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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Just 19% of LAB voters believe Israel’s more to blame for the

SystemSystem Posts: 11,690
edited August 2018 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Just 19% of LAB voters believe Israel’s more to blame for the lack progress on Middle East peace than the Palestinians

Sure the Deltapoll for Prospect finds that three times as many LAB voters than CON ones blame Israel but it is the huge “both equally” numbers that are a surprise. Here as the chart shows there’s really not that much difference between supporters of the two main parties and the whole sample.

Read the full story here


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Comments

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    Why should there be peace? What’s wrong with eternal struggle if you both desire to boss the same bit of land?
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    DecrepitJohnLDecrepitJohnL Posts: 13,300
    Sounds right. Most voters don't care or place it in the "too hard" basket. Probably most agree that if there were an easy solution to bring peace to the Middle East, someone cleverer than me would have found it by now.
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,125
    Maybe the thinking this summer is Labour picking one side in the Middle East masks their not picking one side on Remain or Brexit?

    Which is a convenient distraction, because otherwise it might just be noticed that they can't remotely agree a coherent position to offer the voters on the biggest domestic issue for forty years.....
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    Maybe the thinking this summer is Labour picking one side in the Middle East masks their not picking one side on Remain or Brexit?

    Which is a convenient distraction, because otherwise it might just be noticed that they can't remotely agree a coherent position to offer the voters on the biggest domestic issue for forty years.....

    It’s only Labour picking a side in the Middle East? And all of Labour on that side?

    Corbyn has taken sides, long ago, and always had desire to weave the Arab/Israeli conflict strongly into his politics. The Arab/Israeli conflict is already growing in British politics, he is not alone in taking a side, this year a Tory cabinet minister was sacked for being ostentatious with her bias. OGH doesn’t hide his either.

    Politically, is it risk to speak up for a cause either a silent majority or vociferous minority around you don’t support, Politics being the art of the possible, anything else too revolutionary? Or to do so is in fact courage, leadership? This is the question, and I refer not just to Corbyn but the other two individuals I mentioned in previous paragraph, they are all in it together.

    Whilst having a bias Corbyn tries to pass himself off as a peace-monger, in that regard just makes himself look ridiculous.
    Instead Corbyn should copy me, and say “I have to recognise race, as its scientific fact, likewise I have to recognise religion, as it is historical and cultural fact, I can ignore all of those aspects though, and just treat people as people.
    But I can’t ignore injustice.”
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,299
    I thought Tony was supposed to be sorting it out?
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,760
    Two State Solution coming to the Labour Party?

    Given only 25% of Labour voters can pick a side in the matter it does seem very far away from the concerns of the average voter. I suspect the activist base has a view that is firmer and less nuanced.
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    tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,190
    edited August 2018

    Why should there be peace? What’s wrong with eternal struggle if you both desire to boss the same bit of land?

    Especially when one side has put a lot of effort into fortifying their position.

    Excellent thread header, nevertheless. Most people don't give a toss, which probably also means this doesn't hurt Corbyn all that much.
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    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,668
    Instead Corbyn should copy me, and say “I have to recognise race, as its scientific fact...

    While Corbyn is accustomed to talking nonsense, I don’t think that particular bit quite fits with his worldview.
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    FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,711
    tlg86 said:

    Why should there be peace? What’s wrong with eternal struggle if you both desire to boss the same bit of land?

    Especially when one side has put a lot of effort into fortifying their position.

    Excellent thread header, nevertheless. Most people don't give a toss, which probably also means this doesn't hurt Corbyn all that much.
    The other reason that Corbyns anti-Semitism hasn't impacted polling is that it has been very specific to the Middle East context. I have not seen any suggestions of anti-Semitic views otherwise. Some of his supporters do seem less scrupulous.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,329
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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    Britain has enough chaos coming its way without trying to deal with the intractable problems of the rest of the world. If Brexit offers one clear opportunity, it’s the opportunity for Britain to stop having to feebly intervene on everything everywhere. Time to retreat and retrench mentally as well as militarily: Britain has voted to shrink its horizons and it would be a betrayal* of Brexit if the government ignored that.


    *[not a betrayal, but it’s the only word Leavers understand as a synonym of “inconsistent with the spirit of”]
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,988
    Good morning, everyone.
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    Fysics_TeacherFysics_Teacher Posts: 6,060
    edited August 2018
    It doesn’t affect the point being made, but there is something odd about the figures for “both equally” and “don’t know”. At a rough estimate these should be the average of the Labour and Conservative values, but the first seems too low while the second is more than any of the values that go into it. Stats is not my strong point so I’m probably missing something, most likely the fact that they are percentages, but if anyone has a suggestion I’d like to know.
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    FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,711
    Scott_P said:
    If the large gas fields in the Eastern Med were found to be in the territorial waters of an independent Gaza then he might have a point. Israel has prevented their exploitation. It seems to be BG and Gazprom that has development rights to the field.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gas_in_the_Gaza_Strip

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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340

    It doesn’t affect the point being made, but there is something odd about the figures for “both equally” and “don’t know”. At a rough estimate these should be the average of the Labour and Conservative values, but the first seems too low while the second is more than any of the values that go into it. Stats is not my strong point so I’m probably missing something, most likely the fact that they are percentages, but if anyone has a suggestion I’d like to know.

    Non-voters are presumably more likely to answer Don’t Know.
  • Options

    It doesn’t affect the point being made, but there is something odd about the figures for “both equally” and “don’t know”. At a rough estimate these should be the average of the Labour and Conservative values, but the first seems too low while the second is more than any of the values that go into it. Stats is not my strong point so I’m probably missing something, most likely the fact that they are percentages, but if anyone has a suggestion I’d like to know.

    Non-voters are presumably more likely to answer Don’t Know.
    That must be it. I’d forgotten about them.
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    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,304
    @rottenborough

    You asked whether the Wars of The Roses were worth it.

    My question would be, 'which of the wars are you talking about?'

    The first war (1455-64) removed an ineffective and bankrupt monarch from the throne, but at enormous cost and without restoring stability. However the second war (1469-71) resolved many of those issues and saw England returned to peace and prosperity under a vigorous and intelligent king. (He was also a drunken sex maniac, but that didn't make him an ineffective monarch unlike the sober, continent Henry VI.)

    To give you some idea of his achievement when Edward IV became King in 1461 there was a deficit of £9000 a year. In 1483 he actually left no debts and a modest cash surplus (unfortunately not quite enough to pay for his funeral). That was some achievement and the country benefitted hugely from the return to prosperity and the end of heavy taxation.

    The third war was in every way a disaster. Totally unnecessary, caused solely by Richard III's greed and ambition, it severely damaged the social and political fabric of England, almost destroyed the monarchy and caused thousands of deaths. True, it brought Henry VII to the throne who was an efficient King (although not necessarily more so than Richard would have been had Richard been the rightful king not a usurper) but it also led to Henry VIII who was not a good king and whose achievements were mostly destructive.

    So overall, probably not. But the first two did happen not because everyone wanted a fight but because there were no options left for restoring the system of government.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,329
    I think that very few people have strong views on the Arab Israeli conflict. They don't really buy the "it's all Britain's fault because we once ruled Palestine" nonsense and quite right too. It gives American Presidents something to do when they get into their second terms and Congress is just ignoring them. To that extent Corbyn's obsessive behaviour about it over decades is just a part of his weirdness and doesn't hurt him very much.

    I think, in contrast, his anti-Semitism (which is just a peculiarly unpleasant form of racism) has damaged him somewhat, especially his vile comments about people who had lived here all their lives but still didn't get British irony. This is not about some slightly mad and very violent foreigners, it is about British citizens and implies that they do not belong.

    That said, this is a classic demonstration of how the supposed power of social media can be massively overrated. Those who find him contemptible, and I am one, focus on each new demonstration of the same flaw and think surely now all decent people in Labour will disown this wretch. Those who choose to support him regard his own words as an unfair smear and play ever more attenuated word games trying to deny the obvious. They do this because ultimately they don't care and think Corbyn's views on many other matters are more important and need to be supported. Very few change, much sound and fury, very little effect.
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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    IanB2 said:
    There are political implications to this. Those voters are far more anti-Conservative than the existing inhabitants. Seats with an influx of such voters are likely to trend towards Labour in the short to medium term. Amber Rudd looks especially vulnerable.
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    ydoethur said:

    @rottenborough

    You asked whether the Wars of The Roses were worth it.

    My question would be, 'which of the wars are you talking about?'

    The first war (1455-64) removed an ineffective and bankrupt monarch from the throne, but at enormous cost and without restoring stability. However the second war (1469-71) resolved many of those issues and saw England returned to peace and prosperity under a vigorous and intelligent king. (He was also a drunken sex maniac, but that didn't make him an ineffective monarch unlike the sober, continent Henry VI.)

    To give you some idea of his achievement when Edward IV became King in 1461 there was a deficit of £9000 a year. In 1483 he actually left no debts and a modest cash surplus (unfortunately not quite enough to pay for his funeral). That was some achievement and the country benefitted hugely from the return to prosperity and the end of heavy taxation.

    The third war was in every way a disaster. Totally unnecessary, caused solely by Richard III's greed and ambition, it severely damaged the social and political fabric of England, almost destroyed the monarchy and caused thousands of deaths. True, it brought Henry VII to the throne who was an efficient King (although not necessarily more so than Richard would have been had Richard been the rightful king not a usurper) but it also led to Henry VIII who was not a good king and whose achievements were mostly destructive.

    So overall, probably not. But the first two did happen not because everyone wanted a fight but because there were no options left for restoring the system of government.

    Spoilers! I haven’t read the book yet!
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    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,304
    DavidL said:
    Actually it was Talleyrand himself who said that on hearing of the death of the Ottoman ambassador to France.
  • Options
    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    DavidL said:

    I think that very few people have strong views on the Arab Israeli conflict. They don't really buy the "it's all Britain's fault because we once ruled Palestine" nonsense and quite right too. It gives American Presidents something to do when they get into their second terms and Congress is just ignoring them. To that extent Corbyn's obsessive behaviour about it over decades is just a part of his weirdness and doesn't hurt him very much.

    I think, in contrast, his anti-Semitism (which is just a peculiarly unpleasant form of racism) has damaged him somewhat, especially his vile comments about people who had lived here all their lives but still didn't get British irony. This is not about some slightly mad and very violent foreigners, it is about British citizens and implies that they do not belong.

    That said, this is a classic demonstration of how the supposed power of social media can be massively overrated. Those who find him contemptible, and I am one, focus on each new demonstration of the same flaw and think surely now all decent people in Labour will disown this wretch. Those who choose to support him regard his own words as an unfair smear and play ever more attenuated word games trying to deny the obvious. They do this because ultimately they don't care and think Corbyn's views on many other matters are more important and need to be supported. Very few change, much sound and fury, very little effect.

    There’s no single water cooler any more, just a bubbling of separate springs, all with common views congregating separately. Here, my views on the hypocrisy of Leavers are anathema to the many Leavers who show a Nelsonian blindness to their own failings. Among Remainers and centrist dads, they would be a trite common place. Among Corbynites they would once again be anathema for daring to take a negative interpretation of the words of Jeremy Corbyn.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,329
    ydoethur said:

    DavidL said:
    Actually it was Talleyrand himself who said that on hearing of the death of the Ottoman ambassador to France.
    Wiki is ambivalent on the point but I am happy to take your word for it.
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    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,304
    DavidL said:

    ydoethur said:

    DavidL said:
    Actually it was Talleyrand himself who said that on hearing of the death of the Ottoman ambassador to France.
    Wiki is ambivalent on the point but I am happy to take your word for it.
    My suspicion is that it is an anecdote that grew in the telling and was probably said of more than one person. But the most common attribution is to Talleyrand.
  • Options
    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,329

    DavidL said:

    I think that very few people have strong views on the Arab Israeli conflict. They don't really buy the "it's all Britain's fault because we once ruled Palestine" nonsense and quite right too. It gives American Presidents something to do when they get into their second terms and Congress is just ignoring them. To that extent Corbyn's obsessive behaviour about it over decades is just a part of his weirdness and doesn't hurt him very much.

    I think, in contrast, his anti-Semitism (which is just a peculiarly unpleasant form of racism) has damaged him somewhat, especially his vile comments about people who had lived here all their lives but still didn't get British irony. This is not about some slightly mad and very violent foreigners, it is about British citizens and implies that they do not belong.

    That said, this is a classic demonstration of how the supposed power of social media can be massively overrated. Those who find him contemptible, and I am one, focus on each new demonstration of the same flaw and think surely now all decent people in Labour will disown this wretch. Those who choose to support him regard his own words as an unfair smear and play ever more attenuated word games trying to deny the obvious. They do this because ultimately they don't care and think Corbyn's views on many other matters are more important and need to be supported. Very few change, much sound and fury, very little effect.

    There’s no single water cooler any more, just a bubbling of separate springs, all with common views congregating separately. Here, my views on the hypocrisy of Leavers are anathema to the many Leavers who show a Nelsonian blindness to their own failings. Among Remainers and centrist dads, they would be a trite common place. Among Corbynites they would once again be anathema for daring to take a negative interpretation of the words of Jeremy Corbyn.
    I agree. Every now and again something will cause those water coolers to burst their banks and spread a general consensus but it is, if anything, increasingly rare whilst the self reinforcing echo chambers push people to ever more extreme views. I am not sure what this means for the body politic but it is not likely to be good.

    I look at America where the Democrats and the Republicans seem to become ever more separate nations with very little in common and contempt for the other. The late John McCain was one who could and did reach out but there are increasingly few.
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    daodaodaodao Posts: 821
    Mr Smithson

    Your thread header title is very misleading. It should state: "Just 25% of LAB voters take sides on who is to blame for the lack of progress on Middle East peace" That is the key message, and this percentage is little different from those for other parties.

    However, of those LAB voters who do take sides, 76% believe Israel is more to blame compared to 24% who believe the Palestinians are more to blame. I suspect that includes many politically engaged activists, and that Corbyn's anti-Zionist stance is popular with Labour members. The LDs show a similar bias, and if Layla Moran becomes their leader, they will also become a target of the Zionist lobby.

    Given that most British voters show little concern about this matter, as is evidenced by the lack of impact on Labour's vote share in opinion polls of the attack by the right (including Bliarites) on Corbyn, it would be preferable if there were fewer future threads on this topic.
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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    I think that very few people have strong views on the Arab Israeli conflict. They don't really buy the "it's all Britain's fault because we once ruled Palestine" nonsense and quite right too. It gives American Presidents something to do when they get into their second terms and Congress is just ignoring them. To that extent Corbyn's obsessive behaviour about it over decades is just a part of his weirdness and doesn't hurt him very much.

    I think, in contrast, his anti-Semitism (which is just a peculiarly unpleasant form of racism) has damaged him somewhat, especially his vile comments about people who had lived here all their lives but still didn't get British irony. This is not about some slightly mad and very violent foreigners, it is about British citizens and implies that they do not belong.

    That said, this is a classic demonstration of how the supposed power of social media can be massively overrated. Those who find him contemptible, and I am one, focus on each new demonstration of the same flaw and think surely now all decent people in Labour will disown this wretch. Those who choose to support him regard his own words as an unfair smear and play ever more attenuated word games trying to deny the obvious. They do this because ultimately they don't care and think Corbyn's views on many other matters are more important and need to be supported. Very few change, much sound and fury, very little effect.

    There’s no single water cooler any more, just a bubbling of separate springs, all with common views congregating separately. Here, my views on the hypocrisy of Leavers are anathema to the many Leavers who show a Nelsonian blindness to their own failings. Among Remainers and centrist dads, they would be a trite common place. Among Corbynites they would once again be anathema for daring to take a negative interpretation of the words of Jeremy Corbyn.
    I agree. Every now and again something will cause those water coolers to burst their banks and spread a general consensus but it is, if anything, increasingly rare whilst the self reinforcing echo chambers push people to ever more extreme views. I am not sure what this means for the body politic but it is not likely to be good.

    I look at America where the Democrats and the Republicans seem to become ever more separate nations with very little in common and contempt for the other. The late John McCain was one who could and did reach out but there are increasingly few.
    The current group in charge, Leavers, have shown not the slightest inclination to persuade their defeated opponents to join them or acknowledge their concerns. One wonders how they think a divided country is going to prosper while following this direction but they don’t seem to care about that.
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,299
    edited August 2018

    IanB2 said:
    There are political implications to this. Those voters are far more anti-Conservative than the existing inhabitants. Seats with an influx of such voters are likely to trend towards Labour in the short to medium term. Amber Rudd looks especially vulnerable.
    I think that would need to be tested. The demographics tending to leave lean toward the older, wealthier and whiter, none of which lean Labour. And the housing they are vacating (and in many cases holding onto as a BTL (not really a B tbf since they own it already) - which is why the number of sellers quoted in the article is so low) is being filled by young people - both EU migrants and British young people, sucked in from the surrounding counties. British young tend to lean Labour and it is more likely that the replacement of a middle aged couple with five young people in a London terraced house underlies a lot of Labour's rise in the capital, those younger votes being stripped away from their home counties.
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    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,304
    ydoethur said:

    DavidL said:

    ydoethur said:

    DavidL said:
    Actually it was Talleyrand himself who said that on hearing of the death of the Ottoman ambassador to France.
    Wiki is ambivalent on the point but I am happy to take your word for it.
    My suspicion is that it is an anecdote that grew in the telling and was probably said of more than one person. But the most common attribution is to Talleyrand.
    It is of course possible that both are true - that Talleyrand said it first and Metternich echoed it as a sort of sarcastic tribute a few years later.
  • Options
    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    IanB2 said:

    IanB2 said:
    There are political implications to this. Those voters are far more anti-Conservative than the existing inhabitants. Seats with an influx of such voters are likely to trend towards Labour in the short to medium term. Amber Rudd looks especially vulnerable.
    I think that would need to be tested. The demographics tending to leave lean toward the older, wealthier and whiter, none of which lean Labour. And the housing they are vacating (and in many cases holding onto as a BTL - which is why the number of sellers quoted in the article is so low) are being filled by young people - both EU migrants and British young people, sucked in from the surrounding counties. British young tend to lean Labour and it is more likely that the replacement of a middle aged couple with five young people in a London terraced house underlies a lot of Labour's rise in the capital, those younger votes being stripped away from their home counties.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/09/tories-southern-red-south-england-london
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,299
    edited August 2018

