General Election 2010

[Park Life 71]

Same old Labour. Inherit a fantastic economy, throw money everywhere trying to make things better, leave the country broke. repeat to fade...

 

Errr it was the bankers and financiers that left the country in the state it's in.

 

 

Who removed restrictions from the bankers

 

Yeah let's ignore responsibility of the public who embraced the credit card/buy to let culture which was the real cause - easier to blame the government.

 

If the government legalised theft then people would clear the shelves. You can't expect the public at large to restrain themselves when products are offered to them even though you might have the sense to. It's up to the government to regulate the banks so loans aren't available to EVERYONE whatever their circumstances.

 

It's not the point, he's blaming Labour for the worldwide financial crisis, like banks are governable in one single territory. they're not. De-regulation happenned as a policy right across the West to various degress and especially America. Banks will bend the rules anyway and interantional banks are practiacally impossible to Govern unless there is agreeement across all of the G7.

 

In fact the earrly success of Labours economic policies was due to letting the Bank of England have more say in settting interest rates and general governanace, you can't have it both ways.

 

The Tories have been wrong about everything during this crisis and have changed their minds two or three times inc the bank bailout policy, settling debt later so as not to harm recovery etc etc...The slammed the Northern Rock thing and then changed their positon when the like of RBOS and Barclays (their traditional friends) started asking for cash as well.

Edited April 17, 2010 by Park Life

[Happy Face 29]

Same old Labour. Inherit a fantastic economy, throw money everywhere trying to make things better, leave the country broke. repeat to fade...

 

Errr it was the bankers and financiers that left the country in the state it's in.

 

 

Who removed restrictions from the bankers

 

Yeah let's ignore responsibility of the public who embraced the credit card/buy to let culture which was the real cause - easier to blame the government.

 

If the government legalised theft then people would clear the shelves. You can't expect the public at large to restrain themselves when products are offered to them even though you might have the sense to. It's up to the government to regulate the banks so loans aren't available to EVERYONE whatever their circumstances.

 

It's not the point, he's blaming Labour for the worldwide financial crisis, like banks are governable in one single territory. they're not. De-regulation happenned as a policy right across the West to various degress and especially America. Banks will bend the rules anyway and interantional banks are practiacally impossible to Govern unless there is agreeement across all of the G7.

 

In fact the earrly success of Labours economic policies was due to letting the Bank of England have more say in settting interest rates and general governanace, you can't have it both ways.

 

The Tories have been wrong about everything during this crisis and have changed their minds two or three times inc the bank bailout policy, settling debt later so as not to harm recovery etc etc...The slammed the Northern Rock thing and then changed their positon when the like of RBOS and Barclays (their traditional friends) started asking for cash as well.

 

It seemed to be the point for NJS who said it was the responsibility of the public.

 

I agree with you.

 

But then it's the job of the leadership to challenge other leaders to make a change. In the two years since the crisis there's been no change in regulation, no-one has been jailed (the SEC launched a civil fraud complaint against a single Goldman employee yesterday), there hasn't been any discussion I've seen between the G7 on how to regulate against this in future, all they've discussed is how to refinance the banks to ensure their crimes go unpunished.

 

Not that Cameron or Clegg would do anything different. I guess the point is the worldwide financial collapse shouldn't be debated in an election thread.

[Renton 22001]

I've been quite ill this week but watched the debate in a bit of a daze, and it struck me how utterly futile and pathetic Gordon Brown is. Some of his bullshit was incredible, "we have reduced the amount of immigrants coming in to the country over the last 12 months", aye when it was already by far the largest amount in Europe and remains so, and hasn't even been reduced by that fucking much! I thought his pathetic jibe at Cameron's advertising failures when it was an hour programme to have serious debate in to the future of the country, was a waste of time and the blokes a fucking idiot. John Major had more character than this bufoon.

 

We've got the most stringent imigration rules in our history, introduced by Labour, what more would you do? Make an arbitrary cap like the tories propose, or force immigrants into the provinces like the Lib Dems suggest (another cap in effect)? How does that make any sense if there's a sepcialist job in a specific area that needs to be filled , and there are no suitable candidate from this country? 'Sorry but you're number 40,001 on our list....'.

 

I suspect that the reason all the parties (including the Conservatives) are shying away from this issue is because we have no control over immigration from the EU any way, and all the sensible parties recognise how vital our continued membership is. From a personal point of view, I am fine with free travel in the EU from the traditional 'western countries', but I do have a major problem with our expansion into the Eastern block. The EU should consolidate immediately and forget about the likes of Turkey.

[Happy Face 29]

I've been quite ill this week but watched the debate in a bit of a daze, and it struck me how utterly futile and pathetic Gordon Brown is. Some of his bullshit was incredible, "we have reduced the amount of immigrants coming in to the country over the last 12 months", aye when it was already by far the largest amount in Europe and remains so, and hasn't even been reduced by that fucking much! I thought his pathetic jibe at Cameron's advertising failures when it was an hour programme to have serious debate in to the future of the country, was a waste of time and the blokes a fucking idiot. John Major had more character than this bufoon.

 

We've got the most stringent imigration rules in our history, introduced by Labour, what more would you do? Make an arbitrary cap like the tories propose, or force immigrants into the provinces like the Lib Dems suggest (another cap in effect)? How does that make any sense if there's a sepcialist job in a specific area that needs to be filled , and there are no suitable candidate from this country? 'Sorry but you're number 40,001 on our list....'.

 

I suspect that the reason all the parties (including the Conservatives) are shying away from this issue is because we have no control over immigration from the EU any way, and all the sensible parties recognise how vital our continued membership is. From a personal point of view, I am fine with free travel in the EU from the traditional 'western countries', but I do have a major problem with our expansion into the Eastern block. The EU should consolidate immediately and forget about the likes of Turkey.

 

I thought the football analogy used in response was an excellent answer. Stevie would be seething if someone who shone in the world cup couldn't sign for Newcastle because of an immigrant cap.

[PaddockLad 17654]

anybody seen "Dave" out and about lately?....he's always banging on about which members of the often inaccurately named "great British public" he's run into:

 

click here to see who Dave's met this week

[trophyshy 7084]

anybody seen "Dave" out and about lately?....he's always banging on about which members of the often inaccurately named "great British public" he's run into:

 

click here to see who Dave's met this week

 

 

"Last week, I met a gay miner, who told me that 5 more years of Gordon Brown killed Diana."

[Renton 22001]

"Last week, I met a Pakistani cabin boy, who told me that the gays set fire to a bag of kittens."

 

Edited April 18, 2010 by Renton

[Craig 6700]

Chapter and Twitterverse: Cameron's debate anecdotes picked apart on web

Tory leader fails fact-check over £73,000 police Lexus and black man who emigrated to UK without being born yet

 

Three of the anecdotes around which David Cameron built his case in the debate became the subject of questioning and raised eyebrows, as reporters, bloggers and Twitter users launched their own factchecking operations.

 

 

The £73,000 police Lexus

 

Cameron claimed that he had visited a police station in Hull where they "had five different police cars, and they were just about to buy a £73,000 Lexus". His accusation drew a sharp response from Tim Hollis, chief constable of Humberside police, who said the Tory leader was wrong on two counts: the Lexus IS-F had been bought over a year ago and hadn't cost £73,000.

 

"The bulk of our fleet are general patrol vehicles made by Proton which are economic to buy and run," Hollis said. But specialist units needed hi-spec vehicles. "They are driven at speed and the safety of the public and our officers is of paramount importance. The Lexus in question was bought for use by our highly successful roads crime section over a year ago."

 

The police had paid below the list price, which was in any case £53,000. A Conservative spokesman said: "If Hull police in fact managed to purchase their Lexus for a smaller sum then they are to be congratulated."

 

 

The black man from Plymouth

 

"I was in Plymouth recently and a 40-year-old black man actually made the point to me," Cameron recalled at the debate. "He said: 'I came here when I was six, I served in the Royal Navy for 30 years, I'm incredibly proud of my country, but I am so ashamed that we have had this out of control system with people abusing it so badly.' "

 

This, Cameron's critics swiftly noted, would have made the anonymous man just 10 years old when he joined the service in 1980.

