Tuesday 28th April 2015

Post by **refitman** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 7:14 am

Morning all.

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 7:18 am

Good Morning. Plans for the Tory replacement for Britain's Got Talent were abandoned over the weekend after Simon Cowell and Andrew Lloyd Webber discovered they simply hadn't any talent. Andrew left whereas Simon stayed on to offer words of encouragement, saying that David needed to show more passion. Following a late night reminiscing with George that is what was delivered.

A couple of deep breaths before David made his appearance yesterday and he was pumped up and ready to go. Simon said, "Go out there and give the performance of your life." Dave hasn't shut up since. With over a week to go to the election, it is feared that he may have peaked a little early.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 7:35 am

Morning all.

A lot of the farms bordering the roads by me have sprung up large Conservative placards. Getting into work gets slightly more annoying.

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 7:51 am

StephenDolan wrote:Morning all.

A lot of the farms bordering the roads by me have sprung up large Conservative placards. Getting into work gets slightly more annoying.

You wouldn't have thought farmers would be too happy with the possibility of leaving the EU, Stephen.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:04 am

Today, Our Ed is all about housing. Good.

The dreaded words for all Tories and rentier classes "rent controls" have been uttered and a jolly good thing too.

We are currently spending nearly £25 Billion a year on Housing Benefit and the Local Housing Allowance.
Attempts by the Tories to cla some of that back via the Under Occupation Penalty have failed.
Why? Because more people than ever are so poor they are entitled to this means-tested benefit.
The number of working people claiming HB/LHA has more than doubled in the past 5 years.

That £25 Million costs £390PA per capita - £7.50PW per head of population.
Of that, 40% goes to private landlords - £3 a week of your money goes to the likes of Fergus Wilson.

Whilst I think that Labour's plan doesn't go far enough (in that the million homes will be predominantly for sale, with a proportion set aside as affordable and ditto for rent only) it's a step in the right direction - and, of course, Ed has to be careful not to upset the proprty-buying public too much or open himself to accusations that he's contributing to the property bubble.

This is good stuff.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:08 am

Morning.

I saw Kiran Stacey's [FT political correspondent] on last night's thread.
'Voters in our Glasgow East focus group think Margaret Curran will lose her seat. Most think Tories will win nationally, but don't care.'

Looking at his Twitter feed I see the FT are publishing some of the focus group stuff later in the week.

Before then, if anyone is tweeting, please could you try and tease out of Kiran whether those Glasgow East folk 'think the Tories will win nationally, but don't care' because they:
a) are too dense to realise what another very right wing government will mean for them and the rest of the country.
b) want the Tories to win so they can present themselves as victims of 'Westmonster' (as one of the SNP drones called it yesterday) and bicker from the sidelines until Scotland is a one party independent state?

You can see how the SNP have done it.
They demonise England, Westminster and voters everywhere but their precious Scotland as Tories or Red Tories. UKIP's strategy for immigrants & the EU transferred to their supposed left wing agenda.

rearofthestore · Post by **rearofthestore** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:09 am

The YouGov poll results from last night for those who did not catch it
CON edges to 1% lead in latest YouGov poll for the Sun
CON 35 (+2) LAB 34 (=) LD 9 (+1) UKIP 12 (-2) GRN 5 (=) (Mike Smithson)
The detailed figures are almost exactly a tie (6 votes in it) with little weighting and Labour leads in all age groups except in 60+. Only strange thing I see is this seems to be first poll were Cons have a lead with female voters for some time.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:18 am

General Election 2015: Prospect of Labour-SNP coalition makes one in four voters less likely to support Ed Miliband,
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 08223.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It was a large sample, 2,000 people.

Thankfully there's no rain forecast today, can get outside again far away from the SNP and their 'real socialism'.

rearofthestore · Post by **rearofthestore** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:18 am

ephemerid wrote:Today, Our Ed is all about housing. Good.

The dreaded words for all Tories and rentier classes "rent controls" have been uttered and a jolly good thing too.

