Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.

politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » An improving economy: The biggest threat to the future of t

SystemSystem Posts: 11,002
edited July 2013 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » An improving economy: The biggest threat to the future of the UK?

If you subscribe to the theory that the next election will be largely determined by the performance of the economy, then 2013 has been interesting, at the start of the year, the main economic news was whether we would avoid a triple dip recession.

Read the full story here


«13

Comments

  • RogerRoger Posts: 18,891
    edited July 2013
    Lucky Scots. I wish the English could ditch a Tory government as easily and as permanently.
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 39,749
    I believe there's another Panelbase poll out next week.
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 39,749
    edited July 2013
    Roger said:

    Lucky Scots. I wish the English could ditch a Tory government as easily

    Fear not Roger, the English managed to keep the blue meanies at bay almost entirely by their own efforts when Labour was elected between 1945-2005. I expect you'll still be able to manage it after a Scottishectomy.
  • NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    I tend to view these additional questions as similar to polls that ask people whether they would vote for party X under alternative leader Y. I suspect they are not the most reliable polling results around. But it all adds to fun of the referendum campaign / betting.
  • richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    Could someone gently break the news to Roger, PB's resident communications expert, that we don't have a Tory Government.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,540
    Roger said:

    ditch a Tory government as easily and as permanently.

    Curious concept of 'democracy' Roger!

    I reckon the Scots will want their share of the English Shale Gas.....

  • Sorry to go off topic so quickly, but could this make fracking unnecessary?

    A protein found in the membranes of ancient microorganisms that live in desert salt flats could offer a new way of using sunlight to generate environmentally friendly hydrogen fuel, according to a new study by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory.

    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130719140006.htm
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    FPT - re smoking packaging (curse of new thread)

    Mike, what you are missing here is salience (funny that as you are very focused on it in other topics).

    Of course if you stop someone in the street and say 'what do you think about plain packaging for fags' they will think fags are bad therefore packaging makes me sound like a good person.

    I think this is actually a great topic for the Tories. (1) Very few people will change their votes (2) those LDs who will be more encouraged to vote Labour are unlikely to be Tory votters anyway. (3) It allows Tories tberal/small state - appealing to bothe Orange Bookers and UKIP. So helps the narrative a lot at a marginal cost in terms of actual votes.

    Apologies for any typos - on my blackberry. My daughter didn't realise that reading the Spectator's Coffee House didn't involve actual coffee so currently sans laptop...

  • NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    Charles said:

    FPT - re smoking packaging (curse of new thread)

    Mike, what you are missing here is salience (funny that as you are very focused on it in other topics).

    @Tim
    What we won't know Tim is how much salience there is in these issues

  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    Neil said:

    Charles said:

    FPT - re smoking packaging (curse of new thread)

    Mike, what you are missing here is salience (funny that as you are very focused on it in other topics).

    @Tim
    What we won't know Tim is how much salience there is in these issues

    Reading threads on a 1" square screen is not easy...
  • RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737
    Ah, so we will have PR sooner than we thought...
  • NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    RodCrosby said:

    Ah, so we will have PR sooner than we thought...

    Yes, we're now expecting it the day *before* hell freezes over.

  • NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    tim said:

    @Charles

    Camerons character is salient, that's what this is about

    Blair got re-elected despite far dodgier dealings over tobacco issues. I wouldnt get over-excited by it, tim.

  • fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,279
    Twitter
    George Osborne ‏@George_Osborne 48s
    Coalition outing with Danny Alexander to Lords. Who'd have thought a Scotsman could teach an Englishman about #cricket
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,279
    edited July 2013
    fitalass said:

    Twitter
    George Osborne ‏@George_Osborne 48s
    Coalition outing with Danny Alexander to Lords. Who'd have thought a Scotsman could teach an Englishman about #cricket

    Douglas Jardine and Mike Denness both from N of the border.

  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    tim said:

    @Charles

    Camerons character is salient, that's what this is about

    Ah. A smear then.

