Our cup runneth over here in the Shipley constituency, with 10 candidates standing. These include Yorkshire Party, Workers Party Christian Peoples Alliance and the Social Democratic Party. But it is either Sir Philip (address in the Tatton Constituency) or Anna Dixon for Labour topping the poll.
Reform doing their bit to save Truss booster Simon Clarke giving him a free run in Middlesborough South and Cleveland
HAs someone yet worked out a count of candidates?
No, some councils probably haven't released yet, and it has to be done by news organisations / amateurs, there's no official list from government. So it takes time, probably 24 to 48 hours. I did it in 2015 and a few other years.
Farage must have the easiest job on that stage. He does what he does well, but it must be shooting fish in a barrel.
He will smash this because there are very few areas he can’t just tell the others that they are wrong because Reform have no history of running anything to throw back at them. He can be mr angry for everyone. If they try to hit him it will be nailing a jelly.
I find the D-day stuff a bit overblown to be honest.
I'm astonished too. I don't know a single person who was glued to the D-Day coverage beforehand and yet it's got huge traction.
I can only conclude that the electorate want to see Sunak slip on banana skins, and are rather enjoying it.
There will be more of them. He doesn't have the political savviness or dexterity to avoid them.
I live in Wales and I thought the attempt to create a 'gaffe' over Sunak's comments on football at the Welsh brewery ridiculous. I think I said so at the time? Not a single person I know mentioned it.
However several people today were talking about him leaving D Day early? What in god's name was he thinking? Perhaps it would have been better if he'd come out and said he was sick and tired of the US and France taking ownership of the whole thing as if Britain only played a minor role. So he wouldn't be going to the international event in protest.
I find the D-day stuff a bit overblown to be honest.
I'm astonished too. I don't know a single person who was glued to the D-Day coverage beforehand and yet it's got huge traction.
I can only conclude that the electorate want to see Sunak slip on banana skins, and are rather enjoying it.
There will be more of them. He doesn't have the political savviness or dexterity to avoid them.
It’s not that he slipped on a banana skin, it’s that he turned down a golden opportunity to be prime ministerial and rise above the political campaign and somehow, inconceivably turned that into a catastrophic negative. A totally self created and unforced error. .
He left a D-Day event a little bit early which no-one was paying much attention to anyway. Objectively this stuff doesn't really matter. Gordon Brown said Obama beach and didn't turn up to an EU treaty signing ceremony.
It's OK, we all do it, but Sunak is simply in a place where no-one will cut him any slack and are willing him to fail, so he fails. Once the public have decided to go at you for anything they'll go at you for everything.
He'd need great political skills to break that cycle, but unfortunately doesn't have them.
Andrea Jenkyns has issued a statement that is interesting in that she can’t work out whether to hug or hit Farage. She’s also deploying her usual deranged hyperbole.
Farage must have the easiest job on that stage. He does what he does well, but it must be shooting fish in a barrel.
He will smash this because there are very few areas he can’t just tell the others that they are wrong because Reform have no history of running anything to throw back at them. He can be mr angry for everyone. If they try to hit him it will be nailing a jelly.
It really comes down to whether the soft Tory vote will return to them out of worry the party will totally collapse, or whether they are angry enough to go with their hearts and vote for the array of options saying how bad the government has been.
Andrea Jenkyns has issued a statement that is interesting in that she can’t work out whether to hug or hit Farage. She’s also deploying her usual deranged hyperbole.
Rayner leveraging her old job as a care worker to answer well on improving public services. But Flynn skewered her badly with the "With what money are you going to do that with".
Mark Harper comes across as an escapee from the Marx Brothers' Shyster, Flywheel & Shyster - the only blow I heard him land was on Wales, and Shabana Mahmood as gabbling and superficial.
I'm looking forward to the ANME hustings. There is a Tory strategy at play here. Is Ross going to try and talk over the top of everyone else and tell lie after lie after lie? Will get called out for it.
I find the D-day stuff a bit overblown to be honest.
