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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » In betting terms the Richmond Park by-election is one of the t

SystemSystem Posts: 11,020
edited October 2016 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » In betting terms the Richmond Park by-election is one of the tightest races in decades

I can’t recall the opening 24 hours of a political betting market where the outcome has appeared so tight. First the opening odds all made Zac the favourite. Then that moved to the LDs until news came through the the Tories would stand aside. That led to the Zac price tightening and for a short while you could get the LDs at longer than evens.

Read the full story here


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  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,994
    edited October 2016
    Thirst?

    Yes, but it was a close-run thing.
  • Options
    More exciting than Eastleigh
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    619619 Posts: 1,784
    Trump in DC, Pence in Utah, GOP Super PAC dropping $25M to save Senate tell us more about '16 race than any one poll

    id want to see the lib dem candidate first
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,983
    Good afternoon, everyone.

    Bloody odd having parties not bothering.
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    The Tory decision to stand aside is bizarre and stupid. It gives free rein to other MPs to do just as Goldsmith has. Labour just wants to avoid another hugely embarrassing wipeout.
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,926
    619 said:

    Trump in DC, Pence in Utah, GOP Super PAC dropping $25M to save Senate tell us more about '16 race than any one poll

    id want to see the lib dem candidate first

    Trump winning DC would be a turn up for the books.
  • Options
    FluffyThoughtsFluffyThoughts Posts: 2,420
    edited October 2016
    t'intenet t'is a wonderful thing:

    Awaiting my 2 1/4 lb silverside beef-joint to finish cooking. Then let it stand.

    [Mix of Septic and Jock recipes: Looks yummie!]
  • Options
    Pulpstar said:

    619 said:

    Trump in DC, Pence in Utah, GOP Super PAC dropping $25M to save Senate tell us more about '16 race than any one poll

    id want to see the lib dem candidate first

    Trump winning DC would be a turn up for the books.
    40/1
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,896
    edited October 2016
    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    I can understand (without agreeing) why Batley and Spen went uncontested, but for anywhere else it's ridiculous.
  • Options
    dugarbandierdugarbandier Posts: 2,596

    Good afternoon, everyone.

    Bloody odd having parties not bothering.

    indeed. haven't we had enough fecking referendums recently?
  • Options
    john_zimsjohn_zims Posts: 3,399
    FPT

    @malcolmg

    ''What makes you think Scotland is a basket case Alan,'


    Would you care to tell which figures are incorrect in this article ?


    Scotland's a bigger economic basket case than Greece | Daily Mail ...
    www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article.../Scotland-s-bigger-economic-basket-case-Greece.ht...
    Scotland is a bigger economic basket case than Greece: Country would have to double basic ... Published: 19:18 EST, 12 October 2016 | Updated: 02:09 EST, 13 October 2016
  • Options
    dugarbandierdugarbandier Posts: 2,596
    Pulpstar said:

    619 said:

    Trump in DC, Pence in Utah, GOP Super PAC dropping $25M to save Senate tell us more about '16 race than any one poll

    id want to see the lib dem candidate first

    Trump winning DC would be a turn up for the books.
    isn't he opening a hotel or smthg?
  • Options
    PongPong Posts: 4,693
    edited October 2016
    In my considered opinion, LD's have a 20-25% chance of winning this.

    Which means there's a lot of value on Zac at current odds.

    I'm on him at between 1.9 & 2.38 for a fairly significant sum. The only reason I'm not even more balls-deep in Zac is because I need to preserve my betting bank for the US election.

    Hopefully a constituency poll will calibrate the odds and knock some sense into the market.
  • Options
    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
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    MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053
    Good afternoon all
    http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/10/daves-bargain-basement-book-deal-isnt-quite-big-earner-hoping/?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Lunchtime_Espresso_26102016

    Poor old Cammo; my heart bleeds.

    Actually I'm reading "Unleashing Demons" by Craig Oliver, which is a fast paced account of the Brexit fight from the view of No 10. Not a bad read, and good in parts.
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,983
    Mr. Dugarbandier, indeed.

    Also, how is it a referendum? If Goldsmith wins, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway. If he loses, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway.

    Kudos for sticking by his promise, but it was a damned silly promise to make in the first place. [In the Middle Ages, several dozen knights went into battle wearing eyepatches, swearing they'd only remove them once they'd killed their first man. Most of them ended up rather dead, rather quickly].
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,058

    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    Remember that Mrs May is a three-dimensional chess grandmaster. She clearly sees some benefit in telling the PCP that they can be as independent as they like.
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    Pong said:

    IMO, LD's have a 20-25% chance of winning this.

    Which means there's a lot of value on Zac at current odds.

    I'm on Zac at between 1.9 & 2.38 for a fairly significant sum. The only reason I'm not even more balls-deep in Zac is because I need to preserve my betting bank for the US election.

    Hopefully a constituency poll will calibrate the odds and knock some sense into the market.

    I'm hoping we see a constituency poll this weekend, thought it might be next weekend.

    Although constituency polling has gone out of fashion
  • Options
    dugarbandierdugarbandier Posts: 2,596

    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    just demonstrating the weakness of her position
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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453

    Remember that Mrs May is a three-dimensional chess grandmaster. She clearly sees some benefit in telling the PCP that they can be as independent as they like.

    Or she is winging it. Her cunning plan is to have no plan and see what turns up.
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,983
    Mr. P, to be fair, that strategy worked bloody well for Byzantium in 1400.
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,985
    Thinking about Zac, he's got a few problems (that may or may not) be serious:

    "Mr Goldsmith, you are running as an Independent, but were previously a Conservative, were the Conservative Mayoral candidate, and have no opposition from an official Conservative candidate. Can you confirm you will not be the Conservative candidate in 2020?"

    It's a tough one for him. "No, I can't" = I'm an Independent solely to avoid losing this seat. "Yes, I can" = I have no political ambition other than being the Richmond Park MP.
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    dugarbandierdugarbandier Posts: 2,596

    Mr. Dugarbandier, indeed.

    Also, how is it a referendum? If Goldsmith wins, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway. If he loses, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway.

    Kudos for sticking by his promise, but it was a damned silly promise to make in the first place. [In the Middle Ages, several dozen knights went into battle wearing eyepatches, swearing they'd only remove them once they'd killed their first man. Most of them ended up rather dead, rather quickly].

    probably he should resigned and gone to teach girls how to read in Afriica, or something constructuve.

    [several dozen? didn't they have twitter or summat? you'd think after the first they'd have thought twice. where was this, btw?]
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    john_zims said:

    FPT

    @malcolmg

    ''What makes you think Scotland is a basket case Alan,'


    Would you care to tell which figures are incorrect in this article ?


    Scotland's a bigger economic basket case than Greece | Daily Mail ...
    www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article.../Scotland-s-bigger-economic-basket-case-Greece.ht...
    Scotland is a bigger economic basket case than Greece: Country would have to double basic ... Published: 19:18 EST, 12 October 2016 | Updated: 02:09 EST, 13 October 2016

    As Brexit showed, some things are more important than economics and living standards. If the English can vote for sovereignty despite the significant downsides, why not the Scots?

