Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
It certainly seems to be working as a variant of dead cat. Cameron is more newsworthy than Suella’s sacking.
I’ve always thought FS would be by far the most enjoyable cabinet post, and the least risky. If things go really wrong in foreign affairs it’s the PM who gets the blame. There’s no BMA or police federation or teachers’ unions to piss off, and you’re not on the front line of spending arguments.
Home Sec must by contrast be the worst job. If I were Cleverly I’d be a bit annoyed.
Northern Ireland sec surely? Home Sec probably second though, then DWP.
Cameron on X this morning: "stand by our allies, strengthen our partnerships" "a strong supporter of the UK retaining its commitment to spending 0.7% of gross national income on international aid"
that is the kind of talk the natcons love
handing out 0.7 % of GNI while we cant afford to build a railway.
When was the last time a major cabinet position was held by someone not in the HoC?
Lord Carrington: Foreign Secretary until 5 April 1982.
For the other Great Offices of State:
The Earl of Rosebery was PM until 22 June 1895 The Marquess of Normanby was Home Secretary until 13 March 1839 Lord Denman was the last peer to be CoE (acting) in 1834.
This update is brought to you by Wiki Research Services Inc.
Lord Home was briefly PM in the Lords in 1963
Ignoring Home, the Marquess of Salisbury followed Rosebery as PM in the Lords, until he handed over to Balfour in 1902.
Iain Martin @iainmartin1 · 15m Sacked Suella Braverman departs, presumably headed for GB News. What is much more likely than Braverman becoming Tory leader is that she will become an active member of the conservative entertainment complex.
GB News have been quite positive about Cameron so far.
Good! She’s gone! Now, Rishi, face up to the ERG. If they don’t like it, let them join Reform and see if anyone other than corrupt policemen, taxi drivers and football hooligans vote for them.
Well, Reform are consistently polling 5-10% which is enough to destroy the Conservative Party as an electoral force. If the Tories were polling 34-38% rather than 24-28% they’d be in a strong position to win the next election. At the moment they are well positioned for total oblivion
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
It certainly seems to be working as a variant of dead cat. Cameron is more newsworthy than Suella’s sacking.
I’ve always thought FS would be by far the most enjoyable cabinet post, and the least risky. If things go really wrong in foreign affairs it’s the PM who gets the blame. There’s no BMA or police federation or teachers’ unions to piss off, and you’re not on the front line of spending arguments.
Home Sec must by contrast be the worst job. If I were Cleverly I’d be a bit annoyed.
Quite an astute comparison of the two roles.
FS is going to be all travel, diplomacy, and mostly working towards long-term goals with an ever-changing group of people on the other side of the table.
HS is by comparison fighting one fire after another, and hoping not to drop the ball on anything important!
A busy time for foreign relations at the moment though, I suspect a quick tour to Washington, Kiev, and Tel Aviv, followed by a winter touring European capitals trying to get everyone on the same page re: Ukraine.
What's the PB assessment of James Cleverly so far?
The best I can do is "middling". I haven't seen any major pratfalls, nor any obvious world-shaking achievements.
How many CPTPP members will have accredited UK membership by the next Election?
If Liz Truss were back, she'd be making speeches about exporting Lymeswold Cheese to Canada.
Agreed but Home Secretary a much tougher gig, and with the Tories split ideologically and through personality he won't have a Commons majority for anything he would want to do anyway.
Cleverly is a Warhammer player (apparently plays Blood Angels) so is well familiar with the concept of defending an utterly stagnant regime that is beset by existential threats without and inance factionalism within.
Good! She’s gone! Now, Rishi, face up to the ERG. If they don’t like it, let them join Reform and see if anyone other than corrupt policemen, taxi drivers and football hooligans vote for them.
Well, Reform are consistently polling 5-10% which is enough to destroy the Conservative Party as an electoral force. If the Tories were polling 34-38% rather than 24-28% they’d be in a strong position to win the next election. At the moment they are well positioned for total oblivion
Reform will struggle to run candidates in all seats and I suspect their number will fall as the election nears.
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Someone who can't differentiate between an opinion and a fact - or who can see the difference but tries to pass them off as the same thing anyway at a point when it matters - is intellectually second-rate.
Particularly when the opinion is wrong and easily exposed as such.
Iain Martin @iainmartin1 · 15m Sacked Suella Braverman departs, presumably headed for GB News. What is much more likely than Braverman becoming Tory leader is that she will become an active member of the conservative entertainment complex.
GB News have been quite positive about Cameron so far.
So it was bullshit. They have got a viewer.
I have never had the pleasure, but more people watch GB news than Sky news.
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
It certainly seems to be working as a variant of dead cat. Cameron is more newsworthy than Suella’s sacking.
I’ve always thought FS would be by far the most enjoyable cabinet post, and the least risky. If things go really wrong in foreign affairs it’s the PM who gets the blame. There’s no BMA or police federation or teachers’ unions to piss off, and you’re not on the front line of spending arguments.
Home Sec must by contrast be the worst job. If I were Cleverly I’d be a bit annoyed.
Cleverly must however be the front running 'sensible' candidate for LOTO. It won;t be Cameron or Hunt, so he's the only one of the 'big four' in place post election.
1997? 2010? The big four tend to get swept aside these days.
Iain Martin @iainmartin1 · 15m Sacked Suella Braverman departs, presumably headed for GB News. What is much more likely than Braverman becoming Tory leader is that she will become an active member of the conservative entertainment complex.
GB News have been quite positive about Cameron so far.
So it was bullshit. They have got a viewer.
I have never had the pleasure, but more people watch GB news than Sky news.
That is not true. You can cut viewing figures various ways and no doubt find particular slots etc - but straightforward average eyeballs at any given time, Sky has over twice the numbers.
Iain Martin @iainmartin1 · 15m Sacked Suella Braverman departs, presumably headed for GB News. What is much more likely than Braverman becoming Tory leader is that she will become an active member of the conservative entertainment complex.
GB News have been quite positive about Cameron so far.
So it was bullshit. They have got a viewer.
Youre just so narrow minded at times Roger, theres a big world out there of different views and opinions. Anyway just for you show biz types heres one of your own back on screen. I know youll be watching.
I do like Ed Balls. Can we not have him as Mayor of London, over the execrable Khan? Please?
