What proportion of these anonymous anecdotes are made up?
There have been loads since the election but very little in the way of an actual challenge... I'm not saying it won't happen - but what are the Tories waiting for?
Is it just that resentment of Boris and not wanting him to be PM means they will support TM?
It's more than that. A leadership contest could well lead to one (or more) of the following:
1) An irrevocable split in the Tory Party 2) The collapse of the Brexit talks 3) A Corbyn-led government 4) Another general election
Actually, Boris looks like he is almost crying, and his face is full of human empathy, and pity (which is the natural reaction, the speech was so sad)
I am acquainted with Boris Johnson. He is ambitious and smart and he can be ruthless, but he is not some evil careerist monster. He is also, sincerely, a eurosceptic.
I was only joking.
I like Boris and as an "outsider" to the Tory Party it looks like a "no-brainer" for him to take over from Theresa like yesterday...
Boris as PM will be a bigger disaster than Theresa May.
Trust me, trust JohnO, trust Michael Gove.
Hoe does this ministry sound to you:
PM- Boris
CotE - Gove
Foreign Sec - JRM
Home Sec - Priti
Would you tear up your membership card?
Awful. Just awful.
I’d remain a member but wouldn’t campaign for it until we returned to sanity.
Yep, a restful period on the sidelines doing bugga all campaigning would beckon.
Not heard of him before to my shame. He is right in every aspect of that speech. Not least the last one about the British Government.
Googling him I also noticed a tweet from a few days ago from him:
"Everybody says that the #CatalanReferendum was illegal. There were several independence movements which were "illegal". Following this reasoning the USA would have remained a colony of UK. One cannot ignore the desire of millions of Catalans."
Actually, Boris looks like he is almost crying, and his face is full of human empathy, and pity (which is the natural reaction, the speech was so sad)
I am acquainted with Boris Johnson. He is ambitious and smart and he can be ruthless, but he is not some evil careerist monster. He is also, sincerely, a eurosceptic.
I was only joking.
I like Boris and as an "outsider" to the Tory Party it looks like a "no-brainer" for him to take over from Theresa like yesterday...
Boris as PM will be a bigger disaster than Theresa May.
I listened to it live on the radio. It was genuinely difficult to hear her struggle. You could tell by the panic in her voice that she knew it wasn't just a cough, it was turning into some sort of metaphor for her premiership. Near the end, I was begging her to stop, and just say "Fuck it. Fuck Brexit, fuck Boris, fuck labour, and fuck all of you. I've had enough of this shit, and I'm off. Fight it out amongst yourselves." I think the twat with the P45 needs to have a word with himself. On the whole, I think she's done for and I think she knows it's a case of sooner rather than later.
However, I would offer Rees-Mogg a middle ranking job in one of the more important Departments, perhaps Minister of State at DWP?
PPS for David Davis looks like the appropriate limit for his abilities.
We've no idea about his political and administrative abilities, and the capacity to defend policies in the Commons and outside with which he may personally disagree, until these are tested. PPS is a no-job.
What proportion of these anonymous anecdotes are made up?
There have been loads since the election but very little in the way of an actual challenge... I'm not saying it won't happen - but what are the Tories waiting for?
Is it just that resentment of Boris and not wanting him to be PM means they will support TM?
It's more than that. A leadership contest could well lead to one (or more) of the following:
1) An irrevocable split in the Tory Party 2) The collapse of the Brexit talks 3) A Corbyn-led government 4) Another general election
I listened to it live on the radio. It was genuinely difficult to hear her struggle. You could tell by the panic in her voice that she knew it wasn't just a cough, it was turning into some sort of metaphor for her premiership. Near the end, I was begging her to stop, and just say "Fuck it. Fuck Brexit, fuck Boris, fuck labour, and fuck all of you. I've had enough of this shit, and I'm off. Fight it out amongst yourselves." I think the twat with the P45 needs to have a word with himself. On the whole, I think she's done for and I think she knows it's a case of sooner rather than later.
If this goes on much longer I could see her actually becoming very unwell.
Nobody wants to see that (well Osborne and TSE might but nobody with any compassion would want to see it)
An extensive reshuffle before Christmas, coupled with substantive action to make a reality of her conference pledges.
I don't think she will lead the party into the next election: her political duty is to bring forward talent into prominent positions so that MPs, the membership and then the electorate have a new PM with the credibility to take the Tories to victory in 2022. It's difficult but doable.
An extensive reshuffle before Christmas, coupled with substantive action to make a reality of her conference pledges.
I don't think she will lead the party into the next election: her political duty is to bring forward talent into prominent positions so that MPs, the membership and then the electorate have a new PM with the credibility to take the Tories to victory in 2022. It's difficult but doable.
Sounds like she should make Ken Clarke Foreign Secretary.
I listened to it live on the radio. It was genuinely difficult to hear her struggle. You could tell by the panic in her voice that she knew it wasn't just a cough, it was turning into some sort of metaphor for her premiership. Near the end, I was begging her to stop, and just say "Fuck it. Fuck Brexit, fuck Boris, fuck labour, and fuck all of you. I've had enough of this shit, and I'm off. Fight it out amongst yourselves." I think the twat with the P45 needs to have a word with himself. On the whole, I think she's done for and I think she knows it's a case of sooner rather than later.