I'm astonished too. I don't know a single person who was glued to the D-Day coverage beforehand and yet it's got huge traction.
I can only conclude that the electorate want to see Sunak slip on banana skins, and are rather enjoying it.
There will be more of them. He doesn't have the political savviness or dexterity to avoid them.
It’s not that he slipped on a banana skin, it’s that he turned down a golden opportunity to be prime ministerial and rise above the political campaign and somehow, inconceivably turned that into a catastrophic negative. A totally self created and unforced error. .
He left a D-Day event a little bit early which no-one was paying much attention to anyway. Objectively this stuff doesn't really matter. Gordon Brown said Obama beach and didn't turn up to an EU treaty signing ceremony.
It's OK, we all do it, but Sunak is simply in a place where no-one will cut him any slack and are willing him to fail, so he fails. Once the public have decided to go at you for anything they'll go at you for everything.
He'd need great political skills to break that cycle, but unfortunately doesn't have them.
He turned a plus into a minus. He did it himself and has no one else to blame. If a Labour pm had done this they would have been destroyed. Sunak has escaped lightly.
I find the D-day stuff a bit overblown to be honest.
I'm astonished too. I don't know a single person who was glued to the D-Day coverage beforehand and yet it's got huge traction.
I can only conclude that the electorate want to see Sunak slip on banana skins, and are rather enjoying it.
There will be more of them. He doesn't have the political savviness or dexterity to avoid them.
It’s not that he slipped on a banana skin, it’s that he turned down a golden opportunity to be prime ministerial and rise above the political campaign and somehow, inconceivably turned that into a catastrophic negative. A totally self created and unforced error. .
He left a D-Day event a little bit early which no-one was paying much attention to anyway. Objectively this stuff doesn't really matter. Gordon Brown said Obama beach and didn't turn up to an EU treaty signing ceremony.
It's OK, we all do it, but Sunak is simply in a place where no-one will cut him any slack and are willing him to fail, so he fails. Once the public have decided to go at you for anything they'll go at you for everything.
He'd need great political skills to break that cycle, but unfortunately doesn't have them.
Yep. Many will feel he deserves to lose on the merits, but the scale will probably be greater than even he deserves, because nothing will seem to go right, everything will look terrible. We see it in that he is being hammered for not being on the stage tonight, and would have been hammered if he did.
An attempt by Mordaunt to turn a question on improving the NHS into a call out for Portsmouth and an attack on Rayner on Trident. Don't think she landed it, but it took guts to try it.
I find the D-day stuff a bit overblown to be honest.
I'm astonished too. I don't know a single person who was glued to the D-Day coverage beforehand and yet it's got huge traction.
I can only conclude that the electorate want to see Sunak slip on banana skins, and are rather enjoying it.
There will be more of them. He doesn't have the political savviness or dexterity to avoid them.
It’s not that he slipped on a banana skin, it’s that he turned down a golden opportunity to be prime ministerial and rise above the political campaign and somehow, inconceivably turned that into a catastrophic negative. A totally self created and unforced error. .
He left a D-Day event a little bit early which no-one was paying much attention to anyway. Objectively this stuff doesn't really matter. Gordon Brown said Obama beach and didn't turn up to an EU treaty signing ceremony.
It's OK, we all do it, but Sunak is simply in a place where no-one will cut him any slack and are willing him to fail, so he fails. Once the public have decided to go at you for anything they'll go at you for everything.
He'd need great political skills to break that cycle, but unfortunately doesn't have them.
How do you type that noise where you wibble your lips with your fingers really rapidly whilst air comes out, followed by "diddums" ?
I find the D-day stuff a bit overblown to be honest.
I'm astonished too. I don't know a single person who was glued to the D-Day coverage beforehand and yet it's got huge traction.
I can only conclude that the electorate want to see Sunak slip on banana skins, and are rather enjoying it.
There will be more of them. He doesn't have the political savviness or dexterity to avoid them.
