Comments on: Conservative lead on the slide http://www.leftfootforward.org/2009/12/conservative-lead-on-the-slide/ Left Foot Forward is a political blog for progressives. We provide evidence-based analysis on British politics, news and policy developments. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:33:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: ANIN http://www.leftfootforward.org/2009/12/conservative-lead-on-the-slide/comment-page-1/#comment-3259 ANIN Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:38:21 +0000 http://www.leftfootforward.org/?p=5300#comment-3259 What is the difference Thatcherite Labour cuts or Thatcherite Conservative cuts Labour privatisation of public services,NHS, NHS Logistics, Remploy remember?, and Royal Mail or Conservative Privatisations Labour war criminals or Conservative war criminal Labour Murdoch or Conservative Murdoch Labour House of Lords corruption or Conservative House of Lords corruption Labour QINETIQ or Conservative corruption Labour anti union laws or Conservative anti union laws Labour murder,torture,detention and rendition or Conservative murder,torture,detention and rendition Labour Conservatives two cheeks of the same Tory arse What is the difference Thatcherite Labour cuts or Thatcherite Conservative cuts
Labour privatisation of public services,NHS, NHS Logistics, Remploy remember?, and Royal Mail
or Conservative Privatisations
Labour war criminals or Conservative war criminal
Labour Murdoch or Conservative Murdoch
Labour House of Lords corruption or Conservative House of Lords corruption
Labour QINETIQ or Conservative corruption
Labour anti union laws or Conservative anti union laws

Labour murder,torture,detention and rendition
or Conservative murder,torture,detention and rendition

Labour Conservatives two cheeks of the same Tory arse

]]> By: Liberal Conspiracy » Why it makes sense for Labour to fight the ‘class war’ http://www.leftfootforward.org/2009/12/conservative-lead-on-the-slide/comment-page-1/#comment-3198 Liberal Conspiracy » Why it makes sense for Labour to fight the ‘class war’ Thu, 17 Dec 2009 09:06:55 +0000 http://www.leftfootforward.org/?p=5300#comment-3198 [...] 6. No voter backlash Sure, the media may like to pretend it will cost them but is this true? a) Since ‘class war’ erupted Tories have lost their electoral lead significantly. [...] [...] 6. No voter backlash Sure, the media may like to pretend it will cost them but is this true? a) Since ‘class war’ erupted Tories have lost their electoral lead significantly. [...]

]]> By: Liz McShane http://www.leftfootforward.org/2009/12/conservative-lead-on-the-slide/comment-page-1/#comment-3109 Liz McShane Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:08:38 +0000 http://www.leftfootforward.org/?p=5300#comment-3109 Margaret - I can concur with you. Friends of mine who have had to use the NHS in the last few years (particularly for cancer treatment) cannot praise it enough but I can understand that for every positive experience there is a negative one. My main gripe is that certain services have been outsourced to third parties who do not share the same ethos and values that The NHS stands for - principally making a quick buck - and I think that's why standards (especially in leaning & hygiene) have slipped hence causing infections such as MRSA. It all adds up. Margaret – I can concur with you. Friends of mine who have had to use the NHS in the last few years (particularly for cancer treatment) cannot praise it enough but I can understand that for every positive experience there is a negative one. My main gripe is that certain services have been outsourced to third parties who do not share the same ethos and values that The NHS stands for – principally making a quick buck – and I think that’s why standards (especially in leaning & hygiene) have slipped hence causing infections such as MRSA. It all adds up.

]]> By: Politics Summary: Tuesday, December 15th | Left Foot Forward http://www.leftfootforward.org/2009/12/conservative-lead-on-the-slide/comment-page-1/#comment-3106 Politics Summary: Tuesday, December 15th | Left Foot Forward Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:02:29 +0000 http://www.leftfootforward.org/?p=5300#comment-3106 [...] One projection suggests a Cameron government would be returned with an overall majority of four. Left Foot Forward showed last night how the Conservative lead in ICM polls has fallen from 19 points in October. It [...] [...] One projection suggests a Cameron government would be returned with an overall majority of four. Left Foot Forward showed last night how the Conservative lead in ICM polls has fallen from 19 points in October. It [...]

]]> By: Margaret Young http://www.leftfootforward.org/2009/12/conservative-lead-on-the-slide/comment-page-1/#comment-3102 Margaret Young Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:27:17 +0000 http://www.leftfootforward.org/?p=5300#comment-3102 Swagata, I visited a friend who had been staying in hospital after an op the other day. I know the state of hospitals when the Cons were in power, underfunded with apalling waiitng lists for operations. Swagata, I visited a friend who had been staying in hospital after an op the other day. I know the state of hospitals when the Cons were in power, underfunded with apalling waiitng lists for operations.

]]> By: Swagata http://www.leftfootforward.org/2009/12/conservative-lead-on-the-slide/comment-page-1/#comment-3101 Swagata Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:56:10 +0000 http://www.leftfootforward.org/?p=5300#comment-3101 Richard, a very fair point and yes international comparisons are fraught with problems. But I simply wanted to make the point to Margaret that British health care isn't first class (unless she's going BUPA, London's private clinics treat many wealthy types who fly in from around the world). We are a long way from the clinical standards across the Channel. Not that everything is perfect abroad, far from it. But Britain still has some way to go to get a "first class" system, whether it's the infamous mixed wards or rationed diagnostic/screening programmes. Richard, a very fair point and yes international comparisons are fraught with problems. But I simply wanted to make the point to Margaret that British health care isn’t first class (unless she’s going BUPA, London’s private clinics treat many wealthy types who fly in from around the world).

We are a long way from the clinical standards across the Channel. Not that everything is perfect abroad, far from it. But Britain still has some way to go to get a “first class” system, whether it’s the infamous mixed wards or rationed diagnostic/screening programmes.

]]> By: Richard Blogger http://www.leftfootforward.org/2009/12/conservative-lead-on-the-slide/comment-page-1/#comment-3100 Richard Blogger Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:33:34 +0000 http://www.leftfootforward.org/?p=5300#comment-3100 Swagata, your figures on cancer survival rates are interesting. The reason is that only the UK and a few Scandinavian countries keep <b>complete</b> figures. All other countries have incomplete figures, Germany, for example, has 1% of the figures that we have yet their population is half as much more. Compare like with like? Of course not, not when there is a political point to be made! Basically, until the rest of the world catch up with the recording rates that we have in the UK you cannot make any comparison. Or would you prefer that we picked the best 1% of our results to compare with Germany's? Swagata, your figures on cancer survival rates are interesting. The reason is that only the UK and a few Scandinavian countries keep complete figures. All other countries have incomplete figures, Germany, for example, has 1% of the figures that we have yet their population is half as much more.

Compare like with like? Of course not, not when there is a political point to be made! Basically, until the rest of the world catch up with the recording rates that we have in the UK you cannot make any comparison. Or would you prefer that we picked the best 1% of our results to compare with Germany’s?

]]> By: Swagata http://www.leftfootforward.org/2009/12/conservative-lead-on-the-slide/comment-page-1/#comment-3098 Swagata Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:09:10 +0000 http://www.leftfootforward.org/?p=5300#comment-3098 Where's the first class health Margaret? The evidence shows adult life expectancy, infant mortality, hospital infection and cancer survival rates all place the average Briton in a worse position than the average West European. In some places in Scotland life expectancy is below the Pakistani or Palestinian average. We've got a very long way to go. But maybe you go private Margaret, just like Gordon Brown does? Where’s the first class health Margaret? The evidence shows adult life expectancy, infant mortality, hospital infection and cancer survival rates all place the average Briton in a worse position than the average West European. In some places in Scotland life expectancy is below the Pakistani or Palestinian average. We’ve got a very long way to go.

But maybe you go private Margaret, just like Gordon Brown does?

]]> By: Margaret Young http://www.leftfootforward.org/2009/12/conservative-lead-on-the-slide/comment-page-1/#comment-3097 Margaret Young Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:00:43 +0000 http://www.leftfootforward.org/?p=5300#comment-3097 All to play for and time for anyone who cares about this country and our first class health and education service to attack, attack and attack again the high priest of privilege, Shameron and his weedy sidekick Gideon Osborne. All to play for and time for anyone who cares about this country and our first class health and education service to attack, attack and attack again the high priest of privilege, Shameron and his weedy sidekick Gideon Osborne.

]]> By: Cogito Dexter http://www.leftfootforward.org/2009/12/conservative-lead-on-the-slide/comment-page-1/#comment-3096 Cogito Dexter Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:38:19 +0000 http://www.leftfootforward.org/?p=5300#comment-3096 Comres have the Tories way out ahead at 17% in the lead, as published yesterday. And Comres were, if I remember correctly, most accurate prior to the last General Election. While it's true to say the polls are variable, it's not possible to say the Tory lead is *consistently* shrinking across the board. There must, therefore, be something wrong with some of the statistics and/or the questions answered to get this variety... I tend towards averaging the leads out over all the polling organisations, which then means the Tories have a lead of somewhere around 12-14%. Comres have the Tories way out ahead at 17% in the lead, as published yesterday. And Comres were, if I remember correctly, most accurate prior to the last General Election.

While it’s true to say the polls are variable, it’s not possible to say the Tory lead is *consistently* shrinking across the board. There must, therefore, be something wrong with some of the statistics and/or the questions answered to get this variety… I tend towards averaging the leads out over all the polling organisations, which then means the Tories have a lead of somewhere around 12-14%.

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