Howdy, Stranger!

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

Options

politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Marf gives her take on tax breaks for the married

SystemSystem Posts: 11,006
edited September 2013 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Marf gives her take on tax breaks for the married

politicalbetting.com is proudly powered by WordPress
with "Neat!" theme. Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS).

Read the full story here


«13

Comments

  • Options
    Labour's already shown the way on this with their IHT cut for married people BUT not unmarried couples..when in Govt....

    There's a lot of anger in Manchester, 2 defeats yesterday and now Owen's there to cheer them up...

    Owen Jones‏@OwenJones843m
    Police estimate there’s over 50,000 marching against the Tories in Manchester. Organisers originally estimated 30,000 would turn up #NHS299
  • Options
    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    I'm still wondering what #NHS299 stands for?

    299th march about the NHS against the Tories but never when Labour were in office?

    299 patients who died every day under Labour?

    299 days to Save the NHS after 24hrs wasn't long enough?

    A typo?

  • Options
    JonnyJimmyJonnyJimmy Posts: 2,548
    Plato said:

    I'm still wondering what #NHS299 stands for?

    299th march about the NHS against the Tories but never when Labour were in office?

    299 patients who died every day under Labour?

    299 days to Save the NHS after 24hrs wasn't long enough?

    A typo?

    Today's date 29/9
  • Options
    Plato said:

    I'm still wondering what #NHS299 stands for?

    299th march about the NHS against the Tories but never when Labour were in office?

    299 patients who died every day under Labour?

    299 days to Save the NHS after 24hrs wasn't long enough?

    A typo?

    Most likely a typo. Should have been NHS999 but they lost 700, and are looking round the back of the sofa ;-)
  • Options
    fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,279
    Twitter
    norman smith ‏@BBCNormanS 4m
    Retro chic Rools. Hammer and Sickle flags still being flown by Communist Party at #nhs299. Demo at #cpc13 pic.twitter.com/lt2TNk7h0Y
  • Options
    PolruanPolruan Posts: 2,083
    FPT in case anyone cares

    HTB isn't about the affordability calcs of borrowers - full stop. It is about whether they have a deposit or not to put down...

    "Capital requirements mean that lenders have to hold roughly six times more capital for loans at 90 per cent LTV or over than they do on loans under 60 per cent LTV."

    Some thoughts on this. First of all, it's disingenuous to quote reg cap requirements for 60% vs 90% since HTB isn't getting from on to the other. Second, accepting your (correct) point that the risk-weighted assets attributable to higher LTV home loans are disproportionately higher, leading to less affordable mortgages, you'd have to ask why. Two possible answers: (a) the reg capital framework has got it wrong, and 90%+ LTV's aren't a greater risk to the institution. In that case HTB is a sensible bridging policy whilst this flaw is sorted out. Or (b) the risk to the institution of making loans at this level increases in a non-linear fashion, meaning that the pricing is a sensible reflection of the risk. I'd go with (b) but I've not done any reg capital work for 3 years and I might be missing a known problem in the system.

    Assume it's (b). The government is taking on the nasty end of the risk curve so that borrowers with a riskier scenario can get lower rate loans (remember, it's not that these mortgages don't exist without state intervention, they just cost more). If you went shopping for an equivalent guarantee on the market, then it would cost you quite a lot - in fact the difference between the 75% and 95% mortgage or whatever. Assuming the free market is pricing this risk correctly - a reasonable Tory assumption, right? - then the policy is simply a mortgage interest subsidy for purchase. Fine. I mean, there's no money left, but leaving that aside it might be a good way to spend more of the money we don't have.

    However, what happens when the buyer wants to remortgage? They probably have a rate that won't look too smart in 3-5 years. Either the government continues this subsidy; or mortgage payments go up sharply. The only way out for the government is to engineer house price inflation big time so that this year's 95% mortgage is 2016's 75% mortgage. It's that; or deferring price crash and repossessions; or providing open-ended subsidy. None of these are good.

    And people complain that 20 months of energy price-capping could have unintended consequences...
  • Options
    old_labourold_labour Posts: 3,238
    From Twitter
    Tory Chairman Grant Shapps won't be able to praise Manchester Conservative councillors this afternoon. Cos there aren't any
  • Options
    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,319
    Great cartoon, Marf - love the final one...
  • Options
    NormNorm Posts: 1,251

    From Twitter
    Tory Chairman Grant Shapps won't be able to praise Manchester Conservative councillors this afternoon. Cos there aren't any

    I mentioned the other day that I could not see why the Tories were holding their conference in Manchester. Far better down the road at Blackpool where at least they would have got some compensatory sea air.
  • Options
    fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,279
    Twitter
    Nick Robinson ‏@bbcnickrobinson 2m
    Marchers shout "Tory scum" outside. Activists watch video of Thatcher's greatest hits inside. Back to the future at #cpc13
  • Options
    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724

    Plato said:

    I'm still wondering what #NHS299 stands for?

    299th march about the NHS against the Tories but never when Labour were in office?

    299 patients who died every day under Labour?

    299 days to Save the NHS after 24hrs wasn't long enough?

    A typo?

    Today's date 29/9
    Ah - well that's clearly passed almost everyone I've asked by...
  • Options
    TomsToms Posts: 2,478
    edited September 2013
    Great 'toon Marf!

