British politics

[King Boonen]

Scottish Conservative billboard cars were out and about in Glasgow West End yesterday. I thought they said they weren't campaigning?

 

[Brullnux]

They restart today, guess they wanted a head start.

Katie Hopkins sacked from LBC after calling for a "final solution" after the Manchester attacks. Whether she actually meant genocide is unlikely (not impossible, it's Katie Hopkins) but that was an appalling choice of words.

 

[Avoriaz]

Re:

They restart today, guess they wanted a head start.

Katie Hopkins sacked from LBC after calling for a "final solution" after the Manchester attacks. Whether she actually meant genocide is unlikely (not impossible, it's Katie Hopkins) but that was an appalling choice of words.

She may not have meant it, but she knew exactly what she was doing

 

[Ruby United]

I think all the Lefties, Lib Dem supporters and true Labour supporters here are going to be disappointed when the Tories win with relative ease (though probably not a landslide)
In the actual election campaign so far Labour have, admittedly, been more impressive. Though I ideologically find fault with their manifesto, it does provide a clear alternative for left leaning voters. Furthermore, Corbyn's campaigning is far more impressive than May's.
However, the fact is that the UK will stick with the Tories due to the fact that May successfully stabilized the government after assuming office, preventing a catastrophe.
Furthermore, the UK will certainly want a Tory government dealing with Brexit.
Lastly, over the past year Labour has effectively destroyed itself. It will certainly not get any votes from the electorate who are leaning towards the right, and will have lost a lot of its own supporters. It is definitely impossible for them to cause a hung parliament.
I predict the Tories will gain a few more seat.

 

[Brullnux]

Well, Paxman's lost his touch.

Corbyn very good, May OK until paxman laid into her for a couple of minutes, then he backed off again. She finished off well, because Paxman was convinced his line of questioning was getting somewhere, when it quite clearly wasn't. He also spent half his interview with Corbyn talking about what wasn't in the manifesto, which was entertaining.

 

[ferryman]

Re:

I think all the Lefties, Lib Dem supporters and true Labour supporters here are going to be disappointed when the Tories win with relative ease (though probably not a landslide)
In the actual election campaign so far Labour have, admittedly, been more impressive. Though I ideologically find fault with their manifesto, it does provide a clear alternative for left leaning voters. Furthermore, Corbyn's campaigning is far more impressive than May's.
However, the fact is that the UK will stick with the Tories due to the fact that May successfully stabilized the government after assuming office, preventing a catastrophe.
Furthermore, the UK will certainly want a Tory government dealing with Brexit.
Lastly, over the past year Labour has effectively destroyed itself. It will certainly not get any votes from the electorate who are leaning towards the right, and will have lost a lot of its own supporters. It is definitely impossible for them to cause a hung parliament.
I predict the Tories will gain a few more seat.

I know it's probably a wee bit annoying as Scotland is still part of the UK, but I can guarantee you the vast majority here do not want a Tory government dealing with Brexit, or indeed in power. The Tories will gain seats in Scotland, but not many and as will Labour. But the SNP should still walk away with 45+ out of 59, which is pretty commanding. And why Corbyn has dissed Nicola's soft suggestion for a possible coalition of progressive politics, well I don't understand. Like it or not, the SNP do have some clout in UK politics!!

 

[Jagartrott]

Well...

 

[Brullnux]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/may/30/ridiculed-reviled-resurgent-jeremy-corbyn-bernie-sanders-campaign

An article comparing the parallels between Sanders, and Corbyn. The are clearly some, but there are notable differences: Corbyn is far more invested in foreign policy, and in general further to the left of Sanders. He's also put in a more detailed plan than what Sanders ever did, ever. However, Sanders is probably more likeable and more inspiring, although that may be because Sanders had a 6 month campaign to excel in, and Corbyn, with a 6 month campaign, would have more chance of winning the general because both of them are natural born campaigners.

However, this article was rendered null and void by this statement:
"Sanders, perhaps the only politician in the world to have done this (enthuse working class voters to vote for a left wing cause) at scale"
It's such an incredibly Anglo-centric view of the 'world' its ridiculous. Podemos? Melenchon? Syriza? The left in Portugal? The latter two even won an election! The world is not made up of only those who speak English.

 

[snccdcno]

YouGov going out on a bit of a limb it seems...

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

YouGov going out on a bit of a limb it seems...

Yeah, somehow doubt they are right. They're playing a high risk game. If they're right, then they're the only ones who predicted it and the will become the most reliable pollster of all. if they're wrong, then they look pretty foolish.

but anyway, it's wrong to lead newspaper articles or headlines with polls, which are pretty poor in the UK.

 

[Brullnux]

And Corbyn's blown it

 

[King Boonen]

?

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

?

He struggled today I thought. The questions on Trident will come back to haunt him; I personally agree with his view that it should be scrapped, as it is useless for us to have (as former US ambassador Nancy Soderberg said to us). But the UK population is ridiculously jingoistic when it comes to this. We cling onto a belief that we are so important in the world and this is vital for our defence, when it clearly isn't because Germany afaik hasn't been nuked yet. The UK media and politicians tend to disregard logic when it comes to this issue.

