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First .... again!0
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Is someone going to explain this to me? I am sure it is my fault.0
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Its not easy being a cartoonist. All the more reason not to use one on your christmas card without permission.DavidL said:Is someone going to explain this to me? I am sure it is my fault.
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DavidL, if you Google "Putin, shirt off" you'll have your answer .... it's really just having fun with the Elgin Marbles statue of the river god which most controversially has been lent to Russia's Hermitage Museum. It went on show today. If you Google 'Putin, shirt off, Siberian River' you'll get the shot I used for the head.DavidL said:Is someone going to explain this to me? I am sure it is my fault.
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It's neck and neck with Betfair's Overall Majority market:
https://www.betfair.com/exchange/#/politics/event/26589827/market?marketId=1.1014164900 -
One of Marf's lesser cartoons. I suppose that the statue is supposed to be Putin, go figure.
Trouble is that Marf is not a good caricaturist, although she is good on mood, usually.0 -
I have been intending to make this comment for some time but the sad death of Jeremy Thorpe brings it to mind:
GE2015 will show the most significant party vote share increase since that of February 1974 in which Liberals increased theirs by 12.2% and that of 1983 first election after formation of SDP.
This time UKIP will increase their share significantly but as in the elections above I fear they will be seriously impeded by electoral system.
Now all GB has 4 parties making GE2015 the most interesting one psephologically for 41 years.0 -
I like the cartoon Marf. Putin is suitable for "Your so Vain" you probably think this song is about you.....
But he is one that a few kippers admire....0 -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-30349730
"A depiction of the river god Ilissos will go on show in St Petersburg's State Hermitage Museum."
poseur.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=putin+shirt+off+river&biw=1680&bih=937&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=kCGCVIDzGMv0UsqzBA&ved=0CC0Q7Ak0 -
@PEOPLEKIT: courtesy of @JasonElsom:TCPoliticalBetting said:I like the cartoon Marf. Putin is suitable for "Your so Vain" you probably think this song is about you.....
But he is one that a few kippers admire....
You're so Venn!
http://t.co/Ax5fVD6vZy”0 -
In 1974 the Liberals stood in nearly twice the constituencies as 1974. The number of voters shot up as a result though the number of seats only went up a little. A lesson for kippers and greens perhaps.peterelectionfollo said:I have been intending to make this comment for some time but the sad death of Jeremy Thorpe brings it to mind:
GE2015 will show the most significant party vote share increase since that of February 1974 in which Liberals increased theirs by 12.2% and that of 1983 first election after formation of SDP.
This time UKIP will increase their share significantly but as in the elections above I fear they will be seriously impeded by electoral system.
Now all GB has 4 parties making GE2015 the most interesting one psephologically for 41 years.0 -
Well, yes. For the very obvious reason that the SNP have already flatly ruled out coalition with the Tories.state_go_away said:
Lab/SNP is far more likely than Con/SNP ?MikeL said:Observations / questions re Betfair Next Government market:
Lab is marginal favourite for most seats and marginally shorter for a majority than Con.
However:
Con/LD is shorter than Lab/LD
Con minority is shorter than Lab minority
Con/UKIP is an outside possibility whereas Lab/UKIP no chance
The above all seem to imply that despite being marginal outsiders on seats, Con has marginally more chance of being in Government than Lab (if neither has a majority).
Why is this? Is it that Con is the incumbent? Or is it thought LD is more likely to go with Con than Lab (ignoring any seat difference)? If so, why?
Historically and on fundamentals surely LD would prefer to go with Lab? Ashdown clearly stated they would have gone with Lab in 2010 if Lab had had a few more seats (but still fewer seats than Con). Also the concept of evening it up - ie make it 1-1 rather than going with Con two out of two - better for longer term positioning.
Final / other point - there is also Any Other Government at quite short odds - could it be that Lab is more likely to feature in this option than Con? If so, in what form? Lab/LD/SNP most likely?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-snp-will-never-go-into-coalition-with-the-conservatives-nicola-sturgeon-vows-9862803.html
... and if Labour want a coalition with the SNP then they must scrap Trident.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/SNP/11233496/SNP-name-their-price-abandon-Trident-to-put-Miliband-in-Downing-Street.html0 -
''If you Google 'Putin, shirt off, Siberian River' '' ... oh no, dear me no.0
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YouGov - Voting intention, 18-24 year olds
Fieldwork: 2-28 November 2014
Great Britain
Sample Size: 2112
Lab 34%
Con 24%
Grn 19%
UKIP 11%
SNP/PC 6%
LD 6%
oth 1%
Scotland
Sample Size: 285
SNP 48%
Grn 15%
Lab 14%
Con 13%
UKIP 5%
LD 4%
oth 1%
https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/jrfu2ekqp9/Results_Nov14_VI_18-24s_Website.pdf0 -
0
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Nearly right.MikeK said:One of Marf's lesser cartoons. I suppose that the statue is supposed to be Putin, go figure.
Trouble is that Marf is not a good caricaturist, although she is good on mood, usually.
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There's a lot of competitionFlightpath said:''If you Google 'Putin, shirt off, Siberian River' '' ... oh no, dear me no.
http://tinyurl.com/n4bsc3l0 -
If you Google 'Cameron, shirt off, Cornwall beach' ... oh no, dear me no.Flightpath said:''If you Google 'Putin, shirt off, Siberian River' '' ... oh no, dear me no.
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Correct and I have no intention of, any more that you would enjoy looking at me on a Cornish beach (although we only go when its cold and wet, so my image might be a bit different from what I guess would be the overtrained Putin)Stuart_Dickson said:
If you Google 'Cameron, shirt off, Cornwall beach' ... oh no, dear me no.Flightpath said:''If you Google 'Putin, shirt off, Siberian River' '' ... oh no, dear me no.
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I like the cartoon. And I'm also a big admirer of Putin -would that we had a leader of that calibre. If we had, we might be something more than a rapidly declining US colony.0
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Was he guilty? Was there any evidence? IUPG? TBM?FrancisUrquhart said:Tick tick tick tick...
MAIL: Yard 'hid top MP's name' in sex abuse inquiry
http://t.co/eDtOboz7Zq
To be fair I imagine Cliff Richard would be aggrieved.0 -
Yep, it is always good to have a megalomaniac, tyrant and power addicted former KGB man in charge of a 'democracy'Luckyguy1983 said:I like the cartoon. And I'm also a big admirer of Putin -would that we had a leader of that calibre. If we had, we might be something more than a rapidly declining US colony.
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Is he still an MP?Flightpath said:
Was he guilty? Was there any evidence? IUPG? TBM?FrancisUrquhart said:Tick tick tick tick...
MAIL: Yard 'hid top MP's name' in sex abuse inquiry
http://t.co/eDtOboz7Zq
To be fair I imagine Cliff Richard would be aggrieved.0 -
Unlike you on the Indy ref ........Stuart_Dickson said:
Nearly right.MikeK said:One of Marf's lesser cartoons. I suppose that the statue is supposed to be Putin, go figure.
Trouble is that Marf is not a good caricaturist, although she is good on mood, usually.0 -
I was bang on on the indyref. Winnings = 400 quid.Floater said:
Unlike you on the Indy ref ........Stuart_Dickson said:
Nearly right.MikeK said:One of Marf's lesser cartoons. I suppose that the statue is supposed to be Putin, go figure.
Trouble is that Marf is not a good caricaturist, although she is good on mood, usually.
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Evening all
Nice cartoon, Marf!0 -
Shall we ignore all your posts on the subject and then the long silence afterwards?Stuart_Dickson said:
I was bang on on the indyref. Winnings = 400 quid.Floater said:
Unlike you on the Indy ref ........Stuart_Dickson said:
Nearly right.MikeK said:One of Marf's lesser cartoons. I suppose that the statue is supposed to be Putin, go figure.
