UK Election!

This has nothing to do with “the North London/Westminster bubble”. The whole media is treating it as a lead general election campaign story.

That’ll be the whole media that is all collectively based where exactly? I forget…

The tragedy of the North London/Westminster bubble is they continually fail to even remotely grasp how self-obsessed they are and with just how much disinterest it’s viewed by the rest of the country

Does anyone banging on about Abbott and Corbyn on this forum live in North London? I thought you were all network administrators from Cleethorpes.

I’ll be out canvassing – door knocking and talking with real voters – on Saturday in the Newark constituency which is where jenrick is currently squatting.

If ANYONE mentions Diane Abbott on the door step I will be absolutely stunned – but will definitely report it here.

It may be a hot topic in some of the coffee houses, tea shops and organic food shops of the metropolis but, where most people live, the discussion will be about anything but Diane Abbott and Kier Starmer

Diane Abbott has one of the safest Labour seats in the known universe. The fact she still an MP proves it!

If it’s “one of the safest Labour seats in the known universe” it is because she has made it that.

When she was first elected she had less than an 8,000 majority, which is not considered to be a particularly safe seat. At the last general election her majority was 33,000.

Diane Abbott has more than quadrupled the Labour majority in her seat. How many Labour politicians can claim to have done that?

There is a reason why MPs right across the party, including Keir Starmer, have described Diane Abbott as a trailblazer.

That’ll be the whole media that is all collectively based where exactly? I forget…

Don’t tell me – it’s NORTH LONDON! It’s a conspiracy!!!! 🤣🤣

Frank, have you just joined the Labour Party or something? Is this your first election campaign? I find it a tad strange that you should be referencing your Labour Party membership in every recent post.

Froth, froth, froth.

Ernie, give it a rest; no-one is doubting or questioning her achievements and their significance.

A suggestion – look to the future; the past has already happened so continued frothing will achieve absolutely nothing.

IF you really want a Labour government – move on.

no-one is doubting or questioning her achievements and their significance.

LOL! Are you being serious?!?!

Why do you think  I pointed out that Diane Abbott has more than quadrupled her majority? What do you think it was in response to?

I am very happy to move on and leave the issue of Diane Abbott but a few individuals seem determined to keep discussing how unimportant she is.

It may be a hot topic in some of the coffee houses, tea shops and organic food shops of the metropolis

Its fascinating how close you come to the right wing loons ranting about that nasty london.

Odd how you havent mentioned the others who are getting purged by the glorious leader as well.

Don’t tell me – it’s NORTH LONDON! It’s a conspiracy!!!! 🤣🤣

I prefer to leave the tinfoil-helmeted conspiracy theories to those on ‘The Left’, as they seem to spend most of their time revelling in them. As this whole Diane Abbot nonsense amply demonstrates. It’s all apparently part of ‘a purge’ isn’t it, according to Diane herself? Not being remotely melodramatic there then eh?

The whole thing is a total irrelevance to 99.9999% of the electorate, but the north London/Westminster media are absolutely obsessed with it

Nobody cares. Bigger fish to fry than what’s going on in north London and far more relevant and pressing  issues to address, which the eternally London-centric media seems to have zero interest in covering

but the north London/Westminster media are absolutely obsessed with it

Well that’s the Guardian for you, always printing stories and writing editorials about issues which their readers are not in the least bit interested in.

Do you still get your hardcopy of the Guardian btw binners, or have you abandoned it since your swing to the right?

Ernie – for clarity, I’m a long standing and active member of the Labour Party.

Nice try by you to divert attention away from the irrelevance of Diane Abbott and perceptions of how she has/hasn’t been treated by the Labour Party.

Face the facts, this is all a complete irrelevance.

The Labour Party and it’s GE campaigning moves on; Diane Abbott is not a consideration.

I’ll ask the PPC, recently elected East Midlands mayor, CLP and branch members if they have any views about Diane Abbott and let you know.

My prediction of their response? It’s completely irrelevant – other than to those who value ideological purity above the pragmatic objective of delivering a Labour government.

I have more important things to do than continue posting about a subject which is completely irrelevant in the context of the upcoming GE.

