Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.

Options

politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Theresa May now joint 2nd favourite as next party leader to go

SystemSystem Posts: 11,014
edited December 2016 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Theresa May now joint 2nd favourite as next party leader to go

William Hill next party leader out betting with changes since Sunday 2/1 Corbyn 11/4 (5/2) Nuttall 11/4 (7/2) May 6/1 Sturgeon 7/1 (6/1) Farron

Read the full story here


«134

Comments

  • Options
    FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195
    first
  • Options
    Who would replace her, and how would they handle things?

    Nobody wants to be a six minute PM. She may get support from those who would happily knife her a day after the next General Election, on the basis any PM going through the EU negotiations would get a lot of flak.

    Whoever comes in right after that can blame problems on their predecessor's ineptness, and will claim any success as their own.
  • Options
    I don't think any of them will leave - unless they want to - until at least 2018.

    Can I get odds anywhere on "none of the above"?
  • Options
    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,256
    Fourth like Boris
  • Options
    George Osborne is pretty obviously on manoeuvres but my rule of thumb for Tory leadership plots over the past couple of decades is to keep an eye on Francis Maude.
  • Options
    I keep on telling she's a bit crap.

    Ministers openly mock her. Cf Boris.
  • Options

    George Osborne is pretty obviously on manoeuvres but my rule of thumb for Tory leadership plots over the past couple of decades is to keep an eye on Francis Maude.

    That's Lord Maude these days.
  • Options
    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,190

    I keep on telling she's a bit crap.

    Ministers openly mock her. Cf Boris.

    People mocked Thatcher, including in her own party. It's not the mocking which will get her but the fact that she does not appear to have a clue what to do and has appointed Ministers who are second/third rate. A good leader has good strong people around them.

    I hope I'm wrong because I don't see much of an alternative, either in the Tories or, God help us, in the other parties.

  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,914
    edited December 2016
    Hmm I reckon the next out will be Corbyn.

    But it won't be till after 2020.

    Then May.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,914
    Having said that, Sturgeon may well be "the value" if she decides to run for parliament in 2020, and gives up the leadership say. Noone obvious to replace her at the moment though.
  • Options
    I wont be betting on this market as I have a fair spread covering next Labour leader and this is potentially another bet where they hold my money for four years.

    If I was betting then Corbyn. If Red Len falls then maybe he will be out in 2019.
  • Options

    Ministers openly mock her. Cf Boris.

    Oh dear....your hatred of May clearly blinds you to the difference between 'joshing' and 'mockery'......

    Just how is Osborne going to close that favourability gap versus May?

    Forty eight points, is it?
  • Options
    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820
    edited December 2016
    Corbyn is rightly favourite, although he'll probably last until the GE.

    Theresa May is absolutely secure until at least the GE, and, since with Corbyn in place and Labour in chaos she'll probably increase her majority at that GE, she's probably secure for some years after that.

    Nicola Sturgeon looks invulnerable, her odds look too short.

    No-one is going to challenge Tim Farron for the moment. I expect he'll linger on for quite a while, probably even beyond the GE.

    That leaves Paul Nuttall. His odds should be shorter; as a general rule, the half-life of UKIP front-line politicians (unless they are called Nigel) is very short, the party is fissiparous, the party's strategic direction is completely unclear and the much-vaunted move leftwards to challenge Labour won't be to the taste of many Kippers.
  • Options
    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,606
    edited December 2016
    Pulpstar said:

    Hmm I reckon the next out will be Corbyn.

    But it won't be till after 2020.

    Then May.


    If Nuttall lasts until 2020 he'll be doing well - 'UKIP Leaders who are not Farage' tend not to have a long shelf life.....
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,052
    edited December 2016
    The way Theresa May has choreographed a situation where she's portrayed as being under siege from people like Osborne and Morgan has been masterful. Meanwhile the main protagonists for Brexit are punching themselves out.

    When it next goes to the people, Theresa May can do a Wilson and stay above the fray, while a diminished Boris/Gove/Farage are left to sell Brexit to the public.
  • Options
    Osborne is manoeuvering with a view to a return to front-line politics, not the leadership.
  • Options

    Corbyn is rightly favourite, although he'll probably last until the GE.

    Theresa May is absolutely secure until at least the GE, and, since with Corbyn in place and Labour in chaos she'll probably increase her majority at that GE, she's probably secure for some years after that.

    Nicola Sturgeon looks invulnerable, her odds look too short.

    No-one is going to challenge Tim Farron for the moment. I expect he'll linger on for quite a while, probably even beyond the GE.

    That leaves Paul Nuttall. His odds should be shorter; as a general rule, the half-life of UKIP front-line politicians (unless they are called Nigel) is very short, the party is fissiparous, the party's strategic direction is completely unclear and the much-vaunted move leftwards to challenge Labour won't be to the taste of many Kippers.

    If UKIP shows any sign of making ground on Labour (or anyone else) you can be certain Farage will want back in. Nuttall is not the man to take UKIP leftwards, he is very dry fiscally and economically.

  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,859
    Surely Nuttall is the value here, especially as he has moved out in price?

    He's the only one I can see going before a general election, aside from health reasons.
  • Options
    Cyclefree said:

    I keep on telling she's a bit crap.

    Ministers openly mock her. Cf Boris.

    People mocked Thatcher, including in her own party. It's not the mocking which will get her but the fact that she does not appear to have a clue what to do and has appointed Ministers who are second/third rate. A good leader has good strong people around them.

    I hope I'm wrong because I don't see much of an alternative, either in the Tories or, God help us, in the other parties.

