- This is very much Theresa May's disaster, obviously, but in vote-count terms she did very well; it was Corbyn's success in unifying multiple strands of the non-Tory vote which was the story of the night.
- With hindsight, there was one very good indicator of Corbyn's possible appeal from across the Channel. Jean-Luc Mélenchon is very like Corbyn in being a far-left relic whom everyone thought was unelectable and whose programe was a hilarious fantasy. Yet he did much better than anyone had initially expected. To a lesser extent the same is true of Bernie Sanders, although he's not as bonkers as Corbyn or Mélenchon.
- The left in general, and the Labour Party in particular, are likely to draw the wrong conclusion from the result, thinking that they can succeed on a far-left platform with 'one more push'. But this push only got as far as it did because literally no-one (including Labour themselves) took it seriously. If the Labour manifesto and front-bench had been assessed as a possible government-in-waiting, they'd have done much less well.
- I note that people who a few weeks ago were writing off Labour are now writing off the prospects for the Tories over the next few years. Always a mistake: 1992 is the best example of a similar error (Labour was thought sure to win before the election, and then considered terminally damaged afterwards).
- I have no idea what will happen next, politics once again seems to be moving faster than ever. Lord only knows how we can negotiate Brexit from this position; it's hard to see Theresa May being the person to do it.
Mrs May's speaking like someone's who has won a 100 seat majority
Pound-shop Gordon Brown?
She's managed to make Gordon Brown look good, he doesn't look so stupid now for not calling a snap election in 2007.
+ He also resigned when he'd lost!
Only days later and after 29% not 44%
If you make an election a referendum on yourself and blow a 20 point lead you run the risk of even your supporters thinking you are a loser.
She e on a higher voteshare than any Tory leader for 30 years, the fact she did not match her peak performance dors not change that. Maybe she will ultimately go but for now she has a majority with the DUP and can stay in No10. We will see what weekend polls show
No way can she stay. She got told to f off by the electorate.
She won most votes and seats, in the short term at least she stays
The same applies in reverse to the Tories, 2 party politics means big swings and seat gains in either direction but as long as that 44% stays blue so Corbyn cannot win
That 44% ain't staying blue. There's nothing like a humiliating loss of authority to deter supporters.. They will simply melt away once they see the empress has no clothes. It's no tautology to state that people back winners.
That 44% voted for May and against Corbyn, they are not going to suddenly change their minds
Thought: there is now, surely, a large majority of MPs in the Commons who favor Soft Brexit. If they caucus, they can deliver it. TMay will have to yield or she'll be paralyzed and forced into an election she will probably lose.
Soft Brexit is nailed on
Most of us would have taken that a year ago. If there is any backsliding however the Tories will be in real trouble.
The same applies in reverse to the Tories, 2 party politics means big swings and seat gains in either direction but as long as that 44% stays blue so Corbyn cannot win
That 44% ain't staying blue. There's nothing like a humiliating loss of authority to deter supporters.. They will simply melt away once they see the empress has no clothes. It's no tautology to state that people back winners.
She needs to go. For sure. But I think she should not do it immediately. The Tories will need a bit of time to prepare. And seek out engaging candidates. I think JohnO is right. In a few weeks.
The same applies in reverse to the Tories, 2 party politics means big swings and seat gains in either direction but as long as that 44% stays blue so Corbyn cannot win
That 44% ain't staying blue. There's nothing like a humiliating loss of authority to deter supporters.. They will simply melt away once they see the empress has no clothes. It's no tautology to state that people back winners.
That 44% voted for May and against Corbyn, they are not going to suddenly change their minds
Not all of them, no. But it only takes a very few percent to shift and dozens of seats go red;
edited to add: and look at the direction of travel. There is plenty of scope for Lab to expand their coalition towards the centre.
Thought: there is now, surely, a large majority of MPs in the Commons who favor Soft Brexit. If they caucus, they can deliver it. TMay will have to yield or she'll be paralyzed and forced into an election she will probably lose.
Soft Brexit is nailed on
It really isn't. Soft Brexit requires painful compromise and a strong government. Unless you think Labour and the Conservatives will form a coalition it cannot happen.
Mrs May's speaking like someone's who has won a 100 seat majority
Pound-shop Gordon Brown?
She's managed to make Gordon Brown look good, he doesn't look so stupid now for not calling a snap election in 2007.
+ He also resigned when he'd lost!
Only days later and after 29% not 44%
If you make an election a referendum on yourself and blow a 20 point lead you run the risk of even your supporters thinking you are a loser.
She e on a higher voteshare than any Tory leader for 30 years, the fact she did not match her peak performance dors not change that. Maybe she will ultimately go but for now she has a majority with the DUP and can stay in No10. We will see what weekend polls show
No way can she stay. She got told to f off by the electorate.
She won most votes and seats, in the short term at least she stays
I think that some people here have lost site of that most basic point of the British constitution. I think that in due course, a new leader will be required, but if you have a majority in the Commons, you get to govern.
