text:
Nick Robinson | 18:08 UK time, Friday, 6 May 2011
To think that elections used to be boring. Predictable.
Just like the general election held exactly a year ago - today produced results no-one predicted with consequences which are totally unpredictable.
Many may have foreseen the drubbing Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrats would receive but few foresaw its scale - losing not just to Labour in the Northern cities, not just to the SNP in Scotland but - irony of ironies - to their coalition partners the Conservatives in parts of the South.
And who would have dared predict that David Cameron would be out tonight celebrating councils and councillors gained - if, that is, he hadn't decreed that his party must not be seen to gloat.
And all this before the final results of a referendum which looks certain to bring suppressed grins to Tory faces and further gloom to Liberal Democrats.
So what now for the coalition? The talk is of a more business-like, less chummy relationship; of some disagreements publicly aired rather than always privately resolved; of Liberal Democrats fighting - their chosen word - to avoid what Nick Clegg called this morning "a return to Thatcherism".
How will that work? No-one can possibly know. Just as no-one can know how the new Scottish government will manage with a parliamentary majority committed to delivering independence whilst public opinion shows no appetite for it.
David Cameron and Alex Salmond are the two clear winners of today but they may soon be pondering that old Chinese proverb - be careful what you wish for.
Comments Post your comment
Comment number 1.
At 18:31 6th May 2011, middle_england wrote:
I notice that there is one house in this area with a "Yes" sign up and lots of "Yes" balloons around the door - what is the correct etiquette now that the AV Yes vote is being comprehensively thrashed and severely defeated, even as I write?
Does one simply let the tatty little balloons deflate over the next few days as a symbol of their whole "miserable little compromise"?
Or does one burst them all now to put the "progressive" Lefty residents out of their misery and sheer and utter humiliation?
Thoughts please?
Middle England
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)
At 18:39 6th May 2011, EasternBuddie wrote:
"whilst public opinion shows no appetite for it ".
35% at the moment despite relentless scaremongering. Another successful period in government will show the rest what Scotland can do and the 35% can and will only increase.
At 18:44 6th May 2011, kaybraes wrote:
You can guarantee the Lib/Dems will toe the line when Cameron cracks the whip, they are now fully aware that this little sniff of power is all they've got left and anything that rocks their boat will possibly see them disappear of the map for a very long time. Cameron should now show some courage and call an election with a promise of a referendum on membership of the EU. It would almost certainly result in a clear majority though Labour would probably promise the same referendum then forget about it.
At 18:44 6th May 2011, Lee wrote:
not boring in the slightest, it is the death if the Limdebs - This proves that they are nothing but..well a nothing party. Cant win anything significant at a GE, fail with everything locally and their silly referendum on AV was pointless and shown to be a complete farce and complete waste of time and effort. You could point at their Coalition with the greatest of parties - but seeing as the Tories have actually gained.....
It's about time the Limdebs abandoned all hope and left, go and join the plastic Socialist party and let the Conservative party lean further right and do what they do best.
At 18:45 6th May 2011, martino wrote:
What is to stop David Cameron ditching the losers and going to the country. It seems the country loves him!
At 18:49 6th May 2011, Chris Neville-Smith wrote:
Pyrrhic victory for Cameron. There's no getting round the fact the Conservatives implicitly approved a Nick Clegg hate campaign to get the result they wanted (especially deriding him for breaking manifesto pledges the Tories told him to break in the first place). And the fact remains they still need the support of the Lib Dems, no matter how unpopular they may be, in order to function as a Government. If they think the Lib Dems will now be confined to meekly rubber-stamping Tory policy and taking all the flack for them, they are going to be in for a disappointment.
The daft thing is that, had they kept their mouths shut about AV, it would probably have worked in their favour at the next election, as one would have expected most Tory and LD votes to transfer to each other. Short of a stunning turnaround in the economy (and the recent performance doesn't seem to be going that way), the price of victory may well be a lame duck government right up to the next election.
At 18:51 6th May 2011, tlivt wrote:
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
At 18:57 6th May 2011, Magicstone wrote:
These politicians should realise that people are more worried about all the current financial situations rather than change in voting system for the election with hugh expenses. The time is not right for these things. Don't change too much in NHS under the name of another "modernisation" either.
At 18:58 6th May 2011, derek orme wrote:
Am i the only English person who is wondering why it is only the Scots who apparently will allowed a referendum on the Union, maybe the English are just as keen to get out of this 'marriage'
Comment number 10.
At 19:05 6th May 2011, bobbyceegee wrote:
Maybe middle England above should ask his temporary bedmates. Or if that fails take the balloons to what remains of his foxhunt
Complain about this comment (Comment number 10)
At 19:08 6th May 2011, ProfPhoenix wrote:
Here is some advice to party activists. Lib Dems - you have to say good bye to Clegg.
Labour - admit you were wrong and start looking for a new leader before the next election. Conservatives - don't believe that Cameron will lead to victory in the next election. He has little grasp of economic, politics, and the way people in this country think. He is ultimately a loser who failed to give Brown a resounding defeat and will not survive a tough election campaign
At 19:10 6th May 2011, RW49 wrote:
And of course the ancient curse: 'May you live in interesting times.' As for Salmond, he knows on which side his bread is buttered, the south of the border side. I think we will find the independence referendum towards the latter part of his term. Just so he can keep his show on the road as long as possible. In Wales, things just got murky with some form of coalition mooted, even though Labour are in a position to govern alone and, in fact, have done so in the past with this number of seats (30).
At 19:10 6th May 2011, mutebuttondelight wrote:
"Many may have foreseen the drubbing Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrats would receive but few foresaw its scale"
Perhaps not those in the Westminster village, but outside in the real world, it was obvious to anyone with half-a-brain cell interested in politics that the LibDems were going to their backsides well and truly kicked. The LibDems are paying the price for Clegg appearing to be too willing to be more Tory than the Tories and by appearing to be the side making all the compromises that affect the public on a day-to-day basis. Add to that the pre-general election stance on tuition fees which caused thousands of people to come out and vote for the first time ever and swiftly find that they had been lied to... and, as it turned out, Clegg had no intention of adhering to that promise. The Tories haven't received a kicking as the Tory core vote is pretty much happy with the way Cameron is being more Thatcherite than Thatcher, whereas the LibDems are being punished for compromising too much too willingly.
At 19:13 6th May 2011, deadpansean wrote:
Well looks like the unwashed masses bought it 'TREBLES ALL ROUND' now lets fleece the rest of em...
In the words of that great philosopher Pete Townsend
" there'l be fighting in the streets, with our children at our feet "
" Meet the NEW Boss SAME as the OLD Boss !!, We wont get fooled again No NO"
Thanks for leaving us in the DARK ages NO VOTERS..
At 19:14 6th May 2011, DevilsAdvocate wrote:
Surely the most depressing thing for anyone is to realise that the Lib-Dem voters voted at a GE for a party that left everyone in no doubt about their intention to 'hold the balance of power' then they all get upset when the wheeler dealing didn't stop everything that the Tories promised - and I used to think that the Lib-Dem voters were educated - actually maybe they were, maybe they are just educated and dumb.
At 19:15 6th May 2011, jon112dk wrote:
Looks like the liberals have not only collapsed in the local elections but are about to be resoundingly rejected on the AV vote - a form gerrymandering which was their last hope of remaining a parliamentary party at the next general elections.
Clegg pays the price for doing a deal with the devil for a few shabby years of power.
Targetting the liberals remains the best bet for fighting coalition of evil.
5. At 18:45pm 6th May 2011, martino wrote:
At this moment, tories are +71 seats
labour are +771
.... and you think this proves the voters love lord snooty????
Is this a special kind of maths known only to tories?
I assume your being ironical?
If not David Scameron and his cronies have NO CHANCE NOW or in 4 years of being re elected the only way (after economically destroying the country) they could get into power would be to declare a state of emergency (as in Saudi Arabia).
Mind you given the viciousness of the cuts (and particularly who is being targetted) the civil unrest that is SURE to come may just give him the excuse.
At 19:20 6th May 2011, Could Do Better wrote:
One can only hope that the rejection of AV is because most people understand that the major problems with our democracy are not the result of the vote-counting system. There are plenty of bigger issues to fix first, like low turnouts, the overbearing influence of party patronage, the unfair access to policy makers enjoyed by rich individuals and big business, and a general misunderstanding of how the current voting system works, embodied in the fallacy that a vote for a losing candidate or party is "wasted". This latter idea, which the media either fosters or does nothing to counter, is a major cause of both low turnout and negative tactical voting which distorts results. Fix these things first, before bringing in a counting system in which everyone's second choice can be the winner.
At 19:22 6th May 2011, bobbie_bobbie wrote:
Why don't 'we', the electorate, remove the uncertainty of any 'gloating' by demanding compulsory voting? It might take the edge from the victors of a poor or average turnout or at least provide monies from absent voters to alleviate the deficit ;-)
At 19:26 6th May 2011, mlst wrote:
When will Nick Clegg (commonly known as Mr Pledge) admit that his drubbing at the polls is not that his party introduced swinging cuts, the Tories did that, but that he breaks pledges immediately he makes them, is engaged on costly and irrelveant activities and far from introducing a new politics is engaged on the worst example of the cynical politician sacrificing any of his principles to gain power?
At 19:26 6th May 2011, Anne Semple wrote:
Good evening all especially to middleengland. Can you imagine how I feel as a Lib Dem leaflet dropper who voted 'Yes' and lives in as near as Scotland can get to suburbia! People used to vote for horses with red rosettes for whatever elections now if there is a Saltire then put the cross. It would seem anything that smacks of middle England is out. I would like to migrate south but in my advancing years free personal healthcare is comforting.
