This Wretched Hive Of Scum And Villainy

[Filuwaúrdjan]

God-tier chicken-run attempt reported: Jamie Wallis (Bridgend) has apparently been shortlisted for Windsor.

[JimJamUK]

God-tier chicken-run attempt reported: Jamie Wallis (Bridgend) has apparently been shortlisted for Windsor.

I have a sneaking suspicion it will only ever be an attempt.

[Oryxslayer]

God-tier chicken-run attempt reported: Jamie Wallis (Bridgend) has apparently been shortlisted for Windsor.

I have a sneaking suspicion it will only ever be an attempt.

These are the type of situations that occasionally produce a surprisingly ginormous swings to the Lib-Dems.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

God-tier chicken-run attempt reported: Jamie Wallis (Bridgend) has apparently been shortlisted for Windsor.

I have a sneaking suspicion it will only ever be an attempt.

These are the type of situations that occasionally produce a surprisingly ginormous swings to the Lib-Dems.

Windsor certainly is not that far from areas the Lib Dems did quite well in in 2019...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

These are the type of situations that occasionally produce a surprisingly ginormous swings to the Lib-Dems.

Ordinarily it's more likely to do so in a rural constituency or a constituency based around a substantial town with a firm sense of self and the local pride that comes with that rather than in commuter territory... but it just so happens that Windsor is an open seat because the extremely sketchy incumbent has managed to bankrupt himself, which is not a great look.

[Blair]

Don't worry it's not as if the council elections went badly... oh wait.

I assume this is a result of the rumoured rule that sitting Conservative MPs get automatically put on shortlists for seats they apply for.

[CumbrianLefty]

There is a reason widespread chicken running is discouraged by all parties - its not a good look at all.

However, the Tories have now descended into almost total "everyone for themselves" anarchy.

[Blair]

Have we ever had a situation like this before where vast numbers are elected to seats they have no connection to (as many were either paper candidates or were doing it as a trial run) while also facing big boundary changes in the next cycle?

It seems to have created a good recipe- also as I guess some of the 2017 intake are still in some sense in their first term in terms of experience/local knowledge etc.

It really is a cursed intake- a combination of ridiculous party hacks who read out questions from CCHQ and ex UKIP village councillors.

[CumbrianLefty]

Have we ever had a situation like this before where vast numbers are elected to seats they have no connection to (as many were either paper candidates or were doing it as a trial run) while also facing big boundary changes in the next cycle?

In a word, no - certainly not in our lifetimes at least.

There was *some* Tory chicken running before the 1997 GE - but nothing like the current free for all.

[Torrain]

You could create an entire quiz of misleading questions out of the chicken runs this year:

• Which Wallis caused trouble when they turned up in Windsor?
• Which MP caused chaos in the Conservative Party, thanks to their run in Tamworth?
• Who won the Battle of Waterloo(ville)?

And so on.

[CumbrianLefty]

Oh well, at least we won't get the excruciatingly cringey photo-ops with Sunak now.

[JimJamUK]

Oh well, at least we won't get the excruciatingly cringey photo-ops with Sunak now.

They were saying on TV how disrespectful it was that Rishi wasn’t there. William I can understand, but would the experience of either the players or the fans have been improved by having an unpopular, uncharismatic prime minister there?

[Cassius]

Oh well, at least we won't get the excruciatingly cringey photo-ops with Sunak now.

They were saying on TV how disrespectful it was that Rishi wasn’t there. William I can understand, but would the experience of either the players or the fans have been improved my having an unpopular, uncharismatic prime minister there?

The Beast of Perpetual Outrage must be fed.

[Torrain]

Oh well, at least we won't get the excruciatingly cringey photo-ops with Sunak now.

He still gave it his best shot…


My favourite though, is still Ed Davey photoshopping an England shirt onto himself:

[CumbrianLefty]

Sunak's inauthenticity in these situations can be seen from space.

It is slightly different with Starmer, it is beyond reasonable doubt that he *is* a genuine and lifelong football fan - but his tweets still tend to sound like he was only introduced to it that morning

[Blair]

I see deficit spending is a Conservative party past time as well as a Government one...

[JimJamUK]

I see deficit spending is a Conservative party past time as well as a Government one...

It’s a pastime for almost everyone except Labour 😁

[CumbrianLefty]

The once financially well off SNP are certainly feeling the pinch a bit these days.

[Torrain]

https://twitter.com/BBCBreaking/status/1695482838253002828
I know self-awareness was never Dorries' strong suit. But I think irony may now finally be dead.

[Blair]

Takes a certain skill for your damning letter to end up behind a paywall after months of build up.

[Torrain]

Sounds like things aren’t going too well down in Windsor (looks like Jamie Wallis wasn’t shortlisted, for the record. Can’t imagine the next meeting over in Bridgend will be much fun…)
https://twitter.com/tomorrowsmps/status/1695860957619028413

[CumbrianLefty]

Today the Dorries resignation is - finally! - official.

[Torrain]

Education Secretary having quite the hot-mic moment in a tough media round:
https://twitter.com/ITVNewsPolitics/status/1698674935424581991
Although, it's not like the actual broadcast interview was much better. Given she's already in hot water over the whole concrete affair, and the papers have got hold of her £34m DofE office revamp plans, amid the whole RAAC charade, I'm starting to wonder whether she’ll make it to/past the Sunak reshuffle later this year.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Oh dear.

[Torrain]

We should hear from her shortly...

Keegan is supposed to be answering an Urgent Question on RAAC in the Commons this afternoon, somewhere between DWP questions, the writ for the by-elections, swesting in new MPs, and a statement on the PSNI data breach. Most of which could involve new shadow ministers.

Manic first day back from recess