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The extraordinary battle the AstraZeneca vaccine has in being accepted across Europe – politicalbett

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  • GadflyGadfly Posts: 1,191
    dixiedean said:

    Just been to my first lockdown parents' evening Online.
    Something that is a major upgrade.
    5 mins and the camera cuts you off.
    No sitting around in corridors waiting for people to take 25 minutes.
    No amateur orienteering around looking for the right classroom on a poorly photocopied floor plan. No worries about being overheard. No small talk with other parents you don't recognise.
    And no traipsing off to school. Over and done in 20 minutes.

    The teachers in my family have been equally impressed with how online parents' evenings have worked for them.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,486

    kle4 said:

    The much-vaunted vaccine export ban isn't happening and never was happening.

    If you threaten something you dont mean it can happen unintentionally, and the threat can be as bad as the action.

    Boris was rightly condemned by many over the internal market bill over just such threat/intention rather than the outcome which actually happened. To this day people reference the potential outcome he risked.

    So no one gets brownie points for graciousness by threatening action then not taking that action.
    Oh I entirely agree, I am simply making the point that the export ban ain't happening.
    It looks like it already is.

    It seems from what's been posted today that the UK is entitled contractually to 100% of the Halix vaccine doses until our order is fulfilled then the EU are due theirs - but the UK and EU are negotiating for a proportion of the doses instead with the threat of the blockade if an agreement isn't reached.

    If an agreement is reached upon a threat of a blockade so the UK only gets say 25% of the doses instead of 100% then a "ban" may not have happened, but the contracts have been messed with.
    Sure, the contracts probably will be messed with, but the ban won't happen, as they'll negotiate.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,468
    I tell you what if Boris Johnson can arrange for Steve Bruce to be sacked I promise to vote Tory at the next election.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,083
    If the EU spent as much time and effort trying to convince their own population that AZN was safe, they might actually be making progress. Instead, what are they going to do with an extra AZN, add it to the stockpile like Scrooge McDuck?
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,126
    Leon said:

    They are blocking exports from Halix so that AZ is forced to break its contract with the UK and export to the EU from the UK, thus grievously slowing our vaccine drive. Thus killing Britons and killing our economy.

    It is time to tell them to do one. With a loaded gun

    https://twitter.com/NJ_Timothy/status/1374390047751868421?s=20

    The bottom line of the EU rhetoric all along has been that no contracts matter, except ones that it has signed, but the the actual wording of even those contracts don't matter.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,486
    Leon said:

    They are blocking exports from Halix so that AZ is forced to break its contract with the UK and export to the EU from the UK, thus grievously slowing our vaccine drive. Thus killing Britons and killing our economy.

    It is time to tell them to do one. With a loaded gun

    https://twitter.com/NJ_Timothy/status/1374390047751868421?s=20

    IF

    Saying, "if you don't do this we'll do this" is a threat, it is not an action.

    I don't agree with what they are doing or saying, but it's sabre rattling. A compromise will be negotiated.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
    Cases still falling.....


  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,486
    112 deaths reported on a Tuesday. That's very low indeed. We are heading quickly towards single figures daily.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 59,930

    Leon said:

    They are blocking exports from Halix so that AZ is forced to break its contract with the UK and export to the EU from the UK, thus grievously slowing our vaccine drive. Thus killing Britons and killing our economy.

    It is time to tell them to do one. With a loaded gun

    https://twitter.com/NJ_Timothy/status/1374390047751868421?s=20

    IF

    Saying, "if you don't do this we'll do this" is a threat, it is not an action.

    I don't agree with what they are doing or saying, but it's sabre rattling. A compromise will be negotiated.
    The two possible courses of action he is proposing:
    1) Divert jabs to the EU from the UK
    2) Block export to the UK

    Either way the UK isn't getting any.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,203
    The testing baseline seems to be levelling out.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176
    Pulpstar said:

    The EU can never be trusted when it comes to contract law again quite frankly, but we do need Pfizer second doses.

    Boris should make a statement saying something like "sometimes we do have to negotiate with terrorists."
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,598

    112 deaths reported on a Tuesday. That's very low indeed. We are heading quickly towards single figures daily.