If this goes on much longer I could see her actually becoming very unwell.
Nobody wants to see that (well Osborne and TSE might but nobody with any compassion would want to see it)
Lies, I want her gone, because I want a chance to win the next election, as does Mr Osborne.
The longer she stays, the bigger Corbyn's majority.
An extensive reshuffle before Christmas, coupled with substantive action to make a reality of her conference pledges.
I don't think she will lead the party into the next election: her political duty is to bring forward talent into prominent positions so that MPs, the membership and then the electorate have a new PM with the credibility to take the Tories to victory in 2022. It's difficult but doable.
Sounds like she should make Ken Clarke Foreign Secretary.
I am not sure I understand what happened with regard to the prankster.
If the prankster used a BBC pass, or was vouched for by the BBC, then I would have thought it was they who should be answering searching questions.
(I’ve no particularly brief to defend Theresa May, I think she should go)
But, if journalists are to be allowed access to politicians & passes to conferences, then news organisations need to behave responsibly.
Have you got a link to it being a BBC pass?
The Manchester police have stated that he “had accreditation” (quoted in the Telegraph).
We know he was posing as a journalist (a photographer).
Let’s wait and see what emerges, but, if he was using the pass of any news organisation, it is the news organisation who have behaved irresponsibly.
So no evidence it was a BBC pass, just speculation on your part?
Read my post.
I said .... “IF the prankster used a BBC pass ...”
But why choose the BBC, instead of say Sky News, or The Sun?
Perhaps because the prankster has often appeared on the BBC .... and so has friends and connections among BBC journalists.
However, for your sake, I could repeat the whole post with billions of other news organisations ... or you could just read it, and internally process what ‘if’ means.
Actually, the whole incident reminded me of something in Fear & Loathing on the Campaign Trail. Hunter Thompson gave his Rolling Stone journalist’s pass to someone (the BooHoo) who went on to heckle and manhandle Senator Ed Muskie.
Hunter was quite properly censured for this by other journalists.
An extensive reshuffle before Christmas, coupled with substantive action to make a reality of her conference pledges.
I don't think she will lead the party into the next election: her political duty is to bring forward talent into prominent positions so that MPs, the membership and then the electorate have a new PM with the credibility to take the Tories to victory in 2022. It's difficult but doable.
Agreed but the reshuffle needs to come in the next couple of weeks
The incident today with the P45 prank looks like it gives her the excuse as her party chairman resigns or stands down as he said he would anyway
An extensive reshuffle before Christmas, coupled with substantive action to make a reality of her conference pledges.
I don't think she will lead the party into the next election: her political duty is to bring forward talent into prominent positions so that MPs, the membership and then the electorate have a new PM with the credibility to take the Tories to victory in 2022. It's difficult but doable.
Sounds like she should make Ken Clarke Foreign Secretary.
An extensive reshuffle before Christmas, coupled with substantive action to make a reality of her conference pledges.
I don't think she will lead the party into the next election: her political duty is to bring forward talent into prominent positions so that MPs, the membership and then the electorate have a new PM with the credibility to take the Tories to victory in 2022. It's difficult but doable.
Sounds like she should make Ken Clarke Foreign Secretary.
An extensive reshuffle before Christmas, coupled with substantive action to make a reality of her conference pledges.
I don't think she will lead the party into the next election: her political duty is to bring forward talent into prominent positions so that MPs, the membership and then the electorate have a new PM with the credibility to take the Tories to victory in 2022. It's difficult but doable.
Sounds like she should make Ken Clarke Foreign Secretary.
I listened to it live on the radio. It was genuinely difficult to hear her struggle. You could tell by the panic in her voice that she knew it wasn't just a cough, it was turning into some sort of metaphor for her premiership. Near the end, I was begging her to stop, and just say "Fuck it. Fuck Brexit, fuck Boris, fuck labour, and fuck all of you. I've had enough of this shit, and I'm off. Fight it out amongst yourselves." I think the twat with the P45 needs to have a word with himself. On the whole, I think she's done for and I think she knows it's a case of sooner rather than later.
If this goes on much longer I could see her actually becoming very unwell.
Nobody wants to see that (well Osborne and TSE might but nobody with any compassion would want to see it)
Lies, I want her gone, because I want a chance to win the next election, as does Mr Osborne.
The longer she stays, the bigger Corbyn's majority.
We've been through this countless times: if she goes now, the contest will likely be between Davis and Johnson. Is that what you REALLY want? And, if by chance, it's Amber Rudd on the ballot from the MPs (not Johnson), she will lose badly to DD.
I listened to it live on the radio. It was genuinely difficult to hear her struggle. You could tell by the panic in her voice that she knew it wasn't just a cough, it was turning into some sort of metaphor for her premiership. Near the end, I was begging her to stop, and just say "Fuck it. Fuck Brexit, fuck Boris, fuck labour, and fuck all of you. I've had enough of this shit, and I'm off. Fight it out amongst yourselves." I think the twat with the P45 needs to have a word with himself. On the whole, I think she's done for and I think she knows it's a case of sooner rather than later.