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    taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    ''Just demonstrating the weakness of her position''

    For most people in the countty, Heathrow is a complete non-issue. The people of Richmond will go to the polls, and they will either elect a person who is powerless to stop a third runway, or they will elect a person who is powerless to stop a third runway.
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,983
    Mr. Observer, the Scots had the opportunity to do so two years ago. And chose to remain part of the UK.

    I do agree that the economy is not the be all and end all, but there's no comparable migrant issue (is there?) for the SNP to latch onto. The economy has tricky issues, not just trading stats but currency too.

    Mr. Dugarbandier, alas, I have only the fuzziest of recollections from, I think, the Unofficial Manual for being a Knight, by Michael Prestwich. Height of chivalry, so I'd guess 12th century, maybe early 13th.
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    timmotimmo Posts: 1,469
    How can they be the form team when they lost Witney?
    Labour will put a candidate up but it does depend on whether the BME cohort swings behind the LDs from Lab.
    Zac has a huge personal following in the area and unlike Witney he is the incumbent.
    Ladbrokes odds of 2/1 him winning by over 2500 look good to me unless the Yellow team do put in a heavyweight like Cable or Davey.
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    I'm normally very sceptical about these Electoral pacts. They reduce voter choice, tend to be activist constructions and backfire as the other side feels they are being ganged up on. Coluding with Davis' bizzare vanity Byelection in seat where the Lib Dems were in a strong second place was an early sign of Clegg's awful judgement. However this situation is different because the Tories have fired first. By not contesting the seat they''ve effectively endorsed Goldsmith. An independent candidate in nothing but name. Then you add Goldsmith's openly racist Mayoral campaign. I speak as an admirer of Goldsmith and still find him putting his name to it inexplicable. Then you add in the strength of Goldsmith's europhobia contrasted with the strength of the Remain vote locally. Finally you have the disturbing and unBritish nature of the Leave Campaign which then was validated by 52% of Britons.

    Sui Generis situations call for Sui Generis responses. This isn't a normal Byelection so if handled carefully I think the case for the Greens and Labour sitting it out is strong. And doing so needn't mean formally endorsing the Lib Dems.
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    SeanT said:

    I don't understand the kerfuffle about this by-election. Letting Zac stand uncontested means he will likely win, then he can be welcomed back into the Tory party after the parliamentary LHR3 vote or a fresh GE, with his principles intact.

    Standing against him divides the Tory vote and would hand the seat to the LDs. This is sensible from the Tories.

    As for Ms May, she has her faults but she successfully steered herself, unopposed, to Number 10, by quietly watching all her enemies self-destruct. Politically she is astute.

    Things have come to a pretty pass when it's SeanT who writes the sensible boring post, but this is exactly right. The PM didn't have much choice, and (given the likely position of the local party), she almost certainly had no choice.
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    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,298
    Afternoon all just perusing The Times...£84bn hole in public finances...GM maybe moving production of the Vauxhall Astra abroad...and Dublin making a play for the European Medicines Agency and Banking Authority.

    What empowering, sovereignty-boosting reading.
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    dugarbandierdugarbandier Posts: 2,596
    taffys said:

    ''Just demonstrating the weakness of her position''

    For most people in the countty, Heathrow is a complete non-issue. The people of Richmond will go to the polls, and they will either elect a person who is powerless to stop a third runway, or they will elect a person who is powerless to stop a third runway.

    you don't think they would have stood a con. candidate if they had a majority of 50 plus?
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,983
    Mr. Submarine, EU-phobia (if a phobia at all). The EU is not Europe. Julius Caesar was not President of the Commission.

    You're also unfair to castigate one of two dreadful campaigns. I'm still waiting for nuclear war, the collapse of Western Civilisation, and the withdrawal of free bus passes for the elderly.
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    rcs1000 said:

    Thinking about Zac, he's got a few problems (that may or may not) be serious:

    "Mr Goldsmith, you are running as an Independent, but were previously a Conservative, were the Conservative Mayoral candidate, and have no opposition from an official Conservative candidate. Can you confirm you will not be the Conservative candidate in 2020?"

    It's a tough one for him. "No, I can't" = I'm an Independent solely to avoid losing this seat. "Yes, I can" = I have no political ambition other than being the Richmond Park MP.

    Is he still a member of the Conservative Party ?
  • Options
    rcs1000 said:

    Thinking about Zac, he's got a few problems (that may or may not) be serious:

    "Mr Goldsmith, you are running as an Independent, but were previously a Conservative, were the Conservative Mayoral candidate, and have no opposition from an official Conservative candidate. Can you confirm you will not be the Conservative candidate in 2020?"

    It's a tough one for him. "No, I can't" = I'm an Independent solely to avoid losing this seat. "Yes, I can" = I have no political ambition other than being the Richmond Park MP.

    Wouldn't he just answer "I'm focussing now on this by-election and giving the people of Richmond an opportunity to make their views on Heathrow absolutely clear. I don't know what will happen in 2020."?
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,985
    timmo said:

    How can they be the form team when they lost Witney?
    Labour will put a candidate up but it does depend on whether the BME cohort swings behind the LDs from Lab.
    Zac has a huge personal following in the area and unlike Witney he is the incumbent.
    Ladbrokes odds of 2/1 him winning by over 2500 look good to me unless the Yellow team do put in a heavyweight like Cable or Davey.

    I think that is a good bet. I think Zac probably gets this 48% to 42%, i.e. a 15% swing to the LibDems. (Close, but no cigar.)
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    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,298



    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    just demonstrating the weakness of her position
    It's ludicrous. Political Party doesn't run a candidate in a by-election? Whyever the fuckity doodle dandy not???
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    dugarbandierdugarbandier Posts: 2,596
    I'm still waiting to find out Zac's fav. bollywood film
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,983
    FE: Audi have apparently left the WEC and are committing to Formula E, which they shall shortly dominate due to marching columns of money to overwhelm their opposition.
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    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,298

    rcs1000 said:

    Thinking about Zac, he's got a few problems (that may or may not) be serious:

    "Mr Goldsmith, you are running as an Independent, but were previously a Conservative, were the Conservative Mayoral candidate, and have no opposition from an official Conservative candidate. Can you confirm you will not be the Conservative candidate in 2020?"

    It's a tough one for him. "No, I can't" = I'm an Independent solely to avoid losing this seat. "Yes, I can" = I have no political ambition other than being the Richmond Park MP.

    Wouldn't he just answer "I'm focussing now on this by-election and giving the people of Richmond an opportunity to make their views on Heathrow absolutely clear. I don't know what will happen in 2020."?
    Because the views of the people of Richmond are wholly unknown right now.
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    timmotimmo Posts: 1,469

    FE: Audi have apparently left the WEC and are committing to Formula E, which they shall shortly dominate due to marching columns of money to overwhelm their opposition.

    Do you know if they still intend to run at Le Mans though?
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,985

    Mr. Dugarbandier, indeed.

    Also, how is it a referendum? If Goldsmith wins, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway. If he loses, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway.

    Kudos for sticking by his promise, but it was a damned silly promise to make in the first place. [In the Middle Ages, several dozen knights went into battle wearing eyepatches, swearing they'd only remove them once they'd killed their first man. Most of them ended up rather dead, rather quickly].

