2024 Election thread

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  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,314
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,328

    Yeah, it's not going to be easy for Labour in government (assuming they are), and though the tax situation isn't going to improve quickly, given the Tories' mismanagement, I think/hope that they will at least be competent and start making incremental adjustments that give people some hope that things will get better in time.

    The Daily Mail have it about right, I think, which even Alastair Campbell admits here, and will be a good mantra for Labour to stop them assuming it's a done deal.


  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 17,145

    I don't think Labour need to do much in the short to medium term to render a material improvement. Not being dicks to European neighbours and doing boring things that don't make headlines.

    I was listening to one commentator last night on R5 arguing that if the Tories really stuff this up and spend a term not even the second largest party, it could be the end of them. The comparison, to people with more historical knowledge than me, was the Liberals in 1918.

  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,314

    All Labour has to do (Assuming in power) is to be less self serving and a bit lessshit. That would be improvement.

    Sad statement but fingers crossed.

    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • Jezyboy
    Jezyboy Posts: 3,605

    Apparently there won't be any Rwanda flights before the election.

    I suspect Rishi did this to prevent another leadership challenge.

  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,328

    It's going to be interesting to see what angles the right wing rags (I include the Telegraph that) will take as the election gets closer, and the seemingly inevitable rout happens... will they try to ingratiate themselves with Starmer? I can't remember what they were doing in 97.

  • MidlandsGrimpeur2
    MidlandsGrimpeur2 Posts: 2,115

    I would tend to disagree on the possible lack of material improvement. I think the Tories have been so utterly dreadful that Labour will be a huge improvement, I think people have been gaslighted by the Tories so long we have collectively convinced ourselves that the UK is in such a state that it will take years to reverse. Once we get a competent and actually compassionate Govt. in place, I think we will start to see quite a drastic improvement; better policy making, steps towards closer EU alignment, economic plans for actual recovery, and just a general feel in the change of mood with a govt. that actually respects the democratic process and isn't constantly trying to implement legislation that curtails our rights and undermines public institutions, judiciary, parliamentary process etc.

    Dare I say, it is going to feel partly like removing ourselves from the constraints of a partial autocracy.

  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,133

    First drop in real household incomes across the duration of a parliament in living memory, yet economic competence is what he's running on. Be better to go for culture war nonsense.

  • wallace_and_gromit
    wallace_and_gromit Posts: 3,600

    Hopefully you'll be right, but for issues that affect the masses such as underfunding of schools, NHS, courts etc. a change of government doesn't change the fact that extra funding will be a key element of any improvement and that requires more borrowing (for which financial markets might demand a heavy price) or higher taxes (that we collectively don't want to pay). I'm no fan of the culture wars nonsense round small boats and public protests, but these are far removed from the day-to-day experience of the masses, even if they are things that might sway votes.

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661

    *historian hat on*It won't come to that as 1918 was incredibly different for all sorts of reasons I won't bore you with.


    Genuinely, I think 1918 is really unique and what is happening now is not the same *historian hat off*

  • Jezyboy
    Jezyboy Posts: 3,605

    I suspect not having a government that seeks to actively antagonise the public sector will be a positive, although obviously good will can't fill funding gaps.

  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,328

    It'll be interesting to see if Labour can re-fang the various regulators (which seem to have been allowed to be partially captured by the industries they are supposed to regulate), and have the courage to give independence back to those bodies (e.g. the BBC) which ought to feel free to criticise the government of the day.

    These are the sorts of things that don't cost mega-£s, but would give something to the electorate to feel that Labour have the right instincts.

    I hope that the Tories will rediscover that being the Nasty Party isn't electorally sensible: they've tried both versions, and the latest incarnation of the NP hasn't gone well. For all their faults, the government of Cameron & Osborne didn't openly try to alienate great swathes of the electorate with performative cruelty.

  • super_davo
    super_davo Posts: 1,221

    There is so much waste on culture war issues like Rwanda, not processing migrants and leaving in hotels, persisting in propping up failing privatised utilities, housing policies etc.

    A government that is acting in the best interests of the public should be able to do much more with the current tax take.

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    edited May 23

    1st day of election and the net immigration figures were underestimated lol even higher than people thought.


    6 weeks, baby!


    Plus Rwanada flights won't happen this side of election - confirmed by Sunak - so that means no Rwanda flights. It's dead. Woop woop.

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661

    Anyone got a credible case for why Sunak chose July 4th? Seems mental to me.

  • monkimark
    monkimark Posts: 1,927

    Perhaps the tiny slice of good new on inflation is as good as he thinks it will get this year. Or hes trying to avoid having to deal with the next budget?

  • MidlandsGrimpeur2
    MidlandsGrimpeur2 Posts: 2,115


    I suspect he has actually just had enough and couldn't face a November election as was likely the original plan. In addition, everything he perhaps thought they were going to campaign on; Rwanda, some vague sense of early economic recovery, is either not going to happen or is not enough to save them, so why bother trying to convince people over the next 6 months.

    The question then is why have such a long campaign? I think he maybe feels that adding a few extra weeks gives his soon to be jobless MPs an extra paycheck and more time to plan their future careers

  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,133

    Realised that people aren't listening, the polling is only going to get worse almost regardless of what they say or do. Also, his MPs are stupid/crazy enough to have tried to kick him out before the election if the polls do keep getting worse.

    Alternatively, he fancies a summer holiday somewhere nice.

  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,133

    Farage has announced he isn't going to be standing in the UK election because the election in the USA is much more important and he needs to "help with the grassroots campaign" there.

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    edited May 23

    Labour has absolutely no incentive to be specific on anything - it just widens the attack target for Tories.


    So it will be boring boring vague Starmer, looking as grey as his suit choices (mate, you won't immediately look like a cityboy if you go navy, I promise, just change it up a little - you look like a school teacher) and Sunak will basically be sideshow bob when he can't help treading on rakes.

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661

    I agree it's the best thing Sunak has done. I'm delighted.

  • MidlandsGrimpeur2
    MidlandsGrimpeur2 Posts: 2,115

    He will never stand again, he knows he can't win a seat as an MP no matter where he stands. I also don't think he has the bottle to do actually do it either, particularly how most MP;s are viewed and abused these days. He likes his role as an outside 'agitator' (in his mind anyway), and the cushy little pay days he gets out of it.

    He is the classic type, if he was ever in actual power with true decision making responsibility would absolutely fall to pieces, but loves telling everyone what a great leader he would be.

  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,133

    To be fair, that one says: "Guys: you cannot win. Own this fact; go out like gentlemen, with a good clean campaign, minimising the losses with a final display of decency that marks you out from the “River to the Sea” rabble. If you’re lucky, you can enter opposition with honour and establish a strong base from which to rebuild your reputation."

  • Jezyboy
    Jezyboy Posts: 3,605

    I think it's becoming clear that even with modestly positive economic performance, it's going to take much longer than next January before people feel like they're doing well. So that means you need to call an election rather than wait for the term to run out. November would be after a ton of boats cross over the summer...

    I suspect the only reason he didn't call one earlier was he's just a bit indecisive.

  • MidlandsGrimpeur2
    MidlandsGrimpeur2 Posts: 2,115

    I have no sympathy whatsoever for Sunak, but imagine what it must feel like to attain the most powerful office in the land, something he may well have dreamed about for years, only to find that you are really sh1t at it and that virtually everyone in the UK agrees you are sh1t and wants you out.

    Must sting really....

  • verylonglegs
    verylonglegs Posts: 4,023


    I can't think of anything credible politically, it really does look like he's just thrown in the towel. Between now and January when would be good anyway? I can't see where any good news was going to come from to help them, just the chance of more scandals and failures to take the blame for.

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462

    Payback to his own MPs that are giving him grief, get them unemployed sooner than they expected. There was even talk that they would try to depose him before Parliament goes into recess to prevent the election.

  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,376
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,376
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]