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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » The Irish border issue has the potential to bring down Mrs May

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  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,089

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    I’m sure Dave would be welcomed back by the party if he wished to return. He’s still got 20 years of career time left in him and could make a huge further contribution to government and political life.

    TCO, on the other hand, not so much.
    Dave will tell you all his successes were down to George being his right hand man.
    I’m sure even you might acknowledge that he’s burned his bridges somewhat with large amounts of the party membership and supporters, both by his actions during the referendum campaign and his subsequent role as a free sheet editor?
    He’s burned few bridges with the Tory party than WSC did before he became PM and party leader.
    Churchill was lucky. His non-wartime political judgement was indifferent to catastrophically poor. I take the view that he was, on an objective basis, not a very good politician.
    He was a loose cannon with a track record of bad misjudgements and some very dodgy political views, who achieved power and subsequent saintly status against the odds and all expectations, through an amazing piece of luck (for him) in being the right person at the right time.

    No wonder that Boris is so interested him.
  • YorkcityYorkcity Posts: 4,382

    England's Moeen Ali may not be able to bowl in Adelaide Test

    http://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/42192294

    So it could be 4 right arm seamers and little Joe Root as the spinner....head desk thud thud thud thud.

    BT sport will be hoping it is not 5-O again.
  • Ishmael_Z said:

    David Davis made clear he was ready to quit the Cabinet if Damian Green was unfairly fired over allegations of porn and inappropriate behaviour, it was revealed today.

    Sources said the Brexit Secretary had “put his cloak around” the embattled Mr Green in an effort to toughen Theresa May’s resolve to defend her deputy.

    The disclosure came as a retired Scotland Yard detective alleged that “thousands” of pornographic images were found on Mr Green’s computer in 2008.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/brexit-secretary-david-davis-in-threat-to-quit-over-damian-green-porn-storm-a3707546.html

    His threat to have the row of the Summer with the EU proved to be nothing more than hot air.
    Why should anyone believe him this time?
    Because he is a known flouncer in the most disagreeable and thankless job of anyone in the UK.
    He said he could do it.

    He thought it would be easy.

    https://twitter.com/DavidDavisMP/status/735770073822961664
    Could this latest flounce be a ruse to avoid taking the blame personally for train-wreck Brexit?
    Yup, David Davis is a coward, look how he sent out poor Robin Walker to defend the government's release of impact reports;
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,587

    Ishmael_Z said:

    David Davis made clear he was ready to quit the Cabinet if Damian Green was unfairly fired over allegations of porn and inappropriate behaviour, it was revealed today.

    Sources said the Brexit Secretary had “put his cloak around” the embattled Mr Green in an effort to toughen Theresa May’s resolve to defend her deputy.

    The disclosure came as a retired Scotland Yard detective alleged that “thousands” of pornographic images were found on Mr Green’s computer in 2008.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/brexit-secretary-david-davis-in-threat-to-quit-over-damian-green-porn-storm-a3707546.html

    His threat to have the row of the Summer with the EU proved to be nothing more than hot air.
    Why should anyone believe him this time?
    Because he is a known flouncer in the most disagreeable and thankless job of anyone in the UK.
    He said he could do it.

    He thought it would be easy.

    https://twitter.com/DavidDavisMP/status/735770073822961664
    Could this latest flounce be a ruse to avoid taking the blame personally for train-wreck Brexit?
    Yup, David Davis is a coward, look how he sent out poor Robin Walker to defend the government's release of impact reports;
    I suppose the optics look better after resigning in support of an 'unfairly' beleaguered colleague than having to resign because one has just crashed the country.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,403

    FF43 said:

    Is Davis looking for a way out by making a gratuitous moral stand on a fringe issue?

    https://twitter.com/George_Osborne/status/936566185008738304

    Getting more serious. Not just "extreme porno" alleged to be on Damien Green's laptop. Photos of Meghan too.
    Entirely coincidentally..

    'Porn searches for Meghan Markle go through the roof as lusty royalists set their sights on raunchy sex scenes'

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/porn-searches-meghan-markle-go-11606318
    Lusty royalists? Are they saying all Monarchists are w*nkers?
    Don't they all stand to attention when they play the national anthem?
  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548

    Freggles said:

    Remember when Jez said he'd be PM by Christmas....

    And he can't.
    He can. If a government falls, then the leader of the next largest party can attempt to form a government without an Election.

    Not very likely, and such a minority couldnt last long, but theoretically possible.
  • Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981

    Ishmael_Z said:

    David Davis made clear he was ready to quit the Cabinet if Damian Green was unfairly fired over allegations of porn and inappropriate behaviour, it was revealed today.

    Sources said the Brexit Secretary had “put his cloak around” the embattled Mr Green in an effort to toughen Theresa May’s resolve to defend her deputy.

    The disclosure came as a retired Scotland Yard detective alleged that “thousands” of pornographic images were found on Mr Green’s computer in 2008.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/brexit-secretary-david-davis-in-threat-to-quit-over-damian-green-porn-storm-a3707546.html

    His threat to have the row of the Summer with the EU proved to be nothing more than hot air.
    Why should anyone believe him this time?
    Because he is a known flouncer in the most disagreeable and thankless job of anyone in the UK.
    He said he could do it.

    He thought it would be easy.

    https://twitter.com/DavidDavisMP/status/735770073822961664
    Could this latest flounce be a ruse to avoid taking the blame personally for train-wreck Brexit?
    It will save Shadsy a bob or two if he goes on the same day.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,089

    Mortimer said:

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    What happened with the byelection results yesterday? The Libs Dems have gone superman:

    North (Maidstone): LDEM: 51.4% (+20.0) Liberal Democrat GAIN from Conservative
    Torrington (Torridge): LDEM: 60.2% (+60.2) Liberal Democrat GAIN from UKIP
    Bridgemary North (Gosport): LDEM: 57.9% (+57.9) Liberal Democrat GAIN from Labour.
    Westway (Tandridge): LDEM: 53.5% (+17.5) Liberal Democrat HOLD

    It must be down to the public all reading the pb.com threads about "Why aren't the LibDems doing better....?"
    You have to admit that's some Lib Dem surge. From nowhere. Weird.
    The same thing, approximately, happens each year as the nights are dark. LDs are tremendously good at getting voters out in small, concentrated locations, and win when their oppositions are less engaged/motivated. As soon as spring/summer/large scale elections come along, they revert to form.
    There are few automatic Lib Dem voters.

    Lib Dem votes have to be earned.

    If only that were so for all parties.
    The Tandridge and Maidstone wins weren't surprising give the history of the wards. The Gosport win came out of the blue; that Ward hasn't even had a LibDem candidate this century, although the LibDem who fought the wider county division came a decent second last year. The Torrington victory was also impressive as the LDs hadn't been in contention there before.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,089

    philiph said:

    Pong said:

    Very exciting.

    I have a 50% chance of reaching 90, an 11% chance of reaching 100 & a 10% chance of dying before pension age.

    https://visual.ons.gov.uk/what-is-my-life-expectancy-and-how-might-it-change/

    97% Pension age (must be because I'm so close!),
    Life expectancy 85,
    25% chance of 93,
    10% chance of 97,
    4.8% chance of 100

    Better get out enjoying myself!
    It does rather depend on certain lifestyle and other issues, the ONS is rather broadbrush.

    It does also highlight the greying population. Under current ONS projections (inc current rates of immigration) the working age population is stable to 2030. The population growth is in the over 65's.

    I think the assumptions behind this model are a bit questionable - I put in age 59 and got a 5.4% chance of making 100 but I then put in 65 and it gave only a 4.6% chance - this seems counterintuitive. Must have very strong assumptions about continued increases in life expectancy.
    I read somewhere that every 24 hours you live extends your expected life by 8 hours.
    Sadly no more.
  • anothernickanothernick Posts: 3,547

    Freggles said:

    Remember when Jez said he'd be PM by Christmas....

    And he can't.
    He can. If a government falls, then the leader of the next largest party can attempt to form a government without an Election.

    Not very likely, and such a minority couldnt last long, but theoretically possible.
    The Tories might think it was in their interest to allow a Corbyn minority government to continue for a few months in the hope that it would prove to be as bad as they assure us it will be. This could improve their chances at a new election.
  • done up like a kipper, hoist by own petard etc

    https://twitter.com/TheLeadCNN/status/936351078030987265
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,089

    Should the people of Haltemprice and Howden be getting ready for a porn-themed by-election?

    Zero. Whatever issue he called the election on, it would become the Brexit by-election par excellence.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,842

    Freggles said:

    Remember when Jez said he'd be PM by Christmas....

    And he can't.
    He can. If a government falls, then the leader of the next largest party can attempt to form a government without an Election.

    Not very likely, and such a minority couldnt last long, but theoretically possible.
    The Tories might think it was in their interest to allow a Corbyn minority government to continue for a few months in the hope that it would prove to be as bad as they assure us it will be. This could improve their chances at a new election.
    Didn't work out too well for Asquith in the 20s.
  • Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981
    IanB2 said:

    Should the people of Haltemprice and Howden be getting ready for a porn-themed by-election?

    Zero. Whatever issue he called the election on, it would become the Brexit by-election par excellence.
    "quit the Cabinet" is the reported threat, not apply for Chiltern thingummies.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,587
    Ishmael_Z said:

    IanB2 said:

    Should the people of Haltemprice and Howden be getting ready for a porn-themed by-election?

    Zero. Whatever issue he called the election on, it would become the Brexit by-election par excellence.
    "quit the Cabinet" is the reported threat, not apply for Chiltern thingummies.
    ...but he has form!
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,279
    The Damian Green story reeks of I just want to enjoy watching the son of a bitch deny that he had porn on the computer.
  • tpfkartpfkar Posts: 1,545
    kle4 said:



    IanB2 said:

    kle4 said:

    Sean_F said:

    I was pretty pissed off by Bob Quick's initial accusations against Green, for all the arguments about confidentiality and the like.

    However, I talked it t others in England and Wales are much better so don't tar all coppers with the Met's failings.

    I don't think that would count as misconduct in public office. It would at worst, be a breach of one's terms of employment.
    Every place I've ever worked at has disciplined employees for looking at porn on work computers.
    blimey, every place not only had a policy but someone was caught breaching it every one? Bunch of sex maniacs.

    I dunno where you've worked, but every place I've worked at during the internet age absolutely has a internet usage policy, and yep, at every one, someone has ended up disciplined for inappropriate content being used. As I say, getting caught looking at dodgy stuff on my mobile would be iffy as well!
    Same here, I've had to dismiss two people for misusing work devices/the internet.

    One for repeatedly looking at mucky stuff, another for stalking an ex.
    One place I worked at even blocked PB as mucky stuff.
    My local authority's filter blocked PB under the category "gambling". I had to argue that the site didn't involve any gambling and was one of the leading political discussion sites that all councillors could learn from, to get a specific exemption introduced for this site. It helped that I was the Cabinet member responsible for IT policy at the time.
    I'll bet it did. Mine even blocks access via the public network (for the lobby, cafe and library ) but fortunately the vanilla forums slip through. Unless there's profanity.
    I had the same problem here. Was able to get this site recategorised to current affairs from gambling though :)
  • stevefstevef Posts: 1,044
    Pulpstar said:

    Freggles said:

    Remember when Jez said he'd be PM by Christmas....

    And he can't.
    He can. If a government falls, then the leader of the next largest party can attempt to form a government without an Election.

    Not very likely, and such a minority couldnt last long, but theoretically possible.
    The Tories might think it was in their interest to allow a Corbyn minority government to continue for a few months in the hope that it would prove to be as bad as they assure us it will be. This could improve their chances at a new election.
    Didn't work out too well for Asquith in the 20s.
    Asquith was never PM in the 1920s. But it worked perfectly for Baldwin who lost his majority in 1923, followed by a 9 month Labour minority government which led to a Tory landslide in 1924
  • dr_spyn said:

    The Damian Green story reeks of I just want to enjoy watching the son of a bitch deny that he had porn on the computer.

    https://twitter.com/hrtbps/status/936576893222039552
  • If I was Green and was asked 'did you look at the pornography' I would respond by 'No - but have you ever looked at pornography'

    Have we reached a point where people are ashamed to admit they are heterosexual?
  • stevefstevef Posts: 1,044
    The DUP might withdraw support from May (unlikely), but it would never make Corbyn PM by voting for him in a vote of confidence. The (unlikely) fall of the May government would trigger a general election under the FTPT (given that neither government nor opposition could govern). Only the voters can make Corbyn PM and given that older voters who abstained in June, would turn out in their droves to stop him now that they recognise that he is a threat would make it very unlikely that this would lead to Corbyn becoming PM.

  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603
    In footballing terms, this is the preferable outcome.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,587
    stevef said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Freggles said:

    Remember when Jez said he'd be PM by Christmas....

    And he can't.
    He can. If a government falls, then the leader of the next largest party can attempt to form a government without an Election.

    Not very likely, and such a minority couldnt last long, but theoretically possible.
    The Tories might think it was in their interest to allow a Corbyn minority government to continue for a few months in the hope that it would prove to be as bad as they assure us it will be. This could improve their chances at a new election.
    Didn't work out too well for Asquith in the 20s.
    Asquith was never PM in the 1920s. But it worked perfectly for Baldwin who lost his majority in 1923, followed by a 9 month Labour minority government which led to a Tory landslide in 1924
    The Tories own Brexit! Corbyn would be madder than even I give him discredit for if he decided he wanted to navigate us out of the EU as a minority PM. And yes, indeed he would be opening the door to many future Tory landslides!
  • stevefstevef Posts: 1,044

    Freggles said:

    Remember when Jez said he'd be PM by Christmas....

    And he can't.
    He can. If a government falls, then the leader of the next largest party can attempt to form a government without an Election.

    Not very likely, and such a minority couldnt last long, but theoretically possible.
    The Tories might think it was in their interest to allow a Corbyn minority government to continue for a few months in the hope that it would prove to be as bad as they assure us it will be. This could improve their chances at a new election.
    No. if the government fell, Corbyn would not automatically become PM. He would attempt to form a government under the FTPT, but the Queen would not appoint him PM until he demonstrated to her that he had the support of a majority of MPs in the Commons. Until he did, the May government would remain in office for a few weeks, followed by a general election. So no, Corbyn cannot become PM by Xmas or indeed before a general eletion, unless the DUP not only withdrew support from the Tories, but actually voted FOR Corbyn after making a confidence agreement with him -which they have not threatened to do. They have threatened a general election, not to make Corbyn PM without one.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,408

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,408

    Pulpstar said:

    Pong said:

    Very exciting.

    I have a 50% chance of reaching 90, an 11% chance of reaching 100 & a 10% chance of dying before pension age.

    https://visual.ons.gov.uk/what-is-my-life-expectancy-and-how-might-it-change/

    I can expect 50 more years here apparently.
    We will still be talking Brexit...

    Pulpstar said:

    Pong said:

    Very exciting.

    I have a 50% chance of reaching 90, an 11% chance of reaching 100 & a 10% chance of dying before pension age.

    https://visual.ons.gov.uk/what-is-my-life-expectancy-and-how-might-it-change/

    I can expect 50 more years here apparently.
    We will still be talking Brexit...
    LOL
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,722
    stevef said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Freggles said:

    Remember when Jez said he'd be PM by Christmas....

    And he can't.
    He can. If a government falls, then the leader of the next largest party can attempt to form a government without an Election.

    Not very likely, and such a minority couldnt last long, but theoretically possible.
    The Tories might think it was in their interest to allow a Corbyn minority government to continue for a few months in the hope that it would prove to be as bad as they assure us it will be. This could improve their chances at a new election.
    Didn't work out too well for Asquith in the 20s.
    Asquith was never PM in the 1920s. But it worked perfectly for Baldwin who lost his majority in 1923, followed by a 9 month Labour minority government which led to a Tory landslide in 1924
    Thanks in part to a bare-faced lie in the DM. Now where else have I heard that sort of story?
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,089
    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    In politics, not so much?
  • Not at all. The UK government gave an undertaking at the time of the Olympic bid that he stadium would be retained for athletics. Spurs tried to ignore this in their bid and wanted to knock it down and build a stadium specifically for football. Boris was absolutely right to reject this and it is sad to see you have so little respect for international commitments.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,408

    Presumably if Green is sacked it won't be because of his browsing habits, it will be because he has been found to have said something that wasn't true. (I'm not saying that he did say something untrue, merely that this would be grounds for a sacking.)

    Which would be a shame, as those who have acted disgracefully trying to get him will presume it worked, and so will others in a position to disclose things.
  • kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    He respects democracy and he's getting to spend more time with his family.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941
    kle4 said:

    Presumably if Green is sacked it won't be because of his browsing habits, it will be because he has been found to have said something that wasn't true. (I'm not saying that he did say something untrue, merely that this would be grounds for a sacking.)

    Which would be a shame, as those who have acted disgracefully trying to get him will presume it worked, and so will others in a position to disclose things.
    Why am I not surprised to find the police leaking like a sieve to undermine a Tory minister.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 113,969
    edited December 2017

    Not at all. The UK government gave an undertaking at the time of the Olympic bid that he stadium would be retained for athletics. Spurs tried to ignore this in their bid and wanted to knock it down and build a stadium specifically for football. Boris was absolutely right to reject this and it is sad to see you have so little respect for international commitments.
    I know.

    I'm in favour of value for money for taxpayers.

    Boris is acting shamefully in that he didn't co-operate with the inquiry.

    The report states the costs of transforming the stadium were £133 million more than the estimates when the West Ham deal was signed — £323 million instead of £190 million. It says the stadium is forecast to lose £24 million in 2017-18 and more than £20 million a year under current arrangements.....

    ...Mr Johnson’s decision for the stadium to host Rugby World Cup games in 2015, “added extra delays, disruption and costs to the construction programme and put the July 2016 re-opening ahead of the start of the Premier League season at considerable risk”.
  • anothernickanothernick Posts: 3,547
    IanB2 said:

    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    In politics, not so much?
    No, not in the modern era. The most recent example of a high-level political comeback was probably Harold Wilson in 1974 and that is 43 years ago now.

    Anyway, Cameron made one of the most calamitous errors of electoral judgment in history - there cannot possibly be a comeback for him after such a monumental blunder.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,408
    edited December 2017

    FF43 said:

    Is Davis looking for a way out by making a gratuitous moral stand on a fringe issue?

    https://twitter.com/George_Osborne/status/936566185008738304

    Getting more serious. Not just "extreme porno" alleged to be on Damien Green's laptop. Photos of Meghan too.
    Entirely coincidentally..

    'Porn searches for Meghan Markle go through the roof as lusty royalists set their sights on raunchy sex scenes'

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/porn-searches-meghan-markle-go-11606318
    Hah! Showing intense devolution to the royals.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941

    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    He respects democracy and he's getting to spend more time with his family.
    He's a better choice than all the other big names in Cabinet. Just give him an Earldom and he can be PM from the Lords :D
  • RobD said:

    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    He respects democracy and he's getting to spend more time with his family.
    He's a better choice than all the other big names in Cabinet. Just give him an Earldom and he can be PM from the Lords :D
    The Leadbangers wouldn't accept it.
  • calumcalum Posts: 3,046
    Arlene's examination will be worth watching
    https://twitter.com/SJAMcBride/status/936341196305260544
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,408
    edited December 2017

    FF43 said:

    Is Davis looking for a way out by making a gratuitous moral stand on a fringe issue?

    https://twitter.com/George_Osborne/status/936566185008738304

    Getting more serious. Not just "extreme porno" alleged to be on Damien Green's laptop. Photos of Meghan too.
    Entirely coincidentally..

    'Porn searches for Meghan Markle go through the roof as lusty royalists set their sights on raunchy sex scenes'

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/porn-searches-meghan-markle-go-11606318
    Lusty royalists? Are they saying all Monarchists are w*nkers?
    Don't they all stand to attention when they play the national anthem?
    Get down their knees.

    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    He respects democracy and he's getting to spend more time with his family.
    What’s respecting democracy got to do with it? Leaders have never fought on when losing an election? Oppositions don’t continue to oppose after losing?
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,587

    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    He respects democracy and he's getting to spend more time with his family.
    ...and he can earn a squillion pounds a day on the after-dinner circuit with no stress and no knife-wielding Boris behind his back!
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,408
    IanB2 said:

    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    In politics, not so much?
    Not so much here, but it seems common elsewhere.
  • kle4 said:

    FF43 said:

    Is Davis looking for a way out by making a gratuitous moral stand on a fringe issue?

    https://twitter.com/George_Osborne/status/936566185008738304

    Getting more serious. Not just "extreme porno" alleged to be on Damien Green's laptop. Photos of Meghan too.
    Entirely coincidentally..

    'Porn searches for Meghan Markle go through the roof as lusty royalists set their sights on raunchy sex scenes'

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/porn-searches-meghan-markle-go-11606318
    Lusty royalists? Are they saying all Monarchists are w*nkers?
    Don't they all stand to attention when they play the national anthem?
    Get down their knees.

    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    He respects democracy and he's getting to spend more time with his family.
    What’s respecting democracy got to do with it? Leaders have never fought on when losing an election? Oppositions don’t continue to oppose after losing?
    His view is that if you're the front man for the losing side of a nation changing referendum then it's sine die for your political career.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,089

    kle4 said:

    FF43 said:

    Is Davis looking for a way out by making a gratuitous moral stand on a fringe issue?

    https://twitter.com/George_Osborne/status/936566185008738304

    Getting more serious. Not just "extreme porno" alleged to be on Damien Green's laptop. Photos of Meghan too.
    Entirely coincidentally..

    'Porn searches for Meghan Markle go through the roof as lusty royalists set their sights on raunchy sex scenes'

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/porn-searches-meghan-markle-go-11606318
    Lusty royalists? Are they saying all Monarchists are w*nkers?
    Don't they all stand to attention when they play the national anthem?
    Get down their knees.

    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    He respects democracy and he's getting to spend more time with his family.
    What’s respecting democracy got to do with it? Leaders have never fought on when losing an election? Oppositions don’t continue to oppose after losing?
    His view is that if you're the front man for the losing side of a nation changing referendum then it's sine die for your political career.
    One judgement that surely he has got right.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,408

    kle4 said:

    FF43 said:

    Is Davis looking for a way out by making a gratuitous moral stand on a fringe issue?

    https://twitter.com/George_Osborne/status/936566185008738304

    Getting more serious. Not just "extreme porno" alleged to be on Damien Green's laptop. Photos of Meghan too.
    Entirely coincidentally..

    'Porn searches for Meghan Markle go through the roof as lusty royalists set their sights on raunchy sex scenes'

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/porn-searches-meghan-markle-go-11606318
    Lusty royalists? Are they saying all Monarchists are w*nkers?
    Don't they all stand to attention when they play the national anthem?
    Get down their knees.

    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    He respects democracy and he's getting to spend more time with his family.
    What’s respecting democracy got to do with it? Leaders have never fought on when losing an election? Oppositions don’t continue to oppose after losing?
    His view is that if you're the front man for the losing side of a nation changing referendum then it's sine die for your political career.
    That’s fine, but that’s not some tosh about respecting democracy, just recognising practically and personally that door is now closed. Democracy would still be respected were he ever to try to renter frontline politics.
  • anothernickanothernick Posts: 3,547

    kle4 said:

    FF43 said:

    Is Davis looking for a way out by making a gratuitous moral stand on a fringe issue?

    https://twitter.com/George_Osborne/status/936566185008738304

    Getting more serious. Not just "extreme porno" alleged to be on Damien Green's laptop. Photos of Meghan too.
    Entirely coincidentally..

    'Porn searches for Meghan Markle go through the roof as lusty royalists set their sights on raunchy sex scenes'

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/porn-searches-meghan-markle-go-11606318
    Lusty royalists? Are they saying all Monarchists are w*nkers?
    Don't they all stand to attention when they play the national anthem?
    Get down their knees.

    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    He respects democracy and he's getting to spend more time with his family.
    What’s respecting democracy got to do with it? Leaders have never fought on when losing an election? Oppositions don’t continue to oppose after losing?
    His view is that if you're the front man for the losing side of a nation changing referendum then it's sine die for your political career.
    Correct. His credibility can never be recovered.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,089
    kle4 said:

    IanB2 said:

    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    In politics, not so much?
    Not so much here, but it seems common elsewhere.
    Almost impossible in the Uk, though, it seems. You could argue that DD is a very rare example?
  • IanB2 said:

    kle4 said:

    FF43 said:

    Is Davis looking for a way out by making a gratuitous moral stand on a fringe issue?

    https://twitter.com/George_Osborne/status/936566185008738304

    Getting more serious. Not just "extreme porno" alleged to be on Damien Green's laptop. Photos of Meghan too.
    Entirely coincidentally..

    'Porn searches for Meghan Markle go through the roof as lusty royalists set their sights on raunchy sex scenes'

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/porn-searches-meghan-markle-go-11606318
    Lusty royalists? Are they saying all Monarchists are w*nkers?
    Don't they all stand to attention when they play the national anthem?
    Get down their knees.

    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    He respects democracy and he's getting to spend more time with his family.
    What’s respecting democracy got to do with it? Leaders have never fought on when losing an election? Oppositions don’t continue to oppose after losing?
    His view is that if you're the front man for the losing side of a nation changing referendum then it's sine die for your political career.
    One judgement that surely he has got right.
    He's got more decency and dignity than Clegg who didn't resign after losing the AV referendum.

    The Lib Dems might have been better off if Clegg had resigned in 2011.
  • kle4 said:

    That’s fine, but that’s not some tosh about respecting democracy, just recognising practically and personally that door is now closed. Democracy would still be respected were he ever to try to renter frontline politics.

    He's been rejected, coming back would be telling the voters you got it wrong.
  • calumcalum Posts: 3,046
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,089

    IanB2 said:

    kle4 said:

    FF43 said:

    Is Davis looking for a way out by making a gratuitous moral stand on a fringe issue?

    https://twitter.com/George_Osborne/status/936566185008738304

    Getting more serious. Not just "extreme porno" alleged to be on Damien Green's laptop. Photos of Meghan too.
    Entirely coincidentally..

    'Porn searches for Meghan Markle go through the roof as lusty royalists set their sights on raunchy sex scenes'

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/porn-searches-meghan-markle-go-11606318
    Lusty royalists? Are they saying all Monarchists are w*nkers?
    Don't they all stand to attention when they play the national anthem?
    Get down their knees.

    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    He respects democracy and he's getting to spend more time with his family.
    What’s respecting democracy got to do with it? Leaders have never fought on when losing an election? Oppositions don’t continue to oppose after losing?
    His view is that if you're the front man for the losing side of a nation changing referendum then it's sine die for your political career.
    One judgement that surely he has got right.
    He's got more decency and dignity than Clegg who didn't resign after losing the AV referendum.

    The Lib Dems might have been better off if Clegg had resigned in 2011.
    The government was effectively neutral on AV so there was no reason for Clegg to resign.

    Had he resigned, his replacement would probably have brought to an end the coalition and an early GE which the Tories would have won. Had the coalition continued, I doubt a different DPM would have made any difference; by then the die was effectively cast for the LibDems.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,842

    IanB2 said:

    kle4 said:

    FF43 said:

    Is Davis looking for a way out by making a gratuitous moral stand on a fringe issue?

    https://twitter.com/George_Osborne/status/936566185008738304

    Getting more serious. Not just "extreme porno" alleged to be on Damien Green's laptop. Photos of Meghan too.
    Entirely coincidentally..

    'Porn searches for Meghan Markle go through the roof as lusty royalists set their sights on raunchy sex scenes'

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/porn-searches-meghan-markle-go-11606318
    Lusty royalists? Are they saying all Monarchists are w*nkers?
    Don't they all stand to attention when they play the national anthem?
    Get down their knees.

    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    He respects democracy and he's getting to spend more time with his family.
    What’s respecting democracy got to do with it? Leaders have never fought on when losing an election? Oppositions don’t continue to oppose after losing?
    His view is that if you're the front man for the losing side of a nation changing referendum then it's sine die for your political career.
    One judgement that surely he has got right.
    He's got more decency and dignity than Clegg who didn't resign after losing the AV referendum.

    The Lib Dems might have been better off if Clegg had resigned in 2011.
    Clegg put country before party. A rare and admirable trait.
  • OchEyeOchEye Posts: 1,469
    HYUFD said:

    Ironically the DUP propping up a weak Corbyn minority government along with the LDs, SNP, Plaid and Greens with the Tories still the largest party and Corbyn and Starmer having to complete Brexit themselves would probably be excellent news for the Tories poll rating even if it did mean a spell out of government.

    They would also have opposition almost entirely to themselves.

    Nobody else would be listening to them, they have managed to build up so much ill will to themselves....
  • stevefstevef Posts: 1,044
    Under the Fixed Term Parliament Act, the Leader of the Opposition does not automatically become prime minister if the government falls in a vote of confidence. The act says that the Leader of the Opposition could TRY top form a government. But the Queen would only appoint Corbyn if he could successfully demonstrate that he had the support of a majority of MPs in the House of Commons, and even if the DUP refused to vote for May, Corbyn could not form a viable government unless he had a confidence agreement with the DUP -which it would not give.

    The fall of the May government would lead to a general election. May would remain PM while Corbyn attempted -and failed-to form a government, and then the Commons would be disssolved. Corbyn would only become PM after the election if he could demonstrate to the Queen that having failed before the election, he could then command a majority of MPs support in the House.

  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,089
    OchEye said:

    HYUFD said:

    Ironically the DUP propping up a weak Corbyn minority government along with the LDs, SNP, Plaid and Greens with the Tories still the largest party and Corbyn and Starmer having to complete Brexit themselves would probably be excellent news for the Tories poll rating even if it did mean a spell out of government.

    They would also have opposition almost entirely to themselves.

    Nobody else would be listening to them, they have managed to build up so much ill will to themselves....
    If either Brexit or this government fails, the Tories will be in opposition for a long time.
  • If the DUP were going to break their coalition deal, what would the timescales involved be? I would assume the torys would get more than just hints it was about to happen. If a leadership election is triggered and only one candidate puts themselves forward, this could be over in a week and therefore provided a deal is arranged the torys would have time to trigger leadership change before GE campaign started. So Corbyn could become leader but not next leader?
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,587

    kle4 said:

    That’s fine, but that’s not some tosh about respecting democracy, just recognising practically and personally that door is now closed. Democracy would still be respected were he ever to try to renter frontline politics.

    He's been rejected, coming back would be telling the voters you got it wrong.

    kle4 said:

    That’s fine, but that’s not some tosh about respecting democracy, just recognising practically and personally that door is now closed. Democracy would still be respected were he ever to try to renter frontline politics.

    He's been rejected, coming back would be telling the voters you got it wrong.
    However he will be perfectly entitled to tell us in the years to come that we disregarded his sage warnings, and believed the lies writ large on a bus, and the weasel words of absolute charlatans. If and when he does, I for one will applaud!
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,408

    kle4 said:

    That’s fine, but that’s not some tosh about respecting democracy, just recognising practically and personally that door is now closed. Democracy would still be respected were he ever to try to renter frontline politics.

    He's been rejected, coming back would be telling the voters you got it wrong.
    Not necessarily, since he could come back post Brexit to serve as best he could in the new Britain, knowing he was the wrong man to oversee the transition but still better to move forward than someone else . And in any case opposition parties, staffed largely by the same people with mostly similar messages, tell the public they got it wrong every election. Telling the voters they made a mistake isn’t disrespecting democracy. Sometimes we do get it wrong, and we react accordingly next time.

    His choice is his choice, but I take issue with making grandiose claims about it which don’t hold up. For one, he would not have been disrespecting democracy to remain as an
    MP, they didn’t reject him, that was entirely a personal choice. And while his resigning as PM was inevitable, over 60% of the people didn’t vote for him in 2015, so it’s not like more people rejected him in 2016.

    I like Cameron, and if he never wants to hold elected office again fair enough, but this idea you can’t if you’ve been rejected once is bizarre.
  • kle4 said:

    That’s fine, but that’s not some tosh about respecting democracy, just recognising practically and personally that door is now closed. Democracy would still be respected were he ever to try to renter frontline politics.

    He's been rejected, coming back would be telling the voters you got it wrong.

    kle4 said:

    That’s fine, but that’s not some tosh about respecting democracy, just recognising practically and personally that door is now closed. Democracy would still be respected were he ever to try to renter frontline politics.

    He's been rejected, coming back would be telling the voters you got it wrong.
    However he will be perfectly entitled to tell us in the years to come that we disregarded his sage warnings, and believed the lies writ large on a bus, and the weasel words of absolute charlatans. If and when he does, I for one will applaud!
    His autobiography will be out next year, I suspect it will be interesting.

    He will set the record straight and admit his mistakes.

    I suspect it will not make for pleasant reading for Gove, Johnson, and Lord Ashcroft.
  • volcanopetevolcanopete Posts: 2,078
    The only prediction I am prepared to make is that UK politics,and politics internationally,will remain highly unpredictable.Many old "certainties",like young people don't vote and DNVs will always remain DNVs,have followed "strong and stable" ino the dustbin.
    The only betting conclusion is to keep your powder dry,or back high and lay lower for small stakes.Betting on politics is a high risk game at the moment and my "animal spirits" are on their holidays.
  • sarissasarissa Posts: 1,752

    Not at all. The UK government gave an undertaking at the time of the Olympic bid that he stadium would be retained for athletics. Spurs tried to ignore this in their bid and wanted to knock it down and build a stadium specifically for football. Boris was absolutely right to reject this and it is sad to see you have so little respect for international commitments.
    So West Ham get 11 months of the year as prime tenant for £2.5 million per year during a 99-year lease but will not have to fund police, stewarding, heating, pitch maintenance, or corner flags(!) of a stadium that cost £900 million to build and adapt - sounds like the bargain of the century.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,165
    sarissa said:

    Not at all. The UK government gave an undertaking at the time of the Olympic bid that he stadium would be retained for athletics. Spurs tried to ignore this in their bid and wanted to knock it down and build a stadium specifically for football. Boris was absolutely right to reject this and it is sad to see you have so little respect for international commitments.
    So West Ham get 11 months of the year as prime tenant for £2.5 million per year during a 99-year lease but will not have to fund police, stewarding, heating, pitch maintenance, or corner flags(!) of a stadium that cost £900 million to build and adapt - sounds like the bargain of the century.
    I don't think Boris can be blamed for the Olympic Bid.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,089
    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    That’s fine, but that’s not some tosh about respecting democracy, just recognising practically and personally that door is now closed. Democracy would still be respected were he ever to try to renter frontline politics.

    He's been rejected, coming back would be telling the voters you got it wrong.
    Not necessarily, since he could come back post Brexit to serve as best he could in the new Britain, knowing he was the wrong man to oversee the transition but still better to move forward than someone else . And in any case opposition parties, staffed largely by the same people with mostly similar messages, tell the public they got it wrong every election. Telling the voters they made a mistake isn’t disrespecting democracy. Sometimes we do get it wrong, and we react accordingly next time.

    His choice is his choice, but I take issue with making grandiose claims about it which don’t hold up. For one, he would not have been disrespecting democracy to remain as an
    MP, they didn’t reject him, that was entirely a personal choice. And while his resigning as PM was inevitable, over 60% of the people didn’t vote for him in 2015, so it’s not like more people rejected him in 2016.

    I like Cameron, and if he never wants to hold elected office again fair enough, but this idea you can’t if you’ve been rejected once is bizarre.
    He made one of the biggest misjudgements in this country's history. However much a decent guy he is (and when I met him, he seemed very much so), there is no coming back from this.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,408
    calum said:
    calum said:
    calum said:
    Not exactly a recipe for stabilising matters I suppose? Though without big gains the separatists lose more momentum?
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941
    IanB2 said:

    OchEye said:

    HYUFD said:

    Ironically the DUP propping up a weak Corbyn minority government along with the LDs, SNP, Plaid and Greens with the Tories still the largest party and Corbyn and Starmer having to complete Brexit themselves would probably be excellent news for the Tories poll rating even if it did mean a spell out of government.

    They would also have opposition almost entirely to themselves.

    Nobody else would be listening to them, they have managed to build up so much ill will to themselves....
    If either Brexit or this government fails, the Tories will be in opposition for a long time.
    Depends on the performance of the next government, surely?
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,408
    IanB2 said:

    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    That’s fine, but that’s not some tosh about respecting democracy, just recognising practically and personally that door is now closed. Democracy would still be respected were he ever to try to renter frontline politics.

    He's been rejected, coming back would be telling the voters you got it wrong.
    Not necessarily, since he could come back post Brexit to serve as best he could in the new Britain, knowing he was the wrong man to oversee the transition but still better to move forward than someone else . And in any case opposition parties, staffed largely by the same people with mostly similar messages, tell the public they got it wrong every election. Telling the voters they made a mistake isn’t disrespecting democracy. Sometimes we do get it wrong, and we react accordingly next time.

    His choice is his choice, but I take issue with making grandiose claims about it which don’t hold up. For one, he would not have been disrespecting democracy to remain as an
    MP, they didn’t reject him, that was entirely a personal choice. And while his resigning as PM was inevitable, over 60% of the people didn’t vote for him in 2015, so it’s not like more people rejected him in 2016.

    I like Cameron, and if he never wants to hold elected office again fair enough, but this idea you can’t if you’ve been rejected once is bizarre.
    He made one of the biggest misjudgements in this country's history. However much a decent guy he is (and when I met him, he seemed very much so), there is no coming back from this.
    Which is fine - I think TSE is just being melodramatic about the finality, since if it must be final it’s about political realities, not because it would disrespect democracy. Telling the voters they were wrong before us part of the very essence of democracy.
  • kyf_100kyf_100 Posts: 3,911
    Pulpstar said:

    IanB2 said:

    kle4 said:


    Get down their knees.

    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    He respects democracy and he's getting to spend more time with his family.
    What’s respecting democracy got to do with it? Leaders have never fought on when losing an election? Oppositions don’t continue to oppose after losing?
    His view is that if you're the front man for the losing side of a nation changing referendum then it's sine die for your political career.
    One judgement that surely he has got right.
    He's got more decency and dignity than Clegg who didn't resign after losing the AV referendum.

    The Lib Dems might have been better off if Clegg had resigned in 2011.
    Clegg put country before party. A rare and admirable trait.
    I've occasionally wondered if the EU referendum result would have been different had we implemented electoral reform. Everyone knows that referendums act as an opportunity to kick the government of the day, and I can't help but question whether there would have been less kicking - even 2% less kicking would have swayed the result - if people felt their vote in general elections mattered.

    Does anyone know if there has been any work done on correlation between the leave vote and how safe any given constituency is?
  • TonyETonyE Posts: 938
    Ignoring the points scoring from Khan and the Mayor of Newham (who are clearly making as much hay as they can), the real issue was the bid to host the Olympics.

    A worse case hubris you're never likely to encounter. In 2006, Eggert Magnusson offered the Olympic Bid £100m upfront, to build a football stadium with a running track, in a similar manner to that which the Manchester Commonwealth Games Bid had been run. Then West Ham would have either rented or purchased the ground at the end of the Olympics, and a deal would have been done on conversion costs which would have been minimal.

    There would have been undersoil heating,corporate box space, etc, a roof, fit for UEFA class 4. And the warm up track would have been converted into a smaller athletics stadium, not unlike the size that Coe's 'dustbowl' would have occupied.

    But Coe, to win the bid, had promised the IOC that the Stadium 'would remain athletics only'. So they decided to knock most of it down and just leave an uncovered bowl.

    And that's the real story, the Olympic Stadium build was a bloody shambles. From bid to build to contract. The design was wrong, everything else was an inevitable consequence.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,089
    RobD said:

    IanB2 said:

    OchEye said:

    HYUFD said:

    Ironically the DUP propping up a weak Corbyn minority government along with the LDs, SNP, Plaid and Greens with the Tories still the largest party and Corbyn and Starmer having to complete Brexit themselves would probably be excellent news for the Tories poll rating even if it did mean a spell out of government.

    They would also have opposition almost entirely to themselves.

    Nobody else would be listening to them, they have managed to build up so much ill will to themselves....
    If either Brexit or this government fails, the Tories will be in opposition for a long time.
    Depends on the performance of the next government, surely?
    TBF, in the latter case I concede you have a point. In the former case of Brexit being seen badly to fail, this would overhang the Tories over multiple terms.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,587

    kle4 said:

    That’s fine, but that’s not some tosh about respecting democracy, just recognising practically and personally that door is now closed. Democracy would still be respected were he ever to try to renter frontline politics.

    He's been rejected, coming back would be telling the voters you got it wrong.

    kle4 said:

    That’s fine, but that’s not some tosh about respecting democracy, just recognising practically and personally that door is now closed. Democracy would still be respected were he ever to try to renter frontline politics.

    He's been rejected, coming back would be telling the voters you got it wrong.
    However he will be perfectly entitled to tell us in the years to come that we disregarded his sage warnings, and believed the lies writ large on a bus, and the weasel words of absolute charlatans. If and when he does, I for one will applaud!
    His autobiography will be out next year, I suspect it will be interesting.

    He will set the record straight and admit his mistakes.

    I suspect it will not make for pleasant reading for Gove, Johnson, and Lord Ashcroft.
    I wonder how he will explain away the pig?

    Back on topic. For all his failings and I wasn't particularly a fan, although I would have him back as PM in a heartbeat given ALL current alternatives, he would NEVER have jeopardised the Good Friday Agreement by getting involved with the DUP!
  • TonyETonyE Posts: 938
    edited December 2017
    sarissa said:

    Not at all. The UK government gave an undertaking at the time of the Olympic bid that he stadium would be retained for athletics. Spurs tried to ignore this in their bid and wanted to knock it down and build a stadium specifically for football. Boris was absolutely right to reject this and it is sad to see you have so little respect for international commitments.
    So West Ham get 11 months of the year as prime tenant for £2.5 million per year during a 99-year lease but will not have to fund police, stewarding, heating, pitch maintenance, or corner flags(!) of a stadium that cost £900 million to build and adapt - sounds like the bargain of the century.
    It's only a bargain for the chairmen. The fans hate it. It's a crap stadium. It won't be standing in 20 years is my guess. It will be houses.
    Edit: I should qualify that remark with the fact that I'm a season ticket holder and lifelong Hammer
  • OchEyeOchEye Posts: 1,469
    stevef said:

    Under the Fixed Term Parliament Act, the Leader of the Opposition does not automatically become prime minister if the government falls in a vote of confidence. The act says that the Leader of the Opposition could TRY top form a government. But the Queen would only appoint Corbyn if he could successfully demonstrate that he had the support of a majority of MPs in the House of Commons, and even if the DUP refused to vote for May, Corbyn could not form a viable government unless he had a confidence agreement with the DUP -which it would not give.

    The fall of the May government would lead to a general election. May would remain PM while Corbyn attempted -and failed-to form a government, and then the Commons would be disssolved. Corbyn would only become PM after the election if he could demonstrate to the Queen that having failed before the election, he could then command a majority of MPs support in the House.

    May would firstly be given the chance to form a new government, but would probably fail, Corbyn, or the leader of another party could be requested to try and form another administration. In Corbyn's case, he probably wouldn't be trying too hard. Personally, I think most in the HoC would be aware of the tactics and considering the amount of time before March 2019 is decreasing rapidly and the urgency to get things moving, would vote for a GE as quickly as possible. May has made the noose, attached it to the scaffold, put the noose over her head, and has her hand on the lever that will cause the floor beneath her to collapse. Can't see anyone coming to save her, even from her own party...
  • NEW THREAD

  • anothernickanothernick Posts: 3,547

    The only prediction I am prepared to make is that UK politics,and politics internationally,will remain highly unpredictable.Many old "certainties",like young people don't vote and DNVs will always remain DNVs,have followed "strong and stable" ino the dustbin.
    The only betting conclusion is to keep your powder dry,or back high and lay lower for small stakes.Betting on politics is a high risk game at the moment and my "animal spirits" are on their holidays.

    +1

    Today's opinion polls tell us absolutely nothing about the likely result of the next general election. The old certainties have gone into the Brexit bin.
  • IanB2 said:

    kle4 said:

    FF43 said:

    Is Davis looking for a way out by making a gratuitous moral stand on a fringe issue?

    https://twitter.com/George_Osborne/status/936566185008738304

    Getting more serious. Not just "extreme porno" alleged to be on Damien Green's laptop. Photos of Meghan too.
    Entirely coincidentally..

    'Porn searches for Meghan Markle go through the roof as lusty royalists set their sights on raunchy sex scenes'

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/porn-searches-meghan-markle-go-11606318
    Lusty royalists? Are they saying all Monarchists are w*nkers?
    Don't they all stand to attention when they play the national anthem?
    Get down their knees.

    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Bring back Dave and the Tories will win a majority once again.

    When will he get the chance to return to the Commons? It woukd no doubt be after we'd left.

    But he doesn't seem keen.
    I've been urging him to come back.

    Alas his view is that once you've been rejected by the electorate then it's over and you shouldn't come back.
    People make comebacks all the time. Sounds like he’s lost his bottle. Not without reason, but if he’s not up for the fight that’s that.
    He respects democracy and he's getting to spend more time with his family.
    What’s respecting democracy got to do with it? Leaders have never fought on when losing an election? Oppositions don’t continue to oppose after losing?
    His view is that if you're the front man for the losing side of a nation changing referendum then it's sine die for your political career.
    One judgement that surely he has got right.
    He's got more decency and dignity than Clegg who didn't resign after losing the AV referendum.

    The Lib Dems might have been better off if Clegg had resigned in 2011.
    AV was a Conservative proposal not a Lib Dem proposal. Lib Dems wanted a proportional representation system
  • MortimerMortimer Posts: 13,921

    Mortimer said:

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    What happened with the byelection results yesterday? The Libs Dems have gone superman:

    North (Maidstone): LDEM: 51.4% (+20.0) Liberal Democrat GAIN from Conservative
    Torrington (Torridge): LDEM: 60.2% (+60.2) Liberal Democrat GAIN from UKIP
    Bridgemary North (Gosport): LDEM: 57.9% (+57.9) Liberal Democrat GAIN from Labour.
    Westway (Tandridge): LDEM: 53.5% (+17.5) Liberal Democrat HOLD

    It must be down to the public all reading the pb.com threads about "Why aren't the LibDems doing better....?"
    You have to admit that's some Lib Dem surge. From nowhere. Weird.
    The same thing, approximately, happens each year as the nights are dark. LDs are tremendously good at getting voters out in small, concentrated locations, and win when their oppositions are less engaged/motivated. As soon as spring/summer/large scale elections come along, they revert to form.
    So you're betting that come Spring, say May when there are more widespread election, the LibDems will lose out?
    They're not going to get 50% + swings, no.
  • kyf_100kyf_100 Posts: 3,911

    The only prediction I am prepared to make is that UK politics,and politics internationally,will remain highly unpredictable.Many old "certainties",like young people don't vote and DNVs will always remain DNVs,have followed "strong and stable" ino the dustbin.
    The only betting conclusion is to keep your powder dry,or back high and lay lower for small stakes.Betting on politics is a high risk game at the moment and my "animal spirits" are on their holidays.

    +1

    Today's opinion polls tell us absolutely nothing about the likely result of the next general election. The old certainties have gone into the Brexit bin.
    I'm not sure that betting on politics is that much of a high risk game at the moment - in fact since I began in 2015 I've been consistently profitable. In part, thanks to some truly brilliant tips from this site (e.g. Macron when he was 17/1 courtesy of rcs_1000).

    But also because in fact things have been so consistent in the last couple of years. The outsider, or anti politics candidate, wins. Whether that's Brexit or Trump, goldsmith losing his by election, or corbyn destroying expectations of a con landslide, the momentum tends to be with the protest candidate or against the status quo.

    My only serious betting mistake recently was jumping back in on a tory majority in the last days of the GE after the London bridge terror attack as I assumed the optics were terrible for Corbyn and the "terrorist sympathiser" attack would hit home. However I did manage to get out on the night at a small loss and my big bets against the Lib Dems in Sheffield hallam (cheers TSE) and Leeds north west more than made up for it.

    I do enjoy the general chat on this site, but following some smart posters here has also been very profitable.
This discussion has been closed.