If this goes on much longer I could see her actually becoming very unwell.
Nobody wants to see that (well Osborne and TSE might but nobody with any compassion would want to see it)
I listened to it live on the radio. It was genuinely difficult to hear her struggle. You could tell by the panic in her voice that she knew it wasn't just a cough, it was turning into some sort of metaphor for her premiership. Near the end, I was begging her to stop, and just say "Fuck it. Fuck Brexit, fuck Boris, fuck labour, and fuck all of you. I've had enough of this shit, and I'm off. Fight it out amongst yourselves." I think the twat with the P45 needs to have a word with himself. On the whole, I think she's done for and I think she knows it's a case of sooner rather than later.
If this goes on much longer I could see her actually becoming very unwell.
Nobody wants to see that (well Osborne and TSE might but nobody with any compassion would want to see it)
Lies, I want her gone, because I want a chance to win the next election, as does Mr Osborne.
The longer she stays, the bigger Corbyn's majority.
We've been through this countless times: if she goes now, the contest will likely be between Davis and Johnson. Is that what you REALLY want? And, if by chance, it's Amber Rudd on the ballot from the MPs (not Johnson), she will lose badly to DD.
To be honest, it has become so bad, I think David Davis as PM is preferable to Mrs May as PM.
Plus, it'll be fun to see David Davis deliver Brexit he promised was so easy and deliverable.
I'm not worried about Boris, Michael Gove can work his magic on the Prime Ministerial ambitions of Boris, again.
I listened to it live on the radio. It was genuinely difficult to hear her struggle. You could tell by the panic in her voice that she knew it wasn't just a cough, it was turning into some sort of metaphor for her premiership. Near the end, I was begging her to stop, and just say "Fuck it. Fuck Brexit, fuck Boris, fuck labour, and fuck all of you. I've had enough of this shit, and I'm off. Fight it out amongst yourselves." I think the twat with the P45 needs to have a word with himself. On the whole, I think she's done for and I think she knows it's a case of sooner rather than later.
If this goes on much longer I could see her actually becoming very unwell.
Nobody wants to see that (well Osborne and TSE might but nobody with any compassion would want to see it)
Lies, I want her gone, because I want a chance to win the next election, as does Mr Osborne.
The longer she stays, the bigger Corbyn's majority.
We've been through this countless times: if she goes now, the contest will likely be between Davis and Johnson. Is that what you REALLY want? And, if by chance, it's Amber Rudd on the ballot from the MPs (not Johnson), she will lose badly to DD.
To be honest, it has become so bad, I think David Davis as PM is preferable to Mrs May as PM.
Plus, it'll be fun to see David Davis deliver Brexit he promised was so easy and deliverable.
I'm not worried about Boris, Michael Gove can work his magic on the Prime Ministerial ambitions of Boris, again.
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
If TM is not willing to resign as PM (after appropriate persuasion) then public statements of no confidence would need to be made. A few cabinet ministers could resign (with potential personal political fall out) or elder statesmen/women (eg Hague?).
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
I should add that my 'support' for Mrs May is absolutely conditional that she starts behaving like a Prime Minister and least makes an attempt at displaying the smack of firm government. If we're still drifting along aimlessly by early 2018 at the latest, then she will have to go.
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
I should add that my 'support' for Mrs May is absolutely conditional that she starts behaving like a Prime Minister and least makes an attempt at displaying the smack of firm government. If we're still drifting along aimlessly by early 2018 at the latest, then she will have to go.
Surely you'll be calling for her to go after the 2018 summer recess?
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
I should add that my 'support' for Mrs May is absolutely conditional that she starts behaving like a Prime Minister and least makes an attempt at displaying the smack of firm government. If we're still drifting along aimlessly by early 2018 at the latest, then she will have to go.
Surely you'll be calling for her to go after the 2018 summer recess?
In these troubled times, my own financial well-being must be subordinated to the national interest.
I don't like Mrs May. She is a difficult person to like. I don't have a high regard for her abilities or her judgment. I am concerned that someone with such poor judgment is in charge of our country at this time.
But that was cruel. This is a woman who has given her life to public service. She has a very strong reputation for integrity. She really didn't deserve that. I like to think that if I was doing this to myself my better half would have a word.
I agree with this. I thought she ought to go after the election. Her health is more important, frankly.
I also don't agree that she has no political skills or empathy. She is unsuited to be PM and is shy and lacking in charisma. But the Hillsborough families spoke highly of her help and of her genuine concern for them. Her work on anti-slavery is worthwhile and she finally got rid of the loathsome Qatada. She was also right in what she said to the Police Federation about the treatment of black youths and, frankly, in what she said to the Tories when they were in Opposition about how they were perceived. She also did quite a lot to help women Tory candidates. I think her first speech as PM was very good. So she meant well. But she lacked the ability to follow through on it and has been utterly overwhelmed by Brexit.
