I think that pretty much sums up Mr Cummings. Bright and brilliant. But doesn't realise that political parties aren't businesses run by dictators, but are fragile coalitions of interests and egos.
The description of him as a Tory Leninist is not entirely off the mark.
He's certainly an institution wrecker by temperament.
I believe Steve Bannon has described himself as a Leninist in the past..
Lenin could do ideas and implementation at a stellar level. That's what makes him the greatest political figure of the 20th C.
IMHO, Stalin's political skills were of a higher order.
I think you have to be morally bankrupt to comment without mentioning that both of these criminals were amongst the blackest human beings and most evil leaders in history.
As far as the political leaders of the 20th century, I could make a plausible case for FDR, Mahatma Gandhi or John Paul II
Moral vacuums like Lenin, Stalin, Mao or Hitler do not deserve the word "great", unless it means terrible.
They were not moral vacuums. They deliberately chose evil. Let’s call them for what they were. Evil men.
And those who support them, even now, are also evil for doing so. They too are making a moral choice between good and evil.
interesting conversation between katy Adler and Laura Kuinsberg about the future of Brexit on radio 5. Adler seems to be very wary about Johnson and his chances of success. Kuinsberg is like an excited school girl where everything might be brilliant.
Adler is showing herself to have a much deeper understanding of what's required and the people involved on both sides. Kuinsberg is just giddy.Talking about how enthusiasm might carry us through and quoting Johnson press releases
Kuinsberg is crap
I hadn't thought so but I do now. So short on insight. All morning Tories have been chanting Boris handouts .....very disappointing that Kuinsberg unlike Adler is just doing the same
Yeah. Plus Kuensberg...Kuensberg...something about that name, eh Rog?
Kuensberg is a light weight. I remember her giddy with excitement on the night in 2015 when the Tories won their majority. That's when l began to distrust her impartiality. She also is shallow in her analysis. Andrew Neil barely tolerates her - and he's a Tory.
I think she's great. She is as good a political commentator as any other and better than a lot. No idea why she provokes such a dislike. As I said for some perhaps it's the name, which has something of the night about it. Or perhaps that she is a woman. Who knows?
She does talk gibberish sometimes and reveals a degree of ignorance not to be expected of someone in her position. The day follwing the 2017 election she informed viewers that 'Theresa May has gone to the Palace to ask permission to form a Minority Government with DUP support'. Utter codswallop!
Surgical Corbyn at PMQs. He can be impressive, no question.
Totally misjudged the occasion
Whereas I imagine her signing off by telling him to resign was perfectly classy?
He set the tone
You think she had some entirely different final speech planned but adlibbed that one instead because she was so eager to follow the tone set by Corbyn? Seems unlikely
Bear in mind that the reason for reducing the size of the Cricket World Cup (and yes, I know it's a different flavour of cricket, but well...) is because the likes of Ireland competing in it would be too embarrassing a mismatch.
Surgical Corbyn at PMQs. He can be impressive, no question.
Totally misjudged the occasion
Whereas I imagine her signing off by telling him to resign was perfectly classy?
He set the tone
You think she had some entirely different final speech planned but adlibbed that one instead because she was so eager to follow the tone set by Corbyn? Seems unlikely
Considering how utterly predictable he is, it was a fair prediction that he would be graceless and should therefore expect the same in return!
A tribute to her public service plus an attack on her record - from Him.
A tribute to his constituency diligence plus a call for him to stand down - from Her.
A reasonable balance from both.
As anyone objective - like yours truly! - could see.
Theresa May has once again shown poor strategic judgement. Corbyn is Leave's greatest asset, and a guarantor that Con will achieve a plurality in the next election. Given this, she should not be urging him to resign.
Not sure this was an optimal look for Corbyn today. Not a surprise, really.. but I wish someone would tell him that not everyone want him to be an angry old man 24/7.
Not sure this was an optimal look for Corbyn today. Not a surprise, really.. but I wish someone would tell him that not everyone want him to be an angry old man 24/7.
By the time it is clipped into a 30s vid for IG, he will look perfect.
A tribute to her public service plus an attack on her record - from Him.
A tribute to his constituency diligence plus a call for him to stand down - from Her.
