Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Looking at the results on the BBC, while it seems the Consevatives have (as expected) lost out big time, its not been a hugh swing to Labour.
In fact only about 35% on the losses have gone to the reds, the libs, greens & independants have all fared well. I guess in many areas, people didnt want to vote blue, but couldnt bare the thought of red either. Could be an interesting General Election when it comes.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Yes, and it's making it hard to guess from the turnout if the Tories hope they've won London is based on anything real. We don't know if people who would have put Green first, Labour second, will have voted Labour tactically this time.

I think a lot of people will have looked at the polling and voted for someone else.

It's unlikely that the independents and Lib Dems will do as well in a General Election. I think the Tories are drawing the wrong message from the vote share in the local elections and the media, desperate for a narrative, isn't helping. I saw this Tweet from The Sun on Sunday's political editor: https://twitter.com/kateferguson4/st...21822902173717

This is complete idiocy and would explain a lot of what's going wrong with the Tories if they're this dumb. The Projected National Share is not a poll or projection of a General Election. It's what they think would happen if everyone voted on Thursday rather than only some of it. It doesn't account for people voting differently in General Elections. Sky is even worse as they've done a seat projection showing Labour falling short of a majority but their model gives the SNP every seat in Scotland as they have no data from there in this election.

You also wonder how many of them reconcile that with the 26-point swing in Blackpool, one of several record swings in the last year. :dunce:

If the No 10 really think the message to take from this election is they're only 9 points behind Labour and Tees Valley is a sign they're doing well then they're mad.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

^this. Not to mention, there were no votes in Scotland on Thursday and it is idiocy of the highest order to use anything that has happened in English councils to predict the totally different dynamic between the SNP and Labour, or the SNP and Tory, that exists here (there are very few places in Scotland, if any, where any parliamentary seat is a straight red-blue fight).

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-p...ost_type=share

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

So was the Mayoral Election stolen from Susan Hall, or did she just leave it on the Tube? ;)

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

It appears everyone, including me, read too much into the tea leaves of the turnout without accounting for the fact that there has been a swing against the Tories since 2021.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Maybe some media outlets only see what they want to see, then post their headlines, then makes fools of themselves. 'On a knife edge', Mr K (;)) increased his majority !

Oh look , they've lost a Mayor in the 2nd biggest city too. How careless..... That was supposed to be safe too.

Rishi still in post on Monday, will be the icing on the cake for Labour. Tbf they haven't got anyone better.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Labour has won the West Midlands Mayorality.

Andy Street has been all accounts a good Mayor and he has brought it really close despite the national picture being really against him.

I don't think the Tories know how much trouble they are in. I know they have to put a good face on results but last night they were almost jubilant about keeping Tees Valley, the projected vote share they didn't understand, and the baseless rumour London was close. They seem to believe their own spin.

Street must be so angry about HS2. That was easily the difference, he was against it and Sunak dropped 10 years' worth of investment in the hope of a small poll bounce they didn't get.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

https://news.sky.com/story/vote-2024...#liveblog-body

Pretty sure the saying is "if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging."

She doesn’t want a Leadership contest (imho) because she knows the Conservatives, and whoever is in charge of the Conservatives at the next General Election, are going to be thrashed, and if there is a Leadership Election before then she would be a favourite to win it…

Anyway, at the London Mayoral Election, Reform UK lost their deposit, and Count Binface beat Britain First… :D

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Suella Braverman says Kier Starmer has the charisma of a peanut. I feel a bit in'salted' by that. But there was no need for insults, and didn't do herself any favors there.

Seriously though, to say she regrets backing Sunak and to say they're basically screwed then go on to say Sunak "needs to own this" at least was the right thing to say. A little too late though to do anything about it.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Unlike Britain First, Count Binface had some sensible policies, eg:-

The hand dryer in the gents’ toilet at the Crown & Treaty, Uxbridge, to be moved to a more sensible position.

Ceefax to be brought back for all households within the M25

Renaming London Bridge to Phoebe Waller Bridge.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

I feel sorry for Andy Street - a talented individual who did his best for the West Midlands and leaves his successor a good legacy. The same praise cannot be bestowed on Tees Mayor Ben Houchen who actually retains his job.

I think you're right - the Conservatives seem to spend a lot of their time in an echo chamber. Interviewing one another at GB News does not give them exposure to the views of the majority of the population. A population exposed to cash-strapped councils, an NHS with long waiting lists and an economy under-performing its peers.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

If only more Conservatives behaved with integrity and grace like Andy Street their party might not as loathed as many of their politicians are currently by the electorate.

Braverman entirely the opposite of him this morning on the BBC

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Some of the analysis (Sky I think) assumes no change at all in Scotland. I’m sure we can all agree how flawed that is. Polling (usual caveats apply) has the SNP under 30% for the first time in years which would decimate their numbers with the majority (if not vast majority) going Labour.

I’d only add to the many reasons they aren’t comparable (independent candidates, etc.) to say turnout will inevitably be much higher at the GE.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Politics latest: Tory MP defects to Labour - minutes before Rishi Sunak faces Keir Starmer at PMQs
Tory MP Natalie Elphicke has defected to Labour, hitting out at the "broken promises of Rishi Sunak's tired and chaotic government". The announcement came as Rishi Sunak faces off with Sir Keir Starmer in the first Prime Minister's Questions since the local elections.

https://news.sky.com/story/vote-2024...ction-12593360

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

One way to try and keep your seat perhaps ? Move to the obviously winning party.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Except that seat already has a labour candidate...

She might get offered a chance to stand in a different one, her immigration stance will be a useful deflection for Sir beer

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Apparently, Labour has clarified that Mike Tapp is still the Labour candidate for Dover and Natalie Elphicke is stepping down at the election.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Peerage ?:D:rolleyes:

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

They just need putting down really. It's the kindest thing ;)

There really maybe very little opposition in the next parliament and that won't be good for anyone.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Do they deserve kindness though? They never showed any in 14 years. As the results are announced I want to see pain in the face of every one of them as they get dumped out of office on the night. I won’t get my wish though, they already know they’re beaten as plenty are defecting or announcing their “decision to step down at the next election”.

Typical Tories, can’t even take defeat gracefully.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

They and their cronies have done very well out of the easily led plebs. To be fair they have 'got Brexit done'. Are we grateful, or have we woken up to reality, aka 'Project Fear', and an increasingly divided poor country? The damage will take many decades to repair.

I do despair of the fickle electorate sometimes. They treat elections like a reality TV show. There should be an IQ test to vote, not voter ID.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

The fact the Tory MPs are effectively interchangeable with Labour proves that we have a uni-party. Corbyn tried to be Labour and Truss tried to be Conservative, both were dealt with.

If you’re voting Labour or Tory at the next election it doesn’t matter, you’re voting for 5 more years of the same:

Low growth, low productivity, massively high immigration, gender/trans ideology, islamism, freedom restrictions, authoritarianism, knife crime, high energy bills…..etc

…………ENJOY………….

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Rishi's all out of options and he's up against the wall. It's time to initiate 'PROJECT FEAR'.... :rolleyes:

"We're doomed I tell you"... DOOOMED !!!! :D

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

We know that, whose fault is it? Anybody but the Govt of the past 14 years apparently!

The 'anyone else must be worse' argument, isn't going work this time.

Get on with it, it's like a slow death...

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Its called the Levido electoral game plan.

The only problem is apart from the mostly Tory media with their client journalists asking the questions, nobody else is listening to it.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Not often I agree with your views but in this case :shocked: seems the same in the US of A two old useless men . Lord help us all:erm:

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

The speech that Sunak made yesterday shows that it's already begun and the announcement that they will review (read cut) sickness & disability benefits (again) is designed to appeal to those on the right if their party.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

This rubbish is why I'm glad Scotland controls and manages its own disability payments now.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

According to them anxiety & depression can just be shrugged off and will improve once sufferers go back to work and stop claiming ESA.

The Tories under Cameron changed DLA for adults to PIP in the hope that it would reduce or stop payments to disabled people. It hasn't in many cases so now they want to start taking a person's illnesses & disabilities into account again and not just how their conditions affect their ability to carry out tasks.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Been switched to ADP(Adult Disability Payment) in Scotland a while now and had a review last year. Form filled in and sent off. Letter two months later confirming award and then date when reward ends and will be reviewed again. No hassles with interviews and phone meetings etc.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Already placed my order :D

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Many would not disagree.:D:D

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Based on the latest opinion poll they're slightly over performing on one star.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

I think 67 Million may be a little inaccurate, but quite funny anyway. :)

Election
 

It ain't over till the fat lady sings.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

I respectfully submit that the fat lady has completed an extremely successful weight loss and fitness programme as well as moving on from her singing career.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Labour will be the biggest party after the election, I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.

But it will be interesting. The turnout will probably be very low.

The scale of victory will most likely be small, Labour may even fail to get a majority.


You can slag off the Tories, quite rightly, but there is no real appetite for Labour and when they win, their honeymoon period will last about 4 seconds before the electorate turn on them.

They’ll probably panic and try to get rid of Starmer within the first 18 months to 2 years.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

A small Labour majority or a hung parliament would represent a polling failure on a grander scale than 1992. At the moment there’s a small but significant chance of the Tories ending up with well under 200 seats. An outlier here and there says 100 or less.

If Labour doesn’t come out of it with a landslide it will be because their campaign utterly throws away the lead they have now had for the last 2-3 years.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Labour won't get a honeymoon because of how dire things are. The question will be if they can get the country looking like at least some progress is being made in 5 years. Low growth, high debt and high taxes is a toxic combination to inherit.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Labour will win, and have a Majority, there seems little doubt of that.

What they do with it will either keep them in power for a long time, or like the conservatives, they will blow it, and get crushed again at the next election.

Either way, I doubt most people will see much improvement in their lives, thats been my experience over the last 40 years of seeing both in power for long periods.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

No need to apologise. In MANY peoples’ opinions he’s an idiot

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

looking at the mess labour is continuing to make in Wales, things must be really bad for people to think that labour is the answer :confused:

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Better than having the corrupt Party in power in Wales. We all know how they love to spaff billions of your money to their mates.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Please tell me that a cycleway costing an estimated £6 million pounds is good value for money it is around a mile long :erm: labour sure know how to splash the cash . Still we have plenty of padding pools in our streets and showers a plenty in schools . The other man's grass etc.:shocked: guess by mates you mean born guessing and his friends in the company that has court convictions

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Tell me £32bn (plus billions for unapproved PPE) for a barely working track and trace system being given to party family members is good value for money.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

The legal ones are the issue though.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Why? We do not have enough "highly educated" talent, we need them.....

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

We do have enough and no we don’t need them.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

If it's as good as Boris's excellent Cycle Superhighways in London, that's an absolute bargain. They were about three times that.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Well you cant both be right, any evidence either way ?

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

academics

NHS staff

And take into the account "highly qualified" foreigners can get UK nationality fast and very easily.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Conservative Cross Border Checks: "Hold my beer!" :beer:

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...c31d99d5&ei=35

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Very loud rumours of an election date to be announced today. No 10 has not denied the rumours to journalists and many of those journalists have also said their normal sources are not responding: https://x.com/ShippersUnbound/status...15724011327507

Cabinet ministers have been told to attend a meeting at 4pm with no indication what it's about: https://x.com/JasonGroves1/status/17...2VW5f7QElXtO9Q

Sunak has not denied it just now by instead saying there will be an election in the 2nd half of this year.

The 2nd half of this year of course starts in just over six weeks, any snap election would be in that period.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

https://x.com/Peston/status/1793255310670323739

please please let it happen

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

The noise is fever pitch now. Journalists are saying that No 10 has gone into radio silence and no one is picking up calls.

If they're not calling it now then they will look even bigger idiots.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

The earlier it is the sooner this awful government with its daily psychodramas and constant internecine warfare can be voted out and this country can elect someone who might just put this country and all its great ills first for once.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Well it makes sense, after all he's a very popular guy and his "plan" is working so why not (even though he reckons the country doesn't want it :dunce:)

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Natasha Clarke LBC political editor now thinking it going to happen changed her mind from this morning

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

It must be.

No 10 would have shut it down now or at least there would have been some leaks to the press to cool it.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

David Cameron pulled from meeting in Albania to fly home for cabinet meeting

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Boris Johnson is being recalled to replace Sunak as Prime Minster.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

:D:D

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

https://x.com/electpoliticsuk/status...94309250281644

bring it on let the tory war begin gonna be utter chaos

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

sky news understands it on for 4th July

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Well it had to be some time. So why not.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

cant wait to see end of worst government ever

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

YES!!! July 4th is when we’ll finally get to see the end of the most evil, corrupt and dishonest government in history. I don’t smile much these days but I have a big grin this afternoon. And after July 4th it’ll take several top surgeons to remove the smile from my face :D

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Perhaps there are more shitshows down the line.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

:D

https://youtu.be/fDB6aVekY-A?si=V7-iom-fpczLlrtK

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

My Aunts birthday although given she has voted Tory all her life she might not be in a celebratory mood.;)

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Hold on, they haven't got in yet. Then we'll judge how bad they are, but you're right they'll probably end up being the worst.

---------- Post added at 16:33 ---------- Previous post was at 16:33 ----------

Guaranteed over the next five years.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

you have got OB's rose tinted glasses firmly on aint ya :LOL:

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

What's not encouraging is the suggestion they think things will get worse over the summer so are going now :dozey:

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Hadn't realised that the Senedd and its crooked first minister could do that :D

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Especially with the awful mess the Conservative government have left this country in.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

bring it on tories out out out

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Who is playing Project Fear now?

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Time for one of the mods to set up a general election thread with a poll added on so we can have our own vote.;)

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Wheeling out that same old BS about everyone in work being “£900 a year better off”

Ah naff off Sunak. Why wait? Go now.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

This is the first time that the announcement of a snap election could have a direct impact for me. The large contract I'm working on is going through tender for renewal, and the successful bidder hasn't been announced yet.

As typical of anything involving civil servants, they are expected to announce a short contract extension because they aren't ready (They had a 12 month extension this time last year because they wasn't ready!)

Things never run smoothly, and I always expect 3-6 weeks downtime when contract renewal comes around, but a snap election could really mess things up. Having not been in the situation before, I hadn't given a thought to how it can affect people when purdah kicks in.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

A bit of highly selective maths designed to bamboozle the hard of thinking, encourage the terminally forgetful and give the filthy rich a nudge towards more of the same self serving chaos.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Well, barring a miracle, it looks like the Rwanda policy is dead, as Rishi has announced that the first flights wont take off until after the GE....

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Maybe that's why he called the election when he did to avoid seeing through this fiasco

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

The entire past 14 years summed up right there.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

The Rwanda policy was doomed from the start.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi