Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th March

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:07 pm

Lib Dems would be my favoured coalition partner. The fiscal plans aren't all that different, though they'd be a hinderance from moving away from cuts altogether.

I don't think you can have a party wanting to split up the UK, with less than 5% support, in the UK government.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:13 pm

Tish wrote:
Eric_WLothian wrote:
Tish wrote:Vince Cable's obviously been at the gin, he still expects to be in the government after the election but he's determined not to let the SNP join him in his fantasy cabinet.

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

I know nobody on here thinks much of the SNP, but if Labour do end up with the choice of either them or the LibDems as coallition partners, which do you think would be the least worst option?
Difficult question - but the LibDems are more likely to roll over and do as they're told. To paraphrase Groucho Marx - They have their principles, and if you don't like them... well, they have others.
That's kind of what I was thinking, although it would stick in the craw to see them still swanning about in government they'd probably be much easier to manage than the SNP, who I'msure will be much tougher negotiators. If Clegg and Aexander both get the chop the Libs left will be desperate to reinvent themselves as a party of the left again, so they probably won't interfere with any kind of social policy. To be honest, its difficult to see what the LibDems would actually want in a coallition with Labour, do they actually have any policies this time?

They'll have whatever policies are needed from day to day.

LibDems. The obliging party.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:14 pm

Willow904 wrote:
That's why I said if Labour formed a minority government!

Whoops, missed that. My apologies.

Swarthlander · Post by **Swarthlander** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:27 pm

Willow904 wrote: ...As far as coalition goes, I think another would be very bad for our country, whoever forms it. We need PR if we're going to have effective coalition government and a whole reform of how government works to accommodate it. If we have another hung parliament, constitutional reform will become a priority...

This I agree with.

If we have true PR then the country could vote for ballanced coalitions and hopefully know what to expect.
In 2010 we ended up with a desperate coalition that no-one consciously voted for - and look at the result.
Today we have minor parties producing fairy-tale manifestos because the MSM are telling everyone that another hung parliament is nigh and the two main Parties are pandering to all in order to try to avoid a coalition, which means they are diluting their policies to try to suit all and then voters think 'they are all the same'.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:28 pm

Afternoon all
Whilst Andrew over at the G has devoted his blog to the LibDems spring conference spree, I can't seem to find any coverage at all of the Labour Spring bash. Has anyone got a link to any kind of on line coverage, video, blog - anything?

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:37 pm

BBC web site seems to be down, not been able to access for over half an hour, this is all I get
"Error 500 - Internal Error"

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:43 pm

Gove seems to have turned up in Birmingham to troll the Labour conference.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:43 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:BBC web site seems to be down, not been able to access for over half an hour, this is all I get
"Error 500 - Internal Error"

Yes - I just tried to access it and got the same. I loved the two options that they gave as a means to get round the problem. One was to go to the index (I can't because the website is down). The other was the wonderful advice to wait for it to start working again.

ErnstRemarx · Post by **ErnstRemarx** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:46 pm

Swarthlander wrote:
StephenDolan wrote:UKIP leader Nigel Farage: 'NHS almost killed me'

Damn NHS! 'Almost' isn't good enough.

Good morning.

I know I'm late in saying this (been busy), but welcome to FTN Swarthlander - lunch is smoked bacon butties; you alright with that?

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:48 pm

Looks like the Labour conference is well attended anyway, even if the press don't / won't cover it.

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

ErnstRemarx · Post by **ErnstRemarx** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:49 pm

giselle97 wrote:Morning all.
So excited to be at the ICC with the Labour Party today waiting with baited breath to see/hear Ed Miliband.

Having sat for last 30 min right next to Tristan, Gloria and Liam I have no doubts if Labour get in that Next Generation will have chances.

Sitting with Andy and Lord Phil on the NHS desk now.

Already met Chuck a Umanna.

The Flints are here too - just moving towards door to ensure prime spot for Ed now.

Hope!

Have fun - Ed's worth the wait. Tell them about FTN!** I hope you get to speak to ass many of the great and good as you can. Make sure they hear your opinions nice and loud.

** If you want to branded a raving nutter

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:50 pm

The DT is becoming even more of a joke.

This is the second bloke in about 3 days to be allowed to write his own advert for his course-selling edu-business.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/ed ... eader.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:51 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:Afternoon all
Whilst Andrew over at the G has devoted his blog to the LibDems spring conference spree, I can't seem to find any coverage at all of the Labour Spring bash. Has anyone got a link to any kind of on line coverage, video, blog - anything?