He is box office, excellent. However he would never take the mayoral job – the money isn't good enough. He earns a decent crust through his media work.
Ed Balls went up in my estimation when on his trip around the States he got tasered by an American copper.
Good! She’s gone! Now, Rishi, face up to the ERG. If they don’t like it, let them join Reform and see if anyone other than corrupt policemen, taxi drivers and football hooligans vote for them.
Well, Reform are consistently polling 5-10% which is enough to destroy the Conservative Party as an electoral force. If the Tories were polling 34-38% rather than 24-28% they’d be in a strong position to win the next election. At the moment they are well positioned for total oblivion
"More voters think Reform UK would support a closer relationship with the EU than not, as they are also split over whether the party supports or opposes more migration. The only issue that a plurality of voters attributes to the party is dissatisfaction with the political system, which is possibly inferred from the party's name."
The day when Sunak dumped the ERG and the most high profile Minister remaining from Truss' brief Cabinet and shifted back towards the centre and Cameronism, including the man himself as Foreign Secretary.
However if it does not see some poll moves upwards by the Tories and just ends up seeing further leaks to Reform, the Right will be ready for revenge and to take back the party again in Opposition if Sunak, Hunt and Cameron do lose the next general election to Starmer.
It may be the last hurrah for Cameronism as Lord Mandelson's return in 2008 marked the return of New Labour in Brown's Cabinet with David Miliband as Foreign Secretary before Brown's election defeat to Cameron shifted Labour left first to Ed Miliband and then to Corbyn
Iain Martin @iainmartin1 · 15m Sacked Suella Braverman departs, presumably headed for GB News. What is much more likely than Braverman becoming Tory leader is that she will become an active member of the conservative entertainment complex.
GB News have been quite positive about Cameron so far.
So it was bullshit. They have got a viewer.
I have never had the pleasure, but more people watch GB news than Sky news.
That is not true. You can cut viewing figures various ways and no doubt find particular slots etc - but straightforward average eyeballs at any given time, Sky has over twice the numbers.
Good! She’s gone! Now, Rishi, face up to the ERG. If they don’t like it, let them join Reform and see if anyone other than corrupt policemen, taxi drivers and football hooligans vote for them.
Well, Reform are consistently polling 5-10% which is enough to destroy the Conservative Party as an electoral force. If the Tories were polling 34-38% rather than 24-28% they’d be in a strong position to win the next election. At the moment they are well positioned for total oblivion
Reform will struggle to run candidates in all seats and I suspect their number will fall as the election nears.
I've been asked to stand.
"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."
Good! She’s gone! Now, Rishi, face up to the ERG. If they don’t like it, let them join Reform and see if anyone other than corrupt policemen, taxi drivers and football hooligans vote for them.
Well, Reform are consistently polling 5-10% which is enough to destroy the Conservative Party as an electoral force. If the Tories were polling 34-38% rather than 24-28% they’d be in a strong position to win the next election. At the moment they are well positioned for total oblivion
Not total oblivion but certainly 1997 style landslide defeat unless this move wins back some centrists from Labour and the LDs rather than leads to further leakage to ReformUK
The day when Sunak dumped the ERG and the most high profile Minister remaining from Truss' brief Cabinet and shifted back towards the centre and Cameronism, including the man himself as Foreign Secretary.
However if it does not see some poll moves upwards by the Tories and just ends up seeing further leaks to Reform, the Right will be ready for revenge and to take back the party again in Opposition if Sunak, Hunt and Cameron do lose the next general election to Starmer.
It may be the last hurrah for Cameronism as Lord Mandelson's return in 2008 marked the return of New Labour in Brown's Cabinet with David Miliband as Foreign Secretary before Brown's election defeat to Cameron shifted Labour left first to Ed Miliband and then to Corbyn
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
It certainly seems to be working as a variant of dead cat. Cameron is more newsworthy than Suella’s sacking.
I’ve always thought FS would be by far the most enjoyable cabinet post, and the least risky. If things go really wrong in foreign affairs it’s the PM who gets the blame. There’s no BMA or police federation or teachers’ unions to piss off, and you’re not on the front line of spending arguments.
Home Sec must by contrast be the worst job. If I were Cleverly I’d be a bit annoyed.
Cleverly must however be the front running 'sensible' candidate for LOTO. It won;t be Cameron or Hunt, so he's the only one of the 'big four' in place post election.
1997? 2010? The big four tend to get swept aside these days.
I agree. The great offices of state are a solid platform from which to run for PM (good argument on experience and readiness for the role), but not for LOTO (time for a change and sweep out the old guard).
Good! She’s gone! Now, Rishi, face up to the ERG. If they don’t like it, let them join Reform and see if anyone other than corrupt policemen, taxi drivers and football hooligans vote for them.
Well, Reform are consistently polling 5-10% which is enough to destroy the Conservative Party as an electoral force. If the Tories were polling 34-38% rather than 24-28% they’d be in a strong position to win the next election. At the moment they are well positioned for total oblivion
Reform will struggle to run candidates in all seats and I suspect their number will fall as the election nears.
I've been asked to stand.
"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."
"...it's time for lying, self serving, arrogant, hand-in-the-till politicians of the Reform Party to get their turn!"?
What sin have you committed to be approached in such a way?
Sunak sacking Suella, Bad Enoch, Coffey and recruiting a few people who are in possession of more than one brain cell is surprising. I agree with @isam that it will move the needle a bit. A wholesale purge of the populist right.
Possibly - I haven't looked in detail - would have been a decent first cabinet to mark the change from Johnson and Truss. Too late now though, I think. People were willing to give Sunak a chance, but he's made too many mistakes now.
Yep, exactly right. Rishi blew his chance at that start - he came into office with good political capital and with a lot of goodwill from voters, who wanted a change from the chaos of the previous two. Instead of building on that, he trashed his own brand with the Rwanda nonsense and the Braverman appointment. He seems now to be trying to correct the mistake - but it is probably too late.
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
Where is the idea that people like David Cameron coming from? Labour voters don't like him, Lib Dem voters don't like him, I don't even know if the majority of Tory voters still like him (their golden boy is still Johnson).
I liked him as PM. I know lots despise him for the referendum, but he thought he needed to lance the Eurosceptic boil for good. And he did, just not how he planned.
