Thursday 5th.March 2015.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 6:42 pm

Mark Steel doing what he does best.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/com ... 89086.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 6:46 pm

I was just getting in my stride, when Virgin lost their signal. Only just got back online.

While I was wondering what to do, Mr Ohso switched the Tele over to FreeView and we ended up with Loose Women and guess who was guest? Our Nige.

Have to say he's another silver tongued smoothie. Comes across very well...And unless [like us] you know where UKIP are coming from, he won't have done himself any harm.

diGriz · Post by **diGriz** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 6:50 pm

Interesting use of words, LBC reporting that Cameron has ruled out the two-way 'discussion' with Ed Miliband, rather than using 'debate'.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 6:56 pm

News from Lutfur Rahman's dysfunctional hellhole:

EastLondonLines ‏@eastlondonlines 15 mins15 minutes ago
Unplanned teenage pregnancy rate more than three times more in Croydon than Tower Hamlets according to… http://www.eastlondonlines.co.uk/?p=122818" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 6:59 pm

Frances Hinde ‏@FrancesHinde 10 mins10 minutes ago Bedford, England
Latest YouGov/Standard London poll: Lab massive 12 point lead
LAB 44(+2)
CON 32(~2)
UKIP 10(=)
LDEM 8(~1)
GRN 5(~3)

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 7:16 pm

Ed Miliband ‏@Ed_Miliband 9 hrs9 hours ago
.@David_Cameron why are you running scared of TV debates? The British people want a head-to-head TV debate. Let's give it to them.

RETWEETS
1,625
FAVOURITES
766

Look at the number of reTweets.....

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 7:20 pm

Michael Nixon ‏@michaelnixon70 4 mins4 minutes ago
YouGov poll of young people for the British Youth Council.
Under 25s shows voting intentions of

LAB 36%,
CON 22%,
GRN 19%
UKIP 12%,
LDEM 5%,

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 7:34 pm

Ian ‏@Mancman10 23 mins23 minutes ago Manchester, England
YG/Standard London:

Lab are narrowly ahead in Hornsey&Wood Green which is target seat 93 out of 106

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics ... 87287.html… @MSmithsonPB

onebuttonmonkey · Post by **onebuttonmonkey** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 7:36 pm

ohsocynical wrote:Michael Nixon ‏@michaelnixon70 4 mins4 minutes ago
YouGov poll of young people for the British Youth Council.
Under 25s shows voting intentions of

LAB 36%,
CON 22%,
GRN 19%
UKIP 12%,
LDEM 5%,

Hmm. The standard YouGov polls of the last few days have shown the Tories leading among younger age groups; this one shows exactly the reverse. I have to say the new weighting methodology for the main poll only looks even more suspect after this.

But who knows. They're only polls. And a big problem is they're being used more to try and shape opinion and make up people's minds rather than to report what people are already thinking...

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 7:38 pm

PLANS to create 90 new jobs as part of a £100 million economy with 800 jobs near York have been boosted as a private investor takes charge of Government food science agency Fera.
Capita, a national business services provider, has paid £20 million to acquire a 75 per cent stake in the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera), based at Sand Hutton off the A64.

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/1178874 ... bs/?ref=mr

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 7:46 pm

ohsocynical wrote:Ian ‏@Mancman10 23 mins23 minutes ago Manchester, England
YG/Standard London:

Lab are narrowly ahead in Hornsey&Wood Green which is target seat 93 out of 106

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics ... 87287.html… @MSmithsonPB

It will be some way below 93 in how they see they seat because it should be a safe seat already, but was lost over Iraq.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 7:48 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
PLANS to create 90 new jobs as part of a £100 million economy with 800 jobs near York have been boosted as a private investor takes charge of Government food science agency Fera.
Capita, a national business services provider, has paid £20 million to acquire a 75 per cent stake in the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera), based at Sand Hutton off the A64.

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/1178874 ... bs/?ref=mr

You don't know how depressed that makes me. How extra depressed I should say.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 7:52 pm

ohsocynical wrote:Ian ‏@Mancman10 23 mins23 minutes ago Manchester, England
YG/Standard London:

Lab are narrowly ahead in Hornsey&Wood Green which is target seat 93 out of 106

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics ... 87287.html… @MSmithsonPB

Whilst I welcome the good London figures for Labour - I'm hoping there isn't going to be a really big disparity between London and the rest of England and Wales - we need Labour to be picking up in other regions. It's not going to help the current Westminster, London / South East centric narratives - only representing / governing for a small part of the UK - narratives if Labour don't have reasonably widespread and fulsome support.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 7:54 pm