    Already there - the 7 day average is 85.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 63,100
    edited March 2021
    Sturgeon vote

    31 v 65 and 27 abstentions

    And listening to some of the debate the hate in the chamber between all sides was unpleasant to watch

  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,126

    Leon said:

    They are blocking exports from Halix so that AZ is forced to break its contract with the UK and export to the EU from the UK, thus grievously slowing our vaccine drive. Thus killing Britons and killing our economy.

    It is time to tell them to do one. With a loaded gun

    https://twitter.com/NJ_Timothy/status/1374390047751868421?s=20

    IF

    Saying, "if you don't do this we'll do this" is a threat, it is not an action.

    I don't agree with what they are doing or saying, but it's sabre rattling. A compromise will be negotiated.
    But as noted, making threats to do X in order to cause Y means the threats are not irrelevant or meaningless. If I threaten to punch someone in the face unless they give me money, and they give it to me, its not much of a defence for me to point out I didn't punch them.

    They are trying to prove that the situation will change as a result of their actions, so if the situation changes they will be unable to claim that the threats don't matter, since on their own terms they'll only have achieved something through threats.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,126
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,598

    Pulpstar said:

    The EU's offer on Halix treats us as if we're still in the EU lol

    Imagine what the situation would be like if we were....
    They wouldn't be playing so nice about it.....
  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    edited March 2021
    Leon said:

    What's to stop us flying in some troops to secure the Halix plant?


    I mean. why the F not? If it saves British lives?

    Considering there aren't any excess deaths in the UK anymore and probably never will be again from Covid, the cost/benefit ratio of invading the Netherlands and going to war with the EU is probably not especially good.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,083
    edited March 2021
    Pulpstar said:

    The testing baseline seems to be levelling out.

    Doing nearly 2 million a day has passed with hardly any comment outside of PB. Its an incredible achievement really.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,083
    edited March 2021

    I tell you what if Boris Johnson can arrange for Steve Bruce to be sacked I promise to vote Tory at the next election.

    The bar that low, I would have said it would have to be get rid of Mike Ashley at least.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,355

    Goldman Sachs boss says 'go extra mile' despite 95-hour week

    https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56495463

    Bloody slackers, only 95hrs / week, they should come and work for me, then they will know what hard work is...

    95 hrs a week.

    Luuuuuuuuuuxury.......

    When I started working in the city we worked 169 hour a week and paid for the privilege....

    And lived in cardboard box in middle of t'road.
  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826

    kle4 said:

    The much-vaunted vaccine export ban isn't happening and never was happening.

    If you threaten something you dont mean it can happen unintentionally, and the threat can be as bad as the action.

    Boris was rightly condemned by many over the internal market bill over just such threat/intention rather than the outcome which actually happened. To this day people reference the potential outcome he risked.

    So no one gets brownie points for graciousness by threatening action then not taking that action.
    Oh I entirely agree, I am simply making the point that the export ban ain't happening.
    It looks like it already is.

    It seems from what's been posted today that the UK is entitled contractually to 100% of the Halix vaccine doses until our order is fulfilled then the EU are due theirs - but the UK and EU are negotiating for a proportion of the doses instead with the threat of the blockade if an agreement isn't reached.

    If an agreement is reached upon a threat of a blockade so the UK only gets say 25% of the doses instead of 100% then a "ban" may not have happened, but the contracts have been messed with.
    Sure, the contracts probably will be messed with, but the ban won't happen, as they'll negotiate.
    The line is already crossed then.

    If you refuse to make a payment but offer to make a partial settlement if an agreement is reached then that is a default even if an agreement was reached.
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 41,995
    edited March 2021
    kle4 said:
    First leaders' debate next Tuesday, should be fruity.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 62,764

    Leon said:

    They are blocking exports from Halix so that AZ is forced to break its contract with the UK and export to the EU from the UK, thus grievously slowing our vaccine drive. Thus killing Britons and killing our economy.

    It is time to tell them to do one. With a loaded gun

    https://twitter.com/NJ_Timothy/status/1374390047751868421?s=20

    IF

    Saying, "if you don't do this we'll do this" is a threat, it is not an action.

