Bollitics: VT General Election Poll #4 - Leaders Debate one

[OutByEaster?]

Does seem this time around Clegg has been allowed to get off without scrutiny , maybe it's a sign of how bad things are with politics in this country that the rush to adopt a new change means only certain facts are being held up for scrutiny ?

I think both of the other two parties know they might need Clegg in order to form a workable government so they're working hard to keep him onside.

As long as he doesn't accidentally look like he might win, he'll get an easy ride all the way to the ballot box.

[snowychap]

Gordo says, "This is not a sprint, this is a long campaign."

First 'leader' to say I'm taking one debate at a time needs to be shot.

[bickster]

Gordo says, "This is not a sprint, this is a long campaign."

First 'leader' to say I'm taking one debate at a time needs to be shot.

The sprint comment is always made by someone who has just lost a game / few games.

Surely the Labour Party Tumble Dryers will have to iron out that sort of defeatist talk at such an early stage

[CarewsEyebrowDesigner]

Any time i see Gordo smile i think of Nixon.

[meregreen]

Any time i see Gordo smile i think of Nixon.

Any time I see Cameron smile I think of a pile of slimy vomit.

[avfc89]

I like Cameron's stubble, he should grow a Dick Dastardly mustache.

[thetrees]

Any time i see Gordo smile i think of Nixon.

Any time I see Cameron smile I think of a pile of slimy vomit.

A potential Labour vote in my constituency.

They still won't save their deposit :winkold:

[TrentVilla]

I like Cameron's stubble, he should grow a Dick Dastardly mustache.

Is it painted on like his tan?

[snowychap]

Link

At the age of 51, the Tory MP Bernard Jenkin is still relying on the Bank of Mum and Dad. His father, the former cabinet minister Patrick, now Lord Jenkin, has coughed up £45,000 to help the North Essex MP pay back £36,250 in expenses (plus legal fees) as ordered by Sir Thomas Legg, inquisitor-general of the Commons expense accounts.

Worse still, Jenkin and his wife, Anne, have had to take in lodgers at their London home. That should prove interesting. As it is almost compulsory to mention in diary items, they are keen naturists.

[tonyh29]

Anyone listen to Griffen on Radio 5 this morning ?

I didn't catch all of it but he seemed to have adopted a Clegg tell the people what they want to hear approach ... The callers seemed far to sympathetic to him ( they had to have been rigged based on the ones i heard) .. but it does seem that we have entered a new era of politics in the UK

I think the TV debates have ultimately doomed Brown (even more so than his leadership style ) , one of the outlets had a panel of viewers who clicked a like or dislike button as things were said .. the first time the camera panned to Brown there was a huge influx of dislike buttons being pushed , he hadn't even opened his mouth at that point .. but the BBC debate could change everything that had previously happened, such is the attention span of the public

The problem for Clegg now is he falls into the area where Cameron has been for the past year , He has to be careful not to say anything that might blow his lead and that caution that could lead to him looking indecisive .. the Sky tracker seems to be showing a slight upturn in the Tory bar today after a few days of decline ... it will be interesting to see what happens to the lib dem bar over the coming days

[Richard]

I have been saying for a while that politics is changing in this country and we will see a rise of single issue / local issue candidates. I honestly think the days of main parties holding collective responsibility on "party lines" may be drawing to and end, it may take a while but I do think we may be in for groups that are a collection of individuals coming together to get solutions to issues that may not find favour with all but are basically local issues, some form of government by partnership

[Chindie]

Apparently Clegg had done a bit of a flip flop on the nuclear front, if anyone cares. He was all for it in 2007. Now he's not. Purely down to the cost now or is it a cynical vote grabber?

[avfc89]

I like Cameron's stubble, he should grow a Dick Dastardly mustache.

Is it painted on like his tan?

Probably.

[LondonLax]

Apparently Clegg had done a bit of a flip flop on the nuclear front, if anyone cares. He was all for it in 2007. Now he's not. Purely down to the cost now or is it a cynical vote grabber?

I have never understood this idea that a politician is not allowed to change their mind. Just because someone says something a few years back shouldn't really mean they are then bound to that for life but the newspapers seize on it as some sort of gaff.

Doesn't really make sense to me cause I change my mind all the time

[avfc89]

Nick Griffin working class hero?

[bickster]

I have been saying for a while that politics is changing in this country and we will see a rise of single issue / local issue candidates. I honestly think the days of main parties holding collective responsibility on "party lines" may be drawing to and end, it may take a while but I do think we may be in for groups that are a collection of individuals coming together to get solutions to issues that may not find favour with all but are basically local issues, some form of government by partnership

Hopefully, it'll be a step in the right direction

[bickster]

Nick Griffin working class hero?

Well being as he's neither working class or a hero I'd say he fails majorly on both counts. More of a Middle Class Racist Arsehole I'd have thought

[The_Steve]

Apparently Clegg had done a bit of a flip flop on the nuclear front, if anyone cares. He was all for it in 2007. Now he's not. Purely down to the cost now or is it a cynical vote grabber?

Clegg only flip flopped because originally he wanted to have Trident to use in non-proliferation talks as a bargaining chip. As there would have been no point attending without it "we've already thrown all our cards away".

"We've got to bring the Trident deterrent down to the absolute minimum and use the remaining capability to act responsibly and multi-laterally, not only to disarm ourselves but the world too," he said.

Trident is massively expensive and out dated form of nuclear deterrent, there are cheaper more modern alternatives I'm sure. They want nuclear weapons as absolute minimum.

[tonyh29]

I have never understood this idea that a politician is not allowed to change their mind

More of a Middle Class Racist Arsehole I'd have thought

in some cases I think it's correct to assume that they haven't actually changed their mind , more just what they say in public

[mjmooney]