I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
@BluestBlue is usually such a diligent commentator on the polls. Hope he's OK.
Lol @IshmaelZ - your concern is much appreciated. I'll just point out, as before, that knee-jerkers on PB have predicted at least 24 of the last 0 political endgames for Boris Johnson. Once the media shitstorm subsides, his polling will improve, as it did after the Supreme Court 'crisis', after he 'died in a ditch', after Phonegate (which caused the final YouGov MRP to predict a majority of only 28), after Cummingsgate Mark 1, and after the series of tiers and lockdowns in winter, when it seemed there was little hope of us getting out of the pandemic at all.
Care to declare on the record that this is the moment that his luck finally runs out forever? Somehow, I don't think you will.
Yes.
Even the very lucky run out of luck eventually. I think this is the beginning of the end. He is perilously exposed over wallpaper issues (which are in reality dishonesty and false accounting issues), the vaccine effect will wear off, the Brexit effect will wear off, the Red Wall will revert to type. He needs a huge brand new piece of good luck to appear over the horizon. Could happen, but. I don't now see him fighting the next GE.
And I am just trying to state things the way I see them, so no need to sound so manic about "knee jerkers." I have never previously predicted his downfall. I said about Cummings/Barnard Castle that it was *IN THE LONG RUN* deeply damaging, and I feel pretty confident I was right about that.
In 2020 - early pandemic - I predicted Boris would go early 2021. He proved me wrong. But your underlying sentiments are correct, I feel
All the upside for Boris is in leaving early (after the job comes money, privacy, fun). He's done what he was meant to do: Brexit. He's done what he never intended to do: see us through Covid
If he goes soon he will still go out on a high, and he won't have to face the boring future (debt, Scottish arguments, Brexit hangover). He can claim 1. *a young child* and 2. *he's exhausted* and he can claim both, credibly.
Tedious management is not his style, and that's what happens now, presuming the plague is done. He's reached the top, now he has to cash in, while he can still enjoy the wealth. It all points one way, unless his wife or he or both are seriously attached to the prestige of his being PM
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
It does not matter because what ever happens on Thursday the UK government will refuse a legal indyref2 and as Union matters are reserved to Westminster under the Scotland Act 1998 there is nothing the Natonalists can do about it.
The sooner they stop whinging and get on with running Scottish domestic policy the better, there will only be a chance of a meaningful indyref2 even being considered if Starmer becomes PM in 2024 reliant on SNP confidence and supply
From yesterday’s decision not to allow an appeal in the Keatings Section 30 case:
The judges concluded: “Were the Court to have been of the view that it ought to have answered the questions asked, it would have done so as a matter of straightforward statutory interpretation” of the Scotland Act 1998. “The question would have been whether an Act to hold a referendum on Scottish Independence ‘relates to the Union of the Kingdoms of Scotland and England’ or ‘the Parliament of the United Kingdom’ having regard to its effect in all the circumstances. Viewed in this way, it may not be too difficult to arrive at a conclusion, but that is a matter, perhaps, for another day.”
Just a bunch of judges yapping, right? We already know how much Boris & Co care about that!
Also - I bet you that BMG Scotland poll shows the SNP majority is basically knife edge as we had thought it was going to be.
Didn’t the last BMG have yes leading?
Indeed, tonight's poll has No and Yes each on 50%, still miles behind the near 60% Yes was on last year
You sound a bit rattled
Of course not, we Tories will refuse a legal indyref2 and any change to the status of the Union as long as we stay in power.
There is sod all the Nationalists can do about it
What about the argument the Nats are sure to lose one and lose it big if held in next couple of years, and they are trying to avoid backing themselves into a hole and having to do it. Being so dogmatic you are going to let them out that hole with you failure to have a wily realpolitik approach?
Great to see signs in the polls of the shine coming off the magnificent man.
But I'm not moved for Hartlepool and neither is the market. Cons 1.6.
It's not entirely fair to you, since you'll deserve all the kudos if you're right, but for all the other usual suspects:
if the Tories win Hartlepool after the entire media have serially unloaded their bowels on Boris, I will NEVER shut up about it...
I think most of us "far left wokeists" have had Hartlepool pencilled in as a Tory gain for a while. Hartlepool had a big Brexit vote in 2019 which some of us assume will shift to the Conservatives. Whatever the result, it doesn't tell us who wins 2024 or 2028.
However, next Friday you will be entitled to call anyone not on team Johnson "LOSERS". I can't wait
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
It does not matter because what ever happens on Thursday the UK government will refuse a legal indyref2 and as Union matters are reserved to Westminster under the Scotland Act 1998 there is nothing the Natonalists can do about it.
The sooner they stop whinging and get on with running Scottish domestic policy the better, there will only be a chance of a meaningful indyref2 even being considered if Starmer becomes PM in 2024 reliant on SNP confidence and supply
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
It does not matter because what ever happens on Thursday the UK government will refuse a legal indyref2 and as Union matters are reserved to Westminster under the Scotland Act 1998 there is nothing the Natonalists can do about it.
The sooner they stop whinging and get on with running Scottish domestic policy the better, there will only be a chance of a meaningful indyref2 even being considered if Starmer becomes PM in 2024 reliant on SNP confidence and supply
Or in other words, Britain is no longer a democracy.
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
I can believe the former, but I cannot believe for a second that 'vegan signalling' has had any cut through whatsoever.
Great to see signs in the polls of the shine coming off the magnificent man.
But I'm not moved for Hartlepool and neither is the market. Cons 1.6.
It's not entirely fair to you, since you'll deserve all the kudos if you're right, but for all the other usual suspects:
if the Tories win Hartlepool after the entire media have serially unloaded their bowels on Boris, I will NEVER shut up about it...
I think most of us "far left wokeists" have had Hartlepool pencilled in as a Tory gain for a while. Hartlepool had a big Brexit vote in 2019 which some of us assume will shift to the Conservatives. Whatever the result, it doesn't tell us who wins 2024 or 2028.
However, next Friday you will be entitled to call anyone not on team Johnson "LOSERS". I can't wait
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
It does not matter because what ever happens on Thursday the UK government will refuse a legal indyref2 and as Union matters are reserved to Westminster under the Scotland Act 1998 there is nothing the Natonalists can do about it.
The sooner they stop whinging and get on with running Scottish domestic policy the better, there will only be a chance of a meaningful indyref2 even being considered if Starmer becomes PM in 2024 reliant on SNP confidence and supply
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
It does not matter because what ever happens on Thursday the UK government will refuse a legal indyref2 and as Union matters are reserved to Westminster under the Scotland Act 1998 there is nothing the Natonalists can do about it.
The sooner they stop whinging and get on with running Scottish domestic policy the better, there will only be a chance of a meaningful indyref2 even being considered if Starmer becomes PM in 2024 reliant on SNP confidence and supply
Or in other words, Britain is no longer a democracy.
It is a democracy, all parts of the UK vote for the Westminster Parliament which remains supreme and has the final say on the Union.
Just as Spain is a democracy even though Madrid can ignore Catalan separatists
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
It does not matter because what ever happens on Thursday the UK government will refuse a legal indyref2 and as Union matters are reserved to Westminster under the Scotland Act 1998 there is nothing the Natonalists can do about it.
The sooner they stop whinging and get on with running Scottish domestic policy the better, there will only be a chance of a meaningful indyref2 even being considered if Starmer becomes PM in 2024 reliant on SNP confidence and supply
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
It does not matter because what ever happens on Thursday the UK government will refuse a legal indyref2 and as Union matters are reserved to Westminster under the Scotland Act 1998 there is nothing the Natonalists can do about it.
The sooner they stop whinging and get on with running Scottish domestic policy the better, there will only be a chance of a meaningful indyref2 even being considered if Starmer becomes PM in 2024 reliant on SNP confidence and supply
Or in other words, Britain is no longer a democracy.
It is a democracy, all parts of the UK vote for the Westminster Parliament which remains supreme and has the final say on the Union.
Just as Spain is a democracy even though Madrid can ignore Catalan separatists
A flawed democracy, in that scenario. It's not a binary state of being.
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
I can believe the former, but I cannot believe for a second that 'vegan signalling' has had any cut through whatsoever.
BTW, there is a famous vegan strip club in Portland, Oregon. (No doubt some close to Boris will wish to do some first-person research?)
One thing I've NOT been able to figure out: are the customers vegan, or the strippers? Or both?
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
Does anyone know the origin?
"Spread it on a butty Spread it on thick And wash it all down with a cup of cold sick". A rhyme from my childhood. Don't recall what "It" was though.
Great to see signs in the polls of the shine coming off the magnificent man.
But I'm not moved for Hartlepool and neither is the market. Cons 1.6.
FPT - I'm afraid I don't agree. The West still has a way to go to achieve full colour blindness but I'm afraid the idea this has anything to do with a failing to have a reckoning with colonialism is bonkers. If it did you'd expect to see some relationship between racial attitudes and outcomes in countries that had colonial empires and those that did not. But no such correlation exists - just look at Bulgaria, Poland and Finland next to Germany, Ireland or the UK.
More than one academic has commented that it's simply a way of keeping the West at the centre of global affairs in a rapidly unrecognisable world where our position is increasingly contested and unclear.
Also - I bet you that BMG Scotland poll shows the SNP majority is basically knife edge as we had thought it was going to be.
Didn’t the last BMG have yes leading?
Indeed, tonight's poll has No and Yes each on 50%, still miles behind the near 60% Yes was on last year
You sound a bit rattled
Of course not, we Tories will refuse a legal indyref2 and any change to the status of the Union as long as we stay in power.
There is sod all the Nationalists can do about it
What about the argument the Nats are sure to lose one and lose it big if held in next couple of years, and they are trying to avoid backing themselves into a hole and having to do it. Being so dogmatic you are going to let them out that hole with you failure to have a wily realpolitik approach?
Even if No narrowly won an indyref2 now, the UK government by granting it before a generation had elapsed would allow the hardliners within the Nationalist movement to demand indyref3 within a year.
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
I can believe the former, but I cannot believe for a second that 'vegan signalling' has had any cut through whatsoever.
How far ahead was Ed Miliband as this point in the 2010-2015 Parliament?
And how far ahead was Theresa May?
I know there are local elections next week, and this site is concerned with politics, but I think these polls are next to useless.
We all know what’s going to happen. It will be a patchy picture. The headline will Boris taking Hartlepool, and how that punctures Starmer below the waterline. The unions will demand Starmer reshuffles front bench portfolios which will be an IMMENSE weakness if he does ensuring the next change is his removal.
The monkey hangers would be crazy to shun the investment their Tory voting neighbours will be getting.
They may have made a monkey balls up once before, but not this time
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
I can believe the former, but I cannot believe for a second that 'vegan signalling' has had any cut through whatsoever.
You'd be wrong.
Yes, well we probably have different definitions of 'cut through', and how significant something must be to count as such.
Evening all. I see that I am no longer a lone voice in the wind saying that wallpapergate will do Johnson.
How I can put this: the Tories are brazenly and openly corrupt - financial, moral and political corruption. It shouldn't be a surprise that Johnson not only thinks he needs £300k to live on but doesn't think the rules regarding financial propriety apply to him.
Why shouldn't these donors be asked to pay for his lifestyle? Like Tory voters in Hartlepool wondering how much their bribe money will be if they join neighbouring seats in electing a Tory MP, donors know that doing these things for the Tories brings direct rewards.
The latest and worst example is the £11m donated to the party by property developers which in no way had any influence over the government's hard line on cladding which lets the developers off scott free and bankrupts millions now stuck in unsellable and potentially lethal housing.
So why not pay for a vastly ugly and overblown refurb of a flat only refurbed a few years earlier? They'll get their money back and more besides.
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
Does anyone know the origin?
I’ve always thought of it as the rough equivalent of your bucket of warm spit, though I know the latter has a specific context.
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
Vegans can go to hell in a handcart if they expect others to join them in their cult. Cult, religion, whatever you want to call it, it isn't ethics and it isn't science.
I'm happy to do my part for the environment but that does not mean changing from being an omnivore.
Great to see signs in the polls of the shine coming off the magnificent man.
But I'm not moved for Hartlepool and neither is the market. Cons 1.6.
It's not entirely fair to you, since you'll deserve all the kudos if you're right, but for all the other usual suspects:
if the Tories win Hartlepool after the entire media have serially unloaded their bowels on Boris, I will NEVER shut up about it...
I think most of us "far left wokeists" have had Hartlepool pencilled in as a Tory gain for a while. Hartlepool had a big Brexit vote in 2019 which some of us assume will shift to the Conservatives. Whatever the result, it doesn't tell us who wins 2024 or 2028.
However, next Friday you will be entitled to call anyone not on team Johnson "LOSERS". I can't wait
Brexit Party got 26% of the vote. Wow.
New Royal Yachts are of course dear to the Brexiteer heart.
I don't see Hartlepool proving anything as far as Boris's long term prospects go. His biggest worry is a victory so resounding it displaces Keir in favour of Rayner.
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
Does anyone know the origin?
"Spread it on a butty Spread it on thick And wash it all down with a cup of cold sick". A rhyme from my childhood. Don't recall what "It" was though.
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
Does anyone know the origin?
I’ve always thought of it as the rough equivalent of your bucket of warm spit, though I know the latter has a specific context.
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
I can believe the former, but I cannot believe for a second that 'vegan signalling' has had any cut through whatsoever.
BTW, there is a famous vegan strip club in Portland, Oregon. (No doubt some close to Boris will wish to do some first-person research?)
One thing I've NOT been able to figure out: are the customers vegan, or the strippers? Or both?
It's a strip club without chicks and without beef?
Great to see signs in the polls of the shine coming off the magnificent man.
But I'm not moved for Hartlepool and neither is the market. Cons 1.6.
It's not entirely fair to you, since you'll deserve all the kudos if you're right, but for all the other usual suspects:
if the Tories win Hartlepool after the entire media have serially unloaded their bowels on Boris, I will NEVER shut up about it...
I think most of us "far left wokeists" have had Hartlepool pencilled in as a Tory gain for a while. Hartlepool had a big Brexit vote in 2019 which some of us assume will shift to the Conservatives. Whatever the result, it doesn't tell us who wins 2024 or 2028.
However, next Friday you will be entitled to call anyone not on team Johnson "LOSERS". I can't wait
I mean, we are losers, objectively.
May not be losers forever though.
Never considered myself as anything other than a centrist, but I must confess after the hubris from several Johnson cheerleaders in the last day or two with their 11 point lead, and as @londonpubman suggested I have pissed myself laughing after today's polls. I'm sure it won't last but hey, take the win whenever you can. Off to change my trousers now!
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
Vegans can go to hell in a handcart if they expect others to join them in their cult. Cult, religion, whatever you want to call it, it isn't ethics and it isn't science.
I'm happy to do my part for the environment but that does not mean changing from being an omnivore.
I'd give short shrift to any vegan getting on their high horse about their lifestyle, but playing devil's advocateI don't actually think I've ever met a vegan who adhered to the stereotype of banging on about it, and it seems unlikely there are so few I've never met one.
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
Does anyone know the origin?
I’ve always thought of it as the rough equivalent of your bucket of warm spit, though I know the latter has a specific context.
I have always assumed that Garner actually said warm piss, and you couldn't report that in those days.
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
Does anyone know the origin?
I'm unaware of the etymology of the idiom but it's not hard to imagine how unpleasant it is to vomit into a cup, let it go stone cold and then be obliged to drink it.
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
I can believe the former, but I cannot believe for a second that 'vegan signalling' has had any cut through whatsoever.
BTW, there is a famous vegan strip club in Portland, Oregon. (No doubt some close to Boris will wish to do some first-person research?)