Trouble is that Marf is not a good caricaturist, although she is good on mood, usually.0 -
But lost on the one that mattered!Stuart_Dickson said:
I was bang on on the indyref. Winnings = 400 quid.Floater said:
Unlike you on the Indy ref ........Stuart_Dickson said:
Nearly right.MikeK said:One of Marf's lesser cartoons. I suppose that the statue is supposed to be Putin, go figure.
Trouble is that Marf is not a good caricaturist, although she is good on mood, usually.
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LOLStuart_Dickson said:I was bang on on the indyref.
No seriously.
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Help. it's getting painful now...0 -
Back in London now, but Mum just shouted at me for pointing out that Elgin saved the Marbles from certain destruction.
"Well they're not going to be destroyed now! It's high time they were returned to Athens!"0 -
You misunderstand.foxinsoxuk said:
But lost on the one that mattered!Stuart_Dickson said:
I was bang on on the indyref. Winnings = 400 quid.Floater said:
Unlike you on the Indy ref ........Stuart_Dickson said:
Nearly right.MikeK said:One of Marf's lesser cartoons. I suppose that the statue is supposed to be Putin, go figure.
Trouble is that Marf is not a good caricaturist, although she is good on mood, usually.
Losing a battle is not the same thing as losing a war.0 -
SkyBet - How many Conservative MPs will defect to UKIP before general election?
Two or more 5/4
None 11/8
One 3/10 -
Won't happen (I think) confidence and supply most likely for Labour - surely in a well hung parliament.Stuart_Dickson said:
Well, yes. For the very obvious reason that the SNP have already flatly ruled out coalition with the Tories.state_go_away said:
Lab/SNP is far more likely than Con/SNP ?MikeL said:Observations / questions re Betfair Next Government market:
Lab is marginal favourite for most seats and marginally shorter for a majority than Con.
However:
Con/LD is shorter than Lab/LD
Con minority is shorter than Lab minority
Con/UKIP is an outside possibility whereas Lab/UKIP no chance
The above all seem to imply that despite being marginal outsiders on seats, Con has marginally more chance of being in Government than Lab (if neither has a majority).
Why is this? Is it that Con is the incumbent? Or is it thought LD is more likely to go with Con than Lab (ignoring any seat difference)? If so, why?
Historically and on fundamentals surely LD would prefer to go with Lab? Ashdown clearly stated they would have gone with Lab in 2010 if Lab had had a few more seats (but still fewer seats than Con). Also the concept of evening it up - ie make it 1-1 rather than going with Con two out of two - better for longer term positioning.
Final / other point - there is also Any Other Government at quite short odds - could it be that Lab is more likely to feature in this option than Con? If so, in what form? Lab/LD/SNP most likely?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-snp-will-never-go-into-coalition-with-the-conservatives-nicola-sturgeon-vows-9862803.html
... and if Labour want a coalition with the SNP then they must scrap Trident.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/SNP/11233496/SNP-name-their-price-abandon-Trident-to-put-Miliband-in-Downing-Street.html0 -
Agreed.Pulpstar said:
Won't happen (I think) confidence and supply most likely for Labour - surely in a well hung parliament.Stuart_Dickson said:
Well, yes. For the very obvious reason that the SNP have already flatly ruled out coalition with the Tories.state_go_away said:
Lab/SNP is far more likely than Con/SNP ?MikeL said:Observations / questions re Betfair Next Government market:
Lab is marginal favourite for most seats and marginally shorter for a majority than Con.
However:
Con/LD is shorter than Lab/LD
Con minority is shorter than Lab minority
Con/UKIP is an outside possibility whereas Lab/UKIP no chance
The above all seem to imply that despite being marginal outsiders on seats, Con has marginally more chance of being in Government than Lab (if neither has a majority).
Why is this? Is it that Con is the incumbent? Or is it thought LD is more likely to go with Con than Lab (ignoring any seat difference)? If so, why?