    After having just said that I think Zac will win 48% to 42%, I think this is the other big issue he faces.

    "Mr Goldsmith, your resignation does nothing to prevent Heathrow expansion, so why are you inflicting this necessary by-election on us?"
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    AnorakAnorak Posts: 6,621
    TOPPING said:



    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    just demonstrating the weakness of her position
    It's ludicrous. Political Party doesn't run a candidate in a by-election? Whyever the fuckity doodle dandy not???
    Because only a moron would reduce their 'effective' majority when approaching a period of highly contentious parliamentary votes.
  • Options

    I'm still waiting to find out Zac's fav. bollywood film

    If Zac Goldsmith's favourite Bollywood film isn't Sholay, I'll think he's an even bigger bell end than I already think he is.
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    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,058

    I'm still waiting to find out Zac's fav. bollywood film

    In honour of the top Brexit team - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_Idiots ?
  • Options
    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,985

    rcs1000 said:

    Thinking about Zac, he's got a few problems (that may or may not) be serious:

    "Mr Goldsmith, you are running as an Independent, but were previously a Conservative, were the Conservative Mayoral candidate, and have no opposition from an official Conservative candidate. Can you confirm you will not be the Conservative candidate in 2020?"

    It's a tough one for him. "No, I can't" = I'm an Independent solely to avoid losing this seat. "Yes, I can" = I have no political ambition other than being the Richmond Park MP.

    Wouldn't he just answer "I'm focussing now on this by-election and giving the people of Richmond an opportunity to make their views on Heathrow absolutely clear. I don't know what will happen in 2020."?
    You mean, a mealy-mouthed politician's answer :)

    Is he a Conservative flying under a flag of convenience? Or is he an Independent?
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    SeanT said:

    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    Remember that Mrs May is a three-dimensional chess grandmaster. She clearly sees some benefit in telling the PCP that they can be as independent as they like.
    I don't understand the kerfuffle about this by-election. Letting Zac stand uncontested means he will likely win, then he can be welcomed back into the Tory party after the parliamentary LHR3 vote or a fresh GE, with his principles intact.

    Standing against him divides the Tory vote and would hand the seat to the LDs. This is sensible from the Tories.

    As for Ms May, she has her faults but she successfully steered herself, unopposed, to Number 10, by quietly watching all her enemies self-destruct. Politically she is astute.

    Are we going to have lots of single issue by- elections in which the Tories stand aside so that MPs who disagree with government policy can make their point? When and where does the line get drawn? Would May field a Tory candidate against a right-wing Eurosceptic who resigns claiming her Brexit deal is a betrayal?

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    MP_SEMP_SE Posts: 3,642
    Anorak said:

    TOPPING said:



    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    just demonstrating the weakness of her position
    It's ludicrous. Political Party doesn't run a candidate in a by-election? Whyever the fuckity doodle dandy not???
    Because only a moron would reduce their 'effective' majority when approaching a period of highly contentious parliamentary votes.
    An awful lot of people seem to be struggling with this. A very sensible decision from May.
  • Options
    rcs1000 said:

    Mr. Dugarbandier, indeed.

    Also, how is it a referendum? If Goldsmith wins, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway. If he loses, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway.

    Kudos for sticking by his promise, but it was a damned silly promise to make in the first place. [In the Middle Ages, several dozen knights went into battle wearing eyepatches, swearing they'd only remove them once they'd killed their first man. Most of them ended up rather dead, rather quickly].

    After having just said that I think Zac will win 48% to 42%, I think this is the other big issue he faces.

    "Mr Goldsmith, your resignation does nothing to prevent Heathrow expansion, so why are you inflicting this necessary by-election on us?"
    "I pledged to give the people of Richmond an opportunity to vote again if the government decided on Heathrow, and I am fulfilling that pledge".
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    SeanT said:

    I don't understand the kerfuffle about this by-election. Letting Zac stand uncontested means he will likely win, then he can be welcomed back into the Tory party after the parliamentary LHR3 vote or a fresh GE, with his principles intact.

    Standing against him divides the Tory vote and would hand the seat to the LDs. This is sensible from the Tories.

    As for Ms May, she has her faults but she successfully steered herself, unopposed, to Number 10, by quietly watching all her enemies self-destruct. Politically she is astute.

    Things have come to a pretty pass when it's SeanT who writes the sensible boring post, but this is exactly right. The PM didn't have much choice, and (given the likely position of the local party), she almost certainly had no choice.
    You're both right of course. In the short and medium term. But what about the long term ? What this establishes is any Conservative MP who has strong local support can pull this stunt. Yesterday the jibes were about Remainers doing this. But probably only Clarke could pull it off. But how many arch europhiles could ? If they don't like the Brexit deal " I'm resigning to let my constituents decide. If reelected as an independent I'll support the Conservative government but not in this Brexit deal. "

    Now as an anarcho liberal I find all this localist direct democracy and self recall rather fun. But is it Conservative ?
  • Options
    timmotimmo Posts: 1,469
    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Thinking about Zac, he's got a few problems (that may or may not) be serious:

    "Mr Goldsmith, you are running as an Independent, but were previously a Conservative, were the Conservative Mayoral candidate, and have no opposition from an official Conservative candidate. Can you confirm you will not be the Conservative candidate in 2020?"

    It's a tough one for him. "No, I can't" = I'm an Independent solely to avoid losing this seat. "Yes, I can" = I have no political ambition other than being the Richmond Park MP.

    Wouldn't he just answer "I'm focussing now on this by-election and giving the people of Richmond an opportunity to make their views on Heathrow absolutely clear. I don't know what will happen in 2020."?
    You mean, a mealy-mouthed politician's answer :)

    Is he a Conservative flying under a flag of convenience? Or is he an Independent?
    He will be an Independent Conservative I presume.
    The rules and regs of local associations do say though that if you do anything to bring the party into disrepute then you will face disciplinary action. Isnt that the case here or has he resigned from the party. I still am not 100% sure
  • Options
    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,298
    Anorak said:

    TOPPING said:



    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    just demonstrating the weakness of her position
    It's ludicrous. Political Party doesn't run a candidate in a by-election? Whyever the fuckity doodle dandy not???
    Because only a moron would reduce their 'effective' majority when approaching a period of highly contentious parliamentary votes.
    It's tactical voting by the party. Dear god each Party is supposed to at least pretend they can and will win every seat in the land (cf Lab and an early election).
  • Options
    rcs1000 said:

    You mean, a mealy-mouthed politician's answer :)

    Yes, exactly.
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    PongPong Posts: 4,693
    edited October 2016

    rcs1000 said:

    Mr. Dugarbandier, indeed.

    Also, how is it a referendum? If Goldsmith wins, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway. If he loses, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway.

    Kudos for sticking by his promise, but it was a damned silly promise to make in the first place. [In the Middle Ages, several dozen knights went into battle wearing eyepatches, swearing they'd only remove them once they'd killed their first man. Most of them ended up rather dead, rather quickly].

    After having just said that I think Zac will win 48% to 42%, I think this is the other big issue he faces.

    "Mr Goldsmith, your resignation does nothing to prevent Heathrow expansion, so why are you inflicting this necessary by-election on us?"
    "I pledged to give the people of Richmond an opportunity to vote again if the government decided on Heathrow, and I am fulfilling that pledge".
    Probably not worth arguing the toss with people who are seduced by that ^^ argument anyway.