I’ve entered the 21st century Ernesto. I’ve got my digital subscription for the Guardian nowadays, but I do get the physical paper at the weekend so I can read it over my champagne and smoked salmon as I sit on the terrace in my smoking jacket

binners – if I bring my own glass, can I scrounge a glass of your finest socialist champagne?

Also happy to bring blinis.

Do let me know.

other than to those who value ideological purity

Sorry who are you talking about here?

Starmer and his supporters with the purging of anyone who dares question the glorious leader or?

Curious how alongside your habit of copying the hard rights ranting about that nasty london you are now going for projecting your own sides faults on others.

Feel free to pop round any time old chap. My footman will escort you to the terrace

Face the facts, this is all a complete irrelevance.

I don’t think that the Diane Abbott is issue as such is particularly important, which is why I haven’t suggested that it is. I am much more concerned about more important stuff.

What is highly irrelevant though is the disquiet that Kier Starmer’s mismanagement of the whole issue has caused among Labour politicians – this evening the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party wade in and publicly gave her support to Diane Abbott.

And of course the huge media interest it has generated – it is currently dominating the general election campaign. It represents a massive cockup by Starmer.

The whole story could be killed off instantly and the general election campaign refocused if Labour was to announce that Diane Abbott will be the candidate for Hackney North and Stoke Newington.

But for whatever reasons I assume that Morgan McSweeney and David Evans haven’t decided to do that. Perhaps they think that it will make Starmer look weak, who knows?

Edit: On reflection I guess the most likely explanation for this totally unnecessary crises is that Morgan McSweeney and David Evans believe that it will make Starmer more appealing to Tory voters and Daily Mail editorial writers.

It may be a hot topic in some of the coffee houses, tea shops and organic food shops of the metropolis

Yes, exactly, just like you in the provinces live on Wotsits, Prime Energy, and the salt of whippets’ tears.

PCA – stereotyping…as was I; to make a point.

Do you have anything meaningful to say?

No? Move on.

Anyway back on the subject of people actually campaigning in this election: Rishi Sunak wore a £750 little backpack while visiting two of the UK’s poorest areas.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/rishi-sunak-750-pound-backpack-32916558

Anyway the Daily Telegraph are lovin it:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/30/angela-rayner-has-dealt-a-devastating-blow-to-keir-starmer/

Angela is a Northern lass, ain’t she?

Rishi Sunak wore a £750 little backpack while visiting two of the UK’s poorest areas

I’ve noticed Rishi is already dressing like he’s in California. Making a statement?

Another Tory MP quitting, this time to run as an independent

https://x.com/Samfr/status/1796307834872668299?t=CK9rSJz1hNvRCkiwlp_0WA&s=19

I know if someone crosses the floor in the normal course of events then it’s just tough, what’s the case during the election campaign? I know the labour list is only part declared, others not sure, and deadline is next week, but if someone is nominated as of then, and then defects can they be replaced or do you end up with eg no Tory candidate and an extra Indie? Presume not two labour as while they may be defecting to join labour they equally at that stage wouldn’t be on the list as labour?

Also happy to bring blinis.

A proper champagne socialist would know that blini is the plural.

Presume not two labour as while they may be defecting to join labour they equally at that stage wouldn’t be on the list as labour?

They have until the 6th (or thereabouts) to announce their candidates although for a lot of seats its already been selected.

Once the closing date has been hit then its game over.  The Rochdale byelection is a good recent example where post nomination closure Labour withdrew support for Azhar Ali. He was still the official Labour candidate and appeared as such on the voting form but unofficially wasnt and so labour did without.

So if someone decided well actually although I am on the paper as tory I am now standing as Labour then you would have an unofficial labour candidate and an official one or as it is technically known a complete **** headache.

Another Tory MP quitting, this time to run as an independent

He hasn’t really quit though, according to the link he was kicked out of the Tory Party two years ago:

He was then an independent MP until the General Election was called.

So not voluntary, although apparently he hasn’t been found guilty of anything.

So not voluntary, although apparently he hasn’t been found guilty of anything.

I am curious. Did Ukip refuse him (unlike Anderson with his being booted from Labour and then the tories) or does he just disagree with them for some reason.

Why bother with the small – irrelevant – stuff?

