish University would leave them oversubscribed and as the arrangement wouldn't be reciprocal it would also be unfair
Yet Scotland is prepared to give Spanish students free study in Scotland, even when Scots have to pay for study in Spain.
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2013/05/party-chairman-lord-feldman-denies-calling-party-members-mad-swivel-eyed-loons.html
Shapps on news24. Uh-oh.
'The union passed a no confidence motion in his policies, while president Bernadette Hunter said teachers and pupils had "never had it so bad".'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-22558756
Was Sarkozy really worse than Chirac or Mitterand?
Are they saving it for the Sundays?
The last one about plebs went on for six weeks and turned out to be completely made up. Do people really still lap up this rubbish?
But there isn't.
One interesting consequence of Scottish independence could be the anglicisation of Scottish academia.
At the moment fees for rUK students in Scotland are not capped at £9 000, and are usually more, so there is currently quite a penalty for studying north of the border.
A very interesting point. Has anyone asked the SNP about their policy for higher education after independence?
0.1 Overs 1 wicket for 0.
And newspaper editors are probably scratching their heads as to why their numbers are falling.
Look back over the history of the previous administration as an example.
http://iaindale.blogspot.co.uk/2006/04/top-50-or-so-labour-sleaze-scandals.html
Surely things can't be as dull as they seem.
Are the Press simply lazy, or cowed by influence, and threats of legal action?
Just like the papers led with Mitchell calling the Police a "pleb".
Oh, wait.
It' s not clear (to me) if they meant that they have failed automatic reselection to the top of the list or if they are totally out of the candidates' list.
I look at Cameron and while I'm not exactly pleased with what I see I just can't imagine that he hates women. It's just some boring made up tag that his opponents throw around hoping one of them will stick.
In this case though you're looking at the polls, seeing that the Tories aren't doing well with women (mainly due to reduction in benefits to couples and less money being thrown at the public sector) and are assuming it's because your crappy line about him being a misogynist has struck gold.
No mention of James Elles so far. I thought he was the one more at risk
But on one thing I'd be confident, that this will be a return to the bad old days where Britain finish rock bottom. Bonnie Tyler's entry just isn't good enough, and we'll see Britain take one step further to Eurovision oblivion.
So
Hannan and Deva re-adopted.
Ashworth and Andreasen not re-adopted
Elles retiring
It may not be the end of the road for Ashworth and Andreasen. They should compete against newcomers now.
BUt one available slot as 3 is the likely number of seats in SE right now
1) Politicians are much more careful than they were; the rise of the professional politician also means that they have a less interesting backstory. Why embark on an affair if it might cost your career?
2) The public generally care less than they used to if someone has an affair, or comes out of the closet.
3) Politicians are becoming better at handling such scandals, e.g. the alleged home lives of Boris and Ken.
4) Politicians no longer trust the media to keep certain stories quiet.
Financial impropriety is the big thing, for me at least. That's why the expenses scandal was so important. But the media pushed that far too far.
I'm finding it rather funny that the source of many of the anti-Tory stories in the Major years is now having a few little difficulties of his own. But I'm not sure that reference is obscure enough for the mods...
Either Scotland would have to introduce fees for all students including their own, or would be paying for rUK students. It is quite possible that they may want to do the latter and thereby acquire a new group of immigrants, well educated and accustomed to Scottish ways. It may be a substantial English migration.
I don't know that the public now 'care less' about being let down in whatever way by politicians etc. I think it's just that they expect to be.
It seems to me we're now locked in a spiral of open abuse within the Conservatives party.
Which means it can't end well and the longer it continues the more damage the Conservatives will suffer.
It may well be in the interests of the Conservatives to have an early general election before the leadership damages the party too much and before UKIP becomes any stronger.
http://www.itv.com/news/update/2013-05-18/99-year-old-woman-abseils-down-building/
The people who are damaging the Conservative Party's election prospects are those massively out of touch diehards who are determined to do everything to reduce the party's chances at the GE.
But in fact I suspect most of this nonsense isn't going to matter one way or the other. When it comes to the crunch people won't vote on these trivial issues. And if Cameron does lose some diehard support it'll be in safe seats where it doesn't matter.
But a sensible person tries not to meddle with someone else's 'intensity'.
I suspect also that Cameron and his circle don't believe in anything (bar their own effortless superiority) so didn't understand what they were provoking.
What we so often come back to when discussing Cameron is his lack of empathy to people different to himself and perhaps even worse that he can't even be bothered to pretend that he has some.
Fact: 1% of people go to a C of E church on any Sunday.
Their influence is completely gone but they cannot understand it let alone begin to accept it.
Hence the every increasing hysteria as they become more and more desperate.
Everyone else has moved on. It's a great shame that these people cannot accept it - they can't help thinking as they do. But they've lost - their influence is over.
It would seem that voters do not believe he is arrogant or are not bothered if he is. Arrogance does not always lead to unpopularity. Many like a leader with a bit of a swagger.
Almost comical in willful ignorance.
The increasing shrillness of the Cameron cheerleaders is revealing.
So after a near miss a couple years back (thanks for the reminder @sunil) they are just making sure we don't win.
It would be the fundamentalist and Catholic churches, as well as the laity of various denominations who object. Many Muslims and other faiths may well also object.
Like many Christians I am completely relaxed about gay marriage. God knows his own, and can tell the sheep from goats. The book of Matthew is clear that many will be surprised how they are judged, surprised in both directions that is!
What I am saying is that almost all the people screaming are religious and doing it for religious reasons. I'm not saying everyone who is religious is doing this.
Emma McClarkin (East Midlands)
Marina Yannakoudakis (London)
Sayed Kamall (London)
Charles Tannock (London)
Saj Karim (North West)
Jacqueline Foster (North West)
Julie Girling (Souht West)
Ashley Fox (South West)
Kay Swinburne (Wales)
Philip Charles Bradbourn (West Midlands)
Anthea McIntyre (West Midlands)
Daniel Hannan (South East)
Nirj Deva (South East)
The following MEPs are retiring
Struan Stevenson (Scotland)
Sir Robert Atkins (North West England)
Giles Chichester (South West England and Gibraltar)
Robert Sturdy (East of England)
James Elles (South East)
The electoral college in Yorkshire meets next Saturday. I don't have a clue on East and North East.
Out of the 13 reselected MEPs so far, 12 are basically guaranteed re-election next year unless there's a total Tory collapse. They will likely lose 1 of the London 3 .
I mean a UKIP candidate who you probably would otherwise dismiss as a complete fruitloop criticises Cameron and you're all over it.
And can you remember the last male politician that hasn't upset some womens group or another? I seem to remember Blair getting slow hand clapped by a load of old bags even at the height of his popularity. Brown got similar stories after his comment about Gillian Duffy as well.
There is room for something original (rember Lordi?) but it does need to be entertaining, and for all their lack of talent Jedward are entertaining. British entries are often just too formulaic. If we had a selection by public vote it would be like X factor,