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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Infamy, infamy, they’ve all got it in for May

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Mortimer

First.

IanB2

Second, first but it disappeared! First, but second, like Mrs M

Tykejohnno

Meanwhile in lib dem news -lol

isam

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

HYUFD

May will make over a year as PM even if she stepped down as Tory leader tomorrow as it will take over 2 months for a leadership contest, probably Davis v Hammond, to proceed and be sent to the members. I think Boris is playing a game here, he wants one of those 2 to do the Brexit negotiations and take the fall out and then he will either topple them before the general election if he thinks it is still winnable or take over as leader of the opposition if they have lost

TheScreamingEagles

Hats off to Mike who on Friday accurately predicted this would come down to Hammond and Davis.

Lucky for me I got on before all the prices got bent out of shape.

FF43

I have to say I am getting seriously worried. They are all posturing on Brexit - Johnson, Davis and now the supposedly sensible one, Philip Hammond. On the Labour side you have Corbyn and Macdonnell who make it clear Brexit is just a bargaining chip for their advantage. Only Kier Starmer appears to be concerned about getting a decent Brexit arrangement, and no-one is paying HIM any attention.

houndtang

Watching the BBC drama-docu half made me think that the Tories should make one last mad throw of the dice and just put Boris in. He'd probably be terrible but at least would go down in a blaze of inglory.

FrancisUrquhart

isam said:

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

Is that the lib dem parliamentary party?

Big_G_NorthWales

FF43 said:

I have to say I am getting seriously worried. They are all posturing on Brexit - Johnson, Davis and now the supposedly sensible one, Philip Hammond. On the Labour side you have Corbyn and Macdonnell who make it clear Brexit is just a bargaining chip for their advantage. Only Kier Starmer appears to be concerned about getting a decent Brexit arrangement, and no-one is paying HIM any attention.

Lammy directly contradicted Corbyn after he said we are leaving the single market. Labour are as split if not more so than the conservatives

Brom

David Davis is perhaps the main reason I have an interest in politics. I would be delighted in some ways that a man of his background and values has risen to the top, particularly given I thought in 2008 his time was up. Yet I would also be concerned that we would lose him from the day to day bluff and bluster of Brexit negotiations - a cause that he has fought for throughout his career.
I do feel he would not win the youth vote but he would be the perfect candidate for Labour inclined pensioners to put their faith in.

isam

TheScreamingEagles said:

Hats off to Mike who on Friday accurately predicted this would come down to Hammond and Davis.

Lucky for me I got on before all the prices got bent out of shape.

What was all the abuse about last night? I just thought you were playing both sides of the same argument, nothing personal

Big_G_NorthWales

houndtang said:

Watching the BBC drama-docu half made me think that the Tories should make one last mad throw of the dice and just put Boris in. He'd probably be terrible but at least would go down in a blaze of inglory.

No way Boris - I will probably vote for Davis if the choice is between him and Hammond

FF43

Big_G_NorthWales said:

FF43 said:

I have to say I am getting seriously worried. They are all posturing on Brexit - Johnson, Davis and now the supposedly sensible one, Philip Hammond. On the Labour side you have Corbyn and Macdonnell who make it clear Brexit is just a bargaining chip for their advantage. Only Kier Starmer appears to be concerned about getting a decent Brexit arrangement, and no-one is paying HIM any attention.

Lammy directly contradicted Corbyn after he said we are leaving the single market. Labour are as split if not more so than the conservatives

Yep. Couldn't we all vote Lib Dem or something? Anything to get rid of these two showers.

Brom

isam said:

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

Bastards. Giving their own time to raise money for an important cause. Do they not realise Britain's most prominent comedian is from an ethnic background?

I can only assume Diane Abbott must be double booked that night.

Bobajob_PB

You have to wonder how many more of these newspaper headlines May can take. She would be best advised to quit now, remaining as PM while Hammond and the clowns fight it out.

williamglenn

FF43 said:

I have to say I am getting seriously worried. They are all posturing on Brexit - Johnson, Davis and now the supposedly sensible one, Philip Hammond. On the Labour side you have Corbyn and Macdonnell who make it clear Brexit is just a bargaining chip for their advantage. Only Kier Starmer appears to be concerned about getting a decent Brexit arrangement, and no-one is paying HIM any attention.

We're heading in a Greek trap, revolving government and all. The UK is facing a much more severe humiliation than Suez.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/francescoppola/2017/03/31/the-european-union-lays-out-a-greek-trap-for-the-united-kingdom/

Big_G_NorthWales

FF43 said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

FF43 said:

I have to say I am getting seriously worried. They are all posturing on Brexit - Johnson, Davis and now the supposedly sensible one, Philip Hammond. On the Labour side you have Corbyn and Macdonnell who make it clear Brexit is just a bargaining chip for their advantage. Only Kier Starmer appears to be concerned about getting a decent Brexit arrangement, and no-one is paying HIM any attention.

Lammy directly contradicted Corbyn after he said we are leaving the single market. Labour are as split if not more so than the conservatives

Yep. Couldn't we all vote Lib Dem or something? Anything to get rid of these two showers.

Not sure even the lib dems are all singing from the same hymn sheet

Brom

Bobajob_PB said:

You have to wonder how many more of these newspaper headlines May can take. She would be best advised to quit now, remaining as PM while Hammond and the clowns fight it out.

She only has to last 3 more days to kill Corbyn's dream. Then she may find some breathing room. I hope she makes it that far. Then her lifespan will probably become months rather than weeks.

MonikerDiCanio

isam said:

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

Do you think Nikesh is upset by the glaring lack of white faces in the Indian cricket team ?

Big_G_NorthWales

Bobajob_PB said:

You have to wonder how many more of these newspaper headlines May can take. She would be best advised to quit now, remaining as PM while Hammond and the clowns fight it out.

Not yet - she is showing an incredible stubborn streak and expect her to last until the Autumn

isam

MonikerDiCanio said:

isam said:

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

Do you think Nikesh is upset by the glaring lack of white faces in the Indian cricket team ?

https://twitter.com/romeshranga/status/876473257486159873

Scott_P

@jimwaterson: Prediction: Once this fake Daily Mail goes viral on Facebook it'll be seen by more people than buy real Daily Mail… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/876554261760442368

HYUFD

williamglenn said:

FF43 said:

I have to say I am getting seriously worried. They are all posturing on Brexit - Johnson, Davis and now the supposedly sensible one, Philip Hammond. On the Labour side you have Corbyn and Macdonnell who make it clear Brexit is just a bargaining chip for their advantage. Only Kier Starmer appears to be concerned about getting a decent Brexit arrangement, and no-one is paying HIM any attention.

