@anotherposter - So are you / are you not, advocating that we have a general election?
Spelly.
I am saying we do not need to have a general election, the position of Prime Minister is not one that is voted upon by the public, it never has been.
it is an appointed position by the reigning monarch and only they have the power to appoint a PM
If Burnham wins the leadership contest then his "party" has the majority in the commons and he will therefore probably be asked by the King to form a Government
In the last 15 years the conservatives have twice Governed with a minority, first in a coalition and then with an agreement with the DUP, I dont recall anyone saying that Cameron or May should not be PM because they were not elected and then we have Johnson, Truss and Sunak on top of that, Sunak was elected by just 194 people
The politicians and press calling for an election know how things work in this country, they are just making mischief and playing ignorant hoping to whip up the public by omitting the constitution from their narrative
@anotherposter - So are you / are you not, advocating that we have a general election?
Spelly.
I am saying we do not need to have a general election, the position of Prime Minister is not one that is voted upon by the public, it never has been.
it is an appointed position by the reigning monarch and only they have the power to appoint a PM
If Burnham wins the leadership contest then his "party" has the majority in the commons and he will therefore probably be asked by the King to form a Government
In the last 15 years the conservatives have twice Governed with a minority, first in a coalition and then with an agreement with the DUP, I dont recall anyone saying that Cameron or May should not be PM because they were not elected and then we have Johnson, Truss and Sunak on top of that, Sunak was elected by just 194 people
The politicians and press calling for an election know how things work in this country, they are just making mischief and playing ignorant hoping to whip up the public by omitting the constitution from their na
Amen to that mate!
Incidentally, did anyone on here watch "Question Time" on Friday? Zia Yusuf was on the panel, and at times, when the others were speaking, he didn't even have the courtesy to look at 'em! More than once, the camera panned on to him, and he was looking elsewhere!
I ask again "Have Reform peaked?"
Spelly.
@spelly Question time is garbage nowadays, and despite her claim Bruce & the BBC are very much not impartial.
They have hand picked people in the audience who have been coached by certain groups (Especially the illegal migrant who was talking about all sorts, incl. the N.I. protocol I think).
One change I would definitely make in politics is that you should be living near your constituency to stand in an election there. Maybe not in it, but bloody close. How can you represent your constituents if you're never there. It should be X number of miles from any boundary edge (10/15 maybe?). I'd add in that if boundaries change that shouldn't count, but there should be no parachuting into a safe seat IMO.
In terms of have they peaked that will be very much down to how Burnham performs. People are fed up and have never felt poorer/more unfairly treated. If that changes people will be happy, if not they'll look for a change in the status quo. Rightly or wrongly Reform go up/down based on others performances. Whenever the next G.E is though, I think it will be the biggest split of MP's by a long, long way (Could have 4 parties with circa 100 seats) with huge differences in policies, making the next government the hardest to actually govern in my lifetime.
@spelly 1) Question time is garbage nowadays, and despite her claim Bruce & the BBC are very much not impartial.
They have hand picked people in the audience who have been coached by certain groups (Especially the illegal migrant who was talking about all sorts, incl. the N.I. protocol I think).
2) One change I would definitely make in politics is that you should be living near your constituency to stand in an election there. Maybe not in it, but bloody close. How can you represent your constituents if you're never there. It should be X number of miles from any boundary edge (10/15 maybe?). I'd add in that if boundaries change that shouldn't count, but there should be no parachuting into a safe seat IMO.
3) In terms of have they peaked that will be very much down to how Burnham performs. People are fed up and have never felt poorer/more unfairly treated. If that changes people will be happy, if not they'll look for a change in the status quo. Rightly or wrongly Reform go up/down based on others performances. Whenever the next G.E is though, 4) I think it will be the biggest split of MP's by a long, long way (Could have 4 parties with circa 100 seats) with huge differences in policies, making the next government the hardest to actually govern in my lifetime.
1) I don't normally watch it, but tuned in for the Makerfield pre by-election one, and last Friday. Both times (and maybe I'm biased) I thought the Reform guests came up well short.
2) It's a good idea, but I've no idea how many actually cover the criteria you suggest. I'm not even sure where my MP calls home.
3) Burnham slowed the flow considerably in Makerfield, which was effectively an anti-Starmer v Farage straight fight. That's a good start for people with similar political persuasions as yours truly, but there's a long way to yet, especially as he's (not yet) got the keys to number ten.
I would like to think that Reform have peaked, and I say again, there's more chance of me buying a Pinks' season ticket, than there is of me voting for 'em, but they will remain a force of some sort for a long time yet.
4) A four way split following the next GE? Would the UK then be (even more) ungovernable than it is now? Frightening!
Spelly.
