FlyTheNest

Just to add that although I feel the devolution question is the more urgent, I do agree with RobertSnozers that FPTP is failing to deliver proper representation. With a Tory MP, I feel I'm not really represented at all. With MEPs, however, although my region elected 2 Tories and 2 Ukip, I still feel represented because we also have 1 Labour and 1 Green. It just feels fairer, taking into account the votes of far more people.

(I originally tried to post this an hour ago but tablet was playing up, so it may look out of place)

A preview of the Brand Miliband meeting.
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I bet he votes Tory or UKIP:

'Unpleasant and grubby little people'
Academic's remarkable personal attack on trade unionists.
Professor Nigel Piercy, dean of Swansea University's School of Management, also said trade unionists were distinguished by 'sad haircuts, chewed fingernails and failed careers'

....said a further distinguishing characteristic of those who are elected to office in trade unions “is often straggly beards – half-way between designer stubble and a real beard, such growths are probably indicative of a hormone deficiency”.

“However did we allow such creepy little people to develop such an enlarged and disproportionate sense of entitlement, and blight our universities?”




http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... cs-9134951" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

StephenDolan wrote:A preview of the Brand Miliband meeting.
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Hard yards".

American Ed is back.

Ed the story

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

i am not quite sure it is wholly accurate to only describe the author of the State in Capitalist Society as a removals man.

Just been watching Cameron's melodramatic speech today.

He hasn't got the audience's attention at all, they are all looking around, no heads nodding, looking bored.

& who is the eejit who told Cameron that rolling up his sleeves will make him look dynamic.
How much is he paying his media advisor for such advice ?

"Nicola Sturgeon: I would vote for Twitter troll candidate
The First Minister claims Neil Hay has learnt his lesson as the SNP-supporting 'cybernats' criticise how she was treated by Kaye Adams in a BBC radio interview.
The First Minister said Neil Hay, her party’s candidate in Edinburgh South, has learnt his lesson after he tweeted vile messages under a pseudonym comparing No voters to 'Quislings' and saying OAPs were too senile to vote. "

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... idate.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Nice.

AngryAsWell wrote:"Nicola Sturgeon: I would vote for Twitter troll candidate
The First Minister claims Neil Hay has learnt his lesson as the SNP-supporting 'cybernats' criticise how she was treated by Kaye Adams in a BBC radio interview.
The First Minister said Neil Hay, her party’s candidate in Edinburgh South, has learnt his lesson after he tweeted vile messages under a pseudonym comparing No voters to 'Quislings' and saying OAPs were too senile to vote. "

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... idate.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Nice.

It's things like that which make me feel queasy about the SNP.

Is anyone watching The Good Wife ?
The main character is running for State's Attorney and there are lots of dirty tricks going on in her & her rival's campaigns.

They refer to the candidate's 'pack', those people not directly part of the inner team, but people who are willing to do the dirty tricks where necessary.

It seems to me, as if the SNP rely on a big 'pack' of people who are whispering, lying and winding up the voters. That Sturgeon has not acted more strongly about this shows her true nature.

SpinningHugo wrote:Ed the story

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

i am not quite sure it is wholly accurate to only describe the author of the State in Capitalist Society as a removals man.

He says something like 'he was a removals man by day', doesn't he?

Anyway it's a good broadcast - got a touch of the West Wings about it ... - well made and keeps you watching all the way through. Maybe this is the touch of Axelrod in evidence.

The live G blog always tends to disappear from the main politics page when it gets something interesting from Labour. Kind of a pain to have to comment there just to find a quickish link to find it later during the day.

yahyah wrote:I bet he votes Tory or UKIP:

'Unpleasant and grubby little people'
Academic's remarkable personal attack on trade unionists.
Professor Nigel Piercy, dean of Swansea University's School of Management, also said trade unionists were distinguished by 'sad haircuts, chewed fingernails and failed careers'

....said a further distinguishing characteristic of those who are elected to office in trade unions “is often straggly beards – half-way between designer stubble and a real beard, such growths are probably indicative of a hormone deficiency”.

“However did we allow such creepy little people to develop such an enlarged and disproportionate sense of entitlement, and blight our universities?”




http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... cs-9134951" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Blimey did he teach Dave?

SpinningHugo wrote:

StephenDolan wrote:A preview of the Brand Miliband meeting.
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Hard yards".

American Ed is back.

