[Politics] By election result

[highflyer]

For starters they have the only female main party leader - a young, hard working mother who will appeal to many.

They also have policies that are easily acceptable to the Labour masses, a number of which stand to the left of Blair's New Labour.

I agree Bollocks to Brexit is their main attraction but if you think they're a one trick pony you may be in for a surprise.

There not a one trick pony, but beyond Brexit it is (still) unclear what they actually offer.
They got a big boost of being the only major party to oppose the invasion of Iraq, but that didn't last in the longer term. As long as Brexit is kept front and centre of debate the Libs Dems will do well and Labour will struggle, but as some point in the (almost unimaginable), Brexist will be done and dusted one way or the other. I am sure the Lib Dems will not return to the dark days of having about 5 MPs, but they will definitely fade in my view. As will the Brexit 'party'

What else happens then is anyone's guess though!

 

[BBassic]

How about we leave first, respect democracy. If after 5 years it's true what they say, have another referendum to join as full members of the EU.

If we were to do that the EU would likely be as firm footed as they have been this time around.

Much as we've done this time we'll have a whole bunch of bluster and talk about what we'll get and the EU will go "Uh, u wot mate?" and we'll be on our knees before Boris "I'm an utter w**ker" Johnson can say "whiff-whaff".

 

[ManOfSussex]

But how would the Farage party not being represented have furthered the aims of the Farage project ?

After that broadside at Dominic Cummings this week, I'm starting to think the Farage project preferred aims are no Brexit on 31st October. He'll be able to carry on the howls of 'Betrayal!' 'Outrage!' 'Immigrants!' etc much more effectively and gain much more attention and exposure which puts his star firmly back into the ascendancy. He'll carry them on if Brexit, in whatever shape, happens but it wont nearly have the same effect. The Tories obviously know this, but the narcissistic clash of personalities and egos between the Tories and Farage Project make some of pact between them difficult and it's not in Farage's long term interest.

Brexit now is just a means to an end for Farage and a case of 'Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me.' The difference between him doing a duet and George Michael will be that instead of introducing Elton John, Farage will say - "Ladies and Gentleman........Mr Steve Bannon!"

 

[Greg Bobkin]

How about we leave first, respect democracy. If after 5 years it's true what they say, have another referendum to join as full members of the EU.

Personally, that't not a risk I'd be willing to take – especially when Jacob Rees-Mogg believes that 'The overwhelming opportunity for Brexit is over the next 50 years.'

I don't think that Johnson is willing to take the risk either. I think he knows that any kind of Brexit is a busted flush and all this "We'll leave on the 31st October" chat is just lies.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

How about we leave first, respect democracy. If after 5 years it's true what they say, have another referendum to join as full members of the EU.

Democracy wasn't respected at the referendum, so to jump off a cliff shouting democracy is great, is stupid.

 

[Gwylan]

Some sort of agreement will be probably be needed for the Tories to have a realistic chance of forming a majority government.

As I posted earlier though, what would be in it for the Tories? Farage is not going to give the Tories a free run for nothing but what can the Tories offer? Pulling out of a number of winnable seats, a dozen, say? That won't go down well with the PPCs, many of whom may decide to stand anyway.

And I imagine that many Tories won't be happy about supporting a party that has no MPs, no councillors and is slipping in the polls.

I can see how a deal could benefit BP but, for the life of me, can't see what Tories get out of it.

 

[Eeyore]

If nothing else,the voting showed how irrelevant Labour have become.They need to get rid of Corbyn now,or get him to declare for Brexit.If not they will get wiped out at a GE,and if they come out for Remain it will nicely split the pro Evil Empire vote.

The Labour vote here collapsed because only the Lib Dems have ever toppled the Tories in previous by-elections, such as in 1985.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Who is going to ask for that, because the Prime Minister won't?

It can be offered, even if not asked for. There are already hints of it now.

Boris wants to be popular, and is volatile. He has already spoken of a single market and freedom of movement, so who knows what he'll do next.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

What's the point of an extension? Just bin the whole thing off now! That's what Johnson is going to do any way (IMO) – he's not SERIOUSLY going to leave without a deal – because it's absolute madness and his ego couldn't cope with the backlash. He's going to go back to Europe, fail to get any movement on May's proposals, throw his toys out of the pram and then blame the EU for not being able to leave. As a result he'll revoke A50 we'll stay put.

No way would he do that simply because it would be the end of the Tory Party.

 

[Notters]

Starting to get a bit peed off with the BBC now, who are increasingly pro-Brexit. The Euro-election results were reported as a "resounding win for the Brexit party", despite a clear majority for anti Brexit parties, whereas today they just reported that the most votes went to pro-Brexit parties in this by-election.

 

[FatSuperman]

No way would he do that simply because it would be the end of the Tory Party.

And that is a huge part of the problem. We've had this massively complicated, divisive question asked, where the huge majority of people have voted based on their gut / patriotic opinion, and not remotely on information - because no clear info/facts were available.

The main parties are scrambling about trying to find some way out of it where they don't get destroyed for letting people down on this huge issue. None of them are thinking about what is best for the people of this nation. They are simply trying to respect the will of the people, and survive as a political force. But 'the will of the people' was a polarised, almost 50/50 split, so it's going to be utter chaos if this goes badly.

If we crash out and things go terribly wrong, will people remember and blame the Tories, or will they equally blame Labour for not trying harder to stop it. Or perhaps they'll say "it would have been worse if we'd stayed in", and somehow blame Europe. If it goes really well, or just 'ok', then I think things will settle down a bit and we'll get back to the usual running order we had half a decade ago.

 

[Notters]

I think the Lib Dems would have a chance of gaining a hell of a lot more seats than they ever had, as well as the Greens - time for a brand new government.

And if that did happen, they would surely look to reform parliament and the voting/polling method, leading to another general election?

 

[ManOfSussex]

As I posted earlier though, what would be in it for the Tories? Farage is not going to give the Tories a free run for nothing but what can the Tories offer? Pulling out of a number of winnable seats, a dozen, say? That won't go down well with the PPCs, many of whom may decide to stand anyway.

And I imagine that many Tories won't be happy about supporting a party that has no MPs, no councillors and is slipping in the polls.

I can see how a deal could benefit BP but, for the life of me, can't see what Tories get out of it.

Not to mention the Brexit Party have no manifesto either. It might be handy for the Tories and electorate to know their stance on same sex marriage, the death penalty, fox hunting, climate change, shops opening on a Sunday etc before entering into a pact with them as well.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

No way would he do that simply because it would be the end of the Tory Party.

I think he would and I don't think it would be. Everyone has seen how smarmy and engaging he is – reporters went to ask him why he'd called muslim women letterboxes and within five minutes they were laughing and joking with him and drinking his tea, FFS! He'd be able to spin it in a way that would have people holding onto his every word in no time. Then any subsequent boost for the country from remaining, he would take the credit for and possibly make him/the Tory party stronger. Plus it would boost his EGO which is a major plus for him.

 

[GT49er]

Starting to get a bit peed off with the BBC now, who are increasingly pro-Brexit.

Laura Kuenssberg, the BBC's political editor, pro-Brexit? Wow - I thought I'd heard every daft argument in the whole Brexit debate, but ........................

 

[Perkino]

Lib Dems are only doing well because they are very clear with where they stand on Brexit. Nick Clegg's Lib Dems lied to the students about fees, they lied to the poorer communities when they allowed and voted for austerity and the bedroom tax, cutting payments for disabled etc. Clegg reminds me a lot of ex-Labour chuka umunna weak and selfish whose real passion is himself.

The Lib Dems never lied about tuition fees, they pledged to abolish tuition fees if they were voted into power. David Cameron made sure that if Nick Clegg was going to be his deputy prime minister then he would never honour the Lib Dems pledge. Equally the bedroom tax is the right idea, why should a family keep a large house for life even after their children have grown up and moved out when there are younger families with several children squashed into small council properties. As somebody who was at university when Clegg was leader of the Lib Dems I don't feel betrayed yet the media have spun things to suggest he is singlehandedly to blame

 

[GT49er]

Not to mention the Brexit Party have no manifesto either. It might be handy for the Tories and electorate to know their stance on same sex marriage, the death penalty, fox hunting, climate change, shops opening on a Sunday etc before entering into a pact with them as well.

You are confusing the Brexit Party with UKIP. There are very good reasons why the Brexit Party is separate from UKIP, leaving the latter to fester in its nasty right wing-ness. The Brexit Party is a one issue party, basically a pressure group rather than a party - which is what UKIP was when it was on the rise - and where it should have stayed.

 

[Blackadder]

Ideal scenario in the House of Commons.

Boris: "I am calling a General Election, don't let that commie Corbyn in"

Jeremy : "Challenge accepted. By the way, I am stepping down for "Health" reasons".

Just picture Boris's face.

Sadly won't happen.

 

[The GIF dude]

Laura Kuenssberg, the BBC's political editor, pro-Brexit? Wow - I thought I'd heard every daft argument in the whole Brexit debate, but ........................

This is strange as opinion of her is polarised. To me, it seems Kuenssberg is pro-Brexit and a tory, and many people I know share that opinion. Whereas as I also see a lot of people with your opinion.

 

[narly101]

And if that did happen, they would surely look to reform parliament and the voting/polling method, leading to another general election?

One can but hope