    Despite the fact that the last government wasn't convinced of the case. Despite the fact that this was effectively killed by multiple senior Cabinet Ministers (May plus others IIRC) last year on the grounds it was politically disastrous, you make allegations, without evidence, that are difficult to disprove.

    Labour tactics are the equivalent of "when did you stop beating your wife"

    A nasty little party, led by nasty little people.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    I see that given the PM is yards ahead of EdM on the leadership front - Labour's moist hand maidens are trying to besmirch Cameron's character using the highly tenuous link to Mr Crosby having Philip Morris as a client.

    If this is a measure of their desperation - roll on - its very telling.

    Really chaps - if this is the best you can do, I can only say Latvian Homophobes were equally effective as a vote shifter.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941

    Sorry to go off topic so quickly, but could this make fracking unnecessary?

    A protein found in the membranes of ancient microorganisms that live in desert salt flats could offer a new way of using sunlight to generate environmentally friendly hydrogen fuel, according to a new study by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory.

    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130719140006.htm

    Probably not. Fracking is simply another way of extracting gas, which we already use as a source of energy. To switch over to hydrogen fuel would require a significant change

  • NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    tim said:


    Compare Blair and Cameron if you like, but one was good at winning elections and one blew his chance.

    I'm not comparing Blair to Cameron, tim. I'm comparing Blair's *selling out* to tobacco-related interests to Cameron's not being bought by the same interests. The selling out didnt sink Labour so I doubt not selling out will fatally damage the Tories.
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    tim said:

    Neil said:

    tim said:

    @Charles

    Camerons character is salient, that's what this is about

    Blair got re-elected despite far dodgier dealings over tobacco issues. I wouldnt get over-excited by it, tim.

    Blair had a 14% cushion, Cameron is so second rate he couldn't put Brown away.
    Or put more on the Tory percentage than Kinnock did in 92.
    Compare Blair and Cameron if you like, but one was good at winning elections and one blew his chance.
    Why do you keep making the Cameron/Kinnock comparison?

    You know it's statistical bullshit - it's beene xplained multiple times.

    Cameron wasn't able to resist the political shidt away from the top 2 parties that has been going on for a generation. But within that framwork he did far better than Kinnock.

    The fact he is PM is one indicator of that.
  • NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    tim said:

    "As a father" Dave changed his mind

    To end up in the same place that "like any parent" Ed's government did. Fascinating stuff. And how many million did Cameron demand to arrive at this position? None? Blair would be shocked be sold himself so cheaply!
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 39,749
    Some more evidence that the result of the referendum lies with the Don't Knows, and there are lots of them.

    'Scottish Independence vote: 46% don’t know enough
    Less than half of Scots feel well informed enough about the issues surrounding independence and the referendum, research by pro-independence campaign group Yes Scotland has found.
    A survey commissioned by the organisation revealed that, of those polled, 46% believe they know enough ahead of the 2014 vote.
    Of those people, 47% said they plan to vote yes, 1% behind the number who said they planned to vote no.
    The survey - which is part of a wider programme of research by Yes Scotland - quizzed more than 1,000 people in April.'

    http://tinyurl.com/mdlcbt4

  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    tim said:

    Charles said:

    tim said:

    @Charles

    Camerons character is salient, that's what this is about

    Ah. A smear then.

    Despite the fact that the last government wasn't convinced of the case. Despite the fact that this was effectively killed by multiple senior Cabinet Ministers (May plus others IIRC) last year on the grounds it was politically disastrous, you make allegations, without evidence, that are difficult to disprove.

    Labour tactics are the equivalent of "when did you stop beating your wife"

    A nasty little party, led by nasty little people.
    It's not a smear to quote all the Tory health ministers who supported the pre Crosby cigarette policy

    And just watch Cameron squirm when he's asked about it.
    That's the point.
    "As a father" Daves govt was arguing it would stop kids smoking up until recently, then "As a father" Dave changed his mind

    Health ministers, junior or senior, form their views based on their departmental considerations.

