UK General Election 2017 - 8 June

[Boydy]

What's the polling like among the membership?

[niko_cee]

Rory Stewart looks, behaves and sounds like a ventriloquist's puppet.

Apparently he has more twitter followers than the rest of them combined, so there you go.

They're going for Bojo in the hope he can be electorally popular with the non-political class, seeing as they make up a large portion of the electorate. It's a gamble they have to take, some gimpy no mark everyone also hates (like Gove or Hunt) being equally shit with zero personality is hardly going to work any better.

[Jimmy Floyd]

What's the polling like among the membership?

I saw one earlier today that had Johnson laughably ahead and then everyone else miles back led, somewhat surprisingly, by Stewart.

The only hope of beating Boris is that enough people hate him for him to lose to a unity candidate, but I'm not sure that'll happen.

[Boydy]

I saw one earlier today that had Johnson laughably ahead and then everyone else miles back led, somewhat surprisingly, by Stewart.

The only hope of beating Boris is that enough people hate him for him to lose to a unity candidate, but I'm not sure that'll happen.

That's probably why then. They'll want to be seen to be backing the winner.

Maybe some others think let him get himself into a Brexit mess and then maybe he'll fuck off after that.

[Spikey M]

Is it anything more complex than that there is a certainly type of mongo who thinks he's funny rather than sinister so they're just hoping it'll get them a few votes short term, maybe eat a Brexit bullet for the party and then half of them will be gone anyway so sod the long term, right?

He has somehow carved out a reputation of being a no-nonsense man of principle that speaks his mind amongst the non-political, rather than the reality of being a self-serving cunt. But, atleast he isn't Jeremy Homeopathy Hunt.

[Shindig]

Anyone but Jeremy Hunt.

"And now over to Downing Street where Prime Minister Jeremy Cunt is about to speak."

[niko_cee]

He probably needs to take action like the Lords groundsman (Mike Hunt) did by insisting on a variant of his first name (in his case Michael, had to be Michael) - Jerry Hunt? Could play well in the Brexit belt.

[phonics]

It's happened way too many times to too many top level broadcasters to be a casual slip of the tongue. It's definitely used a lot in Westminister circles.

[Lewis]

Chuka Umunna has joined the Liberal Democrats. That's three parties in four months. Wouldn't you be ineligible to play in football?

[Lewis]

It's happened way too many times to too many top level broadcasters to be a casual slip of the tongue. It's definitely used a lot in Westminister circles.

I think they do it deliberately as well, presumably because they think it's subversive. Nobody ever mixes them up the other way do they.

[Yevrah]

Francesca Martinez might not ever stop speaking here.

[phonics]

Chuka Umunna has joined the Liberal Democrats. That's three parties in four months. Wouldn't you be ineligible to play in football?

His former party has also had to change their name after being sued by Change.org

[Jimmy Floyd]

Shitshow though this 'debate' is, Rory Stewart is streets ahead of any of them and should be Prime Minister.

[Lewis]

He talks absolute shit, which everybody in any position to point it out would have done so by now were he not a Liberal Democrat.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Are you a newly converted Johnson fan?

The shit-talkers are:

- anyone talking about 'talking up Britain'
- anyone talking about non-specific 'renegotiation'

[niko_cee]

Rory Stewart is Paul Boateng for the modern shit eating muppet. He's an absolute non-entity.

But maybe that's a feature of modern, or perhaps all, politicians.

There's definitely a perception that they're shitter nowadays, but I'm not sure that isn't just halcyon good old days-ism, which is BS in every other sphere of existence, so why not this one. Familiarity breeds contempt and all that.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If Boris Johnson is an entity, then I'll take a non-entity.

[Lewis]

I think he's the best bet for not losing an immediate general election, but otherwise I've never been a fan. They are all a bit rubbish in various ways, but at least they are nominally right-wing in some areas (usually balanced by being useless in others). Stewart is not. He probably never even thought about what he believes in until a few weeks ago, and then he came up with increasing farm subsidies and keeping post offices open. Brilliant lad.

[niko_cee]

There's a good bit about Rory in The Grauniad:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/16/rory-stewart-boris-johnson

I'm not really sure what the thesis of the piece is, but there are a few good throw away lines in there.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Guido seems to be fully RATTLED by Rory Stewart, which is odd given that even if he gets through to final two he will get hammered by Boris.

[Lewis]

It's more that Guido is the only person outside the Telegraph paywall who realises what a fanny he is.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Telegraph leading with a negative Stewart front page, looks like they are RATTLED as well. The sense of entitlement from Team Boris is breathtaking and very reminiscent of the old time Brownites.

[Byron]

But don't you understand Jim? IT'S JUST HIS TIME.

[phonics]

It's very Hilary Clinton all this.

[Henry]

Rory Stewart (despite being a Tory and all the shit that brings with it) is the only person in this debate that is minimally sane.

Boris will lose a confidence vote and then there will be a general election. If he does manage to stumble through and force a no-deal Brexit, the resulting chaos will only be resolved by agreeing to May's deal (or worse) several months later.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The main problem I have with Boris is he clearly doesn't believe any of this shit, has no intellectual basis for anything he does, and just blunders through life wishing he was Churchill. He won't have the first clue what to do when he becomes PM and they will lose swathes of seats to LD/Lab forcing probably a stop brexit government.

Would Rory Stewart or similar lose swathes of seats to the Brexit Party? I don't think so, Farage's FPTP record is atrocious and they haven't yet come up against the millions of blue voting robots who aren't there for the locals or Euros, but turn out for the generals.

[Spikey M]

All any PM needs to do is actually deliver Brexit and they will be lauded. The problem is, I don't think it's actually possible to deliver it. Not when you have to get it through Parliament and the lords. The fuckers have already voted down every conceivable option.

[Jimmy Floyd]

One thing I would love to do is see Corbyn attempt to deliver it.

[Yevrah]

It can’t be delivered. Not enough MPs want it to happen.

[Henry]

On the idea of Parliament blocking no deal, there seems to be a presumption that once they vote for an extension again, the EU will just grant it. That is far from a foregone conclusion. Macron doesn't want to kick the can again and word is that he is gathering more allies.

[Yevrah]

I think that’s the EU just being much better than us at playing the negotiating game as they have been throughout.

I can’t see them being anything other than terrified about us leaving as if another big hitter were to follow suit that’s the whole project dead in the water.

[Yevrah]

But unlike our idiots who have approached almost everything in this from a sky is falling perspective they’ve just played it cool and had the upper hand throughout.

Have to hand it to them really, they’ve completely schooled us.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There has to be an election and the result of it has to be decisive one way or the other. Another hung mess and we're fucked.

[Yevrah]

But how does an election solve anything? The Tories win and we’re likely still in the same boat. Labour win and, well, god only knows.

[Henry]

It doesn't solve anything by itself but if you have a majority of 20 or 30, that's much easier to pass something with than if you have 5 and have to appease the DUP.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I suspect what it will do is make an even bigger majority against Brexit.

Don't think Lab can get in without LD/SNP support, which will need a change of leader.

[Yevrah]

And actually, at this point in time I can’t see how we’ll ever be out of the Article 50 waiting room.

Something will likely change eventually to move things on but at this point I’ve no clue what that something might be.

That we have actual candidates to be PM who claim a revised deal (that will be beneficial to us) can be negotiated and agreed by both sides in 3 to 4 months just illustrates the level of delusion that’s at play here. It’s present on a fucking industrial scale.

[Yevrah]

I suspect what it will do is make an even bigger majority against Brexit.

Don't think Lab can get in without LD/SNP support, which will need a change of leader.

Whichever way the numbers stack up it’s just a cycle of shit, with too many MPs (irrespective of how they voted) believing staunchly in honouring the result of the referendum whilst simultaneously not actually wanting to leave.

Which is the perfect recipe for eternally kicking the can down the road.

[Spikey M]

At this point the kindest thing the EU could do is refuse another extension. We will just blunder about indefinitely otherwise.

[Yevrah]

It is, but they don’t want us to leave. So the can keeps moving...

[niko_cee]

Prime Minister Farage with a 200 majority would be the lollest of lol endings to all these clever machinations from the don't leave brigade.

You can say they have no ground game, but what's to stop a bunch of the brexit Conservatives (and maybe the Labour ones too) jumping ship in a general election where the main parties do a heel turn on their previous pledges? John Mann for Home Secretary.

[SvN]

That we have actual candidates to be PM who claim a revised deal (that will be beneficial to us) can be negotiated and agreed by both sides in 3 to 4 months just illustrates the level of delusion that’s at play here. It’s present on a fucking industrial scale.

I don't think they actually believe that themselves. They're just saying what they think will put them in power.

[Lewis]

Stewart's 'Citizens' Assembly' will break the deadlock. Okay, we'll ignore it if it recommends no deal or a second referendum; but as long as it backs the withdrawal agreement (and MPs blindly obey its recommendations) then we're home and dry. Thank God he's brought some substance and intellectual heft to the contest, otherwise we'd be stuck.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Prime Minister Farage with a 200 majority would be the lollest of lol endings to all these clever machinations from the don't leave brigade.

You can say they have no ground game, but what's to stop a bunch of the brexit Conservatives (and maybe the Labour ones too) jumping ship in a general election where the main parties do a heel turn on their previous pledges? John Mann for Home Secretary.

They always struggle once the party machine deserts them. Postal votes too. You shouldn't underestimate how many millions of people go out and vote blue/red as always regardless of any current events, policies or who the candidates are.

[Henry]

I don't think they actually believe that themselves. They're just saying what they think will put them in power.

Seeing as they will be forced to do a complete u-turn within weeks, it's a fairly nihilistic stance is it not?

[Spikey M]

Seeing as they will be forced to do a complete u-turn within weeks, it's a fairly nihilistic stance is it not?

Probably the only positive thing you can say about Hitler is that he did the shit he said was going to do. He was quite possibly the last politician to do so. Bullshitting your way to power is nothing new.

[Lewis]

Trump has done most of what he said he was going to do in some form.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He hasn't built the wall, or made America great again.

[Spikey M]

Trump has done most of what he said he was going to do in some form.

That's easy when you change what you say you're going to do on a fortnightly basis.

[Lewis]

I thought he had abused his position to find money for his wall? That and stupid protectionism seemed to be his main concerns during the election, and the latter is well underway.

[Henry]

Trump has done most of what he said he was going to do in some form.

No he hasn't. He lied reflexively about everything. Where are all the manufacturing jobs? And the fix for healthcare?

[Max Power]

He hasn’t LOCKED HER UP either sadly.

[Pepe]

He also hasn't released his tax returns!!!! Impeach!!!!

[phonics]

And he went from being anti-war to trying to draw the world into nuking Iran.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Has he grabbed women by the pussy though?

[Byron]

Raab is gone, which probably actually means the end of Stewart as his backers go to Johnson or Hunt.

[niko_cee]

It's irrelevant how many more votes Boris gets at this point, surely. He's in the run-off and it's just a shitfight among the rest of them to see who's in line for the fisting from 'the membership'. The Boris camp being 'worried' about Stewart has to be one of the most ridiculously naked political ploys going. Good old Rory will struggle to match the number of MPs who back him with Tory members out there in Brexitland. Gove with his Brexit credentials and 'grasp of the detail' (ability to appear as if he may have once read a briefing paper at some point) is surely the second biggest threat to Boris. Boris being the biggest himself.

Hunt is a twat and everyone hates him and Javid went to a state school.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They all want Boris in so they all pay even less tax, right?

[niko_cee]

He's probably the only one most of them have heard of.

I mean, what kind of person is a Conservative Party Member? Membership of a political party has always seemed to me to be completely mad, I guess unless you aspire to be part of it one day.

[Boydy]

I mean, what kind of person is a Conservative Party Member?

A cunt.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Go into the Marks & Spencer food hall on a weekday and you will see them. 60 years and over, cash and time rich, and despite this all they do is complain about things ALL DAY.

[Lewis]

Anyone joining a political party in this day and age is either on the make or a sad act.

[Lewis]

Just died at 'slot home the winner'.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What a man Rory is.

Just casually taking his tie off and sitting like a boss.

[Spikey M]

This has Nick Clegg written all over it.

[Lewis]

This is terrible.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Thanking Jeremy Hunt...

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I can't be racist, I have a Muslim Great-Grandfather.

[Lewis]

He should have cut a promo on Muhammad.

[Spikey M]

Borris is terrible at this.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fair play on the teen for calling out their bullshit.

[Spikey M]

You can't even vote you ginger cunt.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ask any question and Gove will bring it round to Corbyn hating Jews.

[Lewis]

Jeremy Hunt won that as far as substance goes, but Boris Johnson won it really because he didn't shit himself.

[Spikey M]

Didn't he? He was fucking awful. The part about there not being another general election was teeth grindingly bad.

[Lewis]

It was no shitter than any other answer, which is all he needed.

[Spikey M]

He's just lucky it won't be another General Election, because Tory Miliband would steamroller it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Boris vs Hunt would be my secondary preference (to Boris vs Stewart) because it would at least give them the opportunity to vote for someone who is serious, even if he is also a deviant twat.

[Giggles]

If the buffoon got the most in the first vote when why doesn't he just win instead of whittling it down all the time and just wasting everyone's?

[Shindig]

Because that's the way their dads did it. It's a waste of time unless there's a monumental TURNCOATING in the final round of voting.

[Spikey M]

If the buffoon got the most in the first vote when why doesn't he just win instead of whittling it down all the time and just wasting everyone's?

What event in the last 5 years has caused you to expect my nation to carry out things in a sensible manner?

[Henry]

Good to see Raab gone. Not enough talk about how much of a prick he is.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's actually quite a good voting system for DEMOCRACY, just not for taking up everyone's time for weeks.

[Shindig]

Well, we've got til October so might as well use all the road.

[Lewis]

https://order-order.com/2019/06/19/abdullah-bristol-wants-know-panel-agree-words-consequences/

:lol:

You can set your watch by this sort of thing.

[Jimmy Floyd]

BBC vetting is an absolute shambles when it comes to Islamists.

[Lewis]

It's usually concerned members of the public who turn out to be Labour activists/councillors, so I don't think they do any vetting.

[Jimmy Floyd]

This bloke seems to be like a Greatest Hits album of every dodgy opinion going.

[Lewis]

It's usually concerned members of the public who turn out to be Labour activists/councillors, so I don't think they do any vetting.

https://order-order.com/2019/06/19/aman-london-worked-labour-hq-investigating-anti-semitism/

Not to be left out. They do this on purpose.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Stewart out, and with that they kiss goodbye to getting any LD/Lab switchers at the forthcoming election.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Writing was on the wall during the debate as they were all trying to get one over on him.

They also didn't like that he was actually trying to be truthful.

[Jimmy Floyd]

What they don't like about him is that he undermines party unity, and they need that to try and cling onto power/their jobs.

[Lewis]

And that he isn't remotely in tune with the membership or the majority or their likely voters.

[Yevrah]

I don't think they actually believe that themselves. They're just saying what they think will put them in power.

Of course, but the fact they think it will put them into power is more proof of the delusion.

Not a single person believes that now.

[Yevrah]

Stewart out, and with that they kiss goodbye to getting any LD/Lab switchers at the forthcoming election.

It's Gove or extinction for the Tories at this stage.

Scary place to be for them.

[Yevrah]

I haven't seen the Beeb debate, but watching this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWdRE0XyecA fuck me.

It's hopeless.

[Jimmy Floyd]

And that he isn't remotely in tune with the membership or the majority or their likely voters.

Absolutely irrelevant what the membership thinks. To win an election (and thereby have a hope of delivering Brexit) they have to get agnostics and soft remainers on board. Without them it's rainbow coalition, Remaining and PR and they will probably never govern again.

[Yevrah]

Stewart wouldn't have won an election Jim, as good as he might be (and I like him) he looks like a sock puppet.

[Lewis]

How does he get Theresa May's Brexit through an election without losing [at least] half of the 2017 Conservative vote to Nigel Farage?

[Yevrah]

If Farage ends up as PM I will lol myself to death.

Make it happen.

[Jimmy Floyd]

How does he get Theresa May's Brexit through an election without losing [at least] half of the 2017 Conservative vote to Nigel Farage?

They wouldn't go in those numbers. A general election is not like the silly mid term elections when Nigel gets the nutters off the sofa.

It would be like whichever time it was UKIP did well (2015?) and they would win about five seats, if that.

[Lewis]

If Farage ends up as PM I will lol myself to death.

Make it happen.

Some excellent poverty figures (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-tax-cuts-poverty-family-tory-leadership-contest-government-a8965921.html) for you here. That's put me right off.


They wouldn't go in those numbers. A general election is not like the silly mid term elections when Nigel gets the nutters off the sofa.

It would be like whichever time it was UKIP did well (2015?) and they would win about five seats, if that.

That seems like a bold assumption to make when the last election completely threw all sorts of established tribal voting patterns into the bin.

[Giggles]

If Farage ends up as PM I will lol myself to death.

Make it happen.

How can he? Serious question.

I'm not too up on it but I thought this was a conservative leadership thing and he's bnp or something isn't he?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

How can he? Serious question.

I'm not too up on it but I thought this was a conservative leadership thing and he's bnp or something isn't he?

When/if they call an election.

They're all too scared to call one early though because they'd get smashed.

[mugbull]

This Rory Stewart character looks like Alex Honnold if he had directed his asperger’s into politics

[Henry]

Do you think Michael Gove knew he was quoting Trotsky?

[Smjffy]

Javid is out, now for Hunt. The entire thing has been a shit show. It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't real.

[Boydy]

Do you think Michael Gove knew he was quoting Trotsky?
Probably, yes.

[Henry]

Javid is out, now for Hunt. The entire thing has been a shit show. It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't real.

There's speculation that Camp Boris will lend votes to Hunt to make sure that he goes through rather than Gove.

[Yevrah]

It’d be beautiful if they miscalculated that.

[Magic]

Henn0rz spot on as usual.

[niko_cee]

I've been on the Prime Minister Hunt bandwagon before it was a even twinkle in the woodsmith's eye (although no money on sadly) so here's to hoping Boris can get a few more Brits detained abroad or accidentally have himself recorded laughing off the idea of Brexit as he drives away from a rancorous mob he's just done a meet-and-greet with.

Did you see how hairy her palms were?

[Jimmy Floyd]

The only bet I would be putting on is shortest ever term as PM.

[niko_cee]

Sounds like you have a plan of some sort.

[Henry]

Great to see arms sales to Saudi Arabia being stopped by the courts. Predictably, Tory scum want to be able to continue killing kids and are appealing the decision.

[Spikey M]

Mark Field must he tired of working.

[niko_cee]

Chris Williamson looks like he's going to be walking back into a fucking big stack of papers in his deselection to-do pile.

It's a bit of a catch-22 really. How do you plead a media conspiracy to portray you as anti-Semitic, without, by such a claim itself, become open to the critique?

[Jimmy Floyd]

He's not an anti-semite, he just hates Jews.

[Yevrah]

Great to see arms sales to Saudi Arabia being stopped by the courts. Predictably, Tory scum want to be able to continue killing kids and are appealing the decision.

Tory scum?

Labour were at it for years as well. Or does it not count when they do it?

[Lewis]

John McDonnell was talking about giving Cuba financial support the other week.

[Henry]

Tory scum?

Labour were at it for years as well. Or does it not count when they do it?

Who said it didn't? Where have I ever expressed anything but derision for New Labour?

[Yevrah]

"Tory scum" implied it was a Tory centric horror.

To be fair and for what it's worth I agree you have been scathing about New Labour.

It's a source of shame for Britain that we're involved in selling arms to anyone.

[niko_cee]

Apparently not as shameful as having invented industrialised society/the modern world if you believe the way Sky News have been harping on lately.

200 years ago Stephenson invented the Rocket . . . and now this shitheap in Camarthenshire is falling into the sea.

Carbon emissions since 1850 etc. :baz:

[Giggles]

What are British politicians wading in at all on Hong Kong for? Was it not handed back in 1997? Do they still have any say there or do they just think they do?

[Lewis]

We are party to an agreement on it that the Chinese are sort of violating, but in reality we can't do anything about it.

[Boydy]

Declare war on China.

[Yevrah]

Our posturing over Russia and China really does make me lol.

[Spikey M]

What are British politicians wading in at all on Hong Kong for? Was it not handed back in 1997? Do they still have any say there or do they just think they do?

I think we gave it up on the understanding that it would be independent (atleast to some extent) but the Chinese have gone into full annexation mode.

No idea why we care, but that's the problem.

[Giggles]

I think we gave it up on the understanding that it would be independent (atleast to some extent) but the Chinese have gone into full annexation mode.

No idea why we care, but that's the problem.

That makes sense Messing with China would be a big be a fairly big booboo though I'd imagine.

[Lewis]

In more important news, Boris Johnson wanting roll back sugar taxes and associated wank is the best domestic thing any Conservative Party leader has said in about twenty years.

[phonics]

In more important news, Boris Johnson wanting roll back sugar taxes and associated wank is the best domestic thing any Conservative Party leader has said in about twenty years.

Won't do it to cigarettes though the coward.

[Lewis]

They need the money, but they could unwind all the censorship shit around them.

[phonics]

They need the money, but they could unwind all the censorship shit around them.

The latter shouldn't be done because it's an anti-nanny state policy. It should be done because it makes forgery way too easy, and when you're charging someone one - two hours of earnings for an addictive product that'll last maybe 24 hours they'll do it.

They should do the former because it's a tax on the poor which is why they won't.

11 quid for a 20 pack of Marlboro is an absolute joke, I thought they were pushing it over here raising it to 7-8 quid in a country that earns 20 quid an hour on minimum wage.

[Shindig]

There's an ad in a bus shelter near me that has 'Obesity' in a mock cig packet. It's trying to warn me being fat can cause cancer but all I want to do is smoke.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The tax works. Kids just don't smoke anymore.

[Spikey M]

Which was half the reason for the tax, in fairness.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What will they do when 'vaping' gets taxed to fuck?

[Lewis]

How does cost prevent kids from smoking when they're not allowed to buy them anyway? It was the same non-logic that got plain packaging brought in.

[Boydy]

How does cost prevent kids from smoking when they're not allowed to buy them anyway? It was the same non-logic that got plain packaging brought in.
How did they smoke when the cost was lower but still weren't allowed to buy them?

[Lewis]

By pestering their parents for the shiny-packaged goodness.

[Mellberg]

Nope. Tuck money and 16 year age limit, with far less strenuous ID laws.

[SvN]

The shops near my school would sell to anyone.

[randomlegend]

By pestering their parents for the shiny-packaged goodness.

Parents are less likely to give them to their kids if they're more expensive.

Also kids could give people of age the money to buy them for them, which they can't do if they can't afford it.

[John]

Most kids who get cigarettes get them the same way they'd get booze, by nicking bits and bobs off their parents or standing near an off sales and asking someone to go in for them.

Neither way really involves the packaging influencing them.

[randomlegend]

I thought we were talking about cost?


How does cost prevent kids from smoking when they're not allowed to buy them anyway?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Asian corner shops sell anything to anyone. The cost is what stops kids.

[Lewis]

Why not get rid of the age restrictions but make them forty quid a packet? No parents are going to spend that.

[phonics]

I'm still getting ID'd for fags over in the UK to this day so I don't know how the age rule works. Kids stopped smoking because vaping became cool, cheap and healthier.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think it's more to do with phones. They don't smoke, they don't drink, they don't shag.

[Spikey M]

How are they ever going to get cancer? The boring cunts.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If McFlurry gives you cancer, that.

[mugbull]

I think it's more to do with phones. They don't smoke, they don't drink, they don't shag.

Yeah this. Also nobody reads anything longer than a NY Times blurb anymore

[Giggles]

I'm still getting ID'd for fags over in the UK to this day so I don't know how the age rule works. Kids stopped smoking because vaping became cool, cheap and healthier.

In the likes of Asda the policy for drink and fags is to ask if they think the person looks 30 or less.

[SvN]

I'm pretty sure the Daily Mail has weekly articles about pensioners getting IDed in ASDA.

[Giggles]

Most people who work in Asda would barely understand the whole concept of the number 30.

[Shindig]

Challenge 25's a nationwide thing, I thought?

[Alan Shearer The 2nd]

I'm more surprised at the number of folk who are thinking that anyone against the sugar tax is a scumbag who wants to see children become obese and die.

[Lewis]

1147856181551075328

Has he thought that all along? :cab:

[Spikey M]

Now we just need the Brexit Party to put their cards on the table.

[phonics]

Straw poll, is Peston an absolute moron, incredibly naive or simply acting in bad faith?

There's the above. Now I'm reading his tweets about the most pointless debate ever that opens by describing it as 'Great TV' and ended by saying that Jeremy Hunt took a risk by attacking his opponent.

How can you come to the fore by being the chief economic correspondent during the worst recession since the great depression, caused by false promises and numbers that collapsed the moment you breathed on them, and take everything at face value?

[Lewis]

He was the lowly Business Editor when it all started, and then Roland Rudd tipped him off about Northern Rock and here we are. We had this discussion before about him being pound-for-pound the shittest pundit in the world, and I think it's basically just down to him being conventional wisdom made human.

[phonics]

and I think it's basically just down to him being conventional wisdom made human.

He does come across as someone who's only qualification is taking a 'Punditry 101' class in about 2004.

[phonics]

I do like Andrew Neil but his retweeting of people telling him he's brilliant is quite a turn off.

He's done 18 of them in as many minutes just now.

[Magic]

You're a total mongol Phonics.

[phonics]

That seems unnecessarily hostile. Sup bab?

[Shindig]

I can't take Jo Swinson seriously. She looks like she's permanently mad about something she'll never disclose.

[Lewis]

I would like to think that the country would instinctively reject any of the current crop of left-wing women, lest any of them be given the platform to slowly nag the entire male population into gassing themselves in the garage (the only survivors being those who took their wife's name).

[Jimmy Floyd]

They should give Sir Ed Davey a second knighthood. I think he's earned it.

[niko_cee]

I assume 'The Cabinet' doesn't survive the death of its creator so are these 'resignations' anything other than arseholes grandstanding and getting their retaliation in first? Aren't they all out of the job tomorrow/the day after anyway?

[Lewis]

Pretty much.

[Spoonsky]

Is Boris going to be PM then?

[Magic]

Pretty much.

I like how the people who apparently want to stop him are resigning left, right and centre.

[Ian]

So what's next on the agenda once we've got our very own mop-haired heap of vomit in charge?

I suppose a wall will be easier for us as we just have to brick up the Channel Tunnel.

[randomlegend]

"Dyuude..."

:D

[Pleb]

General Election when?

[Giggles]

This moment was very foretelling.

1153623955640635392

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

General Election when?

Scheduled for 2022.

I don't see him calling an early one (I also don't see anyone really wanted one early either) as it would end in a clusterfuck.

[Ian]

How would we notice the difference?

[Jimmy Floyd]

He might have to have one if/when he loses his majority.

[Smjffy]

I can't take Jo Swinson seriously. She looks like she's permanently mad about something she'll never disclose.

I was watching her speech just yesterday and couldn't but think that's why women don't belong in politics. "Leave Britney alone" video sprung to mind.

[Ian]

The Leave Britney Alone video that featured a guy?

[mugbull]

I was watching her speech just yesterday and couldn't but think that's why women don't belong in politics. "Leave Britney alone" video sprung to mind.:happycry:

Your life problems have left an indelible imprint on ya mate

[Yevrah]

Cloud cuckoo land stuff this.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-49084446/boris-johnson-dude-we-are-going-to-energise-the-country

[Giggles]

Cloud cuckoo land stuff this.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-49084446/boris-johnson-dude-we-are-going-to-energise-the-country

Will it not be lapped up though?

[Smjffy]

The Leave Britney Alone video that featured a guy?

Well, you couldn't say that with great certainty. The guy was a bitch.

[Lewis]

Cloud cuckoo land stuff this.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-49084446/boris-johnson-dude-we-are-going-to-energise-the-country

Brexit aside, there is massive scope to kick the country up the arse. It's just whether he gets any time to do so.

[Smjffy]

Time isn't really the issue with any of those in government, is it? I long for the day you get some cunt who just will waltz in, say what he/she is going to do then actually do it. I couldn't even care if I don't agree with whatever it is, I just want to see it happen.

[Giggles]

1153718141173846016

[Smjffy]

https://twitter.com/jaredomaramp/status/1153742493034438656

:D

Ouch.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:D

[Smjffy]

He's dishing it right out.

https://twitter.com/garetharnolduk

I don't see a happy ending here. I mean that as dark as it sounds too.

[Lewis]

I think 'Gareth Arnold' comes out of this worst, with his Pavel-esque Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gareth_Arnold), blatantly doing it for status. Cunt. I hope Wor Jared knocks him out.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Arnold rose to prominence in 2014 for his online trolling of the far-right political party Britain First,

Fucking hell, what a twat.

