Incidentally, am I the only one who finds Labour's 'For the many not the few' slogan chilling? It's eerily reminiscent of 1930s populists such as Huey Long, seeking to stir up crowds by telling them they are being conspired against by a shadowy cabal of bankers (read, Jewish bankers) and capitalists.
I think there is a tendency here and elsewhere to look at this debate on Corbyn and Brexit from the perspective of a London or south east based relatively well off property owner - who potentially has something to lose and believes so too.
Many people who backed Brexit or voted for Corbyn - loaded possibly with student or credit card debt and/or working in a low paid insecure job, living pay cheque to pay cheque, spending s sizeable proportion of their income on private rent with a diminishing hope of buying or seeing their kids face all this and an uncertain future - don't actually think things can get any worse.
Not saying I share their conclusion - but when you think you have nothing to lose why wouldn't you want to blow up the whole 'rotten' system. Or as Michael Moore put it in his famous video about Trump voters in the rust belt - it's a chance to send s message to the political class, big banks and big corporations who you believe have ruined your lives!
Hard for a well off London/south east remain voting property owner to get - but it's a quite powerful emotion.
The Tory campaign was hinged on the idea that Corbyn was a dog whistle for their vote. They totally overlooked that their campaign and leader was a massive recruiting sergeant for the left. I don't think they get that yet.
I am no Corbyn fan, but he was the better of the two.
I think they get it entirely. Every Conservative I've spoken to was horrified by the incompetence of the campaign, and gobsmacked that, as you say, even Corbyn, of all people on this earth, was able to come out as the better of the two.
Again not sure you fully get it. It wasn't the campaign (which was bad). It was the underlying product. Both the personnel and the policies. It seemed that 2015-7 the Tories forgot everything that got them into power.
Jonathan I do not think the Conservatives forgot but they thought Labour was finished under Corbyn and they could in essence do what they like.They took many voters for granted that they had nowhere else to go.My father a Conservative for the first time in his life refused to vote.
Good header. The Tories need positive messages as well as pointing out the inadequacy of Corbyn. I fear this government's obsession with Brexit, however understandable, risks a lack of sufficient attention to other pressing problems.
Alastair describes Brexit as a second order issue. I don't quite agree but the Tories need to show they have a wider and positive vision for the country they aspire to rule.
In other news I am just off to the Oval for the ODI as a birthday treat to myself.
Happy Birthday.
I hope you packed your thermals, a day night match at the end of September, someone's got a sick sense of humour at the ECB.
I was going to leave the Old Trafford ODI early because of the cold but stayed because young Bairstow was close to getting a hundred.
The Tory campaign was hinged on the idea that Corbyn was a dog whistle for their vote. They totally overlooked that their campaign and leader was a massive recruiting sergeant for the left. I don't think they get that yet.
I am no Corbyn fan, but he was the better of the two.
I think they get it entirely. Every Conservative I've spoken to was horrified by the incompetence of the campaign, and gobsmacked that, as you say, even Corbyn, of all people on this earth, was able to come out as the better of the two.
Again not sure you fully get it. It wasn't the campaign (which was bad). It was the underlying product. Both the personnel and the policies. It seemed that 2015-7 the Tories forgot everything that got them into power.
Jonathan I do not think the Conservatives forgot but they thought Labour was finished under Corbyn and they could in essence do what they like.They took many voters for granted that they had nowhere else to go.My father a Conservative for the first time in his life refused to vote.
Treat your opponent as being highly competent, and you'll only ever be pleasantly surprised.
I think Timothy, Hill and May fell victim to believing their own propaganda, and that May was the new Messiah so none of what they said and did really mattered, electorally.
Although possibly only the first two. I've always felt May is, at heart, rather socially (and therefore electorally) unsure of herself. She does have a lot of faith in her analytical and administrative abilities, and therefore judges - ruthlessly - the capabilities of others against them, but from a personal branding point of view, aside from shoes, she is willing to let others project onto her what they want her to be.
Her actions suggest she hasn't historically cared (too much) what others think of her, probably because she didn't have to, but that doesn't mean she isn't socially insecure.
Fantastic piece. There are now four arguments for everyone to the left of Ken Clarke holding their nose and electing a Corbyn government. #1 The Laxative argument. The country has clearly taken leave of it's senses and entered a decade of decline at the very least. We might as well speed the process up. #2 The Penal argument. What the Tories have done on Brexit is so extreme they must be punished whatever the costs. #3 The Beauty argument. If our choice is between undeliverable fantasies Corbyn's Cornucopia looks nicer than Brexiteers Dystopia. #4 The Dice argument. That a Boris Brexit is so extreme and so impactful for decades to come gambling on Corbyn is actually the rational thing to do.
In CycleFrees terms as Brexit consumes it's own children the Tories will provide the Fear and Corbyn will provide the next simple and compelling story.
I'm an ex-habitual Conservative voter (natural party of posh boys like me) who will be voting Corbyn due to 80% #2 and 20% #1.
There were very many in my constituency (Ealing Central & Acton) who did just that for that reason. The question is, is the continuing fuck-up of Brexit by the Cons sufficient to bring yet more hitherto Cons voters to Jezza or was his vote for those reasons maxed out at GE17?
A very well written and argued piece, if partisan. I could be on Team Corbyn if he had shown any kind of willingness to bring all voices of the Labour Party into the Shadow Cabinet. Instead he doubled down. For the Conservatives I fear they will retreat to their comfort zone next week. Lots of lecturing on the wisdom of their policies, flag waving and attacks on Labour which will go down wonderfully well in the hall. Very little self examination or criticism, and no attempt to reach out to those who didn't support them. Above all none of that vision thing. I feel like I am being asked to choose local or general anaesthetic to have my testicles removed. I can see the advantages and disadvantages of both, but I'd really prefer not to thanks.
Incidentally, am I the only one who finds Labour's 'For the many not the few' slogan chilling? It's eerily reminiscent of 1930s populists such as Huey Long, seeking to stir up crowds by telling them they are being conspired against by a shadowy cabal of bankers (read, Jewish bankers) and capitalists.
Did he also say the bankers and capitalists were "citizens of nowhere"? I think the two are about level pegging in chillingness.
Incidentally, am I the only one who finds Labour's 'For the many not the few' slogan chilling? It's eerily reminiscent of 1930s populists such as Huey Long, seeking to stir up crowds by telling them they are being conspired against by a shadowy cabal of bankers (read, Jewish bankers) and capitalists.
It's profoundly chilling. It could be paraphrased " Let's get the minorities ".
Yesterday I idly began penning a thread which revolved around unicorns vs puppies. The unicorns that the Cons need to find to somehow rescue their electoral prospects vs the puppies promised by Lab to anyone who wants one.
It's still odds against, but they can then go into that election as the 'safe' option with (one hopes) a more competent, optimistic and inspiring leader than May.
If you read the link below about Johnson, Fox and Hannan's 'think tank', it's very hard to see how the party could pose as the 'safe' option. They'd be a sitting duck for a Corbynite campaign.
Once Brexit is complete, and a new status quo has been established, provided the world hasn't ended (it won't) it becomes yesterday's news.
No doubt a core will still be angry, resentful and angling for revenge - both hard Remainers, and maybe hard Brexiteers, and it's possibly the Conservatives voting coalition could change yet again - but most of the rest will breathe a sigh of relief, and want to get on with their lives.
Yesterday I idly began penning a thread which revolved around unicorns vs puppies. The unicorns that the Cons need to find to somehow rescue their electoral prospects vs the puppies promised by Lab to anyone who wants one.
Incidentally, am I the only one who finds Labour's 'For the many not the few' slogan chilling? It's eerily reminiscent of 1930s populists such as Huey Long, seeking to stir up crowds by telling them they are being conspired against by a shadowy cabal of bankers (read, Jewish bankers) and capitalists.
Did he also say the bankers and capitalists were "citizens of nowhere"? I think the two are about level pegging in chillingness.
Haven't they actually nicked it from one Tony Blair, erstwhile war criminal and banker lover?
Incidentally, am I the only one who finds Labour's 'For the many not the few' slogan chilling? It's eerily reminiscent of 1930s populists such as Huey Long, seeking to stir up crowds by telling them they are being conspired against by a shadowy cabal of bankers (read, Jewish bankers) and capitalists.
I raise you 'citizens of nowhere' which sounded a lot like the anti-semitic 'rootless cosmopolitans'
For what it's worth, I've voted Conservative in every election except 2001 when I voted Lib Dem in protest against Hague's leadership and 'save the pound' campaign, and 2017 when I voted Labour.