One thing I've NOT been able to figure out: are the customers vegan, or the strippers? Or both?
Seems like it'd be easy to figure out, if you can finagle a trip to Portland to research the matter.
Texas 6th CD Special Election for US House May 1 - polls close 7pm CDT = 1am BST
Texas Tribune - Special election to replace U.S. Rep. Ron Wright remains highly competitive in final hours, as Donald Trump looms large
Nearly two-dozen candidates are vying to fill the late congressman's seat, and the former president is backing Wright's widow, Susan Wright. . . .
[T]he race remains highly competitive in its final hours, and two major questions loom that have both Democrats and Republicans on edge.
Will former President Donald Trump’s late endorsement of Wright’s widow, Susan Wright, be enough to secure her a decisive berth in an anticipated runoff? And will Democrats, who believe they have a shot at flipping the district, be able to get one of their candidates in that overtime round?
“I am afraid of a lockout,” said U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus PAC that has endorsed one of the top Democratic candidates, Jana Lynne Sanchez. “There’s nothing much we can do about it except make sure we run the best race possible.”
Gallego said he was nonetheless confident that Sanchez, the 2018 nominee for the seat, would be the Democrat who makes the runoff, citing her experience of putting the district in play previously and her focus on health care.
On the Republican side, there are similarly high expectations for Susan Wright, who entered the contest looking formidable but has been unable to emerge as a clear frontrunner as other Republicans’ bids have distinguished themselves. Rick Barnes, the Tarrant County GOP chairman who endorsed Susan Wright early on, said he has “always been very comfortable” with her chances throughout the race and remains so, but he acknowledged she has had to navigate a thicket of competition.
“I don’t think any race is easy anymore,” Barnes said. “That’s just where we are in politics today. This race just grew so big. When we say it’s a jungle race, it is literally a jungle race.”
The race got a late jolt Friday afternoon when Susan Wright's campaign said it had reached out to law enforcement after hearing of a "criminal smear" robocall alleging that she had killed her husband. Ron Wright died in February after being hospitalized with COVID-19 and living for years with cancer. Susan Wright denounced the robocall as "illegal, immoral, and wrong." . . .
Polling of the race has consistently shown Wright and Sanchez leading, though the surveys have come with all kinds of caveats. Polls have included only partial candidate lists, produced significant shares of undecided voters and shown many candidates bunched within the margin of error. . . .
Great to see signs in the polls of the shine coming off the magnificent man.
But I'm not moved for Hartlepool and neither is the market. Cons 1.6.
It's not entirely fair to you, since you'll deserve all the kudos if you're right, but for all the other usual suspects:
if the Tories win Hartlepool after the entire media have serially unloaded their bowels on Boris, I will NEVER shut up about it...
But what is the point of never shutting up about an odds on favourite winning? Where does mindless cheerleading get you?
Wait a minute, so do today's polls matter or don't they? You presumably think they should affect the odds of the Tories winning Parliamentary seats, otherwise what's the point in discussing them at all? If Boris has now entered a fatal tailspin and is running neck-and-neck with Labour, those odds must be wrong.
I've had two through the door. They mention climate change a lot.
It's the mood music and what underlies it that worries people.
People will vote for it if it makes their lives better. If it entails lots of sacrifices, taxes and restrictions then they will tell them to get stuffed, regardless of what they tell pollsters now.
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
Does anyone know the origin?
I’ve always thought of it as the rough equivalent of your bucket of warm spit, though I know the latter has a specific context.
I have always assumed that Garner actually said warm piss, and you couldn't report that in those days.
Probably right but strangely a bucket of warm spit seems more disgustingly memorable.
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
Does anyone know the origin?
Monty Python. Is where I first saw it
I remember a rhyme in the 1960s about school dinners. Hot snot and bogie pie. All wrapped up in a dead dog’s eye. Creamy phlegm to make it thick. All washed down with a cup of cold sick.
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
Not one current Scottish Conservative constituency seat in Holyrood has a fishing port of any significant size, Banffshire and Buchan coast which contains Peterhead, the largest fishing port in Scotland, has an SNP constituency MSP already
Also - I bet you that BMG Scotland poll shows the SNP majority is basically knife edge as we had thought it was going to be.
Didn’t the last BMG have yes leading?
Indeed, tonight's poll has No and Yes each on 50%, still miles behind the near 60% Yes was on last year
You sound a bit rattled
Of course not, we Tories will refuse a legal indyref2 and any change to the status of the Union as long as we stay in power.
There is sod all the Nationalists can do about it
What about the argument the Nats are sure to lose one and lose it big if held in next couple of years, and they are trying to avoid backing themselves into a hole and having to do it. Being so dogmatic you are going to let them out that hole with you failure to have a wily realpolitik approach?
Even if No narrowly won an indyref2 now, the UK government by granting it before a generation had elapsed would allow the hardliners within the Nationalist movement to demand indyref3 within a year.
'Once in a generation' means precisely that
That’s a little over the top, it green lights one every year. 😃
Alternatively, losing two in a decade, the second by some margin, actually does kill it for a generation, and perhaps not appetite even then based on the post industrial, automated, Silk Road slapped globalised mess UK is going to be in in 15 years time.
It may prove a mistake not to box them into a heavy loss.
Realpolitik tells us the Nats are on a loser with ref soon, they are trying to squirm out of it, box them in!
@BluestBlue is usually such a diligent commentator on the polls. Hope he's OK.
Lol @IshmaelZ - your concern is much appreciated. I'll just point out, as before, that knee-jerkers on PB have predicted at least 24 of the last 0 political endgames for Boris Johnson. Once the media shitstorm subsides, his polling will improve, as it did after the Supreme Court 'crisis', after he 'died in a ditch', after Phonegate (which caused the final YouGov MRP to predict a majority of only 28), after Cummingsgate Mark 1, and after the series of tiers and lockdowns in winter, when it seemed there was little hope of us getting out of the pandemic at all.
Care to declare on the record that this is the moment that his luck finally runs out forever? Somehow, I don't think you will.
Yes.
Even the very lucky run out of luck eventually. I think this is the beginning of the end. He is perilously exposed over wallpaper issues (which are in reality dishonesty and false accounting issues), the vaccine effect will wear off, the Brexit effect will wear off, the Red Wall will revert to type. He needs a huge brand new piece of good luck to appear over the horizon. Could happen, but. I don't now see him fighting the next GE.
And I am just trying to state things the way I see them, so no need to sound so manic about "knee jerkers." I have never previously predicted his downfall. I said about Cummings/Barnard Castle that it was *IN THE LONG RUN* deeply damaging, and I feel pretty confident I was right about that.
In 2020 - early pandemic - I predicted Boris would go early 2021. He proved me wrong. But your underlying sentiments are correct, I feel
All the upside for Boris is in leaving early (after the job comes money, privacy, fun). He's done what he was meant to do: Brexit. He's done what he never intended to do: see us through Covid
If he goes soon he will still go out on a high, and he won't have to face the boring future (debt, Scottish arguments, Brexit hangover). He can claim 1. *a young child* and 2. *he's exhausted* and he can claim both, credibly.
Tedious management is not his style, and that's what happens now, presuming the plague is done. He's reached the top, now he has to cash in, while he can still enjoy the wealth. It all points one way, unless his wife or he or both are seriously attached to the prestige of his being PM
Yes- the best (selfish) time to go is at the height of the Victory over Covid celebrations. Leaving someone else to deal with the intray.
But in that case, why waste a fortune, and run the risk of redecorating the flat with unconventional sources of money? Because it could be Al Copone's tax returns.
There are people here who clearly believe BoJo to be immortal, maybe he does too.
And being called Prime Minister is a heck of a drug.
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
So good you really understand business Rochdale. Keep taking the tablets 👍
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
Vegans can go to hell in a handcart if they expect others to join them in their cult. Cult, religion, whatever you want to call it, it isn't ethics and it isn't science.
I'm happy to do my part for the environment but that does not mean changing from being an omnivore.
