The one and only UK 2024 election thread - July 4

[tabascoboy]

Now seeking other opportunities! Predictably the GE campaign is turning into a shitshow for all the parties though...

[Tichtheid]

This may or may not have been altered, but it's still good

[C69]

Disagree, it’s a reasonable barometer for how Starmer intends to govern

In what way?

Abbott is a loon and a liability, if he’s squeezing her and her fellow travellers out he’s serious about governing from the centre. If he’s not, he’ll be pulled into their batshit rabbit holes. The same in reverse happened with the Tories

Has Sunak even commented on the former PM being in hoc to far right organisations noted for crazy conspiracy theories and glorifying rape towards female MPs?
Whilst I don't think Abbott seems medically stable enough to stand as san MP this really is a non story

[I like neeps]

https://x.com/StephenFlynnSNP/status/17 ... Duyzw&s=19

Not a British EDF sadly.

[C69]

https://x.com/StephenFlynnSNP/status/17 ... Duyzw&s=19

Not a British EDF sadly.

Sadly indeed but it's hopefully a start and a building block.
Rishi wants to give fly tippers points on their licence.
Now former Tory MP Julian Knight is standing as an independent.
Trashing the Tories and Rishi.

Lol both Parties are having some issues with former MPs
Aaron Bell MP also stands down because the Tories are not a Party of Government.

[C69]

I think Starmer and the Labour machine have been brutal and have been scouring social media for any tweets etc over years and years.Then scrapping them from standing.
The Tories will have to fill so many seats so quickly that they won't be able to vet their candidates.
So many more banana skins to come..

Abbott to stand for Labour as well, thank fuck that circus is over.
I still think she is not fit to stand btw

[SaintK]

I think Starmer and the Labour machine have been brutal and have been scouring social media for any tweets etc over years and years.Then scrapping them from standing.
The Tories will have to fill so many seats so quickly that they won't be able to vet their candidates.
So many more banana skins to come..

Abbott to stand for Labour as well, thank fuck that circus is over.
I still think she is not fit to stand btw

Agreed, physically if nothing else
She looked a wreck at the protest meeting she spoke to the other night.
She was being held up betwee two supporters, one on each arm and was shaking like a leaf the whole time.

[C69]

I think Starmer and the Labour machine have been brutal and have been scouring social media for any tweets etc over years and years.Then scrapping them from standing.
The Tories will have to fill so many seats so quickly that they won't be able to vet their candidates.
So many more banana skins to come..

Abbott to stand for Labour as well, thank fuck that circus is over.
I still think she is not fit to stand btw

Agreed, physically if nothing else
She looked a wreck at the protest meeting she spoke to the other night.
She was being held up betwee two supporters, one on each arm and was shaking like a leaf the whole time.

Her health is a real issue at present.
Her treatment by the speaker for me was a real low point in Parliament. I would hope she actually says she will not stand.

[tabascoboy]

Could well be that's just what Labour are hoping for, that she takes the decision herself and much relief all round

[I like neeps]

https://x.com/StephenFlynnSNP/status/17 ... Duyzw&s=19

Not a British EDF sadly.

Sadly indeed but it's hopefully a start and a building block.
Rishi wants to give fly tippers points on their licence.
Now former Tory MP Julian Knight is standing as an independent.
Trashing the Tories and Rishi.

Lol both Parties are having some issues with former MPs
Aaron Bell MP also stands down because the Tories are not a Party of Government.

Hopefully. But what it certainly is is dishonest. It's at best a Green Investment Bank - good to restart the one the Tories sold to invest in large projects and new technologies. But, it won't reduce bills as Ofgem decides the cost and renewable pricing is based on gas anyway and it won't generate or distribute/transmit energy so it's hard to describe it as an energy company in any meaningful way.

Still, good to have some banking jobs created in Edinburgh.

[sockwithaticket]

https://x.com/StephenFlynnSNP/status/17 ... Duyzw&s=19

Not a British EDF sadly.

Sadly indeed but it's hopefully a start and a building block.
Rishi wants to give fly tippers points on their licence.
Now former Tory MP Julian Knight is standing as an independent.
Trashing the Tories and Rishi.