The same applies in reverse to the Tories, 2 party politics means big swings and seat gains in either direction but as long as that 44% stays blue so Corbyn cannot win
That 44% ain't staying blue. There's nothing like a humiliating loss of authority to deter supporters.. They will simply melt away once they see the empress has no clothes. It's no tautology to state that people back winners.
She needs to go. For sure. But I think she should not do it immediately. The Tories will need a bit of time to prepare. And seek out engaging candidates. I think JohnO is right. In a few weeks.
If they are going to act, they need to act swiftly. They can't allow her to stitch up terms with the DUP and then knife her.
"How bad do you have to be to get scuppered by Jeremy Corbyn? You have to be very bad indeed – as bad as Theresa May, in fact. There was no need for her to call this general election, as she had a working majority with three years to run. She called it because she regarded Corbyn as utterly unelectable, which he probably is – unless the alternative is Theresa May. She claimed she called it because she “had the balls.” And now she has made a balls of it."
"Theresa May had a plan: Steal the policies of Britain’s “far-right” – the UK Independence Party – and then steal their voters too. Since the she took office a year ago, the formerly moderate British prime minister attacked foreigners, jeered at the European Union and held Donald Trump’s hand. In April, she called an early general election, confident that UKIP voters would now endorse her “hard Brexit’ and her watered-down English Tory populism.
Never mind that the moderate centrism of her predecessor, David Cameron, won a Conservative party majority only two years ago. Never mind that she herself has offered few details about Brexit and what it will mean: May called this a “Brexit election,” declared herself the “strong and stable” candidate, promised tough negotiations with Europe and clearly expected to win a larger majority."
- This is very much Theresa May's disaster, obviously, but in vote-count terms she did very well; it was Corbyn's success in unifying multiple strands of the non-Tory vote which was the story of the night.
- With hindsight, there was one very good indicator of Corbyn's possible appeal from across the Channel. Jean-Luc Mélenchon is very like Corbyn in being a far-left relic whom everyone thought was unelectable and whose programe was a hilarious fantasy. Yet he did much better than anyone had initially expected. To a lesser extent the same is true of Bernie Sanders, although he's not as bonkers as Corbyn or Mélenchon.
- The left in general, and the Labour Party in particular, are likely to draw the wrong conclusion from the result, thinking that they can succeed on a far-left platform with 'one more push'. But this push only got as far as it did because literally no-one (including Labour themselves) took it seriously. If the Labour manifesto and front-bench had been assessed as a possible government-in-waiting, they'd have done much less well.
- I note that people who a few weeks ago were writing off Labour are now writing off the prospects for the Tories over the next few years. Always a mistake: 1992 is the best example of a similar error (Labour was thought sure to win before the election, and then considered terminally damaged afterwards).
- I have no idea what will happen next, politics once again seems to be moving faster than ever. Lord only knows how we can negotiate Brexit from this position; it's hard to see Theresa May being the person to do it.
The Conservatives have serious questions to answer, not just May. The core is hollow.
The strangest election since the 1920's. May's strategy almost paid off. The Tories did gain strongly in many working class areas, but mostly not by enough. And, they alienated middle class Remainers.
The government, even though weak, may last a long time, as only a Conservative government is viable on these numbers. ----------------
Ahem. By-elections. Revolts. Constant talk of coups. Brexit negotiations crises.
What this election matches most historically is 1950. Labour won with one of the largest votes in British history up to that point. But they were run so close by the Tories and were so exhausted in very sense that they were out within a year.
Thought: there is now, surely, a large majority of MPs in the Commons who favor Soft Brexit. If they caucus, they can deliver it. TMay will have to yield or she'll be paralyzed and forced into an election she will probably lose.
Main problem is that Corbyn is not exactly the collegiate sort of politician, and Labour Remainer MPs are in no position to force his hand or bypass him.
Soft Brexit needs a leader in Parliament, but I don't see anyone who can do it.
Why would anyone believe Mrs May gratuitously insulting our EU partners would be a vote winner? It never made sense and I doubt very much that it impressed the younger and more educated voters. Add to that ingratiating herself with Trump and the Saudis and wanting to re-introdce fox hunting and grammar schools and you start to see why the young in particular were ultimately repelled.
And not just the young.
Whether you agree with the referendum vote last June or not, Britain has wasted a year and is now in an even weaker position.
It is absolutely pathetic.
And rather than learn some lessons May is carrying on as if nothing has changed. It's arrogant and insulting to the voters and will drive even more voters and potential voters away.
The Cons need to rally behind someone without the need for a leadership battle. Preferably someone refreshing who can make Corbyn look like the dinosaur he is. There are good options potentially in Rory Stewart, James Cleverly and Kwasi Kwarteng, MPs in safe seats that the public has no opinion on yet. At least one of those must have the required leadership skills to unify the party in the name of staying in power.
Mrs May's speaking like someone's who has won a 100 seat majority
Pound-shop Gordon Brown?
She's managed to make Gordon Brown look good, he doesn't look so stupid now for not calling a snap election in 2007.
+ He also resigned when he'd lost!
Only days later and after 29% not 44%
If you make an election a referendum on yourself and blow a 20 point lead you run the risk of even your supporters thinking you are a loser.
She e on a higher voteshare than any Tory leader for 30 years, the fact she did not match her peak performance dors not change that. Maybe she will ultimately go but for now she has a majority with the DUP and can stay in No10. We will see what weekend polls show
No way can she stay. She got told to f off by the electorate.
She won most votes and seats, in the short term at least she stays
I think that some people here have lost site of that most basic point of the British constitution. I think that in due course, a new leader will be required, but if you have a majority in the Commons, you get to govern.
Exactly Julia Gillard for example lasted 3 years in a similar circumstance though I think we need to see what weekend polls show and how any potential replacements would fair, for now she is PM under the constitution
- This is very much Theresa May's disaster, obviously, but in vote-count terms she did very well; it was Corbyn's success in unifying multiple strands of the non-Tory vote which was the story of the night.
- With hindsight, there was one very good indicator of Corbyn's possible appeal from across the Channel. Jean-Luc Mélenchon is very like Corbyn in being a far-left relic whom everyone thought was unelectable and whose programe was a hilarious fantasy. Yet he did much better than anyone had initially expected. To a lesser extent the same is true of Bernie Sanders, although he's not as bonkers as Corbyn or Mélenchon.
- The left in general, and the Labour Party in particular, are likely to draw the wrong conclusion from the result, thinking that they can succeed on a far-left platform with 'one more push'. But this push only got as far as it did because literally no-one (including Labour themselves) took it seriously. If the Labour manifesto and front-bench had been assessed as a possible government-in-waiting, they'd have done much less well.
- I note that people who a few weeks ago were writing off Labour are now writing off the prospects for the Tories over the next few years. Always a mistake: 1992 is the best example of a similar error (Labour was thought sure to win before the election, and then considered terminally damaged afterwards).
- I have no idea what will happen next, politics once again seems to be moving faster than ever. Lord only knows how we can negotiate Brexit from this position; it's hard to see Theresa May being the person to do it.
The Conservatives have serious questions to answer, not just May. The core is hollow.
The core is hollow because of her disaster policies. She's alienated all of our core voters. Business groups, older voters and university educated higher earners are all alienated from the party, most turned out to vote against Corbyn rather than for the party. That saved us last night, but we can get them back on board by dumping her and her shit policies
The Cons need to rally behind someone without the need for a leadership battle. Preferably someone refreshing who can make Corbyn look like the dinosaur he is. There are good options potentially in Rory Stewart, James Cleverly and Kwasi Kwarteng, MPs in safe seats that the public has no opinion on yet. At least one of those must have the required leadership skills to unify the party in the name of staying in power.
Mrs May's speaking like someone's who has won a 100 seat majority
Pound-shop Gordon Brown?
She's managed to make Gordon Brown look good, he doesn't look so stupid now for not calling a snap election in 2007.
+ He also resigned when he'd lost!
Only days later and after 29% not 44%
If you make an election a referendum on yourself and blow a 20 point lead you run the risk of even your supporters thinking you are a loser.
She e on a higher voteshare than any Tory leader for 30 years, the fact she did not match her peak performance dors not change that. Maybe she will ultimately go but for now she has a majority with the DUP and can stay in No10. We will see what weekend polls show
No way can she stay. She got told to f off by the electorate.
She won most votes and seats, in the short term at least she stays
I think that some people here have lost site of that most basic point of the British constitution. I think that in due course, a new leader will be required, but if you have a majority in the Commons, you get to govern.
Exactly Julia Gillard for example lasted 3 years in a similar circumstance though I think we need to see what weekend polls show and how any potential replacements would fair, for now she is PM under the constitution
Are we trusting polls? Or just the ones done by Survation?
@benrileysmith: Senior Tory: May's "terrible and damaging campaign has retoxified Conservatism."
If as a party you get 13.6 million votes and 43.5% GB vote share it isn't clear to me that you are "retoxified".
"Utterly utterly screwed Conservativism" , I can grok. "Ruined the voter coalion", sure. But in terms of "toxic", in the sense of "are people willing to go out and vote for the party, or do they vote against it even if they agree with its policies because they can't stand the party" I can't see it.
Thought: there is now, surely, a large majority of MPs in the Commons who favor Soft Brexit. If they caucus, they can deliver it. TMay will have to yield or she'll be paralyzed and forced into an election she will probably lose.
Soft Brexit is nailed on
It really isn't. Soft Brexit requires painful compromise and a strong government. Unless you think Labour and the Conservatives will form a coalition it cannot happen.