[Giggles]

Taking down an alco junkie is always a worthwhile endeavour.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I didn't think Boris was going to able to convert me, but bringing Deadly Dom Cummings into government might just do the trick. The perfect seethe-storm.

[Lewis]

:drool:

[Henry]

Fuck.

Now, let's imagine for a moment that there had been a Labour PM (like Milliband) in place who resigned, and that Jeremy Corbyn had assumed the role on the say-so of a vote of Labour party members without consulting anyone else. What then?

[Henry]

Brexit aside, there is massive scope to kick the country up the arse. It's just whether he gets any time to do so.

That's not "Brexit aside". Those pushing for no-deal know there will be a disaster, and wish to use that disaster to push through all of the shit that they want that nobody will stand for otherwise. Which is mostly the shit that you want, the so-called "kick up the arse".

[Yevrah]

Fuck.

Now, let's imagine for a moment that there had been a Labour PM (like Milliband) in place

I think that's where your scenario falls down.

But in any case, that's the risk you take in our system. We elect a party not an individual.

[Henry]

I think that's where your scenario falls down.

But in any case, that's the risk you take in our system. We elect a party not an individual.

The system can and should be changed to require a general election in this scenario.

[Jimmy Floyd]

No problem. We're not a presidency, MPs are individually elected and then anyone can form a government.

[Henry]

No problem. We're not a presidency, MPs are individually elected and then anyone can form a government.

Do you think that would be the attitude of the right-wing press, for example?

[Yevrah]

The system can and should be changed to require a general election in this scenario.

So you'd rather we elected an individual rather than a party?

[Lewis]

That's not "Brexit aside". Those pushing for no-deal know there will be a disaster, and wish to use that disaster to push through all of the shit that they want that nobody will stand for otherwise. Which is mostly the shit that you want, the so-called "kick up the arse".

I meant low-hanging things like smashing the civil service (and affiliated useless bodies) up, planning reform, ending the university farce, binning high speed rail... Obviously a NO DEAL crisis would come in handy for more lasting reform.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Do you think that would be the attitude of the right-wing press, for example?

The job of the right wing press is to sell newspapers to right wing people, so it's not really constitutionally relevant what they think. This kind of transition has happened with Callaghan, Major, Brown, May and now Johnson just in the last 40 years, it's not a new thing.

[Giggles]

The job of the right wing press is to sell newspapers to right wing people, so it's not really constitutionally relevant what they think. This kind of transition has happened with Callaghan, Major, Brown, May and now Johnson just in the last 40 years, it's not a new thing.

It's kind of new when none of the previous ones were circus acts.

[Lewis]

The Cabinet is looking alright. I would like to have seen Steve Baker made Minister for Steve Baker, but I can settle for drumming the pretend Brexiters out.

[Yevrah]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or-tzhDLUqo

Missed this at the time and it's quite good. Bizarre to think that over three years on the square root of fuck all has actually happened.

[Jimmy Floyd]

This cabinet makes no sense whatsoever unless he's going for an early election.

[Alan Shearer The 2nd]

I wasn't exactly enamoured by the thought of Boris as PM but all the right people are fizzing just now. Sit back and enjoy the meltdown.

[Yevrah]

This cabinet makes no sense whatsoever unless he's going for an early election.

I mean, he doesn't really know what he's doing, does he?

That's the rub of it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Sidelining all your enemies / people who didn't vote for you is very Trumpian and I really doubt it will work in a scenario where instead of a 4 year mandate, you have a working majority of 2 and have to get them to vote for your Brexit plan very soon.

It's either election or Deadly Dom has some sort of evil masterplan for getting No Deal to happen.

[Lewis]

Amber Rudd still has a job what more do people want? If the stupid cunts want to force an election they would have done so in or out of government, so indulging them is pointless.

[Kikó]

An absolute thundercunt is now in charge of the country and we are changing the Foreign and Defence Minister in the midst of a crisis with Iran.

The tories have fucked this country beyond belief.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Raab for Foreign Secretary / Patel for Home is the worst possible pair of appointments anyone could have thought of. Even the same pair the other way round would have been marginally better.

[Yevrah]

An absolute thundercunt is now in charge of the country and we are changing the Foreign and Defence Minister in the midst of a crisis with Iran.

The tories have fucked this country beyond belief.

On the plus side Kik's, he's basically only got three months.

[Giggles]

Patel? Jaysus, giving Trevelyan II a big job says it all really.

[Kikó]

I suppose but is there an actual alternative to any of the turds on either side of the isle?

Get Sturgeon in until the end of the season.

[Lewis]

A NO DEAL election has got 1983 written all over it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They're certainly in a much better place to fight that election if/when it comes. A coherent position of sorts, Farage's fox shot (again), Dom Cummings spirited in via the back door (they kept that beautifully quiet) and a hopelessly splintered opposition spread across three or four other parties.

It's just not a cabinet that allows them to buy any time.

[Alan Shearer The 2nd]

I suppose but is there an actual alternative to any of the turds on either side of the isle?

Get Sturgeon in until the end of the season.

