State of the parties as 2015 General Election looms.

[ahinton]

You again!
The tradesman's entrance is round the back.

Perhaps he has nothing to trade; had that possibility occured to you?

[ahinton]

IS, ISIS, or whatever it's called now, is not recognised by anybody but itself and its followers. It is not a country or state though it has called itself the latter in an apparent attempt to pretend it is.

Agreed.

Incidentally, the main plank of the Left's opposition to the invasion of Iraq was precisely that the West's actions were deemed to be 'illegal' (no specific UN authority) on the grounds of a state's sovereignty, NOT that it supported or condoned the actions of the thug in charge of that particular state.

Be that as it may, it is not merely the main plank of "the Left's opposition to the invasion of Iraq" but the main plank of almost all of those who opposed and still deplore this.

the now much poorer Mr Mitchell

A pretty disgraceful mess on all sides and one made more so by the manner in which it's been conducted by almost all involved in it over the past two years and, who knows, if AM still intends to stand in the next General Election (and he seems to have retianed considerable constituency support despite all the drubbings and counter-drubbings), he might consider it necessary to appeal, in which case it could well drag on for many more months yet.

[P. G. Tipps]

You again!
The tradesman's entrance is round the back.

I know my place.

I'm quite content to be a Pleb, and don't want to be a Toff.

Just think ... the upkeep of all these big houses ... duck-house moats, etc ... no, thank you!

[visualnickmos]

I know my place.

I'm quite content to be a Pleb, and don't want to be a Toff.

Just think ... the upkeep of all these big houses ... duck-house moats, etc ... no, thank you!

But if you were an MP, that wouldn't be an issue!

[Serial_Apologist]

I know my place.

I'm quite content to be a Pleb, and don't want to be a Toff.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00hhrwl

[Beef Oven!]

David Cameron is actually asking to be kicked-out of power!

I misunderstood him, he's actually a man of his word.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Re Mr Mitchell, I'm not at all keen on Tory MPs like him, but I'm even less keen on The Sun newspaper.

It has set me thinking. Which Tory MPs, past and present, have I respected?
Lord Carrington
Linda Chalker
Chris Patten

It isn't many, but some is better than none.

[P. G. Tipps]

Re Mr Mitchell, I'm not at all keen on Tory MPs like him, but I'm even less keen on The Sun newspaper.

It has set me thinking. Which Tory MPs, past and present, have I respected?
Lord Carrington
Linda Chalker
Chris Patten

It isn't many, but some is better than none.

Michael Gove ... ?

[Beef Oven!]

Michael Gove ... ?

I've got a lot of time for Gove. He's done well to get to grips with the failing schools and the comprehensive schools' ethos of low expectation of its pupils and educational outcomes. Our schooling was better than our children's - that can't be right!

On Question Time last night he was in total command of the argument and the facts. He impresses me more and more each time I see him. There are a lot of very noisy people who criticise him, by I think I'd prefer the teachers and schools he envisages, to the ones that they would foist on us. Education is not an area that I know an awful lot about, apart from having gone through a few schools myself and being a parent, but that's my tuppence-worth, anyway!

[MrGongGong]

I've got a lot of time for Gove. He's done well to get to grips with the failing schools and the comprehensive schools' ethos of low expectation of its pupils and educational outcomes. Our schooling was better than our children's - that can't be right!

FFS

You been on the sauce again ?

You'd vote for Peter Griffin if you had the chance mate........ oops wait a mo you seem to have that intention

The problem with your "analysis" is that HE HASN'T done any of those things
but don't let the facts get in the way

[Beef Oven!]

FFS

You been on the sauce again ?

You'd vote for Peter Griffin if you had the chance mate........ oops wait a mo you seem to have that intention

As a former school pupil and parent, I think I have the right to an opinion. The trouble is that in Britain, schools vary so widely. Things may be ok in your neck of the wood, Harry, but in my area, we need people like Gove.

P.S. I haven't been on the sauce since last Friday, but I plan to have a triple Talisker after 11.00pm when I will not be using my car.

[MrGongGong]

As a former school pupil and parent, I think I have the right to an opinion. The trouble is that in Britain, schools vary so widely. Things may be ok in your neck of the wood, Harry, but in my area, we need people like Gove.

P.S. I haven't been on the sauce since last Friday, but I plan to have a triple Talisker after 11.00pm when I will not be using my car.

Trouble is you are talking out of your arse again

Schools vary BECAUSE of idiots like Gove

[Beef Oven!]

Trouble is you are talking out of your arse again

Schools vary BECAUSE of idiots like Gove

No, he's the solution, not the problem. Several years ago, before Gove was minister, I used to talk to other parents who also had children in school, and the variation between schools, just in north London was unbelievable. And speaking to the teachers, including head teachers, they had such low expectations of the kids. These kids are friggin' bright, but the teachers were thick! Someone had to do something about comprehensives. They were so 'stale' and unambitious.

No Harry, Gove's the daddy and I hope the strategic vision that he had, is not abandoned by his successors.

[MrGongGong]

No, he's the solution, not the problem. Several years ago, before Gove was minister, I used to talk to other parents who also had children in school, and the variation between schools, just in north London was unbelievable. And speaking to the teachers, including head teachers, they had such low expectations of the kids. These kids are friggin' bright, but the teachers were thick! Someone had to do something about comprehensives. They were so 'stale' and unambitious.

No Harry, Gove's the daddy and I hope the strategic vision that he had, is not abandoned by his successors.

Its really sad that people spout this nonsense
But I guess that's what a grammar school education does for you
"Strategic vision" my arse

[teamsaint]

No, he's the solution, not the problem. Several years ago, before Gove was minister, I used to talk to other parents who also had children in school, and the variation between schools, just in north London was unbelievable. And speaking to the teachers, including head teachers, they had such low expectations of the kids. These kids are friggin' bright, but the teachers were thick! Someone had to do something about comprehensives. They were so 'stale' and unambitious.

No Harry, Gove's the daddy and I hope the strategic vision that he had, is not abandoned by his successors.

God help them all, kids, teachers , parents, when the next one gets going.

True story this.

I Was sitting in a nice doctors waiting room in nice Salisbury this week.
One of the staff and a patient got talking, and it became clear that their very young children, reception age by the sound of it, were finding life really tough at school. Afternoon play abolished, so that more teaching can be crammed in. Both of their kids taking time out in the toilets , to get a break, both of the parents resigned to this regime of endless hoops , in the name of raising education standards.

Instill the fear early enough, in parents and kids,mand you have it cracked. Sun readers and debt slaves for life.

It really is very, very sad for them,and for society.