UKMT May: Elections! (which won't fix anything)

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > UKMT May: Elections! (which won't fix anything)

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

a pipe smoking dog posted:

A major fraud trial has just been stayed because the defendants can't afford proper representation because of the legal aid cuts to very high cost crimes, which basically means that it is now impossible for the crown to prosecute in complex cases. Really Chris Grayling should be forced to resign over this but I doubt it will even make the lunchtime news.

Also the defence barrister (working pro bono) is Alexander Cameron QC better known as the PMs brother.

It is on the BBC frontpage. Hopefully it gets airtime.

Antti posted:

I'm not British so the slope thing went right over my head, although in hindsight it's obvious if you call a person a slope that it's a slur.

Who said Top Gear isn't educational?

Slope isn't a British thing either, the outrage over it was the first time I'd heard it. I thought they were just talking about their lovely bridge :shrug:

twoot fucked around with this message at 11:31 on May 1, 2014

# ¿ May 1, 2014 11:28

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# ¿ May 9, 2024 21:50

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

a pipe smoking dog posted:

A major fraud trial has just been stayed because the defendants can't afford proper representation because of the legal aid cuts to very high cost crimes, which basically means that it is now impossible for the crown to prosecute in complex cases. Really Chris Grayling should be forced to resign over this but I doubt it will even make the lunchtime news.

Also the defence barrister (working pro bono) is Alexander Cameron QC better known as the PMs brother.

When they couldn't find representation within the English legal system, they even attempted to find Scottish and NI advocates.

quote:

37.
Enquiries have been made without success with the Bar of Northern Ireland and the Faculty of Advocates in Edinburgh, including those with dual qualifications which allow them to appear in courts in England and Wales.

It is so bad they wouldn't even restrict it to those only with dual training. Legal representation from people in a different system :ughh:

# ¿ May 1, 2014 18:24

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

On the subject of property bubbles The Torygraph has a translation of China's biggest property developer talking about their property bubble situation; http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/ambroseevans-pritchard/100027199/chinese-anatomy-of-a-property-boom-on-its-last-legs/

Anti-corruption measures leading to the elite offloading their ill-gotten properties at enormous discounts, facilitating the bursting of a property bubble. There goes our fake recovery.

# ¿ May 2, 2014 17:21

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

LemonDrizzle posted:

I suspect that it's quite a bit easier to hide a house in London from the Chinese authorities than one in Beijing or Shanghai.

Chinese owned property in London isn't the thing, it's that when China's property bubble bursts it could have an enormous negative effect on the world economy.

# ¿ May 2, 2014 17:32

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

On the subject of longer weekends, the movie industry is doing something amusing.

The new Seth Rogen movie is released today in the UK, but its true opening is next weekend, so it will have a 9 day "opening weekend" of box office figures to quote.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O342yliLVKk&t=34s

# ¿ May 3, 2014 09:43

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

UKIP forced to cancel Freepost address after being sent FAECES in the post With some pictures of what people were sending.

also this picture

stare into those eyes :stonk:

# ¿ May 4, 2014 22:45

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

The conference proposal won't pass.

It being brought up at all is just a sad acceptance that raising the health budget just isn't going to happen. loving Zanu-LIEbour Party.

# ¿ May 7, 2014 13:42

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

Trickjaw posted:

You know what your on about though. I had visions of hordes of people with a poorly tummy or a headache crowding around an A&E dept.

There aren't hordes of them, but the attempted use of A&E as a quick GP appointment is a problem even now. Made worse by the closure of walk-in clinics.

# ¿ May 7, 2014 14:03

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

'I make �120,000 but I can�t recall the last time we went out for dinner�

quote:

The British economy is looking buoyant. With a growth in GDP of three per cent, UK Plc is once more afloat. But a rising tide should lift all boats � and so far there is little sign of that in the becalmed waters of the Squeezed Middle.

Having previously urged the Chancellor to ease austerity measures or jeopardise growth, the International Monetary Fund has now conceded that the UK will be among the best performing of the world�s largest economies.

George Osborne is chipper, but for the Squeezed Middle, who are struggling to keep their proverbial heads above water financially, the mood is far from optimistic.