It’s not that he slipped on a banana skin, it’s that he turned down a golden opportunity to be prime ministerial and rise above the political campaign and somehow, inconceivably turned that into a catastrophic negative. A totally self created and unforced error. .
He left a D-Day event a little bit early which no-one was paying much attention to anyway. Objectively this stuff doesn't really matter. Gordon Brown said Obama beach and didn't turn up to an EU treaty signing ceremony.
It's OK, we all do it, but Sunak is simply in a place where no-one will cut him any slack and are willing him to fail, so he fails. Once the public have decided to go at you for anything they'll go at you for everything.
He'd need great political skills to break that cycle, but unfortunately doesn't have them.
Be honest Casino, had Starmer left at lunchtime while Sunak stayed on, would you be cutting him some slack?
I find the D-day stuff a bit overblown to be honest.
I'm astonished too. I don't know a single person who was glued to the D-Day coverage beforehand and yet it's got huge traction.
I can only conclude that the electorate want to see Sunak slip on banana skins, and are rather enjoying it.
There will be more of them. He doesn't have the political savviness or dexterity to avoid them.
It’s not that he slipped on a banana skin, it’s that he turned down a golden opportunity to be prime ministerial and rise above the political campaign and somehow, inconceivably turned that into a catastrophic negative. A totally self created and unforced error. .
He left a D-Day event a little bit early which no-one was paying much attention to anyway. Objectively this stuff doesn't really matter. Gordon Brown said Obama beach and didn't turn up to an EU treaty signing ceremony.
It's OK, we all do it, but Sunak is simply in a place where no-one will cut him any slack and are willing him to fail, so he fails. Once the public have decided to go at you for anything they'll go at you for everything.
He'd need great political skills to break that cycle, but unfortunately doesn't have them.
Be honest Casino, had Starmer left at lunchtime while Sunak stayed on, would you be cutting him some slack?
Probably not, and I didn't Gordon Brown - we all have a side, let's be honest.
In the largest town in traditionally Tory East Wiltshire (it's a new seat, the old (Michael Ancram) Devizes seat, but without Devizes and with a bit more of the army on Salisbury Plain), Marlborough, I have seen one big "Winning Here" sign, outside the LibDem candidate's house, and two Labour posters in windows
I have not seen a single thing promoting the Tories or Danny Kruger, even at the two Tory town councillor ladies' houses on my route. They did have a stall at the market last week, but it seemed rather quiet
The Lib Dem candidate, David Kinnaird, is ex-Army. He might well be able to win over the new Salisbury Plain bits of the constituency. I haven't talked to enough people to elevate my knowledge above anecdata, but I haven't spoken to anyone who has met him who wasn't impressed by him
The consensus in my little focus group is that he'd be a fine representative for the constituency in Parliament
I don't think it's likely that he'll win, but he might be value. What are the odds for East Wiltshire (or is it Wiltshire East)?
Farage bravely arguing we should dissolve the NHS and go with the French system.
And though the Tories and their voters are generally not opposed to the NHS, I doubt they win votes back from Reform by pointing that out. Farage pleases them in others ways.
In the largest town in traditionally Tory East Wiltshire (it's a new seat, the old (Michael Ancram) Devizes seat, but without Devizes and with a bit more of the army on Salisbury Plain), Marlborough, I have seen one big "Winning Here" sign, outside the LibDem candidate's house, and two Labour posters in windows
I have not seen a single thing promoting the Tories or Danny Kruger, even at the two Tory town councillor ladies' houses on my route. They did have a stall at the market last week, but it seemed rather quiet
The Lib Dem candidate, David Kinnaird, is ex-Army. He might well be able to win over the new Salisbury Plain bits of the constituency. I haven't talked to enough people to elevate my knowledge above anecdata, but I haven't spoken to anyone who has met met him who wasn't impressed by him
The consensus in my little focus group is that he'd be a fine representative for the constituency in Parliament
I don't think it's likely that he'll win, but he might be value. What are the odds for East Wiltshire (or is it Wiltshire East)?
