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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Local By-Election Preview: July 18th 2013

SystemSystem Posts: 11,017
edited July 2013 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Local By-Election Preview: July 18th 2013

Flintshire (created out of the remains of Clwyd along with Denbighshire and Wrexham) has always been a strongly Labour area (even during the worse times for Labour). This was demonstrated at the 1983 general election when Alyn and Deeside (made up of the old Flint East constituency) returned a Labour MP despite Delyn electing a Conservative MP.

Read the full story here


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  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,976
    Good evening, everyone.

    Rather sweltering and horrid here, frankly. Anyway, cheers to Mr. Hayfield for his regular by-election piece.
  • Options
    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    edited July 2013
    Giovanni!
  • Options
    MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053
    Yes, It's damn hot Mr. Dancer. Only one election tonight and its in Welshland. How long does it take to get rid of the slag in these Welsh valleys?
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,976
    Mr. K, I don't know. Sadly I only have the most basic recollection of how a blast furnace works.

    It'll be a little cooler at the weekend, but we'll have to wait about a week before the hot spell ends, apparently.
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,962
    tim said:

    MikeK said:

    Yes, It's damn hot Mr. Dancer. Only one election tonight and its in Welshland. How long does it take to get rid of the slag in these Welsh valleys?


    I can see two by elections.
    Are those UKIP application forms in extra large print?
    Tut tut tim. Being swivel-eyed is a serious medical condition.

  • Options
    Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 49,269
    @antifrank

    FPT

    There once was a girl at the Money Shop
    So wealthy they branded her a fop
    Declined her at Wonga
    Cos she was from Tonga
    But she finally came out on top!
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,976
    It's very quiet tonight.

    Next race up is Hungary, which is all about front end grip. Definitely not a place for differential front end grip.

    It's hard to overtake, largely because it's badly designed. Lots of fairly high speed corners where aerodynamics dictate pace, meaning bad airflow prevents a chasing car from getting near to the one ahead. However, degradation of tyres and cunning strategy should enable some to make up ground, and others to lose it.
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    Stuart_DicksonStuart_Dickson Posts: 3,557
    Net UK government approval - latest YouGov

    London -17
    Rest of South -17
    Midlands/Wales -28
    North -40
    Scotland -62

    http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/l1jcon3uxv/YG-Archive-Pol-Sun-results-160713.pdf
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,978
    As ever, thanks to Mr Hayfield.

    I met Mrs J for the first time in Sawston. I went for a job interview and there she was, looking lovely as she fiddled with the knobs on a signal generator. She certainly generated a signal in me. ;-)

    It is a mixed area, with some very rich companies nearby (the Sanger Institute and Babraham Institutes). As in many areas of South Cambridgeshire, planned housing developments are a hot issue.
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,976
    Seems a bit weird to lump the Midlands in with Wales.
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    FensterFenster Posts: 2,115
    MikeK said:

    Yes, It's damn hot Mr. Dancer. Only one election tonight and its in Welshland. How long does it take to get rid of the slag in these Welsh valleys?

    I've been married to mine for eight years and she's showing no sign of budging.

  • Options

    Net UK government approval - latest YouGov

    London -17
    Rest of South -17
    Midlands/Wales -28
    North -40
    Scotland -62

    http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/l1jcon3uxv/YG-Archive-Pol-Sun-results-160713.pdf


    Good lord ur even more boring than tim
  • Options
    CarolaCarola Posts: 1,805
    Just reading up various info on free schools and inspection-wise by % (v small free school sample thus far obv) is apparently almost identical pattern to all schools re outstanding/good/needs improvement/inadequate. Those doing less well are the ones not in 'failing school' areas. (Free schools overall have less FSM averages than schools in the areas where they're situated). The following round went through a more rigorous selection process so it may change once they're inspected.
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,962
    I've just turned on the committee debate on the EU referendum bill. I wonder how many hours of it I'll be able to get through before I die from the boredom of tedious interventions.
  • Options
    corporealcorporeal Posts: 2,549
    scampi said:

    Net UK government approval - latest YouGov

    London -17
    Rest of South -17
    Midlands/Wales -28
    North -40
    Scotland -62

    http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/l1jcon3uxv/YG-Archive-Pol-Sun-results-160713.pdf


    Good lord ur even more boring than tim
    Mr Scampi, can I suggest if you're bored by people posting about opinion polls (which is true of many sane people) then this might not be the best site for you.
  • Options
    Elizabeth, the UKIP candidate in Sawston, has worked hard. She actually manged to deliver to every house BEFORE the postal votes went in (this is v unusual for UKIP). She declined my offer of help for delivering any more, because she had only 1 leaflet, and saw no point in delivering 2 leaflets which were the same.
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    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    edited July 2013
    Carola said:

    Just reading up various info on free schools and inspection-wise by % (v small free school sample thus far obv) is apparently almost identical pattern to all schools re outstanding/good/needs improvement/inadequate. Those doing less well are the ones not in 'failing school' areas. (Free schools overall have less FSM averages than schools in the areas where they're situated). The following round went through a more rigorous selection process so it may change once they're inspected.

    I thought the main advantage of Free Schools is that their classrooms are air condiditioned.

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    Stuart_DicksonStuart_Dickson Posts: 3,557
    edited July 2013

    Seems a bit weird to lump the Midlands in with Wales.

    Agreed.