We're heading in a Greek trap, revolving government and all. The UK is facing a much more severe humiliation than Suez.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/francescoppola/2017/03/31/the-european-union-lays-out-a-greek-trap-for-the-united-kingdom/

Except the UK is the 5th largest economy in the world not the 50th largest economy like Greece. It is though possible we may be in for the same round of elections, in 2012 there were two general elections in Greece which the conservative National Democracy narrowly won, in 2015 there were two general elections which the populist leftwing Syriza won and now the latest polls have National Democracy back in front in the polls again

Scott_P

https://twitter.com/max_benwell/status/876553013061722114

AndyJS

Bobajob_PB said:

You have to wonder how many more of these newspaper headlines May can take. She would be best advised to quit now, remaining as PM while Hammond and the clowns fight it out.

You don't think they're overdoing it a bit?

nielh

Will be interesting to observe the fallout from Corbyn's repeated 'requisitioning property' comments over the next few days. Capitalism is based on the idea of protecting private property rights. It is the entire basis of our economy. This - coupled with the economic policies of taxing the top 5% very heavily to subsidise the living standards of the other 95% - coming from a party who very nearly formed a government is bound to massively unnerve foreign investors. Its only a week and a half on from the election. My sense is that we are on the cusp of a political and economic crisis with profound consequences for all of us.

Bobajob_PB

AndyJS said:

Bobajob_PB said:

You have to wonder how many more of these newspaper headlines May can take. She would be best advised to quit now, remaining as PM while Hammond and the clowns fight it out.

You don't think they're overdoing it a bit?

Of course, since when did the papers play such stuff down? The detail about Boris being snapped having a pint with Fallon in Kent last night is laughable. But it's just endless mood music. May has become the story, the squatter in Downing St.

Bobajob_PB

The fake Mail splash is lousy - they've used totally the wrong typeface. It doesn't look even slightly convincing.

Big_G_NorthWales

nielh said:

Will be interesting to observe the fallout from Corbyn's repeated 'requisitioning property' comments over the next few days. Capitalism is based on the idea of protecting private property rights. It is the entire basis of our economy. This - coupled with the economic policies of taxing the top 5% very heavily to subsidise the living standards of the other 95% - coming from a party who very nearly formed a government is bound to massively unnerve foreign investors. Its only a week and a half on from the election. My sense is that we are on the cusp of a political and economic crisis with profound consequences for all of us.

The irony is that Corbyn's requisitioning of property is contrary to his often quoted Human Rights Act which protects property rights

KentRising

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Bobajob_PB said:

You have to wonder how many more of these newspaper headlines May can take. She would be best advised to quit now, remaining as PM while Hammond and the clowns fight it out.

Not yet - she is showing an incredible stubborn streak and expect her to last until the Autumn

I think she's actually weathered the worst: Brexit negotiations underway Monday, DUP pact announced Monday or Tuesday, QS Wednesday, which will pass, and then it's the summer.

nigel4england

FF43 said:

I have to say I am getting seriously worried. They are all posturing on Brexit - Johnson, Davis and now the supposedly sensible one, Philip Hammond. On the Labour side you have Corbyn and Macdonnell who make it clear Brexit is just a bargaining chip for their advantage. Only Kier Starmer appears to be concerned about getting a decent Brexit arrangement, and no-one is paying HIM any attention.

Get a grip FFS.

What do you expect them to say before talks even begin?

stevef

David Davis is probably the best bet for the Tories if May goes, but if Cable takes over the LDS it would mean that all three of Lab, Con Lib leaders at the probable date of next election will be over 70.

RobD

stevef said:

David Davis is probably the best bet for the Tories if May goes, but if Cable takes over the LDS it would mean that all three of Lab, Con Lib leaders at the probable date of next election will be over 70.

Not sure there is anything wrong with that.

houndtang

Big_G_NorthWales said:

houndtang said:

Watching the BBC drama-docu half made me think that the Tories should make one last mad throw of the dice and just put Boris in. He'd probably be terrible but at least would go down in a blaze of inglory.

No way Boris - I will probably vote for Davis if the choice is between him and Hammond

Davis probably least bad option, Boris more entertaining.

SandraM

nielh said:

Will be interesting to observe the fallout from Corbyn's repeated 'requisitioning property' comments over the next few days. Capitalism is based on the idea of protecting private property rights. It is the entire basis of our economy. This - coupled with the economic policies of taxing the top 5% very heavily to subsidise the living standards of the other 95% - coming from a party who very nearly formed a government is bound to massively unnerve foreign investors. Its only a week and a half on from the election. My sense is that we are on the cusp of a political and economic crisis with profound consequences for all of us.

I see that more than 60 people have died in forest fires in Portugal. What if Portuguese politicians called for holiday homes to be seized for those whose homes had been destroyed? What would Brits with holiday homes in Portugal say then?

nigel4england

RobD said:

stevef said:

David Davis is probably the best bet for the Tories if May goes, but if Cable takes over the LDS it would mean that all three of Lab, Con Lib leaders at the probable date of next election will be over 70.

Not sure there is anything wrong with that.

Better than shallow 40 year old PR merchants

NorthofStoke

Now that the Momentum activists are leaving the Mail website alone it is probably more accurately reflecting their normal demographic. There are a lot of posts sympathetic to May with big upticks. I wonder if the hysterical press coverage, demos and Corbyn attacks are backfiring?

FF43

nigel4england said:

FF43 said:

I have to say I am getting seriously worried. They are all posturing on Brexit - Johnson, Davis and now the supposedly sensible one, Philip Hammond. On the Labour side you have Corbyn and Macdonnell who make it clear Brexit is just a bargaining chip for their advantage. Only Kier Starmer appears to be concerned about getting a decent Brexit arrangement, and no-one is paying HIM any attention.

Get a grip FFS.

What do you expect them to say before talks even begin?

I expect them to be serious about getting the best outcome for the UK that is available to us. That means engaging with our negotiating partners, setting our priorities and having a good response to their demands. It means not playing to the gallery, as May did for a year, and now this lot are doing.

MikeL

Brom said:

Bobajob_PB said:

You have to wonder how many more of these newspaper headlines May can take. She would be best advised to quit now, remaining as PM while Hammond and the clowns fight it out.

She only has to last 3 more days to kill Corbyn's dream. Then she may find some breathing room. I hope she makes it that far. Then her lifespan will probably become months rather than weeks.

She's got to last about 40 more hours.

She won't resign on the day of the Queens Speech (it's at 11.30am and it's inconceivable she would resign earlier that morning).

And if she resigns on any other day I'd expect it to be in the morning or at the latest early afternoon.

