Originally Posted by Flyboy (Post 35005409)

In the last debate, didn't Cameron suggest that China et al would be sending us a few hot pressies, if we dumped Trident?

Originally Posted by Osem (Post 35005221)

It was bound to happen and it's right that the Lib Dems should be exposed to the same level of scrutiny as the other parties if they stand a realistic chance of influence and power.

In spite of what Clegg has said about Gordon Brown, it's clear to me that the Lib Dems will support New Labour and for that reason I don't think I could bring myself to vote for them.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politi...10/8633655.stm

After all the damage he's done, the thought of anyone extending Brown's role in our government is frightening....

Originally Posted by Chris (Post 35005225)

Realistically, how would a Lib-Lab coalition work? How could it possibly work? The Liberal Democrats, AFAIK, are committed to reversing a lot of the odious, authoritarian outrages Labour has put on our statute book over the past 13 years, like the way the DNA database is used, the national ID card, rights of protest, 28 day detention.
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Originally Posted by danielf (Post 35005260)

Good points Chris. And valid reasons for preferring a Conservative/LibDem coalition. Personally, I'm not sure which way I want it to go. Just that change is needed (for the longer term) and that the LibDems need to be part of it. For me, Electoral Reform and Civil Liberties are two major issues, and the Tories seem more likely to act on those than Labour.

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 35005384)

In terms of electoral reform the worst thing that can happen is the Tories win a working majority. They will do nothing in terms of changing the system. Best case: Labour win the most seats, not a majority, and come third in the popular vote. RIOTS!! :D

Originally Posted by Chris (Post 35005442)

Are you going to ignore the fact that at least three different people have asked you to justify your claim that Brown has a 'clear advantage' with regard to foreign affairs?

Originally Posted by Flyboy (Post 35005471)

I really don't see what the point is to be honest. But how about this?

Gordon Brown honoured in New York as world statesman of the year



Now I am sure that something will be made of the fact that the Israeli defence minister was there, but the award still holds some kudos on the world stage.

Originally Posted by Flyboy (Post 35005471)

I really don't see what the point is to be honest. But how about this?

Gordon Brown honoured in New York as world statesman of the year



Now I am sure that something will be made of the fact that the Israeli defence minister was there, but the award still holds some kudos on the world stage.

Originally Posted by Flyboy (Post 35005471)

I really don't see what the point is to be honest. But how about this?

Gordon Brown honoured in New York as world statesman of the year

Now I am sure that something will be made of the fact that the Israeli defence minister was there, but the award still holds some kudos on the world stage.

Originally Posted by The Daily Mash

BRITAIN was profoundly disappointed today as the volcano-based news plume dispersed to reveal that the general election campaign has just been sitting there the whole time.

Viewers who watch the first five minutes of News at Ten before switching over to a Living TV programme about ghosts said they were positive it had all been sorted out last week.

Helen Archer, from Peterborough, said: "I thought that telly programme was the election. I told the lady on the phone that I liked the man who looked like a cross between the other men.

"I assumed that would be that, but now you're saying it's going to be on the telly every day for the next fortnight? <removed>."

She added: "I want the volcano to come back. I like that kind of telly news. I find it exotic."

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet (Post 35005514)

Pretty laughable to be honest. An organisation that campaigns for human rights giving an award to the leader of a political party with such a strong record for eroding them.

Originally Posted by BBC News

Meirion Jones
BBC Newsnight

On the eve of the Leaders' Debate on foreign policy, Lord Owen has backed Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg's call to scrap Trident II, while the former Chief of Defence Staff Lord Guthrie has called for a rethink.

Lord Owen has told Newsnight that a perfectly adequate nuclear deterrent could be produced for a tenth - or even a twentieth - of the price of the planned Trident II nuclear submarines:

"It's quite ludicrous overkill for a country that's facing a huge structural fiscal deficit and has got to cut public expenditure".

(snip)

... Lord Owen ... says that Britain should never have bought Trident in the first place.

While he was in office he privately advocated a system based on cruise missiles for a fraction of the cost. Nowadays, he says, it would be even cheaper.

New Astute class submarines which are starting to go into Royal Navy service are already fitted with cruise missiles. In times of emergency, he says, their conventional warheads could be switched for nuclear ones.

In today's Times newspaper the former Chief of the Defence Staff, Lord Guthrie, adds his voice to calls from other former military leaders for a review.

"Do we really need the kind of effective weapon we had in the Cold War?" he asks. "There is quite an argument to say we do not."

Lord Owen says this is a commonly held view inside the armed forces:

"Many senior people in the Ministry of Defence want to keep a minimum deterrent with Astute submarines with cruise missiles".

(snip snip snip)

Originally Posted by BBC News

Nick Clegg has denied any wrongdoing after money given by party donors was paid to his private bank account.

The Daily Telegraph says the Liberal Democrat leader received up to £250 a month from three businessmen in 2006.

Mr Clegg officially declared the donations to the parliamentary authorities and said the money helped pay for a member of his staff.

A spokesman for Mr Clegg said the money was "properly given, properly accounted for and declared".

(snip)

Originally Posted by TheDaddy (Post 35005733)

I am goin to vote for Iclandic Volcano party, they have done more to stop immigration into the UK in 5 days than new Labour did in 13 years.....

Originally Posted by Matt D (Post 35005735)

The Daily Telegraph has a story regarding donations received by Clegg:

"Nick Clegg denies wrongdoing over donation cash account"

Originally Posted by TheDaddy (Post 35005733)

I am goin to vote for Iclandic Volcano party, they have done more to stop immigration into the UK in 5 days than new Labour did in 13 years.....

Originally Posted by Product 13 (Post 35005745)

Also in the news...


And...

Originally Posted by Maggy J (Post 35005757)

Wooo the other two parties must be running scared if the media have been persuaded to star a slur campaign against Clegg, because up to now he hasn't been worth the effort.

I'm most definitely voting for the Lib Dems now...I so hate this sort of partisan journalism when I should be getting a neutral reporting of facts during an election.:mad: