Starmer out of line on Brexit with GE2019 LAB voters – new poll – politicalbetting.com
The above finding is from a new voting survey out from new pollster, Techne UK, that like other recent polls finds a drop in the LAB share. It has LAB 39% -2, CON 34% +1, LD 10%+ GRN 6% =.
If the next election somehow becomes about Brexit - then Starmer will have a tough time of it.
My hope is that the people's voters have maybe learned from their mistakes, and will accept a Labour govt as a necessary precondition to having a discussion about rejoining.
But if they kick up a fuss about Brexit again, then we will certainly not rejoin and will probably have a Tory govt for another decade.
But it's the right policy. What's he supposed to do - put up a bad policy and try to justify something he doesn't believe in?
Those who imagine we are rejoining the EU are deluded. The EU wouldn't let us back in, and even if they did it would be on much worse terms than we previously enjoyed.
It's over. Forget it. Starmer is right to move the Party on.
But it's the right policy. What's he supposed to do - put up a bad policy and try to justify something he doesn't believe in?
Those who imagine we are rejoining the EU are deluded. The EU wouldn't let us back in, and even if they did it would be on much worse terms than we previously enjoyed.
It's over. Forget it. Starmer is right to move the Party on.
Spot on. Presumably they'd want some form of guarantee we wouldn't be off again at the next election? We wouldn't be able to make any such commitment.
If the next election somehow becomes about Brexit - then Starmer will have a tough time of it.
My hope is that the people's voters have maybe learned from their mistakes, and will accept a Labour govt as a necessary precondition to having a discussion about rejoining.
But if they kick up a fuss about Brexit again, then we will certainly not rejoin and will probably have a Tory govt for another decade.
There are enough tory mistakes that Brexit won't be an issue.
And even if it is - the issue won't be Brexit it's going to be Brexit as a proxy for levelling up which the Tories have simply failed to do.
All Labour need to do is introduce a decent investment policy (and tell the Treasury to butt out because infrastructure projects are long term for multiple reasons including skill retention) and watch the Tories squirm as they try to address it having failed to deliver.
But it's the right policy. What's he supposed to do - put up a bad policy and try to justify something he doesn't believe in?
Those who imagine we are rejoining the EU are deluded. The EU wouldn't let us back in, and even if they did it would be on much worse terms than we previously enjoyed.
It's over. Forget it. Starmer is right to move the Party on.
No, you’re wrong. There may be a window in the late 20s (Starmer’s presumed term as PM) when it might be done. As in: Rejoin.
Imagine. The economy is tanking. Migration has plunged. Trade is still suffering. Suddenly Rejoin looks tempting to 65% of the population? What right-minded politician would ignore that?
It’s not probable but it’s far from impossible
It also solves ongoing Irish problems and shoots dead any indyref2
Starmer should finesse his position. ‘No one wants to talk about Brexit now, we need to focus on making life better for blah blah’. Sound brexity but keep options open
After about 2030 we will be so distant from the EU Rejoin will be impossible. You can already feel the Channel widening
Johnson is obviously going to try and wedge Starmer over Brexit with Redwall smoothbrains at the next GE. The Conservative campaign is going to be one of Labour Betrays Brexit so Starmer is positioning Labour ahead of that.
Rejoin isn't going to happen (except for Scotland and the Six Counties) but it'll be a gradual reintegration via EEA/EFTA but slowly so people who wear tracksuits instead of normal clothes don't really notice.
But it's the right policy. What's he supposed to do - put up a bad policy and try to justify something he doesn't believe in?
Those who imagine we are rejoining the EU are deluded. The EU wouldn't let us back in, and even if they did it would be on much worse terms than we previously enjoyed.
It's over. Forget it. Starmer is right to move the Party on.
Indeed and as time goes on we're only going to diverge further and further from the EU.
We are now in the final phase of trade talks for accession to the CPTPP, which once we join would be a larger trade bloc than even the European Union which would no longer be even in the top 3 trade zones in the world anymore. Plus the CPTPP is much faster growing and has more growth potential too.
To rejoin the EU would mean not just reversing our decision (and convincing them to let us back in) but accepting much worse terms and also reversing all the benefits we accrue from divergence as time goes on.
But it's the right policy. What's he supposed to do - put up a bad policy and try to justify something he doesn't believe in?
Those who imagine we are rejoining the EU are deluded. The EU wouldn't let us back in, and even if they did it would be on much worse terms than we previously enjoyed.
It's over. Forget it. Starmer is right to move the Party on.
No, you’re wrong. There may be a window in the late 20s (Starmer’s presumed term as PM) when it might be done. As in: Rejoin.
Imagine. The economy is tanking. Migration has plunged. Trade is still suffering. Suddenly Rejoin looks tempting to 65% of the population? What right-minded politician would ignore that?
It’s not probable but it’s far from impossible
It also solves ongoing Irish problems and shoots dead any indyref2
Starmer should finesse his position. ‘No one wants to talk about Brexit now, we need to focus on making life better for blah blah’. Sound brexity but keep options open
After about 2030 we will be so distant from the EU Rejoin will be impossible. You can already feel the Channel widening
Well, well, well. A sensible post from Leon. Apart from the last sentence!
Now where have I heard that before?
And cosying up to Indonesia and Japan makes little sense, environmentally.
But it's the right policy. What's he supposed to do - put up a bad policy and try to justify something he doesn't believe in?
Those who imagine we are rejoining the EU are deluded. The EU wouldn't let us back in, and even if they did it would be on much worse terms than we previously enjoyed.
It's over. Forget it. Starmer is right to move the Party on.
No, you’re wrong. There may be a window in the late 20s (Starmer’s presumed term as PM) when it might be done. As in: Rejoin.
Imagine. The economy is tanking. Migration has plunged. Trade is still suffering. Suddenly Rejoin looks tempting to 65% of the population? What right-minded politician would ignore that?
It’s not probable but it’s far from impossible
It also solves ongoing Irish problems and shoots dead any indyref2
Starmer should finesse his position. ‘No one wants to talk about Brexit now, we need to focus on making life better for blah blah’. Sound brexity but keep options open
After about 2030 we will be so distant from the EU Rejoin will be impossible. You can already feel the Channel widening
You think Rejoin (meaning joining the euro and Schengen) will ever be tempting to 65% of the population? No matter how bad the economy gets, that feels like a stretch.
But it's the right policy. What's he supposed to do - put up a bad policy and try to justify something he doesn't believe in?
Those who imagine we are rejoining the EU are deluded. The EU wouldn't let us back in, and even if they did it would be on much worse terms than we previously enjoyed.
It's over. Forget it. Starmer is right to move the Party on.
Agree. Just to add, Remainers/Rejoiners may be disappointed in Starmer's sensible stance, but how will that affect their actual vote? They're hardly going to vote Tory if they want to reverse Brexit. So I don't see this having much impact come the next GE.
Starmer he does not need to bother what 2019 Labour voters think about his Brexit policy, as most of them will vote Labour anyway or at most go Green in safe Labour seats. Starmer needs to worry what voters in the redwall seats which the Tories won from Labour in 2019 think about Brexit and most of them voted Leave and do not want to rejoin the EU. Without regaining most of those redwall seats Starmer has zero chance of becoming PM.
