UK General Discussion Thread: mayy lmao

[Blair]

The (or at least *a*) problem for Labour (from a PR POV) is that Europe has never really been an issue that's fussed most of the party that much, aside from some fanatics. There certainly hasn't been a factional sh**tfest defined by the issue.

I mean in the 70's it divided the party quite strongly, and one of the big efforts of Kinnock was to drag the Party to support the EUC. The irony is that the biggest Corbyn supporters I know were also the most vocal about brexit

[Blair]

Jo Stevens resigns as Shadow Wales Secretary (meaning we're on number 6 for the last 16 months)

I can't see any other cabinet members leaving; but I reckon at least 10 junior ministers or whips could.

Surely Corbyn has had more resignations than any other opposition; or even government in the last two years

[Blair]

Will Corbs ever be able to maintain a functioning front bench for more than 6 months?

The Front Bench is just McDonnell and Abbott trying to pull Corbyn towards being a hardline anti-NATO/Anti-Austerity/Anti-EU figure (what Mcdonnell wants) or a left wing pro- freedom of movement/pro-migrant (what Abbott wants)

For everyone else in Labour it's about who succeeds Corbyn- Keir Starmer is doing his own Brexit thing, Clive Lewis is distancing himself on EU and NATO and Emily Thornberry is sticking her head up Corbyn's backside

[Blair]

Am hearing lots and lots of chatter from Labor friends/twitter that Corbyn could be on his way out either in the Spring or the Summer, and that bids are being put together. Not sure how true it it is but the combination of Brexit+by elections, and the continued struggle of the Corbyn project could make it true

[Blair]

Am hearing lots and lots of chatter from Labor friends/twitter that Corbyn could be on his way out either in the Spring or the Summer, and that bids are being put together. Not sure how true it it is but the combination of Brexit+by elections, and the continued struggle of the Corbyn project could make it true

Long-Bailey as the corbynite successor? Doubt she can poll the leadership elections through

her nickname is Rebecca Wrong-Daily for a reason

[Blair]

Doesn't shock me, just saddens me.

There's been a large faction of tories who've hated him since he was an MP- he's extremely socially liberal, flirted with defecting to Labour and on top of that since being Speaker has generally made the governments life hard work.

They tried this in '15 but the thing that saved him was actually the Brexiters MPs like Davis and Rees Mogg

[Blair]

I remember seeing a state about Labour having a lot of MP's who are between 70-80; I'd heard that Kaufman was ill when a journalist published those stupid 'laziest MP lists' which end up listing who has cancer/who is ill rather than actual activity.

Kaufman was certainly a strange character-IIRC he was one of the more moderate social democrats in the 1980s (I could be wrong) but also had some pretty sketchy views- and claimed tons for velvet curtains or something.

[Blair]

The irony is that they'd most likely call an eelction, and they'd greatly improve their 2015 result

[Blair]

Terrifying that I could have been working in the House of Commons this week; I hear Westminster is still on lockdown

[Blair]

FWIW Ken Livingstone has been suspended from Labour for a year, but we not be expelled. As always Labour have taken a position that has pissed off 100% of the party, and more importantly makes us look like an utter joke in regards to antisemitism.

[Blair]

Did you read his statement for standing in the Gorton by-election? I really had no idea his writing could be so scattered, although I guess I shouldn't be surprised...

The irony is that Galloway is appealing to both the traditonal white working class areas (he attacked that Labour used an all asian shortlist) and is also running with his usual support from the fringes of the Islamic community (he's been endorsed by the Lib Dem candidate from 2010)

 

[Blair]

Did you read his statement for standing in the Gorton by-election? I really had no idea his writing could be so scattered, although I guess I shouldn't be surprised...

The irony is that Galloway is appealing to both the traditonal white working class areas (he attacked that Labour used an all asian shortlist) and is also running with his usual support from the fringes of the Islamic community (he's been endorsed by the Lib Dem candidate from 2010)

 

Ha! Strange bedfellows and all that.

The attack on the all-Asian list was so odd; almost on the "Gordon is in danger of being swamped by Asians" level.

His twitter feed is hilarious to watch as he makes it out that he's swamped by supporters- I tend to forget that he ran for Mayor last summer and basically got no attention, and got beaten by the Womens Equality Party

[Blair]

Note for people who aren't British: the tuition fees aren't really fees exactly and the 'debt' that results isn't technically debt.* Essentially it is a deferred tax that goes by another name - which incidentally is why charging commercial rates of interest is totally unjustifiable - and you only start paying back once you earn over a certain amount of taxable income. To a significant extent it is a Potemkin system; it is widely anticipated that a very high proportion of the 'debt' due from students will never be collected. Essentially it is surreal and Kafkaesque in a low key way rather than eye-poppingly horrific. I actually don't approve of people - whether journalist or NUS hacks - trying to pretend it is the latter because doing so doesn't actually help...

_{*Rather nastily this fact isn't pointed out to students themselves.}

To bore most people to death, I've heard (although it sounded like Hearsay) that your student loan can be used in relation to getting a mortgage, and that banks can hold it against you when deciding.

The only blessing I can take is that I'm leaving before the cap goes completely; considering that 10 years ago you only had 3K fees a year, the grant and other perks, I don't want to imagine what it will be like in 2027

[Blair]

The tories have been briefing the times that they're A.) Going to depose Bercow B.) Asking CCHQ to not put a lot of fight against Lindsay Hoyle, who is a Lab MP, and deputy speaker.

The hope is that he'd become speaker; although I know that Chris Byrant wants to be Speaker, and imo both would be great picks

[Blair]

The tories have been briefing the times that they're A.) Going to depose Bercow B.) Asking CCHQ to not put a lot of fight against Lindsay Hoyle, who is a Lab MP, and deputy speaker.

The hope is that he'd become speaker; although I know that Chris Byrant wants to be Speaker, and imo both would be great picks

Oh really? God that's going to be messy and counterproductive. But both Labour MPs are good to me; Bryant has to see what transpires in Rhondda first.

As much as I love Bercow I feel his time has come to an end; as long as someone like Kate Hoey or Rees Mogg doesn't become Speaker I'm not that upset.

I heard that Plaid were going at Rhondda hard; and Leanne Wood (their leader) was going to run. It has a 7k lab majority but god knows what could happen with weird swings/turnout