The Politics Thread

[Webbo]

I agreebe more aware of your surroundings. That homeless guy you ignore while texting could be part of a terrorist cell.

If I lent you a crowbar do you think you could get IDS into  that post as well?

[Rincewind]

What has IDS got to do with it? The person who said it was an ex head of security.I took little heed of what she said. I found it funny. The rantings of an old woman.

 

 

[Rincewind]

I ignore them when im not texting too.

You and many others I'm afraid.

 

I think my previous post was misunderstood. By worrying by other things I meant things  like mortgage, rent bills whether the group near the cashpoint are watching you enter your pin, a child being abducted, that bus  you have not seen is going to hit you.

People using  phones in the street is one of those things that grind my gears. Yes people should be alert but I do not think random people about you having less than 1%  chance of carrying a bomb being high on the  list  why.

[Guest]

If I lent you a crowbar do you think you could get IDS into  that post as well?

 

Ian Duncan Smith?

[cityfanlee23]

I think the warning is over the top, I just found it ironic that the elite who have taken us to war for our safety are now saying that the country is so unsafe that we're at risk of being stabbed to death, shot dead or blown up if we dare check our phones or wear headphones while walking around town.

 

Sounds like the agenda benjamin freedman warned us about in the late 50's

 

Zionism in all its glory.

[MooseBreath]

Sadiq Khan the Labour candidate for London mayor come across as a monumental cock on radio 4 this morning. He was like a cross between ed miliband and Stuart Baggs the brand. Aren't Mayors supposed to be likeable characters instead of dry bred politicians?

[Guest MattP]

Corbyn reshuffle underway already, he's in full geography teacher mode telling journalists to go away.

Could be some interesting changes.

[Guest MattP]

One of the strangest days in political history I think, Labour overshadow their own rail campaign with a cabinet reshuffle that doesn't happen and Douglas Carswell has to deny he's plotting to kill Nigel Farage.

[Webbo]

One of the strangest days in political history I think, Labour overshadow their own rail campaign with a cabinet reshuffle that doesn't happen and Douglas Carswell has to deny he's plotting to kill Nigel Farage.

I saw that about Farage having his wheel nuts loosened, I didn't know anyone had accused Carswell.

[Guest MattP]

Just effectively asked him on television and he said it was nothing to do with him

There is also speculation Hillary Benn is being sacked to make way for Diane Abbott.

This is after one day, 2016 will make 2015 look sane at this rate.

[Webbo]

Really don't know why Carswell joined UKIP, he doesn't seem very comfortable there. He's pro immigration and he's signed up to a rival out of the EU campaign.

[Alf Bentley]

The Grauniad is suggesting that Farage's car was a model with wheel problems recalled by Volvo (Volvo? UKIP?! ): http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jan/04/wheels-fall-off-farage-assassination-plot-story-recall-revelation

 

If Carswell wanted to do him in, he seems more the sort to use a ricin-tipped-umbrella. Diane James would opt for pollonium in his tea (English Breakfast, not Ceylon, I assume). Nah! Paul Nuttall seems more the type to loosen nuts on a car wheel....or am I pandering to Scouse stereotypes? 

 

I have to declare an interest here as I have Farage in my Deathlist 2016 selection. I thought that I might have a chance - middle-aged smoker and boozer with a short fuse who has already had cancer and a plane crash. But I didn't imagine people would be trying to assassinate the bloke within 3 days of New Year. It wasn't me unloosening his wheel either, though given my Deathlist choices I might now need an alibi if a sniper gets Mugabe or Diego Costa gets beaten to death by Robert Huth.

 

Carswell seems a high-calibre operator but maybe he's just a maverick loner by nature, valuing his personal independence too much to be prepared for the compromise of life in a political party? Maybe he'll just end up as an independent MP for a couple of parliaments? If he'd been prepared for the slightest degree of tactical/political compromise, surely he could have had a front-bench career with the Tories? He's more impressive than most of their front benchers.

 

Leaving Labour to last.... Tend to agree with Matt's implications of incompetence. I've been waiting for months for them to find 1 or 2 political issues that could have some traction with the public - and rail transport is such an issue. So its crazy to launch a rail campaign and a reshuffle on the same day. The focus still seems to be on factional infighting within the party, not identifying a strategy - or even a couple of issues - that could be used effectively against the Tories. The infighting has already gone on too long. Even more worryingly, there seems to be a stalemate between the Corbynistas and the centrists. One group or the other (almost doesn't matter which) needs to exert some authority and they need to do so very quickly or Labour will just be left hoping for Tory civil war over Europe (entirely possible, but certainly not guaranteed).

 

Bad news for Matt, though....Diane Abbott has categorically denied that she's going to be appointed shadow foreign secretary.

[bovril]

If Carswell wanted to do him in, he seems more the sort to use a ricin-tipped-umbrella.

 

Not sure Bulgarians would agree to work with UKIP.

