Off Topic The Politics Thread

They have to have a competent partner to negotiate with Goldie. This country doesn’t have a position on Brexit as far as I can see. If Johnson campaigns for the leadership on a no deal Brexit, as Rory Stewart says he is, can he back track when he gets the job? OK, Johnson can probably get away with flip flopping, like Trump his personal credibility, competence and trustworthiness seem irrelevant.

 

I think it will be Boris or Raab, Stan. Anyone else, and votes will leach to the Brexit Party. Either one of those has to move to WTO.

If they don't, we're left with the same rotten May Withdrawal Agreement and it won't get through Parliament.

If they do, possibly even doing a deal with Farage, voters will come back and that's when the EU will sit up and start to talk.

As Finglas said in a recent tweet, it's in the EU's interests to get this done. I don't know how many Brexit Party MEP's were going to send to the EU Parliament (find out tomorrow or Monday), but they'll team up with other Eurosceptics and make the Scot Nats in Westminster look like girl guides!

 

Frankie Boyle on Theresa May
“All the authority of a ‘do not tumble dry’ label. All the charm of a war crime”.

On the return of Farage
“It’s like a suicide bomber doing a comeback tour”

On angry Brexit voters who don’t like the EU making decisions for them
“These are people who’s wives buy their socks for them”

When he’s not being deliberately shocking, Frankie Boyle is brilliant.

 

A Johnson v Raab final two will be interesting. But the demographics of Tory MPs make that unlikely I think.

Why would they make a deal with Farage, their job is to make him irrelevant by making the Tories the Brexit Party. And if they want to reflect the overwhelming view of Tory party members that’s what they will do, just like Labour should be a Remain party.

There is an interesting difference between the vast majority of European Eurosceptic parties and the Brexit Party. They don’t want to leave the EU, they want to reform it, make it more of a market and less of a federal organisation. The example of the UK over the last 3 years has actually reduced desire to quit in many countries.

 

I’m counting on it.

 

I think the Tories should get Tony Blair back as their PM and start a war with Europe.

 

Frankie ****ing Boyle?

What a twat!

 

It'll be Johnson or Raab against a Remainer, and the Brexiteer will win among the Tory faithful. It could easily be Raab, I don't see Johnson as a shoe in.

If there is a general election, a Brexiteer PM could do a deal with Farage so the Conservatives and Brexit Party are not standing against each other in key seats.

Yes, true about the deterrent after the Brexit fiasco under May. If European Eurosceptics can dilute down the growing political EU Empire and move it back towards a Common Market, all power to their elbow. It will make the relationship with the UK easier too.

 

I wouldn't rule out Steve Baker - might get a fair few votes from the ERG as some of them saw Boris and Raab as selling out in the last Parliamentary vote. Both remain and leave wings will have numerous candidates so will be interesting to see where the splits leave them.
But ultimately of course a Brexit campaigner will win. Cannot see the grass roots voting for anything else - and wouldn't expect them too.

 

Could be wrong but I don't see Baker getting far. He's never held a ministerial post and so, however much he's loved by the ERG, isn't a heavy hitter. Could get a ministerial post under Boris or Raab though. I'd love him to have a role in the Brexit negotiations, though probably not chief negotiator. That role is a tricky one. I'd prefer to see Raab do it than Johnson. A competent, Brexit minded team, whoever it is, is essential.

 

How about Mark Francois? That would be brilliant.

 

True but Mrs Leadsom was only number two at the Treasury. My head hurts trying to work out all the permutations tbh

 

I should point out I don't want any of them. I'd have had Caroline Lucas as PM if it was up to me. Francois is one of the few who would be worse than Boris.

 

Good point, and although she failed, it did her career no harm at all, and that could be the same for Baker if he has the innate abililty. I don't know enough about him to judge

 

It’s a tallest dwarf competition.

 

He was a Cold War warrior you know.

 

Where do Foreign students studying in the UK come from?
1 China, over 100,000 of them, up 13%
2. India 21,000, up 40%
3. USA 15,000 (mostly post grads I think)
4 Hong Kong 9000
5 Saudi 8,500.

From what I see round here most of the Chinese are studying at Warwick and living in Leamington.

 

Frankly, the Tory Party has never been so bereft of talent. Whoever is elected is basically leading the Party to electoral oblivion as whichever way Brexit goes the Party is split beyond repair. The only question now is can Labour continue to shoot into Row Z with every open goal that is presented to them?...

 

In Central London there are countless new tower blocks of student accomodation filled with them. I've seen flights at Heathrow coming in from Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong which are all package deals to whichever University accommodation is provided, apparently they pay a year's rent in advance.

Meanwhile affordable housing in the capital is virtually non-existent...

 

F*ck me, Chuk-Up's Party have changed again, now they see the LibDems reasonable resurgence they want to take advantage. They should be told to f*ck off...