A reasonable balance from both.
As anyone objective - like yours truly! - could see.
Theresa May has once again shown poor strategic judgement. Corbyn is Leave's greatest asset, and a guarantor that Con will achieve a plurality in the next election. Given this, she should not be urging him to resign.
Huh? The Corbyn cult hates May - her urging him to resign welds him more firmly in place, not less!
Disastrous poll for Labour, would be the worst Labour election result since 1935 in terms of seats and since 1910 in terms of voteshare.
Good poll for the LDs as they overtake Labour for second on votes. Tories still ahead as largest party but Boris still needs to squeeze the Brexit Party vote by delivering Brexit
Well the LD Leadership election seems to have gone well.
Personally I'd have gone for Davey but maybe theyre right and I'm wrong. Guess they'd be happy with a 3 point uplift.
I may be wrong but I believe we are witnessing the move of a large number of remain voters to the Lib Dem who have finally made the decision that labour's prevarification over brexit and anti semitism is just unacceptable
As for Boris I hope he succeeds but I am not expecting a sudden rush to the conservatives indicating a majority government as asserted by HYUFD
interesting conversation between katy Adler and Laura Kuinsberg about the future of Brexit on radio 5. Adler seems to be very wary about Johnson and his chances of success. Kuinsberg is like an excited school girl where everything might be brilliant.
Adler is showing herself to have a much deeper understanding of what's required and the people involved on both sides. Kuinsberg is just giddy.Talking about how enthusiasm might carry us through and quoting Johnson press releases
Kuinsberg is crap
I hadn't thought so but I do now. So short on insight. All morning Tories have been chanting Boris handouts .....very disappointing that Kuinsberg unlike Adler is just doing the same
Yeah. Plus Kuensberg...Kuensberg...something about that name, eh Rog?
Kuensberg is a light weight. I remember her giddy with excitement on the night in 2015 when the Tories won their majority. That's when l began to distrust her impartiality. She also is shallow in her analysis. Andrew Neil barely tolerates her - and he's a Tory.
I think she's great. She is as good a political commentator as any other and better than a lot. No idea why she provokes such a dislike. As I said for some perhaps it's the name, which has something of the night about it. Or perhaps that she is a woman. Who knows?
I explained why l don't rate her. It's nothing to do with her name(!) or that's she's a woman. She's a lightweight in her analysis. I suspect she's aware of this but can't do anything about it. Adler shows her up. And she's a woman with a funny name.
I honestly can't tell the difference between her, Adler, Norman Smith, etc. Pienaar I rate very highly. Are you really saying that one europe/political correspondent is significantly worse than all the others? Well of course it's up to you and we are all political geeks on here but I find it strange.
Agreed, none really stand out from casual analysis.
interesting conversation between katy Adler and Laura Kuinsberg about the future of Brexit on radio 5. Adler seems to be very wary about Johnson and his chances of success. Kuinsberg is like an excited school girl where everything might be brilliant.
Adler is showing herself to have a much deeper understanding of what's required and the people involved on both sides. Kuinsberg is just giddy.Talking about how enthusiasm might carry us through and quoting Johnson press releases
Kuinsberg is crap
I hadn't thought so but I do now. So short on insight. All morning Tories have been chanting Boris handouts .....very disappointing that Kuinsberg unlike Adler is just doing the same
Yeah. Plus Kuensberg...Kuensberg...something about that name, eh Rog?
Kuensberg is a light weight. I remember her giddy with excitement on the night in 2015 when the Tories won their majority. That's when l began to distrust her impartiality. She also is shallow in her analysis. Andrew Neil barely tolerates her - and he's a Tory.
I think she's great. She is as good a political commentator as any other and better than a lot. No idea why she provokes such a dislike. As I said for some perhaps it's the name, which has something of the night about it. Or perhaps that she is a woman. Who knows?
Afaik Laura Kuenssberg isn't Jewish while Kaytya Adler (upon whom praise is being heaped) is, so I'm not really sure where you're going with this.
Looks like topping has a crush and his paranoia is ramping up
And Flavible is even worse, as it assumes BXP seat wins are limited, and that Lib Dems do better.
Why would the LibDems and SNP support such a disastrously performing Labour party UNLESS it junked Corbyn?
