General Election 2024

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greentricky

It’s happened again. Centrists heard a posh person speaking and immediately decided that person should be prime minister.

....

Stewart voted strongly against public ownership of rail and buses; for tuition fees and against helping young people in training and further education; for harsher immigration policies and mass surveillance; for anti-trade union restrictions; and in favour of war and nuclear weapons.

Interestingly, given his FBPE fanbase, he voted against EU integration and the right for EU citizens to stay in the UK. He virtually always voted against those on benefits, including those who are disabled or suffering from long-term illness.

Stewart resisted an elected upper house, empowering local councils and proportional representation. He opposed laws to increase human rights and equality. And he opposed laws which would prevent climate change and for selling off publicly owned forests.

https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2022/05/27/rory-stewart-has-centrist-hearts-fluttering-again-so-heres-his-voting-record/

He will argue he had to vote in this way to get a ministerial position where he could effect change but it didn't really work out did it

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duncs in reply to @greentricky

He will argue he had to vote in this way to get a ministerial position where he could effect change but it didn't really work out did it

In that he didn't win the leadership election and ended up leaving the party rather than toeing the line with Johnson and co. No, I guess it didn't work out in that sense, but I still think in a 2 party system with whips etc then it's a sad fact that you do need to go along with the party line on the vast majority of things and when you do decide to step out of line then be prepared that it might be the end of the political aspirations if it doesn't pan out.

I'm in the same boat as @ReekBlefs I think. I don't agree with Stewart's positions, but he does seem to have thought about them before getting there rather than jumped to the lunatic fringe or populist Truss, Johnson style positions.

Rory Stewart sounds like a "reasonable guy". He's not.

He is reasoned though. Which is a significant step up from most of the party.

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Chalfie in reply to @duncs

He is reasoned though. Which is a significant step up from most of the party.

That wasn’t intended but it was intentional.

We can all do that with words.
Even Gove sounds fairly reasonable when interviewed, because voice, words used, etc.

I remember that guardian IDS interview from years ago which made him sound reasonable and impassioned to make change and reform benefits.
He did. He fucking broke it.

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