Lol both Parties are having some issues with former MPs
Aaron Bell MP also stands down because the Tories are not a Party of Government.

Hopefully. But what it certainly is is dishonest. It's at best a Green Investment Bank - good to restart the one the Tories sold to invest in large projects and new technologies. But, it won't reduce bills as Ofgem decides the cost and renewable pricing is based on gas anyway and it won't generate or distribute/transmit energy so it's hard to describe it as an energy company in any meaningful way.

Still, good to have some banking jobs created in Edinburgh.

Can someone explain to me why this is the case? And why we still give subsidies to the oil and gas industry which makes billions in profit?

[Hal Jordan]

Sadly indeed but it's hopefully a start and a building block.
Rishi wants to give fly tippers points on their licence.
Now former Tory MP Julian Knight is standing as an independent.
Trashing the Tories and Rishi.

Lol both Parties are having some issues with former MPs
Aaron Bell MP also stands down because the Tories are not a Party of Government.

Hopefully. But what it certainly is is dishonest. It's at best a Green Investment Bank - good to restart the one the Tories sold to invest in large projects and new technologies. But, it won't reduce bills as Ofgem decides the cost and renewable pricing is based on gas anyway and it won't generate or distribute/transmit energy so it's hard to describe it as an energy company in any meaningful way.

Still, good to have some banking jobs created in Edinburgh.

Can someone explain to me why this is the case? And why we still give subsidies to the oil and gas industry which makes billions in profit?

Because fossil fuel companies invest heavily in political parties, garnering returns that make slum landlords green with envy.

[sockwithaticket]

Hopefully. But what it certainly is is dishonest. It's at best a Green Investment Bank - good to restart the one the Tories sold to invest in large projects and new technologies. But, it won't reduce bills as Ofgem decides the cost and renewable pricing is based on gas anyway and it won't generate or distribute/transmit energy so it's hard to describe it as an energy company in any meaningful way.

Still, good to have some banking jobs created in Edinburgh.

Can someone explain to me why this is the case? And why we still give subsidies to the oil and gas industry which makes billions in profit?

Because fossil fuel companies invest heavily in political parties, garnering returns that make slum landlords green with envy.

Well, yes. I suppose I was casting about for the justification of the current state of things rather than the reality of the situation.

[C69]

The GB News/Daily Mail poll done on a basic constituency by constituency basis etc calls out Sunak's useless campaign and has traction with Tory MPs who want to see their seats analysis.
Apparently a few more are not going to stand as they fear losing their seats.

It claims Labour may win 500 seats. I don't buy it at all.
It's going to be much closer unless the fears of the Tories of tactical voting "anyone but the Tories" comes true.

The next week is going to be savage for Sunak with many more Tory MPs not standing or shifting to other Parties.

[fishfoodie]

The GB News/Daily Mail poll done on a basic constituency by constituency basis etc calls out Sunak's useless campaign and has traction with Tory MPs who want to see their seats analysis.
Apparently a few more are not going to stand as they fear losing their seats.

It claims Labour may win 500 seats. I don't buy it at all.
It's going to be much closer unless the fears of the Tories of tactical voting "anyone but the Tories" comes true.

The next week is going to be savage for Sunak with many more Tory MPs not standing or shifting to other Parties.

Past performance is no predictor of future !

While I understand why it's hard to believe that the Tories could fuck up so badly as to get less than 100 seats, & that Labour could keep their shit together for a full campaign ...... that's all history !

In the reality we live in today, the Tories are a dumpster fire to the point where they might not have candidates in every constituency.

There are also a lot of factors that just aren't computable at the moment, like what percentage of Tory core vote will vote Reform, or just sit at home; or how badly the SNP vote will collapse, & most importantly, how does tactical voting play out, because if the apparent nod & wink cooperation between Labour & the Lib-Dems holds, then the Tory extinction level event is possible.

[Hal Jordan]

All I can say is thank fuck this will be over in a month's time, we're a week in and it's absolutely dreadful all round.

[fishfoodie]

All I can say is thank fuck this will be over in a month's time, we're a week in and it's absolutely dreadful all round.