Finally it would be good for the nation (UK) if even the Lib Dems realised that it was
"events dear boy events" (i.e. global economic events) that caused our debt problems not Labour.
At 19:26 6th May 2011, Buxb wrote:
As one of those who voted for the Lib Dems in 2010 can I please reiterate to Nick Clegg what so many others are trying to tell him: "You are not taking a bashing because people blame the Lib Dems for the Cuts. You are taking a bashing because you have betrayed your supporters in every way possible. People blame the Tories for the cuts but they blame you for allowing them by cosying up with the Tories in the first place, a party, for whom the vast majority of your supporters would have cut their writing hand off before voting for. Additionally, they blame you for not bothering to even pretend to put up a fight in defence of the most important policy that your supporters put a cross against your party for............the tuition fees. As a struggling middle class public sector worker and single parent to a child previously destined for entry into Cambridge in 2012 but now talking about not applying for fear of the ensuing debt you could not possibly have betryed my vote anymore than you have. There is nothing that you could do now to ever win my vote again and I suspect that many of those who tactically voted against you yesterday feel the same."
At 19:28 6th May 2011, Chris wrote:
@ #2 Correct - 35% in favour of independence and it will only climb if the SNP make a success of government (and are able to campaign with the resources of government).
@#3 kaybraes. I think you missed the important point in the coalition agreement that the full term is to run until 2015. For anyone to renege on that commitment for opportunistic gain would be political suicide of the long-term variety and for the Lib Dems to pull out simply because they don't like the way the polls read... would be the same. Political suicide.
The reason the Lib Dems are suffering is because people used to see them as a "midle ground" party but the 2010 General Election showed that they are socialists in sheeps' clothing to the conservative-leaning Lib Dems and to the socialist variant of Lib Dem they were seen as somehow being "traitors" to the great red banner for getting into bed with the great blue menace.
And with all parties scrabbling to occupy the middle ground, they are effectively squeezed into oblivion.
At 19:30 6th May 2011, ClaphamBusman wrote:
In the 1975 referendum the majority voted 'Yes' and that was the wrong answer.
In the 2011 referendum the majority (appears to have) voted 'No' and got the wrong answer again.
The only conclusion is that the majority of voters haven't got what it takes to be involved in the quasi post-democratic process and we would be better off as subjects under a benign monarchy.
Back to voting against the party you don't like instead of voting for the person you do want!
At 19:30 6th May 2011, cantankerous wrote:
The Lib Dems have had it. However the coalition does, they're dead.
For years, the Lib Dems faced both ways. For disgruntled Conservative voters in the south and west of England, they were the One Nation Tories and not socialists. For disgruntled Labour voters in the North of England, Wales and Scotland, they were social democrats not Tories. For the true Lib Dem believers and students, they represented a pro-European view, fairer 'proportional representation and a 'new kind of politics'.
This Janusesque approach to politics and policy now lies in tatters due to the choices which power enforces. Worse still for the Lib Dems, it is not only the disaffected who are alienated - the true believers feel let down by the loss PR, the appetite for power at the expense of principles shown by their politicians and the collapse of the euro, which isn't finished yet. And, of course, tuition fees.
The disintegration is starting already. Left and right of the Lib Dems are already starting to fight for the soul of the party (neither side can win as they need to face both ways to be a UK-wide party), and they have been comprehensively rejected by the smaller countries of the Union as too Westminster-centric, doing deals with the Tories in Whitehall rooms.
But most serious of all for Lib Dems, their replacement is here now and growing: the Greens, with their Malthusian certainty of the planet's imminent destruction a worthy replacement to the old Lib Dem faith in PR and the EU. For disgruntled Tories, the Greens represent trips to the recycling centre in the estate car, hessian bags in the boot of the car at the supermarket and Green Balloon Club on CBeebies. For disgruntled, bohemian Labour voters, they represent neo-Marxist economics and radical redistribution. For the true believers, they represernt windmills and green tech projects, a huge fleet of gravy trains, funded by the EU from the tax on Mercedes car plants, BASF petrochemical plants and Shell and BP exploration and retailing.
Look at Brighton and Norwich and you will see the killer of the Lib Dems, alive, well and growing today. Welcome to political Day of the Triffids.
At 19:32 6th May 2011, DistantTraveller wrote:
Vince Cable got it right (on TV earlier) when he acknowledged that the LibDems were the junior partner, having less MPs. They now have even less moral authority than before, having had a drubbing at the polls.
So any idea of handing out the sweeties to help them feel better should be put aside. "A more business like, less chummy relationship" is to be welcomed.
Perhaps now the Government can stop thinking about new ways to tinker with the constitution and focus on the economy instead.
At 19:33 6th May 2011, Ben wrote:
You wanna know why the LibDems are doing so badly...
It's cause everyone expects and knows the Tories will rob from the poor and give to the rich, there's no suprise with what they're doing.
The Libdems have let everyone who voted for them down, extremely disappointing! And as far as AV goes how can the LibDems in particular say that AV will lead to less wasted votes when the people who voted them into this coalition have seen them backtrack on election promises left right and centre!!!
There's no vote more wasted than one spent on a politician who doesn't keep his/her promise!
The only thing that has stopped me completely disregarding the LibDems is Vince Cable and he's been sidetracked for speaking his mind thanks to those idiot reporters!!
At 19:35 6th May 2011, kcband8 wrote:
Nick, why do your refer to Cameron unable "to believe his LUCK at maintaining his vote in the Council elections ?
Why is a cross against a tory candidate less worthy than a vote for another party?
Hope the media will monitor the labour councils and THEIR performance against promises as closely as applied to Lib Dems especially by BBC
At 19:37 6th May 2011, Anthony Mortlock wrote:
This farce of an election reinforces the lack a trust and belief in our politicians
engendered over time. Cameron Clegg and co have deceived and broken promises made to the British
electorate who have reflected their despair by not turning out in great numbers to vote in what they see and a meaningless time wasting exercise. Electoral reform will have to come
eventually but not AV ..it needs to be far more meaningful to the voter. We are still
in the bad old days of disenfranchisement. Such a shame.
At 19:42 6th May 2011, steve wrote:
this just proves the voters CAN take the truth. They may not love Cameron, but they will not let Clegg lie to them again
I notice the mods are still bloody slow over 30mins and more just to read a few lines.
I could do that remember mods that there will be thousands of well educated public sector workers looking to do your job for half the extortionate wage your receiving!!
At 19:44 6th May 2011, Lambretta wrote:
Well, Nick Robinson, a lot of people voted for LibDems, in the 2010 General Election, to get rid of Labour and keep out the nasty party Tories.
So, what were we left with in the Cabinet, which Nick Robinson, you really should focus on more?
The LibDems in the Cabinet and in The House of Commons appear not to communicate with the public at all. They are doing good stuff they don't bother to publish - yet roll over like puppies when the Tories say beg - and that is published?
Do the LibDems need spin doctors? Probably. Do we need Deputy Prime Minister Question time in The House - Yes.
Have I heard Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister speak in The House - NO. Is the Deputy Prime Minister a cardboard cut out - or some kind of projected hologram sitting on the front bench? Who knows?
No expression, no sense, no feeling - impossible to tell the difference? If Clegg thinks he is looking 'statesman like' - well - he is failing!
At 19:48 6th May 2011, PaulRM wrote:
Mr Clegg is damned what ever he does now. His mistake - to enter a formal coalition rather than agreeing a much looser arrangement that would have seen the Tories installed as a minority govt. Such an arrangement would have allowed the LibDems to modify their position to suit the prevailing political weather, and demonstrate their individuality and achieve greater influence. But hey, what are principles compared to a ministerial car?
Do I feel sorry for the LibDems - hell no. By trading their collective ideals for a few seats around the cabinet table they have made a deal with the devil - and we all know how that ends. The Tories vote has held up or improved, as has Labour's and there is only one way for LIbDem support to go. Tory supporters continue to get the policies they want courtesy of the LibDems. This will only serve to preserve, and may be even stregthen, Tory support.
The only way out for the LibDems and total electoral annihilation is to stay in the coalition for about another year, and then find a way to rock the boat that will allow them to leave without precipitating a General Election. They will then need to ensure the govt survives for a further 6+ months whilst re-establishing a distinctive voice - preferably by attacking the Tories and making them look weak and out of touch - followed by a vote of no confidence. This would have the added benefit, from the LibDems point of view, of shortening the time Labour has to re-establish itself as electable.
May our politicians live in interesting times!
At 19:49 6th May 2011, ourhousedavid wrote:
So over 50% did not vote for FPP or AV. Presumably these non-voters want PR and hence had no option but to register a non-vote.
At 19:50 6th May 2011, rjaggar wrote:
I think Scotland saw Labour getting the sort of hiding it took in the General Election last year. Less a great SNP surge than a 'get lost Labour' kick in the nuts. The politics in Scotland will now be fascinating, although many will shudder. Perhaps the Scots will do to Alex Salmond what the UK did to Nick Clegg, though?
What happened in England suggests that a lot of the surge in Libdem support at the GE may have been again an anti-labour vote rather than a positive commitment to the Libdems. Or naive students. There will be a deeper, harder analysis going on at Libdem HQ as to what their core vote actually looks like after this.......but all in all, you are seeing the typical Libdem drop off after a GE, which they always have to build up again over 5 years. Time will tell......