Lots of snide comments being made about Ed's "cockney"* accent. Lots of people naturally "mirror and match" their accents to the people they are talking to; when I worked at Harrods my accent with the customers was very much received pronunciation, with my colleagues behind the scenes I would revert to my normal Sarf London - none of it was conscious, or affected, it just happened. Miliband is a North London boy who went to a comprehensive school, I doubt very much that his natural accent is RP; but his time at Oxford and in the USA** will have given him that extra polish in the same way Harrods did me. And I'm not surprised that he reverted to a standard North London accent when speaking with Brand, I'd undoubtedly do the same.

*Lazy journalism, any London/Essex accent is cockney. As a cockney I say they are talking a load of spherical objects.
** I find a lot of Americans struggle to understand London accents, so I tend to 'go' RP if I'm speaking to them.

yahyah wrote:Just been watching Cameron's melodramatic speech today.

He hasn't got the audience's attention at all, they are all looking around, no heads nodding, looking bored.
& who is the eejit who told Cameron that rolling up his sleeves will make him look dynamic.
How much is he paying his media advisor for such advice ?

When you see Cameron or Osborne giving speeches to workers they always look the same and I suspect they're not given much chance to say 'Up yours' when management tells them a big bod is coming. Either that or they've been bribed but not enough to put a smile on their faces.

Remembering what happened the other week when there was a walk out at one of Dave's appearances his organisers won't allow that to happen again.

He made a speech in Cornwall shut in a garage and only selected people and press were allowed in.

C4 News had a pro-EU and anti-EU business leader.

The anti- is chairman of Silver Cross...but what they didn't say is that he is also the co-chairman of Business For Britain which runs out of 55 Tufton Street and is led by...Matthew Elliot.

Yes, the one who was CEO of the Taxpayers Alliance which oddly enough also operates out of 55 Tufton Street.

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:

SpinningHugo wrote:

StephenDolan wrote:A preview of the Brand Miliband meeting.
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Hard yards".

American Ed is back.

Lots of snide comments being made about Ed's "cockney"* accent. Lots of people naturally "mirror and match" their accents to the people they are talking to; when I worked at Harrods my accent with the customers was very much received pronunciation, with my colleagues behind the scenes I would revert to my normal Sarf London - none of it was conscious, or affected, it just happened. Miliband is a North London boy who went to a comprehensive school, I doubt very much that his natural accent is RP; but his time at Oxford and in the USA** will have given him that extra polish in the same way Harrods did me. And I'm not surprised that he reverted to a standard North London accent when speaking with Brand, I'd undoubtedly do the same.

*Lazy journalism, any London/Essex accent is cockney. As a cockney I say they are talking a load of spherical objects.
** I find a lot of Americans struggle to understand London accents, so I tend to 'go' RP if I'm speaking to them.

My accent sounds strange to me sometimes. I've lived years in many places in the UK & the USA. All over those two countries during the course of my lifetime. I've settled down in the middle of the UK. People can't figure out where I'm from. I don't know where I'm from either. Think of it - our globally connected world - that happened quite recently, people moving all over & back again. The way I talk is shaped by all the different regions & countries I've lived in since I was a little child. I don't know what that accent is.

citizenJA wrote:

rebeccariots2 wrote:

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Better that it happens now than this time next week, maybe?

Yes - but we've still got to endure the media hysteria - and if she'd hung on till after the election I'd probably have been too tired to be taking much notice ....

I rarely disagree with you, RR2. But the timing is best now. I hope mum & baby a quick birthing, little trauma, great health & a lovely Edward born.

I'd rather it were an Edwin or Edgar, 'though. And, who knows, it could yet be an Edesina/Edwina/Ethel...

Michael Dugher retweeted
Wise Owl Copywriting ‏@WiseOwlCopy 10h10 hours ago
Frankly flabbergasted & disgusted by today's UKIP leaflet: 'together we could cause an earthquake to OUR benefit'

That is pretty crass. The tweet has a pic of it.

Well, we had some fun this afternoon.

Didn't just do our estate, but the other council one and the plasticfallingapartalreadywimpeyhomeshardworkingfamilyhomeowner one too.

