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SystemSystem Posts: 11,019
edited April 2016 in General

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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,896
    edited April 2016
    1st?

    A good article but I've still a hunch that the polls are trash, as both phone online and online methodologies are either being actively avoided by the general public and/or gamed by political activists. We will see next week.
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    MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,607
    Or Zac pulls off the shock of the century, UKIP beat the Tories in Wales and Scotland slides into a NOM with SLAB in third. I wonder what odds I can get on all of that...
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    Very good piece Alastair. One I agree with
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    MaxPB said:

    Or Zac pulls off the shock of the century, UKIP beat the Tories in Wales and Scotland slides into a NOM with SLAB in third. I wonder what odds I can get on all of that...

    I'd be happy with the Tories finishing second in Scotland.
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    DixieDixie Posts: 1,221
    MaxPB said:

    Or Zac pulls off the shock of the century, UKIP beat the Tories in Wales and Scotland slides into a NOM with SLAB in third. I wonder what odds I can get on all of that...

    Out a quid on Zac. If turnout is sub-35% he has a chance. Famous last words I know.
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    DixieDixie Posts: 1,221
    Dixie said:

    MaxPB said:

    Or Zac pulls off the shock of the century, UKIP beat the Tories in Wales and Scotland slides into a NOM with SLAB in third. I wonder what odds I can get on all of that...

    Put a quid on Zac. If turnout is sub-35% he has a chance. Famous last words I know.
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,983
    I'm not sure I agree. A referendum is a different kettle of monkeys to an election.
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    The irony of last year was the Scottish polling was the most accurate, yet probably doubted the most beforehand.
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    A new thread has killed the rapidly growing and wildly popular Patrick Party in its infancy and so we are now doomed as a nation.
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    richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    So it would appear that the Labour Party Hate Israel...Hate America, for supporting Israel..are riddled with Anti Semites and despise the UK Military,past present and future...why do they survive
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,896
    Sadiq's lay price now 1.06!!!

    There must be that chance he falls under a bus or gets dragged into the anti-semitism row.
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    http://order-order.com/2016/04/28/rupa-huq-defends-naz-shahs-anti-semitism/

    I wonder if a white MP had done the same with material saying all Muslims should be removed from Europe etc, anybody would dare to give this reaction?
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    MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699
    Just my personal opinion backed up by some anecdotal evidence and local observation of the campaign here in Worthing but I believe the local election results will back up the phone pollsters who have UKIP support much lower than the online pollsters .
    This , of course will also have a knock on effect on EU referendum polls where again the online pollsters higher Leave support is partly based on higher numbers of UKIP supporters .
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,983
    Mr. Patrick, the dream shall never die!
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    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,298
    cheeky monkey, TSE, starting a new thread when on the old one we were in the middle of forming a whole new political party.
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    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,328
    The polls weren't *that* far wrong in the Sindyref nor last year at GE2015. It's just, as Alastair says, when you're looking to measure a very tight fight the polls look much worse than they are even if they're only slightly off.

    The EU referendum challenge will be (a) predicting who turns out, and where, and, (b) the last minute bottling it factor.

    The polls in the last fortnight, and the eve of poll numbers, will be extremely interesting.
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    GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 20,815
    FTPT

    GIN1138 said:

    Zac's down to 2% on Betfair, new poll coming out ?

    People have had it with the Posh Boys.
    You sound like a lefty class warrior. You're going to be very disappointed if Remain wins aren't you?

    I'm expecting REMAIN to win after everything they've done.

    In a way that's when the fun begins as we can start setting about destroying Cameron and Osborne for their treachery. We've got to see both of them humiliated and turfed out of office in disgrace.

    Realistically Cameron will be off on his own terms I suppose, but we can still tear Osborne to pieces (especially if the Tories are mad enough to make him leader - Fingers crossed)

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    RoygbivRoygbiv Posts: 4
    Interesting point of view. If I say that I think the SNP will win an overall majority in May, does that make me a pollster?

    More difficult is the race for 2nd place. Will it be the Tories or Labour....? A pollster who calls it either way and is proved right is probably onto something. If they get it wrong, then our guess really is as good as any learned psephologist.
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    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,328
    MaxPB said:

    Or Zac pulls off the shock of the century, UKIP beat the Tories in Wales and Scotland slides into a NOM with SLAB in third. I wonder what odds I can get on all of that...