    Oh and can I just say (assuming it's still relevant) tim's awright, much of the time. To over-simplify and chance my arm speaking for him, for starters he sensibly and viscerally loathes the current Tory culture.
    Come back tim. All is unforgiven.
  • Options
    GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 20,793
    Has Ed The Red really said he's planning price controls on water, rail and food? :O
  • Options
    fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,279
    Twitter
    Patrick Wintour ‏@patrickwintour 28m
    Some hard working people in Manchester who evidently have not yet bought into Jeremy Hunt' care agenda. pic.twitter.com/MpgJLuLhPN

    Therese Coffey ‏@theresecoffey 1m
    @patrickwintour I expect they are not from Wales then else they would be marching on Cardiff
  • Options
    Scrapheap_as_wasScrapheap_as_was Posts: 10,059
    edited September 2013
    Polruan - It's an over reaction by regulators and banks to risk and the pricing of risk. The interest rate curve on LTV's was too flat pre 2008 and now is too steep and that's down to the swing from risk taking to risk aversion, increased reg costs etc.

    Please explain the disingenous bit - the market is less active at 90% as it impacts the banks capital needs by 6x than if lending to lower risk 60% so I don't understand your point at all.

    So basically in your post, I'm saying it's essentially your option 'a' and not the 'b' that you are more comfortable with.
  • Options
    fitalass said:

    Twitter
    Patrick Wintour ‏@patrickwintour 28m
    Some hard working people in Manchester who evidently have not yet bought into Jeremy Hunt' care agenda. pic.twitter.com/MpgJLuLhPN

    Therese Coffey ‏@theresecoffey 1m
    @patrickwintour I expect they are not from Wales then else they would be marching on Cardiff

    Wonderful comment following - "Hard working people" but not unemployed should have say in how everyone in society is cared for?

    Presumably the retired, stay at home mums etc. should also not have a say.
  • Options
    GrandioseGrandiose Posts: 2,323
    Norm said:

    From Twitter
    Tory Chairman Grant Shapps won't be able to praise Manchester Conservative councillors this afternoon. Cos there aren't any

    I mentioned the other day that I could not see why the Tories were holding their conference in Manchester. Far better down the road at Blackpool where at least they would have got some compensatory sea air.
    You've got enough of a bubble anyway - best use the location to challenge rather than reinforce ideas of where the Tories are strongest/stronger.
  • Options
    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Isabel Hardman @IsabelHardman
    Ha, Hammond gets first genuine laugh as he says Labour is party of fiscal discipline as the Lib Dems are party of ethical election campaigns
  • Options
    Nice cartoon Marf – lov the Tax breaks for Divorced men. :-)
  • Options
    CarolaCarola Posts: 1,805
    We have a heckler.
  • Options
    old_labourold_labour Posts: 3,238
    edited September 2013
    Hammond being heckled by elderly gent (without a dog).
  • Options
    CarolaCarola Posts: 1,805
    Old soldier?
  • Options
    CarolaCarola Posts: 1,805
    Mitchell on the fringe on winning a majority... woo the ethnic minority vote, jobs for the young, woo the women. Bigging up Osborne.
  • Options
    PolruanPolruan Posts: 2,083

    Polruan - It's an over reaction by regulators and banks to risk and the pricing of risk. The interest rate curve on LTV's was too flat pre 2008 and now is too steep and that's down to the swing from risk taking to risk aversion, increased reg costs etc.

    Please explain the disingenous bit - the market is less active at 90% as it impacts the banks capital needs by 6x than if lending to lower risk 60% so I don't understand your point at all.

    So basically in your post, I'm saying it's essentially your option 'a' and not the 'b' that you are more comfortable with.

    Sorry, disingenuous is a bit unfair- I ran out of characters to elaborate. I meant that you're talking about the government underwriting 15% LTV risk, but illustrated the cost of a 30% LTV delta, which over-exaggerates the benefit rather.

    You do seem to be arguing that if George Osborne identifies a market failure, it's OK for him to interfere with free market pricing. I guess I just wonder why he's the only one who spotted it, since you'd expect guarantee providers who could undercut the banks' pricing delta to be making money by offering top-up guarantees to buyers otherwise. I'd be more tempted by the view that he knows it's not a market failure, but can't think of anything else to do. Same approach as underlies Ed's power policy really.

    And before anyone says, yeah, Labour could well be doing the same if in power. Wouldn't surprise me.
  • Options
    fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,279
    Twitter
    Michael Crick ‏@MichaelLCrick 6m
    Andrew Mitchell: buy shares in George Osborne; he's a recovery stock; his shares are greatly under-valued
  • Options
    fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,279
    Did he don a Fusilier beret at the end before leaving hall?

    Hammond being heckled by elderly gent (without a dog).

  • Options
    old_labourold_labour Posts: 3,238
    Not sure what it was.
    fitalass said:

    Did he don a Fusilier beret at the end before leaving hall?

    Hammond being heckled by elderly gent (without a dog).

  • Options
    JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,901
    Something quite funereal about the Tory party conference. It's a dark set in a dark room with men in dark suits.

    They need a new logo. Without the green, the squiggle tree is just a squiggle. In fact, it looks like they ripped up the union flag.
  • Options
    fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,279
    edited September 2013
    Apparently a Royal Fusilier beret, wonder if he was protesting at the merging of regiments?

    Not sure what it was.

    fitalass said:

    Did he don a Fusilier beret at the end before leaving hall?

    Hammond being heckled by elderly gent (without a dog).

  • Options
    JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,901
    Who'd have though it! Justine Greening has actually showed up.
  • Options
    old_labourold_labour Posts: 3,238
    That's what some people on twitter were suggesting.
    fitalass said:

    Apparently a Royal Fusilier beret, wonder if he was protesting at the merging of regiments?

    Not sure what it was.

    fitalass said:

    Did he don a Fusilier beret at the end before leaving hall?

    Hammond being heckled by elderly gent (without a dog).

  • Options
    Polruan = it's free market pricing to some extent but inevitably where the regulator and political environment is impacting too such that they price deposit/equity risk much more steeply than before.

    The deleveraging of bank balance sheets, dead banks being wound down and as is typical, an overreaction where you swing back too far to risk aversion from risk loving pre 2008.

    Affordability is not the risk being addressed here at all and those wrapping it up are wrong to portray it as so. It is the market pricing smaller deposits much more harshly than big deposits/equity and the argument is this is excessively so due to the aftershocks of the crisis.

    I have macro-concerns too but the rush to say it's a muppet idea which even OGH simplistically and unwisely joined in last thread is what I was wanting to counter a little.

  • Options
    Austria results

    From 4pm UK time.

    Official results:

    http://wahl13.bmi.gv.at/

    Livestream:

    http://tvthek.orf.at/live/6799565

    Thanks


    DC

  • Options
    fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,279
    Twitter
    Dan Hodges ‏@DPJHodges 22m
    Inside conference secure zone. Lots of noisy protestors outside. Bit like the dinner scene in Carry On Up The Khyber...

    Iain Martin ‏@iainmartin1 15m
    @DPJHodges Is traditional for remains of Scottish Tory party to repeat Carry On kilt scene at the perimeter to ward off protesters.

    Dan Hodges ‏@DPJHodges 3m
    @iainmartin1 Dear god. The Black Block don't stand a chance.
  • Options
    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Cripes

    Sam Sussex @SamSussex
    Owen Paterson MP says under #Labour the country was borrowing £300,000 a minute #cpc13
  • Options
    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,754
    edited September 2013
    fitalass said:

    Twitter
    Michael Crick ‏@MichaelLCrick 6m
    Andrew Mitchell: buy shares in George Osborne; he's a recovery stock; his shares are greatly under-valued

    Arf,

    if Osborne's stock's recovery is as fast as the actual recovery, he might be of some value just before he retires.
  • Options
    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    fitalass said:

    Twitter
    Dan Hodges ‏@DPJHodges 22m
    Inside conference secure zone. Lots of noisy protestors outside. Bit like the dinner scene in Carry On Up The Khyber...

    Iain Martin ‏@iainmartin1 15m
    @DPJHodges Is traditional for remains of Scottish Tory party to repeat Carry On kilt scene at the perimeter to ward off protesters.

    Dan Hodges ‏@DPJHodges 3m
    @iainmartin1 Dear god. The Black Block don't stand a chance.

    LOL - I suspect the chappies in the Hall didn't really help much - but I can see why they're upset at being merged.
  • Options
    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Indeed. Nasty Party in real-life not just the Rhetoric War?

    Adrian Hilton @Adrian_Hilton
    How many right-wingers were at the Labour Party conference crying "socialist scum", threatening violence or spitting on guests? #cpc13
  • Options
    GrandioseGrandiose Posts: 2,323
    Plato said:

    Indeed. Nasty Party in real-life not just the Rhetoric War?

    Adrian Hilton @Adrian_Hilton
    How many right-wingers were at the Labour Party conference crying "socialist scum", threatening violence or spitting on guests? #cpc13

    It's contempt, that's what it is. Which is a word so often used to describe the Tories.

    Also, the Tories must make sure they don't come close to "socialist scum" either. It won't work.
  • Options
    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Grandiose said:

    Plato said:

    Indeed. Nasty Party in real-life not just the Rhetoric War?

    Adrian Hilton @Adrian_Hilton
    How many right-wingers were at the Labour Party conference crying "socialist scum", threatening violence or spitting on guests? #cpc13

    It's contempt, that's what it is. Which is a word so often used to describe the Tories.

    Also, the Tories must make sure they don't come close to "socialist scum" either. It won't work.
    If we EVER see Tories with placards marching down the street hurling mindless abuse and spitting on delegates - well Hell will have frozen over. Ditto the LDs. I can't think of ANY party members as vile as those from the Left - its the Tory Conf for Heaven's Sake - its not NazisRUs
  • Options
    old_labourold_labour Posts: 3,238
    Dan Hodges?
    Plato said:

    Indeed. Nasty Party in real-life not just the Rhetoric War?

    Adrian Hilton @Adrian_Hilton
    How many right-wingers were at the Labour Party conference crying "socialist scum", threatening violence or spitting on guests? #cpc13

  • Options

    Austria results

    From 4pm UK time.

    Official results:

    http://wahl13.bmi.gv.at/

    Livestream:

    http://tvthek.orf.at/live/6799565

    Thanks


    DC

    On the official results page, do you know what the abbreviation for 'Team Stronach' is?

  • Options
    surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549
    fitalass said:

    Twitter
    Nick Robinson ‏@bbcnickrobinson 2m
    Marchers shout "Tory scum" outside. Activists watch video of Thatcher's greatest hits inside. Back to the future at #cpc13

    To me, Thatcher's greatest hit was joining the single market.
  • Options
    CarolaCarola Posts: 1,805

    Dan Hodges?

