The Politics Thread 2020

[Chocolate Teapot]

5 hours ago, Christoph said:

It's amazing how shit the Tory's can be and yet still be popular amongst so many people.  

There's a lot of people in this country that will only ever vote for them regardless of their policies or personnel. It is utterly utterly bizarre. 

[Facecloth]

1 minute ago, Abrasive fox said:

There's a lot of people in this country that will only ever vote for them regardless of their policies or personnel. It is utterly utterly bizarre. 

Boris could post a shit through some peoples letterbox and they'd still vote for him, making some argument about why its great hes taken the time to post a shit through each of our letterboxes

[Carl the Llama]

 

[Kopfkino]

It is an interesting poll because its the first one where all the fieldwork is from post Brexit deal. Ofc polls in isolation at this point of the election cycle are near pointless and you can’t genuinely infer much about the effect of the trade deal from this one poll. It’d be nice if we get a couple more post trade deal but pre this weekend’s cluster**** but probably not.

 

However, if you were a Labour bod, you’d have to be a bit concerned by such a poll in the present context and in the context of all the polling. 9 months of the government being useless, barely positive headline from its own media circles and the opposition can’t find a sustained polling lead (unless YouGov has got it nailed compared to the rest), let alone a significant lead. For reference, after the 2012 budget, best remembered for the pasty tax, Labour had double figure leads, after Black Wednesday it was in the high teens and 20s, and post Northern Rock the Cons had many double figure leads and we’re well into the 20s during parts of 2008.

 

Then this poll comes along on the back of some ‘positive’ Brexit news (with the mahoosive caveat about single polls). Brexit is obviously a strong point for the government which they won’t have to trade on so much going forward and maybe there’s still some ‘rally round the flag’ effect baked in, but if such an event can swing it towards the Cons during the shitshow, it doesn’t bode so well to me once the present shitshow and stream of negativity is over. Some will say that the pandemic stole the oxygen from Starmer which might be fair and more exposure post-pandemic with the benefit of the doubt wearing off the the government could be a boon.

 

Oceans of water to pass under the bridge before 2024 but interesting locals to come in May/June

Edited 4 January 2021 by Kopfkino

[bovril]

28 minutes ago, Facecloth said:

Boris could post a shit through some peoples letterbox and they'd still vote for him, making some argument about why its great hes taken the time to post a shit through each of our letterboxes

Boris may have broken in to my house, shat on my carpet then forced me to bend down and eat it in front of my family, but you should see the remoaner tears on twitter. 

[Strokes]

16 hours ago, Facecloth said:

Boris could post a shit through some peoples letterbox and they'd still vote for him, making some argument about why its great hes taken the time to post a shit through each of our letterboxes

Maybe they will wait until he is gone before criticising him, just like  a lot of you did with the antisemites in charge of Labour

[Facecloth]

1 hour ago, Strokes said:

Maybe they will wait until he is gone before criticising him, just like  a lot of you did with the antisemites in charge of Labour

One was accusations. This is incompetence for all to see. Bit different.

[Carl the Llama]

2 hours ago, Strokes said:

Maybe they will wait until he is gone before criticising him, just like  a lot of you did with the antisemites in charge of Labour

No they'll criticise him and his cronies but as always when push comes to shove they'll wash their hands and vote for them because "the opposition will turn this country into Venezuela" or something equally daft.  Turkeys every time.

[UpTheLeagueFox]

Since the early 1950s, almost 70 years, Labour have been in power for just 24 of them (1964-70, 1974-79, 1997-2010)

And only 13 years of the last 41.

People may not like the Tories (and understandably in many ways) but the electorate seems to dislike the alternatives more.

[Carl the Llama]

9 minutes ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

Since the early 1950s, almost 70 years, Labour have been in power for just 24 of them (1964-70, 1974-79, 1997-2010)

And only 13 years of the last 41.

People may not like the Tories (and understandably in many ways) but the electorate seems to dislike the alternatives more.

Yes.

[UpTheLeagueFox]

While down the political rabbit hole I ended up discovering a few bits which I found marginally interesting ...

 

Six days before the 1970 General Election, the Govt (Labour) had a 12.4% opinion poll lead. They lost the GE... losing a whopping 75 seats !

 

In the next GE (1974), Labour got fewer overall votes than the Conservatives but won more seats.

 

And for all the problems in the country in the early 80s, Thatcher turned a majority of 43 in 1979 to 144 in 1983 (presumably the Falklands played a big part and Michael Foot being a laughing stock).

She even had just over 100 majority in the 1987 GE. 

[Fightforever]

Political parties for most are like football teams you can't change who you support. The same can be said in virtually every democracy on the planet. Welcome to reality people are stupid or just don't care enough or usually both.

[CosbehFox]

6 hours ago, Fightforever said:

Political parties for most are like football teams you can't change who you support. The same can be said in virtually every democracy on the planet. Welcome to reality people are stupid or just don't care enough or usually both.

It’s why I could never see what happened to the Spanish or Italian political parties ever occurring here in the UK. 
 

It took a pretty shocking event of corruption in Spain to do it. When the US had a similar event, the system stayed 

[BKLFox]

I wonder if Keir Starmer is going to show some leadership over Rosie Duffield continued transphobic comments?