When May first called the election I assumed I'd vote Lib Dem again but a few days before the election I decided this would be a cop out. I might feel embarrassed by a Corbyn government, but that's preferable to feeling ashamed of my country.
I think there is a tendency here and elsewhere to look at this debate on Corbyn and Brexit from the perspective of a London or south east based relatively well off property owner - who potentially has something to lose and believes so too.
Many people who backed Brexit or voted for Corbyn - loaded possibly with student or credit card debt and/or working in a low paid insecure job, living pay cheque to pay cheque, spending s sizeable proportion of their income on private rent with a diminishing hope of buying or seeing their kids face all this and an uncertain future - don't actually think things can get any worse.
Not saying I share their conclusion - but when you think you have nothing to lose why wouldn't you want to blow up the whole 'rotten' system. Or as Michael Moore put it in his famous video about Trump voters in the rust belt - it's a chance to send s message to the political class, big banks and big corporations who you believe have ruined your lives!
Hard for a well off London/south east remain voting property owner to get - but it's a quite powerful emotion.
There's something in that, although plenty of affluent South Eastern boroughs did support Brexit.
Incidentally, am I the only one who finds Labour's 'For the many not the few' slogan chilling? It's eerily reminiscent of 1930s populists such as Huey Long, seeking to stir up crowds by telling them they are being conspired against by a shadowy cabal of bankers (read, Jewish bankers) and capitalists.
I raise you 'citizens of nowhere' which sounded a lot like the anti-semitic 'rootless cosmopolitans'
Yeah but that's not being used as the byline for an entire political campaign and party conference.
The Home Office needs to seriously get it’s act in order, any letters suggesting deportation need to be removed from the automated systems and sent out only by senior managers personally. Rudd needs to appoint a minister to oversee this, or else take charge of it herself.
However, it isn't a new issue. Highlighting it now is no more than political posturing, and not either helpful or clever.
I'm sure all the other EU27 equivalent departments are 100% accurate, efficient and perfect all the time.
We may be the worst, we need to improve, but it will never be perfect and error free, humans are involved (on both sides of the equation).;
I don’t disagree with that, but when there’s a story every week in the news about a middle class EU citizen being asked to leave, it makes us look incompetent. Mrs Rudd needs to get a grip, and fast. She is my outside chance for next out of the Cabinet.
A middle class professional EU citizen is the least concerning aspect - they have the resources and abilities to hand to sort it out. It is those with less intellect, education, resources or contacts who we should be worried about when they receive letters of deportation. They may not have the same media resonance.
I very much doubt whether the Conservatives are capable of tackling Mr Corbyn & his comrades, any more than the Labour mainstream people were able to tackle them.
Seems to me all the political parties have long since become flabby in the thinking department, so now there's this resurgence of solid political thought from the 1970s there's nothing left to counter it. Same sort of thing that will happen when we abandon the idea of defending ourselves - all harmony & light until someone who wants to take over comes along.
Yesterday I idly began penning a thread which revolved around unicorns vs puppies. The unicorns that the Cons need to find to somehow rescue their electoral prospects vs the puppies promised by Lab to anyone who wants one.
When you complete it, send it to me my via vanilla, I'm sure it is something PB would publish.
Mr. Meeks, you've got a choice between a party that marches with Hitler banners and is friends with people who deny the Holocaust, deny the right of Israel to exist and throw homosexuals off rooftops, and a sensible leftwing party that's currently poorly led. There's no comparison.
Oh, sorry. I meant "Stalin" banners, not "Hitler". And "rightwing", not "leftwing". But hey, if your moustachioed mass murderer of choice was on the left, it seems nobody cares... *sighs*
Dr. Spyn, not mere complacency, May was actively incompetent, with the worst manifesto since Herod promised a free grave for every firstborn, and refusing to do things just because Cameron (who was quite good at elections) had done them. Damned silly woman.
Talk me through that choice again. There's nothing sensible about the Conservatives at present. It's led by headcases who are currently at each other's throats about whether they should invade the continent or merely turn their back on it. They seem determined to obtain the worst possible outcome for Britain from Brexit and to damage as severely as possible the relations between Britain and all of its nearest neighbours.
Other than Brexit, how are the Tories being "headcases"?
Other than Brexit, what is the government doing?
Experience surely tells us the less they do the better for all.
Yesterday I idly began penning a thread which revolved around unicorns vs puppies. The unicorns that the Cons need to find to somehow rescue their electoral prospects vs the puppies promised by Lab to anyone who wants one.
I'd love to read a thread of yours.
That's kind unless I missed the saracasm! I have v little time so all those ideas usually end up half-done!
(I know, if I spent less time posting individual smart-arse comments on here I would have the time to write a proper piece...)
I reckon Corbyn's policy coup de grace before the next election will be the complete legalisation of cannabis.
Coup de grass.
It would be wildly popular with his base thus absolving him of any brexit related sins and would be a policy offer that the tories would be unable to match.
A Labour MP who claimed Prince Harry cannot fly a helicopter has defended her comments.
Emma Dent Coad, who reportedly made the remarks at a Labour fringe event, said she was told "it's an absolute fact", but added that she could not prove it.
The MP for Kensington - which includes Kensington Palace - told the BBC taxpayers should not fund the monarchy.
It has been a depressing time for Tories like me since June 23rd 2016.
But there are so few Tories like you that it doesn't really matter
My kind of Toryism is the only type of Toryism to have won a majority in the last quarter of a century, so it does matter.
Nah. You were just.lucky with your opponent. Against any viable opposition you would have been toast. You suffer from a strange form of hindsight bias that makes you think that because the Tories won their win was due to an intrinsic superiority on the part of your leadership. It is exactly the same flaw suffered by May. You were lucky. Nothing more.
A Labour MP who claimed Prince Harry cannot fly a helicopter has defended her comments.
Emma Dent Coad, who reportedly made the remarks at a Labour fringe event, said she was told "it's an absolute fact", but added that she could not prove it.
The MP for Kensington - which includes Kensington Palace - told the BBC taxpayers should not fund the monarchy.
If ever there was a reason to abolish the monarchy it is because they have become trendy:
"We have different views in the Labour party [said Angela Rayner]... but I actually think Prince William and Prince Harry have made the royal family more trendy again. I think there is a role for them - they're part of the stable British diet," she told the BBC.
It has been a depressing time for Tories like me since June 23rd 2016.
But there are so few Tories like you that it doesn't really matter
My kind of Toryism is the only type of Toryism to have won a majority in the last quarter of a century, so it does matter.
Politics is strange at the moment. All those left Labour people who used to say that the reason they were losing elections was because 'they weren't socialist enough' seem to have caught the zeitgeist. Tories no longer feel the need to pay lip service to the centre. I'm sure that the time for One Nation Toryism will return (and the sooner the better), less sure about moderate Labour.
For what it's worth, I've voted Conservative in every election except 2001 when I voted Lib Dem in protest against Hague's leadership and 'save the pound' campaign, and 2017 when I voted Labour.
When May first called the election I assumed I'd vote Lib Dem again but a few days before the election I decided this would be a cop out. I might feel embarrassed by a Corbyn government, but that's preferable to feeling ashamed of my country.
I'd have been disappointed if Remain had won the Referendum, but hardly "ashamed of my country."
You just have to accept that sometimes, you're in the minority.
On the Ladbrokes/Corbyn speech market I've backed Uber at 3, Prepare For Government at 6, Blair at 7 (3.1/6.5/7.5 with boosting).
Uber is topical, Prepare For Government matches the tone of the conference, Blair could fit in with the contrast between Corbyn's deranged socialism and the recent past.
It has been a depressing time for Tories like me since June 23rd 2016.
But there are so few Tories like you that it doesn't really matter
My kind of Toryism is the only type of Toryism to have won a majority in the last quarter of a century, so it does matter.
That sounds a bit like Smashy and Nicey type DJs applauding a song's poptastic performance in topping the charts for a record n weeks. It isn't a measure of intrinsic worth.
It has been a depressing time for Tories like me since June 23rd 2016.
But there are so few Tories like you that it doesn't really matter
My kind of Toryism is the only type of Toryism to have won a majority in the last quarter of a century, so it does matter.
