Monday 16th March 2015

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 12:45 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:
letsskiptotheleft wrote:Dead important this, vote for the national bird of Britain.

Torn between a blackbird, lovely song, red kite, see them while out in the garden, kingfisher, always a delight, though only see a flash of azure blue, or a robin, who always puts a smile on my chops.

Decisions, decisions.

http://www.votenationalbird.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I voted for Blackbird, my choice in the first round as well
After hand wringing of Simon Hughes proportions I went for the Kite, spend a lovely half hour on a side of a road, near Aberystwyth last year, watched 7 or 8 of them swirling about, lovely, so that swayed it.

You're right - I can't choose just one.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 12:46 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:
letsskiptotheleft wrote:Dead important this, vote for the national bird of Britain.

Torn between a blackbird, lovely song, red kite, see them while out in the garden, kingfisher, always a delight, though only see a flash of azure blue, or a robin, who always puts a smile on my chops.

Decisions, decisions.

http://www.votenationalbird.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I voted for Blackbird, my choice in the first round as well

Blackbirds every time for me.

Hubby thinks I'm mad when I asked him to fence off a piece of the garden where the blackbirds seem to duck in out of our hedge so the dogs can't eat the raisins I buy purely for the blackbirds....

FuriousGeorge · Post by **FuriousGeorge** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 12:48 pm

A nice story about Grant/Michael/Sebastian.

https://adrianshort.org/the-quest-for-g ... anuscript/

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 12:50 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:"London Tory MP tells backers: 'Don't mention David Cameron' in letters of support"
A Tory MP in a key London marginal seat has told backers not to “mention the Conservative Party or David Cameron” in letters of support.
Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell made the plea when he asked local people to sign letters to friends and neighbours endorsing his re-election.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics ... 10723.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

He better hope Shapps stays away too.

http://electoralcalculus.co.uk/conlist_ ... donCentral" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 12:50 pm

TechnicalEphemera wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
frightful_oik wrote: Is that a new poll or the ST one Stephen?
It is yesterday's Sunday Times poll. However you cut it that London figure is not credible, Yougov have finally sacrificed the right to be taken seriously.
That is harsh on YouGov.

Rule one of polling is you cannot split up bits of a poll and claim it tells you much about the thing you are looking at. Over the whole poll sampling errors will largely cancel each other out, but within a small sample they may be huge. Remember when arch muppet Harris played this game to "show" Tories were ahead with young people?

The only way to know how London is going to vote is to poll it, which YouGov have done. The London poll showed a decent Labour lead.

Harsh? We've had polls which show the Tories ahead amongst young voters, polls which showed them leading in the North, this poll showing them neck & neck in London; I get your point about sampling errors, but there seem to have been a lot of 'errors' creeping into the Yougov polling of late, and that is even before you look at the consistent downweighting of left wing newspaper readers and upweighting of right wing readers. The old saying goes "He who pays the piper calls the tune", I'm simply suggesting that Peter Kellner seems all too willing to play requests these days.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:00 pm

Thanks for the Kitty Jones blog link.

Spot on blogging about 'narxism'.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:01 pm

frightful_oik wrote:
RobertSnozers wrote:
PorFavor wrote: Yes - I've been moaning about it here for a little while. I've counted six different ads but there may be more. Do you have a running total?
No, I should have made a note, but I can think of Pensionwise, Help to Buy, Automatic enrolment - not only things the coalition has introduced, but are strongly associated with the coalition (especially the Tories).
Pensionwise
Help to Buy
Automatic enrolment
I'll see those and raise you
Superfast Broadband
We're cracking down on Tax Dodgers

edited to add: Good morning each.

They've also got one on switching energy companies. The still-frame at the end has the HMGovernment logo in the bottom left corner and BeAnEnergyShopper.com at bottom right which routes directly to http://www.goenergyshopping.co.uk/en-gb/power-to-switch" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; which, itself, has the Ofgen copyright at the foot of page.

Heavens only know if you'd be shunted onto another site if you clicked any of the links there, or simply get given a list of comparison websites. But if it's Ofgen acting as a direct coordinator of switches then it should be an Ofgen ad with the Ofgen logo and their own goenergyshopping url, not plugging the government and making it look like they're doing all this wonderful stuff for you like re-badging things to make themselves look like oh you know the rest

Edit: Ofgen not Ofgem...

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:07 pm

citizenJA wrote:
letsskiptotheleft wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote: I voted for Blackbird, my choice in the first round as well
After hand wringing of Simon Hughes proportions I went for the Kite, spend a lovely half hour on a side of a road, near Aberystwyth last year, watched 7 or 8 of them swirling about, lovely, so that swayed it.
You're right - I can't choose just one.

