The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[Toffeelover]

If there was ever any proof needed that a leader needs presence...

A leader who took us into two wars on the back of lies, Is that the kind of leader the country wants?

 

[davek]

Dear oh dear, it is only two years away!!!!!! What else of minor importance do you want to pin your flag to?

Cameron's word was that there would be attempts to amend the treaty more to our benefit

PS Many years ago if you remember Brown said we could have a referendum on the new EU treaty if it had changed. All the other EU leaders signed but Brown delayed, later he quietly zipped off to Lisbon and signed it there. Came back and stated there was not a significant change so no need for a vote. If there was little change why was it necessary to act like he did.

...not a minor importance to UKIP: they want it straight away and would make it a priority for any new government.

What's insignificant to you is a deal breaker for Farage, because he knows how the Tories would drag matters out...and probably beyond 2017.

 

[toffee matt]

http://www.stv.tv/ Starting in a minute.

Scottish ITV live leaders debate (you need to join it first like).

It's on the BBC Scotland website without having to mess around registering

 

[davek]

Sturgeon with a KO blow on Murphy there.

 

[Pienaar's gloves]

Sturgeon is impressive, she's like a Scottish Blair.

 

[Toffeelover]

It's tough supporting Labour. We know the parties' limitation. We all understand how further to the right the party have drifted, and also how it had to be done for them to be recognised as a party. It's difficult to support a party who admit they will make cuts because that's what the public want to hear. But, and I think it's very important, there is a massive difference between Labour and the Tories - compassion.

Compassion, so you think Labour has more compassion? Oh ye of short memory. I will show Labour compassion. This not anti Labour or pro any other party just putting the record straight in a few areas.

Back in 2004/2005 Brown was chancellor and he had in the teasury the two Eds, Balls' wife and Darling. In the budget the state pensionwas increased by 75p per week, yes 75p which is £39 per annum. It took about two months for Brown to realise how obscene such an increase was. Amounting to less than .05% of an increase when inflation was running at an average of 2%. He could not correct it by redoing the budget but what he did was create the Heating Allowance of £100 pp but in his haste to get this out messed up in that it was also payable to the rich, very rich and very, very rich. Sheer idiocy to incompetence you choose but showed a lack of compassion at the start.

In 2008 Brown abolished the 10% band and if you recall his budget speech (the last one before he took over as PM) this announcement was left to the last minute of the speech because Brown wanted to catch everyone out thinking he had done some thing to help all the workers, remember who was in the Treasury with him. It took about two weeks for all the complaints to get through to him that he had just caused all the lower paid to pay more tax i,e. at 20%. Darling was now Chancellor and to correct this blunder he had to borrow £5 billion adding to the UK debt mountain. So where was the compassion not a word of regret from Brown, he was now PM and too busy. Was this idiocy or sheer incompetence you choose.

Look at helping the lower paid workers, in 1997 when Labour came into power, the first budget set the free pay allowance at £4045 by 2010 this was increased to £6475 an increase of £2430 over 13 years hardly took many lower paid out of tax. The current lot (coalition) have in 5 years increased that by £4125. So in all those years where was Labour compassion to help those on low wages.

 

[Toffeelover]

...not a minor importance to UKIP: they want it straight away and would make it a priority for any new government.

What's insignificant to you is a deal breaker for Farage, because he knows how the Tories would drag matters out...and probably beyond 2017.

Notice you ignored the Brown bit, does not fit in with your agenda?

UKIP will have an insignificant number of seats, some one else on here said as much as well. Also not looking good for Farage where he is standing.

 

[Mrk]

Sturgeon, Murphy and Davidson are all pretty impressive in their own ways. The Lib Dem fella is a complete nonentity.

 

[Brennan]

A leader who took us into two wars on the back of lies, Is that the kind of leader the country wants?

I'm not sure how you inferred that i want Blair based on what i said. Stop looking for things that don't exist.

 

[Seanjd]

Dear oh dear, it is only two years away!!!!!! What else of minor importance do you want to pin your flag to?

Cameron's word was that there would be attempts to amend the treaty more to our benefit

PS Many years ago if you remember Brown said we could have a referendum on the new EU treaty if it had changed. All the other EU leaders signed but Brown delayed, later he quietly zipped off to Lisbon and signed it there. Came back and stated there was not a significant change so no need for a vote. If there was little change why was it necessary to act like he did.

You're a bit mixed up. In 2005, Labour put a referendum promise in their manifesto for the 2004 treaty. However, France and the Netherlands refused to sign it so it was scrapped. Gordon Brown signed a different, re-written treaty in Lisbon. It was delayed because he was put in front of a committee in the UK which he had to attend, hence not being there to sign the treaty and signing it late.

 

[Toffeelover]

I'm not sure how you inferred that i want Blair based on what i said. Stop looking for things that don't exist.

Maybe I got hold of the wrong end of the stick but you were saying if there is any proof that a leader needs presence which for was implying that none of the current potentials had what it takes.

 

[Toffeelover]

You're a bit mixed up. In 2005, Labour put a referendum promise in their manifesto for the 2004 treaty. However, France and the Netherlands refused to sign it so it was scrapped. Gordon Brown signed a different, re-written treaty in Lisbon. It was delayed because he was put in front of a committee in the UK which he had to attend, hence not being there to sign the treaty and signing it late.

Aye but he did duck out of a vote.

 

[davek]

In the audience in the Scotland debate...

lol

 

[Brennan]

Maybe I got hold of the wrong end of the stick but you were saying if there is any proof that a leader needs presence which for was implying that none of the current potentials had what it takes.

It wasn't implying that.

Like i said...

 

[The Esk]

Aye but he did duck out of a vote.

But he didn't, the manifesto committed to a vote on the "Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe' which as @Seanjd states never came to fruition.

The Lisbon Treaty never carried similar constitutional implications (the purpose behind the referendum pledge in the manifesto) and therefore no referendum was necessary.