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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Corbyn’s approval ratings fall from from a net minus 3% to a n

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  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,767

    All else being equal, the next election would be a Tory slam dunk. The economy is recovering, austerity is easing off, unemployment is low, real wages are rising, and Labour is led by an incompetent lefty. It's the 1987 election but with Eric Heffer rather than Neil Kinnock.

    Problem is that Brexit means that things are very much not equal.
    going in to 1987 the conservatives had a reputation for economic competence
  • david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 18,163

    Lots of people use buses and its a service with difficulties:

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-47045872

    Bus usage gets very little media attention (or government money) compared to say London based rail lines.
    Buses are also used heavily by poorer pensioners, which I expect is currently a key swing voting segment.
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,180

    I think it would be stupid to underestimate Corby.

    Burnham, Cooper, Kendall, Smith, the Blairites, May and the Tory Manifesto writers all did.

    I do think last time the mainstream media didn't think Corby could win and so he did benefit from little serious examination of his policies. He'll get more next critical examination time.

    But, does serious examination of policies actually move many votes?

    Most voters are not rational. They vote out of a combination of emotion and self-interest.

    So, my guess is (especially if he is up against May or a Vanilla Tory), Corby could do it again.

    To exceed the undoubted gains he made last time is much more difficult since by definition the klow hanging fruit already backed him. His challenge is both to keep them and get more. Nothing is impossible but there's no sign of any significant movement in, say Scotland where Labour needs big gains next time.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,098

    All else being equal, the next election would be a Tory slam dunk. The economy is recovering, austerity is easing off, unemployment is low, real wages are rising, and Labour is led by an incompetent lefty. It's the 1987 election but with Eric Heffer rather than Neil Kinnock.

    Problem is that Brexit means that things are very much not equal.
    Perhaps not to the Tories disadvantage though.

    We can assume amongst likely GE voters the balance will be pro-remain (A consequence of non GE voters being more pro-leave and the general remain leads). But the remain vote will be split Lib Dem/Labour, whereas UKIP isn't all that big a factor for the Tories...
    Unless the Tories end up bottling Brexit in which case they won't get back the remainers and will lose the leavers !
  • OllyTOllyT Posts: 5,027

    The members want Corbyn to fight the next election, I am not sure what it would take in terms of polling to change that... I don't think any polling would change that. Wouldn't for me.

    As it is based on the polling, the situation and everything that comes with an election campaign I'd feel pretty confident about going into the next election.
    I'm one of those who left the party and Corbyn's actions on Brexit have done nothing to make me reconsider. He did get a lot of remainer votes in 2017 regardless of whether that was decisive or not. The problem he will have going into the next one is that however many positive noises he makes to remainers very few are going to trust him to actually follow through.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,009

    No about 99% have
    Alan, FPT. Only the 99% unionist media make it appear the SNP have major issues. Reality is that the opposition is dire, people are real pissed at Westminster and for sure SNP is growing as the only lot able to string a few words together. Very different to the mince you read in the unionist rags and the BBC propaganda. Most people will not be sidetracked by Salmond issue.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,767

    Macron's popularity rises for second month in a row, now 24% for versus 73% against

    http://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2019/01/31/01002-20190131ARTFIG00069-sondage-emmanuel-macron-poursuit-sa-lente-remontee.php
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,022

    Re cars, at the next election Labour might have a problem in London when Sadiq's new emission charges hit more people than expected.

    Yes. I’m on Bailey (currently 4.6 on Betfair) for precisely this reason.

    It’s going to affect millions of people and most don’t understand that the low emissions zone is inside the M25 rather than the existing central congestion zone, nor just how many cars are affected by it.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,098
    We've passed a vote for a flat council (Per person) tax independent of property band or value in my office now btw.
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,607
    matt said:

    Looking at the table, how do people collect enough information to approve or disapprove of Cable? What has he done to merit more than a resigned, “meh”. It’s akin to having a strong opinion on pelargoniums.

    Well now, gardeners have strong views on pelargoniums. :)

    My personal favourite is Attar of Roses. I have a whole bank of it thriving in pots outside my conservatory so that when I open the windows they brush the leaves and the small pink flowers and release the heavenly scent. Despite the light snow and frost they are still there looking gorgeous.
  • All else being equal, the next election would be a Tory slam dunk. The economy is recovering, austerity is easing off, unemployment is low, real wages are rising, and Labour is led by an incompetent lefty. It's the 1987 election but with Eric Heffer rather than Neil Kinnock.

