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Who will be the official opposition after the next election? – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 13,256
edited May 18 in General
Who will be the official opposition after the next election? – politicalbetting.com

The prediction above is from the Electoral Calculus website using the most recent More In Common poll, I’d expect the polling to change between now and the 2029 general election but I am not sure where.

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Comments

  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 23,863
    First, unlike the Tories or Labour
  • squareroot2squareroot2 Posts: 8,003
    Impossible to.predict. I dont think Reform will be the Govt as if its remotely likely..
    there would need to be deal.by Tories and Labour to keep them.out
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 72,724
    Fantasy polling 3 years outside a GE with another anti Kemi comment

  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 72,724
    DougSeal said:

    Fantasy polling 3 years outside a GE with another anti Kemi comment

    Mate, seriously, give it up. She's married.
    What on earth do you mean

    Utterly stupid comment to an 82 year old


  • FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 10,789
    We're probably screwed.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 129,787

    Fantasy polling 3 years outside a GE with another anti Kemi comment

    You've gone from saying Nigel Farage will never be PM to now saying he could be PM.
  • BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 29,378

    Fantasy polling 3 years outside a GE with another anti Kemi comment

    You've gone from saying Nigel Farage will never be PM to now saying he could be PM.
    He could.

    He probably won't, but he could.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 81,346
    Tbh I'm not sure of the relevance of opinion polls right now before we see who takes over from Starmer - unless Burnham loses, Streeting challenges him and Starmer wins.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 81,346
    edited May 18
    Tbh I'm not sure of the relevance of opinion polls right now before we see who takes over from Starmer - unless Burnham loses, Streeting challenges him and Starmer wins (In which case they're probably even worse for Labour than now)
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 60,314
    https://x.com/alexwickham/status/2056376674040623451

    Pro-EU Labour figures very disappointed by this as they had thought Burnham was running to prove a Rejoin candidate could win in Makerfield and Brexit could be reversed. “Shambles,” says one
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 129,787
    Pro-EU Labour figures very disappointed by this as they had thought Burnham was running to prove a Rejoin candidate could win in Makerfield and Brexit could be reversed. “Shambles,” says one

    https://x.com/alexwickham/status/2056376674040623451
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 21,699
    FPT...
    Nigelb said:

    Foxy said:

    Oh dear, it looks like Farage will need to come up with another story to explain his property purchase.

    https://bsky.app/profile/pickardje.bsky.social/post/3mm4uqmbbus2m

    Its a stupid lie to tell given that Farage made a load of money in the city, then in the EU parliament and then all this other grifts. And I imagine like lots of people of his age has done very well out of moving up the housing ladder. Therefore, I would say it is unsurprising he could have bought a £1 million house for cash, crypto sugar daddy or not *. But instead told another whopper and one that is easy to check (people had already checked this out days ago).

    * obviously if one was to think they might come into £5 million gift in the near future probably give you a lot more confidence.
    Farage cannot stick with a story about what happened. Maybe we'll find out the truth one day.
    That's a deliberate tactic, which Trump perfected.
    Tell so many lies that pinning them down becomes impossible onerous.
    But people have tired of Trump, and Farage isn't as good at it.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 61,184

    https://x.com/alexwickham/status/2056376674040623451

    Pro-EU Labour figures very disappointed by this as they had thought Burnham was running to prove a Rejoin candidate could win in Makerfield and Brexit could be reversed. “Shambles,” says one

    Glad to see they are focusing on the issues that matter.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 25,830

    Fantasy polling 3 years outside a GE with another anti Kemi comment

    Kemi's response to the election results is a combination of being in denial and being delusional.

    In England, the Tories lost 60% of their seats outside of London, starting from a low base. In Scotland and Wales, they were similarly thumped.

    Anyone who thinks they are on the way back is delusional.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 72,724

    Fantasy polling 3 years outside a GE with another anti Kemi comment

    You've gone from saying Nigel Farage will never be PM to now saying he could be PM.
    If Burnham loses this epoch election to reform then that will be a disaster and yes that could herald Farage as PM, God forbid
  • TazTaz Posts: 29,652

    The attacks I receive on here for supporting Kemi, who polls at +8 v Starmer and + 15 v Farage as best PM, is strange because she stands between Farage and him becoming PM not least because there will always be a left right split

    Kemi has faults but is very much in the ascendency but the brand is broken

    What we are seeing, even on here, is an increasing acceptance that Kemi is one to watch

    Time will tell but Burnham v Kemi at the dispatch box will be very interesting

    She’s certainly grown into the role and is proving pretty good at holding the govt to account
  • Jim_the_LurkerJim_the_Lurker Posts: 341
    Pulpstar said:

    Tbh I'm not sure of the relevance of opinion polls right now before we see who takes over from Starmer - unless Burnham loses, Streeting challenges him and Starmer wins (In which case they're probably even worse for Labour than now)

    Are you new here? Wild speculation about essential irrelevant opinion polls are currency in these halls.

    Although I would expect significant tightening and some formal / informal pacts to play a role - nonetheless it is a legitimate question and potential betting opportunity. Assuming Reform win do they govern with the Tories, and if they do will there be enough Labour MPs left to count as HM opposition. You would assume they still would, but who knows in this febrile environment. What if Reform govern on their own?
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 72,724

    Fantasy polling 3 years outside a GE with another anti Kemi comment

    Kemi's response to the election results is a combination of being in denial and being delusional.

    In England, the Tories lost 60% of their seats outside of London, starting from a low base. In Scotland and Wales, they were similarly thumped.

    Anyone who thinks they are on the way back is delusional.
    From small acorns large oak trees grow
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 129,787
    Pulpstar said:

    Tbh I'm not sure of the relevance of opinion polls right now before we see who takes over from Starmer - unless Burnham loses, Streeting challenges him and Starmer wins (In which case they're probably even worse for Labour than now)

    They set the agenda for MPs.

    There's going to be some hypothetical polls in the next few days/weeks asking how people would vote with a Burnham led Labour Party, it's going to be heartbreaking for the Tories due to projection and the fact hypothetical polls are usually bobbins.
  • nico67nico67 Posts: 8,537

    Pro-EU Labour figures very disappointed by this as they had thought Burnham was running to prove a Rejoin candidate could win in Makerfield and Brexit could be reversed. “Shambles,” says one

    https://x.com/alexwickham/status/2056376674040623451

    Words almost fail me ! Burnham could have handled this in a way which allowed him to look principled and at the same time moderated his pro EU stance in the leave voting constituency. He’s now trying to also piss off Green voters which he needs . And further down the line his u-turn allows Streeting to feel less pressure to allow a coronation as he can go to the membership which are pro EU .

