Theresa May calls General Election on 8th June.

[rf_ioliver]

Anyone else find the images on some of the front pages of the papers truly chilling? Reminds me of the power grab in Turkey.

May had a personal meeting with the editor of the DM not so long ago ... scared yet?

t.

Ian

 

[infobleep]

Ahem!

I've never revisited my previous posts, and have no intention of doing so now, but I do recollect engaging in debate on this forum after the 2015 General Election, making the following points, for which I don't remember any support. Some of those with whom I crossed swords (ever so politely, of course!) are still posting on here. My main points were:-

1) Regardless of the Referendum vote, there would be enough opposition from the losing side to ensure that a General Election would have to be called within a few months of the result. I do remember saying that it could just be in 2018 but much more likely in 2017. At the time I happily admit that I thought it would be the Tory leavers and UKIP whingeing about the 'Yes' majority that swung it!

2) I decried the Fixed Term Parliaments Act that was rushed through after the Election as cynical and unconstitutional, and also pointed out (to unanimous opposition here) that it would NOT prevent a government calling a General Election just when it fancied. The government would just treat the FTPA as an irritant to be swatted away when necessary. QED.

To the here and now. I got round to reading my local (Cornish) weekly paper this p.m. five days after publication. An article was headlined about why May wouldn't call a snap election, and referred to the resurgence of the LibDems in the South West based on polls conducted by Tory research. There followed a series of reasons given by a Plymouth Tory MP as to why there wouldn't and couldn't be a snap election, so that any 'temporary' resurgence of the LibDems would have disappeared by the time of the actual election!

So what happens if we get a re-run (apart from Scotland) of the 2010 election result? The LibDems obviously can't go into coalition again, and Labour without those Scottish seats will be in no position to take office. It could be chaos. Hard Brexit might just then be off the agenda though, for which I for one would be eternally grateful.

Oh, has Nigel Farage announced his position yet? I take it he'll be UKIP leader again by the end of the week. and standing as a candidate somewhere again. Arron Banks can get his wish to fight Carswell in Clacton, and might just get his deposit back.

I wonder if LBC will have to drop Farage. After all he has a radio show on their station whilst still being a MEP. Don't election regulations for TV and radio ban such people having shows on air? I don't agree with his views but he is entertaining to an extent and its good to get a range of people on air, even if I disagree with them.

Still the newspapers are legally allowed to tell you which way to vote on election day, so all is well. Nothing to see here. Move along.

 

[Bald Rick]

In the immortal words of Baldrick, will Momentum have "a cunning plan"...

Nothing to do with me

 

[Bald Rick]

Greens may gain a few seats due to support from ex-Labour voters disillusioned with "too-lefty" policies & uninspired leadership by Mr Corbyn.

Greens won't gain any. Their best hope is Bristol West, where they need a 4.4% swing from Labour. However at the 2015 election the Greens basically took approx half the Lib Dem vote, and it is rather likely that many of those disaffected Lib Dems will switch back, particularly with the position on Europe.

All their other targets need swings of more than 12%.

 

[SteveP29]

I'm wondering what May's got to hide. What news is coming and is so bad about Brexit in the following months that would split her party forcing her to resign, whereas with an increased majority from June she will most probably sail through it??

Conservative electoral fraud, 2015 General Election:
https://www.channel4.com/news/exclu...er-30-people-including-tory-mps-over-expenses

 

[meridian2]

Unfortunately, some of Labour's hardcore are so block-headed that they could never do that. The chances of your average labour-ite embracing even small c aspects of conservatism are practically nil.

It worked for three parliaments from '97. Unfortunately John Smith's dream died in megalomania and liberalism. It would still be valid given the right leadership, but certainly won't happen in time for a June meltdown.

 

[northwichcat]

I am rather stuck since I am not sure who an economically left wing social libertarian who supports nuclear arms and nuclear power should vote for......

A coalition of two or more parties?

 

[northwichcat]

Anyone else find the images on some of the front pages of the papers truly chilling? Reminds me of the power grab in Turkey.

Surprisingly The Guardian front page seems to have one of the most political neutral front pages - the FT have a more neutral one though.

 

[AlterEgo]

A coalition of two or more parties?

You can't vote for a coalition.

 

[telstarbox]

Greens won't gain any. Their best hope is Bristol West, where they need a 4.4% swing from Labour. However at the 2015 election the Greens basically took approx half the Lib Dem vote, and it is rather likely that many of those disaffected Lib Dems will switch back, particularly with the position on Europe.

All their other targets need swings of more than 12%.

The Greens 'stood down' and enabled the Lib Dems to win Richmond Park last year, so maybe they should return the favour in Bristol West?

 

[Howardh]

I'm now totally confused. I'm hearing a vote for May is a vote for a softer Brexit as she will be able to clamp down on the 60 What'sapp MP's (a new party....giggle) who want the hardest possible - - or she wants to clamp down on the Europhiles in her party so she can deliver a hard Brexit.

Hope this comes out one way or the other so we know what we are voting for. I don't want a Libdem vote to accidentally allow a hard Brexit.

This is such a bloody mess, and a lot of it is total miscommunication (and lies of course).

 

[DarloRich]

I am a life long Labour voter and I don't know who to vote for.

I want to support my local candidate (who wont win anyway) but cant overlook the fact that Corbyn is an utter clown and a massive disaster for our party supported by a £3 clown town army of SWP/Trot/Maomentum types utterly detached from reality. He needs to go

 

[gg1]

I am a life long Labour voter and I don't know who to vote for.

I want to support my local candidate (who wont win anyway) but cant overlook the fact that Corbyn is an utter clown and a massive disaster for our party supported by a £3 clown town army of SWP/Trot/Maomentum types utterly detached from reality. He needs to go

I'm in a similar position, lifelong Labour voter who wants to see the back of Corbyn. My constituency will be a straight fight between Labour and Tory (even at their peak in the noughties the Lib Dems were always a distant third), but I'm seriously considering voting LD even though I don't rate Farron and it could result in me having a Tory MP, it's got to the stage I'm thinking that would be a price worth paying if it means Corbyn returning to the back benches.

 

[northwichcat]

The Greens 'stood down' and enabled the Lib Dems to win Richmond Park last year, so maybe they should return the favour in Bristol West?

I'm not sure they did it as a favour to the Lib Dems given in lots of by-elections they haven't put forward a candidate. Should Labour repay the favour because the Greens didn't forward a candidate in the Ogmore by-election?

The Lib Dems got 48% of the vote in Bristol West in 2010. Maybe the Lib Dems can agree to not stand against the Greens in constituencies where the Greens have previously got at least 48% of the vote?

 

[northwichcat]

I'm seriously considering voting LD even though I don't rate Farron

Given how many seats the Lib Dems lost in 2015 and that Nick Clegg couldn't realistically remain as leader the options for a new leader were limited. When Ed Miliband and David Cameron stood down the number of MPs expressing an interest in replacing them as leader was higher than the total number of Lib Dem MPs. However, if the number of Lib Dem MPs goes up then it increases the chance of the next leader of the party being better than Farron.

It's interesting to note that Farron's seat of Westmorland and Lonsdale used to be Conservative and the change to it becoming Lib Dem in 2005 was not down to the Conservatives losing support but Labour voters switching to Lib Dem.

 

[DarloRich]

I'm in a similar position, lifelong Labour voter who wants to see the back of Corbyn. My constituency will be a straight fight between Labour and Tory (even at their peak in the noughties the Lib Dems were always a distant third), but I'm seriously considering voting LD even though I don't rate Farron and it could result in me having a Tory MP, it's got to the stage I'm thinking that would be a price worth paying if it means Corbyn returning to the back benches.

The Tories will win and large majority and decent Labour MP's will lose their seats because of Corbyn and his electoral toxicity. Sadly none of that matters to him or his supporters. They don't even want to win! I have come to see they view electoral failure as a way to purge the party of those unfaithful to Clownbyn and then rebuild in their own deluded SWP image.

That said I simply can not consider voting Tory. It would disgust mt more than words can express and shame me for the rest of time. it would also be a betrayal of everything i believe in.

I might just spoil my paper. :cry::cry::cry:

 

[backontrack]

The Tories will win and large majority and decent Labour MP's will lose their seats because of Corbyn and his electoral toxicity. Sadly none of that matters to him or his supporters. They don't even want to win! I have come to see they view electoral failure as a way to purge the party of those unfaithful to Clownbyn and then rebuild in their own deluded SWP image.

That said I simply can not consider voting Tory. It would disgust mt more than words can express and shame me for the rest of time. it would also be a betrayal of everything i believe in.

I might just spoil my paper. :cry::cry::cry:

Go Green! It's better than spoiling your ballot paper, and Caroline Lucas is probably the most principled and decent MP in the country.

 

[northwichcat]

You can't vote for a coalition.

Indeed but you can vote in a way which could help reduce the chance of one party getting a majority government.

 

[DarloRich]

Go Green! It's better than spoiling your ballot paper, and Caroline Lucas is probably the most principled and decent MP in the country.

That assumes they field a candidate in my consistency. I will investigate their manifesto further to understand their position on issues.

 

[Bromley boy]

The Tories will win and large majority and decent Labour MP's will lose their seats because of Corbyn and his electoral toxicity. Sadly none of that matters to him or his supporters. They don't even want to win! I have come to see they view electoral failure as a way to purge the party of those unfaithful to Clownbyn and then rebuild in their own deluded SWP image.

I might just spoil my paper. :cry::cry::cry:

I just hope that when he loses this election (and it's not if but when) he finally takes the hint, puts his ego aside, does the decent thing and stands down for the greater good of his party.

I'm not a Labour supporter in any way shape or form, but a parliamentary democracy needs a functioning opposition. Thanks to Corbyn and co., we currently lack one.

 

[Mvann]

Go Green! It's better than spoiling your ballot paper, and Caroline Lucas is probably the most principled and decent MP in the country.

No go monster raving looney party. You know it makes sense. If there is a candidate in your area. Independent is sometimes another good choice

 

[northwichcat]

Independent is sometimes another good choice

There's a local councillor vacancy for my ward in May and I'll be voting Independent for that. The Independent candidate lives in the ward she is standing for, while the Conservative lives in another ward which he failed to get elected for last time (plus he's married to George Osborne's agent), while it seems Labour have put forward the only person they could find who was willing to stand.

 

[northwichcat]

I'm not a Labour supporter in any way shape or form, but a parliamentary democracy needs a functioning opposition. Thanks to Corbyn and co., we currently lack one.

I notice Farron's changed the Lib Dem's position from "We can work with another party in coalition" to "We can be a better opposition party than Labour."

 

[Bromley boy]

I notice Farron's changed the Lib Dem's position from "We can work with another party in coalition" to "We can be a better opposition party than Labour."

Given that the SNP are currently doing a better job than Labour, he's probably right!

 

[bramling]

Go Green! It's better than spoiling your ballot paper, and Caroline Lucas is probably the most principled and decent MP in the country.

Just like that? Shouldn't it be a case of study the manifesto first, rather than just picking a party out of thin air?

Personally I find Ms Lucas extremely unpleasant. A patronising self-righteous do-good-er who lacks enough shoulders to fit all her chips on. Maybe I'm missing the goodness in her.

 

[EM2]

Some of you may want to investigate vote-swapping.

Let's say that you are a Labour voter in a safe Labour Seat (e.g. West Ham).
Your vote will not alter the outcome in your constituency, so you advertise that you are willing to swap your vote.
I live in a Tory marginal, and want the Tory MP out. I would normally vote Lib Dem (or ANOther party) but my party is likely to finish third or worse.
So, you vote for the Lib Dem (or ANOther) in your safe Labour seat. Labour still win.
I vote Labour in my Tory marginal and enough of us do so, that the Tory is unseated.

 

[Mvann]

Just like that? Shouldn't it be a case of study the manifesto first, rather than just picking a party out of thin air?

Personally I find Ms Lucas extremely unpleasant. A patronising self-righteous do-good-er who lacks enough shoulders to fit all her chips on. Maybe I'm missing the goodness in her.

It's called tactical voting and not wasting a vote

 

[bramling]

It's called tactical voting and not wasting a vote

That's fine if it's been thought through and the implications have also been thought through. Just picking a party out of thin air is not tactical voting, it's just daft. Same with some people in the south-west who used to say they voted Lib Dem because orange is a happy colour matching the sunny image of the area.

 

[bramling]

Some of you may want to investigate vote-swapping.

Let's say that you are a Labour voter in a safe Labour Seat (e.g. West Ham).
Your vote will not alter the outcome in your constituency, so you advertise that you are willing to swap your vote.
I live in a Tory marginal, and want the Tory MP out. I would normally vote Lib Dem (or ANOther party) but my party is likely to finish third or worse.
So, you vote for the Lib Dem (or ANOther) in your safe Labour seat. Labour still win.
I vote Labour in my Tory marginal and enough of us do so, that the Tory is unseated.

How do you know the other party has kept their side of the deal?

 

[EM2]

How do you know the other party has kept their side of the deal?

It's called trust.