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Being a convicted felon has consequences – politicalbetting.com

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  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 12,496
    Andy_JS said:

    Neil Hudson, Tory MP for Penrith (until dissolution), has been selected for Epping Forest after failing to get selected in the new constituency in his previous area.

    He was IIRC in for the new seat of Penrith and Solway (my home seat) replacing P and B (was my home seat), but Jenkinson got it instead. This is not in the top 40 reasons for not voting Tory this time, but it possibly makes the top 100. Hudson basically OK and bright, and was the only vet in the Commons. Jenkinson a typical Red Waller populist.

    Labour expected to take this safe Tory seat by several thousand this time, though an informed Tory I know thinks Tories have a chance both in P and S, and in Carlisle (where Labour are also expected to win). DYOR. I think Labour will sweep the board in Cumbria except for Tim Farron who will walk his new seat.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,239
    I physically loathe this fat wheezing Ukrainian fuck next to me with such a consuming passion I actively want an Iranian missile to take out the whole bus JUST SO HE DIES
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479
    edited June 4
    nico679 said:

    Shaheen resigns from Labour and will make an announcement tomorrow on her candidacy/next steps

    No one knows who she is apart from us in here . I feel sorry for her as being a Labour candidate now given the polls and her original target meant she could have walked the election but when will politicians or those aspiring to be learn that using twitter is an accident waiting to happen . And it wasn’t just her tweeting that caused the problems .
    Indeed, Sir Keir has been proven right by her behaviour since her removal. She is clearly a loose cannon who puts herself above her party.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,889
    edited June 4

    Farage will win Clacton
    RefUK will help the Tories get absolutely demolished
    The Tory MPs left will be Faragista
    Tory members are already Faragista

    Farage as the next Tory leader? Doable.

    Farage may win Clacton, I doubt Reform win anywhere else except maybe Ashfield and in some redwall seats they will take Labour votes as Farage appeals more to Labour voters than Tice.

    I assume you have not been following any of the Tory selections in recent weeks? Almost all the final 3 in shortlists picked by CCHQ where Tory MPs are standing down have been Sunak loyalists not Faragistas and indeed most of the Faragista/Boris loyalist Conservative redwall MPs will likely lose their seats
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,174
    Leon said:

    I physically loathe this fat wheezing Ukrainian fuck next to me with such a consuming passion I actively want an Iranian missile to take out the whole bus JUST SO HE DIES

    Shouldn't he be conscripted ?
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,239
    Pulpstar said:

    Leon said:

    I physically loathe this fat wheezing Ukrainian fuck next to me with such a consuming passion I actively want an Iranian missile to take out the whole bus JUST SO HE DIES

    Shouldn't he be conscripted ?
    He clearly believes Ukraine can eat its way to victory
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,174
    algarkirk said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Neil Hudson, Tory MP for Penrith (until dissolution), has been selected for Epping Forest after failing to get selected in the new constituency in his previous area.

    He was IIRC in for the new seat of Penrith and Solway (my home seat) replacing P and B (was my home seat), but Jenkinson got it instead. This is not in the top 40 reasons for not voting Tory this time, but it possibly makes the top 100. Hudson basically OK and bright, and was the only vet in the Commons. Jenkinson a typical Red Waller populist.

    Labour expected to take this safe Tory seat by several thousand this time, though an informed Tory I know thinks Tories have a chance both in P and S, and in Carlisle (where Labour are also expected to win). DYOR. I think Labour will sweep the board in Cumbria except for Tim Farron who will walk his new seat.
    I'd be astonished if the Tories have a gnat's fart chance in Carlisle.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,174
    edited June 4
    Leon said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Leon said:

    I physically loathe this fat wheezing Ukrainian fuck next to me with such a consuming passion I actively want an Iranian missile to take out the whole bus JUST SO HE DIES

    Shouldn't he be conscripted ?
    He clearly believes Ukraine can eat its way to victory
    Send Colonel Cassad, the "Fisherman" or Two Majors the geolocation of your bus :D
  • SelebianSelebian Posts: 8,721

    Nigelb said:

    I have a degree of scepticism about the individuals behind this, but their list if ideas is more worthy of attention than anything Farage has said in the last two decades, and more likely to contribute to growth than Truss's mad flirtation with power.

    Britain has been in a funk. Real GDP per capita hasn't reached its 2007 peak. Real wages have stagnated. Bills and rents are too high, and our transport infrastructure is creaking.

    It doesn't have to be this way. Today
    @BritainRemade is launching our plan for economic growth...

    https://x.com/Ben_A_Hopkinson/status/1797938075081056603

    Lots of good ideas there. I found this chart very interesting.
    imageThe rate of private housebuilding isn't low by historical standards. But the state stopped building houses. Add 150,000 houses a year built by the state and I think you'd start to fix the problem.
    Yes. We need public housing. The state currently spends large amounts of money funnelling housing benefit to landlords. Let's just build council housing.
    'We send £275 million* per week to private landlords. Let's spend it on building houses instead.'

    Could stick it on the side of a bus, couldn't you? :wink:

    *back of envelope from a Beeb story putting housing benefit at £14.3bn/year (not all to private landlords, presumably)
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,009

    Shaheen resigns from Labour and will make an announcement tomorrow on her candidacy/next steps

    The pram no longer contains any toys.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,889
    nico679 said:
    To be fair to Rayner she says she supports nuclear weapons while Putin has them, just wants disarmament globally in an ideal world
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,174
    Selebian said:

    Nigelb said:

    I have a degree of scepticism about the individuals behind this, but their list if ideas is more worthy of attention than anything Farage has said in the last two decades, and more likely to contribute to growth than Truss's mad flirtation with power.

    Britain has been in a funk. Real GDP per capita hasn't reached its 2007 peak. Real wages have stagnated. Bills and rents are too high, and our transport infrastructure is creaking.

    It doesn't have to be this way. Today
    @BritainRemade is launching our plan for economic growth...

    https://x.com/Ben_A_Hopkinson/status/1797938075081056603

    Lots of good ideas there. I found this chart very interesting.
    imageThe rate of private housebuilding isn't low by historical standards. But the state stopped building houses. Add 150,000 houses a year built by the state and I think you'd start to fix the problem.
    Yes. We need public housing. The state currently spends large amounts of money funnelling housing benefit to landlords. Let's just build council housing.
    'We send £275 million* per week to private landlords. Let's spend it on building houses instead.'

    Could stick it on the side of a bus, couldn't you? :wink:

    *back of envelope from a Beeb story putting housing benefit at £14.3bn/year (not all to private landlords, presumably)
    At least HB going to councils is just a recharge of one bit of the state to another. Can't think of much worse expenditure than landlord benefit tbf,
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,009
    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Neil Hudson, Tory MP for Penrith (until dissolution), has been selected for Epping Forest after failing to get selected in the new constituency in his previous area.

    He has links to the area though, his mother and sister live in Theydon Bois and his father was a North Weald Parish councillor
    So what you are saying is that he had no links with Penrith!
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,549
    Bloody hell.

    "Modi set to lose majority in shock Indian election result"

    https://www.ft.com
  • Pulpstar said:

    Selebian said:

    Nigelb said:

    I have a degree of scepticism about the individuals behind this, but their list if ideas is more worthy of attention than anything Farage has said in the last two decades, and more likely to contribute to growth than Truss's mad flirtation with power.

    Britain has been in a funk. Real GDP per capita hasn't reached its 2007 peak. Real wages have stagnated. Bills and rents are too high, and our transport infrastructure is creaking.

    It doesn't have to be this way. Today
    @BritainRemade is launching our plan for economic growth...

    https://x.com/Ben_A_Hopkinson/status/1797938075081056603

    Lots of good ideas there. I found this chart very interesting.
    imageThe rate of private housebuilding isn't low by historical standards. But the state stopped building houses. Add 150,000 houses a year built by the state and I think you'd start to fix the problem.
    Yes. We need public housing. The state currently spends large amounts of money funnelling housing benefit to landlords. Let's just build council housing.
    'We send £275 million* per week to private landlords. Let's spend it on building houses instead.'

    Could stick it on the side of a bus, couldn't you? :wink:

    *back of envelope from a Beeb story putting housing benefit at £14.3bn/year (not all to private landlords, presumably)
    At least HB going to councils is just a recharge of one bit of the state to another. Can't think of much worse expenditure than landlord benefit tbf,
    I am not going anywhere thank you very much.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,889
    edited June 4
    Yougov voteshares with Farage as Reform Leader earlier this year

    Con 21%
    Labour 42%
    Reform 14%
    LD 10%

    Farage took from the Tories and Labour who were both down 1% the poll found but the LDs rose 1% ironically if Farage returned
    https://x.com/JohnRentoul/status/1742602515324035262
  • eekeek Posts: 28,366
    edited June 4
    Pulpstar said:

    Selebian said:

    Nigelb said:

    I have a degree of scepticism about the individuals behind this, but their list if ideas is more worthy of attention than anything Farage has said in the last two decades, and more likely to contribute to growth than Truss's mad flirtation with power.

    Britain has been in a funk. Real GDP per capita hasn't reached its 2007 peak. Real wages have stagnated. Bills and rents are too high, and our transport infrastructure is creaking.

    It doesn't have to be this way. Today
    @BritainRemade is launching our plan for economic growth...

    https://x.com/Ben_A_Hopkinson/status/1797938075081056603

    Lots of good ideas there. I found this chart very interesting.
    imageThe rate of private housebuilding isn't low by historical standards. But the state stopped building houses. Add 150,000 houses a year built by the state and I think you'd start to fix the problem.
    Yes. We need public housing. The state currently spends large amounts of money funnelling housing benefit to landlords. Let's just build council housing.
    'We send £275 million* per week to private landlords. Let's spend it on building houses instead.'

    Could stick it on the side of a bus, couldn't you? :wink:

    *back of envelope from a Beeb story putting housing benefit at £14.3bn/year (not all to private landlords, presumably)
    At least HB going to councils is just a recharge of one bit of the state to another. Can't think of much worse expenditure than landlord benefit tbf,
    Worse than that - it's why house prices are so high, remove the state payment of housing benefit and private rents would be lower which would also make house prices lower...

    Classic example from where Twin A has bought her house. Market value of a house £170,000 unless it has previous permission to be a HMO. In which case it's £320,000 (and that's on 10% return)
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,239
    Ooh. I just got interrogated by the Ukrainian border guards and THEN I SHOWED THEM MY OFFICIAL MEDIA ACCREDITATION

    Instant respect. Nice
  • SelebianSelebian Posts: 8,721
    Leon said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Leon said:

    I physically loathe this fat wheezing Ukrainian fuck next to me with such a consuming passion I actively want an Iranian missile to take out the whole bus JUST SO HE DIES

    Shouldn't he be conscripted ?
    He clearly believes Ukraine can eat its way to victory
    Pig for Victory! :wink:
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 22,067
    Nigelb said:

    nico679 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Owen Jones
    @OwenJones84
    ·
    1h
    I tried to have a little chat with Labour's Shadow Cabinet minister Thangam Debbonaire in Bristol Central.

    It didn't go very well.

    https://x.com/OwenJones84/status/1797941391852527888

    Thangam Debbonaire is smarter than I had realized.
    She really should have had a bit part in The Persuaders with a name like that.
    OMG that had an amazing music intro . One of the very best ever for a tv programme .
    Yes, loved that; it was far better than the series itself.

    The almost contemporaneous The Life and Times of David Lloyd George had one by Morricine which was arguably even better.
    John Barry, "Theme From The Persuaders", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcBJ1KSvxtA
    Ennio Morricone, "Chi Mai", used as the theme to "The Life and Times of David Lloyd George", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbHP9NtSnB0
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479
    edited June 4
    HYUFD said:

    nico679 said:
    To be fair to Rayner she says she supports nuclear weapons while Putin has them, just wants disarmament globally in an ideal world
    Indeed. As is so often the case, you are both precise and fair in your thinking – unlike many of the PB Tories who just jump on to half-baked, semi-quotes without checking them, in acts of naked desperation.
  • AbandonedHopeAbandonedHope Posts: 144
    Eabhal said:

    Postal vote confirmed. Quick work from the council, hope the ballot arrives in time.

    @Eabhal I think quite a few councils were expecting the election in May so are pretty geared up for it. Contacted the council here in the East Riding today. Staff were positive and friendly. Confirmed still down as a postal vote. Papers/postal votes going out in batches from 20th onwards. All quite efficient.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,127
    Andy_JS said:

    Bloody hell.

    "Modi set to lose majority in shock Indian election result"

    https://www.ft.com

    A reminder that polls are not infallible.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 22,067
    edited June 4
    Pulpstar said:

    Leon said:

    I physically loathe this fat wheezing Ukrainian fuck next to me with such a consuming passion I actively want an Iranian missile to take out the whole bus JUST SO HE DIES

    Shouldn't he be conscripted ?
    Well yes, but the Gazette keeps sending him abroad :)
  • kjhkjh Posts: 11,782
    Selebian said:

    kjh said:

    Sorry for losing my cool early, particularly as I did it with posters I like.

    Just to confirm I am not going to mention buying train tickets at the station or online for at least another 24 hours and hopefully for a lot longer.

    Angry kjh is a new one on me. I thought you'd swapped accounts with CR for a minute, but you failed to flounce :wink:
    Well thank you. I try to stay calm and polite, but I have lost it on more than one occasion here. I'm not sure my latest one counts that much really. Interestingly it was @Casino_Royale that pulled me up on my last proper one. He actually did it very politely and he was right. My only defence was that I was sorely pushed by @megasaur who came out with the most outrageous accusations of racism, homophobia and antisemitism in a serious of obnoxious post. Why me I don't know? Casino did me a favour. I stopped, thought and 24 hours later posted a considered post which got liked by 2 posters I respect a great deal. That made me feel a lot better than ranting.
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,344
    HYUFD said:

    Yougov voteshares with Farage as Reform Leader earlier this year

    Con 21%
    Labour 42%
    Reform 14%
    LD 10%

    Farage took from the Tories and Labour who were both down 1% the poll found but the LDs rose 1% ironically if Farage returned
    https://x.com/JohnRentoul/status/1742602515324035262

    Farage might also gain vote share for Reform, by enthusing don't knows/won't votes.
  • AlsoLeiAlsoLei Posts: 1,457
    nico679 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Nigel Farage appears to ditch key Reform UK immigration policy during live interview. Nigel Farage appeared to ditch a key Reform UK policy live on air, admitting that his party’s plan to process asylum seekers in British Overseas Territories is “not terribly practical”.

    Yet another thing the expresserati have to roll back their support for.... Brexiteers are forever retconning their own history to account for their failures and changing leadership over the years..... it is astounding to observe

    The sole amusing thing about Farage's latest foray is the pathetic capitulation of the previous leader, when the blowhard announced he was taking over.
    RefUK are a bunch of sad cucks.
    Fararge owns 53% of Reform, so controls it. If he wants to be leader he is, no point fighting him.
    It’s not a proper party . Just a vehicle for Farage to peddle his brand of hate politics.
    How do donations work in the case of Refuk? Are they held in trust for the sole purpose of campaigning - or could Nige pull an exit scam by closing the party down and pocketing the cash?
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479
    Andy_JS said:

    Bloody hell.

    "Modi set to lose majority in shock Indian election result"

    https://www.ft.com

    Amazing news from India!
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 22,067
    rcs1000 said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Bloody hell.

    "Modi set to lose majority in shock Indian election result"

    https://www.ft.com

    A reminder that polls are not infallible.
    And not the first polling failure this year. This concerns me.
  • ToryJimToryJim Posts: 4,189

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Neil Hudson, Tory MP for Penrith (until dissolution), has been selected for Epping Forest after failing to get selected in the new constituency in his previous area.

    He has links to the area though, his mother and sister live in Theydon Bois and his father was a North Weald Parish councillor
    So what you are saying is that he had no links with Penrith!
    I do find this angle kind of weird, artificially reducing the talent pool for spurious reasons. Picking candidates who know the square root of bugger all simply because they have some tenuous claim to ‘links’ with an area seems an act of self harm. Most of the towering politicians of prior generations didn’t have deep links in the seats they held. It did neither them nor the country any harm. I think this is one of the biggest reasons we have such dire quality MPs.
  • GhedebravGhedebrav Posts: 3,860
    Andy_JS said:

    Bloody hell.

    "Modi set to lose majority in shock Indian election result"

    https://www.ft.com

    Elsewhere I've seen 'majority slashed' rather than lost. Doesn't seem to be clear yet.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 81,978
    Andy_JS said:

    Bloody hell.

    "Modi set to lose majority in shock Indian election result"

    https://www.ft.com

    Greatest polling failure in history?
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,952

    HYUFD said:

    nico679 said:
    To be fair to Rayner she says she supports nuclear weapons while Putin has them, just wants disarmament globally in an ideal world
    Indeed. As is so often the case, you are both precise and fair in your thinking – unlike many of the PB Tories who just jump on to half-baked, semi-quotes without checking them, in acts of naked desperation.
    What? @HYUFD _is_ the PB Tories.

    Or used to be.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 81,978
    edited June 4
    ToryJim said:

    Not all going Farage’s way in Clacton I see.

    https://x.com/politlcsuk/status/1797980355422818749?s=46

    I will say, stunts like this are very often counterproductive. Although it wouldn’t be a general election without something being thrown at a politician.

    Now had a milkshake thrown over him.

    Lock em up. Attack on democracy shouldn't be tolerated, be it when it was against Corbyn or Farage like this or the actual attenpts on lives. Because now this will just happen every day.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 51,602
    ToryJim said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Neil Hudson, Tory MP for Penrith (until dissolution), has been selected for Epping Forest after failing to get selected in the new constituency in his previous area.

    He has links to the area though, his mother and sister live in Theydon Bois and his father was a North Weald Parish councillor
    So what you are saying is that he had no links with Penrith!
    I do find this angle kind of weird, artificially reducing the talent pool for spurious reasons. Picking candidates who know the square root of bugger all simply because they have some tenuous claim to ‘links’ with an area seems an act of self harm. Most of the towering politicians of prior generations didn’t have deep links in the seats they held. It did neither them nor the country any harm. I think this is one of the biggest reasons we have such dire quality MPs.
    Maybe the problem is the electoral system.

    Why let unqualified people choose their MPs just because of tenuous 'links' with an area like residency. Instead they should be vetted by specialist judges and appointed by a panel of experts to ensure they are up to the job.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,127
    Andy_JS said:

    "How London Underground fines you if you travel too slowly across the city"

    https://metro.co.uk/2024/02/24/london-underground-fines-travel-slowly-across-city-20340117/

    This is what can be avoided with a paper ticket, and why they wanted to abolish them recently, although changed their minds at the last minute after lots of people complained.

    I can't stand slow people on public transport. If fines are are needed to make them speed up, or at least get out of my way, then fines there must be.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 63,027
    Didn't take long

    Farage has drink thrown over him in Clacton
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479
    TOPPING said:

    HYUFD said:

    nico679 said:
    To be fair to Rayner she says she supports nuclear weapons while Putin has them, just wants disarmament globally in an ideal world
    Indeed. As is so often the case, you are both precise and fair in your thinking – unlike many of the PB Tories who just jump on to half-baked, semi-quotes without checking them, in acts of naked desperation.
    What? @HYUFD _is_ the PB Tories.

    Or used to be.
    Like you, he is a Tory on PB, not a PB Tory.
  • JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,291
    Ghedebrav said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Bloody hell.

    "Modi set to lose majority in shock Indian election result"

    https://www.ft.com

    Elsewhere I've seen 'majority slashed' rather than lost. Doesn't seem to be clear yet.
    The BJP had a small overall majority by itself in the previous Parliament though with its allies governed with a massive lead over the Opposition. They now longer have that, but with its supporters, look at present to have an overall majority of about 40. So Modi should remain PM but with his authority massively diminished.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,061

    Didn't take long

    Farage has drink thrown over him in Clacton

    The 'Farage not welcome here' protesters have also arrived.
  • theProletheProle Posts: 1,206
    Andy_JS said:

    The BBC "fact-checking" Farage's claim that migration is ruining Britain.

    That isn't something you can fact-check, it's a matter of opinion. That the BBC don't realise this is interesting.

    To a point. It depends if the claim is cultural or economic - as expressed above, it could be either. If its cultural, then it's completely a matter of opinion.
    If it's economic, then one can assemble figures on the effects of immigration on wages, prices, housing supply, taxes and benefits paid, and this becomes fact checkable.

    The problem then is that the economic impact of migration depends who you are; largely the richer you are, the better it is likely to be for you - so even once you get the economic data, it's probably going to be mixed.

    The problem is that the economic picture is mixed
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,239

    ToryJim said:

    Not all going Farage’s way in Clacton I see.

    https://x.com/politlcsuk/status/1797980355422818749?s=46

    I will say, stunts like this are very often counterproductive. Although it wouldn’t be a general election without something being thrown at a politician.

    Now had a milkshake thrown over him.

    Lock em up. Attack on democracy shouldn't be tolerated, be it when it was against Corbyn or Farage like this or the actual attenpts on lives. Because now this will just happen every day.
    I want Farage elected just because of this

    No one will ever bother in our democracy if we tolerate this. It’s putrid. And yes - same goes for Corbyn or Galloway

    If you attack a politician you should do time
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 4,930
    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Neil Hudson, Tory MP for Penrith (until dissolution), has been selected for Epping Forest after failing to get selected in the new constituency in his previous area.

    He has links to the area though, his mother and sister live in Theydon Bois and his father was a North Weald Parish councillor
    So, what was he doing in Penrith? As a general rule, candidates should live in the local area if they are going to represent it, and understand it’s idiosyncrasies.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 18,354
    Ghedebrav said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Bloody hell.

    "Modi set to lose majority in shock Indian election result"

    https://www.ft.com

    Elsewhere I've seen 'majority slashed' rather than lost. Doesn't seem to be clear yet.
    I think there's some confusion between whether BJP alone will win a majority (it probably won't) or whether the electoral coalition it is part of will do so (looks like they will).

    There are 23 other parties in alliance with BJP, and 22 in alliance with Congress.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479
    rcs1000 said:

    Andy_JS said:

    "How London Underground fines you if you travel too slowly across the city"

    https://metro.co.uk/2024/02/24/london-underground-fines-travel-slowly-across-city-20340117/

    This is what can be avoided with a paper ticket, and why they wanted to abolish them recently, although changed their minds at the last minute after lots of people complained.

    I can't stand slow people on public transport. If fines are are needed to make them speed up, or at least get out of my way, then fines there must be.
    It would take a special punter indeed to spend 95 minutes on the Tube in Zone 1. It is a whole new world of Travelling Salesman Problem to calculate how such a feat could be achieved.

    (no deliberate loitering allowed)
  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,486

    Didn't take long

    Farage has drink thrown over him in Clacton

    The 'Farage not welcome here' protesters have also arrived.
    Are there any seats that are potentially between reform and Tory where we would have the hilarity of tactical voters having to decide which is worse?
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,009
    ToryJim said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Neil Hudson, Tory MP for Penrith (until dissolution), has been selected for Epping Forest after failing to get selected in the new constituency in his previous area.

    He has links to the area though, his mother and sister live in Theydon Bois and his father was a North Weald Parish councillor
    So what you are saying is that he had no links with Penrith!
    I do find this angle kind of weird, artificially reducing the talent pool for spurious reasons. Picking candidates who know the square root of bugger all simply because they have some tenuous claim to ‘links’ with an area seems an act of self harm. Most of the towering politicians of prior generations didn’t have deep links in the seats they held. It did neither them nor the country any harm. I think this is one of the biggest reasons we have such dire quality MPs.
    As long as we have FPTP and individual constituency MPs, this will be an issue. Too many MPs see themselves as glorified social workers first, legislators second.

    Bugger the case work - leave it to local councillors. And focus on matters of national and international importance.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,009
    Ghedebrav said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Bloody hell.

    "Modi set to lose majority in shock Indian election result"

    https://www.ft.com

    Elsewhere I've seen 'majority slashed' rather than lost. Doesn't seem to be clear yet.
    Two of the BJP's allies - the Janata Dal (United) and the Telugu Desam Party - are leading in close to 30 seats. The BJP - which seems to have been restricted to around 240 seats - needs them to reach 272 seats to be in power.

    But both the TDP and the JDU are former Congress partners, and Mr Gandhi did not rule out the possibility of holding talks with them.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,061
    viewcode said:

    Nigelb said:

    nico679 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Owen Jones
    @OwenJones84
    ·
    1h
    I tried to have a little chat with Labour's Shadow Cabinet minister Thangam Debbonaire in Bristol Central.

    It didn't go very well.

    https://x.com/OwenJones84/status/1797941391852527888

    Thangam Debbonaire is smarter than I had realized.
    She really should have had a bit part in The Persuaders with a name like that.
    OMG that had an amazing music intro . One of the very best ever for a tv programme .
    Yes, loved that; it was far better than the series itself.

    The almost contemporaneous The Life and Times of David Lloyd George had one by Morricine which was arguably even better.
    John Barry, "Theme From The Persuaders", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcBJ1KSvxtA
    Ennio Morricone, "Chi Mai", used as the theme to "The Life and Times of David Lloyd George", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbHP9NtSnB0
    Two of the greatest cinema music geniuses of all time.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,009

    rcs1000 said:

    Andy_JS said:

    "How London Underground fines you if you travel too slowly across the city"

    https://metro.co.uk/2024/02/24/london-underground-fines-travel-slowly-across-city-20340117/

    This is what can be avoided with a paper ticket, and why they wanted to abolish them recently, although changed their minds at the last minute after lots of people complained.

    I can't stand slow people on public transport. If fines are are needed to make them speed up, or at least get out of my way, then fines there must be.
    It would take a special punter indeed to spend 95 minutes on the Tube in Zone 1. It is a whole new world of Travelling Salesman Problem to calculate how such a feat could be achieved.

    (no deliberate loitering allowed)
    More likely to be a crank, getting as many tube trains as possible in the book for riding in.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 81,978
    edited June 4
    Leon said:

    ToryJim said:

    Not all going Farage’s way in Clacton I see.

    https://x.com/politlcsuk/status/1797980355422818749?s=46

    I will say, stunts like this are very often counterproductive. Although it wouldn’t be a general election without something being thrown at a politician.

    Now had a milkshake thrown over him.

    Lock em up. Attack on democracy shouldn't be tolerated, be it when it was against Corbyn or Farage like this or the actual attenpts on lives. Because now this will just happen every day.
    I want Farage elected just because of this

    No one will ever bother in our democracy if we tolerate this. It’s putrid. And yes - same goes for Corbyn or Galloway

    If you attack a politician you should do time
    The thing is we have had the weirdo people locked up for intimidating the likes of the egg heads and the extreme Brexit types against MPs who were prominent trying to stop Brexit. That was all taken incredibly seriously by the earnest media and the courts.

    This will be laughed about, even if it any liquid could be in there.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,061
    boulay said:

    Didn't take long

    Farage has drink thrown over him in Clacton

    The 'Farage not welcome here' protesters have also arrived.
    Are there any seats that are potentially between reform and Tory where we would have the hilarity of tactical voters having to decide which is worse?
    Clacton. Thats it I'd think.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 4,930
    Andy_JS said:

    ToryJim said:

    Not all going Farage’s way in Clacton I see.

    https://x.com/politlcsuk/status/1797980355422818749?s=46

    I will say, stunts like this are very often counterproductive. Although it wouldn’t be a general election without something being thrown at a politician.

    Throwing beer at someone is how you show appreciation in Clacton. Local tradition.
    I hope it was piss lager. I would hate to think that someone would waste a pint of ale on him.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,061

    boulay said:

    Didn't take long

    Farage has drink thrown over him in Clacton

    The 'Farage not welcome here' protesters have also arrived.
    Are there any seats that are potentially between reform and Tory where we would have the hilarity of tactical voters having to decide which is worse?
    Clacton. Thats it I'd think.
    And it's probably not that tough a choice in Clacton.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,889
    edited June 4

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Neil Hudson, Tory MP for Penrith (until dissolution), has been selected for Epping Forest after failing to get selected in the new constituency in his previous area.

    He has links to the area though, his mother and sister live in Theydon Bois and his father was a North Weald Parish councillor
    So, what was he doing in Penrith? As a general rule, candidates should live in the local area if they are going to represent it, and understand it’s idiosyncrasies.
    I assume that applied to the Milibands too with their thick Geordie and Yorkshire accents?
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 18,354

    ToryJim said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Neil Hudson, Tory MP for Penrith (until dissolution), has been selected for Epping Forest after failing to get selected in the new constituency in his previous area.

    He has links to the area though, his mother and sister live in Theydon Bois and his father was a North Weald Parish councillor
    So what you are saying is that he had no links with Penrith!
    I do find this angle kind of weird, artificially reducing the talent pool for spurious reasons. Picking candidates who know the square root of bugger all simply because they have some tenuous claim to ‘links’ with an area seems an act of self harm. Most of the towering politicians of prior generations didn’t have deep links in the seats they held. It did neither them nor the country any harm. I think this is one of the biggest reasons we have such dire quality MPs.
    As long as we have FPTP and individual constituency MPs, this will be an issue. Too many MPs see themselves as glorified social workers first, legislators second.

    Bugger the case work - leave it to local councillors. And focus on matters of national and international importance.
    It's not the voting system. It's a cultural thing. The "local champion" culture is even stronger in Ireland where there is STV and multi-member constituencies.

    You have to wrong the argument with the voters to vote for something different, and change the way that government is done so that voters don't have good cause for feeling like they need a local champion to stand up for them.
  • nico679nico679 Posts: 6,275
    edited June 4

    Leon said:

    ToryJim said:

    Not all going Farage’s way in Clacton I see.

    https://x.com/politlcsuk/status/1797980355422818749?s=46

    I will say, stunts like this are very often counterproductive. Although it wouldn’t be a general election without something being thrown at a politician.

    Now had a milkshake thrown over him.

    Lock em up. Attack on democracy shouldn't be tolerated, be it when it was against Corbyn or Farage like this or the actual attenpts on lives. Because now this will just happen every day.
    I want Farage elected just because of this

    No one will ever bother in our democracy if we tolerate this. It’s putrid. And yes - same goes for Corbyn or Galloway

    If you attack a politician you should do time
    The thing is we have had the weirdo people locked up for intimidating the likes of the egg heads and the extreme Brexit types against MPs who were prominent trying to stop Brexit. That was all taken incredibly seriously by the earnest media and the courts.

    This will be laughed about, even if it any liquid could be in there.
    Lucky the UK isn’t awash with guns . I loathe Farage but the public should stick to using the ballot box to make their point and not try and intimidate politicians.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,889
    JohnO said:

    Ghedebrav said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Bloody hell.

    "Modi set to lose majority in shock Indian election result"

    https://www.ft.com

    Elsewhere I've seen 'majority slashed' rather than lost. Doesn't seem to be clear yet.
    The BJP had a small overall majority by itself in the previous Parliament though with its allies governed with a massive lead over the Opposition. They now longer have that, but with its supporters, look at present to have an overall majority of about 40. So Modi should remain PM but with his authority massively diminished.
    Modi started the campaign looking set for a Reagan like landslide and ended up it seems rehashing May's 2017 campaign
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479

    Andy_JS said:

    ToryJim said:

    Not all going Farage’s way in Clacton I see.

    https://x.com/politlcsuk/status/1797980355422818749?s=46

    I will say, stunts like this are very often counterproductive. Although it wouldn’t be a general election without something being thrown at a politician.

    Throwing beer at someone is how you show appreciation in Clacton. Local tradition.
    I hope it was piss lager. I would hate to think that someone would waste a pint of ale on him.
    "Brandy? Throw more brandy!"

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KMyhCgsb7E
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 81,978
    edited June 4
    nico679 said:

    Leon said:

    ToryJim said:

    Not all going Farage’s way in Clacton I see.

    https://x.com/politlcsuk/status/1797980355422818749?s=46

    I will say, stunts like this are very often counterproductive. Although it wouldn’t be a general election without something being thrown at a politician.

    Now had a milkshake thrown over him.

    Lock em up. Attack on democracy shouldn't be tolerated, be it when it was against Corbyn or Farage like this or the actual attenpts on lives. Because now this will just happen every day.
    I want Farage elected just because of this

    No one will ever bother in our democracy if we tolerate this. It’s putrid. And yes - same goes for Corbyn or Galloway

    If you attack a politician you should do time
    The thing is we have had the weirdo people locked up for intimidating the likes of the egg heads and the extreme Brexit types against MPs who were prominent trying to stop Brexit. That was all taken incredibly seriously by the earnest media and the courts.

    This will be laughed about, even if it any liquid could be in there.
    Lucky the UK isn’t awash with guns . I loathe Farage but the public should stick to using the ballot box to make their point and not try and intimidate politicians.
    Obviously even without widespread access to guns, we have lost several MPs in recent history to knife / sword attacks.

    The thing is the more this happens, the more no MP will ever interact with the genuine public, which can't be a good thing (see Sunak leadership).
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,814

    Andy_JS said:

    "How London Underground fines you if you travel too slowly across the city"

    https://metro.co.uk/2024/02/24/london-underground-fines-travel-slowly-across-city-20340117/

    This is what can be avoided with a paper ticket, and why they wanted to abolish them recently, although changed their minds at the last minute after lots of people complained.

    What exactly are you doing if you spend 95 minutes getting across Zone 1? It's a tiny area.
    Most likely fallen asleep on circle line....
    :D No longer a circle so you'd end up in Hammersmith!
    I concur :)
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 27,863

    rcs1000 said:

    Andy_JS said:

    "How London Underground fines you if you travel too slowly across the city"

    https://metro.co.uk/2024/02/24/london-underground-fines-travel-slowly-across-city-20340117/

    This is what can be avoided with a paper ticket, and why they wanted to abolish them recently, although changed their minds at the last minute after lots of people complained.

    I can't stand slow people on public transport. If fines are are needed to make them speed up, or at least get out of my way, then fines there must be.
    It would take a special punter indeed to spend 95 minutes on the Tube in Zone 1. It is a whole new world of Travelling Salesman Problem to calculate how such a feat could be achieved.