May is an example of the Peter principle in action. Some people grow into a role. She has not. But, let's face it, difficult to see who would given the enormous and probably irreconcilable pressures on anyone becoming PM in the wake of the referendum result.
If Corbyn becomes PM I would expect him to be overwhelmed as well. It is far far easier to make a diagnosis of what has gone wrong than it is to come up with practical solutions which command the support of the Cabinet, MPs, voters and, in the case of negotiations, the EU.
We need a Solomon. What we have is a Frank Spencer. Waiting in the wings is "Wolfie" Smith.
Excellent post Cyclefree, I totally agree.
Felt sorry for May today (though I must admit when I initially heard about the Lee Nelson prank I did find it a bit funny, sorry guys). I think she should walk away at this stage, it’s clear that she isn’t up to the job. Of course, then the problem becomes who do you replace her with?
Why do they keep saying 'Asian'? A more accurate descriptor should be applied.
235 victims in this one case, in one town, Rotherham.
I remember when tyson and foxinsox were on PB, loudly pooh-poohing the idea there could be as many as 1400 victims in total over decades, and said the Muslim grooming scandal was imaginary, and a load of right wing racist hysteria.
Not PB's finest hour.
That is not what I said, but the moderstors have asked me not to discuss the matter on here with you, and I shall respect their wishes.
Just TMay just have bad luck? I mean: a cold, letters alling down, a comedian sneaking through.
Exactly which parts of this her ault?
A speech which was twice the length it needed to be - particularly if she were having problems with her voice - and more or less void of content... Who else is responsible for that ?
The housing policy - which might have changed the narrative - was utterly feeble. And what the hell is the 'British Dream' ? Sounds like something to do with Arthur and Merlin.
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
I know you hate Boris for stabbing your heroes, and winning the Brexit ref, but what's your beef with DD? He's a fairly standard libertarian Tory, with a much more impressive backstory than, say, Cameron.
He's prone to narcissism, and occasionally a bit flaky, but he's also fairly charming, and obviously intelligent. Shame he's a little past it, now.
Theory: the Tory party would be in a far, far better position - likewise the country - if they'd chosen Davis over Cameron back in 2007.
I am not sure I understand what happened with regard to the prankster.
If the prankster used a BBC pass, or was vouched for by the BBC, then I would have thought it was they who should be answering searching questions.
(I’ve no particularly brief to defend Theresa May, I think she should go)
But, if journalists are to be allowed access to politicians & passes to conferences, then news organisations need to behave responsibly.
A press pass at the Conservative Party Conference costs £875. Never was a cheap stunt so expensive.
If it was a photographer's pass, It's fairly common for snappers to be freelance, albeit often with the backing of an agency who they attend an event on behalf of. It wouldn't take too much to set up a real looking agency, send people along to few low level events and build a relationship with the press team. That might be part of the issue - I'd imagine the Tories press procedures are less thorough than No. 10.
Simon Brodkin, the guy who did it, is about as funny as a hole in the head - but very good at this kind of thing. A couple of years ago he managed to hurl Nazi golf balls at then candidate Donald Trump. He also managed to scatter money over Sepp Blatter. Obviously very good at creating an elaborate set up that gets him places he shouldn't be. He won't be with the BBC -Think they dropped his show a while back as it was awful.
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
I know you hate Boris for stabbing your heroes, and winning the Brexit ref, but what's your beef with DD? He's a fairly standard libertarian Tory, with a much more impressive backstory than, say, Cameron.
He's prone to narcissism, and occasionally a bit flaky, but he's also fairly charming, and obviously intelligent. Shame he's a little past it, now.
Theory: the Tory party would be in a far, far better position - likewise the country - if they'd chosen Davis over Cameron back in 2007.
There would be no Tory party had Davis beaten Cameron in 2005, Brown would have won the snap election against Davis,
He's not a civil libertarian.
For starters he opposed same sex marriage.
He also wants to bring in a de facto ID card for EU citizens.
He's a hypocrite, he is opposed to foreign courts meddling in our country, but went to the European Court of Justice to stop the government legislation.
He consistently wings it, as we're seeing with Brexit, he's just not good enough.
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
I should add that my 'support' for Mrs May is absolutely conditional that she starts behaving like a Prime Minister and least makes an attempt at displaying the smack of firm government. If we're still drifting along aimlessly by early 2018 at the latest, then she will have to go.
Surely you'll be calling for her to go after the 2018 summer recess?
In these troubled times, my own financial well-being must be subordinated to the national interest.
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
I should add that my 'support' for Mrs May is absolutely conditional that she starts behaving like a Prime Minister and least makes an attempt at displaying the smack of firm government. If we're still drifting along aimlessly by early 2018 at the latest, then she will have to go.
Surely you'll be calling for her to go after the 2018 summer recess?
In these troubled times, my own financial well-being must be subordinated to the national interest.
You, sir, are a true patriot.
And I really, really, must pay you back for your superlative generosity and company. Not that I'm conceding that she will have gone by next summer!!
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
I know you hate Boris for stabbing your heroes, and winning the Brexit ref, but what's your beef with DD? He's a fairly standard libertarian Tory, with a much more impressive backstory than, say, Cameron.