A lot of the Tory seats were in their traditional Southern England heartlands. And because the Tory Vote stayed solid from the GE, they did fine. 36% is pretty much a core Tory vote. To get much worse than that you need a right donkey at the top and so far Cameron's not been that. So I'm not that surprised........
The next 4 years will go a long way to detemrining whether the Green Party is a coming force or not. I remain to be convinced as all parties now have green agendas. If what they actually are though is more honest, more responsible and more collegial in their politics, perhaps that is what people will go for? I'm not sure that far-left socialism will get more than 15% though.......
At 19:52 6th May 2011, dave148 wrote:
The Lib-Dems got exactly what they deserved, even what they volunteered to happen. Nick Clegg declared his party had no future being a left wing alternative to Labour. In doing so he became one of the few party leaders in modern history to tell many of his previous voters not to vote for him in the future. This is nothing to do with presentation, and everything to do with a conscious choice. If they carry on making the choice they will be destroyed at the next general election.
At 19:59 6th May 2011, beechmore wrote:
Clegg should go now he should never have compromised on AV, he should have held out for P/R in the first place and told the Tories to take a hike, the Tories could not get a working majority even with the mess the country was in thanks to their pay masters the bankers, the lib-dems should step down now and force an election the people have seen the Tories for the liars they are and will show Cameron up for the shyster he is and then watch the Tories stick the knives in Camerons back nothing changes with this shower they still think principles is a shop in the high street.
At 20:01 6th May 2011, dhlennon wrote:
One of the bigger stories of the day has to be why the Lib Dems were on the receiving end of the electorate's ire and not the Tories? I am not particularly surprised psephologically. The tory vote has held at its consistent core level - at least indicating that natural tory voters aren't particularly disappointed with the Government a year in. The LD however, when at their higher points of popularity, have supporters from quite a wide range of the political spectrum. Being a safe haven for disaffected voters had been their greatest strength, notably in byelections, offering a somewhat fuzzy "not tory, not labour" message. So, as their strength came from picking up a lot of transient or "floating" voters, it masked the fact that the core LD vote is actually very small. Hence why so many of these have deserted this Thursday. I sense that many of these former voters feel betrayed in some way. It's almost as if these voters are saying "I'm not entirely sure what I voted FOR when I voted LD, but whatever it was, it's not this." A purely personal opinion is that the perceived LD "sit on the fence" image (whether fair or not), has finally come back to kick them now they have been forced to associate themselves with a set of policies, albeit not of their own choosing. The tragedy for them is it might take a generation before the electorate might trust who they are and what they actually stand for, and the level of conviction they actually have in their ideals. Just being "not the other two" will never work again.
At 20:02 6th May 2011, TomG83 wrote:
I blame shoddy, lazy, personality-based gossiping like this in the media for our continuing on with an inferior electoral system. People like Nick Robinson have been desperate for a story to emerge that would imperil the relationship between Clegg and Cameron, and imperil the coalition - this can be the start of their new Brown vs Blair style narrative. The reporting on both options in the referendum was inadequate at best, and frankly, I am ashamed to be British tonight.
So, it's "Yes" to "No"....
Glad that's sorted.
Move along now, nothing to see here....
# 40 TomG83
No point blaming Nick Robinson for the result!
Personally I blame Tony Robinson and other 'celebs'.
Even in this 'Hello/OK' age, voters don't like being patronised.
At 20:08 6th May 2011, jobsagoodin wrote:
Buxb 23
'People blame the Tories for the cuts'
I'm sure there are no shortage of people stupid enough to do just that. But perhaps you'd like to explain why, if the Tories are to blame for the cuts, the Labour party were committed to cutting £7 for every £8 being cut by the coalition.
The AV system always seemed like a hotchpotch of an idea.
The Welsh and Scottish voting systems however seem to have produced excellent results. The first past the post element - used for 2/3 of the seats avoids the problem of getting lots of small parties unable to come together to form a government - big parties get a push as they approach 50%; the list element used for the other 1/3 of MPs prevents parties that get a decent percentage getting no seats; lastly having several small lists rather than one big list (so Scotland has 7 lists of 8 rather than 1 of 56) avoids the problem of getting parties with a few votes everywhere getting 1 seat.
The system seems to be well thought out, is accepted by all parties in Wales and Scotland, seems to work and doesn't need any electronic counting machines. So why wasn't it offered to the England?
And if 'senior people likely to become ministers' were elected from the list then then their constituents would still have a 'local' MP. No disrepect to David, Nick and Ed but the time they have for their local constituents must be limited.
And those results? Well there are probably some rounding errors but:
Wales:
Conservatives, 25%, 14 seats - 1 less than 25%
LibDems, 11%, 5 seats - 1 less
PC, 19%, 11 seats - exactly in line
Labour, 42%, 30 seats, 4 or 5 more
Others 3%, 0 seats - exactly in line.
Scotland:
Conservatives, 14%, 15 seats, 3 less
Labour, 32%, 37 seats, 4 less
LibDems, 8%, 5 seats, 5 less
Others, 1%, 3 seats, 2 more
SNP, 45%, 69 seats, about 10 more
Solid governments, no extremes, no timy minorities. Well done to those who spent many an hour coming up with the system.
At 20:10 6th May 2011, arrbee wrote:
It seems most people agree that the AV system is too complicated for them to understand - its not looking good for the knowledge economy.
At 20:11 6th May 2011, mypennorth wrote:
Whilst the AV may have been decisively voted out, at least the British system has allowed anyone who cared to vote, the chance to have his/her say. Why blame it all on the libdems? They did their best for the people who wanted their chance to speak up on the matter. Now to the next item on the agenda ........ helping the coalition get on with the business of running the country, hopefully to the eventual advantage of Labour, Conservative, Libdems and Uncle Tom Cobbly and All.
At 20:13 6th May 2011, sevenstargreen wrote:
dereko1955 #9
No,you are not alone as an English person wondering why only the Scots appear to
have a choice via a referendum on independance.Count me in!
We are told that 35% of Scots want to end the union and would vote for independance.Obviously 65% disagree and I am curious as to their reasons.
Are they really so fond of us south of the border? Or do they realise which side their
bread is buttered?
At 20:13 6th May 2011, bryhers wrote:
Mr.Robinson wrote:-
"David Cameron and Alex Salmond are the two clear winners of today but they may soon be pondering that old Chinese proverb - be careful what you wish for."
The odd couple of British politics.He`s winging south tonight for more powers to the Scottish Assembly in a win-win situation.If Mr.Cameron concedes he returns in triumph,if he refuses it`s amunition for independence. As PG Wodehouse wrote,"it`s never difficult to distinguish between a scotsman with a grievance and a ray of sunshine."
Mr.Cameron`s dexterity in preserving his southern English base is remarkable,but like all victories has traces of ash.The prospect of Scottish ndependence would be a crisis for his party,causing internal division,public clamour and conflict with the palace.He will need all his skills to steer a course.
This is where policy and contingency coincide.On the economy he is subject both to his chancellor`s judgement and the world economy.If he succeeds and brings prosperity and jobs to the north,the union will probably survive.If not,there will be repercussions in Scotland, reviving memories of the 80s.Mr.Clegg has belatedly announced his party will now resist "Thatcherism" in a pethetic attempt to recover some credentials on the economy.
Mr.Salmond will watch and wait.He`s in no hurry nor needs to be.They have to vindicate their economic policy not just for the South but for Scotland.Meanwhile Mr.Cameron faces the threat of a scandinavian style social democracy on his doorstep where people will say if them,why not us?
At 20:15 6th May 2011, H_Ricketts wrote:
I voted "No" because I want P.R. (proportional representation), not this silly, hard-to-explain A.V. thing!
At 20:16 6th May 2011, Dirk wrote:
I think this is a disastrous result for the conservatives. In country's used to coalition governments the prime minister will put himself a little bit outside his party and become defender of all coalition members. In any case he will do everything to avoid that one coalition party gets hit to hard.
Now the LD have only a few choices. Require strong changes in government policy, and if they do not get them force elections when they are low in the polls or see themselves becoming slowly more and more irrelevant.
That is why.
At 20:17 6th May 2011, PJohnston wrote:
Cleggs cancellation of the £80 million Government loan to Sheffield Forgemasters has come back to haunt him. Sheffield Hallam has had enough of Clegg.
Bottom line on AV is that there was never a public appetite for "change" and that sums up the failure of the Lib Dems overall - change for changes sake is not what the public want.
At 20:19 6th May 2011, modest_mark wrote:
What exactly have the Liberals done to influence this Tory led coalition. Clegg you have failed in your attempt to modernise the line of Tory thinking. Time to set them free and then we will see the real truth and no facade. Time to move on.....
A Grip on Bankers
Tuitution Fees
All a disaster
At 20:21 6th May 2011, This is a colleague announcement wrote:
53 comments? Good heavens that's ten more than the last topic before it was closed...
At 20:23 6th May 2011, David M wrote:
At 19:26pm 6th May 2011, Anne Semple wrote:
...Finally it would be good for the nation (UK) if even the Lib Dems realised that it was
Sadly not true. Labour were excessively borrowing long before the financial crisis. Essentially we were in an unsustainable boom and they still continued to spend more than they had when really they should have saved for a rainy day. The financial crisis merely exposed their economic mismanagement.
At 20:27 6th May 2011, mikerophone wrote:
Nick, are you trying to deflect from the fact that Ed Miliband did not have a great day ? Well beaten in Scotland, thrashed on AV and just modest gains in the Council elections. It is worth mentioning.
At 20:27 6th May 2011, TwinDad wrote:
Buxb post number 23.