The LDs can get away with a rejoin stance, as most of their target seats are Tory Remain seats in the South, Labour cannot get away with a rejoin stance as most of their target seats are Tory Leave seats in the North, Wales and the Midlands. Starmer might support closer alignment to the EEA and CU, he will not support rejoin the EU or EEA and full free movement again because of the redwall
For Starmer he does not need to bother what 2019 Labour voters think about his Brexit policy, as most of them will vote Labour anyway or at most go Green in safe Labour seats. Starmer needs to worry what voters in the redwall seats which the Tories won from Labour in 2019 think about Brexit and most of them voted Leave and do not want to rejoin the EU. Without regaining most of those redwall seats Starmer has zero chance of becoming PM.
The LDs can get away with a rejoin stance, as most of their target seats are Tory Remain seats in the South, Labour cannot get away with a rejoin stance as most of their target seats are Tory Leave seats in the North, Wales and the Midlands. Starmer might support closer alignment to the EEA and CU, he will not support rejoin the EU or EEA and full free movement again because of the redwall
I'm pretty sure the LDs have ruled out rejoin for the forseeable future as well and I would now argue that they are more likely to win back 58% leave seats like Eastbourne and Carshalton and Wallington where they are still strong locally than remain voting Tory seats with larger majorities.
Labour's stance on Brexit is fine. As a Labour supporter I'd be more concerned about what Labour has said on drug offenders and shoot to kill etc (i.e. the worst elements of 2005-10 New Labour).
But it's the right policy. What's he supposed to do - put up a bad policy and try to justify something he doesn't believe in?
Those who imagine we are rejoining the EU are deluded. The EU wouldn't let us back in, and even if they did it would be on much worse terms than we previously enjoyed.
It's over. Forget it. Starmer is right to move the Party on.
No, you’re wrong. There may be a window in the late 20s (Starmer’s presumed term as PM) when it might be done. As in: Rejoin.
Imagine. The economy is tanking. Migration has plunged. Trade is still suffering. Suddenly Rejoin looks tempting to 65% of the population? What right-minded politician would ignore that?
It’s not probable but it’s far from impossible
It also solves ongoing Irish problems and shoots dead any indyref2
Starmer should finesse his position. ‘No one wants to talk about Brexit now, we need to focus on making life better for blah blah’. Sound brexity but keep options open
After about 2030 we will be so distant from the EU Rejoin will be impossible. You can already feel the Channel widening
You need to get rid of the single currency issue first. That wall is so high at moment we are never rejoining.
I have three red lines when it comes to the next election.
1. Not going to vote for Boris in any way, shape or form. 2. Won't vote for a party that tries to dilute the TCA or move closer to the EU or rejoin. 3. Won't vote for a party that doesn't support women's rights properly.
I have three red lines when it comes to the next election.
1. Not going to vote for Boris in any way, shape or form. 2. Won't vote for a party that tries to dilute the TCA or move closer to the EU or rejoin. 3. Won't vote for a party that doesn't support women's rights properly.
I don't know who will fit that bill.
You look a perfect voter for Tice's ReformUK party, it ticks all 3 boxes!
But it's the right policy. What's he supposed to do - put up a bad policy and try to justify something he doesn't believe in?
Those who imagine we are rejoining the EU are deluded. The EU wouldn't let us back in, and even if they did it would be on much worse terms than we previously enjoyed.
It's over. Forget it. Starmer is right to move the Party on.
No, you’re wrong. There may be a window in the late 20s (Starmer’s presumed term as PM) when it might be done. As in: Rejoin.
Imagine. The economy is tanking. Migration has plunged. Trade is still suffering. Suddenly Rejoin looks tempting to 65% of the population? What right-minded politician would ignore that?
It’s not probable but it’s far from impossible
It also solves ongoing Irish problems and shoots dead any indyref2
Starmer should finesse his position. ‘No one wants to talk about Brexit now, we need to focus on making life better for blah blah’. Sound brexity but keep options open
After about 2030 we will be so distant from the EU Rejoin will be impossible. You can already feel the Channel widening
You think Rejoin (meaning joining the euro and Schengen) will ever be tempting to 65% of the population? No matter how bad the economy gets, that feels like a stretch.
Remember the EU is in perpetual existential crisis, by its nature. They might be so desperate for the positive boost of Bregret and Bre-entrance they offer the exact same deal. Quite possible. Plus we bring money, london, fish, finance, universities, English language, media, global connections
In fact I’d say regaining the UK - presumably forever - is the ultimate victory for the EU now. Getting Moldova, Serbia, Turkey are not so appealing, at all
I have three red lines when it comes to the next election.
1. Not going to vote for Boris in any way, shape or form. 2. Won't vote for a party that tries to dilute the TCA or move closer to the EU or rejoin. 3. Won't vote for a party that doesn't support women's rights properly.
I don't know who will fit that bill.
You look a perfect voter for Tice's ReformUK party, it ticks all 3 boxes!
For Starmer he does not need to bother what 2019 Labour voters think about his Brexit policy, as most of them will vote Labour anyway or at most go Green in safe Labour seats. Starmer needs to worry what voters in the redwall seats which the Tories won from Labour in 2019 think about Brexit and most of them voted Leave and do not want to rejoin the EU. Without regaining most of those redwall seats Starmer has zero chance of becoming PM.
The LDs can get away with a rejoin stance, as most of their target seats are Tory Remain seats in the South, Labour cannot get away with a rejoin stance as most of their target seats are Tory Leave seats in the North, Wales and the Midlands. Starmer might support closer alignment to the EEA and CU, he will not support rejoin the EU or EEA and full free movement again because of the redwall
I'm pretty sure the LDs have ruled out rejoin for the forseeable future as well and I would now argue that they are more likely to win back 58% leave seats like Eastbourne and Carshalton and Wallington where they are still strong locally than remain voting Tory seats with larger majorities.
Labour's stance on Brexit is fine. As a Labour supporter I'd be more concerned about what Labour has said on drug offenders and shoot to kill etc (i.e. the worst elements of 2005-10 New Labour).
Davey has ruled out rejoin for now but I can certainly see the LDs backing EEA.
Wimbledon is a Tory Remain seat higher up on the LD target list than Carshalton and Wallington. Cheltenham, Winchester, Cambridgeshire South, Esher and Walton, Lewes and Guildford are also Tory Remain seats the LDs are targeting with smaller Tory majorities than Eastbourne now. http://www.electionpolling.co.uk/battleground/targets/liberal-democrat
It’s getting serious out there now. Several flying objects have hit the side of the house already.
I only just rescued the chairs off the terrace - “nicely weighed down” I thought, then as soon as one tipped a weight off it took off. All safely inside now. The irony is it’s lovely and sunny. I may get a pic at high tide.
Over Brexit aftermath (which will go on for decades, just as the development of EU went on for decades and continues) there are three SKS questions which need to be carefully distinguished and are all interesting:
1) With what post-Brexit policy or non policy can Lab/centre left win an election
and
2) What in fact the Lab/centre left coalition's optimal actions and policies would be if they formed a government
and
3) What would they actually do in government
My answer to (2) is EFTA and to (1) and (3) is not a clue. Thoughts?
