General UK Politics Thread

[mormont]

Personally I just wish the Labour Party would acquire some backbone and just tell GB to go and have the leadership election they should have had 2 years ago.

Either that or GB would acquire some and tell his party to either back him or fuck off (yes, the situation is actually so bad I am recommending aping John Major. That's how you know it's desperate. :P)

The new leader (god help us if its Harman) would then promise to go the electorate within 6 months hopefully with a proper set of policies and ideas that at the very least would force the Tories and Lib Dems to come up with something more substantial than 'isn't Gordon awful'. I want a proper general election with lots of heavyweight ideas and policies that have been missing in the last two elections under Blair and which would force the major parties out of the stupor they have been in for the last two parliaments . However, this is probably just wishful thinking on my part.

I don't think such an election has ever happened in UK history, so probably it is wishful thinking, yes.

[Blue Roses]

Either that or GB would acquire some and tell his party to either back him or fuck off (yes, the situation is actually so bad I am recommending aping John Major. That's how you know it's desperate. :P)

I was trying to remember this morning whether this is worse than the last days of Major or pretty much the same. I suppose with Major I always felt a bit sorry for him whereas I have no sympathy for Gordon. Also we were not in the middle of a parliamentary whirlwind and economic recession at the time. Mind you, atleast its keeping SuBo off the main pages of the newspapers (..well.. most).

[Werthead]

Very interesting to have News 24 on today. As the day wore on you could see people shifting from "This is a crisis that Brown can weather," to, "Shit, he could be gone in days,", like the last few weeks of Thatcher's reign.

My personal feeling is that the elections will be the decider. If Labour does catastrophically badly at the local and European elections tomorrow and at the weekend, Brown's position may well become totally untenable. If Labour do better than expected, he may be able to survive a while longer.

The problem for the Labour Party is that they are truly well and screwed. If Brown hangs on, a lot of the electorate will vote against them in the general election on that basis alone. But there is no viable alternative to Brown who has the necessary combination of charm, experience or skill to pull off a turn-around of Labour's fortunes in less than twelve months (certainly not Harman). The only solution for Labour would be to either pick another leader who can help them bow out with dignity, and if they're going to do that they may as well say fuck it and call the general election now and get it over with. At least at this point only the fact that Tory MPs are as much tarred by the expenses scandal as Labour are might put a dent in the otherwise enormous point-lead the Tories have over them.

[Liffguard]

But there is no viable alternative to Brown who has the necessary combination of charm, experience or skill to pull off a turn-around of Labour's fortunes in less than twelve months (certainly not Harman). The only solution for Labour would be to either pick another leader who can help them bow out with dignity, and if they're going to do that they may as well say fuck it and call the general election now and get it over with.

I pretty much agree with this. Barring a true miracle, I cannot see Labour winning the next general election. The only question is how much they lose by and how relevant they are in opposition. I don't think it's ever good for the country to have a ruling party with such an overwhelming majority as the Thatcher and Blair governments enjoyed, especially when the opposition is divided and directionless. The next Labour leader doesn't need to win the election, they simply need to hold the party together and maintain enough coherency to act as a viable opposition.

[DJDonegal]

I'm sure I've read somewhere that, based on the popular vote, even the Lib Dems are ahead of Labour. Of course, due to demographics, Labour will still wind up with a lot more seats than the Lib Dems, but if that's true then Labour are in a lot of bother. And the Tories will storm to a landslide victory.

[Mathis]

And the Tories will storm to a landslide victory.

It should be fun to see the fall out in Scotch-land if the Tories win. Presumably conservatives won't be anywhere near a majority up there.

What with the recession those penny pinching, haggis munchers won't be bawling for independence; but even so it could be tasty (I'm referring to the political climate, not haggis of course). Ha ha ha.

[DJDonegal]

What with the recession those penny pinching, haggis munchers won't be bawling for independence; but even so it could be tasty (I'm referring to the political climate, not haggis of course). Ha ha ha.

