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And From The Other Side of the Pond… – politicalbetting.com

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  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 42,553

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    The stupid thing is, if there is a Hamas government in charge of a unified Palestine, within a few years they'd be under sanctions from us because.... Hamas are sh*ts.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,986

    Scott_xP said:

    @ayeshahazarika

    Just casting my mind back to Tuesday’s leaders’ debate where Sunak argued that Starmer didn’t get the importance of the armed forces & was a threat to national security… and then left the D Day anniversary early for a media interview which won’t be broadcast for days.

    @KevinASchofield

    Tory minister David Johnston on Sunak's early exit from the D-Day commemorations

    "The PM was at the service in Portsmouth on Wednesday and he was in Normandy yesterday. I don't know exactly when he left."

    It's going to be a long broadcast round for him ...

    Was David Johnston the most well known minister willing to bat for Rishi this morning?
    I assume he lost a bet
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,627
    Nigelb said:

    HYUFD said:

    Farage is scheduled to have a day off campaigning tomorrow, i wonder if he might not put in an appearance......

    Does Farage need half a chance to wrap himself in the Union Jack and stick the boot in...its what he lives for.
    This would be the same Farage who on a CCF camp at secondary school '... had marched through a quiet Sussex village very late at night shouting Hitler-youth songs?' And he has the audacity to criticise Sunak for allegedly not showing enough respect to those who defeated Hitler!
    https://www.channel4.com/news/nigel-farage-ukip-letter-school-concerns-racism-fascism
    Decent line for Mordaunt to use.
    One thing she's quite good at is adopting a supercilious tone.
    A more valid line would be Farages pro-Putin comments.

    https://x.com/AdamBienkov/status/1496885341566869509?t=dpiMNDn1tM-brwFxiB78Vw&s=19
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,454
    Foxy said:

    Nigelb said:

    HYUFD said:

    Farage is scheduled to have a day off campaigning tomorrow, i wonder if he might not put in an appearance......

    Does Farage need half a chance to wrap himself in the Union Jack and stick the boot in...its what he lives for.
    This would be the same Farage who on a CCF camp at secondary school '... had marched through a quiet Sussex village very late at night shouting Hitler-youth songs?' And he has the audacity to criticise Sunak for allegedly not showing enough respect to those who defeated Hitler!
    https://www.channel4.com/news/nigel-farage-ukip-letter-school-concerns-racism-fascism
    Decent line for Mordaunt to use.
    One thing she's quite good at is adopting a supercilious tone.
    A more valid line would be Farages pro-Putin comments.

    https://x.com/AdamBienkov/status/1496885341566869509?t=dpiMNDn1tM-brwFxiB78Vw&s=19
    Imagine being this much of a whopper
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,627
    Andy_JS said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    20 most popular politicians according to YouGov. Interesting how many of these are not active in frontline politics today.

    Farage 38%
    Starmer 30%
    Blunkett 30%
    Johnson 30%
    Brown 26%
    Mordaunt 26%
    Kinnock 25%
    Khan 24%
    Miliband (Ed) 24%
    Benn 24%
    Rayner 24%
    Major 24%
    Heseltine 24%
    Braverman 24%
    Patel 23%
    Burnham 23%
    Tebbitt 23%
    Skinner 22%
    Prescott 22%
    Davidson 22%

    https://yougov.co.uk/ratings/politics/popularity/politicians-political-figures/all

    Fails to mention 42% have a negative view of Farage too

    https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/explore/public_figure/Nigel_Farage
    Also he has a 53% popularity rating with men, but only 24% with women.

    https://yougov.co.uk/ratings/politics/popularity/politicians-political-figures/men
    Which considering twice as many females as males are undecided suggests that Reform will fall back over the next 4 weeks.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,401

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    The stupid thing is, if there is a Hamas government in charge of a unified Palestine, within a few years they'd be under sanctions from us because.... Hamas are sh*ts.
    It's desperate stuff. I dont get why he's doing it, he can afford to lose the islamic vote and stand on a point of principle. But he looks like he'll refuse the win.
  • eekeek Posts: 28,366

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    I don’t think Prime Minister Starmer is going to be unhappy about that.
    I suspect youre wrong. He will be getting more scrutiny post election and he doesnt handle it well. Expect more U turns and wibbling.
    I believe between Bozo, Truss and Rishi there was something like 370 changes in policy - and few made any difference or were even noticed by most people.

    It won’t matter.

    Literally the only thing that will matter is the October budget and how much blame is successfully pinned on the Tory party for the mess that needs to be fixed.

    And I suspect that will be a success and all the pain pinned on the Tories..
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,061
    Loving the argument with the partisans on both sides wrestling for the objectivity crown.
    Bald men & comb etc.

    For me, I agree with Nigel.


    In the Star.
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3gg7xr2rr1o
  • CookieCookie Posts: 13,773

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    The stupid thing is, if there is a Hamas government in charge of a unified Palestine, within a few years they'd be under sanctions from us because.... Hamas are sh*ts.
    You reckon? Labour will be in power by then. The pro-hamas lobby within Labour seems remarkably strong.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,401
    eek said:
    hence the expression time and not day,
  • ToryJimToryJim Posts: 4,189

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,061
    Morning all. I woke up wondering what wonders the number 10 team would have come up with to get ahead of the story. I see they havent bothered.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 18,354
    Well I've just voted (in the Irish local elections) and for the first time I'd say the voting was genuinely brisk this early in the morning.
  • Penddu2Penddu2 Posts: 689
    Farage is marmite. Reform are getting a bounce because of his personal name recognition but it will fade when people realise he is just a one-man show. Reform will disrupt voting patterns in many seats causing some unexpected results but their final seat count will be between 0 and 1.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,407
    nico679 said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    I just think it's silly to suggest he would have been criticised for not leaving the D-Day event early. It tells me you're not being objective.
    No, it tells me you have no perception whatsoever.

    You'd have found a way to criticise Sunak no matter what he did, which tells me you're not being objective.
    You refuse to criticize Sunak regardless of what he does . He should have realized that coming back early to record an interview wasn’t a good look . Given the profile of Tory to Reform voters this was a gift to Farage .
    Nonsense. I criticised him over HS2, and his smoking policy.

    You simply want a free field for the GE and can't handle another point of view. Because you'd far rather believe everyone thinks exactly the same way you do.

    Tough. You're not going to get one.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,401
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    It's moot if the Tories are the opposition we'll only know that in 4 weeks. However although Starmer cries change he isnt offering any he's signed up to the same economics as Sunak and is slowly reducing his room for manoeuvre with each commitment not to change taxation. Reeves decision to let the OBR dictate her spending is just silly.

    So Starmer is offering Pepsi to Sunak's Coca Cola, nobody is offering beer.
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 7,084
    edited June 7
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Yep. @Alanbrooke has lost any semblance of objectivity and has gone all Big John Owls about Keir Starmer.

    You are quite right: they came out with all of this sort of desperate guff about Tony Blair in the run-up to 1997.

    The Conservatives have lost their way at the moment and will need to spend time in the political wilderness rediscovering who they are, what they are, and why they are.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,986

    It wasn’t that long ago that people on here were in agreement that a Labour majority would be a historically difficult mountain to climb from their starting position but yet now it’s taken as almost a given.

    Funny old world.

    That was before Richi outed himself as a Labour sleeper agent
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,061

    It wasn’t that long ago that people on here were in agreement that a Labour majority would be a historically difficult mountain to climb from their starting position but yet now it’s taken as almost a given.

    Funny old world.

    Recalibration to account for incompetence on an industrial scale.
    I was at 90 majority, 200 seats tory. I now very much doubt three figures seats is likely and they are toying with complete annihilation and loss of opposition
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,407

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    I just think it's silly to suggest he would have been criticised for not leaving the D-Day event early. It tells me you're not being objective.
    No, it tells me you have no perception whatsoever.

    You'd have found a way to criticise Sunak no matter what he did, which tells me you're not being objective.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-did-rishi-leave-the-d-day-commemorations-early/ The Spectator is criticising Sunak too. Would you say the same of them? They are a shit publication, but they’re generally friendly towards the Conservatives.
    Yes, I would.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,401
    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    Hubris.
    Perhaps
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Yep. @Alanbrooke has lost any semblance of objectivity and has gone all Big John Owls

    You are quite right: they came out with all of this sort of guff about Blair in the run-up to 1997.

    They have lost their way at the moment and will need to spend time in the political wilderness rediscovering who they are, what they are, and why they are.
    Lol remember we had that little chat about you not understanding life outside the Home Counties ? We;ll youre back at it.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,407
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Maybe you'll need to change your username then.
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 7,084
    p.s. I’ve no problem recognising a Palestinian state. It’s an important step forward.

    But foreign policy doesn’t cut through in UK General Elections anyway. More one to consider further down the line if and when Labour are in Government.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,986
    @DPJHodges

    People obviously talking about political ramifications of Sunak and D-Day. But this is broader. The Prime Minister genuinely has disrespected Britain's fallen and veterans. That's not a campaign talking point. Outside of an election this would potentially be a resignation matter.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,454

    It wasn’t that long ago that people on here were in agreement that a Labour majority would be a historically difficult mountain to climb from their starting position but yet now it’s taken as almost a given.

    Funny old world.

    Recalibration to account for incompetence on an industrial scale.
    I was at 90 majority, 200 seats tory. I now very much doubt three figures seats is likely and they are toying with complete annihilation and loss of opposition
    @Casino_Royale wants us to vote for incompetence on an industrial scale. It’s a view I suppose.
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 7,084
    edited June 7

    It wasn’t that long ago that people on here were in agreement that a Labour majority would be a historically difficult mountain to climb from their starting position but yet now it’s taken as almost a given.

    Funny old world.

    Yep, OGH did not like my view that Labour would win a landslide, let alone a majority. He cited the lack of historical precedence, which he was correct about.

    It’s a measure of the complete screw up by the tories.

    I seriously doubt they will return to power for at least a generation. People will look back on these years with utter horror.

    2045-2050 before they’re back, and that’s IF they get their shit together.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,454

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    Hubris.
    Perhaps
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Yep. @Alanbrooke has lost any semblance of objectivity and has gone all Big John Owls

    You are quite right: they came out with all of this sort of guff about Blair in the run-up to 1997.

    They have lost their way at the moment and will need to spend time in the political wilderness rediscovering who they are, what they are, and why they are.
    Lol remember we had that little chat about you not understanding life outside the Home Counties ? We;ll youre back at it.
    You’re not the only person who lives outside the South East, you know.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,812
    edited June 7

    It wasn’t that long ago that people on here were in agreement that a Labour majority would be a historically difficult mountain to climb from their starting position but yet now it’s taken as almost a given.

    Funny old world.

    I wonder what the polls would be if Corbyn hadn't been leader. I suppose the main difficulty with this what-if is the 2019 GE would have had a different result and probably wouldn't even have been called. But it has certainly made Starmers job pretty straightforward - just keep saying I am not Corbyn and the Tories are a mess. And led to Tory complacency on the other side, thinking they are more popular than they were in 2019 when they hugely benefited from fear of Corbyn.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,407
    The attention people pay to what Tim Montgomerie says is a real flag they're not Tories and haven't a clue about the party.

    No Conservative pays a word of attention to anything he says, and haven't for over 20 years.
  • TazTaz Posts: 14,362
    Heathener said:

    p.s. I’ve no problem recognising a Palestinian state. It’s an important step forward.

    But foreign policy doesn’t cut through in UK General Elections anyway. More one to consider further down the line if and when Labour are in Government.

    Labour are desperately trying to say to predominantly Muslim communities "vote for us" as there are some concerns about losing votes there.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,061

    Morning all. I woke up wondering what wonders the number 10 team would have come up with to get ahead of the story. I see they havent bothered.

    It does have the feel of a slow burn story; sometimes these things take off, and sometimes they don't. We'll see.

    The BBC mentioned it in passing this morning during a piece on the "lies" spat, and described Sunak's decision as fairly incomprehensible.
    (The tone was more puzzled than in any way condemnatory.)
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,812

    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Maybe you'll need to change your username then.
    Reaching the Corbynite - don't vote for us if your not a true believer - level of persuasion this morning.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,401

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    Hubris.
    Perhaps
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Yep. @Alanbrooke has lost any semblance of objectivity and has gone all Big John Owls

    You are quite right: they came out with all of this sort of guff about Blair in the run-up to 1997.

    They have lost their way at the moment and will need to spend time in the political wilderness rediscovering who they are, what they are, and why they are.
    Lol remember we had that little chat about you not understanding life outside the Home Counties ? We;ll youre back at it.
    You’re not the only person who lives outside the South East, you know.
    Absolutely.

