UK Politics Thread [Archive] - Page 26 - SUBSIM Radio Room Forums

Jimbuna

04-06-17, 08:28 AM

A united EU (27 v 1) will portray a sad and negative image to the rest of the world and do no good in the long run for the reputation of the EU.

I think Merkel in particular and definitely France (should Marine Le Pen win the forthcoming election) will not allow that to happen. I'm not wishing to sound overly patriotic but the UK will not be brow beaten by a bunch of net-receiving countries who are only in the game for self gratification/profit.

As I've already posted earlier, there is a long way to go and much negotiation to undertake but if it is a 'war' of trade/finance etc. some are after then bring it on. A series of reciprocal tariffs helps neither side but would marginally be advantageous to the UK, we import more from the EU than we export.

My confidence is high regarding which side is most worried that a precedence has been set and fear further similar events, never mind the damage to credibility in the eyes of the rest of the world (the EU accounts for only 15% of world trade IIRC).

A sensible compromise should be sought by both side lest the damage to both may well turn out to be irreparable.

Catfish

04-06-17, 10:27 AM

[...] A sensible compromise should be sought by both side lest the damage to both may well turn out to be irreparable.

I agree, but just thinking of Farage in the negotiations to bring on a sensible compromise... as said before, the UK should fulfil signed treaties, it is not the EU's fault that Farage "forgot" to mention some tiny bits in his urge to leave.

STEED

04-07-17, 04:51 AM

Tory AMs have put their positions "in jeopardy" by allowing Mark Reckless to join them, a UK Conservatives source has told BBC Wales.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-39521122

Watch this space maybe. :hmmm:

Jimbuna

04-07-17, 10:17 AM

I agree, but just thinking of Farage in the negotiations to bring on a sensible compromise... as said before, the UK should fulfil signed treaties, it is not the EU's fault that Farage "forgot" to mention some tiny bits in his urge to leave.

Farage is a spent force, his party is imploding and he is hanging onto past memories and successes (as he perceives them).

STEED

04-07-17, 04:46 PM

Farage is UKIP and without him at the helm there is no one, Diane James was elected as the new leader and within around 11 days steps down and leaves UKIP. And now they have Paul Nuttall who made a pigs ear at the by-election and clearly is not leadership material and is not going down well with the voters.

Suzanne Evans is on the left of UKIP and from time to time pops up on the news about another internal infighting, UKIP is like the Labour party ripping themselves apart from within while the leaders say all is well nothing to see here.

UKIP and Labour are going to suffer a set back and both will gloss over the council election results in May.

STEED

04-07-17, 05:02 PM

Local elections

A total of 4,851 council seats are up for grabs across England, Wales and Scotland.
Labour are defending 1,535 seats
The Conservatives are defending 1,136 seats
The Lib Dems are defending 484 seats
The SNP are defending 438 seats
Plaid Cymru are defending 170 seats
UKIP are defending 146 seats
The Green Party are defending 34 seats

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39500900

I predict Labour will loose around 250-350 and UKIP will loose around 50-60.

Jimbuna

04-08-17, 09:59 AM

Local elections

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39500900

I predict Labour will loose around 250-350 and UKIP will loose around 50-60.

You should try creating a poll....can't do any worse than that achieved by previous ones.

STEED

04-08-17, 12:23 PM

Local elections poll

Who will be the biggest winners of the local elections?

Conservative party

Labour party

LibDems party

UKIP party

The Green Party

I will go with the Conservatives first and LibDems second.

MGR1

04-08-17, 04:33 PM

Scottish Labour are going to lose their citadel in Glasgow, that's a dead cert. They'll take a pounding elsewhere in Scotland, too.

Between them the SNP and SCons are tearing SLab apart. Not that my heart bleeds for the useless morons!

Mike.

Jimbuna

04-10-17, 07:39 AM

STEED

04-11-17, 01:37 PM

Paul Nuttall: Vote UKIP 'to get your community back'http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39563636

Tell me what that means? :-?

The time when we all left our doors opens and let the neighbors in for tea and biscuits. Those days have long gone, Cameron tried that with the big idea or plan or what ever it was called and it was a flop from day one.

Anger as 539 council bosses paid more than PM Theresa May
The TaxPayers' Alliance says huge pay packages are "disappointing" given council tax bills are rising and services are being cut.http://news.sky.com/story/anger-as-539-council-bosses-paid-more-than-pm-theresa-may-10833366

Fat Cats comes to mind.

STEED

04-12-17, 08:18 AM

Unemployment falls to 10-year low as job vacancies soar
http://www.aol.co.uk/money/2017/04/12/unemployment-falls-to-10-year-low-as-job-vacancies-soar/

a record number of job vacancies are on offer, new figures show.

I find this statement to be a load of rubbish, the government has never said how they count these job vacancy's and I have a feeling its the easy way.

For example a firm has one vacancy they advertise that vacancy on ten job websites and the local newspaper and a jobs newspaper. So is this counted as 12 vacancy's or 1 vacancy? I think we all know who ever is in power past present and to come they all count it as 12 when in fact it's just 1.

Another example I have seen the same job advertised on a jobs website up to 10 adverts that all read the same, yes not all jobs are like that but there are some.

Yet another example a old vacancy that has been filled and yet still remains on the jobs website and I have come across that as well, oh that looks good I will go for that one click sorry this vacancy has been filled.

So too some up stick this BS claim in the bin where it should be.

Catfish

04-12-17, 08:20 AM

^ same as in Germany, don't trust the unemployment statistics!

Though maybe it will be better after brexit?

STEED

04-12-17, 08:24 AM

be better after brexit?

Nah they will continual to count the vacancy's the easy way. :03:

^ same as in Germany, don't trust the unemployment statistics!

These figures are just as bad, anyone who is claiming benefits placed on a course or sanction come off the monthly figures. The goal posts are always on the move since the last Labour Government.

Jimbuna

04-13-17, 05:01 AM

It was a bit disappointing to see the G7 refuse to back UK efforts to impose further sanctions on Russia the other day.

MGR1

04-13-17, 12:23 PM

An analysis from BBC Scotland covering the Scottish component of the forthcoming local elections in May:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-38968302

Labour had problems in 2012, they're going to be worse now.

As an interesting aside, I've been hearing a lot of people say that they would consider voting Labour again if the party either became neutral on Scottish independence or outright backed it.

Food for thought.:hmmm:

Mike.

Jimbuna

04-15-17, 09:13 AM

Pleased to see you deleted both of those posts.

STEED

04-15-17, 04:54 PM

Pleased to see you deleted both of those posts.

Did i miss something? :hmmm:

Bleiente

04-15-17, 08:23 PM

Ihr seid sowas am Ende... Harahrharhar. :har:, wie beschränkt muß man eigentlich sein,
Naja... da war ja noch die Sache mit dem Affen... und diese Einschätzung findet vortrefflig auf England zu.

Jimbuna

04-16-17, 06:41 AM

Did i miss something? :hmmm:

Possibly, possibly not....time will tell.

MGR1

04-16-17, 07:19 AM

Bit non-plussed as well. Since Jim's post appeared immediately below one of mine it could be construed as being aimed at me although I know full well it isn't.

Anyways.....

I find this faintly amusing "PM observes 'coming together' after Brexit in Easter message": http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39607056

In her first Easter message as PM, she said "opportunities" would arise from Brexit and emphasised the UK's "shared ambitions and above all shared values".
She said people should feel "confident" about Christianity's role in society and free to speak about their faith.
Whilst the headline for BBC Scotland is "Dramatic drop in church attendance in Scotland": http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-39613631

The number of people who regularly attend church services in Scotland has fallen by more than half over the last 30 years, according to a new survey.
A census of Scottish Christians found that there are around 390,000 regular churchgoers north of the border, down from 854,000 in 1984.
The research also revealed that 42% of churchgoers were aged over 65.

Mike.

Jimbuna

04-16-17, 09:24 AM

Bit non-plussed as well. Since Jim's post appeared immediately below one of mine it could be construed as being aimed at me although I know full well it isn't.

Quite correct...I am able to see and read post deletions and there are two (the ones I'm referring to) between yours (#6271) and the post of mine (#6272).

STEED

04-16-17, 10:14 AM

STEED

04-16-17, 10:16 AM

Quite correct...I am able to see and read post deletions and there are two (the ones I'm referring to) between yours (#6271) and the post of mine (#6272).

Spill the beans jim. :Kaleun_Salivating:

STEED

04-16-17, 10:25 AM

And now TRUMP..

On the radio last night I got a good laugh, Trump is coming to England this October and wants to be taken to the Queen in...

http://www.londonperfect.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/London-Perfect-Vacation-Rentals-Buckingham-Palace-Royal-Mews-Gold-State-Coach-Carriage.jpg

Granted the radio presenter did not say where this snippet came from but knowing Trump I would not put it pass him.

ikalugin

04-16-17, 12:50 PM

I guess it would go into this topic, as nuclear deterent is political.

We know how deterence works - it is about dealing assured unacceptable dammage to the enemy. So I was wondering, after accessing documents on the US (and Russian side) regarding this topic, are there public policy guidelines regarding nuclear use or public discussion documents that I can read?

The topics are:

Perceived unacceptable dammage levels. For example US in their policy guidelines works from say percentage of economy/population/industrial capacity of an adversary being destroyed. Is there such criteria in British policy?
I ask this because 40/120 deliverable RVs translate into 5-15 designated ground zeroes in US STRATCOM practice, which doesnt appear to be much.

Perceived survivability and credibility - it appears that UK does not cover it's SSBN base for example in terms of air defenses (UK has very few SAMs and it does not appear that RN bases any surface combatants in Faslane). Is this problem being discussed?

MGR1

04-16-17, 01:12 PM

If such matters are discussed it's behind closed doors. As far as I'm aware there's very little in the public domain covering such issues as it no doubt comes under the "Official Secrets Act": LINK (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_Secrets_Act_1989).

The OSA is a bit of a beast of a law, for good reason.

What I've been able to find online:

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj1-biUyqnTAhXrAMAKHTYOBAcQFghZMAg&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bisa.ac.uk%2Findex.php%2Fcom ponent%2Fbisa%2F%3Ftask%3Ddownload_paper%26format% 3Draw%26passed_paper_id%3D272&usg=AFQjCNHPn2IgGwqxAu7uGNooJX12jv9m7A&bvm=bv.152479541,d.ZGg (PDF File)

http://www.history.ac.uk/reviews/review/898

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/information-management/osp11.pdf

https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/files/misc/NATO-Trident-Report-15_11.pdf

Mike.

Jimbuna

04-17-17, 05:02 PM

Spill the beans jim. :Kaleun_Salivating:

No biggy but sonar continues to listen.

STEED

04-17-17, 06:28 PM

No biggy but sonar continues to listen.

How about a couple of trucks loaded to the brim with these..

http://home.bt.com/images/poundnote-136394333186002601

I can't take this cold turkey much longer, need my PMQ's weekly fix.

