I have donated to the Labour party but am not at this moment a member. Without making any political points, one thing I can tell you from the comms and communications I got during the last election and still get now is how impressively slick it all is. And I get the impression the spring is being coiled more tightly as we speak.
I was never a fan of the wrestling, but my brother who is a fair bit younger than me was. I recall taking him to the Docklands Arena and sitting through a fight where the Macho Man Randy Savage had beaten Hulk Hogan to within an inch of his life. Maybe even half an inch. Of course Hogan miraculously recovered and won the fight. Whilst it might not be the most appropriate of anologies politically, Corbyn is very much that Hulk Hogan.
When May called the election, it did make a lot of sense, and the criticism of her was that she should have been focusing on Brexit rather than taking the easy opportunity to destroy the Labour party. At that time I was against Corbyn as I felt he absolutely had no chance of winning power, so what was the point? He was helping the tories. My position changed after actually listening to him during the last election campaign and realising Labour's and his policies aligned closely with my views. I have to admit I have became a bit of a disciple ever since. For me he is a decent, honest bloke who cares about people and his time is coming. He has a great responsibility not to disapoint.
But imagine if somebody had told you in May 2017 that Corbyn is poised to be prime minister. Another interesting fact that was the beginning of the end for May was that the Tories actually got more votes at the last election than they did under Cameron! The Tory vote held up. Corbyn managed to engage people that common wisdom stated it was a waste of time wooing. This in itself has changed politics in this country as much as anything since Margaret Thatcher.
There was pretty much a binary choice at the last election. No significant lib dem or ukip to split the vote and Scotland basically sewn up, give or take a seat or two. People went for the least worst option. Can't see much change at the next election in terms of party votes, guess we have a few years of seeing what happens with the economy, brexit, NHS. I'd be surprised if either party changed leader or policies dramatically any time soon
I respectfully disagree Scotland was sewn up. The SNP lost 21 seats and the Tories came second arguably thanks to all the parties to the left of them splitting the vote. Also the impressive Ruth Davidson and the fact the SNP's mask is slipping as more and more voters realise what a squalid cabal they are.
There was pretty much a binary choice at the last election. No significant lib dem or ukip to split the vote and Scotland basically sewn up, give or take a seat or two. People went for the least worst option. Can't see much change at the next election in terms of party votes, guess we have a few years of seeing what happens with the economy, brexit, NHS. I'd be surprised if either party changed leader or policies dramatically any time soon
That about sums it up for me (aside from @Fiiish point on Scotland). I don't see a huge shift on current election votes. Labour probably need more new voters to really move the tide or another party to eat into the Tory vote, all possible of course but with Corbyn in 2022 being aged 73 time is not on his side and it'd be very much last chance saloon, if he doesn't make it by then the effect on the Labour Party for some years could be catastrophic.
more importantly what are the 70 people a day who bought the Daily Mail on a Virgin train reading now?
There was pretty much a binary choice at the last election. No significant lib dem or ukip to split the vote and Scotland basically sewn up, give or take a seat or two. People went for the least worst option. Can't see much change at the next election in terms of party votes, guess we have a few years of seeing what happens with the economy, brexit, NHS. I'd be surprised if either party changed leader or policies dramatically any time soon
That about sums it up for me (aside from @Fiiish point on Scotland). I don't see a huge shift on current election votes. Labour probably need more new voters to really move the tide or another party to eat into the Tory vote, all possible of course but with Corbyn in 2022 being aged 73 time is not on his side and it'd be very much last chance saloon, if he doesn't make it by then the effect on the Labour Party for some years could be catastrophic.
more importantly what are the 70 people a day who bought the Daily Mail on a Virgin train reading now?
To be fair I only bought it because I was short on toilet paper.
There was pretty much a binary choice at the last election. No significant lib dem or ukip to split the vote and Scotland basically sewn up, give or take a seat or two. People went for the least worst option. Can't see much change at the next election in terms of party votes, guess we have a few years of seeing what happens with the economy, brexit, NHS. I'd be surprised if either party changed leader or policies dramatically any time soon
That about sums it up for me (aside from @Fiiish point on Scotland). I don't see a huge shift on current election votes. Labour probably need more new voters to really move the tide or another party to eat into the Tory vote, all possible of course but with Corbyn in 2022 being aged 73 time is not on his side and it'd be very much last chance saloon, if he doesn't make it by then the effect on the Labour Party for some years could be catastrophic.
more importantly what are the 70 people a day who bought the Daily Mail on a Virgin train reading now?
