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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » The first poll of November finds a tad of comfort for Mrs. May

SystemSystem Posts: 11,006
edited November 2017 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » The first poll of November finds a tad of comfort for Mrs. May and raises questions of LAB

With Mrs. May having to say goodbye to two of her 22 cabinet ministers in less than a week you’d have thought that Labour and Corbyn would have seen an increase in their position in the polls.

Read the full story here


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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,961
    YouGov Gold Standard confirmed. :o
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,961
    RobD said:

    YouGov Gold Standard confirmed. :o

    at least for best PM ratings :smiley:
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    RogerRoger Posts: 18,891
    Theresa May has an impregnable firewall while Corbyn is in charge. It's time Labour stopped patting itself on the back and addressed this. There's nothing they can do in policy terms because everyone knows what a Corbyn government will look like and it scares too many people.

    The only way I can see the aspirations of the new Labour voters and the 'anything but Corbyn's' can put an end to this government is for him to resign and throw his weight behing Emily Thornberry.
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    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    Roger said:

    Theresa May has an impregnable firewall while Corbyn is in charge. It's time Labour stopped patting itself on the back and addressed this. There's nothing they can do in policy terms because everyone knows what a Corbyn government will look like and it scares too many people.

    The only way I can see the aspirations of the new Labour voters and the 'anything but Corbyn's' can put an end to this government is for him to resign and throw his weight behing Emily Thornberry.

    Why would he do that when they are so close, after all these years?
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    That's what's changed:

    YouGov Times poll – should TMay stand down?
    Should 32% -6
    Should not 42%+3
    Changes on month ago


    From level pegging to a 10 point lead for soldiering on - in the midst of the 'Tory Sex Scandal' (sic)......maybe people are starting to think through who the replacements might be....
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,842
    Morning. Good polling figures for the government there, and proof that the public are mostly switched off from the day to day politics that excites us all so much on here.

    Big set piece of the Budget coming up, then we’ll all be thinking about Christmas.
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    Many more polls as good as this one and Mrs May will call a snap election.
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    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,354
    Roger said:

    Theresa May has an impregnable firewall while Corbyn is in charge...

    Is that like the one Hillary had ?
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,216

    Many more polls as good as this one and Mrs May will call a snap election.

    Lol!

    I think the harassment scandal does have the effect of making Mrs May look as if she is set apart from a load of badly behaved men, which may explain her good PM ratings. Whether they persist through the subsequent fiasco with Patel will be interesting.
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,095
    Roger said:

    Theresa May has an impregnable firewall while Corbyn is in charge. It's time Labour stopped patting itself on the back and addressed this. There's nothing they can do in policy terms because everyone knows what a Corbyn government will look like and it scares too many people.

    The only way I can see the aspirations of the new Labour voters and the 'anything but Corbyn's' can put an end to this government is for him to resign and throw his weight behing Emily Thornberry.

    Prime Minister Emily Thornberry.

    Put yourself on tape saying that. Then watch it back 100 times - and digest how much of a mess Labour is in, when Emily Thornberry is thought to be the answer to its woes.

    PS Was at the Murder on the Orient Express premiere last week. A monumental waste of effort. Did nobody ask "er...why do we need this?" ?? Well, after her efforts this spring, maybe Theresa May might have.
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,095

    Many more polls as good as this one and Mrs May will call a snap election.

    Arf!
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,095
    "We are a long way from Corbyn’s Glastonbury hubris in late June when he was telling people he’d be PM by Christmas."

    Arf!
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    More Goldilocks Polling. Government kept on the tightest of leashes and certainly won't risk another early election stunt on those numbers. Labour not doing better because they've don't deserve to and with those numbers the government won't disintegrate. The electorate knows what it's doing and it's working.

    In addition both parties have found stasis sweet spots re Brexit. The Tories as the party of Brexit and Labour as the party of not blocking Brexit but softening it enough to pull in Remainers. Both of these formulations seem stable for now. As for minor parties well who other than their cores needs them. The two big parties have acquired binary sweet spots on either side of the binary issue dividing the nation.

    I suspect we'll see no big polling shift till there is a deal/no deal for the public to make a judgement on and that will require Labour to get off the fence.

    In short even thin ice can be remarkably stable until it breaks.
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    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,918

    That's what's changed:

    YouGov Times poll – should TMay stand down?
    Should 32% -6
    Should not 42%+3
    Changes on month ago


    From level pegging to a 10 point lead for soldiering on - in the midst of the 'Tory Sex Scandal' (sic)......maybe people are starting to think through who the replacements might be....

    Alternatively; it’s November, not another b@£$%y election. We elected you lot; sort yourselves out!
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    That's what's changed:

    YouGov Times poll – should TMay stand down?
    Should 32% -6
    Should not 42%+3
    Changes on month ago


    From level pegging to a 10 point lead for soldiering on - in the midst of the 'Tory Sex Scandal' (sic)......maybe people are starting to think through who the replacements might be....

    Alternatively; it’s November, not another b@£$%y election. We elected you lot; sort yourselves out!
    That too - voters decide and expect politicians to get on with it - and don't take kindly to being asked unnecessarily (May) or stupid questions (Heath - if you've got to ask, its not you.)
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,095

    More Goldilocks Polling. Government kept on the tightest of leashes and certainly won't risk another early election stunt on those numbers. Labour not doing better because they've don't deserve to and with those numbers the government won't disintegrate. The electorate knows what it's doing and it's working.

    In addition both parties have found stasis sweet spots re Brexit. The Tories as the party of Brexit and Labour as the party of not blocking Brexit but softening it enough to pull in Remainers. Both of these formulations seem stable for now. As for minor parties well who other than their cores needs them. The two big parties have acquired binary sweet spots on either side of the binary issue dividing the nation.

    I suspect we'll see no big polling shift till there is a deal/no deal for the public to make a judgement on and that will require Labour to get off the fence.

    In short even thin ice can be remarkably stable until it breaks.

    It does lead to the question: when Brexit happens in March 2019, what will be there to keep it pulling in the Remainers? "If you thought Brexit was the UK taking a monstrous risk, then you'll love our New Venezuela economic manifesto...."
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    The people looking at polls to see if Corbyn’s Labour leads by about 10 points or so are still following the old rules of politics. Those rules are no longer good enough to gage what will happen anymore. By the old rules, May should have won a significant majority because that’s what polls were telling us all the way up until GE day, with the exception of two pollsters. By the old rules, Labour closing the gap during the campaign should have never have happened because Corbyn had worse leadership ratings than Ed M. By the old rules no one this left wing should be polling 40%+ at all. The big lesson from the last two years should be that the old rules do not work and attempting to measure politics by them will lead you down to garden path.

    In fact, saying that, even by the old rules - has anyone led by about 10+ points consistently less than 6 months after a GE? Usually even by the old rules it’s by about midterm you’d expect that to happen. The political circumstances we face here where a government is this bad so soon after a GE doesn’t really have many historical parallels to compare it to, as a reference to what we should expect.

    The Tories appear to have gone from being extremely confident that they’d crush a Marxist as a soon as a GE was called to now being relieved that they’re ‘only’ three points behind him. That’s pretty extraordinary.

    Also, anyone who thought Corbyn would be PM by Christmas is delusional.
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,216

    The people looking at polls to see if Corbyn’s Labour leads by about 10 points or so are still following the old rules of politics. Those rules are no longer good enough to gage what will happen anymore. By the old rules, May should have won a significant majority because that’s what polls were telling us all the way up until GE day, with the exception of two pollsters. By the old rules, Labour closing the gap during the campaign should have never have happened because Corbyn had worse leadership ratings than Ed M. By the old rules no one this left wing should be polling 40%+ at all. The big lesson from the last two years should be that the old rules do not work and attempting to measure politics by them will lead you down to garden path.

    In fact, saying that, even by the old rules - has anyone led by about 10+ points consistently less than 6 months after a GE? Usually even by the old rules it’s by about midterm you’d expect that to happen. The political circumstances we face here where a government is this bad so soon after a GE doesn’t really have many historical parallels to compare it to, as a reference to what we should expect.

    The Tories appear to have gone from being extremely confident that they’d crush a Marxist as a soon as a GE was called to now being relieved that they’re ‘only’ three points behind him. That’s pretty extraordinary.

    Also, anyone who thought Corbyn would be PM by Christmas is delusional.

    That was Jeremy himself!
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    That's what's changed:

    YouGov Times poll – should TMay stand down?
    Should 32% -6
    Should not 42%+3
    Changes on month ago


    From level pegging to a 10 point lead for soldiering on - in the midst of the 'Tory Sex Scandal' (sic)......maybe people are starting to think through who the replacements might be....

    That’s not remotely surprising. Most will look at the alternatives to May as PM and see that most are rubbish and actually would be worse. If anything that should worry the Tories.
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,216

    More Goldilocks Polling. Government kept on the tightest of leashes and certainly won't risk another early election stunt on those numbers. Labour not doing better because they've don't deserve to and with those numbers the government won't disintegrate. The electorate knows what it's doing and it's working.

    In addition both parties have found stasis sweet spots re Brexit. The Tories as the party of Brexit and Labour as the party of not blocking Brexit but softening it enough to pull in Remainers. Both of these formulations seem stable for now. As for minor parties well who other than their cores needs them. The two big parties have acquired binary sweet spots on either side of the binary issue dividing the nation.

    I suspect we'll see no big polling shift till there is a deal/no deal for the public to make a judgement on and that will require Labour to get off the fence.

    In short even thin ice can be remarkably stable until it breaks.

    It does lead to the question: when Brexit happens in March 2019, what will be there to keep it pulling in the Remainers? "If you thought Brexit was the UK taking a monstrous risk, then you'll love our New Venezuela economic manifesto...."
    When the downsides of Brexit become apparent, both to the economy and our position on the world stage, the challenge for Labour (and indeed other opposition parties) will be to show that they are better able to deal with this fallout than the architects of the idea in the first place.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    Roger said:

    Theresa May has an impregnable firewall while Corbyn is in charge. It's time Labour stopped patting itself on the back and addressed this. There's nothing they can do in policy terms because everyone knows what a Corbyn government will look like and it scares too many people.

    That impregnable firewall was there in the spring. It didn't work and wasn't impregnable.

    More Goldilocks Polling. Government kept on the tightest of leashes and certainly won't risk another early election stunt on those numbers. Labour not doing better because they've don't deserve to and with those numbers the government won't disintegrate. The electorate knows what it's doing and it's working.

    In addition both parties have found stasis sweet spots re Brexit. The Tories as the party of Brexit and Labour as the party of not blocking Brexit but softening it enough to pull in Remainers. Both of these formulations seem stable for now. As for minor parties well who other than their cores needs them. The two big parties have acquired binary sweet spots on either side of the binary issue dividing the nation.

    I suspect we'll see no big polling shift till there is a deal/no deal for the public to make a judgement on and that will require Labour to get off the fence.

    In short even thin ice can be remarkably stable until it breaks.

    It does lead to the question: when Brexit happens in March 2019, what will be there to keep it pulling in the Remainers? "If you thought Brexit was the UK taking a monstrous risk, then you'll love our New Venezuela economic manifesto...."
    Remainers are going to vote Anything but Tory, and that means mostly Labour. The Tories have lostt that demographic for a generation.
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    @IanB2 Then he’s delusional.

    More Goldilocks Polling. Government kept on the tightest of leashes and certainly won't risk another early election stunt on those numbers. Labour not doing better because they've don't deserve to and with those numbers the government won't disintegrate. The electorate knows what it's doing and it's working.

    In addition both parties have found stasis sweet spots re Brexit. The Tories as the party of Brexit and Labour as the party of not blocking Brexit but softening it enough to pull in Remainers. Both of these formulations seem stable for now. As for minor parties well who other than their cores needs them. The two big parties have acquired binary sweet spots on either side of the binary issue dividing the nation.

    I suspect we'll see no big polling shift till there is a deal/no deal for the public to make a judgement on and that will require Labour to get off the fence.

    In short even thin ice can be remarkably stable until it breaks.

    It does lead to the question: when Brexit happens in March 2019, what will be there to keep it pulling in the Remainers? "If you thought Brexit was the UK taking a monstrous risk, then you'll love our New Venezuela economic manifesto...."
    The idea that Brexit will stop being a relevant part of the political debate in March 2019 - well, it’s a view I guess. Brexit will continue to impact this country long after we’ve officially exited, and that in of itself will help Labour keep Remainers. Brexit is not just indicative of whether some likes or dislikes the EU but someone’s entire worldview - we’ve seen the polling which has shown, for example, that Remainers are far more keen on social liberalism than Leavers are. As long as Labour are seen as the representatives of that kind of works view, they’ll continue to do well with Remainers. As long as the Conservative party continue down the road they are on, there is no reason for Remainers to vote for them.
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    The budget is due in less than a fortnight. That is the next known unknown.
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    Roger said:

    Theresa May has an impregnable firewall while Corbyn is in charge. It's time Labour stopped patting itself on the back and addressed this. There's nothing they can do in policy terms because everyone knows what a Corbyn government will look like and it scares too many people.

    That impregnable firewall was there in the spring. It didn't work and wasn't impregnable.

    More Goldilocks Polling. Government kept on the tightest of leashes and certainly won't risk another early election stunt on those numbers. Labour not doing better because they've don't deserve to and with those numbers the government won't disintegrate. The electorate knows what it's doing and it's working.

    In addition both parties have found stasis sweet spots re Brexit. The Tories as the party of Brexit and Labour as the party of not blocking Brexit but softening it enough to pull in Remainers. Both of these formulations seem stable for now. As for minor parties well who other than their cores needs them. The two big parties have acquired binary sweet spots on either side of the binary issue dividing the nation.

    I suspect we'll see no big polling shift till there is a deal/no deal for the public to make a judgement on and that will require Labour to get off the fence.

    In short even thin ice can be remarkably stable until it breaks.

    It does lead to the question: when Brexit happens in March 2019, what will be there to keep it pulling in the Remainers? "If you thought Brexit was the UK taking a monstrous risk, then you'll love our New Venezuela economic manifesto...."
    Remainers are going to vote Anything but Tory, and that means mostly Labour. The Tories have lostt that demographic for a generation.
    Agreed. The more I look back at the GE, the more I’m mortified that I considered voting for Conservatives and thankful that I didn’t make that mistake.
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,216
    edited November 2017

    Roger said:

    Theresa May has an impregnable firewall while Corbyn is in charge. It's time Labour stopped patting itself on the back and addressed this. There's nothing they can do in policy terms because everyone knows what a Corbyn government will look like and it scares too many people.

    That impregnable firewall was there in the spring. It didn't work and wasn't impregnable.

    More Goldilocks Polling. Government kept on the tightest of leashes and certainly won't risk another early election stunt on those numbers. Labour not doing better because they've don't deserve to and with those numbers the government won't disintegrate. The electorate knows what it's doing and it's working.

    In addition both parties have found stasis sweet spots re Brexit. The Tories as the party of Brexit and Labour as the party of not blocking Brexit but softening it enough to pull in Remainers. Both of these formulations seem stable for now. As for minor parties well who other than their cores needs them. The two big parties have acquired binary sweet spots on either side of the binary issue dividing the nation.

    I suspect we'll see no big polling shift till there is a deal/no deal for the public to make a judgement on and that will require Labour to get off the fence.

    In short even thin ice can be remarkably stable until it breaks.

    It does lead to the question: when Brexit happens in March 2019, what will be there to keep it pulling in the Remainers? "If you thought Brexit was the UK taking a monstrous risk, then you'll love our New Venezuela economic manifesto...."
    Remainers are going to vote Anything but Tory, and that means mostly Labour. The Tories have lostt that demographic for a generation.
    +1.

    The figures from that Fareham by-election last night suggest that former UKIP supporters switched straight to LibDem. Some will have done, having been anti-Tories from the start. But the greater switches were probably UKIP->Tory and Tory->LibDem.

    The Tories are acquiring a new demographic, older, less educated and later in the census alphabet than their traditional core (edit/ OK, not so much older). But I don't see that the party is yet well equipped to represent these people, particularly on economic issues.
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,216
    I just went to catch up on This Week, and see that it is not this week. What a week to miss!
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    The only 3 point lead isn't just driven by Corbyn. It's driven by Brexit loons - hence May's desire to hurl Britain over the cliff to retain their votes. Once we are hurled off and the economy tanks those voters will go back to UKIP - the failure to deliver the Promised Land obviously the Tories fault. So they'll go back to a UKIP party probably led on 2019 by Robert Kilroy-Silk
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    The only 3 point lead isn't just driven by Corbyn. It's driven by Brexit loons - hence May's desire to hurl Britain over the cliff to retain their votes. Once we are hurled off and the economy tanks those voters will go back to UKIP - the failure to deliver the Promised Land obviously the Tories fault. So they'll go back to a UKIP party probably led on 2019 by Robert Kilroy-Silk

    My dad is a Brexiteer, he’ll never admit he made a mistake by voting Leave. He wants the hardest Brexit possible, and sees Europe and Europeans as ‘bad’.
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    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,918
    IanB2 said:

    Roger said:

    Theresa May has an impregnable firewall while Corbyn is in charge. It's time Labour stopped patting itself on the back and addressed this. There's nothing they can do in policy terms because everyone knows what a Corbyn government will look like and it scares too many people.

    That impregnable firewall was there in the spring. It didn't work and wasn't impregnable.

    More Goldilocks Polling. Government kept on the tightest of leashes and certainly won't risk another early election stunt on those numbers. Labour not doing better because they've don't deserve to and with those numbers the government won't disintegrate. The electorate knows what it's doing and it's working.

    In addition both parties have found stasis sweet spots re Brexit. The Tories as the party of Brexit and Labour as the party of not blocking Brexit but softening it enough to pull in Remainers. Both of these formulations seem stable for now. As for minor parties well who other than their cores needs them. The two big parties have acquired binary sweet spots on either side of the binary issue dividing the nation.

    I suspect we'll see no big polling shift till there is a deal/no deal for the public to make a judgement on and that will require Labour to get off the fence.

    In short even thin ice can be remarkably stable until it breaks.

    It does lead to the question: when Brexit happens in March 2019, what will be there to keep it pulling in the Remainers? "If you thought Brexit was the UK taking a monstrous risk, then you'll love our New Venezuela economic manifesto...."
    Remainers are going to vote Anything but Tory, and that means mostly Labour. The Tories have lostt that demographic for a generation.
    +1.

    The figures from that Fareham by-election last night suggest that former UKIP supporters switched straight to LibDem. Some will have done, having been anti-Tories from the start. But the greater switches were probably UKIP->Tory and Tory->LibDem.

    The Tories are acquiring a new demographic, older, less educated and later in the census alphabet than their traditional core (edit/ OK, not so much older). But I don't see that the party is yet well equipped to represent these people, particularly on economic issues.
    Variable turnout? Britain Elects, AFAIK, doesn’t show turnout.
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    ThomasNasheThomasNashe Posts: 4,964
    edited November 2017

    The only 3 point lead isn't just driven by Corbyn. It's driven by Brexit loons - hence May's desire to hurl Britain over the cliff to retain their votes. Once we are hurled off and the economy tanks those voters will go back to UKIP - the failure to deliver the Promised Land obviously the Tories fault. So they'll go back to a UKIP party probably led on 2019 by Robert Kilroy-Silk

    We'll all be 'shafted'.
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    felixfelix Posts: 15,124
    The polls have been fairly consistent over the past few moths against an incessantly negative media message against T. May and Brexit. The message, which of course will not be heard is that the group most out of touch are the media commentariat and the 'experts.'
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,900
    There will be a rush on Belfast warehousing if it stays in the customs union I think
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    PongPong Posts: 4,693
    edited November 2017
    The potential cat among the pigeons is Hammonds budget - if he attempts address intergenerational unfairness - and if so, how far does he go? Doing anything meaningful is hugely expensive. Doing anything meaningful while trying to balance the books will have the client vote screaming blue murder.

    How will the under 50/over 50 split change?

    https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/4y1e1sdlwa/InternalResults_171024_VI.pdf

    We'll see.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548

    The only 3 point lead isn't just driven by Corbyn. It's driven by Brexit loons - hence May's desire to hurl Britain over the cliff to retain their votes. Once we are hurled off and the economy tanks those voters will go back to UKIP - the failure to deliver the Promised Land obviously the Tories fault. So they'll go back to a UKIP party probably led on 2019 by Robert Kilroy-Silk

    My dad is a Brexiteer, he’ll never admit he made a mistake by voting Leave. He wants the hardest Brexit possible, and sees Europe and Europeans as ‘bad’.
    I have stopped talking politics with Grandpa Fox for similar reasons.
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    More Goldilocks Polling. Government kept on the tightest of leashes and certainly won't risk another early election stunt on those numbers. Labour not doing better because they've don't deserve to and with those numbers the government won't disintegrate. The electorate knows what it's doing and it's working.

    In addition both parties have found stasis sweet spots re Brexit. The Tories as the party of Brexit and Labour as the party of not blocking Brexit but softening it enough to pull in Remainers. Both of these formulations seem stable for now. As for minor parties well who other than their cores needs them. The two big parties have acquired binary sweet spots on either side of the binary issue dividing the nation.

    I suspect we'll see no big polling shift till there is a deal/no deal for the publi

    It does lead to the question: when Brexit happens in March 2019, what will be there to keep it pulling in the Remainers? "If you thought Brexit was the UK taking a monstrous risk, then you'll love our New Venezuela economic manifesto...."
    Brexit keeps getting longer. First we had the two year transition. Now the briefing it will have to be longer. Now the briefing is we except the FTA won't be ready by 2019. So negotiations won't end then but will continue well passed it. Once we've left but are in transition the campaign will shift to turn transition into limbo. If we didn't want the cliff edge in 2019 why would be want it later ? Then there is the continent wide ratification process for any new Treaties needed aside from the A50 agreement. We've asked for at least one ourselves. I think there is a real possibility at least one EU member will hold a referendum on the new Treaty/Treaties for a laugh. If the FTA takes as long as Canada It'll be ready around 2025.

    But that's just seperation. We only then start divergence. The likely US Trade deal will see everyone from the TUC, NFU and the Daily Mail united around animal welfare, agricultural tariffs and NHS privatisation. And if we don't diverge what was the point ? If we get a Liam Fox Brexit the 2032 General Election will feature plenty of policy debates over regulatory and tariff divergence than will be fought in terms of bread and butter ( literally ) issues.

