https://x.com/keir_starmer/status/1803420501995344250?s=46&t=IY6M0zI1h1T3HNaXabWIhQ Says the man whose party accepted a £1.5M donation from one of JSO’s funders. No doubt he’ll be returning that.
A second Tory candidate, and wife of their Director of Campaigning, is now being investigated over bets on the date of the election. Tony Lee, husband of Bristol North West candidate Laura Saunders, has taken a 'leave of absence' from his campaigning role, apparently. I joked a while back that the campaign had been going so badly for the Tories that there must be a suspicion that Sunak had taken a very significant short position on the number of Tory seats won. Perhaps not Sunak, who doesn't need the money, but maybe other Tories have done just that.
If Sunak had delayed the GE until the autumn, Farage would have been busy in the US supporting Trump, and Rwanda flights would have taken off and might well have deterred some illegals from coming over, given that some were already fleeing to Ireland. I've no idea what the logic was behind the vote in early July, but since then, it seems some Tory staff have given up and are demob happy
I heard Sunak knew/ guessed that inflation was down to 2%just before election.... and thought it would rise in November and December...due to heating bills etc.. So a summer election was the best bet. A big gamble...that actually caught everyone out...unfortunately including his own party ( except the in-the-know betting ring obviously)
Also, any rise in inflation would delay any (further) interest rate cuts: the next MPC meeting will be in August and is viewed as the one where base rate will be cut. The one after is in September and may be viewed as too soon after any cut in August. If inflation has started to increase, then there won’t be a reduction in the November meeting.
A PeoplePolling survey for GB News on Tuesday had Reform on 24% and the Tories on 15%! Almost certainly a rogue poll, but that would represent an absolute wipe-out for the Tories.
Farage believes the west provoked putin and poked the bear. Kind of seems to put blame on the west before back tracking in saying it's ultimately putins fault.