It will be the compromise, indeed probably the only compromise, that will get through the HOC and HOL
The Cons need to rally behind someone without the need for a leadership battle. Preferably someone refreshing who can make Corbyn look like the dinosaur he is. There are good options potentially in Rory Stewart, James Cleverly and Kwasi Kwarteng, MPs in safe seats that the public has no opinion on yet. At least one of those must have the required leadership skills to unify the party in the name of staying in power.
No, we need a leadership election.
Yes, we need a bloodletting and for potential leaders to set out their stalls.
- This is very much Theresa May's disaster, obviously, but in vote-count terms she did very well; it was Corbyn's success in unifying multiple strands of the non-Tory vote which was the story of the night.
- With hindsight, there was one very good indicator of Corbyn's possible appeal from across the Channel. Jean-Luc Mélenchon is very like Corbyn in being a far-left relic whom everyone thought was unelectable and whose programe was a hilarious fantasy. Yet he did much better than anyone had initially expected. To a lesser extent the same is true of Bernie Sanders, although he's not as bonkers as Corbyn or Mélenchon.
- The left in general, and the Labour Party in particular, are likely to draw the wrong conclusion from the result, thinking that they can succeed on a far-left platform with 'one more push'. But this push only got as far as it did because literally no-one (including Labour themselves) took it seriously. If the Labour manifesto and front-bench had been assessed as a possible government-in-waiting, they'd have done much less well.
- I note that people who a few weeks ago were writing off Labour are now writing off the prospects for the Tories over the next few years. Always a mistake: 1992 is the best example of a similar error (Labour was thought sure to win before the election, and then considered terminally damaged afterwards).
- I have no idea what will happen next, politics once again seems to be moving faster than ever. Lord only knows how we can negotiate Brexit from this position; it's hard to see Theresa May being the person to do it.
The Conservatives have serious questions to answer, not just May. The core is hollow.
They certainly need to reverse the May brainfarts PDQ. Energy caps, WFA, dementia, etc. I think the UK just abandoned financial probity. And being theoretically right but always out of power isn't going to prtoect our finances either. Inflation is coming.
Mrs May's speaking like someone's who has won a 100 seat majority
Pound-shop Gordon Brown?
She's managed to make Gordon Brown look good, he doesn't look so stupid now for not calling a snap election in 2007.
+ He also resigned when he'd lost!
Only days later and after 29% not 44%
If you make an election a referendum on yourself and blow a 20 point lead you run the risk of even your supporters thinking you are a loser.
She e on a higher voteshare than any Tory leader for 30 years, the fact she did not match her peak performance dors not change that. Maybe she will ultimately go but for now she has a majority with the DUP and can stay in No10. We will see what weekend polls show
No way can she stay. She got told to f off by the electorate.
She won most votes and seats, in the short term at least she stays
I think that some people here have lost site of that most basic point of the British constitution. I think that in due course, a new leader will be required, but if you have a majority in the Commons, you get to govern.
Exactly Julia Gillard for example lasted 3 years in a similar circumstance though I think we need to see what weekend polls show and how any potential replacements would fair, for now she is PM under the constitution
Are we trusting polls? Or just the ones done by Survation?
"How bad do you have to be to get scuppered by Jeremy Corbyn? You have to be very bad indeed – as bad as Theresa May, in fact. There was no need for her to call this general election, as she had a working majority with three years to run. She called it because she regarded Corbyn as utterly unelectable, which he probably is – unless the alternative is Theresa May. She claimed she called it because she “had the balls.” And now she has made a balls of it."
- This is very much Theresa May's disaster, obviously, but in vote-count terms she did very well; it was Corbyn's success in unifying multiple strands of the non-Tory vote which was the story of the night.
- With hindsight, there was one very good indicator of Corbyn's possible appeal from across the Channel. Jean-Luc Mélenchon is very like Corbyn in being a far-left relic whom everyone thought was unelectable and whose programe was a hilarious fantasy. Yet he did much better than anyone had initially expected. To a lesser extent the same is true of Bernie Sanders, although he's not as bonkers as Corbyn or Mélenchon.
- The left in general, and the Labour Party in particular, are likely to draw the wrong conclusion from the result, thinking that they can succeed on a far-left platform with 'one more push'. But this push only got as far as it did because literally no-one (including Labour themselves) took it seriously. If the Labour manifesto and front-bench had been assessed as a possible government-in-waiting, they'd have done much less well.
- I note that people who a few weeks ago were writing off Labour are now writing off the prospects for the Tories over the next few years. Always a mistake: 1992 is the best example of a similar error (Labour was thought sure to win before the election, and then considered terminally damaged afterwards).
- I have no idea what will happen next, politics once again seems to be moving faster than ever. Lord only knows how we can negotiate Brexit from this position; it's hard to see Theresa May being the person to do it.
The Conservatives have serious questions to answer, not just May. The core is hollow.
The core is hollow because of her disaster policies. She's alienated all of our core voters. Business groups, older voters and university educated higher earners are all alienated from the party, most turned out to vote against Corbyn rather than for the party. That saved us last night, but we can get them back on board by dumping her and her shit policies
You have deeper questions to answer. to lose two pms in a year starts to look like incompetence.
The Cons need to rally behind someone without the need for a leadership battle. Preferably someone refreshing who can make Corbyn look like the dinosaur he is. There are good options potentially in Rory Stewart, James Cleverly and Kwasi Kwarteng, MPs in safe seats that the public has no opinion on yet. At least one of those must have the required leadership skills to unify the party in the name of staying in power.
No, we need a leadership election.
I disagree, the sight of a few thousand oldies in the shires deciding the next PM is a worse look than being decisive and rallying round one figure. They can go to the polls later in the year as a party that has learned its lessons.
The strangest election since the 1920's. May's strategy almost paid off. The Tories did gain strongly in many working class areas, but mostly not by enough. And, they alienated middle class Remainers.
The government, even though weak, may last a long time, as only a Conservative government is viable on these numbers. ----------------
Ahem. By-elections. Revolts. Constant talk of coups. Brexit negotiations crises.
What this election matches most historically is 1950. Labour won with one of the largest votes in British history up to that point. But they were run so close by the Tories and were so exhausted in very sense that they were out within a year.
Can we crown Nick poster of the year? The guy has been stoic in his analysis in the face of much mockery and ire on here (I was as guilty as any). Yet he was right about Corbyn. And he's right that this government is done for.
2016 Scotland Election SNP 48.8% of seats Sturgeon is re-elected as First Minister and unopposed as such
2017 UK General Election Tories 49.0% of seats May is "rejected" according to some here and must go. Go figure.
Incidentally if you look at Great Britain seats like we look at Great Britain opinion polls: Tories 50.5% of seats.
The party that won a majority of Great Britain is working with the party that won a majority of Northern Ireland.
She blew a 20 plus point lead in the opinion polls and was run close by a national laughing stock, whose presence was the only reason she polled as well as she did. Not exactly a great portfolio...
- This is very much Theresa May's disaster, obviously, but in vote-count terms she did very well; it was Corbyn's success in unifying multiple strands of the non-Tory vote which was the story of the night.
- With hindsight, there was one very good indicator of Corbyn's possible appeal from across the Channel. Jean-Luc Mélenchon is very like Corbyn in being a far-left relic whom everyone thought was unelectable and whose programe was a hilarious fantasy. Yet he did much better than anyone had initially expected. To a lesser extent the same is true of Bernie Sanders, although he's not as bonkers as Corbyn or Mélenchon.
- The left in general, and the Labour Party in particular, are likely to draw the wrong conclusion from the result, thinking that they can succeed on a far-left platform with 'one more push'. But this push only got as far as it did because literally no-one (including Labour themselves) took it seriously. If the Labour manifesto and front-bench had been assessed as a possible government-in-waiting, they'd have done much less well.
- I note that people who a few weeks ago were writing off Labour are now writing off the prospects for the Tories over the next few years. Always a mistake: 1992 is the best example of a similar error (Labour was thought sure to win before the election, and then considered terminally damaged afterwards).
- I have no idea what will happen next, politics once again seems to be moving faster than ever. Lord only knows how we can negotiate Brexit from this position; it's hard to see Theresa May being the person to do it.
The Conservatives have serious questions to answer, not just May. The core is hollow.
The core is hollow because of her disaster policies. She's alienated all of our core voters. Business groups, older voters and university educated higher earners are all alienated from the party, most turned out to vote against Corbyn rather than for the party. That saved us last night, but we can get them back on board by dumping her and her shit policies
I think it was a poor campaign, without doubt, but she won 13.7 m votes, so clearly some voters like her.
And one thing that everyone who thinks an economy dry Conservative Party would be swept into office, is that people are sick of austerity.
- This is very much Theresa May's disaster, obviously, but in vote-count terms she did very well; it was Corbyn's success in unifying multiple strands of the non-Tory vote which was the story of the night.
- With hindsight, there was one very good indicator of Corbyn's possible appeal from across the Channel. Jean-Luc Mélenchon is very like Corbyn in being a far-left relic whom everyone thought was unelectable and whose programe was a hilarious fantasy. Yet he did much better than anyone had initially expected. To a lesser extent the same is true of Bernie Sanders, although he's not as bonkers as Corbyn or Mélenchon.
- The left in general, and the Labour Party in particular, are likely to draw the wrong conclusion from the result, thinking that they can succeed on a far-left platform with 'one more push'. But this push only got as far as it did because literally no-one (including Labour themselves) took it seriously. If the Labour manifesto and front-bench had been assessed as a possible government-in-waiting, they'd have done much less well.
- I note that people who a few weeks ago were writing off Labour are now writing off the prospects for the Tories over the next few years. Always a mistake: 1992 is the best example of a similar error (Labour was thought sure to win before the election, and then considered terminally damaged afterwards).
- I have no idea what will happen next, politics once again seems to be moving faster than ever. Lord only knows how we can negotiate Brexit from this position; it's hard to see Theresa May being the person to do it.
The Conservatives have serious questions to answer, not just May. The core is hollow.
The core is hollow because of her disaster policies. She's alienated all of our core voters. Business groups, older voters and university educated higher earners are all alienated from the party, most turned out to vote against Corbyn rather than for the party. That saved us last night, but we can get them back on board by dumping her and her shit policies
You have deeper questions to answer. to lose two pms in a year starts to look like incompetence.
Conservativism is tired.
We've lost May (hopefully) because she bloody copied the Ed Miliband playbook.
Any thoughts on a Labour reshuffle? Surely now is the time to reunite the party, which has been incredibly disciplined in the campaign. Give centrists big jobs – Yvette to home secretary, Chuka to foreign secretary etc?
What this election matches most historically is 1950. Labour won with one of the largest votes in British history up to that point. But they were run so close by the Tories and were so exhausted in very sense that they were out within a year.
- This is very much Theresa May's disaster, obviously, but in vote-count terms she did very well; it was Corbyn's success in unifying multiple strands of the non-Tory vote which was the story of the night.
- With hindsight, there was one very good indicator of Corbyn's possible appeal from across the Channel. Jean-Luc Mélenchon is very like Corbyn in being a far-left relic whom everyone thought was unelectable and whose programe was a hilarious fantasy. Yet he did much better than anyone had initially expected. To a lesser extent the same is true of Bernie Sanders, although he's not as bonkers as Corbyn or Mélenchon.
- The left in general, and the Labour Party in particular, are likely to draw the wrong conclusion from the result, thinking that they can succeed on a far-left platform with 'one more push'. But this push only got as far as it did because literally no-one (including Labour themselves) took it seriously. If the Labour manifesto and front-bench had been assessed as a possible government-in-waiting, they'd have done much less well.
- I note that people who a few weeks ago were writing off Labour are now writing off the prospects for the Tories over the next few years. Always a mistake: 1992 is the best example of a similar error (Labour was thought sure to win before the election, and then considered terminally damaged afterwards).
- I have no idea what will happen next, politics once again seems to be moving faster than ever. Lord only knows how we can negotiate Brexit from this position; it's hard to see Theresa May being the person to do it.
The Conservatives have serious questions to answer, not just May. The core is hollow.
The core is hollow because of her disaster policies. She's alienated all of our core voters. Business groups, older voters and university educated higher earners are all alienated from the party, most turned out to vote against Corbyn rather than for the party. That saved us last night, but we can get them back on board by dumping her and her shit policies
I think it was a poor campaign, without doubt, but she won 13.7 m votes, so clearly some voters like her.
And one thing that everyone who thinks an economy dry Conservative Party would be swept into office, is that people are sick of austerity.
I'd just like a liberal leader, instead of the scary authoritarianism that runs through May.
In fairness to Theresa May (someone has to be): even though I'm as furious with her as every other Conservative, and I don't see how she can remain in place, she can't resign until there's some succession plan in place. There's no time for a full-blown leadership contest with the Brexit clock ticking.
- This is very much Theresa May's disaster, obviously, but in vote-count terms she did very well; it was Corbyn's success in unifying multiple strands of the non-Tory vote which was the story of the night.
- With hindsight, there was one very good indicator of Corbyn's possible appeal from across the Channel. Jean-Luc Mélenchon is very like Corbyn in being a far-left relic whom everyone thought was unelectable and whose programe was a hilarious fantasy. Yet he did much better than anyone had initially expected. To a lesser extent the same is true of Bernie Sanders, although he's not as bonkers as Corbyn or Mélenchon.
- The left in general, and the Labour Party in particular, are likely to draw the wrong conclusion from the result, thinking that they can succeed on a far-left platform with 'one more push'. But this push only got as far as it did because literally no-one (including Labour themselves) took it seriously. If the Labour manifesto and front-bench had been assessed as a possible government-in-waiting, they'd have done much less well.
- I note that people who a few weeks ago were writing off Labour are now writing off the prospects for the Tories over the next few years. Always a mistake: 1992 is the best example of a similar error (Labour was thought sure to win before the election, and then considered terminally damaged afterwards).
- I have no idea what will happen next, politics once again seems to be moving faster than ever. Lord only knows how we can negotiate Brexit from this position; it's hard to see Theresa May being the person to do it.
The Conservatives have serious questions to answer, not just May. The core is hollow.
The core is hollow because of her disaster policies. She's alienated all of our core voters. Business groups, older voters and university educated higher earners are all alienated from the party, most turned out to vote against Corbyn rather than for the party. That saved us last night, but we can get them back on board by dumping her and her shit policies
You have deeper questions to answer. to lose two pms in a year starts to look like incompetence.
Conservativism is tired.
We've lost May (hopefully) because she bloody copied the Ed Miliband playbook.
Any thoughts on a Labour reshuffle? Surely now is the time to reunite the party, which has been incredibly disciplined in the campaign. Give centrists big jobs – Yvette to home secretary, Chuka to foreign secretary etc?
How can he reward the people who wrote him off and punish those who stuck by him?
- This is very much Theresa May's disaster, obviously, but in vote-count terms she did very well; it was Corbyn's success in unifying multiple strands of the non-Tory vote which was the story of the night.
- With hindsight, there was one very good indicator of Corbyn's possible appeal from across the Channel. Jean-Luc Mélenchon is very like Corbyn in being a far-left relic whom everyone thought was unelectable and whose programe was a hilarious fantasy. Yet he did much better than anyone had initially expected. To a lesser extent the same is true of Bernie Sanders, although he's not as bonkers as Corbyn or Mélenchon.
- The left in general, and the Labour Party in particular, are likely to draw the wrong conclusion from the result, thinking that they can succeed on a far-left platform with 'one more push'. But this push only got as far as it did because literally no-one (including Labour themselves) took it seriously. If the Labour manifesto and front-bench had been assessed as a possible government-in-waiting, they'd have done much less well.
- I note that people who a few weeks ago were writing off Labour are now writing off the prospects for the Tories over the next few years. Always a mistake: 1992 is the best example of a similar error (Labour was thought sure to win before the election, and then considered terminally damaged afterwards).
- I have no idea what will happen next, politics once again seems to be moving faster than ever. Lord only knows how we can negotiate Brexit from this position; it's hard to see Theresa May being the person to do it.
The Conservatives have serious questions to answer, not just May. The core is hollow.
The core is hollow because of her disaster policies. She's alienated all of our core voters. Business groups, older voters and university educated higher earners are all alienated from the party, most turned out to vote against Corbyn rather than for the party. That saved us last night, but we can get them back on board by dumping her and her shit policies
You have deeper questions to answer. to lose two pms in a year starts to look like incompetence.
Conservativism is tired.
We've lost May (hopefully) because she bloody copied the Ed Miliband playbook.
She copied because there was nothing else to do. The cupboard was bare.
@RichardAngell: @wesstreeting PM's Downing Street statement is the latest in a series of events since April where she appears annoyed at the person who called #GE2017
In fairness to Theresa May (someone has to be): even though I'm as furious with her as every other Conservative, and I don't see how she can remain in place, she can't resign until there's some succession plan in place. There's no time for a full-blown leadership contest with the Brexit clock ticking.
In fairness to Theresa May (someone has to be): even though I'm as furious with her as every other Conservative, and I don't see how she can remain in place, she can't resign until there's some succession plan in place. There's no time for a full-blown leadership contest with the Brexit clock ticking.
And she does have form on leading us up the garden path with regards to her intentions!
In fairness to Theresa May (someone has to be): even though I'm as furious with her as every other Conservative, and I don't see how she can remain in place, she can't resign until there's some succession plan in place. There's no time for a full-blown leadership contest with the Brexit clock ticking.
I agree,can't she stand down as tory leader and tories have a leadership contest while she remains PM ?
In fairness to Theresa May (someone has to be): even though I'm as furious with her as every other Conservative, and I don't see how she can remain in place, she can't resign until there's some succession plan in place. There's no time for a full-blown leadership contest with the Brexit clock ticking.
This is fair - but surely she had to show a smidgen of humility in her speech?
@AgnesCPoirier: May in front of Downing Street : Business as usual. Nothing has happened in May land it seems. Not a word for angry voters. Wow
I didn't see her constituency speech but in this speech she failed to thank all those who fought for her on the hustings the last couple of months and even more seriously those who did come out and vote for Conservative candidates yesterday.
The Conservative Party will be unable to move forward with Theresa as leader. Who the heck could lead ? Someone not holding cabinet office or new to parliament during Cameron and probably May as well.
Wouldn't be my choice but I get the impression Rory Stewart ticks boxes with a lot of voters - I would prefer Julian from Skipton myself.
AND we must never ever run another campaign based upon one person.
Comments
- This is very much Theresa May's disaster, obviously, but in vote-count terms she did very well; it was Corbyn's success in unifying multiple strands of the non-Tory vote which was the story of the night.
- With hindsight, there was one very good indicator of Corbyn's possible appeal from across the Channel. Jean-Luc Mélenchon is very like Corbyn in being a far-left relic whom everyone thought was unelectable and whose programe was a hilarious fantasy. Yet he did much better than anyone had initially expected. To a lesser extent the same is true of Bernie Sanders, although he's not as bonkers as Corbyn or Mélenchon.
- The left in general, and the Labour Party in particular, are likely to draw the wrong conclusion from the result, thinking that they can succeed on a far-left platform with 'one more push'. But this push only got as far as it did because literally no-one (including Labour themselves) took it seriously. If the Labour manifesto and front-bench had been assessed as a possible government-in-waiting, they'd have done much less well.
- I note that people who a few weeks ago were writing off Labour are now writing off the prospects for the Tories over the next few years. Always a mistake: 1992 is the best example of a similar error (Labour was thought sure to win before the election, and then considered terminally damaged afterwards).