    IanB2 said:

    IanB2 said:
    There are political implications to this. Those voters are far more anti-Conservative than the existing inhabitants. Seats with an influx of such voters are likely to trend towards Labour in the short to medium term. Amber Rudd looks especially vulnerable.
    I think that would need to be tested. The demographics tending to leave lean toward the older, wealthier and whiter, none of which lean Labour. And the housing they are vacating (and in many cases holding onto as a BTL - which is why the number of sellers quoted in the article is so low) are being filled by young people - both EU migrants and British young people, sucked in from the surrounding counties. British young tend to lean Labour and it is more likely that the replacement of a middle aged couple with five young people in a London terraced house underlies a lot of Labour's rise in the capital, those younger votes being stripped away from their home counties.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/09/tories-southern-red-south-england-london
    Those trends (which aren't very rigorously analysed in that article) could be explained by the more educated trending away from the Tories, especially since 2016, and don't need migration as an explanation. Even the article recognises that the leavers are being balanced off by many young people heading towards the gold pavements.
  • Options
    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    IanB2 said:

    IanB2 said:

    IanB2 said:
    There are political implications to this. Those voters are far more anti-Conservative than the existing inhabitants. Seats with an influx of such voters are likely to trend towards Labour in the short to medium term. Amber Rudd looks especially vulnerable.
    I think that would need to be tested. The demographics tending to leave lean toward the older, wealthier and whiter, none of which lean Labour. And the housing they are vacating (and in many cases holding onto as a BTL - which is why the number of sellers quoted in the article is so low) are being filled by young people - both EU migrants and British young people, sucked in from the surrounding counties. British young tend to lean Labour and it is more likely that the replacement of a middle aged couple with five young people in a London terraced house underlies a lot of Labour's rise in the capital, those younger votes being stripped away from their home counties.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/09/tories-southern-red-south-england-london
    Those trends (which aren't very rigorously analysed in that article) could be explained by the more educated trending away from the Tories, especially since 2016, and don't need migration as an explanation. Even the article recognises that the leavers are being balanced off my the young heading towards the gold pavements.
    Perhaps. I’d back Ian Warren on this kind of stuff with my hard-earned money. Certainly the results in 2017 show a string of London exurbs swinging sharply to Labour.
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,299

    IanB2 said:

    IanB2 said:

    IanB2 said:
    There are political implications to this. Those voters are far more anti-Conservative than the existing inhabitants. Seats with an influx of such voters are likely to trend towards Labour in the short to medium term. Amber Rudd looks especially vulnerable.
    I think that would need to be tested. The demographics tending to leave lean toward the older, wealthier and whiter, none of which lean Labour. And the housing they are vacating (and in many cases holding onto as a BTL - which is why the number of sellers quoted in the article is so low) are being filled by young people - both EU migrants and British young people, sucked in from the surrounding counties. British young tend to lean Labour and it is more likely that the replacement of a middle aged couple with five young people in a London terraced house underlies a lot of Labour's rise in the capital, those younger votes being stripped away from their home counties.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/09/tories-southern-red-south-england-london
    Those trends (which aren't very rigorously analysed in that article) could be explained by the more educated trending away from the Tories, especially since 2016, and don't need migration as an explanation. Even the article recognises that the leavers are being balanced off my the young heading towards the gold pavements.
    Perhaps. I’d back Ian Warren on this kind of stuff with my hard-earned money. Certainly the results in 2017 show a string of London exurbs swinging sharply to Labour.
    But seats with educated electorates within London also trended left, Kensington being a prominent example, as did areas like Bristol that aren't being inundated with migrating Londoners. Why fiddle about trying to prove a migration explanation when we all know that class is dramatically ceasing to be a driver of voting behaviour, countrywide?
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    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,304
    You'd have to have a heart of stone not to laugh:
    Wonga 'considering all options' as compensation claims surge
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45313958
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    rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 7,908
    The striking thing I see is that Tories are much more likely to say the Palestinians are to blame, in contrast to the British population as a whole.

    I do wonder if part of the Lib Dem struggle is down to the fact that Corbyn in some ways is a tricky leader for them to combat. His foreign policy views on things like Iraq, the UN, human rights etc. must match with a significant subset of their voters.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,329

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    There’s no single water cooler any more, just a bubbling of separate springs, all with common views congregating separately. Here, my views on the hypocrisy of Leavers are anathema to the many Leavers who show a Nelsonian blindness to their own failings. Among Remainers and centrist dads, they would be a trite common place. Among Corbynites they would once again be anathema for daring to take a negative interpretation of the words of Jeremy Corbyn.
    I agree. Every now and again something will cause those water coolers to burst their banks and spread a general consensus but it is, if anything, increasingly rare whilst the self reinforcing echo chambers push people to ever more extreme views. I am not sure what this means for the body politic but it is not likely to be good.

    I look at America where the Democrats and the Republicans seem to become ever more separate nations with very little in common and contempt for the other. The late John McCain was one who could and did reach out but there are increasingly few.
    The current group in charge, Leavers, have shown not the slightest inclination to persuade their defeated opponents to join them or acknowledge their concerns. One wonders how they think a divided country is going to prosper while following this direction but they don’t seem to care about that.
    I really don't see it like that. What we actually have in charge are remainers who accept the decision of the referendum but who also seek to mitigate the consequences. So we have the Chequers proposal which many leavers see as not much short of surrender to the extent that some left the government.

    In seeking such a compromise deal the government is indeed seeking to address the concerns of those who wanted to remain and are apprehensive about what we would lose by our departure. The fact that you and a few others simply cannot be reconciled to the decision that has been taken does not depart from that. There will be more in the current deal for most remainers than there will be for most leavers but it will hopefully attract a majority made up of both camps and allow us to move on.

    Going forward, it will be up to successive governments and electorates to decide if we want to move even closer to the EU or to move away. As this has become party politicised to some extent, Corbyn apart, we might find ourselves going back and forward in the way we used to privatise and nationalise the steel industry. But I suspect that our political class will be faced with high walls of indifference either way.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,046
    The interesting thing for me is the "Don't know / someone else" segment, which is rather large. It's a shame that it wasn't split up into two, as I suspect the 'someone else' segment is quite large.
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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    IanB2 said:

    IanB2 said:

    IanB2 said:

    IanB2 said:
    There are political implications to this. Those voters are far more anti-Conservative than the existing inhabitants. Seats with an influx of such voters are likely to trend towards Labour in the short to medium term. Amber Rudd looks especially vulnerable.
    I think that would need to be tested. The demographics tending to leave lean toward the older, wealthier and whiter, none of which lean Labour. And the housing they are vacating (and in many cases holding onto as a BTL - which is why the number of sellers quoted in the article is so low) are being filled by young people - both EU migrants and British young people, sucked in from the surrounding counties. British young tend to lean Labour and it is more likely that the replacement of a middle aged couple with five young people in a London terraced house underlies a lot of Labour's rise in the capital, those younger votes being stripped away from their home counties.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/09/tories-southern-red-south-england-london
    Those trends (which aren't very rigorously analysed in that article) could be explained by the more educated trending away from the Tories, especially since 2016, and don't need migration as an explanation. Even the article recognises that the leavers are being balanced off my the young heading towards the gold pavements.
    Perhaps. I’d back Ian Warren on this kind of stuff with my hard-earned money. Certainly the results in 2017 show a string of London exurbs swinging sharply to Labour.
    But seats with educated electorates within London also trended left, Kensington being a prominent example, as did areas like Bristol that aren't being inundated with migrating Londoners. Why fiddle about trying to prove a migration explanation when we all know that class is dramatically ceasing to be a driver of voting behaviour, countrywide?
    It’s not either/or. One can easily see an explanation built around a conveyor belt of bright young people coming from round the country to London (and other big cities), staying in London and being radicalised, then leaving at a later age taking their filthy metropolitan politics to very clustered locations. The unfavoured locations would trend blue, the big cities would stay red and the favoured rural locations would trend red too. The conveyor belt would in large part be driven by educational attainment.
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,304

    The interesting thing for me is the "Don't know / someone else" segment, which is rather large. It's a shame that it wasn't split up into two, as I suspect the 'someone else' segment is quite large.

    Who would they blame? The UN, for partition? Iran, for stirring the pot to keep attention riveted elsewhere? America, for supporting Israel financially? The Illuminati? (If Hunchman reads that, I'm in trouble!)
  • Options
    FF43FF43 Posts: 15,748
    People answering option polls have two motivations. They want to be helpful by answering the questions asked. They don't want to look ignorant or stupid. So they say, "all of them" rather than "don't care", which wasn't an allowed response anyway.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,760
    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    There’s no single water cooler any more, just a bubbling of separate springs, all with common views congregating separately. Here, my views on the hypocrisy of Leavers are anathema to the many Leavers who show a Nelsonian blindness to their own failings. Among Remainers and centrist dads, they would be a trite common place. Among Corbynites they would once again be anathema for daring to take a negative interpretation of the words of Jeremy Corbyn.
    I agree. Every now and again something will cause those water coolers to burst their banks and spread a general consensus but it is, if anything, increasingly rare whilst the self reinforcing echo chambers push people to ever more extreme views. I am not sure what this means for the body politic but it is not likely to be good.

