General Election 2024

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/article/2024/jun/24/james-cracknell-olympic-rower-catastrophe-comas-comebacks-tories-partygate

I have a mate who used to be pretty high up in the Labour Party. He said that MPs, particularly in London, spend most of their time dealing with housing and immigration problems for their constituents (for individuals, not big picture stuff).

I've no doubt that Corbyn would be good at that kind of thing, it was when he actually tried to do big picture politics that it all went wrong.

he was hit by a petrol tanker while cycling in the US. Severe damage to his frontal lobe left him delusional, angry, incoherent, amnesiac and uncoordinated.

The punchlines just write themselves.

That's interesting. It aligns with something in Ian Dunt's last book around the issue with MPs effectively being asked to do two jobs; running the country and running the country.

I think he’s done plenty for his constituents over the years. I also approve of the way he’s voted in parliament. And he’s generally against military action, this is important to me. And he’s a socialist, I approve of that. And he supports freedom for Palestine and always has done. All things that I believe in.

And he’s generally against military action

Unless by Russia, obvs

I think it was a younger Portillo, before his '97 moment,
that urged his fellow Tories to put 'Clear Blue water' between themselves
and other parties. [He had been Defence Secretary so he might have still been full of
Admirals talking about Deep Sea fleets].
Seems odd that the Tries have chosen to not paddle but dive head first into the murky waters
of rightwing nationalism.
Cameron's attempt to see of the 'brexit fox' with the Referendum has only served to embolden
the debris at the far right edge of UK politics.
Lord FawFaw, funded by the likes of Aaron Banks and Richard Tice, to have targetted social media scare adverts, has decided he does not need the Tory press as intermediaries between himself and his adoring public.
And he knows he is on the wrong side of public opinion on Ukraine.
Democracy is worth fighting for.

Jeremy Corbyn is a great local MP in as much as he gets stuck into local issues. For example my other half used to be a trustee of a local charity and whenever there was a fundraising event or something he could be counted on to turn up. I met him about 35 years ago when he took a group of kids round the house of parliament. I wouldn't vote for him now though.

Tories are a "shower of shit" according to a video he posted to Facebook. Not sure he's quite got the hang of this campaigning lark.

Just a variation on the caller to a Farage radio appearance.
'I've changed my mind and I'm going to be voting for you'
'What made you change your mind?’
'I was kicked in the head by a horse'.

Interesting point I read the other day - the Tories had been briefing a May election to keep Labour guessing, while planning to go in the autumn.

This had the effect that Labour were already primed to go when July 4th was announced, but the Tories were caught unaware. Utterly self-defeating.

Gaffe-o-meter

Just a variation on the caller to a Farage radio appearance.

'I've changed my mind and I'm going to be voting for you'
'What made you change your mind?’
'I was kicked in the head by a horse'.

Thought those fuckers were meant to stay neutral?

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jun/24/princess-anne-treated-for-minor-injuries-and-concussion

Another day, another scandal. I'm sure this won't cut through but Tories using in-house Tory IT team to build personal websites then expensing it to get paid for by the tax payer.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jun/23/tory-mps-paid-100000-of-public-funds-to-partys-in-house-web-designers

Yeah, just to echo this (with the caveat that I'm well aware of the man's failings) my partner grew up in social housing in Islington and has multiple memories of him personally helping her family and neighbours.

Whatever his limitations as a politician (and I say this is a fellow socialist) he's been a damn good constituency MP.

That's a really good chart. Glad the Diane Abbott thing didn't go on any longer than it did

Random observation from my commute today:
So my workshop is in Bad Enochs constituency- leafy Essex villages, much beloved by early forum rides, not too far from Sawbridgeworth. Occasionally see Rod Stewart in the local coop buying the paper(he gets the Mirror and the FT). Classic tory heartlands area.

On any other occasion I’d say about 75% of all houses through the villages would be displaying Vote Tory placards on their perfectly manicured privet hedges but so far haven’t seen one.
In fact it’s pretty hard to gauge as I’m not seeing any signs at all apart from one house displaying a Deform banner.
There’s zero chance they’ll vote labour round here- mix of retired boomers in sprawling bungalows that they bought for pennies, premier league footballers and ladies that lunch in their customised range rovers and giant Porsches. So I wonder if they’re still tory voters but too embarrassed to admit it or if they’ll go over to Lib Dem/reform.

I think they are all just being more shy than usual. As much as I’d like to believe the polls will reflect results I can’t help but think nothing much will actually change.

Yep - classic shy tories. You can bet they'll be sad that funny Boris isn't still leader, but will suck it up and vote as usual.

Sunak in the rain should be the abiding memory of this election. Crazy how bad that was.

Missed the sheep running away from Rishi. Sounds like meme potential.

Wacky racists (not my caption but wish it was)

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I'm beginning to worry that there will be so many "Portillo" moments that I won't be able to properly savour them all. It might become a bit run of the mill.

I might get some classic issues of the Mail and Telegraph to hand to cleanse my pallate after each humiliating loss.

Apart from well… everything, I have always quite liked the reform branding.

Maybe not something to admit in public.

Yeah, and the SS had really cool uniforms.