In the later, I was just about to post a leaflet through the door, when a car drove up and a harpy in a nurse's uniform got out of the car and yelled "Do NOT post any political leaflets through my door" and pointing at my red rosette said "Especially THAT colour".
I smiled sweetly and asked if, as a fellow nurse, she'd like to see the repeal of the Health and Social Care Act; she replied that as it doesn;t affect her because this is Wales she doesn't care. I told her to be thoroughly ashamed of herself.

Generally, we had a good response. Quite a lot of people have already voted by post, most of those Labour.
One guy was woken up by me (he's on nights) and said could he have 4 posters please I'm voting Labour because I have a brain now piss off I want to sleep" I blew him a kiss......Show's got a little list of people he's taking to the polling station in his car.

Matthew thinks, still, that winning is do-able. He reckons that if the others are working as hard as him it'll be close, but if not he thinks he's in with a chance. He could be right - his campaign manager Dave reckons there's a lot of support at the other end of the constituency.

We met quite a few people who are voting Green or LibDem to "keep the Tories out". I think Matthew is getting very tired now, because he nearly lost his temper at one point.

Still, a good day. Show's off to the hustings in Talgarth tonight.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now then - regarding the only topic of any importance (forgt the earthquakes, deaths, riots in Baltimore, and our little election) now that Kate has gone into labour we can all be really really happy and patriotic and stuff.

If it's a boy, I think they'll be told to call him Philip or Michael; if they get their own way it'll be Tyrone or Wayne.
If it's a girl, Brenda will probably insist on Mary or Margaret; Wills will go for Chardonnay or Shayanne.

You heard it here first.

Owen Jones retweeted
The Big Issue @BigIssue · 6h 6 hours ago
From Brand to badgers, in Storify: a list of unmissable gems in this week's Big Issue, guest edited by @OwenJones84 https://storify.com/BigIssue/owen-jones ... -big-issue" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Looks like a cracking issue ... includes articles by / features on Peter Hitchens, Brian May, Paloma Faith, Michael Sheen, Euan McColm and others - shame it's not available to buy here.

Good from Tristram Hunt. Putting universities back in charge of teacher training.

https://www.tes.co.uk/news/school-news/ ... ool-direct" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Oh Christ.

John Mann ‏@JohnMannMP Apr 26
David Cameron ducked the big debate so you will have to do with me versus Kenneth Clarke next Sunday on BBC politics show.

ephemerid wrote:Well, we had some fun this afternoon.

Didn't just do our estate, but the other council one and the plasticfallingapartalreadywimpeyhomeshardworkingfamilyhomeowner one too.

In the later, I was just about to post a leaflet through the door, when a car drove up and a harpy in a nurse's uniform got out of the car and yelled "Do NOT post any political leaflets through my door" and pointing at my red rosette said "Especially THAT colour".
I smiled sweetly and asked if, as a fellow nurse, she'd like to see the repeal of the Health and Social Care Act; she replied that as it doesn;t affect her because this is Wales she doesn't care. I told her to be thoroughly ashamed of herself.

Generally, we had a good response. Quite a lot of people have already voted by post, most of those Labour.
One guy was woken up by me (he's on nights) and said could he have 4 posters please I'm voting Labour because I have a brain now piss off I want to sleep" I blew him a kiss......Show's got a little list of people he's taking to the polling station in his car.

Matthew thinks, still, that winning is do-able. He reckons that if the others are working as hard as him it'll be close, but if not he thinks he's in with a chance. He could be right - his campaign manager Dave reckons there's a lot of support at the other end of the constituency.

We met quite a few people who are voting Green or LibDem to "keep the Tories out". I think Matthew is getting very tired now, because he nearly lost his temper at one point.

Still, a good day. Show's off to the hustings in Talgarth tonight.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now then - regarding the only topic of any importance (forgt the earthquakes, deaths, riots in Baltimore, and our little election) now that Kate has gone into labour we can all be really really happy and patriotic and stuff.

If it's a boy, I think they'll be told to call him Philip or Michael; if they get their own way it'll be Tyrone or Wayne.
If it's a girl, Brenda will probably insist on Mary or Margaret; Wills will go for Chardonnay or Shayanne.

You heard it here first.

Glad your day went well Ephe. Sounds like a little cautious optimism could be in order?

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Good from Tristram Hunt. Putting universities back in charge of teacher training.

https://www.tes.co.uk/news/school-news/ ... ool-direct" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

'Schools Direct' sounds like a certain retail outlet - globally extracting wealth from slave labour.