So I reckon the cut-off point is about 3pm on Tuesday .

Bobajob_PB

NorthofStoke said:

Now that the Momentum activists are leaving the Mail website alone it is probably more accurately reflecting their normal demographic. There are a lot of posts sympathetic to May with big upticks. I wonder if the hysterical press coverage, demos and Corbyn attacks are backfiring?

That's clearly what you think!

nunu

Scott_P said:

@jimwaterson: Prediction: Once this fake Daily Mail goes viral on Facebook it'll be seen by more people than buy real Daily Mail… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/876554261760442368

Millions more read the Daily Mail then buy it. It is afterall the most popular paper at the BBC.

shiney2

KentRising said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Bobajob_PB said:

You have to wonder how many more of these newspaper headlines May can take. She would be best advised to quit now, remaining as PM while Hammond and the clowns fight it out.

Not yet - she is showing an incredible stubborn streak and expect her to last until the Autumn

I think she's actually weathered the worst: Brexit negotiations underway Monday, DUP pact announced Monday or Tuesday, QS Wednesday, which will pass, and then it's the summer.

Quite. Parliament on Hols. The Executive has the initiative in responding to Events. Whether ofa brexit or otherwise. &Via the Downing St Podium as necessary. Opposition invisible. She survives (and the disloyal sink..)

MikeL

stevef said:

David Davis is probably the best bet for the Tories if May goes, but if Cable takes over the LDS it would mean that all three of Lab, Con Lib leaders at the probable date of next election will be over 70.

I think Davis will say before the leadership contest that he'll do Brexit and then resign well before the next GE.

And if he says that he'll dramatically increase his chances of winning - because it'll give everyone confidence there won't be a GE and it'll be seen as giving the Con Party the best chance of winning the next GE under a new fresh leader who will be in their honeymoon period.

Brom

NorthofStoke said:

Now that the Momentum activists are leaving the Mail website alone it is probably more accurately reflecting their normal demographic. There are a lot of posts sympathetic to May with big upticks. I wonder if the hysterical press coverage, demos and Corbyn attacks are backfiring?

I considered this. Very hard to read into comments sections but feels Momentum have retreated now the election has ended and the more regular Tory slanted types are the consensus view. It's worth considering that just because people think May is doing a bad job it does not mean people think she should leave office, they just want her to do better! I feel the moderate majority want less instability and upheaval now that minds are focusing upon Brexit.

houndtang

nigel4england said:

RobD said:

stevef said:

David Davis is probably the best bet for the Tories if May goes, but if Cable takes over the LDS it would mean that all three of Lab, Con Lib leaders at the probable date of next election will be over 70.

Not sure there is anything wrong with that.

Better than shallow 40 year old PR merchants

Quite a turnaround from recent trends. I believe this year was the first election since 1951where both PM and Leader of Opposition were 60+

TheScreamingEagles

https://twitter.com/MSmithsonPB/status/876560439261442048

nigel4england

FF43 said:

nigel4england said:

FF43 said:

I have to say I am getting seriously worried. They are all posturing on Brexit - Johnson, Davis and now the supposedly sensible one, Philip Hammond. On the Labour side you have Corbyn and Macdonnell who make it clear Brexit is just a bargaining chip for their advantage. Only Kier Starmer appears to be concerned about getting a decent Brexit arrangement, and no-one is paying HIM any attention.

Get a grip FFS.

What do you expect them to say before talks even begin?

I expect them to be serious about getting the best outcome for the UK that is available to us. That means engaging with our negotiating partners, setting our priorities and having a good response to their demands. It means not playing to the gallery, as May did for a year, and now this lot are doing.

Nobody is playing to anything, they are just putting out feelers and letting it be known that unlike Cameron they will not be walked over.

Same thing with their side, talk of 100bn Euro settlements is utter bollocks, just an opening salvo. The final settlement will be a compromise between the two.

If you ever run a poker school can you make sure you send me an invitation please..

Wulfrun_Phil

Big_G_NorthWales said:

FF43 said:

I have to say I am getting seriously worried. They are all posturing on Brexit - Johnson, Davis and now the supposedly sensible one, Philip Hammond. On the Labour side you have Corbyn and Macdonnell who make it clear Brexit is just a bargaining chip for their advantage. Only Kier Starmer appears to be concerned about getting a decent Brexit arrangement, and no-one is paying HIM any attention.

Lammy directly contradicted Corbyn after he said we are leaving the single market. Labour are as split if not more so than the conservatives

As a result of which Labour have attracted back some of the party's Leave supporters without alienating the party's Remain voters.

NorthofStoke

Bobajob_PB said:

NorthofStoke said:

Now that the Momentum activists are leaving the Mail website alone it is probably more accurately reflecting their normal demographic. There are a lot of posts sympathetic to May with big upticks. I wonder if the hysterical press coverage, demos and Corbyn attacks are backfiring?

That's clearly what you think!

I think the attacks are mainly unfair. I don't know how opinion is swinging in the country. Looking for clues.

nunu

houndtang said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

houndtang said:

Watching the BBC drama-docu half made me think that the Tories should make one last mad throw of the dice and just put Boris in. He'd probably be terrible but at least would go down in a blaze of inglory.

No way Boris - I will probably vote for Davis if the choice is between him and Hammond

Davis probably least bad option, Boris more entertaining.

Davis will mean big Labour leads. If he leads the Tories to an election Labour will win a comfortable majority.

It seems the tories have given up.

Scrapheap_as_was

Bravo

Roger

isam said:

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

Being a person of colour only gets you so far. You've also got to be funny.

nunu

TheScreamingEagles said:

https://twitter.com/MSmithsonPB/status/876560439261442048

If it's not a double digit lead for Labour then tories should take heart.

HYUFD

TheScreamingEagles said:

https://twitter.com/MSmithsonPB/status/876560439261442048

All rather pointless unless it includes figures for how the Tories would perform under Boris, Hammond and Davis

nigel4england

Roger said:

isam said:

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

Being a person of colour only gets you so far. You've also got to be funny.

+1

HYUFD

nunu said:

houndtang said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

houndtang said:

Watching the BBC drama-docu half made me think that the Tories should make one last mad throw of the dice and just put Boris in. He'd probably be terrible but at least would go down in a blaze of inglory.

No way Boris - I will probably vote for Davis if the choice is between him and Hammond

Davis probably least bad option, Boris more entertaining.

Davis will mean big Labour leads. If he leads the Tories to an election Labour will win a comfortable majority.

It seems the tories have given up.

If Corbyn gets in the country will have given up

currystar

Brom said:

NorthofStoke said:

Now that the Momentum activists are leaving the Mail website alone it is probably more accurately reflecting their normal demographic. There are a lot of posts sympathetic to May with big upticks. I wonder if the hysterical press coverage, demos and Corbyn attacks are backfiring?

