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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Don’t laugh at us, Argentina

SystemSystem Posts: 11,700
edited June 2017 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Don’t laugh at us, Argentina

The referendum has not harmed growth, investment or confidence. The *possibility* of a Corbyn Government could be a different matter.

Read the full story here


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    AndreaParma_82AndreaParma_82 Posts: 4,714
    Welsh Labour seats by majority


    1) Aberavon (Stephen Kinnock) 50.4%
    2) Merthyr (Gerald Jones) 48.7%
    3) Cardiff Central (Jo Stevens) 42.6%
    4) Rhondda (Chris Bryant) 41.8%
    5) Cynon Valley (Ann Clwyd) 41.6%

    6) Swansea East (Carolyn Harris) 37.4%
    7) Ogmore (Chris Elmore) 37.3%
    8) Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith) 36.8%
    9) Neath (Christina Rees) 33.0%
    10) Islwyn (Chris Evans) 31.6%

    11) Llanelli (Nia Griffiths) 29.8%
    12) Caerphilly (Wayne David) 29.3%
    13) Cardiff South (Stephen Doughty) 29.3%
    14) Pontypridd (Owen Smith) 28.7%
    15) Swansea West (Geraint Davies) 28.5%
    16) Cardiff West (Kevin Brennan) 26.9%
    17) Torfaen (Nick Thomas-Symonds) 26.6%
    18) Newport East (Jessica Morden) 21.7%

    19) Ynis Mon (Albert Owen) 14.1%
    20) Newport West (Paul Flynn) 13.0%
    21) Alyn and Deeside (Mark Tami) 11.7%
    22) Clwyd South (Susan Elan Jones) 11.6%
    23) Bridgend (Madeleine Moon) 10.9%
    24) Delyn (David Hanson) 10.8%

    25) Cardiff North (Anna McMorrin) 8.0% GAIN
    26) Gower (Tonia Antoniazzi) 7.2% GAIN
    27) Vale of Clwyd (Chris Ruane) 6.1% GAIN
    28) Wrexham (Ian Lucas) 5.2%


    Welsh Labour did quite well in the Southern Valleys and held up in North Wales Labour leaning marginals.
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    nielhnielh Posts: 1,307
    People get the government (and the politicians) that they deserve.
    Good article.
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    DruttDrutt Posts: 1,093
    PENALTY!
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    dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,289
    edited June 2017
    Following the Argentine path, someone must have left out six coups or golpe d'estado from 1930 -83, the disappearances and elimination of political opponents, Peronism. All came to an end thanks to Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan.
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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,927
    The prospects for most of the West don't look great.

    But, who knows how things will turn out?
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    tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,197
    Perhaps Labour should have split. 85% of people voted for parties saying that they'd leave the EU (and, in the case of Labour, the Single Market). But some are using the warped logic that because neither party won a majority of seats, then this is all null and void.

    By the way, Argentina has Messi. It's not all bad for them.
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    MortimerMortimer Posts: 13,956
    Of course. Germany doesn't want to pony up what it ought to for the Greater Markzone.
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    FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,052
    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.
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    Peter_the_PunterPeter_the_Punter Posts: 13,328
    That's always been my understanding from the outset.
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    MortimerMortimer Posts: 13,956
    tlg86 said:

    Perhaps Labour should have split. 85% of people voted for parties saying that they'd leave the EU (and, in the case of Labour, the Single Market). But some are using the warped logic that because neither party won a majority of seats, then this is all null and void.

    By the way, Argentina has Messi. It's not all bad for them.

    Scottn'Paste being the prime example.

    Still, at least he got the Monty Hall problem right.

    Oh, wait....
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    another_richardanother_richard Posts: 25,127
    ' How can Britain get out of this oscillating cycle of destructive populism? The first step is for some serious politicians to speak out against it. And there too the prospects are bleak. The centre has been hollowed out. Brexit cleared out the Conservatives who were able and prepared to do this: David Cameron and George Osborne have left the stage. '

    That will be the same Cameron and Osborne who promised no tax increase and guaranteed spending increases and never said no to funding their own vanity projects.

    If you want a date as to when things started going wrong then try January 1998.

    That was the last month the UK had a trade surplus.

    Its been magic money tree ever since.
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    DougieDougie Posts: 57
    Good article.

    For us to follow a similar trajectory to Argentina, the public and politicians would have to lose faith in our governing institutions. I don't think that's likely but it's more possible now than it has been for a long time (I am of course setting aside the sort of serial constitutional reformers and tinkerers that you find mostly within the LDs and bits of the Labour Party).

    Arguably, the cracks are already appearing. Some remainers have already lost faith in those institutions as a result of the EU referendum. A Corbyn or Corbynista led majority government turning out to be as left wing as expected would have a similar result amongst those on the right.
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    MortimerMortimer Posts: 13,956

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,126
    We would need several military juntas too in the meantime. In any case Argentina actually does better than the article suggests, it is a G20 nation, with a gdp per capita above the global average and has won more world cups than England has
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    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,127
    tlg86 said:

    Perhaps Labour should have split. 85% of people voted for parties saying that they'd leave the EU (and, in the case of Labour, the Single Market). But some are using the warped logic that because neither party won a majority of seats, then this is all null and void.