  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 21,699

    Nigelb said:

    Sandpit said:

    Foxy said:

    Oh dear, it looks like Farage will need to come up with another story to explain his property purchase.

    https://bsky.app/profile/pickardje.bsky.social/post/3mm4uqmbbus2m

    Its a stupid lie to tell given that Farage made a load of money in the city, then in the EU parliament and then all this other grifts. And I imagine like lots of people of his age has done very well out of moving up the housing ladder. Therefore, I would say it is unsurprising he could have bought a £1 million house for cash, crypto sugar daddy or not *. But instead told another whopper and one that is easy to check (people had already checked this out days ago).

    * obviously if one was to think they might come into £5 million gift in the near future probably give you a lot more confidence.
    This £5m, was it seriously a single paid transaction from an overseas donor straight into Farage’s personal bank account?

    I understand that he wasn’t an MP at the time, but that’s the most inefficient way possible to make a donation to a politician.

    If it was actually for his security, you’d set up a company called “Reform MP Security Ltd” or similar, and pay the money to that entity.
    We might know, if he had declared it.
    But he must have paid tax on it? As income?

    Mustn't he?
    Not if it is a gift.

    Dan Neidle's got a piece on that due this week.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 72,724
    nico67 said:

    Pro-EU Labour figures very disappointed by this as they had thought Burnham was running to prove a Rejoin candidate could win in Makerfield and Brexit could be reversed. “Shambles,” says one

    https://x.com/alexwickham/status/2056376674040623451

    Words almost fail me ! Burnham could have handled this in a way which allowed him to look principled and at the same time moderated his pro EU stance in the leave voting constituency. He’s now trying to also piss off Green voters which he needs . And further down the line his u-turn allows Streeting to feel less pressure to allow a coronation as he can go to the membership which are pro EU .

    Burnham is speaking for the north, not the London elite, and it is where his power base is

    His speech in Leeds was very interesting as he attacked Blairs university mantra and wants FE for the young

    His comments on the EU seemed almost Starmer like
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 25,017
    Plaid Cymru are surely going to win a bunch of Labour seats across Wales, which would improve the odds of the Lib Dems becoming the official opposition to a Reform government - this seems to be what they are preparing for rhetorically.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 29,256
    BUT THEY WON HARLOW.

    DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? THAT MAKES IT OK.

    EVERYTHING'S OK. NO NEED TO PANIC.

    BECAUSE THEY WON HARLOW.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 72,724

    Fantasy polling 3 years outside a GE with another anti Kemi comment

    You've gone from saying Nigel Farage will never be PM to now saying he could be PM.
    If Burnham loses this epoch election to reform then that will be a disaster and yes that could herald Farage as PM, God forbid
    A Burnham "Portillo Moment" would be hilarious.

    The notion that he is the only hope of preventing the country descending into Faragism is preposterous.
    It will split labour asunder
  • nico67nico67 Posts: 8,537

    nico67 said:

    Pro-EU Labour figures very disappointed by this as they had thought Burnham was running to prove a Rejoin candidate could win in Makerfield and Brexit could be reversed. “Shambles,” says one

    https://x.com/alexwickham/status/2056376674040623451

    Words almost fail me ! Burnham could have handled this in a way which allowed him to look principled and at the same time moderated his pro EU stance in the leave voting constituency. He’s now trying to also piss off Green voters which he needs . And further down the line his u-turn allows Streeting to feel less pressure to allow a coronation as he can go to the membership which are pro EU .

    Burnham is speaking for the north, not the London elite, and it is where his power base is

    His speech in Leeds was very interesting as he attacked Blairs university mantra and wants FE for the young

    His comments on the EU seemed almost Starmer like
    It looks unprincipled and a screeching u-turn .
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 64,439
    viewcode said:

    BUT THEY WON HARLOW.

    DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? THAT MAKES IT OK.

    EVERYTHING'S OK. NO NEED TO PANIC.

    BECAUSE THEY WON HARLOW.

    Donald, is that you?
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 72,724

    Fantasy polling 3 years outside a GE with another anti Kemi comment

    Kemi's response to the election results is a combination of being in denial and being delusional.

    In England, the Tories lost 60% of their seats outside of London, starting from a low base. In Scotland and Wales, they were similarly thumped.

    Anyone who thinks they are on the way back is delusional.
    From small acorns large oak trees grow
    The Tory acorns aren't growing. They are being munched on by squirrels!
    Thats quite funny to be fair

    Good to have humour

    And they eat our acorns from the oak tree our son planted in our front garden 50 years ago
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 51,558
    edited May 18

    Pro-EU Labour figures very disappointed by this as they had thought Burnham was running to prove a Rejoin candidate could win in Makerfield and Brexit could be reversed. “Shambles,” says one

    https://x.com/alexwickham/status/2056376674040623451

    Where on earth did they get the idea that Andy Burnham is running in Makerfield to prove that Brexit can be reversed?

    He's running to prove he can win and thus ought to replace Keir Starmer who it appears cannot.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 72,724
    nico67 said:

    nico67 said:

    Pro-EU Labour figures very disappointed by this as they had thought Burnham was running to prove a Rejoin candidate could win in Makerfield and Brexit could be reversed. “Shambles,” says one

    https://x.com/alexwickham/status/2056376674040623451

    Words almost fail me ! Burnham could have handled this in a way which allowed him to look principled and at the same time moderated his pro EU stance in the leave voting constituency. He’s now trying to also piss off Green voters which he needs . And further down the line his u-turn allows Streeting to feel less pressure to allow a coronation as he can go to the membership which are pro EU .

    Burnham is speaking for the north, not the London elite, and it is where his power base is

    His speech in Leeds was very interesting as he attacked Blairs university mantra and wants FE for the young

    His comments on the EU seemed almost Starmer like
    It looks unprincipled and a screeching u-turn .
    Its practical politics - he is from the north
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 60,314
    https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-angela-merkel-eu-russia-ukraine-war/

    Germany’s Merkel criticizes EU for not talking to Russia
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 25,830

    Fantasy polling 3 years outside a GE with another anti Kemi comment

    You've gone from saying Nigel Farage will never be PM to now saying he could be PM.
    If Burnham loses this epoch election to reform then that will be a disaster and yes that could herald Farage as PM, God forbid
    A Burnham "Portillo Moment" would be hilarious.

    The notion that he is the only hope of preventing the country descending into Faragism is preposterous.
    It will split labour asunder
    We'll have a leadership election, in which Burnham will not be a candidate. Someone better than Starmer, most likely from the Soft Left, will win that and become PM. They will then have 3 years to demonstrate that Labour deserves a second term.

    Meanwhile Mr Arrogant will skulk back to his office in Manchester with his tail between his legs.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 64,439

    Fantasy polling 3 years outside a GE with another anti Kemi comment

    Kemi's response to the election results is a combination of being in denial and being delusional.