    Zac will lose because he won't even turn out his own Tory base.

    Virtually every Tory activist I speak to is "meh".
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    Good stuff.

    I assume that many polling companies are either international, or have partners in other countries, so you would expect lessons learned and adjustments made to be applied in many different places, and yet we have the recent result in Austria, a result so far wrong you wonder if they were running their questionnaires in the wrong country.
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    MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,607

    MaxPB said:

    Or Zac pulls off the shock of the century, UKIP beat the Tories in Wales and Scotland slides into a NOM with SLAB in third. I wonder what odds I can get on all of that...

    I'd be happy with the Tories finishing second in Scotland.
    Yeah me too. Zac as well to some degree, only in that he isn't Khan or Labour.
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    http://order-order.com/2016/04/28/rupa-huq-defends-naz-shahs-anti-semitism/

    I wonder if a white MP had done the same with material saying all Muslims should be removed from Europe etc, anybody would dare to give this reaction?

    Labour cannot go on trying to appeal to both Muslims and Jews. It has to choose between them. Boy, am I ever glad I left the Party!

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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,983
    Breaking news, UK expats lose legal challenge over voting in the referendum:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36159009
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    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419
    Good piece. The only point I'd quibble with is that if the polling was accurate then although an individual poll would have a MoE of 3%, the polls collectively should be on the mark, so that kind of individual error is acceptable as long as the general methodology is right.

    But yes, May 5 will give us a good roadcheck of the polls going towards June 23.
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    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,896
    GIN1138 said:

    FTPT

    GIN1138 said:

    Zac's down to 2% on Betfair, new poll coming out ?

    People have had it with the Posh Boys.
    You sound like a lefty class warrior. You're going to be very disappointed if Remain wins aren't you?

    I'm expecting REMAIN to win after everything they've done.

    In a way that's when the fun begins as we can start setting about destroying Cameron and Osborne for their treachery. We've got to see both of them humiliated and turfed out of office in disgrace.

    Realistically Cameron will be off on his own terms I suppose, but we can still tear Osborne to pieces (especially if the Tories are mad enough to make him leader - Fingers crossed)

    After the effort he has put in and the number of his own side he's alienated in the process, Cameron has to win big or he's likely to be toast in short order. 60-40 as a minimum to avoid a challenge over the summer?
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    Plato_SaysPlato_Says Posts: 11,822
    edited April 2016
    Sandpit said:

    1st?

    A good article but I've still a hunch that the polls are trash, as both phone online and online methodologies are either being actively avoided by the general public and/or gamed by political activists. We will see next week.

    There's also quite a bit of methodological change in them too. I've no idea what's going on.
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,896
    edited April 2016

    Breaking news, UK expats lose legal challenge over voting in the referendum:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36159009

    That's only the 15 year limit which has been held to be lawful. Those of us who have been away for less than 15 years are still very much on the electoral roll.

    If that case had gone the other way the referendum would have likely had to be postponed.
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,926
    edited April 2016
    I see Trump has now dropped to 1.2 for the nomination.

    If Ted Cruz were to win Indiana by say 0.5%, 1.2 would still probably be a bit long for Trump. His odds right now should be more like 1.07
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    LayneLayne Posts: 163
    I also would sign up for the Patrick manifesto on the last thread. Just today we find out a taxpayer Muslim school in Luton is segregating teachers by gender. Yet it is obvious it will end the same way Islamic backwardsness always does in this country, with a tap on the wrist and the school staying open. Sadly, for the Etonian clique at the top of the Tory party this is just another issue where they talk a good game but don't see it through. Immigration is another one. We still do not have exit checks in place, after years of promises, because Cameron & co care more about PR than good policy. Then there is the walk back on trade union reform as part of a grubby deal to protect their precious EU.