    Cabinet makes policy decisions based on a wide remit.

    I'm sure that plain packaging would have a benefit (although not much since, in larger stores they are already behind shutters) and there is a risk that it could increase the "cool" factor in adopting smoking among kids.

    But you have to weigh this against the question of freedom. If a product is legal, why should the government interfere like this? That is the remit of Cabinet.

    The PM only talks about what government policy is at the moment he is asked. If he muses in public about the possibility of a change then it becomes a "PM slaps down X story".

  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,674

    Roger said:

    ditch a Tory government as easily and as permanently.

    Curious concept of 'democracy' Roger!

    I reckon the Scots will want their share of the English Shale Gas.....

    you can keep your shale gas, we will be happy with our own oil.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,674

    Some more evidence that the result of the referendum lies with the Don't Knows, and there are lots of them.

    'Scottish Independence vote: 46% don’t know enough
    Less than half of Scots feel well informed enough about the issues surrounding independence and the referendum, research by pro-independence campaign group Yes Scotland has found.
    A survey commissioned by the organisation revealed that, of those polled, 46% believe they know enough ahead of the 2014 vote.
    Of those people, 47% said they plan to vote yes, 1% behind the number who said they planned to vote no.
    The survey - which is part of a wider programme of research by Yes Scotland - quizzed more than 1,000 people in April.'

    http://tinyurl.com/mdlcbt4

    TUD, it will be squeaky bum time for the unionists soon , we will see panic in labour ranks. Be interesting to hear the squeals when YES is in the lead.
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,879
    Plato said:

    I see that given the PM is yards ahead of EdM on the leadership front - Labour's moist hand maidens are trying to besmirch Cameron's character using the highly tenuous link to Mr Crosby having Philip Morris as a client.

    If this is a measure of their desperation - roll on - its very telling.

    Really chaps - if this is the best you can do, I can only say Latvian Homophobes were equally effective as a vote shifter.

    No need to shift a single vote for Labour to win most seats in 2015. Like the Tories Labour are not speaking to anything like the whole country. They just need 35% or so of the votes. And around 30% is just about guaranteed. I suspect 2010 LDs are more familiar with Crosby than most other voters.

  • JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,211
    edited July 2013
    In this short thread I think tim has managed to invoke just about all his tired old insults.

    He is one ANGRY boy.

    If we're not careful, he might put his tongue OUT next.
  • fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,279
    Plato, who could forget the Chameleon/posh Tory attacks, Labour have been making this mistake for years. Stick Cameron on the front steps of No10 Downing Street, or at the Despatch box and he looks, sounds and behaves like PM who was up for the job of tackling the UK's problems. And that is the problem Ed Miliband and the Labour party face right now. Ed Miliband simple isn't cutting it as a credible alternative to Cameron, and the Labour party have failed to produce an equally credible alternative to this Coalition Government in the way of viable policies they can sell on a shoe string budget.

    After three years of being the only main Opposition, and with the public giving Ed and his team an extended benefit of doubt, they still have nothing to offer but this. And the bad news underlying the legacy of the previous Labour Government that so many of the Shadow Cabinet were a part of still keeps rolling out. We know what they did to the UK economy, welfare, NHS etc, and we are now awaiting the Chilcot Inquiry which will bring back the spectre of Blair, Brown and Iraq. After the New Labour years of spin, the Labour party are now reaping what they sowed.
    Plato said:

    I see that given the PM is yards ahead of EdM on the leadership front - Labour's moist hand maidens are trying to besmirch Cameron's character using the highly tenuous link to Mr Crosby having Philip Morris as a client.

    If this is a measure of their desperation - roll on - its very telling.

    Really chaps - if this is the best you can do, I can only say Latvian Homophobes were equally effective as a vote shifter.

