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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Well red, Alastair Meeks on Labour’s new MPs

One in five of Labour’s current MPs did not serve in the last Parliament. With more than 50 new MPs, the new crop is going to make a big difference to Labour’s political balance. So what does it look like?
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http://en.blitzortung.org/live_lightning_maps.php?map=12
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4047731/former-pm-david-cameron-encourages-theresa-may-to-keep-on-going-during-no10-pep-talk-and-says-hes-desperate-for-to-brexit-suceed/
Wonder what the editor of Two Beard's free-sheet will make of that.....
Forgive me for going off-topic so soon, but I know we have some OnePlus fans and users on here. They may be interested in the following story:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/news/a27339/oneplus-5-reboots-911/
So why do we think scientists and engineers aren't becoming MPs?
It's more interesting to ask why they are avoiding the Labour Party.
At present I think there are 10 conservative MPs with a degree in science and 7 in the labour party.
https://duncan.hull.name/2015/05/08/scientist-mps/amp/
That feels low for both parties to be honest.
Interesting article, Mr. Meeks.
Of course, people who enjoy 'well red' things may also enjoy my mid-season review: http://enormo-haddock.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/mid-season-review-2017.html
Edited extra bit: weird thing. Click to stop loading (comments already up) and then it starts again.
Edited extra bit 2: annoying me, so I'll use the Vanilla forum directly, I think.
This morning they've published an update on the recent attempt to game the system and their countermeasures. This should also provide PB with a reasonable baseline on which to judge the usefulness of the surveys ongoing.
http://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2017/07/improving-the-conhome-monthly-survey.html
https://twitter.com/MXRXISM/status/887514126842548224
Lord Kerr of Kinlochard was among more than 60 prominent figures in Scotland who signed a letter warning that Brexit has seriously damaged the UK’s international reputation, and demanding a “UK-wide debate about calling a halt to the process”.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/scotland/article-50-author-calls-for-halt-on-uks-withdrawal-bn0kxcsdz
https://twitter.com/ConHome/status/887557601835274240
Edited extra bit: on BBC salaries, worth noting there are various points of view:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lzS8yW8INA
Thanks for the article AM.
You're welcome.
https://twitter.com/PickardJE/status/887567968623788032
That would certainly explain your posts.
Seriously though, that article just confirms that ConHome surveys (like almost all online surveys) is just GIGO. It should be used for amusement purposes only.
Great summary of the new intake. There seem to be a lot of teachers. O verall they seem a decent and diverse bunch, notable for their local roots rather than being parachuted in, and party members through thick and thin.
Thanks for the article Alastair!
as everthing has gone bonkers of late - why not this as well?
In my forty years of working with scientists on public issues, it is striking how few of them have much knowledge of, or interest in, how the country they live in works. There is some, highly controversial, evidence that there is a genetic element to the understanding of other people, it is not evenly distributed amongst the population. Is Mr. Meeks observation of this absence of scientists/engineers in the house, in his excellent article, further evidence for this theory? Whilst there are many great scientists who have taken an active part in politics, my suspicion is that they are not proportional to their presence in the general population.
The 'two cultures' problem is hardly new but the emerging genetic science makes it even more fascinating: and very relevant to politics.
Given that PBers include quite a few 'quant people' it would be interesting to know what any of them may feel about this issue.
If it produces results they disagree with they think it should be dispensed with.
Theresa May is the Brexiteer's puppet leader. They don't respect her but think they can control her.
Good article, as was your earlier one on the new business Conservative intake.
And as a generalisation, I'd say they tend to have a world outlook that makes very little allowance for human nature.
Those are big drawbacks for politicians.
HE also thinks May will last longer than many people think. I agree with him.
I think there might be something deeper: good scientists and engineers believe in process, in testing and planning. These are anathema to many politicians, and often the political process itself.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/18/conservative-mps-fear-students-collected-friends-polling-cards/
A few instances here or there doesnt justify a disproportinate response
https://amp.theguardian.com/media/live/2017/jul/19/bbc-publishes-salaries-of-highest-earning-stars-live-updates
No doubt we need a tightening up on all this, especially registering in more than one place. With postal ballot being widely adopted the is no need for this arcane aspect of the system.
Edited extra bit: performances in last three years not very helpful. He had one DNF, and the other two times he started around 14/16 and rose to 5/6th or so.
Effective politicians are more like barristers and that could be why we have so many of the latter in politics. They will defend a guilty man to the best of their abilities. because it's the right thing to do.
Often politicians will support a world view they want to be right despite evidence to the contrary. And they have a strange belief that passing a law will make voters agree with it. I await a law against gravity because it's dangerous and anti-social and it's the right thing to do.
Becoming a politician is usually an admission that you have an over-inflated opinion of your own judgement and a lack of regard for other's thought processes. That perhaps explains why Parliament still elects more Remainers than Leavers. And thank you Mr Meeks for that quick survey.
2. interesting article, thanks Alistair - shows that no matter how anti- or pro-Jezza MPs were, they spot an opportunity for power and are happy to set aside those worries in order to achieve it. If you assume that they objected to him because they didn't want to see the country dragged back to the 70s with unions gaining 35% payrises, and holding the country to ransom, plus British Leyland's return, etc, then it is perfectly acceptable to say:
Labour - Party before Country.
Its best feature by far was an overdrive that you could engage by flicking a little leaver sticking out of the steering wheel. Very useful to disengage when needing a boost of speed overtaking.
In politics, the right answer or wrong answer is much less clear.
Politics tends to the opposite.
I'm happy to accept AGW as proven once they can predict and it can be tested. Otherwise, I'll only go along with it being a best guess. And wait and see.
Since most students vote at the same polling station, and no-one is going to risk impersonating more than one voter at a station, I would be very surprised if there was any industrial-scale personation going on, despite the obvious paranoia of Tory MPs.
The BBC is a bastion of our cultural and creative industries, and incubator of new talent.
Remember that the register isn't just used for national elections. In a local election it is reasonable that someone like a student who is genuinely resident in two places should have a say in how those places' local government is run.
Increasing the requirement for ID etc is classic voter suppression.
The other slightly odd aspect of the present system is that students can legally vote twice in Local Elections (I think the same is true of second home owners). But not General Elections, of course.
I see no reason for this. Students (or second home owners) should be able to vote in Local elections once (like everyone else)
Incidentally where is out here?
Therefore voter photo ID is the way forward.
Barring students from participating in the local politics of their university town would be utterly wrong. And, to be consistent, would require a similar clampdown on the many others in society with two homes.
So according to your logic, they should have no vote.
However, Tony Blair, who owns innumerable properties around the country, can vote innumerable times.