Indeed. Fundamentally the problem we have with our climate is down to burning billions and billions of tons of fossil fuels. We've eaten fish and meat - in moderation - since the dawn of time.
However, this seems to get way more than half the attention - probably because it's a way of demonstrating self-sacrifice and absolving oneself of sin - and some Conservatives have gone along with it, including raising the prospect of taxation and rationing.
It's instructive to look at the historical record in 1946-47 to see how the extension of rationing helped destroy Attlee's Government, and just how long the Conservatives were in power after they'd removed it and expanded choice.
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
Does anyone know the origin?
I’ve always thought of it as the rough equivalent of your bucket of warm spit, though I know the latter has a specific context.
I have always assumed that Garner actually said warm piss, and you couldn't report that in those days.
Great to see signs in the polls of the shine coming off the magnificent man.
But I'm not moved for Hartlepool and neither is the market. Cons 1.6.
It's not entirely fair to you, since you'll deserve all the kudos if you're right, but for all the other usual suspects:
if the Tories win Hartlepool after the entire media have serially unloaded their bowels on Boris, I will NEVER shut up about it...
I think most of us "far left wokeists" have had Hartlepool pencilled in as a Tory gain for a while. Hartlepool had a big Brexit vote in 2019 which some of us assume will shift to the Conservatives. Whatever the result, it doesn't tell us who wins 2024 or 2028.
However, next Friday you will be entitled to call anyone not on team Johnson "LOSERS". I can't wait
I mean, we are losers, objectively.
May not be losers forever though.
Never considered myself as anything other than a centrist, but I must confess after the hubris from several Johnson cheerleaders in the last day or two with their 11 point lead, and as @londonpubman suggested I have pissed myself laughing after today's polls. I'm sure it won't last but hey, take the win whenever you can. Off to change my trousers now!
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
Not one current Scottish Conservative seat in Holyrood has a fishing port of any significant size, Banffshire and Buchan coast which contains Peterhead, the largest fishing port in Scotland, has an SNP constituency MSP already
Do you actually understand how the electoral system works up here? The Tories have FOUR MSPs in the North East. Four. Not Zero as you said. How about you shut up for a bit about things you clearly know shit all about?
Great to see signs in the polls of the shine coming off the magnificent man.
But I'm not moved for Hartlepool and neither is the market. Cons 1.6.
It's not entirely fair to you, since you'll deserve all the kudos if you're right, but for all the other usual suspects:
if the Tories win Hartlepool after the entire media have serially unloaded their bowels on Boris, I will NEVER shut up about it...
I think most of us "far left wokeists" have had Hartlepool pencilled in as a Tory gain for a while. Hartlepool had a big Brexit vote in 2019 which some of us assume will shift to the Conservatives. Whatever the result, it doesn't tell us who wins 2024 or 2028.
However, next Friday you will be entitled to call anyone not on team Johnson "LOSERS". I can't wait
Brexit Party got 26% of the vote. Wow.
New Royal Yachts are of course dear to the Brexiteer heart.
I don't see Hartlepool proving anything as far as Boris's long term prospects go. His biggest worry is a victory so resounding it displaces Keir in favour of Rayner.
Blue is a winner, I'm a loser, a hard-left loser, or so it would seem (although personally speaking it makes little difference to me if Johnson wins every election until I drop). Just the facts of life, I am afraid. I'm learning to live with the humiliation.
Evening all. I see that I am no longer a lone voice in the wind saying that wallpapergate will do Johnson.
How I can put this: the Tories are brazenly and openly corrupt - financial, moral and political corruption. It shouldn't be a surprise that Johnson not only thinks he needs £300k to live on but doesn't think the rules regarding financial propriety apply to him.
Why shouldn't these donors be asked to pay for his lifestyle? Like Tory voters in Hartlepool wondering how much their bribe money will be if they join neighbouring seats in electing a Tory MP, donors know that doing these things for the Tories brings direct rewards.
The latest and worst example is the £11m donated to the party by property developers which in no way had any influence over the government's hard line on cladding which lets the developers off scott free and bankrupts millions now stuck in unsellable and potentially lethal housing.
So why not pay for a vastly ugly and overblown refurb of a flat only refurbed a few years earlier? They'll get their money back and more besides.
Not sure what party you are currently supporting Rochdale but I think it is time for your medication
Poor Boris - 'Johnson has told friends that he needs to earn about £300,000 a year — twice his salary — to keep his head above water, while a former No 10 insider said it was “received wisdom” that he is permanently broke.'
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
Does anyone know the origin?
I’ve always thought of it as the rough equivalent of your bucket of warm spit, though I know the latter has a specific context.
I have always assumed that Garner actually said warm piss, and you couldn't report that in those days.
Probably right but strangely a bucket of warm spit seems more disgustingly memorable.
Catus Jack was trying to be correct AND colorful - NOT disgusting.
Great to see signs in the polls of the shine coming off the magnificent man.
But I'm not moved for Hartlepool and neither is the market. Cons 1.6.
It's not entirely fair to you, since you'll deserve all the kudos if you're right, but for all the other usual suspects:
if the Tories win Hartlepool after the entire media have serially unloaded their bowels on Boris, I will NEVER shut up about it...
I think most of us "far left wokeists" have had Hartlepool pencilled in as a Tory gain for a while. Hartlepool had a big Brexit vote in 2019 which some of us assume will shift to the Conservatives. Whatever the result, it doesn't tell us who wins 2024 or 2028.
However, next Friday you will be entitled to call anyone not on team Johnson "LOSERS". I can't wait
Brexit Party got 26% of the vote. Wow.
New Royal Yachts are of course dear to the Brexiteer heart.
I don't see Hartlepool proving anything as far as Boris's long term prospects go. His biggest worry is a victory so resounding it displaces Keir in favour of Rayner.
It will tell us whether such votes were a "one-off" due to Corbyn and Brexit or indicative of deeper underlying demographic trends that are still developing. There will be other trends (nationwide) in the other direction, of course.
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
As a solid Tory, where would you say this government is economically, somewhere you are happy with?
I could take umbridge at @londonpubman 's multiple comments about tablets and medication. I think I have been open on here about my mental health disaster last year so he knows I have been on pills.
Happily I am stopping taking the pills having recovered my sanity. Pub man will never recover from being a [ ].
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
Does anyone know the origin?
I'm unaware of the etymology of the idiom but it's not hard to imagine how unpleasant it is to vomit into a cup, let it go stone cold and then be obliged to drink it.
Well, part of the children's rhyme appears in the Beatles output (I am the walrus). Where the rhyme originally came from is anyone's guess.
Yellow matter custard, green slop pie, all mixed together with a dead dog’s eye. Slap it on a butty, ten foot thick, then wash it all down with a cup of cold sick
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
I believe the approved BJ loyalist line now is that fisher folk were fucking fools for believing BJ and should have known that they were naught but pawns to be sacrificed. If only someone had tried to warn them that this would happen..
HYUFD. Most of your posts are valuable and erudite. You are generally one of the best posters on PB. Yours posts are educational and valuable. However, your posts on Scotland are not. Your usual impartiality disappears when posting about Scotland. They must be a reason for it. Were you bullied by a Scots boy at school? Were you beaten for a promotion by a Scotsman? Did a Scot win your coveted post as Constituency Chair? Whatever the reason, if you could post on Scotland as well as you post on other topics, your views would be more respected. I hope you don’t mind this constructive criticism, because otherwise you seem a thoroughly decent chap.
I could take umbridge at @londonpubman 's multiple comments about tablets and medication. I think I have been open on here about my mental health disaster last year so he knows I have been on pills.
Happily I am stopping taking the pills having recovered my sanity. Pub man will never recover from being a [ ].
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
Not one current Scottish Conservative seat in Holyrood has a fishing port of any significant size, Banffshire and Buchan coast which contains Peterhead, the largest fishing port in Scotland, has an SNP constituency MSP already
Do you actually understand how the electoral system works up here? The Tories have FOUR MSPs in the North East. Four. Not Zero as you said. How about you shut up for a bit about things you clearly know shit all about?