STEED

04-18-17, 05:44 AM

BREAKING NEWS

GENERAL ELECTION JUNE 8TH 2017

Theresa May is seeking to hold a General Election on 8 June arguing it is the only way to secure stability ahead of Brexit.

The shock move follows speculation the Prime Minister would call a poll to shore up her parliamentary position as Britain leaves the EU and given Labour's dire position in the polls.http://news.sky.com/story/theresa-may-asks-mps-to-back-snap-election-10842088

http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-may-idUKKBN17K0UY

Labour is going to get wiped out and I say great, this with hope will spell the end of mental backward Labour and re-build to a better party that will stand up and fight back.

Diopos

04-18-17, 05:44 AM

Elections !!!!
How do you prefer your Brexit?
Rare, medium-rare, medium or well-done ?
Either way I think Labour will get burned ... :hmmm:

.

STEED

04-18-17, 05:51 AM

Elections !!!!
How do you prefer your Brexit?
Rare, medium-rare, medium or well-done ?
Either way I think Labour will get burned ... :hmmm:

.

Labour will face the biggest defeat in its history, old JC is now finished.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-39628713

STEED

04-18-17, 06:31 AM

One good thing will come out of this PM May will win big time and will shut up that fish face in Scotland. :03:

Now the big question will Puttin fix the election?

STEED

04-18-17, 07:13 AM

Nicola Sturgeon has described Theresa May's plans for a snap general election as a "huge political miscalculation".http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39630699

Well now are you worried in losing a few seats? :hmmm:

MGR1

04-18-17, 07:41 AM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39630699

Well now are you worried in losing a few seats? :hmmm:

I'm going to be a pessimist (I am a Scot, afterall...) and say that, yes, the SNP might lose a few but they'll probably keep the majority of what they have.

And, no. Sturgeon will not shut up after a Tory victory. She'll just get more strident.

Mike.

Jimbuna

04-18-17, 08:31 AM

An election is always a gamble but this time round I reckon the odds are looking favourable for the Tories.

May obviously needs as large a majority as possible to get her Brexit plans accepted.

STEED

04-18-17, 09:29 AM

Sturgeon will not shut up after a Tory victory. She'll just get more strident.

I agree she will get more militant with her views but she will not use that old one I was elected by the people anymore, well to be fair she still has 10 weeks before May's victory.

STEED

04-18-17, 09:33 AM

An election is always a gamble but this time round I reckon the odds are looking favourable for the Tories.

May obviously needs as large a majority as possible to get her Brexit plans accepted.

I think she will get a good 50 odd seats more unlike what the silly polls seem to suggest 100 plus seats! Old JC spouting the same old slogans and TF is on another planet thinking his party will become the main opposition.

seanjo

04-18-17, 09:45 AM

Let's hope the British people are sensible enough to see that a change in government is not the right thing to do right now....I look forward to (old) Labour being decimated.

Fubar2Niner

04-18-17, 10:04 AM

Hate to say this, but labour is in such disarray, I doubt any youngster will vote for them. Hell even I have my doubts. Sorry STEED , Mark.

Fubar

STEED

04-18-17, 10:09 AM

Hate to say this, but labour is in such disarray, I doubt any youngster will vote for them. Hell even I have my doubts. Sorry STEED , Mark.

Fubar

In some ways this is good, once Labour gets wiped out the sooner sensible Labour can clean out all these morons and start to rebuild the party. But on saying that if JC and his gang remain in charge after the defeat then Labour is finished and will join the LibDem with a handful of MP's.

mapuc

04-18-17, 12:37 PM

Fubar2Niner

04-18-17, 12:45 PM

Wondering-How many of you, my English friends did expect this when you went to bed last night ?

Was the any rumour in the air that could give a hint about this or ?-Here in Denmark and Sweden there are mostly rumours or similar before a Prime minister say time for an Election.

Markus

TBH I was fearing the worst, Trump had gone batpoo and launched missiles :timeout:

STEED

04-18-17, 01:52 PM

Wondering-How many of you, my English friends did expect this when you went to bed last night ?

Markus

No one, PM May had said she would not but clearly what she said today all these factors bought it to a head and the rest is history.

STEED

04-18-17, 01:55 PM

TBH I was fearing the worst, Trump had gone batpoo and launched missiles :timeout:

Chillout Fubar have a beer. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WGOey6D_Po

MGR1

04-18-17, 02:21 PM

I agree she will get more militant with her views but she will not use that old one I was elected by the people anymore, well to be fair she still has 10 weeks before May's victory.

If the SNP get the largest percentage of the Scottish vote, which seems most likely, she can still trot that one out.

Glasgow and the surrounding area has roughly 41-plus percent of Scotland's population. It's a truism that to control Scotland, you must control Glasgow and the Clyde Valley constituencies. Labour used to, now it's the SNP's turn. That's a heck of a base.

The only way to avert that is to get enough Glaswegians to not vote SNP. Which is unlikely to happen.

Mike.

STEED

04-18-17, 02:26 PM

she can still trot that one out.

Say What.. :o

I think the SNP will loose around 5 to 10 seats so the question is will it be Lab or Con that pick up the most?

MGR1

04-18-17, 02:38 PM

Never underestimate the SNP's collective mindset.

If they do loose any, the Tories may be the ones that benefit, possibly the Lib Dems or Scot Greens as well. If SLab get any I'll be surprised - they're in even worse shape than the UK party as a whole.

Siding with the Tories for the 2014 "Better Together" IndyRef1 campaign effectively destroyed their vote base. When their then Leader, Johann Lamont, threw a hissy fit about not being allowed by the Scottish London Labour hierarchy to campaign as she saw fit in that campaign, coming out with the infamous "branch office" quote (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29765415), SLab's support collapsed entirely and the SNP cleaned up. I haven't met anyone who really takes Kezia Dugdale's SLab or Corbyn's UKLab that seriously.

Scotland is a straight SNP vs Tories fight - Nationalist vs Unionist. Left vs Right doesn't mean much up here these days.

Mike.

Jimbuna

04-18-17, 02:41 PM

Wondering-How many of you, my English friends did expect this when you went to bed last night ?

Was the any rumour in the air that could give a hint about this or ?-Here in Denmark and Sweden there are mostly rumours or similar before a Prime minister say time for an Election.

Markus

The announcement was made on the same day the decision had been taken at a meeting of the Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister.

MGR1

04-18-17, 03:31 PM

Somebody's had their thinking cap on:

https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/scotland-normal-nation-neurotic-neighbour

Interesting article, though it does come across as a bit patronising towards England. The general thrust of the article is something that's quite common within the ScotNat mindset.

Mike.

STEED

04-18-17, 03:50 PM

Theresa May 'won't take part in TV debates' ahead of general election
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39633696

Labour's Jeremy Corbyn accused the PM of "dodging" a head-to-head showdown and the Lib Dems urged broadcasters to "empty chair" her.

Wow old JC is a glutton for punishment, 10 times out of 10 PM May has kicked him in the love spuds at PMQ's.

As for the LibDems peacock TF is still whooping up the by-election victory.

STEED

04-18-17, 03:55 PM

If the polls are right, the Conservatives could be looking at a massive majority of as many as 140 seats following Theresa May’s call for an early General Election.http://news.sky.com/story/tories-could-have-140-seat-majority-after-snap-general-election-10842265

Polls don't you just like them. :har:

Jimbuna

04-19-17, 07:52 AM

George Osborne quits as MP ahead of snap General Election

http://news.sky.com/story/george-osborne-quits-as-mp-ahead-of-snap-general-election-10842981

Bye bye and good riddance!!

STEED

04-19-17, 08:01 AM

http://news.sky.com/story/george-osborne-quits-as-mp-ahead-of-snap-general-election-10842981

Bye bye and good riddance!!

http://img.clipartall.com/celebration-20clipart-celebration-images-clip-art-394_283.jpg

STEED

04-19-17, 08:11 AM

OK today's PMQ's scorecard..

May 1 Corbyn 1

Well it was robust and lots of near misses but I feel today was a draw.

General election debate

Well old JC's attack on the LibDems made me laugh when he said they voted in three different directions on the Brexit bill. As for that strutting peacock wee little Tim if he thinks his party is going to replace Labour as the main opposition all I can say is this..I want that man tested for drugs and under go a mental health examination.

STEED

04-19-17, 08:46 AM

General Election vote..

For 522 :up:

Against 13 :down:

IT'S ON..:)

http://news.sky.com/story/mps-vote-in-favour-of-snap-general-election-on-8-june-10843105

Get the flags out put up the bunting and polish up your bums, its arse kissing time and its them who have to kiss our bum cheeks.

http://www.partypacks.co.uk/images/products/product_99958_1_orig.jpg And all the rest

STEED

04-19-17, 08:58 AM

Tory Battle Bus

http://www.starshipmodeler.com/rv/apctup.jpg

Labour Battle Bus

http://www.1914.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/MOD-354-624x439.jpg

Jimbuna

04-19-17, 09:47 AM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39636918

Labour MPs have been told they will be automatically reselected as candidates in their constituencies for the general election on 8 June.

Now that I can support :yep:

However, one Labour MP has told Mr Corbyn there is still time for him to stand down as leader before the vote.

That even more so :salute:

Fubar2Niner

04-19-17, 11:11 AM

Tory Battle Bus

http://www.starshipmodeler.com/rv/apctup.jpg

Labour Battle Bus

http://www.1914.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/MOD-354-624x439.jpg

:har::har::har::har::har::har::har:

Says it all Steed

Fubar2Niner

04-19-17, 11:15 AM

http://news.sky.com/story/george-osborne-quits-as-mp-ahead-of-snap-general-election-10842981

Bye bye and good riddance!!

I'm ashamed to say I share the same surname, even spelt the same way:/\\!!

At least now I can shelve plans to shoot myself, the only reason this ratbag resigned is because he has found an easier way to line his pockets!

MGR1

04-19-17, 12:33 PM

General Election vote..

For 522 :up:

Against 13 :down:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39643126

SNP block abstains.....

Interesting to see that the two former SNP MP's currently under criminal investigation both voted against. McGarry and Thomson must like their gravy train.

BBC Scotland analysis of Scottish electoral battlegrounds. An interesting mix.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39639554

It will also be interesting to see if voter fatigue has set in - we've had something political going on every year since 2014 up here.

Mike.

STEED

04-19-17, 04:54 PM

The TV debate argument rubbles on, May has said no and I hear on the radio Corbyn will not debate with Farron. Who cares this is not America and anyway we tried it once and second time around the whole thing was re-jigged and too be honest both were a cringe fest.

Fact is we are voting for a load of you know what and what it comes down too is which one pongs the less when it comes down too the only two party's that get elected.

