Corbyn may have the largest fall from grace of any leader in history. I get he left as the most unpopular opposition leader in history but to torpedo your reputation in one day is impressive
More impressive if Corbyn actually possessed a (positive) reputation. But I see your point.
A little anecdata from East London - mask waearing remains at about 10-15% so Friday will be int eresting. I begin to suspect the rule of wearing masks in shops will be more honoured in the breach then the observance but we'll see.
At the outdoor market, signage has been put up with a one-way system and socisl distancing protocols apparently paid for by the European Development Fund so I suppose if we have to go all through this again next year we poor Council Tax payers will foot the bill.
The LD figure is nonsense. They will be on a negative figure by Christmas at this rate.
I just don't get them sometimes. Even when you'd think the public would turn to the LDs they simply do not. Will I still have one to vote for next GE is my usual practice I wonder?
If Starmer hadn't stayed in Corbyn's SC, it's likely he would never have become leader. Seems to have been a wise decision to me.
It was a smart move, because non-Cobynites can like him, but he only pushes away the most rabid of the Corbynites as clearly he was not one of the disloyal. But the more Corbyn looks terrible, the more that he wasn't even rumoured to have a problem with anything going on looks bad.
The LD figure is nonsense. They will be on a negative figure by Christmas at this rate.
Why? The Liberal Democrats are a moribund party that last put in a decent GE performance in 2010. Their last three attempts yielded vote shares of 7.9%, 7.4% and (helped doubtless by the climax of the Brexit farrago) a mighty 11.6% last time.
Set against that, 6% in current polls doesn't look implausible. They could very easily bump along at around 6% for the rest of this Parliament, then come in at the now traditional ~8% in the next GE following a bit of extra media exposure during the campaign period.
If Starmer hadn't stayed in Corbyn's SC, it's likely he would never have become leader. Seems to have been a wise decision to me.
It was a smart move, because non-Cobynites can like him, but he only pushes away the most rabid of the Corbynites as clearly he was not one of the disloyal. But the more Corbyn looks terrible, the more that he wasn't even rumoured to have a problem with anything going on looks bad.
He's politically shrewd, which we don't often see from a Labour leader.
Ed M seemed a decent guy but he was utterly hopeless at strategy
The LD figure is nonsense. They will be on a negative figure by Christmas at this rate.
I just don't get them sometimes. Even when you'd think the public would turn to the LDs they simply do not. Will I still have one to vote for next GE is my usual practice I wonder?
The Lib Dems are a Stop Brexit one-trick pony outfit whose pony has now died. That, and the replacement of Corbyn, leaves them without purpose. Why vote for a left-leaning party that's more Europhile than Labour and not led by Corbyn when we've left the EU and Corbyn has been replaced? It could just as easily be argued that they are doing well to poll 6% rather than an asterisk.
The LD figure is nonsense. They will be on a negative figure by Christmas at this rate.
I just don't get them sometimes. Even when you'd think the public would turn to the LDs they simply do not. Will I still have one to vote for next GE is my usual practice I wonder?
The Lib Dems are a Stop Brexit one-trick pony outfit whose pony has now died. That, and the replacement of Corbyn, leaves them without purpose. Why vote for a left-leaning party that's more Europhile than Labour and not led by Corbyn when we've left the EU and Corbyn has been replaced? It could just as easily be argued that they are doing well to poll 6% rather than an asterisk.
They might have a decent shot in a pact with Labour as per 1997. I wonder if angry Tories will go to them more over time.
I've said before the Lib Dem posters and support around my part of Hampshire was something I had never seen before. Okay it didn't lead to much success this time around but a bit like the Tories in 2017 when they put in a lot of work to reduce Labour majorities in seats they would eventually take, the Lib Dems have done something similar (but on a smaller scale).
Extraordinary variation in today's polls on Trump's job approval. The daily Rasmussen has Trump at just -1 (49-50) while Politico has a gap of 17 points (40-57) and Economist/YouGov a gap of 14 points (42-56).
The Economist/YouGov national poll is little changed from last week though one point movements have cut Biden's lead from 49-40 to 48-41.
Down to Q66 for the fun stuff - Biden leads 45-44 among men and 51-38 among women. Among white voters Trump leads 49-42 so that's a 7% swing to Biden. Among Hispanics Biden leads 53-31 which will be a concern in a group which polled 65% for Clinton.
The regional splits are informative - the North east has Biden up 51-37 which isn't too different from 2016 and 55-33 in the West (55-39 in 2016). In the South Biden is up 47-44 (Clinton lost 44-52) so a 6% swing to Biden.
The Midwest is the only area with a Trump lead (46-42 compared to 49-45 last time) so the Trump Midwest bastion seems to be holding but with such tiny margins in Michigan and Wisconsin in particular it's hard to be too certain.
Better polls for Biden in the key states of Pennsylvania (20 ECV) and Ohio (18 ECV). PA has a 4-point Biden lead but is 5 up in Ohio, a swing of 6.5% to Biden.
O/T - Has anyone watched 'The Plot Against America'?
Any good or is it a Westworld Season 2?
Would like to know before I commit to a binge watch tomorrow.
Friend of mine watched it, and enjoyed very much.
Good enough review for me to give it a go. Furloughed now until next Tuesday, Mrs RP and the kids at her mums for a visit, NOW TV and beery goodness in order
The Lib Dems are a Stop Brexit one-trick pony outfit whose pony has now died. That, and the replacement of Corbyn, leaves them without purpose. Why vote for a left-leaning party that's more Europhile than Labour and not led by Corbyn when we've left the EU and Corbyn has been replaced? It could just as easily be argued that they are doing well to poll 6% rather than an asterisk.
I well remember in 1989 being that asterisk so 6% isn't too bad.
The Party, once it has chosen its leader, will seek to re-position as it always does. As others have said, it will be the disillusioned Conservative "protest" vote that will be the beginning of the revival.
The 2021 County elections will be on seats won at the height of May's popularity and I suspect there will be seats to be won across the south and elsewhere for the Party and it will be interesting to see how well Conservative plans for local Government re-organisation go down and the response of some Councils to those plans.
Traditionally, the Party does well when Labour is not so radical as to frighten the horses and in areas where Labour are not contenders, the old "tactical vote" ploy may reap some rewards.
(1) Their satellites are approximately twice as far from earth as SpaceX's - this means their latency is going to be significantly higher, and will be unsuitable for videoconferencing, or (probably) VOIP.
(2) Their maximum bandwidth (downstream) is limited to about 50mb/sec, while SpaceX - which will use far more satellites - is aiming to get to 1gb/sec.
(3) There is no real "national security" argument. There might be if we were India or Kenya, but we're not. We're a dense island, and the best Brits can hope for is slightly cheaper links to people in remote areas. (And which will probably be less good and more expensive that SpaceX's Starlink.)
(4) I'm on the SpaceX beta list. I expect to have my secondary internet connection from SpaceX in the next two or three months. SpaceX will have tens of thousands of real customers before OneWeb gets a single one. Time to market matters, and I really struggle see how OneWeb will be able to compete without much lower prices than SpaceX.
There's a reason that the private sector - with the exception of Indian company Bharti, who has effectively got in subsidised by the UK government - passed on this. OneWeb is going to be second to market, with an inferior product. The frequencies *might* be worth something. But it's not the government's job to speculate on these things. It's not the government's job to take British taxpayer's money and use it to bail out commercial organisations - especially given OneWeb's problems are hardly CV-19 related.
I fear that, now committed, there will be further cash calls as OneWeb attempts to compete with a better (more commercial) operation. And the government will write cheques, because they care more about reputation (i.e. being seen to lose all their money) than results.
Just a thought. If Unite are unwilling to spend their members money on yet another high court adventure, perhaps the faithful could chip in.
JEZ-AID. Broadcast on Novara Media, Bastani imploring true socialists get their hand in their pockets to fund the damages of the Great Leader. Totaliser in the background. Offers that if you donate a grand you can accompany Jeremy on stage to campaign with the anti-semitic terrorist of your choice.
Where do we chip in for a wreath - for Corbyn's career?
If you buy a wreath you get to accompany him to be present but not particiate at the anti-semite terrorist funeral of your choice.
A little anecdata from East London - mask waearing remains at about 10-15% so Friday will be int eresting. I begin to suspect the rule of wearing masks in shops will be more honoured in the breach then the observance but we'll see.
At the outdoor market, signage has been put up with a one-way system and socisl distancing protocols apparently paid for by the European Development Fund so I suppose if we have to go all through this again next year we poor Council Tax payers will foot the bill.
I've started wearing a mask habitually to go shopping, in preparation for the moment of compulsion. I don't particularly like the things but I can put up with them just for going out for groceries. However, most of the population around here can't be arsed either. I think it's an accumulation of the fact that the disease has diminished to background levels here (as in most of the rest of the country,) people hate them, and the Government killed the mask strategy earlier in the year by eschewing them at the height of the plague.
It is not altogether incomprehensible that the population should question the utility of masks when the authorities rubbished their use outside of clinical settings for months, when the number of cases has fallen through the floor without this rule, and when the prevalence of the disease is very low. Anyway, if my recollection is right and (a) retailers have been told they're not obliged to enforce mask wearing and (b) the police have stated that they won't be responding to calls about incidents of people refusing to wear masks, it seems likely that mask wearing edicts will continue to be widely ignored.
(1) Their satellites are approximately twice as far from earth as SpaceX's - this means their latency is going to be significantly higher, and will be unsuitable for videoconferencing, or (probably) VOIP.
(2) Their maximum bandwidth (downstream) is limited to about 50mb/sec, while SpaceX - which will use far more satellites - is aiming to get to 1gb/sec.
(3) There is no real "national security" argument. There might be if we were India or Kenya, but we're not. We're a dense island, and the best Brits can hope for is slightly cheaper links to people in remote areas. (And which will probably be less good and more expensive that SpaceX's Starlink.)
(4) I'm on the SpaceX beta list. I expect to have my secondary internet connection from SpaceX in the next two or three months. SpaceX will have tens of thousands of real customers before OneWeb gets a single one. Time to market matters, and I really struggle see how OneWeb will be able to compete without much lower prices than SpaceX.
There's a reason that the private sector - with the exception of Indian company Bharti, who has effectively got in subsidised by the UK government - passed on this. OneWeb is going to be second to market, with an inferior product. The frequencies *might* be worth something. But it's not the government's job to speculate on these things. It's not the government's job to take British taxpayer's money and use it to bail out commercial organisations - especially given OneWeb's problems are hardly CV-19 related.
