Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th March

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 8:19 pm

#KickCameronOut still trending, storm started at 6pm

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 8:23 pm

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:I'm sure nesters have seen this before but I love it - got it from Twitter so don't know how to attribute it (sorry to cartoonist)

Cameron's right to be worried:

: Untitled 3.png (90.22 KiB) Viewed 9834 times

ErnstRemarx · Post by **ErnstRemarx** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 8:29 pm

LadyCentauria wrote:
ErnstRemarx wrote:
Swarthlander wrote: Brown seeded bread? HP sauce? What type of coffee?
Yes about the bread (you have a choice of that or Lancashire oven bottoms), Aldi's version of brown sauce - I believe it's Rumanian or something - whilst the coffee is Fairtrade Forza Roma: strong enough for you?

And the prices? Well, let's just say that we're about the only fully subsidised cafe attached to any talkboard of note.

Just sad to relate that the chocolate seaweed croissants are all sold out and that the elk flavour ice cream's been condemned by Health & Safety inspectors, dammit.
Oh not again! What on earth have they got against elk flavour ice cream. I mean, it was smoked elk (our smokehouse is famous, Swarthlander, do visit) so perfectly safe – and the blend of yak' and mare's milk might be a funny colour but it's got a stunning taste.

Any road fancy some black pudding banana fritters with a taramasalata dip, later on? Say midnight-ish? I used absinthe and Pepsi in the batter, which is chilling now; it's come up lovely and light but dark, if you know what I mean.

That sounds fuckin' lush. It's so good to find people who understand the direction of travel. If I were being a bastard, I'd put spam fritters on, just to teach them a lesson.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 8:41 pm

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 8 mins8 minutes ago
CON & LAB level pegging in ENGLAND in Opinium Observer poll
CON 35
LAB 35
LD 7
UKIP 15
GN 7
A 5.7% CON to LAB swing in England

Get that last line!!!

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 9:09 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:I'm sure nesters have seen this before but I love it - got it from Twitter so don't know how to attribute it (sorry to cartoonist)
Peter Brookes (hint signature down right hand side)
..and yes it is good!

thanks

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 9:16 pm

Goodnight, everyone.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 9:17 pm

ohsocynical wrote:Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 8 mins8 minutes ago
CON & LAB level pegging in ENGLAND in Opinium Observer poll
CON 35
LAB 35
LD 7
UKIP 15
GN 7
A 5.7% CON to LAB swing in England

Get that last line!!!

Smithson's puzzled because the betting odds favour the Conservatives. Exactly the opposite of the opinion polls.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 9:18 pm

PorFavor wrote:Goodnight, everyone.

Night PF

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 9:43 pm

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 6 mins6 minutes ago

CON loses its YouGov lead. Now level pegging

CON 34%
LAB 34%
LD 7%
UKIP 14%
GRN 5%.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 9:44 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 8 mins8 minutes ago
CON & LAB level pegging in ENGLAND in Opinium Observer poll
CON 35
LAB 35
LD 7
UKIP 15
GN 7
A 5.7% CON to LAB swing in England

Get that last line!!!
Smithson's puzzled because the betting odds favour the Conservatives. Exactly the opposite of the opinion polls.

Some of the seat projections in the mainstream press are barking mad as well. I don't know how they assume the Tories are going to do so well.

The betting is to an extent the combined wisdom of the clueless. If they buy into press group think then the betting will follow that group think and fail to notice polls.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 9:46 pm

Ian ‏@Mancman10 40 secs40 seconds ago Manchester, England
Last 5 national polls:

YouGov: Con 34 Lab 34
Opinium: Lab 35 Con 33
ComRes: Lab 35 Con 33
Populus: Lab 32 Con 29
IpsosMORI: Lab 34 Con 33

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 10:05 pm

Cllr Ann Sinnott retweeted
Jane East ‏@Jane_East4CV 13 mins13 minutes ago
"@LordAshcroft 2 minutes ago. Average of Sunday's polls

LAB 34.5%
CON 33.3%
UKIP 14.7%
LDEM 7.0%
GRNS 5.3%"

Hobiejoe · Post by **Hobiejoe** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 10:08 pm

ohsocynical wrote:Ian ‏@Mancman10 40 secs40 seconds ago Manchester, England
Last 5 national polls:

YouGov: Con 34 Lab 34
Opinium: Lab 35 Con 33
ComRes: Lab 35 Con 33
Populus: Lab 32 Con 29
IpsosMORI: Lab 34 Con 33

Ooooh! Five polls - has NickyB over at the other place been informed?

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 10:15 pm

Hobiejoe wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:Ian ‏@Mancman10 40 secs40 seconds ago Manchester, England
Last 5 national polls:

YouGov: Con 34 Lab 34
Opinium: Lab 35 Con 33
ComRes: Lab 35 Con 33
Populus: Lab 32 Con 29
IpsosMORI: Lab 34 Con 33
Ooooh! Five polls - has NickyB over at the other place been informed?

NickyB will never be informed.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

Actually most of the time you can't stop the horse getting to water, which it will of course drink. Muddy puddles are clearly preferred to fresh water troughs and intervention is often met with a generous cold shower.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 10:17 pm

George Eaton ‏@georgeeaton 2 hrs2 hours ago

Miliband's net approval rating up in ComRes and Opinium polls (by six and seven).

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 10:32 pm

Bonnie Greer ‏@Bonn1eGreer 5 mins5 minutes ago

Latest computation based on latest polls- Electoral Calculus:

#Tories 256
#Labour 308-18 short of maj-

@MSmithsonPB
http://bit.ly/1D5HXe4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 10:38 pm

Politico Daily ‏@Politico_Daily 60 mins60 minutes ago
YouGov/SundayTimes poll:

Consevative 34 +1
Labour 34 +2
Liberal Democrat 7
UKIP 14 -2
Green 5 -1
Other 6

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 10:49 pm

Now I could swear the other day that someone in the treasury had issued a dire warning against anyone leaking details of the budget.
I've just read a Tweet showing the Sun on Sundays front page with Osborne giving outlines of what he's going to do...

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 10:52 pm

Hobiejoe wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:Ian ‏@Mancman10 40 secs40 seconds ago Manchester, England
Last 5 national polls:

YouGov: Con 34 Lab 34
Opinium: Lab 35 Con 33
ComRes: Lab 35 Con 33
Populus: Lab 32 Con 29
IpsosMORI: Lab 34 Con 33
Ooooh! Five polls - has NickyB over at the other place been informed?

I'm sure he'll be moved to float over there on his average waiter, at some point. Or something.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 10:52 pm

TNS 7
Survation 6
AshcBlu 4
Populus 3
Opinium 2
ComRes o/l 2
IpsosM 1
YouGov 0
ComRes ph -2
AshcNat -4
ICM -4

Avg +1.5%

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Sat 14 Mar, 2015 11:07 pm

http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index. ... d-in-2010/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sometimes the betting market is wrong. Like in 2010.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 2:57 am

Deliciously bitchy read from Cohen, again on the embarrassment that masquerades as a Prime Minister.

Chortling stuff, all of it true, the tragedy is that man who has as much back bone as jelly fish washed up on Caswell Bay is still in with a mighty chance of being PM in May.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 3:51 am

letsskiptotheleft wrote:Deliciously bitchy read from Cohen, again on the embarrassment that masquerades as a Prime Minister.

Chortling stuff, all of it true, the tragedy is that man who has as much back bone as jelly fish washed up on Caswell Bay is still in with a mighty chance of being PM in May.

It's a very good piece. This part stood out for me:

The Conservatives joined the campaign to keep the union together, and won, although the vote looked a close-run thing for a while. The United Kingdom they fought to preserve guaranteed that Scots MPs could decide on the government of the country. Now Cameron implies they should not. He issues pictures of Ed Miliband in Alex Salmond’s pocket, as if Scots were dangerous aliens with no right to vote on the future government of Britain. The Tories’ message – “the English don’t want us enough to respect our democratic choices” – will persuade more Scots to leave. English nationalism can only help Scottish nationalism, as Cameron confirms every prejudice about the arrogance and duplicity of the English elite.

There is a task ahead. Scottish MPs will be a substantial force in the next Parliament, many – if not most – of the SNP. Further devolution to Scotland is already going ahead and there may well be more of it. The task is to remember and remind that Scots voted, by a majority, to remain a part of the United Kingdom – and to find a way to a new, equitable, way for how that Union will operate.

