[Closed] Is May about to call an election?

Has what?

Run away scared? Or talked to people?

If you've seen the wide angle shots of her campaign tour you'll already know that she has been stage managed to look like she's meeting people without already doing so.

Running away? Well yes arguably she has, but she has the opportunity to redeem herself a little tonight.

Cameron's no show at the 2015 was electoral genius, Sturgeon made mincemeat of Milliband amd the threat of a Sturgeon / Labour coalition won the Tories seats from the Lib Dems. Rather bizarre Amber Rudd is going. Appalling things these debates pointless. I'm going to be out for a ride 🙂

[quote=jambalaya ]I'm going to be out for a ride

You can't bear to watch Amber doing an even worse job than the Maybot would?

You can't bear to watch Amber doing an even worse job than the Maybot would?

is that possible?

I can't believe the Torys are chucking this election away in such grand style idiocy, they've been completely caned on social media and all they have left is pseudo reality world TV, Amber Rudd has got such a sour demeanour even when trying to be pleasant. I'm off out sailing tonight anyway, but I think this is a mistake, silly woman, how difficult could it be shining amongst those other morons.

. Appalling things these debates pointless.

Hahahah

jambalaya - Member

Appalling things these debates pointless. I'm going to be out for a ride

That's not something I ever thought I would hear jambalaya say.

And why are you going out for a ride, shouldn't you be canvassing leafleting, stuffing envelopes, etc?

Are you that sure of a Tory landslide victory that you don't feel the need to do any work?

Corbyn has won this election.

Been there done that in the last few weeks @ernie. Plus I've voted already.

As I have posted before having watched Presidential debates in the late 80's/early 90's I can't bear the format

75-100 seat majority remains my call

75-100 seat majority remains my call

You've halved your prediction?

I think that only knocks 50 seats off his last prediction.

He may welll be right.

Amber Rudd must be loving this. This is her pitch to take over when the tories commit regicide. I wouldn't be surprised if Chairman May wasn't even given the choice to attend and they sent out Rudd instead. I predict she'll be doing lots of damning with faint praise.

75-100 seat majority remains my call

You've halved your prediction?

Jezza knocking it out the park! Takes down the tory-UKIP tag team in one go. Amber Rudd and Paul Nuttall looking like bosom buddies. I'm not sure that's what the tories are aiming for.

Once you've cynically jettisoned what slender threads of morality you possessed, why not just openly court racists?

Mishal's losing control here.
🙂

I think Amber Rudd is doing quite a good job given the toxic hand she was dealt by her leader.

the point is better than her leader

Why did they let a non leader turn up?

Cannot wait till we hear strong and stable mentioned

Deputy Theresa: "Judge us on our record". Everyone laughs. Ouch.

Noted that Rudd avoided Strong and Stable phrase. She is doing well despite a rubbish hand being dealt. Corbyn is on form and will come out of this really well...who would have guessed!

Poor form, Mishal bringing up his memory lapse.
Not her job, that's for the other candidates.

Edit, again with Farron, asking the Tories questions for them.

Poor at keeping things under control too, just standing by watching them all talk over each other like children.
Useless

Non-partisan audience you say? Its like a pantomime of growning at Amber and applauding Jeremy

Watching it now. Lab and Cons were absolutely mental to do this either with leaders or substitutes. They've given air time with a large audience to parties/people that wouldn't otherwise have it, and those people are making pretty good use of it.

A gift from the Red and Blue parties to their opponents.

I reckon Fallon's played a blinder so far this election (the two occasions he's made the news) but he's trying far too hard tonight IMHO. He's practically shouting 'look at me look at me'.

They should turn off the mikes of the ones who aren't talking.

[quote=greentricky ]Non-partisan audience you say? Its like a pantomime of growning at Amber and applauding Jeremy

well she does keep saying stupid things so what do you expect them to do ?

Fallon seems to be just THE EU THE EU

Lab and Cons were absolutely mental to do this either with leaders or substitutes

Whoever wins the election will have brexit to deal with, I imagine all the European PM's club stance will be a much tougher crowd.

They are trolling UKIP so hard right now, poor Paul looks ready to explode

PFt he has had much more pressure than this when he was Phd Student working as a pro footballer .....he will take it all in his stride

Good to see everyone finds them odious

Wrong thread ...

Amber Rudd is actually doing ok. The massive problem for the tories though is that from this point forward everyone's going to be thinking that the wrong woman is in charge, and that's going to massively undermine May and her 'vote for me, and only me' campaign.