I fear that, now committed, there will be further cash calls as OneWeb attempts to compete with a better (more commercial) operation. And the government will write cheques, because they care more about reputation (i.e. being seen to lose all their money) than results.
A little anecdata from East London - mask waearing remains at about 10-15% so Friday will be int eresting. I begin to suspect the rule of wearing masks in shops will be more honoured in the breach then the observance but we'll see.
At the outdoor market, signage has been put up with a one-way system and socisl distancing protocols apparently paid for by the European Development Fund so I suppose if we have to go all through this again next year we poor Council Tax payers will foot the bill.
I've started wearing a mask habitually to go shopping, in preparation for the moment of compulsion. I don't particularly like the things but I can put up with them just for going out for groceries. However, most of the population around here can't be arsed either. I think it's an accumulation of the fact that the disease has diminished to background levels here (as in most of the rest of the country,) people hate them, and the Government killed the mask strategy earlier in the year by eschewing them at the height of the plague.
It is not altogether incomprehensible that the population should question the utility of masks when the authorities rubbished their use outside of clinical settings for months, when the number of cases has fallen through the floor without this rule, and when the prevalence of the disease is very low. Anyway, if my recollection is right and (a) retailers have been told they're not obliged to enforce mask wearing and (b) the police have stated that they won't be responding to calls about incidents of people refusing to wear masks, it seems likely that mask wearing edicts will continue to be widely ignored.
Spain has gone one step further now, when in a bar or restaurant when not actually in the act of drinking or eating the mask must be on. It’s a step too far I think as you are continually lowering and lifting the mask. Will wait to see if it’s enforced.
The Lib Dems are a Stop Brexit one-trick pony outfit whose pony has now died. That, and the replacement of Corbyn, leaves them without purpose. Why vote for a left-leaning party that's more Europhile than Labour and not led by Corbyn when we've left the EU and Corbyn has been replaced? It could just as easily be argued that they are doing well to poll 6% rather than an asterisk.
I well remember in 1989 being that asterisk so 6% isn't too bad.
The Party, once it has chosen its leader, will seek to re-position as it always does. As others have said, it will be the disillusioned Conservative "protest" vote that will be the beginning of the revival.
The 2021 County elections will be on seats won at the height of May's popularity and I suspect there will be seats to be won across the south and elsewhere for the Party and it will be interesting to see how well Conservative plans for local Government re-organisation go down and the response of some Councils to those plans.
Traditionally, the Party does well when Labour is not so radical as to frighten the horses and in areas where Labour are not contenders, the old "tactical vote" ploy may reap some rewards.
The lib dems will be back there’s nowhere else for us to go.
The Lib Dems are a Stop Brexit one-trick pony outfit whose pony has now died. That, and the replacement of Corbyn, leaves them without purpose. Why vote for a left-leaning party that's more Europhile than Labour and not led by Corbyn when we've left the EU and Corbyn has been replaced? It could just as easily be argued that they are doing well to poll 6% rather than an asterisk.
I well remember in 1989 being that asterisk so 6% isn't too bad.
The Party, once it has chosen its leader, will seek to re-position as it always does. As others have said, it will be the disillusioned Conservative "protest" vote that will be the beginning of the revival.
The 2021 County elections will be on seats won at the height of May's popularity and I suspect there will be seats to be won across the south and elsewhere for the Party and it will be interesting to see how well Conservative plans for local Government re-organisation go down and the response of some Councils to those plans.
Traditionally, the Party does well when Labour is not so radical as to frighten the horses and in areas where Labour are not contenders, the old "tactical vote" ploy may reap some rewards.
Whilst I don't disagree with you on potential Lib Dem fortunes, I think the words 'height of May's popularity' are something of an oxymoron.
(1) Their satellites are approximately twice as far from earth as SpaceX's - this means their latency is going to be significantly higher, and will be unsuitable for videoconferencing, or (probably) VOIP.
(2) Their maximum bandwidth (downstream) is limited to about 50mb/sec, while SpaceX - which will use far more satellites - is aiming to get to 1gb/sec.
(3) There is no real "national security" argument. There might be if we were India or Kenya, but we're not. We're a dense island, and the best Brits can hope for is slightly cheaper links to people in remote areas. (And which will probably be less good and more expensive that SpaceX's Starlink.)
(4) I'm on the SpaceX beta list. I expect to have my secondary internet connection from SpaceX in the next two or three months. SpaceX will have tens of thousands of real customers before OneWeb gets a single one. Time to market matters, and I really struggle see how OneWeb will be able to compete without much lower prices than SpaceX.
There's a reason that the private sector - with the exception of Indian company Bharti, who has effectively got in subsidised by the UK government - passed on this. OneWeb is going to be second to market, with an inferior product. The frequencies *might* be worth something. But it's not the government's job to speculate on these things. It's not the government's job to take British taxpayer's money and use it to bail out commercial organisations - especially given OneWeb's problems are hardly CV-19 related.
I fear that, now committed, there will be further cash calls as OneWeb attempts to compete with a better (more commercial) operation. And the government will write cheques, because they care more about reputation (i.e. being seen to lose all their money) than results.
Do you see any positives?
Besides possibly the frequencies?
I like to back British companies, where I can. And there are sectors where there are genuine national security arguments.
But the government should not be taking taxpayers money and using it to invest in a commercial organisations. Even if the frequencies are "cheap", the government shouldn't be trading them. That's not their job.
And it starts you on the road to crony capitalism, a place where knowing the right people in government gets you funded. That's a world where politicians place contracts and investments, and then leave government to lucrative jobs in businesses they've funnelled billions of pounds to.
That's why you avoid this stuff like the plague - it's because it results it results in moral hazard/
The LD figure is nonsense. They will be on a negative figure by Christmas at this rate.
I just don't get them sometimes. Even when you'd think the public would turn to the LDs they simply do not. Will I still have one to vote for next GE is my usual practice I wonder?
We're not remotely relevamt right now. 5 years on from a beating, interim leader after a succession of brief leaders who failed utterly to cut through. Once the leadership is settled and Ed gets going properly and events dear boy swing against the Tories lets see how the polls look in a year or two.
The LD figure is nonsense. They will be on a negative figure by Christmas at this rate.
I just don't get them sometimes. Even when you'd think the public would turn to the LDs they simply do not. Will I still have one to vote for next GE is my usual practice I wonder?
We're not remotely relevamt right now. 5 years on from a beating, interim leader after a succession of brief leaders who failed utterly to cut through. Once the leadership is settled and Ed gets going properly and events dear boy swing against the Tories lets see how the polls look in a year or two.
A little anecdata from East London - mask waearing remains at about 10-15% so Friday will be int eresting. I begin to suspect the rule of wearing masks in shops will be more honoured in the breach then the observance but we'll see.
At the outdoor market, signage has been put up with a one-way system and socisl distancing protocols apparently paid for by the European Development Fund so I suppose if we have to go all through this again next year we poor Council Tax payers will foot the bill.
I've started wearing a mask habitually to go shopping, in preparation for the moment of compulsion. I don't particularly like the things but I can put up with them just for going out for groceries. However, most of the population around here can't be arsed either. I think it's an accumulation of the fact that the disease has diminished to background levels here (as in most of the rest of the country,) people hate them, and the Government killed the mask strategy earlier in the year by eschewing them at the height of the plague.
It is not altogether incomprehensible that the population should question the utility of masks when the authorities rubbished their use outside of clinical settings for months, when the number of cases has fallen through the floor without this rule, and when the prevalence of the disease is very low. Anyway, if my recollection is right and (a) retailers have been told they're not obliged to enforce mask wearing and (b) the police have stated that they won't be responding to calls about incidents of people refusing to wear masks, it seems likely that mask wearing edicts will continue to be widely ignored.
Spain has gone one step further now, when in a bar or restaurant when not actually in the act of drinking or eating the mask must be on. It’s a step too far I think as you are continually lowering and lifting the mask. Will wait to see if it’s enforced.
Spain is an interesting case. It's only about 70% of the size of the UK in population terms and has a very much lower population density (I think that many people don't appreciate how relatively small geographically the UK - and, in particular, England, where most of the population lives - actually is.) Spain also adopted both a tighter lockdown than the UK and much stricter mask policies. And yet - total daily cases have climbed and are now well in excess of ours.
I know that comparing between countries in this whole nasty business can be difficult, but nevertheless it does raise the question: is Spain simply fantastically efficient at testing, or is there something else going on here?
The Lib Dems are a Stop Brexit one-trick pony outfit whose pony has now died. That, and the replacement of Corbyn, leaves them without purpose. Why vote for a left-leaning party that's more Europhile than Labour and not led by Corbyn when we've left the EU and Corbyn has been replaced? It could just as easily be argued that they are doing well to poll 6% rather than an asterisk.
I well remember in 1989 being that asterisk so 6% isn't too bad.
The Party, once it has chosen its leader, will seek to re-position as it always does. As others have said, it will be the disillusioned Conservative "protest" vote that will be the beginning of the revival.
The 2021 County elections will be on seats won at the height of May's popularity and I suspect there will be seats to be won across the south and elsewhere for the Party and it will be interesting to see how well Conservative plans for local Government re-organisation go down and the response of some Councils to those plans.
Traditionally, the Party does well when Labour is not so radical as to frighten the horses and in areas where Labour are not contenders, the old "tactical vote" ploy may reap some rewards.
The lib dems will be back there’s nowhere else for us to go.
The Lib Dems are a Stop Brexit one-trick pony outfit whose pony has now died. That, and the replacement of Corbyn, leaves them without purpose. Why vote for a left-leaning party that's more Europhile than Labour and not led by Corbyn when we've left the EU and Corbyn has been replaced? It could just as easily be argued that they are doing well to poll 6% rather than an asterisk.
I well remember in 1989 being that asterisk so 6% isn't too bad.
The Party, once it has chosen its leader, will seek to re-position as it always does. As others have said, it will be the disillusioned Conservative "protest" vote that will be the beginning of the revival.
The 2021 County elections will be on seats won at the height of May's popularity and I suspect there will be seats to be won across the south and elsewhere for the Party and it will be interesting to see how well Conservative plans for local Government re-organisation go down and the response of some Councils to those plans.
Traditionally, the Party does well when Labour is not so radical as to frighten the horses and in areas where Labour are not contenders, the old "tactical vote" ploy may reap some rewards.
Whilst I don't disagree with you on potential Lib Dem fortunes, I think the words 'height of May's popularity' are something of an oxymoron.
She increased the total Tory vote tally by 20% in the "failed" 2017 General Election. It wasn't a lack of people voting Tory, its that they only did so concentrated into safe seats
The LD figure is nonsense. They will be on a negative figure by Christmas at this rate.