{{Hugs}} CJA nice to see you and hope thing are a bit brighter today

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:11 pm

Text of letter from Labour MP Lucy Powell to David Cameron, asking about Shapps.

http://press.labour.org.uk/post/1137814 ... e-minister" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:11 pm

With a hat tip to OneButton over on AS blog
"Tim Ireland
‏@bloggerheads
Dear @grantshapps, why is http://auctiongirl.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; registered to 'a Non-UK Individual' when it's run by your wife Belinda and sister Marla?"

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:21 pm

May2015 retweeted
Jason Beattie ‏@JBeattieMirror · 1m1 minute ago
More Ed Miliband: "There will be no SNP ministers in any government I lead."

Not sure where he got this from - any clues?

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:23 pm

Ed M has stated

Labour will not go into coalition government with the SNP & there will be no SNP ministers in any government I lead.

The quote is verbatim.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:23 pm

More from Beattie...(actually the first tweet before the other one)
Jason Beattie @JBeattieMirror
· 4m 4 minutes ago
Ed Miliband: "Labour will not go into coalition government with the SNP."
Finally ruled out

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:24 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:May2015 retweeted
Jason Beattie ‏@JBeattieMirror · 1m1 minute ago
More Ed Miliband: "There will be no SNP ministers in any government I lead."

Not sure where he got this from - any clues?

It was at a peoples QT in Leeds & was televised live on Sky.

Of course, Joey Jones then trotted out the 'not the end of the question/what about a C&S arrangement' tory attack line

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:26 pm

pk1 wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:May2015 retweeted
Jason Beattie ‏@JBeattieMirror · 1m1 minute ago
More Ed Miliband: "There will be no SNP ministers in any government I lead."

Not sure where he got this from - any clues?
It was at a peoples QT in Leeds & was televised live on Sky.

Of course, Joey Jones then trotted out the 'not the end of the question/what about a C&S arrangement' tory attack line

Thanks just reading it on AS blog now..

FuriousGeorge · Post by **FuriousGeorge** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:26 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:More from Beattie...(actually the first tweet before the other one)
Jason Beattie @JBeattieMirror
· 4m 4 minutes ago
Ed Miliband: "Labour will not go into coalition government with the SNP."
Finally ruled out

Although doesnt rule out a supply and demand agreement. Which I dont think would be the worst thing ever.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:26 pm

Breaking News

Posted at 13:21
Ed Miliband says Labour will not go into coalition government with the SNP. "There will be no SNP ministers in any government I lead," he adds.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-31878269" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

@bbclaurak

tweets: Difficulty for Ed M is that no-one really talking about an actual coalition btw the 2, he can't/hasn't/won't rule out relying on SNP support

No Laura, a coalition with the SNP is ALL you & your tory pals has gone on about for weeks !

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:29 pm

pk1 wrote:Ed M has stated
Labour will not go into coalition government with the SNP & there will be no SNP ministers in any government I lead.
The quote is verbatim.

Norman Smith currently doing his best to diminish the practical validity of this statement. I think in his world, passing the sugar bowl to an SNP MP counts as some form of coalition.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:36 pm

Nicola Sturgeon: As long as there are more anti-Tory MPs in the next Parliament than Tory MPs, whether they be Labour, SNP, Greens, Plaid Cymru or anyone else, that's a result I'll be happy with. (As verbatim as poss from Sky News just now.)

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:39 pm

Re. government ads on the telly......loads. Plus the phone calls.
We get 3 a week on the government's energy saving policy, and we've had a couple on other things.
It must be costing a fortune.

Re. Birds - herons are my favourite, but there's no chance of that.
So it has to be barn owls.

Re. Shapps - nasty little spiv. That is all.

Re. SNP - Sturgeon ruled out coalition. She has expressed a willingness to consider a confidence-and supply arrangement. NB. "consider".
Ed never ever said he intended to go into coalition. He has always said he is aiming for a majority.

The Tory spin machine is in overdrive now, and after the kitchen nonsense, we can expect worse.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:40 pm

LadyCentauria wrote:Nicola Sturgeon: As long as there are more anti-Tory MPs in the next Parliament than Tory MPs, whether they be Labour, SNP, Greens, Plaid Cymru or anyone else, that's a result I'll be happy with. (As verbatim as poss from Sky News just now.)

Classy line from Sturgeon that. Basically tells the press SNP will work to block a Tory government with whoever can form a non Tory government.

Whether they will or not, who knows.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:41 pm

Off for a lie-down and a nap, methinks. I may be gone for some time...

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:42 pm

OT but wow !

This spectacular picture shows the 'fluke' moment a fireball meteor was pictured soaring over the Loch Ness last night.