    I expect she is forming a view, but we won't find out about it until right at the very end. I suspect she will want to opt out the lot, and then opt back in to the bits she thinks are in the UK national interest but paying a hefty fee to do so.

    It will be similar to her position on Brexit: she took months to decide, and when she came out as a reluctant Remainer she did so in a well-thought through and logical speech, albeit her position of withdrawing from the ECHR but not the ECJ made no sense, and she's since backtracked on it.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,717
    A commentary on how little incentive or ability to move the others more than anything else. She has potential pitfalls but even so.
  • Options

    Ministers openly mock her. Cf Boris.

    Oh dear....your hatred of May clearly blinds you to the difference between 'joshing' and 'mockery'......

    Just how is Osborne going to close that favourability gap versus May?

    Forty eight points, is it?
    Calm down dear and read the article by Sam Coates in today's Times.

    That's what I was talking about. I said last night Boris was engaging in banter
  • Options
    Pulpstar said:

    Hmm I reckon the next out will be Corbyn.

    But it won't be till after 2020.

    Then May.

    I'm not seeing the value in this market. No deal for me.
  • Options

    Cyclefree said:

    I keep on telling she's a bit crap.

    Ministers openly mock her. Cf Boris.

    People mocked Thatcher, including in her own party. It's not the mocking which will get her but the fact that she does not appear to have a clue what to do and has appointed Ministers who are second/third rate. A good leader has good strong people around them.

    I hope I'm wrong because I don't see much of an alternative, either in the Tories or, God help us, in the other parties.

    I expect she is forming a view, but we won't find out about it until right at the very end. I suspect she will want to opt out the lot, and then opt back in to the bits she thinks are in the UK national interest but paying a hefty fee to do so.

    It will be similar to her position on Brexit: she took months to decide, and when she came out as a reluctant Remainer she did so in a well-thought through and logical speech, albeit her position of withdrawing from the ECHR but not the ECJ made no sense, and she's since backtracked on it.
    This may be of interest:

    http://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2016/12/andrew-lilico-hidden-obscure-even-unformed-nonsense-mays-brexit-negotiation-strategy-is-clear.html
  • Options
    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,326
    Like The White Rabbit, I think they all look pretty secure. Nuttall is the one who seems least solid, simply because he's new, with quite a lot of expectations, in a party noted for leadership instability. If he gets nowhere with his "seize the WWC" project I can imagine his running into choppy waters next year.

    May issn't remotely near the defenestration stage. Corbyn's opponents have given up on direct challenge before 2020. Farron and Sturgeon are broadly satisfying their members.

    By the way, expect some fresh discussion of Schengen in February. The Danish temporary border controls expire then, and the Danish Government has to either drop them or withdraw from Schengen. Government circles are inclined to quietly drop them, with some polling evidence that Danes are less fussed than they were (47% would like to keep the controls, but that's down from 66% a little while ago).
  • Options

    Osborne is manoeuvering with a view to a return to front-line politics, not the leadership.

    Correct. He voted for the Article 50 government timetable, and was speaking intelligently and thoughtfully about foreign affairs yesterday.

    That wasn't an accident.
  • Options

    Osborne is manoeuvering with a view to a return to front-line politics, not the leadership.

    Correct. He voted for the Article 50 government timetable, and was speaking intelligently and thoughtfully about foreign affairs yesterday.

    That wasn't an accident.
    Indeed.
  • Options
    As a matter of statistics, since the year 2000:

    Labour have had three changes of leader
    The Conservatives have had four changes of leader
    The Lib Dems have had three changes of leader
    The SNP have had three changes of leader
    UKIP have had 750 changes of leader

    On that basis, the 11/4 on Paul Nuttall looks like a fair bet to me.
  • Options

    Like The White Rabbit, I think they all look pretty secure. Nuttall is the one who seems least solid, simply because he's new, with quite a lot of expectations, in a party noted for leadership instability. If he gets nowhere with his "seize the WWC" project I can imagine his running into choppy waters next year.

    May issn't remotely near the defenestration stage. Corbyn's opponents have given up on direct challenge before 2020. Farron and Sturgeon are broadly satisfying their members.

    By the way, expect some fresh discussion of Schengen in February. The Danish temporary border controls expire then, and the Danish Government has to either drop them or withdraw from Schengen. Government circles are inclined to quietly drop them, with some polling evidence that Danes are less fussed than they were (47% would like to keep the controls, but that's down from 66% a little while ago).

    The Danes in February? Sounds like an amuse-bouche before the FR elections and the potential end of the Euro.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,717

    Ministers openly mock her. Cf Boris.

    Oh dear....your hatred of May clearly blinds you to the difference between 'joshing' and 'mockery'......
    The question that determines that is how would people react if a minister had made a similar gag about Cameron, or a shadow minister about Corbyn. People will always defend such remarks as not serious, and they'll always be perceven as coded attacks.
  • Options

    Osborne is manoeuvering with a view to a return to front-line politics, not the leadership.

    If he makes it back to the cabinet it will double the number of its above-mediocre members.

  • Options
    As for Theresa May, she's been dealt a tough hand but she isn't playing it particularly well. She has made several unforced errors already that will come back to haunt her. If I were to give her one piece of Christmas advice it would be the Mafia saying: "keep your friends close and your enemies closer". That applies both in the Conservative party and in the EU.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,914

    As a matter of statistics, since the year 2000:

    Labour have had three changes of leader
    The Conservatives have had four changes of leader
    The Lib Dems have had three changes of leader
    The SNP have had three changes of leader
    UKIP have had 750 changes of leader

    On that basis, the 11/4 on Paul Nuttall looks like a fair bet to me.

    750 ?
  • Options
    May will not leave before Corbyn. Tories only knife leaders in an internal crisis and there won't be such a crisis while Corbyn remains in post.
  • Options
    Pulpstar said:

    As a matter of statistics, since the year 2000:

    Labour have had three changes of leader
    The Conservatives have had four changes of leader
    The Lib Dems have had three changes of leader
    The SNP have had three changes of leader
    UKIP have had 750 changes of leader

    On that basis, the 11/4 on Paul Nuttall looks like a fair bet to me.

    750 ?
    Something like that.
  • Options
    Pulpstar said:

    As a matter of statistics, since the year 2000:

    Labour have had three changes of leader
    The Conservatives have had four changes of leader
    The Lib Dems have had three changes of leader
    The SNP have had three changes of leader
    UKIP have had 750 changes of leader

    On that basis, the 11/4 on Paul Nuttall looks like a fair bet to me.

    750 ?
    It's easy to lose count - and some of those are duplicates ;-).
  • Options

    May will not leave before Corbyn. Tories only knife leaders in an internal crisis and there won't be such a crisis while Corbyn remains in post.

    I believe the technical term is the Tories are an absolute monarchy moderated by regicide
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,052

    Pulpstar said:

    As a matter of statistics, since the year 2000:

    Labour have had three changes of leader
    The Conservatives have had four changes of leader
    The Lib Dems have had three changes of leader
    The SNP have had three changes of leader
    UKIP have had 750 changes of leader

    On that basis, the 11/4 on Paul Nuttall looks like a fair bet to me.

    750 ?
    Something like that.
    If you include all the times Farage went to bed planning to pack it in and then woke up and forgot about it, it's probably an underestimate.
  • Options
    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,326



    The Danes in February? Sounds like an amuse-bouche before the FR elections and the potential end of the Euro.

    Yes, though probably only a fresh influx of migrants would stir the headlines. At present only the Danish People's Party (=UKIP) wants to retain the restrictions.

    Meanwhile, German opinion is drifting - no obvious mjor shifts for the last year or so. Merkel's decision to stand again hasn't changed anything either way, though the CDU has been off the bottom and AfD a few points down for a while:

    http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/

  • Options
    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,190
    edited December 2016

    Cyclefree said:

    I keep on telling she's a bit crap.

    Ministers openly mock her. Cf Boris.

    People mocked Thatcher, including in her own party. It's not the mocking which will get her but the fact that she does not appear to have a clue what to do and has appointed Ministers who are second/third rate. A good leader has good strong people around them.

    I hope I'm wrong because I don't see much of an alternative, either in the Tories or, God help us, in the other parties.

    I expect she is forming a view, but we won't find out about it until right at the very end. I suspect she will want to opt out the lot, and then opt back in to the bits she thinks are in the UK national interest but paying a hefty fee to do so.

    It will be similar to her position on Brexit: she took months to decide, and when she came out as a reluctant Remainer she did so in a well-thought through and logical speech, albeit her position of withdrawing from the ECHR but not the ECJ made no sense, and she's since backtracked on it.
    That may be true but is missing one vital (to me) element. She needs to bring people with her. That takes courage and imagination, the willingness to say tough things, even to her own supporters and the ability to communicate. Thinking things through on her own and making logical decisions will not be enough, admirable as they may be.

    The one thing which has bedeviled our European policy throughout the years is that the politicians have not brought people with them. And this has resulted in people (some anyway) thinking/feeling that Europe is something done to them not for them and done behind their backs. That lack of transparency has been fatal to the European cause and it risks being fatal to our non-EU future too.

    Whatever the strategy is the people need to be and feel involved. That is the only way that she will be able to persuade those who won't get all that they want to feel involved and that they were given a chance to make their case.

  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,914

    Pulpstar said:

    As a matter of statistics, since the year 2000:

    Labour have had three changes of leader
    The Conservatives have had four changes of leader
    The Lib Dems have had three changes of leader
    The SNP have had three changes of leader
    UKIP have had 750 changes of leader

    On that basis, the 11/4 on Paul Nuttall looks like a fair bet to me.

    750 ?
    It's easy to lose count - and some of those are duplicates ;-).
    Titford 00-02
    Knapman 02-06
    Farage 06-09
    Pearson 09-10
    Farage 10-16
    James '16
    Farage 16 (Acting)
    Nutall '16-
  • Options
    surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549

    Corbyn is rightly favourite, although he'll probably last until the GE.

    Theresa May is absolutely secure until at least the GE, and, since with Corbyn in place and Labour in chaos she'll probably increase her majority at that GE, she's probably secure for some years after that.

    Nicola Sturgeon looks invulnerable, her odds look too short.

    No-one is going to challenge Tim Farron for the moment. I expect he'll linger on for quite a while, probably even beyond the GE.

    That leaves Paul Nuttall. His odds should be shorter; as a general rule, the half-life of UKIP front-line politicians (unless they are called Nigel) is very short, the party is fissiparous, the party's strategic direction is completely unclear and the much-vaunted move leftwards to challenge Labour won't be to the taste of many Kippers.

    If UKIP shows any sign of making ground on Labour (or anyone else) you can be certain Farage will want back in. Nuttall is not the man to take UKIP leftwards, he is very dry fiscally and economically.

    This is the first time I have read that people in UKIP has a policy other than hating foreigners.
  • Options
    The FT Brussels blog has news about the EU's negotiating team that has something for everyone:

    https://www.ft.com/content/15492a24-a7f8-3bf8-a0aa-b0296205d147

    The Commission is set to be appointed as negotiator for the EU (ie Michel Barnier), but with minders from the national governments. The European Parliament looks likely to be shut out completely as things stand.

    The biggest point is the last point. The EU doesn't seem to be drawing up a strategy, which means that its strategy is emerging by default. That's bad news for everyone who wants Brexit to happen in an orderly manner, albeit only too predictable.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,914
    UKIP - Six

    So going purely off leader changes since '00, the denominator is 19.

    UKIP 3.17
    Tories 4.75
    Lab 6.33
    LD 6.33
    SNP 6.33

  • Options
    JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,901
    May has created a vacuum with BS like Red, White and Blue Brexit. Her honeymoon has enabled her to get away with it, but now cracks are showing.

    The first quarter of Q1 2017 might define her premiership.



  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,914
    edited December 2016
    Looking ahead, UKIP are definitely the next party heading for "disappointment" with Nuttall a long way behind the Labour candidate (Leigh).

    So UKIP is probably the value, but its far enough away & uncertain enough that I won't be tieing my money up.
  • Options
    Pulpstar said:

    Pulpstar said:

    As a matter of statistics, since the year 2000:

    Labour have had three changes of leader
    The Conservatives have had four changes of leader
    The Lib Dems have had three changes of leader
    The SNP have had three changes of leader
    UKIP have had 750 changes of leader

    On that basis, the 11/4 on Paul Nuttall looks like a fair bet to me.

    750 ?
    It's easy to lose count - and some of those are duplicates ;-).
    Titford 00-02
    Knapman 02-06
    Farage 06-09
    Pearson 09-10
    Farage 10-16
    James '16
    Farage 16 (Acting)
    Nutall '16-
    You missed Evans for five days in May 2015
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,914

    Pulpstar said:

    Pulpstar said:

    As a matter of statistics, since the year 2000:

    Labour have had three changes of leader
    The Conservatives have had four changes of leader
    The Lib Dems have had three changes of leader
    The SNP have had three changes of leader
    UKIP have had 750 changes of leader

    On that basis, the 11/4 on Paul Nuttall looks like a fair bet to me.

    750 ?
    It's easy to lose count - and some of those are duplicates ;-).
    Titford 00-02
    Knapman 02-06
    Farage 06-09
    Pearson 09-10
    Farage 10-16
    James '16
    Farage 16 (Acting)
    Nutall '16-
    You missed Evans for five days in May 2015
    Makes UKIP 2.85 off of that analysis then.
  • Options
    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,190

    The FT Brussels blog has news about the EU's negotiating team that has something for everyone:

    https://www.ft.com/content/15492a24-a7f8-3bf8-a0aa-b0296205d147

    The Commission is set to be appointed as negotiator for the EU (ie Michel Barnier), but with minders from the national governments. The European Parliament looks likely to be shut out completely as things stand.

    The biggest point is the last point. The EU doesn't seem to be drawing up a strategy, which means that its strategy is emerging by default. That's bad news for everyone who wants Brexit to happen in an orderly manner, albeit only too predictable.

    Which is one reason why we should try and have a strategy. If only......
  • Options
    dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,287
    The rare Green pushmepullyu may not last long either.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,914
    13-8 even !
  • Options
    Apparently the EU Parliament is falling into bitter conflict with the Council of Nation States.

    Verhofstadt angrily attacks the Council stating that if the Council think the negotiations will sideline the Parliament he will start his own Brexit talks.

    As far as I am aware Theresa May will only deal with the Council so fractures between Parliament and the Council are going to intensify. This is evidence of a looming warfare between the various parts of the EU about how they deal with Brexit

    You really could not make this up. They are like children fighting in a school playground and it would be funny if it was not so serious
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,717
    Pulpstar said:

    As a matter of statistics, since the year 2000:

    Labour have had three changes of leader
    The Conservatives have had four changes of leader
    The Lib Dems have had three changes of leader
    The SNP have had three changes of leader
    UKIP have had 750 changes of leader

    On that basis, the 11/4 on Paul Nuttall looks like a fair bet to me.

    750 ?
    Approximately
  • Options



    The Danes in February? Sounds like an amuse-bouche before the FR elections and the potential end of the Euro.

    Yes, though probably only a fresh influx of migrants would stir the headlines. At present only the Danish People's Party (=UKIP) wants to retain the restrictions.

    Meanwhile, German opinion is drifting - no obvious mjor shifts for the last year or so. Merkel's decision to stand again hasn't changed anything either way, though the CDU has been off the bottom and AfD a few points down for a while:

    http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/

    The Con/Lab/LD/UKIP figures are remarkably similar to CDU/SPD/FDP/AfD.
  • Options
    Mr. NorthWales, the deliberately complicated and opaque nature of the EU does rather leave it open to this sort of power struggle.
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,052

    The biggest point is the last point. The EU doesn't seem to be drawing up a strategy, which means that its strategy is emerging by default. That's bad news for everyone who wants Brexit to happen in an orderly manner, albeit only too predictable.

    When both sides think 'it's not us, it's you', it can't lead to a sensible compromise.

    The EU is more correct in their assessment than we are, which means it ultimately comes down to whether the pro-Brexit political consensus will hold throughout the negotiations, and who will pay the political price for the betrayal.
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,937

    Pulpstar said:

    As a matter of statistics, since the year 2000:

    Labour have had three changes of leader
    The Conservatives have had four changes of leader
    The Lib Dems have had three changes of leader
    The SNP have had three changes of leader
    UKIP have had 750 changes of leader

    On that basis, the 11/4 on Paul Nuttall looks like a fair bet to me.

    750 ?
    It's easy to lose count - and some of those are duplicates ;-).
    I fear Mr Meeks has forsaken normal mathematics, and is using that special form of maths that lawyers use when devising their bills. ;)
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,052

    You really could not make this up. They are like children fighting in a school playground and it would be funny if it was not so serious

    That's politics. And at a European level it's infinitely preferable to children fighting in the fields of Belgium.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,717

    You really could not make this up. They are like children fighting in a school playground and it would be funny if it was not so serious

    That's politics. And at a European level it's infinitely preferable to children fighting in the fields of Belgium.
    It's not an either or scenario
  • Options

    Mr. NorthWales, the deliberately complicated and opaque nature of the EU does rather leave it open to this sort of power struggle.

    You do wonder if this will tear the EU apart - serious strains are becoming obvious

    Verhofstadt was furious when addressing the Parliament today
  • Options
    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,326



    The Danes in February? Sounds like an amuse-bouche before the FR elections and the potential end of the Euro.

    Yes, though probably only a fresh influx of migrants would stir the headlines. At present only the Danish People's Party (=UKIP) wants to retain the restrictions.

    Meanwhile, German opinion is drifting - no obvious mjor shifts for the last year or so. Merkel's decision to stand again hasn't changed anything either way, though the CDU has been off the bottom and AfD a few points down for a while:

    http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/

    The Con/Lab/LD/UKIP figures are remarkably similar to CDU/SPD/FDP/AfD.
    True. It's the common European polity, innit :)

    I actually do think that therre are quite strong similarities in how popular opinion is shaping across Western Europe. Fairly solid traditional conservatives, fairly weak social democrats and liberals, a significant push from the far left and the nationalist right but not enough to win. The traditional conservatives tend to win from this pattern, more by default than by triumphant enthusiasm.
  • Options
    Pulpstar said:

    13-8 even !

    As I said, 11/4 on Mr Nuttall looks like a value bet.
  • Options


    Mr. NorthWales, the deliberately complicated and opaque nature of the EU does rather leave it open to this sort of power struggle.

    You do wonder if this will tear the EU apart - serious strains are becoming obvious

    Verhofstadt was furious when addressing the Parliament today
    What was Verhofstadt furious about?
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,914

    Pulpstar said:

    13-8 even !

    As I said, 11/4 on Mr Nuttall looks like a value bet.
    "Trader" is having a good think about this now.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,717


    Mr. NorthWales, the deliberately complicated and opaque nature of the EU does rather leave it open to this sort of power struggle.

    You do wonder if this will tear the EU apart - serious strains are becoming obvious

    Verhofstadt was furious when addressing the Parliament today
    What was Verhofstadt furious about?
    What isn't he furious about?

    But presumably how it is planned to consult the parliament on negotiations, and what that will mean.
  • Options

    Apparently the EU Parliament is falling into bitter conflict with the Council of Nation States.

    Verhofstadt angrily attacks the Council stating that if the Council think the negotiations will sideline the Parliament he will start his own Brexit talks.

    As far as I am aware Theresa May will only deal with the Council so fractures between Parliament and the Council are going to intensify. This is evidence of a looming warfare between the various parts of the EU about how they deal with Brexit

    You really could not make this up. They are like children fighting in a school playground and it would be funny if it was not so serious

    The serious bit is that the EP has to ratify the deal at the end of the process so its views do have to be listened to (though individual MEPs don't necessarily, if they're unrepresentative).
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,937
    Off-topic:

    I just had an interesting experience. I walked back from a play group with a lady I vaguely know - our children sometimes play together. On the way she gave a rather interesting (ahem) racist (*) rant against Muslims.

    I listened for a while, then told her my wife is Turkish. She rather rapidly changed the subject!

    What was most interesting is that the lady I was talking to is a black Nigerian immigrant.

    Given the situation in Nigeria with Boko Haram, I can imagine how she feels. But her conversation strayed far from what I would call reasonable comment.

    Racism is much more complex than white against black.

    (*) I'd class it as racist as it went away from arguable individual points, and became a screed about the traits 'they' have and exhibit as a whole.
  • Options


    Mr. NorthWales, the deliberately complicated and opaque nature of the EU does rather leave it open to this sort of power struggle.

    You do wonder if this will tear the EU apart - serious strains are becoming obvious

    Verhofstadt was furious when addressing the Parliament today
    What was Verhofstadt furious about?
    The apparent exclusion of the Parliament by the Council of Nation States from the negotiations. He was very angry
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,937
    The blood will be seen to be on Russia's hands.
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,937
    Great first question at PMQs.
  • Options



    The Danes in February? Sounds like an amuse-bouche before the FR elections and the potential end of the Euro.

    Yes, though probably only a fresh influx of migrants would stir the headlines. At present only the Danish People's Party (=UKIP) wants to retain the restrictions.

    Meanwhile, German opinion is drifting - no obvious mjor shifts for the last year or so. Merkel's decision to stand again hasn't changed anything either way, though the CDU has been off the bottom and AfD a few points down for a while:

    http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/

    The Con/Lab/LD/UKIP figures are remarkably similar to CDU/SPD/FDP/AfD.
    True. It's the common European polity, innit :)

    I actually do think that therre are quite strong similarities in how popular opinion is shaping across Western Europe. Fairly solid traditional conservatives, fairly weak social democrats and liberals, a significant push from the far left and the nationalist right but not enough to win. The traditional conservatives tend to win from this pattern, more by default than by triumphant enthusiasm.
    Yeah well, I was one arguing before the referendum that a European polity could be fairly easily forged and that it was a great error not to try.