    Problem is that Brexit means that things are very much not equal.
    I am not sure I agree. The fact so many people seem unfazed by a leader with all of jezzas baggage screams warning bells to me. Yes Maybot is crap, Tory paralysis because of brexit, but there is more going on.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 65,167
    Pulpstar said:

    We've passed a vote for a flat council (Per person) tax independent of property band or value in my office now btw.

    I think we may have tested this policy idea to destruction.
  • Sandpit said:

    Yes. I’m on Bailey (currently 4.6 on Betfair) for precisely this reason.

    It’s going to affect millions of people and most don’t understand that the low emissions zone is inside the M25 rather than the existing central congestion zone, nor just how many cars are affected by it.
    Bailey is a terrible candidate though. Not because of the stuff he said back in the day that the guardian have been digging up, but because he appears rubbish at campaigning. Khan is a very effective political operator (when it comes to winning votes), he is just rubbish when he has some power. I think he will easily duff up bailey like a school bully taking a small kids lunch money.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 65,167
    Sandpit said:

    Yes. I’m on Bailey (currently 4.6 on Betfair) for precisely this reason.

    It’s going to affect millions of people and most don’t understand that the low emissions zone is inside the M25 rather than the existing central congestion zone, nor just how many cars are affected by it.
    Sadiq needs to read Bill Clinton's autobiog. He lost first governorship on a local petrol tax.
  • CD13CD13 Posts: 6,376
    What happens if McDonnell takes over? Snowball rather than Napoleon? the same policies with slightly less baggage.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,098
    edited January 2019

    Bailey is a terrible candidate though. Not because of the stuff he said back in the day that the guardian have been digging up, but because he appears rubbish at campaigning. Khan is a very effective political operator (when it comes to winning votes), he is just rubbish when he has some power. I think he will easily duff up bailey like a school bully taking a small kids lunch money.
    Khan will win easily because he represents Corbyn and substituting the anti-semitism bit for stopping Brexit.
    I did a whole thread on it but that sums it up. The only thing that might stop him is literally a wayward London bus, and that teeny tiny possibility means a win for Heidi Alexander not Shaun Bailey.
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,607

    I am not sure I agree. The fact so many people seem unfazed by a leader with all of jezzas baggage screams warning bells to me. Yes Maybot is crap, Tory paralysis because of brexit, but there is more going on.
    I agree. First, the Tories are busily destroying their only USP.

    Second, they have no policies for the JAMS. Labour does, however pie in the sky they may be.

    Third, if Trump could be elected despite all his baggage, then Corbyn certainly can be, despite his.

    Corbyn is very like Trump in many ways. The problems will be less to do with being elected and more with what he will be like in government where all the failings that have been identified ad nauseam will matter.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,396
    Mr. Sandpit, is the lay value close to that?

    I put £2 on Bailey at 61 a year or two ago.
  • TheJezziahTheJezziah Posts: 3,840

    Bailey is a terrible candidate though. Not because of the stuff he said back in the day that the guardian have been digging up, but because he appears rubbish at campaigning. Khan is a very effective political operator (when it comes to winning votes), he is just rubbish when he has some power. I think he will easily duff up bailey like a school bully taking a small kids lunch money.
    Stephen Bush has wrote about how he sees him struggling to win over the people Zac won over, which still resulted in a heavy loss. Matching Zac's total would still be nowhere near enough, Khan would need to lose a lot of votes even if he couldn't win on first preferences he'll be more transfer friendly.

    Not telling you this, I'm sure you know but basically from what I've seen/heard I'd agree.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,098

    Mr. Sandpit, is the lay value close to that?

    I put £2 on Bailey at 61 a year or two ago.

    Lay it all out, take your £25 profit Mr Dancer.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,098
    CD13 said:

    What happens if McDonnell takes over? Snowball rather than Napoleon? the same policies with slightly less baggage.