I have three red lines when it comes to the next election.
1. Not going to vote for Boris in any way, shape or form. 2. Won't vote for a party that tries to dilute the TCA or move closer to the EU or rejoin. 3. Won't vote for a party that doesn't support women's rights properly.
I don't know who will fit that bill.
You supported Britain remaining in the EEA during the referendum, which needless to say is a much weaker form of Brexit than the TCA.
I have three red lines when it comes to the next election.
1. Not going to vote for Boris in any way, shape or form. 2. Won't vote for a party that tries to dilute the TCA or move closer to the EU or rejoin. 3. Won't vote for a party that doesn't support women's rights properly.
I don't know who will fit that bill.
You look a perfect voter for Tice's ReformUK party, it ticks all 3 boxes!
Yet that seems extremely unlikely.
Well stop complaining then, there is a party that meets your criteria so you can't complain you don't have any choice. RefUK even opposed the NI rise you also were against
A favourite PB meme is that the SNP are going to be over a barrel when it comes to a minority Starmer government, forced to keep them in power else Scotch voters will turn back to their natural preference of a lovely progressive Lab government. I wonder which policy spasm will provide that 1979 moment, shoot to kill people who look a bit terroristy, naming and shaming drug users or enshrining in the constitution that the UK will never return to the EU?
There’s a saying in aviation, that it’s better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, than being in the air and wishing you were on the ground!
On Ukraine, it does seem like the US/UK have played a blinder on the information war. Putin is damned if he does invade and damned if he doesn't invade. Finally, after a decade or so, the west have started to wise up to how to deal with his regime. What would be nice to see is a bit more hard power on the eastern border, rather than the endless pathetic attempts at 'dialogue'. None of this will stop military conflict, but the reality is that the area has been in conflict since 2014, and the west in 'retreat'. Like dealing with any bully, it will only be bought to an end by confrontation, running away or pacification is not an option.
I agree with most of this, apart from the "rather than". Speak softly / big stick.
Every time the west tries to deal to his regime they respond by some form of humiliating put down. The reality is that they only respect hard power, and this should be the basis of future 'dialogue'.
It’s only a humiliating put down if you treat it as such.
For example in Truss / Lavrov, Truss was foolish and Lavrov a wanker. I don’t think that was a “humiliating put down” or told us anything we didn’t already know.
Humiliating put-downs at one chunk of the West are an attempt at a wedge.
A favourite PB meme is that the SNP are going to be over a barrel when it comes to a minority Starmer government, forced to keep them in power else Scotch voters will turn back to their natural preference of a lovely progressive Lab government. I wonder which policy spasm will provide that 1979 moment, shoot to kill people who look a bit terroristy, naming and shaming drug users or enshrining in the constitution that the UK will never return to the EU?
Even Glasgow is not exactly full of people who want a soft approach to crime. I would expect Rayner's comments this morning will go down worse in North London and Oxford than they will in most of Scotland
A favourite PB meme is that the SNP are going to be over a barrel when it comes to a minority Starmer government, forced to keep them in power else Scotch voters will turn back to their natural preference of a lovely progressive Lab government. I wonder which policy spasm will provide that 1979 moment, shoot to kill people who look a bit terroristy, naming and shaming drug users or enshrining in the constitution that the UK will never return to the EU?
The Tories would be probably generally support Labour on foreign policy, defence, and security votes (unless it involved moving closer to the EU in some way). Given the SNP's *official* policy is to abstain on devolved matters, it's mainly going to be economic issues Labour would need the SNP to avoid opposing them on. He probably wouldn't be able do anything too radical (which likely will be piss off the Corbynites), but Starmer would probably get through most of the policies he'd want to enact in a hung parliament.
I have three red lines when it comes to the next election.
1. Not going to vote for Boris in any way, shape or form. 2. Won't vote for a party that tries to dilute the TCA or move closer to the EU or rejoin. 3. Won't vote for a party that doesn't support women's rights properly.
I don't know who will fit that bill.
You look a perfect voter for Tice's ReformUK party, it ticks all 3 boxes!
Yet that seems extremely unlikely.
Well stop complaining then, there is a party that meets your criteria so you can't complain you don't have any choice. RefUK even opposed the NI rise you also were against
Many tories have Max's mindset, I suspect. They cling to the notion that, in the end, the tories will see the light. Someone will have a word and they will ditch net zero, cut taxes, slash regulation, start fracking and sort immigration.
Interesting local by elections yesterday, Tories , Lib Dems crashing, is it the effect of Ukraine, War and rallying behind the government. The Blue Wall and the PM suddenly look very secure! Be interesting to see what the Lib Dems make of this, all going pear shaped for them in one week. They must regret not fighting Southend West and the impetus that would have supplied.
In that particular case I'd say that the roots on the windward side look to be constrained, and I wonder if road works have restricted them and reduced the tenacity.
The rootball does not seem to have lifted any part of the pavement - just up to the wall.
Can anyone identify the species? I might say a type of the fir that they have on the coast at Poole Harbour. Long branches with bunches of leaves at the ends looks very distinctive.
But it's the right policy. What's he supposed to do - put up a bad policy and try to justify something he doesn't believe in?
Those who imagine we are rejoining the EU are deluded. The EU wouldn't let us back in, and even if they did it would be on much worse terms than we previously enjoyed.
It's over. Forget it. Starmer is right to move the Party on.
No, you’re wrong. There may be a window in the late 20s (Starmer’s presumed term as PM) when it might be done. As in: Rejoin.
Imagine. The economy is tanking. Migration has plunged. Trade is still suffering. Suddenly Rejoin looks tempting to 65% of the population? What right-minded politician would ignore that?
It’s not probable but it’s far from impossible
It also solves ongoing Irish problems and shoots dead any indyref2
Starmer should finesse his position. ‘No one wants to talk about Brexit now, we need to focus on making life better for blah blah’. Sound brexity but keep options open
After about 2030 we will be so distant from the EU Rejoin will be impossible. You can already feel the Channel widening
You think Rejoin (meaning joining the euro and Schengen) will ever be tempting to 65% of the population? No matter how bad the economy gets, that feels like a stretch.
Remember the EU is in perpetual existential crisis, by its nature. They might be so desperate for the positive boost of Bregret and Bre-entrance they offer the exact same deal. Quite possible. Plus we bring money, london, fish, finance, universities, English language, media, global connections
In fact I’d say regaining the UK - presumably forever - is the ultimate victory for the EU now. Getting Moldova, Serbia, Turkey are not so appealing, at all
No offence but you're quite divorced from reality here.
The French are quite content to have the UK as an old enemy across the water that they can pick fights with, plus we constantly opposed their ambitions in the EU and now we're not doing that anymore.
EU accession might suit some EU bigwigs but it requires unanimity. The French would unambiguously respond "Non" to any English/British EU accession request in the foreseeable future. The likes of Macron would delight in following in De Gaulle, and there's a heavy French line of thought that De Gaulle's successors allowing Britain into the EEC was a terrible mistake.
Interesting local by elections yesterday, Tories , Lib Dems crashing, is it the effect of Ukraine, War and rallying behind the government. The Blue Wall and the PM suddenly look very secure! Be interesting to see what the Lib Dems make of this, all going pear shaped for them in one week. They must regret not fighting Southend West and the impetus that would have supplied.
But it's the right policy. What's he supposed to do - put up a bad policy and try to justify something he doesn't believe in?
Those who imagine we are rejoining the EU are deluded. The EU wouldn't let us back in, and even if they did it would be on much worse terms than we previously enjoyed.
It's over. Forget it. Starmer is right to move the Party on.
Spot on. Presumably they'd want some form of guarantee we wouldn't be off again at the next election? We wouldn't be able to make any such commitment.
The only way we rejoin the EU is if Article 50 is repealed (for us at least). In means in - until the heat death of the Universe.
I have three red lines when it comes to the next election.
1. Not going to vote for Boris in any way, shape or form. 2. Won't vote for a party that tries to dilute the TCA or move closer to the EU or rejoin. 3. Won't vote for a party that doesn't support women's rights properly.
I don't know who will fit that bill.
You look a perfect voter for Tice's ReformUK party, it ticks all 3 boxes!
Yet that seems extremely unlikely.
Well stop complaining then, there is a party that meets your criteria so you can't complain you don't have any choice. RefUK even opposed the NI rise you also were against
Tice's joke of a 'party' is not a real party to anyone but you it seems. As much as you try and big them up.
My thinking is very much along the lines of Max's too, on all 4 of his point (including the 3 plus not RefUK).
But it's the right policy. What's he supposed to do - put up a bad policy and try to justify something he doesn't believe in?
Those who imagine we are rejoining the EU are deluded. The EU wouldn't let us back in, and even if they did it would be on much worse terms than we previously enjoyed.
It's over. Forget it. Starmer is right to move the Party on.
No, you’re wrong. There may be a window in the late 20s (Starmer’s presumed term as PM) when it might be done. As in: Rejoin.
Imagine. The economy is tanking. Migration has plunged. Trade is still suffering. Suddenly Rejoin looks tempting to 65% of the population? What right-minded politician would ignore that?
It’s not probable but it’s far from impossible
It also solves ongoing Irish problems and shoots dead any indyref2
Starmer should finesse his position. ‘No one wants to talk about Brexit now, we need to focus on making life better for blah blah’. Sound brexity but keep options open
After about 2030 we will be so distant from the EU Rejoin will be impossible. You can already feel the Channel widening
Speaking as a Remainer it would be a terrible mistake to rejoin the EU from a position of weakness. It would only lead to a renewed push to leave again once the country had regained some confidence.
If we sort ourselves out while outside the EU then we can negotiate from a position of strength. I'd rather negotiate a genuine Union between Britain and the EU, rather than simply us joining their club. That can't happen from a position of weakness.
The roof of my conservatory is broken at the corner and is lifting in the strong gusts - I am worried the whole thing is going to lift off
Good luck. I've lost a roof before & it's not fun.
You could always live stream it, though ? Seems to be a market for it.
The loud bang that I thought was something hitting the side of it was one of the PVC roof beams breaking. Even if it gets no worse that’s going to be a bugger of a repair as it’s built on stilts sticking out from the hillside.
But it's the right policy. What's he supposed to do - put up a bad policy and try to justify something he doesn't believe in?
Those who imagine we are rejoining the EU are deluded. The EU wouldn't let us back in, and even if they did it would be on much worse terms than we previously enjoyed.
It's over. Forget it. Starmer is right to move the Party on.
No, you’re wrong. There may be a window in the late 20s (Starmer’s presumed term as PM) when it might be done. As in: Rejoin.
Imagine. The economy is tanking. Migration has plunged. Trade is still suffering. Suddenly Rejoin looks tempting to 65% of the population? What right-minded politician would ignore that?
It’s not probable but it’s far from impossible
It also solves ongoing Irish problems and shoots dead any indyref2
Starmer should finesse his position. ‘No one wants to talk about Brexit now, we need to focus on making life better for blah blah’. Sound brexity but keep options open
After about 2030 we will be so distant from the EU Rejoin will be impossible. You can already feel the Channel widening
Speaking as a Remainer it would be a terrible mistake to rejoin the EU from a position of weakness. It would only lead to a renewed push to leave again once the country had regained some confidence.
If we sort ourselves out while outside the EU then we can negotiate from a position of strength. I'd rather negotiate a genuine Union between Britain and the EU, rather than simply us joining their club. That can't happen from a position of weakness.
"Not in the next Parliament" is all that Starmer needs to say.
Starmer has to defang Brexit as an election issue, because he has to win over some of the 84% of Tory 2019 voters who agree with his latest statement.
His hope will be that he can keep irreconcilable Remainers on board by promising to cooperate with Europe, rather than grandstand and pick fights.
Yes, I'm an Rejoiner in principle and might have said "No" too to that very hardline statement that there is "no case", but I do see that of course we're not going to rejoin in the next Parliament, and Starmer absolutely has to nail that down. I think most Rejoiners will feel the same way.
I see he's going to make a speech definitively distancing himself from previous manifestos and commitments net week, which will no doubt annoy some of us Corbynites further, but to be honest the same applies there. If Starmer said "We might still renationalise water" I wouldn't believe it, and I'd rather he was honest about what we will do without trying to flirt with all sides.
The CLP has a guest talk from John McDonnell on Thursday (we are eclectic - had Jess Phillips recently putting a no-nonsense centrist view). Will be interesting to see what he makes of it.
A favourite PB meme is that the SNP are going to be over a barrel when it comes to a minority Starmer government, forced to keep them in power else Scotch voters will turn back to their natural preference of a lovely progressive Lab government. I wonder which policy spasm will provide that 1979 moment, shoot to kill people who look a bit terroristy, naming and shaming drug users or enshrining in the constitution that the UK will never return to the EU?
The Tories would be probably generally support Labour on foreign policy, defence, and security votes (unless it involved moving closer to the EU in some way). Given the SNP's *official* policy is to abstain on devolved matters, it's mainly going to be economic issues Labour would need the SNP to avoid opposing them on. He probably wouldn't be able do anything too radical (which likely will be piss off the Corbynites), but Starmer would probably get through most of the policies he'd want to enact in a hung parliament.
It might get interesting if Lab feels the need to do some tough on benefit scroungers positioning.
Starmer has to defang Brexit as an election issue, because he has to win over some of the 84% of Tory 2019 voters who agree with his latest statement.
His hope will be that he can keep irreconcilable Remainers on board by promising to cooperate with Europe, rather than grandstand and pick fights.
Yes, I'm an Rejoiner in principle and might have said "No" too to that very hardline statement that there is "no case", but I do see that of course we're not going to rejoin in the next Parliament, and Starmer absolutely has to nail that down. I think most Rejoiners will feel the same way.
I see he's going to make a speech definitively distancing himself from previous manifestos and commitments net week, which will no doubt annoy some of us Corbynites further, but to be honest the same applies there. If Starmer said "We might still renationalise water" I wouldn't believe it, and I'd rather he was honest about what we will do without trying to flirt with all sides.
The CLP has a guest talk from John McDonnell on Thursday (we are eclectic - had Jess Phillips recently putting a no-nonsense centrist view). Will be interesting to see what he makes of it.