I think the 2010-2015 government was closest to my political leanings - Toryism tempered with Lib dems. Its interesting to speculate what would have happened if 2015 had resulted in Coalition mark 2.
Him being around is a danger to the Lib Dems in the blue wall. There are I sense a lot of fairly flaky Tories who were planning to vote Lib Dem but faced with a couple of tax cuts and a seemingly reassuring face or two in cabinet will jump at the chance to come home.
Doubt Dave helps in the red wall though.
EDIT: I see Alanbrooke made the same point more pithily.
Yup. It’s a dash for the Cameron 36%, not the Boris 44%.
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
It certainly seems to be working as a variant of dead cat. Cameron is more newsworthy than Suella’s sacking.
I’ve always thought FS would be by far the most enjoyable cabinet post, and the least risky. If things go really wrong in foreign affairs it’s the PM who gets the blame. There’s no BMA or police federation or teachers’ unions to piss off, and you’re not on the front line of spending arguments.
Home Sec must by contrast be the worst job. If I were Cleverly I’d be a bit annoyed.
Cleverly must however be the front running 'sensible' candidate for LOTO. It won;t be Cameron or Hunt, so he's the only one of the 'big four' in place post election.
1997? 2010? The big four tend to get swept aside these days.
I agree. The great offices of state are a solid platform from which to run for PM (good argument on experience and readiness for the role), but not for LOTO (time for a change and sweep out the old guard).
That depends on the result. If Labour squeak in, then the Tories would be wise to elect a PM in waiting. Arguably, Labour should have done that in 2010 rather than going for Milliband.
Cameron cuddling up to the EU could be a game changer for the Tories. He's one of the few who could legitimately do it. It would also show the pusillanimity of Starmer which the Tories have tried but failed to do so far.
When was the last time a major cabinet position was held by someone not in the HoC?
Lord Carrington: Foreign Secretary until 5 April 1982.
For the other Great Offices of State:
The Earl of Rosebery was PM until 22 June 1895 The Marquess of Normanby was Home Secretary until 13 March 1839 Lord Denman was the last peer to be CoE (acting) in 1834.
This update is brought to you by Wiki Research Services Inc.
I wonder if something happened on 4 April 1982 to convince them that FS was not a job for a superannuated old fool?
Yes, a momentous event. A cabinet minister took responsibility for a f*ck-up and resigned as a point of honour.
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Someone who can't differentiate between an opinion and a fact - or who can see the difference but tries to pass them off as the same thing anyway at a point when it matters - is intellectually second-rate.
Particularly when the opinion is wrong and easily exposed as such.
Owen Jones is a smart guy who has been made lazy and incurious by his need to feed his social media following with standard opinions. It’s a real problem (not just for him)
Social media is the greatest evil since the advent of agriculture
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
It certainly seems to be working as a variant of dead cat. Cameron is more newsworthy than Suella’s sacking.
I’ve always thought FS would be by far the most enjoyable cabinet post, and the least risky. If things go really wrong in foreign affairs it’s the PM who gets the blame. There’s no BMA or police federation or teachers’ unions to piss off, and you’re not on the front line of spending arguments.
Home Sec must by contrast be the worst job. If I were Cleverly I’d be a bit annoyed.
Cleverly must however be the front running 'sensible' candidate for LOTO. It won;t be Cameron or Hunt, so he's the only one of the 'big four' in place post election.
1997? 2010? The big four tend to get swept aside these days.
I agree. The great offices of state are a solid platform from which to run for PM (good argument on experience and readiness for the role), but not for LOTO (time for a change and sweep out the old guard).
That depends on the result. If Labour squeak in, then the Tories would be wise to elect a PM in waiting. Arguably, Labour should have done that in 2010 rather than going for Milliband.
As with all things Sunak, this move is all about getting short-term headlines (in this case, a dead cat distracting from the Suella Sacking) and electoral positioning vs. Labour.
It's not a move about good government or setting the scene after the next GE. Will be hard to be FSec in the Lords during two wars.
Once the novelty wears off, this might be a source of ongoing trouble.
I am not sure that is right. I don't see it being a source of trouble as such but at the same time I think it is accurate to say it won't necessarily make things any better for Sunak as an appointment.
What makes the real difference is getting rid of the execrable Braverman but he could have done that and appointed someone from within the Commons and basically had got the same medium to long term effect.
Cameron on X this morning: "stand by our allies, strengthen our partnerships" "a strong supporter of the UK retaining its commitment to spending 0.7% of gross national income on international aid"
that is the kind of talk the natcons love
handing out 0.7 % of GNI while we cant afford to build a railway.
A poor country pretending to be a rich one.
That's what 13 years of Toryism will do to a state.
Cleverly is a Warhammer player (apparently plays Blood Angels) so is well familiar with the concept of defending an utterly stagnant regime that is beset by existential threats without and inance factionalism within.
Blood Angels are the quintessential faction for fighting a lost cause.
The day when Sunak dumped the ERG and the most high profile Minister remaining from Truss' brief Cabinet and shifted back towards the centre and Cameronism, including the man himself as Foreign Secretary.
However if it does not see some poll moves upwards by the Tories and just ends up seeing further leaks to Reform, the Right will be ready for revenge and to take back the party again in Opposition if Sunak, Hunt and Cameron do lose the next general election to Starmer.
It may be the last hurrah for Cameronism as Lord Mandelson's return in 2008 marked the return of New Labour in Brown's Cabinet with David Miliband as Foreign Secretary before Brown's election defeat to Cameron shifted Labour left first to Ed Miliband and then to Corbyn
Maybe, But if behind the scenes Blair and Mandy are coachng Starmer, while Sunak is being coached by the cameroons, its a bitch fight for the middle ground with Ed Davey trying to look relevant.
Also given Cameron didnt travel well in Scotland, not sure who this will benefit there.. but Icant see it helping the Tories, unless theyre going to unretire Ruth Davidson.
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
It certainly seems to be working as a variant of dead cat. Cameron is more newsworthy than Suella’s sacking.
I’ve always thought FS would be by far the most enjoyable cabinet post, and the least risky. If things go really wrong in foreign affairs it’s the PM who gets the blame. There’s no BMA or police federation or teachers’ unions to piss off, and you’re not on the front line of spending arguments.