This week we learn that a fifth of families are moving to bigger houses rather than downsizing when their children fly the nest � because parents fear their fledglings will boomerang straight back when they can�t afford homes of their own. And a warning has been sounded by Halifax, Britain�s biggest mortgage lender, that parents are placing their pensions at risk in order to help their adult offspring clamber on to the property ladder, as a typical deposit now stands at �31,000. It might be manageable for one child, but for two or more, the costs could be crippling.

�The growing expectation from first-time buyers that parents will fund the purchase of their home puts parents in a difficult position,� says Halifax spokesman Craig McKinlay, who described the survey results as �surprisingly bleak�.

�More parents are dipping into their savings and don�t envisage it being repaid, compromising their retirement funds. Parents have to balance generosity to their children against self-preservation.�

According to consumer analysts, the most affluent shoppers have remained relatively unaffected by the downturn; the poorest are used to working to a budget. It is those in the middle that have seen the most painful drop in disposable income over the past five years.

Thus, with profits falling at Tesco, dubbed by one retail expert as the �canary in the coalmine� for the Squeezed Middle, the company announced this week that is creating discounted �pound zones� in order to go head-to-head with Poundland. Sainsbury�s sales have dropped off for the first time in nine years. And although Waitrose enjoys growth due to its affluent customer base, it is Aldi and Lidl whose profits and market share are really on the up (and up), thanks to an influx of economising middle-class customers.

�People in the middle don�t have anything like as much money to play with as they did back in the boom years,� says Matthew Piner, research director at retail analysts Conlumino. �Their disposable income has been so eroded by slow or no wage growth and rising bills that they are spending much less freely.�

The collective mood plays a big role in national confidence and because of spending cuts and talk of ongoing austerity, people are generally a lot more worried about the future than they were 10 or even five years ago. �That more cautious mentality means people want to put more money aside, but as the British economy still remains over-reliant on consumer spending, every pound tucked away is one less pound circulating in the economy.

�It�s all very well for politicians to target economic recovery, measured in terms of GDP, but if people aren�t feeling any better off then perhaps we need to find a different way to quantify 'success�,� says Piner. �Asked if they would rather have three per cent GDP growth or a bit more money in their pocket, it�s not hard to guess what most people will say.�

The middle-class pillars of self-reliance, saving for the future and investing in their children may be shaking precariously, but they have not crumbled away entirely. A survey by Nutmeg, an online savings and investment management service aimed at professionals, recently revealed that around 72 per cent of UK adults across the socio-economic spectrum have had to cut back every day expenditure due to the rising cost of their monthly bills. Yet they continue to focus on the future.

"The past few years, since the 2008 credit crisis, have been extremely difficult and the squeezed middle have certainly suffered, along with others � the younger generation, in particular,� is the verdict of Nutmeg chief executive and co-founder, Nick Hungerford.

Education remains a cornerstone, although in the light of the protracted belt-tightening, independent schools are offering greater support in the form of scholarships and bursaries. According to the Independent Schools Council, over a third of pupils at its 1,250 member schools receive help with fees.

Even in the face of difficult economic conditions, and average term fees of �5,000, rising to �9,600 for boarding, total pupil numbers have risen rather than fallen over the past year, in marked contrast to the beginning of the recession when there was an abrupt drop. It illustrates that no matter how hard-pressed the middle feels, on some issues there will be no compromise.

�I recently heard a parent say, 'You can tell the middle-class parents, because they will go to almost any lengths to send their child to an independent school�,� says Janette Wallis of The Good Schools Guide. �There is a spirit that even where they can�t afford school fees, they will use what resources they have to move house to be in the catchment area of a good state school or pay for tutoring for the 11-plus.�

Claims last week that children from poorer backgrounds are to be given priority at a great many grammars comes as yet another setback. But it is one the Squeezed Middle will, as is their wont, find a way to cope with.

�The squeeze has really hit me and my family. Even though we have a reasonable income we have had to economise, swapping Ocado deliveries for trips to Tesco, never changing our cars or going on city breaks. I can�t remember the last time we went out for dinner,� says Guy Jackson, 53, a financial compliance officer in the City, who lives in Farnham, Surrey, with his wife, Sharon, 50, and their sons Tom, aged 17, and Harry, 16.

Much of Jackson�s �120,000 basic salary � which is at the upper end of the Squeezed Middle � goes on his sons� school fees. The boys attend Lord Wandsworth College, the independent day and boarding school that counts rugby legend Jonny Wilkinson among its alumni.

