Thursday 2nd April 2015

Spacedone · Post by **Spacedone** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 4:07 am

Morning all.

I'm awake at stupid-o'clock after a bizarre dream about Ed Miliband doing a Louis Theroux-style documentary about the disappearing cafes in the old Sheffield Castle Market. I think it shows that a) I'm too absorbed by politics at the moment if I'm dreaming about it and b) with the ongoing demolition of the Market I subconsciously really miss being able to pop in on Saturday mornings for a sausage sarnie.

Anyway...

This from Mark Steel is quite good.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/com ... 49989.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So it’s reasonable that it was the main item all day on the news, as this completely neutral group surprised everyone by supporting the side they always support. Tomorrow the news will start: “The Labour Party was rocked today by a letter supporting David Cameron signed by David Cameron. David Cameron said the letter proves he’s supported by people across the community. Even more damaging for Labour, the letter was signed by Mr Cameron three times, including once diagonally near the top.”

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 8:13 am

Spacedone wrote:Morning all.

I'm awake at stupid-o'clock after a bizarre dream about Ed Miliband doing a Louis Theroux-style documentary about the disappearing cafes in the old Sheffield Castle Market. I think it shows that a) I'm too absorbed by politics at the moment if I'm dreaming about it and b) with the ongoing demolition of the Market I subconsciously really miss being able to pop in on Saturday mornings for a sausage sarnie.

Anyway...

This from Mark Steel is quite good.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/com ... 49989.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So it’s reasonable that it was the main item all day on the news, as this completely neutral group surprised everyone by supporting the side they always support. Tomorrow the news will start: “The Labour Party was rocked today by a letter supporting David Cameron signed by David Cameron. David Cameron said the letter proves he’s supported by people across the community. Even more damaging for Labour, the letter was signed by Mr Cameron three times, including once diagonally near the top.”

Am just passing Castle Markets on 69 bus,
Forgot that Queen is visiting Cathedral today,
Police vans everywhere, Tram & bus routes all playing silly buggers.
Did get diverted earlier past "House of Hugo's Boutique Cocktail Bar"
What the hell's that??

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 8:21 am

tinybgoat wrote:
Spacedone wrote:Morning all.

I'm awake at stupid-o'clock after a bizarre dream about Ed Miliband doing a Louis Theroux-style documentary about the disappearing cafes in the old Sheffield Castle Market. I think it shows that a) I'm too absorbed by politics at the moment if I'm dreaming about it and b) with the ongoing demolition of the Market I subconsciously really miss being able to pop in on Saturday mornings for a sausage sarnie.

Anyway...

This from Mark Steel is quite good.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/com ... 49989.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So it’s reasonable that it was the main item all day on the news, as this completely neutral group surprised everyone by supporting the side they always support. Tomorrow the news will start: “The Labour Party was rocked today by a letter supporting David Cameron signed by David Cameron. David Cameron said the letter proves he’s supported by people across the community. Even more damaging for Labour, the letter was signed by Mr Cameron three times, including once diagonally near the top.”
Am just passing Castle Markets on 69 bus,
Forgot that Queen is visiting Cathedral today,
Police vans everywhere, Tram & bus routes all playing silly buggers.
Did get diverted earlier past "House of Hugo's Boutique Cocktail Bar"
What the hell's that??

Sounds like a very expensive fancy-pants 'hip bar' idea, soon to be replaced with someone else's bright idea. My late father's side of the family were mostly from Sheffield, yet another place that's changed almost beyond recognition – but I suppose that nearly everywhere does over a lifetime.

Great article there, @Spacedone! Well found

And good morning, all

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 8:27 am

I'm not devoid of morality, David Cameron tells church leaders

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... ch-leaders

And heeeerrrreeeesssss Dave being a 'God Botherer', again.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 8:29 am

Thanks for the Ed video last night.

When Ed becomes Prime Minister, and people see more of him, they will realise he is not the gawky geek who can't relate to people that the media have tried so hard to portray.

ErnstRemarx · Post by **ErnstRemarx** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 8:29 am

Time for a gripe.

Miliband's rocking up to Bury today, and apparently the event is so oversubscribed that only disciples of the idiot PPC get to go, rather than the people who kept the flag flying and the party alive in the darkest days of 2010. Nice to know where you stand. Full council last night and said PPC, who's standing down as a councillor, apparently turned up for the first 20 minutes and then fucked off, absorbed by the contents of his mobile phone. Why don't other people - who should really know better - not have warning bells clanging away in their ears as they are in mine.