    I don't agree with what they are doing or saying, but it's sabre rattling. A compromise will be negotiated.
    Surely the Dutch must be hopping mad with all this? iirc the Dutch are often in the UK camp, or were when we were in the EU, on business and market matters. This kind of behaviour has to be a disaster for the wider business environment?
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,126
    Ultimately the EU's actions fail the obvious test of reasonableness - Would they condemn the same actions if it was done to them?
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 12,542
    felix said:
    This poll, like the recent trend, is within MoE for a real figure of about Con 42, Lab 35. Every poll since, I think, the middle of Feb has been consistent with this. But a couple more like this would be a trend up for Labour and down for Tories.

  • SelebianSelebian Posts: 8,746

    Leon said:

    What's to stop us flying in some troops to secure the Halix plant?


    I mean. why the F not? If it saves British lives?

    Considering there aren't any excess deaths in the UK anymore and probably never will be again from Covid, the cost/benefit ratio of invading the Netherlands and going to war with the EU is probably not especially good.
    It would also prove David Cameron's dire predictions about the possible impacts of Brexit to be correct :wink:
  • I love all these unbiased Indian cricket journos.

    BCCI describe Kohli drop as a ‘brilliant fielding effort’ on own website...

    .....A video of the moment was later uploaded to the BCCI website, it was headlined: “Virat Kohli’s brilliant fielding effort in the slips.” The description of the video read: “Caught it but the ball trickled out of his hands upon the elbow’s impact with the ground. Great effort and full marks on the sportsman spirit from Virat Kohli.”


    https://wisden.com/series-stories/india-v-england/bcci-describe-kohli-drop-as-a-brilliant-fielding-effort-on-own-website
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,083
    edited March 2021

    Goldman Sachs boss says 'go extra mile' despite 95-hour week

    https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56495463

    Bloody slackers, only 95hrs / week, they should come and work for me, then they will know what hard work is...

    95 hrs a week.

    Luuuuuuuuuuxury.......

    When I started working in the city we worked 169 hour a week and paid for the privilege....

    And lived in cardboard box in middle of t'road.
    During the last year of my PhD, I was probably doing that many hours a week, all for pennies.
  • CookieCookie Posts: 13,822

    112 deaths reported on a Tuesday. That's very low indeed. We are heading quickly towards single figures daily.

    Already there - the 7 day average is 85.
    In fact, it's even better than that. Deaths by date of death were 83 on the 15th - I would expect it to turn out, ultimately, that by the 23rd, deaths by date of death were down to sub-40.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176

    Leon said:

    What's to stop us flying in some troops to secure the Halix plant?


    I mean. why the F not? If it saves British lives?

    Considering there aren't any excess deaths in the UK anymore and probably never will be again from Covid, the cost/benefit ratio of invading the Netherlands and going to war with the EU is probably not especially good.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3zNCg55kiw
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 18,421
    edited March 2021

    112 deaths reported on a Tuesday. That's very low indeed. We are heading quickly towards single figures daily.

    The figures are low enough now that variation in reporting delays is larger than the decline more often. This is the first Tuesday since the reporting day peak in late January not to be lower than the Tuesday a week ago.

    I had hoped that we might have seen the end of any days reporting more than 100 deaths, but not quite.
  • eekeek Posts: 28,397

    Pulpstar said:

    The testing baseline seems to be levelling out.

    Doing nearly 2 million a day has passed with hardly any comment outside of PB. Its an incredible achievement really.
    Not really - 75%+ of them are lateral tests done at home - with the results phoned in.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 62,764
    https://twitter.com/spectator/status/1374344068403240971

    The public inquiry needs to ask why the government threw out its own pandemic plan in March 2020. Ministers will probably answer that the NHS was about to be overwhelmed.

    In that case why had years of pandemic planning not taken into account that the NHS would be overwhelmed?
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,083
    edited March 2021
    eek said:

    Pulpstar said:

    The testing baseline seems to be levelling out.

    Doing nearly 2 million a day has passed with hardly any comment outside of PB. Its an incredible achievement really.
    Not really - 75%+ of them are lateral tests done at home - with the results phoned in.
    Yes it....you still have to organize the distribution of such tests. Day in, day out.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,870
    Leon said:

    What's to stop us flying in some troops to secure the Halix plant?


    I mean. why the F not? If it saves British lives?

    "I am ready, man! Ready to GET IT ON!"
  • https://twitter.com/spectator/status/1374344068403240971

    The public inquiry needs to ask why the government threw out its own pandemic plan in March 2020. Ministers will probably answer that the NHS was about to be overwhelmed.

    In that case why had years of pandemic planning not taken into account that the NHS would be overwhelmed?

    Because the NHS was geared up to deal with a flu based pandemic, so the plan had to be changed.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,126

    https://twitter.com/spectator/status/1374344068403240971

    The public inquiry needs to ask why the government threw out its own pandemic plan in March 2020. Ministers will probably answer that the NHS was about to be overwhelmed.

    In that case why had years of pandemic planning not taken into account that the NHS would be overwhelmed?

    I suspect what he considers coercion differs from other people though.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,212
    Gadfly said:

    dixiedean said:

    Just been to my first lockdown parents' evening Online.
    Something that is a major upgrade.
    5 mins and the camera cuts you off.
    No sitting around in corridors waiting for people to take 25 minutes.
    No amateur orienteering around looking for the right classroom on a poorly photocopied floor plan. No worries about being overheard. No small talk with other parents you don't recognise.
    And no traipsing off to school. Over and done in 20 minutes.

    The teachers in my family have been equally impressed with how online parents' evenings have worked for them.
    Similarly in two schools I know.
    They don't plan to go back to the old system after this is over.
  • Quite the stat from Wisden.

    Jonny Bairstow is the only batsman in the history of men's ODI cricket to average over 50 opening the batting with a strike-rate of more than 100 (min. 1000 runs)...

    ...the only other men's ODI batsman to average over 40 opening the batting with a strike-rate of more than 100 (min. 1000 runs) is....Jason Roy.
  • NEW THREAD

  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,212
    kle4 said:

    Ultimately the EU's actions fail the obvious test of reasonableness - Would they condemn the same actions if it was done to them?

    I can already hear von der Leyen's tone of outraged sanctimony...
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,202
    Cookie said:

    kinabalu said:

    felix said:

    kinabalu said:

    felix said:

    kinabalu said:

    felix said:

    kinabalu said:

    IanB2 said:

    isam said:
    Muppet would be more apposite. Whose puppet is he supposed to be?

    There is a clear negative correlation between things that have gone well and things with which the clown has had direct hands on involvement.
    Yes, I assume that was a misheard remark. The focus group member would have said, as so many do up and down the country, "He's a muppet."
    And yet more popular than Starmer et al. Wonder what that makes them...?
    The tide might be turning. Masked for now by vaccine glow.
    kinabalu said:

    felix said:

    kinabalu said:

    IanB2 said:

    isam said:
    Muppet would be more apposite. Whose puppet is he supposed to be?

    There is a clear negative correlation between things that have gone well and things with which the clown has had direct hands on involvement.
    Yes, I assume that was a misheard remark. The focus group member would have said, as so many do up and down the country, "He's a muppet."
    And yet more popular than Starmer et al. Wonder what that makes them...?
    The tide might be turning. Masked for now by vaccine glow.
    You mean this tide? He's gonna need to do a CNUT!

    YouGOV:
    Things aren't looking good for Keir Starmer, with opinion of the Labour leader taking a turn for the worse across all attributes

    Competent 35% (-7 since 24-25 Jan)
    Likeable 29% (-7)
    Trustworthy 26% (-3)
    Decisive 25% (-8)
    Strong 22% (-8)
    Hartlepool will shortly speak and I'll be listening very carefully.
    Yes your rather weak attempt at expectations management there has fooled no-one. Everyone knows it will be a Labour hold on a low turnout.
    "Everyone knows" Labour will hold and yet the betting is a straight 50/50. How strange.
    kindbalu, what would you consider a good price for a Labour hold on this?
    I got on Labour at 2.1, I think, which I thought was good value. I think 2 would still be good value. I'd say Lab at anywhere down to 1.8 would be value; below that not. Where do you draw the line?
    I think Labour should be 2nd favourites. I'd back them if they were 2.5.
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,208
    ..