Pretty sure we've got East Wiltshire, SW Wiltshire, and Salisbury covered on here, let's see if we can get posters to cover all Wiltshire.
And as optimistic about Tory prospects as he was 14 years ago…..with rather more justification this time. At least, he’s putting his X in the blue box. Sound chap.
I find the D-day stuff a bit overblown to be honest.
I'm astonished too. I don't know a single person who was glued to the D-Day coverage beforehand and yet it's got huge traction.
I can only conclude that the electorate want to see Sunak slip on banana skins, and are rather enjoying it.
There will be more of them. He doesn't have the political savviness or dexterity to avoid them.
It’s not that he slipped on a banana skin, it’s that he turned down a golden opportunity to be prime ministerial and rise above the political campaign and somehow, inconceivably turned that into a catastrophic negative. A totally self created and unforced error. .
He left a D-Day event a little bit early which no-one was paying much attention to anyway. Objectively this stuff doesn't really matter. Gordon Brown said Obama beach and didn't turn up to an EU treaty signing ceremony.
It's OK, we all do it, but Sunak is simply in a place where no-one will cut him any slack and are willing him to fail, so he fails. Once the public have decided to go at you for anything they'll go at you for everything.
He'd need great political skills to break that cycle, but unfortunately doesn't have them.
Be honest Casino, had Starmer left at lunchtime while Sunak stayed on, would you be cutting him some slack?
It's a fair test to apply in political situations, but on the other hand I've cut Sunak slack for it, and I'm not batting for him over Starmer.
In the largest town in traditionally Tory East Wiltshire (it's a new seat, the old (Michael Ancram) Devizes seat, but without Devizes and with a bit more of the army on Salisbury Plain), Marlborough, I have seen one big "Winning Here" sign, outside the LibDem candidate's house, and two Labour posters in windows
I have not seen a single thing promoting the Tories or Danny Kruger, even at the two Tory town councillor ladies' houses on my route. They did have a stall at the market last week, but it seemed rather quiet
The Lib Dem candidate, David Kinnaird, is ex-Army. He might well be able to win over the new Salisbury Plain bits of the constituency. I haven't talked to enough people to elevate my knowledge above anecdata, but I haven't spoken to anyone who has met met him who wasn't impressed by him
The consensus in my little focus group is that he'd be a fine representative for the constituency in Parliament
I don't think it's likely that he'll win, but he might be value. What are the odds for East Wiltshire (or is it Wiltshire East)?
Pretty sure we've got East Wiltshire, SW Wiltshire, and Salisbury covered on here, let's see if we can get posters to cover all Wiltshire.
In the largest town in traditionally Tory East Wiltshire (it's a new seat, the old (Michael Ancram) Devizes seat, but without Devizes and with a bit more of the army on Salisbury Plain), Marlborough, I have seen one big "Winning Here" sign, outside the LibDem candidate's house, and two Labour posters in windows
I have not seen a single thing promoting the Tories or Danny Kruger, even at the two Tory town councillor ladies' houses on my route. They did have a stall at the market last week, but it seemed rather quiet
The Lib Dem candidate, David Kinnaird, is ex-Army. He might well be able to win over the new Salisbury Plain bits of the constituency. I haven't talked to enough people to elevate my knowledge above anecdata, but I haven't spoken to anyone who has met met him who wasn't impressed by him
The consensus in my little focus group is that he'd be a fine representative for the constituency in Parliament
I don't think it's likely that he'll win, but he might be value. What are the odds for East Wiltshire (or is it Wiltshire East)?
Pretty sure we've got East Wiltshire, SW Wiltshire, and Salisbury covered on here, let's see if we can get posters to cover all Wiltshire.
Malmesbury ?
Wasnt sure if they are actually based there, RochdalePioneers no longer on the ball in Rochdale after all!
In the largest town in traditionally Tory East Wiltshire (it's a new seat, the old (Michael Ancram) Devizes seat, but without Devizes and with a bit more of the army on Salisbury Plain), Marlborough, I have seen one big "Winning Here" sign, outside the LibDem candidate's house, and two Labour posters in windows
I have not seen a single thing promoting the Tories or Danny Kruger, even at the two Tory town councillor ladies' houses on my route. They did have a stall at the market last week, but it seemed rather quiet
The Lib Dem candidate, David Kinnaird, is ex-Army. He might well be able to win over the new Salisbury Plain bits of the constituency. I haven't talked to enough people to elevate my knowledge above anecdata, but I haven't spoken to anyone who has met met him who wasn't impressed by him
The consensus in my little focus group is that he'd be a fine representative for the constituency in Parliament
I don't think it's likely that he'll win, but he might be value. What are the odds for East Wiltshire (or is it Wiltshire East)?
Pretty sure we've got East Wiltshire, SW Wiltshire, and Salisbury covered on here, let's see if we can get posters to cover all Wiltshire.
Just outside: North Dorset. Similar territory (but slightly better obvs 😉)
In the largest town in traditionally Tory East Wiltshire (it's a new seat, the old (Michael Ancram) Devizes seat, but without Devizes and with a bit more of the army on Salisbury Plain), Marlborough, I have seen one big "Winning Here" sign, outside the LibDem candidate's house, and two Labour posters in windows
I have not seen a single thing promoting the Tories or Danny Kruger, even at the two Tory town councillor ladies' houses on my route. They did have a stall at the market last week, but it seemed rather quiet
The Lib Dem candidate, David Kinnaird, is ex-Army. He might well be able to win over the new Salisbury Plain bits of the constituency. I haven't talked to enough people to elevate my knowledge above anecdata, but I haven't spoken to anyone who has met met him who wasn't impressed by him
The consensus in my little focus group is that he'd be a fine representative for the constituency in Parliament
I don't think it's likely that he'll win, but he might be value. What are the odds for East Wiltshire (or is it Wiltshire East)?
Pretty sure we've got East Wiltshire, SW Wiltshire, and Salisbury covered on here, let's see if we can get posters to cover all Wiltshire.
Just outside: North Dorset. Similar territory (but slightly better obvs 😉)
Farage says it’s how healthcare is funded that makes the French system better than the UK.
ONS says…
“In 2017, the UK spent £2,989 per person on healthcare, which was around the median for members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development: OECD (£2,913 per person).
“However, of the G7 group of large, developed economies, UK healthcare spending per person was the second-lowest, with the highest spenders being France (£3,737), Germany (£4,432) and the United States (£7,736).”
In the largest town in traditionally Tory East Wiltshire (it's a new seat, the old (Michael Ancram) Devizes seat, but without Devizes and with a bit more of the army on Salisbury Plain), Marlborough, I have seen one big "Winning Here" sign, outside the LibDem candidate's house, and two Labour posters in windows
I have not seen a single thing promoting the Tories or Danny Kruger, even at the two Tory town councillor ladies' houses on my route. They did have a stall at the market last week, but it seemed rather quiet
The Lib Dem candidate, David Kinnaird, is ex-Army. He might well be able to win over the new Salisbury Plain bits of the constituency. I haven't talked to enough people to elevate my knowledge above anecdata, but I haven't spoken to anyone who has met met him who wasn't impressed by him
The consensus in my little focus group is that he'd be a fine representative for the constituency in Parliament
I don't think it's likely that he'll win, but he might be value. What are the odds for East Wiltshire (or is it Wiltshire East)?
Pretty sure we've got East Wiltshire, SW Wiltshire, and Salisbury covered on here, let's see if we can get posters to cover all Wiltshire.
Malmesbury ?
Wasnt sure if they are actually based there, RochdalePioneers no longer on the ball in Rochdale after all!
To be fair, and this is just unscientific feels, lefties seem much more into clapping and whooping for their side.its the inner righteousness that takes over their bodies.