- I have no idea what will happen next, politics once again seems to be moving faster than ever. Lord only knows how we can negotiate Brexit from this position; it's hard to see Theresa May being the person to do it.
(Not DUPers though - the family back that breakaway unionist party a few years back - was it McAlistair or someone?)
TMay an absolute disgrace.
https://twitter.com/George_Osborne/status/873145672672968704
Most of us would have taken that a year ago. If there is any backsliding however the Tories will be in real trouble.
https://youtu.be/1gkHwU4DRA8
edited to add:
and look at the direction of travel. There is plenty of scope for Lab to expand their coalition towards the centre.
- Motorways (Northern Ireland) Bill
- NHS Renewal (Belfast) Bill
-The Heat and Power Subsidies (Northern Ireland)
http://salisburyreview.com/articles/put-may-over-the-side/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2017/06/09/theresa-may-and-the-revenge-of-the-remainers/?tid=ss_tw-bottom&utm_term=.4b28522269fe
"Theresa May had a plan: Steal the policies of Britain’s “far-right” – the UK Independence Party – and then steal their voters too. Since the she took office a year ago, the formerly moderate British prime minister attacked foreigners, jeered at the European Union and held Donald Trump’s hand. In April, she called an early general election, confident that UKIP voters would now endorse her “hard Brexit’ and her watered-down English Tory populism.
Never mind that the moderate centrism of her predecessor, David Cameron, won a Conservative party majority only two years ago. Never mind that she herself has offered few details about Brexit and what it will mean: May called this a “Brexit election,” declared herself the “strong and stable” candidate, promised tough negotiations with Europe and clearly expected to win a larger majority."
This is a farce.
May should go. And go now.
Sean_F said:
The strangest election since the 1920's. May's strategy almost paid off. The Tories did gain strongly in many working class areas, but mostly not by enough. And, they alienated middle class Remainers.
The government, even though weak, may last a long time, as only a Conservative government is viable on these numbers.
----------------
Ahem. By-elections. Revolts. Constant talk of coups. Brexit negotiations crises.
What this election matches most historically is 1950. Labour won with one of the largest votes in British history up to that point. But they were run so close by the Tories and were so exhausted in very sense that they were out within a year.
Soft Brexit needs a leader in Parliament, but I don't see anyone who can do it.
Whether you agree with the referendum vote last June or not, Britain has wasted a year and is now in an even weaker position.
It is absolutely pathetic.
And rather than learn some lessons May is carrying on as if nothing has changed. It's arrogant and insulting to the voters and will drive even more voters and potential voters away.
Nowhere near having the skills to negotiate a good deal for us.
Her and Trump have the same lack of self-awareness.
She will make Francois Hollande look like he was loved by his people.
polls are shit...OK that's not new
young people do vote
elections can change fortunes
"Utterly utterly screwed Conservativism" , I can grok. "Ruined the voter coalion", sure. But in terms of "toxic", in the sense of "are people willing to go out and vote for the party, or do they vote against it even if they agree with its policies because they can't stand the party" I can't see it.
- no mention of the election at all;
- "Conservative and Unionist Party"
SNP 48.8% of seats
Sturgeon is re-elected as First Minister and unopposed as such
2017 UK General Election
Tories 49.0% of seats
May is "rejected" according to some here and must go. Go figure.
Incidentally if you look at Great Britain seats like we look at Great Britain opinion polls:
Tories 50.5% of seats.
The party that won a majority of Great Britain is working with the party that won a majority of Northern Ireland.
Conservativism is tired.
And one thing that everyone who thinks an economy dry Conservative Party would be swept into office, is that people are sick of austerity.
Any thoughts on a Labour reshuffle? Surely now is the time to reunite the party, which has been incredibly disciplined in the campaign. Give centrists big jobs – Yvette to home secretary, Chuka to foreign secretary etc?
Votes: Lab 13.2m, Con 12.5m, Lib 2.6m
Seats: 315, 298, 9
2017 so far
Votes: Con 13.7m, Lab 12.9m, LD 2.4m
Seats: 318, 261, 12
Uncanny.
But, seeing as Corbyn represents a clear and present danger to the UK, anything or anyone that keeps him out of office is doing a national service.
Move over Diane Abbott, Theresa May has come for your job.
I agree with Mr Meeks.
I honestly feel this afternoon that I have no idea what I am talking about as far as politics goes.
At the very least, to last just one week, she needs to fire tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee, surely?
https://twitter.com/graeme_from_it/status/873153215281467392
The Conservative Party will be unable to move forward with Theresa as leader. Who the heck could lead ? Someone not holding cabinet office or new to parliament during Cameron and probably May as well.
Wouldn't be my choice but I get the impression Rory Stewart ticks boxes with a lot of voters - I would prefer Julian from Skipton myself.
AND we must never ever run another campaign based upon one person.