I think this post should be engraved on something nice and sent to the man himself, to remind him in the years to come!
At 20:28 6th May 2011, forgottenukcitizen wrote:
•	40. TomG83 wrote:
I blame shoddy, lazy, personality-based gossiping like this in the media for our continuing on with an inferior electoral system.
I'd blame the LibDems for not pursuing the PR option instead & giving people a real choice.
Don't blame the media; the LibDems have let us down & the public have opted to keep the devil they know rather than the devil that was being pushed by Clegg & Co.
Apart from that, the Tories had a very good – if not dirty at times – No campaign.
It's not that people love FPTP & don't want change; it's just that they don't trust the LibDems when they say they want to change things for the better of the country when they really want to change things for the sake of the LibDem's.
Heck, just look at the poor turn out; hardly inspiring was it?
Trebles all round for Team Cameron & a Blankety Blank cheque book, pen & taxi fare for Mr Clegg.
At 20:32 6th May 2011, gareth leeming wrote:
Well done Alex. Independence for England soon, I hope. It's not just Scots who wish you success.
22. At 19:26pm 6th May 2011, Anne Semple wrote:
Too complex for many voters including some on here.Global crisis apart,the political establishment are terrified of a scandinavian social democracy on their doorstep because it would disturb the natives.I would stick with the free healthcare and nostalgia for middle England.It`s probably all they`ve have left soon.
George Orwell wrote that England is like a family with the wrong people in charge.You clearly feel something like that as your leaflets dropped through unresponsive letter boxes.I go further,we are now so unequal,so divided,so hierarchic it is as if we have been colonized by a foreign power and lost control of our own future.Uncomfortable I know,it`s what brought my parents into politics.
At 20:34 6th May 2011, John1948 wrote:
Before the General Election, there was a belief that whoever won the elction would have to make such enormous cuts that they would become unelectable for a very long time. The Tories realised this and were perhaps rather glad to be in coalition with a bunch of naive polticians lead by even more naive Nick Clegg. I pointed out on this blog six months ago that while the Tories have made unpopular decisons, they often left it to LibDems to become the public face of the argument and the justification. At the moment it doesn't matter whether they were the right decisions, all that counts at the moment is that the LibDems are getting more of the blame. If the policies work out well, then the Tories just remind the public that it was their idea and their policy. If they go wrong the LibDems will find it hard to pin all the blame back on the Tories. The Tory desire to win another term seems more on the cards. Incidently, if the results had been slightly different and the LibDems had been in coalition with Labour the same tactic would have worked against the LibDems.
As for the things that the LibDems claim they have gained, well they have got lost as LibDem policies. The changes in the Income Tax allowances happened so easily that they hardly seem to be something they gained for the General Public. Claims about slowing NHS reform can hardly be something they can claim given the oppostion of many nurses and doctors. The only way that the LibDems can restore their standing is to have a few rebellions in Parliament and be seen to change Tory policy.
Labour have a problem in Scotland. In other countries with strong regional governments it quite often happens that the regional and national voting patterns are completely different. I think a major reason they did so badly was because many saw, probably quite correctly, that Alec Salmond was like a President who would fight their corner more effectively than any Labour MSP. Labour need to find someone who has Scottish, but not Westminster ambitions. They must be a heavy weight and be credible and they must be Scottish. If they don't do that soon then the SNP and not Labour will be the largest Scottish Westminster party for a generation. Although some may think that would be a good thing as it would mean the Labour may never be able to form a government, my response would be that they could if they went into coalition with a regional party. Not good!
If recovery seemed more certain then David Cameron might decide to go for an election. But there are too many doubts that things will look better in the near f
At 20:35 6th May 2011, richard_h2 wrote:
Equally for Mr 'We are on our way back' Ed Miliband!.... At this difficult time If Labour are serious are about winning power again they need to do more than just maximise their power in their traditional heartlands (Scotland,Wales and Northern England) but also they critically need to win votes in the rest of England. They failed !.. Today Labour only won a 'handful' of seats in these areas and at the same time have lost real political power in Scotland to the SNP. In England outside of the industrial north huge swathes of the country, town & country remain very blue . Miliband's speech claiming they have made progress north,south,east & west was laughable!. God forbid if Scotland went for independence (i hope not) then Labour would be diminished forever. I'm no fan of Peter Mandelsohn but regarding his own party he was right. Labour need to understand that they have made a huge tactical mistake going back to their leftwing and union friendly roots. In the last 30 years they have only ever been successful when they had Tony Blair who personally was pro-business and right of centre. Miliband needs to realise this. He won't and I doubt Labour ever will.
At 20:36 6th May 2011, petragog wrote:
Hurrah, so SNP gains power in Scotland. Now lets hope they get on with putting a referendum in place for Scottish Independance which all UK citizens can vote on - we can then get rid of the moaning Scots asap.
At 20:41 6th May 2011, Truebluechap wrote:
I am glad that Milliband didn't fool anybody with his baloney about "AV having the advantage that it is a better system". Once upon a time every schoolboy would have instantly dismissed this as mere begging the question.
At 20:43 6th May 2011, Wicked_Witch_of_the_West_Coast wrote:
[2. At 18:39pm 6th May 2011, EasternBuddie wrote:
35% at the moment despite relentless scaremongering. Another successful period in government will show the rest what Scotland can do and the 35% can and will only increase.]
I doubt it - the SNP and their ilk have been peddling this 'freedom' thing for a very long time - and are getting nowhere with it. Considering that just about every country that Salmond has named as an example for an 'independant Scotland' to follow has gone down the tubes so one degree or another over the past year, I'm grateful that the majority of my countrymen seem to have more sense than that 35%!
jobsagoodin @ 43
"I'm sure there are no shortage of people stupid enough to do just that. But perhaps you'd like to explain why, if the Tories are to blame for the cuts, the Labour party were committed to cutting £7 for every £8 being cut by the coalition."
Thank-you for clarifying the fact that Labour were in fact committed to cuts, a fact that many Tories actually fail to recognise when insisting that all Labour did was to spend, spend, spend. Labour was just as committed to reducing the deficit as Cameron is but they planned to do it over a timeframe that would allow more efficient, cost effective and therefore better value services to be created instead of this vicious slashing of front line services in the short term with no credible alternatives in their place. Our local council was dealing with cuts long before the Tory party reared its ugly head but they were delivered to us in a way that made it possible to manage the budget reductions without the need to put vulnerable people at risk. The cuts now are so fast and deep that getting rid of almost 1 in 3 staff has hardly touched the sides and the cutting of vital front line services together with massive hikes in fees for services such as homecare, meals on wheels and day centres are necessary but still not enough to balance the budget. Councils across the country are having to revise their assessment criteria so that eventually you will not be able to get a social care service unless your need is assessed as being critical. This of course doesn't bother most true blues as they can afford to pay for private care but for those who can't...............you aint seen nothing yet!
48. At 20:13pm 6th May 2011, bryhers wrote:
-> Bryhers hope you're well . Good point but the prospect of scottish independence is surely a very scary one for all the unionist parties including Labour too . Scotland was one of Labours strongest powerbases in the UK. Also I'm not sure if Cameron/Westminster holds any big card to play regarding Scottish Independence. The SNP holds the cards after destroying nearly all the other political parties in Scotland and becoming the dominant party. If they want a referendum that is now their choice and as a unionist i can only wish they want to stay in the UK. However my theory is that many scots who voted SNP aren't really that keen on independence, possibly including Salmond himself who maybe just loves the political prestige of being seen as standing up for Scotland. Time will tell
Also the Tories held onto many council seats outside of their 'southern english base' ! In many parts of the West, East, Midlands, North and Wales the Tory vote stayed relatively firm.
At 21:13 6th May 2011, Mr N wrote:
217. At 17:39pm 6th May 2011, lefty11 wrote:
57. Its_an_Outrage
"Got absolutely hammered lol.
The good bits.
Even though i was basically a paper candidate and helping another ward, I did manage to get one leaflet round my ward and managed to treble the labour vote in my ward compared to last time.
The bad bit.
Despite this, the tories still got twice as many votes lol"
Always be a winner in my books Lefty. Well done to you
At 21:13 6th May 2011, CASTELLAN wrote:
You won't find me on any shopping lists, guest lists or lists of the realm as the overall message to me from the sidelines was that did that coalition bring a fresh sprig of mint to the political dinner table in a resounding effort to change the pallet of the electorate from better to worse. The shame of it all and the loss of our cultural identity is just too much to bear as I feel that this country just cannot go on in its current state so that's another 10cc of sodium pentothal nurse stat.
At 21:19 6th May 2011, TheGingerF wrote:
Some of our learned English cousins seem to be missing the point a little with the Scottish result. SNP won having fought a hugely positive campaign, showing that its more than possible to take on the Tories and Labour and win. Independence is a separate thing and will be decided in a referendum when the time is right (ie when people have sufficient info and understanding of the enormously complex issues).
The talk of English independence in intriguing as it either suggests a unilateral ditching of Wales and Northern Ireland or worse, conveniently forgetting about them. Given England has consistently voted for Unionist parties and there does not exist a credible English independence political presence, where is this outcome coming from?
Lets hope that this phenomenal Scottish outcome can lead to sensible debate, negotiation, education on potential independence and yes ultimately a vote sometime in the next 5 years. Lets hope it doesnt lead to unnecessary name-calling, uneducated slurs and factless assertions that will gain us all absolutely nothing.