There was pretty much a binary choice at the last election. No significant lib dem or ukip to split the vote and Scotland basically sewn up, give or take a seat or two. People went for the least worst option. Can't see much change at the next election in terms of party votes, guess we have a few years of seeing what happens with the economy, brexit, NHS. I'd be surprised if either party changed leader or policies dramatically any time soon
Anyway, 2022 will be a Labour landslide. Five more years of enfranchised young people, working-class Tory vote eroded by noticing things like the NHS being in ruins, far-right media more laughable by the day. These fuckers are going to pay.
There was pretty much a binary choice at the last election. No significant lib dem or ukip to split the vote and Scotland basically sewn up, give or take a seat or two. People went for the least worst option. Can't see much change at the next election in terms of party votes, guess we have a few years of seeing what happens with the economy, brexit, NHS. I'd be surprised if either party changed leader or policies dramatically any time soon
Like fuck they did
Really? Glad some people have more faith than I do then
I think there is a decent chance of an election this year. The Tories are split and the only reason May is still prime minister is because she appeases both sides of the Conservative European divide and a leadership election with firm remainers against firm brexiters would cause all sorts of problems. I suspect May doesn't even want the job anymore, she certainly won't lead her party into the next election - but has probably been told that she owes it to the party to try to hold it together. I think that is one of the problems with her leadership, all of her MPs know this and it weakens her authority. It isn't going to get easier with a deal needed to be done by October this year!
There was pretty much a binary choice at the last election. No significant lib dem or ukip to split the vote and Scotland basically sewn up, give or take a seat or two. People went for the least worst option. Can't see much change at the next election in terms of party votes, guess we have a few years of seeing what happens with the economy, brexit, NHS. I'd be surprised if either party changed leader or policies dramatically any time soon
That about sums it up for me (aside from @Fiiish point on Scotland). I don't see a huge shift on current election votes. Labour probably need more new voters to really move the tide or another party to eat into the Tory vote, all possible of course but with Corbyn in 2022 being aged 73 time is not on his side and it'd be very much last chance saloon, if he doesn't make it by then the effect on the Labour Party for some years could be catastrophic.
more importantly what are the 70 people a day who bought the Daily Mail on a Virgin train reading now?
I think there is a decent chance of an election this year. The Tories are split and the only reason May is still prime minister is because she appeases both sides of the Conservative European divide and a leadership election with firm remainers against firm brexiters would cause all sorts of problems. I suspect May doesn't even want the job anymore, she certainly won't lead her party into the next election - but has probably been told that she owes it to the party to try to hold it together. I think that is one of the problems with her leadership, all of her MPs know this and it weakens her authority. It isn't going to get easier with a deal needed to be done by October this year!
Think it's unlikely unless a big fall out with the DUP, the Tories will hang on as long as possible regardless to whether May is at the helm or not although she may well go but I feel she's managed thus far since last years election result I think she'll be here a while longer but time will tell. Don't forget the 'fresh talent' she's just enlisted into the Cabinet
There was pretty much a binary choice at the last election. No significant lib dem or ukip to split the vote and Scotland basically sewn up, give or take a seat or two. People went for the least worst option. Can't see much change at the next election in terms of party votes, guess we have a few years of seeing what happens with the economy, brexit, NHS. I'd be surprised if either party changed leader or policies dramatically any time soon
Like fuck they did
So you think the extra few million who voted conservative did so because they believed they were great rather than least worst?
To be fair (what am I saying?) several Tories have criticised his appointment, such as Sarah Wollaston. They are probably tearing their hair out that any efforts to brand themselves as being about decent "small c" conservative values are undermined by a man who has tweeted so many offensive things, and the resolute defence of him by the Party bigwigs.
