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Our next unelected PM?

I doubt a General Election will solve a great deal, based on current polling.
 
I doubt a General Election will solve a great deal, based on current polling.

IMO it depends on whether the people who voted for the Brexit Party in the European elections return to the Conservative Party in a General Election. This in turn is dependent on how much of that vote was a protest vote (both against the EU and to remind the Conservative Party of the level of support for a no-deal Brexit) and/or whether the new Conservative Party leader can convince Brexit Party voters to vote Conservative because they will deliver a no-deal Brexit.

If the Conservative Party vote holds up (and IMO it might very well, especially with Boris Johnson's brand recognition) there is a risk that the Remain vote splits between Labour and LibDem and the Conservatives end up with a big majority (from 35% of the popular vote but that's FPTP for you) and a clear mandate (from that 35% of the 60% that bothered to vote, so 20% of the electorate) to deliver a no-deal Brexit :( :mad:
 
Johnson & Hunt had a husting in Northern Ireland yesterday, and two things sprung to mind.

One was Hunt talking about what young people want and how to help the young, which made me wonder if he had had a look at the demographics of the Tory party, ie the people who are going to be doing the actual voting, recently.

The other was Johnson managing an almighty dodge on the gridlock affecting Stormont. When asked if he was aware of the cause of the gridlock, he managed to reply that 'People know what it is', to which I more or less begged for a follow-up question to be 'Yes, we know, do you?'.
 
ISTM the only way out of the entire impasse is a General Election.

But would it help? I don't see any party likely to win the government going to be realistic about what the options are. If labor had a decent leader sure that might work, but Boris or Jeremy? Not the people to make tough not terribly popular decisions.
 
IMO it depends on whether the people who voted for the Brexit Party in the European elections return to the Conservative Party in a General Election. This in turn is dependent on how much of that vote was a protest vote (both against the EU and to remind the Conservative Party of the level of support for a no-deal Brexit) and/or whether the new Conservative Party leader can convince Brexit Party voters to vote Conservative because they will deliver a no-deal Brexit.

If the Conservative Party vote holds up (and IMO it might very well, especially with Boris Johnson's brand recognition) there is a risk that the Remain vote splits between Labour and LibDem and the Conservatives end up with a big majority (from 35% of the popular vote but that's FPTP for you) and a clear mandate (from that 35% of the 60% that bothered to vote, so 20% of the electorate) to deliver a no-deal Brexit :( :mad:

Seems logical up to a point. However, I am sceptical that there is a majority conservative electorate, or even of leavers, that they would vote in a 'no deal' candidate at the end of the day.

The problem with Farage's brand of populism is that it soon loses its novelty value. Look at the fate of the NF, BNP and then UKIP.
 
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But would it help? I don't see any party likely to win the government going to be realistic about what the options are. If labor had a decent leader sure that might work, but Boris or Jeremy? Not the people to make tough not terribly popular decisions.

Jeremy is all right. The problem is the right wing press (non British domicled in the case of the SUN and DAILY MAIL) when they urged everybdoy via its >10m readership banner headlines not to vote Labour (Kinnock) and then more recently to vote 'Leave'.

Never underestimate the power of the press. The DM thought itself so powerful it labelled the three judges in the Gina Miller case as traitors for ruling that Brexit has to be decided via Parliament.

Imagine that, the DM having the chutzpah to think itself more establishment than the establishment.

So, when you read all the stories about how Corbyn met with the IRA and Hamas er, forty years or more ago, ask yourself is it really true Corbyn is a scurrilous Marxist or is he just a run of the mill parliamentarian who sits down to meet with all sorts of odious people as a part of peace process diplomacy. Heck, look who the Queen has sat down with, or even Mrs May when she goes to meet the Saudis.
 
ISTM the only way out of the entire impasse is a General Election.

In the meantime we have to tolerate the Tory Party piddling about with a leadership election, not due to end until 25 July 2019.

Gimme a break!

Huh? There can’t be a general election unless there is a vote of no confidence. If the UK Parliament does nothing until 31st October then the default is the UK leaves the EU with no deal. I don’t see how the Lords has any power to prevent that or to force the Commons to do anything either.
 
Jeremy is all right. The problem is the right wing press (non British domicled in the case of the SUN and DAILY MAIL) when they urged everybdoy via its >10m readership banner headlines not to vote Labour (Kinnock) and then more recently to vote 'Leave'.

Never underestimate the power of the press. The DM thought itself so powerful it labelled the three judges in the Gina Miller case as traitors for ruling that Brexit has to be decided via Parliament.

Imagine that, the DM having the chutzpah to think itself more establishment than the establishment.

So, when you read all the stories about how Corbyn met with the IRA and Hamas er, forty years or more ago, ask yourself is it really true Corbyn is a scurrilous Marxist or is he just a run of the mill parliamentarian who sits down to meet with all sorts of odious people as a part of peace process diplomacy. Heck, look who the Queen has sat down with, or even Mrs May when she goes to meet the Saudis.

The Daily Mail is a right-wing rag, it is true, but they are right about Corbyn.
 
It seems that Jeremy Hunt is planning to address the real issues that a post-Brexit Britain will be facing by proposing to allow MPs a free vote on whether to reintroduce fox hunting with dogs. :rolleyes:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48864019

They're also doing the usual thing for the party of fiscal responsibility, promising to increase spending whilst at the same time reducing taxes. To enhance his credentials with the Conservative membership, Boris Johnson is proposing to bring back stop and search - a policy that was abandoned because it was implemented in a way which was provably racist.

Plus ca change, plus ca meme chose :(
 
I saw that and Boris has promised to recruit 20,000 more police over three years and look at taxes on suger, fat alcohol etc.
 
I think that he thinks if he says he will let the plebs have their burgers, kebabs and tizer cheap they will vote for him in an election.
Because we all know the 'lower orders' eat nothing but junk fatty food and drink soda.
 
And then there's the several billions they've been told are needed to sort out social care, and stop it being an absolute under-funded shambles.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48855645



Yep, like that's going to happen if we end up leaving...
Hey the green paper has only been sat on the desk of the minister since October last year, they'll get around to it when they haven't got the urgent emergency stuff to push through, I.e. making Johnson the PM.
 
I saw that and Boris has promised to recruit 20,000 more police over three years and look at taxes on suger, fat alcohol etc.

Perhaps he shouldn't have backed government cuts to police of over 20,000 since 2010.
 
It seems that Jeremy Hunt is planning to address the real issues that a post-Brexit Britain will be facing by proposing to allow MPs a free vote on whether to reintroduce fox hunting with dogs. :rolleyes:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48864019

They're also doing the usual thing for the party of fiscal responsibility, promising to increase spending whilst at the same time reducing taxes. To enhance his credentials with the Conservative membership, Boris Johnson is proposing to bring back stop and search - a policy that was abandoned because it was implemented in a way which was provably racist.

Plus ca change, plus ca meme chose :(


Hunt by name, Hunt by nature. Completely out of touch with reality.
 
Downing Street attempted to withhold sensitive intelligence from Boris Johnson when he became foreign secretary, the BBC has learned.

Pressed about the issue at a Conservative leadership hustings in Darlington, Mr Johnson said he would not comment further on national security issues.

A Number 10 spokesperson said it did not comment on intelligence matters.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48874147
 
Downing Street attempted to withhold sensitive intelligence from Boris Johnson when he became foreign secretary, the BBC has learned.

Pressed about the issue at a Conservative leadership hustings in Darlington, Mr Johnson said he would not comment further on national security issues.

A Number 10 spokesperson said it did not comment on intelligence matters.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48874147

But it wasn't because he is a buffoon who couldn't be trusted with secrets but because Theresa May is a grudge-bearing control freak :rolleyes:

It's said that he worried constantly about being cut out. But, this is not just about the keeping of secrets, but Theresa May's desire to keep political control.

It's suggested that the real issue was a lack of trust and hostility between Mr Johnson and Theresa May. One source believes Mr Johnson was excluded from seeing some sensitive information because there was a hostile relationship between him and Downing Street, not because of reservations from the intelligence services.
 

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