David M wrote:-
"Sadly not true. Labour were excessively borrowing long before the financial crisis. Essentially we were in an unsustainable boom and they still continued to spend more than they had when really they should have saved for a rainy day. The financial crisis merely exposed their economic mismanagement."
You never learn do you. According to the IFS,before the crisis Labour had a deficit equivalent to the one inherited in 1997,and lower debt.The money went to pay for underfunded public services to bring them close to European levels.
The myth that the present scale of debt-derficit is down to the last government is simpky untrue.It continues to be propagated because it serves the political purposes of the coalition to make deep cuts and shrink public services.
What happened in 2007-08 was a collapse of private capital across the world.Government debt is largely a result of that.You have reversed cause and effect.
Deficitis is a disease of the terminally stupid,or cynical.
[60. At 20:34pm 6th May 2011, Boilerbill wrote
...I think a major reason they did so badly was because many saw, probably quite correctly, that Alec Salmond was like a President who would fight their corner more effectively than any Labour MSP. Labour need to find someone who has Scottish, but not Westminster ambitions. They must be a heavy weight and be credible and they must be Scottish. ]
I think you've got a point there. My parents aren't interested in independence for Scotland, but they felt that Salmond was the only party leader who was going to fight Scotland's corner in Westminster. They would, however, have voted for him even if he was not Scottish - just as long as he was fighting for Scotland.
At 21:28 6th May 2011, aldwoolley wrote:
One vital element which no one in the media has mentioned is the fact that Labour didn't manage to come out of the England or Scottish campaigns smelling of roses. They got white washed in Scotland and in England Conservatives still have the most councils overall and the most councillors. Really this shows that people just don't have short memories and if the Governments program of policies is so bad why wasn't Ed Miliband able to reach out and give the Tories what for? This proves that The Prime Minister's program is working and that no one wants Labour to be a big part of their lives for a very long time, except in Wales.
69. At 21:19pm 6th May 2011, TheGingerF wrote:
-> Ginger . Hope Scotland has better luck understanding the complex issues compared to the UK wide AV referendum ! IMHO pretty dismal on both sides
At 21:41 6th May 2011, realnameornot wrote:
Democracy is wonderful isn't it.
Won't it be a wonderful day when the UK finally gets one?
Same enormous subsidies for Wales' and Scotlands' gravy train governments? Ah well, business as usual for the tax-payer.
At 21:46 6th May 2011, nortonwoodseatslive wrote:
I have tried to read all comments so far -found it very boring for the most part, and am a little perturbed that I am joining in.
However I just wanted to make the maybe radical, but to me obvious, suggestion that all arguments could be negated by doing two things:
1: Mandatory voting (including the right to 'spoil' the paper-or something similar)
2: Dispense with party politics and ipso facto political parties, and vote for a person who will not be hamstrung by 'toeing the line'.
I realise there will be complications and many mind sets to be changed - but is not worth a little discussion at least?
Just a joke, but wouldn't it be amusing if England had a referendum about kicking Scotland out of the UK?
Richard H2 (66)
"-> Bryhers hope you're well . Good point but the prospect of scottish independence is surely a very scary one for all the unionist parties including Labour too . Scotland was one of Labours strongest powerbases in the UK. Also I'm not sure if Cameron/Westminster holds any big card to play regarding Scottish Independence. The SNP holds the cards after destroying nearly all the other political parties in Scotland and becoming the dominant party. If they want a referendum that is now their choice and as a unionist i can only wish they want to stay in the UK. However my theory is that many scots who voted SNP aren't really that keen on independence, possibly including Salmond himself who maybe just loves the political prestige of being seen as standing up for Scotland. Time will tell "
Labour would struggle to be a party of government in the event of independence for Scotland.It would also be a crisis for the Tories ,profoundly demoralizing because their opponents would quickly point out that with a conservative government at Westminster,the Scots lose their national representation, are subject to the will of an unsympathetic southern government and encourages their movement to independence.
It woud also expose the extent to which the conservatives have become a party of Southern England as their bases in the regions have shrunk because of their policies on industry and public services.They would be exposed as a regional party vulnerable to whoever could claim to speak for England.
Whether there is a will for independence in Scotland in my view will depend on whether the economic policy of the southern government works for them.Any hint of a repeat of the 1980s,presaged by Mr.Clegg`s recent critical comments, support for independence would leap.Mr.Cameron can only hope his trust in the economic judgement of his highly political chancellor is not misplaced.
richard_h2@73
Agree on the AV vote richard. It was a dismal option (based on a dismal coalition agreement), eclipsed only by the dismal campaign.
Voting education all over this country needs to happen far more than it does at present.
At 21:56 6th May 2011, Alan Robinson-Orr wrote:
I think it's important to point out that this vote is 'no' to the AV system. It does not mean that the people of the UK are against political reform or changing the voting system for the commons.
Had the question been about PR the result may have been different.
At 21:56 6th May 2011, TomJaffa wrote:
Who wants to keep the current system? - The 2 major parties.
Why am I against it? I have lived in a safe constituency for over 40 years.
Irrespective of whether I support or oppose the party that always wins this seat, can anyone explain why I have not wasted all that time conscientiously going to vote.
Do any of the politicians think its worth their time and effort to bother about people in the same constituency as me? Of course not. Who would?
At 22:01 6th May 2011, johnharris66 wrote:
#70 Bryhers wrote [not to me]:
"What happened in 2007-08 was a collapse of private capital across the world.Government debt is largely a result of that.You have reversed cause and effect.
Deficitis is a disease of the terminally stupid,or cynical."
This is a complex subject that deserves better than your last line. Reputable economists do not agree as to the cause of the North Atlantic credit crunch.
But in any case non-economists can understand that we rarely have a 'clean' cause and effect (i.e. where we start with one event that does not itself have a relevant cause, but is the root cause of other events that we are attempting to understand).
To understand the credit crunch we have to understand, amongst other things, the credit bubble that preceded it, and in particular the policy of excessive monetary liquidity pursued by central banks with the agreement of their political masters. The Fed, of course, was the primary agent.
At 22:11 6th May 2011, DAVID McKAY wrote:
Am I the only one who finds it odd that neither the Labour or Liberal Democrats in England have woken up to the fact that the change in the voting parterns in the Labour heartlands in west central Scotland could condemn the UK to a permanent Tory government. When that dawns on them we may see the immediate colapse of the coalition forcing a general election while there is still a chance of defeating the Tories.
If the current government continues for any length of time with its policies to penalise the poor and reward the rich the chances of a yes vote in a Scottish referrendum on independence will grow as Scottish voters will see it as the only way to protect them from Cameron and his Thatcherite policies. The implications of an independent Scotland have not yet fully dawned on English voters. Many have been persuaded that they are getting rid of a drain on the exchequer but do not realise that they will loose much of the oil revenues from the North Sea and see a further deterioration in the balance of payments as any oil that they get from the Scottish sector will be deamed as imports. david Cameron and his cronies are not desperate to hold onto Scotland out of a love for the Union but of a fear what a UK without Scotland will mean.
At 22:13 6th May 2011, millie wrote:
Congrats Alex ...what a result. We wish you a long and happy independence. Missing you already!
At 22:20 6th May 2011, v4169sgr wrote:
nortonwoodseatslive@76:
Respectfully and completely agree. A good thing, given that we are hearing more and more about 'good governance'. Partisan politics that breeds tribal loyalties and pits egos one against the other can hardly be good for good governance. A hierarchical, local-based, grass-roots system that 'picks the best suited' has actually been shown to produce better decision making, together with consultation that considers ideas and principles without people and egos interfering. And yes, a mindset change is required. Which I see happening more and more ...
Imagine, I just registered to post this comment and agree with you :)
At 22:20 6th May 2011, Darkisland wrote:
There appears to be a number of English voters who are under a mis-aprehension that we in Scotland are subsidised by their taxes! In evrey year of the 300 years of the Unioun, Scotland has been a net contributor to the UK treasury. Finally we have woken up to this and will, by the grace of God, be rid of the whinging Poms.
At 22:23 6th May 2011, Sophie wrote:
I would like to raise the issue that I didn't receive my polling card to vote at yesterday's election. I always use a postal vote so I would have received a pack, rather than just the card, so I would not have missed it amongst other post.
I would have definitely used my vote to cast in favour of AV. If there are other people in the same situation as me, the current results should be discarded and a re-election should take place.
At 22:26 6th May 2011, Dave Ratchford wrote:
Hang on Mr Robinson... 'David Cameron... clear winner...' How do you work that out? Labour gained 800 councillors against a gain of 26 councils against the Conservatives' 3. This early in a parliament, how is that a win for David Cameron?!! Lol.
I think you'll find as a previous poster noted (11. At 19:08pm 6th May 2011, ProfPhoenix), David Cameron failed to secure a clear mandate for the Conservatives even under First Past the Post; even against a very unpopular Gordon Brown; and is unlikely to make it through the next General Election successfully.
At 22:29 6th May 2011, Colin in Sevilla Spain wrote:
All the commentators & Lib Dems seem to be blaming their losses on the Coalition, cuts and everything else. The fact that the Conservatives actually gained seats rather than losing them, indicates that the Lib Dem's additional support (that they gained last time round) were actually disaffected Labourites (not true Lib Dems) who were fed up with the Blair/Brown/Mandelson combination and have now just fled back to Mummy (Labour) like blubbing little kids when the going got tough. Therefore the Labour vote has been proven to be transferrable as it always is. On the other hand the Conservative support stayed strong, committed and true blue unlike the yellowy pinky reds.
