[Politics] Chukka Umunna joins the Lib Dems

[Machiavelli]

That's a very un-nuanced view. You could just as well argue the Tories are a sinking ship. For the last few months under May the governament of this country had no control with the whip and could barely pass wind let alone a Brexit bill. If they're both sinking then you'd expect the Lib Dems or the Brexit Party to storm the next GE. That's simply not going to happen. Both may get plenty of votes but without PR they'll get very few actual seats. Given Peterboro Brexit may actually get 0 (and they may be redundant by 31 Oct anyway). If a General Election was called today then the lead party in governament would either be Labour or the Tories, but they'd need a decent partner or partners. Both major parties are a bit of a joke right now but without electoral reform there's just as much chance of Jezza being PM in the next few years as not.

They've been around for 300+ years, so I'd hesitate to characterise them as a sinking ship. What might well happen -- in fact, looks likely to happen -- is that they abandon their status as a 'broad church' party. Boris + hard Brexit will satisfy about a third of the electorate but will, in all likelihood, produce an entirely different form of politics. Which would be good.

 

[beorhthelm]

Maybe. In my view, we're clearly going through an interesting period and unexpected outcomes will continue to appear. Even if Labour does collapse, I'd doubt the Lib Dems are in a position to capitalise, but we'll have to wait and see on both those fronts.

though they should be. everyone laments two main parties but Liberals dont seem to make much headway. they spent two decades being the alternative to Conservative/Labour rather than really expressing their own identity. of course they have policies, just not sure how Liberals were to sum up core values in a few of words.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I'm not convinced either.

But Chukka will have seen the euro election vote (no surprise that this happened after that did).

He's decided that he'd rather spend the next election cycle being praised for (and trying to taking credit for) his party doing unexpectadly well, than the inevitable Labour experience next time around, being criticized for and having to defend his party doing unexpectedly badly. He knows which way the wind is blowing. He's just positioning himself, like the most opportunistic of politicians, to take the least heat and bask in as positive a light (lit by someone else) as he possibly can. If that means switching sides, so be it.

Pin the tail on Chukkas political donkey.

No blindfold necessary.

*cough* Churchill *cough*

 

[Simster]

I'm a little surprised Cozzy didn't identify him as a potential transfer target, other than that the Lib Dems must be over the moon getting this journeyman on a free.

Versatile too - play him on the left or in the middle. Opposition barely knows where he's likely to pop up. On the flip side, he has just shown he is prone to scoring some amusing own goals.

 

[Titanic]

*cough* Churchill *cough*

Are you seriously comparing Chuka Umunna to Winston Churchill ?

 

[Palacefinder General]

Are you seriously comparing Chuka Umunna to Winston Churchill ?

I don't think its fair to compare Chukka to a white racist complicit in British Empire atrocities, including South African concentration camps, not to mention his deployment of the Black and Tans against Catholics in Ireland. Then again, this is NSC.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

There's shit and then there's Chucky , will fit in well with the equally shitty lib dems
Regards
DR

 

[Pavilionaire]

There is considerable overlap between the right of the Labour Party 'broad church' and the left of the Lib Dems, and if you are a Remainer like Chuka whatever small differences that exist go out of the window when something as significant as Brexit changes the face of British politics.

This is the time for the Centre Ground to be bold, draw a line under all that has gone before and look ahead. As a Lib Dem member I don't have a problem with Chuka's anti-Lib Dem comments of the past.

I believe Jo Swinson and Ed Davey would make excellent leaders but Jo Swinson has something about her.

Personally, I don't know what the likes of Justine Greening, Dominic Grieve, Ben Bradshaw, Margaret Hodge, David Lammy, Stella Creasy, Mary Creagh are still doing in their respective parties, as well as the rest of the Change UK crew. I think they should all throw in their lot with the Lib Dems because the parties to which they currently belong do not represent how they feel about the important issues in politics.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Are you seriously comparing Chuka Umunna to Winston Churchill ?

Yes. In terms of his flitting from one party to another

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I don't think its fair to compare Chukka to a white racist complicit in British Empire atrocities, including South African concentration camps, not to mention his deployment of the Black and Tans against Catholics in Ireland. Then again, this is NSC.

Sometimes I wonder why I bother making facetious comments on NSC

 

[Palacefinder General]

Sometimes I wonder why I bother making facetious comments on NSC

I didn't bother reading the whole bloody threads ffs! Just watch your back, you're in Bullingdon Club wannabees HQ here!

 

[Mo Gosfield]

I don't think its fair to compare Chukka to a white racist complicit in British Empire atrocities, including South African concentration camps, not to mention his deployment of the Black and Tans against Catholics in Ireland. Then again, this is NSC.

Oh dear...oh dear....oh dear.....there always has to be someone.......

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Really?

Who said that?

They did. There was no advertising for members, or planning for policies.

 

[Stat Brother]

Is it really such a bad this to change parties?

Both major parties are a shadow of the former selves and have very little in common with what they were say 10 years ago.


Putting it that way I'm surprised more MP's haven't jumped ship.
Any in parliament longer than the last proper election certainly can't be doing the job they signed up for.

 

[FIVESTEPS]

Is it really such a bad this to change parties?

Both major parties are a shadow of the former selves and have very little in common with what they were say 10 years ago.


Putting it that way I'm surprised more MP's haven't jumped ship.
Any in parliament longer than the last proper election certainly can't be doing the job they signed up for.

Chukka is like so many supporters of the Labour and Conservative parties,believes that he didn't leave the party the party left him.

 

[Palacefinder General]

Oh dear...oh dear....oh dear.....there always has to be someone.......

You patronising lump of crap, I already said I hadn't bothered reading the thread properly. Some frickin' people!

 

[ManOfSussex]

According to Mrs T.

Quite like him. Good company, probably.

Hopeless politician though - more parties than even Winston Churchill.

I'm somewhat surprised and somewhat underwhelmed, if I'm being perfectly honest - not with Chuka Umunna or yourself for starting this thread, but with the fact I thought far more of the NSC Gammon/Broflake/Brexit voting contingent would be drawn to this thread like moths to a light bulb, spluttering on about how it's all opportunistic virtue signalling by Umunna/political correctness gone mad/outrageous or something or other.

Never mind.

 

[Lever]

Chukka is like so many supporters of the Labour and Conservative parties,believes that he didn't leave the party the party left him.

..... which in many respects is true.

 

[portslade seagull]

Changes parties like a whore changes her knickers.

 

[Lever]

Changes parties like a whore changes her knickers.

...how would you know that?