To think you can tell if someone is a Statesman/woman by how they conduct themselves when they lose (or nearly lose)

Absolutely this. Politics in recent years has become very ugly, here and in America. It’s a relief when it all goes peacefully rather than expected these days. What happened to Jess Phillips was shocking and disgusting, and I would think that even if I didn’t rate her as a politician. I hate Braverman (as a random example) and everything she stands for but I wouldn’t want her to be harassed like that either.

I honestly wouldn’t want to try and predict the USA result in November but look what happened last time Trump lost. People literally died because of his tantrums.

I don't think we're surprised the transfer of power & behaviour at most of the counts was peaceful - more relieved that it STILL is. This is compared to other comparable democracies like the US and compared to the nastiness of some of our recent politics, especially Brexit but also the Johnson/Farage/Anderson brand of populism & the frightening behaviour of some people in protests such as anti-Israel protests.

Fully agree. It gives me a new respect for some of them. Not enough to vote Tory ever because they just don’t align with what is important to me, but sort of “JH isn’t a total fuckwit after all”.

Apparently Truss had a tantrum to begin with and refused to go on stage for the results so those were held up while her people tried to cajole her. And even when she was there she looked like a mannequin who’d done a line of ket. Not at all surprised by her shitty attitude. Or Galloway’s. He’s an odious prick too.

His TV interview where he mixed up who had asked him a question and started having a go at George Osborne (Ed Balls was the one who actually asked) was hilarious.
Baker showed himself to be a nasty petty churlish Dick while Osborne just sat looking bemused

I agree OP. Whatever you think about the individuals and how they performed in office I think how they handle defeat tells you a lot about them. I'm not fans of either Truss or Mordant but there was a stark contrast in how they behaved after they lost.

I actually found a grudging respect for Penny Mordant being so dignified and gracious when she delivered her speech. I suspect Truss was upset and trying to retain her composure, which suggests she might be too thin skinned for politics, but her remarks since reveal that she is also quite deluded and arrogant.

I hadn't seen the Neil Evans clip but he seems very sincere in that short speech.

I'm surprised and slightly concerned that people think it's remarkable the transfer was peaceful. I don't recall it ever being any other way. Some people are more gracious than others but I don't recall any violence. What happened to Jess Phillips was appalling but it is not the norm.

I appreciated the reversal in tone re Rishi Sunak being Asian as I found the previous rhetoric quite upsetting

Nice that he said something positive about Starmer on resigning

The reality is though, and many people seem surprised by this, that behind closed doors politicians of all parties are actually good friends. They have their political differences, but socially get on well. Many of them work together on APPG's and like and respect one another.

Completely agree, OP.

Penny Mordaunt and Jeremy Hunt both gave really gracious speeches.

Liz Truss was godawful. I didn't think I had any respect for her left to lose but I was wrong.

This says very little about you.

I do think that one thing public school teaches people is the whole "three cheers for the losers!" rhetoric. It doesn't always translate into actual behaviour- but it serves them well at these 3 minutes every 5 year events. Worth every penny.....

Less people voted for tory or Labour than ever. I think as the vote fragments further and clearly unfair results are seen (this time Reform coming third but only getting 5 seats), there will be more voices calling for pr. Unfortunately as both tories and Labour benefit from the system there is unlikely to be change as ironically whoever wins each election benefits from fptp. Labour only got twice reforms votes but ended up with 360 odd seats.

I was very impressed by Penny Mordant and Rees Mogg even though I find their views pretty awful on most things.
Truss was an embarrassment and Galloway one could not expect any less.

I was also very impressed by both Sunak and Starmer and the way they spoke about their opponents. It really is a good example to the world how democracy can exist without violence. I was even impressed by Mogg and that’s saying something. I feel it should have been Boris standing there apologising.

I can't remember hearing so much about PR as I have in the last few days.

Indeed and it y seems that the first past the post system we have was only problematic for some when ,Conservative kept winning ,I have not heard much about it since the results of this election.

You can't be serious? There have been multiple threads on here about the unfairness, not to mention elsewhere.

Indeed and it y seems that the first past the post system we have was only problematic for some when ,Conservative kept winning ,I have not heard much about it since the results of this election. 🤔

Yes - I remember Corbyn refusing to talk to Johnson and just thought, FFS. If our politicians can't act with dignity in office, discuss and negotiate, we're fucked.

I've actually made a career of my ability to get people I disagree with to nudge their position - WHEN I TALK TO THEM.

I hope we're leaving partisan politics behind as much as possible.

Yes I think in general the right are much more generous in defeat than the left. That is because as many have said the left think the right are evil (and their supporters are racists and/or morons) whereas the right think the left are just misguided. This can be carried over to the Brexit referendum. I notice that the people who went on about how only a minority voted for brexit (36% of voting public??) have nothing to say on Labour winning with an even smaller minority (22%, of voting public).

That Nigel Evans clip is lovely! I’ve never voted Cons and probably never will but he came across really well.

I’m a Labour voter and don’t think this is entirely untrue. However, I do think that this is less about some inherent superiority of Tory voters and more about the fact that Labour have put forward a pretty bland, competent, moderate, unifying candidate. Sunak is also a pretty bland, middle of the road figure.

Boris Johnson was not any of those things and nor was Corbyn. An election between two populist, cult of personality types whips up that sort of response and you end up with winners who are not gracious in victory and losers who are not gracious in defeat. You also had campaigns in 2019 that were all about whipping up fear of the other side. They were very negative campaigns.

Thw different response this time is a product of a very different, much less personal and more respectful campaign,

That was a lovely clip.

Truss sulks outside until a slow handclap forces her return then says not a word of thanks or congratulation. Still won’t accept an iota of responsibility for the damage she did.Writes a book about her own wonderfulness.
Johnson scuttles off before he can be sacked. Writes a book about his own wonderfulness.
Dorries throws a tantrum, takes money for months for zero work then resigns blaming everyone else. Writes a book about her beloved’s wonderfulness.
Trump lies and eggs on his supporters to violence. Psychopath with nobody else in his psychotic league except Putin and Kim Jong Un. Obviously Trump wins the not a statesman prize.
At least Sunak had good manners. I thought more of him in his acceptance of defeat than I have ever thought of him before.

Totally agree. Our mp didn’t clap his opponent and refused a hand shake. Just about summed him up to be honest.

That's the difference between Tory voters and some Labour voters ,every other election result in recent years have had angry Labour voters demanding to know why people voted differently to them and calling voters thick and stupid for not voting the way they think they should
I have not seen nearly aa much backlash from Tory voters although elections result isn't a huge surprise .

There was that awful man (from the workers party) who Jess Phillips beat. When she went down the line of other candidates shaking their hands, he just stared straight past her and wouldn't shake her hand.