Intrdoducing the PBC online Lib Dem hustings
October 31st, 2007
Your chance to put your questions
Politicalbetting has invited both the contenders in the Lib Dem leadership battle, Nick Clegg and Chris Huhne to take part in online hustings where users of the site can put their questions and discuss the issues with the contenders.
The first, with Chris Huhne, will take place at 11am this Sunday morning and will last for about an hour and a half. A special thread will be opened shortly before this time. The format will be similar to the online discussion we had with the founder of Mori, Sir Robert Worcester, a few weeks ago.
Although arrangements for Chris Huhne have been finalised I am still waiting for confirmation from the Nick Clegg camp with whom I have already had discussions.
When nominations closed today there were, as expected, just the two runners - both ex-Westminster school-boys who went onto Oxbridge and became MEPs. Both have only been in the house for two and a half years.
Mike Smithson
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Very exciting, well done Mike!
Wonderful news!!!Congratulations Mike…
Great stuff.
Is there going to be any moderation? And who is going to do it? Surely not someone with money riding on the outcome and an open preference for one of the candidates?
3 That’s a bit below the belt isn’t it? I think it would be appropriate to show Mike and the site a little more respect.
Sounds great - quite a coup, Mike. And i agree with Ant that Mike can be trusted to do it very fairly.
I’ve just done a lengthy post on the last thread about Huhne’s interesting proposal for popular initiative referenda - I won’t cross-post but it might be something to ask him about.
re 3. I think the person who has been most damaged by my writings and press contributions has been Chris Huhne. The “unusual” betting activity on Huhne in the last race was covered extensively in my book and this has been picked up by several parts of the media.
In my last couple of posts on the race I have said that I am “warming to Clegg”. As to my betting - my objective is to make money and end up in profit whoever comes home.
The thread with Sir Bob Worcester was confusing and muddled. Can I suggest that someone should make sure they indicate properly which questions are being answered?, and that the numbering system won’t get scrogulated like it sometimes is with messages getting in late?.
Do the same moderating rules apply as on other threads, i.e. comments from people who are not recognised by the site will be delayed in the moderation box? At least this won’t apply to me….
And while I’m at it, congratulations on arranging this. If I have time in my busy student life I might ask the contenders a question or two!
6. Fair points. I retract and apologise. Indeed, if people are going to post questions as a discussion anyway it would be difficult to directly influance the outcome/agenda as moderator.
re 8. I will switch on the automatic moderation feature that will restrict questions to those who have a record of posting here.
I tend to use this control measure sparingly but it can be very useful.
Key Points from Huhne and Cleggs Manifestos from the Guardian:
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/libdems/story/0,,2202482,00.html
A coup indeed - although a minor one, naturally!
Shame I’m away this weekend. But I suppose I’d have only kept asking questions about knives…
5 - Nick P - steady, sounds like you’re thinking of defecting!
BTW, why’s the thread accompanied by a picture of Gyles Brandreth sat on a couch with a 14 year old schoolboy?
11
At least Huhne has some interesting and original ideas,it seems that Clegg has run out of ideas even before he’s been elected.
12 - Bob, If the Labour Party didn’t exist I’d have no problem being a slightly dissident LibDem member, though they might have a problem with me, as they seem to think support for ID cards akin to being a prophet of Baal. I’ve always regarded the separation between Labour and the LibDems as being more tribal than policy-based, and if they (or indeed the Tories) have a good idea, I don’t mind saying so.
Wow, this is quite impressive. Taking a step back, I find it amazing how important the blogosphere (and the internet in general) has become to politics in the last couple of years. I guess this illustrates it well.
16 Nah, not the blogosphere Arny. Just PB.com.
Well done Mike.
14. Whilst I’m not a Libdem, I think Huhne will make a better leader for them.
Clegg comes over as a bit student radical to me (his fit that impression) and as for the idea that a major political party leader would indulge in civil disobedience and potentially get arrested well says it all really. If a party leader cannot respect Parliamentary democracy then what hope the rest of us?
14. in 18. That should be (his ideas fit that impression)
18 A coup Mike ! Well done
15 Nick P wrt your comment on the other thread about Swiss referenda, how if at all is this different from the propositions and ballot initiatives that they have in California (which many politicians seem to dislike greatly)?
Mike, this is excellent news and another major coup for pb - well done. At this rate pb will become the key online forum for candidates to field questions - maybe the London Mayoral hopefuls will be here in the spring?
re 15 Nick Palmer
though they might have a problem with me, as they seem to think support for ID cards akin to being a prophet of Baal
Spot on there
re 18 jfsl but invading a country illegally with hundreds of thousands dead is OK then I presume.
