UK May General Election 2015

[Guest]

No need to thank me, your UK pound dropping to about $1.00 = 60p will be sufficient

 

No hope of this happening barring an unexpected Aussie rate rise

[Thom]

We live in hope.

[paulv]

Well that's your take on it, but lets go and ask people who actually know what they are talking about shall we?

 

 

 

BTW what the hell does the Telegraph have to do with anything here?

 

You obviously don't know what is happening on the ground here Thom. The Telegraph is now the Tories voice (along with Guido Fawkes) as they slavishly publish anything pro Tory without the Murdoch connection sullying this view. See how all the CCHQ letters from business leaders were all in the Telegraph as opposed to The Times (as was previously the case).

Similarly all the anti democratic outriders are in the Telegraph (see Janet Daley's weekend column, or Boris Johnson's today) where they are trying to scare people into voting Tory with talk of Milliband causing more damage than terrorists to our cities (!!!).

 

Despite this the 'Poll of polls' all seem to be showing a minority Tory majority but Labour and SNP likely to hold sway and form a government. Either way its all very interesting and seeing the usual privileged lot crap themselves is great fun.

[paulv]

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/apr/27/telegraph-tories-letter-election-david-cameron-mail

 

"If anyone still needed evidence that the Telegraph has positioned itself as the lone official voice of the Conservative party, Monday’s front page confirmed it.

Not only did the story about the support for the Tories from 5,000 small business owners fill the entire front page but the list had been provided by Conservative Central Office.

 

The Conservative “authors” were first outed by Andy Hicks, who describes himself on Twitter as a “Sarcastic. Republican. Pessimist. Atheist. Socialist. Feminist”.

 

The Telegraph devoted the whole of its broadsheet front page to this headline about an exclusive letter of support: “Businesses like ours have helped to create 1,000 jobs a day since 2010. We would like to see David Cameron and George Osborne given the chance to finish what they have started. A change now would be far too risky.”

 

A line which could have been written by Tory central command, as indeed it was.

 

The Telegraph’s similar story about support for the Tories from big business led that day’s TV news bulletins in early April. It seems less likely that the latest letter will do the same, especially on a day when more news emerges of the terrible earthquake in Nepal."

[akiralx]

The rest of the UK is never going to want a "Scottish only party" representing us and making decisions for us. The same way we wouldn't want an Irish or a Welsh party to do so.

 

Would you like it if we got to vote an English centric government into the Scottish Parliament?

 

 

You seem to be referring to the Conservative Party - they have no real presence in Scotland or Wales and their policies are generally for the benefit of an English affluent urban elite, more specifically within the M25...

[Thom]

 

You obviously don't know what is happening on the ground here Thom. The Telegraph is now the Tories voice (along with Guido Fawkes) as they slavishly publish anything pro Tory without the Murdoch connection sullying this view. See how all the CCHQ letters from business leaders were all in the Telegraph as opposed to The Times (as was previously the case).

Similarly all the anti democratic outriders are in the Telegraph (see Janet Daley's weekend column, or Boris Johnson's today) where they are trying to scare people into voting Tory with talk of Milliband causing more damage than terrorists to our cities (!!!).

 

Ah, I see what you mean, if anyone who supports the Tories gets something wrong in your eyes, or expresses an opinion you do not like, then the Tory party are wrong. Classic Strawman "look over there" argument. Facile.

 

Despite this the 'Poll of polls' all seem to be showing a minority Tory majority but Labour and SNP likely to hold sway and form a government. Either way its all very interesting and seeing the usual privileged lot crap themselves is great fun.

 

By "the usual privileged lot" you mean

 

Edd Balls?

 

Balls' father is the zoologist Michael Balls; his mother is Carolyn Janet Balls (née Riseborough). His younger brother is Andrew Balls the head of European Operations at the bond and investment firm PIMCO. Balls was born in Norwich and educated at Bawburgh Primary School in Norwich, Crossdale Drive Primary School in Keyworth, Nottinghamshire, and then the private all-boys Nottingham High School, where he played the violin. He went on to attend Keble College, Oxford, where he gained a First in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, graduating—according to John Rentoul in the Independent—ahead of David Cameron. Later he attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard, where he was a Kennedy Scholar specialising in Economics

 

 

Harriet Harperson?

 

Harman was born Harriet Ruth Harman at 108 Harley Street in London, to Anna Harman (née Spicer), a solicitor, married to a Harley Street physician John Bishop Harman. Her parents each had non-conformist backgrounds – her grandfather, ophthalmic surgeon Nathaniel Bishop Harman, was a prominent Unitarian and the Spicer family were well knowncongregationalists. Her aunt was Elizabeth Pakenham, Countess of Longford, and her cousins include writers Lady Antonia Fraser, Rachel Billington, and Thomas Pakenham^]Harman is a great grand-daughter of Joseph Chamberlain and is also related to Richard Chamberlain.

Harman attended a fee-paying public school, St Paul's Girls' School and then gained a BA in Politics from the University of York. During her time at York, she was involved with student politics. After York Harman then went on to qualify as a lawyer.

 

Tristram Hunt?

 

Hunt is the son of Julian Hunt, Baron Hunt of Chesterton, a meteorologist and leader of the Labour Group on Cambridge City Council in 1972-73, who was created a LabourLife Peer on the recommendation of Tony Blairin 2000. He was educated at University College School, an independent school in London, where he achieved two As (History and Latin) and a B (English Literature) at A-Level. He read History at Trinity College, Cambridge as well as at the University of Chicago, and was for a time an Associate Fellow of the Centre for History and Economics at King's College, Cambridge. He undertook postgraduate study at the University of Cambridge and completed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 2000. His thesis was titled Civic thought in Britain, c.1820– c.1860. While at Cambridge he was a member of the Footlights, where he was a contemporary of David Mitchell and Robert Webb.

 

That the sort of privilege you mean? (Want more?)

[akiralx]

Ah, I see what you mean, if anyone who supports the Tories gets something wrong in your eyes, or expresses an opinion you do not like, then the Tory party are wrong. Classic Strawman "look over there" argument. Facile.

 

 

 

By "the usual privileged lot" you mean

 

Edd Balls?

 

 

 

 

Harriet Harperson?

 

 

 

Tristram Hunt?

 

 

 

That the sort of privilege you mean? (Want more?)

 

With the possible exception of Harriet Harman, all those quotes tell me is that they are well educated and successful, not that they were born into riches and privilege.

[Thom]

Edd Balls's Nottingham High School fees of £4,281 per term plus £179.00 per term for violin, sounds privileged to me. Harperson's St Paul's fees of £7,306 a term sounds "privileged" to me. Hunt's UCS fees of £5,954 a term sounds "privileged" to me.

[Guest]

Natalie Bennett / Caroline Lucas are my two favourites for that. Both very well schooled and from obviously nice backgrounds.

[paulv]

Ah, I see what you mean, if anyone who supports the Tories gets something wrong in your eyes, or expresses an opinion you do not like, then the Tory party are wrong. Classic Strawman "look over there" argument. Facile.

 

 

 

By "the usual privileged lot" you mean

 

Edd Balls?

 

 

 

 

Harriet Harperson?

 

 

 

Tristram Hunt?

 

 

 

That the sort of privilege you mean? (Want more?)

 

Oh Thom, you can be tiresome with your conspiracy and hatred.

Privilege is expecting power, not just attending a decent school/uni.

It's clear that you too cannot bear the thought of a change of UK government, even from the other side of the world.

Never mind Thom, you'll get over it.

[Thom]

Oh Thom, you can be tiresome with your conspiracy and hatred.

Privilege is expecting power, not just attending a decent school/uni.

It's clear that you too cannot bear the thought of a change of UK government, even from the other side of the world.

Never mind Thom, you'll get over it.

 

Ah, ok, so it's ok for you to revel in "seeing the usual privileged lot crap themselves", but when someone else points out the Labour party shadow cabinet is made up of privileged private school and Oxbridge graduates, most of whom have not had a job outside to politics, then that is "conspiracy and hatred".

 

Considering the fact there is no "conspiracy and hatred" in anything I have written, (care to show where there is? ) the utter hypocrisy of your posting is rather laughable.

 

By the way, if you do not consider someone from a family which is able to pay fees of £7,306 a term for their education as "privileged" would you care to share with us what you do consider a "privileged" upbringing?

 

How about the £30,410 a year Tony Bliar's parents paid for his place at Fettes? Is that "privileged" enough for you?

 

[Thom]

Remember Emily Thornburry? The shadow cabinet member for labour who took such delight in laughing at the working class?

 

Thornberry was born in north Surrey to Cedric Thornberry, a Visiting Professor of War Studies at King's College London, and his wife Sallie Thornberry, a teacher.Her father went on to become a United Nations Assistant Secretary General and worked as a consultant for NATO. She was educated at the University of Kent at Canterbury where she studied Law. Thornberry has lived in Islington since the early 1990s. In July 1991 she married fellow-barrister Christopher Nugee. Nugee later became a Queen's Counsel, then a High Court Judge, when he was knighted (whereupon she became formally styled Lady Nugee MP) In April 2005 it emerged that Thornberry had sent her son to the partially selective Dame Alice Owen's School fourteen miles away from her home and outside her constituency.

[paulv]

Remember Emily Thornburry? The shadow cabinet member for labour who took such delight in laughing at the working class?

 

Relentless negativity. So many on the right attack those who have had the privileges that the right expects, but do not use that privilege to protect their own. So if you go to a good school and join the Tory party its ok.

If you go to a good school and join a non Tory party you are a traitor and a hypocrite and everything is done to try and denegrate you.

Class traitors hey!

 

"Some people say I'm a hypocrite because I've got money now. When I was poor and I complained about inequality people said I was bitter, now I'm rich and I complain about inequality they say I'm a hypocrite. I'm beginning to think they just don't want inequality on the agenda because it is a real problem that needs to be addressed."

[beach pig]

Relentless negativity. So many on the right attack those who have had the privileges that the right expects, but do not use that privilege to protect their own. So if you go to a good school and join the Tory party its ok.

If you go to a good school and join a non Tory party you are a traitor and a hypocrite and everything is done to try and denegrate you.

Class traitors hey!

 

"Some people say I'm a hypocrite because I've got money now. When I was poor and I complained about inequality people said I was bitter, now I'm rich and I complain about inequality they say I'm a hypocrite. I'm beginning to think they just don't want inequality on the agenda because it is a real problem that needs to be addressed."

 

Your not tony Blair are you?

[Gbye grey sky]

Your not tony Blair are you?

 

That's below the belt. You may have gone too far this time. :laugh:

[Bungo]

Relentless negativity. So many on the right attack those who have had the privileges that the right expects, but do not use that privilege to protect their own. So if you go to a good school and join the Tory party its ok.

If you go to a good school and join a non Tory party you are a traitor and a hypocrite and everything is done to try and denegrate you.

Class traitors hey!

 

"Some people say I'm a hypocrite because I've got money now. When I was poor and I complained about inequality people said I was bitter, now I'm rich and I complain about inequality they say I'm a hypocrite. I'm beginning to think they just don't want inequality on the agenda because it is a real problem that needs to be addressed."

 

It is only you that has expressed anger (jealousy?) that some people go to private school or are more privileged than others. Honestly you are just making up absolute rubbish in your posts. Can you provide some examples of these attacks you refer to?

 

If you want to debate or persuade people to vote In a particular way why don't you debate some policies that you don't like instead of just making this nonsense up.

[Chortlepuss]

I am registered to vote in the UK election but have not received any ballot papers - has anyone got theirs yet?

[akiralx]

By the way, if you do not consider someone from a family which is able to pay fees of £7,306 a term for their education as "privileged" would you care to share with us what you do consider a "privileged" upbringing?

 

How about the £30,410 a year Tony Bliar's parents paid for his place at Fettes? Is that "privileged" enough for you?

 

That's just chump change to your average Tory, isn't it? I think you'll find all your figures are way out of date, education was a lot cheaper back then...

[Guest]

http://news.sky.com/story/1473561/uk-gdp-growth-slows-to-0-3-percent-in-first-quarter

 

Maybe we will get a weaker pound, and it is nothing to do with Labour...

[Thom]

Relentless negativity. So many on the right attack those who have had the privileges that the right expects, but do not use that privilege to protect their own. So if you go to a good school and join the Tory party its ok.

If you go to a good school and join a non Tory party you are a traitor and a hypocrite and everything is done to try and denegrate you.

Class traitors hey!

 

What on earth? You were the one who started the negativity, and attacking "the privileged", no one else. Dear, dear, dear, what hypocrisy.

 

When it's pointed out to you that there are "privileged" people are on all sides of the political spectrum, you act as if it was someone else who raised the issue.

 

Have some consistency mate.

 

"Some people say I'm a hypocrite because I've got money now. When I was poor and I complained about inequality people said I was bitter, now I'm rich and I complain about inequality they say I'm a hypocrite. I'm beginning to think they just don't want inequality on the agenda because it is a real problem that needs to be addressed."

 

Who are you quoting?

 

Oh, sorry you seemed to have missed the question I put to you earlier.

 

"Privilege is expecting power, not just attending a decent school/uni."

 

By the way, if you do not consider someone from a family which is able to pay fees of £7,306 a term for their education as "privileged" would you care to share with us what you do consider a "privileged" upbringing?

 

How about the £30,410 a year Tony Bliar's parents paid for his place at Fettes? Is that "privileged" enough for you?

 

I have to ask;

 

It's clear that you too cannot bear the thought of a change of UK government, even from the other side of the world.

Never mind Thom, you'll get over it.

 

Have you not noticed the name of the forum? It's "Poms in Oz", of which I happen to be one, so I think it's ok for me to comment, isn't it?

 

Also, as I am intending moving back to Blighty in 4 years time, the election has a huge bearing on my current plans, so it's a good thing for me to show interest (I postal voted in the St. Ives Cornwall constituency.)

 

SO, why not debate the topic, and drop your relentless personal attacks? You're only embarrassing yourself mate, your not a very good advert for left wing politics..

[Thom]

That's just chump change to your average Tory, isn't it? I think you'll find all your figures are way out of date, education was a lot cheaper back then...

 

No it's not. Though I wish I had that sort of money to lash out on my kids education, and I'm an average Tory.

 

Also, can I point out to you, as you seem not to understand, that the fees would NOT be "a lot cheaper" back then. You don't seem to have a grasp on basic economics, or inflation, or maths.

[Paul1Perth]

No it's not. Though I wish I had that sort of money to lash out on my kids education, and I'm an average Tory.

 

Also, can I point out to you, as you seem not to understand, that the fees would NOT be "a lot cheaper" back then. You don't seem to have a grasp on basic economics, or inflation, or maths.

 

A lot of education was free. When I had the opportunity to go to Uni when I was 31 if the prospect had been to come out with a big bill at the end of it I wouldn't have gone. I only went as I got just about as much grant as I could possibly get. No parental contribution, full grant, extra because I was a mature student and even more because I had worked in industry for the 15 years before I went. Grant was just enough to get me through.

 

Spent all my savings and had to take my car home and use public transport for the first time in years. Came out with no money and had to start again as a new graduate on less money than I had been on as a 20 year old fitter. Wouldn't fancy being a fitter though now.

[benthomas010]

http://news.sky.com/story/1473561/uk-gdp-growth-slows-to-0-3-percent-in-first-quarter

 

Maybe we will get a weaker pound, and it is nothing to do with Labour...

 

Strangely the pound has continued to strengthen despite this news, which goes against the norms in currency markets. Poor / low growth reports suggest interest rates will remain low for longer... Therefore currency should weaken ?

 

Very strange.

[Guest]

Strangely the pound has continued to strengthen despite this news, which goes against the norms in currency markets. Poor / low growth reports suggest interest rates will remain low for longer... Therefore currency should weaken ?

 

Very strange.

 

Well I haven't followed it against the USD but today the pound went from 1.94 AUD to 1.92. I'm about to transfer some money for a trip to the UK in may so following closely.

[paulv]

It is only you that has expressed anger (jealousy?) that some people go to private school or are more privileged than others. Honestly you are just making up absolute rubbish in your posts. Can you provide some examples of these attacks you refer to?

 

If you want to debate or persuade people to vote In a particular way why don't you debate some policies that you don't like instead of just making this nonsense up.

 

I've never expressed anger nor jealousy but thanks for your input. The UK papers and political blogs are full of examples of which I refer to.