Friday 24th April

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AngryAsWell
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by AngryAsWell »

What the hell is Chuka on? This might be right in principal (although I'm not 100% on that) but for heavens sake this is not the time!

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

Umunna, who has been speaking to Heseltine in recent years as shadow business secretary, hopes to sign him up alongside Vince Cable and Peter Mandelson, the current and immediate past business secretaries. “Michael was a visionary, there’s no doubt about that and he fought battles with the right of his party like Michael Portillo against active government and I believe in active government, which is different from intervention. Active government is working in partnership with the private sector.”
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frightful_oik
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by frightful_oik »

I hope this is one of those things that will get dropped very quickly:
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... s-election
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you-
Ye are many - they are few."
PaulfromYorkshire
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

http://may2015.com/featured/election-20 ... -minister/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

election-2015-this-is-how-ed-miliband-gets-to-323-seats-and-becomes-prime-minister
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LadyCentauria
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by LadyCentauria »

FuriousGeorge wrote:Not sure where to start with this one....


[youtube]9Ep36luEld8[/youtube]


aw i cant work the youtube link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=48&v=9Ep36luEld8
Published on 24 Apr 2015
A Hindi song especially composed for the General Election 2015 - a first in British election history. It encourages 1.6 million British Indians to support David Cameron and let him finish the job of turning around the British economy.

David Cameron has done more than any other British Prime Minister since World War II to help build a strong and positive relationship with India and engage actively with the British Indian Community. The Conservatives are also the only party to have made specific commitments in their Manifesto about India, including pushing for an ambitious EU-India trade deal and supporting India’s bid for permanent representation on the UN Security Council.

Song written, composed and produced by Pandit Dinesh
Vocals by Navin Kundra & Rubayyatt Jahan
Instrumental (Flute) by Baqir Abbas

The essential meaning of the Hindi song translated into English is as follows:

The sky is blue and glorious
This is the colour of Britain’s pride
Let’s join together with this blue colour
Let’s join hands with David Cameron
Who will take us forward together

Your dreams will be fulfilled
He’ll keep his commitments
The job which David has started
He’s determined to finish
Stay with him
Trust him
And give him your full support
(from the youtube link above)

I'd hoped that it would have been an amusing ditty about pointing at fish whilst looking like a red puffer fish. Hey ho.
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tinyclanger2
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by tinyclanger2 »

AngryAsWell wrote:What the hell is Chuka on? This might be right in principal (although I'm not 100% on that) but for heavens sake this is not the time!

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

Umunna, who has been speaking to Heseltine in recent years as shadow business secretary, hopes to sign him up alongside Vince Cable and Peter Mandelson, the current and immediate past business secretaries. “Michael was a visionary, there’s no doubt about that and he fought battles with the right of his party like Michael Portillo against active government and I believe in active government, which is different from intervention. Active government is working in partnership with the private sector.”
Hmm. My first thought was that this was a pretty smart move. Being kind of inclusive politically about an issue (inner city regeneration) that will resonate with people living in big cities (Labour voters). I may be already spoiling you (or turning into PfY) with my new inclusionist position, but to my thinking it seems to limit the Coaltion even further.

I am however, naive in such matters.
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tinyclanger2
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by tinyclanger2 »

(missed a comma out, sorry PF)
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PorFavor
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by PorFavor »

AngryAsWell wrote:What the hell is Chuka on? This might be right in principal (although I'm not 100% on that) but for heavens sake this is not the time!

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

Umunna, who has been speaking to Heseltine in recent years as shadow business secretary, hopes to sign him up alongside Vince Cable and Peter Mandelson, the current and immediate past business secretaries. “Michael was a visionary, there’s no doubt about that and he fought battles with the right of his party like Michael Portillo against active government and I believe in active government, which is different from intervention. Active government is working in partnership with the private sector.”

Yes. I think this is something best buried quietly and quickly.

Although I think, of the three, Michael Heseltine is the least repugnant and Peter Mandelson is the most likely to be disruptive. (I theorised about what was behind his (Peter Mandelson's) "I'm proud of Ed Miliband" patronising claptrap, yesterday. Was this it, then? He shouldn't be allowed to get a foot in the door.)