Why? The Liberal Democrats are a moribund party that last put in a decent GE performance in 2010. Their last three attempts yielded vote shares of 7.9%, 7.4% and (helped doubtless by the climax of the Brexit farrago) a mighty 11.6% last time.
Set against that, 6% in current polls doesn't look implausible. They could very easily bump along at around 6% for the rest of this Parliament, then come in at the now traditional ~8% in the next GE following a bit of extra media exposure during the campaign period.
In any reasonable democracy that mighty vote share would entitle the millions who backed them to a parliamentary party of 70-odd representatives.
The LD figure is nonsense. They will be on a negative figure by Christmas at this rate.
Why? The Liberal Democrats are a moribund party that last put in a decent GE performance in 2010. Their last three attempts yielded vote shares of 7.9%, 7.4% and (helped doubtless by the climax of the Brexit farrago) a mighty 11.6% last time.
Set against that, 6% in current polls doesn't look implausible. They could very easily bump along at around 6% for the rest of this Parliament, then come in at the now traditional ~8% in the next GE following a bit of extra media exposure during the campaign period.
In any reasonable democracy that mighty vote share would entitle the millions who backed them to a parliamentary party of 70-odd representatives.
Well they need to persuade Labour to win, then abandon the system they won under. Sadly I don't see voting reform coming up again for a long long time.
A little anecdata from East London - mask waearing remains at about 10-15% so Friday will be int eresting. I begin to suspect the rule of wearing masks in shops will be more honoured in the breach then the observance but we'll see.
At the outdoor market, signage has been put up with a one-way system and socisl distancing protocols apparently paid for by the European Development Fund so I suppose if we have to go all through this again next year we poor Council Tax payers will foot the bill.
I've started wearing a mask habitually to go shopping, in preparation for the moment of compulsion. I don't particularly like the things but I can put up with them just for going out for groceries. However, most of the population around here can't be arsed either. I think it's an accumulation of the fact that the disease has diminished to background levels here (as in most of the rest of the country,) people hate them, and the Government killed the mask strategy earlier in the year by eschewing them at the height of the plague.
It is not altogether incomprehensible that the population should question the utility of masks when the authorities rubbished their use outside of clinical settings for months, when the number of cases has fallen through the floor without this rule, and when the prevalence of the disease is very low. Anyway, if my recollection is right and (a) retailers have been told they're not obliged to enforce mask wearing and (b) the police have stated that they won't be responding to calls about incidents of people refusing to wear masks, it seems likely that mask wearing edicts will continue to be widely ignored.
Spain has gone one step further now, when in a bar or restaurant when not actually in the act of drinking or eating the mask must be on. It’s a step too far I think as you are continually lowering and lifting the mask. Will wait to see if it’s enforced.
Spain is an interesting case. It's only about 70% of the size of the UK in population terms and has a very much lower population density (I think that many people don't appreciate how relatively small geographically the UK - and, in particular, England, where most of the population lives - actually is.) Spain also adopted both a tighter lockdown than the UK and much stricter mask policies. And yet - total daily cases have climbed and are now well in excess of ours.
I know that comparing between countries in this whole nasty business can be difficult, but nevertheless it does raise the question: is Spain simply fantastically efficient at testing, or is there something else going on here?
It’s the holiday season, mass movements of people to the coast, youngsters letting rip with no thought to the consequences. Friends And family meeting up for the first time in months. Each outbreak is jumped on with testing and attempted confinement. It’s a different world where if you are young and fit enough you will be out till 4 in the morning chatting and drinking. The origins Of the current outbreaks though appear to possibly have been in the meat processing factories At just the wrong time of year.
The LD figure is nonsense. They will be on a negative figure by Christmas at this rate.
Why? The Liberal Democrats are a moribund party that last put in a decent GE performance in 2010. Their last three attempts yielded vote shares of 7.9%, 7.4% and (helped doubtless by the climax of the Brexit farrago) a mighty 11.6% last time.
Set against that, 6% in current polls doesn't look implausible. They could very easily bump along at around 6% for the rest of this Parliament, then come in at the now traditional ~8% in the next GE following a bit of extra media exposure during the campaign period.
In any reasonable democracy that mighty vote share would entitle the millions who backed them to a parliamentary party of 70-odd representatives.
That's a fair enough comment, but we do not, of course, have PR - and it's very hard to predict what would happen if we did. The whole party political structure would likely be rather different, and the Liberal Democrats might not even exist.
The Lib Dems are a Stop Brexit one-trick pony outfit whose pony has now died. That, and the replacement of Corbyn, leaves them without purpose. Why vote for a left-leaning party that's more Europhile than Labour and not led by Corbyn when we've left the EU and Corbyn has been replaced? It could just as easily be argued that they are doing well to poll 6% rather than an asterisk.
I well remember in 1989 being that asterisk so 6% isn't too bad.
The Party, once it has chosen its leader, will seek to re-position as it always does. As others have said, it will be the disillusioned Conservative "protest" vote that will be the beginning of the revival.
The 2021 County elections will be on seats won at the height of May's popularity and I suspect there will be seats to be won across the south and elsewhere for the Party and it will be interesting to see how well Conservative plans for local Government re-organisation go down and the response of some Councils to those plans.
Traditionally, the Party does well when Labour is not so radical as to frighten the horses and in areas where Labour are not contenders, the old "tactical vote" ploy may reap some rewards.
Whilst I don't disagree with you on potential Lib Dem fortunes, I think the words 'height of May's popularity' are something of an oxymoron.
She increased the total Tory vote tally by 20% in the "failed" 2017 General Election. It wasn't a lack of people voting Tory, its that they only did so concentrated into safe seats
There were rises in Red Wall seats, IIRC,just not by enough to win.
May was most definitely very popular for a time. It was a bit inexplicable, but it was there. There were reasons she gave into the temptation to go for an early GE.
Be interesting at the locals next year, given how the Tories had been riding so high not long before lockdown.
The Lib Dems are a Stop Brexit one-trick pony outfit whose pony has now died. That, and the replacement of Corbyn, leaves them without purpose. Why vote for a left-leaning party that's more Europhile than Labour and not led by Corbyn when we've left the EU and Corbyn has been replaced? It could just as easily be argued that they are doing well to poll 6% rather than an asterisk.
I well remember in 1989 being that asterisk so 6% isn't too bad.
The Party, once it has chosen its leader, will seek to re-position as it always does. As others have said, it will be the disillusioned Conservative "protest" vote that will be the beginning of the revival.
The 2021 County elections will be on seats won at the height of May's popularity and I suspect there will be seats to be won across the south and elsewhere for the Party and it will be interesting to see how well Conservative plans for local Government re-organisation go down and the response of some Councils to those plans.
Traditionally, the Party does well when Labour is not so radical as to frighten the horses and in areas where Labour are not contenders, the old "tactical vote" ploy may reap some rewards.
The lib dems will be back there’s nowhere else for us to go.
A little anecdata from East London - mask waearing remains at about 10-15% so Friday will be int eresting. I begin to suspect the rule of wearing masks in shops will be more honoured in the breach then the observance but we'll see.
At the outdoor market, signage has been put up with a one-way system and socisl distancing protocols apparently paid for by the European Development Fund so I suppose if we have to go all through this again next year we poor Council Tax payers will foot the bill.
I've started wearing a mask habitually to go shopping, in preparation for the moment of compulsion. I don't particularly like the things but I can put up with them just for going out for groceries. However, most of the population around here can't be arsed either. I think it's an accumulation of the fact that the disease has diminished to background levels here (as in most of the rest of the country,) people hate them, and the Government killed the mask strategy earlier in the year by eschewing them at the height of the plague.
It is not altogether incomprehensible that the population should question the utility of masks when the authorities rubbished their use outside of clinical settings for months, when the number of cases has fallen through the floor without this rule, and when the prevalence of the disease is very low. Anyway, if my recollection is right and (a) retailers have been told they're not obliged to enforce mask wearing and (b) the police have stated that they won't be responding to calls about incidents of people refusing to wear masks, it seems likely that mask wearing edicts will continue to be widely ignored.
Spain has gone one step further now, when in a bar or restaurant when not actually in the act of drinking or eating the mask must be on. It’s a step too far I think as you are continually lowering and lifting the mask. Will wait to see if it’s enforced.
Spain is an interesting case. It's only about 70% of the size of the UK in population terms and has a very much lower population density (I think that many people don't appreciate how relatively small geographically the UK - and, in particular, England, where most of the population lives - actually is.) Spain also adopted both a tighter lockdown than the UK and much stricter mask policies. And yet - total daily cases have climbed and are now well in excess of ours.
I know that comparing between countries in this whole nasty business can be difficult, but nevertheless it does raise the question: is Spain simply fantastically efficient at testing, or is there something else going on here?
It’s the holiday season, mass movements of people to the coast, youngsters letting rip with no thought to the consequences. Friends And family meeting up for the first time in months. Each outbreak is jumped on with testing and attempted confinement. It’s a different world where if you are young and fit enough you will be out till 4 in the morning chatting and drinking. The origins Of the current outbreaks though appear to possibly have been in the meat processing factories At just the wrong time of year.
Mrs RP and the kids are heading out to Alicante a week on Sunday. Her dad has set out the (current) restrictions and as they're going to spend a fair bit of the week at the house and in the pool it will be fine. A very different trip to normal, no eating out, not much going out, but at least they will get to s0end some time together.
A little anecdata from East London - mask waearing remains at about 10-15% so Friday will be int eresting. I begin to suspect the rule of wearing masks in shops will be more honoured in the breach then the observance but we'll see.
At the outdoor market, signage has been put up with a one-way system and socisl distancing protocols apparently paid for by the European Development Fund so I suppose if we have to go all through this again next year we poor Council Tax payers will foot the bill.
I've started wearing a mask habitually to go shopping, in preparation for the moment of compulsion. I don't particularly like the things but I can put up with them just for going out for groceries. However, most of the population around here can't be arsed either. I think it's an accumulation of the fact that the disease has diminished to background levels here (as in most of the rest of the country,) people hate them, and the Government killed the mask strategy earlier in the year by eschewing them at the height of the plague.
It is not altogether incomprehensible that the population should question the utility of masks when the authorities rubbished their use outside of clinical settings for months, when the number of cases has fallen through the floor without this rule, and when the prevalence of the disease is very low. Anyway, if my recollection is right and (a) retailers have been told they're not obliged to enforce mask wearing and (b) the police have stated that they won't be responding to calls about incidents of people refusing to wear masks, it seems likely that mask wearing edicts will continue to be widely ignored.
