On 5 Mar 2015 at 7:50pm A Viewer. wrote:
The Eton windbag and P.R.dummy is terrified that without his autocue people will see him for what he truly is,an empty suit with a posh voice.
On 5 Mar 2015 at 8:09pm Ben wrote:
Well he seems to manage ok every week at question time. More than can be said for Gromit, Dave runs rings round him every week. Why would Gromit push for a one to one debate......he would be destroyed, it would be no different to question time.
On 5 Mar 2015 at 8:16pm SNOT wrote:
I suppose as you're a Tory Ben you can't see the contradiction in your post. Ask your dad to explain it.
On 5 Mar 2015 at 9:16pm Ben wrote:
My dads dead, so maybe you can indulge me snot? But as its past 9pm I guess you've finished your homework and gone to bed.
On 5 Mar 2015 at 9:54pm Sword of Truth wrote:
Never mind the troll Ben . Cameron is so far ahead of little Ed a debate can`t do him any good . Its not a constitutional requirement its TV show and the real stumbling block is the contempt in which Milliband is held.
Why would Cameron rock the boat ?
On 5 Mar 2015 at 10:18pm SNOT wrote:
“I think these debates are here to stay. They clearly engage people in politics which is what we need.” – David Cameron, News of the World, 2 May 2010.
On 5 Mar 2015 at 11:18pm SNOT wrote:
"I’ve always wanted these debates to happen. I mean they happen in every country. They even happen in Mongolia for heaven’s sake and it’s part of the modern age that we should be in.” – David Cameron, BBC3, 21 April 2010.
On 5 Mar 2015 at 11:38pm Ben wrote:
Two quotes from the then leader of the opposition, not David Cameron PM. There is nothing to be gained from the incumbent taking part in a TV debate. Gromit would be doing exactly the same if he were in office.
On 5 Mar 2015 at 11:49pm Taff wrote:
Stuff the debate. Stuff these winkers in Parliament. None of them represent the populous any more.
On 5 Mar 2015 at 11:50pm Old Dope wrote:
Quite right, which politician does n`t change his opinions for convenience`s sake.No Cameron is a very practiced liar.Good luck to him I say.His class was born to rule over us and rob us blind.Do you remember what he claimed for on his expenses,removal of climbing Wisteria on his country house was n`t it? Hes a clever one all right! Good luck to you sir long may you reign.Why should you have to answer anyimpertinent questions on the television.Tell em to sod off!
On 6 Mar 2015 at 12:32am 8 miles from home wrote:
It's the Duffy moment of the election. And will result in a Labour/SNP victory. Get down to Ladbrokes and lump on.
On 6 Mar 2015 at 1:31am Kipper wrote:
We are counting on UKIP Tory coalition.
On 6 Mar 2015 at 6:50am Metatron wrote:
Camoron's insistance in having the Green's included in the TV debate could be a master stroke as they aren't very good infront of the media, and 'Gordon Bennit' sorry Natalie Bennits meltdown will take the limelight from him and Clug.
I think when you see them all on stage lieing their heads off, the only sane conclusion will be 'NONE OF THE ABOVE'.
On 6 Mar 2015 at 7:04am Sword of Truth wrote:
Is that it then .. boo hoo (pathetic )hoo 'Miss Miss David said he liked debates and then when it doesn`t suit him he won`t play'.
The fastest growing economy in the Western world, the deficit coming down, albeit slowly more jobs created than the rest of Europe put together, wages going up zero inflation, zero interest rates . The coalition by any grown up estimation has been probably the best administration of my lifetime and it was handed a vast structural deficit , let us not forget, by the idiot Labour Party.
Credit is also due to the Liberal Party for their part in this , Clegg , Law, Danny Alexander and Norman Baker, lets not deny it,are the heros of the piece they did the right thing for the country when it cost them their futures. Its a shame Clegg is on his way.
On 6 Mar 2015 at 7:05am Mekon, Dan Dare's M8 wrote:
You gotta vote for someone - that William Hague looks like me.
On 6 Mar 2015 at 8:38am ducatipete wrote:
Good call. Why would Cameron want to be involved.
On 6 Mar 2015 at 8:55am Joe KErr wrote:
SOT : For a start we do not have a written constitution, so there would be no requirements about TV debates one way or the other. The main thing is - with Cameron being such a smooth PR operator, and all the economic good news happening, why on earth would he not want to go on TV and trumpet this for all to hear. I don't get it, unless it's all spin...
On 6 Mar 2015 at 9:08am Mark wrote:
Mr Sword, the "economic triumphs" that you crow about are nothing but a house of cards. Government economic policy for the last twenty five years has been focused on shrinking the state and de-regulating markets including the labour market. Result: An economy that is prone to a fast cycling series of booms and busts. We're on course for a wonderful boom. The financial services industry are on course for one Hell of a party.
On 6 Mar 2015 at 11:00am Ed Can Do wrote:
I for one am looking forward to a seven-way debate as at present I'm totally undecided as to who to vote for. The Tories haven't completely ruined the country and have some good ideas like limiting child benefit to three kids but they temper this by being entirely in the pocket of big business and running the country for their own benefit rather than the population's. Labour have at least recently said some sensible things about party funding and banning second jobs for MPs but are likely to form a coalition with the SNP which would be a disaster and whilst Tony Blair was a decent PM (Should have been more honest about the war, nobody would have objected to it if he came out and said "We're invading Iraq to keep petrol below £2 a litre"), Gordon Brown was a muppet and by bailing out the banks rather than letting them fail as he should have done handed them free reign to basicalyl do whatever they want which has ruined the country and I fear Milliband would be little different. I identify with a lot of LibDem policies but Norm has jumped the shark and just reeks of desperation to retain power for his own benefit now, with a different candidate I'd vote LibDem but I can't bring myself to support Baker. The Greens have some good intentions and would be a good coalition party with some grown-ups to temper their more ridiculous ideas but they came out today and said they want to team up with the SNP so they're out of the running in England now and UKIP are UKIP, there are better comedy options on most ballot papers if that's your thing.
So yeah, it's looking pretty bleak for me at present and there's an outside chance someone might say something in an un-scripted debate to change my mind one way or another, otherwise it's the none of the above option for me sadly.
On 6 Mar 2015 at 11:29am Synful wrote:
You talk as if you expect the parties to honour their pre-election promises. Please don't take offense if I suggest that's naive of you Ed.
As well as illegally prosecuting a dreadfully damaging war against the wishes of most UK citizens Blair presided of the biggest growth in income disparity between the rich and the poor. He also did nothing useful about sorting out the housing market or transport. His party was a barely watered down Tory administration.
The Tories are evil. They are hell bent on dismantling the welfare state and creating a huge underclass that they and their Bullingdon Club establishment cronies will be able to milk and control.
The Lib Dems are no more.
Which leaves the Greens and UKIP. At least by voting for one of these you are voting to shake up the 'way things are' and sending a boot up the ars3 of the comfortable political class.
I could never vote UKIP as they are plainly incompetent and barely hinged racists with very few brain cells to rub between them. So despite a pretty ineffective leader and a large swathe of militant vegan hotheads it's the Greens for me. Especially as our candidate Alfie Sterling seems to be a well-meaning and intelligent type, with his heart and his brains in the right place.
It's either that or riot (not voting is irresponsible).
On 6 Mar 2015 at 1:49pm liberal wrote:
Cameron isn't terrified, he's pragmatically avoiding something that can do him no good and only harm. Unfortunately.
I'd love to see him hit with a few well aimed blows. Sadly it might not happen if the TV companies blink first.
On 6 Mar 2015 at 2:29pm Leek wrote:
Even if the entire Populace of Lewes voted it wouldn't make much difference. Lewes isn't populous enough to swing a balance. Yaki Da Taff
On 6 Mar 2015 at 5:02pm Ed Can Do wrote:
Haha, I wasn't suggesting I'd be looking out for them announcing policies that would actually materialise, more that by watching them in a less scripted environment than say PMQs, you can get a feel for things like who would actually form a coalition with whom.
I really hope we do get another coalition government. Allowing the "Big two" to trade the job every five or ten years has led to the parties being all but indistinguishable, Blair was Thatcher-lite, Cameron is slightly-less-comfortable-in-front-of-the-cameras Blair. Especially now the parties have seen what happened to the LibDems, any minority entering into a coalition will know to get some stuff in writing and will push certain agendas harder.
I probably will end up voting for Alfie and the Greens. He seems the most switched on of all the local candidates despite (Because of perhaps) his relative youth and whilst a lot of what the Greens say is a touch barmy, I think they're sensible enough beneath it all to drop the really out there stuff and focus on their less radical policies in any coalition agreement such as increasing the use of renewable energy, stopping fracking and building more cheap houses. I'd still be very concerned about an SNP coalition as I believe this would lead to an even more disproportionate shift of power north of the border but if it paved the way for full Scottish devolution then that would be a good thing. An independent Scotland is better for me than a Scotland that controls itself but takes more money than it contributes from the Union and has a say on English affairs.
On 6 Mar 2015 at 6:18pm The Colonel wrote:
Like him or hate him, Farage is the one to watch in this 7 way debate. He will destroy Cameron on the whole immigration/EU thing and he will tare Milliband apart on his youth unemployment and living wage mantre on the basis that it was Labours open door policy which has caused both of these problems. I'm not a UKipper but am very impressed with Farage as a politician and in the 7 way debate I will bet that he comes out on top.
In these times of hung parliaments and coalitions I don't think it's fair to have a Tory Labour head to head.
On 6 Mar 2015 at 7:00pm Peasant wrote:
It is starting to look pretty clear that:
(a) no party will get an overall majority
(b) Con & Lab will be the major parties
(c) ScotNats will win most Scottish seats
(d) LibDem, UKIP, Greens, will, arguably unfairly, all end up with fewer seats than the Ulster Unionists
A Con/ScotNat coaltiton is not an option; so, the two, unattractive, options are a Lab-ScotNat or a Lab-Con coalition.
I think I'd go for the latter. A govt that could do nothing for 5 years might prove surprisingly successful. Better than being held over a barrel by Alex Salmond.
On 6 Mar 2015 at 7:31pm Phfellow2004 wrote:
The power/influence of the TV companies and the media seems to be getting out of control and both seem to think that they can dictate events and direct politicians. Most folk have already made up their minds the safest and best way the nation needs to be governed for the next 5 years and fear the prospect of Salmond/SNP suddenly becoming a very powerful influencer in England having been rejected only 6 months ago in Scotland if teamed up with Labour. This is the time to tactically vote to ensure this does not happen but, beware, the LibDems have a habit of changing their loyalties as often as most folk change their underwear!
On 8 Mar 2015 at 7:24pm Phflippineejit wrote:
Vote UKIP