Mark Ferguson has been tweeting from it & for once, he actually seems delighted by what he's heard !

https://twitter.com/Markfergusonuk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:52 pm

The Labour Party ‏@UKLabour · 2 hrs2 hours ago
Simon Franks, Lovefilm co-founder: "I'm a businessman and a proud member of the Labour Party" #VoteLabour

OUCH!
Love films are the makers of Benefit Street ect..

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:53 pm

Tory activists outside the ICC, proving themselves to be utterly puerile:

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:55 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:The Labour Party ‏@UKLabour · 2 hrs2 hours ago
Simon Franks, Lovefilm co-founder: "I'm a businessman and a proud member of the Labour Party" #VoteLabour

OUCH!
Love films are the makers of Benefit Street ect..

Are you sure this isn't the Lovefilm who used to rent DVDs through the post?

Swarthlander · Post by **Swarthlander** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:56 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:The Labour Party ‏@UKLabour · 2 hrs2 hours ago
Simon Franks, Lovefilm co-founder: "I'm a businessman and a proud member of the Labour Party" #VoteLabour

OUCH!
Love films are the makers of Benefit Street ect..

I think it was Lovefilm the home rental DVD business.

Edit: DAMN! didn't type fast enough.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:57 pm

pk1 wrote:Tory activists outside the ICC, proving themselves to be utterly puerile:

That looks mightily lacking any sort of impact, a muddled message poorly presented.

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:57 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Lib Dems would be my favoured coalition partner. The fiscal plans aren't all that different, though they'd be a hinderance from moving away from cuts altogether.

I don't think you can have a party wanting to split up the UK, with less than 5% support, in the UK government.

My instinct is that Ed Miliband won't rule out a coalition with the SNP beforehand, but won't actually go into one in the event. The closest he has come to making a statement on the subject is to make the point that the SNP have already ruled out a coalition with him. I think that's as clear as it needs to be. As far as the Tories are concerned they think they win whether he rules out an SNP coalition or not. I think Ed Miliband wins if he respects the electorate and refrains from horse-trading before they've even cast their votes.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 1:58 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:The Labour Party ‏@UKLabour · 2 hrs2 hours ago
Simon Franks, Lovefilm co-founder: "I'm a businessman and a proud member of the Labour Party" #VoteLabour

OUCH!
Love films are the makers of Benefit Street ect..
Are you sure this isn't the Lovefilm who used to rent DVDs through the post?

Not at all sure to be honest, will try to find out.

ErnstRemarx · Post by **ErnstRemarx** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:00 pm

Swarthlander wrote:
pk1 wrote:
What about raising living standard for us non-working people too ?!!
I have the same misgivings about all this faux guff from the main Parties about hardworking families/taxpayers and get a little frustrated with it.

I am a taxpayer but certainly don't consider myself as 'hardworking'.
I do not have a family unless you count my dogs.

So... this rhetoric isn't aimed at people like me.
It comes across - If you don't have a 'family' and don't 'work hard' even if you pay your taxes - you don't count?

I'm being mischeivious but such rhetoric can be annoying.

All parties are guilty of dog whistling to some degree. the hard working family shit is quite grating, and if it was amended to 'ordinary people' it would sound better, but you can guarantee that within minutes the meeja would turn 'ordinary people' into 'workshy dolescum' and run with it in the headlines until the heat death of the sun.

The other what that particularly boils my piss is 'standing up for/against .....'. Everyone claims doing this as though it's 12 Angry Men or Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, which is, frankly, bollocks. If you imagine your local MP is one of the 'little people' made good, fighting the good fight on behalf of local folk, you're likely to be somewhat disillusioned by the truth of the matter - your MP's likely to be a networker, influence broker and schmoozer of the worst sort.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:00 pm

Tish wrote:Vince Cable's obviously been at the gin, he still expects to be in the government after the election but he's determined not to let the SNP join him in his fantasy cabinet.

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

I know nobody on here thinks much of the SNP, but if Labour do end up with the choice of either them or the LibDems as coallition partners, which do you think would be the least worst option?

Supply & Demand with the SNP - perhaps along with the Green Party, and the Northern Irish analog to Labour – but not a full formal coalition.

Swarthlander · Post by **Swarthlander** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:01 pm

ErnstRemarx wrote: - lunch is smoked bacon butties; you alright with that?

Brown seeded bread? HP sauce? What type of coffee?

