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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » If Jeremy Corbyn does becomes Prime Minister he should than

SystemSystem Posts: 11,005
edited May 2016 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » If Jeremy Corbyn does becomes Prime Minister he should thank Zac Goldsmith

When your own sister criticises your campaign and praises your opponent as a good role model, when the media runs a quiz asking Who said it: Britain First or Zac Goldsmith? deep down you must know you’ve run an ignoble, divisive, and poor campaign that may have long lasting consequences.

Read the full story here


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    First ..... again!
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    "Memo to both camps, tone down the hyperbole, criticise your opponents with plausible criticisms and not make it appear that victory for the other side was foretold in The Book of Revelation."

    Who could you possibly be thinking of TSE, I wonder?
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    edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,141
    I think hyperbole is generally useful for a campaign, especially one representing the status quo. The voters won't believe you if you tell them something will cost them 100x, but to deny your claims your opponent has to give them publicity and that leaves voters still thinking it's going to cost them x.

    The problem is when you can't get them to buy into the premise at all, as was the case here.
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    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    THREAD HEADLINE

    "If Jeremy Corbyn does become Prime Minister ....."

    Oh do stop TSE .... It far too early for you to be consuming PBers worldwide with gigantic guffawing this early on a Sunday morning ....

    :smiley: .. :smiley: .. :smiley: .. :smiley: .. :smiley: .. :smiley:
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    MattWMattW Posts: 18,382
    FPT:

    >Danny565
    >Khan did not suggest any Muslims were "uncle Toms".

    That's an interestingly Nelsonian approach given that:

    1 - Khan is on video saying ""You can't just pick and choose who you speak to. You can't just talk to Uncle Toms." while discussing engaging with the Muslim population.
    2 - He is on record saying he said it.
    3 - He is on record accepting it was an 'offensive racial slur'.
    4 - He apologised for saying it.

    I think how Corbyn and also Khan deal with these questions is significant - to date Corbyn has bucked and weaved and dissembled imo.

    In this case, how are they going to deal with the various forms of traditionalist Islam and those of their values which are at odds with what the Labour Party says it stands for.

    If they try to do a Danny565 and bury the bodies under cover of attacking Goldsmith, then the stink will eventually escape.

    I don't think Khan will do that (though Corbyn might), but whether Khan will be challenging enough to the traditionalists - I am not sure.

    ------------------------------
    Link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/04/labour-plunged-into-fresh-race-row-as-london-mayoral-candidate-s/

    During a discussion about Muslim voters, Mr Khan said: "You can't just pick and choose who you speak to. You can't just talk to Uncle Toms."

    Speaking to ITV London News, Mr Khan acknowledged that the comment had been an offensive racial slur.

    He said: "It is, and I regret using that phrase.

    "The context was me trying to encourage everyone to get involved in government consultations.

    "I was a minister at the time. It was wrong and I regret it."

    Mr Khan's team had earlier said that he "regrets" using the phrase, used against black people to suggest they are subservient to whites.

    A spokesman said: "This was a bad choice of phrase and Sadiq regrets using it.
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    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,914
    It's worth remembering that the man Cameron attacked Khan for associating with was courted by and supported the Tories at the GE:

    http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/davehillblog/2016/apr/20/london-mayor-cleric-cameron-said-supports-is-confirms-he-backed-conservatives
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    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,914
    Khan won in London by reaching out way beyond Labour's comfort zone, making the effort to demonstrate he would be a mayor for all Londoners, focusing on issues that voters care about. Corbyn will do none of these things.
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    MattWMattW Posts: 18,382
    edited May 2016
    @so

    Yep - good points.

    My relatives are in the happy position of living about 250m outside the London boundary so I get a lot of "there but for the grace of God...".
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,570
    Agreed TSE. Zac was the wrong candidate who ran a poor campaign - tho we have yet to see what hostages to fortune on the policy front that Khan throws up...
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    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,916

    It's worth remembering that the man Cameron attacked Khan for associating with was courted by and supported the Tories at the GE:

    http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/davehillblog/2016/apr/20/london-mayor-cleric-cameron-said-supports-is-confirms-he-backed-conservatives

    Is someone trawling the records looking for a picture of him actually WITH Cameron? That would be priceless!
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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,789
    FPT, if there were a swing of 1% from Con to Lab, in 2020, to match the shift from 2011 to 2016, in English council elections, that would give 318 Con to 244 Labour. However, if the Conservatives gained a few seats in Scotland, plus the effect of boundary changes, they'd likely win another majority.

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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,570
    Nick Cohen:

    When people bellow abuse, they are often talking about themselves. The foul-mouthed homophobe turns out to be a closet gay. The evangelical preacher is caught in the vice squad raid. Whether it is Donald Trump, Boris Johnson or Nicola Sturgeon, those who insist that everyone else is lying are the biggest liars of all.

    http://www.theguardian.com/global/commentisfree/2016/may/07/eu-referendum-brexiteers-trust-in-paranoia-and-mendacity-nick-cohen?CMP=share_btn_tw
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    stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,777
    edited May 2016

    I think hyperbole is generally useful for a campaign, especially one representing the status quo. The voters won't believe you if you tell them something will cost them 100x, but to deny your claims your opponent has to give them publicity and that leaves voters still thinking it's going to cost them x.

    The problem is when you can't get them to buy into the premise at all, as was the case here.

    I think hyperbole is too often overused and exaggerated just to make a point.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    stjohn said:

    I think hyperbole is generally useful for a campaign, especially one representing the status quo. The voters won't believe you if you tell them something will cost them 100x, but to deny your claims your opponent has to give them publicity and that leaves voters still thinking it's going to cost them x.

    The problem is when you can't get them to buy into the premise at all, as was the case here.

    I think hyperbole is too often overused and exaggerated just to make a point.
    Hyperbole will destroy politics and leave Britain a smouldering ruin if it carries on.
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    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,914

    stjohn said:

    I think hyperbole is generally useful for a campaign, especially one representing the status quo. The voters won't believe you if you tell them something will cost them 100x, but to deny your claims your opponent has to give them publicity and that leaves voters still thinking it's going to cost them x.

