Mr. X, no. It varies a lot game-by-game. FPS fans, by all accounts, receive (and distribute) a lot of bigoted hate in multiplayer.
But then, I've played The Witcher 3, which is full of violence and grimness, and I've never once decapitated someone. I've also played a couple of F1 videogames, but have never actually driven an F1 car myself.
Possibly not a coincidence, though, that it was a FPS game; I'd be much more surprised if his attacker was after him for tinkering with the differential front-end grip settings in a F1 simulator.
Mr. Indigo, beg to differ. As reported on the Sky papers last night, it sounded insensitive at best and bloody obnoxious at worst.
I don't believe I have said otherwise. If my membership hadn't lapsed a few years ago I would not be voting Leadsom. However this should be a open and fair fight, Mrs May's attempt to constrain the terms of debate is in keeping with her authoritarian credentials. Personally I would say the election should be conducted without any additional constraints beyond those in the party rule book, so that members get the best possible look at the candidate in all their glory or stupidity, and can thereby make the best judgement.
I quite agree. PB is in danger of becoming an echo chamber over the Tory contest, and that doesn't make for interesting reading or a helpful barometer of opinion.
The endless sledging adds nothing, and puts off those with an alternative viewpoint from expressing it.
My vote is undecided, and it's not endearing me to TeamMay at all.
ROFL ur Leadsom all the way and this silly posturing just makes you look ever more ridiculous. Besides she's already backed by UKIP, Britain first... what's not to like?
Mr. Indigo, beg to differ. As reported on the Sky papers last night, it sounded insensitive at best and bloody obnoxious at worst.
I don't believe I have said otherwise. If my membership hadn't lapsed a few years ago I would not be voting Leadsom. However this should be a open and fair fight, Mrs May's attempt to constrain the terms of debate is in keeping with her authoritarian credentials. Personally I would say the election should be conducted without any additional constraints beyond those in the party rule book, so that members get the best possible look at the candidate in all their glory or stupidity, and can thereby make the best judgement.
I quite agree. PB is in danger of becoming an echo chamber over the Tory contest, and that doesn't make for interesting reading or a helpful barometer of opinion.
The endless sledging adds nothing, and puts off those with an alternative viewpoint from expressing it.
My vote is undecided, and it's not endearing me to TeamMay at all.
It's starting to resemble an echo chamber as most people who are not Kippers or TINO's can see that Leadsom's simply not a very good politician, leaving aside all the other negatives. Just look at her reaction where she said the interview disgusted her, *before* it comes out that she said the words. Amateur hour.
This is nothing to do with TeamMay at all. Leadsom's loaded her mouth, primed herself, and shot her campaign in the foot.
It's utterly self-inflicted.
I've never voted Kipper. I'm pointing out that Theresa fans jumping up and down are in danger of missing a trick. Just as Remainers did over Leave.
What 'trick' are people 'missing' in your view?
That Party members may not be so excited by the things which tickle many PBers. We saw it again and again and again during the Brexit campaigns.
Taking myself as a subset of one - I think it's perfectly understandable for someone with kids to say how much they influenced their life/their motivations and attitude to the future.
I don't have kids. When the subject comes up, every parent I've ever met has impressed on me how much impact they've had on them. I accept that they're very certain about this *life changing event*.
I really can't get worked up about Leadsom using it as a touchstone. Stone me.
Ms Leadsom didn't make an issue of it. Ms Sylvester asked the question.
Asked about Motherhood.
Leadsom them mentioned Theresa May, and said please don't make this about the woman I just mentioned.
Nasty. And stupid.
Was the preceding question about May? We don't know. The Times have chosen to release only a portion of the interview rather than the whole thing.
Leadsom was asked what the differences were between herself and May. She responded by saying financial competence and motherhood. She was then asked to expand upon the latter.
Mr. Felix, people can't choose who supports them. One imagines you weren't thrilled to have Corbyn, Blair and McGuinness on the Remain side.
Mr. X, I partly agree. There's plenty of murdering in games like The Witcher 3 or Skyrim, but they seem (from what I gather) to have less childish/angry player bases.
Mr. Stjohn, I was unaware Gove had actually backed Leadsom.
It's the self satisfied, skewering condescension when Leadsom says, "I have children" with the strong emphasis on the word children, that is so nauseating and offensive.
Mr. Indigo, beg to differ. As reported on the Sky papers last night, it sounded insensitive at best and bloody obnoxious at worst.
I don't believe I have said otherwise. If my membership hadn't lapsed a few years ago I would not be voting Leadsom. However this should be a open and fair fight, Mrs May's attempt to constrain the terms of debate is in keeping with her authoritarian credentials. Personally I would say the election should be conducted without any additional constraints beyond those in the party rule book, so that members get the best possible look at the candidate in all their glory or stupidity, and can thereby make the best judgement.
I quite agree. PB is in danger of becoming an echo chamber over the Tory contest, and that doesn't make for interesting reading or a helpful barometer of opinion.
The endless sledging adds nothing, and puts off those with an alternative viewpoint from expressing it.
My vote is undecided, and it's not endearing me to TeamMay at all.
ROFL ur Leadsom all the way and this silly posturing just makes you look ever more ridiculous. Besides she's already backed by UKIP, Britain first... what's not to like?
Mr. Dave, I don't think there's a black and white answer. One stupid tweet is not a big deal. A prolonged campaign of death threats is. And there's a lot of grey in between.
[As an aside, I don't like the sexist angle taken, whereby death threats for Farage barely trouble the MSM but those against a backbench MP are serious news, or when a videogame developer receives death threats (and some aimed at his family) for altering the reload time of weapons in a patch for an FPS but nobody cares].
Almost as if trivialising extreme personal violence by making a computer game of it had undesirable side effects.
It doesn't. Overblown parodies of violence are not real violence, in games or movies, they can be fun precisely because even the so called realistic ones are not realistic, our brains still find real violence disturbing. People make death threats around things which don't involve depictions of violence at all, that's about anonymity and idiocy , and anyone who would claim to be influenced by the medium like that woukd have by something else if it wasn't there - but well done jumping in a quote which involved death threats involving video game makers and politicians as proof it was the Videogames fault, even though the threats toward the politicians are not going to be connected to games at all. It's logic!
The PM has also apologised to the Polish PM for the spate of hate attacks.
But we were told on PB that this was just a media meme? Anyone going to own up to being wrong?
I think you will find the view here was that with the referendum there was an increased sensitivity to the issue and events which would otherwise have gone unreported are currently being reported. A responsible person not looking to grind an axe would wait a month or two and look at the figures then.
You think white powder being sent to parliamentarians would not have been reported?
I don't question the rise in the reported crimes, I'm absolutely certain that the Referendum result will bring racist idiots out from under their rocks. I would just point out that I have been to a hell of a lot of white powder, chemical suicides and "police incidents" that have never made the news, not even in local papers, when we have cordoned off whole streets.
