The Cable Forum Exit Poll

Originally Posted by Damien

Galloway is a prat.

You're free to hold that opinion. It has little bearing on the subject.

Its a shame paxman didnt give him a harder question instead of one he can easily get out of.

It's a shame Paxman acted like an arrogant idiot from the start.

If he asked about driving out a jewish MP it may have been better due to Galloways campain

Sure, let's attack him for "driving out" (good emotive phrase that) a *woman* and a *black* and a *jew*!! Wow! He's really racking up the Politically Incorrect points there...!!

Of course there was also Oona King who claimed (without any basis that I've been able to verify) that Galloway was playing the anti-semitism card because his supporters were allegedly telling people "don't vote for her because she' Jewsish", so don't paint Galloway as the only villain.

However the fact is that he *was* elected by people who did *not* want to vote for someone who had supported the invasion of Iraq and wanted to point that out quite clearly to Tony Blair...

Originally Posted by Graham

You're free to hold that opinion. It has little bearing on the subject.



It's a shame Paxman acted like an arrogant idiot from the start.



Sure, let's attack him for "driving out" (good emotive phrase that) a *woman* and a *black* and a *jew*!! Wow! He's really racking up the Politically Incorrect points there...!!

Of course there was also Oona King who claimed (without any basis that I've been able to verify) that Galloway was playing the anti-semitism card because his supporters were allegedly telling people "don't vote for her because she' Jewsish", so don't paint Galloway as the only villain.

However the fact is that he *was* elected by people who did *not* want to vote for someone who had supported the invasion of Iraq and wanted to point that out quite clearly to Tony Blair...

Why are you so defensive about galloway?

Do you find it curious why galloway stood in a constituency like Harrow East? Why did he choose Bethnal Green & Bow?

Surely, Paxman is well known for his aggressive style of interviewing, many politicians of various parties have experienced his style, what's so special about galloway?

[Stuart]

There's a very good article in this week's Private Eye about George Galloway.


I can't post a link, however, it's not online.

Originally Posted by Gogogo

Why are you so defensive about galloway?

Congratulations, I was waiting for someone to come up with that one...

The point is not that I'm being *defensive* about Galloway, it is that others seem to think it's their "duty" almost to be *offensive* about him.

Whatever your opinions of him, what Labour did to get him out of the way for being "inconvenient" was despicable, the defamatory charges levelled against him by the newspapers have been demonstrated to be false and the way the Labour Party attacked him in the election campaign is in the lowest traditions of British gutter politics.

Do you find it curious why galloway stood in a constituency like Harrow East? Why did he choose Bethnal Green & Bow?

No. He chose a constituency where he had a good chance of winning. Why is that any different from the way the main parties "parachute in" candidates to seats that will get them into power?

Surely, Paxman is well known for his aggressive style of interviewing, many politicians of various parties have experienced his style, what's so special about galloway?

As I said, Paxman went in for a blatantly loaded "attack question" right from the start (something which AFAIK he didn't do to other interviewees on Election night, especially not winning candidates) so it seems his only purpose was to make Galloway look bad. Unfortunately he blew it, Galloway didn't fall for the trap and Paxman was left blustering and looking petty.

[BBKing]

Do you find it curious why galloway stood in a constituency like Harrow East? Why did he choose Bethnal Green & Bow?

Where do you suggest a party with few resources, few candidates and little support stand?

1) Somewhere they can possibly win?
2) Somewhere they would probably lose?
3) A constituency picked at random on a map?

For that matter, why didn't Sinn Fein stand round here? Because there's about a 3% Irish community here, while in Northern Ireland it's nearly 50%, so it would be a waste of effort. No difference there to what Respect did.

Did you have a candidate for Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern? Should Richard Taylor have stood somewhere other than Kidderminster? Of course not, that's where people felt strongly enough to vote for him, he'd be loony to stand anywhere else.

Originally Posted by Graham

Whatever your opinions of him, what Labour did to get him out of the way for being "inconvenient" was despicable, the defamatory charges levelled against him by the newspapers have been demonstrated to be false and the way the Labour Party attacked him in the election campaign is in the lowest traditions of British gutter politics.

Would you care to provide the evidence to substantiate your allegation that "the Labour Party attacked him in the election campaign is in the lowest traditions of British gutter politics"
__________________

Originally Posted by BBKing

Where do you suggest a party with few resources, few candidates and little support stand?

1) Somewhere they can possibly win?
2) Somewhere they would probably lose?
3) A constituency picked at random on a map?

For that matter, why didn't Sinn Fein stand round here? Because there's about a 3% Irish community here, while in Northern Ireland it's nearly 50%, so it would be a waste of effort. No difference there to what Respect did.

Did you have a candidate for Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern? Should Richard Taylor have stood somewhere other than Kidderminster? Of course not, that's where people felt strongly enough to vote for him, he'd be loony to stand anywhere else.

Or is it that he simply wanted to exploit the muslim vote for his own cynical purposes?

Originally Posted by Gogogo

Would you care to provide the evidence to substantiate your allegation that "the Labour Party attacked him in the election campaign is in the lowest traditions of British gutter politics"

"AN ELDERLY man claims that he suffered a broken nose and wrist and a cut face when he was attacked after refusing to accept an election leaflet from supporters of George Gallowayââ‚à ƒâ€šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s Respect party. [...]

"Mr Dobrovolski, who is a Labour Party member, was treated in hospital for his injuries."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFr...590512,00.html

However:

"When I check I realise that the leaflet wasnââ‚ ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t produced until two days after the assault. And when I check with the police, they say that in Dobrovolskiâââ€Å ¡Ã‚¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s statement there was no mention of a Respect supporter attacking him. They put out an advisory to the press about this, which doesnââ‚ƚ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t prevent one or two papers running with the story."

http://www.sundayherald.com/49602

Does that sound to you like the finest traditions of British Politics?

[iadom]

Originally Posted by Graham

Does that sound to you like the finest traditions of British Politics?

Unfortunately, yes it does.

[Matth]

Bringing it back to "who you supported":

Residents association candidate - no chance, and actually thought it was a rather daft idea putting one up.

Result, 4th place, best of the rest out of a selection including BNP (5th), Green, and a couple of other odds and ends - actually quite surprised and impressed by that result

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by Graham

"AN ELDERLY man claims that he suffered a broken nose and wrist and a cut face when he was attacked after refusing to accept an election leaflet from supporters of George Gallowayââ‚à ƒâ€šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s Respect party. [...]

"Mr Dobrovolski, who is a Labour Party member, was treated in hospital for his injuries."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFr...590512,00.html

However:

"When I check I realise that the leaflet wasnââ‚ ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t produced until two days after the assault. And when I check with the police, they say that in Dobrovolskiâââ€Å ¡Ã‚¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s statement there was no mention of a Respect supporter attacking him. They put out an advisory to the press about this, which doesnââ‚ƚ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t prevent one or two papers running with the story."

http://www.sundayherald.com/49602

Does that sound to you like the finest traditions of British Politics?

What it doesn't sound to me is the labour party attacking him.
Perhaps you can provide evidence to back up your comment Graham?

Originally Posted by Xaccers

What it doesn't sound to me is the labour party attacking him.
Perhaps you can provide evidence to back up your comment Graham?

Excuse me? It was from a press release by Oona King, the *LABOUR PARTY* candidate.

Or are you just pendantically picking nits in a desperate attempt to score a point? If so, please tell me and I'll stop wasting time replying.

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by Graham

Excuse me? It was from a press release by Oona King, the *LABOUR PARTY* candidate.

Or are you just pendantically picking nits in a desperate attempt to score a point? If so, please tell me and I'll stop wasting time replying.

Ms King called for an end to bully-boy tactics. She added: †œA terrible force has been let loose by the poisonous atmosphere of this campaign, an atmosphere for which Respect is at least partly responsible.âââ€à …¡Ã‚¬Ã‚ÂÂÂ�

Oh no, that's such a terrible attack on Mr Galloway isn't it? Doesn't even mention his name.

So again, can we actually have some evidence of how labour have attacked him in the election campaign?

[purenuman]

Originally Posted by Graham

Excuse me? It was from a press release by Oona King, the *LABOUR PARTY* candidate.

Or are you just pendantically picking nits in a desperate attempt to score a point? If so, please tell me and I'll stop wasting time replying.

Originally Posted by Graham

"AN ELDERLY man claims that he suffered a broken nose and wrist and a cut face when he was attacked after refusing to accept an election leaflet from supporters of George Gallowayââ‚à ƒâ€šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s Respect party. [...]

"Mr Dobrovolski, who is a Labour Party member, was treated in hospital for his injuries."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFr...590512,00.html

However:

"When I check I realise that the leaflet wasnââ‚ ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t produced until two days after the assault. And when I check with the police, they say that in Dobrovolskiâââ€Å ¡Ã‚¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s statement there was no mention of a Respect supporter attacking him. They put out an advisory to the press about this, which doesnââ‚ƚ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t prevent one or two papers running with the story."

http://www.sundayherald.com/49602

Does that sound to you like the finest traditions of British Politics?

I believe you grossly exaggerating this incident of being the Labour Party's action re gutter politics. The man was interviewed on TV: of course in such circumstances he was well known Labour activist he was indeed kicked and a leaflet from Respect was thrown at him, assume there were no witnesses to the incident. You will have to do better than this and issuing statements like you did lowers your own credibilty.
__________________

Originally Posted by Graham

Excuse me? It was from a press release by Oona King, the *LABOUR PARTY* candidate.

Or are you just pendantically picking nits in a desperate attempt to score a point? If so, please tell me and I'll stop wasting time replying.

Reading your posts one gets the impression you are the pedantic one. You have not provided evidence to back your ridiculous claim.

Maybe you should read this Telegraph article, registered users,
Police move in
Which outlines the nasty behaviour of Respect supporters, even Ken Livingstone was horrified!

Originally Posted by Xaccers

Oh no, that's such a terrible attack on Mr Galloway isn't it? Doesn't even mention his name.

Ah, it seems you *are* pedantically picking nits. By the way, it was Oona King who called the press to Les Dobrovolski's house to break the story about him being attacked by Respect supporters and them dropping a leaflet on him...

Oh and you may want to read the following article: http://www.thelondonline.co.uk/theli...p?articleID=53

"She says his supporters are running a racist campaign; he says she's running a corrupt campaign. She has eggs and rotten vegetables pelted at her at a Jewish memorial service; he says he's just successfully sued her for the second time. She says she wouldn't trust him to deliver a pizza; he says she's no more than a cog in a machine. Tariq Ali calls her a "warmonger", while Cherie Blair urges voters to "give Galloway a bloody nose"."

So again, can we actually have some evidence of how labour have attacked him in the election campaign?

"TALK of administering †œa bloody noseââ‚ ¬Ã‚ÂÂÂ� to oneââ‚Âà ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s political opponents is not the kind of language expected from the wife of the Prime Minister. But Cherie Blair has urged loyal Labour supporters to do just that to George Galloway, one of her husbandââ‚à ‚¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s fiercest critics over the war in Iraq.

"Mrs Blair appeared to lose her cool while addressing an audience of 100 party members at a £25-per-head fundraising reception for Oona King, defending Bethnal Green & Bow for Labour. "

[...]

"Labour is worried and Mrs Blair is just the latest big gun †â€ÂÂÂ� after Gordon Brown, John Prescott and Charles Clarke †â€ÂÂÂ� to appear with Ms King. In her speech Mrs Blair went on to attack the media because they could not be relied on to †œdeliver the partyââ‚ƚ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s messageââ‚à ‚¬Ã‚ÂÂÂ�."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...7052_1,00.html

Do you really think that Labour were wheeling out the Big Guns (including the PM's *wife*!!) to support Oona King? Or were they just terrified that they'd suffer an embarassing defeat by Galloway and were doing their damndest to stop it by any means available?
__________________

Originally Posted by Gogogo

I believe you grossly exaggerating this incident of being the Labour Party's action re gutter politics. The man was interviewed on TV: of course in such circumstances he was well known Labour activist he was indeed kicked and a leaflet from Respect was thrown at him, assume there were no witnesses to the incident.

A leaflet that wasn't printed until *TWO DAYS* after the attack? Hmm...

Oh and "no witnesses"? In which case I think "presumed innocent until proven guilty" comes to mind.

You will have to do better than this and issuing statements like you did lowers your own credibilty.

Is that the sound of axes being ground I hear...???

Reading your posts one gets the impression you are the pedantic one. You have not provided evidence to back your ridiculous claim.

ROFLALALAL!!!

Maybe you should read this Telegraph article, Which outlines the nasty behaviour of Respect supporters, even Ken Livingstone was horrified!

Oh deary, deary me.

*WHY* is it that people seem to assume that because I'm "attacking" Labour, they think I *must* be *defending* Galloway.

They have absolutely *NO* basis for such a belief, but think I am "taking sides" instead of just pointing out facts.

Oh and it's a bit rich that Ken Livingstone is accusing George Galloway of opportunism. Oh and quoting from that same article:

"Miss King added that Mr Galloway had reaped what he had sown. "Extremism breeds extremism. Everyone has been aware that the Respect party has been whipping things up particularly among one section of the community and I am not surprised things have turned ugly and now they are turning even uglier.""