    (no deliberate loitering allowed)
    Four ways spring to mind: getting stuck in a tunnel; getting the tap in/out sequence wrong when changing lines so the system loses track of you; popping off for a spot of shopping while changing lines.

    And most common will be simply using different cards to tap in and out.
  • ToryJimToryJim Posts: 4,189

    ToryJim said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Neil Hudson, Tory MP for Penrith (until dissolution), has been selected for Epping Forest after failing to get selected in the new constituency in his previous area.

    He has links to the area though, his mother and sister live in Theydon Bois and his father was a North Weald Parish councillor
    So what you are saying is that he had no links with Penrith!
    I do find this angle kind of weird, artificially reducing the talent pool for spurious reasons. Picking candidates who know the square root of bugger all simply because they have some tenuous claim to ‘links’ with an area seems an act of self harm. Most of the towering politicians of prior generations didn’t have deep links in the seats they held. It did neither them nor the country any harm. I think this is one of the biggest reasons we have such dire quality MPs.
    As long as we have FPTP and individual constituency MPs, this will be an issue. Too many MPs see themselves as glorified social workers first, legislators second.

    Bugger the case work - leave it to local councillors. And focus on matters of national and international importance.
    I agree most of the case work should be dealt with by local councillors, but that would require an overhaul of the status of local government. Currently they are little better than branch offices of Whitehall especially given the growth of ring fenced funding.

    I think the constituency link is important, I’m not entirely wedded to FPTP and could be persuaded towards AV even though I’m aware of the limitations. Not keen on pure PR systems given the tendency to give outsized influence to deeply unpopular groups and to end up with government programs devoid of any of the policies that attracted the votes to start with.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,239

    nico679 said:

    Leon said:

    ToryJim said:

    Not all going Farage’s way in Clacton I see.

    https://x.com/politlcsuk/status/1797980355422818749?s=46

    I will say, stunts like this are very often counterproductive. Although it wouldn’t be a general election without something being thrown at a politician.

    Now had a milkshake thrown over him.

    Lock em up. Attack on democracy shouldn't be tolerated, be it when it was against Corbyn or Farage like this or the actual attenpts on lives. Because now this will just happen every day.
    I want Farage elected just because of this

    No one will ever bother in our democracy if we tolerate this. It’s putrid. And yes - same goes for Corbyn or Galloway

    If you attack a politician you should do time
    The thing is we have had the weirdo people locked up for intimidating the likes of the egg heads and the extreme Brexit types against MPs who were prominent trying to stop Brexit. That was all taken incredibly seriously by the earnest media and the courts.

    This will be laughed about, even if it any liquid could be in there.
    Lucky the UK isn’t awash with guns . I loathe Farage but the public should stick to using the ballot box to make their point and not try and intimidate politicians.
    Obviously even without widespread access to guns, we have lost several MPs in recent history to knife / sword attacks.

    The thing is the more this happens, the more no MP will ever interact with the genuine public, which can't be a good thing (see Sunak leadership).
    And who will ever stand for Parliament if we tolerate assault on them? The girl that chucked the milkshake needs a couple of weeks in prison and a criminal record. Make everyone else think twice
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 18,354

    Ghedebrav said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Bloody hell.

    "Modi set to lose majority in shock Indian election result"

    https://www.ft.com

    Elsewhere I've seen 'majority slashed' rather than lost. Doesn't seem to be clear yet.
    Two of the BJP's allies - the Janata Dal (United) and the Telugu Desam Party - are leading in close to 30 seats. The BJP - which seems to have been restricted to around 240 seats - needs them to reach 272 seats to be in power.

    But both the TDP and the JDU are former Congress partners, and Mr Gandhi did not rule out the possibility of holding talks with them.
    I'm not a fan of Modi, but I think it would be a rum do if a party that stood for election as part of one alliance switched sides faster than Sian Berry to support the other.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 81,978
    Fellow passengers of James Corden's flight from the Algarve to London have told how they feared the plane was going to crash as they were told to 'adopt' the brace position before the aircraft's emergency landing. Corden, 45, vented his frustration at a member of staff on Sunday during a turbulent trip which saw the plane stop in Lisbon and passengers allegedly placed in immigration queues.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13492347/james-corden-ba-fight-confrontation-plane-crash-lisbon.html

    Imagine the horror of that. 3hrs of being stuck in a small metal tube....having to listen to James Corden.
  • MightyAlexMightyAlex Posts: 1,660

    ToryJim said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Neil Hudson, Tory MP for Penrith (until dissolution), has been selected for Epping Forest after failing to get selected in the new constituency in his previous area.

    He has links to the area though, his mother and sister live in Theydon Bois and his father was a North Weald Parish councillor
    So what you are saying is that he had no links with Penrith!
    I do find this angle kind of weird, artificially reducing the talent pool for spurious reasons. Picking candidates who know the square root of bugger all simply because they have some tenuous claim to ‘links’ with an area seems an act of self harm. Most of the towering politicians of prior generations didn’t have deep links in the seats they held. It did neither them nor the country any harm. I think this is one of the biggest reasons we have such dire quality MPs.
    As long as we have FPTP and individual constituency MPs, this will be an issue. Too many MPs see themselves as glorified social workers first, legislators second.

    Bugger the case work - leave it to local councillors. And focus on matters of national and international importance.
    No! The case work grounds them in as much as that is possible. Dealing with constituency issues gives them a perspective into the lives of the citizenship for whom they are supposed to be serving and is a link for the governed to air their grievances.

    Besides I'd make the case that matters of national & international import are rarely the remit of the common or garden backbencher.

  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 81,978
    The Conservatives will pledge to abolish inheritance tax in “one big throw of the tax dice” to try and save themselves from electoral wipeout, George Osborne has said. The former chancellor described the proposal to get rid of death duties as a “potent weapon” in the Tories’ arsenal which they are likely to reach for given their standing in the polls.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/06/04/conservatives-scrap-inheritance-tax-election-george-osborne/
  • EPGEPG Posts: 6,652
    ToryJim said:

    ToryJim said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Neil Hudson, Tory MP for Penrith (until dissolution), has been selected for Epping Forest after failing to get selected in the new constituency in his previous area.

    He has links to the area though, his mother and sister live in Theydon Bois and his father was a North Weald Parish councillor
    So what you are saying is that he had no links with Penrith!
    I do find this angle kind of weird, artificially reducing the talent pool for spurious reasons. Picking candidates who know the square root of bugger all simply because they have some tenuous claim to ‘links’ with an area seems an act of self harm. Most of the towering politicians of prior generations didn’t have deep links in the seats they held. It did neither them nor the country any harm. I think this is one of the biggest reasons we have such dire quality MPs.
    As long as we have FPTP and individual constituency MPs, this will be an issue. Too many MPs see themselves as glorified social workers first, legislators second.

    Bugger the case work - leave it to local councillors. And focus on matters of national and international importance.
    I agree most of the case work should be dealt with by local councillors, but that would require an overhaul of the status of local government. Currently they are little better than branch offices of Whitehall especially given the growth of ring fenced funding.

    I think the constituency link is important, I’m not entirely wedded to FPTP and could be persuaded towards AV even though I’m aware of the limitations. Not keen on pure PR systems given the tendency to give outsized influence to deeply unpopular groups and to end up with government programs devoid of any of the policies that attracted the votes to start with.
    PR gives the government to deeply unpopular groups, whereas FPTP on the other hand... (apologies)
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,412
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    TOPPING said:

    kjh said:

    Roger said:

    OT. Posted by NigelB yesterday. Something to uplift us all. My favourite moment of the campaign so far

    https://x.com/DUPleader/status/1797662088627994889/

    Ah, if Nige had listened to Rubberbandits' seminal "Up Da Ra", he wouldn't have made that mistake.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGaeL22Pkps

    (Their "Horse Outside" is just as good.)
    My favourite was Daisy Cooper and her gang on the boat behind Rishi Sunak. As I said yesterday we might not be going to win the election but we are having great fun not doing so and I have to say the local campaign I have been involved in has been a huge amount of fun with lots of laughs. The most enjoyable so far and I have been involved in a lot.

