UK By-elections thread, 2021-

[Benjamin Frank 2.0]

All this is in line with a single-minded focus on (even the mere appearance of) anti-Semitism from Starmer. To the exclusion of anything else.

The comments reported recently just seem in line with what has been reported by mainstream media (that there was an intelligence failure). Labour's problem is that they couldn't have picked anyone who was supportive of Starmer's line on Israel without that defining the by-election, so presumably they picked someone who would neutralize the issue (in their hopes). But now the news will be entirely defined by their mushiness on Gaza.

This is not correct. It went beyond the stories of an intelligence failure and of Netanyahu having neglected the Gaza front at the expense of the West Bank, to saying that Netanyahu was actively aware that the attack was coming and allowed it to take place.

Ali's statements (including the new ones) have some basis in factual reports, but go beyond what they say and put them together in ways that are conspiratorial.

I can't speak for the UK, but it is a fairly common analysis I've heard in the us. I don't think it is true, but I also don't think it is particularly conspiratorial or anti-semitic. It doesn't really matter, the main thing is that they had to pick someone who supported a ceasefire, but couldn't expand on the reasons why. I think it was an impossible situation that was bound to result in leaks like this.

You might not consider it to be particularly conspiratorial because it and related are the most common conspiracy mentioned in times of war.

World War II - FDR knew Japan was going to attack Pearl Harbor
Vietnam - LBJ knew the Gulf of Tonkin incident had nothing to do with North Vietnam
First Iraq War - George H W told Saddam Hussein he could take Kuwait.

I think I'm missing a couple.

Edit to add: World War I - Wilson allowed Germany to sink the Lusitania (it still took the U.S a couple years to enter World War I after that.)

This only leaves out the Korean 'conflict.'

It's still conspiratorial. It's been confirmed that Netanyahu covertly allowed Hamas to receive funding from organizations connected to Iran in order to keep Hamas around so as to allow him to claim that he couldn't negotiate because Palestinian leadership was divided, but anything more is a conspiracy theory.

Certainly though Netanyahu is such an evil person that conspiracy theories like this are more believable.

[Benjamin Frank 2.0]

Actually a decent result for Reform there.

I was just going to post that Reform actually lived up to their polling here, however, since you beat me to it, I decided to not post it.

[Benjamin Frank 2.0]

For those living in the U.K here, if Sunak promised to change the election reporting so that it was reported poll by poll rather than only the final result announced, would you vote for Conservative?

I'm asking strictly hypothetically, I don't think Sunak has made any such promise.

Of course, we'd lose the Monster Raving Loony Party candidate standing with all the other candidates, then, but, can't have everything.