Cameron can't win now, whoever is advising him on this has messed up big time. If he now turns up it looks like he has been pressured into doing so and if he doesn't it is because he is frightened of a man portrayed by his mates at the Mail and Sun as being useless.
No wonder he couldn't win the 2010 election and now he is doing the same 5 years later.
He's avoided a situation where he could only lose and has denied his major opponent serious time to express his views.
They'll be more worried in the Labour party than in the Tory party at this present point
He's avoided a situation where he could only lose and has denied his major opponent serious time to express his views.
Yeah. That's the problem for him. He *could* have put up a good defence, but now nobody thinks he can. He's effectively conceded defeat before the election campaign has begun.
He lost his bottle he knows what questions will.be asked and that's why he bottled it
How can.the public seriously vote and trust someone who won't face the people who might vote him.in.
Yeah. That's the problem for him. He *could* have put up a good defence, but now nobody thinks he can. He's effectively conceded defeat before the election campaign has begun.
It won't be an issue in May though. Cameron has took the hit now and will move on.
Everyone is getting sidetracked over something that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things
Dave is an idiot. He did all the debates in 2010 and did fine.
Apparently there are some in the party not quite so convinced about that. They can't believe, and are obviously still a little worried, that Nick Clegg did much better. The feeling being that Cameron's Bullingdon manner, while good in the 'House' , doesn't look as impressive when exposed to the favour of the general public.
Why does he have nothing to gain? Don't the Tories and the media keep telling us how wonderful everyone's lives are and how everyone's back in employment after 5 years of glorious Tory rule? Wouldn't that be something he'd want to brag about to get his poll rating and votes up?
You replied to David Tee with the above when he stated that Cameron has nothing to gain by a proper debate with Miliband, the only 2 realistic PM candidates. As well as what you have quite rightly mentioned, there is surely something quite big to gain for Cameron, and also Miliband. The opportunity to break this perceived second hung parliament stalemate and gain a proper parliamentary majority! Not a gain Cameron wants, clearly.
An empty chair for Cameron with a few loose feathers scattered on it would be a good way to show the man up.
Although I'm not mad keen on the debates anyway. Last time they were sterile over regulated fun for just a few journos who got off on them to the point of orgasm, and treated it like nothing more than a boxing match on points. I would much prefer the situation such as in 1983 when Thatcher got skewered on Nationwide by that lady over her Falklands policy and the Belgrano sinking. Stick the PM and other leaders in a studio one on one with a succession of members of the public on early evening TV.
Sad that the broadcasters are so easily distracted by the next shiny thing that comes along so instead of keeping this at the top of the agenda and really applying pressure for a decent length of time they'll soon lose interest and let Cameron off the hook. If they could just unite themselves and the other parties and say to the Coward of the County, "this is how it's going to be" he'd have nowhere left to run.
You replied to David Tee with the above when he stated that Cameron has nothing to gain by a proper debate with Miliband, the only 2 realistic PM candidates. As well as what you have quite rightly mentioned, there is surely something quite big to gain for Cameron, and also Miliband. The opportunity to break this perceived second hung parliament stalemate and gain a proper parliamentary majority! Not a gain Cameron wants, clearly.
I hear my name mentioned.... ;-)
Of course Cameron wants it. The question is why do you think it can only be achieved via TV debates? What's wrong with the age-old campaign trail that have seen any number of different government voted in with majorities?
It won't be an issue in May though. Cameron has took the hit now and will move on.
Everyone is getting sidetracked over something that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things
I beg to differ. His opponents will take as much political mileage out of this as is humanly possible, especially during the debates if there's an empty rostrum.
I don't blame Cameron for the dodge and the excuse is quite inventive.
And I don't blame Shapps for propagating the BS excuse across the media.
But I am astonished that ordinary people, who are not being paid to do so, are willing to defend him over this.
It is one of those issues where everybody knows what is going on and it does not reflect well on the PM. In fact it blows a hole in the Miliband is useless theme which seems to constitute the entirety of Tory strategy. Surely the more they can expose Miliband to scrutiny the better.
But he's agreed to debate Garage. So by that reference he's an idiot. The man he's refusing to debate, even before said debate would be borderline illegal, is Ed Milliband.
Some more stuff about the legalities and what's likely to happen next. Cameron could send a rep or it would just be Miliband with the Tory views through the questions. Statement expected hopefully later tonight from broadcasters on how they'll play it.
Broadcasters are expected to press ahead with the TV election debates and believe they have legal grounds to “empty-chair” the Tories on the basis that they turned down a reasonable invitation to attend.
Labour sources suggested the broadcasters could hold what would have been the Miliband-Cameron debate in a Question Time or town hall format in which the broadcaster would state the prime minister had declined to attend but set out Conservative views through the questions put to Miliband.