Stephen Doughty ‏@SDoughtyMP 5m5 minutes ago
.@rjstagg am loathe to post the screen grab but read the comments below this post https://penarthnews.wordpress.com/2015/ ... /#comments" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Sheesh. The comments BTL are one thing (and I'm not going to believe the really prejudiced ones are representative of Penarth) but the remarks / views of the Plaid Cymru candidate were what really shocked me.

Good - I think - to see such a hustings question and the individual answers from candidates get reported.

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Good from Tristram Hunt. Putting universities back in charge of teacher training.

https://www.tes.co.uk/news/school-news/ ... ool-direct" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'd love to know that part spokesman was that cam out with this guff.

"School Direct is hugely popular with schools – with a record number of applications from schools for places this year. It means teachers are trained in the classroom from day one – so that rather than learning out of date theories in lecture halls, they learn the vital skills of great teaching in a hands on way – from other experienced professionals. Ofsted and independent research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies agree that this teacher training route is part of the reason we have a million more children in good or outstanding schools."

Of course, those doing university PGCEs don't spend any time in the classroom at all...

Hunt being a historian knows that even "out of date theories" are worth knowing about so that students of any kind can come to a balanced opinion. And who decides what's out of date anyway?

Alright, I know I'm partisan and I'm tribal but ....damn, we need this man in Number 10!

[youtube]6ac_pbq-zHc[/youtube]

Love the idea that Schools Direct, which started 2 years ago can have had much effect on school's getting better Ofsteds too.

How many graduates in each school? 1?

rebeccariots2 wrote:

Stephen Doughty ‏@SDoughtyMP 5m5 minutes ago
.@rjstagg am loathe to post the screen grab but read the comments below this post https://penarthnews.wordpress.com/2015/ ... /#comments" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Sheesh. The comments BTL are one thing (and I'm not going to believe the really prejudiced ones are representative of Penarth) but the remarks / views of the Plaid Cymru candidate were what really shocked me.

Good - I think - to see such a hustings question and the individual answers from candidates get reported.

Someone actually posted a link from the BNP website as their evidence?



We have a large number of Muslim parents at our primary - if they were told that their kids were being taught things like that at age 5 we'd have a riot on our hands. And rightly so. There's an awful lot of rubbish put around about primary sex ed. But given that girls could start their periods at primary school, it's right that it gets taught so they - and boys - know what's going on with their bodies.

rebeccariots2 wrote:

Stephen Doughty ‏@SDoughtyMP 5m5 minutes ago
.@rjstagg am loathe to post the screen grab but read the comments below this post https://penarthnews.wordpress.com/2015/ ... /#comments" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Sheesh. The comments BTL are one thing (and I'm not going to believe the really prejudiced ones are representative of Penarth) but the remarks / views of the Plaid Cymru candidate were what really shocked me.

Good - I think - to see such a hustings question and the individual answers from candidates get reported.

He's said he was misinterpreted.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-wales-32495271" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mehdi Hasan retweeted
AJE News ‏@AJENews 7m7 minutes ago
Developing: Nigerian army says '200 girls' rescued from Boko Haram camps in Sambisa Forest

Really hope that's so.

Goodnight, everyone.

Tubby Isaacs wrote:

rebeccariots2 wrote:

Stephen Doughty ‏@SDoughtyMP 5m5 minutes ago
.@rjstagg am loathe to post the screen grab but read the comments below this post https://penarthnews.wordpress.com/2015/ ... /#comments" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Sheesh. The comments BTL are one thing (and I'm not going to believe the really prejudiced ones are representative of Penarth) but the remarks / views of the Plaid Cymru candidate were what really shocked me.

Good - I think - to see such a hustings question and the individual answers from candidates get reported.

He's said he was misinterpreted.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-wales-32495271" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It wasn't just the gay marriage issue Tubby ... did they misinterpret his views on foreign aid too?

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:Alright, I know I'm partisan and I'm tribal but ....damn, we need this man in Number 10!

[youtube]6ac_pbq-zHc[/youtube]

Don't know who's writing the blog at the moment but their summery of this PPB at 19:54 is (to me) on the scathing side
I as a tribalist think its great

PorFavor wrote:Goodnight, everyone.

Night PF.

I'm guessing Nick de Bois has already accepted he will be defeated in Enfield.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/to ... ar_twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AngryAsWell wrote:

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:Alright, I know I'm partisan and I'm tribal but ....damn, we need this man in Number 10!