Nah. You were just.lucky with your opponent. Against any viable opposition you would have been toast. You suffer from a strange form of hindsight bias that makes you think that because the Tories won their win was due to an intrinsic superiority on the part of your leadership. It is exactly the same flaw suffered by May. You were lucky. Nothing more.
Lucky with your opponent??? Since when did Ed pale into insignificance when set against the majesty (small "m") of The Great Jezza!?
I reckon Corbyn's policy coup de grace before the next election will be the complete legalisation of cannabis.
Well that would be one way of getting a large non-voting demographic out on polling day!
I wonder how many of the more libertarian conservatives would back legalisation too? There was a good documentary on this a couple of weeks ago, setting out arguments on both sides.
Yes, it's all looking grim for the Tories. The Corbynites of 2017 aren't going anywhere, and Jezza should even recruit some more, having become detoxified in the eyes of many simply by making a responsible fist of his campaign. Add to that Brexit, Theresa's fall from grace and natural political wastage, and it's inconceivable that the Tories won't slip further. Jezza just needs to count the days.
On the Ladbrokes/Corbyn speech market I've backed Uber at 3, Prepare For Government at 6, Blair at 7 (3.1/6.5/7.5 with boosting).
Uber is topical, Prepare For Government matches the tone of the conference, Blair could fit in with the contrast between Corbyn's deranged socialism and the recent past.
Those are all good tips. What about gig economy, is that in?
Yesterday I idly began penning a thread which revolved around unicorns vs puppies. The unicorns that the Cons need to find to somehow rescue their electoral prospects vs the puppies promised by Lab to anyone who wants one.
I'd love to read a thread of yours.
That's kind unless I missed the saracasm! I have v little time so all those ideas usually end up half-done!
(I know, if I spent less time posting individual smart-arse comments on here I would have the time to write a proper piece...)
No sarcasm, it's your comments that sometimes irritate me, not your angle ;-)
For what it's worth, I've voted Conservative in every election except 2001 when I voted Lib Dem in protest against Hague's leadership and 'save the pound' campaign, and 2017 when I voted Labour.
When May first called the election I assumed I'd vote Lib Dem again but a few days before the election I decided this would be a cop out. I might feel embarrassed by a Corbyn government, but that's preferable to feeling ashamed of my country.
I'd have been disappointed if Remain had won the Referendum, but hardly "ashamed of my country."
It's not just the referendum, but the way the result was interpreted and executed and the way the government gave carte blanche to unhinged British nationalism.
It has been a depressing time for Tories like me since June 23rd 2016.
But there are so few Tories like you that it doesn't really matter
My kind of Toryism is the only type of Toryism to have won a majority in the last quarter of a century, so it does matter.
Nah. You were just.lucky with your opponent. Against any viable opposition you would have been toast. You suffer from a strange form of hindsight bias that makes you think that because the Tories won their win was due to an intrinsic superiority on the part of your leadership. It is exactly the same flaw suffered by May. You were lucky. Nothing more.
Lucky with your opponent??? Since when did Ed pale into insignificance when set against the majesty (small "m") of The Great Jezza!?
May is also.lucky with her opponent. She and Cameron vie with each other for uselessness.
Meanwhile, in Green la-la-land: ttps://twitter.com/GreenpeaceUK/status/912971702363148288
So they spend thousands on advertising in Westminster - when Parliament isn’t sitting! Great use of donations there, greenpeace, once again giving the charity sector a bad name.
I reckon Corbyn's policy coup de grace before the next election will be the complete legalisation of cannabis.
Well that would be one way of getting a large non-voting demographic out on polling day!
I wonder how many of the more libertarian conservatives would back legalisation too? There was a good documentary on this a couple of weeks ago, setting out arguments on both sides.
So long as idiots like this get sent a bill, I'm all in favour:
Yes, it's all looking grim for the Tories. The Corbynites of 2017 aren't going anywhere, and Jezza should even recruit some more, having become detoxified in the eyes of many simply by making a responsible fist of his campaign. Add to that Brexit, Theresa's fall from grace and natural political wastage, and it's inconceivable that the Tories won't slip further. Jezza just needs to count the days.
I think that is over egging it. The use of the word 'inconceivable' in not consistent with the present political climate
Incidentally, am I the only one who finds Labour's 'For the many not the few' slogan chilling? It's eerily reminiscent of 1930s populists such as Huey Long, seeking to stir up crowds by telling them they are being conspired against by a shadowy cabal of bankers (read, Jewish bankers) and capitalists.
I raise you 'citizens of nowhere' which sounded a lot like the anti-semitic 'rootless cosmopolitans'
Bullocks. It's describing the oligarchs who move to the UK (encouraged by your friends) but not feel the need to make a contribution to society
A very well written and argued piece, if partisan. I could be on Team Corbyn if he had shown any kind of willingness to bring all voices of the Labour Party into the Shadow Cabinet. Instead he doubled down. For the Conservatives I fear they will retreat to their comfort zone next week. Lots of lecturing on the wisdom of their policies, flag waving and attacks on Labour which will go down wonderfully well in the hall. Very little self examination or criticism, and no attempt to reach out to those who didn't support them. Above all none of that vision thing. I feel like I am being asked to choose local or general anaesthetic to have my testicles removed. I can see the advantages and disadvantages of both, but I'd really prefer not to thanks.
Corbyn could have been more inclusive, but most of the moderates either refused to be in his shadow cabinet, or resigned from it. Many voted against him in the no confidence debacle. Corbyn then had little choice in who to appoint to his front bench. Some like Starmer and Ashworth were centrist but loyalists, others like Long Bailey, Rayner or Thornberry long time allies. They have done surprisingly well after difficult starts. The main exception is the ultraloyalist Abbott, but there the main issue seems to be her health.
The party needed to get its mojo back, and move on from the New Labour years. We no longer hear of Brownites and Blairites. There is a powerful sense of purpose to the party, often poorly focussed, and needing a little tempering to be ready to assume power, but that self belief is something missing from Labour for over a decade. Meanwhile the Tories have lost their purpose and belief, and the LDs have coronated the wrong leader with the wrong policies.
For what it's worth, I've voted Conservative in every election except 2001 when I voted Lib Dem in protest against Hague's leadership and 'save the pound' campaign, and 2017 when I voted Labour.
When May first called the election I assumed I'd vote Lib Dem again but a few days before the election I decided this would be a cop out. I might feel embarrassed by a Corbyn government, but that's preferable to feeling ashamed of my country.
I'd have been disappointed if Remain had won the Referendum, but hardly "ashamed of my country."
You just have to accept that sometimes, you're in the minority.
Your use of the word 'accept' implies that one should shut up and sit quietly by. But yesterdays minority might be tomorrows majority.
I reckon Corbyn's policy coup de grace before the next election will be the complete legalisation of cannabis.
Coup de grass.
It would be wildly popular with his base thus absolving him of any brexit related sins and would be a policy offer that the tories would be unable to match.
Why?
Legislation of drugs along with controls on use and registrations for hard drugs is the only sensible outcome.
A Labour MP who claimed Prince Harry cannot fly a helicopter has defended her comments.
Emma Dent Coad, who reportedly made the remarks at a Labour fringe event, said she was told "it's an absolute fact", but added that she could not prove it.
The MP for Kensington - which includes Kensington Palace - told the BBC taxpayers should not fund the monarchy.
For what it's worth, I've voted Conservative in every election except 2001 when I voted Lib Dem in protest against Hague's leadership and 'save the pound' campaign, and 2017 when I voted Labour.
When May first called the election I assumed I'd vote Lib Dem again but a few days before the election I decided this would be a cop out. I might feel embarrassed by a Corbyn government, but that's preferable to feeling ashamed of my country.
I'd have been disappointed if Remain had won the Referendum, but hardly "ashamed of my country."
It's not just the referendum, but the way the result was interpreted and executed and the way the government gave carte blanche to unhinged British nationalism.
Again, you exaggerate. "unhinged nationalism" is persecuting ethnic minorities and launching wars of conquest, not being rude about Jean Claude Juncker.
If you want ideologies making people worse off, look no further than Brexit brought to you by those lovely people in the Tory party.
The point being it might be hard for the Tory party to mount the campaign Cyclefree suggests.
Brexit was offered by the tories, though plenty of tories advised us not to do it and the public including labour and lib Dem voters took the offer up. It's the publics fault, people like me.
However it is true it seems hard for the tories to offer what they need to.
Politics is hard and sometimes unfair. If Brexit goes wrong, the blame will fall on the incumbent govt whoever that might be.
No doubt. And it will be hard to be entirely right, since there would always have been some pain even in the best scenarios.
He is not helping the EU cause. Who does he think he is
On this point, he is calling it right. The EU maintain that they cannot trust the UK to protect EU citizens rights post Brexit. And the behaviour of the home office reinforce their position every day. I accept that for the most part they are just administrative cock ups, but that doesn't alter anything.
Anyone who celebrates the fact that people with every right to be here lawfully, who pay taxes in this country, who have bought up children here and contribute to society are recieving unfounded threats of deportation have in my view serious psychological/empathy problems.
I reckon Corbyn's policy coup de grace before the next election will be the complete legalisation of cannabis.
Well that would be one way of getting a large non-voting demographic out on polling day!
I wonder how many of the more libertarian conservatives would back legalisation too? There was a good documentary on this a couple of weeks ago, setting out arguments on both sides.
So long as idiots like this get sent a bill, I'm all in favour:
Bloody morons. Every year some idiots go up Scafell in summer clothes or with a bottle of vodka for a party and get stuck. I’d bill every damn one of them for the mountain rescue, turbine powered helicopters are bloody expensive to keep in the air and are there to help those who fall down or get sick, not some prats out on a misadventure.
If you want ideologies making people worse off, look no further than Brexit brought to you by those lovely people in the Tory party.
The point being it might be hard for the Tory party to mount the campaign Cyclefree suggests.
Brexit was offered by the tories, though plenty of tories advised us not to do it and the public including labour and lib Dem voters took the offer up. It's the publics fault, people like me.
However it is true it seems hard for the tories to offer what they need to.
Politics is hard and sometimes unfair. If Brexit goes wrong, the blame will fall on the incumbent govt whoever that might be.
No doubt. And it will be hard to be entirely right, since there would always have been some pain even in the best scenarios.
Any harm may in part be mitigated by where the EU goes as we depart.
We may be up to the armpits or thereabouts in unsavoury earth coloured semi solids, but there may be relief that we are not on the train journey the EU are taking to a new destination that is incompatible to us.
For what it's worth, I've voted Conservative in every election except 2001 when I voted Lib Dem in protest against Hague's leadership and 'save the pound' campaign, and 2017 when I voted Labour.
When May first called the election I assumed I'd vote Lib Dem again but a few days before the election I decided this would be a cop out. I might feel embarrassed by a Corbyn government, but that's preferable to feeling ashamed of my country.
What you miss about Cameron and Osborne is they fundamentally governed for London (which had a positive impact on macro statistics).
A true One NationTorymanages to bridge the differing needs of the country and the metropolis. With the Big Society Cameron got close but didn't have the courage to push it through.
I like some of their policies, especially on the social side (the economics were not great as they didn't fix the underlying problems - all credit to @Alanbrooke for calling that early). But their mindset and focus on one group in society was all wrong
For what it's worth, I've voted Conservative in every election except 2001 when I voted Lib Dem in protest against Hague's leadership and 'save the pound' campaign, and 2017 when I voted Labour.
When May first called the election I assumed I'd vote Lib Dem again but a few days before the election I decided this would be a cop out. I might feel embarrassed by a Corbyn government, but that's preferable to feeling ashamed of my country.
For what it's worth, I've voted Conservative in every election except 2001 when I voted Lib Dem in protest against Hague's leadership and 'save the pound' campaign, and 2017 when I voted Labour.
When May first called the election I assumed I'd vote Lib Dem again but a few days before the election I decided this would be a cop out. I might feel embarrassed by a Corbyn government, but that's preferable to feeling ashamed of my country.
I'd have been disappointed if Remain had won the Referendum, but hardly "ashamed of my country."
You just have to accept that sometimes, you're in the minority.
Your use of the word 'accept' implies that one should shut up and sit quietly by. But yesterdays minority might be tomorrows majority.
No, I wouldn't say that.
But, one should accept that losing a political argument, even a big one, doesn't make your country shameful.
One should only be ashamed of one's country if its citizens are doing really horrible things.
Nuclear War at 6 for me. It is a longtime Jezza theme. I couldnt resist Magic Money Tree at 21,but of course these are suckers markets for Shadsy's beer fund. I will stand him a pint.
Good article from Cyclefree however I'm not as optimistic as her that the public will buy it. I still hear - despite all evidence - "they're all the same" and "Labour would be doing the same thing" (which would presumably still be rationalised as "the Tories ..." were Labour in power. To to many people, these prejudices against politicians are innate faiths and not to be set against facts.
The problem the Tories had with the dementia tax was that it couldn't be argued against as a fact because it was there in the manifesto: all that could be done was to explain and justify the detail, which is always a bad position to be in in an election, as Karl Rove noted.
By contrast, while Labour might well resort to extraordinary policies to maintain their objectives, they're not saying it now and trying to run scare stories on that scale is very difficult to make stick. The claims will be seen as literally incredible (wrongly) because they will be based on assertions, not published policy. It'll be the 'recession now' stuff of Remain.
Labour made much of its costed manifesto this time and will no doubt do the same next time - it'll all be paid for by someone else (unless you happen to be rich). Corporation Tax is only paid by companies, not people etc. It might be false but a complex falsehood is difficult to dispel without compelling evidence.
Sensible Labour members know where this could all end. But the way to beat Corbyn is for his the Tories to offer competence and aspiration, giving Labour's moderates time to regroup and retake control. Without that - and it's not especially evident at the moment - Corbyn will win and the doomsday scenarios could well be tested for real.
For what it's worth, I've voted Conservative in every election except 2001 when I voted Lib Dem in protest against Hague's leadership and 'save the pound' campaign, and 2017 when I voted Labour.
When May first called the election I assumed I'd vote Lib Dem again but a few days before the election I decided this would be a cop out. I might feel embarrassed by a Corbyn government, but that's preferable to feeling ashamed of my country.
I'd have been disappointed if Remain had won the Referendum, but hardly "ashamed of my country."
You just have to accept that sometimes, you're in the minority.
Your use of the word 'accept' implies that one should shut up and sit quietly by. But yesterdays minority might be tomorrows majority.
No, I wouldn't say that.
But, one should accept that losing a political argument, even a big one, doesn't make your country shameful.
One should only be ashamed of one's country if its citizens are doing really horrible things.
Depends how the argument was won. When, as here, the argument was won through contemptible xenophobia, shame is an entirely appropriate reaction.
A very well written and argued piece, if partisan. I could be on Team Corbyn if he had shown any kind of willingness to bring all voices of the Labour Party into the Shadow Cabinet. Instead he doubled down. For the Conservatives I fear they will retreat to their comfort zone next week. Lots of lecturing on the wisdom of their policies, flag waving and attacks on Labour which will go down wonderfully well in the hall. Very little self examination or criticism, and no attempt to reach out to those who didn't support them. Above all none of that vision thing. I feel like I am being asked to choose local or general anaesthetic to have my testicles removed. I can see the advantages and disadvantages of both, but I'd really prefer not to thanks.
Corbyn could have been more inclusive, but most of the moderates either refused to be in his shadow cabinet, or resigned from it. Many voted against him in the no confidence debacle. Corbyn then had little choice in who to appoint to his front bench. Some like Starmer and Ashworth were centrist but loyalists, others like Long Bailey, Rayner or Thornberry long time allies. They have done surprisingly well after difficult starts. The main exception is the ultraloyalist Abbott, but there the main issue seems to be her health.
The party needed to get its mojo back, and move on from the New Labour years. We no longer hear of Brownites and Blairites. There is a powerful sense of purpose to the party, often poorly focussed, and needing a little tempering to be ready to assume power, but that self belief is something missing from Labour for over a decade. Meanwhile the Tories have lost their purpose and belief, and the LDs have coronated the wrong leader with the wrong policies.
From the Guardian, "For example, one idea being kicked around informally by Labour MPs would be to enable patients to somehow vote out GPs if they feel they are getting a bad service."
For what it's worth, I've voted Conservative in every election except 2001 when I voted Lib Dem in protest against Hague's leadership and 'save the pound' campaign, and 2017 when I voted Labour.
When May first called the election I assumed I'd vote Lib Dem again but a few days before the election I decided this would be a cop out. I might feel embarrassed by a Corbyn government, but that's preferable to feeling ashamed of my country.
So how did you vote ?
Labour.
Bill Glenn voted to Bennite europhobe Corbyn. You bet
The Tory campaign was hinged on the idea that Corbyn was a dog whistle for their vote. They totally overlooked that their campaign and leader was a massive recruiting sergeant for the left. I don't think they get that yet.
I am no Corbyn fan, but he was the better of the two.
I think they get it entirely. Every Conservative I've spoken to was horrified by the incompetence of the campaign, and gobsmacked that, as you say, even Corbyn, of all people on this earth, was able to come out as the better of the two.
Again not sure you fully get it. It wasn't the campaign (which was bad). It was the underlying product. Both the personnel and the policies. It seemed that 2015-7 the Tories forgot everything that got them into power.
Jonathan I do not think the Conservatives forgot but they thought Labour was finished under Corbyn and they could in essence do what they like.They took many voters for granted that they had nowhere else to go.My father a Conservative for the first time in his life refused to vote.
That is my view
Big g My father was a big Thatcher supporter in the 80s my mother CND , they were always were discussing politics when I was young.No wonder I felt most comfortable under Blair.Last year they had been married 60 years so I got a copy of their wedding certificate and sent it off, so they got a letter from the Queen my mum even though not a monarchist was really pleased.
For what it's worth, I've voted Conservative in every election except 2001 when I voted Lib Dem in protest against Hague's leadership and 'save the pound' campaign, and 2017 when I voted Labour.
When May first called the election I assumed I'd vote Lib Dem again but a few days before the election I decided this would be a cop out. I might feel embarrassed by a Corbyn government, but that's preferable to feeling ashamed of my country.
I'd have been disappointed if Remain had won the Referendum, but hardly "ashamed of my country."
You just have to accept that sometimes, you're in the minority.
Your use of the word 'accept' implies that one should shut up and sit quietly by. But yesterdays minority might be tomorrows majority.
No, I wouldn't say that.
But, one should accept that losing a political argument, even a big one, doesn't make your country shameful.
One should only be ashamed of one's country if its citizens are doing really horrible things.
Depends how the argument was won. When, as here, the argument was won through contemptible xenophobia, shame is an entirely appropriate reaction.
This is one of the least xenophobic countries in the world.
Remain went so overboard with fear that people started laughing.
In the case of May the problem was she chose to call an election.
She chose to call the election. Therefore she must expect to gain seats. Therefore Corbyn cannot win. Therefore why should people fear a leader who cannot win
Having chosen to call the election, May needed to run a positive campaign instead of being negative.
What you miss about Cameron and Osborne is they fundamentally governed for London (which had a positive impact on macro statistics).
A true One NationTorymanages to bridge the differing needs of the country and the metropolis. With the Big Society Cameron got close but didn't have the courage to push it through.
I like some of their policies, especially on the social side (the economics were not great as they didn't fix the underlying problems - all credit to @Alanbrooke for calling that early). But their mindset and focus on one group in society was all wrong
Bullocks.
Look at the excellent Northern Powerhouse work begun by Osborne and Cameron for starters.
He is not helping the EU cause. Who does he think he is
On this point, he is calling it right. The EU maintain that they cannot trust the UK to protect EU citizens rights post Brexit. And the behaviour of the home office reinforce their position every day. I accept that for the most part they are just administrative cock ups, but that doesn't alter anything.
Anyone who celebrates the fact that people with every right to be here lawfully, who pay taxes in this country, who have bought up children here and contribute to society are recieving unfounded threats of deportation have in my view serious psychological/empathy problems.
The other aspect is that Guy Verhofstadt is leader of a large voting block in the Europ Parliament. Any A50 deal (inc transition) needs approval there. Hence he needs listening to. If we do not like what he says then we should prepare for the deal to fail.
It is not so much Merkel or Macron that influence Barnier, but rather what their brief from the commission is and what can be got through the MEPs.
For what it's worth, I've voted Conservative in every election except 2001 when I voted Lib Dem in protest against Hague's leadership and 'save the pound' campaign, and 2017 when I voted Labour.
When May first called the election I assumed I'd vote Lib Dem again but a few days before the election I decided this would be a cop out. I might feel embarrassed by a Corbyn government, but that's preferable to feeling ashamed of my country.
I'd have been disappointed if Remain had won the Referendum, but hardly "ashamed of my country."
You just have to accept that sometimes, you're in the minority.
Your use of the word 'accept' implies that one should shut up and sit quietly by. But yesterdays minority might be tomorrows majority.
No, I wouldn't say that.
But, one should accept that losing a political argument, even a big one, doesn't make your country shameful.
One should only be ashamed of one's country if its citizens are doing really horrible things.
Depends how the argument was won. When, as here, the argument was won through contemptible xenophobia, shame is an entirely appropriate reaction.
This is one of the least xenophobic countries in the world.
Unfortunately, last year shows different. You campaigned (and indeed continue to rejoice in the fact) on the basis of a campaign that majored on fear of foreigners. You are therefore perhaps not the best judge of such matters.
For what it's worth, I've voted Conservative in every election except 2001 when I voted Lib Dem in protest against Hague's leadership and 'save the pound' campaign, and 2017 when I voted Labour.
When May first called the election I assumed I'd vote Lib Dem again but a few days before the election I decided this would be a cop out. I might feel embarrassed by a Corbyn government, but that's preferable to feeling ashamed of my country.
I'd have been disappointed if Remain had won the Referendum, but hardly "ashamed of my country."
You just have to accept that sometimes, you're in the minority.
Your use of the word 'accept' implies that one should shut up and sit quietly by. But yesterdays minority might be tomorrows majority.
No, I wouldn't say that.
But, one should accept that losing a political argument, even a big one, doesn't make your country shameful.
One should only be ashamed of one's country if its citizens are doing really horrible things.
Depends how the argument was won. When, as here, the argument was won through contemptible xenophobia, shame is an entirely appropriate reaction.
This is one of the least xenophobic countries in the world.
Unfortunately, last year shows different. You campaigned (and indeed continue to rejoice in the fact) on the basis of a campaign that majored on fear of foreigners. You are therefore perhaps not the best judge of such matters.
I reckon Corbyn's policy coup de grace before the next election will be the complete legalisation of cannabis.
Well that would be one way of getting a large non-voting demographic out on polling day!
I wonder how many of the more libertarian conservatives would back legalisation too? There was a good documentary on this a couple of weeks ago, setting out arguments on both sides.
So long as idiots like this get sent a bill, I'm all in favour:
Bloody morons. Every year some idiots go up Scafell in summer clothes or with a bottle of vodka for a party and get stuck. I’d bill every damn one of them for the mountain rescue, turbine powered helicopters are bloody expensive to keep in the air and are there to help those who fall down or get sick, not some prats out on a misadventure.
The counter argument is that the helicopters would be practising mountain rescues if they weren't doing real ones, I suppose. The bigger objection is that they are not available for proper rescues if they are occupied with prats.
I have an exceptionally cool mountain rescue insurance policy which says I am not allowed above 6,500 m (1,200 m higher than Everest base camp) more than twice a year.
Mr. Eagles, I have some sympathy with that view on the Northern Powerhouse. But look at HS2. All about the south. Compare transport infrastructure spending. Again, heavily lopsided towards London.
There was also a slightly strange approach. The initial focus should've been on Leeds and Manchester, as being both in close proximity and the largest two cities of the North. Broadening it out to include Liverpool, Newcastle and Sheffield seemed rather odd to me.
More recently we've had electrification work cancelled up here whilst Crossrail goes ahead in London. Not a happy juxtaposition.
A very well written and argued piece, if partisan. I could be on Team Corbyn if he had shown any kind of willingness to bring all voices of the Labour Party into the Shadow Cabinet. Instead he doubled down. For the Conservatives I fear they will retreat to their comfort zone next week. Lots of lecturing on the wisdom of their policies, flag waving and attacks on Labour which will go down wonderfully well in the hall. Very little self examination or criticism, and no attempt to reach out to those who didn't support them. Above all none of that vision thing. I feel like I am being asked to choose local or general anaesthetic to have my testicles removed. I can see the advantages and disadvantages of both, but I'd really prefer not to thanks.
Corbyn could have been more inclusive, but most of the moderates either refused to be in his shadow cabinet, or resigned from it. Many voted against him in the no confidence debacle. Corbyn then had little choice in who to appoint to his front bench. Some like Starmer and Ashworth were centrist but loyalists, others like Long Bailey, Rayner or Thornberry long time allies. They have done surprisingly well after difficult starts. The main exception is the ultraloyalist Abbott, but there the main issue seems to be her health.