Edited to close . . . . brackets
Last edited by PorFavor on Fri 24 Apr, 2015 3:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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tinyclanger2
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by tinyclanger2 »

graun blog wrote:Cable said the bank had “responded to the ring-fence in a positive way”, but added that HSBC may be alarmed by “the possibility of a Conservative-dominated government distancing the UK from the European Union and therefore losing any influence over the key decisions affecting the financial services industry”.
In some ways he is the worst of the lot.
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PorFavor
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by PorFavor »

@ LadyCentauria

Thanks. Catchy. Hold David Cameron's hand?
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ephemerid
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by ephemerid »

Tish wrote:This is a bit random in regard to what's been posted so far this morning, but I was just wondering, does anyone know what all this talk of English only taxes and EVEL, and the attempts to argue that the SNP shouldn't be allowed to have a part in any new government is having in Wales? The Tories clearly don't care what effect these attempts to paint Scottish MPs as somehow inferior to their English counterparts are having amongst Scottish voters, seeing as they've only got the one seat anyway, but as they've got eight seats in Wales I would have thought they'd be a bit more careful about giving the impression that non English MPs are somehow less legitimate in Westminster.

The Tories seem to have spent the last week painting themselves as only interested in fighting for England against the evil macinations of the Scots, I don't think I've even heard them explain how Wales fits into any of this, it's like they've forgotten that there is another country in the UK, one where they still, amazingly, have a fair bit of support. I know there are a lot of people on here who live in Wales so I was just wondering, how are people there reacting to it all?


Wales is only spoken of as either - the disaster that is a Labour-run government, or that place on the other side of the death border.

The Scots get proportionately more dosh from Barnett than the Welsh; the Scots were a gnat's dick away from independence; the Scots have their own justice system; the Scots have a different educational system and different school/academic qualifications; the Scots have a relatively wealthy country that pays a good amount of tax; the Scots have the oil.

Wales is not the poorest country in the UK - that dubious honour goes to Northern Ireland. What it does have is pockets of extreme poverty - the West Wales area is the poorest in the EU. Wales has the highest unemployment rate in the UK but not by much.
Wales also - in common with post-industrial areas in England - has a lot of chronic ill-health.

Wales is much more closely connected to England in a way Scotland isn't. I think it is assumed a lot of the time that England and Wales are almost one country - the only time this isn't true for most politicians is when something happens in Wales (NHS, education) that the Tories can use as propaganda.
I think the current Welsh government is not interested in independence - and whatever Leanne Wood thinks, there is no way Wales could survive if it did not have funding from central UK government. It simply isn't wealthy enough on it's own. More devolved powers could work, though.

Cameron made a serious mistake when he refused a devo-max option on the referendum ballot. Had he allowed it, that's probably what the Scots would have voted for. On the strength of one rogue poll, he panicked and sent Labour up to Scotland to rescue him, then made his preposterous vow which he reneged on the following day.
Even then, he only got the result he wanted by a small margin. His arrogance may prevent him from seeing that he was very lucky - but I think the main reason why the SNP are now doing so well is because the Scots are furious; even those who do not want independence are unimpressed by him and by Labour engaging with his shenanigans.
A lot of what's happening now with all the talk of a Labour/SNP arrangement post-election is due to that - Cameron knows that he is toast north of the border. He'll get no support from the Scots on election day, so he can use them as a threat as long as the SNP continues to get people on board and Labour loses seats to them.

Wales doesn't interest him - he knows that the Welsh will vote for his party in a few safe-ish seats; the rest of the country will be Labour predominantly in the South, LibDem in the middle, and few Plaid up north. I'm not expecting much else - the Tories might nick Brecon and Radnor off the LibDems (unfortunately - as our Labour guy is terrific)
Wales is probably seen by Cameron as the poor relation - as long as the Welsh don't vote Tory, he won't care about them. The fact that Northern Ireland is poorer still doesn't escape him - he's prepared to do deals on benefit changes and bedroom tax in NI if he gets the agreements he wants on other issues. NI has different rules, it seems.

I suspect Wales will be ignored, pretty much, in the run-up to the voting. I think Cameron will tempt the DUP with all manner of promises on social security and other stuff in the hope they'll prop him up if he's close to getting into office again.
"Poverty is the worst form of violence" - Mahatma Gandhi
howsillyofme1
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by howsillyofme1 »

Afternoon

One thing about the Libdems, especially Alexander, is that they never fail to come up with innovative ways to look ridiculous!

http://www.libdemvoice.org/danny-alexan ... l#comments" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And LDV is such a great satire.....does Iannucci write it?
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tinyclanger2
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by tinyclanger2 »

PorFavor wrote:


Edited to close . . . . brackets
I think you should give them a miss altogether. Try the em dash for a bit. A bit trendy i know but you might find it liberating.
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PorFavor
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by PorFavor »

From the Guardian's Election Blog -
David Miliband

@DMiliband

Proud to have voted #Labour. #Ed4PM.
4:03 PM - 24 Apr 2015

267 267 Retweets
185
PorFavor
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by PorFavor »

tinyclanger2 wrote:
PorFavor wrote:


Edited to close . . . . brackets
I think you should give them a miss altogether. Try the em dash for a bit. A bit trendy i know but you might find it liberating.
Yes - you're probably right.