STEED

04-19-17, 04:59 PM

What will each party promise at the General Election?http://news.sky.com/story/what-will-each-party-promise-at-the-general-election-10842942

STEED

04-20-17, 06:22 AM

>>Breaking News<<

Ex UKIP Traitor Douglas Carswell now Independent is not standing in the general election.

http://news.sky.com/story/general-election-2017-live-farage-mulls-general-election-run-10843640

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39655704

Final act of the Tory maggot he will vote Tory well there you have it a Tory plant and UKIP fell for it. Beware of defecting MP's holding a dagger.

While I am on the UKIP News will Mr Motor Mouth with a pint in his hand be standing?

Nigel Farage 'weighing up' whether to stand to be MPhttp://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39651781

I think he should remain as a MEP and let us know what PM May is up to.

STEED

04-20-17, 06:27 AM

Beth Rigby, Senior Political Correspondent viewhttp://news.sky.com/story/sky-views-its-game-on-for-crush-corbyn-10843536

STEED

04-20-17, 06:55 AM

And now for a laugh, I went to the BBC News site to watch Scottish First Minister Questions and was greeted by this..

BBC iPlayer only works in the UK.
Sorry, it’s due to rights issues.
In the UK?

HEY BBC I LIVE IN THE UK WHAT UK ARE YOU ON ABOUT? :doh: :haha:

OK, sorted I have re-routed to Mars and told the BBC I am King Kong and have the right to scale tall buildings and watch other people's TV's.

STEED

04-20-17, 07:28 AM

Former Labour MP Marshall-Andrews defects to Lib Demshttp://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39651785

Green Party seeks pact with Labour in Plymouth and Totneshttp://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-39652611

Jimbuna

04-20-17, 07:51 AM

I'm ashamed to say I share the same surname, even spelt the same way:/\\!!

At least now I can shelve plans to shoot myself, the only reason this ratbag resigned is because he has found an easier way to line his pockets!

Rgr that :yep:

The SNP has said it would be prepared to work with other parties to keep the Tories out of power.
But the Labour leader said he did not regard the SNP as progressive.

It would appear that Nicola is out to cause as much mischief as she is able.

ikalugin

04-20-17, 12:49 PM

How dead is labour?

Jimbuna

04-21-17, 05:44 AM

http://i.imgur.com/QJWHBJz.jpg

STEED

04-21-17, 04:41 PM

Dawn Butler Labour MP struggles through interview - BBC News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1c4bOQHz1M

For flips sake! This women is on the opposition front bench! :doh:

STEED

04-21-17, 05:19 PM

Election 2017: Confident Nigel Farage predicts UKIP poll surgehttp://news.sky.com/story/election-2017-confident-nigel-farage-predicts-ukip-poll-surge-10844687

Sorry Nigel I just can not see it, and UKIP will have no MP's.

Jimbuna

04-22-17, 07:47 AM

The run up to the election is now well underway and I should imagine the unelectable one will experience many such moments :har:

http://i.imgur.com/7kW0AmG.jpg

Was that a right hook he was about to deliver? :hmmm:

STEED

04-22-17, 04:29 PM

Jim you failed to put the next photo up of the women kissing old JC after he promised four bank holidays.

Got my vote

Vote Labour

https://d2kmm3vx031a1h.cloudfront.net/uhlqexzZTqGkhPeOmQRr_maill.JPG

Labour is now on course for victory.

STEED

04-22-17, 04:33 PM

Vote Labour the sensible party unlike barking mad UKIP.

Glasgow UKIP candidate wants to bring back the guillotine and abolish golf courseshttp://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/glasgow-ukip-candidate-wants-bring-12930258

STEED

04-22-17, 05:41 PM

General election 2017: Labour plans four new bank holidays

The holidays would be on each nation's patron saint day - St David's Day on 1 March, St Patrick's Day on 17 March, St George's Day on 23 April and St Andrew's Day on 30 November.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39682388

Vote Labour. :yeah:

BossMark

04-23-17, 05:41 AM

Vote Labour. :yeah:
Looking at the current opinion polls it looking like it will be a bloody Tory landslide :wah::wah::wah::wah:

Jimbuna

04-23-17, 11:27 AM

Looking at the current opinion polls it looking like it will be a bloody Tory landslide :wah::wah::wah::wah:

I doubt you'd find a bookie giving you anything like decent odds on that :hmmm:

STEED

04-23-17, 12:20 PM

It is the job of all opposition party's like them or hate them to limit the Tory run away train.

STEED

04-23-17, 12:27 PM

This is such a sticky one..

UKIP to pledge burka ban in General Election manifesto

Leader Paul Nuttall will argue wearing the burka and niqab in public is a barrier to social harmony, as well as a security risk.

UKIP leader Paul Nuttall has denied that his call for banning full-face veils in public is an attack on Muslims, saying instead that it is to encourage integration.http://news.sky.com/story/ukip-to-pledge-burka-ban-in-general-election-manifesto-10847820

And coming from UKIP, boats get rocked on the stormy sea.

STEED

04-23-17, 12:29 PM

General election 2017: Tories to pledge energy bill cap

A cap on household energy bills is set to be included in the Conservative manifesto, a cabinet minister has said.
According to the Sunday Times the plans could cut gas and electricity costs by £100 a year for 17 million families.

Hang on, didn't Ed do this back in 2015? :hmmm:

STEED

04-23-17, 12:32 PM

The seats that could decide the electionhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39655379

MGR1

04-23-17, 03:36 PM

Scotland only poll. A 1000 or so sample from 5 million is probably more accurate than 1000 from 64 million, which explains why polling in Scotland has been less "out" than in the UK as whole.

https://twitter.com/ShippersUnbound/status/855919168734064641

ST/Panelbase Scotland poll Change from 2015:

SNP 44% (-6)
Con 33% (+18)
Lab 13% (-11)
Lib Dems 5% (-2)

According to John Curtice, this is what this result would mean for seats at Westminster:

SNP 45 (-11)
Con 12 (+11)
Lab 0 (-1)
Lib Dem 2 (+1)

The kicker will be if the Tory vote is concentrated enough to actually have an effect in individual constituencies. So far they've got a lot of votes, but not actually concentrated enough to gain seats.

Ian Murray may actually keep Edinburgh South (he's personally popular by all accounts) for Labour so that party might actually manage to retain at least one Scottish MP despite what the polling indicates.

Note however that this isn't a left/right voting pattern - people won't really be voting for the Tories, they'll be voting to defend the Union.

Unlike in the rest of the UK, for Scotland this election isn't about Brexit, it's about IndyRef2.

Mike.

STEED

04-23-17, 04:36 PM

According to John Curtice, this is what this result would mean for seats at Westminster:

SNP 45 (-11)
Con 12 (+11)
Lab 0 (-1)
Lib Dem 2 (+1)

I would go along with the SNP losing any there from 8 to 15 seats putting a minor dent in their ego. Interesting to see the Tories would be the possible big winners, I would have said LibDems but hey we will see on the big day.

STEED

04-23-17, 04:46 PM

General election 2017: Tony Blair says Brexit stance more important than partyhttp://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39685678

And he said he felt so passionately about Brexit he was "almost motivated" to re-enter British politics himself.

SOD OFF BLAIR! :hulk:

STEED

04-24-17, 06:42 AM

Sky Views: If Labour want to win, they must stop hating Torieshttp://news.sky.com/story/sky-views-if-labour-want-to-win-they-must-stop-hating-tories-10848868

Jimbuna

04-24-17, 09:11 AM

The Pope and Jeremy Corbyn are on stage in front of a huge crowd.
The Pope leaned towards Mr. Corbyn and said, "Do you know that with one little wave of my hand I can make every person in this crowd go wild with joy? This joy will not be a momentary display, like that of your followers, but go deep into their hearts and for the rest of their lives whenever they speak of this day, they will rejoice!"
Corbyn replied, "I seriously doubt that. With one little wave of your hand? Show me!"
So the Pope slapped him.

STEED

04-24-17, 09:49 AM

Zac Goldsmith looks to stand against Sarah Olney in Richmond Park
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/zac-goldsmith-looks-to-stand-against-sarah-olney-in-richmond-park-a3522011.html

I am looking forward to seeing this one fall back to the Tories and wipe that smug look off peacock Tim.

Yvette Cooper and Chuka Umunna set to make leadership bids if Labour loses electionhttp://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/yvette-cooper-and-chuka-umunna-set-to-make-leadership-bids-if-labour-loses-election-a3518981.html

Hey this was four days ago and not a jot on the news! Oh wait I get it same old worn out bunch trying again.

Jimbuna

04-24-17, 10:14 AM

[B]

Hey this was four days ago and not a jot on the news! Oh wait I get it same old worn out bunch trying again.

Yet still far more palatable to a great many Brits than their predecessors.

http://i.imgur.com/wx4aSbY.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/M76I0Ys.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/9oyoVYC.jpg

Skybird

04-24-17, 12:11 PM

Britons should be more concerned about that the EU mulls playing the divorce as brutally as it can.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-negotiations-idUSKBN17M2HT

In principle the EU wants that all EU membership obligations (full membership payments, subjugation to the EU courts and EU legislation, EU sovereignty over national borders) remain intact forever, but all rights shall be given up.

Another illustration of from where the wind blows in the EU. The blue empire wants to strike back, in avenge over the offence of having been rejected once again by the majority of the voting population of an EU province.

How can they dare, these stupid Britons! (These stupid French! These stupid Dutch! These stupid Irish! - Dictate of Lisbon.) How can anyone dare not wanting to be a vasall of the great and glorious continental one-supergovernment-regime!?

Its stuff like this why - while I may not like and do not support parties like the AfD or the Front National - I nevertheless also refuse to help fighting against them and do refuse to stand up against them. And I think very many - and ever more - in principle rational and reasonable, calm people like me, do like I do, too - we do not like these parties, but we starts seeing their chaos as the lesser evil, and thus start to tolerate them, not due to sympathy, and agreement, but becasue the eU leaves us no other choice in order to escape the EU claim for total government. Hollande has pushed the French to make LePen a promising candidate, and the EU does its part to push people towards if not supporting so at least tolerating radicals and dangerous people.

If you want to see Europe burning one day again, dear damn EU - go ahead, carry on like you do, enforce continental unification at all costs. Yours is the best recipe for uprise and conflict that I could imagine.

STEED

04-24-17, 01:11 PM

Lib Dem membership tops 100,000 after snap election callhttp://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39694417

So what!..How many will bother to go out and vote Tim?

MGR1

04-24-17, 03:00 PM

It worked for the SNP after the 2014 IndyRef. A massive surge in membership followed by getting 56 out of 59 seats in 2015.

As with the Tories in Scotland, it all depends on whether or not the Lib Dem vote is concentrated enough to win seats.

On to Wales, since they rarely get a mention;

YouGov Welsh Local election poll: https://twitter.com/britainelects/status/856532252024602624

LAB: 28% (-9)
CON: 26% (+13)
Plaid Cymru: 19% (+2)
UKIP: 8% (+7)
Lib Dem: 7% (-1)
OTH: 12% (-10)

Interesting to see how that pans out in each Welsh Council area.

