State of the parties as 2015 General Election looms.

[Beef Oven!]

I think i'm going to ask my viola playing friend who is on one of your recordings AH

You've got so many friends - how do you do it, MrGG?

I've only got about 25 friends, I take my hat of to you!

[MrGongGong]

You've got so many friends - how do you do it, MrGG?

I've only got about 25 friends, I take my hat of to you!

Ahh yes but we both know someone who is a one man band

[Beef Oven!]

Ahh yes but we both know someone who is a one man band

We do.

Can I be your friend?

[Beef Oven!]

So the next instalment to the general election run-up is here!

David Cameron is telling us he's going to do something about EU migration, and before Xmas. But he doesn't know what!!

At least he's worked out that the British people are going give him the thumbs-down in May!

The Guardian

I think it's going to be a funny old election, in 2015!!

[ahinton]

So the next instalment to the general election run-up is here!

David Cameron is telling us he's going to do something about EU migration, and before Xmas. But he doesn't know what!!

At least he's worked out that the British people are going give him the thumbs-down in May!

The Guardian

I think it's going to be a funny old election, in 2015!!

It could go on for a very long time indeed; I'm not at this stage going to go so far as to say that I necessarily hope so, but I'm also not saying otherwise...

[P. G. Tipps]

It could go on for a very long time indeed; I'm not at this stage going to go so far as to say that I necessarily hope so, but I'm also not saying otherwise...

A most brave and decisively authoritative statement, mercifully free of any numbskullery and humbuggery, if I may say so, ahinton ...

[amateur51]

Can't wait for Nige to be questioned about this new member of his Alliance, embraced because it enables UKIP to keep £1m of EU funding it would appear.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/oct/20/ukip-does-deal-with-far-right-to-save-european-grouping

The things some people will do for money.

[ahinton]

A most brave and decisively authoritative statement, mercifully free of any numbskullery and humbuggery, if I may say so, ahinton ...

You may say so; I couldn't possibly comment...

[ahinton]

Can't wait for Nige to be questioned about this new member of his Alliance, embraced because it enables UKIP to keep £1m of EU funding it would appear.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/oct/20/ukip-does-deal-with-far-right-to-save-european-grouping

The things some people will do for money.

Hmmm - that does indeed seem to suggest a particularly potent example of how a surfeit of swaggering over-confidence can lead straight to an own goal and, if even Marine le Pen wanted nothing to do with it, that one own goal might turn into a series of them; OK, it's a piece of journalitic reporting but, if any of it sticks, the prospect that there's no smoke without fire would appear to present itself. Who or which parties might seek to extract political capital from it remains to be seen.

In the meantime, the reportage elsewhere, as linked to by Richard Barrett earlier, to the effect that some three quarters of grass roots UKIP supporters supposedly favour renationalisation of two vital industries in Britain might be seen to imply that UKIP, far from being merely a right wing party, is sufficiently avaricious to want all the wings to itself, an interesting but potentially very dangerous scenario in which the party might risk falling between several stools of its own making.

[Beef Oven!]

Hmmm - that does indeed seem to suggest a particularly potent example of how a surfeit of swaggering over-confidence can lead straight to an own goal and, if even Marine le Pen wanted nothing to do with it, that one own goal might turn into a series of them; OK, it's a piece of journalitic reporting but, if any of it sticks, the prospect that there's no smoke without fire would appear to present itself. Who or which parties might seek to extract political capital from it remains to be seen.

In the meantime, the reportage elsewhere, as linked to by Richard Barrett earlier, to the effect that some three quarters of grass roots UKIP supporters supposedly favour renationalisation of two vital industries in Britain might be seen to imply that UKIP, far from being merely a right wing party, is sufficiently avaricious to want all the wings to itself, an interesting but potentially very dangerous scenario in which the party might risk falling between several stools of its own making.

Not an own goal - wrong analysis. European Parliament President Martin Schulz, ever since Godfrey Bloom publicly declared him an undemocratic fascist, has attempted to undermine the UKIP. Can't say I blame him, the episode visibly got under his skin.

Schulz's latest 'blackmailing' of an MEP to leave the European Parliamentary group, the 'Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy has directly led to this.

If that's how it happened, Schulz's con-trick sheds light on how responsible, honest and legitimate he is as a politician, and given that he's the president of the European Parliament, it makes it even worse.

Schulz appears as responsible as Nigel for the current situation (and you can't blame Nigel for taking a decision that otherwise, he would not have taken).

Anyway, I started this thread to talk about the things party-political, leading up to the 2015 general election. But once again people jump right in and go on about Nigel, the EU and the UKIP. Some of our musically educated members have even started dedicated threads on the UKIP, for Chrissakes!

Back on topic, The Labour Party are giving us this, which is surely going to grow legs and run all over the place, leading up to the election! Although this won't affect most of us, it appears to have the ingredients to capture the imagination.

[MrGongGong]

Never mind OXOboy
you can always have your song by the notorious tax dodger to cheer you up

Not like the rest at all then :HA HA HA:

[french frank]

Back on topic, The Labour Party are giving us this, which is surely going to grow legs and run all over the place, leading up to the election! Although this won't affect most of us, it appears to have the ingredients to capture the imagination.

Which in theory many people would agree with. As with the earlier Lib Dem policy, the sensible proviso that people who "accidentally" find themselves in possession of a "mansion", but who have comparatively low incomes (compared with the house value, that is) will not be hit until the Exchequer steps in when the property changes hands to claim on the windfall which many houseowners have benefited from by the "accidental" rocketing of property prices. What's wrong with that?

[Beef Oven!]

Not like the rest at all then :HA HA HA:

You've already started a thread to discuss this, can we please get back on topic? I'll help you with a question. Do you think that the housing tax will help Labour in the run up to the election, or hinder them? Or do you think someone like Clegg will nick it back off them and take the Libdems even further down the polls/up the polls?

[Beef Oven!]

Which in theory many people would agree with. As with the earlier Lib Dem policy, the sensible proviso that people who "accidentally" find themselves in possession of a "mansion", but who have comparatively low incomes (compared with the house value, that is) will not be hit until the Exchequer steps in when the property changes hands to claim on the windfall which many houseowners have benefited from by the "accidental" rocketing of property prices. What's wrong with that?

I'm suspicious of 'purely' ideologically-driven taxation like 'bedroom tax' 'poll tax' and 'mansion' tax. Sadly, at least in theory, many people agree with these anti-people taxes.

[ahinton]

Not an own goal - wrong analysis. European Parliament President Martin Schulz, ever since Godfrey Bloom publicly declared him an undemocratic fascist, has attempted to undermine the UKIP. Can't say I blame him, the episode visibly got under his skin.

Schulz's latest 'blackmailing' of an MEP to leave the European Parliamentary group, the 'Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy has directly led to this.

If that's how it happened, Schulz's con-trick sheds light on how responsible, honest and legitimate he is as a politician, and given that he's the president of the European Parliament, it makes it even worse.

Schulz appears as responsible as Nigel for the current situation (and you can't blame Nigel for taking a decision that otherwise, he would not have taken).

Anyway, I started this thread to talk about the things party-political, leading up to the 2015 general election. But once again people jump right in and go on about Nigel, the EU and the UKIP. Some of our musically educated members have even started dedicated threads on the UKIP, for Chrissakes!

Back on topic, The Labour Party are giving us this, which is surely going to grow legs and run all over the place, leading up to the election! Although this won't affect most of us, it appears to have the ingredients to capture the imagination.

Oh, don't get me wrong; I responded to this particular issue which does indeed impact on Mr Farage and his party but that's by no means to suggest that is an isolated example of what a member here would call skullduggery!

As for the mansion tax, yes, the Labour "pledge" (oh, mon Dieu, NOT another one of those!) seems fairer than the LibDem one on it in its consideration for the asset rich and cash poor, but I imagine that those who own high value properties without the disposable cash assets and income to match are probably in the majority and the fabulously wealthy who own such properties are in the minority.

There seem to be four main problems associated with a "mansion tax", however it might be implemented. Firstly, it willl likely have an adverse effect on property prices - especially those properties hit by it - which will mean that, when such properties are sold, the Exchequer will get less tax than it might otherwise have done because it will be charged on a lower sale value than would otherwise have applied. Secondly, it will encourage some people not to sell such properties or to find ways of putting them into trust in order to avoid future lilability upon sale (i.e. by ensuring that the trust can't sell them). Thirdly, it will encourage others who do want to sell them to break them into apartments the value of each of which will be below the tax threshold before putting them on the market. Fourthly, in cases where any and all of the above do not or cannot apply, the amounts of revenue brought in by the sale of such properties will almost certainly not do enough to justify its introduction, management, inspection and collection.