We are currently spending nearly £25 Billion a year on Housing Benefit and the Local Housing Allowance.
Attempts by the Tories to cla some of that back via the Under Occupation Penalty have failed.
Why? Because more people than ever are so poor they are entitled to this means-tested benefit.
The number of working people claiming HB/LHA has more than doubled in the past 5 years.

That £25 Million costs £390PA per capita - £7.50PW per head of population.
Of that, 40% goes to private landlords - £3 a week of your money goes to the likes of Fergus Wilson.

Whilst I think that Labour's plan doesn't go far enough (in that the million homes will be predominantly for sale, with a proportion set aside as affordable and ditto for rent only) it's a step in the right direction - and, of course, Ed has to be careful not to upset the proprty-buying public too much or open himself to accusations that he's contributing to the property bubble.

This is good stuff.

I note on YouGov overwhelming support for Labour policy on rent controls.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:19 am

RobertSnozers wrote:
yahyah wrote:Morning.

I saw Kiran Stacey's [FT political correspondent] on last night's thread.
'Voters in our Glasgow East focus group think Margaret Curran will lose her seat. Most think Tories will win nationally, but don't care.'

Looking at his Twitter feed I see the FT are publishing some of the focus group stuff later in the week.

Before then, if anyone is tweeting, please could you try and tease out of Kiran whether those Glasgow East folk 'think the Tories will win nationally, but don't care' because they:
a) are too dense to realise what another very right wing government will mean for them and the rest of the country.
b) want the Tories to win so they can present themselves as victims of 'Westmonster' (as one of the SNP drones called it yesterday) and bicker from the sidelines until Scotland is a one party independent state?

You can see how the SNP have done it.
They demonise England, Westminster and voters everywhere but their precious Scotland as Tories or Red Tories. UKIP's strategy for immigrants & the EU transferred to their supposed left wing agenda.
Well the SNP and the ultra-nationalists have grabbed the opportunity with both hands, but it was an opportunity presented to them all neatly tied with a pretty bow by David Cameron. By refusing the Devo Max option at the start he stoked up the independence movement, and then by insulting Scottish voters and appearing to go back on pledges that had been made the day after the vote, he destroyed any chance of reconciliation.

I haven't yet decided whether it's cock-up or conspiracy. Labour got caught in the crossfire by the simple act of supporting the Union, which was made to look Pro-Tory.

Conspiracy. I'd stake my life on it.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:21 am

This afternoon, our candidate Matthew Dorrance will be canvassing on our estate.

Show and I intend to join him - and whoever else comes along - knocking on doors and charming the socks off the locals.
Show's job is to offer lifts to the polling station to anyone who needs one (and we have a few elderly and/or disabled people here); mine is to convince people to put posters in their windows and see how many pledges to vote Labour we get from our neighbours.
I am also required to provide quantities of Lavazza.....

I'll have to dose up on the analgesia, as I'm having a flare-up of my arthritis, but it'll be worth it if we get a few votes in the bag.

Our Matthew has a interesting back story - he was in his final year of his RGN training when his mother became seriously ill. He packed it all in to go home and care for her. He was born and brought up in Brecon, and has been a councillor and Mayor.
He has a mountain to climb to win this time - however, if he increases his vote share he may well be re-selected next time.

So - in a change from my usual black, I'll be wearing as much red as my wardrobe will allow......ah. That'll be a scarf, then......

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:23 am

@rearofthestore

Thanks for the good news.

But does support of a policy translate to votes ?
My husband applied for Osborne's pensioner bribe, sorry high interest bonds, yesterday as he turned 65 at the weekend. But we will not be voting Tory, much as we appreciate the 4% interest rate.

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:24 am

Faisal Islam ‏@faisalislam 1h1 hour ago
Also this is the first time that #EdBallsDay coincides with the first release of a GDP number, so he will be gracing your TV screens...

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:28 am

ohsocynical wrote:
RobertSnozers wrote:
yahyah wrote:Morning.

I saw Kiran Stacey's [FT political correspondent] on last night's thread.
'Voters in our Glasgow East focus group think Margaret Curran will lose her seat. Most think Tories will win nationally, but don't care.'

Looking at his Twitter feed I see the FT are publishing some of the focus group stuff later in the week.