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:03 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:The Labour Party ‏@UKLabour · 2 hrs2 hours ago
Simon Franks, Lovefilm co-founder: "I'm a businessman and a proud member of the Labour Party" #VoteLabour

OUCH!
Love films are the makers of Benefit Street ect..
Are you sure this isn't the Lovefilm who used to rent DVDs through the post?
Not at all sure to be honest, will try to find out.

Here you go:

Simon Franks has launched and sold two businesses to huge corporations for millions of pounds. His first, Redbus was the fastest growing company in the UK between 2000-2004 and his second, LoveFilm went on to become a household name and revolutionise the way people watched films at home.

http://www.smarta.com/blog/2013/3/qanda ... on-franks/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:04 pm

Harry Leslie Smith with David Grant, pic tweeted by Caroline Flint.

Hadn't realised David & his wife Carrie were Labour supporters but always thought they seemed a nice couple.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:07 pm

pk1 wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote: Are you sure this isn't the Lovefilm who used to rent DVDs through the post?
Not at all sure to be honest, will try to find out.
Here you go:

Simon Franks has launched and sold two businesses to huge corporations for millions of pounds. His first, Redbus was the fastest growing company in the UK between 2000-2004 and his second, LoveFilm went on to become a household name and revolutionise the way people watched films at home.
http://www.smarta.com/blog/2013/3/qanda ... on-franks/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Phew! thanks, you're, right different company
http://www.loveproductions.co.uk/people" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:10 pm

Numbskull question here...
Is Jermain Jackman "someone"?

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

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:14 pm

pk1 wrote:Tory activists outside the ICC, proving themselves to be utterly puerile:

That is so pathetic...No policies so resorting to puerile stunts. This was once the party of the middle and upper classes. The so called movers and shakers of society. The ruling class.

I wonder what happened. Too much inbreeding perhaps?

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:14 pm

We're getting old Angry

Have to admit I've never heard of him.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:15 pm

Jonathan Portes is trying to get he DCLG to admit their "turned around families" hasn't been audited.

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

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:19 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:Numbskull question here...
Is Jermain Jackman "someone"?

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

If it's any consolation I had to "Google" him. He's a singer who won the 3rd series of "The Voice". I also had to look up David Grant who is another singer who won something. I don't keep up very well. I think I've mentioned before that I spent quite a long (and happy) period of time under the impression that Ant and Dec were one person (Anton Decque).

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:23 pm

The BBC website is working now.

Edited to add -

And whilst I was there, this rather bizarre item caught my eye -

Claims that a primary school head made pupils lie on the floor while she "phoned God" are being investigated by Wiltshire Council.

Sheila Jones, head of St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary, Devizes, is said to have pretended to tell God the children had been naughty. (BBC News website)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-31869579

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:26 pm

PorFavor wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:Numbskull question here...
Is Jermain Jackman "someone"?

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If it's any consolation I had to "Google" him. He's a singer who won the 3rd series of "The Voice". I also had to look up David Grant who is another singer who won something. I don't keep up very well. I think I've mentioned before that I spent quite a long (and happy) period of time under the impression that Ant and Dec were one person (Anton Decque).

I know nothing of Jermain Jackman but Carrie and David are ace. You just have to admire someone who can bounce in 4 inch heels!

[youtube]_a3eBMo7JYM[/youtube]

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:26 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:Numbskull question here...
Is Jermain Jackman "someone"?

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

He won The Voice (BBC singing competition) last year.

He's only 19 or 20, I think.

[youtube]_RMLT2gFeOA[/youtube]

ErnstRemarx · Post by **ErnstRemarx** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:26 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
Tish wrote:Vince Cable's obviously been at the gin, he still expects to be in the government after the election but he's determined not to let the SNP join him in his fantasy cabinet.

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

I know nobody on here thinks much of the SNP, but if Labour do end up with the choice of either them or the LibDems as coallition partners, which do you think would be the least worst option?
I don't have issues with the SNP, just with some of their newer supporters who choose to paint them as something they are not; it isn't Salmond or Sturgeon who claim SNP=Scotland and therefore anybody dissing the Party is an anti-Scottish traitor ..... mind you, they don't exactly speak out against that notion.

It's interesting, because I'd be fascinated to see how SNP going into even the most tenuous working partnership with Labour would be regarded by the Braveheart cyberwarriors de notre jour. I wonder if Salmond and Sturgeon would suddenly be anti-Scottish traitors? I think they'd struggle to sell any pragmatic move as itt would be regarded as going in with The Establishment as opposed to the more usual Sticking It To Teh Man. Getting into bed with a unionist party? Tsk, tsk...