I considered this. Very hard to read into comments sections but feels Momentum have retreated now the election has ended and the more regular Tory slanted types are the consensus view. It's worth considering that just because people think May is doing a bad job it does not mean people think she should leave office, they just want her to do better! I feel the moderate majority want less instability and upheaval now that minds are focusing upon Brexit.

The blame May for everything is just getting silly. Khan is mayor of London yet all he is trying to do is blame everyone else and the press are letting him get away with. Surely as Mayor he should be coordinating the response. If boris was still mayor he would be getting slaughtered.

Brom

MikeL said:

Brom said:

Bobajob_PB said:

You have to wonder how many more of these newspaper headlines May can take. She would be best advised to quit now, remaining as PM while Hammond and the clowns fight it out.

She only has to last 3 more days to kill Corbyn's dream. Then she may find some breathing room. I hope she makes it that far. Then her lifespan will probably become months rather than weeks.

She's got to last about 40 more hours.

She won't resign on the day of the Queens Speech (it's at 11.30am and it's inconceivable she would resign earlier that morning).

And if she resigns on any other day I'd expect it to be in the morning or at the latest early afternoon.

So I reckon the cut-off point is about 3pm on Tuesday .

Do the Tories really want to oust her in a rush? The smart option for the party and the country would be to keep her in power at least until the Conference. Anything less and there would be a sense of betraying her election win (as disappointing as it was). It will be a very slow 40 hours for her though!

MonikerDiCanio

Roger said:

isam said:

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

Being a person of colour only gets you so far. You've also got to be funny.

Judging by that grisly line-up, being funny isn't a requirement.

MikeL

nunu said:

houndtang said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

houndtang said:

Watching the BBC drama-docu half made me think that the Tories should make one last mad throw of the dice and just put Boris in. He'd probably be terrible but at least would go down in a blaze of inglory.

No way Boris - I will probably vote for Davis if the choice is between him and Hammond

Davis probably least bad option, Boris more entertaining.

Davis will mean big Labour leads. If he leads the Tories to an election Labour will win a comfortable majority.

It seems the tories have given up.

Not necessarily.

The reason Con didn't get a majority was their lead amongst over 65s fell substantially - whereas Lab's lead amongst the young is closer to its possible maximum.

Davis would have every chance of maximising the Con lead amongst over 65s again.

However as already posted I don't expect him to fight the next GE anyway.

Big_G_NorthWales

NorthofStoke said:

Bobajob_PB said:

NorthofStoke said:

Now that the Momentum activists are leaving the Mail website alone it is probably more accurately reflecting their normal demographic. There are a lot of posts sympathetic to May with big upticks. I wonder if the hysterical press coverage, demos and Corbyn attacks are backfiring?

That's clearly what you think!

I think the attacks are mainly unfair. I don't know how opinion is swinging in the country. Looking for clues.

There has been a noticeable shift in the Daily Mail comments to a more positive tone for May and the government, which does seem to indicate momentum were involved in the comments sections pre 8th June

I keep thinking of Ken Clarke's 'that bloody difficult woman' may yet prove May to be the great survivor

Brom

Roger said:

isam said:

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

Being a person of colour only gets you so far. You've also got to be funny.

I would dispute how funny some of those white comedians are. The main thing is sharing the same agent, that's how we get so many no mark 30-something middle class dweebs all over TV panel shows.

Bobajob_PB

NorthofStoke said:

Bobajob_PB said:

NorthofStoke said:

Now that the Momentum activists are leaving the Mail website alone it is probably more accurately reflecting their normal demographic. There are a lot of posts sympathetic to May with big upticks. I wonder if the hysterical press coverage, demos and Corbyn attacks are backfiring?

That's clearly what you think!

I think the attacks are mainly unfair. I don't know how opinion is swinging in the country. Looking for clues.

Yes, all that was obvious from your OP.

nigel4england

MonikerDiCanio said:

Roger said:

isam said:

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

Being a person of colour only gets you so far. You've also got to be funny.

Judging by that grisly line-up, being funny isn't a requirement.

Micky Flanagan is very good.

Apparently not all that popular with the Leftie comedians, mainly because he grew up on a proper rough council estate and fought his way out, unlike the Marcus Brigstocke's of this world, whose whole career seems to involve slagging off the Daily Mail.

nunu

nigel4england said:

MonikerDiCanio said:

Roger said:

isam said:

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

Being a person of colour only gets you so far. You've also got to be funny.

Judging by that grisly line-up, being funny isn't a requirement.

Micky Flanagan is very good.

Apparently not all that popular with the Leftie comedians, mainly because he grew up on a proper rough council estate and fought his way out, unlike the Marcus Brigstocke's of this world, whose whole career seems to involve slagging off the Daily Mail.

The two women in that line up are awful.

roserees64

Philip Hammond could be another liability for the Tories if he is appointed leader. He is the second richest man in the cabinet,his fortune is derived from private health care companies.This is not a positive factor in this fevered egalitarian climate.

He is on record as saying that legalising same sex marriage could be damaging for the Conservatives. Echoes of the dreaded DUP here.

His two recent mistakes made him a laughing stock, namely saying that HS2 would cost £20billion less than the estimated cost and secondly the debacle over NI payments for the self-employed. A former Conservative chancellor has called him a rookie.

Finally even more damaging to his chances is the fact that he was considered a vote loser and had to be hidden during the recent campaign. I hear there is glee in some quarters with the possible ascendancy of PM Hammond.

nigel4england

nunu said:

nigel4england said:

MonikerDiCanio said:

Roger said:

isam said:

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

Being a person of colour only gets you so far. You've also got to be funny.

Judging by that grisly line-up, being funny isn't a requirement.

Micky Flanagan is very good.

Apparently not all that popular with the Leftie comedians, mainly because he grew up on a proper rough council estate and fought his way out, unlike the Marcus Brigstocke's of this world, whose whole career seems to involve slagging off the Daily Mail.

The two women in that line up are awful.

Agreed, I like Kevin Bridges though.

stevef

houndtang said:

nigel4england said:

RobD said:

stevef said:

David Davis is probably the best bet for the Tories if May goes, but if Cable takes over the LDS it would mean that all three of Lab, Con Lib leaders at the probable date of next election will be over 70.

Not sure there is anything wrong with that.

Better than shallow 40 year old PR merchants

Quite a turnaround from recent trends. I believe this year was the first election since 1951where both PM and Leader of Opposition were 60+

A gerontocracy is not very inspiring for young people and the cult of personality around Corbyn is the biggest PR con since Stalin.

HYUFD

roserees64 said:

Philip Hammond could be another liability for the Tories if he is appointed leader. He is the second richest man in the cabinet,his fortune is derived from private health care companies.This is not a positive factor in this fevered egalitarian climate.

He is on record as saying that legalising same sex marriage could be damaging for the Conservatives. Echoes of the dreaded DUP here.

His two recent mistakes made him a laughing stock, namely saying that HS2 would cost £20billion less than the estimated cost and secondly the debacle over NI payments for the self-employed. A former Conservative chancellor has called him a rookie.

Finally even more damaging to his chances is the fact that he was considered a vote loser and had to be hidden during the recent campaign. I hear there is glee in some quarters with the possible ascendancy of PM Hammond.

Hammond abstained on same sex marriage he did not vote against and his move towards sensibly using NI to pay for social care cost the Tories barely anything in the polls compared to May's dementia tax. Hammond has a 1st class degree from Oxford, speaks fluent French and had a very successful career in business before he entered politics. Corbyn failed his A Levels and his main pre political career was working for a trade union. If our country chooses the latter over the former it will fully deserve the bankruptcy and international humiliation it will inevitably get

Brom

roserees64 said:

Philip Hammond could be another liability for the Tories if he is appointed leader. He is the second richest man in the cabinet,his fortune is derived from private health care companies.This is not a positive factor in this fevered egalitarian climate.

He is on record as saying that legalising same sex marriage could be damaging for the Conservatives. Echoes of the dreaded DUP here.

His two recent mistakes made him a laughing stock, namely saying that HS2 would cost £20billion less than the estimated cost and secondly the debacle over NI payments for the self-employed. A former Conservative chancellor has called him a rookie.

Finally even more damaging to his chances is the fact that he was considered a vote loser and had to be hidden during the recent campaign. I hear there is glee in some quarters with the possible ascendancy of PM Hammond.

I do agree Rose. I think you need someone more animated than Hammond in order to fight Corbyn. Spreadsheet Phil is a safe pair of hands in some eyes but I see him as rather damp, uninspiring and lacking in vision. If the electorate or Tory party reject May then replacing her with a man with less charisma is surely not a viable option. I would not be against him remaining as Chancellor however, but a leader, caretaker or otherwise he is not.

Having said all that I'd like to see Mr Meeks win his bet

FrancisUrquhart

Roger said:

isam said:

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

Being a person of colour only gets you so far. You've also got to be funny.

That rules out Lenny Henry then...

williamglenn

Hammond's been riding the Tory Brexit beast most of his political life. It's odd that he's somehow seen as the antidote to May's hard Brexit position.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22500121

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has become the second cabinet minister to say he would vote for Britain to leave the EU if a referendum were held now.

Richard_Tyndall

For me Davis would be the perfect candidate for leader. A normal background millions can relate to, volunteer military service, successful businessman, very sound on civil liberties, a man of principle, a good communicator and a Eurosceptic.

I would hope and expect a significant jump in support for the Tories if he were elected as their leader but more importantly than that, he would have the background and the knowledge to do the very best in the Brexit negotiations.

nigel4england

FrancisUrquhart said:

Roger said:

isam said:

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

Being a person of colour only gets you so far. You've also got to be funny.

That rules out Lenny Henry then...

Paul Chowdry is very good

dixiedean

shiney2 said:

KentRising said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Bobajob_PB said:

You have to wonder how many more of these newspaper headlines May can take. She would be best advised to quit now, remaining as PM while Hammond and the clowns fight it out.

Not yet - she is showing an incredible stubborn streak and expect her to last until the Autumn

I think she's actually weathered the worst: Brexit negotiations underway Monday, DUP pact announced Monday or Tuesday, QS Wednesday, which will pass, and then it's the summer.

Quite. Parliament on Hols. The Executive has the initiative in responding to Events. Whether ofa brexit or otherwise. &Via the Downing St Podium as necessary. Opposition invisible. She survives (and the disloyal sink..)

You do realise Jez is planning 60 rallies in big venues in marginal seats over the Summer? He loves it. If the Tories are planning on going on holiday, I think he'l enjoy it even more.

FrancisUrquhart

nigel4england said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

Roger said:

isam said:

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

Being a person of colour only gets you so far. You've also got to be funny.

That rules out Lenny Henry then...

Paul Chowdry is very good

What's up white people....

Beverley_C

FF43 said:

I have to say I am getting seriously worried. They are all posturing on Brexit - Johnson, Davis and now the supposedly sensible one, Philip Hammond. On the Labour side you have Corbyn and Macdonnell who make it clear Brexit is just a bargaining chip for their advantage. Only Kier Starmer appears to be concerned about getting a decent Brexit arrangement, and no-one is paying HIM any attention.

If they ARE posturing then they are unfit to govern

Quincel

FrancisUrquhart said:

isam said:

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

Is that the lib dem parliamentary party?

Layla Moran is half-Palestinian, don't cha know.

Richard_Tyndall

On the down side of course, he voted against gay marriage which is at serious odds with his civil liberties claims. He might also carry the stigma of being the man who lost to Cameron.

HYUFD

williamglenn said:

Hammond's been riding the Tory Brexit beast most of his political life. It's odd that he's somehow seen as the antidote to May's hard Brexit position.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22500121

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has become the second cabinet minister to say he would vote for Britain to leave the EU if a referendum were held now.

A hardcore Europhile cannot do Brexit, Hammond eventually backed Remain because of the economic advantages only, he is also hard headed enough not to be swayed by sentiment from either hardcore Euro Federalist idealists like yourself or hardcore hard Brexit Leavers on the other

HYUFD

Brom said:

roserees64 said:

Philip Hammond could be another liability for the Tories if he is appointed leader. He is the second richest man in the cabinet,his fortune is derived from private health care companies.This is not a positive factor in this fevered egalitarian climate.

He is on record as saying that legalising same sex marriage could be damaging for the Conservatives. Echoes of the dreaded DUP here.

His two recent mistakes made him a laughing stock, namely saying that HS2 would cost £20billion less than the estimated cost and secondly the debacle over NI payments for the self-employed. A former Conservative chancellor has called him a rookie.

Finally even more damaging to his chances is the fact that he was considered a vote loser and had to be hidden during the recent campaign. I hear there is glee in some quarters with the possible ascendancy of PM Hammond.

I do agree Rose. I think you need someone more animated than Hammond in order to fight Corbyn. Spreadsheet Phil is a safe pair of hands in some eyes but I see him as rather damp, uninspiring and lacking in vision. If the electorate or Tory party reject May then replacing her with a man with less charisma is surely not a viable option. I would not be against him remaining as Chancellor however, but a leader, caretaker or otherwise he is not.

Having said all that I'd like to see Mr Meeks win his bet

Why? May got 42% the same as Thatcher got in 1987, if Hammond gets 41% the same as the equally dull John Major got in 1992 against Kinnock he beats Corbyn

shiney2

dixiedean said:

shiney2 said:

KentRising said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Bobajob_PB said:

You have to wonder how many more of these newspaper headlines May can take. She would be best advised to quit now, remaining as PM while Hammond and the clowns fight it out.

Not yet - she is showing an incredible stubborn streak and expect her to last until the Autumn

I think she's actually weathered the worst: Brexit negotiations underway Monday, DUP pact announced Monday or Tuesday, QS Wednesday, which will pass, and then it's the summer.

Quite. Parliament on Hols. The Executive has the initiative in responding to Events. Whether ofa brexit or otherwise. &Via the Downing St Podium as necessary. Opposition invisible. She survives (and the disloyal sink..)

You do realise Jez is planning 60 rallies in big venues in marginal seats over the Summer? He loves it. If the Tories are planning on going on holiday, I think he'l enjoy it even more.

And each rally is worth how many MPs in this parliament?

Campaigning has its place of course and its during the campaign usually.

Scrapheap_as_was

As I believe I highlighted earlier TMS was schoolboy delight today

https://twitter.com/Aggerscricket/status/876563730263412736

nigel4england

FrancisUrquhart said:

nigel4england said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

Roger said:

isam said:

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

Being a person of colour only gets you so far. You've also got to be funny.

That rules out Lenny Henry then...

Paul Chowdry is very good

What's up white people....

That's him, I find him really funny, though perhaps not appropriate for this gig!

However one of the best sketches I have ever seen is Rhod Gilbert and his luggage, I was at an awards do a few years back when he was the cabaret, well before he was famous. I was at the front table, had never heard of him but he was brilliant:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OISGykO6Z7U

Y0kel

Totally unrelated.

It appears the Americans shot down a Syrian airforce fighter bomber this evening. This was not an accident and had been coming.

On topic, Davis makes sense in that he has a bit about him and, frankly, seems to enjoy himself with the media. He is also not Boris, who I suspect would do way better than many of the sophisticates would suggest.

Davis, however, always had a massive ego, its whether he can check it.

rcs1000

I find myself torn on Davis: he's keen on civil liberties (good), and an instinctive Brexiteer (also good).

But - perhaps because he spent so much time in the whips office - I struggle to think of anything he's done that I genuinely approve of. Resigning his seat over ID cards cost the tax payer a fair penny for no obvious reason. And - while there are several interpretations of what happened - I do still worry that he misunderstands (or misunderstood) how the EU customs union works.

The problem is that the Tories have no great talent at the top level. Leadsom lied about her CV. (Lied, not exaggerated.) Fox is useless. Johnson is smart but unfocused. Hammond is dull and projects no positive vision about the future. Rudd is bleh.

There is no shortage of talent below cabinet level. I am friends with Kwasi, so am biased. But Lucy Frazer and Rory Stewart are both also seriously smart.

Perhaps now is time for Mrs May to reshuffle her cabinet more broadly. Bring in a bunch of people aged 38 to 45 to blood them. Lose Boris and Leadsom and Hammond and Fox and start over.

It's a risk, sure.

But I'm not sure the alternatives are any better.

FrancisUrquhart

rcs1000 said:

I find myself torn on Davis: he's keen on civil liberties (good), and an instinctive Brexiteer (also good).

But - perhaps because he spent so much time in the whips office - I struggle to think of anything he's done that I genuinely approve of. Resigning his seat over ID cards cost the tax payer a fair penny for no obvious reason. And - while there are several interpretations of what happened - I do still worry that he misunderstands (or misunderstood) how the EU customs union works.

The problem is that the Tories have no great talent at the top level. Leadsom lied about her CV. (Lied, not exaggerated.) Fox is useless. Johnson is smart but unfocused. Hammond is dull and projects no positive vision about the future. Rudd is bleh.

There is no shortage of talent below cabinet level. I am friends with Kwasi, so am biased. But Lucy Frazer and Rory Stewart are both also seriously smart.

Perhaps now is time for Mrs May to reshuffle her cabinet more broadly. Bring in a bunch of people aged 38 to 45 to blood them. Lose Boris and Leadsom and Hammond and Fox and start over.

It's a risk, sure.

But I'm not sure the alternatives are any better.

How Kwasi and Rory the Tory haven't had properly jobs so far is pretty damn ridiculous.

dixiedean

shiney2 said:

dixiedean said:

shiney2 said:

KentRising said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Bobajob_PB said:

You have to wonder how many more of these newspaper headlines May can take. She would be best advised to quit now, remaining as PM while Hammond and the clowns fight it out.

Not yet - she is showing an incredible stubborn streak and expect her to last until the Autumn

I think she's actually weathered the worst: Brexit negotiations underway Monday, DUP pact announced Monday or Tuesday, QS Wednesday, which will pass, and then it's the summer.

Quite. Parliament on Hols. The Executive has the initiative in responding to Events. Whether ofa brexit or otherwise. &Via the Downing St Podium as necessary. Opposition invisible. She survives (and the disloyal sink..)

You do realise Jez is planning 60 rallies in big venues in marginal seats over the Summer? He loves it. If the Tories are planning on going on holiday, I think he'l enjoy it even more.

And each rally is worth how many MPs in this parliament?

Campaigning has its place of course and its during the campaign usually.

Indeed. But the idea that the opposition will be nowhere is wishful thinking. Labour is geared up for an Autumn election.
ps, his rallies were worth votes. Much hilarity on this site when he spoke in Runcorn and Colwyn Bay, the day before the election. Result, gain of Weaver Vale and double figure loss in Aberconwy.
As I said at the time, it is about Local TV news and a double page spread in the local rag.

Brom

HYUFD said:

Brom said:

roserees64 said:

Philip Hammond could be another liability for the Tories if he is appointed leader. He is the second richest man in the cabinet,his fortune is derived from private health care companies.This is not a positive factor in this fevered egalitarian climate.

He is on record as saying that legalising same sex marriage could be damaging for the Conservatives. Echoes of the dreaded DUP here.

His two recent mistakes made him a laughing stock, namely saying that HS2 would cost £20billion less than the estimated cost and secondly the debacle over NI payments for the self-employed. A former Conservative chancellor has called him a rookie.

Finally even more damaging to his chances is the fact that he was considered a vote loser and had to be hidden during the recent campaign. I hear there is glee in some quarters with the possible ascendancy of PM Hammond.

