If May suddenly resigned, who would you want to be the new Pm?

[DionneB]

And why

I would want Jacob Rees Mog , best person at the moment imo

I've done plenty of reading thanks, Burps, and I assume you are referring to the neglect of most leave areas by successive governments, including Blair's. However, regardless of his part in contributing to the disaffection felt in these areas, he would certainly be a useful person to have around now. If he was leading Labour we would actually have an effective opposition, and he would have led an effective remain campaign had the referendum occurred on his watch. As a highly competent politician, albeit not a perfect one, I would have more faith in him being able to find a way through this shit storm than both of the current front benches put together, with the possible exception of Kier Starmer. Starmer's been disappointing imo, but I think that's more down to JC rather than lack of ability on his part. Just because someone may have been part of a problem doesn't automatically mean they can't be part of a solution.

Speaking of how it works, isn't the PM effectively chosen by the Queen?

Yes, just as long as the PM resigns and she is confident that parliament wouldn't disapprove, the Queen can invite whoever she bloody wants to form government.
The UK doesn't have a constitution, just tradition, so "how it works" isn't set in stone.

Given the time frame involved, I suspect any consensus figure would be appointed, rather than going through a general election.

Cameron. Let the toad come back and clean up the mess he made.

Thought some of you would like to see this

twitter.com/MitchBenn/status/1089159494184198144

cormorant You can have Ed Miliband and I'd take him too.
If we're sticking to current MPs, i.e. alive
David Lammy
Ed M
Kenneth Clarke
David T Davies because we know he's willing to stick to his principles.

the duchess

But it wasn't just the neglect of poor areas by successive governments.

Extend your reading to Frank fields plea for brexit.
I'm afraid populating very poor deprived areas of the UK with loads more extremely poor people who have lived under harsh regimes from abroad was pretty much the direct result of Tony Blair descion not to put working restrictions in place.

But of course you already know that...
Frank field pleaded for the poor, which poor do you choose to help under UK government...

Kiefer Sutherland.

Which era of Kiefer? I prefer bleach blonde bad boy from Stand by Me

Dominic Grieve.
Should be obvious why.

Told DH about this thread He says Basil Brush.

Boom boom

I really honestly can't believe anyone can have listened to, read or watch anything that Rees Muppet has said and think "hmmm he's a reasonable bloke who wants to good for all of the country".

British people are forever in thrall to posh politicians. JRM is posh and has cultivated a 'wacky posh' persona. Sadly for us a lot of the electorate think that's all that's needed in order to qualify him for the top job. That's why the country is currently sloshing about in the sewer. Because entitled posh boys have fucked the country about for sport and self enrichment.

Anyone but dear Jeremy.

Ah...Frank Fields. Sold his constituents a lie that their problems have been caused by EU immigration. Birkenhead has a lower level of EU immigrants than the UK national average. Whatever problems there are in that area, and there are many, have been caused by what successive governments have failed to do to address the gaps left in employment after the decline in heavy industry in the last century. None of it is the fault of EU immigration, despite what Frank Fields says. He may be less of a popular hate figure than Blair and many on the left may still look up to him, but what will he do when life in Birkenhead gets worse, not better when we leave, especially if it's without a deal? If only people like him on the left had been prepared to speak to their follower about the EU's real impact on their lives... What a bloody shame none of them did.

Omg Rees Mogg. Put back women's rights centuries - no thanks. Plus I think he's a dangerous man.

Yvette Cooper or Sarah Wollaston. Dominic Grieves.

Agree with the Yvette Cooper/Kier Starmer views. Also Tom Watson seems ok.

If it HAD to be Tory then I would really struggle. Such a shower of idiots. Amber Rudd or Anna Soubry if pushed.

Watching the debates on Parliament tv really opened my eyes to the major and minor politicians. I will be watching again on Tuesday and highly recommend it.

Do you have enough for your article yet OP.

Note that she lit the blue touch paper and fucked off.

British people are forever in thrall to posh politicians

And this is why Mhairi Black is treated with such derision- she doesn’t have a posh accent, she does have a few ill advised moments as well as being young enough to have her twitter account scoured for things she said when she was younger.

"British people are forever in thrall to posh politicians"

I guess that must be true - we had a few state educated PMs, culminating in the decidedly non-posh Thatcher and Major, but then it was straight back to the public schools and Blair. State school Brown never really win the nation's hearts and it was straight back to the public schools.

Market research for Rees Mogg

Rees Mogg is a treacherous weak shiftless twat - does that help the market research?

Mhairi Black is neither here nor there. She's famous for being very young, very confident, and gender non conforming. You can't compare her to time served parliamentarians because she's so early in her career. She shows promise but then so do most MPs if given the limelight at a young age.

When Jo Cox was killed I must admit I'd never previously heard of her. It soon became known that she was committed, principled, extremely hard working and a likeable person too. I'm willing to bet that parliament is full of people like that, who are very highly thought of in their constituencies but have little platform beyond that.

So inevitably this thread is full of famous politicians, while unknown talent remains on the benches.

I've always liked Ken Clarke but then again I admit I just warm to him, and that's probably not the best reason to vote for someone.