Teresa May or Andrea Leadsom?

[Toofondofcake]

So without starting anything too politically fraught I wonder if people would share with me who they prefer for conservative leadership out of the two.

The race is now down to them and so we will have a female PM again!

Opinions?

That's some solid Tory constituencies that will be affected by a third runway.

It won't do her any favours there.

She's pleased that Farage supports her. On its own, that demonstrates a massive lack of judgment.

Have listened to the audio and I hear her saying that when you have kids you have a particular concern for the future - for your kids, and that her kids have a big influence on her perspective for the future. I think there is some (non controversial truth) in what she says there. Your own kids do influence you a lot and make you worry for the future. Why can't she say that.

Did you miss the bit where she gratuitously dragged in, not once but twice (and at some length) the fact that May hasn't got children of her own, and that having something like nieces and nephews still wasn't good enough?

Both have vile politics. Having lived through the Thatcher years I have no illusion that having a woman PM is a good thing for women.

No I didn't miss it. I heard her emphasis on her perspective as a parent, fundamentally influencing how she thinks and sets out her stall for the future.

As it happens, I think Leadsom is finished, but nothing to do with that.

She abstained on gay marriage, and this week she said she was pro hunting.

I wanted her to do well and beat May, but she's popped my bubble.

Leadstrom seems like a dishonest cow who will do all she can to harness the racist vote while also doing all she can to widen the gap between rich and poor in this country.

At least we know May has been doing the job she said she was doing.

Why can't she say that.

No reason, that's a fair point. But she can't point out that her opposition doesn't have children and score points on that basis. That's so low.

Especially when she basically said 'I'm not scoring points because that would be horrible BUT...

It is a great achievement. Leadsom has persuaded MN that Theresa May is the best candidate. What a gal!

Do the Tory grassroots really think that being a mother is an advantage in politics? Margaret Thatcher was hardly Mother of the Year.

Meanwhile, here's May on Clean Campaigning

I know who gets my support.

There was absolutely no need to mention May at all in her interview - she was asked about her "as a mum" comments -she could have answered without mentioning May at all. But she did - and that is why she got that headline.

Leadsom is pretty gormless too, if she thinks that's the "gutter press at it's worst" Where's she been for the last 20 years? Was she not aware of what came out of Leveson?

'But she can't point out that her opposition doesn't have children and score points on that basis. That's so low.'

My own personal reason for wanting out of EU was for my children and I felt very strongly about that. So I relate to what Leadsom says here and so don't see that her (or me) are gloating over someone else's inability to have children.

There was an interesting article in the Torygraph today about THAT comment.
www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2016/07/09/andrea-leadsom-doesnt-hate-the-childless-shes-just-hopelessly-na/
He's saying that it might not be that bad a comment, and she might not have meant for it to have sounded as bad as it did, but the fact that she actually said it rather than thinking "Hang on, should I say this?" and then getting angry about it speaks volumes about her lack of experience. Can you imagine her walking the eggshells of European egos? "Ok I'm not saying that the Germans dragged Europe into two catastrophic world wars in one century...BUT..."

She's pleased that Farage supports her. On its own, that demonstrates a massive lack of judgment.

Especially if you are going to try and do some bargaining with a bunch of people Farage has just insulted.

And I don't buy that someone's political leanings will be influenced by whether or not they have children. Trump has children and he seems intent on ruining America.

It was very revealing that when Rachel Sylvester asked Leadsom about being a Mum, her first reaction was to mention May.

Also the way she said 'I have children' was vile and implied her children were trophies.

Friends who don't have children are as concerned about the future, especially post Brexit, as I am. She implied you were only concerned about something in which you have a vested selfish interest which says much about her views of human nature.

Her comments on the Single Market are facile too. God help the future for our children and their children if she becomes PM.

Having said all that, I think Andrea knows exactly what she is stirring up and why. She is loathsome.

How have we got to this point?

*Have listened to the audio and I hear her saying that when you have kids you have a particular concern for the future - for your kids, and that her kids have a big influence on her perspective for the future. I think there is some (non controversial truth) in what she says there. Your own kids do influence you a lot and make you worry for the future. Why can't she say that.

I didn't hear that it was a swipe at TM*

No empathy bypass from me either.

Having kids massively changed my life perspective.

I became a far less selfish person when I had kids - not controversial in the least.

I never thought I would feel sorry for Theresa May. But every time someone reminds you of your infertility it's like a knife through the heart, and Leadsome has used to it to try and publicly score a political point. Awful, awful person.

I think there's an argument that having children can make you more selfish - their individual wellbeing becomes the most important thing, which isn't necessarily good for society as a whole.

What Sukey said. Exceptionally cunty thing to say. Although when your CV is a page of lies, you're going to struggle to come up with any other superiority claims.

As an aside, too many women think having a child is an achievement and not a biological function (and our DD was IVF so actually an achievement of sorts, although more to the credit of our doctors). To misquote Caitlin Moran, we've had sex, a few voms and a very painful shit - not exactly comparable with being Home Secretary.

The very worst thing is that she's made me feel sorry for Theresa fucking May.

I think there's an argument that having children can make you more selfish - their individual wellbeing becomes the most important thing, which isn't necessarily good for society as a whole.

Good point actually.

Anyone who can make such an unthinkably insensitive remake is not someone I want running a country.