I do agree Rose. I think you need someone more animated than Hammond in order to fight Corbyn. Spreadsheet Phil is a safe pair of hands in some eyes but I see him as rather damp, uninspiring and lacking in vision. If the electorate or Tory party reject May then replacing her with a man with less charisma is surely not a viable option. I would not be against him remaining as Chancellor however, but a leader, caretaker or otherwise he is not.

Having said all that I'd like to see Mr Meeks win his bet

Why? May got 42% the same as Thatcher got in 1987, if Hammond gets 41% the same as the equally dull John Major got in 1992 against Kinnock he beats Corbyn

I'm not sure he excites the Tory base as much as May or Davis. If he makes up for that by winning over pragmatic Liberals and despairing Labour moderates then fair enough, but he wouldn't be my choice to lead.

I do despair at the lack of fresh blood. It would be nice to have a lesser known figure burst onto the scene like Cameron did. What are messrs Stewart,Cleverley, Ellwood, Kwarteng and Brokenshire up to? I presume the Tory machine will not let anyone usurp the natural order of succession.

GIN1138

rcs1000 said:

I find myself torn on Davis: he's keen on civil liberties (good), and an instinctive Brexiteer (also good).

But - perhaps because he spent so much time in the whips office - I struggle to think of anything he's done that I genuinely approve of. Resigning his seat over ID cards cost the tax payer a fair penny for no obvious reason. And - while there are several interpretations of what happened - I do still worry that he misunderstands (or misunderstood) how the EU customs union works.

The problem is that the Tories have no great talent at the top level. Leadsom lied about her CV. (Lied, not exaggerated.) Fox is useless. Johnson is smart but unfocused. Hammond is dull and projects no positive vision about the future. Rudd is bleh.

There is no shortage of talent below cabinet level. I am friends with Kwasi, so am biased. But Lucy Frazer and Rory Stewart are both also seriously smart.

Perhaps now is time for Mrs May to reshuffle her cabinet more broadly. Bring in a bunch of people aged 38 to 45 to blood them. Lose Boris and Leadsom and Hammond and Fox and start over.

It's a risk, sure.

But I'm not sure the alternatives are any better.

Don't think she can "lose" Boris and Leadsom and Hammond etc. When her position is so weak.

Brom

dixiedean said:

shiney2 said:

dixiedean said:

shiney2 said:

KentRising said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Bobajob_PB said:

You have to wonder how many more of these newspaper headlines May can take. She would be best advised to quit now, remaining as PM while Hammond and the clowns fight it out.

Not yet - she is showing an incredible stubborn streak and expect her to last until the Autumn

I think she's actually weathered the worst: Brexit negotiations underway Monday, DUP pact announced Monday or Tuesday, QS Wednesday, which will pass, and then it's the summer.

Quite. Parliament on Hols. The Executive has the initiative in responding to Events. Whether ofa brexit or otherwise. &Via the Downing St Podium as necessary. Opposition invisible. She survives (and the disloyal sink..)

You do realise Jez is planning 60 rallies in big venues in marginal seats over the Summer? He loves it. If the Tories are planning on going on holiday, I think he'l enjoy it even more.

And each rally is worth how many MPs in this parliament?

Campaigning has its place of course and its during the campaign usually.

Indeed. But the idea that the opposition will be nowhere is wishful thinking. Labour is geared up for an Autumn election.
ps, his rallies were worth votes. Much hilarity on this site when he spoke in Runcorn and Colwyn Bay, the day before the election. Result, gain of Weaver Vale and double figure loss in Aberconwy.
As I said at the time, it is about Local TV news and a double page spread in the local rag.

There won't be an autumn election IMO, but I understand he has to fend off the doubters in his own party and watch his back at all times.

NeilVW

FrancisUrquhart said:

isam said:

12 filthy racists. They might as well be playing Sun City in 1985

https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/876335933561425920

Is that the lib dem parliamentary party?

Right number!

GIN1138

williamglenn said:

Hammond's been riding the Tory Brexit beast most of his political life. It's odd that he's somehow seen as the antidote to May's hard Brexit position.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22500121

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has become the second cabinet minister to say he would vote for Britain to leave the EU if a referendum were held now.

I'd forgotten about that...

Implies that as with Theresa, instead of being a "safe pair hands" Hammond might actually be just another duplicitous game player?

dixiedean

Brom said:

dixiedean said:

shiney2 said:

dixiedean said:

shiney2 said:

KentRising said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Bobajob_PB said:

You have to wonder how many more of these newspaper headlines May can take. She would be best advised to quit now, remaining as PM while Hammond and the clowns fight it out.

Not yet - she is showing an incredible stubborn streak and expect her to last until the Autumn

I think she's actually weathered the worst: Brexit negotiations underway Monday, DUP pact announced Monday or Tuesday, QS Wednesday, which will pass, and then it's the summer.

Quite. Parliament on Hols. The Executive has the initiative in responding to Events. Whether ofa brexit or otherwise. &Via the Downing St Podium as necessary. Opposition invisible. She survives (and the disloyal sink..)

You do realise Jez is planning 60 rallies in big venues in marginal seats over the Summer? He loves it. If the Tories are planning on going on holiday, I think he'l enjoy it even more.

And each rally is worth how many MPs in this parliament?

Campaigning has its place of course and its during the campaign usually.

Indeed. But the idea that the opposition will be nowhere is wishful thinking. Labour is geared up for an Autumn election.
ps, his rallies were worth votes. Much hilarity on this site when he spoke in Runcorn and Colwyn Bay, the day before the election. Result, gain of Weaver Vale and double figure loss in Aberconwy.
As I said at the time, it is about Local TV news and a double page spread in the local rag.

There won't be an autumn election IMO, but I understand he has to fend off the doubters in his own party and watch his back at all times.

And the best way to do that is keep doing what he does best. Fire up his base. It has worked so far.

IanB2

Brom said:

HYUFD said:

Brom said:

roserees64 said:

Philip Hammond could be another liability for the Tories if he is appointed leader. He is the second richest man in the cabinet,his fortune is derived from private health care companies.This is not a positive factor in this fevered egalitarian climate.

He is on record as saying that legalising same sex marriage could be damaging for the Conservatives. Echoes of the dreaded DUP here.

His two recent mistakes made him a laughing stock, namely saying that HS2 would cost £20billion less than the estimated cost and secondly the debacle over NI payments for the self-employed. A former Conservative chancellor has called him a rookie.

Finally even more damaging to his chances is the fact that he was considered a vote loser and had to be hidden during the recent campaign. I hear there is glee in some quarters with the possible ascendancy of PM Hammond.