Train of thought has deserted me. Goodnight to the night-crew

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 7:42 am

PorFavor wrote:@LadyCentauria

Thanks for the explanation last night. I now smile every time I read your strap line.

Reminds me that Frank Muir (a Denis Norden cohort) when asked if he had been to Eton, is supposed to have replied something along the lines of, "No. More E10 than Eton." I used to find him very amusing and really liked his "Whatamess" children's books which I used to read to my daughter. Probably a Conservative (Frank Muir - not my daughter) but I never saw or heard him display any malice.)

Edited

To remove comma. I must find an alternative to bloody brackets.

You can't beat a nice em dash http://www.thepunctuationguide.com/em-dash.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; "perhaps the most versatile punctuation mark".

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 7:48 am

LadyCentauria wrote:
ErnstRemarx wrote:
Swarthlander wrote: Brown seeded bread? HP sauce? What type of coffee?
Yes about the bread (you have a choice of that or Lancashire oven bottoms), Aldi's version of brown sauce - I believe it's Rumanian or something - whilst the coffee is Fairtrade Forza Roma: strong enough for you?

And the prices? Well, let's just say that we're about the only fully subsidised cafe attached to any talkboard of note.

Just sad to relate that the chocolate seaweed croissants are all sold out and that the elk flavour ice cream's been condemned by Health & Safety inspectors, dammit.
Oh not again! What on earth have they got against elk flavour ice cream. I mean, it was smoked elk (our smokehouse is famous, Swarthlander, do visit) so perfectly safe – and the blend of yak' and mare's milk might be a funny colour but it's got a stunning taste.

Any road fancy some black pudding banana fritters with a taramasalata dip, later on? Say midnight-ish? I used absinthe and Pepsi in the batter, which is chilling now; it's come up lovely and light but dark, if you know what I mean.

I once - for reasons of politeness - partook of yak butter tea.
Never again.
(note em dashes)

Spacedone · Post by **Spacedone** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 8:15 am

As Mike Smithson points out, offering to prop up the Tories may well have the effect of lowering the number of 'Labour' voters who were going to vote UKIP.

Swarthlander · Post by **Swarthlander** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 9:06 am

Spacedone wrote:As Mike Smithson points out, offering to prop up the Tories may well have the effect of lowering the number of 'Labour' voters who were going to vote UKIP.

Farage says he doesn't want to be in any Tory cabinet (only a closet?) because he doesn't like any of the present members. He says he could work with Gove though.

Just about sums up Facist Farage.

Unfortunately, the man is a rather successful joke.

Good morning.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 9:40 am

Morning.

Civil liberties are important, but why does Clegg only get steamed up about things like not wanting to ban extremists. 'One of the worst rows of the Coalition' about it apparently- wonder whether he made much of a peep when it came to Bedroom Tax etc ?

He must be desperate to keep the vote of all those fusty Liberals like Henry 'Labour destroyed our freedom' Porter.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... ities.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ScarletGas · Post by **ScarletGas** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 9:49 am

If anyone doubts that the BBC has assumed the role of state broadcaster they should watch Marr this morning.

Balls was interrupted ( as usual) time and time again with Marr trying to major on the SNP issue rather than the economy.

Osborne was allowed to talk uninterrupted with Marr even apologised for interrupting him at one point.

I am a supporter of the BBC but programmes such as this does it no credit and only gives credence to the arguments of its opponents.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 9:57 am

Finance expert Paul Lewis not impressed.

Paul Lewis @paullewismoney · 6m 6 minutes ago
Not one detail about annuity buyback or tax on it by GO #Marr. Just 'right way to treat people who have worked hard and saved hard'. *sigh*

Paul Lewis @paullewismoney · 13m 13 minutes ago
Will Osborne say anything other than old slogans? eg mend the roof while sun is shining, longterm economic plan, difficult decisions etc

Post by **adam** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 10:06 am

Fantastic quotes from Richard Murphy about Osborne's new pension plans

If Osborne's pension plans were subject to regulation I am quite sure they'd be considered mis-selling, at best, and be banned. George Osborne is proud of selling £10 billion of pensioner bonds. But anyone can sell £10 notes at £9 a time, and that's what he's doing

frightful_oik · Post by **frightful_oik** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 10:26 am

ScarletGas wrote:If anyone doubts that the BBC has assumed the role of state broadcaster they should watch Marr this morning.