18 - I haven’t read what either H or C have said about civil disobedience, but I like the idea of it as a former student poll tax refusenik.
And the idea of urging LD councils to forgo requiring citizens to have ID cards to get services, there’s a nice policy to tap into at a local level too.
23
At least that was done with the approval of parliament,what Clegg is saying is that he won’t even respect the will of parliament,he obviously has a problem with democracy,too much time spent in the EU.
24 - ironically, the Labour council I should have paid poll tax too never even sent me a summons. After graduating, during a spell of unemployment, the LD minority council I inhabited sent reminders and summons very promptly.
17. Peter. Don’t contradict “The Governator”.
Well done Mike. Excellent news.
re 21. Thanks for the messages. I just want everybody to behave themselves on Sunday morning. If we can carry this off in a civilised fashion then who knows? The London Mayoral race looks a good one - and perhaps I should send an email to Hillary!!
Site traffic for October has been amazing. With a few hours to go we have had well over 1.5 million page downloads - that’s double what we got in May when there were the local and Scottish election and half a million more than September.
28 - I should have said well done Mike. This is quite a coup for you. I would bet this will generate a fair bit of press coverage. The first political hust in the electronic age?
20: I know less about the Californian system, so can’t really comment. I should have added that Huhne only mentioned the blocking part of the Swiss system - he hasn’t so far as I know suggested the positive option (to put forward something not yet considered, or rejected by parliament). An advantage of having the blocking part only (if that’s what he wants) is that it prevents demagogic initiatives (like the property tax one which got Californian finances into such a mess). The drawback is that it’s negative - makes it more difficult to do anything, without making anything easier.
Well done Mike - not quite impact of the two hours of free TV propaganda on Newsnight & Question Time characteristically gifted to Labour by the BBC to allow candidates for the meaningless and totally inconsequential Deputy Leadership contest to scratch each others’ backs, whilst at the same time slagging off the Tories, etc. Surely one of the most disgraceful examples of political bias over recent years, even by the BBC’s standards.
“Nick Clegg, if David Cameron stood in your shadow would anyone notice the difference except for the fact that he is losing more hair than you?”
Ooooooh very exciting!
I look forward to discusssing detailed economic and other strategic issues with the candidates!
15 - a nice quote for Tory campaign literature in those LD-Tory marginals, perhaps?:
“…I’d have no problem being a Lib Dem member. I’ve always regarded the separation between Labour and the Lib Dems as being more tribal than policy-based”
Nick Palmer, MP Broxtowe (Labour). 31 October 2007
And I’ve only very slightly edited down your quote and taken it out of context….
(I’m Alastair Campbell and hereby claim my £20)
23. Illegal in what terms? Correct me by all means, but as yet I do not think anyone has actually proved in court that it was illegal.
In moral terms I agree the whole thing stinks but in legal terms?
24. As an individual I fully support Clegg’s view on ID Cards (from where comes the approval of civil disobedience) and if he does as he says I will likely be in the cell next to him.
However, can and should a potential leader of a major parliamentary political party promote that approach? It undermines the very concept of parliamentary democracy in the least constructive way.
Huhne’s referendum proposal offers a far more democratic way of doing it.
Wow Mike, that is impressive news, it is also an excellent example of successful the site has become. Well done!
re 18 etc. It should be mentioned that, according to the BBC, Chris Huhne also argues that imposing ID cards is illegitimate (though he doesn’t say whether he would refuse to follow the law himself):
Mr Huhne said he would match Mr Clegg’s promise to lead a campaign against ID card legislation, pointing out that he had long promoted civil liberties.
“I don’t think it’s right that a government with 35% of the vote has a legitimate mandate to impose something so unpopular and corrosive to traditional freedoms in Britain as ID cards,” he said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7071066.stm
Mr Clegg seems to have some wildish ideas. I hear he was once a ski instructor. How DO you teach yoghurt?
31. PfP - the way its panned out I’m no longer worried about BBC bias. Not even that is going to save the shower in power!
;o)
38. See my post at 35.
38. er 36 (note to self - must get glasses)!
;o)
I see that the official start of the LD leadership race gets 9th billing on the list of top news stories in the BBC news website right now, below a fire at an oil depot (this morning!), and just below a regional news item about a baby being injured by a firework in a shop in Bolton, but one place more important than Heather Mills complaining on GMTV about her treatment by the media.