(What's the em dash? I had a Great Aunt Em but she didn't do much dashing when I was around. As you've no doubt gathered, I'm not even a bit trendy!)
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LadyCentauria
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by LadyCentauria »

— <em dash
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This time, I'm gonna be stronger I'm not giving in...
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by citizenJA »

PorFavor wrote:From the Guardian's Election Blog -
David Miliband

@DMiliband

Proud to have voted #Labour. #Ed4PM.
4:03 PM - 24 Apr 2015

267 267 Retweets
185
Hell, yes :rock:
PorFavor
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by PorFavor »

@ citizenJA

Thanks for including the comma.
gilsey
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by gilsey »

PorFavor wrote:From the Guardian's Election Blog -
David Miliband

@DMiliband

Proud to have voted #Labour. #Ed4PM.
4:03 PM - 24 Apr 2015

267 267 Retweets
185
I was wondering in an idle moment if DM feels proud of his little brother now. Why wouldn't you?
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tinyclanger2
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by tinyclanger2 »

http://www.ondemandnews.com/UK/129818/n ... istasteful?
Nick Clegg says: Miliband is "distasteful".
Not a man to let self-awareness get in the way of a bit of the limelight is he, Clegg?
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Kevin Brennan ‏@KevinBrennanMP 48m48 minutes ago
Just had an email from Boris Johnson asking me to phone for the Tories - wow their campaign really is an unfocused shambles!
:lol:
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Peter Hain ‏@PeterHain 50m50 minutes ago
Carmarthen today many Postal Voters already voted @delyth_evans @welshlabour vote buoyant compared 2010 in this Tory Lab marginal
Good to hear. I'd love Simon Hart to get his marching orders.
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Nicholas Watt ‏@nicholaswatt 6m6 minutes ago
I thought Frinton was great when I stayed here with girl friend's family 33 years ago + then she dumped me - @david_cameron
Gaby Hinsliff ‏@gabyhinsliff 3m3 minutes ago
Cue "Were YOU the woman from Frinton who dumped David Cameron? Phone everyone's newsdesk now" etc
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by rebeccariots2 »

James Tapsfield ‏@JamesTapsfield 1m1 minute ago
Cameron delivering dire warnings about prospects for the Ipswich Wet Dock crossing under Labour/SNP here. Or maybe it was wet duck crossing
Maybe Tapsfield has been reading FTN today ... at any rate, it seems some hacks are also raising their eyebrows at the manufactured SNP paranoia.
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ephemerid
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by ephemerid »

Por Favor - I have a song for you.

"Comma comma comma comma comma commeleeeon, you come and go, you come and go-oh-oh-oh......"

I like this so much I might use "comma" for my meditation mantra........
"Poverty is the worst form of violence" - Mahatma Gandhi
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by rebeccariots2 »

shaminder nahal ‏@shamindernahal 27m27 minutes ago
That press release from the UN Human rights chief on #KatieHopkins - http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Page ... 5&LangID=E" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …
The High Commissioner noted that Article 20 of the ICCPR, as well as elements relating to hate speech in the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination* (both of which have been ratified by the U.K., as well as by all other EU countries), were rooted in the desire to outlaw the type of anti-Semitic and other racially based hate speech used by the Nazi media during the 1930s. “The Nazi media described people their masters wanted to eliminate as rats and cockroaches. This type of language is clearly inflammatory and unacceptable, especially in a national newspaper. The Sun’s editors took an editorial decision to publish this article, and – if it is found in breach of the law – should be held responsible along with the author.” - See more at: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Page ... QeNsd.dpuf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Celebrities sign statement of support for Caroline Lucas – but not the Greens
Artists, business leaders and scientists endorse Caroline Lucas’s re-election to Brighton Pavilion but refrain from backing her party nationally
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... reen-party" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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PorFavor
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by PorFavor »

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Celebrities sign statement of support for Caroline Lucas – but not the Greens
Artists, business leaders and scientists endorse Caroline Lucas’s re-election to Brighton Pavilion but refrain from backing her party nationally
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... reen-party" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Natalie Bennett will be thrilled. I feel a bit sorry for for her (genuinely).

