General Election 2024

I agree with this but I also think it goes both ways. Kemi Badenoch and Kwasi were in similar position IMO.

I think this is more a reflection on how the Tories treat their own and deal with internal conflicts.

"Dozens of Brexit hard-liners are ditching politics for lucrative
jobs, leaving Labour to sort out the mess"

correct

I think you are painting a picture here based upon a very negative interpretation.

Another perspective might be that Starmer can’t afford to expose anything that the fervently right wing press in this country would pick up and run with.

Corbyn era anti-semitism furore would be a lifeline to the Tories and their courtesans in the press to hammer Labour with.

Is it fair? No. Is the single most important thing to focus on for the team at Labour “how to win”? Within reasonable moral boundaries, yes.

Starmer has very much learned the lesson here- he’s echoing the Tory line on for example tax, Brexit and so on, which means the RWNJ’s are running on “Rayner- we fucking hate her”, and Sunak is bringing out banger after banger with National Service, quadruple lock for pensioners and only the children of the 1% get to go to Uni.

Is this like the point where the US Republican Party went from being the woke abolitionists to right wing reactionaries?

Is it a bit of both / the same thing.

He's keen to make sure his party is as governable as possible - including shoring up his work on overcoming the antisemitism issue.

I do think having a strong left wing faction could get messy quickly in the new parliament - and like you say - the media will be more than happy to help whip this up (inset Brasseye "war" gif).

There are lots of areas the left of the party will want their government to go further on - but all the indications are that it's going to be a slow process of turning the ship around - built mainly on doing politics in a grown up way.

Hands-down straight in the top 100 worst political moments.

Man asks Sunak about breaking lockdown while he couldn't be with his
dying Mum.

Sunak [smilling]: I just turned up early for a meeting [still smiling]
for people like you [smiling] that's when I was first on TV

https://x.com/BestForBritain/status/1796196352512188625

If Smarmer can govern as a caring conservative...it's probably the best we can hope for. Copy Blair and govern for three terms. He might even get some of the press to support him. Shitting on a few good Labour MPs might be a price worth paying, for all of us.

OTOH he's a lying fascist. Just another Rees Mogg, with better hair. Owen Jones told me to write this.

that's when I was first on TV

Not to take the role of an apologist but that’s not what he said on the clip?

I think Ed Davey antics are about not wanting to get memory holed like the LibDem leader in 2019 who you will have to go and look up like I did earlier today

I don't know if you were on her campaign mailing list this time, but if you were she asking people to write to Starmer and Labour this time on her behalf. There's a link on her Facebook page I think, or I can prob forward you the email if you like. I imagine it will do fuck all good and will just get me booted out the labour party if anything in the current climate, but I've done it as I'm a Labour member, but I doubt I'll be doing any campaigning locally, if at all now, so at least I can feel like I've done something this time. Same goes for you @Jonte

I mean, it’s getting him lots of coverage, and it’s not of him having to reconcile the different stories* the LDs are telling in different constituencies.

(*To be clear - if that’s what it takes for you to beat Tories, fill your boots)

Micky Mouse

1 Attachment

Confused by this one….seems it’s only be covered in the right wing press (not even BBC). How can they put this through during the election period? I thought they couldn’t make new laws during the election period (maybe this was part of the wrap up).

https://dluhcmedia.blog.gov.uk/2024/05/21/farming-planning-law-changes-coverage/

That was written on 21st may election was called on 22nd didn't they have a few days to rush through last minute bills. The leasehold reform bill for through on the Friday night before parliament shutdown I believe

I've been out all day, anyting (not Trump) substantial happen today?

Tactical voting could cause a massive upset in north Norfolk

funny how Luke Akehurst's outright antisemitism is acceptable isn't it? 🤔

https://x.com/stevepowers_/status/1701922625809756196?s=46&t=_HswkCPf2uyZ0dLpGJz7nQ

he's deleted like 1500 tweets since last week I think, nothing to see here 😂

Clearly all this blocking/suspending of the prominent left leaning Labour candidates is going to piss a lot of people off - but will it make for more effective government? I could really do with our governing party not tearing itself to shreds and instead focus on trying to make things a bit better all round.

I'm generally sympathetic to Starmer in both policy and strategy, and I think his arguable overcorrection to the centre is (almost) entirely justified by the 2019 GE results. So don't mistake what I'm about to say for ideological or factional disagreement. Because to me what's more important is principle, and the principle should apply to everyone.

But the process of parachuting ideological allies into safe seats is very rarely done with good governance in mind. It's done to create allies for the leader of the party, to make their life easier when they want to get stuff done, votes passed, etc. You could argue that's the same thing - I'm sure that's what the leader would argue - but it isn't, not really, and I'll explain why in a moment. That was the case when Corbyn did it, and it's the case now Starmer is doing it.

And the problem when leaders consider ideological allyship - before whether or not a person is the best candidate for the job - is that you end up giving seats to liabilities. And those liabilities end up damaging the party, and party unity, and our reputation, sooner or later.

Luke Akehurst is on the opposite side of the party to Claudia Webb, but they're both liabilities who would never have been chosen had factionalism not been front and centre in the process. Neither belong anywhere near a safe seat. Both betray bad judgement (imo) and their behaviour amounts to more of a risk for the party than the value of the allyship to the leadership. This is the key problem with factionalism, and every Labour leader has it, to one extent or the other. Some are better at it than others, that's all.

@Mattladd1 Iain Dale drops out. Well that went well

https://x.com/Mattladd1/status/1796463177649234375

Boris did the same as PM and got rid of as many centre-right remainers as he could, which proved short-sighted when Liz and Rishi couldn't pull a capable cabinet together.

This is quite glorious

Grant Shapps

What have I done for Welwyn & Hatfield?

proceeds to say nothing

https://x.com/AdamBienkov/status/1796458644613272005

He has a very limited wardrobe in that montage. Almost as if it was all shot over a very small number of visits / wardrobe changes.

Already done. Like you say I expect no response/affect.

GENERAL ELECTION 2024: FIRST MRP POLL

We at @electcalculus and @findoutnow asked over 10k people for @DailyMailUK who they intended to vote for in the general election.

Seats tally

CON: 66
LAB: 476
LD: 59
Reform: 0
Green: 2

This accounts for tactical voting

Bit more analysis in the thread
https://x.com/MarwanData/status/1796633036395622814?t=275pGPt7PGpDD-Igsf8dxA&s=19