Realistically labour will need a fairly decent lead in the polls to even have a chance of winning the election as I'm sure shy Tory syndrome will strike again.
I don't believe the polls at all from overhearing conversations. It's the hope that kills you! I wish we had unbiased media in this country.
It's Corbyn's birthday today!
The Times reporting the latest YouGov poll with Labour closing the gap to 5 points at 38%. Corbyn's personal ratings are still low, but improving whilst May seems to drop points every time she opens her mouth.
I don't believe the polls at all from overhearing conversations. It's the hope that kills you! I wish we had unbiased media in this country.
It's Corbyn's birthday today!
The Times reporting the latest YouGov poll with Labour closing the gap to 5 points at 38%. Corbyn's personal ratings are still low, but improving whilst May seems to drop points every time she opens her mouth.
Tonight's Andrew Neil interview is going to be very interesting. I imagine it is going to be the first time many people will have seen him in such a situation. I think he is generally a good one on one interviewee, he comes across as quite reasoned and thoughtful against a belligerent interviewer.
I welcome the news. It is the last chance for the country to stop the disaster that is Brexit. I am not concerned about the national opinion polls. Labour won't lose any seats in London or Scotland. Any sensible Labour voter in the South West is going to vote Liberal Democrat. Any sensible Lib Dem voter in the North will vote Labour. It will be interesting to see how the opinion polls move over the next few weeks in those seats with traditionally high Lib Dem votes.
May is a dishonest individual who is only motivated by what is good for the Conservative Party. She has no parents, no children, no relatives and married her first boyfriend. The Conservative Party is her entire family.
The election is a combination of that (IE cashing in for purely partisan reasons with everyone else in disarray) and wasting a bit more time before facing up to the realities of 'Brexit'.
There are only, and have only ever been, 2 options:
(1) Stay in the EU (2) Be fired out of the EU with no arrangements, like a shell out of a gun
The former, by the way, includes the Norway + Swiss options which are basically signing up to everything, paying the money, but pretending you're independent and having no say over EU arrangements.
My view is that May will go for the latter, because (a) the Conservative Party will force her to (and if she doesn't she'll be neutralised very quickly, like Cameron and Major) (b) she doesn't care about ordinary people, and (c) she doesn't actually understand anything about the EU and economics.
This is a tragedy for ordinary people of historic proportions that will be spoken about for decades to come.
As for the result..........My predictions are:
- Conservative majority increased, but not a landslide - Labour down, but Corbyn remains - SNP remain predominant in Scotland (ok, they might lose a couple of seat, but so what) - Lib Dems win a few but not enough to be real challengers
What a complete waste of time and a total irrelevance to the issues facing us.
I welcome the news. It is the last chance for the country to stop the disaster that is Brexit. I am not concerned about the national opinion polls. Labour won't lose any seats in London or Scotland. Any sensible Labour voter in the South West is going to vote Liberal Democrat. Any sensible Lib Dem voter in the North will vote Labour. It will be interesting to see how the opinion polls move over the next few weeks in those seats with traditionally high Lib Dem votes.
May is a dishonest individual who is only motivated by what is good for the Conservative Party. She has no parents, no children, no relatives and married her first boyfriend. The Conservative Party is her entire family.
The election is a combination of that (IE cashing in for purely partisan reasons with everyone else in disarray) and wasting a bit more time before facing up to the realities of 'Brexit'.
There are only, and have only ever been, 2 options:
(1) Stay in the EU (2) Be fired out of the EU with no arrangements, like a shell out of a gun
The former, by the way, includes the Norway + Swiss options which are basically signing up to everything, paying the money, but pretending you're independent and having no say over EU arrangements.
My view is that May will go for the latter, because (a) the Conservative Party will force her to (and if she doesn't she'll be neutralised very quickly, like Cameron and Major) (b) she doesn't care about ordinary people, and (c) she doesn't actually understand anything about the EU and economics.
This is a tragedy for ordinary people of historic proportions that will be spoken about for decades to come.
As for the result..........My predictions are:
- Conservative majority increased, but not a landslide - Labour down, but Corbyn remains - SNP remain predominant in Scotland (ok, they might lose a couple of seat, but so what) - Lib Dems win a few but not enough to be real challengers
What a complete waste of time and a total irrelevance to the issues facing us.
Good post in my view and pretty accurate forecast I reckon.
I'm going on holiday next month and was wondering if I should get my Euros before the general election?
Same here. Personally I'm going to wait until after the election as a Tory victory should boost the pound. By the way I'm not a Tory but I do believe they will win comfortably
I'm going on holiday next month and was wondering if I should get my Euros before the general election?