    I look at America where the Democrats and the Republicans seem to become ever more separate nations with very little in common and contempt for the other. The late John McCain was one who could and did reach out but there are increasingly few.
    The current group in charge, Leavers, have shown not the slightest inclination to persuade their defeated opponents to join them or acknowledge their concerns. One wonders how they think a divided country is going to prosper while following this direction but they don’t seem to care about that.
    I really don't see it like that. What we actually have in charge are remainers who accept the decision of the referendum but who also seek to mitigate the consequences. So we have the Chequers proposal which many leavers see as not much short of surrender to the extent that some left the government.
    This constant dirge of 'Leavers are in charge' ignores the Referendum positions of the majority of the cabinet and all of the great offices of state. Since the referendum some - what shall we call them? - democrats? have said they support implementing the result of the referendum. Yet this is apparently more damaging than ignoring the result of the referendum....Of the prominent LEAVE politicians in May's cabinet - Johnson, Davis, Gove and Fox half are gone.....yet somehow they are still 'in charge'......
  • Options
    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,329

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    There’s no single water cooler any more, just a bubbling of separate springs, all with common views congregating separately. Here, my views on the hypocrisy of Leavers are anathema to the many Leavers who show a Nelsonian blindness to their own failings. Among Remainers and centrist dads, they would be a trite common place. Among Corbynites they would once again be anathema for daring to take a negative interpretation of the words of Jeremy Corbyn.
    I agree. Every now and again something will cause those water coolers to burst their banks and spread a general consensus but it is, if anything, increasingly rare whilst the self reinforcing echo chambers push people to ever more extreme views. I am not sure what this means for the body politic but it is not likely to be good.

    I look at America where the Democrats and the Republicans seem to become ever more separate nations with very little in common and contempt for the other. The late John McCain was one who could and did reach out but there are increasingly few.
    The current group in charge, Leavers, have shown not the slightest inclination to persuade their defeated opponents to join them or acknowledge their concerns. One wonders how they think a divided country is going to prosper while following this direction but they don’t seem to care about that.
    I really don't see it like that. What we actually have in charge are remainers who accept the decision of the referendum but who also seek to mitigate the consequences. So we have the Chequers proposal which many leavers see as not much short of surrender to the extent that some left the government.
    This constant dirge of 'Leavers are in charge' ignores the Referendum positions of the majority of the cabinet and all of the great offices of state. Since the referendum some - what shall we call them? - democrats? have said they support implementing the result of the referendum. Yet this is apparently more damaging than ignoring the result of the referendum....Of the prominent LEAVE politicians in May's cabinet - Johnson, Davis, Gove and Fox half are gone.....yet somehow they are still 'in charge'......
    The question is whether May's dirty compromise is rejected by both sides, in which event we will have chaos, or accepted by a sufficient majority that it can be delivered. It is not only her future that hangs on the answer to that.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,760
    In his official statement, Mr Salmond said he had not been allowed to properly challenge the case against him – “I have not been allowed to see the evidence,” he said. And yet in the same statement he said the complaints were patently ridiculous. So, which is it? How can he say the complaints are ridiculous if he has not seen them? He either knows what the complaints are, or he doesn’t.

    http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16600536.mark-smith-the-uncomfortable-truths-weve-learned-from-the-alex-salmond-claims/
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,299

    IanB2 said:

    IanB2 said:

    Those trends (which aren't very rigorously analysed in that article) could be explained by the more educated trending away from the Tories, especially since 2016, and don't need migration as an explanation. Even the article recognises that the leavers are being balanced off my the young heading towards the gold pavements.
    Perhaps. I’d back Ian Warren on this kind of stuff with my hard-earned money. Certainly the results in 2017 show a string of London exurbs swinging sharply to Labour.
    But seats with educated electorates within London also trended left, Kensington being a prominent example, as did areas like Bristol that aren't being inundated with migrating Londoners. Why fiddle about trying to prove a migration explanation when we all know that class is dramatically ceasing to be a driver of voting behaviour, countrywide?
    It’s not either/or. One can easily see an explanation built around a conveyor belt of bright young people coming from round the country to London (and other big cities), staying in London and being radicalised, then leaving at a later age taking their filthy metropolitan politics to very clustered locations. The unfavoured locations would trend blue, the big cities would stay red and the favoured rural locations would trend red too. The conveyor belt would in large part be driven by educational attainment.
    I don't buy it, based both on statistics and my experience. If there were a net outflow of left-leaning voters from London, we would be seeing below average swings to Labour in the capital, whereas actually we see the opposite.

    And, from my own experience of representing a London ward for over twenty years, I know both anecdotally and from our own data records, which I analysed each year for the new register, that those dropping off the register (deaths only accounting for about 10%) were disproportionately Tory or LibDem leaning home owners and those arriving turned out to be Labour-leaning tenants. Indeed in my own ward (c. 5,000 addresses) between the 2001 and 2011 censuses one property shifted from owner-occupied to tenanted on average every three days or so.
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,304

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    There’s no single water cooler any more, just a bubbling of separate springs, all with common views congregating separately. Here, my views on the hypocrisy of Leavers are anathema to the many Leavers who show a Nelsonian blindness to their own failings. Among Remainers and centrist dads, they would be a trite common place. Among Corbynites they would once again be anathema for daring to take a negative interpretation of the words of Jeremy Corbyn.
    I agree. Every now and again something will cause those water coolers to burst their banks and spread a general consensus but it is, if anything, increasingly rare whilst the self reinforcing echo chambers push people to ever more extreme views. I am not sure what this means for the body politic but it is not likely to be good.

    I look at America where the Democrats and the Republicans seem to become ever more separate nations with very little in common and contempt for the other. The late John McCain was one who could and did reach out but there are increasingly few.
    The current group in charge, Leavers, have shown not the slightest inclination to persuade their defeated opponents to join them or acknowledge their concerns. One wonders how they think a divided country is going to prosper while following this direction but they don’t seem to care about that.
    I really don't see it like that. What we actually have in charge are remainers who accept the decision of the referendum but who also seek to mitigate the consequences. So we have the Chequers proposal which many leavers see as not much short of surrender to the extent that some left the government.
    This constant dirge of 'Leavers are in charge' ignores the Referendum positions of the majority of the cabinet and all of the great offices of state. Since the referendum some - what shall we call them? - democrats? have said they support implementing the result of the referendum. Yet this is apparently more damaging than ignoring the result of the referendum....Of the prominent LEAVE politicians in May's cabinet - Johnson, Davis, Gove and Fox half are gone.....yet somehow they are still 'in charge'......
    More than half, if you include Patel.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,329

    In his official statement, Mr Salmond said he had not been allowed to properly challenge the case against him – “I have not been allowed to see the evidence,” he said. And yet in the same statement he said the complaints were patently ridiculous. So, which is it? How can he say the complaints are ridiculous if he has not seen them? He either knows what the complaints are, or he doesn’t.

    http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16600536.mark-smith-the-uncomfortable-truths-weve-learned-from-the-alex-salmond-claims/

    Well, if he knew himself to be completely innocent of any such behaviour then he could claim they were ridiculous without knowing the details, I suppose.

    What I find interesting is the position of Nicola. She has known and worked with this man for decades and must have a detailed knowledge of any foibles that he might have exhibited. She is taking her role as FM very seriously and playing this by the book. Whilst that is the correct thing to do her lack of character witness support for him is very telling.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,760
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,825
    edited August 2018

    Anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller being lined up to become the next Liberal Democrat leader

    https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7107011/gina-miller-future-lib-dem-leader/

    Not sure that helps them with the fact that they currently appear to be a single issue party, but an interesting proposal nonetheless if it were true.

    I think, though, it would be hilarious to change the rules and Swinson or whoever ends up winning anyway.
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,046

    In his official statement, Mr Salmond said he had not been allowed to properly challenge the case against him – “I have not been allowed to see the evidence,” he said. And yet in the same statement he said the complaints were patently ridiculous. So, which is it? How can he say the complaints are ridiculous if he has not seen them? He either knows what the complaints are, or he doesn’t.

    http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16600536.mark-smith-the-uncomfortable-truths-weve-learned-from-the-alex-salmond-claims/

    I'm unsure that follows - if he knows what the accusations are.

    For instance, say I was accused of touching person B's bottom at a party. I may not have seen the evidence against me, but I might know that the complaint was patently ridiculous because I know I was not even at the party.

    You don't need to see the evidence to know the complaint is untrue.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,760
    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    There’s no single water cooler any more, just a bubbling of separate springs, all with common views congregating separately. Here, my views on the hypocrisy of Leavers are anathema to the many Leavers who show a Nelsonian blindness to their own failings. Among Remainers and centrist dads, they would be a trite common place. Among Corbynites they would once again be anathema for daring to take a negative interpretation of the words of Jeremy Corbyn.
    I agree. Every now and again something will cause those water coolers to burst their banks and spread a general consensus but it is, if anything, increasingly rare whilst the self reinforcing echo chambers push people to ever more extreme views. I am not sure what this means for the body politic but it is not likely to be good.