I think she had a hard card to play with may not showing and she has done ok but they still just say strong and stable, corbyn is shit it is all about brexit

May is shaping up to be the biggest casualty of this election. Who'd have thunk it eh?

Best line I've seen tonight

"The lady's not for turning (up)"

This website tells you your best bet for tactical voting to avoid a Tory majority:

https://www.tactical2017.com

There again, there could be a 'turn up' for the books anyway...

I am in Labour stronghold but I have voted for Conservative. 😛

Well done.

Didn't know there were any labour strongholds in the Home Counties.

igm - Member
Well done.

Didn't know there were any labour strongholds in the Home Counties.

Oh yes I am in a die hard Labour stronghold with majority 12 to 15 thousand or something like that.

It will be very interesting if this place falls, which I really look forward to because Labour has been here for too long. 😛

for chewk

[img] [/img]

I don't think Russian shills are allowed to vote chewy 😥

[b]chewkw[/b] - [u]I have voted for Conservative[/u].

Mods can Chewkw have a tag line like this? 🙂

[quote=ctk ] chewkw - I have voted for Conservative.
Mods can Chewkw have a tag line like this?

I'll look into adding it as a feature in STW forum tools 😉

Well right now the headline on the main BBC news page - a site which certainly hasn't recently shown any signs of favouring Labour - is "Rivals attack May for missing TV debate". Of course things might have been worse if she had turned up, but ISTM the thing most people are going to be talking about is her cowardice. It may not have changed many minds, but I certainly can't see the Tory vote share increasing after tonight.

[url= https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/may/31/the-hand-is-left-to-do-the-heavy-lifting-while-maybot-reboots ]John Crace [/url]

Funny piece on the debates in the guardian. Speak to the Hand lol

aracer - Member

ctk » chewkw - I have voted for Conservative.
Mods can Chewkw have a tag line like this?

I'll look into adding it as a feature in STW forum tools

8)

[i]have you not read my manifesto?"[/i]

Amber Rudd.

Looks like the positioning for the succession has started in earnest.only if she hasn't been killed by tomorrow, obviously

kimbers - Member
for chewk

If UK elect a Labour govt in this or next two generations then UK will suffer a terminal decline that will seal the fate of it's entire nation. When that happens there is really no turning back which means the end of UK.

You think Labour can hold together UK? 😆 When that happens UK will be split into 3 parts ... Scotland, United Ireland and England while Wales remains as part of the old UK.

Anyone that thinks Labour or EU bureaucratic system is the way forward then they are dooming their next generations. 😆

ctk - Member
aracer - Member

ctk » chewkw - I have voted for Conservative.
Mods can Chewkw have a tag line like this?

I'll look into adding it as a feature in STW forum tools

That will be good. 😆

edit: oh yes ... my advice above (previous reply) is free and I told you so here. 😆

Rudd was definitely handed the poisoned chalice and, to give her credit, she fronted up despite her father having died on monday.

frankconway - Member
Rudd was definitely handed the poisoned chalice and, to give her credit, she fronted up despite her father having died on monday.

Rudd is fine as she is while the media is up to their usual tricks of trying to spin out sensationalised dramatic news to earn their keep. 😛

What Labour needs to look our for is their Deputy "Elton John" Watson who is in the background trying to take over at anytime. Its written all over his face that he will back stab. 😆

As usual Corbyn's enemy is not Conservative but his own internal party members, they will over run him if he form a govt. They are more "Tories than Tories" with the exception that they sell the concept of helping the poor but in reality helping themselves. Now that you don't see coming but I do. 😆

[quote=chewkw ]You think Labour can hold together UK? When that happens UK will be split into 3 parts ... Scotland, United Ireland and England while Wales remains as part of the old UK.

Because it's Labour which set up the conditions which are likely to lead to Scottish independence and huge issues over an internal hard border in Ireland? I do remember that right don't I?

(yes, yes I know JY, but he's almost making a point which it's possible to debate with here and occasionally I like to give him a chance to try and put a coherent defence together).

[quote=chewkw ]As usual Corbyn's enemy is not Conservative but his own internal party members, they will over run him if he form a govt. They are more Tories than Tories with the exception that they sell the concept of helping the poor but in reality helping themselves. Now that you don't see coming but I do.

Careful chewy, you're slipping out of character here.

aracer - Member
Because it's Labour which set up the conditions which are likely to lead to Scottish independence and huge issues over an internal hard border in Ireland? I do remember that right don't I?

What internal hard border? If Labour comes into power it will be United Ireland and independent Scotland. 😛

(yes, yes I know JY, but he's almost making a point which it's possible to debate with here and occasionally I like to give him a chance to try and put a coherent defence together).