I would get them today, if I could. My understanding is that the exchange rates are a bit uncertain (the market seems to like a clear winner being identified in advance, and Sterling has alreay dropped with the closing polls).
I'm going on holiday next month and was wondering if I should get my Euros before the general election?
If anyone can answer that question with any certainty then they should stop wasting their time on a Charlton forum and use the billions they've made from currency speculation to buy the club !
I like people thinking about things - you can agree or disagree but Corbyn says what he believes. He is a bit different to any other party leader before him. I think he blames both his own party and the current government for their rush to war which destabilised the region. The question, I suppose is do you think the wars were a good thing or bad thing. People may not be ready for it, but Corbyn is offering another way!
I see the growth forecast which was 0.3% was amended to 0.2% today. This is a pathetic figure and there is a clear economic explanation for it. With the cost of living rising, people are going to hold on to their money and it is going to be stagnent then get worse. This is always what happens in times of austerity. Labour's policies are all about making the pound work harder and growth. If borrowing goes up a little, GDP is going to rise disroportionally. It is a shame we all seem to want to head to the gloom when there is the chance of light. Some of the worlds top economists are saying that, but we seem stuck in the economics of the nursery school playground.
All the wealth is going to a tiny percentage and their share is increasing. Here is our chance to stand up for something better. I'm off on holiday to Italy for a week - I may dip in to see how things are going, but I hope the continued emergence of what is right for the country does not abate.
What about the 15 odd times Corbyn voted against the various anti terror laws? Has he now changed his mind?
Were they good anti-terror laws, or kneejerk responses that were impractical or even counterproductive? If I was an MP and was asked to vote on some of the proposals I've heard mentioned in the last couple of days, I'd be voting against them too.
What about the 15 odd times Corbyn voted against the various anti terror laws? Has he now changed his mind?
The vast majority of proposed anti-terror laws (both those enacted and those that didn't make it onto the books) are overly broad, already partially or completely covered by existing law, or ripe for abuse.
For example, do you know which group has had various anti-terror laws used against it the most this century? Here's a clue, it's not terrorists (or suspected terrorists) and it rhymes with hootcall tans.
Conservatives supposedly espouse small government, to my mind that should include making the minimum laws required, and giving police the minimum powers needed, to get the job done. However, Thatcher created/passed more new laws in her time than had been created in the previous years of the 20th century, and every government since has continue at this pace of creating new law after new law, with massive overlaps (sometimes contradictory) and redundancies, but leading to the situation where we all break the law multiple times a day just by living here.
I like people thinking about things - you can agree or disagree but Corbyn says what he believes. He is a bit different to any other party leader before him. I think he blames both his own party and the current government for their rush to war which destabilised the region. The question, I suppose is do you think the wars were a good thing or bad thing. People may not be ready for it, but Corbyn is offering another way!
I see the growth forecast which was 0.3% was amended to 0.2% today. This is a pathetic figure and there is a clear economic explanation for it. With the cost of living rising, people are going to hold on to their money and it is going to be stagnent then get worse. This is always what happens in times of austerity. Labour's policies are all about making the pound work harder and growth. If borrowing goes up a little, GDP is going to rise disroportionally. It is a shame we all seem to want to head to the gloom when there is the chance of light. Some of the worlds top economists are saying that, but we seem stuck in the economics of the nursery school playground.
All the wealth is going to a tiny percentage and their share is increasing. Here is our chance to stand up for something better. I'm off on holiday to Italy for a week - I may dip in to see how things are going, but I hope the continued emergence of what is right for the country does not abate.
Compares with Spain on 0.8% growth quarter on quarter (the top EU performer, taking annual growth to 3%) and 0.5% across the Eurozone and puts the UK on a par with Italy (also 0.2%).
You know you need to be wary when you're comparable with the Italian economy!!
Predictable attacks from various Tories and the Lib Dems on what he said about our implementation of foreign policy and the later effects of this. Despite our security services also cautioning this might happen before we went into Iraq and I think as part of the enquiry into it afterwards.
Attempts to suggest he condones terrorism or that what he said today was an attempt to justify the attack are utterly lamentable.
Here's what Teresa May said in a speech a few months ago, "...This cannot mean a return to the failed policies of the past. The days of Britain and America intervening in sovereign countries in an attempt to remake the world in our own image are over."
Is that so different to what Corbyn has said today?
Predictable attacks from various Tories and the Lib Dems on what he said about our implementation of foreign policy and the later effects of this. Despite our security services also cautioning this might happen before we went into Iraq and I think as part of the enquiry into it afterwards.
Attempts to suggest he condones terrorism or that what he said today was an attempt to justify the attack are utterly lamentable.