The party needed to get its mojo back, and move on from the New Labour years. We no longer hear of Brownites and Blairites. There is a powerful sense of purpose to the party, often poorly focussed, and needing a little tempering to be ready to assume power, but that self belief is something missing from Labour for over a decade. Meanwhile the Tories have lost their purpose and belief, and the LDs have coronated the wrong leader with the wrong policies.
From the Guardian, "For example, one idea being kicked around informally by Labour MPs would be to enable patients to somehow vote out GPs if they feel they are getting a bad service."
An interesting idea, I wonder how it would work.
The problem is that many people cannot do that because there is no space in other surgeries. For that to work there needs to be spare capacity.
Take my own Trust. We have 528 Nursing posts unfilled, 75 HCA's, over 100 doctors etc. The total vacancy rate is 8.3% of establishment. The limiting factor is not funds, but personnel. We have to take what we can get, even when that is rather lacklustre.
A very well written and argued piece, if partisan. I could be on Team Corbyn if he had shown any kind of willingness to bring all voices of the Labour Party into the Shadow Cabinet. Instead he doubled down. For the Conservatives I fear they will retreat to their comfort zone next week. Lots of lecturing on the wisdom of their policies, flag waving and attacks on Labour which will go down wonderfully well in the hall. Very little self examination or criticism, and no attempt to reach out to those who didn't support them. Above all none of that vision thing. I feel like I am being asked to choose local or general anaesthetic to have my testicles removed. I can see the advantages and disadvantages of both, but I'd really prefer not to thanks.
Corbyn could have been more inclusive, but most of the moderates either refused to be in his shadow cabinet, or resigned from it. Many voted against him in the no confidence debacle. Corbyn then had little choice in who to appoint to his front bench. Some like Starmer and Ashworth were centrist but loyalists, others like Long Bailey, Rayner or Thornberry long time allies. They have done surprisingly well after difficult starts. The main exception is the ultraloyalist Abbott, but there the main issue seems to be her health.
The party needed to get its mojo back, and move on from the New Labour years. We no longer hear of Brownites and Blairites. There is a powerful sense of purpose to the party, often poorly focussed, and needing a little tempering to be ready to assume power, but that self belief is something missing from Labour for over a decade. Meanwhile the Tories have lost their purpose and belief, and the LDs have coronated the wrong leader with the wrong policies.
From the Guardian, "For example, one idea being kicked around informally by Labour MPs would be to enable patients to somehow vote out GPs if they feel they are getting a bad service."
An interesting idea, I wonder how it would work.
The problem is that many people cannot do that because there is no space in other surgeries. For that to work there needs to be spare capacity.
Take my own Trust. We have 528 Nursing posts unfilled, 75 HCA's, over 100 doctors etc. The total vacancy rate is 8.3% of establishment. The limiting factor is not funds, but personnel. We have to take what we can get, even when that is rather lacklustre.
I am of course aware of that. It is a ridiculous idea.
Complaints to J. Corbyn, c/o the Labour Party, not me.
For what it's worth, I've voted Conservative in every election except 2001 when I voted Lib Dem in protest against Hague's leadership and 'save the pound' campaign, and 2017 when I voted Labour.
When May first called the election I assumed I'd vote Lib Dem again but a few days before the election I decided this would be a cop out. I might feel embarrassed by a Corbyn government, but that's preferable to feeling ashamed of my country.
I'd have been disappointed if Remain had won the Referendum, but hardly "ashamed of my country."
You just have to accept that sometimes, you're in the minority.
Your use of the word 'accept' implies that one should shut up and sit quietly by. But yesterdays minority might be tomorrows majority.
No, I wouldn't say that.
But, one should accept that losing a political argument, even a big one, doesn't make your country shameful.
One should only be ashamed of one's country if its citizens are doing really horrible things.
Depends how the argument was won. When, as here, the argument was won through contemptible xenophobia, shame is an entirely appropriate reaction.
This is one of the least xenophobic countries in the world.
I am LOLing at the fact that we have Tusk pontificating self-righteously about Brexit matters, and his successor-but-one in Poland saying this:
Hungary and Poland have vowed to stand firm against what they claim is an overbearing European Union, intent on eroding the sovereignty of member states and forcing them to accept quotas of refugees. Brussels has criticised the countries’ hardline stance on asylum, and other policies that it fears will undermine democracy, but Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban and Polish counterpart Beata Szydlo were defiant in Warsaw on Friday. “We accept the decision of immigrant countries that they want to be immigrant countries,” Mr Orban said of states that accept refugees, who he describes as a threat to Europe’s security, culture and identity. “We don’t want to be an immigrant country and we have every right not to be.” Ms Szydlo added: “The path our governments chose on the matter of illegal immigration turned out to be right.”
There is stacks of polling bearing out what you say, but it is also borne out by observation for anyone who ever leaves these shores. If you want to hear a cabbie on the "Enoch was right" theme, take a taxi in Rotterdam.
Yesterday I idly began penning a thread which revolved around unicorns vs puppies. The unicorns that the Cons need to find to somehow rescue their electoral prospects vs the puppies promised by Lab to anyone who wants one.
Go for it. Poor, old Tories need something to give them the horn
He is not helping the EU cause. Who does he think he is
On this point, he is calling it right. The EU maintain that they cannot trust the UK to protect EU citizens rights post Brexit. And the behaviour of the home office reinforce their position every day. I accept that for the most part they are just administrative cock ups, but that doesn't alter anything.
Anyone who celebrates the fact that people with every right to be here lawfully, who pay taxes in this country, who have bought up children here and contribute to society are recieving unfounded threats of deportation have in my view serious psychological/empathy problems.
The other aspect is that Guy Verhofstadt is leader of a large voting block in the Europ Parliament. Any A50 deal (inc transition) needs approval there. Hence he needs listening to. If we do not like what he says then we should prepare for the deal to fail.
It is not so much Merkel or Macron that influence Barnier, but rather what their brief from the commission is and what can be got through the MEPs.
So, yes his opinions do matter.
But, if I were the UK, I'd be looking to warm up other voting blocks in the EU parliament, such as the ECR and EFDD, and some of the less ideological EPP MEPs.
A very well written and argued piece, if partisan. I could be on Team Corbyn if he had shown any kind of willingness to bring all voices of the Labour Party into the Shadow Cabinet. Instead he doubled down. For the Conservatives I fear they will retreat to their comfort zone next week. Lots of lecturing on the wisdom of their policies, flag waving and attacks on Labour which will go down wonderfully well in the hall. Very little self examination or criticism, and no attempt to reach out to those who didn't support them. Above all none of that vision thing. I feel like I am being asked to choose local or general anaesthetic to have my testicles removed. I can see the advantages and disadvantages of both, but I'd really prefer not to thanks.
Corbyn could have been more inclusive, but most of the moderates either refused to be in his shadow cabinet, or resigned from it
The party needed to get its mojo back, and move on from the New Labour years. We no longer hear of Brownites and Blairites. There is a powerful sense of purpose to the party, often poorly focussed, and needing a little tempering to be ready to assume power, but that self belief is something missing from Labour for over a decade. Meanwhile the Tories have lost their purpose and belief, and the LDs have coronated the wrong leader with the wrong policies.
From the Guardian, "For example, one idea being kicked around informally by Labour MPs would be to enable patients to somehow vote out GPs if they feel they are getting a bad service."
An interesting idea, I wonder how it would work.
The problem is that many people cannot do that because there is no space in other surgeries. For that to work there needs to be spare capacity.
Take my own Trust. We have 528 Nursing posts unfilled, 75 HCA's, over 100 doctors etc. The total vacancy rate is 8.3% of establishment. The limiting factor is not funds, but personnel. We have to take what we can get, even when that is rather lacklustre.
I am of course aware of that. It is a ridiculous idea.
Complaints to J. Corbyn, c/o the Labour Party, not me.
The idea is fine, just the prospect of doctors competing for patients rather than vice versa requires major investment in recruitment and retention. In reality training budgets have been heavily cut in recent years. Our EU nurses have now returned home en masse, and our Trust is attempting recruitment in India and Phillipines again. The visa hurdles are very difficult though as not enough to go round.
The key to a Tory victory next time is to attack Labour heavily on tax, that is how they beat Kinnock in 1992 despite being in power for 13 years.
A campaign run by the New Zealand Nationals this month warning of Labour tax rises under Jacinda Ardern helped turn a narrow poll lead into a clear lead for National when the general election results were announced on Saturday
The idea is fine, just the prospect of doctors competing for patients rather than vice versa requires major investment in recruitment and retention. In reality training budgets have been heavily cut in recent years. Our EU nurses have now returned home en masse, and our Trust is attempting recruitment in India and Phillipines again. The visa hurdles are very difficult though as not enough to go round.
The idea is not fine, as the patient does not have sufficient expertise to judge whether the GP should be "voted out".
Mr. Eagles, I have some sympathy with that view on the Northern Powerhouse. But look at HS2. All about the south. Compare transport infrastructure spending. Again, heavily lopsided towards London.
There was also a slightly strange approach. The initial focus should've been on Leeds and Manchester, as being both in close proximity and the largest two cities of the North. Broadening it out to include Liverpool, Newcastle and Sheffield seemed rather odd to me.
More recently we've had electrification work cancelled up here whilst Crossrail goes ahead in London. Not a happy juxtaposition.
Not to mention that the main East coast road north of Newcastle will still be largely single lane notwithstanding promised upgrades. And hallelujah we are getting new rolling stock for Newcastle to Carlisle. Wait. It is 30 years old and deemed obsolete by TfL.
The key to a Tory victory next time is to attack Labour heavily on tax, that is how they beat Kinnock in 1992 despite being in power for 13 years.
A campaign run by the New Zealand Nationals this month warning of Labour tax rises under Jacinda Ardern helped turn a narrow poll lead into a clear lead for National when the general election results were announced on Saturday
A key difficulty is knowing what Labour will be in 4 or 5 years time.
A good start is to work out what you are for and how you can help people and how to get that message across. Now isn't a bad time to start, bandwagons and tankers take a long time to change direction.
Mr. Dean, quite. Leeds has seen tens, perhaps hundreds, of millions down the drain with repeated tram proposals only for central government to then pull the plug every time.
For what it's worth, I've voted Conservative in every election except 2001 when I voted Lib Dem in protest against Hague's leadership and 'save the pound' campaign, and 2017 when I voted Labour.
When May first called the election I assumed I'd vote Lib Dem again but a few days before the election I decided this would be a cop out. I might feel embarrassed by a Corbyn government, but that's preferable to feeling ashamed of my country.
I'd have been disappointed if Remain had won the Referendum, but hardly "ashamed of my country."
You just have to accept that sometimes, you're in the minority.
Your use of the word 'accept' implies that one should shut up and sit quietly by. But yesterdays minority might be tomorrows majority.
No, I wouldn't say that.
But, one should accept that losing a political argument, even a big one, doesn't make your country shameful.
One should only be ashamed of one's country if its citizens are doing really horrible things.
Depends how the argument was won. When, as here, the argument was won through contemptible xenophobia, shame is an entirely appropriate reaction.
This is one of the least xenophobic countries in the world.
Xenephobia is unfortunately pretty universal, to claim that the UK is at either extreme end of the spectrum gives off more than a whiff of exceptionalism.
However to claim that e.g. Farage doesn't happily trade in xenophobia would be specious.
The idea is fine, just the prospect of doctors competing for patients rather than vice versa requires major investment in recruitment and retention. In reality training budgets have been heavily cut in recent years. Our EU nurses have now returned home en masse, and our Trust is attempting recruitment in India and Phillipines again. The visa hurdles are very difficult though as not enough to go round.
The idea is not fine, as the patient does not have sufficient expertise to judge whether the GP should be "voted out".
A panel of medical peers may have that expertise.
It's an excellent idea. It will allow doctors who are not on the Momentum-approved list to be purged. Of course it's only the first step, but it takes time to set up gulags.
The key to a Tory victory next time is to attack Labour heavily on tax, that is how they beat Kinnock in 1992 despite being in power for 13 years.
A campaign run by the New Zealand Nationals this month warning of Labour tax rises under Jacinda Ardern helped turn a narrow poll lead into a clear lead for National when the general election results were announced on Saturday
A key difficulty is knowing what Labour will be in 4 or 5 years time.
A good start is to work out what you are for and how you can help people and how to get that message across. Now isn't a bad time to start, bandwagons and tankers take a long time to change direction.
True but governments don't win most seats in a third or 4th successive election by being positive but by going negative.
That was how the Tories beat Kinnock in 1992, Labour beat Howard in 2005 and also how Bush Snr beat Dukakis in 1988 for a third GOP term in the White House
The idea is fine, just the prospect of doctors competing for patients rather than vice versa requires major investment in recruitment and retention. In reality training budgets have been heavily cut in recent years. Our EU nurses have now returned home en masse, and our Trust is attempting recruitment in India and Phillipines again. The visa hurdles are very difficult though as not enough to go round.
The idea is not fine, as the patient does not have sufficient expertise to judge whether the GP should be "voted out".
A panel of medical peers may have that expertise.
It's an excellent idea. It will allow doctors who are not in the Momentum-approved list to be purged. Of course it's only the first step, but it takes time to set up gulags.
It does indeed have a whiff of 1930s Russia about it. Purges of the engineers who are judged to have failed by Party Members, etc.
Still, it will be DrFoxinSox's problem, not ours, when a group of patients decide he is a wrecker.
For what it's worth, I've voted Conservative in every election except 2001 when I voted Lib Dem in protest against Hague's leadership and 'save the pound' campaign, and 2017 when I voted Labour.
When May first called the election I assumed I'd vote Lib Dem again but a few days before the election I decided this would be a cop out. I might feel embarrassed by a Corbyn government, but that's preferable to feeling ashamed of my country.
I'd have been disappointed if Remain had won the Referendum, but hardly "ashamed of my country."
You just have to accept that sometimes, you're in the minority.
Your use of the word 'accept' implies that one should shut up and sit quietly by. But yesterdays minority might be tomorrows majority.
No, I wouldn't say that.
But, one should accept that losing a political argument, even a big one, doesn't make your country shameful.
One should only be ashamed of one's country if its citizens are doing really horrible things.
Depends how the argument was won. When, as here, the argument was won through contemptible xenophobia, shame is an entirely appropriate reaction.
This is one of the least xenophobic countries in the world.
Xenephobia is unfortunately pretty universal, to claim that the UK is at either extreme end of the spectrum gives off more than a whiff of exceptionalism.
However to claim that e.g. Farage doesn't happily trade in xenophobia would be specious.
Luckily for you the SNP are exceptionally non-xenophobic. Not even a whiff of hyposcricy.
Comments
Many people who backed Brexit or voted for Corbyn - loaded possibly with student or credit card debt and/or working in a low paid insecure job, living pay cheque to pay cheque, spending s sizeable proportion of their income on private rent with a diminishing hope of buying or seeing their kids face all this and an uncertain future - don't actually think things can get any worse.
Not saying I share their conclusion - but when you think you have nothing to lose why wouldn't you want to blow up the whole 'rotten' system. Or as Michael Moore put it in his famous video about Trump voters in the rust belt - it's a chance to send s message to the political class, big banks and big corporations who you believe have ruined your lives!
Hard for a well off London/south east remain voting property owner to get - but it's a quite powerful emotion.
I hope you packed your thermals, a day night match at the end of September, someone's got a sick sense of humour at the ECB.
I was going to leave the Old Trafford ODI early because of the cold but stayed because young Bairstow was close to getting a hundred.
(just a bit of gossip).
Although possibly only the first two. I've always felt May is, at heart, rather socially (and therefore electorally) unsure of herself. She does have a lot of faith in her analytical and administrative abilities, and therefore judges - ruthlessly - the capabilities of others against them, but from a personal branding point of view, aside from shoes, she is willing to let others project onto her what they want her to be.
Her actions suggest she hasn't historically cared (too much) what others think of her, probably because she didn't have to, but that doesn't mean she isn't socially insecure.
For the Conservatives I fear they will retreat to their comfort zone next week. Lots of lecturing on the wisdom of their policies, flag waving and attacks on Labour which will go down wonderfully well in the hall. Very little self examination or criticism, and no attempt to reach out to those who didn't support them. Above all none of that vision thing.
I feel like I am being asked to choose local or general anaesthetic to have my testicles removed. I can see the advantages and disadvantages of both, but I'd really prefer not to thanks.
Yesterday I idly began penning a thread which revolved around unicorns vs puppies. The unicorns that the Cons need to find to somehow rescue their electoral prospects vs the puppies promised by Lab to anyone who wants one.
