Tuesday 27th January 2015

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 4:42 am

Morning.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... more-staff" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Labour is launching its pivotal election pledge on the NHS, promising 36,000 more staff and the repeal of privatisation laws"

With particular regard to "integration" and attempts to lessen delayed discharges.I found the juxtaposition with Cameron's repeated mention of lowering of the welfare cap in the article "interesting";because of course the cap includes carers allowance; receivers of which help the most in that regard.Of course it is" only a few"( noticeably categorised as unemployed by the fishpointer even if they also work ) and it is far from the only policy which actively penalises self/care /care at home.
No proper discussion can occur with out the inclusion of benefits/allowances.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 7:02 am

Morning all.

After seeing the IFS curve of doom for the poorest under this coalition here's the similarities with the US. An Atlantic Bridge wet dream.
http://www.salon.com/2015/01/23/why_wea ... s_partner/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post by **refitman** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 7:31 am

Morning. Tories have a 1 point lead on Yougov:

Latest YouGov / The Sun results 26th January -

Con 34%, (+3)
Lab 33%, (nc)
LD 6%, (-1)
UKIP 15%, (-2)
GRN 7%; (-1)

APP -21 (+2)

Lonewolfie · Post by **Lonewolfie** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 8:17 am

General Election ‏@UKELECTIONS2015 · 18.35pm 26/01
Yougov London Evening Standard

Labour 42%
Conservatives 32%
UKIP 10%
GREENS 8%
LIBDEMS 7%

Morning all - I know this was posted last night and I know that it's London only or somesuch....but it gladdens the heart rather than saddening it

One poll had the 'Indys' in the Scottish Referendum in the lead....splashed all over everywhere....some polls were more accurate and didn't go near a 'Yes' win....it turned out to be a 10% split....and as we've discussed before, the overall polls for Britain are pretty much pointless - the only votes that really count are in the marginals...where, I say again, Mr Ed has a 5%-10% lead - even with Horse-warmer Zahawi

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 8:46 am

Morning all.

I'm going to be calling Cameron 'Ducking Dave' after his interview on Radio 4 this morning. He was weaving around, oily and obfuscating, like a non benign Arthur Daley - the arch spiv of politics. And all because the man doesn't want to do the debates.

It's pathetic. It's beyond pathetic. Stop taking the public for as big a fool as you are mate. He sounded so patronising with it ... it's in the hands of the broadcasters now ... the fact that they included the Greens proves that he was right, and most of the public agreed with him ... but they went further than he asked for ... and now it's in the hands of the broadcasters. When pressed harder to say clearly what he is going to do ... I want to do the debates ... the interviewer interjects ... no Mr Cameron it's whether you will do the debates, whether you are going to do the debates. Answer came there none.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 8:50 am

Douglas Alexander ‏@DAlexanderMP 20m20 minutes ago
The debates are here to stay said @David_Cameron in 2010. Now he's wriggling like an eel on @BBCr4today as he tries to avoid them.

Jonathan Ashworth MP ‏@JonAshworth 25m25 minutes ago
First he wanted the Greens, now he wants the DUP. Cameron really is wriggling around all over the shop on these debates @BBCr4today

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 8:53 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:Morning all.

I'm going to be calling Cameron 'Ducking Dave' after his interview on Radio 4 this morning. He was weaving around, oily and obfuscating, like a non benign Arthur Daley - the arch spiv of politics. And all because the man doesn't want to do the debates.

It's pathetic. It's beyond pathetic. Stop taking the public for as big a fool as you are mate. He sounded so patronising with it ... it's in the hands of the broadcasters now ... the fact that they included the Greens proves that he was right, and most of the public agreed with him ... but they went further than he asked for ... and now it's in the hands of the broadcasters. When pressed harder to say clearly what he is going to do ... I want to do the debates ... the interviewer interjects ... no Mr Cameron it's whether you will do the debates, whether you are going to do the debates. Answer came there none.

He's running out of parties to blame:

DAVID Cameron has said he believes a deal can be done to go ahead with televised leaders’ debates during the general election campaign, if Northern Ireland is included.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/cameron ... -1-3671060

Lonewolfie · Post by **Lonewolfie** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 8:55 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:Morning all.