Is it as toxic as expected ?, or do you just want to to be done ?

[C69]

All I can say is thank fuck this will be over in a month's time, we're a week in and it's absolutely dreadful all round.

Is it as toxic as expected ?, or do you just want to to be done ?

Something about Abbott....lol

[Hal Jordan]

All I can say is thank fuck this will be over in a month's time, we're a week in and it's absolutely dreadful all round.

Is it as toxic as expected ?, or do you just want to to be done ?

Both, I think. The culture war shit that the Tories have been pumping out in lieu of any action, intelligent thoughts or policies for the last year is properly stinking up the joint, Momentum dicks are fighting the last election and attacking Starmer for existing, that cunt Farage is still getting airtime, the glorified gossip columnists that are political commentators are vapid as ever, etc. etc. etc.

[fishfoodie]

All I can say is thank fuck this will be over in a month's time, we're a week in and it's absolutely dreadful all round.

Is it as toxic as expected ?, or do you just want to to be done ?

Both, I think. The culture war shit that the Tories have been pumping out in lieu of any action, intelligent thoughts or policies for the last year is properly stinking up the joint, Momentum dicks are fighting the last election and attacking Starmer for existing, that cunt Farage is still getting airtime, the glorified gossip columnists that are political commentators are vapid as ever, etc. etc. etc.

Think Positive !

Maybe, just maybe, if the Tories get trounced, & Reform score null points, they might get the memo that the culture wars schitck is bollocks, & the electorate in the UK aren't as stupid, & racist the yanks, & they'll try maybe campaigning on issues that matter to people

[Enzedder]

I reckon Starmer should piss off to the Bahamas for a month - best chance of not stuffing it up.

[tc27]

Sadly indeed but it's hopefully a start and a building block.
Rishi wants to give fly tippers points on their licence.
Now former Tory MP Julian Knight is standing as an independent.
Trashing the Tories and Rishi.

Lol both Parties are having some issues with former MPs
Aaron Bell MP also stands down because the Tories are not a Party of Government.

Hopefully. But what it certainly is is dishonest. It's at best a Green Investment Bank - good to restart the one the Tories sold to invest in large projects and new technologies. But, it won't reduce bills as Ofgem decides the cost and renewable pricing is based on gas anyway and it won't generate or distribute/transmit energy so it's hard to describe it as an energy company in any meaningful way.

Still, good to have some banking jobs created in Edinburgh.

Can someone explain to me why this is the case? And why we still give subsidies to the oil and gas industry which makes billions in profit?

It distorts the market so the private companies that build renewables are able to sell energy profitably. It works to the extent that it's leading to lots of extra renewable capacity but it's politically risky as its making renewables seem as expensive as oil and gas to the bill payers.

[tabascoboy]

"Emergency"?! Brokered a deal with Tories maybe ( on the promise of an inducement of course)?

Nigel Farage will be making an Emergency General Election announcement at 4pm today.

[sturginho]

"Emergency"?! Brokered a deal with Tories maybe ( on the promise of an inducement of course)?

Nigel Farage will be making an Emergency General Election announcement at 4pm today.

[tabascoboy]

In a satirical deepfake, Rishi Sunak appeared to say he would be "proper gutted" if he lost - but some users were confused about whether it was real

Young voters in key election battlegrounds are being recommended fake AI-generated videos featuring party leaders, misinformation, and clips littered with abusive comments, the BBC has found.

With TikTok emerging as a new social media battleground in this election, the political parties have begun a war of memes on the app in a bid to reach its audience of young voters.

But a BBC project to investigate the content promoted by social media algorithms has found - alongside funny montages - young people on TikTok are being exposed to misleading and divisive content. It is being shared by everyone from students and political activists to comedians and anonymous bot-like accounts.

Videos which have racked up hundreds of thousands of views have promoted unfounded rumours that a major scandal prompted Rishi Sunak to call an early election and the baseless claim that Sir Keir Starmer was responsible for the failure to prosecute serial paedophile Jimmy Savile.

