Do you think there will be a General Election?

[Jourdain11]

And do you think there should be? Apparently there is a 'demand' for one, but surely the Tories wouldn't be so stupid (given that even their membership don't appear to be that keen on the PM they're about to elect)?

@Jourdain11 https://twitter.com/ITVNewsPolitics/status/1501611821844910082?refsrc=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1501611821844910082%7Ctwgr%5E6acab2f4bbdc6fd9e3ede6196180f0b1b24e08a9%7Ctwcon%5Es11c10&refurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.itv.com%2Fnews%2F2022-03-09%2Fforeign-secretary-liz-truss-now-says-britons-should-not-fight-in-ukraine

@CapMarvel he's not a nutter but he's not a prime minister either

I very much doubt current Tory MPs want the new PM to call an election. Any new leader bump in ratings is going to shrivel very quickly as the Autumn progresses.

I think he'd do for at least one term, like when youve been really ill with it blowing out of both ends and you feel like absolute shit you need something bland but comforting afterwards so your system can settle down.

No, Starmer is not a nutter.

The idea of Liz Truss being PM though should be absolutely terrifying to anyone with a functioning brain. I'd rather we went back to Boris, and that is saying something.

@CapMarvel I do agree with you. The idea of her as PM terrifies me. At least Boris has a relationship with other world leaders.

@FarmerRefuted hahaha that's brilliant. I'm inclined to agree!

Im not a fan of Starmer… but he’s not an idiot. He would be better than Truss

Liz Truss' ideas are only as good as the last think-piece she read. The woman is on video struggling to find her way out of a small room with one door, a door that she entered through not five minutes previously. She is a dangerous idiot and she's going to do dangerously idiotic things.

@girlmom21 the buttery toast PM

So would I, actually. If only for the fact that my (French) mother always refers to him as the fat mayor, and it amuses me.

Back when Starmer was Shadow Brex Sec, he was known for having 'no politics' and I'd say that sums him up. But he seems reasonably sensible and competent. It's hard to say when you've never had an opportunity to see him in government though.

Starmer is a centrist, it is why the really left-wing hate him.
He would be like John Major. Centrist, bland, but really competent.

Tbh, I think John Major was 'no politics' too. Having a PM who has policies but no politics might not be such a bad thing.

A competent PM would make a nice change from the last 12 years.

John Major was attacked for being bland. In reality he was a centrist, very intelligent and very competent. I think Starmer is the same.
I think we desperately need a centrist Prime Minister. It won't be exciting, but we do not need exciting. We are in a time of crisis. We need competency and a steady hand.

There won't be one.

I'd prefer several of the current government not to be able to call one, because they were facing the criminal charges they should have. Boris Johnson has caused more suffering than Harold Shipman or the Wests.

And we need someone who'll listen. Not who says "oh the best way to deal with Nicola Sturgeon is to ignore her" 🙄

I think each post needs electing in individually, rather than a 'party'. If you're qualified and interviewed, public can vote in each person to the post e.g. health secretary position, minister for the environment etc.

No more than there was when Gordon Brown took over.

There probably should be, since it will technically be a new Government and everyone should get the opportunity to decide if they want them to run.

However, I really don’t want another election. It just depresses me as all the parties are equally as useless. I don’t trust any of them. I don’t want to vote for any of them. However, I feel a strong sense of duty that I HAVE to vote for someone. So I end up voting for someone I don’t really trust or believe in. I hate the whole thing and I am left feeling rubbish.

@Pyewhacket Schools are considering 3 days a week because they do not have enough money. The predictions are two-thirds of households will be in fuel poverty. Over 75% of pubs are predicted to close due to energy bills. The government are designating public buildings as warm hubs because so many people will not be able to afford to heat their homes. Blackouts are being predicted. Food costs are shooting up.
What we are facing is a crisis. I am in my fifties and not once in my lifetime have schools talked about closing because of energy costs.
Things are incredibly shit at the moment.

There should be because Liz Truss has no mandate. Keir Starmer would be competent and most of us would be happy with boring if it meant everything was less of a catastrophe this winter than it's set to be. But I can't see Liz Truss calling an election and throwing away a big majority, given that it's unlikely she'd win.

However, I sometimes also wonder if the Tories have got in Liz Truss to call an election and lose just so that Labour can then sort out all the shit on their behalf.

The best thing about Truss is she is likely to fuck the country so badly the Tories may never get into power for another generation. Something to look forward to amongst the power cuts, poverty, hungry and cold kids, and rivers running with sewage. Oh and the NHS on its knees. Truss hasn't the brains she was born with but shes someone else's useful idiot who is like a giddy goat hyped up on ambition. I hope she falls hard and fast.
I honestly think Johnson and his allies are pushing her as they think she'll fuck up so badly that he'll sail back in like some sort of saviour. They really don't get that they have fucked the country and all the shit can't be hidden anymore. Narcissistic delusion.
Roll on a General Election.

Things are hard and likely to get harder in next few months - why would the Tory's call an election and risk their massive majority?

If before they have to call one things look up they might call a snap one - but can't see that happening at minute and likely next time it will be a very close parliament with narrow majority and think which side that is will depend on future events or how badly Lizz Truss fucks up

I'm also dubious Labour will win red wall back though I think they'll be close just winning or lose most of it.

I think labour might do better without Kier Starmer though I don't see any obvious successor - but the coming strikes are causing them problems with some unions already saying they are fed up with lack of support from Labour and them worried about public turning on strikes and getting caught out.

On current polling, Lab would have an overall majority if a GE called tomo.

Will there be one?

Truss could think that a loss but not a terrible one, might be preferable to hanging on for 2 more years and then being wiped out.

The Tories are out of ideas, today the Housing Minister talked about rent caps for social housing... a Corbyn manifesto promise.

I also think Starmer is far more socialist than he says, he is just aware that any policy he comes out with, will either become a Tory one or attract very negative Murdoch/DM press headlines.