I mean it is so obvious and clear you really don't need anything else to explain ... it is as simple as. It's written all over the place clearly. 😆

cite

Wasting your time...
I assume may missed the debate as she decided to start packing early.

mikewsmith - Member
Wasting your time...
I assume may missed the debate as she decided to start packing early.

Rather pointless debate really as there is nothing new in their views ... it's like a repetitive broken record repeating themselves over and over and over again. 😆

A great summary of the Tory campaign, more of the same, as good as it gets, nothing to see here move along now...
Given how everyone says how commanding the PM is at PMQ's maybe she is just scared of the common people with their Rum and Coca Cola.

[quote=chewkw ]it's like a repetitive broken record repeating themselves over and over and over again.

Surprising May didn't turn up then - she's good at that.

mikewsmith - Member
A great summary of the Tory campaign, more of the same, as good as it gets, nothing to see here move along now...
Given how everyone says how commanding the PM is at PMQ's maybe she is just scared of the common people with their Rum and Coca Cola.

Scared of the common people? Nahh ... certainly not to play up to the TV news trolls put it this way. If the oppositions think they can do better in front of the repetitive debate so be it. They can win as much as they like and in fact they can have the entire debate to themselves. 😆

aracer - Member

chewkw » it's like a repetitive broken record repeating themselves over and over and over again.

Surprising May didn't turn up then - she's good at that.

I wanted to vote liberal democrat, after tonight I don't feel bad about my labour protest vote.

There is consistency and there is broken record repeating themselves. PM May is the former while the rest latter. 😛

One isn't meant to laugh at one's own jokes.

#StablyStrong

Conspiracy theories are starting to spin around my head on this election. Given May's arrogant approach to not attending the debates, the weak manifesto ... starting to think the Tories are deliberately throwing this election.

Even if we take the 'B' word out of the equation nobody can deny that the Tory election campaign has been rather lack luster. May just keeps saying 'you have to trust us ...' Labour are promising the world and the curious ones will no doubt be asking how they 'really' can fund it all.

The problem with the Vicar's Daughter is that she has a self-image of stability and strength. She really believes that's her character. She has sold this self-image to the party, who either bought it or cynically assumed the necessary majority of voters would buy it.

As the situation develops, her true character - inflexibility, lack of spontaneous reaction to change, uncomfortable without a script and so on, is proving a massive liability.

The situation is now so bad that Conservative sources are describing the campaign as a "total clusterf***. If we lose, we'll deserve it."

To quote MacMillan, when asked "What could possibly derail your government's programme, Prime Minister?" said...

"Events dear boy, events." 😕

I though the same (re. conspiricy theories), especially now various news outlets are reporting conservative HQ are planning on getting rid of May post election (unless she wins a landslide). very convenient brexit bullet dodging.

I think they were just complacent and arrogant

She was miles ahead and the RW press had spun him as useless so they did not put much effort into the campaign nor the manifesto and then the wheels feel of the bus and they were not able to change gear/tact/vehicle [ whichever mixed metaphor you prefer]
I also think she is another John Major in that dull, grey and not very competent and elected for who they were not rather than for who they were on any inherent talent.

Still likely to win but there will be nervous times ahead

Boris was just interviewed on Five Live. He dismissed any accusations of complacency and arrogance, then in the next sentence forgot Nichola Sturgeons name, referring to her as 'erm..... that Scottish Nats woman'

flanagaj - The Tories can't go into details as they would get drawn into details on Brexit which would be a guaranteed vote loser (not for the Brexit as a religion people, but the normal people who care about jobs, security etc).
Labour has more flexibility, particularly as cuts are now a dirtier word than taxes.

I also think she is another John Major in that dull, grey and not very competent and elected for who they were not rather than for who they were on any inherent talent.

Can't see Chairman May out on the street on a soapbox. (not unless it was very carefully staged managed)

[img] ?w=700&q=55&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max&s=90cbe967a9ef4f236f01f4d86db03b1a[/img]

I'm not a fan of John but he's in a different league to the Maybot.

She was miles ahead and the RW press had spun him as useless so they did not put much effort into the campaign nor the manifesto and then the wheels feel of the bus and they were not able to change gear/tact/vehicle [ whichever mixed metaphor you prefer]

Or, tinfoil hat time, actually Jezza isn't doing that well, but the Tory controlled press need to big up the fear of Labour winning/crazy jezza getting in to power in order to encourage conservative voters to get out and vote, as if everyone thought it was an easy win, they wouldn't bother.

You know, like happened wit Miliband and all the "coalition with SNP" last time, even though it had already been ruled out.

Makes you think, eh?

I thought so. May's objection to the coalition of chaos is the coalition - after all you can have chaos just by voting Tory.

And yes the labour / SNP coalition stuff was a cynical ploy to play on little englander racism/xenophobia.

Agree with ninfan actually

im still certain that may will come back with a majority

so im just enjoying the tory wobbly till the next one comes along when they balls up brexit

Not sure I agree @ some media conspiracy
I think there's a pretty clear turning point in the polls when the labour manifesto was released.
It contains more police, more education, more NHS, better trains.
That's going to appeal to LOTS of voters, and he's going to pay for it with corporation tax, which is something most voters don't know much about and can't see any immediate disadvantage to.

I thought Rudd did pretty well - and was surprised to read this morning that her father died unexpectedly at the weekend. Taking the battering she got last night on top of losing a parent would certainly break me.

The "debate" was a joke though. Whilst the 6+ parties shouting at the current government undoubtedly gets the thumbs up from the media it just reduces political discourse to a new and entirely counter-productive "low" - and it's made worse by a baying, heckling audience. No matter what we think of the policies we should at least offer our elected MPs the courtesy of listening to them without hectoring - and that applies to all sides, government, the opposition - the whole lot.

Instead of a calm dispassionate analysis of the pros and cons of all the parties' manifestos we just get a shouting match. Talking to colleagues and friends I've yet to find anyone who has actually read the manifesto of the party they support and most seem quite surprised at some of the manifesto pledges when we've discussed them.

From Armando Iannuchi

So far, the only person Theresa May has debated on TV is her husband.

One thing that is a little different post debate is the comments on BBC articles. In the last while they've been the Brexit and Tory fanatics foaming at the mouth over EU and supporting dearest Theresa. After the debate those saying "how's she going to negotiate with the EU if she can't tackle Corbyn" seem to be the most popular.

Might be a different audience, but a noticeable change in the most popular viewpoint.

Or, tinfoil hat time, actually Jezza isn't doing that well, but the Tory controlled press need to big up the fear of Labour winning/crazy jezza getting in to power in order to encourage conservative voters to get out and vote, as if everyone thought it was an easy win, they wouldn't bother.

from the guardian blog, Boris said:
"If this means that people focus on the election, if it means that everybody turns out to vote, if it means that everybody realises how vital this election is then that for me is a fantastic thing ...

For me it is great that this is tightly fought. It is great that people think that this is a very hotly contested election, because it is. We are fighting for every vote, because the future of our country is at stake."

so you might be right that the tories are milking it. I think Fifeandy is correct though, I think that the labour manifesto is attractive and I think JC is appearing more statesman than activist recently which is improving his standings.

I saw somewhere that support for SNP is currently the lowest its been for a long time. If true, presumably a lot of those voters will switch to labour, so the results in Scotland could be critical.

Polls vary from 3 to 11 points lead for the Tories . huge difference .

but I think May will be gone , even if she wins .

but I think May will be gone, even if she wins.

I think she's probably already well aware she's a dead man walking. The knives are already out. And she's only herself to blame. making the campaign all about her, then totally failing to deliver on her two Strong and Stable buzzwords.

So we could end up in a situation where the (narrowly) winning party leader is immediately deposed for their sub-par performance, while the losing party leader stays on after doing far better than anyone expected.

Funny old world.....

I saw somewhere that support for SNP is currently the lowest its been for a long time. If true, presumably a lot of those voters will switch to labour, so the results in Scotland could be critical.

I think I'm one of those voters, I would typically have voted SNP, if only because they weren't the Tories. Now it feels like there's some momentum (excuse the pun) behind Labour, and if not workable policies then at least aspirations towards a better sort of politics or at least towards a better sort of politician.

If anything else, all the Corbyn/May coverage has exhausted my limited attention span so I've not really been taking in the SNP message this time round, and I'm definitely starting to suffer IndyRef2 fatigue so that takes the shine off the SNP also.

Unfortunately, depending on who you believe, Labour are still a distant third or even fourth in my constituency, so despite Northwind's persuasive post against tactical voting, I'm still inclined to vote for whoever is most likely to defeat the Tories and hope for some sort of 'progressive alliance'... 🙄

So we could end up in a situation where the (narrowly) winning party leader is immediately deposed for their sub-par performance, while the losing party leader stays on after doing far better than anyone expected.

And that would lead to another election as the new Tory Prime Minister would not have been elected (just as May wasn't). Hooray.

I think she might be gone too, but then the mess will continue. The mandate gone. Whoever becomes leader will have no chance of battling a broadly united coalition opposition with a new-found confidence.