Isabel Oakeshott ‏@IsabelOakeshott 44s44 seconds ago
Cameron thinks a few days of bad headlines is much preferable to unquantifiable risk of TV debates. I think it cd be huge strategic error

I'm hoping it's not just a few days of bad headlines - more of a constant refrain of chicken, frit, doesn't want to defend his government's record at every opportunity right up until the day of the election - and then some more afterwards.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 7:58 pm

PM faces being 'empty-chaired' as TV debates are expected to go ahead
Broadcasters say they won’t let one party dictate the terms, adding they may have legal grounds to show empty pulpit where David Cameron should be
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... ad-debates

Just posting this because I so like the suggestion of an 'empty pulpit' being used to stand in for Dave ....

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 8:01 pm

onebuttonmonkey wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:Michael Nixon ‏@michaelnixon70 4 mins4 minutes ago
YouGov poll of young people for the British Youth Council.
Under 25s shows voting intentions of

LAB 36%,
CON 22%,
GRN 19%
UKIP 12%,
LDEM 5%,
Hmm. The standard YouGov polls of the last few days have shown the Tories leading among younger age groups; this one shows exactly the reverse. I have to say the new weighting methodology for the main poll only looks even more suspect after this.

But who knows. They're only polls. And a big problem is they're being used more to try and shape opinion and make up people's minds rather than to report what people are already thinking...

I agree wholeheartedly about polls at this time.

I'm grateful Ohso (or another friend) posts them. But I've looked at the raw data & weighted data...I'm not satisfied with the integrity of the polls now.

Polls are being used to shape opinion & nasty, childish outpouring from current government attempt to preempt discussion with their fraudulent communications.

What are current government offering most people in this country? Nothing. Current government are a minority party serving themselves - no one else - friends & family. I'm angry with deliberate manipulations of information because it's hurting people, it's hurting friends here, causing anxiety, a Tory government deliberately cultivating fear-inducing anxiety. A frightened people close down, withdraw. Shameful.

I love my friends here. Stay together, please.

p.s. Ephe, thank you, my dear friend

xx
JA

Good to read you, Michael!

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 8:06 pm

empty pulpit
& some wrath

definitely wrath descending upon Dave's bald spot

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 8:07 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:Ian ‏@Mancman10 23 mins23 minutes ago Manchester, England
YG/Standard London:

Lab are narrowly ahead in Hornsey&Wood Green which is target seat 93 out of 106

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics ... 87287.html… @MSmithsonPB
Whilst I welcome the good London figures for Labour - I'm hoping there isn't going to be a really big disparity between London and the rest of England and Wales - we need Labour to be picking up in other regions. It's not going to help the current Westminster, London / South East centric narratives - only representing / governing for a small part of the UK - narratives if Labour don't have reasonably widespread and fulsome support.

I agree.

Not least from people like Danczuk.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 8:15 pm

onebuttonmonkey wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:Michael Nixon ‏@michaelnixon70 4 mins4 minutes ago
YouGov poll of young people for the British Youth Council.
Under 25s shows voting intentions of

LAB 36%,
CON 22%,
GRN 19%
UKIP 12%,
LDEM 5%,
Hmm. The standard YouGov polls of the last few days have shown the Tories leading among younger age groups; this one shows exactly the reverse. I have to say the new weighting methodology for the main poll only looks even more suspect after this.

But who knows. They're only polls. And a big problem is they're being used more to try and shape opinion and make up people's minds rather than to report what people are already thinking...

This poll is actually one of the very few to give a true snapshot of how the under 25s may vote. It specifically polls under 25s. That means the whole sample size is under 25 and the sample is weighted for other demographics.

You can't look at the cross-breaks in national polls to see how the under 25s vote, because:

- Sample is too small.
- Sample is not correctly weighted.

Therefore until the next youth poll this one is the best we have by a country mile.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 8:18 pm

Goodnight, everyone.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 8:19 pm

ephemerid wrote:
LadyCentauria wrote:Gool Peren Lowen!

'Tis St. Piran's Day so Clegg says Cornwall can have a Cornish Assembly if he's in government next time, similar to the Welsh Assembly, with legislative powers on matters such as housing, healthcare, and transport. There'd be a referendum on the proposals. It wouldn't be a new layer of local government, mind, being built out of Cornwall Council – so it's actually more like the plans for Manchester, although with no mention so far of a Mayor, either elected or imposed. The idea was voted through at the last Lib Dem conference so it is official party policy; but I don't think the 'how' was fleshed out.

That's kind of him.