    They won't vote.

    For betting purposes, they don't matter.
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    dugarbandierdugarbandier Posts: 2,596

    I'm still waiting to find out Zac's fav. bollywood film

    In honour of the top Brexit team - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_Idiots ?
    hm. I've seen that. it was all right but overlong and a bit on t'emotionally manipulative side. plus, no songs, at least as far as I remember.
  • Options
    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    Remember that Mrs May is a three-dimensional chess grandmaster. She clearly sees some benefit in telling the PCP that they can be as independent as they like.
    I don't understand the kerfuffle about this by-election. Letting Zac stand uncontested means he will likely win, then he can be welcomed back into the Tory party after the parliamentary LHR3 vote or a fresh GE, with his principles intact.

    Standing against him divides the Tory vote and would hand the seat to the LDs. This is sensible from the Tories.

    As for Ms May, she has her faults but she successfully steered herself, unopposed, to Number 10, by quietly watching all her enemies self-destruct. Politically she is astute.

    Are we going to have lots of single issue by- elections in which the Tories stand aside so that MPs who disagree with government policy can make their point? When and where does the line get drawn? Would May field a Tory candidate against a right-wing Eurosceptic who resigns claiming her Brexit deal is a betrayal?

    Er, I guess she'd address each situation on its merits. You know, the sensible approach. If an MP defected to another party like Reckless of course the Tories would put up a candidate.

    No need to defect now. You can just do a Zac.

  • Options
    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419

    The Tory decision to stand aside is bizarre and stupid. It gives free rein to other MPs to do just as Goldsmith has. Labour just wants to avoid another hugely embarrassing wipeout.

    It's not, when you think about it.

    Zac promised at the 2015 general election that he would resign and fight a by-election if the government backed LHR3 - as it now has, and as he has.

    If his threat to do so was so unacceptable, he should never have been approved as a Conservative candidate. On the other hand, if that threat was acceptable, then it follows that the party ought to tolerate the inevitable consequence should the circumstances come about.

    In fact, not only was Goldsmith approved as a candidate for 2015 but he was further honoured by the party when it chose him to be the London mayoral candidate; one of the most high-profile positions in the party.

    The reality is that whether he's taking the Conservative whip or not, he'll still vote pretty much exactly the same either way so in terms of the government's majority, it makes virtually no difference. How he goes about winning a nomination for 2020 is a different matter. I doubt he'd get a second clear run.
  • Options

    Are we going to have lots of single issue by- elections in which the Tories stand aside so that MPs who disagree with government policy can make their point? When and where does the line get drawn? Would May field a Tory candidate against a right-wing Eurosceptic who resigns claiming her Brexit deal is a betrayal?

    The line gets drawn at the point where political necessity trumps 'nice-to-have'. So the answer to your example is yes, she would.

    Bear in mind that Zac doesn't actually want to do this, he's doing it because he promised to, before getting elected. Other MPs wouldn't be in the same position.
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,983
    Mr. Timmo, not au fait with Le Mans. Is it part of the WEC? [My understanding was that it is, but it's not my area].

    No idea, but this must make it less likely.

    Incidentally, I believe the geniuses of F1 have again scheduled a race weekend to clash with Le Mans next year.
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,058

    Bear in mind that Zac doesn't actually want to do this, he's doing it because he promised to, before getting elected.

    Uncanny parallels with the EU referendum itself. Symmetry demands that he lose to the Lib Dems.
  • Options
    PongPong Posts: 4,693

    Pong said:

    IMO, LD's have a 20-25% chance of winning this.

    Which means there's a lot of value on Zac at current odds.

    I'm on Zac at between 1.9 & 2.38 for a fairly significant sum. The only reason I'm not even more balls-deep in Zac is because I need to preserve my betting bank for the US election.

    Hopefully a constituency poll will calibrate the odds and knock some sense into the market.

    I'm hoping we see a constituency poll this weekend, thought it might be next weekend.

    Although constituency polling has gone out of fashion
    With the amount I have invested in this market, it's almost worth me funding one myself.

    ;)
  • Options
    FF43FF43 Posts: 15,710
    edited October 2016
    FPT and extra bit, prompted by Charles' comment:

    It isn't obvious why people would vote FOR Zac. He's done the honourable thing by resigning, but you don't vote in favour of a resignation that has already happened nor for a response to failure. Resigning strengthens Mr Goldsmith's cause of keeping the Government honest on Heathrow? I doubt anyone would think that. And by the way is he still a Conservative and a member of the party that is ploughing on regardless with the Heathrow expansion?

    Vote for Zac simply to register a protest about Heathrow, even though it probably won't make a difference? Perhaps. Voting for the Lib Dems could do the same and that party will claim their protest is more effective than just rather diffident individual.

    Maybe people will vote for a man that they think is decent and honourable, as shown by his resignation. Will it be enough to keep his seat?
  • Options
    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,985

    rcs1000 said:

    Mr. Dugarbandier, indeed.

    Also, how is it a referendum? If Goldsmith wins, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway. If he loses, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway.

    Kudos for sticking by his promise, but it was a damned silly promise to make in the first place. [In the Middle Ages, several dozen knights went into battle wearing eyepatches, swearing they'd only remove them once they'd killed their first man. Most of them ended up rather dead, rather quickly].

    After having just said that I think Zac will win 48% to 42%, I think this is the other big issue he faces.

    "Mr Goldsmith, your resignation does nothing to prevent Heathrow expansion, so why are you inflicting this necessary by-election on us?"
    "I pledged to give the people of Richmond an opportunity to vote again if the government decided on Heathrow, and I am fulfilling that pledge".
    Personally, I'm not such a Zac fan and I think this colours my views somewhat. I think he's an arrogant, entitled toss pot, of limited intelligence. Were I a Richmond constituent, I doubt I'd be heading down to the polling booth to cast a vote at an unnecessary by-election.

    Ultimately, Mrs May's government knows the views of the people of Richmond. She's not stupid. Unlike this by-election.
  • Options
    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    Remember that Mrs May is a three-dimensional chess grandmaster. She clearly sees some benefit in telling the PCP that they can be as independent as they like.
    I don't understand the kerfuffle about this by-election. Letting Zac stand uncontested means he will likely win, then he can be welcomed back into the Tory party after the parliamentary LHR3 vote or a fresh GE, with his principles intact.

    Standing against him divides the Tory vote and would hand the seat to the LDs. This is sensible from the Tories.

    As for Ms May, she has her faults but she successfully steered herself, unopposed, to Number 10, by quietly watching all her enemies self-destruct. Politically she is astute.

    Are we going to have lots of single issue by- elections in which the Tories stand aside so that MPs who disagree with government policy can make their point? When and where does the line get drawn? Would May field a Tory candidate against a right-wing Eurosceptic who resigns claiming her Brexit deal is a betrayal?