    I'm afraid though with Starmer we'll all be back to worrying about London and making sure Islington doesnt have any potholes.
  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 17,214
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    For comparison, this was the top tier of Billy Sparkles's shadow cabinet in 1997:

    Rt Hon. William Hague MP — Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party
    Rt Hon. Peter Lilley MP — Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
    Rt Hon. Michael Howard QC MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
    Rt Hon. Sir Brian Mawhinney MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department
    Rt Hon. Cecil Parkinson, Lord Parkinson PC — Chairman of the Conservative Party
    Rt Hon. Stephen Dorrell MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment
    Rt Hon. Gillian Shephard MP — Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_Cabinet_of_William_Hague

    Not necessarily brilliant, but I'm confident that it's stronger than whatever the next Conservative leader will be able to put in place.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,061
    Surprisingly easy hold for the Tories in Axholme (Donny east and isle of Axholme) with 67% of the vote
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,454

    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    For comparison, this was the top tier of Billy Sparkles's shadow cabinet in 1997:

    Rt Hon. William Hague MP — Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party
    Rt Hon. Peter Lilley MP — Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
    Rt Hon. Michael Howard QC MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
    Rt Hon. Sir Brian Mawhinney MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department
    Rt Hon. Cecil Parkinson, Lord Parkinson PC — Chairman of the Conservative Party
    Rt Hon. Stephen Dorrell MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment
    Rt Hon. Gillian Shephard MP — Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_Cabinet_of_William_Hague

    Not necessarily brilliant, but I'm confident that it's stronger than whatever the next Conservative leader will be able to put in place.
    TRUSS
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 7,084

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    Hubris.
    Perhaps
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Yep. @Alanbrooke has lost any semblance of objectivity and has gone all Big John Owls

    You are quite right: they came out with all of this sort of guff about Blair in the run-up to 1997.

    They have lost their way at the moment and will need to spend time in the political wilderness rediscovering who they are, what they are, and why they are.
    Lol remember we had that little chat about you not understanding life outside the Home Counties ? .
    No I’m sorry I really don’t. No offence but I probably wouldn’t remember any convo with you tbh.

    My home town is Teignmouth in Devon.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,401
    Taz said:

    Heathener said:

    p.s. I’ve no problem recognising a Palestinian state. It’s an important step forward.

    But foreign policy doesn’t cut through in UK General Elections anyway. More one to consider further down the line if and when Labour are in Government.

    Labour are desperately trying to say to predominantly Muslim communities "vote for us" as there are some concerns about losing votes there.
    I dont see why though theyre so far ahead they can take the hit. This just looks weak.
  • eekeek Posts: 28,366

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    I just think it's silly to suggest he would have been criticised for not leaving the D-Day event early. It tells me you're not being objective.
    No, it tells me you have no perception whatsoever.

    You'd have found a way to criticise Sunak no matter what he did, which tells me you're not being objective.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-did-rishi-leave-the-d-day-commemorations-early/ The Spectator is criticising Sunak too. Would you say the same of them? They are a shit publication, but they’re generally friendly towards the Conservatives.
    Yes, I would.
    There are some set of events that you turn up to for the entire day otherwise it looks very weird. Yesterday was one of those days where you really couldn't escape early, yet Rishi thought he could

    I guess it's only an issue on the edges but for those paying attention to such things if its picked up on it doesn't look good.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,627

    Eabhal said:

    Cicero said:

    Help to Buy is to getting a rebrand as Freedom to Buy...

    https://news.sky.com/story/labour-to-offer-freedom-to-buy-for-young-people-with-mortgage-guarantee-scheme-13148889

    Permanent very low deposits guaranteed by government has other negatives above the risk of bad loans.

    What percentage of council houses sold are still in the hands of owner occupiers, as opposed to private rental companies?
    40% of right to buy homes are now rented out privately.

    PB likes to ignore the vast shifts in housing tenure in the last 14 years, but ultimately it's the reason why the country has become more unequal and why the number of natural Conservative voters has fallen. There is no evidence that a mass private housebuilding programme would reverse the trend and increase ownership - all the new homes will simply be hoovered up by those who have accumulated large savings.
    We should be building council housing.
    If you want to redistribute housing wealth then it needs to be home ownership, not rental in any form.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,454
    Foxy said:

    Eabhal said:

    Cicero said:

    Help to Buy is to getting a rebrand as Freedom to Buy...

    https://news.sky.com/story/labour-to-offer-freedom-to-buy-for-young-people-with-mortgage-guarantee-scheme-13148889

    Permanent very low deposits guaranteed by government has other negatives above the risk of bad loans.

    What percentage of council houses sold are still in the hands of owner occupiers, as opposed to private rental companies?
    40% of right to buy homes are now rented out privately.

    PB likes to ignore the vast shifts in housing tenure in the last 14 years, but ultimately it's the reason why the country has become more unequal and why the number of natural Conservative voters has fallen. There is no evidence that a mass private housebuilding programme would reverse the trend and increase ownership - all the new homes will simply be hoovered up by those who have accumulated large savings.
    We should be building council housing.
    If you want to redistribute housing wealth then it needs to be home ownership, not rental in any form.
    As a construction lawyer I support this message. Build build build.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,859
    Nigelb said:

    Morning all. I woke up wondering what wonders the number 10 team would have come up with to get ahead of the story. I see they havent bothered.

    It does have the feel of a slow burn story; sometimes these things take off, and sometimes they don't. We'll see.

    The BBC mentioned it in passing this morning during a piece on the "lies" spat, and described Sunak's decision as fairly incomprehensible.
    (The tone was more puzzled than in any way condemnatory.)
    The Tories have succeeded in getting the 'Labour tax bombshell' prominently covered by all the media, but at some cost in terms of the damage to Sunak's reputation and credibility, who isn't coming out of this well.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,401
    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    Hubris.
    Perhaps
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Yep. @Alanbrooke has lost any semblance of objectivity and has gone all Big John Owls

    You are quite right: they came out with all of this sort of guff about Blair in the run-up to 1997.

    They have lost their way at the moment and will need to spend time in the political wilderness rediscovering who they are, what they are, and why they are.
    Lol remember we had that little chat about you not understanding life outside the Home Counties ? .
    No I’m sorry I really don’t. No offence but I probably wouldn’t remember any convo with you tbh.

    My home town is Teignmouth in Devon.
    It's not where you start it's where you finish. and you've finished up in Surrey.

    Allegedly.
  • RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 28,895
    Sunak has Catterick in his constituency. And did *that* yesterday.

    So now we know. Pulled the election forward. Torpedoes first the national campaign and then his local campaign.