    I voted Conservative at the last election to get an EU referendum, but I foolishly made the assumption it would be free and fair. When Cameron gaily used our taxes to more than double the spending on his side, I felt as much a mug as I did over Tony Blair's WMD lies. UKIP clearly have their problems but hopefully if enough of us go over we can turn them into a more effective party. Unless we get a leader that wants to stop the Tories becoming New Labour Mark II, I'll be signing up for the purples.
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    Preet Bharara, United States attorney for the southern district of New York, said the warring gangs had a “stranglehold” over the community for over a decade, and “did not discriminate” in who they killed.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/27/new-york-police-celebrate-biggest-gang-takedown-in-citys-history/

    This guy has some seriously impressive takedowns over the past 5-6 years.
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,983
    Mr. Patrick, you could always found, of co-found, such a party.

    There's been a relatively rapid rise for UKIP, showing it's possible, and without being hobbled by a Faragian leader a sensible party like that could appeal to both left and right.
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    MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,607
    Patrick said:

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    I'd vote for that party.
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    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419

    http://order-order.com/2016/04/28/rupa-huq-defends-naz-shahs-anti-semitism/

    I wonder if a white MP had done the same with material saying all Muslims should be removed from Europe etc, anybody would dare to give this reaction?

    Labour cannot go on trying to appeal to both Muslims and Jews. It has to choose between them. Boy, am I ever glad I left the Party!

    It could always try appealing on the basis of policy and values rather than identity?

    Oh - silly me.
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    Buy the way did anyone listen to Trevor Philips on R4 last night? He was great. He's lost friends over his conversion to common sense away from multi-culti PC race baiting. Huge respect for the man.
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    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    [6] means that you get treated like dirt in the workplace in order to be treated with respect the rest of the time. Is that what you really want?
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    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    Good points.
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    Plato_SaysPlato_Says Posts: 11,822

    I'm not sure I agree. A referendum is a different kettle of monkeys to an election.

    I agree, there's all manner of odd bedfellows/populism/intra-party conflict that simply don't apply in a bog standard election.
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,896
    MaxPB said:

    Patrick said:

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    I'd vote for that party.
    Me too!
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,983
    Mr. Patrick, no, but I did see his programme on What British Muslims Really Think (or whatever it was called). It was just an opinion poll and reporting on its (interesting) findings. Where some on Twitter got Islamophobia from is beyond me.
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    AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited April 2016

    MaxPB said:

    Or Zac pulls off the shock of the century, UKIP beat the Tories in Wales and Scotland slides into a NOM with SLAB in third. I wonder what odds I can get on all of that...

    Zac will lose because he won't even turn out his own Tory base.

    Virtually every Tory activist I speak to is "meh".
    I still think Zac has a good chance of winning the election.
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    Plato_SaysPlato_Says Posts: 11,822
    Patrick said:

    A new thread has killed the rapidly growing and wildly popular Patrick Party in its infancy and so we are now doomed as a nation.

    A thread on that would be rather interesting - I imagine many lurkers were nodding along with us too.
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,896

    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    [6] means that you get treated like dirt in the workplace in order to be treated with respect the rest of the time. Is that what you really want?
    No, it means that monopoly public services are run for the benefit of their customers rather than the benefit of their staff. Same as any other company.
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    edited April 2016
    Patrick said:

    Buy the way did anyone listen to Trevor Philips on R4 last night? He was great. He's lost friends over his conversion to common sense away from multi-culti PC race baiting. Huge respect for the man.

    I met him a few years ago at a cricket match and he was fairly forthright with his views. At the time I thought he was perhaps overcompensating given some of those he was talking to and perception of his time in position of power, but it seems that was really his opinion now.
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    LayneLayne Posts: 163
    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    May I suggest a couple more?

    7. Heavily restrict unskilled migration, and migration from extremist nations like Pakistan and Somalia.
    8. A new independent body to regulate the BBC's blatant bias.
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    MonikerDiCanioMonikerDiCanio Posts: 5,792
    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    Most would echo your cri de coeur. Something has to give.
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    MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,607

    MaxPB said:

    Or Zac pulls off the shock of the century, UKIP beat the Tories in Wales and Scotland slides into a NOM with SLAB in third. I wonder what odds I can get on all of that...

    Zac will lose because he won't even turn out his own Tory base.

