General Election Predictions

I agree with pretty much all of Sheen's views, but note that he has lived in Los Angeles for the past 5 years so is unlikely to be paying taxes over here.

Fair enough, he's living there to be near his daughter, not to try and avoid taxes but, as with Sean Connery, if you're going to be strongly commenting on the political situation in a country I think you really ought to be living there.

Other than that, good on him!

I think when we get nearer to the election,

We should all predict how many seats will be won by each party,

No prize just a bit of fun.

It will be interesting to see how close we get.

Don't think I could do that, Pete. Though not a gambler, I do have the odd flutter on rare occasions, but I make a point of not betting on a football match in which I have an interest. Trying to predict the number of seats to be won in the election would feel just the same!  

I see our glorious leader, Cameron, has added cowardice to his many failings. He obviously realises that he can get away with bluster, dishonesty and failing to answer questions in PMQs but won't risk a debate even against somebody as unimpressive in the media as Miliband. Still, when you look at the Tory's appalling record over the past 5 years, you can see how easy it would be to eviscerate Cameron in a debate so it's probably the best option for him. I really do hope that the Labour party arrange to have somebody in a chicken suit following Cameron around during the campaign. That would be really funny.  

Good Grauniad article on Grimsby here:

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/06/grimsby-glory-days-election

Here's an amusing selection of quotes made by Cameron over the past 5 years about pre-election debates. Not showing much consistency is he? The big chicken.

“I absolutely believe in these debates and think they are great.” – David Cameron, Sky news, 14 April 2010

“I think it is great we are having these debates and I hope they go someway to restore some of the faith and some of the trust into our politics because we badly need that once again in this country.” – David Cameron, Leaders Debate, ITV, 15 April 2010

“Look, I’ve been calling for these debates for five years, I challenged Blair, I challenged Brown, I challenged when I was ahead in the polls, and when I was behind in the polls. I just think they are a good thing.” – David Cameron, Daily Telegraph, 17 April 2010

"I’ve always wanted these debates to happen. I mean they happen in every country. They even happen in Mongolia for heaven’s sake and it’s part of the modern age that we should be in.” – David Cameron, BBC3, 21 April 2010

“I think these debates are here to stay. They clearly engage people in politics which is what we need.” – David Cameron, News of the World, 2 May 2010

“If you want the TV debates to go ahead you have got to do it fairly between the main parties and look, having said I want them, having challenged people to have them and quite right, Sky saying let’s have them, it would have been feeble to find some excuse to back out so I thought we’ve got to stick at this, we’ve got to do it. It will be challenging, it was, but I think I came through them.” – David Cameron, Sky News, 3 May 2010

“On TV debates, I’m in favour of them, I think they’re good and we should go on having them and I will certainly play my part in trying to make that happen.” – David Cameron, Coalition mid term review, 7th Jan 2012

“I think TV debates are good. I enjoyed them last time – particularly the last one.” – David Cameron, Press Association, 10th December 2012

“You know we’ve been going on for years about let’s have these debates and I think it really vindicated having that. I think people will be asking themselves why on earth, what was all the fuss about? Why on earth didn’t we have these things before? We should have done and it’s great they’re underway now and I think we’ll have them in every election in the future and I think that’s a really good thing for our democracy.” – David Cameron, BBC Radio Manchester, 16 April 2014

“Blair pulled out against Major and Major pulled out against Kinnock, Thatcher pulled out against Callaghan. I’ve just always believed that these need to happen. It’s good for democracy. It’s good to see.” – David Cameron, BBC Radio Manchester, 16 April 2014

I do not think for one minute Cameron will not turn up for the other two debates,

He is not that stupid,

Is he ?

It is almost certainly in his best interests to be chicken and give them a miss.

The right-wing newspapers (who control 85% of the market) have started to report it as 'standing up' to the TV companies so you can be sure they will continue to support Cameron regardless and continue their ad hominem attacks on Miliband regardless of what he says or does.

Plenty of their readers will continue to believe whatever is printed so Cameron will be better off continuing to dodge the debates rather than risking showing them what a complete bell-end he is in reality!

All a bit embarrassing for Cameron after calling for debates 5 years ago, there is no doubt it will be either him or Milliband next PM, they should have a 2 hour debate in different studios so they cant just shout the other down and be made to answer questions not talk about what the other party may do or has done , the past is gone we need a vision for the future

Funnily I'm just finishing the first volume of the Campbell diaries and it covers Blair not wanting a debate with Major. Feeling then was that they only ever benefit the underdog. The Tories had someone in a chicken suit follow Blair on the campaign trail but it didn't do much damage then obviously.

Its time that leaders of the party answered the questions put to them,

Prime Ministers Questions is a joke, the PM of the day never answers a straight question,

These debates will be the same unless we have a very strong Questioner who will insist

the leaders of each party either answers the question or he turns his mike off,

That would be good don't you think ?