(Can't get along with those em things - I tried.)
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by rebeccariots2 »

US government says drilling causes earthquakes – what took them so long?
US Geological Survey backpedals on previous research on wastewater fracking-induced earthquakes that have shaken eight states in last seven years

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/a ... cal-survey" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Tish
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by Tish »

ephemerid wrote:
Tish wrote:This is a bit random in regard to what's been posted so far this morning, but I was just wondering, does anyone know what all this talk of English only taxes and EVEL, and the attempts to argue that the SNP shouldn't be allowed to have a part in any new government is having in Wales? The Tories clearly don't care what effect these attempts to paint Scottish MPs as somehow inferior to their English counterparts are having amongst Scottish voters, seeing as they've only got the one seat anyway, but as they've got eight seats in Wales I would have thought they'd be a bit more careful about giving the impression that non English MPs are somehow less legitimate in Westminster.

The Tories seem to have spent the last week painting themselves as only interested in fighting for England against the evil macinations of the Scots, I don't think I've even heard them explain how Wales fits into any of this, it's like they've forgotten that there is another country in the UK, one where they still, amazingly, have a fair bit of support. I know there are a lot of people on here who live in Wales so I was just wondering, how are people there reacting to it all?


Wales is only spoken of as either - the disaster that is a Labour-run government, or that place on the other side of the death border.

The Scots get proportionately more dosh from Barnett than the Welsh; the Scots were a gnat's dick away from independence; the Scots have their own justice system; the Scots have a different educational system and different school/academic qualifications; the Scots have a relatively wealthy country that pays a good amount of tax; the Scots have the oil.

Wales is not the poorest country in the UK - that dubious honour goes to Northern Ireland. What it does have is pockets of extreme poverty - the West Wales area is the poorest in the EU. Wales has the highest unemployment rate in the UK but not by much.
Wales also - in common with post-industrial areas in England - has a lot of chronic ill-health.

Wales is much more closely connected to England in a way Scotland isn't. I think it is assumed a lot of the time that England and Wales are almost one country - the only time this isn't true for most politicians is when something happens in Wales (NHS, education) that the Tories can use as propaganda.
I think the current Welsh government is not interested in independence - and whatever Leanne Wood thinks, there is no way Wales could survive if it did not have funding from central UK government. It simply isn't wealthy enough on it's own. More devolved powers could work, though.

Cameron made a serious mistake when he refused a devo-max option on the referendum ballot. Had he allowed it, that's probably what the Scots would have voted for. On the strength of one rogue poll, he panicked and sent Labour up to Scotland to rescue him, then made his preposterous vow which he reneged on the following day.
Even then, he only got the result he wanted by a small margin. His arrogance may prevent him from seeing that he was very lucky - but I think the main reason why the SNP are now doing so well is because the Scots are furious; even those who do not want independence are unimpressed by him and by Labour engaging with his shenanigans.
A lot of what's happening now with all the talk of a Labour/SNP arrangement post-election is due to that - Cameron knows that he is toast north of the border. He'll get no support from the Scots on election day, so he can use them as a threat as long as the SNP continues to get people on board and Labour loses seats to them.

Wales doesn't interest him - he knows that the Welsh will vote for his party in a few safe-ish seats; the rest of the country will be Labour predominantly in the South, LibDem in the middle, and few Plaid up north. I'm not expecting much else - the Tories might nick Brecon and Radnor off the LibDems (unfortunately - as our Labour guy is terrific)
Wales is probably seen by Cameron as the poor relation - as long as the Welsh don't vote Tory, he won't care about them. The fact that Northern Ireland is poorer still doesn't escape him - he's prepared to do deals on benefit changes and bedroom tax in NI if he gets the agreements he wants on other issues. NI has different rules, it seems.

I suspect Wales will be ignored, pretty much, in the run-up to the voting. I think Cameron will tempt the DUP with all manner of promises on social security and other stuff in the hope they'll prop him up if he's close to getting into office again.
I suspect you're right, but I was hoping that the sight of Cameron identifying himself so much with the English against the Scots might provoke some Welsh Tories into wondering where exactly they fit in to that vision. It seems pretty apparent that for all the talk of protecting the union, Scotland and Wales are viewed very much as the junior partners in Cameron's view of the country, only to be tolerated if they tow the line and vote in the appropriate manner. Even before the rise of the SNP there was a fair bit of moaning from them about Labour only getting back into power becouse of the seats they would win in Scotland and Wales, as if that would somehow make a Labour government illegitimate. Even if you supported the Tories economically and socially I would have thought that these constant slights, the suggestion that votes in Wales and Scotland shouldn't really carry the same weight as those in England, might make you think again.
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by rebeccariots2 »

PorFavor wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
Celebrities sign statement of support for Caroline Lucas – but not the Greens
Artists, business leaders and scientists endorse Caroline Lucas’s re-election to Brighton Pavilion but refrain from backing her party nationally
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... reen-party" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Natalie Bennett will be thrilled. I feel a bit sorry for for her (genuinely).

(Can't get along with those em things - I tried.)
It seems strange to me - and I have to say makes me feel uncomfortable ... someone else will probably be able to articulate this better than me ... yes, Lucas is an important voice ... but she's representing a party, she's their only former UK MP representative and it feels wrong to disassociate her from the party.
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Tish wrote:
ephemerid wrote:
Tish wrote:This is a bit random in regard to what's been posted so far this morning, but I was just wondering, does anyone know what all this talk of English only taxes and EVEL, and the attempts to argue that the SNP shouldn't be allowed to have a part in any new government is having in Wales? The Tories clearly don't care what effect these attempts to paint Scottish MPs as somehow inferior to their English counterparts are having amongst Scottish voters, seeing as they've only got the one seat anyway, but as they've got eight seats in Wales I would have thought they'd be a bit more careful about giving the impression that non English MPs are somehow less legitimate in Westminster.

The Tories seem to have spent the last week painting themselves as only interested in fighting for England against the evil macinations of the Scots, I don't think I've even heard them explain how Wales fits into any of this, it's like they've forgotten that there is another country in the UK, one where they still, amazingly, have a fair bit of support. I know there are a lot of people on here who live in Wales so I was just wondering, how are people there reacting to it all?


Wales is only spoken of as either - the disaster that is a Labour-run government, or that place on the other side of the death border.

The Scots get proportionately more dosh from Barnett than the Welsh; the Scots were a gnat's dick away from independence; the Scots have their own justice system; the Scots have a different educational system and different school/academic qualifications; the Scots have a relatively wealthy country that pays a good amount of tax; the Scots have the oil.

Wales is not the poorest country in the UK - that dubious honour goes to Northern Ireland. What it does have is pockets of extreme poverty - the West Wales area is the poorest in the EU. Wales has the highest unemployment rate in the UK but not by much.
Wales also - in common with post-industrial areas in England - has a lot of chronic ill-health.

Wales is much more closely connected to England in a way Scotland isn't. I think it is assumed a lot of the time that England and Wales are almost one country - the only time this isn't true for most politicians is when something happens in Wales (NHS, education) that the Tories can use as propaganda.
I think the current Welsh government is not interested in independence - and whatever Leanne Wood thinks, there is no way Wales could survive if it did not have funding from central UK government. It simply isn't wealthy enough on it's own. More devolved powers could work, though.

Cameron made a serious mistake when he refused a devo-max option on the referendum ballot. Had he allowed it, that's probably what the Scots would have voted for. On the strength of one rogue poll, he panicked and sent Labour up to Scotland to rescue him, then made his preposterous vow which he reneged on the following day.
Even then, he only got the result he wanted by a small margin. His arrogance may prevent him from seeing that he was very lucky - but I think the main reason why the SNP are now doing so well is because the Scots are furious; even those who do not want independence are unimpressed by him and by Labour engaging with his shenanigans.
A lot of what's happening now with all the talk of a Labour/SNP arrangement post-election is due to that - Cameron knows that he is toast north of the border. He'll get no support from the Scots on election day, so he can use them as a threat as long as the SNP continues to get people on board and Labour loses seats to them.

Wales doesn't interest him - he knows that the Welsh will vote for his party in a few safe-ish seats; the rest of the country will be Labour predominantly in the South, LibDem in the middle, and few Plaid up north. I'm not expecting much else - the Tories might nick Brecon and Radnor off the LibDems (unfortunately - as our Labour guy is terrific)
Wales is probably seen by Cameron as the poor relation - as long as the Welsh don't vote Tory, he won't care about them. The fact that Northern Ireland is poorer still doesn't escape him - he's prepared to do deals on benefit changes and bedroom tax in NI if he gets the agreements he wants on other issues. NI has different rules, it seems.