[BKLFox]

No comments after Sir Keir’s appearance on Andrew Marrs this morning then guys?

 

You happy he already faulting on issues he pledged he would address and the fact his response to the virus situation wouldn’t be a million miles apart from the other guys?

[Strokes]

38 minutes ago, BKLFox said:

No comments after Sir Keir’s appearance on Andrew Marrs this morning then guys?

I’ve only seen a few snippets but I’m guessing they were supposedly the worst bits.

38 minutes ago, BKLFox said:

 

You happy he already faulting on issues he pledged he would address

He needs to appeal to more voters than his predecessor in order to gain power, and that will include people that voted to leave the EU. What he said was interesting and that he is prepared to find the best way through using the existing treaty should be music to any brexiteers ears, not cause for bait and division.

We’ve said we need everybody to unite behind it (even if they aren’t happy with it) let’s not take the piss when they do.

38 minutes ago, BKLFox said:

 

and the fact his response to the virus situation wouldn’t be a million miles apart from the other guys?

Not a million miles and it’s easy to look good in opposition when the government are making a mess of things but at least he did apologise and acknowledge. Something to think about.

[BKLFox]

20 minutes ago, Strokes said:

I’ve only seen a few snippets but I’m guessing they were supposedly the worst bits.

He needs to appeal to more voters than his predecessor in order to gain power, and that will include people that voted to leave the EU. What he said was interesting and that he is prepared to find the best way through using the existing treaty should be music to any brexiteers ears, not cause for bait and division.

We’ve said we need everybody to unite behind it (even if they aren’t happy with it) let’s not take the piss when they do.

Not a million miles and it’s easy to look good in opposition when the government are making a mess of things but at least he did apologise and acknowledge. Something to think about.

Strokes I’m nearly asking what people’s thoughts are now that he has dropped going after FoM, skirted around his free broadband for all pledge for example & agrees schools should try to stay open amongst other things, which are all things that have been used in argument against the government on this forum in the past week alone.

[Jon the Hat]

On 04/01/2021 at 22:24, Abrasive fox said:

There's a lot of people in this country that will only ever vote for them regardless of their policies or personnel. It is utterly utterly bizarre. 

It’s almost like they recognise politics involves compromise and they vote for the party which most closely aligned with their views despite knowing their flaws.  And like you don’t see any flaws in your party.

[Chocolate Teapot]

28 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said:

It’s almost like they recognise politics involves compromise and they vote for the party which most closely aligned with their views despite knowing their flaws.  And like you don’t see any flaws in your party.

What's my party?

 

This is a strange take given it completely misses the point 🤣

[Dahnsouff]

On 05/01/2021 at 16:40, Facecloth said:

One was accusations. This is incompetence for all to see. Bit different.

You lefties grind my gears, can you direct me to a suitable thread please?  

[Facecloth]

17 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

You lefties grind my gears, can you direct me to a suitable thread please?  

Who said I'm a lefty? I don't like either tbh.

 

But I see you have no response.

Edited 10 January 2021 by Facecloth

[Dahnsouff]

5 minutes ago, Facecloth said:

Who said I'm a lefty? I don't like either tbh.

 

But I see you have no response.

It was meant as jest relating to the ‘grinds my gears’ thread, but somewhat missed the mark.
 

Do agree with the neither side preference.

[Strokes]

2 hours ago, BKLFox said:

Strokes I’m nearly asking what people’s thoughts are now that he has dropped going after FoM, skirted around his free broadband for all pledge for example & agrees schools should try to stay open amongst other things, which are all things that have been used in argument against the government on this forum in the past week alone.

Fair enough, 
What do you think of it? 
Like I said I’ve only seen snippets but as someone who voted leave and conservative, for me and for the first time in ages. It gave me a bit of respect towards the opposition and belief that I may be able to vote for them if they stay on this path.

I’d like to give this government in 4 years a bloody nose for some of the way they’ve handled things but that can only happen if there is a pathway by a strong credible opposition, that looks forwards and isn’t going to reopen past divisions.

[BKLFox]

1 hour ago, Strokes said:

Fair enough, 
What do you think of it? 
Like I said I’ve only seen snippets but as someone who voted leave and conservative, for me and for the first time in ages. It gave me a bit of respect towards the opposition and belief that I may be able to vote for them if they stay on this path.

I’d like to give this government in 4 years a bloody nose for some of the way they’ve handled things but that can only happen if there is a pathway by a strong credible opposition, that looks forwards and isn’t going to reopen past divisions.

Quit pro quo Clarice 

Think you might need to see the whole interview because for the first time as far as I’m aware the media are reporting a car crash for Keir.

TBH Strokes it just confirms to me that [insert all parties] are ALL full of shit and that it’s easy to offer this and offer that prior to picking up the reins and purse and having to make good on those offers.

 

Edited 10 January 2021 by BKLFox

[BenTheFox]

Boris Johnson is very intelligent and manipulative. He's very much played the game to get to where he wanted. What I don't understand is how so many perceive the clumsy 'bumbling idiot' act (exactly what it is, an act) as a good thing. I hate that he is representing us in front of the rest of the world.