    It's completely fallacious to interpret the election result that way. Labour were highly ambivalent about Brexit and had 'tests' for the Brexit deal that could never be met. In any case in a representative democracy you can't treat every for every MP as a full endorsement of every dot and comma of the party's manifesto.
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    Electoral reform, anyone?
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    tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,197
    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
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    another_richardanother_richard Posts: 25,127

    That's always been my understanding from the outset.
    Open doors to what though ?
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    MortimerMortimer Posts: 13,956

    tlg86 said:

    Perhaps Labour should have split. 85% of people voted for parties saying that they'd leave the EU (and, in the case of Labour, the Single Market). But some are using the warped logic that because neither party won a majority of seats, then this is all null and void.

    It's completely fallacious to interpret the election result that way. Labour were highly ambivalent about Brexit and had 'tests' for the Brexit deal that could never be met. In any case in a representative democracy you can't treat every for every MP as a full endorsement of every dot and comma of the party's manifesto.
    Looks like we'll have to rely on the referendum result, then.

    Your side had the British government, pretty much all big business and the civil service on side. Remind me, how did that go for you?
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    welshowlwelshowl Posts: 4,460

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    YouGov predicted LibDens to finish third in C Central. I laughed. I was wrong! Tidal wave of students here one suspects.
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,126
    It is also not as if the rest of the west is immune to populism at the moment either, while apart from Greece populist parties have generally not taken power they are still on the rise, in Italy 5* may have taken a hit in local elections but still tops the national polls and in the US it is likely the next election will be between Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, the aftershocks of the 2008 crash are still affecting UK politics but they are still present elsewhere as well
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    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,127
    edited June 2017
    Mortimer said:

    tlg86 said:

    Perhaps Labour should have split. 85% of people voted for parties saying that they'd leave the EU (and, in the case of Labour, the Single Market). But some are using the warped logic that because neither party won a majority of seats, then this is all null and void.

    It's completely fallacious to interpret the election result that way. Labour were highly ambivalent about Brexit and had 'tests' for the Brexit deal that could never be met. In any case in a representative democracy you can't treat every for every MP as a full endorsement of every dot and comma of the party's manifesto.
    Looks like we'll have to rely on the referendum result, then.

    Your side had the British government, pretty much all big business and the civil service on side. Remind me, how did that go for you?
    As I've pointed out before, my side wasn't on the ballot paper in the referendum. Cameron's deal was for a permanently semi-detached relationship on the basis of never joining the Euro. It's Brexit that has shattered that consensus.
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    rpjsrpjs Posts: 3,787
    HYUFD said:

    It is also not as if the rest of the west is immune to populism at the moment either, while apart from Greece populist parties have generally not taken power they are still on the rise, in Italy 5* may have taken a hit in local elections but still tops the national polls and in the US it is likely the next election will be between Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, the aftershocks of the 2008 crash are still affecting UK politics but they are still present elsewhere as well

    I don't think Bernie will run again; he's getting too old. Warren is a possibility, but thr Dems will probably go for a conpromise candidate, maybe someone like Kirsten Gillibrand.
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    isamisam Posts: 40,983
    Mortimer said:

    tlg86 said:

    Perhaps Labour should have split. 85% of people voted for parties saying that they'd leave the EU (and, in the case of Labour, the Single Market). But some are using the warped logic that because neither party won a majority of seats, then this is all null and void.

    By the way, Argentina has Messi. It's not all bad for them.

    Scottn'Paste being the prime example.

    Still, at least he got the Monty Hall problem right.

    Oh, wait....
    Imagine if both Con and Lab had said they were going to reverse the referendum decision in their manifestos, and got 84% of the vote/480 odd seats. There is no way Brexiteers could spin that to mean its good for Brexit or that the public desire it.
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    MortimerMortimer Posts: 13,956
    OT, but English Strawberries are absolutely fantastic at the moment.

    Combined with a nice Marlborough Sauv. B., they go down a treat on these hot evenings.
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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,927

    tlg86 said:

    Perhaps Labour should have split. 85% of people voted for parties saying that they'd leave the EU (and, in the case of Labour, the Single Market). But some are using the warped logic that because neither party won a majority of seats, then this is all null and void.

    It's completely fallacious to interpret the election result that way. Labour were highly ambivalent about Brexit and had 'tests' for the Brexit deal that could never be met. In any case in a representative democracy you can't treat every for every MP as a full endorsement of every dot and comma of the party's manifesto.
    You interpret every election result as proving that the voters want More Europe. The EU is your religion.
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    tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,197
    isam said:

    Mortimer said:

    tlg86 said:

    Perhaps Labour should have split. 85% of people voted for parties saying that they'd leave the EU (and, in the case of Labour, the Single Market). But some are using the warped logic that because neither party won a majority of seats, then this is all null and void.

    By the way, Argentina has Messi. It's not all bad for them.

    Scottn'Paste being the prime example.

    Still, at least he got the Monty Hall problem right.