    The problem is when you can't get them to buy into the premise at all, as was the case here.

    I think hyperbole is too often overused and exaggerated just to make a point.
    Hyperbole will destroy politics and leave Britain a smouldering ruin if it carries on.

    I think you're underplaying it. Massively.

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    CD13CD13 Posts: 6,351
    Perhaps the Tories will learn from this when they go for Corbyn. Don't make him out to be the Devil and all his works. He has enough of Mephistopheles about him, but he isn't a rabble-rouser.

    He is deluded, he dislikes the West because it has power and uses it sometimes. He believes the underdog is always right - unless it's the white working class.

    They need to stick to that. Some of his economic ideas do chime with the electorate so don't invent faults.

    But they will because it's politics, and like the Labour party, they can't resist it.
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    logical_songlogical_song Posts: 9,703
    Anybody notice the article at the bottom of the Observer's front page?
    It's about 20 Tory MPs and Peers planning to rebel against Whittingdale's 'assault' on the BBC.
    This is another potential self inflicted wound by the Tories. Many posters on here dislike the BBC but that's not shared by the public.
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    RogerRoger Posts: 18,891
    A very good header TSE. Is the headline you or a quote?

    It's intersting when the pendulum swings as it has done here how many people forget what happened just a few short days ago. Obviously no one wants to embarrass fellow posters but there are some pretty prominent ones who got everything about the assault on Khan wrong.

    Elsewhere Cameron made a very foolish decision which politically and tactically made no sense and which could well become an ignoble part of his legacy. Lets hope that when the referendum campaign gets into full swing he leaves the the tactics to people who understand what they're doing.

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    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,914
    CD13 said:

    Perhaps the Tories will learn from this when they go for Corbyn. Don't make him out to be the Devil and all his works. He has enough of Mephistopheles about him, but he isn't a rabble-rouser.

    He is deluded, he dislikes the West because it has power and uses it sometimes. He believes the underdog is always right - unless it's the white working class.

    They need to stick to that. Some of his economic ideas do chime with the electorate so don't invent faults.

    But they will because it's politics, and like the Labour party, they can't resist it.

    From a practical perspective the Khan attacks did not work because they did not match up to the man or the campaign he fought. Khan does not give the impression of being the person the Tories said he is. Corbyn, Milne, McDonnell, Abbott etc are slightly different.

    For me the argument against an all out assault on them is that it is totally unnecessary. The Tories can win easily without it.

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    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,318
    Three separate thoughts on this:

    1. Why does negativity usually seem to pay electoral dividends?

    I think it links into popular disillusionment with politics - most people think it simply more credible that politician X is a sleazeball than that he has some good ideas. And it's well-documented that it sells papers better, so the media play up an attack where they'll bury a positive message on page 6.

    2. Why didn't it work this time?

    As EiT observes, voters generally split the difference - if you say X is corrupt or extreme and he denies it, people will decide he's a bit corrupt/extreme - but sometimes they just don't buy the story at all. It was too obvious that the Tories were flinging mud, and that Khan, while not exactly spell-binding or fun, was not an extremist. Being rather dour is a good protection against exaggerated claims.

    3. How far should we be comfortable with such strategies if they DO work?

    Quite a few of the criticisms have been on the effectiveness rather than the principle. To say "That was a dog-whistle in a city without dogs" is to imply that if the city had had lots of dogs, it would have been a good idea. And on PB we do a lot of that - we wonder why X hasn't reversed his policy on Y in the light of polling evidence, we criticise smears as ineffective rather than immoral. TSE is criticising the principle, and really we need a bit more of that.

    For commercial advertising, agencies are all utterly cynical - if someone says their brand washes whiter or that celebrity Z uses it, they don't waste time pondering whether it's true - they just consider whether it's an effective approach. If it's about washing powder, maybe that doesn't matter much. But for deciding the future of the country we should try to set the bar a bit higher.
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    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,914

    Anybody notice the article at the bottom of the Observer's front page?
    It's about 20 Tory MPs and Peers planning to rebel against Whittingdale's 'assault' on the BBC.
    This is another potential self inflicted wound by the Tories. Many posters on here dislike the BBC but that's not shared by the public.

    Yep. In a Tories v the BBC battle there's only going to be one winner. Especially if some Tories are opposed to the measures being proposed, which they will be.

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    chestnutchestnut Posts: 7,341
    edited May 2016
    And for all the chattering hullabaloo, they finished on the same London percentages as at the general election last May on the first vote.
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,964
    Good morning, everyone.

    Mr. Palmer, I'd add something else to why negativity works:
    It's the offensive. When one seizes the offensive, they dictate terms of battle (the terrain and time the battle is fought).

    A defensive victory just means holding onto what you've got, but an offensive victory means claiming the territory of your adversary.

    It's also a lot easier to ask questions of your opponents than to answer them about yourselves. Being positive and saying "Vote Labour [in your case] because of these reasons" opens up the reasons for microscopic scrutiny.

    Said it before, but if the media scrutinised policies they way it puts politicians under a microscope, we'd be a lot better governed (and if politicians didn't have the beady eye of Fleet Street crawling all over them, we'd probably have better politicians too).
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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,789
    Th
    chestnut said:

    And for all the chattering hullabaloo, they finished on the same London percentages as at the general election last May.

    The best like for like comparison is with constituency vote numbers. These finished Lab 43% to Con 31%, a 1.5% swing to Labour, compared to 2015.
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    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    edited May 2016
    Sadiq Khan's victory is a devastating blow to ISIS propaganda that it is impossible for Muslims to co-exist with Westerners.
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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    chestnut said:

    And for all the chattering hullabaloo, they finished on the same London percentages as at the general election last May on the first vote.

    Unsurprisingly, because both struck me as uncharismatic candidates fighting unexciting campaigns.