JM's take on Ukraine will be interesting.
They read out a message from him at the Stop the War Coalition meeting.
Starmer has to defang Brexit as an election issue, because he has to win over some of the 84% of Tory 2019 voters who agree with his latest statement.
His hope will be that he can keep irreconcilable Remainers on board by promising to cooperate with Europe, rather than grandstand and pick fights.
Yes, I'm an Rejoiner in principle and might have said "No" too to that very hardline statement that there is "no case", but I do see that of course we're not going to rejoin in the next Parliament, and Starmer absolutely has to nail that down. I think most Rejoiners will feel the same way.
I see he's going to make a speech definitively distancing himself from previous manifestos and commitments net week, which will no doubt annoy some of us Corbynites further, but to be honest the same applies there. If Starmer said "We might still renationalise water" I wouldn't believe it, and I'd rather he was honest about what we will do without trying to flirt with all sides.
The CLP has a guest talk from John McDonnell on Thursday (we are eclectic - had Jess Phillips recently putting a no-nonsense centrist view). Will be interesting to see what he makes of it.
There is no money to renationalise anything. Starmer may well be battling a full blown currency crisis if he wins in 2024.
The roof of my conservatory is broken at the corner and is lifting in the strong gusts - I am worried the whole thing is going to lift off
Good luck. I've lost a roof before & it's not fun.
You could always live stream it, though ? Seems to be a market for it.
The loud bang that I thought was something hitting the side of it was one of the PVC roof beams breaking. Even if it gets no worse that’s going to be a bugger of a repair as it’s built on stilts sticking out from the hillside.
Sorry to hear this. Keep safe.
Getting very very blustery now here in the north midlands.
The roof of my conservatory is broken at the corner and is lifting in the strong gusts - I am worried the whole thing is going to lift off
Good luck. I've lost a roof before & it's not fun.
You could always live stream it, though ? Seems to be a market for it.
The loud bang that I thought was something hitting the side of it was one of the PVC roof beams breaking. Even if it gets no worse that’s going to be a bugger of a repair as it’s built on stilts sticking out from the hillside.
Commiserations. When it happened to me it was Hurricane Hugo on my honeymoon...
There's that Sherlock Holmes line about "eliminate the impossible; whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Utter tosh outside the puzzle piece world of detective fiction. The trouble the UK has is that pretty much every option looks, if not impossible, implausible.
Staus quo is implausible- a hefty majority think Brexit is going badly, a comfy plurality think it's a mistake, a significant minority would rejoin tomorrow given a chance. In democratic politics (unlike family mis-planning), we seek to reverse mistakes.
A Brexit on top of the Brexit is implausible- it does nothing to solve the actual problems.
Full-fat rejoin is implausible- partly because of Schengen and the Euro, partly because of the mutual lack of trust, partly because Brexit is all some Boomers have achieved in their lives and they are desperate to protect their legacy.
EEA, even EEA-alike, is implausible- it's one thing for Norway (population 5 million) to give up its direct political input to have more independent action. The idea that the UK (population 70 million) could do the same and not experience it as an embarassment is for the birds. Whatever it is, it's not Taking Back Control.
And yet, once the Hannan fantasy of the UK leading some other like-minded nations out of the EU (with the UK leading, natch), those are basically the full spectrum of options. All of them are implausible to impossible, and yet one of them (or something like them) has to happen next.
In that particular case I'd say that the roots on the windward side look to be constrained, and I wonder if road works have restricted them and reduced the tenacity.
The rootball does not seem to have lifted any part of the pavement - just up to the wall.
Can anyone identify the species? I might say a type of the fir that they have on the coast at Poole Harbour. Long branches with bunches of leaves at the ends looks very distinctive.
Starmer has to defang Brexit as an election issue, because he has to win over some of the 84% of Tory 2019 voters who agree with his latest statement.
His hope will be that he can keep irreconcilable Remainers on board by promising to cooperate with Europe, rather than grandstand and pick fights.
Yes, I'm an Rejoiner in principle and might have said "No" too to that very hardline statement that there is "no case", but I do see that of course we're not going to rejoin in the next Parliament, and Starmer absolutely has to nail that down. I think most Rejoiners will feel the same way.
I see he's going to make a speech definitively distancing himself from previous manifestos and commitments net week, which will no doubt annoy some of us Corbynites further, but to be honest the same applies there. If Starmer said "We might still renationalise water" I wouldn't believe it, and I'd rather he was honest about what we will do without trying to flirt with all sides.
The CLP has a guest talk from John McDonnell on Thursday (we are eclectic - had Jess Phillips recently putting a no-nonsense centrist view). Will be interesting to see what he makes of it.
JM's take on Ukraine will be interesting.
They read out a message from him at the Stop the War Coalition meeting.
The second paragraph seems like it disproves the first.
In that particular case I'd say that the roots on the windward side look to be constrained, and I wonder if road works have restricted them and reduced the tenacity.
The rootball does not seem to have lifted any part of the pavement - just up to the wall.
Can anyone identify the species? I might say a type of the fir that they have on the coast at Poole Harbour. Long branches with bunches of leaves at the ends looks very distinctive.
Over Brexit aftermath (which will go on for decades, just as the development of EU went on for decades and continues) there are three SKS questions which need to be carefully distinguished and are all interesting:
1) With what post-Brexit policy or non policy can Lab/centre left win an election
and
2) What in fact the Lab/centre left coalition's optimal actions and policies would be if they formed a government
and
3) What would they actually do in government
My answer to (2) is EFTA and to (1) and (3) is not a clue. Thoughts?
I doubt Labour will dabble in any EFTA-type stuff for many years - long after Starmer has gone. It would just be too easy for their opponents to spin it as a 'betrayal of Brexit'. In fact, it will probably be a Tory successor to Boris who attempts to rebuild our links with Europe first. But Farage, the Spartans etc. need to be well out of the way, and the abject failure of Boris Brexit unanimously agreed (it isn't just yet but getting there).
There's that Sherlock Holmes line about "eliminate the impossible; whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Utter tosh outside the puzzle piece world of detective fiction. The trouble the UK has is that pretty much every option looks, if not impossible, implausible.
Staus quo is implausible- a hefty majority think Brexit is going badly, a comfy plurality think it's a mistake, a significant minority would rejoin tomorrow given a chance. In democratic politics (unlike family mis-planning), we seek to reverse mistakes.
A Brexit on top of the Brexit is implausible- it does nothing to solve the actual problems.
Full-fat rejoin is implausible- partly because of Schengen and the Euro, partly because of the mutual lack of trust, partly because Brexit is all some Boomers have achieved in their lives and they are desperate to protect their legacy.
EEA, even EEA-alike, is implausible- it's one thing for Norway (population 5 million) to give up its direct political input to have more independent action. The idea that the UK (population 70 million) could do the same and not experience it as an embarassment is for the birds. Whatever it is, it's not Taking Back Control.
And yet, once the Hannan fantasy of the UK leading some other like-minded nations out of the EU (with the UK leading, natch), those are basically the full spectrum of options. All of them are implausible to impossible, and yet one of them (or something like them) has to happen next.
Status quo is not implausible, its extremely plausible.
