Conservative leadership election

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

In what bloody universe was Walter Jones a "progressive"?

[Former President tack50]

IMO most British Conservatives would be Republicans if they'd launched a US political career, and most US Democrats would either be Labour or Lib Dem in the UK.  I'm sure there are exceptions but in general I think Democrats aren't motivated by the same sorts of things as Tories and vice versa, except of course where they're mainly motivated by whatever suits their own careers best.

I agree with you. I'd argue it would be far easier for a British politician to gain mild success in America than vice versa. The sort of US politicians who could climb their way the British ladder are the low-key but relatively high-quality moderates - .e.g. Greg Walden for the Republicans, and quite a few Democrats - someone like Denny Heck or Mike Quigley would fit in well as an average Labour MP.

I vehemently agree. That a Labourite MP would join the Democratic party makes no doubt, but it doesn't follow that a Democrat would join the Labour party.

In fact, as far as taxes, business and interventionism goes, I think the vast majority of the house Dems would part ways with Corbyn and feel closer to a Cameron or a May.

Corbyn? Maybe
The Labour party at large? Not really.

I imagine a majority of Democrats would join the British Labour party, though there would be a very big minority that joins the Lib Dems of course (and a handful who join the Greens maybe?).

But I can see barely any joining the Conservatives.

Then again comparing politics between countries is hard to do.

[Hnv1]

IMO most British Conservatives would be Republicans if they'd launched a US political career, and most US Democrats would either be Labour or Lib Dem in the UK.  I'm sure there are exceptions but in general I think Democrats aren't motivated by the same sorts of things as Tories and vice versa, except of course where they're mainly motivated by whatever suits their own careers best.

I agree with you. I'd argue it would be far easier for a British politician to gain mild success in America than vice versa. The sort of US politicians who could climb their way the British ladder are the low-key but relatively high-quality moderates - .e.g. Greg Walden for the Republicans, and quite a few Democrats - someone like Denny Heck or Mike Quigley would fit in well as an average Labour MP.

I vehemently agree. That a Labourite MP would join the Democratic party makes no doubt, but it doesn't follow that a Democrat would join the Labour party.

In fact, as far as taxes, business and interventionism goes, I think the vast majority of the house Dems would part ways with Corbyn and feel closer to a Cameron or a May.

Corbyn? Maybe
The Labour party at large? Not really.

I imagine a majority of Democrats would join the British Labour party, though there would be a very big minority that joins the Lib Dems of course (and a handful who join the Greens maybe?).

But I can see barely any joining the Conservatives.

Then again comparing politics between countries is hard to do.

Who would join the Greens bar for Omar? Even AOC would be a moderate Corbynite

[Famous Mortimer]

The problem with comparing political parties in different countries is what exactly are you comparing? Are you comparing stated platforms? Are you comparing their real unstated but c'mon everyone knows beliefs? Or are you comparing (and this would probably be the most accurate, honestly) the position their members occupy within the context of their country's class system?

[Epaminondas]

What time does the final round begin?

PM Boris Johnson, well I never. This is going to be such a flaming disaster.
Nobody can stand an erratic jester as their boss.

The problem with comparing political parties in different countries is what exactly are you comparing?
(...)
Or are you comparing (and this would probably be the most accurate, honestly) the position their members occupy within the context of their country's class system?

The word "context" makes this obscure. What does it mean?

A cryptic way of saying the most educated?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

So there's some news that has just broken. May develop in a big way, may not. Sort of story that one wishes to be careful of until the facts are clear. Anyway.

[brucejoel99]

So there's some news that has just broken. May develop in a big way, may not. Sort of story that one wishes to be careful of until the facts are clear. Anyway.

What (potentially) happened? Not seeing anything on any of the news sites.

[brucejoel99]

What time does the final round begin?

Whenever the first rank-&-file Tory member receives their postal ballot.

[parochial boy]

So there's some news that has just broken. May develop in a big way, may not. Sort of story that one wishes to be careful of until the facts are clear. Anyway.

Is this about the fuzz coming round chez Boris?

[An American Tail: Fubart Goes West]

So there's some news that has just broken. May develop in a big way, may not. Sort of story that one wishes to be careful of until the facts are clear. Anyway.

Is this about the fuzz coming round chez Boris?

I’m assuming so. Here’s an article about it.

[Epaminondas]

The neighbour said they recorded the altercation from inside their flat out of concern for Symonds. On the recording, heard by the Guardian, Johnson can be heard refusing to leave the flat and telling Symonds to “get off my ing laptop” before there is a loud crashing noise.

Symonds is heard saying Johnson had ruined a sofa with red wine: “You just don’t care for anything because you’re spoilt. You have no care for money or anything.”

The neighbour said: “There was a smashing sound of what sounded like plates. There was a couple of very loud screams that I’m certain were Carrie and she was shouting to ‘get out’ a lot. She was saying ‘get out of my flat’ and he was saying no. And then there was silence after the screaming. My partner, who was in bed half asleep, had heard a loud bang and the house shook.”

Deeply disturbing on two levels - violent tendencies and a spoilt behaviour in every aspect of his life - but I'm sure that won't count for much in Parliament when he promises to deliver the Holy Brexit.

[brucejoel99]

Say it with me now: Prime Minister Jeremy Hunt.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

So there's some news that has just broken. May develop in a big way, may not. Sort of story that one wishes to be careful of until the facts are clear. Anyway.

In a way, it's a dark reprise of the last leadership election: he enters the threshold of power and allows the mask to slip and reveal the true ghoul beneath.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

There's virtually no Democrat in elected office who'd be a Tory in the UK. Even someone like Jeff Van Drew has too much union support and ties.

[Walmart_shopper]

Who on earth gets the cops called on them literally days before a vote to make them prime minister? I would never break plates and laptops in my home when my wife makes me angry. But I would REALLY not do it when I am a week away from being PM.

[Antonio the Sixth]

...oh great. Just when you thought BoJo couldn't get more loathsome.

I'm guessing he still pulls it off anyway.

[Zinneke]

Who on earth gets the cops called on them literally days before a vote to make them prime minister? I would never break plates and laptops in my home when my wife makes me angry. But I would REALLY not do it when I am a week away from being PM.

A man convinced of his invincibility.

On the subject actually, how likely is it he is elected PM only to lose a No Confidence vote almost immediately?

[cp]

Who on earth gets the cops called on them literally days before a vote to make them prime minister? I would never break plates and laptops in my home when my wife makes me angry. But I would REALLY not do it when I am a week away from being PM.

A man convinced of his invincibility.

On the subject actually, how likely is it he is elected PM only to lose a No Confidence vote almost immediately?

It's certainly possible, though at this point I wouldn't say likely. For the new PM to lose a VONC he would need to state unequivocally that the government was going to either go for 'no-deal' or go for a revocation/referendum, i.e. something that would be unacceptable to a good chunk of the Tory party.

I've heard people hypothesize about the new Tory leader not gaining the confidence of the House due to the precarious numbers (Tories+DUP = majority of 3 right now), but unless there is a big move like I described above, I don't think that will come to pass. Convention and caution will probably convince enough MPs to give the new Tory leader the chance to holder the office of PM. What happens next is anyone's guess.

[Snipee356]

Is there any chance Hunt wins this?

[DaWN]

Is there any chance Hunt wins this?

Nope

[adma]

Who on earth gets the cops called on them literally days before a vote to make them prime minister? I would never break plates and laptops in my home when my wife makes me angry. But I would REALLY not do it when I am a week away from being PM.

Hey, to outsiders, at least it lives up to "Andy Capp" stereotypes regarding the Brits ;-)

[Statilius the Epicurean]

Who on earth gets the cops called on them literally days before a vote to make them prime minister? I would never break plates and laptops in my home when my wife makes me angry. But I would REALLY not do it when I am a week away from being PM.

A man convinced of his invincibility.

On the subject actually, how likely is it he is elected PM only to lose a No Confidence vote almost immediately?

I don't believe the Tory Remainers will VONC until October, after the party conference and right before the deadline. Party loyalty means they will give their leader as much leeway as possible until the crunch.

[parochial boy]

Who on earth gets the cops called on them literally days before a vote to make them prime minister? I would never break plates and laptops in my home when my wife makes me angry. But I would REALLY not do it when I am a week away from being PM.

Someone who has had a lifetime of never having to face any real consequences for his actions?

[Former President tack50]

Yesterday I watched a video regarding prorogation as a way to get no deal passed.

However, there is a much simpler way to get no deal if a PM wanted. Why not just run out the clock?

Tell the EU to not give any extensions and just run out the clock. Put maybe a final "meaningful vote" on May's deal at 23:59 in the last day of before no deal. If it does not pass, it's no deal as the time has run out.

If May of all people got what, 2 days close to the deadline? Boris can easily just run out the clock on purpose.

[CumbrianLefty]

Yesterday I watched a video regarding prorogation as a way to get no deal passed.

However, there is a much simpler way to get no deal if a PM wanted. Why not just run out the clock?

Tell the EU to not give any extensions and just run out the clock. Put maybe a final "meaningful vote" on May's deal at 23:59 in the last day of before no deal. If it does not pass, it's no deal as the time has run out.

If May of all people got what, 2 days close to the deadline? Boris can easily just run out the clock on purpose.

Yes, but he doesn't get to do this in a vacuum - opponents of no deal (not least in his own party) will be trying everything possible to stop it happening.