    Still, I got to vote for a winner for only the third time in my life.
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    MattWMattW Posts: 18,382
    edited May 2016

    Three separate thoughts on this:

    3. How far should we be comfortable with such strategies if they DO work?

    Quite a few of the criticisms have been on the effectiveness rather than the principle. To say "That was a dog-whistle in a city without dogs" is to imply that if the city had had lots of dogs, it would have been a good idea. And on PB we do a lot of that - we wonder why X hasn't reversed his policy on Y in the light of polling evidence, we criticise smears as ineffective rather than immoral. TSE is criticising the principle, and really we need a bit more of that.

    For commercial advertising, agencies are all utterly cynical - if someone says their brand washes whiter or that celebrity Z uses it, they don't waste time pondering whether it's true - they just consider whether it's an effective approach. If it's about washing powder, maybe that doesn't matter much. But for deciding the future of the country we should try to set the bar a bit higher.

    Interesting.

    My standard reaction to celeb a b c or d using a product is that money spent on the vapid celeb hasn't been spent on the product, so I won't be buying it thanks.

    Suspect many here are the same.

    It is the same reason I have spent 30 years not driving BMWs or using Apple computers.
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    CD13CD13 Posts: 6,351
    Mr Meeks,

    "Unsurprisingly, because both struck me as uncharismatic candidates fighting unexciting campaigns."

    From an outside view, I thought it was a nonentity vs a career politician.

    Khan may share a platform with extremists, but he does it for political advantage. When Jezza and Ken do it, it's because they agree with them.

    Cameron and Blair would also do it for the first reason.

    I'd be very surprised if Sadiq does much of anything, and as I don't live in London, I'd not particularly bothered. But it's nice to see that the "expert" advisors can get it so wrong.
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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    Morning all.

    For our friends claiming yesterday that the Green's will unconditionally support the SNP at Holyrood...

    PATRICK Harvie has suggested that imposing increased taxes on higher earners will be the price of Scottish Green support if his party is to back SNP spending plans, as he warned Nicola Sturgeon against making deals with the Tories.

    The party co-convenor, who was reelected in the Glasgow region as the Greens trebled their cohort of MSPs to six, said the SNP membership was at odds with its leadership's tax policy, as he looked ahead to negotiations over the Scottish Government budget.
    http://m.heraldscotland.com/news/14477359.Greens_to_demand_SNP_move_on_tax_as_price_for_propping_up_Sturgeon/
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    blackburn63blackburn63 Posts: 4,492
    What an excellent header, I must admit to rubbing my eyes in wonderment at it's author, especially the last paragraph about criticising opponents plausibly.

    This confirms what I wrote last week, Cameron/Crosby (one does what the other tells him) are panicking. The Goldsmith farce has confirmed they've lost their touch and with regard to the EU they are now completely dependent on events, the much touted "grid" has become as much use as Edstone.

    Politics is about confidence, the tories have lost theirs.
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    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787

    Three separate thoughts on this:

    1. Why does negativity usually seem to pay electoral dividends?

    I think it links into popular disillusionment with politics - most people think it simply more credible that politician X is a sleazeball than that he has some good ideas. And it's well-documented that it sells papers better, so the media play up an attack where they'll bury a positive message on page 6.

    2. Why didn't it work this time?

    As EiT observes, voters generally split the difference - if you say X is corrupt or extreme and he denies it, people will decide he's a bit corrupt/extreme - but sometimes they just don't buy the story at all. It was too obvious that the Tories were flinging mud, and that Khan, while not exactly spell-binding or fun, was not an extremist. Being rather dour is a good protection against exaggerated claims.

    3. How far should we be comfortable with such strategies if they DO work?

    Quite a few of the criticisms have been on the effectiveness rather than the principle. To say "That was a dog-whistle in a city without dogs" is to imply that if the city had had lots of dogs, it would have been a good idea. And on PB we do a lot of that - we wonder why X hasn't reversed his policy on Y in the light of polling evidence, we criticise smears as ineffective rather than immoral. TSE is criticising the principle, and really we need a bit more of that.

    For commercial advertising, agencies are all utterly cynical - if someone says their brand washes whiter or that celebrity Z uses it, they don't waste time pondering whether it's true - they just consider whether it's an effective approach. If it's about washing powder, maybe that doesn't matter much. But for deciding the future of the country we should try to set the bar a bit higher.

    Political negativity in UK elections works at its best (or worst) if the public sense there is some truth and current resonance to the attack. Old mistakes and faults are usually forgotten and forgiven if the voters feel the lesson has been learnt.

    In Khan's case dodgy platform friends and old statements were seen as part of the political game and didn't relate to the candidate they saw during the campaign. In contrast the negative attacks on Jezza continue to resonate because he is seen as unreconstructed in his views and political friends. That was a strength in winning the leadership of the Labour party with their selectorate but is a distinct disadvantage with the wider electorate.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    MattW said:

    Three separate thoughts on this:

    3. How far should we be comfortable with such strategies if they DO work?

    Quite a few of the criticisms have been on the effectiveness rather than the principle. To say "That was a dog-whistle in a city without dogs" is to imply that if the city had had lots of dogs, it would have been a good idea. And on PB we do a lot of that - we wonder why X hasn't reversed his policy on Y in the light of polling evidence, we criticise smears as ineffective rather than immoral. TSE is criticising the principle, and really we need a bit more of that.

    For commercial advertising, agencies are all utterly cynical - if someone says their brand washes whiter or that celebrity Z uses it, they don't waste time pondering whether it's true - they just consider whether it's an effective approach. If it's about washing powder, maybe that doesn't matter much. But for deciding the future of the country we should try to set the bar a bit higher.

    Interesting.

    My standard reaction to celeb a b c or d using a product is that money spent on the vapid celeb hasn't been spent on the product, so I won't be buying it thanks.

    Suspect many here are the same.

    It is the same reason I have spent 30 years not driving BMWs or using Apple computers.
    Celebrity endorsement has been one of the perennials of advertising, because it works. It is pretty rare for people to admit that it has worked on them, and indeed they may react against it. Nonetheless it does.

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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    On TSE's point about negative campaigning:

    1) it is used because it works when it is done credibly. This time it wasn't very credible so it didn't work.