I'm betting the snapshot at the end has him listed as 'winning' or performing best. The Reform audience plus much of the Tory audience will carry him through. Expect Guido and the Telegraph to burst in excitement and talk more about crossover with Reform.
In the largest town in traditionally Tory East Wiltshire (it's a new seat, the old (Michael Ancram) Devizes seat, but without Devizes and with a bit more of the army on Salisbury Plain), Marlborough, I have seen one big "Winning Here" sign, outside the LibDem candidate's house, and two Labour posters in windows
I have not seen a single thing promoting the Tories or Danny Kruger, even at the two Tory town councillor ladies' houses on my route. They did have a stall at the market last week, but it seemed rather quiet
The Lib Dem candidate, David Kinnaird, is ex-Army. He might well be able to win over the new Salisbury Plain bits of the constituency. I haven't talked to enough people to elevate my knowledge above anecdata, but I haven't spoken to anyone who has met met him who wasn't impressed by him
The consensus in my little focus group is that he'd be a fine representative for the constituency in Parliament
I don't think it's likely that he'll win, but he might be value. What are the odds for East Wiltshire (or is it Wiltshire East)?
Pretty sure we've got East Wiltshire, SW Wiltshire, and Salisbury covered on here, let's see if we can get posters to cover all Wiltshire.
Malmesbury ?
Wasnt sure if they are actually based there, RochdalePioneers no longer on the ball in Rochdale after all!
It's got to be a better chance than anyone admitting that they live in Swindon!
I think Farage is heckling too much. He started well, but I don’t think it looks great to be butting in this much.
Mordaunt taken every opportunity to attack Labour.
All about the video clips you can generate. Both will get a few, but positive spin from the press would help sell the clips, which is where she might struggle.
Farage says it’s how healthcare is funded that makes the French system better than the UK.
ONS says…
“In 2017, the UK spent £2,989 per person on healthcare, which was around the median for members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development: OECD (£2,913 per person).
“However, of the G7 group of large, developed economies, UK healthcare spending per person was the second-lowest, with the highest spenders being France (£3,737), Germany (£4,432) and the United States (£7,736).”
UK £2989 per person, France £3737 per person.
Well by your argument then US health care should be far and away gthe best in the world. But of course it isn't.
Farage is right (not often I wuld say that these days). The way French Health care is paid for and provided is miles better than the archaic NHS system.
And as optimistic about Tory prospects as he was 14 years ago…..with rather more justification this time. At least, he’s putting his X in the blue box. Sound chap.
True, and far better than some who claim to be Tories and will do anything but.
Putting politics to one side for a moment… Mishal Hussain has done/is doing a much better job of moderating thus far.
It may well be the case that the audience have been prepared better. It may well be the case that the leaders have agreed to behave themselves. But still… Hussain is excellent so far.
Farage says it’s how healthcare is funded that makes the French system better than the UK.
ONS says…
“In 2017, the UK spent £2,989 per person on healthcare, which was around the median for members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development: OECD (£2,913 per person).
“However, of the G7 group of large, developed economies, UK healthcare spending per person was the second-lowest, with the highest spenders being France (£3,737), Germany (£4,432) and the United States (£7,736).”
UK £2989 per person, France £3737 per person.
Well by your argument then US health care should be far and away gthe best in the world. But of course it isn't.
Farage is right (not often I wuld say that these days). The way French Health care is paid for and provided is miles better than the archaic NHS system.
I think there’s a sensible first step to be taken, where we could hypothecate NHS funding as a specific tax, and then start to play around with differential charging levels and funding models over time.
Farage says it’s how healthcare is funded that makes the French system better than the UK.
ONS says…
“In 2017, the UK spent £2,989 per person on healthcare, which was around the median for members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development: OECD (£2,913 per person).
“However, of the G7 group of large, developed economies, UK healthcare spending per person was the second-lowest, with the highest spenders being France (£3,737), Germany (£4,432) and the United States (£7,736).”
UK £2989 per person, France £3737 per person.