People may like to gripe and grumble but there's no overwhelming evidence of people wanting a change or to refight Brexit debates. Sheer inertia leads to the status quo being the default.
That only a plurality, not even a majority, think that Brexit is a mistake let alone want to reverse it means that inertia will rule the roost for many years to come - and as time goes on people will forget about Brexit and look to other fights of the future instead of the old ones of the past.
There's that Sherlock Holmes line about "eliminate the impossible; whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Utter tosh outside the puzzle piece world of detective fiction. The trouble the UK has is that pretty much every option looks, if not impossible, implausible.
Staus quo is implausible- a hefty majority think Brexit is going badly, a comfy plurality think it's a mistake, a significant minority would rejoin tomorrow given a chance. In democratic politics (unlike family mis-planning), we seek to reverse mistakes.
A Brexit on top of the Brexit is implausible- it does nothing to solve the actual problems.
Full-fat rejoin is implausible- partly because of Schengen and the Euro, partly because of the mutual lack of trust, partly because Brexit is all some Boomers have achieved in their lives and they are desperate to protect their legacy.
EEA, even EEA-alike, is implausible- it's one thing for Norway (population 5 million) to give up its direct political input to have more independent action. The idea that the UK (population 70 million) could do the same and not experience it as an embarassment is for the birds. Whatever it is, it's not Taking Back Control.
And yet, once the Hannan fantasy of the UK leading some other like-minded nations out of the EU (with the UK leading, natch), those are basically the full spectrum of options. All of them are implausible to impossible, and yet one of them (or something like them) has to happen next.
The other issue is that for the first time in British politics, in a long, long time, there is a policy where *politicians* will die in a ditch over it.
In that particular case I'd say that the roots on the windward side look to be constrained, and I wonder if road works have restricted them and reduced the tenacity.
The rootball does not seem to have lifted any part of the pavement - just up to the wall.
Can anyone identify the species? I might say a type of the fir that they have on the coast at Poole Harbour. Long branches with bunches of leaves at the ends looks very distinctive.
The very mixed messages in the local elections, for the Conservatives at least, must be making it very tricky for those Tory MPs wondering if they should put in a letter. It might yet get even more confusing for these Bears of Very Little Brain. The results in May might not be too bad (given they are mostly not the strongest Tory areas, so not too many seats to lose) and were truly awful last time because it was the height of Theresa May's kicking by the voters.
But the national polling picture may still be awful because, well, Boris. These MPs might need even longer to think about it....
There's that Sherlock Holmes line about "eliminate the impossible; whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Utter tosh outside the puzzle piece world of detective fiction. The trouble the UK has is that pretty much every option looks, if not impossible, implausible.
Staus quo is implausible- a hefty majority think Brexit is going badly, a comfy plurality think it's a mistake, a significant minority would rejoin tomorrow given a chance. In democratic politics (unlike family mis-planning), we seek to reverse mistakes.
A Brexit on top of the Brexit is implausible- it does nothing to solve the actual problems.
Full-fat rejoin is implausible- partly because of Schengen and the Euro, partly because of the mutual lack of trust, partly because Brexit is all some Boomers have achieved in their lives and they are desperate to protect their legacy.
EEA, even EEA-alike, is implausible- it's one thing for Norway (population 5 million) to give up its direct political input to have more independent action. The idea that the UK (population 70 million) could do the same and not experience it as an embarassment is for the birds. Whatever it is, it's not Taking Back Control.
And yet, once the Hannan fantasy of the UK leading some other like-minded nations out of the EU (with the UK leading, natch), those are basically the full spectrum of options. All of them are implausible to impossible, and yet one of them (or something like them) has to happen next.
Status quo is not implausible, its extremely plausible.
People may like to gripe and grumble but there's no overwhelming evidence of people wanting a change or to refight Brexit debates. Sheer inertia leads to the status quo being the default.
That only a plurality, not even a majority, think that Brexit is a mistake let alone want to reverse it means that inertia will rule the roost for many years to come - and as time goes on people will forget about Brexit and look to other fights of the future instead of the old ones of the past.
For once we agree on Brexit. It is yesterdays war. Doesn't mean I shall stop having a chortle at how pointless it all was, mind.
The very mixed messages in the local elections, for the Conservatives at least, must be making it very tricky for those Tory MPs wondering if they should put in a letter. It might yet get even more confusing for these Bears of Very Little Brain. The results in May might not be too bad (given they are mostly not the strongest Tory areas, so not too many seats to lose) and were truly awful last time because it was the height of Theresa May's kicking by the voters.
But the national polling picture may still be awful because, well, Boris. These MPs might need even longer to think about it....
The striking thing from the results was that the Trade Union and Socialist coalition ran candidates in two of them.
There's that Sherlock Holmes line about "eliminate the impossible; whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Utter tosh outside the puzzle piece world of detective fiction. The trouble the UK has is that pretty much every option looks, if not impossible, implausible.
Staus quo is implausible- a hefty majority think Brexit is going badly, a comfy plurality think it's a mistake, a significant minority would rejoin tomorrow given a chance. In democratic politics (unlike family mis-planning), we seek to reverse mistakes.
A Brexit on top of the Brexit is implausible- it does nothing to solve the actual problems.
Full-fat rejoin is implausible- partly because of Schengen and the Euro, partly because of the mutual lack of trust, partly because Brexit is all some Boomers have achieved in their lives and they are desperate to protect their legacy.
EEA, even EEA-alike, is implausible- it's one thing for Norway (population 5 million) to give up its direct political input to have more independent action. The idea that the UK (population 70 million) could do the same and not experience it as an embarassment is for the birds. Whatever it is, it's not Taking Back Control.
And yet, once the Hannan fantasy of the UK leading some other like-minded nations out of the EU (with the UK leading, natch), those are basically the full spectrum of options. All of them are implausible to impossible, and yet one of them (or something like them) has to happen next.
Status quo is not implausible, its extremely plausible.
People may like to gripe and grumble but there's no overwhelming evidence of people wanting a change or to refight Brexit debates. Sheer inertia leads to the status quo being the default.
That only a plurality, not even a majority, think that Brexit is a mistake let alone want to reverse it means that inertia will rule the roost for many years to come - and as time goes on people will forget about Brexit and look to other fights of the future instead of the old ones of the past.
No, the current arrangement is a foot stamping on a human face for ever. It will have to be radically revised sooner or later. The market forces and the will of the people will see to that.
The very mixed messages in the local elections, for the Conservatives at least, must be making it very tricky for those Tory MPs wondering if they should put in a letter. It might yet get even more confusing for these Bears of Very Little Brain. The results in May might not be too bad (given they are mostly not the strongest Tory areas, so not too many seats to lose) and were truly awful last time because it was the height of Theresa May's kicking by the voters.
But the national polling picture may still be awful because, well, Boris. These MPs might need even longer to think about it....
Except the national polling picture is not awful. Labour has just a 5% poll lead in the latest poll today,. that is far closer than the true nadir of Tory fortunes in 1997 and 2001
Now I have lost four of the ridge tiles from the top of the house, which are smashed all over the road.
