What's Cameron's game with the TV debates?

[Batcher]

Welfare is not a devolved issue.

ScottishGovernment - News - Comment on Discretionary Housing Payments

Discretionary Housing Payments in Scotland: 1 April 2014 to 31 December 2014, published today, shows that councils made 101,000 awards of Discretionary Housing Payments, with a total value of over £46 million.

Commenting, Housing Minister Margaret Burgess said:

“Discretionary Housing Payments are a lifeline for claimants who need extra help with housing costs or to offset the effects of the bedroom tax, which affects over 70,000 households. Using the new powers coming to Scotland, the Scottish Government will abolish the bedroom tax as soon as possible.

“In the meantime, the Scottish Government is providing £35 million this year, and the same next year, to councils to fully mitigate the bedroom tax. This funding is making a real difference with today’s statistics showing over 100,000 awards have helped people across Scotland avoid arrears or eviction.”

[Batcher]

I can't put up with these imbeciles anymore.

Bye.

Better to leave the politics to the grown-ups anyway

[TheFaQQer]

Because if he forces Wallace out, he might have to face someone competent

Whatever he does with the debates isn't going to force a change of Labour leader.

If he runs away from them, he faces the risk that he'll be portrayed as chicken constantly until the election. Every time the Conservatives try to portray Miliband as too weak to rule, the response will be "if he's so weak, why were you running scared from a debate?"

If he faces Miliband at a meaningful debate and wins enough support to ensure that Labour are shown to be unelectable in the election, then Labour might well change leadership - assuming there are feasible candidates to replace Miliband. If he faces him in a debate and Miliband does well enough to convince enough people that Labour are a credible alternative, then Labour won't have to change leader because they'll be in power.

To suggest that Cameron won't debate Miliband because he's worried that they'll replace him with someone competent seems a tad far fetched, though.

[minestrone]

Craig Murray failed the interview because he would have refused to follow the party whip. The question was merely rhetorical to find out what the candidates would do. The Scottish government has announced an end to the bedroom tax up here.

I just received through my door a flyer from the SNP promising to fight the bedroom tax.

Funny that.