UK General Election 2015

[arbboy]

Might be enough to send Ladbrokes into bustoville if Labour get back in and shut down the roulette machines as predicted even though they brought them in in the first place in 2000.  Ladbrokes are on the edge of being worthless as a firm without them.  Shares currently valued at £1.02 and £940m as a firm.  Given skybet was sold for £800m recently without the 2500 shops and 10000 roulette machines (which gross £400m a year for them) ladbrokes have their board/shareholders must be scared to death of a labour government more than me and woodsey put together!

[aaron1867]

Alex Salmond deputy pm 

Seriously though will be really interesting, can't see a Labour / SNP coalition working out.

And really telling the Lib Dem's are pretty much going to be decimated.

It's the only realistic government that looks like it will form, surely. The predicted seats show that LAB/SNP is the only coalition looking likely and then they still need a "top up"

I'm not really show how the Tories can can get in, 270 Tories, 30 LD and that's being generous! UKIP still can't help either, whilst the other parties have said they won't be involved with Tories.

Interesting, but glad to see that Tories have very little chance of getting in

[DungBeetle]

Sporting Index still think 290 Tories.  That seems a bit high to me though.

[mulhuzz]

Sporting Index still think 290 Tories.  That seems a bit high to me though.

Yeah that's way too high. I think that's absolutely best case for them. Best best best case.

[BigAdz]

Alex Salmond deputy pm 

Seriously though will be really interesting, can't see a Labour / SNP coalition working out.

And really telling the Lib Dem's are pretty much going to be decimated.

It would be a fucking disgrace.

One minute trying to extricate themselves from the union, and losing, and the next minute pulling the strings.

In a strange way it would serve Cameron, et al, right. But I'm not keen to see our country fcked up again just to prove a point.

[TightEnd]

What Would It Take For There To Be A Second Election?

Parliament is heading for another almighty pile-up this week. So could another election be on the cards?

http://www.buzzfeed.com/emilyashton/lets-go-round-again

[DungBeetle]

I was under the impression that debt as a percentage of GDP fell between 1997 and 2008.  The Daily Mail had drastically diffferent figures this morning - am I wrong or are they telling porkies?  (They say 45% in 1997 and 52% in 2008).

(By the way - not that I am arguing that debt as percentage of GDP is a great measure when you are comparing different parts of the economic cycle, but these figures are different to what I thought).

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3068024/Ed-denial-economy-Labour-leader-proud-profligacy-left-Britain-giant-deficit.html

[DungBeetle]

Milband said this yesterday - thoughts?

"‘There was a financial crisis – and the financial crisis drove the deficit upwards. The debt and the deficit before the financial crisis were lower than those we inherited and that’s clear.’"

[redsimon]

Milband said this yesterday - thoughts?

"‘There was a financial crisis – and the financial crisis drove the deficit upwards. The debt and the deficit before the financial crisis were lower than those we inherited and that’s clear.’"

Well in cash terms it was more but was it lower as % of GDP? Don't know the answer but guessing that might be his reasoning?

[Doobs]

Milband said this yesterday - thoughts?

"‘There was a financial crisis – and the financial crisis drove the deficit upwards. The debt and the deficit before the financial crisis were lower than those we inherited and that’s clear.’"

The GDP one is here

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/psa/public-sector-finances/july-2013/chd-1--story.xls

So probably true, but not massively clear and excludes PFI and unfunded pensions.  Including unfounded pensions would reverse that for instance.  I haven't checked the deficit one but I'd be surprised as that was falling when Blair took over.  I guess he must have checked though.

I am not sure it is right to just exclude inconvenient things that make you look bad and claim you are winners.  Just makes you look looks sore losers.

[DungBeetle]

Milband said this yesterday - thoughts?

"‘There was a financial crisis – and the financial crisis drove the deficit upwards. The debt and the deficit before the financial crisis were lower than those we inherited and that’s clear.’"

Well in cash terms it was more but was it lower as % of GDP? Don't know the answer but guessing that might be his reasoning?

Yeah - I'm pretty sure that is the reasoning as GDP was inflated pre financial crisis.  My question was more about the "that's clear" part.  When you've got off balance sheet stuff hanging around I'm not sure he can say things are very clear at all!

[mulhuzz]

Milband said this yesterday - thoughts?

"‘There was a financial crisis – and the financial crisis drove the deficit upwards. The debt and the deficit before the financial crisis were lower than those we inherited and that’s clear.’"

Well in cash terms it was more but was it lower as % of GDP? Don't know the answer but guessing that might be his reasoning?

Yeah - I'm pretty sure that is the reasoning as GDP was inflated pre financial crisis.  My question was more about the "that's clear" part.  When you've got off balance sheet stuff hanging around I'm not sure he can say things are very clear at all!

agreed!

[DMorgan]

I am not sure it is right to just exclude inconvenient things that make you look bad and claim you are winners.  Just makes you look looks sore losers.

A little like the Tories claiming to have rescued the economy?

From the ONS:

'This edition contains revised historical estimates of labour productivity back to 1948, consistent with revisions to National Accounts introduced in Blue Book 2014. These estimates show that the absence of productivity growth in the seven years since 2007 is unprecedented in the post-war period.'

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_397326.pdf

[doubleup]

Leafletted parents outside schools in many elections myself and I'm sure I've seen politicians on TV in schools all thru this election too.

Maybe local authorities ban this type of thing for the fun of it then?

Aren't you getting confused with polling day?  The polling stations are usually schools and campaigning is prohibited in the immediate area of a polling station.

[mulhuzz]

I am not sure it is right to just exclude inconvenient things that make you look bad and claim you are winners.  Just makes you look looks sore losers.

A little like the Tories claiming to have rescued the economy?

From the ONS:

'This edition contains revised historical estimates of labour productivity back to 1948, consistent with revisions to National Accounts introduced in Blue Book 2014. These estimates show that the absence of productivity growth in the seven years since 2007 is unprecedented in the post-war period.'

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_397326.pdf

stop bringing facts into this argument please. I think we'd all prefer to hear more of the Tory narrative about how they've 'fixed' the economy. Because, you know, science.