    I look at America where the Democrats and the Republicans seem to become ever more separate nations with very little in common and contempt for the other. The late John McCain was one who could and did reach out but there are increasingly few.
    The current group in charge, Leavers, have shown not the slightest inclination to persuade their defeated opponents to join them or acknowledge their concerns. One wonders how they think a divided country is going to prosper while following this direction but they don’t seem to care about that.
    I really don't see it like that. What we actually have in charge are remainers who accept the decision of the referendum but who also seek to mitigate the consequences. So we have the Chequers proposal which many leavers see as not much short of surrender to the extent that some left the government.
    This constant dirge of 'Leavers are in charge' ignores the Referendum positions of the majority of the cabinet and all of the great offices of state. Since the referendum some - what shall we call them? - democrats? have said they support implementing the result of the referendum. Yet this is apparently more damaging than ignoring the result of the referendum....Of the prominent LEAVE politicians in May's cabinet - Johnson, Davis, Gove and Fox half are gone.....yet somehow they are still 'in charge'......
    The question is whether May's dirty compromise is rejected by both sides, in which event we will have chaos, or accepted by a sufficient majority that it can be delivered. It is not only her future that hangs on the answer to that.
    Are there any 'clean' compromises?

    The Tory party usually gets into serious trouble when it falls pray to absolutists not pragmatists.
  • Options
    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,329

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    There’s no single water cooler any more, just a bubbling of separate springs, all with common views congregating separately. Here, my views on the hypocrisy of Leavers are anathema to the many Leavers who show a Nelsonian blindness to their own failings. Among Remainers and centrist dads, they would be a trite common place. Among Corbynites they would once again be anathema for daring to take a negative interpretation of the words of Jeremy Corbyn.
    I agree. Every now and again something will cause those water coolers to burst their banks and spread a general consensus but it is, if anything, increasingly rare whilst the self reinforcing echo chambers push people to ever more extreme views. I am not sure what this means for the body politic but it is not likely to be good.

    I look at America where the Democrats and the Republicans seem to become ever more separate nations with very little in common and contempt for the other. The late John McCain was one who could and did reach out but there are increasingly few.
    The current group in charge, Leavers, have shown not the slightest inclination to persuade their defeated opponents to join them or acknowledge their concerns. One wonders how they think a divided country is going to prosper while following this direction but they don’t seem to care about that.
    I really don't see it like that. What we actually have in charge are remainers who accept the decision of the referendum but who also seek to mitigate the consequences. So we have the Chequers proposal which many leavers see as not much short of surrender to the extent that some left the government.
    This constant dirge of 'Leavers are in charge' ignores the Referendum positions of the majority of the cabinet and all of the great offices of state. Since the referendum some - what shall we call them? - democrats? have said they support implementing the result of the referendum. Yet this is apparently more damaging than ignoring the result of the referendum....Of the prominent LEAVE politicians in May's cabinet - Johnson, Davis, Gove and Fox half are gone.....yet somehow they are still 'in charge'......
    The question is whether May's dirty compromise is rejected by both sides, in which event we will have chaos, or accepted by a sufficient majority that it can be delivered. It is not only her future that hangs on the answer to that.
    Are there any 'clean' compromises?

    The Tory party usually gets into serious trouble when it falls pray to absolutists not pragmatists.
    Agreed.
  • Options
    FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,711

    In his official statement, Mr Salmond said he had not been allowed to properly challenge the case against him – “I have not been allowed to see the evidence,” he said. And yet in the same statement he said the complaints were patently ridiculous. So, which is it? How can he say the complaints are ridiculous if he has not seen them? He either knows what the complaints are, or he doesn’t.

    http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16600536.mark-smith-the-uncomfortable-truths-weve-learned-from-the-alex-salmond-claims/

    Echoes of the case in Wales with Sargeant.

    The nessecary due process in these investigations can be quite Kafkaesque. The broad thrust of the charges may be known without having had sight of all the details.

    I have no knowledge as to whether there is truth to the allegations or not, but these investigations are difficult enough even without the light of publicity or political axes being ground. It should be kept confidential until completion.

  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,825
    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    There’s no single water cooler any more, just a bubbling of separate springs, all with common views congregating separately. Here, my views on the hypocrisy of Leavers are anathema to the many Leavers who show a Nelsonian blindness to their own failings. Among Remainers and centrist dads, they would be a trite common place. Among Corbynites they would once again be anathema for daring to take a negative interpretation of the words of Jeremy Corbyn.
    I agree. Every now and again something will cause those water coolers to burst their banks and spread a general consensus but it is, if anything, increasingly rare whilst the self reinforcing echo chambers push people to ever more extreme views. I am not sure what this means for the body politic but it is not likely to be good.

    I look at America where the Democrats and the Republicans seem to become ever more separate nations with very little in common and contempt for the other. The late John McCain was one who could and did reach out but there are increasingly few.
    The current group in charge, Leavers, have shown not the slightest inclination to persuade their defeated opponents to join them or acknowledge their concerns. One wonders how they think a divided country is going to prosper while following this direction but they don’t seem to care about that.
    I really don't see it like that. What we actually have in charge are remainers who accept the decision of the referendum but who also seek to mitigate the consequences. So we have the Chequers proposal which many leavers see as not much short of surrender to the extent that some left the government.
    This constant dirge of 'Leavers are in charge' ignores the Referendum positions of the majority of the cabinet and all of the great offices of state. Since the referendum some - what '......
    The question is whether May's dirty compromise is rejected by both sides, in which event we will have chaos, or accepted by a sufficient majority that it can be delivered. It is not only her future that hangs on the answer to that.
    Indeed so. It's not looking good, though silly season has meant the wreckers on both sides seem to be slumbering right now. May needs an unambiguous signal from the EU that they are prepared to make some big concessions which she can parade as a win, particular if she still needs to conceed things to them.
  • Options
    Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981

    In his official statement, Mr Salmond said he had not been allowed to properly challenge the case against him – “I have not been allowed to see the evidence,” he said. And yet in the same statement he said the complaints were patently ridiculous. So, which is it? How can he say the complaints are ridiculous if he has not seen them? He either knows what the complaints are, or he doesn’t.

    http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16600536.mark-smith-the-uncomfortable-truths-weve-learned-from-the-alex-salmond-claims/

    Wrong. A complaint is one thing, the evidence behind it is another. Complaint: you drove at 42 mph in a 30 mph zone at 8.43 am on date x at place y. Evidence: statement by plod, print out from camera. justice demands that a defendant gets all this information *in due course* but complaint before evidence.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,046
    ydoethur said:

    The interesting thing for me is the "Don't know / someone else" segment, which is rather large. It's a shame that it wasn't split up into two, as I suspect the 'someone else' segment is quite large.

    Who would they blame? The UN, for partition? Iran, for stirring the pot to keep attention riveted elsewhere? America, for supporting Israel financially? The Illuminati? (If Hunchman reads that, I'm in trouble!)
    Well, I've frequently seen people on-line blame the UK and America for various contorted reasons - both fiscal and religious.
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    SquareRootSquareRoot Posts: 7,095
    kle4 said:

    Anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller being lined up to become the next Liberal Democrat leader

    https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7107011/gina-miller-future-lib-dem-leader/

    Not sure that helps them with the fact that they currently appear to be a single issue party, but an interesting proposal nonetheless if it were true.

    I think, though, it would be hilarious to change the rules and Swinson or whoever ends up winning anyway.
    The LD's think GM is a vote winner.. LOL
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,825
    daodao said:

    Mr Smithson

    Your thread header title is very misleading. It should state: "Just 25% of LAB voters take sides on who is to blame for the lack of progress on Middle East peace" That is the key message, and this percentage is little different from those for other parties.

    However, of those LAB voters who do take sides, 76% believe Israel is more to blame compared to 24% who believe the Palestinians are more to blame. I suspect that includes many politically engaged activists, and that Corbyn's anti-Zionist stance is popular with Labour members. The LDs show a similar bias, and if Layla Moran becomes their leader, they will also become a target of the Zionist lobby.

    Given that most British voters show little concern about this matter, as is evidenced by the lack of impact on Labour's vote share in opinion polls of the attack by the right (including Bliarites) on Corbyn, it would be preferable if there were fewer future threads on this topic.