[Guest MattP]

The Grauniad is suggesting that Farage's car was a model with wheel problems recalled by Volvo (Volvo? UKIP?! ): http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jan/04/wheels-fall-off-farage-assassination-plot-story-recall-revelation

 

If Carswell wanted to do him in, he seems more the sort to use a ricin-tipped-umbrella. Diane James would opt for pollonium in his tea (English Breakfast, not Ceylon, I assume). Nah! Paul Nuttall seems more the type to loosen nuts on a car wheel....or am I pandering to Scouse stereotypes? 

 

I have to declare an interest here as I have Farage in my Deathlist 2016 selection. I thought that I might have a chance - middle-aged smoker and boozer with a short fuse who has already had cancer and a plane crash. But I didn't imagine people would be trying to assassinate the bloke within 3 days of New Year. It wasn't me unloosening his wheel either, though given my Deathlist choices I might now need an alibi if a sniper gets Mugabe or Diego Costa gets beaten to death by Robert Huth.

 

Carswell seems a high-calibre operator but maybe he's just a maverick loner by nature, valuing his personal independence too much to be prepared for the compromise of life in a political party? Maybe he'll just end up as an independent MP for a couple of parliaments? If he'd been prepared for the slightest degree of tactical/political compromise, surely he could have had a front-bench career with the Tories? He's more impressive than most of their front benchers.

 

Leaving Labour to last.... Tend to agree with Matt's implications of incompetence. I've been waiting for months for them to find 1 or 2 political issues that could have some traction with the public - and rail transport is such an issue. So its crazy to launch a rail campaign and a reshuffle on the same day. The focus still seems to be on factional infighting within the party, not identifying a strategy - or even a couple of issues - that could be used effectively against the Tories. The infighting has already gone on too long. Even more worryingly, there seems to be a stalemate between the Corbynistas and the centrists. One group or the other (almost doesn't matter which) needs to exert some authority and they need to do so very quickly or Labour will just be left hoping for Tory civil war over Europe (entirely possible, but certainly not guaranteed).

 

Bad news for Matt, though....Diane Abbott has categorically denied that she's going to be appointed shadow foreign secretary.

 

He does look a good death pool shout, so many angles where we might be seeing the demise of Big Nige.

 

I don't see any end to the Labour infighting, when you have two factions so far apart politically I just don't see how both can survive long term in the same party, it might work when it's a popular winning party like under Blair or when the leader is in the middle of the two factions like Miliband but when you have a leader like Corbyn it's going to be impossible for one side to just sit there, something will have to give.

 

It's a big decision for Labour activists as well, if they are going to go knocking on doors asking people to vote for the party in the direction Corbyn wants to take it then they won't be able to do the same the next time round if the leader is someone like Umanna or Benn, it would make them look ridiculous.

 

We'll see on Diane Abbott, it wouldn't be the first time she has told a porkie, the respected press seem to think Hillary Benn has managed to hang on, I still think Corbyn will want him gone as soon as possible though.

[Guest MattP]

Yesterday's Yougov poll, Labour's percentage on being trusted with the economy now below 20%   Also like many polls, it's bearing out what seems to be a fact that the general public would much rather see Boris Johnson as Prime Minister than Osborne who appears to be still seen a twat in the eye of the public.

 

[Guest MattP]

Michael Dugher sacked and he's taken it very well

 

[The God Emperor]

I honestly wouldn't be suprised if it turned out that the Labour party had been bought by the Koch brothers, who put Corbyn in charge as an elaborate way of discrediting the Left.

[Guest MattP]

They didn't need to buy it, we have to remember the Labour members themselves voted for this.

This reshuffle is getting ridiculous now, starting to wonder if he is struggling to find people to fill the jobs he wants to sack people from.

[MPH]

Sadiq Khan the Labour candidate for London mayor come across as a monumental cock on radio 4 this morning. He was like a cross between ed miliband and Stuart Baggs the brand. Aren't Mayors supposed to be likeable characters instead of dry bred politicians?

 

 

 

Then how come Boris got the gig?

[Guest MattP]

Errr Boris is extremely likeable. Have you not seem his personal poll ratings among the public?

[MPH]

Errr Boris is extremely likeable. Have you not seem his personal poll ratings among the public?

 

 

 

Personally find him not at all likable ( im a tory voter btw).

 

 

 

He's different and quirky, i'll give you that,  and i think thats why he gets away with so much of  his failings that are overlooked compared to other politicians...

[MooseBreath]

Boris is anything but dry, he might not be to everyone's taste but he's got a bit of charisma about him at least. This Khan fellow was as grim sounding as they come.

[Buce]

As a left-winger, I don't like his politics at all, but there is definitely something charismatic about him.

[Webbo]

I don't know what he's like in London as I don't follow what happens there but I think if he ever became PM his charm would soon wear thin.

[Rincewind]

I do not like him but I admit I am biased. He comes across as  treating some people as his inferiors and I am not keen on that attribute in a person. I have not met him though so I could be wrong. I am basing it on what he has said in the media and the gaffes he has made.