[Archived] The General Election 2015

[jim mk2]

Why ?

[Mike E]

Why ?

Don't be obtuse. Any coalition involving the SNP will have a nasty whiff of breaking up the Union.

[Sandiway Blue]

He can't be PM without the support of the SNP,

he has ruled that out, so maybe he is sh1t scarred of being numero uno

Well he has been on a leadership course...says a lot about him tbh.

[yoda]

Well he has been on a leadership course...says a lot about him tbh.

Did he pass ?

Was it multiple choice ?

Did it involve role playing (with women) ?

[Baz]

Well it seems that the "undecided" Leeds marketing business lady who was asking Milliband questions on Labours economic record is far from neutral.

Shes a signatory of the small businesses backing the conservatives, her business partner is the Tory MP for Harrogate, and she has appeared previously on the BBC news supporting the Conservatives.

It's also alledged she gave a thumbs up to Osborne after her appearance too.

[jim mk2]

No surprise there then - a Tory "plant" as I suggested briefed by Central Office and now it appears Osborne too.

[Gav]

Don't be obtuse. Any coalition involving the SNP will have a nasty whiff of breaking up the Union.

Ed's ruled it out.

Only the Tories keep bring it back up, you're not a Tory are you Mike?!

[Mike E]

Ed's ruled it out.

Only the Tories keep bring it back up, you're not a Tory are you Mike?!

Am I @#/?. Cameron's Govt forced councils to cut respite for carers and parents of the disabled. Something he said was vital to to his families life while caring for little Ivan.

He's a hypocritical, smug two-hat who deserves nothing less than a public flogging.

[Baz]

Am I @#/?. Cameron's Govt forced councils to cut respite for carers and parents of the disabled. Something he said was vital to to his families life while caring for little Ivan.

He's a hypocritical, smug two-hat who deserves nothing less than a public flogging.

Well a lot of people only think that the cuts are affecting those who don't want to work. It's time that the truth is actually reported by the media, along with forcing the Tories hands in declaring where their extra welfare cuts are coming from. Everyone else has a fully costed manifesto (some more believable than others to be fair), but the tories are saying nothing despite constant questions - in my experience that means they don't know, or don't want to tell.

[jim mk2]

Don't be obtuse. Any coalition involving the SNP will have a nasty whiff of breaking up the Union.

Some of the SNP's policies are positively inspired. In particular, they have recently taken the decision to fight against any Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership trade deal including ISDS - which effectively involves selling out our democracy to corporate interests. If you don't know about this then look it up.

If the SNP had candidates in England, I'd vote for them for that policy alone; but if that doesn't float your boat think about what they have to say about wanting a fairer society, their opposition to Trident, support for Europe, immigration, the NHS and education.

Here in England we've been force-fed a media-created narrative that the SNP is evil and dangerous whereas the SNP are basically what Labour used to be and what the Lib Dems could have been. A Miliband-Sturgeon partnership in Westminster would be a breath of fresh air.

[Mike E]

Some of the SNP's policies are positively inspired. In particular, they have recently taken the decision to fight against any Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership trade deal including ISDS - which effectively involves selling out our democracy to corporate interests. If you don't know about this then look it up.

If the SNP had candidates in England, I'd vote for them for that policy alone; but if that doesn't float your boat think about what they have to say about wanting a fairer society, their opposition to Trident, support for Europe, immigration, the NHS and education.

Here in England we've been force-fed a media-created narrative that the SNP is evil and dangerous whereas the SNP are basically what Labour used to be and what the Lib Dems could have been. A Miliband-Sturgeon partnership in Westminster would be a breath of fresh air.

Personally, I think opposition to a nuclear deterrent in a world with Putin and ISIS ought to pretty much be treason.

'Support' immigration? I don't know ANYONE that wants to stop immigration. Even UKIP only wish to control it in a sensible manner. The welfare system needs to change so the only reason to come here is to holiday, work or retire.

You're anti transatlantic trade? Strange man. We should be open to trade with everybody.

[Biddy]

You're anti transatlantic trade? Strange man. We should be open to trade with everybody.

To be fair, what I've read up on this, Jim is right on this one. It all sounds rosey, dressed up the way business wants it to be however you have to look at the implications of the trade agreements. If I remember, we, as a country, would lose a lot of rights to who we give business to. For example, the controversy over Bombardier losing the train building contract to the Germans a few years ago would be nothing. The major US companies would be able to basically challenge ANY decision which includes the NHS. So if you are against privatisation at the levels they are at now, that's nothing. The NHS would be completely private to US companies within a few years.

Just looked it up and this is a good read http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/what-is-ttip-and-six-reasons-why-the-answer-should-scare-you-9779688.html

[Beta Ray Bill]

Some of the SNP's policies are positively inspired. In particular, they have recently taken the decision to fight against any Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership trade deal including ISDS - which effectively involves selling out our democracy to corporate interests. If you don't know about this then look it up.