Whether the "only if you get yourselves a leader we can trust" debate happens before or after the election: there's not the remotest possibility Sturgeon and Swinson would provide any comfort to Corbyn.
And the more anti-Swinson bile Corbyn's minions pour out now, the likelier she's going to be to stick to her position
Paradoxically (?) Swinson’s main focus of attack should be on Corbyn.
I’m a mild sceptic, but imagine if she were Leader of the Opposition instead of Corbyn who’s overwhelming ineptness has given free rein to nutters to take over the country.
Not sure this was an optimal look for Corbyn today. Not a surprise, really.. but I wish someone would tell him that not everyone want him to be an angry old man 24/7.
The further from that utterly cringeworthy performance by Cameron, the better.
If Boris is serious about uniting the country he won’t be taking a leaf out of the book of Trump, Bibi and Salvini. I appreciate they are popular but they are not uniting figures are they?
Boris will need to do some things differently and he will need to reach out to your so called “die hard remainers” if he is going to be a true uniting figure.
Impossible, diehard Remainers refused to vote for the Withdrawal Agreement and oppose No Deal and want to stop Brexit, they are the enemy if Boris wishes to deliver Brexit and win the next general election
So, Remainers are “the enemy”? You do realise that you are talking about one third of your party’s supporters? Or have you already jumped ship to Farage’s company?
Voting to remain does not make you a ‘remainer’, thinking that the deal is poor doesn’t make you a ‘remainer’. Wanting to undo the referendum result and being unwilling to accept any kind of agreement that involves us leaving the EU makes you a ‘remainer’.
Voting Remain doesn’t make you a remainer?
Next you’ll be telling us that taking communion doesn’t make you a Christian, knifing someone doesn’t make you a murderer and drinking a bottle of Scotch a day doesn’t make you an alcoholic. And that voting Leave doesn’t make you a leaver.
A ‘remainer’ is not someone who voted remain. It is someone who refuses to accept the referendum and any kind of agreement to actually leave.
The point is that HY has been quite happy to throw the "remainer" tag around at people like Hunt, who are now committed to Brexit.
I have never called Hunt a diehard Remainer
Hunt doesn't support leaving Deal or No Deal in October, in fact he thinks it's not possible.
Hunt voted for the Withdrawal Agreement, so by definition is not a diehard Remainer
He voted for Theresa May’s Versailles Treaty. Obviously a Remain fifth columnist.
The only way to unite the Tory and Brexit Party vote is in opposition. Perhaps the best long term strategy if that’s the coalition you want to create is to call an election and lose it.
I don't get the hate for Laura K. I'm not sure she's especially enlightened but she does the job fairly well (remember, her audience is the general public, not us obsessives).
On the other hand, I find it remarkable that Beth Rigby has made it to the equivalent position at Sky News.
I doubt anybody hates her, she is just crap journalist and does nothing but read press releases. SKY journalists are just as bad and you can add Peston as a complete fanny.
Paradoxically (?) Swinson’s main focus of attack should be on Corbyn.
I’m a mild sceptic, but imagine if she were Leader of the Opposition instead of Corbyn who’s overwhelming ineptness has given free rein to nutters to take over the country.
Stop it. Stop it now. You are giving me a glimmer of hope.
The only way to unite the Tory and Brexit Party vote is in opposition. Perhaps the best long term strategy if that’s the coalition you want to create is to call an election and lose it.
The only way to largely unite it is for the Tories to deliver Brexit in Government or commit to deliver it and go into opposition if diehard Remainer MPs refuse to agree
The first episode of Yes Minister has the blueprint. As the new team arrive in the ministry, the SPAD Frank Weisal is shown to his new office....
Frank Weisal did not have an Oxford 1st like Cummings
He was also a fictional character in a television programme depicting a satirical view of the civil service as it existed forty years ago. I'm not sure any valid comparisons can be drawn.
And Flavible is even worse, as it assumes BXP seat wins are limited, and that Lib Dems do better.
Why would the LibDems and SNP support such a disastrously performing Labour party UNLESS it junked Corbyn?
Whether the "only if you get yourselves a leader we can trust" debate happens before or after the election: there's not the remotest possibility Sturgeon and Swinson would provide any comfort to Corbyn.