There was pretty much a binary choice at the last election. No significant lib dem or ukip to split the vote and Scotland basically sewn up, give or take a seat or two. People went for the least worst option. Can't see much change at the next election in terms of party votes, guess we have a few years of seeing what happens with the economy, brexit, NHS. I'd be surprised if either party changed leader or policies dramatically any time soon
That about sums it up for me (aside from @Fiiish point on Scotland). I don't see a huge shift on current election votes. Labour probably need more new voters to really move the tide or another party to eat into the Tory vote, all possible of course but with Corbyn in 2022 being aged 73 time is not on his side and it'd be very much last chance saloon, if he doesn't make it by then the effect on the Labour Party for some years could be catastrophic.
more importantly what are the 70 people a day who bought the Daily Mail on a Virgin train reading now?
Like ranking my favourite Rocky films or my best ever Charlton goals, my most hated are as follows
1. Johnson, Gove and Rees Mogg tie at number one because it can alternate on a weekly basis which one I think has a face i’d like to slap
2. Priti Patel - I know she’s out the game for the time being but she’s got that air of looking right through you and I can only imagine her over inflated sense of self importance. Her smugness would’ve been at its height over the last few years and although I was pleased she got removed, I’m not looking forward to the day the Tory party runs out of what they consider credible candidates and has to pull her back out the closet and rebrand her - she’s a nasty piece of work imo
3. Redwood - I know you might think it an odd choice but he’s one of these relics that frankly shouldn’t have been allowed out in public past 1998
4. Ester McVey. She will likely rise up the list when she gets above herself in her new role and starts to poison the U.K. with her shite, but for now she’s 4th
Davis, May and Hammond don’t bother me that much. I think May has that evil conservative streak in her like they all do, but she’s taken such a battering over the last 12 months I think she doesn’t bother me that much
I remember seeing one of their party member’s garden parties on Newsnight a few years back, whilst it was their leadership contest. Absolutely my idea of Hell on Earth. If Dante Allegri was alive today I truly believe he’d base the first part of Inferno on an eternal Tory party members summer garden party
Like ranking my favourite Rocky films or my best ever Charlton goals, my most hated are as follows
1. Johnson, Gove and Rees Mogg tie at number one because it can alternate on a weekly basis which one I think has a face i’d like to slap
2. Priti Patel - I know she’s out the game for the time being but she’s got that air of looking right through you and I can only imagine her over inflated sense of self importance. Her smugness would’ve been at its height over the last few years and although I was pleased she got removed, I’m not looking forward to the day the Tory party runs out of what they consider credible candidates and has to pull her back out the closet and rebrand her - she’s a nasty piece of work imo
3. Redwood - I know you might think it an odd choice but he’s one of these relics that frankly shouldn’t have been allowed out in public past 1998
4. Ester McVey. She will likely rise up the list when she gets above herself in her new role and starts to poison the U.K. with her shite, but for now she’s 4th
Davis, May and Hammond don’t bother me that much. I think May has that evil conservative streak in her like they all do, but she’s taken such a battering over the last 12 months I think she doesn’t bother me that much
I remember seeing one of their party member’s garden parties on Newsnight a few years back, whilst it was their leadership contest. Absolutely my idea of Hell on Earth. If Dante Allegri was alive today I truly believe he’d base the first part of Inferno on an eternal Tory party members summer garden party
Can we find a space for Jeremy Hunt and IDS on your list @capybara?
Just watched Newsnight. Kelly Tolhurst, MP for Rochester was on. She is a working class version of Theresa May. Totally clueless when asked questions. You can see that both of them are trying to defend the indefensible and sound vacuous and nervous when confronted with evidence of the real world.
Could do with a bit of fox hunting in my back garden the little blighters, especially the one who likes to lord it over me sitting on the shed roof basking in the sun
Don’t think party membership means a great deal, 95% of voters don’t sign up as members to a given party.
I would normally agree about the membership not being that relevant, but when you have one that has shrunken so and seemingly been abandoned by every demographic under 45, you have to wonder if they are really going to be in tune with choosing a leader and direction that will be relevant at the next election. I only included the comparison in membership because that is how the Radio 4 presenter challenged him. I don't think a lot of the older generation and some on the right really understand why Corbyn exceeded expectations still. They would have to legitimize his platform to explain it and they have spent far too much time and money portraying Corbyn as a terrorist-sympathising, peacenik, Bennite/Marxist wizard.
