Let's Get Political!

[Moss]

Fucking depressing that despite the worst Prime Minister in history who holds the working and middle classes in absolute contempt, the general public are such thick fucking cunts they'll still vote for the fucking Tory's.

You should have to take a political awareness exam before you are allowed to vote. Labour unelectable. Jesus wept. 

[Nemo]

Fucking depressing that despite the worst Prime Minister in history who holds the working and middle classes in absolute contempt, the general public are such thick fucking cunts they'll still vote for the fucking Tory's.

You should have to take a political awareness exam before you are allowed to vote. Labour unelectable. Jesus wept.  

I don't really hold with this sort of thing - I think it's an attitude that is strong online because partisanship is such a powerful force in US politics that there's barely any swing at all.

Look at the recent UK polls. Tories polling in the high 20s, Labour early 40s and general left of centre parties (including the Lib Dems) well into the 60s. The UK electorate swings and swings hard when one side is deemed to be fucking things up. Make no mistake, that's why the Tories have gone full regicide, nothing to do with the sanctity of truth.  

Of course there are safe sides and 'red or blue come what may' voters. But there's a really large chunk that will move - probably because of the presence of relatively viable protest votes.

[mystical_goat]

to be fair she comes across as pretty useless in many of the interviews I've seen her in

Not in the same league of uselessness as Nadine Dorries mind

I'd add Liz Truss too, particularly because she has the audacity to run for leader and is clearly not good at anything.

[Batch]

she can order more dogs to scare drones away

[mystical_goat]

We can be sure that there'll be no shortage of pork markets should she rise to power

[Nemo]

So, Raab has backed Sunak, JRM and Dorries Truss. Lots of candidates in the race, but increasingly looking like:

Sunak as the choice of much of the party establishment
Truss as the continuity Johnson candidate
Mordaunt as the choice of a fair chunk of the backbenches
Tugendhat as the one nation, centrist choice who won't win (Rory Stewart Mk. 2)

Then a wide variety of assorted loons on the right of the party fighting over the ERG vote (Braverman/Badenoch/Patel)

And then Hunt, Shapps, Javid, Zahawi and a few others who have a reasonable profile but not really that much support.

For anyone who isn't a Tory, it's a bit of a "pick your poison" but there are definitely better and worse choices. At the moment, they all seem to be competing to announce the biggest tax cut, apart from Sunak who is telling them there's no money to do that with. He's probably right, but I can't imagine it'll win him many friends.

[jayohaitchenn]

Like picking your favourite dog poo

[Nemo]

Like picking your favourite dog poo

Well, perhaps, but one or two of those dogs are Alsatians that have spent the last week eating roadkill.

[Batch]

Then a wide variety of assorted loons on the right of the party fighting over the ERG vote (Braverman/Badenoch/Patel)

I thought Mordaunt was ERG too.

Like picking your favourite dog poo

There's a fair few that will favour 1970s white dog poo.

[Nemo]

I thought Mordaunt was ERG too.

She is, but her support so far isn't really. Badenoch and Braverman have only Brexiteers backing them, Mordaunt a bit more balanced. This is quite interesting for nerds like me who care about who supports who:

https://sotn.newstatesman.com/2022/07/conservative-leadership-election-candidates-who-backing/

[Batch]

Ah, I see.

Anybody know the point of Labour tabling the "no confidence" vote? It won't succeed, since it could trigger a GE.

I suppose it gives another stick, "they asked him to leave, but won't vote to remove him" - but its a bit weak under the current circumstances.

[jayohaitchenn]

Ah, I see.

Anybody know the point of Labour tabling the "no confidence" vote? It won't succeed, since it could trigger a GE.

I suppose it gives another stick, "they asked him to leave, but won't vote to remove him" - but its a bit weak under the current circumstances.

It's a stunt to lump all the current Tory incumbents in with Johnson. They are desperately trying to distance themselves from him to show "honour" and "integrity." A failed VoNC would show they only care about themselves and their job prospects and offers a counter to the narrative they are trying to push. Hopefully equals long term damage to the Tory brand.

Either that, or they actually act with integrity and we get a general election.

[Batch]

Either that, or they actually act with integrity and we get a general election.

 

[Nemo]

On a slight point of nerdery, losing a vote of confidence does not automatically call an election. If it was clear that, say, deputy PM Dominic Raab *could* win a confidence vote to lead a caretaker govt. then the Queen can invite him to form a government instead of dissolving parliament entirely. As with many things in our system, it's not exactly certain how that all works, but there's certainly a path where the Conservative MPs could remove Johnson without accidentally calling an election. Which makes it even less justifiable that they won't do it.

[horlock07]

So, Raab has backed Sunak

Don & Non Dom.....