Evidently, he is unaware of the Seneth an Stenegow Kernow, the revived Cornish Stannary Parliament, re-established in 1974.

It exists to fight against the UK governments' refusal to concede that it exists or accept Cornwall's right to its' own constitution.

My ex, a Tredinnick (who is no relation to the other of that ilk mentioned earlier), told me all about it and speaks Cornish.

Had the Cornish been able to keep their language (as the Welsh and Scottish Celts have) and retained even a smidgeon of independence, they wouldn't be in the situation they are now.
Showmaster was prevented from learning Welsh at school because he went to grammar school; the Welsh language was considered only fit for the lower orders until common sense prevailed.

Perhaps Clegg, as a graduate in social anthropology and a career politician, might have thought to check first - Cornwall already has an assembly/parliament with a historic tradition, which simply needs endorsement from Westminster to take its' rightful place in the politics of the county.

They might even decide to go completely independent and strip all titles and lands from their Duke. I'd pay to see that.

Precisely! I could let my cynicism leak out and suggest he already knows but doesn't want to begin to give the extant CSP, or even the idea of it, any (further) recognition. I'd pay to see the effective demolition of The Duchy of Cornwall, too – the revocation of its privileges, that is - I don't wish harm to an old man and plenty would welcome him remaining some sort of figurehead. But a proper modern Cornish Assembly/Parliament needs rights, responsibilities, and taxation powers, beyond stannary rights which are pretty limited in scope. Full and fair elections, too!

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 8:19 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Isabel Oakeshott ‏@IsabelOakeshott 44s44 seconds ago
Cameron thinks a few days of bad headlines is much preferable to unquantifiable risk of TV debates. I think it cd be huge strategic error
I'm hoping it's not just a few days of bad headlines - more of a constant refrain of chicken, frit, doesn't want to defend his government's record at every opportunity right up until the day of the election - and then some more afterwards.

I'm envisioning an unceasing rain, grey, relentless, cold & unstopping falling upon current government until the bright May day they're gone...

about 62 days 2 hours & counting down...

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 8:21 pm

goodnight, PF

onebuttonmonkey · Post by **onebuttonmonkey** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 8:23 pm

TechnicalEphemera wrote:
onebuttonmonkey wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:Michael Nixon ‏@michaelnixon70 4 mins4 minutes ago
YouGov poll of young people for the British Youth Council.
Under 25s shows voting intentions of

LAB 36%,
CON 22%,
GRN 19%
UKIP 12%,
LDEM 5%,
Hmm. The standard YouGov polls of the last few days have shown the Tories leading among younger age groups; this one shows exactly the reverse. I have to say the new weighting methodology for the main poll only looks even more suspect after this.

But who knows. They're only polls. And a big problem is they're being used more to try and shape opinion and make up people's minds rather than to report what people are already thinking...
This poll is actually one of the very few to give a true snapshot of how the under 25s may vote. It specifically polls under 25s. That means the whole sample size is under 25 and the sample is weighted for other demographics.

You can't look at the cross-breaks in national polls to see how the under 25s vote, because:

- Sample is too small.
- Sample is not correctly weighted.

Therefore until the next youth poll this one is the best we have by a country mile.

Absolutely: and that's why this poll helps to highlight just how odd the figures in the national polls were. I'm no big fan of the polls regardless of who's ahead in them. That said, there seems to be very little in this election that isn't, like the way polling is used, performative reporting (i.e. reporting that is trying to make what it says true by saying it, rather than reporting on something as it is).

Speaking of which, how about an astonishingly well written dissection of Fox News' Bill O'Reilly? We're following the States in the post-truthiness of both our politicians and our press (something very apparent in Cameron's performances today), so something like this is a delight to read. And the section on the failures of not feeding trolls (or addressing the victim/blame culture of the right) are spot on:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/ne ... r-20150305

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 8:30 pm

For a bit of light relief this story of mine clearing rats has been kicking around for a bit.

http://www.theguardian.com/global-devel ... n-tanzania

I fancy one as a guard rat, should keep the local cats/mice/children out of the garden.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 8:40 pm

PorFavor wrote:Goodnight, everyone.

Night PF

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 9:11 pm

Evening all.

Back from the library - I have a deadline to meet - thesis is due in by the end of June which is what I agreed with my supervisor on Monday.

Now...do I watch Question Time?

It has the disadvantage of having Toady Young on there but there's bound to be a question about the election debates so do I watch to see him wriggling around doing his "Gosh, Dave and you other Tories you're so fantastic!" routine?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 9:23 pm

Natalie Rowe @RealNatalieRowe · 11h 11 hours ago
Cameron is now supplying his local store with Organic Eggs, freshly laid out of his own arse every morning #TVDEBATES #ToryChicken

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 9:24 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:Evening all.

Back from the library - I have a deadline to meet - thesis is due in by the end of June which is what I agreed with my supervisor on Monday.

Now...do I watch Question Time?

It has the disadvantage of having Toady Young on there but there's bound to be a question about the election debates so do I watch to see him wriggling around doing his "Gosh, Dave and you other Tories you're so fantastic!" routine?

Go on Roger, you know you want to. It's likely to be an early question ... so you can watch Toady wriggle and then toddle off to do something more constructive with your time and have a damn good chuckle.

Tish · Post by **Tish** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 9:35 pm

Why on earth have the BBC dragged Toby Young all the way up to Glasgow for QT when everybody else on the panel is Scottish and the whole evening is likely to be dominated by questions about Scotish politics, a subject which I suspect Young knows absolutely fuck all about? Do they not have any local right wing toss pots that they can call on?

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 9:38 pm

This tortoise reminds me of Doppy Dave trying to catch Ed

http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/t ... xJsmACUDae" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 9:39 pm

TechnicalEphemera wrote:For a bit of light relief this story of mine clearing rats has been kicking around for a bit.

http://www.theguardian.com/global-devel ... n-tanzania

I fancy one as a guard rat, should keep the local cats/mice/children out of the garden.

My opinion of rats forever changed when I read of a lab using rats for experiment purposes. The rat had been hurt in an experiment done to it. The next day, when the animal was brought back into the room it'd been hurt in, it began to cry in distress before anything began. In the account I'd read, that was the turning point for the lab technician - he rescued the lot, left his job & befriended the one rat who'd troubled his conscience. They lived happily together. Apparently, rats are very intelligent.

I still get weepy thinking about the cry of a living being understanding the pain was coming again.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 9:40 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
PLANS to create 90 new jobs as part of a £100 million economy with 800 jobs near York have been boosted as a private investor takes charge of Government food science agency Fera.
Capita, a national business services provider, has paid £20 million to acquire a 75 per cent stake in the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera), based at Sand Hutton off the A64.

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/1178874 ... bs/?ref=mr

Holy Fuck

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 9:53 pm

Steve Bell on the leaders' TV debates – cartoon
Steve Bell so cant put it here, even if I could

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

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 9:54 pm

Tish wrote:Why on earth have the BBC dragged Toby Young all the way up to Glasgow for QT when everybody else on the panel is Scottish and the whole evening is likely to be dominated by questions about Scotish politics, a subject which I suspect Young knows absolutely fuck all about? Do they not have any local right wing toss pots that they can call on?

More to the point, how about confiscating his passport and refusing him re-entry into rUK.

Post by **adam** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 9:59 pm

onebuttonmonkey wrote:
Hmm. The standard YouGov polls of the last few days have shown the Tories leading among younger age groups; this one shows exactly the reverse

Those YouGov polls also showed very small Labour leads in London - 3 and 4 points for the two national YG polls this week giving tory leads...

diGriz · Post by **diGriz** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 10:05 pm

adam wrote:
onebuttonmonkey wrote:
Hmm. The standard YouGov polls of the last few days have shown the Tories leading among younger age groups; this one shows exactly the reverse
Those YouGov polls also showed very small Labour leads in London - 3 and 4 points for the two national YG polls this week giving tory leads...

I wouldn't give a Yougov poll time of day right now.

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 10:10 pm

Tish wrote: Do they not have any local right wing toss pots that they can call on?

Yes - but she was on last week.

Edited to say that it was the week before last!

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 10:10 pm

TechnicalEphemera wrote:For a bit of light relief this story of mine clearing rats has been kicking around for a bit.

http://www.theguardian.com/global-devel ... n-tanzania

I fancy one as a guard rat, should keep the local cats/mice/children out of the garden.

I still want a Guaadvark!

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 10:18 pm

Left wing SNP!

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

Scotland’s local councils have amassed a record amount of debt of nearly £15bn after borrowing billions of pounds to help survive heavy budget cuts from the Scottish government.

The Guardian has established that Scottish councils owe more than twice as much per head than English and Welsh local authorities, equal to debts of £6,166 per household, compared with £3,100 per home in England and £2,825 per household in Wales.

The overall debts have surged in the past eight years after councils borrowed more heavily than before to help offset continuing cuts in revenue and capital funding from the Scottish government, often with heavy encouragement from civil servants.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 10:29 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Left wing SNP!

