tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586389062182728098.post1781079160927707564..comments2024-03-27T08:15:17.334-07:00Comments on ianssmart: There is no room for complacency!ianssmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07863217818794644141noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586389062182728098.post-65596890753341751422014-04-08T05:27:12.259-07:002014-04-08T05:27:12.259-07:00For some time the Nat position has been to pretend...For some time the Nat position has been to pretend they are winning: basically put on a front, in the face of all the evidence that they don't have a chance.<br /><br />I think the way they are now 'interpreting' the polls represents a move forward from that. Essentially they are trying to build a sense of momentum; this has all the hallmarks of a well rehearsed strategy, but it's one born of desperation.<br /><br />I have learned from a source close to YesScotland that there is a document being used as a 'surprise prop' by Salmond and other cabinet ministers in meetings with senior business leaders and others. It's a simple one-pager of massaged poll figures showing a 'trend' to YES.<br /><br />The accompanying strategy is to 'normalise' the chance of a YES win despite what the polls really say. The purpose is that the story of the trend then self-maintains as senior business leaders 'prepare' for the outcomes of a YES vote and when asked confirm as such. The outcome then becomes if business can prepare then it is not really too scary - naturally business will not say it is not able to deal with a change in circumstances.<br /><br />We need to make sure it is widely recognised that this is little more than a confidence trick.Kenneth Feehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14990654567049379003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586389062182728098.post-78054575445419789202014-04-05T07:59:44.895-07:002014-04-05T07:59:44.895-07:00Just to add to the anecdotal evidence from schools...Just to add to the anecdotal evidence from schools debates - I was at one in Johnstone the other day which went in the opposite direction, after hearing the dishonesty of the YesNP case one student was moved to insist that "it is not a positive campaign to come here and make stuff up" the Yes campaign were hugely disappointing and about half of those who came in supporting yes left planning to vote the other way. Mr E Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01748514833162325130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586389062182728098.post-19965564293501430882014-04-03T20:47:38.431-07:002014-04-03T20:47:38.431-07:00Hello, Ian,
I was sent over by Henry Hill from Op...Hello, Ian,<br /><br />I was sent over by Henry Hill from Open Unionism for the purpose of asking you for an interview on a new project I'm spear-heading called "Union Jack Chat". The purpose of it is to show as broad a spectrum of Unionism, from different backgrounds and political parties across the UK. If you would be willing to take part in this, please email me here: campionsbrag@aol.com<br /><br />God bless,<br />Pearl of TyburnPearl of Tyburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06454820098627801613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586389062182728098.post-603878948899869242014-04-01T16:00:04.356-07:002014-04-01T16:00:04.356-07:00as an aside, I'm unsurprised that school child...as an aside, I'm unsurprised that school children are swayed by the "yes" campaign. It promises them riches, a fairer society, and everything their heart desires. of course, none of it is deliverable, which is why, unless they are extremely gullible, their parents will still vote no.Ajayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01141359379268606633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586389062182728098.post-17486521824621402482014-03-31T13:47:33.309-07:002014-03-31T13:47:33.309-07:00Ian:
'Then we have real elections. The SNP wo...Ian:<br /><br />'Then we have real elections. The SNP won a local government by-election, retaining a safe seat, in Kilmarnock on Thursday. '<br /><br />Yes, the actual elections (congrats to Ms Cowan) seem to be telling a different story to the polls.<br /><br />Just had a look at Scottish Elections - <br /><br />http://www.scottishelections.org.uk/scotland/lby/kilmarnocknorth.php<br /><br /><br /><br />Party Candidate 1st Prefs 1st Prefs % Change <br /><br />SNP Elaine Cowan 1,334 44.2% -8.5% Elected<br />Labour Scott Thomson 1,130 37.4% +1.7% <br />Conservative Ian Grant 493 16.3% +4.7% <br />Green Jen Broadhurst 61 2.0% +2.0%<br />Edwin Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05317173893948248954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586389062182728098.post-90939941341248193532014-03-31T10:33:07.368-07:002014-03-31T10:33:07.368-07:00Here is another way of putting it , BT have just t...Here is another way of putting it , BT have just taken off their goalkeeper and centre half and put two trialists on in their place a left back, and a 4 11 inch keeper.Scotty52https://www.blogger.com/profile/15982274953951071466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586389062182728098.post-51850100651420450472014-03-31T05:53:35.672-07:002014-03-31T05:53:35.672-07:00No, gordypops, I think you're the one who need...No, gordypops, I think you're the one who needs to "think about it". However the debates go - and we only have the word of a friend of DD's who was at one of them - the evidence of how young people are voting is an indicator of how their parents and families will vote. And whether that's 75% or 85% is bad news for separatists.Kenneth Feehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14990654567049379003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586389062182728098.post-65795134502893595922014-03-31T05:38:52.185-07:002014-03-31T05:38:52.185-07:00Entertaining description of the LibDems, but I cou...Entertaining description of the LibDems, but I couldn't help chuckle at a Labour supporter criticising them for not avoiding defections to Yes??? As to the football, people in Crystal Palaces should eb careful about chucking stanes...Andrew Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00022515722243040894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586389062182728098.post-81131467906703282182014-03-31T05:27:23.098-07:002014-03-31T05:27:23.098-07:00I would have thought the real question is why are ...I would have thought the real question is why are more people moving from No to Yes after hearing the debate? Think about it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586389062182728098.post-54875911691804602882014-03-31T03:27:59.910-07:002014-03-31T03:27:59.910-07:00DD appears to be missing the point entirely about ...DD appears to be missing the point entirely about the school polls. So what if school students are swayed by emotional debate in the course of a meeting? Hardly any of them have votes in the referendum. The point is that their views likely reflect those of their parents, who can and will vote, and if their parents' are actually more like 85% NO, that's very bad news for the secessionists.Kenneth Feehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14990654567049379003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586389062182728098.post-43252845476261929292014-03-31T00:58:50.840-07:002014-03-31T00:58:50.840-07:00"Then we have the school polls. School polls ...<i>"Then we have the school polls. School polls are interesting since they don't rely on adjustment by pollsters. There were another slew on Friday and again Nationalism was rejected by a margin of between to and three to one."</i><br /><br />Ahhh, the school polls. I heard an interesting wee nugget of info about the school polls from someone who was actually speaking at one recently. The result was the usual 70%+ for No, which sounds like a rout. But what that figure doesn't tell you is that the debate started off with there being support for No in the region of 85%. Not only that, but the "end" poll was actually taken halfway through the debate - not at the end - so that they had the result ready to announce at the end of the debate. So that shift in support came after only half the arguments were heard.<br /><br />How many of these school polls are the same, I wonder? 75% actually representing a <i>drop</i> in support for No, and no information about what the true end result was. To use another football metaphor, it seems No is only winning these school polls because they're starting out with a big aggregate lead - they're losing the actual match itself. Well, that's not so bad if you're starting off with a 60% lead, but unfortunately for the No campaign, Scotland is not one big middle-class school.Doug Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15017218581660887134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586389062182728098.post-90466103853581497852014-03-30T20:37:46.843-07:002014-03-30T20:37:46.843-07:00I think you give BT a bit too much credit. Its app...I think you give BT a bit too much credit. Its apparent that it needs to change tactics to win. The polls have been shrinking and the NO lead is only 12% on average. Its important that we don't lose more points and keep a majority by June, as that is the home run period. How come rUK politicans don't come up to convince scots to vote no. People like Dennis Skinner and others would do very well. Just as Boris Johnson and the Prime Minister should not be afraid to come up. The Fire Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15374464345849156299noreply@blogger.com