The equivalent Westminster voting intention poll: https://twitter.com/britainelects/status/856523884920700928

CON: 40% (+12)
LAB: 30% (-3)
Plaid Cymru: 13% (-)
Lib Dem: 8% (-1)
UKIP: 6% (-7)

WLab in trouble, methinks. They've been just as poor at governing Wales as SLab has been in Scotland.

This has been doing the rounds on social media up here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFOoRAp5QtM

The full "sit down" moment from the video above:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST1ha7gU9aE

Rather amusing.

Mike.

MGR1

04-24-17, 04:25 PM

I would go along with the SNP losing any there from 8 to 15 seats putting a minor dent in their ego. Interesting to see the Tories would be the possible big winners, I would have said LibDems but hey we will see on the big day.

Scottish Parliament seats:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Parties_in_the_Scottish_Parliament%2C_May_2016.png

SNP: 63
SCon: 31
SLab: 24
SGreens: 6
SLib Dems: 5

So it follows that the SCons would be the main beneficiary. Best view them as a major reaction against the SNP and start thinking Northern Ireland style Unionist vs Nationalist politics when it comes to Scotland.

Mike.

STEED

04-25-17, 07:43 AM

Election 2017: Tory MPs quit Remain campaign over election plan to oust Brexiteers

Influential Tory MPs quit Open Britain 'Remain' campaign after it announces an election campaign to oust Brexiteer MPs.http://news.sky.com/story/election-2017-pro-eu-campaigners-draw-up-hit-list-of-brexit-mps-10850029

I bet not one LibDem will quit as they love the EU.

Talking about the LibDems..

The Liberal Democrats would "maintain a credible nuclear deterrent" if they won power, leader Tim Farron says.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39702865

>>>>BREAKING NEWS<<<<

Jeremy Corbyn will update the UK's ICBM's to ICLM's to deliver a mass of leaflets telling the bad guy off but to insure there will be no backlash against paper cuts they will also contain band aids.

>>>>This was bought to you by possible true news...

Jimbuna

04-25-17, 10:30 AM

STEED

04-25-17, 03:16 PM

Labour typically, are now starting to write checques they know full well they will never be elected to deliver on and that annoys me because if it weren't for Corbyns stubbornness and refusal to jump from a ship even he must know is doomed to sink we might have a credible opposition with a fighting chance of actually achieving something for the working class and those less fortunate.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39698465

While these fools run the good ship Labour into the dirt and don't give a toss then there is no hope for Labour. I think you posted jim its all about power to control Labour only. Unfortunately even the MP's in most part are weak bland no gumption on one side and Blairites who wear rose tinted glasses.

STEED

04-25-17, 03:36 PM

Welsh electoral 'earthquake' of Tory gains suggested by pollhttp://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-39693328

Here we go....:har:

mapuc

04-25-17, 03:49 PM

I'm not so much into English politics and what goes around in their daily agendas, Only what you post in this thread gives me a little info

This I do know ´cause it happens everywhere there is an election

From the day the election was told-The politician will suddenly care a lot for just you and he or she will do that until the clock show 8 or 9 pm on the election day-The second after-He or she really don't care anymore.

Markus

Skybird

04-25-17, 03:49 PM

Its so good to see that Corbyn is none of ours but one of yours! :yeah:

:O:

STEED

04-25-17, 04:31 PM

STEED

04-25-17, 04:34 PM

Its so good to see that Corbyn is none of ours but one of yours! :yeah:

:O:

Jim and i are planning to send Corbyn to you Sky as your new flat mate. :03:

Jimbuna

04-26-17, 05:22 AM

Jim and i are planning to send Corbyn to you Sky as your new flat mate. :03:

LOL :haha:

Jimbuna

04-26-17, 05:31 AM

STEED

04-26-17, 07:17 AM

The predictable fantasy politics has begun....pay rises for nurses and the scrapping of training bursaries.

Must be nice to make promises you know you'll never be called on to deliver :nope:

Expect more promises as the campaign progresses.

Better still....both the major parties could work out precisely how much money the NHS needs and make a comittment to increasing income tax by a penny or whatever. That way the electorate can make an informed choice as to whether they want an NHS or not and if they do, are willing to pay for it.

Even better still....dramatically scale down overseas aid, especially to those countries who can afford space and nuclear programmes.

Final PMQ's before the election are today and should make for some entertainment.

I agree jim, the highlighted section always brings me back to this gem. India a few years ago said we don't need any more aid and thanks for the aid in the past..BUT!

UK..Here's a bag of money for you
India..No thanks
UK..Take the money
India..No we are all right now
UK..TAKE THE BLEEPING MONEY (Sticking a gun in India's face)
India..OK OK calm down will you.

If a country states no thank you that means we no longer need your aid. And as far as I'm concerned if a country can afford space and nuclear programmes they don't need our aid.

STEED

04-26-17, 07:23 AM

OK today's final PMQ's scorecard..

May 0 Corbyn 0

Well it was robust but it was the same old thing so today was a draw.

I did note Angus of the SNP ruffled PM May's feathers over the pension triple lock and PM May hit back at peacock Tim having a LibDem anti Semite candidate standing in the general election.

Jimbuna

04-26-17, 08:04 AM

I may (no pun intended) still be six and a bit years away from state pension qualification but I must admit the 'Triple Lock' situation does interest/concern me :hmmm:

STEED

04-26-17, 08:17 AM

I forgot this gem from PMQ's..

http://metro.co.uk/2017/04/26/heres-the-i-like-corbyn-but-website-theresa-may-mentioned-in-pmqs-6586152/

Jimbuna

04-26-17, 08:44 AM

My funniest memory was back in March this year.

'You went to a GRAMMAR SCHOOL!' Commons ERUPTS as PM destroys HYPOCRITICAL Corbyn

It was in response to criticism from the Leader of the Opposition, who accused Mrs May of a “divisive vanity project” with her bid to lift a ban on new grammar schools.

However, taking no prisoners, the prime minster humiliated Mr Corbyn as she unleashed a volley of words against the Labour party.

“But, I have to say to the right honourable gentleman; his shadow home secretary sent her child to a private school. His shadow attorney general sent her child to a private school.”

The Conservative leader pointed her pen in the direction of Mr Corbyn as she continued: “He sent his child to a grammar school, he went to a grammar school himself.”

Snapping her note book closed, Mrs May delivered the final brutal blow: “Typical Labour, take the advantage and pull-up the ladder behind you.”

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/782452/PMQs-Theresa-May-Jeremy-Corbyn-Labour-front-bench-grammar-school-hypocrisy

:haha:

STEED

04-26-17, 03:58 PM

NOOOOOOOOOOOO

NOT THAT BLOODY WICKED VILE WOMAN!

Esther McVey selected for George Osborne's former Tatton seathttp://news.sky.com/story/esther-mcvey-selected-for-george-osbornes-former-tatton-seat-10852241

STEED

04-27-17, 06:23 AM

He's back again..

Former Labour prime minister Tony Blair has told Sky News Theresa May will be Prime Minister on 9 June.

http://news.sky.com/story/ge2017-tony-blair-says-theresa-may-will-win-the-general-election-10852628

ikalugin

04-27-17, 10:01 AM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/39718654/police-warn-parents-about-blue-whale-game-targeting-vulnerable-people

And so it hits UK.

Skybird

04-27-17, 10:08 AM

Blue Whale game? Its an old hat, here in the West we call it General Elections.

ikalugin

04-27-17, 10:22 AM

Blue Whale game? Its an old hat, here in the West we call it General Elections.
Do General Elections make kids kill themselves?

Jimbuna

04-27-17, 10:33 AM

He's back again..

http://news.sky.com/story/ge2017-tony-blair-says-theresa-may-will-win-the-general-election-10852628

His credibility wanes with each broadcast.

Skybird

04-27-17, 11:38 AM

Do General Elections make kids kill themselves?

No, only economic, social wellfare and financial systems.

STEED

04-27-17, 05:45 PM

His credibility wanes with each broadcast.

Clearly the chat circuit is not paying enough for Lord Blair the 1st King of the Blairites.

STEED

04-27-17, 05:53 PM

Boris Johnson's sister Rachel has joined the Liberal Democrats to fight against a "hard Brexit", according to Channel 4 News.http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39739546

Boris was reported saying..Great I can spend the Xmas money on more booze than on my sister.

UKIP leader Paul Nuttall has confirmed he will stand as a candidate at the general election.http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39738332

Must have bought a new tweed jacket.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/08/ae/7e/08ae7efd8a23fd917ce30673cf4375cf.jpg

BossMark

04-28-17, 02:51 AM

NOOOOOOOOOOOO

NOT THAT BLOODY WICKED VILE WOMAN!
http://news.sky.com/story/esther-mcvey-selected-for-george-osbornes-former-tatton-seat-10852241
Oh no i had hoped she had dropped into a big hole and swallowed up, no doubt she'll get in and Maggie May will give her a cabinet job :wah::wah:

Jimbuna

04-28-17, 05:59 AM

So yet another 'net receiver' (nationality-wise) decides to try and turn the screw.

Brexit: Tusk says UK trade deal not a priority

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39742949

I'd see the two year timeline out with the best attempts at striking a sensible deal, then should that fail, simply walk away and hit em with tit-for-tat tariffs.

The EU are seriously risking their public image here if they think punishing anyone who wishes to leave should be made an example of.

MGR1

04-28-17, 09:15 AM

Some Scotland specific articles:

Conservative Home: Scottish electoral battlegrounds.

http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2017/04/battleground-seats-2-scotland.html

Have a read through the comments at the bottom - the guy from Edinburgh highlights what I've suspected for a long time; people will still vote SNP even though they don't believe in independence because they hate the Tories even more. He also mentions the state of the Scottish fishing industry - heavily reliant on foreign workers (east asian and east european) and exporting most of their product to the EU. Lastly, the voting pattern up here will be positively byzantine on the three Unionist parties side which may well lead to the SNP doing better than predicted as the opposition vote will probably be heavily diluted.

A critique of the current state of the Scottish Tories:

http://derekbateman.scot/2017/04/26/the-dying-of-the-light/

Again, highlighting the lack of any policy that really differentiates them from the main UK party, unlike in the past. Not being seen to fight Scotland's corner at UK level does them an enormous amount of harm. That perception is very important as traditionally people up here have expected their elected representatives to look out for Scotland's interests.

Lastly, this article highlights at least one reason why Scottish business is a bit lukewarm about Brexit:

http://www.insider.co.uk/news/smes-scotland-more-reliant-eu-10288754

That small and medium Scottish companies depend on EU workers comes as no surprise. I've known for years that most employers will not pay to have people trained up for fear of them leaving and taking their new skills with them. From the employers point of view that's money wasted so it's led to the situation where they prefer to hire people that they don't have to train themselves. That's where the Eastern Europeans come in. They're cheaper too.