Ninth. A good job it was a quiet news day…
18. Yes, only political midgets like Martin Luther King and Mohandas Gandhi would engage in such a silly thing as civil disobedience.
44. That is not my point Socrates as you probably realise. See my post at 36.
44. And I think you mean ‘Mahatma Gandhi’ don’t you?
36. Seeing that setting up the infrastructure of a police state is supremely undemocratic, civil disobedience against such policies is the democratic thing to do. It would be like using civil disobedience against the NSDAP after it was elected. Unfortunately, what people like Nick Palmer don’t understand is that a commitment to democracy is more than simply holding elections.
46. No, I don’t.
43. The BBC knows that a resurgent Lib Dem party would take votes away from Labour, which it wants to win the next election. Is this any surprise?
Are you in favour of a referendum on the EU ‘Reform’ Treaty, previously known as the EU Constitution ? If not, why not ?
44
‘Yes, only political midgets like Martin Luther King and Mohandas Gandhi would engage in such a silly thing as civil disobedience.’
Whilst Clegg is clearly a political midget its insulting to King and Gandhi to make any connection with the proposed student antics of Clegg.
47. No it wouldn’t. Clegg would not end up as most of those who opposed or were targetted by the NSDAP. You’re argument is totally out of proportion with the point, the year and the country being discussed.
Would you be willing to back James Lovelock’s request for new nuclear power stations, as the best step to cutting carbon emissions and halting global warming ?
Should we be spending £ 25 billion on a nuclear deterrent which is not fully independent ? What could or should the money be spent on within the defence budget ?
52. I was demonstrating a point - that it is right for parliamentary politicians to use civil disobedience against undemocratic policies, even if the enacters of such policies were elected by due process - by using a more extreme case. I never suggested the extent of the situation was as serious as that of 1930s Germany. As for the year and country being discussed, right and wrong are universal values - they are not one thing for Germans and another for Britons.
54. I prefer:
Wouldn’t losing our own nuclear deterrent increase our dependency on the remaining nuclear powers against the threat of nuclear attack?
Socrates - then maybe the question is, if we are going to spend £ 25 billion on a nuclear deterrent, should we ensure that is independent ?
Polaris and the current Trident system have always been dependent on the Yanks, regardless of protestations by the Government otherwise.
Completely O/T and with apologies to Mike, but there are timing apsects associated with this post.
One betting market which I cannot recall being discussed here at least in any detail is the direction of future average house prices. This is operated on a spread basis both by IG Index and Spreadfair. Prices are offered at quarterly rests, i.e. 31 December, 31 March, 30 June, & 30 September. Spreadfair offer a much wider range of bets extending throughout 2008 and into 2009 & 2010, whereas IG restrict themselves to the next two quarter-end dates, i.e. 31 December 2007 and 31 March 2008. Because Spreadfair’s bets can cover a much longer time scale, they charge additional commission based on the life of the bet, which needs to be understood by reading their rules. Both firms offer separate markets for both London and UK-Wide house prices, which, of course, may not move together and in fact often don’t. “Average” house prices for both markets are based on data published monthly by the Halifax, by far the UK’s largest residential lender. This data is usually published on the first day of each month and is therefore due out tomorrow for the month of October - hence my reason for posting this now.
Of course, this market can be used to protect both would-be buyers and sellers of property by allowing investors to take an opposing view in the betting market.
The closing indices for the September 2007 quarter were UK: 198.5 and London: 320.8 For the succeeding quarters the respective sell and buy prices currently offered by these two firms are as follows:
IG Index
UK
Dec 2007 196.2-199.2
Mar 2008 193.6-197.2
London
Dec 2007 319.5-323.5
Mar 2008 312.9-317.3
Spreadfair
UK
Dec 2007 199.0-199.4
Mar 2008 196.1-196.9
Jun 2008 193.4-193.6
Sep 2008 190.4-190.6
Dec 2008 187.1-189.0
London
Dec 2007 322.7-322.9
Mar 2008 316.0-319.0
Jun 2008 312.4-312.6
Sep 2008 308.4-308.6
Dec 2008 305.0-307.4
I have not looked at Spreadfair’s prices beyond the end of next year.
It is clear from the above spreads that both firms see house prices falling from the end of this year and possibly before at the rate of approximately 1% per quarter, of course they may be totally wrong in this view.
I have sold at various prices in both the UK and London markets - I happen to have bigger positions in the latter because I have a slightly better feel for it, but more importantly because London tends to lead the rest of the UK in pricing trends, both up and down. Another significant factor is the enormous buy-to-let market, which is especially evident in London and if prices should start to fall, I believe any movements may be exaggerated in the Capital, as over-stretched landlords rush for the exit door.