Here's what Teresa May said in a speech a few months ago, "...This cannot mean a return to the failed policies of the past. The days of Britain and America intervening in sovereign countries in an attempt to remake the world in our own image are over."
Is that so different to what Corbyn has said today?
No - but she'll deny it of course and say something like:
"What I really meant was the days are over when we just pussy foot around with cruise missiles. If we are going to do it, as we must, then we need to do it in a strong and stable way. This does not mean, and must not be construed as, a u-turn."
Not that it should surprise us but Boris is talking out of his arse again and forgetting what he believes when he thinks.
This is from his Spectator column in 2005 written after 7/7.
In groping to understand, the pundits and the politicians have clutched first at Iraq, and the idea that this is ‘blowback’, the inevitable punishment for Britain’s part in the Pentagon’s fiasco. George Galloway began it in Parliament; he was followed by Sir Max Hastings, with the Lib Dems limping in the rear. It is difficult to deny that they have a point, the Told-You-So brigade. As the Butler report revealed, the Joint Intelligence Committee assessment in 2003 was that a war in Iraq would increase the terror threat to Britain. Anyone who has been to Iraq since the war would agree that the position is very far from ideal; and if any anti-Western mullah wanted a text with which to berate Britain and America for their callousness, it is amply provided by Fallujah, or the mere fact that Tony Blair cannot even tell you how many Iraqis have been killed since their liberation — only that the number is somewhere between ten and twenty thousand.
Supporters of the war have retorted that Iraq cannot be said to be a whole and sufficient explanation for the existence of suicidal Islamic cells in the West, and they, too, have a point. The threat from Islamicist nutters preceded 9/11; they bombed the Paris Métro in the 1990s; and it is evident that the threat to British lives pre-dates the Iraq war, when you think that roughly the same number of Britons died in the World Trade Center as died in last week’s bombings.
In other words, the Iraq war did not create the problem of murderous Islamic fundamentalists, though the war has unquestionably sharpened the resentments felt by such people in this country, and given them a new pretext. The Iraq war did not introduce the poison into our bloodstream but, yes, the war did help to potentiate that poison.
It's interesting to note that Theresa May regularly and consistently failed to support anti-terrorism laws while Labour was in office.
This included being missing from the House of Commons in November 2001 (a few weeks after 9/11) during the vote on the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Bill — Indefinite detention of suspected terrorists. And voting no on the Prevention of Terrorism Bill five times in 2005 in the weeks leading up to the 7/7 London bombings.
So, I think those that are happy to sling mud at Corbyn ought also to be chucking the same at May.
It's interesting to note that Theresa May regularly and consistently failed to support anti-terrorism laws while Labour was in office.
This included being missing from the House of Commons in November 2001 (a few weeks after 9/11) during the vote on the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Bill — Indefinite detention of suspected terrorists. And voting no on the Prevention of Terrorism Bill five times in 2005 in the weeks leading up to the 7/7 London bombings.
So, I think those that are happy to sling mud at Corbyn ought also to be chucking the same at May.
And also being a useless Home Secretary.
Cuts in Police and Prison Officers?
The UK is one of the most under-Policed countries in Europe. Compare us with France: Municipal Police + National Police + Gendarmerie + Transport Police + Customs and Coast Guard Police
The hand wringing about fighting terrorism and everyone pulling together etc needs to be put in that context.
Comments
bbc.co.uk/news/education-40051476
It's Corbyn's birthday today!
The election is a combination of that (IE cashing in for purely partisan reasons with everyone else in disarray) and wasting a bit more time before facing up to the realities of 'Brexit'.
There are only, and have only ever been, 2 options:
(1) Stay in the EU
(2) Be fired out of the EU with no arrangements, like a shell out of a gun
The former, by the way, includes the Norway + Swiss options which are basically signing up to everything, paying the money, but pretending you're independent and having no say over EU arrangements.
My view is that May will go for the latter, because (a) the Conservative Party will force her to (and if she doesn't she'll be neutralised very quickly, like Cameron and Major) (b) she doesn't care about ordinary people, and (c) she doesn't actually understand anything about the EU and economics.
This is a tragedy for ordinary people of historic proportions that will be spoken about for decades to come.
As for the result..........My predictions are:
- Conservative majority increased, but not a landslide
- Labour down, but Corbyn remains
- SNP remain predominant in Scotland (ok, they might lose a couple of seat, but so what)
- Lib Dems win a few but not enough to be real challengers
What a complete waste of time and a total irrelevance to the issues facing us.
I'm going on holiday next month and was wondering if I should get my Euros before the general election?
Personally I'm going to wait until after the election as a Tory victory should boost the pound.