    Oh, wait....
    Imagine if both Con and Lab had said they were going to reverse the referendum decision in their manifestos, and got 84% of the vote/480 odd seats. There is no way Brexiteers could spin that to mean its good for Brexit or that the public desire it.
    It would have made for an interesting election had they decided to do that!
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    MortimerMortimer Posts: 13,956
    tlg86 said:

    isam said:

    Mortimer said:

    tlg86 said:

    Perhaps Labour should have split. 85% of people voted for parties saying that they'd leave the EU (and, in the case of Labour, the Single Market). But some are using the warped logic that because neither party won a majority of seats, then this is all null and void.

    By the way, Argentina has Messi. It's not all bad for them.

    Scottn'Paste being the prime example.

    Still, at least he got the Monty Hall problem right.

    Oh, wait....
    Imagine if both Con and Lab had said they were going to reverse the referendum decision in their manifestos, and got 84% of the vote/480 odd seats. There is no way Brexiteers could spin that to mean its good for Brexit or that the public desire it.
    It would have made for an interesting election had they decided to do that!
    Christ knows who I would have voted for.

    The party would have lost my (admittedly pitiful( donations, mind.
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    ThomasNasheThomasNashe Posts: 5,005
    Depressing stuff. Unfortunately, I think you're right. And no, I just can't see a way out of this mess.
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    midwintermidwinter Posts: 1,112
    tlg86 said:

    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
    Yeah. Cos that's why he resigned.
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    tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,197
    midwinter said:

    tlg86 said:

    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
    Yeah. Cos that's why he resigned.
    Well it didn't exactly bring the government down, did it?
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    nunununu Posts: 6,024
    Anyone elese really annoyed that Perth and Perthshire North didn't turn blue because it would have made the map of Scotland look a lot neater. No? Just me? OK........
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    MortimerMortimer Posts: 13,956
    midwinter said:

    tlg86 said:

    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
    Yeah. Cos that's why he resigned.
    I find the distrust of IDS amongst party members one of the most bizarre sides of the neo-liberal elements of the Conservative party. Yes he was a hopeless leader. Yes he isn't the biggest dreamer or thinker in the world. But by-God is he a Tory through and through. And by-God I'd trust his intentions more than the identikit politicians who laughed at him.
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    another_richardanother_richard Posts: 25,127
    nunu said:

    Anyone elese really annoyed that Perth and Perthshire North didn't turn blue because it would have made the map of Scotland look a lot neater. No? Just me? OK........

    I like neat electoral maps but I had money on the SNP in Perth as a saver bet.
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    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,563
    Theresa May just did a Mexican wave.
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    tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,197
    edited June 2017

    Theresa May just did a Mexican wave.

    If only the election was this week, it might have got a few more votes.

    EDIT: The Egg and Bacon Brigade should take note. If our PM can join in, so can they.
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    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,563
    On topic, depressing but I fear you're accurate.
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    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 30,991
    edited June 2017
    In the thread header Alastair is being somewhat disingenuous.

    He says

    "The public liked the idea of saving contributions to the EU to spend on funding NHS contributions (this mysteriously has not yet materialised) "

    Why should it, when he knows full well we have not yet left the EU and will not for at least another 18 months to 2 years. As such we are still paying the same vast sums of money to the EU (£283 million a week) as we were before the referendum.
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    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,127

    Theresa May just did a Mexican wave.

    While her government does a Mexican standoff.
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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,927
    Mortimer said:

    midwinter said:

    tlg86 said:

    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
    Yeah. Cos that's why he resigned.
    I find the distrust of IDS amongst party members one of the most bizarre sides of the neo-liberal elements of the Conservative party. Yes he was a hopeless leader. Yes he isn't the biggest dreamer or thinker in the world. But by-God is he a Tory through and through. And by-God I'd trust his intentions more than the identikit politicians who laughed at him.
    IDS was plainly not up to it, but all of his successors have had their flaws.
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,126
    rpjs said:

    HYUFD said:

    It is also not as if the rest of the west is immune to populism at the moment either, while apart from Greece populist parties have generally not taken power they are still on the rise, in Italy 5* may have taken a hit in local elections but still tops the national polls and in the US it is likely the next election will be between Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, the aftershocks of the 2008 crash are still affecting UK politics but they are still present elsewhere as well

    I don't think Bernie will run again; he's getting too old. Warren is a possibility, but thr Dems will probably go for a conpromise candidate, maybe someone like Kirsten Gillibrand.
    Bernie is making all the noises about running again, at 75 he is younger than Reagan was in the final years of his presidency and he had a 10 point lead over Trump yesterday with PPP, Warren had a 3 point lead, if he thinks he is the best candidate for the Democrats to win the rustbelt states he will run. Gillibrand is too centrist for the Democrats in their current mood, after 2016 they will not nominate another centrist who has been Senator for New York
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    another_richardanother_richard Posts: 25,127
    Re inflation and house prices

    Why is CPI of 2.9% reported as a disaster but HPI of 5.6% reported as a good thing ?

    House prices continuing to rise at multiples of wages increases might benefit rich economics editors but I know which inflation rate is most damaging for the country.

    And while I can buy good wine for a fiver and good beer for a quid a bottle there's no CPI problem either.
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    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 30,991
    tlg86 said:

    isam said:

    Mortimer said:

    tlg86 said:

    Perhaps Labour should have split. 85% of people voted for parties saying that they'd leave the EU (and, in the case of Labour, the Single Market). But some are using the warped logic that because neither party won a majority of seats, then this is all null and void.

    By the way, Argentina has Messi. It's not all bad for them.

    Scottn'Paste being the prime example.

    Still, at least he got the Monty Hall problem right.

    Oh, wait....
    Imagine if both Con and Lab had said they were going to reverse the referendum decision in their manifestos, and got 84% of the vote/480 odd seats. There is no way Brexiteers could spin that to mean its good for Brexit or that the public desire it.
    It would have made for an interesting election had they decided to do that!
    I would suggest in that instance the two parties would be hard pressed to get 50% let alone 84%
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    RoyalBlueRoyalBlue Posts: 3,223
    edited June 2017
    An uncharacteristically rambling article from Mr Meeks. Some thoughts:

    1) Relative decline was always inevitable for Britain as the first industrial nation. Thanks to our failure to complete imperial federation and the loss of our position as the world's creditor through two world wars, we guaranteed that Britain would eventually decline to become a medium-weight European power in the same bracket as France and Germany. That had already happened by the late 60s, and I don't see anything to suggest we will suffer a further precipitous collapse.

    2) Argentina fell prey to over dependence on the export of a few comodities and the sudden loss of markets for those comodities. Britain's economy has always been much more diverse, and even with the loss of much of our 'traditional' industry we are not a one trick pony.

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    DruttDrutt Posts: 1,093
    edited June 2017
    The referendum has not, as Meeks correctly points out, laid fertile ground for centre ground politics. But LEAVE can't take all the blame.

    In GE17, charges of "We can't afford that extreme left nonsense, we'll go bust" were barely raised at the LAB manifesto and didn't really cut through when they were. Why not? Why didn't predictions of outright economic disaster carry much weight?

    Maybe the voters had heard a very similar prediction from the REMAIN campaign a few months back. Maybe they found that despite predictions of immediate sky-high interest rates, deflation, a 10% recession, three million jobs lost etc, all that really happened to them was that Toblerones got gappy, everyone they knew had a job, and their tracker mortgages actually fell a few quid a month.

    In such circumstances you could, when someone says "Don't vote that way, it'll ruin the economy", forgive them for not listening.
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    MortimerMortimer Posts: 13,956

    Theresa May just did a Mexican wave.

    While her government does a Mexican standoff.
    I can't wait to see you spin the actual Leaving of the EU as a great moment for your one man battle to get us into a federal Europe.
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,404
    Mortimer said:

    midwinter said:

    tlg86 said:

    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
    Yeah. Cos that's why he resigned.
    I find the distrust of IDS amongst party members one of the most bizarre sides of the neo-liberal elements of the Conservative party. Yes he was a hopeless leader. Yes he isn't the biggest dreamer or thinker in the world. But by-God is he a Tory through and through. And by-God I'd trust his intentions more than the identikit politicians who laughed at him.
    He was a disloyal b*st*rd
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    isamisam Posts: 40,983

    In the thread header Alastair is being somewhat disingenuous.

    He says

    "The public liked the idea of saving contributions to the EU to spend on funding NHS contributions (this mysteriously has not yet materialised) "

    Why should it, when he knows full well we have not yet left the EU and will not for at least another 18 months to 2 years. As such we are still paying the same vast sums of money to the EU (£283 million a week) as we were before the referendum.

    If Boris is PM after the next election and gives 350m a week to the NHS, how long can we ban Scott for? A week for every time he posted the pic?
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,965
    For the foreseeable future, there are no voices to speak for responsible government and against incoherent populism

    What a depressing thought. Seems correct though. We punish even the appearance of anything other than incoherent populism.
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,404
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    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 30,991

    On topic, depressing but I fear you're accurate.

    You keep on fearing TSE. Get all those sleepless nights in and see if it makes anything any better. I meanwhile will be sleeping soundly in the knowledge that Brexit is good for the country.

    My only concern might be whether that whining I hear is mosquitoes or unreconciled Remainers. I think I have a rolled up newspaper for both.
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    midwintermidwinter Posts: 1,112
    Mortimer said:

    midwinter said:

    tlg86 said:

    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
    Yeah. Cos that's why he resigned.
    I find the distrust of IDS amongst party members one of the most bizarre sides of the neo-liberal elements of the Conservative party. Yes he was a hopeless leader. Yes he isn't the biggest dreamer or thinker in the world. But by-God is he a Tory through and through. And by-God I'd trust his intentions more than the identikit politicians who laughed at him.
    That's risible. Choreographed resignation designed to cause maximum discomfort to remain don't quite square with the oh so honest well intentioned politician you're describing.
    As you know.
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    MortimerMortimer Posts: 13,956
    IanB2 said:

    Mortimer said:

    midwinter said:

    tlg86 said:

