UK General Election, June 8th 2017

[Intell]

BBC gets smacked around every cycle, they are always accused of supporting the ruling party

That has been true since the times of Thatcher.

[OSR stands with Israel]

BBC gets smacked around every cycle, they are always accused of supporting the ruling party

Did they support Labour in 2005, and the Tories in 1992 and 1997

[parochial boy]

Labour manifesto leaked: Jeremy Corbyn pledges to re-nationalise energy industry, railways and Royal Mail in draft document

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/labour-manifesto-leaked-jeremy-corbyn-10396298

While these are all policies I support, it is really symptomatic of what is wrong with Labour at the moment. Outside of a very passionate core, these are absolutely not the kind of policies that really mean much to most people, and if these are the highlights of the manifesto, it pretty much shows how Corbyn is pandering to his own core support rather than talking about the issues that actually matter to most people's lives

[parochial boy]

BBC gets smacked around every cycle, they are always accused of supporting the ruling party

Did they support Labour in 2005, and the Tories in 1992 and 1997

The BBC doesn't support parties; the concern is that is reporting, which is supposed to be neutral, is often perceived as being more favourable to one party or another.

[Phony Moderate]

Labour manifesto leaked: Jeremy Corbyn pledges to re-nationalise energy industry, railways and Royal Mail in draft document

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/labour-manifesto-leaked-jeremy-corbyn-10396298

While these are all policies I support, it is really symptomatic of what is wrong with Labour at the moment. Outside of a very passionate core, these are absolutely not the kind of policies that really mean much to most people, and if these are the highlights of the manifesto, it pretty much shows how Corbyn is pandering to his own core support rather than talking about the issues that actually matter to most people's lives

In the case of energy I don't see why it wouldn't matter. Gas/electricity is something we need to survive on a daily basis; if Labour can paint it as a practical issue that will better people's lives (as opposed to nationalization for the sake of it) then I don't see the issue. Unfortunately though, we don't have a particularly good messenger as leader.

Incidentally, the Tories have just adopted an Ed Miliband-style policy of energy price freezes, a policy that was, once-upon-a-time, met with howls of 'Red Ed', 'Back to the 1970s', 'Marxism!' etc.

[Clyde1998]

I'm not sure if this has been posted here already, but:

Brighton Pavilion poll (ICM; 27 Apr-1 May)
Grn - 47% (+5)
Con - 25% (+2)
Lab - 23% (-4)
UKIP - 3% (-2)
Lib - 2% (-1)
Oth - 0% (-0.5)

[parochial boy]

Labour manifesto leaked: Jeremy Corbyn pledges to re-nationalise energy industry, railways and Royal Mail in draft document

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/labour-manifesto-leaked-jeremy-corbyn-10396298

While these are all policies I support, it is really symptomatic of what is wrong with Labour at the moment. Outside of a very passionate core, these are absolutely not the kind of policies that really mean much to most people, and if these are the highlights of the manifesto, it pretty much shows how Corbyn is pandering to his own core support rather than talking about the issues that actually matter to most people's lives

In the case of energy I don't see why it wouldn't matter. Gas/electricity is something we need to survive on a daily basis; if Labour can paint it as a practical issue that will better people's lives (as opposed to nationalization for the sake of it) then I don't see the issue. Unfortunately though, we don't have a particularly good messenger as leader.

Incidentally, the Tories have just adopted an Ed Miliband-style policy of energy price freezes, a policy that was, once-upon-a-time, met with howls of 'Red Ed', 'Back to the 1970s', 'Marxism!' etc.

Even a better (lol) leader like Ed didn't have much success with that sort of messaging though - people are always going to think about jobs, wages and things like that before thinking about the best way to specific industries that they don't even work in.

Labour don't have any sort of meaningful message on how they are going to do things like increase wages and control  housing costs. Also, beyond repeating words like "austerity" (which means little in practice to most people) they haven't explained exactly what their alternative to conservative free-market/neoliberal economics is, or why reversing spending cuts would be good for the economy and good for people's livelihoods.

[Phony Moderate]

Labour manifesto leaked: Jeremy Corbyn pledges to re-nationalise energy industry, railways and Royal Mail in draft document

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/labour-manifesto-leaked-jeremy-corbyn-10396298

While these are all policies I support, it is really symptomatic of what is wrong with Labour at the moment. Outside of a very passionate core, these are absolutely not the kind of policies that really mean much to most people, and if these are the highlights of the manifesto, it pretty much shows how Corbyn is pandering to his own core support rather than talking about the issues that actually matter to most people's lives

In the case of energy I don't see why it wouldn't matter. Gas/electricity is something we need to survive on a daily basis; if Labour can paint it as a practical issue that will better people's lives (as opposed to nationalization for the sake of it) then I don't see the issue. Unfortunately though, we don't have a particularly good messenger as leader.

Incidentally, the Tories have just adopted an Ed Miliband-style policy of energy price freezes, a policy that was, once-upon-a-time, met with howls of 'Red Ed', 'Back to the 1970s', 'Marxism!' etc.