Home Sec must by contrast be the worst job. If I were Cleverly I’d be a bit annoyed.
Cleverly must however be the front running 'sensible' candidate for LOTO. It won;t be Cameron or Hunt, so he's the only one of the 'big four' in place post election.
1997? 2010? The big four tend to get swept aside these days.
I agree. The great offices of state are a solid platform from which to run for PM (good argument on experience and readiness for the role), but not for LOTO (time for a change and sweep out the old guard).
That depends on the result. If Labour squeak in, then the Tories would be wise to elect a PM in waiting. Arguably, Labour should have done that in 2010 rather than going for Milliband.
Labour won't just squeak in.
Labour needs a load of seats to break even. It could be closer than you think. Depends on the economy, which admittedly is in the toilet right now.
Good! She’s gone! Now, Rishi, face up to the ERG. If they don’t like it, let them join Reform and see if anyone other than corrupt policemen, taxi drivers and football hooligans vote for them.
Well, Reform are consistently polling 5-10% which is enough to destroy the Conservative Party as an electoral force. If the Tories were polling 34-38% rather than 24-28% they’d be in a strong position to win the next election. At the moment they are well positioned for total oblivion
Reform will struggle to run candidates in all seats and I suspect their number will fall as the election nears.
I've been asked to stand.
"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."
"...it's time for lying, self serving, arrogant, hand-in-the-till politicians of the Reform Party to get their turn!"?
What sin have you committed to be approached in such a way?
I'm a registered supporter of the Conservative, Labour, Green and Reform parties so I get all their updates and appeals. It's competitive intelligence. I keep an eye on them. Plus PB of course - the best source of political intelligence.
Cameron cuddling up to the EU could be a game changer for the Tories. He's one of the few who could legitimately do it. It would also show the pusillanimity of Starmer which the Tories have tried but failed to do so far.
Aw bless. But no. Its not going to do any of those things: he’s yesterday’s man, Brexit is done, the Tories are finished, this won’t significantly shift the polls and Cameron will therefore be out of the job within a year
Iain Martin @iainmartin1 · 15m Sacked Suella Braverman departs, presumably headed for GB News. What is much more likely than Braverman becoming Tory leader is that she will become an active member of the conservative entertainment complex.
GB News have been quite positive about Cameron so far.
So it was bullshit. They have got a viewer.
I have never had the pleasure, but more people watch GB news than Sky news.
That is not true. You can cut viewing figures various ways and no doubt find particular slots etc - but straightforward average eyeballs at any given time, Sky has over twice the numbers.
"In December 2022, Press Gazette reported that GB News had beaten Sky News in primetime ratings over a 30-day period, with 57,107 viewers to Sky's 52,230. The channel remained behind Sky News for all-day viewership, "
Something for both sides of that particular debate (with apologies for using wiki).
Good! She’s gone! Now, Rishi, face up to the ERG. If they don’t like it, let them join Reform and see if anyone other than corrupt policemen, taxi drivers and football hooligans vote for them.
Well, Reform are consistently polling 5-10% which is enough to destroy the Conservative Party as an electoral force. If the Tories were polling 34-38% rather than 24-28% they’d be in a strong position to win the next election. At the moment they are well positioned for total oblivion
Reform will struggle to run candidates in all seats and I suspect their number will fall as the election nears.
I've been asked to stand.
"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."
Cameron on X this morning: "stand by our allies, strengthen our partnerships" "a strong supporter of the UK retaining its commitment to spending 0.7% of gross national income on international aid"
that is the kind of talk the natcons love
handing out 0.7 % of GNI while we cant afford to build a railway.
A poor country pretending to be a rich one.
That's what 13 years of Toryism will do to a state.
Nah its what 26 years of Third way politics has done.
Cameron cuddling up to the EU could be a game changer for the Tories. He's one of the few who could legitimately do it. It would also show the pusillanimity of Starmer which the Tories have tried but failed to do so far.
Aw bless. But no. Its not going to do any of those things: he’s yesterday’s man, Brexit is done, the Tories are finished, this won’t significantly shift the polls and Cameron will therefore be out of the job within a year
Ah. Shit. Leonadamus has spoken. Ah well. Another 5 years of the Tories it is.
What are the odds of Braverman challenging Rishi for the leadership?
zero she doesn't have the numbers....
Or the mechanism.
Yes, she could green-light the Tory right to send in letters but that still requires a VoNC to be carried and then for her to get through to the final two among MPs and win with the party membership.
All of which ties back the the first point. I expect that if she did try to bring Sunak down, she'd fail. Too many Tory MPs are too scarred from the Truss experience to risk Truss II, which could easily happen (not Truss herself but Braverman could easily be as bad, if not even worse). They know that even being 20 points behind doesn't represent the floor of Tory support because that's already been tested and found to be lower.
It's amazing how a system which hasn't been used for a quarter of a century still lingers in the popular memory as current.
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Someone who can't differentiate between an opinion and a fact - or who can see the difference but tries to pass them off as the same thing anyway at a point when it matters - is intellectually second-rate.
Particularly when the opinion is wrong and easily exposed as such.
Owen Jones is a smart guy who has been made lazy and incurious by his need to feed his social media following with standard opinions. It’s a real problem (not just for him)
Social media is the greatest evil since the advent of agriculture
Does PB count as social media? I think on the whole you are more likely to encounter a range of opinions on here, and its certainly not an echo chamber, but it surely has the main elements of social media?
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Someone who can't differentiate between an opinion and a fact - or who can see the difference but tries to pass them off as the same thing anyway at a point when it matters - is intellectually second-rate.
Particularly when the opinion is wrong and easily exposed as such.
Owen Jones is a smart guy who has been made lazy and incurious by his need to feed his social media following with standard opinions. It’s a real problem (not just for him)
Social media is the greatest evil since the advent of agriculture
I think Owen Jones likes swinging (or playing at swinging) to extremes.
My favourite was probably the Democracy Here! trip to Venezuela.
Whether he believes his own guff, I know not.
He was very forwards in his capitalist desire for a Zone 2 flat.
Cameron cuddling up to the EU could be a game changer for the Tories. He's one of the few who could legitimately do it. It would also show the pusillanimity of Starmer which the Tories have tried but failed to do so far.
