This Wretched Hive Of Scum And Villainy

[Pericles]

“You either think this country needs to change, or you don’t. And if you do, you should stand with me and every person in this hall, you should stand with the Conservatives.” Sunak really said this!

[JimJamUK]

“You either think this country needs to change, or you don’t. And if you do, you should stand with me and every person in this hall, you should stand with the Conservatives.” Sunak really said this!

And despite this rhetoric, the main policies he’s announcing are inherently conservative. Scrap HS2, scrap T-Levels, no ‘woke’ etc. And they’re also painting Starmer as some far left radical progressive, because we need to protect the status quo from change.

[Torrain]

Following May’s speech to the fringes defending Net Zero and Truss doing, well, everything she’s done this week, Sunak has completed the set, with public criticism from Johnson and Cameron.
https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1709672651789066591
First time they’ve publicly agreed in quite some time. Johnson would shake hands with Lenin if it screwed over Sunak, but Cameron’s pretty determined not to criticise his successors. So it’s quite a break to see him as combative as he is here.

[MABA 2020]

Sunak really determined to be the villain with terrible decisions on Net Zero and HS2. The HS2 one is particularly baffling. I'm so ready to be disappointed by Starmer.

[Torrain]

“Long term decisions for a brighter future”
https://twitter.com/C4Ciaran/status/1709558432133513641

[AustralianSwingVoter]

“Long term decisions for a brighter future”
https://twitter.com/C4Ciaran/status/1709558432133513641

Meanwhile Lee Anderson addressing the party faithful - “Is anybody from Bradford? Would you want to get there quicker?”

[Cassius]

Following May’s speech to the fringes defending Net Zero and Truss doing, well, everything she’s done this week, Sunak has completed the set, with public criticism from Johnson and Cameron.
https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1709672651789066591
First time they’ve publicly agreed in quite some time. Johnson would shake hands with Lenin if it screwed over Sunak, but Cameron’s pretty determined not to criticise his successors. So it’s quite a break to see him as combative as he is here.

Given the empty cupboard that is Cameron’s legacy (such that he has to resort to rolling out same-sex marriage every time he’s asked about his proudest achievement in office), it’s not surprising that he’s put his head above the parapet in defence of HS2, since it was given the go ahead under his government and would (if it were ever to be finished) be one of the few lasting achievements of said government.

Anyway, I’m supportive of scrapping the Birmingham-Manchester leg, given that it seems to have become a giant money pit of dubious economic value. As far I’m aware construction hasn’t even begun, so I think there’s a good chance that some of our posters might be dead by the time they cut the ribbon on it, and who knows what our economy and patterns of commuting will look like by then. One of the things about Sunak that I appreciate is his willingness to begin to dial back on the grandiose and ill-thought out schemes we’ve been lumbered with by successive governments over the last decade and a half (see Net Zero), even if the smoking and education pronouncements are a bit questionable.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Meanwhile Lee Anderson addressing the party faithful - “Is anybody from Bradford? Would you want to get there quicker?”

That was just a veiled racist joke in the same vein as Corbyn's one about 'English Irony'. I have heard versions of it (Anderson's) that are not veiled at all.

[Pericles]

Also did Liz Truss seriously sign a copy of the mini-budget at that conference (source)? That really takes the cake for shamelessness.

[Perlen vor den Schweinen]

Also did Liz Truss seriously sign a copy of the mini-budget at that conference (source)? That really takes the cake for shamelessness.

You can never boss a girl boss boss too boss.

[TheTide]

Some speculate whether the Tories think this is a winning strategy for the next general election. Others speculate whether they have accepted their fate and are turning up the gears whilst they remain in government. I would offer an alternative possibility. Under a Labour government and an uninspiring Conservative opposition there is potential for another rise of a Faragist outfit. In 2019, and to a lesser extent 2014, this represented something of an existential crisis for the Conservative Party. The cultural warrior stuff and the literal cosying up to Farage at the conference may be an attempt to reduce the possibility of this occuring. Of course all of this may open up the possibility of a threat from the Lib Dems, but I doubt that's part of their thinking at the moment.

[Blair]

Anderson is clearly in love with being the bright shiny object of attention

The strange thing is that his seat is very marginal- even in a hung Parliament he would struggle.

[YL]

Anderson is clearly in love with me the bright shiny object of attention.

The strange thing is that his seat is very marginal- even in a hung Parliament he would struggle.

Though it has very strange local politics and might behave oddly. You will note who actually came second in 2019.

[Torrain]

Also did Liz Truss seriously sign a copy of the mini-budget at that conference (source)? That really takes the cake for shamelessness.

Aye.

[AustralianSwingVoter]

Step 1: Inherit a majority built on northern seats.
Step 2: Go to Manchester
Step 3: Announce you’re cancelling the flagship transport link to Manchester, while saving the link to London Euston
Step 4: ??
Step 5: Profit

One of the few things mentioned in the "Network North" document which actually does involve Manchester is extending the Metrolink to Manchester Airport, which should be an easy commitment for even this government to achieve given that the line opened in 2014.  Did Sunak not notice those yellow things going in and out of the Airport station from his helicopter?

(And of course stuff like this reduces confidence in the rest of the document.)

Stuff like this further reduces confidence in the document…
https://twitter.com/christianwolmar/status/1709575467546587275

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Also did Liz Truss seriously sign a copy of the mini-budget at that conference (source)? That really takes the cake for shamelessness.

Imagining what Michael Foot's reaction would have been if you had handed him a copy of that election manifesto to sign.

