Monday 16th February 2015

[Spacedone]

There's nothing like being woken at stupid-o'clock in the morning by leg cramp...

Anyway... since I'm most certainly wide awake now...


15 Tory target seats ditched in strategy turnaround
http://www.bbench.co.uk/#!15-Tory-targe ... 91d1edb0d4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It appears that 15 seats that the Tories previously identified as being target seats have now been relegated to non-target seat status. My query is, have they changed their status because they can't win them or have they changed their status because they think a UKIP with the help of Conservative voters might be able to?

[StephenDolan]

There's nothing like being woken at stupid-o'clock in the morning by leg cramp...

Anyway... since I'm most certainly wide awake now...


15 Tory target seats ditched in strategy turnaround
http://www.bbench.co.uk/#!15-Tory-targe ... 91d1edb0d4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It appears that 15 seats that the Tories previously identified as being target seats have now been relegated to non-target seat status. My query is, have they changed their status because they can't win them or have they changed their status because they think a UKIP with the help of Conservative voters might be able to?

Wirral South is surely not winnable for the Conservatives. McGovern seems to be benefiting from the pigs ear McVey is making of her time under IDS. I realise this is only conjecture, but the UKIP 'they're all the same' narrative doesn’t seem to be filtering through so much.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

There's nothing like being woken at stupid-o'clock in the morning by leg cramp...

Anyway... since I'm most certainly wide awake now...


15 Tory target seats ditched in strategy turnaround
http://www.bbench.co.uk/#!15-Tory-targe ... 91d1edb0d4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It appears that 15 seats that the Tories previously identified as being target seats have now been relegated to non-target seat status. My query is, have they changed their status because they can't win them or have they changed their status because they think a UKIP with the help of Conservative voters might be able to?

Wirral South is surely not winnable for the Conservatives. McGovern seems to be benefiting from the pigs ear McVey is making of her time under IDS. I realise this is only conjecture, but the UKIP 'they're all the same' narrative doesn’t seem to be filtering through so much.

The UKIP candidate in my own constituency managed a splash in the Huddersfield Examiner along the lines of it's Tory vs UKIP here.

This while clearly absurd is a dangerous meme that needs quashing wherever it arises. Our Tory MP is quite moderate, indeed a former Lib Dem, and you can imagine people tactically voting for him if they believe they are stopping the far right.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

HuffPostUKPolitics ‏@HuffPostUKPol 11m11 minutes ago
IDS reckons Universal Credit is helping, lots of people disagree http://huff.to/19jZeqE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[PaulfromYorkshire]

mummikins retweeted
Michael ‏@TheRightArticle 20m20 minutes ago
Osborne under pressure over HSBC scandal - http://feeds.theguardian.com/c/34708/f/ ... tory01.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

[PaulfromYorkshire]

Thomas Hemingford retweeted
WOWcampaign ‏@WOWpetition 9m9 minutes ago
Universal Credit may be a waste of money, say auditors http://leftfootforward.org/2014/11/audi ... -will-end/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; … … #Marrshow #BBCnews #skynews #poverty

[PaulfromYorkshire]

Labour Left ‏@LabourLeft 2m2 minutes ago
“@itvnews: Ed Miliband set to outlaw zero-hour contracts in speech later today http://www.itv.com/news/story/2015-02-1 ... ss-policy/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …”

[RogerOThornhill]

Labour Left ‏@LabourLeft 2m2 minutes ago
“@itvnews: Ed Miliband set to outlaw zero-hour contracts in speech later today http://www.itv.com/news/story/2015-02-1 ... ss-policy/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …”

Hope he's specific about what he actually means by zero hours contracts e.g. there are nurses and midwives who only work bank shifts and are quite happy to do that as it suits them...so if one week they don't want a shift, they don't have to do one.

I guess it's the differentiation between employee-led and employer-enforced.

Morning all..

[TheGrimSqueaker]

There's nothing like being woken at stupid-o'clock in the morning by leg cramp...

Anyway... since I'm most certainly wide awake now...


15 Tory target seats ditched in strategy turnaround
http://www.bbench.co.uk/#!15-Tory-targe ... 91d1edb0d4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It appears that 15 seats that the Tories previously identified as being target seats have now been relegated to non-target seat status. My query is, have they changed their status because they can't win them or have they changed their status because they think a UKIP with the help of Conservative voters might be able to?

Morning all.