    Leon said:

    They are blocking exports from Halix so that AZ is forced to break its contract with the UK and export to the EU from the UK, thus grievously slowing our vaccine drive. Thus killing Britons and killing our economy.

    It is time to tell them to do one. With a loaded gun

    https://twitter.com/NJ_Timothy/status/1374390047751868421?s=20

    IF

    Saying, "if you don't do this we'll do this" is a threat, it is not an action.

    I don't agree with what they are doing or saying, but it's sabre rattling. A compromise will be negotiated.
    Surely the Dutch must be hopping mad with all this? iirc the Dutch are often in the UK camp, or were when we were in the EU, on business and market matters. This kind of behaviour has to be a disaster for the wider business environment?
    The Dutch appear to be in favour of a vaccine ban on this plant. They also have one of the lower vaccination rates in Europe and have stopped the use of the AZ vaccine due to blood clots. The government has just been re-elected on an increased majority.

    Cynically I suspect Astrazeneca would be quietly happy with an export ban on the Dutch plant. The issue is presented as one of contracts, but that's not quite correct. AZ isn't supplying the contracted numbers for either the EU or apparently the UK. The issue is who gets to decide where a factory's production goes: the company or a government. I suspect Astrazeneca would be quite happy to have that decision and responsibility for non-fulfilment taken away from them.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,202
    Stocky said:

    kinabalu said:

    felix said:

    kinabalu said:

    felix said:

    kinabalu said:

    felix said:

    kinabalu said:

    IanB2 said:

    isam said:
    Muppet would be more apposite. Whose puppet is he supposed to be?

    There is a clear negative correlation between things that have gone well and things with which the clown has had direct hands on involvement.
    Yes, I assume that was a misheard remark. The focus group member would have said, as so many do up and down the country, "He's a muppet."
    And yet more popular than Starmer et al. Wonder what that makes them...?
    The tide might be turning. Masked for now by vaccine glow.
    kinabalu said:

    felix said:

    kinabalu said:

    IanB2 said:

    isam said:
    Muppet would be more apposite. Whose puppet is he supposed to be?

    There is a clear negative correlation between things that have gone well and things with which the clown has had direct hands on involvement.
    Yes, I assume that was a misheard remark. The focus group member would have said, as so many do up and down the country, "He's a muppet."
    And yet more popular than Starmer et al. Wonder what that makes them...?
    The tide might be turning. Masked for now by vaccine glow.
    You mean this tide? He's gonna need to do a CNUT!

    YouGOV:
    Things aren't looking good for Keir Starmer, with opinion of the Labour leader taking a turn for the worse across all attributes

    Competent 35% (-7 since 24-25 Jan)
    Likeable 29% (-7)
    Trustworthy 26% (-3)
    Decisive 25% (-8)
    Strong 22% (-8)
    Hartlepool will shortly speak and I'll be listening very carefully.
    Yes your rather weak attempt at expectations management there has fooled no-one. Everyone knows it will be a Labour hold on a low turnout.
    "Everyone knows" Labour will hold and yet the betting is a straight 50/50. How strange.
    I'm sitting this one out, but 4/5 Labour seems good odds to me. Shadsy got this wrong with his original pricing.
    I see the Cons as fav so I was happy to back them at evens. But I kind of hope you are reading this better than I am. I do want Lab to hold. As explained, I'd take it as a positive sign for GE24.
  • justin124justin124 Posts: 11,527

    felix said:

    felix said:

    kinabalu said:

    felix said:

    kinabalu said:

    felix said:

    kinabalu said:

    IanB2 said:

    isam said:
    Muppet would be more apposite. Whose puppet is he supposed to be?

    There is a clear negative correlation between things that have gone well and things with which the clown has had direct hands on involvement.
    Yes, I assume that was a misheard remark. The focus group member would have said, as so many do up and down the country, "He's a muppet."
    And yet more popular than Starmer et al. Wonder what that makes them...?
    The tide might be turning. Masked for now by vaccine glow.
    kinabalu said:

    felix said:

    kinabalu said:

    IanB2 said:

    isam said:
    Muppet would be more apposite. Whose puppet is he supposed to be?