Before then, if anyone is tweeting, please could you try and tease out of Kiran whether those Glasgow East folk 'think the Tories will win nationally, but don't care' because they:
a) are too dense to realise what another very right wing government will mean for them and the rest of the country.
b) want the Tories to win so they can present themselves as victims of 'Westmonster' (as one of the SNP drones called it yesterday) and bicker from the sidelines until Scotland is a one party independent state?

You can see how the SNP have done it.
They demonise England, Westminster and voters everywhere but their precious Scotland as Tories or Red Tories. UKIP's strategy for immigrants & the EU transferred to their supposed left wing agenda.
Well the SNP and the ultra-nationalists have grabbed the opportunity with both hands, but it was an opportunity presented to them all neatly tied with a pretty bow by David Cameron. By refusing the Devo Max option at the start he stoked up the independence movement, and then by insulting Scottish voters and appearing to go back on pledges that had been made the day after the vote, he destroyed any chance of reconciliation.

I haven't yet decided whether it's cock-up or conspiracy. Labour got caught in the crossfire by the simple act of supporting the Union, which was made to look Pro-Tory.
Conspiracy. I'd stake my life on it.

I feel it is too much of a coincidence sometimes, that Cameron must have known the outcome for Labour. But he'd have to have been Mystic Meg.
Normally when a party loses, and its leader has to resign, as Salmond did, there's a period in the wilderness and wound licking.

Who predicted the Sturgeon mania/SNP surge ? I'm sure someone did but was too relieved at the No vote to give it any thought.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:33 am

Morning all. Interesting stuff throughout this item.

Factcheck: Tory manifesto claims on schools don’t add up
In our diary: Contentious election claims scrutinised; Conservative candidate upsets Bristol headteachers. Plus Banbury row over academy admissions
http://www.theguardian.com/education/20 ... ont-add-up" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Free schools are proving incredibly divisive - that seems to be a feature of most Tory policy.

rearofthestore · Post by **rearofthestore** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:33 am

yahyah wrote:@rearofthestore

Thanks for the good news.

But does support of a policy translate to votes ?
My husband applied for Osborne's pensioner bribe, sorry high interest bonds, yesterday as he turned 65 at the weekend. But we will not be voting Tory, much as we appreciate the 4% interest rate.

Does the policy translate into votes; probably not. On a quick glance Labour policies are on balance more popular than Conservative policies especially age groups 18 to 60 but all all be about turnout and the fact (we have all said it before) that 60+s will go out and vote and other age groups are less likely.

Get the 18-24 group out to vote and IMO Labour win.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:33 am

ephemerid wrote:This afternoon, our candidate Matthew Dorrance will be canvassing on our estate.

Show and I intend to join him - and whoever else comes along - knocking on doors and charming the socks off the locals.
Show's job is to offer lifts to the polling station to anyone who needs one (and we have a few elderly and/or disabled people here); mine is to convince people to put posters in their windows and see how many pledges to vote Labour we get from our neighbours.
I am also required to provide quantities of Lavazza.....

I'll have to dose up on the analgesia, as I'm having a flare-up of my arthritis, but it'll be worth it if we get a few votes in the bag.

Our Matthew has a interesting back story - he was in his final year of his RGN training when his mother became seriously ill. He packed it all in to go home and care for her. He was born and brought up in Brecon, and has been a councillor and Mayor.
He has a mountain to climb to win this time - however, if he increases his vote share he may well be re-selected next time.

So - in a change from my usual black, I'll be wearing as much red as my wardrobe will allow......ah. That'll be a scarf, then......

Good luck Ephie !
Remember that lovely pic of you.
Am sure you will charm them on the doorsteps, in all ways.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:37 am

Alastair Campbell ‏@campbellclaret 26m26 minutes ago
One of the many reasons to want @Ed_Miliband to win is that it will show it can be done in the face of enormous corrupt media bias

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:39 am

New Statesman say Ed has been snapped leaving Russell Brand's flat, speculating that he may have gained Brand's support.

Well I do hope Russell's dug into his well stocked wallet and given a big donation even if no public endorsement.

