The Theresa May General Election thread (edited)

Drew_TNBD

octatonic said:

People keep bandying this image and quote around as if they have some kind of smoking gun - it's a silly masturbatory "ah ha! gotcha!" statement that has no bearing on the situation we find ourselves in. The bottom line is... it was almost a year ago, before the whole Brexit thing really took off and before the government released article 50.

Things change, plans change. Our whole world runs on changing our actions based on external stimuli and new information. It shouldn't be surprising that this can happen to governments and leaders as well.

digitalscream

Drew_TNBD said:

Things change, plans change. Our whole world runs on changing our actions based on external stimuli and new information. It shouldn't be surprising that this can happen to governments and leaders as well.

Agreed. While I don't agree with this GE, it's foolish in the extreme to require our government to throw away adaptability and stick to the plan regardless of changing circumstances (both domestic and global).

ICBM

Fretwired said:

The best thing for the SNP is a right-wing Tory government at Westminster with a 50+ majority in the HoC. Sturgeon will claim it's Thatcher MK2 and support for Indy2 will probably rise in Scotland. It will also do the SNP no harm come the next Scottish election to have the hated Tories in power negotiating Brexit.

That's true, but the SNP are likely to lose MPs - and probably to the Tories. That will be seized on as proof that Scotland doesn't want independence, hence allowing May to simply deny Sturgeon a referendum.

I don't think even Nicola will be able to claim a drop in the SNP vote as a good thing. They'd be much better off returning the favour and not allowing May what she wants... although it's a moot point if Labour don't since the SNP can't block it on their own.

Drew_TNBD

What is it with political thread and the over exuberance of the lol button?

Fretwired

ICBM said:

Fretwired said:

The best thing for the SNP is a right-wing Tory government at Westminster with a 50+ majority in the HoC. Sturgeon will claim it's Thatcher MK2 and support for Indy2 will probably rise in Scotland. It will also do the SNP no harm come the next Scottish election to have the hated Tories in power negotiating Brexit.

That's true, but the SNP are likely to lose MPs - and probably to the Tories. That will be seized on as proof that Scotland doesn't want independence, hence allowing May to simply deny Sturgeon a referendum.

I don't think even Nicola will be able to claim a drop in the SNP vote as a good thing. They'd be much better off returning the favour and not allowing May what she wants... although it's a moot point if Labour don't since the SNP can't block it on their own.

The Tories won't take any SNP seats. They might win the odd Labour/Lib Dem seat so it won't make much difference to Sturgeon. Her support will be rock solid in the face of the 'evil' Tories.

May's got another problem - Denmark, Belgium and Spain won't even come to the negotiating table unless May guarantees them access to British fishing areas (the Tory position is no access post Brexit).

Axe_meister

Are the new boundaries going to be in place for this election?

Cirrus

Drew_TNBD said:

People keep bandying this image and quote around as if they have some kind of smoking gun - it's a silly masturbatory "ah ha! gotcha!" statement that has no bearing on the situation we find ourselves in. The bottom line is... it was almost a year ago, before the whole Brexit thing really took off and before the government released article 50.

Things change, plans change. Our whole world runs on changing our actions based on external stimuli and new information. It shouldn't be surprising that this can happen to governments and leaders as well.

That's one way to see it.

Another would be:

"In this time of uncertainty, caused entirely by our triggering of article 50 one month ago which has had effects which were utterly obvious and predictable, the only sensible thing to do is to give me as much power as possible so I can most effectively do the thing I've made unavoidable now."

Fretwired

Axe_meister said:

Are the new boundaries going to be in place for this election?

No. Same boundaries as 2015.

digitalscream

Drew_TNBD said:

What is it with political thread and the over exuberance of the lol button?

Laugh or cry, man. Laugh or cry.

Drew_TNBD

Cirrus said:

Drew_TNBD said:

People keep bandying this image and quote around as if they have some kind of smoking gun - it's a silly masturbatory "ah ha! gotcha!" statement that has no bearing on the situation we find ourselves in. The bottom line is... it was almost a year ago, before the whole Brexit thing really took off and before the government released article 50.

Things change, plans change. Our whole world runs on changing our actions based on external stimuli and new information. It shouldn't be surprising that this can happen to governments and leaders as well.

That's one way to see it.

Another would be:

"In this time of uncertainty, caused entirely by our triggering of article 50 one month ago which has had effects which were utterly obvious and predictable, the only sensible thing to do is to give me as much power as possible so I can most effectively do the thing I've made unavoidable now."

Well look at it this way... The remainders have got another chance to stop brexit. Vote for the greens or lib Dems. In astounding numbers.

Axe_meister

Drew_TNBD said:

Cirrus said:

Drew_TNBD said:

People keep bandying this image and quote around as if they have some kind of smoking gun - it's a silly masturbatory "ah ha! gotcha!" statement that has no bearing on the situation we find ourselves in. The bottom line is... it was almost a year ago, before the whole Brexit thing really took off and before the government released article 50.

Things change, plans change. Our whole world runs on changing our actions based on external stimuli and new information. It shouldn't be surprising that this can happen to governments and leaders as well.

That's one way to see it.

Another would be:

"In this time of uncertainty, caused entirely by our triggering of article 50 one month ago which has had effects which were utterly obvious and predictable, the only sensible thing to do is to give me as much power as possible so I can most effectively do the thing I've made unavoidable now."

