UK General Discussion Thread: mayy lmao

[Phony Moderate]

Since when is a 55-45 margin in a referendum 'emphatic'? If you entered a room with 100 people, 45 of which have one view and 55 another, you wouldn't be able to feel much of a difference.

[Phony Moderate]

A Benn in that position? Wonderful.

[Phony Moderate]

When was the last time we had three successive governments that lasted at least a decade (assuming this one lasts until 2020)?

Anyhow, this parliament is not going to be pretty from any perspective I would imagine. I actually suspect that 2020 will produce the highest Lab-Con combined share since at least 1992.

[Phony Moderate]

The new government is focusing on the important issues, of course.

[Phony Moderate]

Funny how the Blairite robots are launching a collective avalanche of attacks on Ed Miliband for being too left-wing, despite the fact that a hefty majority supports things such as the renationalization of the major public utilities - something which was never even contemplated by the leadership during the past five years. Expel these windbags, seriously.

[Phony Moderate]

The tone being used here is...hmmm: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-32714802

[Phony Moderate]

I was surprised to see that the people on the anti-EU blog "Eureferendum" (run and dominated by people solidly to the right, for those who haven't heard of it) regard Farage as a total embarrasment and bufoon. Apparently, he's seen as a massive liability for their cause, and they fear that his presence will destroy their chances in the referendum.

Have their been any rumours on a specific date for the EU referendum, btw?

Support for remaining in the EU has increased since UKIP's star began to rise, so yeah.

[Phony Moderate]

YouGov have finally worked up the nerve to publish a new VI poll: Con 41, Lab 30, UKIP 13, Lib Dems 7, Greens 4

Seems that UKIP's very public 'issues' since the election haven't harmed them much.

[Phony Moderate]

Well damn. RIP.

[Phony Moderate]

Today's budget looks set to be horrific...

[Phony Moderate]

So, Ted Heath may have gotten up to no good.

[Phony Moderate]

Danny Alexander is being knighted. No, I'm not joking.

Vince Cable also knighted. Peerages given to Hague, Ming Campbell, Beith, Blunkett, Darling, Jowell, Hain, Livermore and others.

[Phony Moderate]

So if one still had any doubts that Cameron's old fluffy liberal-green Toryism was anything more than an act...

[Phony Moderate]

How significant is this latest defeat of Cameron concerning the EU referendum? Seems like quite an early occurrence this term.

Earliest defeat for a government since 1945 apparently.

[Phony Moderate]

The Desmond Donnelly of the 21st century?

[Phony Moderate]

RIP, very good innings that too. I wonder what he made of recent events in the party.

[Phony Moderate]

Incidentally, Healey was the last surviving member of the 1964 Labour Cabinet.

He also must be the last major connection to the Gaitskell era, having held the role of Shadow Foreign Secretary from 1959-1961.

[Phony Moderate]

Rumours swirling that a high-profile Labour figure is about to resign from the party.

[Phony Moderate]

He even dropped an F-bomb during it.

[Phony Moderate]

He's not going to stand down in this parliament.

[Phony Moderate]

Cameron just made a very bold pitch for the centre ground.

Sounded very Nick Cleggish.

Any contender bar for Osborne and lazy mayor tossser for the premiership after pigshagger goes?

May, Javid and Morgan are other names that have been thrown around.

[Phony Moderate]

And another former Chancellor - Sir Geoffrey Howe - has died. He was 88. RIP.

Probably as important a political figure (for several reasons) as the one who passed away a week ago.

[Phony Moderate]

That bastard Howe died and I just finding it out now? And here I am without champagne....

I don't know why you'd do that. He was, overall, an asset to Thatcher and Thatcherism, given that he implemented many of her key policies. One could even argue that he was doing her a favour in November 1990 and that Thatcher's legacy would be far worse if not for his move.

[Phony Moderate]

Ugh, are we seeing the first signs of a new Civil War in Labour?

[Phony Moderate]

What politician best represents the median British voter? It would have to be someone leftish on economics and rightish on a lot of social and defence issues (though liberal on things like gay rights and abortion) while being iffy about the EU. Perhaps the recently deceased former Labour Chancellor?