  • MonikerDiCanioMonikerDiCanio Posts: 5,792
    malcolmg said:

    Roger said:

    ditch a Tory government as easily and as permanently.

    Curious concept of 'democracy' Roger!

    I reckon the Scots will want their share of the English Shale Gas.....

    you can keep your shale gas, we will be happy with our own oil.
    "A bank rescue package totalling some £500 billion (approximately $850 billion) was announced by the British government on 8 October 2008 " to save RBS and BoS . I'd be happy to see you , your children , your grand children , your great-grand children and your great-great-grand children paying off your outstanding debts to the Union.
  • AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    edited July 2013
    JohnO said:



    ... he might put his tongue OUT next.

    Frankly, JohnO, the converse proposition is more alarming.

  • AndreaParma_82AndreaParma_82 Posts: 4,714
    Cllr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi selected by Gravesham Labour.

  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    edited July 2013
    Richard Dodd - Because Saddam Hussein was such a meek and mild ruler who wouldn't hurt a fly
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 39,749

    to save RBS and BoS

    It's spooky how the 'H' on Unionists' keyboards always stops working the moment they type HBOS.
  • fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,279
    On the issue of the Scottish Indy Referendum and the current unpopularity of Coalition Government up here, there is a simple solution called tactical voting which Scots are quite savvy at doing. And thanks to the Euro's, the Indy Ref, a GE closely followed by the Holyrood elections the Scots are going to have a veritable democratic feast of ways to air their views in the polling booths with prizes for everyone.
  • AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    fitalass said:

    On the issue of the Scottish Indy Referendum and the current unpopularity of Coalition Government up here, there is a simple solution called tactical voting which Scots are quite savvy at doing. And thanks to the Euro's, the Indy Ref, a GE closely followed by the Holyrood elections the Scots are going to have a veritable democratic feast of ways to air their views in the polling booths with prizes for everyone.

    fitalass

    Better to keep the argument to one election at a time.

    Otherwise it might confuse tim.

  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    tim said:

    Charles said:

    tim said:

    Charles said:

    tim said:

    @Charles

    Camerons character is salient, that's what this is about

    Ah. A smear then....

    A nasty little party, led by nasty little people.
    It's not a smear to quote all the Tory health ministers who supported the pre Crosby cigarette policy... Dave changed his mind

    Health ministers, junior or senior, form their views based on their departmental considerations.

    Cabinet makes policy decisions based on a wide remit.... The PM only talks about what government policy is at the moment he is asked. If he muses in public about the possibility of a change then it becomes a "PM slaps down X story".

    Don't be silly Charles, it was Dave who wanted to make minimum unit alcohol pricing his personal policy.on and on he went overriding ministers
    It's just that he really isn't very good, look at the police commissioner farce he spent seven years thinking about, or the marriage tax break which torpedoed the Tories in the elections run up.

    Same story - posturing followed by emptiness
    If a PM can't carry his senior colleagues then he doesn't get his policy implemented. Simple.

    Police comissioners have happened, or didn't you notice? Low turnout, in part because of the silly date chosen for the election, but the shift of political overisght from an unelected body to a post with a democratic mandate is a good thing in my view. And they haven't been the disaster that so many opponents were claiming.

    I suspect the marriage tax will happen either before the election or be in the manifesto. Not a big vote shifter though.

    Now shall we get back to Labour's dependence on smearing a basically decent guy because they don't have any substantive policies?
  • richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    HYUFD..So Saddam was Mr Nasty..so lets go and kill a few thousand kids and their parents..yep, sounds good, they are only Iraqis anyway.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,540

    Plato said:

    I see that given the PM is yards ahead of EdM on the leadership front - Labour's moist hand maidens are trying to besmirch Cameron's character using the highly tenuous link to Mr Crosby having Philip Morris as a client.

    If this is a measure of their desperation - roll on - its very telling.

    Really chaps - if this is the best you can do, I can only say Latvian Homophobes were equally effective as a vote shifter.

    I suspect 2010 LDs are more familiar with Crosby than most other voters
    Yep.....26 vs 23......or about a third of the margin of error......

  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    edited July 2013
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    malcolmg said:

    Roger said:

    ditch a Tory government as easily and as permanently.

    Curious concept of 'democracy' Roger!

    I reckon the Scots will want their share of the English Shale Gas.....

    you can keep your shale gas, we will be happy with our own oil.
    "A bank rescue package totalling some £500 billion (approximately $850 billion) was announced by the British government on 8 October 2008 " to save RBS and BoS . I'd be happy to see you , your children , your grand children , your great-grand children and your great-great-grand children paying off your outstanding debts to the Union.
    Most of that wasn't real cash out, but guarantees (that the banks were charged for). The real cash out was paid back with equity, which the government may or may not sell at a profit.

    So the cost to the taxpayer is the (cost of capital * cash injections) + (fully loaded cost of guarantees - fees charged for the guarantees) - value of equity received in return. A lot less than £500bn I suspect
  • MonikerDiCanioMonikerDiCanio Posts: 5,792

    to save RBS and BoS

    It's spooky how the 'H' on Unionists' keyboards always stops working the moment they type HBOS.
    Oh yes HBOS ,

    "of course we Scots are lucky enough to have the one of the best brands in the world - a global recognition and affection for our culture that money cannot buy. Take financial services. With RBS and HBOS - two of the world's biggest banks - Scotland has global leaders today, tomorrow and for the long-term. "

    Spivs , speculators , a parcel of rogues , and a bag of shite.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    RichardDodd - Saddam Hussein killed between 200,000-500,000 over the course of his regime, not including the at least 300,000 killed in the Iran War. Who knows how many hundreds of thousands more he and his sons would have killed had Blair not ended his regime. In any case, the majority killed in the Iraq War were actually killed by Iraqis themselves in the immediate aftermath. Now at least they have a democratic government and the right to determine their own future!
  • According to some posters on here, these 2010 Lib Dem voters are remarkable folk. Apparantly they get two votes at the next GE. One to elect a Labour MP and another vote to keep all the Lib Dem MPs in place....
  • No_Offence_AlanNo_Offence_Alan Posts: 3,703
    edited July 2013
    <


    Cost of non intervention in Syria?
    Cost of non intervention in Bosnia?
    Cost of non intervention in Rwanda?
    Cost of non intervention in Congo?


    There are approximately 200 nations now at the UN - the other 190-odd could have intervened in any of these without us if they so wished.

  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    to save RBS and BoS

    It's spooky how the 'H' on Unionists' keyboards always stops working the moment they type HBOS.
    Most of the losses were in Peter Cummings corporate bank - part of the heritage BoS. Halifax was acquired by BoS, the business had significant English operations but was a Scottish company
  • richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    The Cheshire Farmer has finally flipped..Apparently Cameron is a total disaster for not embracing plain packaging and as a direct result of that some youngsters will take up smoking, it is obviously a complete dereliction of Camerons duty as a Father, now ..lets talk about blowing kids to shreds, which Blair did..as a father..
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    According to Atticus in today's ST research by a French magazine has shown that conservatives are more likely than left-wingers to have a single sexual partner over the course of their life, left-wingers are twice as likely to engage in partner swapping and 25% more likely to be unfaithful. While supporters of the extreme right enjoy 'non-standard sexual extremities'
  • GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071
    HYUFD said:

    Martin Amis - Admires Obama, Cameron plausible, not a fan of Farage

    Two and a half errors of judgement out of three isn't bad.

  • MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053
    edited July 2013
    Phil Mickelson has grabbed the Open Championship by three balls. A win well deserved, he played the last 6 holes at 4 under par.
  • richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    Was there a full blown civil war including genocide going on in Iraq..the papers kept that little affair secret..no problems though, we showed them how to do it
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    GeoffM - Apparently he thinks Obama is the most well spoken president since Lincoln, while he can't stand Farage and UKIP and while a Labour supporter he thinks Cameron does the PM job well
  • NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    @tim

    Douglas Hurd - one from the archives!
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    The Cheshire Farmer has finally flipped..Apparently Cameron is a total disaster for not embracing plain packaging and as a direct result of that some youngsters will take up smoking, it is obviously a complete dereliction of Camerons duty as a Father, now ..lets talk about blowing kids to shreds, which Blair did..as a father..

    Quick death... Slow death. Hmmh... Not sure one is much better than the other...
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    On topic - Of course the union campaign will keep Dave a million miles away, it will be fronted by the likes of Darling, Reid, Lamont and Ming Campbell. In any case, I doubt the economy will exactly be roaring ahead next year even if there is some recovery, I would also expect the polls to be neck and neck at best for the Tories
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    HYUFD said:

    According to Atticus in today's ST research by a French magazine has shown that conservatives are more likely than left-wingers to have a single sexual partner over the course of their life, left-wingers are twice as likely to engage in partner swapping and 25% more likely to be unfaithful. While supporters of the extreme right enjoy 'non-standard sexual extremities'

    Did you really mean *extremities*? Or is that a dodgy translation?

    The mind boggles!
  • AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    tim said:

    tim said:

    tim..hate to repeat this ..but as a father Blair dismembered ,incinerated and orphaned thousands of children.. as a father..I wonder if he went out for a little family meal with Cherie and the kids on the day he signed all those childrens death warrants..as a father.



    Cost of non intervention in Syria?
    Cost of non intervention in Bosnia?
    Cost of non intervention in Rwanda?
    Cost of non intervention in Congo?
    There are approximately 200 nations now at the UN - the other 190-odd could have intervened in any of these without us if they so wished.

    I don't think Douglas Hurd spent his time preventing Tonga intervening in Bosnia
    Unlike Blair who spent much of his time getting Tonga to intervene in China.

  • GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071
    MikeK said:

    Phil Mickelson has grabbed the Open Championship by three balls. A win well deserved, he played the last 5 holes at 4 under par.

    Somebody on here tipped him before the start. Good call, whoever that was.

  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,286
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    Richard Dodd - What you mean apart from Saddam's massacre of the Kurds etc? In any case, while not perfect, Iraq has begun to settle down and has a far better future than it would have done under Saddam and then the regime of his even more bloodthirsty son which would have inevitably followed
  • richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    Charles One lot has a choice the other lot did not, therein lies the difference
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,286
    White male Labour candidate selections are becoming a bit of a rarity.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,933
    Good evening, everyone.

    Isn't this double-edged, either way?

    If the economy's rubbish the SNP can say, "Vote for independence, then we'll be prosperous." However, economic pessimism might make voters risk averse.

    If the economy's super the SNP might hope that'll make people optimistic for the future, but unionists can say, "Isn't this lovely? Why change now?"
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 39,749
    Charles said:


    the business had significant English operations

    I should say so, 63% Halifax, 37% BoS.
    Under whose banking regulations did HBOS operate? To which exchequer did they pay their taxes?

  • GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071

    Under whose banking regulations did HBOS operate? To which exchequer did they pay their taxes?

    Could you list their options, please?

  • NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    @tim

    Would it be too much to ask for a Latvian homophobe for old time's sake?
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    edited July 2013
    GeoffM - Good call, did briefly consider putting some money on Westwood, but he has a history of poor finishes so I decided not to luckily and head overruled heart!
  • NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    Andy_JS said:

    White male Labour candidate selections are becoming a bit of a rarity.

    I bet they'll still be over-represented in the 2015 PLP.

  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    Charles - I would assume it is a French expression for S and M?
  • richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    HYFUD..You have just joined the PB soothsayers club, you have no idea what would have taken place in Iraq, bet you are jolly pleased we got their oil tho, what's a few thousand slaughtered, Iraqi, children against keeping the old motor on the road.
  • GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071

    Isn't this double-edged, either way?
    If the economy's rubbish ...

