The forthcoming election is going to be the antithesis of the 1997 one. I feel people are voting Tory not out of conviction, more of desperation. Many of the core issues like immigration are founded on people's fear. Create that mindset and right wing parties will harvest the votes. UKIP managed to create the fervour, but have been pushed into the sidings by the more experienced Tories who have managed to capture the sentiment. Meanwhile Labour look rather lost, while the Lib Dems are always going to be on the sidelines. They are a party, like the Greens with lots of creative and progressive policies but alas these do not go down well with large swathes of the voting public. It just beggars belief why Labour did not go for proportional representation in their third term because it was obvious what was going to happen next.
Rubbish Party win in Scotland The actual Rubbish Party. It was set up with the promise of sorting out bins and dog mess. Their candidate Sally Cogley has won a seat on the East Ayrshire Councli. (Sky) Now there's a party I could vote for.
The same relative who thought Al Murray political views were similar to his character's believed Tony Blair, and his government, to be more Tory than the present Tory party. It kind of makes you wonder sometimes if you're living in the same universe as certain others.
It's that kind of answer that illustrates how nobody can take you seriously on this thread, Imp. Even if you disguise it with a smiley.
Huge 'leak' in France, with targeted hacking of Emmanuel Macron's camp just two days before the election...
What has happened in the UK? West Midlands and Tees electing Tory mayors!!!! I am fearing a big loss for Labour in June.
Is there any chance we could have a thread just for Ian Thumwood and Imps to post in? Anyone could follow it but only they could post. It would be fascinating to read
Send them off to the Athletics board. Nobody else uses that site so that would be a good place for them to continue their discussion.
Something mean spirited and nasty in our national character has recently come to the fore, Ides. That's not an unnatural response to fear and uncertainty during difficult times. Eventually the underlying decency of the British people will reassert itself - by which time we'll be out of Europe and under the yoke of a right wing government with a massive majority, but do not despair; these things go in cycles. Something similar can be said for America, btw. And possibly France, although the Gallic attachment to the European project will prevent them from the monumental act of self harm us Brits have inflicted on ourselves. In other ways though, French society is more bitter and divided than ours. Difficult times.
Very reassuring, Imps. Interesting how the far-right are so relaxed about Russian skulduggery these days.
"Something mean spirited and nasty in our national character has recently come to the fore," And it is being stoked by Theresa May's deliberate attempts to provoke a reaction from the EU/Brexit negotiators, which will in turn bring out the worst of the "little Englander" mentality of many. A very clever, and crafty, move to distract the voting public's attention away from the major issues that need tackling, such as the NHS, housing, foodbanks and all the others that are too many to mention. All being done in the hope that they will support her because she is giving it large to "Johnny Foreigner" whilst forgetting what is being done to the less well off in the UK. "Eventually the underlying decency of the British people will reassert itself" I hope you are right, but I don't have that same confidence as you. I believe that too many of my generation have moved so far away from their working class roots, they have forgotten (or just don't care) about the very real worries and concerns of those that are now struggling. Or if they do care, they won't do anything to redress the imbalance we now have, for fear it will impact, albeit slightly, on their way of life.
Yes, that was where I got the figures I was discussing with Imps the other day. I tried to embed the video on here but couldn't work out how.