Aw bless. But no. Its not going to do any of those things: he’s yesterday’s man, Brexit is done, the Tories are finished, this won’t significantly shift the polls and Cameron will therefore be out of the job within a year
What's he going to cost us for this year? I presume he gets paid a fair chunk, then expenses, and does he get another pension? There's already 350 Tories we're paying to do these jobs, can't they all pay a share to cover the cost of Lord Cameron?
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
It certainly seems to be working as a variant of dead cat. Cameron is more newsworthy than Suella’s sacking.
I’ve always thought FS would be by far the most enjoyable cabinet post, and the least risky. If things go really wrong in foreign affairs it’s the PM who gets the blame. There’s no BMA or police federation or teachers’ unions to piss off, and you’re not on the front line of spending arguments.
Home Sec must by contrast be the worst job. If I were Cleverly I’d be a bit annoyed.
Cleverly must however be the front running 'sensible' candidate for LOTO. It won;t be Cameron or Hunt, so he's the only one of the 'big four' in place post election.
1997? 2010? The big four tend to get swept aside these days.
I agree. The great offices of state are a solid platform from which to run for PM (good argument on experience and readiness for the role), but not for LOTO (time for a change and sweep out the old guard).
That depends on the result. If Labour squeak in, then the Tories would be wise to elect a PM in waiting. Arguably, Labour should have done that in 2010 rather than going for Milliband.
Labour won't just squeak in.
Labour needs a load of seats to break even. It could be closer than you think. Depends on the economy, which admittedly is in the toilet right now.
Nah. I take the point about needing a massive number of gains but I don't think the ground game is all that important and, ironically given so much previous comment, the boundary changes may help Labour by reducing the incumbency factor in many constituencies.
Starmer could easily make more gains than Blair did in 1997.
Good! She’s gone! Now, Rishi, face up to the ERG. If they don’t like it, let them join Reform and see if anyone other than corrupt policemen, taxi drivers and football hooligans vote for them.
Well, Reform are consistently polling 5-10% which is enough to destroy the Conservative Party as an electoral force. If the Tories were polling 34-38% rather than 24-28% they’d be in a strong position to win the next election. At the moment they are well positioned for total oblivion
Reform will struggle to run candidates in all seats and I suspect their number will fall as the election nears.
I've been asked to stand.
"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."
And have you agreed?
I'm tempted to stand as Reform in a close Tory/LibDem marginal to split the Tory vote. But I'm not a good enough actor (liar) and I'd be duty bound to resign my LibDem membership.
Cameron on X this morning: "stand by our allies, strengthen our partnerships" "a strong supporter of the UK retaining its commitment to spending 0.7% of gross national income on international aid"
that is the kind of talk the natcons love
handing out 0.7 % of GNI while we cant afford to build a railway.
A poor country pretending to be a rich one.
That's what 13 years of Toryism will do to a state.
Nah its what 26 years of Third way politics has done.
No its what 44 years of Neoliberalism has done (with 5 more years guaranteed no matter who you vote for)
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Someone who can't differentiate between an opinion and a fact - or who can see the difference but tries to pass them off as the same thing anyway at a point when it matters - is intellectually second-rate.
Particularly when the opinion is wrong and easily exposed as such.
Owen Jones is a smart guy who has been made lazy and incurious by his need to feed his social media following with standard opinions. It’s a real problem (not just for him)
Social media is the greatest evil since the advent of agriculture
Does PB count as social media? I think on the whole you are more likely to encounter a range of opinions on here, and its certainly not an echo chamber, but it surely has the main elements of social media?
PB is a bit weird. It has aspects of social media but also aspects of a great little pub hidden away in Belsize Park known only to locals
Cameron will probably shore up the blue wall and piss off the red one.
The Tories will lose both. Still time for yet another yo-yo between the two walls before the election.
And yet Rishi will be blind to the irony of him trying to label Starmer as directionless.
Starmer labelled as directionless will gain far more traction by the time of the GE.
Because he palpably is.
Vs - No more Blair/Cameron consensus as the headline of Rishis conference speech to hide his HS2 u-turn, followed by the appointment of Cameron a month later. Sure.
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Someone who can't differentiate between an opinion and a fact - or who can see the difference but tries to pass them off as the same thing anyway at a point when it matters - is intellectually second-rate.
Particularly when the opinion is wrong and easily exposed as such.
Owen Jones is a smart guy who has been made lazy and incurious by his need to feed his social media following with standard opinions. It’s a real problem (not just for him)
Social media is the greatest evil since the advent of agriculture
Being lazy and incurious automatically makes someone intellectually second-rate, at best, even if they have the potential to achieve more.
That said, I think he's always been too tied to his preconceptions to be a genuinely first-rate thinker.
I do like Ed Balls. Can we not have him as Mayor of London, over the execrable Khan? Please?
He is box office, excellent. However he would never take the mayoral job – the money isn't good enough. He earns a decent crust through his media work.
Why do people think that Khan is execrable? I would say he is fairly quiet and managerial.
Cameron on X this morning: "stand by our allies, strengthen our partnerships" "a strong supporter of the UK retaining its commitment to spending 0.7% of gross national income on international aid"
that is the kind of talk the natcons love
handing out 0.7 % of GNI while we cant afford to build a railway.
A poor country pretending to be a rich one.
That's what 13 years of Toryism will do to a state.
Nah its what 26 years of Third way politics has done.
No its what 44 years of Neoliberalism has done (with 5 more years guaranteed no matter who you vote for)
Good! She’s gone! Now, Rishi, face up to the ERG. If they don’t like it, let them join Reform and see if anyone other than corrupt policemen, taxi drivers and football hooligans vote for them.
Well, Reform are consistently polling 5-10% which is enough to destroy the Conservative Party as an electoral force. If the Tories were polling 34-38% rather than 24-28% they’d be in a strong position to win the next election. At the moment they are well positioned for total oblivion
Reform will struggle to run candidates in all seats and I suspect their number will fall as the election nears.
I've been asked to stand.
"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."
And have you agreed?
I'm tempted to stand as Reform in a close Tory/LibDem marginal to split the Tory vote. But I'm not a good enough actor (liar) and I'd be duty bound to resign my LibDem membership.
