Both Milibands went to a comprehensive. They weren't particularly wealthy growing up.

Both Milibands went to a comprehensive. They weren't particularly wealthy growing up.

 

Aah didn't realise that, thought I read somewhere Ed went to school with Boris Johnson, just would never imagine Boris at a state school :o

Edited September 28, 201014 yr by I ❤ JustinBieber

Aah didn't realise that, thought I red somewhere Ed went to school with Boris Johnson, just would never imagine Boris at a state school :o

No, he went to school with Oona King who tried to be Labour candidate against Boris in 2012.

No, he went to school with Oona King who tried to be Labour candidate against Boris in 2012.

 

Aah my mistake then :o :blush:

Actually, I believe he did go to the same primary school as Boris. Then he went onto the same comprehensive school as King, and which was later attended by the members of N-Dubz(!).

Actually, I believe he did go to the same primary school as Boris. Then he went onto the same comprehensive school as King, and which was later attempted by the members of N-Dubz(!).

Aah I was half right then nice one :)

 

He doesn't strike me as being a particularly working class guy though, not someone to connect with labour's roots

Actually, I believe he did go to the same primary school as Boris. Then he went onto the same comprehensive school as King, and which was later attempted by the members of N-Dubz(!).

If Wiki is correct that isn't true. That says Boris went to Ashdown House, a fairly posh prep school in Sussex. That seems a more likely route to Eton than a Camden primary school.

If Wiki is correct that isn't true. That says Boris went to Ashdown House, a fairly posh prep school in Sussex. That seems a more likely route to Eton than a Camden primary school.

 

Oh. Boris did claim in a column the other day they went to the same primary school, but I guess it could've been a joke haha.

Labour have become the bookies' favourite to win the next election.

Sweet Jesus Craig, do you really think they're going to care how socially awkward Ed is if the economy goes completely down the drain?

Sweet Jesus Craig, do you really think they're going to care how socially awkward Ed is if the economy goes completely down the drain?

 

That won't be an issue but at next election Miliband will be all about "change" and will have to sell this change convincingly, he will have to improve on his communication skills, Cameron will be "better the devil you know than the devil you don't"and communicates well

That won't be an issue but at next election Miliband will be all about "change" and will have to sell this change convincingly, he will have to improve on his communication skills, Cameron will be "better the devil you know than the devil you don't"and communicates well

Do make up your mind. You used to say that you feared Ed as he was such a good communicator!

That won't be an issue but at next election Miliband will be all about "change" and will have to sell this change convincingly, he will have to improve on his communication skills, Cameron will be "better the devil you know than the devil you don't"and communicates well

 

Again, Ed IS a good communicator. Like I said, speech-making isn't his strong point (although his speech today has been pretty well-receieved across the blogosphere), but he is very good at debates, as was shown in the Question Time hustings where most thought he'd won or atleast come second behind Balls. Despite what you say, Cameron was distinctly average in this year's debates (and will probably be even worse next time when he actually has a record to defend), and Ed will be able to atleast go toe to toe with him in debates and may well get the better of him.

Really, I'd quite like to see what a swing voter has to say about all of it. The hardcore Tories are all obviously going to say his speech was awful - indeed, as they all have done!

Really, I'd quite like to see what a swing voter has to say about all of it. The hardcore Tories are all obviously going to say his speech was awful - indeed, as they all have done!

 

The only voter reception I've heard of so far was a thing on Sky News earlier, where about 20 swing voters who watched the speech were asked to describe it in one word - most chose either "passionate" or "genuine".

It certainly got better as it went on. It was interesting that he mostly attacked the Tories rather than the Lib Dems in contrast to what Labour have been doing since the election. He also said he would be voting Yes in the AV referendum although he didn't say he'd campaign for it. Perhaps he realises that even if Labour are the largest party at the next election they may not win a majority. He may need to rely on the Lib Dems holding on to a lot of their formerly Tory seats.

Mixed results from the polls this weekend. One poll showed Labour ahead by 3 points, but there were a couple of others which showed the Tories still out in front. Overall, Labour didn't enjoy quite the conference bounce I'd hoped for (probably because David M's drama queen act dominated the week), but they should still have a very healthy lead by Xmas.

 

Meanwhile, UK Polling Report's "poll of polls" puts Labour and the Tories on 39% each (Lib Dems on 13%), which on a uniform swing on current constituencies would leave Labour 2 seats off a majority.

Lord Ashcroft has commissioned an opinion poll which shows that, if there were another election today, Clegg would be in real danger of losing his Sheffield Hallam seat - on voting intentions carried out in the constituency, he is down 20% from the election to 33%, just ahead of Labour on 31% and the Conservatives on 28%. Another Ashcroft poll shows Chris Huhne would lose his seat to the Tories convincingly.

Unfortunately, the Tories seem to have jumped back into the lead since their conference, with recent polls giving them an average of a 3-4 point lead - their on about 41/42%, with Labour on 38/39%, while the Lib Dems are still hovering at 11/12% - which they might be a bit relieved about considering their spectacular U-turn on tuition fees.

 

However, YouGov also shows that people are now a LOT more pessimistic about the Coalition's economic policies than they were immediately after the emergency Budget in June. Their economic approval rating has gone negative for the first time, while a majority of people now think the scale of cuts is too fast (whereas a significant majority said it was "about right" in June).

Lib Dems are at 10% in the latest opinion poll - the lowest any poll has had them in more than 13 years.