France is having a march against antisemitism. Jean Luc Melenchon won't be there as he thinks it is a 'rendezvous for unconditional supporters of the massacre' - referring to Gazans. Hopefully it will attract large numbers and might be an inspiration for something in the UK. The figure of Le Pen will loom large, which I don't doubt is a problem for many but hopefully the event is as broadly based as possible.
There have been multiple vigils. It's just they don't tend to get the publicity of the pro-Palestine marches as they're solemn affairs that don't attract the same bad behaviour and Stop the War types desperate to shout stuff into a megaphone.
Opposition parties have been joined by Tory MPs of the liberal persuasion in recoiling in disgust at the deliberately inflammatory provocations of Suella Braverman. “Mad” and “bad” are among the descriptions to be heard from moderate Tories. They’re pressing Rishi Sunak to get a pair of cojones and fire her, both for what she has done and for defying Number 10’s instructions not to do it.
Unforgivably, in the eyes of many in her own party as well as many outside it, she has sought to undermine the police and fundamental principles of the free society. Sir Tom Winsor, the chief inspector of constabulary during the time of four previous Conservative home secretaries, had it right when he said that Ms Braverman had crossed a sacrosanct line: “It’s unprecedented. It’s contrary to the spirit of the ancient constitutional settlement with the police… A home secretary of all people is not the person to do this.”
The question for the prime minister is how much longer he can tolerate a recklessly irresponsible and serially disloyal home secretary who can never see division without wanting to fan its flames in the cynical pursuit of her own ambitions.
It is his own fault that Mr Sunak faces this question. Mr Sunak brought her back, not because he thought she had the character and qualities to be a capable home secretary, but because he made a desperate bargain with her in the belief that he needed the support of the party’s hard right to secure the Tory leadership. Mr Sunak must surely now see that she is inside the tent pissing all over him.
...says one former Conservative cabinet minister. “If Rishi doesn’t sack her, he will be permanently weakened.” The question facing all Tories, especially the party’s more moderate MPs and members, is whether they want their party to become defined by Ms Braverman’s toxic brand of politics. There is no doubt there are some votes in being an unashamedly and explicitly “nasty party”, but history suggests there will never be enough backers for it to win an election in Britain.
Sunak isn't strong enough to sack Braverman, he needed her support and the ERG MPs she brought with her to get a majority of Tory MPs to become leader last autumn. He is also leaking votes to Reform on his right, who are on 9% in one poll and most of those voters agree with Braverman
Richard has written to me personally saying:
"Reform UK intend to stand around 630 candidates at that General Election. To that end we are looking for potential candidates to come forward and apply to join our team. So, if any of you would like to consider standing for Reform UK and would like to find out more please check our website or reply directly to me. There will be lots of help/training available.
Please, please really consider this, we have all had a lifetime of these cheating, lying, self serving, arrogant, hand-in-the-till politicians of the Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem parties."
I don't think there is going to a cosy arrangement between Reform and the Tories. Nor do I think that all Reform supporters will vote tactically for the Tories.
But by supporting Braverman, Sunak will lose more of the traditional sensible Tory voters than he gains from pandering to his UKIP lite membership. He's going to lose isn't he. Even he knows that. Better to lose with honour
Opposition parties have been joined by Tory MPs of the liberal persuasion in recoiling in disgust at the deliberately inflammatory provocations of Suella Braverman. “Mad” and “bad” are among the descriptions to be heard from moderate Tories. They’re pressing Rishi Sunak to get a pair of cojones and fire her, both for what she has done and for defying Number 10’s instructions not to do it.
Unforgivably, in the eyes of many in her own party as well as many outside it, she has sought to undermine the police and fundamental principles of the free society. Sir Tom Winsor, the chief inspector of constabulary during the time of four previous Conservative home secretaries, had it right when he said that Ms Braverman had crossed a sacrosanct line: “It’s unprecedented. It’s contrary to the spirit of the ancient constitutional settlement with the police… A home secretary of all people is not the person to do this.”
The question for the prime minister is how much longer he can tolerate a recklessly irresponsible and serially disloyal home secretary who can never see division without wanting to fan its flames in the cynical pursuit of her own ambitions.
It is his own fault that Mr Sunak faces this question. Mr Sunak brought her back, not because he thought she had the character and qualities to be a capable home secretary, but because he made a desperate bargain with her in the belief that he needed the support of the party’s hard right to secure the Tory leadership. Mr Sunak must surely now see that she is inside the tent pissing all over him.
...says one former Conservative cabinet minister. “If Rishi doesn’t sack her, he will be permanently weakened.” The question facing all Tories, especially the party’s more moderate MPs and members, is whether they want their party to become defined by Ms Braverman’s toxic brand of politics. There is no doubt there are some votes in being an unashamedly and explicitly “nasty party”, but history suggests there will never be enough backers for it to win an election in Britain.
Sunak isn't strong enough to sack Braverman, he needed her support and the ERG MPs she brought with her to get a majority of Tory MPs to become leader last autumn. He is also leaking votes to Reform on his right, who are on 9% in one poll and most of those voters agree with Braverman
Richard has written to me personally saying:
"Reform UK intend to stand around 630 candidates at that General Election. To that end we are looking for potential candidates to come forward and apply to join our team. So, if any of you would like to consider standing for Reform UK and would like to find out more please check our website or reply directly to me. There will be lots of help/training available.