No doubt a core will still be angry, resentful and angling for revenge - both hard Remainers, and maybe hard Brexiteers, and it's possibly the Conservatives voting coalition could change yet again - but most of the rest will breathe a sigh of relief, and want to get on with their lives.
a) predicting that Florence speech would push towards soft Brexit
b) explaining how the Florence speech was a push towards soft Brexit.
to
c) accepting that the Florence speech was in fact a reiteration of our Govt's Brexit principles as outlined in Lancaster House
and
d) saying how awful it all is.
Normal service is resumed....
When May first called the election I assumed I'd vote Lib Dem again but a few days before the election I decided this would be a cop out. I might feel embarrassed by a Corbyn government, but that's preferable to feeling ashamed of my country.
I very much doubt whether the Conservatives are capable of tackling Mr Corbyn & his comrades, any more than the Labour mainstream people were able to tackle them.
Seems to me all the political parties have long since become flabby in the thinking department, so now there's this resurgence of solid political thought from the 1970s there's nothing left to counter it. Same sort of thing that will happen when we abandon the idea of defending ourselves - all harmony & light until someone who wants to take over comes along.
Good morning, everyone.
(I know, if I spent less time posting individual smart-arse comments on here I would have the time to write a proper piece...)
Emma Dent Coad, who reportedly made the remarks at a Labour fringe event, said she was told "it's an absolute fact", but added that she could not prove it.
The MP for Kensington - which includes Kensington Palace - told the BBC taxpayers should not fund the monarchy.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-41411889
HUH...
"We have different views in the Labour party [said Angela Rayner]... but I actually think Prince William and Prince Harry have made the royal family more trendy again. I think there is a role for them - they're part of the stable British diet," she told the BBC.
All those left Labour people who used to say that the reason they were losing elections was because 'they weren't socialist enough' seem to have caught the zeitgeist.
Tories no longer feel the need to pay lip service to the centre.
I'm sure that the time for One Nation Toryism will return (and the sooner the better), less sure about moderate Labour.
You just have to accept that sometimes, you're in the minority.
Betting PostOn the Ladbrokes/Corbyn speech market I've backed Uber at 3, Prepare For Government at 6, Blair at 7 (3.1/6.5/7.5 with boosting).
Uber is topical, Prepare For Government matches the tone of the conference, Blair could fit in with the contrast between Corbyn's deranged socialism and the recent past.
I wonder how many of the more libertarian conservatives would back legalisation too? There was a good documentary on this a couple of weeks ago, setting out arguments on both sides.
But, we all have our good and bad days!
https://twitter.com/GreenpeaceUK/status/912971702363148288
https://tinyurl.com/ybtwjmux
The party needed to get its mojo back, and move on from the New Labour years. We no longer hear of Brownites and Blairites. There is a powerful sense of purpose to the party, often poorly focussed, and needing a little tempering to be ready to assume power, but that self belief is something missing from Labour for over a decade. Meanwhile the Tories have lost their purpose and belief, and the LDs have coronated the wrong leader with the wrong policies.
But yesterdays minority might be tomorrows majority.
Legislation of drugs along with controls on use and registrations for hard drugs is the only sensible outcome.
Should have happened years ago.
Anyone who celebrates the fact that people with every right to be here lawfully, who pay taxes in this country, who have bought up children here and contribute to society are recieving unfounded threats of deportation have in my view serious psychological/empathy problems.
We may be up to the armpits or thereabouts in unsavoury earth coloured semi solids, but there may be relief that we are not on the train journey the EU are taking to a new destination that is incompatible to us.
What you miss about Cameron and Osborne is they fundamentally governed for London (which had a positive impact on macro statistics).
A true One NationTorymanages to bridge the differing needs of the country and the metropolis. With the Big Society Cameron got close but didn't have the courage to push it through.
I like some of their policies, especially on the social side (the economics were not great as they didn't fix the underlying problems - all credit to @Alanbrooke for calling that early). But their mindset and focus on one group in society was all wrong
But, one should accept that losing a political argument, even a big one, doesn't make your country shameful.
One should only be ashamed of one's country if its citizens are doing really horrible things.
The problem the Tories had with the dementia tax was that it couldn't be argued against as a fact because it was there in the manifesto: all that could be done was to explain and justify the detail, which is always a bad position to be in in an election, as Karl Rove noted.
By contrast, while Labour might well resort to extraordinary policies to maintain their objectives, they're not saying it now and trying to run scare stories on that scale is very difficult to make stick. The claims will be seen as literally incredible (wrongly) because they will be based on assertions, not published policy. It'll be the 'recession now' stuff of Remain.
Labour made much of its costed manifesto this time and will no doubt do the same next time - it'll all be paid for by someone else (unless you happen to be rich). Corporation Tax is only paid by companies, not people etc. It might be false but a complex falsehood is difficult to dispel without compelling evidence.
Sensible Labour members know where this could all end. But the way to beat Corbyn is for his the Tories to offer competence and aspiration, giving Labour's moderates time to regroup and retake control. Without that - and it's not especially evident at the moment - Corbyn will win and the doomsday scenarios could well be tested for real.
An interesting idea, I wonder how it would work.
1) The polls showed a hung parliament was likely
2) Sturgeon/Salmond were seen as strong leaders
3) Miliband was seen as weak
On the other hand, if you want to see what went wrong with Remain then see this clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjOBcAelzJQ
Remain went so overboard with fear that people started laughing.
In the case of May the problem was she chose to call an election.
She chose to call the election. Therefore she must expect to gain seats. Therefore Corbyn cannot win. Therefore why should people fear a leader who cannot win
Having chosen to call the election, May needed to run a positive campaign instead of being negative.
Look at the excellent Northern Powerhouse work begun by Osborne and Cameron for starters.
It is not so much Merkel or Macron that influence Barnier, but rather what their brief from the commission is and what can be got through the MEPs.
So, yes his opinions do matter.
I have an exceptionally cool mountain rescue insurance policy which says I am not allowed above 6,500 m (1,200 m higher than Everest base camp) more than twice a year.
There was also a slightly strange approach. The initial focus should've been on Leeds and Manchester, as being both in close proximity and the largest two cities of the North. Broadening it out to include Liverpool, Newcastle and Sheffield seemed rather odd to me.
More recently we've had electrification work cancelled up here whilst Crossrail goes ahead in London. Not a happy juxtaposition.
Take my own Trust. We have 528 Nursing posts unfilled, 75 HCA's, over 100 doctors etc. The total vacancy rate is 8.3% of establishment. The limiting factor is not funds, but personnel. We have to take what we can get, even when that is rather lacklustre.
Complaints to J. Corbyn, c/o the Labour Party, not me.
Hungary and Poland have vowed to stand firm against what they claim is an overbearing European Union, intent on eroding the sovereignty of member states and forcing them to accept quotas of refugees.
Brussels has criticised the countries’ hardline stance on asylum, and other policies that it fears will undermine democracy, but Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban and Polish counterpart Beata Szydlo were defiant in Warsaw on Friday.
“We accept the decision of immigrant countries that they want to be immigrant countries,” Mr Orban said of states that accept refugees, who he describes as a threat to Europe’s security, culture and identity.
“We don’t want to be an immigrant country and we have every right not to be.”
Ms Szydlo added: “The path our governments chose on the matter of illegal immigration turned out to be right.”
There is stacks of polling bearing out what you say, but it is also borne out by observation for anyone who ever leaves these shores. If you want to hear a cabbie on the "Enoch was right" theme, take a taxi in Rotterdam.
Ben Stokes in the news. Two sentences juxtaposed.
1. Stokes was held on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm after an incident outside a nightclub in Bristol.
2. The all-rounder, 26, has a minor fracture in his right hand but is expected to be fit enough to take a full part in the five-Test tour.
A campaign run by the New Zealand Nationals this month warning of Labour tax rises under Jacinda Ardern helped turn a narrow poll lead into a clear lead for National when the general election results were announced on Saturday
A panel of medical peers may have that expertise.
A good start is to work out what you are for and how you can help people and how to get that message across. Now isn't a bad time to start, bandwagons and tankers take a long time to change direction.
However to claim that e.g. Farage doesn't happily trade in xenophobia would be specious.
That was how the Tories beat Kinnock in 1992, Labour beat Howard in 2005 and also how Bush Snr beat Dukakis in 1988 for a third GOP term in the White House
Still, it will be DrFoxinSox's problem, not ours, when a group of patients decide he is a wrecker.