I’m just back from my UK mini-vac. Masks on the Isle of Wight ferries, near 100%. But then it is compulsory (the trick being to buy a tea or coffee and nurse it through the crossing). In the Cotswolds, possibly 20%. In Cornwall, less than 2%. In coastal Dorset, possibly 15%. Britain’s coastal resorts are heaving with visitors, in this good weather; in Lyme Regis there was literally nowhere left to park at 1130. With queues into all of the car parks, I abandoned my car on the road into town and walked the rest of the way. Social distancing is almost impossible given the crush in the narrow streets of our picturesque coastal villages.
The LD figure is nonsense. They will be on a negative figure by Christmas at this rate.
Why? The Liberal Democrats are a moribund party that last put in a decent GE performance in 2010. Their last three attempts yielded vote shares of 7.9%, 7.4% and (helped doubtless by the climax of the Brexit farrago) a mighty 11.6% last time.
Set against that, 6% in current polls doesn't look implausible. They could very easily bump along at around 6% for the rest of this Parliament, then come in at the now traditional ~8% in the next GE following a bit of extra media exposure during the campaign period.
In any reasonable democracy that mighty vote share would entitle the millions who backed them to a parliamentary party of 70-odd representatives.
You do realise FPTP is used by the overwhelming majority of voters globally don't you? The obnoxiousness of "any reasonable democracy" is pathetic.
I have been thinking, and I have come up with an amusing stat.
If (if!) Corbyn is expelled from Labour for being a racist, bullying git, then I think he will become the first former leader to be actually expelled from a political party since...Ramsay Macdonald in 1931.
And the irony of that would be positively delicious.
The LD figure is nonsense. They will be on a negative figure by Christmas at this rate.
Why? The Liberal Democrats are a moribund party that last put in a decent GE performance in 2010. Their last three attempts yielded vote shares of 7.9%, 7.4% and (helped doubtless by the climax of the Brexit farrago) a mighty 11.6% last time.
Set against that, 6% in current polls doesn't look implausible. They could very easily bump along at around 6% for the rest of this Parliament, then come in at the now traditional ~8% in the next GE following a bit of extra media exposure during the campaign period.
In any reasonable democracy that mighty vote share would entitle the millions who backed them to a parliamentary party of 70-odd representatives.
Well they need to persuade Labour to win, then abandon the system they won under. Sadly I don't see voting reform coming up again for a long long time.
I have been thinking, and I have come up with an amusing stat.
If (if!) Corbyn is expelled from Labour for being a racist, bullying git, then I think he will become the first former leader to be actually expelled from a political party since...Ramsay Macdonald in 1931.
And the irony of that would be positively delicious.
Great stat!
Just without Macdonald's tenure in Downing Street.
I have been thinking, and I have come up with an amusing stat.
If (if!) Corbyn is expelled from Labour for being a racist, bullying git, then I think he will become the first former leader to be actually expelled from a political party since...Ramsay Macdonald in 1931.
And the irony of that would be positively delicious.
Great stat!
Just without Macdonald's tenure in Downing Street.
Even though he must have voted with the Tories nearly as often as Macdonald did...
A little anecdata from East London - mask waearing remains at about 10-15% so Friday will be int eresting. I begin to suspect the rule of wearing masks in shops will be more honoured in the breach then the observance but we'll see.
At the outdoor market, signage has been put up with a one-way system and socisl distancing protocols apparently paid for by the European Development Fund so I suppose if we have to go all through this again next year we poor Council Tax payers will foot the bill.
I've started wearing a mask habitually to go shopping, in preparation for the moment of compulsion. I don't particularly like the things but I can put up with them just for going out for groceries. However, most of the population around here can't be arsed either. I think it's an accumulation of the fact that the disease has diminished to background levels here (as in most of the rest of the country,) people hate them, and the Government killed the mask strategy earlier in the year by eschewing them at the height of the plague.
It is not altogether incomprehensible that the population should question the utility of masks when the authorities rubbished their use outside of clinical settings for months, when the number of cases has fallen through the floor without this rule, and when the prevalence of the disease is very low. Anyway, if my recollection is right and (a) retailers have been told they're not obliged to enforce mask wearing and (b) the police have stated that they won't be responding to calls about incidents of people refusing to wear masks, it seems likely that mask wearing edicts will continue to be widely ignored.
I’m just back from my UK mini-vac. Masks on the Isle of Wight ferries, near 100%. But then it is compulsory (the trick being to buy a tea or coffee and nurse it through the crossing). In the Cotswolds, possibly 20%. In Cornwall, less than 2%. In coastal Dorset, possibly 15%. Britain’s coastal resorts are heaving with visitors, in this good weather; in Lyme Regis there was literally nowhere left to park at 1130. With queues into all of the car parks, I abandoned my car on the road into town and walked the rest of the way. Social distancing is almost impossible given the crush in the narrow streets of our picturesque coastal villages.
I hate to be an eeyore, but in my experience Lyme having parking spaces till 11.30 bodes pretty badly.
Biggest pub by the river reopened again today in Wareham. Result? There was space at the 2nd biggest pub.
Far fewer people than normal. My client drove from Winch to Wareham in less than an hour. That normally takes 2+ hours at this time of year.
The LD figure is nonsense. They will be on a negative figure by Christmas at this rate.
Why? The Liberal Democrats are a moribund party that last put in a decent GE performance in 2010. Their last three attempts yielded vote shares of 7.9%, 7.4% and (helped doubtless by the climax of the Brexit farrago) a mighty 11.6% last time.
Set against that, 6% in current polls doesn't look implausible. They could very easily bump along at around 6% for the rest of this Parliament, then come in at the now traditional ~8% in the next GE following a bit of extra media exposure during the campaign period.
In any reasonable democracy that mighty vote share would entitle the millions who backed them to a parliamentary party of 70-odd representatives.
Well they need to persuade Labour to win, then abandon the system they won under. Sadly I don't see voting reform coming up again for a long long time.
Labour might think about it if they do just well enough to limp across the finishing line with the votes of other parties, but the dynamics of that are complicated. On the one hand, if the Labour leadership judges that they will struggle to win another overall majority then they might try to go for it to cut the Tories down to size (you could also make the same argument w.r.t. the SNP in Scotland, though the effects of possible secession, and whether they would find an excuse not to let go of FPTP for Westminster were that not to happen, further complicates matters.)
On the other hand, PR means the likelihood of permanent coalitions, oxygen for the hard left as well as the hard right, and redundancy for a lot of Labour MPs. On balance I agree with your assessment, but if Labour were to achieve power as a minority Government and suspected that this was merely an interregnum before the resumption of the Tory supremacy, then they might just go for it.
A little anecdata from East London - mask waearing remains at about 10-15% so Friday will be int eresting. I begin to suspect the rule of wearing masks in shops will be more honoured in the breach then the observance but we'll see.
At the outdoor market, signage has been put up with a one-way system and socisl distancing protocols apparently paid for by the European Development Fund so I suppose if we have to go all through this again next year we poor Council Tax payers will foot the bill.
I've started wearing a mask habitually to go shopping, in preparation for the moment of compulsion. I don't particularly like the things but I can put up with them just for going out for groceries. However, most of the population around here can't be arsed either. I think it's an accumulation of the fact that the disease has diminished to background levels here (as in most of the rest of the country,) people hate them, and the Government killed the mask strategy earlier in the year by eschewing them at the height of the plague.
It is not altogether incomprehensible that the population should question the utility of masks when the authorities rubbished their use outside of clinical settings for months, when the number of cases has fallen through the floor without this rule, and when the prevalence of the disease is very low. Anyway, if my recollection is right and (a) retailers have been told they're not obliged to enforce mask wearing and (b) the police have stated that they won't be responding to calls about incidents of people refusing to wear masks, it seems likely that mask wearing edicts will continue to be widely ignored.
I’m just back from my UK mini-vac. Masks on the Isle of Wight ferries, near 100%. But then it is compulsory (the trick being to buy a tea or coffee and nurse it through the crossing). In the Cotswolds, possibly 20%. In Cornwall, less than 2%. In coastal Dorset, possibly 15%. Britain’s coastal resorts are heaving with visitors, in this good weather; in Lyme Regis there was literally nowhere left to park at 1130. With queues into all of the car parks, I abandoned my car on the road into town and walked the rest of the way. Social distancing is almost impossible given the crush in the narrow streets of our picturesque coastal villages.
I hate to be an eeyore, but in my experience Lyme having parking spaces till 11.30 bodes pretty badly.
Biggest pub by the river reopened again today in Wareham. Result? There was space at the 2nd biggest pub.
Far fewer people than normal. My client drove from Winch to Wareham in less than an hour. That normally takes 2+ hours at this time of year.
I arrived at 1130. How things were prior, who can say.
But the food businesses down along the shoreline were all doing a roaring trade.
A little anecdata from East London - mask waearing remains at about 10-15% so Friday will be int eresting. I begin to suspect the rule of wearing masks in shops will be more honoured in the breach then the observance but we'll see.
At the outdoor market, signage has been put up with a one-way system and socisl distancing protocols apparently paid for by the European Development Fund so I suppose if we have to go all through this again next year we poor Council Tax payers will foot the bill.
I've started wearing a mask habitually to go shopping, in preparation for the moment of compulsion. I don't particularly like the things but I can put up with them just for going out for groceries. However, most of the population around here can't be arsed either. I think it's an accumulation of the fact that the disease has diminished to background levels here (as in most of the rest of the country,) people hate them, and the Government killed the mask strategy earlier in the year by eschewing them at the height of the plague.
It is not altogether incomprehensible that the population should question the utility of masks when the authorities rubbished their use outside of clinical settings for months, when the number of cases has fallen through the floor without this rule, and when the prevalence of the disease is very low. Anyway, if my recollection is right and (a) retailers have been told they're not obliged to enforce mask wearing and (b) the police have stated that they won't be responding to calls about incidents of people refusing to wear masks, it seems likely that mask wearing edicts will continue to be widely ignored.
I’m just back from my UK mini-vac. Masks on the Isle of Wight ferries, near 100%. But then it is compulsory (the trick being to buy a tea or coffee and nurse it through the crossing). In the Cotswolds, possibly 20%. In Cornwall, less than 2%. In coastal Dorset, possibly 15%. Britain’s coastal resorts are heaving with visitors, in this good weather; in Lyme Regis there was literally nowhere left to park at 1130. With queues into all of the car parks, I abandoned my car on the road into town and walked the rest of the way. Social distancing is almost impossible given the crush in the narrow streets of our picturesque coastal villages.
