NJS

Fair point. I dunno - calling the global financial meltdown following the American sub prime mortgage fiasco Labours financial crisis doesnt seem like the bright new modern consensual politics line we are being spoon fed They're going to present a united front though, aren't they? I take your point like. Yeah I still object to the petty party point scoring based on what I consider a lie but I admit the bitter bit.

Fair point.

ad nauseum. Tory lapdog cunts. I'd add that cancelling ID cards aside, there is absolutely no chance of any of the civil liberty measures being reversed. And the inheritance tax change isn't ruled out - they've just put the 10k thing in as a priority to be reached first so I'd expect the tories of finding a fiddle for that quite soon.

I can't remember talk of oil around the islands before the war but the suggestion was of mineral rights in the Antarctic itself which the Falklands would provide a claim basis/logistical centre for.

It's not just Longbenton. I work in the private sector in Silverlink...but if Long Bent One lost a lot of work me and my co-workers would almost certainly be out of a job too. During the Miner's strike there was data from Germany published (which they used to justify subsidies) that suggested 1 miner's job = 30 jobs in the local economy - I assume that would apply to a lesser degree with any large employer.

That's why I get really annoyed with "forget Thatcher" sentiments - if they undid the damage then I think it would be feasible but with their lack of regret bordering on celebration and the public sector jibes suggesting another attack, I don't see it happening. The article mentions Longbenton - can anyone imagine the holocaust it would cause if they closed it down?

I would love to ask him what he thinks of someone like me who voted Labour in the South East who has a private sector job - probably parental brainwashing would be his answer. I'd also ask him to compare the benefits budget with the bank bailouts,the Olympics or Crossrail.

Hopefully with the author swinging from a lampost. Fucking staggering.

Thing that stands out for me is the 10k tax band. 20% VAT will wipe that out.

Most experts say that torture doesn't work though - Cheney keeps claiming attacks have been stopped because of it but can't prove it.

I agree but some "proper" left wing ideas would help too imo - though I think they may suffer from constant government references to clearing up their shit.

And you'll be pleased to know I had my first vomit moment on hearing a soundbite of Cameron talking about the "common good" - as sickening as hearing Ashley talking about taking the club forward.

I think as I said earlier, everyone including the Lib Dems themselves are learning exactly what has just been theory before and finding out how things actually work in this situation which I don't think is a bad thing. It will make the campaign/debate over the PR referendum quite interesting and at least "real" scenarios are now evident. My position remains the same - I can see the fairness of PR in principle but I won't vote for a system of ordinal preference.

I already said earlier when it looked like a Tory majority that there was a couple of positives in the medium term for labour and now I'd add that I hope this fucking destroys the Liberals.

"Specific genre"?

The stupid thing about a strict 5 year plan with a financial target in football is it takes no account of random factors like Vuckic being the new Ronaldo and a sale wiping out half the debt or one years loss in one hit. Even a sop like "any substantial sales will be allocated to the purchase budget" would cover that but as it is not only is there little if any moeny going out, I read it as any money coming in will be priotirised as debt clearance.

You see, all of those PR systems require second, third, nth choices - I'm sure it's not just me who finds that instinctively wrong - if I make a choice I see it as one choice. The Tory is not my nth choice or even my whatever the ordinal for infinity is - he's just not my fucking choice. (Also applies to BNP and UKIP)

I may have misunderstood the various PR systems but reading about AV if I have to put all candidates in order of preference, I won't vote.

The Lib Dems, at least, would be well advised to break down any future manifesto pledges into "this is what we want to do generally" and "these are the key points we'll insist on in the event of any coalition". At least that way you've got a positive keynote message to drum home on the campaign trail. It's harder for the big parties to sell "these are the things we'd drop"... Theres two alternative overall views on PR imo (other than the fairness debate) - you can be positive and say co-operative consensus is good and will limit "extremist" policies or you could be negative and say anyone with a bold vision would be watered down.

Take out "No new capital outlay" and I think you're right and it isn't that different to any of their previous statements about the academy and running the business "Properly" - both of which sensible people would support. Unfortunately that one phrase which I suspect they thought they could hide, sounds the death knell for the entire plan and the club itself.

I think like most things in life, you can spend a bit of money for a bit of quality without going daft - using MP3 players with the standard placca headphones is pretty criminal but I think the bloke in the article who thought he wouldn't notice a difference is probably right for a lot of people and music. I now listen to music almost exclusively on the train so I guess that's halfway between sitting down to appreciate it and it just being background (as I often nod off).

I think he, Peter Lilley and Portillo have all tried to re-invent themselves from their early days. I think Redwood is just too slimy to have done it.

Arguments about idealogical position aside, I think the Libs could sell siding with Labour as a sort of demonstration of how PR works - as far as I'm aware the idea that the biggest party has to be the main partner in a coalition isn't set in stone. I think even for the Liberals theres a sense of feeling their way around a very new situation.

Unless she intends to sentence the fat cunt to the electric chair, this is in the wrong place.

I know its completely different universes but there has supposedly been Arab interest in Man Utd over the last few months - I think a good salesman (not Keith Harris) could maybe hawk us around as a cheaper option.