Political round up.............

First topic message reminder :

Pr4wn wrote:Why are 16 and 17 year olds old enough to pay tax but not old enough to vote?

Good point, take them out of having to pay tax.

So it costs around £90 a week upwards to rent a property before other costs...Many of these folks live hand to month and Statutory sick pay is £100 a week....These People are to self isolate for weeks apparently...

Not going to happen..

Despite the seriousness of the situation with dealing with Covid-19 which requires co-ordinated international effort, Raab confirmed the government are still seeking to leave the EU transitional period on 31st December!   

Unbelievable - even without Brexit (and potentially a no-deal one at that) the economy is going to take a massive hit due to the virus - just look at the impact already on airlines, tourist industry, pubs, restaurants, etc.  Not to mention the health impacts, if our vaccines are delayed due to being out of EU.  At a time when we should be working hard to protect as many citizens as possible, they are still fixated on Brexit.  We need an extension now - worth signing this petition:

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/300412?fbclid=IwAR24-oQZaUb15FR3a2Os5VHf_fRRgj7cv1acMoSo58L_mNz52hLf3OZI9Rs

If there was any doubt that these people are ideologues, this confirms it.

They're just continuing to play the Brexit poker game. Doesn't mean they won't move nearer the time.

MrInvisible wrote:Raab confirmed the government are still seeking to leave the EU transitional period on 31st December!

Well that's some much needed good news!

Duty281 wrote:

MrInvisible wrote:Raab confirmed the government are still seeking to leave the EU transitional period on 31st December!

Well that's some much needed good news!

Explain why.

Pr4wn wrote:

Duty281 wrote:

MrInvisible wrote:Raab confirmed the government are still seeking to leave the EU transitional period on 31st December!

Well that's some much needed good news!

Explain why.

Unchecked xenophobia.

Its good to see that in these very unprecedented times ol’ Blightys bulldog spirit is still shining, and our ability to Keep Calm and Carry On is boistered by the spirit of the Blitz and people are treating this like a Frak bank holiday.

I dont mind stupid people doing stupid things getting whats coming to them, but all these people spending the day at the beach and at places like Snowdonia will probably kill people who had nothing to do with it, and thats not on.

superflyweight wrote:

Pr4wn wrote:

Duty281 wrote:

MrInvisible wrote:Raab confirmed the government are still seeking to leave the EU transitional period on 31st December!

Well that's some much needed good news!

Explain why.

Unchecked xenophobia.  

Unsurprisingly, no explanation was offered.

Boris can't play at being PM anymore....He has actually got to work for once in his life..

Guess Jeremy Corbyn is the political winner out of all this....He gets his Socialist policies without having to worry about the hypocritical Press..His right wing scheming 24/7 and any of this terrible depression and it's effects soon to follow...No doubt Johnson's policies would be the height of irresponsibility should Corbyn be implementing them..

However though it pains me I have sympathy for Claudius....Easy for the rest of us to play Monday Morning quarterback..

Samo wrote:Its good to see that in these very unprecedented times ol’ Blightys bulldog spirit is still shining, and our ability to Keep Calm and Carry On is boistered by the spirit of the Blitz and people are treating this like a Frak bank holiday.

I dont mind stupid people doing stupid things getting whats coming to them, but all these people spending the day at the beach and at places like Snowdonia will probably kill people who had nothing to do with it, and thats not on.

You're remotely surprised by this? That's the UK population for you. Wouldn't be surprised if the post-Brexit f-you attitude hasn't also contributed.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Boris can't play at being PM anymore....He has actually got to work for once in his life..

Guess Jeremy Corbyn is the political winner out of all this....He gets his Socialist policies without having to worry about the hypocritical Press..His right wing scheming 24/7 and any of this terrible depression and it's effects soon to follow...No doubt Johnson's policies would be the height of irresponsibility should Corbyn be implementing them..

However though it pains me I have sympathy for Claudius....Easy for the rest of us to play Monday Morning quarterback..

Could be the making of him. Don't make me laugh re. Corbyn. Will be interesting, though, to see how this huge intervention affects wider economy as this issue recedes. If someone can disentangle virus effects and analyse effects of all this cash, might play into policies going forward.

Laugh at Corbyn while realising the under prepared and underfunded NHS would be in a better state to cope had Corbyn won in 2017..

That is irrefutable...

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Laugh at Corbyn while realising the under prepared and underfunded NHS would be in a better state to cope had Corbyn won in 2017..

That is irrefutable...

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Laugh at Corbyn while realising the under prepared and underfunded NHS would be in a better state to cope had Corbyn won in 2017..

That is irrefutable...

Simplistic. It would be no better 'prepared' for this, even had Corbyn won - you think they'd have been preparing for a pandemic over the last 3 years? Do be serious. Even if the money poured in, in 2017, you wouldn't have seen the extra staff (particularly Doctors) yet anyway. Would we have extra hospitals by now? No, we wouldn't. Yes, there might be more kit, but specifically for respiratory distress? No, we wouldn't. Would we have more CV testing facilities/kit? No, we wouldn't.

Anyway, Corbyn didn't win, but do carry on politicising a global pandemic as if that's the correct thing to do right now...

Of course it would be better prepared with more beds...equipment and Staff...Shame you don't read what Parties are offering in Elections..Ignorance isn't a virtue..

Anyway two posts spent on you is two too many..

Grow up.

Yep..

The Lib Dems are back in single figures on 8% and 9% in two polls..

Sobering to think a year ago they were ahead of the Tories and Labour and talking about winning Remain seats from 30'000 votes behind and taking over a hundred seats..

Been a collapse of epic proportions...

Swinson's Grandad must have been Captain of the Titanic.

Corbyn's final PMQs was earlier today.

Farewell to the worst Labour leader...ever? Johnson should have paid tribute to Corbyn's hard work at keeping the Tories in Downing Street.

And inevitably, the opportunist rats see an opening and again appear out of their sewers to push the One World of Interconnected Lovedom schmaltz they've been trying now for decades down one avenue or another.

Mr Thousand Points of Light Globalist, Gordon Brown, is pushed out again by his Masters to try the World Government trick once more when people of that world have been sufficiently well and truly hit once again with a nice and timely tumultuous world shock.  Get them when they are most vulnerable, Gordon?  

Who leads this lovely, cosy, one-voice World Government?  A socialist collective of Cabal unelecteds?  A few famous Industry Barons?  And some cuddly NGO organisations?  Maybe a smattering of important celebs? Beyoncé, Bono, Gates, Greta?  And a handful of Science 'experts' to ensure only approved science gets published?  Nice.  Cosy.

Yes, who needs to vote when Technocracy of the future is the Utopia just around the corner?  Let Brown and his boys do the big Thinking whilst us worker bee types just enjoy our weekend of endless sport and soaps.  "Don't worry about it - the Elite Leaders love you.  Work.  Rest.  Enjoy."

Or maybe Brown and his yesteryear mouthpiece buddies are just a little scared that their pasts might catch up with them if they don't quickly retake leadership roles away from Nutter Trump and Evil Viper Putin.  Maybe Nutter Trump has Military courts waiting for people who might unleash versions of terrorism on the world to provoke and assist geopolitical gains?  
Yes, Brown was in cabinet back when the twin towers collapsed at just the right time to instigate a series of extremely profitable wars that haven't even now extinguished.  What do you know, Mr Brown, about the possibility of 2,000 people being sacrificed in New York to the greater good of Global political geoengineering?  Any info you might like to share with the citizens of that Nation?

A better idea for you right now, Mr Brown, and your 'Perfect World Technocratic Socialism' buddies, is to ask who or what entity or grouping released or consented to the release of this present 'accident' onto the world, and to call for their heads on a block when they are captured.
There is NO WAY that a lone sick bat in China in November 2019 caused this clockwork precision Epic World Crisis!  NO WAY.

Duty281 wrote:Corbyn's final PMQs was earlier today.

Farewell to the worst Labour leader...ever? Johnson should have paid tribute to Corbyn's hard work at keeping the Tories in Downing Street.

Got more votes than

Blair in 2005
Brown in 2010
Miliband in 2015

Got the highest increase in percentage since Attlee beat Churchill in 1945....

Like Sanders anyone that tries to tackle the Establishment gets 24/7 abuse......Sanders is an Antisemite too now despite being Jewish....Corbyn fought racism including Anti semitism all his life like Bernie..

Worst leader.....No....Not by a long chalk...

Good luck to him in retirement.....Like Sanders one of the few Political leaders in my lifetime that really gave a crap about those struggling...

Has the future luxury of being a huge figure of the left.....But the US/UK remains scared of change and though he lacked a lot of qualities of leadership at least he tried (Starmer will be a better leader)....It's easy to lick a Sun Editor's backside and go the Establishment route but this guy stayed true to his ideals..