    Dunno, I'm happier than a pig in shit with my Betfair position on him though if that happens.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,396
    Mr. Pulpstar, slightly annoyingly, I got that price with Ladbrokes. I'll probably hedge a little (my Betfair account is very thin, though, and I've had to whittle away my Ladbrokes cash a bit too).
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 65,167
    Rory on resignation watch?

    These figures are pretty depressing.

    https://twitter.com/JohnRentoul/status/1090915251908947968
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,098
    edited January 2019

    Mr. Pulpstar, slightly annoyingly, I got that price with Ladbrokes. I'll probably hedge a little (my Betfair account is very thin, though, and I've had to whittle away my Ladbrokes cash a bit too).

    Just put a hundred quid on Khan, or if you're feeling really risk averse lay Bailey on Betfair for the same stake. The time value of money is good enough now to do this at anything near 7-2.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,022

    Bailey is a terrible candidate though. Not because of the stuff he said back in the day that the guardian have been digging up, but because he appears rubbish at campaigning. Khan is a very effective political operator (when it comes to winning votes), he is just rubbish when he has some power. I think he will easily duff up bailey like a school bully taking a small kids lunch money.
    Bailey isn’t the best of candidates, but the people affected by this are going to be the JAMS, the working classes who don’t work in central London and don’t live in areas of ubiquitous public transport, who will suddenly see their cost of living go up by £3k a year because they don’t have a brand new car. Also lots of shift-working public sector and key workers affected.

    It *could* turn into a nightmare for the Mayor, which is why I’m backing his opponent, albeit only for beer money at this stage. There’s no electoral college for the election, it’s a direct mandate and millions of Londoners are going to be right royally pissed off with this charge.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 76,025

    I didn’t realise until recently that at the Tesla gigafactory, Tesla don’t make the battieres it is panasonic. Tesla just put them together into packs.
    It's a very close partnership - though Tesla keep their options open:
    https://electrek.co/2019/01/22/tesla-approve-new-battery-supplier-vehicles-panasonic-report/

    Putting them in packs is actually quite a critical technology in driving costs down, and is one reason Tesla are reportedly the lowest cost manufacturer of automotive battery packs:
    https://insideevs.com/tesla-secret-weapon-intense-focus-batteries/
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,022

    Mr. Sandpit, is the lay value close to that?

    I put £2 on Bailey at 61 a year or two ago.

    Sadiq is 1.28 to back and 1.35 to lay.
    https://www.betfair.com/exchange/politics/event/28051236/market?marketId=1.129790525
  • Pulpstar said:

    Khan will win easily because he represents Corbyn and substituting the anti-semitism bit for stopping Brexit.
    I did a whole thread on it but that sums it up. The only thing that might stop him is literally a wayward London bus, and that teeny tiny possibility means a win for Heidi Alexander not Shaun Bailey.

    The Corbynistas do not like Khan one little bit. Laura Pidcock will be the Corbyn candidate when Jeremy finally steps down.

  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,281
    Magic Grandpa doesn't like the backstop:

    https://twitter.com/nick_gutteridge/status/1090904812898652162
  • TheJezziahTheJezziah Posts: 3,840

    The Corbynistas do not like Khan one little bit. Laura Pidcock will be the Corbyn candidate when Jeremy finally steps down.

    Whilst his actions in 2015 were a little cynical I haven't got a problem with Khan, he's okay.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,022
    Bloody hell! Fair play Jeremy Corbyn, a phrase I never thought I’d utter.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,396
    Decided just to hedge my original stake. If the odds improve a bit more I'll fiddle, but I've got a lot tied up (relatively speaking) in bets that come off or not in 2020 and don't want to sink in much more right now.
  • Cyclefree said:



    I agree. First, the Tories are busily destroying their only USP.

    Second, they have no policies for the JAMS. Labour does, however pie in the sky they may be.

    Third, if Trump could be elected despite all his baggage, then Corbyn certainly can be, despite his.

    Corbyn is very like Trump in many ways. The problems will be less to do with being elected and more with what he will be like in government where all the failings that have been identified ad nauseam will matter.

    Bringing up JAMs is IMO extremely relevant. Since Christmas the number of parents I have had the same conversation with that if I was a Tory strategist I would be having sleepless nights.

    Middle class parents with couple of kids, they all bemoaning how below inflation wage rises for years means now that cost of raising their kids is really hard. And the sort of kick in the balls (and sounds very first world problems), they normally book their family vacations for the forthcoming year, but really can't afford it.

