General Election 2019

https://mobile.twitter.com/Steven_Swinford/status/1206868975512117248

Top trolling by Simon Jenkins;

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/16/lib-dems-tories-split-vote-labour

^But that was the logical conclusion of the Jonathan Freedland piece last week about Labour - if a party's only purpose is to be in power then what is the point of the LibDems or the Greens? The vague hope of another coalition? Freedland didn't follow that thought through though.
Except the Brexit party had a huge influence on this election, even though it's not really a party and stood down half its candidates. Farage has never been an MP but has had more effect than almost anyone else in the last 70 years. 30 years ago the SNP might as well have given up, given their prospects at the time.
The question of what is the point of smaller parties in a two-party, first past the post system is an interesting one.

We're fucked. 2 unelected cabinet members (taking back control) and actively going back on working rights commitment already.

thought through though

At least we have our beautiful language.

But that was the logical conclusion of the Jonathan Freedland piece last week about Labour - if a party's only purpose is to be in power then what is the point of the LibDems or the Greens

Surely Freedland was suggesting that if Labour had been serious about power, then Corbyn had always been the wrong choice.

I don't think that you can extend that outside of your own party - otherwise you'd end up saying that Labour should have disbanded in favour of the Tories, as they were going to be the eventual winners.

This by Paul Mason seems quite on-the-nose

https://www.paulmason.org/wp-content/upl­oads/2019/12/After-Corbynism-v1.2.pdf

But the real deficit of Corbynism was its refusal to listen to, and provide answers to, the cultural insecurity being expressed by people in ex-industrial towns.

This is something I've wondered. If Labour dropped the right-on/PC image and moved back to a focus on economically left-wing policies, how would that play with the electorate?

No idea what the most recent manifestos have been, but I'm confident when I looked at UKIP's and the BNP's when Nick Griffen was still around they were economically to the left.

You do throw around a lot of hand-me-down phrases; what, exactly, is their right-on/PC image?

The characterisation of the party as being run by middle class Londoners focused on social justice and equality in the broader sense.

actively going back on working rights commitment

Any more info on this?

the doc is in this tweet: https://mobile.twitter.com/Steven_Swinford/status/1206868975512117248

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How did the tory's win with such a scum bag leader?

It seems to be working round the world that right wing idiot arseholes keep being voted in.

Clears throat

He’s going to get Brexit done he is.

How did the tory's win with such a scum bag leader?

The five word answer?

... Labour wouldn't pass May's deal.

Even tho it was a shit deal?

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/dec/14/bbc-staff-express-fear-of-public-distrust-after-election-coverage

One BBC journalist working on a high-profile radio programme expressed exasperation with “ludicrous Twitter storms” over minor errors but admitted criticism had made life harder. “It’s really tough working for the BBC at the moment. I have never known the fury to be so great. But my overwhelming impression is that people should be careful what they wish for, because they will end up with Fox News or Russia Today.”

What is this journalist saying? That everyone needs to stop criticising the BBC before it turns into a state propaganda outlet? And that if it does turn into a state propaganda outlet then it'll be all our own fault for being so mean to them all the time? That would be the weirdest of flexes, yes?

I think they are saying that people should keep things in perspective.

Yeah, they're only a part of the biased media, not all of it, or the bit that is actually supposed to remain impartial.

Pretty much. For all its alleged faults I think the BBC should still exist - it’s under threat from the current government and the constant accusations of bias are enabling Johnson et al to trash it.

Thing is the right think there's an institutional left wing bias in the BBC and the left likewise...

They're a bloody centrist propaganda machine.

Or rightwingers are all lying wrong bastards and the left are super cool dudes and right, but the other right.

I never found a technical issue with the deal. The reasons given (from all detractors, left and right) weren't good. It was a withdrawal agreement, it got presented as something more. In it's final form it included the concessions Labour (sensibly) requested.

Basic political calculation would tell you no 'better' deal was likely to come after if May wasn't in charge. Despite this Remainers rolled a dice on stopping Brexit under the auspices of preventing a no-deal. I understand there were good intentions (as-well as bad) but it was naive and we are definitely worse off as a result.

If the ERG had voted for it then it would have passed. Blaming the opposition for not passing a Tory bill for them puts the onus on the wrong group.