Well by your argument then US health care should be far and away gthe best in the world. But of course it isn't.
Farage is right (not often I wuld say that these days). The way French Health care is paid for and provided is miles better than the archaic NHS system.
The US is a massive outlier, but, yes, the US shows that how you fund healthcare does matter. As Cooper said in the debate, the King’s Fund have said that the different ways *publicly funded* healthcare are organised don’t make much difference.
I think there should be a threshold for the number of candidates a party is fielding before being entitled to a spot in a debate like this. Plaid Cymru and the SNP shouldn't be there.
I'm hoping though we go crazy and it gets up to 20 or something so the risk of selling it is worth it with [b]my[/b] money.
That’s a dangerous spread bet to take the under. If it goes wrong, it could go very horribly wrong.
(And you are betting to some extent on the Tories not completely imploding in the next four weeks).
I agree, that's why I'm not doing it. But I would if I were managing someone else's money (insert something about loss aversion and utility functions here).
If it gets close to 20 bit calculus very much changes.
It looks tonight more obvious than ever what are some of the roots of Farage's appeal. He's very good at giving the impression of spontaneous, righteous anger about to boil over, but simultaneously in a slightly laconic, ironic and indirect way that appeals to English sensibilities. Someone coming to him for the first time might not believe his views were in fact unchanging for decades, or that the impressions of everyman righteousness on the one hand, like a small shopowner who's suddenly had enough, rather than a child of privilege, and on the other hand spontaneity, aren't particularly accurate.
In the largest town in traditionally Tory East Wiltshire (it's a new seat, the old (Michael Ancram) Devizes seat, but without Devizes and with a bit more of the army on Salisbury Plain), Marlborough, I have seen one big "Winning Here" sign, outside the LibDem candidate's house, and two Labour posters in windows
I have not seen a single thing promoting the Tories or Danny Kruger, even at the two Tory town councillor ladies' houses on my route. They did have a stall at the market last week, but it seemed rather quiet
The Lib Dem candidate, David Kinnaird, is ex-Army. He might well be able to win over the new Salisbury Plain bits of the constituency. I haven't talked to enough people to elevate my knowledge above anecdata, but I haven't spoken to anyone who has met him who wasn't impressed by him
The consensus in my little focus group is that he'd be a fine representative for the constituency in Parliament
I don't think it's likely that he'll win, but he might be value. What are the odds for East Wiltshire (or is it Wiltshire East)?
The LibDem candidate in North Dorset, Gary Jackson, is also ex-army. He'll be getting my vote. Labour don't seem to be putting much effort in here - the candidate is from outside - it looks like they are tacitly leaving it to the LDs to challenge.
I suspect Simon Hoare will hang on for the Conservatives as this is about their 16th safest seat - at least he's a sensible one-nation Tory. Even he must feel under threat though.
Am I just biased in thinking Daisy Cooper is winning this so far?
I am also biased towards Cooper… I don’t think she’s winning. I think they’ve all been fairly good so far, they’ve all gotten over the points they want to get over. Except Mordaunt.
Am I just biased in thinking Daisy Cooper is winning this so far?
She's playing on easy mode. SNP, PC and Con all focusing attacks on Lab, Ref and Lab going for Con. And no-one cares that the Lib Dems make billions of unfunded promises because everyone knows they aren't going to win. But yes, Cooper is doing well, can't be doing her future leadership chances any harm.
Am I just biased in thinking Daisy Cooper is winning this so far?
She's talking too fast and it just washes over you.
Maybe a bit, but she’s articulating things well. Angela is doing the pace well: slower than the others, more measured. Mordaunt trying but just can’t manage.
I think Farage is heckling too much. He started well, but I don’t think it looks great to be butting in this much.
Mordaunt taken every opportunity to attack Labour.
Her approach would work better against Starmer, but Rayner's good at rubbishing her. Similarly, Mordaunt's giving serious side-eye whenever Rayner's speaking.
