Still can't see the Tories collecting less than 20% of the vote on July 4th but it is certainly becoming a less outrageous idea than it once was. Swingback is dead.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Still can't see the Tories collecting less than 20% of the vote on July 4th but it is certainly becoming a less outrageous idea than it once was. Swingback is dead.
Doesnt swingback happen over the last 18 months rather than during the campaign? Obviously Truss stopped it happening this time around but I suspect it would be a feature of an averagely or better run government in future.
R4 Today is today abandoning daily racing tips. One of those things, like the Shipping Forecast you pay no attention to but is part of life's harmless routine.
Also WRT R4 Today, Heaton-Harris sounded terrible, just as if he had been up all night and wasn't sure where he was.
Still can't see the Tories collecting less than 20% of the vote on July 4th but it is certainly becoming a less outrageous idea than it once was. Swingback is dead.
20-25 is their range now. That could net them, what, 50-125 MPs?
R4 Today is today abandoning daily racing tips. One of those things, like the Shipping Forecast you pay no attention to but is part of life's harmless routine.
Also WRT R4 Today, Heaton-Harris sounded terrible, just as if he had been up all night and wasn't sure where he was.
R4 Today is today abandoning daily racing tips. One of those things, like the Shipping Forecast you pay no attention to but is part of life's harmless routine.
Also WRT R4 Today, Heaton-Harris sounded terrible, just as if he had been up all night and wasn't sure where he was.
Why are they abandoning it?
I thought it was a joke. The Today program surely didn't used to have racing tips?
R4 Today is today abandoning daily racing tips. One of those things, like the Shipping Forecast you pay no attention to but is part of life's harmless routine.
Also WRT R4 Today, Heaton-Harris sounded terrible, just as if he had been up all night and wasn't sure where he was.
Why are they abandoning it?
To make more time for the Daily Taylor Swift bulletin.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
This doesn’t quite have the ring of truth to it. I’ve heard the rumour about redeployment before but the whole computer logins cancelled etc thing sounds like bullshit.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
I'd assume everyone under a majority of 10k is presumed a loss, except in Scotland.
Locking people out would prompt a revolt though, so DougSeal may be right that's false.
They will lose seats with larger majorities, certainly in my area someone with a 20k majority is saying it will be close of their leaflets, and I don't think that's a lie.
"According to a recent MRP poll produced by YouGov, Labour are on course to win 425 seats out of a total of 650. Yet in 134 of them, Labour’s vote share is lower than the combined total for the Conservatives and Reform. If the Tories manage to squeeze the Reform vote – something they have struggled to do so far – YouGov suggests they could double the number of seats they win."
Nice bit of propaganda from Mark Pack, yet the Tories have been creeping up a bit on Sporting index. They're on 115 to 123 now, which is eleven points up on their lowest point.
It is inconsistent with what we are seeing on Betfair, where the odds on Tories <100 are 8/13, and of course wildly at variance with a 20% standing in the polls. The next few should be definitive. Has the betting scandal cut through? Have the Tories finally hit bedrock? Are their former supporters begining to return to the fold?
I don't know. My money's already down, thankfully at attractive odds on the whole.
Not sure whether I'd be a buyer or seller at current levels. No bet is no problem.
R4 Today is today abandoning daily racing tips. One of those things, like the Shipping Forecast you pay no attention to but is part of life's harmless routine.
Also WRT R4 Today, Heaton-Harris sounded terrible, just as if he had been up all night and wasn't sure where he was.
Why are they abandoning it?
I thought it was a joke. The Today program surely didn't used to have racing tips?
They do, and while their track record isn't down there with Leon's, they always lose money. There's a guy they always interview over the Xmas holidays who keeps a tally of what a steady bet on their tips each day would return, and every year they bring home a net loss.
Jonathan Aitken told Times Radio last year how, in the 1964 general election, the incumbent Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home almost made up a similar deficit to that faced by Rishi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybFgR4mKNhg&t=1948s
Aitken also mentions that Home was deeply religious, although he kept it quiet, and we've seen how this played out with Tim Farron and Kate Forbes. But of course, Tony Blair was also a religious man, while Gordon Brown, Theresa May and (de facto) Mrs Thatcher were son and daughters of the manse.
"According to a recent MRP poll produced by YouGov, Labour are on course to win 425 seats out of a total of 650. Yet in 134 of them, Labour’s vote share is lower than the combined total for the Conservatives and Reform. If the Tories manage to squeeze the Reform vote – something they have struggled to do so far – YouGov suggests they could double the number of seats they win."
R4 Today is today abandoning daily racing tips. One of those things, like the Shipping Forecast you pay no attention to but is part of life's harmless routine.
Also WRT R4 Today, Heaton-Harris sounded terrible, just as if he had been up all night and wasn't sure where he was.
Why are they abandoning it?
I thought it was a joke. The Today program surely didn't used to have racing tips?
They certainly did, I used to listen to it every day even though I'm not particularly interested in horseracing. It usually only lasted for about 15 seconds, just before 8:30.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
This doesn’t quite have the ring of truth to it. I’ve heard the rumour about redeployment before but the whole computer logins cancelled etc thing sounds like bullshit.
Still can't see the Tories collecting less than 20% of the vote on July 4th but it is certainly becoming a less outrageous idea than it once was. Swingback is dead.
20-25 is their range now. That could net them, what, 50-125 MPs?
Possibly a few more at the top of that range. My guess yesterday was 120. A lot depends on the distribution of the opposing parties. Its the most unpredictable election I can recall. Labour will win big but apart from that there is a lot up for grabs.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
I think it could be true. I also think the affected candidates should quietly ignore the instruction. What's the point of being a candidate if you're not in it to do the best you can. In any case the Conservatives may want to win the seat the next time.
R4 Today is today abandoning daily racing tips. One of those things, like the Shipping Forecast you pay no attention to but is part of life's harmless routine.
Also WRT R4 Today, Heaton-Harris sounded terrible, just as if he had been up all night and wasn't sure where he was.
Why are they abandoning it?
No reason given. I think it's a bad move, being a tiny humour inducing moment of frolic, as if Matt cartoons were tucked away inside the New Statesman. Also there is a heroic bloke, name unknown to me, who in true British fashion tracks the progress of the tips annually and R4 Today speaks to him every year about how much you would have lost if you backed them all. Proper British dry ironic straight faced comedy.
Still can't see the Tories collecting less than 20% of the vote on July 4th but it is certainly becoming a less outrageous idea than it once was. Swingback is dead.
20-25 is their range now. That could net them, what, 50-125 MPs?
It depends on how the decline manifests - proportionately or if the 20 odd% is efficient in defence. I guess they could theoretically hold 150 or a few more on 20 something but its unlikely. 25% (for example) is likely to be much more efficient in a four/five party election than a head to head
For once am actually sad I have a life and didn't get the chance to see the real time reaction to the previous header - which seems to discuss many of the things I have brought up on this forum before.
It reminds me of Varoufakis speaking about Le Pen and Macron recently - they are symbiotic; without the threat of Le Pen, Macron would almost certainly not be president, and without Macron signing up to the same racist rhetoric whilst continuing neoliberal policies, Le Pen would have no legitimacy and dissatisfaction to use as a foundation for her popularity. This relationship keeps the far right out of power, whilst seeing the so called centrists take many of their worst policies anyway...
R4 Today is today abandoning daily racing tips. One of those things, like the Shipping Forecast you pay no attention to but is part of life's harmless routine.
Also WRT R4 Today, Heaton-Harris sounded terrible, just as if he had been up all night and wasn't sure where he was.
Why are they abandoning it?
I thought it was a joke. The Today program surely didn't used to have racing tips?
Part of their sport slots, p/l given at the end of every year (always a loss). The haw haw, what has your pin picked today stuff got a bit tedious.
Jonathan Aitken told Times Radio last year how, in the 1964 general election, the incumbent Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home almost made up a similar deficit to that faced by Rishi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybFgR4mKNhg&t=1948s
Aitken also mentions that Home was deeply religious, although he kept it quiet, and we've seen how this played out with Tim Farron and Kate Forbes. But of course, Tony Blair was also a religious man, while Gordon Brown, Theresa May and (de facto) Mrs Thatcher were son and daughters of the manse.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Given CCHQ has recently lost (to suspension) its heads of data and campaigning, who knows what the party's chief cook and bottle washer and acting campaign manager has decided.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Of course it's true their internal polling will be similar to the public polling. But it's an empty threat to so you won't be on the candidates list next time, because if you lose your seat anyway, then that won't matter.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Given CCHQ has recently lost (to suspension) its heads of data and campaigning, who knows what the party's chief cook and bottle washer and acting campaign manager has decided.
They had somebody in charge of campaigns?
They should surely never run a campaign again, they’ve managed to beat Theresa May.
Surely Isaac Levido is off too, he’s clearly clueless.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Given CCHQ has recently lost (to suspension) its heads of data and campaigning, who knows what the party's chief cook and bottle washer and acting campaign manager has decided.
They had somebody in charge of campaigns?
They should surely never run a campaign again, they’ve managed to beat Theresa May.
Surely Isaac Levido is off too, he’s clearly clueless.
I'm looking forward to reading the books that describe the horror of the campaign in all its glory.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Given CCHQ has recently lost (to suspension) its heads of data and campaigning, who knows what the party's chief cook and bottle washer and acting campaign manager has decided.
To put the entire party budget on a hot tip he overheard, probably.
When the dust settles, the Conservative Party is going to have to have a good long think about what it is for. Not just in terms of policy, but also in terms of who is paying who to do what with what end in mind.
Jonathan Aitken told Times Radio last year how, in the 1964 general election, the incumbent Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home almost made up a similar deficit to that faced by Rishi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybFgR4mKNhg&t=1948s
Aitken also mentions that Home was deeply religious, although he kept it quiet, and we've seen how this played out with Tim Farron and Kate Forbes. But of course, Tony Blair was also a religious man, while Gordon Brown, Theresa May and (de facto) Mrs Thatcher were son and daughters of the manse.
Take another look and remember Aitken was speaking last year, not last month. Home became Prime Minister in October, 1963 when as your graph shows, the blue line is well below the red one.
R4 Today is today abandoning daily racing tips. One of those things, like the Shipping Forecast you pay no attention to but is part of life's harmless routine.
Also WRT R4 Today, Heaton-Harris sounded terrible, just as if he had been up all night and wasn't sure where he was.
Why are they abandoning it?
I thought it was a joke. The Today program surely didn't used to have racing tips?
They certainly did, I used to listen to it every day even though I'm not particularly interested in horseracing. It usually only lasted for about 15 seconds, just before 8:30.
And it drives me nuts.
What is the point of giving a tip if you don't give the odds? The most likely winner of each race is normally the favorite, so if you want to tip lots of winners just tip the fav. On the other hand if you want to make money you have to tip at decent odds which means you have to state what those odds are.
Just saying what you think will win is pointless. You may as well say what side a coin will fall if you toss it in the air.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Given CCHQ has recently lost (to suspension) its heads of data and campaigning, who knows what the party's chief cook and bottle washer and acting campaign manager has decided.
They had somebody in charge of campaigns?
They should surely never run a campaign again, they’ve managed to beat Theresa May.
Surely Isaac Levido is off too, he’s clearly clueless.
I'm looking forward to reading the books that describe the horror of the campaign in all its glory.
Surely a lot of people will never be involved in politics ever again.
What I would be very curious about is that if there was any point where the Tories felt they could still turn it around. I think at Pb we all knew this was impossible but I wonder if Sunak genuinely believed he would still win.
A lot of pb seems to think it's not likely for the Tories to get less than 100 seats simply because it's never happened before. I think at this point we need to take seriously the fact the polls and MRPs could be right
Jonathan Aitken told Times Radio last year how, in the 1964 general election, the incumbent Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home almost made up a similar deficit to that faced by Rishi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybFgR4mKNhg&t=1948s
Aitken also mentions that Home was deeply religious, although he kept it quiet, and we've seen how this played out with Tim Farron and Kate Forbes. But of course, Tony Blair was also a religious man, while Gordon Brown, Theresa May and (de facto) Mrs Thatcher were son and daughters of the manse.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Given CCHQ has recently lost (to suspension) its heads of data and campaigning, who knows what the party's chief cook and bottle washer and acting campaign manager has decided.
They had somebody in charge of campaigns?
They should surely never run a campaign again, they’ve managed to beat Theresa May.
Surely Isaac Levido is off too, he’s clearly clueless.
I'm looking forward to reading the books that describe the horror of the campaign in all its glory.
Surely a lot of people will never be involved in politics ever again.
What I would be very curious about is that if there was any point where the Tories felt they could still turn it around. I think at Pb we all knew this was impossible but I wonder if Sunak genuinely believed he would still win.
Sunak. I don not think so. He will have his new future beyond the Tory party planned out.
Jonathan Aitken told Times Radio last year how, in the 1964 general election, the incumbent Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home almost made up a similar deficit to that faced by Rishi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybFgR4mKNhg&t=1948s
Aitken also mentions that Home was deeply religious, although he kept it quiet, and we've seen how this played out with Tim Farron and Kate Forbes. But of course, Tony Blair was also a religious man, while Gordon Brown, Theresa May and (de facto) Mrs Thatcher were son and daughters of the manse.
Take another look and remember Aitken was speaking last year, not last month. Home became Prime Minister in October, 1963 when as your graph shows, the blue line is well below the red one.
The Tories were at ~38%, ten points behind. I recall that after Truss things weren't as good.
Jonathan Aitken told Times Radio last year how, in the 1964 general election, the incumbent Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home almost made up a similar deficit to that faced by Rishi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybFgR4mKNhg&t=1948s
Aitken also mentions that Home was deeply religious, although he kept it quiet, and we've seen how this played out with Tim Farron and Kate Forbes. But of course, Tony Blair was also a religious man, while Gordon Brown, Theresa May and (de facto) Mrs Thatcher were son and daughters of the manse.
Take another look and remember Aitken was speaking last year, not last month. Home became Prime Minister in October, 1963 when as your graph shows, the blue line is well below the red one.
The Tories were at ~38%, ten points behind. I recall that after Truss things weren't as good.
Liz, she liked going to parties with the Hedge fund crownd around Mayfair.
R4 Today is today abandoning daily racing tips. One of those things, like the Shipping Forecast you pay no attention to but is part of life's harmless routine.
Also WRT R4 Today, Heaton-Harris sounded terrible, just as if he had been up all night and wasn't sure where he was.
Why are they abandoning it?
I thought it was a joke. The Today program surely didn't used to have racing tips?
It's the best bit in the whole 3 hours. Normally they get a mention at about 6.30, 7.30 and 8.30. When you add this to getting rid of Tweet of the Day it's a warning of terrible things to come. What next? The pips? The National Anthem on William's birthday? Radio dramas of stupendous dullness? Luvvie arts programmes? The huge dead spaces on Saturdays? The tracts of time given over to middle class whinging about the state of floor polish? The learned sharing of mutual ignorance on Any Questions/Answers?
If anyone on senior BBC reads this, note that I never watch BBC telly, but I need a licence so that the under gardener and footman can watch the snooker, and I happily pay the licence fee for R4 alone. Goodness knows what your enemies think.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Given CCHQ has recently lost (to suspension) its heads of data and campaigning, who knows what the party's chief cook and bottle washer and acting campaign manager has decided.
To put the entire party budget on a hot tip he overheard, probably.
When the dust settles, the Conservative Party is going to have to have a good long think about what it is for. Not just in terms of policy, but also in terms of who is paying who to do what with what end in mind.
This is worth a listen:
The Conservative Party Is FINISHED For Good. Here’s Why. | Aaron meets Peter Oborne
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
True or not, I'm not at a point in my life where I give a shit about Steve Baker's feelings
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Given CCHQ has recently lost (to suspension) its heads of data and campaigning, who knows what the party's chief cook and bottle washer and acting campaign manager has decided.
They had somebody in charge of campaigns?
They should surely never run a campaign again, they’ve managed to beat Theresa May.
Surely Isaac Levido is off too, he’s clearly clueless.
I'm looking forward to reading the books that describe the horror of the campaign in all its glory.
Starting with the question of why on earth Rishi called a July election in the first place, catching his own party on the hop. (Labour is said to have long assumed an early 2024 election so was more or less ready.)
R4 Today is today abandoning daily racing tips. One of those things, like the Shipping Forecast you pay no attention to but is part of life's harmless routine.
Also WRT R4 Today, Heaton-Harris sounded terrible, just as if he had been up all night and wasn't sure where he was.
Why are they abandoning it?
I thought it was a joke. The Today program surely didn't used to have racing tips?
They certainly did, I used to listen to it every day even though I'm not particularly interested in horseracing. It usually only lasted for about 15 seconds, just before 8:30.
And it drives me nuts.
What is the point of giving a tip if you don't give the odds? The most likely winner of each race is normally the favorite, so if you want to tip lots of winners just tip the fav. On the other hand if you want to make money you have to tip at decent odds which means you have to state what those odds are.
Just saying what you think will win is pointless. You may as well say what side a coin will fall if you toss it in the air.
My instant reaction is that for a lot of people horse racing will simply stop existing because the only time they think about it was through Today's racing tips.
A lot of pb seems to think it's not likely for the Tories to get less than 100 seats simply because it's never happened before. I think at this point we need to take seriously the fact the polls and MRPs could be right
CCHQ seems to think the polls are right. Everything we are hearing seems to say the polls are right.
In 2019 I didn’t believe the polls were right, I thought it would be a Hung Parliament but the mood music was clear in hindsight and that feels similar now.
So whilst I don’t think it will be below 100 seats, I think around 100 is very plausible.
SKS’s ratings also keep going up. So whilst it may be right to say he’s still not got many people enthusiastically voting for him, it does imply that whatever he is doing, people like. And so this again doesn’t imply a narrowing of the polls, actually it implies a widening.
R4 Today is today abandoning daily racing tips. One of those things, like the Shipping Forecast you pay no attention to but is part of life's harmless routine.
Also WRT R4 Today, Heaton-Harris sounded terrible, just as if he had been up all night and wasn't sure where he was.
Why are they abandoning it?
I thought it was a joke. The Today program surely didn't used to have racing tips?