I hate to be an eeyore, but in my experience Lyme having parking spaces till 11.30 bodes pretty badly.
Biggest pub by the river reopened again today in Wareham. Result? There was space at the 2nd biggest pub.
Far fewer people than normal. My client drove from Winch to Wareham in less than an hour. That normally takes 2+ hours at this time of year.
My parents went down to Winchester yesterday. They said it was reasonably busy there. But, they went down the Lightwater Bypass to the M3 at 07:45. Ordinarily you'd be queuing for at least half an hour to get on to the M3. They went straight on.
A little anecdata from East London - mask waearing remains at about 10-15% so Friday will be int eresting. I begin to suspect the rule of wearing masks in shops will be more honoured in the breach then the observance but we'll see.
At the outdoor market, signage has been put up with a one-way system and socisl distancing protocols apparently paid for by the European Development Fund so I suppose if we have to go all through this again next year we poor Council Tax payers will foot the bill.
I've started wearing a mask habitually to go shopping, in preparation for the moment of compulsion. I don't particularly like the things but I can put up with them just for going out for groceries. However, most of the population around here can't be arsed either. I think it's an accumulation of the fact that the disease has diminished to background levels here (as in most of the rest of the country,) people hate them, and the Government killed the mask strategy earlier in the year by eschewing them at the height of the plague.
It is not altogether incomprehensible that the population should question the utility of masks when the authorities rubbished their use outside of clinical settings for months, when the number of cases has fallen through the floor without this rule, and when the prevalence of the disease is very low. Anyway, if my recollection is right and (a) retailers have been told they're not obliged to enforce mask wearing and (b) the police have stated that they won't be responding to calls about incidents of people refusing to wear masks, it seems likely that mask wearing edicts will continue to be widely ignored.
I’m just back from my UK mini-vac. Masks on the Isle of Wight ferries, near 100%. But then it is compulsory (the trick being to buy a tea or coffee and nurse it through the crossing). In the Cotswolds, possibly 20%. In Cornwall, less than 2%. In coastal Dorset, possibly 15%. Britain’s coastal resorts are heaving with visitors, in this good weather; in Lyme Regis there was literally nowhere left to park at 1130. With queues into all of the car parks, I abandoned my car on the road into town and walked the rest of the way. Social distancing is almost impossible given the crush in the narrow streets of our picturesque coastal villages.
I hate to be an eeyore, but in my experience Lyme having parking spaces till 11.30 bodes pretty badly.
Biggest pub by the river reopened again today in Wareham. Result? There was space at the 2nd biggest pub.
Far fewer people than normal. My client drove from Winch to Wareham in less than an hour. That normally takes 2+ hours at this time of year.
I’m just back from a week in North Wales. I would say such places as are open are doing OK, but that on the whole numbers were down a lot.
I think one factor is the restrictions on public transport - I was staying in a cottage overlooking the Cambrian Coastline and the trains were pretty well deserted. Normally they would be packed with day trippers from Birmingham heading to the beaches at Fairbourne, Barmouth and Llanbedr.
From a selfish point of view, that did mean I got some lovely cycling in on routes that were very quiet.
Would be interested to hear from Lib Dems hear on their views on Jo Swinson. At one point under her leadership they lead Labour in the polls
The mood of the LDs last year was that then was the time for a woman leader and she won the members' ballot with 71% of the vote. In retrospect she let the party's good performance in the Euros go to her head and came up with what proved to be the silly next government line. It is a real pity that Moran did not put her hat into the ring then.
I also don't think the party can be led effectively by a Scottish leader and she paid the price of not giving enough attention to her own seat. The SNP hates the LDs more than any other party and all the activists focused on Swinson's seat.
I wonder what proportion of voters in democracy globally vote under FPTP and what under PR. I certainly believe FPTP is the norm for the overwhelming majority of voters but PR supporters always seem to make out like we are the exception not the norm.
I can only imagine it's due to little Europeanism and not thinking globally.
A little anecdata from East London - mask waearing remains at about 10-15% so Friday will be int eresting. I begin to suspect the rule of wearing masks in shops will be more honoured in the breach then the observance but we'll see.
At the outdoor market, signage has been put up with a one-way system and socisl distancing protocols apparently paid for by the European Development Fund so I suppose if we have to go all through this again next year we poor Council Tax payers will foot the bill.
I've started wearing a mask habitually to go shopping, in preparation for the moment of compulsion. I don't particularly like the things but I can put up with them just for going out for groceries. However, most of the population around here can't be arsed either. I think it's an accumulation of the fact that the disease has diminished to background levels here (as in most of the rest of the country,) people hate them, and the Government killed the mask strategy earlier in the year by eschewing them at the height of the plague.
It is not altogether incomprehensible that the population should question the utility of masks when the authorities rubbished their use outside of clinical settings for months, when the number of cases has fallen through the floor without this rule, and when the prevalence of the disease is very low. Anyway, if my recollection is right and (a) retailers have been told they're not obliged to enforce mask wearing and (b) the police have stated that they won't be responding to calls about incidents of people refusing to wear masks, it seems likely that mask wearing edicts will continue to be widely ignored.
I’m just back from my UK mini-vac. Masks on the Isle of Wight ferries, near 100%. But then it is compulsory (the trick being to buy a tea or coffee and nurse it through the crossing). In the Cotswolds, possibly 20%. In Cornwall, less than 2%. In coastal Dorset, possibly 15%. Britain’s coastal resorts are heaving with visitors, in this good weather; in Lyme Regis there was literally nowhere left to park at 1130. With queues into all of the car parks, I abandoned my car on the road into town and walked the rest of the way. Social distancing is almost impossible given the crush in the narrow streets of our picturesque coastal villages.
I hate to be an eeyore, but in my experience Lyme having parking spaces till 11.30 bodes pretty badly.
Biggest pub by the river reopened again today in Wareham. Result? There was space at the 2nd biggest pub.
Far fewer people than normal. My client drove from Winch to Wareham in less than an hour. That normally takes 2+ hours at this time of year.
I’m just back from a week in North Wales. I would say such places as are open are doing OK, but that on the whole numbers were down a lot.
I think one factor is the restrictions on public transport - I was staying in a cottage overlooking the Cambrian Coastline and the trains were pretty well deserted. Normally they would be packed with day trippers from Birmingham heading to the beaches at Fairbourne, Barmouth and Llanbedr.
From a selfish point of view, that did mean I got some lovely cycling in on routes that were very quiet.
Yes I think thats about right. My journey to and from work is a 10 minute train journey. However in the past week I've gone from being the only person in the carriage to sharing with 20 others. I wonder if we'll return to normal service soon?
Would be interested to hear from Lib Dems hear on their views on Jo Swinson. At one point under her leadership they lead Labour in the polls
Flight of Icarus
She saw how a government could be held hostage in power, but knew that couldn't with any honour be made to last for years, that something would have to give. So, there was a choice - go into government with Corbyn in the hope of preventing Brexit, but knowing that the Tories could also hold Corbyn in a weak power long enough to show his hand - a position which would also have crucified the LDs.
Or try and defeat Brexit at the polls, legitimately, and not touch Corbyn with a 10ft bargepole.
On a fundamental level she chose right at that point, am grateful for that, and feel she was a somewhat better politician than she will be remembered.
Can we all agree that it would be very funny if Brentford got promoted to the Premier League? A contender for lowest points haul ever next season
I doubt it, Bloom and Benhams clubs have improved the vast majority of years in their ownership. The value of a hundred plus people working for you watching and analysing world football is a massive benefit Brighton and Brentford enjoy. It is probably one of the few sustainable edges any small clubs have over the big clubs.
Would be interested to hear from Lib Dems hear on their views on Jo Swinson. At one point under her leadership they lead Labour in the polls
Flight of Icarus
She saw how a government could be held hostage in power, but knew that couldn't with any honour be made to last for years, that something would have to give. So, there was a choice - go into government with Corbyn in the hope of preventing Brexit, but knowing that the Tories could also hold Corbyn in a weak power long enough to show his hand - a position which would also have crucified the LDs.
Or try and defeat Brexit at the polls, legitimately, and not touch Corbyn with a 10ft bargepole.
On a fundamental level she chose right at that point, am grateful for that, and feel she was a somewhat better politician than she will be remembered.
I sort of agree with you. However, her almost single issue campaigning was very, very disappointing.
We had professed lifelong LD voters in the SW come and great our candidate and tell him they'd be voting for him because of the Brexit revoke policy.
Would be interested to hear from Lib Dems hear on their views on Jo Swinson. At one point under her leadership they lead Labour in the polls
Flight of Icarus
She saw how a government could be held hostage in power, but knew that couldn't with any honour be made to last for years, that something would have to give. So, there was a choice - go into government with Corbyn in the hope of preventing Brexit, but knowing that the Tories could also hold Corbyn in a weak power long enough to show his hand - a position which would also have crucified the LDs.
Or try and defeat Brexit at the polls, legitimately, and not touch Corbyn with a 10ft bargepole.
On a fundamental level she chose right at that point, am grateful for that, and feel she was a somewhat better politician than she will be remembered.
She will always be mercilessly mocked for that "Prime Minister Jo Swinson" leaflet.
Would be interested to hear from Lib Dems hear on their views on Jo Swinson. At one point under her leadership they lead Labour in the polls
Flight of Icarus
She saw how a government could be held hostage in power, but knew that couldn't with any honour be made to last for years, that something would have to give. So, there was a choice - go into government with Corbyn in the hope of preventing Brexit, but knowing that the Tories could also hold Corbyn in a weak power long enough to show his hand - a position which would also have crucified the LDs.
Or try and defeat Brexit at the polls, legitimately, and not touch Corbyn with a 10ft bargepole.
On a fundamental level she chose right at that point, am grateful for that, and feel she was a somewhat better politician than she will be remembered.
She will always be mercilessly mocked for that "Prime Minister Jo Swinson" leaflet.
Would be interested to hear from Lib Dems hear on their views on Jo Swinson. At one point under her leadership they lead Labour in the polls
Flight of Icarus
She saw how a government could be held hostage in power, but knew that couldn't with any honour be made to last for years, that something would have to give. So, there was a choice - go into government with Corbyn in the hope of preventing Brexit, but knowing that the Tories could also hold Corbyn in a weak power long enough to show his hand - a position which would also have crucified the LDs.
Or try and defeat Brexit at the polls, legitimately, and not touch Corbyn with a 10ft bargepole.
On a fundamental level she chose right at that point, am grateful for that, and feel she was a somewhat better politician than she will be remembered.
Going for the election was the right thing to do. It was the one right thing she did.