He's prone to narcissism, and occasionally a bit flaky, but he's also fairly charming, and obviously intelligent. Shame he's a little past it, now.
Theory: the Tory party would be in a far, far better position - likewise the country - if they'd chosen Davis over Cameron back in 2007.
There would be no Tory party had Davis beaten Cameron in 2005, Brown would have won the snap election against Davis,
He's not a civil libertarian.
For starters he opposed same sex marriage.
He also wants to bring in a de facto ID card for EU citizens.
He's a hypocrite, he is opposed to foreign courts meddling in our country, but went to the European Court of Justice to stop the government legislation.
He consistently wings it, as we're seeing with Brexit, he's just not good enough.
lol. David "essay crisis" Cameron was the very definition of "winging it", he thought he could "wing" the EU negotiation, and then "wing" the EU referendum.
Oops.
As Mr Urquhart of this parish will point out, the civil servants pointed out that Dave was someone who always read his briefings.
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
I know you hate Boris for stabbing your heroes, and winning the Brexit ref, but what's your beef with DD? He's a fairly standard libertarian Tory, with a much more impressive backstory than, say, Cameron.
He's prone to narcissism, and occasionally a bit flaky, but he's also fairly charming, and obviously intelligent. Shame he's a little past it, now.
Theory: the Tory party would be in a far, far better position - likewise the country - if they'd chosen Davis over Cameron back in 2007.
There would be no Tory party had Davis beaten Cameron in 2005, Brown would have won the snap election against Davis,
He's not a civil libertarian.
For starters he opposed same sex marriage.
He also wants to bring in a de facto ID card for EU citizens.
He's a hypocrite, he is opposed to foreign courts meddling in our country, but went to the European Court of Justice to stop the government legislation.
He consistently wings it, as we're seeing with Brexit, he's just not good enough.
lol. David "essay crisis" Cameron was the very definition of "winging it", he thought he could "wing" the EU negotiation, and then "wing" the EU referendum.
Oops.
As Mr Urquhart of this parish will point out, the civil servants pointed out that Dave was someone who always read his briefings.
Unlike DD.
Trouble is that Cameron might have read them but he clearly didn't understand them.
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
I know you hate Boris for stabbing your heroes, and winning the Brexit ref, but what's your beef with DD? He's a fairly standard libertarian Tory, with a much more impressive backstory than, say, Cameron.
He's prone to narcissism, and occasionally a bit flaky, but he's also fairly charming, and obviously intelligent. Shame he's a little past it, now.
Theory: the Tory party would be in a far, far better position - likewise the country - if they'd chosen Davis over Cameron back in 2007.
There would be no Tory party had Davis beaten Cameron in 2005, Brown would have won the snap election against Davis,
He's not a civil libertarian.
For starters he opposed same sex marriage.
He also wants to bring in a de facto ID card for EU citizens.
He's a hypocrite, he is opposed to foreign courts meddling in our country, but went to the European Court of Justice to stop the government legislation.
He consistently wings it, as we're seeing with Brexit, he's just not good enough.
lol. David "essay crisis" Cameron was the very definition of "winging it", he thought he could "wing" the EU negotiation, and then "wing" the EU referendum.
Oops.
As Mr Urquhart of this parish will point out, the civil servants pointed out that Dave was someone who always read his briefings.
Unlike DD.
Trouble is that Cameron might have read them but he clearly didn't understand them.
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
I should add that my 'support' for Mrs May is absolutely conditional that she starts behaving like a Prime Minister and least makes an attempt at displaying the smack of firm government. If we're still drifting along aimlessly by early 2018 at the latest, then she will have to go.
Surely you'll be calling for her to go after the 2018 summer recess?
In these troubled times, my own financial well-being must be subordinated to the national interest.
You, sir, are a true patriot.
And I really, really, must pay you back for your superlative generosity and company. Not that I'm conceding that she will have gone by next summer!!
Let me get the next fortnight out of the way, and I'll email you some dates, I've got a couple of London trips in the offing.
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
I know you hate Boris for stabbing your heroes, and winning the Brexit ref, but what's your beef with DD? He's a fairly standard libertarian Tory, with a much more impressive backstory than, say, Cameron.
He's prone to narcissism, and occasionally a bit flaky, but he's also fairly charming, and obviously intelligent. Shame he's a little past it, now.
Theory: the Tory party would be in a far, far better position - likewise the country - if they'd chosen Davis over Cameron back in 2007.
There would be no Tory party had Davis beaten Cameron in 2005, Brown would have won the snap election against Davis,
He's not a civil libertarian.
For starters he opposed same sex marriage.
He also wants to bring in a de facto ID card for EU citizens.
He's a hypocrite, he is opposed to foreign courts meddling in our country, but went to the European Court of Justice to stop the government legislation.
He consistently wings it, as we're seeing with Brexit, he's just not good enough.
Davis would have walked all over Brown. In fact he would have won a majority instead of falling short and ending up in a coalition like Cameron. Hell, even May managed to get 2 million more votes than Cameron ever got and she is utter rubbish.
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
I know you hate Boris for stabbing your heroes, and winning the Brexit ref, but what's your beef with DD? He's a fairly standard libertarian Tory, with a much more impressive backstory than, say, Cameron.
He's prone to narcissism, and occasionally a bit flaky, but he's also fairly charming, and obviously intelligent. Shame he's a little past it, now.
Theory: the Tory party would be in a far, far better position - likewise the country - if they'd chosen Davis over Cameron back in 2007.
There would be no Tory party had Davis beaten Cameron in 2005, Brown would have won the snap election against Davis,
He's not a civil libertarian.
For starters he opposed same sex marriage.
He also wants to bring in a de facto ID card for EU citizens.
He's a hypocrite, he is opposed to foreign courts meddling in our country, but went to the European Court of Justice to stop the government legislation.
He consistently wings it, as we're seeing with Brexit, he's just not good enough.
lol. David "essay crisis" Cameron was the very definition of "winging it", he thought he could "wing" the EU negotiation, and then "wing" the EU referendum.
Oops.
As Mr Urquhart of this parish will point out, the civil servants pointed out that Dave was someone who always read his briefings.
Unlike DD.
Apparently Cameron loftily told Merkel and Hollande that they shouldn't worry, he would win the EU referendum easily, something like 70/30. Then I suppose he went back to playing Fruit Ninja on his iPad.
Oh dear.
Dave's two major blunders on the EU ref were
1) Trying to sell his deal as awesome
2) He thought the Leave side would be Farage, John Redwood, and the rest of the Tory freak show.
3) When he realised he would be facing the likes of Gove and Boris, he should have gone medieval on their asses, he didn't want to go blue on blue.
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
I should add that my 'support' for Mrs May is absolutely conditional that she starts behaving like a Prime Minister and least makes an attempt at displaying the smack of firm government. If we're still drifting along aimlessly by early 2018 at the latest, then she will have to go.
Surely you'll be calling for her to go after the 2018 summer recess?
In these troubled times, my own financial well-being must be subordinated to the national interest.
You, sir, are a true patriot.
And I really, really, must pay you back for your superlative generosity and company. Not that I'm conceding that she will have gone by next summer!!
Let me get the next fortnight out of the way, and I'll email you some dates, I've got a couple of London trips in the offing.
That's cheered me up no end from my current man-flu. Glad I didn't have to make a speech today.
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
I know you hate Boris for stabbing your heroes, and winning the Brexit ref, but what's your beef with DD? He's a fairly standard libertarian Tory, with a much more impressive backstory than, say, Cameron.
He's prone to narcissism, and occasionally a bit flaky, but he's also fairly charming, and obviously intelligent. Shame he's a little past it, now.
Theory: the Tory party would be in a far, far better position - likewise the country - if they'd chosen Davis over Cameron back in 2007.
There would be no Tory party had Davis beaten Cameron in 2005, Brown would have won the snap election against Davis,
He's not a civil libertarian.
For starters he opposed same sex marriage.
He also wants to bring in a de facto ID card for EU citizens.
He's a hypocrite, he is opposed to foreign courts meddling in our country, but went to the European Court of Justice to stop the government legislation.
He consistently wings it, as we're seeing with Brexit, he's just not good enough.
Davis would have walked all over Brown. In fact he would have won a majority instead of falling short and ending up in a coalition like Cameron. Hell, even May managed to get 2 million more votes than Cameron ever got and she is utter rubbish.
Only one of those three won a majority.
I'm sure the man who campaigned like this would have walked over Brown, LOLZ.
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
I know you hate Boris for stabbing your heroes, and winning the Brexit ref, but what's your beef with DD? He's a fairly standard libertarian Tory, with a much more impressive backstory than, say, Cameron.
He's prone to narcissism, and occasionally a bit flaky, but he's also fairly charming, and obviously intelligent. Shame he's a little past it, now.
Theory: the Tory party would be in a far, far better position - likewise the country - if they'd chosen Davis over Cameron back in 2007.
There would be no Tory party had Davis beaten Cameron in 2005, Brown would have won the snap election against Davis,
He's not a civil libertarian.
For starters he opposed same sex marriage.
He also wants to bring in a de facto ID card for EU citizens.
He's a hypocrite, he is opposed to foreign courts meddling in our country, but went to the European Court of Justice to stop the government legislation.
He consistently wings it, as we're seeing with Brexit, he's just not good enough.
lol. David "essay crisis" Cameron was the very definition of "winging it", he thought he could "wing" the EU negotiation, and then "wing" the EU referendum.
Oops.
As Mr Urquhart of this parish will point out, the civil servants pointed out that Dave was someone who always read his briefings.
Unlike DD.
Trouble is that Cameron might have read them but he clearly didn't understand them.
He did though.
Clearly, yer man Cameron is the one to blame for the state of your party, and the Nation. Rightly or wrongly, he instigated the Referendum, and then threw the towel in as soon as he could despite his words that he'd stay on for a bit. If he'd hung around, maybe yer other man Osborne might have been in with a chance? Mind you, I can't blame him. He's got a hot wife, loads of money and a lifestyle not many of us will ever have. Why would he hang around to sort the mess out?