I respect him...

SecretFly wrote:And inevitably, the opportunist rats see an opening and again appear out of their sewers to push the One World of Interconnected Lovedom schmaltz they've been trying now for decades down one avenue or another.

Mr Thousand Points of Light Globalist, Gordon Brown, is pushed out again by his Masters to try the World Government trick once more when people of that world have been sufficiently well and truly hit once again with a nice and timely tumultuous world shock.  Get them when they are most vulnerable, Gordon?  

Who leads this lovely, cosy, one-voice World Government?  A socialist collective of Cabal unelecteds?  A few famous Industry Barons?  And some cuddly NGO organisations?  Maybe a smattering of important celebs? Beyoncé, Bono, Gates, Greta?  And a handful of Science 'experts' to ensure only approved science gets published?  Nice.  Cosy.

Yes, who needs to vote when Technocracy of the future is the Utopia just around the corner?  Let Brown and his boys do the big Thinking whilst us worker bee types just enjoy our weekend of endless sport and soaps.  "Don't worry about it - the Elite Leaders love you.  Work.  Rest.  Enjoy."

Or maybe Brown and his yesteryear mouthpiece buddies are just a little scared that their pasts might catch up with them if they don't quickly retake leadership roles away from Nutter Trump and Evil Viper Putin.  Maybe Nutter Trump has Military courts waiting for people who might unleash versions of terrorism on the world to provoke and assist geopolitical gains?  
Yes, Brown was in cabinet back when the twin towers collapsed at just the right time to instigate a series of extremely profitable wars that haven't even now extinguished.  What do you know, Mr Brown, about the possibility of 2,000 people being sacrificed in New York to the greater good of Global political geoengineering?  Any info you might like to share with the citizens of that Nation?

A better idea for you right now, Mr Brown, and your 'Perfect World Technocratic Socialism' buddies, is to ask who or what entity or grouping released or consented to the release of this present 'accident' onto the world, and to call for their heads on a block when they are captured.
There is NO WAY that a lone sick bat in China in November 2019 caused this clockwork precision Epic World Crisis!  NO WAY.

Call the men in white coats. Now.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Corbyn's final PMQs was earlier today.

Farewell to the worst Labour leader...ever? Johnson should have paid tribute to Corbyn's hard work at keeping the Tories in Downing Street.

Got more votes than

Blair in 2005
Brown in 2010
Miliband in 2015

Got the highest increase in percentage since Attlee beat Churchill in 1945....

Like Sanders anyone that tries to tackle the Establishment gets 24/7 abuse......Sanders is an Antisemite too now despite being Jewish....Corbyn fought racism including Anti semitism all his life like Bernie..

Worst leader.....No....Not by a long chalk...

Good luck to him in retirement.....Like Sanders one of the few Political leaders in my lifetime that really gave a crap about those struggling...

Has the future luxury of being a huge figure of the left.....But the US/UK remains scared of change and though he lacked a lot of qualities of leadership at least he tried (Starmer will be a better leader)....It's easy to lick a Sun Editor's backside and go the Establishment route but this guy stayed true to his ideals..

I respect him...

He was awful as a leader. He got mullered at last GE. He made no attempt to win the voters he needed to gain any power to do anything. OK, so he's got a conscience, which is nice. I might cut him some slack as a person, but as a leader? No.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Corbyn's final PMQs was earlier today.

Farewell to the worst Labour leader...ever? Johnson should have paid tribute to Corbyn's hard work at keeping the Tories in Downing Street.

Got more votes than

Blair in 2005
Brown in 2010
Miliband in 2015

Lost to the worst ever Tory leader since the war (Theresa May) after 7 years of deeply unpopular austerity Tory government. Got absolutely annihilated by Johnson in 2019 and led Labour to their worst result since 1935 in terms of seats. Raw vote numbers matter very little - there were viable third party options  in 2005/2010/2015 but none in 2017/2019...no surprise the raw vote was higher. Higher population as well probably.

Seat numbers were catastrophic and that's all that counts in the end. And you can't even use a mitigation that he was up against formidable political opponents and/or a popular government, as some previous leaders of the opposition can claim.

His internal running of the Labour Party was also a complete shambles - how many shadow cabinet members did he go through? How many MPs did he end up alienating in his own party?