I'm going to be calling Cameron 'Ducking Dave' after his interview on Radio 4 this morning. He was weaving around, oily and obfuscating, like a non benign Arthur Daley - the arch spiv of politics. And all because the man doesn't want to do the debates.

It's pathetic. It's beyond pathetic. Stop taking the public for as big a fool as you are mate. He sounded so patronising with it ... it's in the hands of the broadcasters now ... the fact that they included the Greens proves that he was right, and most of the public agreed with him ... but they went further than he asked for ... and now it's in the hands of the broadcasters. When pressed harder to say clearly what he is going to do ... I want to do the debates ... the interviewer interjects ... no Mr Cameron it's whether you will do the debates, whether you are going to do the debates. Answer came there none.

Shouldn't that be 'Clucking Dave'?...perhaps not...Clucking Cameron maybe?....as in "that clucking Cameron - what I wouldn't give for 5 minutes of 1-on-1 time with him somewhere where he can't run away"

....I'll get me coat.....

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 8:57 am

Another poll - from Wales for ITV.

Albert Owen MP ‏@AlbertOwenMP 1h1 hour ago
Labour support up slightly, Greens now in fifth place http://www.itv.com/news/wales/update/20 ... fth-place/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; … interesting poll Lab up, Tory n/c, UKIP & PC 3rd &4th both down

Welsh Barometer Poll
The results of the latest Welsh Barometer opinion poll, which tracks how people say they'll vote, both in May's Westminster election and in other upcoming trips to the polling station.
The latest Wales Barmometer Poll, for tonight's Sharp End, shows Labour up 1% on the last poll in December and no change for the Conservatives. UKIP are down 2% and Plaid Cymru have slipped 1%. The Lib Dems are 1% up but have been pushed into sixth place by the Greens, who are up 3%.

Labour 37% - Conservative 23% - UKIP 16% - Plaid 10% - Green 8% - Lib Dem 6% - Other 1%

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 9:12 am

Daily UKIP alert:

Wales Online ‏@WalesOnline 30m30 minutes ago
Probe by @UKIP into Welsh candidate's posts on BNP and EDL websites http://bit.ly/1uWqOnA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ukip has launched an investigation into one of its Parliamentary candidates in Wales after it emerged that he had posted social media comments supportive of the far-right British National Party and the English Defence League.

Donald Grewar, who is due to stand for Ukip in Newport East at the general election in May, left a message on the BNP website, commenting favourably on a statement referring to gay people as “fascist perverts” and “paedophiles”.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 9:15 am

Labour's Health Team ‏@LabourHealth 4m4 minutes ago
.@andyburnhammp went on @BBCr4today to talk about Labour's 10-year plan for health and care. They didn't ask a single question about it.

I didn't hear it. What the hell did they ask him about then?

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 9:20 am

Mr Cameron told the BBC that reforming the welfare system was the "best way to tackle poverty and spread advantage".

He said: "The criticism of our benefit cap, which was set at £26,000, in many parts of the country was that it was too high.

"So we think that reducing it to £23,000 will help to get more families back into work and we'll use the savings from that money to make sure we train three million apprentices in the next Parliament.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30994930

I know this may sound daft (sarcasm alert), but seeing as employers and the apprentices get all the benefit from the skills that these apprentices will gain, perhaps the employers and possibly the apprentices themselves should foot the bill for this training, instead of other unemployed people.

The way these two unconnected things are weaved into this sentence only highlights to me the injustice of the welfare cut to the unemployed person, who is expected, through their poverty, to fund training that historically has always been funded by those who stand to gain from it - employers and their employees. The degree to which the burden of maintaining a developed economy is being shifted from the wealthiest to the poorest is quite staggering.

Lonewolfie · Post by **Lonewolfie** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 9:24 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Labour's Health Team ‏@LabourHealth 4m4 minutes ago
.@andyburnhammp went on @BBCr4today to talk about Labour's 10-year plan for health and care. They didn't ask a single question about it.
I didn't hear it. What the hell did they ask him about then?

Me neither...so my guesses are...

1) SNP/Nicola Sturgeon are turning up the heat, aren't they?
2) The Green Surge is really going to cause Labour problems isn't it?
3) How can you be trusted after crashing the economy?
4) Why's Ed Miliband running scared of the debates?
5) Why haven't you done anything about fracking?
6) What's the point of Labour when you're all so useless and your leader weak, useless and weird-looking?

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 9:27 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Labour's Health Team ‏@LabourHealth 4m4 minutes ago
.@andyburnhammp went on @BBCr4today to talk about Labour's 10-year plan for health and care. They didn't ask a single question about it.
I didn't hear it. What the hell did they ask him about then?

Do you really have to ask? At least Burnham was able to point out the funding constraints that the NHS in Wales is having to deal with and I thought he was quite effective in making the point that the problems faced in another system, doesn't negate the fact that NHS England has seen a significant drop in performance under the Coalition. I only caught a little, but he sounded quite bullish and confident and not at all put out by the questions he was getting. If the intention was to make him squirm it wasn't working.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 9:28 am

Lonewolfie wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
Labour's Health Team ‏@LabourHealth 4m4 minutes ago
.@andyburnhammp went on @BBCr4today to talk about Labour's 10-year plan for health and care. They didn't ask a single question about it.
I didn't hear it. What the hell did they ask him about then?
Me neither...so my guesses are...

1) SNP/Nicola Sturgeon are turning up the heat, aren't they?
2) The Green Surge is really going to cause Labour problems isn't it?
3) How can you be trusted after crashing the economy?
4) Why's Ed Miliband running scared of the debates?
5) Why haven't you done anything about fracking?
6) What's the point of Labour when you're all so useless and your leader weak, useless and weird-looking?

Probably spot on.

I seem to be unable to post on here at the mo. Wonder if this will be accepted.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 9:31 am

Tim Shipman @ShippersUnbound · 57m 57 minutes ago
If David Cameron finds himself 5 points behind on March 30 you can be pretty sure there will be at least one debate with Miliband

Tim Shipman @ShippersUnbound · 59m 59 minutes ago
Print journalists ought to oppose TV debates because they make us less relevant. But I think leaders should be forced to do them by law.

Tim Shipman @ShippersUnbound · 1h 1 hour ago
Cameron says "yes I would like that to happen" to debates. And then demands DUP and SF too. And says dates too late. So let's make that "no"

frightful_oik · Post by **frightful_oik** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 9:51 am

GDP figures out. 5Live decide to report from some business. Everything's great apparently,especially the last few years. When will the BBC learn that businessman=economist is untrue?

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 10:00 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:Another poll - from Wales for ITV.

Albert Owen MP ‏@AlbertOwenMP 1h1 hour ago
Labour support up slightly, Greens now in fifth place http://www.itv.com/news/wales/update/20 ... fth-place/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; … interesting poll Lab up, Tory n/c, UKIP & PC 3rd &4th both down

Welsh Barometer Poll
The results of the latest Welsh Barometer opinion poll, which tracks how people say they'll vote, both in May's Westminster election and in other upcoming trips to the polling station.
The latest Wales Barmometer Poll, for tonight's Sharp End, shows Labour up 1% on the last poll in December and no change for the Conservatives. UKIP are down 2% and Plaid Cymru have slipped 1%. The Lib Dems are 1% up but have been pushed into sixth place by the Greens, who are up 3%.
Labour 37% - Conservative 23% - UKIP 16% - Plaid 10% - Green 8% - Lib Dem 6% - Other 1%

It would be excellent if Labour could get back to around the 40% mark come May, that is well doable, and it would put a bit of heat on a few Tories, Cairns for one, who is well within the realms of being booted out.

I know I keep on about him, but he's a Welsh Tory Grima Wormtongue, and he went to a local school which adds to the embarrassment.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 10:08 am

Initially amusing, but then...

David Cameron Appeals For Orgasm Advice Via Guardian Picture Desk Fail
http://huff.to/1JsgruJ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

mikems · Post by **mikems** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 10:08 am

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day, not that you would know it from the papers. The governments of France and Germany are sending their Presidents to the ceremony in Auschwitz, while the UK is sending...Eric Pickles...a man who has been found to have illegally discriminated against travellers' in planning applications.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 10:13 am

Growth of 0.5%.

Last month the OBR were forecasting 3.0% for this year and as it turned out at 2.6 that must have meant they were forecasting 0.9% for the final quarter.

Terrible forecasting - 0.9% vs actual 0.5%

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 10:16 am

mikems wrote:Today is Holocaust Memorial Day, not that you would know it from the papers. The governments of France and Germany are sending their Presidents to the ceremony in Auschwitz, while the UK is sending...Eric Pickles...a man who has been found to have illegally discriminated against travellers' in planning applications.

So Cameron going last month really was to get out of PMQs just after the Autumn Statement?

Why Pickles? Even Clegg would look like we'd made an attempt to send someone with any government authority.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 10:16 am

Owen Smith ''Well said Andy Burnham, Wales closer integration of NHS and social care has led to record low levels of bed blocking in Wales

Don't suppose that is too important to Today interviewers mind?

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 10:20 am

Labour's PPC in Hallam, Oliver Coppard is getting his funding from crowd sourcing isn't he?

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 10:32 am

Morning all!

HindleA -
OGRFG has claimed that the benefit cap has resulted in "thousands" of people "returning to work" and the reason why he intends to reduce the cap further is because he says the only (yes, only) criticism of the existing cap is that it is set too high. So any household with claims for multiple benefits and/or high rental costs will be affected and that will inevitably include more carers. He has also said that he will remove Housing Benefit from 18-21 years olds; and he will do this within days of being re-elected.
Despite various polls asking people what their main priorities are for the coming election not featuring "welfare" he is making this one of the main things he will campaign on - people care much more about the NHS, the cost of living, the economy generally, and immigration. They are not citing benefits as a big issue; and there have been a few polls which suggest that the "reforms" have gone too far. The Tories are out of touch on this, but they will do whatever they can to push it up the agenda - I'm expecting a new wave of nasty propaganda, not just against Labour, but against claimants. I hope they go too far - and that's because I doubt Reeves will offer much of a rebuttal.

Debates -
Cameron has ignored this for as long as he could get away with it, and has only entered the discussion when it became risky for him not to. First, he shilly-shallied about saying he would wait and see what form the debates would take, saying it was up to the broadcasters; then Ofcom does what it's paid to do and announces the list of "major" parties according to a pre-agreed set of criteria, and the broadcasters duly make their plans. Cameron then decides that Ofcom has it wrong and the Greens must be in or he's out (an obvious ploy to split the left in debate) so the broadcasters go back and make another plan, and include a few more parties for good measure to please everyone.
Cameron is now saying that this isn't enough because it doesn't include one of the NI parties, and it would appear he wants the DUP because Plaid and SNP are included and they don't stand outside their countries, when we know he really wants them to bolster his support as he may need them should there be another hung Parliament. His pet spokesthing Shapps is now saying that progress has been made but despite all that we still have no confirmation that Cameron will turn up.
Last time, the questions were not revealed to the protagonists - all they got was a "theme" eg. NHS. I bet Cameron want the questions so that he can prepare his answers in advance if he bothers to do it at all. He mus know that he can't defend his record on anything.
My bet is that whatever the broadcasters do to accommodate him, he will not do the debates. He might show his face at the seven-leader bunfights, but he'll find a way to avoid a head-to-head with Miliband. Without his braying pack of MPs behind him and a set of obviously planted questions, he would collapse in a ruck with Ed and he knows it. I think he will manufacture some non-crisis for which he is forced to chair his umpteenth COBRA meeting, and he'll be on the telly looking all serious and statesmanlike, claiming that his priority is the security of our country and he is sad to have missed the debate but tough choices have to made etc. etc. etc.

UKIP -
They seem to be imploding, don't they? Every day there's another row about something or other. Nige is now saying he will back a Tory-led coalition (news to his fans) and reckons he'll get 3 or 4 seats (that's just 1 or 2 more than he has now) and yet another PPC Mark Bullen has criticised him claiming he makes it up as he goes along.
Carswell Tweeted that UKIP voted for fracking, thus demonstrating that despite his obvious intelligence he's a bit of an idiot really. He and Reckless want to lift the coal ban, frack everywhere, and put an end to what they call "dependence" and "rent-seeking subsidies" of the wind-farm lobby; Carswell claims this is just like Concorde (!) and encourages dependence.
The Mirror has a Survation poll which had UKIP at 23% but I cannot think that's anything but an outlier - it was an exclusive poll of readers of a left-leaning paper and somehow I doubt it's right.

The world is going mad. Except in Greece.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 10:34 am

Interesting!

http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index. ... t-outcome/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 10:40 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:Another poll - from Wales for ITV.

Albert Owen MP ‏@AlbertOwenMP 1h1 hour ago
Labour support up slightly, Greens now in fifth place http://www.itv.com/news/wales/update/20 ... fth-place/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; … interesting poll Lab up, Tory n/c, UKIP & PC 3rd &4th both down

Welsh Barometer Poll
The results of the latest Welsh Barometer opinion poll, which tracks how people say they'll vote, both in May's Westminster election and in other upcoming trips to the polling station.
The latest Wales Barmometer Poll, for tonight's Sharp End, shows Labour up 1% on the last poll in December and no change for the Conservatives. UKIP are down 2% and Plaid Cymru have slipped 1%. The Lib Dems are 1% up but have been pushed into sixth place by the Greens, who are up 3%.
Labour 37% - Conservative 23% - UKIP 16% - Plaid 10% - Green 8% - Lib Dem 6% - Other 1%

I'm quite heartened by this poll, and that in the Evening Standard (BoJo-enabling foul rag that it is). I've often said (and Notso and I argued about it) that national polls are far too 'broad brush' to give a reliable indication of VI, especially this time when we have the UKIP & Green jokers in the pack, and especially when Ashcroft can use a sample of 500 & YouGov will bow so cravenly to their paymaster.

Regional polls, from Ashcroft to these ones, are still only a guide but (sticking with my broad brush analogy) they start to fill in some of the detail; if you ask 1000 people nationwide their VI and one says "Jedi" then that extrapolates to a significant percentage for the Jedis, you ask 1000 people in Wales and he says "Jedi" you get closer to its true significance. Not saying I'm not nervous about the polls, but Ed & Labour appear to be increasingly doing the right things, Dave (despite the loyal Meeja trying to disguise it) keeps doing the wrong things and UKIP & the Greens may find that being in the full focus of media attention is not as useful as they think (as Bennett proved on Sunday).

Morning all. Bit of positivity to start the day there. I promise to be back to my normal self forthwith.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 10:42 am

ohsocynical wrote:Interesting!

http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index. ... t-outcome/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Actually, it is - especially since the conventional wisdom of some is that such questions do *not* help Labour.........

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 10:52 am

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:Another poll - from Wales for ITV.

Albert Owen MP ‏@AlbertOwenMP 1h1 hour ago
Labour support up slightly, Greens now in fifth place http://www.itv.com/news/wales/update/20 ... fth-place/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; … interesting poll Lab up, Tory n/c, UKIP & PC 3rd &4th both down

Welsh Barometer Poll
The results of the latest Welsh Barometer opinion poll, which tracks how people say they'll vote, both in May's Westminster election and in other upcoming trips to the polling station.
The latest Wales Barmometer Poll, for tonight's Sharp End, shows Labour up 1% on the last poll in December and no change for the Conservatives. UKIP are down 2% and Plaid Cymru have slipped 1%. The Lib Dems are 1% up but have been pushed into sixth place by the Greens, who are up 3%.
Labour 37% - Conservative 23% - UKIP 16% - Plaid 10% - Green 8% - Lib Dem 6% - Other 1%
I'm quite heartened by this poll, and that in the Evening Standard (BoJo-enabling foul rag that it is). I've often said (and Notso and I argued about it) that national polls are far too 'broad brush' to give a reliable indication of VI, especially this time when we have the UKIP & Green jokers in the pack, and especially when Ashcroft can use a sample of 500 & YouGov will bow so cravenly to their paymaster.

Regional polls, from Ashcroft to these ones, are still only a guide but (sticking with my broad brush analogy) they start to fill in some of the detail; if you ask 1000 people nationwide their VI and one says "Jedi" then that extrapolates to a significant percentage for the Jedis, you ask 1000 people in Wales and he says "Jedi" you get closer to its true significance. Not saying I'm not nervous about the polls, but Ed & Labour appear to be increasingly doing the right things, Dave (despite the loyal Meeja trying to disguise it) keeps doing the wrong things and UKIP & the Greens may find that being in the full focus of media attention is not as useful as they think (as Bennett proved on Sunday).

Morning all. Bit of positivity to start the day there. I promise to be back to my normal self forthwith.

Correctomundo. Election will be won in the marginal's, and at the moment Labour are doing ok in them. More in-depth polling from Scotland out next week, on a constituency by constituency basis, that will be a biggie, Sky News trumpeting gains by the SNP of 53 seats in May, still cant get my head around that, even in areas where the Noes were way in front, summat quite not right there.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 10:54 am

The thing about Scotland is that the "Yes" vote will (they hope, anyway) mostly unite behind the SNP, whilst the "Noes" will often be split.

Even so the Nats aren't going to win 53 seats in May, or anything like it. Any such "forecasts" should be rubbished mercilessly

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 10:55 am

Morning all, just catching up on the days events so far & my flabber has been ghasted already at the para I came across on Sparrows blog:

(I don’t normally approve of using photographs of politicians looking silly because it’s cheap and mean-spirited - and, with Ed, it’s also far too easy - but I’m afraid, having found this in the picture file, I’m afraid I just couldn’t resist.)

WTF was that pointless dig at Ed for ?!

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 10:56 am

AnatolyKasparov wrote:The thing about Scotland is that the "Yes" vote will (they hope, anyway) mostly unite behind the SNP, whilst the "Noes" will often be split.

Even so the Nats aren't going to win 53 seats in May, or anything like it. Any such "forecasts" should be rubbished mercilessly

The press will be praising Murphy for the turnaround then come May

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 11:02 am

letsskiptotheleft wrote:Labour's PPC in Hallam, Oliver Coppard is getting his funding from crowd sourcing isn't he?

Yes & if you do donate, he will send you a personal letter of thanks - complete with an invitation to partake of a cup of tea or a pint should you find yourself anywhere near Sheffield closer to polling day !

I read out the email Coppard had sent me & my son said that I should reply saying I won't be around there but to put the price of the pint into his campaign fund for an additional boost - even he, at 23 & not at Uni, loathes Clegg

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 11:05 am

pk1 wrote:Morning all, just catching up on the days events so far & my flabber has been ghasted already at the para I came across on Sparrows blog:

(I don’t normally approve of using photographs of politicians looking silly because it’s cheap and mean-spirited - and, with Ed, it’s also far too easy - but I’m afraid, having found this in the picture file, I’m afraid I just couldn’t resist.)
WTF was that pointless dig at Ed for ?!

Yes - I noticed that, too. Gratuitous. Andrew Sparrow didn't used to be so shallow. I don't expect him to be a Labour cheerleader or a founder member of the Ed Miliband fan club but that was just childish.

Good morning, everyone.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 11:06 am

pk1 wrote:Morning all, just catching up on the days events so far & my flabber has been ghasted already at the para I came across on Sparrows blog:

(I don’t normally approve of using photographs of politicians looking silly because it’s cheap and mean-spirited - and, with Ed, it’s also far too easy - but I’m afraid, having found this in the picture file, I’m afraid I just couldn’t resist.)
WTF was that pointless dig at Ed for ?!

Sparrow has previous, that isn't the first time he has taken a gratuitous dig at Miliband.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 11:30 am

pk1 wrote:
letsskiptotheleft wrote:Labour's PPC in Hallam, Oliver Coppard is getting his funding from crowd sourcing isn't he?
Yes & if you do donate, he will send you a personal letter of thanks - complete with an invitation to partake of a cup of tea or a pint should you find yourself anywhere near Sheffield closer to polling day !

I read out the email Coppard had sent me & my son said that I should reply saying I won't be around there but to put the price of the pint into his campaign fund for an additional boost - even he, at 23 & not at Uni, loathes Clegg

Thanks PK, will do that later, Sheffield is a tad out of my way too so he can have the pint himself.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 11:34 am

@PeterCS well & truly cooked & spat out !

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 11:45 am

AnatolyKasparov wrote:The thing about Scotland is that the "Yes" vote will (they hope, anyway) mostly unite behind the SNP, whilst the "Noes" will often be split.

Even so the Nats aren't going to win 53 seats in May, or anything like it. Any such "forecasts" should be rubbished mercilessly

I seem to remember that the SNP were predicted to win 20+ seats last time - or was that just Salmond's opinion?

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 11:51 am

The latest Lib Dem poster is here, seriously there are no words left to describe their piousness, sanctimonious hand-wringing and hypocrisy.

http://www.libdemvoice.org/100-days-unt ... 44375.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In another ''article'' a poster btl reckons they should keep hammering out the comparison between and Greece and Labour and Cons and austerity.

Kick the ***** out. Double donation today, Coppard and Labours election fund, I ain't Oakshott but every bit helps.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 12:06 pm

Faisal Islam ‏@faisalislam · 58m58 minutes ago
I did hear thru earpiece Miliband question the privatisation of the utilities in the 80s in the Q&A did I not? Anyone got the precise quote?

AndrewSparrow ‏@AndrewSparrow · 57m57 minutes ago
@faisalislam He said we know where that got us. Was querying it as a model for NHS, not proposing to reverse it for utilities

James Chapman (Mail)
‏@jameschappers @AndrewSparrow @faisalislam he certainly did suggest the privatisation of the utilities had been a mistake

AndrewSparrow ‏@AndrewSparrow · 46m46 minutes ago
@jameschappers Quote here - http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blo ... fc37336210" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; … - Difference btn querying how it was done, and whole principle, isn't there?

When a Sky and a Mail journo are delicately trying to point out your bias you should probably take notice.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 12:13 pm

Wollaston is on the Daily Politics saying that the benefits cap is necessary because people are trapped on benefits.

Any sense she used to have - and to be fair, she has been quite good on some things - has now flown out of the window. She's now trotting out the usual Tory mantra of people being parked on benefits and work being the only way to lift people out of poverty.

Work only pays if it pays well - going to work doesn't stop people claiming benefits, millions still have to claim even working full time.

I am heartily sick of this.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 12:20 pm

Good-afternoon, friends.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 12:26 pm

The coalition’s changes to benefits and direct taxes have hit families with children under five harder than any other group and hurt the poorest more than the better off, according to the most comprehensive evaluation yet of the government’s social policy record.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015 ... ges-report

It's Wintour's article.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 12:28 pm

RobertSnozers wrote:Seriously though, is there a more pitiful, equivocating bunch of losers than the remaining LibDem rump? Still trying to cling to the pre-2010 vision of the party as morally better than everyone else and the only ones talking good sense.

Has anyone asked petercs how his utopia of GPs /the market running the NHS is going recently?

Splendidly, apparently.

Parkin13 asked him:

Any proof it's better or do we just take your word for it?

and the reply:

experience; do you use the NHS? We have not been let down by the NHS, neither have our friends and family. Ed can go around blackening the NHS but it is not going to chime with experience.
For example, Ed maligns GPs...People unable to get to see a GP, sometimes with queues round the block.

Ignore the evidence & rely on one's own experience is the last refuge of a twat in my opinion.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 12:31 pm

The Treasury said its own work presented the most rigorous record of the impact of the government’s policies on households.

“Unlike the Treasury’s analysis, the research by LSE Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion does not take into account the effects of changes to the vital public services on which so many rely.

“That means that it can’t consider the full range of ways the government provides support to the poorest and most vulnerable families across the country: those on lower incomes have been helped by a range of government policies across this parliament in all areas of government spending, from protections to NHS and schools spending to the decision to increase the tax-free personal allowance.”

The final section of the article giving government's response to the unequivocal awfulness of who's been burdened with making do with not a lot.

helped by a range of current government policies? protections to NHS??? schools spending?

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015 ... ges-report

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 12:36 pm

pk1 wrote:Morning all, just catching up on the days events so far & my flabber has been ghasted already at the para I came across on Sparrows blog:

(I don’t normally approve of using photographs of politicians looking silly because it’s cheap and mean-spirited - and, with Ed, it’s also far too easy - but I’m afraid, having found this in the picture file, I’m afraid I just couldn’t resist.)
WTF was that pointless dig at Ed for ?!

Especially since he is on record as saying he likes EM!

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 12:37 pm

Just having a quick read through the select committee report on academies and free schools and this jumped out at me from the bit on Wilshaw wanting Ofsted to inspect academy chains like they do LAs.

152. The Secretary of State has made it clear that she does not intend to extend Ofsted’s powers in this way. She argued that “Ofsted is about inspecting outcomes–school outcomes, school results and what is happening in schools” and that “I am clear from looking at these four Ofsted reports [on batch inspections of schools in chains] that it has the powers to ask to look at the support that the sponsors are offering to the schools in their chain”. The Secretary of State also disputed the analogy between local authorities and chains, stating that “Academy chains are not school improvement services”. Informally, we have also heard concern that Ofsted inspection would stifle innovation within chains by introducing a model of how they should be run.

Eh?

So what is the purpose of taking schools away from LAs to give to academy 'sponsors' (= bureaucrats) if it is not for the sponsor to improve the school?

I thought that was supposed to be the whole point of it!

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 12:40 pm

RobertSnozers wrote:
letsskiptotheleft wrote:The latest Lib Dem poster is here, seriously there are no words left to describe their piousness, sanctimonious hand-wringing and hypocrisy.

http://www.libdemvoice.org/100-days-unt ... 44375.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In another ''article'' a poster btl reckons they should keep hammering out the comparison between and Greece and Labour and Cons and austerity.

Kick the ***** out. Double donation today, Coppard and Labours election fund, I ain't Oakshott but every bit helps.
This is right on the button for anyone still blind enough to support the LibDems. Getting a right kicking BTL as they might have expected. I don't know whether I feel more anger or pity these days when I see a Yellow Tory desperately wheedling about their impact on government and how this or that group would be worse off without their regressive tax cut - and never mind increases in VAT, cuts in benefits, and most of all Osborne's four years of stagnation. Actually, it's still anger.

Their election poster has given me a good laugh. Surprised they haven't put in a wrecked car on the left with Miliband at the wheel. And on the right the thinnest slice of bread humanly possible to cut with a mob of peasants trying to snatch it - with Cameron about to kick it away with his foot. Except they'd have to put Clegg on that side too ...

Editing to add: When Eddie Sammon approves of the poster ... I know my judgement is spot on and it's truly awful.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 12:41 pm

ephemerid wrote:Wollaston is on the Daily Politics saying that the benefits cap is necessary because people are trapped on benefits.

Any sense she used to have - and to be fair, she has been quite good on some things - has now flown out of the window. She's now trotting out the usual Tory mantra of people being parked on benefits and work being the only way to lift people out of poverty.

Work only pays if it pays well - going to work doesn't stop people claiming benefits, millions still have to claim even working full time.

I am heartily sick of this.

Sarah W was almost robotically on message after the Syriza win in Greece, saying this shows the terrible "peril" of voting Labour and we must stick with wonderful Dave's "long term economic plan" - have CCO replaced her with their own drone?

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Tue 27 Jan, 2015 12:43 pm

Patricia Farrington retweeted
Peter Smith ‏@Redpeter99 7m7 minutes ago
#Cameron's new conditions for TV debates. He must be accompanied to the studios by Lord Lucan riding Shergar. http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/01 ... mg00000067" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …