andsome - be worried, be very worried.

[AlanHo]

Excerpt from article in todays daily mail.........

There is a fundamental problem faced by David Cameron. This is the fact that the electoral system is cruelly skewed against the Tories. Constituency boundaries are cripplingly biased against them and this inbuilt unfairness meant that in the last general election it took 45,000 votes to elect a Tory MP but only 27,600 votes to elect a Labour one.

This gross disparity has been slightly ameliorated as a result of boundary commission changes over the past few years but the disadvantage is still huge.

Indeed, according to John Maloney of Exeter University, the Tories must secure a 10 per cent lead over Labour to win an overall majority of just one seat at the next election. In other words David Cameron faces a very high mountain to climb. The most astute Conservative strategists are keenly aware of this problem, as is Cameron himself.

An internal Tory Party document sets out the scale of the problem, stating baldly: 'The Conservatives have never won a General Election from a starting point as weak as they face now.'

The paper calculates that to win a majority, the Conservatives must hold every seat they won in 2005, plus an additional 117 constituencies. To put that in perspective, Margaret Thatcher notched up an additional 63 seats in 1979 for the Tories, while Edward Heath made 69 gains in 1970.

The Tory briefing note sums up the problem as follows: 'To become Prime Minister, David Cameron must surpass the electoral achievements of both Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill.'

Only once before have Conservatives made gains of the scale that Cameron requires to obtain an overall majority after the election. But that was in the exceptional circumstances of the National Government of 1931, when the Labour Party had split in two.

But most crucially, Cameron is well aware that a simple overall majority would not be enough for him to govern effectively. Instead, he needs a working majority of at least 30 seats (which means a majority of 15 per cent over Labour on election day).

This is the mammoth task. David Cameron may be a politician of high talent, but as Gordon Brown this weekend looks back at a surprising mini-revival in his fortunes, he realises that everything is still to play for.

[Belatucadrus]

Fortunately Cameron has a not so secret weapon in the coming hustings, it's Gordon Brown.

[rong]

You've put it in the wrong place, shouldn't it be in the jokes board as this must be a joke article, "David Cameron may be a politician of high talent" as that proves.

[andsome]

I have not yet made a firm decision as to who to vote for, if I do vote. I have however already decided NOT to vote for that pillock El Gordo. :D

[doug]

Now you are being unkind to pillocks

[AlanHo]

My definition of unkind is the constant barrage of aggressive and insulting treatment being aimed at My Brown. Has our society lost its sense of decency, have we become immune to having sympathy for lesser mortals, do we really feel good about picking on the nearly blind, do we only recognise success and make no allowance for valiant effort.

Let's face it - the poor man has little in his favour - but he does try to please which is more than you can say for Simon Cowell.

[catgate]

My defenition of unkind is the constant barrage of aggressive and insulting treatment being aimed at My Brown. Has our society lost its sense of decency, have we become immune to having sympathy for lesser mortals, do we really feel good about picking on the nearly blind, do we only recognise success and make no allowance for valiant effort.

Let's face it - the poor man has little in his favour - but he does try to please which is more than you can say for Simon Cowell.

I think your choice of individual for comparison purposes is very good.

They do both try to please, though it is themselves that they are trying to please and care not one jot for the public.

They do both have lesser morals.

Both of them are totally out of touch with reality and are surrounded by sycophants.

As far as picking is concerned I know nothing about Cowell's method of unpacking his trunk.

[Robbers Dog]

I have not yet made a firm decision as to who to vote for, if I do vote. I have however already decided NOT to vote for that pillock El Gordo. :D

Earth shattering news from one Tory/UKIP pillock

Brown won't be able to sleep at night. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[andsome]

I have not yet made a firm decision as to who to vote for, if I do vote. I have however already decided NOT to vote for that pillock El Gordo. :D

Earth shattering news from one Tory/UKIP pillock

Brown won't be able to sleep at night. :lol: :lol: :lol:

I am far too adult to complain to the mods about this personal insult, I will leave others to judge just how childish it is. If you can read, I suggest that you look at the forum rules regarding such postings.

[rong]

What's the problem? You are not mentioned and I can't see it as being any worse than "I have however already decided NOT to vote for that pillock El Gordo" that you wrote

[doug]

This thread is getting out of hand. I'm locking it.