Liz! Truss!

But, you know, perception is a funny thing.

I guess it depends on expectations. Compared to Johnson it was a rather large improvement since whilst not great answers they were at least answers. Question is can Starmer take advantage of it by digging into her answers and pushing her further.

And Blackford. He might not cut through outside parliament, but his question is often the most cutting at PMQs. As he did with Johnson, he will prick through to what really matters quite often, and phrase it in a way that takes a lot of the listening/watching public along for the ride.

Truss was better than I expected at PMQs. Obviously she didn’t really answer any questions apart from spouting her campaign lines but that’s normal isn’t it? It’s all bozo did. A bit wooden but far from a disaster. I tuned in to laugh at her but was disappointed.

Not sure I’d go so far to say she was impressive but I’ll hold my hands up and say she did better than I previously predicted on here, so perhaps she impressed relative to expectations.

Trust’s performance was ok, bland but ok.

Her trouble will be that at PMQ’s and in the broader context, she hasn’t got BJ’s “gift” of being able to sell obviously detrimental policies to the country as positives because they are so dressed up in comedy and Latin.

Her terrible policies and her complete contempt for a significant part of her own party (a shown by her cabinet appointments) will be her downfall.

This is the age of Tory regicide and she is just the latest PM to have fought hard to be handed the obviously poisoned chalice.

My voting history? Always Labour but will likely be LibDem at next election as a tactical vote. I’m on the south and Labour just won’t get in round here, much too my chagrin, as there is a lot of poverty here as well as wealth.

Truss obviously way more serious than Johnson, which is a problem for Starmer, however she looked vulnerable on taxing the fat cats to pay for her bill freeze. That is a weakness and labour right to exploit it.

She’s got an uphill battle tbh

The pound has crashed to its weakest level since Margaret Thatcher was in power in a blow to new Prime Minister Liz Truss – live updateshttps://t.co/82qWHAUjS9

— Telegraph Business (@telebusiness) September 7, 2022

Do they deliberately photograph her to try to make her look like a sex doll from Wilko? I’d have expected better from the Torygraph.

the-muffin-man
Full Member

How many of you have voted for other parties rather than your default option?

I had to vote tactically til 2010, really didn’t have much choice, it was Labour or Tory. Since then I’ve had a choice, in 2015 I voted SNP but I did consider Labour- they had an excellent local candidate but by that point Scottish Labour were an absolute disaster (in 2017, they had a different candidate, spent the entire campaign attacking the SNP, and celebrated the fact that they fell to 3rd place but managed to narrow the SNP’s win, even though it was now SNP vs Tory. Insanity…)

I think it’s fair to say I’ve only once really felt that I had a real choice in the westminster elections.

Truss obviously way more serious than Johnson, which is a problem for Starmer, however she looked vulnerable on taxing the fat cats to pay for her bill freeze. That is a weakness and labour right to exploit it.

No difference because people don’t trust Labour at the moment or at least they don’t think Labour can do a better job then the current Tory govt.

No

Labour more trusted than Conservatives by voters in the Red Wall in ALL policy areas.

Which party do Red Wall voters trust the most on…? (Conservative | Labour)

The Economy (23% | 36%)
Immigration (20% | 32%)
The NHS (18% | 45%)
Levelling Up (16% | 38%) pic.twitter.com/fLx6BhqWnT

— Redfield & Wilton Strategies (@RedfieldWilton) September 6, 2022

No

Yeah right …

In that case Liz Truss should call for a snap election asap or perhaps let Labour govern …

I doubt Labour can do any better in the current climate other than spending future money.

Oh ya … then nationalise everything, fix the amount a person can earn and create magic green energy.

Truss won’t call a snap election because they might not win a majority and they don’t have to.

I doubt

No difference because people don’t trust Labour at the moment

That’s your opinion
Saying it doesn’t make it necessarily true
Many others may well disagree as outlined above.

Truss won’t call a snap election because they might not win a majority and they don’t have to.

True. She is in no hurry.

Many others may well disagree as outlined above.