I'd love to see a proper head-to-head debate between these two, without the dwarves interrupting.
Comments
1. Denyer
2. Flynn
3. Cooper
4. Rayner
5. Farage
6. ap Iorwerth
7. Mordaunt
Christian Peoples Alliance and the Social Democratic Party. But it is either Sir Philip (address in the Tatton Constituency) or Anna Dixon for Labour topping the poll.
However several people today were talking about him leaving D Day early? What in god's name was he thinking? Perhaps it would have been better if he'd come out and said he was sick and tired of the US and France taking ownership of the whole thing as if Britain only played a minor role. So he wouldn't be going to the international event in protest.
Like Tory MPs
which no-one was paying much attention to anyway. Objectively this stuff doesn't really matter. Gordon Brown said Obama beach and didn't turn up to an EU treaty signing ceremony.
It's OK, we all do it, but Sunak is simply in a place where no-one will cut him any slack and are willing him to fail, so he fails. Once the public have decided to go at you for anything they'll go at you for everything.
He'd need great political skills to break that cycle, but unfortunately doesn't have them.
Biggest round of applause so far for Flynn talking about no student fees in Scotland.
Mordaunt not looking happy.
Everyone… well, Cooper and Rayner, ducking questions of where the money comes from to pay for things.
It's not looking good for the party.
@JohnO John?! He's here.
Mark Harper comes across as an escapee from the Marx Brothers' Shyster, Flywheel & Shyster - the only blow I heard him land was on Wales, and Shabana Mahmood as gabbling and superficial.
No view on the others yet.
You better fix that.
But, politically, doesn't mean I'm wrong.
I have not seen a single thing promoting the Tories or Danny Kruger, even at the two Tory town councillor ladies' houses on my route. They did have a stall at the market last week, but it seemed rather quiet
The Lib Dem candidate, David Kinnaird, is ex-Army. He might well be able to win over the new Salisbury Plain bits of the constituency. I haven't talked to enough people to elevate my knowledge above anecdata, but I haven't spoken to anyone who has met him who wasn't impressed by him
The consensus in my little focus group is that he'd be a fine representative for the constituency in Parliament
I don't think it's likely that he'll win, but he might be value. What are the odds for East Wiltshire (or is it Wiltshire East)?
Oh, right, you meant something else.
It's probably her last big event as an MP, but it seems she's checked out already.
ONS says…
“In 2017, the UK spent £2,989 per person on healthcare, which was around the median for members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development: OECD (£2,913 per person).
“However, of the G7 group of large, developed economies, UK healthcare spending per person was the second-lowest, with the highest spenders being France (£3,737), Germany (£4,432) and the United States (£7,736).”
UK £2989 per person, France £3737 per person.
Mordaunt taken every opportunity to attack Labour.
Farage is right (not often I wuld say that these days). The way French Health care is paid for and provided is miles better than the archaic NHS system.
Bravo.
It may well be the case that the audience have been prepared better. It may well be the case that the leaders have agreed to behave themselves. But still… Hussain is excellent so far.
The Plaid man is the worst unfortunately. But he’s doing a good job encouraging Tory wavelets to vote Labour.
If it gets close to 20 bit calculus very much changes. No one is covering themselves in glory, put it that way....
He's very good at giving the impression of spontaneous, righteous anger about to boil over, but simultaneously in a slightly laconic, ironic and indirect way that appeals to English sensibilities. Someone coming to him for the first time might not believe his views were in fact unchanging for decades, or that the impressions of everyman righteousness on the one hand, like a small shopowner who's suddenly had enough, rather than a child of privilege, and on the other hand spontaneity, aren't particularly accurate.
I suspect Simon Hoare will hang on for the Conservatives as this is about their 16th safest seat - at least he's a sensible one-nation Tory. Even he must feel under threat though.
Angela is doing the pace well: slower than the others, more measured. Mordaunt trying but just can’t manage.
I'd love to see a proper head-to-head debate between these two, without the dwarves interrupting.