This may seem like a dumb question but the local elections are tomorrow right?
Other than receiving my polling card a month ago I've seen no other local sign that the elections are on. Not a single flyer, not seen any posters, nothing.
I've also had complaints about putting leaflets through letter boxes marked "No Junk Mail". I've explained that it is important political information about the upcoming election but if they're not interested in who runs their local council, I'll have the literature back thank you very much. (They were obviously Tories so no loss there).
That's a difficult call... the No Junk Mail thing. People can be very touchy about it. I tend to mostly give those doors a miss for fear of provoking them into voting against our candidates out of spite. I agree with you that political info isn't junk mail though.
Obviously a closed gate should be closed after leaving the property, but if you pass through an open gate should you shut it after yourself or leave as it was ?
I think the tories have played an absolute blinder by putting appointing Javid as home secretary, in response to the Windrush issues.
The broader point though is that, by the time of the next election, the tories are likely to have been in government for over a decade. It is hard to point to anything concrete or serious over the past 8 years that successive conservative governments have actually achieved, other than simply keeping the ship afloat. For many people though, that isn't enough. The cuts have not reduced the deficit, which is just growing. The same fundamental economic problems of the 2000's essentially prevail. There is no economic diversification strategy. Essentially, there is no economic plan. Housing is still a massive problem, getting worse. Wages have been stagnating. Large areas of public service (ie the criminal justice system) are essentially run on the goodwill of individuals, who keep battling on in the face of mindless government absurdity.
The tories have been there for nearly a decade, and they have run out of other people to blame. They can't blame the previous labour government any more. They can't blame public sector workers and 'waste', because they've been cutting that every year. They can't even lie any more (ie lying that we have the worlds biggest budget for legal aid), because the other side will just lie as well (ie lying that we can raise public spending). And so the problems mount.
And, thats before you look at brexit. They have made their voters happy by having a referendum and honouring the result, but it seems quite unlikely that even that will be delivered in a meaningful way that pleases their voters. So any Tory increase in these opinion polls is, in my view, unlikely to be sustained. Ultimately, the pendulum is going to swing towards Labour.
Ultimately, the pendulum will swing. But, Labour's current leadership team may ensure that's a long way off.
That was what we were told last year. The main conversation was whether May would have a hundred seat majority or two hundred.
What Jezza achieved was to make Labour competitive, within touching distance of government. Labour have their Mojo back.
Obviously a closed gate should be closed after leaving the property, but if you pass through an open gate should you shut it after yourself or leave as it was ?
I make a mental note of the position of the gate before going through and leave it as I found it. Seriously, I do.
This may seem like a dumb question but the local elections are tomorrow right?
Other than receiving my polling card a month ago I've seen no other local sign that the elections are on. Not a single flyer, not seen any posters, nothing.
I take it you live in a very safe ward for some party or other?
This may seem like a dumb question but the local elections are tomorrow right?
Other than receiving my polling card a month ago I've seen no other local sign that the elections are on. Not a single flyer, not seen any posters, nothing.
Depends which council you fall under. But if you've had a polling card then you should have an.election tomorrow. No election.for me as Bassetlaw changed the system to all out instead of thirds so next one is 2019.
Obviously a closed gate should be closed after leaving the property, but if you pass through an open gate should you shut it after yourself or leave as it was ?
I make a mental note of the position of the gate before going through and leave it as I found it. Seriously, I do.
Ha! Me too! I get a bit paranoid about it. Wonder what posties do - probably don't worry about it....
I think the tories have played an absolute blinder by putting appointing Javid as home secretary, in response to the Windrush issues.
The broader point though is that, by the time of the next election, the tories are likely to have been in government for over a decade. It is hard to point to anything concrete or serious over the past 8 years that successive conservative governments have actually achieved, other than simply keeping the ship afloat. For many people though, that isn't enough. The cuts have not reduced the deficit, which is just growing. The same fundamental economic problems of the 2000's essentially prevail. There is no economic diversification strategy. Essentially, there is no economic plan. Housing is still a massive problem, getting worse. Wages have been stagnating. Large areas of public service (ie the criminal justice system) are essentially run on the goodwill of individuals, who keep battling on in the face of mindless government absurdity.