For those, like me, who believe house prices are headed south, it’s clearly best to enter this market at the outset of any downturn to maximise profit. On the other hand, however, for those who take a contrary view, believing that house prices are set to increase further, then the spreads shown above will provide a built in profit. It’s also worth remembering that any rise or fall in the market will probably not follow a straight line and there may be the odd rogue month or two along the way, seasonal facors also play a part in house pricing, so it’s quite a complex issue all told.
One thing’s for sure house prices as ever will have a significant impact on political opinion - it’s the economy stupid!
Good luck to all those who decide to take a punt.
55. As I said you are trying to defend Clegg’s position by using totally disproportionate arguments. You use examples where democracy has broken down and there is no democratc alternative to a totally undemocratic system. That is not the case in the UK. As I said your argument is disproportionate.
If Clegg wants to be some sort of ‘Citizen Smith’ then fine but in my view is if thats what he wants to be then he should not be seeking the leadership of a major political party.
I’d say that Clegg and Huhne are showing their commitment to their beliefs in saying they would risk arrest and imprisonment by disobeying a law they believe in. A case in which I agree with them so I could be biased.
Hope that Mr Huhne, would be as supportive of those who, for example amongst many subjects, take same view on enforced metrication, though he wants it imposed with force of criminal law. Then of course neither seem concerned on enforcing the Subject That Should not Be Named without a referendum.
28 - Mike, every now and then you compile a list of which is the most popular political blog in Britain. At least, that’s what my memory is telling me. Any chance we could see something similar soon? Would be interesting to see just how much ground Guido has lost…
This all sounds like the 1971 census. Then the Peter Hain-led Young Liberal movement staged bonfires of census forms in town and cities across the land in protest against the “invasion of privacy”. This got into the headlines.
60. Has Huhne said he’d risk arrest? Where? What for?
While I couldn’t care less who wins the Lib Dem race (no, really.) I think this is a real breakthrough for Mike and PB.com. And I applaud both the leadership contenders for being prepared to come on here and be challenged.
What makes PB almost unique I think is the breadth of view expressed and listened to for the most part with respect and humour, proof that you still can have good-natured political debate in the 21st century.
One thing we all need is more people involved in and interested in the outcome of our political competitions to win power and run our country, our Borough or our Council.
This kind of thing can only help.
Are you up for it, too, Boris?
64 “almost unique” - tut tut!
I know I’ve mentioned it before, but does anyone else think Nick Clegg bears a passing facial resemblance to Ruth Kelly, as per the picture at the top of this thread?
60. Ted Have you seen the latest advert by the Conservative Party re tomorrows non-election day? Hint - look at the statement on the subject that must not be named and the inference it provides. Mistake or planned?
It’s here…..
http://broganblog.dailymail.co.uk/2007/10/tories-tomorrow.html
Likely to start the debate up all over again (where’s SeanT)!
57. Quite.
59. Democracy in the Weimar Republic did not entirely break down upon the initial election of Hitler as Chancellor. However, it would still have been right for other politicians to resist unjust laws. Even in the ID cards case where the situation is not extreme, if we can not look to at least some of our democratic leaders to resist authoritarian laws, who can we look to?
66. I can see it now you say it!
67. A clever poster!
But I notice it says national service for EVERY school leaver. I believed the proposed scheme was voluntary - is this not still the case?
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAOAOAOAOAOAOOOOOOOO!
I can see LD leaflet distributors dressed up as spooks!
Or is their normal appearance!!!!
Chris Huhne launches his ‘Liberal Revolution’ manifesto:
http://www.chris2win.org/pages/manifesto.html
63. Yes:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7071066.stm
68. I have no problem with political leaders ‘resisting’ authoritarian laws. Two parties are currently resiting the ID Card law. However, I do have a problem with our democratically elected lawmakers promoting breaking the law whether for the best of intentions or not.
It is a contradiction in terms.
Furthermore are we going to see the spectacle of sit-ins in the middle of the House of Commons during the debates on ID cards with the Libdem singing ‘Kumbaya’?
If Clegg intends to enter into active civil disobedience absolutely fine but he should get another job and not waste people’s time applying for a new more senior (and presumably better paid) one in Parliament!
Even in Peter Hain’s case he did not mix the two. He became an MP 20 years after the incident Mike Smithson mentioned and then for another party!