Historically and on fundamentals surely LD would prefer to go with Lab? Ashdown clearly stated they would have gone with Lab in 2010 if Lab had had a few more seats (but still fewer seats than Con). Also the concept of evening it up - ie make it 1-1 rather than going with Con two out of two - better for longer term positioning.
Final / other point - there is also Any Other Government at quite short odds - could it be that Lab is more likely to feature in this option than Con? If so, in what form? Lab/LD/SNP most likely?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-snp-will-never-go-into-coalition-with-the-conservatives-nicola-sturgeon-vows-9862803.html
... and if Labour want a coalition with the SNP then they must scrap Trident.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/SNP/11233496/SNP-name-their-price-abandon-Trident-to-put-Miliband-in-Downing-Street.html
They will cling on to Trident until the last rites.
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Is there meant to be an argument here somewhere?philiph said:
Yep, it is always good to have a megalomaniac, tyrant and power addicted former KGB man in charge of a 'democracy'Luckyguy1983 said:I like the cartoon. And I'm also a big admirer of Putin -would that we had a leader of that calibre. If we had, we might be something more than a rapidly declining US colony.
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The Indy campaign may need a bit of time to come up with a less half-baked proposal.Stuart_Dickson said:
You misunderstand.foxinsoxuk said:
But lost on the one that mattered!Stuart_Dickson said:
I was bang on on the indyref. Winnings = 400 quid.Floater said:
Unlike you on the Indy ref ........Stuart_Dickson said:
Nearly right.MikeK said:One of Marf's lesser cartoons. I suppose that the statue is supposed to be Putin, go figure.
Trouble is that Marf is not a good caricaturist, although she is good on mood, usually.
Losing a battle is not the same thing as losing a war.
Then good riddance!0 -
No, just pointing out that I don't hold Putin in the same esteem as youLuckyguy1983 said:
Is there meant to be an argument here somewhere?philiph said:
Yep, it is always good to have a megalomaniac, tyrant and power addicted former KGB man in charge of a 'democracy'Luckyguy1983 said:I like the cartoon. And I'm also a big admirer of Putin -would that we had a leader of that calibre. If we had, we might be something more than a rapidly declining US colony.
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For you my friend, the war is over...Stuart_Dickson said:Losing a battle is not the same thing as losing a war.
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Tipping point.Stuart_Dickson said:
You misunderstand.foxinsoxuk said:
But lost on the one that mattered!Stuart_Dickson said:
I was bang on on the indyref. Winnings = 400 quid.Floater said:
Unlike you on the Indy ref ........Stuart_Dickson said:
Nearly right.MikeK said:One of Marf's lesser cartoons. I suppose that the statue is supposed to be Putin, go figure.
Trouble is that Marf is not a good caricaturist, although she is good on mood, usually.
Losing a battle is not the same thing as losing a war.0 -
Good, I didn't think so.philiph said:
No, just pointing out that I don't hold Putin in the same esteem as youLuckyguy1983 said:
Is there meant to be an argument here somewhere?philiph said:
Yep, it is always good to have a megalomaniac, tyrant and power addicted former KGB man in charge of a 'democracy'Luckyguy1983 said:I like the cartoon. And I'm also a big admirer of Putin -would that we had a leader of that calibre. If we had, we might be something more than a rapidly declining US colony.
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I agree with you. And I note that deafening silence ensued your kind offer. Nuff said.rogerh said:Re previous thread on Ashcroft polling in Con/LD marginals. Am prepared to wager £50 that final UNS in England and Wales and UNS Scotland separately will be a more accurate at predicting LD overall number seat losses than the Ashcroft seat specific polls of Lib Dem marginals with Con, Lab and SNP. Opportunity for wager to only to first person to respond.
Doubters, please do some research:
- at the 2007 Scottish general election the Lib Dems won 11 constituencies with 16.2% of the vote.
- at the 2011 Scottish general election the Lib Dems won 2 constituencies with 7.9% of the vote.
So, although they only lost 51% of their national vote share, they actually managed to lose 82% of their constituency MSPs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Parliament_general_election,_2007
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Parliament_general_election,_20110 -
Talking of which, I read the fluff on Christmas cards in tonight's paper, and it got me thinking. Do PMs send Lotos cards as a rule? And vice versa? Anyone know?Flightpath said:
Its not easy being a cartoonist. All the more reason not to use one on your christmas card without permission.DavidL said:Is someone going to explain this to me? I am sure it is my fault.
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Do you find the statue in Marf's cartoon - shall we say - "arousing"?Luckyguy1983 said:
Good, I didn't think so.philiph said:
No, just pointing out that I don't hold Putin in the same esteem as youLuckyguy1983 said:
Is there meant to be an argument here somewhere?philiph said:
Yep, it is always good to have a megalomaniac, tyrant and power addicted former KGB man in charge of a 'democracy'Luckyguy1983 said:I like the cartoon. And I'm also a big admirer of Putin -would that we had a leader of that calibre. If we had, we might be something more than a rapidly declining US colony.
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Yes - from Moonpig with printed signaturesBobajob_ said:
Talking of which, I read the fluff on Christmas cards in tonight's paper, and it got me thinking. Do PMs send Lotos cards as a rule? And vice versa? Anyone know?Flightpath said:
Its not easy being a cartoonist. All the more reason not to use one on your christmas card without permission.DavidL said:Is someone going to explain this to me? I am sure it is my fault.
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Ho ho.Scott_P said:
For you my friend, the war is over...Stuart_Dickson said:Losing a battle is not the same thing as losing a war.
This from the punter who called Edinburgh South West as a rock-solid CON GAIN.
Here was the actual result:
Lab (Alistair Darling MP) 19,473
Con 11,026
LD 8,194
SNP 5,530
Grn 872
SSP 319
Com 48
You were so close Scott.0 -
He's not going to win it next time... :-)Stuart_Dickson said:Here was the actual result:
Lab (Alistair Darling MP) 19,4730 -
Who knows. Innocent people should be allowed to get on with their lives. Guilty people should be prosecuted. Speculations should not be paraded as factsphiliph said:
Is he still an MP?Flightpath said:
Was he guilty? Was there any evidence? IUPG? TBM?FrancisUrquhart said:Tick tick tick tick...
MAIL: Yard 'hid top MP's name' in sex abuse inquiry
http://t.co/eDtOboz7Zq
To be fair I imagine Cliff Richard would be aggrieved.0 -
Surely thats not Ratty between Putins loins?Sunil_Prasannan said:
Do you find the statue in Marf's cartoon - shall we say - "arousing"?Luckyguy1983 said:
Good, I didn't think so.philiph said:
No, just pointing out that I don't hold Putin in the same esteem as youLuckyguy1983 said:
Is there meant to be an argument here somewhere?philiph said:
Yep, it is always good to have a megalomaniac, tyrant and power addicted former KGB man in charge of a 'democracy'Luckyguy1983 said:I like the cartoon. And I'm also a big admirer of Putin -would that we had a leader of that calibre. If we had, we might be something more than a rapidly declining US colony.
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The problem is Scott, you told everyone here at PB that he wasn't going to win it in 2010. You were quite emphatic on that point. Jason Rust MP was a certainty.Scott_P said:
He's not going to win it next time... :-)Stuart_Dickson said:Here was the actual result:
Lab (Alistair Darling MP) 19,473
I'm afraid that your credibility is hovering around the zilch level. Always has been.0 -
Oh Stuart.Stuart_Dickson said:The problem is Scott, you told everyone here at PB that he wasn't going to win it in 2010
I am glad to see your catastrophic loss of the IndyRef (which you were quite emphatic would go the other way) hasn't dimmed your keen sense of humour.
