Useful to point out that it isn't really the newsagents podcast that is savaging them. It is mainly Baroness Warsi who is giving them a kicking, and she isn't wrong
@jordan Will make it easier for him to go off to some tech (finance) bro job in California?
They’re at it again…
https://twitter.com/kitty_donaldson/status/1768916057324933383?t=-D5EC09WflxUbZpyQQpEqA&s=19
Going full scorched earth with unfunded tax cuts. Do that in September, go for an October election, hoping for a bit of a bounce off the back of tax cuts and if it doesn't work, Labour are faced with putting taxes back up immediately and can be portrayed as the Big Bad Nasty Party.
Until now, MPs on the Right of the party have opposed her because of her 'woke' views on gender issues.
But a source involved with the rebels said a deal was emerging in which they could support her provided she sub-contracts the issue to them.
Because of course the issue is so important to voters.
They can sub-contract out whatever they like to whichever faction of nutjobs wants them. They’re hardly going to be enacting any new legislation, are they?
This is all just posturing for the almighty bun fight that’s going to break out from the various wings of what remains of the party after they lose the election.
If there’s some marriage of convenience with the sword-carrier and the headbangers, it won’t last 5 minutes before they’re all plotting to overthrow her too and install Badanoch or Cruella instead.
The Tory party is now just a feral rabble and we just need shut of them ASAP
Again, I would say that the only conceivable reason Mordaunt would want it is simply to pad out the CV and get a lifetime income for a few month's 'work'. Having said that, she probably won't even keep her seat, which would add a bit of fizz to election night, so bring it on!
Conservatives slam ‘bonkers’ plot to topple Rishi Sunak before election
What I think is really "bonkers" is any political party going into a general election expecting the electorate to vote for them when their leader does not enjoy the full and unequivocal support of his/her MPs.
Just look at what happened to Labour in 2019. Why would anyone expect people to vote for a party whose leader is being relentlessly criticised their own MPs?
Just when you thought things could not possibly get any worse for the Tories they now look set to fight the next general election campaign with a leader that a fair chunk of Tory MPs don't want to be their leader.
I found this quite interesting and possibly plausible:
"Mordaunt made no public comment about the claims but her supporters said she was not party to, or aware of, any such plot, and that she believed the stories were an attempt by her detractors on the right to damage any potential challenge she may make in future, after a Tory election defeat."
I think they are like fish landed on a trawler flapping around as they face inevitable asphyxiation.
They can stick with Rishi, parachute Boris or even Farage in but they are basically buggered. Any move they make, or dont make, looks incompetent and directionless. They are in their death throws and I can't see anything other than an absolutely catastrophic Labour own goal saving them now.
As a lot of you guys have said lately, the more cunning sods amongst them are now just concentrating on sabotaging the country in order to cripple Labours first term and hope for a chance of return to government in '29.
Christ, aren't politicians supposed to serve the country or something rather than bugger it up for their own ambitions?
Rhetorical question.
I agree with all of that but...
I can’t see anything other than an absolutely catastrophic Labour own goal saving them now.
Never underestimate Labours ability to take themselves down from the inside! they are masters at it!
That's not strictly true, but the UK press has a tendency to go crazy about any Labour shortcomings, and play down the, let's face it, the weekly tsunami of Conservative insanity/idiocy.
I'm really looking forward to the local elections...I know they are not technically representative of a GE, but I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest the voting public will mostly give a good indication of the direction of travel.
^^ Oh yep, there is a residual part of me that keeps telling myself it could still all go horribly wrong and not to tempt fate. I mean, what could Labour do that out trumps the absolute shit fest the Tories are but yeah, a lot of vested interests are circling Labour looking for a whiff of blood to turn into a gaping wound to rip them apart.
Mordaunt made no public comment about the claims but her supporters said she was not party to, or aware of, any such plot, and that she believed the stories were an attempt by her detractors on the right to damage any potential challenge she may make in future, after a Tory election defeat.
A couple of months ago Badanoch was also claiming she was unaware of any plot to unseat Rishi and replace him with herself. Then it was revealed that she was part of a WhatsApp group called the Dastardly Plotters or some other such juvenile bollocks who were planning to do exactly that
It’s like some pathetic, childish playground game to these *ing clowns. Who gets to be head boy/girl in Lord of the *ing Flies
I think Mordaunt has more appeal to the disaffected Tories than Badenoch has to even further right headbangers. That might be playing to their Maggie fantasies or a race issue, but I think she'd attract/retain more support than the alternatives.
If she has any sense, she'll bide her time before throwing her hat in the ring.
Mourdant seems to be the preferred candidate amongst Labour voters at least! (Going by a twice shared poll on this thread and a few comments).
I think Badenoch, with her grammar school bossyness will appeal to Tory's Maggie fantasies more than Mourdant. It wouldn't surprise me if Badenoch adopts a handbag as a prop, knowing that Penny won't be allowed to take the sword out on tour with her.
The other day, binners commented that Badenoch was 'clearly' as awful as Braverman, it's just that she hasn't shown it yet.
Are we assuming that Braverman and Badenoch are going to fight it out to see who can be the most right wing? Or will Badenoch cede the right wing of the party to Braverman and adopt a more centrist position for herself? After all, she has already prepared the ground by throwing the ERG under the bus with the bonfire of the regulations Bill.
I think we're going to have a June election. Sunak will go after the Local elections. He won't have to be pushed, he will walk as he hasn't got the guts to face the electorate in a GE.
Whoever wins the leadership, they will have no choice but to call a snap election. Labour should be preparing for this.
Or will Badenoch cede the right wing of the party to Braverman and adopt a more centrist position for herself?
There’s a reason the headbangers on the backbenches and the membership all absolutely love her. She’s a complete right wing loon of the highest order. She’s equally as unhinged as Cruella but still being a cabinet member she just can’t publicise it so much
After all, she has already prepared the ground by throwing the ERG under the bus with the bonfire of the regulations Bill.
The reason they didn’t go through with that was that even by Brexiteer standards it was complete and utter lunacy. A grown up will have sat her down and explained to her that to go through with it would have tipped the economy into a tailspin and caused financial chaos the likes of which the country has never seen. She would also have had it pointed out that this descent into anarchy would also mark the end of her career
inkster
Free Member
I think we’re going to have a June election. Sunak will go after the Local elections. He won’t have to be pushed, he will walk as he hasn’t got the guts to face the electorate in a GE.
Whoever wins the leadership, they will have no choice but to call a snap election. Labour should be preparing for this.
**************************
(No idea what's going on with my quotes these days, can't sort it!)
Yeah, looking more likely now isn't it? Bad by election results and Sunak will likely say * it as he comes under huge pressure from all the Hunger Games factions in his party.
Labour are definitely ramping things up in my area. Got a campaign YT vid come on yesterday from our local prospective MP. Never seen that before but then I've only been active on YT the last few years really!
Dammit, got a holiday booked for June. I want to see it all unfold on election night with a glass in my hand.
martinhutch
Full Member
Dammit, got a holiday booked for June. I want to see it all unfold on election night with a glass in my hand.
I'll be up to watch the by elections too. Hoping for a complete meltdown in Tory support. Only downside is I think Reform will do well which I'm none to happy about.
surprised she called Hesters comments rascist- unless she saw how weak no10 was on the issue and saw it as a chance to stir things up.
Well she certainly took her time in breaking with the official line from number ten. The continued ‘it was rude but not racist’ line was already looking untenable by the time she broke ranks
Only downside is I think Reform will do well which I’m none to happy about.
They'd need a lot more support to be even close to taking a seat.
They’d need a lot more support to be even close to taking a seat.
Sorry, I meant the locals. Lack of sleep talking.
I reckon they will do fairly well at the locals.
Bizarrely I think we actually need Reform to get an MP or two (no more though!) as this will move the Tories further to the right whilst in Opposition to Labour and they chase those votes. This will make them less likely to regain control in 2029, maybe only slightly but every small thing will help.
I reckon they will do fairly well at the locals.
Might be one reason why Sunak doesn't want a GE turnout on the same day as the locals.
It should probably be remembered that even at the height of their popularity as far as I am aware UKIP only ever won control of one local authority - Thanet.
And within months they had lost control due to bickering and defections.
Are Reform UK more popular today?
reluctantjumper
Full Member
Bizarrely I think we actually need Reform to get an MP or two (no more though!) as this will move the Tories further to the right whilst in Opposition to Labour and they chase those votes. This will make them less likely to regain control in 2029, maybe only slightly but every small thing will help.
To be honest, my worry is the '29 election as much as the impending one. I can genuinely imagine a dystopian near future wish some Reform/ Tory coalition from hell.
We underestimated UKIP for years and look at the mess they caused.
There is a rough decade or more ahead and it will be fertile ground for the far right to exploit.
"Well she certainly took her time in breaking with the official line from number ten. The continued ‘it was rude but not racist’ line was already looking untenable by the time she broke ranks"
I can't believe you are so politically naive binners, It was entirely to her advantage to leave Sunak stewing for a while, whilst he sent out his minions to back his line. She used the situation as a power play rather than a virtue signal.
She may well be all the things that you an tj say she is, certainly too right wing for me (I want a Labour win with a usefull majority) but she won't come out frothing at the mouth trying to out do Braverman however much you want her to.
My prediction is that She will lead the Tories into a snap election in the Summer and if Labour (and you binners) don't have a strategy to deal with her that doesnt involve just throwing insults, Labour will see their lead shrink and might not get the workable majority that they are looking at right now.
^^Badenoch? The only Tory leadership candidate less popular with voters is Braverman.
Voters’ favourites for Tory leader
Pollsters Savanta crunched the numbers to work out an aggregate of those favoured by the public for the top Tory job
1. Penny Mordaunt
2. James Cleverly
3. Rishi Sunak
4. Boris Johnson
5. Tom Tugendhat
6. Nigel Farage
7.Kemi Badenoch
8. Suella Braverman
How about a reality check on Labour's prospects.
Go take a look at the list of candidates by seat; there are an alarmingly high number of tory held which still don't a Labour PPC - mine being one of them.
No candidate yet means that effective campaigning is...difficult; name recognition, building a profile, letting voters know the platform a Labour candidate is standing on are fundamentally important parts of successful campaigning.
I fully understand and accept that the focus has been on electing candidates to battleground seats but the lack of progress in other seats concerns me; I continue to make noises about this within my CLP but they don't appear to have much influence with the party's regional office.
That poll gets repeated endlessly ernie. All it basically tells us is which leader of the Tory party is preferred by those who won't be voting Tory. Elections are decided in a few key constituencies by a small overall number of floating voters, something frank's point alludes to.
So who do you think is going to be the next leader of the Conservative Party then Ernie? Most on here seem to think it's going to be Mourdant, binners hopes it's going to be Braverman. Me and the bookies think it's going to be Badenoch.
That poll gets repeated endlessly ernie.
I am not sure about that but by even if it is repeated endlessly does that make it inaccurate? Savanta have a record of reasonably accurate polls.
And it is a poll of all voters, not just those who won't be voting Tory, so obviously appropriate.
Who I personally think will be the next Tory is not really relevant, it might well be Badenoch or Braverman but it doesn't mean that it will good electorally for the Tories.
Do you think that Tory Party members always pick the best person for the job?
There was a discussion on the Diane Abbott thread about wether something was a racist trope or not. I stayed out of it but some of the language and particularly the infantilization of Badenoch in some of the comments here could be construed by some (namely your political opponents) in a similar way.
It could be an own-goal in the making, as spectacular and ugly as the one at Stamford Bridge yesterday. Using the abuse one black female politician receives to attack another black female politician is not a good look.
Poopscoop
Full MemberTo be honest, my worry is the ’29 election as much as the impending one. I can genuinely imagine a dystopian near future wish some Reform/ Tory coalition from hell.
This, absolutely. This is an absolutely poisoned chalice Labour are fighting for, and I really doubt the current leadership's ability to do much with it. And if Labour end up viewed as failing, and unpopular, then we could end up with just about anything, and a complete reboot on "it's all Labour's fault" to boot. If we're really lucky it'll all end up because Starmer was Too Leftwing tm.
Whoever wins the leadership, they will have no choice but to call a snap election. Labour should be preparing for this.
Why ?
Thete is zero need for any new leader to do so. Nor any chance they will unless they get a big poll bounce
Badenoch?
Have some of you forgotten some of the vile things she has said?
Anti lbgt+ and pro coversion therapy
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-56362329
"Why ?
Thete is zero need for any new leader to do so. Nor any chance they will unless they get a big poll bounce"
Braverman could hang on because she has tied herself so resolutely to the long list of failing policies. She could also form a cabinet from the dregs of the right wing of the Party.
Badenoch doesn't have the factional support that Braverman can call upon so would find it difficult to form a cabinet. By calling a snap election she could circumvent that problem. It would also give her the opportunity to ditch the failing policies and campaign with her own policy.
She has no powerful allies on the benches beside her, those she did have have long since been thrown under the bus and reversed back over, they all know they are for the chop if she wins the leadership. Badenoch is using her popularity with the membership to blackmail the party. She is the wild card candidate and will be able to present herself as such in a snap general election.
Use what ever metaphor you want but Penny Mourdant is a Trojan horse, a smokescreen, a red herring or a dead cat but it ain't going to be her. If she gets foisted upon the membership then they will erupt and fracture the party once and for all.
Hope that answers your question tj!
Badenoch?
Have some of you forgotten some of the vile things she has said?
I haven't forgotten how ****ing awful she has but we are talking about other people liking her not those on this thread. We are not the ones who will be deciding/judging where it matters.
Badenoch is using her popularity with the membership to blackmail the party. She is the wild card candidate
You do know she’s consistently been the clear favourite as next Tory leader with the bookies for over 12 months now?
That’d like saying Manchester City are the wild cards to win the Premier League
Anyway, the main point is that pretty much everyone is talking about Rishi like he’s already gone. That’s how much authority he now has. None whatsoever.
Anyway, the main point is that pretty much everyone is talking about Rishi like he’s already gone. That’s how much authority he now has. None whatsoever.
He seems quite petulant, I can see him digging his heels in and dragging out the election until the last moment.
I do hope they get gutted in the locals and it triggers a June election. I can't see a may election unless something else happens.