Furthermore, this was his weakest performance so far. He was very good Monday, decent enough on Wednesday (bonus points for turning up) and less good today. It was crucial for him to have his best today to keep the momentum going and have a chance at no10. May on the other hand had one of her stronger outings, better than Monday and far better than Neil's interview (very low bar I know). Completely lacking in empathy and telling straight lies often, but people won't care as what are the chances the media will report it. They'll care about the nuclear weapons thing though. For some reason. I hope I'm wrong, but I see Tories are happier today than other days, and Labour less happy.

 

[ferryman]

Re: Re:

?

He struggled today I thought. The questions on Trident will come back to haunt him; I personally agree with his view that it should be scrapped, as it is useless for us to have (as former US ambassador Nancy Soderberg said to us). But the UK population is ridiculously jingoistic when it comes to this. We cling onto a belief that we are so important in the world and this is vital for our defence, when it clearly isn't because Germany afaik hasn't been nuked yet. The UK media and politicians tend to disregard logic when it comes to this issue.

Furthermore, this was his weakest performance so far. He was very good Monday, decent enough on Wednesday (bonus points for turning up) and less good today. It was crucial for him to have his best today to keep the momentum going and have a chance at no10. May on the other hand had one of her stronger outings, better than Monday and far better than Neil's interview (very low bar I know). Completely lacking in empathy and telling straight lies often, but people won't care as what are the chances the media will report it. They'll care about the nuclear weapons thing though. For some reason. I hope I'm wrong, but I see Tories are happier today than other days, and Labour less happy.

I tend to watch these with one eye Saltire and one eye Labour. Yes, Corbyn struggled with the Trident onslaught but noticeably, it was older guys giving him grief, the young woman got the loudest applause of the debate when she countered before asking her question. Wasn't impressed by May, and I can see why she won't indulge us with a head to head with any of the leaders. She would get ripped. I don't think it is a coincidence that Cameron, whilst PM, was scared shitless to go head to head live with Salmond on Scottish TV during the Indy ref in 2014.

 

[Brullnux]

Maybe I'm just overly pessimistic. I tend to be when I watch these things. I'm the opposite of partisan political commentators who only see what they want to see, whereas I only see what I don't.

 

[Avoriaz]

I find it incredibly depressing that so many are trying to bring a shiny red button to the forefront of discussions, and are using Corbyns response as a weakness. Any fool can say "yes" without considering the consequences. That Corbin does consider the consequences somehow translates as a weakness that I just can't fathom, and am somewhat ashamed of. He did get rattled and was visibly upset at the attitude of the bomb worshippers.

 

[King Boonen]

I didn't watch it, but from what I can work out Corbyn saying he wouldn't preemptively murder hundreds of thousands of people and possibly bring about a nuclear winter is supposedly a bad thing? Are people seriously that mental?

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

I didn't watch it, but from what I can work out Corbyn saying he wouldn't preemptively murder hundreds of thousands of people and possibly bring about a nuclear winter is supposedly a bad thing? Are people seriously that mental?

Yes, probably.

 

[Avoriaz]

Re:

I didn't watch it, but from what I can work out Corbyn saying he wouldn't preemptively murder hundreds of thousands of people and possibly bring about a nuclear winter is supposedly a bad thing? Are people seriously that mental?

It would seem so

 

[Brullnux]

7-7.5 point lead for Tories (average of all polls released today, and taking out the two potential outliers, which doesn't change anything). If it actually ends like this, Theresa May will have called a needless election for personal benefit and a 100+ majority, and has ended up with a similar vote difference to 2015 and maybe 40 more seats at best. Don't Knows could still swing it more in favour of Tories, but if you incorporate the implosion of Ukip and reunification of the right, this has been a complete and utter failure (assuming result is 7 points lead for Cons). May won't stand for re-election in 2022. I'll be surprised if she lasts that long.

 

[ferryman]

Getting depressed by the projected losses by the SNP to the Tories/LibDems here in Scotland. Will still be a landslide but it just simply baffles me (and not in a good way). Where the fook are you Labour!!!! We need you back and fookin soon!!

 

[oldcrank]

Re:

Well...

Yes. Unfortunately, many members of the teachers unions
are just as concerned with indoctrination as education.

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

Well...

Yes. Unfortunately, many members of the teachers unions
are just as concerned with indoctrination as education.

Could the fact that teachers are left wing be because of the continuous cuts that education has felt against other services, and that now per pupil funding is lower than it's ever been? And that they are constantly villainised by the right? And that no Tory ever takes ever takes their advice re free schools, academies and grammar schools? I guess you agree then with Iain Martin's call for a stern reeducation of everyone under 35, so that the Supreme Leader will go unchallenged for ever.

 

[King Boonen]

Re: Re:

Yes, probably.

It would seem so

I really have no idea what to do about that but it seems indicative of how our "me first" society is going.


Horrible events in London yet again lead to a Tory PM calling for utterly mental restrictions and access to the internet.

"It's no longer OK not to understand how the Internet works." Aaron Swartz.

 

[del1962]

Quote from FT Article

Give a blindfolded orang-utan a crayon and the 2010 ballot paper, and she could hardly fail to pick a party to beat anything this election has to offer.

I think this is the worse set of party leaders at elections I can remember, and I can remember all the way back to 1979, worse even than 1983