    In England, the Tories lost 60% of their seats outside of London, starting from a low base. In Scotland and Wales, they were similarly thumped.

    Anyone who thinks they are on the way back is delusional.
    From small acorns large oak trees grow
    The Tory acorns aren't growing. They are being munched on by squirrels!
    Thats quite funny to be fair

    Good to have humour

    And they eat our acorns from the oak tree our son planted in our front garden 50 years ago
    The Conservative problem is that hating on Tories is in fashion. Just liking hating on Starmer. Note that the Labour Party itself doesn't get hated on as much, nor does Kemi.

    Hence the belief that Burnham can improve things for Labour, and the belief that replacing Kemi won't improve things for the Tories.

    Both these beliefs may be mistaken, but that is what the pattern of politics is, at the moment.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 57,533

    Nigelb said:

    Sandpit said:

    Foxy said:

    Oh dear, it looks like Farage will need to come up with another story to explain his property purchase.

    https://bsky.app/profile/pickardje.bsky.social/post/3mm4uqmbbus2m

    Its a stupid lie to tell given that Farage made a load of money in the city, then in the EU parliament and then all this other grifts. And I imagine like lots of people of his age has done very well out of moving up the housing ladder. Therefore, I would say it is unsurprising he could have bought a £1 million house for cash, crypto sugar daddy or not *. But instead told another whopper and one that is easy to check (people had already checked this out days ago).

    * obviously if one was to think they might come into £5 million gift in the near future probably give you a lot more confidence.
    This £5m, was it seriously a single paid transaction from an overseas donor straight into Farage’s personal bank account?

    I understand that he wasn’t an MP at the time, but that’s the most inefficient way possible to make a donation to a politician.

    If it was actually for his security, you’d set up a company called “Reform MP Security Ltd” or similar, and pay the money to that entity.
    We might know, if he had declared it.
    But he must have paid tax on it? As income?

    Mustn't he?
    Not if it is a gift.

    Dan Neidle's got a piece on that due this week.
    But it is if it is payment for "services rendered" surely?
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 62,557

    https://x.com/alexwickham/status/2056376674040623451

    Pro-EU Labour figures very disappointed by this as they had thought Burnham was running to prove a Rejoin candidate could win in Makerfield and Brexit could be reversed. “Shambles,” says one

    LOL!

    Did they forget that this seat voted 2/1 leave the EU?
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 72,724

    Fantasy polling 3 years outside a GE with another anti Kemi comment

    You've gone from saying Nigel Farage will never be PM to now saying he could be PM.
    If Burnham loses this epoch election to reform then that will be a disaster and yes that could herald Farage as PM, God forbid
    A Burnham "Portillo Moment" would be hilarious.

    The notion that he is the only hope of preventing the country descending into Faragism is preposterous.
    It will split labour asunder
    We'll have a leadership election, in which Burnham will not be a candidate. Someone better than Starmer, most likely from the Soft Left, will win that and become PM. They will then have 3 years to demonstrate that Labour deserves a second term.

    Meanwhile Mr Arrogant will skulk back to his office in Manchester with his tail between his legs.
    And that sums up labour's northern problem if he loses

    You may get Rayner who is northern but would be a disaster
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 137,633
    edited May 18
    If Reform win the next general election, then Labour will almost certainly be the main opposition as EC project. Indeed if Reform fail to win a majority they may even rely on Tory confidence and supply in a hung parliament if Farage's party win most seats.

    If Labour win the next general election though the Conservatives still have a good chance of remaining official opposition if they have held most of their seats from a defeated Reform and gained a few middle class Labour seats. Dare I say on a forced choice some Tories would prefer Labour to win the next general election rather than Reform if the Conservatives can't win it
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 62,557
    FPT:

    To anyone who wants to feel old:

    The song “Three Lions”, with the lyric “30 years of hurt”, is now itself 30 years old.

    It’s wierd to think of things before you were born. The moon landings finished only five years before i was born, but it might as well be five decades for all I know.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 29,256

    viewcode said:

    BUT THEY WON HARLOW.

    DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? THAT MAKES IT OK.

    EVERYTHING'S OK. NO NEED TO PANIC.

    BECAUSE THEY WON HARLOW.

    Donald, is that you?
    THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 25,830

    Fantasy polling 3 years outside a GE with another anti Kemi comment

    Kemi's response to the election results is a combination of being in denial and being delusional.

    In England, the Tories lost 60% of their seats outside of London, starting from a low base. In Scotland and Wales, they were similarly thumped.

    Anyone who thinks they are on the way back is delusional.
    From small acorns large oak trees grow
    The Tory acorns aren't growing. They are being munched on by squirrels!
    Thats quite funny to be fair

    Good to have humour

    And they eat our acorns from the oak tree our son planted in our front garden 50 years ago
    Self-replicating carbon capture plants, as I like to refer to them!
  • MightyAlexMightyAlex Posts: 1,968
    Foxy said:

    Nigelb said:

    Sandpit said:

    Foxy said:

    Oh dear, it looks like Farage will need to come up with another story to explain his property purchase.

    https://bsky.app/profile/pickardje.bsky.social/post/3mm4uqmbbus2m

    Its a stupid lie to tell given that Farage made a load of money in the city, then in the EU parliament and then all this other grifts. And I imagine like lots of people of his age has done very well out of moving up the housing ladder. Therefore, I would say it is unsurprising he could have bought a £1 million house for cash, crypto sugar daddy or not *. But instead told another whopper and one that is easy to check (people had already checked this out days ago).

    * obviously if one was to think they might come into £5 million gift in the near future probably give you a lot more confidence.
    This £5m, was it seriously a single paid transaction from an overseas donor straight into Farage’s personal bank account?

    I understand that he wasn’t an MP at the time, but that’s the most inefficient way possible to make a donation to a politician.

    If it was actually for his security, you’d set up a company called “Reform MP Security Ltd” or similar, and pay the money to that entity.
    We might know, if he had declared it.
    But he must have paid tax on it? As income?

    Mustn't he?
    Not if it is a gift.

    Dan Neidle's got a piece on that due this week.
    But it is if it is payment for "services rendered" surely?
    Can't be a cryptofacist without some crypto.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 137,633
    edited May 18
    viewcode said:

    BUT THEY WON HARLOW.

    DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? THAT MAKES IT OK.

    EVERYTHING'S OK. NO NEED TO PANIC.

    BECAUSE THEY WON HARLOW.

    They also held Kensington and Chelsea, Hillingdon, Bexley and Bromley and gained Westminster and won most seats in Hampshire, Wandsworth, Enfield and the Scottish borders
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 25,830
    Sandpit said:

    https://x.com/alexwickham/status/2056376674040623451

    Pro-EU Labour figures very disappointed by this as they had thought Burnham was running to prove a Rejoin candidate could win in Makerfield and Brexit could be reversed. “Shambles,” says one

    LOL!