The vast majority of the North East region electorate as a whole on the list are not fishermen, none of the main Scottish fishing port Holyrood constituencies eg those which contain Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Scrabster, Ullapool and Lochinver are held by the Tories
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
I believe the approved BJ loyalist line now is that fisher folk were fucking fools for believing BJ and should have known that they were naught but pawns to be sacrificed. If only someone had tried to warn them that this would happen..
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
I can believe the former, but I cannot believe for a second that 'vegan signalling' has had any cut through whatsoever.
BTW, there is a famous vegan strip club in Portland, Oregon. (No doubt some close to Boris will wish to do some first-person research?)
One thing I've NOT been able to figure out: are the customers vegan, or the strippers? Or both?
Seems like it'd be easy to figure out, if you can finagle a trip to Portland to research the matter.
May I suggest a special PB Expeditionary Farce? No doubt Charles, Mike & other well-heeled among us (and am NOT talking $40 shoes) will be quite eager to finance such a worthwhile enterprise?
My guess is that $10,000 (in $2 bills) plus airfare, meals, pharmaceuticals, ubers, & other vital research expenses should get us started nicely.
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
I believe the approved BJ loyalist line now is that fisher folk were fucking fools for believing BJ and should have known that they were naught but pawns to be sacrificed. If only someone had tried to warn them that this would happen..
None of them represent fishing port constituencies at Holyood, they are all elected on the list for the vast North East region. Every Scottish region has at least 2 Tory list MSPs and most have 3 or 4 whether they contain significant fishing ports or not so your point is irrelevant
Great to see signs in the polls of the shine coming off the magnificent man.
But I'm not moved for Hartlepool and neither is the market. Cons 1.6.
It's not entirely fair to you, since you'll deserve all the kudos if you're right, but for all the other usual suspects:
if the Tories win Hartlepool after the entire media have serially unloaded their bowels on Boris, I will NEVER shut up about it...
Did they really unload their entire bowels on him unfairly. Considering the trick he was pulling you surely admit he deserved a little bit of flack from his own side too? He left himself in a position he just couldn’t answer the question just like Cummings said at time he was doing. It was an unforced error - not injustice or machination by his opponents.
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
Not one current Scottish Conservative seat in Holyrood has a fishing port of any significant size, Banffshire and Buchan coast which contains Peterhead, the largest fishing port in Scotland, has an SNP constituency MSP already
Do you actually understand how the electoral system works up here? The Tories have FOUR MSPs in the North East. Four. Not Zero as you said. How about you shut up for a bit about things you clearly know shit all about?
The vast majority of the North East region electorate as a whole on the list are not fishermen, none of the main Scottish fishing port Holyrood constituencies eg those which contain Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Scrabster, Ullapool and Lochinver are held by the Tories
Got it. So you remain insistent that the Tories have zero MSPs representing Peterhead and Broch? Well by next weekend lets hope so and the 4 you seem not to count as MSPs have all been removed.
I could take umbridge at @londonpubman 's multiple comments about tablets and medication. I think I have been open on here about my mental health disaster last year so he knows I have been on pills.
Happily I am stopping taking the pills having recovered my sanity. Pub man will never recover from being a [ ].
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
I believe the approved BJ loyalist line now is that fisher folk were fucking fools for believing BJ and should have known that they were naught but pawns to be sacrificed. If only someone had tried to warn them that this would happen..
None of them represent fishing port constituencies at Holyood, they are all elected on the list for the vast North East region. Every Scottish region has at least 2 Tory list MSPs and most have 3 and 4 so your point is irrelevant
If the MSPs elected to the North East region do not represent the people in the North East region then what do you think they represent?
Happy to remove them if you don't want them. You do understand that at least a couple of these Tory seats will go Green don't you? Thats -2 for the union and +2 for independence.
I could take umbridge at @londonpubman 's multiple comments about tablets and medication. I think I have been open on here about my mental health disaster last year so he knows I have been on pills.
Happily I am stopping taking the pills having recovered my sanity. Pub man will never recover from being a [ ].
Londoner?
I had a shorter word associated with Berkshire in mind.
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
Something that has startled me in the last couple of weeks here in Wales are all the farmers fields around here (Llantwit/Cowbridge/ Western Vale area) normally emblazoned in blue at the GE and Senedd elections, all (and I do mean ALL) have Jane Hutt election signs out. It won't offset the Redwall Tory voters in Bridgend and Neath/Port Talbot, but it is certainly an interesting departure.
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
I believe the approved BJ loyalist line now is that fisher folk were fucking fools for believing BJ and should have known that they were naught but pawns to be sacrificed. If only someone had tried to warn them that this would happen..
None of them represent fishing port constituencies at Holyood, they are all elected on the list for the vast North East region. Every Scottish region has at least 2 Tory list MSPs and most have 3 and 4 so your point is irrelevant
If the MSPs elected to the North East region do not represent the people in the North East region then what do you think they represent?
Happy to remove them if you don't want them. You do understand that at least a couple of these Tory seats will go Green don't you? Thats -2 for the union and +2 for independence.
Only votes for SNP and Alba MSPs therefore count as independence votes and on some current polls the SNP could even lose seats next week.
Not that it matters as we Tories are the UK government and we will refuse indyref2 anyway and Union matters are reserved to Westminster, though fewer SNP MSPs will make it easier when we do refuse indyref2
I could take umbridge at @londonpubman 's multiple comments about tablets and medication. I think I have been open on here about my mental health disaster last year so he knows I have been on pills.
Happily I am stopping taking the pills having recovered my sanity. Pub man will never recover from being a [ ].
Did you have to stop so quickly though, you can take SSRI for years they don’t do body harm?
I’m not your doctor, but take the time you need to get the black dog to heel.
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
Not one current Scottish Conservative seat in Holyrood has a fishing port of any significant size, Banffshire and Buchan coast which contains Peterhead, the largest fishing port in Scotland, has an SNP constituency MSP already
Do you actually understand how the electoral system works up here? The Tories have FOUR MSPs in the North East. Four. Not Zero as you said. How about you shut up for a bit about things you clearly know shit all about?
The vast majority of the North East region electorate as a whole on the list are not fishermen, none of the main Scottish fishing port Holyrood constituencies eg those which contain Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Scrabster, Ullapool and Lochinver are held by the Tories
Many people in the North East of Scotland, including my son, who lives in a village near Fraserburgh, are not fishermen, but have friends and family who are. When he votes, the fishing community’s interests will be taken into account.
Great to see signs in the polls of the shine coming off the magnificent man.
But I'm not moved for Hartlepool and neither is the market. Cons 1.6.
It's not entirely fair to you, since you'll deserve all the kudos if you're right, but for all the other usual suspects:
if the Tories win Hartlepool after the entire media have serially unloaded their bowels on Boris, I will NEVER shut up about it...
But what is the point of never shutting up about an odds on favourite winning? Where does mindless cheerleading get you?
Wait a minute, so do today's polls matter or don't they? You presumably think they should affect the odds of the Tories winning Parliamentary seats, otherwise what's the point in discussing them at all? If Boris has now entered a fatal tailspin and is running neck-and-neck with Labour, those odds must be wrong.
Calm down. They matter, but only a tiny bit. They may faintly hint at an inflection in a trend. They are not the reason for thinking we are past peak Boris, they are merely consistent with that view. Hartlepool will be done and dusted before May 26, before the resolution of wallpapergate, before people have had time to process new facts and change minds.
As someone astutely pointed out yesterday you cannot see Black Wednesday in the polling for 1992.
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
Not one current Scottish Conservative seat in Holyrood has a fishing port of any significant size, Banffshire and Buchan coast which contains Peterhead, the largest fishing port in Scotland, has an SNP constituency MSP already
Do you actually understand how the electoral system works up here? The Tories have FOUR MSPs in the North East. Four. Not Zero as you said. How about you shut up for a bit about things you clearly know shit all about?
The vast majority of the North East region electorate as a whole on the list are not fishermen, none of the main Scottish fishing port Holyrood constituencies eg those which contain Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Scrabster, Ullapool and Lochinver are held by the Tories
Many people in the North East of Scotland, including my son, who lives in a village near Fraserburgh, are not fishermen, but have friends and family who are. When he votes, the fishing community’s interests will be taken into account.
Fraserburgh has an SNP constituency MSP already anyway
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
Not one current Scottish Conservative seat in Holyrood has a fishing port of any significant size, Banffshire and Buchan coast which contains Peterhead, the largest fishing port in Scotland, has an SNP constituency MSP already
Do you actually understand how the electoral system works up here? The Tories have FOUR MSPs in the North East. Four. Not Zero as you said. How about you shut up for a bit about things you clearly know shit all about?
The vast majority of the North East region electorate as a whole on the list are not fishermen, none of the main Scottish fishing port Holyrood constituencies eg those which contain Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Scrabster, Ullapool and Lochinver are held by the Tories
Many people in the North East of Scotland, including my son, who lives in a village near Fraserburgh, are not fishermen, but have friends and family who are. When he votes, the fishing community’s interests will be taken into account.
Fraserburgh has an SNP constituency MSP already anyway
Beg leave to confess, that yours truly has inadvertently misled the board.
Because Texas 6th Congressional District does NOT include any part of Dallas County.
Instead, it takes in the southeast corner of Tarrant County including Arlington; but none or very little of Fort Worth, the county seat and "Where the West Begins". Most of CD06 vote comes from Tarrant.
District also includes two exurban/rural counties south of Dallas, Ellis (Waxahachie) and Navarro (Corsicana).
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
I believe the approved BJ loyalist line now is that fisher folk were fucking fools for believing BJ and should have known that they were naught but pawns to be sacrificed. If only someone had tried to warn them that this would happen..
None of them represent fishing port constituencies at Holyood, they are all elected on the list for the vast North East region. Every Scottish region has at least 2 Tory list MSPs and most have 3 and 4 so your point is irrelevant
If the MSPs elected to the North East region do not represent the people in the North East region then what do you think they represent?
Happy to remove them if you don't want them. You do understand that at least a couple of these Tory seats will go Green don't you? Thats -2 for the union and +2 for independence.
Only votes for SNP and Alba MSPs therefore count as independence votes and on some current polls the SNP could even lose seats next week.
Not that it matters as we Tories are the UK government and we will refuse indyref2 anyway and Union matters are reserved to Westminster, though fewer SNP MSPs will make it easier when we do refuse indyref2
HYUFD as ever you are the voice of reason.
Rochdale will always live in his fantasy world. His party - it seems to change every minute - might one day win power!
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
Not one current Scottish Conservative seat in Holyrood has a fishing port of any significant size, Banffshire and Buchan coast which contains Peterhead, the largest fishing port in Scotland, has an SNP constituency MSP already
Do you actually understand how the electoral system works up here? The Tories have FOUR MSPs in the North East. Four. Not Zero as you said. How about you shut up for a bit about things you clearly know shit all about?
The vast majority of the North East region electorate as a whole on the list are not fishermen, none of the main Scottish fishing port Holyrood constituencies eg those which contain Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Scrabster, Ullapool and Lochinver are held by the Tories
Many people in the North East of Scotland, including my son, who lives in a village near Fraserburgh, are not fishermen, but have friends and family who are. When he votes, the fishing community’s interests will be taken into account.
Fraserburgh has an SNP constituency MSP already anyway
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
I believe the approved BJ loyalist line now is that fisher folk were fucking fools for believing BJ and should have known that they were naught but pawns to be sacrificed. If only someone had tried to warn them that this would happen..
None of them represent fishing port constituencies at Holyood, they are all elected on the list for the vast North East region. Every Scottish region has at least 2 Tory list MSPs and most have 3 and 4 so your point is irrelevant
If the MSPs elected to the North East region do not represent the people in the North East region then what do you think they represent?
Happy to remove them if you don't want them. You do understand that at least a couple of these Tory seats will go Green don't you? Thats -2 for the union and +2 for independence.
Only votes for SNP and Alba MSPs therefore count as independence votes and on some current polls the SNP could even lose seats next week.
Not that it matters as we Tories are the UK government and we will refuse indyref2 anyway and Union matters are reserved to Westminster, though fewer SNP MSPs will make it easier when we do refuse indyref2
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
I believe the approved BJ loyalist line now is that fisher folk were fucking fools for believing BJ and should have known that they were naught but pawns to be sacrificed. If only someone had tried to warn them that this would happen..
None of them represent fishing port constituencies at Holyood, they are all elected on the list for the vast North East region. Every Scottish region has at least 2 Tory list MSPs and most have 3 or 4 whether they contain significant fishing ports or not so your point is irrelevant
Take it from me who married the daughter of one of the most successful Scottish fishing skippers and has a fishing heritage going back to the Stotfield fishing disaster that you do not know what you are talking about
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
Does anyone know the origin?
Monty Python. Is where I first saw it
I remember a rhyme in the 1960s about school dinners. Hot snot and bogie pie. All wrapped up in a dead dog’s eye. Creamy phlegm to make it thick. All washed down with a cup of cold sick.
Any earlier examples, PBers?
Sounds like luxury compared to what I was served up.
They have - apparently - some 9 million members now (including me). They already have on record all the information they need for those members to make the normal adjustments needed for any reputable BPC poll. I assume they could run algorithms to do this automatically in very short order by computer.
So when it comes to these key political polls do they not simply ask everyone of their members? even if only 1% replied that is still 90,000 responses which would make it a far better poll than anything else normally done by pollsters.
So why do they not do this? Why do they only ask these polling questions of a tiny fraction of their members?
Is their some technical factor that would render such large polls less accurate than one of 2200 people?
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
I believe the approved BJ loyalist line now is that fisher folk were fucking fools for believing BJ and should have known that they were naught but pawns to be sacrificed. If only someone had tried to warn them that this would happen..
None of them represent fishing port constituencies at Holyood, they are all elected on the list for the vast North East region. Every Scottish region has at least 2 Tory list MSPs and most have 3 and 4 so your point is irrelevant
If the MSPs elected to the North East region do not represent the people in the North East region then what do you think they represent?
Happy to remove them if you don't want them. You do understand that at least a couple of these Tory seats will go Green don't you? Thats -2 for the union and +2 for independence.
Only votes for SNP and Alba MSPs therefore count as independence votes and on some current polls the SNP could even lose seats next week.
Not that it matters as we Tories are the UK government and we will refuse indyref2 anyway and Union matters are reserved to Westminster, though fewer SNP MSPs will make it easier when we do refuse indyref2
BTW your disdain for - and ignorance of - democracy is why those Tory MSPs you don't think exist will lose their seats.
Who cares, it is what Green voters think that matters and they now oppose independence which we Tories will respect when we refuse indyref2 and refuse any change to the Union for the rest of our time in office
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
Does anyone know the origin?
Monty Python. Is where I first saw it
I remember a rhyme in the 1960s about school dinners. Hot snot and bogie pie. All wrapped up in a dead dog’s eye. Creamy phlegm to make it thick. All washed down with a cup of cold sick.
Any earlier examples, PBers?
Sounds like luxury compared to what I was served up.
You were served? Luxury! We had to get up before dawn, walk 10 miles to scrap the day old roadkill off the motorway
Why should anyone panic. Few give a shit about Scots Independence because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its a bit like Labour believing they xcan win outright at the next G E.
And yet BJ’s mouthpiece thinks he’s panicking.
'Fears SNP could launch independence bid immediately Several Cabinet ministers and senior figures close to Mr Johnson this weekend privately expressed their grave fears at the prospect of a big win for Ms Sturgeon who – Downing Street sources fear – could try to order a new independence referendum as soon as the result is announced.