The sooner she fucks off the better. Awful, awful woman.

[Byron]

Leadsom and McVey anywhere near government is awful but I think Raab as Foreign Sec makes is marginally worse.

[Shindig]

On the plus side Kik's, he's basically only got three months.

And his cabinet will get reshuffled two or three times due to resignations. We don't have any good politicians any more, do we?

[Ian]

Gavin Williamson in charge of Education is a laugh.

I'd be surprised if he can get the blocks through the holes of the right shape without some thought.

[Henry]

So you'd rather we elected an individual rather than a party?

I think there might be advantages to properly seperating the executive from the legislature. It's arguable - but not the point I'm really making. In practice we elect both a party and a PM. It would be a reasonably simple constitutional change that said that a change of PM required/triggered an election.

[Henry]

The cabinet is a disgrace.

Javid is a banker linked to some of the shadier aspects of global financialisation. He took apparent glee in persecuting Julian Assange.
Raab is clueless and has a strong commitment to social Darwinism. Although that presumably doesn't apply to the rich.
Patel is corrupt and an extreme authoritarian.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We don't elect a PM either in theory or practice.

[Henry]

We don't elect a PM either in theory or practice.

Yes, we do. In practice most people don't have a clue who their local MP is. They vote because of the letter next to their name, based on the national campaign, led by the prospective PM.

[Spikey M]

We don't elect a PM either in theory or practice.

We really do. When people were voting in the last election they were doing so on the basis of whether they preferred May or Corbyn (or neither of them), not for their local MP. They just looked for the parties name and stuck a cross in that box.

[Ian]

Well you've got that and the people who say "I VOTE [party]" as if it's an undeniable biological fact like their inside leg measurement or blood type, and will continue to vote for said party regardless of what their policies are, who is leading them or anything else.

[mugbull]

Can’t wait to visit this thread more often over the coming months, the schadenfreude will be great.

[Shindig]

Well you've got that and the people who say "I VOTE [party]" as if it's an undeniable biological fact like their inside leg measurement or blood type, and will continue to vote for said party regardless of what their policies are, who is leading them or anything else.

Aye, that's most of my lot.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I see the ERG are already having a hissy fit after Steve Baker was offered a junior job (and turned it down).

Dom :drool:

[Lewis]

He's the roving Minister of Sound.

[phonics]

I’ve turned on the whole Boris as PM thing just so I can read The Telegraphs fucking weird through the looking glass spin on every fuck up he makes.

[Yevrah]

He's done alright so far I'd say.

[Lewis]

There is a book to be written on triumphalist by-election speeches that come to fuck all. The coalition years were a golden period for them.

'...and their Lib Dem allies...'

[Jimmy Floyd]

The one in Richmond Park when Sally Crusty-Sandals beat Zac Goldsmith was a classic of the genre.

[Lewis]

I liked the Corby one, since it was actually a win for Labour rather than just one stiff replacing another in a shithole seat. The pleb who won it (and lost it in 2015) was giving it all the ONE NATION bit, and David Cameron didn't even care.

[Lewis]

“Someone put Grieve’s idea to Cummings on Friday that if we lose a vote of no confidence the PM will have to resign — he spat his drink out laughing,” said a senior No.10 official. “The idea we will hand over to a new government rather than leave with an election after October 31 is laughable.”

Love this bloke (https://www.ft.com/content/aa7c1902-b6a8-11e9-8a88-aa6628ac896c). I bet he wasn't even drinking at the time. He will have heard it, had a drink, and then Triple Haitched it into the air for lol effect.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Deadly Dom has properly touched a nerve with the columnist commentariat this week, and I have to say it is a joy to behold.

[Henry]

Deadly Dom has properly touched a nerve with the columnist commentariat this week, and I have to say it is a joy to behold.

He wants to have a coup, essentially. The Crown will get dragged into this.

[Yevrah]

What's he trying to do?

[Henry]

What's he trying to do?

Apparently one of:

Proroguing parliament.
Ignoring the result of a no-confidence vote.
Calling a general election to be held after Brexit and then pushing ahead with no deal in the meantime.

Constitutionally, it's clear that were there to be an election called for example, Johnson would remain as PM but in a caretaker capacity. No important decisions are supposed to be made.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It'll be the general election with Brexit during the campaign.

The key thing to remember is Corbyn wants and needs No Deal. Watch him frustrate the Remainers ever more from here on in.

[Lewis]

Big up the PARLIAMENTARY ARITHMETIC brigade trying to work out how you form a 'Unity Government' out of the sweaties, the Liberal Democrats, and a list of future Labour leaders from 2012.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Luckily the progressive majority will save them.

[Yevrah]

If we end up simultaneously running an election and finalising Brexit we may as well give up and hand the keys to Sam Allardyce, Steve McClaren and Roberto Martinez.

[Lewis]

https://uk.gofundme.com/fund-madeleina-kay
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/the-future-is-europe---eusupergirltour

I've got so much respect for her you wouldn't believe it.

[Boydy]

It is a good grift.