    Threads can be about things that don't concern the British public much. Or anything really, it's his site. In any case, why would it be 'preferable to have fewer threads on the topic? Things don't stay on topic anyway.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,825
    Scott_P said:
    Of things that might shock why would that do it?
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    FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,711

    IanB2 said:

    IanB2 said:

    IanB2 said:

    I think that would need to be tested. The demographics tending to leave lean toward the older, wealthier and whiter, none of which lean Labour. And the housing they are vacating (and in many cases holding onto as a BTL - which is why the number of sellers quoted in the article is so low) are being filled by young people - both EU migrants and British young people, sucked in from the surrounding counties. British young tend to lean Labour and it is more likely that the replacement of a middle aged couple with five young people in a London terraced house underlies a lot of Labour's rise in the capital, those younger votes being stripped away from their home counties.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/09/tories-southern-red-south-england-london
    Those trends (which aren't very rigorously analysed in that article) could be explained by the more educated trending away from the Tories, especially since 2016, and don't need migration as an explanation. Even the article recognises that the leavers are being balanced off my the young heading towards the gold pavements.
    Perhaps. I’d back Ian Warren on this kind of stuff with my hard-earned money. Certainly the results in 2017 show a string of London exurbs swinging sharply to Labour.
    But seats with educated electorates within London also trended left, Kensington being a prominent example, as did areas like Bristol that aren't being inundated with migrating Londoners. Why fiddle about trying to prove a migration explanation when we all know that class is dramatically ceasing to be a driver of voting behaviour, countrywide?
    It’s not either/or. One can easily see an explanation built around a conveyor belt of bright young people coming from round the country to London (and other big cities), staying in London and being radicalised, then leaving at a later age taking their filthy metropolitan politics to very clustered locations. The unfavoured locations would trend blue, the big cities would stay red and the favoured rural locations would trend red too. The conveyor belt would in large part be driven by educational attainment.
    We do not need an influence of colonial settlers from London to explain the trend. Ideas move much faster than people, and places like Leicester are perfectly capable of growing our own radicals. London is not the sun that we revolve around.
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    DecrepitJohnLDecrepitJohnL Posts: 13,300
    Foxy said:

    In his official statement, Mr Salmond said he had not been allowed to properly challenge the case against him – “I have not been allowed to see the evidence,” he said. And yet in the same statement he said the complaints were patently ridiculous. So, which is it? How can he say the complaints are ridiculous if he has not seen them? He either knows what the complaints are, or he doesn’t.

    http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16600536.mark-smith-the-uncomfortable-truths-weve-learned-from-the-alex-salmond-claims/

    Echoes of the case in Wales with Sargeant.

    The nessecary due process in these investigations can be quite Kafkaesque. The broad thrust of the charges may be known without having had sight of all the details.

    I have no knowledge as to whether there is truth to the allegations or not, but these investigations are difficult enough even without the light of publicity or political axes being ground. It should be kept confidential until completion.

    There must be a risk that these sorts of allegations will become another political weapon to be deployed by cynical activists in the run-up to an election.

    Perhaps a silver lining might be that politicians begin to understand the situation ordinary people face if accused, whether guilty or not.
  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,173
    edited August 2018

    In his official statement, Mr Salmond said he had not been allowed to properly challenge the case against him – “I have not been allowed to see the evidence,” he said. And yet in the same statement he said the complaints were patently ridiculous. So, which is it? How can he say the complaints are ridiculous if he has not seen them? He either knows what the complaints are, or he doesn’t.

    http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16600536.mark-smith-the-uncomfortable-truths-weve-learned-from-the-alex-salmond-claims/

    I may be going out on a limb here, but I'd imagine most dictionaries would provide entirely different meanings for 'complaint' and 'evidence'.

    Edit: I see Ishmael_Z beat me to it.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,825
    Am I cynical and/or ignorant to think even if that is true it matters not, things are moving in one direction in Hong Kong and who is really going to stop Beijing getting what it wants? It's not like Russia faces more than annoyance for essentially annexing bits of eastern Ukraine, and that's far more hostile an act than whatever Beijing does with HK, an internal matter even with it's history and complications.
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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    There’s no single water cooler any more, just a bubbling of separate springs, all with common views congregating separately. Here, my views on the hypocrisy of Leavers are anathema to the many Leavers who show a Nelsonian blindness to their own failings. Among Remainers and centrist dads, they would be a trite common place. Among Corbynites they would once again be anathema for daring to take a negative interpretation of the words of Jeremy Corbyn.
    I agree. Every now and again something will cause those water coolers to burst their banks and spread a general consensus but it is, if anything, increasingly rare whilst the self reinforcing echo chambers push people to ever more extreme views. I am not sure what this means for the body politic but it is not likely to be good.

    I look at America where the Democrats and the Republicans seem to become ever more separate nations with very little in common and contempt for the other. The late John McCain was one who could and did reach out but there are increasingly few.
    The current group in charge, Leavers, have shown not the slightest inclination to persuade their defeated opponents to join them or acknowledge their concerns. One wonders how they think a divided country is going to prosper while following this direction but they don’t seem to care about that.
    I really don't see it like that. What we actually have in charge are remainers who accept the decision of the referendum but who also seek to mitigate the consequences. So we have the Chequers proposal which many leavers see as not much short of surrender to the extent that some left the government.
    This constant dirge of 'Leavers are in charge' ignores the Referendum positions of the majority of the cabinet and all of the great offices of state. Since the referendum some - what shall we call them? - democrats? have said they support implementing the result of the referendum. Yet this is apparently more damaging than ignoring the result of the referendum....Of the prominent LEAVE politicians in May's cabinet - Johnson, Davis, Gove and Fox half are gone.....yet somehow they are still 'in charge'......
    Given that Leavers routinely call Philip Hammond a traitor for seeking to bring some inteelctual rigour to the Leaving process, a better word would be “idiot”. Leavers are setting the direction of the government. Other ministers, including the Prime Minister, are hapless passengers on a runaway charabanc.
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    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,173
    DavidL said:

    In his official statement, Mr Salmond said he had not been allowed to properly challenge the case against him – “I have not been allowed to see the evidence,” he said. And yet in the same statement he said the complaints were patently ridiculous. So, which is it? How can he say the complaints are ridiculous if he has not seen them? He either knows what the complaints are, or he doesn’t.

    http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16600536.mark-smith-the-uncomfortable-truths-weve-learned-from-the-alex-salmond-claims/

    Well, if he knew himself to be completely innocent of any such behaviour then he could claim they were ridiculous without knowing the details, I suppose.

    What I find interesting is the position of Nicola. She has known and worked with this man for decades and must have a detailed knowledge of any foibles that he might have exhibited. She is taking her role as FM very seriously and playing this by the book. Whilst that is the correct thing to do her lack of character witness support for him is very telling.
    She seemed pretty blindsided by it to me. In those circumstances playing it by the book might be most people's inclination (apart from also being the right thing to do).
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,988
    Mr. kle4, I agree with you in broad terms, but it does make harmony in Hong Kong seem rather unlikely.
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    FenmanFenman Posts: 1,047
    kle4 said:

    Am I cynical and/or ignorant to think even if that is true it matters not, things are moving in one direction in Hong Kong and who is really going to stop Beijing getting what it wants? It's not like Russia faces more than annoyance for essentially annexing bits of eastern Ukraine, and that's far more hostile an act than whatever Beijing does with HK, an internal matter even with it's history and complications.
    M
    kle4 said:

    Am I cynical and/or ignorant to think even if that is true it matters not, things are moving in one direction in Hong Kong and who is really going to stop Beijing getting what it wants? It's not like Russia faces more than annoyance for essentially annexing bits of eastern Ukraine, and that's far more hostile an act than whatever Beijing does with HK, an internal matter even with it's history and complications.
    My wide experience of teaching Hong Kong students would be more interested in.more money to spend at Gucci, DKNY and Apple.
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,125
    Scott_P said:
    Corbyn does have his abilities. Like an ability to parrot, word-perfect, what he has heard some stupid, racist conspiracy wing-nut claim....
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    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,173
    edited August 2018
    On topic, I'm amazed that no one has made the petty, lowdown point that general indifference notwithstanding, Libdems seem most inclined to blame Israel for the bourach.

    Let it never be said that I'm backward on the petty, lowdown front..
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,825

    DavidL said:

    In his official statement, Mr Salmond said he had not been allowed to properly challenge the case against him – “I have not been allowed to see the evidence,” he said. And yet in the same statement he said the complaints were patently ridiculous. So, which is it? How can he say the complaints are ridiculous if he has not seen them? He either knows what the complaints are, or he doesn’t.

    http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16600536.mark-smith-the-uncomfortable-truths-weve-learned-from-the-alex-salmond-claims/

    Well, if he knew himself to be completely innocent of any such behaviour then he could claim they were ridiculous without knowing the details, I suppose.

    What I find interesting is the position of Nicola. She has known and worked with this man for decades and must have a detailed knowledge of any foibles that he might have exhibited. She is taking her role as FM very seriously and playing this by the book. Whilst that is the correct thing to do her lack of character witness support for him is very telling.
    She seemed pretty blindsided by it to me. In those circumstances playing it by the book might be most people's inclination (apart from also being the right thing to do).
    Seems reasonable- - I don't think anything can reasonably be inferred from a lack of character witness support. Given the allegations and the senior position she holds even if she wanted to offer that support it would be wise to stick right out of it, even if that means letting Salmond face it alone.
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    FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,711

    kle4 said:

    Anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller being lined up to become the next Liberal Democrat leader

    https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7107011/gina-miller-future-lib-dem-leader/

    Not sure that helps them with the fact that they currently appear to be a single issue party, but an interesting proposal nonetheless if it were true.

    I think, though, it would be hilarious to change the rules and Swinson or whoever ends up winning anyway.
    The LD's think GM is a vote winner.. LOL
    I don't think we do, and I have seen no indication that she has political ambitions outside her single issue campaign, and party leadership would be a distraction from that.

    We are a democratic party and while I am sure that the idea of widening the franchise is worth debating, it is far from certain that the Members will vote to dilute our own influence.

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    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 32,008
    edited August 2018
    Deleted
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,930

    Britain has enough chaos coming its way without trying to deal with the intractable problems of the rest of the world. If Brexit offers one clear opportunity, it’s the opportunity for Britain to stop having to feebly intervene on everything everywhere. Time to retreat and retrench mentally as well as militarily: Britain has voted to shrink its horizons and it would be a betrayal* of Brexit if the government ignored that.