Those complaining about the AV campaign & result (Huhne, Ashdown, Steel & the like) are acting like spoilt brats who have had their lollipops taken away. But then the lefty Libs tend to be like that - nobody must ever lose at anything otherwise they might cry (against their 'uman Rights). Cameron had as much right to campaign for his beliefs as Clegg, Millipeed (sorry Milliband) and anyone else.
At 22:41 6th May 2011, pictishbeastie wrote:
Nick Robinson=choob! Why do so many of you English people and Unionists not actually believe the figures that prove that Scotlands wealth has been propping up successive corrupt London Governments for decades? Wake up and smell the coffee! You'll miss us when you can't bleed us dry any more and use our young as cannon fodder in illegal wars and use us to keep your WMDs an etc. etc. etc. SAOR ALBA!
At 22:43 6th May 2011, MikeFay wrote:
#88 how can you call the Conservatives the clear winner? Perhaps because they returned twice as many councillors as Labour, and won (at the moment) 156 councils to 57, all while running a government that is enforcing massive cuts. I certainly didn't vote for them, but I can certainly see that they've won.
Thanks Millie, We'll miss you too....NOT!
Read Animal Farm @ 75
Please provide some backing independent evidence for your factless assertion.
At 22:59 6th May 2011, Billythefirst wrote:
#89 : No doubt this is the same strong support that required a LibDem support to allow the Tories to limp into office despite circumstances that warranted a landslide?
Ironic that a party incapable of securing a clear majority is campaigning so vigorously in favour of fptp.
v4169sgr at 85:
You will never know how rare it is for any one to agree with my thoughts on politics and political animals!
I fear we share our thoughts alone though. Maybe there is a dread that removing the 'party' out of politics will lead to a non confrontational society, with no excuse for mindless ranting. A dog without a bone?
At 22:59 6th May 2011, Hasson wrote:
The no campaign has won the referendum and it is a sad day for democracy and the prospect for constitutional reform https://bit.ly/iKS6NY Yet today will be remembered more for the way the Tories have triumphed than the way the Lib Dems fell apart. cameron is truly an excellent political strategist . . or he is very lucky https://bit.ly/kD1ISJ
"Why don't 'we', the electorate, remove the uncertainty of any 'gloating' by demanding compulsory voting?"
Can someone explain to me whats the point of compulsory voting under a party system? Surely this only makes sense if candidates were truly independant of "party" and wholly reliant on the electorate.
Give me a candidate and a democratic system worthy of my vote and I'll vote.
At 23:09 6th May 2011, juliet50 wrote:
So labour councils up and down the country are cutting front line services while continuing to maintain huge reserves, pay their chief executives massive salaries and wasting money on diversity, equality and five a day officers and STILL people vote them in just to give the lib dems a kicking. I despair of the british electorate, I really do.
On a lighter note and after reading all the upsets caused by the Av REFERENDUM.
I have an Idea for real change to the voting system.
Hold 1st past the post elections for the heads of the main Government depts eg Home Office,Chancellor,Foriegn secretary and the deputy & prime minister posts etc.
Then using a machine like ERNIE select 1200 over 25 year olds at random from within the populace using thier NI number or some other unique ID.
Train them for a year (on full pay) and let the best 600 of them run parliment for the following 5yrs at which time they retire for good on half pay.
There would need to be stringent personality checks no one who has actively chased public office would be accepted (my reasoning is look at the current lot of power seekers), no major criminal record for instance etc.
The benefits could be huge they could listen to the policy arguments from the elected leaders and then a free vote would decide if they went ahead or they could send them back for a rethink.
I'm probably living in cloud cukoo land but it could work.
Mind you the media mogols and financial barons would have hissy fit..
Comment number 100.
If Scotland get their independence does that mean they have to raise their own taxes and this unfair Barnett formula is abandoned?
Complain about this comment (Comment number 100)
This entry is now closed for comments
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Valspar develops, manufactures and distributes a range of coatings, paints and related products. Co. has two reportable segments: Coatings, which provides coatings for metal, wood and plastic, as well as interior and exterior of metal packaging containers, principally metal food containers and beverage cans; and Paints, which provides consumer paints including interior and exterior decorative paints, stains, primers, varnishes and specialty decorative products, such as enamels, aerosols and faux finishes, as well as automotive paint refinish product. Co. also manufactures and sells resins and colorants, as well as furniture protection plans and furniture care and repair products.
VAL (VAL) has the following price history information. Looking back at VAL historical stock prices for the last five trading days, on July 13, 2017, VAL opened at $112.99, traded as high as $112.99 and as low as $112.99, and closed at $112.99. Trading volume was a total of 0 shares. On July 14, 2017, VAL opened at $112.99, traded as high as $112.99 and as low as $112.99, and closed at $112.99. Trading volume was a total of 0 shares. On September 11, 2017, VAL opened at $0.00, traded as high as $0.00 and as low as $0.00, and closed at $112.99. Trading volume was a total of 0 shares. On September 12, 2017, VAL opened at $0.00, traded as high as $0.00 and as low as $0.00, and closed at $112.99. Trading volume was a total of 0 shares. On November 28, 2017, VAL opened at $0.00, traded as high as $0.00 and as low as $0.00, and closed at $112.99. Trading volume was a total of 0 shares.
Below, we examine the compound annual growth rate — CAGR for short — of an investment into VAL shares, starting with a $10,000 purchase of VAL, and working forward through the historical stock price information to today.


I harvested winter squash on the fall equinox again this year. Light green Sibley, dark green Burgess Buttercup, Nutty Delica, and Uncle David's Dakota Dessert and bright orange Eastern Rise and Potimarron are all cured and stored in a cool, outdoor closet while their sweetness develops, but tan and green striped Honey Boat Delicata has been ready to eat for the past several weeks and I've been adding the rich, sweet flavor of this perfect little squash to all sorts of dishes.
Honey Boat is a delicata variety bred by Dr. James Baggett at Oregon State University. Adaptive Seeds, my source for seeds this year, describes it as "long like a true delicata but with a copper skin instead of the typical yellow. Certainly the sweetest winter squash we have ever grown." I planted only Honey Boat this year because I'd been a little disappointed with the productivity and flavor of the yellow delicatas from both Fedco and Johnny's last year. I'm really happy with it and will keep growing it though I'll also keep looking for another good yellow delicata.
Like all the delicata varieties, Honey Boat has the advantages of small size and thin skin. A typical 12-16 ounce squash serves two nicely. The quickest way to prepare it is to cut a squash in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, lightly oil the flesh, place the halves cut-side down on a sheet pan and bake them at 400 degrees for about twenty minutes. Friends of mine tell me that they often stand at the counter and eat these sweet treats right away, skin and all, but when baked delicata halves do make it to the table, they are a wonderful side dish.
The thin skin of most delicata varieties is tender enough to eat though I've found that the skin of Honey Boat is not quite so tender as skin of other delicatas so I've been peeling it. After cutting the raw squash in half lengthwise and removing the seeds, I use a vegetable peeler to skim off the skin. The skinless halves are then ready to cut crosswise into half moons, lengthwise into strips or with one more crosswise cut into dice. Tossed in a little olive oil, spread in a pan, and roasted at about 375, all of these shapes soften and brown in fifteen minutes or so.
These little nuggets of rich squash flavor are a perfect served hot as a side dish. I piled some next to mushroom risotto and grilled radicchio the other night. Diced pieces are also wonderful added to a pasta sauce or risotto. Roasted slices are just as tasty as those very popular sweet potato fries and half-moons are pretty on pizza, topping a base of Gorgonzola cheese. For another cheese combination, emmer farro and roasted delicata squash pieces topped with melted Gorgonzola cheese create a satisfying blend of contrasting textures and flavors.
Another delicious way to serve these delicata bits is to cool them to room temperature and toss them into salads. I've been doing that a lot this fall, adding them to bitter greens, mache or arugula, mustard or kale or a mixture of these hardy fall and winter greens.
In a few more weeks, the big squash will be sweet enough to eat and I'll start cooking them. Sibley and Burgess will be first and then the rest as we move from Thanksgiving to Christmas and on into the New Year. For now, though, these little Honey Boats satisfy my love of winter squash. And those that are left when I turn to the big squash will stay sweet for several months longer so we can keep enjoying them as fall gives way to winter.
This entry was posted in Fall/Winter Vegetables and tagged Adaptive Seeds, Delicata Squash and Farro, Delicata Squash Pizza, Delicata Squash recipes, Delicata Squash Salad, Honey Boat Delicata Squash by Lopez Island Kitchen Gardens. Bookmark the permalink.
Looks lovely! But… I grew honey boat this year and just roasted some, and found it tasteless and a bit woolly. I'm wondering if I harvested too early: there were dark green stripes and yellow/orangey skin, but still pale coloured inside. I can see that people love honey boats so I'm unsure if I harvested too early (ie early August in London, after a really hot and dry few week – the plant has been watered though ), or if I just don't like them!
Thanks for writing. You're right that you probably harvested too early and also didn't have them any storage time. Here in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, I harvest most winter squash around the fall equinox and then let them sit in a cool closet for at least 4-6 weeks after harvest before beginning to eat them. They get sweeter the longer they are stored. I usually have some left in January. The texture improves too. I hope you have more that you can store until their sweetness develops!


Parking/Access Road Notes: We started hiking at Weeks Brook Trail and spotted a car at the Mount Kearsage North Trailhead. To the best of my knowledge, we were the only car parked at Kearsage North Trailhead all day (only other person we saw was dropped off). Quite surprisingly, there was one other car at the Weeks Brook Trailhead. Both trailheads were very icy and I had some trouble getting out of the Kearsage North Trailhead in my small SUV without snow tires. Not a whole lot of room for cars at either trailhead. Not more than a half dozen at most probably less. No room on the shoulder at Kearsage North trailhead either.
Water Crossing Notes: A few on the Weeks Brook Trail. The snowbanks made them a bit tough but they were pretty small and inconsequential. The largest one was mostly bridged.
Trail Maintenance Notes: Lots of debris from the recent winds. Most of the large blowdowns were actually on the Mount Kearsage North Trail although of course they have been better cleared. Mostly smaller stuff on the Weeks Brook Trail. My hiking buddy for the day cleared up some stuff. I think he took his small hand saw to two small blowdowns on Weeks Brook Trail. There were paths made or forming around the large blowdowns on Mount Kearsage North Trail. Both trails had mostly fresh blaze placed relatively frequently but the Weeks Brook Trail was still quite difficult to follow in places.
Dog-Related Notes: I don't ever hike with them so I can't say but I imagine they would have been okay today given the mostly supportive crust.
Comments: Although Weeks Brook Trail was relatively well blazed, particularly in its lower portion, it was still hard to find in places, particularly towards the trails beginning. It become easier to follow after the pond (just make sure that once at the pond you stay to the east side of it!!). The blaze is definitely needed. Kearsage North Trail was of course very easy to follow.
Barebooted probably about a half mile in on a mostly supportive crust, then switched to snowshoes since we were sometimes breaking through it and postholing. Snowshoes then stayed on until the too and we microspiked down the Kearsage North Trai which was very firm and had some postholes throughout but nothing that was real strenuous to avoid or exceptionally deep.


1. If you haven't already registered, try not to schedule back to back classes. You'll wear yourself out besides missing the best times to study--right before and right after class.
2. Begin the first day of class. Know what's expected of you Take notes from the first day even if it's routine stuff you think you already know.
3. Establish a routine time to study for each class. For every hour you spend in class, you will probably need to study two hours outside class. Studying for each subject should be at the same time, same place, if possible. Study includes more than just doing your homework. You will need to go over your notes from by class, labeling, editing, and making sure you understand them. Study your syllabus daily to see where you are going and where you have been. Be sure to do reading assignments. (Don't put them off just because there's not a written assignment.) Read ahead whenever possible. Prepare for each class as if there will be a pop quiz.
4. Establish a place to study. Your place should have a desk, comfortable chair, good lighting, all the supplies you need, etc., and of course, should be as free of distractions as possible. It should not be a place where you routinely do other things. It should your study place.
5. Do as much of your studying in the daytime as you can. What takes you an hour to do during the day may take you an hour and a half at night.
6. Schedule breaks. Take a ten minute break after every hour of study. If possible, avoid long blocks of time for studying. Spread out several short study sessions during the day.
7. Make use of study resources on campus. Find out about and use labs, tutors, videos, computer programs, and alternate texts. Sign up for an orientation session in the campus library and computer facilities. Get to know your professors and advisors. Ask questions. "I didn't know," or "I didn't understand" is never an excuse.
8. Find at least one or two students in each class to study with. Studies show that students who study with someone routinely make better grades. You will probably find yourself more motivated if you know someone else cares about what you are doing in the class. Teaching a concept or new idea to someone else is a sure way for you to understand it. Studying in a group or with a partner can sometimes become too social. It is important to stay focused.
9. Study the hardest subject first. Work on your hardest subjects at a time when you are fresh. Putting them off until you're tired compounds the problem.
10. Be good to yourself. Studying on four hours of sleep and an empty stomach or junk-food diet is a waste of time. Avoid food and drink containing caffeine just before or just after studying.


text:
Amateur baseball: Nisswa Lightning honored at Twins game
The team was honored for capturing the Class C State title
Some members of the Nisswa Lightning amateur baseball team were honored at Target Field before the Minnesota Twins hosted Cleveland Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. The Lightning recently captured their first Class C state title.
By Peter Mohs
The Class C state champion Nisswa Lightning amateur baseball team was honored on the field before the Minnesota Twins home game against Cleveland Saturday, Sept. 10.
The Lightning clinched the first state championship in team history Monday, Sept. 5, when they defeated Victory League rival Buckman 12-3 in Faribault.
The title was significant for Lightning team members like Paul Jenkins, who earned his first title in 48 years of playing amateur baseball. Jenkins, along with his sons, Aaron and Brett, were part of the Nisswa team that finished third at state in 2015.
"It was a wonderful feeling after all these years," Paul Jenkins. "It's pretty impressive to win a (state) tournament with 48 teams."
The championship was also special for Nate DeChaine, who stepped away from playing baseball for four years. DeChaine had a memorable state tournament and earned the Fred Roufs MVP award. The former Morningside College player tied state tournament records when he slugged three home runs and drove in eight runs in a quarterfinal game against Jordan. DeChaine finished the tournament driving in 11 runs and compiling a 3-0 pitching record with a 2.93 earned-run average in 15 ⅓ innings.
The 99th annual Minnesota Baseball Association amateur tournament drew 18,011 fans over three weekends.
Related Topics: BASEBALLNISSWA LIGHTNINGNISSWA
Minnesota Loons scheduled to host the Blizzard at 7:10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at Breezy Point Sports Center
Junior Hockey: Toros sweep Loons
The Loons are scheduled to host Alexandria Thursday, Jan. 26 and Willmar Saturday, Jan. 28 at the Breezy Point Sports Center.
Junior Hockey: Loons fall to Lumberjacks in OT
The Loons scored two in the third period to tie the game. The Loons are next scheduled to play Friday and Saturday, Jan. 20-21, at Mason City, Iowa.
Junior Hockey: Milwaukee sweeps Loons
The Loons are 10-21-1 overall and are scheduled to play at the Granite City Lumberjacks Friday, Jan. 13 and Saturday, Jan. 14, in St. Cloud.


text:
Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever. Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town — and the family — Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home. What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms. For two decades, Jeannette Walls hid her roots. Now she tells her own story. A regular contributor to MSNBC.com, she lives in New York and Long Island and is married to the writer John Taylor.
Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever. Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town — and the family — Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home. What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms. For two decades, Jeannette Walls hid her roots. Now she tells her own story. A regular contributor to MSNBC.com, she lives in New York and Long Island and is married to the writer John Taylor. An exclusive Q&A with Jeannette Walls, author of The Glass Castle Q: How long did it take you to write The Glass Castle and what was that process like? A: Writing about myself, and about intensely personal and potentially embarrassing experiences, was unlike anything I'd done before. Over the last 25 years, I wrote many versions of this memoir — sometimes pounding out 220 pages in a single weekend. But I always threw out the pages. At one point I tried to fictionalize it, but that didn't work either. When I was finally ready, I wrote it entirely on the weekends, getting to my desk by 7:30 or 8:00 a.m. and continuing until 6:00 or 7:00 p.m. I wrote the first draft in about six weeks — but then I spent three or four years rewriting it. My husband, John Taylor, who is also a writer, observed all this approvingly and quoted John Fowles, who said that a book should be like a child: conceived in passion and reared with care. Q: How did you decide to follow The Glass Castle with Half Broke Horses? A: It was completely at the suggestion of readers. So many people kept saying the next book should be about my mother. Readers understood my father's recklessness because they understood alcoholism, but Mom was a mystery to them. Why, they would ask, would someone with the resources to lead a normal life choose the existence that she did? I would tell them a little bit about my mother's childhood. She not only knew that she could survive without indoor plumbing, but that was the ideal period of her life, a time that she tries to recreate. I think that for memoir readers, it's not about a freak show– they're just looking to understand people and get into a life that's not their own. I thought, let me give it a shot, let me ask Mom. And she was all for it. But she kept insisting that the book should really be about her mother. At first I resisted because my grandmother, Lily Casey Smith, died when I was eight years old, more than 40 years ago. But I have a very vivid memory of this tough, leathery woman; she sang, she danced, she shot guns, she'd play honky tonk piano. I was always captivated by her. Lily had told such compelling stories—I was stunned by the number of anecdotes, and that Mom knew so much detail about them. Half Broke Horses is a compilation of family stories, stitched together with gaps filled in. They're the sort of tales that pretty much everyone has heard from their parents or grandparents. I realized that in telling Lily's story, I could also explain Mom's. Q: Why did you decide to write Half Broke Horses in the first person, and how much of this "true-life novel" is fiction? A: I set out to write a biography of Lily, but sometimes books take on a life of their own. I told it in first person because I wanted to capture Lily's voice. I'm a lot like my grandmother, so it came easily to me. I planned to go back and change it from first person to third person and put in qualifiers so the book would be historically accurate, but when I showed it to my agent and publisher, they both said to leave it as it is. By doing that, I crossed the line from nonfiction into fiction. But when I call it fiction it's not because I tarted it up and tried to embellish things, but wanted to make it more readable, fluid, and immediate. I was trying to get as close to the truth as I could. Q: How has your relationship with your mother changed in recent years? A: Several years ago, the abandoned building on New York's Lower East Side where Mom had been squatting for more than a decade caught fire and she was back on the streets again at age 72. I begged her to come live with me. She said Virginia was too boring, and besides, she's not a freeloader. I told her we could really use help with the horses, and she said she'd be right there. I get along great with Mom now. She's a hoot. She's always upbeat, and has a very different take on life than most people. She's a lot of fun to be around — as long as you're not looking for her to take care of you. She doesn't live in the house with us– I have not reached that level of understanding and compassion– but in an outbuilding about a hundred yards away. Mom is great with the animals, loves to sing and dance and ride horses, and is still painting like a fiend. Q: What do you hope readers will gain from reading your books? A:Since writing The Glass Castle, so many people have said to me, "Oh, you're so strong and you're so resilient, and I couldn't do what you did." That's very flattering, but it's nonsense. Of course they're as strong as I am. I just had the great fortune of having been tested. If we look at our ancestry, we all come from tough roots. And one of the ways to discover our toughness and our resiliency is to look back at where we come from. I hope people who read The Glass Castle and Half Broke Horses will come away with that. You know, "Gosh, I come from hearty stock. Maybe I'm tougher than I realize."