Theresa May constantly makes me think of Merleau-Ponty: 'In accepting the chance of glory in the role of politician, he accepts also the risk of infamy, in either case "undeserved".'
She had the undeserved glory and her problem was that she believed it, and now she has the undeserved infamy, and her problem is that she believes it too. It's just getting depressing, she's clearly hanging on to give her successor a better chance rather than being tarred with the difficulties of Brexit negotiations (i.e., Cameron's inheritance). And that successor and all the other candidates will campaign for the leadership by trashing her as an easy scapegoat (like Burnham, Cooper, and Kendall did for Ed in 2015).
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
I know you hate Boris for stabbing your heroes, and winning the Brexit ref, but what's your beef with DD? He's a fairly standard libertarian Tory, with a much more impressive backstory than, say, Cameron.
He's prone to narcissism, and occasionally a bit flaky, but he's also fairly charming, and obviously intelligent. Shame he's a little past it, now.
Theory: the Tory party would be in a far, far better position - likewise the country - if they'd chosen Davis over Cameron back in 2007.
There would be no Tory party had Davis beaten Cameron in 2005, Brown would have won the snap election against Davis,
He's not a civil libertarian.
For starters he opposed same sex marriage.
He also wants to bring in a de facto ID card for EU citizens.
He's a hypocrite, he is opposed to foreign courts meddling in our country, but went to the European Court of Justice to stop the government legislation.
He consistently wings it, as we're seeing with Brexit, he's just not good enough.
lol. David "essay crisis" Cameron was the very definition of "winging it", he thought he could "wing" the EU negotiation, and then "wing" the EU referendum.
Oops.
As Mr Urquhart of this parish will point out, the civil servants pointed out that Dave was someone who always read his briefings.
Unlike DD.
Apparently Cameron loftily told Merkel and Hollande that they shouldn't worry, he would win the EU referendum easily, something like 70/30. Then I suppose he went back to playing Fruit Ninja on his iPad.
Oh dear.
Dave's two major blunders on the EU ref were
1) Trying to sell his deal as awesome
2) He thought the Leave side would be Farage, John Redwood, and the rest of the Tory freak show.
3) When he realised he would be facing the likes of Gove and Boris, he should have gone medieval on their asses, he didn't want to go blue on blue.
Assuming Labour voters would swing behind the EU to the extent their MPs did was another problem. Any other leader than Corbyn and the ref would have been 60-40 remain I'd guess.
Ah, so you've become a Tory revolutionary defeatist. There we part company.
I know, I just find it depressing that she's our least worst option, and this is what has become of our party.
I
Theory: the Tory party would be in a far, far better position - likewise the country - if they'd chosen Davis over Cameron back in 2007.
There would be no Tory party had Davis beaten Cameron in 2005, Brown would have won the snap election against Davis,
He's not a civil libertarian.
For starters he opposed same sex marriage.
He also wants to bring in a de facto ID card for EU citizens.
He's a hypocrite, he is opposed to foreign courts meddling in our country, but went to the European Court of Justice to stop the government legislation.
He consistently wings it, as we're seeing with Brexit, he's just not good enough.
lol. David "essay crisis" Cameron was the very definition of "winging it", he thought he could "wing" the EU negotiation, and then "wing" the EU referendum.
Oops.
As Mr Urquhart of this parish will point out, the civil servants pointed out that Dave was someone who always read his briefings.
Unlike DD.
Apparently Cameron loftily told Merkel and Hollande that they shouldn't worry, he would win the EU referendum easily, something like 70/30. Then I suppose he went back to playing Fruit Ninja on his iPad.
Oh dear.
Dave's two major blunders on the EU ref were
1) Trying to sell his deal as awesome
2) He thought the Leave side would be Farage, John Redwood, and the rest of the Tory freak show.
3) When he realised he would be facing the likes of Gove and Boris, he should have gone medieval on their asses, he didn't want to go blue on blue.
Assuming Labour voters would swing behind the EU to the extent their MPs did was another problem. Any other leader than Corbyn and the ref would have been 60-40 remain I'd guess.
Labour voters views on the EU were not decided in the campaign, or since 2015. Plenty will have been voting Lab for parliament and UKIP in euro elections.
Corbyn did remarkably well to carry so many imo. An alternative leadership extolling the EU unequivocally would have got less of a hearing from Labour voters.
From a personal point of view, of course any sentient being will feel sympathy for Theresa May, and not just because of today; it must have been absolutely devastating for her to see what a gigantic screw-up she had made at the GE. However, sympathy doesn't usually translate into votes, normally it's the other way round.
Perhaps more apposite is the reflection on to Boris. I have a feeling this won't help him.
Absolutely do feel sympathy - must have been awful. But I think most voters will feel a bit like bosses having to write a reference for someone they like who wasn't quite up to the job, "Always made every effort and gave her utmost to the task."
Trouble is, TMay isn't even that likeable. Almost zero charm.
If she had Bojo's gift for witty self deprecation, or Corbyn's ability to be folksy, or Blair's talent for grinning smarm, then she'd have *something* - but no. It's hard to find anything obviously positive to say about her.
