Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
Betting. It’s not just a tenner or even a hundred
But we had tax increases and illegal immigration issues under 14 years of the Tories and they can't get away with it.
The issue I have these debates is frankly they are organised by TV companies as if we lived under a presidential system. We don't.
If you wanted the truth, we'd have non partisan independent experts dissecting the plans and giving an honest view. But that doesn't make good telly.
The truth is that whoever is in charge needs more money to fix the public services and some of us are going to have to pay for it.
The real issue is social care as anyone of my age knows. Both parties know it's a difficult and very expensive issue, but if you were honest with the electorate and threw money at it, it would release more than it costs to be spent on the NHS.
Unfortunately the electorate often want quick wins and aren't interested in the long term solutions.
Wes Streeting on Newsnight. Never seen him before. He's really impressive.
Betting. It’s not just a tenner or even a hundred
Former bookmakerAnd that's no insurance bet.
Great to hear! He seemed confident and honest, and gracious to his tory counterpart (with whom he declared to be on good terms).Heard him lots on LBC over the last year or two. A kind person, with a plan. Loathed by hard left in recent months in his constituency, faced death threats.
Strong!Former bookmaker
I do my best not to attack folk's characters as much as possible, but I have never regarded Davies anything other than a horrid little man
For me he is one of the most impressive politicians in UK politics, a shoe-in to be next Labour leader and a probable future Prime Minister. He is more personable and charismatic than Starmer, and that is gold dust in an election.Wes Streeting on Newsnight. Never seen him before. He's really impressive.
Well this has been a painful watch. Mishal Hussain's moderation tonight has been absolutely awful; she was good first time around but was clearly thrown by the constant sound of protesters for the first 20-25 minutes.
She's allowed Sunak to state his spurious claim that Starmer will put up taxes on at least 15 separate occasions so far, yet only repeating the £2,000 lie figure in his closing statement which Starmer couldn't come back on and she didn't rebuke Sunak for.
Sunak's response to the Brexit question was abysmal, but he landed blows on Starmer on tax and - weirdly - immigration, he was feisty, had a clarity about him but was charmless, hectoring, overbearing and he just doesn't listen. He would have got 8/10 but over-egged it and so comes down to Starmer's 7/10.
I suspect people will say Sunak edged it but for me another draw, albeit a bad tempered one.
Yep, I heard that too. I heard that from Sunak, and Starmer rebutted it, when given the chance to at least. That whole debate seemed to be Starmer setting out what he wants to do and Sunak saying he didn't believe him. I don't know how far you can go with a debate like that 'la la la , don't believe you, la la la'. A debate is supposed to be on how you solve issues, on what your policies are, not on constantly saying you don't believe those are your policies.Tax increases under Labour and no real plan with the illegal immigrants issue stood out in tonight's debate for me.
I fear what Sunak says will come to pass if Labour get in re taxation
Betting. It’s not just a tenner or even a hundred
I guess the issue is - how many undecideds were watching last night? Also - there seems to be quite a bit of debate about who actually won. Polls of viewers put it 50/50 or a slight win for Starmer. I think if you’re an anti-Tory voter you will be frustrated that Starmer couldn’t land more punches, and therefore tend towards a view that Sunak won. I didn’t watch it, but reading the FT comments that’s very much the view. The FT readership is generally VERY anti-Tory, by the way.Sunak beat Starmer last night hands down. Despite the opinion polls and bookies odds, I still have this gut wrenching feeling that the election will be closer than most think. My hope is tories get trounced but on last night alone, think most of undecided will vote Tory.
Very relaxed last night. Looks like a grown up ministerWes Streeting on Newsnight. Never seen him before. He's really impressive.
You could be right. All the polls indicated a clear victory for remain at the Brexit referendum and I believe a lot of remainers didnt turn out to vote because they believed the result was already a foregone conclusion. I appreciate referendums and GE's are two different things, but I feel the foregoing and the fact that a lot of Tory voters won't admit they are, publicly, will produce a closer result than currently predicted. I sincerely hope not, though.Sunak beat Starmer last night hands down. Despite the opinion polls and bookies odds, I still have this gut wrenching feeling that the election will be closer than most think. My hope is tories get trounced but on last night alone, think most of undecided will vote Tory.