[Closed] Is May about to call an election?

Leaning towards LD as 'least bad' option despite their anti brexit agenda (i voted remain, but don't agree with resisting the result).

Democracy is all about peaceful resistance.

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I'd love to vote Labour however where I live the Labour controlled council are frantically trying to destroy the countryside (hate the phrase "greenbelt") for the sake of warehousing and distribution depots. A vote for Labour will be seen as a vindication of all that's bad about St. Helens council.

The council elections were last month

Democracy is all about peaceful resistance

By direct activism

@greentricky reminds me of the Indy Ref in Scotland, it's in the newspaper's interest to generate the sense its going to be close. It's not,

It's in May's interests to suggest it's close in order to keep the Tory faithful in line and get them down the polling station.

If they don't this election is weird enough to be anyone's.

PS - no idea if it's close. Opinion polls might help, but round here, on the ground, we have a throughly nasty Tory incumbent with a decent majority - but he's a Brexy and York is more outward looking than that - 55% remain in York Outer, more in York Central. Who knows. There is a lot of grass roots anti-Sturdy work going on.

I obviously missed the memo that yougov now report what May and the media want in the polls

Greentricky - agreed. I was merely pondering who benefits from polls appearing to close. Also beware polls have error margins and I think historically yougov tend to score Labour higher than the actual result.

Must be about time to start asking the Tories questions on their self destruction topic of Europe again.

Not sure I'm too comfortable discussing it but the Manchester attack will have a major effect on the election. I'm not going to speculate how. Guess it depends on how the various parties respond to it. Hopefully they'll be sensible and stick to policy in a spirit of cooperation rather than make it personal or partisan. UKIP idiots have already crossed that line, lets hope they're the only ones.

Lifer - Member

The council elections were last month

The Scottish council elections were bizarrely fought almost entirely on independence, by the unionist parties at least, so why not fight the westminster election on council matters?

UKIP as usual are putting themselves in the Tories ain't tough enough for me camp. Now brexit is gone for them they just need to get on with restoration of the empire and may well take a fee votes back there (if your considering voting UKIP I doubt you understand tactical voting)

Much is made of the very vocal minority who happen to be in the Murdoch press etc. They may be demanding lots of huge action but the silent majority may be much more content and reassured by some stable measured reactions.

dazh - given May was in the chair when security cuts were made and when the bomber was reported as an extremist (if I've got the dates right) someone is bound to ask her certain questions (and UKIP already have) - but would a different Home Secretary over those years have made a difference? To be fair we will never know, but I'm not entirely convinced.

but would a different Home Secretary over those years have made a difference?

a home secretary from a different party whose objective was not to cut money from public services would possibly have made a difference yes.

@greentricky reminds me of the Indy Ref in Scotland, it's in the newspaper's interest to generate the sense its going to be close. It's not,

But which yardstick are you using?

igm - Member

but would a different Home Secretary over those years have made a difference? To be fair we will never know, but I'm not entirely convinced.

I saw Charles Clarke the other night saying "shouldn't have cancelled ID cards"- as if it'd have made the slightest bit of difference here. Never trust a Home Secretary.

I saw Charles Clarke the other night saying "shouldn't have cancelled ID cards"- as if it'd have made the slightest bit of difference here. Never trust a Home Secretary.

reminds me of US immigration forms where you have to tick a box saying if you're a terrorst or not....

given May was in the chair when security cuts were made and when the bomber was reported as an extremist (if I've got the dates right) someone is bound to ask her certain questions (and UKIP already have) - but would a different Home Secretary over those years have made a difference? To be fair we will never know, but I'm not entirely convinced.

The facts seem to speak for themselves. We've had successful terrorist attacks in the periods when resources were higher and lower - and more attempted attacks have been foiled since the cuts were made than before (albeit this is because the frequency of attempted attacks has risen).

The funding for "security services" has actually risen 30% in the last 2 years. The reduction in police headcount / conflation between 1,000 fewer armed officers and the "successful" attack this week seems to ignore:

- a significant number of officers have chosen to give up armed duties because the protracted investigations / trial by public they face in the event they have to discharge their weapons. This process can last for years and places a wholly unacceptable burden on the officers and their families. We as the public are part of the reason so many police don't want to carry guns i.e. we don't give them enough support when they have to use them (which is very infrequently compared to pretty much every other country)

- calling the army / SAS out is actually a sensible use of specialist resources. If we haven't needed 1,000 armed police for the last few years it makes no sense to maintain them when the army are arguably better trained and there already.

- the "community knowledge" and link to intelligence gathering seems to be massively over stated. In the recent attack the local police had been informed about the attacker's mindset / behaviour but don't appear to have been able to do much by way of follow up. Most of the 18 or so major attacks foiled have reportedly been as a result of intercepts and feedback via Prevent - Lord Carlile (former Lib Democrat peer and independent reviewer of terrorism legislation) has concurred with the current Home Secretary on this.

As an aside, Lord Carlile was interviewed on R4 this morning and pretty much said that he resigned from the Lib Dems because of their behaviour on Control Orders - he suggested the combination of Lib Dem policy and constant actions by human rights groups had forced the government into using T-PIMs which have been completely useless, not least because they allow suspects to continue using mobile phones and the internet.

The Scottish council elections were bizarrely fought almost entirely on independence, by the unionist parties at least, so why not fight the westminster election on council matters?

Much as I dislike May, cutting back the police so you need to use the army in exceptional one off events is not, per se, such a bad idea. If the current police numbers can cope with the current crime level and you only need the army very occasionally, that would seem a sensible resource level.

Yes the council elections were indeed last month. However if the local Labour MP wins the seat then the council takes that as a signal that everyone is behind them. After the wanton destruction of green space by the Labour party near me I will never vote for them again.

- the "community knowledge" and link to intelligence gathering seems to be massively over stated. In the recent attack the local police had been informed about the attacker's mindset / behaviour but don't appear to have been able to do much by way of follow up. Most of the 18 or so major attacks foiled have reportedly been as a result of intercepts and feedback via Prevent - Lord Carlile (former Lib Democrat peer and independent reviewer of terrorism legislation) has concurred with the current Home Secretary on this.

surely thats a huge problem then

and corrborrates exactly what videos of police at annual federation conferences repeatedly telling May and now Rudd that leaving them under resourced (10,s000s less backroom staff to handle things like tip off etc & officers )

was endangering the public

Was Fallon making it up as he went along?

She really doesn't look well. Turning into a bag of bones.
Weak and wobbly.

I'm looking forward to seeing Boris, the third most punchable man in politics, symbolically mugging for the cameras after riots.

Ok Gove obviously. Who's the other one?

Seb coe, obviously.

As much as polls are to be taken with a pinch of salt, in this instance it seems the only meaningful way to resolve it.

Torries up 2 to 7 point lead in latest poll, post Manchester bombing

I think they'll ditch the strong and Stable guff as it's obvious that weak and wobbly May isn't as good at running election campaigns as the old guy from the allotment. 😉

More focus on what he didn't say in his terrorism speech ala Rudd and Farron,( regardless of their? hypocrisy.)

The last week of campaign is going to be even more personal

May will still win but it will be in spite of her efforts not because of them

@ Kimbers - Yeah probably with the working class vote subverted/divided. But who has the most punchable face? The sort you could never get tired of smashing, all day you know, stamp on, grind to dust then burn.

But who has the most punchable face?

After watching that clip of Fallon I am now punching my head. What a complete and flagrant KLAXXON he is. Rampantly despicable.

Was Fallon making it up as he went along?

😆

Channel 4 news debate that's on at the moment is both hilarious and horrific at the same time

BoardinBob - Member
Channel 4 news debate that's on at the moment is both hilarious and horrific at the same time

I have to stop watching it to switch to Great British Menu because they really don't have anything new in their views at all ... apart from Channel 4 reporters earning their keep.

😆

Ok, so Corbyn is doing tonight's debate.

I foresee a lot of comments about May being too busy or too scared to turn up and talk to people.

I think she already has.

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.