    Virtually every Tory activist I speak to is "meh".
    Yup, and yet in a low turnout election Zac has a chance, it just shows how awful both main candidates are. If there was a strong independent like Trump, they could walk it.
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    Sandpit said:

    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    [6] means that you get treated like dirt in the workplace in order to be treated with respect the rest of the time. Is that what you really want?
    No, it means that monopoly public services are run for the benefit of their customers rather than the benefit of their staff. Same as any other company.
    So you think that monopoly public services are necessary, desirable or both. I don't think you believe that - can't the "free" market cure all known social problems?

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    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,298
    Layne said:

    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    May I suggest a couple more?

    7. Heavily restrict unskilled migration, and migration from extremist nations like Pakistan and Somalia.
    8. A new independent body to regulate the BBC's blatant bias.
    uh-oh and now we get into the devil of the detail.

    It took Plato a whole book, you know...
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    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    [6] means that you get treated like dirt in the workplace in order to be treated with respect the rest of the time. Is that what you really want?
    That's a strangely 'producerist' view of the world of work. You seem to be saying that in order for customers to get a good service the providers have to be forced up chimneys.

    Let's take the London Underground as a talking example - what is wrong with automating it? I've been on several automated lines incl Hong Kong, airport terminal spurs, the DLR etc. They're safe. Why should the population of London suffer to pay drivers a £52k salary?
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,926
    edited April 2016
    Trump will win the most votes ever in a GOP primary, as he heads past Dubya's 12,034,676 in 2000.

    Interestingly the all time record holder for votes in a primary is Hillary Clinton with 17,857,501 back in 2008.
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    MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,607
    Layne said:

    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    May I suggest a couple more?

    7. Heavily restrict unskilled migration, and migration from extremist nations like Pakistan and Somalia.
    8. A new independent body to regulate the BBC's blatant bias.
    Nah, you don't even need to do that, just do what rcs has suggested, make immigration here cost more money, a £5000 annual surcharge for NHS insurance for non-residents, a £2500 per child per year non-resident surcharge for the education system etc... That automatically puts off all but the highest earners.
  • Options
    Layne said:

    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    May I suggest a couple more?

    7. Heavily restrict unskilled migration, and migration from extremist nations like Pakistan and Somalia.
    8. A new independent body to regulate the BBC's blatant bias.
    The Fascist speaks :)
  • Options
    Stark_DawningStark_Dawning Posts: 9,304
    Sandpit said:

    GIN1138 said:

    FTPT

    GIN1138 said:

    Zac's down to 2% on Betfair, new poll coming out ?

    People have had it with the Posh Boys.
    You sound like a lefty class warrior. You're going to be very disappointed if Remain wins aren't you?

    I'm expecting REMAIN to win after everything they've done.

    In a way that's when the fun begins as we can start setting about destroying Cameron and Osborne for their treachery. We've got to see both of them humiliated and turfed out of office in disgrace.

    Realistically Cameron will be off on his own terms I suppose, but we can still tear Osborne to pieces (especially if the Tories are mad enough to make him leader - Fingers crossed)

    After the effort he has put in and the number of his own side he's alienated in the process, Cameron has to win big or he's likely to be toast in short order. 60-40 as a minimum to avoid a challenge over the summer?
    If Remain wins - by whatever margin - Cameron and Osborne will be fine. This is reminding me of the Left's travails over unilateral disarmament in the 1980s. Yes, there was no end of abuse and bitterness whilst the argument raged, but once the view was settled everyone just shrugged and moved on. Even a die-hard unilateralist like Corbyn becoming leader hasn't revivified the matter. This will be Leave's last battle. If they lose, neither they nor anyone else will be able to summon up the energy to persevere any more.
  • Options
    SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,605

    http://order-order.com/2016/04/28/rupa-huq-defends-naz-shahs-anti-semitism/

    I wonder if a white MP had done the same with material saying all Muslims should be removed from Europe etc, anybody would dare to give this reaction?

    Labour cannot go on trying to appeal to both Muslims and Jews. It has to choose between them. Boy, am I ever glad I left the Party!

    We need to concentrate on appealing to Socialists and Social Democrats. Whatever religious nonsense they might or might not believe in.
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    I don't normally swear, but fuck me, he actually said this

    https://twitter.com/smashmorePH/status/725610120739229696
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    Looks like NE has broken the story PBers were already aware of....and given that people like the Telegraph are repeating it, I presume they have a fair amount of faith in its accuracy.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/28/prince-suffered-from-aids-and-had-expected-to-die-for-a-while-us/
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    Patrick said:

    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    [6] means that you get treated like dirt in the workplace in order to be treated with respect the rest of the time. Is that what you really want?
    That's a strangely 'producerist' view of the world of work. You seem to be saying that in order for customers to get a good service the providers have to be forced up chimneys.

