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Looks like it's going to happen on the 10th October
Is there anybody left who wants anything other than a change of government? It seems pretty hard to imagine anyone wanting to continue with this grimness
Is there anybody left who wants anything other than a change of government? It seems pretty hard to imagine anyone wanting to continue with this grimness
I think you'd be surprised.
the longer they hang on there worse it'll be for them.
Everything Sunak does or says goes to shit.
Daft not to run it in May as the weather improves and everyone is generally in a better mood.
But, bring it on. I'll be out pounding pavements to ensure we knock a few more holes in the Blue Wall.
Is there anybody left who wants anything other than a change of government?
According to a recent opinion poll about 30% wanted to wait until November.
I am assuming that they are mostly Tory voters.
Is there anybody left who wants anything other than a change of government? It seems pretty hard to imagine anyone who is remotely interested wanting to continue with this grimness
Fixed that for you. Actually you'd need to be more than remotely interested. Most people I speak to are just furious at Mark Drakeford for implementing lockdowns and the 20mph speed limit in Wales. Outside of that they're not that interested.
The entire country is literally sat there rolling their eyes and looking at their watches, waiting for the inevitable.
I can't comprehend why Sunak wants to stay as PM for any longer anyway. Everyone hates him, including his own MPs, and we all know that he'll be in California by lunchtime the day after he loses the election anyway
Mr Hester will probably provide a helicopter to fly Mr Sunak to the airport, the day after the GE.
I can’t comprehend why Sunak wants to stay as PM for any longer anyway.
Employee rights only kick in after two years.
I can’t comprehend why Sunak wants to stay as PM for any longer anyway.
I can’t comprehend why anyone would wants to be PM at all in the current climate. I've been of the mind since (sorry Binners) the days of Magic Grandad that the reason Labour has been so impotent is because it's a monkey they don't actually want. Far better to just nod and smile and look forward to your pension.
As for why the tories would hold on till December. Low turnout is the Tories friend and in general winter elections get a lower turnout. In Scotland in particular Labour and SNP voters are less likely to have their own transport and won't go back out in the cold and dark especially if there is not much difference policy wise between Labour and Tory.
Daft not to run it in May as the weather improves and everyone is generally in a better mood.
It does feel a bit like desperation
Daft not to run it in May as the weather improves and everyone is generally in a better mood.
It does feel a bit like desperation
It'll go to the wire, Rishi will expend ludicrous energy on achieving not very much. The Tories will be buying any vote available. Rational debate will go out of the window as we approach some kind of showdown around Christmas.
I imagine the current shitshow with Hester decided him against a May election.
He's just sat there hoping it'll go away and waiting for a turn in fortunes 😆
waiting for a turn in fortunes
More like "waiting for Starmer to massively put his foot in it so they have something to campaign on that might actually work"
Starmer's caution on so many issues is exasperating but he just needs to get to election day without writing the Tories' leaflets for them.
He’s just sat there hoping it’ll go away and waiting for a turn in fortunes
Rishi, sat with his fingers in his ears, going “la la la la la…”. 🤣
Currently, my constituency, Chippenham, has the Conservatives at 43%, LibDem’s at 36%, Labour at 5% and the Greens at 4%.
Labour have, allegedly, decided not to even bother putting up a candidate, and Chippenham’s MP is Michelle Donelan, so considering that the town has been Tory for a very long time, since 1802, then Liberal in 1885, 1905 and 1922, and Conservative until 1983, when the constituency was abolished, but reinstated in 2010, when it was returned again as Tory, it doesn’t pay to make it a forgone conclusion.
Personally, I’m really hoping Sarah Gibson, our prospective LibDem candidate, gets the gig! The town council is LibDem, so 🤞🏼
I can see the Lib Dems picking up a few seats by appealing more to middle-class voters. Not sure why people would still vote SNP in Scotland, so Labour could do well there, if they're smart about it. Middle-England will be the key battleground - Labour and Starmer will have to work hard against the Tory war machine to win in Oxfordshire, for example.
I can’t comprehend why Sunak wants to stay as PM for any longer anyway
Cash. Simples. Money-grubbing ***** the lot of them.
Low turnout is the Tories friend
That belief although very common is something of a myth.
For example in the 2001 and 2005 general elections the turnouts was very low but Labour won both comfortably.
The turnouts in all the general elections that Thatcher won, plus the 1992 general election which Major won were very high.
I reckon that one of Rishi Sunak's greatest concern should be that much of the Tory vote will not feel motivated and stay at home on election day.
Getting them out last general election was relatively easy as the threat was Jeremy Corbyn and thought of him becoming prime minister didn't bear thinking of for most Tory voters.
In contrast I doubt that Keir Starmer frightens your average Tory voters a huge amount.
For that reason it would have made sense for Rishi Sunak to piggyback the general election onto the local May 2 elections. A lot of Tory voters are likely to make more of an effort for the local elections plus it would have given them twice the reason for getting their arses down to the polling stations.