Remarkably, even though I already had a bunch of rooftiles slipped from position and the roofer telling me the whole thing needs replacing, so far I've had no extra damage, even though the brick garden wall next door has blown over and destroyed my neighbours gazebo.
The very mixed messages in the local elections, for the Conservatives at least, must be making it very tricky for those Tory MPs wondering if they should put in a letter. It might yet get even more confusing for these Bears of Very Little Brain. The results in May might not be too bad (given they are mostly not the strongest Tory areas, so not too many seats to lose) and were truly awful last time because it was the height of Theresa May's kicking by the voters.
But the national polling picture may still be awful because, well, Boris. These MPs might need even longer to think about it....
I was very certain Boris would face a vonc next week, but it seems less likely day by day and especially if the polls and locals show some improvement
If I was a conservative mp I would wait until the results of the Met investigation and Sue Gray's report are known and decide just how much longer they can wait once this is out in the open
I have three red lines when it comes to the next election.
1. Not going to vote for Boris in any way, shape or form. 2. Won't vote for a party that tries to dilute the TCA or move closer to the EU or rejoin. 3. Won't vote for a party that doesn't support women's rights properly.
I don't know who will fit that bill.
You look a perfect voter for Tice's ReformUK party, it ticks all 3 boxes!
Yet that seems extremely unlikely.
Well stop complaining then, there is a party that meets your criteria so you can't complain you don't have any choice. RefUK even opposed the NI rise you also were against
Tice's joke of a 'party' is not a real party to anyone but you it seems. As much as you try and big them up.
My thinking is very much along the lines of Max's too, on all 4 of his point (including the 3 plus not RefUK).
It would be if we had PR, even on current polls RefUK would win about 30-40 seats with PR.
If you and Max support FPTP don't whinge when you only get a choice of Labour or Tory in the vast majority of seats, if we had PR you would have a much wider choice of parties to support who could win seats.
I have always been agnostic on PR, I even voted for AV in the referendum on voting reform in 2011, I am not a FPTP diehard
There's that Sherlock Holmes line about "eliminate the impossible; whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Utter tosh outside the puzzle piece world of detective fiction. The trouble the UK has is that pretty much every option looks, if not impossible, implausible.
Staus quo is implausible- a hefty majority think Brexit is going badly, a comfy plurality think it's a mistake, a significant minority would rejoin tomorrow given a chance. In democratic politics (unlike family mis-planning), we seek to reverse mistakes.
A Brexit on top of the Brexit is implausible- it does nothing to solve the actual problems.
Full-fat rejoin is implausible- partly because of Schengen and the Euro, partly because of the mutual lack of trust, partly because Brexit is all some Boomers have achieved in their lives and they are desperate to protect their legacy.
EEA, even EEA-alike, is implausible- it's one thing for Norway (population 5 million) to give up its direct political input to have more independent action. The idea that the UK (population 70 million) could do the same and not experience it as an embarassment is for the birds. Whatever it is, it's not Taking Back Control.
And yet, once the Hannan fantasy of the UK leading some other like-minded nations out of the EU (with the UK leading, natch), those are basically the full spectrum of options. All of them are implausible to impossible, and yet one of them (or something like them) has to happen next.
Status quo is not implausible, its extremely plausible.
People may like to gripe and grumble but there's no overwhelming evidence of people wanting a change or to refight Brexit debates. Sheer inertia leads to the status quo being the default.
That only a plurality, not even a majority, think that Brexit is a mistake let alone want to reverse it means that inertia will rule the roost for many years to come - and as time goes on people will forget about Brexit and look to other fights of the future instead of the old ones of the past.
No, the current arrangement is a foot stamping on a human face for ever. It will have to be radically revised sooner or later. The market forces and the will of the people will see to that.
Oh give over.
The current arrangement will be tweaked, but its in general the right ballpark that most people will be content with. A trade agreement, but no formal membership. The trade deal can be tweaked as time goes on, but that's evolution not revolution.
The only thing likely to be radically revised is the Northern Ireland Protocol which of course was written before the TCA and doesn't make sense post-TCA to still be stuck with it.
I can see a lot of very elderly tiles out of my window...... all my neighbours houses are 17th/18th C ...... but so far all seems well. However, reports of missing sheds and of a couple of trees down on the local Facebook page.
There's that Sherlock Holmes line about "eliminate the impossible; whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Utter tosh outside the puzzle piece world of detective fiction. The trouble the UK has is that pretty much every option looks, if not impossible, implausible.
Staus quo is implausible- a hefty majority think Brexit is going badly, a comfy plurality think it's a mistake, a significant minority would rejoin tomorrow given a chance. In democratic politics (unlike family mis-planning), we seek to reverse mistakes.
A Brexit on top of the Brexit is implausible- it does nothing to solve the actual problems.
Full-fat rejoin is implausible- partly because of Schengen and the Euro, partly because of the mutual lack of trust, partly because Brexit is all some Boomers have achieved in their lives and they are desperate to protect their legacy.
EEA, even EEA-alike, is implausible- it's one thing for Norway (population 5 million) to give up its direct political input to have more independent action. The idea that the UK (population 70 million) could do the same and not experience it as an embarassment is for the birds. Whatever it is, it's not Taking Back Control.
And yet, once the Hannan fantasy of the UK leading some other like-minded nations out of the EU (with the UK leading, natch), those are basically the full spectrum of options. All of them are implausible to impossible, and yet one of them (or something like them) has to happen next.
Status quo is not implausible, its extremely plausible.
People may like to gripe and grumble but there's no overwhelming evidence of people wanting a change or to refight Brexit debates. Sheer inertia leads to the status quo being the default.
That only a plurality, not even a majority, think that Brexit is a mistake let alone want to reverse it means that inertia will rule the roost for many years to come - and as time goes on people will forget about Brexit and look to other fights of the future instead of the old ones of the past.
They appear to want a change from the unflushable Mr Brexit.
Comments
My hope is that the people's voters have maybe learned from their mistakes, and will accept a Labour govt as a necessary precondition to having a discussion about rejoining.
But if they kick up a fuss about Brexit again, then we will certainly not rejoin and will probably have a Tory govt for another decade.
Those who imagine we are rejoining the EU are deluded. The EU wouldn't let us back in, and even if they did it would be on much worse terms than we previously enjoyed.
It's over. Forget it. Starmer is right to move the Party on.
And even if it is - the issue won't be Brexit it's going to be Brexit as a proxy for levelling up which the Tories have simply failed to do.
All Labour need to do is introduce a decent investment policy (and tell the Treasury to butt out because infrastructure projects are long term for multiple reasons including skill retention) and watch the Tories squirm as they try to address it having failed to deliver.
Imagine. The economy is tanking. Migration has plunged. Trade is still suffering. Suddenly Rejoin looks tempting to 65% of the population? What right-minded politician would ignore that?
It’s not probable but it’s far from impossible
It also solves ongoing Irish problems and shoots dead any indyref2
Starmer should finesse his position. ‘No one wants to talk about Brexit now, we need to focus on making life better for blah blah’. Sound brexity but keep options open
After about 2030 we will be so distant from the EU Rejoin will be impossible. You can already feel the Channel widening
Rejoin isn't going to happen (except for Scotland and the Six Counties) but it'll be a gradual reintegration via EEA/EFTA but slowly so people who wear tracksuits instead of normal clothes don't really notice.