Would a Brand endorsement be good for Labour anyway ?
Might help sway some of the 'I'm not voting, they are all the same' brigade.

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/20 ... d-miliband" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:48 am

This is what the Lib Dems here are reduced to, pretending to be a local news free sheet.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:48 am

Helen Goodman retweeted
Patrick Hurley ‏@patrick_hurley 17m17 minutes ago
Esther McVey fails to turn up for interview. And we know what happens to people who fail to attend interviews... http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liv ... ey-9132976" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

rearofthestore · Post by **rearofthestore** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:49 am

yahyah wrote:New Statesman say Ed has been snapped leaving Russell Brand's flat, speculating that he may have gained Brand's support.

Well I do hope Russell's dug into his well stocked wallet and given a big donation even if no public endorsement.

Would a Brand endorsement be good for Labour anyway ?
Might help sway some of the 'I'm not voting, they are all the same' brigade.

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/20 ... d-miliband" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Despite it possibly being a double edged sword any support from Brand would help get out said 18-24 age group to vote especially as he has 9+million Twitter followers I believe.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:52 am

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 2 hrs2 hours ago

Today's YouGov "absolutely certain to vote or already voted by post"

CON voters 80%
LAB voters 83%
LD voters 82%
UKIP voters 77%

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 8:57 am

& this is how Plaid are pushing for the vote. I despair.

PS. Have noticed when posting pics if it has 'large' at the end of the URL you can remove that and it won't widen the page.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:08 am

Faisal Islam ‏@faisalislam 5 mins5 minutes ago
Our Sky News Scottish poll of polls:

CON 15%
LAB 25%
LD 5%
SNP 49%
OTHERS 5%

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:08 am

Morning

Peter Brookes in the Times has it spot on again:

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:08 am

Where's the option saying 'too often' ?

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:09 am

Some who should know better have been getting carried away by yesterday's polls - Ashcroft was clearly total junk (Tories 10 points ahead with women voters!!) and ICM basically had a tie before their "adjustments" for turnout etc (both polls seem also to be based on less than 60% voting - not really credible)

Having said that, there is concern. The appalling Scottish polling raises at least the prospect that the Tories could have most seats and votes come next month - which means that Cameron *will* attempt to cling to power, and not only has Clegg pledged his full support in that, but polling shows that most people think he would be entitled to stay on in that position. Let's see how much all those Scottish voters "don't care" if that actually happens thanks to them

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:12 am

Faisal Islam twitter:

Anyway I've now attended the campaigns of all the main parties and spent a day in the road with both Cameron and Miliband..some reflections:

1. Miliband first of big 2 to go on totally unvetted walkabout with journo. Newcastle is home territory, but plenty of milifans in evidence

2. Newcastle station not rep sample, but no one would've expected month ago, a few dozen selfies, milifans professing love and 1 'he's sexy'

3. In interview I chucked whole Labour housing/banking/ cost of living government record at him... Zen calmly straight-batted most things

4. So as ashcroft noted from his poll, miliband is energising the Labour support with reasons to come out to vote, can be seen on ground

5. Before that tho Cam/Mili campaigns controlled,sterile. Extraordinary contrast with street campaign public interaction of Sturgeon/ Farage

6. Cam-paign more "air war" message on "good life" (positive) threatened by SNP tail wagging Labour dog (negative).. Polls show some impact

7. Huge amount hinging on a decisive turn in people's minds next week, and the late return "home" of "lost" kippers. Impossible to predict

8. Labour have more on the ground organisers and campaigners, Cons have one of most extensive targeted Royal Mail logistical operations ever

9. Cameron "pumped-up" passion play yesterday reflects stepping up of existing strategy... Economic stability strongest card...

10. But 5k biz letter was sloppy...Bigger point: just how decisive will papers be this time? Analogue campaigning for a digital election?

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:15 am

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Some who should know better have been getting carried away by yesterday's polls - Ashcroft was clearly total junk (Tories 10 points ahead with women voters!!) and ICM basically had a tie before their "adjustments" for turnout etc (both polls seem also to be based on less than 60% voting - not really credible)

Having said that, there is concern. The appalling Scottish polling raises at least the prospect that the Tories could have most seats and votes come next month - which means that Cameron *will* attempt to cling to power, and not only has Clegg pledged his full support in that, but polling shows that most people think he would be entitled to stay on in that position. Let's see how much all those Scottish voters "don't care" if that actually happens thanks to them

Time for Labour to get the celebs out in support ? Would be a great line-up !

