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Off Topic General Election

Discussion in 'Watford' started by Jennings60s, Apr 18, 2017.

  1. Jennings60s

    Jennings60s Active Member

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    Theresa May has called a General Election for 8th June - that is going to put the cat amongst the pigeons
     
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  2. Jennings60s

    Jennings60s Active Member

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    Oh - if only Jeremy Corbyn had the balls to campaign on reversing Article 50. He would win the support of LibDems, Greens, SNP and even many Tories. I can't stand Corbyn as a leader but would vote for him to reverse Article 50
     
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  3. yorkshirehornet

    yorkshirehornet Well-Known Member

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    he was always Eurosceptic.. so just not going to happen

    I guess we can expects a lot more votes going to the LibDems.... and the voting in Wales/NI / Scotland will be interesting
     
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  4. Jennings60s

    Jennings60s Active Member

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    I do agree with you - it will not happen. However if you were advising him you would tell him - you are about to be humiliated in an election - but if you turned it into an anti A50 vote you might, just might get the support of those who would have liked to stay in the EU - and that could be far better than his likely support now.
     
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  5. bragantino

    bragantino Active Member

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    Imagine the PM not getting the 2/3 majority of MPs she needs to call this election outside the strictures of the Fixed Term Parliament Act 2011. Enemies of democracy will be the cry and the politicians will appear even further out of touch.

    The worst case will be a new parliament dominated by MPs wishing to remain in the EU when the majority of people, who could actually be bothered to vote in the referendum, said leave.
     
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  6. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    On a matter of principle my wife and I decided against voting in the last GE. We are both registered to vote in this upcoming one and it is certain that we will this time. Will tactical voting come into play, or will there be the usual vote for the party that people have always voted for? Another small majority and nothing will be made easier for the PM. We have seen that people do feel very strongly about Brexit and have voted for parties that oppose it. If more of the young can be persuaded to leave their normal activities anything could happen. If her gamble fails to increase her majority, then the country will be in a worse state than ever.
     
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  7. superhorns

    superhorns Well-Known Member

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    I am really pleased for Diane Abbott. She has been telling anyone that would listen that her Jezza is the only person to lead the Labour Party to victory. The surprise announcement of an imminent GE does not give the kingmaker McCluskey time to organise a firing squad for dear old Jeremy, is there?
     
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  8. superhorns

    superhorns Well-Known Member

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    The Conservatives are currently 21 points ahead of Labour in a couple of opinion polls, the forecast is a 100 seat majority which would be ideal. There will extra support from the anti Brexiters for the Lib Dems but I expect many Tory defectors who voted UKIP will now vote for the government. Traditional Labour voters that voted UKIP will still shun Labour.
     
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  9. Jennings60s

    Jennings60s Active Member

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    I expect a Tory majority of about 100. It is a shame though Corbyn does not have the bottle to turn it into a referendum re-run. Then we might find what the people really want. Instead he will gift the Tories a landslide and then slink into obscurity from whence he came
     
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  10. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    The PM has gone out of her way to say that this is an election about Brexit. Clearly this is designed to divert attention from the real problems in the UK about the NHS, disability payments, home care for the elderly, and others that she seems to have no real answer to. Maybe some people who are not directly effected by this dramatic collapse in these essential services will still support the party that doesn't have the compassion to do anything to improve matters, but others will see the light and change their minds.
    Corbyn has created so many problems within his own party, that were very easy to forecast. His inability to lead has to be obvious, and the extremists on the left have been having a field day. Only if he can divert the issues towards preserving jobs and living standards for the poorer people can I see much hope for him.
    The PM should increase her majority, but I wouldn't put any money on it.
     
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  11. superhorns

    superhorns Well-Known Member

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    Handy news.

    The IMF has raised its UK growth forecast for the second time this year- with the economy set to grow faster than Germany and France this year. It expects the British economy to grow 2% in 2017, up from January's 1.5%, France at 1.4%, Germany at 1.6%.

    Sterling boosted by general election news. Armageddon postponed a little longer.
     
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  12. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    Meanwhile Eurozone growth nears a six year high.

    "Fuelling the growth were strong performances from France and Germany's services sectors, the survey found."

    "Perhaps the best news came from France, where growth has risen above that seen in Germany, led by strengthening domestic demand."

    "While elections remain a worry regarding the outlook, for now the business mood in France and across much of Europe is very positive."

    "Job creation was at its best level for almost a decade".

    The above are actually what is happening, not forecasts. There is a general increase in global trading which is lifting most countries out of slack growth.
     
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  13. superhorns

    superhorns Well-Known Member

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    The UK needs a successful EU to trade with. The problems with the Euro however are still very serious. Eurosceptic parties are still leading in Italy and Sweden.
     
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  14. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    As all the commentators have said today, there was no chance of the UK getting a trade deal with the EU by the time of the next election that was due in 2020. For that reason they believe that she is simply trying to gain breathing space. Indeed all the messages that came out of Whitehall confirmed that was the case. If she gets a large majority then the chances of a deal earlier increase, but if the country is seen to have the same mixed message that happened in the referendum, then she will be seriously weakened. The best guess is a deal around 2025. We will see and of course there are elections in Europe that could change attitudes.
     
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  15. Bolton's Boots

    Bolton's Boots Well-Known Member

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    I don't suppose her announcement has anything to do with the CPS releasing their findings into the #toryelectionfraud in June?
     
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  16. superhorns

    superhorns Well-Known Member

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    The chances are the PM will enhance and strengthen her current position as one of the most popular PM's in recent times. We need some more senior politicians in Europe promising to give the UK a hard time, The Tory majority will soar. The UK will happily trade on WTO terms with Europe. I expect fairly quick trade deals with non EU counties.
     
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  17. Bolton's Boots

    Bolton's Boots Well-Known Member

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    Especially Scotland. Presumably the result would be known the day after, the 9th June - Scotland play England at Hampden on the 10th.
     
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  18. colognehornet

    colognehornet Well-Known Member

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    The worry is that after the referendum the public may be suffering from election fatigue, which might just result in a lower turnout than usual. The Tories won the last election by attacking the Liberal vote - the Liberals will be getting a boost from this and may be able to capitalize most from the Remain voters. Will be Tories gain enough seats from Labour to compensate for seats regained by the Lib Dems ? I doubt this (whatever the opinion polls say - they don't measure turnout) so we could well be heading for a hung parliament, which would be another cat amongst the pigeons.
     
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  19. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    Interesting that since the GE was announced I have spoken to 10 people on the phone who all voted Tory at the last election, and they all will change their vote. Problem is that they are not sure where to go. LibDems seem the likely winners from them. Four have actually donated to them. Could this be a big lift off for that party again?
     
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  20. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    About two dozen Tories are under investigation, but some from other parties could be caught up in this, including the SNP. It just shows that little has changed with brown envelopes or duck houses at the tax payers expense.
     
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