UK General Discussion

[You kip if you want to...]

He'd only drop it out of worry of a leadership challenge, and I still don't think there's one in the works.

[morgieb]

It's really embarrassing that the UKIP has become a major third force in UK politics. I feel sorry for David Cameron.

[Phony Moderate]

What are the rules and procedures for Tory leadership elections nowadays anyway? Could someone challenge Cameron in the same way that Heseltine challenged Thatcher, and it would be a members ballot or an MPs only ballot?  Or would there have to be a VONC (as was the case with IDS)?

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

If Cameron were to be forced out, would Clegg bolt as well? I feel like he'd be the kind of guy to try to spin it as "the ship is sinking" and take the Lib-Dems out of the coalition.

[Leftbehind]

If Cameron's forced out in what would inevitably be a right wing coup, I can't imagine either side would want the coalition to continue.

[YL]

What are the rules and procedures for Tory leadership elections nowadays anyway? Could someone challenge Cameron in the same way that Heseltine challenged Thatcher, and it would be a members ballot or an MPs only ballot?  Or would there have to be a VONC (as was the case with IDS)?

It's like what happened with IDS.  So occasional talk of a "stalking horse" is misleading.

[YL]

A more accurate name would be Ribble Valley and South Ribble North.

Where's doktorb when you need him?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Clitheroe and Bamber Bridge? Or just Clitheroe. Clitheroe has history as a parliamentary name at least, and a not unnotable one at that, what with David Shackleton.

(yeah, the area has changed rather a lot. And the boundaries had almost no relation to this constituency. But whatever).

[MaxQue]

I would say Clitheroe and Bamber Bridge, since I doubt people in Bamber Bridge feels any link with Clitheroe. We are in Preston urban area there, not rural Ribble Valley.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Cardiff Labour remains Cardiff Labour

[You kip if you want to...]

Chances we see this photo on every Tory leaflet/billboard for the next two years?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Crazy sh!t going on in Harrow where the (Labour) council leader was recently ousted and has responded by leading his faction out of the Labour group.

There appears to be a certain subtext to events, but it could be just coincidental. Local rag articles:

http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/10406013.Harrow_Borough_Council_Labour_councillors_form_breakaway_group/

http://www.harrowobserver.co.uk/west-london-news/2013/05/08/councillors-regrettably-form-breakaway-independent-labour-group-116451-33299658/

[You kip if you want to...]

Crazy sh!t going on in Harrow where the (Labour) council leader was recently ousted and has responded by leading his faction out of the Labour group.

There appears to be a certain subtext to events, but it could be just coincidental. Local rag articles:

http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/10406013.Harrow_Borough_Council_Labour_councillors_form_breakaway_group/

http://www.harrowobserver.co.uk/west-london-news/2013/05/08/councillors-regrettably-form-breakaway-independent-labour-group-116451-33299658/

Doesn't this breach party rules?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I've not checked but, hell yes.

[Leftbehind]

A full quarter of the Harrow Labour party breaking away? That's reminiscent of Glasgow.

I notice Harrow Observer described them as "DISSATISFIED left-wing councillors", so I wonder if they're suggesting it's a leadership coup by the Right of the party.

[You kip if you want to...]

Throw them out and be done with it.

I don't know the ins-and-outs (obviously), but if someone's been democratically elected leader, you don't throw your dummy out the pram.

[afleitch]

A full quarter of the Harrow Labour party breaking away? That's reminiscent of Glasgow.

There is a rumour that's going to happen again.

[You kip if you want to...]

Suave EdM branded an action hero

[politicus]

“What added to all the confusion was that he was actually attractive and not geeky at all. Even the way he appeared was suave. He was dressed casually but he had style.”

LOL

[You kip if you want to...]

"People think he's a weirdo until they actually met him face-to-face" is something that gets pushed a lot.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

That whole article is full of brilliant quotes to steal.

[Leftbehind]

"People think he's a weirdo until they actually met him face-to-face" is something that gets pushed a lot.

Can't help chuckle at your username.

[YL]

The YouGov polls carried out since the local election results:

Yesterday's: Lab 39 Con 29 UKIP 16 LD 9
Today's: Lab 38 Con 27 UKIP 17 LD 11

These are the highest UKIP scores in YouGov polls.  I suspect we may see a 20% for them in Opinium or Survation's next effort.

[politicus]

The YouGov polls carried out since the local election results:

Yesterday's: Lab 39 Con 29 UKIP 16 LD 9
Today's: Lab 38 Con 27 UKIP 17 LD 11

These are the highest UKIP scores in YouGov polls.  I suspect we may see a 20% for them in Opinium or Survation's next effort.

Is YouGov biased against them?

[afleitch]

The YouGov polls carried out since the local election results:

Yesterday's: Lab 39 Con 29 UKIP 16 LD 9
Today's: Lab 38 Con 27 UKIP 17 LD 11

These are the highest UKIP scores in YouGov polls.  I suspect we may see a 20% for them in Opinium or Survation's next effort.

Is YouGov biased against them?

Different methodologies. Interestingly enough UKIP voters appear to be (though it's difficult to check) generally older and lower middle class. They were the 'swing voters' of elections past; Major won them in 92, Labour swept them in 1997 (they were just 647 votes shy of winning Boston and Skegness for example, an area that the UKIP performed well in last week) and 2001 and the Tories clawed them back in 2005 and 2010. Now they appear to be disaffected. As a result, they are relatively evenly spread out across the country. Indeed the Tory base (which we were told was most disaffected) was relatively untouched and they held on in areas where they always do. If the UKIP aren't spent by 2015, they may have the same fate as the Alliance did.