The election for Burnham's successor is on 30 July, and there's Reform, Green, Lib Dem, Restore UK, Tory, Worker's Party on the ballot paper, as well as us.
It's on the "Supplementary Vote" system, where voters can make a first, and second choice, but I think you can just go for just one if you so desire.
A huge test for Labour following the success in Makerfield!
Spelly.
George Galloway now not standing in the race for Burnham's successor.
As I said previously, it's a huge test for Labour, but I'm just hoping that Farage and Co get (at best) a similar distant silver medal to the one they received in Makerfield.
If that transpires, they won't go away, of course they won't, but more people will be asking the same question that I asked on this thread.................
"Have Reform peaked?"
Spelly.
Just watched Farage's press conference, where he said he's resigning as MP for Clacton, to create a by-election in that constituency, but.........
Will stand as a candidate in it, with a "Back me, or sack me" challenge to the establishment. Comments like "I've done nothing wrong." and "I've not broken the law."
Like him, or loathe him, he's a huge personality, and by a country mile, he's the first person you think of when "Reform" is mentioned.
Has he gambled? Without question he has, and I'd love it to backfire on him, but.........
No doubt the election will generate similar (more?) press coverage, as did the one in Makerfield!
Interesting times await!
Spelly.
Just watched Farage's press conference, where he said he's resigning as MP for Clacton, to create a by-election in that constituency, but.........
Will stand as a candidate in it, with a "Back me, or sack me" challenge to the establishment. Comments like "I've done nothing wrong." and "I've not broken the law."
Like him, or loathe him, he's a huge personality, and by a country mile, he's the first person you think of when "Reform" is mentioned.
Has he gambled? Without question he has, and 1) I'd love it to backfire on him, but.........
2) No doubt the election will generate similar (more?) press coverage, as did the one in Makerfield!
Interesting times await!
Spelly.
1) Has it already? The other mainstream parties have said "Shove it Nigel!" They won't be standing in the by-election, and it could end up being a (farcical) straight fight between him, and Count Binface!
2) Because of the previous paragraph, this scenario is unlikely to change!
I've never made a secret of my dislike of Reform, and their policies, and I would suggest that this latest (publicity seeking?) episode from the MP for Clacton, will have more people thinking similarly to yours truly!
Spelly.
Three now for the Clacton by-election, with Mr Fishfinger joining Count Binface on the ballot sheet, along with the Tory, UKIP, Brexit Party, Reform candidate, whose name escapes me! 🤣
Even Lowe's Lot are refusing to join in with this total farce!
Is it any wonder that Joe Public is totally p****d off with British politics?
Could I ask does anybody on here think this sorry episode is not a total waste of the taxpayers' money?
Spelly.
UK politics is a mess, has been for a long time.
Looking at the economy, the tax revenue versus (particularly) the welfare and NHS bills, add in the Defence requirements, social care which everyone is too afraid to touch, policing/law & order etc. and it just doesn't add up. And I don't think it ever will regardless of who is in power.
We can't keep pushing more and more tax burden to middle-income earners. It's not fair and is just driving people into inactivity.
We need a fundamental 21st century re-think on how the country is run. We're trying to run a modern economy on a 19th century framework.
Unfortunately, it will take a long-term strategy which our politics just doesn't allow. Everything is short-termism and populism. All that ever happens is band-aid strategy and handouts; it's self-defeating.
Largely speaking, I've stopped following the news, and politics, deleted news apps etc. from my phone. The constant bombardment of bad news is depressing.
Well, it's not gonna be the straight fight I suggested as a possibility, with ten names now on the ballot paper!
But whatever transpires in Clacton (and I know I'm biased) I would suggest that this sorry episode is hugely embarrassing for the Reform leader.
Spelly.
He doesn't care. And the people that support him don't care. The oxygen of publicity is king.
Perhaps this should've been a new thread, but.......................
Andy Burnham was today seamlessly elected as Labour's leader, and on Monday he'll officially become the latest occupant in SW1A 2AA (Yes, I had to Google it! 🤣) But, that's the easy bit for him, coz......
He's now gotta convince Joe Public that he deserves to hold the keys of the most famous front door in the land.
The first test will come in just a couple of weeks, with the contest to elect his successor as the Greater Manchester Mayor.
Whilst they caught a cold in Makerfield, Reform aren't going away any time soon, and the result of the of the by-election, will be interesting.
We'll know his cabinet once he's been to see the King.
Spelly.
Well, it's not gonna be the straight fight I suggested as a possibility, with ten names now on the ballot paper!
But whatever transpires in Clacton (and I know I'm biased) I would suggest that this sorry episode is hugely embarrassing for the Reform leader.
Spelly.
There's now thirty-three names on the ballot paper, along with Farage's!
The publicity seeker has created more of a circus than an election!
It really would be hilarious if it backfired on him!
Spelly.