United Kingdom General Election: July 4, 2024

[Antonio the Sixth]

At this point I feel like Rishi might be delaying the election because he's morbidly curious to see just how badly he can tank his own party. And tbh, as someone who has to deal with Tory backbenchers all the time, he has every reason to want to f**k them over.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Whatever Rishi decides to do here, it's not exactly a good look to be waffling over when to call elections for months on end. I guess this is one of the many instances of Tories trying to be clever by half and missing the big picture.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Yeah, this is beyond pathetic.

[Antonio the Sixth]

So the Brits get to declare their independence from the Tories on July 4th. Took them long enough but better late than never!

[Antonio the Sixth]

Technically it can be done, because Parliament hasn't dissolved yet.

Not yet, but it has been prorogued for a dissolution, the date of which has been set. This is where the political nature of the British Constitution makes theoretical questions very tricky: if something is arguably theoretically possible but is certainly not politically possible, is it actually theoretically possible at all?

So in the absence of a controlling precedent, it would be incumbent on Charles to grant or deny Rishi's request to rescind the dissolution? I imagine he'd have public and expert opinion on his side if he told him to pound sand.

[Antonio the Sixth]

So in the absence of a controlling precedent, it would be incumbent on Charles to grant or deny Rishi's request to rescind the dissolution? I imagine he'd have public and expert opinion on his side if he told him to pound sand.

The monarch's inner circle usually work to avoid them ever being put in that position in the first place. It was made clear to Johnson, when he had lost the party's confidence, that if he tried to call Buckingham Palace to arrange a dissolution, that the Queen would likely be unavoidably busy elsewhere, and unable to talk.

Graham Brady is known to have colluded with government whips and palace officials as part of a larger effort to ensure Brenda wasn't politically exposed by Johnson's desperate bid to cling on.

Al will have a clearer idea, but I imagine that if Sunak picked up the phone to the Palace tomorrow, he'd probably be told that Brian had just left for a brisk walk/departed for Sandringham/was feeling a bit under the weather etc, having been tipped off in advance.

Amazing.

On a first-principles normative political theory basis I have nothing but contempt for these petty institutional shenanigans, but as an enjoyer of Drama I have to admit they're delightful.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Goodness me, but a lot of Trade Union officials are getting selected at the last moment. Who would have thought!

I have my issues with Labour, but it's nice to see they still take their name somewhat seriously in terms of their political leadership selection.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Goodness me, but a lot of Trade Union officials are getting selected at the last moment. Who would have thought!

I have my issues with Labour, but it's nice to see they still take their name somewhat seriously in terms of their political leadership selection.

Although it’s very much well connected union officials, many of whom have never done a day on the shop floor, rather than ordinary workers.

Still often quite involved in unions though, which is effectively a full time job and not through choice.

Yeah, Michels' iron law of oligarchy remains an unfortunate reality, but if a party is to have an oligarchy it could do worse than to draw it from the ranks of organizations whose bread and butter is still defending workers' interests.

[Antonio the Sixth]

I saw a conversation elsewhere in which a Labour majority of 73 was predicted and one of the participants (who seemed to be pro-Labour or at least anti-Tory) was dismissive that it could be that high. I don't think most people and certainly not most of the media have clocked onto what a bloodbath this might be.

Good, honestly. Don't want voters to get complacent. It's to the interest of both Labour and frankly, civic health, that people think the election is competitive even if it isn't.

[Antonio the Sixth]

The Telegraph… less so.

...what in God's name is that even supposed to mean