[Politics] Next leader of the Labour party

[Weststander]

The Tories are going to move the boundaries so they get more votes. There is also talk of extending the fixed term government from 5 to 10 years.

The boundaries has been a genuine issue for years, an independent commission has looked at this before, but parliament never got round to correcting the inequitable situation.

Depopulation from urban centres, means that it takes fewer votes to elect an MP there, than elsewhere. All 650 constituencies should contain roughly the same adult populations, but over time, they don’t.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Just switching tack for a moment to the leader of the Conservative party. On the BBC news earlier Steve Rosenburg, BBC Moscow correspondent, stood up at a packed press conference attended by hundreds of journalists and said "Mr President, Boris Johnson once said you looked like Dobby the House Elf from the Harry Potter films..."

 

[drew]

The Tories are going to move the boundaries so they get more votes. There is also talk of extending the fixed term government from 5 to 10 years.

Where have you seen that about 10 year fixed term? They are going to repeal the fixed term parliament act but allI've seen is that they are going to revert to the old system whereby the PM can call an election anytime upto 5 years. Johnson and his cronies are talking about being in power for 10 years only because they believe Labour are so far up shitcreek that they will walk the election in 2004 or 2005 whenever the next one is.

 

[Gwylan]

Where have you seen that about 10 year fixed term? They are going to repeal the fixed term parliament act but allI've seen is that they are going to revert to the old system whereby the PM can call an election anytime upto 5 years. Johnson and his cronies are talking about being in power for 10 years only because they believe Labour are so far up shitcreek that they will walk the election in 2004 or 2005 whenever the next one is.

Although there is nothing stopping them increasing the parliamentary term to 10 years or even 20. We don't have a written constitution, our laws are what parliament says they are. I quite honestly wouldn't put it past them to increase the parliamentary term, they're already talking about abolishing the concept of neutral civil servants, something that's been in place for centuries - it seems that anything goes.

 

[Chicken Run]

General election results for Labour over the last 40 years:

Defeat - Callaghan
Defeat - Foot
Defeat - Kinnock
Defeat - Kinnock
Win - Blair
Win - Blair
Win - Blair
Defeat - Brown
Defeat - Miliband
Defeat - Corbyn
Defeat - Corbyn

Spot the pattern.

All those defeats are down to the “thick” electorate.....

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Although there is nothing stopping them increasing the parliamentary term to 10 years or even 20. We don't have a written constitution, our laws are what parliament says they are. I quite honestly wouldn't put it past them to increase the parliamentary term, they're already talking about abolishing the concept of neutral civil servants, something that's been in place for centuries - it seems that anything goes.

Doesn’t make it true though, does it. If such an unsubstantiated charge had been leveled at Corbyn, his supporters would have been out in force talking about character assassination. As it is, they will still claim that lies are told about him and not about Johnson.
I am still awaiting my reply from [MENTION=14365]Thunder Bolt[/MENTION]

 

[Gwylan]

Doesn’t make it true though, does it. If such an unsubstantiated charge had been leveled at Corbyn, his supporters would have been out in force talking about character assassination. As it is, they will still claim that lies are told about him and not about Johnson.
I am still awaiting my reply from [MENTION=14365]Thunder Bolt[/MENTION]

Sorry, I wasn't supporting Thunder Bolt's assertion (it's not something I've heard either). I was just pointing out that there's nothing stopping a government doing it.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Doesn’t make it true though, does it. If such an unsubstantiated charge had been leveled at Corbyn, his supporters would have been out in force talking about character assassination. As it is, they will still claim that lies are told about him and not about Johnson.
I am still awaiting my reply from [MENTION=14365]Thunder Bolt[/MENTION]

You're still waiting? I went out grocery shopping after my husband finished work, and went to bed when I got in because I was in pain.
You're not my boss nor a headmaster.

I said there was talk of boundary changes and fixed term, and here is the article talking about it, that I read.

https://theconversation.com/boris-j...re-are-the-ones-you-need-to-know-about-128956

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Where have you seen that about 10 year fixed term? They are going to repeal the fixed term parliament act but allI've seen is that they are going to revert to the old system whereby the PM can call an election anytime upto 5 years. Johnson and his cronies are talking about being in power for 10 years only because they believe Labour are so far up shitcreek that they will walk the election in 2004 or 2005 whenever the next one is.

https://theconversation.com/boris-j...re-are-the-ones-you-need-to-know-about-128956

 

[beorhthelm]

https://theconversation.com/boris-j...re-are-the-ones-you-need-to-know-about-128956

posted twice as if it holds some truth, when its only evidence of poor journalism (or deliberately misleading?). the author makes a statement and refers to a link to imply some source, but is just a tabloid headline saying nothing.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Apparently tories with money to burn are lining up in droves to register as labour party members so they can elect the candidate most likely to fail.

So, did you find the process of joining the labour party straightforward?

My membership went through fine as did the others, my dogs membership though is in question as he's under 18 in human years so I've adjusted that to dog years!

 

[cheshunt seagull]

Does it really matter who the next Labour leader and leader of the opposition is as it is always said you need a strong opposition to make the government toe the line. That doesn't apply in this case as Boris has such a big majority that he will do what he wants, when he wants and how he wants.

They still have a role in holding the government to account for broken promises, failing policies, misleading reporting of statistics etc. This can affect the electorate's views on the government which can lead to changes in the policy. Their role is to keep the government honest and the alternative is an elected dictatorship. I think that this is particularly important with this government who I wouldn't trust an inch.

 

[Simster]

They still have a role in holding the government to account for broken promises, failing policies, misleading reporting of statistics etc. This can affect the electorate's views on the government which can lead to changes in the policy. Their role is to keep the government honest and the alternative is an elected dictatorship. I think that this is particularly important with this government who I wouldn't trust an inch.

Exactly. At the very least, they need to be honest and call out all the lies as they come to light. So many thick people have decided this awful moral-free self-interested liar is suitable for PM because of Brexit, that they there is going to be plenty of this to be done.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

posted twice as if it holds some truth, when its only evidence of poor journalism (or deliberately misleading?). the author makes a statement and refers to a link to imply some source, but is just a tabloid headline saying nothing.

My original post said 'there is talk of'

At no point did I say it was going to happen definitely. Talk of - eg rumour. An opinion, if you like.

Time will tell if it is true or not. As Gwylan has pointed out, there is nothing in our constitution which would rule it out.

I posted it twice to two different people who asked for the link. Answers soon get swallowed up on a busy site like Nsc.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Does it really matter who the next Labour leader and leader of the opposition is as it is always said you need a strong opposition to make the government toe the line. That doesn't apply in this case as Boris has such a big majority that he will do what he wants, when he wants and how he wants.

That is on the assumption Boris unequivocally unites the Conservatives and of the 70 odd new MPs he has gained, some from constituencies they have never represented, none of them rebel. He can of course ride out substantial rebellions, but if 40 or more of them form their won ERG style groups, then it might not be quite as simple as doing what he wants, when he wants. Lets not pretend the Conservatives are some united entity at this point. Pre-election they purged a few, but there are still moderates in the party (we hope.).

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Sorry, I wasn't supporting Thunder Bolt's assertion (it's not something I've heard either). I was just pointing out that there's nothing stopping a government doing it.

Understood. I would agree with that. The need for a written constitution is certainly becoming apparent given the nature of 21st century politics.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Exactly. At the very least, they need to be honest and call out all the lies as they come to light. So many thick people have decided this awful moral-free self-interested liar is suitable for PM because of Brexit, that they there is going to be plenty of this to be done.

Oh the bitterness is a wonder to behold! “So many thick people”, keep saying it and thinking it and Labour will be consigned to eternal opposition.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

You're still waiting? I went out grocery shopping after my husband finished work, and went to bed when I got in because I was in pain.
You're not my boss nor a headmaster.

I said there was talk of boundary changes and fixed term, and here is the article talking about it, that I read.

https://theconversation.com/boris-j...re-are-the-ones-you-need-to-know-about-128956

You don’t owe me any explanation. That doesn’t change the fact that I was waiting for some substance behind your allegation that there was talk of extending the Fixed Term Parliament Act to 10 years.

Here is what you wrote;

‘The Tories are going to move the boundaries so they get more votes. There is also talk of extending the fixed term government from 5 to 10 years.’

You still cannot source this talk which perhaps means that you made a mistake.

 

[Simster]

Oh the bitterness is a wonder to behold! “So many thick people”, keep saying it and thinking it and Labour will be consigned to eternal opposition.

I don't really care about Labour, I'm simply saying it as I see it. I can do that because I'm not a politician.

So yes, many many absolute morons have voted Johnson purely because Brexit. You don't have to agree of course, but that is how I see it.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

You don’t owe me any explanation. That doesn’t change the fact that I was waiting for some substance behind your allegation that there was talk of extending the Fixed Term Parliament Act to 10 years.

Here is what you wrote;

‘The Tories are going to move the boundaries so they get more votes. There is also talk of extending the fixed term government from 5 to 10 years.’

You still cannot source this talk which perhaps means that you made a mistake.

I gave you the link to the professor at Bangor university. He was talking about it.