Gobsmacked John Macdonald, 42, went for a walk at 9pm when he snapped the rare sight lighting up the sky.

The meteor was so bright it would have terrified Nessie and even caused panicked locals to phone the coastguard after mistaking it for a distress flare.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:44 pm

Ben Bradshaw ‏@BenPBradshaw 43s44 seconds ago
The @guardian lawyers might like to listen to #wato intereview with Tory MP Stewart Jackson trying to defend truthfulness of Shapps

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:48 pm

Stewart Jackson. Deary me, just caught him on wato. It does Shapps no favours having faux outrage against Labour, the BBC and the Guardian.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:49 pm

There is a very good article about cruelty here - dailyrecord.co.uk/real-life/john-niven-cruelty-jobcentre-numbers

Plus a picture of IDS driving a beautiful vintage Bentley.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:50 pm

Tony Blair labelled a 'standing joke' with 'no credibility' amid rumours he will step down from his role as envoy to the Middle Eastern [sic] (you'll have to complete the header for yourselves) Independent

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 10612.html

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:53 pm

There's a new Welsh Goverment scheme starting in April to helicopter NHS consultants for 'pre-hospital' care.

Developed ''using the latest evidence from military and civilian services from across the world.''
it will use NHS doctors drawn from emergency medicine, anaesthesia and intensive care and critical care practitioners from a range of advanced nursing and paramedic backgrounds.''

Called Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) Cymru, it'll be the first of its kind in the UK.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/healt ... ed-8844131" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:55 pm

PorFavor wrote:
Tony Blair labelled a 'standing joke' with 'no credibility' amid rumours he will step down from his role as envoy to the Middle Eastern [sic] (you'll have to complete the header for yourselves) Independent
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 10612.html

Something for the Narxists.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:57 pm

@ yahyah

Where do you do your attack dog training? I hope you're not slaving for Houndland.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:57 pm

Ladbrokes updated odds:

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 1:59 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:Dead important this, vote for the national bird of Britain.

Torn between a blackbird, lovely song, red kite, see them while out in the garden, kingfisher, always a delight, though only see a flash of azure blue, or a robin, who always puts a smile on my chops.

Decisions, decisions.

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

I went for Mute Swan,
Would have gone for Great Crested Grebe, if in final,
or possibly Starlings for attitude.

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:01 pm

I like this headline from the Huffington Post:

Ed Miliband Rules Out SNP Coalition That Was Never Going To Happen Anyway
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/03 ... mg00000067

Sounds like someone's getting a bit fed up of Tory spin and anti-Labour ploys! Can we just get on with debating the issues? Um....well, no, because Cameron ran away home with the ball. Is it just me or are things starting to swing Labour's way, just the tinniest bit? Surely the Tories can't go much longer without a good week ahead in the polls without starting to panic?

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:10 pm

Willow904 wrote:I like this headline from the Huffington Post:

Ed Miliband Rules Out SNP Coalition That Was Never Going To Happen Anyway
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/03 ... mg00000067
Sounds like someone's getting a bit fed up of Tory spin and anti-Labour ploys! Can we just get on with debating the issues? Um....well, no, because Cameron ran away home with the ball. Is it just me or are things starting to swing Labour's way, just the tinniest bit? Surely the Tories can't go much longer without a good week ahead in the polls without starting to panic?

They've got Peter Kellner's analysis to cling to (Labour 31%, Tories 36% at the GE).

I'm thinking this statement from Miliband is targeted at Scottish Labour voters, not English voters. The "No SNP ministers" line is very interesting.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:19 pm

The Conservative party says Ed Miliband’s statement ruling out a coalition with the SNP “changes nothing” because he has not ruled a less formal pact. This is from a party spokesman.

This changes nothing. Ed Miliband will not rule out a deal with the SNP because he knows it’s impossible to become prime minister without being carried into Downing Street in Alex Salmond’s pocket.

There have been over 1,200 votes in this Parliament. Vote by vote, bill by bill, issue by issue, Ed Miliband would have to do a deal with the SNP on each and every one of them.

Who knows what Ed Miliband will sell out to Alex Salmond on: more borrowing, more debt, higher taxes or weaker defences. But one thing’s for certain: it’s hardworking taxpayers who will pay the price for this chaos.

Cons talking shit - what a huge surprise....

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:19 pm

Anyone know about Kate Parminter ? A Clegg-ite presumably.
The Lib Dems have just appointed her to their post-election negotiating team.

http://www.libdemvoice.org/kate-parmint ... ent-342646" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:19 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:With a hat tip to OneButton over on AS blog
"Tim Ireland
‏@bloggerheads
Dear @grantshapps, why is http://auctiongirl.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; registered to 'a Non-UK Individual' when it's run by your wife Belinda and sister Marla?"