Oh, wait...0 -
- "which you were quite emphatic would go the other way"Scott_P said:
Oh Stuart.Stuart_Dickson said:The problem is Scott, you told everyone here at PB that he wasn't going to win it in 2010
I am glad to see your catastrophic loss of the IndyRef (which you were quite emphatic would go the other way) hasn't dimmed your keen sense of humour.
Oh, wait...
A straightforward lie.0 -
Ladbrokes - Edinburgh South West
Lab 8/15
SNP 15/8
Con 12/1
100 bar
How much pocket money have you wagered on Gordon Lindhurst then Scott? 20p ?0 -
I think you are confusing him with Malcolm. Stuart said on a number of occasions he wasn't at all sure which way it would go, to be fair.Scott_P said:
Oh Stuart.Stuart_Dickson said:The problem is Scott, you told everyone here at PB that he wasn't going to win it in 2010
I am glad to see your catastrophic loss of the IndyRef (which you were quite emphatic would go the other way) hasn't dimmed your keen sense of humour.
Oh, wait...
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It was a genuine question!Flightpath said:
Yes - from Moonpig with printed signaturesBobajob_ said:
Talking of which, I read the fluff on Christmas cards in tonight's paper, and it got me thinking. Do PMs send Lotos cards as a rule? And vice versa? Anyone know?Flightpath said:
Its not easy being a cartoonist. All the more reason not to use one on your christmas card without permission.DavidL said:Is someone going to explain this to me? I am sure it is my fault.
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Oh, dear! I got shouted at again! Now Mum seems to agree with Farage re. breastfeeding0
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As recently as September the turkeys were cheering for Christmas.
'BBC wants Labour to win General Election, Tory MPs claim'
- Tory MPs claim that the BBC's coverage of government policies is biased because it fears that a future Conservative government will cut the licence fee
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/11276739/BBC-wants-Labour-to-win-General-Election-Tory-MPs-claim.html0 -
Now that was funny!MikeK said:
Surely thats not Ratty between Putins loins?Sunil_Prasannan said:
Do you find the statue in Marf's cartoon - shall we say - "arousing"?Luckyguy1983 said:
Good, I didn't think so.philiph said:
No, just pointing out that I don't hold Putin in the same esteem as youLuckyguy1983 said:
Is there meant to be an argument here somewhere?philiph said:
Yep, it is always good to have a megalomaniac, tyrant and power addicted former KGB man in charge of a 'democracy'Luckyguy1983 said:I like the cartoon. And I'm also a big admirer of Putin -would that we had a leader of that calibre. If we had, we might be something more than a rapidly declining US colony.
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Today's Adur DC by election result Con hold
Con 340 Lab 223 UKIP 216 Green 106
Minor changes in vote share from May , Con , Lab and UKIP all up a fraction , Green vote down a fraction0 -
I see Michael Moore MP is still alive and well.Stuart_Dickson said:
The problem is Scott, you told everyone here at PB that he wasn't going to win it in 2010. You were quite emphatic on that point. Jason Rust MP was a certainty.Scott_P said:
He's not going to win it next time... :-)Stuart_Dickson said:Here was the actual result:
Lab (Alistair Darling MP) 19,473
I'm afraid that your credibility is hovering around the zilch level. Always has been.
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Ah Stuart,
So nice to see you back, how are the politics in Sweden these days? Who is going to win the election?
Apart from which, the wheels are beginning to come off Nicola's band wagon. Too honest to replace Wee Eck.
I gather that Salmond is still betting on a recall back to the leadership even though "every one else knows it ain't gonna happen" including Nicola and Peter.0 -
Well, quite. Scott P's list of idiotic GE 2010 predictions is very long. Edinburgh South West was merely the tip of the iceberg.No_Offence_Alan said:
I see Michael Moore MP is still alive and well.Stuart_Dickson said:
The problem is Scott, you told everyone here at PB that he wasn't going to win it in 2010. You were quite emphatic on that point. Jason Rust MP was a certainty.Scott_P said:
He's not going to win it next time... :-)Stuart_Dickson said:Here was the actual result:
Lab (Alistair Darling MP) 19,473
I'm afraid that your credibility is hovering around the zilch level. Always has been.
Looks like Moore might cling on yet:
LD (Michael Moore MP) EVS
Con (John Lamont MSP) 11/10
SNP 6/1
100 bar
I note that Anthony Wells still refers to this seat as a "Safe Liberal Democrat seat". He really needs to update some of the less-visited corners of his website.
http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/berwickshireroxburghandselkirk/
Result 2010 - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
LD 22,230
Con 16,555
Lab 5,003
SNP 4,497
UKIP 595
oth 1340 -
Can Tony Blair really be worth 'only £10million'? The former PM's most lucrative assets
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/can-tony-blair-really-be-worth-only-10million-the-former-pms-most-lucrative-assets-9906822.html0 -
Greetings from the Ritz Carlton Shanghai Pudong Hotel, where I have managed to grab myself something of a stunning suite, thanks to our holding of a conference here from tomorrow that has attracted 450 delegates. I am on the 51st floor and have floor to ceiling windows across two sides of a corner space, so the views are incredible - even today, with a light haze of pollution already hanging in the air.
I have been to the city a couple of times before, but this is by far the most up-market place I have stayed and it's my first face to face contact with the People's Republic of China's super-elite - or, more accurately, their kids. In the block where the hotel is situated there is every kind of designer/luxury good store dripping with opulence, and the cars being driven around I literally have not seen on roads before: white, armour plated Roll's Royces, low-slung Maseratis, others that look amazing which I do not recognise; Porsches are ten a penny and a sign of relatively low status. And as for the kids themselves; well, they are dolled up in the snuggest, best-fitting gear, with phones glued to their ears. They do not bother to hide the contempt they feel for the likes of us. Their faces when we all have to share a lift are a picture.
This city, much more than Beijing, is where what has happened in China over the last 30 years hits you hard in the face. Go just a couple of miles from here, across the river and beyond the Bund, and you'll see families - just arrived from the countryside - sleeping in cardboard boxes under the newly-built flyovers. It's not like India, the divide does not seem so institutionalised or so permanent (those country-people will find a home of sorts and jobs and they will progress), but it's stark nevertheless. For the kids of the Communist elite to keep on living the lives they do, growth must be relentless. if it is not; well, I hope I am not here should that happen.0 -
Oh Stuart,Stuart_Dickson said:Can Tony Blair really be worth 'only £10million'? The former PM's most lucrative assets
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/can-tony-blair-really-be-worth-only-10million-the-former-pms-most-lucrative-assets-9906822.html
Please keep up with the comments, this was discussed previously.
The consensus was that while Tony was only worth £10 million, how much is Cherie worth?0 -
@Edin_Rokz
"how much is Cherie worth? "
A good wife is priceless, as all men who dislike sleeping on the sofa know.0 -
And if you really want to be pickie, How much is David Cameron worth? Supposedly only £30 million, Osborne £13 million and the other Tory front benchers?Edin_Rokz said:
Oh Stuart,Stuart_Dickson said:Can Tony Blair really be worth 'only £10million'? The former PM's most lucrative assets
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/can-tony-blair-really-be-worth-only-10million-the-former-pms-most-lucrative-assets-9906822.html
Please keep up with the comments, this was discussed previously.
The consensus was that while Tony was only worth £10 million, how much is Cherie worth?
I also think I may have missed it, but how much is Salmond worth?0 -
Parents are so inconsiderate. Next she'll be saying grammar schools are a good thing, or that Britain should be a self-governing nation.Sunil_Prasannan said:Oh, dear! I got shouted at again! Now Mum seems to agree with Farage re. breastfeeding
Will no-one think of the children!0 -
My irony meter just exploded.Stuart_Dickson said:
The problem is Scott, you told everyone here at PB that he wasn't going to win it in 2010. You were quite emphatic on that point. Jason Rust MP was a certainty.Scott_P said:
He's not going to win it next time... :-)Stuart_Dickson said:Here was the actual result:
Lab (Alistair Darling MP) 19,473
I'm afraid that your credibility is hovering around the zilch level. Always has been.
