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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » For Andrea Leadsom the scrutiny has only just started

SystemSystem Posts: 11,724
edited July 2016 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » For Andrea Leadsom the scrutiny has only just started

There’s such a contrast between the two women who’ll fight it out over the next eight weeks to become prime minister. May is well-known, very experienced and has started her campaign with a confidence that suggests that she’s been planning this career move for years.

Read the full story here


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    Good article but more like 21% than 28%
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,855
    Second! Like Leadsom.....
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,855
    At some stage in the next few weeks she’ll face a grilling by Paxman or Neill which she could find very uncomfortable. Top interviewers can’t be flammed off.

    Neill surely? Hasn't Paxo retired?

    That said, she did well in her interview with Kuenssberg yesterday - but a more forensic grilling may be more difficult.....

    Never mind, the true BELEAVErs won't be deflected....St Angela of BREXIT is above reproach and beyond criticism.....now where's that tax return?
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    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    Mike is correct - Leadsom is the accidental candidate who is an accident waiting to happen.

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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 36,013
    I think 28% is too high, more like 15%.
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    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    Some unfortunate film on the Sky News feed from Dallas of two uniformed "Game Warden" officers involved in the hunt for two black suspects.

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    Paul_BedfordshirePaul_Bedfordshire Posts: 3,632
    edited July 2016
    #IagreewithJackandMike

    I see the Sun has already come out for May as well as the Mail. Leadsom will certainly get er..scrutiny now :D

    The left wing media (ie BBC Guardian etc. and Twitterati) need to lay off though as they will just drive the blue rinse brigade into Leadsoms arms if they do what they did during the referendum.
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    SimonStClareSimonStClare Posts: 7,976
    Morning all.

    Cheers OGH, - the ‘accidental challenger’ pretty much sums it up. – good luck to both ladies.
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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 36,013

    #IagreewithJackandMike

    I see the Sun has already come out for May as well as the Mail. Leadsom will certainly get er..scrutiny now :D

    The left wing media (ie BBC Guardian etc. and Twitterati) need to lay off though as they will just drive the blue rinse brigade into Leadsoms arms if they do what they did during the referendum.

    But can they learn? Some people have a remarkably tin ear.
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    If Theresa May wins, she could well give Andrea Leadsom a promotion, but only if Leadsom puts up a decent performance during the leadership campaign.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,855
    I see the ridicule continues:

    @haveigotnewsforyou: Andrea Leadsom says criticism of her CV is 'ridiculous', and she didn't have to put up with this nonsense when she was an astronaut.
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    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,283
    This is quite an interesting summary of Andrea Leadsom's Fresh Start Project's verdict on Cameron's renegotiation.

    http://www.eufreshstart.co.uk/FSP UK Settlement Statement.pdf
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,220
    Sean_F said:

    #IagreewithJackandMike

    I see the Sun has already come out for May as well as the Mail. Leadsom will certainly get er..scrutiny now :D

    The left wing media (ie BBC Guardian etc. and Twitterati) need to lay off though as they will just drive the blue rinse brigade into Leadsoms arms if they do what they did during the referendum.

    But can they learn? Some people have a remarkably tin ear.
    Sorry, but that's rubbish.

    If Leadsom holds views that need questioning, they should be questioned. If the blue-rinsed brigade then choose her, it's internal party democracy in action.

    She should not get a free pass from justified questioning of her views just because it might upset some party members.

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.
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    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787

    I see the ridicule continues:

    @haveigotnewsforyou: Andrea Leadsom says criticism of her CV is 'ridiculous', and she didn't have to put up with this nonsense when she was an astronaut.

    Chortle .... :smile:
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    logical_songlogical_song Posts: 9,739
    Sean_F said:

    #IagreewithJackandMike

    I see the Sun has already come out for May as well as the Mail. Leadsom will certainly get er..scrutiny now :D

    The left wing media (ie BBC Guardian etc. and Twitterati) need to lay off though as they will just drive the blue rinse brigade into Leadsoms arms if they do what they did during the referendum.

    But can they learn? Some people have a remarkably tin ear.
    If you think that the BBC is left wing, then you must be right wing. Overall they work hard to be neutral.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    edited July 2016

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.
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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 36,013
    edited July 2016

    Sean_F said:

    #IagreewithJackandMike

    I see the Sun has already come out for May as well as the Mail. Leadsom will certainly get er..scrutiny now :D

    The left wing media (ie BBC Guardian etc. and Twitterati) need to lay off though as they will just drive the blue rinse brigade into Leadsoms arms if they do what they did during the referendum.

    But can they learn? Some people have a remarkably tin ear.
    Sorry, but that's rubbish.

    If Leadsom holds views that need questioning, they should be questioned. If the blue-rinsed brigade then choose her, it's internal party democracy in action.

    She should not get a free pass from justified questioning of her views just because it might upset some party members.

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.
    I meant from the point of view of trying to prevent Andrea Leadsom from winning. Attacks on her from a secular liberal point of view won't resonate amongst this electorate, but rather, will generate sympathy for her.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,855

    This is quite an interesting summary of Andrea Leadsom's Fresh Start Project's verdict on Cameron's renegotiation.

    http://www.eufreshstart.co.uk/FSP UK Settlement Statement.pdf

    The Fresh Start project was founded by three MPs - George Eustace (who some give the main credit to), Leadsom & Heaton-Harris.

    It was Eustace who was quoted in the press at its launch:

    http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/371132/Tory-MPs-demand-Cameron-claws-back-powers-from-EU
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    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,283
    The corollary of the point in the lead article is that the contest will turn into a referendum on Leadsom. She will have all the attention and if the members like what they see, why not vote for the woman who helped deliver the Leave victory?
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    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 32,128

    This is quite an interesting summary of Andrea Leadsom's Fresh Start Project's verdict on Cameron's renegotiation.

    http://www.eufreshstart.co.uk/FSP UK Settlement Statement.pdf

    Does explain why she switched sides. Lttle difficult to see though, why anyone who wanted all that the Fresh Start wanted expected to stay in the EU at all.
    What are the ECJ’s “peverse decisions”. Ones that Fresh Start didn’t agree with?
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    The corollary of the point in the lead article is that the contest will turn into a referendum on Leadsom. She will have all the attention and if the members like what they see, why not vote for the woman who helped deliver the Leave victory?

    It will in the same way be a period of scrutiny on May to see if she looks like a waverer, any suggestion in her statements that she is not really going to Leave, or that she is going for full fat figleaf-free Freedom of Movement and she is going to start losing a lot of supporters. If she keeps the moderate, sensible line but is clear she is going to fight for the best deal and not roll over on the first contact with the eurocrats and doesn't give any hostages to fortune she will probably be fine.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    FPT:

    NHS and heart surgery -- three hospitals ordered to stop heart operations but at least two of them dispute the figures behind an "irrational and reckless announcement". WTF is going on at Health?
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-36737265

    British Heart Foundation chief executive Simon Gillespie said he supported the changes, which he wanted to see "implemented as quickly as possible".
    "It is absolutely critical that children and adults with congenital heart disease and their families receive safe and effective care, wherever they live."


    Looks like NHS E&W is taking on local chieftains...
    It is a bit more complicated than that. Since the Bristol Children's Heart hospital scandal, this has been an area under tremendous scrutiny, with plenty of data published on the web:

    https://nicor4.nicor.org.uk/CHD/an_paeds.nsf/vwContent/Analysis Documents?Opendocument

    "The annual number of episodes rose between 2000 and 2009 from 2283 to 3939 and the30
    day death rate fell consistently from 4.3% of cases to 2.6%.This was despitean increase in
    the proportion of more complex and higher risk cases. These figures, suggest that rather
    than turning away higher risk patients during an era when outcomes have been monitored
    closely, , a greater proportion of more complex patients were taken on, 30 day death rates
    for children’s heart surgery in the UK are low, falling and compare well with similar data
    from other, internationaldatabases."

    Leicesters figures are actually better than predicted, the outliers are elsewhere (Glasgow and Newcastle in particular). The reasons for closure are more to do with numbers and geography than quality of the work.
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    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,283
    edited July 2016

    This is quite an interesting summary of Andrea Leadsom's Fresh Start Project's verdict on Cameron's renegotiation.

    http://www.eufreshstart.co.uk/FSP UK Settlement Statement.pdf

    The Fresh Start project was founded by three MPs - George Eustace (who some give the main credit to), Leadsom & Heaton-Harris.

    It was Eustace who was quoted in the press at its launch:

    http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/371132/Tory-MPs-demand-Cameron-claws-back-powers-from-EU
    Maybe at the start but Leadsom was referred to as the leader afterwards. Her name appeared first on the report I linked to above. The 'Fresh Start Group' were characterised as the moderate Eurosceptic wing and contrasted with the hardliners.

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/civil-war-erupts-amongst-tory-eurosceptics-as-the-moderate-fresh-start-group-attacks-95-mps-who-9062281.html
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,220
    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.
    One person's 'detailed exploration' is another person's 'metrosexual sneering and smart arsery'.

    It's easy for supporters to call the former the latter, especially if she doesn't answer well.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    This is quite an interesting summary of Andrea Leadsom's Fresh Start Project's verdict on Cameron's renegotiation.

    http://www.eufreshstart.co.uk/FSP UK Settlement Statement.pdf

    Does explain why she switched sides. Lttle difficult to see though, why anyone who wanted all that the Fresh Start wanted expected to stay in the EU at all.
    What are the ECJ’s “peverse decisions”. Ones that Fresh Start didn’t agree with?
    The ECJ is pretty much the worst thing about the EU, I would include any decision it made that was judicial activism, making law where none existed before, or where it override clear political decisions made by inter alia the Council of Europe, such as Major's Maastricht deal, or the Dane's Maastricht deal, both struck down, and amongst which we would have found Cameron's renegotiation had we remained because it is structurally identical to the Danish deal. I imagine they are thinking about prisoner's votes as well.
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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 36,013
    Indigo said:

    The corollary of the point in the lead article is that the contest will turn into a referendum on Leadsom. She will have all the attention and if the members like what they see, why not vote for the woman who helped deliver the Leave victory?

    It will in the same way be a period of scrutiny on May to see if she looks like a waverer, any suggestion in her statements that she is not really going to Leave, or that she is going for full fat figleaf-free Freedom of Movement and she is going to start losing a lot of supporters. If she keeps the moderate, sensible line but is clear she is going to fight for the best deal and not roll over on the first contact with the eurocrats and doesn't give any hostages to fortune she will probably be fine.
    Without doubt, I think May is the best choice for the Conservatives right now. And for the country. She is the only one who can hold the Party together, and thus provide a coherent government. I think most members will realise this.

    If say, it were Leadsom v Soubry, the outcome would be very different, regardless how MP's voted.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,855

    This is quite an interesting summary of Andrea Leadsom's Fresh Start Project's verdict on Cameron's renegotiation.

    http://www.eufreshstart.co.uk/FSP UK Settlement Statement.pdf

    The Fresh Start project was founded by three MPs - George Eustace (who some give the main credit to), Leadsom & Heaton-Harris.

    It was Eustace who was quoted in the press at its launch:

    http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/371132/Tory-MPs-demand-Cameron-claws-back-powers-from-EU
    Maybe at the start but Leadsom was referred to as the leader afterwards.
    On her CV?
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.
    One person's 'detailed exploration' is another person's 'metrosexual sneering and smart arsery'.

    It's easy for supporters to call the former the latter, especially if she doesn't answer well.
    Come on now, I think the difference between asking a straight question and tenaciously looking for a straight answer, and taking the piss and idiotic twitter memes is clear to almost everyone.
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    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,986
    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.

    Ha, ha - I see those wicked "lefties" are on the prowl again.

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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    Sean_F said:

    Indigo said:

    The corollary of the point in the lead article is that the contest will turn into a referendum on Leadsom. She will have all the attention and if the members like what they see, why not vote for the woman who helped deliver the Leave victory?

    It will in the same way be a period of scrutiny on May to see if she looks like a waverer, any suggestion in her statements that she is not really going to Leave, or that she is going for full fat figleaf-free Freedom of Movement and she is going to start losing a lot of supporters. If she keeps the moderate, sensible line but is clear she is going to fight for the best deal and not roll over on the first contact with the eurocrats and doesn't give any hostages to fortune she will probably be fine.
    Without doubt, I think May is the best choice for the Conservatives right now. And for the country. She is the only one who can hold the Party together, and thus provide a coherent government. I think most members will realise this.

    If say, it were Leadsom v Soubry, the outcome would be very different, regardless how MP's voted.
    I pretty much agree, I just hope May has the sense to keep things minimalist and not go full remainer and get a full fat EEA deal with full FoM, opt in's to all the institutions and a photo opportunity surrounded by gloating remainers and puff pieces in The Guardian or the party is going to implode to Steve Woolfe's advantage.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,220
    Sean_F said:

    Sean_F said:

    #IagreewithJackandMike

    I see the Sun has already come out for May as well as the Mail. Leadsom will certainly get er..scrutiny now :D

    The left wing media (ie BBC Guardian etc. and Twitterati) need to lay off though as they will just drive the blue rinse brigade into Leadsoms arms if they do what they did during the referendum.

    But can they learn? Some people have a remarkably tin ear.
    Sorry, but that's rubbish.

    If Leadsom holds views that need questioning, they should be questioned. If the blue-rinsed brigade then choose her, it's internal party democracy in action.

    She should not get a free pass from justified questioning of her views just because it might upset some party members.

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.
    I meant from the point of view of trying to prevent Andrea Leadsom from winning. Attacks on her from a secular liberal point of view won't resonate amongst this electorate, but rather, will generate sympathy for her.
    The media aren't just interviewing them for the Conservative members, but the whole country.

    Whoever wins is going to be PM. The audience is not just the Conservative electorate, but all of us. For millions this will be their first proper contact with both candidates' views (although May's should certainly be better-known).

    The Conservative members should ask themselves whether the candidates' views will play well with the rest of the electorate. Basically: is this person electable?

    Otherwise they might as wel ljust elect a Con Corbyn.
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    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,283

    This is quite an interesting summary of Andrea Leadsom's Fresh Start Project's verdict on Cameron's renegotiation.

    http://www.eufreshstart.co.uk/FSP UK Settlement Statement.pdf

    The Fresh Start project was founded by three MPs - George Eustace (who some give the main credit to), Leadsom & Heaton-Harris.

    It was Eustace who was quoted in the press at its launch:

    http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/371132/Tory-MPs-demand-Cameron-claws-back-powers-from-EU
    Maybe at the start but Leadsom was referred to as the leader afterwards.
    On her CV?
    Very drole...

    Here's a contemporaneous report on Conservative Home which also lists her as heading the group.

    http://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2012/05/what-is-the-fresh-start-project-mbarrettch-profiles-the-tory-mps-trying-to-forge-a-new-uk-eu-relatio.html

    Leadsom, the Member of Parliament for South Northamptonshire, had a career in the City prior to entering politics, having been Financial Institutions Director at Barclays Bank, Managing Director of a London hedge fund and then, Head of Corporate Governance for Invesco Perpetual. Leadsom runs Fresh Start and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for European Reform (see below) from her office, and has regular co-ordinating messages with Heaton-Harris and Eustice.
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    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,986

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.
    One person's 'detailed exploration' is another person's 'metrosexual sneering and smart arsery'.

    It's easy for supporters to call the former the latter, especially if she doesn't answer well.

    She's jolly well going to give Mr Putin what for. As the former Secretary General of NATO she certainly knows his weak spots.

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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    edited July 2016

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.

    Ha, ha - I see those wicked "lefties" are on the prowl again.

    The sort of people leaning towards voting from Leadsom probably think in those terms, a lot of gloating and piss taking from the BBC and fellow travellers might harden their desire to vote for her. Some people seem to have learned nothing from the "little englander" approach of the remain campaign.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    edited July 2016
    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.
    One person's 'detailed exploration' is another person's 'metrosexual sneering and smart arsery'.

    It's easy for supporters to call the former the latter, especially if she doesn't answer well.
    Come on now, I think the difference between asking a straight question and tenaciously looking for a straight answer, and taking the piss and idiotic twitter memes is clear to almost everyone.
    I think that we can be confident that Leadsom is the "straight choice".

    I don't think much of either candidate. Both are repulsive in their own ways. I cannot see why people consider May as a safe pair of hands. Her lack of achievement is quite noticeable, her claim to fame is the absence of disasters on her watch. She gets off very lightly for doing very nearly bugger all. She does politics like an Italian football team, conceding few goals but also scoring very few.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.
    One person's 'detailed exploration' is another person's 'metrosexual sneering and smart arsery'.

    It's easy for supporters to call the former the latter, especially if she doesn't answer well.

    She's jolly well going to give Mr Putin what for. As the former Secretary General of NATO she certainly knows his weak spots.

    Southam on the other hand is going to sneer and gloat for all he is worth because the Tories electing Leadsom in a fit of pique is the only chance Labour has of getting into power in the next couple of decades ;)
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    edited July 2016

    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.
    One person's 'detailed exploration' is another person's 'metrosexual sneering and smart arsery'.

    It's easy for supporters to call the former the latter, especially if she doesn't answer well.
    Come on now, I think the difference between asking a straight question and tenaciously looking for a straight answer, and taking the piss and idiotic twitter memes is clear to almost everyone.
    I think that we can be confident that Leadsom is the "straight choice".

    I don't think much of either candidate. Both are repulsive in their own ways. I cannot see why people consider May as a safe pair of hands. Her lack of achievement is quite noticeable, her claim to fame is the absence of disasters on her watch. She gets off very lightly for doing very nearly bugger all. She does politics like an Italian football team, conceding few goals but also scoring very few.
    I agree. I am not remotely a fan of May, what you say is true, and it is combined with a nasty authoritarian streak and an instinct to reach for policing and draconian surveillance powers as a subsitute for well thought out laws and proper funding of law enforcement and security services. She will however put the media to sleep and there is enough to do over next couple of years without having to be conducting a continuous guerilla war with the media, which is where I can see Leadsom heading.

    There are clearly better candidates around than what was on offer, but they probably don't want to spend 2-3 years shoveling shite, they want to challenge in 2019 and do the sunlight uplands bit for the next general election (Boris etc).
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    PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383
    edited July 2016
    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.

    Ha, ha - I see those wicked "lefties" are on the prowl again.

    The sort of people leaning towards voting from Leadsom probably think in those terms, a lot of gloating and piss taking from the BBC and fellow travellers might harden their desire to vote for her. Some people seem to have learned nothing from the "little englander" approach of the remain campaign.
    Agreed. I'm very used to the sort of rubbish posted on Twitter - but have to say the attitudes to her are particularly nasty.

    Lots of personal attacks that seem quite unjustified - the liberal Left journalists seem to be amongst the worst. It's the Remain campaign with knobs on.

    I'm waiting to see their various interviews/hustings now. Perhaps that will inject some sense into the contest rather the gnashing of teeth/caricaturing either of them.
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    not_on_firenot_on_fire Posts: 4,342
    PlatoSaid said:

    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.

    Ha, ha - I see those wicked "lefties" are on the prowl again.

    The sort of people leaning towards voting from Leadsom probably think in those terms, a lot of gloating and piss taking from the BBC and fellow travellers might harden their desire to vote for her. Some people seem to have learned nothing from the "little englander" approach of the remain campaign.
    Agreed. I'm very used to the sort of rubbish posted on Twitter - but have to say the attitude to her are particularly nasty.

    Lots of personal attacks that seem quite unjustified - the liberal Left journalists seem to be amongst the worst. It's the Remain campaign with knobs on.

    I'm waiting to see their various interviews/hustings now. Perhaps that will inject some sense into the contest rather the gnashing of teeth/caricaturing either of them.
    Seriously, stop using ridiculous Fox News terms like "liberal left". You're better than this.
  • Options
    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    PlatoSaid said:

    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.

    Ha, ha - I see those wicked "lefties" are on the prowl again.

    The sort of people leaning towards voting from Leadsom probably think in those terms, a lot of gloating and piss taking from the BBC and fellow travellers might harden their desire to vote for her. Some people seem to have learned nothing from the "little englander" approach of the remain campaign.
    Agreed. I'm very used to the sort of rubbish posted on Twitter - but have to say the attitude to her are particularly nasty.

    Lots of personal attacks that seem quite unjustified - the liberal Left journalists seem to be amongst the worst. It's the Remain campaign with knobs on.

    I'm waiting to see their various interviews/hustings now. Perhaps that will inject some sense into the contest rather the gnashing of teeth/caricaturing either of them.
    Seriously, stop using ridiculous Fox News terms like "liberal left". You're better than this.
    If the cap fits ;)
  • Options
    logical_songlogical_song Posts: 9,739

    PlatoSaid said:

    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.