Swarthlander · Post by **Swarthlander** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:29 pm

We're not racist, honest gov..

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/03 ... _hp_ref=uk

Poor Nige.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:29 pm

PorFavor wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:Numbskull question here...
Is Jermain Jackman "someone"?

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If it's any consolation I had to "Google" him. He's a singer who won the 3rd series of "The Voice". I also had to look up David Grant who is another singer who won something. I don't keep up very well. I think I've mentioned before that I spent quite a long (and happy) period of time under the impression that Ant and Dec were one person (Anton Decque).

I thought David Grant was in the band Linx for a while in the 1980's before he went solo, then became a voice coach on a TV show, don't think he won a talent show but may be wrong.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:32 pm

Willow904 wrote:
PorFavor wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:Numbskull question here...
Is Jermain Jackman "someone"?

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If it's any consolation I had to "Google" him. He's a singer who won the 3rd series of "The Voice". I also had to look up David Grant who is another singer who won something. I don't keep up very well. I think I've mentioned before that I spent quite a long (and happy) period of time under the impression that Ant and Dec were one person (Anton Decque).
I know nothing of Jermain Jackman but Carrie and David are ace. You just have to admire someone who can bounce in 4 inch heels!

[youtube]_a3eBMo7JYM[/youtube]

They'll be doing that on May 8th when Labour win.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:36 pm

Looks as if the BBC website was hacked.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/03 ... _hp_ref=uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:36 pm

yahyah wrote:
PorFavor wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:Numbskull question here...
Is Jermain Jackman "someone"?

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If it's any consolation I had to "Google" him. He's a singer who won the 3rd series of "The Voice". I also had to look up David Grant who is another singer who won something. I don't keep up very well. I think I've mentioned before that I spent quite a long (and happy) period of time under the impression that Ant and Dec were one person (Anton Decque).
I thought David Grant was in the band Linx for a while in the 1980's before he went solo, then became a voice coach on a TV show, don't think he won a talent show but may be wrong.

Yes, you're right. I just skimmed his biography, saw the words talent show and must have, unintentionally, made up the rest. I did clock the Linx bit though. Do I get a point for that?

ErnstRemarx · Post by **ErnstRemarx** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:43 pm

I admit it. I've been on the Graun site this lunchtime, and found, lo and behold, that rarest of things: a Graun article hinting that perhaps, things aren't actually hunky dory economically speaking. It's set warning bells going with me.

Let's see if these figures, this story, makes it into any other paper onto the TV news. I bet a tenner that it'll be deep sixed without trace.

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

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:48 pm

yahyah wrote:Looks as if the BBC website was hacked.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/03 ... _hp_ref=uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Talking of the BBC - why are they doing a commercial for KFC?

THERE was a time when advertising on the BBC was as forbidden as punching a producer because he didn’t fetch your dinner.
The ban went a long way. Branded products had to be clumsily covered up and generations of Blue Peter presenters had to talk about sticky tape rather than Sellotape. What a long way we’ve come.
Next Wednesday a new series Billion Dollar Chicken Shop starts on BBC One. The three-part observational documentary promises to “lift the bucket” on the world of KFC.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/stephen-ja ... -1-3718731

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:56 pm

ErnstRemarx wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
Tish wrote:Vince Cable's obviously been at the gin, he still expects to be in the government after the election but he's determined not to let the SNP join him in his fantasy cabinet.

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

I know nobody on here thinks much of the SNP, but if Labour do end up with the choice of either them or the LibDems as coallition partners, which do you think would be the least worst option?
I don't have issues with the SNP, just with some of their newer supporters who choose to paint them as something they are not; it isn't Salmond or Sturgeon who claim SNP=Scotland and therefore anybody dissing the Party is an anti-Scottish traitor ..... mind you, they don't exactly speak out against that notion.
It's interesting, because I'd be fascinated to see how SNP going into even the most tenuous working partnership with Labour would be regarded by the Braveheart cyberwarriors de notre jour. I wonder if Salmond and Sturgeon would suddenly be anti-Scottish traitors? I think they'd struggle to sell any pragmatic move as itt would be regarded as going in with The Establishment as opposed to the more usual Sticking It To Teh Man. Getting into bed with a unionist party? Tsk, tsk...

Especially when they realise that unionist party is more left wing than the one they supported and trumpeted as the socialist alternative.