I do agree Rose. I think you need someone more animated than Hammond in order to fight Corbyn. Spreadsheet Phil is a safe pair of hands in some eyes but I see him as rather damp, uninspiring and lacking in vision. If the electorate or Tory party reject May then replacing her with a man with less charisma is surely not a viable option. I would not be against him remaining as Chancellor however, but a leader, caretaker or otherwise he is not.

Having said all that I'd like to see Mr Meeks win his bet

Why? May got 42% the same as Thatcher got in 1987, if Hammond gets 41% the same as the equally dull John Major got in 1992 against Kinnock he beats Corbyn

I'm not sure he excites the Tory base as much as May or Davis. If he makes up for that by winning over pragmatic Liberals and despairing Labour moderates then fair enough, but he wouldn't be my choice to lead.

I do despair at the lack of fresh blood. It would be nice to have a lesser known figure burst onto the scene like Cameron did. What are messrs Stewart,Cleverley, Ellwood, Kwarteng and Brokenshire up to? I presume the Tory machine will not let anyone usurp the natural order of succession.

Tonight's Theresa/Boris drama-documentary prompted precisely the same thought.

HYUFD

Brom said:

HYUFD said:

Brom said:

roserees64 said:

Philip Hammond could be another liability for the Tories if he is appointed leader. He is the second richest man in the cabinet,his fortune is derived from private health care companies.This is not a positive factor in this fevered egalitarian climate.

He is on record as saying that legalising same sex marriage could be damaging for the Conservatives. Echoes of the dreaded DUP here.

His two recent mistakes made him a laughing stock, namely saying that HS2 would cost £20billion less than the estimated cost and secondly the debacle over NI payments for the self-employed. A former Conservative chancellor has called him a rookie.

Finally even more damaging to his chances is the fact that he was considered a vote loser and had to be hidden during the recent campaign. I hear there is glee in some quarters with the possible ascendancy of PM Hammond.

I do agree Rose. I think you need someone more animated than Hammond in order to fight Corbyn. Spreadsheet Phil is a safe pair of hands in some eyes but I see him as rather damp, uninspiring and lacking in vision. If the electorate or Tory party reject May then replacing her with a man with less charisma is surely not a viable option. I would not be against him remaining as Chancellor however, but a leader, caretaker or otherwise he is not.

Having said all that I'd like to see Mr Meeks win his bet

Why? May got 42% the same as Thatcher got in 1987, if Hammond gets 41% the same as the equally dull John Major got in 1992 against Kinnock he beats Corbyn

I'm not sure he excites the Tory base as much as May or Davis. If he makes up for that by winning over pragmatic Liberals and despairing Labour moderates then fair enough, but he wouldn't be my choice to lead.

I do despair at the lack of fresh blood. It would be nice to have a lesser known figure burst onto the scene like Cameron did. What are messrs Stewart,Cleverley, Ellwood, Kwarteng and Brokenshire up to? I presume the Tory machine will not let anyone usurp the natural order of succession.

The idea that we send Stewart or Cleverly or Ellwood or Kwarteng or Brokenshire into bat for the UK in the most serious negotiations for our country for decades when they have not even held 1 great office of state between them is absurd, Hammond is by far the best choice, I don't want vision, it was vision which gave us Brexit and Corbyn in the first place and look how much damage they have done. I want someone hardheaded and experienced

IanB2

stevef said:

houndtang said:

nigel4england said:

RobD said:

stevef said:

David Davis is probably the best bet for the Tories if May goes, but if Cable takes over the LDS it would mean that all three of Lab, Con Lib leaders at the probable date of next election will be over 70.

Not sure there is anything wrong with that.

Better than shallow 40 year old PR merchants

Quite a turnaround from recent trends. I believe this year was the first election since 1951where both PM and Leader of Opposition were 60+

A gerontocracy is not very inspiring for young people and the cult of personality around Corbyn is the biggest PR con since Stalin.

There is a more recent example, surely?

rcs1000

GIN1138 said:

rcs1000 said:

I find myself torn on Davis: he's keen on civil liberties (good), and an instinctive Brexiteer (also good).

But - perhaps because he spent so much time in the whips office - I struggle to think of anything he's done that I genuinely approve of. Resigning his seat over ID cards cost the tax payer a fair penny for no obvious reason. And - while there are several interpretations of what happened - I do still worry that he misunderstands (or misunderstood) how the EU customs union works.

The problem is that the Tories have no great talent at the top level. Leadsom lied about her CV. (Lied, not exaggerated.) Fox is useless. Johnson is smart but unfocused. Hammond is dull and projects no positive vision about the future. Rudd is bleh.

There is no shortage of talent below cabinet level. I am friends with Kwasi, so am biased. But Lucy Frazer and Rory Stewart are both also seriously smart.

Perhaps now is time for Mrs May to reshuffle her cabinet more broadly. Bring in a bunch of people aged 38 to 45 to blood them. Lose Boris and Leadsom and Hammond and Fox and start over.

It's a risk, sure.

But I'm not sure the alternatives are any better.

Don't think she can "lose" Boris and Leadsom and Hammond etc. When her position is so weak.

Isn't that exactly the problem? She stuck with flawed characters she can't shift because they all have their own power bases.

shiney2

dixiedean said:

shiney2 said:

dixiedean said:

shiney2 said:

KentRising said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Bobajob_PB said:

You have to wonder how many more of these newspaper headlines May can take. She would be best advised to quit now, remaining as PM while Hammond and the clowns fight it out.

Not yet - she is showing an incredible stubborn streak and expect her to last until the Autumn

I think she's actually weathered the worst: Brexit negotiations underway Monday, DUP pact announced Monday or Tuesday, QS Wednesday, which will pass, and then it's the summer.

Quite. Parliament on Hols. The Executive has the initiative in responding to Events. Whether ofa brexit or otherwise. &Via the Downing St Podium as necessary. Opposition invisible. She survives (and the disloyal sink..)

You do realise Jez is planning 60 rallies in big venues in marginal seats over the Summer? He loves it. If the Tories are planning on going on holiday, I think he'l enjoy it even more.

And each rally is worth how many MPs in this parliament?

Campaigning has its place of course and its during the campaign usually.

Indeed. But the idea that the opposition will be nowhere is wishful thinking. Labour is geared up for an Autumn election.
ps, his rallies were worth votes. Much hilarity on this site when he spoke in Runcorn and Colwyn Bay, the day before the election. Result, gain of Weaver Vale and double figure loss in Aberconwy.
As I said at the time, it is about Local TV news and a double page spread in the local rag.

I don't doubt he is popular - at present.

Tony was popular in 97 - now Labour wouldn't rescue him from a tower block.

Times change.

FTPA