[Closed] Election Campaign

You don't need to be @jhj to draw some clear links between Galloway and this crook. It also seems the Labour party made some clear links between Rahman and extremists

From the Telegraph

Rahman was narrowly re-elected as an independent in May last year, even though he had been expelled from the Labour Party for his links with an Islamic extremist group and his council was under Government investigation for misuse of funds.

Well firstly no one as far as I can seen had even mentioned George Galloway on this thread so why on earth did you say :

[i]"On a somewhat related note, the Mayor of Tower Hamlets has been found guilty of electoral fraud."[/i]

Related to [i]what[/i] ?

Secondly what has the Daily Telegraph quote that Lutfur Rahman won an election and defeated the Labour candidate, or your claim that some people have called for Ken Livingstone's the expulsion from the Labour Party got to do with anything being discussed at all?

How is it [i]"on a somewhat related note"[/i] ? Or [i]"related to the general election" [/i] as you later claimed. There is clearly no connection whatsoever with what was being discussed.

And finally on a somewhat related note, here's my random contribution, a picture of Lutfur Rahman spending a few relaxing minutes with the brother of the leader of the Labour Party and quite possibly the next UK Prime Minister (on whose authority does the Prime Minister act? The Queen)

[img] [/img]

Proving that they're both paedophiles and probably knew Jimmy Savile.

ernie_lynch - Member

Related to what ?

Dishonest politicians presumably

So the evidence they are linked is he spoke in support of him

Not just that, Respect not only backed his candidacy as mayor, and agreed not to run against Rahmans Tower Hamlets first party in elections

The English votes thing is a very good plea by the Tories to win back kippers to the fold

Especially as it hides HSBC s announcement that they might leave the uk over our potential exit from the EU, No party will want to discuss that at length

As does the Tories measured over-reaction to millibands claims that Cameron was ineffective on Libya

Dishonest politicians presumably

But jambalaya denied that he had Grant Shapps in mind when he made the comment, he said "related to the general election". I can't see any connection between Lutfur Rahman and the general election in two weeks time. Which is fair enough I suppose but I was intrigued as to why he made the claim.

Of course Z-11 came along and posted a picture of George Galloway and then jambalaya decided that was he meant by "on a somewhat related note".

All very strange.

I get the impression, based from pass experience, that jambalaya and Z-11 made some cockeyed attempt to to deflect criticism away from the Tory Party and direct it at the Labour Party, so jambalaya came up with Lutfur Rahman and Z-11 came up with George Galloway. It's the only explanation I can think of.

direct it at the Labour Party, so jambalaya came up with Lutfur Rahman and Z-11 came up with George Galloway

Strange, directing things at the Labour Party by targeting people who have been expelled?

Mind you, it's funny to find that another certain politician with a history of expulsion fron the party seems to have been tied up in this complex web of sticking up for each other doesn't it? Strange how they all seem to stick together!

Former minister in the last Labour Government; Lord Digby Jones, has made a rather explosive intervention in today's Telegraph that strikes to the core of Ed Milliband's understanding of how the economy works:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/general-election-2015/11559549/Open-letter-to-Ed-Miliband-Leader-of-the-Labour-party-from-Lord-Jones-of-Birmingham.html

Worth a read..

Especially as it hides HSBC s announcement that they might leave the uk over our potential exit from the EU, No party will want to discuss that at length

I can think of a party that would LOVE to discuss that at length 😆

PS Dode Galloway is a legend,I also suspect that if there was anything more on him,our press would have dug it out years ago. He also has some of the best put downs I have ever seen.
(See GG v US senate as an example)

Electoral fraud is clearly a topic related to the General Election. i said somewhat related but the more research I do the more I think its highly related not just in Tower Hamlets but in Bradford West.

So as its lunchtime I did some googling and reading up.

Rahman was kicked out of the Labour party due to his links to (membership of ?) the Islamist Forum of Europe. An organisation set up many years ago to support and represent the Bangladeshi community but one which seems to have taken a different direction. It was the subject of a Dispatches documentary showing it's extremist Islamist views and preference for Sharia Law over any other. George Galloway was recorded as saying he could not have gotten elected as an MP without the Islamist Forum of Europe ("more than I should probably say"). Rahamn was supported on Tower Hamlets council by Respect party members.

When Rahman started to be investigated Livingstone and Galloway attended a meeting to support him (that's where the photo comes from). The links between Rahman and Galloway and their shared support, financial and political are quite clear.

The Evening Standard reported some of the testimony at the recent trial where various people including senior Labour party officials said Rahman had been "brainwashed" by the fundamentalists.

[url= http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/tower-hamlets-mayor-lutfur-rahman-was-brainwashed-by-muslim-fundamentalists-10024423.html ]Story Link[/url]

ninfan - Member

Strange, directing things at the Labour Party by targeting people who have been expelled?

Strange ? Yes of course it is, which is precisely why I used the term cockeyed. Presumably jambalaya thought people would make a vague association between Lutfur Rahman and the Labour Party, I can't think of another explanation.

Who knows apart from you as to why you posted a picture of George Galloway when it had absolutely nothing to do with jambalaya's claim that there is a connection between Rahman's conviction for electoral fraud and next month's general election.

I suspect that in your weird mind you thought posting a picture of Galloway and suggesting dark but unspoken insinuations was having a pop at me. I've learnt to accept that your mind doesn't necessarily follow normal logic.

Former minister in the last Labour Government; Lord Digby Jones

Don't kid yourself that Jones is labour, he is a tory boy through and through. He was brought into browns laughable "government of talents" as a concession to big business to show that nu labour would dof their caps to capitalist demands.

His war cry when he was head of the CBI was always to blame government for businesses inability to train their staff. He is a right wing drum beater of the very worse kind, always demanding state assistance for corporate profits.

Just for the avoidance of doubt I haven't directed ANY critism at the Labour party over this Rahman issue. In fact the Labour party have been exemplary in expelling him and for the individuals who borough the prosectution against him. I support the calls from within the Labour party for Livingstone to be ejected also for his support of Rahman.

just5minutes - Member
Former minister in the last Labour Government; Lord Digby Jones, has made a rather explosive intervention in today's Telegraph that strikes to the core of Ed Milliband's understanding of how the economy works:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/general-election-2015/11559549/Open-letter-to-Ed-Miliband-Leader-of-the-Labour-party-from-Lord-Jones-of-Birmingham.html

Worth a read..

Is disappointed. God knows I tend to enjoy things that make the Labour party look stupid but this definitely wasn't one of them. More straw men than a farmer's field.

HSBC. They review their UK status every three years as a matter of course. Standard Chartered (90,000 employees worldwide 2,500 in UK) have faced calls from major shareholder Aberdeen Asset Management to do the same (largest shared holder is the Singapore Sovereign Wealth Fund FYI). The "bank levy" has increased massively since being introduced, its got the the point where it is making economic sense to relocate the HQ. HSBC is only here as it bought Midland Bank, prior HQ was always Hong Kong. Stan Chart is here due it's history as a bank established by Royal Charter to serve the Commonwealth/Empire, the rationale for being here today is much weaker and it created a dual listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange a few years ago.

jambalaya - Member

Electoral fraud is clearly a topic related to the General Election.

Well general election related electoral fraud hasn't made the headlines, if it's a hot topic as you appear to suggest, which is strange. And it wasn't what was being discussed on this thread. And the Rahman case has nothing to do with any general election, or any other parliamentary election.

But apart from that, yeah, I can see how it's related.

On a somewhat related topic let's talk about tax fraud ...... tax fraud and Tory politicians :

[url= http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/02/09/hsbc-tax-swiss-leaks-mps_n_6644990.html ]Tories Defend Lord Green, Tory Peer Who Ran HSBC, Over Tax Evasion Allegations[/url]

[b][i]The Conservatives have mounted a robust defence of their former ministerial colleague Stephen Green, who was chairman of HSBC while the bank is alleged to have helped clients dodge tax payments totalling millions of pounds.[/i][/b]

Ernie, I reckon that if you can't see any parallels between Rahmans success in TH, and his bessie mates in Respect and their campaign in Bradford, then you've probably never been to Bradford!

Its difficult to gauge which claim is the most ludicrously, hysterically stupid.....

a) The SNP intend to use their evil influence in a coalition to turn Britain into a communist state

b) All those people are drowning in the sea off Italy because of Dave

Either way, its pretty depressing than rather than say anything remotely positive, they've now resorted to stuff as patently ridiculous as this. Its embarrassing!

No I have never been to Bradford Z-11. I don't regard a conviction for several offences related to electoral fraud as [i]"success in TH".[/i] And I now understand that you are directly accusing George Galloway of electoral fraud in Bradford. Although I'll wait until someone reports the accusation to the electoral commission, the police, whoever, before taking your allegation seriously.

Why?

Surely if anything I have said is untrue then he can sue me for Libel!

ninfan - Member

Why?

Because shocking as it might seem I don't take what you say seriously. In fact I'm constantly amused by the bizarre claims that you make.

BTW Rahman won the mayoral election in Tower Hamlets by 3,252 votes, Galloway won Bradford West with a majority of 10,140 which obviously makes Rahman's fraud pale into insignificance in comparison.

You would have thought Galloway might have toned it down a shade, I mean winning by over 10,000 votes is just drawing attention to yourself.

Yet 20,000 voters have dropped off the Bradford electoral roll since last year when they put in place new anti-fraud measures...

ninfan - Member

Yet 20,000 voters have dropped off the Bradford electoral roll since last year when they put in place new anti-fraud measures...

Posted 21 minutes ago #

Meaning what? That GG only won because he faked 20,000 voting registrations?

Especially as it hides HSBC s announcement that they might leave the uk over our potential exit from the EU, No party will want to discuss that at length

Kimbers - you are missing the main reason - regulation and the bank levy. HSBC are very vocal about the "burden" (sic) of regulation post the crisis and they and others are mightily pi44ed about the on-going levy. Which is ironic when the gov are painted as living in the pockets or pandering to the bankers!

Out of interest, what has happened to charming George? For a "high profile" politician, he seems remarkably quiet given the risks to his seat or are the bells of London already thrice calling?

Out of interest, what has happened to charming George? For a "high profile" politician, he seems remarkably quiet given the risks to his seat or are the bells of London already thrice calling?

Probably spending time at his house in Portugal instead of in his constituency, as per normal. He's already working on a plan-B (running for London mayor) once he loses his current seat.

GG is his seat precarious ? I coukd see him winning it again. As for profile he has all his TV work in Lebanon etc to keep him busy.

@duckman its relevant as the changes to voter registration where put in place to counter risk of appications and votes being cast by the "head of household" on behalf of the family members. Just the sort of thing that could happen in such a constituency

He is also a lawyer. And for Bradford,I could see the two main parties doing well from exactly the same law elsewhere,you know; SNP and Labour.

teamhurtmore - Member

Out of interest, what has happened to charming George? For a "high profile" politician, he seems remarkably quiet.......

According to just5minutes :

just5minutes - Member

Plenty on George G in the news - just search on google for news in the last 24 hours

Have you thought of checking google news if you're interested as you claim ?

Worth a read..

Dear Lord you scan all the papers and cherry pick the best Labour bashing piece you can find and even A labour hater can see the holes in it

D- See me after class

Have you thought of checking google news if you're interested as you claim ?

Gee thanks Ehrnie, you learn something every day. Its good that google thing isn't it....

Best used for something more interesting than the gorgeous one though....

teamhurtmore - Member

Out of interest, what has happened to charming George?

teamhurtmore - Member

Gee thanks Ehrnie, you learn something every day. Its good that google thing isn't it....

Best used for something more interesting than the gorgeous one though....

Well make your mind up interested or not? Why ask questions concerning Galloway if you're not interested?

BTW is your spelling of my name now a permanent feature like your regular reference to Alex Salmond as "DO" ? Another THM joke which no one quite understands and only you find funny ?

Sorrry was a bit subtle - eh, Ernie? 😉

But thanks for the guidance anyway....

The humorous bit of the joke yes, the rest of the joke I understand.

I see the Tories are instigating Plan B, for if/when they lose. Or more likely, get more MPs elected than labour, but not a majority.

Apparently a party with fewer MP's than another party, but supported by another smaller party to make up a(n anti-Tory) majority, could not have any democratic legitimacy.

Well Dave... our constitution (such as it is) says it can.

I expect the right wing press will be absolutely hammering this line for the next couple of weeks, preparing the ground to undermine any Labour/SNP arrangement as illegitimate, before it's even happened 🙄

Nick Clegg is already "on message". It's almost like he's forgotten the LibDems used to be in favour of PR because it would end the two party system. 😀

Hopefully Clegg will lose and it will have **** all to do with him. I am starting to hate him like I hated Portillo

I recall newsnight doing a poll [ possibly first Lib Dem conference after the coalition] and 2/3 of activists would rather support labour than the Tories.

As for coalition I guess if you want to do "fairly" what you have to do is work out which combination has the most total votes rather than seats.
I suspect that will inevitably involve the Lib dems though.

Yes Nick Clegg has stated that any coalition formed by the second largest party would lack "legitimacy".

Other than that Clegg is happy for the third party to be in government with the Conservatives and then Labour and then back with the Conservatives, if need be, and so on.

In other words Clegg thinks that the third party has a "legitimate" right to be in government indefinitely if the arithmetic works out in their favour.

If nothing else his arrogance is impressive.

preparing the ground to undermine any Labour/SNP arrangement as illegitimate, before it's even happened

There was a nice article in the ?Graun? about this the other day. Did you read it? A link would be good but my google-foo is weak with a hangover.

In other words Clegg thinks that the third party has a "legitimate" right to be in government indefinitely if the arithmetic works out in their favour.

If nothing else his arrogance is impressive.

Westminster do produce some very confident members of society.

There was a nice article in the ?Graun? about this the other day. Did you read it? A link would be good but my google-foo is weak with a hangover.

[url= http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/17/general-election-2015-if-this-deadlock-holds-a-battle-is-coming-over-ed-milibands-legitimacy ]this one [/url]

Binners - did you forget Sturgeons reverse argument?

She told the BBC's Newsnight that "if [the Conservatives] can't command a majority, they can't be a government".

Hmmm....

They are all talking bllx. Good job we are not in a bit of a pickle with ongoing economic challenges and a rapidly deteriorating geopolitical environment

Binners that's my understanding, prior government / largest party gets first dibs on forming a government. This is where the SNP really hold labour back and let the Tories in.

She told the BBC's Newsnight that "if [the Conservatives] can't command a majority, they can't be a government".

Commanding a majority and having a majority are two different things.

No really...

Binners - did you forget Sturgeons reverse argument?

Has Sturgeon stated that if the Tories can't command a majority they would lack democratic legitimacy? If so where's the quote because the one you have provided doesn't say that?

In your quote Sturgeon is simply pointing out the obvious - that if they can't command a majority then the Tories can't form a government because the SNP will never work with them. In contrast she has repeatedly said that she will work with Labour should they fail to win a majority.

binners - Member

Apparently a party with fewer MP's than another party, but supported by another smaller party to make up a(n anti-Tory) majority, could not have any democratic legitimacy.

The public will fall more easily under the sway of a big lie than a small one, eh... And yep, especially disappointing to see Clegg's position on this, though shouldn't be surprising.

Basically it's a steaming pile of obvious horseshit that they know works, because it already worked in the AV referendum.

The annoying thing is... Loads of labour people will want to work with it, Jim Murphy'll be going "that's what I've been saying all along!" frinstance.

Watch the actual interview - dear Nicola gets a little confused especially talking about minority governments at the same time. Talk about a bent narrative...

The ends justify the means...

dear Nicola gets a little confused

As confused as David Cameron was this morning in Croydon when he couldn't remember what football team he's a big fan of?

To remind us that he's just an ordinary geezer like your mates down the pub Cameron made a hilarious joke about supporting West Ham, unfortunately he had previously claimed to be a huge Aston Villa fan. A bit like that delicious pastie that he brought from an establishment that doesn't exist.

[url= http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/generalelection/general-election-2015-david-cameron-forgets-if-hes-an-aston-villa-or-west-ham-fan-10203685.html ]General Election 2015: David Cameron forgets if he's an Aston Villa or West Ham fan[/url]

[b][i]"Reading from an autocue after the speech, Cameron said: “I had what Natalie Bennett described as a brain fade.[/i][/b]

A Natlie Bennett moment while reading from a prepared speech/autocue now [u]that's[/u] impressive.

But anyway forget about the LibDems or who the SNP might help to form a government according to Cameron this morning, quote :

[b][i]"It will be very difficult for us to form a government without Central Croydon".[/i][/b]

[url= http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/NEWS/12913760.David_Cameron_says_fate_of_country_rests_on_voting_for_Gavin_Barwell/ ]David Cameron says fate of country rests on voting for Gavin Barwell[/url]

So there you have it ........ forget Nick Clegg or Nicola Sturgeon, the people of Croydon will decide. Gawd bless'em.

No football fan forgets who they support. Your own kids birthdays will be forgotten first.
IIRC he said he supported Villa because his dad knew the Chairman...he likes to keep it real does our Dave

"if [the Conservatives] can't command a majority, they can't be a government".

Watch the actual interview

that's my understanding, prior government / largest party gets first dibs on forming a government

Yes politicians shouldnt pretend they are interestd in Wendy or music. They get caught out. But slightly less embarrassing that subterfuge on how voting works. Still if you don't understand how currencies or debt markets work, there is no real surprise if the rest is out of reach.

Yes politicians shouldnt pretend they are interestd in Wendy or music.

Well in the case of the present Tory leadership it's quite vital to bullshit your common person's credentials.

The irony is that the right-wing tory press have long tried to portray Ed Miliband as a bit weird looking and not your average sort of guy.

And yet if you walk into any Starbucks or Costas coffee shop in South West London you will find a multitude of middle-class office wallahs with which Ed Miliband would fit in perfectly.

It's the Old Etonians/Bullingdon Boys who stand out and don't fit in. Which is precisely why David Cameron has to go through the pretense of following Wendy, as you contemptuously call it, and come up with some cock and bull story about eating a pasty from a shop in Leeds station which had closed 5 years previously.

And why George Osborne has to work on his glottal stops as he regularly slips into mockney when making speeches.

Neither of them are Mr Average despite their repeated attempts to portray Ed Miliband as being out of touch with ordinary people.

.

Still if you don't understand how currencies or debt markets work, there is no real surprise if the rest is out of reach.

So Nicola Sturgeon doesn't understand how "voting works" ? Only someone clever like you with a degree in economics can understand such things?

So Nicola Sturgeon doesn't understand how "voting works" ? Only someone clever like you with a degree in economics can understand such things?

Sturgeon is clearly thick as pig shit - she only has a law degree from glasgow uni.

You are in a good mood aren't you Ernie? I will avoid reposting your quite recent post on sarcasm!

Agreed politicians shouldn't pretend to be what they are not. But this mega so-called RW press do seem to keep on about Eton etc!!! 😉

Actually, it's very simple and nothing to do with economics. Odd to suggest otherwise, unless....

Go for a ride, sounds like you need some fresh air.

Agreed politicians shouldn't pretend to be what they are not.

You've missed my point, I'm saying the opposite - in the case of the present Tory leadership it's vital for them to bullshit their common person's credentials, I think Cameron and and Osborne have been well advised, they just need to get their stories and accents right, you're not agreeing with me.

.

Actually, it's very simple and nothing to do with economics.

So why this comment then ?

[i] "But slightly less embarrassing that subterfuge on how voting works. Still if you don't understand how currencies or debt markets work, there is no real surprise if the rest is out of reach". [/i]

Eh?

You are very clearly suggesting that how "voting works" is beyond the reach of someone who doesn't "understand how currencies or debt markets work".

BTW I'm always in a good mood when I'm responding to your posts. I've usually got a silly grin on my face. I've got one now actually 🙂

Other than that Clegg is happy for the third party to be in government with the Conservatives and then Labour and then back with the Conservatives, if need be, and so on.

3rd party? In his dreams - they'll be 4th (the SNP will be 3rd on seats and UKIP 3rd on votes by the looks of it).

Yes I was referring to Clegg's dreams epicsteve 🙂

Personally I would not have used the word "silly" but if you say so, sounds highly appropriate given recent posts.

Sturgeon clearly knows what she is doing - that is the point. They misled people on economic matters and they do they same in political ones too. The ends justify the means....

So she wasn't confused after all ?

What made you say this then : [i]"dear Nicola gets a little confused"[/i] eh ?

CMD seems to have got quite confused though, even to the extent of mixing up which football team he supports. If I was a cynical type, I might suspect he doesn't really support a team at all and it is just a "I'm just one of the lads" act.

[i]To remind us that he's just an ordinary geezer like your mates down the pub Cameron made a hilarious joke about supporting West Ham, unfortunately he had previously claimed to be a huge Aston Villa fan. [/i]

Maybe he just likes teams who play in Claret & Blue but doesn't realise there are two!

Maybe he just likes teams who play in Claret & Blue but doesn't realise there are two!

There are three current premiership teams with claret and blue kits 😉

Well if I supported Aston Villa I would be tempted to develop memory loss

If I was a cynical type, I might suspect he doesn't really support a team at all

No need to be cynical, Cameron has publicly stated that he doesn't support a football team :

[b][i]“Many of those who have spoken in the debate or have written about the subject are either lawyers or football fans, but I have to confess I am neither”[/i][/b] - House of Commons 15 October 2001.

Of course that was before he declared himself to be an Aston Villa supporter.

Or was it West Ham ?

It all gets very confusing.

MSP - Member

There are three current premiership teams with claret and blue kits

Rockape outs himself as a fake football fan

what colour strip do marginal utd play in ?

Claret and blue cheese would be more becoming

[i]Rockape outs himself as a fake football fan[/i]

Well... To be fair Burnley are easily forgotten ! 🙂

[url= http://www.stevezacharanda.com/fullposts.php?id=121&category=sport ]Stone the crows it might be real.[/url] Good read whatever your views.

I also heard that not being a football fan and supporting Aston Villa are not mutually exclusive.

Labour rent controls and no 1 yr tenancies only 3.

So what happens when you get a foreign job posting for 12-24 months, you can't rent your house out ? Or you get a job offer in another part of the country which doesn't work out and you're made redundant, you can't get your house back ? Letting agents cannot charge fees before a tenancy commences ? So who pays for the credit checks - if it's the landlord they will only accept tenets they are very confident will pass the check ? The landlord and agent are just going to pass these costs on in higher initial rents to cover costs and estimated increases in market rents.

Much like when Labour increased stamp duty but failed to close the obvious loophole that you can buy residential property in offshore companies and pay minimal taxes. A policy not thought through

I didn't read much of mefty's link but I did get to this bit :

[b][i]"Anyone who's spent time with Dave will know how passionate he is about Villa.” [/i][/b]

So it turns out that Cameron is even dafter than I first thought. Perhaps we can now expect him as he continues on the campaign trail, prepared speech and autocue ready, to urge his audience to vote Labour?

Assuming that he is equally "passionate" about the Tory Party of course.

Letting agents cannot charge fees before a tenancy commences

Been off-grid for 3 days and come back to see Miliband has [url= http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/apr/26/ed-miliband-rules-out-confidence-and-supply-deal-with-snp ]finally tried to address the SNP problem[/url]. I think this is as close as he'll get to rejecting any SNP support outright but it's bit more than the previous no formal coalition statements. The tories, as with their personal attacks, are now over-egging the SNP issue I think to the point where they sound a bit desperate. Theresa May's hysterical hyperbole is up there with Fallon's and could possibly backfire in the same way.

Boy's an idiot. This is the electoral equivalent of threatening people by holding a knife to your own throat. Cameron must be pissing himself laughing. And right at the point where the Tories finally went off the deep end too.

So now what does he do, when he inevitably fails to get a majority? Goes back on his word? Fail to form a government (and blame the SNP)?

Or, just form a minority government and try and depend on the SNP without any actual agreement in place? (which is either not going to work, or end up being indistinguishable from having an agreement in place, to all of his critics)

Does create a rather bizarre situation where potentially neither main party can form a stable government, the Tories from a lack of allies and Labour because they won't accept the rope they've been thrown.

[i][b]"I am not doing deals with the Scottish National party"[/i][/b]

It's just as well that he and he alone decides what Labour Party policy is.

It really is staggeringly depressing that a once democratic party should have handed all power to one individual.

Every Labour voter outside Miliband's constituency should be fully aware that they won't be voting for their local candidate or the views which they claim to hold. They will be voting for one individual, not accountable to them, who treats them like voting fodder and their opinions with contempt.

Never has the Labour Party been less fit to govern imo.

And the sooner it is cast into the dustbin of history where it belongs the better.

[quote=Northwind ]Boy's an idiot. This is the electoral equivalent of threatening people by holding a knife to your own throat. Cameron must be pissing himself laughing. And right at the point where the Tories finally went off the deep end too.
So now what does he do, when he inevitably fails to get a majority? Goes back on his word? Fail to form a government (and blame the SNP)?
Or, [b]just form a minority government and try and depend on the SNP without any actual agreement in place?[/b]This. He has nothing to lose [b]at this election[/b]. LP policies are either in line with LibDem and SNP - and will thus get through - or with the Tories - and will thus get through. SNP policies that aren't in line with the LP (e.g. Trident) will be used for the next Holyrood elections as an example of Scottish opinion being overwhelmed by that from England and will inevitably lead to a further independence referendum.

After that, the LP is on a rather more sticky wicket.

Labour rent controls

The "Rent Control" policy, if introduced, will almost certainly prove to be a perfect example of the law of unintended consequences. All colours of government have used private rental properties to fill the gap in social housing stock created by the sale of council houses. We saw how poorly though out labours stamp duty increases where as so many high value sales where switched to company purchases, it took the Tories to plug that obvious loophole.

Rent controls and 3 year leases - I predict a massive boom in 3 month ultra short term "air b&b" style agreements plus a significant increase in rents as landlords price in their rent increases upfront. Landlords can sit and wait with empty properties, local authorities without housing stock cannot. Likewise the example I quoted regarding people with job offers abroad / outside their home area

The "Rent Control" policy, if introduced, will almost certainly prove to be a perfect example of the law of unintended consequences.

As perfect as the unintended consequences of Tory housing policies, such as removing rent controls, selling off council housing, creating housing bubbles, and turning a housing crises into an even bigger housing crises? As perfect as that?

Or was it never the aim of the Tories to solve the housing crises and provide affordable homes?

In which case, hats off to the Tories.......they've been hugely successful.

If in doubt, INTERVENE....you know it makes sense

Ed is being perfectly sensible here as dear Nicola has made it clear that she will do everything in her power (the ends justify the means) to stop the Tories govern. So she cannot then vote down a potential minority labour gov and Ed know it. Good for him for putting her back in her rightful place. The poker match goes on.

Good job, none of this is serious....