    2) advertising is far more effective than we like to think, especially on ourselves. If it wasn't, we'd all be buying supermarket own-brands all the time. I hope @Roger writes about this in detail at some point.

    3) when two candidates or parties put out rival messages, the public will usually end up believing both. So they may well believe that Sadiq Khan has some murky connections but if they also believe that Zac Goldsmith is an out of touch posho with no ideas how to improve London for the ordinary citizen, they'll probably overlook that.

    4) neither Sadiq Khan nor Zac Goldsmith did a very good job of completing the caption competition "I should be next Mayor of London because..." in 15 words or fewer. So the public went on their default settings.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,123
    Hard to disagree TSE. As I have said over the last couple of days the Tory campaign in London was a disgrace, it brought shame on the party and the candidate and I for one was pleased it failed.

    I felt equally uncomfortable with Cameron's behaviour at PMQs last week. It was brutal and effective but does absolutely nothing to enhance our politics.

    Dismayed though I am at Nicks revelation that Daz might be being cynical about their whiter than white claim I think he is right that negative often works. That does not make it a good thing and our politics are the worse for it. I hope we see less of it in future and that its complete failure in this campaign gets people thinking of other strategies.
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    Innocent_AbroadInnocent_Abroad Posts: 3,294
    edited May 2016

    Anybody notice the article at the bottom of the Observer's front page?
    It's about 20 Tory MPs and Peers planning to rebel against Whittingdale's 'assault' on the BBC.
    This is another potential self inflicted wound by the Tories. Many posters on here dislike the BBC but that's not shared by the public.

    That is because democracy is evil. Anyone who is not a Tory Peebie should be put to death. By torture. Yesterday.

    Anyone who votes REMAIN should have their loved ones tortured to death, as well.

    All power to Sean Thomas!

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    RogerRoger Posts: 18,891
    edited May 2016

    I think hyperbole is generally useful for a campaign, especially one representing the status quo. The voters won't believe you if you tell them something will cost them 100x, but to deny your claims your opponent has to give them publicity and that leaves voters still thinking it's going to cost them x.

    The problem is when you can't get them to buy into the premise at all, as was the case here.


    Your last line is on the nail.

    There's a well known advertising quote "Facts are irrelevant. What matters is what the public believes"

    If you're going to suggest that Khan is consorting with terrorists you have to be sure of your ground. I'm not talking about the morality but the negative effects of trying to peddle something the public doesn't believe.

    It always struck me as unlikely that Khan a sitting MP would be consorting with terrorists but I found it's almost beyond belief that Zac's campaign team hadn't taken the elementary precaution of researching the public's response to the claim first
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    edited May 2016

    What an excellent header, I must admit to rubbing my eyes in wonderment at it's author, especially the last paragraph about criticising opponents plausibly.

    This confirms what I wrote last week, Cameron/Crosby (one does what the other tells him) are panicking. The Goldsmith farce has confirmed they've lost their touch and with regard to the EU they are now completely dependent on events, the much touted "grid" has become as much use as Edstone.

    Politics is about confidence, the tories have lost theirs.

    What evidence do you have to support the view of Crosby/Cameron panicking? Cameron looked positively chipper about the election results. Zac is a prominent Leaver and anti Heathrow campaigner, and his career is in ruins.
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    blackburn63blackburn63 Posts: 4,492
    Cameron is about to prove the old adage about how you treat people on the way up. He's looking around for allies at the moment, according to this site he was even plotting to remove his most trusted friend. To think of the mood on here 364 days ago.......

    I hope there's a thread about this tomorrow, the way things have subsequently panned out.
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    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,280
    Roger said:

    A very good header TSE. Is the headline you or a quote?

    It's intersting when the pendulum swings as it has done here how many people forget what happened just a few short days ago. Obviously no one wants to embarrass fellow posters but there are some pretty prominent ones who got everything about the assault on Khan wrong.

    Elsewhere Cameron made a very foolish decision which politically and tactically made no sense and which could well become an ignoble part of his legacy. Lets hope that when the referendum campaign gets into full swing he leaves the the tactics to people who understand what they're doing.

    The headline is all me.
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    richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    edited May 2016
    Camerons statements were correct...now let us see how Khan copes with the next five years..he has a lot of promises to keep..and we are watching..
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    WandererWanderer Posts: 3,838

    Cameron is about to prove the old adage about how you treat people on the way up. He's looking around for allies at the moment, according to this site he was even plotting to remove his most trusted friend. To think of the mood on here 364 days ago.......

    I hope there's a thread about this tomorrow, the way things have subsequently panned out.

    365 days ago?
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    Innocent_AbroadInnocent_Abroad Posts: 3,294

    What an excellent header, I must admit to rubbing my eyes in wonderment at it's author, especially the last paragraph about criticising opponents plausibly.

    This confirms what I wrote last week, Cameron/Crosby (one does what the other tells him) are panicking. The Goldsmith farce has confirmed they've lost their touch and with regard to the EU they are now completely dependent on events, the much touted "grid" has become as much use as Edstone.

    Politics is about confidence, the tories have lost theirs.

    What evidence do you have to support the view of Crosby/Cameron panicking? Cameron looked positively chipper about the election results. Zac is a prominent Leaver and anti Heathrow campaigner, and his career is in ruins.
    It would be nice for you to have absolute power, wouldn't it, Foxy? But you'll have to wait your turn

    Sean Thomas comes first, you know.

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    richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    The BMA has finally found where its arse and its elbow are..now let them get back to being Doctors..
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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,899
    Zac has allowed himself to be used as a gambit pawn by Lynton. Heathrow runway 3 here we come anyway. In Schipol right now where there is 6 I think !
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    richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    bb63 you need to pay less attention to what you read in the papers..
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    Moses_Moses_ Posts: 4,865
    edited May 2016
    That last paragraph in the thread header could relate just as well to the opposing factions in both parties of course.

