You can't. Not the sort you would like anyway. However until 2020 the Tories are the government so they are the only player in the game. We need something to replace the carnage we have made of our relationship with the EU - I am sure there are many things we will not like but reducing trade and tariffs is important.
All polls show the British public have much more faith in the Tories than the opposition to handle finance and the economy. After the last week confidence in the Labour Party must be at rock bottom on all subjects.
Well that is hardly controversial or news. Tories better at business than Labour - hold the headlines At lunchtime I was watching some guy, new deputy leader of the Greens. From what he was saying I do not know why Corbyn does not defect to the Greens - they are anti-nuclear, anti NATO, pro environment, have radical social, economic and tax policies. Cologne seems to like him whereas Labour MPs and many voters do not - would he be a better fit there?
This where you've completely missed the point. I'm not a Labour activist, I'm no longer a member and give them no financial support, I couldn't care less about the party. What I do care about is not having this self-serving, vile scummy excuse of a party running the country I was born in and currently live in. I'd vote for the Monster Raving Loony Party if it meant the Tories wouldn't be elected. As I've said before I have different values that I apply to my life, and one of them definitely isn't to make my life better by ****ting on those around me. My only hope is for a coalition of Labour/SNP/Greens/Lib Dems (if needed), but as long as Murdoch is pulling the strings there's no hope in that happening...
The point I was making is it accepted by all that the Tories are more competent with financial matters. Who would you rather have to negotiate trade deals, weighing up all of the financial implications, the Tories or the bunch that left the 'no money left' note? We agree on one thing, no chance for any opposition for the Tories for a long time. In fact, part of me wants the Lords to play up over Brexit so we can have a general election resulting in a Tory landslide.
Do you not think a country runs better then with an effective opposition? A Tory landslide would give them the power to implement far right policies without an effective voice to challenge them? Is that good for democracy|?
Yes, the UK is better with a strong opposition but I would like a much healthier majority for the Tories. As the PM is able to concentrate on subjects other than Brexit I think you will find her to be much more inclusive and less right wing than has been portrayed. Like me she considered the privileged 'Eton' image for the Tories was completely wrong and unhelpful to gain support across society. She is a firm supporter of capitalism but wants to reward enterprise not privilege. If she manages that she will attract an awful lot of former Labour voters who feel they are not represented at the moment.
They say a week is a long time in politics, but maybe it should be twelve hours. Yesterday evening Dianne Abbot was on TV trying to support her friend over not opposing the Article 50 notification. This morning she is on the radio telling us that the Labour party could vote against it if their amendments to the bill are ignored. Pressure is coming on the leadership again from MPs who are prepared to do a JC and vote as they believe they should, and not as they are told. At a time which is the most serious since WWII we have an opposition that is in total disarray, and a government that is being brought before the courts for trying to act in an illegal way. A total mess.
I think there are too many Labour MP's in the north with sizeable 'leave' majorities. When they see the carnage in the forthcoming bi-elections they will vote with their constituents. It will need an awful lot of Labour MP's to deny the will of the people to cause any sort of problem to the government, it will just not happen.
There could be a bit more flip flopping to come, Jeremy's tenure is looking very shaky!! Never seen anything like it.
I think it will depend on how the votes are split what will happen next. There was some research carried out in areas where there was a very large majority to leave, and it found that in those areas there was a very large swing against leaving. One cannot know how accurate that was, but the little hard information would support it. In a Sunderland by-election, the Labour party, Tories and UKIP all had large swings against them, with the LD taking 76% of the vote. All the evidence from around the country is pointing towards discontent towards the major parties, and how the Labour party jump next is unknown. Don't forget that Westminster is just as split as the country with the government only having a very small majority.
The Conservatives are odd on to win the Copeland By-election. UKIP are favourites to win Stoke Central. The vote in parliament recently to invoke article 50 by 31st March was overwhelming supported (461 to 89) including most of the Labour MP's. The only opposition was one Tory, all of the SNP and about 23 Labour MP's. Most of the present bunch who advocate denying the three line whip are amongst this small group. With the Labour Party's massive support for the government, its small majority is practically immaterial. There is growing support for the PM and growing support for the government's negotiating stance, all looking good.
I did say I think it is how the votes are split that will have a say in the future, not what the bookies are offering.
I'm just giving you general information, the bookies are rarely wrong. They are now saying up to 60 Labour MP's could oppose the stance of the government and the Labour Party. Hardly enough to make any difference.
I like some of his ideas Leo (not all of them), but I do not have the feeling I would like to go out for a pint with him - too much of a fundamentalist. I am opposed to whips, particularly in this particular case. Corbyn himself was a rebel for many years, who did not toe the official party line, so he can hardly turn against rebels now. I whole heartedly support the woman who gave up her post with the comment 'I represent Hampstead in Westminster, not the other way around' - this is what I would expect any conscientious MP to do. My impression is that Labour should return to the basics of Keynesian economics as opposed to neo liberalist ones, because, at heart, Labour are more to be trusted with the economy - maybe not in the short term, but rather in the longer. However, like Toby, I can only really hope for a Labour - Liberal - Green - SNP coalition, and I do not think that Corbyn could lead a coalition. For me the best politician to lead such a coalition would be Caroline Lucas - it really is Labour's loss that she is in the Green Party.
I would, but would want to know in writing before hand that you were paying. Come to think of it I would go out for a pint with anyone on here if real ale was on offer.
Actually could anyone imagine going out for a pint with any of the present breed of politicians ? Sadiq Khan maybe (he probably doesn't drink). Jeremy Corbyn is probably a wine type of person, Caroline Lucas probably drinks organic carrot juice - the only one I've ever seen with a pint in his hand is Farage, and there's no way I'm doing it with him.
I have been known to run out of a restaurant without paying in my teens. I don't think my knees would get me very far nowadays. I would probably need to sit by the door to give me a fighting chance.!!