The tories have been there for nearly a decade, and they have run out of other people to blame. They can't blame the previous labour government any more. They can't blame public sector workers and 'waste', because they've been cutting that every year. They can't even lie any more (ie lying that we have the worlds biggest budget for legal aid), because the other side will just lie as well (ie lying that we can raise public spending). And so the problems mount.
And, thats before you look at brexit. They have made their voters happy by having a referendum and honouring the result, but it seems quite unlikely that even that will be delivered in a meaningful way that pleases their voters. So any Tory increase in these opinion polls is, in my view, unlikely to be sustained. Ultimately, the pendulum is going to swing towards Labour.
Ultimately, the pendulum will swing. But, Labour's current leadership team may ensure that's a long way off.
That was what we were told last year. The main conversation was whether May would have a hundred seat majority or two hundred.
What Jezza achieved was to make Labour competitive, within touching distance of government. Labour have their Mojo back.
Corbyn offers change to the young, the poor and renters.
Some other groups such as the public sector and champagne socialists are protected from any negative effects a Corbyn government may cause.
Added together that's a substantial Labour voting block.
This may seem like a dumb question but the local elections are tomorrow right?
Other than receiving my polling card a month ago I've seen no other local sign that the elections are on. Not a single flyer, not seen any posters, nothing.
I take it you live in a very safe ward for some party or other?
I met one Tory canvasser who knocked at my door weeks ago and I told him politely that we were not “of his kind”. He mumbled something about free parking and then retreated. I have seen Labour canvassing the council estate at the bottom of the hill, but nothing on my street where there are pockets of Labour voters but where the average house price is north of half a million quid. It’s a numbers game I guess. I agree that most people aren’t even aware it’s on, and thus many will not vote.
This may seem like a dumb question but the local elections are tomorrow right?
Other than receiving my polling card a month ago I've seen no other local sign that the elections are on. Not a single flyer, not seen any posters, nothing.
I take it you live in a very safe ward for some party or other?
I met one Tory canvasser who knocked at my door weeks ago and I told him politely that we were not “of his kind”. He mumbled something about free parking and then retreated. I have seen Labour canvassing the council estate at the bottom of the hill, but nothing on my street where there are pockets of Labour voters but where the average house price is north of half a million quid. It’s a numbers game I guess. I agree that most people aren’t even aware it’s on, and thus many will not vote.
This may seem like a dumb question but the local elections are tomorrow right?
Other than receiving my polling card a month ago I've seen no other local sign that the elections are on. Not a single flyer, not seen any posters, nothing.
I take it you live in a very safe ward for some party or other?
I met one Tory canvasser who knocked at my door weeks ago and I told him politely that we were not “of his kind”.
I think the tories have played an absolute blinder by putting appointing Javid as home secretary, in response to the Windrush issues.
The broader point though is that, by the time of the next election, the tories are likely to have been in government for over a decade. It is hard to point to anything concrete or serious over the past 8 years that successive conservative governments have actually achieved, other than simply keeping the ship afloat. For many people though, that isn't enough. The cuts have not reduced the deficit, which is just growing. The same fundamental economic problems of the 2000's essentially prevail. There is no economic diversification strategy. Essentially, there is no economic plan. Housing is still a massive problem, getting worse. Wages have been stagnating. Large areas of public service (ie the criminal justice system) are essentially run on the goodwill of individuals, who keep battling on in the face of mindless government absurdity.
The tories have been there for nearly a decade, and they have run out of other people to blame. They can't blame the previous labour government any more. They can't blame public sector workers and 'waste', because they've been cutting that every year. They can't even lie any more (ie lying that we have the worlds biggest budget for legal aid), because the other side will just lie as well (ie lying that we can raise public spending). And so the problems mount.
And, thats before you look at brexit. They have made their voters happy by having a referendum and honouring the result, but it seems quite unlikely that even that will be delivered in a meaningful way that pleases their voters. So any Tory increase in these opinion polls is, in my view, unlikely to be sustained. Ultimately, the pendulum is going to swing towards Labour.
Ultimately, the pendulum will swing. But, Labour's current leadership team may ensure that's a long way off.
That was what we were told last year. The main conversation was whether May would have a hundred seat majority or two hundred.