    Mind you, Ipsos MORI lump in Scotland with the north of England in one of their breaks, which seems worse than useless. Interestingly, Ipsos MORI provide an England-only break too, which makes me wonder if the headline VI figures we all see bandied about all the time might not be slightly underestimating the level of Lib Dem support in England? See what I mean:

    Headline VI figures (Great Britain):
    Lab 40%
    Con 29%
    UKIP 12%
    LD 10%
    Grn 4%
    SNP 3%
    PC 1%
    oth 1%

    England-only VI figures:
    Lab 41%
    Con 29%
    UKIP 12%
    LD 12%
    Grn 4%
    oth 2%

    http://www.ipsos-mori.com/Assets/Docs/Polls/jul2013polMon_Tables.PDF
  • Options
    CarolaCarola Posts: 1,805
    AveryLP said:

    Carola said:

    Just reading up various info on free schools and inspection-wise by % (v small free school sample thus far obv) is apparently almost identical pattern to all schools re outstanding/good/needs improvement/inadequate. Those doing less well are the ones not in 'failing school' areas. (Free schools overall have less FSM averages than schools in the areas where they're situated). The following round went through a more rigorous selection process so it may change once they're inspected.

    I thought the main advantage of Free Schools is that they are air condiditioned.

    *fills in application form*
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,976
    Mr. Dickson, that also seems stupid.

    Those England only figures surprise me. I'd expect Labour to decline a shade and UKIP to increase.
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,976
    Anyway, off to cool down (if possible). Night, all.
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    corporeal said:

    scampi said:

    Net UK government approval - latest YouGov

    London -17
    Rest of South -17
    Midlands/Wales -28
    North -40
    Scotland -62

    http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/l1jcon3uxv/YG-Archive-Pol-Sun-results-160713.pdf


    Good lord ur even more boring than tim
    Mr Scampi, can I suggest if you're bored by people posting about opinion polls (which is true of many sane people) then this might not be the best site for you.

    Polls are interesting its just Scotland which I find boring and posters who think the world revolves around it. As for the site it's the best of a bad bunch.
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    RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737
    edited July 2013
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    Stuart_DicksonStuart_Dickson Posts: 3,557

    Mr. Dickson, that also seems stupid.

    Those England only figures surprise me. I'd expect Labour to decline a shade and UKIP to increase.

    Indeed. In fact, it is the first time I can recall the level of Labour support being higher in England compared to the headline GB figure. Maybe all those commentators that hammer on about a post-independence England being under "permanent" Tory rule need to have a closer look at the reality of English voting behaviour.
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    RogerRoger Posts: 18,891
    If anyone saw Cameron's interview on Channel 4 his obfuscation amounted to lying. He looked like he'd been caught in a seedy Turkish hotel with Pamela Anderson. Why didn't he either admit he's been lobbied or deny it. No one would have cared either way.
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    Ah Tim - You know sfa about politics and you've racked up over 6000 posts. pots and kettles spring to mind. and so to bed.

    Good lord ur even more boring than tim


    I know you don't post anything about politics, so why are you commenting on a politics site?

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    hunchmanhunchman Posts: 2,591
    Good evening all.

    Well its wonderful weather outside, stock markets rising happily - PB'ers will note very well that I was predicting strength into late July - am still looking for one last final high around the 25th July, before the greatest crash of them all can begin in earnest. Hunchman doesn't just come on here as the market goes down as some PB'ers have alleged in the past! On the same day that Moody's upgrades the US credit rating, this happens:

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-07-18/detroit-files-chapter-9-bankruptcy

    Yes, once the 4th largest city in America c.1960, and the wealthiest city at that time on the back of the motor industry, has filed for bankruptcy.....if that can happen to Detroit, who else can fall that far from grace?

    And this is the reality for the European car industry:

    http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/european-car-sales-plunge-to-20-year-low.html

    As always, we should expect what the (mainstream) economists don't:

    http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/expect-what-economists-dont.html

    I'm not really taking that much notice of opinion polls at the moment, they'll soon change once the ill winds blow in August, and the market commences a nasty decline - a good time for Farage to spend out of the spotlight, and come back refreshed in the autumn when events should be moving very much in the favour of UKIP / SNP. All the same, its been amusing to see just how much Mr Burnham and Labour have blotted their copybook on the NHS, not before time in my opinion!
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    RogerRoger Posts: 18,891
    @Avery

    "I thought the main advantage of Free Schools is that their classrooms are air condiditioned."

    Those are the Dyson Free Schools.
  • Options
    Stuart_DicksonStuart_Dickson Posts: 3,557
    RodCrosby said:
    So, forecast Con lead of nearly 4% at UK GE 2015. Meaning PM Ed Miliband presumably?

    Rod, I note that Paddy Power are offering 11/2 on an early (2014) UK GE. I assume that that is ridiculously short, but just wondered how you rate the chances of the next UK GE not being in 2015?

