Not The Politics Thread.

[StanSP]

Let's see how long this lasts! 

 

 

 

[Alf Bentley]

2 minutes ago, StanSP said:

Let's see how long this lasts! 

 

 

 

 

The Green surge to 11% is interesting. Probably only temporary due to massive media coverage of COP/climate change, I'd guess.

 

As for Con v. Lab....depends on events, I imagine.

If the economy stutters, personal finances are tough due to benefit cuts/N.I. rises/inflation, Covid/lockdown surges back, Xmas shelves are empty, Bozza gets up to more corruption & Starmer gets his act together, the Tory slide might continue.

If few/none of those things happen, then it might be a temporary blip....and, anyway, Bozza might be able to improve his polling by starting a nice patriotic war with France and Ireland.... 

[Finnaldo]

18 minutes ago, StanSP said:

Let's see how long this lasts! 

 

 

 

I honestly can’t take these seriously, I’m not having the swing of voters going from the furthest right mainstream party to the furthest left mainstream party  

[Alf Bentley]

10 minutes ago, Finnaldo said:

I honestly can’t take these seriously, I’m not having the swing of voters going from the furthest right mainstream party to the furthest left mainstream party  

 

Have you not heard of "churn"? You clearly haven't watched enough election analysis TV. 

 

The "lost" Tory votes might have gone to Lab and/or LD and the votes "gained" by the Greens might have come from Lab and/or LD.

 

Alternatively, it might just be a rogue poll or temporary blip due to outrage over the Owen Paterson scandal. Only worth taking seriously if multiple polls show similar changes.

 

Edited 8 November 2021 by Alf Bentley

[Bellend Sebastian]

Whilst I'd agree that the polls may well be a blip and I'd struggle to see a strong boost in support for Labour at the moment, Johnson's days are surely numbered. I think folk are already struggling to see what positive things he's associated with now the original vaccine roll out is increasingly a distant memory

[Alf Bentley]

24 minutes ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

Whilst I'd agree that the polls may well be a blip and I'd struggle to see a strong boost in support for Labour at the moment, Johnson's days are surely numbered. I think folk are already struggling to see what positive things he's associated with now the original vaccine roll out is increasingly a distant memory

 

You might be right, but throughout his political career Johnson has bounced back from a lot more scandals than any other politician I can remember.

 

But if there are more scandals giving a perception of corruption, particularly snout-in-trough financial scandals in the context of tough times for the general population, the Tories might ditch him. They're ruthless about "managerial sackings".

 

Hopefully Labour and other parties are making preparations in case they face a different Tory leader at the next election - probably Sunak, I'd guess, unless economic/tax issues damage his popularity.

That would be a very different challenge, as he seems squeaky-clean and personable, quite a smooth operator, though maybe more inclined to reintroduce austerity politics than Johnson with his pathological need to be personally popular.

[Brizzle Fox]

1 hour ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

Whilst I'd agree that the polls may well be a blip and I'd struggle to see a strong boost in support for Labour at the moment, Johnson's days are surely numbered. I think folk are already struggling to see what positive things he's associated with now the original vaccine roll out is increasingly a distant memory

I honestly don't think Johnson is fussed. He wanted the job, he got the job, then realised he actually doesn't like the job. Too much effort involved I'd imagine. I see he can't even be arsed to turn up for the sleaze debate in Parliament today. 

 

He's fulfiled his ambition, will quit before the next election and go out and make a shit load of money, for doing very little work, which is all he's really interested in.

 

Knock out a few poorly fact checked historical tomes, a dialed in column for the Telegraph, a few directorship roles and a lucrative spin on the lecture circuit. 

 

Great work if you can get it. 

Edited 8 November 2021 by Brizzle Fox

[CosbehFox]

That hospital visit today from him. Surely one of advisors must have said to him, I think it’s right you put a mask on. 

[thursday_next]

I'm fascinated by Laura Shrillsberg getting more and more excited until she's about to spontaneously combust, saying 'Boris Johnson - corruption - the cost of living's about to go up until nobody can afford anything - Tory MP's (who I wouldn't normally pay any attention to because they're sleazebags but now they're attacking Boris so it's alright) are in revolt - poor people are having to live on less than a pound a week, thanks to the government's ruthless demolition of benefits - surely Boris cannot possibly survive this - LISTEN TO ME! FOR GOD'S SAKE LISTEN TO ME!! STOP WATCHING STRICTLY AND LISTEN TO ME!! - this government is the worst one in history along with all the previous Tory governments - oh God will you please vote Labour before I die of a pulmonary embolism - listen, I have charts and graphs which show that Boris is evil, and anyone who even considers voting for him is the spawn of the devil - OH, YOU'RE WATCHING STRICTLY AGAIN FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!!' - what's that? I am talking to a left-wing echo chamber? Well, thank you very much, but all my friends think the same as me. So there!!'  

[ealingfox]

6 minutes ago, thursday_next said:

I'm fascinated by Laura Shrillsberg getting more and more excited until she's about to spontaneously combust, saying 'Boris Johnson - corruption - the cost of living's about to go up until nobody can afford anything - Tory MP's (who I wouldn't normally pay any attention to because they're sleazebags but now they're attacking Boris so it's alright) are in revolt - poor people are having to live on less than a pound a week, thanks to the government's ruthless demolition of benefits - surely Boris cannot possibly survive this - LISTEN TO ME! FOR GOD'S SAKE LISTEN TO ME!! STOP WATCHING STRICTLY AND LISTEN TO ME!! - this government is the worst one in history along with all the previous Tory governments - oh God will you please vote Labour before I die of a pulmonary embolism - listen, I have charts and graphs which show that Boris is evil, and anyone who even considers voting for him is the spawn of the devil - OH, YOU'RE WATCHING STRICTLY AGAIN FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!!' - what's that? I am talking to a left-wing echo chamber? Well, thank you very much, but all my friends think the same as me. So there!!'  

 

Do you genuinely think that Laura Kuenssberg is biased in favour of the Labour Party?

[Heathrow fox]

9 hours ago, Alf Bentley said:

 

You might be right, but throughout his political career Johnson has bounced back from a lot more scandals than any other politician I can remember.

 

But if there are more scandals giving a perception of corruption, particularly snout-in-trough financial scandals in the context of tough times for the general population, the Tories might ditch him. They're ruthless about "managerial sackings".

 

Hopefully Labour and other parties are making preparations in case they face a different Tory leader at the next election - probably Sunak, I'd guess, unless economic/tax issues damage his popularity.

That would be a very different challenge, as he seems squeaky-clean and personable, quite a smooth operator, though maybe more inclined to reintroduce austerity politics than Johnson with his pathological need to be personally popular.

I think Javid is the one to keep an eye on.I thought Sunak was starting to lose support amongst the party.

[SecretPro]

1 hour ago, thursday_next said:

I'm fascinated by Laura Shrillsberg getting more and more excited until she's about to spontaneously combust, saying 'Boris Johnson - corruption - the cost of living's about to go up until nobody can afford anything - Tory MP's (who I wouldn't normally pay any attention to because they're sleazebags but now they're attacking Boris so it's alright) are in revolt - poor people are having to live on less than a pound a week, thanks to the government's ruthless demolition of benefits - surely Boris cannot possibly survive this - LISTEN TO ME! FOR GOD'S SAKE LISTEN TO ME!! STOP WATCHING STRICTLY AND LISTEN TO ME!! - this government is the worst one in history along with all the previous Tory governments - oh God will you please vote Labour before I die of a pulmonary embolism - listen, I have charts and graphs which show that Boris is evil, and anyone who even considers voting for him is the spawn of the devil - OH, YOU'RE WATCHING STRICTLY AGAIN FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!!' - what's that? I am talking to a left-wing echo chamber? Well, thank you very much, but all my friends think the same as me. So there!!'  

Jesus. Kuntsberg is about as obviously Tory as its possible to get. I think you need to visit specsavers. 

[The Fox Covert]

14 hours ago, Heathrow fox said:

I think Javid is the one to keep an eye on.I thought Sunak was starting to lose support amongst the party.

I think the problem is the Tory Party rank and file. No way most of them, closet racist as they come, would vote for anyone with a brown face. So that's Patel out as well.

[RobHawk]

So Boris goes to visit a hospital and doesn't put on a mask. 

 

Is there no end to this man's stupidity? 

 

As someone who has had to ask people to wear masks in a work capacity and taken some horrendous abuse in the process, can I just say, **** you Boris, **** you!

[Brizzle Fox]

15 hours ago, ealingfox said:

 

Do you genuinely think that Laura Kuenssberg is biased in favour of the Labour Party?

Surely the poster was being sarcastic..... Hard to tell on this forum sometimes though. 

 

[Buce]

 

Tory sleaze part 947:

 

 

 

Iain Duncan Smith accused of ‘brazen conflict of interest’ over £25,000 job

Ex-Tory leader chaired government taskforce that recommended new rules benefiting firm he was employed by

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/nov/09/iain-duncan-smith-accused-of-brazen-conflict-of-interest-over-25000-job

[SecretPro]

Please just let this be the end. And we havn't even got to the Covid enquiriy yet....

[CosbehFox]

Is there a legitimate reason why they’ve called recess tomorrow and no PMQ’s? 
 

Smells of taking your ball home cos you losing 

[Voll Blau]

52 minutes ago, Cardiff_Fox said:

Is there a legitimate reason why they’ve called recess tomorrow and no PMQ’s? 
 

Smells of taking your ball home cos you losing 

There does appear to usually be one every November/Autumn, although it does appear to be a fairly recent invention.

 

https://www.parliament.uk/about/faqs/house-of-commons-faqs/business-faq-page/recess-dates/list-of-previous-commons-recess-dates/

 

Johnson's been hiding in the hope it'd go away over the next week but I'm not convinced it will.

[Alf Bentley]

Update from New Statesman's Stephen Bush (I haven't quoted him in ages, Kopfkino! )

 

"Here’s the latest news on Operation: Get The Toothpaste Back in the Tube. The government will table a motion to accept the findings of the parliamentary standards commissioner’s report into Owen Paterson’s conduct, and to undo the creation of the proposed new standards committee.  The trouble is, the toothpaste – or, to put it plainly, the “renewed media interest in MPs’ side-hustles” – won’t go back in the tube. The Mail's John Stevens reveals that Daniel Kawczynski has earned more than £250,000 performing consultancy work for a mining company while serving as the government’s trade envoy to the mineral-rich country of Mongolia, while the Guardian’s Ben Quinn reports that Iain Duncan Smith is facing questions about the £25,000 a year he was paid by the hand sanitiser company Byotrol.  

But the most dangerous scoop from the government’s perspective comes from NS alum Henry Zeffman in the Times: he’s got hold of a video of Geoffrey Cox in which the former attorney-general appears to be using his parliamentary office to conduct his legal work. This may be a breach of Commons rules, which dictate that parliamentary resources should be used in support of MPs’ parliamentary duties. Labour has reported Cox to the standards commissioner, and it’s possible that Cox may face a recall petition in his seat. Forget what you may read or hear from people engaging in expectations management: the two looming by-elections in North Shropshire and Old Bexley and Sidcup are as safe as you can get for the Conservatives, well-stocked as they are with Leave voters and homeowners, and relatively free of graduates, renters and Remainers. But Cox’s Torridge and West Devon seat is a trickier prospect: it is rich in Tory-friendly demographics, but it has a history of Liberal Democrat success and the local Liberal Democrat party is still well-organised and active. A by-election in West Devon, whether as a result of a recall or if changes to how MPs conduct their business force Cox to choose between his legal work and his parliamentary career, would be altogether gnarlier than the contests in North Shropshire and Bexley.  

Of course, the bigger problem for Boris Johnson is that the only way to put the toothpaste back in the tube may be to sharply limit MPs’ ability to engage in paid consultancies. This would leave large numbers of his backbenchers out of pocket, and for no reason other than a fight the Prime Minister didn’t need to pick and one he shows no sign of being able to finish without inflicting political damage on himself and financial damage on his MPs".

[Carl the Llama]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-59238464.amp

"There is no war in Ba Sing Se".

[Adrian]

Is deflating tyres of 4 x 4 cars a useful political protest?

Edited 12 November 2021 by Adrian

[StanSP]

 

 

[FoxyPV]

I have absolutely no faith in the English electorate to follow this through.

[Facecloth]

38 minutes ago, StanSP said:

 

 

See the resident poll junky wasn't rushing to post this one