Sky News have the brilliant John Kampfner giving his views at the moment.

They’re way out of their comfort zone now!

It’s beyond parody. The tentacles are a bit everywhere

“YouGov’s CEO Nadhim Zahawi is standing as a Conservative MP for Stratford Upon Avon in the 2010 General Election.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouGov

http://www.zahawi.com/

Here’s an interesting take on the election debates:

http://electiondebates.wordpress.com/

They don’t rate Cameron at all.

Ken Clarke supports the Lib Dem position on Trident:

http://www.iewy.com/8629-clarke-blows-hole-in-tory-trident-policy-says-davey.html

Field Marshall Lord Bramall, General Lord Ramsbotham, General Sir Hugh Beach and Major-General Patrick Cordingley support the Lib Dem position on Trident.

http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/trident-under-fire-1.699085?referrerPath=home

Who exactly is it that supports the Labour and Conservative position on Trident?

It wouldn’t be the people who stand to make scores of billions of taxpayers money from its retention, would it?

Nadhim has stated he is not CEO anymore however he is still an active board member

http://www.yougov.co.uk/investor/pdf/alerts_boardchange_100222.pdf

Michael Ancram supports the Lib Dem position on Trident. Daily Telegraph editorial supports the Lib Dem position on Trident.

Tories and Labour talking total cobblers about the Lib Dem position on Trident, using scare tactics, strawmen and voodoo pins.

The sooner these old parties are consigned to history the better. They’re a total insult to democratic discourse.

Poll of 2,000 members of the diplomatic, defence and academic communities by one of Britain’s leading think-tanks, indicates support for the Lib Dem policy on Trident.

“The poll, conducted over the past week, represents the views one of the most influential bodies in Britain.”

“I think there is a growing awareness in the interested community that we cannot go on as we are,” said Michael Clarke, the institute’s director. “Defence has been running into a financial brick wall which everyone now accepts. And also the world is now changing around us faster than we can adapt.”

“Only 7 per cent of respondents support the assessment of the Prime Minister, who argues that the Government is already adapting sufficiently to changing circumstances.”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7104234.ece

Just shows that Labour and Conservative have become very lazy in debate, relying on smear, strawmen and a compliant media to do the job for them.

Let’s put them both out of our misery and get some real debate back into politics again.

Is it not a case of whoever is PM wants to retain the nuclear weaponry because it entitles them to a seat at high table, and a place in history?

The fact that the thing is useless and costs £100b, when the troops they have permanently at war can’t get a pair of boots, is of no import to someone who wants to have his place in history.

Fearless reporting Craig – you seem to be getting stronger every day now – Well done!

Stephan Shakespeare. More tentacles:

Owns ConservativeHome website.

Was Jeffrey Archer’s spokesman during his london mayoral bid.

Was the Conservative candidate for Colchester during the 1997 election.

Was beaten into a close second by the Lib Dems. No sour grapes, eh?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephan_Shakespeare

I agree with Mark. Craig’s doing very well.

This shows most probably what the outcome of the election is going to be.

The first debate as intended drove up the Liberal Democrat support, which obviously has taken away the Labour/Conservative so all parties have a similar percentage.

Now we’re getting carefully sequenced statements that a hung parliament will be disastrous for the economy.

So what will happen?

The logical answer is a repressive government of National Unity, which has been predetermined.

Just noticed the filename of Craig’s Stephan Shakespeare pic. Haha.

Turns out Nadhim Zahawi, YouGov board member, worked on Lord Archer’s mayoral bid too, alongside Stephan Shakespeare.

Consider this rather moving reflection on Stephan’s close relationship with Archer.

“The first indication of the close bond between Archer and Shakespeare comes from the Andy Warhol originals which dominate the lounge of Shakespeare’s Barbican flat. Archer is a renowned art collector, and owns the Peter Gwyther Gallery in Mayfair, of which Shakespeare is director. They first met as Shakespeare stood for the Tories in

Colchester in the 1997 general election. Considered unlikely to win,

Shakespeare asked the populist Archer to come and help. This Archer did, and Shakespeare came second on a smaller swing to Labour than the national average.”

http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/102129/

Ruth

Spot on.

What we are watching is a fight between individuals standing for three far right wing parties with only one thing on their minds…their own self-enrichment,as time will tell.

Some people are getting all excited about the Political equivalent of Simon Cowell’s productions…

Pop Idol – later inflicted on the USA with American Idol…

Britain’s Got Talent

The X Factor…

etc…

What the audience doesn’t realise, is that the vast majority of these “Musicians” have hardly any talent at all. They haven’t worked and learnt their Craft for Years from being a Child. Their talent is superficial. Whilst the captive audience will buy their product – they only do so, because they are completely unaware of anything else.

The current political debate is much the same. The 3 main parties have all been bought and paid for and are being stage managed not to represent the views of the people of this country – but to represent the views of the rich elite who are in control.

Wendy got it completely right on another thread when she said

“i think you dont understand, all of the party leaders are signed up to the pro israel (ie not for palestinian people rights) and neo conservative foreign policy. you will not get anything different, that is iran paksitan and the african wars are all on the table.

it was not without reason that from the iraq war usa politicians and generals claimed it to be a ‘war of 100 years’.”

By all means partake in this farce if you want to…

But the real views of a large percentage of British people will not be represented – and anyone who actually may want to present them will never be given the opportunity to do so…

You cannot therefore vote for anyone who will represent your views.

This is not democracy.

Even I only discovered Rage Against The Machine nearly 20 years later – and that was as a result of seeing some young musicians playing it live.

Extract

“This time the bullet cold rocked ya

A yellow ribbon instead of a swastika

Nothin’ proper about ya propaganda

Fools follow the rules when the set commands ya

They said it was blue

When the blood was red

That’s is how you got a bullet blasted through your head

They load the clip in omnicolor

They pack the 9, they fire it at prime time

Sleeping gas, every home was like Alcatraz

And mutha fuckas lost their minds

Just victims of the in-house drive-by

They say jump, you say how high

No escape from the mass mind rape

Play it again jack and then rewind the tape

Play it again and again and again

Until ya mind is locked in

Believin’ all the lies that they are tellin’ ya

Buying all the products that they are selling ya

They say jump

Ya say how high

Ya brain dead

Ya gotta fuckin’ bullet in your head”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0j0GCbMC7A

Tony

Stephan Shakespeare is also involved in this NWO hagiography:

http://americaintheworld.typepad.com/

http://www.nysun.com/editorials/americaintheworldcom/84636/

The point, Tony and George, is to get proportional representation.

Without that nothing else is possible.

One of the reasons that elites win so easily is that they are practical people who consider process and logistics when planning their campaign. Their enemies are often wooly airheads who live in the abstract impossible.

“proportional representation”

Tim

You mean like the one they have in the(so called)scottish parliament. Yes indeed, they now have five far right wing parties.

Well George if that’s what people vote for that’s what they vote for.

The point is that you’ve no chance of changing anything with FPtP whereas with PR you’ve got some chance.

Tim

So the deal is…

Vote Lib Dem to get PR but you are also going to vote to keep troops in Afghanistan.

No deal.

You can’t change the past.

The point is that with PR we’re unlikely to be so easily led to war again.

What you’re arguing for is in effect to continue the past.

Tim

You miss my point. I cannot vote to kill people/to do something that is wrong no matter what the gift is.

The emphasis being on “I”.

What really pisses me off, is that I think he is a good man. He has got his heart in the right place. I think he is very good at what he does. I think he is one of the best.

But I will not vote for him again, unless as I have previously stated – he publicly terminates his connections to a Foreign Government

I want him to represent My Interests.

Not someone else’s

I am not paying him anything to represent me.

The State of Israel has paid all his expenses – to travel and see what The State of Israel wants him to see – no doubt under the Protection of the State of Israel.

I don’t mind him having had the experiences of seeing what the State of Israel have done to Palestinians…

And I am not asking him to pay any money back to them.

I just want him to publicly renounce and resign from his Israeli connections.

Perhaps say sorry, and do his best to raise the funds that the Israeli Government paid for his expenses to help do something for the Children of Gaza

Otherwise He Can FUCK OFF

Tony

This is interesting

http://refpls.wordpress.com/2010/04/23/daily-mail-rigs-poll/

The Daily Mail has rigged its own poll on who won the debate.

Poll number 1017190 is the one they are currently inviting readers to vote on and it shows a narrow Cameron lead. But if you change the URL line to show poll number 1017189 there is the same poll with a huge Clegg lead.

Slightly off topic, but here we have two US soldiers who witnessed the attack while on the ground themselves apologising to the Iraqi people:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/news/2010/04/100423_wikileaks_letter_hs.shtml

Even though the LibDems would continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and keep quiet about the Genocide of the Palestinians, Pakistani, Yemeni and Somalis and will just be as bad as the other two evil blue and red twins, this may cheer you illusion loving people up, esp if you like the LibDems.

http://www.linguamatics.com/welcome/news/press_releases/election_tweets.html

Perhaps this will change Nick Clegg’s mind:

U.S. and allied special forces in Afghanistan killed 2 civilian men, 2 pregnant women and a teenage girl in Gardez, and they then tried to hide their crime. We can’t let them get away with a cover-up. Watch our new video featuring an exclusive interview with a survivor, and sign our petition calling for an independent, U.N.-led investigation.

In this night raid on Feb. 12, special forces mistakenly attacked a baby shower. Instead of getting immediate medical treatment for the wounded, special forces personnel focused on destroying evidence, digging the bullets out of the bodies.

Gen. McChrystal’s P.R. team fought for weeks to obscure the truth. They lied about finding the women dead when they arrived. They smeared journalists who questioned their story. On April 4, they admitted to killing all of the innocent victims, including the women.

After this outrageous behavior, McChrystal says we should trust his forces to investigate themselves. That’s ludicrous.

Watch the survivors video and sign the petition

http://www.facebook.com/rethinkafghanistan?v=app_10531514314

Thank-you

LWTC249 – get your facts straight. Nick Clegg clearly stated that the invasion of Iraq was wrong. Nor would the LibDems keep quiet about Gaza, Yemen or helicopter murders in Baghdad – I’m in the Liberal Democrats and I dont stay silent on these matters. And I’m not the only one. But hey, I know that doesn’t fit the neat little hater picture you have of us so I’m sure that what I’ve said here wont make any difference to your views. Some day you’ll realise that we’re on the same side.

BBC Any Answers: Jack Straw sounding like Jesus Christ. What price crucifixion at the election.

Sorry, Any Questions, jumped the gun.

Fri 23rd:

‘Sun’ censored poll that showed support for Lib Dems

http://preview.tinyurl.com/2aegwqs

I had never heard of them and didn’t even know that such a political organisation even existed – and even now I think it was probably a spoof…

But about 20 seconds after I thought I posted my English thing above for the first time…

I went outside for a smoke and a Speckled Hen

And I had my Zen and my Irish Headphones on

And I was listening to Music Radio – I think it was 105.8 FM – because I don’t think I have since had time to change Channels

And a Party Political Broadcast Came on

This is Music Radio

We Do Not Expect Politics

I think it was for the English Democratic Party or something

Then I went inside again – and saw that my post had been deleted by the Scottish Craig Murray who was born in Norfolk

And so I reposted it again

And spent the next half hour ensuring that my Daughter’s Car was Safe For Her To Drive Back To University

With Enormous Help From Her Brother…

He kind of said without saying it

I am missing you

If you spend a little more time at home then I will be able to fix your car properly

They don’t go too well if you don’t put oil in them – which is rather difficult if you are a girl – and can’t open the bonnet – because the catch and cable are getting a bit rusted up.

To my amazement, her car seemed to have used hardly any oil since Christmas

Our Children Are Really Nice People

Tony

“I hope he was persuaded to vote Lib Dem. The host certainly was and she is a member of the Tory party! She is going to deliver some leaflets for me. She recognises that a vote for the Tories round here is a vote for Gordon Brown.”…

http://tinyurl.com/2cm3nzg

Say’s it all…One big club and we are it’s victims.

I have absolutely no idea what the real name is of Old Holborn – and I have briefly tried to find out

I tried to trace his history – of course Guido is Easy

And I do Like The Film V For Vendetta

The really weird thing about V

Is that they gave the Film Crew complete access to Westminster and Everything

They closed London down for a few Hours

So they Could Film

V For Vendetta

How Weird is That?

Tony Blair Was in Charge at the Time

Anyhow if I Lived in Cambridge – I would vote for Old Holborn = on Style Alone…

He has a Right to Remain Anonymous

Apparently It is Completely LEGAL

That is Why it Is Great To Live in ENGLAND

Tony

The biggest liar of all is Craig Murray, an arsehole by profession. Just read his Wiki bio…

Thanks TomTom for the link:

I not sure if Craig has seen this so here is an abstract:

The Sun newspaper failed to publish a YouGov poll showing that voters fear a Liberal Democrat government less than a Conservative or Labour one.

The Liberal Democrats accused the newspaper, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch, of suppressing the finding.

YouGov also found that if people thought Mr Clegg’s party had a significant chance of winning the election, it would win 49 per cent of the votes, with the Tories winning 25 per cent and Labour just 19 per cent.

I note also that ITV is extremely biased towards Cameron and a somewhat arrogant reporter was demanding “yes or No” as to whether Nick would join forces with New Labour in a ‘hung’ parliament.

I am becoming extremely angry with this corporate media ‘physops’ as an attempt to deceive voters.