�The boys are flexi-boarders, so they stay at school on various nights of the week,� says Jackson. �Annually it�s costing �45,000 after tax, which is a considerable outlay, but I�m happy to pay because I want them to have the best start.�

With the prospect looming of university with fees of up to �9,000 a year, he has some tough decisions to make. �I have a �350,000 mortgage that I have to start paying off if I want to retire when I�m 65, so the boys will have to get loans,� he says. �I also worry about whether they will ever manage to get onto the property ladder and will do all I can to help � but by the same token, I don�t want to become a cash cow. The truth is, I can�t afford to keep on supporting them.�

Jackson�s tone is matter-of-fact. Like the rest of the Squeezed Middle, he is keenly aware that his situation evokes little sympathy. �I know if I were to have a conversation with someone on a council estate, they would think I was mad,� says Jackson, wryly. But the trickle-down economics central to wealth creation is only effective if benefits accrue to every stratum of society. And the more the finances of people like Jackson are constricted, the less they spend on goods and services. The less they spend, the more providers of goods and services will suffer.

�But with taxation at its current levels and the rising cost of essentials, it is quite difficult for people like me to maintain our standard of living in the current climate, and that is a worry.�

� For ideas on paying less tax, saving money and growing your wealth, receive our weekly money newsletter. Click here and enter your email

# ¿ May 7, 2014 15:40

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

Seaside Loafer posted:

For what purpose? just loving ad traffic is that what you are saying?

Look at MailOnline or Buzzfeed/ect if you want to see this expanded to be an entire business model.

# ¿ May 8, 2014 00:53

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

kingturnip posted:

My experience of primary care suggests that the sort of GPs who want to be in charge of things are the sorts of GPs most sane people wouldn't want in charge of things.
They're the kind who spend more time working out how to maximise their income than thinking of how they can benefit their patients.

Obviously exceptions exist, but I'd guess that more than half of the CCGs are run by total shithead GPs.

I don't know about CCGs, but according to my mum (a GP) in general there are two types of people in GP management;

- The careerist types that you mentioned; usually have decided they don't much like patient interaction; beeline for management positions; a large minority are totally insufferable.

- The sad cases; would rather remain in patient contact; have at some point in their career accepted some form of management responsibility and have since had more and more roles piled onto them as other people have quit. These folk are usually just treading water and are quite naive.

In around 5-10 years a huge number of the later group are going to retire and things are going to get very complicated.

# ¿ May 8, 2014 23:31

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad posted:

Good news, everyone!

We might get to do The Sports again http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/could-rio-games-come-to-london-olympic-bosses-make-secret-plea-to-use-2012-venues-9344084.html

Or, newspaper writes about something that's not going to happen, more at 11.

I'd be okay with this if Danny Boyle gets to do the opening ceremony again.

# ¿ May 9, 2014 14:17

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

Tories want to introduce strike ballot thresholds

quote:

A future Conservative government would introduce a threshold on union ballots for strike action, Prime Minister David Cameron has said.

The PM pledged to take action on the matter if he won a majority in the 2015 general election.

In an interview with BBC London 94.9 Mr Cameron said he could not deliver the changes in coalition because the Liberal Democrats were "not keen".

Mr Cameron said: "I want a Conservative government to pass new legislation so that strikes in central public services can't go ahead unless there is a proper threshold crossed in terms of the number of people taking part in the ballot.

"Of course there is a right to strike in this country, but in essential services, isn't it worth saying there ought to be a threshold before a strike is called, which causes so much damage?

"I am keen on it and a new Conservative government would deal with that."

twoot fucked around with this message at 14:57 on May 9, 2014

# ¿ May 9, 2014 14:51

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

The poor Farage got utterly barraged by nasty Scots again

# ¿ May 10, 2014 10:55

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

Britain First Political Election Broadcast 2014

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

:magical:

# ¿ May 10, 2014 19:52

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

I felt a great disturbance in the force - it's Peter Hitchens arguing for Rail renationalisation in today's Mail.