Even a better (lol) leader like Ed didn't have much success with that sort of messaging though - people are always going to think about jobs, wages and things like that before thinking about the best way to specific industries that they don't even work in.

Labour don't have any sort of meaningful message on how they are going to do things like increase wages and control  housing costs. Also, beyond repeating words like "austerity" (which means little in practice to most people) they haven't explained exactly what their alternative to conservative free-market/neoliberal economics is, or why reversing spending cuts would be good for the economy and good for people's livelihoods.

Well these 'industries' are a part of all of our lives regardless of whether we work in them or not, as a large chunk of our wages are taken by them. Frankly they are a more central part of most of our day-to-day lives than the NHS (which of course most of us also don't work in), and the NHS currently comes out as the top issue (ahead of even Brexit) in the opinion polls.

Yes, 'austerity' might not mean much to the average Joe but then surely the word 'economy' doesn't either.

[YL]

YouGov poll of London, with changes compared to 2015:

Lab 42 (-2)
Con 36 (+2)
Lib Dem 14 (+6)
UKIP - 6 (-2)
Greens - 3 (-2)

The likes of Wes Streeting (Ilford North) would have a fighting chance on these figures.

Do you have crosstabs for that? I couldn't see anything on the YouGov website.

I suspect that Labour will be holding up much better in Inner London than Outer London.

https://yougov.co.uk/news/2017/05/10/voting-intention-london-conservatives-36-labour-41/

No breakdown by area (not that I'd be particularly likely to trust one if there was one).

[Gass3268]

Jeremy Corbyn's car runs over foot of BBC camera operator

[YL]

David Ward, the former Lib Dem MP for Bradford East who Tim Farron barred from standing for the Lib Dems again, is standing for the same constituency as an independent.

Salma Yaqoob, who was the leading figure in Respect in Birmingham, is standing as a "no description" candidate in Bradford West.

The Lib Dems have no candidate in Skipton & Ripon, apparently as part of a deal with the Greens who are not standing in Harrogate & Knaresborough.

[TheSaint250]

This Labour manifesto seems like it could run Labour into the ground.

[Peter]

This Labour manifesto seems like it could run Labour into the ground.

And remember, when Labour lose, there will be some who will believe that the reason they lost is that the manifesto was not left wing enough!

[Babeuf]

This Labour manifesto seems like it could run Labour into the ground.

Eh, it's not all that different from the 2015 manifesto.

I think the fact that it was leaked hurts more than the manifesto itself. It robs Labour of the opportunity for a managed rollout.

[Famous Mortimer]

The manifesto looks very good imo, but this quote from the Mirror article is just awful:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

How could any person like this be in a left-wing party!?!?

Also, shame on whoever leaked the draft.

They're in a union.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

This Labour manifesto seems like it could run Labour into the ground.

Nah Corbyn'a team has done that no matter the manifesto. Real people, especially swing voters, don't vote based on idealogies.

[Silent Hunter]

Renationalisation of railways as Labour plans would require them to be in power for three terms - my local company, c2c, has its franchise until 2029...

[Blair]

This Labour manifesto seems like it could run Labour into the ground.

Eh, it's not all that different from the 2015 manifesto.

Yes it is. Is going to create a state run energy firm, is going to nationalize the railways, re-introduce collective bargaining, scrap the 1% pay cap for the public sector and scrap Tuition fees. Besides scrapping Trident (something the Unions wouldn't let) this is basically what the left have been wanting for the last 15 years

[Beet]

Is it longer or shorter than the 1983 manifesto?

[Babeuf]

This Labour manifesto seems like it could run Labour into the ground.

Eh, it's not all that different from the 2015 manifesto.

Yes it is. Is going to create a state run energy firm, is going to nationalize the railways, re-introduce collective bargaining, scrap the 1% pay cap for the public sector and scrap Tuition fees. Besides scrapping Trident (something the Unions wouldn't let) this is basically what the left have been wanting for the last 15 years

My bad, saw some stuff to that effect on Twitter. I guess they were wrong then.

[IceAgeComing]

Renationalisation of railways as Labour plans would require them to be in power for three terms - my local company, c2c, has its franchise until 2029...

This is actually something that Brexit would make easier; they could just buy the contract out from them if EU state involvement laws weren't a thing.  It's probably the only good thing that Brexit will lead to mind and it would need a left government in to do it; but it can be done.

Hell; the Scottish Government are apparently looking at whether they could buy out Abellio; that could set a precedent (although Scots law is different from English law etc)

[rob in cal]

  I like the Labour manifesto pledge for 4,000 homes for people with rough sleeping.  As someone who isn't a great sleeper I'll be following the debate about this with great interest.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It's not really an ideal manifesto if you were seriously challenging for power, but if the purpose is to save as much furniture as possible then it could be quite serviceable.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It robs Labour of the opportunity for a managed rollout.

That never happens anyway. The main effect of the leaking of a draft is more attention on it than would otherwise be the case.

[Barnes]

As far as policies go, this document isn't anywhere close to 1983, but on the other hand, Michael Foot was a far superior leader, so it's tit for tat, I suppose.