The stats that I quoted come from the apolitical Office For National Statistics (ONS) and I downloaded their PDF before I wrote the post. As you say, those folks that are on zero-hours contracts but are not getting as much work as they would like have all our sympathies; but it is arguably better than having no work at all and relying on benefits. As for Cameron writing tax pledges into law, if they get in trouble before 2020, they would simply repeal the law so it is just a publicity stunt. And just hope we are not stuck with going through all this nonsense again in a couple of months time when they have all decided that they cannot co-operate and call a second election...
Great to see a semblance of common sense from Stick. Holding Margaret high. I applaud you. Labour council in Glasgow increased their zero hour contracts in the last 12 months! When pushed they responded "these are the best type of conteacts for these positions". DO AS WE SAY NOT AS WE DO! heres hopingone auld boy in glasgow gets his 30k on tory outright @7/1 spot on! In Cameron we trust (at least til boris takes over)
The Sun in Scotland is advising the Jocks to vote SNP. The Sun in the rest of the UK is advising readers* to vote Conservative. (* those who allow The Sun to pass before their eyes; most buy it for the pictures and the football results) So Rupert Murdoch does not like Labour because Ed Miliband and his bosom buddy Russell Brand are a million miles from Tony Blair. With the Conservatives almost certain to have a minority regime and the SNP sworn to vote against them, that malaise should sell plenty of tabloids... A classic guest on Daily Politics: Boris the Guinea Pig. His answers were as sensible as the real thing! Lynton Crosby could not dream this stuff up. It was Liz Truss from the Tories who was on today’s edition of Don’t Answer Andrew Neil’s Questions, so nothing learned about child benefit policy for the next five years.
U.S citizen Rupert Murdoch would be delighted to see the break up of the UK. He's built the foundations of his media empire from ownership of two of our leading newspapers, but he's always exhibited utter contempt for our country's laws and institutions. With Cameron threatening 2years of chaos preceding a referendum on EU membership, the SNP would have the ammunition and motivation to press for a further Independance vote. It's no surprise The Sun is asking it's readers to vote whichever party is most likely to de-stabilise the UK.
My take on polittics is this .................... only truly strong characters can make a real difference. As stick mentioned, Maggie for one (although I hate her), and various others who I won't mention for fear of censure. But I put this to you - where would Deadwood have been without Al Swearangen eh?
Great interest in the U.K. election in Europe, of course. This from Deutsche Welle http://www.dw.de/uk-audience-grills-cameron-miliband-clegg-in-question-time-debate/a-18422649 (Author, Mark Hallam, is a regular writer for DW. Graduate University of Bath, BA German & Politics).
Regular readers will know that I cannot abide Miliband and most of what he stands for, but that bias aside I still think he was the biggest loser in the Question Time Leaders’ Debate where there were no winners. The woman running a small business pretty much buried Ed Balls even though he was not in the room! If UK plc were listed at Companies House, Balls would be a disqualified person along with the rest of the Labour 2010 Exchequer squad. Miliband effectively sent all his Scottish Labour MPs their P45s by categorically ruling out any sort of alliance with the SNP; and then he painted himself into a corner by stating that none of his Manifesto commitments were open to negotiation. Why did he just not tell the audience in Leeds that if he has the most seats on 8th May he will be forming a minority government and daring Alex Salmond (Nicola Sturgeon’s proxy) to sink it? Cameron came across quite well for once because wearing a suit meant that he could not play that sleeves rolled up working man image that has looked so stupid for the last week. In typical politician fashion he went with weasel words when asked about child benefits so that he did not actually make any commitment about caps or cuts. That was probably pretty stupid given the small amount of money involved (in overall spending terms). Clegg had a tough job of actually making any points because every time he tried to explain anything that the LibDems had achieved in the Coalition the audience interrupted, starting with the very first predictable question about tuition fees when the questioner just did not want to hear the explanation that Clegg has already given numerous times in the last three months. Just for good measure, Labour’s Hillary Benn continued to dig the economy hole even deeper on Daily Politics trying to explain away the structural deficit that the 1997-2010 government created when most of the world’s other developed economies were running a surplus. Whilst he was backing Miliband’s “no SNP deal” strategy, Andy Burnham was contradicting that elsewhere. Somebody take the shovel off them... I wonder if anybody from the Electoral Commission was watching the guy from the BNP because he virtually confessed on air that their submission to them was factually inaccurate, which was illegal last time I looked.
i cant abide any of them -- but the tories are by far the worst for the working class,so by default i'll be voting for the Labour guy in our area, who also dont like his leader, against the wolf in sheep clothing welsh nationalist that hides behind a big mask-- millipede for all his protestations will have to do a deal with Sturgeon and the skirt wearers
We 'skirt wearers' cannot lose in this election. Five more years of the Conservative and Unionist party will give us a further referendum as will five years of influence over a so called Labour party. As I have related on another thread if it was not for my mother's health I would move to Mittenwald in Oberbayern until I can wear my skirt in an independent Scotland. Until then I will have settle for my leather breeks (lederhosen)!!!
There is a guy that lives just around the corner from me that often wears a skirt on a Friday night, but I think you have a different kind of skirt and you do not have high heels, lipstick and long blonde hair! As a Sassanach, I have no problem with people north of the border who feel that independence is the way forward for Scotland, so long as that is the consensus.
Although my Friday night clothing remains farly staid I did, in my younger days, enjoy the feeling of a silk dress while attending Office Christmas parties!! No high heels since the ludicrous 'platforms' in the eighties, no lipstick as yet and hair is completely silver and cropped! Just an average Scot!!
Taking full account of my postings on this and the Bayern Semi threads I cannot help but feel that the Conservatives may just have played the SNP 'threat' perfectly. There may just be a slight overall majority for my political 'enemies'. Thinking about a substantial bet at 13/2!!! My Grandad will be turning in his grave if I place such a bet and profit from his lifelong foes. Time to get 'tarted' up and hit the high spots in 'Auld Reekie'.
You might be right about the Conservatives, although I think they will come up short of a majority but have the most seats. I do not think that Labour are going to have a calamity like in 1992 when John Major woke up in the morning to find that he had won when all the polls said Labour but Kinnock had blown it. Watching This Week on Thursday, there seemed to be a view that Cameron could keep his Downing Street address because the Tories could steal a few LibDem seats in the South West and that some UKIP voters might switch to them rather than risk letting Labour in. I think that was why Miliband was so keen to distance himself from the SNP as he might have figured out how Lynton Crosby is playing it.
You can get 66/1 for a Labour majority so that sums up there chances. Yet Ed Milliband is odds on to be the next PM.and No majority is long odds on. I can't imagine any party forming a coalition with any other than Lib Dems. Therefore I reckon the Any Coalition involving Lib Dems to form the next Govt at 5/4 with Coral is a banker. I also reckon Clegg would rather go in with Cameron than Milliband so the 4/1 on offer for a Tory/Lib Dem coalition is a decent bet Time for one of my ****er bets therefore: Next Government 100 points Tory/Lib Dem coalition - returns 500 Saver 80 points Any Coalition involving Lib Dems - returns 180
Good morning all, cannot be bothered looking for another thread so what do you think the chances are of Coneygree (8/1) repeating Cheltenham Gold Cup win. Not too sure of Gigginstown/Mullin's novices? Listening to Will Hoge before popping down to Lidl for half price carrot cakes!