A senior source said that the result was likely to be "bloody awful" in Scotland.
One minister said that the SNP were viewing Thursday’s vote as “a referendum on a referendum. There is no room for complacency. We are in a bare knuckle fight.”
Another Cabinet minister privately advocated voting for other unionist parties than the Conservatives to see off the SNP threat. They said people should "vote for parties that will save the Union and avoid Scotland going into the chaos of economic uncertainty at a time when we have to build back better under Covid".'
Perhaps - and its only an idea - the Tories could have retained more seats had they not sold out Scottish brexit-voting fishing communities. There is a reason that the farmer's big ScotCon boards keep having SCUM spray-painted on them...
Not one current Scottish Conservative seat in Holyrood has a fishing port of any significant size, Banffshire and Buchan coast which contains Peterhead, the largest fishing port in Scotland, has an SNP constituency MSP already
Do you actually understand how the electoral system works up here? The Tories have FOUR MSPs in the North East. Four. Not Zero as you said. How about you shut up for a bit about things you clearly know shit all about?
The vast majority of the North East region electorate as a whole on the list are not fishermen, none of the main Scottish fishing port Holyrood constituencies eg those which contain Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Scrabster, Ullapool and Lochinver are held by the Tories
Many people in the North East of Scotland, including my son, who lives in a village near Fraserburgh, are not fishermen, but have friends and family who are. When he votes, the fishing community’s interests will be taken into account.
Fraserburgh has an SNP constituency MSP already anyway
It also has a Conservative MP.
Who is not up for re election for 3 years
And who will probably be re-elected with in increased majority as when the fishermen vote Alba in the hope of an Independent Scotland in EFTA, thereby reducing the chances of the SNP regaining the seat. The interesting question is who will they vote for on Thursday?
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
Does anyone know the origin?
Monty Python. Is where I first saw it
I remember a rhyme in the 1960s about school dinners. Hot snot and bogie pie. All wrapped up in a dead dog’s eye. Creamy phlegm to make it thick. All washed down with a cup of cold sick.
Any earlier examples, PBers?
Sounds like luxury compared to what I was served up.
You were served? Luxury! We had to get up before dawn, walk 10 miles to scrap the day old roadkill off the motorway
And enjoyed cold pheasant (or was it peasant) on toast!
They have - apparently - some 9 million members now (including me). They already have on record all the information they need for those members to make the normal adjustments needed for any reputable BPC poll. I assume they could run algorithms to do this automatically in very short order by computer.
So when it comes to these key political polls do they not simply ask everyone of their members? even if only 1% replied that is still 90,000 responses which would make it a far better poll than anything else normally done by pollsters.
So why do they not do this? Why do they only ask these polling questions of a tiny fraction of their members?
Is their some technical factor that would render such large polls less accurate than one of 2200 people?
I suspect diminishing returns. Would you pay twice as much for a poll with 2% MoE compared to 3% MoE?
Indeed, for the last few elections they've combined their massive userbase with MRP methods to substantial success.
I am not at all surprised by the closing of the poll gap. Some solid tories (myself included) are not impressed by the events of this week.
I shudder when I think of what Mrs May did in March and April 2019 which shafted the chances of hundreds of good councillor candidates. I hope Boris' personal life hasn't repeated the error.
Time for the backbenches to start having some influence, in my opinion. If he isn't up to the job, time to find a replacement. If he is, he will recognise that it is time for a reshuffle and some proper Conservative policies. Shelving this obsession with Green nonsense would be a good start.
What “Green nonsense” are you referring to?
Surely conserving the earth is the most conservative policy possible?
Conservative leaflets for this round of local elections have gone heavy on climate change but have more in common with the zealotry of XR than a measured and practical response for a brighter tomorrow.
I think CCHQ want people to hear "green jobs" but what's actually cut through is banning and taxing stuff as well as vegan signalling from a couple of ministers.
It's gone down like a cup of cold sick amongst many party members.
"gone down like a cup of cold sick"
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
Does anyone know the origin?
Monty Python. Is where I first saw it
I remember a rhyme in the 1960s about school dinners. Hot snot and bogie pie. All wrapped up in a dead dog’s eye. Creamy phlegm to make it thick. All washed down with a cup of cold sick.
Any earlier examples, PBers?
Sounds like luxury compared to what I was served up.
You were served? Luxury! We had to get up before dawn, walk 10 miles to scrap the day old roadkill off the motorway
I dread to think what the four Yorkshiremen were served for school dinners!
Poor Boris - 'Johnson has told friends that he needs to earn about £300,000 a year — twice his salary — to keep his head above water, while a former No 10 insider said it was “received wisdom” that he is permanently broke.'
I thought a good chunk of conservatism was fiscal responsibility? Why do conservative members not care their figurehead displays none of the prudence the party championed for the last half century?
Extending this I have true blue relatives for whom adultery is a black mark against your character but for Johnson it is never mentioned.
Poor Boris - 'Johnson has told friends that he needs to earn about £300,000 a year — twice his salary — to keep his head above water, while a former No 10 insider said it was “received wisdom” that he is permanently broke.'
I thought a good chunk of conservatism was fiscal responsibility? Why do conservative members not care their figurehead displays none of the prudence the party championed for the last half century?
Extending this I have true blue relatives for whom adultery is a black mark against your character but for Johnson it is never mentioned.
To be fair Boris is a social democrat with a blue rosette, he is the least fiscally conservative Tory leader since Macmillan, certainly as far as spending is concerned.
He is also a social liberal, May was more socially conservative than Boris
They have - apparently - some 9 million members now (including me). They already have on record all the information they need for those members to make the normal adjustments needed for any reputable BPC poll. I assume they could run algorithms to do this automatically in very short order by computer.
So when it comes to these key political polls do they not simply ask everyone of their members? even if only 1% replied that is still 90,000 responses which would make it a far better poll than anything else normally done by pollsters.
So why do they not do this? Why do they only ask these polling questions of a tiny fraction of their members?
Is their some technical factor that would render such large polls less accurate than one of 2200 people?
90,000 responses would cost them somewhere between £45,000 and £90,000 to the panel that replied as opposed to £1,100 to £2,200 for a normal poll.
No client will pay that for a poll.
YouGov UK's profit for the year ending July 2020 was £15.4m, now YouGov poll every week, they'd be wiping out a lot of profit for little return.
On the MOE calculator the MOE would be something like 0.5 versus 2.
Comments
This phrase intrigues me, it's virtually unheard in America. Though we get the meaning loud & clear!
Does anyone know the origin?
All the upside for Boris is in leaving early (after the job comes money, privacy, fun). He's done what he was meant to do: Brexit. He's done what he never intended to do: see us through Covid
If he goes soon he will still go out on a high, and he won't have to face the boring future (debt, Scottish arguments, Brexit hangover). He can claim 1. *a young child* and 2. *he's exhausted* and he can claim both, credibly.
Tedious management is not his style, and that's what happens now, presuming the plague is done. He's reached the top, now he has to cash in, while he can still enjoy the wealth. It all points one way, unless his wife or he or both are seriously attached to the prestige of his being PM
https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2020-10/scotland-spom-october-2020-tables.pdf
However, next Friday you will be entitled to call anyone not on team Johnson "LOSERS". I can't wait
May not be losers forever though.
Just as Spain is a democracy even though Madrid can ignore Catalan separatists
One thing I've NOT been able to figure out: are the customers vegan, or the strippers? Or both?
Spread it on thick
And wash it all down with a cup of cold sick".
A rhyme from my childhood. Don't recall what "It" was though.
More than one academic has commented that it's simply a way of keeping the West at the centre of global affairs in a rapidly unrecognisable world where our position is increasingly contested and unclear.
I find that far more convincing.
'Once in a generation' means precisely that
The monkey hangers would be crazy to shun the investment their Tory voting neighbours will be getting.
