UK General Discussion

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Anne Marie-Trevelyan, Tory PPC for Berwick will be on the wine tonight.

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Sir Alan Beith, the longest serving LibDem MP, is to stand down at the next election. He was first elected for Berwick-upon-Tweed at a by-election in 1973 (triggered by the resignation of its aristocratic Tory MP following a prostitution scandal) and has spent subsequent decades failing to make any kind of meaningful impact whatsoever. His retirement means that Berwick will likely be a top Tory target in the election.

Since when has any Liberal had any meaningful impact? They tend to have huge personal votes though. Sir Alan definitely does.

Didn't he vote against same sex marriage?

Tory hold. (you get me? )

Oh you!

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Nothing official yet, but Andrew Stunell (LD, Hazel Grove) is planning to stand down as well. Apparently.

Tories will be happy.

Thanks, I am. *chink chink*

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Chris Bryant implodes just weeks before the reshuffle.

Was literally about to say this. Absolutely hilarious.

Labour trying to out-Tory the Tories on immigration is... amusing to say the least.

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ICM shows 40% back the Tories on the economy up from 28% in June. Labour ahead by 3% in the poll for voting intention but looking good. I'll take that less than two years before the GE.

The comments on the Guardian article were... blissful.

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Dead lady gives the "party of the government at the time" £520,000 to do with as they wish.

Tories and LibDems originally take it for themselves, then give it to the Treasury when the Mail kicks up a fuss.

Silly season everybody.

Oh God, this story... *facepalm*

Ed also pelted with eggs at a market in his first public appearance in a while.

Pelter was a (D) Miliband supporter who thinks (E) Miliband doesn't stand up for the poor.

Seriously. This. Is. Hilarious.

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Story in the papers of some kid getting 7 A*s today and still getting the knock back by Oxford!

Yes, this is quite silly. Grades are not the be all and end all of a University application.

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Indeed, you have to be middle class as well.

*sigh*

But still, personal statement as well as the interview count for much.

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Which links into confidence in that kind of situation, which links in to class.

Not really. You can be the muck of the Earth and still have the self-professed arrogance to write an Oxbridge personal statement.

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Out of curiosity, are any UKers going to the Party Conferences this year?

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23745539

CBI predicts 2.4% growth by 2014. 1.2% for this year.

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What an absolute disaster. I'm honestly speechless.

The UK doesn't even back UN weapons inspectors now. Just.. madness.

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If I was Cameron, I would have ignored Parliament and just gone the 'prerogative' route. This is just a complete disaster.

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Government's defeat here isn't of the sort that would trigger a new election right? Does the 5 year term now eliminate that risk?

Not necessarily, but Cameron has been severely undermined and his authority has been crippled. I imagine the fixed term Parliament bill can be scrapped whenever.

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Some of the bile coming from the right-wing press, aimed at those against intervention, is pretty shocking even for them.

And as much as Labour are being barracked in the press for standing with the public, no one's mentioning the hilarity of some of the neocon statements made by the likes of Clegg and Paddy Ashdown.

Ashdown's statement was one of the few times I've ever nodded earnestly when listening to a Liberal Democrat.

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Teather was a major star in the party (especially after the massive swing in the Brent East by-election when she gained it), although her position was looking dodgy in  Brent Central come 2015, IIRC.

Al can help here.

Nobody'll miss her.

It was her marriage vote that killed her off.

I was thinking this.

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I see the BBC is treating us to more blatantly biased (and equally sh**t) documentaries from Dominic Sandbrook.

I thought the one on the 1970s was pretty good.

Though, the general rule is if I like something, then you shouldn't.

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You must be logged in to read this quote.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/12/28/david-cameron-ukip-immigration_n_4511052.html

Bright Blue are an embarrassment.

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Surprised there has been no talk of the minimum wage rise here.

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Bob Crow on Thatcher's death: "I won't shed a single tear. As far as I am concerned she can rot in hell."

Still, RIP.

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Michael Fabricant, Vice Chair of the Conservative Party was asked to resign today, refused, then was sacked. Most likely due to his calling for Maria Miller to resign on Twitter and vocal anti-HS2 views (a-la Justine Greening moving from the transport brief).

Anyhow, everyone promoted in the mini-shuffle has made me a very happy Tory. Sajid Javid was the guest of honour at our University Conservative group summer dinner and he definitely impressed, I feel he's slightly wasted at the DCMS though. Andrea Leadsom and Nicky Morgan are also fantastic.

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Michael Fabricant, Vice Chair of the Conservative Party was asked to resign today, refused, then was sacked. Most likely due to his calling for Maria Miller to resign on Twitter and vocal anti-HS2 views (a-la Justine Greening moving from the transport brief).

Fabricant always creeped me out. He looks like a shrivelled up Boris Johnson.

Then again it was probably a bad idea to appoint a self-described "maverick" to a leadership role. Maverick politicians are normally best suited to minor parties, the backbenches and crap reality TV. Watch as an unleashed Fabricant seeks the oxygen of media exposure to revenge himself on the party establishment.

Nigel Evans found not guilty, therefore no Ribble Valley by-election.

Will he be reinstated as Deputy Speaker?

Yeah, he's a.. character, shall we say. I do find him quite an amusing fellow, he hosted our University freshers event and went down a treat.

To the second question, unlikely.

Nigel Evans found not guilty, therefore no Ribble Valley by-election.

Not just that. The evidence against him like wet tissue. It should have never gone to court.

If the Guardian article on the case is accurate I'd have to agree.  What were the police and CPS doing?

I read the article too, seems Sarah Wollaston played a big role in getting the police involved. Never really been fond of her.

Also, Norman Tebbit calls for Martin McGuinness to be assassinated.