UK Politics Thread

[Jimbuna]

Diane Abbott is facing criticism for posting a "misleading" tweet, which has been shared widely across social media and even used in Labour-affiliated advertising.

The shadow home secretary compared the media coverage of ex-Labour MP Ian Austin saying he would vote for the Conservatives with the coverage of former Tory MP Ken Clarke when he spoke of being conflicted about voting for his old party in the election.

She tweeted: "Ian Austin, one year as a junior minister at DCLG, says he won't vote for Labour. Wall-to-wall coverage. Ken Clarke, nine years as secretary of state, including as chancellor, says he won't vote for the Conservatives. Silence. Balanced election coverage?"

According to independent fact-checking organisation Full Fact, Ms Abbott's tweet is incorrect and misleading.

"While it's true that the two sets of comments received different levels of media attention, Ms Abbott's phrasing doesn't portray them entirely accurately, overstating what Ken Clarke said and implying the two sets of comments to be more similar than they are," it said.

"Mr Austin didn't just say he personally wouldn't vote Labour this election… he explicitly called on Labour voters to vote for the Conservatives. Meanwhile Ken Clarke did not say he 'won't vote for the Conservatives'.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/50352176

Labours 'Liability Lady' is at it again. Steptoe really needs to serve a gagging order on her

[Jimbuna]

Early days yet but if this trend continues we may be looking at a hung Parliament.

New polling has delivered a major blow to Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour, with the party apparently suffering in its traditional strongholds.

The Conservatives have also endured polling slumps in the new YouGov data, though they are nowhere near as pronounced as Labour’s.

Ahead of next month's general election, Mr Corbyn’s troubles are most visible in Labour’s northern heartlands.

In the north-west, the party scored 30 per cent, down 25 from its 2017 general election result. Boris Johnson’s Tories are polling at 33 per cent.

There was a similar drop in support in the north-east, where Labour polled at 32 per cent, down 23 from 2017.

Even in London there was a sizeable drop for Labour, which is down from 55 per cent in 2017 to 39 in the latest data, which was gathered from October 17 up to Monday this week.

Meanwhile, in Tory strongholds in the south-east and south-west, there were identical 13-point drops to 41 per cent.

The Liberal Democrats and newly formed Brexit Party appear to be taking advantage of the polarised Brexit debate, with the arch-Remainers led by Jo Swinson increasing support in every region.

The Lib Dems’ biggest leaps came in the north-west (up from five per cent in 2017 to 17 per cent in the latest polling) and south-east (up from 11 per cent in 2017 to 23 per cent in the poll).

The Brexit Party’s biggest support is coming from the north-east, where it is currently polling at 19 per cent: seven points behind the Tories.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...id=mailsignout

[Jimbuna]

Nigel Farage faces mounting pressure to stand down as his backers warn that the Brexit Party's surging support could cost vital Tory seats at the election.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknew...id=mailsignout

This is the great unknown that many will be pondering but I doubt Farage will take any notice.

[STEED]

I doubt the Brexit party will get one seat let alone damage the Tories big time. Sounds like a load of BS to me, the BP has passed their high water mark and have plunge in the polls and any way Farage said he was also going after Labour so should he back off there as well?


Meanwhile I hear the SNP will form alliance with Labour as long as they get there IR2. I can not see Labour saying sure go ahead with another independent referendum.

[Jimbuna]

As far as I'm aware Labour have said not in the early part of their reign but later on maybe.

[mapuc]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

The first referendum took place on Thursday 18 September 2014 on Scottish independence from the United Kingdom.

I was referring to your EU referendum 2016

Back to the ordinary schedule

Markus

[Jimbuna]

It would now appear that to be a candidate for the forthcoming general election you would be far better served if you had no historic social media posts

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50365354

[Jimbuna]

At every general election, there is one constituency in the UK where the voters don't get to vote for the main parties.

"A pointless vote."

"Undemocratic."

"A sham."

Those are the views of some of the 80,000-strong electorate in Buckingham, who feel they haven't had a democratic say at a general election since 2005.

That's because Buckingham's MP has been John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons for the last 10 years.

A longstanding parliamentary tradition means major parties agree not to stand against the Speaker, who is considered to be politically neutral.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50320790

So this is why we were stuck with the bugga

[STEED]

Not just the speaker the clerks as well some three to five of them. They have to be elected to gain access to the HoC and the speaker of the House is the most powerful position way above PM.

[Jimbuna]

The Conservative peer Brian Mawhinney has died at the age of 79.

The Belfast-born former chairman of the Conservative Party joined the House of Lords in 2005 after standing down as MP for North West Cambridgeshire.

In 2003 he was appointed as chairman of the Football League, a role he carried out for seven years.

In a statement, his family said the "much-loved husband, father and grandfather and a friend to many" died on Saturday after a long illness.

"His death brings an end to a life dedicated to public service and rooted in an unwavering Christian faith," the statement said.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...shire-50366894

A true gentleman, may he rest in peace.

[Jimbuna]

[STEED]

We need you to step up jim

What next?

Jim your country needs you to go forth and do you're duty and vote for Labour, you know this to be the right thing for queen and country. Voting Labour is positive and the greatest thing you can do....

[Jimbuna]

Never in a million years.

[STEED]

Nigel Farage says Brexit Party won't contest seats won by Tories in 2017 - but will stand in all Labour seats

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50377396

Well Nigel you just got a mate of mind bloody angry as he was going to vote BP and now he can not as he is in a tory seat.

From my point of view Nigel and the Brexit party is on the retreat and that will spell the slow death of his party.

[Jimbuna]

Tory or Brexit, they both want similar outcomes to the referendum, one being a little more extreme than the other.