    Er, I guess she'd address each situation on its merits. You know, the sensible approach. If an MP defected to another party like Reckless of course the Tories would put up a candidate.
    But that's exactly the danger. Reckless went to another party but under this formula future rebels won't need to. If your seat and local association are firm enough you can now opt out of certain big policies via Byelection. The number of Conservative seats where that would be viable is small but not nothing. You could find yourself with an english version of the DUP or CSU.
  • Options
    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,298
    MP_SE said:

    Anorak said:

    TOPPING said:



    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    just demonstrating the weakness of her position
    It's ludicrous. Political Party doesn't run a candidate in a by-election? Whyever the fuckity doodle dandy not???
    Because only a moron would reduce their 'effective' majority when approaching a period of highly contentious parliamentary votes.
    An awful lot of people seem to be struggling with this. A very sensible decision from May.
    Why put any Cons candidates up in Merseyside while we're at it. Or Islington, or.......
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,983
    Mr. 1000, I don't see why he made the promise to start with.

    But there we are.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,926
    Pong said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Mr. Dugarbandier, indeed.

    Also, how is it a referendum? If Goldsmith wins, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway. If he loses, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway.

    Kudos for sticking by his promise, but it was a damned silly promise to make in the first place. [In the Middle Ages, several dozen knights went into battle wearing eyepatches, swearing they'd only remove them once they'd killed their first man. Most of them ended up rather dead, rather quickly].

    After having just said that I think Zac will win 48% to 42%, I think this is the other big issue he faces.

    "Mr Goldsmith, your resignation does nothing to prevent Heathrow expansion, so why are you inflicting this necessary by-election on us?"
    "I pledged to give the people of Richmond an opportunity to vote again if the government decided on Heathrow, and I am fulfilling that pledge".
    Probably not worth arguing the toss with people who are seduced by that ^^ argument anyway.

    They won't vote.

    For betting purposes, they don't matter.
    On the US markets, do you know when Betfair will settle stuff up ?

    I assume alot of the states will be settled up on the night, will the main event be though. And will they trim to the 5 actual runners at any point. I can't recall 100% how it was done in '12.
  • Options
    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    Remember that Mrs May is a three-dimensional chess grandmaster. She clearly sees some benefit in telling the PCP that they can be as independent as they like.
    I don't understand the kerfuffle about this by-election. Letting Zac stand uncontested means he will likely win, then he can be welcomed back into the Tory party after the parliamentary LHR3 vote or a fresh GE, with his principles intact.

    Standing against him divides the Tory vote and would hand the seat to the LDs. This is sensible from the Tories.

    As for Ms May, she has her faults but she successfully steered herself, unopposed, to Number 10, by quietly watching all her enemies self-destruct. Politically she is astute.

    Are we going to have lots of single issue by- elections in which the Tories stand aside so that MPs who disagree with government policy can make their point? When and where does the line get drawn? Would May field a Tory candidate against a right-wing Eurosceptic who resigns claiming her Brexit deal is a betrayal?

    Er, I guess she'd address each situation on its merits. You know, the sensible approach. If an MP defected to another party like Reckless of course the Tories would put up a candidate.

    No need to defect now. You can just do a Zac.

    Heathrow is sui generis. It has bedevilled British politics for 40 years! TMay recognises this (and is cognisant of her small majority), which is why she has - unusually - allowed a compromise on Cabinet responsibility, and also given leeway in the case of Zac G.

    She is allowing people to vent on an issue where they feel very passionate, but at the same time she is doing the right thing to get LHR3 up and running - by avoiding successful legal challenges (e.g. no one will be able to say that they didn't have their voice heard).

    Pragmatic politics. Is all it is.

    So Heathrow has bedevilled British politics for about as long as Europe has. Tory MPs feel very passionate about it.

  • Options
    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820
    edited October 2016
    rcs1000 said:

    Personally, I'm not such a Zac fan and I think this colours my views somewhat. I think he's an arrogant, entitled toss pot, of limited intelligence. Were I a Richmond constituent, I doubt I'd be heading down to the polling booth to cast a vote at an unnecessary by-election.

    I think there will be strongish element of that even amongst people who broadly support him. Remember that he ran his own mini-plebiscite in Richmond on whether he should stand for mayor, and it's getting a bit boring.

    I don't think it follows that the good burghers of Richmond are going to head down to the polling booths in huge numbers to vote LibDem, however.
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,586

    SeanT said:

    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    Remember that Mrs May is a three-dimensional chess grandmaster. She clearly sees some benefit in telling the PCP that they can be as independent as they like.
    I don't understand the kerfuffle about this by-election. Letting Zac stand uncontested means he will likely win, then he can be welcomed back into the Tory party after the parliamentary LHR3 vote or a fresh GE, with his principles intact.

    Standing against him divides the Tory vote and would hand the seat to the LDs. This is sensible from the Tories.

    As for Ms May, she has her faults but she successfully steered herself, unopposed, to Number 10, by quietly watching all her enemies self-destruct. Politically she is astute.

    Are we going to have lots of single issue by- elections in which the Tories stand aside so that MPs who disagree with government policy can make their point? When and where does the line get drawn? Would May field a Tory candidate against a right-wing Eurosceptic who resigns claiming her Brexit deal is a betrayal?

    I seriously doubt it.
    Goldsmith has promised to resign since forever over this essentially non party political issue.
    All putting up a candidate does is increase the risk of losing; there is no upside.

    If Goldsmith wins, then effectively no change; if he loses, then it's on this single issue - or at least that's a far more plausible line when the Lib Dems sound off about the rejection of a mandateless government..

    There is no obligation for a political party to put forward a self-destructive candidate in a by election.
  • Options
    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419

    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    Remember that Mrs May is a three-dimensional chess grandmaster. She clearly sees some benefit in telling the PCP that they can be as independent as they like.
    I don't understand the kerfuffle about this by-election. Letting Zac stand uncontested means he will likely win, then he can be welcomed back into the Tory party after the parliamentary LHR3 vote or a fresh GE, with his principles intact.

    Standing against him divides the Tory vote and would hand the seat to the LDs. This is sensible from the Tories.

    As for Ms May, she has her faults but she successfully steered herself, unopposed, to Number 10, by quietly watching all her enemies self-destruct. Politically she is astute.

    Are we going to have lots of single issue by- elections in which the Tories stand aside so that MPs who disagree with government policy can make their point? When and where does the line get drawn? Would May field a Tory candidate against a right-wing Eurosceptic who resigns claiming her Brexit deal is a betrayal?

    Er, I guess she'd address each situation on its merits. You know, the sensible approach. If an MP defected to another party like Reckless of course the Tories would put up a candidate.
    But that's exactly the danger. Reckless went to another party but under this formula future rebels won't need to. If your seat and local association are firm enough you can now opt out of certain big policies via Byelection. The number of Conservative seats where that would be viable is small but not nothing. You could find yourself with an english version of the DUP or CSU.
    The by-election is an irrelevance to the parliamentary vote. Goldsmith would have voted against it if he was taking the Tory whip, if he'd resigned it or if - as he now hopes to - he'd been returned as an independent. As could any other MP who feels strongly on any given issue (and as they often do). There's absolutely no reason to resign and force a by-election.
  • Options
    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,985

    rcs1000 said:

    Personally, I'm not such a Zac fan and I think this colours my views somewhat. I think he's an arrogant, entitled toss pot, of limited intelligence. Were I a Richmond constituent, I doubt I'd be heading down to the polling booth to cast a vote at an unnecessary by-election.