    Its sounds very me me me, but these are the sort of people the Tories should win easily with their traditional message of work hard, be a good person and the market based economy will result in a good life for you and your family.
  • mwadamsmwadams Posts: 3,771
    I don't know why people seem surprised about this. Jeremy is basically "RedERG" and if he hadn't had the (mis)fortune to become Labour leader would be a lot more forthcoming than he is.
  • And what is his solution?
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 83,157
    edited January 2019
    That is genuinely funny...Justin will be along shortly telling us that we have to remember A-Levels were like proppa hard back in the day and 2Es means he isn't a thicko.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 76,025
    edited January 2019
    matt said:

    Looking at the table, how do people collect enough information to approve or disapprove of Cable? What has he done to merit more than a resigned, “meh”. It’s akin to having a strong opinion on pelargoniums.

    Like most of these polls, though, it is essentially a forced choice ("Do you approve or disapprove of x..."), but nonetheless, significantly fewer profess any opinion on him.

    It's notable that when a poll asks respondents to volunteer a choice (cf the recent one for preferred Democratic nominee), the don't knows are often by far the largest category.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,767

    Bringing up JAMs is IMO extremely relevant. Since Christmas the number of parents I have had the same conversation with that if I was a Tory strategist I would be having sleepless nights.

    Middle class parents with couple of kids, they all bemoaning how below inflation wage rises for years means now that cost of raising their kids is really hard. And the sort of kick in the balls (and sounds very first world problems), they normally book their family vacations for the forthcoming year, but really can't afford it.

    Its sounds very me me me, but these are the sort of people the Tories should win easily with their traditional message of work hard, be a good person and the market based economy will result in a good life for you and your family.
    the problem for the Tories is they need to reform the current version of capitalism and havent got the neck to do it.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 76,025

    For a moment, I read that as "February is cancelled".

    Now if we were to do the same for March...
  • david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 18,163
    'Ordinary' is a rather double-edged comment as well.
  • Carolus_RexCarolus_Rex Posts: 1,414
    Nigelb said:


    For a moment, I read that as "February is cancelled".

    Now if we were to do the same for March...
    Steady on, my birthday is in March,

    Mind you if I don't get any presents at least it means I won't get any older.
  • It was an underestimation of how divisive May and Brexit were. May got more votes than Blair in 1997, but she also managed to unite all the opposition against her (helped by an inept performance from Tim Farron).

    May and Corbyn drive voters to the other side. They need each other. The interesting thing is that there are very few Labour figures who would be more repellant to floating voters than Corbyn, but quite a few Tory ones who would be more repellant than May. The Tories will need to think very carefully about May’s replacement. Labour less so when, in the far distant future, Jeremy goes.

  • 'Ordinary' is a rather double-edged comment as well.
    Isn't it - "Intelligent in the top 3 words I'd use"?
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 76,025
    What about the Treaty of Union ?
  • TheJezziahTheJezziah Posts: 3,840

    That is genuinely funny...Justin will be along shortly telling us that we have to remember A-Levels were like proppa hard back in the day and 2Es means he isn't a thicko.
    Judging him by his actions he's run circles around the Blairites and various other opposing factions in the Labour party, then made the Conservative party look foolish and even given the right wing media a bloody nose....

    Although in fairness all these groups consist of mediocre minds so I suppose the logic holds.
  • david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 18,163

    I am not sure I agree. The fact so many people seem unfazed by a leader with all of jezzas baggage screams warning bells to me. Yes Maybot is crap, Tory paralysis because of brexit, but there is more going on.
    Maybot is crap, Tories are paralysed by Brexit, wages have only just started regrowing in real terms - and yet Labour is only just level pegging. No, Corbyn is crap.