He was worse than useless. Had Burnham or Cooper won in 2015, it would be Labour in office right now.

navyblueshorts wrote:

SecretFly wrote:And inevitably, the opportunist rats see an opening and again appear out of their sewers to push the One World of Interconnected Lovedom schmaltz they've been trying now for decades down one avenue or another.

Mr Thousand Points of Light Globalist, Gordon Brown, is pushed out again by his Masters to try the World Government trick once more when people of that world have been sufficiently well and truly hit once again with a nice and timely tumultuous world shock.  Get them when they are most vulnerable, Gordon?  

Who leads this lovely, cosy, one-voice World Government?  A socialist collective of Cabal unelecteds?  A few famous Industry Barons?  And some cuddly NGO organisations?  Maybe a smattering of important celebs? Beyoncé, Bono, Gates, Greta?  And a handful of Science 'experts' to ensure only approved science gets published?  Nice.  Cosy.

Yes, who needs to vote when Technocracy of the future is the Utopia just around the corner?  Let Brown and his boys do the big Thinking whilst us worker bee types just enjoy our weekend of endless sport and soaps.  "Don't worry about it - the Elite Leaders love you.  Work.  Rest.  Enjoy."

Or maybe Brown and his yesteryear mouthpiece buddies are just a little scared that their pasts might catch up with them if they don't quickly retake leadership roles away from Nutter Trump and Evil Viper Putin.  Maybe Nutter Trump has Military courts waiting for people who might unleash versions of terrorism on the world to provoke and assist geopolitical gains?  
Yes, Brown was in cabinet back when the twin towers collapsed at just the right time to instigate a series of extremely profitable wars that haven't even now extinguished.  What do you know, Mr Brown, about the possibility of 2,000 people being sacrificed in New York to the greater good of Global political geoengineering?  Any info you might like to share with the citizens of that Nation?

A better idea for you right now, Mr Brown, and your 'Perfect World Technocratic Socialism' buddies, is to ask who or what entity or grouping released or consented to the release of this present 'accident' onto the world, and to call for their heads on a block when they are captured.
There is NO WAY that a lone sick bat in China in November 2019 caused this clockwork precision Epic World Crisis!  NO WAY.

Call the men in white coats. Now.

There's a couple of choices here:

(i) he's taking the piss; or
(ii) he genuinely believes this nonsense.

Either way, he's an @rsehole.

superflyweight wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:

SecretFly wrote:And inevitably, the opportunist rats see an opening and again appear out of their sewers to push the One World of Interconnected Lovedom schmaltz they've been trying now for decades down one avenue or another.

Mr Thousand Points of Light Globalist, Gordon Brown, is pushed out again by his Masters to try the World Government trick once more when people of that world have been sufficiently well and truly hit once again with a nice and timely tumultuous world shock.  Get them when they are most vulnerable, Gordon?  

Who leads this lovely, cosy, one-voice World Government?  A socialist collective of Cabal unelecteds?  A few famous Industry Barons?  And some cuddly NGO organisations?  Maybe a smattering of important celebs? Beyoncé, Bono, Gates, Greta?  And a handful of Science 'experts' to ensure only approved science gets published?  Nice.  Cosy.

Yes, who needs to vote when Technocracy of the future is the Utopia just around the corner?  Let Brown and his boys do the big Thinking whilst us worker bee types just enjoy our weekend of endless sport and soaps.  "Don't worry about it - the Elite Leaders love you.  Work.  Rest.  Enjoy."

Or maybe Brown and his yesteryear mouthpiece buddies are just a little scared that their pasts might catch up with them if they don't quickly retake leadership roles away from Nutter Trump and Evil Viper Putin.  Maybe Nutter Trump has Military courts waiting for people who might unleash versions of terrorism on the world to provoke and assist geopolitical gains?  
Yes, Brown was in cabinet back when the twin towers collapsed at just the right time to instigate a series of extremely profitable wars that haven't even now extinguished.  What do you know, Mr Brown, about the possibility of 2,000 people being sacrificed in New York to the greater good of Global political geoengineering?  Any info you might like to share with the citizens of that Nation?

A better idea for you right now, Mr Brown, and your 'Perfect World Technocratic Socialism' buddies, is to ask who or what entity or grouping released or consented to the release of this present 'accident' onto the world, and to call for their heads on a block when they are captured.
There is NO WAY that a lone sick bat in China in November 2019 caused this clockwork precision Epic World Crisis!  NO WAY.

Call the men in white coats. Now.

There's a couple of choices here:

(i) he's taking the piss; or
(ii) he genuinely believes this nonsense.

Either way, he's an @rsehole.

Conspiracy theories are always nice - means one doesn't have to confront reality anytime soon.

The psychological research of conspiracy theories is very interesting. Except, of course, that it's all made up by people who want you to believe that!

superflyweight wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:

SecretFly wrote:And inevitably, the opportunist rats see an opening and again appear out of their sewers to push the One World of Interconnected Lovedom schmaltz they've been trying now for decades down one avenue or another.

Mr Thousand Points of Light Globalist, Gordon Brown, is pushed out again by his Masters to try the World Government trick once more when people of that world have been sufficiently well and truly hit once again with a nice and timely tumultuous world shock.  Get them when they are most vulnerable, Gordon?  

Who leads this lovely, cosy, one-voice World Government?  A socialist collective of Cabal unelecteds?  A few famous Industry Barons?  And some cuddly NGO organisations?  Maybe a smattering of important celebs? Beyoncé, Bono, Gates, Greta?  And a handful of Science 'experts' to ensure only approved science gets published?  Nice.  Cosy.

Yes, who needs to vote when Technocracy of the future is the Utopia just around the corner?  Let Brown and his boys do the big Thinking whilst us worker bee types just enjoy our weekend of endless sport and soaps.  "Don't worry about it - the Elite Leaders love you.  Work.  Rest.  Enjoy."

Or maybe Brown and his yesteryear mouthpiece buddies are just a little scared that their pasts might catch up with them if they don't quickly retake leadership roles away from Nutter Trump and Evil Viper Putin.  Maybe Nutter Trump has Military courts waiting for people who might unleash versions of terrorism on the world to provoke and assist geopolitical gains?  
Yes, Brown was in cabinet back when the twin towers collapsed at just the right time to instigate a series of extremely profitable wars that haven't even now extinguished.  What do you know, Mr Brown, about the possibility of 2,000 people being sacrificed in New York to the greater good of Global political geoengineering?  Any info you might like to share with the citizens of that Nation?

A better idea for you right now, Mr Brown, and your 'Perfect World Technocratic Socialism' buddies, is to ask who or what entity or grouping released or consented to the release of this present 'accident' onto the world, and to call for their heads on a block when they are captured.
There is NO WAY that a lone sick bat in China in November 2019 caused this clockwork precision Epic World Crisis!  NO WAY.

Call the men in white coats. Now.

There's a couple of choices here:

(i) he's taking the piss; or
(ii) he genuinely believes this nonsense.

Either way, he's an @rsehole.

Oh come on ...he has to be pulling our legs . No one is that crazy . Let him have his fun - he won't kill any one with a keyboard...

navyblueshorts wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Corbyn's final PMQs was earlier today.

Farewell to the worst Labour leader...ever? Johnson should have paid tribute to Corbyn's hard work at keeping the Tories in Downing Street.

Got more votes than

Blair in 2005
Brown in 2010
Miliband in 2015

Got the highest increase in percentage since Attlee beat Churchill in 1945....

Like Sanders anyone that tries to tackle the Establishment gets 24/7 abuse......Sanders is an Antisemite too now despite being Jewish....Corbyn fought racism including Anti semitism all his life like Bernie..

Worst leader.....No....Not by a long chalk...

Good luck to him in retirement.....Like Sanders one of the few Political leaders in my lifetime that really gave a crap about those struggling...

Has the future luxury of being a huge figure of the left.....But the US/UK remains scared of change and though he lacked a lot of qualities of leadership at least he tried (Starmer will be a better leader)....It's easy to lick a Sun Editor's backside and go the Establishment route but this guy stayed true to his ideals..

I respect him...

He was awful as a leader. He got mullered at last GE. He made no attempt to win the voters he needed to gain any power to do anything. OK, so he's got a conscience, which is nice. I might cut him some slack as a person, but as a leader? No.

Agree with this. Impression I always had was his heart was in the right place but he should never have been put in charge of a political party which had the opportunity to do some good for the country and especially the less privileged if it had been led by someone with a better understanding of the real world.
Perhaps after the current crisis is all over his successor may even get another chance - sooner than we might have thought a month or so ago .

Ed Miliband or Sillyband was the worst Labour Leader by a distance.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCV5XWiW6gc

Duty281 wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Corbyn's final PMQs was earlier today.

Farewell to the worst Labour leader...ever? Johnson should have paid tribute to Corbyn's hard work at keeping the Tories in Downing Street.

Got more votes than

Blair in 2005
Brown in 2010
Miliband in 2015

Lost to the worst ever Tory leader since the war (Theresa May) after 7 years of deeply unpopular austerity Tory government. Got absolutely annihilated by Johnson in 2019 and led Labour to their worst result since 1935 in terms of seats. Raw vote numbers matter very little - there were viable third party options  in 2005/2010/2015 but none in 2017/2019...no surprise the raw vote was higher. Higher population as well probably.

Seat numbers were catastrophic and that's all that counts in the end. And you can't even use a mitigation that he was up against formidable political opponents and/or a popular government, as some previous leaders of the opposition can claim.

His internal running of the Labour Party was also a complete shambles - how many shadow cabinet members did he go through? How many MPs did he end up alienating in his own party?

He was worse than useless. Had Burnham or Cooper won in 2015, it would be Labour in office right now.

May wasn't the worst Tory leader when he lost to her..

Her approvals were better than IDS...Hague and Major to name but 3..

But why let facts get in the way...Stay consistent.

The last GE was a Brexit Election...Farage backed out and Johnson picked up the Brexit Party vote..BJ was also new in the role..
Kinnock lost twice..

Corbyn won two leadership Elections....

Won seats at GE17...

More importantly he changed Labour....Miliband lost and never changed anything...

Burnham and Cooper got landslided they were so good.

I wish the guy well he didn't suck up to Murdoch and lost..He wasn't a Blair for sure but how many are ???..not Starmer..

.I'll ignore Navy's clueless crap..Can't be bothered..

How quick things change - look at what's gone on in the last few months:

June-July: A v predictable Tory leadership contest, followed by what looked like a UKIP government takeover, with likes of Patel and Raab coming in and competent/sensible Tories like Hammond, Gauke and Rudd out.

Sept-October: Parliamentary ding-dong as Johnson, Cummings & co ran down the clock to threat of no deal Brexit on 31st October. Cross-party alliances, Bercow wielding influence, and Johnson/Cummings boot out a load of Tory MPs for trying to stop no deal. Johnson/Cummings tactics look increasingly erratic, and opposition resists falling into trap of agreeing to general election.

November-December: The Cummings plan pays off - in a massive error of judgement Lib Dems and SNP decide to back government call for general election - Labour don't have the numbers to oppose it so general election it is. Johnson looks strangely uncomfortable, getting bad reception from members of public wherever he goes, and Tories run campaign on Brexit but not much else. Labour by contrast go for an even bolder manifesto than 2017 - however, appears to be diminishing returns, with each policy announcement getting less interest/credibility than the last one even though individually they prove popular. Corbyn still draws crowds, but not as big as 2017, and there is a spark missing. The Farage/Johnson pact was probably biggest game changer and it certainly lived up to billing as the 'Brexit election' as Sky has helpfully labelled it. Thumping 80 seat Tory majority - massive despondency and soul-searching on left, triumphalism amongst the right and Brexit supporters.

January: Labour leadership contest (we need a northerner/woman), but who's listening? Much talk of how the new 'Red Wall' Tory voters will have their needs met - rebalance the economy. Jan 31st symbolic exit from EU goes to plan - 31st December - we will leave the transition arrangement 'deal or no deal'. Talk of some new virus in China - focus on censored whistleblowers, bad death toll and some draconian measures, but otherwise feels a bit distant.

February: Cabinet power-struggle at the top, chancellor Javid forced to choose between sacking his advisors or resigning - chooses the latter. A new chancellor/puppet appointed - Rishi who? No doubt on who will be behind the forthcoming budget. Looks like Starmer's going to be Labour leader, but even less people seem to be noticing. People now talking bit more about this new coronavirus - death toll risen a lot in China, and its gone to other countries - wait, its now in Italy - getting bit closer to home, and its recorded in UK amongst people who'd recently arrived from China. Some early turbulence for Johnson with scandals over Priti Patel and some unhinged 'weirdo adviser' recommended by Cummings plus a lacklustre response on the flooding. Full steam ahead for Brexit though. Feb 29th: the first 'community transmission' of the virus in UK (i.e. not from overseas).

Early March: Finally and after some pressure, a Cobra emergency meeting is called, as UK gets over 30 cases, shortly followed by first deaths. Still, much of the focus was on Sunak's budget - the big spending, 'end of austerity' and trying to deliver for those Red Wall voters. Hastily, there were a few measures in budget to address economic impact of the growing threat from Covid-19, but most of the post budget analysis, which unbelievably was 11th March (now seems a lifetime ago) had a non-Covid 19 slant. Little did we know that 2 weeks later, there'd be another 3 emergency budget statements, during which on the whole Sunak's star has risen, whilst the country sees schools closed and a national lockdown, and deaths rising to 1000.

I fear April will be even bleaker, though hoping May will start to see things start to improve, both globally and nationally, in terms of the health impacts of the pandemic. Worrying and unprecedented times ahead economically - daren't gaze into the crystal ball, though hoping government can shift threat of a no deal Brexit on 31st December by extending the transition period. We're heading into a global depression - the worst possible time to try and negotiate new deals.

Sorry for long post - I'm in self-isolation and got a lot of time on my hands!

Tories up to 54% in a new poll by Number Cruncher Politics. Labour down to 28%. The rest in single figures. Johnson's approval rating up to +47. Sunak at +61.

Huge numbers. Whoever becomes Labour leader has a Hague-like task in front of them.

Polling is interesting - undoubtedly influenced by the fact that neither Labour or the Lib Dem’s have a leader at the moment.

Johnson’s approval ratings should be thing that worries them most - he was pretty unpopular during the election (just Corbyn was a lot more unpopular!) and did give me hope that Labour has a chance to turn it around in the next five years. If BJ becomes more popular...

Should be noted that Trump’s approval ratings are also up. Do wonder if that will hold up as things get worse both here and in the US, which they undoubtedly will unfortunately. Could be a bit of a ‘rally around the flag’ in both countries at the moment.

Labour's best hope at the next election is they force the Tories back into hung parliament territory, but that looks highly unlikely given the state of both parties - the Tories riding the biggest popularity wave for a UK party since Labour in the late 90s, Johnson the most popular PM since Blair (early years Blair!), and Labour in total disarray and still squabbling amongst themselves.

Barring a momentous crisis within the Tory Party, it's difficult to envisage Labour getting back into number ten any time this decade.

Trump's looking a stronger favourite by the day and it also helps him that, like Johnson in this country, he's up against a hopeless opposition.

Saw an article in the Times that had a blueprint for Starmer's purge of the left on Election...Blairites in top jobs...Lefties kicked off committees....

When it said he wanted General Secretary Formby out I kind of smelt bullcrap..

She is recovering from serious illness at the moment and I'd be surprised if he tried to move on her despite however much his team wanted it..

This blueprint looks more like wishful thinking..

The way Trump and his supporters bang on about the economy reminds me of that South Park episode where the economy crashed and the townspeople started behaving like it was an angry, biblical deity.

The Health Secretary...."Well done we are doing 10k of tests a day now"

Health Minister and his number 2 "We are still only doing 7k"

Bring back Hunt..

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:The Health Secretary...."Well done we are doing 10k of tests a day now"

Health Minister and his number 2 "We are still only doing 7k"

Bring back Hunt..

Have you got a link? I can't find anything about that.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

Duty281 wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Corbyn's final PMQs was earlier today.

Farewell to the worst Labour leader...ever? Johnson should have paid tribute to Corbyn's hard work at keeping the Tories in Downing Street.

Got more votes than

Blair in 2005
Brown in 2010
Miliband in 2015

Lost to the worst ever Tory leader since the war (Theresa May) after 7 years of deeply unpopular austerity Tory government. Got absolutely annihilated by Johnson in 2019 and led Labour to their worst result since 1935 in terms of seats. Raw vote numbers matter very little - there were viable third party options  in 2005/2010/2015 but none in 2017/2019...no surprise the raw vote was higher. Higher population as well probably.

Seat numbers were catastrophic and that's all that counts in the end. And you can't even use a mitigation that he was up against formidable political opponents and/or a popular government, as some previous leaders of the opposition can claim.

His internal running of the Labour Party was also a complete shambles - how many shadow cabinet members did he go through? How many MPs did he end up alienating in his own party?

He was worse than useless. Had Burnham or Cooper won in 2015, it would be Labour in office right now.

May wasn't the worst Tory leader when he lost to her..

Her approvals were better than IDS...Hague and Major to name but 3..

But why let facts get in the way...Stay consistent.

The last GE was a Brexit Election...Farage backed out and Johnson picked up the Brexit Party vote..BJ was also new in the role..
Kinnock lost twice..

Corbyn won two leadership Elections....

Won seats at GE17...

More importantly he changed Labour....Miliband lost and never changed anything...

Burnham and Cooper got landslided they were so good.

I wish the guy well he didn't suck up to Murdoch and lost..He wasn't a Blair for sure but how many are ???..not Starmer..

.I'll ignore Navy's clueless crap..Can't be bothered..

Aww, bless. Can't you take it?

Bless you....

Latest opinion poll shows 64% want Brexit transition period to be extended - will be severe economic suicide if we crash out on 31st December.

MrInvisible wrote:Latest opinion poll shows 64% want Brexit transition period to be extended - will be severe economic suicide if we crash out on 31st December.  

And there lies Johnson's next problem, after his handling of the current crisis.
Given that most of his campaign was get Brexit done, no more delays. Which swayed quite a few people to vote for him. Delaying could be seen as a betrayal, and ignoring them again.
But as you say, if he doesn't it will be economic suicide if he doesn't, especially as this country will be if not in recession, pretty close to it. And given this crisis, no other country is going to be thinking of anything else but there own country for a while.

If I was him I'd be honest, just say your delaying for a year, as the current crisis means, that there can be no negotiation as every country has to rightly take stock of where they are after it. And sort out there own country, before these negotiations. Some will complain, but most would like his honesty.

Luke wrote:

MrInvisible wrote:Latest opinion poll shows 64% want Brexit transition period to be extended - will be severe economic suicide if we crash out on 31st December.  

And there lies Johnson's next problem, after his handling of the current crisis.
Given that most of his campaign was get Brexit done, no more delays. Which swayed quite a few people to vote for him. Delaying could be seen as a betrayal, and ignoring them again.
But as you say, if he doesn't it will be economic suicide if he doesn't, especially as this country will be if not in recession, pretty close to it. And given this crisis, no other country is going to be thinking of anything else but there own country for a while.

If I was him I'd be honest, just say your delaying for a year, as the current crisis means, that there can be no negotiation as every country has to rightly take stock of where they are after it. And sort out there own country, before these negotiations. Some will complain, but most would like his honesty.

I don't think it's much of a problem for him, if he's seen to deal with this crisis well then delaying Brexit will be accepted.

Brexit implementation will be pushed back I expect...Johnson will have enough on his plate with a devastated Economy....Spiralling Unemployment.... Countless Businesses destroyed..

Going to be carnage when this is over..

Eventually when things don't recover quick enough for these planks who think he is doing a good job he will be..

Dead Man walking....Starmer will win a landslide..

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Brexit implementation will be pushed back I expect...Johnson will have enough on his plate with a devastated Economy....Spiralling Unemployment.... Countless Businesses destroyed..

Going to be carnage when this is over..

Eventually when things don't recover quick enough for these planks who think he is doing a good job he will be..

Dead Man walking....Starmer will win a landslide..

Labour don't stand a chance at the next election, wishful thinking there.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Starmer will win a landslide..

You boys don't understand the history of trying to win Elections during recessions...A big...long downcycle is coming with the Economy shrinking maybe as much as 10%..

When People are struggling to make ends meet...They look for someone to blame and Govt is always number 1 on the list..Always has been.

1979 in the UK....2010....Are fairly recent examples of struggling economies...

Grover Cleveland....Herbert Hoover...Taft.....to name but three casualties in the US...Chuck in Gerry Ford with the energy crisis....Truman retiring in 53..

Lots of Northern seats won with less than 1k votes..

History isn't for everybody though and I won't hold it against you guys..I promise.

Starmer = Landslide.

Oh history, silly me, trying to justify your opinion with American politics, good one Truss. Typical of you really trying to capitalise on people dying.

History, Truss? You mean like how John Major - a man with a tenth of the popular appeal of Johnson - won the 1992 election in spite of the recession and economic trouble of the early 90s? I think that's a bit more relevant than a bunch of pre-WW2 American Presidents under a voting system totally different to our own.

Labour are a long distance away from even winning the most seats at the next GE, let alone winning a majority at the next GE, let alone winning a landslide which has only ever been achieved by Labour when they had exceptional political leaders (Atlee/Blair; note Starmer is not an exceptional political leader).

I think Truro City have more chance of winning the Champions League in the next decade than Labour do of getting a landslide at the next GE!