Get actively involved in getting a Labour government.

Right – as I’m (perceived to be) one of those provincial types…not from the metropolis…back to my late evening snack of wotsits, brown ale and whippet tears flavoured crisps.

Some people don’t understand the difference between stereotyping and having a laugh – poor bastards.

or does he just disagree with them for some reason.

Probably that I guess.

Solihull’s Conservative MP Julian Knight will vote to stay in Europe

Some people don’t understand the difference between stereotyping and having a laugh – poor bastards.

Typical woke lefties!

I think that PCA’s comment concerning “the salt of whippets’ tears” was perhaps intended to be light-hearted 💡

it: On reflection I guess the most likely explanation for this totally unnecessary crises is that Morgan McSweeney and David Evans believe that it will make Starmer more appealing to Tory voters and Daily Mail editorial writers.

Is this such a crime , trying to appeal to Tory voters I mean not daily mail columnists .

I grant you that I would rather they didn’t go so far that ex BNP voters feel comfortable voting for labour but to win an election, especially when you lost the last one badly, you need to convince people to change the way they voted last time .

I’d rather have that conversation about going too far with a labour government in power than another 5 years of what’s left of the Tories. I think Mick lynch said even the worst labour government is better than the best Tory one , and that’s kind of the point isn’t it .

Sorry double post

The problem with appealing to Tory voters is that you’re never going to enact the change we need – and like my outlaws who have always voted Tory (they’re quite wealthy) – they are never convinced that Starmer is anything other than a Marxist, despite him having to act like a class A tool to prove he’s not.

The argument should be – here are things the Tories have ruined and here is what we need to do to fix them. The mechanics and arguments are solid enough to make a case for government spending for example.

Instead we get ‘here are more right-wing hors d’oeuvres’ to get you interested. It’s a terrible way of doing things. And on top of that you’re brain-washing hundred of Centrists into thinking you’re going to reveal, when in power, lots of nifty little progressive ideas that will barely scratch the surface.

All you’re doing in the end is convincing the electorate that the free-market should be operated correctly and with stability and the rest will wake care of itself.

Mechanically and pragmatically this concept is doomed to failure.

There is one pool of resources and labour available to the state and adding a layer of inefficiency by way of profit to essential services is categorically not the best way to allocate them – if you want to fix a lot of Tory-damaged society. But I guess Centrists falsely believe following the Conservative way despite all the evidence is the only way to get elected.

The problem with appealing to Tory voters is that you’re never going to enact the change we need

If you don’t appeal to people who voted Tory in the past you’ll never win an election and be enable to enact the change we need .

If you don’t appeal to people who voted Tory in the past you’ll never win an election and be enable to enact the change we need

Has Starmer said or done anything to make you believe he’ll enact those changes once he has the keys to number 10?

A proper champagne socialist would know that blini is the plural

And a regular person would know that either ‘blini’ or ‘blinis’ is acceptable usage in English. Everyone wins!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blini

reminds me a bit of folks wrangling their way around the plurals of hippopotamus and octopus. Only weirdos would go with ‘hippopotomi’ and ‘octopodes’ though.

Has Starmer said or done anything to make you believe he’ll enact those changes once he has the keys to number 10?

In all honesty I’m not sure . I think he’s wrong on some things , I think not getting rid of the 2 child cap is indefensible when you look at what effect it would have on child poverty and I would of liked him to of argued harder for the 27 billion on green matters . I’d also like him,  or anyone to be fair  ,to start having a grown up conversation about Brexit and maybe undoing some of the damage.

What I am 100 percent sure on is that the first step to getting anywhere with anything is getting the Tories out for a long time and to rebuild the whole system , so right now he’s the only option .

Has Starmer said or done anything to make you believe he’ll enact those changes once he has the keys to number 10?

There are no keys to No. 10.

What I am 100 percent sure on is that the first step to getting anywhere with anything is getting the Tories out for a long time and to rebuild the whole system , so right now he’s the only option .

Well, he’s going to be the next PM so it’s absolutely true that he’s the only option. What he does with that opportunity is much less clear.

There are no keys to No. 10.

There isn’t a keyhole in the front door. Which isn’t the same thing.