UK General Election 2024

[DarloRich]

Nothing wrong with dull, at the moment. It is probably what the UK needs right now.

absolutely - dull mature adults for me please!

 

[birchesgreen]

We know he doesn't drink which is fair enough but could they not give him a bottle of zero alcohol lager to hold? its just for the picture. We all know he doesn't ever go in pubs but why make that obvious?

Give him a coke and then he can make a joke about being the designated driver of the economy or something. Might even get a few laughs and make him seem slightly human.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I always find it disappointing that so many vote entirely selfishly.

Sadly , that is the human race for you. Not all of course but so so many.

 

[Kaliwax]

I get the impression all charismatic and lively politicians do is try and divert people away from what is going on, try and get people at the bottom to turn on each other.

 

[DarloRich]

Give him a coke and then he can make a joke about being the designated driver of the economy or something. Might even get a few laughs and make him seem slightly human.

exactly - there is the clip of him declaring himself a coke addict and quickly clarifying he meant coca cola!

Same joke, little laugh, bit of human warmth. = a not entirely awful feeling for everyone!

 

[bleeder4]

I don't particularly care if the person at the top is a bit out of touch personally with the public, as long as they have good people advising them who are keeping them in touch. For example, most company CEOs won't have any firsthand experience of what their customers' shopping habits and desires are. They don't talk to their customers in shops or work on the tills etc. Instead they rely on their board of directors/senior managers to get that information and pass it onto them.

 

[jon0844]

I personally think Reform are worse than the tories and that's saying something

My Reform candidate seems to like Hitler: https://www.whtimes.co.uk/news/24394147.reform-uks-jack-aaron-defends-saying-hitler-brilliant/

And, guess what, he defected from the Tories.

 

[dgl]

exactly - there is the clip of him declaring himself a coke addict and quickly clarifying he meant coca cola!

Same joke, little laugh, bit of human warmth. = a not entirely awful feeling for everyone!

Not a friend of Gove then!

 

[bspahh]

On Twitter, David Allen Green wrote:

We need a Prime Minister who can smash the gangs responsible for all these small bets.

 

[jon0844]

We know he doesn't drink which is fair enough but could they not give him a bottle of zero alcohol lager to hold? its just for the picture. We all know he doesn't ever go in pubs but why make that obvious?

Why not just a soft drink in a regular glass? Why did he think a pint glass was what he needed to be seen holding, if he doesn't drink? We all know Nigel Farage pretends to be a man of the people with a pint too.

It's stunning that people can fall for something so ridiculous - but they obviously do.

Are they worried that voters will not vote because someone doesn't like a drink (and more importantly, a beer)? I mean, yes, there probably are a few - but they can't outnumber the people who look on and cringe.

 

[edwin_m]

We need a Prime Minister who can smash the gangs responsible for all these small bets.

The current Tory policy seems to be "stop the votes".

 

[Kaliwax]

I feel sorry for those who live in Lee Anderson's constituency, and for the ones who vote him out, as I get the impression he doesn't like anyone who has a different view or way of thinking and just shuns them.

 

[Sorcerer]

Are they worried that voters will not vote because someone doesn't like a drink (and more importantly, a beer)? I mean, yes, there probably are a few - but they can't outnumber the people who look on and cringe.

Quite possibly, and if so it's probably because of the whole "I'd have a pint with him" sentiment that Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage managed to capture with a few voters. The thing with Sunak though is that he actively struggles to present himself as anything other than the privileged individual that he is, whereas Johnson and Farage have a knack for such showmanship to the point that some people genuinely want them to be the next Tory leader even though one already left the position in disgrace and the other has already failed to become an MP several times.

 

[SteveP29]

the biggest issue for me is his lack of any connection with the real world. He has no idea, really, what life is like for most of the people he rules. His wealth insulates him from the problems in society and his lack of empathy simply makes it worse. The Sky TV comments were a case in point.

Also his PR team are useless. Yesterday he was pictured in a pub with real people with a pint in a dimple pot. A pint of water.

We know he doesn't drink which is fair enough but could they not give him a bottle of zero alcohol lager to hold? its just for the picture. We all know he doesn't ever go in pubs but why make that obvious?

Give him a coke and then he can make a joke about being the designated driver of the economy or something. Might even get a few laughs and make him seem slightly human.

Why not just a soft drink in a regular glass? Why did he think a pint glass was what he needed to be seen holding, if he doesn't drink? We all know Nigel Farage pretends to be a man of the people with a pint too.

It's stunning that people can fall for something so ridiculous - but they obviously do.

Are they worried that voters will not vote because someone doesn't like a drink (and more importantly, a beer)? I mean, yes, there probably are a few - but they can't outnumber the people who look on and cringe.