Well look at it this way... The remainders have got another chance to stop brexit. Vote for the greens or lib Dems. In astounding numbers.

Drew_TNBD said:

Cirrus said:

Drew_TNBD said:

People keep bandying this image and quote around as if they have some kind of smoking gun - it's a silly masturbatory "ah ha! gotcha!" statement that has no bearing on the situation we find ourselves in. The bottom line is... it was almost a year ago, before the whole Brexit thing really took off and before the government released article 50.

Things change, plans change. Our whole world runs on changing our actions based on external stimuli and new information. It shouldn't be surprising that this can happen to governments and leaders as well.

That's one way to see it.

Another would be:

"In this time of uncertainty, caused entirely by our triggering of article 50 one month ago which has had effects which were utterly obvious and predictable, the only sensible thing to do is to give me as much power as possible so I can most effectively do the thing I've made unavoidable now."

Well look at it this way... The remainders have got another chance to stop brexit. Vote for the greens or lib Dems. In astounding numbers.

This may well happens and could reduce the Tory majority. A bit of a gamble

Nitefly

TheBigDipper said:

Nitefly said:

I imagine a great many sitting Labour MPs are getting a tad twitchy about selection committees...

I've read that any sitting Labour MP will be automatically reselected as the candidate for this election. To be confirmed later on today. 

Ah yes, just read that.  Sighs of relief all round   I think Leigh will probably need to select a new candidate though, as the sitting member (Andy Burnham) is hot favourite for the Manchester Mayoral elections to be held on 4th May.

I've also just read that the SNP MPs are going to abstain - that's representing your constituency right enough!

Also 2 SNP members are currently suspended, so may not be able to stand this time.

Emp_Fab

randella said:

1) After all that agonising, I'm still centre-left, probably most closely aligned with the Labour party
2) Your man Corbyn's a useless twat
3) Telling people they know fuck-all unless they like Corbyn and *don't* think he's a useless twat is the single most destructive thing you can do if chasing votes for the left is your goal
4) Plenty of people liked Elvis, he sold a lot of records.  He must've been doing something right.

Did you even read my post ?  Talk about missing the point and taking the wrong end of the stick.
1. Me too
2. He's not "my man" at all
3. That is not what I said at all and I don't have a goal here.
4. I like Elvis, but again, you've missed the point.

57Deluxe

shame she didn't call it for May then would properly be The Theresa May General Election

ICBM

Fretwired said:

The Tories won't take any SNP seats. They might win the odd Labour/Lib Dem seat so it won't make much difference to Sturgeon.

Have you checked what the seats are in Scotland? The Lib Dems have one - Orkney & Shetland - and Labour have one - Edinburgh South - and the Tories won't take either of those, the SNP is the challenger in both. I think it's unlikely they'll take them though.

It will be interesting to see whether the Lib Dems do better - as the party of both No and Remain, in theory the majority of Scots should find a natural home there. Although Ruth Davidson's Scottish Tories were also pro-Remain and they're now a bit tarred with May, they're effectively the opposition in Scotland now so they may pick up tactical votes from anyone looking to bash Sturgeon...

FelineGuitars

I reckon we've got another 10+ years of the Tories by which time the country will be unrecognisable. 

It won't be good for anyone but top earners I bet.

VimFuego

FelineGuitars said:

I reckon we've got another 10+ years of the Tories by which time the country will be unrecognisable. 

It won't be good for anyone but top earners I bet.

well, we gotta have our eat cake moment before we can unleash the terror.

Evilmags

FelineGuitars said:

I reckon we've got another 10+ years of the Tories by which time the country will be unrecognisable. 

It won't be good for anyone but top earners I bet.

It seemed obvious as soon as Corbyn became leader. Incompetence, IRA support, antisemitism,  it's all there and waiting to be explored by Lynton Crosby. 

crunchman

FelineGuitars said:

I reckon we've got another 10+ years of the Tories by which time the country will be unrecognisable. 

It won't be good for anyone but top earners I bet.

By 2022 people will be ready for a change (in a leftwards direction) if the Tories carry on the recent tradition of governments (New Labour included) who governed on behalf their mates in big business.

If there is a credible opposition in 2022 I could see the Tories getting voted out.  On the other hand, I'm not convinced that Labour or the Libdems will be credible.  As has been said above, they are both too obsessed with identity politics and not the plight of normal working people.

It will also depend on whether there is a second Independence referendum in Scotland, and what the result of it is.  Without Scottish MPs, the Tories would be in power for a generation without a major change in the political landscape.

VimFuego

crunchman said:

FelineGuitars said:

I reckon we've got another 10+ years of the Tories by which time the country will be unrecognisable. 

It won't be good for anyone but top earners I bet.

By 2022 people will be ready for a change (in a leftwards direction) if the Tories carry on the recent tradition of governments (New Labour included) who governed on behalf their mates in big business.

If there is a credible opposition in 2022 I could see the Tories getting voted out.  On the other hand, I'm not convinced that Labour or the Libdems will be credible.  As has been said above, they are both too obsessed with identity politics and not the plight of normal working people.

It will also depend on whether there is a second Independence referendum in Scotland, and what the result of it is.  Without Scottish MPs, the Tories would be in power for a generation without a major change in the political landscape.

with any luck this will be like '92, an election the tories won but ended up casting them into the dustbin of obscurity for 13 years.