Gripe over. At least the weather's improved.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 8:36 am

I don't think the Archbishop of Wales will be voting Tory, and if people listen to him they won't either.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... rs-8965593" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 8:46 am

Steve Bell's cartoon. A wonderful breakfast tonic. Pricks the pomposity (or possibly a different ordering of those words) splendidly.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... ell-nearly" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 8:48 am

ohsocynical wrote:
I'm not devoid of morality, David Cameron tells church leaders

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... ch-leaders
And heeeerrrreeeesssss Dave being a 'God Botherer', again.

Oh dear me. Why on earth do we need an Easter Message from the bloody Prime Minister, anyway!? The heirarachy of the churches, yes. The Queen as titular head of the CofE, yes. DC, no. Are we going to get bloody IDS' Easter Message next!?

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 8:49 am

It isn't often I swear, but Clegg just hits my obscenity button.

He's portraying himself as a brave fighter against the nasty Tories over in the Indie interview.
Desperate attempt to win back some of the left leaning voters he told to **** off a couple of years back.

Why will he not admit that by going into coalition and supporting the Tories in virtually everything, rather than agreeing to support them on a few issues and let them rule as a minority, he has allowed them to be nasty ?

The Tories may not have been able to vote through their most nasty policies if Clegg & his party hadn't trotted through the House lobbies with them.

One of the most frustrating things with Clegg is whether he is genuinely an idiot or just a self serving liar. I thought my anti-Clegg obsession had abated but since watching Coalition it has re-ignited.
I'm not jesting, I was diagnosed with OCD as a youngster and sometimes still thoughts can become obsessive.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 8:53 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:Steve Bell's cartoon. A wonderful breakfast tonic. Pricks the pomposity (or possibly a different ordering of those words) splendidly.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... ell-nearly" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Lovely to see you here RR.

I saw some Twitter pics of Preseli/Pembs Labour campaigning in Cardigan and around the other day.
A good turnout, and I wondered if you were in the pics. Really enjoy your reports from the doorsteps, and miss hearing about Mr RR's culinary endeavours.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 9:10 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:Steve Bell's cartoon. A wonderful breakfast tonic. Pricks the pomposity (or possibly a different ordering of those words) splendidly.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... ell-nearly" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That cartoon is horribly brilliant! Thank you

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 9:10 am

'suffer the little children'.

You're not supposed to take that literally Cameron and IDS.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 9:11 am

yahyah wrote:It isn't often I swear, but Clegg just hits my obscenity button.

He's portraying himself as a brave fighter against the nasty Tories over in the Indie interview.
Desperate attempt to win back some of the left leaning voters he told to **** off a couple of years back.

Why will he not admit that by going into coalition and supporting the Tories in virtually everything, rather than agreeing to support them on a few issues and let them rule as a minority, he has allowed them to be nasty ?

The Tories may not have been able to vote through their most nasty policies if Clegg & his party hadn't trotted through the House lobbies with them.

One of the most frustrating things with Clegg is whether he is genuinely an idiot or just a self serving liar. I thought my anti-Clegg obsession had abated but since watching Coalition it has re-ignited.
I'm not jesting, I was diagnosed with OCD as a youngster and sometimes still thoughts can become obsessive.

I don't think he has any willpower for want of a better word. Is incapable of saying no. Easily led or swayed. Likes a quiet life. Not the sort of characteristics the leader of a political party should have.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 9:16 am

LadyCentauria wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:Steve Bell's cartoon. A wonderful breakfast tonic. Pricks the pomposity (or possibly a different ordering of those words) splendidly.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... ell-nearly" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
That cartoon is horribly brilliant! Thank you

That reminded me of the other day when someone mentioned his trousers being hitched up rather high...

It'll be because he's getting a paunch and it tends to hang over the waistband once you go past a certain size. So you raise the waist.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 9:26 am

LadyCentauria wrote:Are we going to get bloody IDS' Easter Message next!?

The man who makes the lame walk, the crippled work and can raise the dead? Of course we are.

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 9:28 am

LadyCentauria wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:
I'm not devoid of morality, David Cameron tells church leaders

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... ch-leaders
And heeeerrrreeeesssss Dave being a 'God Botherer', again.
Oh dear me. Why on earth do we need an Easter Message from the bloody Prime Minister, anyway!? The heirarachy of the churches, yes. The Queen as titular head of the CofE, yes. DC, no. Are we going to get bloody IDS' Easter Message next!?

IDS, reading from the book of St.Ann,
A little known gospel that never gets written down,
but instead gets whispered into the ear of worthy enough leaders.?

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 9:56 am

Morning all.

This is interesting but I haven't seen an announcement as to why...

Take a look at the DfE Board down the bottom of the page.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisat ... -education

A noticeable absence...Theodore Agnew seems to have been removed either voluntarily or otherwise.

Wonder why - unless Labour said that he wouldn't be welcome in their new setup so he's left.

Could someone tweet Laura McInerney to see whether she wants to follow it up?

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

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 10:01 am

God Moaning. See below.....

I had a weird dream last night involving 'Allo 'Allo (no, I have no idea where that came from)

For your delectation this moaning - as Officer Crabtree would say - I have recast the Dramatis Personae thusly......

Rene - Osborne (before he went on his diet/lost weight with assistance from diet coke);
Edith - Theresa May; Michelle of the Resistance - Theresa Villiers;
Herr Flick - IDS; Helga (who used any opportunity to strip to her posh undies)- Fester McVile;
Monsieur LeClerc - Vince Cable; Officer Crabtree - Beaker (both of whom always get stuff wrong);
Captain Alberto Bertorelli - Grant V Shapps;
Ze Breetish Airmen (who never ever manage to escape) - Clegg and Gove.
Cameron - Major General Erich Von Klinkerhoffen.

Although, to be fair, Rene's band of resistance fighters were a bit more efficient.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 10:13 am

Speaking of Gove * he is on the BBCQT panel tonight, alongside Andy Burnham, Beaker **, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown and Peter Hitchens. Might actually be worth a watch, in marked contrast to the mass debate which loses out to The Big Bang Theory as far as I am concerned; I'll probably learn more watching TBBT and will certainly have more fun.

* Neat Segway from Ephe's post, eh?
** Segway numero deux

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 10:17 am

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
LadyCentauria wrote:Are we going to get bloody IDS' Easter Message next!?
The man who makes the lame walk, the crippled work and can raise the dead? Of course we are.

You know perfectly well, TGS, that Saint George Of Easterhouse had a Paulesque conversion on the road back to Chingford upon which he was told what his mission was to be by none other than God himself. George "believes" and we must too.

He has informed us more than once (and he can see you there, TGS, skulking at the back so he knows you can hear him) that his work is informed by God and by his beliefs. This means his mission to rid us of our worklessness is a religious crusade.

Not only can he make the lame walk (more than 50 metres on a level surface without assistance from another person, 0 points) he can make them "mobilise" ( more than 50 etc. etc) in a wheelchair they haven't got, such is the calibre of his miracles.

He knows, because God has told him so, that recalcitrant ill people who haven't got a wheelchair could mobilise as ordered and thus get zero points if only they would imagine they had such a wheelchair.
You need to understand that it is hardly the fault of Saint George (or the instructions he gets from God) that these obstinate workshy scroungers refuse to agree that they could get about and work if only they used their imaginations.

In fact, I have it on excellent authority (the Archangel Andrew of Marr told me so) that Saint George will possibly maybe deliver his Easter Gospel if he thinks it's relevant after we have agreed as a nation that he is correct in all things and the Gospel itself may or may not be cut at some point but we do not need to know that because all we have to do is believe in God, King Cammy, and St.George!

O Ye of little faith....

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 10:25 am

ephemerid wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
LadyCentauria wrote:Are we going to get bloody IDS' Easter Message next!?
The man who makes the lame walk, the crippled work and can raise the dead? Of course we are.

You know perfectly well, TGS, that Saint George Of Easterhouse had a Paulesque conversion on the road back to Chingford upon which he was told what his mission was to be by none other than God himself. George "believes" and we must too.

He has informed us more than once (and he can see you there, TGS, skulking at the back so he knows you can hear him) that his work is informed by God and by his beliefs. This means his mission to rid us of our worklessness is a religious crusade.

Not only can he make the lame walk (more than 50 metres on a level surface without assistance from another person, 0 points) he can make them "mobilise" ( more than 50 etc. etc) in a wheelchair they haven't got, such is the calibre of his miracles.

He knows, because God has told him so, that recalcitrant ill people who haven't got a wheelchair could mobilise as ordered and thus get zero points if only they would imagine they had such a wheelchair.
You need to understand that it is hardly the fault of Saint George (or the instructions he gets from God) that these obstinate workshy scroungers refuse to agree that they could get about and work if only they used their imaginations.