They may have made a monkey balls up once before, but not this time
How I can put this: the Tories are brazenly and openly corrupt - financial, moral and political corruption. It shouldn't be a surprise that Johnson not only thinks he needs £300k to live on but doesn't think the rules regarding financial propriety apply to him.
Why shouldn't these donors be asked to pay for his lifestyle? Like Tory voters in Hartlepool wondering how much their bribe money will be if they join neighbouring seats in electing a Tory MP, donors know that doing these things for the Tories brings direct rewards.
The latest and worst example is the £11m donated to the party by property developers which in no way had any influence over the government's hard line on cladding which lets the developers off scott free and bankrupts millions now stuck in unsellable and potentially lethal housing.
So why not pay for a vastly ugly and overblown refurb of a flat only refurbed a few years earlier? They'll get their money back and more besides.
I'm happy to do my part for the environment but that does not mean changing from being an omnivore.
New Royal Yachts are of course dear to the Brexiteer heart.
I don't see Hartlepool proving anything as far as Boris's long term prospects go. His biggest worry is a victory so resounding it displaces Keir in favour of Rayner.
What exactly does that leave?
Texas Tribune - Special election to replace U.S. Rep. Ron Wright remains highly competitive in final hours, as Donald Trump looms large
Nearly two-dozen candidates are vying to fill the late congressman's seat, and the former president is backing Wright's widow, Susan Wright. . . .
[T]he race remains highly competitive in its final hours, and two major questions loom that have both Democrats and Republicans on edge.
Will former President Donald Trump’s late endorsement of Wright’s widow, Susan Wright, be enough to secure her a decisive berth in an anticipated runoff? And will Democrats, who believe they have a shot at flipping the district, be able to get one of their candidates in that overtime round?
“I am afraid of a lockout,” said U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus PAC that has endorsed one of the top Democratic candidates, Jana Lynne Sanchez. “There’s nothing much we can do about it except make sure we run the best race possible.”
Gallego said he was nonetheless confident that Sanchez, the 2018 nominee for the seat, would be the Democrat who makes the runoff, citing her experience of putting the district in play previously and her focus on health care.
On the Republican side, there are similarly high expectations for Susan Wright, who entered the contest looking formidable but has been unable to emerge as a clear frontrunner as other Republicans’ bids have distinguished themselves. Rick Barnes, the Tarrant County GOP chairman who endorsed Susan Wright early on, said he has “always been very comfortable” with her chances throughout the race and remains so, but he acknowledged she has had to navigate a thicket of competition.
“I don’t think any race is easy anymore,” Barnes said. “That’s just where we are in politics today. This race just grew so big. When we say it’s a jungle race, it is literally a jungle race.”
The race got a late jolt Friday afternoon when Susan Wright's campaign said it had reached out to law enforcement after hearing of a "criminal smear" robocall alleging that she had killed her husband. Ron Wright died in February after being hospitalized with COVID-19 and living for years with cancer. Susan Wright denounced the robocall as "illegal, immoral, and wrong." . . .
Polling of the race has consistently shown Wright and Sanchez leading, though the surveys have come with all kinds of caveats. Polls have included only partial candidate lists, produced significant shares of undecided voters and shown many candidates bunched within the margin of error. . . .
https://www.texastribune.org/2021/04/30/tx-6-special-election/
I've had two through the door. They mention climate change a lot.
It's the mood music and what underlies it that worries people.
People will vote for it if it makes their lives better. If it entails lots of sacrifices, taxes and restrictions then they will tell them to get stuffed, regardless of what they tell pollsters now.
Hot snot and bogie pie.
All wrapped up in a dead dog’s eye.
Creamy phlegm to make it thick.
All washed down with a cup of cold sick.
Any earlier examples, PBers?
Alternatively, losing two in a decade, the second by some margin, actually does kill it for a generation, and perhaps not appetite even then based on the post industrial, automated, Silk Road slapped globalised mess UK is going to be in in 15 years time.
It may prove a mistake not to box them into a heavy loss.
Realpolitik tells us the Nats are on a loser with ref soon, they are trying to squirm out of it, box them in!
But in that case, why waste a fortune, and run the risk of redecorating the flat with unconventional sources of money? Because it could be Al Copone's tax returns.
There are people here who clearly believe BoJo to be immortal, maybe he does too.
And being called Prime Minister is a heck of a drug.
However, this seems to get way more than half the attention - probably because it's a way of demonstrating self-sacrifice and absolving oneself of sin - and some Conservatives have gone along with it, including raising the prospect of taxation and rationing.
It's instructive to look at the historical record in 1946-47 to see how the extension of rationing helped destroy Attlee's Government, and just how long the Conservatives were in power after they'd removed it and expanded choice.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/can-boris-johnson-afford-to-be-prime-minister-m2brczgq9?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3seuDGngJ6bo2ZbvL5j-TioGfeh0m7i_4IxxZLloP2j8cmRH7HeRUR9Ck#Echobox=1619889309
Right, past my bedtime. Goodnight.
Happily I am stopping taking the pills having recovered my sanity. Pub man will never recover from being a [ ].
Yellow matter custard, green slop pie, all mixed together with a dead dog’s eye.
Slap it on a butty, ten foot thick, then wash it all down with a cup of cold sick
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Mason_(Scottish_politician)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Chapman_(politician)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Bowman_(Scottish_politician)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liam_Kerr
If he doesn't want these MSPs any more - or thinks list MSPs aren't proper MSPs - us and the Greens will be happy to remove a few of them for him.
My guess is that $10,000 (in $2 bills) plus airfare, meals, pharmaceuticals, ubers, & other vital research expenses should get us started nicely.
Happy to remove them if you don't want them. You do understand that at least a couple of these Tory seats will go Green don't you? Thats -2 for the union and +2 for independence.
Nats might want to refine their economic arguments for leaving a bit
Snigger - oh dear Sturgeon
https://archive.ph/eg2lt
Only votes for SNP and Alba MSPs therefore count as independence votes and on some current polls the SNP could even lose seats next week.
Not that it matters as we Tories are the UK government and we will refuse indyref2 anyway and Union matters are reserved to Westminster, though fewer SNP MSPs will make it easier when we do refuse indyref2
I’m not your doctor, but take the time you need to get the black dog to heel.
As someone astutely pointed out yesterday you cannot see Black Wednesday in the polling for 1992.
Because Texas 6th Congressional District does NOT include any part of Dallas County.
Instead, it takes in the southeast corner of Tarrant County including Arlington; but none or very little of Fort Worth, the county seat and "Where the West Begins". Most of CD06 vote comes from Tarrant.
District also includes two exurban/rural counties south of Dallas, Ellis (Waxahachie) and Navarro (Corsicana).
Rochdale will always live in his fantasy world. His party - it seems to change every minute - might one day win power!
BTW your disdain for - and ignorance of - democracy is why those Tory MSPs you don't think exist will lose their seats.
They have - apparently - some 9 million members now (including me). They already have on record all the information they need for those members to make the normal adjustments needed for any reputable BPC poll. I assume they could run algorithms to do this automatically in very short order by computer.
So when it comes to these key political polls do they not simply ask everyone of their members? even if only 1% replied that is still 90,000 responses which would make it a far better poll than anything else normally done by pollsters.
So why do they not do this? Why do they only ask these polling questions of a tiny fraction of their members?
Is their some technical factor that would render such large polls less accurate than one of 2200 people?
😊
Goodnight all x
Always in season?
Because though it's nuts
Some dare call it reason
Indeed, for the last few elections they've combined their massive userbase with MRP methods to substantial success.
https://twitter.com/PippaCrerar/status/1388620238330155010?s=20
Extending this I have true blue relatives for whom adultery is a black mark against your character but for Johnson it is never mentioned.
He is also a social liberal, May was more socially conservative than Boris
No client will pay that for a poll.
YouGov UK's profit for the year ending July 2020 was £15.4m, now YouGov poll every week, they'd be wiping out a lot of profit for little return.
On the MOE calculator the MOE would be something like 0.5 versus 2.