Part of their sport slots, p/l given at the end of every year (always a loss). The haw haw, what has your pin picked today stuff got a bit tedious.
Bonjour from the Quiberon peninsula, where it is cloudlessly sunny and Very hot
Today I am going to make the customary pilgrimage to the birthplace of the great Jean Marie le Pen. I might also take in the Carnac alignments which are right next door, if I have time
Fpt the conversation about crashing insect numbers. I’ve noticed the same all over the world. For me the biggest change is the disappearing mosquitoes. Last night I was savaged by them - didn’t expect them in Brittany - but that is striking as it has become so rare. In recent years I’ve been to places in America, the Med, SE Asia where mosquitoes were once a horrible pain and been unmolested
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
True or not, I'm not at a point in my life where I give a shit about Steve Baker's feelings
Hes unlikely ever to give two shits about any of ours, after all. Theyve done it all to themselves
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Given CCHQ has recently lost (to suspension) its heads of data and campaigning, who knows what the party's chief cook and bottle washer and acting campaign manager has decided.
They had somebody in charge of campaigns?
They should surely never run a campaign again, they’ve managed to beat Theresa May.
Surely Isaac Levido is off too, he’s clearly clueless.
I'm looking forward to reading the books that describe the horror of the campaign in all its glory.
Starting with the question of why on earth Rishi called a July election in the first place, catching his own party on the hop. (Labour is said to have long assumed an early 2024 election so was more or less ready.)
He may of had enough of being abused by certain members of his party and now he will have the last laugh on them and watch them loose their seats and jobs. They could always go and work for Trump.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
I think it could be true. I also think the affected candidates should quietly ignore the instruction. What's the point of being a candidate if you're not in it to do the best you can. In any case the Conservatives may want to win the seat the next time.
In the days of canvassing apps, you can't really do that - they know if you're helping the seat you've been ordered to go to or not.
Also, I don't really agree about winning seats "next time". It's much more valuable to cling on in a handful more seats than to lose a doomed seat by 15,347 rather than 15,002. Campaigning to get a marginally better bar chart (particularly for the Tories) is a bit of a waste of time.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
True or not, I'm not at a point in my life where I give a shit about Steve Baker's feelings
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
True or not, I'm not at a point in my life where I give a shit about Steve Baker's feelings
Hes unlikely ever to give two shits about any of ours, after all. Theyve done it all to themselves
Bonjour from the Quiberon peninsula, where it is cloudlessly sunny and Very hot
Today I am going to make the customary pilgrimage to the birthplace of the great Jean Marie le Pen. I might also take in the Carnac alignments which are right next door, if I have time
Fpt the conversation about crashing insect numbers. I’ve noticed the same all over the world. For me the biggest change is the disappearing mosquitoes. Last night I was savaged by them - didn’t expect them in Brittany - but that is striking as it has become so rare. In recent years I’ve been to places in America, the Med, SE Asia where mosquitoes were once a horrible pain and been unmolested
That’s nice. But it’s also worrying
This spring was warm and wet across southern Europe - hence the mozzie population is already up to decent numbers. By autumn I expect they'll be numerous.
"According to a recent MRP poll produced by YouGov, Labour are on course to win 425 seats out of a total of 650. Yet in 134 of them, Labour’s vote share is lower than the combined total for the Conservatives and Reform. If the Tories manage to squeeze the Reform vote – something they have struggled to do so far – YouGov suggests they could double the number of seats they win."
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Given CCHQ has recently lost (to suspension) its heads of data and campaigning, who knows what the party's chief cook and bottle washer and acting campaign manager has decided.
To put the entire party budget on a hot tip he overheard, probably.
When the dust settles, the Conservative Party is going to have to have a good long think about what it is for. Not just in terms of policy, but also in terms of who is paying who to do what with what end in mind.
This sort of thing doesn't help, coming out now as it does.
'A health minister has been accused of cronyism after a close associate became a £1,500-a-day adviser on the “40 new hospitals” programme, despite officials raising a series of detailed objections including perceived conflicts of interest.
Nick Markham helped to ensure that the Department of Health and Social Care handed a £137,460 contract to iDevelop, a management consultancy run by Nigel Crainey. In doing so, he overrode concerns from civil servants who had warned that the contract was not needed and did not represent value for money and also that the two men’s relationship meant that it posed “reputational risk” for the department and the NHS.
Asked by NHS England what the basis was for engaging iDevelop to be an “expert adviser” to Lord Markham, a senior official in the DHSC’s new hospitals team replied: “Because we have been told to.”'
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Given CCHQ has recently lost (to suspension) its heads of data and campaigning, who knows what the party's chief cook and bottle washer and acting campaign manager has decided.
They had somebody in charge of campaigns?
They should surely never run a campaign again, they’ve managed to beat Theresa May.
Surely Isaac Levido is off too, he’s clearly clueless.
I'm looking forward to reading the books that describe the horror of the campaign in all its glory.
I am keen to hear the reasoning that sent Sunak out to make his election-announcing speech in the pouring rain, without an umbrella, and with Steve Bray making Sunak barely audible
Looking back that was probably the high point of the campaign. All downhill since
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Given CCHQ has recently lost (to suspension) its heads of data and campaigning, who knows what the party's chief cook and bottle washer and acting campaign manager has decided.
To put the entire party budget on a hot tip he overheard, probably.
When the dust settles, the Conservative Party is going to have to have a good long think about what it is for. Not just in terms of policy, but also in terms of who is paying who to do what with what end in mind.
They need a huge overhaul of CCHQ.
They need to be the party of small and medium business - entrepreneurs. They need to be the party of homes - building and enabling people to buy.
Be the party of incentives to invest for outsiders - multi- year breaks on taxes for inward investment and job creation.
They need to focus on European and overseas territories defence only, the pacific etc is no longer any of our business and we don’t have the resources to do anything useful. Sell the carriers and build the military in coordination with European allies and our joint needs, roles and specialities.
Make it clear that they aren’t interested in telling people what they can say or think unless it endangers safety so stop police wasting time on feeble and spurious complaints by the offended.
If they focus on the “middle” 70% of the population, then the rest of the population gets lifted on the high tide anyway but the voter base is bigger.
Big business will look after itself in a stable healthy society and the strugglers in life benefit from a stable healthy society as if most people are doing well they are more likely to see those who aren’t helped.
Bonjour from the Quiberon peninsula, where it is cloudlessly sunny and Very hot
Today I am going to make the customary pilgrimage to the birthplace of the great Jean Marie le Pen. I might also take in the Carnac alignments which are right next door, if I have time
Fpt the conversation about crashing insect numbers. I’ve noticed the same all over the world. For me the biggest change is the disappearing mosquitoes. Last night I was savaged by them - didn’t expect them in Brittany - but that is striking as it has become so rare. In recent years I’ve been to places in America, the Med, SE Asia where mosquitoes were once a horrible pain and been unmolested
That’s nice. But it’s also worrying
This spring was warm and wet across southern Europe - hence the mozzie population is already up to decent numbers. By autumn I expect they'll be numerous.
Lowland mIdges here in the Midland Valley of Scotland are already noticeable on calm/humind evenings, no doubt for the same reason.
The thing that has done for the Tories is the complete lack of talent. At all levels. Their social media game is absolutely rotten for example. If you decide to narrow your appeal to a small client voter base, in this specific case one of a generation not perhaps naturally at home with social media, you’re catastrophically narrowing your talent pool. That extends all the way up to Rishi.
R4 Today is today abandoning daily racing tips. One of those things, like the Shipping Forecast you pay no attention to but is part of life's harmless routine.
Also WRT R4 Today, Heaton-Harris sounded terrible, just as if he had been up all night and wasn't sure where he was.
Why are they abandoning it?
I thought it was a joke. The Today program surely didn't used to have racing tips?
Part of their sport slots, p/l given at the end of every year (always a loss). The haw haw, what has your pin picked today stuff got a bit tedious.
A small thread of the cultural fabric unpicked.
They’ll be turning The Archers into a soap opera about teenagers next.
A lot of pb seems to think it's not likely for the Tories to get less than 100 seats simply because it's never happened before. I think at this point we need to take seriously the fact the polls and MRPs could be right
I could well believe the polls are right.
I think we need to treat the MRP and other projections with much more scepticism. They are essentially guesswork. One person's very educated guesswork, perhaps, but guesswork nonetheless. People are investing them, particularly at constituency level, with an accuracy and foresight that they simply do not have.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
True or not, I'm not at a point in my life where I give a shit about Steve Baker's feelings
"According to a recent MRP poll produced by YouGov, Labour are on course to win 425 seats out of a total of 650. Yet in 134 of them, Labour’s vote share is lower than the combined total for the Conservatives and Reform. If the Tories manage to squeeze the Reform vote – something they have struggled to do so far – YouGov suggests they could double the number of seats they win."
yet this is the Government who replaced the Supplementary vote system that would have transferred Reform votes to Tory (or vice versa) with FPTP because they thought it would work in their favour...
Nice to see it's going to cost 134 MPs any chance of retaining their seat (and yes I know MPs aren't elected via Supplementary votes but if they were...)
The most painful thing for the post humping Tories will be when they work out who and what they are and come bounding in like an excited puppy to tell us and get the response 'nobody gives a shit'
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
True or not, I'm not at a point in my life where I give a shit about Steve Baker's feelings
The most painful thing for the post humping Tories will be when they work out who and what they are and come bounding in like an excited puppy to tell us and get the response 'nobody gives a shit'
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Given CCHQ has recently lost (to suspension) its heads of data and campaigning, who knows what the party's chief cook and bottle washer and acting campaign manager has decided.
They had somebody in charge of campaigns?
They should surely never run a campaign again, they’ve managed to beat Theresa May.
Surely Isaac Levido is off too, he’s clearly clueless.
I'm looking forward to reading the books that describe the horror of the campaign in all its glory.
Surely a lot of people will never be involved in politics ever again.
What I would be very curious about is that if there was any point where the Tories felt they could still turn it around. I think at Pb we all knew this was impossible but I wonder if Sunak genuinely believed he would still win.
Sunak. I don not think so. He will have his new future beyond the Tory party planned out.
I was pondering this. How much of his preplanned future will still be available to him if (big if) he’s the man who led the Tories to an ELE?
On local travels over the weekend, the following poster counts:
Colne Valley (Lindley and Holme Valley N wards): Lab 9, Con 7, Green 5. On topic, no sign of further active Con posting whilst Lab posters are still going up.
Spen Valley (Mirfield ward): Lab 14, Reform 1. It's like North Korea for Kim! This is a Tory ward in a nominal Tory defence.
Out of interest, there is no single list of councils where election fly posting (on council lamp posts) is permitted. Reading round, it seems rare in England and Wales (only references I can see are locally for Kirklees and Wakefield), but more common in Scotland (around 1/3 of authorities including O&S, but no longer Glasgow) and seems like the norm in NI.
Not sure how it operates somewhere that straddles areas with different rules, but think Normanton & Hemsworth is now fully within E Wakefield.
On local travels over the weekend, the following poster counts:
Colne Valley (Lindley and Holme Valley N wards): Lab 9, Con 7, Green 5. On topic, no sign of further active Con posting whilst Lab posters are still going up.
Spen Valley (Mirfield ward): Lab 14, Reform 1. It's like North Korea for Kim! This is a Tory ward in a nominal Tory defence.
Out of interest, there is no single list of councils where election fly posting (on council lamp posts) is permitted. Reading round, it seems rare in England and Wales (only references I can see are locally for Kirklees and Wakefield), but more common in Scotland (around 1/3 of authorities including O&S, but no longer Glasgow) and seems like the norm in NI.
Not sure how it operates somewhere that straddles areas with different rules, but think Normanton & Hemsworth is now fully within E Wakefield.
Could PB crowdsource a definitive list?
I’ve not seen a single Tory poster in Ashford or Canterbury. And they were festooned with them in 2015, 2017 and 2019 (I didn’t live here in 2010).
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Given CCHQ has recently lost (to suspension) its heads of data and campaigning, who knows what the party's chief cook and bottle washer and acting campaign manager has decided.
They had somebody in charge of campaigns?
They should surely never run a campaign again, they’ve managed to beat Theresa May.
Surely Isaac Levido is off too, he’s clearly clueless.
I'm looking forward to reading the books that describe the horror of the campaign in all its glory.
Surely a lot of people will never be involved in politics ever again.
What I would be very curious about is that if there was any point where the Tories felt they could still turn it around. I think at Pb we all knew this was impossible but I wonder if Sunak genuinely believed he would still win.
Sunak. I don not think so. He will have his new future beyond the Tory party planned out.
I was pondering this. How much of his preplanned future will still be available to him if (big if) he’s the man who led the Tories to an ELE?
He can still give after dinner speeches. Work in Silicon valley or Wall Street. His natural home.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
True or not, I'm not at a point in my life where I give a shit about Steve Baker's feelings
I don't, much. But the post election resentments are going to hamper efforts to rebuild, which is why it's of at least some interest.
On local travels over the weekend, the following poster counts:
Colne Valley (Lindley and Holme Valley N wards): Lab 9, Con 7, Green 5. On topic, no sign of further active Con posting whilst Lab posters are still going up.
Spen Valley (Mirfield ward): Lab 14, Reform 1. It's like North Korea for Kim! This is a Tory ward in a nominal Tory defence.
Out of interest, there is no single list of councils where election fly posting (on council lamp posts) is permitted. Reading round, it seems rare in England and Wales (only references I can see are locally for Kirklees and Wakefield), but more common in Scotland (around 1/3 of authorities including O&S, but no longer Glasgow) and seems like the norm in NI.
Not sure how it operates somewhere that straddles areas with different rules, but think Normanton & Hemsworth is now fully within E Wakefield.
Could PB crowdsource a definitive list?
I’ve not seen a single Tory poster in Ashford or Canterbury. And it was festooned with them in 2015, 2017 and 2019 (I didn’t live here in 2010).
Is fly posting allowed in Ashford borough or is that garden & farmer's field signs?
I did a couple of stints as a volunteer car park attendant at the Stour Early Music festival this weekend. Having narrowly escaped two of them with my life I am in favour of indefinitely interning all black Range Rover Drivers who listen to Radio 3 for public protection.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
True or not, I'm not at a point in my life where I give a shit about Steve Baker's feelings
I don't, much. But the post election resentments are going to hamper efforts to rebuild, which is why it's of at least some interest.
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
True or not, I'm not at a point in my life where I give a shit about Steve Baker's feelings
The "supermajority" argument is probably the best thing they have left (I do wish our politicians would stop mis-importing and misusing US terms like this, and gerrymandering). I think it will play reasonably well once the gambling stuff leaves the headlines.
I expect to see many many voters doing a BigG in the last days before the election and returning home to the Conservatives. The Farage Russia material gives them the excuse to do so, along with the fear of a giant Labour majority. So when the bongs finish at 10pm on the 4th I expect everyone to be rather surprised by the exit poll.
Am I just paranoid after so many elections when the anti-Tory vote flattered to deceive? I hope so, and I hope not to experience yet again that deflated feeling as the announcer says "and the Liberal Democrats...they'll be disappointed with that I think. They were expecting big things in the blue wall but the Conservatives look to have held on better than expected".
Bonjour from the Quiberon peninsula, where it is cloudlessly sunny and Very hot
Today I am going to make the customary pilgrimage to the birthplace of the great Jean Marie le Pen. I might also take in the Carnac alignments which are right next door, if I have time
Fpt the conversation about crashing insect numbers. I’ve noticed the same all over the world. For me the biggest change is the disappearing mosquitoes. Last night I was savaged by them - didn’t expect them in Brittany - but that is striking as it has become so rare. In recent years I’ve been to places in America, the Med, SE Asia where mosquitoes were once a horrible pain and been unmolested
That’s nice. But it’s also worrying
This spring was warm and wet across southern Europe - hence the mozzie population is already up to decent numbers. By autumn I expect they'll be numerous.
In the last year I’ve been in Portugal, Spain, Greece, italy, and Montenegro and had virtually no issues with mosquitoes. Weirdly the only two times I have had issues - ie so bad I can’t sleep - it’s been France. The languedoc and now here
The fall is even more noticeable in indochina. Mosquitoes used to be a nightmare in, say, Bangkok and Phnom Penh. Completely gone now
On local travels over the weekend, the following poster counts:
Colne Valley (Lindley and Holme Valley N wards): Lab 9, Con 7, Green 5. On topic, no sign of further active Con posting whilst Lab posters are still going up.
Spen Valley (Mirfield ward): Lab 14, Reform 1. It's like North Korea for Kim! This is a Tory ward in a nominal Tory defence.
Out of interest, there is no single list of councils where election fly posting (on council lamp posts) is permitted. Reading round, it seems rare in England and Wales (only references I can see are locally for Kirklees and Wakefield), but more common in Scotland (around 1/3 of authorities including O&S, but no longer Glasgow) and seems like the norm in NI.
Not sure how it operates somewhere that straddles areas with different rules, but think Normanton & Hemsworth is now fully within E Wakefield.
Could PB crowdsource a definitive list?
I’ve not seen a single Tory poster in Ashford or Canterbury. And it was festooned with them in 2015, 2017 and 2019 (I didn’t live here in 2010).
Good morning
Since the election was called I have seen just two plaid and one conservative one in the whole area
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Given CCHQ has recently lost (to suspension) its heads of data and campaigning, who knows what the party's chief cook and bottle washer and acting campaign manager has decided.
They had somebody in charge of campaigns?
They should surely never run a campaign again, they’ve managed to beat Theresa May.
Surely Isaac Levido is off too, he’s clearly clueless.
I'm looking forward to reading the books that describe the horror of the campaign in all its glory.
Surely a lot of people will never be involved in politics ever again.
What I would be very curious about is that if there was any point where the Tories felt they could still turn it around. I think at Pb we all knew this was impossible but I wonder if Sunak genuinely believed he would still win.
Sunak. I don not think so. He will have his new future beyond the Tory party planned out.
I was pondering this. How much of his preplanned future will still be available to him if (big if) he’s the man who led the Tories to an ELE?
I think he'll be ok. Clegg didn't seem to suffer too much from causing the annihilation of the Lid Dems.
I find it hard to imagine Sunak on the after-dinner speaking circuit , but May apparently did well enough, so who knows?
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Given CCHQ has recently lost (to suspension) its heads of data and campaigning, who knows what the party's chief cook and bottle washer and acting campaign manager has decided.
They had somebody in charge of campaigns?
They should surely never run a campaign again, they’ve managed to beat Theresa May.
Surely Isaac Levido is off too, he’s clearly clueless.
I'm looking forward to reading the books that describe the horror of the campaign in all its glory.
I am keen to hear the reasoning that sent Sunak out to make his election-announcing speech in the pouring rain, without an umbrella, and with Steve Bray making Sunak barely audible
Looking back that was probably the high point of the campaign. All downhill since
I think it was a rapid decision (possibly encouraged by people wanting to make a few quid betting) by people who didn't realise that there were very limited places where a political (none Government) announcement could be made.
Hence no backup venue booked so Rishi ended up standing in the rain ruining a suit...
On placard watch, i can confirm Norwich South Labour have woken up and started sticking up garden placards. Greens still havent bothered, one Reform spotted, LDs and Tories have forgotten where Norwich is and The Party of Women are not yet on display outside my poll card
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories ..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Given CCHQ has recently lost (to suspension) its heads of data and campaigning, who knows what the party's chief cook and bottle washer and acting campaign manager has decided.
They had somebody in charge of campaigns?
They should surely never run a campaign again, they’ve managed to beat Theresa May.
Surely Isaac Levido is off too, he’s clearly clueless.
I'm looking forward to reading the books that describe the horror of the campaign in all its glory.
Surely a lot of people will never be involved in politics ever again.
What I would be very curious about is that if there was any point where the Tories felt they could still turn it around. I think at Pb we all knew this was impossible but I wonder if Sunak genuinely believed he would still win.
Sunak. I don not think so. He will have his new future beyond the Tory party planned out.
I was pondering this. How much of his preplanned future will still be available to him if (big if) he’s the man who led the Tories to an ELE?
Corporate America cares more about a firm handshake and nice teeth than previous incompetence or corruption.
Speaking of which, I see that the DOJ has finally developed enough of a backbone to criminally charge Boeing.
Comments
https://www.iaindale.com/articles/is-starmergeddon-coming-for-the-tories
..If what I am hearing is right, CCHQ has more or less given up the ghost. I have heard of three candidates in Tory held seats with majorities of between four and six thousand, who have been ordered to shut down their campaigns and redeploy themselves to help cabinet ministers with majorities in excess of 20,000. And if they refuse, their computer logins to the party systems are cancelled and they’re told they won’t remain on the candidates list after the election...
I wonder how someone in (say) Steve Baker's position would feel about that ?
Libdems are favs to win in 57 seats.
SNP are favs to win in 18 seats.
Bookies' current o/u line for the Nats is 21.5. value on the underside? Not sure.
Locking people out would prompt a revolt though, so DougSeal may be right that's false.
They will lose seats with larger majorities, certainly in my area someone with a 20k majority is saying it will be close of their leaflets, and I don't think that's a lie.
"According to a recent MRP poll produced by YouGov, Labour are on course to win 425 seats out of a total of 650. Yet in 134 of them, Labour’s vote share is lower than the combined total for the Conservatives and Reform. If the Tories manage to squeeze the Reform vote – something they have struggled to do so far – YouGov suggests they could double the number of seats they win."
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/06/23/reform-voters-will-get-the-opposite-of-what-they-want/
It is inconsistent with what we are seeing on Betfair, where the odds on Tories <100 are 8/13, and of course wildly at variance with a 20% standing in the polls. The next few should be definitive. Has the betting scandal cut through? Have the Tories finally hit bedrock? Are their former supporters begining to return to the fold?
I don't know. My money's already down, thankfully at attractive odds on the whole.
Not sure whether I'd be a buyer or seller at current levels. No bet is no problem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybFgR4mKNhg&t=1948s
Aitken also mentions that Home was deeply religious, although he kept it quiet, and we've seen how this played out with Tim Farron and Kate Forbes. But of course, Tony Blair was also a religious man, while Gordon Brown, Theresa May and (de facto) Mrs Thatcher were son and daughters of the manse.
It reminds me of Varoufakis speaking about Le Pen and Macron recently - they are symbiotic; without the threat of Le Pen, Macron would almost certainly not be president, and without Macron signing up to the same racist rhetoric whilst continuing neoliberal policies, Le Pen would have no legitimacy and dissatisfaction to use as a foundation for her popularity. This relationship keeps the far right out of power, whilst seeing the so called centrists take many of their worst policies anyway...
The haw haw, what has your pin picked today stuff got a bit tedious.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_1964_United_Kingdom_general_election
Week 1 - 13%
Week 2 - 6%
Week 3 - 16%
Week 4 - 33%
Week 5 - 56% (so far)
They should surely never run a campaign again, they’ve managed to beat Theresa May.
Surely Isaac Levido is off too, he’s clearly clueless.
Is this the only GE in history where everyone in the Conservative Party has given up?
Trends point to an historic collapse of the Tory vote in rural, semi-rural and suburban seats, the like of which England has maybe never seen before.
https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-conservatives-lost-heart-soul-general-election-pm-rishi-sunak-starmer-labour-truss/
When the dust settles, the Conservative Party is going to have to have a good long think about what it is for. Not just in terms of policy, but also in terms of who is paying who to do what with what end in mind.
What is the point of giving a tip if you don't give the odds? The most likely winner of each race is normally the favorite, so if you want to tip lots of winners just tip the fav. On the other hand if you want to make money you have to tip at decent odds which means you have to state what those odds are.
Just saying what you think will win is pointless. You may as well say what side a coin will fall if you toss it in the air.
What I would be very curious about is that if there was any point where the Tories felt they could still turn it around. I think at Pb we all knew this was impossible but I wonder if Sunak genuinely believed he would still win.
I think at this point we need to take seriously the fact the polls and MRPs could be right
If anyone on senior BBC reads this, note that I never watch BBC telly, but I need a licence so that the under gardener and footman can watch the snooker, and I happily pay the licence fee for R4 alone. Goodness knows what your enemies think.
The Conservative Party Is FINISHED For Good. Here’s Why. | Aaron meets Peter Oborne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TADeOmCVo_s
In 2019 I didn’t believe the polls were right, I thought it would be a Hung Parliament but the mood music was clear in hindsight and that feels similar now.
So whilst I don’t think it will be below 100 seats, I think around 100 is very plausible.
SKS’s ratings also keep going up. So whilst it may be right to say he’s still not got many people enthusiastically voting for him, it does imply that whatever he is doing, people like. And so this again doesn’t imply a narrowing of the polls, actually it implies a widening.
Today I am going to make the customary pilgrimage to the birthplace of the great Jean Marie le Pen. I might also take in the Carnac alignments which are right next door, if I have time
Fpt the conversation about crashing insect numbers. I’ve noticed the same all over the world. For me the biggest change is the disappearing mosquitoes. Last night I was savaged by them - didn’t expect them in Brittany - but that is striking as it has become so rare. In recent years I’ve been to places in America, the Med, SE Asia where mosquitoes were once a horrible pain and been
unmolested
That’s nice. But it’s also worrying
Theyve done it all to themselves
Of course, they only allowed me 79p, but still.
Also, I don't really agree about winning seats "next time". It's much more valuable to cling on in a handful more seats than to lose a doomed seat by 15,347 rather than 15,002. Campaigning to get a marginally better bar chart (particularly for the Tories) is a bit of a waste of time.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/steve-baker-northern-ireland-brexit-stress-b2290811.html
He's not going to experience a Charles Kennedy moment after losing his seat but I do worry for him.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jun/24/tory-minister-accused-of-cronyism-after-associates-firm-hired-as-adviser
'A health minister has been accused of cronyism after a close associate became a £1,500-a-day adviser on the “40 new hospitals” programme, despite officials raising a series of detailed objections including perceived conflicts of interest.
Nick Markham helped to ensure that the Department of Health and Social Care handed a £137,460 contract to iDevelop, a management consultancy run by Nigel Crainey. In doing so, he overrode concerns from civil servants who had warned that the contract was not needed and did not represent value for money and also that the two men’s relationship meant that it posed “reputational risk” for the department and the NHS.
Asked by NHS England what the basis was for engaging iDevelop to be an “expert adviser” to Lord Markham, a senior official in the DHSC’s new hospitals team replied: “Because we have been told to.”'
Looking back that was probably the high point of the campaign. All downhill since
They need to be the party of small and medium business - entrepreneurs. They need to be the party of homes - building and enabling people to buy.
Be the party of incentives to invest for outsiders - multi- year breaks on taxes for inward investment and job creation.
They need to focus on European and overseas territories defence only, the pacific etc is no longer any of our business and we don’t have the resources to do anything useful. Sell the carriers and build the military in coordination with European allies and our joint needs, roles and specialities.
Make it clear that they aren’t interested in telling people what they can say or think unless it endangers safety so stop police wasting time on feeble and spurious complaints by the offended.
If they focus on the “middle” 70% of the population, then the rest of the population gets lifted on the high tide anyway but the voter base is bigger.
Big business will look after itself in a stable healthy society and the strugglers in life benefit from a stable healthy society as if most people are doing well they are more likely to see those who aren’t helped.
*beginning to get covered in small red lumps*
Oh.
I think we need to treat the MRP and other projections with much more scepticism. They are essentially guesswork. One person's very educated guesswork, perhaps, but guesswork nonetheless. People are investing them, particularly at constituency level, with an accuracy and foresight that they simply do not have.
Nice to see it's going to cost 134 MPs any chance of retaining their seat (and yes I know MPs aren't elected via Supplementary votes but if they were...)
On local travels over the weekend, the following poster counts:
Colne Valley (Lindley and Holme Valley N wards): Lab 9, Con 7, Green 5. On topic, no sign of further active Con posting whilst Lab posters are still going up.
Huddersfield (Crosland, Newsome, Greenhead wards): Lab 16, Grn 14, Reform 4
Spen Valley (Mirfield ward): Lab 14, Reform 1. It's like North Korea for Kim! This is a Tory ward in a nominal Tory defence.
Out of interest, there is no single list of councils where election fly posting (on council lamp posts) is permitted. Reading round, it seems rare in England and Wales (only references I can see are locally for Kirklees and Wakefield), but more common in Scotland (around 1/3 of authorities including O&S, but no longer Glasgow) and seems like the norm in NI.
Not sure how it operates somewhere that straddles areas with different rules, but think Normanton & Hemsworth is now fully within E Wakefield.
Could PB crowdsource a definitive list?
“You’ve been viewing the election from London, I’ve been viewing it from on the ground”
Sir Liam Fox tells me he thinks the betting scandal has been “blown out into something more than it was”
https://x.com/AliFortescue/status/1805009878324518976
But the post election resentments are going to hamper efforts to rebuild, which is why it's of at least some interest.
I expect to see many many voters doing a BigG in the last days before the election and returning home to the Conservatives. The Farage Russia material gives them the excuse to do so, along with the fear of a giant Labour majority. So when the bongs finish at 10pm on the 4th I expect everyone to be rather surprised by the exit poll.
Am I just paranoid after so many elections when the anti-Tory vote flattered to deceive? I hope so, and I hope not to experience yet again that deflated feeling as the announcer says "and the Liberal Democrats...they'll be disappointed with that I think. They were expecting big things in the blue wall but the Conservatives look to have held on better than expected".
The fall is even more noticeable in indochina. Mosquitoes used to be a nightmare in, say, Bangkok and Phnom Penh. Completely gone now
Since the election was called I have seen just two plaid and one conservative one in the whole area
Not one from anyone else which is astonishing
I find it hard to imagine Sunak on the after-dinner speaking circuit , but May apparently did well enough, so who knows?
Hence no backup venue booked so Rishi ended up standing in the rain ruining a suit...
Greens still havent bothered, one Reform spotted, LDs and Tories have forgotten where Norwich is and The Party of Women are not yet on display outside my poll card
Speaking of which, I see that the DOJ has finally developed enough of a backbone to criminally charge Boeing.