    Did they forget that this seat voted 2/1 leave the EU?
    Wes Streeting certainly didn't!
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 137,633

    Fantasy polling 3 years outside a GE with another anti Kemi comment

    You've gone from saying Nigel Farage will never be PM to now saying he could be PM.
    If Burnham loses this epoch election to reform then that will be a disaster and yes that could herald Farage as PM, God forbid
    A Burnham "Portillo Moment" would be hilarious.

    The notion that he is the only hope of preventing the country descending into Faragism is preposterous.
    He probably is, much like Boris was the only chance of clearly defeating Corbyn
  • WhisperingOracleWhisperingOracle Posts: 11,168
    edited May 18
    Afternoon, all.

    Celebrities have called for an end to the ban on gnomes at the Chelsea fliower show, according to the Guardian.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 64,837
    Sandpit said:

    https://x.com/alexwickham/status/2056376674040623451

    Pro-EU Labour figures very disappointed by this as they had thought Burnham was running to prove a Rejoin candidate could win in Makerfield and Brexit could be reversed. “Shambles,” says one

    LOL!

    Did they forget that this seat voted 2/1 leave the EU?
    I don't think it did: I think it was 55:45, so mostly more Leave than the country. But not as overwhelmingly Brexity as most of its neighbors.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 137,633
    edited May 18

    Pro-EU Labour figures very disappointed by this as they had thought Burnham was running to prove a Rejoin candidate could win in Makerfield and Brexit could be reversed. “Shambles,” says one

    https://x.com/alexwickham/status/2056376674040623451

    He isn’t, Streeting is now the rejoin the EU candidate, Burnham is the shift a bit left economically candidate
  • Brixian59Brixian59 Posts: 2,571
    HYUFD said:

    viewcode said:

    BUT THEY WON HARLOW.

    DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? THAT MAKES IT OK.

    EVERYTHING'S OK. NO NEED TO PANIC.

    BECAUSE THEY WON HARLOW.

    They also held Kensington and Chelsea, Hillingdon, Bexley and Bromley and gained Westminster and won most seats in Hampshire, Wandsworth, Enfield and the Scottish borders
    They won some of those Councils DESPITE LOSING SEATS eg they Lost less Seats than Labour.

    Ms Badenoch AD

    No she's not Arrogant Delusion
  • DopermeanDopermean Posts: 3,422
    viewcode said:

    viewcode said:

    BUT THEY WON HARLOW.

    DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? THAT MAKES IT OK.

    EVERYTHING'S OK. NO NEED TO PANIC.

    BECAUSE THEY WON HARLOW.

    Donald, is that you?
    THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!
    I had a vague recollection that Harlow council had bought swathes of the town centre for property development, so was interested that it hadn't gone belly-up like Woking and others. I see that it was the beneficiary of govt largesse via the regional development fund of ~£60m in total https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cyxzk3l5ynwo

    So good to Conservatives like HYUFD changing tune and praising the benefits of spraying govt funding at deprived town centres.
  • Brixian59Brixian59 Posts: 2,571

    Fantasy polling 3 years outside a GE with another anti Kemi comment

    You've gone from saying Nigel Farage will never be PM to now saying he could be PM.
    If Burnham loses this epoch election to reform then that will be a disaster and yes that could herald Farage as PM, God forbid
    A Burnham "Portillo Moment" would be hilarious.

    The notion that he is the only hope of preventing the country descending into Faragism is preposterous.
    It will split labour asunder
    We'll have a leadership election, in which Burnham will not be a candidate. Someone better than Starmer, most likely from the Soft Left, will win that and become PM. They will then have 3 years to demonstrate that Labour deserves a second term.

    Meanwhile Mr Arrogant will skulk back to his office in Manchester with his tail between his legs.
    And that sums up labour's northern problem if he loses

    You may get Rayner who is northern but would be a disaster
    Darren Jones
  • eekeek Posts: 34,568
    The funniest result for this by-election would be the Tories winning by 10 votes as Green / Labour / Reform / Restore spilt the vote..
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 64,439

    Afternoon, all.

    Celebrities have called for an end to the ban on gnomes at the Chelsea fliower show, according to the Guardian.

    Everyone - lock up your underpants.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 23,863

    Afternoon, all.

    Celebrities have called for an end to the ban on gnomes at the Chelsea fliower show, according to the Guardian.

    Its ok, the gnomes have called for a ban on celebrities.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 72,724
    eek said:

    The funniest result for this by-election would be the Tories winning by 10 votes as Green / Labour / Reform / Restore spilt the vote..

    I do wonder how many labour voters will vote Green etc to try to see off Burnham
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 25,830
    HYUFD said:

    viewcode said:

    BUT THEY WON HARLOW.

    DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? THAT MAKES IT OK.

    EVERYTHING'S OK. NO NEED TO PANIC.

    BECAUSE THEY WON HARLOW.

    They also held Kensington and Chelsea, Hillingdon, Bexley and Bromley and gained Westminster and won most seats in Hampshire, Wandsworth, Enfield and the Scottish borders
    And net gains in Bradford. They are rocking!

    (Just as long as you ignore everywhere else, such as the arc from Norfolk to the Isle of Wight, Lancashire towns, etc.)
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 57,533

    Afternoon, all.

    Celebrities have called for an end to the ban on gnomes at the Chelsea fliower show, according to the Guardian.

    I knew my Leicester City gnome would come back into fashion!

    Mrs Foxy unkindly named him Billy Gnomates.
  • ChelyabinskChelyabinsk Posts: 515
    edited May 18
    rcs1000 said:

    Sandpit said:

    https://x.com/alexwickham/status/2056376674040623451

    Pro-EU Labour figures very disappointed by this as they had thought Burnham was running to prove a Rejoin candidate could win in Makerfield and Brexit could be reversed. “Shambles,” says one

    LOL!

    Did they forget that this seat voted 2/1 leave the EU?
    I don't think it did: I think it was 55:45, so mostly more Leave than the country. But not as overwhelmingly Brexity as most of its neighbors.
    You think wrongly, unfortunately. c.65% Leave per 1 and 2
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 25,017
    Sandpit said:

    FPT:

    To anyone who wants to feel old:

    The song “Three Lions”, with the lyric “30 years of hurt”, is now itself 30 years old.

    It’s wierd to think of things before you were born. The moon landings finished only five years before i was born, but it might as well be five decades for all I know.

