UK General Discussion Thread: mayy lmao

[Blair]

I'm most concerned about london having a baroness for our major

[Blair]

Corbyn for all his faults isn't an awful person, or tared with scandal like other UK leftists like George Galloway, Dianne Abbott and Red Ken

[Blair]

If Corbyn gets to 2020 and loses all his supporters will blame the Blairites who cheated him, and claim that his key policies weren't pushed through.

The momentum group perfectly shows how there's a 'mass' that's made up of current labour, greens, ex labour etc who love Corbyn but see the party as a Blairite mess of evil

[Blair]

Well look at the Jean Charles De Menezes murder in 2005 following 7/7, the police literally pinned him to his seat and shot him point blank range (there were claims that the SAS carried out the operation) but yeah I assume our police operate on a shot to kill basis in cases like this.

On JC he's briefed the press, and media that there will be no free vote by Labour MP's, and that they'll oppose any air strikes.

Several tories, including moderates like D'Acona have called for Cameron to skip the commons vote (which he could do) and just join an international coalition. Fun fact with the UK is that we don't need a parliamentary approval for war-ever

[Blair]

Legally they are not supposed to act like that, however.

Fun fact with the UK is that we don't need a parliamentary approval for war-ever

Given that the Constitution operates via precedent it is questionable whether this is still true.

It seems like UN approved action like Kosovo or Afghanistan doesn't tend to be voted on, whilst unilateral stuff is voted on like Syria in 2013

[Blair]

Issue is Corbyn is a pacifist-the biggest mistake by Burnham and Co in the leadership race was not to make this more of an issue-Corbyn will never support military action, even in defensive cases like Falklands or to stop genocide like in Serbia.

His handling of the issue has been awful, especially as he's going to have to offer a free vote. He said he wanted the Cabinet to reach a decision, the cabinet told him they supported strikes and he just went over there heads.

If he imposes a whip on this Burnham, Benn, Powell, Healey, Alexander and Falconer should resign, it's time for the moderates to do what Corbyn did to New Labour-sit on the sidelines

[Blair]

I just remembered the scandal about Michael Green, Shapps is an absolute joke

[Blair]

Syria is actually more an intervention like Kosovo whilst Iraq was a request from the Iraqi government.

There's also tons of bollocks floating around from the anti-war left that we're simply 'bombing syria' and 'starting war' when in fact we're expanding a military operation.

Benn put forward the best case for intervention since Blair's 2001 address to the conference

[Blair]

Always liked Prentis, which probably shows why he's unpopular with the left. It's funny that people like Dan Hodges still think that Prentis and Mclusky can force JC out at the click of there fingers.

[Blair]

The Independent is saying (in a way that's more than just baseless rumours) that a shadcab reshuffle will take place early in the new year. Hilary Benn and Maria Eagle to be sacked and Diane Abbott to be moved to shadow foreign secretary, though it is said that she wants the job of chief whip (that would be something to behold...).

Oh God Diane Abbott as chief whip would be too good-loved that when Jess Phillips told her to F off, most MP's said they'd been wanting to say that to her for years.

I wondered how long the Cabinet charade would last-it's rare to have the case like with Eagle where your Shadow Defense minister refuses to say you're the right guy for the job.

Sacking Benn would look petty, and as much as I'd like it people like Burnham, Smith and Falconer should walk over that.

[Blair]

The inquiry into the polling cock-up was, unsurprisingly, a complete waste of time. Also worth noting that the polls were more wrong in 1992 and yet I'm pretty sure there wasn't such a massive inquiry then.

They basically said 'we got the SNP/lib Dems/UKIP right' so we're off the hook. The problem was much more the media who made it all about SNP/Labour

[Blair]

Blair and Wilson, meanwhile, oversaw significant membership declines and their overall tenures arguably made the party electorally unpopular for a generation, even if they were both popular to begin with. If not for their electoral successes (which of course are considerable) they'd be viewed as disasters on the scale of IDS and Foot.

But that surely is the key as to how to judge a party leader.

Labour has inordinate trouble getting itself elected due to the enormous baggage the party saddles itself with (a reputation for tax and spend, of not being trustworthy with managing the economy, unpopular un-prime ministerial leaders, unilateral nuclear disarmament during the 80's and very likely to be adopted again under Corbyn in the near future, thuggish union leaders (to wit Len McCluskey) having undue influence over the party and regular, bitter civil wars to name but a few.

Only Attlee, Wilson and Blair have ever won an overall majority in Labour's history so their legacy is even greater than what you state above. Outside of those three leaders it's been a train wreck at general election time for the Labour Party.

Eh Len McCluskey has very little influence over the party-the fact that he failed to get UNITE to support his man (Andy Burnham) in the leadership race; along with his constant threat to either pull money out, or start his own party

[Blair]

Interesting just how many tory MP's have came to IDS defense over this; especially considering how clear he was about disagreeing with both the cuts, the budget and the direction of the Tory Party. Even Robin Cook's resignation wasn't as stinging ( Although I do recall Geoff Hoon threating to 'bring down the government' over David Kelly) One irony is that it was Cameron and Osborne who use to advise IDS before PMQs back when he was leader

Clearly the outcome of the EU ref, and any tory leadership is going to be very interesting for political sport

[Blair]

For some reason Osborne's reputation constantly shoots up and down with every bit of economic news and everybody immediately forgets their previous assessment of him.

I remember him being hailed as the tories hero after the 2015 conference, and his 'we are the builders speech'. He'll only lose his job if Cameron goes; they've been a team for 11 years now and much like Blair/Brown they've been effective (However unlike the two they actually get along) Any talk of him getting sacked is a load of rubbish

[Blair]

Much like they're general election video at first I hated it, but I can appreciate it. They're moving close to getting my second preference purely for this advert

[Blair]

Tbh Miliband would have taken more child refugees in, but everyone in Labour circles knows how much immigration is a major issue; but he would have done much more hopefully.

On other issues Sadiq has done really well- I saw him in 2014 (wasn't impressed at all), and didn't vote for him in the Primary in 2015 (think he was my 3rd choice) However- he'll most likely be the only leadership contender in 2020 who would have governing experience (most of the shadow cabinet doesn't even!!!)

[Blair]

Do any of the Labourites here know how the selection process works for by-elections? It will be chaos if David Miliband tries to jump, as momentum will try and flood Tooting CLP with members.

Bigger problem is that Tooting is a tory targeted marginal, albeit it in London   

[Blair]

For the record the laborites I've spoke to in london are very worried about turnout, especially in my own constituency which has a 13,000 lab majority

[Blair]

Dianne Abbott came wading in this morning claiming that Sadiqs victory (not confirmed) was due to Corbyn- ultimate irony is that even Corbynites hate Abbott. Only figure in the party more hated than my namesake.

Rant aside it wasn't as bad as I thought- the welsh results were just in line with the past (barring 2011) but Labor need to be careful as Plaid are coming up as a poor-mans SNP- the gastly Neil Hamilton has returned to public office. The biggest problem with the list system

[Blair]

Dianne Abbott came wading in this morning claiming that Sadiqs victory (not confirmed) was due to Corbyn- ultimate irony is that even Corbynites hate Abbott. Only figure in the party more hated than my namesake.

Rant aside it wasn't as bad as I thought- the welsh results were just in line with the past (barring 2011) but Labor need to be careful as Plaid are coming up as a poor-mans SNP- the gastly Neil Hamilton has returned to public office. The biggest problem with the list system

Dude wtf

A whole year of training myself on Atlasia to say Labour the incorrect was has clearly damaged me

[Blair]

Andy Burnham announced yesterday that he's running for Greater Manchester Mayor; despite the giggles about a scouse major it's worth noting it's 'Greater Mancester'. Will be worth watching the selection as he's running against the union backed council Leader, and a rich Blairite MP Ivan Lewis.

[Blair]

Rumours of a Leadership coup being prepared in the tory party- only need 50 MPS to sign a letter to trigger it (rumours are that about 30 signatures have been kept in a safe since 2010)

[Blair]

The problem with the bridge is that they've already spend sh**tloads of money on it- Khan should scrap it though

[Blair]

Labour MP has been shot and stabbed in Leeds- really hope this isn't some far right nut

[Blair]

really hope this isn't some far right nut

To prevent misinterpretation, you really need to elaborate on what you meant there.

My first thought was that this is directly related to the EU referendum. I've heard stories from both sides about how heated it's got- Neo Nazis campaigners in Leeds for example.