Well, some of those seats were unwinnable - Eltham, for example, used to be Peter Bottomley's seat but Clive Efford took it in 1997 and has been pretty solid since - but some seemed eminently winnable. The two Cornish seats, for example, were highlighted by Ashcroft last year as seats where the Tories were well on track to taking the seats from the Lost Deposits; mind you, UKIP were showing well in St Austell too, so maybe the Tories know something we don't - always a first time I guess.

[Willow904]

Labour Left ‏@LabourLeft 2m2 minutes ago
“@itvnews: Ed Miliband set to outlaw zero-hour contracts in speech later today http://www.itv.com/news/story/2015-02-1 ... ss-policy/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …”

Hope he's specific about what he actually means by zero hours contracts e.g. there are nurses and midwives who only work bank shifts and are quite happy to do that as it suits them...so if one week they don't want a shift, they don't have to do one.

I guess it's the differentiation between employee-led and employer-enforced.

Morning all..

The actual list on the link says 'an end to exploitative zero-hours contracts' so that seems to me much closer to the previous position of stripping out the worst aspects of such contracts and giving employees more rights, rather than banning them altogether.

Ed Miliband has talked about people who have been working full-time hours for 6 months or more but are still on a zero-hours rather than a full-time contract, which is clearly an abuse as it is being used to avoid employers responsibilities, such as holiday pay. As for arrangements such as bank staff, I agree, no one would want to see flexible arrangements that work for people outlawed. The easiest way to avoid exploitation in these cases would be for the government to pledge not to sanction anyone on JSA for refusing to accept a zero-hours contract - that way you can be certain the only people taking on these sorts of working arrangements are people who want to. I can't see Ed Miliband going quite that far, though, unfortunately.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

Oh dear, the right wing press are getting desperate; apparently Ed Balls saying he always gets a receipt for any cash jobs done by small traders is a declaration of war on small businessmen.

When I lived in West Norwood I used to frequent a very decent greasy spoon, the Electric Cafe; one of the other regulars (who I shall not name) was a plasterer who specialised in 'heritage' jobs and had worked on several occasions for a certain Mrs Osborne (let us just say her son might have been somewhat confused that plaster was also a white powder). He hated doing these jobs because she always insisted on paying cash, never gave a receipt and hence put him in a difficult position vis a vis the taxman but with her obvious influence in the heritage restoration field he just has to swallow it. Yet the Telegraph and the Mail think Ed Balls is the one at fault here.

[rebeccariots2]

Morning all. Starting with a repost of mine from last night - so yahyah has a better chance of seeing it.

@yahyah - here's another couple of items re the Green Party of Wales / Plaid Cymru relationship/s. The first blog post is long - but quite interesting as it sets out some background and lead up to the Bartolotti statement. The person writing it challenged her for the leadership last year and didn't get it ... is quite open about that and not rating her strategy for and leadership of the party in Wales. He is also the person that urged Green supporters to vote for Plaid in the Euro elections.

I have read other news stories fairly recently about dissension in the party - so there seems to have been a bit of a storming season going on - inevitable when it's a time of rapid growth and changing political and social environment.

Time for me to move on
http://bridgendgreens.net/2015/02/02/ti ... /#comments

Green’s former leadership candidate leaves Welsh branch of party
http://dailywales.net/2015/02/03/greens ... -of-party/

And adding - there's also a pretty long rant against Plaid / Green alliances by Jac O North on his blog - from November 2014. He sets out why he thinks it's a bad idea and won't support either party. One of his chief reasons is that the Greens in Wales are apparently nearly all English incomers and don't want the kind of independent Wales they should do.....

[rebeccariots2]

Oh dear, the right wing press are getting desperate; apparently Ed Balls saying he always gets a receipt for any cash jobs done by small traders is a declaration of war on small businessmen.

When I lived in West Norwood I used to frequent a very decent greasy spoon, the Electric Cafe; one of the other regulars (who I shall not name) was a plasterer who specialised in 'heritage' jobs and had worked on several occasions for a certain Mrs Osborne (let us just say her son might have been somewhat confused that plaster was also a white powder). He hated doing these jobs because she always insisted on paying cash, never gave a receipt and hence put him in a difficult position vis a vis the taxman but with her obvious influence in the heritage restoration field he just has to swallow it. Yet the Telegraph and the Mail think Ed Balls is the one at fault here.