    I agree with that analysis re popular opinion and in many ways it's not too surprising that countries facing similar issues with relatively similar political, social and economic cultures (and party structures) will end up with something not too dissimilar in terms of public support.
  • Options
    Could not make this shit up

    Jeremy Corbyn faced a furious row today as it emerged he may appoint the head of Sinn Fein’s London office to work in his office.

    http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/jeremy-corbyn-in-furious-row-over-plan-to-hire-sinn-fein-for-his-office-a3420041.html
  • Options
    Cyclefree said:

    Cyclefree said:

    I keep on telling she's a bit crap.

    Ministers openly mock her. Cf Boris.

    People mocked Thatcher, including in her own party. It's not the mocking which will get her but the fact that she does not appear to have a clue what to do and has appointed Ministers who are second/third rate. A good leader has good strong people around them.

    I hope I'm wrong because I don't see much of an alternative, either in the Tories or, God help us, in the other parties.

    I expect she is forming a view, but we won't find out about it until right at the very end. I suspect she will want to opt out the lot, and then opt back in to the bits she thinks are in the UK national interest but paying a hefty fee to do so.

    It will be similar to her position on Brexit: she took months to decide, and when she came out as a reluctant Remainer she did so in a well-thought through and logical speech, albeit her position of withdrawing from the ECHR but not the ECJ made no sense, and she's since backtracked on it.
    That may be true but is missing one vital (to me) element. She needs to bring people with her. That takes courage and imagination, the willingness to say tough things, even to her own supporters and the ability to communicate. Thinking things through on her own and making logical decisions will not be enough, admirable as they may be.

    The one thing which has bedeviled our European policy throughout the years is that the politicians have not brought people with them. And this has resulted in people (some anyway) thinking/feeling that Europe is something done to them not for them and done behind their backs. That lack of transparency has been fatal to the European cause and it risks being fatal to our non-EU future too.

    Whatever the strategy is the people need to be and feel involved. That is the only way that she will be able to persuade those who won't get all that they want to feel involved and that they were given a chance to make their case.

    Yes. But I doubt it will be different this time.
  • Options
    FF43FF43 Posts: 15,709

    The FT Brussels blog has news about the EU's negotiating team that has something for everyone:

    https://www.ft.com/content/15492a24-a7f8-3bf8-a0aa-b0296205d147

    The Commission is set to be appointed as negotiator for the EU (ie Michel Barnier), but with minders from the national governments. The European Parliament looks likely to be shut out completely as things stand.

    The biggest point is the last point. The EU doesn't seem to be drawing up a strategy, which means that its strategy is emerging by default. That's bad news for everyone who wants Brexit to happen in an orderly manner, albeit only too predictable.

    I would say Barnier has a coherent strategy on behalf of the EU Commission, but he's a hired hand. It's the European Council representing national governments that will call the shots. As the keeper of the WIP text for the treaty Barnier will have a lot of influence, especially if he can keep in with Didier Seeuws, who will be the Brexit manager for the EU Council.

    The EU parliament will ratify the deal. Verhofstadt's job is to ensure there are no upsets.

    We need to remember this kind of deal is daily fare for the EU. Our side is going to learn the hard way. A very hard way judging by their attitudes to the negotiation so far.

  • Options
    Mr. Jessop, sectarian?

    Islam and Muslims aren't a race.

    Mr. Herdson, it would certainly be interesting if the UK and EU negotiated a reasonable deal, the EU Parliament voted it down and time ran out.
  • Options

    The FT Brussels blog has news about the EU's negotiating team that has something for everyone:

    https://www.ft.com/content/15492a24-a7f8-3bf8-a0aa-b0296205d147

    The Commission is set to be appointed as negotiator for the EU (ie Michel Barnier), but with minders from the national governments. The European Parliament looks likely to be shut out completely as things stand.

    The biggest point is the last point. The EU doesn't seem to be drawing up a strategy, which means that its strategy is emerging by default. That's bad news for everyone who wants Brexit to happen in an orderly manner, albeit only too predictable.

    Presume there's no way round the firewall on that?
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,052

    The FT Brussels blog has news about the EU's negotiating team that has something for everyone:

    https://www.ft.com/content/15492a24-a7f8-3bf8-a0aa-b0296205d147

    The Commission is set to be appointed as negotiator for the EU (ie Michel Barnier), but with minders from the national governments. The European Parliament looks likely to be shut out completely as things stand.

    The biggest point is the last point. The EU doesn't seem to be drawing up a strategy, which means that its strategy is emerging by default. That's bad news for everyone who wants Brexit to happen in an orderly manner, albeit only too predictable.

    Presume there's no way round the firewall on that?
    Google "Do the EU-27 need a strategy?"
  • Options
    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,190

    Cyclefree said:

    Cyclefree said:

    I keep on telling she's a bit crap.

    Ministers openly mock her. Cf Boris.

    People mocked Thatcher, including in her own party. It's not the mocking which will get her but the fact that she does not appear to have a clue what to do and has appointed Ministers who are second/third rate. A good leader has good strong people around them.

    I hope I'm wrong because I don't see much of an alternative, either in the Tories or, God help us, in the other parties.

    I expect she is forming a view, but we won't find out about it until right at the very end. I suspect she will want to opt out the lot, and then opt back in to the bits she thinks are in the UK national interest but paying a hefty fee to do so.