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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,986
    Stuart - Entirely due to the SNP. But, of course, the loss of Scotland would not have made any difference to who won the majority of English elections. The only elections where it would have made a difference were February 1974 where Heath would have won a majority as well as the popular vote (and judging by most letters to the Torygraph and comments on conservative home most right-wing Tories would have rather died than have had another term of Ted) and 1964 where Sir Alec Douglas-Home would have won a majority, and, irony of ironies, he was of course a Scot while Harold Wilson was English!
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    john_zimsjohn_zims Posts: 3,399
    @Scott_P

    'Labour should stop banging on about Lynton Crosby'

    But it's hilarious watching lefties running round like headless chickens,are they frit or what?
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,986
    edited July 2013
    The 1950 and October 1974 elections would have been hung, but Labour would still have been the largest party in England. In 2010 Cameron would have won a majority with 297 seats to Labour's 191 and the LDs 43
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    Stuart_DicksonStuart_Dickson Posts: 3,557
    HYUFD said:

    Stuart - Entirely due to the SNP. But, of course, the loss of Scotland would not have made any difference to who won the majority of English elections. The only elections where it would have made a difference were February 1974 where Heath would have won a majority as well as the popular vote (and judging by most letters to the Torygraph and comments on conservative home most right-wing Tories would have rather died than have had another term of Ted) and 1964 where Sir Alec Douglas-Home would have won a majority, and, irony of ironies, he was of course a Scot while Harold Wilson was English!

    I don't think that one can blame the SNP for the English Labour Party being more successful than the Scottish Labour Party. Credit where credit is due: perhaps one might extend some small degree of credit to Nick Palmer & Co on a job well done. (And brickbats to Johann Lamont & Co.)
  • Options
    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,925
    Greetings from Hong Kong. It's just before dawn and already steamy hot. Thank God for air conditioning. It's probably a whole lot more comfortable here than back home. Very interesting chats here with folk about deficiencies in Chinese way of education in PRC, HK, Singapore etc. the kids are never taught to think for themselves, so being pro-active, showing initiative, being prepared to take responsibility, argue a point etc are rare traits. In the UK we need to be aware of the drawbacks of relentless examination, long hours in class, and regimented, blackboard-facing teaching. It produces excellent PISA results, but not necessarily a dynamic, multi-skilled workforce.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,986
    Stuart - Johann Lamont is actually more popular than Salmond in some polls, but the SNP has positioned itself to the left of Labour in Scotland, hence splitting the left vote in the same way UKIP is doing to the Tories down south!
  • Options
    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    "We All Pay Your Benefits" made for good TV.

    Ipswich now has a Conservative MP. In the 1983 election, it remained Labour. I suppose that's as good an indication as any of how the country has polarised politically along geographical lines.
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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    The PM was sweating, in the middle of a record heat wave.

    Clearly a bigger story than "man eats burger"

    NewsSense™. All bollocks, all the time.
  • Options
    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    edited July 2013
    hunchman said:

    Good evening all.

    Well its wonderful weather outside, stock markets rising happily - PB'ers will note very well that I was predicting strength into late July - am still looking for one last final high around the 25th July, before the greatest crash of them all can begin in earnest. Hunchman doesn't just come on here as the market goes down as some PB'ers have alleged in the past! On the same day that Moody's upgrades the US credit rating, this happens:

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-07-18/detroit-files-chapter-9-bankruptcy

    Yes, once the 4th largest city in America c.1960, and the wealthiest city at that time on the back of the motor industry, has filed for bankruptcy.....if that can happen to Detroit, who else can fall that far from grace?

    And this is the reality for the European car industry:

    http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/european-car-sales-plunge-to-20-year-low.html

    As always, we should expect what the (mainstream) economists don't:

    http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/expect-what-economists-dont.html

    I'm not really taking that much notice of opinion polls at the moment, they'll soon change once the ill winds blow in August, and the market commences a nasty decline - a good time for Farage to spend out of the spotlight, and come back refreshed in the autumn when events should be moving very much in the favour of UKIP / SNP. All the same, its been amusing to see just how much Mr Burnham and Labour have blotted their copybook on the NHS, not before time in my opinion!

    You are taking on Goldman Sachs on your FTSE 100 prediction, hunchman. They are predicting an all time record of 7100 by year end.

    But the best story of all is France's decision to ban imports of (most of ) Mercedes new car ranges because they are using a Mobile Air Conditioning coolant which is proscribed by the EU.

    The dispute is almost escalating to war with a division of Mercedes Taxis about to advance on Paris.

    I predict a swift French surrender.

    See http://www.just-auto.com/news/mercedes-benz_id136354.aspx for the battle plans.
  • Options
    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    Roger said:

    @Avery

    "I thought the main advantage of Free Schools is that their classrooms are air condiditioned."

    Those are the Dyson Free Schools.

    Nah, Roger.

    The Dyson schools suck.

  • Options
    Stuart_DicksonStuart_Dickson Posts: 3,557
    hunchman said:

    Good evening all.

    Well its wonderful weather outside, stock markets rising happily - PB'ers will note very well that I was predicting strength into late July - am still looking for one last final high around the 25th July, before the greatest crash of them all can begin in earnest. Hunchman doesn't just come on here as the market goes down as some PB'ers have alleged in the past! On the same day that Moody's upgrades the US credit rating, this happens:

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-07-18/detroit-files-chapter-9-bankruptcy

    Yes, once the 4th largest city in America c.1960, and the wealthiest city at that time on the back of the motor industry, has filed for bankruptcy.....if that can happen to Detroit, who else can fall that far from grace?

    And this is the reality for the European car industry:

    http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/european-car-sales-plunge-to-20-year-low.html

    As always, we should expect what the (mainstream) economists don't:

    http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/expect-what-economists-dont.html

    I'm not really taking that much notice of opinion polls at the moment, they'll soon change once the ill winds blow in August, and the market commences a nasty decline - a good time for Farage to spend out of the spotlight, and come back refreshed in the autumn when events should be moving very much in the favour of UKIP / SNP. All the same, its been amusing to see just how much Mr Burnham and Labour have blotted their copybook on the NHS, not before time in my opinion!

    Got any suggestions for safe havens? Personally, I've been steadily squirrelling away capital in gold stocks for several months, but am now contemplating money market as I feel a tad over-exposed to gold now.
  • Options
    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815

    Greetings from Hong Kong. It's just before dawn and already steamy hot. Thank God for air conditioning. It's probably a whole lot more comfortable here than back home. Very interesting chats here with folk about deficiencies in Chinese way of education in PRC, HK, Singapore etc. the kids are never taught to think for themselves, so being pro-active, showing initiative, being prepared to take responsibility, argue a point etc are rare traits. In the UK we need to be aware of the drawbacks of relentless examination, long hours in class, and regimented, blackboard-facing teaching. It produces excellent PISA results, but not necessarily a dynamic, multi-skilled workforce.

    Go to Sam's Tailors and get a 100 day suit made, SO.

    Here are the details. No excuses!

    Sam's tailor
    Ground Floor K&L
    Burlington Arcade
    90-94C Nathan Rd
    Tsim Sha Tsui
    Kowloon
    Hong Kong

    Tel (852) 2367-9423
  • Options
    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    edited July 2013
    tim said:

    It's not about Crosby, it's about Camerons character.
    And the sweating, evasive wriggling character today tells you why Labour will carry on pursuing it.

    The Sun will be along with a poll soon to say only a few people know who Lynton Crosby is, which misses the point.

    Bullshit, tim.

    It is about the complete inability of the Labour party under Ed Miliband's leadership to develop a platform of policies which can compete with those of the current government.

    Combine this dearth of policies with a false belief in the efficacy of brand politics and you have the full explanation for the Crosby attacks.

    Is there anything about Miliband or the Labour party which makes you proud to support them?

  • Options
    john_zimsjohn_zims Posts: 3,399
    Scott_P

    'Clearly a bigger story than "man eats burger"'

    Maybe?

    'If Miliband were able to see this through the eyes of a normal person he would see two things. One is that the reason for Cameron apparent evasion is probably that he had a conversation with Crosby along the lines of, “Of course we can’t talk about Government policy on cigarettes because of your client list.”
    The other is that for Labour to bang on about someone whom the median voter thinks might be a folk rock musician suits Cameron down to the ground.'
  • Options
    No_Offence_AlanNo_Offence_Alan Posts: 3,811
    AveryLP said:

    hunchman said:

    On the same day that Moody's upgrades the US credit rating, this happens:

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-07-18/detroit-files-chapter-9-bankruptcy

    Yes, once the 4th largest city in America c.1960, and the wealthiest city at that time on the back of the motor industry, has filed for bankruptcy.....if that can happen to Detroit, who else can fall that far from grace?

    Don't they just have to withdraw from the Dollarzone, set up their own currency and everything will be just peachy?
  • Options
    Stuart_DicksonStuart_Dickson Posts: 3,557

    Greetings from Hong Kong. It's just before dawn and already steamy hot. Thank God for air conditioning. It's probably a whole lot more comfortable here than back home. Very interesting chats here with folk about deficiencies in Chinese way of education in PRC, HK, Singapore etc. the kids are never taught to think for themselves, so being pro-active, showing initiative, being prepared to take responsibility, argue a point etc are rare traits. In the UK we need to be aware of the drawbacks of relentless examination, long hours in class, and regimented, blackboard-facing teaching. It produces excellent PISA results, but not necessarily a dynamic, multi-skilled workforce.

    A friend of mine who works a lot with Japanese and Chinese engineers says the same thing. In fact, his experiences in Japan have convinced him that they are soon going to be rapidly heading back down the development leagues. According to him most Japanese adults are intellectually crippled, literally incapable of creative thought, critical analysis and initiative taking. Spells disaster for their economy in the long run.
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    RogerRoger Posts: 18,891
    edited July 2013
    Hunchman. Your recommendation to get out of the stock market when it was standing around 4500 because it was about to collapse has seen several of us selling the Big Issue.

    I'm sure that if there are any left who you haven't bankrupted they'll be desperate to hear your latest stock market suggestions
  • Options
    I haven't seen what Cameron said today.
    The double L'Alpe d'Huez stage was far more important to me.
    Do you have a link?
    tim said:

    It's not about Crosby, it's about Camerons character.
    And the sweating, evasive wriggling character today tells you why Labour will carry on pursuing it.

    The Sun will be along with a poll soon to say only a few people know who Lynton Crosby is, which misses the point.


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    john_zimsjohn_zims Posts: 3,399
    @Roger

    How are your bank shares doing?
  • Options
    Stuart_DicksonStuart_Dickson Posts: 3,557
    HYUFD said:

    Stuart - Johann Lamont is actually more popular than Salmond in some polls, but the SNP has positioned itself to the left of Labour in Scotland, hence splitting the left vote in the same way UKIP is doing to the Tories down south!

    Indeed!

    But the key difference is in the "Don't Knows". Salmond and Cameron are almost universally known among the Ipsos MORI respondents, whereas Johann Lamont gets a heck of a lot of DKs. The Lib Dem leader Rennie is even worse, being almost unknown among the general public.

    Ipsos MORI themselves do not headline with the net approval figures (I think Salmond was +2 and Lamont +5), but rather with the positive satisfaction figures, which puts Nicola Sturgeon way in the lead, followed by Salmond, with Lamont in the middle and Cameron a very poor last place.
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    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815

    AveryLP said:

    hunchman said:

    On the same day that Moody's upgrades the US credit rating, this happens:

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-07-18/detroit-files-chapter-9-bankruptcy

    Yes, once the 4th largest city in America c.1960, and the wealthiest city at that time on the back of the motor industry, has filed for bankruptcy.....if that can happen to Detroit, who else can fall that far from grace?

    Don't they just have to withdraw from the Dollarzone, set up their own currency and everything will be just peachy?
    Either that or tax Madonna.
  • Options
    Stuart_DicksonStuart_Dickson Posts: 3,557
    AveryLP said:

    tim said:

    It's not about Crosby, it's about Camerons character.
    And the sweating, evasive wriggling character today tells you why Labour will carry on pursuing it.

    The Sun will be along with a poll soon to say only a few people know who Lynton Crosby is, which misses the point.

    Bullshit, tim.

    It is about the complete inability of the Labour party under Ed Miliband's leadership to develop a platform of policies which can compete with those of the current government.

    Combine this dearth of policies with a false belief in the efficacy of brand politics and you have the full explanation for the Crosby attacks.

    Is there anything about Miliband or the Labour party which makes you proud to support them?

    It is the job of the opposition to oppose, so you can hardly blame them for doing so.

    It is the job of the government to govern. Competently. So, it would be nice to see a little of that from Cameron & Co.
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    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,925
    AveryLP said:

    Greetings from Hong Kong. It's just before dawn and already steamy hot. Thank God for air conditioning. It's probably a whole lot more comfortable here than back home. Very interesting chats here with folk about deficiencies in Chinese way of education in PRC, HK, Singapore etc. the kids are never taught to think for themselves, so being pro-active, showing initiative, being prepared to take responsibility, argue a point etc are rare traits. In the UK we need to be aware of the drawbacks of relentless examination, long hours in class, and regimented, blackboard-facing teaching. It produces excellent PISA results, but not necessarily a dynamic, multi-skilled workforce.

    Go to Sam's Tailors and get a 100 day suit made, SO.

    Here are the details. No excuses!

    Sam's tailor
    Ground Floor K&L
    Burlington Arcade
    90-94C Nathan Rd
    Tsim Sha Tsui
    Kowloon
    Hong Kong

    Tel (852) 2367-9423

    I always mean to do it when I'm here but never have the time. Meetings all day today, dinner tonight, home tomorrow.

    What is a 100 day suit?

  • Options
    hunchmanhunchman Posts: 2,591
    Got any suggestions for safe havens? Personally, I've been steadily squirrelling away capital in gold stocks for several months, but am now contemplating money market as I feel a tad over-exposed to gold now.


    Gold is looking good for a counter trend move right now. But it will sell off in time with everything else when deflation really takes hold. Still useful to own some gold at the bottom though if all confidence is lost in all fiat money, including the US Dollar ultimately - that day is a long way off however.

    Regulars will know that I advocate the US Dollar in safest cash form right now, and I personally think Singpore banks are among the world's safest, with a very sound economy, no government debt to speak of, UK based legal system - a lot to recommend it. Only negatives are high corporate debt and exposure to a downturn in world trade, personal borrowing there is very low.

    The US Dollar still continues to put in higher lows and higher highs, its building a very firm base technically, and is poised to breakout much higher once deflation really takes hold.
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    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    edited July 2013

    AveryLP said:

    Greetings from Hong Kong. It's just before dawn and already steamy hot. Thank God for air conditioning. It's probably a whole lot more comfortable here than back home. Very interesting chats here with folk about deficiencies in Chinese way of education in PRC, HK, Singapore etc. the kids are never taught to think for themselves, so being pro-active, showing initiative, being prepared to take responsibility, argue a point etc are rare traits. In the UK we need to be aware of the drawbacks of relentless examination, long hours in class, and regimented, blackboard-facing teaching. It produces excellent PISA results, but not necessarily a dynamic, multi-skilled workforce.

    Go to Sam's Tailors and get a 100 day suit made, SO.

    Here are the details. No excuses!

    Sam's tailor
    Ground Floor K&L
    Burlington Arcade
    90-94C Nathan Rd
    Tsim Sha Tsui
    Kowloon
    Hong Kong

    Tel (852) 2367-9423

    I always mean to do it when I'm here but never have the time. Meetings all day today, dinner tonight, home tomorrow.

    What is a 100 day suit?

    One that lasts a hundred days provided you don't go out in it when it is raining.

    Not worth it if you are leaving tomorrow even though they would arrange a fitting to your timetable and place and offer to send the suit and shirts to the UK when finished. You really have to have at least one fitting,

    A couple more days and you would have been OK.

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    RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737
    edited July 2013
    HYUFD said:

    The 1950 and October 1974 elections would have been hung, but Labour would still have been the largest party in England

    Sans Ecosse...

    1950:
    Con (inc NatLib & UU) 266
    Lab 278
    Lib 7
    Irish Nat 2
    Spkr 1

    Lab maj 2, versus 6 with Scotland


    Feb 1974:
    Con 275
    Lab 261
    Lib 11
    N Irish 12
    Plaid 2
    Ind 2
    Spkr 1

    Hung: Con 8 short, versus Lab 17 short with Scotland


    Oct 1974:
    Lab 278
    Con 260
    Lib 10
    N Irish 12
    Plaid 3
    Spkr 1

    Hung: Lab 5 short, versus Lab maj of 3 with Scotland


    But we should remember that, in those times, Scotland was much more evenly balanced between Lab and Con, meaning that today the amputation of Scotland would be much more beneficial to the Tories...
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,986
    Stuart Dickson - Indeed, although clearly she will be better known in Scotland and not have Salmond's unfavourables. In any case, while no political titan, she is probably the best leader Scottish Labour have had since Donald Dewar!
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    hunchmanhunchman Posts: 2,591
    Roger said:

    Hunchman. Your recommendation to get out of the stock market when it was standing around 4500 because it was about to collapse has seen several of us selling the Big Issue.

    I'm sure that if there are any left who you haven't bankrupted they'll be desperate to hear your latest stock market suggestions

    I've been bullish plenty of times over the past 4 years, not enough, and yes, I did get bearish too soon on quite a few occasions as I have readily alluded to. I regularly get stopped out on trades at small losses, tight stop losses once a market breaks your scenario is all part of a trader's armoury. Let your winners run as far as possible, and stop your losers quickly - that's just a sensible trading strategy. I pretty much called the tops in gold and silver at $1920 and $50 per oz respectively on here, when many were bullish and only expecting higher prices, plus I pretty much nailed the bottom in Dollar Yen at a smidgen over 75. And I have called for the US Dollar to move higher, which it is doing, albeit slowly so far, in the teeth of many people who are predicting the Dollar to crash all the time - I'm quite happy to take the other side of that excessively bearish sentiment on the US Dollar all day long.

    Yes, I'm far from perfect - I should not have called for the crash so soon - recognition of the important 7.25 year stockmarket cycle (pinpointing a bottom around mid-2016), and the fact that great credit deflationary crashes only take between 2 and 3 years, would have averted that. As they say, you learn continuously in life.
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    RogerRoger Posts: 18,891
    edited July 2013
    @John Zims

    "How are your bank shares doing?"

    It's too late for jokes. All I can say is that thanks to Huntsman I'm not alone
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    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    edited July 2013

    AveryLP said:

    tim said:

    It's not about Crosby, it's about Camerons character.
    And the sweating, evasive wriggling character today tells you why Labour will carry on pursuing it.

    The Sun will be along with a poll soon to say only a few people know who Lynton Crosby is, which misses the point.

    Bullshit, tim.

    It is about the complete inability of the Labour party under Ed Miliband's leadership to develop a platform of policies which can compete with those of the current government.

    Combine this dearth of policies with a false belief in the efficacy of brand politics and you have the full explanation for the Crosby attacks.

    Is there anything about Miliband or the Labour party which makes you proud to support them?

    It is the job of the opposition to oppose, so you can hardly blame them for doing so.

    It is the job of the government to govern. Competently. So, it would be nice to see a little of that from Cameron & Co.
    The opposition are not opposing precisely because the coalition is governing competently.

    Hence the tactical game of trying to undermine Cameron's personal ratings and hoping the Labour brand will outshine Tory "toxicity" at the GE.

    It may work. But it is not worthy of committed support. It is cynical manipulation of public ignorance.

    Brown won power without knowing what to do with it. Miliband is probably better than that and wants an intellectual and value basis for governing but is struggling to find one that is acceptable to the the electorate. Hence his silence.

    Even tim knows this is true although he would never admit it.

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    RichardNabaviRichardNabavi Posts: 3,413
    edited July 2013
    On topic: Didn't JohnO, much beloved grandee of this parish, say earlier that there was a by-election in his neck of the woods (deepest Surrey) today? Indeed I seem to recall what can only be described as a frisson of nervousness about the potential performance of some purple Johnny-come-latelies..
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    RichardNabaviRichardNabavi Posts: 3,413
    .. or, as I should say, Johnnies-come-lately. Apologies for the solecism.
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    FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,046
    Why the puzzle about Labour doing better in England vote share than GB? With the SNP polling high in Scotland it's not surprising. I think the latest ICM had SNP, Plaid and Greens combined ahead of UKIP. Other interesting finding from that poll was that Osborne's no tax rises hasn't convinced the voters (who think tax rises are necessary).
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    MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382

    On topic: Didn't JohnO, much beloved grandee of this parish, say earlier that there was a by-election in his neck of the woods (deepest Surrey) today? Indeed I seem to recall what can only be described as a frisson of nervousness about the potential performance of some purple Johnny-come-latelies..

    Looking at the lists I think that JohnO's by-election is next Thursday

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    RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737
    Looking forward to a fat 14% tax free profit (on £80k) courtesy of the FTSE shortly...
    My third successive successful hit.
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    RichardNabaviRichardNabavi Posts: 3,413
    @MikeSmithson - Ah, right. Thanks.
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,986
    edited July 2013
    Rod - The figures I have for England only are (these also exclude Wales and NI unlike your figures):

    1950

    Con 242
    Cons and Lib 2
    Cons and Nat Lib 2
    Lib and Cons 1
    Nat Lib and Cons 4
    Nat Lib 1
    Lab 251
    Lib 2
    Speaker 1

    Hung Parl Lab 3 short

    Feb 1974

    Con 267
    Lab 237
    Ind Lab 1
    Lib 9
    Soc Dem 1
    Speaker 1

    Cons majority of 18

    Oct 1974

    Cons 252
    Lab 255
    Lib 8
    Speaker 1

    Hung Parl Lab 4 short

    http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk.htm




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    RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737
    HYUFD said:

    Rod - The figures I have for England only are (these also exclude Wales and NI unlike your figures):
    ...
    http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk.htm

    OK, I thought we were just sacrificing Scotland...
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,986
    Scotland now is more anti-Tory, but Labour would still have won 328 seats in England in 1997 to the Tories' 165, in 2001 Labour won 323 seats in England to 165 Tory and in 2005 Labour won 286 seats in England to 194 Tory. In 2010 though Cameron did have a comfortable English majority, winning 297 seats to 191 Labour
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    MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699
    Flint Lab hold Cambs Con gain from Ind

    Flint Lab 386 Ind 285 Con 34
    Cambs Con 477 UKIP 233 Lab 199 LD 110
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    Stuart_DicksonStuart_Dickson Posts: 3,557
    HYUFD said:

    Stuart Dickson - Indeed, although clearly she will be better known in Scotland and not have Salmond's unfavourables. In any case, while no political titan, she is probably the best leader Scottish Labour have had since Donald Dewar!

    I disagree. FM Henry McLeish was ten times better than Lamont. He had the vision thing. Lamont does whit she's telt.

    Her "unfavourables" will become abundantly clear as time marches on. Eg. did you notice her invisibility during the Falkirk crisis?
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,986
    RodCrosby - I did just England, mainly to dispute the idea that the Tories' would almost always win English only elections, even though they get some assistance that is not the case, not because I expect the Welsh or NI to vote for independence even if PC and SF get in and their Scots cousins do (which they probably won't anyway)
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    Stuart_DicksonStuart_Dickson Posts: 3,557

    Why the puzzle about Labour doing better in England vote share than GB? With the SNP polling high in Scotland it's not surprising. I think the latest ICM had SNP, Plaid and Greens combined ahead of UKIP.

    Yikes. Have to look that up.
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    RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737

    RodCrosby said:
    So, forecast Con lead of nearly 4% at UK GE 2015. Meaning PM Ed Miliband presumably?

    Rod, I note that Paddy Power are offering 11/2 on an early (2014) UK GE. I assume that that is ridiculously short, but just wondered how you rate the chances of the next UK GE not being in 2015?

    Well, we're a bit far out yet to know by how much the Tories will lead in the PV in 2015. (I expect the swingback forecast to come back into pro-Tory territory by 2015, btw)

    A 4%-ish Con lead on UNS would be nip and tuck in seats between Lab and Con.

    Further analysis required.

    Sorry, I haven't really thought about the election coming significantly earlier than May 2015. Maybe I should?
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,986
    Of course there is a Cornish nationalist party too, but I think excluding Cornwall would make things a bit too complicated even for a political anorak on a hot evening! (and the chances of MK ever getting power in Cornwall are as close to zero as you can get)
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    AndreaParma_82AndreaParma_82 Posts: 4,714
    Veronica Bennett selected by Labour for South Ribble. She's a Cllr in Sefton.

    Unite doesn't care about SR.
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,986
    Stuart Dickson - But Mcleish never led Labour to an election and had to resign over a financial scandal, and she is certainly better than John (now Lord) McConnell and Iain Gray and Wendy Alexander (who also never led an election campaign).
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,576
    edited July 2013
    Veronica Bennett selected by Labour for South Ribble.

    Maajid Nawaz selected by LDs for Hampstead & Kilburn.

    Hampstead & Kilburn is the first constituency where candidates for the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats have been selected:

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0At91c3wX1Wu5dFkzTjFrRmJRN3F6ODBTTEs4NGFhcUE#gid=0
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    FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,046
    Miliband's chances of being PM depend on winning a majority (obviously) or being the largest Party (in theory). However consider a hung parliament scenario in which the Lib Dems have lost Sheffield Hallam. It gets complicated.
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    RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737
    It would be interesting to model PR^2 without Scotland.. LOL.

    2005 something like.

    Con 227
    Lab 244
    LD 95
    UKIP 1
    NI 18
    PC 2

    Hung: LDs kingmakers, majority with either party


    2010 something like.

    Con 294
    Lab 163*
    LD 112
    UKIP 2
    NI 18
    PC 2

    Hung: Con 2 short of a majority

    * despite Labour having almost 100 fewer seats than under FPTP, NPXMP might well still be NPMP under PR^2!
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,576
    Candidates for Hampstead & Kilburn:

    Lab: Tulip Siddiq
    Con: Simon Marcus
    LD: Maajid Nawaz

    Votes in 2010:

    Lab: 17,332
    Con: 17,290
    LD: 16,491
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    Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 49,269
    HYUFD said:

    Scotland now is more anti-Tory, but Labour would still have won 328 seats in England in 1997 to the Tories' 165, in 2001 Labour won 323 seats in England to 165 Tory and in 2005 Labour won 286 seats in England to 194 Tory. In 2010 though Cameron did have a comfortable English majority, winning 297 seats to 191 Labour

    2005 Labour won 286 seats in England to 194 Tory? Ah the joys of FPTP!

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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,986
    edited July 2013
    RodCrosby - Interesting, there would still almost certainly have been a Tory/LD coalition in 2010 on such figures (I can't see Dave seeking to rely on UKIP and the DUP unless the Tories threatened to dump him for a rightwinger like Fox or Davis), but in 2005 the LDs would have gone into coalition with Labour most likely, but only if Labour dumped Blair for Brown and promised a swift exit from Iraq!
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    RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737
    edited July 2013

    Veronica Bennett selected by Labour for South Ribble. She's a Cllr in Sefton.

    Unite doesn't care about SR.

    She's MY councillor in (formerly) true-blue Blundellsands. Defeated the Tory group leader (25-year incumbent) in 2012, gaining the ward for Labour for the first time ever. She's about 25, I think.

    (my uncle was the Labour candidate in BS in 1977. Got about 20% in a straight fight with the Tory, IIRC...)
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    RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737
    Andy_JS said:

    Candidates for Hampstead & Kilburn:

    Lab: Tulip Siddiq
    Con: Simon Marcus
    LD: Maajid Nawaz

    Votes in 2010:

    Lab: 17,332
    Con: 17,290
    LD: 16,491

    Worth a punt on a Tory gain, methinks.
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    JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,215
    @Mike @RichardN - Yep, the Battle of Weybridge South is indeed next Thursday. Canvassed on Monday....surprise, surprise....little interest, but vote seems OK, and PVs being used, but you just can't tell the level of kipper support. We're the only ones doing any campaigning or indeed delivering literature. But, yes, I'm still a bit apprehensive....(that's neurosis for you!)
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    MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382
    No - LAB hold

    The LD vote will be squeezed with most going red rather than blue
    RodCrosby said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Candidates for Hampstead & Kilburn:

    Lab: Tulip Siddiq
    Con: Simon Marcus
    LD: Maajid Nawaz

    Votes in 2010:

    Lab: 17,332
    Con: 17,290
    LD: 16,491

    Worth a punt on a Tory gain, methinks.
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    RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737

    No - LAB hold

    The LD vote will be squeezed with most going red rather than blue

    RodCrosby said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Candidates for Hampstead & Kilburn:

    Lab: Tulip Siddiq
    Con: Simon Marcus
    LD: Maajid Nawaz

    Votes in 2010:

    Lab: 17,332
    Con: 17,290
    LD: 16,491

    Worth a punt on a Tory gain, methinks.
    Have you factored in Glenda's personal vote, and the obvious ethnic aspect?
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    MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382
    So you think that LAB will be hurt in Hampstead by having a candidate with a Asian sounding name?

    You are revealing more about yourself there than offering political insight.
    RodCrosby said:

    No - LAB hold

    The LD vote will be squeezed with most going red rather than blue

    RodCrosby said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Candidates for Hampstead & Kilburn:

    Lab: Tulip Siddiq
    Con: Simon Marcus
    LD: Maajid Nawaz

    Votes in 2010:

    Lab: 17,332
    Con: 17,290
    LD: 16,491

    Worth a punt on a Tory gain, methinks.
    Have you factored in Glenda's personal vote, and the obvious ethnic aspect?
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,960
    RodCrosby said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Candidates for Hampstead & Kilburn:

    Lab: Tulip Siddiq
    Con: Simon Marcus
    LD: Maajid Nawaz

    Votes in 2010:

    Lab: 17,332
    Con: 17,290
    LD: 16,491

    Worth a punt on a Tory gain, methinks.
    Yes.
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,576
    Maajid Nawaz is from a British-Pakistani background and Tulip Siddiq from a British-Bangladeshi background. In some constituencies those kinds of details would be important although maybe not so much in Hampstead.
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,576
    The long-term weather forecast is that temperatures could hit 35 degrees next Wednesday and Thursday.
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,986
    Sunil - Indeed, although the Tories won a few thousand more votes in England in 2005, but as the Tories staunchly opposed AV they can have no complaints about FPTP!
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,576
    Hampstead is probably the Tories' only hope of a gain from Labour in London, mainly I think because the demographic changes that are working against the Tories in the rest of the capital are having less impact in the constituency.
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    MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382
    @JohnO

    You'll win John
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    RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737
    edited July 2013

    So you think that LAB will be hurt in Hampstead by having a candidate with a Asian sounding name?

    You are revealing more about yourself there than offering political insight.

    And once the BBC get hold of you, you're theirs for life....

    (Thank f*** I've never forked out for a 'licence' for this state propaganda. They keep sending me letters. LOL. Arsepaper.....)
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    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    My memory is that Labour won the list vote in Hampstead and Kilburn last year. Different election and different turnout but I would think both the higher GE turnout and ability to squeeze the Green vote particularly would both tend to boost them further in 2015. The Lib Dems will have their hands full saving the seats they hold so the huge squeeze they suffered last year could be replicated again.
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    Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 49,269
    HYUFD said:

    Sunil - Indeed, although the Tories won a few thousand more votes in England in 2005, but as the Tories staunchly opposed AV they can have no complaints about FPTP!

    Ah, but AV isn't a proportional system!
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    RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737

    HYUFD said:

    Sunil - Indeed, although the Tories won a few thousand more votes in England in 2005, but as the Tories staunchly opposed AV they can have no complaints about FPTP!

    Ah, but AV isn't a proportional system!
    Depends. Proportionality is relative. D'Hondt in the UK Euros doesn't really meet the definition of PR.

    AV in Australia probably does.
This discussion has been closed.