Lastly, YouGov poll for current voting intentions:

https://twitter.com/TSEofPB/status/857732259012587521

SNP - 41%
SCon - 28%
SLab - 18%
SLib Dem - 7%
SGreen - 3%

IndyRef intentions, same poll:

https://twitter.com/britainelects/status/857734471113723907

NO - 55%
YES - 45%

Food for thought.

Mike.

STEED

04-28-17, 04:14 PM

The EU are seriously risking their public image here if they think punishing anyone who wishes to leave should be made an example of. Inflexible stuck in the mud and I am the boss live with it attitude will bring them down one day. What i fear is what will replace it.

STEED

04-28-17, 04:24 PM

Paul Nuttall has said Brexit is a "job half done" and UKIP MPs are needed to "see this through to the end" as he launches his party's election campaign.http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39742407

UKIP will loose councilors very soon then in June not one MP and the UKIP vote will fall for both elections.

Jimbuna

04-29-17, 07:15 AM

General election 2017: UKIP leader Paul Nuttall to stand in Boston and Skegness

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39756016

I initially thought he would stand at Clacton.

STEED

04-29-17, 04:19 PM

Jeremy Corbyn has defended his style of leadership, saying other party leaders had given in to vested interests and manipulated the public.http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39757627

Errr...No.

I am not voting Tory but how the heck can i vote labour with a weak foolish leader. I am running out of party's to vote for at this rate.

Jimbuna

04-30-17, 10:09 AM

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39757627

Errr...No.

I am not voting Tory but how the heck can i vote labour with a weak foolish leader. I am running out of party's to vote for at this rate.

Never fear, you can always stick with your original/favourite party :03:

http://i.imgur.com/J3Cj51u.jpg

STEED

04-30-17, 04:16 PM

^They never stood here jim, if they did this year there is a good chance i would vote for them. :)

Jimbuna

05-01-17, 06:43 AM

Does this guy actually know what he stands for? :doh:

Tim Farron says 'I'm a bit of a Eurosceptic'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39761746

STEED

05-01-17, 07:20 AM

Does this guy actually know what he stands for? :doh:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39761746

Yes they are the anti democratic party who want it all there way where we all have to worship peacock tim. :o

STEED

05-01-17, 01:44 PM

As Labour looks like a massive defeat this June, 20 years ago it was a different picture.

It is 20 years to the day that Tony Blair won a landslide general election victory for Labour - how did he change the country and what is left of his legacy?http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39717751

Looking back to Blair on the rise i'm reminded by my uncle who said this man will not do much. And now 20 years on looking back to his first term i have to agree, this great new ere after years of the Tories failed to deliver..."Things can only get better"

STEED

05-01-17, 01:50 PM

General election 2017: Deals, pacts and alliances
The 2017 general election looks set to see more co-operation between political parties than ever before.
The Liberal Democrats, Greens, UKIP, DUP and UUP have all said they'll stand aside in at least one constituency.
There won't be national deals though. Co-operation will be limited to local agreements.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-3974803

Why?..There not here to do back room deals.

Jimbuna

05-01-17, 02:05 PM

Saves time, money and effort.

MGR1

05-01-17, 04:01 PM

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-3974803

Why?..There not here to do back room deals.

Saves time, money and effort.

If it happens in Scotland, it may be to the advantage of the three pro-UK parties vis-a-vis the SNP.

I wouldn't say that SLab would be likely to co-operate as they're fighting for their survival. It should also be noted that the "Scotland not getting the government it voted for", "Evil Tories" and many other SNP soundbites actually originate with Labour's Scottish branch. SLab has dug itself into a rather deep hole, almost destroying itself and causing severe damage to UK Labour in the process.

Mike.

MGR1

05-01-17, 05:28 PM

This is interesting:

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/jun/10/glasgow-effect-die-young-high-risk-premature-death

Direct link to report page:

http://www.gcph.co.uk/publications/635_history_politics_and_vulnerability_explaining_ excess_mortality

Dates from last year, but since it's a Glasgow-centric story I'm surprised that BBC Glasgow Scotland didn't make a bigger deal of it. It should perhaps give an indication as to why a former Labour Citadel (most of the last 7 decades) is likely to fall to the SNP. Since both major UK parties are equally culpable at various policy/administrative/government levels it's not altogether surprising that the average Glaswegian might be less than warmly inclined towards the UK as an entity.

It should act as a warning to the consequences of bad economic and social policy with not a little social engineering mixed in.

Comments?

Mike.

BossMark

05-02-17, 07:01 AM

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-3974803

Why?..There not here to do back room deals.
Wish the Tories would piss off from constituency :o

STEED

05-02-17, 08:55 AM

Abbott gets sums wrong in excruciating interviewhttp://news.sky.com/video/diane-abbott-gets-her-figures-wrong-in-car-crash-interview-10860258

:haha: :haha: :har: :har:

Diane Abbott says she 'misspoke' on Labour's police policyhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39775693

Skybird

05-02-17, 09:00 AM

We are EU. You must get assimiliated. Resistence is futile.

Or must be shown to be futile.

Or in other words: either you play our game, or you shall play none. That simple.

ikalugin

05-02-17, 09:05 AM

https://theferret.scot/alarm-steep-rise-nuclear-convoys/

STEED

05-02-17, 09:07 AM

We are EU. You must get assimiliated. Resistence is futile.

Or must be shown to be futile.

Or in other words: either you play our game, or you shall play none. That simple.

https://thecrazymadwriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/dalek-courtesy-of-the-new-roald-dahl.jpg
OBEY THE EU WORSHIP THE EU OR BE EXTERMINATED

Skybird

05-02-17, 09:07 AM

Also, do not froget that Germany is Germany - a country were people hate to be what they are - Germans - , and that has written the self-dissolving of itself as sovereign nation written into its constitution. No other european country is as obsessed by this, as the Germans. We will never forgive nor forget the offense of rejecting the EU.

We just have a mini-scandal again: the interior minister dared to demand that in Germany there must be a dominance of and priority for German identity and cultural values. All voices started to breath hectically and started to yell, and denied there is such a thing as a German "Leitkultur". Instead, once again, referring to a hopelessly vague, unattractive, non-meaning referring to general laboratory values without any cultural identity, that should be adopted by all mankind. The Eu has taken over from the UN, it seems.

STEED

05-02-17, 09:17 AM

Vote 2017: Everything you wanted to know and we wanted to ask youhttp://news.sky.com/story/vote-2017-everything-you-wanted-to-know-and-we-wanted-to-ask-you-10860368

So how will you vote in 2017?

I saw the Torries on 50% then refreshed my browser and they were down to 48% did the same again and they were up to 51%. :doh:

Oh come off it..:haha:

STEED

05-02-17, 09:23 AM

Relax Ed we have a new one..

Theresa May tucks into a cone of chips while campaigning in Cornwall

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/theresa-may-tucks-into-a-cone-of-chips-while-campaigning-in-cornwall-a3528591.html

:haha:

Catfish

05-02-17, 09:32 AM

Skybird will soon move to the UK, and tell Mrs May how to deal with 27 'enemies' and make England great again :D

Seriously, Mrs May has opted for a "hard brexit" back then, whatever that means. The UK will of course leave, but it will as well not be able to keep all benefits the members enjoy. Clear as mud, and not necessary to exaggerate anything. Ah the media.. yes.

STEED

05-02-17, 03:27 PM

General Election: UKIP will bounce back in the polls, vows Nuttall
Paul Nuttall says UKIP is using its resources sensibly and has a "good chance" of winning seats in the General Election.http://news.sky.com/story/general-election-ukip-will-bounce-back-in-the-polls-vows-nuttall-10860594

:hmmm:..........:har:

STEED

05-02-17, 03:31 PM

Labour's police plans don't add up, even after the corrections
The party says 10,000 extra bobbies would cost £300m, but it seems to have forgotten about inflation and pay increases.http://news.sky.com/story/labours-police-plans-dont-add-up-even-after-the-corrections-10860746

Any party that stands no chance getting into government can promise the moon.

Jimbuna

05-02-17, 04:05 PM

If you watch the LBC video clip that was on the news ABBOTT initially said 10,000 officers would cost a total of £300,000 :har:

STEED

05-02-17, 05:24 PM

If you watch the LBC video clip that was on the news ABBOTT initially said 10,000 officers would cost a total of £300,000 :har:

Beat you. :)

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2481864&postcount=6390

As for that BS about having 7 or 8 interviews that day it seems she only had 2! Seems like she can not get a dam thing right.

STEED

05-02-17, 05:46 PM

General Election 2017: Greens pledge second Brexit pollA second referendum on the details of any Brexit deal should be offered to voters, Green Party of England and Wales MP Caroline Lucas has said.
Voters should have the option to remain in the EU if they are unhappy with the result of Brexit talks, she said.http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39784314

OH COME ON!...Why stop there lets have non stop referendums on everything we disagree with the government of the day. Typical Green party who have two leaders...Hey here's a idea if the Greens win and we don't like PM lets have a referendum forcing them to try out there other leader.

Skybird

05-03-17, 06:13 AM

Jimbuna

05-03-17, 06:42 AM

The EU now demands an additional 40 billion in administration costs. :haha:

If I were the UK, I would dumb all support for counter terrorism cooperation and intel exchange (Europe benefits incredibly much more from the Britons here than the UK benefits from intel feedback from the continent), and withdraw all military support in cooperaiton with Europe, also withdraw the nuclear weapons from the deterrants pool of NATO.

Just to remind the continent a little bit on some extremely important facts. I beleive in reciprocity. If the EU wants to play this ultra-tough and ultra-dirty, give the change in the currency it has choosen.

Fully agree Sky, apart from the NATO commitment. The EU will be bolstered if Le Pen loses in France but the UK/May retains her option of simply walking away and hitting the EU with mirror-like tariffs should that be the eventual consequence.

An example of the above could be:

Nissan face lets say a 10% charge on each car exported to the EU.....so BMW face an identical charge for importing each of their cars into the UK.

The EU exports a lot more into the UK than what the UK exports into the EU.

I find it rather strangely amusing that two of the most powerful beaurocrats, those with the biggest say, namely Juncker and Tusk come from net receiving countries....just a coincidence I suppose (meant sarcastically).

The bottom line for me is I believe the EU must make an example of the UK to deter any further countries leaving but common sense will eventually prevail because neither side want or can afford a trade war.

The EU should not try to undermine the resolve of the British people, surely past history should still be fresh in their minds.

Interesting times ahead me thinks.

Skybird

05-03-17, 07:37 AM

Net receivers - and same voting rights like net payers. Most desastrous this works in the ECB's control board, where net receivers now have the decisive majority, no matter what national central bank heads currently is rotating out. Iin generla it is a terrible idea to think that net receivers nevertheless are equipped with the same rights and voting powers like net payers. The schemes the EU has "developed" there to also take population sizes into account, do not work well. Some would even say they are dysfunctional alltogether.