    Let's take the London Underground as a talking example - what is wrong with automating it? I've been on several automated lines incl Hong Kong, airport terminal spurs, the DLR etc. They're safe. Why should the population of London suffer to pay drivers a £52k salary?
    Those of us who would regard automated deep level tubes as safe are paying a rent to those who don't. Remind me again how many of the London Mayoral candidates are proposing to automate the Tube...

  • Options
    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285

    I don't normally swear, but fuck me, he actually said this

    https://twitter.com/smashmorePH/status/725610120739229696

    How is Red Ken anywhere near font line politics. I think he has probably said more offensive things than Nick Griffin...
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    DixieDixie Posts: 1,221

    MaxPB said:

    Or Zac pulls off the shock of the century, UKIP beat the Tories in Wales and Scotland slides into a NOM with SLAB in third. I wonder what odds I can get on all of that...

    Zac will lose because he won't even turn out his own Tory base.

    Virtually every Tory activist I speak to is "meh".
    I agree there is a lot of 'meh' and the opinion polls back that. But....
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    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,412
    edited April 2016

    I don't normally swear, but fuck me, he actually said this

    https://twitter.com/smashmorePH/status/725610120739229696

    How is Red Ken anywhere near font line politics. I think he has probably said more offensive things than Nick Griffin...
    And this

    Ken Livingstone on @BBCRadioLondon: there's been a coordinated effort by the Israel lobby to smear any anti-Israel comments as antisemitic

    and

    stands by his comments he's never heard anyone say anything antisemitic in Labour
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    http://order-order.com/2016/04/28/rupa-huq-defends-naz-shahs-anti-semitism/

    I wonder if a white MP had done the same with material saying all Muslims should be removed from Europe etc, anybody would dare to give this reaction?

    Labour cannot go on trying to appeal to both Muslims and Jews. It has to choose between them. Boy, am I ever glad I left the Party!

    We need to concentrate on appealing to Socialists and Social Democrats. Whatever religious nonsense they might or might not believe in.
    You'll be lucky. Politics based on economic differences will always lose out to identity politics. Haven't you learnt anything from the result in Scotland last time?

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    Seriously, how many sleeper agents do the Tory Party have inside Labour? Ken, Corbyn, and McDonnell for starters, still reckon Ed Miliband too
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    DixieDixie Posts: 1,221
    MaxPB said:

    MaxPB said:

    Or Zac pulls off the shock of the century, UKIP beat the Tories in Wales and Scotland slides into a NOM with SLAB in third. I wonder what odds I can get on all of that...

    Zac will lose because he won't even turn out his own Tory base.

    Virtually every Tory activist I speak to is "meh".
    Yup, and yet in a low turnout election Zac has a chance, it just shows how awful both main candidates are. If there was a strong independent like Trump, they could walk it.
    Of course, Labour have only won London once, and that was by a former Independent candidate called Ken Livingstone. Frank Dobson was their first candidate and lost. Can London ever vote a Labour Mayor in? They want services, not rhetoric. Khan Khan't deliver.
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    Mr. Patrick, no, but I did see his programme on What British Muslims Really Think (or whatever it was called). It was just an opinion poll and reporting on its (interesting) findings. Where some on Twitter got Islamophobia from is beyond me.

    He said he believes in equality. Really. And that some sections of our society don't - especially for women and religious freedom. We all know which section he was referring to.
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    LayneLayne Posts: 163

    Layne said:

    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    May I suggest a couple more?