Have you been drinking Brains again Mathis?

[Lyanna Stark]

To take our minds off the expenses scandal, Mayor Boris Johnson takes an unintentional dive in the river.

Trust good old Boris to lighten things up.

[MinDonner]

Nick Harkaway is doing a fairly amusing running commentary of Gordon's Last Stand on his journal:

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that there is a siege situation developing in the Westminster area of London this morning. They have cordoned off a zone including the King Charles Street and Richmond Terrace parts of Whitehall, where a man is understood to have barricaded himself into a house and is refusing to surrender himself to the authorities.

[Hereward]

I usually enjoy elections, but this is one is getting in the way of a really good Whitehall farce. Of course, once the results start coming in the unravelling of the Labour Party can begin again with renewed vigour, so I must be patient. :wideeyed:

[Usotsuki]

What exactly is the English word for tricoteuse or in this case I suppose tricoteur?

[MinDonner]

Not quite on topic, but I was reading a book today from 2002 that made a very passing reference to Ian Duncan Smith - :lol: - I'd entirely forgotten that he even existed.

[Hereward]

What exactly is the English word for tricoteuse or in this case I suppose tricoteur?

I think it's "British citizen". :unsure:

[Usotsuki]

:lol:

I'm actually starting to feel a tad voyeuristic, if I were a slightly better person I think I'd pretend it wasn't happening, thankfully I'm depraved enough to enjoy every last convoluted minute.

[MinDonner]

Sir Alan Sugar has apparently been spotted entering No 10. I wonder if Gordon summoned him, or if he was sent by the rest of the party to deliver that "You're fired!" verdict...

[Hereward]

Oh Gordon, no. At least try not to give every tabloid headline writer the perfect ammunition. :stunned:

[Blue Roses]

I usually enjoy elections, but this is one is getting in the way of a really good Whitehall farce. Of course, once the results start coming in the unravelling of the Labour Party can begin again with renewed vigour, so I must be patient. :wideeyed:

The big Labour guns have gone silent all along the front line, waiting for the results to come in before they give the order to send over the top their demented, tired and bedraggled MPs in one final push to break through the Brown lines. Can't wait for tomorrow morning. :P

Just come back from the Polling station where I was given a European Ballot Paper about three feet long with loads of parties I have never heard of. I was particularly charmed by the 'Roman Party' with a very sweet 'Ave' after their name.

[Werthead]

I pretty much agree with this. Barring a true miracle, I cannot see Labour winning the next general election.

Although whenever anyone says this, we always have to remember 1992. I don't think it'll be a repeat of events this time around, but a hitherto unexpected turn-around or a really spectacular scandal could still demolish the Tories and keep Labour in power. Although whether they'd want that with a tiny majority would be another question.

Nick Harkaway is doing a fairly amusing running commentary of Gordon's Last Stand on his journal:

He's a better blogger than fantasy novelist, that's for sure :)

[Zoë Sumra]

It should be fun to see the fall out in Scotch-land if the Tories win. Presumably conservatives won't be anywhere near a majority up there.

I hadn't heard they were entirely flavour of the month in Dragon-land either...

Although whenever anyone says this, we always have to remember 1992. I don't think it'll be a repeat of events this time around, but a hitherto unexpected turn-around or a really spectacular scandal could still demolish the Tories and keep Labour in power.

Mmm, but I doubt it. The Tories should, on the numbers game, have been hit more badly than Labour by the expenses scandal, and yet the effect on Labour has been worse (ruling party syndrome, I expect); and I don't think David and Samantha will go wandering on beaches anytime soon. :/

[Derfel Cadarn]

An adaption of a joke I heard after Rangers won the league. It's rather foul and offensive so don't unspoiler it if you're easily offended.

SPOILER: New Labour Donations

Labour were given a slight boost today when it was announced that Tampax would be hosting a fundraiser for the Labour party. A spokesperson for Tampax said, "To help a bunch of cunts going through a bad period is what our company is all about."