Westminstenders: The Non-Pact Pact

[RedToothBrush]

The Brexit Party and the Conservatives have agreed a trumpian pact to no deal. Led by the ERG.

They don't want you to know its a pact because the Conservatives still want One Nation Conservatives types to believe they are still One Nation Conservatives, simply because they say they are. They are not.

The Brexit Party won't stand any candidates in a Conservative held seat. But don't be surprised if there isn't more Non-Pact tactical stepping aside. This of course won't be a Pact. Cos the Brexit Party say its not. And the Conservative Party say its not.

The Liberal Democrats, Plaid and the Greens are in an electoral pact. They say they are in an electoral pact and have published a list.

Meanwhile the Labour Party isn't in a Pact. But there is still talk that in key seats that someone (either the LDs or Labour) should stand aside to try and deseat key Conservatives. This won't happen because the Lib Dems and Labour are not in a pact. And when they say they are not in a pact they aren't.

If after an election we have a hung parliament then either the Conservatives or Labour who are not in a pact and say they will never be in a pact, will try and woo someone to a kingmaker and be in government with them, probably on a supply and demand basis rather than coalition. They'll deny this but we kind of know how this goes...

My constituency is a safe brown nosing Nigel Farage, ERG loving Tory seat.

I don't have to worry about tactical voting.

I could spoil re women's issues, but have decided not to.

I want my vote to count.

An aside... about the new “right to repair” legislation for products such as refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, and televisions.

So ironic that lots of leavers seemed to hanker after going back to the make do and mend culture- yet we won't be part of this attempt to reduce the carbon footprint. We could choose to participate I suppose -but I don't see it with the current lot continuing to be in charge?

www.goodnewsnetwork.org/eu-approves-groundbreaking-right-to-repair-laws/

I think Jo Swinson is on rocky territory when it comes to her seat in East Dunbartonshire. However, I'm not here for the LOLs when the inevitable collapse happens.

To clarify. I don't necessarily think that Jo Swinson is going to loose her seat. What I meant is that there is throughout all the constituencies the inevitable collapse. My italics.

According to Wikipedia, de Gaulle's objection was "a number of aspects of Britain's economy, from working practices to agriculture" had "made Britain incompatible with Europe" and that Britain harboured a "deep-seated hostility" to any pan-European project.

He might have had a point. And I can certainly see Macron doing a De Gaulle if it came to it.

If some racist crank confronted Boris Johnson shouting antisemitic slurs would BBC journalists like Nick Eardley or Laura Kuenssberg (who retweeted Eardley) neutrally platform them as “protesters”?

This is a decent point tbh.

I don't think anyone should be off limits but personally I would like to see more focus on trying to find a way out of this mess.
Neither Swinson or Corbyn want to work together to try and salvage something, each have their own reasons, as do their parties.
Within their wider voting electorate there is more capacity to see a bigger picture and find compromise, this seems a better thing to focus on.
The hard right is waiting, we don't need to do their job for them.

If we can talk about Johnson like he is scum of the earth why is Swinson off limits?

This is a reasonable question. My observations:

• if someone abuses and cheats on his wives and partners, shows a total disregard for the truth and regularly publishes homophobic and racist articles in the press, then people are entitled to be a bit critical about their personal qualities as well as their politics.

• if someone's main crimes are having obeyed the party whip as a member of government, and having made some dubious political judgements during a bad tempered campaign, then maybe stick to the politics?

Mo4D, if you mean just MPs or leaders then you needs to say so. "Never trust an LD" seems to target supporters more widely, though.

I'm not happy with the LibDems in my constituency where LibDems have been third party almost exclusively behind the Tories or Labour returning an MP. Where LibDems have never had an MP. I would be annoyed if the Labour Party was doing the same if it was the other way around.

Presumably LibDems are justifying fielding a remain alliance here because of picking up disaffected Tories. However, it's a very mixed constituency. With Labour mostly getting at least double the number of LibDem votes.

The gall of Andrew Griffiths to say he's backing his 'wife'. Divorce proceedings are underway. She is standing as an MP in her own right.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/13/kate-griffiths-wife-of-disgraced-mp-andrew-griffiths-stands-in-his-former-seat-with-pledge-to-fight-domestic-abuse

She backs Johnson and remain.

This is, without a doubt, the strangest election I've ever witnessed. All bets off the table.

Thanks to cat and others comments about my earlier post re nhs changing to some private prescriptions.

If I should complain about/raise this issue this, where would I do that, please?

Will others either join in or at least raise awareness of this to friends and family?

That's my IL's constituency placemats. It's safe Tory unfortunately. Although I quite like the sound of the handbag wielding former Mrs Griffiths.

God just had a Tory canvasser. Or rather she said the (previously rebel) MPs name.

Funny time to canvass. Twenty past three on a Wednesday afternoon on a street where most people both adults will be out working. Almost as if they didn't want to find people to be in. 🤔

Sorry but I was feebly firm but polite.

Only time I haven't been was when a man canvassed for Johnson as mayor. They said he was "actually a very nice bloke" I said "no, he's not" and ran away

God just had a Tory canvasser

Misread that at first...

I doubt we'll get canvassers. Pig in a blue rosette my way. The current porcine incumbent is Matt Hancock, whom I used to respect a tiny bit, but no more.

If we get Brexit Party canvassers I will not be polite.

I'm sorry about the swearing.
But I'm still very angry.

There is more to Britain, more to Peterborough and more to life than Brexit

says brexit party candidate ... um ...

Arron banks now calling for the brexit party to stand down in labour constituencies as well. So is the plan for the brexit party to contest this election by not standing and then claim they won anyway?

I'm not surprised brexit candidates and supporters are angry - could not be clearer that this was all just a massive money making scam. Farage and Banks will be pocketing a lot of money as they pull out of every seat.

My fault though Arse for not putting in a comma I think!

tobee it gave me a funny mental picture of God on his doorstep giving the to the Tory canvasser!

There's no doubt God is a Labour voter

With a bit of luck she'll smite Johnson before the 12th Dec

Some misplaced anger here...

The LDs are treading a tightrope... If they stand down for Labour (or Tory) they will immediately be painted as Labour or Tory enablers, and risk alienating one group or another, which could in turn have significant implications for the number of seats they win (and by implication the number of Remain MPs).

In Canterbury, given that is so obviously a Tory/Labour marginal, and given the attention it is getting, I can’t see how a LD candidate will make a difference. Anyone who is minded to vote Labour - including many key LD members in the area it seems - will continue to vote Labour whether a LD is standing or not!

Of course the LD candidate will get some votes, but these will from those who would never vote Labour, and wouldn’t suddenly have voted Labour if LDs had withdrawn.

To summarise, by selecting a candidate, they’re ensuring they’re not accused of being Corbyn-enablers - with all the damage that would do to them - whilst being extremely unlikely to sway the result.

Also, Labour are continuing to stand in plenty of LD marginals... I don’t see why it’s only the LDs who are being demonised by those determined to make an issue out of this.

PS I’m not a LD supporter, as other posts on these threads will attest. I just believe their stance here is grossly misunderstood and misrepresented judging by the bile on here against JS.