politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Trade union machinations to help Corbyn aren’t necessary –
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"The surprise frontrunner in the Labour leadership contest, Jeremy Corbyn, found himself facing a potential exodus of talent from the front bench if he became party leader with Liz Kendall, Yvette Cooper and Chuka Umunna all saying that they would not serve in a shadow cabinet led by him."DavidL said:
What about if that man wins I am out of here? I can see her doing that.TheWhiteRabbit said:
That is surely the only "major intervention" left.isam said:
If the other candidates really think Corbyn will destroy the Labour Party, wouldnt it be better for two of them to stand down?Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jul/22/jeremy-corbyn-could-lose-frontbenchers-if-elected-labour-leader
Tried it.
She could say put Andy second, as TSE alludes to. But it would be far from effective.0 -
Only if she also left the partyrottenborough said:Yes, but the act of standing down may change the dynamics.
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Independent Labour Party (ILP) anyone?DavidL said:
What about if that man wins I am out of here? I can see her doing that.TheWhiteRabbit said:
That is surely the only "major intervention" left.isam said:
If the other candidates really think Corbyn will destroy the Labour Party, wouldnt it be better for two of them to stand down?Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."0 -
Would be utter civil war (isn't it already) in the labour party. Can't see how the two camps would come back from that.MonikerDiCanio said:
That was my first thought. Cooper to stand down and call on her supporters to back Burnham.isam said:
If the other candidates really think Corbyn will destroy the Labour Party, wouldnt it be better for two of them to stand down?Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."0 -
TheWhiteRabbit said:
If she tells them to second preference Burnham, what percentage actually do?TheScreamingEagles said:
Under AV you don't need to step down.TheWhiteRabbit said:
That is surely the only "major intervention" left.isam said:
If the other candidates really think Corbyn will destroy the Labour Party, wouldnt it be better for two of them to stand down?Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."
Only if this election was conducted under FPTP would they need to step down.
Eeesh. Do I have to do a thread explaining the intricacies of AV?
Of course it isn't the same.
If only we had an online Av model we could play around with to see < 100% transfers.MarkHopkins said:TheScreamingEagles said:
Under AV you don't need to step down.TheWhiteRabbit said:
That is surely the only "major intervention" left.isam said:
If the other candidates really think Corbyn will destroy the Labour Party, wouldnt it be better for two of them to stand down?Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."
Only if this election was conducted under FPTP would they need to step down.
Eeesh. Do I have to do a thread explaining the intricacies of AV?
That's only true if 100% of transfers are used.
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@janemerrick23: Tomorrow @YvetteForLabour will give a speech on the future of the Labour Party. The fight starts here (or indeed there/then)0
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Dair,
A political answer but not unreasonable. It was a 'Have you stopped beating your wife?' question.
I wonder if any of the four candidates would have made that Kinnock speech? Possibly Liz, but not that well. Jezza would have been in the hall booing.
I remember the Spitting Image sketch based on 'Cabaret.' 'Well, Neil do you still think you can control them?' The answer was "Yes."
I doubt that the the present Labour party can.
Anyway, got to go - that Merseyside real ale in the Dispensary is calling.0 -
Immigration from EU reaches 2m and inc a record 973,000 from 8 East European countries that joined in 2004. Biggest wave of migration in UK history. This along with illegal immigration across the EU is really getting out of control.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article4525078.ece0 -
That seems like stretching the definition of the word 'talent'.TheWhiteRabbit said:
"The surprise frontrunner in the Labour leadership contest, Jeremy Corbyn, found himself facing a potential exodus of talent from the front bench if he became party leader with Liz Kendall, Yvette Cooper and Chuka Umunna all saying that they would not serve in a shadow cabinet led by him."DavidL said:
What about if that man wins I am out of here? I can see her doing that.TheWhiteRabbit said:
That is surely the only "major intervention" left.isam said:
If the other candidates really think Corbyn will destroy the Labour Party, wouldnt it be better for two of them to stand down?Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jul/22/jeremy-corbyn-could-lose-frontbenchers-if-elected-labour-leader
Tried it.