And the more anti-Swinson bile Corbyn's minions pour out now, the likelier she's going to be to stick to her position
Two policies.
1. A referendum on Brexit 2. A referendum on (proper) PR
I think that pretty much sums up Mr Cummings. Bright and brilliant. But doesn't realise that political parties aren't businesses run by dictators, but are fragile coalitions of interests and egos.
The description of him as a Tory Leninist is not entirely off the mark.
He's certainly an institution wrecker by temperament.
I believe Steve Bannon has described himself as a Leninist in the past..
Lenin could do ideas and implementation at a stellar level. That's what makes him the greatest political figure of the 20th C.
IMHO, Stalin's political skills were of a higher order.
I think you have to be morally bankrupt to comment without mentioning that both of these criminals were amongst the blackest human beings and most evil leaders in history.
As far as the political leaders of the 20th century, I could make a plausible case for FDR, Mahatma Gandhi or John Paul II
Moral vacuums like Lenin, Stalin, Mao or Hitler do not deserve the word "great", unless it means terrible.
Great absolutely can mean terrible. Great in terms of impact is often terrible in fact.
The only way to unite the Tory and Brexit Party vote is in opposition. Perhaps the best long term strategy if that’s the coalition you want to create is to call an election and lose it.
The only way to largely unite it is for the Tories to deliver Brexit in Government or commit to deliver it and go into opposition if diehard Remainer MPs refuse to agree
You won’t get a thank you note from Brexit supporters for delivering Brexit.
And Flavible is even worse, as it assumes BXP seat wins are limited, and that Lib Dems do better.
Why would the LibDems and SNP support such a disastrously performing Labour party UNLESS it junked Corbyn?
Whether the "only if you get yourselves a leader we can trust" debate happens before or after the election: there's not the remotest possibility Sturgeon and Swinson would provide any comfort to Corbyn.
And the more anti-Swinson bile Corbyn's minions pour out now, the likelier she's going to be to stick to her position
Two policies.
1. A referendum on Brexit 2. A referendum on (proper) PR
Comments
He’s the worst opposition leader at PMQs since IDS. Not that May is any more impressive really.
IMO he can be a good HoC performer. By no means always, but quite often.
43/7 !!
A tribute to his constituency diligence plus a call for him to stand down - from Her.
A reasonable balance from both.
As anyone objective - like yours truly! - could see.
So far he seems to have galvanised LD support ahead of anything else, if that poll's anything to to go by.
I find myself agreeing for the first time.
https://twitter.com/MattChorley/status/1153987479722254338?s=20
I say, look at Germany and the Greens.
Con 258
Lab 188
LD 96
BRX 46
Green 1
SNP 40
Not sure this was an optimal look for Corbyn today. Not a surprise, really.. but I wish someone would tell him that not everyone want him to be an angry old man 24/7.
Coalition of the Willing: 328
Corbyn minority government.
And Flavible is even worse, as it assumes BXP seat wins are limited, and that Lib Dems do better.
Good poll for the LDs as they overtake Labour for second on votes. Tories still ahead as largest party but Boris still needs to squeeze the Brexit Party vote by delivering Brexit
Personally I'd have gone for Davey but maybe theyre right and I'm wrong. Guess they'd be happy with a 3 point uplift.
Although, this seems less pro Swinson and more anti Johnson.
Of course I might be applying the lessons of the last wars here.
As for Boris I hope he succeeds but I am not expecting a sudden rush to the conservatives indicating a majority government as asserted by HYUFD
Whether the "only if you get yourselves a leader we can trust" debate happens before or after the election: there's not the remotest possibility Sturgeon and Swinson would provide any comfort to Corbyn.
And the more anti-Swinson bile Corbyn's minions pour out now, the likelier she's going to be to stick to her position
I’m a mild sceptic, but imagine if she were Leader of the Opposition instead of Corbyn who’s overwhelming ineptness has given free rein to nutters to take over the country.
I can't cope with having hope...
1. A referendum on Brexit
2. A referendum on (proper) PR
8 down now.
No drop in Tory support under Boris (no increase either) and a 3% increase for LibDems under Swinson.