 

When Cameron addressed an audience in Plymouth on 8 April at a community college the Plymouth Herald said he was "asked by a man who had emigrated to Britain 45 years ago and had served in the UK armed forces: 'When are we going to look after the British people?' "

 

Assuming these two unidentified men are one and the same, this would mean Cameron's 10-year-old naval recruit had somehow managed to emigrate to Britain five years before being born. One sardonic comment on Twitter summed up the widespread reaction: "There are no black men in Plymouth," observed Chris Terry. "I live here."

 

In fact, 2001 census data suggests there may be around 450 people in the Plymouth unitary authority area who describe themselves as black – about 0.19% of the population. None has yet identified themselves as Cameron's interlocutor.

 

 

The Crosby killing

 

Cameron had been in Crosby "the other day", he said, "and I was talking to a woman there who had been burgled by someone who had just left prison and he stole everything in her house and, as he left, he set fire to the sofa and her son died from the fumes and that burglar, that murderer, could be out in four-and-a-half years."

 

He was referring to the killing, in March 2008, of Ryan Dugdale, 21, by Liam O'Brien. The crime actually took place in Anfield, causing angry calls to the Crosby Herald after the debate from people who felt Cameron was unfairly branding Crosby – part of the new Lib Dem-Tory marginal seat of Sefton Central – as a dangerous place.

 

"I don't mind anecdotal evidence, but they've got to get their facts right," a local Lib Dem councillor, Jack Colbert, said.

 

 

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/ap...r-fact-checking

[Christmas Tree 4827]

How sad and typically Guardian.

 

1. I've often seen police driving around in rediculously expensive cars that are not essential to giving out tickets. Do they really need jags, lexus's etc? Do they bollox.

 

2. So in the heat of a historic debate he says 40 year old rather than 49!!!

Just a big fat oh dear.

 

3. Pathetic really.

 

 

Can't wait til he's pm

[Renton 22001]

How sad and typically Guardian.

 

1. I've often seen police driving around in rediculously expensive cars that are not essential to giving out tickets. Do they really need jags, lexus's etc? Do they bollox.

 

2. So in the heat of a historic debate he says 40 year old rather than 49!!!

Just a big fat oh dear.

 

3. Pathetic really.

 

 

Can't wait til he's pm

 

The 50 grand Lexus was a solitary command vehicle carrying 30 grands worth of surveillance equipment, to be used to tackle serious crime, not to hand out tickets (a tinge of bitterness there?). What type of cars do you think people involved in organised crime drive? Seems like a sensible use of money to me, as a lifelong tory I'd have thought you'd want to have the police equipped with decent equipment so they can do their job?

 

The other stories strongly cast doubt on the veracity of Cameron's personal anecdotes; either that or he has a memory problem. Besides, don't you find these stories just a bit cringeworthy?

 

'Can't wait til he's pm' - you're the first person I've heard that rates him at all. We're in the biggest recession in living memory and he's really struggling - seriously, casting aside your dislike of Labour, what gives you confidence in his ability to govern?

[PaddockLad 17654]

How sad and typically Guardian.

 

1. I've often seen police driving around in rediculously expensive cars that are not essential to giving out tickets. Do they really need jags, lexus's etc? Do they bollox.

 

2. So in the heat of a historic debate he says 40 year old rather than 49!!!

Just a big fat oh dear.

 

3. Pathetic really.

 

 

Can't wait til he's pm

 

The 50 grand Lexus was a solitary command vehicle carrying 30 grands worth of surveillance equipment, to be used to tackle serious crime, not to hand out tickets (a tinge of bitterness there?). What type of cars do you think people involved in organised crime drive? Seems like a sensible use of money to me, as a lifelong tory I'd have thought you'd want to have the police equipped with decent equipment so they can do their job?

 

The other stories strongly cast doubt on the veracity of Cameron's personal anecdotes; either that or he has a memory problem. Besides, don't you find these stories just a bit cringeworthy?

 

'Can't wait til he's pm' - you're the first person I've heard that rates him at all. We're in the biggest recession in living memory and he's really struggling - seriously, casting aside your dislike of Labour, what gives you confidence in his ability to govern?

