[Closed] Is May about to call an election?

So yes, it's opinion but in my opinion the genration following the Norman conquest were 'worse off'.

This has to be trolling surely? 🙄

Kimbers fron the first page

Really?, their own polling has shown them that they are likely to loose too many seats to the lib dems and their majority is too small to risk it

Me or him?

How about "This generation is the first since the war that will be financially worse off than it parents"?

Now all you have to argue about is what "generation" you're talking about.

And then decide if being financially worse off is out-weighed by all the things for which this generation is better off.

Please detail these things for us, I am pleased not to have typhoid but what else, please include how much you have "made" in property too

Please detail these things for us, I am pleased not to have typhoid but what else,

Well, aside from all the things already mentioned above, how about the benefit of modern attitudes to equality and diversity? Or the benefit modern attitudes to health and safety or the environment?

So how will those allow me to buy a house? Which will you trade?

So you were anti allowing more people to go to Uni and bringing facilities up to date then, as that's why fees came in.

Should so many people be going to university? Or should other kinds of advanced training be more popular?

So how will those allow me to buy a house?

Is that the only thing that is important to you?

"How about "This generation is the first since the war that will be financially worse off than it parents"?"

Yep, that.

"And then decide if being financially worse off is out-weighed by all the things for which this generation is better off."

I'm not touching that. If people are claiming studies have proved nobody in history has ever got worse off how the hell are they going to deal with something as subtle as that!

"but isn't it interesting you have to go back nearly 1000yrs to make your point..."

I think I started with people born in 1900 but nobody likes that one!

Is that the only thing that is important to you?

I think I started with people born in 1900 but nobody likes that one!

Ah, that's ok then - just a century then....!

😆

jambalaya - Member
Kimbers fron the first page
Really?, their own polling has shown them that they are likely to loose too many seats

Don't blame me , take it up with lord Ashcroft 😉

I've discussed this with my parents. They feel their generation benefited from a strong financial tail wind (getting cyclingy for a moment) and a society that became freer and more equal year on year.
Neither they nor I see that for today's young adults nor for my children's generation and Brexit is the nail in the coffin.

Tees Valley Mayoralty (Middlesborough, Darlington etc) - Tories in lead on first preferences.

"Ah, that's ok then - just a century then....!"

Consider yourself lucky, I was thinking of citeing Genesis 41:31.

Ah, that's ok then - just a century then....!

A century isn't exactly a lot of generations is it? nor is 'since WW2'.

I fear you are in the territory of cherry picking your data - whats next? [i]This generation is the only generation in the last twenty five years to be worse off than the generation before it?[/i]

Should so many people be going to university? Or should other kinds of advanced training be more popular?

Certainly people should have the opportunity to go to Uni, otherwise they'll find their jobs taken by people coming in from elsewhere. End of the day employers rightly or wrongly look for bits of paper as a guide to future performance.

I fear you are in the territory of cherry picking your data

[img] [/img]

igm - Member
Neither they nor I see that for today's young adults nor for my children's generation and Brexit is the nail in the coffin.

You should be thankful that UK is leaving the EU bureaucratic system because the longer UK stays in their system, the lesser the chance your children will be able to compete.

In the [url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39816044 ]BBC News[/url] today, the EU bureaucratic overfiend Juncker has just shown his true colour about the English language meaning, the longer UK stays the better it is for them to erase English language ... Guess what reminders create that chance for them ...

Oh ya ... those that speak English all over the world you are lossers according to the EU bureaucratic overfiend Juncker. Therefore, you better speak German/French and move Hollywood to Berlin or Stuttgart or Lyon.

I think I should start dubbing myself into 70s German pron accent ... Ja! 😆

edit: Actually EU bureaucrats have been slowly and systematically nailing your (UK) coffin for the past 43 years without you knowing ... 😯

End of the day employers rightly or wrongly look for bits of paper as a guide to future performance

One of the things I like to do at work is run the graduate recruitment process - well the interesting bits, HR can run the procedural bits. The degree might get them to interview, but I'd never take it as an indicator of future performance - an interview is a better indicator of that IMO.
Last year I had slots for 10 graduates and took 6 because I didn't think the others I interviewed had what it takes. These were people either with or predicted 2:1 or 1st.
Later in life a degree might be interesting but I'm far more interested in what they've done since.

Have you educated your children in French or German languages? If you have not then the blame is on you because of your poor future vision. Not Brexit.

Next

In the BBC News today, the EU bureaucratic overfiend Juncker has just shown his true colour about the English language meaning, the longer UK stays the better it is for them to erase English language ... Guess what reminders create that chance for them ...

Oh ya ... those that speak English all over the world you are lossers according to the EU bureaucratic overfiend Juncker. Therefore, you better speak German/French and move Hollywood to Berlin or Stuttgart or Lyon.

I think I should start dubbing myself into 70s German pron accent ... Ja!

edit: Actually EU bureaucrats have been slowly and systematically nailing your (UK) coffin for the past 43 years without you knowing ...

maybe he should travel a bit and see what language everyone actually speaks...

jam bo - Member

In the BBC News today, the EU bureaucratic overfiend Juncker has just shown his true colour about the English language meaning, the longer UK stays the better it is for them to erase English language ... Guess what reminders create that chance for them ...

maybe he should travel a bit and see what language everyone actually speaks...

Maybe the EU bureaucratic overfiend Juncker should phrase his expression properly or has he deliberately done so for some sinister intentions?

Perhaps he could phrase his sentence to something like "Our German/French/Spain etc language is getting more popular so lets focus on our language ..." Without taking a swipe at the world of English/English related language speakers? Ja? 🙄

I thought he phrased it very neatly.

English becoming less important - not unimportant.

I found it quite humorous they way it was done to wind up a certain sort of rabid whinger and worked perfectly.

He can gob off all he likes, compared to US politicians he's a minnow and as long as the US, Canada, and Australia continues to speak English and it remains the international language of business then his gum flapping is just that....the bitter ramblings of someone of Luxembourg nationality.

.....and that's the crux of the matter for me, politicians from Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg etc have realised they are insignificant on the world stage, hence the EU to their rescue....now they can be a big fish in a sizeable pond.
They could do with some humility and take a long hard look at the amazing 'success' that is Greece, it's shameful and deserves more news coverage but it goes against the general left wing bias in the T.V. news that all is great in the EU.....Germany essentially props up the EU, if they get bored, run out of money or change political direction (delete as applicable) it's going to implode in an ugly mess with Russia on the sidelines waiting to pick up the pieces and expand their old USSR territories.
I'm happier we're leaving, we need more economic and military unity with the US, Canada, NZ and Australia to ensue our survival....talk of an EU army was always laughable due to language and political differences, we have far more in common with our English speaking allies.

If Russia kicks off just give them France and Germany, the central European powers have been given fair warning (i worked last year with an EXTREMELY high ranking soldier who rated Russia above all else as Europe's biggest threat)....politicians aren't listening as it's an old story (cold war etc), ISIS and the middle East/syria makes for better headlines.

North Korea is a joke, a semi serious distraction.....meanwhile Juncker spouts off about the demise of the English language (bitter much?)...he talks like the world is speaking in French, German or Lexembourgish (yes it exists!)....there will be some difficulties with Brexit I'm sure but what is more worrying are the number of countries in the EU taking from the pot while Germany supports everything, it's unsustainable (again, see Greece).....when Spain can no longer afford to repair it's excellent roads, when Portuguese fisherman are locked out of British waters, when half the EU countries can't afford their NATO contributions you'll see just how wonderful the EU is then.

This is why people like Juncker are angry, the UK is a net contributor, they need our money, without it they can see the writing on the wall and living standards in the EU dropping markedly....as a side note, our middle eastern neighbor Turkey (who the EU have been teasing with membership) for years have elected a hardline president, if ever they could do with our military it's now and we've given them the heave ho.....no wonder this no mark is crapping himself, he can see what's coming, the UK however has always had the advantage of being an island as a natural geographical protectorate.

Sorry for the doom mongering scenario but dig below the trivial tabloid 'you might be £1,000 a year worse off under Brexit' and things get really scary.

deviant you havent really read what junker was saying, have u?

7 out of 10 for the ill-informed rant tho 😉

Lets face it his comment was really made to influence French voters to vote for Macron, it has no basis in truth.

