2019 General Election

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Now it's confirmed for December 12th (pretty much), I thought we should have a shiny new thread for the fourth and final UK GE of this tumultuous decade; a decade which has also included three referendums and four (maybe five) different Prime Ministers.

News this morning that Amber Rudd won't be defending her seat. Oh well.

Opinion polls currently have the Tories in a double digit lead, but it's anticipated to be a lot tighter than that by the time we reach the actual polling day.

Forgot to mention the Tories actively and unashamedly promoting fake news by tweeting out a doctored video of Keir Starmer's interview with Piers Morgan yesterday.

When they were called out on it, they acknowledged it was "edited" and stuck by it.

How is that allowed?

Pr4wn wrote:Forgot to mention the Tories actively and unashamedly promoting fake news by tweeting out a doctored video of Keir Starmer's interview with Piers Morgan yesterday.

When they were called out on it, they acknowledged it was "edited" and stuck by it.

How is that allowed?

Ask Mark Zuckerberg...

Then again, I seem to recall Corbyn alleging he couldn't find a seat on a Virgin train once upon a time...

First, it was on Twitter, not Facebook.

As for your second point, that's whataboutery. I wasn't talking about Corbyn or Labour.

navyblueshorts wrote:Then again, I seem to recall Corbyn alleging he couldn't find a seat on a Virgin train once upon a time...

Turned out Corbyn was right...He couldn't get a seat and was later vindicated..

Branson put out footage from first class..

Do try to keep up..

With the Economy about to tank...The NHS starved of money and standard of living falling dramatically for many..

Is the number one story really some unknown bitter Blairite plank ranting to all and sundry to vote for Johnson ??

Britain stands on the edge of a precipice..Never been more important to debate the issues..

UK press is as bad as the US lot.

This Lib Dem, Plaid and Green Party election pact has caused a bit of a stir I see. I hope it pulls off

Plaid are standing in my constituency being the sole full on Remain party. A good chance to pick up some votes here. But ultimately I expect another Labour victory by a far less majority than usual

I'd like to see a pact in my constituency as its a genuine chance to take a Tory seat, but so far only the Greens and Lib Dems have declared.

Is there a list anywhere of the constituencies that the pact is for

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:Then again, I seem to recall Corbyn alleging he couldn't find a seat on a Virgin train once upon a time...

Turned out Corbyn was right...He couldn't get a seat and was later vindicated..

Branson put out footage from first class..

Do try to keep up..

So was claimed by the Labour party but Virgin train records show that there were in 140 empty unreserved seats on the train at the time.

Afro wrote:I'd like to see a pact in my constituency as its a genuine chance to take a Tory seat, but so far only the Greens and Lib Dems have declared.

Is there a list anywhere of the constituencies that the pact is for

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/remain-alliance-seats-general-election-brexit-lib-dems-greens-plaid-cymru-a9188856.html?

So happy Plaid are standing in my area. Would have felt a bit pointless being a party member if I couldn't have voted for them in a GE

Afro wrote:I'd like to see a pact in my constituency as its a genuine chance to take a Tory seat, but so far only the Greens and Lib Dems have declared.

Is there a list anywhere of the constituencies that the pact is for

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/remain-alliance-seats-general-election-brexit-lib-dems-greens-plaid-cymru-a9188856.html

Bottom of that article has which parties are standing where.

Pr4wn wrote:First, it was on Twitter, not Facebook.

As for your second point, that's whataboutery. I wasn't talking about Corbyn or Labour.

Not really on social media. Perhaps the OP should have made it clearer where it was posted. Then again I'm a scientist and expect facts/evidence to be clear. Stupid me.

Re. Corbyn, my point was they're all as bad as each other. Not really whataboutery. Call it a nod to balance.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:Then again, I seem to recall Corbyn alleging he couldn't find a seat on a Virgin train once upon a time...

Turned out Corbyn was right...He couldn't get a seat and was later vindicated..

Branson put out footage from first class..

Do try to keep up..

Rubbish:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traingate (Wikipedia; use with caution)

Do keep up.

Thanks both

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:With the Economy about to tank...The NHS starved of money and standard of living falling dramatically for many..

