In a rare moment of optimism I wonder whether the temptation to go further right and throw their lot in with Reform may result in the Conservative Party splitting in two, which could leave the Lib Dem’s as the biggest party behind Labour.
Labour’s share of vote is surely explained by a combination of rising support for smaller parties / independents plus rampant tactical voting.
We’re constantly made to believe by multiple forces that almost every British voter is politically aligned with Farage, Braverman etc. It’s always been bollocks and remains so.
I'm hoping that the next few days, weeks, months will show people who support Farage and Braverman will wake up to the fact that there are only two people that they care about.
I am sure that both will be on the media circuit and the good people of Clacton become aware that their man is in the US sucking up to his mate and not dealing with a car parking issue in the high street.
It does feel a bit less like the euphoria of 1997 and more like the relief at getting rid of some nuisance neighbours, but after the shitshow - the incompetence, corruption and cruelty - of the last 14 years, maybe some dull, centrist competence and a hefty dash of compassion is worth celebrating - with a cheap bottle of Prosecco if not finest Champagne.
I'm calling it now, Starmer will lose the next one. The only thing we've learned from this election is that people wanted the tories out, and that they didn't necessarily want Starmer's Labour in, it was just the only option.
Wycombe now has a centrist MP who lists playing football as one of her hobbies. Our owner is comfortable working with centrist politicians in Kazakhstan who have a supermajority they don't really deserve.
Planning permission for the chairlift is in the bag.
My daughter asked a question as to how she should address the boys in her year who are Andrew Tate / Reform enthusiasts. James O’B gave her an impassioned reply on how to question them and how to calmly pull their arguments apart. It was quite the proud father moment. :)
1) Given that Labour can basically govern unopposed the Tories have a great opportunity to work out what they want to conserve and how they’re going to do it.
2) Starmer also needs to answer that question. Not being the Tories is enough to get into power, it’s not enough to govern a country. What’s his government for?
3) How will Labour deal with the illiberal progressives in their own ranks?
4) How will Labour deal with the influence of the pro-Gaza faction in their own party and in Westminster as a whole?
It’s hard not to draw comparisons with 1997. But Blair had a charismatic personality, a strong(er) economy and an optimistic country. Starmer has none of these things.
James made a self-deprecating remark the other day about his posture. Looking at that picture, I kinda see what he means. I don’t suppose you have a link to what he said, do you? In response to your daughter. Not about his posture!!
There are very few leftists remaining within the PLP, given the unprecedented central control over parliamentary candidate selection. With the size of the Labour majority Starmer can effectively operate as if they don’t exist.
The issue of Gaza might be the first major test of the party and they haven’t even measured curtains yet. Keir has had the luxury of being able to flip flop to appease all parties. Now he needs to get off the fence and either back a humanitarian solution or continue to back America and Israel.
As we have seen in Birmingham and other areas this is more than just a hot potato it’s already cost Jonathan Ashworth a job and almost Jess Phillips.
Other than the appointment of Streeting & perhaps Reeve, I have been pleasantly reassured by the quality of Keir Starmer's cabinet appointments so far today. Looks like we might just end up with a grown up government.
I do not trust Streeting who is deeply mired in the muck that is the private healthcare industry & as such I think he is the wrong man to be Health Secretary, Reeve has been supportive of austerity in the past so am suspicious of her as Chancellor.
Comments
The treatment of Jess Phillips last night was hugely worrying for Labour and the country.
In a rare moment of optimism I wonder whether the temptation to go further right and throw their lot in with Reform may result in the Conservative Party splitting in two, which could leave the Lib Dem’s as the biggest party behind Labour.
Labour’s share of vote is surely explained by a combination of rising support for smaller parties / independents plus rampant tactical voting.
We’re constantly made to believe by multiple forces that almost every British voter is politically aligned with Farage, Braverman etc. It’s always been bollocks and remains so.
Did she get treated with respect?
I'm hoping that the next few days, weeks, months will show people who support Farage and Braverman will wake up to the fact that there are only two people that they care about.
I am sure that both will be on the media circuit and the good people of Clacton become aware that their man is in the US sucking up to his mate and not dealing with a car parking issue in the high street.
Labour's vote share is up 2% in an election with the lowest turnout since before Wycombe Wanderers existed. So inspiring.
Only up because of Scotland.
It does feel a bit less like the euphoria of 1997 and more like the relief at getting rid of some nuisance neighbours, but after the shitshow - the incompetence, corruption and cruelty - of the last 14 years, maybe some dull, centrist competence and a hefty dash of compassion is worth celebrating - with a cheap bottle of Prosecco if not finest Champagne.
As Boy George once said 'people get the governments they deserve '
So there we are.
@bargepole will deal with the parking issue on his behalf!
I'm calling it now, Starmer will lose the next one. The only thing we've learned from this election is that people wanted the tories out, and that they didn't necessarily want Starmer's Labour in, it was just the only option.
Absolutely classless response to his defeat from Steve Baker. His narcissism has reached stratospheric levels.
One of politics’ most deluded clowns.
Great day for companies selling weapons to Israel though.
https://news.sky.com/story/badenoch-and-braverman-deny-association-with-leadership-websites-13161898?obOrigUrl=true
The witches of Eastwick.
Badenoch, Braverman and Baker, now that would be a front three who wouldn’t pass to each other.
Wycombe now has a centrist MP who lists playing football as one of her hobbies. Our owner is comfortable working with centrist politicians in Kazakhstan who have a supermajority they don't really deserve.
Planning permission for the chairlift is in the bag.
Just the one chairlift?
Yes. A series of chairs suspended from a cable forming a circuit between the Golden Ball in West Wycombe and the Legends Lounge.
Was good comedy though on the GMTV interview though, giving a right serve to the wrong person, before realising it was Ed Balls addressing him.
Like that post, @TheAndyGrahamFanClub but I struggled with the first sentence until I realised that the words ‘’will show” needed to be omitted.
Here’s a shot of your man last night @micra
My daughter asked a question as to how she should address the boys in her year who are Andrew Tate / Reform enthusiasts. James O’B gave her an impassioned reply on how to question them and how to calmly pull their arguments apart. It was quite the proud father moment. :)
https://youtu.be/-4DZnIAH_Xc?si=XksoB5FXMzqkubLw
Baker’s GMTV interview.
Apparently his loss was mainly down to Ed Balls, George Osbourne and the 1911 National Insurance Act.
Couple of hot takes from last night:
1) Given that Labour can basically govern unopposed the Tories have a great opportunity to work out what they want to conserve and how they’re going to do it.
2) Starmer also needs to answer that question. Not being the Tories is enough to get into power, it’s not enough to govern a country. What’s his government for?
3) How will Labour deal with the illiberal progressives in their own ranks?
4) How will Labour deal with the influence of the pro-Gaza faction in their own party and in Westminster as a whole?
It’s hard not to draw comparisons with 1997. But Blair had a charismatic personality, a strong(er) economy and an optimistic country. Starmer has none of these things.
And rightly so.
James made a self-deprecating remark the other day about his posture. Looking at that picture, I kinda see what he means. I don’t suppose you have a link to what he said, do you? In response to your daughter. Not about his posture!!
There are very few leftists remaining within the PLP, given the unprecedented central control over parliamentary candidate selection. With the size of the Labour majority Starmer can effectively operate as if they don’t exist.
Why do they need to deal with the pro-Gaza factions? Why not deal with the pro-genocide factions instead?
The issue of Gaza might be the first major test of the party and they haven’t even measured curtains yet. Keir has had the luxury of being able to flip flop to appease all parties. Now he needs to get off the fence and either back a humanitarian solution or continue to back America and Israel.
As we have seen in Birmingham and other areas this is more than just a hot potato it’s already cost Jonathan Ashworth a job and almost Jess Phillips.
It was just on Zoom (invitation only) last night apparently but I’ll be sure to share if it makes its way to YouTube.
Other than the appointment of Streeting & perhaps Reeve, I have been pleasantly reassured by the quality of Keir Starmer's cabinet appointments so far today. Looks like we might just end up with a grown up government.
I do not trust Streeting who is deeply mired in the muck that is the private healthcare industry & as such I think he is the wrong man to be Health Secretary, Reeve has been supportive of austerity in the past so am suspicious of her as Chancellor.
Encouraging to see continuity so ministers already actually know something about the department they are running. Long may that continue.
really encouraging to see James Timson (head of Timsons who have a policy of working with offenders) appointed Prisons Minister.
imaginative grown up government.