    That said, I agree that a campaign based on Corbyn's baggage would be the wrong way to go. It's his current policies and perceived abilities that need smashing.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,098

    Isn't it - "Intelligent in the top 3 words I'd use"?
    There are only 3 positive words though !
    - ordinary is clearly worse than intelligent, honest and in touch
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,022
    Nigelb said:

    It's a very close partnership - though Tesla keep their options open:
    https://electrek.co/2019/01/22/tesla-approve-new-battery-supplier-vehicles-panasonic-report/

    Putting them in packs is actually quite a critical technology in driving costs down, and is one reason Tesla are reportedly the lowest cost manufacturer of automotive battery packs:
    https://insideevs.com/tesla-secret-weapon-intense-focus-batteries/
    Yes, the really difficult bit is temperature regulation. The packaging needs to accommodate both heating and cooling to keep the batteries in their most efficient operating window, and Tesla are really good at this.

    Cheap electric cars like the old Nissan Leaf suffer from up to 30% range loss in the winter, which is a nightmare for commuters.
  • david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 18,163
    matt said:

    Looking at the table, how do people collect enough information to approve or disapprove of Cable? What has he done to merit more than a resigned, “meh”. It’s akin to having a strong opinion on pelargoniums.

    Cable is 76 this May. He's the first leader of any of the three main parties to serve into his fourth quarter-century since Churchill - and Churchill fought two elections after that milestone, gaining seats at both and winning one. That's surely a happy omen for Vince?
  • Sandpit said:

    Yes, the really difficult bit is temperature regulation. The packaging needs to accommodate both heating and cooling to keep the batteries in their most efficient operating window, and Tesla are really good at this.

    Cheap electric cars like the old Nissan Leaf suffer from up to 30% range loss in the winter, which is a nightmare for commuters.
    They don't put that in the commercial....
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 64,951
    edited January 2019
    Recess cancelled - and absolutely correct - serves them right

    And now labour complain about the extra childcare cost.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,281
    The data indicates that Corbyn’s brand has suffered serious damage over the past 18 months, but is “Corbynmania” dead or just dormant?

    On the one hand, we’ve been here before. Polling before the last election also showed dire numbers for Jeremy Corbyn, with him starting the campaign with a net favourability score of -42, compared to Theresa May’s score of +10. Yet he managed to completely defy expectations once people saw him on the campaign trail, leapfrogging the Prime Minister and increasing his score to net 0 in less than 8 weeks, whilst her score dropped to -34.

    And whilst it may not currently feel like it, Brexit isn’t going to be a dominant issue forever. Corbyn may be able to rebound if he can shift the focus back onto issues on which he is more comfortable – such as poverty, inequality or the NHS.

    On the other hand, soufflés don’t rise twice. We shouldn’t assume that just because Corbyn managed to beat the odds once he will automatically be able to do so again, particularly given that the public have now had a lot longer to get to know the Labour leader, therefore their opinions of him are likely to be more entrenched.


    https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2019/01/30/brexit-indecisiveness-seriously-damaging-corbyn

    While Brexit isn’t going to be a dominant issue forever is true, I suspect 'for the political lifetimes of any politician over 50' is a more accurate reflection.
  • TheJezziahTheJezziah Posts: 3,840

    Maybot is crap, Tories are paralysed by Brexit, wages have only just started regrowing in real terms - and yet Labour is only just level pegging. No, Corbyn is crap.

    That said, I agree that a campaign based on Corbyn's baggage would be the wrong way to go. It's his current policies and perceived abilities that need smashing.
    Tories weren't paralysed by Brexit when Corbyn got the biggest vote share increase since WW2 for Labour. Electorally Corbyn has been a huge asset to Labour, unless the crapness is based on non electoral things like his political opinions...
  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    Nigelb said:


    For a moment, I read that as "February is cancelled".

    Now if we were to do the same for March...
    I continue to commend to the government my approach for dealing with Brexit:

    http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2019/01/20/desperate-times-a-new-way-out-of-the-brexit-impasse/
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,098
    edited January 2019

    Recess cancelled - and absolutely correct - serves them right

    And now labour complain about the extra childcare cost.

    Hmm I always thought MPs were supposed to do constituency work during their frequent breaks from parliament and so forth...
    Or has it always been a nice half term holiday ?
  • Andy_CookeAndy_Cooke Posts: 5,045
    FPT, I was struck by a comment:

    Secondly our manufacturing has been butchered whilst in the EU or didnt you notice ?

    There's been this meme that manufacturing has been devastated in Britain over the years (see "Thatcher", "EU", "Blair" for who gets blamed - but it doesn't really look like it:

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/economicoutputandproductivity/output/timeseries/k22a/diop
    image

    What has happened is that productivity in manufacturing has increased a huge amount over the decades, so we're actually producing more (and higher value) with far fewer people.