    In the Labour Party there is little hope that the corbynistas and Blairites will come to any agreement anytime soon if ever? As such, there may not be a Labour Party as we presently know it that could be lead into another General election let alone to winning it. The left though just don't seem to care about winning which is what Khan astutely pointed out as his acceptance speech.

    On the other hand the Tories with their in/out split over Europe are also divided though not to the point of splitting. Team hugs would not be the first thing at future meetings. They do have an appetite for winning though which would carry them through in the end at least at the 2020 GE.

    What is needed is the "Patrick party" overthrown at birth by the brutal and inopportune posting of a new thread by the controlling Aristocracy just as the message was starting to gain traction with the PB electorate :smile:

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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @politicshome: Neil Hamilton 'eyeing Ukip Welsh Assembly leadership post' https://t.co/OykG0US87f https://t.co/4nSAPDV1E0
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    edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,141

    Cameron looked positively chipper about the election results. Zac is a prominent Leaver and anti Heathrow campaigner, and his career is in ruins.

    "So Lynton, I've got one last job for you before you get your knighthood. I think you're going to enjoy it, make it look good..."
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    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,258
    This is a very fair article, TSE - I agree.
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    blackburn63blackburn63 Posts: 4,492

    What an excellent header, I must admit to rubbing my eyes in wonderment at it's author, especially the last paragraph about criticising opponents plausibly.

    This confirms what I wrote last week, Cameron/Crosby (one does what the other tells him) are panicking. The Goldsmith farce has confirmed they've lost their touch and with regard to the EU they are now completely dependent on events, the much touted "grid" has become as much use as Edstone.

    Politics is about confidence, the tories have lost theirs.

    What evidence do you have to support the view of Crosby/Cameron panicking? Cameron looked positively chipper about the election results. Zac is a prominent Leaver and anti Heathrow campaigner, and his career is in ruins.
    How about the thread header on here where Cameron was sounding out the removal of Osbourne?

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    murali_smurali_s Posts: 3,040
    chestnut said:

    And for all the chattering hullabaloo, they finished on the same London percentages as at the general election last May on the first vote.

    Good point. Even though thrilled to see Sadiq win comfortably, he (and Labour) fell slightly short of expectations. I would have liked to see Khan clear 60%.

    I still think at the next election Labour has a decent chance of getting to the holy grail of 50% in London - let's see how things pan out...
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    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
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    blackburn63blackburn63 Posts: 4,492

    bb63 you need to pay less attention to what you read in the papers..

    I don't read papers
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    RogerRoger Posts: 18,891

    Roger said:

    A very good header TSE. Is the headline you or a quote?

    It's intersting when the pendulum swings as it has done here how many people forget what happened just a few short days ago. Obviously no one wants to embarrass fellow posters but there are some pretty prominent ones who got everything about the assault on Khan wrong.

    Elsewhere Cameron made a very foolish decision which politically and tactically made no sense and which could well become an ignoble part of his legacy. Lets hope that when the referendum campaign gets into full swing he leaves the the tactics to people who understand what they're doing.

    The headline is all me.
    It's very good. As David Ogilvy said " Five times more people read the headline as read the body copy. When you've written your headline you've spent eighty cents out of your dollar"
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    ThreeQuidderThreeQuidder Posts: 6,133
    It's difficult for me to judge the campaign itself because I saw virtually nothing from Goldsmith himself - just a lot of complaining about what he was doing. Maybe his campaign wasn't aimed at me.

    But from what I've seen I still don't think it was a racist campaign. That would require it to be either made up (with Khan not having a string of links to unsavoury characters) or for a white Labour politician with similar links not to be treated the same (and given that we've seen the start of such a campaign against Corbyn and particularly McDonnell that falls down too).
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    Unfortunately we can't talk about another Khan victory. Amir lad you just can't take a big shot can you. Lovely boxing technique, but the real big boys hit you hard.
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    felixfelix Posts: 15,124
    Disagree - all candidates should be subject to equal scrutiny. What on earth does 'as a Muslim' mean? Khan wax questioned about his past links and statement - one of which he admitted was racist and apologised for. Fine. He also won and can now prove his moderation and one wishes him well. But no ethnic group should be able to play the ethnic card to close down scrutiny - that has happened too often in the past ten years and is the main reason UKIP has flourished.
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    richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    bb63.. So you don't read papers but form your opinions from PB thread headers..hmmm
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    JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,901

    It's difficult for me to judge the campaign itself because I saw virtually nothing from Goldsmith himself - just a lot of complaining about what he was doing. Maybe his campaign wasn't aimed at me.

    But from what I've seen I still don't think it was a racist campaign. That would require it to be either made up (with Khan not having a string of links to unsavoury characters) or for a white Labour politician with similar links not to be treated the same (and given that we've seen the start of such a campaign against Corbyn and particularly McDonnell that falls down too).

    Zac's Mail article which used the 7/7 bus was, imo, a low point in British politics.
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    taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    I think the tut-tutters on the site should reserve judgement until we have seen how the Kahn Mayorship pans out.

    From indoctrination in schools, to young people fleeing to Syria, to the scores of foiled terror plots in this country, to guards at synagogues and bahmitzvahs.

    There is a mountain of evidence that some communities have a big problem.
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    blackburn63blackburn63 Posts: 4,492

    Unfortunately we can't talk about another Khan victory. Amir lad you just can't take a big shot can you. Lovely boxing technique, but the real big boys hit you hard.

    Yes its a shame, a really brave lad with a glass chin, you can't train for that.
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    RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 27,175
    The campaign was a disgrace. The governing party of this country seeking to incite racial hatred by writing to Sikhs and others warning them not to vote for a Muslim. Constantly attacking Khan for associating himself with terrorists (especially deranged when one key named one is a Tory). That obscene Daily Mail article apparently penned by Goldsmith saying a vote for Khan is a vote for Terrorism - complete with a photo of the Russell Square bus FFS.

    And what did we have last Wednesday? At leader of the opposition's questions the PM used all 6 of his questions to demand Corbyn disassociate himself for leading terrorist Saddiq Khan. So we know the campaign came from the very top as Cameron used it in the commons.

