Lefties 9: This will succeed through its success

[taffetacat]

Is everyone on Twitter now?

Probably on one of those obsure channels that you see on freeserve/sky. Will not be watching either.

Off as well

hello there all, was still stuck on the other thread...

still so bloody depressed by waking up in ConDemNation day after day. Have some hope for Lynne Featherstone as under sec for (In)Equality, here's hoping she can take the hideous edge off May...

off to picnic in the rain

Hello comrades, just checking in. It does seem reasonable to think that for many LibDems the coalition will be very difficult. I cannot see this lasting anything like 5 years - I hope things work out ok for the LibDems.

Labour have to be clever and strategic, especially in choice of leader and communicating of party direction.

All raises the question "Why George Osborne?" He runs a campaign that doesn't deliver a majority, he's inexperienced, ... . Why George Osborne? Is it because he's not Ken Clarke (pro-Europe?).

I find it baffling. Friendship, surely, is not that important, so "friendship", here, must mean something else? Something about close ally for that turn centrewards, necessary if they perceive the right of the party to still be very powerful. Still, find his presence baffling.

Am "Eeek" at how quickly "immigration" and "benefit-envy" have moved to dominate political discourse.

Good piece from carole cadwalladr about the lack of women in politics and Osborne's qualifications (not) to be chancellor.

Afternoon peeps

I think I read that the LD conference is a "closed conference" which I took to mean no media. I'm sure it will all be leaked out later anyway though.

Have added a few of you on twitter, I am katiepougher

Right off to get ds2 for his nap and clean the bathroom (exciting Sunday)

Afternoon peeps

I think I read that the LD conference is a "closed conference" which I took to mean no media. I'm sure it will all be leaked out later anyway though.

Have added a few of you on twitter, I am katiepougher

Right off to get ds2 for his nap and clean the bathroom (exciting Sunday)

George O strikes me as a man ( well, sort of man ) who does what he's told......

I just think there's something sleazy about Osborne's relationship with DC. There must be something there about which we know nothing...
Poor Vince Cable must be spitting mad.

aubergines - I'm following you now (alison)

BTW, direct messaging is a useful facility on Twitter, but you can only DM someone you're following who is also following you.

Some interesting post-election articles in today's Sunday Independent. Also, lovely piece by John Rentoul, who is calling David and Ed Miliband "the 0.2 Centibands"

TDiddy We are still arguing over private education. I went to fantastic state school in a communist country where education is hugely important. Whatever theorists say equality, admittedly in in poverty, and solidarity did make social mobility possible. None of my friends' parents went to uni and we are all from quite poor backgrounds.
My DH went to private school on scolarship, but against it as a principle. Oh, and we do not actually have the money BTW. I would have to go back to work full time in a proper private sector job to be able to afford that.

I was also looking for news on the telly on the LibDem conf. Nothing.

I had a look at the Wikipedia entry on Osborne to see what qualifications he has for this job (answer none) and came across this from Cameron;

'Asked whether or not he would be willing to sack a close colleague such as Osborne, Cameron stated, "With George, the answer is yes. He stayed in my shadow cabinet not because he is a friend, not because we are godfathers to each other's children but because he is the right person to do the job. I know and he knows that if that was not the case he would not be there."'

This is just old school effing tie. It makes me laugh to hear Tories (and their voters) go on about the dangerous state of the economy, the meerkats, la la la and they have chosen this guy for the job of Chancellor. What a bunch deluded hypocrisy.

'not because he is a friend, not because we are godfathers to eachother's children'...yeah right.

agree Cable must be pretty cheesed off at getting a business secretary post rather than the one he manifestly deserved.

Anyone else feel this coalition is going to finish the LibDems? They will come out looking weakened, like the Tories' second fiddle for 5 years or however long ConDemNation lasts, and will not look like a feasible political force again for years...

Think this coalition is going to finish off the LibDems

I checked to see what GO's qualifications and experience were for running the exchequer

He has none. Nothing. Nada. No economics, no finance, no business knowledge.

Which means that he will be highly dependent upon advisors. Bit worrying tbh