    7. Heavily restrict unskilled migration, and migration from extremist nations like Pakistan and Somalia.
    8. A new independent body to regulate the BBC's blatant bias.
    The Fascist speaks :)
    What is fascistic about either of those policies?
  • Options
    Stark_DawningStark_Dawning Posts: 9,304
    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    'These days'? When has any party advocated all those things? 'Never' is the answer.
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    Plato_SaysPlato_Says Posts: 11,822
    The same ambiguity applies when it comes to the EU. Bourne commissioned a research company called Newswatch to analyse the discussion of the EU on the Today programme between March 2004 and last June. In the monitored sample, 4,275 guests appeared to talk about the EU, of whom just 132 were in favour of British withdrawal. That’s 3.2 per cent of the total, even though opinion polls in the same period put the level of public support for withdrawal at between 33 and 50 per cent. Of those 132, some 95 were members of Ukip and over a third of the pro-Brexit contributions were from one man, Nigel Farage.
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,983
    Mr. Patrick, that reminds me of what Popper said:
    Although Popper was an advocate of toleration, he said that intolerance should not be tolerated, for if tolerance allowed intolerance to succeed completely, tolerance would be threatened.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Popper
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    The same ambiguity applies when it comes to the EU. Bourne commissioned a research company called Newswatch to analyse the discussion of the EU on the Today programme between March 2004 and last June. In the monitored sample, 4,275 guests appeared to talk about the EU, of whom just 132 were in favour of British withdrawal. That’s 3.2 per cent of the total, even though opinion polls in the same period put the level of public support for withdrawal at between 33 and 50 per cent. Of those 132, some 95 were members of Ukip and over a third of the pro-Brexit contributions were from one man, Nigel Farage.
    Why do you bother copy-and-pasting stuff from links? Can't you think for yourself?
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    Layne said:

    Layne said:

    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    May I suggest a couple more?

    7. Heavily restrict unskilled migration, and migration from extremist nations like Pakistan and Somalia.
    8. A new independent body to regulate the BBC's blatant bias.
    The Fascist speaks :)
    What is fascistic about either of those policies?
    What is Fascist is your belief in your unfettered belief to define Fascism. Among other things.

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    http://order-order.com/2016/04/28/rupa-huq-defends-naz-shahs-anti-semitism/

    I wonder if a white MP had done the same with material saying all Muslims should be removed from Europe etc, anybody would dare to give this reaction?

    Labour cannot go on trying to appeal to both Muslims and Jews. It has to choose between them. Boy, am I ever glad I left the Party!

    We need to concentrate on appealing to Socialists and Social Democrats. Whatever religious nonsense they might or might not believe in.
    But is Socialism 2016 really compatible with sharia law? I do not think that it is. Neither is Conservatism 2016 or Liberalism 2016 compatible with sharia law.
  • Options
    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    Sandpit said:

    GIN1138 said:

    FTPT

    GIN1138 said:

    Zac's down to 2% on Betfair, new poll coming out ?

    People have had it with the Posh Boys.
    You sound like a lefty class warrior. You're going to be very disappointed if Remain wins aren't you?

    I'm expecting REMAIN to win after everything they've done.

    In a way that's when the fun begins as we can start setting about destroying Cameron and Osborne for their treachery. We've got to see both of them humiliated and turfed out of office in disgrace.

    Realistically Cameron will be off on his own terms I suppose, but we can still tear Osborne to pieces (especially if the Tories are mad enough to make him leader - Fingers crossed)

    After the effort he has put in and the number of his own side he's alienated in the process, Cameron has to win big or he's likely to be toast in short order. 60-40 as a minimum to avoid a challenge over the summer?
    If Remain wins - by whatever margin - Cameron and Osborne will be fine. This is reminding me of the Left's travails over unilateral disarmament in the 1980s. Yes, there was no end of abuse and bitterness whilst the argument raged, but once the view was settled everyone just shrugged and moved on. Even a die-hard unilateralist like Corbyn becoming leader hasn't revivified the matter. This will be Leave's last battle. If they lose, neither they nor anyone else will be able to summon up the energy to persevere any more.
    Just like in Scotland in fact.. oh wait...
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,896
    MaxPB said:

    Layne said:

    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    May I suggest a couple more?

    7. Heavily restrict unskilled migration, and migration from extremist nations like Pakistan and Somalia.
    8. A new independent body to regulate the BBC's blatant bias.
    Nah, you don't even need to do that, just do what rcs has suggested, make immigration here cost more money, a £5000 annual surcharge for NHS insurance for non-residents, a £2500 per child per year non-resident surcharge for the education system etc... That automatically puts off all but the highest earners.
    Yes, that is a simple and elegant solution.

    A £5000 fee plus lack of access to eg tax credits, housing benefit would set a minimum required salary for a family at around £50k outside London, and for singles around £25k.
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    Mr Meeks. A good interesting article thank you.
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    Mr. Patrick, that reminds me of what Popper said:
    Although Popper was an advocate of toleration, he said that intolerance should not be tolerated, for if tolerance allowed intolerance to succeed completely, tolerance would be threatened.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Popper

    You should remind the moderators of that. They tolerate intolerance dozens of times every day.

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    LayneLayne Posts: 163
    Hundreds of thousands of Africans are preparing to come to Europe:

    http://spiegel.de/international/europe/a-1089536.html
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    MaxPB said:

    Layne said:

    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    May I suggest a couple more?

    7. Heavily restrict unskilled migration, and migration from extremist nations like Pakistan and Somalia.
    8. A new independent body to regulate the BBC's blatant bias.
    Nah, you don't even need to do that, just do what rcs has suggested, make immigration here cost more money, a £5000 annual surcharge for NHS insurance for non-residents, a £2500 per child per year non-resident surcharge for the education system etc... That automatically puts off all but the highest earners.
    My main problem with that is it lets in the richest people, not the best people. You would still have endless Russian oligarchs kids swanning around Knightsbridge, but would never see a talented Engineer from the third world, as for nurses from the Philippines, forget it, £5000 is 3 years salary.
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    richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    On this day in 1945 Mussolini was killed..
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    @jessphillips: Ken Livingstone must be suspended from the Labour Party
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    blackburn63blackburn63 Posts: 4,492
    A couple of points FPT.

    Keiran Pedley is a Spurs fan, I therefore agree with everything he says.

    TSE, who I understand is cosy with CCHQ said that Cameron estimated that 70 of his MPs would come out for Leave. This is the root problem that not just Cameron but our senior politicians in general have, they surround themselves with nodding dogs, SPADs and focus groups who tell them what they want to hear. How on earth can Cameron understand the mood of the electorate if he doesn't understand the mood of his own MPs. In fairness to Blair, he made Prescott his deputy, he represented everything Blair wasn't and acted as a weather vane.

    This referendum is about far more than EU membership, its a wake up call about accountability and public service, Cameron has taken his own people for granted, they won't all forgive him.
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    TCPoliticalBettingTCPoliticalBetting Posts: 10,819
    edited April 2016
    "Since then, the pollsters have flagellated themselves, put on hair shirts and sought to uncover what exactly went wrong. They have conducted investigations, issued reports and held symposia on the subject. They have put in place corrective measures."

    But have they really put in corrective measures that align with the reviews? From the couple of polls that I have looked at, they were still including too many under 25s and too few 65+ voters, in their results after weightings.

    Therefore (for once) Mr Meeks may be right. The upcoming election results in 8 days time could provide an opportunity to compare with. Although will we have a reliable way of comparing NEV with the polls across GB?
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    On this day in 1945 Mussolini was killed..

    Are you in mourning?

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    MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36159009
    Expats lose referendum vote legal bid

    Could this be the hinge of fate that lets Leave win the referendum.
  • Options
    runnymederunnymede Posts: 2,536
    Sandpit said:

    MaxPB said:

    Layne said:

    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    May I suggest a couple more?

    7. Heavily restrict unskilled migration, and migration from extremist nations like Pakistan and Somalia.
    8. A new independent body to regulate the BBC's blatant bias.
    Nah, you don't even need to do that, just do what rcs has suggested, make immigration here cost more money, a £5000 annual surcharge for NHS insurance for non-residents, a £2500 per child per year non-resident surcharge for the education system etc... That automatically puts off all but the highest earners.
    Yes, that is a simple and elegant solution.

    A £5000 fee plus lack of access to eg tax credits, housing benefit would set a minimum required salary for a family at around £50k outside London, and for singles around £25k.
    It's an excellent suggestion
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,983
    Mr. Abroad, I'm not sure that's true, to be honest.

    Also, writing a bit and forgot I'd copied something new. Just had a brief mention of Princess Karl Popper after I pasted, expecting a lady's name :p
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    richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    IA Are you a cretin..
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,896

    ://twitter.com/faisalislam/status/725615308061478913

    But how many of the "Poorest in our Country" read the Guardian? They're preaching to the choir, would have been much better off writing in the Mirror!
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    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,328

    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    'These days'? When has any party advocated all those things? 'Never' is the answer.
    But virtually no-one wants to vote for your eurowank.
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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
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    bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 21,859
    Phone-hacking claims against The Sun claims to go ahead.

    "Rebecca was aware"
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    TCPoliticalBettingTCPoliticalBetting Posts: 10,819
    edited April 2016
    MikeK said:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36159009
    Expats lose referendum vote legal bid

    Could this be the hinge of fate that lets Leave win the referendum.

    It will probably help a little - although I wonder what % of expat adults does it cover? It might also help improve the Conservatives chances in 2020 if they get their finger out and corrrect the anomaly by the date of the next GE.
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    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,328

    I don't normally swear, but fuck me, he actually said this

    https://twitter.com/smashmorePH/status/725610120739229696

    Sweet Jesus. I made a bit of a (risky) joke yesterday about Livingstone probably thinking Goebels was a bit of a wet.

    Was I joking??
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    Looking at the entrails of the YouGov poll, it looks like Ozzy's dossier has worked for Remain in the supplementaries.
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,896
    edited April 2016
    Indigo said:

    MaxPB said:

    Layne said:

    Patrick said:

    FPT - Let's have another go!

    I'm searching for a political party that will:

    1. Balance the budget but do so in a way that has a reasonable balance between tax rises and spending cuts (I think we're taxed enough apart from the 0.1%) and allocates spending cuts in a fair way too (sorry rich pensioners you need to be in this together with everyone else).
    2. Defend our country and our culture. (Yes I am thinking of the EU and of Islam, defence spending, overseas aid and all the rest).
    3. Defend free speech. We have proscribed speech right now. Some look for 'safe spaces'. Free speech means free speech - especially the right to offend someone else.
    4. Is socially liberal - I'm fine with gays, soft drugs, etc. But doesn't seek to shove PC crap down my neck.
    5. Enforce the law. (Rotherham, etc)
    6. Put citizens first and the establishment second. Children over teachers, passengers over tube drivers, patients over doctors, customers over unions, etc.

    I have no party to vote for these days. It's depressing.

    May I suggest a couple more?

    7. Heavily restrict unskilled migration, and migration from extremist nations like Pakistan and Somalia.
    8. A new independent body to regulate the BBC's blatant bias.
    Nah, you don't even need to do that, just do what rcs has suggested, make immigration here cost more money, a £5000 annual surcharge for NHS insurance for non-residents, a £2500 per child per year non-resident surcharge for the education system etc... That automatically puts off all but the highest earners.
    My main problem with that is it lets in the richest people, not the best people. You would still have endless Russian oligarchs kids swanning around Knightsbridge, but would never see a talented Engineer from the third world, as for nurses from the Philippines, forget it, £5000 is 3 years salary.
    Philippine nurses coming for a job would I'm sure have their employer (most likely the NHS) pay the fee as part of the hiring costs. Ditto Indian engineers, although most of them are building stuff in Dubai and Qatar right now, and earning pretty good money doing it.
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    blackburn63blackburn63 Posts: 4,492

    http://order-order.com/2016/04/28/rupa-huq-defends-naz-shahs-anti-semitism/

    I wonder if a white MP had done the same with material saying all Muslims should be removed from Europe etc, anybody would dare to give this reaction?

    Labour cannot go on trying to appeal to both Muslims and Jews. It has to choose between them. Boy, am I ever glad I left the Party!

    WTF?

    There are millions of decent people who support Labour, they don't give a fuck about medieval beliefs.
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,926

    @jessphillips: Ken Livingstone must be suspended from the Labour Party

    Both Jess Phillips and Ken Livingstone are prize idiots.
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    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,328
    Dixie said:

    MaxPB said:

    Or Zac pulls off the shock of the century, UKIP beat the Tories in Wales and Scotland slides into a NOM with SLAB in third. I wonder what odds I can get on all of that...

    Zac will lose because he won't even turn out his own Tory base.

    Virtually every Tory activist I speak to is "meh".
    I agree there is a lot of 'meh' and the opinion polls back that. But....
    But what?
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