@RSylvesterTimes: At Broadcasting House for @BBCr4today to discuss Andrea Leadsom comments on motherhood in my interview with her. Hear the audio at 7.30 am
Leadsom dug herself a small hole in the interview "motherhood" - then dug herself a huge hole on Twittet "the press lied".
The former might have blown over with a contrite clarification - the latter won't. It's either her or the Times.
The Times have a transcript, but have only released one portion of it. That suggests they think they've got something to hide.
It is a stich up for sure , she would only be stating facts, if you have children you worry about the long term for them and their children , if you have none you only have your own span to worry about.
Ms Leadsom didn't make an issue of it. Ms Sylvester asked the question.
Asked about Motherhood.
Leadsom them mentioned Theresa May, and said please don't make this about the woman I just mentioned.
Nasty. And stupid.
Was the preceding question about May? We don't know. The Times have chosen to release only a portion of the interview rather than the whole thing.
Leadsom was asked what the differences were between herself and May. She responded by saying financial competence and motherhood. She was then asked to expand upon the latter.
That's not the transcript section I've seen.
Q. During the debates you repeatedly said as a mum. Do you feel like a mum in politics?
Q. So it really keeps you focused on what are you really saying?
I understand that two years ago I became a better, more moral person, and a better candidate for the Conservative leadership, because I had a child.
Or is it only mothers that Leadsom thinks this applies to? I think she should be asked if she thinks it applies to fathers as well.
Interestingly, her defence is: "But the mother of three tweeted that the way the interview was reported was "the exact opposite of what I said"." (from BBC)
I wonder if she meant to say / recalls the first clause (the part before the 'but'), and didn't particularly mean to say the last part that contradicts it? A running-your-mouth-off problem. If so, it's a defence, but it's also a reason *not* to make her PM.
It's also why I'd be a terrible MP. My mouth is always two sentences ahead of my brain. (*)
(*) I know you all find that hard to believe ...
Have we seen the video/recording of the interview yet ?
Do we need to , who gives a F****, Tory nasties abusing each other is just BAU.
It can be useful to know who is chief nasty.
If you're going to judge by actions and not words then May has deported alot more people than Leadsom.
It's the self satisfied, skewering condescension when Leadsom says, "I have children" with the strong emphasis on the word children, that is so nauseating and offensive.
Indeed. Especially as having children is such an unremarkable state.
@RSylvesterTimes: At Broadcasting House for @BBCr4today to discuss Andrea Leadsom comments on motherhood in my interview with her. Hear the audio at 7.30 am
Leadsom dug herself a small hole in the interview "motherhood" - then dug herself a huge hole on Twittet "the press lied".
The former might have blown over with a contrite clarification - the latter won't. It's either her or the Times.
The Times have a transcript, but have only released one portion of it. That suggests they think they've got something to hide.
It is a stich up for sure , she would only be stating facts, if you have children you worry about the long term for them and their children , if you have none you only have your own span to worry about.
Or you have friends with children or siblings with children, or godchildren, or are at home with quite general concepts like altruism and benevolence.
PB is usually sensible but it seems to have gone overboard a little about Ms Leadsom.
Yes, she comes over as amateurish (as does Jezza), but a few on here are making that a criminal offence. We're not all political anoraks. Most voters would decide on overall image, and I suspect the Conservative members would follow suit. I don't know any Conservative members but I doubt if most are at the cutting edge of International politics.
Jezza is unelectable, and that's because a GE campaign would shine a light on his lunatic ideas, yet he swept to victory with the Labour members. Leadsom is still an unwritten political page, May's page would be totally malleable.
Who knows how the cookie will crumble?
May will probably win bnd I find her ominously grey. I didn't agree with Maggie Thatcher but grey she was not.
Amateurish is a criminal offence in a Prime Minister, certainly in the court of public opinion.
The most generous interpretation of Tony Blair's action over Iraq was amateurism.
I mean Andrea says she's a mother, but can we really be so sure?
I see that Ms Leadsom is continuing to display her unerring ability to speak before she thinks. Those EU negotiation meetings are going to be fun.
If being a mother gives her this extra perspective which makes her more suitable to be PM, then surely we are all entitled to know what kind of a mother she has been, what her children think of her, how they have turned out and all sorts of other stuff about her family. Does she really want this kind of scrutiny?
I couldn't care less about this sort of stuff not least because, whether you are a mother or not, women don't think with their ovaries. But if you're going to make an issue of it, if you're going to imply that somehow you care more about the future because you have a biological stake in it through your children then you cannot be surprised if some people may look more closely at your own personal offerings to the future.
Apparently you can be surprised if you made sure to preface your remarks with a disclaimer. That totally means you didn't say the rest of the things you said. It's not as though the later words go against the former ones, even unintentionally, that'd be impossible.
@RSylvesterTimes: At Broadcasting House for @BBCr4today to discuss Andrea Leadsom comments on motherhood in my interview with her. Hear the audio at 7.30 am
Leadsom dug herself a small hole in the interview "motherhood" - then dug herself a huge hole on Twittet "the press lied".
The former might have blown over with a contrite clarification - the latter won't. It's either her or the Times.
The Times have a transcript, but have only released one portion of it. That suggests they think they've got something to hide.
It is a stich up for sure , she would only be stating facts, if you have children you worry about the long term for them and their children , if you have none you only have your own span to worry about.
That's an assumption which really is not true. Normal people really don't think that way.
It's the self satisfied, skewering condescension when Leadsom says, "I have children" with the strong emphasis on the word children, that is so nauseating and offensive.
Indeed. Especially as having children is such an unremarkable state.
I mean Andrea says she's a mother, but can we really be so sure?
I see that Ms Leadsom is continuing to display her unerring ability to speak before she thinks. Those EU negotiation meetings are going to be fun.
If being a mother gives her this extra perspective which makes her more suitable to be PM, then surely we are all entitled to know what kind of a mother she has been, what her children think of her, how they have turned out and all sorts of other stuff about her family. Does she really want this kind of scrutiny?
I couldn't care less about this sort of stuff not least because, whether you are a mother or not, women don't think with their ovaries. But if you're going to make an issue of it, if you're going to imply that somehow you care more about the future because you have a biological stake in it through your children then you cannot be surprised if some people may look more closely at your own personal offerings to the future.
Ms Leadsom didn't make an issue of it. Ms Sylvester asked the question.
It's the answers that are causing the problem. Most politicians can spot when they are invited to walk into an elephant trap. Leadsom barged straight in to it with gusto.
Better still, she used the line "So it really keeps you focussed on what you are really saying" :-)
RS: Do you feel like a mum in politics?
AL: Yes. I am sure, I don’t know Theresa very well but I am sure Theresa will be really, really sad she doesn't have children so I don't want this to be 'Andrea has children, Theresa hasn't' Do you know what I mean? Because I think that would be really horrible but genuinely I feel that being a mum means you have a very real stake in the future of our country, a tangible stake. She possibly has nieces, nephews, lots of people, but I have children who are going to have children who will directly be a part of what happens next.
So it really keeps you focussed on what are you really saying. Because what it means you don't want a downturn but never mind, let’s look to the ten years hence it will all be fine, but my children will be starting their lives in that next ten years so I have a real stake in the next year, the next two.
Ms Leadsom didn't make an issue of it. Ms Sylvester asked the question.
Asked about Motherhood.
Leadsom them mentioned Theresa May, and said please don't make this about the woman I just mentioned.
Nasty. And stupid.
Was the preceding question about May? We don't know. The Times have chosen to release only a portion of the interview rather than the whole thing.
Leadsom was asked what the differences were between herself and May. She responded by saying financial competence and motherhood. She was then asked to expand upon the latter.
That's not the transcript section I've seen.
Q. During the debates you repeatedly said as a mum. Do you feel like a mum in politics?
Q. So it really keeps you focused on what are you really saying?
It's a classic. The interviewer could see the hole Leadsom was digging for herself, and Leadsom could not. She asked pointed questions to get answers that could be spun a certain way.
I certainly don't think that Leadsom had any intention of attacking May in the way reported.
But it also speaks volumes of Leadsom's inexperience; that she didn't see the way she was being played.
I think more highly of Leadsom as a person. But I worry that her inexperience is too great.
@RSylvesterTimes: At Broadcasting House for @BBCr4today to discuss Andrea Leadsom comments on motherhood in my interview with her. Hear the audio at 7.30 am
Leadsom dug herself a small hole in the interview "motherhood" - then dug herself a huge hole on Twittet "the press lied".
The former might have blown over with a contrite clarification - the latter won't. It's either her or the Times.
The Times have a transcript, but have only released one portion of it. That suggests they think they've got something to hide.
It is a stich up for sure , she would only be stating facts, if you have children you worry about the long term for them and their children , if you have none you only have your own span to worry about.
Or you have friends with children or siblings with children, or godchildren, or are at home with quite general concepts like altruism and benevolence.
Not the same thing, how many children do you have.
Unless the full transcript / audio is released here are a lot of unanswered questions.
If Leadsom just mentioned May out of the blue she is in trouble, if the preceding questions before the released portion of the transcript were the journalist mentioning that May doesn't have children then that is an entirely different spin on things
I have posted the relevant audio extract below, but here it is again...
There is no need to sign up to Dropbox. Just click No thanks, continue to view, then press the Play button...
I want to hear the questions before that. I don't doubt the accuracy of the transcript or recording (only a crazy person would) but it needs to be in the context of the previous questions.
Being able to respond to difficult questions in a way that doesn't offend is part of the skill of being PM.
Leadsoms defense is either that she is nasty and meant every word she said or that she is too incompetent and thoughtless to be able to answer a question without thinking through the implications of what she said.
Oh yeah, she's screwed either way but I want to know if she is naive or malicious.
Incidentally the interviewer's "mmmmms" were the 'mmmms' of someone who couldn't believe what their luck in what their subject was saying
I doubt its actual nastiness, just an extreme lack of empathy and too high a view of her own cleverness.
Yes I agree with you, the interviewer won't have believed how good a story they were getting.
Someone linked to a blog by leadsom on marriage which she apparently wanted to keep as a Christian institution. Being charitable if she wrote such a thing she must not literally think non Christians cannot be married even under the the preferred definition of some people of marriage denoting a measure of religious significance in contrast to civil partnership, but it woukd be an example of unintended insult.
But being attacked, even justifiably, will be enough to back leadsom for p,entry, others will agree with the quotes even if she disavows them and others won't care. She still has a chance, there's a long way to go.
It's the self satisfied, skewering condescension when Leadsom says, "I have children" with the strong emphasis on the word children, that is so nauseating and offensive.
Indeed. Especially as having children is such an unremarkable state.
Away you halfwit
Eh? What percentage of the world's population have children? It's literally unremarkable because most people experience it.
@Samfr: I do like Theresa May's campaign strategy of doing nothing while all of her opponents set themselves on fire sequentially.
She's going to become PM after taking a 20 week holiday during the most important political period of our country's recent history.
Hilarious isn't it? Wasn't there a us president who barely ever did anything - may could be like that, she'll be in office years and no one will notice
The more I think about it I think its dark arts from Leadsom. She has made the point she wanted to about Mrs May being childless. Its despicable but I feel sure she intended this.
Frankly she should never be allowed anywhere near No 10.
@RSylvesterTimes: At Broadcasting House for @BBCr4today to discuss Andrea Leadsom comments on motherhood in my interview with her. Hear the audio at 7.30 am
Leadsom dug herself a small hole in the interview "motherhood" - then dug herself a huge hole on Twittet "the press lied".
The former might have blown over with a contrite clarification - the latter won't. It's either her or the Times.
The Times have a transcript, but have only released one portion of it. That suggests they think they've got something to hide.
It is a stich up for sure , she would only be stating facts, if you have children you worry about the long term for them and their children , if you have none you only have your own span to worry about.
That's an assumption which really is not true. Normal people really don't think that way.
Well I count myself as fairly normal and I believe I think differently and more longer term based on my grandchildren etc. May not fit your definition of normal but hey I suppose you are an expert
As before, there is no need to sign up to Dropbox. Just click "No thanks, continue to view", then press the Play button..
Thx. And blimey, it is even worse than I thought as there is something I don't think anyone else has spotted (apologies if it is down thread), but she also says:
"What it means [being a mother] is you don't want a downturn, but never mind let's kind of look to the ten years, it'll all be fine. But my children will be starting their lives in that next ten years, so I have a real stake in the next year, next two." [approx 2:45 in]
How does this square with being a full-on Leaver, which is bring us a downturn? Even Farage admitted there might be some short term economic consequences.
@RSylvesterTimes: At Broadcasting House for @BBCr4today to discuss Andrea Leadsom comments on motherhood in my interview with her. Hear the audio at 7.30 am
Leadsom dug herself a small hole in the interview "motherhood" - then dug herself a huge hole on Twittet "the press lied".
The former might have blown over with a contrite clarification - the latter won't. It's either her or the Times.
The Times have a transcript, but have only released one portion of it. That suggests they think they've got something to hide.
It is a stich up for sure , she would only be stating facts, if you have children you worry about the long term for them and their children , if you have none you only have your own span to worry about.
Or you have friends with children or siblings with children, or godchildren, or are at home with quite general concepts like altruism and benevolence.
Not the same thing, how many children do you have.
2, malc. And I know it is not the same thing in terms of giving me a warm inner glow, but it is the same thing considered as a factor in my suitability, or not, to be pm.
Just thinking this through, is Leadsom actually signalling to the ageing tory membership that she'll be more reliable than May when it comes to messing about with inheritance tax, cos she has skin in the game?
On labour, mr herdson seems almost baffled by them, and I do t blame him. It doesn't seem sustainable, the MPs took it to the brink, but even though they've stepped ba pick they can't very well just bend over and grab ankle, but what else is left? None of them are leaving voluntarily and Corbyn seems to have won.
It's the self satisfied, skewering condescension when Leadsom says, "I have children" with the strong emphasis on the word children, that is so nauseating and offensive.
Indeed. Especially as having children is such an unremarkable state.
Away you halfwit
Eh? What percentage of the world's population have children? It's literally unremarkable because most people experience it.
I was correct , it also does not mean that it changes their view on the world
@Samfr: I do like Theresa May's campaign strategy of doing nothing while all of her opponents set themselves on fire sequentially.
She's going to become PM after taking a 20 week holiday during the most important political period of our country's recent history.
Hilarious isn't it? Wasn't there a us president who barely ever did anything - may could be like that, she'll be in office years and no one will notice
There was Calvin Coolidge, who barely said anything.
It's the self satisfied, skewering condescension when Leadsom says, "I have children" with the strong emphasis on the word children, that is so nauseating and offensive.
Indeed. Especially as having children is such an unremarkable state.
Away you halfwit
Eh? What percentage of the world's population have children? It's literally unremarkable because most people experience it.
I was correct , it also does not mean that it changes their view on the world
Many say it does, but it's certainly not necessary.
On labour, mr herdson seems almost baffled by them, and I do t blame him. It doesn't seem sustainable, the MPs took it to the brink, but even though they've stepped ba pick they can't very well just bend over and grab ankle, but what else is left? None of them are leaving voluntarily and Corbyn seems to have won.
Having gone down the route that they have, they have to challenge Jeremy Corbyn. If they lose, they should set up a new party. Or give up.
@Samfr: I do like Theresa May's campaign strategy of doing nothing while all of her opponents set themselves on fire sequentially.
She's going to become PM after taking a 20 week holiday during the most important political period of our country's recent history.
Hilarious isn't it? Wasn't there a us president who barely ever did anything - may could be like that, she'll be in office years and no one will notice
There was Calvin Coolidge, who barely said anything.
PB is usually sensible but it seems to have gone overboard a little about Ms Leadsom.
Yes, she comes over as amateurish (as does Jezza), but a few on here are making that a criminal offence. We're not all political anoraks. Most voters would decide on overall image, and I suspect the Conservative members would follow suit. I don't know any Conservative members but I doubt if most are at the cutting edge of International politics.
Jezza is unelectable, and that's because a GE campaign would shine a light on his lunatic ideas, yet he swept to victory with the Labour members. Leadsom is still an unwritten political page, May's page would be totally malleable.
Who knows how the cookie will crumble?
May will probably win bnd I find her ominously grey. I didn't agree with Maggie Thatcher but grey she was not.
How people behave when they get to be leader can sometimes turn out to be surprisingly different from their persona when within a team. It will be interesting to see.
Academic research, quoted in the latest Cam magazine: "while men in competitive settings benefit from high levels of facial masculinity, women fare well when they either look particularly masculine or when they don't look masculine at all. So women with feminine characteristics may have a better chance of being perceived as leaders than previously thought."
This will probably only affect the Conservative leadership election by 1 or 2%, at most, so is unlikely to be decisive, but it's still a factor to consider.
Quite a few on here are committed to a party - hardly surprising on a board like this which is about politics. They see Ms Leadsom as a Leaver, a right winger and a threat to whatever opinions they hold. Therefore she is fair game when she makes a slip, and it will be magnified to epic proportions.
She may be unsuitable to be PM, who knows? But they do.
Ms May is a good politician. In the sense that Charles II was. As the second Earl of Rochester said about him ...
"Here lies our sovereign lord the king, Whose word no man relies on; He never says a foolish thing, Nor ever does a wise one."
The latest controversy over Andrea Leadsom has resulted in Ladbrokes raising the fulcrum point by 1% to 60.5% as regards their 10/11 +/- bet on Mrs. May's share of the vote.
Mr. Freggles, an issue, as I understand it, is that a 'reported crime' can be anything from an attack with weapons to someone sending an obnoxious tweet. So the 42% rise could be very serious, or it could be mostly twittering. A more detailed statistical breakdown is needed.
I find this notion of the police monitoring Twitter absolutely bizarre. Is bad manners really a crime?
Who suggests the police monitor Twitter? More likely something gets reported to the Police from someone else.
There are two other aspects of Leadsom's comments that are worthy of note: (1) commenting on how Ms May feels about her childless state ("really really sad") - how the hell does she know and what business is it of hers anyway? There's an insensitivity there which is startling; and (2) how did she manage her stellar career in the City with motherhood? I know - from experience - that working full-time in the City (or indeed any profession) and motherhood involves some considerable trade-offs. Trade-offs which all working parents at every level face. Indeed some full-time mothers seem to regard full-time working mothers as barely proper mothers at all. Sensitive waters these.
A more intelligent and thoughtful politician might have thought about such matters before an interview.
@RSylvesterTimes: At Broadcasting House for @BBCr4today to discuss Andrea Leadsom comments on motherhood in my interview with her. Hear the audio at 7.30 am
Leadsom dug herself a small hole in the interview "motherhood" - then dug herself a huge hole on Twittet "the press lied".
The former might have blown over with a contrite clarification - the latter won't. It's either her or the Times.
The Times have a transcript, but have only released one portion of it. That suggests they think they've got something to hide.
It is a stich up for sure , she would only be stating facts, if you have children you worry about the long term for them and their children , if you have none you only have your own span to worry about.
Or you have friends with children or siblings with children, or godchildren, or are at home with quite general concepts like altruism and benevolence.
Not the same thing, how many children do you have.
2, malc. And I know it is not the same thing in terms of giving me a warm inner glow, but it is the same thing considered as a factor in my suitability, or not, to be pm.
Just thinking this through, is Leadsom actually signalling to the ageing tory membership that she'll be more reliable than May when it comes to messing about with inheritance tax, cos she has skin in the game?
For me they are both cheeks of the same arse, a pair of nasty right wing Tories. that makes m every concerned for my children and grandchildren's future for sure. The only people these pair will look after is their own , neither will have much interest in teh bulk of teh population.
It really feels like we are living in a different country at the moment in Scotland. Sitting up here we cannot see any other option than May and this will be the vote from the large Scottish Tory party. If leadson gets elected it may well be the point the Scottish tories cut their links even further with the south English party which has seizef control of the Tory party.
Unless the full transcript / audio is released here are a lot of unanswered questions.
If Leadsom just mentioned May out of the blue she is in trouble, if the preceding questions before the released portion of the transcript were the journalist mentioning that May doesn't have children then that is an entirely different spin on things
I have posted the relevant audio extract below, but here it is again...
There is no need to sign up to Dropbox. Just click No thanks, continue to view, then press the Play button...
I want to hear the questions before that. I don't doubt the accuracy of the transcript or recording (only a crazy person would) but it needs to be in the context of the previous questions.
Being able to respond to difficult questions in a way that doesn't offend is part of the skill of being PM.
Leadsoms defense is either that she is nasty and meant every word she said or that she is too incompetent and thoughtless to be able to answer a question without thinking through the implications of what she said.
Oh yeah, she's screwed either way but I want to know if she is naive or malicious.
Incidentally the interviewer's "mmmmms" were the 'mmmms' of someone who couldn't believe what their luck in what their subject was saying
I doubt its actual nastiness, just an extreme lack of empathy and too high a view of her own cleverness.
Yes I agree with you, the interviewer won't have believed how good a story they were getting.
Someone linked to a blog by leadsom on marriage which she apparently wanted to keep as a Christian institution. Being charitable if she wrote such a thing she must not literally think non Christians cannot be married even under the the preferred definition of some people of marriage denoting a measure of religious significance in contrast to civil partnership, but it woukd be an example of unintended insult.
But being attacked, even justifiably, will be enough to back leadsom for p,entry, others will agree with the quotes even if she disavows them and others won't care. She still has a chance, there's a long way to go.
Labour's invention of Civil Partnerships avoided the religious issue. If the Cameroons wanted to change that, they should have made everyone use Civil Partnerships instead. Keeping the State, and religions entirely separate.
Anna Soubry MP @Anna_Soubry Today's @thetimes interview shows #AndreaLeadsom is not PM material. She should do us all a favour including herself and step aside....
Sarah Wollaston MP @sarahwollaston .@andrealeadsom has repeatedly shown that she lacks judgement & is not the right person to lead the nation. She should now withdraw
@RSylvesterTimes: At Broadcasting House for @BBCr4today to discuss Andrea Leadsom comments on motherhood in my interview with her. Hear the audio at 7.30 am
Leadsom dug herself a small hole in the interview "motherhood" - then dug herself a huge hole on Twittet "the press lied".
The former might have blown over with a contrite clarification - the latter won't. It's either her or the Times.
The Times have a transcript, but have only released one portion of it. That suggests they think they've got something to hide.
It is a stich up for sure , she would only be stating facts, if you have children you worry about the long term for them and their children , if you have none you only have your own span to worry about.
Or you have friends with children or siblings with children, or godchildren, or are at home with quite general concepts like altruism and benevolence.
Not the same thing, how many children do you have.
2, malc. And I know it is not the same thing in terms of giving me a warm inner glow, but it is the same thing considered as a factor in my suitability, or not, to be pm.
Just thinking this through, is Leadsom actually signalling to the ageing tory membership that she'll be more reliable than May when it comes to messing about with inheritance tax, cos she has skin in the game?
For sure it does not in any way make you fit for PM, but it does change your outlook somewhat. Most parents tend to change their way of life when they have children.
For me the most offensive thing Leadsome said is 'I am sure Theresa will be really, really sad she doesn't have children'. Is this what it amounts to for us all, women and men? Our life's fulfilment is becoming a parent, and it's somehow tragic if we don't have children.
There are two other aspects of Leadsom's comments that are worthy of note: (1) commenting on how Ms May feels about her childless state ("really really sad") - how the hell does she know and what business is it of hers anyway? There's an insensitivity there which is startling; and (2) how did she manage her stellar career in the City with motherhood? I know - from experience - that working full-time in the City (or indeed any profession) and motherhood involves some considerable trade-offs. Trade-offs which all working parents at every level face. Indeed some full-time mothers seem to regard full-time working mothers as barely proper mothers at all. Sensitive waters these.
A more intelligent and thoughtful politician might have thought about such matters before an interview.
The PM has also apologised to the Polish PM for the spate of hate attacks.
But we were told on PB that this was just a media meme? Anyone going to own up to being wrong?
I think you will find the view here was that with the referendum there was an increased sensitivity to the issue and events which would otherwise have gone unreported are currently being reported. A responsible person not looking to grind an axe would wait a month or two and look at the figures then.
You think white powder being sent to parliamentarians would not have been reported?
I don't question the rise in the reported crimes, I'm absolutely certain that the Referendum result will bring racist idiots out from under their rocks. I would just point out that I have been to a hell of a lot of white powder, chemical suicides and "police incidents" that have never made the news, not even in local papers, when we have cordoned off whole streets.
'It's probably just flour' doesn't really cut it........(even tho 99 times out of 100 it probably is...)
@RSylvesterTimes: At Broadcasting House for @BBCr4today to discuss Andrea Leadsom comments on motherhood in my interview with her. Hear the audio at 7.30 am
Leadsom dug herself a small hole in the interview "motherhood" - then dug herself a huge hole on Twittet "the press lied".
The former might have blown over with a contrite clarification - the latter won't. It's either her or the Times.
The Times have a transcript, but have only released one portion of it. That suggests they think they've got something to hide.
It is a stich up for sure , she would only be stating facts, if you have children you worry about the long term for them and their children , if you have none you only have your own span to worry about.
Or you have friends with children or siblings with children, or godchildren, or are at home with quite general concepts like altruism and benevolence.
Reminds me of a John Oliver bit (yes, he's a partisan lefty, I know) on I think a female CEO defending her company whose mistakes had led to deaths being criticised for not seeming to care enough even though she too was someone's mother.
"Right, cause Everyone knows people without kids could barely give a shit when 13 people die. I don't have kids, you tell me that I'mlike 'why are you telling me this?' I could be sleeping or counting my disposable income right now. You're wasting my plentiful free time"
As a gay man, I find the identity politics of motherhood very alienating.
There is, very definitely, a 'club', which you are either inside or outside. It is very noticeable amongst neighbours.
Those on the inside probably don't realise they behave the way they do to childless women, but that's how life & people arrange themselves in all manner of things.
Quite a few on here are committed to a party - hardly surprising on a board like this which is about politics. They see Ms Leadsom as a Leaver, a right winger and a threat to whatever opinions they hold. Therefore she is fair game when she makes a slip, and it will be magnified to epic proportions.
She may be unsuitable to be PM, who knows? But they do.
Ms May is a good politician. In the sense that Charles II was. As the second Earl of Rochester said about him ...
"Here lies our sovereign lord the king, Whose word no man relies on; He never says a foolish thing, Nor ever does a wise one."
so true.
I don't want an autocue PM though. Obama's teleprompter legacy was a waste too. If he wasn't black, no one would remember him.
There are two other aspects of Leadsom's comments that are worthy of note: (1) commenting on how Ms May feels about her childless state ("really really sad") - how the hell does she know and what business is it of hers anyway? There's an insensitivity there which is startling; and (2) how did she manage her stellar career in the City with motherhood? I know - from experience - that working full-time in the City (or indeed any profession) and motherhood involves some considerable trade-offs. Trade-offs which all working parents at every level face. Indeed some full-time mothers seem to regard full-time working mothers as barely proper mothers at all. Sensitive waters these.
A more intelligent and thoughtful politician might have thought about such matters before an interview.
Having kids really has given me a new perspective on both my own life and existence in general, something I did not expect at all.
But it hasn't made me care about the future of the country any more than I did previously, or made me better at my job.
Mostly, going around telling women who wanted children but couldn't that they are lesser for it is just awful.
She was stupid to get involved in answering the daft question but I doubt even as a nasty Tory that she was saying that. Just what you would expect from a stone hearted Tory mind you, they are too busy thinking of themselves to have a care for someone else.
The PM has also apologised to the Polish PM for the spate of hate attacks.
But we were told on PB that this was just a media meme? Anyone going to own up to being wrong?
I think you will find the view here was that with the referendum there was an increased sensitivity to the issue and events which would otherwise have gone unreported are currently being reported. A responsible person not looking to grind an axe would wait a month or two and look at the figures then.
You think white powder being sent to parliamentarians would not have been reported?
I don't question the rise in the reported crimes, I'm absolutely certain that the Referendum result will bring racist idiots out from under their rocks. I would just point out that I have been to a hell of a lot of white powder, chemical suicides and "police incidents" that have never made the news, not even in local papers, when we have cordoned off whole streets.
'It's probably just flour' doesn't really cut it........(even tho 99 times out of 100 it probably is...)
Labour's invention of Civil Partnerships avoided the religious issue. If the Cameroons wanted to change that, they should have made everyone use Civil Partnerships instead. Keeping the State, and religions entirely separate.
Civil marriage in a registry office (non-religious by law) has been in operation in this country since 1836. It would have been a massively retrograde and unpopular step to remove that option from people.
Labour is in the classic definition of a stalemate. The issue is that the PLP members who are anti-Corbyn don't want to split the party for a number of reasons:-
1. No guarantee of political support electoral cover for doing so. Moderate grassroots members may not follow them. 2. It writes off the next election (it's largely written off anyway but never mind) 3. The last time it happened it wasn't a formidable success.
I think on the last point there would be a considerable difference between a few dozen malcontents quitting, and all but a few malcontents doing so.
The PLP problem is knowing what they don't want and not knowing what they do.
Quite a few on here are committed to a party - hardly surprising on a board like this which is about politics. They see Ms Leadsom as a Leaver, a right winger and a threat to whatever opinions they hold. Therefore she is fair game when she makes a slip, and it will be magnified to epic proportions.
She may be unsuitable to be PM, who knows? But they do.
Ms May is a good politician. In the sense that Charles II was. As the second Earl of Rochester said about him ...
"Here lies our sovereign lord the king, Whose word no man relies on; He never says a foolish thing, Nor ever does a wise one."
so true.
I don't want an autocue PM though. Obama's teleprompter legacy was a waste too. If he wasn't black, no one would remember him.
I don't want an autocue PM either, but politics isn't binary it's a sliding scale. Leadsom has a few months to prove her qualities make up for her negatives enough that not being an autocue PM, and being a leaver, and being a banker, is worth more than say May, who is probably an autocue politician but has other strengths.
I think Andrea would be advised to withdraw from the leadership race. Let Theresa take over (she'll almost certainly prove to be a disaster - She's really not a character the public will ever warm to) and then Andrea might be able to have another run in 2020.
The latest controversy over Andrea Leadsom has resulted in Ladbrokes raising the fulcrum point by 1% to 60.5% as regards their 10/11 +/- bet on Mrs. May's share of the vote.
I was debating whether to bet on that (lower), or a Leadsom win yesterday.
The under 40% looks too low. I think the polls show a 2:1 Leave/remain split among the Con membership, and the Remains won't consider the Leave candidate.
Anna Soubry MP @Anna_Soubry Today's @thetimes interview shows #AndreaLeadsom is not PM material. She should do us all a favour including herself and step aside....
Sarah Wollaston MP @sarahwollaston .@andrealeadsom has repeatedly shown that she lacks judgement & is not the right person to lead the nation. She should now withdraw
Ye gods! Soubry and Wollaston. No two twisted and spiteful MP's to be found.
I see that Leadsom carries a lot of Hate on PB, especially from the lefty crowd, wether Tory or Labour versions.
She must frighten them because because she is slightly, ever so slightly, right wing.
No, it frightens me because she is clearly not up to the demands of being PM. Untested, untried, no Cabinet-level exposure to the rigours of politics and media etc etc. #babygate demonstrates this and we'll see more no doubt.
There are two other aspects of Leadsom's comments that are worthy of note: (1) commenting on how Ms May feels about her childless state ("really really sad") - how the hell does she know and what business is it of hers anyway? There's an insensitivity there which is startling; and (2) how did she manage her stellar career in the City with motherhood? I know - from experience - that working full-time in the City (or indeed any profession) and motherhood involves some considerable trade-offs. Trade-offs which all working parents at every level face. Indeed some full-time mothers seem to regard full-time working mothers as barely proper mothers at all. Sensitive waters these.
A more intelligent and thoughtful politician might have thought about such matters before an interview.
She read Mrs May's intv in the Mail about it?
Theresa May has spoken for the first time about her and husband Philip’s heartbreak at not being able to have children. In the most candid and intimate interview she has ever given, the Home Secretary revealed how they sought expert advice – and told of their sadness at discovering it would never happen.
There are two other aspects of Leadsom's comments that are worthy of note: (1) commenting on how Ms May feels about her childless state ("really really sad") - how the hell does she know and what business is it of hers anyway? There's an insensitivity there which is startling; and (2) how did she manage her stellar career in the City with motherhood? I know - from experience - that working full-time in the City (or indeed any profession) and motherhood involves some considerable trade-offs. Trade-offs which all working parents at every level face. Indeed some full-time mothers seem to regard full-time working mothers as barely proper mothers at all. Sensitive waters these.
A more intelligent and thoughtful politician might have thought about such matters before an interview.
It's fair to say that my preference for May is not a particularly positive one; she simply has more of the right type of experience than Leadsom.
I believe that it's because Leadsom has so little relevant experience that she's chosen to adopt this Mum-of-the-people approach. It's neither convincing or persuasive.
Personally, I would be looking for something rather more exceptional, for example "As someone who's killed a grizzly bear with my bare hands, I believe I have the necessary toughness to deal with President Putin".
It really feels like we are living in a different country at the moment in Scotland. Sitting up here we cannot see any other option than May and this will be the vote from the large Scottish Tory party. If leadson gets elected it may well be the point the Scottish tories cut their links even further with the south English party which has seizef control of the Tory party.
Rubbish, the sockpuppet Scottish Branch are welded at teh hip to London and will do as they are told, Ruthie is so in awe of getting to Downing Street now and again she would never even think of having an original thought. She just follows orders from southern headquarters.
I see that Leadsom carries a lot of Hate on PB, especially from the lefty crowd, wether Tory or Labour versions.
She must frighten them because because she is slightly, ever so slightly, right wing.
Tories who don't like Leadsom aren't right wing then - not just not on the right wing of their party, just not right wing at all? Fascinating stuff. It's like those anti-Corbynites, not on the left at all, even if they've been fighting for the left for decades.
Mrs Leadsom was naive in thinking that an interview with the Labour supporting Rachel Sylvester and wife of Guardinista Patrick Wintour was going to be a good idea.
There are two other aspects of Leadsom's comments that are worthy of note: (1) commenting on how Ms May feels about her childless state ("really really sad") - how the hell does she know and what business is it of hers anyway? There's an insensitivity there which is startling; and (2) how did she manage her stellar career in the City with motherhood? I know - from experience - that working full-time in the City (or indeed any profession) and motherhood involves some considerable trade-offs. Trade-offs which all working parents at every level face. Indeed some full-time mothers seem to regard full-time working mothers as barely proper mothers at all. Sensitive waters these.
A more intelligent and thoughtful politician might have thought about such matters before an interview.
It's fair to say that my preference for May is not a particularly positive one; she simply has more of the right type of experience than Leadsom.
I believe that it's because Leadsom has so little relevant experience that she's chosen to adopt this Mum-of-the-people approach. It's neither convincing or persuasive.
Personally, I would be looking for something rather more exceptional, for example "As someone who's killed a grizzly bear with my bare hands, I believe I have the necessary toughness to deal with President Putin".
I think Andrea would be advised to withdraw from the leadership race. Let Theresa take over (she'll almost certainly prove to be a disaster - She's really not a character the public will ever warm to) and then Andrea might be able to have another run in 2020.
Anna Soubry MP @Anna_Soubry Today's @thetimes interview shows #AndreaLeadsom is not PM material. She should do us all a favour including herself and step aside....
Sarah Wollaston MP @sarahwollaston .@andrealeadsom has repeatedly shown that she lacks judgement & is not the right person to lead the nation. She should now withdraw
That would be a mistake - unless they are worried despite this, or because of this, Leadsome would win, withdrawing would be bad idea, they would do better to have May beat Leadsom.
I see that Leadsom carries a lot of Hate on PB, especially from the lefty crowd, wether Tory or Labour versions.
She must frighten them because because she is slightly, ever so slightly, right wing.
No: no hate. Amused contempt mostly and concern at the idea that she thinks (and 84 fellow MPs think) she is up to being PM and not because she is right-wing but because she is an idiot who lacks judgment.
@RSylvesterTimes: At Broadcasting House for @BBCr4today to discuss Andrea Leadsom comments on motherhood in my interview with her. Hear the audio at 7.30 am
Leadsom dug herself a small hole in the interview "motherhood" - then dug herself a huge hole on Twittet "the press lied".
The former might have blown over with a contrite clarification - the latter won't. It's either her or the Times.
The Times have a transcript, but have only released one portion of it. That suggests they think they've got something to hide.
It is a stich up for sure , she would only be stating facts, if you have children you worry about the long term for them and their children , if you have none you only have your own span to worry about.
That's an assumption which really is not true. Normal people really don't think that way.
Well I count myself as fairly normal and I believe I think differently and more longer term based on my grandchildren etc. May not fit your definition of normal but hey I suppose you are an expert
No - I simply believe that most people have thoughts about the future - you do not need to have fathered a child to have those feelings and concerns.
There are two other aspects of Leadsom's comments that are worthy of note: (1) commenting on how Ms May feels about her childless state ("really really sad") - how the hell does she know and what business is it of hers anyway? There's an insensitivity there which is startling; and (2) how did she manage her stellar career in the City with motherhood? I know - from experience - that working full-time in the City (or indeed any profession) and motherhood involves some considerable trade-offs. Trade-offs which all working parents at every level face. Indeed some full-time mothers seem to regard full-time working mothers as barely proper mothers at all. Sensitive waters these.
A more intelligent and thoughtful politician might have thought about such matters before an interview.
It's fair to say that my preference for May is not a particularly positive one; she simply has more of the right type of experience than Leadsom.
I believe that it's because Leadsom has so little relevant experience that she's chosen to adopt this Mum-of-the-people approach. It's neither convincing or persuasive.
Personally, I would be looking for something rather more exceptional, for example "As someone who's killed a grizzly bear with my bare hands, I believe I have the necessary toughness to deal with President Putin".
Ahah! You are looking for another Palin, then.
As Mrs. Palin isn't on the ballot, alas, I shall have to settle for Mrs May.
I see that Leadsom carries a lot of Hate on PB, especially from the lefty crowd, wether Tory or Labour versions.
She must frighten them because because she is slightly, ever so slightly, right wing.
No, it frightens me because she is clearly not up to the demands of being PM. Untested, untried, no Cabinet-level exposure to the rigours of politics and media etc etc. #babygate demonstrates this and we'll see more no doubt.
+1 it is bad enough that our new national leader is being chosen with no opportunity for involvement (other than posting on the Internet) for most of us, worse that this is at a time of potential crisis where the direction in we are about to head off is extremely uncertain, with significant but unforeseen consequences for us all, and potentially disastrous that (at least) one of the candidates is so ill equipped, both by capability and ideology, for the task.
On labour, mr herdson seems almost baffled by them, and I do t blame him. It doesn't seem sustainable, the MPs took it to the brink, but even though they've stepped ba pick they can't very well just bend over and grab ankle, but what else is left? None of them are leaving voluntarily and Corbyn seems to have won.
Having gone down the route that they have, they have to challenge Jeremy Corbyn. If they lose, they should set up a new party. Or give up.
It seems so obvious that it's very hard to understand the delay.
I see that Leadsom carries a lot of Hate on PB, especially from the lefty crowd, wether Tory or Labour versions.
She must frighten them because because she is slightly, ever so slightly, right wing.
No: no hate. Amused contempt mostly and concern at the idea that she thinks (and 84 fellow MPs think) she is up to being PM and not because she is right-wing but because she is an idiot who lacks judgment.
Linking this with the thread header, the resigning shadow ministers cited Jeremy Corbyn's ineptness, not his politics. But for the true faithful competence is not a relevant consideration.
Comments
https://twitter.com/mike_fabricant/status/751687530504974336
twitter.com/SamCoatesTimes/status/751660614989320192
Taking myself as a subset of one - I think it's perfectly understandable for someone with kids to say how much they influenced their life/their motivations and attitude to the future.
I don't have kids. When the subject comes up, every parent I've ever met has impressed on me how much impact they've had on them. I accept that they're very certain about this *life changing event*.
I really can't get worked up about Leadsom using it as a touchstone. Stone me.
Her profile picture is better but there is excessive noise in there when you click.
Mr. X, I partly agree. There's plenty of murdering in games like The Witcher 3 or Skyrim, but they seem (from what I gather) to have less childish/angry player bases.
Mr. Stjohn, I was unaware Gove had actually backed Leadsom.
Gods sake...
I would just point out that I have been to a hell of a lot of white powder, chemical suicides and "police incidents" that have never made the news, not even in local papers, when we have cordoned off whole streets.
President Putin - "Da"
Prime Minister Leadsom - "As a tough negotiator I'd like to give you the Baltic states"
President Putin - "Da"
Prime Minister Leadsom - "And Eastern Ukraine .... and in return I'll give you Nick Boles as Consul General for Siberia"
President Putin - "Da"
Prime Minister Leadsom - "And they called me naive and incompetent .."
President Putin - "Da ....
Q. During the debates you repeatedly said as a mum. Do you feel like a mum in politics?
Q. So it really keeps you focused on what are you really saying?
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cm4N9i5XYAAw7Fj.jpg
The most generous interpretation of Tony Blair's action over Iraq was amateurism.
RS: Do you feel like a mum in politics?
AL: Yes. I am sure, I don’t know Theresa very well but I am sure Theresa will be really, really sad she doesn't have children so I don't want this to be 'Andrea has children, Theresa hasn't' Do you know what I mean? Because I think that would be really horrible but genuinely I feel that being a mum means you have a very real stake in the future of our country, a tangible stake. She possibly has nieces, nephews, lots of people, but I have children who are going to have children who will directly be a part of what happens next.
So it really keeps you focussed on what are you really saying. Because what it means you don't want a downturn but never mind, let’s look to the ten years hence it will all be fine, but my children will be starting their lives in that next ten years so I have a real stake in the next year, the next two.
I certainly don't think that Leadsom had any intention of attacking May in the way reported.
But it also speaks volumes of Leadsom's inexperience; that she didn't see the way she was being played.
I think more highly of Leadsom as a person. But I worry that her inexperience is too great.
Either way, Labour's goose may be cooked.
But being attacked, even justifiably, will be enough to back leadsom for p,entry, others will agree with the quotes even if she disavows them and others won't care. She still has a chance, there's a long way to go.
Frankly she should never be allowed anywhere near No 10.
"What it means [being a mother] is you don't want a downturn, but never mind let's kind of look to the ten years, it'll all be fine. But my children will be starting their lives in that next ten years, so I have a real stake in the next year, next two." [approx 2:45 in]
How does this square with being a full-on Leaver, which is bring us a downturn? Even Farage admitted there might be some short term economic consequences.
Just thinking this through, is Leadsom actually signalling to the ageing tory membership that she'll be more reliable than May when it comes to messing about with inheritance tax, cos she has skin in the game?
But it hasn't made me care about the future of the country any more than I did previously, or made me better at my job.
Mostly, going around telling women who wanted children but couldn't that they are lesser for it is just awful.
There's the famous quip:
"Calvin Coolidge is dead!"
"How can they tell?"
This will probably only affect the Conservative leadership election by 1 or 2%, at most, so is unlikely to be decisive, but it's still a factor to consider.
Quite a few on here are committed to a party - hardly surprising on a board like this which is about politics. They see Ms Leadsom as a Leaver, a right winger and a threat to whatever opinions they hold. Therefore she is fair game when she makes a slip, and it will be magnified to epic proportions.
She may be unsuitable to be PM, who knows? But they do.
Ms May is a good politician. In the sense that Charles II was. As the second Earl of Rochester said about him ...
"Here lies our sovereign lord the king,
Whose word no man relies on;
He never says a foolish thing,
Nor ever does a wise one."
A more intelligent and thoughtful politician might have thought about such matters before an interview.
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2012/05/the-folly-of-camerons-gay-marriage-culture-war/
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2013-02-05b.125.0#g221.0
e.g.
Anna Soubry MP @Anna_Soubry
Today's @thetimes interview shows #AndreaLeadsom is not PM material. She should do us all a favour including herself and step aside....
Sarah Wollaston MP @sarahwollaston
.@andrealeadsom has repeatedly shown that she lacks judgement & is not the right person to lead the nation. She should now withdraw
She must frighten them because because she is slightly, ever so slightly, right wing.
"Right, cause Everyone knows people without kids could barely give a shit when 13 people die. I don't have kids, you tell me that I'mlike 'why are you telling me this?' I could be sleeping or counting my disposable income right now. You're wasting my plentiful free time"
Those on the inside probably don't realise they behave the way they do to childless women, but that's how life & people arrange themselves in all manner of things.
(Good morning, everyone)
I don't want an autocue PM though. Obama's teleprompter legacy was a waste too. If he wasn't black, no one would remember him.
1. No guarantee of political support electoral cover for doing so. Moderate grassroots members may not follow them.
2. It writes off the next election (it's largely written off anyway but never mind)
3. The last time it happened it wasn't a formidable success.
I think on the last point there would be a considerable difference between a few dozen malcontents quitting, and all but a few malcontents doing so.
The PLP problem is knowing what they don't want and not knowing what they do.
The under 40% looks too low. I think the polls show a 2:1 Leave/remain split among the Con membership, and the Remains won't consider the Leave candidate.
(I'm assuming Leadsom is going to win)
Theresa May has spoken for the first time about her and husband Philip’s heartbreak at not being able to have children.
In the most candid and intimate interview she has ever given, the Home Secretary revealed how they sought expert advice – and told of their sadness at discovering it would never happen.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3671725/We-affected-not-having-children-coped-Exclusive-interview-Theresa-reveals-softer-steely-favourite-PM-says-EU-chiefs-talk-UK-Brexit.html#ixzz4DtoFUbMl
I believe that it's because Leadsom has so little relevant experience that she's chosen to adopt this Mum-of-the-people approach. It's neither convincing or persuasive.
Personally, I would be looking for something rather more exceptional, for example "As someone who's killed a grizzly bear with my bare hands, I believe I have the necessary toughness to deal with President Putin".
https://twitter.com/lukeakehurst/status/751424473522397184
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3681491/Its-disgrace-Prime-Minister-s-newly-refurbished-10million-jet-slammed-disgruntled-passengers-no-thrills-feel.html
Poor dears......the airframe is under 4 years old......AirForce 1 is over a quarter of a century.....