Couldn't load your straw clutching link on the other thread Red.
Sorry was me - [[ instead of ^^
Re Tory Leadership:
The deadline for voting is 6pm; expect to know who’s soared and who’s stumbled by 7pm. Non-defeated but embarrassed candidates have until Wednesday morning to pull out if they don’t want to go forward to the next knock-out round on Thursday.
I'd be interested to see a breakdown between young and old Tory voters
There are young Tory voters?!
Seriously, though they have a big problem across the country in attracting new members. I can't remember who was saying it the other day (someone political), but they were saying that unless the party did start attracting new people it would be effectively dead in a few years time. Certainly that holds true locally where I am (Conservative seat) There are very few people coming through at all.
Norman says there are reports that some of Theresa May's supporters are "thinking of lending" some votes to Michael Gove to prevent Mrs Leadsom from ending up on the final shortlist of two - though Mrs May's camp denies that.
There are already some Tories moaning about that and how its undemocratic or something.
Another delusion Tory moment: Nicky Morgan, who backs Michael Gove to become the next Tory leader, says she considers her man to be "exceptionally trustworthy".
Okaaayyyyyyy thennnnn.....
Apparently the Michael Gove and Liam Fox were best at the hustings last night. What is more surreal is what the MPs did after....
Apparently a lot of them went to a special karaoke session in which apparently all the leadership candidates, apart from Leadsom, turned up to.
According to the guardian Sources suggest Crabb came out with a belter: Don’t Stop Me Now!
Re Labour Leadership: I do find it funny that the stereotype of the momentum protesters not being Labour Party members is playing out on my FB feed with the person banging on about it most, being someone with no fixed abode, green party member who hasn't voted in some time.
I have other friends who ARE members, and they are roughly split half and half on Corbyn. The thing is, its not about Corbyn, its about the idea of Corbyn. He has become a myth which bare no resemblance to the reality. Its fascinating to see. I think this is why he can't really carry on in the end as he isn't the man they all think he is. He is stubborn, but doesn't have the leadership skills when they are needed. That's not the fault of the party - he's has shown this on several occasions.
Aparently they are up to the 65th Front Bench resignation now!
Apparently Watson is meeting the Union Leaders in a last ditch attempt to sort something out (funny. Eve of Chilcot and all that). I'm not holding my breathe.
I really rate Yvette Cooper & don't understand why she was so unacceptable in the Labour leadership election. Was it her association with Ed?
Well if I'm anything to go by, yes because no one in the wider public would vote for her. I HATE Balls that much. I just couldn't trust her because of the relationship. Its a total deal breaker for me.
The Guardian are reporting part of a Times article about a potential labour split (Stupid Times paywall)
A former shadow cabinet minister describes this as a ‘Clause One rather than a Clause Four moment’ because the first line of the party’s constitution defines its purpose as ‘to organise and maintain in parliament and in the country a political Labour party’.
What is fascinating, though, is that a growing number of MPs, peers, candidates and advisers now believe that it is time to start again with a new party of the centre left. Three months ago it was seen as foolish, or even heretical, to suggest such a thing, but since the EU referendum the idea has become mainstream. The Brexit vote has changed everything, with a former cabinet minister talking of the exciting possibilities for a ‘party of the 48%’ … One of those involved behind the scenes [says]: ‘There’s a massive opportunity for a pro-business, socially liberal party in favour of the EU.’
As they point out. Isn't this the Liberal Democrats!?! I've lost count of the number of times I've heard this lately...
I guess that could be the Owen Jones. It would make a lot of sense. I have heard talk of 'parachuting' someone in via Batley and Spen (that'll go down well). He would be acceptable to a lot of Momentum. Trouble is... he's a bellend. Dunno, well try and check it out - having no luck at the moment.
Re: UKIP
I disagree that Farage resigning is a good thing. I fear we might come to miss him.
I agree with that tbh. It could go one of two ways. Either UKIP get stronger and more credible or they implode. Fortunately, I am of the opinion that most of the candidates are as unpleasant as Farage, if not more so.
Carswell's has been on BBC Breakfast this morning. He said the party has to make a key choice:
Is it going to retreat into angry nativism, in which case frankly it doesn't have a future and I wouldn't have a future with it. Or is it going to broaden out and be an alternative to the cartel parties? To do that we need a bit of sunshine. Not just a few smileys in my timeline on Twitter. We need to be a party of optimism and smileys in terms of politics. We need to be a party for change. People have a right to feel angry, the answer to that is not to play on the anger but to offer people the hope of something better."
Given that he's ruled himself out for the leadership, its interesting. He's certainly doing some leading with that...
Paul Nuttall has thrown his hand in the ring by the look of it.
The Guardian do not like him. They have drawn attention to a blog post that was deleted by him but is archived tompride.wordpress.com/2014/05/09/ukip-deputy-leader-calls-for-end-of-nhs/ here.
Re: Other things
At 11am, Mark Carney will hold a press conference to explain the Bank’s thinking, and any new measures it is taking to tackle the crisis.
It all sounds a bit ominous tbh. But I though Mr Carney's fan club might like to tune in.
At 6pm, Green MP Caroline Lucas, new shadow defence secretary Clive Lewis and Vince Cable speak at an event in London on building post-Brexit alliances.
So looks like there is a bit of movement on that. This follows, Paddy Pantsdown, talking about it yesterday.