    Corbyn is very effective at getting Cameron to lose his rag at the dispatch box. Throwing quotes at him often helps. So let's picture this week's exchange. Corbyn asks Cameron to disassociate himself from Cameron's quotes about Khan. Corbyn reads quotes from people like Goldsmith's sister and the ex vice-Chair calling the campaign a disgrace. Reads letters from Londoners disgusted by the overt racism shown by Cameron and Crosby.

    What does Cameron do? He can either back down and try and deflect it on onto anti-semitism -in which case the row gets worse ("Cameron refused to speak about growing pressure in his own ranks that his campaign was racist"). Or worse goes purple and restates what he said that Khan really is a terrorist.

    This will not go away. It's 2016. You cannot run a campaign based on "if you want a nigger for a neighbour vote Labour" and think people will just shrug and move on. It's an absolute disgrace and any Tory with an ounce of understanding of decency would know it.
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    Innocent_AbroadInnocent_Abroad Posts: 3,294
    Jonathan said:

    It's difficult for me to judge the campaign itself because I saw virtually nothing from Goldsmith himself - just a lot of complaining about what he was doing. Maybe his campaign wasn't aimed at me.

    But from what I've seen I still don't think it was a racist campaign. That would require it to be either made up (with Khan not having a string of links to unsavoury characters) or for a white Labour politician with similar links not to be treated the same (and given that we've seen the start of such a campaign against Corbyn and particularly McDonnell that falls down too).

    Zac's Mail article which used the 7/7 bus was, imo, a low point in British politics.
    There'll be a much much lower one soon enough. Identity politics is all about fear and loathing.

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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    One thing that strikes me from this "Super Thursday" is that, while there is a degree of dislike palpable in the country for all the party leaders, that the local parties in the devolved parliaments/assemblies and councils have distanced themselves quite successfully.

    Ruth's success in Scotland, Kezia's fail, Khan's victory and the many unknown councillors all had very little to do with the national parties.

    As a LD, I am pleased to see a considerable bounceback in support in the national predicted voteshare. Locally in Leics we only had the PCC election with a 19.5 % turnout. The LD candidate came third, on 12.7% of first preferences.

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    blackburn63blackburn63 Posts: 4,492

    Jonathan said:

    It's difficult for me to judge the campaign itself because I saw virtually nothing from Goldsmith himself - just a lot of complaining about what he was doing. Maybe his campaign wasn't aimed at me.

    But from what I've seen I still don't think it was a racist campaign. That would require it to be either made up (with Khan not having a string of links to unsavoury characters) or for a white Labour politician with similar links not to be treated the same (and given that we've seen the start of such a campaign against Corbyn and particularly McDonnell that falls down too).

    Zac's Mail article which used the 7/7 bus was, imo, a low point in British politics.
    There'll be a much much lower one soon enough. Identity politics is all about fear and loathing.

    lol
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,899

    Unfortunately we can't talk about another Khan victory. Amir lad you just can't take a big shot can you. Lovely boxing technique, but the real big boys hit you hard.

    Yes its a shame, a really brave lad with a glass chin, you can't train for that.
    Like a horse going up too far in trip, Khan is a 147 fighter now - not 155
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    taffystaffys Posts: 9,753

    Jonathan said:

    It's difficult for me to judge the campaign itself because I saw virtually nothing from Goldsmith himself - just a lot of complaining about what he was doing. Maybe his campaign wasn't aimed at me.

    But from what I've seen I still don't think it was a racist campaign. That would require it to be either made up (with Khan not having a string of links to unsavoury characters) or for a white Labour politician with similar links not to be treated the same (and given that we've seen the start of such a campaign against Corbyn and particularly McDonnell that falls down too).

    Zac's Mail article which used the 7/7 bus was, imo, a low point in British politics.
    There'll be a much much lower one soon enough. Identity politics is all about fear and loathing.

    You should know, you are obsessed by identity politics. Isn't it Sadiq Kahn who will soon introduce job selection by indentity?

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    blackburn63blackburn63 Posts: 4,492

    bb63.. So you don't read papers but form your opinions from PB thread headers..hmmm

    Eh? We all choose what we want to believe, if the bosses of PB run a thread header that suggests Cameron is plotting against Osborne I'm prepared to believe there might be some truth in it. You might choose not to believe it, oh well.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,123

    One thing that strikes me from this "Super Thursday" is that, while there is a degree of dislike palpable in the country for all the party leaders, that the local parties in the devolved parliaments/assemblies and councils have distanced themselves quite successfully.

    Ruth's success in Scotland, Kezia's fail, Khan's victory and the many unknown councillors all had very little to do with the national parties.

    As a LD, I am pleased to see a considerable bounceback in support in the national predicted voteshare. Locally in Leics we only had the PCC election with a 19.5 % turnout. The LD candidate came third, on 12.7% of first preferences.

    Good point. Both Cameron and Corbyn seemed largely irrelevant to the campaigns going on. Politics has undoubtedly become more fragmented and more personality driven. This is probably a good thing.
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    MortimerMortimer Posts: 13,936
    Agree with TSE, but also think that the Conservative party have become obsessed with targeting strategies. It works in a multi faceted election such as a General, but leaves the party and election fighting Maxine hopefully inadequate at other contests.

    What was wrong with being John Major popular. I really hope the next PM realises that winning votes and being liked often go hand in hand.
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    richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    bb63..As with all journalists..their assumptions should always be questioned..they tend to write what they think you want to read..
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    blackburn63blackburn63 Posts: 4,492
    Pulpstar said:

    Unfortunately we can't talk about another Khan victory. Amir lad you just can't take a big shot can you. Lovely boxing technique, but the real big boys hit you hard.

    Yes its a shame, a really brave lad with a glass chin, you can't train for that.
    Like a horse going up too far in trip, Khan is a 147 fighter now - not 155
    Yes, he just can't cope with the extra power. I've always been amazed by the punishment the top boxers cope with, their ability, mentally and physically, to take the big shots is extraordinary. Khan is no quitter, like Bruno before him solid shots completely discombobulate him.
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    Innocent_AbroadInnocent_Abroad Posts: 3,294
    taffys said:

    Jonathan said:

    It's difficult for me to judge the campaign itself because I saw virtually nothing from Goldsmith himself - just a lot of complaining about what he was doing. Maybe his campaign wasn't aimed at me.

    But from what I've seen I still don't think it was a racist campaign. That would require it to be either made up (with Khan not having a string of links to unsavoury characters) or for a white Labour politician with similar links not to be treated the same (and given that we've seen the start of such a campaign against Corbyn and particularly McDonnell that falls down too).

    Zac's Mail article which used the 7/7 bus was, imo, a low point in British politics.
    There'll be a much much lower one soon enough. Identity politics is all about fear and loathing.

    You should know, you are obsessed by identity politics. Isn't it Sadiq Kahn who will soon introduce job selection by indentity?

    It's been going on for years. Decades. So he'll have difficulty "introducing" it. You might spell his name right, tho'.

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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,123
    taffys said:

    I think the tut-tutters on the site should reserve judgement until we have seen how the Kahn Mayorship pans out.

    From indoctrination in schools, to young people fleeing to Syria, to the scores of foiled terror plots in this country, to guards at synagogues and bahmitzvahs.

    There is a mountain of evidence that some communities have a big problem.

    Yes they do. They have problems because they have either failed or shown no interest in integrating fully into British life. Often this is because they had the perception that they were not really wanted.

    And now we have a Mayor of our largest and most ethnically diverse city who happens to be a Muslim. This is a real opportunity and a good thing. If the various strands of Muslim thought can be persuaded that they can and should play a full role in British society and that there are no doors closed to them we have a much better chance of living happily together.
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    logical_songlogical_song Posts: 9,703
    Scott_P said:

    @politicshome: Neil Hamilton 'eyeing Ukip Welsh Assembly leadership post' https://t.co/OykG0US87f https://t.co/4nSAPDV1E0

    Now let me see, who would do most damage to UKIP in Wales, Hamilton or Reckless?
    Would it be a stepping stone to the UK Party leadership for when Farage really resigns?
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    WandererWanderer Posts: 3,838


    And what did we have last Wednesday? At leader of the opposition's questions the PM used all 6 of his questions to demand Corbyn disassociate himself for leading terrorist Saddiq Khan. So we know the campaign came from the very top as Cameron used it in the commons.

    In the PMQs that I watched Cameron kept demanding that Corbyn repudiate Hamas and Hezbollah.
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    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419
    Muslim politicians shouldn't get a free pass on their past just because they're muslim, which seems to be the tone of the criticism. Were any of Zac's attack lines untrue? There is absolutely nothing wrong in principle in holding Khan to account for past comments, actions and knowing associations.

    However, that doesn't mean it was the right thing to do politically. Being true is only half the equation; the attack also has to be believed. It also has to be seen as not hypocritical, though that wasn't an issue here. Credibility, on the other hand, was. Khan seemed sincere in his apology for inappropriate language and the lack of more recent evidence will have caused many to discount the attacks. Were they relevant to Khan-the-candidate? The electorate gave its answer.
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    perdixperdix Posts: 1,806
    Jonathan said:

    It's difficult for me to judge the campaign itself because I saw virtually nothing from Goldsmith himself - just a lot of complaining about what he was doing. Maybe his campaign wasn't aimed at me.

    But from what I've seen I still don't think it was a racist campaign. That would require it to be either made up (with Khan not having a string of links to unsavoury characters) or for a white Labour politician with similar links not to be treated the same (and given that we've seen the start of such a campaign against Corbyn and particularly McDonnell that falls down too).

    Zac's Mail article which used the 7/7 bus was, imo, a low point in British politics.
    The picture was chosen by the Mail. Zac commented that it was a strange choice.

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    taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    DavidL said:

    taffys said:

    I think the tut-tutters on the site should reserve judgement until we have seen how the Kahn Mayorship pans out.

    From indoctrination in schools, to young people fleeing to Syria, to the scores of foiled terror plots in this country, to guards at synagogues and bahmitzvahs.

    There is a mountain of evidence that some communities have a big problem.

    Yes they do. They have problems because they have either failed or shown no interest in integrating fully into British life. Often this is because they had the perception that they were not really wanted.

    And now we have a Mayor of our largest and most ethnically diverse city who happens to be a Muslim. This is a real opportunity and a good thing. If the various strands of Muslim thought can be persuaded that they can and should play a full role in British society and that there are no doors closed to them we have a much better chance of living happily together.
    That's a very simple answer to a very complex problem. Muslims in Britain enjoy a suite of benefits, protections and opportunities their co-religionists in other countries can only dream of.

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    logical_songlogical_song Posts: 9,703
    Scott_P said:
    Which would be the larger party, Momentum or Continuity Labour (aka SDP2)? In terms of
    a: MPs / Councillors
    b. Members.
    c. Public support
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    An interesting article from TSE. What is clear is that Cameron was locked into the strategy for this campaign. Who around him, apart from Crosby's company, was party to Zac's campaign? Osborne?That seems almost certain. But who else amongst folk we know and the teenage scribbIers?

    These are also the people setting the referendum strategy for REMAIN.....
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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453

    Which would be the larger party, Momentum or Continuity Labour (aka SDP2)? In terms of
    a: MPs / Councillors
    b. Members.
    c. Public support

    I think the key issue is one of branding. Clearly the Labour brand has some loyalty, whoever is leading it.

    As has been discussed before, if the SDP could brand themselves as New Labour, they might be in with a shot.

    If Momentum keep the Labour brand, they would be the largest in the short term IMHO
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,123

    An interesting article from TSE. What is clear is that Cameron was locked into the strategy for this campaign. Who around him, apart from Crosby's company, was party to Zac's campaign? Osborne?That seems almost certain. But who else amongst folk we know and the teenage scribbIers?

    These are also the people setting the referendum strategy for REMAIN.....