    I think there will be strongish element of that even amongst people who broadly support him. Remember that he ran his own mini-plebiscite in Richmond on whether he should stand for mayor, and it's getting a bit boring.

    I don't think it follows that the good burghers of Richmond are going to head down to the polling booths in huge numbers to vote LibDem, however.
    As I said, I expect Zac to win (48 to 42, or thereabouts), but I would be one of his lost votes (through abstention) were I a constituent.
  • Options
    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    Remember that Mrs May is a three-dimensional chess grandmaster. She clearly sees some benefit in telling the PCP that they can be as independent as they like.
    I don't understand the kerfuffle about this by-election. Letting Zac stand uncontested means he will likely win, then he can be welcomed back into the Tory party after the parliamentary LHR3 vote or a fresh GE, with his principles intact.

    Standing against him divides the Tory vote and would hand the seat to the LDs. This is sensible from the Tories.

    but she successfully steered herself, unopposed, to Number 10, by quietly watching all her enemies self-destruct. Politically she is astute.

    Are we going to have lots of single issue by- elections in which the Tories stand aside so that MPs who disagree with government policy can make their point? When and where does the line get drawn? Would May field a Tory candidate against a right-wing Eurosceptic who resigns claiming her Brexit deal is a betrayal?

    Er, I guess she'd address each situation on its merits. You know, the sensible approach. If an MP defected to another party like Reckless of course the Tories would put up a candidate.

    No need to defect now. You can just do a Zac.

    Heathrow is sui generis. It has bedevilled British politics for 40 years! TMay recognises this (and is cognisant of her small majority), which is why she has - unusually - allowed a compromise on Cabinet responsibility, and also given leeway in the case of Zac G.

    She is allowing people to vent on an issue where they feel very passionate, but at the same time she is doing the right thing to get LHR3 up and running - by avoiding successful legal challenges (e.g. no one will be able to say that they didn't have their voice heard).

    Pragmatic politics. Is all it is.
    Heathrow isn't Sui Generis. It's Generic. Almost every constituency has one of more big issue that has this sort of socioeconomic impact. In fact it's not even Heathrow that's the issue here. If Richmond Park had the demographics of an inner London Labour seat.... It's the interplay of Heathrow with the areas very high levels of social and political capital.
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,586
    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    Remember that Mrs May is a three-dimensional chess grandmaster. She clearly sees some benefit in telling the PCP that they can be as independent as they like.
    I don't understand the kerfuffle about this by-election. Letting Zac stand uncontested means he will likely win, then he can be welcomed back into the Tory party after the parliamentary LHR3 vote or a fresh GE, with his principles intact.

    Standing against him divides the Tory vote and would hand the seat to the LDs. This is sensible from the Tories.

    As for Ms May, she has her faults but she successfully steered herself, unopposed, to Number 10, by quietly watching all her enemies self-destruct. Politically she is astute.

    Are we going to have lots of single issue by- elections in which the Tories stand aside so that MPs who disagree with government policy can make their point? When and where does the line get drawn? Would May field a Tory candidate against a right-wing Eurosceptic who resigns claiming her Brexit deal is a betrayal?

    Er, I guess she'd address each situation on its merits. You know, the sensible approach. If an MP defected to another party like Reckless of course the Tories would put up a candidate.

    No need to defect now. You can just do a Zac.

    Heathrow is sui generis. It has bedevilled British politics for 40 years! TMay recognises this (and is cognisant of her small majority), which is why she has - unusually - allowed a compromise on Cabinet responsibility, and also given leeway in the case of Zac G.

    She is allowing people to vent on an issue where they feel very passionate, but at the same time she is doing the right thing to get LHR3 up and running - by avoiding successful legal challenges (e.g. no one will be able to say that they didn't have their voice heard).

    Pragmatic politics. Is all it is.
    "Heathrow is sui generis. It has bedevilled British politics for 40 years"

    Unlike, say, the EU ?
    :-)
  • Options

    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    Remember that Mrs May is a three-dimensional chess grandmaster. She clearly sees some benefit in telling the PCP that they can be as independent as they like.
    I don't understand the kerfuffle about this by-election. Letting Zac stand uncontested means he will likely win, then he can be welcomed back into the Tory party after the parliamentary LHR3 vote or a fresh GE, with his principles intact.

    Standing against him divides the Tory vote and would hand the seat to the LDs. This is sensible from the Tories.

    As for Ms May, she has her faults but she successfully steered herself, unopposed, to Number 10, by quietly watching all her enemies self-destruct. Politically she is astute.

    Are we going to have lots of single issue by- elections in which the Tories stand aside so that MPs who disagree with government policy can make their point? When and where does the line get drawn? Would May field a Tory candidate against a right-wing Eurosceptic who resigns claiming her Brexit deal is a betrayal?

    Er, I guess she'd address each situation on its merits. You know, the sensible approach. If an MP defected to another party like Reckless of course the Tories would put up a candidate.

    No need to defect now. You can just do a Zac.

    What is the point of doing a Zac though?
  • Options
    DadgeDadge Posts: 2,038
    The reminder about the oddschecker site prodded me into having a look at some other odds. Bettors are clearly anticipating a big win for Hillary Clinton - I was surprised that 300-329 EVs is 5-1 or more. I know the election looks like its sliding towards a landslide but I wouldn't say that EV bracket is as unlikely as all that.
  • Options
    FF43FF43 Posts: 15,710

    Are we going to have lots of single issue by- elections in which the Tories stand aside so that MPs who disagree with government policy can make their point? When and where does the line get drawn? Would May field a Tory candidate against a right-wing Eurosceptic who resigns claiming her Brexit deal is a betrayal?

    The line gets drawn at the point where political necessity trumps 'nice-to-have'. So the answer to your example is yes, she would.

    Bear in mind that Zac doesn't actually want to do this, he's doing it because he promised to, before getting elected. Other MPs wouldn't be in the same position.
    A Tory standing in place of Mr Goldsmith would almost certainly come third and probably a bad third. If she thought her candidate would win, it would surely be a different calculation.
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,058

    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    Remember that Mrs May is a three-dimensional chess grandmaster. She clearly sees some benefit in telling the PCP that they can be as independent as they like.
    I don't understand the kerfuffle about this by-election. Letting Zac stand uncontested means he will likely win, then he can be welcomed back into the Tory party after the parliamentary LHR3 vote or a fresh GE, with his principles intact.

    Standing against him divides the Tory vote and would hand the seat to the LDs. This is sensible from the Tories.

    As for Ms May, she has her faults but she successfully steered herself, unopposed, to Number 10, by quietly watching all her enemies self-destruct. Politically she is astute.

    Are we going to have lots of single issue by- elections in which the Tories stand aside so that MPs who disagree with government policy can make their point? When and where does the line get drawn? Would May field a Tory candidate against a right-wing Eurosceptic who resigns claiming her Brexit deal is a betrayal?

    Er, I guess she'd address each situation on its merits. You know, the sensible approach. If an MP defected to another party like Reckless of course the Tories would put up a candidate.

    No need to defect now. You can just do a Zac.