The delusions of grandeur were what did for her. The whole Jo Swinson Next Prime Minister" thing was just excruciatingly embarrassing. Not something Clegg would have ever done.
A little anecdata from East London - mask waearing remains at about 10-15% so Friday will be int eresting. I begin to suspect the rule of wearing masks in shops will be more honoured in the breach then the observance but we'll see.
At the outdoor market, signage has been put up with a one-way system and socisl distancing protocols apparently paid for by the European Development Fund so I suppose if we have to go all through this again next year we poor Council Tax payers will foot the bill.
I've started wearing a mask habitually to go shopping, in preparation for the moment of compulsion. I don't particularly like the things but I can put up with them just for going out for groceries. However, most of the population around here can't be arsed either. I think it's an accumulation of the fact that the disease has diminished to background levels here (as in most of the rest of the country,) people hate them, and the Government killed the mask strategy earlier in the year by eschewing them at the height of the plague.
It is not altogether incomprehensible that the population should question the utility of masks when the authorities rubbished their use outside of clinical settings for months, when the number of cases has fallen through the floor without this rule, and when the prevalence of the disease is very low. Anyway, if my recollection is right and (a) retailers have been told they're not obliged to enforce mask wearing and (b) the police have stated that they won't be responding to calls about incidents of people refusing to wear masks, it seems likely that mask wearing edicts will continue to be widely ignored.
I’m just back from my UK mini-vac. Masks on the Isle of Wight ferries, near 100%. But then it is compulsory (the trick being to buy a tea or coffee and nurse it through the crossing). In the Cotswolds, possibly 20%. In Cornwall, less than 2%. In coastal Dorset, possibly 15%. Britain’s coastal resorts are heaving with visitors, in this good weather; in Lyme Regis there was literally nowhere left to park at 1130. With queues into all of the car parks, I abandoned my car on the road into town and walked the rest of the way. Social distancing is almost impossible given the crush in the narrow streets of our picturesque coastal villages.
I hate to be an eeyore, but in my experience Lyme having parking spaces till 11.30 bodes pretty badly.
Biggest pub by the river reopened again today in Wareham. Result? There was space at the 2nd biggest pub.
Far fewer people than normal. My client drove from Winch to Wareham in less than an hour. That normally takes 2+ hours at this time of year.
Re: this discussion and the one down thread about Spain, where things look like they are deteriorating and the situation now appears worse than in Britain.
You have to wonder if the reason why the continual easing of lockdown doesn't (so far at least) appear to have had a significant detrimental impact on the progress of the pandemic is because the Government did such a very good job with its messaging during lockdown (both the stay at home to protect the NHS message, and through scaring the shit out of people) that the virus is now being controlled by half the population still refusing to leave the house. Or, at most, only doing it if they can't get online groceries, or make exceptions for seeing close family.
It would be interesting to know if Spain is what happens if *everyone* relaxes and goes out regularly to bars and restaurants of an evening. I've no idea what proportion of the populace there has resumed something resembling a normal social life and may just be relying on masks as a shield to protect themselves. I don't know - perhaps if the number of customers for retail and hospitality in the UK is sufficiently depressed, and if a sufficiently low percentage of those actually venturing out are over 60, then perhaps this is sufficient (outside of specific hotspots, and for the time being at least) both to squash the virus and keep large numbers of people out of the hospitals?
A little anecdata from East London - mask waearing remains at about 10-15% so Friday will be int eresting. I begin to suspect the rule of wearing masks in shops will be more honoured in the breach then the observance but we'll see.
At the outdoor market, signage has been put up with a one-way system and socisl distancing protocols apparently paid for by the European Development Fund so I suppose if we have to go all through this again next year we poor Council Tax payers will foot the bill.
I've started wearing a mask habitually to go shopping, in preparation for the moment of compulsion. I don't particularly like the things but I can put up with them just for going out for groceries. However, most of the population around here can't be arsed either. I think it's an accumulation of the fact that the disease has diminished to background levels here (as in most of the rest of the country,) people hate them, and the Government killed the mask strategy earlier in the year by eschewing them at the height of the plague.
It is not altogether incomprehensible that the population should question the utility of masks when the authorities rubbished their use outside of clinical settings for months, when the number of cases has fallen through the floor without this rule, and when the prevalence of the disease is very low. Anyway, if my recollection is right and (a) retailers have been told they're not obliged to enforce mask wearing and (b) the police have stated that they won't be responding to calls about incidents of people refusing to wear masks, it seems likely that mask wearing edicts will continue to be widely ignored.
I’m just back from my UK mini-vac. Masks on the Isle of Wight ferries, near 100%. But then it is compulsory (the trick being to buy a tea or coffee and nurse it through the crossing). In the Cotswolds, possibly 20%. In Cornwall, less than 2%. In coastal Dorset, possibly 15%. Britain’s coastal resorts are heaving with visitors, in this good weather; in Lyme Regis there was literally nowhere left to park at 1130. With queues into all of the car parks, I abandoned my car on the road into town and walked the rest of the way. Social distancing is almost impossible given the crush in the narrow streets of our picturesque coastal villages.
I hate to be an eeyore, but in my experience Lyme having parking spaces till 11.30 bodes pretty badly.
Biggest pub by the river reopened again today in Wareham. Result? There was space at the 2nd biggest pub.
Far fewer people than normal. My client drove from Winch to Wareham in less than an hour. That normally takes 2+ hours at this time of year.
Re: this discussion and the one down thread about Spain, where things look like they are deteriorating and the situation now appears worse than in Britain.
You have to wonder if the reason why the continual easing of lockdown doesn't (so far at least) appear to have had a significant detrimental impact on the progress of the pandemic is because the Government did such a very good job with its messaging during lockdown (both the stay at home to protect the NHS message, and through scaring the shit out of people) that the virus is now being controlled by half the population still refusing to leave the house. Or, at most, only doing it if they can't get online groceries, or make exceptions for seeing close family.
It would be interesting to know if Spain is what happens if *everyone* relaxes and goes out regularly to bars and restaurants of an evening. I've no idea what proportion of the populace there has resumed something resembling a normal social life and may just be relying on masks as a shield to protect themselves. I don't know - perhaps if the number of customers for retail and hospitality in the UK is sufficiently depressed, and if a sufficiently low percentage of those actually venturing out are over 60, then perhaps this is sufficient (outside of specific hotspots, and for the time being at least) both to squash the virus and keep large numbers of people out of the hospitals?
Can we all agree that it would be very funny if Brentford got promoted to the Premier League? A contender for lowest points haul ever next season
I doubt it, Bloom and Benhams clubs have improved the vast majority of years in their ownership. The value of a hundred plus people working for you watching and analysing world football is a massive benefit Brighton and Brentford enjoy. It is probably one of the few sustainable edges any small clubs have over the big clubs.
Mmmm. If they get promoted they will still feel a bit like "4th Division no-hopers Peddleworth Albion" in Billy the Fish
I wonder what proportion of voters in democracy globally vote under FPTP and what under PR. I certainly believe FPTP is the norm for the overwhelming majority of voters but PR supporters always seem to make out like we are the exception not the norm.
I can only imagine it's due to little Europeanism and not thinking globally.
Well, India, the United States, Canada, Australia, and the UK all use FPTP. That must be a big chunk of the world’s voters in actually democratic states, ignoring places like Zimbabwe and China. Bangladesh does as well but I’m dubious about calling them ‘democratic’ at the moment.
However, most European countries use PR, as do Indonesia and Brazil, which means there is considerable weight on the other side too.
Interestingly, Japan’s system is mixed so about half of their MPs are FPTP and half from PR.
Edit - in the other US Pacific former colony, they also have a hybrid system, but there it’s 80/20 in favour of FPTP. Taiwan and South Korea have a similar system.
Would be interested to hear from Lib Dems hear on their views on Jo Swinson. At one point under her leadership they lead Labour in the polls
The mood of the LDs last year was that then was the time for a woman leader and she won the members' ballot with 71% of the vote. In retrospect she let the party's good performance in the Euros go to her head and came up with what proved to be the silly next government line. It is a real pity that Moran did not put her hat into the ring then.
I also don't think the party can be led effectively by a Scottish leader and she paid the price of not giving enough attention to her own seat. The SNP hates the LDs more than any other party and all the activists focused on Swinson's seat.
Can we all agree that it would be very funny if Brentford got promoted to the Premier League? A contender for lowest points haul ever next season
I doubt it, Bloom and Benhams clubs have improved the vast majority of years in their ownership. The value of a hundred plus people working for you watching and analysing world football is a massive benefit Brighton and Brentford enjoy. It is probably one of the few sustainable edges any small clubs have over the big clubs.
Mmmm. If they get promoted they will still feel a bit like "4th Division no-hopers Peddleworth Albion" in Billy the Fish
Can we all agree that it would be very funny if Brentford got promoted to the Premier League? A contender for lowest points haul ever next season
I doubt it, Bloom and Benhams clubs have improved the vast majority of years in their ownership. The value of a hundred plus people working for you watching and analysing world football is a massive benefit Brighton and Brentford enjoy. It is probably one of the few sustainable edges any small clubs have over the big clubs.
Mmmm. If they get promoted they will still feel a bit like "4th Division no-hopers Peddleworth Albion" in Billy the Fish
Would be interested to hear from Lib Dems hear on their views on Jo Swinson. At one point under her leadership they lead Labour in the polls
The mood of the LDs last year was that then was the time for a woman leader and she won the members' ballot with 71% of the vote. In retrospect she let the party's good performance in the Euros go to her head and came up with what proved to be the silly next government line. It is a real pity that Moran did not put her hat into the ring then.
I also don't think the party can be led effectively by a Scottish leader and she paid the price of not giving enough attention to her own seat. The SNP hates the LDs more than any other party and all the activists focused on Swinson's seat.
Can we all agree that it would be very funny if Brentford got promoted to the Premier League? A contender for lowest points haul ever next season
I doubt it, Bloom and Benhams clubs have improved the vast majority of years in their ownership. The value of a hundred plus people working for you watching and analysing world football is a massive benefit Brighton and Brentford enjoy. It is probably one of the few sustainable edges any small clubs have over the big clubs.
Mmmm. If they get promoted they will still feel a bit like "4th Division no-hopers Peddleworth Albion" in Billy the Fish
A little anecdata from East London - mask waearing remains at about 10-15% so Friday will be int eresting. I begin to suspect the rule of wearing masks in shops will be more honoured in the breach then the observance but we'll see.
