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This is the Conversation Forum for Ask h2g2 << (The Return of) What book are you reading at this time? What Environmental News Story has grabbed your attention today? >> Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 6, 2012 by Lusus - a national treasure This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13481 "Louise Mensch to quit as an MP, triggering Corby by-election" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19146805 I think this story is interesting, especially in light of some of the above posts about Tories. The by-election will be a good indicator of just how unpopular this government is. Considering the Tories weren't able to win an over-all majority against an unpopular Labour government at the last election, I foresee (and hope for) a humiliating defeat. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 6, 2012 by Mr. Dreadful - Give a man a fish and he might not like fish and you've just wasted a fish... This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13482 "Considering the Tories weren't able to win an over-all majority against an unpopular Labour government at the last election, " Ah, well, the major flaw of the system we have is that a party need never gain an actual majority to 'win' an election. They simply failed to get the biggest minority. And when given the chance to make a start on changing this state of affairs we blew it because a significant enough amout of people either believed the lies or failed to think long term. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 6, 2012 by swl - Genetically Modified This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13483 And just think, if it hadn't been for the insufferable arrogance of just one man, there would be a totally different government in now. Step forward Gordon Brown, whose insistence on staying as PM scuppered a deal with the LibDems. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 6, 2012 by Peanut This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13484 LibDems didn't have to step forward with either Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 6, 2012 by swl - Genetically Modified This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13485 True. They could have stayed on the fringes for another forty years. Some might say that's where they belong. Some might say they'll be lucky if it's as short as forty years next time. Just goes to prove, all the parties are s, filled with s Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 6, 2012 by Pink Paisley This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13486 Sadly, the Lib Dems probably had a duty to assist in forming a government with the party with the biggest popular vote after the election. That's democracy. Lost my vote forever though. Two other scenarios. Cons go it alone (a mess without any coherence - issues dealt with on a horse traded subject by subject basis). Libs form government with Lab (no moral justification for doing so - disenfranchising the biggest block of voters). PP. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 6, 2012 by swl - Genetically Modified This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13487 << Cons go it alone (a mess without any coherence - issues dealt with on a horse traded subject by subject basis)>> Worked pretty well for the SNP in Scotland. Basically, they did nothing contentious for four years. By doing nothing, they weren't in the news every day and the public gained the perception that they were competent. Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 6, 2012 by Peanut This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13488 PP I do think there was a good case for having to assist the Conservatives to form a working government, they were just too dutiful from the outset, to the idea (ideals?) of this coalition Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 6, 2012 by Mr. Dreadful - Give a man a fish and he might not like fish and you've just wasted a fish... This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13489 "all the parties are s, filled with s" swl, I think this is one of those rare occasions where you and I are in complete agreement! Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 6, 2012 by Pink Paisley This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13490 George Osborne (The Chancellor of the Exchequer) responds (with others) to the tiff within the coalition. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19153398 'I think we've got to use this moment as an opportunity to focus 110% on the economy'. So Mr Osborne thinks we can concentrate 110% does he? Worrying for the guy in charge of the country's cash. PP Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 6, 2012 by KB This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13491 I'm quite alarmed to read that the government are going to use the time that would have been spent on the House of Lords Bill to concentrate on the economy, instead. They are doing rather enough of that as it is. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 6, 2012 by Jabberwock This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13492 Well spotted, PP. The man's a fool. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 6, 2012 by Peanut This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13493 110% is disturbing, Jeremy Hunt reckons there are going to gold medals bit creepy Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 7, 2012 by Mr. Dreadful - Give a man a fish and he might not like fish and you've just wasted a fish... This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13494 110% is a turn of phrase commonly accepted as meaning "we're going to work extra hard on this", it's a little annoying due to it being managmentese but I think 'worrying' and 'disturbing' are going a bit far. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 7, 2012 by Pirate Alexander LeGray This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13495 I thought Osbourne had a degree in Art; but then I found out it was History. Good for sorting things I suppose, but I think 110% was the rate of inflation after a bit more quantitative easing. So he gives the banks a few billion for free, they charge customers 19% apr for some of it, then they give it back less a fee, pays themselves millions in bonus, and then report a loss for tax purposes. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 7, 2012 by Pink Paisley This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13496 Commonly accepted but stupid. PP Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 7, 2012 by ~ jwf ~ This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13497 The Americans have just landed a compact car sized Rover on Mars and this thread seems bogged down in UK political sniping. There are it seems more than one way to skin a Curiosity. ~jwf~ Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 7, 2012 by Lusus - a national treasure This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13498 The sniping is about things that affect our lives directly. The Mars landing is something that affects us when you take in the broader picture. Hopefully the landing will have a more profound and lasting influence. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 7, 2012 by KB This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13499 It isn't just a figure of speech: there's nothing mathematically wrong with saying "110%", either. It would simply mean increasing the amount of time or effort currently spent on the economy by one tenth - ie, 10%. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: What news story etc etc Posted Aug 7, 2012 by Peanut This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13500 why did you have to make a snipe of that post ~jwf~ to this thread and also of the Curiosity landing, it is not like it has gone un-noticed or celebrated Read the First Reply to this Posting << < > >> Conversation list << < > >> Conversation list

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