I can speak as someone who frequently gets paid in cash for quite small gardening jobs. I have two regular clients who won't pay me any other way. They get an invoice - yes, I carry an invoice book with me wherever I am working - and when I receive the cash I sign their copy of the invoice off, date it and write 'received with thanks'. It's often a very grubby transaction but only because my hands are covered in good honest muck. I need to keep good records - it's not a hassle. Why on earth would anybody think this is an unreasonable ask? People often ask me if I'd prefer cash, with the implication being they think I might not want to declare it and pay tax on it. I always tell them it doesn't matter how they pay - I record and declare the lot.

[Willow904]

Oh dear, the right wing press are getting desperate; apparently Ed Balls saying he always gets a receipt for any cash jobs done by small traders is a declaration of war on small businessmen.

When I lived in West Norwood I used to frequent a very decent greasy spoon, the Electric Cafe; one of the other regulars (who I shall not name) was a plasterer who specialised in 'heritage' jobs and had worked on several occasions for a certain Mrs Osborne (let us just say her son might have been somewhat confused that plaster was also a white powder). He hated doing these jobs because she always insisted on paying cash, never gave a receipt and hence put him in a difficult position vis a vis the taxman but with her obvious influence in the heritage restoration field he just has to swallow it. Yet the Telegraph and the Mail think Ed Balls is the one at fault here.

I can speak as someone who frequently gets paid in cash for quite small gardening jobs. I have two regular clients who won't pay me any other way. They get an invoice - yes, I carry an invoice book with me wherever I am working - and when I receive the cash I sign their copy of the invoice off, date it and write 'received with thanks'. It's often a very grubby transaction but only because my hands are covered in good honest muck. I need to keep good records - it's not a hassle. Why on earth would anybody think this is an unreasonable ask? People often ask me if I'd prefer cash, with the implication being they think I might not want to declare it and pay tax on it. I always tell them it doesn't matter how they pay - I record and declare the lot.

As I just said at the other place, getting a receipt when paying cash is essential so the recipient can't claim they haven't received payment and demand it again. As is getting a written quote upfront on major jobs. It's just common sense for both parties and protects individuals from cowboy builders as much as it prevents cowboy builders from avoiding tax. You'd soon lose gardening clients if you forgot which ones had paid and asked them for payment again, so you're quite right to give them a receipt whether they want one or not! I'm actually finding it difficult to get my head around who the Tories think they are impressing by suggesting asking for a receipt is "anti-business".

[PaulfromYorkshire]

I'm really impressed with Labour at the moment an hope they can keep it up for the next 80 days.

No sooner has the tax dodging stuff started to wear thin, with the Tories playing catch up with "you avoided tax too" playground type retorts, than Miliband is ready to go with a well prepared and potentially game changing campaign on the economy. And where is he giving the speech? Only bloody Jaguar Landrover!

The Tories have used Jaguar Landrover time and time again to show how "successful" the UK is. This is a real coup for Labour I'd say.

[PorFavor]

Ed Miliband about to give a speech at Jaguar\Rover in Wolverhampton. BBC.


Good morning, everyone.

Edited for a general tidy-up.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

ED Miliband about to give a speech at Jaguar\Rover in Wolverhampton. BBC.


Good morning everyone.

Morning and semi-snap

[AnatolyKasparov]

Away from politics just for a moment, is it maybe time to give the Irish cricket team full Test status?

[PorFavor]

@ PaulfromYorkshire

I'm running low on grease today, it would seem. You win . . .

[citizenJA]

There's nothing like being woken at stupid-o'clock in the morning by leg cramp...

Anyway... since I'm most certainly wide awake now...


15 Tory target seats ditched in strategy turnaround
http://www.bbench.co.uk/#!15-Tory-targe ... 91d1edb0d4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It appears that 15 seats that the Tories previously identified as being target seats have now been relegated to non-target seat status. My query is, have they changed their status because they can't win them or have they changed their status because they think a UKIP with the help of Conservative voters might be able to?

Morning all.

Well, some of those seats were unwinnable - Eltham, for example, used to be Peter Bottomley's seat but Clive Efford took it in 1997 and has been pretty solid since - but some seemed eminently winnable. The two Cornish seats, for example, were highlighted by Ashcroft last year as seats where the Tories were well on track to taking the seats from the Lost Deposits; mind you, UKIP were showing well in St Austell too, so maybe the Tories know something we don't - always a first time I guess.

Is there some other strategy Tories are doing this for?

[citizenJA]

Hope he's specific about what he actually means by zero hours contracts e.g. there are nurses and midwives who only work bank shifts and are quite happy to do that as it suits them...so if one week they don't want a shift, they don't have to do one.

I guess it's the differentiation between employee-led and employer-enforced.

Morning all..

The actual list on the link says 'an end to exploitative zero-hours contracts' so that seems to me much closer to the previous position of stripping out the worst aspects of such contracts and giving employees more rights, rather than banning them altogether.

Ed Miliband has talked about people who have been working full-time hours for 6 months or more but are still on a zero-hours rather than a full-time contract, which is clearly an abuse as it is being used to avoid employers responsibilities, such as holiday pay. As for arrangements such as bank staff, I agree, no one would want to see flexible arrangements that work for people outlawed. The easiest way to avoid exploitation in these cases would be for the government to pledge not to sanction anyone on JSA for refusing to accept a zero-hours contract - that way you can be certain the only people taking on these sorts of working arrangements are people who want to. I can't see Ed Miliband going quite that far, though, unfortunately.

I don't see why not.

[HindleA]

Morning


http://lartsocial.org/retrenchment-refo ... -coalition" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


"Retrenchment, reform, continuity: welfare under the coalition"


D.Gaffney

" Policy failure and exogenous economic factors have offset the effect of retrenchment measures, with the result that expenditure by 2014/15 was little different to that planned in the Labour government’s last budget. Full implementation of major reforms has been deferred to the next parliament. The main achieved policy change has been an unprecedented tightening of the benefit sanctions regime"

"The decision to reassess the great majority of IB claimants on the other hand proved to be a major error, leading eventually to the collapse of the assessment system for out of work sickness and disability benefits in 2013/14."


"The combined effect of working age benefit cuts, pension increases and tax changes meant that the middle and most of the upper range of the income distribution were protected from retrenchment. "

"The harshest impacts of retrenchment have resulted from the least effective retrenchment measures."

[citizenJA]

An undeclared £10 payment is not the same as suitcases of cash from Swiss bank accounts
Michael White

We need strategic thinking about non-doms rather than fussing about cash payments to casual workers

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blo ... h-non-doms" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's great Michael.

Please rethink the reinvention of a vampire on your news outlet.
Thank you.

[HindleA]

Ie.They haven't saved money,merely punished the chosen targets.

[ErnstRemarx]

There's nothing like being woken at stupid-o'clock in the morning by leg cramp...

Anyway... since I'm most certainly wide awake now...


15 Tory target seats ditched in strategy turnaround
http://www.bbench.co.uk/#!15-Tory-targe ... 91d1edb0d4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It appears that 15 seats that the Tories previously identified as being target seats have now been relegated to non-target seat status. My query is, have they changed their status because they can't win them or have they changed their status because they think a UKIP with the help of Conservative voters might be able to?

Morning all.

Well, some of those seats were unwinnable - Eltham, for example, used to be Peter Bottomley's seat but Clive Efford took it in 1997 and has been pretty solid since - but some seemed eminently winnable. The two Cornish seats, for example, were highlighted by Ashcroft last year as seats where the Tories were well on track to taking the seats from the Lost Deposits; mind you, UKIP were showing well in St Austell too, so maybe the Tories know something we don't - always a first time I guess.

Interesting that Bolton West's on the list; that's one rich area, containing Bolton Grammar (fee paying) and a few other schools of the ilk. Big houses; leafy; prosperous - particularly compared to places like Derby and Breightmet. If the Tories have ditched that as a target, it tells me all I need to know about their perception of their prospects in May.

[citizenJA]

Ie.They haven't saved money,merely punished the chosen targets.

It's sick. It's mentally insane to treat people without independent wealth like crap due to circumstances those with lots of wealth created & should be made to take responsibility for.

[citizenJA]

There's nothing like being woken at stupid-o'clock in the morning by leg cramp...

Anyway... since I'm most certainly wide awake now...


15 Tory target seats ditched in strategy turnaround
http://www.bbench.co.uk/#!15-Tory-targe ... 91d1edb0d4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It appears that 15 seats that the Tories previously identified as being target seats have now been relegated to non-target seat status. My query is, have they changed their status because they can't win them or have they changed their status because they think a UKIP with the help of Conservative voters might be able to?

Morning all.

Well, some of those seats were unwinnable - Eltham, for example, used to be Peter Bottomley's seat but Clive Efford took it in 1997 and has been pretty solid since - but some seemed eminently winnable. The two Cornish seats, for example, were highlighted by Ashcroft last year as seats where the Tories were well on track to taking the seats from the Lost Deposits; mind you, UKIP were showing well in St Austell too, so maybe the Tories know something we don't - always a first time I guess.

Interesting that Bolton West's on the list; that's one rich area, containing Bolton Grammar (fee paying) and a few other schools of the ilk. Big houses; leafy; prosperous - particularly compared to places like Derby and Breightmet. If the Tories have ditched that as a target, it tells me all I need to know about their perception of their prospects in May.

Are we sure they've ditched this as a target? Are we really sure?

[mikems]

One wonders why the tories have raised over 30m for the election fund if they aren't bothering to fight in so many seats. Of course, there can be no suspicions of misuse when it comes to money and the tories, so no need for anyone to ask what they are doing with it all.

[PorFavor]

I don't usually quote DippyJHodges, but this is such an incisive piece of political commentary that I feel that I shouldn't deny you all the benefit of such wisdom.

Dan Hodges ✔ @DPJHodges
Follow

Who set up this Ed speech? People wandering around in the background totally ignoring him. (Andrew Sparrow, Guardian)

Edit

I left the first "e" out of piece. A pice is, I discover, a former part of the currency of "British" India and it was worth about 1\64th of a rupee. Bet you feel enriched for knowing that (if you didn't already).

[rebeccariots2]

Call for fox hunting to be devolved to Wales
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-31477676

This seems to be what Stephen Crabb is majoring his Conservative election campaign in Wales on .... nice eh. Supporting his best buddy Countryside Alliance Tory MP Simon Hart ... and showing very clearly where they are pinning their voting hopes on - the huntin, shootin, fishin and farming sector.

They now have a Liberal Democrat MP joining them in calling for hunting to be brought back. Plaid Cymru are not declaring their position publicly - yet - although Crabb claims they are supporting him - and on previous form they will be. We are waiting for a response from Plaid to a request for a clear statement on whether they support this or not.... Suspect they will wait until the very last moment to say anything (again based on previous form).

So what this will mean - if it happens - is that if Labour don't get a majority or enough seats to form a Welsh Government at the next Assembly elections - full on fox hunting will be back in Wales - and I suspect the Tories will throw in devolving the Protection of Badgers Act too ... and it will be carnage ahoy. If we have any UKIP AMs they will also be behind it - they are pro fox hunting and also calling for mass eradication of grey squirrels ...

This is my plea to anyone on FTN who is in Wales - please email your MP and parliamentary candidates and ask them where they stand on this? Especially if you are in a Plaid constituency or intend to support Plaid. I would hope you would tell them it's not a progressive, moral or environmentally friendly proposal and certainly won't help Wales move forward.

[HindleA]

http://ukcampaign4change.com/2015/02/16 ... oesnt-say/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Beyond the Universal Credit headlines: what IDS doesn’t say"

"The reality is that the UC programme, despite years of IT coding and a spend of hundreds of millions of pounds, is still at an early stage of development. It could be at an early stage of development for several more years, even though the positive headlines at the weekend give a different impression.

It may also be worth mentioning that the UC programme has yet to gain Treasury approval for the full business case – or indeed the outline business case. There is therefore no Treasury approval for the scheme long-term funding. There are still questions to be answered over its economic feasibility.

None of this has been said by the DWP or IDS. We’ll have to wait for another National Audit Office update to know the facts."

[HindleA]

Latest Populus poll has
CON 31
LAB 33
LD 10
UKIP 15
GRN 5

[rebeccariots2]

Latest Populus poll has
CON 31
LAB 33
LD 10
UKIP 15
GRN 5

Thank you. Can't spot any new 'surges' there, can you?

[TheGrimSqueaker]

I don't usually quote DippyJHodges, but this is such an incisive piece of political commentary that I feel that I shouldn't deny you all the benefit of such wisdom.

Dan Hodges ✔ @DPJHodges
Follow

Who set up this Ed speech? People wandering around in the background totally ignoring him. (Andrew Sparrow, Guardian)

Edit

I left the first "e" out of piece. A pice is, I discover, a former part of the currency of "British" India and it was worth about 1/64th of a rupee. Bet you feel enriched for knowing that (if you didn't already).

A pice is about all Havisham Hodges opinion is worth imo.

What did Dan expect, that they would bring the entire factory to a halt; I know OGRFG would expect that, but Miliband is making the point Labour will support business, not bring it to a shuddering halt like the Tories did. Nice of Dan to reinforce that point really, shame I can't tell him that!

[rebeccariots2]

Kate Devlin ‏@_katedevlin 5m5 minutes ago
EXC SNP sources say party wd demand £millions for Scottish infrastructure projects if a hung parliament in May... http://bit.ly/1FhoQ4u" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[rebeccariots2]

One wonders why the tories have raised over 30m for the election fund if they aren't bothering to fight in so many seats. Of course, there can be no suspicions of misuse when it comes to money and the tories, so no need for anyone to ask what they are doing with it all.

The way I read it was that they were going to need all that money defending the seats they stand to lose.

Or are they banking on a second general election being necessary quite soon after the first?

[AnatolyKasparov]

Latest Populus poll has
CON 31
LAB 33
LD 10
UKIP 15
GRN 5

Thank you. Can't spot any new 'surges' there, can you?

Hmm, that LibDem figure looks a bit generous......

[mikems]

I would have thought thirty million was enough to fight them all. It's nearly fifty grand per constituency. Be much more in target seats. What on earth are they going to spend it all on?

[citizenJA]

One wonders why the tories have raised over 30m for the election fund if they aren't bothering to fight in so many seats. Of course, there can be no suspicions of misuse when it comes to money and the tories, so no need for anyone to ask what they are doing with it all.

The way I read it was that they were going to need all that money defending the seats they stand to lose.

Or are they banking on a second general election being necessary quite soon after the first?

I don't trust Tories at all.
Ever.
Tories don't ever do what is good, right or honest.
I know this, we've lived this.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

I would have thought thirty million was enough to fight them all. It's nearly fifty grand per constituency. Be much more in target seats. What on earth are they going to spend it all on?

Keeping Eric Pickles in pies is not a cheap exercise you know.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

John Mann MP ‏@JohnMannMP · 36m36 minutes ago
HSBC at Treasury Cttee 25 February. Suggestions of questions welcome. Any more whistleblowers out there? if so please contact me

Martin Rowson
‏@MartinRowson @JohnMannMP Ask them what they spend their bonuses on - no one ever explains why bankers NEED so much money. Coke's relatively cheap

[rebeccariots2]

Mike Smithson @MSmithsonPB · 4h 4 hours ago
@LordAshcroft national poll, only survey not to show a LAB lead in 2015, due at 4pm. Populus, which has shown only LAB leads, expected AM

Ashcroft polls are usually accompanied by a pre tease tweet or two from Lord A ... nothing this time. Wonder what's in store. Maybe because it's a national poll - rather than Scottish or marginal constituency poll - it's considered less important. And I presume the national polls are less prone to mistakes of the kind found in a couple of his previous constituency polls?

[rebeccariots2]

Iain Dale ‏@IainDale 47m47 minutes ago
I have a 25 minute live, extended interview with Iain Duncan Smith at 5pm today on @LBC. What would you like me to ask him?

Anyone?

[mikems]

Is there any reason why HSBC should not be seen as a crime syndicate? (If anyone fancies sending that to John Mann.)

[rebeccariots2]

Mehdi Hasan ‏@mehdirhasan 5m5 minutes ago
It's all over for Ed Miliband. Literally. Over. Game over.
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

[rebeccariots2]

Mike Smithson @MSmithsonPB · 1m 1 minute ago
CON jump 6% in latest Guardian ICM poll. Now 4 ahead

Eh?

[PorFavor]

John Mann MP ‏@JohnMannMP · 36m36 minutes ago
HSBC at Treasury Cttee 25 February. Suggestions of questions welcome. Any more whistleblowers out there? if so please contact me

Martin Rowson
‏@MartinRowson @JohnMannMP Ask them what they spend their bonuses on - no one ever explains why bankers NEED so much money. Coke's relatively cheap

I sometimes muse that it could be a genuine mental illness, this obsessive accruing of wealth which, in many cases, is on a scale which no-one could possibly spend, still less need, over the course of several lifetimes.

[rebeccariots2]

ICM Poll_16 Feb 2015.jpg (27.04 KiB) Viewed 14684 times

Mike Smithson @MSmithsonPB · 4m 4 minutes ago
Breakdown of ICM Guardian poll

[citizenJA]

Mike Smithson @MSmithsonPB · 1m 1 minute ago
CON jump 6% in latest Guardian ICM poll. Now 4 ahead

Eh?

Scent a Tory mess of bullshit.
It's not democracy if you have to pay for the votes.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

ICM Poll_16 Feb 2015.jpg

Mike Smithson @MSmithsonPB · 4m 4 minutes ago
Breakdown of ICM Guardian poll

A 6% jump, with the battering they have been taking? Nobody but NickyB is going to believe that is kosher, although Hodges, Watt et al will spin it for dear life.