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General Discussion / Bjork's Biggest hit?
« on: July 16, 2015, 07:15:06 PM »
Rather aptly describes us at the minute?
Is something going off I don't know about?
Is something going off I don't know about?
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I'm amazed there's been no comments on here. I'm more amazed however that there's been no comments elsewhere. Must be difficult to support a party that has announced a living wage increase, something you vehemently oppose!
But then again I suppose on here it's difficult to praise a party you vehemently oppose when they announce a policy you whole heartedly support !
Isn't politics fun!!
But then again I suppose on here it's difficult to praise a party you vehemently oppose when they announce a policy you whole heartedly support !
Isn't politics fun!!
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General Discussion / Any train buffs got an answer?
« on: May 14, 2015, 10:00:39 PM »
So this morning we caught a train to Manchester. When we got to Sheffield the crew switched ends and we went out the same way we came in. Strange but ok I can live with that. coming home we got to Sheffield and we came in going South. So logic should dictate we carry on going South (as most trains to town do) but once again we set off again in a northerly direct before at some point doing a 180 and going through Dore Tunnel to get home.
Anyone know why?
Anyone know why?
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Chesterfield Discussion / Paging Cllr Slack
« on: May 08, 2015, 07:35:25 PM »
Any plans to fast track Steve Brunt into the mayoralty?
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Chesterfield Discussion / quiz about chesterfield
« on: April 30, 2015, 08:15:41 PM »
some of the answers surprised me
scroll past the candidates list
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000632
scroll past the candidates list
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000632
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Politics / Your preferred option?
« on: April 26, 2015, 07:13:26 PM »
With 10 days to go it's looking increasingly likely that the SNP will hold the balance of power unless a late Tory swing and a better than expected lib dem performance means that a rainbow coalition of the centre right can be formed
Which got me thinking what was my preferred option?
I don't want 5 more years of right wing austerity but equally I'm not struck on the notion of the SNP holding the country to ransom.
Now I don't know if my Machiavellian mind thinks the same way as the average politician who is desperate to Cling on to what trappings they can is the same but here goes.
I'd like the Tories to get the most seats but without the ability to form a majority government in any way shape form or distinction. This would mean that Ed Milliband would be seen by his own party for the failure he is and ditched, hopefully for someone who isn't tarred with the brush of failure that was Gordon Brown's economic policies. My choice would be Andy Burnham but who knows.
Cameron tried to carry on vote by vote but it quickly becomes apparent that he's a dead man walking. Another election is called for the autumn. In this election labour either wins an outright majority or can form a coalition with the lib dems.
The problem with the above is that I'm 99.9% certain that if Milliband is in a position to do so he will go back on everything he's said (yes I know I said no deals but that was when we were trying to elect a labour government. Now the people have spoken and we have to do what's right for the country and put aside all these issues of what was said in the past) do a deal with the SNP and sell England down the river just to get his own 15 minutes of fame a la Nick Clegg.
Which got me thinking what was my preferred option?
I don't want 5 more years of right wing austerity but equally I'm not struck on the notion of the SNP holding the country to ransom.
Now I don't know if my Machiavellian mind thinks the same way as the average politician who is desperate to Cling on to what trappings they can is the same but here goes.
I'd like the Tories to get the most seats but without the ability to form a majority government in any way shape form or distinction. This would mean that Ed Milliband would be seen by his own party for the failure he is and ditched, hopefully for someone who isn't tarred with the brush of failure that was Gordon Brown's economic policies. My choice would be Andy Burnham but who knows.
Cameron tried to carry on vote by vote but it quickly becomes apparent that he's a dead man walking. Another election is called for the autumn. In this election labour either wins an outright majority or can form a coalition with the lib dems.
The problem with the above is that I'm 99.9% certain that if Milliband is in a position to do so he will go back on everything he's said (yes I know I said no deals but that was when we were trying to elect a labour government. Now the people have spoken and we have to do what's right for the country and put aside all these issues of what was said in the past) do a deal with the SNP and sell England down the river just to get his own 15 minutes of fame a la Nick Clegg.
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Politics / Wondering how clever/devious Nicola Sturgeon is? Or how strong Mr Ed is?
« on: April 23, 2015, 03:05:47 PM »
I've come across a website called Electoral Calculus.
They appear to have the most accurate weighted dated based on all the polling results that are coming in. (they were the closest to predicting the full result in 2010)
Their results over recent days have wavered between the Tories winning by 3-5 seats and labour winning by about the same margin but both being anything between 40 and 50 seats short of an overall majority.
They also have a predictor on the site that lets you put in your own results prediction to see what the outcome looks like.
Take it from me (because I've tried numerous) there is no credible result you can put in that comes up with anything other than a hung parliament with the balance of power being held by the SNP.
So unless the last 14 days of the campaign sees some massive changes (and given that there havent been any in the last 3 years or so it's unlikely) we are in for a Labour government propped up by the SNP (as they have already said they wont work with the tories and no other electoral maths works)
Now if she casts her mind back 5 years Nicola Sturgeon is going to realise that Nick Clegg was a prat. He agreed to a coalition government after the tories agreed to his one major demand, a referendum on PR voting. Trouble was he forgot to a) set out the terms of the question and b) suggest to his new buddies in the Conservative party that it might be quite nice if they campaigned for a yes vote.
So Cameron stitched him up, put the least favoured option to the country and campaigned for the no vote. or if you prefer Clegg sold out for nothing!
So now Nicola Sturgeon is in more or less the same position. She's going to want promises on more money for Scotland and presumably a vote on scrapping Trident. But she must know that if these things are put to Parliament as a free vote enough Labour MP's will side with the Tories to vote them down.
So in offering support not only is she going to want votes, shes also going to want labour unequivocal support for them.
Be interesting to see how much of the family Silver Milliband is willing to give away to put himself into No 10
Because if the answer is not much I think we could be back on the election trail inside 18 months.
They appear to have the most accurate weighted dated based on all the polling results that are coming in. (they were the closest to predicting the full result in 2010)
Their results over recent days have wavered between the Tories winning by 3-5 seats and labour winning by about the same margin but both being anything between 40 and 50 seats short of an overall majority.
They also have a predictor on the site that lets you put in your own results prediction to see what the outcome looks like.
Take it from me (because I've tried numerous) there is no credible result you can put in that comes up with anything other than a hung parliament with the balance of power being held by the SNP.
So unless the last 14 days of the campaign sees some massive changes (and given that there havent been any in the last 3 years or so it's unlikely) we are in for a Labour government propped up by the SNP (as they have already said they wont work with the tories and no other electoral maths works)
Now if she casts her mind back 5 years Nicola Sturgeon is going to realise that Nick Clegg was a prat. He agreed to a coalition government after the tories agreed to his one major demand, a referendum on PR voting. Trouble was he forgot to a) set out the terms of the question and b) suggest to his new buddies in the Conservative party that it might be quite nice if they campaigned for a yes vote.
So Cameron stitched him up, put the least favoured option to the country and campaigned for the no vote. or if you prefer Clegg sold out for nothing!
So now Nicola Sturgeon is in more or less the same position. She's going to want promises on more money for Scotland and presumably a vote on scrapping Trident. But she must know that if these things are put to Parliament as a free vote enough Labour MP's will side with the Tories to vote them down.
So in offering support not only is she going to want votes, shes also going to want labour unequivocal support for them.
Be interesting to see how much of the family Silver Milliband is willing to give away to put himself into No 10
Because if the answer is not much I think we could be back on the election trail inside 18 months.
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Politics / Labour party tactics in Chesterfield
« on: April 16, 2015, 05:08:49 PM »
I doubt Slacker would be allowed to answer this (even if he wanted to) but I have to admit I'm getting a bit confused with Labour tactics in Chesterfield.
They have no real opposition to speak of (given that the lib dems are in disarray and the others I doubt have any chance indeed I've seen zero literature from any of them) yet they are pounding the streets and hammering out the leaflets like they are fighting a key marginal.
The local MP isnt unpopular, theres zero chance of them losing the council, I doubt they are going to massively run up the score (and indeed given the lack of opposition that would be a pretty hollow victory) so I'm puzzled as to why they are not utulising the old Lib Dem tactic of using their resources and man power (oops sorry person power) to go help elsewhere like Sheffield Hallam, Derby North and Ashfield
They have no real opposition to speak of (given that the lib dems are in disarray and the others I doubt have any chance indeed I've seen zero literature from any of them) yet they are pounding the streets and hammering out the leaflets like they are fighting a key marginal.
The local MP isnt unpopular, theres zero chance of them losing the council, I doubt they are going to massively run up the score (and indeed given the lack of opposition that would be a pretty hollow victory) so I'm puzzled as to why they are not utulising the old Lib Dem tactic of using their resources and man power (oops sorry person power) to go help elsewhere like Sheffield Hallam, Derby North and Ashfield
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Politics / The Politics of Compromise
« on: April 14, 2015, 05:30:51 PM »
So there's a survey on the Independent's website.
You answer a series of questions and it tells you which party you are most in tune with.
I took the test.
Within the margin of error I was 20% in favour of each of the 5 main parties available in England.
To be honest that didn't surprise me because I've never considered myself to be loyal to any party.
Then I spotted the flaw.
I'd answered each question truthfully (some people might answer questions knowing what party they want to come out with at the end) but I'd also answered them in isolation.
For example I might have said yes I want to limit the number of immigrants coming into the country, but I might also have answered no I don't want to leave the EU. But the two aren't mutually exclusive.
Do I want to pay more tax? No
Do I want to see cuts in public services? No
So how am I going to pay for it?
So it looks like politics is a question of compromise. The trick is figuring out which things to compromise on.
You answer a series of questions and it tells you which party you are most in tune with.
I took the test.
Within the margin of error I was 20% in favour of each of the 5 main parties available in England.
To be honest that didn't surprise me because I've never considered myself to be loyal to any party.
Then I spotted the flaw.
I'd answered each question truthfully (some people might answer questions knowing what party they want to come out with at the end) but I'd also answered them in isolation.
For example I might have said yes I want to limit the number of immigrants coming into the country, but I might also have answered no I don't want to leave the EU. But the two aren't mutually exclusive.
Do I want to pay more tax? No
Do I want to see cuts in public services? No
So how am I going to pay for it?
So it looks like politics is a question of compromise. The trick is figuring out which things to compromise on.
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Politics / Paging Slacker
« on: April 09, 2015, 02:50:37 PM »
Is the Val Graham from whom tickets can be obtained for the local parliamentary candidates debate THE Val Graham?
Because if it is the likelihood of an unbiased event would seem to be slightly diminished?
Because if it is the likelihood of an unbiased event would seem to be slightly diminished?
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Politics / Will Chesterfield be a microcosm ?
« on: April 07, 2015, 08:38:16 PM »
In recent history Chesterfield has bucked the trend when it comes to elections.
When everyone else in the 80's and early 90's was voting Tory we steadfastly stuck with labour. When the country elected a modernised new labour government we stuck with a left wing Mp. When Labour were voted back in (twice) we voted lib dem. then when labour were voted out and the lib dems joined the govt we went back to voting labour!!
This time I think it's a pity that Chesterfield don't announced their result till around 3am (bunch of amateurs, bring back Tony Walls!!!!)because I think we could provide a real indication as to how the rest of the country is going.
Here's what I think.
Labour will poll around 18000. Why? Because that's about what they've polled win OR lose in the last few elections..
So if they poll substantially more than that, back to the days of Benn (24k) or Varley (30k) they are in for a good night.
The lib dems ought to poll around 15k. Around that and they won't have as bad a night as predicted. More than that and they might confound expectations. Much less and they stand to be wiped out.
The Tories will poll around 3k. If they can get to 7-8k they are in for a better night. Less and they are in trouble.
Ukip really shouldn't poll well round here so if they get more than a token vote (anything in excess of 3k) they will be in for a good night.
But no doubt well before we declare Jeremy Vine will already know who is doing what!!!
When everyone else in the 80's and early 90's was voting Tory we steadfastly stuck with labour. When the country elected a modernised new labour government we stuck with a left wing Mp. When Labour were voted back in (twice) we voted lib dem. then when labour were voted out and the lib dems joined the govt we went back to voting labour!!
This time I think it's a pity that Chesterfield don't announced their result till around 3am (bunch of amateurs, bring back Tony Walls!!!!)because I think we could provide a real indication as to how the rest of the country is going.
Here's what I think.
Labour will poll around 18000. Why? Because that's about what they've polled win OR lose in the last few elections..
So if they poll substantially more than that, back to the days of Benn (24k) or Varley (30k) they are in for a good night.
The lib dems ought to poll around 15k. Around that and they won't have as bad a night as predicted. More than that and they might confound expectations. Much less and they stand to be wiped out.
The Tories will poll around 3k. If they can get to 7-8k they are in for a better night. Less and they are in trouble.
Ukip really shouldn't poll well round here so if they get more than a token vote (anything in excess of 3k) they will be in for a good night.
But no doubt well before we declare Jeremy Vine will already know who is doing what!!!
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Politics / Sturgeon doesn't want Milliband
« on: April 04, 2015, 07:17:59 PM »
Is she just saying ahead of the election what Clegg said after the event last time? That she can work with the party but not the leader?
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Fun Stuff / Religious bandwagons
« on: March 26, 2015, 11:32:07 PM »
Though not particularly religious myself I respect those people whose faith is important to them and who live their lives according to the teachings of their faith. My annoyance is with some so called 'celebrities' who jump on the band wagon of certain religions because it is hip and trendy to do so.
These people should remember the following:
A Christ is for life not just for Dogmas!!!!
These people should remember the following:
A Christ is for life not just for Dogmas!!!!
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Chesterfield Discussion / Hypocrisy or irrelevant?
« on: March 25, 2015, 08:09:29 PM »
We've had a bit of a tongue in cheek go on here about someone in another place who moans about Chesterfield but doesn't actually live here.
But is that any worse than a council chief executive charged with the responsibility of selling Chesterfield as a great place to live and invest in and earning a six figure salary in the process who lives 25 miles away?
But is that any worse than a council chief executive charged with the responsibility of selling Chesterfield as a great place to live and invest in and earning a six figure salary in the process who lives 25 miles away?
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