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 .
May brought down over the Norway option?
Who is Winston Churchill in this scenario? Boris? As a biographer of the great man, Boris will know it was Churchill who buggered up Norway, not Chamberlain. If Theresa May tries to resile from Boris's £350 million to the NHS, the parallel could be apt.
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 .
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 .
May brought down over the Norway option?
We may disagree on pretty much everything but I do like it when contributors know their history. Kudos.
We (Lib Dems) could really have done with Clegg as leader for this election. Next to T May and especially Corbyn, he looks like a giant.
Times come, and times go. Nothing good ever came from wanting to turn back the clock.
Clegg is the past, present and future! He hasn't gone anywhere. I think his time will come again.
That would be quite the resurrection. It'd be a nice story, in a way, and I like the idea that people who rose quite high as politicians at young ages, might indeed come back into senior positions again, rather than slink away from political office forevermore.
I was convinced he was standing down in 2020 and the only reason he hadn't quit parliament after 2015 is the LDs would have lost yet another seat, but he seems invigorated lately. Maybe he's still going to go in 2022, but I wish him well.
I think the Tories will increase their majority to around 70.
I can't see that Corbyn will run a particularly inspiring campaign. I suspect Labour will struggle to jump-start their voters outside of their hard core and it will hurt them in the marginals.
I suspect the Lib Dems will pick up 15/20 seats because they will be really motivated. Imagine the likes of Simon Hughes, Vince Cable, David Laws and Jo Swinson back out knocking doors.
People out there like Theresa May (certainly more than I do, though I don't mind her), even in areas like mine in the Valleys she is a lot more popular than Cameron was.
She's a woman, she's very serious, she's common-sensical, she's in a relative honeymoon period and the hefty job of tackling the Brexit negotiations will need a dour, serious workaholic like her. I think the voters will vote for her on that basis. Not out of affection but out of practicality.
It'll tell us whether TM has really got into bed with the bastards.
I think that the Labour manifesto may be one to keep. McDonnell's economic plans will be quite special in their daftness. My collection of manifestos will thus double in number. The only one that I've previously saved for its total insanity was the Natural Law Party's manifesto from 1992.
The Tory manifesto will be an entirely different and very interesting document. They'll need to address the deficit calculations, and the way in which the NHS may become slightly less of an endless and bottomless drain on our finances. I imagine we'll get hints rather than anything else of the direction which the government think might work.
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.
Absolutely. And in committee, if an MP on the other side makes a valid point why his views are wrong, he sometimes says "Hmm, that's true" and withdraws his earlier comments - something that nobody else does. Politics aside, I think he's the model of a good, serious policy man, and one of the nicest people in Westminster.
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.
Absolutely. And in committee, if an MP on the other side makes a valid point why his views are wrong, he sometimes says "Hmm, that's true" and withdraws his earlier comments - something that nobody else does. Politics aside, I think he's the model of a good, serious policy man, and one of the nicest people in Westminster.
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.
Absolutely. And in committee, if an MP on the other side makes a valid point why his views are wrong, he sometimes says "Hmm, that's true" and withdraws his earlier comments - something that nobody else does. Politics aside, I think he's the model of a good, serious policy man, and one of the nicest people in Westminster.
It'll tell us whether TM has really got into bed with the bastards.
I think that the Labour manifesto may be one to keep. McDonnell's economic plans will be quite special in their daftness. My collection of manifestos will thus double in number. The only one that I've previously saved for its total insanity was the Natural Law Party's manifesto from 1992.
The Tory manifesto will be an entirely different and very interesting document. They'll need to address the deficit calculations, and the way in which the NHS may become slightly less of an endless and bottomless drain on our finances. I imagine we'll get hints rather than anything else of the direction which the government think might work.
The Con manifesto is going to be an aching void. Actually putting in policies would be risky.
George Osborne (born in 1971; service time 2001-17) Simon Burns (1952; 1987-2017) Angela Watkinson (1941; 2001-17)
Patricia Glass (1957, 2010-2017) Andrew Smith (1951; 1987-2917) Rob Marris (1955; 2001-2010, 2015-17) Iain Wright (1972; 2004-2017) Tom Blenkinsop (1980; 2010-17) Alan Johnson (1950; 1997-2017)
George Osborne (born in 1971; service time 2001-17) Simon Burns (1952; 1987-2017) Angela Watkinson (1941; 2001-17)
Patricia Glass (1957, 2010-2017) Andrew Smith (1951; 1987-2917) Rob Marris (1955; 2001-2010, 2015-17) Iain Wright (1972; 2004-2017) Tom Blenkinsop (1980; 2010-17) Alan Johnson (1950; 1997-2017)
John Pugh (1948; 2001-17)
I believe there's a second LibDem retiring, does anyone know for sure?
