The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[bluemangroup]

Hmm, he talks about being the force for change and all that, but then talks about himself all the time. The lady asking the question now seems to have it spot on that people appear sick of politicians seeming to worry more about themselves and their own prospects than anyone else. It really isn't about him.

He's a party leader struggling to maintain control and with rumours circulating about him being ousted. Talking about himself and the change he seeks to bring makes them synonymous maybe? Not saying it's right but you can understand why he's doing it I guess.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

He's a party leader struggling to maintain control and with rumours circulating about him being ousted. Talking about himself and the change he seeks to bring makes them synonymous maybe? Not saying it's right but you can understand why he's doing it I guess.

Oh for sure, the media don't help the quality of government one bit, but it would sure be nice if at least one of them rose above it. The title public servant has seldom been less relevant.

 

[bluemangroup]

Oh for sure, the media don't help the quality of government one bit, but it would sure be nice if at least one of them rose above it. The title public servant has seldom been less relevant.

Difficult to near impossible to do isn't it though? Unless you snuggle up to the media you stand little to no chance of winning anything. Public servants are permanently undermined by the media looking for the next story and it doesn't become about policy and effective governance, it becomes about whether or not you can give a bit of money to a homeless woman without looking awkward.

 

[edge]

Not his biggest fan but he did well there, showed a bit of passion and should do it a bit more,
think he needs to fire off the hip a bit as answering the questions he seemed to hold back a bit.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Difficult to near impossible to do isn't it though? Unless you snuggle up to the media you stand little to no chance of winning anything. Public servants are permanently undermined by the media looking for the next story and it doesn't become about policy and effective governance, it becomes about whether or not you can give a bit of money to a homeless woman without looking awkward.

That's one of my biggest gripes with politics, in that it encourages it to be about personalities rather than the actual service delivered to people. I suspect that most people couldn't really care less about who runs a particular organisation, just so long as the service at the end is good quality at a decent price.

I mean how many people could name the CEO of their favourite supermarket or the VC of their local university? There's an awful lot of research and evidence suggesting that this kind of 'hero leadership', where so much responsibility rests on the shoulders of one person, is incredibly bad as it tends to encourage a narcissism and blindness to feedback that eventually sinks the organisation.

 

[The Esk]

Thought it was one of his better speeches of late tbh. Glad he has ditched the no notes approach.

Mood beforehand was quiet, sober almost apprehensive, however he hit the ground running and at last is starting to clearly differentiate the policy alternatives with those of the Conservatives (none) and UKIP ( plenty but all wrong)

Thought he was weak on his answers about who the big forces are who are holding him back. They're not his friends and they won't support him anyway so it was an ideal opportunity to remind people how banks, the utilities, other large corporations, the establishment and particular the media want no change. I thought he hedged his bets unnecessarily then.

Be interesting to see the reaction. I thought it was good, or at least as good as EM could make it.

Tough 6 months ahead though to convince the nation -here's hoping though!

 

[toffee matt]

Was a good speech by eds standards

I feel the damge is already done though

 

[Lids1978]

Ed Milliband v Boris Johnson though..

 

[Milk]

Not his biggest fan but he did well there, showed a bit of passion and should do it a bit more,
think he needs to fire off the hip a bit as answering the questions he seemed to hold back a bit.

Thought he looked more like Wallace than ever yesterday. Not his fault but he's not helping his image with his gurning and odd speaking voice.

Got to be camera friendly these days otherwise you get pulled apart just like my comments above.

 

[edge]

Thought he looked more like Wallace than ever yesterday. Not his fault but he's not helping his image with his gurning and odd speaking voice.

Got to be camera friendly these days otherwise you get pulled apart just like my comments above.

yes suppose your right . closing his eyes for long spells while his hands were like claws made him look a bit lizard like.

 

[Milk]

yes suppose your right . closing his eyes for long spells while his hands were like claws made him look a bit lizard like.

You would think that employing an American election guru (Axelrod - great name, crazy guy) on £300k/yr would have started to pay dividends by now.
Money well spent ....... not

 

[Walken]

You would think that employing an American election guru (Axelrod - great name, crazy guy) on £300k/yr would have started to pay dividends by now.
Money well spent ....... not

I always found american politicians, especially some very high ranking republicans to be pretty unimpressive publicly, very parrott like speeches, and terrible under any form of pressure in a Q&A scenario

 

[Milk]

I always found american politicians, especially some very high ranking republicans to be pretty unimpressive publicly, very parrott like speeches, and terrible under any form of pressure in a Q&A scenario

Cool names though.
Who couldn't but want to vote for someone called Young Boozer or Dick Swett?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/17/awesomely-bad-politician-names_n_784520.html

 

[Bruce Wayne]

You would think that employing an American election guru (Axelrod - great name, crazy guy) on £300k/yr would have started to pay dividends by now.
Money well spent ....... not

A lot of the posturing's the same in whatever election though isn't it? There was a piece in todays Economist that highlighted the similarity in argument between Milliband and Republicans, even though they're probably at opposite ends of the spectrum politically.

All a lot of soundbyte stuff, and I don't think people are fooled by it any more.

 

[Brennan]

Ed Miliband won't get elected outright. Unfortunately.