    Ha, ha - I see those wicked "lefties" are on the prowl again.

    The sort of people leaning towards voting from Leadsom probably think in those terms, a lot of gloating and piss taking from the BBC and fellow travellers might harden their desire to vote for her. Some people seem to have learned nothing from the "little englander" approach of the remain campaign.
    Agreed. I'm very used to the sort of rubbish posted on Twitter - but have to say the attitude to her are particularly nasty.

    Lots of personal attacks that seem quite unjustified - the liberal Left journalists seem to be amongst the worst. It's the Remain campaign with knobs on.

    I'm waiting to see their various interviews/hustings now. Perhaps that will inject some sense into the contest rather the gnashing of teeth/caricaturing either of them.
    Seriously, stop using ridiculous Fox News terms like "liberal left". You're better than this.
    Indigo uses 'fellow travellers' haven't heard that since the 70s from Marxist-Leninist types.
  • Options
    PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383

    PlatoSaid said:

    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.

    Ha, ha - I see those wicked "lefties" are on the prowl again.

    The sort of people leaning towards voting from Leadsom probably think in those terms, a lot of gloating and piss taking from the BBC and fellow travellers might harden their desire to vote for her. Some people seem to have learned nothing from the "little englander" approach of the remain campaign.
    Agreed. I'm very used to the sort of rubbish posted on Twitter - but have to say the attitude to her are particularly nasty.

    Lots of personal attacks that seem quite unjustified - the liberal Left journalists seem to be amongst the worst. It's the Remain campaign with knobs on.

    I'm waiting to see their various interviews/hustings now. Perhaps that will inject some sense into the contest rather the gnashing of teeth/caricaturing either of them.
    Seriously, stop using ridiculous Fox News terms like "liberal left". You're better than this.
    Excuse me? Fox News? You're being silly. Dan Hodges et al are the definition of liberal Left Remain journalist. He's not hard-Left is he?
  • Options
    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    edited July 2016
    Not exactly a surprise. If we start to do better, or (whisper it) quite well in a years time that will change, but right now they can see all the wailing and gnashing of teeth in the media from the "I'm alright Jacques" set of well off metropolitan types, and economic reverberations.
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.
    One person's 'detailed exploration' is another person's 'metrosexual sneering and smart arsery'.

    It's easy for supporters to call the former the latter, especially if she doesn't answer well.
    Come on now, I think the difference between asking a straight question and tenaciously looking for a straight answer, and taking the piss and idiotic twitter memes is clear to almost everyone.
    I think that we can be confident that Leadsom is the "straight choice".

    I don't think much of either candidate. Both are repulsive in their own ways. I cannot see why people consider May as a safe pair of hands. Her lack of achievement is quite noticeable, her claim to fame is the absence of disasters on her watch. She gets off very lightly for doing very nearly bugger all. She does politics like an Italian football team, conceding few goals but also scoring very few.
    I agree. I am not remotely a fan of May, what you say is true, and it is combined with a nasty authoritarian streak and an instinct to reach for policing and draconian surveillance powers as a subsitute for well thought out laws and proper funding of law enforcement and security services. She will however put the media to sleep and there is enough to do over next couple of years without having to be conducting a continuous guerilla war with the media, which is where I can see Leadsom heading.

    There are clearly better candidates around than what was on offer, but they probably don't want to spend 2-3 years shoveling shite, they want to challenge in 2019 and do the sunlight uplands bit for the next general election (Boris etc).
    The biggest risk with May is that she is so full of inertia, stupor and inactivity that the EU negotiations make no progress at all. This limbo state is not good for Britain and risks being timed out at the expiry of article 50.

    The only person in my extended family with a vote in the for PM is my mother. Leadsom is her choice.
  • Options
    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,986
    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.
    One person's 'detailed exploration' is another person's 'metrosexual sneering and smart arsery'.

    It's easy for supporters to call the former the latter, especially if she doesn't answer well.

    She's jolly well going to give Mr Putin what for. As the former Secretary General of NATO she certainly knows his weak spots.

    Southam on the other hand is going to sneer and gloat for all he is worth because the Tories electing Leadsom in a fit of pique is the only chance Labour has of getting into power in the next couple of decades ;)

    Yep, I'd say Leadsom - lighweight, dishonest, inexperienced and inextricably tied to Leave and the promises she has made - certainly gives Labour a chance.

    More important, though, is that she would be a disastrous choice to lead the country. As things stand, I am not convinced the majority of Tory members are as stupid and as selfish as the majority of Labour members. But then I didn't think Corbyn could possibly win either.

  • Options
    stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,780
    Andrea Leadsom defends claims she was in Dexy’s Midnight Runners:

    http://newsthump.com/2016/07/07/andrea-leadsom-defends-claims-she-was-in-dexys-midnight-runners/
  • Options
    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 36,013
    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.

    Ha, ha - I see those wicked "lefties" are on the prowl again.

    The sort of people leaning towards voting from Leadsom probably think in those terms, a lot of gloating and piss taking from the BBC and fellow travellers might harden their desire to vote for her. Some people seem to have learned nothing from the "little englander" approach of the remain campaign.
    Good advocacy is all about persuading the undecided, or even sometimes your less committed opponents. It's not about getting your committed supporters to give high fives to each other. I don't know what Remain were thinking with the Little Englanders line of attack.
  • Options
    felixfelix Posts: 15,125

    PlatoSaid said:

    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.

    Ha, ha - I see those wicked "lefties" are on the prowl again.

    The sort of people leaning towards voting from Leadsom probably think in those terms, a lot of gloating and piss taking from the BBC and fellow travellers might harden their desire to vote for her. Some people seem to have learned nothing from the "little englander" approach of the remain campaign.
    Agreed. I'm very used to the sort of rubbish posted on Twitter - but have to say the attitude to her are particularly nasty.

    Lots of personal attacks that seem quite unjustified - the liberal Left journalists seem to be amongst the worst. It's the Remain campaign with knobs on.

    I'm waiting to see their various interviews/hustings now. Perhaps that will inject some sense into the contest rather the gnashing of teeth/caricaturing either of them.
    Seriously, stop using ridiculous Fox News terms like "liberal left". You're better than this.
    No she isn't.
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,220
    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.
    One person's 'detailed exploration' is another person's 'metrosexual sneering and smart arsery'.

    It's easy for supporters to call the former the latter, especially if she doesn't answer well.
    Come on now, I think the difference between asking a straight question and tenaciously looking for a straight answer, and taking the piss and idiotic twitter memes is clear to almost everyone.
    When the winner's PM they will face both sensible and stupid questioning. Best to see now how well they cope with both.

    Besides, my point still stands: a question that person A thinks is 'taking the piss' might be seen by person B as a good, probing question.
  • Options
    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,986
    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.

    Ha, ha - I see those wicked "lefties" are on the prowl again.

    The sort of people leaning towards voting from Leadsom probably think in those terms, a lot of gloating and piss taking from the BBC and fellow travellers might harden their desire to vote for her. Some people seem to have learned nothing from the "little englander" approach of the remain campaign.

    Yes - stupid people will always find stupid reasons for justifying their stupidity.

  • Options
    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    PlatoSaid said:

    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.

    Ha, ha - I see those wicked "lefties" are on the prowl again.

    The sort of people leaning towards voting from Leadsom probably think in those terms, a lot of gloating and piss taking from the BBC and fellow travellers might harden their desire to vote for her. Some people seem to have learned nothing from the "little englander" approach of the remain campaign.
    Agreed. I'm very used to the sort of rubbish posted on Twitter - but have to say the attitude to her are particularly nasty.

    Lots of personal attacks that seem quite unjustified - the liberal Left journalists seem to be amongst the worst. It's the Remain campaign with knobs on.

    I'm waiting to see their various interviews/hustings now. Perhaps that will inject some sense into the contest rather the gnashing of teeth/caricaturing either of them.
    Seriously, stop using ridiculous Fox News terms like "liberal left". You're better than this.
    Indigo uses 'fellow travellers' haven't heard that since the 70s from Marxist-Leninist types.
    Perhaps you should pay more attention
    http://politicalbetting.vanillaforums.com/discussion/comment/1145463/#Comment_1145463
    http://politicalbetting.vanillaforums.com/discussion/comment/1139849/#Comment_1139849
    http://politicalbetting.vanillaforums.com/discussion/comment/1139849/#Comment_1139849
  • Options
    That Blue Rinse Agenda in Full.

    1) Repeal all labour passed laws since Wilson got into power.

    2) A grammar school for every town to segregate the thickos.

    3) Restoration of responsible government in Rhodeasia.

    4) No wooftas.

    5) repeal the equality act

    6) No wooftas.

    7) Pardon and reinstatement of pension for Constable Savage

    8) No wooftas.

    9) Compulsory Moose Shooting Lessons.

    10) Abolish the BBC

  • Options
    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    I'm on Team Leadsom. If the country is to move in a positive direction we need the scales to fall from the eyes of the more casual Leavers. Appointing a manifest inadequate as Prime Minister should discredit the headbangers, and then we can move on.
  • Options
    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 32,128
    Indigo said:

    This is quite an interesting summary of Andrea Leadsom's Fresh Start Project's verdict on Cameron's renegotiation.

    http://www.eufreshstart.co.uk/FSP UK Settlement Statement.pdf

    Does explain why she switched sides. Lttle difficult to see though, why anyone who wanted all that the Fresh Start wanted expected to stay in the EU at all.
    What are the ECJ’s “peverse decisions”. Ones that Fresh Start didn’t agree with?
    The ECJ is pretty much the worst thing about the EU, I would include any decision it made that was judicial activism, making law where none existed before, or where it override clear political decisions made by inter alia the Council of Europe, such as Major's Maastricht deal, or the Dane's Maastricht deal, both struck down, and amongst which we would have found Cameron's renegotiation had we remained because it is structurally identical to the Danish deal. I imagine they are thinking about prisoner's votes as well.
    I’m not a lwayer, but isn’t “making law where none existed before” by a court something to with the difference between Common Law and the system in most of Europe.

    And, just for the record, while I can see that taking away the right to vote from very long term prisoners is understandable, I thought that part of the thinking around prison nowadays was “reform", and allowing participation in the democratic system can be seem as apart of that re-education process.

    But of course I’m a committed Remainer and indeed hope that as a result of the Brexit negotiations we do in fact Remain.
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,220
    It's interesting how Leadsom's fans are getting their excuses in early: a bit like leave supporters' making excuses for why they lost before they won. ;)

    Choosing the next PM solely through the prism of whether they supported leave or remain is silly. Although the negotiations will be an important (perhaps the most) task facing the next PM, it's just part of the job.

    The next PM could get the best deal for the UK possible from the EU and still f*ck the country up.
  • Options
    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,986
    With Leadsom I think I am beginning to get a sense of how Tories felt when they saw that Corbyn might seriously become Labour leader - can they really be so wonderfully, ridiculously, myopically, self-defeatingly stupid?

    But then I remember that Leadsom would be this country's leader and that it is not a joke, it is serious and, therefore, quite frightening.
  • Options
    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    edited July 2016

    I'm on Team Leadsom. If the country is to move in a positive direction we need the scales to fall from the eyes of the more casual Leavers. Appointing a manifest inadequate as Prime Minister should discredit the headbangers, and then we can move on.

    Only if you are lucky. If you are unlucky she would keep a lowish profile and make appointments of the more able leavers. Boris is little more than a smile on a stick, but at City Hall he was very good and hiring a load of deputies to do the spade work while he did the positivity and feel-good bit. You might end up with a competently executed full lead into the WTO, which might make you feel rather less smug.
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,220
    To Leadsom's supporters: in 50 words, why would you pick her over May?
  • Options
    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    Indigo said:

    I'm on Team Leadsom. If the country is to move in a positive direction we need the scales to fall from the eyes of the more casual Leavers. Appointing a manifest inadequate as Prime Minister should discredit the headbangers, and then we can move on.

    Only if you are lucky. If you are unlucky she would keep a lowish profile and make appointments of the more able leavers. Boris is little more than a smile on a stick, but at City Hall he was very good and hiring a load of deputies to do the spade work while he did the positivity and feel-good bit. You might end up with a competently executed full lead into the WTO, which might make you feel rather less smug.
    Possibly. I have seen no evidence of competence so far. We've had three positions on her tax return so far this week.
  • Options
    SimonStClareSimonStClare Posts: 7,976
    Grant Shapps’ was right – if this is a foretaste of things to come, then the next 8 weeks are really going to drag.
  • Options
    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    It's interesting how Leadsom's fans are getting their excuses in early: a bit like leave supporters' making excuses for why they lost before they won. ;)

    Choosing the next PM solely through the prism of whether they supported leave or remain is silly. Although the negotiations will be an important (perhaps the most) task facing the next PM, it's just part of the job.

    The next PM could get the best deal for the UK possible from the EU and still f*ck the country up.

    Its about fear as usual.

    The Leavers fear that May is at best going to give an Out is so close to In that no one could tell the difference, or at worst going to find some excuse to revisit or annul the referendum

    Remainers fear that at best Leadsom is going to be unexpectedly competent and manage a full WTO type exit, and at worse it going to turn into some sort of totalitarian idiot.
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,283

    Grant Shapps’ was right – if this is a foretaste of things to come, then the next 8 weeks are really going to drag.

    Do all of Shapps' personae get a vote?
  • Options
    logical_songlogical_song Posts: 9,739
    Indigo said:

    PlatoSaid said:

    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.

    Ha, ha - I see those wicked "lefties" are on the prowl again.

    The sort of people leaning towards voting from Leadsom probably think in those terms, a lot of gloating and piss taking from the BBC and fellow travellers might harden their desire to vote for her. Some people seem to have learned nothing from the "little englander" approach of the remain campaign.
    Agreed. I'm very used to the sort of rubbish posted on Twitter - but have to say the attitude to her are particularly nasty.

    Lots of personal attacks that seem quite unjustified - the liberal Left journalists seem to be amongst the worst. It's the Remain campaign with knobs on.

    I'm waiting to see their various interviews/hustings now. Perhaps that will inject some sense into the contest rather the gnashing of teeth/caricaturing either of them.
    Seriously, stop using ridiculous Fox News terms like "liberal left". You're better than this.
    Indigo uses 'fellow travellers' haven't heard that since the 70s from Marxist-Leninist types.
    Perhaps you should pay more attention
    http://politicalbetting.vanillaforums.com/discussion/comment/1145463/#Comment_1145463
    http://politicalbetting.vanillaforums.com/discussion/comment/1139849/#Comment_1139849
    http://politicalbetting.vanillaforums.com/discussion/comment/1139849/#Comment_1139849
    You're right 'Lucky Guy' uses the term too.
    I rest my case.
  • Options
    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,986

    I'm on Team Leadsom. If the country is to move in a positive direction we need the scales to fall from the eyes of the more casual Leavers. Appointing a manifest inadequate as Prime Minister should discredit the headbangers, and then we can move on.

    The problem with that is that while she is in charge Leadsom could do huge and lasting damage. Even if she only leads for as long as IDS did that's plenty of time to leave a lasting legacy of destruction. She'll have a Brexit deal to do and the Union to save, for a start; then there's Mr Putin. It's mind-boggling she even has a chance of victory.

  • Options
    david_kendrick1david_kendrick1 Posts: 325
    edited July 2016

    It's interesting how Leadsom's fans are getting their excuses in early: a bit like leave supporters' making excuses for why they lost before they won. ;)

    Choosing the next PM solely through the prism of whether they supported leave or remain is silly. Although the negotiations will be an important (perhaps the most) task facing the next PM, it's just part of the job.

    The next PM could get the best deal for the UK possible from the EU and still f*ck the country up.

    Wrong. If the next PM gets the best deal possible from the EU, she will be a success.

    The question is: would the 'accidental challenger' (great phrase) be more likely to achieve it than TM?

    May has a bigger and better organised entourage than Leadsome. But as her heart won't be in either the big or little issues involved in negotiating Brexit, I'd prefer Leadsome to get the gig.
  • Options
    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 36,013

    That Blue Rinse Agenda in Full.

    1) Repeal all labour passed laws since Wilson got into power.

    2) A grammar school for every town to segregate the thickos.

    3) Restoration of responsible government in Rhodeasia.

    4) No wooftas.

    5) repeal the equality act

    6) No wooftas.

    7) Pardon and reinstatement of pension for Constable Savage

    8) No wooftas.

    9) Compulsory Moose Shooting Lessons.

    10) Abolish the BBC

    11) Repeal the Government of India Act 1946

    12) Reinstate capital punishment

    13). Reinstate birching for young offenders

    14). Income tax relief for the employment of servants

    15). Prison for strikers

  • Options
    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    Indigo said:

    PlatoSaid said:

    Indigo said:

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.

    Ha, ha - I see those wicked "lefties" are on the prowl again.

    The sort of people leaning towards voting from Leadsom probably think in those terms, a lot of gloating and piss taking from the BBC and fellow travellers might harden their desire to vote for her. Some people seem to have learned nothing from the "little englander" approach of the remain campaign.
    Agreed. I'm very used to the sort of rubbish posted on Twitter - but have to say the attitude to her are particularly nasty.

    Lots of personal attacks that seem quite unjustified - the liberal Left journalists seem to be amongst the worst. It's the Remain campaign with knobs on.

    I'm waiting to see their various interviews/hustings now. Perhaps that will inject some sense into the contest rather the gnashing of teeth/caricaturing either of them.
    Seriously, stop using ridiculous Fox News terms like "liberal left". You're better than this.
    Indigo uses 'fellow travellers' haven't heard that since the 70s from Marxist-Leninist types.
    Perhaps you should pay more attention
    http://politicalbetting.vanillaforums.com/discussion/comment/1145463/#Comment_1145463
    http://politicalbetting.vanillaforums.com/discussion/comment/1139849/#Comment_1139849
    http://politicalbetting.vanillaforums.com/discussion/comment/1139849/#Comment_1139849
    You're right 'Lucky Guy' uses the term too.
    I rest my case.
    and Southam...
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    PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383

    Grant Shapps’ was right – if this is a foretaste of things to come, then the next 8 weeks are really going to drag.

    I'm hoping that once the candidates start to flesh out their policy platforms, we can discuss the meat. I'm bored already of the character sledging/tittle tattle.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548

    To Leadsom's supporters: in 50 words, why would you pick her over May?

    My mother's view:

    Leadsom is a Leaver, May will not implement the referendum result properly.

    Leadsom has experience of both the City and of European negotiations.

    Leadsom is not a career politician and has experience of the real world outside politics.
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    john_zimsjohn_zims Posts: 3,399
    edited July 2016
    @SouthamObserver


    She's jolly well going to give Mr Putin what for. As the former Secretary General of NATO she certainly knows his weak spots.'


    Oh how we laughed at that childish comment.
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    JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,913
    The most worrying thing about Leadsom is that she makes May look good.
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    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,986
    Indigo said:

    I'm on Team Leadsom. If the country is to move in a positive direction we need the scales to fall from the eyes of the more casual Leavers. Appointing a manifest inadequate as Prime Minister should discredit the headbangers, and then we can move on.

    Only if you are lucky. If you are unlucky she would keep a lowish profile and make appointments of the more able leavers. Boris is little more than a smile on a stick, but at City Hall he was very good and hiring a load of deputies to do the spade work while he did the positivity and feel-good bit. You might end up with a competently executed full lead into the WTO, which might make you feel rather less smug.

    In eight years what did Boris achieve? Nothing of any note at all. He kept London in a holding pattern. The next PM will not have that luxury. Decisions will have to be made.

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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    Sean_F said:

    That Blue Rinse Agenda in Full.

    1) Repeal all labour passed laws since Wilson got into power.

    2) A grammar school for every town to segregate the thickos.

    3) Restoration of responsible government in Rhodeasia.

    4) No wooftas.

    5) repeal the equality act

    6) No wooftas.

    7) Pardon and reinstatement of pension for Constable Savage

    8) No wooftas.

    9) Compulsory Moose Shooting Lessons.

    10) Abolish the BBC

    11) Repeal the Government of India Act 1946

    12) Reinstate capital punishment

    13). Reinstate birching for young offenders

    14). Income tax relief for the employment of servants

    15). Prison for strikers

    Surely 15 should be "transportation to the penal colony in Van Diemans land"?
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    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,533
    Interesting that we don't know the detailed requirements of the fresh start demands (or rather, I can't be bothered to google them).

    Both no Ever Closer Union and "Access to Benefits" are deemed to have been "partially achieved". I wonder what the overall score was. ie, what was the pass mark for them to have accepted the negotiations. 100/100?

    On Leadsom, the feeling is that she is less than mediocre on the most generous assessment, and not up to the job.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    PlatoSaid said:

    Grant Shapps’ was right – if this is a foretaste of things to come, then the next 8 weeks are really going to drag.

    I'm hoping that once the candidates start to flesh out their policy platforms, we can discuss the meat. I'm bored already of the character sledging/tittle tattle.
    Likewise. The idea that May is like the second coming makes me want to vomit. She is at best a poor candidate whose only redeeming feature in the current context is that she is not a catastrophic candidate like her opponent. I want to see what their positions are under all the spin.
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    JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,913
    Indigo said:

    PlatoSaid said:

    Grant Shapps’ was right – if this is a foretaste of things to come, then the next 8 weeks are really going to drag.

    I'm hoping that once the candidates start to flesh out their policy platforms, we can discuss the meat. I'm bored already of the character sledging/tittle tattle.
    Likewise. The idea that May is like the second coming makes me want to vomit. She is at best a poor candidate whose only redeeming feature in the current context is that she is not a catastrophic candidate like her opponent. I want to see what their positions are under all the spin.
    May is a classic old school Conservative. No wonder the neoconservatives dislike her.
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    Sean_F said:

    That Blue Rinse Agenda in Full.

    1) Repeal all labour passed laws since Wilson got into power.

    2) A grammar school for every town to segregate the thickos.

    3) Restoration of responsible government in Rhodeasia.

    4) No wooftas.

    5) repeal the equality act

    6) No wooftas.

    7) Pardon and reinstatement of pension for Constable Savage

    8) No wooftas.

    9) Compulsory Moose Shooting Lessons.

    10) Abolish the BBC

    11) Repeal the Government of India Act 1946

    12) Reinstate capital punishment

    13). Reinstate birching for young offenders

    14). Income tax relief for the employment of servants

    15). Prison for strikers

    16) Unions to be outlawed as economic terrorists.

    17) Commit three crimes and you get life -any three crimes.

    18) Repeal the Statute of Westminster.

    19) Repeal the Government of Ireland Act.

    20) Reclaim Heligoland
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    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,464

    With Leadsom I think I am beginning to get a sense of how Tories felt when they saw that Corbyn might seriously become Labour leader - can they really be so wonderfully, ridiculously, myopically, self-defeatingly stupid?

    But then I remember that Leadsom would be this country's leader and that it is not a joke, it is serious and, therefore, quite frightening.

    And also the polling puts May 2:1 ahead, whereas the polling accurately gave Corbyn a big lead.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,220

    It's interesting how Leadsom's fans are getting their excuses in early: a bit like leave supporters' making excuses for why they lost before they won. ;)

    Choosing the next PM solely through the prism of whether they supported leave or remain is silly. Although the negotiations will be an important (perhaps the most) task facing the next PM, it's just part of the job.

    The next PM could get the best deal for the UK possible from the EU and still f*ck the country up.

    Wrong. If the next PM gets the best deal possible from the EU, she will be a success.

    (Snip)
    Even if the country regresses / is poorer? It'd be easy to get a great deal from the EU and ruin the economy, or damage education, the NHS, the military, etc, etc.

    You seem to be just viewing the 'success' of a PM through the prism of the EU. IMO that's dangerous. The EU's important, but there's so much more that the PM has to do.
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    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,252
    "In many organisations being found to have lied on your CV is a sacking offence and what we’ve seen so far suggests carelessness."

    "Carelessness". That's kind. Stupidity and arrogance are other choices. Not thinking or realising that you might be found out. Not caring because you think - and there has been some evidence of that on here - others won't care.

    An occasionally engaging person who can come over well but who has an odd relationship with the truth. Now which other Tory does that remind me of? Ah yes, Jeffrey Archer. The female Jeffrey Archer.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,220

    To Leadsom's supporters: in 50 words, why would you pick her over May?

    My mother's view:

    Leadsom is a Leaver, May will not implement the referendum result properly.

    Leadsom has experience of both the City and of European negotiations.

    Leadsom is not a career politician and has experience of the real world outside politics.
    Thanks.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    Jonathan said:

    Indigo said:

    PlatoSaid said:

    Grant Shapps’ was right – if this is a foretaste of things to come, then the next 8 weeks are really going to drag.

    I'm hoping that once the candidates start to flesh out their policy platforms, we can discuss the meat. I'm bored already of the character sledging/tittle tattle.
    Likewise. The idea that May is like the second coming makes me want to vomit. She is at best a poor candidate whose only redeeming feature in the current context is that she is not a catastrophic candidate like her opponent. I want to see what their positions are under all the spin.
    May is a classic old school Conservative. No wonder the neoconservatives dislike her.
    May is not Palmerston, or even Douglas Hurd, more Thora Hird perhaps ;)
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    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,464

    I'm on Team Leadsom. If the country is to move in a positive direction we need the scales to fall from the eyes of the more casual Leavers. Appointing a manifest inadequate as Prime Minister should discredit the headbangers, and then we can move on.

    When you say 'on' Team Leadsom, presumably you don't mean that you'll be voting for her?
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    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,533

    I'm on Team Leadsom. If the country is to move in a positive direction we need the scales to fall from the eyes of the more casual Leavers. Appointing a manifest inadequate as Prime Minister should discredit the headbangers, and then we can move on.

    The problem with that is that while she is in charge Leadsom could do huge and lasting damage. Even if she only leads for as long as IDS did that's plenty of time to leave a lasting legacy of destruction. She'll have a Brexit deal to do and the Union to save, for a start; then there's Mr Putin. It's mind-boggling she even has a chance of victory.

    I also worry about her effect domestically. Anecdata suggest that certain foreign investors and residents feel that the UK has both perceptibly and imperceptibly turned against them, with some opting to leave the UK.

    If Leadsome actually becomes PM, with Bill Cash, John Redwood, IDS, The Moggster in tow, I worry about social cohesion. Not that there will be riots on the streets, just that we will be perceived as being less welcoming, less open, less tolerant. Nasty, even.

    For all his faults, this would not have been something I would have worried about with a Boris premiership.
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    MattWMattW Posts: 18,865
    >In many organisations being found to have lied on your CV is a sacking offence

    Unfortunately this does not seem to be the case in Higher Education, which is perhaps an indication that reform of Universities needs to be on the agenda.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,855
    stjohn said:

    Andrea Leadsom defends claims she was in Dexy’s Midnight Runners:

    http://newsthump.com/2016/07/07/andrea-leadsom-defends-claims-she-was-in-dexys-midnight-runners/

    That's ridiculous! Everyone knows she was training for the Olympic High Jump at the time......
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    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,986
    Jonathan said:

    Indigo said:

    PlatoSaid said:

    Grant Shapps’ was right – if this is a foretaste of things to come, then the next 8 weeks are really going to drag.

    I'm hoping that once the candidates start to flesh out their policy platforms, we can discuss the meat. I'm bored already of the character sledging/tittle tattle.
    Likewise. The idea that May is like the second coming makes me want to vomit. She is at best a poor candidate whose only redeeming feature in the current context is that she is not a catastrophic candidate like her opponent. I want to see what their positions are under all the spin.
    May is a classic old school Conservative. No wonder the neoconservatives dislike her.

    She's dreadful. But when Leadsom is the alternative what choice is there for people with more than half a brain?

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    SquareRootSquareRoot Posts: 7,095
    Tut tut// Mrs Smithson is using American English..
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,220
    Indigo said:

    It's interesting how Leadsom's fans are getting their excuses in early: a bit like leave supporters' making excuses for why they lost before they won. ;)

    Choosing the next PM solely through the prism of whether they supported leave or remain is silly. Although the negotiations will be an important (perhaps the most) task facing the next PM, it's just part of the job.

    The next PM could get the best deal for the UK possible from the EU and still f*ck the country up.

    Its about fear as usual.

    The Leavers fear that May is at best going to give an Out is so close to In that no one could tell the difference, or at worst going to find some excuse to revisit or annul the referendum

    Remainers fear that at best Leadsom is going to be unexpectedly competent and manage a full WTO type exit, and at worse it going to turn into some sort of totalitarian idiot.
    Who are these 'leavers' ? Several vocal leavers on here seem to favour an Out close to In; i.e. EEA / EFTA. Several have come out as supporting May.

    You're splitting people into 'leavers' and 'remainers'. Us and them. That's not just terrible politics; it's wrong.
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,193

    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.

    Ha, ha - I see those wicked "lefties" are on the prowl again.

    Have you resigned from Labour yet?
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    JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,913

    Jonathan said:

    Indigo said:

    PlatoSaid said:

    Grant Shapps’ was right – if this is a foretaste of things to come, then the next 8 weeks are really going to drag.

    I'm hoping that once the candidates start to flesh out their policy platforms, we can discuss the meat. I'm bored already of the character sledging/tittle tattle.
    Likewise. The idea that May is like the second coming makes me want to vomit. She is at best a poor candidate whose only redeeming feature in the current context is that she is not a catastrophic candidate like her opponent. I want to see what their positions are under all the spin.
    May is a classic old school Conservative. No wonder the neoconservatives dislike her.

    She's dreadful. But when Leadsom is the alternative what choice is there for people with more than half a brain?

    That is irrelevant surely.
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    numbertwelvenumbertwelve Posts: 5,540
    So when is Leadsom releasing her tax returns?
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    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,252
    Indigo said:

    Certainly, her views on religion and gay rights (amongst others) should be explored. If she can't field them well then she's certainly not PM material. It sounds as if she responded well to a stupid question yesterday.

    The same goes for May as well; although as she's better-known there might be less room for attack.

    I think we can agree there is a substantial difference between a detailed exploration of a person's views on the one hand, and a load of metrosexual sneering and smart arsery on the other. If she is not up to the job the first will reveal it, the second will drive a sympathy vote and get people's backs up and more determined to prove the lefties wrong by selecting her.
    A detailed exploration of the facts about her life would be a start. As far as I can tell, everything that was previously stated about her various jobs at BZW, De Putron and Invesco has had to be corrected. Since her entire USP for government is her "stellar" City career, once that has been unpicked, what else is left? She can be OK in interviews/debates and she's not Gove. And, er, that's it.......



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    alex.alex. Posts: 4,658

    To Leadsom's supporters: in 50 words, why would you pick her over May?

    My mother's view:

    Leadsom is a Leaver, May will not implement the referendum result properly.

    Leadsom has experience of both the City and of European negotiations.

    Leadsom is not a career politician and has experience of the real world outside politics.
    Thanks.
    Don't know what the first one means - beyond that we actually leave. Any other "interpretation" of the referendum result is speculation.

    On 3 - in what sense can May be considered a "career politician with no experience of the real world outside politics"?
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    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,464

    Morning all.

    Cheers OGH, - the ‘accidental challenger’ pretty much sums it up. – good luck to both ladies.

    Accidental challengers can only win if there's a strong reason to stop the alternative or if there's a strong campaign behind that candidate that allows them to surf to victory despite their inadequacies. Neither is the case here. May has been careful to avoid building enemies and her greatest failing - immigration - is one that is shared corporately across the government. And while Leadsom has undoubtedly been helped by being the sole remaining Leave candidate - she certainly wouldn't be in the final two were it not for that - it's thus far and no further. The polling indicates that the EURef stance is much less important to most Tory Party members than experience and an ability to unite the party. Sure, there will be some who can't see past the Brexit vote but they're in a minority and Leadsom's other drawbacks will be sufficient to limit the ceiling of her votes to a long way short of the 50% she needs.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    edited July 2016

    Indigo said:

    It's interesting how Leadsom's fans are getting their excuses in early: a bit like leave supporters' making excuses for why they lost before they won. ;)

    Choosing the next PM solely through the prism of whether they supported leave or remain is silly. Although the negotiations will be an important (perhaps the most) task facing the next PM, it's just part of the job.

    The next PM could get the best deal for the UK possible from the EU and still f*ck the country up.

    Its about fear as usual.

    The Leavers fear that May is at best going to give an Out is so close to In that no one could tell the difference, or at worst going to find some excuse to revisit or annul the referendum

    Remainers fear that at best Leadsom is going to be unexpectedly competent and manage a full WTO type exit, and at worse it going to turn into some sort of totalitarian idiot.
    Who are these 'leavers' ? Several vocal leavers on here seem to favour an Out close to In; i.e. EEA / EFTA. Several have come out as supporting May.

    You're splitting people into 'leavers' and 'remainers'. Us and them. That's not just terrible politics; it's wrong.
    People that want EEA/EFTA are about to be lucky because their prefered solution has become the least bad solution for pretty much all who previous supported remain.

    The Leaver/Remainer issue has moved on to be people who think there should be full FoM, and people who think it should be up to parliament to control our borders, and a relative handful that think there is some middle ground.

    Can I take it you won't be using the terms Leaver and Remainer any more ? I am sure it has been used by half the posters on the current thread ;)
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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340

    I'm on Team Leadsom. If the country is to move in a positive direction we need the scales to fall from the eyes of the more casual Leavers. Appointing a manifest inadequate as Prime Minister should discredit the headbangers, and then we can move on.

    When you say 'on' Team Leadsom, presumably you don't mean that you'll be voting for her?
    Oh goodness no. Me in the Conservative party would be like The Book Of Mormon in Salt Lake City.

    But if Tim Montgomerie and Nigel Farage can express their views from outside the Conservative party, so can I.
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    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,986

    With Leadsom I think I am beginning to get a sense of how Tories felt when they saw that Corbyn might seriously become Labour leader - can they really be so wonderfully, ridiculously, myopically, self-defeatingly stupid?

    But then I remember that Leadsom would be this country's leader and that it is not a joke, it is serious and, therefore, quite frightening.

    And also the polling puts May 2:1 ahead, whereas the polling accurately gave Corbyn a big lead.

    As I said further down, I don't think the majority of Tory members will be as stupid and as selfish as the majority of Labour members; but then I didn't think Corbyn could possibly be elected Labour leader! We are living in very strange, unpredictable times.

This discussion has been closed.