    According to the Dan Hodges article linked to below Osborne was seriously ambivalent about Zac's campaign and allegedly told Tessa Jowell that if she had got the nod he would have voted for her. I suspect that this was mainly because Zac is so anti-Heathrow rather than any squeamishness on the part of the Chancellor but it is not right to say he had any role to play in this campaign.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    edited May 2016

    An interesting article from TSE. What is clear is that Cameron was locked into the strategy for this campaign. Who around him, apart from Crosby's company, was party to Zac's campaign? Osborne?That seems almost certain. But who else amongst folk we know and the teenage scribbIers?

    These are also the people setting the referendum strategy for REMAIN.....

    Though the next campaign requires a very sharp reverse ferret!

    It is Leave that is campaigning on the fear of the foreign other. Remain are campaigning on bread and butter issues like the economy.
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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    Ona previous thread, someone asked whether Peston could be worse than Marr...

    @pestononsunday: 'Handy' reminder that @louistheroux and @George_Osborne will be live with @Peston tomorrow from 10am. #Peston https://t.co/JwDrQtJxn1
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    MrsBMrsB Posts: 574

    stjohn said:

    I think hyperbole is generally useful for a campaign, especially one representing the status quo. The voters won't believe you if you tell them something will cost them 100x, but to deny your claims your opponent has to give them publicity and that leaves voters still thinking it's going to cost them x.

    The problem is when you can't get them to buy into the premise at all, as was the case here.

    I think hyperbole is too often overused and exaggerated just to make a point.
    Hyperbole will destroy politics and leave Britain a smouldering ruin if it carries on.
    yep. It already is. Nobody knows what to believe. Even if you stick to the truth yourself, nobody thinks it is the truth. The Tories (and some others) are supping with the devil by employing Crosby type tactics with the aim of winning in the short term. In the long term it's a disaster for politics.
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    17 days after today to the govt purdah. Is Mr Straw's REMAIN ready to take over or is it going to be hamstrung by the Cameron and Osborne part timers in Downing street?
    Also just 23 days until postal voting.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,570

    For commercial advertising, agencies are all utterly cynical - if someone says their brand washes whiter or that celebrity Z uses it, they don't waste time pondering whether it's true - they just consider whether it's an effective approach. If it's about washing powder, maybe that doesn't matter much. But for deciding the future of the country we should try to set the bar a bit higher.

    FYI Mr Palmer - if a brand of washing powder claims to wash whiter it has to be true - if politicians were held to the same standards of truth as advertising you'd be rendered mute. Advertising has a MUCH higher bar than politics.
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    "As a Muslim I was appalled"

    Gosh, how many were killed or mutilated for life this time?
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,964
    Incidentally, I liked this, by our very own Mr. T:
    https://twitter.com/thomasknox/status/729055631131459584

    [As an aside, in the next tweet he references, wrongly, Caesar. Claudius would've been more accurate :p ].
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    another_richardanother_richard Posts: 25,044
    I suspect there are a lot of people being self-righteous after the event.

    If Zac had won we would instead be reading about a brilliant Conservative election strategy and how justified it was.

    The fact is though Zac was never likely to win - London is a Labour majority city and its just had eight years of a Conservative mayor and six years of a Conservative Westminster government.

    Boris was fortunate - in 2008 the Conservatives were 20% ahead of Labour and in 2012 he was a successful incumbent facing the right man at the right time (Ken). Zac had none of those advantages and had the extra drawback of continuing pro-Labour demographic change.
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    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,811
    MattW said:

    Three separate thoughts on this:

    3. How far should we be comfortable with such strategies if they DO work?

    Quite a few of the criticisms have been on the effectiveness rather than the principle. To say "That was a dog-whistle in a city without dogs" is to imply that if the city had had lots of dogs, it would have been a good idea. And on PB we do a lot of that - we wonder why X hasn't reversed his policy on Y in the light of polling evidence, we criticise smears as ineffective rather than immoral. TSE is criticising the principle, and really we need a bit more of that.

    For commercial advertising, agencies are all utterly cynical - if someone says their brand washes whiter or that celebrity Z uses it, they don't waste time pondering whether it's true - they just consider whether it's an effective approach. If it's about washing powder, maybe that doesn't matter much. But for deciding the future of the country we should try to set the bar a bit higher.

    Interesting.

    My standard reaction to celeb a b c or d using a product is that money spent on the vapid celeb hasn't been spent on the product, so I won't be buying it thanks.

    Suspect many here are the same.

    It is the same reason I have spent 30 years not driving BMWs or using Apple computers.
    What celebs do BMW and Apple us to sell their products????
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    MattWMattW Posts: 18,382
    edited May 2016
    felix said:

    Disagree - all candidates should be subject to equal scrutiny. What on earth does 'as a Muslim' mean? Khan wax questioned about his past links and statement - one of which he admitted was racist and apologised for. Fine. He also won and can now prove his moderation and one wishes him well. But no ethnic group should be able to play the ethnic card to close down scrutiny - that has happened too often in the past ten years and is the main reason UKIP has flourished.

    It is aspirational :-)

    It means "this is my opinion, and because we are all Muslims I think you should all agree with me and give me your backing".

    See "as a woman I think ..." used by feminists trying to create wider credence for their personal opinions.

    It really means something more like "me, my mates Fred and Joe, and my cat, have this opinion, but want to pretend that you all think the same as we do".
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    An interesting article from TSE. What is clear is that Cameron was locked into the strategy for this campaign. Who around him, apart from Crosby's company, was party to Zac's campaign? Osborne?That seems almost certain. But who else amongst folk we know and the teenage scribbIers?

    These are also the people setting the referendum strategy for REMAIN.....

    Though the next campaign requires a very sharp reverse ferret!

    It is Leave that is campaigning on the fear of the foreign other. Remain are campaigning on bread and butter issues like the economy.
    You are plain wrong but that is the way you view it. REMAIN have Ied with cataclysmic hyperbole on the End of Days. So far LEAVE has said spent a small share of its time on immigration.
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,964
    Mr. W, not fond of people appointing themselves spokesmen for their whole demographic.
This discussion has been closed.