    He needs to be in California for the end of July.
  • nico679nico679 Posts: 6,275
    Scott_xP said:

    @DPJHodges

    People obviously talking about political ramifications of Sunak and D-Day. But this is broader. The Prime Minister genuinely has disrespected Britain's fallen and veterans. That's not a campaign talking point. Outside of an election this would potentially be a resignation matter.

    I think Dan Hodges is being a bit melodramatic. It was stupid to leave early but I wouldn’t put it in the category of a resignation matter .
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,061
    edited June 7
    Nigelb said:

    Loving the argument with the partisans on both sides wrestling for the objectivity crown.
    Bald men & comb etc.

    For me, I agree with Nigel.


    In the Star.
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3gg7xr2rr1o

    Nick Robinson on form this morning.
    Giving the Tory spokesman a roasting on their tax cut for Casino policy.*

    * Noting quite fairly that everyone else is participating in the same fantasy economics.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,627

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    Hubris.
    Perhaps
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Yep. @Alanbrooke has lost any semblance of objectivity and has gone all Big John Owls

    You are quite right: they came out with all of this sort of guff about Blair in the run-up to 1997.

    They have lost their way at the moment and will need to spend time in the political wilderness rediscovering who they are, what they are, and why they are.
    Lol remember we had that little chat about you not understanding life outside the Home Counties ? We;ll youre back at it.
    You’re not the only person who lives outside the South East, you know.
    Absolutely.

    I'm afraid though with Starmer we'll all be back to worrying about London and making sure Islington doesnt have any potholes.
    With Labour Mps coming from Cornwall to the Western Isles, from the Isle of Wight and Hexham, from NW Leics, I think Starmers MPs will be from a much wider geographical range with a much broader perspective than the outgoing parliament.

    You might well have a Labour MP yourself.
  • ToryJimToryJim Posts: 4,189
    Scott_xP said:

    @DPJHodges

    People obviously talking about political ramifications of Sunak and D-Day. But this is broader. The Prime Minister genuinely has disrespected Britain's fallen and veterans. That's not a campaign talking point. Outside of an election this would potentially be a resignation matter.

    Yeah Dan Hodges is being silly. It’s bad but not THAT bad.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,986
    @Samfr

    Trying to think if there's a gaffe that could be more laser targeted at the voters Farage is trying to win than "disrespecting D-Day veterans". Struggling.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,401

    Sunak has Catterick in his constituency. And did *that* yesterday.

    So now we know. Pulled the election forward. Torpedoes first the national campaign and then his local campaign.

    He needs to be in California for the end of July.

    How do you see your consituency devloping
  • Daveyboy1961Daveyboy1961 Posts: 3,883

    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    For comparison, this was the top tier of Billy Sparkles's shadow cabinet in 1997:

    Rt Hon. William Hague MP — Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party
    Rt Hon. Peter Lilley MP — Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
    Rt Hon. Michael Howard QC MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
    Rt Hon. Sir Brian Mawhinney MP — Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department
    Rt Hon. Cecil Parkinson, Lord Parkinson PC — Chairman of the Conservative Party
    Rt Hon. Stephen Dorrell MP — Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment
    Rt Hon. Gillian Shephard MP — Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_Cabinet_of_William_Hague

    Not necessarily brilliant, but I'm confident that it's stronger than whatever the next Conservative leader will be able to put in place.
    TRUSS
    ...wear your truss...
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,812

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    Hubris.
    Perhaps
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Yep. @Alanbrooke has lost any semblance of objectivity and has gone all Big John Owls

    You are quite right: they came out with all of this sort of guff about Blair in the run-up to 1997.

    They have lost their way at the moment and will need to spend time in the political wilderness rediscovering who they are, what they are, and why they are.
    Lol remember we had that little chat about you not understanding life outside the Home Counties ? We;ll youre back at it.
    You’re not the only person who lives outside the South East, you know.
    Absolutely.

    I'm afraid though with Starmer we'll all be back to worrying about London and making sure Islington doesnt have any potholes.
    Network North money supposedly long term infrastructure investment in the north is funding bodged, overpriced and temporary pot hole fixes here in London at the moment.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,984

    The attention people pay to what Tim Montgomerie says is a real flag they're not Tories and haven't a clue about the party.

    No Conservative pays a word of attention to anything he says, and haven't for over 20 years.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman

  • eekeek Posts: 28,366
    edited June 7

    Sunak has Catterick in his constituency. And did *that* yesterday.

    So now we know. Pulled the election forward. Torpedoes first the national campaign and then his local campaign.

    He needs to be in California for the end of July.


    Catterick Garrison isn't that many votes really but it does correspond to this tweet I was about to post (most troops are there for training so aren't there on a permanent basis)..


    Paula Surridge
    @p_surridge
    You're trying to win back voters heading to Reform UK, many of whom are fiercely defensive of the role of the UK in WW2, and you leave the world wide remembrance event for D Day early. Are you trying to test the Conservative vote floor?

  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,986

    Sunak has Catterick in his constituency. And did *that* yesterday.

    So now we know. Pulled the election forward. Torpedoes first the national campaign and then his local campaign.

    He needs to be in California for the end of July.

    This is the picture he posted from yesterday



    You can almost hear the caption "Get me the fuck out of here..."
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,454

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    Hubris.
    Perhaps
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Yep. @Alanbrooke has lost any semblance of objectivity and has gone all Big John Owls

    You are quite right: they came out with all of this sort of guff about Blair in the run-up to 1997.

    They have lost their way at the moment and will need to spend time in the political wilderness rediscovering who they are, what they are, and why they are.
    Lol remember we had that little chat about you not understanding life outside the Home Counties ? We;ll youre back at it.
    You’re not the only person who lives outside the South East, you know.
    Absolutely.

    I'm afraid though with Starmer we'll all be back to worrying about London and making sure Islington doesnt have any potholes.
    Network North money supposedly long term infrastructure investment in the north is funding bodged, overpriced and temporary pot hole fixes here in London at the moment.
    I thought Network North was a myth like the Loch Ness Monster
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,401
    Foxy said:

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    Hubris.
    Perhaps
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Yep. @Alanbrooke has lost any semblance of objectivity and has gone all Big John Owls

    You are quite right: they came out with all of this sort of guff about Blair in the run-up to 1997.

    They have lost their way at the moment and will need to spend time in the political wilderness rediscovering who they are, what they are, and why they are.
    Lol remember we had that little chat about you not understanding life outside the Home Counties ? We;ll youre back at it.
    You’re not the only person who lives outside the South East, you know.
    Absolutely.