Malta for example represents 0.1% of the blocks' economic power or so. :doh: What a strengthening and enrichment for the union!

One really has to discriminate here, and have levelled membership rights and voting powers according to own total contributions. Its only natural that economic heavyweights with bigger contributions and more investments at stake shiuld have more influence, at least tiny net receivers should not have the power to enforce net payers to pay for them and demand them to pay ever more. It cannot be that one nation representing one thousandth of the continent's economic power shares almost the same power like a nation that represents lets say one fifth of the block's power. That is insane.

France and Germany already said they do not want to compensate for the financial gap the UK leaves behind. I fear this will serve as an excuse to push even harder for the long-wanted special EU-tax that all European subjects mandatorily will have to pay - additionally.

And this to us poor germans that were found recently to be the second-most-taxed population in word-wide comparison, nowhere else except Belgium, I think you - as a pirvate perosn and ordinary household - have to pay as much taxes and mandatory social fees, than in Germany. And it becomes more and more. At the same time the private wealth and property index shows that Spaniards, Italians, French and Britions all own very much more material assets and stocks per individual household. And what our government invests in foreign places, mainly is no material investements, but paper investment (financial "products"), that means in case of a financial collapse and money loosing its value, all these "investements" will be lost, while other nation'S governments still own factories, land, licenses, etc. Another meaning of the term "stupid German money".

Germany is stupid, and servile. (Thats why I do not defend it and am with the UK in this divorce. I cannot stand servility and stupidity).:arrgh!:

Jimbuna

05-03-17, 08:51 AM

Germany is stupid, and servile. (Thats why I do not defend it and am with the UK in this divorce. I cannot stand servility and stupidity).:arrgh!:

Spoken like a true Brit :salute:

STEED

05-03-17, 10:44 AM

The EU now demands an additional 40 billion in administration costs. :haha:

http://www.lookyou.co.uk/Churchill.11.2.gif

STEED

05-03-17, 10:58 AM

Theresa May has accused European politicians and officials of seeking to influence the General Election through threats.http://news.sky.com/story/theresa-may-eu-trying-to-influence-general-election-with-threats-10861584

I bet the EU backs the Green party the LibDems and Labour. The EU is giving itself away as a spoiled little brat that throws a temper when as in our case the UK wants out of the pram. More the EU throws a fit throwing its weight around and screaming no no no no the better. May wake some other EU countries and get them thinking do we want to stay with this spoiled little brat of a EU.

STEED

05-03-17, 11:00 AM

DON'T FORGET FOLKS LOCAL ELECTION TOMORROW SO GET VOTING. :)

Catfish

05-03-17, 01:55 PM

Spoken like a true Brit :salute:

I see your point, he always was a bit ill-tempered :O:
:arrgh!:

STEED

05-03-17, 02:10 PM

Politicians woo voters ahead of 4 May poll

Political parties are taking to the streets in the last day of campaigning ahead of Thursday's local elections.http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39785848

Not around here they are not, plus not one leaflet which is great and just how i like it. :)

I hope that will be the case when the general election hots up.

ikalugin

05-03-17, 05:49 PM

If there is an ultra-hard brexit and mirror tarifs are introduced, how would it affect the price levels in UK?

BossMark

05-04-17, 04:32 AM

DON'T FORGET FOLKS LOCAL ELECTION TOMORROW SO GET VOTING. :)
Not voting in Leeds this year :doh:

STEED

05-04-17, 06:35 AM

Not voting in Leeds this year :doh:

Not good enough, write a letter to them..

Better check if Leeds is having a general election vote.

STEED

05-04-17, 06:42 AM

Voters have been heading to the polls for local and mayoral elections in England, Wales and Scotland.http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39795931

Apart from Leeds where the council has gone out to a booze festival and will not be back until next Monday and by next Friday every house in Leeds will have to pick up the tab. :03:

I will be popping out soon to see who is on the ballot paper and if i don't like any of them i shall write on it..none of above.

STEED

05-04-17, 07:27 AM

UK regional elections expected to give taste of national vote next monthhttp://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-election-local-idUKKBN180106

Possible but voter number will probally be down and the forecast for next month seems to be the same way on voting numbers. But people do vote in a different way at local/general elections.

I will be looking at the results over the weekend and with luck all results will be in.

STEED

05-05-17, 03:24 AM

Still very early as not all results are in but the picture is clear..

Conservatives the big winners.

Labour bad night

LibDems still no sign of the big come back

Greens the little winners

UKIP total wipe out

UKIP has met its swan song they are going back to the days before Farage took the helm.

STEED

05-05-17, 06:56 AM

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has told a conference in Italy on the EU that "English is losing importance in Europe".
Amid tensions with the UK over looming Brexit negotiations, he said he was delivering his speech in French.http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39816044

Another example of that fat head Juncker moron of all time.

STEED

05-05-17, 06:59 AM

Results are still coming in..

http://www.bbc.com/news/topics/42069d65-f3b1-41e2-b3e9-35ac9d799a1a/england-local-elections-2017

http://election.news.sky.com

Labour has lost overall control of Glasgow as the first results are declared in the Scottish council elections.http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39806664

Not looking good for Labour in Scotland

((((BREAKING NEWS UKIP WINS ONE SEAT))))

STEED's ward was won by the LibDems whom walked away with it, as for the whole area yet to see the result.

Jimbuna

05-05-17, 07:44 AM

Nothing happening in Gods country :hmmm:

STEED

05-05-17, 07:48 AM

Nothing happening in Gods country :hmmm:

Land of cricket and curry? :)

Sailor Steve

05-05-17, 07:50 AM

Land of cricket and curry? :)
Wouldn't that be India? :O:

STEED

05-05-17, 07:53 AM

Wouldn't that be India? :O:

Jim is a Indian? :o

Well i never...

Jimbuna

05-05-17, 08:04 AM

Jim is a Indian? :o

Well i never...

http://i.imgur.com/qL0dMHW.jpg

STEED

05-05-17, 08:10 AM

:har: :har:

What next? BossMark a beer swilling Australian. :)

I will back Saturday crunching the numbers of the local elections.

Jimbuna

05-05-17, 08:35 AM

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39816044

Another example of that fat head Juncker moron of all time.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has told a conference in Italy on the EU that "English is losing importance in Europe".
Amid tensions with the UK over looming Brexit negotiations, he said he was delivering his speech in French.

And Luxembourg is soon to become the new European superpower no doubt :har:

MGR1

05-05-17, 01:07 PM

Local election results in Scotland:

SNP - good.

SCons - good.

SGreens - good.

SLibDems - holding steady.

SLab - terrible.

To quote Brian Taylor: "Hung politics everywhere." That tends to happen in a Single Transferable Vote (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_transferable_vote) system

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39818167

Council election results: Sturgeon claims victory despite Tory surge:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39806664

Not very surprising that, though perhaps not as good as they may have hoped. Ruthie's no doubt very happy, however. Getting a Tory councillor in one of Glasgow's most deprived areas is no mean feat!

Mike.

STEED

05-05-17, 04:26 PM

STEED

05-05-17, 04:36 PM

Sky News projection: PM could win Commons majority of 48 based on local election analysishttp://news.sky.com/story/sky-news-projection-pm-would-win-commons-majority-of-48-based-on-local-election-analysis-10864261

Based on 20% I would now say 20-30 majority.

Jimbuna

05-06-17, 05:55 AM

http://news.sky.com/story/sky-news-projection-pm-would-win-commons-majority-of-48-based-on-local-election-analysis-10864261

Based on 20% I would now say 20-30 majority.

I'm still predicting the Tories will be closer to a majority of 100 or a little over provided the turnout for the general election rises which is highly probable.

Jimbuna

05-06-17, 07:13 AM

Labour is expected to gain more than eighty million seats after Diane Abbott was asked to count the votes this morning.

STEED

05-06-17, 07:34 AM

Labour is expected to gain more than eighty million seats after Diane Abbott was asked to count the votes this morning.

Plus a extra two million thanks to Putin's cyber results hackers. :03:

STEED

05-06-17, 08:01 AM

I'm still predicting the Tories will be closer to a majority of 100 or a little over provided the turnout for the general election rises which is highly probable.

I still think that is too high as clearly voter apathy has set in and a lot of people are thinking what's the point the Tories have it in the bag.

The young voters don't count as they are busy having sex, drinking, drugs, staying in bed or clearly have no understanding what day of the week is election day.

The rest of us our working and after getting home may well feel cheesed off and will not bother so it all comes down to the Grey vote and in most part they vote Tory.

Jimbuna

05-06-17, 08:07 AM

Voters will return to UKIP, says Nuttall

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39829717

I'm not so sure....UKIP have achieved what they set out to do and their vote is changing massively over to the side of the Tories with the emphasis being on who will be the strongest leader to sort out the UK position and the election results of yesterday obviously don't point in the direction of Corbyn.

It was also pretty telling that Burnham didn't stick around to welcome Corbyns visit to Manchester after he (Burnham) had won the mayoral election.

STEED

05-06-17, 08:46 AM

UKIP like the BNP will pass into the history books kicking and screaming before they wake up and see the party booze has all been drunk and the balloons popped and all the guests have gone home.

Jimbuna

05-06-17, 09:06 AM

Nigel will do his best to prevent that happening, he has already said he is watching for whatever the details of the Brexit outcome will be in two years time.

STEED

05-07-17, 04:31 PM

Labour is pledging not to raise income tax for those earning less than £80,000 a year as part of an election "personal tax guarantee" for 95% of taxpayers.http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39829723

I don't pay TAX..:O:

You got to offer me something good to swing it.

John McDonnell said he believed Labour would win the 8 June election

:o Oh dear..

Liberal Democrat proposals to protect the "triple lock" on state pensionshttp://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39831522

This may get Jim's vote for that one.

UKIP "will survive" as an electoral force despite a drubbing at last week's local elections, former leader Nigel Farage has said.http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39836196

If May goes all the way with a hard Brexit UKIP days will be shorter. In the end UKIP will fade away.

Then again..

Third of people considering tactical voting at general election to block Tories' hard Brexit, poll revealshttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/general-election-2017-tactical-voting-progressive-alliance-hard-brexit-block-tories-a7721551.html

STEED

05-08-17, 05:50 AM

Theresa May has indicated that the Conservatives will again promise to cut net migration to the "tens of thousands" in their election manifesto.http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39840503

Not that old chestnut again. :haha:

Greens urge Labour to join anti-Conservative alliancehttp://www.bbc.com/news/election-2017-39843065

Will JC go for it or decide he still can go alone and win.

Hospital parking charges would be axed under a Labour government, Jeremy Corbyn will announce today. http://news.sky.com/story/vote-2017-labour-to-scrap-nhs-hospital-parking-charges160-10868753

I agree with this one.

