I apologise for being snarky but here's the thing - I think you make some (many!) valid points, some I agree with, some I don't, but you can be SO uncompromising in your responses that it makes my teeth itch.
Tories have 3 days and still have 100 candidates to find
According to the Independent 6 hours ago they still had 141 to find!
Eh, I don’t give a monkeys what he said. One person suggested that one thing, you suggested that he didn’t say that. I don’t even know who he is.
I didn't suggest he didn't say it, I suggested that's not what he truly believes.
Grant Shapps rings sky news presenter when he's live on air
When he's asked about the latest poll showing him losing his seat he just hangs up
https://twitter.com/supertanskiii/status/1797691969386528823?t=Uu0gVQl7hzhHz10BLEXZAQ&s=19
but you can be SO uncompromising in your responses
I'm sorry but I think general elections should be exciting, apparently not everyone agrees.
You want me to comprise on my opinion on the matter because of what someone, who I have never heard of before, might or might not have said?
I actually think this general election is very exciting, although I thought the short clip I heard of Starmer's speech today sounded dull. In contrast I thought Farage's little speech was at least "interesting".
I wasn't trying to offend anyone by making that point. I had no idea that it might controversial.
Edit:
I suggested that’s not what he truly believes.
Oh okay, the subtlety was obviously lost on me. Presumably he was being sarcastic. Apologies for not picking up on his sarcasm.
I’m sorry but I think general elections should be excited, apparently not everyone agrees.
You want me to comprise on my opinion on the matter because of what someone, who I have never heard of before, might or might not have said?
I actually think this general election is very exciting, although I thought the short clip I heard of Starmer’s speech today sounded dull. In contrast I thought Farage’s little speech was at least “interesting”.
I wasn’t trying to offend anyone by making that point. I had no idea that it might controversial.
I'm sure you weren't trying to offend, but it felt like you dove in with both feet on what an individual has said online whilst admitting you don't know anything about them. I don't know a lot about constitutional law but I'd bet my house that no-one on this planet finding it exciting - I subscribe to David Allen Green's blog, he's a constitutional lawyer and I'm sure he does not, and any suggestion that he may find it exciting is sardonic.
Oh okay, the subtlety was obviously lost on me. Presumably he was being sarcastic. Apologies for not picking up on his sarcasm.
I'm sure he was, and no problem. To be fair, constitutional lawyers are not, I think, widely known for their dynamic sense of humour!
kimbers
Full Member
Grant Shapps rings sky news presenter when he’s live on air
They really are in total disarray. I cant get my head around how badly prepared they are for the GE. I mean, Sunak obviously surprised them too but we all knew the election was going to be in a matter of months time! There is just no pool of talent left in the party.
ernielynch
I’m sorry but I think general elections should be excited, apparently not everyone agrees.
I get what you mean but I'd substitute inspiring for exciting.
Id certainly agree it's not inspiring but longer term in politics I want it all to be a bit boring to be honest. Just some quiet and hopefully competent government and less of the divisive crap as I'm just totally fed up with the constant stoking of culture war stuff the Tories and Reform etc are into.
It looks like knee jerk, headless chicken PANIIIIIIIIIC mode has been engaged at Tory Central Office, with Farages arrival
They’ve just announced a reduction in visa’s. As the polling comes in it’ll be leaving the ECHR and using U-boats to sink small boats in the channel
If he were PM eventually he will still hit the reality brick wall that all far right politicians eventually do simply because they make huge promises based on simple solutions.
A lot can happen between this above…
…and this truth below.
It never ends well.
Farage with power would be a very dangerous thing for us all.
We (and many other countries, not least the USA) need to stop viewing politics as entertainment, with fascism as just one of the players bringing colour to the performance.
They really are in total disarray. I cant get my head around how badly prepared they are for the GE.
I can't get my head around how this evening's party political broadcast on behalf of the Conservative Party was all about Rishi Sunak and how great he is. Surely they are aware that he isn't a great selling point and that his approval ratings are extraordinarily low?
Admittedly they might have struggled finding a Tory politician that is popular but they could have focused on other stuff like members of the public saying that they will be voting Tory, or pictures of tanks, or Nelson's Column, or whatever it is that excites Tory voters. Not bleedin Sunak ffs.
If Farage and Reform do well it'll change the political landscape in quite a revolutionary way. Starmer's centrist labour party will essentially become the new one nation tory party with a minority of traditional labour types attempting to keep them honest, Reform could replace the tories as the lunatic rightwing opposition, and the tories will become a minor party a bit like the lib dems who don't seem to know what their purpose is. Probably a bit far fetched but who knows what could happen as Farage is the only one giving a voice to the anti-establishment narrative (even if we all know it's fake) which has a lot of support in thge general public.
Farage with power would be a very dangerous thing for us all.
Yeah, I glossed over a fair amount of effluent in my summary that's for sure.
He loves the American healthcare model for a start, which is about as dysfunctional as it comes.
dazh
Farage is the only one giving a voice to the anti-establishment narrative
Absolutely true but it's also his achilles heal. If he ever actually gains power, even as a lowly, solo MP, he *becomes* the establishment he says he desires and his whole MO is ultimately blown.
The same people that vote for him will the very first to desert him at the first sniff of him selling out.
As an MP, he will have more exposure, which he relishes but far more to live upto amongst his supporters. It's a dangerous, double edged sword for him. Us too, perhaps...
I really think 5 years as an MP has the potential to be his downfall though.
Or... I'm spectacularly wrong.
Place your bets!
If Farage and Reform do well
I haven't seen one single opinion poll which suggests that they will get any MPs, even though he was obviously suggesting this afternoon that they are likely to get loads.
I will be fairly surprised if he wins Clacton, I guess the size of the national Labour swing will have a bearing. A couple of weeks ago he himself obviously didn't think that his chances were good enough to risk another humiliation.
Since then I suspect he has been listening to people who have exaggerated his appeal, although I guess he does have a reasonable chance.
Btw I think that Nigel Farage is probably a tad to the left of Suella Braverman, and she was Home Secretary So I don't know how much of a huge departure from the far-right of the Tory Party he represents.
Btw I think that Nigel Farage is probably a tad to the left of Suella Braverman, and she was Home Secretary So I don’t know how much of a huge departure from the far-right of the Tory Party he represents.
Agree. Farage is far more like Johnson than Braverman or any of the other loons. Despite his obvious elitest background he manages to relate to normal people and represent their views far more than the likes of Starmer, Sunak, Braverman, Truss, Badenoch et al. Given the chance (which I also agree he won't get) I reckon he'd bring in some policies much to the left of where Starmer currently is.
I get what you mean but I’d substitute inspiring for exciting.
I would settle for believable.
I will be fairly surprised if he wins Clacton
The FT poll tracker allows you to adjust the polling of parties to see what the outcome would be. Reform would need a greater percentage vote than the Tories to take Clacton and they would then have 37 seats (i.e. there are seats more winnable by Reform than Clacton), same as Tory and far less than LibDem. That's not going to happen is it?
But I won't downplay the Farage factor. Dropping him into any seat with a substantial Reform electorate will increase their share of the vote so perhaps Clacton or any other seat becomes the easiest for them to take. I wouldn't bet my house on him winning though.
I reckon he’d bring in some policies much to the left of where Starmer currently is.
What's your reasoning behind that?
Quite amusing if farage splits the Tory vote & gifts Clacton to Labour
If he were to win it I could see him standing down & ****g off to felate Trump at the first opportunity, can't imagine he'd want to be declaring all his funding either
I reckon he’d bring in some policies much to the left of where Starmer currently is.
I struggle to believe that although I have to confess that I don't really follow what Farage says about anything much. The little that I hear him say is invariably, imo, bollocks.
Although as I said earlier that my heart sank this afternoon when I realised that I was agreeing with his comments about PR and the House of Lords, and how it was the sort of thing that Starmer should be talking about. Do you mean that?
Quite amusing if farage splits the Tory vote & gifts Clacton to Labour
Well of course that's what we would expect but the tracker suggests that if the Reform vote increases a large number comes from Labour. Not as many as Tory but enough to prevent a Labour win.
What’s your reasoning behind that?
Hitler gave us the Volkswagen.
Mussolini made the trains run on time.
Umm...
Not sure if it’s been posted but I’ve just read the Rory Stewart article in the Guardian here that was posted on another forum (yeah……there’s actually “other” forums out there) and it’s hard to argue against what he writes
if the Reform vote increases a large number comes from Labour.
Well Reform support has trebled in the last year whilst Labour support has remained fairly stable, if anything it has slightly increased.
So I would be genuinely interested in how that conclusion has been arrived.
I went to meeting in the same building as the Tory Party Campaign HQ, about 2 months back.
Ohhh to have to opportunity to go there again and knock on their door and stick my head around, and offer a voter's 'assessment' 🤣🤣🤣
The politically engaged. There's something about the demographic I can't quite put my finger on!
somafunk
Full Member
Not sure if it’s been posted but I’ve just read the Rory Stewart article in the Guardian here that was posted on another forum (yeah……there’s actually “other” forums out there) and it’s hard to argue against what he writes
A good read but how to correct all these short comings?
(Obviously it's a book excerpt so he probably does have some ideas!)
There’s something about the demographic I can’t quite put my finger on!
Was just going to type that till i realised you already had.
Thing is, I bet most of them go weeks at a time without meeting anyone even remotely "foreign" yet they consider it the defining issue of our time. I'll never get it.
Jesus that photo is depressing
The first image from google search with a crowd for a Labour love-in was slightly better but was still dominated by people who looked thrilled to be out of the care home for the day!
Love the little caption the Beeb have put at the bottom. 👍😁Lol, I did have a chuckle at that headline.
Thing is, I bet most of them go weeks at a time without meeting anyone even remotely “foreign” yet they consider it the defining issue of our time. I’ll never get it.
They are either just racists or they have so little to worry about/prioritise in their lives that immigration seems a priority for them - or probably both of those things.
How may radios and TVs will get broken now Farage is on them full time?
On Radio4 at the mo.
The anger (on my part) comes from the fact he's damn good at what he does when given a platform... he's still more threat than joke.
Depends what your issues with Labour are. You vote for the person not the party and there are a number of left wing Labour candidates around. Also lots in support of Gaza. If you have one then you are in a great position as they will have some influence on the party likely to be in power.
Each of us only has one person to vote for, who (or more accurately, which Party) are these people who've an 'issue' with Labour/Starmer over Gaza going to vote for?
The anger (on my part) comes from the fact he’s damn good at what he does when given a platform… he’s still more threat than joke.
love him or loathe him, its hard to deny he's been one of the most influential political characters of the last decade or so.
I'd love to know what vote share the greens might be on if they were given the airtime that farage is awarded. The airwaves would be a nicer place too
love him or loathe him,
Hang on , give me a minute.... I think I'll go with "loathe"
love him or loathe him, its hard to deny he’s been one of the most influential political characters of the last decade or so.
I’d say the most influential by miles. He’s scared the Tories into the referendum then won it for Leave, the Tory party has now been purged of all moderates and is just a 2nd rate UKIP/Reform tribute act and he could be about to completely destroy ‘the natural party of government.
All without ever being elected or having to shoulder the burden of the realities of anything
Power without responsibility is a nice position to be in.
Like Boris and Gove with Brexit, he’ll be hoping for glorious defeat by as narrow a margin as possible.
He’s no interest in the mundane day-to-day realities of dealing with constituents problems, just as Boris and Gove had no interest in actually delivering Brexit.
In the unlikely event he’s actually elected, I’ll imagine he’ll be about as chuffed as these two were about the ‘victory’
its hard to deny he’s been one of the most influential political characters of the last decade or so.
Which is a depressing thought if you're comparing him to more mainstream politicians, who should by rights easily knock everything he says into next week, shouting 'four' every time. That they can't; speaks volumes.
chestercopperpot
There’s something about the demographic I can’t quite put my finger on!
They're all ****s?