    I talked to a Man United fan at the hot-desking hub recently who was born three years after, "Football, bloody hell." So I realise now that I sound like those oul fellas talking about where they were when they heard Kennedy had been shot and the like.
  • Leon_VotedForStarmerLeon_VotedForStarmer Posts: 69,000
    edited May 18
    "I lived in an upscale apartment complex in Lagos, and several of the residents had council flats in the UK which they were subletting. They admitted that they couldn’t believe they were able to get away with it, and asked if Brits were retarded."

    https://x.com/whitesundesert/status/2056342001323299240?s=20

    Meanwhile

    "The head of Ethiopia's imperial dynasty is also living in London social housing."

    https://x.com/baylissbaghdad/status/2056345306367697236?s=20

    This is the next scandal waiting to explode. Social housing in London is being gamed by foreigners, everyone in local govt knows this. It is run by foreigners for foreigners, sucking money out of the UK

    I was told five years ago: about this
  • "The family of the leader of the Somalian branch of ISIS lives in council housing in Slough."

    https://x.com/JoshAllanTweets/status/2056360809060515964?s=20
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 25,017
    eek said:

    The funniest result for this by-election would be the Tories winning by 10 votes as Green / Labour / Reform / Restore spilt the vote..

    The Tories would still need to double their vote even with a five-way split. They'd need a hell of a candidate to manage that.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 34,045
    edited May 18
    An interesting piece on religion and politics for some UK evangelicals, based on work done at the time of Brexit amongst congregants of Holy Trinity, Brompton. Because of the variety in the community, this is really about Anglican Charismatic Evangelicals, and HTB has been rather more influenced by the USA than others in the UK as they are a key junction box in the international network, tending to host many high profile speakers. HTB explicitly ruled out political views around Brexit expressed from the pulpit, and held more a neutral day of prayer at the time.

    An interesting point is that the evangelicals surveyed had a very internationalist orientation, and a strong desire to separate church and politics, even though the one may inform the other. I'd be interested to know how that has changed since the paper came out in 2018.

    https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10111923/3/Gaddini_Submission_JCR_ Identities in Flux. Final Revision.pdf

    I ask: What does it mean to be British and evangelical? How do these religious and national identities interact with each other? And most importantly, how did this interaction change during the referendum and Trump’s election? By investigating how evangelical British identity altered during these two important political events, this article brings granular attention to one of the most overlooked aspects of the British referendum: religion.
  • Sandpit said:

    FPT:

    To anyone who wants to feel old:

    The song “Three Lions”, with the lyric “30 years of hurt”, is now itself 30 years old.

    It’s wierd to think of things before you were born. The moon landings finished only five years before i was born, but it might as well be five decades for all I know.

    I talked to a Man United fan at the hot-desking hub recently who was born three years after, "Football, bloody hell." So I realise now that I sound like those oul fellas talking about where they were when they heard Kennedy had been shot and the like.
    There was a dude on X the other day, a film studies lecturer, who said he now gets young students in their first year, who have never heard of.... Pulp Fiction
  • PeterCairnsPeterCairns Posts: 282
    Just heard Burnham say Britain has been going in the wrong direction for forty years since the deindustrialization of the 80's.

    Labour were in power for a third of that (13) Burnham and MP for near half (16), He was in government for a quarter or so (9) and a minister for 5!
    No wonder he lost before. Who comes out and says I was part of a government taking us in the wrong first but didn't say so?

    Credit for Hillsborough legislation, but pushing PFI, voting for student fees, being in the treasury when Northern rock failed and being a virtual cheer leader for the War in Iraq. The last thing he should be doing is making people look back.

    Peter.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 23,863

    Sandpit said:

    FPT:

    To anyone who wants to feel old:

    The song “Three Lions”, with the lyric “30 years of hurt”, is now itself 30 years old.

    It’s wierd to think of things before you were born. The moon landings finished only five years before i was born, but it might as well be five decades for all I know.

    I talked to a Man United fan at the hot-desking hub recently who was born three years after, "Football, bloody hell." So I realise now that I sound like those oul fellas talking about where they were when they heard Kennedy had been shot and the like.
    We've all got our imprinted memories. I teach at Uni and as I'm now into my fifties the cultural links are getting harder. I was discussing events in 2012 with them and realised that they were all under 10 at the time and what was a bit event for me barely touched their lives. And its weird that the millenium is just something that happened to their parents.

    But then that's the way life goes.
  • Reform should be all over this social housing scandal, now brewing up on X like good coffee

    It has perfect ingredients, migrants, fraud, welfare, foreigners, corruption, and native Brits losing out - twice over. Not only are Britons kicked off the council houding queue so African royals and millionaire terrorists can have a nice pied a terre in Zone 1, native Brits ALSO pay for this, through their taxes

    For Reform, scandals don't get much better
  • RogerRoger Posts: 23,238

    Fantasy polling 3 years outside a GE with another anti Kemi comment

    You've gone from saying Nigel Farage will never be PM to now saying he could be PM.
    If Burnham loses this epoch election to reform then that will be a disaster and yes that could herald Farage as PM, God forbid
    A Burnham "Portillo Moment" would be hilarious.

    The notion that he is the only hope of preventing the country descending into Faragism is preposterous.
    It will split labour asunder
    We'll have a leadership election, in which Burnham will not be a candidate. Someone better than Starmer, most likely from the Soft Left, will win that and become PM. They will then have 3 years to demonstrate that Labour deserves a second term.

    Meanwhile Mr Arrogant will skulk back to his office in Manchester with his tail between his legs.
    And that sums up labour's northern problem if he loses

    You may get Rayner who is northern but would be a disaster
    I wonder if everyone in whatnot- in -Makerfield realise that if they don't choose Burnham they don't get the fascist of their dreams but three more years of Starrmer?

  • TazTaz Posts: 29,652

    "I lived in an upscale apartment complex in Lagos, and several of the residents had council flats in the UK which they were subletting. They admitted that they couldn’t believe they were able to get away with it, and asked if Brits were retarded."

    https://x.com/whitesundesert/status/2056342001323299240?s=20

    Meanwhile

    "The head of Ethiopia's imperial dynasty is also living in London social housing."

    https://x.com/baylissbaghdad/status/2056345306367697236?s=20

    This is the next scandal waiting to explode. Social housing in London is being gamed by foreigners, everyone in local govt knows this. It is run by foreigners for foreigners, sucking money out of the UK

    I was told five years ago: about this

    Nothing will happen to stop it or change it.

    The people complaining about it will be called racist and the problem deemed we don’t build enough.

    When we do build they’re not always available. Must have been thousands of translators.

    https://www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/article/private-flats-taken-off-market-and-set-up-for-afghan-refugees

    😃😃😃😃
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 32,930

    Just heard Burnham say Britain has been going in the wrong direction for forty years since the deindustrialization of the 80's.

    Labour were in power for a third of that (13) Burnham and MP for near half (16), He was in government for a quarter or so (9) and a minister for 5!
    No wonder he lost before. Who comes out and says I was part of a government taking us in the wrong first but didn't say so?

    Credit for Hillsborough legislation, but pushing PFI, voting for student fees, being in the treasury when Northern rock failed and being a virtual cheer leader for the War in Iraq. The last thing he should be doing is making people look back.

    Peter.

    Just heard Burnham say Britain has been going in the wrong direction for forty years since the deindustrialization of the 80's.

    Labour were in power for a third of that (13) Burnham and MP for near half (16), He was in government for a quarter or so (9) and a minister for 5!
    No wonder he lost before. Who comes out and says I was part of a government taking us in the wrong first but didn't say so?

    Credit for Hillsborough legislation, but pushing PFI, voting for student fees, being in the treasury when Northern rock failed and being a virtual cheer leader for the War in Iraq. The last thing he should be doing is making people look back.

    Peter.

    Kemi Badenoch. Jenrick. Zahawi. Braverman. To name but a few.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 137,633

    eek said:

    The funniest result for this by-election would be the Tories winning by 10 votes as Green / Labour / Reform / Restore spilt the vote..

    I do wonder how many labour voters will vote Green etc to try to see off Burnham

    eek said:

    The funniest result for this by-election would be the Tories winning by 10 votes as Green / Labour / Reform / Restore spilt the vote..

    I do wonder how many labour voters will vote Green etc to try to see off Burnham
    Leftwing Labour and Green voters want Burnham as he is left of Starmer and Streeting
  • FossFoss Posts: 2,927

    Sandpit said:

    FPT:

    To anyone who wants to feel old:

    The song “Three Lions”, with the lyric “30 years of hurt”, is now itself 30 years old.

    It’s wierd to think of things before you were born. The moon landings finished only five years before i was born, but it might as well be five decades for all I know.

    I talked to a Man United fan at the hot-desking hub recently who was born three years after, "Football, bloody hell." So I realise now that I sound like those oul fellas talking about where they were when they heard Kennedy had been shot and the like.
    We've all got our imprinted memories. I teach at Uni and as I'm now into my fifties the cultural links are getting harder. I was discussing events in 2012 with them and realised that they were all under 10 at the time and what was a bit event for me barely touched their lives. And its weird that the millenium is just something that happened to their parents.

    But then that's the way life goes.
    We're just under four months away from the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
  • TazTaz Posts: 29,652

    Reform should be all over this social housing scandal, now brewing up on X like good coffee

    It has perfect ingredients, migrants, fraud, welfare, foreigners, corruption, and native Brits losing out - twice over. Not only are Britons kicked off the council houding queue so African royals and millionaire terrorists can have a nice pied a terre in Zone 1, native Brits ALSO pay for this, through their taxes

    For Reform, scandals don't get much better

    Attack video from JENRICK

    https://x.com/robertjenrick/status/2056279047919874415?s=61
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 40,620

    Just heard Burnham say Britain has been going in the wrong direction for forty years since the deindustrialization of the 80's.

    Labour were in power for a third of that (13) Burnham and MP for near half (16), He was in government for a quarter or so (9) and a minister for 5!
    No wonder he lost before. Who comes out and says I was part of a government taking us in the wrong first but didn't say so?

    Credit for Hillsborough legislation, but pushing PFI, voting for student fees, being in the treasury when Northern rock failed and being a virtual cheer leader for the War in Iraq. The last thing he should be doing is making people look back.

    Peter.

    I don't like Burnham but to hold him uniquely responsible for breaking Britain is an interesting take. That being so, surely he shares 50% of the responsibility with Gordon Brown who sold all the gold.
  • Taz said:

    "I lived in an upscale apartment complex in Lagos, and several of the residents had council flats in the UK which they were subletting. They admitted that they couldn’t believe they were able to get away with it, and asked if Brits were retarded."

    https://x.com/whitesundesert/status/2056342001323299240?s=20

    Meanwhile

    "The head of Ethiopia's imperial dynasty is also living in London social housing."

    https://x.com/baylissbaghdad/status/2056345306367697236?s=20

    This is the next scandal waiting to explode. Social housing in London is being gamed by foreigners, everyone in local govt knows this. It is run by foreigners for foreigners, sucking money out of the UK

    I was told five years ago: about this

    Nothing will happen to stop it or change it.

    The people complaining about it will be called racist and the problem deemed we don’t build enough.

    When we do build they’re not always available. Must have been thousands of translators.

    https://www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/article/private-flats-taken-off-market-and-set-up-for-afghan-refugees

    😃😃😃😃
    It will stop when we get a Reform government. No other party has the desire or the bollocks. That is why you, we, all of us, must vote Reform

    The alternative is an even bigger explosion of anger, further down the line. And it will be decidedly less democratic
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 60,314

    Reform should be all over this social housing scandal, now brewing up on X like good coffee

    It has perfect ingredients, migrants, fraud, welfare, foreigners, corruption, and native Brits losing out - twice over. Not only are Britons kicked off the council houding queue so African royals and millionaire terrorists can have a nice pied a terre in Zone 1, native Brits ALSO pay for this, through their taxes

    For Reform, scandals don't get much better

    It's also a perfect wedge issue for young graduates who might be culturally on the left but can see the system being rigged against them.

    25 years ago, Labour wanted an ever-growing share of people to go to university, but now the message to them is that they can go to the back of the queue and commute in from zone 27 while people their taxes are paying for get to live in prime areas.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 41,579
    nico67 said:

    Pro-EU Labour figures very disappointed by this as they had thought Burnham was running to prove a Rejoin candidate could win in Makerfield and Brexit could be reversed. “Shambles,” says one

    https://x.com/alexwickham/status/2056376674040623451

    Words almost fail me ! Burnham could have handled this in a way which allowed him to look principled and at the same time moderated his pro EU stance in the leave voting constituency. He’s now trying to also piss off Green voters which he needs . And further down the line his u-turn allows Streeting to feel less pressure to allow a coronation as he can go to the membership which are pro EU .

    A lot of people were projecting a lot of hope onto Andy Burnham but he's still the same person who lost two leadership elections and failed to beat Red Ed Miliband and Jeremy fucking Corbyn.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 40,620
    edited May 18
    Taz said:

    Reform should be all over this social housing scandal, now brewing up on X like good coffee

    It has perfect ingredients, migrants, fraud, welfare, foreigners, corruption, and native Brits losing out - twice over. Not only are Britons kicked off the council houding queue so African royals and millionaire terrorists can have a nice pied a terre in Zone 1, native Brits ALSO pay for this, through their taxes

    For Reform, scandals don't get much better

    Attack video from JENRICK

    https://x.com/robertjenrick/status/2056279047919874415?s=61
    This is the great advantage for Reform. Clean hands and no taint from any former Immigration Ministers who oversaw burgeoning levels of legal immigration from outside Europe and small boat events going through the roof.
  • Reform should be all over this social housing scandal, now brewing up on X like good coffee

    It has perfect ingredients, migrants, fraud, welfare, foreigners, corruption, and native Brits losing out - twice over. Not only are Britons kicked off the council houding queue so African royals and millionaire terrorists can have a nice pied a terre in Zone 1, native Brits ALSO pay for this, through their taxes

    For Reform, scandals don't get much better

    It's also a perfect wedge issue for young graduates who might be culturally on the left but can see the system being rigged against them.