    *[not a betrayal, but it’s the only word Leavers understand as a synonym of “inconsistent with the spirit of”]

    To be perfectly honest it should be a silver lining of Brexit, though it's a route I'd still advocate had we'd remained. This remainer would be happier with a shrinking of our foreign horizons after the experience of the last couple of decades.
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    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,019
    edited August 2018

    In his official statement, Mr Salmond said he had not been allowed to properly challenge the case against him – “I have not been allowed to see the evidence,” he said. And yet in the same statement he said the complaints were patently ridiculous. So, which is it? How can he say the complaints are ridiculous if he has not seen them? He either knows what the complaints are, or he doesn’t.

    http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16600536.mark-smith-the-uncomfortable-truths-weve-learned-from-the-alex-salmond-claims/

    I'm unsure that follows - if he knows what the accusations are.

    For instance, say I was accused of touching person B's bottom at a party. I may not have seen the evidence against me, but I might know that the complaint was patently ridiculous because I know I was not even at the party.

    You don't need to see the evidence to know the complaint is untrue.
    If you read the drivel in the Daily Record you would know it was a farce. Why the idiot who complained came forward with such garbage after 6 years is hard to believe. They should have been too embarrassed to even mention how stupid they were even if the pathetic stuff was one sided which is unlikely. Certainly someone after something or bearing a grudge out to scupper Salmond.
    This country is full of half witted cretins nowadays, it is hard to explain how it can have gone downhill to the cesspit full of morons it is in such a short time.
    PS: Unionist media have him tarred and feathered already.
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    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 32,008
    Mrs May did not HAVE to accept, or even run for, the Premiership given that the Referendum vote was what it was and she claimed to believe what she did. Nor did the other Remainers HAVE to accept Cabinet office in a Government which set out to implement the result.
    She, Hammond et al may have done so believing it was their publ;ic duty but it could be argued that, back in 2016 they placed personal ambition..... to be PM, to be in Government.... before their beliefs.
    They may argue that they are trying to mitihgate the effects of a poor decision but that still smacks of putting Party interests before those of the nation.

    I would not deny that had had a Leaver become PM, and the Tory Remainers stood aside from Government our country might well have been in a worse state than it is now, but at least those at the top of Government would have been honest.

    Unless Bojo had been PM, of course!
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    FF43FF43 Posts: 15,748
    DavidL said:


    The question is whether May's dirty compromise is rejected by both sides, in which event we will have chaos, or accepted by a sufficient majority that it can be delivered. It is not only her future that hangs on the answer to that.

    Two observations.

    The Leave result was barely carried after a dishonest campaign. It probably wouldn't have got through if it had been honest. Mrs May is left having to deliver the undeliverable. She obviously isn't going to tell the electorate you were lied to. She has to maintain the fiction of a decent result while reality points the other way. For the same reason Brexiteers decline all responsibility for the Brexit outcome.

    The EU has little incentive to quickly agree an end state arrangement unless the UK comes up with an offer it can't refuse. This is partly tactical - EU member states can take advantage of our uncertainty and it will probably get a better deal later. But also because the UK is clearly in no position to make any deal stick. The ultimate deal won't be much like Chequers, which only serves to indicate that compromise will happen. The Brexit poison will continue to infect the body politic.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,825
    edited August 2018
    Foxy said:

    kle4 said:

    Anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller being lined up to become the next Liberal Democrat leader

    https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7107011/gina-miller-future-lib-dem-leader/

    Not sure that helps them with the fact that they currently appear to be a single issue party, but an interesting proposal nonetheless if it were true.

    I think, though, it would be hilarious to change the rules and Swinson or whoever ends up winning anyway.
    The LD's think GM is a vote winner.. LOL
    I don't think we do, and I have seen no indication that she has political ambitions outside her single issue campaign, and party leadership would be a distraction from that.

    Not if a transition took place during or after, er, Transition. Ok, maybe all her attention would switch to rejoin, but perhaps she might broaden her interests at that point.

    Though for all I know outside the EU issue she might not be a fan of the LDs.
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,930
    FF43 said:

    It probably wouldn't have got through if it had been honest.

    Can someone please point me to the last 'honest' campaign in British political history ?
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,930
    edited August 2018
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45317023 food to go up 5%, bet it won't go down 5% when the weather cools.
  • Options
    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,019
    DavidL said:

    In his official statement, Mr Salmond said he had not been allowed to properly challenge the case against him – “I have not been allowed to see the evidence,” he said. And yet in the same statement he said the complaints were patently ridiculous. So, which is it? How can he say the complaints are ridiculous if he has not seen them? He either knows what the complaints are, or he doesn’t.

    http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16600536.mark-smith-the-uncomfortable-truths-weve-learned-from-the-alex-salmond-claims/

    Well, if he knew himself to be completely innocent of any such behaviour then he could claim they were ridiculous without knowing the details, I suppose.

    What I find interesting is the position of Nicola. She has known and worked with this man for decades and must have a detailed knowledge of any foibles that he might have exhibited. She is taking her role as FM very seriously and playing this by the book. Whilst that is the correct thing to do her lack of character witness support for him is very telling.
    David , It seems fairly obvious that they have had a wee party and some snogging has taken place and for some bizzare reason the person has decided to rake it up 6 years later and make out it was unwanted attention. When you read what the Record had as the incident it would have to have been some brain dead moron to have allowed it to be as stated. Fairly obvious to anyone that has ever been to a drunken party I am afraid, some people just cannot get over how stupid they were snogging someone.
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    mattmatt Posts: 3,789
    edited August 2018
    For those who subscribe to the Times, I strongly recommend Tim Montgomerie’s article as an exercise in intellectual feebleness. Of course, his call to the wisdom of individual members is one which brought the Conservative party Ian Duncan-Smith exemplary leadership which is disappointly not mentioned.

    I do think that newspapers should qualify opinion writers’ articles with a list of their previous opinions so one can judge their accuracy.
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    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,344
    DavidL said:

    In his official statement, Mr Salmond said he had not been allowed to properly challenge the case against him – “I have not been allowed to see the evidence,” he said. And yet in the same statement he said the complaints were patently ridiculous. So, which is it? How can he say the complaints are ridiculous if he has not seen them? He either knows what the complaints are, or he doesn’t.

    http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16600536.mark-smith-the-uncomfortable-truths-weve-learned-from-the-alex-salmond-claims/

    Well, if he knew himself to be completely innocent of any such behaviour then he could claim they were ridiculous without knowing the details, I suppose.

    What I find interesting is the position of Nicola. She has known and worked with this man for decades and must have a detailed knowledge of any foibles that he might have exhibited. She is taking her role as FM very seriously and playing this by the book. Whilst that is the correct thing to do her lack of character witness support for him is very telling.
    I think we really don't know and shouldn't try to guess. It's pretty common for someone of good character to behave badly in one instance, so I'm not sure that she'd feel able to give a ringing statement of confidence that it was nonsense - we'd be talking about MSPs ganging together if she did. Equally her not doing so isn't a bad sign. It's also not uncommon for A to feel he behaved properly and B to feel upset by A's behaviour (I have two friends in exactly that situation and am trying to remain friends with both).
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    mattmatt Posts: 3,789
    malcolmg said:

    DavidL said:

    In his official statement, Mr Salmond said he had not been allowed to properly challenge the case against him – “I have not been allowed to see the evidence,” he said. And yet in the same statement he said the complaints were patently ridiculous. So, which is it? How can he say the complaints are ridiculous if he has not seen them? He either knows what the complaints are, or he doesn’t.

    http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16600536.mark-smith-the-uncomfortable-truths-weve-learned-from-the-alex-salmond-claims/

    Well, if he knew himself to be completely innocent of any such behaviour then he could claim they were ridiculous without knowing the details, I suppose.

    What I find interesting is the position of Nicola. She has known and worked with this man for decades and must have a detailed knowledge of any foibles that he might have exhibited. She is taking her role as FM very seriously and playing this by the book. Whilst that is the correct thing to do her lack of character witness support for him is very telling.
    David , It seems fairly obvious that they have had a wee party and some snogging has taken place and for some bizzare reason the person has decided to rake it up 6 years later and make out it was unwanted attention. When you read what the Record had as the incident it would have to have been some brain dead moron to have allowed it to be as stated. Fairly obvious to anyone that has ever been to a drunken party I am afraid, some people just cannot get over how stupid they were snogging someone.
    Ah. The she was wearing a short skirt and had it coming to her defence.
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    stodgestodge Posts: 12,869
    Foxy said:


    I don't think we do, and I have seen no indication that she has political ambitions outside her single issue campaign, and party leadership would be a distraction from that.

    We are a democratic party and while I am sure that the idea of widening the franchise is worth debating, it is far from certain that the Members will vote to dilute our own influence.

    Indeed not and I'd certainly oppose any change to allow non-members or "registered supporters" to have a say on the choice of leader of the Party.

    If the organisers of a fringe meeting at Conference have invited Gina Miller to attend and speak, fine, no problem whatsoever. Her insight and perspective would be welcome and if she wants to join the party she'd be very welcome but I don't detect that as likely.

    A little nit of mischief-making from the currant bun and kle4 on this - my feeling, speaking to LD members, is any move to broaden the franchise will be rejected though there's little issue with the notion of "registered supporters" and I imagine the more active areas will have something like that in place.