    Plato said:

    Indeed. Nasty Party in real-life not just the Rhetoric War?

    Adrian Hilton @Adrian_Hilton
    How many right-wingers were at the Labour Party conference crying "socialist scum", threatening violence or spitting on guests? #cpc13

    Lol.
  • Options
    CarolaCarola Posts: 1,805
    Jonathan said:

    Something quite funereal about the Tory party conference. It's a dark set in a dark room with men in dark suits.

    They need a new logo. Without the green, the squiggle tree is just a squiggle. In fact, it looks like they ripped up the union flag.

    I think they've gone for the 'serious times' look.
  • Options
    Y0kelY0kel Posts: 2,307
    Thats because a surprisingly large slice of left is fundamentally greedy & dictatorial when it comes down to it.
  • Options
    AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited September 2013
    Austrian exit poll looks like SD 26.4%, CD 23.8%, FP 22.4%.

    I assume the Social Democrats and Christian Democrats won't want to go into government with the Freedom Party which means it'll probably be a grand coalition again.
  • Options
    CarolaCarola Posts: 1,805
    I've got a soft spot for Hague. He's a bit Major-ish, and I had a soft spot for him too.
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    Interesting speech by Hammond, including heckling by old fusilier, but also vitriolic attack on Danny Alexander. Interesting to hear we are forming our own cyber counter-attack unit. Perhaps explains the silence of tim!

    http://audioboo.fm/boos/1628931-hammond-a-conservative-government-will-never-send-our-forces-in-to-battle-without-the-right-kit
  • Options
    GrandioseGrandiose Posts: 2,323

    Interesting speech by Hammond, including heckling by old fusilier, but also vitriolic attack on Danny Alexander. Interesting to hear we are forming our own cyber counter-attack unit. Perhaps explains the silence of tim!

    http://audioboo.fm/boos/1628931-hammond-a-conservative-government-will-never-send-our-forces-in-to-battle-without-the-right-kit

    Fantastic news. Strange to think that if GCHQ is too much of a target we could outsource the reserve to bedrooms up and down the country though!

    It is always readily apparent that countries tend to prepare to fight the previous war, metaphorically speaking, rather than the next one.

    On here, it's mostly the Second Punic War.
  • Options
    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    Carola said:

    Jonathan said:

    Something quite funereal about the Tory party conference. It's a dark set in a dark room with men in dark suits.

    They need a new logo. Without the green, the squiggle tree is just a squiggle. In fact, it looks like they ripped up the union flag.

    I think they've gone for the 'serious times' look.
    Perhaps they just want to show up Labour's energy policy by avoiding blackouts?.



  • Options
    fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,279
    edited September 2013
    Drum roll.........
    Dan Hodges in the Telegraph - It's time for the Conservative Party to let Margaret Thatcher go

    Twitter
    Dan Hodges ‏@DPJHodges 3m
    Hope BBC are filming protests. Might have footage of @TimMontgomerie being spat at and @SebastianEPayne being threatened.
  • Options
    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Sometimes I really do wonder

    RT @labourpress: Sandwich at #cpc13 costs 65p more than week's worth of marriage tax allowance pic.twitter.com/CJMQlCZFhh

    < StupidTweetOfTheDay
  • Options
    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    fitalass said:

    Drum roll.........
    Dan Hodges in the Telegraph - It's time for the Conservative Party to let Margaret Thatcher go

    Twitter
    Dan Hodges ‏@DPJHodges 3m
    Hope BBC are filming protests. Might have footage of @TimMontgomerie being spat at and @SebastianEPayne being threatened.

    Mrs T is more of a totem of the Left than the Right given the number of times she gets a mention outside of Conf Season.
  • Options
    AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited September 2013
    fitalass said:

    Drum roll.........
    Dan Hodges in the Telegraph - It's time for the Conservative Party to let Margaret Thatcher go

    Twitter
    Dan Hodges ‏@DPJHodges 3m
    Hope BBC are filming protests. Might have footage of @TimMontgomerie being spat at and @SebastianEPayne being threatened.

    Bit slow on the uptake today — what are these protests all about?
  • Options
    CarolaCarola Posts: 1,805
    AveryLP said:

    Carola said:

    Jonathan said:

    Something quite funereal about the Tory party conference. It's a dark set in a dark room with men in dark suits.

    They need a new logo. Without the green, the squiggle tree is just a squiggle. In fact, it looks like they ripped up the union flag.

    I think they've gone for the 'serious times' look.
    Perhaps they just want to show up Labour's energy policy by avoiding blackouts?.



    Some policies look better in the dark.
  • Options
    ORF projection

    Social Democrats 26.5
    People's Party 23.5
    FPO 22%
    Greens 11.5
    Team Stronach 5.9
    NEOS 4.6
    BZO 3.7

    Seats projection

    SPO 52
    OVP 46
    FPO 43
    Greens 22
    Stronach 11
    NEOS 9
  • Options
    surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549
    YouGov asked people to place the parties on a left-right scale, from very left wing to very right wing. 34% now see Labour as very or fairly left wing, up from 26% last year and the highest since YouGov started asking this question back in 2006 (under Blair and Brown it tended to be around 20%). Note however that the Conservatives are seen as very or fairly right wing by 39%, so Labour may been seen as having moved more to the left, but it does NOT mean they are seen as less centrist than the Conservatives are.

    http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/
  • Options
    GrandioseGrandiose Posts: 2,323
    surbiton said:

    YouGov asked people to place the parties on a left-right scale, from very left wing to very right wing. 34% now see Labour as very or fairly left wing, up from 26% last year and the highest since YouGov started asking this question back in 2006 (under Blair and Brown it tended to be around 20%). Note however that the Conservatives are seen as very or fairly right wing by 39%, so Labour may been seen as having moved more to the left, but it does NOT mean they are seen as less centrist than the Conservatives are.

    http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/

    What were the other options?

