Westminstenders: Election Special 3

[RedToothBrush]

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Fermanagh South Tyrone goes to SF by 52 votes. UUP came second.

I've just rejoined the Labour Party so hoping I'll be able to vote in an upcoming leadership contest - not sure though.

I let my membership lapse a couple of years ago over a number of issues but it's fair to say that I've had concerns about Labour's recent direction. Certainly didn't hate / fear Corbyn, though, just didn't think he was an effective leader.

How about 5) Northern Ireland?

completely at the mercy of England now, I'm afraid.

PeninsulaPanic the thing is those that the Liberal left is ALL about consensus building for a mutually beneficial broad church.

The authoritarian right can do this fascist trick of divide and conquer against that - uniting the working class with nationalism and the rich with financial reward.

The authoritarian left has to go down the Stalinist / stasi route of silencing and big offers of state assistance. This has actively rejected by the working classes in favour of a more nationalistic tone.

You have to understand these basics.

From seeing the Lib Dems up close, their lack of professionalism in politics shines through. And Labour problem has been factionalism for some time. I am very aware of it in my own constituency. You just have to read the local newspaper as they are constantly bickering amongst themselves locally. It's embarrassing and when you are constantly spending all that time fighting internal battles you are not devoting it to the public. The comments on the local newspaper website explicitly point this out. It's not gone unnoticed.

Basics.

I will be voting for a centrist too. I would like it to be Starmer as I think someone with a good brain, the ability to think on his feet and experience of a very high-level, demanding job is needed. I am not sure I am going to get him though. I joined the Labour party in 1969. I thought '92 was bad enough, but this is a whole new level of despair.

DGR - EVEL (which was one of Cameron's actions after promising Scotland that the UK would be a union of equals and that its voice would be heard) effectively stops any Scottish MP becoming PM. So paving the way for 1997, and some of nuLabs generation defining policies. is now much more difficult if not well nigh impossible.

I didn't mean literal weather, DGR. 🙂 Though I must say, it did feel it provided an objective correlative as I trudged around, doing democracy's donkey work.

Catching up on the threads and placemark.

I notice on the last thread that visitors from here to the Brexit Arms threads are welcome as long as we are not twats to them. Fair enough.

However, many visitors from other threads are constantly twats to us.

So that's nice.

There are honourable exceptions, notably Louise

Well. I expected a Conservative majority but not that much. I feel disheartened because its a double whammy, 5 more years of Conservatives, Brexit is basically confirmed. I do feel bloody miserable stuck in my young voter Labour echo chamber today. I really can't tolerate more of this Tory's are evil idiots and you're fucking scum if you vote for them. It's just not constructive. No one seems to be willing to hold all leaders and MPs to the same level of scrutiny, so much confirmation bias. I am tired

I don't know enough about Brexit or the Conservative party to have any idea about what happens next. Trying not to jump on the bandwagon of the NHS will be gone, children will continue to be impoverished at a higher rate. I just don't know what to believe anymore. I am fortunate that I personally shouldn't be too much worse off under a Conservative government (though I have no way of knowing for sure), but I know there are so many out there who are fearful.

Sorry this has turned into ramblings that add no value...

I can vote in the Lab leadership and feel similarly to Smilethoyourheartisbreaking.

My understanding is that the next election will be May 24

The FTPA I think covers that.

I seem to recall that being said a few weeks ago

2nd May 2024

www.google.com/amp/s/inews.co.uk/news/politics/general-election-when-next-uk-date-after-2019-fixed-term-parliament-snap-vote-explained-1338779%3famp

I really can't tolerate more of this Tory's are evil idiots and you're fucking scum if you vote for them. It's just not constructive

I don't think that's rambling.

I can't vote in the Labour leadership.

I think I will ask everyone to reflect on the following though. Don't just vote for some you think will represent you most and vote in your own image. Think about who will have appeal to you and to others who are different to you. Who is a mutually beneficial type of candidate?

You mean the FTPA that Johnson wants to repeal?

It's entirely possible that if Labour are to win an election in the future, the person who will lead them isn't yet an MP.

Just a thought.

well hes got the numbers to do it........

Can I just say thank you to all those answering my question.

💐

My general feeling is that a lot of us have felt tacitly (or not so tacitly) pushed out of Labour for a while. Long-term, I think a lot of us are going to have to 're-enter'.

But it's going to be pretty choppy.

Precisely because of which seats were lost, and which seated were one - and how they were won (with massive Momdntum engagement, mostly - I think it's not at all clear that there will be a move to 'the centre' within Labour any time soon.

I think you're right, DGR.

And you, too, Red.

Someone asked what's different about Liverpool; there's a few things:

1. They absolutely detest BoZo;
2. They don't read The Sun; and
3. It's a remain city.

The Liverpudlians I know (I've worked in Liverpool / on the Wirral for the best part of a decade) are very much about social justice and being there for each other. The area has a massive community feel which you don't get in many other cities, I don't think.

With regards BoZo, there is a chance that he's been playing a long game (hear me out!).

• He wanted to be PM and saw May's deal as a way of a) toppling her and b) in opposing her deal, keeping the ERG on side to allow this;

• He's not opposed to a softer Brexit. His deal was created to a) keep the ERG on side and b) antagonise the opposition into fighting tooth and nail to stop it. Hence using them to blame for it not happening.

• He now has what he wants, which is a majority which makes the ERG superfluous to requirements.

• So, he can now fuck the ERG over, if he so wants, and get the deal he actually would prefer (assuming it's a bit softer than his). Nobody is safe from being fucked over by him. We all know that.

• BoZo does what's best for him. A volte face in some way definitely wouldn't surprise me at all.

His reshuffle may indicate his intentions.

But...he may still go hard right. It depends what will benefit HIM most.

I think you're right, DGR.

That'd be a first this year

It looks like Corbyn plans to hang around like a bad smell until the leadership process is complete.
He just does not get it DOES HE
The UK does not want Socialist Principles
IT WANTS SIMPLE ANSWERS

Boris now has to turn rhetoric into reality - something he has never ever achieved in his life.

Ed Davey is a safe pair of hands for the LibDems
but Labour need an interim leader in place before Tuesday to face down the legislative hurricane that is coming. Corbyn is not up to the job

- So, he can now fuck the ERG over, if he so wants,

I must admit, I would be very jumpy if I was from that side of the house. Frogs and scorpions spring to mind.

Cat I'm one of those who left Labour not because of Blair in himself, but because of Iraq, and returned with Labour moving left again. I'll also add that i'm not a Momentum member, though have campaigned with them as they have been the main driving force in getting boots on the ground. JC has achieved a lot in terms of renewing Labour's membership, and I hope that those who were inspired by his message will stay and be part of finding a way forward. I'm mindful though of how much damage the Labour Party did to itself in trying to oust JC initially (Ben Bradshaw etc), giving fuel to the media to demonise him, and sincerely hope that those who were attracted by JC learn the lesson and don't try to do that to the next leader, even if he/she may not deliver everything on their wishlist. I agree we need someone pragmatic.

pmk