Did you watch the TV debate last night? I still can’t decide if it was the over-rehearsed performances or the tightly scripted words from most participants that annoyed me. Farage and the Salesman were the only two who didn’t appear to refer to notes, but they have the advantage of more years of public speaking.
The media this morning all have differing poll results with the Scotsman favouring Nicola Sturgeon, RTE reporting there were no winners, The Telegraph’s 'experts’ say Ms Sturgeon left the others well behind and the Daily Mail’s headline is ‘Cameron dodges a bullet’.
Ed Miliband thought this was his chance to show he is No 10 material. He failed. Between some rather amusing efforts to stare into the camera, in the hope we would believe his every word, and looking like a startled rabbit caught in headlights on many other occasions, I cringed when his summing up involved the words ‘If I’m Prime Minister’. Heaven help us if that happens.
Nicola Sturgeon was well received by the English audience it seems. Her performance was slick but it concerns me that she believes we need to increase benefits. Her proposal to increase the capping allowance of £26,500 is frightening. Where will she find the money to do this other than raise taxes on people who earn more than the national average. If Scotland did become independent this type of policy would discourage the brightest from staying here or coming here. Many people who earn more than the average have worked very hard to achieve their goals, why punish them?
What can I say about Nick Clegg? Nothing really.
The Green Woman’s policies are fairytales. ‘Vote for change’ she pleaded. Anytime she spoke she sounded pleading. Poor soul.
Miss Wood, the leader of Plaid Cymru, wasn’t at all bad. Although she stuck very firmly to her script, she did fight her corner for Wales.
Nigel Farage was ‘naughty’ to have mentioned health tourism. How left-wingers detest the truth. Health tourism isn’t a problem in Scotland as far as I know, but in various parts of England it is a serious problem. I have several friends who work in the English NHS. The stories they tell of relatives of British citizens coming here for cancer and other very expensive treatments are not just one or two examples. I’m informed that quite a few of these ‘tourists’ could well afford to pay for their treatment but they know they won’t be charged in the UK. If they travelled to the US, Canada or many other countries they would have to pay upfront. It’s well know throughout the civilised world that the UK will provide free health care to anyone who manages to get into this country.
How did the Salesman do? As our current Prime Minister he performed as expected, but I lost interest when he insisted we care for our military veterans. That’s nonsense and he knows it. Far too many of our veterans are homeless.
Apart from Nigel Farage, the other leaders support the EU. The question ‘Why?’ didn’t arise. If it had then we may have learned a little.
On a lighter note, wasn’t the make-up dreadful?
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17 comments:
I am delighted to say that with determined self-righteousness I carefully avoided the entire tele-visual farce that was the so called ‘Debate’.
From reading the post-event write-ups it appears to have gone very much as might have been predicted, with the big four(?) trying, each in their own pathetic way, to convince the voter that they were ‘it’.
As for Farage he is nothing more than a right-wing Tory extremist with a purple tie; and like all extremists UKIP are mere bullies who lash out to elicit a response then deny all responsibility. (They don’t really justify the 36 words I’ve just written)
However, I am pleased that Nicola Sturgeon, unsurprisingly, put up a good show. Although she is not a candidate and I am not in totally agreement with all of her parties policies, I feel it would be wonderfully refreshing, not to say entertaining, if a large SNP cat were to be tossed amidst the over complacent pigeons that are the Westminster MPs.
Completely OT, I know, but I found this. As an English well-wisher standing on the side lines and wringing my hands as I plead 'If you must do this damn' silly thing, please don't do it this damn' silly way!' please be careful what you wish for.
Oh, sorry, forgot the link!
http://niklowe.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/state-guardians.html
I am saddened with the constant labelling of any dislike of socialist views as extreme and far right. The natural, Darwin facts of life and evolution will always prevail. No matter how well intentioned the desire to help and support the disadvantaged, if the strong are brought down who will help the weak?
The left wing have very neatly managed to conflate commerce and honest profit with protectionist corporatism and thus branded anyone with even centrist views as a self-serving right wing extremist. In reality both labour and Conservative parties are corporatist and have lost touch with the realities of people's lives.
Nicola Sturgeon did indeed shine as a debater - but God help us if she has any power over the UK. The left wing nannying control instincts of your SNP scare the life out of me.
From someone south of the border, I was surprised to learn the SNP candidate actually said there is no place for divisive politics.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hypocrite
Joe, when the nippy sweety said that, she meant alliances with our 'friends' in Europe - but, as you say, the boot is more than happy to start a civil war in Scotland.
SNAP!!!!!!!
Very self-righteous indeed JRB!
Thanks for your comment Oswald, although I’m not quite sure of the meaning.
Ah, got it now. If you delve further into this blog then you will note I’ve written at length about that.
Excellent point OR and as you perhaps are aware it concerns me. The SNP seem hell bent on taxing the ‘rich’ as I’ve said. With such a policy we will be a very poor country within years. Mind you, that may be the catalyst to get those who can work decide to actually work.
Woodsy, it’s not MY SNP - just to clarify. Although I support the SNP I am against some of their main policies. My support comes from their independence policy.
Interesting link Joe, very interesting. Thanks.
Off to read yours Demetrius. :D
Now in the context of Nicola's preferred coalition partner, I've just discovered:
"Dà-aodannach"
The thing which worries me most is this 'named person' for every Scottish child and the all-women shortlist for parliament. Is Sturgeon universally loved up there?
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