She could say put Andy second, as TSE alludes to. But it would be far from effective.0 -
https://twitter.com/DPJHodgesChris123 said:Dan Hodges @DPJHodges 29m29 minutes ago:
Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
Apparently there has been some pressure applied from the leadership for the mainstream candidates to alter the dynamics of the race. The only revelation of real interest would be her teaming up with Andy Burnham or Liz Kendall dropping out. That might be a game changer.
Presumably she wouldn't be the one to announce Liz standing down.
I've more or less equalised my gains on Burnham and Corbyn.0 -
Tessa Jowell, the woman who signed legal papers having no idea why her home was being remortgaged, or how her husband was planning on repaying the loan.JEO said:
What about taking the train? This is clearly referring to one particular advert which was a picture of a woman in a bikini that you can see on every beach. I see lots of images of shirtless men in far more difficult to attain bodies on the front of women's magazines. Other than occasionally thinking I need to hit the gym more, it does not affect me that much. I would like to think women have similar mental strength to men, but left wing politicians keep on implying otherwise.TheScreamingEagles said:
To be fair some of those adverts can be very distracting for guys.Richard_Nabavi said:At least one Labour candidate has her priorities right:
http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2015/08/12/tessa-jowell-to-ban-sexist-advertising-on-london-transport
Jowell said the ban was necessary to promote equality and make women feel safe travelling around the capital.
She said she wanted to give women the confidence to "focus on their talents rather than their tummies."
Yes, poor diddums. Clearly women need to be protected from silly posters because they are so weak-minded that the mere sight of such a poster will distract them from their talents.
I'm grateful I was too young to drive when those wonderbra adverts came out.
'"As the feminist you are, are we to believe that you signed for a mortgage loan on your house for your husband, without knowing exactly how it was going to be paid back?" Woman's Hour presenter Jenni Murray asked Jowell.'
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/feb/17/jowell-mills-berlusconi-background
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Christian Wolmar?antifrank said:
Thanks for drawing that to my attention. I'd been considering voting for her but I cannot vote for anyone who is so illiberal and silly. There was nothing wrong with the Beach Body Ready? advert.Richard_Nabavi said:At least one Labour candidate has her priorities right:
http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2015/08/12/tessa-jowell-to-ban-sexist-advertising-on-london-transport
Jowell said the ban was necessary to promote equality and make women feel safe travelling around the capital.
She said she wanted to give women the confidence to "focus on their talents rather than their tummies."
Yes, poor diddums. Clearly women need to be protected from silly posters because they are so weak-minded that the mere sight of such a poster will distract them from their talents.0 -
Did you get it from tim's offie?CD13 said:
Anyway, got to go - that Merseyside real ale in the Dispensary is calling.
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TheScreamingEagles said:TheWhiteRabbit said:
If she tells them to second preference Burnham, what percentage actually do?TheScreamingEagles said:
Under AV you don't need to step down.TheWhiteRabbit said:
That is surely the only "major intervention" left.isam said:
If the other candidates really think Corbyn will destroy the Labour Party, wouldnt it be better for two of them to stand down?Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."
Only if this election was conducted under FPTP would they need to step down.
Eeesh. Do I have to do a thread explaining the intricacies of AV?
Of course it isn't the same.
If only we had an online Av model we could play around with to see < 100% transfers.MarkHopkins said:TheScreamingEagles said:
Under AV you don't need to step down.TheWhiteRabbit said:
That is surely the only "major intervention" left.isam said:
If the other candidates really think Corbyn will destroy the Labour Party, wouldnt it be better for two of them to stand down?Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."
Only if this election was conducted under FPTP would they need to step down.
Eeesh. Do I have to do a thread explaining the intricacies of AV?
That's only true if 100% of transfers are used.
What an excellent idea - I wonder if someone can come up with one?
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Presumably she wouldn't be the one to announce Liz standing down.TheWhiteRabbit said:
https://twitter.com/DPJHodgesChris123 said:Dan Hodges @DPJHodges 29m29 minutes ago:
Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
Apparently there has been some pressure applied from the leadership for the mainstream candidates to alter the dynamics of the race. The only revelation of real interest would be her teaming up with Andy Burnham or Liz Kendall dropping out. That might be a game changer.
I've more or less equalised my gains on Burnham and Corbyn.
Whoever drops out will simply leech more votes to Corbyn.0 -
Actually it's not a silly argument, Saudi Arabia is a totally undemocratic and loathsomely repressive regime that is one course for a new execution record this year. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-carries-out-100th-execution-this-year-and-is-on-course-to-set-beheadings-record-10320995.html They are also the world's biggest sponsor of terror. They also feel free to intervene militarily on their neighbours whenever they see fit. Our crawling behaviour toward them is a national disgrace.kle4 said:
As silly as this whole argument is, was Kim Jong Il technically the Head of State? I'm not sure he was, officially, though naturally my N Korea knowledge is not stellar.Luckyguy1983 said:
Don't recall it happening for Kim Jong Il.JEO said:
He gave the order to do this, did he? Or was it just standard diplomatic protocol?EPG said:David Cameron lowered the British flag for the King of Saudi Arabia, who is perhaps the person most responsible for Islamic State.
Some people get passes, others don't.0 -
(Excluding Kendall).TheWhiteRabbit said:
If she tells them to second preference Burnham, what percentage actually do?TheScreamingEagles said:
Under AV you don't need to step down.TheWhiteRabbit said:
That is surely the only "major intervention" left.isam said:
If the other candidates really think Corbyn will destroy the Labour Party, wouldnt it be better for two of them to stand down?Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."
Only if this election was conducted under FPTP would they need to step down.
Eeesh. Do I have to do a thread explaining the intricacies of AV?
Of course it isn't the same.
Presumably all voters who prefer Burnham to Corbyn. If they don't have any preference after Cooper and there's only (in effect) an FPTP election on offer which Cooper isn't part of then why should they vote at all.
So, no she doesn't need to step down. However, it would be a newsworthy gesture.0 -
It would also need to show that the winner need not get more than 50% of the votes cast if it is to be realistic...MarkHopkins said:What an excellent idea - I wonder if someone can come up with one?
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Or... "My husband has told me to ask you: please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."0 -
Why did we scrap the sedition laws, that appears to describe the offence most accurately ?TheWhiteRabbit said:
Charge him under s.12 of the Terrorism Act?MikeK said:http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/6324/anjem-choudary-extremism
Will Britain Pass the Choudary Test?
If there was a single flaw in the British Prime Minister's recent speech on countering extremism in the UK, it might be encapsulated in the name "Anjem Choudary." His speech went into terrific detail on the significance of tacking radicalism through the education system, the Charity Commission, the broadcasting license authority and numerous other means. But it failed the Choudary test.
That test is: What do you do about a British-born man who is qualified to work but appears never to have done so, and who instead spends his time taking his "dole" money and using it to fund a lifestyle devoted solely to preaching against the state?0 -
True but some voters might not get it and simply vote for one candidate without a 2nd or 3rd preference. Pooling resources and running as a team would surely boost the potential of the ticket by a few percentage points.rottenborough said:
Yes, but the act of standing down may change the dynamics.TheScreamingEagles said:
Under AV you don't need to step down.TheWhiteRabbit said:
That is surely the only "major intervention" left.isam said:
If the other candidates really think Corbyn will destroy the Labour Party, wouldnt it be better for two of them to stand down?Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."
Only if this election was conducted under FPTP would they need to step down.
Eeesh. Do I have to do a thread explaining the intricacies of AV?
0 -
Dangerous ploy if true, half her supporters might vote for Corbyn anyway, guaranteeing a first round win.MonikerDiCanio said:
That was my first thought. Cooper to stand down and call on her supporters to back Burnham.isam said:
If the other candidates really think Corbyn will destroy the Labour Party, wouldnt it be better for two of them to stand down?Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."0 -
2004: There wont be many more than 10-15,000 coming, its far right scaremongeringPlato said:Immigration from EU reaches 2m and inc a record 973,000 from 8 East European countries that joined in 2004. Biggest wave of migration in UK history. This along with illegal immigration across the EU is really getting out of control.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article4525078.ece
2015: OK, there are almost a million here now, but they're such hard workers!0 -
"If they don't have any preference after Cooper and there's only (in effect) an FPTP election on offer"logical_song said:
(Excluding Kendall).TheWhiteRabbit said:
If she tells them to second preference Burnham, what percentage actually do?TheScreamingEagles said:
Under AV you don't need to step down.TheWhiteRabbit said:
That is surely the only "major intervention" left.isam said:
If the other candidates really think Corbyn will destroy the Labour Party, wouldnt it be better for two of them to stand down?Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."
Only if this election was conducted under FPTP would they need to step down.
Eeesh. Do I have to do a thread explaining the intricacies of AV?
Of course it isn't the same.
Presumably all voters who prefer Burnham to Corbyn. If they don't have any preference after Cooper and there's only (in effect) an FPTP election on offer which Cooper isn't part of then why should they vote at all.
So, no she doesn't need to step down. However, it would be a newsworthy gesture.
Because AV is not used to give a full expression of preferences people actually hold. You have to think your second preference is going to be in the top two.0 -
Presumably she wouldn't be the one to announce Liz standing down.TheWhiteRabbit said:
https://twitter.com/DPJHodgesChris123 said:Dan Hodges @DPJHodges 29m29 minutes ago:
Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
Apparently there has been some pressure applied from the leadership for the mainstream candidates to alter the dynamics of the race. The only revelation of real interest would be her teaming up with Andy Burnham or Liz Kendall dropping out. That might be a game changer.
I've more or less equalised my gains on Burnham and Corbyn.
Presumably. Those two apparently are also not on the best terms. I could see the two Eds and some other folks pushing her to team up with Andy.0 -
http://condorcet.ericgorr.net/ seemed quite good, was playing with it yesterday.MarkHopkins said:TheScreamingEagles said:TheWhiteRabbit said:
If she tells them to second preference Burnham, what percentage actually do?TheScreamingEagles said:
Under AV you don't need to step down.TheWhiteRabbit said:
That is surely the only "major intervention" left.isam said:
If the other candidates really think Corbyn will destroy the Labour Party, wouldnt it be better for two of them to stand down?Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."
Only if this election was conducted under FPTP would they need to step down.
Eeesh. Do I have to do a thread explaining the intricacies of AV?
Of course it isn't the same.
If only we had an online Av model we could play around with to see < 100% transfers.MarkHopkins said:TheScreamingEagles said:
Under AV you don't need to step down.TheWhiteRabbit said:
That is surely the only "major intervention" left.isam said:
If the other candidates really think Corbyn will destroy the Labour Party, wouldnt it be better for two of them to stand down?Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."
Only if this election was conducted under FPTP would they need to step down.
Eeesh. Do I have to do a thread explaining the intricacies of AV?
That's only true if 100% of transfers are used.
What an excellent idea - I wonder if someone can come up with one?0 -
I would doubt that Choudary is solely funded by dole money - obviously his dole should be zero, but even if that were not a factor, I suspect he's funded from outside the UK. Which is the real problem.MikeK said:http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/6324/anjem-choudary-extremism
Will Britain Pass the Choudary Test?
If there was a single flaw in the British Prime Minister's recent speech on countering extremism in the UK, it might be encapsulated in the name "Anjem Choudary." His speech went into terrific detail on the significance of tacking radicalism through the education system, the Charity Commission, the broadcasting license authority and numerous other means. But it failed the Choudary test.
That test is: What do you do about a British-born man who is qualified to work but appears never to have done so, and who instead spends his time taking his "dole" money and using it to fund a lifestyle devoted solely to preaching against the state?
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0
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In case anyone missed it, John Rentoul has dropped a broad hint that he has voted Conservative in the last two elections:
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/daily-catchup-why-im-not-voting-in-labours-leadership-election-10451078.html
"Although my vote is private, I did say in 2010 that I thought David Cameron would be a better prime minister than Gordon Brown and I said in 2015 that he would be a better prime minister than Ed Miliband, and, although I am disappointed by the cut in tax credits for the working poor, I stand by that."0 -
I'm sure he's funded from lots of places.Luckyguy1983 said:
I would doubt that Choudary is solely funded by dole money - obviously his dole should be zero, but even if that were not a factor, I suspect he's funded from outside the UK. Which is the real problem.MikeK said:http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/6324/anjem-choudary-extremism
Will Britain Pass the Choudary Test?
If there was a single flaw in the British Prime Minister's recent speech on countering extremism in the UK, it might be encapsulated in the name "Anjem Choudary." His speech went into terrific detail on the significance of tacking radicalism through the education system, the Charity Commission, the broadcasting license authority and numerous other means. But it failed the Choudary test.
That test is: What do you do about a British-born man who is qualified to work but appears never to have done so, and who instead spends his time taking his "dole" money and using it to fund a lifestyle devoted solely to preaching against the state?
Surely he gets donations? Or do we stop that?0 -
I suspect the intervention will be that she actually goes after Corbyn directly and strongly, positioning herself as the SBC (somebody but Courbyn) candidate, rather than the invisible safety candidate she pitched as originally, when she thought she was taking on Burnham and Kendall.TheWhiteRabbit said:
That is surely the only "major intervention" left.isam said:
If the other candidates really think Corbyn will destroy the Labour Party, wouldnt it be better for two of them to stand down?Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."
If Corbyn looks close to winning on first preferences, might it be worth the others to stand down? So she could, in theory, also get close to 50% if she were to revieve all the ABC vote.TheScreamingEagles said:
Under AV you don't need to step down.TheWhiteRabbit said:
That is surely the only "major intervention" left.isam said:
If the other candidates really think Corbyn will destroy the Labour Party, wouldnt it be better for two of them to stand down?Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."
Only if this election was conducted under FPTP would they need to step down.
Eeesh. Do I have to do a thread explaining the intricacies of AV?0 -
Daniel Hannan @DanHannanMEP 1h1 hour ago
"Austerity" means not spending money that isn't there. It isn't caused by some sort of twisted Right-wing sadism.
Daniel Hannan @DanHannanMEP 7m7 minutes ago
Similarly, "businesses" don't pay tax any more than your TV set pays the licence fee. All taxes fall on people - in this case, on customers.
Two points often overlooked by amongst others, the Corbyn Tendancy.0 -
New thread
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There's a cracking article in today's Times about Putin-lurve from the Left's useful idiots http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/columnists/article4524422.eceIndigo said:
Daniel Hannan @DanHannanMEP 1h1 hour ago
"Austerity" means not spending money that isn't there. It isn't caused by some sort of twisted Right-wing sadism.
Daniel Hannan @DanHannanMEP 7m7 minutes ago
Similarly, "businesses" don't pay tax any more than your TV set pays the licence fee. All taxes fall on people - in this case, on customers.
Two points often overlooked by amongst others, the Corbyn Tendancy.0 -
You misunderstand in your passion. The 'silly argument' I was talking about was whether or not Kim Jong Il was legally head of state or not, and thus technically entitled to diplomatic nicities, as if that really matters much, not whether as a nation we cosy up to loathsome regimes - of course we do, that's the real world, we just like to pretend we don't ignore morality. Again, all nations pretend that.Luckyguy1983 said:
Actually it's not a silly argument, Saudi Arabia is a totally undemocratic and loathsomely repressive regime that is one course for a new execution record this year. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-carries-out-100th-execution-this-year-and-is-on-course-to-set-beheadings-record-10320995.html They are also the world's biggest sponsor of terror. They also feel free to intervene militarily on their neighbours whenever they see fit. Our crawling behaviour toward them is a national disgrace.kle4 said:
As silly as this whole argument is, was Kim Jong Il technically the Head of State? I'm not sure he was, officially, though naturally my N Korea knowledge is not stellar.Luckyguy1983 said:
Don't recall it happening for Kim Jong Il.JEO said:
He gave the order to do this, did he? Or was it just standard diplomatic protocol?EPG said:David Cameron lowered the British flag for the King of Saudi Arabia, who is perhaps the person most responsible for Islamic State.
Some people get passes, others don't.0 -
If a candidate withdraws from an AV election, the ballot papers would not need to be re-printed. It just means that any votes for the withdrawn candidate are transferred to the next preference. The rules of AV, if done properly, allow for a candidate to withdraw at any time up to the close of poll and the start of the count. Whether the Labour Party uses a proper version of AV, allowing that to happen, is of course a completely different kettle of ballgames.rottenborough said:
Could also allow for a pause while ballots are reprinted.isam said:
If the other candidates really think Corbyn will destroy the Labour Party, wouldnt it be better for two of them to stand down?Scott_P said:@DPJHodges: Understand we're going to get a major intervention from @YvetteCooperMP tomorrow.
"Please, please, please don't vote for Jezza. Thanks."
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"Whether the Labour Party uses a proper version of AV, allowing that to happen, is of course a completely different kettle of ballgames."
Whether the Labour Party can be trusted to run a successful p**s up in a brewery may be the question.
I see their computer has crashed.0 -
Kim Il Sung *was* the President of North Korea, but when he died in 1994 nobody else succeeded him as president. In 1998 Kim Il Sung was appointed as "President in Perpetuity" but otherwise the position of President has been abolished.ydoethur said:
As I understand it, Kim Il Sung is the 'Eternal President' of N. Korea, and his son/grandson function as regents.kle4 said:
As silly as this whole argument is, was Kim Jong Il technically the Head of State? I'm not sure he was, officially, though naturally my N Korea knowledge is not stellar.Luckyguy1983 said:
Don't recall it happening for Kim Jong Il.JEO said:
He gave the order to do this, did he? Or was it just standard diplomatic protocol?EPG said:David Cameron lowered the British flag for the King of Saudi Arabia, who is perhaps the person most responsible for Islamic State.
Some people get passes, others don't.
It is of course officially a Communist state, but with the collapse of the rule of Gyanendra of Nepal it looks like the nearest thing left to a hereditary theocratic monarchy.
A while ago I found an interesting article by Kenny Coyle in Communist Review (the organ of the CPB) which argues that Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism has replaced Marxism-Leninism as the state philosophy, and that the style of leadership is more akin to the various African and Arab Ba'athist socialist-nationalist régimes than communism.
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We have a large vibrant economy that can fund all sorts of things if we choose to do so. "Austerity" is a conscious decision on what your spending priorities are. How taxes are raised is also the result of the working out of a set of priorities. We can choose to raise tax by taxing the profits of the company making the TV or charging VAT on the sale of the TV. It makes a big difference to the prosperity of different sections of society.Indigo said:Daniel Hannan @DanHannanMEP 1h1 hour ago
"Austerity" means not spending money that isn't there. It isn't caused by some sort of twisted Right-wing sadism.
Daniel Hannan @DanHannanMEP 7m7 minutes ago
Similarly, "businesses" don't pay tax any more than your TV set pays the licence fee. All taxes fall on people - in this case, on customers.
Two points often overlooked by amongst others, the Corbyn Tendancy.
Two points often obfuscated by amongst others, the Neoliberal tendency.0 -
The idea that Bob Holness was the first actor to play James Bond is an urban myth. Barry Nelson played the part first.Philip_Thompson said:
Bob Holness as in "I'll have a p please Bob"?Casino_Royale said:
I seem to remember Bob Holness was very early doors.Charles said:Question for the day: who was the first person to play Bond on broadcast media?
Learn something every day.
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Only about six weeks late!Scott_P said:@janemerrick23: Tomorrow @YvetteForLabour will give a speech on the future of the Labour Party. The fight starts here (or indeed there/then)
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Probably, although maybe right now, at the height of Coybynmania and as ballots are to be sent out, is the best time to puncture that bubble? It's a theory at any rate.handandmouse said:
Only about six weeks late!Scott_P said:@janemerrick23: Tomorrow @YvetteForLabour will give a speech on the future of the Labour Party. The fight starts here (or indeed there/then)
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Topping Tories = Nasty party, almost extinct in God's country.TOPPING said:
Malcolm I have tried to rearrange the words in this post in several different ways but I can't get it to mean anything. Is it a special code for Nats?malcolmg said:
Tory one has to scuttle over to Edinburgh for consolation list to save oblivion, poor Tories over there get shouldered out.TOPPING said:
"A leader is best when the people barely know he exists. Of a good leader, who talks little, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did this ourselves." Lao Tse.malcolmg said:
LOL , unlike the disappearing Tories who don't have any leaders to worry about.fitalass said:What ever the answer to Labour's current problems are, its not a Gordon Brown intervention. But speaking equally tongue in cheek, I do find it ironic from a Scottish perspective that both the current Labour and SNP party grass roots share a loathing for any key personal involved in the Labour party when they were winning elections.
stjohn said:Labour look as though they are sleep walking to disaster in this leadership election.
Where is the man who saved the world, saved the banks?
General Gordon. Your Party Needs You!0