[CumbrianLefty]

Some speculate whether the Tories think this is a winning strategy for the next general election. Others speculate whether they have accepted their fate and are turning up the gears whilst they remain in government. I would offer an alternative possibility. Under a Labour government and an uninspiring Conservative opposition there is potential for another rise of a Faragist outfit. In 2019, and to a lesser extent 2014, this represented something of an existential crisis for the Conservative Party. The cultural warrior stuff and the literal cosying up to Farage at the conference may be an attempt to reduce the possibility of this occuring. Of course all of this may open up the possibility of a threat from the Lib Dems, but I doubt that's part of their thinking at the moment.

I do think some in the party haven't forgotten getting only 9% in the last European elections.

Whether this is the appropriate response to secure their future is another matter, of course.

[Conservatopia]

Also did Liz Truss seriously sign a copy of the mini-budget at that conference (source)? That really takes the cake for shamelessness.

Aye.

Liz Truss being self-promoting and shameless whilst surrounded by lots of young men? Say it ain't so.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Also did Liz Truss seriously sign a copy of the mini-budget at that conference (source)? That really takes the cake for shamelessness.

Aye.

Liz Truss being self-promoting and shameless whilst surrounded by lots of young men? Say it ain't so.

As I said in twitter she missed her chance to be female Hollande.

[CumbrianLefty]

She came mighty close to 4% approval ratings in a much shorter timescale tbf.

[Torrain]

Chris Grayling, former Leader of the House, Justice and Transport Secretary is standing down. Not a popular minister, but one who served throughout the Cameron and May years.

Was actually Shadow Home Secretary before being passed over for May herself during government formation in 2010. Have never been able to find a concrete reason why (beyond his bumbling reputation, perhaps) - if someone (Al?) has the anecdote, I'd love to hear it.

Personally, I'll always remember the time members from the largest three parties conspired to prevent him becoming Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee, out of genuine concerns for his competence (much to the fury of Boris Johnson).

His seat of Epson and Ewell has been Conservative since it's creation in 1974. Grayling has represented it since 2001, and won a 17k majority in 2019, way beyond the Liberal Democrats. He was winning majorities over 10k even in Blair's 1997 & 2001 landslides, so it's probably safe as houses.

Anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller had been trying (with zero success) to get other parties to stand down so she could run 1vs1 against Grayling. She's still planning to run, but will presumably be soundly beaten by some Seb Payne-type.

[Torrain]

One last thought about the direction of the Conservatives. Conference seems to have been run as though the Liberal Democrats no longer exist? Messaging seemed focused on Red Wall seats (likely gone on existing polling), and ignoring the impact that a climate skeptic and socially conservative turn could have on blue-orange swing voters who've been part of the coalition since 2010, and more importantly, 2015.

This isn’t all about 2024, more about what comes afterwards – once Lib Dems have a larger foothold in affluent, southern seats, and the Conservatives have a new leader. If Braverman/Badenoch run further rightwards, prioritising cultures wars and Brexit boosterism, then Lib Dems have a rare opening to chip deeper into the Tory coalition in the so-called Blue Wall.

They’d probably need to pivot rightwards economically, while staying socially liberal/moderate, and deprioritise Europe in favour of the localist approach that boosted them in the 00s. But there is a *narrow* path to a realigning moment if the Conservatives continue to track away from the centre.

[EastAnglianLefty]

Chris Grayling, former Leader of the House, Justice and Transport Secretary is standing down. Not a popular minister, but one who served throughout the Cameron and May years.

Was actually Shadow Home Secretary before being passed over for May herself during government formation in 2010. Have never been able to find a concrete reason why (beyond his bumbling reputation, perhaps) - if someone (Al?) has the anecdote, I'd love to hear it.

He embarrassed himself during the short campaign by defending the rights of B&B owners to refuse to accommodate guests who turned out to be gay. It was partly a case of the Lib Dems vetoing him, but mostly Cameron looking for any excuse to boot out an obvious liability.

[Blair]

One last thought about the direction of the Conservatives. Conference seems to have been run as though the Liberal Democrats no longer exist? Messaging seemed focused on Red Wall seats (likely gone on existing polling), and ignoring the impact that a climate skeptic and socially conservative turn could have on blue-orange swing voters who've been part of the coalition since 2010, and more importantly, 2015.

This isn’t all about 2024, more about what comes afterwards – once Lib Dems have a larger foothold in affluent, southern seats, and the Conservatives have a new leader. If Braverman/Badenoch run further rightwards, prioritising cultures wars and Brexit boosterism, then Lib Dems have a rare opening to chip deeper into the Tory coalition in the so-called Blue Wall.

They’d probably need to pivot rightwards economically, while staying socially liberal/moderate, and deprioritise Europe in favour of the localist approach that boosted them in the 00s. But there is a *narrow* path to a realigning moment if the Conservatives continue to track away from the centre.

And unlike the mid 2000s the Lib Dems don’t have to try and win these sorts of voters while somehow holding onto seats like Bermondsey, Leeds North-west, Cardiff etc- Ive seen a few posts about how they could very quickly become the party of home owning capital (at least for those below the age of 65)

[CumbrianLefty]

Also did Liz Truss seriously sign a copy of the mini-budget at that conference (source)? That really takes the cake for shamelessness.

Imagining what Michael Foot's reaction would have been if you had handed him a copy of that election manifesto to sign.

I think he continued to defend it as a "broadly correct" document tbf.