By the way I'm not a Tory but I do believe they will win comfortably
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2017/may/26/general-election-2017-terror-corbyn-may-g7-sicily-politics-live
He talks a lot about tackling the causes and questions if the war on terror has achieved much. I think he's right but it's an easy spin for the press
I see the growth forecast which was 0.3% was amended to 0.2% today. This is a pathetic figure and there is a clear economic explanation for it. With the cost of living rising, people are going to hold on to their money and it is going to be stagnent then get worse. This is always what happens in times of austerity. Labour's policies are all about making the pound work harder and growth. If borrowing goes up a little, GDP is going to rise disroportionally. It is a shame we all seem to want to head to the gloom when there is the chance of light. Some of the worlds top economists are saying that, but we seem stuck in the economics of the nursery school playground.
All the wealth is going to a tiny percentage and their share is increasing. Here is our chance to stand up for something better. I'm off on holiday to Italy for a week - I may dip in to see how things are going, but I hope the continued emergence of what is right for the country does not abate.
For example, do you know which group has had various anti-terror laws used against it the most this century? Here's a clue, it's not terrorists (or suspected terrorists) and it rhymes with hootcall tans.
Conservatives supposedly espouse small government, to my mind that should include making the minimum laws required, and giving police the minimum powers needed, to get the job done. However, Thatcher created/passed more new laws in her time than had been created in the previous years of the 20th century, and every government since has continue at this pace of creating new law after new law, with massive overlaps (sometimes contradictory) and redundancies, but leading to the situation where we all break the law multiple times a day just by living here.
Compares with Spain on 0.8% growth quarter on quarter (the top EU performer, taking annual growth to 3%) and 0.5% across the Eurozone and puts the UK on a par with Italy (also 0.2%).
You know you need to be wary when you're comparable with the Italian economy!!
What were the laws?
What was the logical conclusion of those laws if they were enacted?
Why did he vote against them?
Did he support alternative laws that he thought would be more effective?
Attempts to suggest he condones terrorism or that what he said today was an attempt to justify the attack are utterly lamentable.
Here's what Teresa May said in a speech a few months ago, "...This cannot mean a return to the failed policies of the past. The days of Britain and America intervening in sovereign countries in an attempt to remake the world in our own image are over."
Is that so different to what Corbyn has said today?
Did any of his votes help to prevent laws go through?
I think his vote against the Iraq War was probably the best anti terrorist vote in hindsight but that went against him
"What I really meant was the days are over when we just pussy foot around with cruise missiles. If we are going to do it, as we must, then we need to do it in a strong and stable way. This does not mean, and must not be construed as, a u-turn."
This is from his Spectator column in 2005 written after 7/7.
In groping to understand, the pundits and the politicians have clutched first at Iraq, and the idea that this is ‘blowback’, the inevitable punishment for Britain’s part in the Pentagon’s fiasco. George Galloway began it in Parliament; he was followed by Sir Max Hastings, with the Lib Dems limping in the rear. It is difficult to deny that they have a point, the Told-You-So brigade. As the Butler report revealed, the Joint Intelligence Committee assessment in 2003 was that a war in Iraq would increase the terror threat to Britain. Anyone who has been to Iraq since the war would agree that the position is very far from ideal; and if any anti-Western mullah wanted a text with which to berate Britain and America for their callousness, it is amply provided by Fallujah, or the mere fact that Tony Blair cannot even tell you how many Iraqis have been killed since their liberation — only that the number is somewhere between ten and twenty thousand.
Supporters of the war have retorted that Iraq cannot be said to be a whole and sufficient explanation for the existence of suicidal Islamic cells in the West, and they, too, have a point. The threat from Islamicist nutters preceded 9/11; they bombed the Paris Métro in the 1990s; and it is evident that the threat to British lives pre-dates the Iraq war, when you think that roughly the same number of Britons died in the World Trade Center as died in last week’s bombings.
In other words, the Iraq war did not create the problem of murderous Islamic fundamentalists, though the war has unquestionably sharpened the resentments felt by such people in this country, and given them a new pretext. The Iraq war did not introduce the poison into our bloodstream but, yes, the war did help to potentiate that poison.
This included being missing from the House of Commons in November 2001 (a few weeks after 9/11) during the vote on the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Bill — Indefinite detention of suspected terrorists. And voting no on the Prevention of Terrorism Bill five times in 2005 in the weeks leading up to the 7/7 London bombings.
So, I think those that are happy to sling mud at Corbyn ought also to be chucking the same at May.
Cuts in Police and Prison Officers?
The UK is one of the most under-Policed countries in Europe. Compare us with France: Municipal Police + National Police + Gendarmerie + Transport Police + Customs and Coast Guard Police
The hand wringing about fighting terrorism and everyone pulling together etc needs to be put in that context.