The acting part should be fairly easy. Just get very angry about something completely trivial. Indulge in a bit of nostalgia. Repeat.
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
It certainly seems to be working as a variant of dead cat. Cameron is more newsworthy than Suella’s sacking.
I’ve always thought FS would be by far the most enjoyable cabinet post, and the least risky. If things go really wrong in foreign affairs it’s the PM who gets the blame. There’s no BMA or police federation or teachers’ unions to piss off, and you’re not on the front line of spending arguments.
Home Sec must by contrast be the worst job. If I were Cleverly I’d be a bit annoyed.
Cleverly must however be the front running 'sensible' candidate for LOTO. It won;t be Cameron or Hunt, so he's the only one of the 'big four' in place post election.
1997? 2010? The big four tend to get swept aside these days.
I agree. The great offices of state are a solid platform from which to run for PM (good argument on experience and readiness for the role), but not for LOTO (time for a change and sweep out the old guard).
That depends on the result. If Labour squeak in, then the Tories would be wise to elect a PM in waiting. Arguably, Labour should have done that in 2010 rather than going for Milliband.
Labour won't just squeak in.
Labour needs a load of seats to break even. It could be closer than you think. Depends on the economy, which admittedly is in the toilet right now.
Nah. I take the point about needing a massive number of gains but I don't think the ground game is all that important and, ironically given so much previous comment, the boundary changes may help Labour by reducing the incumbency factor in many constituencies.
Starmer could easily make more gains than Blair did in 1997.
Yes. I understand Labour pessimism after 13 years of defeat but they are gonna win big in ‘24. The polls are not shifting and this latest “drama” won’t change that. Starmer has also got lucky at just the right time in Scotland
The only question now is whether Starmer has a decent majority or a landslide win
I do like Ed Balls. Can we not have him as Mayor of London, over the execrable Khan? Please?
He is box office, excellent. However he would never take the mayoral job – the money isn't good enough. He earns a decent crust through his media work.
Why do people think that Khan is execrable? I would say he is fairly quiet and managerial.
Good! She’s gone! Now, Rishi, face up to the ERG. If they don’t like it, let them join Reform and see if anyone other than corrupt policemen, taxi drivers and football hooligans vote for them.
Well, Reform are consistently polling 5-10% which is enough to destroy the Conservative Party as an electoral force. If the Tories were polling 34-38% rather than 24-28% they’d be in a strong position to win the next election. At the moment they are well positioned for total oblivion
Reform will struggle to run candidates in all seats and I suspect their number will fall as the election nears.
I've been asked to stand.
"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."
And have you agreed?
I'm tempted to stand as Reform in a close Tory/LibDem marginal to split the Tory vote. But I'm not a good enough actor (liar) and I'd be duty bound to resign my LibDem membership.
With Reform now asking the public to nominate themselves as candidates, they’d better have a proper vetting system in place to avoid anyone particularly scandalous from ending up on the list.
I’ll take a bet on every major party having at least one really basic failure-to-go-back-10-years-on-a-Twitter-timeline failure during the GE campaign.
Cameron on X this morning: "stand by our allies, strengthen our partnerships" "a strong supporter of the UK retaining its commitment to spending 0.7% of gross national income on international aid"
that is the kind of talk the natcons love
handing out 0.7 % of GNI while we cant afford to build a railway.
A poor country pretending to be a rich one.
That's what 13 years of Toryism will do to a state.
Nah its what 26 years of Third way politics has done.
No its what 44 years of Neoliberalism has done (with 5 more years guaranteed no matter who you vote for)
Whatever you think of David Cameron you have to admire his sense of duty.
He hasn't undermined the government (unlike some of his successors) over the last 7 years, and nor did he have to take this job.
Yes it must be tough for him, having to become a Lord, with a cushy spot for life, and in the meantime do a really interesting job that means flying around the world First Class and having foreigners fawn over you
Though Colfes and Army is rather the odd one out there. Doesn't quite evoke the same associations as the other 3, and Cleverly is clearly not a Bullingdon type.
Cameron cuddling up to the EU could be a game changer for the Tories. He's one of the few who could legitimately do it. It would also show the pusillanimity of Starmer which the Tories have tried but failed to do so far.
Aw bless. But no. Its not going to do any of those things: he’s yesterday’s man, Brexit is done, the Tories are finished, this won’t significantly shift the polls and Cameron will therefore be out of the job within a year
No, he isn't yesterday's man you silly hyperbolic Brexit loon. Brexit is yesterday's issue though. It has been a colossal fuckup for the Tories and the country, and of course, Cameron does share responsibility for due to the stupid and unnecessary in/out referendum. The reality though that frothing Brexit apologists like Leon (literally a dying breed) cannot grasp is that Cameron is a sensible grown up unlike all of the lightweights and intellectual idiots that are still stupid enough to genuinely believe in it. He might not save the Tories, but having someone of dignity and gravitas in the cabinet has to be a good thing for the country.
Cameron cuddling up to the EU could be a game changer for the Tories. He's one of the few who could legitimately do it. It would also show the pusillanimity of Starmer which the Tories have tried but failed to do so far.
Aw bless. But no. Its not going to do any of those things: he’s yesterday’s man, Brexit is done, the Tories are finished, this won’t significantly shift the polls and Cameron will therefore be out of the job within a year
No, he isn't yesterday's man you silly hyperbolic Brexit loon. Brexit is yesterday's issue though. It has been a colossal fuckup for the Tories and the country, and of course, Cameron does share responsibility for due to the stupid and unnecessary in/out referendum. The reality though that frothing Brexit apologists like Leon (literally a dying breed) cannot grasp is that Cameron is a sensible grown up unlike all of the lightweights and intellectual idiots that are still stupid enough to genuinely believe in it. He might not save the Tories, but having someone of dignity and gravitas in the cabinet has to be a good thing for the country.
You’ll find your pills in the top drawer in the kitchen
Good! She’s gone! Now, Rishi, face up to the ERG. If they don’t like it, let them join Reform and see if anyone other than corrupt policemen, taxi drivers and football hooligans vote for them.
Well, Reform are consistently polling 5-10% which is enough to destroy the Conservative Party as an electoral force. If the Tories were polling 34-38% rather than 24-28% they’d be in a strong position to win the next election. At the moment they are well positioned for total oblivion
Reform will struggle to run candidates in all seats and I suspect their number will fall as the election nears.
I've been asked to stand.
"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."
And have you agreed?
I'm tempted to stand as Reform in a close Tory/LibDem marginal to split the Tory vote. But I'm not a good enough actor (liar) and I'd be duty bound to resign my LibDem membership.
With Reform now the public to nominate themselves as candidates, they’d better have a proper vetting system in place to avoid anyone particularly scandalous from ending up on the list.
I’ll take a bet on every major party having at least one really basic failure-to-go-back-10-years-on-a-Twitter-timeline failure during the GE campaign.
I'd be outed as a scandalous LibDem straight away.
Cameron cuddling up to the EU could be a game changer for the Tories. He's one of the few who could legitimately do it. It would also show the pusillanimity of Starmer which the Tories have tried but failed to do so far.
Aw bless. But no. Its not going to do any of those things: he’s yesterday’s man, Brexit is done, the Tories are finished, this won’t significantly shift the polls and Cameron will therefore be out of the job within a year
No, he isn't yesterday's man you silly hyperbolic Brexit loon. Brexit is yesterday's issue though. It has been a colossal fuckup for the Tories and the country, and of course, Cameron does share responsibility for due to the stupid and unnecessary in/out referendum. The reality though that frothing Brexit apologists like Leon (literally a dying breed) cannot grasp is that Cameron is a sensible grown up unlike all of the lightweights and intellectual idiots that are still stupid enough to genuinely believe in it. He might not save the Tories, but having someone of dignity and gravitas in the cabinet has to be a good thing for the country.
You’ll find your pills in the top drawer in the kitchen
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Someone who can't differentiate between an opinion and a fact - or who can see the difference but tries to pass them off as the same thing anyway at a point when it matters - is intellectually second-rate.
Particularly when the opinion is wrong and easily exposed as such.
Owen Jones is a smart guy who has been made lazy and incurious by his need to feed his social media following with standard opinions. It’s a real problem (not just for him)
Social media is the greatest evil since the advent of agriculture
I do like Ed Balls. Can we not have him as Mayor of London, over the execrable Khan? Please?
He is box office, excellent. However he would never take the mayoral job – the money isn't good enough. He earns a decent crust through his media work.
Why do people think that Khan is execrable? I would say he is fairly quiet and managerial.
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Someone who can't differentiate between an opinion and a fact - or who can see the difference but tries to pass them off as the same thing anyway at a point when it matters - is intellectually second-rate.
Particularly when the opinion is wrong and easily exposed as such.
Owen Jones is a smart guy who has been made lazy and incurious by his need to feed his social media following with standard opinions. It’s a real problem (not just for him)
Social media is the greatest evil since the advent of agriculture
Does PB count as social media? I think on the whole you are more likely to encounter a range of opinions on here, and its certainly not an echo chamber, but it surely has the main elements of social media?
PB is a bit weird. It has aspects of social media but also aspects of a great little pub hidden away in Belsize Park known only to locals
Great analogy, but one that leads to speculation about the 'regulars' and how they fit into the pub cast... We definitely have the drunk sweary Scot, the only Tory in the village, the one who bangs on about not using money and so on!
[Rishi] It's astounding Time is fleeting Madness takes its toll But listen closely
[Suella] Not for very much longer
[Rishi] I've got to keep control
[Narrator] It's just a jump to the left. [All] And then a step to the right. [Narrator] Put your hands on your hips. [All] You bring your knees in tight. But it's the pelvic thrust That really drives you insane. Let's do the time-warp again. Let's do the time-warp again....
Good! She’s gone! Now, Rishi, face up to the ERG. If they don’t like it, let them join Reform and see if anyone other than corrupt policemen, taxi drivers and football hooligans vote for them.
Well, Reform are consistently polling 5-10% which is enough to destroy the Conservative Party as an electoral force. If the Tories were polling 34-38% rather than 24-28% they’d be in a strong position to win the next election. At the moment they are well positioned for total oblivion
Reform will struggle to run candidates in all seats and I suspect their number will fall as the election nears.
I've been asked to stand.
"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."
And have you agreed?
I'm tempted to stand as Reform in a close Tory/LibDem marginal to split the Tory vote. But I'm not a good enough actor (liar) and I'd be duty bound to resign my LibDem membership.
The acting part should be fairly easy. Just get very angry about something completely trivial. Indulge in a bit of nostalgia. Repeat.
Just complain about the EU banning orange dye in kippers.
So, I am kinda hoping Sunak wusses out of a leaders' debate/interview at the GE and sends DC and Starmer does the same and sends Miliband. Is he tough enough? Hell yeah!
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Someone who can't differentiate between an opinion and a fact - or who can see the difference but tries to pass them off as the same thing anyway at a point when it matters - is intellectually second-rate.
Particularly when the opinion is wrong and easily exposed as such.
Owen Jones is a smart guy who has been made lazy and incurious by his need to feed his social media following with standard opinions. It’s a real problem (not just for him)
Social media is the greatest evil since the advent of agriculture
Although: no agriculture, no Enlightenment.
There was a brief period, wasn't there - in the middle of the last decade - when Owen Jones did get a bit curious, and did a series of thoughtful pieces about how the working class no longer saw Labour as their natural party, and why. But then soon after that he quickly and fully dived down the Corbyn rabbithole and hasn't really seen the real world since.
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Someone who can't differentiate between an opinion and a fact - or who can see the difference but tries to pass them off as the same thing anyway at a point when it matters - is intellectually second-rate.
Particularly when the opinion is wrong and easily exposed as such.
Owen Jones is a smart guy who has been made lazy and incurious by his need to feed his social media following with standard opinions. It’s a real problem (not just for him)
Social media is the greatest evil since the advent of agriculture
Does PB count as social media? I think on the whole you are more likely to encounter a range of opinions on here, and its certainly not an echo chamber, but it surely has the main elements of social media?
PB is a bit weird. It has aspects of social media but also aspects of a great little pub hidden away in Belsize Park known only to locals
Great analogy, but one that leads to speculation about the 'regulars' and how they fit into the pub cast... We definitely have the drunk sweary Scot, the only Tory in the village, the one who bangs on about not using money and so on!