    It will be similar to her position on Brexit: she took months to decide, and when she came out as a reluctant Remainer she did so in a well-thought through and logical speech, albeit her position of withdrawing from the ECHR but not the ECJ made no sense, and she's since backtracked on it.
    That may be true but is missing one vital (to me) element. She needs to bring people with her. That takes courage and imagination, the willingness to say tough things, even to her own supporters and the ability to communicate. Thinking things through on her own and making logical decisions will not be enough, admirable as they may be.

    The one thing which has bedeviled our European policy throughout the years is that the politicians have not brought people with them. And this has resulted in people (some anyway) thinking/feeling that Europe is something done to them not for them and done behind their backs. That lack of transparency has been fatal to the European cause and it risks being fatal to our non-EU future too.

    Whatever the strategy is the people need to be and feel involved. That is the only way that she will be able to persuade those who won't get all that they want to feel involved and that they were given a chance to make their case.

    Yes. But I doubt it will be different this time.
    Not learning from our previous mistakes in relation to Europe is what risks making Brexit worse than it need be. Even if you disagree with the decision there are good and bad ways of implementing it. If May thinks she can do everything herself and not involve others, she will end up implementing it in the worst way possible.
  • Options

    Could not make this shit up

    Jeremy Corbyn faced a furious row today as it emerged he may appoint the head of Sinn Fein’s London office to work in his office.

    http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/jeremy-corbyn-in-furious-row-over-plan-to-hire-sinn-fein-for-his-office-a3420041.html

    Ha, ha.

    He is doing it on purpose, surely. He wants to be put out of his misery.

  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,717
    Cyclefree said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Cyclefree said:

    I keep on telling she's a bit crap.

    Ministers openly mock her. Cf Boris.

    People mocked Thatcher, including in her own party. It's not the mocking which will get her but the fact that she does not appear to have a clue what to do and has appointed Ministers who are second/third rate. A good leader has good strong people around them.

    I hope I'm wrong because I don't see much of an alternative, either in the Tories or, God help us, in the other parties.

    I expect she is forming a view, but we won't find out about it until right at the very end. I suspect she will want to opt out the lot, and then opt back in to the bits she thinks are in the UK national interest but paying a hefty fee to do so.

    It will be similar to her position on Brexit: she took months to decide, and when she came out as a reluctant Remainer she did so in a well-thought through and logical speech, albeit her position of withdrawing from the ECHR but not the ECJ made no sense, and she's since backtracked on it.
    That may be true but is missing one vital (to me) element. She needs to bring people with her. That takes courage and imagination, the willingness to say tough things, even to her own supporters and the ability to communicate. Thinking things through on her own and making logical decisions will not be enough, admirable as they may be.

    The one thing which has bedeviled our European policy throughout the years is that the politicians have not brought people with them. And this has resulted in people (some anyway) thinking/feeling that Europe is something done to them not for them and done behind their backs. That lack of transparency has been fatal to the European cause and it risks being fatal to our non-EU future too.

    Whatever the strategy is the people need to be and feel involved. That is the only way that she will be able to persuade those who won't get all that they want to feel involved and that they were given a chance to make their case.

    Yes. But I doubt it will be different this time.
    Not learning from our previous mistakes in relation to Europe is what risks making Brexit worse than it need be. Even if you disagree with the decision there are good and bad ways of implementing it. If May thinks she can do everything herself and not involve others, she will end up implementing it in the worst way possible.
    Well said.
  • Options

    Mr. Jessop, sectarian?

    Islam and Muslims aren't a race.

    Mr. Herdson, it would certainly be interesting if the UK and EU negotiated a reasonable deal, the EU Parliament voted it down and time ran out.

    The timing is quite interesting too given that voting on Brexit is likely to be one of the last things that MEPs do this parliament assuming a March 2019 deadline before May 2019 polls. Not sure how that affects the psychology of the vote.
  • Options
    Mr. Observer, perhaps, but Boris could yet-

    Oh, I see.
  • Options
    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,190

    Could not make this shit up

    Jeremy Corbyn faced a furious row today as it emerged he may appoint the head of Sinn Fein’s London office to work in his office.

    http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/jeremy-corbyn-in-furious-row-over-plan-to-hire-sinn-fein-for-his-office-a3420041.html

    Ha, ha.

    He is doing it on purpose, surely. He wants to be put out of his misery.

    You hope.
  • Options
    Being routinely outplayed by Jeremy Corbyn at PMQs is not a good look for Mrs May.
  • Options
    FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195

    Could not make this shit up

    Jeremy Corbyn faced a furious row today as it emerged he may appoint the head of Sinn Fein’s London office to work in his office.

    http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/jeremy-corbyn-in-furious-row-over-plan-to-hire-sinn-fein-for-his-office-a3420041.html

    Well, he is consistent.

    Did Milne ever get the boot?
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,937

    Mr. Jessop, sectarian?

    Islam and Muslims aren't a race.

    (Snip)

    I think that's a fairly disgusting point to make, especially given the continued redefinition of 'Islamaphobic' that occurs on here.

    This says it well:
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-considine/muslims-are-not-a-race_b_8591660.html
  • Options
    PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383
    Floater said:

    Could not make this shit up

    Jeremy Corbyn faced a furious row today as it emerged he may appoint the head of Sinn Fein’s London office to work in his office.

    http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/jeremy-corbyn-in-furious-row-over-plan-to-hire-sinn-fein-for-his-office-a3420041.html

    Well, he is consistent.

    Did Milne ever get the boot?
    Shami seems to be doing that job now.
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,976
    edited December 2016
    Mr. Jessop, I'm surprised (shocked even) you're disgusted. You can convert to or from a religion, but you can't convert your race. That's all I'm saying. The unifying aspect of Islam is an idea, it's not a skin colour or ethnic grouping.

    Edited extra bit: if your disgust was relating to the 'sectarian' part, I was searching for a word that could mean bigotry or dislike against (a) religion/religious group.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,914

    Could not make this shit up

    Jeremy Corbyn faced a furious row today as it emerged he may appoint the head of Sinn Fein’s London office to work in his office.

    http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/jeremy-corbyn-in-furious-row-over-plan-to-hire-sinn-fein-for-his-office-a3420041.html

    Ha, ha.

    He is doing it on purpose, surely. He wants to be put out of his misery.

    BetVictor will be paying me a final sum (*Waves goodbye to the account) in January based off of backing Corbyn to keep his job.
  • Options
    Pulpstar said:

    Looking ahead, UKIP are definitely the next party heading for "disappointment" with Nuttall a long way behind the Labour candidate (Leigh).

    So UKIP is probably the value, but its far enough away & uncertain enough that I won't be tieing my money up.

    I expect UKIP to continue its decline and get 'disappointing' (for them) results. However, I think Nuttall will stay leader unless Farage makes another comeback.
  • Options
    PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383
    edited December 2016

    Mr. Jessop, I'm surprised (shocked even) you're disgusted. You can convert to or from a religion, but you can't convert your race. That's all I'm saying. The unifying aspect of Islam is an idea, it's not a skin colour or ethnic grouping.

    Well quite.

    EDIT - Black Evangelical Christians for example.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,914

    Pulpstar said:

    Looking ahead, UKIP are definitely the next party heading for "disappointment" with Nuttall a long way behind the Labour candidate (Leigh).

    So UKIP is probably the value, but its far enough away & uncertain enough that I won't be tieing my money up.

    I expect UKIP to continue its decline and get 'disappointing' (for them) results. However, I think Nuttall will stay leader unless Farage makes another comeback.
    Who would you back in this market ?
  • Options
    FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195

    Off-topic:

    I just had an interesting experience. I walked back from a play group with a lady I vaguely know - our children sometimes play together. On the way she gave a rather interesting (ahem) racist (*) rant against Muslims.

    I listened for a while, then told her my wife is Turkish. She rather rapidly changed the subject!

    What was most interesting is that the lady I was talking to is a black Nigerian immigrant.

    Given the situation in Nigeria with Boko Haram, I can imagine how she feels. But her conversation strayed far from what I would call reasonable comment.

    Racism is much more complex than white against black.

    (*) I'd class it as racist as it went away from arguable individual points, and became a screed about the traits 'they' have and exhibit as a whole.

    You know you can't be racist against a religion, right?

    A friend of mine is an Indian catholic who has family in Pakistan, he also has some negative views of Islam.


  • Options
    FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195
    PlatoSaid said:

    Floater said:

    Could not make this shit up

    Jeremy Corbyn faced a furious row today as it emerged he may appoint the head of Sinn Fein’s London office to work in his office.

    http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/jeremy-corbyn-in-furious-row-over-plan-to-hire-sinn-fein-for-his-office-a3420041.html

    Well, he is consistent.

    Did Milne ever get the boot?
    Shami seems to be doing that job now.
    Ah, the famously impartial Shami, or shameless as we know her as now.
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548

    Mr. Jessop, sectarian?

    Islam and Muslims aren't a race.

    (Snip)

    I think that's a fairly disgusting point to make, especially given the continued redefinition of 'Islamaphobic' that occurs on here.

    This says it well:
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-considine/muslims-are-not-a-race_b_8591660.html
    Both race and religion are "protected characteristics" under eaual rights law, so the distinction is unnecessary. Indeed when I lived in NZ there was a brilliant euphemism for racism (in the NZ situation usually Pakeha vs Polynesian) of "cultural insensitivity". I think this covers the ground better.

    It sounds as if your Nigerian acquaintance was certainly stereotyping Muslim culture, perhaps understandably bearing in mind the history of sectarian conflict in Nigeria that long predates Boko Haram, and usually with Christians as victims.
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,937

    Mr. Jessop, I'm surprised (shocked even) you're disgusted. You can convert to or from a religion, but you can't convert your race. That's all I'm saying. The unifying aspect of Islam is an idea, it's not a skin colour or ethnic grouping.

    I'm sadly unsurprised that that's the view you take. Like the people who attempt to redefine Islamophobia, you try to pull a blanket over it by playing it down.

    It's a crass, stupid point to make. Then again, you're fortunate that the chances are you'll never become a target of such abuse.
  • Options
    dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,287

    Could not make this shit up

    Jeremy Corbyn faced a furious row today as it emerged he may appoint the head of Sinn Fein’s London office to work in his office.

    http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/jeremy-corbyn-in-furious-row-over-plan-to-hire-sinn-fein-for-his-office-a3420041.html

    Progressive rainbow coalition against Tories.
  • Options
    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,190
    Floater said:

    PlatoSaid said:

    Floater said:

    Could not make this shit up

    Jeremy Corbyn faced a furious row today as it emerged he may appoint the head of Sinn Fein’s London office to work in his office.

    http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/jeremy-corbyn-in-furious-row-over-plan-to-hire-sinn-fein-for-his-office-a3420041.html

    Well, he is consistent.

    Did Milne ever get the boot?
    Shami seems to be doing that job now.
    Ah, the famously impartial Shami, or shameless as we know her as now.
    Shabby Chakrabarti I think. Shamelessness can be endearing. There's nothing endearing about what she's doing.
This discussion has been closed.