This is hilarious....In plain old fashioned English, Grant Shapp's wife and sister in law are second hand dealers. Or if you want to be posh: dealers in second hand goods.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:22 pm

yahyah wrote:Anyone know about Kate Parminter ? A Clegg-ite presumably.
The Lib Dems have just appointed her to their post-election negotiating team.

http://www.libdemvoice.org/kate-parmint ... ent-342646" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Never heard of her but her twitter feed suggests she isn't the most engaging of people.

Since July 2012, she has sent 123 tweets & follows just 7 people, not even Clegg.

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

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:24 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:With a hat tip to OneButton over on AS blog
"Tim Ireland
‏@bloggerheads
Dear @grantshapps, why is http://auctiongirl.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; registered to 'a Non-UK Individual' when it's run by your wife Belinda and sister Marla?"

This is hilarious....In plain old fashioned English, Grant Shapp's wife and sister in law are second hand dealers. Or if you want to be posh: dealers in second hand goods.

One hour after TI tweeted about that, he followed up with:

Tim Ireland @bloggerheads · 2h 2 hours ago
Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear. I've just caught Mr Shapps out in an entirely different lie about an entirely different site. Article to follow.

Tim Ireland @bloggerheads · 2h 2 hours ago
This one's really going to sting: it's a dreadful betrayal of the trust of his constituents.

Wish he would bloody hurry up !

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:24 pm

tinybgoat wrote:
letsskiptotheleft wrote:Dead important this, vote for the national bird of Britain.

Torn between a blackbird, lovely song, red kite, see them while out in the garden, kingfisher, always a delight, though only see a flash of azure blue, or a robin, who always puts a smile on my chops.

Decisions, decisions.

http://www.votenationalbird.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I went for Mute Swan,
Would have gone for Great Crested Grebe, if in final,
or possibly Starlings for attitude.

I'd have to choose the Robin. There can't be a corner of the world that hasn't seen a Christmas card with snow and a Robin....

55DegreesNorth · Post by **55DegreesNorth** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:29 pm

Newcastle residents going hungry to pay bedroom tax.

http://www.thejournal.co.uk/north-east- ... =Untitled3

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:31 pm

I can't understand the sudden fuss about Shapps/Green/Fox. There was some comment from the press about it a few years ago when the Google accusations were made but nothing much happened. Plus photos of him posing as Green at a Tory Conference.

I've maintained for a long time he lives in a parallel world. He tells such obvious lies on Twitter they bear no relation to reality.

Tonibel · Post by **Tonibel** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:35 pm

Is Grant Shapps Right Honourable or only Honourable?

Red kite for me.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:37 pm

The BBC will be demanding next that Labour changes its policies in the event of the SNP agreeing with them as they stand. It's beginning to seem hysterical and illogical. I hope it proves counterproductive for the Conservatives. I thought Jim Murphy did very well in his interview. Keeping his head when all around him the BBC was losing theirs.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:39 pm

Tonibel wrote:Is Grant Shapps Right Honourable or only Honourable?

Red kite for me.

Right Honorable

http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and- ... overnment/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:45 pm

Tonibel wrote:Is Grant Shapps Right Honourable or only Honourable?

Red Kite for me.

He's neither. He's a innocent, boyish faced, compulsive lair.

And strange to think Red Kites sat on rooftops and thrived in Elizabethan London. Being carrion eaters, the uncleaned streets were a perfect feeding ground for them.

Rebecca · Post by **Rebecca** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:47 pm

pk1 wrote:
Tonibel wrote:Is Grant Shapps Right Honourable or only Honourable?

Red kite for me.
Right Honorable

http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and- ... overnment/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's as maybe,but the right honorable is a right dishonorable fucker.
I can't choose between robin,blackbird or owl,so vote for a winged coalition.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:57 pm

May2015 ‏@May2015NS 1 hr1 hour ago

Electoral Calculus says LAB set for a 55-seat lead—but says LAB lead 2% in polls & doesn't incl Ashcroft. We don't track EC on May2015…(1/2)

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:58 pm

PorFavor wrote:The BBC will be demanding next that Labour changes its policies in the event of the SNP agreeing with them as they stand. It's beginning to seem hysterical and illogical. I hope it proves counterproductive for the Conservatives. I thought Jim Murphy did very well in his interview. Keeping his head when all around him the BBC was losing theirs.

I thought he did well too. Of course, I'm not Scottish and listening from the south west. He probably sounded 'Tory-lite' north of the border.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Mon 16 Mar, 2015 2:58 pm

I'm just down the road from a Red Kite feeding station.
Sometimes get 20 or 30 over the fields.
Don't like the way they are watching the new lambs at the moment though.