I suspect Wales will be ignored, pretty much, in the run-up to the voting. I think Cameron will tempt the DUP with all manner of promises on social security and other stuff in the hope they'll prop him up if he's close to getting into office again.
I suspect you're right, but I was hoping that the sight of Cameron identifying himself so much with the English against the Scots might provoke some Welsh Tories into wondering where exactly they fit in to that vision. It seems pretty apparent that for all the talk of protecting the union, Scotland and Wales are viewed very much as the junior partners in Cameron's view of the country, only to be tolerated if they tow the line and vote in the appropriate manner. Even before the rise of the SNP there was a fair bit of moaning from them about Labour only getting back into power becouse of the seats they would win in Scotland and Wales, as if that would somehow make a Labour government illegitimate. Even if you supported the Tories economically and socially I would have thought that these constant slights, the suggestion that votes in Wales and Scotland shouldn't really carry the same weight as those in England, might make you think again.
Stephen Crabb - Welsh Secretary - is a complete Cameron poodle - he just follows the lets be beastly and offensive about Wales line - without ever seeming to question how that might play with his own voters here. He got shouted at at the hustings in Haverfordwest when he tried to continue running down the NHS here. When we went to a meeting he organises for voters he parroted the same old attacks on the Welsh Government and said it was just a 'spending department'. Very dismissive.
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by pk1 »

I'm rather confused by John Crace.

For months we had nonsense from him but more rcently, he's been writing some pro-Miliband stuff.
Go, Statesman. When a third journalist tried to ask the same question in a slightly different way, there were even a few jeers from the Chatham House audience. That is almost unheard of. A Statesman deserved a fair hearing. We may not have learned as much as we would have liked about how this Statesman would act on a global stage. But we had learned that he can look and sound like one.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blo ... l-election" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jeers from the Chatham House crowd ? Strange how the press, both TV & print, has chosen not to share that with their audience....
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by pk1 »

Ross Kemp has been campaigning with Will Scobie, Labour's candidate for Broadstairs, Kent so he's another celebrity that can be added to the Labour-supporter list.
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by ohsocynical »

@CitizenJ/A

Clean Air in London ‏@CleanAirLondon 1 day1 day ago

Seems Defra is deliberately covering up #airpollution data in the run up to the election. All monitors and data offline 16 days after hack
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. – Aesop
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by LadyCentauria »

Kingston-upon-Thames is amongst a pilot programme by UK charities (here, the Trussell Trust) in conjunction with nPower which uses money left in gas/electricity accounts (or as credit on pay-as-you-go meters,) where a tenant or resident has moved away and cannot be traced to be refunded, to help those who are 'self-disconnecting' due to poverty.
Poverty-stricken families who face the dilemma of whether to heat their homes or go hungry will be given free fuel vouchers under a new pilot scheme so they can afford to meet soaring energy bills in a climate of ongoing austerity.
The scheme, which will be offered to all referred individuals, will be initially tested in 21 locations across Gloucester, Kingston-upon-Thames and County Durham. If considered successful, nPower will extend the initiative with the objective of assisting as many as 13,000 British households over the first 12 months.
The vouchers will be offered in accordance with the Trussell Trust’s protocols, with struggling households being entitled to a total of three per year.
http://rt.com/uk/252745-fuel-poverty-fo ... mpaign=RSS
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by TheGrimSqueaker »

Tish wrote:Here's an interesting article from Owen Jones on the DUP, and how they are a far more alarming prospect to have in government than the SNP.

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

I was thinking about this recently, would the Liberal Democrats really go into a multi party coallition with the Tories and the DUP? I know they're desperate to hang on to power, but the 8% of support that they've hung onto presumably comes from true Liberal believers, small state, do your own thing, freedom of speech libertarian types who would be even more appalled at going in with the old fashioned bigots of the DUP than their lefty supporters were at going with the Tories. Unless Clegg really does want to obliterate every bit of support they've got I can't really see them doing it.
Clegg was asked a direct question on last night's Last Leg, with who would he prefer to go into coalition this time around; challenged to give a one word answer he didn't actually give any answer, necessitating the use of the 'Bullshit button'.

