lefties 7:compare the tory.com

[HerHonesty]

sorry couldnt think of anything else. gideon in charge of the economy..

mahoosive belly laugh that scared the DC @ justa

Gaby Hinsliff's departure from the Observer was salutary and rather depressing but also honest and brave (small child, worked terribly long hours, travel at no notice etc).

She is/was a MNer and I wish I knew who she was..

My gut feeling is against Nick Robinson being BBC's political editor but to be fair I'd probably not be quite so outraged if an ex-Labour student activist had the job - it's probably unrealistic to prevent anyone with political allegiances becoming a political journalist. But I don't think he should have been in control of the election coverage, which he handled appallingly. Unlike lovely Laura Kuhneberg and David Dimbleby, who was absolutely magisterial.

ah, Newsround. Just the 3 stories tonight:

• something about David Beckham, brain glazed over for that one
• worrying reduction in number of moths in the UK. may affect bat population
• some blokes sailing a bouncy castle around a lake in Italy ( some looked suspiciously like members of last week's Cabinet )

bat population, you say?

obm you guys eat moths, yah?

Nick Robinson's bias is far too obvious - annoyingly he gets away with it. He is only slightly less annoying than Andrew Neil. If you are too unprofessional to keep your personal bias to yourself you aren't doing your job properly (and should apply to Sky).

Does Dimbo's Bullingdon club membership disqualify him from neutrality though? Somehow it is less obvious than Robinson's background.

I am glad we've all kissed and made up. Sophable, I see the LDs compromises in exactly the same light as Gordon Brown's: necessary for power, in order to make changes.

Am catching u

Agreed, Beachcomber. The whole principle of impartiality is being undermined by Sky and co. Reith spinning in grave presumably.

Argh. Using new phone and not very idiot user friendly... catching up on VONC discussion. I have no problem with fixed term parliaments but 55% seems wrong. Can someone refresh in words of one syllable why reasonable people think it is right?

Dave - here's policy's link from earlier that lists some of the "fors"

onebat, can you find me on twitter? and quattro and anyone else? would be nice...

thing about NR is I agree that we've all got pasts and political allegience at uni isn't a criminal thing...but he does seem biased and if you put that together with his past it's pretty damning.

btw, I saw the adam boulton going apeshit at campbell for the first time (i think on HIGNFY) last night - WHOA THERE! what a nutter (never liked him, boulton that is)

55%.......

Because Cambo has given away his right to call a GE at any time, and handed back that power to the parliament. VONC (50% of MPs) still allows the opposition the have power to effectively direct the fall of govt (I think?)

I may have to go out and by the Oxford handbook of politics for light bedtime reading.....

So, what's on the agenda for tomorrow? I am loving this thread

soph - what name do you go by on Twitter?

I'm there in my real name - Alison, plus surname as in Ringo

getting a bit full - new thread here

Highlander, I was thinking of starting off with the Ladybird book of politics myself. Have just about got my head round the issues with VONC/55 per cent but can't actually think strategically with it yet.

twitter name is sophable!

NOW...ED MILLIBAND IS RUNNING FOR LEADERSHIP! YAY!!!!!

Sophable- Ed Milliband may upset big brother. Ed Balls is a definite no?

Beachcomber - NIck Robinson is a Tory for sure and love Cameron. He has been stalking GB and niggling away at hime for sometime now. Irritating!

The 55% needed to dissolve Parliament is much more favourable to MPs than the 66% needed in both Scotland and Wales.

agreed gaelicsheep

I thought it was astonishing to see Boulton make Alastair Campbell look reasonable and indeed genial the other day.

Makes you realise what astonishing levels of bias we routinely accept in our political coverage. He makes NR look utterly impartial.

Must watch OutFoxed, the Murdoch documentary, though I fear it would depress me too much...

Yes- it tells you something about the bias. Good point. And that Nick Robinson is a Tory and DC disciple.

Allegrageller et al we are here now. Join us.