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:16 am

They won't take the blame though Anatoly.
Don't know what's going into the IrnBru at the moment, but it is potent stuff.

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:25 am

Clegg said:
" It is, from my point of view, of course a shame that a policy we were
not able to put into practice, which wasn’t on the front page of our
manifesto, has eclipsed the very remarkable achievement of being a
party with only 8% of MPs [that] has delivered everything on the front
page of our manifesto, but therein lie the twists and turns of politics. "

No Nick, it's all the policies you zealously helped implement that weren't in your manifesto, that did it.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:27 am

I'm wondering if Owen Jones' pragmatic 'Labour aren't radical enough but we must get the Tories out now' viewpoint being expressed will become reflected by Russell Brand?

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:27 am

Wirral West MP Esther McVey this morning pulled out of a live radio interview in Liverpool city centre.

Radio station LBC brought its election Battle Bus to Liverpool ONE as part of a countrywide tour ahead of polling day on May 7.

The public will be able to watch the show on live screens as it is aired between 7am to 10am outside John Lewis, with LBC reporters looking for Merseyside voters to express their opinions on the topics for debate.

Ms McVey, the Employment Minister, was due to be interviewed on the show, but ECHO reporter Joe Thomas – who is on board the Battle Bus – tweeted: “Last night’s rumour was correct and Esther McVey has pulled out of today’s live interview in Liverpool city centre.”

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liv ... ey-9132976" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:30 am

Clegg talking about 'paying off the deficit' yet again.
He's more economically illiterate than me.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:34 am

Faisal Islam @faisalislam
Gdp numbers out..

Woah. Big miss. GDP growth in q1 at 0.3%

Richard Edgar ✔@ITVRichard
Wow ... economic growth slows to 0.3% in 1st 3 months of the year, half what is was the previous quarter and well below expectations.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:38 am

yahyah wrote:

This is what the Lib Dems here are reduced to, pretending to be a local news free sheet.

Did the same here in Maidstone. Can't provide a picture, we gave it to the deaf bulldog to destroy.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:40 am

pk1 wrote:
Faisal Islam @faisalislam
Gdp numbers out..

Woah. Big miss. GDP growth in q1 at 0.3%

Richard Edgar ✔@ITVRichard
Wow ... economic growth slows to 0.3% in 1st 3 months of the year, half what is was the previous quarter and well below expectations.

You have to say that that is fantastic timing - just as the Tories were saying how well the economy was doing.

Oops.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:43 am

RogerOThornhill wrote:
pk1 wrote:
Faisal Islam @faisalislam
Gdp numbers out..

Woah. Big miss. GDP growth in q1 at 0.3%

Richard Edgar ✔@ITVRichard
Wow ... economic growth slows to 0.3% in 1st 3 months of the year, half what is was the previous quarter and well below expectations.
You have to say that that is fantastic timing - just as the Tories were saying how well the economy was doing.

Oops.

Stick with us as the 'recovery' disappears.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:45 am

And where's the growth coming from?

Although there has generally been growth across all major components of GDP since the start of 2013, the service industries remain the largest and steadiest contributor to economic growth (Table 1) and the only component of GDP where output has exceeded its pre-downturn peak.

#rebalancingtheeconomy

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:45 am

— George Osborne (@George_Osborne)
April 28, 2015
With rising instability abroad, now is worst possible time to vote for instability at
home.

So, good time for E.U referendum them?

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:50 am

Giles Wilkes @Gilesyb
Remember, all GDP data prove the validity of #LongTermEconomicPlan.

Strong? It's working

Weak? Shows we need to stick at it

Karl Popper.

Exactly how it will be spun !

Duncan Weldon @DuncanWeldon
Q1 GDP at 0.3% against expected 0.5% driven by bad construction figures.
9:31 AM - 28 Apr 2015

Sounds an ideal time for a govt with house building at it's core.....