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Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley
The Castle of Otranto ?" a Gothic Novel
The Glass Rose
Medea essay
Memory function in Virginia Woolf's To The Lighthouse
Barbara Park


Our annual Western Corridor office report reviews market trends and activity as at H1 2018.
Investment in the region has been steady with just over £673 million transacted in the first half of 2018. Take-up has been robust with the amount of space transacted reaching 960,000 sq ft, 13% ahead of H1 2017.


This motel in British Columbia is 4.6 km from Quesenel & District Museum & Archives. Water and soda are available for sale in the lobby and the traditional rooms include free Wi-Fi. A microwave, fridge and coffee facilities are offered in each room at the Caravan Motel. The bright rooms also include a color TV. Barbecue facilities are available upon request. Dragon Lake Golf Course & Driving Range is 3.5 km from the Motel Caravan. The College of New Caledonia is 3.7 km away.


The majority of concrete used in construction is hidden but there are an increasing number of developments which use concrete expressively. Visual concrete is available in a range of finishes from the most basic, utilitarian surface, appropriate for a plant room through to highly finished cladding for a corporate headquarters or gallery, and every quality of finish in between.
There are many concrete products that are intended to be left unfinished, or exposed and also construction solutions that can be designed to be visual concrete. They include cast in situ, precast, hybrid and masonry. In all cases specific design or selection in advance is necessary in order to establish the quality of finish desired by the client and design team.
Recent years has seen many examples of exposed or painted concrete on the inside of buildings, where the structural frame and floors are left unfinished to optimise the thermal mass of the concrete as part of an energy efficiency heating and cooling strategy. Concrete designed to be exposed, but painted should also be identified pre-tender for appropriate specification.
Download The Concrete Centre guidance on Visual Concrete.
Identify areas required to be visual concrete.
Choose formwork facing to suit the smoothness and texture of concrete finish required. Guidance is available from formwork suppliers.
Describe the extent of permissible surface irregularities and construction tolerances, e.g. no. of blowholes/m2.
Set out formwork, including tie bolt positions to give an indication of requirements at tender stage.
Consider co-ordination of location of day working joints (and movement joints if necessary).
Release agents to be compatible with concrete mix, formwork facing and any plasticiser or admixtures. Use a neutral pH nonstaining release agent.
Include a clause to prohibit making good without prior approval by the architect of the technique proposed by the specialist contractor.
Include a sample panel, to agree quality on-site to inform design team/client and contractor expectations. This is especially important with regard to colour and allowable blemishes.
Even application of release agent.
Formwork - in particular abutted or sealed joints, spacer positions, areas of damage.
Formwork type should be the same throughout.
Appropriate falsework to ensure required tolerances are achievable.
Consistent supply (in particular cement supply, water/cement ratio and aggregates).
Plant and delivery trucks should be cleaned prior to batching and delivery.
Control pours to ensure day joints are where required.
Appropriate placing of concrete to minimise colour and finish variation.
Sufficient compaction with correct equipment e.g. vibration pokers touching formwork can damage their surface and cause staining.
Revibrate the top of a vertical pour after 1-2 hours to eliminate colour banding at the top.
Struck concrete should be adequately protected during construction works to limit damage and discolouration due to uneven curing.Initially, the struck concrete should be protected from rain.
Joints – control junctions, especially between floors and vertical structure. Seal to avoid loss of fines and consequential blemishes.
Panel layouts - joints in formwork will usually be visible so consider them as part of the design. Seal joints to minimise visual impact. Try to locate site cut formwork joints in less prominent areas.
Construction joints/day work joints - try to locate day work joints in less prominent areas.
Release agents – to be applied evenly and strictly in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
Striking times – should be consistent where colour variation is critical as exposure will effect curing rates and therefore colour.
Repairing surface finish of formwork, even with the best intention is highly likely to permanently affect the final finish.
Reinforcement – ties should preferably be stainless steel. Protect exposed reinforcement bars to avoid rust staining to adjacent concrete or formwork.
Cover/ spacers – dog-bone type spaces scattered randomly and coloured to match concrete are less likely to be visible on exposed soffits than other techniques. Spacers orientated incorrectly can cause aggregate bridging.
Avoid fixing through face of formwork; otherwise very careful filling will be required. Alternatively acknowledge the fixings as a feature of the final finish.
Refer to existing examples of workmanship in specification to set standard at tender (this is also useful for clients to see).
Acknowledge that some blemishes are unavoidable and they are part of the character of concrete.
If a uniform blemish-free surface is required, allow for filling and making good, and specify a finishing coat to suit.
Be realistic about quality achievable for the budget.
Standard board sizes (1.22m x 2.44m) will be most economical.
For very pale concrete mixes an early morning pour of concrete is less likely to be miscoloured due to contaminants in the mix.
Consider use of sealant to improve weathering/maintenance.
Communicate visual concrete requirements to ALL trades on site to avoid damage.
Concrete becomes lighter as it cures. The mix for making good or filling tie bolts should therefore be agreed as late as possible on the sample panel for a closer colour match to be achieved.
Self-compacting concrete also gives a good finish and eliminates the use of vibrators. Sample panels are still necessary.


Gulkana is a census designated place, which means it does not have a government of its own. This page reflects Valdez-Cordova Census Area laws that apply specifically to Gulkana.
In Gulkana, a census designated place in Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Alaska, the sale of packaged alcoholic beverages is prohibited.


Billion people are learning English, how many will be able to speak it?
Definition: LanguaMetrics™, noun, the measurement of spoken English for its ability to be understood.
LanguaBooks™ are the most advanced format for books to date. They contain the high precision and sophisticated speech scoring technology along with native speaker recordings to create an learning environment that is unsurpassed in its speed and efficacy.
Young learners, Adults and native speakers struggling with reading can all benefit from LanguaBooks™.
You speak and LanguaBooks™ listen! Your speech is analyzed by technology under license from SRI International and converted to numeric scores at the sentence, word and phoneme level.
The screen is instantly repainted in red and green colors to indicate the letters and words that were said well in green and those that need improvement are in red.
LanguaMetrics™ Speech Lazer™ capability pinpoints the student's errors and makes it very easy to see where improvement is needed. The result is a bio-feedback mechanism for speaking and reading . Students can actually see what their mistakes are and how their speaking and reading can be improved.
The students listen to the native speaker model as if a parent, friend or college were speaking directly to them. They try again to read the passage and with each improvement they see less and less red. Its a wonderful method of engagement to accelerate learning. Students of all ages and from all over the world are enjoying as they accelerate improving their English ability.
Believe it or not a LanguaBooksTM actually listens while you read and scores how correctly you are speaking (all factors that determine if you sound native enough to be understood - accuracy, pronunciation, rhythm, stress and more). This data is measured against acoustical models of native speech and scores are calculated at the passage, word and even down to the phoneme level! The science of nativeness is a fascinating concept and is closely tied to the concept of language power. If you'd like to learn more about nativeness and language power we recommend a paper by Dr. James Guthrie, former Education School Dean at University of California, Berkeley. To visit the Language Power Institute and download the paper click here. How is this possible, where did this technology come from...?
This is all possible because LanguaBooks™ is a division of LanguaMetrics Inc. The advanced speech scoring technology within LanguaBooks™ is made possible by LanguaMetrics™ special relationship with SRI International (formerly Stanford Research International) of Menlo Park, California. SRI International is the pioneer of speech scoring technology and has granted LanguaMetrics a worldwide license for its use in education, assessment and learning.
its ability to be understood.
SRI International is the origin of the technology found in Apple's Siri Virtual Assistant, Nuance's Dragon Naturally Speaking dictation, as well as technology found in the Air Force's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Much of the original research was accomplished with funding from DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and a close relationship between SRI International and DARPA continues to this day. SRI International is also an equity partner in LanguaMetrics, Inc. LanguaMetrics Inc. is proud to be in such esteemed company.


여기, Rangers of Oblivion 및 수많은 앱에 대한 모든 정보가 있습니다. 무료로 가입하고 관심 있는 앱들에 대한 정보와 경쟁자의 인사이트, 앱 업계 현황에 대해 알아보세요.
호주에서 Rangers of Oblivion 의 다운로드 순위 기록을 확인하세요.
순위 기록은 iOS 앱 스토어에서 Rangers of Oblivion의 인기와 시간에 따른 인기의 변화를 보여줍니다. 또한, 날짜 별, 시간 별, 카테고리, 기기에 따른 Rangers of Oblivion 의 성과를 추적할 수 있습니다.
리뷰와 평점을 통해 Rangers of Oblivion 에 대한 유저들의 생각을 알아보세요.
The graphics are amazing...The storyline is fantastic...The characters, weapons and armour are incredible...Even the little mini side quests are great too!Get this game, it's seriously so good, definitely one of the best games I've come across EVER!
YOUZU GAMES HONGKONG LIMITED에 대한 더 많은 정보가 필요한가요?


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