[youtube]6ac_pbq-zHc[/youtube]

Don't know who's writing the blog at the moment but their summery of this PPB at 19:54 is (to me) on the scathing side
I as a tribalist think its great

I think it is actually The Sparrow at the moment, and he has revealed his antipathy to Miliband on all too many occasions.

At this point I'd like to thank you all for an altogether nicer place to discuss politics. I'm so glad I gave that place up =)

PorFavor wrote:Goodnight, everyone.

Goodnight, PF

Frances Hinde ‏@FrancesHinde 2 hrs2 hours ago Bedford, England
LAB has 3% lead on seat-specific question in TNS poll

LAB 33.5
CON 30.66
UKIP 16.2
GN 7.4
LD 7.3

James Phillips
‏@JamesAnstee Miliband's meeting with Russell Brand will have to go a long way to better his encounter with Lenny Henry.

Did we mention Lenny Henry on side with Labour ?
This photo made me laugh out loud

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:

AngryAsWell wrote:

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:Alright, I know I'm partisan and I'm tribal but ....damn, we need this man in Number 10!

Don't know who's writing the blog at the moment but their summery of this PPB at 19:54 is (to me) on the scathing side
I as a tribalist think its great

I think it is actually The Sparrow at the moment, and he has revealed his antipathy to Miliband on all too many occasions.

I agree. Very deft at playing the honest broker, but equally adept at subtle spin, all on the back of the respect he has cultivated on his Graun blog.

Didn't he use to work for the Torygraph?

I'll be at the the local Milliners'n'Tin-foil shop getting measured up for a new tit'fer in the meantime.

UKIP candidate calls Gurkhas “parasites” and “mercenaries

https://tompride.wordpress.com/2015/04/ ... rcenaries/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Just no end to them is there?

AngryAsWell wrote:UKIP candidate calls Gurkhas “parasites” and “mercenaries

https://tompride.wordpress.com/2015/04/ ... rcenaries/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Just no end to them is there?

The Leader did say he was classless today, obviously applies to the whole party.

More of that nice SNP party

claire robertson
‏@clairerobsc1 @Harryslaststand @blairmcdougall we still have to live your nearly in a wooden overcoat you old fart

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AngryAsWell wrote:More of that nice SNP party

claire robertson
‏@clairerobsc1 @Harryslaststand @blairmcdougall we still have to live your nearly in a wooden overcoat you old fart

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Utterly vile individual, the SNP should boot her out for bringing the party into disrepute.

I'm assuming this was a way of getting the bad news about growth off the front pages. Why on earth would you want to tie your hands like this?

Desperate.

RogerOThornhill wrote:I'm assuming this was a way of getting the bad news about growth off the front pages. Why on earth would you want to tie your hands like this?

Desperate.

Erm, because he is a lying git who doesn't mean a word of it?

TechnicalEphemera wrote:

AngryAsWell wrote:More of that nice SNP party

claire robertson
‏@clairerobsc1 @Harryslaststand @blairmcdougall we still have to live your nearly in a wooden overcoat you old fart

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Utterly vile individual, the SNP should boot her out for bringing the party into disrepute.

Boot her out? When your candidates are effectively congratulated for calling people who dare to have a different opinion "quislings", "traitors" and "gullible" they'll probably push her into a seat in Holyrood next year.

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:

RogerOThornhill wrote:I'm assuming this was a way of getting the bad news about growth off the front pages. Why on earth would you want to tie your hands like this?

Desperate.

Erm, because he is a lying git who doesn't mean a word of it?

I imagine the small print resembles Swiss cheese.

However - now is the perfect time for Labour to go negative on extreme Tory cuts and what it would mean for the majority. I want a week of every Labour figure scaring the crap out of people about what a Tory government would do.

AngryAsWell wrote:More of that nice SNP party

claire robertson
‏@clairerobsc1 @Harryslaststand @blairmcdougall we still have to live your nearly in a wooden overcoat you old fart

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's been removed at this time. The link goes to a ?

citizenJA wrote:

AngryAsWell wrote:More of that nice SNP party

claire robertson
‏@clairerobsc1 @Harryslaststand @blairmcdougall we still have to live your nearly in a wooden overcoat you old fart

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's been removed at this time. The link goes to a ?

Try this one ? link in Harry's post
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Night all