Got to run, but in response to the second bullet point, polling indicates 68% support the election being held, with 26% opposed. So, I'm not sure that's a problem.
Recent polls would have to be overstating Tory lead, and understating Labour strength to support Harry Spencer's view. The polling fatigue argument does seem spurious.
Still early to assess how many incumbents are stepping down, but it does appear that some Labour MPs don't fancy their chances on June 8th.
Matthew Goodwin @GoodwinMJ To be clear there are 49 Lab seats with majority less than 10 pts, 42 that wd be lost to Cons on 5% swing, 81 that wd likely go on 10% swing
Matthew Goodwin @GoodwinMJ There are around 50 Lab seats that wd fall to Cons on just a 5% swing -which underlines how easy it would be for Lab to fall under 200 mark
Election Fatigue - it's fun to mock the idea given most seem to be in favour of this snap election, but I think it is still relevant to some degree. Some people will be suffering fatigue, even if they say they want one.
Violating a sense of Fair Play - not taking part in the TV debates is being frit, not anything to do with playing fair, I would think. While it has been done mostly for partisan advantage, the fact Labour agreed to do it I think will undercut any attempt to suggest this was for the Tory interest above the country - if Labour for instance say that, why did they vote for it?
The Crushing of the Saboteurs - That headline was disgusting, and I hope it cost them some votes at least. Hubris and general arrogance is a powerful potential issue for the Tories. They are trying not to be overconfident, you can tell, but someone will crack in the campaign, particularly if the locals go very well, and there will be gloating and 'rue the day' type stuff which could put some off. But overall the strong position means I don't think it can change the direction of travel.
Brexit means Brexit? - Yes, I think you've called this one right. So far she's seeking a mandate for a blank cheque.
The lack of any credible threat - Careful, 'I don't know a single person who x' is the sort of thing Milibanders said in shock after they lost! But I think it's right turnout will be down as a result - AlistairMeeks put it will when he identified two trends, the returning labour voters scared into ensuring the party survives even if they are very dispirited by Corbyn, and those who stay at home, with the latter being larger, though the first might save more seats than thought.
The 0.7% of GDP for overseas aid is something we can and should be very proud of.
There will always be issues about how these things are administered and who gets the money but that is a question of reviewing and revising our criteria for overseas aid, not getting rid of or reducing it. I hope that leaving the EU might help this as significant amounts of overseas aid was channelled through them and the convoluted way in which it was administered made the whole thing rather opaque.
But the basic principle that rich countries should help poor ones for the long term benefit of everyone seems very sensible and admirable to me.
I would add that I have never understood the antipathy amongst some Tory politicians towards overseas aid. It seems a very old fashioned Conservative thing to do to help those les fortunate than oneself.
On a relevant election note, I've just received several e-mails from CCHQ re candidate selection. The whole thing is inevitably being fast-tracked.
MPs who want to stand again can do so subject to the approval of either their exec or full membership. Candidates from target seats (unclear whether this is 2015 or 2017), can do the same.
Where there's a vacancy in a Con-held seat or a key target, there'll be a shortlist of three drawn up between the CCHQ and the Association officers and put to a general meeting.
For the non-target seats (which given current polling may be some which are ultimately gained), CCHQ will impose a candidate. I can foresee some grumbling about that.
So I should only have one selection to run rather than two. Woohoo.
If Farage won Thanet, how big a majority would it need to be not to count as an awful result for May?
Depends how big her overall majority is I suppose.
That's what I meant. If she ended up with 50 SNP, 50+ Lib Dems and Farage, then destroying Corbyn might look like a Pyrrhic victory.
50 SNP would still see the SNP lose 6 seats and 50 LD would be no more than Charles Kennedy had and Farage would do no more than match Carswell so a small price to pay for a majority over 100
Recent polls would have to be overstating Tory lead, and understating Labour strength to support Harry Spencer's view.
Seems very credible since the sudden jump to 20 point leads for no explicable reason (that was not already the case) probably means that is a bit high. I expect it to dip to around 10 at some point, and being get a bit more nervous or hopeful, before settling in the low mid teens.
Thanks and welcome Mr Spencer – I keep seeing that the blues ‘may not get the margin they expect’ but no one appears to state the figure they expect. Does anyone know ?
Thanks and welcome Mr Spencer – I keep seeing that the blues ‘may not get the margin they expect’ but no one appears to state the figure they expect. Does anyone know ?