MGR1

05-08-17, 09:38 AM

Well in my neck of the woods Tories hold Hertfordshire.

And that Peacock Tim had the cheek to be in my town pie high on the results here! So what, the Tories still held Hertfordshire you numbnuts.

Turn out nationally was...

Ready...

You sure you want too know?

20% :o

Wow that is bad, will the general election be better? :hmmm:

For Aberdeen City, SNP most votes followed by SCons. As per STV, council is no overall control so we'll see who can get a coalition togther. One quirk of the voting result is that the largest party may not form the administration. I'm quite happy as for my ward the result reflected my own first and second choices (only put down two)- SLibDem first, SCons second. SNP got the third seat but they fielded two candidates which split their vote. What a shame.... not.:D

Turnout in Scotland was 46.9%, so that's higher than both the national average and I believe the percentages for England and Wales.

Breakdown of first preference votes (STV, not FPTP system):

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C_TO5ViXgAAc_9p.jpg

More detailed data here:
http://www.electionsscotland.info/downloads/file/351/slge2017_summary_results_data

I can't see any data for second, third etc preference votes, however.

It'll be interesting to see if these figures have an effect on the result in June.:hmmm:

Mike.

BossMark

05-08-17, 10:21 AM

This woman scares me to bloody death :o
http://home.bt.com/news/uk-news/voters-face-straightforward-choice-between-snp-and-tories-nicola-sturgeon-11364178815124

MGR1

05-08-17, 10:37 AM

Apparently Sturgeon does admire what Thatcher achieved as a woman, but completely disagrees with the policies she enacted whilst in office. Ironically, if the SNP didn't exist then Salmond and Sturgeon would both have been part of Scottish Labour. Salmond almost did join SLab.

That would make an interesting "What If?" exercise for those so inclined!

Mike.:03:

Jimbuna

05-08-17, 11:17 AM

http://news.sky.com/story/vote-2017-labour-to-scrap-nhs-hospital-parking-charges160-10868753

I agree with this one.

That should certainly sort the economy out then :doh:

Catfish

05-08-17, 02:02 PM

^ Had no idea your parking fees were that high :)

Jimbuna

05-08-17, 02:11 PM

^ The truth is, nobody will be able to pay parking fees however low they go if Labour get in power :)

In all seriousness though, Labour are promising the earth to the electorate knowing full well they are currently viewed by the majority as being unelectable and therefore will never have to carry out what they promise.

STEED

05-09-17, 05:04 AM

That should certainly sort the economy out then :doh:

Car Park charges around here are £5 hour! Its a good idea but not a big idea, clearly a vote grabber but they all do that.

Jimbuna

05-09-17, 05:35 AM

Now this would be far more meaningful to a great many more of the UK population than car parking charges.

General election 2017: Tories vow to end 'rip-off' energy bills

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39852119

Jimbuna

05-09-17, 05:42 AM

Jeremy Corbyn will say the issue of whether Brexit happens has been "settled" as he formally launches his party's general election campaign.

Go on Jeremy state the bloody obvious....sure to be a huge vote grabber, not.

He will tell supporters in Manchester they have "four weeks to transform Britain".

Yep and the voters will see to it that the Tories will have a far greater majority in which the government will most likely make said transformation.

Mr Corbyn has also insisted he will stay on as Labour leader even if the party loses at the general election.

The usual blinkered arrogance that adds fuel to the fire that is destroying Labour.

Not to worry though, the shadow chancellor has promised those on £80k and under a year there will be no increases in income tax.

Guess what an MP earns.......£76k :hmmm:

STEED

05-09-17, 05:55 AM

Now this would be far more meaningful to a great many more of the UK population than car parking charges.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39852119

That's just a vote grabber as well.

STEED

05-09-17, 06:03 AM

IF..old JC was in with a good chance of winning and won and went after the banks the rich the stock market the result would end in a economic crash and these very people have the real power to crash the stock market.

Yes i hate these pigs but i know dam well these pigs have greater power than the government of the day and they will cause a crash and get away with it, they always win in the good and bad times.

Thank goodness old JC and his gang of thick heads will fail to win the general election. Its going to take some one with guts and determination and the might to over throw JC and his gang but who will? :hmmm:

Jimbuna

05-09-17, 06:08 AM

It would take a party rule change regarding the one member one vote back to the original MP's only vote on the leadership before any chance of anything tangible happening and we all know that won't happen.

The Left aren't really interested in ruling the country because they know the British public would never make it possible but what they are interested in and have achieved is gaining control of a major political party through which they can spout out their propaganda.

STEED

05-09-17, 06:13 AM

Well then jim, Labour is finished.

STEED

05-09-17, 07:07 AM

Jeremy Corbyn says the Conservatives are to blame for "tax cheats" and "greedy bankers"

And who bodged the banking regulations? Labour did, Gordon Brown did.

The FSA was a load of rubbish and what took it place the FCA is just the same, toothless spineless clawless and a wast of time.

Jimbuna

05-09-17, 11:25 AM

Well then jim, Labour is finished.

Beginning to look that way, especially with Corbyn and his sycophants at the helm.

And who bodged the banking regulations? Labour did, Gordon Brown did.

The FSA was a load of rubbish and what took it place the FCA is just the same, toothless spineless clawless and a wast of time.

Rgr that :yep:

MGR1

05-09-17, 04:43 PM

Some pro-Scottish Independence coordination going on, I think:

Election 2017: Scottish Greens to stand fewer than 10 candidates (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39855884)

The Scottish Greens expect to stand fewer than ten election candidates - but deny it is to encourage tactical pro-independence voting.
There had been calls for Greens to stand aside in SNP seats which are being targeted by the Conservatives.
Related:

Election 2017: SNP MP urges Scottish Greens not to 'split' pro-Yes vote (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39718194)

An SNP MP has urged the Scottish Greens not to stand in seats which have been targeted by the Conservatives ahead of the general election.
Tommy Sheppard said the Greens should be "mindful of not splitting the pro-Yes vote and certainly not splitting the anti-Tory vote"In non-election Scottish news, it appears that Scotland's education system isn't performing as well as it once was:

Figures show drop in Scottish pupil literacy rates (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39856284)

The literacy skills of Scottish school pupils have fallen over the past four years, according to figures published by the Scottish government (http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0051/00517651.pdf).
The Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy found that less than half of Scotland's 13 and 14-year-olds are now performing well in writing.
P4 and P7 pupils also saw a drop in writing performance.
The reading ability of P4, P7 and S2 pupils remains broadly similar to 2014 - but lower than 2012.
And there has been no reduction in the big gap between the performance of the country's wealthiest and most deprived pupils.
Sturgeon did say that we should judge her on her record on education, which doesn't appear to be going all that well.

The reddit thread on r/Scotland on this is quite interesting:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotland/comments/6a4j19/figures_show_drop_in_scottish_pupil_literacy_rates/?sort=new

The comments about poor parenting and the (bad) impact of technology on the younger generation are quite interesting.

Afterall, how can a teacher teach if the pupils don't want to learn and the parents don't value education? Something which isn't limited to Scotland.

Mike.:hmmm:

Jimbuna

05-10-17, 07:56 AM

No charges over 2015 Conservative battle bus cases

The Crown Prosecution Service said it had examined files from 14 police forces and while there was evidence of inaccurate spending returns it did not "meet the test" for further action.
It is still investigating the Conservative campaign in South Thanet.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39865801

Whilst I have a great deal of trust and faith with the CPS I'm still not convinced of the outcome.

MGR1

05-10-17, 01:02 PM

Brian Taylor's latest column:

'Teeth are devolved' and other election conundrums. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39873235)

I feel for them, I really do. Our elected and aspiring politicians, that is. Here they are in the midst of an election campaign, beset by constitutional constraints.
Not that you would notice the problem. Candidates and parties are cheerfully campaigning in this Westminster election on issues which are either devolved to Holyrood or are, more accurately, the preserve of local councils, suitably refreshed last week.
Highlights one of the peculiarities of the UK's current devolutionary setup.

In England, for example, what happens to the NHS and education comes under Westminsters authority. The same does not apply in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales as those things are under local control.

Therefore, if Corbyn promises to cut hospital car parking charges and end tuition fees, that doesn't have any affect in Scotland as those are devolved responsibilities.

On the other hand, if May proposes a cap on energy bills, that does apply nation wide as that is something which isn't a devolved responsibility.

More food for thought.

Mike.

Jimbuna

05-11-17, 08:45 AM

General election 2017: Labour manifesto draft leaked

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39877439

Not too dissimilar to Michael Foots 'suicide note' :hmmm:

Jimbuna

05-11-17, 09:54 AM

General election 2017: Labour's draft manifesto unpicked

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39883084

MGR1

05-11-17, 01:03 PM

The leak is also causing a headache for Kezia Dugdale and SLab:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39885195

The leaking of a draft copy of Labour's general election manifesto is "far from ideal", the party's Scottish leader has admitted.
But Kezia Dugdale, who has been a critic of Jeremy Corbyn (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-37150430), insisted it included "a lot of really good ideas".
The document includes policies on renewing Trident nuclear weapons and opposing Scottish independence.
The SNP said the document showed the "chaos inside Labour", while the Conservatives said it was a "shambles".
Brian Taylor's take on the matter:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39887289

Perhaps Jeremy Corbyn might take comfort from the wise words of Scotland's National Bard, as regularly disseminated by Alex Salmond, he who formerly led the SNP.
Quoting Robert Burns, Mr Salmond is wont to say: "The mair they talk, I'm kent the better." *
By which Mr Salmond implies - and presumably the bold Rabbie implied - that popular attention is welcome, even if the original cause might be tricky.
It is an 18th Century version, if you like, of the more contemporaneous saying that there is no such thing as bad publicity.
Mike.

Jimbuna

05-12-17, 06:48 AM

Moonlight

05-12-17, 02:16 PM

So what has seven years of Tory austerity done for the just managing working people in this country then, before you lot in here spout anymore of your newly acquired Tory bile I'll answer that for you.

zero hour contracts
Food banks
backdoor privatisation of hospitals
public sector pay freeze
public services cut
backdoor privatisation of schools
under selling state assets
armed forces at their lowest levels since the Napoleonic wars

I could go on and on with tax cuts for millionaires and International large companies also getting billions more in tax cuts since 2010 but its pointless as you've already been turned by the same Tory bile that I've been reading about this last seven years.

That Tory party is funded by millionaires and billionaires and they want their pound of flesh or else and it'll be your flesh thats whipped from your backs to slate their thirst for that blood money, so be prepared for five more years of the same bollocks as what you've already had as I'm looking forward to the mayhem thats going to erupt when those just managing workers wise up and say enoughs enough.......

Tory bile can be spouted in this forum http://www.politicsforum.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=94 and I'm sure some of you will find it more appealing than in here.