:magical:

# ¿ May 11, 2014 13:21

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

LemonDrizzle posted:

the Labour party invested heavily in the NHS

Like how after privatising cleaning services, cleanliness standards tanked and they had to pump money in to get infection control back up to snuff ~investment~. Or maybe PFI did lead to trusts getting some nice facilities, at the expense of being insolvent ~investment~

I suppose it depends on a person's degree of cynicism whether Labour intentionally funnelled public money into private hands under the guise of ~investment~, or whether they simply did it through sheer force of incompetence, but New Labour facilitated the near monopolization of service provision by ATOS et al and they've made off like bandits with our money.

Darth Walrus posted:

Does that apply to Scottish Labour, though? I'm aware that the same party can have a different culture in different regions, and Scottish Labour have quite a rep as toxic shitheels.

There is no registered party called 'Scottish Labour', there is the Scottish extent of the UK Labour party; who are composed of D-list/failed councillors and have been noted for going right as the SNP has come at them from the left ("something for nothing culture :qq:

"), and their last leader hiding in a sandwich shop to avoid protesters.

twoot fucked around with this message at 14:43 on May 11, 2014

# ¿ May 11, 2014 14:32

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

EvilGenius posted:

I forgot, in my impotent rage, that I was going to ask something.

What's likely to happen to free schools and academies if the Tories lose the next election? Do they continue to get funding? Do they get their funding cut and become private schools? Do they simply get shut down? This yet another issue with the free school concept - not only do you end up with schools run by entirely unqualfied people, with suspect motives, you're tying these schools to a political party and ideology that isn't necessarily going to be around in a few years.

I'd guess that Labour will be too cowardly to nationalise them. After that if the Swedish example is anything to go by, then over time free schools will get bought out and grouped by larger and larger free-school management companies, who will strip them dry of investment and eventually lead them to near failure - when they'll need to get taken back into public ownership. Classic.

# ¿ May 11, 2014 17:55

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

HortonNash posted:

Wait, wait, are UKIP secretly trying to arm and motivate La Revoluci�n?

I suppose that it would be less depressing to view everything Farage says as if he is really an accelerationist :smith:

# ¿ May 11, 2014 19:46

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

Dudley Conservative leaflet.

# ¿ May 12, 2014 15:09

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

KKKlean Energy posted:

I'm chalking that one up to bone-headed stupidity rather than malice. If they really want conservatives voters to not flock to UKIP, they'd have made that bar pathetically small instead of disproportionately big.

Dubious election leaflet bar-graph aren't new, that one is just the most nakedly false I've seen. If they hadn't intentionally coloured the bar blue I might think it was simple error.

Here is another dubious bar-graph, this time UKIP from a few weeks ago;

# ¿ May 12, 2014 15:45

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

Broniki posted:

What makes Scottish Labour particularly bad compared to Labour? My family live in the central belt so they've never not voted for them.

They are devoid of talent, ideas, and a reason for being. They simply coast on the ~30% of voters who vote for the red rosette. It is just painfully obvious that they never expected to have to fight in Holyrood, and just viewed it as a way to always be able to throw rocks at Tories if they got voted out of Westminster. When faced with the SNP coming at them from the left, they've tried to ape the "something for nothing" rhetoric of Westminster and it has fallen flat on its face.

Gerry Hassan wrote something about it: The Strange Story of Scottish Labour: Unloved and Misunderstood.

When it comes to fighting Independence Scottish Labour is utterly paralysed, they cannot even attempt to propose minor new powers for Holyrood (not even close to "devomax") because it would inevitably lead to the West-lothian question being answered and compromising the ability of the PLP. Scottish Labour MPs threatened to boycott the Scottish spring conference if Scottish Labour even so much as mentioned devolving welfare.

twoot fucked around with this message at 17:50 on May 12, 2014

# ¿ May 12, 2014 17:48

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

BNP Youth - Fight Back

:tviv:

these videos can get worse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oczj6thd4CY

:qq:

whites are being oppressed :qq:

# ¿ May 13, 2014 17:21

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

Lord of the Llamas posted:

So the European elections are coming up, but I don't really know who I'm going to vote for. I always used to vote Lib Dem for the EU elections as they were the most pro-European party but , etc, has put me off them. Labour aren't reliably pro-EU in my opinion, are the SNP an option? I'm not pro-independence but maybe for the EU elections they're a better choice than the lovely Scottish Labour list?