    I think people are seeing the reduction in number of people involved and assuming "we don't make anything any more", when we do, in fact, make more than ever before.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,281

    The Tories will need to think very carefully about May’s replacement. Labour less so when, in the far distant future, Jeremy goes.
    Agree, despite Magic Grandpa's fans, the voters have rumbled him so outside his immediate coterie most leadership choices will be on the upside. And the Tories did so well last time they deposed a female leader.

    If May does somehow pull off a Brexit deal, I suspect she'll get a bump in the polls....lets just hope she does not fall victim to the all too human desire to "go on".....
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,607
    Scott_P said:
    She has a brass neck given that May has just deliberately wasted 6 weeks since the cancelled December vote. And is intent on wasting another fortnight to no purpose.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,022
    Scott_P said:
    I wonder when it’s going to dawn on the MPs that they’re probably going to be working weekends in Parliament for six weeks too?
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 76,025

    I continue to commend to the government my approach for dealing with Brexit:

    http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2019/01/20/desperate-times-a-new-way-out-of-the-brexit-impasse/
    I liked that one at the time, and it has only improved since.
  • eekeek Posts: 29,558

    I continue to commend to the government my approach for dealing with Brexit:

    http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2019/01/20/desperate-times-a-new-way-out-of-the-brexit-impasse/
    The problem with that plan is that we also need Brussels to implement the Meek's Calendar not just the UK...
  • YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172

    Judging him by his actions he's run circles around the Blairites and various other opposing factions in the Labour party, then made the Conservative party look foolish and even given the right wing media a bloody nose....

    Although in fairness all these groups consist of mediocre minds so I suppose the logic holds.
    He has certainly run circles round the Blairites. They have been comprehensively defeated.

    Liz Kendall was heavily tipped by our breathless and dreamy media, before being absolutely whipped by Corby in the leadership election.

    I'm not sure that it is fair to say the Blairites have mediocre minds. It is more that they became corpulent and complacent and corrupt.

    All that work on the vegetable and fruit garden in the allotment has kept Corby lean and athletic and hungry.
  • Cyclefree said:

    She has a brass neck given that May has just deliberately wasted 6 weeks since the cancelled December vote. And is intent on wasting another fortnight to no purpose.
    With respect I think that is rather cynical. I expect all mps who have all got us into this mess to work 24/7 until the end of March, to get a deal and stop no brexit
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,550
    What's with the public slagging off Jeremy Corbyn? Are they such a bunch of super honest and super intelligent angels themselves? Hardly. Look at the state of them. And yet they look down on a guy who has dedicated his life to a great cause and has risen to lead our premier political party. Utterly pathetic. This 'poll' says far more about them than it does about JC.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,767

    FPT, I was struck by a comment:

    There's been this meme that manufacturing has been devastated in Britain over the years (see "Thatcher", "EU", "Blair" for who gets blamed - but it doesn't really look like it:

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/economicoutputandproductivity/output/timeseries/k22a/diop
    image

    What has happened is that productivity in manufacturing has increased a huge amount over the decades, so we're actually producing more (and higher value) with far fewer people.

    I think people are seeing the reduction in number of people involved and assuming "we don't make anything any more", when we do, in fact, make more than ever before.
    err no

    certainly productivity has climbed

    some of that was cosmetic when cleaning and security was outsourced for example but generally productivity has been on the up. But not up enough we are horribly behind the game on automation and the UK just doesnt invest enough for a variety of reasons.

