Miliband and his 'rumoured' future.

[London Irish]

For a start the general election isn't some sort of presidential election, besides what the televised debates suggest. Hardly anyone will actually vote for Miliband. He just happens to be leader of the Labour Party.

Sure - but the Tories and the vast majority of the press (which editorially support the Tories) will try and fool people otherwise.

And their entire argument will be "Ed looks a bit odd".

Such is their confidence in their own programme.

 

[Black Rod]

Protesting about what? The UKIP protest vote is about EU membership and too much immigration - they would not be what Lib Dem voters would have protested about. And how is a party led by public-school educated City trader an anti-establishment party.

UKIP are, on the outside, the most non-traditional political party there is. They drink beer in pubs. They come out with a load of bollocks that anybody with an ounce of sense wouldn't say. That makes them appear the complete opposite to the other three. If you asked 90% of the public were Farage was educated and his past, I can guarantee they wouldn't have a clue.

People used to vote for the Lib Dems because they've never had a sniff of power. And because they were never expected to, they could promise stuff they knew as being totally unachievable like tuition fees. Now they have had power and have had to make the tough decisions that go with it, they are tainted by it. It will be the same if (God forbid) somehow Farage becomes part of a coalition

 

[jakarta]

For a start the general election isn't some sort of presidential election, besides what the televised debates suggest. Hardly anyone will actually vote for Miliband. He just happens to be leader of the Labour Party.

You're right, it's nothing to do with the leader, I had forgotten about the great success Labour had under Foot and Kinnock.

 

[Black Rod]

Sure - but the Tories and the vast majority of the press (which editorially support the Tories) will try and fool people otherwise.

And their entire argument will be "Ed looks a bit odd".

Such is their confidence in their own programme.

Works both ways doesn't it, such is what our society has become. See David Cameron and George Osborne being posh being constantly mentioned

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

UKIP are polling at 24% , the electorate are beginning to see beyond the constant sniping and denigration that voting UKIP is simply a protest vote. All the political pundits predicted UKIP would see a massive drop in popularity six months after the Euro elections with six months to go before the General Election.

 

[London Irish]

Works both ways doesn't it, such is what our society has become. See David Cameron and George Osborne being posh being constantly mentioned

Well, our political leadership being drawn from an absurdly tiny part of the upper classes is actually a political question, because it points to the fake non-participatory democracy we have in this country.

Ed looking a bit odd eating a bacon sandwich actually points to nothing at all.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

Looks weird, sounds weird, IS weird.

A very fair appraisal.

 

[keaton]

UKIP are, on the outside, the most non-traditional political party there is.

Really? ex-banker who wants to protect big businesses and the rich, will say anything for headlines?

 

[keaton]

Works both ways doesn't it, such is what our society has become. See David Cameron and George Osborne being posh being constantly mentioned

Is it? I'm not sure it is. Them being part of the Bullingdon club is, them being part of the Chipping Norton brigade is and their policies hitting the poorest hardest is. That's different from just posh-bashing.

 

[beorhthelm]

UKIP are polling at 24% , the electorate are beginning to see beyond the constant sniping and denigration that voting UKIP is simply a protest vote. All the political pundits predicted UKIP would see a massive drop in popularity six months after the Euro elections with six months to go before the General Election.

increased polling doesn't tell you anything about the reasons why, so it can still be protest. and 24% is a massive outlier from the trend, think you'd have to question the method/questions there. i still dont believe they'll come through with anything like their current 15-17% polling in the general election, when it means actual seats.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

UKIP are polling at 24% , the electorate are beginning to see beyond the constant sniping and denigration that voting UKIP is simply a protest vote. All the political pundits predicted UKIP would see a massive drop in popularity six months after the Euro elections with six months to go before the General Election.

Pathetic lies, why bother?
15-19 in last 20 polls.

 

[Pavilionaire]

UKIP are, on the outside, the most non-traditional political party there is. They drink beer in pubs. They come out with a load of bollocks that anybody with an ounce of sense wouldn't say. That makes them appear the complete opposite to the other three. If you asked 90% of the public were Farage was educated and his past, I can guarantee they wouldn't have a clue.

People used to vote for the Lib Dems because they've never had a sniff of power. And because they were never expected to, they could promise stuff they knew as being totally unachievable like tuition fees. Now they have had power and have had to make the tough decisions that go with it, they are tainted by it. It will be the same if (God forbid) somehow Farage becomes part of a coalition

I agree with the first part of your post but I don't agree with your assertion that people voted Lib Dem because they've never had a sniff of power. There is a significant part of the electorate - at least 10% I reckon - that really don't want to vote either Tory or Labour, mainly because they feel they can't trust either of those two parties.

How the Lib Dems do in the next GE is not so important as how they present themselves to the electorate having been in government for 5 years. If they can "sell" the argument that their record in government has been positive and effective, and they deal with the tuition fees issue upfront in the campaign, then they preserve some integrity. This will be crucial for their long-term well-being, because after the EU Referendum there won't be a need for UKIP and all those voting UKIP now will have to vote for someone else in 2020.

 

[Simster]

UKIP are polling at 24% , the electorate are beginning to see beyond the constant sniping and denigration that voting UKIP is simply a protest vote. All the political pundits predicted UKIP would see a massive drop in popularity six months after the Euro elections with six months to go before the General Election.

Yes and when the European economy picks up, UKIP will be out like a fart. They will do alright in bi-elections, council votes and Euro votes, because they're not perceived as very important by most people. However, if they got more than 2 MPs in the next GE, I will be absolutely staggered - and that's in economic conditions that suit them.

Pathetic lies, why bother?
15-19 in last 20 polls.

Oh and this. 24% my àrse.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Yes and when the European economy picks up, UKIP will be out like a fart.

According to the EU Commission representative on 5Live this morning, the UK contributes something like 7billion Euros per annum but benefits to the tune of 70billion, he literally said we get our money back tenfold. And this is with the Eurozone doing poorly.

I must say I was slightly sceptical of his figures.

 

[Simster]

According to the EU Commission representative on 5Live this morning, the UK contributes something like 7billion Euros per annum but benefits to the tune of 70billion, he literally said we get our money back tenfold. And this is with the Eurozone doing poorly.

I must say I was slightly sceptical of his figures.

I too am sceptical of that. I think the bit in bold probably explains it.

However, according to just about every single sane economist in the world, we would be worse off out of the Eurozone than inside it, which is hardly a surprise. How many economists have been heard on television or radio advocating a withdrawal from the EU? I can honestly say I haven't heard a single one because it is a stupid idea.

 

[Buzzer]

How many economists have been heard on television or radio advocating a withdrawal from the EU? I can honestly say I haven't heard a single one because it is a stupid idea.

Roger Bootle is one such economist. Professor Patrick Minford is another. I'll admit they're by far in the minority but they do exist. And let's not forget that might isn't always right. I can still remember all the doom-mongering from Lord Simon et al at the CBI with their Britain For Europe, pro-Euro campaign.

 

[Simster]

Roger Bootle is one such economist. Professor Patrick Minford is another. I'll admit they're by far in the minority but they do exist. And let's not forget that might isn't always right. I can still remember all the doom-mongering from Lord Simon et al at the CBI with their Britain For Europe, pro-Euro campaign.

He's Eurosceptic, sure, but I *think* even he doesn't advocate a withdrawal from the EU - he just wants wholesale reform.

 

[Buzzer]

He's Eurosceptic, sure, but I *think* even he doesn't advocate a withdrawal from the EU - he just wants wholesale reform.

An interview with Roger Bootle earlier this year:

http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/b...roscepticism-roger-bootle-versus-nigel-farage

"...So many of the business figures who are now urging us to stay in the EU were urging us to join the euro and were saying that all sorts of disastrous things would happen if we stayed out. Including, by the way, the idea that the City of London would suffer some sort of massive decline if we stayed outside the euro. That always struck me as complete nonsense."

and

"... My book is arguing that life outside the EU might not be a bed of roses, particularly not at first, but nor is it a path to disaster either. There are a number of reasons for thinking we’d do pretty well."

 

[jakarta]

He's Eurosceptic, sure, but I *think* even he doesn't advocate a withdrawal from the EU - he just wants wholesale reform.

And how likely is that to happen with Juncker running the current set-up?

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/nov/06/luxembourg-jean-claude-juncker-pressure-tax-deals

 

[User removed 4]

Labour do have someone who, IMHO, would make an excellent leader but she's a woman and for all their brouhaha about glass ceilings, women's equality and the number of female MPs in the shadow cabinet they're not about to appoint a woman to lead the party. That person is Yvette Cooper. True she suffers from an unfortunate coupling with Ed Balls but she's always impressed me as being a highly able politician, with good shadow cabinet experience who also manages to retain a high level of personal integrity whilst all around her are busy fiddling expense claims or shagging their secretaries!

Would that be the same Yvette cooper that flipped her second home 3 times ?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/new...r-flipped-homes-three-times-MPs-expenses.html