DEM not gonna CON dis NATION: Rolling UK politics in the short-lived Cleggeron era

I think you should do that, in the interest of 'fairness'. There's no alternative really.

Wait a sec, I thought we were having a conversation to define what "fairness" "is"

beyoncé says get on the bus yourself, IDS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijD5WLTGnYY

GIVE BACK OUR STUFF

i hope this has mileage in it - go fawcett society go

What's the deal with Labour ministers chickening out from saying these cuts are "ideologically driven"?

Hazarding a guess that the fact that Labour agrees that some cuts have to be made means it's an argument that isn't as clear cut and easily conveyed (tho obvious to anyone with their head screwed on) as the 'economic suicide' one, the latter also having possible idea behind it of getting people to trust Labour on the economy again, something i'd imagine their policy wonks are quite keen on?

Reading an article about the South Korean grand prix circuit this morning reminded me of the Tories' attitude towards the north -

The circuit might even represent nearby Mokpo, for this sprawling coastal city on South Korea's south-western tip was the home of the main opposition party and funding was deliberately cut in an attempt to marginalise the area.

Good to see the protests against excessive wages starting though.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-11604098

STORM THE BARRICADES!
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01149/SNE2201P-682_1149111a.jpg

What's the deal with Labour ministers chickening out from saying these cuts are "ideologically driven"?

Eh? Alan Johnson said they were ideologically driven in his response immediately after.

He did at first then realised what he'd said and nuanced it severely to "some of those on the benches opposite". He then explictly said on the Andrew Marr show that he din't think the cuts were ideologically driven.

it's an argument that isn't as clear cut and easily conveyed

You tell that to the Tories and the *Scum

(this is how I will refer to the Liberal Democrats form now on)

do you think convincing people they're ideologically driven is the big vote-winner then?

Personally I think they should stfu and work out what THEY would do and how to look like a serious opposition rather than just going "THIS IS BAD!" across the house.

Sadly I think unless the coalition collapses, then the damage will be done by the next election and they should be also be thinking how they're going to clean up the mess. I'd like to think they won't just meekly accept the new status quo like they did last time, but I'm not confident in that at all.

do you think convincing people they're ideologically driven is the big vote-winner then?

Telling the truth isn't generally a vote winner, true

The Tories seem to have no problems saying the public spending of the last government was ideologaically driven nonetheless

Those of us who care about it, know that they're ideologically driven. Banging on about it isn't necessarily good politics. Matt is right, urgent and key here is offering a workable alternative and challenging the ConScums on those grounds.

(actually u&k might be giving up on this whole sorry shitheap country and turning Baader Meinhoff but hey it's Friday let's KIP)

what

Helal Uddin Abbas, Labour Party - 11,254
Alan Duffell, Green Party - 2,300
John David Macleod Griffiths, Liberal Democrats - 2,800
Neil Anthony King, Conservative Party - 5,348
Lutfur Rahman, Independent - 23,283

If you know anything about Tower Hamlets that's no surprise

'independent'

My surprise was that he got twice as many votes as Labour's Abbas.

Those of us who care about it, know that they're ideologically driven. Banging on about it isn't necessarily good politics

this

My surprise was that he got twice as many votes as Labour's Abbas.

Abbas doesn't have as many "connections" I'm guessing

James - Rahman was kicked out of the Labour Party because, I duno, they thought he was some kind of Islamist entryist or whatever. Ken then stormed over looking for a ruck and started campaigning for Rahman against the Labour Party. I'm not surprised Rahman won frankly.

Plus there was a 'Abbas is a wifebeater' whispering campaign, whispering as in "newsletters through the door, editor away on holiday denies responsibility etc"

it's a ridiculously low turnout - 20 per cent or so. feel like a real political party should be able to beat the alleged bangladeshi machine on this showing, but instead labour polled fewer votes in tower hamlets than the tories managed in hackney. feeble.

the public love infighting

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/oct/21/ruthless-tories-chewed-up-nick-clegg

well this is otm but

It is hard to detect any discernible Liberal Democrat influence in the detail of Wednesday's announcements.

hard to detect any discernible?

oh andy

anyone have a reference for this vodafone tax bill story?

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-a-colder-crueller-country-ndash-for-no-gain-2112069.html

got one...
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=514832&in_page_id=2

That might be cribbed from the Mail:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1312220/MPs-accuse-tax-fiasco-HMRC-chief-Lesley-Strathie-arrogance.html

oh aye, same author; thisismoney brought to you by the publishers of the daily mail.

Baronness Thatcher's condition has been described as "a lot brighter" as she continues her recovery from flu.

"She is a lot brighter. She is sitting up in a chair in her own room now," the spokesman said.

Hmm, wonder why Thatcher is feeling so much better all of a sudden...

you know that episode of south park where they figure out the cure for aids is sleeping on piles of cash? well the thatcher's life support is other ppls misery

ben elton over here

mama mia!

Welfare reform is now in safe hands

diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiie

More than 2 million on incapacity benefit, 900,000 of whom had spent at least a decade receiving nothing from the state

This'll be great, like when they picked up the word "inclusion" from somewhere and forced loads of disabled kids into mainstream schools where they were totally unhappy.

I thought I was going mad but I see now this is the same story that appeared on Saturday under the title "Our reforms give people on benefits the chance to show what they can achieve" - which was not as pithy but was equally mealy mouthed.

Even though I have got bored of his schtick, I did lol at Brooker on Clegg to-day.

On being the middle segment of a "human centipede"

"I've heard a lot of people say, "urgh, Nick, have you seen that film The Human Centipede, where the mad scientist joins three people together by stitching them rectum-to-mouth? Can you imagine how disgusting that'd be in real life?" And I can see how they might leap to that conclusion. But real life is about compromise – sometimes we simply have to swallow a few unpleasant things in the name of pragmatism. In many ways, the coalition is a human centipede – a group of united individuals, all pulling together in one direction – and let me tell you, from the inside, it's surprisingly cosy."

Cameron's speech on growth is an interesting turning point, up to now they've done virtually nothing other than talk about deficits and cuts, but it's the stuff on growth that will make or break the government really. They're going to have to do *something* proactive here, because "cut taxes and hope for the best" isn't going to work.

Surely Cameron won't be suggesting doing anything to intervene in the smooth running of a free market economy?

"cut taxes and hope for the best" has been the only plank in the Republican platform since 1979 and it hasn't done them much harm

Not sure what worked by-and-large for the Republicans in the most powerful nation in the world between 79 and 08 has much bearing on what'll work for the coalition in Britain in the toughest economic conditions in decades.

Cameron's speech on growth is an interesting turning point, up to now they've done virtually nothing other than talk about deficits and cuts

Difference is that they're actually doing more than talk about cuts whereas talking about growth is all they seem prepared to do

do you mean '"cut taxes and hope for the best" isn't going to work' with the electorate, or with the economy?

i sure hope not Matt

they haven't talked about cutting taxes iirc

they're raising vat

Well they're only talking about cutting business taxes, which much of the electorate isn't really interested in. Whether it works for the economy IS whether it works with the electorate. You can't have the latter without the former.