In theory, guidelines set by the broadcasting regulator, Ofcom, allow the networks to go ahead without Cameron as long as they show “due impartiality” during their coverage.
This could be achieved by having someone acting as a representative – such as a political journalist – who would balance the broadcast by giving the views of the missing party.
But he's agreed to debate Garage. So by that reference he's an idiot. The man he's refusing to debate, even before said debate would be borderline illegal, is Ed Milliband.
...which is also covered in the article. As I said earlier, I'd rather he didn't debate anyone. He's nothing to gain by doing so.
What's wrong with the age-old campaign trail that have seen any number of different government voted in with majorities?
Because we never get the chance to pull apart their promises, it feels rehearsed, it feels like we're just being spoonfed the PR machine output and there is no scope to try and catch them on the backheel without someone talking into their ear.
Of course Cameron wants it. The question is why do you think it can only be achieved via TV debates? What's wrong with the age-old campaign trail that have seen any number of different government voted in with majorities?
I don't know what is wrong with the age old campaign trail. However, it is Cameron who in the past has spoken so in support of TV debates. Why don't you ask him why he has suddenly changed his mind.
It is one of those issues where everybody knows what is going on and it does not reflect well on the PM. In fact it blows a hole in the Miliband is useless theme which seems to constitute the entirety of Tory strategy. Surely the more they can expose Miliband to scrutiny the better.
The wriggling and evasion from Craven Dave is a gift to Milliband. He's never seemed more commanding. The Martini line is particularly effective.
Comments
He's avoided a situation where he could only lose and has denied his major opponent serious time to express his views.
They'll be more worried in the Labour party than in the Tory party at this present point
Yeah. That's the problem for him. He *could* have put up a good defence, but now nobody thinks he can. He's effectively conceded defeat before the election campaign has begun.
Quite an astonishing comment. I take his usual script writer is having a week off or something.
How can.the public seriously vote and trust someone who won't face the people who might vote him.in.
http://m.bbc.co.uk/news
It won't be an issue in May though. Cameron has took the hit now and will move on.
Everyone is getting sidetracked over something that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things
Apparently there are some in the party not quite so convinced about that. They can't believe, and are obviously still a little worried, that Nick Clegg did much better. The feeling being that Cameron's Bullingdon manner, while good in the 'House' , doesn't look as impressive when exposed to the favour of the general public.
Little did I know he was just doing a wriggling out.
An empty chair for Cameron with a few loose feathers scattered on it would be a good way to show the man up.
Although I'm not mad keen on the debates anyway. Last time they were sterile over regulated fun for just a few journos who got off on them to the point of orgasm, and treated it like nothing more than a boxing match on points. I would much prefer the situation such as in 1983 when Thatcher got skewered on Nationwide by that lady over her Falklands policy and the Belgrano sinking. Stick the PM and other leaders in a studio one on one with a succession of members of the public on early evening TV.
I hear my name mentioned.... ;-)
Of course Cameron wants it. The question is why do you think it can only be achieved via TV debates? What's wrong with the age-old campaign trail that have seen any number of different government voted in with majorities?
Question asked and answered.
I beg to differ. His opponents will take as much political mileage out of this as is humanly possible, especially during the debates if there's an empty rostrum.
And I don't blame Shapps for propagating the BS excuse across the media.
But I am astonished that ordinary people, who are not being paid to do so, are willing to defend him over this.
It is one of those issues where everybody knows what is going on and it does not reflect well on the PM. In fact it blows a hole in the Miliband is useless theme which seems to constitute the entirety of Tory strategy. Surely the more they can expose Miliband to scrutiny the better.
But he's agreed to debate Garage. So by that reference he's an idiot. The man he's refusing to debate, even before said debate would be borderline illegal, is Ed Milliband.
Some more stuff about the legalities and what's likely to happen next. Cameron could send a rep or it would just be Miliband with the Tory views through the questions. Statement expected hopefully later tonight from broadcasters on how they'll play it.
...which is also covered in the article. As I said earlier, I'd rather he didn't debate anyone. He's nothing to gain by doing so.
Because we never get the chance to pull apart their promises, it feels rehearsed, it feels like we're just being spoonfed the PR machine output and there is no scope to try and catch them on the backheel without someone talking into their ear.
I don't know what is wrong with the age old campaign trail. However, it is Cameron who in the past has spoken so in support of TV debates. Why don't you ask him why he has suddenly changed his mind.
The wriggling and evasion from Craven Dave is a gift to Milliband. He's never seemed more commanding. The Martini line is particularly effective.
Yes.
.....
If he changes his mind it still wont look good.