I used to Iive in Maidenhead. She is a diligent and hard working MP.
Comments
Googling him I also noticed a tweet from a few days ago from him:
"Everybody says that the #CatalanReferendum was illegal. There were several independence movements which were "illegal". Following this reasoning the USA would have remained a colony of UK. One cannot ignore the desire of millions of Catalans."
If he misused a journalist’s pass or BBC pass, the responsibility lies with the news organisation.
Obviously, more details needed.
That's a scary thought even before you realise that would be in DExEU
I think the twat with the P45 needs to have a word with himself.
On the whole, I think she's done for and I think she knows it's a case of sooner rather than later.
May is gone, right?
We know he was posing as a journalist (a photographer).
Let’s wait and see what emerges, but, if he was using the pass of any news organisation, it is the news organisation who have behaved irresponsibly.
I said .... “IF the prankster used a BBC pass ...”
http://lordashcroftpolls.com/2017/10/theresa-mays-speech-no-retreat-face-difficulty/
Nobody wants to see that (well Osborne and TSE might but nobody with any compassion would want to see it)
http://lordashcroftpolls.com/2017/10/theresa-mays-speech-no-retreat-face-difficulty/
I don't think she will lead the party into the next election: her political duty is to bring forward talent into prominent positions so that MPs, the membership and then the electorate have a new PM with the credibility to take the Tories to victory in 2022. It's difficult but doable.
It was an unmitigated disaster...
The longer she stays, the bigger Corbyn's majority.
However, for your sake, I could repeat the whole post with billions of other news organisations ... or you could just read it, and internally process what ‘if’ means.
Actually, the whole incident reminded me of something in Fear & Loathing on the Campaign Trail. Hunter Thompson gave his Rolling Stone journalist’s pass to someone (the BooHoo) who went on to heckle and manhandle Senator Ed Muskie.
Hunter was quite properly censured for this by other journalists.
The incident today with the P45 prank looks like it gives her the excuse as her party chairman resigns or stands down as he said he would anyway
Boris Johnson
Jacob Rees Mogg
Amber Rudd
Phillip Hammond
David Davis
Jeremy Corbin
to be the next PM of the finest country in the World.
To quote the immortal Brian Potter, "Sweet Baby Jesus and all the orphans!"
Plus, it'll be fun to see David Davis deliver Brexit he promised was so easy and deliverable.
I'm not worried about Boris, Michael Gove can work his magic on the Prime Ministerial ambitions of Boris, again.
I'll do my best to stop DD/JRM/Boris becoming PM, and will follow your wise counsel once more.
I suppose I should remember a year ago many people thought the Tories would be in power until 2030 at least, things could swing back so sharply again.
Theresa was already beyond saving, dead & buried
The prankster just looks like a bully.
Felt sorry for May today (though I must admit when I initially heard about the Lee Nelson prank I did find it a bit funny, sorry guys). I think she should walk away at this stage, it’s clear that she isn’t up to the job. Of course, then the problem becomes who do you replace her with?
Who else is responsible for that ?
The housing policy - which might have changed the narrative - was utterly feeble. And what the hell is the 'British Dream' ? Sounds like something to do with Arthur and Merlin.
Simon Brodkin, the guy who did it, is about as funny as a hole in the head - but very good at this kind of thing. A couple of years ago he managed to hurl Nazi golf balls at then candidate Donald Trump. He also managed to scatter money over Sepp Blatter. Obviously very good at creating an elaborate set up that gets him places he shouldn't be. He won't be with the BBC -Think they dropped his show a while back as it was awful.
He's not a civil libertarian.
For starters he opposed same sex marriage.
He also wants to bring in a de facto ID card for EU citizens.
He's a hypocrite, he is opposed to foreign courts meddling in our country, but went to the European Court of Justice to stop the government legislation.
He consistently wings it, as we're seeing with Brexit, he's just not good enough.
Unlike DD.
1) Trying to sell his deal as awesome
2) He thought the Leave side would be Farage, John Redwood, and the rest of the Tory freak show.
3) When he realised he would be facing the likes of Gove and Boris, he should have gone medieval on their asses, he didn't want to go blue on blue.
I'm sure the man who campaigned like this would have walked over Brown, LOLZ.
David Davis is a tit.
She had the undeserved glory and her problem was that she believed it, and now she has the undeserved infamy, and her problem is that she believes it too. It's just getting depressing, she's clearly hanging on to give her successor a better chance rather than being tarred with the difficulties of Brexit negotiations (i.e., Cameron's inheritance). And that successor and all the other candidates will campaign for the leadership by trashing her as an easy scapegoat (like Burnham, Cooper, and Kendall did for Ed in 2015).
She really is further gone than the Norwegian Blue
Assuming Labour voters would swing behind the EU to the extent their MPs did was another problem. Any other leader than Corbyn and the ref would have been 60-40 remain I'd guess.
NEW THREAD
Corbyn did remarkably well to carry so many imo. An alternative leadership extolling the EU unequivocally would have got less of a hearing from Labour voters.