    There is a clear negative correlation between things that have gone well and things with which the clown has had direct hands on involvement.
    Yes, I assume that was a misheard remark. The focus group member would have said, as so many do up and down the country, "He's a muppet."
    And yet more popular than Starmer et al. Wonder what that makes them...?
    The tide might be turning. Masked for now by vaccine glow.
    You mean this tide? He's gonna need to do a CNUT!

    YouGOV:
    Things aren't looking good for Keir Starmer, with opinion of the Labour leader taking a turn for the worse across all attributes

    Competent 35% (-7 since 24-25 Jan)
    Likeable 29% (-7)
    Trustworthy 26% (-3)
    Decisive 25% (-8)
    Strong 22% (-8)
    Hartlepool will shortly speak and I'll be listening very carefully.
    Yes your rather weak attempt at expectations management there has fooled no-one. Everyone knows it will be a Labour hold on a low turnout.
    :D Very few people here expect a Labour hold...
    I have said so from the start as have many others. The majority of thoise forecasting a Labour loss have been on the left - some genuine no doubt, but others clearly playing politics. The seat has long been Labour and the tories only came moderately close last time because of the Brexit party. I am from the Sunderland area - and Hartlepool is more akin to those seats or Easington. It would be something of a political earthquake were it to go blue. Current polling simply does not support it.
    Hartlepool isn't Sunderland. The Makems always elect a Labour MP and a Labour council. Hartlepool had a Tory MP in the 60s and its council now only has 8 Labour members on it.

    felix said:

    felix said:

    kinabalu said:

    felix said:

    kinabalu said:

    felix said:

    kinabalu said:

    IanB2 said:

    isam said:
    Muppet would be more apposite. Whose puppet is he supposed to be?

    There is a clear negative correlation between things that have gone well and things with which the clown has had direct hands on involvement.
    Yes, I assume that was a misheard remark. The focus group member would have said, as so many do up and down the country, "He's a muppet."
    And yet more popular than Starmer et al. Wonder what that makes them...?
    The tide might be turning. Masked for now by vaccine glow.
    kinabalu said:

    felix said:

    kinabalu said:

    IanB2 said:

    isam said:
    Muppet would be more apposite. Whose puppet is he supposed to be?

    There is a clear negative correlation between things that have gone well and things with which the clown has had direct hands on involvement.
    Yes, I assume that was a misheard remark. The focus group member would have said, as so many do up and down the country, "He's a muppet."
    And yet more popular than Starmer et al. Wonder what that makes them...?
    The tide might be turning. Masked for now by vaccine glow.
    You mean this tide? He's gonna need to do a CNUT!

    YouGOV:
    Things aren't looking good for Keir Starmer, with opinion of the Labour leader taking a turn for the worse across all attributes

    Competent 35% (-7 since 24-25 Jan)
    Likeable 29% (-7)
    Trustworthy 26% (-3)
    Decisive 25% (-8)
    Strong 22% (-8)
    Hartlepool will shortly speak and I'll be listening very carefully.
    Yes your rather weak attempt at expectations management there has fooled no-one. Everyone knows it will be a Labour hold on a low turnout.
    :D Very few people here expect a Labour hold...
    I have said so from the start as have many others. The majority of thoise forecasting a Labour loss have been on the left - some genuine no doubt, but others clearly playing politics. The seat has long been Labour and the tories only came moderately close last time because of the Brexit party. I am from the Sunderland area - and Hartlepool is more akin to those seats or Easington. It would be something of a political earthquake were it to go blue. Current polling simply does not support it.
    Hartlepool isn't Sunderland. The Makems always elect a Labour MP and a Labour council. Hartlepool had a Tory MP in the 60s and its council now only has 8 Labour members on it.
    Sunderland also had a Tory MP until 1964.
  • justin124justin124 Posts: 11,527
    Comres also had the Tories on 39% last week.
This discussion has been closed.