The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 4

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by danielf

Really? Do you have a link for that?

You'll have to look on iPlayer or R4's site to see if they've still got a recording of Nick Robinson reporting what was and wasn't said at the meeting of media with the Tories.

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Xaccers

You'll have to look on iPlayer or R4's site to see if they've still got a recording of Nick Robinson reporting what was and wasn't said at the meeting of media with the Tories.

Before I go hunting geese: was he present at the meeting?

[Tezcatlipoca]

Originally Posted by danielf

Really? Do you have a link for that?

I found this.. although it alleges otherwise...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobin...ood_smear.html

Originally Posted by Nick Robinson's Blog

Update 1939: I now learn that political reporters from the Tory-backing papers were called in one by one to discuss how Team Cameron would deal with "Cleggmania" and to be offered Tory HQ's favourite titbits about the Lib Dems - much of which appears in today's papers.

The key personal allegation about payments from donors into Nick Clegg's personal bank account came, however, from the Telegraph's expenses files. Incidentally, the party has now published details of Nick Clegg's bank statements and party accounts showing that Mr Clegg received payments totalling £19,690 from three businessmen (Neil Sherlock, Michael Young, Ian Wright) and then paid staff costs of £20,437.30 out of the same account. According to these figures, Mr Clegg actually paid £747.30 out of his own money towards staff costs.

[Xaccers]

Which clearly shows that the personal attacks came from the papers themselves, as Nick made clear on the radio.

The LibDems didn't like being treated like the big boys by the press, and used it to try and slander the Tories.

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Xaccers

Which clearly shows that the personal attacks came from the papers themselves, as Nick made clear on the radio.

The LibDems didn't like being treated like the big boys by the press, and used it to try and slander the Tories.

Logic has clearly left the building. How does

Update 1939: I now learn that political reporters from the Tory-backing papers were called in one by one to discuss how Team Cameron would deal with "Cleggmania" and to be offered Tory HQ's favourite titbits about the Lib Dems - much of which appears in today's papers.

'clearly show(s) that the personal attacks came from the papers themselves'?

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by danielf

Logic has clearly left the building. How does



'clearly show(s) that the personal attacks came from the papers themselves'?

The key personal allegation about payments from donors into Nick Clegg's personal bank account came, however, from the Telegraph's expenses files

Or do you need it made bold to notice it?

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Xaccers

Or do you need it made bold to notice it?

No. In fact, it reinforces the suggestion that Tory HQ were behind this. The Telegraph had been sitting on this info for a long time and never saw it important enough to release it. They only released it (in synch with a couple of bloodhounds) after a visit to Tory HQ. Coincidence? I don't think so.

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by danielf

No. In fact, it reinforces the suggestion that Tory HQ were behind this. The Telegraph had been sitting on this info for a long time and never saw it important enough to release it. They only released it (in synch with a couple of bloodhounds) after a visit to Tory HQ. Coincidence? I don't think so.

They only released it just before the second debate after Clegg did well at the first debate.
Coincidence? No.
That was the reason they released it, to damage Clegg after he got a surge from the first debate.

Seems they have finally got around to discussing Education.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politi...10/8658257.stm

Frankly I'm not impressed by any of the suggestions apart from the Lib Dems saying they will phase out university tuition fees.

[Ignitionnet]

Ministers encourage tactical voting.

Just to carry on the positive vibe that oozes from a Labour campaign proud of their achievements over the past 13 years and campaigning on continuing their record of achievement.

---------- Post added at 08:17 ---------- Previous post was at 08:15 ----------

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Frankly I'm not impressed by any of the suggestions apart from the Lib Dems saying they will phase out university tuition fees.

These plans are fully and realistically costed and funded, right?

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

Ministers encourage tactical voting.

These plans are fully and realistically costed and funded, right?

I think we should suck it up if we want our citizens to stand a chance against the rest of the world and provide a free education for ALL our citizens.I'm not talking about grants just tuition fees and frankly all three parties are living in lala land when it comes to economics promises already..

[papa smurf]

i think who ever wins the election [assuming its not lab ]will have a ruddy big shock when they see the true extent of our financial problems ,then the reality of what is actually in the spending pot will kick in ,as i strongly suspect we don't yet have a full grasp of the extent of labours cock up .

[Escapee]

Originally Posted by papa smurf

i think who ever wins the election [assuming its not lab ]will have a ruddy big shock when they see the true extent of our financial problems ,then the reality of what is actually in the spending pot will kick in ,as i strongly suspect we don't yet have a full grasp of the extent of labours cock up .

I think you are spot on there.

I also think that if the election had not been due for a few years they would have made huge public service cuts, but this has not happened because they are more interested in keeping their place in number 10 than doing the right thing.

Whoever gets in will have to make massive cuts, if Labour gets in (I certainly hope not) the electorate will have sent a message that they can carry on doing as they like with the country.

Another term of Labour would be unbearable

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

I think we should suck it up if we want our citizens to stand a chance against the rest of the world and provide a free education for ALL our citizens.I'm not talking about grants just tuition fees and frankly all three parties are living in lala land when it comes to economics promises already..

We do, right up through to Higher Education level. Being a graduate is quite diluted enough by government pushing people to go to university as it is. Universities are complaining about having to remedial courses for their intakes to bring them up to standard already and far too many degrees are of little use in finding jobs.

We do not have the capability to send all our citizens to University and it is quite pointless to. Canada and the States are far more horny on degrees than we are yet charge tuition fees.

If people are doing degrees in engineering, sciences, maths and the like, where skills are in short supply and will equip them to compete with the hordes of graduates in these subjects being churned out elsewhere then definitely. Someone doing an obscure arts degree or the ever famous International Football Business Management degree not so much.

Vocational courses for those who don't have the ability to manage degree level education and financial incentives to those able to pursue a course in sciences, mathematics and engineering would surely be wiser than simply 'Go toss it off at University for 3 years doing a pointless degree no employer wants as they've about 3,000 graduates with a BA in BS applying for every job' surely?

Not that I'm an expert in education, just speaking from the POV of a taxpayer and a potential employer, one who has no degree in anything at that, though I am commencing one in October.

[Ravenheart]

Nice article by Armando Iannucci in the Independent

Only thing.. "Turned the media into a pack of shrieking gibbons".. I thought they were like that all the time!