Election Campaign

Aye tabloids the impartial place to get fact based articles free of polemics

I didn’t claim it was either, and it really doesn’t matter what the basis of what the media says, it’s the fact that they will print it and people will read it.
I haven’t claimed that the SNP are anti english either, just that they could well stir the pot. I don’t think the SNP hate the english, its just a means to an end.
Ed could be in a spot of bother, its conceivable that he may be the PM which oversaw the loss of trident (yes, I think it will be the SNPs bargaining chip) or the loss of Scotland from the UK. Neither may happen, but Sturgeon wants what she wants and I don’t doubt her resolve.

Richard Littlejohn really is a disgusting piece of crap isn’t he?

wrecker – Member

She will have no problems with getting another referendum (trident?). She knows it, Milliband knows it.

She’d have very little trouble getting another referendum- but as she says herself, there’d be bugger all point in just having another tilt, there needs to be significant change before there’s anything to be gained. She’s got no reason to call for another referundum which she’d most likely lose.

Kind of the elephant in the room, this. If you take a step back, what she wants right now isn’t a referendum; it’s things that make winning a referendum more likely. And while we’re in the UK, making things better for Scotland within the UK.

Spot on northwind. The catch 22 is that the scots are even less likely to deliver a yes vote if their circumstances take a turn for the better and they have a louder voice in westminster.
My rather meandering point was not to underestimate how devious a politician can be to get what they want.

Right well your point makes more sense put that way, think I was just presuming you were adding to the BS rather than making a sensible point. Sorry.

Guys, the article Jambaliar linked to doesn’t say what he claims he does. Anywhere. In fact the only slight thing that could be construed that way is:

Officials at City of Edinburgh council told the Guardian formal warnings were sent on Wednesday morning from Scotland’s electoral management board (EMB) to returning officers in all 32 local authorities to watch for queues forming and for any disruption or “threatening behaviour” at polling stations.

Which to be honest, you would have to be an idiot to read that and arrive where he did. Or Minitrue.

Right well your point makes more sense put that way, think I was just presuming you were adding to the BS rather than making a sensible point. Sorry.

My post was bit vague. Apologies for responding in kind rather than expanding.

Well the carnival of nonsense and futility nears the end – next stop “legitimacy”

To think that people have given their lives for an exercise that has become so debased

It’s not that bad teamhurtmore. I confidently predict that the next government will have the support of about a third of the electorate (well of those that vote).

I found this rather appalling…

They also accused of wearing white tie when he was clearly wearing subfusc as well.

ABC = Anyone But Cameron is my stance.

The non dom owned newspapers have been an absolute disgrace with their all out attack on the democratic process and pathetic propaganda (see Littlepricks feature above).

From a monetary perspective I should be a staunch Tory voter but there is no chance, I care for my fellow man and woman, I care about the NHS, the education system and thats why I am duty bound to vote and encourage other citizens to get rid of snooty Dave and his uber rich paymasters.

next stop “legitimacy

Its quite depressing how swiftly Cameron and his press chums are trying to subvert the post election government already

He was pulled up for his lack of honesty on this matter PM’s questioning of legitimacy of Labour government that would rely on support of SNP contradicted by former cabinet secretary Lord O’Donnell

Surprisingly THM has managed to refrain from using playful names for Dave in this respect and not referred to him as deceitful.

If you command a majority you are legitimate
That is it it does not have to be to the biggest party or the one with the most votes

duckman – Member
Richard Littlejohn really is a disgusting piece of crap isn’t he?

It may be an honest statement reflecting his predilections… 🙂

I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

There’s some housekeeping to do. 🙂

epicyclo – Member

I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

I’m not sure why, I thought you claimed to be left-wing. You do realise that either David Cameron or Ed Milliband will become Prime Minister don’t you ? Just checking like.

I feel quite depressed. Although not as depressed as I was on the eve of the ’97 election when it was clear that Tony Blair would become PM.

ernie_lynch – Member
I’m not sure why, I thought you claimed to be left-wing…

Don’t think I’ve ever claimed that. Just tend to support parties that support democracy and believe they exist to serve the people rather than rule them.

Who becomes PM doesn’t really matter, but for once we’ll have a decent number of Scottish MPs who are not subservient to the whips of a party that tends to concentrate on a remote southern eastern corner of the UK.

Jeff Dugdale @Jefforbited · 6h 6 hours ago
#GE15 Could “selfie” soon be the new code for the Labour MP in Scotland ?

Kezias dad strikes again 😆

If you command a majority you are legitimate
That is it it does not have to be to the biggest party or the one with the most votes

Hence the reason why governments here are unpopular-more folk vote against them than for them never mind the 20-30% who don’t vote.

You get the feeling he’s spent his entire life encouraging her into politics, just so he can rip the piss. Mission accomplished

Don’t think I’ve ever claimed that.

To fair on reflection I don’t think you did. You claimed to be motivated by a concern for the weak and vulnerable in society which I took perhaps unfairly as meaning left-wing.

Actually it probably will matter to an extent who is next Prime Minister – Cameron or Miliband. I fully expect Miliband to do things which the Tories wouldn’t get away with, just like his predecessor Tony Blair did.

Do you remember all the u-turns the Tories had to do, especially in the first half of their administration, when faced with widespread opposition ?

People will roll over and let Miliband shaft them because he will be a Labour PM and the Tories won’t oppose him from a left perspective.

Just like Blair quietly introduced private firms/the market into the NHS without a squeak from anyone. If the Tories had done the same there would have been a substantial fuss.

@squirel – from the Guardian piece I linked to (pro independence activists who believe the Referendum was rigged are organizing activities around the GE poll and police are concerned about potential violence given their recent track record)

Some pro-independence campaigners allege that last September’s independence referendum result was fixed …. Activists claim that voting in Thursday’s general election could also be rigged, in an effort to prevent SNP votes being properly counted.

Police and electoral officials placed the campaigners’ claims “in the context of conspiracy theories after the referendum” but are worried about the risks of trouble after recent tussles during nationalist protests at Labour election rallies in Glasgow.

@cloudnine – that’s excellent, not least as their is no Sturgeon, perhaps she’s in her X-fighter 😉 – reposted here as I got confused between two threads

EDIT: Referendum, I cannot see the SNP/Scotland being granted another referendum as a condition of being in a coalition government, I’m sure the SNP would want that but I don’t see it happening as its very much not in Labour’s interests and they can govern on a vote by vote basis if necessary. It was a Tory PM who granted the referendum which makes electoral sense given they have only 1 MP.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/commentisfree/2015/may/07/labour-risks-failing-the-english-just-like-it-did-the-scottish

I fully expect Miliband to do things which the Tories wouldn’t get away with, just like his predecessor Tony Blair did.

Oh come on Ernie. At least let us bathe in the shortlived afterglow of a defeated tory before the crushing disappointment of reality kicks in 🙂

I said at the last time that the bright side was that we could again feel good about hating the govt. This time we’ll be back to disappointment and weary resignation again.

@cody, that article was hardwork. The SNP will fail the Scots in the same way as have the Conservatives and Labour as they have no hope of delivering the utopia they are promising.

At least let us bathe in the shortlived afterglow of a defeated tory

Don’t prejudge the outcome. Much like it was seen in some quarters as a failure by the Tories not to gain an overall majority given the financial disaster overseen by Labour it will be likewise a failure if Labour win less seats than the Tories. I think it could well be the storyline of this election that SNP success ensures continued Tory government, the Scots getting the government they voted for in terms of it not being a Labor one 8)

Lord Ashcroft’s last poll published on Twitter. Labour/Conservative tied. Confirms the SNP as the least popular party to be involved in a government, over the various categories even more so than UKIP (assume poll taken across whole UK)

Twitter Link

jambaliar – Member
Lord Ashcroft’s last poll published on Twitter. Labour/Conservative tied. Confirms the SNP as the least popular party to be involved in a government,

Better Together eh?

I don’t blame anyone in the rest of the UK for holding that opinion. The demonisation of Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP by a largely non-dom owned, right-wing press has been both astonishing and sustained, especially since the first Leaders debate.

Do you not realise that only MP’s from London and the South East have any democratic legitimacy. The rest are just there to keep quiet and make up the numbers, and do what their betters tell them.

Or thats certainly the impression you’d get from the horribly arrogant outpourings from the Tories, and the vile right wing press over the last week. How dare these provincials hold the opinion that some of the rest of the country is entitled to some democratic representation, for a change?!!!!

The Tories are fanning nationalism for their own short erm political aims. But once its out of the bottle….

Much like it was seen in some quarters as a failure by the Tories not to gain an overall majority given the financial disaster overseen by Labour it will be likewise a failure if Labour win less seats than the Tories.

Or maybe it could be argued that given that labour lost it’s support in Scotland on the back of them doing the tories campaigning for them in the referendum, they would have undoubtedly won outright? Also considering that Cameron is now cynically undermining the union which the labour party staunchly campaigned for, any claims that labour have ‘lost’ need to be seen in that context.

As I said earlier, I’m expecting a completely dishonourable, undedifying and cowardly attempt to cling to power by Cameron. He’ll go back on the cabinet rules he signed up to in 2010, he’ll spin that he won the election, and he’ll continue to undermine the union just so he can remain prime minister. He’s going to try and pull the same trick as George Bush in 2001. I doubt it will work though.

SNP are perfectly entitled to sit at Westminster if elected and with me they are as popular as Sinn Fein. No one has said they not entitled to sit there. I posted the Ashcroft poll as when I said the SNP where unpopular in the UK I was derided as once again I see @scotroutes is up to the same old nonsense, boo hiss lets have some name calling eh ? It shows both Labour and Conservatives where right to distance themselves from the SNP as with their supporters and likely voters the SNP are very unpopular. Just like I said.

I would say if Cameron as head of the largest party (assuming that’s the result) is perfectly entitled to try and form a government, it certainly seems justified for him to criticise the fact a Labour party with less seats could form a government with the SNP a party intent on dividing up the UK to the economic detriment of everyone particularly the Scots.

If a Cameron led formal coalition is a minority government he’s perfectly entitled to try and rule like that in particular if Labour do not enter into a formal coalition with the SNP and just try and stumble along vote by vote

Lord Ashcroft’s last poll published on Twitter. Labour/Conservative tied. Confirms the SNP as the least popular party to be involved in a government,
Better Together eh?

I don’t blame anyone in the rest of the UK for holding that opinion. The demonisation of Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP by a largely non-dom owned, right-wing press has been both astonishing and sustained, especially since the first Leaders debate.

It could be that, or it could be the fact that the electorate sees the SNP as not having much interest or time for what happens outside Scotland, which isn’t unreasonable seeing as they have never sought to represent anywhere outside Scotland – unsurprisingly.

SNP are perfectly entitled to sit at Westminster if elected and with me they are as popular as Sinn Fein.

The fact that you think the SNP (a bunch of balls-achingly tedious Little Scotlander Tartan Tories who fought and lost the most peaceful and democratic independence campaign ever) are simultaneously like fascist racial supremacists (remembering your “Kristallnacht” comparison from earlier) and socialist republican terrorists is pretty remarkable.

SNP are perfectly entitled to sit at Westminster if elected and with me they are as popular as Sinn Fein. No one has said they not entitled to sit there.

Jammy – have you somehow missed the collective outpourings of the Tory party over the last couple of weeks? Every single thing that they’ve said has been to suggest that the SNP has no right whatsoever to determine UK government policy.

So… they’ll be ‘allowed’ to take their seats, will they? Dave will allow it, will he? How gracious of him. As long as they don’t try and do anything radical, like vote on anything. 🙄

The arrogance is breathtaking, but sadly unsurprising. Born to rule?

it certainly seems justified for him to criticise the fact a Labour party with less seats could form a government with the SNP

Yes he’s perfectly entitled to voice his dislike at the situation, but it doesn’t give him the right to rewrite the rules he signed up to in 2010, or to claim that he is the rightful PM when he can’t demonstrate a majority in parliament, which is exactly what he’s going to do.

which isn’t unreasonable seeing as they have never sought to represent anywhere outside Scotland – unsurprisingly.

That’s a non starter. What would they call themselves? 😉

Seems the last guardian/ICM poll figures from last night were provisional. The final version has labour on a 1 point lead instead of a tie. That’s quite a turnaround seeing all previous polls had the tories in the lead. Perhaps a reflection on the tories relentless scaremongering over the SNP in the last week?

And on the subject of the campaigns, I think labour undoubtedly ran the best one. They had a plan and stuck to it, Miliband out-performed most expectations, and they remained united and well-briefed. My only criticism is that the shadow cabinet could/should have been more visible, and I’ve no idea what that stupid rock was all about. The tories on the other hand ran possibly the worst campaign I’ve seen since Michael Howard’s. Puerile, scaremongering, hiding from the issues, hysterical and patronising. Do they really think all they had to do was call Miliband names and get Cameron to take his jacket off and shout a lot? The libdems ran a novel campaign. Basically abandoning any pretence at having their own policies and whoring themselves out to whoever will offer them some govt jobs. Pretty cynical really, but honest at the same time.

@kona, I do confess to being completely wound up by the SNP hence my comparisons, probably not much a confession really more a statement of the bleeding obvious. My comparisons were driven by the “we didn’t organise anything” Kristalnacht and “break up the UK nationalists plus honesty and integrity issues” Sinn Fein

@binners what I hear the Tory party saying is it makes no democratic sense for the SNP to hold Labour to ransom and as such unduely influence policy in such as way as to promote their own independence agenda

unduely influence policy in such as way as to promote their own independence agenda

Why would their influence be ‘undue’ when the scottish people have voted for it overwhelmingly? They’re going to win just about all of the seats on a vote share of >50%. If that’s not a democratic mandate then I don’t know what is. Yet the tories, and to fair, possibly labour (although I expect them to quickly backtrack on their ‘no deals’ stance) are now going to turn around and say they should be ignored?

Why would their influence be ‘undue’ when the scottish people have voted for it overwhelmingly? They’re going to win just about all of the seats on a vote share of >50%. If that’s not a democratic mandate then I don’t know what is.

There are 2 SNP’s here though, there are the nationalists and that agenda which less than 50% of the population voted for and the SNP as a political party who are representing them (and probably a vote not for Labour on the Tories)