Balls was interrupted ( as usual) time and time again with Marr trying to major on the SNP issue rather than the economy.

Osborne was allowed to talk uninterrupted with Marr even apologised for interrupting him at one point.

I am a supporter of the BBC but programmes such as this does it no credit and only gives credence to the arguments of its opponents.

I'll take a look at the transcripts later. Suffice to say I'm feeling as smug as a Dimbleby that I no longer pay for this crap. Won't stop me complaining mind.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 10:27 am

adam wrote:Fantastic quotes from Richard Murphy about Osborne's new pension plans

If Osborne's pension plans were subject to regulation I am quite sure they'd be considered mis-selling, at best, and be banned. George Osborne is proud of selling £10 billion of pensioner bonds. But anyone can sell £10 notes at £9 a time, and that's what he's doing

Last week Mr Ohso was listening to someone talking about this latest scheme with pensions. The guy advised anyone who was thinking about it, not to. He said it hadn't been costed or worked out.

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 10:30 am

ScarletGas wrote:If anyone doubts that the BBC has assumed the role of state broadcaster they should watch Marr this morning.

Balls was interrupted ( as usual) time and time again with Marr trying to major on the SNP issue rather than the economy.

Osborne was allowed to talk uninterrupted with Marr even apologised for interrupting him at one point.

I am a supporter of the BBC but programmes such as this does it no credit and only gives credence to the arguments of its opponents.

I was once a proud supporter of the BBC and now mostly live without it. Out of my life in the last year or two have been the Guardian most of the Independent, the New Statesman and the BBC. I rely quite highly on FTN to filter out the dross and bring in valuable specialist information streams.

(edited for repetition, gaps, grammar and general crapness)

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 10:31 am

Good morfternoon.

11am on BBC1, if anyone's interested -

Andrew Neil welcomes Caroline Flint, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Davey, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, and former MP and broadcaster David Mellor to discuss this week's events at Westminster. Also joining him on the political panel are The Guardian's Polly Toynbee and Nick Watt. Including news and a regional round-up

It might be a golden opportunity to see Nick Watt get a good pasting.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 10:33 am

ohsocynical wrote:
adam wrote:Fantastic quotes from Richard Murphy about Osborne's new pension plans

If Osborne's pension plans were subject to regulation I am quite sure they'd be considered mis-selling, at best, and be banned. George Osborne is proud of selling £10 billion of pensioner bonds. But anyone can sell £10 notes at £9 a time, and that's what he's doing
Last week Mr Ohso was listening to someone talking about this latest scheme with pensions. The guy advised anyone who was thinking about it, not to. He said it hadn't been costed or worked out.

Just found this.

http://waitingfortax.com/2015/03/15/the ... -tax-cuts/

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 10:41 am

tinyclanger2 wrote: I rely quite highly on FTN to filter out the dross and bring in valuable specialist information streams.

Note to Mods: Should FTN consider charging a license fee?

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 10:47 am

DANNY Alexander has called on voters to form a unionist alliance to stop his and other Liberal Democrat seats falling into the hands of nationalists.

Speaking to Scotland on Sunday yesterday, the chief secretary to the treasury admitted that he is fighting for his political life but believes he will defy the polls and win his Highland seat.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/t ... -1-3719004

Words fail me!

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 10:48 am

Eric_WLothian wrote:
DANNY Alexander has called on voters to form a unionist alliance to stop his and other Liberal Democrat seats falling into the hands of nationalists.

Speaking to Scotland on Sunday yesterday, the chief secretary to the treasury admitted that he is fighting for his political life but believes he will defy the polls and win his Highland seat.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/t ... -1-3719004

Words fail me!

I can think of an excellent word, but it's not one I would use in public.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 10:58 am

Southern Health set to lose £5m learning disability contract after ‘significant concerns’ over care
Review by local commissioners recommends that contract should not be renewed following series of concerns about inpatient services

http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2015/03/ ... cern-care/

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 12:02 pm

I can't get the detail from the front page of todays Times but Tim Shipman has said this in his morning briefing:

http://times-deck.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaw ... bd19e.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Len McCluskey, general secretary of the Unite union, Labour’s biggest paymaster, wants his old mate Karie Murphy on the shortlist. Ed Miliband, remembering the shemozzle in Falkirk last year, wants her nowhere near it.

Last week The Sunday Times revealed concerns at the top of the party that failure to accommodate McCluskey’s wishes would lead Unite to withhold their final donation to Labour before the election, of £1.5 million. Unite says this is “laughable” but Labour folk say they have abandoned hope of the money ever appearing.

Into this morass has stepped one A. C. L. Blair Esq, much travelled international power broker and former (but now sadly much unloved) Labour prime minister. The Sunday Times reveals, on its front page, details of a dinner Blair hosted for Miliband and various donors at his London home last Monday to drum up cash; it has led to an intriguing £1m deal to plug the gap and water down the influence of the unions.

At the dinner Assem Allam, chairman of Hull City Football Club, told Miliband he would give Labour £300,000 on top of the £200,000 he has already handed over this year. But crucially he also promised a further £500,000 if the Labour leader loses money by standing up to McCluskey.

Allam said: “I want to see a strong Labour party less reliant on trades union money, so I have said if you have any problem with the Unite money, I will make my donation £1m.”

Blair’s role in the dinner reveals that he is more involved in Labour’s campaign than previously thought. I’m told he is planning further fundraisers, perhaps a speech on Europe and a campaign trip to his old Sedgefield seat in the weeks ahead.

Allam thinks he’ll have to cough up, having been “assured [that] under no circumstances” will Miliband “give in” to McCluskey’s pressure. Miliband has appointed Harriet Harman, his deputy, to the panel of three who will interview those seeking the Halifax seat on Tuesday, to stop Murphy being selected.

Predictably, Blair’s involvement has provoked a backlash with union-backed MPs like Jim Sheridan last night accusing him of “underhand tactic” to “freeze out honest, hard-working trade unionists” that would cost Labour seats.

Thoughts ?

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 12:04 pm

Have we had this?

Britain’s failure to build affordable homes has led to a soaring housing-benefit bill – with half a million more people now relying on state handouts to pay their rent than when the coalition came to power, a damning new analysis reveals.

The coalition’s crackdown on welfare has failed to prevent an explosion in the number of people relying on state help in recent years, with a total of five million people now claiming housing benefits. And with 1.8 million on waiting lists for social housing, hundreds of thousands more have, instead of escaping welfare dependency, fallen into the hands of private landlords charging increasingly exorbitant rents.

Spending on housing benefit has risen by £650m a year on average since 2009-10, and at a faster rate than during Labour’s 13 years in power, a new analysis of official Department for Work and Pensions figures finds. The annual housing benefit bill is expected to hit £25bn by 2017.

As demand has grown, private landlords have hugely increased rents. Commuter areas outside London such as Surrey Heath and Elmbridge saw rises of 14% last year. (Guardian)

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015 ... e-claiming

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 12:12 pm

pk1 wrote:I can't get the detail from the front page of todays Times but Tim Shipman has said this in his morning briefing:

http://times-deck.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaw ... bd19e.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Len McCluskey, general secretary of the Unite union, Labour’s biggest paymaster, wants his old mate Karie Murphy on the shortlist. Ed Miliband, remembering the shemozzle in Falkirk last year, wants her nowhere near it.

Last week The Sunday Times revealed concerns at the top of the party that failure to accommodate McCluskey’s wishes would lead Unite to withhold their final donation to Labour before the election, of £1.5 million. Unite says this is “laughable” but Labour folk say they have abandoned hope of the money ever appearing.

Into this morass has stepped one A. C. L. Blair Esq, much travelled international power broker and former (but now sadly much unloved) Labour prime minister. The Sunday Times reveals, on its front page, details of a dinner Blair hosted for Miliband and various donors at his London home last Monday to drum up cash; it has led to an intriguing £1m deal to plug the gap and water down the influence of the unions.

At the dinner Assem Allam, chairman of Hull City Football Club, told Miliband he would give Labour £300,000 on top of the £200,000 he has already handed over this year. But crucially he also promised a further £500,000 if the Labour leader loses money by standing up to McCluskey.