    But if you go back there are just huge slices of manufacturing which no longer exist. Try fitting out a kitchen with UK sourced products, or machine tools. A lot of what we import is mid tech products from high cost countries and theres no real reason they cant be made in the UK as opposed to Germany Japan or Italy. Oddly since we have such a low base we can afford to be quite radical in exploiting the recent developments in manufacturing in customisation and supporting R&D but it requires HMG to do something pro active about it. No sign of that happening yet.
  • El_CapitanoEl_Capitano Posts: 4,243

    That is the popular view, that the death tax killed the Tories, but I do not believe it. Lynton Crosby's dreadful campaign lost it, even though afterwards he spun it as being down to Nick & Fiona's death tax, a proposal quickly dropped and that I do not recall Labour focussing on, though with targeted advertising these days, it is hard to be sure what messages parties are pumping out on social media. Crosby imposed a presidential campaign with Theresa May front and centre and the rest of the Cabinet locked in a cupboard, completely overlooking that Theresa May is rotten on the stump.
    I agree. The slight problem is that letting the Cabinet out of the cupboard isn't exactly a vote-winning prospect either. There may in theory be people whose vote could be swung by Gavin Williamson, Chris Grayling and Matt Hancock, but until suffrage is extended to the residents of mental hospitals, it will remain just a theoretical possibility.
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 43,137
    edited January 2019
    A mild distraction (people getting arsey about it probably being the main part).

    https://twitter.com/davidallengreen/status/1090627558180352000
  • kinabalu said:

    What's with the public slagging off Jeremy Corbyn? Are they such a bunch of super honest and super intelligent angels themselves? Hardly. Look at the state of them. And yet they look down on a guy who has dedicated his life to a great cause and has risen to lead our premier political party. Utterly pathetic. This 'poll' says far more about them than it does about JC.

    Sadly for Corbyn, the poll is a clear verdict on the most incompetent labour leader in my lifetime of 75 years
  • Tissue_PriceTissue_Price Posts: 9,039

    Cable is 76 this May. He's the first leader of any of the three main parties to serve into his fourth quarter-century since Churchill - and Churchill fought two elections after that milestone, gaining seats at both and winning one. That's surely a happy omen for Vince?
    On 15th August 1867, Benjamin Disraeli's Second Reform Act enfranchised many urban working men and added 938,000 to an electorate of 1,057,000 in England and Wales.

    This is nearer to Vince Cable's birthdate than today is.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,009
    Scott_P said:
    AS I said earlier the donkeys were not going to let the trough be removed, just a case of who blinked first.
  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    kinabalu said:

    What's with the public slagging off Jeremy Corbyn? Are they such a bunch of super honest and super intelligent angels themselves? Hardly. Look at the state of them. And yet they look down on a guy who has dedicated his life to a great cause and has risen to lead our premier political party. Utterly pathetic. This 'poll' says far more about them than it does about JC.

    You're assuming that they think of dishonesty and stupidity as undesirable characteristics in a politician. Past election results suggest the reverse.
  • Scott_P said:
    I am surprised the lead is not larger. But it is irrelevant, I cannot see a second referendum entirely because Corbyn will never agree to one. ( neither will very many labour mps)
  • DENIS MACSHANE: Why Labour's jailed MP MUST resign...

    What can you say.
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 38,380

    Corbyn campaigning about bus services is sensible, not stupid.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,098

    A mild distraction (people getting arsey about it probably being the main part).

    https://twitter.com/davidallengreen/status/1090627558180352000

    Very marginally less than 100%.
  • TheJezziahTheJezziah Posts: 3,840

    He has certainly run circles round the Blairites. They have been comprehensively defeated.

    Liz Kendall was heavily tipped by our breathless and dreamy media, before being absolutely whipped by Corby in the leadership election.

    I'm not sure that it is fair to say the Blairites have mediocre minds. It is more that they became corpulent and complacent and corrupt.

    All that work on the vegetable and fruit garden in the allotment has kept Corby lean and athletic and hungry.
    Arguing Corbyn up among this audience is impossible, so I'll bring everyone else down instead and then logically he looks better even if only in comparison.

    More seriously I don't think those groups particularly stand out as very different to Corbyn, in terms of application, at least in the realm of politics their behind at the moment.
  • Awb683Awb683 Posts: 80
    If Corbyn's approval ratings are dropping that's very good news for the UK.
  • DecrepitJohnLDecrepitJohnL Posts: 13,300

    You're assuming that they think of dishonesty and stupidity as undesirable characteristics in a politician. Past election results suggest the reverse.
    Pb Tories used to boast that David Cameron had the top performance in Oxford's PPE history and look how that turned out.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,098
    Pulpstar said:

    Very marginally less than 100%.
    No wait it is 100% as formulated..
  • Bloomberg report from Europe saying the EU will not concede before the 14th February as they hope the HOC will weaken TM's position, presumably by taking no deal off the table

    However, post the 14th Feb, and as we run to March, they will bite the bullet and negotiate as they simply cannot contemplate no deal

    As has always been the case no deal is a very important part of this process, take it off the table and we may as well just fold
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,886

    Bringing up JAMs is IMO extremely relevant. Since Christmas the number of parents I have had the same conversation with that if I was a Tory strategist I would be having sleepless nights.