At the outdoor market, signage has been put up with a one-way system and socisl distancing protocols apparently paid for by the European Development Fund so I suppose if we have to go all through this again next year we poor Council Tax payers will foot the bill.
I've started wearing a mask habitually to go shopping, in preparation for the moment of compulsion. I don't particularly like the things but I can put up with them just for going out for groceries. However, most of the population around here can't be arsed either. I think it's an accumulation of the fact that the disease has diminished to background levels here (as in most of the rest of the country,) people hate them, and the Government killed the mask strategy earlier in the year by eschewing them at the height of the plague.
It is not altogether incomprehensible that the population should question the utility of masks when the authorities rubbished their use outside of clinical settings for months, when the number of cases has fallen through the floor without this rule, and when the prevalence of the disease is very low. Anyway, if my recollection is right and (a) retailers have been told they're not obliged to enforce mask wearing and (b) the police have stated that they won't be responding to calls about incidents of people refusing to wear masks, it seems likely that mask wearing edicts will continue to be widely ignored.
I’m just back from my UK mini-vac. Masks on the Isle of Wight ferries, near 100%. But then it is compulsory (the trick being to buy a tea or coffee and nurse it through the crossing). In the Cotswolds, possibly 20%. In Cornwall, less than 2%. In coastal Dorset, possibly 15%. Britain’s coastal resorts are heaving with visitors, in this good weather; in Lyme Regis there was literally nowhere left to park at 1130. With queues into all of the car parks, I abandoned my car on the road into town and walked the rest of the way. Social distancing is almost impossible given the crush in the narrow streets of our picturesque coastal villages.
I hate to be an eeyore, but in my experience Lyme having parking spaces till 11.30 bodes pretty badly.
Biggest pub by the river reopened again today in Wareham. Result? There was space at the 2nd biggest pub.
Far fewer people than normal. My client drove from Winch to Wareham in less than an hour. That normally takes 2+ hours at this time of year.
Re: this discussion and the one down thread about Spain, where things look like they are deteriorating and the situation now appears worse than in Britain.
You have to wonder if the reason why the continual easing of lockdown doesn't (so far at least) appear to have had a significant detrimental impact on the progress of the pandemic is because the Government did such a very good job with its messaging during lockdown (both the stay at home to protect the NHS message, and through scaring the shit out of people) that the virus is now being controlled by half the population still refusing to leave the house. Or, at most, only doing it if they can't get online groceries, or make exceptions for seeing close family.
It would be interesting to know if Spain is what happens if *everyone* relaxes and goes out regularly to bars and restaurants of an evening. I've no idea what proportion of the populace there has resumed something resembling a normal social life and may just be relying on masks as a shield to protect themselves. I don't know - perhaps if the number of customers for retail and hospitality in the UK is sufficiently depressed, and if a sufficiently low percentage of those actually venturing out are over 60, then perhaps this is sufficient (outside of specific hotspots, and for the time being at least) both to squash the virus and keep large numbers of people out of the hospitals?
Most Brit oriented bars are reporting 50% max takings, restaurants are reasonably busy but there is not much money about. No bar based music and distancing rules are limiting capacity. Many elderly Brits (80 plus) still only going to supermarkets. No discos open but the groups still,congregate..
Would be interested to hear from Lib Dems hear on their views on Jo Swinson. At one point under her leadership they lead Labour in the polls
The mood of the LDs last year was that then was the time for a woman leader and she won the members' ballot with 71% of the vote. In retrospect she let the party's good performance in the Euros go to her head and came up with what proved to be the silly next government line. It is a real pity that Moran did not put her hat into the ring then.
I also don't think the party can be led effectively by a Scottish leader and she paid the price of not giving enough attention to her own seat. The SNP hates the LDs more than any other party and all the activists focused on Swinson's seat.
Surely Moran would likely have done worse, her reputation is not good and reminds me of the response Farron got (who in hindsight was actually not too bad)
I wonder what proportion of voters in democracy globally vote under FPTP and what under PR. I certainly believe FPTP is the norm for the overwhelming majority of voters but PR supporters always seem to make out like we are the exception not the norm.
I can only imagine it's due to little Europeanism and not thinking globally.
Well, India, the United States, Canada, Australia, and the UK all use FPTP. That must be a big chunk of the world’s voters in actually democratic states, ignoring places like Zimbabwe and China. Bangladesh does as well but I’m dubious about calling them ‘democratic’ at the moment.
However, most European countries use PR, as do Indonesia and Brazil, which means there is considerable weight on the other side too.
Interestingly, Japan’s system is mixed so about half of their MPs are FPTP and half from PR.
Edit - in the other US Pacific former colony, they also have a hybrid system, but there it’s 80/20 in favour of FPTP.
Indeed that's what I was thinking. People bang on about us being unique by only thinking about Europe but there are surely more eligible voters in India alone than the whole of Europe combined!
Indonesia is an interesting one I hadn't thought about though. Is Indonesia a true democracy?
I wonder what proportion of voters in democracy globally vote under FPTP and what under PR. I certainly believe FPTP is the norm for the overwhelming majority of voters but PR supporters always seem to make out like we are the exception not the norm.
I can only imagine it's due to little Europeanism and not thinking globally.
Well, India, the United States, Canada, Australia, and the UK all use FPTP. That must be a big chunk of the world’s voters in actually democratic states, ignoring places like Zimbabwe and China. Bangladesh does as well but I’m dubious about calling them ‘democratic’ at the moment.
However, most European countries use PR, as do Indonesia and Brazil, which means there is considerable weight on the other side too.
Interestingly, Japan’s system is mixed so about half of their MPs are FPTP and half from PR.
Edit - in the other US Pacific former colony, they also have a hybrid system, but there it’s 80/20 in favour of FPTP.
Indeed that's what I was thinking. People bang on about us being unique by only thinking about Europe but there are surely more eligible voters in India alone than the whole of Europe combined!
Indonesia is an interesting one I hadn't thought about though. Is Indonesia a true democracy?
I wouldn’t know enough about it to judge, tbh. I am assuming progress since the overthrow of Suharto, but I don’t know. I simply thought of it as one of the world’s most populous countries.
You could query to what extent Brazil is a democracy too, of course.
I feel like the story must be more significant than the headline. I mean, of course someone warned there were risks when taking a decision like that. Even local authorities assess risk of significant decisions (and risks of not taking decisions. The issue wouldn't be whether someone warned there was such a risk, it would be whether they took appropriate consideration of the risk and made the right call or not. Based on rcs1000's comment earlier, it doesn't look particularly promising.
Would be interested to hear from Lib Dems hear on their views on Jo Swinson. At one point under her leadership they lead Labour in the polls
The mood of the LDs last year was that then was the time for a woman leader and she won the members' ballot with 71% of the vote. In retrospect she let the party's good performance in the Euros go to her head and came up with what proved to be the silly next government line. It is a real pity that Moran did not put her hat into the ring then.
I also don't think the party can be led effectively by a Scottish leader and she paid the price of not giving enough attention to her own seat. The SNP hates the LDs more than any other party and all the activists focused on Swinson's seat.
Can we all agree that it would be very funny if Brentford got promoted to the Premier League? A contender for lowest points haul ever next season
I doubt it, Bloom and Benhams clubs have improved the vast majority of years in their ownership. The value of a hundred plus people working for you watching and analysing world football is a massive benefit Brighton and Brentford enjoy. It is probably one of the few sustainable edges any small clubs have over the big clubs.
Mmmm. If they get promoted they will still feel a bit like "4th Division no-hopers Peddleworth Albion" in Billy the Fish
I am a very nervous WBA fan this evening....
Baggies a proper team with heritage. Brentford? May as well get Forest Green Rovers in the Premiership
Would be interested to hear from Lib Dems hear on their views on Jo Swinson. At one point under her leadership they lead Labour in the polls
The mood of the LDs last year was that then was the time for a woman leader and she won the members' ballot with 71% of the vote. In retrospect she let the party's good performance in the Euros go to her head and came up with what proved to be the silly next government line. It is a real pity that Moran did not put her hat into the ring then.
I also don't think the party can be led effectively by a Scottish leader and she paid the price of not giving enough attention to her own seat. The SNP hates the LDs more than any other party and all the activists focused on Swinson's seat.
Would be interested to hear from Lib Dems hear on their views on Jo Swinson. At one point under her leadership they lead Labour in the polls
The mood of the LDs last year was that then was the time for a woman leader and she won the members' ballot with 71% of the vote. In retrospect she let the party's good performance in the Euros go to her head and came up with what proved to be the silly next government line. It is a real pity that Moran did not put her hat into the ring then.
I also don't think the party can be led effectively by a Scottish leader and she paid the price of not giving enough attention to her own seat. The SNP hates the LDs more than any other party and all the activists focused on Swinson's seat.
Can we all agree that it would be very funny if Brentford got promoted to the Premier League? A contender for lowest points haul ever next season
I doubt it, Bloom and Benhams clubs have improved the vast majority of years in their ownership. The value of a hundred plus people working for you watching and analysing world football is a massive benefit Brighton and Brentford enjoy. It is probably one of the few sustainable edges any small clubs have over the big clubs.
Mmmm. If they get promoted they will still feel a bit like "4th Division no-hopers Peddleworth Albion" in Billy the Fish
I am a very nervous WBA fan this evening....
Baggies a proper team with heritage. Brentford? May as well get Forest Green Rovers in the Premiership
I'd rather teams with no heritage get promoted. Gives a chance to build a heritage.
I wonder what proportion of voters in democracy globally vote under FPTP and what under PR. I certainly believe FPTP is the norm for the overwhelming majority of voters but PR supporters always seem to make out like we are the exception not the norm.
I can only imagine it's due to little Europeanism and not thinking globally.
Well, India, the United States, Canada, Australia, and the UK all use FPTP. That must be a big chunk of the world’s voters in actually democratic states, ignoring places like Zimbabwe and China. Bangladesh does as well but I’m dubious about calling them ‘democratic’ at the moment.
However, most European countries use PR, as do Indonesia and Brazil, which means there is considerable weight on the other side too.
Interestingly, Japan’s system is mixed so about half of their MPs are FPTP and half from PR.
Edit - in the other US Pacific former colony, they also have a hybrid system, but there it’s 80/20 in favour of FPTP.
Indeed that's what I was thinking. People bang on about us being unique by only thinking about Europe but there are surely more eligible voters in India alone than the whole of Europe combined!
Indonesia is an interesting one I hadn't thought about though. Is Indonesia a true democracy?
I wouldn’t know enough about it to judge, tbh. I am assuming progress since the overthrow of Suharto, but I don’t know. I simply thought of it as one of the world’s most populous countries.