In fact, I have it on excellent authority (the Archangel Andrew of Marr told me so) that Saint George will possibly maybe deliver his Easter Gospel if he thinks it's relevant after we have agreed as a nation that he is correct in all things and the Gospel itself may or may not be cut at some point but we do not need to know that because all we have to do is believe in God, King Cammy, and St.George!

O Ye of little faith....

It's only a matter of time before they contemplate Indiana Governor Mike Pence's religious freedom law.

ScarletGas · Post by **ScarletGas** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 10:28 am

Bore Da,

Where do they get these "talking heads" from?

Peter Kellner just now on BBC news channel.

Question.....Can the debate tonight make a difference?

Answer.....It can if one of the main candidates does extraordinarily well or extraordinarily badly.

No shit Sherlock!!!

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 10:35 am

Doncaster Councils response to the ZHC allegations:

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 10:41 am

pk1 wrote:Doncaster Councils response to the ZHC allegations:

Chances this becomes common public knowledge?

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 10:46 am

Good morfternoon.

There's a photograph, on the Guardian's on-line front page, of David Cameron holding a hammer with his hands covered in gore. (Actually, he's wearing red rubber gloves but I had to look twice to check.) There's a message in there, somewhere . . . .

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 10:52 am

Anxious Tories are urging David Cameron to change the tone of the party’s election campaign by following the example of Franklin D Roosevelt, who won multiple White House terms during the Great Depression with the upbeat song Happy Days Are Here Again.

“Our campaign is dispiriting, I am sure a little bit of David dies every time he has to speak in such negative language,” one former minister said. “Optimism always wins. Pessimism dances to Ukip’s tune. We should be more confident.”

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

Dave thrives on it negative campaigning & is no FDR. It's not an article from yesterday, either.

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:02 am

StephenDolan wrote:
pk1 wrote:Doncaster Councils response to the ZHC allegations:
Chances this becomes common public knowledge?

All/most LAs have a pool of relief workers, question is why some people bother to make a politically motivated fuss about it.
More to the point, why do dozy media types give it space.

Hobiejoe · Post by **Hobiejoe** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:02 am

Buenas Dias everyone. Please don't hate me too much, but for the benefit of the many green-fingered FTN'ers, I'm posting this from a shady corner of the gardens of the Alcazar in Seville. Nice plants.

We're here on a house swap, so we only had to pay for travel, which makes for a cheap way to experience life in different cultures (we did a swap to the Welsh Borders last year

). Being Easter week we're here in the middle of Semana Santa. Extraordinary atmosphere, I'll post more about it in the pub when we get home.

So I guess I'm indulging in International Lurking, and thanks for keeping me up to date with the electoral shenanigans.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:04 am

PorFavor wrote:Good morfternoon.

There's a photograph, on the Guardian's on-line front page, of David Cameron holding a hammer with his hands covered in gore. (Actually, he's wearing red rubber gloves but I had to look twice to check.) There's a message in there, somewhere . . . .

It looks like he's just eviscerated someone - and he really shouldn't do that.

That's IDS's job.

Anyway - the article the gore-pic attaches to is reporting that some Tories have opined that Cameron should be sending out a positive message in FDR style...."Happy days are here again" etc.

Of course, the Tories involved probably don't know their history. FDR's New Deal involved all manner of socialist ideas and a lot of public investment. Can't see a modern-day Tory agreeing to that.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:05 am

Cripes! I'm the Devil!

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:05 am

Hobiejoe wrote:Buenas Dias everyone. Please don't hate me too much, but for the benefit of the many green-fingered FTN'ers, I'm posting this from a shady corner of the gardens of the Alcazar in Seville. Nice plants.

We're here on a house swap, so we only had to pay for travel, which makes for a cheap way to experience life in different cultures (we did a swap to the Welsh Borders last year ). Being Easter week we're here in the middle of Semana Santa. Extraordinary atmosphere, I'll post more about it in the pub when we get home.

So I guess I'm indulging in International Lurking, and thanks for keeping me up to date with the electoral shenanigans.

It's good to hear from you! I'm delighted you're getting time to relax & enjoy.

xx
cJA

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:06 am

ephemerid wrote:Cripes! I'm the Devil!

Never!