George Osborne (born in 1971; service time 2001-17) Simon Burns (1952; 1987-2017) Angela Watkinson (1941; 2001-17)
Patricia Glass (1957, 2010-2017) Andrew Smith (1951; 1987-2917) Rob Marris (1955; 2001-2010, 2015-17) Iain Wright (1972; 2004-2017) Tom Blenkinsop (1980; 2010-17) Alan Johnson (1950; 1997-2017)
Labour procedures for selection (from the Guardian)
Vacancies where MPs are standing down, or where no candidate is in place, will be advertised on Labour’s website from Friday and applications will close on Sunday at noon.
Candidates will be chosen by panels of NEC and regional board members. (This will give the Labour hierarchy the opportunity to select favoured individuals, although the number of vacancies coming up in seats the party is certain to win may be small.)
All women shortlists will be imposed “in the normal way” and, as a minimum, they will apply where female MPs are standing down.
Candidates who stood for the party in 2015 in seats they did not win will be asked if they want to stand again. But they will have to be approved by the panels involving NEC and regional board members.
The Scottish and Welsh parties will run their own selections.
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.
If anyone cares less whether Tim Farron thinks it's a sin to be gay hoot your horn.....
I wonder if any country in the world spends as much time discussing trivia as the UK.
Well, not thinking that homosexuals are dirty sinners is a pretty key belief for a Lib Dem. If the Tories want to keep seats like Bath then they should exploit Farron's backwards views.
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.
I shall probably vote Lib Dem. It has been a while since I have done so However, this being a rock-solid Tory constituency (Graham Brady no less!) I doubt it will have an effect. It was a high REMAIN vote so perhaps that my play into it....
The only thing sticking in my craw is Farron's apparent evasion on religiously motivated homophobia. I am amazed that the Libs could put someone like that in charge of their party.
I think the Tories will increase their majority to around 70.
I can't see that Corbyn will run a particularly inspiring campaign. I suspect Labour will struggle to jump-start their voters outside of their hard core and it will hurt them in the marginals.
I suspect the Lib Dems will pick up 15/20 seats because they will be really motivated. Imagine the likes of Simon Hughes, Vince Cable, David Laws and Jo Swinson back out knocking doors.
People out there like Theresa May (certainly more than I do, though I don't mind her), even in areas like mine in the Valleys she is a lot more popular than Cameron was.
She's a woman, she's very serious, she's common-sensical, she's in a relative honeymoon period and the hefty job of tackling the Brexit negotiations will need a dour, serious workaholic like her. I think the voters will vote for her on that basis. Not out of affection but out of practicality.
But I could be very wrong.
Hmm. So a net +27 seats for the Tories, Labour only a little under 200 seats? Possible, but that would be a heck of a performance from the Labour Party under the current circumstances.
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.
I shall probably vote Lib Dem. It has been a while since I have done so However, this being a rock-solid Tory constituency (Graham Brady no less!) I doubt it will have an effect. It was a high REMAIN vote so perhaps that my play into it....
The only thing sticking in my craw is Farron's apparent evasion on religiously motivated homophobia. I am amazed that the Libs could put someone like that in charge of their party.
I think the Tories will increase their majority to around 70.
I can't see that Corbyn will run a particularly inspiring campaign. I suspect Labour will struggle to jump-start their voters outside of their hard core and it will hurt them in the marginals.
I suspect the Lib Dems will pick up 15/20 seats because they will be really motivated. Imagine the likes of Simon Hughes, Vince Cable, David Laws and Jo Swinson back out knocking doors.
People out there like Theresa May (certainly more than I do, though I don't mind her), even in areas like mine in the Valleys she is a lot more popular than Cameron was.
She's a woman, she's very serious, she's common-sensical, she's in a relative honeymoon period and the hefty job of tackling the Brexit negotiations will need a dour, serious workaholic like her. I think the voters will vote for her on that basis. Not out of affection but out of practicality.
But I could be very wrong.
Hmm. So a net +27 seats for the Tories, Labour only a little under 200 seats? Possible, but that would be a heck of a performance from the Labour Party under the current circumstances.
The Tories will likely lose a few to the Lib Dems.
Controversial Labour MP Gisela Stuart has told her CLP that she will not contest the next election. In 1997, her victory in Birmingham Edgbaston was the first big Labour gain of the night from the Tories and she was a symbol of the new wave of Labour MPs. Latterly however, as a prominent advocate of leaving the EU, she alienated many PLP colleagues and local former supporters.
I think the Tories will increase their majority to around 70.
I can't see that Corbyn will run a particularly inspiring campaign. I suspect Labour will struggle to jump-start their voters outside of their hard core and it will hurt them in the marginals.
I suspect the Lib Dems will pick up 15/20 seats because they will be really motivated. Imagine the likes of Simon Hughes, Vince Cable, David Laws and Jo Swinson back out knocking doors.
People out there like Theresa May (certainly more than I do, though I don't mind her), even in areas like mine in the Valleys she is a lot more popular than Cameron was.
She's a woman, she's very serious, she's common-sensical, she's in a relative honeymoon period and the hefty job of tackling the Brexit negotiations will need a dour, serious workaholic like her. I think the voters will vote for her on that basis. Not out of affection but out of practicality.
But I could be very wrong.
Hmm. So a net +27 seats for the Tories, Labour only a little under 200 seats? Possible, but that would be a heck of a performance from the Labour Party under the current circumstances.
I think the Tories will increase their majority to around 70.
I can't see that Corbyn will run a particularly inspiring campaign. I suspect Labour will struggle to jump-start their voters outside of their hard core and it will hurt them in the marginals.
I suspect the Lib Dems will pick up 15/20 seats because they will be really motivated. Imagine the likes of Simon Hughes, Vince Cable, David Laws and Jo Swinson back out knocking doors.
People out there like Theresa May (certainly more than I do, though I don't mind her), even in areas like mine in the Valleys she is a lot more popular than Cameron was.
She's a woman, she's very serious, she's common-sensical, she's in a relative honeymoon period and the hefty job of tackling the Brexit negotiations will need a dour, serious workaholic like her. I think the voters will vote for her on that basis. Not out of affection but out of practicality.
But I could be very wrong.
Hmm. So a net +27 seats for the Tories, Labour only a little under 200 seats? Possible, but that would be a heck of a performance from the Labour Party under the current circumstances.
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.
I shall probably vote Lib Dem. It has been a while since I have done so However, this being a rock-solid Tory constituency (Graham Brady no less!) I doubt it will have an effect. It was a high REMAIN vote so perhaps that my play into it....
The only thing sticking in my craw is Farron's apparent evasion on religiously motivated homophobia. I am amazed that the Libs could put someone like that in charge of their party.
Can May get any luckier?
Chris Bryant might claim he had an affair with Farron during the election ?
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.
I shall probably vote Lib Dem. It has been a while since I have done so However, this being a rock-solid Tory constituency (Graham Brady no less!) I doubt it will have an effect. It was a high REMAIN vote so perhaps that my play into it....
The only thing sticking in my craw is Farron's apparent evasion on religiously motivated homophobia. I am amazed that the Libs could put someone like that in charge of their party.
Farron was challenged during an intervention in the HoC debate and gave a straightforward and convincing answer, which appeared to disarm his challenger (Nigel from Ribble Valley as I recall). Worth digging out on Parliament Channel or YouTube.
George Osborne (born in 1971; service time 2001-17) Simon Burns (1952; 1987-2017) Angela Watkinson (1941; 2001-17)
Patricia Glass (1957, 2010-2017) Andrew Smith (1951; 1987-2917) Rob Marris (1955; 2001-2010, 2015-17) Iain Wright (1972; 2004-2017) Tom Blenkinsop (1980; 2010-17) Alan Johnson (1950; 1997-2017)
John Pugh (1948; 2001-17)
I believe there's a second LibDem retiring, does anyone know for sure?
One of Brake, Carmichael or Lamb I'd guess, maybe.
Controversial Labour MP Gisela Stuart has told her CLP that she will not contest the next election. In 1997, her victory in Birmingham Edgbaston was the first big Labour gain of the night from the Tories and she was a symbol of the new wave of Labour MPs. Latterly however, as a prominent advocate of leaving the EU, she alienated many PLP colleagues and local former supporters.
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.
I shall probably vote Lib Dem. It has been a while since I have done so However, this being a rock-solid Tory constituency (Graham Brady no less!) I doubt it will have an effect. It was a high REMAIN vote so perhaps that my play into it....
The only thing sticking in my craw is Farron's apparent evasion on religiously motivated homophobia. I am amazed that the Libs could put someone like that in charge of their party.
Farron was challenged during an intervention in the HoC debate and gave a straightforward and convincing answer, which appeared to disarm his challenger (Nigel from Ribble Valley as I recall). Worth digging out on Parliament Channel or YouTube.
Gisela Stuart going leaves Birmingham Edgbaston as a high Con target surely. She has done very well in what was a traditionally Conservative area. Candidate selections crucial. Labour critics may well call Stuart a Tory but they'll need someone similar to stand a chance and that seems unlikely.
Back on topic, I completely agree that the Daily Mail front page is actively unhelpful for the Conservatives. Not only does it alienate Conservative Remainers, it also reminds previously apathetic non-Tories why they should vote.
Back on topic, I completely agree that the Daily Mail front page is actively unhelpful for the Conservatives. Not only does it alienate Conservative Remainers, it also reminds previously apathetic non-Tories why they should vote.
Yup, I think Team May were most unhappy with the Mail and The Sun front pages.
Back on topic, I completely agree that the Daily Mail front page is actively unhelpful for the Conservatives. Not only does it alienate Conservative Remainers, it also reminds previously apathetic non-Tories why they should vote.
At the end of the day it's one front page, I think the DM will have got it out of their system in part now.
Eh, I'm not really thinking they'll have the numbers, it doesn't spook me. Also, why 'progressive'? Why not just 'alliance'? I get the suggestion is they are not really progressive, but that kind of suggests anyone who is a genuine progressive is good, and people might think those ones are.
Back on topic, I completely agree that the Daily Mail front page is actively unhelpful for the Conservatives. Not only does it alienate Conservative Remainers, it also reminds previously apathetic non-Tories why they should vote.
I hope so. Despicable attitude, and they're happy to play to it.
George Osborne (born in 1971; service time 2001-17) Simon Burns (1952; 1987-2017) Angela Watkinson (1941; 2001-17)
Patricia Glass (1957, 2010-2017) Andrew Smith (1951; 1987-2917) Rob Marris (1955; 2001-2010, 2015-17) Iain Wright (1972; 2004-2017) Tom Blenkinsop (1980; 2010-17) Alan Johnson (1950; 1997-2017)
John Pugh (1948; 2001-17)
I believe there's a second LibDem retiring, does anyone know for sure?
One of Brake, Carmichael or Lamb I'd guess, maybe.
Brake and Carmichael are certainly standing again , looking at his twitter account Lamb is too .
Considering we all know that they won't get the numbers, it doesn't seem particularly threatening, even less so when you compare it to Theresa's scary stare on the front pages today.
Back on topic, I completely agree that the Daily Mail front page is actively unhelpful for the Conservatives. Not only does it alienate Conservative Remainers, it also reminds previously apathetic non-Tories why they should vote.
Yup, I think Team May were most unhappy with the Mail and The Sun front pages.
Not so unhappy that she would offer the slightest condemnation of the Mail's direct quote from Lenin, made in the runup to the murder of millions, when challenged during PMQs today.
Considering we all know that they won't get the numbers, it doesn't seem particularly scary, even less so when you compare it to Theresa's scary stare on the front pages today.
I said it this morning, it won't work.
In 2015 the polls indicated a Lab/SNP coalition was likely.
In 2017 the Tories have a 21% lead in the polls.
The Tories should focus on Corbyn and McDonnell's back catalogue.
Considering we all know that they won't get the numbers, it doesn't seem particularly threatening, even less so when you compare it to Theresa's scary stare on the front pages today.
And suggesting that the election will be the Tories versus the rest is a *brave* strategy from the Tories, with some obvious risks attached.
"Hmm. So a net +27 seats for the Tories, Labour only a little under 200 seats? Possible, but that would be a heck of a performance from the Labour Party under the current circumstances."
If I'm being honest, I think the current polls are pretty much the best that Labour can hope for. Corbyn (& McDonnell & probably Abbott, too) spent most of the 80s (and other times) hanging out with, sharing platforms with, speaking warmly of, IRA folk & other varmints.
The amount of material that exists documenting this must be huge, and to date, the Tories (who I'm sure have been assiduously collecting it) have barely used any of it.
Collectively, it will surely make up the Mother of All Political Broadcasts, leaving traditional Labour voters up and down the country utterly disgusted with the Labour leadership and simply unable to bring themselves to put the cross in the Labour box this time round.
Back on topic, I completely agree that the Daily Mail front page is actively unhelpful for the Conservatives. Not only does it alienate Conservative Remainers, it also reminds previously apathetic non-Tories why they should vote.
Indeed. I dislike the abuse that some of the press target at those who voted REMAIN. I might have been open to voting Conservative but this repeated bashing of my views by Newspapers supporting the Conservatives and the PM who keeps on advocating Brexit is a big NO for me. I hope she loses her majority and has to crawl for support from the Lib Dems. I think May might be in for a big disappointment.
Considering we all know that they won't get the numbers, it doesn't seem particularly scary, even less so when you compare it to Theresa's scary stare on the front pages today.
I said it this morning, it won't work.
In 2015 the polls indicated a Lab/SNP coalition was likely.
In 2017 the Tories have a 21% lead in the polls.
The Tories should focus on Corbyn and McDonnell's back catalogue.
Well, I guess they don't want to appear overconfident, and they have time to bring out the back catelogue.
Considering we all know that they won't get the numbers, it doesn't seem particularly scary, even less so when you compare it to Theresa's scary stare on the front pages today.
I said it this morning, it won't work.
In 2015 the polls indicated a Lab/SNP coalition was likely.
In 2017 the Tories have a 21% lead in the polls.
The Tories should focus on Corbyn and McDonnell's back catalogue.
From the point of view of the Lib Dems taking Labour votes it's perfect. A Labour voter seeing that will know that a Lib Dem vote is an anti-Tory vote, and when the Tories have finished on Corbyn and McDonnell, they will only have one choice left.
It's time for a change! (Plus if you start relatively low you've got more chance of rising - they're already near their ceiling - unless you think 50% is attainable)
Is it unfair to suggest that our election will have less international significance than some others happening this year:
France: Epoch defining choice that will affect Europe and the world. Germany: Crucial reelection bid for the lynchpin of the global order. UK: May, meh.
Back on topic, I completely agree that the Daily Mail front page is actively unhelpful for the Conservatives. Not only does it alienate Conservative Remainers, it also reminds previously apathetic non-Tories why they should vote.
Indeed. I dislike the abuse that some of the press target at those who voted REMAIN. I might have been open to voting Conservative but this repeated bashing of my views by Newspapers supporting the Conservatives and the PM who keeps on advocating Brexit is a big NO for me. I hope she loses her majority and has to crawl for support from the Lib Dems. I think May might be in for a big disappointment.
Mr. Taxman, the alternative is Prime Minister Corbyn...
I don't care. May has chosen this course of action and she and her supporters in the press think that my views are not worth having or somehow wrong. This talk about Brexit has No traction with me and I am going to protest vote this election.
Is it unfair to suggest that our election will have less international significance than some others happening this year:
France: Epoch defining choice that will affect Europe and the world. Germany: Crucial reelection bid for the lynchpin of the global order. UK: May, meh.
It's unfair in the sense of you're seriously over hyping those other elections, making the reality of them far more disappointing than is fair.
What a grim week for us, Mark Reckless rejoins the party and George Osborne ceases to be an MP.
I must have missed it, when did Mark Reckless rejoin the Tory party?
All but in name.
He should have been told to fuck off by the Welsh Conservatives, like the way you avoid an ex girlfriend with the clap, but they didn't.
what do we think re Carswell, the Tory candidate was Giles Watling and he's still up for beating Douglas this time around and seems to want the nomination again?
Controversial Labour MP Gisela Stuart has told her CLP that she will not contest the next election. In 1997, her victory in Birmingham Edgbaston was the first big Labour gain of the night from the Tories and she was a symbol of the new wave of Labour MPs. Latterly however, as a prominent advocate of leaving the EU, she alienated many PLP colleagues and local former supporters.
Comments
I wonder if any country in the world spends as much time discussing trivia as the UK.
http://www.itv.com/news/update/2017-04-19/corbyn-this-election-is-about-the-future-of-all-of-us/
The future of all of us...P45 for Mr Corbyn.
I was convinced he was standing down in 2020 and the only reason he hadn't quit parliament after 2015 is the LDs would have lost yet another seat, but he seems invigorated lately. Maybe he's still going to go in 2022, but I wish him well.
I can't see that Corbyn will run a particularly inspiring campaign. I suspect Labour will struggle to jump-start their voters outside of their hard core and it will hurt them in the marginals.