    25 years ago, Labour wanted an ever-growing share of people to go to university, but now the message to them is that they can go to the back of the queue and commute in from zone 27 while people their taxes are paying for get to live in prime areas.
    A welfare state only works in a high trust, well integrated society. Where fairness is ingrained and transparently obvious. Where you can see who is being helped, and why, and it all makes sense

    We no longer have a high trust, well integrated society, we have sectarian groups sucking illegally off the mass of taxpayers. As a result we will soon abandon the welfare state as we've known it, because people will refuse to pay for it
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 32,930

    Taz said:

    "I lived in an upscale apartment complex in Lagos, and several of the residents had council flats in the UK which they were subletting. They admitted that they couldn’t believe they were able to get away with it, and asked if Brits were retarded."

    https://x.com/whitesundesert/status/2056342001323299240?s=20

    Meanwhile

    "The head of Ethiopia's imperial dynasty is also living in London social housing."

    https://x.com/baylissbaghdad/status/2056345306367697236?s=20

    This is the next scandal waiting to explode. Social housing in London is being gamed by foreigners, everyone in local govt knows this. It is run by foreigners for foreigners, sucking money out of the UK

    I was told five years ago: about this

    Nothing will happen to stop it or change it.

    The people complaining about it will be called racist and the problem deemed we don’t build enough.

    When we do build they’re not always available. Must have been thousands of translators.

    https://www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/article/private-flats-taken-off-market-and-set-up-for-afghan-refugees

    😃😃😃😃
    It will stop when we get a Reform government. No other party has the desire or the bollocks. That is why you, we, all of us, must vote Reform

    The alternative is an even bigger explosion of anger, further down the line. And it will be decidedly less democratic
    What gives you the impression they have any desire?
    They're mostly part of the government was overseeing this five years ago when you knew about it.
    As for bollocks. Where is Farage? He's gone to ground after someone asked him a difficult question.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 25,830
    This is the shit we are having to put up with:

    "Plans for a solar farm across 35 hectares of land in Wakefield have been given the go-ahead despite objections.

    The 86-acre development will see panels installed across five parcels of green belt land at Owlers Farm, between Ossett and Kirkhamgate."
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 90,930

    DougSeal said:

    Fantasy polling 3 years outside a GE with another anti Kemi comment

    Mate, seriously, give it up. She's married.
    What on earth do you mean

    Utterly stupid comment to an 82 year old

    Yes, that's the joke.

    It's a gentle dig at your Kemi-fandom, Big_G.
    Nothing to take offence at.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 60,314
    https://x.com/hoffman_noa/status/2056388829473284162

    Understand the Reform chairman reshuffle has taken place because the party is preparing for the possibility of another by-election in the coming months... and I'm not talking about those in Makerfield or Scotland
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 137,633
    edited May 18

    Taz said:

    Reform should be all over this social housing scandal, now brewing up on X like good coffee

    It has perfect ingredients, migrants, fraud, welfare, foreigners, corruption, and native Brits losing out - twice over. Not only are Britons kicked off the council houding queue so African royals and millionaire terrorists can have a nice pied a terre in Zone 1, native Brits ALSO pay for this, through their taxes

    For Reform, scandals don't get much better

    Attack video from JENRICK

    https://x.com/robertjenrick/status/2056279047919874415?s=61
    This is the great advantage for Reform. Clean hands and no taint from any former Immigration Ministers who oversaw burgeoning levels of legal immigration from outside Europe and small boat events going through the roof.
    To be fair to Jenrick he was immigration minister under Sunak when immigration fell, not Boris or Cameron
  • eekeek Posts: 34,568

    This is the shit we are having to put up with:

    "Plans for a solar farm across 35 hectares of land in Wakefield have been given the go-ahead despite objections.

    The 86-acre development will see panels installed across five parcels of green belt land at Owlers Farm, between Ossett and Kirkhamgate."

    And? It’s a use of farmland that is more profitable than farming atm
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 41,579

    Reform should be all over this social housing scandal, now brewing up on X like good coffee

    It has perfect ingredients, migrants, fraud, welfare, foreigners, corruption, and native Brits losing out - twice over. Not only are Britons kicked off the council houding queue so African royals and millionaire terrorists can have a nice pied a terre in Zone 1, native Brits ALSO pay for this, through their taxes

    For Reform, scandals don't get much better

    It's also a perfect wedge issue for young graduates who might be culturally on the left but can see the system being rigged against them.

    25 years ago, Labour wanted an ever-growing share of people to go to university, but now the message to them is that they can go to the back of the queue and commute in from zone 27 while people their taxes are paying for get to live in prime areas.
    A welfare state only works in a high trust, well integrated society. Where fairness is ingrained and transparently obvious. Where you can see who is being helped, and why, and it all makes sense

    We no longer have a high trust, well integrated society, we have sectarian groups sucking illegally off the mass of taxpayers. As a result we will soon abandon the welfare state as we've known it, because people will refuse to pay for it
    I think ultimately the government will just have to say no welfare of any kind for foreign nationals regardless of visas or any other kind of status. Non-citizens should not get any access to UK welfare including healthcare and education. Any person who wishes to immigrate to the UK must be prepared to make supplementary payments to cover any healthcare costs and any dependent costs for education and healthcare. We're being run by complete mugs and as I said on the last thread, my neighbour suggested that access to housing and healthcare for immigrants is the issue that makes people the most angry at the rally on the weekend.

    Reform would do well to add it all up and turn it into a personal tax bill for an average household per year. I expect it will look like a pretty big number.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 23,863

    https://x.com/hoffman_noa/status/2056388829473284162

    Understand the Reform chairman reshuffle has taken place because the party is preparing for the possibility of another by-election in the coming months... and I'm not talking about those in Makerfield or Scotland

    Starmer's translation from Sir to Lord? Surely not...
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 90,930
    edited May 18
    .

    FPT...