 

Spot on...and he's had the best education money can buy....seriously if he can't put Brown and Clegg out of their misery next month he should just go back to being the vocalist in Keane,thick posh fucker

[Christmas Tree 4827]

How sad and typically Guardian.

 

1. I've often seen police driving around in rediculously expensive cars that are not essential to giving out tickets. Do they really need jags, lexus's etc? Do they bollox.

 

2. So in the heat of a historic debate he says 40 year old rather than 49!!!

Just a big fat oh dear.

 

3. Pathetic really.

 

 

Can't wait til he's pm

 

The 50 grand Lexus was a solitary command vehicle carrying 30 grands worth of surveillance equipment, to be used to tackle serious crime, not to hand out tickets (a tinge of bitterness there?). What type of cars do you think people involved in organised crime drive? Seems like a sensible use of money to me, as a lifelong tory I'd have thought you'd want to have the police equipped with decent equipment so they can do their job?

Like me you probably have no idea what that means with regard to needing a Lexus and dont forget they do have helicopters!

 

The other stories strongly cast doubt on the veracity of Cameron's personal anecdotes; either that or he has a memory problem. Besides, don't you find these stories just a bit cringeworthy?

Unbelievavble. Not quite getting the right age of a stranger strongly casts doubt.....Take the blinkers off. And I do recall Both the other two dragging up anecdotes.

 

'Can't wait til he's pm' - you're the first person I've heard that rates him at all. We're in the biggest recession in living memory and he's really struggling - seriously, casting aside your dislike of Labour, what gives you confidence in his ability to govern?

 

Your mixing in the wrong circles.

 

All the opinion polls have him ahead of Brown so the the majority of people asked obviously rate him.

 

And the reason the polls have him struggling is probably down to people unsure whether its better the devil you know, not that I agree with that, but given the shit so many families are in, its understandable. On top of that theres the total apathy to politics brought about lately by the fraudulent MP's.

 

Then theres the fact he looks like (and maybe is) a smarmy bastard.

 

Regardless, the country is crying out for a change, needs a change, needs putting right after 13 years of waste and 5 more years of dregs of the barrel Labour MPs would be no good at all.

[Craig 6700]

How sad and typically Guardian.

 

1. I've often seen police driving around in rediculously expensive cars that are not essential to giving out tickets. Do they really need jags, lexus's etc? Do they bollox.

 

2. So in the heat of a historic debate he says 40 year old rather than 49!!!

Just a big fat oh dear.

 

3. Pathetic really.

 

 

Can't wait til he's pm

 

To upset constituents simply because he hasn't done his homework? Yes it is really.

 

Same goes for getting the blokes age wrong - if you're going to use anecdotes, make damned sure they're 100% correct otherwise they'll come back to bite you on the arse - especially in politics!!

[Renton 22001]

How sad and typically Guardian.

 

1. I've often seen police driving around in rediculously expensive cars that are not essential to giving out tickets. Do they really need jags, lexus's etc? Do they bollox.

 

2. So in the heat of a historic debate he says 40 year old rather than 49!!!

Just a big fat oh dear.

 

3. Pathetic really.

 

 

Can't wait til he's pm

 

The 50 grand Lexus was a solitary command vehicle carrying 30 grands worth of surveillance equipment, to be used to tackle serious crime, not to hand out tickets (a tinge of bitterness there?). What type of cars do you think people involved in organised crime drive? Seems like a sensible use of money to me, as a lifelong tory I'd have thought you'd want to have the police equipped with decent equipment so they can do their job?

Like me you probably have no idea what that means with regard to needing a Lexus and dont forget they do have helicopters!

 

The other stories strongly cast doubt on the veracity of Cameron's personal anecdotes; either that or he has a memory problem. Besides, don't you find these stories just a bit cringeworthy?

Unbelievavble. Not quite getting the right age of a stranger strongly casts doubt.....Take the blinkers off. And I do recall Both the other two dragging up anecdotes.

 

'Can't wait til he's pm' - you're the first person I've heard that rates him at all. We're in the biggest recession in living memory and he's really struggling - seriously, casting aside your dislike of Labour, what gives you confidence in his ability to govern?

 

Your mixing in the wrong circles.

 

All the opinion polls have him ahead of Brown so the the majority of people asked obviously rate him.