That’s normal and probably in denial like any other political parties.

Well Truss is about go full socialist
Energy cap
Human Rights
No bonfire of workers rights
Rwanda cancelled

She has her eye on the next election.. question is can she survive the ERG/ Backbenchers wrath…

I know that there correctly is care around violent language and MPs.
That said if Cleverly acted like that in a pub he’d get a slap.

She has her eye on the next election.. question is can she survive the ERG/ Backbenchers wrath…

Isn’t it another two years from now for the next GE? She can survive if she can reduce the cost of living.

Which party do Red Wall voters trust the most on…? (Conservative | Labour)

Immigration (20% | 32%)

Well that shatters one STW cherished truth.

Or does it mean that “Red Wall” voters now see the Labour Party as the most racist party?

I’ve been hearing around here the potential for business collapses is much greater than you would glean from the press. Energy is a major issue but far from being the only one.

I’ve been hearing around here the potential for business collapses is much greater than you would glean from the press. Energy is a major issue but far from being the only one.

Was watching the news just now. I mean the energy cost for all companies has gone up some by between 100% to 300%. If this is the case there will be imminent collapse for many and it is not a question of when but how fast. Many will not last for more than 2 years if the crazy increase continues.

Crikey are we in twilight zone?

Okay let’s have the magic green energy then … in a year or two to a time before the sanctions.

Or does it mean that “Red Wall” voters now see the Labour Party as the most racist party?

It’s hard to tell judging by this :

Widespread racism in Labour – new report

And the amount of black and asian faces in Tory Cabinets these days.

Okay let’s have the magic green energy then … in a year or two to a time before the sanctions.

no-one is suggesting green energy as a solution to this energy crisis short term.

And Blackford. He might not cut through outside parliament, but his question is often the most cutting at PMQs. As he did with Johnson, he will prick through to what really matters quite often, and phrase it in a way that takes a lot of the listening/watching public along for the ride.And Blackford. He might not cut through outside parliament, but his question is often the most cutting at PMQs. As he did with Johnson, he will prick through to what really matters quite often, and phrase it in a way that takes a lot of the listening/watching public along for the ride.

Oh man….that’s the funniest thing I’ve read in ages!

I guess it depends on expectations. Compared to Johnson it was a rather large improvement since whilst not great answers they were at least answers. Question is can Starmer take advantage of it by digging into her answers and pushing her further.

Ian Dunt suspects that Starmer is laying the groundwork for a later fall into a pit or her own devising.

(His final comment of “That was like watching something die” raised a laugh here).

Off topic a bit but as she is our new Home Secretary…

Suella Braverman, I never knew she was a Buddhist.

Must take some mental gymnastics to reconcile that with some of her political opinions.

Suella Braverman, I never knew she was a Buddhist.

I am a Buddhist too but I am on the path, trying, trying … nahh … I am a bad Buddhist.

Buddhist is just a person learning or trying to walk the path, and s/he might not make the right decision all the time or live the life they should be but trying.

Suella Braverman, I never knew she was a Buddhist.

Nor me, Triratna Buddhist Community apparently, which is Western based as opposed to Eastern based so presumably she is a convert, or her parents were.

The Triratna Buddhist Community have a very active centre in Croydon where I usually go at least once a week for yoga. In fact last week I did a couple of days voluntary carpentry work for them as they were doing major refurbishing work to their yoga room.

It was a very strange experience indeed, all the work was undertaken by volunteers and I was the only non-buddhist. The whole thing was treated as a community/Buddhist experience, among the things that the working day involved was yoga and meditation 4 times a day (as you would tea breaks) and community cooked and shared meals/food. But what surprised me most of all was how there wasn’t the vaguest attempt to convert me despite involving me in absolutely every part of their activities. In my admittedly limited experience they are an exceptionally nice bunch of people.

Sorry for the derailment as I’m not sure of how much of this relates to Suella Braverman who imo appears to be an exceptionally unpleasant person, although as I said earlier I judge people as individuals.

And perhaps it should be pointed out that the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Community was claimed by many to be also a deeply unpleasant person and with a dark side :

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/21/sangharakshita-guru-triratna-buddhist-dark-secrets

Edit: Just to be clear the Triratna Buddhist Community don’t defend the behaviour of their founder, and although I haven’t discussed it with them my understanding is that they determined that such things should never occur again.

energy cost for all companies has gone up some by between 100% to 300%

My company is on a contract with Scottish Power that’s due to expire- they’ve written to say they won’t quote when it ends and we need to arrange an alternative supplier. One firm (poss EDF) are not issuing any quotes for new business for the next 2-3 weeks.

@ernielynch
Interesting post that, in a good way I mean, just to be clear.Lol 👍

One day I want to make a post that sort of touches on religion/ the human condition but want to pen it in a way so as not to cause feathers to fly as it really isn’t my intention.

Anyway, enough of my ot ramblings.

Interesting post that, in a good way I mean

Thanks Poops didn’t mean to derail the thread but it’s just a weird coincidence that less than a week ago I was very involved with the Buddhist sect that new Home Secretary is apparently a member of.

Actually thinking about it more I am really struggling to see how Suella Braverman can reconcile her position in the Tory Party with being a member of the Triratna Buddhist Community.

I haven’t done much meditation at the Buddhist Centre as I find it quite boring, but I have done and know that possibly their most important form of meditation is metta bhavana meditation, which is “lovingkindness” meditation.

It involves focusing on feelings of kindness to not only to friends and people close to you but also to strangers, and most importantly, people who are “difficult” and not necessarily pleasant towards you.

How the **** can someone focus on doing that and then get on with their job of being a rabid right-wing Tory Home Secretary?!?

What do you mean? The eightfold path says one must right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right samatha- she’s got all that nailed.

The eightfold path says….

I haven’t got a clue what the eightfold path says, I’m not a Buddhist – I’m a Catholic!

Edit: Btw about 3 weeks ago I went to Aarthy celebration in Bhaktivedanta Manor – it was brilliant! Tens of thousands of people, but I didn’t see Rishi Sunak. Great food but the queue to the shrine was too long. Far too much to see in just a couple of hours or so.

Any Hare Krishna/Hindu is Liz Truss’s most diverse Cabinet ever?

Luckily, I told you what it says. If not in great detail, then at least enough to understand the joke

Yes, thank you for sharing the wisdom – I appreciate it.

Ian Dunt suspects that Starmer is laying the groundwork for a later fall into a pit or her own devising.

At the risk of invoking the thread police thats what was also said about how he interacted with Johnson. The cunning pit falls were all missed though whilst Johnson charged headlong into his own party and asked them outside for a fight.
So I wouldnt hold your breath. Its best when the trap springs shut before they die of old age.

It could well get more interesting since she does seem to believe in answering a question vaguely resembling the one asked as opposed to just sprouting some bad latin and insults which makes her more vulnerable to good questions but we will see.

And the amount of black and asian faces in Tory Cabinets these days.

Something Cameron deserves credit for. He put a lot of effort into positive discrimination. Having looked at the output I do wonder if it was a cunning plan to undermine the idea.

Made me chuckle.

WHO DID THIS? pic.twitter.com/gvzwVyGGZq

— Ed Bott (@edbott) September 7, 2022

To suggest that Buddhism is somehow pacifist, and free from the taint of political violence, is to misrepresent the actual experience of lots of real people.

Organised religion is always, and everywhere, oppressive.

Which party do Red Wall voters trust the most on…? (Conservative | Labour) Immigration (20% | 32%)

Well that shatters one STW cherished truth.

Or does it mean that “Red Wall” voters now see the Labour Party as the most racist party?

I’m not a red wall voter but I trust labour more on immigration. I trust them to have a better immigration stance. To be less likely to use gun boats on refugees or send asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Must take some mental gymnastics to reconcile that with some of her political opinions.

Only in the same way as any Christian tory. Was Theresa May acting in a christian way when Home Secretary and then PM? Not how I think a Christian should be acting towards others no.