Is May about to call an election?

It’s about time we all reverted to an Intellectual Political System.

We have an Intellectually Deficient System.

Theresa May announces snap annihilation of the Labour party

http://newsthump.com/2017/04/18/theresa-may-hands-uk-another-opportunity-to-highlight-how-stupid-it-is/

So which one is it?

think Brexit will be a non issue

I don’t think I’ve ever heard those words in that order before!

With potential candidates like James Cracknell surely the Tories have it in the bag? 🙂
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/north-korea-handle-obesity-james-cracknell_uk_58f5e84ce4b0da2ff862f758

We’re in a weird situation at the moment, I don’t think any (relatively) sane politician would want to be PM for the next couple of years. The economy isn’t actually flourishing and Brexit is just going to make things worse (at best) at least in the short run. Anyone that is PM through Brexit won’t get re-elected afterwards. I’m not even sure any of the 3 main parties want to be in power at the moment either, again you’re just going to end up stained with fallout from Brexit.

It would have been better if she’d called this before triggering Article 50 and left it up to the parties to to make it a manifesto commitment whether or not they’d continue with Brexit, although I’m not sure where that would stand legally given the referendum has already happened. I might be wrong but I would guess a party could get elected on the basis of not triggering Brexit now the facts about the repercussions are better understood.

Anything to avoid giving May an open mandate to do whatever she feels like. I don’t care whether the Lib Dems or Labour have the best personalities or not, this is about sending a strong message to May.

If she wants to use the GE to strengthen her Brexit position, then we shouldn’t let it happen.

Of course the unpleasant bit is that under our wonderful voting system it only needs a 30 odd percent vote to end up with a majority government.

We thought 52/48 was a bit rough.

(via Viz on FB)

although I’m not sure where that would stand legally given the referendum has already happened.

The referendum had no legal weight whatsoever

The referendum had no legal weight whatsoever

Burn him for defying the will of the people!

So 7 weeks of political comment in the media by the commentators who got it so wrong last year?
Joy.

as slowldman says – the crappy first past the post system means the referendum % split won’t translate into GE results. Can only foresee a fairly depressing outcome, as much as i’d like to see a shock result. It is also depressingly good timing for May, being able to kill labour and UKIP and deliver us all into hard Brexit fantasyland free of troublesome opposition/accountability.

SO, as Brexit will be the main theme of the election, surely it should be the 2017 General Br-election?

EDIT – Also, won’t a GE get in the way somewhat of the already tight Brexit negotiations deadline?

I think STW is going to need some more diskspace!

Also, won’t a GE get in the way somewhat of the already tight Brexit negotiations deadline?

Yup – that’s exactly why Mrs May swore blind we wouldn’t have one…

Yup – that’s exactly why Mrs May swore blind we wouldn’t have one…

That was before the entire country united behind the glorious leader minus those evil elites in westminster who are against the will of the people.

bet we dont hear a peep from Jezzer for the next 7 weeks.

mrchrispy – Member
bet we dont hear a peep from Jezzer for the next 7 weeks.

Will probably increase his vote

Maybe she means to “bring together [the Labour party in] Westminster” as she recognises they’re bloody useless as an opposition under Corbyn and she really is acting in the best interest of us all? They’ll either forget their differences and fight the election instead of each other or they’ll wait till after, (hoping he doesn’t get his seat returned to make their job easier) and have rid after their dismal GE performance.

*maybe someone spiked my coffee.

I’ve never felt so disenfranchised. 😥

What effect do we think the £10 min wage policy will have?

A lot of people are on minimum wage, that’s a big fat increase.

martinhutch – Member
It’s about time we all reverted to an Intellectual Political System.
We have an Intellectually Deficient System.

POSTED 1 HOUR AGO # REPORT-POST

That mans a chuffing idiot. Here is no intellect in that man whatsoever.

Odd you chose a pic of IDS.

Theresa May announces last election

bikebouy – Member

martinhutch – Member
It’s about time we all reverted to an Intellectual Political System.
We have an Intellectually Deficient System.

POSTED 1 HOUR AGO # REPORT-POST

That mans a chuffing idiot. Here is no intellect in that man whatsoever.

Odd you chose a pic of IDS.

Quoted for later lols. 🙂

Something a friend just mentioned,

If he loses the GE (as is likely), Corbyn will have to stand down won’t he? Hard to lead a party after failing an election.

@molegrips it will mean a lot people will lose their jobs sadly. And a lot of people who need care in the home won’t get a visit.

Give the lady some credit she has man balls in those designer handbags and Corbyn would like them back.
Abbot for NO11 😯

Indeed cougar, the PLP actually stand to be the biggest winners out of this.

I’ve never felt so disenfranchised.

+1

😥

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/politics/politics-headlines/theresa-may-announces-last-election-20170418126203

Not quite as ridiculous as it sounds.

Sure, we’ll have elections, but the effective gerrymandering of the UK by allowing Scotland to be dominated by the SNP means that, unless there’s a Labour-SNP alliance (over Nicola’s dead body etc.) and no Scottish independence (over Nicola’s….) then England and Wales could be moving neatly into the next phase of permanent Conservative governments.

And, for so long as Labour is in dissaray the Conservatives will be able to call elections whenever they wish and we’ll continue to return Conservative governments.

Now, for many people this would be ideal (Conservative voters, generally). But for everyone else, unless there’s either a fundamental reordering of English and Welsh election boundaries or a move to a lasting Lib-Lab (+ others maybe) pact, it will be a long difficult journey into an unchecked Conservative future.

So, if you aren’t a Conservative voter, you may have to vote for Corbyn however much you hate him. Voting for minority parties will only dilute any opposition to May.

I think the last couple of decades of fluffiness will finally be thrown off – every one for themselves…!

@molegrips it will mean a lot people will lose their jobs sadly.

Hmm.. maybe, but maybe not. Not sure it’s that clear cut. For example, care homes are funded by councils which get money from government, right? If the min wage goes up to £10ph then that would the in-work benefit bill, surely? so that money saved could pay for the care workers salary increase.

It might drive inflation up though.

I’ve never felt so disenfranchised.

So at what point do people start taking more direct action / setting off bombs? A genuine question given the apparent pending tory Dictatorship.

If the min wage goes up to £10ph then that would the in-work benefit bill, surely? so that money saved could pay for the care workers salary increase.

You assume that the savings to central government will be passed to local government. I would using all evidence, suggest, not a hope in hell. Yes Min wage will rise and care homes will then shut because they can’t pay it, it will be put down to local government incompetence and inability to manage their budgets.

ourmaninthenorth – Member

unless there’s a Labour-SNP alliance (over Nicola’s dead body etc.)

Nicola’d be pretty happy with that but many English voters don’t like the idea of Scottish people having influence in parliament so it’s a vote-loser for Labour. According to some, it was the critical vote-loser in the last election. Though maybe largely because Ed Milliband made such an incredible arse of the issue- it was easy to spin it as “The SNP will be in charge” because it was obvious Ed wasn’t in charge of his own lunch money by that point.

You assume that the savings to central government will be passed to local government

I think they would have to.

A policy like this has some big implications that need to be dealt with.

unless there’s a Labour-SNP alliance (over Nicola’s dead body etc.)

It was Labour who refused to consider a coalition with the SNP, not the other way around.

it’s a vote-loser for Labour

+

It was Labour who refused to consider a coalition with the SNP, not the other way around.

You’re both quite right. I meant it in the current context of Sturgeon striking out hard for independence – the SNP won;t want to risk their own dilution at home when pushing for national self determination.

But nonetheless, the likelihood is currently low, even though Labour do need the SNP (and would therefore have to offer a 2nd referendum, and by doing so shoot themselves in the foot).

Unfortunately, I live in a Tory stronghold. I’ll be voting Lib Den based on their pro-EU stance and excellent campaigning on local issues. Labour are essentially non-existent in my part of the world.

it will mean a lot people will lose their jobs sadly.

This normally gets bandied out whenever any increase in minimum wage is proposed. It was mentioned a lot prior to it being initially introduced. The evidence is mixed.

“many English voters don’t like the idea of Scottish people having influence in parliament”

ITYM people in general don’t like the idea of nationalists in government.

it’s a vote-loser for Labour

What the hell, just add it to the list of other vote losers for Labour

I still find it incredible that they persevere with Corbyn.