    I'm afraid though with Starmer we'll all be back to worrying about London and making sure Islington doesnt have any potholes.
    With Labour Mps coming from Cornwall to the Western Isles, from the Isle of Wight and Hexham, from NW Leics, I think Starmers MPs will be from a much wider geographical range with a much broader perspective than the outgoing parliament.

    You might well have a Labour MP yourself.
    I might, but since I live in one of the Tories 10 safest seats it will be quite an achievement if the LDs take it.

    However Labour had seats galore in 1997 and just ignored the rest of the country it ultimately lead to the Red Wall breaking. It will be all back to London.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,812
    Scott_xP said:

    @Samfr

    Trying to think if there's a gaffe that could be more laser targeted at the voters Farage is trying to win than "disrespecting D-Day veterans". Struggling.

    1.3m immigrants over 2 years whilst simultaneously loudly claiming that 30,000 refugees crossing the channel is disastrous?
  • CiceroCicero Posts: 3,078

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    I just think it's silly to suggest he would have been criticised for not leaving the D-Day event early. It tells me you're not being objective.
    No, it tells me you have no perception whatsoever.

    You'd have found a way to criticise Sunak no matter what he did, which tells me you're not being objective.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-did-rishi-leave-the-d-day-commemorations-early/ The Spectator is criticising Sunak too. Would you say the same of them? They are a shit publication, but they’re generally friendly towards the Conservatives.
    A lot of the Tory press are going to lean Farage. They can't resist the drama and in fighting, its just more fun than backing a losing anyway Sunak.
    Ever since Major's "back me or sack" me, the Tories have have been addicted to leadership drama. Finally, however, the country has decided it doesn't care. The Tory world ends not with a bang but a whimper.
    To launch the GE early, before Farage got caught up in the Trump election campaign is yet another sign of a Tory death wish. A wish that increasingly looks set to be granted on July 4th.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 42,553
    Cookie said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    The stupid thing is, if there is a Hamas government in charge of a unified Palestine, within a few years they'd be under sanctions from us because.... Hamas are sh*ts.
    You reckon? Labour will be in power by then. The pro-hamas lobby within Labour seems remarkably strong.
    Hamas are basically Iran atm. They may have different religious beliefs to their paymasters, but the links are more than strong. Yes, there appears to be a large pro-Hamas lobby in Labour, but I think that view will only last so long - at least for anyone who is not a rabid anti-Semite.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,454
    edited June 7

    Foxy said:

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    Hubris.
    Perhaps
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Yep. @Alanbrooke has lost any semblance of objectivity and has gone all Big John Owls

    You are quite right: they came out with all of this sort of guff about Blair in the run-up to 1997.

    They have lost their way at the moment and will need to spend time in the political wilderness rediscovering who they are, what they are, and why they are.
    Lol remember we had that little chat about you not understanding life outside the Home Counties ? We;ll youre back at it.
    You’re not the only person who lives outside the South East, you know.
    Absolutely.

    I'm afraid though with Starmer we'll all be back to worrying about London and making sure Islington doesnt have any potholes.
    With Labour Mps coming from Cornwall to the Western Isles, from the Isle of Wight and Hexham, from NW Leics, I think Starmers MPs will be from a much wider geographical range with a much broader perspective than the outgoing parliament.

    You might well have a Labour MP yourself.
    I might, but since I live in one of the Tories 10 safest seats it will be quite an achievement if the LDs take it.

    However Labour had seats galore in 1997 and just ignored the rest of the country it ultimately lead to the Red Wall breaking. It will be all back to London.
    Maybe but it’s worth a roll of the dice when considered in the context of the current shower
  • eekeek Posts: 28,366
    nico679 said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @DPJHodges

    People obviously talking about political ramifications of Sunak and D-Day. But this is broader. The Prime Minister genuinely has disrespected Britain's fallen and veterans. That's not a campaign talking point. Outside of an election this would potentially be a resignation matter.

    I think Dan Hodges is being a bit melodramatic. It was stupid to leave early but I wouldn’t put it in the category of a resignation matter .
    As the tweet I quoted below and the one ScottP just posted said - WW2 is almost a core Reform vote driver - and Rishi has given Farage an attack point that will be lapped up by potential Reform voters - it's quite likely to cost some votes depending on how much the story is repeated..
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,986
    @mikeysmith

    Tory David Johnson says he doesn’t know where Rishi Sunak was yesterday afternoon during D Day event, because he’s only “the junior minister for education” and he’s “not party to the PM’s diary”. 🤔
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,984
    edited June 7

    Surprisingly easy hold for the Tories in Axholme (Donny east and isle of Axholme) with 67% of the vote

    They’ve comfortably won several local by-elections during this campaign, and increased their vote in some. It’s an interesting phenomenon. I’ve not checked but I assume some of these seats were contested at the last locals in May.
  • TazTaz Posts: 14,362

    Taz said:

    Heathener said:

    p.s. I’ve no problem recognising a Palestinian state. It’s an important step forward.

    But foreign policy doesn’t cut through in UK General Elections anyway. More one to consider further down the line if and when Labour are in Government.

    Labour are desperately trying to say to predominantly Muslim communities "vote for us" as there are some concerns about losing votes there.
    I dont see why though theyre so far ahead they can take the hit. This just looks weak.
    I agree. Not only does it look weak it looks knee jerk too. It goes contrary to their prior positions on the issue. They have been staunch in their support of Israel. Now they seem to backtrack.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,401
    Nigelb said:

    Nigelb said:

    Loving the argument with the partisans on both sides wrestling for the objectivity crown.
    Bald men & comb etc.

    For me, I agree with Nigel.


    In the Star.
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3gg7xr2rr1o

    Nick Robinson on form this morning.
    Giving the Tory spokesman a roasting on their tax cut for Casino policy.*

    * Noting quite fairly that everyone else is participating in the same fantasy economics.
    How did Nick explain the fairness of the licence fee ?
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,812

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    Hubris.
    Perhaps
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Yep. @Alanbrooke has lost any semblance of objectivity and has gone all Big John Owls

    You are quite right: they came out with all of this sort of guff about Blair in the run-up to 1997.

    They have lost their way at the moment and will need to spend time in the political wilderness rediscovering who they are, what they are, and why they are.
    Lol remember we had that little chat about you not understanding life outside the Home Counties ? We;ll youre back at it.
    You’re not the only person who lives outside the South East, you know.
    Absolutely.

    I'm afraid though with Starmer we'll all be back to worrying about London and making sure Islington doesnt have any potholes.
    Network North money supposedly long term infrastructure investment in the north is funding bodged, overpriced and temporary pot hole fixes here in London at the moment.
    I thought Network North was a myth like the Loch Ness Monster
    Its basically add up any transport spending projects that would be done anyway, anywhere in the country, then boost it with projects that will be decided on long after Sunak leaves office to get to a big shiny number for the conference where Sunak made all his team deny (depsite clear leaks to the contrary) HS2 was being cancelled right up to the last day leaders speech when it got cancelled.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,986
    Richi apologises. That's how big a fuckup it was.

    @RishiSunak
    The 80th anniversary of D-Day has been a profound moment to honour the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our values, our freedom and our democracy.

    This anniversary should be about those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. The last thing I want is for the commemorations to be overshadowed by politics.

    I care deeply about veterans and have been honoured to represent the UK at a number of events in Portsmouth and France over the past two days and to meet those who fought so bravely.

    After the conclusion of the British event in Normandy, I returned back to the UK. On reflection, it was a mistake not to stay in France longer – and I apologise.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,061
    Sunak apologises and admits mistake in leaving early. Hmmmmm, bit late mate
  • ToryJimToryJim Posts: 4,189
    Scott_xP said:

    @Samfr

    Trying to think if there's a gaffe that could be more laser targeted at the voters Farage is trying to win than "disrespecting D-Day veterans". Struggling.

    Yeah when you are the first non-white person to be PM and your voters are susceptible to being seduced away by a racism adjacent populist it is very much in the category of avoid like the plague.
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 7,084
    edited June 7

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    Hubris.
    Perhaps
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Yep. @Alanbrooke has lost any semblance of objectivity and has gone all Big John Owls

    You are quite right: they came out with all of this sort of guff about Blair in the run-up to 1997.

    They have lost their way at the moment and will need to spend time in the political wilderness rediscovering who they are, what they are, and why they are.
    Lol remember we had that little chat about you not understanding life outside the Home Counties ? .
    No I’m sorry I really don’t. No offence but I probably wouldn’t remember any convo with you tbh.

    My home town is Teignmouth in Devon.
    It's not where you start it's where you finish. and you've finished up in Surrey.

    Allegedly.
    Well I’m bemused you think you know when and where I’ve been in life but you’re a bit muddle-headed.

    FWIW, my name is taken from a Heath where I used to live … in Surrey. My home town is back in Devon, where I’ve lived much of my life. And, yes, I stay with my friend back in Surrey frequently. She is, or was, a tory and is a lovely person. My best friend in fact.

    But I’m not entirely sure what relevance this has to anything, let alone a political betting site. I’m sure people on here, yourself included, have better things to discuss during an election campaign than people’s house moves.
  • CiceroCicero Posts: 3,078

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    The simple relief of not having a bunch of creeps and gargoyles in cabinet, of having a Prime Minister attempting competent policy instead of media gimmicks, of having politicians that talk to voters, not to each other will give Starmer at least a year of goodwill.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,627

    Cookie said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    The stupid thing is, if there is a Hamas government in charge of a unified Palestine, within a few years they'd be under sanctions from us because.... Hamas are sh*ts.
    You reckon? Labour will be in power by then. The pro-hamas lobby within Labour seems remarkably strong.
    Hamas are basically Iran atm. They may have different religious beliefs to their paymasters, but the links are more than strong. Yes, there appears to be a large pro-Hamas lobby in Labour, but I think that view will only last so long - at least for anyone who is not a rabid anti-Semite.
    I don't think there is a large Pro-Hamas lobby in any parry in the UK, but there is a lot of pro-Palestinian feeling. That is a massive distinction. It's as big as the difference between antisemitism and opposing Netanyahu.

  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,812
    eek said:

    Sunak has Catterick in his constituency. And did *that* yesterday.

    So now we know. Pulled the election forward. Torpedoes first the national campaign and then his local campaign.

    He needs to be in California for the end of July.


    Catterick Garrison isn't that many votes really but it does correspond to this tweet I was about to post (most troops are there for training so aren't there on a permanent basis)..


    Paula Surridge
    @p_surridge
    You're trying to win back voters heading to Reform UK, many of whom are fiercely defensive of the role of the UK in WW2, and you leave the world wide remembrance event for D Day early. Are you trying to test the Conservative vote floor?

    Could he even lose his seat?
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,984

    Scott_xP said:

    @Samfr

    Trying to think if there's a gaffe that could be more laser targeted at the voters Farage is trying to win than "disrespecting D-Day veterans". Struggling.

    1.3m immigrants over 2 years whilst simultaneously loudly claiming that 30,000 refugees crossing the channel is disastrous?
    The voting public get very confused about this.

    You see it in focus group readouts. For example Starmer promising to reduce legal immigration, and the reaction is “but they want to cancel Rwanda”.

    I’m convinced large numbers of voters think all our immigration is people arriving in small boats.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,401
    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    Hubris.
    Perhaps
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Yep. @Alanbrooke has lost any semblance of objectivity and has gone all Big John Owls

    You are quite right: they came out with all of this sort of guff about Blair in the run-up to 1997.

    They have lost their way at the moment and will need to spend time in the political wilderness rediscovering who they are, what they are, and why they are.
    Lol remember we had that little chat about you not understanding life outside the Home Counties ? .
    No I’m sorry I really don’t. No offence but I probably wouldn’t remember any convo with you tbh.

    My home town is Teignmouth in Devon.
    It's not where you start it's where you finish. and you've finished up in Surrey.

    Allegedly.
    Well I’m bemused you think you know when and where I’ve been in life but you’re a bit muddle-headed.

    FWIW, my name is taken from a Heath where I used to live … in Surrey. My home town is back in Devon, where I’ve lived much of my life. And, yes, I stay with my friend back in Surrey frequently. She is, or was, a tory and is a lovely person. My best friend in fact.

    But I’m not entirely sure what relevance this has to anything, let alone a political betting site. I’m sure people on here, yourself included, have better things to discuss during an election campaign than people’s house moves.
    Not now dear the adults are talking.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,984
    Sunak has apologised for his early D Day departure!
  • eekeek Posts: 28,366

    eek said:

    Sunak has Catterick in his constituency. And did *that* yesterday.

    So now we know. Pulled the election forward. Torpedoes first the national campaign and then his local campaign.

    He needs to be in California for the end of July.


    Catterick Garrison isn't that many votes really but it does correspond to this tweet I was about to post (most troops are there for training so aren't there on a permanent basis)..


    Paula Surridge
    @p_surridge
    You're trying to win back voters heading to Reform UK, many of whom are fiercely defensive of the role of the UK in WW2, and you leave the world wide remembrance event for D Day early. Are you trying to test the Conservative vote floor?

    Could he even lose his seat?
    I don't think so - but it's getting to the point it's possible.

    I however won't have feet on ground details until July 1st as that's when Mrs Eek is next in the office...
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 7,084
    Scott_xP said:

    Richi apologises. That's how big a fuckup it was.

    @RishiSunak
    The 80th anniversary of D-Day has been a profound moment to honour the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our values, our freedom and our democracy.

    This anniversary should be about those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. The last thing I want is for the commemorations to be overshadowed by politics.

    I care deeply about veterans and have been honoured to represent the UK at a number of events in Portsmouth and France over the past two days and to meet those who fought so bravely.

    After the conclusion of the British event in Normandy, I returned back to the UK. On reflection, it was a mistake not to stay in France longer – and I apologise.

    Blimey
  • eekeek Posts: 28,366
    TimS said:

    Sunak has apologised for his early D Day departure!

    Too late - Nigel is going to make hay over it
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,986
    @DPJHodges

    A tweet? You can't tweet this away. Where's the clip. Why isn't he saying it on camera. We all know he's going to have to.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,216
    Eabhal said:

    Cicero said:

    Help to Buy is to getting a rebrand as Freedom to Buy...

    https://news.sky.com/story/labour-to-offer-freedom-to-buy-for-young-people-with-mortgage-guarantee-scheme-13148889

    Permanent very low deposits guaranteed by government has other negatives above the risk of bad loans.

    What percentage of council houses sold are still in the hands of owner occupiers, as opposed to private rental companies?
    40% of right to buy homes are now rented out privately.

    PB likes to ignore the vast shifts in housing tenure in the last 14 years, but ultimately it's the reason why the country has become more unequal and why the number of natural Conservative voters has fallen. There is no evidence that a mass private housebuilding programme would reverse the trend and increase ownership - all the new homes will simply be hoovered up by those who have accumulated large savings.
    So you are claiming that prices can be artificially held high in a market that has over supply?

    How?
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,401
    edited June 7
    Cicero said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    The simple relief of not having a bunch of creeps and gargoyles in cabinet, of having a Prime Minister attempting competent policy instead of media gimmicks, of having politicians that talk to voters, not to each other will give Starmer at least a year of goodwill.
    Every party gets a honeymoon, then the fun starts. You're simply swapping Pepsi for Coca Cola. Labour are Sunak redux, lots of policies floated but no money to pay for them,
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,986
    @sophgaston

    The predictable consequence of the PM’s astonishing decision to leave the D-Day commemorations early is that in Zelenskyy’s moving video of his attendance, Britain - Ukraine’s most ardent ally - is represented by the leader of the opposition.

    https://x.com/sophgaston/status/1798936577730879810
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,984

    Cicero said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    The simple relief of not having a bunch of creeps and gargoyles in cabinet, of having a Prime Minister attempting competent policy instead of media gimmicks, of having politicians that talk to voters, not to each other will give Starmer at least a year of goodwill.
    Every party gets a honeymoon, then the fun starts. You're simply swapping Pepsi for Coca Cola. Labour are Sunak redux, lots of policies floated but no money to pay for them,
    Fewer gargoyles though.
  • ToryJimToryJim Posts: 4,189

    Sunak apologises and admits mistake in leaving early. Hmmmmm, bit late mate

    He’s absolutely right to apologise, it was necessary but unfortunately it won’t be sufficient. One also suspects that behind the scenes senior figures may have staged something of an intervention.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,401
    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    Hubris.
    Perhaps
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Yep. @Alanbrooke has lost any semblance of objectivity and has gone all Big John Owls

    You are quite right: they came out with all of this sort of guff about Blair in the run-up to 1997.

    They have lost their way at the moment and will need to spend time in the political wilderness rediscovering who they are, what they are, and why they are.
    Lol remember we had that little chat about you not understanding life outside the Home Counties ? .
    No I’m sorry I really don’t. No offence but I probably wouldn’t remember any convo with you tbh.

    My home town is Teignmouth in Devon.
    It's not where you start it's where you finish. and you've finished up in Surrey.

    Allegedly.
    Well I’m bemused you think you know when and where I’ve been in life but you’re a bit muddle-headed.

    FWIW, my name is taken from a Heath where I used to live … in Surrey. My home town is back in Devon, where I’ve lived much of my life. And, yes, I stay with my friend back in Surrey frequently. She is, or was, a tory and is a lovely person. My best friend in fact.

    But I’m not entirely sure what relevance this has to anything, let alone a political betting site. I’m sure people on here, yourself included, have better things to discuss during an election campaign than people’s house moves.
    Not now dear the adults are talking.
    So you’re resorting to using Ad Hominem and misogynistic: “not now dear"

    Wow your mask really has slipped there.

    When you lose, and you realise you’re out of power for a long, long, long, time. And when you realise that the world has moved on and left you behind, reflect on how you might have behaved better.
    It's ok, like a goldfish you wont remember this conversation, we can start anew on your next post.
  • eekeek Posts: 28,366

    Cicero said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    The simple relief of not having a bunch of creeps and gargoyles in cabinet, of having a Prime Minister attempting competent policy instead of media gimmicks, of having politicians that talk to voters, not to each other will give Starmer at least a year of goodwill.
    Every party gets a honeymoon, then the fun starts. You're simply swapping Pepsi for Coca Cola. Labour are Sunak redux, lots of policies floated but no money to pay for them,
    Nope we are swapping people who seem to be utterly incompetent and can't see the mess they have created while allowing their mates to steal millions for a set of people who may be vaguely competent.

  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,812
    Eabhal said:

    Cicero said:

    Help to Buy is to getting a rebrand as Freedom to Buy...

    https://news.sky.com/story/labour-to-offer-freedom-to-buy-for-young-people-with-mortgage-guarantee-scheme-13148889

    Permanent very low deposits guaranteed by government has other negatives above the risk of bad loans.

    What percentage of council houses sold are still in the hands of owner occupiers, as opposed to private rental companies?
    40% of right to buy homes are now rented out privately.

    PB likes to ignore the vast shifts in housing tenure in the last 14 years, but ultimately it's the reason why the country has become more unequal and why the number of natural Conservative voters has fallen. There is no evidence that a mass private housebuilding programme would reverse the trend and increase ownership - all the new homes will simply be hoovered up by those who have accumulated large savings.
    Think we will see a big increase in stamp duty rates for overseas buyers, possibly up to 10% surcharge (from 2%). Maybe the higher rate for additional properties goes from 3 to 5 as well.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,986
    @NatashaC

    Childrens' minister David Johnson can't tell @NickFerrariLBC how much child benefit/allowance is, as he's doing the round about bringing more families into it by raising the threshold...

    "It's not a department for education policy this, it's a DWP one, I'm afraid I don't know... I should have found out before I came on here. I'm sorry."

    @LBC
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,812
    Scott_xP said:

    @mikeysmith

    Tory David Johnson says he doesn’t know where Rishi Sunak was yesterday afternoon during D Day event, because he’s only “the junior minister for education” and he’s “not party to the PM’s diary”. 🤔

    That is fair enough! I doubt Rishi even knows who David is....
  • JACK_WJACK_W Posts: 682
    So Sunak apologises over PB Tories non issue D-Day Departure Debacle.

    Oh deary me .... :smile:
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,767
    TimS said:

    Sunak has apologised for his early D Day departure!

    Am I the only person other than diehard Sunak apologists who thinks this story is a load of confected nonsense?
  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,486
    Scott_xP said:

    @DPJHodges

    A tweet? You can't tweet this away. Where's the clip. Why isn't he saying it on camera. We all know he's going to have to.

    Why isn’t he crawling on his knees to Canterbury for penance, why isn’t he just topping himself, this just isn’t enough. FFS, he’s cocked up, apologised and it’s going to affect him badly.

    But we need more drama don’t we.

  • RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 28,895

    Sunak has Catterick in his constituency. And did *that* yesterday.

    So now we know. Pulled the election forward. Torpedoes first the national campaign and then his local campaign.

    He needs to be in California for the end of July.

    How do you see your consituency devloping
    Interesting! The Tories on social media are absolutely disgusted with their own party and with Ross in particular.

    What really seems to have pushed them over the edge is the official line being taken by Ross which appears to be a blatant lie.
    Ross describes the "Party Management Board" making the decision having discussed it with Duguid. https://x.com/sellar_james/status/1798851433045049670

    Not true says Duguid https://www.facebook.com/DavidDuguidMP

    Ross says he only knew when the party sent an email asking for a candidate. The party has also spun to the media that Ross is not a member of the Management Board https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/politics/6494737/douglas-ross-david-duguid-u-turn/

    This is not true. Ross IS on the management board https://www.scottishconservatives.com/who-we-are/

    And it is this barefaced duplicity which has ScotCon members and voters openly publicly denouncing the party on social media.
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 7,084

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    Hubris.
    Perhaps
    ToryJim said:

    Heathener said:

    Chris said:

    nico679 said:

    Sunak had better hope his early departure from the D Day events doesn’t gain further traction . I still can’t understand the logic of what he did . Saying you’ll see world leaders next week at the G7 is irrelevant . This is probably the last time any of those veterans will be there and it just looks like he could care less .

    If he'd stayed and missed other interviews and appointments he'd have been criticised as well for being absent from the campaign. The mood is to criticise Sunak for being Sunak.
    Your mood is to defend Sunak whatever he does.
    Not really, I've criticised Sunak plenty in the past.

    Your trite comment is simply because I'm not joining in the pile-on, and that bothers you.
    It is as you said a bit of a pile on, however come \July the fun starts as Starmer has to deliver.

    Suddenly the attack will be on the defensive.
    You’re clinging on to this but it’s a bit desperate.

    If the election goes as it currently now looks then come July 5th the mood will become very different. Labour will sweep in on a tide of good will and the tories will be down and out.

    So, yes, Labour will make some mistakes but at least to start with there will be little attack left from the Opposition parties. And if they secure a 150+ majority then electorally speaking you can forget getting back to power for a decade.

    And that’s if the tories sort themselves out. They might be in-fighting for some time and the country will be in no mood to forgive them for the utter shitshow for a very very long time.

    Really? Truly? The Conservatives won’t recover from this for 15 years, if they do at all. Tell yourself otherwise if it helps you bear the defeat but you’ll be kidding yourself.
    In your dreams. Srarmer is getting an easy ride atm and little scrutiny. The press will turn on him when he's PM. Since he hasnt bothered to set out a platform and is being all things to all men he has no depth to his support so he will disappoint more people faster.

    I see he's proposing to recognise a Hamas government today. More flip flopping.
    I remember similar sentiments being expressed before 1997, and we all know how that turned out.

    I think Starmer’s Labour has more weaknesses than Blair’s did which might mean, but doesn’t guarantee, a sharper downward trajectory once in office.

    The issue is the Tories are going to be severely weakened at best and all but annihilated at worst. They may not be a factor in respect of opposing a Labour government, either because they will be internally focused or because they will be so small as to be politically irrelevant.
    Yep. @Alanbrooke has lost any semblance of objectivity and has gone all Big John Owls

    You are quite right: they came out with all of this sort of guff about Blair in the run-up to 1997.

    They have lost their way at the moment and will need to spend time in the political wilderness rediscovering who they are, what they are, and why they are.
    Lol remember we had that little chat about you not understanding life outside the Home Counties ? .
    No I’m sorry I really don’t. No offence but I probably wouldn’t remember any convo with you tbh.

    My home town is Teignmouth in Devon.
    It's not where you start it's where you finish. and you've finished up in Surrey.

    Allegedly.
    Well I’m bemused you think you know when and where I’ve been in life but you’re a bit muddle-headed.

    FWIW, my name is taken from a Heath where I used to live … in Surrey. My home town is back in Devon, where I’ve lived much of my life. And, yes, I stay with my friend back in Surrey frequently. She is, or was, a tory and is a lovely person. My best friend in fact.

    But I’m not entirely sure what relevance this has to anything, let alone a political betting site. I’m sure people on here, yourself included, have better things to discuss during an election campaign than people’s house moves.
    Not now dear the adults are talking.
    So you’re resorting to using Ad Hominem and misogynistic: “not now dear"

    Wow your mask really has slipped there.

    When you lose, and you realise you’re out of power for a long, long, long, time. And when you realise that the world has moved on and left you behind, reflect on how you might have behaved better.
    It's ok, like a goldfish you wont remember this conversation, we can start anew on your next post.
    Truly I’m not worth you getting in such a steam about. Nor being so personally abusive to a woman.

    Maybe go and make yourself a cuppa and come back when you’ve cooled down a little? It’s not a bad tip for any of us.
This discussion has been closed.