    I am going to miss it for the next 10 days as I cycle along the banks of the Loire. 7 days cycling, 400+ km to go. I might post some pictures but I don't have a Jess the cat or a dog for scale.
    The Loire is lovely. I did it upstream as far as Cosne Cours sur Loire a couple of years back. Easy to make good progress and also easy to get utterly diverted and stop off in every town along the way. Enjoy. https://cycle.travel/route/loire
    Yep same here I did Cycling for Softies there some time ago. Fantastic popping into out of the way chateaux to be greeted by the owners sitting outside in their faded cotton trousers offering you a glass of rosé.
    I will use my one daily photo to show a lovely lady I met in my journey down the Loire. She owned this tiny chateau and these remarkable birds and she expertly flirted over her own wine as we lunched in her bucolic garden. Bliss





    Gorgeous! It is very hard to beat France.
    It is. Its a close contest between France and Italy for the most beautiful country in the world

    We are lucky to have them on our doorstep

    They also have different strengths as destinations. France is much better organised and has better infra, but the Italians are much more charming and affable - a serious positive

    Britain beats them both hollow on noom but I accept most people aren’t looking for intense spiritual experiences of rhapsody or human bleakness when choosing a holiday; or even a home
    You should visit Scotland a lot more, its beauty competes with anything in France I've seen - I can't say I've been everywhere there but I lived in Nice for three months and I've been around a fair bit.
  • ToryJimToryJim Posts: 4,189
    How to win friends and influence people. Clacton edition.

    https://x.com/alicia_fitzg/status/1797988375720513547?s=46

    It won’t make a lot of difference but is amusing to have your supporters being battered by low hanging foliage.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,061

    The Conservatives will pledge to abolish inheritance tax in “one big throw of the tax dice” to try and save themselves from electoral wipeout, George Osborne has said. The former chancellor described the proposal to get rid of death duties as a “potent weapon” in the Tories’ arsenal which they are likely to reach for given their standing in the polls.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/06/04/conservatives-scrap-inheritance-tax-election-george-osborne/

    I'd actually like this. Pity they will never get to implement
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 11,044
    Did my first general election poll for YouGov. Asked about vote, vote in my specific constituency, how would I feel if Farage was elected, and who's run the best and worst campaigns so far... after a bunch of other questions on clothes purchasing.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,061

    Did my first general election poll for YouGov. Asked about vote, vote in my specific constituency, how would I feel if Farage was elected, and who's run the best and worst campaigns so far... after a bunch of other questions on clothes purchasing.

    Should form part of the next MRP then!
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,549
    "Council leader not endorsed as Labour candidate for Barking, say sources
    Darren Rodwell will not be on party’s 650-strong list of candidates after series of allegations about his behaviour"

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jun/04/council-leader-darren-rodwell-will-not-be-labour-candidate-for-barking-say-sources
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,814
    OK, I've got one:

    Q. Why did the Indian cross the road?

    A. His astrologer told him it was an auspicious time and place to do so :lol:
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,814

    Ghedebrav said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Bloody hell.

    "Modi set to lose majority in shock Indian election result"

    https://www.ft.com

    Elsewhere I've seen 'majority slashed' rather than lost. Doesn't seem to be clear yet.
    Two of the BJP's allies - the Janata Dal (United) and the Telugu Desam Party - are leading in close to 30 seats. The BJP - which seems to have been restricted to around 240 seats - needs them to reach 272 seats to be in power.

    But both the TDP and the JDU are former Congress partners, and Mr Gandhi did not rule out the possibility of holding talks with them.
    I'm not a fan of Modi, but I think it would be a rum do if a party that stood for election as part of one alliance switched sides faster than Sian Berry to support the other.
    The Italians did it in 1943 :lol:
  • ToryJimToryJim Posts: 4,189
    EPG said:

    ToryJim said:

    ToryJim said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Neil Hudson, Tory MP for Penrith (until dissolution), has been selected for Epping Forest after failing to get selected in the new constituency in his previous area.

    He has links to the area though, his mother and sister live in Theydon Bois and his father was a North Weald Parish councillor
    So what you are saying is that he had no links with Penrith!
    I do find this angle kind of weird, artificially reducing the talent pool for spurious reasons. Picking candidates who know the square root of bugger all simply because they have some tenuous claim to ‘links’ with an area seems an act of self harm. Most of the towering politicians of prior generations didn’t have deep links in the seats they held. It did neither them nor the country any harm. I think this is one of the biggest reasons we have such dire quality MPs.
    As long as we have FPTP and individual constituency MPs, this will be an issue. Too many MPs see themselves as glorified social workers first, legislators second.

    Bugger the case work - leave it to local councillors. And focus on matters of national and international importance.
    I agree most of the case work should be dealt with by local councillors, but that would require an overhaul of the status of local government. Currently they are little better than branch offices of Whitehall especially given the growth of ring fenced funding.

    I think the constituency link is important, I’m not entirely wedded to FPTP and could be persuaded towards AV even though I’m aware of the limitations. Not keen on pure PR systems given the tendency to give outsized influence to deeply unpopular groups and to end up with government programs devoid of any of the policies that attracted the votes to start with.
    PR gives the government to deeply unpopular groups, whereas FPTP on the other hand... (apologies)
    Well the majority governments elected under FPTP start out with a degree of popularity. Often in PR it seems that extreme political groupings that garner single digits of support end up holding the whip hand and can make almost any demand they wish. Not certain that’s a good thing.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 42,549
    ToryJim said:

    How to win friends and influence people. Clacton edition.

    https://x.com/alicia_fitzg/status/1797988375720513547?s=46

    It won’t make a lot of difference but is amusing to have your supporters being battered by low hanging foliage.

    Some bus companies have old open-top busses that act as pruning busses; they go along double-decker routes with people standing on the top deck, pruning the worst vegetation. Farage should have thought of a little money-earner and given everyone on the top deck electric shears...
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 4,930

    ToryJim said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Neil Hudson, Tory MP for Penrith (until dissolution), has been selected for Epping Forest after failing to get selected in the new constituency in his previous area.

    He has links to the area though, his mother and sister live in Theydon Bois and his father was a North Weald Parish councillor
    So what you are saying is that he had no links with Penrith!
    I do find this angle kind of weird, artificially reducing the talent pool for spurious reasons. Picking candidates who know the square root of bugger all simply because they have some tenuous claim to ‘links’ with an area seems an act of self harm. Most of the towering politicians of prior generations didn’t have deep links in the seats they held. It did neither them nor the country any harm. I think this is one of the biggest reasons we have such dire quality MPs.
    As long as we have FPTP and individual constituency MPs, this will be an issue. Too many MPs see themselves as glorified social workers first, legislators second.

    Bugger the case work - leave it to local councillors. And focus on matters of national and international importance.
    No! The case work grounds them in as much as that is possible. Dealing with constituency issues gives them a perspective into the lives of the citizenship for whom they are supposed to be serving and is a link for the governed to air their grievances.

    Besides I'd make the case that matters of national & international import are rarely the remit of the common or garden backbencher.

    Your MP is elected as the MP for your constituency. Representing you and their other constituents should be their first priority. Representing their chosen political party should not be their first priority, but, sadly, usually is, even if to the detriment of their constituents.
  • bigglesbiggles Posts: 6,051
    edited June 4
    Leon said:

    Can this be right?


    “It’s pure cope to say Farage isn’t popular. He is the most popular politician in the UK - and by quite some margin. This from YouGov Q1 2024.”

    https://x.com/aaronbastani/status/1797975160538189834?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

    David Blunkett??!!!
  • SelebianSelebian Posts: 8,721
    ToryJim said:

    How to win friends and influence people. Clacton edition.

    https://x.com/alicia_fitzg/status/1797988375720513547?s=46

    It won’t make a lot of difference but is amusing to have your supporters being battered by low hanging foliage.

    Looks like the Green Party running an interference campaign :wink:
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,412
    148grss said:

    148grss said:

    148grss said:

    Eabhal said:

    Heathener said:


    🔴 NEW: Labour will ban foie gras imports if they win the general election, the shadow environment secretary has announced

    https://x.com/TelePolitics/status/1797907892743385443

    Thank goodness.

    Disgusting practice. Absolutely appalling animal cruelty.
    Yes, it's another step in the process of civilisation. Once upon a time animal torture was regarded as acceptable, but nowadays people aren't so keen. Long may the trend continue.
    Except for deer.
    Yeah - I'm a veggie but we do need to cull wild deer in this country. Personally I'd like to see this happen by bringing back predator species, because wolves and bears are cool, but failing that letting people eat deer is reasonable.
    Moggies first. The medium-sized cat predators are much less scary and threatening than wolves and bears.

    148grss said:

    Eabhal said:

    Heathener said:


    🔴 NEW: Labour will ban foie gras imports if they win the general election, the shadow environment secretary has announced

    https://x.com/TelePolitics/status/1797907892743385443

    Thank goodness.

    Disgusting practice. Absolutely appalling animal cruelty.
    Yes, it's another step in the process of civilisation. Once upon a time animal torture was regarded as acceptable, but nowadays people aren't so keen. Long may the trend continue.
    Except for deer.
    Yeah - I'm a veggie but we do need to cull wild deer in this country. Personally I'd like to see this happen by bringing back predator species, because wolves and bears are cool, but failing that letting people eat deer is reasonable.
    Moggies first. The medium-sized cat predators are much less scary and threatening than wolves and bears.
    But I don't think they would predate on the deer enough. We need big predators that would not only cull numbers but change deer behaviour and make them more worried around open spaces and watering holes and such. The issue of deer is not just their numbers, but their grazing habits and the erosion they cause by not really acting in ways they would of when they did have predators. Their numbers alongside this behaviour change is what makes the impact so much worse.
    I've read things from people in the know who think that Lynx would do the job.

    The way I'd view it use that Lynx would be the best way to start, and sort out issues to do with livestock predation, and confidence-building with farmers. And then it's easier to make the case for other predators later.
    That would make sense - wolves and bears are just a lot cooler than lynx, and just as native to the country. I do dislike living in a country where the largest native carnivore that isn't extinct is the badger. And there is an unnecessary cull on them!
    I believe that makes you what the OED would term: an idiot.
  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,486
    Farooq said:

    Has anyone noticed the closet Leon gets to the Russian border, the higher the frequency of shrill Putinist garbage?

    Someone should send the cnut to Tierra del Fuego, see if he becomes moderately human.

    The “closet Leon” Will need to be careful if he gets to Russia, they don’t like that kind of chap.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,061
    Guido of idiot fame says 6 candidates may jump Con to Reform but only one is a former MP
    One Says they are waiting to see how Dishy does tonight
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,239

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    TOPPING said:

    kjh said:

    Roger said:

    OT. Posted by NigelB yesterday. Something to uplift us all. My favourite moment of the campaign so far

    https://x.com/DUPleader/status/1797662088627994889/

    Ah, if Nige had listened to Rubberbandits' seminal "Up Da Ra", he wouldn't have made that mistake.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGaeL22Pkps

    (Their "Horse Outside" is just as good.)
    My favourite was Daisy Cooper and her gang on the boat behind Rishi Sunak. As I said yesterday we might not be going to win the election but we are having great fun not doing so and I have to say the local campaign I have been involved in has been a huge amount of fun with lots of laughs. The most enjoyable so far and I have been involved in a lot.

    I am going to miss it for the next 10 days as I cycle along the banks of the Loire. 7 days cycling, 400+ km to go. I might post some pictures but I don't have a Jess the cat or a dog for scale.
    The Loire is lovely. I did it upstream as far as Cosne Cours sur Loire a couple of years back. Easy to make good progress and also easy to get utterly diverted and stop off in every town along the way. Enjoy. https://cycle.travel/route/loire
    Yep same here I did Cycling for Softies there some time ago. Fantastic popping into out of the way chateaux to be greeted by the owners sitting outside in their faded cotton trousers offering you a glass of rosé.
    I will use my one daily photo to show a lovely lady I met in my journey down the Loire. She owned this tiny chateau and these remarkable birds and she expertly flirted over her own wine as we lunched in her bucolic garden. Bliss





    Gorgeous! It is very hard to beat France.
    It is. Its a close contest between France and Italy for the most beautiful country in the world

    We are lucky to have them on our doorstep

    They also have different strengths as destinations. France is much better organised and has better infra, but the Italians are much more charming and affable - a serious positive

    Britain beats them both hollow on noom but I accept most people aren’t looking for intense spiritual experiences of rhapsody or human bleakness when choosing a holiday; or even a home
    You should visit Scotland a lot more, its beauty competes with anything in France I've seen - I can't say I've been everywhere there but I lived in Nice for three months and I've been around a fair bit.
    Er, I know Scotland very well. I’ve been all over it. I’ve been to Foula and St Kilda! Harris and Orkney. Glasgow and Dundee. Edinburgh and the borders Kilmartin and knoydart and ardnamurchan and the trossachs

    It is very beautiful in places. As are many parts of Britain - the Cornish creeks. The South Downs. The Welsh marches. Lakeland. Northumberland. Devon and Dorset

    They just don’t compete in total variety and beauty with Italy and France to my mind

    In terms of major countries and beauty per square mile I’d put Britain in the top ten

    In fact as I am forever stuck at the Ukraine border I’ll have a go. I’m ignoring microstates and tiny islands etc

    Top ten beautiful countries in terms of beauty per sq mile

    Italy
    France
    Greece
    Turkey
    Switzerland
    USA
    Japan
    UK
    China
    Spain or Nepal
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,127
    Sean_F said:

    HYUFD said:

    Yougov voteshares with Farage as Reform Leader earlier this year

    Con 21%
    Labour 42%
    Reform 14%
    LD 10%

    Farage took from the Tories and Labour who were both down 1% the poll found but the LDs rose 1% ironically if Farage returned
    https://x.com/JohnRentoul/status/1742602515324035262

    Farage might also gain vote share for Reform, by enthusing don't knows/won't votes.
    Indeed: there are a fascinating number of ways this can play out.

    The biggest concern - though - for the Conservative Party is that this ends up splitting their vote in two, which would be disastrous in an FPTP the world.

    Maybe those people buying LibDem seats on 40+ are less crazy than I thought.

    Political parties are coalitions. The Conservative Party used to draw together those who wanted limited change because it protected their financial assets (i.e. capitalists), and those who want to preserve the social order. You can call these Cameroons and Faragists, if you like.

    And, obviously, there's a lot of overlap, but the former group is motivated primarily by greed, while the latter by fear.

    If you split asunder the Right, then neither part is big enough to get elected. Between them they probably get more votes than the old Conservative Party, but that's not much help if each is on 25%, and Labour is on 40%.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,812
    Leon said:

    nico679 said:

    Leon said:

    ToryJim said:

    Not all going Farage’s way in Clacton I see.

    https://x.com/politlcsuk/status/1797980355422818749?s=46

    I will say, stunts like this are very often counterproductive. Although it wouldn’t be a general election without something being thrown at a politician.

    Now had a milkshake thrown over him.

    Lock em up. Attack on democracy shouldn't be tolerated, be it when it was against Corbyn or Farage like this or the actual attenpts on lives. Because now this will just happen every day.
    I want Farage elected just because of this

    No one will ever bother in our democracy if we tolerate this. It’s putrid. And yes - same goes for Corbyn or Galloway

    If you attack a politician you should do time
    The thing is we have had the weirdo people locked up for intimidating the likes of the egg heads and the extreme Brexit types against MPs who were prominent trying to stop Brexit. That was all taken incredibly seriously by the earnest media and the courts.

    This will be laughed about, even if it any liquid could be in there.
    Lucky the UK isn’t awash with guns . I loathe Farage but the public should stick to using the ballot box to make their point and not try and intimidate politicians.
    Obviously even without widespread access to guns, we have lost several MPs in recent history to knife / sword attacks.

    The thing is the more this happens, the more no MP will ever interact with the genuine public, which can't be a good thing (see Sunak leadership).
    And who will ever stand for Parliament if we tolerate assault on them? The girl that chucked the milkshake needs a couple of weeks in prison and a criminal record. Make everyone else think twice
    The police have been told not to arrest too many criminals.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 81,978
    edited June 4
    ‘It’s between us and gangs’: teachers are on the front line against youth violence

    https://theconversation.com/its-between-us-and-gangs-teachers-are-on-the-front-line-against-youth-violence-230610

    While all the parties are talking about gender toilets and VAT on private schools.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,127
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    TOPPING said:

    kjh said:

    Roger said:

    OT. Posted by NigelB yesterday. Something to uplift us all. My favourite moment of the campaign so far

    https://x.com/DUPleader/status/1797662088627994889/

    Ah, if Nige had listened to Rubberbandits' seminal "Up Da Ra", he wouldn't have made that mistake.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGaeL22Pkps

    (Their "Horse Outside" is just as good.)
    My favourite was Daisy Cooper and her gang on the boat behind Rishi Sunak. As I said yesterday we might not be going to win the election but we are having great fun not doing so and I have to say the local campaign I have been involved in has been a huge amount of fun with lots of laughs. The most enjoyable so far and I have been involved in a lot.