    What is the point of doing a Zac though?
    Given that Zac is not opposed by the Conservatives there wouldn't be any future obligation to hold a by-election. Just resign the whip.
  • Options
    PongPong Posts: 4,693
    edited October 2016
    Pulpstar said:

    Pong said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Mr. Dugarbandier, indeed.

    Also, how is it a referendum? If Goldsmith wins, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway. If he loses, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway.

    Kudos for sticking by his promise, but it was a damned silly promise to make in the first place. [In the Middle Ages, several dozen knights went into battle wearing eyepatches, swearing they'd only remove them once they'd killed their first man. Most of them ended up rather dead, rather quickly].

    After having just said that I think Zac will win 48% to 42%, I think this is the other big issue he faces.

    "Mr Goldsmith, your resignation does nothing to prevent Heathrow expansion, so why are you inflicting this necessary by-election on us?"
    "I pledged to give the people of Richmond an opportunity to vote again if the government decided on Heathrow, and I am fulfilling that pledge".
    Probably not worth arguing the toss with people who are seduced by that ^^ argument anyway.

    They won't vote.

    For betting purposes, they don't matter.
    On the US markets, do you know when Betfair will settle stuff up ?

    I assume alot of the states will be settled up on the night, will the main event be though. And will they trim to the 5 actual runners at any point. I can't recall 100% how it was done in '12.
    I'm not sure, tbh.

    I'm not expecting to be able to recycle my bank.
  • Options
    PeterCPeterC Posts: 1,274
    edited October 2016



    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    just demonstrating the weakness of her position
    Much better to split the Tory vote, split the local association, come third and hand the seat to the LibDems in a 'Brexit' election. That would be real strategy!
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,586

    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    Remember that Mrs May is a three-dimensional chess grandmaster. She clearly sees some benefit in telling the PCP that they can be as independent as they like.
    I don't understand the kerfuffle about this by-election. Letting Zac stand uncontested means he will likely win, then he can be welcomed back into the Tory party after the parliamentary LHR3 vote or a fresh GE, with his principles intact.

    Standing against him divides the Tory vote and would hand the seat to the LDs. This is sensible from the Tories.

    As for Ms May, she has her faults but she successfully steered herself, unopposed, to Number 10, by quietly watching all her enemies self-destruct. Politically she is astute.

    Are we going to have lots of single issue by- elections in which the Tories stand aside so that MPs who disagree with government policy can make their point? When and where does the line get drawn? Would May field a Tory candidate against a right-wing Eurosceptic who resigns claiming her Brexit deal is a betrayal?

    Er, I guess she'd address each situation on its merits. You know, the sensible approach. If an MP defected to another party like Reckless of course the Tories would put up a candidate.
    But that's exactly the danger. Reckless went to another party but under this formula future rebels won't need to. If your seat and local association are firm enough you can now opt out of certain big policies via Byelection. The number of Conservative seats where that would be viable is small but not nothing. You could find yourself with an english version of the DUP or CSU.
    I'm not a massive fan of May, who has yet to prove a superior ability to do anything but keep her mouth shut (which at least puts her above many in the cabinet), but I'm pretty sure she's capable of decapitating anyone stupid enough to try and make this a precedent in a situation that >matters<.
    A single event is not a 'formula'.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    FPT:
    Indigo said:

    timmo said:

    timmo said:

    Paul Waugh making some interesting observations......Zac won't have access to the Conservative database in his constituency, as he's not standing as a Conservative.....the Lib Dems on the other hand......

    Very good point, which could prove critical to his chances as this information could be worth up to 10% of his would-be vote, maybe more in a by-election where supporters need to be gee'd up to get them to vote.
    You dont think hes got a copy!!
    You think he's going to break data protection laws?
    I say again " you dont think he has a copy?"
    Where does he stand if the local party decided to unofficially help him ? What about if they decide to officially help him (ie. it is sanctioned by the local committee) since they don't have their own official candidate ? In either case he would not have to access the information himself, literature could be sent or doors knocked on his behalf.
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    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    Remember that Mrs May is a three-dimensional chess grandmaster. She clearly sees some benefit in telling the PCP that they can be as independent as they like.
    I don't understand thety after the parliamentary LHR3 vote or a fresh GE, with his principles intact.

    Standing against him divides the Tory vote and would hand the seat to the LDs. This is sensible from the Tories.

    As for Ms May, she has her faults but she successfully steered herself, unopposed, to Number 10, by quietly watching all her enemies self-destruct. Politically she is astute.

    Are we going to have lots of single issue by- elections in which the Tories stand aside so that MPs who disagree with government policy can make their point? When and where does the line get drawn? Would May field a Tory candidate against a right-wing Eurosceptic who resigns claiming her Brexit deal is a betrayal?

    Er, I guess she'd address each situation on its merits. You know, the sensible approach. If an MP defected to another party like Reckless of course the Tories would put up a candidate.
    But that's exactly the danger. Reckless went to another party but under this formula future rebels won't need to. If your seat and local association are firm enough you can now opt out of certain big policies via Byelection. The number of Conservative seats where that would be viable is small but not nothing. You could find yourself with an english version of the DUP or CSU.
    But why would any MP bother resigning and going through the hassle of a by-election, which they might lose, along with their job, if they didn't at least intend to defect to another party?

    Zac G's situation is unique. He had promised to resign if LHR3 was approved. He had to follow through. I can't think of any MPs in a similar situation, nor any that would be motivated enough to risk everything and quit.

    Fair point - Goldsmith gives every impression of not being that bothered about being an MP. He doesn't really care that much if he loses. On reflection, Labour might as well pull out of this fight too. Give the LDs a free run at him.

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    Dadge said:

    The reminder about the oddschecker site prodded me into having a look at some other odds. Bettors are clearly anticipating a big win for Hillary Clinton - I was surprised that 300-329 EVs is 5-1 or more. I know the election looks like its sliding towards a landslide but I wouldn't say that EV bracket is as unlikely as all that.

    5-1 corresponds to a 16.7% probability. The probability of 300-329 in the three models I've been analysing are:

    Fivethirtyeight (polls-only): 16.6%
    Huffington Post: 25.6%
    New York Times: 22.5%

    So, depending on who you believe, the odds on the band are about right or quite good value.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966

    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    Not sure she had a lot of choice since the local party refused to put up a candidate. If she suspended the party and imposed a candidate most or all of the activists would have stayed at home and the imposed candidate would have lost anyway, only with even more embarrassment caused.
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    DadgeDadge Posts: 2,038

    rcs1000 said:

    Mr. Dugarbandier, indeed.

    Also, how is it a referendum? If Goldsmith wins, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway. If he loses, it doesn't change anything regarding the runway.

    Kudos for sticking by his promise, but it was a damned silly promise to make in the first place. [In the Middle Ages, several dozen knights went into battle wearing eyepatches, swearing they'd only remove them once they'd killed their first man. Most of them ended up rather dead, rather quickly].

    After having just said that I think Zac will win 48% to 42%, I think this is the other big issue he faces.

    "Mr Goldsmith, your resignation does nothing to prevent Heathrow expansion, so why are you inflicting this necessary by-election on us?"
    "I pledged to give the people of Richmond an opportunity to vote again if the government decided on Heathrow, and I am fulfilling that pledge".
    "Will you also pledge that you won't retake the Tory whip?"
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    dugarbandierdugarbandier Posts: 2,596
    PeterC said:



    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    just demonstrating the weakness of her position
    Much better to split the Tory vote, split the local association, come third and hand the seat to the LibDems in a 'Brexit' election. That would be real strategy!
    i didn't say it was a bad idea
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    edited October 2016
    rcs1000 said:

    It's a tough one for him. "No, I can't" = I'm an Independent solely to avoid losing this seat. "Yes, I can" = I have no political ambition other than being the Richmond Park MP.

    "I have no plans at this time, but were the ball to come out of the scrum...."
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    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,586

    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.


    Fair point - Goldsmith gives every impression of not being that bothered about being an MP. He doesn't really care that much if he loses. On reflection, Labour might as well pull out of this fight too. Give the LDs a free run at him.

    As, apparently, Labour MPs wish.
    Party officials have decided, however, to put someone up.
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    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,586
    "Shameful from Mrs May."

    I would far rather an unprincipled pragmatist conduct the Brexit negotiations on our behalf, than a deeply principled naif.
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    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,426
    edited October 2016
    Nigelb said:

    "Shameful from Mrs May."

    I would far rather an unprincipled pragmatist conduct the Brexit negotiations on our behalf, than a deeply principled naif.

    She's inept, if she can mess it up with the Governor of the Bank of England, she's going to struggle with the 27 nations of the EU.

    "Within hours of May criticizing loose monetary policy in her Conservative Conference speech this month, her office moved to limit the damage by reassuring Carney the words were clumsily expressed, according to two people familiar with the matter. The Treasury -- which wasn’t consulted on the speech -- has since been taking a more active role in the crafting of May’s statements on the economy.

    The government’s overtures to mend the relationship with Carney come as he counts down to a decision by year end on whether to leave the BOE as planned in 2018 or serve a full eight-year term until 2021."


    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-25/may-said-to-want-carney-to-stay-at-boe-as-he-reflects-on-role

    She's like Alec Douglas-Home meets Gordon Brown
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    ParistondaParistonda Posts: 1,819
    People are overestimating the importance of Zac's personal vote. Frankly, a dead-end "referendum" on heathrow is dull and won't catch the media's attention, particularly as both main candidates will be in agreement over it. A by-election over Brexit, with the "Soft or Stop Brexit" party in close second to the "Die Hard Brexit" party currently, is much more interesting to the media, which will help shift the debate onto the Lib Dem's terms.

    Imagine the hustings:

    "I think the government's decision on heathrow is catastrophic"
    "I agree with my opponent, it's just awful. Also, the government's brexit plans are catastrophic, don't you agree Zac?"
    "..."

    In a place that voted 70% remain there are surely enough people that voted tory in 2015 but also remain, that won't back him this time.
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    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419
    Dadge said:

    The reminder about the oddschecker site prodded me into having a look at some other odds. Bettors are clearly anticipating a big win for Hillary Clinton - I was surprised that 300-329 EVs is 5-1 or more. I know the election looks like its sliding towards a landslide but I wouldn't say that EV bracket is as unlikely as all that.

    I know there were a few straws in the wind a week or so ago that suggested that it might be heading to landslide territory; I've not seen many since (or perhaps more accurately, I've seen a wide range of results with no discernable trend). My guess is that Trump has arrested his decline and Clinton's lead has stabilised at about 6%. For which 300-329 would be a decent shout at 5/1 (6% would probably land top-side of 329 but it wouldn't take much to drop it back there and there are still two weeks to go).
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,983
    Mr. Eagles, have you seen the post, by me, directed at you below?

    You may have heard the news already, of course.
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    Nigelb said:

    "Shameful from Mrs May."

    I would far rather an unprincipled pragmatist conduct the Brexit negotiations on our behalf, than a deeply principled naif.

    May has spent her political career focusing on herself, as most politicians do. Having reached the top of the greasy poll, though, she now needs to focus on the country. It's understandable that she's currently dazzled in the headlights as she seeks to work out the seemingly unsolvable immigration/prosperity equation, but at some stage she does need to make call. Sustained uncertainty is not pragmatic, it is hugely damaging.

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    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419
    Nigelb said:

    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    Sandpit said:

    What's all this standing aside crap about? There's a by-election, every party should be fielding a candidate. Especially so, given that the resigning MP is standing as an independent having quit his party.

    It would be like the Tories not contesting the Rochester & Strood by election when Mark Reckless defected.

    Shameful from Mrs May.
    Remember that Mrs May is a three-dimensional chess grandmaster. She clearly sees some benefit in telling the PCP that they can be as independent as they like.
    I don't understand the kerfuffle about this by-election. Letting Zac stand uncontested means he will likely win, then he can be welcomed back into the Tory party after the parliamentary LHR3 vote or a fresh GE, with his principles intact.

    Standing against him divides the Tory vote and would hand the seat to the LDs. This is sensible from the Tories.

    As for Ms May, she has her faults but she successfully steered herself, unopposed, to Number 10, by quietly watching all her enemies self-destruct. Politically she is astute.

    Are we going to have lots of single issue by- elections in which the Tories stand aside so that MPs who disagree with government policy can make their point? When and where does the line get drawn? Would May field a Tory candidate against a right-wing Eurosceptic who resigns claiming her Brexit deal is a betrayal?

    Er, I guess she'd address each situation on its merits. You know, the sensible approach. If an MP defected to another party like Reckless of course the Tories would put up a candidate.

    No need to defect now. You can just do a Zac.

    Heathrow is sui generis. It has bedevilled British politics for 40 years! TMay recognises this (and is cognisant of her small majority), which is why she has - unusually - allowed a compromise on Cabinet responsibility, and also given leeway in the case of Zac G.

    She is allowing people to vent on an issue where they feel very passionate, but at the same time she is doing the right thing to get LHR3 up and running - by avoiding successful legal challenges (e.g. no one will be able to say that they didn't have their voice heard).

    Pragmatic politics. Is all it is.
    "Heathrow is sui generis. It has bedevilled British politics for 40 years"

    Unlike, say, the EU ?
    :-)
    Of course unlike that. The EU and its forebears have bedevilled British politics for more than 60 years.
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    Mr. Eagles, have you seen the post, by me, directed at you below?

    You may have heard the news already, of course.

    I have seen the news, a few people messaged it me.

    Thank you.
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,926
    If EU change your mind !
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    nunununu Posts: 6,024
    @Nate_Cohn

    @nickgourevitch selzer poll of FL today--off a listed sample--had trump at 10 among black voters and like 36 with hispanics
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    TOPPING said:

    Afternoon all just perusing The Times...£84bn hole in public finances...GM maybe moving production of the Vauxhall Astra abroad...and Dublin making a play for the European Medicines Agency and Banking Authority.

    What empowering, sovereignty-boosting reading.

    Nissan walked out of a Face to Face meeting with the PM at Downing St with " the assurances I needed. " so no surprise GM will cash in as well. The first big manufacturer to announce they are pulling out *pre* Brexit will trigger a run on the £ and a political crisis. It's Corporate Welfare Christmas. Tata Steel got a £2bn promise by timing it's " closure " announcement pre referendum. " Take Back Control " my fat hairy backside.
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