To be starting to really worry about Liz Truss

[Anothernamechangeplease]

OK, so I'm not a Tory. I hate Boris, and despise the rest of them. I don't hold or much hope of any of them actually doing anything to address the problems that we're currently facing, because I don't think any of them actually give a toss about ordinary people. Of the two candidates that are left in the Tory leadership contest, I would pick Rishi, because I think he has a more realistic understanding of the economic challenges, but obviously, I'm not a party member so I have no say in the matter.

Nevertheless, I have been relatively sanguine and the prospect of Liz Truss as leader, a) because I figured that things couldn't get much worse than the shit show that we have had under Boris, and b) because I am pretty sure that she will be utterly unelectable when it comes to the next general election, so worst case scenario would be that we have another couple of years of crappy Tory government, exacerbated by the cost of living crisis, and then we can be pretty confident of getting shot of them. So, pretty shit all in all, but survivable.

But listening to everything that she is saying she wants to do, to the economic forecasts, and to the analysis from both within and beyond the Tory party, I'm starting to get really very worried. All this talk of huge tax cuts and massive reductions in public spending...I fear that she is going to make the looming economic crisis infinitely worse at a time when we can least afford to risk it. Nearly all economists seem to agree that her plans are going to make things worse, not better.

We are already at breaking point. Public services are on their knees. Businesses are struggling to stay afloat. People both in work and out of work are struggling. The most vulnerable are already having to choose between bare essentials such as eating and heating. Inflation continues to soar, energy prices are going off the scale, interest rates are going up... and she is about to make it worse! We just don't have the resilience in the system to cope with this.

I am actually very worried about what is going to happen. This could be very bad indeed, and a lot of people are going to suffer. If we end up with austerity on steroids in the midst of an unprecedented economic crisis, there will be massive civil unrest, surely?

@Festoonlights - in your fevered imagination maybe, the Labour Party has always been a broad church and even was under Corbyn. Less so now he has been expelled but there you go. The Tory party however kicked out most of the talent and good MP's in the Johnson Putsch and now Liz 'Continuity Boris' Truss is a fanatical Brexit "deny the truth cult now". Anyway, I thought you were off to Jordan to go and sit by the Rivers of Galilee...

Labour can handle it’s left and centre better in good times but when strikes and pay come to the front it’s a bigger problem for them as they are divided.

If the war ends sooner (hopefully for Ukraine) then some of that pressure is off otherwise it’s not easy for them either

Its

The Tories have also worsened their own problems in this leadership contest. Their thoughts on the state’s failings have provided Labour with its most effective attack video yet, featuring Kemi Badenoch declaring that the Tories hadn’t covered themselves in glory in their time in office, as well as clips of Sunak talking about bills going up and Truss predicting a recession.

twitter.com/UKLabour/status/1549750333785743360

It's just heartbreaking that we are looking at another incompetent leader set to be running this country in a few weeks time, with very few of us having any say in the matter.
We are set to be the laughing stock yet again!

I am here and it’s beautiful thanks for remembering (slightly creepy you are so invested…but anyway)

Its not so much a broad church as a scathing working mens club with a few token bruisers they call women - no it’s not women, that’s the wrong word isn’t it… what do we call those people with wombs and cervixes again vera? Perhaps you can help out, what do we call (whisper it) ‘people’ with child bearing capacity? It all so difficult, bloody women and their ability to miraculously create life, why can’t they be more like run of the mill men hey - and then Labour wouldn’t have this ‘problem’ with sex and gender.

Starmer supports the war and NATO but much of the left squawk that we must remember Russia is an old friend, let’s talk instead right, don’t worry about the hypersonic missiles poised to take out much of Europe because Putin is such a gentleman after all, and so reasoned and diplomatic.

One side of the party would dismantle our nuclear capacity over night and take us out of NATO - which is just what we need now Russia have started a new Cold War. China sitting in the wings.Perfect time to demilitarise no? And the other side of Labour appear to be fully paid up members of the ‘establishment’ to their eternal shame where defence is something a country might want to invest in occasionally.

Labour can’t even decide whether they are ‘allowed’ to support their biggest party donors - the unions! Why? Because no one is rushing to pay more to train drivers already being paid double that of a fully qualified nurse! The unions backed the wrong horse on that one - there is zero public support for the ‘poor’ train drivers…. so Starmer is holding his nerve with the little back bone he has left.

And it actually doesn’t matter what side you are on, no one is going to go near the campaign to rejoin the EU or go anywhere near that hornets nest. They all appear to have found their conscience and respect for democracy all of a sudden! Now we all believe in brexit. Starmer the solid remainer is now a repackaged brexiteer apparently, and Corbyn always was.

Oh dear maybe it is time for Tony’s new party after all. Another few years/decades of Blairite wisdom is just what we all need…..

It’s like choosing between having both arms cut off or both legs cut off

Oh dear get off t'internet and enjoy your holiday. I can't bear to read some cribbed sub-Richard Littlejohn op-ed which boils down to ;

Woke war - women don't have penises
Labour are peacenik commie lovers and will suck up to Putin
The unions will destroy Britain

Not a peep about the economic mess we're in and how to fix it and how to pay the bills and mortgage put food on the table or afford housing. You're fighting a battle in your own head and whilst you may wish the next election was fought on those grounds it most certainly won't be but on the dire straits and the realities that 10s of millions are and will be facing.

"C'mon Madam.
Surely you can spare a few quid to help a family in Tunbridge Wells get some more gravel in their drive"

I am enjoying my holiday buy thanks all the same.
What incredible economic plan do Labour have to save us all??’ Total radio silence is the answer.

I am going to say this - I don’t believe we are going to have a long drawn out agonising recession. I think it will be a difficult winter mainly due to the war and energy issues but honestly the U.K. is not looking at a very deep recession according to many economists- Liz Triss should sack Andrew Bailey - and half the under qualified limp team responsible for much of this mess as the first thing she does.

And yes I will be voting - abd I guess you won’t be vera and it won’t be for Sunak.

As the leader of the opposition, Starmer has operated on the principle that oppositions don’t win elections – governments lose them. He has backed away from the Corbyn-era policy prospectus, as well as many of the pledges he made in his own leadership bid, such as his commitment to common ownership of energy. Instead, he’s running a small-target strategy, trying to offer the Tories as few attack lines as possible which is the best way. When we get near to the election and see how the economic landscape lies then don't worry about policies plenty will there be. Based on for the many, not the few....

I don’t believe we are going to have a long drawn out agonising recession

Very sadly I believe those words will come back to haunt you.

Depends how much standing back to the extent that people say they don’t know what you stand for helps build connection

If he is doing it in the way you say it could work or not.

If I really wanted Labour to win I’d want some one with more vision like Blair managed to communicate - and take people with him but he got a landslide with that approach

But who knows who’ll win, I wouldn’t call it yet

I’m terrified by how vacuous Liz Truss is.
We need the absolute most competent and best of the centrist best right now, seeing as we have bafflingly had such an awful Prime Minister he had needed to resign (rightly) but yet we have not been allowed a GE. (wrongly). Truss is worse than hopeless. She’ll also let Boris back in to her government, I strongly imagine.

If she did she might make him Special Envoy to Ukraine - but dangerous to have him back in Cabinet. No one likes a backseat driver and the optics are terrible inviting ripostes of who's in charge.

The Tory Self ID policy endangered women's rights.
The cuts to education, Justice and health have eroded Women's rights.
Their new Bill of Rights will erode women's rights further. www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/british-bill-of-rights-major-step-back-for-women-and-survivors/
Like Starmer (and at the same time), PM Johnson got muddled(?) up on the question of women and cervix.www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1501654/Boris-Johnson-GB-News-latest-Conservative-Party-speech-woke-cancel-culture-woman-cervix-vn/amp
Penny Mordaunt has repeatedly stood in Parliament and said TWAW. Truss is planning to give her a position in her cabinet.
Tory MPs have reported women to the police for tweeting stuff like JKR tweets.
The Tory party refused to make misogyny a Hate Crime.

These are just a some of the ways the Conservatives have eroded Women's rights @TullyApplebottom. I'm sure there are others.

That’s Royal Tunbridge Wells actually!

I’m sure Boris wouldn’t come back to cabinet- why would he? He would make much more money outside of politics. Won’t he still get Prime Ministers pay for life?

Also, I’ve never known an ex PM to remain a cabinet minister. Most leave politics altogether. Apart from Theresa May who remained an MP, I can’t think of anyone else in the last few decades who stayed in politics.

That's Rishi Royally shafted then and I am disgusted !

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disgusted_of_Tunbridge_Wells

SIR – Being present at the unveiling of the plaque on Thursday last week on the Pantiles, I was surprised when the National Anthem was played to see that in a place like Tunbridge Wells, which is noted for its loyalty and calls itself "Royal", there should be people who refused to remove their hats. Are such people Communists? If they are, Tunbridge Wells should be no place for such as they. We can do without them

That really made me laugh. Tunbridge Wells is a big commuter town, loads of shops, bars, restaurants, cinema and a theatre.

If that's a "rural area" then his constituency is a wilderness in Ultima Thule.

I completely agree.

This sums it up perfectly

Warning - a fuller video of Johnson dancing with his "child wife" has surfaced... Nero fiddling comes to mind.

twitter.com/supertanskiii/status/1555625922790834179

Social care! Our hospitals are clogged with people that shouldn't be there but there's no social care for them if they come out. Improving social care would help the NHS immensely. Social services are struggling massively too.