    I am going to miss it for the next 10 days as I cycle along the banks of the Loire. 7 days cycling, 400+ km to go. I might post some pictures but I don't have a Jess the cat or a dog for scale.
    The Loire is lovely. I did it upstream as far as Cosne Cours sur Loire a couple of years back. Easy to make good progress and also easy to get utterly diverted and stop off in every town along the way. Enjoy. https://cycle.travel/route/loire
    Yep same here I did Cycling for Softies there some time ago. Fantastic popping into out of the way chateaux to be greeted by the owners sitting outside in their faded cotton trousers offering you a glass of rosé.
    I will use my one daily photo to show a lovely lady I met in my journey down the Loire. She owned this tiny chateau and these remarkable birds and she expertly flirted over her own wine as we lunched in her bucolic garden. Bliss





    Gorgeous! It is very hard to beat France.
    It is. Its a close contest between France and Italy for the most beautiful country in the world

    We are lucky to have them on our doorstep

    They also have different strengths as destinations. France is much better organised and has better infra, but the Italians are much more charming and affable - a serious positive

    Britain beats them both hollow on noom but I accept most people aren’t looking for intense spiritual experiences of rhapsody or human bleakness when choosing a holiday; or even a home
    You should visit Scotland a lot more, its beauty competes with anything in France I've seen - I can't say I've been everywhere there but I lived in Nice for three months and I've been around a fair bit.
    Er, I know Scotland very well. I’ve been all over it. I’ve been to Foula and St Kilda! Harris and Orkney. Glasgow and Dundee. Edinburgh and the borders Kilmartin and knoydart and ardnamurchan and the trossachs

    It is very beautiful in places. As are many parts of Britain - the Cornish creeks. The South Downs. The Welsh marches. Lakeland. Northumberland. Devon and Dorset

    They just don’t compete in total variety and beauty with Italy and France to my mind

    In terms of major countries and beauty per square mile I’d put Britain in the top ten

    In fact as I am forever stuck at the Ukraine border I’ll have a go. I’m ignoring microstates and tiny islands etc

    Top ten beautiful countries in terms of beauty per sq mile

    Italy
    France
    Greece
    Turkey
    Switzerland
    USA
    Japan
    UK
    China
    Spain or Nepal
    The US has a lot of natural beauty. But in terms of "per square mile", it isn't in the top 50. Large parts of the country are arid wilderness of a particularly boring kind.
  • SelebianSelebian Posts: 8,721
    Dedication from the supporter with the big speaker wobbling about on their head :lol:
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 22,067
    TOPPING said:

    HYUFD said:

    nico679 said:
    To be fair to Rayner she says she supports nuclear weapons while Putin has them, just wants disarmament globally in an ideal world
    Indeed. As is so often the case, you are both precise and fair in your thinking – unlike many of the PB Tories who just jump on to half-baked, semi-quotes without checking them, in acts of naked desperation.
    What? @HYUFD _is_ the PB Tories.

    Or used to be.
    @HYUFD is not a PB Tory.
    @HYUFD is the PB Tory. The original article, you might say
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,344
    rcs1000 said:

    Sean_F said:

    HYUFD said:

    Yougov voteshares with Farage as Reform Leader earlier this year

    Con 21%
    Labour 42%
    Reform 14%
    LD 10%

    Farage took from the Tories and Labour who were both down 1% the poll found but the LDs rose 1% ironically if Farage returned
    https://x.com/JohnRentoul/status/1742602515324035262

    Farage might also gain vote share for Reform, by enthusing don't knows/won't votes.
    Indeed: there are a fascinating number of ways this can play out.

    The biggest concern - though - for the Conservative Party is that this ends up splitting their vote in two, which would be disastrous in an FPTP the world.

    Maybe those people buying LibDem seats on 40+ are less crazy than I thought.

    Political parties are coalitions. The Conservative Party used to draw together those who wanted limited change because it protected their financial assets (i.e. capitalists), and those who want to preserve the social order. You can call these Cameroons and Faragists, if you like.

    And, obviously, there's a lot of overlap, but the former group is motivated primarily by greed, while the latter by fear.

    If you split asunder the Right, then neither part is big enough to get elected. Between them they probably get more votes than the old Conservative Party, but that's not much help if each is on 25%, and Labour is on 40%.
    If Reform were to poll close to say, 20%, it would be extremely hard to model what that would mean in terms of seats. It might mean nothing, or it might mean dozens. My suspicion is that if Reform actually overtook the Conservatives in the polls, there'd then be a stampede of Conservative voters towards them.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,061
    Selebian said:

    Dedication from the supporter with the big speaker wobbling about on their head :lol:
    I just love the 'fuck all' and the laugh. Even the messiah has nothing to offer, we hate them all, they are nothing.
    Anarchy and bliss.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479

    rcs1000 said:

    Andy_JS said:

    "How London Underground fines you if you travel too slowly across the city"

    https://metro.co.uk/2024/02/24/london-underground-fines-travel-slowly-across-city-20340117/

    This is what can be avoided with a paper ticket, and why they wanted to abolish them recently, although changed their minds at the last minute after lots of people complained.

    I can't stand slow people on public transport. If fines are are needed to make them speed up, or at least get out of my way, then fines there must be.
    It would take a special punter indeed to spend 95 minutes on the Tube in Zone 1. It is a whole new world of Travelling Salesman Problem to calculate how such a feat could be achieved.

    (no deliberate loitering allowed)
    Four ways spring to mind: getting stuck in a tunnel; getting the tap in/out sequence wrong when changing lines so the system loses track of you; popping off for a spot of shopping while changing lines.

    And most common will be simply using different cards to tap in and out.
    The shopping one would be a neat trick – I believe there are still some shops "Tube-side", if chewing gum and bottles of low-grade orange juice are your idea of retail therapy.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,239
    rcs1000 said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    TOPPING said:

    kjh said:

    Roger said:

    OT. Posted by NigelB yesterday. Something to uplift us all. My favourite moment of the campaign so far

    https://x.com/DUPleader/status/1797662088627994889/

    Ah, if Nige had listened to Rubberbandits' seminal "Up Da Ra", he wouldn't have made that mistake.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGaeL22Pkps

    (Their "Horse Outside" is just as good.)
    My favourite was Daisy Cooper and her gang on the boat behind Rishi Sunak. As I said yesterday we might not be going to win the election but we are having great fun not doing so and I have to say the local campaign I have been involved in has been a huge amount of fun with lots of laughs. The most enjoyable so far and I have been involved in a lot.

    I am going to miss it for the next 10 days as I cycle along the banks of the Loire. 7 days cycling, 400+ km to go. I might post some pictures but I don't have a Jess the cat or a dog for scale.
    The Loire is lovely. I did it upstream as far as Cosne Cours sur Loire a couple of years back. Easy to make good progress and also easy to get utterly diverted and stop off in every town along the way. Enjoy. https://cycle.travel/route/loire
    Yep same here I did Cycling for Softies there some time ago. Fantastic popping into out of the way chateaux to be greeted by the owners sitting outside in their faded cotton trousers offering you a glass of rosé.
    I will use my one daily photo to show a lovely lady I met in my journey down the Loire. She owned this tiny chateau and these remarkable birds and she expertly flirted over her own wine as we lunched in her bucolic garden. Bliss





    Gorgeous! It is very hard to beat France.
    It is. Its a close contest between France and Italy for the most beautiful country in the world

    We are lucky to have them on our doorstep

    They also have different strengths as destinations. France is much better organised and has better infra, but the Italians are much more charming and affable - a serious positive

    Britain beats them both hollow on noom but I accept most people aren’t looking for intense spiritual experiences of rhapsody or human bleakness when choosing a holiday; or even a home
    You should visit Scotland a lot more, its beauty competes with anything in France I've seen - I can't say I've been everywhere there but I lived in Nice for three months and I've been around a fair bit.
    Er, I know Scotland very well. I’ve been all over it. I’ve been to Foula and St Kilda! Harris and Orkney. Glasgow and Dundee. Edinburgh and the borders Kilmartin and knoydart and ardnamurchan and the trossachs

    It is very beautiful in places. As are many parts of Britain - the Cornish creeks. The South Downs. The Welsh marches. Lakeland. Northumberland. Devon and Dorset

    They just don’t compete in total variety and beauty with Italy and France to my mind

    In terms of major countries and beauty per square mile I’d put Britain in the top ten

    In fact as I am forever stuck at the Ukraine border I’ll have a go. I’m ignoring microstates and tiny islands etc

    Top ten beautiful countries in terms of beauty per sq mile

    Italy
    France
    Greece
    Turkey
    Switzerland
    USA
    Japan
    UK
    China
    Spain or Nepal
    The US has a lot of natural beauty. But in terms of "per square mile", it isn't in the top 50. Large parts of the country are arid wilderness of a particularly boring kind.
    Yes, I wrestled with that one. Same applies to China

    But when America is beautiful - mainly in the west - it is often fantastically beautiful. Ditto China

    How can you not include a country with Yosemite and the sequoias and the Arizonan deserts and the wildness of Utah? How can you not include a country that boasts Tibet and Yunnan?

    So it had to go in
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479
    Raining at the Battle of Britain.
This discussion has been closed.