Allam said: “I want to see a strong Labour party less reliant on trades union money, so I have said if you have any problem with the Unite money, I will make my donation £1m.”

Blair’s role in the dinner reveals that he is more involved in Labour’s campaign than previously thought. I’m told he is planning further fundraisers, perhaps a speech on Europe and a campaign trip to his old Sedgefield seat in the weeks ahead.

Allam thinks he’ll have to cough up, having been “assured [that] under no circumstances” will Miliband “give in” to McCluskey’s pressure. Miliband has appointed Harriet Harman, his deputy, to the panel of three who will interview those seeking the Halifax seat on Tuesday, to stop Murphy being selected.

Predictably, Blair’s involvement has provoked a backlash with union-backed MPs like Jim Sheridan last night accusing him of “underhand tactic” to “freeze out honest, hard-working trade unionists” that would cost Labour seats.
Thoughts ?

Well. It's costing money for Labour to run their campaign, and if the Unions mess them about with promised funding, then I don't see Labour having any other choice. I certainly wouldn't blame them.

There is too much at stake. A power play at this stage is not on.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 12:13 pm

David Mellor is proving an interesting element in the BBC politics programme. He's described Michael Grade as a mouthpiece for the Conservative Party (I paraphrase).

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 12:26 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
pk1 wrote:I can't get the detail from the front page of todays Times but Tim Shipman has said this in his morning briefing:

http://times-deck.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaw ... bd19e.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Len McCluskey, general secretary of the Unite union, Labour’s biggest paymaster, wants his old mate Karie Murphy on the shortlist. Ed Miliband, remembering the shemozzle in Falkirk last year, wants her nowhere near it.

Last week The Sunday Times revealed concerns at the top of the party that failure to accommodate McCluskey’s wishes would lead Unite to withhold their final donation to Labour before the election, of £1.5 million. Unite says this is “laughable” but Labour folk say they have abandoned hope of the money ever appearing.

Into this morass has stepped one A. C. L. Blair Esq, much travelled international power broker and former (but now sadly much unloved) Labour prime minister. The Sunday Times reveals, on its front page, details of a dinner Blair hosted for Miliband and various donors at his London home last Monday to drum up cash; it has led to an intriguing £1m deal to plug the gap and water down the influence of the unions.

At the dinner Assem Allam, chairman of Hull City Football Club, told Miliband he would give Labour £300,000 on top of the £200,000 he has already handed over this year. But crucially he also promised a further £500,000 if the Labour leader loses money by standing up to McCluskey.

Allam said: “I want to see a strong Labour party less reliant on trades union money, so I have said if you have any problem with the Unite money, I will make my donation £1m.”

Blair’s role in the dinner reveals that he is more involved in Labour’s campaign than previously thought. I’m told he is planning further fundraisers, perhaps a speech on Europe and a campaign trip to his old Sedgefield seat in the weeks ahead.

Allam thinks he’ll have to cough up, having been “assured [that] under no circumstances” will Miliband “give in” to McCluskey’s pressure. Miliband has appointed Harriet Harman, his deputy, to the panel of three who will interview those seeking the Halifax seat on Tuesday, to stop Murphy being selected.

Predictably, Blair’s involvement has provoked a backlash with union-backed MPs like Jim Sheridan last night accusing him of “underhand tactic” to “freeze out honest, hard-working trade unionists” that would cost Labour seats.
Thoughts ?
Well. It's costing money for Labour to run their campaign, and if the Unions mess them about with promised funding, then I don't see Labour having any other choice. I certainly wouldn't blame them.

There is too much at stake. A power play at this stage is not on.

I'm hoping that, at this stage of the election cycle, this whole imbroglio is a well choreographed set piece.

Edited to add -

Although, if that's the case, someone should have briefed Jim Sheridan so perhaps I'm desperately trying to be too up-beat?

Spacedone · Post by **Spacedone** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 12:31 pm

PorFavor wrote:David Mellor is proving an interesting element in the BBC politics programme. He's described Michael Grade as a mouthpiece for the Conservative Party (I paraphrase).