Vote SNP if you recognise that Labour are lovely. Although if the latest polling is correct it probably doesn't matter, the only seat which is in play will be between the Tories and UKIP. Nobody else really has a chance unless something weird happens with the turnout.

# ¿ May 15, 2014 19:25

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

LemonDrizzle posted:

That's not true - there are three outcomes that are possible and plausible: SNP 3/Labour 2/Tories 1, SNP 3/Labour 2/UKIP 1, and SNP 2/Labour 2/Tories 1/UKIP 1.

The later would happen if the polls have been overstating the SNP's share, which could be the case if their ex-Lib Dems don't turn out. But I'd bet that it goes 3/2/1 with the Tories keeping their seat.

ShaneMacGowansTeeth posted:

So the election campaigns are in full swing and I'm fully stuck in coalition hell in Portsmouth and yet this drops through my door...

We always keep our promises.... to alter the UK's constitution with our single MEP.

Stottie Kyek posted:

The SNP just told their members to vote against a bill supporting a living wage and taking action on blacklisting and zero-hours contracts, they're not especially left-wing themselves. They make a big noise about how post-independence they'd support anti-poverty measures though, but they aren't using the powers they have right now for it. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-27386503

The SNP are by no means bright-red socialists, but their track record in power and their manifesto is to the left of Labour and that doesn't look likely to change when Labour criticises benefit universalism as "something for nothing". I support the amendment in principle (despite it probably being against EU law) but as far as I can tell Labour proposed that amendment with no plans for how to fund the extra expenditure, but it would probably necessitate cuts elsewhere.

twoot fucked around with this message at 22:00 on May 15, 2014

# ¿ May 15, 2014 21:57

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

LemonDrizzle posted:

How do you figure? The last reliable poll of Scottish euro voting intentions had it at SNP 33%, Lab 31%, Con 12%, UKIP 10%, Lib Dem 7%, Other 7%. Taking those figures at face value, that means that once the SNP and Labour have taken their first two MEPs, the SNP's corrected vote share drops to 11%, so if the Tories and UKIP both poll above 11%, they take the last two seats. The Tories are already there, and UKIP may well be too given the swing they've seen elsewhere in the country since the poll was conducted last month.

I had been basing my posts on the last ICM poll which had the SNP at 38.

# ¿ May 16, 2014 11:23

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

Satire is dead

Samsung to rebrand Heathrow airport's Terminal 5 'Terminal Samsung Galaxy S5'

It sounds like a branded disease.

# ¿ May 16, 2014 15:54

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

baka kaba posted:

How the gently caress does that argument even fly? Whenever there's a privatisation proposal it's always backed by some report that suggests that - get this! - the private sector could increase competition and innovation and improve outcomes! Even ignoring that this doesn't happen, the proposals are the exact same poo poo every time, but they're always presented and reported as some novel idea that's the result of fresh thinking and serious analysis.

The right-wing press has been banging on about how the UK social services are literally Nazis for at least a decade now. The most recent exposure would probably be that story about how Social workers supposedly ordered surgeons to perform a c-section on a woman. It was utter loving nonsense but the services are obviously constrained by confidentiality and so cannot respond in a way sufficient to silence the bullshit. Christopher Booker in the Telegraph is probably the worst, he ignores context and presents complicated cases as if the family court and social work systems exist solely to poo poo on old Christian family values. Problems caused by chronic understaffing and underfunding are presented as personal failings of Social work staff when poo poo goes wrong. Their answer to these things is that Social Work must be privatised.

twoot fucked around with this message at 21:35 on May 16, 2014

# ¿ May 16, 2014 21:30

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

UKIP's Scotland region MEP candidate tried to hold a press conference in a Tesco store cafe in Shettleston. About 10 kippers turned up, along with some protesters, then the manager called the police and kicked them out.

# ¿ May 21, 2014 16:01

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

ThomasPaine posted:

gently caress I just looked at the results for the 2010 election on a whim and I've only just noticed how screwed the British political system is. The Tories get 306 seats with 36.1% of the vote while the Lib Dems get only 57 with 23%? Christ FPTP is a joke.

