tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post7997451437720318254..comments2024-03-04T17:54:32.559+00:00Comments on Iain Dale's Diary: Cameron Wins, Clegg Stable, Brown TanksIain Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-29620331788456236982010-05-01T04:08:12.517+01:002010-05-01T04:08:12.517+01:00I've started to read your blog since I was mad...I've started to read your blog since I was made (by the 1st tv debate) more aware of the undergoing general election and I found that you are indeed a sensible man, Iain.<br /><br />To be honest, I was disappointed by the performance of Clegg-- there were many points that he should have made clearer and he should have moved on from an 'outsider' to a 'serious runner' by being more aggressive on promoting his policies (even some of them look crazy but proper arguments CAN be made), rather than playing attacking card (those repeated 'yes or no' sounded so desperate!)Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10177610816306287860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-80992964016369214912010-04-30T20:28:37.362+01:002010-04-30T20:28:37.362+01:00For anyone a bit bored of this whole election camp...For anyone a bit bored of this whole election campaign thing, I propose an alternative method of choosing our next leader: http://bit.ly/b4e7XJAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-17810629378154954392010-04-30T16:12:03.892+01:002010-04-30T16:12:03.892+01:00The indignation of Nick Clegg when Cameron implied...The indignation of Nick Clegg when Cameron implied that the Liberal Democrats are Euro supporters was the key moment in that debate for me. I always thought of him as a lightweight, but in that moment Clegg exposed himself as a man who will say anything to get power.<br /><br />He could have made a defence of his EU policies (I would not agree with him but I would accept that he has an alternative point of view) but instead he pretended that the suggestion that he is pro-EU was just "Tory nonsense".<br /><br />Clegg epitomises everything that is most corrupt in the British Leftist establishment - he earns a fat living off the backs of the poor by spouting lies, and cannot stop himself feeling smug about it.<br /><br />Vote Clegg for change - Don't make me laugh!wildhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14437167510102273197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-11397151310762001542010-04-30T14:43:55.058+01:002010-04-30T14:43:55.058+01:00Lady Finchley, yeah, right, it's really killin...Lady Finchley, yeah, right, it's really killing me that the LibDems will get 80-90 seats, that the Tories on today's poll of polls figures will have fewer seats than Labour and that Nick Clegg and the nationalist parties will hold the balance of power.<br /><br />I'm all cut up about it.DespairingLiberalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02903904463236135611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-27690596241531949762010-04-30T14:29:16.077+01:002010-04-30T14:29:16.077+01:00Iain, something remarkable has happened, we had an...Iain, something remarkable has happened, we had an actual candidate visit it us (first time ever), and given the size of the constituency that is no mean feat. We spent about 10 or so mins talking, and on the strength of the conversation we might vote for him. He was an Independent.<br /><br />I'll ignore the "wasted vote" response, but would point out that meeting in person close-to is far better than 'distant' on a telly screen. So when you return home in the evening tired out from a day's canvassing remember that door to door is important after all.Grand_Inquisitorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12008480897159991738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-1061744047389270162010-04-30T14:10:36.108+01:002010-04-30T14:10:36.108+01:00Very true Iain.
However, the pre-debate surge in ...Very true Iain.<br /><br />However, the pre-debate surge in support for Cameron (YouGov) may also have had something to do to people’s perceptions of how both would-be PMs handled potentially difficult questions – contrast the empathy and sincerity of DC’s response to the parent of a disabled child to that of Mr Brown, whose patronising behaviour to Mrs Duffy (even before his microphone comments) will do nothing to endear him to an undecided electorate.Patriccushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06921096660304580073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-23182196642681095722010-04-30T14:02:57.062+01:002010-04-30T14:02:57.062+01:00I though Brown was better last night, and that Cam...I though Brown was better last night, and that Cameron and Brown exposed Clegg as the lightweight that he is.<br /><br />Cameron 1, Brown 2, Clegg nowhereWindsor Tripehoundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16923036087016324862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-87527376144017426802010-04-30T13:28:28.368+01:002010-04-30T13:28:28.368+01:00Did anyone really learn anything new about the par...Did anyone really learn anything new about the party leaders's positions in any of the 3 debates? <br /><br />It's no wonder that the audience was much lower for the last terrestial debate than the first one. So many of the line were over rehearsed and appeared in all 3 debates - and none of the leaders were creative or brave enough to go off piste and engage with the other's arguments other than to parrot the normal party line. It was more of an acting competition than a debate I'm afraid.tory boys never grow uphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11172736984147732661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-24163493130215798722010-04-30T13:19:30.801+01:002010-04-30T13:19:30.801+01:00"What's this Corporation Tax cut for bank..."What's this Corporation Tax cut for banks? It's for EVERY business. God, this man is a complete and utter fucking liar. Unfit to be PM." Dale on Twitter<br /><br />Why do you have to resort to such language? Are you denying that banks would benefit from a Corporation Tax cut - if not how was Brown's statement a lie?tory boys never grow uphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11172736984147732661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-4905608358542956212010-04-30T12:38:10.721+01:002010-04-30T12:38:10.721+01:00I do wish, Iain, that you would be a little bit mo...I do wish, Iain, that you would be a little bit more objective in your analysis.<br /><br />In the late 60s/early 70s, when we were 'C of Heath', we still held our noses and voted Conservative because he showed no real drive. Today, I shall be doing the same with Cameron: holding my nose and voting to get rid of Brown.<br /><br />Last night's debate was not 30 minutes old when I had the urge to throw my remote at the TV because of the way Cameron was NOT rebutting Brown's lies and Clegg's naivetee.<br /><br />when Brown was bragging about the fact that he had dropped income tax to 20p, where was Dave interjecting with the powerful put down that he had also DOUBLED the tax for low earners by scrapping the 10p tax band?<br /><br />Where was the rebuttal to Brown's claim that the Tories were to 'take £6B out of the economy', when they would do no such thing? The £6B, Dave could have said, would still be in the economy, just not in the government's hands - where it would no doubt be wasted.<br /><br />And, why didn't Dave come back at the constant claim that he is all about enriching the 3,000 richest people in Britain by raising the IHT threshold. He could have wrapped up that rebuttal with a go at the LibDem's 'mansion tax'.<br /><br />I don't need to rehearse those arguments here, but they should have been given an outing last night.Snotrockethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08365372497381385121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-48651340181885145532010-04-30T12:09:51.303+01:002010-04-30T12:09:51.303+01:00Anna...
"a party that cannot win power" ...Anna...<br />"a party that cannot win power" - the only reason that Ukip "cannot win power" is because no-one believes it can. Given that most rank-and-file Tories want to leave the EU, if tactics weren't an issue Tory support would collapse to Ukip. By voting Ukip this election, you increase their credibility at the next one - and since any coalition would be unlikely to last long, that might not be as far off as it seems. With Farage in Buckingham and a strong showing in enough other constituencies, Ukip could become an electable force.<br /><br />Of course, if my <a href="http://dev-null.chu.cam.ac.uk/htm/soundandfury/10-04-28-if_hung_answer_what_question.htm" rel="nofollow">proposed reform</a> were implemented, the question would be moot.Sound and Furyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11301148226269705374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-33798145142561363662010-04-30T11:10:07.298+01:002010-04-30T11:10:07.298+01:00LibDem policies on immigration were exposed as pur...LibDem policies on immigration were exposed as pure nonsense. Clegg had a convenient bit of nonsense statistics about the percentage of EU immigrants. That was a lie. In any case the whole argument is about the total of immigration - legal from the EU legal from elsewhere and illegal from anywhere. It is true that we can do nothing about the 40% from the EU but the other 60% is the crusher. Cutting border control staff does not help.<br /><br />LibDem policy to charge VAT on new houses is idiocy. That can hardly help with the housing shortage - an irrational policy.<br /><br />Faced with these two nonsenses in his manifesto Clegg fell away.Victor, NW Kenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14778890471547456396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-30793924851274225872010-04-30T10:12:55.026+01:002010-04-30T10:12:55.026+01:00Brown must have left Birmingham, the weather has i...Brown must have left Birmingham, the weather has improved.Grand_Inquisitorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12008480897159991738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-57595507600759429322010-04-30T09:58:27.391+01:002010-04-30T09:58:27.391+01:00Brown looked like an embalmed corpseBrown looked like an embalmed corpseAndrewJKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06306611874820723884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-90119905677165705692010-04-30T09:58:27.392+01:002010-04-30T09:58:27.392+01:00Brown looked like an embalmed corpse.Brown looked like an embalmed corpse.AndrewJKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06306611874820723884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-79271943708876891322010-04-30T09:51:27.156+01:002010-04-30T09:51:27.156+01:00It is really killing you, isn't it - Desparing...It is really killing you, isn't it - Desparing Liberal and Paddy Briggs. Sour grapes, anyone?Lady Finchleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03695379463537122656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-2124811752920054862010-04-30T09:14:22.533+01:002010-04-30T09:14:22.533+01:00Sympathetic performance from Brown which could hel...Sympathetic performance from Brown which could help him pick up some votes.<br /><br />Polished Cameron but unmistakeable signs that Lynton Crosby is playing a big part in the Conservative campaign.<br /><br />Clegg generally good but he was goaded by Cameron and this threw him a little. Fine final address to the audiencePaddy Briggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17847108655078927970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-18113853940818698362010-04-30T08:22:37.719+01:002010-04-30T08:22:37.719+01:00I note you didn't show that Harris poll where ...I note you didn't show that Harris poll where Cameron and Clegg are neck and neck!<br /><br />I hear that LibDem private polling shows they are doing even better than expected in LibDem/Tory marginals, which suggests that despite Cam's apparently commanding lead, all is not well for them in those margies.DespairingLiberalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02903904463236135611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-10998375155649312622010-04-30T08:07:31.111+01:002010-04-30T08:07:31.111+01:00I think Cameron did least poorly. Throughout thes...I think Cameron did least poorly. Throughout these debates I have been disappointed by him. He has undoubted intellect and a background in PR yet seems to struggle to put across clearly what are good ideas. <br /><br />For example, on illegal immigration, he didn't need to challenge Clegg repeatedly: all he had to do was say "You don't have to believe me or Nick: read their manifesto, which is on the Internet." or "In 13 years, Gordon has taken the strongest economy in the western world and made it one of the weakest. He's a spendthrift and we simply cannot afford him." or "on inheritance tax, it's not a few thousand households which would benefit: it's millions"<br /><br />And I am afraid the "Big Society" line may resonate with political insiders but to the man in the street it means little. They want to know "What are you, the government, going to do for me?" That may well be the wrong question, but talking about the Big Society has none of the inspiration of Kennedy's "Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country."<br /><br />So, yes, I think DC won it but he needs to vastly increase his communication skills.Seanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03234085314662011091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-40498888687095926202010-04-30T08:06:14.646+01:002010-04-30T08:06:14.646+01:00Marginal win for Cameron; Clegg got flustered afte...Marginal win for Cameron; Clegg got flustered after immigration raised its head. Radio listeners have actually been calling it for Brown (Nixon/Kennedy anyone?) who was much better than previously. But it's no game-changer.Giles Marshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09257512119593812010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-33607354961765742492010-04-30T07:18:59.387+01:002010-04-30T07:18:59.387+01:00Personally I thought Brown did well enough on the ...Personally I thought Brown did well enough on the night. He had a case to make and made it effectively and with belief. The fact that all the instant polls show him to have indeed "tanked" says to me less about this one performance and more that the country had already made up its mind, rictus grin and all. If you are hoping for this election to hurtle Brown into oblivion that is an altogether more satisfying conclusion to come to.<br /><br />Cameron was good; but it's still true the number of people who just look at him and think smarmy Tory git, no matter what he says or how eloquently he says it. Too late to worry about that now though - since they want to use this language, the Tory brand never will be fully "decontaminated".<br /><br />Clegg was Clegg and suddenly that's a negative not a positive. This is a man who doesn't just try to be holier than thou but has set himself the altogether more demanding target of being holier than Vince. Yesterday we all became just a tiny bit fed up with it. If he goes down, as I suspect he will, it will be for taking the British public for fools and the story of this campaign will be that you can only do that for about two weeks at a time.HampsteadOwlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10579484010636107402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-26355885732543030552010-04-30T07:12:17.324+01:002010-04-30T07:12:17.324+01:00Did you see Cleggs face when the Vat on housing wa...Did you see Cleggs face when the Vat on housing was mentioned.<br />He must have been thinging "What crazy-ass thing have they put in the manifesto this time?"Boohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10343313936224731968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-82760673675462970952010-04-30T06:13:21.075+01:002010-04-30T06:13:21.075+01:00Spot on.
Why anyone would even think of voting fo...Spot on.<br /><br />Why anyone would even think of voting for a party lead by a dysfunctional has-been defies reason, but heigh ho, there's nowt as strange as folk...50 Calibrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04949487484030980699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-66389188959362522462010-04-30T03:17:44.507+01:002010-04-30T03:17:44.507+01:00I think you're right on the money this time, I...I think you're right on the money this time, Iain. I doubt the LibDems will convert many people in the next week. Has Cameron left it too late, though.Thomas Rossettihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16242906347478972349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-53697733092985649592010-04-30T03:06:55.388+01:002010-04-30T03:06:55.388+01:00Did I watch the same debate as you politico's ...Did I watch the same debate as you politico's tonight??!!<br /><br />Cameron sealed the deal with the voters he needed to win over, and he pushed up turnout where it mattered.<br />Got a phone call from an SNP friend 10 mins from the end of the debate, he hadn't planned to watch it because the SNP lost their case. But having done so, he said it really stuck in his throat to admit it, but Cameron looked like a PM tonight. <br /><br />That is when I realised that my gut instinct was right and not just a perception viewed through blue tinted glasses. But the media so good at building myths about Brown, Cable or Clegg still cannot recognise an out right winner on merit when they get presented with one. <br /><br />Unlike Clegg, Cameron had the solid polling to back up a confident win.Christinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02992675816020910472noreply@blogger.com