They also had a short filmed interview with Natalie Bennett on the programme, pretty excruciating; it was obviously not going to be a serious piece of political journalism, but she tried to treat it as such and came across as pretty humourless as a result - I suspect she isn't, but this kind of thing is obviously not her metier so you can understand Lucas' attempts to grab the TV debates gig ..... maybe giving up the leadership was not such a cracking idea Caroline? This celebrity endorsement of Lucas is not great, damning the Green Party with faint praise really; it demonstrates that, despite all the claims to be on the edge of a breakthrough to being a truly national party, they are still unfairly perceived as a one woman band. :(
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by TheGrimSqueaker »

pk1 wrote:Ross Kemp has been campaigning with Will Scobie, Labour's candidate for Broadstairs, Kent so he's another celebrity that can be added to the Labour-supporter list.
Bet that will please his ex-wife!! :lol:
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by ephemerid »

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Tish wrote:
I suspect you're right, but I was hoping that the sight of Cameron identifying himself so much with the English against the Scots might provoke some Welsh Tories into wondering where exactly they fit in to that vision. It seems pretty apparent that for all the talk of protecting the union, Scotland and Wales are viewed very much as the junior partners in Cameron's view of the country, only to be tolerated if they tow the line and vote in the appropriate manner. Even before the rise of the SNP there was a fair bit of moaning from them about Labour only getting back into power becouse of the seats they would win in Scotland and Wales, as if that would somehow make a Labour government illegitimate. Even if you supported the Tories economically and socially I would have thought that these constant slights, the suggestion that votes in Wales and Scotland shouldn't really carry the same weight as those in England, might make you think again.
Stephen Crabb - Welsh Secretary - is a complete Cameron poodle - he just follows the lets be beastly and offensive about Wales line - without ever seeming to question how that might play with his own voters here. He got shouted at at the hustings in Haverfordwest when he tried to continue running down the NHS here. When we went to a meeting he organises for voters he parroted the same old attacks on the Welsh Government and said it was just a 'spending department'. Very dismissive.

Tish - I agree with you. "The constant slights" - that's standard operating procedure; on top of that there are the vicious attacks on the NHS etc. which are reprehensible when you consider that the reason why the Welsh government had to make some hard choices is entirely due to insufficient funding from central government.

I feel very offended by the Tories arrogant and patronising attitude to Wales - they seem to think that we are an afterthought, and a bit of a nuisance, really. It's very rude. They are obviously scared of the Scots, but they don't seem to have registered that Carwyn Jones is as much of a political bruiser as Salmond and Sturgeon (who I admire, and who has surprised a lot of people with her political nous)
They have to be nice to Unionists in Northern Ireland - however scary they are......

MsRiots - I am not at all surprised by what you say about Crabb. I dislike him intensely. He's got this horrible Cameron-esque "sincere" face, whilst simultaneously talking in such patronising tones it's as though he's talking to children.

I love this country. I wish the bloody Tories would stop using as a punch bag.
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Lib Dems could lose £26,000 in candidates' deposits, polls suggest
Nick Clegg’s party is likely to miss the 5% hurdle in 52 seats, meaning a huge loss just five years after it didn’t forfeit a single pound

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablo ... ls-suggest" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by Spacedone »

Anyone hear the Newsbeat interview with Miliband? Hard to tell how it went from Twitter.

Further investigation of Twitter makes it sound like the host did a Kay Burley.
Last edited by Spacedone on Fri 24 Apr, 2015 7:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by ohsocynical »

LadyCentauria wrote:Kingston-upon-Thames is amongst a pilot programme by UK charities (here, the Trussell Trust) in conjunction with nPower which uses money left in gas/electricity accounts (or as credit on pay-as-you-go meters,) where a tenant or resident has moved away and cannot be traced to be refunded, to help those who are 'self-disconnecting' due to poverty.
Poverty-stricken families who face the dilemma of whether to heat their homes or go hungry will be given free fuel vouchers under a new pilot scheme so they can afford to meet soaring energy bills in a climate of ongoing austerity.
The scheme, which will be offered to all referred individuals, will be initially tested in 21 locations across Gloucester, Kingston-upon-Thames and County Durham. If considered successful, nPower will extend the initiative with the objective of assisting as many as 13,000 British households over the first 12 months.
The vouchers will be offered in accordance with the Trussell Trust’s protocols, with struggling households being entitled to a total of three per year.
http://rt.com/uk/252745-fuel-poverty-fo ... mpaign=RSS
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by ephemerid »