Swarthlander · Post by **Swarthlander** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:58 pm

Eric_WLothian wrote:

Talking of the BBC - why are they doing a commercial for KFC?

THERE was a time when advertising on the BBC was as forbidden as punching a producer because he didn’t fetch your dinner.
The ban went a long way. Branded products had to be clumsily covered up and generations of Blue Peter presenters had to talk about sticky tape rather than Sellotape. What a long way we’ve come.
Next Wednesday a new series Billion Dollar Chicken Shop starts on BBC One. The three-part observational documentary promises to “lift the bucket” on the world of KFC.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/stephen-ja ... -1-3718731

I suppose it's to do with independent production and pandering to the lowest denominator.

I will probably watch it. I'm afraid that KFC is one of my secret pleasures. A bargain bucket now and then.

Maybe it will put me off. I doubt it though.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 2:58 pm

Not sure what Danny's box has in it.
The remains of the last Lib Dem voter ? George Osborne's weekend stash ?

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 3:07 pm

Re. David and Carrie Grant. Carrie has suffered from Crohn's Disease for more than 30 years and is an Ambassador for the charity 'Crohn's and Colitis UK'; her support for the Labour Party is based around her support for the NHS, and she spoke about that during the 2012 Conference.
http://www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/medi ... rrie-grant" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 3:07 pm

Swarthlander wrote:
Eric_WLothian wrote:

Talking of the BBC - why are they doing a commercial for KFC?

THERE was a time when advertising on the BBC was as forbidden as punching a producer because he didn’t fetch your dinner.
The ban went a long way. Branded products had to be clumsily covered up and generations of Blue Peter presenters had to talk about sticky tape rather than Sellotape. What a long way we’ve come.
Next Wednesday a new series Billion Dollar Chicken Shop starts on BBC One. The three-part observational documentary promises to “lift the bucket” on the world of KFC.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/stephen-ja ... -1-3718731
I suppose it's to do with independent production and pandering to the lowest denominator.

I will probably watch it. I'm afraid that KFC is one of my secret pleasures. A bargain bucket now and then.
Maybe it will put me off. I doubt it though.

I don't think they'd be allowed to film anything that would put you off.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 3:14 pm

I asked Andrew Sparrow why they are not doing anything [apart from a small insert about Ed's pledges in the middle of his Lib Dem fest] about Labour's event today.

AndrewSparrowReplies yahyah 7m ago
''This is a conference, with debates, votes, fringe meetings, a Q&A etc - ie, news you can report, the sort of stuff that works for a blog.
The Labour event is a rally, and the only bit they flagged up to the media was the Miliband speech, which you can read without being there.
I'm not sure what else is going on, but there was nothing to suggest it would work as a blog. Even LabourList doesn't seem to be covering it.''

If he doesn't know what else is going on it suggests he didn't try hard to find out, but fair enough.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 3:16 pm

yahyah wrote:I asked Andrew Sparrow why they are not doing anything [apart from a small insert about Ed's pledges in the middle of his Lib Dem fest] about Labour's event today.

AndrewSparrowReplies yahyah 7m ago
''This is a conference, with debates, votes, fringe meetings, a Q&A etc - ie, news you can report, the sort of stuff that works for a blog.
The Labour event is a rally, and the only bit they flagged up to the media was the Miliband speech, which you can read without being there.
I'm not sure what else is going on, but there was nothing to suggest it would work as a blog. Even LabourList doesn't seem to be covering it.''

If he doesn't know what else is going on it suggests he didn't try hard to find out.

Mark Ferguson is there. He's been sneering on Twitter all day.

DonutHingeParty · Post by **DonutHingeParty** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 3:22 pm

As I've said in The Other Place there are four constituencies in Scotlqndwhere voting for the snippers could possibly (and then not plausibly) let the Tories in and in Angus Robertsons constituency SNP moving to Labour could let them in. I think no that if Scottish voters feel that strongly about independence then we need to respect that. We need to work with them to help them see that we are be ter together and if not then maybe they can Cong nice us that they should he left to their own devices. However, we don't want to throw them away because thy believe that the best way to ensure social justice is on their own, but Convincing them through our actions that there would be no benefit in going on their own. England and Scotland are like a couple going through therapy at the moment and if we take a passive (or not so passive) aggressive stance we could end up throwing each others clothes on the streets whilst the economy weeps n its bedroom. Maybe we could let Scotland Use the pound very other weekend.