Being from Northern Ireland originally, I may be a bit biased ( although I DID detest Ben!) but I still reckon Jim is the one to beat as he has the best skills set for a business partner.

1) he can motivate his team - yes it all can come across as quite cheesy but compare his style to Glenn when Leon was freaking out about having to pitch for 20 mins.
2) he is very adept at negotiating - as seen in the purchasing task at the butchers.
3) he can influence people - probably his greatest skill - when he talks the others listen. ( perhaps not so much after this week though!)
4) he can talk well "off the cuff" - he is seen as the person to answer awkward questions. He did this last night and during the apps task.
5) he can step in when others flounder - again see the apps task and the purchasing task.
6) he is creative - his background is marketing and can also sell. For a traditional apprentice big sales is always a winner but it is less important in a business partner.

Overall, I just think he has a wide range of skills. His only real downfall is that he can fight his corner a little too aggressively. However, I quite liked the fact that he DIDN'T turn on Vincent last night - as it shows loyalty.

I think his main rivals will be Helen and Zoe - and if Tom can sort out his Cassandra curse then he might step up. There's no point in being right all the time if no one will listen to you.

These are all one point

I disagree that they are the same point.

Negotiating is dealing with suppliers and potential clients, influencing is having the ability to "be listened to". For example, Gavin was able to negotiate a better price for a material but unable to influence his fellow candidates. Tom and Ellie were also unable to influence but could probably negotiate a good price.

Being able to answer awkward questions is vital in business, otherwise you're stuck looking stupid. He's able to think on his feet.

The fourth point is that he can step in effortlessly when other flounder - a la Vincent during his pitch and do it in such a way that obviously didn't alienate Vincent ( quite the opposite)

His card is marked.....

LS was itching to get at him in the boardroom last night - and fired Vincent for not having the guts to bring him in (witness Natasha's remark on returning to the house when she said "LS said that Vince sacrificed himself for Jim").

First time LS gets him in the final 3 he is in trouble - unless he brings the right people in for the right reasons...

You make a lot of good points and Jim does make compelling viewing. Just as I was looking forward to Stuart Baggs at the interview stage last year, I'm presuming Jim gets to that stage, as that will make great TV, and the producers aren't daft.

The only thing I would say about him not turning on Vincent last night was that he had no need to. Vincent fell on his sword by not taking Jim back to the boardroom with him, and Jim was clearly happy with that (I still think Vincent would have gone anyway).

That would suggest you think if Vincent brought him into the boardroom, Jim would have still stuck by him.

You may have a point there. He could have laid into Vincent as being the one who made the final decision but instead said that it was agreed upon by everyone in the team. But then that could have been said to ensure that Vincent didn't bring him in. Could have been loyalty but also he knows that it looks bad if you suddenly turn on your PM when you know the task is a failure.

At the moment I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt, esp given his reaction to Natasha's harsh but fair comment at the end. He basically said that her contribution was about the same as his, rather than getting ratty and saying he was better than her - something a weaker candidate like vincent would have done.

I think he would have put the blame on Ellie as being a by stander. This is the tact he took several weeks ago when he was threatened with the boardroom. ie: he was a doer and contributor.

Sadly for Ellie, I think she would have gone even if Jim came back. Vincent would have managed to save himself though.

I fail to agree. I feel the only reason that Vincent didn't take Jim in because he knew that Jim would annihilate him in the boardroom, which is completely fair for Jim to do, but I don't think it was out of loyalty.

Unless Jim has a 'road to Damascus' moment and completely changes his way of communicating with others, I think he'll be out at the next opportunity.

I think he was both scared of Jim, as a big threat but also had a bond with him ( as shown on the funny bromance clip on You're Fired).

I think in his heart, he didn't think LS would fire Jim so made a bad error in being tactical. Something LS recognised and punished him for.

BTW, the loyalty I was referring to was more Jim's loyalty to Vincent than Vincent's loyalty to Jim. I think overall Jim has been very clever and has always been very respectful and supportive of his Project Leaders throughout the task eg: had a good rapport with Susan and Ed (?) He knows that trouble makers don't fare well.