ITV Leaders Debate

I agree, Dom, with the benefit of hindsight, the Scots should have voted "yes" last September. What is so far unexplained is the massive rise in SNP support since, to the extent that they will annihilate Labour and turn Scotland into a virtual one party state. Their claim to be "progressive socialists" is surely an euphemism for "communists".

Methinks the lady doth protest too much: all too often, in my experience, those whose currency is bald-faced lies protest the loudest. And so it is in this case. The memo is real, it does exist, she did say what it is claimed she said and what's more the document originated in Scotland! Yesterday Alistair Carmichael, the Lib-Dem Scottish Secretary, admitted that the document came from his office and added "This is the middle of an election campaign, these things happen". The memo was written by a British civil servant following a conversation with the French consul-general Pierre-Alain Coffinier regarding a meeting between Ms Sturgeon and Ms Bermann, the French Ambassador, who was on her first visit to Scotland in February.

Welcome to the dirty world of politics Ms Sturgeon, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen! You only have yourself to blame, if you wanted your darkest thoughts to remain hidden, you shouldn't have expressed them quite so openly to the French Ambassador! One can only hope that Jim Murphy and the other Scottish Labour candidates exploit her duplicity as a issue of trust. She was right though, a Tory government would be far less popular in Scotland than a Labour one making it easier for the SNP to win a future referendum on independence. Nevertheless Sturgeon will still get Scotland's independence (one of her key conditions for supporting Milliband) but at Labour's electoral expense and a consequent return to Whigs and Tories dominating Westminster political arena. And about time too!

With one notable exception** I think it's fair to say that Lib-Dems and Tories have worked very well together over last five years. When you consider that the Public Purse held only moths when Osborne and Alexander took over the Treasury and the country was in deep recession, to then turn things around such that Britain has the best economy in the world right now is nothing short of remarkable. Politically the Lib-Dems were to the left of (New) Labour and therefore should not have made cosy bed-fellows for the Tories. But compromises were made on both sides resulting in a period of good, stable governance. I'd like to see that continue.

Interestingly it is evident that the Lib-Dems and Labour have swapped places with the Lib-Dems retaking the centre-left that was once New Labour's domain. That perception might well result in those disaffected left of centre Tories who were attracted by the Blair/Brown promises lies and supported New Labour to go back to the Lib-Dems or possibly even to the Tories, depending on just how left of centre they and their (Tory) candidate are.

Lib-Dems and Tories should work together at the local level where there is either a Lib-Dem / Labour contest or a Tory / Labour contest so as not to split the anti-Labour vote and thus try to keep Wee Jimmie Crankie out of government.

It is a fallacy that socialist governments are pro-worker: they really are not! Socialist governments abuse the working class - look at Russia during the first half of the 20th Century or North Korea or China today. That Apple iPhone you so lovingly admire was made in a Foxconn factory where workers toil for 12 - 14 hours a day with little regard for elfin safety and live in over-crowded dormitory-style accommodation. They might earn a tad more than their peasant farmer families but not by much. Provided they have met their production targets, they might be lucky enough to be included on an annual away-day to Disney in Hong Kong where they'll be 'marched' from one ride to the next by flag-bearing apparatchiks and lose a day's pay in the process as well as having to pay for their food and entry tickets, admittedly at a discounted price. Those lucky vacationeers are denied any contact with local Chinese or foreigners whilst in Hong Kong and, if caught, will be punished quite severely.

And that chaps is the style of 'socialism' so favoured by Sturgeon, Salmond, their puppet Milliband and his backer, Red Len McClusky. I read that SNP policies will cause at least 138,000 jobs to be lost in Scotland on top of those that will go if/when the Trident programme is terminated. But hey, so what? For the duration of the next Parliament, they'll receive a living wage of benefits paid for almost entirely by the English which will lull them into a sense of false security and ensure the SNP's continued success. Post-independence they'll get nothing, of course, other than being labelled "scroungers" by their political class. This high unemployment may well cause many more Scots to seek employment outside Scotland and Europe (Scotland won't be an EU member in the short term) but rather in the US, Australia and New Zealand. From whence they're unlikely to return.

** No prize for guessing who I mean but his days of volte face may be over if his Sheffield Hallam voters hand him his P45.

If we put aside our innate inbuilt bias against the idea of Sturgeon having such influence over Westminster, I just cannot see her saying that (which she has been quoted as saying) Her politics dont really sit comfortably with Tory politics at all.

I could see her saying it as a joke, though.

Yes. The coalition has not necessarily been perfect. But it has worked and has gone to term. I distinctly recall a thread on here where the coalition was derided by some and predicted to fail. And for it to have worked you surely have to give some credit to the participants and major players.

Looks like another one is just around the corner.

I saw that. Yes.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/apr/06/nigel-farage-ukip-members-south-thanet-campaign

"Despite his combined Twitter and Facebook following of almost 350,000, the Ukip leader has been struggling to win over the voters he needs to ensure he becomes an MP in May.

Mr Farage has admitted he is “a bit stretched” running both national and personal election campaigns, and is struggling in South Thanet against a strong anti-Ukip movement and accusations of a lack of focus on local issues."

Hey Timmers! What are you doing next saturday? He needs a hand down there in Souf Fannit !

And here is an interesting slant on things from an interesting political character:

"Tony Blair to attack David Cameron over EU referendum plan"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32198938

But that's the whole point!! She doesn't want to work with the Tories but she does want to capitalise on the Tories' unpopularity in Scotland in order to ensure a "Yes" vote to independence. That was her secret Cunning Plan until the French Consul blew the gaff with his indiscretion.

Anything is possible I suppose.

I don't think Cameron should take any lessons about the wisdom of holding referendums from someone who, as Prime Minister, twice promised to hold such a referendum and twice failed to follow through.

I don't understand why the Scots voted against independence and now the SNP seem to be gathering even more and more support pushing Labour out of Scotland thus putting the spanner in the works for English politics. Seems that a bit of the old "I'll take my bat and ball home" scenario is in play.

They're not simply going to take their bat and ball, but the stumps, pitch and stands too - and it's an away game, remember!

Hey Timmers. Never mind the SNP. Your leader needs you in Thanet South. On the campaign trail.

Its a 3 way split between him, the Tories and the Pub Landlord.

I might be able to make it, I was supposed to be flying out tomorrow but French air control are on strike tomorrow and 50% of the flights cancelled.

I'll pop down and give him a hand for sure if I can

Dont tell him you are going to Belgium, mind.

I see my old mate Tony Blair has waded into the election campaign on Labours behalf, love him or loathe him he still carries a little clout with the electorate.

He has given Cameron a bit of a bashing over his proposed referendum.

Corrected it for you - too verbose!

Nice one Mark

Just watched Blair's speech on the news, still head and shoulders above Ed and Davy when it comes to getting his point across.

As one of the political commentators said, "he is still very nimble when it comes to dealing with the press"

Blair is a slick operator who can give a press interview in which he actually says very little and yet scores political points. That's what the political commentator you quoted meant by Blair being "very nimble when it comes to dealing with the press". He learned that from a contemporary politician he admired - and there are very few of them!

And two of the three will be in the pub!

Quite but if you do feel the need to explain, simply say "Ik ben weg naar België volgende week mits de luie neuken Franse luchtverkeersleiders ook daadwerkelijk te gaan werken voor een keer! Mine's a pint of Old Speckled Hen, cheers!"