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

Scotland’s local councils have amassed a record amount of debt of nearly £15bn after borrowing billions of pounds to help survive heavy budget cuts from the Scottish government.

The Guardian has established that Scottish councils owe more than twice as much per head than English and Welsh local authorities, equal to debts of £6,166 per household, compared with £3,100 per home in England and £2,825 per household in Wales.

The overall debts have surged in the past eight years after councils borrowed more heavily than before to help offset continuing cuts in revenue and capital funding from the Scottish government, often with heavy encouragement from civil servants.

Why isn't Murphy hammering them?

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 10:29 pm

Noticed that the BBC showed the PMQs where Cameron was taunting Brown about the debates and how PMQs were no substitute for proper debate.

Blaming the broadcasters wasn't the best idea...that just puts their backs up.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 10:31 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:Noticed that the BBC showed the PMQs where Cameron was taunting Brown about the debates and how PMQs were no substitute for proper debate.

Blaming the broadcasters wasn't the best idea...that just puts their backs up.

I did raise an eyebrow when he slagged off the broadcasters. Very very badly advised, far better to blame the other parties.

Post by **adam** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 10:33 pm

YouGov/Sun tonight

Lab 35 (+1)
Con 31 (-3)
UKIP 15 (+1)
Green 8 (+2)
Lib Dem 6 (-2)

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 10:34 pm

Sun Politics ‏@SunPolitics 3 mins3 minutes ago
YouGov/Sun poll tonight - Labour ahead by four, their biggest lead since December: CON 31%, LAB 35%, LD 6%, UKIP 15%, GRN 8%

Them polls have "turned", I'm telling ya!

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 10:35 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Left wing SNP!

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

Scotland’s local councils have amassed a record amount of debt of nearly £15bn after borrowing billions of pounds to help survive heavy budget cuts from the Scottish government.

The Guardian has established that Scottish councils owe more than twice as much per head than English and Welsh local authorities, equal to debts of £6,166 per household, compared with £3,100 per home in England and £2,825 per household in Wales.

The overall debts have surged in the past eight years after councils borrowed more heavily than before to help offset continuing cuts in revenue and capital funding from the Scottish government, often with heavy encouragement from civil servants.

On the bright side, Jim McColl, who supported independence, then got a cheap shipyard and government contract seems to have (pardon the pun) jumped ship:

Asked if he still backs independence, Clyde Blowers tycoon Jim McColl said: “No the decision’s been made.”

http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/t ... -1-3710454

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 10:36 pm

TechnicalEphemera wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:Left wing SNP!

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

Scotland’s local councils have amassed a record amount of debt of nearly £15bn after borrowing billions of pounds to help survive heavy budget cuts from the Scottish government.

The Guardian has established that Scottish councils owe more than twice as much per head than English and Welsh local authorities, equal to debts of £6,166 per household, compared with £3,100 per home in England and £2,825 per household in Wales.

The overall debts have surged in the past eight years after councils borrowed more heavily than before to help offset continuing cuts in revenue and capital funding from the Scottish government, often with heavy encouragement from civil servants.
Why isn't Murphy hammering them?

They're doing a Pickles. Getting credit for the freeze and outsourcing the shit.

danesclose · Post by **danesclose** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 10:37 pm

TechnicalEphemera wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:Noticed that the BBC showed the PMQs where Cameron was taunting Brown about the debates and how PMQs were no substitute for proper debate.

Blaming the broadcasters wasn't the best idea...that just puts their backs up.
I did raise an eyebrow when he slagged off the broadcasters. Very very badly advised, far better to blame the other parties.

James O'Brien hosting Newsnight interviewing Grant Shapps

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 10:38 pm

danesclose wrote:
TechnicalEphemera wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:Noticed that the BBC showed the PMQs where Cameron was taunting Brown about the debates and how PMQs were no substitute for proper debate.

Blaming the broadcasters wasn't the best idea...that just puts their backs up.
I did raise an eyebrow when he slagged off the broadcasters. Very very badly advised, far better to blame the other parties.
James O'Brien hosting Newsnight interviewing Grant Shapps

The 'safe pair of hands' comes out.

Post by **refitman** » Thu 05 Mar, 2015 10:38 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
Sun Politics ‏@SunPolitics 3 mins3 minutes ago
YouGov/Sun poll tonight - Labour ahead by four, their biggest lead since December: CON 31%, LAB 35%, LD 6%, UKIP 15%, GRN 8%
Them polls have "turned", I'm telling ya!

And @adam - what's the betting that's been "clipped" tomorrow?