Its perfectly acceptable to drink tea or coffee in a pub now.
That, or as some have said, Coke.

At least those look authentic, a pint of tap water just makes everything look so unnatural and staged

 

[jon0844]

His advisor probably told him to have a pint, so that's why he used a pint glass! He didn't get the meaning of 'a pint'.

Still, on a hot day, I guess he can simply say he was extra thirsty and that's why he had such a big glass. I'm sure that defence has already been used actually.

 

[simonw]

I don't particularly care if the person at the top is a bit out of touch personally with the public, as long as they have good people advising them who are keeping them in touch. For example, most company CEOs won't have any firsthand experience of what their customers' shopping habits and desires are. They don't talk to their customers in shops or work on the tills etc. Instead they rely on their board of directors/senior managers to get that information and pass it onto them.

I would expect a CEO to spend time on the front line, if they want to be effective. Sure, only a small percentage of their time but a regular allocation of time to listen to customers.

 

[Silver Cobra]

Looks like it's Labour's turn to suspend a candidate from their party over being investigated by the Gambling Commission regarding alleged betting. Though in this case, it seems it wasn't a bet on the election date but a bet on themselves losing their seat in the election.

https://www.itv.com/news/2024-06-25/labour-suspend-candidate-after-gambling-watchdog-launch-investigation

Labour has administratively suspended Central Suffolk and North Ipswich candidate Kevin Craig after the Gambling Commission launched an investigation.

A party spokeswoman said after being contacted by the commission the party acted immediately to administratively suspend him pending investigation.

A Labour Party spokeswoman said: “With Keir Starmer as leader, the Labour party upholds the highest standards for our parliamentary candidates, as the public rightly expects from any party hoping to serve, which is why we have acted immediately in this case.”

BBC election leaders debate live: Sunak and Starmer clash over borders, tax and gender

There were heated exchanges between the Conservative and Labour leaders in one of the last set-piece events of the election campaign.

www.bbc.co.uk

Suspended Labour candidate bet on himself losing seat, BBC understands

Labour says as soon as they were told by the Gambling Commission they moved quickly to suspend Kevin Craig.

But interestingly, he was not suspended because he had bet on the date of the general election - that was the reason the Conservatives withdrew support from two of their candidates.

As I understand it, what appears to have happened is this Labour candidate in this seat, which has a large Conservative majority, actually bet that he himself would lose the seat.

(As the BBC link is from their live updates page, it's likely it won't work after 24 hours)

Unlike the Tories, Labour have acted quickly with regards to this situation.

 

[Kaliwax]

I do think it's important though for at least cabinet ministers to have some experience of what it's like in their department. for example, DWP, I think the minister for that department should have at least some experience with the welfare system, the issues that face it and the challenges of it.

I think Therese Coffey was the wrong choice a few years ago being made secretary of state for the DWP, as she had no idea of what problems people had and was constantly accused of brushing things up and hiding reports of help for vulnerable people and deaths of benefit claimants and she got universal credit figures wrong constantly

 

[Halwynd]

I would expect a CEO to spend time on the front line, if they want to be effective. Sure, only a small percentage of their time but a regular allocation of time to listen to customers.

Many years ago I was leaving Sainsbury's in Bamber Bridge with a trolley full of shopping one early evening. Near to the exit a chap approached me, introduced himself as Justin from Sainsbury's, and started to ask me how I found my visit that day, whether there was anything I couldn't find or out of stock, and a few other questions. He was wearing a normal suit with a simple 'Justin' name badge on his lapel, so I thought he was the store manager. Turned out he was the Chief Executive.

As for political props.. Harold Wilson was the best. Used his pipe to keep in touch with the 'common man' - and the act of relighting it gave him a valuable few seconds when presented with difficult questions during television interviews. As soon as he was behind closed doors he'd light up a fresh Havana. A class act was Harold - they're just amateurs today.

 

[bspahh]

Craig Williams, Parliamentary Private Secretary to Rishi Sunak, and Conservative candidate for Montgomeryshire & Glyndwr posted on twitter


The bet was for £100 3 days before the election was announced.

When I worked for a public listed company, using inside information for something like that would have been gross misconduct and dismissal.

Calling it a "flutter" does not show contrition.

Craig Williams has followed up with another post on twitter. This is a transcript from the beginning

I just want a quick message (sic) to the constituents of Montgomeryshire and Gwyndir. I remain on the ballot paper on the 4th of July and I hope to secure your support after years of delivery. I committed an error of judgement, not an offence, and I want to reiterate my apology directly to you. I'm fully cooperating with the routine inquiries for the Gambling Commission and I intend to clear my name. In all these things due process is important and that is what sets the UK apart from other countries and ... <snip>

He shows showing no more contrition than before. If he wants to apologise, start with that, not that a pitch for people to still vote for him. Its not his decision on whether he committed an offence.

If he had stood down and apologised when he was told that his bet had been flagged up, the Conservatives could have put forward another candidate, and he would have been a footnote in the later stories when the other bets were reported. He would not be an MP from July, but I think he would have been able to go for a seat in the future.

House of Commons Code of Conduct says:

7. Members must only use information which they have received in confidence in the course of their parliamentary activities in connection with those activities, and never for other purposes.

Was he is too thick to realise that his bet broke this rule, too lazy to have read it, or too dishonest, to have understood it and placed the bet in any case?

At Oddschecker, the best odds for him to win the seat are 4-1, with 1-4 for Labour, so he will probably be looking for a job soon.

 

[AlterEgo]

A German colleague was grumbling about having dull politicians in charge. Dull sounds great to me. The job is prime minister, not a dinner party guest.

Every time I hear people say this I can only assume they don’t think the country needs fundamental reform. It’s in the worst state it’s been since WWII. The idea a dull managerialist is the answer seems a bit odd to me.

 

[Magdalia]

Every time I hear people say this I can only assume they don’t think the country needs fundamental reform. It’s in the worst state it’s been since WWII. The idea a dull managerialist is the answer seems a bit odd to me.

After World War II the UK elected a dull managerialist called Clement Atlee and he delivered fundamental reform.

 

[nw1]

After World War II the UK elected a dull managerialist called Clement Atlee and he delivered fundamental reform.

Indeed. We've had quite enough "personalities" to last a lifetime since December 2019.

Time for a bit of dull stability now.

 

[AlterEgo]

After World War II the UK elected a dull managerialist called Clement Atlee and he delivered fundamental reform.

Um, no, Attlee's government was the most radical ever in British parliamentary history. Starmer's won't be.

I have never ever heard of Attlee being described as a managerialist, I'm guessing in part due to the fact the term didn't exist at the time and that style of governance wasn't even a thing until the 1980s. Implementing the postwar consensus in the way that he did is almost the opposite of managerialism - it was extremely popular, concentrated on public service, was driven by the masses, and receptive to their wants and needs.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jun 2024 ==

Time for a bit of dull stability now.

That's like coming into a kitchen, seeing the previous chef has prepared a giant turd pie, and you deciding to put it in the oven because sure why not? Why bother spoiling all that good work? Much better than starting again.

The paucity of ambition among the electorate is totally fatal to our chances of ever getting out of this. A complete mind trap.

 

[birchesgreen]

Is it illegal to bet on yourself losing? I can understand the insider knowledge nature of the Tory bets being a concern but the Labour one?

 

[jfollows]

Is it illegal to bet on yourself losing? I can understand the insider knowledge nature of the Tory bets being a concern but the Labour one?

Makes him look like a bit of a twit, doesn’t it?
As in the sort of person I’d not want to be my MP.

 

[birchesgreen]

Makes him look like a bit of a twit, doesn’t it?
As in the sort of person I’d not want to be my MP.

Oh indeed but we can't prosecute people for being stupid, i'd never get out of gaol.

 

[Halwynd]

After World War II the UK elected a dull managerialist called Clement Atlee and he delivered fundamental reform.

The best post-war PM in my view. For those so inclined, the book 'Citizen Clem' is worth a read. We don't have politicians of Attlee's calibre or ethics any more - even Margaret Thatcher said in her memoirs that she admired him as a man of substance.

 

[telstarbox]

Is it illegal to bet on yourself losing? I can understand the insider knowledge nature of the Tory bets being a concern but the Labour one?

It's a good way to motivate your volunteers for the rest of the campaign.

 

[SuspectUsual]

x.com

x.com

Keir Starmer has taken a massive risk by suspending his candidate Kevin Craig for betting against himself in the coming election. Because it is widely believed that betting by candidates on themselves is rife. As yet the Gambling Commission has not trawled the bookies for info on bets like Craig’s. I understand the Commission identified his wager by accident. But if the Commission now requests that data from the betting companies, this could turn into a scandal on the scale of the MPs’ expenses scandal. And it won’t just be Tory MPs tarnished. I am told Labour, LibDem and Reform MPs all engage in this kind of punt. GambleGate, or whatever on earth it’s called, will now run all the way to the election and beyond - with who knows what harm to which parties and which politicians

Robert Peston reporting that candidates betting on themselves is “rife”. Now I assume (maybe wrongly) that most will be backing themselves to win, but probably not all.