I never thought I'd say this but I do occasionally enjoy listening to his and Ken Livingstone's LBC radio show. It's like a radio version of The Odd Couple.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 12:44 pm

pk1 wrote:I can't get the detail from the front page of todays Times but Tim Shipman has said this in his morning briefing:

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Len McCluskey, general secretary of the Unite union, Labour’s biggest paymaster, wants his old mate Karie Murphy on the shortlist. Ed Miliband, remembering the shemozzle in Falkirk last year, wants her nowhere near it.

Last week The Sunday Times revealed concerns at the top of the party that failure to accommodate McCluskey’s wishes would lead Unite to withhold their final donation to Labour before the election, of £1.5 million. Unite says this is “laughable” but Labour folk say they have abandoned hope of the money ever appearing.

Into this morass has stepped one A. C. L. Blair Esq, much travelled international power broker and former (but now sadly much unloved) Labour prime minister. The Sunday Times reveals, on its front page, details of a dinner Blair hosted for Miliband and various donors at his London home last Monday to drum up cash; it has led to an intriguing £1m deal to plug the gap and water down the influence of the unions.

At the dinner Assem Allam, chairman of Hull City Football Club, told Miliband he would give Labour £300,000 on top of the £200,000 he has already handed over this year. But crucially he also promised a further £500,000 if the Labour leader loses money by standing up to McCluskey.

Allam said: “I want to see a strong Labour party less reliant on trades union money, so I have said if you have any problem with the Unite money, I will make my donation £1m.”

Blair’s role in the dinner reveals that he is more involved in Labour’s campaign than previously thought. I’m told he is planning further fundraisers, perhaps a speech on Europe and a campaign trip to his old Sedgefield seat in the weeks ahead.

Allam thinks he’ll have to cough up, having been “assured [that] under no circumstances” will Miliband “give in” to McCluskey’s pressure. Miliband has appointed Harriet Harman, his deputy, to the panel of three who will interview those seeking the Halifax seat on Tuesday, to stop Murphy being selected.

Predictably, Blair’s involvement has provoked a backlash with union-backed MPs like Jim Sheridan last night accusing him of “underhand tactic” to “freeze out honest, hard-working trade unionists” that would cost Labour seats.
Thoughts ?

Trying to make croissants out of a stale loaf of bread - or muck stirring.
" A Labour Party spokesman said: “Labour has a well-established process for selections. The NEC will decide on the shortlist for Halifax and will assess the suitability of the candidates, the wishes of the local party and the best interests of the Labour Party.”

A Unite spokesman said: “The Labour Party will draw up the shortlist for the selection in Halifax nationally. Local party members will then decide on the candidate through a secret ballot. So it is risible to suggest Unite will be parachuting anyone into the seat.”

Karie Murphy was cleared of all wrong doing and her Labour membership reinstated, I don't know anything about her but if she is a good candidate I don't see why she can't stand. Since when did being a member of Unite exclude someone from standing as a Labour candidate?
A local candidate would - obviously - be better, but that's down to the local party. Do they have a Local person? if so they can vote for them.

Spacedone · Post by **Spacedone** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 12:59 pm

Michael Crick flying the flag for Nick Clegg.

Michael Crick ‏@MichaelLCrick 7m7 minutes ago
One of the best speeches I've heard from a party leader in years - defended Lib Dems in govt, full of reasons to vote Lib Dem again in May

Michael Crick ‏@MichaelLCrick 18m18 minutes ago
It's a far stronger speech from Nick Clegg today than from Ed Miliband yesterday

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 1:32 pm

Spacedone wrote:Michael Crick flying the flag for Nick Clegg.

Michael Crick ‏@MichaelLCrick 7m7 minutes ago
One of the best speeches I've heard from a party leader in years - defended Lib Dems in govt, full of reasons to vote Lib Dem again in May

Michael Crick ‏@MichaelLCrick 18m18 minutes ago
It's a far stronger speech from Nick Clegg today than from Ed Miliband yesterday

Yeah, it's not Clegg's speeches that are the problem though - it's his actions that do so much damage !

Swarthlander · Post by **Swarthlander** » Sun 15 Mar, 2015 1:33 pm

Well that's it then - Clegg is our saviour! Always has been.
LibDems on course for at least 100 seats. All will be hunky-dory.
We are all safer, warmer, more cuddlesome, less constipated, and all because of his superbfullness.
What a man! We just can't possibly hope to live without him.

NURSE!!!!