If the SNP had candidates in England, I'd vote for them for that policy alone; but if that doesn't float your boat think about what they have to say about wanting a fairer society, their opposition to Trident, support for Europe, immigration, the NHS and education.

Here in England we've been force-fed a media-created narrative that the SNP is evil and dangerous whereas the SNP are basically what Labour used to be and what the Lib Dems could have been. A Miliband-Sturgeon partnership in Westminster would be a breath of fresh air.

Ultimately the SNP want independence. The rest of their policies are a means to an end. The "once in a lifetime" referendum will be back on the agenda within the lifetime of the next Parliament. Would you favour a United Kingdom of 4 nations or 3?

[dave birch]

Mike, Biddy (and jim) are right.

The US is trying to establish a Trans Pacific Partnership as well.

All this will do is give multinational companies the right to ride roughshod over local laws and benefits that don't suit them.

We have cheap drugs through a Pharmacuetical Benefits scheme, that will go, we will have to pay the asking price of the big drug companies, so it will be a case of "don't get sick".

Quite why the world is bending over at the behest of large multinationals is beyond me, and God help us if the Republicans get in. The problem is, US citizens know no better, they've had to put up with this forever.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Miliband thinks he is Moses:

Miliband has manifesto engraved on 8ft STONE which he will put in Downing Street garden as a reminder to keep his promises

http://www.itv.com/news/update/2015-05-03/miliband-commissions-election-pledges-stone-for-no-10/

Talk about ridiculous.

[jim mk2]

Seems a good idea to me. Cameron and Clegg should have done the same.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Seems a good idea to me. Cameron and Clegg should have done the same.

If Cameron and Clegg had done the same I would think it's ridiculous as well.

The stone is going to be put in the No.10 Rose Garden where nobody can see it, if he was that proud of setting out his commitments he would have placed it somewhere where everyone could see it. It also looks like a massive tombstone, I've seen motivational pledge monuments before they do not look like that usually.

It's a PR gimmick, it will either work or it won't. Some people will think it's a good idea, some will think it's ridiculous.

[jim mk2]

Miliband would be able to see it from No 10 - which is the most important as a daily reminder of him to stick to his pledges. Where else would you expect it to be - in a public place where it could be defaced ?

[only2garners]

Nate Silver, at the end of the show, provided a similar presentation as to the one in the link, providing seat predictions. What he couldn't predict was the outcome after that, i.e. who exactly would form a government. One thing seems certain - hung Parliament.

It would be very similar as it was the same one. He has just used Hanretty's.

[K-Hod]

Are the SNP just going to keep voting for a referendum on independence until they get the result they want?

They had the chance to be independent, they bottled it, now they need to simmer down....

[thenodrog]

Catching up on the debate via iPlayer.

Miliband got found out by that audience, and he's a little weird to boot.

"Can I ask your name ?"

James.

"OK James (purses hand at chest level) let me answer that directly" repeat ad nauseum using different names.

Then that ah ah throat stutter at the beginning of each sentence.

Plus

Do you accept the previous Labour government overspent ? No

Deluded

Standard debate tactics to provide thinking time.

[K-Hod]

Just had the Tory MP for Haslingden and Bash flyering this morning, resident of the Ribble Valley of course...

Nothing wrong with wanting to live in what he perceives to be a nicer area, but it seems more than a touch hypocritical to not live in your constituency!!

[thenodrog]

Just had the Tory MP for Haslingden and Bash flyering this morning, resident of the Ribble Valley of course...

Nothing wrong with wanting to live in what he perceives to be a nicer area, but it seems more than a touch hypocritical to not live in your constituency!!

Well he's not going to dislodge Nigel is he if all that dodgy stuff didn't? Also who does live in their constituency? As far as Blackburn is concerned Straw doesn't and Castle never did either.

[K-Hod]

Every other party's candidate for around here lives in the constituency ;-)

[thenodrog]

Just as an aside all these pages of debate and I don't think anybody has mentioned Blackburn's candidates nor no mention of Jack Straw riding away into a sunset to pursue any number of lucrative deals based on nothing more than his influential contact list compiled during his political career and totally at odds with the socialist principles which saw him head up the NUS before entering politics and the Blackburn seat.

I am old enough to remember him taking over from Castle and old enough to remember Blackburn as it was and unfortunately for such a high profile personal career in politics I can see very few positives around the place but I do see lots of negatives. Pretty sure a marginal situation would have seen Jack concentrate more on his constituency than his career at Westminster. Same goes for Castle.

Just as an example I don't know what the mad councillors will dream up to commemorate Jack's time here (a few litter bins around the Ranges with his face on would be my choice but Blackburns Orbital Route renamed Barbara Castle Way when 'Baroness Castle' @#/? off .. sorry left office to retire to her Buckinghamshire mansion and enjoy the fruits of her political career still on the state nipple / european gravy train was started in the 60's and is still not completed 50 years later!!!