    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
    Yeah. Cos that's why he resigned.
    I find the distrust of IDS amongst party members one of the most bizarre sides of the neo-liberal elements of the Conservative party. Yes he was a hopeless leader. Yes he isn't the biggest dreamer or thinker in the world. But by-God is he a Tory through and through. And by-God I'd trust his intentions more than the identikit politicians who laughed at him.
    He was a disloyal b*st*rd
    Yeah, cos Maastricht was a great moment in our history that led to no further political repercussions...
  • Options
    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 30,991
    IanB2 said:

    Mortimer said:

    midwinter said:

    tlg86 said:

    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
    Yeah. Cos that's why he resigned.
    I find the distrust of IDS amongst party members one of the most bizarre sides of the neo-liberal elements of the Conservative party. Yes he was a hopeless leader. Yes he isn't the biggest dreamer or thinker in the world. But by-God is he a Tory through and through. And by-God I'd trust his intentions more than the identikit politicians who laughed at him.
    He was a disloyal b*st*rd
    He put principles before party. We need more like him not less. Loyalty to an intrinsically corrupt system - which applies to all the parties - is nothing to be proud of.
  • Options
    MortimerMortimer Posts: 13,956
    edited June 2017
    midwinter said:

    Mortimer said:

    midwinter said:

    tlg86 said:

    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
    Yeah. Cos that's why he resigned.
    I find the distrust of IDS amongst party members one of the most bizarre sides of the neo-liberal elements of the Conservative party. Yes he was a hopeless leader. Yes he isn't the biggest dreamer or thinker in the world. But by-God is he a Tory through and through. And by-God I'd trust his intentions more than the identikit politicians who laughed at him.
    That's risible. Choreographed resignation designed to cause maximum discomfort to remain don't quite square with the oh so honest well intentioned politician you're describing.
    As you know.
    On one side we have an ex-chancellor who has flounced off, on the other side we have a man who devoted a decade of his life to reducing poverty in a fair way, and who is still fighting the good fight.

    I know who I'd trust more.
  • Options
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 1,112
    Mortimer said:

    IanB2 said:

    Mortimer said:

    midwinter said:

    tlg86 said:

    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
    Yeah. Cos that's why he resigned.
    I find the distrust of IDS amongst party members one of the most bizarre sides of the neo-liberal elements of the Conservative party. Yes he was a hopeless leader. Yes he isn't the biggest dreamer or thinker in the world. But by-God is he a Tory through and through. And by-God I'd trust his intentions more than the identikit politicians who laughed at him.
    He was a disloyal b*st*rd
    Yeah, cos Maastricht was a great moment in our history that led to no further political repercussions...
    He's stupid and treacherous. A poor mix.
  • Options
    RoyalBlueRoyalBlue Posts: 3,223
    edited June 2017
    kle4 said:

    For the foreseeable future, there are no voices to speak for responsible government and against incoherent populism

    What a depressing thought. Seems correct though. We punish even the appearance of anything other than incoherent populism.

    Both Messrs Atlee and Churchill promised that we could have a welfare state and be a world power. How did that turn out?

    There is nothing new about over promising and under delivering. That is a feature of all governments, not just democracies 'suffering' from populism.
  • Options
    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,563
    Mortimer said:

    midwinter said:

    tlg86 said:

    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
    Yeah. Cos that's why he resigned.
    I find the distrust of IDS amongst party members one of the most bizarre sides of the neo-liberal elements of the Conservative party. Yes he was a hopeless leader. Yes he isn't the biggest dreamer or thinker in the world. But by-God is he a Tory through and through. And by-God I'd trust his intentions more than the identikit politicians who laughed at him.
    There's history, even David Davis off the record is reported to think IDS is a traitorous bastard.

    Goes back to the Maastricht debate/votes.

    There was collusion between Tory rebels and Labour whips to try and defeat the government and Davis was in the whips office and IDS was one of the ringleaders.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,965

    On topic, depressing but I fear you're accurate.

    You keep on fearing TSE. Get all those sleepless nights in and see if it makes anything any better. I meanwhile will be sleeping soundly in the knowledge that Brexit is good for the country.
    Nothing is ever good no matter its form or how well managed it is, that's ideology talking. If things are badly handled, then it won't be good for the country in a practical sense. If it is well handled, it will be good for the country.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,965
    RoyalBlue said:

    kle4 said:

    For the foreseeable future, there are no voices to speak for responsible government and against incoherent populism

    What a depressing thought. Seems correct though. We punish even the appearance of anything other than incoherent populism.

    Both Messrs Atlee and Churchill promised that we could have a welfare state and be a world power. How did that turn out?

    There is nothing new about over promising and under delivering. That is a feature of all governments, not just democracies 'suffering' from populism.
    Yes it is - but there are ebbs and flows of it, and we appear to be at a flow.
  • Options
    Stark_DawningStark_Dawning Posts: 9,320
    edited June 2017
    Matthew Parris takes a pop at the snooty, condescending elites who ran Theresa's campaign. I must say, he has a point.

    As the campaign kicked off, how many times did you read the winking advice from a political commentator that ‘if you’re already sick of reading about Mrs May’s “strong and stable leadership” and how this is a choice about who negotiates Brexit, Theresa May or Jeremy Corbyn, then it’s working’? Or even worse, the nudge-nudge suggestion that the mindless repetition of crude slogans isn’t aimed at people like you or me, but the poor old hoi polloi whose attention span for politics is rather limited?

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/2017/06/theresa-may-has-been-diminished-by-this-election-campaign/
  • Options
    MortimerMortimer Posts: 13,956

    Mortimer said:

    midwinter said:

    tlg86 said:

    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
    Yeah. Cos that's why he resigned.
    I find the distrust of IDS amongst party members one of the most bizarre sides of the neo-liberal elements of the Conservative party. Yes he was a hopeless leader. Yes he isn't the biggest dreamer or thinker in the world. But by-God is he a Tory through and through. And by-God I'd trust his intentions more than the identikit politicians who laughed at him.
    There's history, even David Davis off the record is reported to think IDS is a traitorous bastard.

    Goes back to the Maastricht debate/votes.

    There was collusion between Tory rebels and Labour whips to try and defeat the government and Davis was in the whips office and IDS was one of the ringleaders.
    If the rebels had won in the early 90s we'd have had Portillo as PM by 2001. That'd have been a far better situation!
  • Options
    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 30,991
    The other thing Alastair ignores in his thread header is that Argentina's problems stem primarily from politics not economics. It has never been a stable liberal democracy and the acceptance of basic democratic systems has never really taken root. Just go and look at the succession of political crisis that have enveloped the country back way before Alastair's starting date of 1913. I am afraid the comparison simply does not hold water.
  • Options
    BromptonautBromptonaut Posts: 1,113

    Electoral reform, anyone?

    Yes please. End the random government generator.
  • Options
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 1,112
    Mortimer said:

    midwinter said:

    Mortimer said:

    midwinter said:

    tlg86 said:

    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
    Yeah. Cos that's why he resigned.
    I find the distrust of IDS amongst party members one of the most bizarre sides of the neo-liberal elements of the Conservative party. Yes he was a hopeless leader. Yes he isn't the biggest dreamer or thinker in the world. But by-God is he a Tory through and through. And by-God I'd trust his intentions more than the identikit politicians who laughed at him.
    That's risible. Choreographed resignation designed to cause maximum discomfort to remain don't quite square with the oh so honest well intentioned politician you're describing.
    As you know.
    On one side we have an ex-chancellor who has flounced off, on the other side we have a man who devoted a decade of his life to reducing poverty in a fair way, and who is still fighting the good fight.

    I know who I'd trust more.
    I give up. When you're defending IDS and May you're going to be on the wrong side of any argument.
    Is all.
  • Options
    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    isam said:

    If Boris is PM after the next election and gives 350m a week to the NHS, how long can we ban Scott for? A week for every time he posted the pic?

    If neither happens, how long will you fuck off for?

    Asking for a friend...
  • Options
    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 30,991

    tlg86 said:

    Perhaps Labour should have split. 85% of people voted for parties saying that they'd leave the EU (and, in the case of Labour, the Single Market). But some are using the warped logic that because neither party won a majority of seats, then this is all null and void.

    It's completely fallacious to interpret the election result that way. Labour were highly ambivalent about Brexit and had 'tests' for the Brexit deal that could never be met. In any case in a representative democracy you can't treat every for every MP as a full endorsement of every dot and comma of the party's manifesto.
    Labour were so ambivalent they made it clear at every opportunity that they wanted us not only to leave the EU but the Single Market as well. Corbyn actually wants a harder Brexit than I do.
  • Options
    MortimerMortimer Posts: 13,956
    midwinter said:

    Mortimer said:

    midwinter said:

    Mortimer said:

    midwinter said:

    tlg86 said:

    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
    Yeah. Cos that's why he resigned.
    I find the distrust of IDS amongst party members one of the most bizarre sides of the neo-liberal elements of the Conservative party. Yes he was a hopeless leader. Yes he isn't the biggest dreamer or thinker in the world. But by-God is he a Tory through and through. And by-God I'd trust his intentions more than the identikit politicians who laughed at him.
    That's risible. Choreographed resignation designed to cause maximum discomfort to remain don't quite square with the oh so honest well intentioned politician you're describing.
    As you know.
    On one side we have an ex-chancellor who has flounced off, on the other side we have a man who devoted a decade of his life to reducing poverty in a fair way, and who is still fighting the good fight.

    I know who I'd trust more.
    I give up. When you're defending IDS and May you're going to be on the wrong side of any argument.
    Is all.
    Ad hom much?
  • Options
    Fat_SteveFat_Steve Posts: 361
    Interesting header, thought-provoking, but a tad hysterical.
    It may be poor taste to say so, but the fact is that Latin people are rubbish at founding stable and prosperous colonies. Anglo Saxons run colonies better. Anglo Saxons create countries that other people want to live in.

    And populism is only incoherent in the sense that "what people want" is incoherent. There's lots of different people. They want different stuff. Whether what a particular individual wants can be labelled "populist" or not is largely a matter of whether it's fashionable. Not much more than that.
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 40,983
    Scott_P said:

    isam said:

    If Boris is PM after the next election and gives 350m a week to the NHS, how long can we ban Scott for? A week for every time he posted the pic?

    If neither happens, how long will you fuck off for?

    Asking for a friend...
    Ah diddums!

    Farage will not be in the debates! :lol:
  • Options
    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,563

    On topic, depressing but I fear you're accurate.

    You keep on fearing TSE. Get all those sleepless nights in and see if it makes anything any better. I meanwhile will be sleeping soundly in the knowledge that Brexit is good for the country.

    My only concern might be whether that whining I hear is mosquitoes or unreconciled Remainers. I think I have a rolled up newspaper for both.
    Richard, 80% of my day job is spent prepping for Brexit.

    I'm staggered at how uninformed and unprepared our government and some MPs are for Brexit.

    We're 77 days in to a 730 day process, bugger all has happened, 49 days of those 77 days have been spent focusing on the needless election.


    We're likely to fall out of the EU with no deal, with WTO terms and if that doesn't terrify you, then you're even more uninformed than I thought you were.
  • Options
    PongPong Posts: 4,693
    Scott_P said:
    Great news for us brexit-sceptics.

    Brexit, I hope, will go down with her ship.
  • Options
    Bobajob_PBBobajob_PB Posts: 928
    Has Laura K landed a job as May's personal PR in this reshuffle?
  • Options
    dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,289

    Re inflation and house prices

    Why is CPI of 2.9% reported as a disaster but HPI of 5.6% reported as a good thing ?

    House prices continuing to rise at multiples of wages increases might benefit rich economics editors but I know which inflation rate is most damaging for the country.

    And while I can buy good wine for a fiver and good beer for a quid a bottle there's no CPI problem either.

    False claims re control over house price inflation.

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/datasets/housepriceindexmonthlyquarterlytables1to19
  • Options
    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453

    Which is what?

    Brexit means Brexit
  • Options
    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,563
    Scott_P said:
    Jeez, how many UKIP MEPs have been involved in stuff like this.

    Probably just as well we've only ever had 2 UKIP MPs
  • Options
    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,927

    tlg86 said:

    Perhaps Labour should have split. 85% of people voted for parties saying that they'd leave the EU (and, in the case of Labour, the Single Market). But some are using the warped logic that because neither party won a majority of seats, then this is all null and void.

    It's completely fallacious to interpret the election result that way. Labour were highly ambivalent about Brexit and had 'tests' for the Brexit deal that could never be met. In any case in a representative democracy you can't treat every for every MP as a full endorsement of every dot and comma of the party's manifesto.
    Labour were so ambivalent they made it clear at every opportunity that they wanted us not only to leave the EU but the Single Market as well. Corbyn actually wants a harder Brexit than I do.
    What William means is that actually, 85% were voting against Brexit, and in favour of joining the Euro. Even though they didn't realise it.
  • Options
    OUTOUT Posts: 569
    Underpants on head, pencils up nostrils, wibble
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 40,983
    Kylian Mbappe will be the best player in the world by 2020 I reckon
  • Options
    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 30,991
    kle4 said:

    On topic, depressing but I fear you're accurate.

    You keep on fearing TSE. Get all those sleepless nights in and see if it makes anything any better. I meanwhile will be sleeping soundly in the knowledge that Brexit is good for the country.
    Nothing is ever good no matter its form or how well managed it is, that's ideology talking. If things are badly handled, then it won't be good for the country in a practical sense. If it is well handled, it will be good for the country.
    It all depends on how bad one considers things to be now while we are still inside.
  • Options
    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 30,991

    Mortimer said:

    midwinter said:

    tlg86 said:

    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
    Yeah. Cos that's why he resigned.
    I find the distrust of IDS amongst party members one of the most bizarre sides of the neo-liberal elements of the Conservative party. Yes he was a hopeless leader. Yes he isn't the biggest dreamer or thinker in the world. But by-God is he a Tory through and through. And by-God I'd trust his intentions more than the identikit politicians who laughed at him.
    There's history, even David Davis off the record is reported to think IDS is a traitorous bastard.

    Goes back to the Maastricht debate/votes.

    There was collusion between Tory rebels and Labour whips to try and defeat the government and Davis was in the whips office and IDS was one of the ringleaders.
    Again you attack someone for putting principles and country before party. Which reflects very badly on you and not at all badly on IDS.
  • Options
    another_richardanother_richard Posts: 25,127

    Mortimer said:

    midwinter said:

    tlg86 said:

    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
    Yeah. Cos that's why he resigned.
    I find the distrust of IDS amongst party members one of the most bizarre sides of the neo-liberal elements of the Conservative party. Yes he was a hopeless leader. Yes he isn't the biggest dreamer or thinker in the world. But by-God is he a Tory through and through. And by-God I'd trust his intentions more than the identikit politicians who laughed at him.
    There's history, even David Davis off the record is reported to think IDS is a traitorous bastard.

    Goes back to the Maastricht debate/votes.

    There was collusion between Tory rebels and Labour whips to try and defeat the government and Davis was in the whips office and IDS was one of the ringleaders.
    IDS was newly elected in 1992, he was certainly not one of the Maastricht rebel ringleaders.

    This shows what a minor role IDS played:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maastricht_Rebels

    10 Conservative MPs had the whip withdrawn
    18 more Conservative MPs listed as also voting against the government
    16 more Conservative MPs including IDS listed as abstaining
  • Options
    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,404
    Pong said:

    Scott_P said:
    Great news for us brexit-sceptics.

    Brexit, I hope, will go down with her ship.
    Yes, she is trapped, and clearly unable to think her way out of a cardboard box.
  • Options
    TykejohnnoTykejohnno Posts: 7,362
    Pong said:

    Scott_P said:
    Great news for us brexit-sceptics.

    Brexit, I hope, will go down with her ship.
    And you call yourself a liberal democrat.
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    Scott_P said:
    Helmer ran as a candidate in Leics South, and appeared at the Leicester Mercury hustings representing UKIP. During this he revealed that his partner was Indian.
  • Options
    PongPong Posts: 4,693
    edited June 2017

    Has Laura K landed a job as May's personal PR in this reshuffle?

    May played her for a fool with the surprise election. It must have been very embarrassing.

    I'm guessing she's lined up enhanced access or thinks she's in line for *exclusive* brexit scoops or something - to make up for it.

    On the tweet (and similar), I don't like the overly personal swipes directed at May for non-political mexican wavey type stuff.

    She's only human.

    Jeremy Corbyn's hobby is drain covers ffs.
  • Options
    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,563

    Mortimer said:

    midwinter said:

    tlg86 said:

    Mortimer said:

    Andrea - Cardiff Central should have been better for the Lib Dems. They really have been clobbered.

    Isn't part of the problem here that Alastair Meeks thinks that someone like George Osborne represents the centre. To my mind Theresa May would seem to be a far more centrist politician, although undoubtedly under the influence of some fairly unhinged individuals.

    Osborne is a neo-liberal headbanger. He thought it would be OK to get a tax cut for the middle classes through whilst cutting welfare for the disabled.

    Amazing how many in Soton Test brought the latter up....

    And, yet, the enlightened on here still bashed IDS for his resignation over that.
    Yeah. Cos that's why he resigned.
    I find the distrust of IDS amongst party members one of the most bizarre sides of the neo-liberal elements of the Conservative party. Yes he was a hopeless leader. Yes he isn't the biggest dreamer or thinker in the world. But by-God is he a Tory through and through. And by-God I'd trust his intentions more than the identikit politicians who laughed at him.
    There's history, even David Davis off the record is reported to think IDS is a traitorous bastard.

    Goes back to the Maastricht debate/votes.

    There was collusion between Tory rebels and Labour whips to try and defeat the government and Davis was in the whips office and IDS was one of the ringleaders.
    IDS was newly elected in 1992, he was certainly not one of the Maastricht rebel ringleaders.

    This shows what a minor role IDS played:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maastricht_Rebels

    10 Conservative MPs had the whip withdrawn
    18 more Conservative MPs listed as also voting against the government
    16 more Conservative MPs including IDS listed as abstaining
    Ring leaders in dealing with Labour whips.
  • Options
    RoyalBlueRoyalBlue Posts: 3,223
    Thinking about Britain's position in the world in 1914 and today, it has improved in two very significant ways:

    1) There is no prospect of Europe being united under a single power that will threaten us militarily.

    2) There is no prospect of a united Europe threatening Britain with a revised Continental system (even under the dreaded WTO option).

    We have much to be thankful for, even if the Union Flag no longer flies over the world's oceans.
  • Options
    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 30,991

    On topic, depressing but I fear you're accurate.

    You keep on fearing TSE. Get all those sleepless nights in and see if it makes anything any better. I meanwhile will be sleeping soundly in the knowledge that Brexit is good for the country.

    My only concern might be whether that whining I hear is mosquitoes or unreconciled Remainers. I think I have a rolled up newspaper for both.
    Richard, 80% of my day job is spent prepping for Brexit.

    I'm staggered at how uninformed and unprepared our government and some MPs are for Brexit.

    We're 77 days in to a 730 day process, bugger all has happened, 49 days of those 77 days have been spent focusing on the needless election.


    We're likely to fall out of the EU with no deal, with WTO terms and if that doesn't terrify you, then you're even more uninformed than I thought you were.
    The trouble is that you and your kind have spent so long attacking any form of Brexit that to be blunt we no longer believe you. We believe you to be dishonest and willing to say and do absolutely anything to try and reverse the result of the referendum.

    You cried wolf so very often that you simply have no credibility left.
  • Options
    619619 Posts: 1,784
    edited June 2017
    Why is everyone thinking people voted for Labour because of 'bungs'.

    Maybe, just maybe, they liked Corbyn and his vision. Not enough to win, but the Tories are in complete SELF INFLICTED chaos, whilst labour seem stromg amd stable in comparision.

    If they want to hold a referendum or an election, they should do a better job helping people in this country.

    May seems to intensely dislike the common person. Corbyn doest. People can see and sense these things you know
  • Options
    MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,618
    Sticking to hard Brexit is literally idiotic. She's a fool.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,126
    Scott_P said:
    Now that we have a hung parliament and the DUP hold the balance of power and back a softer Brexit inevitably a hard Brexit is dead even if May wanted it as she cannot get it through Parliament, fudged Brexit is most likely
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