 

And the reason the polls have him struggling is probably down to people unsure whether its better the devil you know, not that I agree with that, but given the shit so many families are in, its understandable. On top of that theres the total apathy to politics brought about lately by the fraudulent MP's.

 

Then theres the fact he looks like (and maybe is) a smarmy bastard.

 

Regardless, the country is crying out for a change, needs a change, needs putting right after 13 years of waste and 5 more years of dregs of the barrel Labour MPs would be no good at all.

 

Cameron's popularity is amazingly low considering we are in a shit storm of a recession and the fact that 90% of the written media are kicking lumps out of Brown on a daily basis. Some polls have him barely in front of Brown and he is being trounced now by Nick Clegg ffs! That's the fact of the matter.

 

Your view of the UK is much more negative than mine. I see some things that are bad and worse than pre-1997, but most the things that matter to me are much improved, and I think this is one of the best countries in the World to live in - much preferable to the States for instance which I know you are fond of.

 

The standard of politics in this election race so far though has been abysmal. The Conservatives seem to off nothing new at all. You can blame it on voter apathy all you want but it is up to them to reinvigorate the public and so far they have abjectly failed to do so.

[luckyluke 2]

I think the main problem with his anecdotes is the careful changes to the stories to make them more effective (someone else posted that he was in Hull last August, not 'the other day' as he claimed), i.e. basically he's a rich man's Scott Templeton*.

 

 

 

*For those of you who haven't seen The Wire, he's a lying ruthless cunt.

[Christmas Tree 4827]

I think the main problem with his anecdotes is the careful changes to the stories to make them more effective (someone else posted that he was in Hull last August, not 'the other day' as he claimed), i.e. basically he's a rich man's Scott Templeton*.

 

 

 

*For those of you who haven't seen The Wire, he's a lying ruthless cunt.

 

IE. A Politician.

[luckyluke 2]

I think the main problem with his anecdotes is the careful changes to the stories to make them more effective (someone else posted that he was in Hull last August, not 'the other day' as he claimed), i.e. basically he's a rich man's Scott Templeton*.

 

 

 

*For those of you who haven't seen The Wire, he's a lying ruthless cunt.

 

IE. A Politician.

 

Well, true. I'm sure Brown and Clegg's anecdotes are probably souped up in a similar fashion. But I can't be bothered to research them, and someone has researched Cameron's. And that doesn't make his lying any less palatable.

[Happy Face 29]

I think the main problem with his anecdotes is the careful changes to the stories to make them more effective (someone else posted that he was in Hull last August, not 'the other day' as he claimed), i.e. basically he's a rich man's Scott Templeton*.

 

 

 

*For those of you who haven't seen The Wire, he's a lying ruthless cunt.

 

IE. A Politician.

 

Some are more cuntish than others though.

 

There was a very funny moment on 'The Bubble' recently when Robert Webb (who'd been locked away for days) was asked which politician he thought had been caught selling his influence and described himself as like a 'cab for hire'. After pondering just a second or two he got it spot on with Byers.

 

You can just tell which of them are the slimiest, odious fuckers. Cameron and Osborne would be right up there.

[ChezGiven 0]

I think the use of anecdote to promote an idea of a broken society is shit trick to pull on people.

[NJS 4411]

I think the use of anecdote to promote an idea of a broken society is shit trick to pull on people.

 

It's ringing a bell with me from a comedy show with maybe a bishop character having a catchphrase along the lines of "I was taling to a man today" - Kenny Everett? Anyone remember?

[Christmas Tree 4827]

Seems like this election is all over the place. After Cleggs sucess, commentators now reckon Brown will get a massive bounce as he uses Ark Royal to "rescue" stranded Brits.

 

Hope the Camerons don't have a dog!

[PaddockLad 17654]

I think the use of anecdote to promote an idea of a broken society is shit trick to pull on people.

 

It's ringing a bell with me from a comedy show with maybe a bishop character having a catchphrase along the lines of "I was taling to a man today" - Kenny Everett? Anyone remember?

 

Sounds a bit like the spoof "pause for thought" Mark and Lard used to do in the mornings.