And as Mike infers it could all just be a cheap PR stunt!
69. I expect the spin on this will be that every school leaver will have the opportunity.
Would it be churlish to challenge the view that this will be particularly interesting?
Mike - its a great idea but how will you stop Tory and Labour astroturfers using the the event as a forum to just slag off the Lib Dems?
The Big Fat Newsnight politics page is running a *fun* poll in place of the election that never happened.
74 - its ok i’m doing something else on sunday!!!!!
re 71 furthermore those two parties resisting ID cards were supported by 55% of the electorate in 2005 - so who really has the democratic mandate for this?
I too will never sign up but have in the first instance put off the evil day by renewing my passport 2 years early.
71. Seeing that a vote against the law counts for nothing in a parliament with such a huge (and disproportional) lead for Labour, the handing over of individual rights to the government needs much more resistance than that. As long as his resistance is non-violent and does not directly harm others, I think it is the right thing to do against such an undemocratic scheme.
Wasn’t there supposed to be some sort of ELECTION tomorrow?
re 76 Ave it you’re not an astroturfer, just the court jester
75 - Ave It type “special poll” - Tories on 57%!!!! LOLOLOLOLOLO!!!!!
(Rather small sample - 27! - but I’m sure it will be an accurate reflection of the current will of the people…..)
74: I agree. I do hope the candidates for the Lib Dem leadership are fully aware of the attitudes of many posters here. Hatred. There is no other word. Partisan and personal hatred.
82. Oh come of it, it’s not all that bad. Bias? Yes. Prejuduce? Plenty of it. Pig ignorance? Shovelfuls! But hatred? I haven’t seen any evidence of that.
82 So what name does Neil Kinnock post on here as?
80 LOL
81 LOL too! I have already voted twice - might have to vote again!
75. Currently running at Con 73%, Lab 6%, LD 6%, UKIP 6% (found one!), other 9%. Mike - can we have 67 Camerons?!
It does say “Results are indicative and may not reflect public opinion”, but ‘may not’ is not ‘does not’!
re 81, I’ve just voted. on UNS the current result would give C 631, Other 1, NI 18
86/87 - this is in line with ‘ave it’s’ latest national poll projection (bit high for LD though!!!)
To add my name to the list, congratulations to Mike on a real coup for the site. I’m sure things will stay pretty civilized, but even so, Mike’s right to turn on moderation. That being the case, with the inevitable delays and number-juggling as posts get inserted mid-stream, please could answers be prefixed with ‘[name] at [time]’ to reference by, rather than the number?
Just like to point out the weather for, ‘The-election-that-never-was’ One of the reasons given (and supported by many posters) for not having an election in November, was the fact it would be too cold, tomorrow could see 17degC: balmy even!
90. Funny how these things work out, although as I remember it, it wasn’t simply the temperature on the day but throughout the campaign period (although that’s been pretty good as well as it happened). Even so, had the election been tomorrow, the last five and a half hours would have been after sunset which I can’t imagine would have done too much for the turnout even if it was fairly mild.
re 90 the sun still sets at 4.29 in Thurso though
58. Peter. I have glanced at the Spreadfair Housing market. It occurred to me that it allows property owners to insure against some of their exposure should house prices fall. Everyone seems to think prices will fall, at least in relation to inflation and probably also in absolute terms. But I concluded that as so many people are exposed to this effect then this spreadfair market will have more interested sellers than buyers. As a result I expect that the spread prices available reflect this fact and probably have a built-in house price fall overcorrection. So I wonder in fact if this might actually be a buyers market?
This is probably oversimplistic and I may be missing a more important point but thought I would share my take on it with yourself and other PBers.
90 I think the concern about weather was that it would damage Gordon’s chances so it was being given as a reason he wouldn’t/shouldn’t go for one.
As it proved it was that he wasn’t guaranteed success and might indeed have lost his majority that decided it. So on present trends looks like whatever the weather in May 2010…..
So! will the street lighting be turned off, the affect on turn out would have been slight. Don’t think the Feb. ‘74 election was much affected by weather, even though Feb. is the coldest month of the year! Ironically Feb 14th the coldest day.
93 Re 58 “This is probably oversimplistic and I may be missing a more important point but thought I would share my take on it with yourself and other PBers
You mean share it with just me stjohn, as your’s is the only comment on my post and many thanks for that!
I take your point about the spread prices having effectively over-compensated for an anticipated fall. Hovewer Spreadfair’s quarterly figures show a decline of only around 5% between Sept ‘07 and Dec ‘08, pretty small beer compared with the major house price inflation we’ve seen over the past 10 years and especially over the past 4.
But then who knows, after such a good run, maybe this bull market has another year or so left in it, although personally I doubt it and recent repossession numbers suggest that sentiment has changed somewhat.
77 The KingBongo family passports have all been renewed ( in my case 6 years early).
If it comes down to it I’d be happy to share a jail cell with Nick Clegg rather than hand over what little remains of my individual liberty.
If the LDs have to have a leader (and the polls suggest they do better without one) Clegg seems marginally less unbearable than Huhne.
Like Ave It I will be busy on Sunday; not quite sure what I’ll be doing but whatever it is it’ll be more important than the LD leadership contest
Meanwhile (copyright Jack W)
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/sun_says/article244723.ece
Gord’s Drifting or is it Sinking?
97.Good idea. The lack of prison places may save all those defending their own little bit of liberty though.
The missing election: Thursday 1 Nov 2007
—————————————–
Forecast result for LDs based on:
Clegg win: 6%, 0 seats
Huhne win: 6%, 0 seats
David Owen win: 7%, 1 seat
I wonder what Jack’s ARSE would have made of this Newsnight poll - the Tory share I notice now having slipped below the psychological 70% mark…
75 & 81 Tories are up to 68% now.
I look forward to this Sunday morning’s pbc and have forwarded my apologies for absence to my local vicar.
He understands and may give your site a plug in his sermon.
Somebody’s nudged the Labour contingent - their share is rising steadily now. Tories down to 65%.
104 - total con meltdown.
New projection - huhne to only lose by 11,000 in eastleigh!
OT — Newsnight on Labour voting fraud in Brum
re 106 wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest
re 106 and the government can’t even put up a lickspittle to argue the toss with Sir Alistair Graham.
apparently the Council of Europe is considering imposing election monitors on the UK.
Just watching Paxman on the elecoral fraud story. Looks like he’s got a Crick in his neck.
O/T Lawrence killer wins bid to stay. Sorry didn’t the great clunking fist promise to get rid of him whilst he Fahd a few minutes free from guaranteeing British jobs for British people?
re 111 that Fahd should be had. I’ve got Saudis on my brain!
VOTE CONSERVATIVE EVERYONE!
115. Apparently, 57% of people already have!
Not sure if that includes Chris Huhne and Nick Clegg, though… can I trust you’ll be delivering that message to them on Sunday?
67. I love that latest Tory poster! Brilliant stuff. The Conservatives are really stuffing
67. I love that latest Tory poster! Brilliant stuff. The Conservatives are really stuffing
….Labour at the moment!
116 - maybe I will turn up after all. (LOL)
I can give HUHNE some advice on his portfolio of houses. He can rent them out after he loses his seat.
Has CLEGG got lots of houses too?
Ave it 07, are you sure that you can’t make the discussion on Sunday?
I feel that with the differences between Clegg and Huhne being so slight, it really needs your in-depth analysis and carefully considered judgments to sort out the arguments.
121 LOL - I feel that to add weight to this event, I need to be there. I will ask Martin Day and Casino Royale to help me out too. Sean T can ask questions on the LD Euro policy (LOL) and Colin W to provide his usual informed opinion.
(Mike is worried now)
Sunday morning, 11.01am. first question:
‘So Mr Huhne, which party is your only remaining MP Steve Webb going to merge with after the next election?’ LOLOLOLOL
123 Good Choice. I think you are right to stick to facts for the first question. If you can think of any purely hypothetical questions, you could ask them later.
All - its now THURSDAY.
This means its three days to SUNDAY.
HUHNE are you watching????
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article3115535.ece
Clegg has got a better head of hair than Huhne.
Nuff said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7072041.stm
Clegg’s a red-haired moppet. (muppet?)(moped?)
Huhne has grey thinning hair. Is he dying of cancer? I think we should be told. Or misled.
129- He is thin, so I guess he has less chances of having cancer…=)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/nov/01/health
Mike, really well done. This could be a great cross-examination of both candidates. BUT…can we please stop this rubbish about Westminster, Oxbridge and Brussels? Whilst it’s technically true, it does not capture much about either of them. It does feed in to the “they are just the same and pathetically irrelevant” story. But actually, the two candidates are as different as Davies and Cameron.
The real low point was a journalist at Huhne’s launch today adding they they had both married “exotic South European women”.
Yeah, we get the joke. Enough already. If this is the cutting edge of British journalism, I start to query my hitherto unwavering commitment to freedom of speech.