LadyCentauria wrote:Kingston-upon-Thames is amongst a pilot programme by UK charities (here, the Trussell Trust) in conjunction with nPower which uses money left in gas/electricity accounts (or as credit on pay-as-you-go meters,) where a tenant or resident has moved away and cannot be traced to be refunded, to help those who are 'self-disconnecting' due to poverty.
Poverty-stricken families who face the dilemma of whether to heat their homes or go hungry will be given free fuel vouchers under a new pilot scheme so they can afford to meet soaring energy bills in a climate of ongoing austerity.
The scheme, which will be offered to all referred individuals, will be initially tested in 21 locations across Gloucester, Kingston-upon-Thames and County Durham. If considered successful, nPower will extend the initiative with the objective of assisting as many as 13,000 British households over the first 12 months.
The vouchers will be offered in accordance with the Trussell Trust’s protocols, with struggling households being entitled to a total of three per year.
http://rt.com/uk/252745-fuel-poverty-fo ... mpaign=RSS

I suppose I should applaud this. But I can't. On the same basis I am not cheered by the proliferation of food banks.

Npower is as likely to cut off these people's fuel supply as any other provider. It has an appalling customer service record.

The money is from other customers who seemingly don't want it back - not from Npower itself.

Npower is owned by the German giant RWE. It's operating profit this year was £163 Million.

Forgive me, LadyC - despite the fact that some people may be helped by this, I am not happy that such a scheme should exist.
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Tony Greaves 24th Apr '15 - 3:14pm
All that Rahman has done is to carry out the politics he learned in the local Labour Party which in TH is one of the more vicious examples of that often nasty form of political organisation. He is well shut of but he will just be replaced by the local Labour machine. One lesson of this case is that if you want to rig elections, make sure you are in the Labour Party when there will be no-one to challenge you seriously and you will get support from many parts of the local “system”. If you are challenging Labour, expect them to come and get you in a big way. After all they know how it’s done.

The only people who seem to be succeeding at least for the moment (in some areas) by adopting traditional local Labour techniques are the SNP!

Tony
http://www.libdemvoice.org/lib-dem-elai ... l#comments" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

He's certainly not going to be calling for a Lib Lab pact any time soon, eh. Surprised he goes this far in a comment on LDV though ...
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by citizenJA »

ohsocynical wrote:@CitizenJ/A

Clean Air in London ‏@CleanAirLondon 1 day1 day ago

Seems Defra is deliberately covering up #airpollution data in the run up to the election. All monitors and data offline 16 days after hack
Yep. Thought so.
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by pk1 »

Spacedone wrote:Anyone hear the Newsbeat interview with Miliband? Hard to tell how it went from Twitter.

Further investigation of Twitter makes it sound like the host did a Kay Burley.
I haven't listened to it yet and, in light of your second sentence, maybe I shouldn't ! Here's the link to audio of it:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/3 ... ive-lounge" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Last edited by pk1 on Fri 24 Apr, 2015 7:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by diGriz »

Spacedone wrote:Anyone hear the Newsbeat interview with Miliband? Hard to tell how it went from Twitter.

Further investigation of Twitter makes it sound like the host did a Kay Burley.
Missed it but the LBC one was quite good and Iain Dale drips bias.
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by LadyCentauria »

rebeccariots2 wrote:
US government says drilling causes earthquakes – what took them so long?
US Geological Survey backpedals on previous research on wastewater fracking-induced earthquakes that have shaken eight states in last seven years

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/a ... cal-survey" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
In other news, study confirms that bears do shit in the woods...

Good to have that report from USGS, even if they do only recommend caution and further research. 585 earthquakes in Ohio in 2014 :head-hands:
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by rebeccariots2 »

MICHAEL ASHCROFT
The Tories are turning off undecided voters
Some voters who prefer Cameron to Miliband but Labour to the Tories are starting to make their minds up – in favour of Labour

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/com ... 02890.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Lord Ashcroft ‏@LordAshcroft 2h2 hours ago
Apologies to all but haven't been able on my time zone and schedule to finish my latest marginal seats research. Will be issued Sat at 9am.
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by Willow904 »

Spacedone wrote:Anyone hear the Newsbeat interview with Miliband? Hard to tell how it went from Twitter.

Further investigation of Twitter makes it sound like the host did a Kay Burley.
I saw the one with Cameron (and have posted a link previously) and although I haven't see the one with Ed I'd be surprised if Chris Smith was any tougher on him than he was on Cameron. I don't think anyone has spoken to Cameron in such an un-deferential manner in a very, very long time. So no, not a Kay Burley, nothing like.
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Re: Friday 24th April

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Welsh Labour ‏@welshlabour 21m21 minutes ago
Welsh leader @AMCarwyn calls for voters to back Labour in anti-Tory coalition http://labli.st/1bAzcke" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; via @LabourList
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