I can't see how stumbling from on shit-show to another is not going to lasting damage to Tory voter appeal, even with a new leader and rebrand. At what point do they dump May or are we just going to be stuck in this terrible death spiral for the next few years so everyone can blame her for Brexit? The only good thing about her sticking around is the succession of power-hungry candidates ruling themselves out through either ineptitude or indiscretion.
Could do with a bit of fox hunting in my back garden the little blighters, especially the one who likes to lord it over me sitting on the shed roof basking in the sun
Don’t think party membership means a great deal, 95% of voters don’t sign up as members to a given party.
I would normally agree about the membership not being that relevant, but when you have one that has shrunken so and seemingly been abandoned by every demographic under 45, you have to wonder if they are really going to be in tune with choosing a leader and direction that will be relevant at the next election. I only included the comparison in membership because that is how the Radio 4 presenter challenged him. I don't think a lot of the older generation and some on the right really understand why Corbyn exceeded expectations still. They would have to legitimize his platform to explain it and they have spent far too much time and money portraying Corbyn as a terrorist-sympathising, peacenik, Bennite/Marxist wizard.
I can't see how stumbling from on shit-show to another is not going to lasting damage to Tory voter appeal, even with a new leader and rebrand. At what point do they dump May or are we just going to be stuck in this terrible death spiral for the next few years so everyone can blame her for Brexit? The only good thing about her sticking around is the succession of power-hungry candidates ruling themselves out through either ineptitude or indiscretion.
The mention of stumbling from one shit-show to another reminded me of what will be the political highlight of the year. The Trump visit.
Looking forward to seeing how Theresa comes out of that one.
Comments
When May called the election, it did make a lot of sense, and the criticism of her was that she should have been focusing on Brexit rather than taking the easy opportunity to destroy the Labour party. At that time I was against Corbyn as I felt he absolutely had no chance of winning power, so what was the point? He was helping the tories. My position changed after actually listening to him during the last election campaign and realising Labour's and his policies aligned closely with my views. I have to admit I have became a bit of a disciple ever since. For me he is a decent, honest bloke who cares about people and his time is coming. He has a great responsibility not to disapoint.
But imagine if somebody had told you in May 2017 that Corbyn is poised to be prime minister. Another interesting fact that was the beginning of the end for May was that the Tories actually got more votes at the last election than they did under Cameron! The Tory vote held up. Corbyn managed to engage people that common wisdom stated it was a waste of time wooing. This in itself has changed politics in this country as much as anything since Margaret Thatcher.
more importantly what are the 70 people a day who bought the Daily Mail on a Virgin train reading now?
Oh wait, I do! All the time! Ha ha!
Like ranking my favourite Rocky films or my best ever Charlton goals, my most hated are as follows
1. Johnson, Gove and Rees Mogg tie at number one because it can alternate on a weekly basis which one I think has a face i’d like to slap
2. Priti Patel - I know she’s out the game for the time being but she’s got that air of looking right through you and I can only imagine her over inflated sense of self importance. Her smugness would’ve been at its height over the last few years and although I was pleased she got removed, I’m not looking forward to the day the Tory party runs out of what they consider credible candidates and has to pull her back out the closet and rebrand her - she’s a nasty piece of work imo
3. Redwood - I know you might think it an odd choice but he’s one of these relics that frankly shouldn’t have been allowed out in public past 1998
4. Ester McVey. She will likely rise up the list when she gets above herself in her new role and starts to poison the U.K. with her shite, but for now she’s 4th
Davis, May and Hammond don’t bother me that much. I think May has that evil conservative streak in her like they all do, but she’s taken such a battering over the last 12 months I think she doesn’t bother me that much
I remember seeing one of their party member’s garden parties on Newsnight a few years back, whilst it was their leadership contest. Absolutely my idea of Hell on Earth. If Dante Allegri was alive today I truly believe he’d base the first part of Inferno on an eternal Tory party members summer garden party
I can't see how stumbling from on shit-show to another is not going to lasting damage to Tory voter appeal, even with a new leader and rebrand. At what point do they dump May or are we just going to be stuck in this terrible death spiral for the next few years so everyone can blame her for Brexit? The only good thing about her sticking around is the succession of power-hungry candidates ruling themselves out through either ineptitude or indiscretion.
Looking forward to seeing how Theresa comes out of that one.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jan/25/rough-sleeper-numbers-in-england-rise-for-seventh-year-running