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:06 am

Britain Elects @britainelects
Follow

Latest Populus poll
(31 Mar - 01 Apr)
LAB - 34% (-)
CON - 32% (-2)
UKIP - 15% (-)
LDEM - 9% (+1)
GRN - 5% (+1)

Still no clear Labour lead, but no Tory one either. They're just constantly swapping places now. I don't think NicholasB's "crossover" is going to happen. Looks like it's going to be neck and neck all the way now, leading to anything from a Tory minority to a Labour majority. Tense times.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:08 am

StephenDolan wrote:
pk1 wrote:Doncaster Councils response to the ZHC allegations:
Chances this becomes common public knowledge?

It has been common knowledge for a couple of years now, but that never stops the usual suspects trotting the Doncaster lie out with wearisome regularity; as I recall the tedious NickyB is overly fond of it.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:09 am

ErnstRemarx wrote:Time for a gripe.

Miliband's rocking up to Bury today, and apparently the event is so oversubscribed that only disciples of the idiot PPC get to go, rather than the people who kept the flag flying and the party alive in the darkest days of 2010. Nice to know where you stand. Full council last night and said PPC, who's standing down as a councillor, apparently turned up for the first 20 minutes and then fucked off, absorbed by the contents of his mobile phone. Why don't other people - who should really know better - not have warning bells clanging away in their ears as they are in mine.

Gripe over. At least the weather's improved.

That's not fair. I take it you won't be able to get in?

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:12 am

The reason I don't put a lot of faith in polls now is because Labour had a lead over Tories for years on the lead up to this time. What's changed?

Rebecca · Post by **Rebecca** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:12 am

Morning.
Was pleased to see the Ed radio interview embedded quite early in today's politics /he blog at the guardian.Bit surprised tho.
I'm not allowed to celebrate easter this year,sadly,but have treated myself to the BEST chocolate in the universe,Monty bojangles butterscotch and seasalt truffles.Am staringb longingly at the box.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:17 am

From AS blog:

Research from Talkwalker, one of Europe’s biggest providers of social analytics, shows that Ed Miliband was the favourite on social media in the weeks preceding the official start of the election campaign. In March, his party got 1.24m mentions on social media. In comparison, UKIP got 784,000 and the Tories 540,000.

On the night of the leaders’ election debate, 44.5% of overall conversation went to Labour, and just 17.6% to the Conservatives. Ed Miliband also registered 70% of commentary across all online media on that evening, while David Cameron registered 23%.

I doubt social media is too telling of general public opinion though.

So if you doubt social media is too telling of general public opinion though, how come hacks everywhere publish so many articles that were created on twitter ?

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:21 am

pk1 wrote:From AS blog:

Research from Talkwalker, one of Europe’s biggest providers of social analytics, shows that Ed Miliband was the favourite on social media in the weeks preceding the official start of the election campaign. In March, his party got 1.24m mentions on social media. In comparison, UKIP got 784,000 and the Tories 540,000.

On the night of the leaders’ election debate, 44.5% of overall conversation went to Labour, and just 17.6% to the Conservatives. Ed Miliband also registered 70% of commentary across all online media on that evening, while David Cameron registered 23%.

I doubt social media is too telling of general public opinion though.
So if you doubt social media is too telling of general public opinion though, how come hacks everywhere publish so many articles that were created on twitter ?

Clicking the thank you thingy isn't enough. Well said. Information ultimately making it to the general public isn't fair representation from mainstream media, it's manipulation.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:22 am

The point about social media is that it is a counterpoint to a biased and out of touch MSM. And it is going to become more important in the future, not less.

(IMO it also had a role in driving up turnout last time, and I expect it will again)

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:23 am

Just think, if things had gone really badly the last parliament, we could've been like France.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:24 am

Greenslade has a photo of an inside double-page spread from the Scum. It says that 120 business leaders spoke against Labour etc but what interested me was that yesterday it was only 103, with the other 17 being added for today's Torygraph so clearly, the Tory anti-Labour campaign is orchestrating the Scumygraph, not reacting to the news.

http://www.theguardian.com/media/greens ... ess-chiefs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:25 am

I see NickyB's bigging up the Tory candidates to replace Hague and Willetts.

The candidate for Richmond turns out to be...yet another Policy Exchange bod with an interest in a free school in London.

http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/people ... ishi-sunak" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For an allegedly non-partisan charity, they sure do have a few links with the Tories...