Key question indeed - May wouldn't have done this unless she expected to win big, but how big? I'd suggest anything that left Labour under 200, and the further below it the better.
Straight away yesterday the media were hooked on this idea of voters not wanting a GE and voter fatigue. Now when have we seen the media being totally out of step with the rest of the country...innocent face..
That front page is tremendously unflattering. I can't shake "Bela Lugosi's Dead" from my head.
I'm not sure you're supposed to find it flattering, more "respect" her. The leavers are the family, she's the matriarch and the remainers must pay Jizya, or else.
Arron Banks, who will stand against Douglas Carswell in Clacton, has admitted in an interview with BBC Radio Essex that he “knows nothing about Clacton at all".
For god's sake man, you're both out of UKIP now, let it go!
You can hear the collective groan from across the country.
I met a senior Tory back in 2015 and discussed Oliver Letwin, and why every Tory leader from Thatcher onwards has employed him in some role.
1) I was told Letwin knows his stuff, and can analyse new stuff straight away. 2) He doesn't mind being the fall guy when something does go wrong, even when it isn't his fault 3) He's a very nice man
If he was as bad as people think he is, do you think Mrs Thatcher would have kept him on as her Policy Unit Chief for three years?
Straight away yesterday the media were hooked on this idea of voters not wanting a GE and voter fatigue. Now when have we seen the media being totally out of step with the rest of the country...innocent face..
the pundits are a lttle out of touch atm
they said there couldnt be an early election and Mrs May was indecisive - wrong on both accounts it seems
Arron Banks, who will stand against Douglas Carswell in Clacton, has admitted in an interview with BBC Radio Essex that he “knows nothing about Clacton at all".
For god's sake man, you're both out of UKIP now, let it go!
Back in the real world of local election fever, I'm impressed with my labour leaflet delivery today (still nothing from the Tories, 2 weeks behind the initial LD leaflet). It has:
A two side A5 sheet on the unitary candidate for the ward (albeit filled with triteness about 'being different' and not much else An two side A4 glossy of all the Labour unitary candidates for the town with little bios, and a list of 'local issues' on the back, some of which really are local issues, and talking up how they are for the first time in a long time standing in all wards A 4 page A5 leaflet, 3 pages of which lambasts Theresa May over the state of the NHS, and the last of which talks of how a 'Labour Government will deliver the real change Britain needs' after 'six years' of the Tories' policies, so either they are amazingly quick of the mark, or they were going to hammer the NHS message come what may for the locals.
Mostly platitudes, issues that are not locally relevant and endless whining about the NHS, but I'm impressed with the organisation and presentation to try and focus town wide issues with wider labour values.
SLab are selecting candidates through the Scottish NEC, rather than CLPs apparently, so relatively few of the Jezbollah will sneak through, unless they're particularly hard up.
Plenty of soon to be ex Glasgow councillors might fancy a shot.
The 0.7% of GDP for overseas aid is something we can and should be very proud of.
There will always be issues about how these things are administered and who gets the money but that is a question of reviewing and revising our criteria for overseas aid, not getting rid of or reducing it. I hope that leaving the EU might help this as significant amounts of overseas aid was channelled through them and the convoluted way in which it was administered made the whole thing rather opaque.
But the basic principle that rich countries should help poor ones for the long term benefit of everyone seems very sensible and admirable to me.
I would add that I have never understood the antipathy amongst some Tory politicians towards overseas aid. It seems a very old fashioned Conservative thing to do to help those les fortunate than oneself.
Me too. I agree that DfID spends money better than EU and this is a positive of leaving.
Not sure i agree on it being an old fashioned conservative thing to do! Generally I think conservatives would say they prefer private charity?
Straight away yesterday the media were hooked on this idea of voters not wanting a GE and voter fatigue. Now when have we seen the media being totally out of step with the rest of the country...innocent face..
I couldn't possibly say but watching the news these days there are an endless supply of 5th rate puffed up pundits pontificating about politics who should be politely asked to start talking to some real people outside the bubble.
You can hear the collective groan from across the country.
I met a senior Tory back in 2015 and discussed Oliver Letwin, and why every Tory leader from Thatcher onwards has employed him in some role.
1) I was told Letwin knows his stuff, and can analyse new stuff straight away. 2) He doesn't mind being the fall guy when something does go wrong, even when it isn't his fault 3) He's a very nice man
If he was as bad as people think he is, do you think Mrs Thatcher would have kept him on as her Policy Unit Chief for three years?
He is a classic academic...I deal with them all the time....you need to lock them away and employ a filter between them and the real world.
On a random related note, Freakonomics had two guys from the nudge unit on the other week. Very interesting. One of Team Cameron's good things and UK government should be doing more of it.
Re approval of May's early election , when Chamberlain returned from Munich in 1938 he was acclaimed by cheering crowds and would undoubtedly have won an early election . Within a year the country was at war and a few months later was no longer PM .
sounds like corbyn has ruled out any progressive alliance at NEC this pm.
Good, the evil Tory baby-eating alliance will surely prevail.
Will disappoint the Greens. But he has been saying this all along iirc. Labour always tribal. Blair's huge huge mistake was to give in to Prescott over PR.
Re approval of May's early election , when Chamberlain returned from Munich in 1938 he was acclaimed by cheering crowds and would undoubtedly have won an early election . Within a year the country was at war and a few months later was no longer PM .
One is lack of message discipline from Conservatives, with the media asking candidates from different wings what they think Brexit means Brexit actually does mean.
Second will be if Conservatives try to repudiate promises made in the Brexit referendum, such as £350 million a week to the NHS.
Re approval of May's early election , when Chamberlain returned from Munich in 1938 he was acclaimed by cheering crowds and would undoubtedly have won an early election . Within a year the country was at war and a few months later was no longer PM .
And there we thought the LDs were keen for the fight.
Remember Phillip Hammond after the omNICshambles budget in his letter dated 15 March 2017 "There will be no increases in NICs rates in this Parliament."
That, along with Cameron's no tax rises promise and the triple lock on pensions promises has just flown out of the window.
Taxes to go up, pensioners to be hit...any opposition with an ounce of sense will jump on that. ..of course we don't have one
Re approval of May's early election , when Chamberlain returned from Munich in 1938 he was acclaimed by cheering crowds and would undoubtedly have won an early election . Within a year the country was at war and a few months later was no longer PM .
sounds like corbyn has ruled out any progressive alliance at NEC this pm.
Good, the evil Tory baby-eating alliance will surely prevail.
Will disappoint the Greens. But he has been saying this all along iirc. Labour always tribal. Blair's huge huge mistake was to give in to Prescott over PR.
To be fair any talk of a 'Progressive alliance' will probably lead to an increased Tory majority.
Straight away yesterday the media were hooked on this idea of voters not wanting a GE and voter fatigue. Now when have we seen the media being totally out of step with the rest of the country...innocent face..
the pundits are a lttle out of touch atm
they said there couldnt be an early election and Mrs May was indecisive - wrong on both accounts it seems
If they said there couldn't be one they were factually wrong, if they said there wouldn't be one they just called it wrong (if someone merely said she had no power to call one they were right and still are, she did not call one, parliament did, albeit at her urging).
But they definitely were not wrong on her being indecisive - if she is not indecisive and changed her mind in a month on seeking an early GE, then she lied about wanting to seek one before! So is she a liar, or is she indecisive?
And no, I don't expect her to face electoral consequences either way, but she was not decisive on this issue, she said repeatedly we were not having one, now we are.
Re approval of May's early election , when Chamberlain returned from Munich in 1938 he was acclaimed by cheering crowds and would undoubtedly have won an early election . Within a year the country was at war and a few months later was no longer PM .
Straight away yesterday the media were hooked on this idea of voters not wanting a GE and voter fatigue. Now when have we seen the media being totally out of step with the rest of the country...innocent face..
the pundits are a lttle out of touch atm
they said there couldnt be an early election and Mrs May was indecisive - wrong on both accounts it seems
I pointed out several times that she was in a far weaker position than most people/pundits believed and had a mandate problem.
I thought it very likely she would hold a snap GE right up to the point that the A50 trigger passed (indeed, I was semi-expecting an announcement to coincide with the A50 trigger, or making the trigger conditional on winning a majority with a "Within 24 hours, I'll be on the train to brussels with this piece of paper in my hand" campaign).
Once A50 had passed though, I began to change my mind and figured she was just a bit crap at politics and walking into a gigantic hole.
You can hear the collective groan from across the country.
I met a senior Tory back in 2015 and discussed Oliver Letwin, and why every Tory leader from Thatcher onwards has employed him in some role.
1) I was told Letwin knows his stuff, and can analyse new stuff straight away. 2) He doesn't mind being the fall guy when something does go wrong, even when it isn't his fault 3) He's a very nice man
If he was as bad as people think he is, do you think Mrs Thatcher would have kept him on as her Policy Unit Chief for three years?
Anecdote - the very unimportant policy my colleague was working on got pounced upon by Letwin. He read everything. Everything they sent them and when they briefed had loads of questions that showed he had really got to grips with it. Colleague hated it but said it was bloody impressive.
You can hear the collective groan from across the country.
I met a senior Tory back in 2015 and discussed Oliver Letwin, and why every Tory leader from Thatcher onwards has employed him in some role.
1) I was told Letwin knows his stuff, and can analyse new stuff straight away. 2) He doesn't mind being the fall guy when something does go wrong, even when it isn't his fault 3) He's a very nice man
If he was as bad as people think he is, do you think Mrs Thatcher would have kept him on as her Policy Unit Chief for three years?
Anecdote - the very unimportant policy my colleague was working on got pounced upon by Letwin. He read everything. Everything they sent them and when they briefed had loads of questions that showed he had really got to grips with it. Colleague hated it but said it was bloody impressive.
I hope he didn't then leave it in a bin in a park...
How does the (majority of the) public thinking she was right to call an election mean that they will be interested in it?
Indeed - it's the old Radio 3 argument, about liking that something is there(or happening) without necessarily caring about it yourself. We shall see, but turnout will be down, I'll put money on that if the odds make it worth my while.
Straight away yesterday the media were hooked on this idea of voters not wanting a GE and voter fatigue. Now when have we seen the media being totally out of step with the rest of the country...innocent face..
the pundits are a lttle out of touch atm
they said there couldnt be an early election and Mrs May was indecisive - wrong on both accounts it seems
If they said there couldn't be one they were factually wrong, if they said there wouldn't be one they just called it wrong (if someone merely said she had no power to call one they were right and still are, she did not call one, parliament did, albeit at her urging).
But they definitely were not wrong on her being indecisive - if she is not indecisive and changed her mind in a month on seeking an early GE, then she lied about wanting to seek one before! So is she a liar, or is she indecisive?
And no, I don't expect her to face electoral consequences either way, but she was not decisive on this issue, she said repeatedly we were not having one, now we are.
Didn't the Trump visit get rescheduled a month or two ago? It does not ring true that she suddenly changed her mind. I suspect they shifted Trump to the autumn to ensure none of his negativity brushed off on her should she call an election.
Re approval of May's early election , when Chamberlain returned from Munich in 1938 he was acclaimed by cheering crowds and would undoubtedly have won an early election . Within a year the country was at war and a few months later was no longer PM .
Edinburgh South: 2015 result — Lab 39%, SNP 34%, Con 17.5%. Applying latest Scottish polls gives something like SNP 31%, Con 30%, Lab 29%. But the SNP are probably not doing as well in this constituency as the average across Scotland.
Tasty. Please please let there be an atypical LD surge there too, for a juicy four way.
But the SNP had a very deflated 2015 result because of their unsuitable candidate (I forget the details, but Ian Murray was a very lucky man).
I recall chatter to that effect. Oh well. Any ideas where the tightest contests are expected to be? Presumably somewhere that was traditionally a Lab/LD contest with a solid Tory finish.
The SNP candidate had disgraced himself on social media and was disowned by NS. I doubt SNP vetting will be so slack this time.
Plus, the genteel retirees like Ruth D and are unlikely to vote for Mr. Corbyn's Red Labour, even tactically, leaving Ian Murray well exposed.
Scottish Labour will pile resources into Edinburgh South with leaflets and barcharts from 2015 and 2016 saying 'only Murray can beat the SNP here' (Labour in tiny writing down the bottom) while SNP resources will have to be shared more elsewhere, I expect it to still be the only Labour seat in Scotland with the LDs getting 2 MPs and the Tories 4 or 5
As they've got little else on the go, I agree - they gave it their all to win Edinburgh Southern at the Holyrood election. However, they did rely on activist help from down south in 2016, which won't be available this time around.
Edin South, Edin West and Mundell's seat will be the most interesting contests in Scotland.
The first 2 certainly (I think the SNP could fail to win either) but Mundell's seat should be a solid Tory hold
I think it will depend on the campaigns on the ground. If the Tories are targeting resources at Edinburgh South then it might end up as an SNP gain. At the same time you could end up seeing Labour picking up somewhere like East Lothian.
I'd expect the Lib Dems to win in Edinburgh West, North East Fife & Orkney & Shetland. Jo Swinson should be favourite in East Dunbartonshire and a Highland constituency isn't beyond the realms of possibility if the air war goes well for the party
Is it confirmed Swinson is restanding? Her husband was the MP down near me, and I wondered if they will both seek to retread.
Straight away yesterday the media were hooked on this idea of voters not wanting a GE and voter fatigue. Now when have we seen the media being totally out of step with the rest of the country...innocent face..
the pundits are a lttle out of touch atm
they said there couldnt be an early election and Mrs May was indecisive - wrong on both accounts it seems
If they said there couldn't be one they were factually wrong, if they said there wouldn't be one they just called it wrong (if someone merely said she had no power to call one they were right and still are, she did not call one, parliament did, albeit at her urging).
But they definitely were not wrong on her being indecisive - if she is not indecisive and changed her mind in a month on seeking an early GE, then she lied about wanting to seek one before! So is she a liar, or is she indecisive?
And no, I don't expect her to face electoral consequences either way, but she was not decisive on this issue, she said repeatedly we were not having one, now we are.
Didn't the Trump visit get rescheduled a month or two ago? It does not ring true that she suddenly changed her mind. I suspect they shifted Trump to the autumn to ensure none of his negativity brushed off on her should she call an election.
Straight away yesterday the media were hooked on this idea of voters not wanting a GE and voter fatigue. Now when have we seen the media being totally out of step with the rest of the country...innocent face..
the pundits are a lttle out of touch atm
they said there couldnt be an early election and Mrs May was indecisive - wrong on both accounts it seems
If they said there couldn't be one they were factually wrong, if they said there wouldn't be one they just called it wrong (if someone merely said she had no power to call one they were right and still are, she did not call one, parliament did, albeit at her urging).
But they definitely were not wrong on her being indecisive - if she is not indecisive and changed her mind in a month on seeking an early GE, then she lied about wanting to seek one before! So is she a liar, or is she indecisive?
And no, I don't expect her to face electoral consequences either way, but she was not decisive on this issue, she said repeatedly we were not having one, now we are.
ROFL
shes a politician
I find it little short of amazing that people on a politics site expect politicians to be archbishops.
Re approval of May's early election , when Chamberlain returned from Munich in 1938 he was acclaimed by cheering crowds and would undoubtedly have won an early election . Within a year the country was at war and a few months later was no longer PM .
Straight away yesterday the media were hooked on this idea of voters not wanting a GE and voter fatigue. Now when have we seen the media being totally out of step with the rest of the country...innocent face..
the pundits are a lttle out of touch atm
they said there couldnt be an early election and Mrs May was indecisive - wrong on both accounts it seems
If they said there couldn't be one they were factually wrong, if they said there wouldn't be one they just called it wrong (if someone merely said she had no power to call one they were right and still are, she did not call one, parliament did, albeit at her urging).
But they definitely were not wrong on her being indecisive - if she is not indecisive and changed her mind in a month on seeking an early GE, then she lied about wanting to seek one before! So is she a liar, or is she indecisive?
And no, I don't expect her to face electoral consequences either way, but she was not decisive on this issue, she said repeatedly we were not having one, now we are.
ROFL
shes a politician
I find it little short of amazing that people on a politics site expect politicians to be archbishops.
I don't - I too mocked those who gave no point other than (or emphasised it as the main reason) that she gave her word there wouldn't be one, and that we know she keeps her word, as the reason there would not be an early GE.
The temptation was always very high, and if she thought it benefited the party and country enough of course she'd do it.
What is silly is the idea that this proves she is decisive.
Backing out of your word can be the right call, and even if it isn't, well, its politics, voters will judge you for it if they want. But it argues against her being decisive.
