This Wretched Hive Of Scum And Villainy

[MaxQue]

This has David Cameron's fingerprints all over it

It doesn't. Cameron totally disappeared after leaving office and tried to attract the least attention possible since then.

[Cassius]

This has David Cameron's fingerprints all over it

It doesn't. Cameron totally disappeared after leaving office and tried to attract the least attention possible since then.

Moreover, if certain appendages had entered certain cavities, allegedly, then the alleged in-law of the alleged proprietor of the alleged cavity would have no reason to bring this to wider attention… allegedly.

[Conservatopia]

Things Boy George likes:

[YL]

The seat is currently proposed to be renamed South Shropshire in spite of only minor boundary changes.  Those boundary changes, although minor, do add a couple of rural wards from Shrewbury & Atcham, and I've seen a suggestion that that constituency's incumbent might now want to follow those wards.

We are going to be absolutely deluged with creeps and I hate it.

And Stuart Anderson, sitting MP for Wolverhampton SW, is on the South Shropshire shortlist, according to Michael Crick.

[TheTide]

Ben Wallace has announced his resignation as Defence Secretary (albeit not taking effect until the next reshuffle) and is standing down as an MP at the next election.

[CumbrianLefty]

Just last year, Wallace was being seriously talked of as a possible Tory PM - maybe now the "elephant in the room" that was supposedly hindering any such ambitions will become more public?

[Cassius]

The Wallace for PM speculation was always laughable given that, quite apart from the rumours, he was one of the stupidest people in the cabinet.

[Zinneke]

I get why gambling addiction disqualifies you from being PM, but it doesn't seem to be that scandalous to merit a media blackout on the subject. Am I missing something?

[Cassius]

I get why gambling addiction disqualifies you from being PM, but it doesn't seem to be that scandalous to merit a media blackout on the subject. Am I missing something?

There are other rumours, shall we say.

[CumbrianLefty]

Ah, I thought the gambling thing *was* the rumour - so what else might there be?

[EastAnglianLefty]

If you check his Twitter replies, you'll find he's made an effort to signal-boost some of the more outlandish ones.

[Cassius]

There’s a Westminster colloquialism for it that shares its initials with a certain paramilitary organisation that operated in Europe during the first half of the twentieth century.

[Wiswylfen]

https://twitter.com/hoffman_noa/status/1680991188315250688

[CumbrianLefty]

https://twitter.com/hoffman_noa/status/1680991188315250688

I presume that was the Barbie/ULEZ tweet?

The only thing even more cringeworthy than its inherent cringiness, is that it was wrong too.

[Blair]

I believe a Conservative MP has done the chicken run across the border! Tories have selected a Welsh MP for somewhere in Shropshire so at least it’s close!

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I believe a Conservative MP has done the chicken run across the border! Tories have selected a Welsh MP for somewhere in Shropshire so at least it’s close!

For North Shropshire as well. Yes. I know. Yes.

Somewhat astonishingly he's not the only chicken runner they're standing for a Shropshire constitency: they've just selected Stuart Anderson (Wolves. S.W.) to run for Ludlow (sorry 'South Shropshire'). This is... a... a... brave... combination of selections.

[YL]

I believe a Conservative MP has done the chicken run across the border! Tories have selected a Welsh MP for somewhere in Shropshire so at least it’s close!

For North Shropshire as well. Yes. I know. Yes.

Somewhat astonishingly he's not the only chicken runner they're standing for a Shropshire constitency: they've just selected Stuart Anderson (Wolves. S.W.) to run for Ludlow (sorry 'South Shropshire'). This is... a... a... brave... combination of selections.

How active are the Lib Dems in South Shropshire at the moment?  IIRC their base tends to be the hill country close to the Welsh border: Clun, Bishop’s Castle and so on.

[CumbrianLefty]

At least Baynes has the excuse his current seat is to all intents and purposes being abolished.

Anderson, not so much.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

How active are the Lib Dems in South Shropshire at the moment?  IIRC their base tends to be the hill country close to the Welsh border: Clun, Bishop’s Castle and so on.

Reasonably so: they never collapsed completely in local elections here. Strongest, as you say, in the West of the constituency where there's a genepool element to their vote, and also in Ludlow.

[Blair]

I would joke surely couldn't the Tories just run someone from the NFU but going by the Selby result I wouldn't be shocked if a good chunk of them plan on voting Labour or Liberal.

Really really baffles me why they aren't more worried about it; it is at its core a big part of the parties activist base. It would be like Labour losing retired teachers...

[CumbrianLefty]

Don't worry, Sunak plans another "war on woke" to bring the voters flooding back!

[JimJamUK]

Don't worry, Sunak plans another "war on woke" to bring the voters flooding back!

How many times have they announced one and then done next to nothing on it?

[CumbrianLefty]

They've moved on to a "review" of traffic control schemes now.

Of course a "review" gives them a chance to posture as "the friend of the motorist" without actually committing themselves to anything - its all rather transparent.

[Blair]

Friends let’s all chuckle at a certain journalist once again falling to get selected for a safe Tory seat.

[Blair]

The moment after I posted this I saw a certain former Home Office advisor has been selected for South-West-North Suffolk or wherever.

Said man has spent a lot of time on Twitter and in the Torygraph bemoaning both crime and the general state of the public realm which errrr poses questions for his former boss and his political project.

One of the more overrated ‘thinkers’ of his generation in politics but oh well- 5 years in opposition as shadow trees minister will be fun to watch.