But Rishi Sunak has proved not to be a particularly good tactician, as his Rwanda flagship policy fiasco and singing to Reform UK's culture war tune clearly testifies.
they're banking on woke loving knee taking "underserving" rich "oiks" they hate with a passion smashing it out the park in Euro 2024 and sweeping to victory on a wave of patriotic fervor.
Not sure why people would still vote SNP in Scotland, so Labour could do well there, if they’re smart about it.
Because despite the propaganda the SNP have been both competent and have achieved a great deal and are more committed to improving the lot of folk.
The SNP will lose seats but labour will do very well to become the largest party in Scotland given their antics over the years in Holyrood and the total lack of ambition compared to the SNP
If the Tories get completely voted out of Scotland, will the main party still be able to take Scottish Conservative money or will that count as taking political funding from another country?
Partly facetious question but an interesting one from a constitutional perspective.
If they allow it, because of historic ties with the country, won't they be then able to use that same argument for taking money from other countries such as the USA?
Slippery slope...
Employee rights only kick in after two years.
I wish that were the case
[url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-63350359 ]Liz Truss gets £115,000.[/url] Each year.
Is there anybody left who wants anything other than a change of government? It seems pretty hard to imagine anyone wanting to continue with this grimness
There's those who like what the Tories are doing. Like with Tump.
There's those who (like with Trump) will hold their noses and vote like they always do anyway..
I hope there's a big swing, as looks likely, but I won't be complacent.
FX.
Some interesting stuff here:
Surprisingly according to that poll most voters don't want an immediate general election. I'm not sure why as most aren't Tory supporters.
Also interesting that apparently most Reform UK voters wouldn't vote Tory if Reform UK didn't stand.
Not sure why people would still vote SNP in Scotland, so Labour could do well there, if they’re smart about it
Labour are offering nothing that the Tories aren't.
Lib Dems are a non-entity.
SNP are the only party offering progressive policies.
Labour are a really hard sell up here. I wish it wasn't the case but they've set out their stall and it seems to consist of "let's rewind to 2010 and do it all again".
There’s those who like what the Tories are doing. Like with Tump.
There’s those who (like with Trump) will hold their noses and vote like they always do anyway..
The big difference is that Trump has polled a consistent ~40% since 2016, a genuinely unwavering fan base, whereas the Tories plummeted during Liz Truss' brief tenure and didn't recover too much since, they are now at 24% and not looking like it will get any better for them. The reason for this, as far as I see it, is that Trump has created a very effective cult of personality, and his followers are not interested in hearing anything else
Starmer has said he needs to win big in Scotland to have legitimacy here. He has then denigrated Holyrood and done nothing to help Scottish labour to the point at rutherglen the labour candidate campaigned against london labour policy.
The key thing will be how well does " two cheeks of the same arse" stick and can labour avoid the attacks from the SNP from the left.
A recent Scottish poll had SNP easily remaining the biggest party and labour a poor second
Surprisingly according to that poll most voters don’t want an immediate general election. I’m not sure why as most aren’t Tory supporters.
Is that the full wording of the poll question? What does “immediately” mean? Should have asked “within 3 months” like the 6 months question. Most people want a campaign period, manifestos published, media scrutiny with purdah, and I suspect TV debates for leaders and town hall debates with constituency parliamentary candidates. All takes time.
Lib Dems are a non-entity.
In Scotland perhaps. Likely to be back to the third party in UK parliament after the election. Lots of Tory/LibDem marginals could change hands this time.
Not sure why people would still vote SNP
Many reasons not least because support for independence remains roughly at the same level it has been for ten years.
@ernie In 2001 and in 2005 Labour were still riding the wave of Blairs landslide win. In the 80s and 92 I believe there would have been notable differences between Labour and Tory manifestos. Who knows what the differences will be this time as Keir Starmer keeps very tight control on Labour policies and the Tories go for anything that might attract votes
I wasn't giving a reason why whatever party won a general election, I was just pointing out that results don't provide any evidence that low turnouts benefit the Tories.
In 2001 the turnout was 59%, which is very low, and Labour won a huge majority. In 1992 the turnout was 78% percent, which is about as high as it gets, and the Tories won a very comfortable majority.
Whatever factors were involved in the results of those general elections turnout doesn't seem to be significant.
Edit: To be clear the belief that low turnouts benefit the Tories is a very widely held belief which I used to believe myself.
I think the belief was probably based on the assumption that Tory voters tend to be better educated, more interested in politics, and therefore more likely to be motivated to vote.
But some time back I read articles which dismissed the suggestion that low turnouts benefit the Tories because there is no actual evidence to back it up.
My mistake Ernie the article I read made exceptions from the general rule. I didnt mention them in my post above.
The exceptions were
1 When the outcome of the election is in little doubt às in 2001 and 2005 and possibly now turn out is likely to be low but not to affect the results
2 When there is a real difference between the main contenders turnout is likely to be higher às in the 1980s and 92 .
Both UK and Scottish governments need a change and an overhaul...both been in far too long and it has bred complacency - some things are ok, but far too many are poor.
SNP seem to be dropping the ball everywhere and yet still seem to think we all want independence - we don't for now, we want better services for everyone as many are distinctly lacking these days.
Most people I speak to are just furious at Mark Drakeford for implementing lockdowns and the 20mph speed limit in Wales.
Do you live in Monmouth? My observation was that it was only Tories from England and their Welsh imitators that were criticising him for this. Everyone I know appreciates what he did during lockdown, and couldn’t care less about the 20mph speed limit.
Potentially interesting local story, former MP standing for Gorgeous George's Workers Party. He seemed pretty popular as an MP and I can see him taking 5-10% of the vote and possibly impacting the result, especially on a liw turnout.
BBC News - Chris Williamson: Former Derby MP confirms election bid
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-68581737
I don't understand why Chris Williamson isn't standing in his old neighbouring seat.
Mind you I also don't understand why he is standing for George Galloway's vanity party.
In response to recent overtures from Galloway Jeremy Corbyn told him to do one, I would have expected Chris Williamson to have more sense than to accept any offer from Galloway.
In Scotland perhaps
Well, yes, that was my entire point.
Both UK and Scottish governments need a change and an overhaul…both been in far too long and it has bred complacency – some things are ok, but far too many are poor.
I agree but who is the viable alternative?
SNP seem to be dropping the ball everywhere and yet still seem to think we all want independence – we don’t for now, we want better services for everyone as many are distinctly lacking these days.
Or in other words "get on with the day job"? Been hearing that for years. Yes they're stagnant and yes they have dropped the ball on things but what would the opposition have done for us in that time? SNP have neve been able to do right without doing wrong in some folks eyes, to an absolute swivel eyed level in some cases.
Chris Williamson: Former Derby MP confirms election bid
Finally outed himself as the [ blank ] his colleagues said he was.
@squirrelking - all good questions and I don't know any answers to it... SNP were very good when they got in but since the independence vote they appear to have forgotten largely about the day job, which is a real shame as they did do well to begin with.
TJ said
"A recent Scottish poll had SNP easily remaining the biggest party and labour a poor second"
I think you are out of date there. Latest predictions for Scotland are Labour 28, SNP 19.
https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/area_scot.html
Most people want a campaign period, manifestos published, media scrutiny with purdah, and I suspect TV debates for leaders and town hall debates with constituency parliamentary candidates.
I rather suspect that "most people" don't want any of that. Rather most people who actually bother to turn up will put a cross in the same box they always put a cross into and not give it further thought. Most people hear "there now follows a party political broadcast by the..." and immediately change channels.
If we've learned nothing else from STW, changing opinions is hard.
SNP have neve been able to do right without doing wrong in some folks eyes, to an absolute swivel eyed level in some cases.
To be fair, you could probably say that about any mainstream party. How often have we heard "oh, I could never vote for [party] because of [something that happened 20 years ago]."
To be fair, you could probably say that about any mainstream party. How often have we heard “oh, I could never vote for [party] because of [something that happened 20 years ago].”
Oh absolutely, see tuition fees.
But I'm talking about blaming them for stuff that had absolutely nothing to do with them at any level. Saw a Fudbook post the other day where someone was blaming them for the state of George Square in Glasgow claiming Sturgeon wrecked it. This despite:
The square was a shithole for years before the SNP took government power.
It was last (finally) half-arsedly refurbished by a Labour led council.
Sturgeon has never held a seat in the city centre much less been a councillor.
They had an "amusing" profile pic of Humza Yousef with a witty speech bubble which tells you everything you need to know.
There is an almost pathological hatred of the SNP from some quarters, usually the ones supporting a certain team (who will claim the SNP only get voted in because the other team supports them). Not everyone is that stupid but there's certainly a decent contingent of folk that hate them on principle rather than anything they've actually done wrong. Even the stuff they do right (baby boxes) are wrong because people shouldn't get things for nothing/they cause cot death/it's a load of cheap tat etc. Same with the ferries, if they'd let Fergusons fail that would have been wrong, they didn't but that was wrong as well.
The Ferries debacle has been a while pile of mess from everyone...however, SNP need to a large portion of blame as they let it happen. It should have been paused/stopped as soon as it started looking odd, but it wasn't.
Saying that, same can be said about HS2...and the cross London project...
They aren't the only ones managing to mess things up (however, I do think they have done a lot of good, just the last several years the good hasn't been as good as the bad has been bad).
I've no idea who I'm going to vote for this time round (when it comes round), it was an easy vote previously but the above (and other stuff) has made it a complete guess now...
Anyway, that is about my grasp of politics and I suspect it is way off the mark with lots of stuff.