    Nigelb said:

    Foxy said:

    Oh dear, it looks like Farage will need to come up with another story to explain his property purchase.

    https://bsky.app/profile/pickardje.bsky.social/post/3mm4uqmbbus2m

    Its a stupid lie to tell given that Farage made a load of money in the city, then in the EU parliament and then all this other grifts. And I imagine like lots of people of his age has done very well out of moving up the housing ladder. Therefore, I would say it is unsurprising he could have bought a £1 million house for cash, crypto sugar daddy or not *. But instead told another whopper and one that is easy to check (people had already checked this out days ago).

    * obviously if one was to think they might come into £5 million gift in the near future probably give you a lot more confidence.
    Farage cannot stick with a story about what happened. Maybe we'll find out the truth one day.
    That's a deliberate tactic, which Trump perfected.
    Tell so many lies that pinning them down becomes impossible onerous.
    But people have tired of Trump, and Farage isn't as good at it.
    It took him being elected twice for that.
    I don't want the British version to be PM even briefly.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 23,863
    eek said:

    This is the shit we are having to put up with:

    "Plans for a solar farm across 35 hectares of land in Wakefield have been given the go-ahead despite objections.

    The 86-acre development will see panels installed across five parcels of green belt land at Owlers Farm, between Ossett and Kirkhamgate."

    And? It’s a use of farmland that is more profitable than farming atm
    And also doesn't entirely preclude its use as farmland - for instance sheep can graze (the grass does not need constant sunlight to grow) or you could house chicken or pigs etc. People need to be imaginative.

    However I always look at every roof in the land and this why not use those? And especially all those warehouses and industrial estates etc.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 57,533

    This is the shit we are having to put up with:

    "Plans for a solar farm across 35 hectares of land in Wakefield have been given the go-ahead despite objections.

    The 86-acre development will see panels installed across five parcels of green belt land at Owlers Farm, between Ossett and Kirkhamgate."

    Think of it as defence spending, freeing us from energy dependence on Ayatollahs and Oligarchs.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 90,930

    https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-angela-merkel-eu-russia-ukraine-war/

    Germany’s Merkel criticizes EU for not talking to Russia

    The EU is.
    It's finally saying, up yours.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 40,620
    HYUFD said:

    Taz said:

    Reform should be all over this social housing scandal, now brewing up on X like good coffee

    It has perfect ingredients, migrants, fraud, welfare, foreigners, corruption, and native Brits losing out - twice over. Not only are Britons kicked off the council houding queue so African royals and millionaire terrorists can have a nice pied a terre in Zone 1, native Brits ALSO pay for this, through their taxes

    For Reform, scandals don't get much better

    Attack video from JENRICK

    https://x.com/robertjenrick/status/2056279047919874415?s=61
    This is the great advantage for Reform. Clean hands and no taint from any former Immigration Ministers who oversaw burgeoning levels of legal immigration from outside Europe and small boat events going through the roof.
    To be fair to Jenrick he was immigration minister under Sunak when immigration fell, not Boris or Cameron
    Yes, painting over the Loony Tunes characters in a fit of performative cruelty pique probably set the wheels in motion.
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 41,035
    Makerfield will be interesting.

    We have no constituency polling yet. We have only the Ipsos survey for the North West.

    Burnham's approval rating is 48%, compared to 30% for Farage. I imagine that Burnham will match that 48% in Makerfield, and Farage will exceed 30%,.

    OTOH, Labour has 22% approval in the NW, whereas Reform has 31%. I expect that in Makerfield, Reform's rating will be higher than 31%.

    Sot, it will come down to whether people will wish to bash Labour, or will they be willing to go for a popular Labour candidate.
  • UnpopularUnpopular Posts: 1,007

    Just heard Burnham say Britain has been going in the wrong direction for forty years since the deindustrialization of the 80's.

    Labour were in power for a third of that (13) Burnham and MP for near half (16), He was in government for a quarter or so (9) and a minister for 5!
    No wonder he lost before. Who comes out and says I was part of a government taking us in the wrong first but didn't say so?

    Credit for Hillsborough legislation, but pushing PFI, voting for student fees, being in the treasury when Northern rock failed and being a virtual cheer leader for the War in Iraq. The last thing he should be doing is making people look back.

    Peter.

    I wonder whether Ar Wes'll bring up Iraq during the by-election or whether he'll wait for the Leadership election to point out how he left the party over the invasion, in contrast to Mr Burnham.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 129,787

    https://x.com/hoffman_noa/status/2056388829473284162

    Understand the Reform chairman reshuffle has taken place because the party is preparing for the possibility of another by-election in the coming months... and I'm not talking about those in Makerfield or Scotland

    Starmer's translation from Sir to Lord? Surely not...
    No.
  • MaxPB said:

    Reform should be all over this social housing scandal, now brewing up on X like good coffee

    It has perfect ingredients, migrants, fraud, welfare, foreigners, corruption, and native Brits losing out - twice over. Not only are Britons kicked off the council houding queue so African royals and millionaire terrorists can have a nice pied a terre in Zone 1, native Brits ALSO pay for this, through their taxes

    For Reform, scandals don't get much better

    It's also a perfect wedge issue for young graduates who might be culturally on the left but can see the system being rigged against them.

    25 years ago, Labour wanted an ever-growing share of people to go to university, but now the message to them is that they can go to the back of the queue and commute in from zone 27 while people their taxes are paying for get to live in prime areas.
    A welfare state only works in a high trust, well integrated society. Where fairness is ingrained and transparently obvious. Where you can see who is being helped, and why, and it all makes sense

    We no longer have a high trust, well integrated society, we have sectarian groups sucking illegally off the mass of taxpayers. As a result we will soon abandon the welfare state as we've known it, because people will refuse to pay for it
    I think ultimately the government will just have to say no welfare of any kind for foreign nationals regardless of visas or any other kind of status. Non-citizens should not get any access to UK welfare including healthcare and education. Any person who wishes to immigrate to the UK must be prepared to make supplementary payments to cover any healthcare costs and any dependent costs for education and healthcare. We're being run by complete mugs and as I said on the last thread, my neighbour suggested that access to housing and healthcare for immigrants is the issue that makes people the most angry at the rally on the weekend.

    Reform would do well to add it all up and turn it into a personal tax bill for an average household per year. I expect it will look like a pretty big number.
    Indeed

    About five years ago a rightwing journalist told me how he got red-pilled. It was exactly this. He was a liberal lefty and he was sent to do a piece on social housing in London. And slowly and surely he uncovered the enormous scale of the fraud, how half of London social housing goes to foreigners, how half of that (or whatever) is illegally sublet. And all because quite a lot of local government is now a sectarian mafia - see Tower Hamlets, et al. do you think they are carefully allocating social housing to the needy? Or giving it to their family and friends at the mosque to make loads of money?

    The entire nation is being scammed, on a huge scale. In the end my friend dropped the story because, he said, it depressed him too much!
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