I do like Ed Balls. Can we not have him as Mayor of London, over the execrable Khan? Please?
He is box office, excellent. However he would never take the mayoral job – the money isn't good enough. He earns a decent crust through his media work.
Why do people think that Khan is execrable? I would say he is fairly quiet and managerial.
He is pretty much the opposite of Boris. For some that is a political sin.
Whatever you think of David Cameron you have to admire his sense of duty.
He hasn't undermined the government (unlike some of his successors) over the last 7 years, and nor did he have to take this job.
Yes it must be tough for him, having to become a Lord, with a cushy spot for life, and in the meantime do a really interesting job that means flying around the world First Class and having foreigners fawn over you
He's taking a job (might even be unpaid) in the fag-end of a very unpopular government, and he will get brickbats the whole time. The media outings won't be enjoyable.
He didn't have to do it, he will be away from his family and kids a lot, the world isn't pretty at the moment, and there are far easier and more lucrative options for him out there.
Comments
A poor country pretending to be a rich one.
And yet Rishi will be blind to the irony of him trying to label Starmer as directionless.
The best I can do is "middling". I haven't seen any major pratfalls, nor any obvious world-shaking achievements.
The Major benefit as Home Secretary may be just the significantly greater measure of sanity over Ms Alarmed Rube.
How many CPTPP members will have accredited UK membership by the next Election?
If Liz Truss were back, she'd be making speeches about exporting Cheese to Canada.
FS is going to be all travel, diplomacy, and mostly working towards long-term goals with an ever-changing group of people on the other side of the table.
HS is by comparison fighting one fire after another, and hoping not to drop the ball on anything important!
A busy time for foreign relations at the moment though, I suspect a quick tour to Washington, Kiev, and Tel Aviv, followed by a winter touring European capitals trying to get everyone on the same page re: Ukraine.
Particularly when the opinion is wrong and easily exposed as such.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-12741083/Nigel-Farage-admits-hes-terrified-Im-Celeb-jungle-Good-job-hell-breaks-cigarette-rest-back.html
"More voters think Reform UK would support a closer relationship with the EU than not, as they are also split over whether the party supports or opposes more migration. The only issue that a plurality of voters attributes to the party is dissatisfaction with the political system, which is possibly inferred from the party's name."
However if it does not see some poll moves upwards by the Tories and just ends up seeing further leaks to Reform, the Right will be ready for revenge and to take back the party again in Opposition if Sunak, Hunt and Cameron do lose the next general election to Starmer.
It may be the last hurrah for Cameronism as Lord Mandelson's return in 2008 marked the return of New Labour in Brown's Cabinet with David Miliband as Foreign Secretary before Brown's election defeat to Cameron shifted Labour left first to Ed Miliband and then to Corbyn
https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/gb-news-sky-news-prime-time-ratings/#:~:text=GB News managed an average,versus 52,230 for Sky News.&text=GB News has for the,a month than Sky News.
"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."
What sin have you committed to be approached in such a way?
Social media is the greatest evil since the advent of agriculture
What makes the real difference is getting rid of the execrable Braverman but he could have done that and appointed someone from within the Commons and basically had got the same medium to long term effect.
https://twitter.com/_emilyoram/status/1723991159716921644
Cameron going to No. 10 smacks of a relegation threatened club getting on the phone to Sam Allardyce
Also given Cameron didnt travel well in Scotland, not sure who this will benefit there.. but Icant see it helping the Tories, unless theyre going to unretire Ruth Davidson.
Ah. About evens then.
This move sets a precedent for the return of Truss.
Something for both sides of that particular debate (with apologies for using wiki).
Yes, she could green-light the Tory right to send in letters but that still requires a VoNC to be carried and then for her to get through to the final two among MPs and win with the party membership.
All of which ties back the the first point. I expect that if she did try to bring Sunak down, she'd fail. Too many Tory MPs are too scarred from the Truss experience to risk Truss II, which could easily happen (not Truss herself but Braverman could easily be as bad, if not even worse). They know that even being 20 points behind doesn't represent the floor of Tory support because that's already been tested and found to be lower.
It's amazing how a system which hasn't been used for a quarter of a century still lingers in the popular memory as current.
My favourite was probably the Democracy Here! trip to Venezuela.
Whether he believes his own guff, I know not.
He was very forwards in his capitalist desire for a Zone 2 flat.
Starmer could easily make more gains than Blair did in 1997.
Because he palpably is.
That said, I think he's always been too tied to his preconceptions to be a genuinely first-rate thinker.
The only question now is whether Starmer has a decent majority or a landslide win
He hasn't undermined the government (unlike some of his successors) over the last 7 years, and nor did he have to take this job.
I’ll take a bet on every major party having at least one really basic failure-to-go-back-10-years-on-a-Twitter-timeline failure during the GE campaign.
"And all four holders of the great offices of state all went to public school…
PM: Winchester, Oxford
FS: Eton, Oxford
CX: Charterhouse, Oxford
HS: Colfe’s, Army"
https://x.com/MrHarryCole/status/1724011331995533652?s=20
Though Colfes and Army is rather the odd one out there. Doesn't quite evoke the same associations as the other 3, and Cleverly is clearly not a Bullingdon type.
https://x.com/NickGibbUK/status/1723988152333832532?s=20
@David_Cameron
on his return to government. His immense experience on the international stage will be invaluable at this time of great uncertainty in our world. Looking forward to working together again!
https://x.com/theresa_may/status/1724010553343910212?s=20
This puts to bed the Prime Minister's laughable claim to offer change from 13 years of Tory failure.
https://twitter.com/patmcfaddenmp/status/1724016777275875630
Or, to paraphrase.
[Rishi]
It's astounding
Time is fleeting
Madness takes its toll
But listen closely
[Suella]
Not for very much longer
[Rishi]
I've got to keep control
[Narrator]
It's just a jump to the left.
[All]
And then a step to the right.
[Narrator]
Put your hands on your hips.
[All]
You bring your knees in tight.
But it's the pelvic thrust
That really drives you insane.
Let's do the time-warp again.
Let's do the time-warp again....
He didn't have to do it, he will be away from his family and kids a lot, the world isn't pretty at the moment, and there are far easier and more lucrative options for him out there.