Straight away yesterday the media were hooked on this idea of voters not wanting a GE and voter fatigue. Now when have we seen the media being totally out of step with the rest of the country...innocent face..
the pundits are a lttle out of touch atm
they said there couldnt be an early election and Mrs May was indecisive - wrong on both accounts it seems
If they said there couldn't be one they were factually wrong, if they said there wouldn't be one they just called it wrong (if someone merely said she had no power to call one they were right and still are, she did not call one, parliament did, albeit at her urging).
But they definitely were not wrong on her being indecisive - if she is not indecisive and changed her mind in a month on seeking an early GE, then she lied about wanting to seek one before! So is she a liar, or is she indecisive?
And no, I don't expect her to face electoral consequences either way, but she was not decisive on this issue, she said repeatedly we were not having one, now we are.
ROFL
shes a politician
I find it little short of amazing that people on a politics site expect politicians to be archbishops.
Perhaps they are thinking of the Archbishop of Bath & Wells from Blackadder
I have always voted Conservative in past General Elections.
I voted remain in 2016, so in this GE I think I will vote Lib Dem. Hopefully the Lib Dems will commit to revoking article 50 and continuing EU membership on the terms pre A50. I know of other Tory voters living in the same Constituency that are going to vote LD this time because of Brexit. It will probably mean the potential Tory gain of a Labour seat will not happen here if enough people do likewise. I don't think the Tories will convert lifelong Labour voters to support them whether they were for Brexit or not.
Comments
Third
Got to run, but in response to the second bullet point, polling indicates 68% support the election being held, with 26% opposed. So, I'm not sure that's a problem.
Still early to assess how many incumbents are stepping down, but it does appear that some Labour MPs don't fancy their chances on June 8th.
We all know this is in the bag, so people won't turn out.
(Except in Scotland, I think turnout might rise)
To be clear there are 49 Lab seats with majority less than 10 pts, 42 that wd be lost to Cons on 5% swing, 81 that wd likely go on 10% swing
Matthew Goodwin @GoodwinMJ
There are around 50 Lab seats that wd fall to Cons on just a 5% swing -which underlines how easy it would be for Lab to fall under 200 mark
Violating a sense of Fair Play - not taking part in the TV debates is being frit, not anything to do with playing fair, I would think. While it has been done mostly for partisan advantage, the fact Labour agreed to do it I think will undercut any attempt to suggest this was for the Tory interest above the country - if Labour for instance say that, why did they vote for it?
The Crushing of the Saboteurs - That headline was disgusting, and I hope it cost them some votes at least. Hubris and general arrogance is a powerful potential issue for the Tories. They are trying not to be overconfident, you can tell, but someone will crack in the campaign, particularly if the locals go very well, and there will be gloating and 'rue the day' type stuff which could put some off. But overall the strong position means I don't think it can change the direction of travel.
Brexit means Brexit? - Yes, I think you've called this one right. So far she's seeking a mandate for a blank cheque.
The lack of any credible threat - Careful, 'I don't know a single person who x' is the sort of thing Milibanders said in shock after they lost! But I think it's right turnout will be down as a result - AlistairMeeks put it will when he identified two trends, the returning labour voters scared into ensuring the party survives even if they are very dispirited by Corbyn, and those who stay at home, with the latter being larger, though the first might save more seats than thought.
30-40 losses for Lab, max.
The 0.7% of GDP for overseas aid is something we can and should be very proud of.
There will always be issues about how these things are administered and who gets the money but that is a question of reviewing and revising our criteria for overseas aid, not getting rid of or reducing it. I hope that leaving the EU might help this as significant amounts of overseas aid was channelled through them and the convoluted way in which it was administered made the whole thing rather opaque.
But the basic principle that rich countries should help poor ones for the long term benefit of everyone seems very sensible and admirable to me.
I would add that I have never understood the antipathy amongst some Tory politicians towards overseas aid. It seems a very old fashioned Conservative thing to do to help those les fortunate than oneself.
MPs who want to stand again can do so subject to the approval of either their exec or full membership. Candidates from target seats (unclear whether this is 2015 or 2017), can do the same.
Where there's a vacancy in a Con-held seat or a key target, there'll be a shortlist of three drawn up between the CCHQ and the Association officers and put to a general meeting.
For the non-target seats (which given current polling may be some which are ultimately gained), CCHQ will impose a candidate. I can foresee some grumbling about that.