Please, please really consider this, we have all had a lifetime of these cheating, lying, self serving, arrogant, hand-in-the-till politicians of the Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem parties."
I don't think there is going to a cosy arrangement between Reform and the Tories. Nor do I think that all Reform supporters will vote tactically for the Tories.
But by supporting Braverman, Sunak will lose more of the traditional sensible Tory voters than he gains from pandering to his UKIP lite membership. He's going to lose isn't he. Even he knows that. Better to lose with honour
He won't, the 25-29% still voting Tory are the rock bottom core vote, voted Tory even in 1997 and 2001 and will always vote Tory.
It is the 5-10% now voting Reform he needs to squeeze first to make any sort of recovery
Opposition parties have been joined by Tory MPs of the liberal persuasion in recoiling in disgust at the deliberately inflammatory provocations of Suella Braverman. “Mad” and “bad” are among the descriptions to be heard from moderate Tories. They’re pressing Rishi Sunak to get a pair of cojones and fire her, both for what she has done and for defying Number 10’s instructions not to do it.
Unforgivably, in the eyes of many in her own party as well as many outside it, she has sought to undermine the police and fundamental principles of the free society. Sir Tom Winsor, the chief inspector of constabulary during the time of four previous Conservative home secretaries, had it right when he said that Ms Braverman had crossed a sacrosanct line: “It’s unprecedented. It’s contrary to the spirit of the ancient constitutional settlement with the police… A home secretary of all people is not the person to do this.”
The question for the prime minister is how much longer he can tolerate a recklessly irresponsible and serially disloyal home secretary who can never see division without wanting to fan its flames in the cynical pursuit of her own ambitions.
It is his own fault that Mr Sunak faces this question. Mr Sunak brought her back, not because he thought she had the character and qualities to be a capable home secretary, but because he made a desperate bargain with her in the belief that he needed the support of the party’s hard right to secure the Tory leadership. Mr Sunak must surely now see that she is inside the tent pissing all over him.
...says one former Conservative cabinet minister. “If Rishi doesn’t sack her, he will be permanently weakened.” The question facing all Tories, especially the party’s more moderate MPs and members, is whether they want their party to become defined by Ms Braverman’s toxic brand of politics. There is no doubt there are some votes in being an unashamedly and explicitly “nasty party”, but history suggests there will never be enough backers for it to win an election in Britain.
Sunak isn't strong enough to sack Braverman, he needed her support and the ERG MPs she brought with her to get a majority of Tory MPs to become leader last autumn. He is also leaking votes to Reform on his right, who are on 9% in one poll and most of those voters agree with Braverman
Richard has written to me personally saying:
"Reform UK intend to stand around 630 candidates at that General Election. To that end we are looking for potential candidates to come forward and apply to join our team. So, if any of you would like to consider standing for Reform UK and would like to find out more please check our website or reply directly to me. There will be lots of help/training available.
Please, please really consider this, we have all had a lifetime of these cheating, lying, self serving, arrogant, hand-in-the-till politicians of the Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem parties."
I don't think there is going to a cosy arrangement between Reform and the Tories. Nor do I think that all Reform supporters will vote tactically for the Tories.
But by supporting Braverman, Sunak will lose more of the traditional sensible Tory voters than he gains from pandering to his UKIP lite membership. He's going to lose isn't he. Even he knows that. Better to lose with honour
He won't, the 25-29% still voting Tory are the rock bottom core vote, voted Tory even in 1997 and 2001 and will always vote Tory.
It is the 5-10% now voting Reform he needs to squeeze first to make any sort of recovery
Good analysis. But I think it's mission impossible. Many of those 5-10% Reform supporters will not vote Tory. I think members of the Reform party have their tails up and will vote Reform. They won't win any seats of course.
No Prince Harry or Andrew this year. Have they missed previous ones ?
Ironic being royals who actually engaged in conflict.
With all those 'medals' they should guard their own palaces. In America they call this stolen valour.
Chaz has the same size rack as Mick "Bullet Magnet" Flynn. LOL
Prince Edward is my favourite, his four months in the Royal Marines was the most dangerous in the history of the Marines.
Edward gave my daughter her degree. I can't remember what it was she said he said to her as he did so, but it put her at her ease. And he did the same for the other couple of hundred graduates at the ceremony.
He at least seems to be pretty good at the meeting complete strangers briefly part of the job.
She was lucky he only does a couple of our degree ceremonies each summer out of usually fourteen plus. He is nice enough, although his handlers like to keep him busy.
Comments
"Reform UK intend to stand around 630 candidates at that General Election. To that end we are looking for potential candidates to come forward and apply to join our team. So, if any of you would like to consider standing for Reform UK and would like to find out more please check our website or reply directly to me. There will be lots of help/training available.
Please, please really consider this, we have all had a lifetime of these cheating, lying, self serving, arrogant, hand-in-the-till politicians of the Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem parties."
I don't think there is going to a cosy arrangement between Reform and the Tories. Nor do I think that all Reform supporters will vote tactically for the Tories.
But by supporting Braverman, Sunak will lose more of the traditional sensible Tory voters than he gains from pandering to his UKIP lite membership. He's going to lose isn't he. Even he knows that. Better to lose with honour
https://www.netweather.tv/weather-forecasts/news/12227-jersey-tornado---wednesday-1st-november-2023
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It is the 5-10% now voting Reform he needs to squeeze first to make any sort of recovery