 

The tories are not only using made up anecdotes to promote the comcept of "broken Britain", the phrase itself is lifted verbatum from a Sun front page headline. The former editor of the notw,Andy Coulson, is now head of communications for the tories. Murdoch has got his own placeman at the heart of the tory machine now, and he wants to destroy the BBC, something Cameron has mildly alluded to recently. The whole thing fuckin stinks. Murdoch is going to have as much access to the PM if Cameron gets in as the union leaders had in the 70s, in and out of no 10 every week. The thought of Murdoch having an even more significant influence on government then he does at the moment makes me feel ill

[PaddockLad 17654]

Seems like this election is all over the place. After Cleggs sucess, commentators now reckon Brown will get a massive bounce as he uses Ark Royal to "rescue" stranded Brits.

 

Hope the Camerons don't have a dog!

 

The Ark Royal has just been fixed after its last refit last year....it didnt get out of the channel before the engine room caught fire

 

Its in Pompey dockyard at the moment, I'm willing to bet good money it won't make Calais

[Renton 22001]

I think the use of anecdote to promote an idea of a broken society is shit trick to pull on people.

 

It's ringing a bell with me from a comedy show with maybe a bishop character having a catchphrase along the lines of "I was taling to a man today" - Kenny Everett? Anyone remember?

 

Sounds a bit like the spoof "pause for thought" Mark and Lard used to do in the mornings.

 

The tories are not only using made up anecdotes to promote the comcept of "broken Britain", the phrase itself is lifted verbatum from a Sun front page headline. The former editor of the notw,Andy Coulson, is now head of communications for the tories. Murdoch has got his own placeman at the heart of the tory machine now, and he wants to destroy the BBC, something Cameron has mildly alluded to recently. The whole thing fuckin stinks. Murdoch is going to have as much access to the PM if Cameron gets in as the union leaders had in the 70s, in and out of no 10 every week. The thought of Murdoch having an even more significant influence on government then he does at the moment makes me feel ill

 

Good point about Murdoch. Fuck that bastard, I'm going to cancel my Sky Sports subscription in protest tonight at around 10 pm.

 

In all seriousness though, it's worrying. The loss of the BBC and the further growth of Sky is a horrific prospect, let alone the direct influence that Ozzie cunt will have on our government.

[Happy Face 29]

NICK CLEGG, the Liberal Democrat leader who until a few days ago was little known to voters, is now the most popular party leader since Winston Churchill, a new Sunday Times poll reveals.

 

Following his decisive victory in last week’s television debate, Clegg has surged to a higher approval rating than Tony Blair at the peak of new Labour’s popularity.

 

Last night, as the YouGov survey showed that the three parties are almost neck and neck, Labour and the Tories desperately tried to respond to the Clegg phenomenon.

 

The general election has become a genuine three-way contest with the Lib Dems, on 29%, enjoying their strongest support in almost 30 years.

 

Clegg’s party is one point behind Labour on 30%, with the Tories on 33% having a slender lead of three points. The poll suggests David Cameron’s Tories are on course to secure 239 seats, only 46 more than they have now.

 

Labour, despite being second in terms of the popular vote, would get the most seats, with about 287 MPs, giving Gordon Brown a fighting chance of clinging on as prime minister.

 

The number of Lib Dem MPs would increase from 63 to 93, putting them in a strong position to dictate terms in a hung parliament.

 

Clegg himself has an almost unprecedented approval rating of 72%, ahead of Cameron on 19% and Brown on minus 18%.

 

Churchill had an 83% approval rating in 1945, just a few months before he lost the general election.

 

The Tories, who have been the biggest victims of the Clegg surge, last night sent out one of their big hitters to attack the Lib Dems’ policies and leadership. In an interview with The Sunday Times, William Hague, the shadow foreign secretary, claimed that a vote for Clegg was a vote for the “European super-state”.

 

Cameron, on the campaign trail yesterday, begged voters not to snub the Tories. “A hung parliament would be a bunch of politicians haggling, not deciding,” he said.

 

Labour stepped up its charm offensive against Clegg with Peter Hain, the cabinet minister, saying the party was ready to do deals on controversial issues such as tax and nuclear weapons.

 

The strategy is designed to persuade Lib Dem supporters in Labour-Tory marginals to vote tactically for Labour.