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:30 am

I received an e-mail giving me a progress report on my "Hell(,) yes" tee-shirt order. I was pleased (and relieved) that the Labour Party is having it produced in a GB (or was it a UK?) 'factory. I was a bit worried about some shock press coverage emerging about where it was coming from but didn't like to air my concerns for fear of starting a hare running. Glad they've covered that base.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:30 am

Hobiejoe wrote:Buenas Dias everyone. Please don't hate me too much, but for the benefit of the many green-fingered FTN'ers, I'm posting this from a shady corner of the gardens of the Alcazar in Seville. Nice plants.

We're here on a house swap, so we only had to pay for travel, which makes for a cheap way to experience life in different cultures (we did a swap to the Welsh Borders last year ). Being Easter week we're here in the middle of Semana Santa. Extraordinary atmosphere, I'll post more about it in the pub when we get home.

So I guess I'm indulging in International Lurking, and thanks for keeping me up to date with the electoral shenanigans.

Oh you lucky people

How beautiful and such sights to see, too. I shall dance the Sevillanas in your honour – well, the arms bits – and my nap shall transform itself into a siesta. Hazar!

Rebecca · Post by **Rebecca** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:30 am

pk1 wrote:From AS blog:

Research from Talkwalker, one of Europe’s biggest providers of social analytics, shows that Ed Miliband was the favourite on social media in the weeks preceding the official start of the election campaign. In March, his party got 1.24m mentions on social media. In comparison, UKIP got 784,000 and the Tories 540,000.

On the night of the leaders’ election debate, 44.5% of overall conversation went to Labour, and just 17.6% to the Conservatives. Ed Miliband also registered 70% of commentary across all online media on that evening, while David Cameron registered 23%.

I doubt social media is too telling of general public opinion though.
So if you doubt social media is too telling of general public opinion though, how come hacks everywhere publish so many articles that were created on twitter ?

Because they're too lazy to work on a real story now,just fill up pieces with twitter quotes.

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:33 am

citizenJA wrote:
Anxious Tories are urging David Cameron to change the tone of the party’s election campaign by following the example of Franklin D Roosevelt, who won multiple White House terms during the Great Depression with the upbeat song Happy Days Are Here Again.

“Our campaign is dispiriting, I am sure a little bit of David dies every time he has to speak in such negative language,” one former minister said. “Optimism always wins. Pessimism dances to Ukip’s tune. We should be more confident.”

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... lighten-up" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Dave thrives on it negative campaigning & is no FDR. It's not an article from yesterday, either.

Seeing it's Easter,
He could go with "All for the best" from Godspell (Stevebln Sondheim)

When you feel sad, or under a curse
Your life is bad, your prospects are worse
Your wife is sighing, crying,
And your olive tree is dying,
Temples are graying, and teeth are decaying
And creditors weighing your purse...
Your mood and your robe
Are both a deep blue
You'd bet that Job
Had nothin' on you...
Don't forget that when you get to
Heaven you'll be blessed..
Yes, it's all for the best...
Some men are born to live at ease,
doing what they please,
Richer than the bees are in honey
Never growing old, never feeling cold
Pulling pots of gold from thin air
The best in every town, best at shaking down
Best at making mountains of money
They can't take it with them, but what do they care?
They get the center of the meat, cushions on the seat
Houses on the street where it's sunny..
Summers at the sea, winters warm and free
All of this and we get the rest...
But who is the land for? the sun and the sand for?
You guessed! It's all for the best...
(Repeat both verses in unison twice)
Don't forget that when you get to Heaven you'll be blessed!
Yes, it's all for the.....(all your wrongs will be redressed..)
Yes, it's all for the.....(you must never be distressed....)
Yes, it's all for the.....(someone's got to be oppressed!)
Yes, it's all for the best!!!

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:49 am

Good piece pointed to by AS blog:

http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolic ... ign=buffer" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interestingly, in view of the social media points made ^^, it includes this para:

The rise of social media has also been another important countervailing force. Social media—Twitter and Facebook in particular— are now able to oﬀer both alternative views and, at times, robust challenges to the political narrative of the mainstream media. Indeed, one of the major drivers of social media conversations is what the mainstream media is reporting, and whether or not it should be trusted.

(my bold)

ErnstRemarx · Post by **ErnstRemarx** » Thu 02 Apr, 2015 11:58 am

pk1 wrote:Doncaster Councils response to the ZHC allegations:

Exactly Bury Council's stance on ZHCs. We have employees who cn run with 2-3-4 ZHCs, to fill out their working time to their satisfaction, and none of them are tied in exclusively to us. That's how ZHCs can and should be used.