I suspect the Lib Dems will pick up 15/20 seats because they will be really motivated. Imagine the likes of Simon Hughes, Vince Cable, David Laws and Jo Swinson back out knocking doors.
People out there like Theresa May (certainly more than I do, though I don't mind her), even in areas like mine in the Valleys she is a lot more popular than Cameron was.
She's a woman, she's very serious, she's common-sensical, she's in a relative honeymoon period and the hefty job of tackling the Brexit negotiations will need a dour, serious workaholic like her. I think the voters will vote for her on that basis. Not out of affection but out of practicality.
But I could be very wrong.
The Tory manifesto will be an entirely different and very interesting document. They'll need to address the deficit calculations, and the way in which the NHS may become slightly less of an endless and bottomless drain on our finances. I imagine we'll get hints rather than anything else of the direction which the government think might work.
George Osborne (born in 1971; service time 2001-17)
Simon Burns (1952; 1987-2017)
Angela Watkinson (1941; 2001-17)
Patricia Glass (1957, 2010-2017)
Andrew Smith (1951; 1987-2917)
Rob Marris (1955; 2001-2010, 2015-17)
Iain Wright (1972; 2004-2017)
Tom Blenkinsop (1980; 2010-17)
Alan Johnson (1950; 1997-2017)
John Pugh (1948; 2001-17)
Andrew Smith (1951; 1987-2917)
A long lived guy...
Vacancies where MPs are standing down, or where no candidate is in place, will be advertised on Labour’s website from Friday and applications will close on Sunday at noon.
Candidates will be chosen by panels of NEC and regional board members. (This will give the Labour hierarchy the opportunity to select favoured individuals, although the number of vacancies coming up in seats the party is certain to win may be small.)
All women shortlists will be imposed “in the normal way” and, as a minimum, they will apply where female MPs are standing down.
Candidates who stood for the party in 2015 in seats they did not win will be asked if they want to stand again. But they will have to be approved by the panels involving NEC and regional board members.
The Scottish and Welsh parties will run their own selections.
The only thing sticking in my craw is Farron's apparent evasion on religiously motivated homophobia. I am amazed that the Libs could put someone like that in charge of their party.
I fear this election has set most on the lefties of full rant mode
http://labour-uncut.co.uk/
Owen Jones now talking up Cameron as a principled PM with purpose
seems different from what he said at the time
Hopefully she'll get a seat on the Lords and remain in public life.
Mrs May is renowned for her stylish shoes, many of which I find highly interesting and good choices
Byeee!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g4ivIid12o
https://twitter.com/Conservatives/status/854741399694135296
In 2015 the polls indicated a Lab/SNP coalition was likely.
In 2017 the Tories have a 21% lead in the polls.
The Tories should focus on Corbyn and McDonnell's back catalogue.
"Hmm. So a net +27 seats for the Tories, Labour only a little under 200 seats? Possible, but that would be a heck of a performance from the Labour Party under the current circumstances."
If I'm being honest, I think the current polls are pretty much the best that Labour can hope for. Corbyn (& McDonnell & probably Abbott, too) spent most of the 80s (and other times) hanging out with, sharing platforms with, speaking warmly of, IRA folk & other varmints.
The amount of material that exists documenting this must be huge, and to date, the Tories (who I'm sure have been assiduously collecting it) have barely used any of it.
Collectively, it will surely make up the Mother of All Political Broadcasts, leaving traditional Labour voters up and down the country utterly disgusted with the Labour leadership and simply unable to bring themselves to put the cross in the Labour box this time round.
https://twitter.com/davidottewell/status/854332692950900737
She thinks she has us over a barrel but we can be defiant!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4EQG08N0vY
France: Epoch defining choice that will affect Europe and the world.
Germany: Crucial reelection bid for the lynchpin of the global order.
UK: May, meh.
So I can say she's not as good as Dave.
What a grim week for us, Mark Reckless rejoins the party and George Osborne ceases to be an MP.
Also, sympathies about Osborne. I only hope planning of the Northern Powerhouse continues apace.
He should have been told to fuck off by the Welsh Conservatives, like the way you avoid an ex girlfriend with the clap, but they didn't.
Been a member for 20 years, but I feel the party has left me.
I was holding out hope Ken Clarke would stand as a LD, just for the laughs.
But overall with the news of Osborne going this has been a very good day. If we could persuade Anna Soubry to go as well it would be great.