STEED

05-13-17, 03:56 AM

General election 2017: Jeremy Corbyn says 'I'm not a pacifist'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39892281

Make of this what you will but it hurts me to think that the party I was a former member of for over 25 years has been taken over by this individual and his supporters :nope:

Good news jim, when you and i have been reduced to a pile of ash and most of the country we can all rest in peace knowing after many phone calls by old JC sayng stop that and lets have a cup of tea and talk about this he may press the red button.

STEED

05-13-17, 04:05 AM

So what has seven years of Tory austerity done for the just managing working people in this country then, before you lot in here spout anymore of your newly acquired Tory bile

Anyone voting Tory? Not me, and i am sure jim and BossMark and Oberon will not be voting Tory.

Anyone else?

Jimbuna

05-13-17, 08:21 AM

May was only a couple of miles from me yesterday....too close for comfort :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39904409

STEED

05-13-17, 03:52 PM

Just seen my general election candidates and it looks like..None of the above.

The big three and the greens no thank you. I was hoping for a Independent candidate but there is not one. My MP is a Tory but I will not vote Tory. I see my former Labour MP from the late 1990's is standing again but he was a wash out that did noting to save my Hospital. I do not trust the LibDems as these sods told a pack of lies in my ward and took the credit for what I did, yes me folks and did they say sorry to me did they heck. As for the Greens no thank you.

I will not be voting at this general election but I will make my protest by writing none of the above.

MGR1

05-13-17, 06:33 PM

I doubt my vote will have any effect - it was wasted when Aberdeen North was Labour, now the constituency is SNP it will still be wasted.

I'm still going to vote though.

Mike.

Jimbuna

05-14-17, 06:35 AM

Emma, my local Labour MP knocked on my door yesterday and the wife answered it. When asked if she (the wife) voted Labour and would she be doing likewise in the forthcoming election, the wife answered "I'm not prepared to say".

The wife told me Emmas face was a real picture, the look of puzzlement was very apparent.

She obviously knew who's door she was knocking on.

STEED

05-14-17, 08:41 AM

Mate of mind said you got to vote, excuse me as posted here I have given my reasons why i find i'm in a situation where i just can not vote. It has happen in the past and will again some point in the future. I will not vote Tory they are vile, Labour has a pig for a leader and as posted here a former Labour MP did sweet FA for my hospital sorry no he will not get my vote and the LibDems well still waiting for them to say sorry to me, as for the Greens no thanks.

I know of a few others like me who feel they can not vote for their candidates for a number of reasons. I would rather vote but how the heck can i when i'm presented with a load of rubbish. And on a personal note i have got other things on my mind that are more important than placing a cross on a ballot paper.

Jimbuna

05-14-17, 09:04 AM

Labour says it would raise billions of pounds for public services with a new tax on financial transactions - known as a "Robin Hood" tax.
It has also warned BAE Systems it could lose future contracts under Labour unless its boss took a £7m pay cut.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39910293

You just couldn't make this up :har:

Are they serious? :hmmm:

STEED

05-14-17, 09:11 AM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39910293

You just couldn't make this up :har:

Are they serious? :hmmm:

As stated jim the real power is the banks the stock market not the government, these people can and will crash the economy if Labour wins with that attitude. Labour now is so thick and stupid run by a bunch of morons who have plunged Labour into a black hole and they just don't care about what they did.

Jimbuna

05-14-17, 09:21 AM

STEED

05-14-17, 09:31 AM

First thing that came to mind after reading the article was....."Okay then Mr. McDonnell, how about you lead by example and make a simple token gesture by raising access to MP's pensions to the same as that of the voters state pensions"?

Never going to happen jim. :har: :har: :har: :har:

I want to see change at Westminster radical change to get that lot in the HoC working for us and that will only happen if the voter wakes up and that will never happen, so we are boned.

A good example from the film NETWORK

Yea its that famous scene..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WINDtlPXmmE

Jimbuna

05-15-17, 06:23 AM

Election 2017: Nicola Sturgeon wants seat at Brexit talks table

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39920799

Best response I can come up with :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGau8RBMNG8

Moonlight

05-15-17, 08:41 AM

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/theresa-may-slammed-by-voter-cathy-over-disability-living-allowance-learning-difficulties-abingdon_uk_591999a5e4b00f308cf69cb1?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D4558475_u k
Theresa May meeting a real person for a change instead of those televised stage managed one's she's so fond of, I see she's demonstrating all the leadership qualities which Jeremy Corbyn lacks, :doh: if that's the best she can do those europeam politicos are going to have her for breakfast. :haha:

STEED

05-15-17, 11:26 AM

Election 2017: Nicola Sturgeon wants seat at Brexit talks table

That woman has got some bloody cheek for a glorified town councilor.

STEED

05-15-17, 11:42 AM

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn will face questions from a live studio audience for the first time in the election campaign on Sky News on Monday 29 May.

The Conservative leader and the Labour leader will be interviewed during the joint Sky News and Channel 4 programme May v Corbyn Live: The Battle For Number 10 - starting at 8.30pm.http://news.sky.com/story/sky-news-to-host-theresa-may-and-jeremy-corbyn-in-live-tv-special-10879096

Popcorn anyone?

STEED

05-15-17, 12:24 PM

Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood has admitted she took drugs as a student.http://www.bbc.com/news/election-2017-39920394

Right on dude..:|\\

Jimbuna

05-16-17, 09:15 AM

STEED

05-16-17, 12:56 PM

Labour manifesto: Extra £48.6bn in tax revenue to fund pledges

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39930865

Whilst I agree with most of the content I can't fathom out how it would be paid for.

Now I await the Tory manifesto.

Both should make good toilet reading.

Borrowing springs to mind.

Manifesto= If, Maybe, Possible, Looking into, Not possible now, Put on the back burner. Sales pitch to the party faithful and nothing more.

STEED

05-16-17, 01:00 PM

Tony Blair's mentor says that if Jeremy Corbyn loses the General Election and refuses to step down, the Labour right and centre will form their own party.

http://news.sky.com/story/vote-2017-if-corbyn-loses-and-stays-there-will-be-a-new-party-says-blair-mentor-10880155

I can no longer see this happening.

Jimbuna

05-16-17, 01:17 PM

^ I should imagine Mrs May would like nothing better.

STEED

05-16-17, 01:23 PM

^ I should imagine Mrs May would like nothing better.

Can't see her standing for a second term, that is to say actually winning a election and not taking over the leadership. But in the here and now she probably thinking never happen they just have not got the guts to say that is it we are forming a new party.

STEED

05-16-17, 03:34 PM

Do manifestos affect the way we vote?

Not me because that guff only covers in most part the first year in office.

Jimbuna

05-17-17, 06:51 AM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39942573

The Liberal Democrats have put a second EU referendum at the heart of their general election manifesto, saying it would "give the final say to the British people".
The vote on the final Brexit deal would include an option to remain in the EU.

Clutching at straws me thinks, they conveniantly forget a majority of the UK population voted to leave.

The Lib Dems also say they could generate £1bn from legalising and taxing cannabis.

Ah well, that should put a stop to all the budgetry pressures :doh:

STEED

05-17-17, 08:11 AM

The Lib Dems also say they could generate £1bn from legalising and taxing cannabis.

Ah well, that should put a stop to all the budgetry pressures :doh:

Wonder how many voters they lost to the Greens over that one.

STEED

05-17-17, 08:43 AM

General election 2017: Len McCluskey 'now optimistic Labour can win'http://www.bbc.com/news/election-2017-39944331

Sure they will Len. :har:

Jimbuna

05-17-17, 10:11 AM

http://www.bbc.com/news/election-2017-39944331

Sure they will Len. :har:

I only met the guy personally once and I can truthfully say I was mightily unimpressed :hmmm:

MGR1

05-17-17, 12:39 PM

The Unionist vs Nationalist poo-poo storm has now hit Aberdeen: Labour councillors in Aberdeen suspended over Tory coalition (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-39940006)

Labour has suspended nine councillors after they agreed a coalition deal with the Conservatives on Aberdeen City Council.
The Labour group signed a formal deal with Conservative and independent groups, leaving the SNP - the biggest party - in opposition.
Scottish Labour's executive committee ordered the councillors to stand down from the coalition before 17:00.
The councillors were suspended after the deadline passed.
As a result, there are currently no councillors in Aberdeen representing the Labour Party.
Analysis: Where will power lie in Scottish councils? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39950528)

Labour did not completely rule out coalition deals with the Conservatives to run Scottish councils.
Instead the talk played down he notion, pointing out that Scottish Labour's national executive committee would need to approve any Labour participation in coalition deals.
It is significant that in Aberdeen councillors appear to be ignoring the NEC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-39940006) to enter a coalition with the Conservatives.
But the notion that local deals between Labour and the Conservatives were possible should not come as a complete shock.
Brian Taylor's take: Council coalitions and party divisions (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39948435)

So, at first Kezia Dugdale and SLab did not outright say "no deals" between the pro-austerity Tories and the anti-austerity SLab and then when it does happen she punishes councillors who do go into coalition with them to try and keep the anti-UK SNP out.

It's almost as if Dugdale would rather see cooperation at local level with the SNP. Probaby because she knows that most of the SLab vote has haemorrhaged elswhere. Those who are more unionist than socialist have gone to the Tories, whilst those who are more socialist than unionist have gone to the SNP.

Bit of a mess, I'd say.

Mike.

STEED

05-17-17, 04:26 PM

No wonder Slab is in a right mess.

STEED

05-17-17, 04:43 PM

Theresa May will end universal winter fuel payments for better-off pensioners if the Conservatives win the election.http://news.sky.com/story/conservatives-manifesto-winter-fuel-payments-targeted-to-fund-social-care-10882163

That could cause them to stay in on voting day.

STEED

05-17-17, 04:52 PM

British Prime Minister Theresa May will commit to wiping out the country's budget deficit by the middle of the next decade, allowing for greater borrowing to support the economy in the run-up to Brexit, the Telegraph newspaper reported.

May's ruling Conservatives will present their policy pledges to voters on Thursday ahead of a June 8 parliamentary election.

The reported pledge on the deficit would represent a slower pace of fixing Britain's budget shortfall than implied by finance minister Philip Hammond in March when he said he would aim to cut the deficit to 0.7 pct of gross domestic product by the 2021/22 financial year.http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-britain-election-may-pledges-idUKKCN18D2PJ

I have my doubts about that one.

Moonlight

05-17-17, 05:50 PM

Oh dear that sounds like the same bollocks that Osborne was dishing out for five years. :doh:

After 7 years of Tory rule the debt has grown and grown under the stewardship of these arrogant pillocks and they will resort to doing again what all Tory governments have done in the past and that's rob the poor to give to the rich, I'm sure that'll sort the debt out you clueless set of tossers. :haha:

http://www.nationaldebtclock.co.uk/
Do the country a favour Theresa May and follow the rest of the Tory parasites up your ass. :up: