UK General Discussion

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The insecurity of all three leaders in this parliament is surely unprecedented.

Not at all. The perception of insecurity - because in reality all are perfectly secure unless things are going on that we don't actually know about - for multiple party leaders is pretty common. For some especially extreme cases, look at the 60s.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

So, then. Jimmy Savile. The thing is... everyone knew. Which, when you think about it, is extremely disturbing.

[bore]

If this is true (which more than likely, it is) expect to see Sir Jimmy become Jimmy, and everyone to change their mind quite quickly. It only took a few seconds to find gushing quotes from Hunt, Charles Kennedy and Mark Thompson.

[Phony Moderate]

Oh dear....

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/10/01/alastair-campbell-may-stand-as-mp-in-general-election_n_1929886.html

[You kip if you want to...]

10 minutes into the speech and Ed is, dare I say it, actually doing quite well.

[Insula Dei]

10 minutes into the speech and Ed is, dare I say it, actually doing quite well.

Yeah, pretty good speech.

[Silent Hunter]

10 minutes into the speech and Ed is, dare I say it, actually doing quite well.

Caught a bit while I was out - his voice has improved since that sleep apnea operation, that's for sure.

Leadership rumours aren't going to start up - he has not "crashed and burned".

[You kip if you want to...]

His media training was blatant, mind.

[Leftbehind]

That's been obvious since day one.

[You kip if you want to...]

Rank hypocrisy.

[You kip if you want to...]

The first post-"One Nation" speech from YouGov gives Ed his highest rating as preferred Prime Minister ever. 27%.
http://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/document/6aw937uwlp/YG-Archives-Pol-Sun-results-031012.pdf

For some context, the first such poll of 2012 gave to Cameron at 41-17%.

Perceptions of Ed have also improved.
http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/8h6kfbu889/YG-Archives-Pol-Sun-results-121003%20Ed%27s%20Speech%20%282%29.pdf

[You kip if you want to...]

If you needed any confirmation that he's unqualified to be Health Secretary:
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/10/05/jeremy-hunt-abortion-restrict-time-limit-no-concern-for-women_n_1944010.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

If you needed any confirmation that he's unqualified to be Health Secretary:
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/10/05/jeremy-hunt-abortion-restrict-time-limit-no-concern-for-women_n_1944010.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

As long as legitimate medically-necessary abortions are still available, and there's nothing in his comments to suggest he thinks they should not be,  how does wanting to reduce the period in which elective abortions are available from 24 to 12 weeks make one unqualified to be health secretary?

[YL]

It certainly looks like Ed Miliband got a good bounce from his speech if you believe today's Sunday Times/YouGov poll: 40% say he's doing a good job (though still 49% say he's doing a bad one), up from 28% (57% bad) last week.  The headline figures are not bad either (Lab 45%, Con 31%, LD 8%), but YouGov has been quite volatile recently and that's at the top end of their normal range for Lab.

(Tables here.)

[YL]

If you needed any confirmation that he's unqualified to be Health Secretary:
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/10/05/jeremy-hunt-abortion-restrict-time-limit-no-concern-for-women_n_1944010.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

To be honest Hunt's views on homeopathy concern me more than his views on abortion.

[Silent Hunter]

If you needed any confirmation that he's unqualified to be Health Secretary:
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/10/05/jeremy-hunt-abortion-restrict-time-limit-no-concern-for-women_n_1944010.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

To be honest Hunt's views on homeopathy concern me more than his views on abortion.

Since any abortion change would have to go through Parliament on a conscience vote, I'm not too concerned about it. Frankly, I'm more concerned about the BSkyB stuff.

[You kip if you want to...]

It certainly looks like Ed Miliband got a good bounce from his speech if you believe today's Sunday Times/YouGov poll: 40% say he's doing a good job (though still 49% say he's doing a bad one), up from 28% (57% bad) last week.  The headline figures are not bad either (Lab 45%, Con 31%, LD 8%), but YouGov has been quite volatile recently and that's at the top end of their normal range for Lab.

(Tables here.)

Ed's best since January 2011. Maybe he's finally getting somewhere...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Lot of pink ribbons even around this way.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Interesting:

http://dpmcbride.tumblr.com/post/32931120073/5-years-on-the-election-that-never-was

[You kip if you want to...]

Interesting:

http://dpmcbride.tumblr.com/post/32931120073/5-years-on-the-election-that-never-was

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Gordon always was smarter than the media liked to believe.

And I agree with him in general on Ed. He has all the pieces to make a great PM, all except the piece of charisma and style. That's the one-up that his brother has.

[You kip if you want to...]

He was the future... once.

And there's been some more bubbling of this Boris-Dave melodrama over the weekend. I really wish they'd take their schoolboy grudges elsewhere. I don't even know what Boris is playing at, I don't think he wants this poisoned chalice.

[Silent Hunter]

Am I the only one who thinks that the government's economic policies are reminiscent of the long-since-discredited medical practice of 'bleeding'?

[Insula Dei]

Soooooo,..., Grant Shapps no future Tory Leader after all?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Soooooo,..., Grant Shapps no future Tory Leader after all?

Seems not. But maybe Michael Green has a shot.

[You kip if you want to...]

Boris entering conference, er woah. And Dave's bitterness on his own walk-and-talk-with-reporters-chasing-him on ITN really shone through.