TO BE ABSOLUTELY THRILLED AT A HUNG PARLIAMENT

[rolopolovolo]

This is the best outcome by miles. No hard brexit. (The city now predicts soft Brexit or even no Brexit!!!) No more crazy ideas by either side. Compromise. Tories given a good slap in the face for this stupid election.

This is the first election day in a long time with a good result!

If people repeatedly insist, you know nothing about politics, then why not?

Because a lack of educational attainment does not mean that you are either stupid or ignorant of world events/specialist subjects

I lnow you know that histiny

I wonder who will do the Brexit negotiations now? Imagine if it is Boris Johnson.

I am very pleased young people voted too. I may be a Tory Remainer but the fact my 3 sons voted Labour is fine. I have taken all the children from a young age to the voting booth, they listen to and understand politics and done or are doing economics A levels. I would prefer they shared my views but there we are - i do not breed clones as children andi t's a bit weird when teenagers just parrot the parents' views - I always like to tell them both points of view

I am very pleased the Tories are in,. Any of us who who have studied English and Irish history (for some reason we did tons on it at school) know about the NI issues and the Conservative and Unionist party. there is no need to scaremongering about the DUP - they just about always vote with the Tories anyway.

There is also pretty much agreement on left and right that we need a Brexit which respects the rights of citizens of other EU states living here, that gets us some free trade etc etc. I don't see massive divisions.

What is however notable and no one has much mentioned so far is that for the first time in British history 90% of MPs have been elecvted on a Brexit platform (yes it's bizarre as plenty of them were remainers, but that is the fact - Tory and Labour both said they would take us out of the EU so in a sense the Brexit mandate is clearer than ever).

Labour lost, but they performed way beyond the expectations of most people - including the mainstream media. Remember that when TM originally called the snap election, there was much angst on the Left that this was a deliberate tactic to kick Labour whilst they were down, get a massive Tory majority and consign the Left off into the wilderness for years.

However the Tories underestimated two things.

• Firstly the impact that some of their manifesto policies would have and how badly unprepared they were to defend them. The policy u-turns and the refusal of TM to engage in debates made the Tories look woefully disorganised and made a complete mockery of the "strong and stable" soundbites.

• Secondly and by contrast Labour ran quite a well-organised message - because the Tories completely forgot that JC is a seasoned campaigner and protester. He's never better than when he's out in public, speaking and engaging with people on the street. Compare that to TM's refusal to attend multiple media appearances, which made her look as if she was running scared. Austerity cuts and worries over the NHS made the Tories easy targets for a couple of well-crafted policy messages from Labour.

So yes, they lost the election, but it's a popular win - because suddenly the party with the unelectable Leader who was a national joke, has increased his party's vote share and on a proportional basis is now not that far behind the Conservatives. If you look at the 'swing' on the Tory seats, you'll see that many of them have swung massively towards Labour and that some of the Blue majorities are absolutely tiny. Many of these seats are extremely vulnerable which puts pressure on the Tories about austerity and sends an encouraging note to Labour that they are on the right track. I suspect that if Brexit hadn't been a live issue, that we would have seen more seats going Red and a much closer result - possibly even with a Labour PM.

Yes, I agree. Most Tories will agree we did not do as well as expected.

It was an interesting poll with 42% Tory and 40% Labour, all those Tory gains in Scotland (people want to keep the Union), the wonderful large number of young people's votes (one of my 2 18 year olds between his morning and afternoon A level was sending me text after text of pro Corbyn stuff - it's nice they are happy (we live though in a safe London Tory seat). I was not going to burst his bubble with anything adverse (and indeed Corbyn hsa done well - I've always liked him myself although I don't support most of his policies).

The boundary changes in 18m will help the Tories so I guess they will try to cling on with this set up until then. The Scottish vote is flimsy and they can't rely that long term.

I had been meaning to mention them actually. They are fair and long over due. Interesting May did not wait until they were in effect but called the election now. Anyway at least the Tories have 42% of the voters supporting them, Labour 40%, Tories more seats than anyone and more votes than anyone and 90% of new MPs elected on a Brexit ticket even though many of them and many of us including me don't support Brexit.

Threads moved on a bit, but just back to my Corbyn party support post, yes I totally agree with the centrist blairite turncoat comment. BUT, I wouldnt rely on it at this stage. Has the Labour Party indeed reinvented itself as the hard left socialist party Corbyn sells? Was this a vote for socialism? (I dont know by the way) What becomes interesting in Labour Party politics is, has this been a flash in the pan for Corbyn ideology, at a time that fed into the dissatisfaction of a huge raft of the electorate, or is this indeed a swing back to 70s union driven socialism? The dilema is with those MPs within labour, to pin their colours to the mast. My guess, they avoid being pushed into that position, so its all going to go very quiet for a while whilst they hope JC isnt serious about tabling an alternative minority government.

Lets see who comes out in support of taking positive action, versus those who stay uncommitted and simply sit on the back bench criticising the Tories. One common enemy yes. One common vision, No.

PS I am a 'losing' Tory. Im very pleased with the youth turnout. So well done all first time voters, absolutely right to vote on matters that impact you. The youth become workers. They become parents. They become grandparents. They become pensioners. Its excellent to be engaged in politics early on. No criticism from me whatsoever about anyone voting. (I still bash the apathetic who dont)

90% of new MPs elected on a Brexit ticket
Because we had no choice. If I was in a seat where it didn't matter who I voted for (safe Labour/Tory/something else) I'd have voted LibDem or something else to show that I still do not want Brexit.
But given the choice between - protest vote that means nothing, and voting back in with an increased majority our wonderful first time Labour MP who personally was a Remainer but wants the party to hang together...
I chose voting to show the Tories that I don't want what they want, across a huge range of issues.

so its all going to go very quiet for a while whilst they hope JC isnt serious about tabling an alternative minority government.

I think he'd be stupid to try tbh.

He can only do it if Tory position collapses.

If he does it and it fails, which it will as he doesn't have the numbers, then it would be him that has to call an election from a point of 'failure'.

He'd also have to find the money for his promises.

Most non Cornbyn (inclufing myself) supporters I know are actually to the left of the party but moderate about the style of leadership

It's not that they don't support the policies at all. It was the way he led. But he has reached the parts no one else has. Kudos to him

He'd also have to find the money for his promises.

Didn't he say he'd increase taxes?

People saying young people were bribed by Labour, really don't know what they're talking about. Young people and students have been behind Corbyn since he became leader, well before they announced any policies.
Whilst I have been pretty sceptible by JC, my student Dd and her friends were talking about what a decent person he was. I told them decent people usually don't do well in politics and JC being leader would lead to a massive Tory majority. I'm very glad I was wrong about this!

The assertion that young people were bribed by Labour is a complete straw man argument. Labour's pledge on tuition fees is no different than the Conservative's previous promises to maintain the pensioner's triple lock. Both are vote winners aimed at the respective demographics.

Paul'sconscience I totally agree and thanks for making several erudite and intelligent contributions to this thread.

I don't think Jc is decent in the slightest. too much about him reminds me of trump including a third marriage to a woman 20 years his junior....ewww

"I don't think Jc is decent in the slightest. too much about him reminds me of trump"

Now I have heard everything. What is it about him that reminds you of Trump. It can not be his politics surely?

Bringmetea ahh it's all bollocks really. But my parents were obsessed with politics when I was growing up, so I guess something rubbed off!

We should keep in mind that formal Brexit negotiations haven't even begun yet. Every utterance so far - on both sides - have just been conditioning statements. i.e posturing, taking up negotiating positions.

If the eventual aim of the U.K. side is to get a "soft" compromise then it would be daft to spell that out that at the start. The cost demanded by the EU for (for instance) access to the Single market would then be sky high. Much better negotiating tactics to take a hard line at the start and then trade concessions.

If the "deal-at-all-costs" people negotiate on our behalf we are going to get completely screwed.

"Didn't he say he'd increase taxes?"

i would welcome this, it's time that as a society we pulled together.

Corbyn like Trump?? Is this a joke?

Scandelicious My DH is 23 years my senior Fuck off with your ewwwww

Corbyn like Trump?? Is this a joke?

He reminds me of Trump as well. He makes lots of promises that 'other people' are going to pay for. He has dodgy connections. Anti-semitic v anti-muslim. No experience of running government. Top heavy on protesting about everything. Anti-NATO. Friendly with Russia. He has that shouty style of campaigning. Surrounds himself with people of questionable ability. Wants to rip the 'establishment down'....

I think we have dodged a bullet there.