    And of course once transition ends and we move to FTA terms the campaign to rejoin the SM kicks off. And of course all along every rag tag grievance that was blamed on the EU is going to now be blamed on leaving the EU.

    The idea " Brexit " ends as an issue in January 2019 is frankly delusional. What should terrify you frankly is that there is already zero buy in in the polls past 52%. Once the psychological moment of departure happens and blue passports come back well .... permanent transition make seem quite attractive to many. We'll be arguing about this for at least a decade. At least.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    edited November 2017
    Pong said:

    The potential cat among the pigeons is Hammonds budget - if he attempts address intergenerational unfairness - and if so, how far does he go? Doing anything meaningful is hugely expensive. Doing anything meaningful while trying to balance the books will have the client vote screaming blue murder.

    How will the under 50/over 50 split change?

    https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/4y1e1sdlwa/InternalResults_171024_VI.pdf

    We'll see.

    Hammond is not likely to do May's bidding.

    I expect him to produce a fairly hairshirt, economically sensible but not very political budget. He thinks more of duty to country than party.
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    The only 3 point lead isn't just driven by Corbyn. It's driven by Brexit loons - hence May's desire to hurl Britain over the cliff to retain their votes. Once we are hurled off and the economy tanks those voters will go back to UKIP - the failure to deliver the Promised Land obviously the Tories fault. So they'll go back to a UKIP party probably led on 2019 by Robert Kilroy-Silk

    Apart from the Kilroy-Silk bit (!!), that’s a pretty decent call. This, of course, is what may drive the Tories to embrace No Deal. That way they get to blame the EU for the economic misery Brexit is likely to cause. That will prevent Tory to UKIP leakage, but is inlikely to win the Tories new votes. They remain fortunate, though, that they face Corbyn & co. He actively repels millions of voters and keeps them firmly in the blue corner.

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    swing_voterswing_voter Posts: 1,435
    It does start asking questions about Labour's ambitions and ability to deliver. Whilst May is a lame duck PM, Labour really need to think about how they deliver a freshness in the face of a younger Tory leader perhaps unencumbered by the BREXIT row.

    JC and his team really have not built on June's close shave - are Labour having a debate about what they need to do to win the 70 plus seats that they need to even get within distance of a Labour victory, I see no evidence of it, waiting for the govt to fall into a hole is not a viable strategy - after all other parties (UKIP, SNP, Lib Dems etc) will also have a say
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,842
    IanB2 said:

    I just went to catch up on This Week, and see that it is not this week. What a week to miss!

    Parliamentary recess this week. Hence no PMQs and ministers all over the world.
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    The awfulness of each of the two main parties is shoring up the support of the other. Those desperate to see the back of the Conservatives have only one practical option; likewise those desperate to keep Jeremy Corbyn out.
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    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,918
    I went to a talk recently by Prof. Alasdair Breckenridge who was for several years Chair of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
    He was very concerned at the effect of Brexit, and in particular at the effect of the UK leaving the European Medicines Agency, saying that doing so would paralyse piublic health , including the proper assessment of new medicines, in both Britain and Europe for several years.
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    rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 7,905

    Roger said:

    Theresa May has an impregnable firewall while Corbyn is in charge. It's time Labour stopped patting itself on the back and addressed this. There's nothing they can do in policy terms because everyone knows what a Corbyn government will look like and it scares too many people.

    The only way I can see the aspirations of the new Labour voters and the 'anything but Corbyn's' can put an end to this government is for him to resign and throw his weight behing Emily Thornberry.

    Prime Minister Emily Thornberry.

    Put yourself on tape saying that. Then watch it back 100 times - and digest how much of a mess Labour is in, when Emily Thornberry is thought to be the answer to its woes.

    PS Was at the Murder on the Orient Express premiere last week. A monumental waste of effort. Did nobody ask "er...why do we need this?" ?? Well, after her efforts this spring, maybe Theresa May might have.
    Asking someone like you who should be labour leader is like asking a vegetarian whether they’d prefer their steak rare or well done.

    For what it’s worth Emily Thornbeery is an accomplished woman who has performed well in media appearances.
    I find her a bit irritating at times - but she is one of the best labour prospects imo post JC.
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    PongPong Posts: 4,693

    It does start asking questions about Labour's ambitions and ability to deliver. Whilst May is a lame duck PM, Labour really need to think about how they deliver a freshness in the face of a younger Tory leader perhaps unencumbered by the BREXIT row.

    JC and his team really have not built on June's close shave - are Labour having a debate about what they need to do to win the 70 plus seats that they need to even get within distance of a Labour victory, I see no evidence of it, waiting for the govt to fall into a hole is not a viable strategy - after all other parties (UKIP, SNP, Lib Dems etc) will also have a say

    There's been quite a bit of activity - eg, JC's tour of the scottish marginals.
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    The awfulness of each of the two main parties is shoring up the support of the other. Those desperate to see the back of the Conservatives have only one practical option; likewise those desperate to keep Jeremy Corbyn out.

    Yep, that’s about the sum of it. First past the post is all about who you dislike less. When it ceases to produce strong, stable governments, it becomes increasingly damaging to national interests - but, crucially, not to party ones.
  • Options

    The awfulness of each of the two main parties is shoring up the support of the other. Those desperate to see the back of the Conservatives have only one practical option; likewise those desperate to keep Jeremy Corbyn out.

    Yep, that’s about the sum of it. First past the post is all about who you dislike less. When it ceases to produce strong, stable governments, it becomes increasingly damaging to national interests - but, crucially, not to party ones.
    Right now I find it very hard to imagine voting at the next election.
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    RecidivistRecidivist Posts: 4,679
    I remember thinking a few months after Blair got in 1997 what a relief it was to not have to worry about politics. Since the seventies there had been total chaos and crazy stuff happening. Then it was calm. It stayed that way until 2015. As soon as the Conservatives got a majority the whole thing started again. Can somebody please close the Overton window.
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    rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 7,905

    The awfulness of each of the two main parties is shoring up the support of the other. Those desperate to see the back of the Conservatives have only one practical option; likewise those desperate to keep Jeremy Corbyn out.

    Yep, that’s about the sum of it. First past the post is all about who you dislike less. When it ceases to produce strong, stable governments, it becomes increasingly damaging to national interests - but, crucially, not to party ones.
    Right now I find it very hard to imagine voting at the next election.
    Would Emily Thornberry as leader with a similar manifesto as last time get your vote for Labour?
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    edited November 2017

    It does start asking questions about Labour's ambitions and ability to deliver. Whilst May is a lame duck PM, Labour really need to think about how they deliver a freshness in the face of a younger Tory leader perhaps unencumbered by the BREXIT row.

    JC and his team really have not built on June's close shave - are Labour having a debate about what they need to do to win the 70 plus seats that they need to even get within distance of a Labour victory, I see no evidence of it, waiting for the govt to fall into a hole is not a viable strategy - after all other parties (UKIP, SNP, Lib Dems etc) will also have a say

    Labour have an active marginals campaign that has continued through the year. They are not asleep just because it falls outside the Westminster bubble. Indeed street level activism is one thing Momentum brings to Labour in sackfuls.

    Corbyn being PM by Christmas is not likely, but neither is it impossible. No election is needed, just a No Confidence vote perhaps over the budget or collapse of Brexit talks. As leader of the next largest party he would be asked to try to form a government. A coalition may not be viable, but a Labour minority government might be viable as a caretaker pending new elections in the new year.
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,216
    Pong said:

    It does start asking questions about Labour's ambitions and ability to deliver. Whilst May is a lame duck PM, Labour really need to think about how they deliver a freshness in the face of a younger Tory leader perhaps unencumbered by the BREXIT row.

    JC and his team really have not built on June's close shave - are Labour having a debate about what they need to do to win the 70 plus seats that they need to even get within distance of a Labour victory, I see no evidence of it, waiting for the govt to fall into a hole is not a viable strategy - after all other parties (UKIP, SNP, Lib Dems etc) will also have a say

    There's been quite a bit of activity - eg, JC's tour of the scottish marginals.
    Heat but no light? Activity but no real thinking? The inadequacies of the opposition are being masked by those of the government.
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    The awfulness of each of the two main parties is shoring up the support of the other. Those desperate to see the back of the Conservatives have only one practical option; likewise those desperate to keep Jeremy Corbyn out.

    Yep, that’s about the sum of it. First past the post is all about who you dislike less. When it ceases to produce strong, stable governments, it becomes increasingly damaging to national interests - but, crucially, not to party ones.
    Right now I find it very hard to imagine voting at the next election.
    You must always vote. You may be dying with a hand cut off but you can still throw the Emperor down the engineering shaft.
  • Options

    The awfulness of each of the two main parties is shoring up the support of the other. Those desperate to see the back of the Conservatives have only one practical option; likewise those desperate to keep Jeremy Corbyn out.

    Yep, that’s about the sum of it. First past the post is all about who you dislike less. When it ceases to produce strong, stable governments, it becomes increasingly damaging to national interests - but, crucially, not to party ones.
    Right now I find it very hard to imagine voting at the next election.
    You must always vote. You may be dying with a hand cut off but you can still throw the Emperor down the engineering shaft.
    I will go to the polling booth because I see that as my civic duty. But I expect I shall spoil my ballot paper as I did last time.
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    Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 12,981

    More Goldilocks Polling. Government kept on the tightest of leashes and certainly won't risk another early election stunt on those numbers. Labour not doing better because they've don't deserve to and with those numbers the government won't disintegrate. The electorate knows what it's doing and it's working.

    In addition both parties have found stasis sweet spots re Brexit. The Tories as the party of Brexit and Labour as the party of not blocking Brexit but softening it enough to pull in Remainers. Both of these formulations seem stable for now. As for minor parties well who other than their cores needs them. The two big parties have acquired binary sweet spots on either side of the binary issue dividing the nation.

    I suspect we'll see no big polling shift till there is a deal/no deal for the public to make a judgement on and that will require Labour to get off the fence.

    In short even thin ice can be remarkably stable until it breaks.

    It does lead to the question: when Brexit happens in March 2019, what will be there to keep it pulling in the Remainers? "If you thought Brexit was the UK taking a monstrous risk, then you'll love our New Venezuela economic manifesto...."
    The route back into the EU is quickest under a LibDem/Labour coalition. The fight isn't over on 20/03/2019.
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    rkrkrk said:

    The awfulness of each of the two main parties is shoring up the support of the other. Those desperate to see the back of the Conservatives have only one practical option; likewise those desperate to keep Jeremy Corbyn out.

    Yep, that’s about the sum of it. First past the post is all about who you dislike less. When it ceases to produce strong, stable governments, it becomes increasingly damaging to national interests - but, crucially, not to party ones.
    Right now I find it very hard to imagine voting at the next election.
    Would Emily Thornberry as leader with a similar manifesto as last time get your vote for Labour?
    She is my constituency MP and perfectly competent. Labour's problems are not just one man but structural and need a lot of remedial work.
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    SquareRootSquareRoot Posts: 7,095

    The only 3 point lead isn't just driven by Corbyn. It's driven by Brexit loons - hence May's desire to hurl Britain over the cliff to retain their votes. Once we are hurled off and the economy tanks those voters will go back to UKIP - the failure to deliver the Promised Land obviously the Tories fault. So they'll go back to a UKIP party probably led on 2019 by Robert Kilroy-Silk

    UKIP are a spent force. risible leadership.
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    swing_voterswing_voter Posts: 1,435

    It does start asking questions about Labour's ambitions and ability to deliver. Whilst May is a lame duck PM, Labour really need to think about how they deliver a freshness in the face of a younger Tory leader perhaps unencumbered by the BREXIT row.

    JC and his team really have not built on June's close shave - are Labour having a debate about what they need to do to win the 70 plus seats that they need to even get within distance of a Labour victory, I see no evidence of it, waiting for the govt to fall into a hole is not a viable strategy - after all other parties (UKIP, SNP, Lib Dems etc) will also have a say

    Labour have an active marginals campaign that has continued through the year. They are not asleep just because it falls outside the Westminster bubble. Indeed street level activism is one thing Momentum brings to Labour in sackfuls.

    Corbyn being PM by Christmas is not likely, but neither is it impossible. No election is needed, just a No Confidence vote perhaps over the budget or collapse of Brexit talks. As leader of the next largest party he would be asked to try to form a government. A coalition may not be viable, but a Labour minority government might be viable as a caretaker pending new elections in the new year.
    travelling around marginals is laudable and certainly gets Momentum's blood up, but does it really tell us what Labour will do about issues such as student finance, Defence, public housing and BREXIT.

    Tom Watson was on R4 the other day, he wanted to talk about Priti Patel, that is hardly a govt in waiting - more of ministerial baiting............still the same old westminster games

    Labour need to up their game or another party will.
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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @JamesTapsfield: YouGov/Times poll doesn't make pleasant reading for Boris... 44% say he should be sacked, 26% stay in Cabinet, 29% don't know
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,754

    Roger said:

    Theresa May has an impregnable firewall while Corbyn is in charge. It's time Labour stopped patting itself on the back and addressed this. There's nothing they can do in policy terms because everyone knows what a Corbyn government will look like and it scares too many people.

    That impregnable firewall was there in the spring. It didn't work and wasn't impregnable.

    More Goldilocks Polling. Government kept on the tightest of leashes and certainly won't risk another early election stunt on those numbers. Labour not doing better because they've don't deserve to and with those numbers the government won't disintegrate. The electorate knows what it's doing and it's working.

    In addition both parties have found stasis sweet spots re Brexit. The Tories as the party of Brexit and Labour as the party of not blocking Brexit but softening it enough to pull in Remainers. Both of these formulations seem stable for now. As for minor parties well who other than their cores needs them. The two big parties have acquired binary sweet spots on either side of the binary issue dividing the nation.

    I suspect we'll see no big polling shift till there is a deal/no deal for the public to make a judgement on and that will require Labour to get off the fence.

    In short even thin ice can be remarkably stable until it breaks.

    It does lead to the question: when Brexit happens in March 2019, what will be there to keep it pulling in the Remainers? "If you thought Brexit was the UK taking a monstrous risk, then you'll love our New Venezuela economic manifesto...."
    Remainers are going to vote Anything but Tory, and that means mostly Labour. The Tories have lostt that demographic for a generation.
    heard it all before

    people will vote on the basics not Brexit as Mrs May discovered in June

    only anoraks are bleating on about Brexit , the rest of the UK doesnt care
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,125
    What remains a mystery is the truly appalling polling of the Lib Dems. We are constantly told that both the main parties are lurching towards the extremes in an incompetent way and that more than 40% of the population still oppose Brexit, something supported by both the main parties, with different degrees of enthusiasm.

    So where the hell are they? And where's Cable? I can't recall the last time I saw him pontificating on anything. 6%? They could lose a few of their remaining seats at that level.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    edited November 2017
    Dura_Ace said:

    More Goldilocks Polling. Government kept on the tightest of leashes and certainly won't risk another early election stunt on those numbers. Labour not doing better because they've don't deserve to and with those numbers the government won't disintegrate. The electorate knows what it's doing and it's working.

    In addition both parties have found stasis sweet spots re Brexit. The Tories as the party of Brexit and Labour as the party of not blocking Brexit but softening it enough to pull in Remainers. Both of these formulations seem stable for now. As for minor parties well who other than their cores needs them. The two big parties have acquired binary sweet spots on either side of the binary issue dividing the nation.

    I suspect we'll see no big polling shift till there is a deal/no deal for the public to make a judgement on and that will require Labour to get off the fence.

    In short even thin ice can be remarkably stable until it breaks.

    It does lead to the question: when Brexit happens in March 2019, what will be there to keep it pulling in the Remainers? "If you thought Brexit was the UK taking a monstrous risk, then you'll love our New Venezuela economic manifesto...."
    The route back into the EU is quickest under a LibDem/Labour coalition. The fight isn't over on 20/03/2019.
    The quickest route is an A50 extension for a couple of years. That is the only way viable to escape the cliff edge* as" transition" only exists as part of a deal. The EU27 would probably agree.

    A50 extension would also deal with a large part of the Brexit bill as it would take us closer to the end of this EU budget cycle.

    The obvious question would be "how long does a referendum result stay valid for?"

    *Arguably an EEA Soft Brexit too, but that seems to be wanted by neither side, and would take a lot of negotiating too.
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    rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 7,905

    rkrkrk said:

    The awfulness of each of the two main parties is shoring up the support of the other. Those desperate to see the back of the Conservatives have only one practical option; likewise those desperate to keep Jeremy Corbyn out.

    Yep, that’s about the sum of it. First past the post is all about who you dislike less. When it ceases to produce strong, stable governments, it becomes increasingly damaging to national interests - but, crucially, not to party ones.
    Right now I find it very hard to imagine voting at the next election.
    Would Emily Thornberry as leader with a similar manifesto as last time get your vote for Labour?
    She is my constituency MP and perfectly competent. Labour's problems are not just one man but structural and need a lot of remedial work.
    I’d be interested in a thread header from you on these structural issues if you have the time.

    Luke Akehurst recently wrote an article arguing Labour should go back to the old 3 split voting system for Labour leader.
    Having previously argued in 2013 for One Member One Vote and mass registration to ensure we have a mass membership.

    Be careful what you wish for!
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    rkrkrk said:

    rkrkrk said:

    The awfulness of each of the two main parties is shoring up the support of the other. Those desperate to see the back of the Conservatives have only one practical option; likewise those desperate to keep Jeremy Corbyn out.

    Yep, that’s about the sum of it. First past the post is all about who you dislike less. When it ceases to produce strong, stable governments, it becomes increasingly damaging to national interests - but, crucially, not to party ones.
    Right now I find it very hard to imagine voting at the next election.
    Would Emily Thornberry as leader with a similar manifesto as last time get your vote for Labour?
    She is my constituency MP and perfectly competent. Labour's problems are not just one man but structural and need a lot of remedial work.
    I’d be interested in a thread header from you on these structural issues if you have the time.

    Luke Akehurst recently wrote an article arguing Labour should go back to the old 3 split voting system for Labour leader.
    Having previously argued in 2013 for One Member One Vote and mass registration to ensure we have a mass membership.

    Be careful what you wish for!
    I'll see what I can do. I've been very busy with work, which is why I have written few thread headers.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    DavidL said:

    What remains a mystery is the truly appalling polling of the Lib Dems. We are constantly told that both the main parties are lurching towards the extremes in an incompetent way and that more than 40% of the population still oppose Brexit, something supported by both the main parties, with different degrees of enthusiasm.

    So where the hell are they? And where's Cable? I can't recall the last time I saw him pontificating on anything. 6%? They could lose a few of their remaining seats at that level.

    Cable Coronation was my party choosing irrelavence.
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    swing_voterswing_voter Posts: 1,435

    DavidL said:

    What remains a mystery is the truly appalling polling of the Lib Dems. We are constantly told that both the main parties are lurching towards the extremes in an incompetent way and that more than 40% of the population still oppose Brexit, something supported by both the main parties, with different degrees of enthusiasm.

    So where the hell are they? And where's Cable? I can't recall the last time I saw him pontificating on anything. 6%? They could lose a few of their remaining seats at that level.

    Cable Coronation was my party choosing irrelavence.

    DavidL said:

    What remains a mystery is the truly appalling polling of the Lib Dems. We are constantly told that both the main parties are lurching towards the extremes in an incompetent way and that more than 40% of the population still oppose Brexit, something supported by both the main parties, with different degrees of enthusiasm.

    So where the hell are they? And where's Cable? I can't recall the last time I saw him pontificating on anything. 6%? They could lose a few of their remaining seats at that level.

    Cable Coronation was my party choosing irrelavence.
    wasnt the game plan that Cable keeps the job warm for a bright young thing..........
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,969
    edited November 2017
    Good morning, everyone.

    'Crumb' is right. Interesting PM stats, though.

    Edited extra bit: mostly rain forecast for tomorrow morning (their time) in Sao Paulo. The qualifying starts at 4pm UK time.
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,754
    47 days and still no government in Germany
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    The awfulness of each of the two main parties is shoring up the support of the other. Those desperate to see the back of the Conservatives have only one practical option; likewise those desperate to keep Jeremy Corbyn out.

    Yep, that’s about the sum of it. First past the post is all about who you dislike less. When it ceases to produce strong, stable governments, it becomes increasingly damaging to national interests - but, crucially, not to party ones.
    Right now I find it very hard to imagine voting at the next election.
    You must always vote. You may be dying with a hand cut off but you can still throw the Emperor down the engineering shaft.
    Absolutely. I remember as a child asking my grandmother if she would vote. She looked at me as if I’d grown two heads - when she was my age women like her didn’t have the vote. It would never have crossed her mind not too, no matter how dire the options.
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,216
    edited November 2017
    DavidL said:

    What remains a mystery is the truly appalling polling of the Lib Dems. We are constantly told that both the main parties are lurching towards the extremes in an incompetent way and that more than 40% of the population still oppose Brexit, something supported by both the main parties, with different degrees of enthusiasm.

    So where the hell are they? And where's Cable? I can't recall the last time I saw him pontificating on anything. 6%? They could lose a few of their remaining seats at that level.

    Cable is actually trying to do many of the things you suggest, with a variety of speeches and policy announcements recently. But the LDs are trapped by their parliamentary insignificance and drowned out by all the attention being given to the scandals engulfing front-line politics.

    They don't have much choice now other than to play the long game, bang on about the dangers of Brexit, and hope to regain some respect and attention as their predictions start to come true, as happened post-Iraq.
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,754
    IanB2 said:

    DavidL said:

    What remains a mystery is the truly appalling polling of the Lib Dems. We are constantly told that both the main parties are lurching towards the extremes in an incompetent way and that more than 40% of the population still oppose Brexit, something supported by both the main parties, with different degrees of enthusiasm.

    So where the hell are they? And where's Cable? I can't recall the last time I saw him pontificating on anything. 6%? They could lose a few of their remaining seats at that level.

    Cable is actually trying to do many of the things you suggest, with a variety of speeches and policy announcements recently. But the LDs are trapped by their parliamentary insignificance and drowned out by all the attention being given to the scandals engulfing front-line politics.
    Uni fees

    my son hates them
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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453

    47 days and still no government in Germany

    155 days, and still no credible Government at Westminster
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    'Best PM' pretty much always favours the person who is PM by a fair margin, right?

    This isn't a Potsdam situatjon where Corbyn could just replace May and the Brexit negotiations would continue smoothly. I reckon a lot of people are holding their noses for the Tories until Brexit is out of the way, and then - who knows? Once we're out she might get a wave of goodwill for seeing it through. Or it could just remove her raison d'etre. People might breathe a sigh of relief it's done, and turn to the various failings of the government and its delivery of Brexit.
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,216

    IanB2 said:

    DavidL said:

    What remains a mystery is the truly appalling polling of the Lib Dems. We are constantly told that both the main parties are lurching towards the extremes in an incompetent way and that more than 40% of the population still oppose Brexit, something supported by both the main parties, with different degrees of enthusiasm.

    So where the hell are they? And where's Cable? I can't recall the last time I saw him pontificating on anything. 6%? They could lose a few of their remaining seats at that level.

    Cable is actually trying to do many of the things you suggest, with a variety of speeches and policy announcements recently. But the LDs are trapped by their parliamentary insignificance and drowned out by all the attention being given to the scandals engulfing front-line politics.
    Uni fees

    my son hates them
    The end game for fees, under any of the three parties, is a system of graduate tax - as the LibDems pushed for against the Tory proposals for higher fees, and managing to win many of the arguments on detail but failing utterly on the big picture - leaving us with a system presented and seen as based on loans but that already works more like a tax.

    If the Tories stay in power, they will be pushed to reform the system in this direction. If Labour, they will fulfil their promise to "abolish" student fees by abolishing loans, and introducing a graduate tax in its place, to avoid the otherwise massive financial black hole. As often in politics, the final outcome will reflect much of the LibDems thinking without their getting any of the political credit.
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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,789

    The awfulness of each of the two main parties is shoring up the support of the other. Those desperate to see the back of the Conservatives have only one practical option; likewise those desperate to keep Jeremy Corbyn out.

    Yep, that’s about the sum of it. First past the post is all about who you dislike less. When it ceases to produce strong, stable governments, it becomes increasingly damaging to national interests - but, crucially, not to party ones.
    The parties are like a pair of drunks, propping each other up.
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,754
    Scott_P said:

    47 days and still no government in Germany

    155 days, and still no credible Government at Westminster
    155 days without TCO - bliss
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    DavidL said:

    What remains a mystery is the truly appalling polling of the Lib Dems. We are constantly told that both the main parties are lurching towards the extremes in an incompetent way and that more than 40% of the population still oppose Brexit, something supported by both the main parties, with different degrees of enthusiasm.

    So where the hell are they? And where's Cable? I can't recall the last time I saw him pontificating on anything. 6%? They could lose a few of their remaining seats at that level.

    Peopld may not like Brexit but that is very different from wanting to stop it happening. The Lib Dems continue to founder because they represent a tiny extremist position.
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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    Interesting reaction from the Zoomers, but nobody has pointed out the potential upside.

    If he has his own shows on RT and LBC, is it just possible the BBC will find less airtime for him?
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    DavidL said:

    What remains a mystery is the truly appalling polling of the Lib Dems. We are constantly told that both the main parties are lurching towards the extremes in an incompetent way and that more than 40% of the population still oppose Brexit, something supported by both the main parties, with different degrees of enthusiasm.

    So where the hell are they? And where's Cable? I can't recall the last time I saw him pontificating on anything. 6%? They could lose a few of their remaining seats at that level.

    Wait for the 2018 Maidenhead by-eletion
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,842
    What on Earth was Salmond thinking to take a job with RT? How much did it cost the Russians to buy his reputation?
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    The awfulness of each of the two main parties is shoring up the support of the other. Those desperate to see the back of the Conservatives have only one practical option; likewise those desperate to keep Jeremy Corbyn out.

    Yep, that’s about the sum of it. First past the post is all about who you dislike less. When it ceases to produce strong, stable governments, it becomes increasingly damaging to national interests - but, crucially, not to party ones.
    Right now I find it very hard to imagine voting at the next election.
    You must always vote. You may be dying with a hand cut off but you can still throw the Emperor down the engineering shaft.
    I do wonder which causes most consternation for the establishment - spoiled ballots ('they couldn't colour in between the lines') or the masses of non-voters.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,125
    IanB2 said:

    DavidL said:

    What remains a mystery is the truly appalling polling of the Lib Dems. We are constantly told that both the main parties are lurching towards the extremes in an incompetent way and that more than 40% of the population still oppose Brexit, something supported by both the main parties, with different degrees of enthusiasm.

    So where the hell are they? And where's Cable? I can't recall the last time I saw him pontificating on anything. 6%? They could lose a few of their remaining seats at that level.

    Cable is actually trying to do many of the things you suggest, with a variety of speeches and policy announcements recently. But the LDs are trapped by their parliamentary insignificance and drowned out by all the attention being given to the scandals engulfing front-line politics.

    They don't have much choice now other than to play the long game, bang on about the dangers of Brexit, and hope to regain some respect and attention as their predictions start to come true, as happened post-Iraq.
    How can a party the same size as that letting May cling to power be deemed irrelevant? Sure, if May had got her 100+ majority they would be but with a minority government working hard to piss off as many of its own team as it can they should be players. But they're not. Cable was on R5 more often when he wasn't even an MP.

    It's genuinely mysterious. Trying to ascertain what Labour's position on Brexit on any given day is the work of Sisyphus without the fun bits but the general direction is that the vote must be respected in a series of impossible ways. So why, if there is still all this apprehension about Brexit is the one party unequivocally committed to remaining sitting at 6%?
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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    Sandpit said:

    What on Earth was Salmond thinking to take a job with RT? How much did it cost the Russians to buy his reputation?

    @RuthDavidsonMSP: It's not often I feel sorry for @NicolaSturgeon, but Salmond taking the Kremlin's rouble on Russia Today? Ooft....
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    F1: on that note, something to consider: Hulkenberg, 501 for pole each way (third the odds for top 2) on Betfair Sportsbook.

    Obviously, very unlikely. But not quite as unlikely as when he got pole for Williams several years ago in wet and rapidly drying conditions and was seconds faster than those in much better cars.

    I've stuck a tiny sum on.
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,216

    'Best PM' pretty much always favours the person who is PM by a fair margin, right?

    This isn't a Potsdam situatjon where Corbyn could just replace May and the Brexit negotiations would continue smoothly. I reckon a lot of people are holding their noses for the Tories until Brexit is out of the way, and then - who knows? Once we're out she might get a wave of goodwill for seeing it through. Or it could just remove her raison d'etre. People might breathe a sigh of relief it's done, and turn to the various failings of the government and its delivery of Brexit.

    I don't think Brexit is going to have a nice and tidy finish like that. YellowSub summarises the sad likelihood in all its gory detail downthread.
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    I remember thinking a few months after Blair got in 1997 what a relief it was to not have to worry about politics. Since the seventies there had been total chaos and crazy stuff happening. Then it was calm. It stayed that way until 2015. As soon as the Conservatives got a majority the whole thing started again. Can somebody please close the Overton window.

    Calm until 2015? Through the large demonstrations against the Iraq war, the expenses scandal, the financial crisis, the riots? I don't think historians will remember it as calm, unless we're marching into a third world war or something.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,125

    DavidL said:

    What remains a mystery is the truly appalling polling of the Lib Dems. We are constantly told that both the main parties are lurching towards the extremes in an incompetent way and that more than 40% of the population still oppose Brexit, something supported by both the main parties, with different degrees of enthusiasm.

    So where the hell are they? And where's Cable? I can't recall the last time I saw him pontificating on anything. 6%? They could lose a few of their remaining seats at that level.

    Wait for the 2018 Maidenhead by-eletion
    I think that is a good answer Mike. In Parliaments past the Lib Dems and their predecessors kept themselves in the public consciousness by having a superb by election machine that produced improbable results time after time. The paucity of by elections in the last 2 Parliaments has really not helped them.
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    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    Sandpit said:

    What on Earth was Salmond thinking to take a job with RT? How much did it cost the Russians to buy his reputation?
    Probably cost nothing but a bottle of whisky and some flattery.

    Salmond genuinely was a political hero to me and with a single moronic decision he's now a total twat.
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    YorkcityYorkcity Posts: 4,382

    The only 3 point lead isn't just driven by Corbyn. It's driven by Brexit loons - hence May's desire to hurl Britain over the cliff to retain their votes. Once we are hurled off and the economy tanks those voters will go back to UKIP - the failure to deliver the Promised Land obviously the Tories fault. So they'll go back to a UKIP party probably led on 2019 by Robert Kilroy-Silk

    My dad is a Brexiteer, he’ll never admit he made a mistake by voting Leave. He wants the hardest Brexit possible, and sees Europe and Europeans as ‘bad’.
    My dad is similar , but for him it is immigration and taking back control. I keep telling him reading the Daily Mail everyday and watching Sky news constantly is bad for his health.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548

    The awfulness of each of the two main parties is shoring up the support of the other. Those desperate to see the back of the Conservatives have only one practical option; likewise those desperate to keep Jeremy Corbyn out.

    Yep, that’s about the sum of it. First past the post is all about who you dislike less. When it ceases to produce strong, stable governments, it becomes increasingly damaging to national interests - but, crucially, not to party ones.
    Right now I find it very hard to imagine voting at the next election.
    You must always vote. You may be dying with a hand cut off but you can still throw the Emperor down the engineering shaft.
    I do wonder which causes most consternation for the establishment - spoiled ballots ('they couldn't colour in between the lines') or the masses of non-voters.
    I dont think the parties are bothered by spoilt ballots. Non voters more so, particularly Labour. The new Tory CDE voters may go back to apathy post Brexit too.
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    The_ApocalypseThe_Apocalypse Posts: 7,830
    edited November 2017
    @Scott_P how have SNP supporters reacted (I actually don’t know what they think about this)? I’d imagine they are defending this though, sadly. I’m always bothered when I see British political figures (especially) on RT.

    @Sandpit Yeah, I was shocked when I first heard the news. But then I read a story which reported him praising Putin, so now I’m not so surprised.
    https://twitter.com/journostephen/status/928757717413646338
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,216
    DavidL said:

    IanB2 said:

    DavidL said:

    What remains a mystery is the truly appalling polling of the Lib Dems. We are constantly told that both the main parties are lurching towards the extremes in an incompetent way and that more than 40% of the population still oppose Brexit, something supported by both the main parties, with different degrees of enthusiasm.

    So where the hell are they? And where's Cable? I can't recall the last time I saw him pontificating on anything. 6%? They could lose a few of their remaining seats at that level.

    Cable is actually trying to do many of the things you suggest, with a variety of speeches and policy announcements recently. But the LDs are trapped by their parliamentary insignificance and drowned out by all the attention being given to the scandals engulfing front-line politics.

    They don't have much choice now other than to play the long game, bang on about the dangers of Brexit, and hope to regain some respect and attention as their predictions start to come true, as happened post-Iraq.
    How can a party the same size as that letting May cling to power be deemed irrelevant? Sure, if May had got her 100+ majority they would be but with a minority government working hard to piss off as many of its own team as it can they should be players. But they're not. Cable was on R5 more often when he wasn't even an MP.

    It's genuinely mysterious. Trying to ascertain what Labour's position on Brexit on any given day is the work of Sisyphus without the fun bits but the general direction is that the vote must be respected in a series of impossible ways. So why, if there is still all this apprehension about Brexit is the one party unequivocally committed to remaining sitting at 6%?
    Like fox I was always doubtful about Cable's ability to play the role that the party needs, however much he is able to see the intellectual case. A fresh start does need a new broom. Hopefully the party will get there eventually.
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    WinstanleyWinstanley Posts: 434
    edited November 2017
    felix said:

    The polls have been fairly consistent over the past few moths against an incessantly negative media message against T. May and Brexit. The message, which of course will not be heard is that the group most out of touch are the media commentariat and the 'experts.'

    It's odd, given this negative media coverage (the flip side of the ridiculous positive coverage of a year ago) does seem to have affected how people talk about her and the Tories, anecdotally. Did the polling companies definitely correct their methods such that we can all take them seriously again?
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,125
    alex. said:
    I don't normally like long range political bets because I am far too likely to forget where I made them etc but Emily Thornberry as next PM is starting to tempt me.
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,216
    Scott_P said:

    Interesting reaction from the Zoomers, but nobody has pointed out the potential upside.

    If he has his own shows on RT and LBC, is it just possible the BBC will find less airtime for him?
    Some politicians get addicted to the exposure they have been given, and are unable to retire gracefully.
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    DavidL said:

    IanB2 said:

    DavidL said:

    What remains a mystery is the truly appalling polling of the Lib Dems. We are constantly told that both the main parties are lurching towards the extremes in an incompetent way and that more than 40% of the population still oppose Brexit, something supported by both the main parties, with different degrees of enthusiasm.

    So where the hell are they? And where's Cable? I can't recall the last time I saw him pontificating on anything. 6%? They could lose a few of their remaining seats at that level.

    Cable is actually trying to do many of the things you suggest, with a variety of speeches and policy announcements recently. But the LDs are trapped by their parliamentary insignificance and drowned out by all the attention being given to the scandals engulfing front-line politics.

    They don't have much choice now other than to play the long game, bang on about the dangers of Brexit, and hope to regain some respect and attention as their predictions start to come true, as happened post-Iraq.
    How can a party the same size as that letting May cling to power be deemed irrelevant? Sure, if May had got her 100+ majority they would be but with a minority government working hard to piss off as many of its own team as it can they should be players. But they're not. Cable was on R5 more often when he wasn't even an MP.

    It's genuinely mysterious. Trying to ascertain what Labour's position on Brexit on any given day is the work of Sisyphus without the fun bits but the general direction is that the vote must be respected in a series of impossible ways. So why, if there is still all this apprehension about Brexit is the one party unequivocally committed to remaining sitting at 6%?

    FPTP in our polarised country means the battle is Labour v Tory across most of England and Wales. An LD vote is a wasted vote. So why bother?

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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,216
    edited November 2017
    DavidL said:

    alex. said:
    I don't normally like long range political bets because I am far too likely to forget where I made them etc but Emily Thornberry as next PM is starting to tempt me.
    Her chances of future PM are significantly higher than of next PM.
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    Yorkcity said:

    The only 3 point lead isn't just driven by Corbyn. It's driven by Brexit loons - hence May's desire to hurl Britain over the cliff to retain their votes. Once we are hurled off and the economy tanks those voters will go back to UKIP - the failure to deliver the Promised Land obviously the Tories fault. So they'll go back to a UKIP party probably led on 2019 by Robert Kilroy-Silk

    My dad is a Brexiteer, he’ll never admit he made a mistake by voting Leave. He wants the hardest Brexit possible, and sees Europe and Europeans as ‘bad’.
    My dad is similar , but for him it is immigration and taking back control. I keep telling him reading the Daily Mail everyday and watching Sky news constantly is bad for his health.
    My dad is also big on limiting immigration. It’s as if he thinks that if there were no immigrants from Europe, that everything would be fine and dandy in the country. Although my dad doesn’t read the DM and watch Sky News (that’s my grandad who, is also a Brexiteer). My grandad reads The Sun as well!
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    Mr. City, if he were swayed by Sky News he would've become fervently pro-EU.
This discussion has been closed.