Danny

Misleading question because it doesn't include the most popular option, "I don't care whether the deficit is reduced or not" http://imgsrv2.tennisuniverse.com/wtaworld/images/smilies/angel.gif It's the equivalent of asking whether someone would prefer to have Tories or UKIP in government (not asking about Labour), then concluding that a landslide win for the Tories on that question means that the public overwhelmingly want them.

Eh? How would they not fall apart in office if they were slashing spending? What you've described is pretty much the exact opposite of what the consensus is among Labour members: most seem to think they're just saying all this to get elected, but that they would have no intention of actually following through on cutting spending if they got into office (which I suspect is naive because I think there's a significant element of the Labour high command who truly believe in these right-wing policies, and I doubt Balls and Miliband would have the guts to withstand a press onslaught even if they tried to not cut spending).

So if you agree that they've been shedding left-wing votes to a more left-wing party, why is the Labour leadership still determinedly moving to a right-wing economic policy and peddling their "elections are won in the centre ground" nonsense?

Meanwhile, another poll shows Labour's calamitous poll slump has coincided with the public thinking Miliband is closer to the "centre ground" than at any previous point in his leadership: http://labourlist.org/2014/12/red-ed-poll-...e-than-cameron/ People also think Cameron is more right-wing than Miliband is left-wing.

Isn't it a rule to include the Yes Minister video about opinion polls when making a post like this? :P If this was just one or two polls then you might have a point, but it's a consistent pattern now across virtually all polls that the public don't really care about the deficit, and care even less when it's pointed out more massive cuts would be needed to get rid of it, in contrast to the 3 main parties' united position.

There should be a legal requirement to eliminate the deficit by a specific date Agree 36% Disagree 59% Government spending should be reduced until the deficit is cleared Agree 30% Disagree 66% http://comres.co.uk/polls/Independent_Poli...cember_2014.pdf

I hope her endless usage of "pants" is still to come.

Yesterday.

I think she sounded quite nice on the low parts of that. Admittedly she couldn't really deal with the big notes in the chorus at all though (although Ben was pretty bad at those too).

Wasn't expecting to say this, but I think Fleur is actually singing this better than Ben... :o And obviously in terms of stage presence/performance skills she's in a different league.

This is rather mediocre. He would've been better doing 'Highway to Hell' or something.

Cheryl's eye shadow though...

Shayne Ward was also pretty big for his first couple of eras and his winner's single is still one of the best-selling, I've never really understood why he's bundled up with the "flop male winners" category.

Ugh, Andrea really should've gone through over Fleur :drama:

Cowell looks rather grim-faced...

Wait, aren't the contestants performing again tonight?

If the voting leaks earlier were right, then it wouldn't totally shock me if Fleur came 3rd.

:lol: at them treating Fleur like the guest performer with the late entrance

This is working surprisingly well!

Ben's stage presence is....not the best. He often has a really vacant expression on his face, especially when he's doing ballads.

I thought that too! :ph34r:

Andrea easily has the best potential vocally, and he's so good when he's restraining himself a bit like he was for the first minute or so of this performance. But he's unbearable when he goes OTT.

Union J will be one of them I bet.

Actually yeah, I think the James vs Jahmene outcome was in doubt. Come to think of it, I think some people were even fearing Chris Maloney might win(!!!!) because there'd been leaks about how he was topping the voting. Let us always remember that as a reminder that, no matter how far X Factor has sunk, it could've been even worse.

Yeah, I agree with that. I wouldn't be shocked at all if Ben won because I wouldn't be surprised if he picked up more of the "casual" fans' votes that come in the final. It's good that there's finally an unpredictable final anyway, I can't remember the last time the outcome was remotely in doubt (did people maybe think Rebecca Ferguson had a chance of beating Matt Cardle in 2010?).