Quote: Gussie Fink Nottle @ 8th May 2015, 1:13 AM BST

Yep, it was the officials wot done it.
Not a chance.

I remember a time when there was ministerial responsibility and accountability.

I also remember her successor, the new transport secretary standing on the steps of his ministry taking the flak for something he had nothing to do with.
Wonder why that was, if it was merely the underlings...?

Also I wonder why she ran if she'd done nothing wrong?

So no, it was a very cheap tactic to skedaddle her out of there.
And very cheap from the PM to rescue his chum.

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Erm, a very badly run Department on the official side since the mid 2000s. Actually diabolical by 2010 when the axe fell in the most sadistic fashion. By 2012 it was so lacking in experience that staff would find it a challenge to put petrol in a Vauxhall Astra. Ministerial responsibility is sadly lacking these days but Greening is one who would accept it if ever required. She was one of just 50 who didn't cheat the public out of its money via expenses claims. Ed was another and he deserves credit for that at least.

Re SNP, much is made of the Thatcher factor. However, their initial surge was in Feb 1974 and the Tories were wiped out in 1979 before she had even got started on policy. So arguably, Scotland was already pulling away before her arrival. On NHS, it's difficult at present to assess to what extent Englanders have backed or not backed Labour but arguably there has been a shift towards tentative acceptance of elements of privatisation or it was felt that Labour would have pursued those anyway.

Just fell asleep for a bit but nothing seems to gave happened in the interim.

Quote: A Horseradish @ 8th May 2015, 1:30 AM BST

Erm, a very badly run Department on the official side since the mid 2000s. Actually diabolical by 2010 when the axe fell in the most sadistic fashion. By 2012 it was so lacking in experience that staff would find it a challenge to put petrol in a Vauxhall Astra. Ministerial responsibility is sadly lacking these days but Greening is one who would accept it if ever required. She was one of just 50 who didn't cheat the public out of its money via expenses claims. Ed was another and he deserves credit for that at least.

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She would accept responsibility?
But on the very one occasion when that was tested, she did not. So...

And as for her not milking the expenses.
Well, I bet there are plenty others who are so loaded they therefore would not even be tempted.

--

But back to the election. Things sounding shaky for UKIP.
And maybe it's bye-bye for Farage.
I suspect if he goes, the party's bubble will burst.
That could in itself change the political landscape considerably, once the Tories are no longer afraid of being outflanked on the right.

Quote: Gussie Fink Nottle @ 8th May 2015, 1:44 AM BST

She would accept responsibility?
But on the very one occasion when that was tested, she did not. So...

And as for her not milking the expenses.
Well, I bet there are plenty others who are so loaded they therefore would not even be tempted.

--

But back to the election. Things sounding shaky for UKIP.
And maybe it's bye-bye for Farage.
I suspect if he goes, the party's bubble will burst.
That could in itself change the political landscape considerably, once the Tories are no longer afraid of being outflanked on the right.

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It looks like Farage has lost and that he is taking it badly. Galloway/Respect appear to have lost. The Greens may have doubled their number of seats with my Caroline to be re-elected in Brighton Pavilion.

Quote: keewik @ 8th May 2015, 1:42 AM BST

Just fell asleep for a bit but nothing seems to gave happened in the interim.

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Spot on. Dull as ditchwater. My osteopath reckons I should emigrate. Scotland is now an option.

Quote: A Horseradish @ 8th May 2015, 1:46 AM BST

The Greens may have doubled their number of seats with my Caroline to be re-elected in Brighton Pavilion.

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Ah well, I guess it can't all be good news...

Meanwhile, on a more positive note: Simon Hughes - famously known as 'the straight choice', is forecast to have lost his seat.

Quote: Gussie Fink Nottle @ 8th May 2015, 1:51 AM BST

Ah well, I guess it can't all be good news...

Meanwhile, on a more positive note: Simon Hughes - famously known as 'the straight choice', is forecast to have lost his seat.

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Bermondsey.

Yes. That was Tatchell for Labour when Hughes won it wasn't it. It was around the time that Harman ceased being legal officer for NCCL, adopted a quite ludicrous mockney accent and won in Peckham.

I know Southwark well. It was a weird time when ordinary folk there were just bewildered by all the young things descending - Tatchell wasn't British so along with the fact that he experienced a lot of discrimination because of his personal identity, he was "with" the South African/antipodean Hains, Hewitts and Goulds - and Harman, of course, is virtually royalty literally. They all just seemed totally remote - as did the pressure groups many of them worked for initially. Feelings of connection were all on the politicians' side. Actually the parallel was those well-meaning Victorian women who would visit slums and write diaries about how appalling it all seemed. Very few people took any of them seriously.

Quote: A Horseradish @ 8th May 2015, 1:53 AM BST

Bermondsey.

Yes. That was Tatchell for Labour when Hughes won it wasn't it. It was around the time that Harman ceased being legal officer for NCCL, adopted a quite ludicrous mockney accent and won in Peckham.

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Well, Simon Hughes famously was 'the straight choice' when campaigning against Tatchell and then decades later had the gall to come out of the closet.
What can one say, it's hard to heap disgrace upon disgrace, but that guy sure managed it.

I think many a person would be smiling if that arch-hypocrite would depart the commons.

It didn't take long.
Alex Salmond is already challenging legitimacy of Westminster rule, due to SNP surge.

They haven't even finished the count.

Quote: Gussie Fink Nottle @ 8th May 2015, 2:07 AM BST

Well, Simon Hughes famously was 'the straight choice' when campaigning against Tatchell and then decades later had the gall to come out of the closet.
What can one say, it's hard to heap disgrace upon disgrace, but that guy sure managed it.

I think many a person would be smiling if that arch-hypocrite would depart the commons.

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Yes. It wasn't a high point in electioneering, that's for sure. He has lasted several decades in that seat, of course. Talking of Liberals, they have held Ceredigion. There is some talk that Jo Swinson may have held her Scottish seat. If so, that would be very remarkable and she would be a major contender for leadership of the Lib Dems, if NC was obliged to depart, by virtue of being a woman.

Quote: A Horseradish @ 8th May 2015, 2:11 AM BST

Yes. It wasn't a high point in electioneering, that's for sure. He has lasted several decades in that seat, of course. Talking of Liberals, they have held Ceredigion.

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Well, the Hughes story is the equivalent of Farage winning his seat, spending the next quarter of a century in parliament and then revealing that he is actually a Romanian immigrant.

Well, if the LibDems have won Ceredigion (with subtitles, of course) then they've at least got one seat.

Jo Swinson is a Scottish MP?
In that case, if she holds her seat, it would be remarkable.

BUT - she's a pro-censorship MP. Hard to imagine an openly pro-censorship MP to lead the LibDems. Well, hard to imagine how such a person becomes a LibDem MP to start with, but that's another story...

Oops. Douglas Alexander is toast in Paisley.

Quote: Gussie Fink Nottle @ 8th May 2015, 2:22 AM BST

Well, the Hughes story is the equivalent of Farage winning his seat, spending the next quarter of a century in parliament and then revealing that he is actually a Romanian immigrant.

Well, if the LibDems have won Ceredigion (with subtitles, of course) then they've at least got one seat.

Jo Swinson is a Scottish MP?
In that case, if she holds her seat, it would be remarkable.

BUT - she's a pro-censorship MP. Hard to imagine an openly pro-censorship MP to lead the LibDems. Well, hard to imagine how such a person becomes a LibDem MP to start with, but that's another story...

Oops. Douglas Alexander is toast in Paisley.

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Hah. I think I have said before on this website that I once stood in a lift with DA and his assistant whispering to each other beside me. I only heard three of the words - "Bloody Alex Salmond". The same phrase will be used again tonight. Can you believe this SNP woman is just 20? She also sounds like she is to the left of the late Jimmy Reid. This is a Red Scotland. Much more red than Miliband.

Quote: A Horseradish @ 8th May 2015, 2:25 AM BST

Hah. I think I have said before on this website that I once stood in a lift with DA and his assistant whispering to each other beside me. I only heard three of the words - "Bloody Alex Salmond". The same phrase will be used again tonight. Can you believe this SNP woman is just 20? She also sounds like she is to the left of the late Jimmy Reid. This is a Red Scotland. Much more red than Miliband.

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Well, it's a strange one, the SNP position.
Let's not forget they first hoovered up the Tory vote and were the anti-Labour party. But then - with no Tory vote left to win, they began to shift.
Together with Labour they successfully had made Tory a dirty word north of the border and then went about moving to the left of Labour, accusing them of being the Westminster party.

I believe many opponents of the SNP in Scotland refer to 'grievance politics'.
The SNP direct all blame to Westminster. Anything that doesn't work is London's fault.
First it was the Tories, and then - with the Tories eliminated - one pointed to the 'red Tories' as the cause of all Scotland's ailments - and outflanked Labour on the left. Switching from Salmond to Sturgeon was part of this leftward shunt.

If the Tories form a government in Westminster, it will be a godsend for the SNP. Many say, they've actually been hoping for it.

Quote: Gussie Fink Nottle @ 8th May 2015, 2:37 AM BST

Well, it's a strange one, the SNP position.
Let's not forget they first hoovered up the Tory vote and were the anti-Labour party. But then - with no Tory vote left to win, they began to shift.
Together with Labour they successfully had made Tory a dirty word north of the border and then went about moving to the left of Labour, accusing them of being the Westminster party.

I believe many opponents of the SNP in Scotland refer to 'grievance politics'.
The SNP direct all blame to Westminster. Anything that doesn't work is London's fault.
First it was the Tories, and then - with the Tories eliminated - one pointed to the 'red Tories' as the cause of all Scotland's ailments - and outflanked Labour on the left. Switching from Salmond to Sturgeon was part of this leftward shunt.

If the Tories form a government in Westminster, it will be a godsend for the SNP. Many say, they've actually been hoping for it.

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Yes.

They have just defeated Jo Swinson.

Arise King Farron of Westmorland.

http://timfarron.co.uk/en/

Quote: keewik @ 8th May 2015, 12:16 AM BST

I'm just totally bemused here. Can't believe what's going on.

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I now understand your bemusement.

There must be a 2.5 hour difference.

Sorry about Jo Swinson. Apparently her vote held up but Labour voters switched to SNP which gave them the majority.

Quote: keewik @ 8th May 2015, 2:59 AM BST

Sorry about Jo Swinson. Apparently her vote held up but Labour voters switched to SNP which gave them the majority.

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Yes.

The Lizard has just appeared on our screens.

He doesn't lack cocky over-confidence does he?

It's not a walk. It's both swagger and strut.

And he's lost.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToFErVHAuLQ

why do I imagine Cameron is about to sing this to the Queen?