Westminstenders: Frozen

[RedToothBrush]

Boris Johnson was empty chaired by C4 with a block of ice.

The Conservatives went mental and have threatened to look at C4 broadcast remit.

This is illiberal and anti democratic.

Journalists are supposed to hold power to account on behalf of the public. If MPs don't turn up then they can't be held to account.

They have a duty to show. It's not good enough to avoid scrutiny because it might make you look bad. That's the whole point.

The contempt with which Johnson holds the press and public is reprehensible and you should be concerned whatever your political alligence. It allows corruption to fester without consequence.

And to then threaten C4 because they do their job in line with their responsibility as a broadcaster is alarming.

This is how authoritarian dictators work.

Yep...

GlassofPort, I’ve also been out and about canvassing in a Lab/Con marginal this weekend. All the volunteers I met were local (though some from the adjoining constituency). Some of the veteran campaigners said there were around double the number of volunteers compared to the 2017 election campaign. Very mixed on the doorstep - lots of undecideds. Winning on posters but not reading too much into that. I’ve only seen one Con board up so far.

In our constituency- it appears that the LIb Dems are going to split the vote and allow the tories in. As a member if the Lib Dem's (joined in the lead up to the leadership race - and not particularly enamoured with JS) - I just find this so so stupid - they don't have a hope in hell if winning this seat.

But apparently David Gauke is not "remain" enough.
The Tory candidate has some cloud over him - to do with dodgey financial dealings - but looking like the fucker will win. (I do think due to mindless voting)

I listened to an excellent radio play on 4e about the Suez Crisis last night.
It was almost reassuring to consider that the UK survived the last time a bunch of jingoistic Tories with no understanding of the UK's relative world power decided to do something inane.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0075dmq

The fun fact about Suez is that the British and French suffered identical experiences but drew opposite conclusions.

The French concluded that they could never rely on the USA and would need their own independent deterrent and security policy. The British meanwhile resolved never to get on the wrong side of Uncle Sam ever again and greased themselves to climb up his arse and stay there.

With Suez the Americans told the French and UK to forget it. Now, Trump will egg on whatever stupidity the Tories come up with.

I spent most of yesterday driving around the country. Johnson (and the Conservative government) was getting shredded on the radio.

pretzels I think Sayeda Warsi just needs to come to terms with the fact that she is in the wrong party.

Yep. We were saying exactly the same thing on here last year about Sarah Wollaston and Heidi Allen. Look what happened there.

The Asian Labour Vote is one of the great conundrums of British politics. So many of them are small business owners, hard-working, big on family values and law and order. The very bedrock of what ought to be Conservative support. And yet they are ridgidly loyal to Labour. This may have something to do with handed down family tales of dogshit through the letterbox etc after Knocker Powell made his speech.

(And Heath sacked him on the spot, for all the good it did.)

It is similar to Mexicans and the Republican Party. Culturally they are really a good fit but the racism of some republicans prevents this being obvious.

We have had our first EVER non-Tory leaflet through the door. Lib Dems, for whom I will not be voting. But it is an interesting turn-up.

We've been a true-blue seat for decades and our Smug Tory Twat of an MP was elected in 2015 on a 17k+ majority. However there was an almost 6% swing to Labour in 2017 so I'm surprised - and disappointed - that they're not out canvassing.

I loathe our MP; he calls himself a 'serial entrepreneur' (which always puts me in mind of DelBoy) and his Twitter feed is a spiteful mess, but he's relatively young and telegenic so he'll probably get in again... However, there's usually a forest of blue placards around here and I've not seen one yet so...dare one hope??

We've ONLY had a tory leaflet
Ffs

@mrslaughan, that is mad!

May be worth asking Dr Philip Lee to comment when he comes for his web chat

In our constituency- it appears that the LIb Dems are going to split the vote and allow the tories in. As a member if the Lib Dem's (joined in the lead up to the leadership race - and not particularly enamoured with JS) - I just find this so so stupid - they don't have a hope in hell if winning this seat.

It depends how close the race is between Labour and Conservative but the hope in those sorts of seats is that some Tories could never vote Labour, but might vote LibDem, so that will help reduce the Tory majority.

I have a special filing system for any Tory bullshit pamphlets that come through the door. I’ve set it up right next to the front door so hopefully any canvassers get the message

Your Tory MP is particularly odious, iirc eddie!

Peregrina - it's David Gaukes seat. Just had an email from the slagging him off - which really didn't go down well with me. I have never voted for him - but stuff I saw offer the weekend - was he is giving the Tory candidate more of a run for his money than expected. I realise different polls give different results. The common cause should be to keep the tories out. But that doesn't seem to be the attitude of the Lib Dem's.

Oh yes....red faced, venal, moronic...that's him!

Not sure anyone has posted this commentary from Jack Merritt's father yet, as I have been overworked and lurking sporadically.
Very eloquent.

Keep up the good work, Westminstenders...

We could have a competition to see who has the most odious MP? I might win but not sure if anyone has Chope or JRM!

The only Tory election literature came addressed to my husband. I’ve had nothing from them at all. Also, a distinct lack of Conservative placards up around here - their poll lead does not seem to reflect what it happening on the ground.

Still, will know for sure next week...

What a beautiful piece auld. Sadly, in The Grauniad so a sympathetic audience form the get go.

What a wonderful man. Both of them.

Odious Tory MP's
Chope is high on the list
and Desmond Swayne who refuses to deal with elector emails or queries is a contender
or the lovely lazy Royston Smith

Vile labour MPs
Vaz is gone so the bar has dropped a bit
Roger Godsiff and the school protests is a cracker

I'm in NI and the postie brings all the political stuff. The DUP one went straight in the bin,didn't even glance at the shit. The Alliance one was all about stopping Brexit. But really....all parties here at the mercy of how people in England vote.

Roll on reunification.

That was a lovely piece by Jack's father. Never give up his fight.