What Jezza achieved was to make Labour competitive, within touching distance of government. Labour have their Mojo back.
Corbyn offers change to the young, the poor and renters.
Some other groups such as the public sector and champagne socialists are protected from any negative effects a Corbyn government may cause.
Added together that's a substantial Labour voting block.
I suspect that the low forties are the ceiling for both parties as presently constituted,
This may seem like a dumb question but the local elections are tomorrow right?
Other than receiving my polling card a month ago I've seen no other local sign that the elections are on. Not a single flyer, not seen any posters, nothing.
Depends which council you fall under. But if you've had a polling card then you should have an.election tomorrow. No election.for me as Bassetlaw changed the system to all out instead of thirds so next one is 2019.
The 2015 Bassetlaw local elections were notable for the Conservative topping the poll in some multi-member wards but having only one candidate:
I've also had complaints about putting leaflets through letter boxes marked "No Junk Mail". I've explained that it is important political information about the upcoming election but if they're not interested in who runs their local council, I'll have the literature back thank you very much. (They were obviously Tories so no loss there).
That's a difficult call... the No Junk Mail thing. People can be very touchy about it. I tend to mostly give those doors a miss for fear of provoking them into voting against our candidates out of spite. I agree with you that political info isn't junk mail though.
Obviously a closed gate should be closed after leaving the property, but if you pass through an open gate should you shut it after yourself or leave as it was ?
Leave it as it was. There might be a reason. Leave no trace (except for the leaflet through the door marked no junk mail.)
Good luck to all PBers engaged in electioneering tomorrow, regardless of party or persuasion. I hope that your fingers remain unbitten by dogs, your knocking-up sheets remain safe from rain, and your pledges remember both to vote and to vote for your party.
Night all!
And may all your Shuttleworths (or whatever the other parties call them) print through to the bottom sheet.
Although I doubt anyone actually uses them any more...
I'm intrigued - what is a shuttleworth? A canvassing form?
Good luck to all PBers engaged in electioneering tomorrow, regardless of party or persuasion. I hope that your fingers remain unbitten by dogs, your knocking-up sheets remain safe from rain, and your pledges remember both to vote and to vote for your party.
Night all!
And may all your Shuttleworths (or whatever the other parties call them) print through to the bottom sheet.
Although I doubt anyone actually uses them any more...
I'm intrigued - what is a shuttleworth? A canvassing form?
Woah. Carbon copies?! I'm sure some people use Ipads for that sort of thing now!
I dare say. When I last was an activist at the end of the 90s I kept an Epson dot-matrix printer specifically for printing Shuttleworths. The night before the election was very busy!
I've also had complaints about putting leaflets through letter boxes marked "No Junk Mail". I've explained that it is important political information about the upcoming election but if they're not interested in who runs their local council, I'll have the literature back thank you very much. (They were obviously Tories so no loss there).
That's a difficult call... the No Junk Mail thing. People can be very touchy about it. I tend to mostly give those doors a miss for fear of provoking them into voting against our candidates out of spite. I agree with you that political info isn't junk mail though.
IME they are only touchy if they are not supporters to begin with.
I don't know the reasons for opposing that motion yet, but if they are sound, then presumably headlines like that were the whole point of it in the first place.
Javid announced an independent enquiry into Windrush during the debate thereby rendering labour's game playing void
I suspect labour won’t mind too much, as in a few days they can push “what are you trying to hide” to keep the pressure on. One of the oldest tricks in the book, to not actually reveal it, to play on something undisclosed that most likely isn’t even that interesting. All soap operas, horror and erotic works operate in the same way at their best, as well as good political mischief making.
Good luck to all PBers engaged in electioneering tomorrow, regardless of party or persuasion. I hope that your fingers remain unbitten by dogs, your knocking-up sheets remain safe from rain, and your pledges remember both to vote and to vote for your party.
Night all!
And may all your Shuttleworths (or whatever the other parties call them) print through to the bottom sheet.
Although I doubt anyone actually uses them any more...
I'm intrigued - what is a shuttleworth? A canvassing form?
The Liberal party had them printed by a firm called Shuttleworth Printers Ltd.
And the SDP called them Cowley Pads (so that was a good shibboleth for identifying the former soggies in the Local Party). I presume the other parties used them and had a name for them.