Graeme Wearden
The pound has been hit by the disappointing growth figures.

Sterling fell sharply against the US dollar when the data was released, down half a cent to $1.518.

Spacedone · Post by **Spacedone** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:52 am

StephenDolan wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:
pk1 wrote:
You have to say that that is fantastic timing - just as the Tories were saying how well the economy was doing.

Oops.
Stick with us as the 'recovery' disappears.

GDP was 0.9% a year ago, 0.6% 6 months ago and 0.3% this quarter.

#longtermeconomicplan

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:52 am

Happy Ed Balls Day!!! Nice of Gideon to give him such a lovely present.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 9:54 am

#longtermeconomicpain

Rebecca · Post by **Rebecca** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 10:00 am

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Some who should know better have been getting carried away by yesterday's polls - Ashcroft was clearly total junk (Tories 10 points ahead with women voters!!) and ICM basically had a tie before their "adjustments" for turnout etc (both polls seem also to be based on less than 60% voting - not really credible)

Having said that, there is concern. The appalling Scottish polling raises at least the prospect that the Tories could have most seats and votes come next month - which means that Cameron *will* attempt to cling to power, and not only has Clegg pledged his full support in that, but polling shows that most people think he would be entitled to stay on in that position. Let's see how much all those Scottish voters "don't care" if that actually happens thanks to them

Well,Scotland will undoubtedly suffer.And I will be glad of that,so sorry all for mmy lack of love for the SNP voters,but they will deserve everything they get.
I am fuming todayafter reading the piece about little miss muffet/sturgeon and her Ed is being bullied by Cameron nonsense.One person btl thinks that Ed should be showing SturgeonMORE REVERENCE.They think she's the queen now.
And when they realize that they are in deep shit it will be 'why are Labour not helping us?'.
Blimey,I wish them I'll,which is not nice.

Spacedone · Post by **Spacedone** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 10:00 am

A study has been carried out to look at the possible consequences of the UK leaving the EU.

British EU exit could hit UK GDP hard long-term, German study finds
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/04/2 ... Z620150427" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Even in their best-case scenario which presumes that we'd get everything the Tories/UKIP say we would the UK still loses GDP.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 10:04 am

@yahyah - thanks for the encouragement (and the compliment) - I shall do my best!

Sleb endorsements - sadly, they're needed to a degree.

I shouldn't say this, but I'm going to - some people really are stupid enough to vote for a party because they like the slebs who support it.

Labour has - thus far - Martin Freeman, his wife Amanda Abbingdon, David Tennant, Eddie Izzard, Daniel Radcliffe, Robert Webb, Stephen Fry,
Philippa and Grayson Perry, Nick Hewer (from the Apprentice), Frank Skinner, singers Lily Allen and Paloma Faith, David Morrissey (who I think is a terrific actor and he's lovely in real life....swoon....), the fantastic Paul O'Grady, and the wonderful force of nature that is Jo Brand.

The modern caring down-wid-da-kidz Tories have - Cilla, Cliff, Paul Daniels and his vacuous sidekick, Sol "Sulk" Campbell, Myleene "Mansion Tax" Klass, Jim Davidson, Gary Barlow, Peter Stringfellow, the idiotic Luisa Zissman, and the hideous John McCririck.

On the basis of this, I solemnly declare that the Tories are the coolest party, like, evah.

Rebecca · Post by **Rebecca** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 10:05 am

Less grumpy now after second cup of coffee.
Maybe Russell Brand invited Ed over because he needed some advice from redhoted .You know,tips on pulling the ladies.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Tue 28 Apr, 2015 10:10 am

yahyah wrote:

This is what the Lib Dems here are reduced to, pretending to be a local news free sheet.

We get these too - my Labour friends here say it's happening all over Powys, too. We've had a "Herald" and a "Challenger". WTF????

Most of these things are printed to look like local free newspapers; and in the case of the ones we've had here, the front page has ordinary people pictured as though they were part of a news story, and it isn't until you look at the bottom of the back page that you find a LibDem logo with the publisher's details. It's very snide, IMHO.