Milliband

[jonny72]

It never ceases to amaze me how bad political parties are still at selecting a leader.  Miliband (E) being favoured by unions is pretty much the exact reason that he is not going to be favoured by the population as a whole.  Never say never, but right now I just cannot see how he could be seen as a future PM.

I think they go through a pattern. After losing power they go back to basics and elect someone they want. When they lose the next election they go for someone more favourable to the public and then when they lose the next election they give up on who they want and go for the publics choice. Then they win power.

As regards Miliband, I can't see him ever winning the next election. He might do ok in the opinion polls but when it comes down to actually voting a lot of people just won't want him as PM. He's like the square geek kid in school.

My big problem with all politicians as that all they're concerned about is power rather than doing their job and representing their constituents and the public as a whole. If one party actually had the guts to reinvent themselves as a party for the people and gave up on all the party politics they'd win with a landslide.

[Reg Smeeton]

So, it's a benign dictator we need then.

It's always amused me how you get the odd visitor to this site who see the prevailing tone as being a bit leftish, whereas the reality is more than a few would happily go for a dictatorship, as long as it got the trains running on time, or built some decent autobahns...

The nearest we've got to a dictatorship was Oliver Cromwell, but luckily he was a great man and despite being offered the opportunity to be a de facto king, turned it down as it contravened the concept of democracy for which he'd fought.

Our democracy is far from perfect...but is much better served by the likes of Milliband being involved than the apathy of people for the process.

[kerry red]

Great sentiments - which the majority of the UK hold - but unfortunately any political party needs funds and wherever those funds come from is paid back with political largesse when in power.

It is, in fact, bollocks to the people, power to the City/unions/vested interests.

It is only ever a 2 dog race and both parties are willing to take their chances hoodwinking the dozy voters with soundbite politics.

We do get what we deserve

[ghanimah]

It's always amused me how you get the odd visitor to this site who see the prevailing tone as being a bit leftish, whereas the reality is more than a few would happily go for a dictatorship, as long as it got the trains running on time, or built some decent autobahns...

It's always amused me that some view fascism as right wing - it's almost like no-one remembers what 'Nazi' was short for, or that the majority of dictatorships that existed in 20th Century usually contained the words (in various forms) 'the People's Republic of...'

[RobertT]

Stick Portillo in charge of a Labour party severed from it's Union head and I think you'll have something productive.  Portillo was the sort of cunt that made me want to gauge my own eyes and ears out whenever he spoke as a Tory MP.  Since being left to rot in the late night tv wilderness he's somehow become a pefectly reasonable bloke able to dabble in the best of the right and the left (and all things inbetween, pun intended)

[Shaw Rosso]

I don't care what charisma the Labour leader has, Milliband at least has some credibility in the sense that he was not just another politician that came through Eton, he went to a comprehensive school and could possibly have an idea of the real world a bit more than Cameron.

Yes he is a plank, but the Cameron and Osborne (his real name is Gideon Osborne) team are despicable with that lying little nimby sell-out Clegg backing them up, all 3 of them are fucking odious toads, we did not elect The Conservative Party and we certainly didn't elect the Lib Dems.

The Tories are writing a cheque for £40'000 to every millionaire in The UK, himself and Gideon included. This is the man that looked down the camera and said "I feel your pain". The poor get poorer and the rich get even richer, same old Tories.

I couldn't give a fuck if Adrian Chiles ran the Labour Party, the unlucky subject just happens to be Red Ed, I will vote for them regardless.

[Summerof69]

I couldn't trust a Labour politician to run the country anyway. Miliband, Cooper and Balls were around when Brown was pissing all the money away and selling a good percentage of the country's gold reserves at the bottom of the market.

Got to admit the politicians of the day don't come across very well, but they're all mostly privately educated (and that includes quite a number of Labour and Lib Dems).

And that includes the jokers going for President of the US. Obama will get back in as Romney comes across as a moron. He makes Bush jnr sound like a genius !!

[Shaw Rosso]

If only Brown went to Commercial Road, he would have got £11.20 per gram.

Labour did a lot wrong whilst they were in office, no doubt about it, The Tories will do the same, just in a shorter space of time. Too many cuts and way to quickly.

[janaage]

Can I ask what relevance is it if George Osbourne's real name is Gideon? I do find it very hypocritical of the 'anti-toff' attitude at times. Seems there are a lot of people with a chip on their shoulder. So some people were privileged to receive a private education, fair play to them.

[yeo]

I like him and will be voting Labour ,thought his speach was impressive apart from the "I met a man who " bits.

[Gnasher]

I think he's a cunt and won't be voting labour. I won't bother with the Tories or Lib Dems either.

[Shaw Rosso]

Can I ask what relevance is it if George Osbourne's real name is Gideon? I do find it very hypocritical of the 'anti-toff' attitude at times. Seems there are a lot of people with a chip on their shoulder. So some people were privileged to receive a private education, fair play to them.

Why is it hypocritical? I was pointing out to those that did not know that George is actually Gideon.

Gideon George Oliver Osborne, heir apparent to the Irish baronetcy of Ballentaylor and Ballylemon is hardly what you would call a toff is he?

I used to have a chunky McCain's oven chip on my shoulder, nowadays its just an Asda Smart Price one.

And this is coming from The Torygraph -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/georgeosborne/9580253/George-Osborne-blocked-cap-on-elderly-care-costs.html

[janaage]

The hypocritical point is that it seems okay to be 'anti-toff' like Billy Bragg and Coogan are quite openly, yet if one of those 'toffs' were equally as anti-working class they'd be uproar. That's the hypocritical point, wasn't meaning you personally. Although 'outing' George as a Gideon is a little 2009.

Also think it's strange that there's an anti-privately educated agenda, by the likes of Bragg and co. Don't see it as an issue myself.

[sonicyouth]

The hypocritical point is that it seems okay to be 'anti-toff' like Billy Bragg and Coogan are quite openly, yet if one of those 'toffs' were equally as anti-working class they'd be uproar. That's the hypocritical point, wasn't meaning you personally. Although 'outing' George as a Gideon is a little 2009.

Also think it's strange that there's an anti-privately educated agenda, by the likes of Bragg and co. Don't see it as an issue myself.

what, like the entire tory party?

[red socks]

I just thank god we still have schools like eton and harrow and universities like Oxford and Cambridge to produce the Tory elite to run the Country for us and make sure no plebs like milliband from comprehensive schools  get in power and start redistributing the wealth of the Country. It would be terrible if people started getting on through hard work and talent rather than because of the schools they went to or who they know.