Manual workers were tradtionally regarded as working class and non-manual workers were regarded as middle class.
Separately middle class people were thought of as home owners, car drivers and salary earners whereas working class people were thought of as renters, public transport users and hourly paid.
But with changing work and housing patterns we're seeing increasing numbers of non-manual workers who have the traditional attributes of the working class - they rent rather being home owners, they don't have cars, they don't have salaried jobs.
Meanwhile manual workers might well have better opportunities to own homes now - they enter the workforce earlier, they don't have student debt, they're less likely to move to cities and more likely to live in cheaper parts of the country.
Have the traditional class labels now become obsolete ?
Manual workers were tradtionally regarded as working class and non-manual workers were regarded as middle class.
Separately middle class people were thought of as home owners, car drivers and salary earners whereas working class people were thought of as renters, public transport users and hourly paid.
But with changing work and housing patterns we're seeing increasing numbers of non-manual workers who have the traditional attributes of the working class - they rent rather being home owners, they don't have cars, they don't have salaried jobs.
Meanwhile manual workers might well have better opportunities to own homes now - they enter the workforce earlier, they don't have student debt, they're less likely to move to cities and more likely to live in cheaper parts of the country.
Have the traditional class labels now become obsolete ?
Yes, that is true to a large extent. The decline of blue collar trade unions is a factor too. Unions are increasingly white collar.
Manual workers were tradtionally regarded as working class and non-manual workers were regarded as middle class.
Separately middle class people were thought of as home owners, car drivers and salary earners whereas working class people were thought of as renters, public transport users and hourly paid.
But with changing work and housing patterns we're seeing increasing numbers of non-manual workers who have the traditional attributes of the working class - they rent rather being home owners, they don't have cars, they don't have salaried jobs.
Meanwhile manual workers might well have better opportunities to own homes now - they enter the workforce earlier, they don't have student debt, they're less likely to move to cities and more likely to live in cheaper parts of the country.
Have the traditional class labels now become obsolete ?
I think this is largely accurate - though inheritance will change the fortunes of many middle class workers with horizons otherwise limited by societal developments....
It's not top secret but I can't remember which ones. One or both of the Belper ones I think were mentioned amongst others. I am helping in Alfreton call centre
Manual workers were tradtionally regarded as working class and non-manual workers were regarded as middle class.
Separately middle class people were thought of as home owners, car drivers and salary earners whereas working class people were thought of as renters, public transport users and hourly paid.
But with changing work and housing patterns we're seeing increasing numbers of non-manual workers who have the traditional attributes of the working class - they rent rather being home owners, they don't have cars, they don't have salaried jobs.
Meanwhile manual workers might well have better opportunities to own homes now - they enter the workforce earlier, they don't have student debt, they're less likely to move to cities and more likely to live in cheaper parts of the country.
Have the traditional class labels now become obsolete ?
This typology came out a few years ago. I like it (and you can very easily use it to classify PBers) and it addresses your issues:
It's not top secret but I can't remember which ones. One or both of the Belper ones I think were mentioned amongst others. I am helping in Alfreton call centre
I know some people who live in the Codnor area. I think that's a safe Labour ward.
Any local election anecdotes ? Vibrant or a big yawn ? To my shame, I did absolutely nothing! The leaflets are still with me. However, the Labour vote in my ward is around 10%.
On Monday somebody went to the trouble of returning one of the leaflets that I'd delivered... I was out at the time so they probably found it a bit of an anticlimax. That's what you get when you deliver on your own street though.
Last Saturday I got shouted at in the street by a particularly vile Labour supporter for putting a Lib Dem leaflet through her door.
That aside, I'm finding it quite enjoyable - but it's the first set of elections that I've ever helped out with so I'm probably biased and certainly without any reasonable comparisons.
I was delivering pledge letters (promises) this afternoon. I put one through a door and went along and did some more. A resident came up to me holding the letter. Asked if I was the candidate (I was), and started to talk about a problem he has with some over hanging tree. He had told my ward colleague, but as he’s registered blind, he thought I would be able to get a better perspective of it. He said “I’m 94”. I repeated back “94? Really you’re in good shape for 94. I’ll be pleased if I get to your age and I’m in the good a health”. He said “ no. I’m 80 yrs old, I live at number 94”....
Manual workers were tradtionally regarded as working class and non-manual workers were regarded as middle class.
Separately middle class people were thought of as home owners, car drivers and salary earners whereas working class people were thought of as renters, public transport users and hourly paid.
But with changing work and housing patterns we're seeing increasing numbers of non-manual workers who have the traditional attributes of the working class - they rent rather being home owners, they don't have cars, they don't have salaried jobs.
Meanwhile manual workers might well have better opportunities to own homes now - they enter the workforce earlier, they don't have student debt, they're less likely to move to cities and more likely to live in cheaper parts of the country.
Have the traditional class labels now become obsolete ?
This typology came out a few years ago. I like it (and you can very easily use it to classify PBers) and it addresses your issues:
Established middle class.. not bad for born in a homeless shelter for battered women and brought up on the social by a single parent in a council estate!
Manual workers were tradtionally regarded as working class and non-manual workers were regarded as middle class.
Separately middle class people were thought of as home owners, car drivers and salary earners whereas working class people were thought of as renters, public transport users and hourly paid.
But with changing work and housing patterns we're seeing increasing numbers of non-manual workers who have the traditional attributes of the working class - they rent rather being home owners, they don't have cars, they don't have salaried jobs.
Meanwhile manual workers might well have better opportunities to own homes now - they enter the workforce earlier, they don't have student debt, they're less likely to move to cities and more likely to live in cheaper parts of the country.
Have the traditional class labels now become obsolete ?
This typology came out a few years ago. I like it (and you can very easily use it to classify PBers) and it addresses your issues:
Manual workers were tradtionally regarded as working class and non-manual workers were regarded as middle class.
Separately middle class people were thought of as home owners, car drivers and salary earners whereas working class people were thought of as renters, public transport users and hourly paid.
But with changing work and housing patterns we're seeing increasing numbers of non-manual workers who have the traditional attributes of the working class - they rent rather being home owners, they don't have cars, they don't have salaried jobs.
Meanwhile manual workers might well have better opportunities to own homes now - they enter the workforce earlier, they don't have student debt, they're less likely to move to cities and more likely to live in cheaper parts of the country.
Have the traditional class labels now become obsolete ?
I think this is largely accurate - though inheritance will change the fortunes of many middle class workers with horizons otherwise limited by societal developments....
Inheritance is going to be a 'known unknown' in many people's lives - few will know how much they will get and when they will get it.
What I think we've seen develop during the last decade is middle class regression ie people from middle class families who have had at least the same level of education as their parents but who will not be able to have the same level of home ownership or financial security or even career opportunities as their parents generation did.
But I don't know if this is going to be a steadily growing demographic or whether we'll only have one 'lost' generation.
Manual workers were tradtionally regarded as working class and non-manual workers were regarded as middle class.
Separately middle class people were thought of as home owners, car drivers and salary earners whereas working class people were thought of as renters, public transport users and hourly paid.
But with changing work and housing patterns we're seeing increasing numbers of non-manual workers who have the traditional attributes of the working class - they rent rather being home owners, they don't have cars, they don't have salaried jobs.
Meanwhile manual workers might well have better opportunities to own homes now - they enter the workforce earlier, they don't have student debt, they're less likely to move to cities and more likely to live in cheaper parts of the country.
Have the traditional class labels now become obsolete ?
I think this is largely accurate - though inheritance will change the fortunes of many middle class workers with horizons otherwise limited by societal developments....
Inheritance is going to be a 'known unknown' in many people's lives - few will know how much they will get and when they will get it.
What I think we've seen develop during the last decade is middle class regression ie people from middle class families who have had at least the same level of education as their parents but who will not be able to have the same level of home ownership or financial security or even career opportunities as their parents generation did.
But I don't know if this is going to be a steadily growing demographic or whether we'll only have one 'lost' generation.
Middle class regression is a very good term - did you coin it?
I don’t think the media realise yet, the PM introducing Brexit proposing and arguing for a customs partnership with EU is the most significant political development not just this week but since last years election result. How does it play out? PM into negotiations with EU having been over ruled by own cabinet? into negotiation in defiance of cabinet and party opposition with what she intends to bring back from negotiation?
And even that significant development could be eclipsed before end of week, if Corbyn does better than expected in the elections, after everything that has been thrown at him in last few months, as that would suggest he is on course for a Trump style outsider win at next GE.
Remember how Trump won, despite breaking every convention about what you need to do in order to win? And the flack he was taking? And promising plane load after plane load of Latinos out the country, the Latinos still flocked out to vote for him in Florida. They simply turned out for the maverick, they didn’t really believe either how serious he was about his policy, nor his opponents attacks on him. Of course it can happen here.
After last years GE prominent moderates in PLP indicted they would like to be involved in cabinet, Corbyn freezing them out was a master stroke. The anti establishment maverick role is the source of Corbyns voter appeal. If Trump had gone all moderate in the last couple of months before polling anointing party moderates for cabinet positions, would he still have squeaked home?
..What I think we've seen develop during the last decade is middle class regression ie people from middle class families who have had at least the same level of education as their parents but who will not be able to have the same level of home ownership or financial security or even career opportunities as their parents generation did...
So who is going to own the houses and have the career opportunities? Aren't we always being told by the Guardian that inequality is increasing?
Ugh, sympathies. I once had an egg dropped on me from the top floor of an 8-story tower block - it splattered next to me with an impressive splosh, narrowly missing.
Enjoying the amicable canvass notes on this thread. Feels weird not to be active this time. Nothing happening in Surrey, and I'm in Edinburgh for work this week.
Manual workers were tradtionally regarded as working class and non-manual workers were regarded as middle class.
Separately middle class people were thought of as home owners, car drivers and salary earners whereas working class people were thought of as renters, public transport users and hourly paid.
But with changing work and housing patterns we're seeing increasing numbers of non-manual workers who have the traditional attributes of the working class - they rent rather being home owners, they don't have cars, they don't have salaried jobs.
Meanwhile manual workers might well have better opportunities to own homes now - they enter the workforce earlier, they don't have student debt, they're less likely to move to cities and more likely to live in cheaper parts of the country.
Have the traditional class labels now become obsolete ?
I think this is largely accurate - though inheritance will change the fortunes of many middle class workers with horizons otherwise limited by societal developments....
Inheritance is going to be a 'known unknown' in many people's lives - few will know how much they will get and when they will get it.
What I think we've seen develop during the last decade is middle class regression ie people from middle class families who have had at least the same level of education as their parents but who will not be able to have the same level of home ownership or financial security or even career opportunities as their parents generation did.
But I don't know if this is going to be a steadily growing demographic or whether we'll only have one 'lost' generation.
Middle class regression is a very good term - did you coin it?
..What I think we've seen develop during the last decade is middle class regression ie people from middle class families who have had at least the same level of education as their parents but who will not be able to have the same level of home ownership or financial security or even career opportunities as their parents generation did...
So who is going to own the houses and have the career opportunities? Aren't we always being told by the Guardian that inequality is increasing?
I don't know - who does own all those houses which are privately rented ?
And maybe the career opportunities wont exist in a computerised and globalised economy.
Even the FT is unimpressed with the EU over Galileo - FT View:
When it comes to the Galileo project, however, it is the EU that is making the mistake of playing politics with something vital to European defence and security.
In doing so, Brussels has managed to alienate even the most EU friendly members of the British cabinet. Thus Philip Hammond, the chancellor, told cabinet colleagues last week that, if the EU goes ahead with plans to block British companies from taking part in sensitive parts of Galileo, the UK would retaliate. Whitehall is already looking at ways to prevent the transfer of technology and expertise from the UK to the EU.
This may seem like a dumb question but the local elections are tomorrow right?
Other than receiving my polling card a month ago I've seen no other local sign that the elections are on. Not a single flyer, not seen any posters, nothing.
I take it you live in a very safe ward for some party or other?
I met one Tory canvasser who knocked at my door weeks ago and I told him politely that we were not “of his kind”.
Good luck to all PBers engaged in electioneering tomorrow, regardless of party or persuasion. I hope that your fingers remain unbitten by dogs, your knocking-up sheets remain safe from rain, and your pledges remember both to vote and to vote for your party.
Night all!
And may all your Shuttleworths (or whatever the other parties call them) print through to the bottom sheet.
Although I doubt anyone actually uses them any more...
I'm intrigued - what is a shuttleworth? A canvassing form?
The Liberal party had them printed by a firm called Shuttleworth Printers Ltd.
And the SDP called them Cowley Pads (so that was a good shibboleth for identifying the former soggies in the Local Party). I presume the other parties used them and had a name for them.
Comments
Other than receiving my polling card a month ago I've seen no other local sign that the elections are on. Not a single flyer, not seen any posters, nothing.
What Jezza achieved was to make Labour competitive, within touching distance of government. Labour have their Mojo back.
Some other groups such as the public sector and champagne socialists are protected from any negative effects a Corbyn government may cause.
Added together that's a substantial Labour voting block.
http://www.andrewteale.me.uk/leap/results/2015/302/
Manual workers were tradtionally regarded as working class and non-manual workers were regarded as middle class.
Separately middle class people were thought of as home owners, car drivers and salary earners whereas working class people were thought of as renters, public transport users and hourly paid.
But with changing work and housing patterns we're seeing increasing numbers of non-manual workers who have the traditional attributes of the working class - they rent rather being home owners, they don't have cars, they don't have salaried jobs.
Meanwhile manual workers might well have better opportunities to own homes now - they enter the workforce earlier, they don't have student debt, they're less likely to move to cities and more likely to live in cheaper parts of the country.
Have the traditional class labels now become obsolete ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_British_Class_Survey
And here's a calculator so you can work out which class you are: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/0/22001963
I repeated back “94? Really you’re in good shape for 94. I’ll be pleased if I get to your age and I’m in the good a health”. He said “ no. I’m 80 yrs old, I live at number 94”....
Established middle class.. not bad for born in a homeless shelter for battered women and brought up on the social by a single parent in a council estate!
What I think we've seen develop during the last decade is middle class regression ie people from middle class families who have had at least the same level of education as their parents but who will not be able to have the same level of home ownership or financial security or even career opportunities as their parents generation did.
But I don't know if this is going to be a steadily growing demographic or whether we'll only have one 'lost' generation.
https://twitter.com/AaronBell80/status/991736675113062400
And even that significant development could be eclipsed before end of week, if Corbyn does better than expected in the elections, after everything that has been thrown at him in last few months, as that would suggest he is on course for a Trump style outsider win at next GE.
Remember how Trump won, despite breaking every convention about what you need to do in order to win? And the flack he was taking? And promising plane load after plane load of Latinos out the country, the Latinos still flocked out to vote for him in Florida. They simply turned out for the maverick, they didn’t really believe either how serious he was about his policy, nor his opponents attacks on him. Of course it can happen here.
After last years GE prominent moderates in PLP indicted they would like to be involved in cabinet, Corbyn freezing them out was a master stroke. The anti establishment maverick role is the source of Corbyns voter appeal. If Trump had gone all moderate in the last couple of months before polling anointing party moderates for cabinet positions, would he still have squeaked home?
I get the feeling he's upset someone where!
Enjoying the amicable canvass notes on this thread. Feels weird not to be active this time. Nothing happening in Surrey, and I'm in Edinburgh for work this week.
https://twitter.com/AaronBell80/status/991394793317109763
(next time, stand to the side... )
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_United_Kingdom_general_election#2018
And maybe the career opportunities wont exist in a computerised and globalised economy.
https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/991764284916027392
How can they tell us on the one hand 'we don't trust you with security' and on the other hand 'we want a comprehensive security treaty with you'?
When it comes to the Galileo project, however, it is the EU that is making the mistake of playing politics with something vital to European defence and security.
In doing so, Brussels has managed to alienate even the most EU friendly members of the British cabinet. Thus Philip Hammond, the chancellor, told cabinet colleagues last week that, if the EU goes ahead with plans to block British companies from taking part in sensitive parts of Galileo, the UK would retaliate. Whitehall is already looking at ways to prevent the transfer of technology and expertise from the UK to the EU.
https://www.ft.com/content/6198e776-4df7-11e8-97e4-13afc22d86d4
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-space-agency-leads-work-on-options-for-independent-satellite-system
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/04/30/ec-confirms-no-dress-code-on-polling-day/
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/05/02/magazine/money-issue-insys-opioids-kickbacks.html