We are now in the final phase of trade talks for accession to the CPTPP, which once we join would be a larger trade bloc than even the European Union which would no longer be even in the top 3 trade zones in the world anymore. Plus the CPTPP is much faster growing and has more growth potential too.
To rejoin the EU would mean not just reversing our decision (and convincing them to let us back in) but accepting much worse terms and also reversing all the benefits we accrue from divergence as time goes on.
Now where have I heard that before?
And cosying up to Indonesia and Japan makes little sense, environmentally.
The LDs can get away with a rejoin stance, as most of their target seats are Tory Remain seats in the South, Labour cannot get away with a rejoin stance as most of their target seats are Tory Leave seats in the North, Wales and the Midlands. Starmer might support closer alignment to the EEA and CU, he will not support rejoin the EU or EEA and full free movement again because of the redwall
Labour's stance on Brexit is fine. As a Labour supporter I'd be more concerned about what Labour has said on drug offenders and shoot to kill etc (i.e. the worst elements of 2005-10 New Labour).
1. Not going to vote for Boris in any way, shape or form.
2. Won't vote for a party that tries to dilute the TCA or move closer to the EU or rejoin.
3. Won't vote for a party that doesn't support women's rights properly.
I don't know who will fit that bill.
In fact I’d say regaining the UK - presumably forever - is the ultimate victory for the EU now. Getting Moldova, Serbia, Turkey are not so appealing, at all
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPQh1FrbOc0
Wimbledon is a Tory Remain seat higher up on the LD target list than Carshalton and Wallington. Cheltenham, Winchester, Cambridgeshire South, Esher and Walton, Lewes and Guildford are also Tory Remain seats the LDs are targeting with smaller Tory majorities than Eastbourne now.
http://www.electionpolling.co.uk/battleground/targets/liberal-democrat
Agree on Labour
1) With what post-Brexit policy or non policy can Lab/centre left win an election
and
2) What in fact the Lab/centre left coalition's optimal actions and policies would be if they formed a government
and
3) What would they actually do in government
My answer to (2) is EFTA and to (1) and (3) is not a clue. Thoughts?
Charlie Best (Lib Dem) - 1683
Ollie Curtis (Con) - 1423
Harry Edward James (Lab) - 337
Kate Jones (Green) - 124
The former Tory councillor had moved to Norfolk though.
His hope will be that he can keep irreconcilable Remainers on board by promising to cooperate with Europe, rather than grandstand and pick fights.
He probably wouldn't be able do anything too radical (which likely will be piss off the Corbynites), but Starmer would probably get through most of the policies he'd want to enact in a hung parliament.
Had a red warning here some time ago (wind) and that was not a pleasant night's sleep.
The Blue Wall and the PM suddenly look very secure!
Be interesting to see what the Lib Dems make of this, all going pear shaped for them in one week.
They must regret not fighting Southend West and the impetus that would have supplied.
The tree has a lot of leaves - in February. Is this #eunice?
https://twitter.com/Marckonijn/status/1494621266384506881
In that particular case I'd say that the roots on the windward side look to be constrained, and I wonder if road works have restricted them and reduced the tenacity.
The rootball does not seem to have lifted any part of the pavement - just up to the wall.
Can anyone identify the species? I might say a type of the fir that they have on the coast at Poole Harbour. Long branches with bunches of leaves at the ends looks very distinctive.
The French are quite content to have the UK as an old enemy across the water that they can pick fights with, plus we constantly opposed their ambitions in the EU and now we're not doing that anymore.
EU accession might suit some EU bigwigs but it requires unanimity. The French would unambiguously respond "Non" to any English/British EU accession request in the foreseeable future. The likes of Macron would delight in following in De Gaulle, and there's a heavy French line of thought that De Gaulle's successors allowing Britain into the EEC was a terrible mistake.
You could always live stream it, though ? Seems to be a market for it.
You won't get that through Westminster.
My thinking is very much along the lines of Max's too, on all 4 of his point (including the 3 plus not RefUK).
If we sort ourselves out while outside the EU then we can negotiate from a position of strength. I'd rather negotiate a genuine Union between Britain and the EU, rather than simply us joining their club. That can't happen from a position of weakness.
I see he's going to make a speech definitively distancing himself from previous manifestos and commitments net week, which will no doubt annoy some of us Corbynites further, but to be honest the same applies there. If Starmer said "We might still renationalise water" I wouldn't believe it, and I'd rather he was honest about what we will do without trying to flirt with all sides.
The CLP has a guest talk from John McDonnell on Thursday (we are eclectic - had Jess Phillips recently putting a no-nonsense centrist view). Will be interesting to see what he makes of it.
They read out a message from him at the Stop the War Coalition meeting.
Getting very very blustery now here in the north midlands.
When it happened to me it was Hurricane Hugo on my honeymoon...
Staus quo is implausible- a hefty majority think Brexit is going badly, a comfy plurality think it's a mistake, a significant minority would rejoin tomorrow given a chance. In democratic politics (unlike family mis-planning), we seek to reverse mistakes.
A Brexit on top of the Brexit is implausible- it does nothing to solve the actual problems.
Full-fat rejoin is implausible- partly because of Schengen and the Euro, partly because of the mutual lack of trust, partly because Brexit is all some Boomers have achieved in their lives and they are desperate to protect their legacy.
EEA, even EEA-alike, is implausible- it's one thing for Norway (population 5 million) to give up its direct political input to have more independent action. The idea that the UK (population 70 million) could do the same and not experience it as an embarassment is for the birds. Whatever it is, it's not Taking Back Control.
And yet, once the Hannan fantasy of the UK leading some other like-minded nations out of the EU (with the UK leading, natch), those are basically the full spectrum of options. All of them are implausible to impossible, and yet one of them (or something like them) has to happen next.
People may like to gripe and grumble but there's no overwhelming evidence of people wanting a change or to refight Brexit debates. Sheer inertia leads to the status quo being the default.
That only a plurality, not even a majority, think that Brexit is a mistake let alone want to reverse it means that inertia will rule the roost for many years to come - and as time goes on people will forget about Brexit and look to other fights of the future instead of the old ones of the past.
From both sides.
But the national polling picture may still be awful because, well, Boris. These MPs might need even longer to think about it....
I wonder if there will ever be one called Monica?
Flew back from S.Africa in one, remarkably peaceful inside.
If I was a conservative mp I would wait until the results of the Met investigation and Sue Gray's report are known and decide just how much longer they can wait once this is out in the open
If you and Max support FPTP don't whinge when you only get a choice of Labour or Tory in the vast majority of seats, if we had PR you would have a much wider choice of parties to support who could win seats.
I have always been agnostic on PR, I even voted for AV in the referendum on voting reform in 2011, I am not a FPTP diehard
The current arrangement will be tweaked, but its in general the right ballpark that most people will be content with. A trade agreement, but no formal membership. The trade deal can be tweaked as time goes on, but that's evolution not revolution.
The only thing likely to be radically revised is the Northern Ireland Protocol which of course was written before the TCA and doesn't make sense post-TCA to still be stuck with it.