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He would be worth even more if he laid off the chauffeur driven curries....Edin_Rokz said:
And if you really want to be pickie, How much is David Cameron worth? Supposedly only £30 million, Osborne £13 million and the other Tory front benchers?Edin_Rokz said:
Oh Stuart,Stuart_Dickson said:Can Tony Blair really be worth 'only £10million'? The former PM's most lucrative assets
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/can-tony-blair-really-be-worth-only-10million-the-former-pms-most-lucrative-assets-9906822.html
Please keep up with the comments, this was discussed previously.
The consensus was that while Tony was only worth £10 million, how much is Cherie worth?
I also think I may have missed it, but how much is Salmond worth?
Oh wait, the tax payer paid for those.0 -
BBC radio documentary on Jeremy Thorpe, presented by Tom Mangold:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04wz6330 -
Oh god, wont be watching QT next week....
Russell Brand and Nigel Farage, will face each other on Question Time in Canterbury next week.
When will the likes of the BBC stop giving a bloody a megaphone to Russell Brand at every opportunity. There has to be a less hypocritical, less moronic, less uninformed lefty to have on QT.
Also, how many times have Farage been on QT in the past 12-18 months. Sure UKIP are doing well in the polls, but he has to have been on 10+ times.0 -
China today makes the United States seem like a socialist country by comparison. (I've been to Shanghai twice, in 2005 and 2010 when the Expo was on).SouthamObserver said:Greetings from the Ritz Carlton Shanghai Pudong Hotel, where I have managed to grab myself something of a stunning suite, thanks to our holding of a conference here from tomorrow that has attracted 450 delegates. I am on the 51st floor and have floor to ceiling windows across two sides of a corner space, so the views are incredible - even today, with a light haze of pollution already hanging in the air.
I have been to the city a couple of times before, but this is by far the most up-market place I have stayed and it's my first face to face contact with the People's Republic of China's super-elite - or, more accurately, their kids. In the block where the hotel is situated there is every kind of designer/luxury good store dripping with opulence, and the cars being driven around I literally have not seen on roads before: white, armour plated Roll's Royces, low-slung Maseratis, others that look amazing which I do not recognise; Porsches are ten a penny and a sign of relatively low status. And as for the kids themselves; well, they are dolled up in the snuggest, best-fitting gear, with phones glued to their ears. They do not bother to hide the contempt they feel for the likes of us. Their faces when we all have to share a lift are a picture.
This city, much more than Beijing, is where what has happened in China over the last 30 years hits you hard in the face. Go just a couple of miles from here, across the river and beyond the Bund, and you'll see families - just arrived from the countryside - sleeping in cardboard boxes under the newly-built flyovers. It's not like India, the divide does not seem so institutionalised or so permanent (those country-people will find a home of sorts and jobs and they will progress), but it's stark nevertheless. For the kids of the Communist elite to keep on living the lives they do, growth must be relentless. if it is not; well, I hope I am not here should that happen.0 -
Tentative signs that it might be starting to dawn on Ed Balls that, if he wants to win the votes of people who oppose the Tories' policies, it might be an idea to oppose the Tories' policies himself:
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/dec/05/ed-balls-george-osborne-extreme-thatcher-spending-cuts0 -
Southern Observer
And today is the day when China officially overtook the US as the world's #1 economy in PPP terms0 -
Decent line from Labour - the 1930s stuff has traction I think and the AS has presented them with an opportunity.Danny565 said:Tentative signs that it might be starting to dawn on Ed Balls that, if he wants to win the votes of people who oppose the Tories' policies, it might be an idea to oppose the Tories' policies himself:
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/dec/05/ed-balls-george-osborne-extreme-thatcher-spending-cuts0