If you think that is bad check out 1983

The spoiler effect is an amazing thing :suicide:

# ¿ May 22, 2014 23:13

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

SybilVimes posted:

Eikonoklastes Bluebell New Jerusalem 116 Green Party

That is quite a name :magical:

# ¿ May 23, 2014 14:31

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

The government is planning a youth detention rape shed. But they care so it'll have a mother and baby unit too :thumbsup:

# ¿ May 24, 2014 11:57

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

ronya posted:

wait, what are the problems with the gcse/gce that call for a single exam board

Exam boards were/are competing to offer the easiest exams to schools, who would pick them because they needed to maximise their number of C passes. It is the crossover of a few perverse incentives.

# ¿ May 25, 2014 12:37

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

keep punching joe posted:

Question to Labour party members (not that there are likely to be any here).

Why is Ed Miliband the leader of the Labour party? How did he get there? Can't you just get rid of him?

The party has a final chance to chuck him at the next conference, other than that he has to resign. Neither is going to happen because a leadership scuffle <1 year out from the general will have a worse result that keeping him.

# ¿ May 26, 2014 01:37

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

School Nickname posted:

Will this put any additional pressure on Clegg, you think?

I suppose the interesting question is who would replace him even if he was willing to stand down. Vince Cable would obviously be the frontrunner, but if he didn't want it then who? We can probably rule out those in Scottish seats (even if not then Jo Swinson is going to lose her seat next year, and Danny Alexander is in a 3 way with Labour and the SNP where tactical voting might oust him). David Laws has the expenses thing. Ed Davey, euh. It doesn't look good for them.

in other news Insurers 'snooping on GP records'

quote:

Data watchdogs are to investigate claims that Britain's leading life insurers are being given full access to GP records.

The Information Commissioner will look into concerns that insurers are routinely accessing medical records, including details about contraception, mental health and relationships, without customer consent.

Surprising nobody, it was predicted from the moment the idea was floated.

# ¿ May 26, 2014 16:14

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

# ¿ May 26, 2014 23:29

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

LemonDrizzle posted:

If you're pinning your hopes on Miliband winning an election, maybe it's nice to remember a time when Tories knew their place and we had a prime minister who wasn't shy about putting the boot into naughty Nigel as and when necessary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvU9gWS8-uk

Also, there's not much to disagree with in his comments about UKIP.

argh someone who responds to Nige like that is sorely needed, can we just harvest the good parts of his brain and put them in someone less lovely.

twoot fucked around with this message at 19:01 on May 27, 2014

# ¿ May 27, 2014 18:56

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

Alecto posted:

e: Just noticed that the results of the second poll he commissioned are actually there. It's Danny Alexander's constituency, predictably, and shows 32% SNP, 24% Labour, 15% Lib Dems, 12% Conservatives, 8% UKIP, 5% Green intention for 2015. 49% knew their MP was Danny Alexander. 58% think Nick Clegg's doing a bad job, but only 55% think David Cameron is. The Lib Dems still come third, but increase their vote by 4% if Cable takes over, they go up 2% if Ed Davey takes over and come narrow second if Danny Alexander is leader, 31% to 27%.

Seeing that odious void of a person will lose his seat is giving me some serious schadenfreude.

In other news our hopeless tabloid media has been hoaxed again. Ran a story about how the Californian mass shooting was due to harmless creatine bodybuilding supplement.

twoot fucked around with this message at 13:08 on May 28, 2014

# ¿ May 28, 2014 13:04

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

TinTower posted:

Jo Swinson is another name that's often floated as a possible future leader.

She had a majority over Labour of 4.6% in 2010, making her the 13th most vulnerable Lib Dem. I suppose they could try moving her to another seat but East Dunbartonshire is a lost cause.

# ¿ May 28, 2014 15:50

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ May 9, 2024 21:50

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

Munin posted:

Yeah, but it is also a much bigger country and arguably only 2 or 3 really are London like and the rest more Manchester.

[edit] NY is also a good head above no2 as well.

Germany is a better comparison than the US. Different cities have been developed in different niches, rather than everything being lumped into one megacity. London is like if you took the US and combined New York, Washington, and Los Angeles - a combination of Culture, Government, and Business such that nobody ever has to go anywhere else and it devours investment and people to the detriment of elsewhere. Combine that with an 18th century political setup and an English populace that for loving incomprehensible reasons doesn't want regional power, and we get London.

# ¿ May 30, 2014 11:40

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > UKMT May: Elections! (which won't fix anything)

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