    Very much so.
    1. The economy is sluggish, not helped by subsidising Scotland. Let's bin them off and rUK will be in a better position.
    2. The economy is doing splendidly, but could be even better if we stopped subsidising Scotland. Let's bin them off and rUK will be in a better position.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,286
    Most recent Labour candidate selections:

    Rosie Cooper
    Vicky Fowler
    Jo Stevens
    Josie Channor
    Claire Edwards
    Natasha Millward
    Rowenna Davis
    Tulip Siddiq
    Leonie Mathers
    Chris Oxlade
    Veronica Bennett
    Purna Sen
    Will Martindale
    Cat Smith
    Catherine Atkinson
    Andrew Gwynne
    Lindsay Hoyle
    Sarah Jones
    Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
  • richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    edited July 2013
    Hurd and Waddington did not start any of the genocidal wars that tim, the Cheshire Farmer has listed, it is a small diversion to take the attention off Big Daddy , Mr Tony Blair, who personally signed the order to go to war and ensured the deaths of thousands of IRAQI children, as a father
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    Richard Dodd - I could not care less about oil, but Saddam Hussein was one of the biggest genocidal maniacs of the 20th century, am I sorry he is gone, in a word - no!
  • Neil said:

    Andy_JS said:

    White male Labour candidate selections are becoming a bit of a rarity.

    I bet they'll still be over-represented in the 2015 PLP.
    That is unfair. The party that will be most over represented by white males after the GE is the Lib Dems. They may even have a smaller % of female MPs than their present "achievement".
  • AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    tim said:

    Neil said:

    @tim

    Would it be too much to ask for a Latvian homophobe for old time's sake?


    Anything other than trying to explain mortality stats to someone with the intellect of a nine year old again
    You could try using scientific notation.

  • NeilNeil Posts: 7,983

    Neil said:

    Andy_JS said:

    White male Labour candidate selections are becoming a bit of a rarity.

    I bet they'll still be over-represented in the 2015 PLP.
    That is unfair.
    It's neither fair nor unfair. It's simply an observation about the likely make-up of the PLP after the next general election.
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 39,749
    GeoffM said:

    Under whose banking regulations did HBOS operate? To which exchequer did they pay their taxes?

    Could you list their options, please?

    In this wonderful age of globalisation, surely the world was their oyster. The one option in both respects that they didn't have was Scottish.
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    Charles said:


    the business had significant English operations

    I should say so, 63% Halifax, 37% BoS.
    Under whose banking regulations did HBOS operate? To which exchequer did they pay their taxes?

    Sure. In my view the rational thing is for HBOS and RBS to move to the UK. Scotland isn't large enough to support two global banks of that scale.

    It's thw same with oil and Faslane and everything else. There needs to be a calculation of a fair split of total assets rather than worrying about a or b. If someone absolutely insists on having a then they need to argue for that in the discussions and give up something else in return.
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    HYUFD said:

    Charles - I would assume it is a French expression for S and M?

    In medical terms it refers to ankles, elbows and shoulders... Hence the confusion!
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941
    I thought there were significant shale reserves in Scotland too?
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,286
    edited July 2013
    The chances of the number of female MPs reaching 200 at the next election are looking very good at present. The current figure is 147.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,540
    "When the dust settles on the Keogh report published last week’s one figure is likely to linger: the “13,000 excess deaths” in the 14 NHS hospitals. It deserves careful scrutiny

    Jonathan Portes is director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research and former chief economist at the Cabinet Office"

    http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/07/8566191/
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,286
    England's bowlers have 8 overs to avoid having to play tomorrow in temperatures of possibly 35 degrees.
  • FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195
    Regarding the last Labour government

    "we had not realised that our government was capable of such folly and such crookedness."

    We certainly did not.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10192271/The-betrayal-of-Dr-David-Kelly-10-years-on.html
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 39,749
    RobD said:

    I thought there were significant shale reserves in Scotland too?

    There are, though not sure how easily or profitably accessible they are (from what I can see the same also applies to the English stuff).
    Oh, to have so many options!

  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,540
    Floater said:

    Regarding the last Labour government

    "we had not realised that our government was capable of such folly and such crookedness."

    We certainly did not.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10192271/The-betrayal-of-Dr-David-Kelly-10-years-on.html

    Gilligan had better be on strong ground:

    "Campbell lied to Parliament about the content of this memo, giving the Foreign Affairs Committee an altered copy which omitted his comments on the 45-minute claim and played down his interventions on most of the other issues."
  • GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071

    In this wonderful age of globalisation, surely the world was their oyster. The one option in both respects that they didn't have was Scottish.

    I think someone would have mentioned something if they'd chosen the Cayman Islands.

    Of course they did pay taxes to the UK and operate under the financial rules of the UK of which Scotland is part. Whether they choose to keep their head office in an independent Scotland would be an interesting decision. It would have political as well as financial implications.

    If financial implications were the only ones I'd encourage them to go the Cayman Islands route for a better shareholder return.

  • GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071
    Andy_JS said:

    England's bowlers have 8 overs to avoid having to play tomorrow in temperatures of possibly 35 degrees.

    Getting perilously close to a score where England would have to bat a second time ... oh.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    Charles, well I never knew that!
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,286
    Lord's is a sell-out tomorrow with about 30,000 tickets sold.
  • GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071
    Andy_JS said:

    Lord's is a sell-out tomorrow with about 30,000 tickets sold.

    Do you know what the refund rules are for, say, a couple of overs' play?

  • RogerRoger Posts: 18,891
    @Carlotta

    A good and intelligent article and an explanation if one was needed why only simple minds parrot the figure of 13,000 deaths.


  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,286
    edited July 2013
    GeoffM said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Lord's is a sell-out tomorrow with about 30,000 tickets sold.

    Do you know what the refund rules are for, say, a couple of overs' play?

    There's a full refund if 10 overs or less are bowled.

    50% refund if 10.1 to 24.5 overs are bowled.

    Do you have a ticket, IYDMMA?

    http://www.lords.org/visiting/coming-to-lords/general-ground-regulations/
  • richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    HYUFD Saddam.. bad lad, pity we had to take tens of thousands of innocent lives to get rid of him..Tony Blair, signed the order to do that.. as a father
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,286
    You used to get no refund at all if just one ball was bowled.

    That rule lasted as late as 1992 IIRC.
  • AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    Andy_JS said:

    GeoffM said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Lord's is a sell-out tomorrow with about 30,000 tickets sold.

    Do you know what the refund rules are for, say, a couple of overs' play?

    There's a full refund if 10 overs or less are bowled.

    50% refund if 10.1 to 24.5 overs are bowled.

    Do you have a ticket, IYDMMA?

    http://www.lords.org/visiting/coming-to-lords/general-ground-regulations/
    The only people who would hold a 5th day ticket to a Lords Test Match are 2010 Lib Dem defectors

  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,286
    England win with 4 balls to go!!!!!!!
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    2-0 England then, yawn! (Can't believe I would ever say that about the Ashes!)
  • GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071
    Andy_JS said:

    There's a full refund if 10 overs or less are bowled.

    Thanks for that, it was academic interest only. I had hoped to time a business trip to UK this year with the Lords test but failed. Some of my colleagues were more fortunate and got there for Day 2.

    That'd mean close on a £2.5mil refund. Whew! As all the players were expecting a match anyway, shame there isn't thought given to a 50 over contest. That was how the international shorter form took off in the first place if I recall.

  • isamisam Posts: 40,731
    edited July 2013
    Feel bad saying this, but there is something unlikeable about a few of the England cricket team which is making this success less enjoyable than it should be
This discussion has been closed.