UK General Discussion

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If these polls hold up (which I doubt), its going to be impossible to ban Farage from the leaders debates, which should be fun.

It won't be impossible, just very difficult. The vast majority of voters still wouldn't know who he was if they fell over him on the street.

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Which seats could UKIP have a realistic chance in 2015 anyway?

Maybe win with 25% in some 4-way marginal in the South-West?

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Didn't David Cameron call Gordon Brown all kinds when he nearly didn't do the debates last time round?

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Trying to wonder which ShadCab members might actually have quit over this and no one comes to mind (i.e. Burnham is a Catholic, but I seem to remember him being in favour during the leadership campaign). Can think of a couple of shadow frontbenchers who might have though.

Khan, being a Muslim?

And i'm so glad the LibDems have been such a liberal influence on the government. Truly disgusting behaviour from Tory MPs in the house. I was genuinely gobsmacked by how they were treating Nick Herbert when I saw ITN tonight.

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/dec/11/ukip-david-cameron-gay-marriage

UKIP aren't homophobic at all and a lovely touch there from the Member for Wellingborough who compared gay marriage to Stalinist Russia.

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Just realised that even Boris counts as one of the "1 in 8 born outside of the UK" in the census figures. Won't find that in the Mail or the Express though, i'm sure.

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Things relating to a certain issue have taken a turn for the surreal:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/dec/13/anglican-church-protests-gay-marriage-ban

So Dave tries to shut his backbenchers up and it back fires, as per. He really is a weak PM, isn't he?

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Long, large-sampled poll from Ashcroft.
Pref PM (UKIP voters in brackets)
48% Cameron (57%)
38% Miliband (33%)
13% Clegg (10%)

Pref duo:
52% Cam/Osb (61%)
48% Mil/Balls (39%)

Pref for 2015:
Lab gov 39% (31%)
Con gov 32% (43%)
Lab/Lib 18% (18%)
Con/Lib 12% (9%)

What dates are the bracketed numbered because the comparison is devastating for Dave.

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Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am...

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I think next Christmas I might record a charity single for the Heysel disaster...

Stay classy.

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The most humorously named MP has announced he's stepping down in 2015, Darling.

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9771841/TV-debates-could-take-place-a-year-before-election-day.html

Funny how it seems to, so far, only be the coalition parties worried about the debates.

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9771841/TV-debates-could-take-place-a-year-before-election-day.html

Funny how it seems to, so far, only be the coalition parties worried about the debates.

Miliband not worried? Thurely thome mithtake?

Well, when he's against two leaders arguing about a record which they both nodded through together...

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jan/03/winter-fuel-pensioners-care

Wouldn't this be yet another broken promise by both sides of the coalition? It would be for the Tories at least.

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The most disgusting thing about that is describing it as "brave."

As it isn't means tested everyone gets it. That includes pensioners with high disposable incomes (including those retired and living in Spain for example) It was introduced by Labour in part to combat fuel poverty a problem that the energy companies themselves have committed £4bn to providing free heat insulation, 20% savings and payment plans.

This year, people born in 1953 will turn 60s. We have a cash and asset wealthy population of baby-boomers about to retire. My dad turns 60 this year, is retired and has a monthly disposable income twice as high as I do and will be given a £200 bonus every year which he has said himself he doesn't need and certainly won't be needed to pay his gas and electricity bills. It's not an appropriate use of public funds.

Of course, given that the over 60's and the soon to be 60's are probably the largest voting block, untested freebies thrown to their parents generation who often were dirt poor as pensioners will no doubt continue

The Tories should've been open about it at the last election then.

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First YouGov 'best Prime Minister' poll of the year (with changes from the start of last year)
Cameron 33 (-8)
Miliband 25 (+8)
Clegg 5 (nc)
Don't know 38 (+1)

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The politics of this are at least mildly interesting; do the LibDems really think that there are that many votes to be found by swinging to the right of the Tories?

I find the idea of the Lib Dems trying to pick up current UKIP supporters hilarious.

Well, they're surely dead to the left.

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The politics of this are at least mildly interesting; do the LibDems really think that there are that many votes to be found by swinging to the right of the Tories?

I find the idea of the Lib Dems trying to pick up current UKIP supporters hilarious.

Well, they're surely dead to the left.

I know, but to switch to going after right wing Tories & UKIPers?... they aren't the brightest bunch.

As their conduct since the moment the polls closed in 2010 proves...

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Quote from Farage

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Just came across this from last month. Don't understand why Scottish Labour is so crap.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-20755329

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Just came across this from last month. Don't understand why Scottish Labour is so crap.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-20755329

Do you think that's crap because you disagree with her view that free university leads to lower standards or do you think they are crap because they are embracing more right wing views?

Both really, but more the former.

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Just came across this from last month. Don't understand why Scottish Labour is so crap.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-20755329

Do you think that's crap because you disagree with her view that free university leads to lower standards or do you think they are crap because they are embracing more right wing views?

They are crap because they send their 'best' down to Westminster and leave their second rate, ex councillors or union patsies to harangue the Scottish people bleating on about the 'Tories at Westminster' in a Scottish election until people's ears bleed.

This I agree with. I was all for Jim Murphy running in the leadership election, but those with ambition daren't look to the assemblies apparently.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/01/07/boris-johnson-child-benefit-_n_2423292.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

The fact he's the most popular politician in the country makes me sick.

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If this coalition's a "Ronseal Deal", I must assume that 'the tin' isn't the manifesto of The Conservative Party or the Liberal Democrats then.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qjBec3fpBI

Wonder where this fits in the whole 'strivers vs. shirkers' narrative.