If you want to deal with North America, Arabs, big chunks of Africa, Aussies/NZ, big parts of Asia, then as a business language English is the go to.

Also things like ISO standards use English, French & Russian as their core language so no changes there.

Kimbers, it's largely irrelevant what he was saying. Small time politician made it big in the EU and can now see his and the EUs influence diminishing as our surrounding neighbours like Russia and Turkey look all set for a nice peaceful chit chat over tea and biscuits (sarcasm)..... If ever he needed to be courting the UK and it's natural allies in the US, NZ and Australia then this is it....but he can't see past his own nose and the anger caused by the Brexit vote.
Small man with no political foresight.

Lets not forget the last European leader to slag off the English Language 😀

[i]“the English language lacks the ability to express thoughts that surpass the order of concrete things”[/i]

thecaptain - Member

Now, most will never pay off their debts (which of course does mean the debt isn't as big a problem as the headline figure appears, but it's still there, and quite large)

It's still a problem, just a different problem- think subprime. The student loan book is massively overvalued. It'll end up largely being written off, written down, or sold off for a fraction of its current claimed "value" like the last lots. So it becomes something akin to PPI- a way of hiding a massive debt until years from now, by cutting it up really small and giving it to 18 year olds to carry til their 40s

Have you educated your children in French or German languages?

This from a man? living in England who struggles to string a sentence together in English 🙂

[quote=deviant]
Small man with no political foresight.

When did STW start allowing signatures?

The projected national vote share for the Tories is 38% to Labour's 27%, the Lib Dems' 18% and UKIP's 5%.

An 11% difference is way down on the 20% in the opinion polls the other week. Bit more campaigning by May and Abbott (who seem to be competing in some sort of bizarre anti-campaign) plus a smudge of smart voting and this is going to be very fun.

deviant - Member - Block User - Quote
He can gob off all he likes

I seem to remember Fish singing "I don't trust the government, I don't trust alternatives, it's not that I'm paranoid, it's just that's the way it is..."

Song for our times?

Lexembourgish (yes it exists!)

Little Englander comment of the week.

It's still a problem, just a different problem- think subprime. The student loan book is massively overvalued. It'll end up largely being written off, written down, or sold off fo

You hope..

This anti Europe (confused with EU) thing seems based on some kind of feeling we are superior. If you actually spend anytime in France, Italy, Spain, Holland, German etc they appear to have better lives than we do in the UK and that's supported by key life metrics.

Generally speaking new Anglo Saxon countries US, UK, Aus like to drill their population into the ground to make a buck for shareholders which means there's opportunities for some but poor lives for others and that's not really a community.

The final irony of the little Englander ignorance is they are probably of European decent anyway.

Generally speaking new Anglo Saxon countries US, UK, Aus like to drill their population into the ground to make a buck for shareholders which means there's opportunities for some but poor lives for others and that's not really a community.

I so much agree with this.

If only the Labour party (or even the Lib Dems) could articulate this properly we'd have a chance of change.

ditch_jockey - Member

Have you educated your children in French or German languages

This from a man? living in England who struggles to string a sentence together in English

I remember me mates (Chartered Accountants now and some also partners) used to get me to speak to girls with chat up line like "How about it luv ..." Definitely not trying that line again coz it never works ... 😆

I did try to learn German and French but I got sore throat trying to pronounce their words. Their language has no similarity whatsoever with far east oriental language ... 😆

Anyway, as long as I can get by that's good enough coz I ain't going to write English literature put it this way. 😆

You should see me communicating with European people using my Borneo mother tongue it was hilarious ... really I did that when I was inter-railing across Europe. We end up using "sign language" ... 😆

wilburt - Member
This anti Europe (confused with EU) thing seems based on some kind of feeling we are superior. If you actually spend anytime in France, Italy, Spain, Holland, German etc they appear to have better lives than we do in the UK and that's supported by key life metrics.

Not anti-Europe or European people just the EU bureaucratic system. You are confused yourself coz there is a difference you know. EU bureaucratic system is essentially the concept of superstate.

Appearance is deceiving. I have spent a few days here and there in Europe but they are all overrated and hyped to be honest. The only time you feel "at home" is when you can actually speak and communicate in their language.

Not sure why you feel they are more relax coz my view is that they are all the same where ever you go.

edit: of all the European people/nations I prefer the Finns coz they are a weird bunch (used to share a house with a Finnish couple) ... very funny people.

The only time you feel "at home" is when you can actually speak and communicate in their language.

Do you not find that it is the same here?

I have spent a few days here and there in Europe but they are all overrated and hyped to be honest

This anti Europe (confused with EU) thing seems based on some kind of feeling we are superior. If you actually spend anytime in France, Italy, Spain, Holland, German etc they appear to have better lives than we do in the UK and that's supported by key life metrics.

Its an identity crisis.

When all this blows over there will be two major powers in the World, China and the EU. Its interesting that the three major powers that won WW2 the US, UK, and Russia are now having an identity crisis.

Make America great again, yeah right, Our increasing hate of the continentals, and Russia's loss of influence over its border states all points to nations being lost in the new world.

European Countries in the form of the EU and China will no longer be dictated to by the "big three" and politically we will have to learn that we are just not that important anymore.

So off we go with Brexit, with our delusions of grandeur, to get further lost in the world.

It should be a humbling experience.

El-bent - Member
European Countries in the form of the EU and China will no longer be dictated to by the "big three" and politically we will have to learn that we are just not that important anymore.

So off we go with Brexit, with our delusions of grandeur, to get further lost in the world.

It should be a humbling experience.

Now we explore the world again as we are off the EU bureaucratic shackles. The adventures start here for the braves. 😛

Chewkw, you are a good argumant against universal suffrage .

The final irony of the little Englander ignorance is they are probably of European decent anyway.

And on that basis, would the Anglo-Saxons, Normans, Celts etc bugger off and leave this island to us Picts.

Refugees, economic migrants and other immigrants who didn't come here bearing arms are welcome to stay.

Just in case your brains have popped this is the town in Germany which England is named after.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angeln

Imagine having an election Putin doesn't want to **** with. Yay for us.

kelvin - Member

The only time you feel "at home" is when you can actually speak and communicate in their language.

Do you not find that it is the same here?

wilburt - Member
Chewkw, you are a good argumant against universal suffrage .

Imagine having an election Putin doesn't want to **** with. Yay for us.

Exactly what I was thinking. Mess with US to get Trump in to ruin US, mess with France to attempt to get Le Pen in to ruin France. No need to mess with UK as May is going to win and ruin UK.

One of Putins goals is presumably to break up Europe, take back some of those eastern countries, get lots of unrest for him to take advantage of.

Imagine having an election Putin doesn't want to **** with. Yay for us.

Unless he already has and this is it playing out?

Unless he already has and this is it playing out?

Makes you think. 🙂

One of Putins goals is presumably to break up Europe, take back some of those eastern countries, get lots of unrest for him to take advantage of.

EU has pursued a political agenda to weaken Russia, encouraging / bribing ex Soviet countries to join. Europe's part in overthrowing the democratically elected government in Ukraine went down like a lead balloon in Moscow. Sanctions are hurting Russia badly and Putin wants them dropped.

My French election "predictions"

Macron 65 Le Pen 35

Wildcard Macron 55 Le Pen 45

Mrs Bird thinks it will be 70 - 30

I suspect turnout will be lower than the first round

Sanctions are hurting Russia badly and Putin wants them dropped.

Sanctions are hurting Russia badly and Putin wants them dropped.

Trump, Brexit and next the General Election.

[url= https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/may/07/the-great-british-brexit-robbery-hijacked-democracy#comments ]The great British Brexit robbery: how our democracy was hijacked[/url]

Yes, I saw that.

Very interesting.

I'm not 100% behind it, but I do believe that it's very easy to data mine & it's free. It's very easy to use that data to influence someone. Is it then so hard if you have loads of money to pay someone very brainy to mine for you & then use that knowledge to influence a target audience?

[url= https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/apr/21/online-political-advertising-companies-democracy ]Online political ads[/url]
[url= https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/may/03/free-software-reveal-facebook-election-posts-targeted-chrome-extension ]Whose targeting you?[/url]

Not very brave predictions, Jamba, when the last polls were 60:40. All you've done is given polls +/- 5. I hope Mrs Bird is right but I know too many people who are voting white.

Slower polling in our local polling station at 8:45 but it's a nice day so people may wander along after lunch. 85:15 on the basis of the name papers left in the voting booths but we live in the tolerant south west.

officials numbers show same number people voting at lunchtime , in my area anyway .

when i went , lots of Lepen voting paper left in the booth .

i think it will be closer than 65 , 35 .

Trump, Brexit and next the General Election.

The great British Brexit robbery: how our democracy was hijacked

Just read this, it's pretty much the last season of Homeland, what a weird time to be alive

Everyone is horrible. :cryface:

Actually the point of what happened might be that most people are quite nice, but they can be persuaded to do horrible things quite easily.
Plenty of scientific studies to back that up.

and she is back, right there at her strong points
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39840503
Sorting out immigration just like when she was home sec, keeping those numbers down from all those non EU nations she had absolute control over. I'm sure we can all rejoice that our delivery focused proven deliver of a PM is on the case here.

How many times does that target need to be failed before we decide that it's May that is the failure?

Pick a sensible target.

igm - Member
How many times does that target need to be failed before we decide that it's May that is the failure?

repeat ad infitum

its easier than admitting that immigration is good for the economy, the righ wing press will be all over you like a swarm of migrants ;-(

Trump, Brexit and next the General Election.
The great British Brexit robbery: how our democracy was hijacked

I don't totally buy it, and I'm not totally convinced there is any evidence these companies who anyone the election. However, the Guardian is giving great free publicity and PR to these companies .

You're not meant to buy it Dragon - those companies have been brainwashing you. 😉

Seriously though, if people did buy the idea they'd been duped, it wouldn't be much of a product the company was delivering.

on the plus side since the GE was announced labour are up 4 points, tories down 4
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2017/may/08/general-election-2017-poll-tracker-who-is-in-the-lead

if this trend continues then by 8th June itll be neck & neck, its like corbyn has some kind of [b]MOMENTUM[/b]

im off to read das kapital to try and understand what the new world order wll look like on the 9th june 😉

I don't totally buy it, and I'm not totally convinced there is any evidence these companies who anyone the election.

https://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2017/march/information-avoidance.html

I would argue that the tone of it is a bit hysterical but I've not seen anything to suggest it's not accurate, have you?

im off to read das kapital

Good luck, it is not as easy read and I am convinced that most who suggest being a Marxist is a bad thing have not got past the first chapter.

I totally buy the idea that people can be influenced, advertising works, you only need to look at how Apple became the biggest company in the world to realise that. What I don't buy is that the companies linked in the Guardian article had such a massive influence on election results. After all we know that in the US elections the Clinton camp were working with other similar companies, so either they partnered with inferior companies or or the winners are overstating their importance (coupled with the fact that it easier for losers to blame 'secret' companies than admit their own failings).

I'm off to read Ian Bone so I can be ready to chase the IT managers from their leafy avenues, when the time comes 😉

Remoaner in Chief seems to be gideon!

http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/evening-standard-comment-bravo-macron-now-the-work-of-reform-begins-a3533391.html

What I don't buy is that the companies linked in the Guardian article had such a massive influence on election results

What needs to be realised is that it isn't millions who need to have their perceptions altered, but quite often it's only a few hundred thousand who can who can make the difference.

Find out who they are & target them.

Conservative party manifesto 2010:

So we will take steps to take net migration back to the levels of the 1990s – tens of thousands a year, not hundreds of thousands.

Conservative party manifesto 2015:

Our commitment to you: Our plan to control immigration will put you, your family and the British people first. We will reduce the number of people coming to our country with tough new welfare conditions and robust enforcement. We will: keep our ambition of delivering annual net migration in the tens of thousands, not the hundreds of thousands

Net immigration 2010: 254000
Net immigration 2015: record high of 336000
Net immigration 2017: Not even halfway through and it'll be over tens of thousands
Person responsible for that: Theresa May
Today: "We will reduce immigration to the tens of thousands"

Well it's not Strong. But it's definitely Stable. You know things are getting silly when even the Sun's taking the mick