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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,046
    malcolmg said:

    If you read the drivel in the Daily Record you would know it was a farce. Why the idiot who complained came forward with such garbage after 6 years is hard to believe. They should have been too embarrassed to even mention how stupid they were even if the pathetic stuff was one sided which is unlikely. Certainly someone after something or bearing a grudge out to scupper Salmond.
    This country is full of half witted cretins nowadays, it is hard to explain how it can have gone downhill to the cesspit full of morons it is in such a short time.
    PS: Unionist media have him tarred and feathered already.

    I'd be careful about believing anything you read in the media about this case at the moment, either for or against - there's just too much spin on either side. Worse, it might actually interfere with the investigation, allowing an injustice either way.

    Let the investigation continue and come up with a result.

    I do think Sturgeon has handled this well - and that she didn't have much alternative. It's also terrible for Salmond if the accusations are untrue; then again, it was also horrible for all the other MPs who have had accusations made against them that have been proved untrue.
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    FF43FF43 Posts: 15,748
    Pulpstar said:

    FF43 said:

    It probably wouldn't have got through if it had been honest.

    Can someone please point me to the last 'honest' campaign in British political history ?
    The point is, the promised Brexit where things would carry on much as before but on a bilateral basis, where we would pick the things we like, isn't even slightly possible. Mrs May has to keep the fiction going.
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    DecrepitJohnLDecrepitJohnL Posts: 13,300
    matt said:

    For those who subscribe to the Times, I strongly recommend Tim Montgomerie’s article as an exercise in intellectual feebleness. Of course, his call to the wisdom of individual members is one which brought the Conservative party Ian Duncan-Smith exemplary leadership which is disappointly not mentioned.

    I do think that newspapers should qualify opinion writers’ articles with a list of their previous opinions so one can judge their accuracy.

    IDS's exemplary leadership did better at the ballot box than expected, and he might well have done better than Michael Howard, who succeeded him after the coup. But what did Tim Montgomerie say, for those of us who do not subscribe to the Times?
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,030
    I think this poll confirms that for most voters both sides are at fault for lack of a lasting peace settlement in the Middle East and both will be needed if one is to be achieved.

    Tories blame the Palestinians more and Labour and LD voters blame Israel is more but a majority of both their voters and a plurality of Labour voters agree that blame must be equally shared by both sides.
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,030
    edited August 2018
    matt said:

    For those who subscribe to the Times, I strongly recommend Tim Montgomerie’s article as an exercise in intellectual feebleness. Of course, his call to the wisdom of individual members is one which brought the Conservative party Ian Duncan-Smith exemplary leadership which is disappointly not mentioned.

    I do think that newspapers should qualify opinion writers’ articles with a list of their previous opinions so one can judge their accuracy.

    Tory members also gave us David Cameron
  • Options
    StereotomyStereotomy Posts: 4,092
    HYUFD said:

    matt said:

    For those who subscribe to the Times, I strongly recommend Tim Montgomerie’s article as an exercise in intellectual feebleness. Of course, his call to the wisdom of individual members is one which brought the Conservative party Ian Duncan-Smith exemplary leadership which is disappointly not mentioned.

    I do think that newspapers should qualify opinion writers’ articles with a list of their previous opinions so one can judge their accuracy.

    Tory members also gave us David Cameron
    Who has done far more harm to the Tory party than IDS could dream of
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,825
    matt said:



    I do think that newspapers should qualify opinion writers’ articles with a list of their previous opinions so one can judge their accuracy.

    And put the nation's pundits out of business?! The ability to press on without recognition of having been wrong before is vital to the industry. And blog comments.

    More seriously, accurately calling events is, I suspect, not a primary part of the role.
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    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 32,008

    HYUFD said:

    matt said:

    For those who subscribe to the Times, I strongly recommend Tim Montgomerie’s article as an exercise in intellectual feebleness. Of course, his call to the wisdom of individual members is one which brought the Conservative party Ian Duncan-Smith exemplary leadership which is disappointly not mentioned.

    I do think that newspapers should qualify opinion writers’ articles with a list of their previous opinions so one can judge their accuracy.

    Tory members also gave us David Cameron
    Who has done far more harm to the Tory party than IDS could dream of
    B2334r the Tory party, what about the harm he did to the country!
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,825
    edited August 2018

    HYUFD said:

    matt said:

    For those who subscribe to the Times, I strongly recommend Tim Montgomerie’s article as an exercise in intellectual feebleness. Of course, his call to the wisdom of individual members is one which brought the Conservative party Ian Duncan-Smith exemplary leadership which is disappointly not mentioned.

    I do think that newspapers should qualify opinion writers’ articles with a list of their previous opinions so one can judge their accuracy.

    Tory members also gave us David Cameron
    Who has done far more harm to the Tory party than IDS could dream of
    B2334r the Tory party, what about the harm he did to the country!
    He offered them a choice, told them not to do it, then they did it. Blame the public, and people like me. I don't believe in giving politician's an easy ride, but if they outright tell the public not to do something, then the public do it, I find it hard to blame that person even if one believes the choice should not have been offered.
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    surbysurby Posts: 1,227

    malcolmg said:

    If you read the drivel in the Daily Record you would know it was a farce. Why the idiot who complained came forward with such garbage after 6 years is hard to believe. They should have been too embarrassed to even mention how stupid they were even if the pathetic stuff was one sided which is unlikely. Certainly someone after something or bearing a grudge out to scupper Salmond.
    This country is full of half witted cretins nowadays, it is hard to explain how it can have gone downhill to the cesspit full of morons it is in such a short time.
    PS: Unionist media have him tarred and feathered already.

    I'd be careful about believing anything you read in the media about this case at the moment, either for or against - there's just too much spin on either side. Worse, it might actually interfere with the investigation, allowing an injustice either way.

    Let the investigation continue and come up with a result.

    I do think Sturgeon has handled this well - and that she didn't have much alternative. It's also terrible for Salmond if the accusations are untrue; then again, it was also horrible for all the other MPs who have had accusations made against them that have been proved untrue.
    I do believe in the case of sexual harassment and rape charges, the names should be withheld until a successful conviction.
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    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,304
    kle4 said:

    HYUFD said:

    matt said:

    For those who subscribe to the Times, I strongly recommend Tim Montgomerie’s article as an exercise in intellectual feebleness. Of course, his call to the wisdom of individual members is one which brought the Conservative party Ian Duncan-Smith exemplary leadership which is disappointly not mentioned.

    I do think that newspapers should qualify opinion writers’ articles with a list of their previous opinions so one can judge their accuracy.

    Tory members also gave us David Cameron
    Who has done far more harm to the Tory party than IDS could dream of
    B2334r the Tory party, what about the harm he did to the country!
    He offered them a choice, told them not to do it, then they did it. Blame the public, and people like me. I don't believe in giving politician's an easy ride, but if they outright tell the public not to do something, then the public do it, I find it hard to blame that person even if one believes the choice should not have been offered.
    ***SCREAMS AND THUMPS TABLE***

    Politicians! Politicians! No apostrophe!

    Write out 100 times...
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,304
    surby said:

    malcolmg said:

    If you read the drivel in the Daily Record you would know it was a farce. Why the idiot who complained came forward with such garbage after 6 years is hard to believe. They should have been too embarrassed to even mention how stupid they were even if the pathetic stuff was one sided which is unlikely. Certainly someone after something or bearing a grudge out to scupper Salmond.
    This country is full of half witted cretins nowadays, it is hard to explain how it can have gone downhill to the cesspit full of morons it is in such a short time.
    PS: Unionist media have him tarred and feathered already.

    I'd be careful about believing anything you read in the media about this case at the moment, either for or against - there's just too much spin on either side. Worse, it might actually interfere with the investigation, allowing an injustice either way.

    Let the investigation continue and come up with a result.

    I do think Sturgeon has handled this well - and that she didn't have much alternative. It's also terrible for Salmond if the accusations are untrue; then again, it was also horrible for all the other MPs who have had accusations made against them that have been proved untrue.
    I do believe in the case of sexual harassment and rape charges, the names should be withheld until a successful conviction.
    Not sure I would go that far, but certainly until or unless charges are brought.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,825
    ydoethur said:

    kle4 said:

    HYUFD said:

    matt said:

    For those who subscribe to the Times, I strongly recommend Tim Montgomerie’s article as an exercise in intellectual feebleness. Of course, his call to the wisdom of individual members is one which brought the Conservative party Ian Duncan-Smith exemplary leadership which is disappointly not mentioned.

    I do think that newspapers should qualify opinion writers’ articles with a list of their previous opinions so one can judge their accuracy.

    Tory members also gave us David Cameron
    Who has done far more harm to the Tory party than IDS could dream of
    B2334r the Tory party, what about the harm he did to the country!
    He offered them a choice, told them not to do it, then they did it. Blame the public, and people like me. I don't believe in giving politician's an easy ride, but if they outright tell the public not to do something, then the public do it, I find it hard to blame that person even if one believes the choice should not have been offered.
    ***SCREAMS AND THUMPS TABLE***

    Politicians! Politicians! No apostrophe!

    Write out 100 times...
    9am on a bank holiday and I'm very tired, sir, my fingers betrayed me. Can I get one mulligan, sir?
This discussion has been closed.