So I should only have one selection to run rather than two. Woohoo.
https://yougov.co.uk/opi/surveys/results#/survey/ac4f13f0-241b-11e7-939c-aada186fb1ac/question/105547e0-241f-11e7-939c-aada186fb1ac/toplines
It's the last time for REMAIN to stop Brexit and LEAVE to secure Brexit. Turnout will be high.
Add to that the Jezza Factor and I think we can say Theresa May is on for a big win on a high turnout.
https://www.wessexfm.com/news/dorset-news/2271845/oliver-letwin-to-stand-again-in-june-general-election/
There have been lots of comments from right wing posters that rival it over the last year, though.
Be nice, people. Let's stick to betting.
Public think Theresa May right to call an early election by three to one
https://yougov.co.uk/news/2017/04/18/public-think-theresa-may-right-call-early-election/
(Sorry, I may have missed such examples due to not being on much during the working hours)
For god's sake man, you're both out of UKIP now, let it go!
https://order-order.com/2017/04/19/arron-banks-know-nothing-clacton/
1) I was told Letwin knows his stuff, and can analyse new stuff straight away.
2) He doesn't mind being the fall guy when something does go wrong, even when it isn't his fault
3) He's a very nice man
If he was as bad as people think he is, do you think Mrs Thatcher would have kept him on as her Policy Unit Chief for three years?
they said there couldnt be an early election and Mrs May was indecisive - wrong on both accounts it seems
Plenty of soon to be ex Glasgow councillors might fancy a shot.
https://www.twitter.com/schafersam/status/854272498342522880
https://www.twitter.com/schafersam/status/854273096806739968
https://www.twitter.com/schafersam/status/854273356794929153
Not sure i agree on it being an old fashioned conservative thing to do!
Generally I think conservatives would say they prefer private charity?
On a random related note, Freakonomics had two guys from the nudge unit on the other week. Very interesting. One of Team Cameron's good things and UK government should be doing more of it.
One is lack of message discipline from Conservatives, with the media asking candidates from different wings what they think Brexit means Brexit actually does mean.
Second will be if Conservatives try to repudiate promises made in the Brexit referendum, such as £350 million a week to the NHS.
That, along with Cameron's no tax rises promise and the triple lock on pensions promises has just flown out of the window.
Taxes to go up, pensioners to be hit...any opposition with an ounce of sense will jump on that. ..of course we don't have one
Not that they'll particularly matter.
But they definitely were not wrong on her being indecisive - if she is not indecisive and changed her mind in a month on seeking an early GE, then she lied about wanting to seek one before! So is she a liar, or is she indecisive?
And no, I don't expect her to face electoral consequences either way, but she was not decisive on this issue, she said repeatedly we were not having one, now we are.
Tories - Brexit means Brexit
Lib Dem - No we don't have to Brexit
Labour - NHS NHS NHS NHS NHS NHS NHS NHS NHS
SNP - IndyRef2
UKIP - Brexit means rock hard Brexit.
https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/blog/what-snap-election-means-existing-major-bills-and-policies
I thought it very likely she would hold a snap GE right up to the point that the A50 trigger passed (indeed, I was semi-expecting an announcement to coincide with the A50 trigger, or making the trigger conditional on winning a majority with a "Within 24 hours, I'll be on the train to brussels with this piece of paper in my hand" campaign).
Once A50 had passed though, I began to change my mind and figured she was just a bit crap at politics and walking into a gigantic hole.
He read everything. Everything they sent them and when they briefed had loads of questions that showed he had really got to grips with it. Colleague hated it but said it was bloody impressive.
It'll tell us whether TM has really got into bed with the bastards.
shes a politician
I find it little short of amazing that people on a politics site expect politicians to be archbishops.
The Scotsman are reporting that she's going for it.
The temptation was always very high, and if she thought it benefited the party and country enough of course she'd do it.
What is silly is the idea that this proves she is decisive.
Backing out of your word can be the right call, and even if it isn't, well, its politics, voters will judge you for it if they want. But it argues against her being decisive.
I have always voted Conservative in past General Elections.
I voted remain in 2016, so in this GE I think I will vote Lib Dem. Hopefully the Lib Dems will commit to revoking article 50 and continuing EU membership on the terms pre A50. I know of other Tory voters living in the same Constituency that are going to vote LD this time because of Brexit. It will probably mean the potential Tory gain of a Labour seat will not happen here if enough people do likewise. I don't think the Tories will convert lifelong Labour voters to support them whether they were for Brexit or not.