You could query to what extent Brazil is a democracy too, of course.
Indeed though I'd give more credit to Brazil. Then again if voter suppression continues in the USA we might start to say it about them too.
My knowledge of Indonesia is limited, followed it more when I lived Down Under in the nineties when they reached the news more so leaders like Suharto especially was certainly shaping my thinking until you said that.
Can we all agree that it would be very funny if Brentford got promoted to the Premier League? A contender for lowest points haul ever next season
I doubt it, Bloom and Benhams clubs have improved the vast majority of years in their ownership. The value of a hundred plus people working for you watching and analysing world football is a massive benefit Brighton and Brentford enjoy. It is probably one of the few sustainable edges any small clubs have over the big clubs.
Mmmm. If they get promoted they will still feel a bit like "4th Division no-hopers Peddleworth Albion" in Billy the Fish
I am a very nervous WBA fan this evening....
Baggies a proper team with heritage. Brentford? May as well get Forest Green Rovers in the Premiership
I wonder what proportion of voters in democracy globally vote under FPTP and what under PR. I certainly believe FPTP is the norm for the overwhelming majority of voters but PR supporters always seem to make out like we are the exception not the norm.
I can only imagine it's due to little Europeanism and not thinking globally.
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, US, UK, Ukraine, Burma, a smattering of African countries, some West Indies countries.
Most countries don’t use FPTP, but maybe India’s population might make the contention accurate.
Comments
A little anecdata from East London - mask waearing remains at about 10-15% so Friday will be int eresting. I begin to suspect the rule of wearing masks in shops will be more honoured in the breach then the observance but we'll see.
At the outdoor market, signage has been put up with a one-way system and socisl distancing protocols apparently paid for by the European Development Fund so I suppose if we have to go all through this again next year we poor Council Tax payers will foot the bill.
Set against that, 6% in current polls doesn't look implausible. They could very easily bump along at around 6% for the rest of this Parliament, then come in at the now traditional ~8% in the next GE following a bit of extra media exposure during the campaign period.
Ed M seemed a decent guy but he was utterly hopeless at strategy
I've said before the Lib Dem posters and support around my part of Hampshire was something I had never seen before. Okay it didn't lead to much success this time around but a bit like the Tories in 2017 when they put in a lot of work to reduce Labour majorities in seats they would eventually take, the Lib Dems have done something similar (but on a smaller scale).
Why the UK should consider banning TikTok" (£)
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-the-uk-should-consider-banning-tiktok
The Economist/YouGov national poll is little changed from last week though one point movements have cut Biden's lead from 49-40 to 48-41.
The crosstabs are excellent as always:
https://docs.cdn.yougov.com/8uw05wqpg2/econTabReport.pdf
Down to Q66 for the fun stuff - Biden leads 45-44 among men and 51-38 among women. Among white voters Trump leads 49-42 so that's a 7% swing to Biden. Among Hispanics Biden leads 53-31 which will be a concern in a group which polled 65% for Clinton.
The regional splits are informative - the North east has Biden up 51-37 which isn't too different from 2016 and 55-33 in the West (55-39 in 2016). In the South Biden is up 47-44 (Clinton lost 44-52) so a 6% swing to Biden.
The Midwest is the only area with a Trump lead (46-42 compared to 49-45 last time) so the Trump Midwest bastion seems to be holding but with such tiny margins in Michigan and Wisconsin in particular it's hard to be too certain.
Better polls for Biden in the key states of Pennsylvania (20 ECV) and Ohio (18 ECV). PA has a 4-point Biden lead but is 5 up in Ohio, a swing of 6.5% to Biden.
The Party, once it has chosen its leader, will seek to re-position as it always does. As others have said, it will be the disillusioned Conservative "protest" vote that will be the beginning of the revival.
The 2021 County elections will be on seats won at the height of May's popularity and I suspect there will be seats to be won across the south and elsewhere for the Party and it will be interesting to see how well Conservative plans for local Government re-organisation go down and the response of some Councils to those plans.
Traditionally, the Party does well when Labour is not so radical as to frighten the horses and in areas where Labour are not contenders, the old "tactical vote" ploy may reap some rewards.
(1) Their satellites are approximately twice as far from earth as SpaceX's - this means their latency is going to be significantly higher, and will be unsuitable for videoconferencing, or (probably) VOIP.
(2) Their maximum bandwidth (downstream) is limited to about 50mb/sec, while SpaceX - which will use far more satellites - is aiming to get to 1gb/sec.
(3) There is no real "national security" argument. There might be if we were India or Kenya, but we're not. We're a dense island, and the best Brits can hope for is slightly cheaper links to people in remote areas. (And which will probably be less good and more expensive that SpaceX's Starlink.)
(4) I'm on the SpaceX beta list. I expect to have my secondary internet connection from SpaceX in the next two or three months. SpaceX will have tens of thousands of real customers before OneWeb gets a single one. Time to market matters, and I really struggle see how OneWeb will be able to compete without much lower prices than SpaceX.
There's a reason that the private sector - with the exception of Indian company Bharti, who has effectively got in subsidised by the UK government - passed on this. OneWeb is going to be second to market, with an inferior product. The frequencies *might* be worth something. But it's not the government's job to speculate on these things. It's not the government's job to take British taxpayer's money and use it to bail out commercial organisations - especially given OneWeb's problems are hardly CV-19 related.
I fear that, now committed, there will be further cash calls as OneWeb attempts to compete with a better (more commercial) operation. And the government will write cheques, because they care more about reputation (i.e. being seen to lose all their money) than results.
Inferior in every way.
But BoZo can stick a flag on it.
It is not altogether incomprehensible that the population should question the utility of masks when the authorities rubbished their use outside of clinical settings for months, when the number of cases has fallen through the floor without this rule, and when the prevalence of the disease is very low. Anyway, if my recollection is right and (a) retailers have been told they're not obliged to enforce mask wearing and (b) the police have stated that they won't be responding to calls about incidents of people refusing to wear masks, it seems likely that mask wearing edicts will continue to be widely ignored.
Besides possibly the frequencies?
But the government should not be taking taxpayers money and using it to invest in a commercial organisations. Even if the frequencies are "cheap", the government shouldn't be trading them. That's not their job.
And it starts you on the road to crony capitalism, a place where knowing the right people in government gets you funded. That's a world where politicians place contracts and investments, and then leave government to lucrative jobs in businesses they've funnelled billions of pounds to.
That's why you avoid this stuff like the plague - it's because it results it results in moral hazard/
May even be in double digits!
SNP 5%
Greens 2%
Brexit Party 2%
PC 1%
Others 4%
I know that comparing between countries in this whole nasty business can be difficult, but nevertheless it does raise the question: is Spain simply fantastically efficient at testing, or is there something else going on here?
May was most definitely very popular for a time. It was a bit inexplicable, but it was there. There were reasons she gave into the temptation to go for an early GE.
Be interesting at the locals next year, given how the Tories had been riding so high not long before lockdown.
If (if!) Corbyn is expelled from Labour for being a racist, bullying git, then I think he will become the first former leader to be actually expelled from a political party since...Ramsay Macdonald in 1931.
And the irony of that would be positively delicious.
Just without Macdonald's tenure in Downing Street.
Biggest pub by the river reopened again today in Wareham. Result? There was space at the 2nd biggest pub.
Far fewer people than normal. My client drove from Winch to Wareham in less than an hour. That normally takes 2+ hours at this time of year.
On the other hand, PR means the likelihood of permanent coalitions, oxygen for the hard left as well as the hard right, and redundancy for a lot of Labour MPs. On balance I agree with your assessment, but if Labour were to achieve power as a minority Government and suspected that this was merely an interregnum before the resumption of the Tory supremacy, then they might just go for it.
But the food businesses down along the shoreline were all doing a roaring trade.
I think one factor is the restrictions on public transport - I was staying in a cottage overlooking the Cambrian Coastline and the trains were pretty well deserted. Normally they would be packed with day trippers from Birmingham heading to the beaches at Fairbourne, Barmouth and Llanbedr.
From a selfish point of view, that did mean I got some lovely cycling in on routes that were very quiet.
I also don't think the party can be led effectively by a Scottish leader and she paid the price of not giving enough attention to her own seat. The SNP hates the LDs more than any other party and all the activists focused on Swinson's seat.
I can only imagine it's due to little Europeanism and not thinking globally.
Or try and defeat Brexit at the polls, legitimately, and not touch Corbyn with a 10ft bargepole.
On a fundamental level she chose right at that point, am grateful for that, and feel she was a somewhat better politician than she will be remembered.
We had professed lifelong LD voters in the SW come and great our candidate and tell him they'd be voting for him because of the Brexit revoke policy.
The delusions of grandeur were what did for her. The whole Jo Swinson Next Prime Minister" thing was just excruciatingly embarrassing. Not something Clegg would have ever done.
You have to wonder if the reason why the continual easing of lockdown doesn't (so far at least) appear to have had a significant detrimental impact on the progress of the pandemic is because the Government did such a very good job with its messaging during lockdown (both the stay at home to protect the NHS message, and through scaring the shit out of people) that the virus is now being controlled by half the population still refusing to leave the house. Or, at most, only doing it if they can't get online groceries, or make exceptions for seeing close family.
It would be interesting to know if Spain is what happens if *everyone* relaxes and goes out regularly to bars and restaurants of an evening. I've no idea what proportion of the populace there has resumed something resembling a normal social life and may just be relying on masks as a shield to protect themselves. I don't know - perhaps if the number of customers for retail and hospitality in the UK is sufficiently depressed, and if a sufficiently low percentage of those actually venturing out are over 60, then perhaps this is sufficient (outside of specific hotspots, and for the time being at least) both to squash the virus and keep large numbers of people out of the hospitals?
However, most European countries use PR, as do Indonesia and Brazil, which means there is considerable weight on the other side too.
Interestingly, Japan’s system is mixed so about half of their MPs are FPTP and half from PR.
Edit - in the other US Pacific former colony, they also have a hybrid system, but there it’s 80/20 in favour of FPTP. Taiwan and South Korea have a similar system.
I don't think I can stand it at the moment.
https://twitter.com/davidallengreen/status/1286026331214487553
That makes three of us, with Brom, I think...
Indonesia is an interesting one I hadn't thought about though. Is Indonesia a true democracy?
You could query to what extent Brazil is a democracy too, of course.
My knowledge of Indonesia is limited, followed it more when I lived Down Under in the nineties when they reached the news more so leaders like Suharto especially was certainly shaping my thinking until you said that.
Most countries don’t use FPTP, but maybe India’s population might make the contention accurate.