I suggest Craig we start a ‘Facebook’ campaign to combat this.

Karina,

I have read ‘wiki’ as you suggested and note that allegations and charges against him were all dropped and he was paid compensation.

I also note the stress of this diabolical attack nearly killed him.

In the same vein as Dr David Kelly we would have lost a great humanitarian and a fighter for justice (and whiskey); a jury of 300 people from the worlds of economics, finance, science, sports, culture and information, as well as non-profit organizations recognise, “people of value” – “women and men who work, live and devote themselves to reach a higher quality of human existence,” -

Craig is one of those people.

@ruth and @george dutton

With you.

1) No matter what Craig writes here, Lib Dems support more war in Afghanistan.

I find it unconscionable to vote for any party taking that line.

2) All a Lib Dem surge brings closer is the prospect of a govt of national unity. If Lib Dems are not co-opted now, they will be.

The problem is the basic conception people have of power. It’s not like the winner gets into the car and drives it where they like. It’s more like the winner gets into the car and is permitted to make whatever ‘brrm brrm’ noises take their fancy.

PR is never going to happen, either, even if (because of) the Lib Dems won a mountain of seats at the election, all they would be incentivised to do is get to work gerrymandering constituency boundaries and so forth. It’s just a charade, the same way Republicans promising frothing pitchfork wavers to overturn Roe vs Wade and with 8 years of absolute power do zip.

And as George Dutton pointed out, PR will just result in further right-wing factions emerging that are actually worse in some ways for the Overton Windows (look it up) they can drive the electorate towards.

kingfelix; don’t get it. You could be right & the Lib Dems could be coopted, but isn’t the time to lose faith in the system after they’ve had a chance to prove or disprove this, not before?

Not that I have ‘faith’ in the system, as such. I suppose I mean ‘turn your back on’.

MIKE CODLEY – and get your accusations right. I never said Clegg didn’t say a single thing about whether the war was right or not. I said he would keep the wars going. I am very glad YOU and apparently others speak out about these matter, but I don’t think Clegg will. Tell me: what has he said about it so far? And by being ‘quiet’ about it, I should(perhaps) bave been more clear, I should have said “He won’t do anything about it”. Look at what happened to Jenny Tonge. As for “neat little pictures” I supposedly hold about the LibDems, you simply haven’t a clue. I doubt you read my mind and found that in my gullible, naieve and youthful days, I occasionally voted LD and it was always towards the least distasteful of what was on offer. My gripe about the LD’s is, that they will keep this utterly rotten system going. The changes they propose are too shallow, and similar to what George Dutton said, I’m not voting for a party that will cause the daeths of people in wars.

I think the great question which result the election proves the suggestion made by Nick Robinson that political polling may no longer be reliable. Additionally, the public uses the polls to pass messages to politicians…

PR CAN be brought about. England is an anachronism, with one of the least representative voting systems in the world – it’ll change eventually.

You people warning of a “Government of National Unity” – look, *some* result is inevitable in the election, the LibDems were the ones that voted against the Iraq war, and are opposed to Trident – do you really think that things will be *worse* with more of these MPs?

Get PR, and then your votes for your parties of choice can actually count in the election after this. This LibDem surge is the opportunity we’ve needed for decades. Jump on this bandwagon and add to it’s momentum while we have a chance. Just the fact that the mainstream media are trying to stop it is proof enough.

think Mr Zahawi will bring a welcome multi-faith approach to politics. Before his adoption as Tory candidiate for Stratford-upon-Avon, we read in Tim Montgomerie’s ConservativeHome blog of September 20, 2009:

“I am going to start with two friends of Muslim background. On occasions I fear the party has rushed into promoting Muslims who ‘tick a box’ rather than ones who are genuinely stellar. There is nothing ‘tick box’ about …Nadhim Zahawi.”

http://conservativehome.blogs.com/goldlist/2009/09/excellent-conservative-mps.html

But something seems to have happened on the road to Stratford-upon-Avon. We now read from Central Office:

“Nadhim and Lana, as committed Christians, regularly attend services at Holy Trinity Church.”

http://www.conservatives.com/People/Prospective_Parliamentary_Candidates/Zahawi_Nadhim.aspx

I wonder what could have brought about this Pauline conversion?

There’s something about his visage which reminds me of… Neil Hamilton. Remember Neil Hamilton?

And of some of the aristocrat or gentry villains in Agatha Christie murder mysteries.

“They say he is a cad. I’m sure it’s not true. Another cup of tea, vicar? One lump, or two?”

Pauline conversion: Ian Paisley…?