Alex

They weren't that far out though. It's not like they called the popular vote wrong by much. The polls could be 10% out and the Tories would still win at an absolute canter. It's not like 15% were saying they'd vote for Trump. I think it only required a small shift away from the predicted votes (which themselves fluctated a few % from day to day) in a few key states for the result to happen like it did. The trend with polls in the UK has seen Labour trailing badly for a good while now and, as previously mentioned, the current leads for the Tories in the polls are about as big as it gets in the UK. I think relying on the polls being wrong are a very vain hope. Can you imagine what the fuckers would be like if they had something in the region of 390 seats?

Aye, that's pretty much how I see it panning out. Great

It's about the bloke himself, he's completely inconvincing in his ability to deliver his message to anyone beyond his hardcore support. Rightly or wrongly.

Think he works there actually.

He'll never carry the working class, man. It's about more than the message.

I get what you're saying but (and I'm by no means a statistician) you're talking about margins of error within those normally permitted in the case of Brexit and Trump. The margins of error required for the Tories not to romp home were an election to happen now (which obviously couldn't happen but you'll take my point) would have to be huge. They're approaching a 20-point lead over Labour. Given Scotland is gone for the forseeable then I'm not sure what the Tories are waiting for. The 'mandate' excuse given what's happened is perfectly valid too.

I see the Electoral Calculus site's amalgamation of polls for the last month or so has the Tories looking at a whacking 130 seat majority were an election to be called now. Part of me thinks it would be better to get it out of the way rather than have a similar or worse result in a few years time. So much for the establishment getting kicked up the arse post-Brexit.

Ah, right. I stopped reading this thread much in the run up to the election because I was fucking sick of hearing about it.

What's the crack there then? If you'll pardon the pun

Saw Papa Laz in the RVI a while back. I pointed out where the nearest bogs were, just in case.

FFS

Cheers. Very reminiscent of the way in which New Labour forgot who it was meant to represent in the first place.

:lol:

You're only talking about a relatively tiny swing for it to have made a massive difference in terms of the result though.

Aye, Clarke seems to have made plenty enemies down the years, to put it mildly.

That's why he's getting too much air time. Fair enough do a quick mention of it on the news but then to interview him on breakfast telly etc.? Howay, man. The interview was quite revealing although I doubt the morons who regard him as 'the man of the people' will pick up on that, i.e. he alluded to having a close relationship and influence with Trump then gave absolutely fuck detail about what they'd discussed. Given he's hardly one to hide his light under a bushel I would guess he was lucky if the meeting lasted as long as the 10 minutes he's claimed.

This was class btw:

His batting average in England is better than his career test batting average actually. He was canny shite in 2015 though, and I think, along with a few others, his head had gone.

Aye, playing across the line. Think he had bags of talent but should've had a settled batting position and probably bowled a bit more. Although he looked like he fucking hated bowling.

Boro needed the win to make sure they stayed up didn't they? Something like that.

Getting far too much airtime again.

Watson was quality, but he was shifted around too much in the batting line-up. He averaged about 40 as an opener in tests which shows he could bat. He was a really useful tight bowler as well. Not to mention his ability in the shorter formats of the game. He wasn't very good at reviewing though

Well yeah but what I meant was that even if this was purely about increasing efficiencies and improving the service rather than about profit it would still almost certainly lead to a situation where each time the contract was renewed there's more pressure to make more efficiencies and save money. This would probably lead to it going to the lowest bidder with patients ultimately getting a poorer level of care. It'll also spread to other areas if and when this is deemed a 'success'.