[Politics] The General Election Thread

[Wardy's twin]

This notion that someone sitting on the political fence is some kind of enlightened position of political freewill or intellectual flexibility I find frankly ludicrous. You are political centrists simple as that, as wedded to an ideology as anyone else, the only difference is political parties skirt into your politics at different times, but you are no different to someone who believes in the politics of the left or the right. Centrists are as entrenched as anyone else. Their fall back position of "I voted Labour in 1997, but Libs in 2005, then Tory in 2010, I'm so above those that follow a party..." is a delusion.

Politics is about passion, believe, ambition. It can be exciting, but it can also deliver huge lows, feel desperate. The parallels with watching a football team are in some respect are relevant, and true. You don't always agree with your football team's decisions, their manager, their owner or chairman, their tactics – but it's better than following the another team.

Please tell me, these enlightened individuals who take this higher ground on not following a particular party, who does a person who believe in policies of the left vote for other than Labour or Green? There is no one else. Even Blair's Tory-lite Labour was still more left than the other main parties have ever been.

Get off your fences, start ignoring the personalities and looking at the policies. You have to pick a side. If you don't like what you see, you have to pick the lesser evil. It is that simple.

I don't think it is a question of being on fence and as you say within your own post my politics and many people like me are centrist , the problem is there is no centrist party so one has to make do with picking what is best available.

My ideal would be a centrist party which stayed in power for many years and moderated the excesses of the rich without bankrupting the country. If they stayed in power for a while we might have a consistent approach to things rather than oscillate from left to right like a drunk on his way back from the pub.

Its difficult to make a decision where I am in Kemptown the real choices presented to me is a Tory party that is much further to the right than I like ( and I have never voted for them) or the current Labour party is too far to the left though they had my vote last time. If I were in Hove it would be Labour and if it were Pavilion it would be Green, my choice is a remainer who is also a a Corbynista or Tory as I don't think Lib Dems or Green have a chance but I guess voting Greenwould satisfy and voting Lib Dem would confirm my view as a Remainer but the latter two are wasted votes. Still undecided and Boris is coming on.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

On

The scenario I’m referring to doesn’t directly involve the Tories in any discussion. They wouldn’t have 326 seats and have no mates, so there votes are meaningless.

With say 275 seats Corbyn would be in no 10, desperate to push through Brexit (you’ve always said he’s career has passionately sought that ... you’re correct) and the manifesto pledges. He’ll need the SNP and Lib Dems to get to the magical 326 votes. The SNO red line on that bill by bill cooperation is a second referendum by 2021. No ifs, no buts. Sturgeon couldn’t be clearer.

Corbyn may be keen to push Brexit through but his party isn't.

I can see the SNP and liberals undermining a minority labour government for their own purposes.....and a vote of no confidence and another GE.

This all depends on how 'relevant' the tories remain, and whether Boris continues as leader.

Still, my guess is that Boris will win so this is academic. I just hope he failes to get a working majority, which is quite possible given that nice Mrs May failed to do so against the same labour leader....

Ooooh! Boris on now!!!!

 

[Hugo Rune]

Will Johnson mention Brexit in every question?

 

[Weststander]

Right, wish me luck, 30 minutes of Bull

You’re be warmed by the rent a mob booing him every 90 seconds. Break out the G&T’s.

 

[Weststander]

Corbynista’s in the audience with written lists of Labour accusations. Whooping as they speak. Anyone would think this has been an expertly crafted propaganda exercise from Labour HQ?

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Mendacious Johnson didn't even attempt to answer as to why he is suppressing the security report on Russian meddling.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Not sure whether this exercise has been sabotaged by the brilliance of undercover labour supporters or not (if so - well done ladies and gentlemen - it shows organizational powers) but the audience here is very anti Boris (albeit no shouting out or any of that nonsense, so extremely effective opposition).

God, Boris is a vacuous tit, though.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Mendacious Johnson didn't even attempt to answer as to why he is suppressing the security report on Russian meddling.

That's poor format and poor curation by the journalist in charge. You're right, though. Allowing 5 Qs at a time is infantile. You just answer the easy one. Who can blame Boris for dodging that bullet?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Wow, Boris is ****ing vacuous. Embarrassing.

 

[Weststander]

A Rhetorical, Interrupting Student in the audience, demanded that he didn’t get a rhetorical answer.

‘Great’ debating skills, he’d make a good MP (for any party).

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Some anti-tory tit nearly wrecked it for the anti-Boris contingent - so much for the conspiracy

 

[pb21]

Johnson clapping the conversation being moved on from the Russian interference issue

 

[NooBHA]

My God Boris is floundering on every question. Talk about I'll prepared when he comes up against people who knows their facts. Then claim he is in "Bermuda Triangle Territory"

What's he doing in the job if he doesn't want to or can't command the facts of the questions he is answering

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Boris is quite right about the muslim women attire issue - his point was the exact opposite of what he was accused. Stupid of anti-Boris people conflating this with his 'watermellon smiles' comments (which are indefensible). Labour activists cock it all up again. Who knew?

Anyway.....

 

[Weststander]

Not sure whether this exercise has been sabotaged by the brilliance of undercover labour supporters or not (if so - well done ladies and gentlemen - it shows organizational powers) but the audience here is very anti Boris (albeit no shouting out or any of that nonsense, so extremely effective opposition).

God, Boris is a vacuous tit, though.

Genuine question, does this Corbyn audience, influence the millions of swing voters sitting at home? Either way?

Do smug, overtly biased students, shouting and interrupting, counter-intuitively piss people off? It’s not just an anti-Tory thing, Swinson was booed, accused of being right wing of all things, interrupted, treated like a sack of shit.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I don't like the man, but he does have balls of steel.

A plausible man. A charming man. A very dangerous man.

He must be stopped.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I don't like the man, but he does have balls of steel.

A plausible man. A charming man. A very dangerous man.

He must be stopped.

 

[Motogull]

We have two candidates for PM now who will both drag us back to the 1970s.

You're also spot on about bloodsports.

Point of order fella. One of the candidates seems more likely to drag us to the 1870s with a little help from his concentration camp guard inspired chum.

With you all the way with the bloodsports comment. Nice one [MENTION=21158]Weststander[/MENTION].

 

[Weststander]

I don't like the man, but he does have balls of steel.

A plausible man. A charming man. A very dangerous man.

He must be stopped.

 

[Silverhatch]

Mendacious Johnson didn't even attempt to answer as to why he is suppressing the security report on Russian meddling.

Get Fiona Hill to question our Government about their inability to publish the Russian meddling report