 

By emphasising the similar agendas of the two parties, Labour also hopes to coax Lib Dem MPs into backing Brown in a future hung parliament.

 

The Lib Dems last night said they would resist the squeeze from the two main parties and revealed a surge in donations, with £120,000, mainly in small sums, coming in during the 24 hours after the debate.

 

There has also been an eight-fold increase in visits to the party’s website, with Lib Dem strategists plotting how to capitalise on the new interest in their leader.

 

Clegg, speaking yesterday on a visit to the London hospital where his third son was born recently, said: “A growing number of people are starting to hope that real change and real fairness is finally possible in Britain.”

 

Such a three-horse race is unprecedented in post-war British history. The last time all the parties were in such close contention in a general election campaign was in the 1920s.

 

Most snap polls rushed out after Thursday’s debate suggested that while Clegg was the victor, Cameron had come second ahead of Brown.

 

The Sunday Times Poll of 1,490 adults conducted over the past two days confirmed that Clegg had been the most “impressive” with 70% backing him. But Brown took second place with 12% and Cameron, who had been considered the favourite to win the debate, trailed in third with just 10% support.

 

With the Tories rattled, Hague made an outspoken attack on Clegg, claiming that the former EU official and MEP was ready to “sign up for anything that has ever been on offer or proposed from the European Union”.

 

“It is their policy to join the euro,” Hague added. “That is completely out of step with the majority of people in the country.” He also appealed for voters to switch back to the Conservatives, claiming a hung parliament would lead to an unpopular second general election.

 

The Sunday Times poll suggests Hague’s appeal may fall on deaf ears. With many people unexcited by the two main parties, a total of 53% say that a hung parliament with the Lib Dems holding the balance of power would be a “good thing”.

 

Labour cabinet ministers last night responded to the growing popularity of the Lib Dems by offering concessions to the party’s sympathisers.

 

In remarks that will irritate tribal Labour members, Hain, the Welsh secretary, announced that the party should be ready to negotiate with the Lib Dems, not just on constitutional reform but also on tax and Trident.

 

The Lib Dems are proposing that anyone earning £10,000 or less a year should no longer pay income tax and that our submarine-based deterrent should be scrapped in favour of a cheaper system.

 

However, Hain, in an interview with The Sunday Times, said there was “common ground” even on these issues where traditionally the two parties have been at war.

 

“Their particular policies on tax do not add up at the present time,” said Hain. “However, our ambition would be to lift the burden on the lowest paid and to do it over time when it is affordable, so there is a common agenda.”

 

He added: “We are absolutely firmly committed to a nuclear deterrent. Within that, time scales, affordability and all of that agenda, there is scope to negotiate.”

 

Hain called on Clegg to set aside his personal hostility towards Brown and to prepare to work with Labour after the election. “Personal chemistry should not get in the way of the national interest,” he said.

 

Professor Colin Rallings of Plymouth University, the elections expert, said the Lib Dem surge was putting serious pressure on the Tories.

 

“At this level of distribution of votes there is no situation where Lib Dem strength benefits the Tories. They would need to be topping 40% before they would benefit from the Lib Dem resurgence,” he said.

 

“You have to go back to elections in the 1920s when the Liberals were split and Labour was on its way back to have this sort of three-way contest in a British general election.”

 

In the past week the Lib Dems have risen by 11 points from 18%, the Tories have slipped by seven points from 40% and Labour has fallen by two points from 32%.

 

Other polls confirmed the Lib Dem bounce, with one by BPIX for The Mail on Sunday putting the party in the lead on 32%, ahead of the Tories on 31% and Labour on 28%. A ComRes poll for the Sunday Mirror put the Lib Dems on 29%, Labour on 27% and the Conservatives in the lead on 31%.

 

+ An ex-soldier publicly berated Cameron for failing to help him as the Tory leader staged a walkabout in his Oxfordshire constituency. The man told Cameron: “You gave me your card and said, ‘Give me a ring and I’ll help you out’.” But the veteran insisted that Cameron had failed to respond to 30 telephone calls.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/poli...icle7100966.ece

 

Love the last paragraph

Edited April 19, 2010 by Happy Face