politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » David Herdson: The election remains far from a foregone con
Comments
-
Which means it would then be taxable. Which is sensible.JohnLilburne said:
I think the Christmas bonus and winter fuel allowance are paid as benefits not part of the pension, so difficult to easily do until male and female pension ages have finally been aligned. As most people pay their bills monthly now it might be better to pay the WFA in 6 monthly instalments over the winter rather than one lump sum - by adding it to the pension.Dixie said:
There are lots of benefits that needs tidying up. Pension tax relief at high end is just ridiculous - should be 20% all round. Child benefit for more than 3 kids stupid too. £10 winter allowance for Christmas must cost £20 to manage. Roll it up into pension.bigjohnowls said:https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CD7w0Y3UkAE5UTW.jpg
Could this be a candidate for the unexplained £12bn welfare cuts.
Incidentally a commentator on Sky, who is even more over the top about the Royal Evenmt than the BBC normally are, has referred to the current Royal Family as being descended from Old King Cole.
I really wish I’d paid more attention to the children’s upbringing!0 -
Some disgraceful comments from Ed, pompom waving for the monarchy. Why not simply tell the nation that you believe in an elected Head of State?0
-
Prioritising quality over quantity.Sunil_Prasannan said:
I thought Indy on Sunday polls are online?TheScreamingEagles said:@JohnRentoul: Poll alert: we have a ComRes phone poll in @IndyOnSunday tomorrow – questions here http://t.co/a9wR62Qkfi
0 -
Oh do behave - the royals do a job for a fraction of the cost of an elected head of state (even before the costs of elections are factored in). Is anyone who is does a job paid for the state scrounging, in your book?Dair said:FFS why has BBC1 been switched to news. When will the BBC learn that they now have a rolling news channel for anyone interested in new benefits scroungers.
On such a thought, I remember when Nicholas Witchell was a journalist rather than a sycophant. Do you think he chose the job or it was some sort of punishment?
0 -
Mortimer said:
Oh do behave - the royals do a job for a fraction of the cost of an elected head of state (even before the costs of elections are factored in). Is anyone who is does a job paid for the state scrounging, in your book?Dair said:FFS why has BBC1 been switched to news. When will the BBC learn that they now have a rolling news channel for anyone interested in new benefits scroungers.
On such a thought, I remember when Nicholas Witchell was a journalist rather than a sycophant. Do you think he chose the job or it was some sort of punishment?
Nor do you get any tourists in for an elected head-of-state.
0 -
IoS voting with their feet on which methodology they think is the best...Sunil_Prasannan said:
I thought Indy on Sunday polls are online?TheScreamingEagles said:@JohnRentoul: Poll alert: we have a ComRes phone poll in @IndyOnSunday tomorrow – questions here http://t.co/a9wR62Qkfi
Tick Tock... On the internet polling bubble.
0 -
Maybe he doesn't ?SandyRentool said:Some disgraceful comments from Ed, pompom waving for the monarchy. Why not simply tell the nation that you believe in an elected Head of State?
0 -
Ed gave a fitting tribute and defence of the monarchy.0
-
The US? Obama?MarkHopkins said:Mortimer said:
Oh do behave - the royals do a job for a fraction of the cost of an elected head of state (even before the costs of elections are factored in). Is anyone who is does a job paid for the state scrounging, in your book?Dair said:FFS why has BBC1 been switched to news. When will the BBC learn that they now have a rolling news channel for anyone interested in new benefits scroungers.
On such a thought, I remember when Nicholas Witchell was a journalist rather than a sycophant. Do you think he chose the job or it was some sort of punishment?
Nor do you get any tourists in for an elected head-of-state.0 -
Well, technically yes, the current monarch can be traced back, via a circuitous route through the various Welsh princedoms pre C12 to the various candidates for Arthur Pendragon and to Coel Hen, the basis of the Old King Cole rhyme and theoretically back to the legendary first king in Britain, Brutus.OldKingCole said:
Which means it would then be taxable. Which is sensible.JohnLilburne said:
I think the Christmas bonus and winter fuel allowance are paid as benefits not part of the pension, so difficult to easily do until male and female pension ages have finally been aligned. As most people pay their bills monthly now it might be better to pay the WFA in 6 monthly instalments over the winter rather than one lump sum - by adding it to the pension.Dixie said:
There are lots of benefits that needs tidying up. Pension tax relief at high end is just ridiculous - should be 20% all round. Child benefit for more than 3 kids stupid too. £10 winter allowance for Christmas must cost £20 to manage. Roll it up into pension.bigjohnowls said:https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CD7w0Y3UkAE5UTW.jpg
Could this be a candidate for the unexplained £12bn welfare cuts.
Incidentally a commentator on Sky, who is even more over the top about the Royal Evenmt than the BBC normally are, has referred to the current Royal Family as being descended from Old King Cole.
I really wish I’d paid more attention to the children’s upbringing!
This all hangs on the disputed lineage of the 14th and 15th centuries and whether the current crop of Royals have an ounce of actual Royal blood in them. And indeed, if that matters in the slightest.0 -
Fingers crossed Mr K. :-)MikeK said:
I'm hoping- I don't know - that UKIP will outpoll all the pollsters and pundits alike by the morning of May 8th.rcs1000 said:
@MikeKMikeK said:"Why has such a consensus developed? Much of it is surely due to the monotony of the YouGov and Populus poll results, the most frequent pollsters and also the most stable in output. The result is that that each additional poll reinforces confidence that they must be right and hence gives an impression of where the election’s heading. In a similar vein, if everyone interprets those polls in the same way then ‘most likely’ tends towards the apparently inevitable simply by reaffirmation.
What you are really saying David is that the polls are distorting the true picture and leading the comentariat, especially where the new MINOR parties are concerned. Which is what I have been saying for months.
How come insurgent parties in Europe have all been overstated by internet pollsters? What makes UKIP different?
0 -
Expect to see Tories 40% next Yougov.0
-
I had a nice experience about half an hour ago. Was out shopping here in the Hague, which is on the Dutch coast, when I heard an instantly familiar sound in the sky - a Merlin engine. Looked up and saw a Lancaster passing right overhead headed back out to sea towards the UK, followed a few seconds later by a Spitfire. Everyone was looking up and was then talking about it. Funny how such a simple thing can put you in a positive mood.0
-
Atlee was hilarious by all accounts, and didn't take himself too seriously. There was a fabulous account of him in a recent LRB - how he responded to canvassers who didn't recognise him, what he said to sacked cabinet ministers who were not up to it etcNickPalmer said:
But Attlee was famously phlegmatic. I love the story of his exchange with a radio reporter on election eve:OldKingCole said:
Attlee did not expect to win in 1945. At least, not by such a margin. Someone’s diary records that on the morning when all, the results were declared ..... there was a delay in counting the postal, servicemen’s, votes ...... the subject wasn’t even discussed at breakfast in the Attlee household.
Eager reporter: "Mr Attllee, do you have one final message to add to the British people as they prepare to vote?"
Attlee: "No."
Imagine an Attlee Twitter account!
I was at my (international) school when it happened, and at the next "public affairs quiz", a question was, "Who is the Prime Minister of Rhodesia?". Correct answer was "Harold Wilson", since nobody had recognised Smith.OldKingCole said:
Once, many years ago, what was then S. Rhodesia declared it’s independence under a white minority government. The late Jeremy Thorpe suggested bombing the insurgents, as they were seen by most people, although not the Tory Right.
Shortly afterwards, canvassing one of the blues areas of the town where I lived on behalf of the Liberals I was several times "shown off" the premises for supporting “that bomber”!
And yes, it was “bomber”!
Says something about the change in the Labour Party since the 60s: before then I would have been a fervent supporter. Since then they've given the centre ground over to the Tories in England, and are now losing it in Scotland/Wales too.
Ever read the concerns of Trade Unionists in the Beveridge report committee hearings? I suspect those hardworking, patriotic and caring folk are now turning in their grave at the way in which the welfare state has turned people away from self reliance and personal responsibility.0 -
That's right - no tourists in Washington DC, Rome or Paris.MarkHopkins said:Mortimer said:
Oh do behave - the royals do a job for a fraction of the cost of an elected head of state (even before the costs of elections are factored in). Is anyone who is does a job paid for the state scrounging, in your book?Dair said:FFS why has BBC1 been switched to news. When will the BBC learn that they now have a rolling news channel for anyone interested in new benefits scroungers.
On such a thought, I remember when Nicholas Witchell was a journalist rather than a sycophant. Do you think he chose the job or it was some sort of punishment?
Nor do you get any tourists in for an elected head-of-state.0 -
There was some talk of a special levy on excessive public sector pension pots. The Treasury are said to be enthusiastic.bigjohnowls said:https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CD7w0Y3UkAE5UTW.jpg
Could this be a candidate for the unexplained £12bn welfare cuts.0 -
OldKingCole said:
The US? Obama?MarkHopkins said:Mortimer said:
Oh do behave - the royals do a job for a fraction of the cost of an elected head of state (even before the costs of elections are factored in). Is anyone who is does a job paid for the state scrounging, in your book?Dair said:FFS why has BBC1 been switched to news. When will the BBC learn that they now have a rolling news channel for anyone interested in new benefits scroungers.
On such a thought, I remember when Nicholas Witchell was a journalist rather than a sycophant. Do you think he chose the job or it was some sort of punishment?
Nor do you get any tourists in for an elected head-of-state.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Van_Rompuy
0 -
Indeed. Because Hollande and Renzi have real worldwide pull, don't they....SandyRentool said:
That's right - no tourists in Washington DC, Rome or Paris.MarkHopkins said:Mortimer said:
Oh do behave - the royals do a job for a fraction of the cost of an elected head of state (even before the costs of elections are factored in). Is anyone who is does a job paid for the state scrounging, in your book?Dair said:FFS why has BBC1 been switched to news. When will the BBC learn that they now have a rolling news channel for anyone interested in new benefits scroungers.
On such a thought, I remember when Nicholas Witchell was a journalist rather than a sycophant. Do you think he chose the job or it was some sort of punishment?
Nor do you get any tourists in for an elected head-of-state.
0 -
The inevitable republican complaints about royal coverage always remind me of Scrooge and his attitude to Christmas:: the same complete failure to understand the appeal of the festivities and the same mug superiority at being better than those they see as fools celebrating for no good reason.
It's not behaviour that is likely to win them much support.0 -
Many congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge!
I would think that the feel good factor from a royal baby would be worth a point for the incumbents, and also a point for the more monarchist party, so hopefully this will give Cameron and co a bump!0 -
I bow to no man in my loathing of Ed Milliband and what he "stands" for, but I really think its a bit much to criticize Ed for this.SandyRentool said:Some disgraceful comments from Ed, pompom waving for the monarchy. Why not simply tell the nation that you believe in an elected Head of State?
0 -
I thought the bump had gone now! Largely, anyway!JEO said:Many congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge!
I would think that the feel good factor from a royal baby would be worth a point for the incumbents, and also a point for the more monarchist party, so hopefully this will give Cameron and co a bump!0 -
How so? Why is a Socialist speaking in support of the hereditary principle?Floater said:
I bow to no man in my loathing of Ed Milliband and what he "stands" for, but I really think its a bit much to criticize Ed for this.SandyRentool said:Some disgraceful comments from Ed, pompom waving for the monarchy. Why not simply tell the nation that you believe in an elected Head of State?
0 -
Thanks Jim. I'm on.SunnyJim said:Betting Post:
1550 Punch Pass The Time 125-1 (VC)
1900 Hex Solway Prince 25-1
I have two similarly speculative suggestions today:
Uttox:
2.55 Our Mick 16/1
5.20 Black Lily 25/1
Maybe we should do them in a yankee?
0 -
There's a lovely USA treatment of Mysteries at Buckingham Palace that sums up why the Monarchy are such a pull. Its on Travel ChannelMarkHopkins said:Mortimer said:
Oh do behave - the royals do a job for a fraction of the cost of an elected head of state (even before the costs of elections are factored in). Is anyone who is does a job paid for the state scrounging, in your book?Dair said:FFS why has BBC1 been switched to news. When will the BBC learn that they now have a rolling news channel for anyone interested in new benefits scroungers.
On such a thought, I remember when Nicholas Witchell was a journalist rather than a sycophant. Do you think he chose the job or it was some sort of punishment?
Nor do you get any tourists in for an elected head-of-state.0 -
They are??? What on earth could have made you think that?TheScreamingEagles said:
They are but they all know phone polls are da best.Sunil_Prasannan said:
I thought Indy on Sunday polls are online?TheScreamingEagles said:@JohnRentoul: Poll alert: we have a ComRes phone poll in @IndyOnSunday tomorrow – questions here http://t.co/a9wR62Qkfi
https://twitter.com/Sunil_P2/status/594264607885254657
0 -
Probably just means the commissioners are prepared to pay the extra for a phone poll when we get close to an election. Maybe all pollsters should offer both approaches, online will be seen as a cheap alternative when the stakes aren't so high. Of course we don't know until next week which will be more accurate.chestnut said:
Prioritising quality over quantity.Sunil_Prasannan said:
I thought Indy on Sunday polls are online?TheScreamingEagles said:@JohnRentoul: Poll alert: we have a ComRes phone poll in @IndyOnSunday tomorrow – questions here http://t.co/a9wR62Qkfi
0 -
-
What I don't understand (and perhaps you can help me with this) is that no one can doubt that the Lib Dems are under pressure this election.MarkSenior said:
Here in West Worthing , not exactly a marginal seat , we get leaflets dressed up as free newspapers from Conservative , Lib Dem and Greens . They often contain hysterical comments about what will happen if you vote for one of the other parties . Does that mean that the Conservatives are worried about losing Worthing ? Sorry , No !!!!!Floater said:Here in Colchester had ANOTHER Lib Dem leaflet dressed up as a free newspaper.
Getting ever more hysterical it seems too.
The headline is " What have the tories got against Colchester"
Answer appears to be roadworks and they turn off the lights overnight - like ooh, everywhere else in Essex.
According to the Lib Dems the conservatives wanted to charge people 10 a month to use certain roads - but Norman Baker stopped them.
According to our Lib dem friends they will make Labour borrow 70Bn less (a year or over 5 years?) - - good luck with that with the SNP around.
Likewise they will ensure the tories cut 50bn less........ That Mansion tax will have to go some!
We are warned about "Blukip" (conservative / UKIP / DUP coalition).
Finally they berate the Labour candidate for campaigning in Norwich rather than here.
Surely they cant be scared of losing Colchester?
This seat should be safe and with limited resources it would make sense to me to concentrate those resources on seats under greater pressure / threat.
But hey, I am a "floater" rather than a party activist so have no real insight into how parties allocate resources.0 -
Big jessie attack , look out.franklyn said:
I was putting you to the test: you are very keen to spend English tax payer's money, but never to risk your own... even for charity. I think we have got your measureCarnyx said:
Indeed. He's ignored more than one reasoned rebuttal of that bet - which is a shame as if he has some genuine logic it would have been interesting to see it.Alistair said:
Con-vs-LD with Con winning on a tie would be Odds on I'd say.franklyn said:What odds would anyone give that the Conservatives in Scotland win as many seats or more than the LibDems? (including the possibility of none for either). Likewise what odds that Scottish Labour win as many or fewer than Scottish Cons plus Scottish Lib Dem (again including the possibility of both getting none)
Finally any takers for my previous offer of a charity bet that SNP get 57 or fewer seats; £50 charity bet (one bet only). loser to pay to the charity of the winner's choice; UK wide charities and non religious (or political ones). Put your money where your rhetoric is, and for a good cause.
Your charity bet is still awful value at evens.0 -
"DO NOT POST COMMENTS OR COPY TWEETS HERE ABOUT SPECIFIC POLLSTERS THAT COULD BE DEFAMATORY"
Hodges is a real piece of work isn't he? I read his comment yesterday and wondered how such a fine and talented woman as Glenda could have produced someone so bitter.0 -
-
I've always been a fan of phone polls.Sunil_Prasannan said:
They are??? What on earth could have made you think that?TheScreamingEagles said:
They are but they all know phone polls are da best.Sunil_Prasannan said:
I thought Indy on Sunday polls are online?TheScreamingEagles said:@JohnRentoul: Poll alert: we have a ComRes phone poll in @IndyOnSunday tomorrow – questions here http://t.co/a9wR62Qkfi
twitter.com/Sunil_P2/status/594264607885254657
Phone polls = Depeche Mode
Online polls = Joe Dolce0 -
rubbish, why should I pay even more tax than the hideous amount I pay now just to featherbed your idlenessDixie said:
There are lots of benefits that needs tidying up. Pension tax relief at high end is just ridiculous - should be 20% all round. Child benefit for more than 3 kids stupid too. £10 winter allowance for Christmas must cost £20 to manage. Roll it up into pension.bigjohnowls said:https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CD7w0Y3UkAE5UTW.jpg
Could this be a candidate for the unexplained £12bn welfare cuts.0 -
Other than being slightly embarrassed to live in a monarchy in the 21st century I can't get excited over the issue. However, the desperate stuff that the apologists for a hereditary head of state come out with to justify it does make me smile.MarkHopkins said:Mortimer said:
Oh do behave - the royals do a job for a fraction of the cost of an elected head of state (even before the costs of elections are factored in). Is anyone who is does a job paid for the state scrounging, in your book?Dair said:FFS why has BBC1 been switched to news. When will the BBC learn that they now have a rolling news channel for anyone interested in new benefits scroungers.
On such a thought, I remember when Nicholas Witchell was a journalist rather than a sycophant. Do you think he chose the job or it was some sort of punishment?
Nor do you get any tourists in for an elected head-of-state.
Terrible how the tourist figures in London slump overtime the monarch disappears to one of the other stately piles for a month or 2!.0 -
They may get a small bounce, but I doubt it will be to that extent. If anything, there may not be any bounce at all given how little the polls have changed over the campaign.anotherDave said:0 -
I really don't understand Hodges comments yesterday against a certain company. Quite odd.0
-
The graph is inaccurate. The presumption is that housing benefit is paid to the tenant, albeit it can be disapplied (Housing Benefit Regulations 2006 SI 2006/213, regs 94-96). Where housing benefit is paid to a tenant who is entitled to it, the monies are beneficially the property of the tenant and there is no obligation to apply them to satisfy the tenant's arrears of, or liability to rent service (DPP v Huskinson (1988) 20 HLR 562 (DC)).bigjohnowls said:https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CD7w0Y3UkAE5UTW.jpg
Could this be a candidate for the unexplained £12bn welfare cuts.0 -
Skybet are offering 5/1 on the SNP winning every seat in Scotland, Hills 10/11 on 51-59 seats; if you offer odds somewhere between those I'll think about it. Otherwise everyone can take the measure of a blusterer who won't back his rhetoric.franklyn said:
I was putting you to the test: you are very keen to spend English tax payer's money, but never to risk your own... even for charity. I think we have got your measureCarnyx said:
Indeed. He's ignored more than one reasoned rebuttal of that bet - which is a shame as if he has some genuine logic it would have been interesting to see it.Alistair said:
Con-vs-LD with Con winning on a tie would be Odds on I'd say.franklyn said:What odds would anyone give that the Conservatives in Scotland win as many seats or more than the LibDems? (including the possibility of none for either). Likewise what odds that Scottish Labour win as many or fewer than Scottish Cons plus Scottish Lib Dem (again including the possibility of both getting none)
Finally any takers for my previous offer of a charity bet that SNP get 57 or fewer seats; £50 charity bet (one bet only). loser to pay to the charity of the winner's choice; UK wide charities and non religious (or political ones). Put your money where your rhetoric is, and for a good cause.
Your charity bet is still awful value at evens.0 -
Have the French shut down Versailles? Have the Indians shut down Jaipur or Mysore? Have the Russians shut down St Petersburg?MarkHopkins said:Mortimer said:
Oh do behave - the royals do a job for a fraction of the cost of an elected head of state (even before the costs of elections are factored in). Is anyone who is does a job paid for the state scrounging, in your book?Dair said:FFS why has BBC1 been switched to news. When will the BBC learn that they now have a rolling news channel for anyone interested in new benefits scroungers.
On such a thought, I remember when Nicholas Witchell was a journalist rather than a sycophant. Do you think he chose the job or it was some sort of punishment?
Nor do you get any tourists in for an elected head-of-state.
0 -
I would if I could stop laughing , what wit you areJiggery_Pokery said:After last Sunday's "worst crisis since the abdication" headline re the SNP, the headlines tomorrow would have to be even more lurid - "Sturgeon heralds zombie apocalypse" anyone? The arrival of the Royal Baby may have blown a hole in that plan however.
Oh wait I got it... "Vile Nats In Royal Baby Twitter Shame", "Disgusting Separatists Poke Fun At Little Baby"... Any takers??0 -
Enjoy the Spiral of Silence?TheScreamingEagles said:
I've always been a fan of phone polls.Sunil_Prasannan said:
They are??? What on earth could have made you think that?TheScreamingEagles said:
They are but they all know phone polls are da best.Sunil_Prasannan said:
I thought Indy on Sunday polls are online?TheScreamingEagles said:@JohnRentoul: Poll alert: we have a ComRes phone poll in @IndyOnSunday tomorrow – questions here http://t.co/a9wR62Qkfi
twitter.com/Sunil_P2/status/594264607885254657
Phone polls = Depeche Mode
Online polls = Joe Dolce 0 -
Sunil_Prasannan said:
Have the French shut down Versailles? Have the Indians shut down Jaipur or Mysore? Have the Russians shut down St Petersburg?MarkHopkins said:Mortimer said:
Oh do behave - the royals do a job for a fraction of the cost of an elected head of state (even before the costs of elections are factored in). Is anyone who is does a job paid for the state scrounging, in your book?Dair said:FFS why has BBC1 been switched to news. When will the BBC learn that they now have a rolling news channel for anyone interested in new benefits scroungers.
On such a thought, I remember when Nicholas Witchell was a journalist rather than a sycophant. Do you think he chose the job or it was some sort of punishment?
Nor do you get any tourists in for an elected head-of-state.
The Royal brand for the UK extends a lot further than just a couple of buildings.
But you knew that.
0 -
Unless Nicola is announced as the baby’s name?The_Apocalypse said:
They may get a small bounce, but I doubt it will be to that extent. If anything, there may not be any bounce at all given how little the polls have changed over the campaign.anotherDave said:0 -
I'm surprised by how many people are happy to believe the word of Lib Dems about their electoral prospects. Perhaps it's a fear about not wanting to over-rule people with local knowledge of what's going on in a country where a sense of the national mood appears to be evaporating. However the Lib Dems have a dog in this fight. Just because they are used to being the also rans doesn't mean they can't be overly optimistic. Many Tories did not expect the scale of defeat in '97. The SNP were expecting to win the Indyref. I'd want much more evidence than 'the Lib Dems are convinced they'll do better than people think' in order to believe it.0
-
Can someone PM me Hodge's comments please... Have been busy with a lot of different things and haven't been keeping in the loop.0
-
The Mayor of Osaka did the modern version:NickPalmer said:
But Attlee was famously phlegmatic. I love the story of his exchange with a radio reporter on election eve:OldKingCole said:
Attlee did not expect to win in 1945. At least, not by such a margin. Someone’s diary records that on the morning when all, the results were declared ..... there was a delay in counting the postal, servicemen’s, votes ...... the subject wasn’t even discussed at breakfast in the Attlee household.
Eager reporter: "Mr Attllee, do you have one final message to add to the British people as they prepare to vote?"
Attlee: "No."
Imagine an Attlee Twitter account!
I was at my (international) school when it happened, and at the next "public affairs quiz", a question was, "Who is the Prime Minister of Rhodesia?". Correct answer was "Harold Wilson", since nobody had recognised Smith.OldKingCole said:
Once, many years ago, what was then S. Rhodesia declared it’s independence under a white minority government. The late Jeremy Thorpe suggested bombing the insurgents, as they were seen by most people, although not the Tory Right.
Shortly afterwards, canvassing one of the blues areas of the town where I lived on behalf of the Liberals I was several times "shown off" the premises for supporting “that bomber”!
And yes, it was “bomber”!
Interviewer: What policies are your party proposing to take Japan forward?
Mayor: Please refer to our website.
Interviewer: Thank you for your time.0 -
Rubbish! You should know full well that Monarchy is gloriously Socialist!SandyRentool said:
How so? Why is a Socialist speaking in support of the hereditary principle?Floater said:
I bow to no man in my loathing of Ed Milliband and what he "stands" for, but I really think its a bit much to criticize Ed for this.SandyRentool said:Some disgraceful comments from Ed, pompom waving for the monarchy. Why not simply tell the nation that you believe in an elected Head of State?
* Think in terms of the hereditary principle - the Nehru-Gandhis, the Benns, and the Kims in North Korea - all Socialists!
* Think in terms of all those glorious parades like Trooping the Colour, the North Korean influence plainly obvious there!
* And think in terms of "a job for life", the cornerstone of a Monarch's reign. "Jobs for life" again is a thoroughly Socialist principle!
So, I put it to you that our dear Monarchy is gloriously, triumphantly, magnificently Socialist!0 -
No chance!Pulpstar said:Expect to see Tories 40% next Yougov.
YouGov are a broken clock, I don't know why anyone would expect any change in them. Even if the country's mood changes, a 2% Tory lead in YouGov would be a shock now.
40% in ICM on the other hand ... unlikely but at least possible.0 -
Exactly. Versailles is open to the public all year round. I've been in it myself while a tourist to France - can the same be said about Buckingham Palace?Sunil_Prasannan said:
Have the French shut down Versailles? Have the Indians shut down Jaipur or Mysore? Have the Russians shut down St Petersburg?MarkHopkins said:Mortimer said:
Oh do behave - the royals do a job for a fraction of the cost of an elected head of state (even before the costs of elections are factored in). Is anyone who is does a job paid for the state scrounging, in your book?Dair said:FFS why has BBC1 been switched to news. When will the BBC learn that they now have a rolling news channel for anyone interested in new benefits scroungers.
On such a thought, I remember when Nicholas Witchell was a journalist rather than a sycophant. Do you think he chose the job or it was some sort of punishment?
Nor do you get any tourists in for an elected head-of-state.
If we join the 20th let alone the 21st century and abolish the hereditary principle and get a meritocratic head of state we can use all these national buildings as museums for tourists. As they should be.0 -
Good afternoon, my fellow royalists.
I think people might be relieved at the timing, given it's a break from political stuff.0 -
As if by magic, the New Thread appeared.
0 -
I don't really like all this voting on racial grounds. I see there are signs of another Tower Hamlets style situation in Lancashire:dr_spyn said:I wonder how this will go.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-england-32335637
The Somali woman councillor in Bristol is very articulate, and an improvement on some of the current dross in the Labour team.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-england-323356370 -
Betting post
Invested three grand last night on the tories spread across 40 seats - 35 in the range of CON defence 50-100 and 5 CON targets from the LibDems (mainly SW).
All 40 win, I get a return of 59% in a week.
I don't expect all 40 to win, but am hopeful of taking no more than 7-8 hits. which should still see a 25% return.
On average I can take 17 losses before I go into the red.
I think Cameron would have to be caught eating the royal baby for me to do worse than that.0 -
Currently on Lab councillor, but article pointed to a Somali candidate standing for LDs and another for Tories.JEO said:
I don't really like all this voting on racial grounds. I see there are signs of another Tower Hamlets style situation in Lancashire:dr_spyn said:I wonder how this will go.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-england-32335637
The Somali woman councillor in Bristol is very articulate, and an improvement on some of the current dross in the Labour team.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-england-323356370 -
Where are the UK's social services?
Pensioners camping out on pavements for over a week indicates quite a significant mental disturbance, they need to taken somewhere safe for their own good.0 -
To be fair they do say they are impartial. Rahman was very far from pretending that.dr_spyn said:
Currently on Lab councillor, but article pointed to a Somali candidate standing for LDs and another for Tories.JEO said:
I don't really like all this voting on racial grounds. I see there are signs of another Tower Hamlets style situation in Lancashire:dr_spyn said:I wonder how this will go.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-england-32335637
The Somali woman councillor in Bristol is very articulate, and an improvement on some of the current dross in the Labour team.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-england-323356370 -
Ok did quite a long drive today from Wiltshire to St Ives passing through Frome , down to Exeter across the top of Bodmin moor to Truro and into St Ives. To pass the time I watched out for party boards along the main roads on the way and an estimate is I saw approx.
Tory around 75%
Lib Dem around 20%
Greens around 3 %
A Cornish party ? 2%
Labour I only saw one board on side of A30
The Frome area were around 50/50 between Tory and Lib Dem....
South of this were greens but no further than Exeter
The Tories were consistent along the route but particularly in Frome area. They also had a very large showing on billboards and small billboards with a picture of the local PPC all the way from Exeter to St Ives.
The one Labour board was just vote Labour. I saw not a single UKIP board anywhere.. That was surprising.
I have no idea if this is any use to anyone or actually means anything but there it is for what it is.0
![[Deleted User]](https://wd.vanillicon.com/d2ea526b1b06ed109333f390c7ae956b_100.png)