Satirical, fake AI-generated clips show Rishi Sunak declaring, “Please don’t vote us out, we would be proper gutted!” and making unevidenced claims about how the Conservative leader is spending public money - including how he will send his “mates loads of dosh”.

Full story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1ww6vz1l81o

[tc27]

Interesting dynamic in Scotland where the SNP is now campaigning against Labour almost exclusively

[Tichtheid]

Interesting dynamic in Scotland where the SNP is now campaigning against Labour almost exclusively

The Tories will barely fill a taxi in Scotland after the election, they are polling at between 12 and 17 percent. The real competition is between Labour and the SNP, Labour are leading by four or five percentage points, it absolutely makes political sense for them to campaign against Labour.

I can see the SNP get a real kicking at the ballot box in Scotland.

[C69]

Farage has handed Labour the GE
New Reform Leader and standing as an MP.

Immigration immigration immigration

[SaintK]

Farage has handed Labour the GE
New Reform Leader and standing as an MP.

Immigration immigration immigration

So the wide mouth gammon frog is going to give it a go for the 8th time!
Won't that just split the Tory voter and hand it to Labour?

[sturginho]

Why this scam of a party is given so much importance I will never understand

Because in 2019 you know I got rid of Mrs May. We formed the Brexit party. Within six weeks Richard and I got rid of Mrs May. We then stood aside for Boris. I mean, I didn’t even get a thank you.

His list of made up accomplishments could rival Trump's

[I like neeps]

Farage has handed Labour the GE
New Reform Leader and standing as an MP.

Immigration immigration immigration

So the wide mouth gammon frog is going to give it a go for the 8th time!
Won't that just split the Tory voter and hand it to Labour?

Not that the shameless self promoter Farage cares at all.

Very funny that David Cameron decided on a referendum to end the Europe debates in the party and he's ended up ending the party instead of the debate.

[C69]

Farage has handed Labour the GE
New Reform Leader and standing as an MP.

Immigration immigration immigration

So the wide mouth gammon frog is going to give it a go for the 8th time!
Won't that just split the Tory voter and hand it to Labour?

Yes. Then he can help form a new more right wing party Conservative Reform.
A phoenix from the Ashes. Probably using Canada as inspiration.
Lol.

[tabascoboy]

He thinks he can finally win a seat there after all those ignominious failures, would be hilarious if he lost yet again...

Clacton has been touted for a while as somewhere that Reform UK could perform well.

Two years before the Brexit referendum, in 2014, it saw its Conservative MP Douglas Carswell defect to the Brexit-supporting UKIP.

In 2015, 22 UKIP councillors were elected to the district council.

This all happened when Nigel Farage was leader of UKIP.

The area had one of the highest percentage of Leave voters in the country.

That’s one of the reasons why Nigel Farage – one of the most prominent Brexit campaigners – has always been thought of as a potential vote-winner in that area.

[Slick]

Interesting dynamic in Scotland where the SNP is now campaigning against Labour almost exclusively

But not doing it very well, IMO.

When everyone wants change shouting "RED TORIES" over and over just isn't cutting through.

[SaintK]

Fuck Clacton!!!

[SaintK]

Bit cheeky of Coates but Shapps is never usually lost for words

[sturginho]

"Another small boat that Rishi can't deal with"

[Paddington Bear]

This is a wild election, amusing

[Hal Jordan]

Amusingly, Reform already has a candidate for Clacton. No doubt he can air his grievances to the Party members. 

[Lobby]

Amusingly, Reform already has a candidate for Clacton. No doubt he can air his grievances to the Party members. 

Tony Mack, the Reform candidate in Clacton until today was already being scrutinised for Islamophobic and antisemitic tweets, so was probably going to be dropped even if Farage hadn't decided to go for his 8th electoral failure in a row.

In December, Mack posted on Twitter that Muslims were “backward, maladjusted and taught hate through Islam”, and has since stated that “secular or moderate Muslim is an oxymoron”.

He has also shared images of the notorious antisemitic mural that got Corbyn into trouble, stating that Reform was the only way to save Britain from the “globalist agenda”, a phrase often used as an antisemitic dog whistle.

Even Reform was probably going to find it hard to support comments as blatant as this.