    "Fairly right wing" hardly sounds like an insult to the Conservatives. Similarly "fairly left wing" although maybe a bit different because of the very much centrist approach of Blair.
  • Options
    fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,279
    NHS, but when have the left ever needed an excuse to protest at a Tory Conference? :)
    And from one of the best spoof accounts on Twitter
    Iain Duncan Smith MP ‏@IDS_MP 28m
    Huge anti-cuts protest outside #cpc13 we’ve stopped them getting inside by writing ‘Job Centre’ on all the doors.
    AndyJS said:

    fitalass said:

    Drum roll.........
    Dan Hodges in the Telegraph - It's time for the Conservative Party to let Margaret Thatcher go

    Twitter
    Dan Hodges ‏@DPJHodges 3m
    Hope BBC are filming protests. Might have footage of @TimMontgomerie being spat at and @SebastianEPayne being threatened.

    Bit slow on the uptake today — what are these protests all about?
  • Options
    surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549
    I just took the ST Yougov poll and then gave the Tories a 7% swing, i.e. C 38%, L 35%, LD 9%.

    The seats projection is: C 308, L 304, LD 12, Others 9, NI 18.

    You would need, at least, 3 parties and possibly 4 to form a coalition !
  • Options
    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Jim Waterson @jimwaterson
    Twitter says the BBC was BANNED from filming anti-Tory protest: twitter.com/search?q=bbc%2…. Here's the scandal in full: pic.twitter.com/cagJBIWfZF

    http://t.co/cagJBIWfZF
  • Options
    surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549
    Grandiose said:

    surbiton said:

    YouGov asked people to place the parties on a left-right scale, from very left wing to very right wing. 34% now see Labour as very or fairly left wing, up from 26% last year and the highest since YouGov started asking this question back in 2006 (under Blair and Brown it tended to be around 20%). Note however that the Conservatives are seen as very or fairly right wing by 39%, so Labour may been seen as having moved more to the left, but it does NOT mean they are seen as less centrist than the Conservatives are.

    http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/

    What were the other options?

    "Fairly right wing" hardly sounds like an insult to the Conservatives. Similarly "fairly left wing" although maybe a bit different because of the very much centrist approach of Blair.
    Read the report for yourself.
  • Options
    GrandioseGrandiose Posts: 2,323
    Hilariously large number of people accusing the BBC of a "well known" right-wing bias on Twitter.

    (I'm generally sceptical of any form of real bias in a left/right sense, plausibly a washy liberalish bias caused simply by being a group of journalists who applied to work at the BBC.)
  • Options
    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited September 2013
    fitalass said:

    NHS, but when have the left ever needed an excuse to protest at a Tory Conference? :)
    And from one of the best spoof accounts on Twitter
    Iain Duncan Smith MP ‏@IDS_MP 28m
    Huge anti-cuts protest outside #cpc13 we’ve stopped them getting inside by writing ‘Job Centre’ on all the doors.

    AndyJS said:

    fitalass said:

    Drum roll.........
    Dan Hodges in the Telegraph - It's time for the Conservative Party to let Margaret Thatcher go

    Twitter
    Dan Hodges ‏@DPJHodges 3m
    Hope BBC are filming protests. Might have footage of @TimMontgomerie being spat at and @SebastianEPayne being threatened.

    Bit slow on the uptake today — what are these protests all about?
    @skip_licker is doing a brilliant job as IDS spoof.

    Just looked at his follwers over 16000 from just 350 tweets - brilliant conversion rate and every numpty who didn't spot it's a parody account is retweeted.
  • Options
    GrandioseGrandiose Posts: 2,323
    surbiton said:

    Grandiose said:

    surbiton said:

    YouGov asked people to place the parties on a left-right scale, from very left wing to very right wing. 34% now see Labour as very or fairly left wing, up from 26% last year and the highest since YouGov started asking this question back in 2006 (under Blair and Brown it tended to be around 20%). Note however that the Conservatives are seen as very or fairly right wing by 39%, so Labour may been seen as having moved more to the left, but it does NOT mean they are seen as less centrist than the Conservatives are.

    http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/

    What were the other options?

    "Fairly right wing" hardly sounds like an insult to the Conservatives. Similarly "fairly left wing" although maybe a bit different because of the very much centrist approach of Blair.
    Read the report for yourself.
    OK...

    "Slightly left-of-centre", "Centre", "Slightly right-of-centre", which was more than I imagined.
  • Options
    PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Jules Mattsson @julesmattsson
    Twitter: BBC won't report protest! (bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan…), tories censor BBC (security close area), LOOK AT PROTEST (photo a decade old)
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,899

    Labour's already shown the way on this with their IHT cut for married people BUT not unmarried couples..when in Govt....

    There's a lot of anger in Manchester, 2 defeats yesterday and now Owen's there to cheer them up...

    Owen Jones‏@OwenJones843m
    Police estimate there’s over 50,000 marching against the Tories in Manchester. Organisers originally estimated 30,000 would turn up #NHS299

    I know some people on the march. I know some people attending the conference as well :)
  • Options
    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    @Alanbrooke

    Arf,

    if Osborne's stock's recovery is as fast as the actual recovery, he might be of some value just before he retires.


    Slow afternoon, Mr. Brooke? You must be bogged down with Eurostat statistics. Still showing UK growth for 2013 to be 0.6% total. And neither Germany nor the USA revised down in line with latest data.

    Still they do show the progress being made by the UK under St. George.

    Here is Table 1 with the performance of Gordon at its heart:
    =================================
    | EUROSTAT |
    | Real GDP growth rate - volume|
    | % change on previous year |
    |--------------------------------
    |2005-2009 Blair/Brown |
    |-------------------------------|
    | Total Qtr. |
    |Rank Growth Ave. |
    |-------------------------------|
    | 1 Slovakia 28.48% 1.26%|
    | 2 Montenegro 26.28% 1.17%|
    | 3 Poland 25.47% 1.14%|
    | 4 Macedonia 21.02% 0.96%|
    | 4 Bulgaria 21.00% 0.96%|
    | 6 Romania 19.78% 0.91%|
    | 7 Czech Rep. 18.93% 0.87%|
    | 8 Turkey 16.31% 0.76%|
    | 9 Cyprus 15.53% 0.72%|
    | 9 Serbia 15.28% 0.71%|
    | 11 Iceland 12.45% 0.59%|
    | 12 Luxembourg 12.13% 0.57%|
    | 12 Slovenia 12.12% 0.57%|
    | 14 Lithuania 11.87% 0.56%|
    | 15 Malta 11.75% 0.56%|
    | 16 Switzerland 10.94% 0.52%|
    | 17 Croatia 9.30% 0.45%|
    | 18 Ireland 8.84% 0.42%|
    | 19 Spain 8.35% 0.40%|
    | 20 Greece 8.02% 0.39%|
    | 21 Latvia 7.54% 0.36%|
    | 22 Netherlands 7.43% 0.36%|
    | 22 Austria 7.42% 0.36%|
    | 24 Norway 6.18% 0.30%|
    | 25 Estonia 6.07% 0.29%|
    | 26 Belgium 5.61% 0.27%|
    | 27 Sweden 5.00% 0.24%|
    | 28 USA 4.76% 0.23%|
    | 29 Finland 3.82% 0.19%|
    | 30 Germany 3.50% 0.17%|
    | 31 France 3.33% 0.16%|
    | 32 UK 3.16% 0.16%|***
    | 33 Hungary 1.72% 0.09%|
    | 34 Portugal 1.63% 0.08%|
    | 35 Denmark 0.63% 0.03%|
    | 36 Japan -1.50% -0.08%|
    | 37 Italy -2.08% -0.11%|
    |-------------------------------|
    | EU (28) 4.6% |
    | EU (27) 4.6% |
    | Eurozone (17) 3.8% |
    =================================
  • Options
    AveryLPAveryLP Posts: 7,815
    edited September 2013
    @Alanbrooke

    And here is the progress made under St George. You are with Eurostat in the slow lane.
    =================================
    | EUROSTAT |
    | Real GDP growth rate - volume|
    | % change on previous year |
    --------------------------------|
    |2010-14 Cameron |
    |-------------------------------|
    | Total Qtr. |
    |Rank Growth Ave. |
    |-------------------------------|
    | 1 Turkey 30.08% 1.32%|
    | 2 Estonia 25.15% 1.13%|
    | 3 Lithuania 19.06% 0.88%|
    | 4 Latvia 17.92% 0.83%|
    | 5 Sweden 15.26% 0.71%|
    | 6 Poland 14.32% 0.67%|
    | 7 Slovakia 14.10% 0.66%|
    | 8 USA 12.15% 0.57%|
    | 9 Germany 10.57% 0.50%|
    | 10 Norway 10.27% 0.49%|
    | 11 Malta 9.94% 0.48%|
    | 11 Montenegro 9.93% 0.47%|
    | 13 Switzerland 9.43% 0.45%|
    | 13 Japan 9.36% 0.45%|
    | 15 Macedonia 9.30% 0.45%|
    | 16 Austria 8.14% 0.39%|
    | 17 Luxembourg 7.50% 0.36%|
    | 18 Finland 6.71% 0.33%|
    | 19 Bulgaria 5.72% 0.28%|
    | 20 Romania 5.69% 0.28%|
    | 21 UK 5.30% 0.26%|***
    | 22 Belgium 5.18% 0.25%|
    | 22 Ireland 4.87% 0.24%|
    | 24 Denmark 4.77% 0.23%|
    | 24 France 4.77% 0.23%|
    | 26 Iceland 4.72% 0.23%|
    | 27 Serbia 4.54% 0.22%|
    | 28 Czech Rep. 4.32% 0.21%|
    | 29 Hungary 2.79% 0.14%|
    | 30 Netherlands 1.28% 0.06%|
    | 31 Italy -0.95% -0.05%|
    | 32 Spain -2.30% -0.12%|
    | 33 Slovenia -2.63% -0.13%|
    | 34 Portugal -4.31% -0.22%|
    | 35 Croatia -5.02% -0.26%|
    | 36 Cyprus -12.82% -0.68%|
    | 37 Greece -20.30% -1.13%|
    |-------------------------------|
    | EU (28) : |
    | EU (27) 4.7% |
    | Eurozone (17) 3.7% |
    =================================
  • Options
    fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,279
    Sabastian Payne in the Coffee House Blog - A warm welcome to Manchester from the TUC

    "As it boomed, whistled and shouted its way past Manchester Central this afternoon, the TUC’s Save Our NHS march seemed reasonable enough. If they want to disagree with the Conservatives on key policy issues, then so be it, that’s government for you.

    But when I decided to watch and photograph what I thought was a peaceful protest, I found that some of the comrades joining in weren’t so keen. A middle-aged man clutching a Socialist Worker grabbed me, demanding to know ‘who are you taking photos for?’. I told him I was taking them for me, and tried to walk away. But then two of his companions joined us."
  • Options
    AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    Brave of the Tories to hold their conference in Manchester:

    Manchester local election results:
    2012: Lab 32, Others 0
    2011: Lab 33, Others 0
    2010: Lab 23, LD 9
  • Options
    AndyJS said:

    Brave of the Tories to hold their conference in Manchester:

    Manchester local election results:
    2012: Lab 32, Others 0
    2011: Lab 33, Others 0
    2010: Lab 23, LD 9

    Why brave? OK, so they're going to get spat at and abused by MODERATED, but they'll get abuse if they just stayed in central London.
  • Options
    philiphphiliph Posts: 4,704
    edited September 2013

    AndyJS said:

    Brave of the Tories to hold their conference in Manchester:

    Manchester local election results:
    2012: Lab 32, Others 0
    2011: Lab 33, Others 0
    2010: Lab 23, LD 9

    Why brave? OK, so they're going to get spat at and abused by MODERATED, but they'll get abuse if they just stayed in central London.
    It is sad when people are so intolerant and find it necessary to abuse people who hold different view points.
  • Options
    philiph said:

    AndyJS said:

    Brave of the Tories to hold their conference in Manchester:

    Manchester local election results:
    2012: Lab 32, Others 0
    2011: Lab 33, Others 0
    2010: Lab 23, LD 9

    Why brave? OK, so they're going to get spat at and abused by MODERATED, but they'll get abuse if they just stayed in central London.
    It is sad when people are so intolerant and find it necessary to abuse people who hold different view points.
    Sorry, I should rephrase that. "spat at and hit by valiant defenders of the working class".
  • Options
    Austria

    Team Stronach is shown as FRANK on the official site.

    Note that SPO + OVP is a majority, so grand coalition could continue.

    BUT OVP + FPO + Stronach or OVP + FPO + Neos is also a majority.

    So ball is in OVP leader Spindelegger's court.

    SPO leader Faymann, as winning party leader (& also sitting Chancellor) expected to have first go at forming govt.

    Post 99 election (when FPO in 2nd with 27%), OVP talked for weeks with SPO but it got nowhere, then put together coalition with FPO in a couple of weeks.

    All to play for, Grand Coalition may still be favourite but not a cert by any means, all depends on Spindelegger.
  • Options
    fitalassfitalass Posts: 4,279
    Twitter
    Larry the Cat ‏@Number10cat 2h
    @Ed_Miliband How do you feel about cats? Asking for a friend...
  • Options
    AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395

    Austria

    Team Stronach is shown as FRANK on the official site.

    Note that SPO + OVP is a majority, so grand coalition could continue.

    BUT OVP + FPO + Stronach or OVP + FPO + Neos is also a majority.

    So ball is in OVP leader Spindelegger's court.

    SPO leader Faymann, as winning party leader (& also sitting Chancellor) expected to have first go at forming govt.

    Post 99 election (when FPO in 2nd with 27%), OVP talked for weeks with SPO but it got nowhere, then put together coalition with FPO in a couple of weeks.

    All to play for, Grand Coalition may still be favourite but not a cert by any means, all depends on Spindelegger.

    Yes, that was when the EU decided to boycott the Austrian government for a while.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,899
    Interesting - Not your normal Conservative conference protestors: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24324557
  • Options
    New projection

    SPD 53 seats
    OVP 46
    FPO 42
    Greens 22
    Stronach 11
    NEUS 9
  • Options
    AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited September 2013
    Darn: the Austrian election show has suddenly become unavailable to anyone outside the country.
  • Options
    Reading reports from the time, sounded as though other EU govts were trying to influence composition of new Austrian govt!

    Chirac esp concerned re impact on FN in France.
  • Options
    EasterrossEasterross Posts: 1,915
    While it is true that the city of Manchester has not been fertile territory for the Tory party for many years, is it not the case they hold a fair number of parliamentary seats and run councils round the perimeter? Whether that is part of Greater Manchester or one of the Cheshire council areas, I am not knowledgeable enough to know.
  • Options
    AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395

    While it is true that the city of Manchester has not been fertile territory for the Tory party for many years, is it not the case they hold a fair number of parliamentary seats and run councils round the perimeter? Whether that is part of Greater Manchester or one of the Cheshire council areas, I am not knowledgeable enough to know.

    I think the only decent council for them in the area is Trafford. They used to be strong in Stockport but the LDs now win most of the seats they used to in places like Cheadle and Hazel Grove.
  • Options
    Good evening, everyone.

    It slightly amuses me that single people (parents or not) get outraged about married couples getting tax breaks, and are far more livid than the childless are about the huge sums thrown at families on a regular basis.
  • Options

    While it is true that the city of Manchester has not been fertile territory for the Tory party for many years, is it not the case they hold a fair number of parliamentary seats and run councils round the perimeter? Whether that is part of Greater Manchester or one of the Cheshire council areas, I am not knowledgeable enough to know.

    Yes they do. I don't know much about the council composition, but George Osborne's Tatton constituency is next door to us, for one (e.g. Wilmslow / Macclesfield and district)
  • Options
    EasterrossEasterross Posts: 1,915

    Good evening, everyone.

    It slightly amuses me that single people (parents or not) get outraged about married couples getting tax breaks, and are far more livid than the childless are about the huge sums thrown at families on a regular basis.

    totally agree. I regularly think about projectile vomiting when yet another Chancellor harps on about hard working families when so many of us are single because we cannot afford to become hard working families or choose not to be part of one.

    I do support a tax recognition of married status (inc civil partnerships) because they are the most stable form of relationship. People who are divorced have chosen to be married in the first place and largely chosen to end their marriages since few divorces now are "fault" based.

    Those of us who are single without children are generally unable to inheritance tax plan but that doesn't mean I want to stop the IHT inter-spousal transfer which takes people with far greater assets than me out of a potential tax liability when my estate would be liable to £100,000s on inheritance tax.
  • Options
    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,811
    wonder if Cameron will stick to his cowardly position on debating independence. Alex keeping up the pressure

    Below is the text of a letter sent by Alex Salmond, the First Minister of Scotland, to the UK Prime Minister David Cameron today, setting out six reasons why the PM should take part in a live debate with the FM on the subject of Scottish independence.

    http://wingsoverscotland.com/the-power-of-six/#more-41719
  • Options
    EasterrossEasterross Posts: 1,915
    Norm said:

    From Twitter
    Tory Chairman Grant Shapps won't be able to praise Manchester Conservative councillors this afternoon. Cos there aren't any

    I mentioned the other day that I could not see why the Tories were holding their conference in Manchester. Far better down the road at Blackpool where at least they would have got some compensatory sea air.
    Small matter but isn't Blackpool "up the road" from Manchester?
  • Options
    corporealcorporeal Posts: 2,549

    Norm said:

    From Twitter
    Tory Chairman Grant Shapps won't be able to praise Manchester Conservative councillors this afternoon. Cos there aren't any

    I mentioned the other day that I could not see why the Tories were holding their conference in Manchester. Far better down the road at Blackpool where at least they would have got some compensatory sea air.
    Small matter but isn't Blackpool "up the road" from Manchester?
    Blackppol is north of Manchester, but also at a lower altitude. So you can justifiably say the road is going down.
  • Options
    AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    Tatton is separated from Manchester by Trafford so it isn't really in the same area, politically speaking.
  • Options
    Mr. G, if the vote were to be UK-wide it would be a legitimate argument. But it isn't. It's a Scottish matter. You can't seriously claim that having a Scotsman on one side and an Englishman on the other is a fair debate.
  • Options
    malcolmg said:

    wonder if Cameron will stick to his cowardly position on debating independence. Alex keeping up the pressure

    Below is the text of a letter sent by Alex Salmond, the First Minister of Scotland, to the UK Prime Minister David Cameron today, setting out six reasons why the PM should take part in a live debate with the FM on the subject of Scottish independence.

    http://wingsoverscotland.com/the-power-of-six/#more-41719

    Still doesn't address "You get to pick your own team's captain, but not your opponent's"

  • Options
    JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,214
    edited September 2013
    So one of them is going to have to blink. And it ain't going to be Dave. So if Eck wants his debates he's going to have to face Alistair. He'll eventually cave in, particularly if the NOs retain the advantage.
  • Options
    philiphphiliph Posts: 4,704

    Mr. G, if the vote were to be UK-wide it would be a legitimate argument. But it isn't. It's a Scottish matter. You can't seriously claim that having a Scotsman on one side and an Englishman on the other is a fair debate.

    Or you could say Cameron is here until 2015, and then who knows what, Scotland is permanent in either form, independent or as a part of the UK. The person in the position of PM is irrelevant to the debate.
  • Options

    You can't seriously claim that having a Scotsman on one side and an Englishman on the other is a fair debate.

    On what planet is Eck looking for a fair debate?

  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,938
    After this afternoon's events in the conference hall, I think we can safely say Phillip Hammond's leadership hopes are dead in the water!
  • Options
    JohnO said:

    So one of them is going to have to blink.

    No's doing well - Cameron won't blink.
    Yes doing well - last thing Cameron will do is take the fall.....

    Ergo, Eck will blink - or call the whole thing off.......
  • Options
    JohnO said:

    So one of them is going to have to blink. And it ain't going to be Dave. So if Eck wants his debates he's going to have to face Alistair. He'll eventually cave in, particularly if the NOs retain the advantage.

    Agree, the whole thing’s just bizarre - Irrespective of Salmond’s juvenile prank,- why would someone take part in a debate, when they are based in England, would not be eligible to vote in the upcoming referendum and is unconnected with either the YES or NO campaign? – The PM is right to brush off these silly, and ever more desperate shenanigans.
  • Options
    john_zimsjohn_zims Posts: 3,399
    @malcolmg

    'wonder if Cameron will stick to his cowardly position on debating independence. Alex keeping up the pressure'

    Will Saint Alex use that as yet another excuse when he loses?
This discussion has been closed.