    Middle class parents with couple of kids, they all bemoaning how below inflation wage rises for years means now that cost of raising their kids is really hard. And the sort of kick in the balls (and sounds very first world problems), they normally book their family vacations for the forthcoming year, but really can't afford it.

    Its sounds very me me me, but these are the sort of people the Tories should win easily with their traditional message of work hard, be a good person and the market based economy will result in a good life for you and your family.
    This is nail on head. And, as Ms Cyclefree pointed out, at least Labour has shown some willingness to consider this. Their conclusions may, or may not be to ones liking...but they have the advantage of existing.
    By contrast, the Tory offer is of "look how wonderful we are, with full employment and all. Let's have more of the same."
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 43,137
    edited January 2019
    Pulpstar said:

    No wait it is 100% as formulated..
    That's what I thought, I was racking my brains for where the margin might be! The one son of God out of billions of conceptions maybe...
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,794
    Nigelb said:

    What do JLR mean by 'battery assembly centre' ?
    They will import the lithium cells and assemble them in the UK for use in electric vehicles and export. We aren't a major manufacturer of lithium cells, no European nation is.
  • Peter_the_PunterPeter_the_Punter Posts: 14,596
    edited January 2019

    I am surprised the lead is not larger. But it is irrelevant, I cannot see a second referendum entirely because Corbyn will never agree to one. ( neither will very many labour mps)
    As always, the Leave figure is a composite of widely diverse views, from No-Dealers to Brinos to Unicornistas. So when we leave we will be implementing a policy that pleases few, disappoints a large majority and is almost certainly going to be bad for the country.

    Has there been a bigger Governmental f*ck up since Lord North lost the Colonies?
  • Tissue_PriceTissue_Price Posts: 9,039

    That's what I thought, I was racking my brains for where the margin might be! The one son of God out of billions of conceptions maybe...
    If one of the fathers later identifies as a woman, does that not then make them a daughter?
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 38,380

    The poll from Opinium also has voting intention numbers:-

    Con 31%
    Lab 29%,
    Lib Dem 7%,
    UKIP 5%,
    Others 5%,
    Don't know/won't say 23%.

    Excluding don't knows, that converts to Con 40%, Lab 38%, Lib Dem 9%, UKIP 6%, Others 7%.

    On Brexit, Remain is on 38%, No Deal 29%, May's Deal 20%, Excluding don't knows, that's 44%, 33%, 23%.
  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340

    That's what I thought, I was racking my brains for where the margin might be! The one son of God out of billions of conceptions maybe...
    Parthenogenesis is, I understand, theoretically now possible in humans though yet to be actually done so far as anyone knows.
  • FensterFenster Posts: 2,115
    We have a saying here in the valleys: "thick as a bull's knob".
    I've no doubt he's as cunning, mendacious and politically streetwise as he is academically thick, mind you.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,550

    You're assuming that they think of dishonesty and stupidity as undesirable characteristics in a politician. Past election results suggest the reverse.

    A good point. And I'm glad you got in touch because I would appreciate your ((and others) feedback on a theory I am working up. As below:

    If TM cannot get her deal through, she will not allow no deal and neither will she cave in and embrace the softer brexit that Labour are calling for.

    What she WILL do is seek to call a general election, along with the article 50 extension necessary to hold it.

    Just the threat of her doing this could upset the ERG and the DUP so much that they fall in line, meaning that she does get the deal through.

    Otherwise, GENERAL ELECTION in March.

    What do you think?
  • If one of the fathers later identifies as a woman, does that not then make them a daughter?
    *quickly shuffles away from open can of worms*
  • Pulpstar said:

    No wait it is 100% as formulated..
    I think gender identity would affect this, but yes. Every son has a father etc.

    In other words, every one of your antecedents, for a hundred generations, managed to procreate.
This discussion has been closed.