Is the number one story really some unknown bitter Blairite plank ranting to all and sundry to vote for Johnson ??

Britain stands on the edge of a precipice..Never been more important to debate the issues..

UK press is as bad as the US lot.

Simply because you don't agree with them? You can do better than that...

Austin's remarks are extraordinary, whatever you might think of his motivation.

Austin has a job as envoy for the Tories in Israel....Ken Clarke who is a bigger fish has said he isn't voting Tory under Johnson..

No interest at all by the MSM..

Like I said the UK press is trash....

Jobs...Standard of living...Homelessness...Tax...Health...

These are important subjects..

navyblueshorts wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:With the Economy about to tank...The NHS starved of money and standard of living falling dramatically for many..

Is the number one story really some unknown bitter Blairite plank ranting to all and sundry to vote for Johnson ??

Britain stands on the edge of a precipice..Never been more important to debate the issues..

UK press is as bad as the US lot.

Simply because you don't agree with them? You can do better than that...

Austin's remarks are extraordinary, whatever you might think of his motivation.

He's a Labour man of 30-odd years. He wouldn't be speaking out unless he felt it was necessary. He evidently thinks he needs to warn the public, and Labour voters in particular, about Jeremy Corbyn. It really is extraordinary.

What surprises me the most is that he's recommending they switch to voting Tory rather than to the Lib Dems. You'd think that would be the logical swap.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Austin has a job as envoy for the Tories in Israel....Ken Clarke who is a bigger fish has said he isn't voting Tory under Johnson..

No interest at all by the MSM..

Like I said the UK press is trash....

That's been reported multiple places, including by the BBC, the Guardian, the Express...which is three different sides of the MSM

Ken Clarke said he may not vote for the Conservatives if they veer too far towards the Brexit party, he hasn't said that he won't vote for the party however.

Not a particular fan of Watson but I thought he handled his decision to resign as deputy leader and MP gracefully yesterday, and Corbyn responded with dignity too. Thought it was odd that Watson was standing down as MP completely though - didn't see that coming.

Austin and Woodcock though have really damaged what little credibility they had left with Labour supporters, with their hatchet job on Corbyn and support for Johnson. I wouldn't reach too much into the '30 years Labour member' thing from Austin. Austin made a big fuss over supposed racism in Labour when he quit the other year yet forgot he himself had made some borderline xenophobic comments about immigration. Along with Hoey, both MPs were really in the wrong party. Unlike the Change UK/Lib Dem defectors (Berger, Chuka, etc), Austin and Woodcock are both Brexiters and therefore couldn't really come out in support of the Lib Dems.

Completely understand the importance of Labour being a broad church, and its important in my opinion that the party still has Centrist 'big beasts' like Benn and Cooper around - I personally find those two have been much more productive, getting stuck into Brexit with their important amendments than nobodies like Austin and Woodcock shouting from the sidelines and trying to damage Labour.

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Austin has a job as envoy for the Tories in Israel....Ken Clarke who is a bigger fish has said he isn't voting Tory under Johnson..

No interest at all by the MSM..

Like I said the UK press is trash....

That's been reported multiple places, including by the BBC, the Guardian, the Express...which is three different sides of the MSM

There is reporting and there is reporting..

Like the prominence a story gets.

Moving on..I see Lib Dems and Greens are working together for this GE...

Sadly in some Labour defences in Con/Lab marginals they have no chance of winning....

The Greens disappoint me.....Only let the Tory win these seats.

The Green Party are the only Remain pact party standing in the Vale of Glamorgan. This is the only seat in Wales exclusive to them in the Remain pact. I assume they are hoping to cash in on the disgrace of Alun Cairns. They are loaded down the Vale. Tories will walk it

I guess Green would be the only other party I would vote for if there was no Plaid Cymru I guess. I wouldn't be a member though

Ideally a hung Parliament where Corbyn resigns to let a more able leader like Starmer run a Coalition would be desirable..(Acceptable Lib Dem price for co-op)

But having pacts in Labour defences v Con.. is going to give the Tories a majority in all likelihood.

Seems crazy to me....But that is life..

@Trussman - the only circumstances a Remain pact in Labour defence v Tories makes sense is where the Labour MP is a committed Brexiter standing for re-election - even so, its a gamble, as they could usher in a hard/no deal Brexit supporting Tory.

MrInvisible wrote:@Trussman - the only circumstances a Remain pact in Labour defence v Tories makes sense is where the Labour MP is a committed Brexiter standing for re-election - even so, its a gamble, as they could usher in a hard/no deal Brexit supporting Tory.

Funnily enough I haven't even checked who has taken over from Owen Smith in my constituency yet for Labour. I'll have to do some research now. Smith (who I do speak to on occasions) is hardcore Remain of course. I assume the next candidate will be also

navyblueshorts wrote:

Pr4wn wrote:First, it was on Twitter, not Facebook.

As for your second point, that's whataboutery. I wasn't talking about Corbyn or Labour.

Not really on social media. Perhaps the OP should have made it clearer where it was posted. Then again I'm a scientist and expect facts/evidence to be clear. Stupid me.

Re. Corbyn, my point was they're all as bad as each other. Not really whataboutery. Call it a nod to balance.

Want me to wipe your behind for you after you go to the loo too? I suspect as a scientist you're accustomed to research? Just look it up, it's not difficult. It was all over the bloody news.

And it was whataboutery in its purest form. You made no attempt to address the topic raised other than to say "Well so-and-so does it too". That's whataboutery.

It was on Facebook too, these things are not confined to single sites.

It wasn't whataboutery in the slightest but a relevant comment to make.

Pr4wn wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:

Pr4wn wrote:First, it was on Twitter, not Facebook.

As for your second point, that's whataboutery. I wasn't talking about Corbyn or Labour.

Not really on social media. Perhaps the OP should have made it clearer where it was posted. Then again I'm a scientist and expect facts/evidence to be clear. Stupid me.

Re. Corbyn, my point was they're all as bad as each other. Not really whataboutery. Call it a nod to balance.

Want me to wipe your behind for you after you go to the loo too? I suspect as a scientist you're accustomed to research? Just look it up, it's not difficult. It was all over the bloody news.

And it was whataboutery in its purest form. You made no attempt to address the topic raised other than to say "Well so-and-so does it too". That's whataboutery.

Grow up.

Soul Requiem wrote:It was on Facebook too, these things are confined to single sites.

It wasn't whataboutery in the slightest but a relevant comment to make.

Do you know what whataboutery means? Genuine question.

You do have to marvel at the sheer hypocrisy of new Scottish Secretary and Tory Allister Jack.

If the Tories win a majority he states it will give Boris a clear mandate for whatever Brexit he wants:-

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18002603.alister-jack-pm-needs-election-win-clear-mandate-brexit/

Then two days later he states that even if the SNP won all of the seats in Scotland it would not give them a mandate for an independence referendum:-

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18010609.alister-jack-even-snp-wins-scottish-seats-election-nicola-sturgeon-wont-mandate-indyref2/

The probe into Johnsons relationship with Jennifer Arcuri has been shelved until after the election. Couple this with the delayed release of an investigation into Russian interferance in the 2016 referendum and 2017 General Election, its amazing that anyone still thinks its a good idea to vote for this shower of Poopie.

You deserve everything you get.

I know that Media barons and the BBC are worried about Labour reforms but this Russian story stinks and in a sane and democratic country really needs to be of more prominence and vetted accordingly..

With the Arcuri story, if the police were not going to investigate at all, they'd have announced it already, surely?

If anyone wants evidence of the weakness of the Scottish Tories in Scotland in terms of support of the electorate read this report:-

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-50361002

Thought the day, does anyone else find it distasteful and disrespectful that on Armistice Day of all days Corbyn is being asked whether he would be prepared to kill thousands of lives by launching nuclear weapons? Also, BBC have some explaining to do on why they are using archive footage from 2 years ago of remembrance Sunday of Johnson (when he looked more presentable and serious) rather than actual footage from yesterday (when he looked pretty shambolic and lay a wreath wrongly).

Can you imagine if Corbyn acted like that on Armistice Day? He'd be crucified.

That skid mark Farage has announced that his company won't be standing in Tory held seats

Filthy greasy slimy little scumbag

I have noted misgivings about Corbyn, but would never ignore how brutally he is mistreated by the press. The BBC and their balance are a sham on it too.

Anyone else remember when the press went mental at Corbyn a couple years ago for having a poppy that was too small?

Meanwhile, Corbyn spends time talking to actual veterans while Johnson drinks in Whitehall and the BBC doesn't bat an eye.

Whats with all the red marks? Anyway- Corbyn does indeed get a raw deal from the press. However
1) he never actually seems to want to engage with them anyway. No guarantee he could change minds but it could help
2) The raw treatment seems to help to maintain the martyr complex and the Corbyn cult
3) It actually distracts from the awful truth, which is that he's useless anyway.

I don't think making a case for him as PM by saying that he probably won't be as bad as May is enough.

He also wouldn't be as bad as Johnson, does that count?

If it was a choice between just the two, I'd vote Corbyn. I am in a weird state of flux where I want Labour to do well enough to screw the Tories, but to a level where Corbyn might get shoved. I don't think the two are compatible

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:If it was a choice between just the two, I'd vote Corbyn. I am in a weird state of flux where I want Labour to do well enough to screw the Tories, but to a level where Corbyn might get shoved. I don't think the two are compatible

Amount of times I have heard that Labour keep missing an open goal and with any other leader, they would walk this election. Is that how you feel?

Worst result is a hung Parliment and we begin again......

TwisT wrote:

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:If it was a choice between just the two, I'd vote Corbyn. I am in a weird state of flux where I want Labour to do well enough to screw the Tories, but to a level where Corbyn might get shoved. I don't think the two are compatible

Amount of times I have heard that Labour keep missing an open goal and with any other leader, they would walk this election. Is that how you feel?

Worst result is a hung Parliment and we begin again......

All can all be traced back to the Unions going in Ed Millbands favour rather than his brother.

The thing that got me yesterday. Was hearing 2 separate Tories saying how much labour's plans were going to cost. Whilst refusing to say how much there plans were going to cost. Oh and the fact neither manifesto actually being released yet.

As for Corbyn, he's always struck me as an excellent back bencher. But not a leader. And that's the problem, labours plans for the country were excellent last time. But you don't feel that Corbyn would implement them, and he's not the guy to lead you out of a crisis.

TwisT wrote:

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:If it was a choice between just the two, I'd vote Corbyn. I am in a weird state of flux where I want Labour to do well enough to screw the Tories, but to a level where Corbyn might get shoved. I don't think the two are compatible

Amount of times I have heard that Labour keep missing an open goal and with any other leader, they would walk this election. Is that how you feel?

Worst result is a hung Parliment and we begin again......

Not any, as such, they've got enough horror goblins in that party too. But I like, say, Jess Phillips. And I could handle anyone who could get a handle on the antisemitic stuff (I can feel Truss ready to vote this down. Embrace the hate)

Nigel Farage has now said. The Brexit party will now not stand in the 317 seats that the conservatives won in the last election.
See he's still trying to get into the government without actually being an MP.

Boris will be delighted. A big swing for them, there.

Luke wrote:Nigel Farage has now said. The Brexit party will now not stand in the 317 seats that the conservatives won in the last election.
See he's still trying to get into the government without actually being an MP.

If I wanted to make money, I’d start a Ltd. Company under the guise of a political party, charge gullible idiots £100 (non-refundable) a pop to apply to become a prospective MP candidate - pocketing a tidy £300k in the process - and then only field half the candidates. Double bonus is that the £300k almost covers every lost deposit if they dont get enough votes.

Need to take my hat of to him, the mans a Frak genius.

More of a problem this pact for the Lib Dems seat wise....40/50 of their target seats are Tories and most of their defences are against them..

As for Corbyn it's made a tough job even tougher...

Apparently the BBC are in trouble for swapping 2016 rememberance day footage for 2019 to save Boris blushes...They have apologised though it is hard to see how it can be accidental.

Banana Republic type of behaviour..

Corbyn has to shine at these debates...Simple as..