Owen Paterson

[Glyn_Wigley]

What are the odds on Paterson getting a peerage in the New Year's Honours?

[scawsby steve]

Which specific policies do Labour have that makes them unelectable, compared to ones the Tories have that make them electable?

It's not policies, BST, it's Keith.

That's what makes them unelectable.

Whereas it's fine to have Johnson as PM because...?

I'm not saying it's fine. In fact, I'm not convinced he's certain to lead the Tories into the next GE.

What I'm saying is that not enough people will vote for Starmer. He's got too much baggage, particularly in the North and North-East.

[drfchound]

And don’t forget all the infighting in the LP itself.
They aren’t all pulling in the same direction so I don’t know how they can attract enough votes to win a GE.

[SydneyRover]

And don’t forget all the infighting in the LP itself.
They aren’t all pulling in the same direction so I don’t know how they can attract enough votes to win a GE.

I thought they were all the same hound?, like coppers are are the same, teachers all the same etc

[wilts rover]

I wont vote for Keir Starmer but I will vote for these people becaue they are more honest - classy:

https://twitter.com/mikegalsworthy/status/1457046898603331584

[BillyStubbsTears]

What are the odds on Paterson getting a peerage in the New Year's Honours?

Only if he pays £3m like the other Tory donors that have bought peerages.

[Glyn_Wigley]

What are the odds on Paterson getting a peerage in the New Year's Honours?

Only if he pays £3m like the other Tory donors that have bought peerages.

Nicky Morgan?

[BillyStubbsTears]

What are the odds on Paterson getting a peerage in the New Year's Honours?

Only if he pays £3m like the other Tory donors that have bought peerages.

Nicky Morgan?

I was joking.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Meanwhile the Tories are tanking in the polls after the Paterson affair. The ten polls immediately before Patersongate had them on average 5% ahead. The five since have them on average 1% ahead. Closest the polls have been all year.

Those left of centre folk who insist they will throw their vote away on the Greens have some serious thinking to do. Would you honestly vote in a way that guarantees Johnson another term?

[Glyn_Wigley]

What are the odds on Paterson getting a peerage in the New Year's Honours?

Only if he pays £3m like the other Tory donors that have bought peerages.

Nicky Morgan?

I was joking.

I wish I was.

[albie]

Polls at this stage mean nothing, BST.
But you knew that already, didn't you?

I personally doubt whether leadership of both parties will remain the same going into the next GE.
Too much water to flow under the bridge first.

That said, Bozo would be very foolish to give Paterson a peerage before then.
Optics, and all that!

[BillyStubbsTears]

Albie.

Of course things can change very quickly in the polls. Which emphasises how ridiculous it has been for prominent people on the Left to gleefully point out how far behind Labour has been for much of the year.

I'm sure you'll also know how important momentum (sic) can be in politics too. Worth pondering, no?

[BigH]

Which specific policies do Labour have that makes them unelectable, compared to ones the Tories have that make them electable?

It's not policies, BST, it's Keith.

That's what makes them unelectable.

Well if you say so.

Which specific policies do Labour have that makes them unelectable, compared to ones the Tories have that make them electable?

It's not policies, BST, it's Keith.

That's what makes them unelectable.

Hmm.

Since June when the Conservatives were at 46% and Labour at 30% the polls have narrowed to 37% and 33% respectively. Closer still if you believe the polling over the weekend.

This coincides with politicians getting out among the public and being able to hold proper party conferences. Something that Starmer hadn't previously been able to do since being elected Labour leader.

[DonnyOsmond]

The Daily Express and Daily Mail have turned on Boris in recent weeks, I think that's largely contributed to their decline.

[BigH]

They only turned on Johnson last Wednesday. And not before time.

Starmer lacks charisma but to put him in the same bracket as Corbyn - who genuinely was unelectable - is a tad harsh.

[Axholme Lion]

Meanwhile the Tories are tanking in the polls after the Paterson affair. The ten polls immediately before Patersongate had them on average 5% ahead. The five since have them on average 1% ahead. Closest the polls have been all year.

Those left of centre folk who insist they will throw their vote away on the Greens have some serious thinking to do. Would you honestly vote in a way that guarantees Johnson another term?

Next time around the Conservatives will loose a lot of their working class votes to the Reform Party. Now Brexit is done there's no longer any need to vote for them.

[SydneyRover]

They only turned on Johnson last Wednesday. And not before time.

Starmer lacks charisma but to put him in the same bracket as Corbyn - who genuinely was unelectable - is a tad harsh.

This is the thing though, we don't want an all singing and dancing PM, the politics of running the country should be in the background until election time. Running the country should be the same as running a super large council or business where we hardly know the names of those at the top. All they need to do is make decisions that benefit the majority and keep their sticky fingers off public money.

[Axholme Lion]

Which specific policies do Labour have that makes them unelectable, compared to ones the Tories have that make them electable?

Before you look at any policies you only have to look at the people. To Joe Bloggs they don't even look or sound like they should be in Government. Many of them just come over as uneducated Gobshites. You might not like it but i'm sure that's how they appear to voters in say the likes of Herefordshire. There's more to Britain than a few Northern towns where it's ok to come across that way. By the way i'm not sticking up for the Conservatives here because many of them come across just as bad in the opposite end of the spectrum. Angela Rayner for example.

[BillyStubbsTears]

AL
So let me get this right.

Boris Johnson is PM. So bucths logic, people have looked at him and said "Yep. He looks like PM material. Haven't booked at the policies yet, but having looked at the leader, I am prepared to vote Tory "

But that argument doesn't work for Starmer and Labour?

[DonnyOsmond]

Which specific policies do Labour have that makes them unelectable, compared to ones the Tories have that make them electable?

Before you look at any policies you only have to look at the people. To Joe Bloggs they don't even look or sound like they should be in Government. Many of them just come over as uneducated Gobshites. You might not like it but i'm sure that's how they appear to voters in say the likes of Herefordshire. There's more to Britain than a few Northern towns where it's ok to come across that way. By the way i'm not sticking up for the Conservatives here because many of them come across just as bad in the opposite end of the spectrum. Angela Rayner for example.

I mean you're not wrong but it's horrific that there's people out there that are against child poverty, which has been brought on my austerity, are for taxing the top 5% a bit extra, are for progressive policies but "nah Boris looks jolly and makes me laugh so he gets my vote".

[Axholme Lion]

AL
So let me get this right.

Boris Johnson is PM. So bucths logic, people have looked at him and said "Yep. He looks like PM material. Haven't booked at the policies yet, but having looked at the leader, I am prepared to vote Tory "

But that argument doesn't work for Starmer and Labour?

I'm speaking in general terms looking at the whole. Boris is a one off. He is where he is because he promised Brexit and people were sick of being fannied about over the whole issue. To be fair he did what he said, other than that he's full of shit. I voted Conservative for that reason and also our local MP seems to be a decent sort who always replies to my queries. Personally i'm also not that keen on Starmer either. As it stands at the moment i would vote for either the Reform Party or the SDP. The Tories are coming over as spivs and Labour too much looney left.
On a different note i had to laugh that BJ couldn't get back to the House yesterday because of the train timetables but was able to fly back from COP26 for a piss up with his mates the other day. It's actions like this that will see his 80 seat majority go down the u bend.

[Axholme Lion]

Which specific policies do Labour have that makes them unelectable, compared to ones the Tories have that make them electable?

Before you look at any policies you only have to look at the people. To Joe Bloggs they don't even look or sound like they should be in Government. Many of them just come over as uneducated Gobshites. You might not like it but i'm sure that's how they appear to voters in say the likes of Herefordshire. There's more to Britain than a few Northern towns where it's ok to come across that way. By the way i'm not sticking up for the Conservatives here because many of them come across just as bad in the opposite end of the spectrum. Angela Rayner for example.

I mean you're not wrong but it's horrific that there's people out there that are against child poverty, which has been brought on my austerity, are for taxing the top 5% a bit extra, are for progressive policies but "nah Boris looks jolly and makes me laugh so he gets my vote".

It's probably true though.
Obviously no one wants child poverty, but is the answer just to give some irresponsible parents a few quid more to spend on fags?

[BillyStubbsTears]

Which specific policies do Labour have that makes them unelectable, compared to ones the Tories have that make them electable?

Before you look at any policies you only have to look at the people. To Joe Bloggs they don't even look or sound like they should be in Government. Many of them just come over as uneducated Gobshites. You might not like it but i'm sure that's how they appear to voters in say the likes of Herefordshire. There's more to Britain than a few Northern towns where it's ok to come across that way. By the way i'm not sticking up for the Conservatives here because many of them come across just as bad in the opposite end of the spectrum. Angela Rayner for example.

I mean you're not wrong but it's horrific that there's people out there that are against child poverty, which has been brought on my austerity, are for taxing the top 5% a bit extra, are for progressive policies but "nah Boris looks jolly and makes me laugh so he gets my vote".

Reminds me of a radio interview I heard with a redneck just before the 2000 US Election. He said "Al Gore seems like he has very good policies. But Dubya looks like a guy you could have a beer with, so yeah, he's got ma vote."

f**king democracy, eh?

[SydneyRover]

fewer and fewer people in the UK smoke and it's another lousy generalisation to say that poor people spend their money on fags, but even if they do, so what?

[DonnyOsmond]

AL
So let me get this right.

Boris Johnson is PM. So bucths logic, people have looked at him and said "Yep. He looks like PM material. Haven't booked at the policies yet, but having looked at the leader, I am prepared to vote Tory "

But that argument doesn't work for Starmer and Labour?

I'm speaking in general terms looking at the whole. Boris is a one off. He is where he is because he promised Brexit and people were sick of being fannied about over the whole issue. To be fair he did what he said, other than that he's full of shit. I voted Conservative for that reason and also our local MP seems to be a decent sort who always replies to my queries. Personally i'm also not that keen on Starmer either. As it stands at the moment i would vote for either the Reform Party or the SDP. The Tories are coming over as spivs and Labour too much looney left.
On a different note i had to laugh that BJ couldn't get back to the House yesterday because of the train timetables but was able to fly back from COP26 for a piss up with his mates the other day. It's actions like this that will see his 80 seat majority go down the u bend.

Won't the SDP be too left for you?

[Ldr]

BST you campaigned door to door in 2019. What was your experience of reasons ppl had for not voting Labour?

[Axholme Lion]

fewer and fewer people in the UK smoke and it's another lousy generalisation to say that poor people spend their money on fags, but even if they do, so what?

I would have thought any responsible parent would prioritize a balanced diet for THEIR children over a packet of twenty B&H. Don't shoot the messenger i'm only saying what i see roaming around town. Also i did say 'some' irresponsible parents, so i wouldn't say it was a gross generalization.

[Axholme Lion]

Which specific policies do Labour have that makes them unelectable, compared to ones the Tories have that make them electable?

Before you look at any policies you only have to look at the people. To Joe Bloggs they don't even look or sound like they should be in Government. Many of them just come over as uneducated Gobshites. You might not like it but i'm sure that's how they appear to voters in say the likes of Herefordshire. There's more to Britain than a few Northern towns where it's ok to come across that way. By the way i'm not sticking up for the Conservatives here because many of them come across just as bad in the opposite end of the spectrum. Angela Rayner for example.

I mean you're not wrong but it's horrific that there's people out there that are against child poverty, which has been brought on my austerity, are for taxing the top 5% a bit extra, are for progressive policies but "nah Boris looks jolly and makes me laugh so he gets my vote".

Reminds me of a radio interview I heard with a redneck just before the 2000 US Election. He said "Al Gore seems like he has very good policies. But Dubya looks like a guy you could have a beer with, so yeah, he's got ma vote."

f**king democracy, eh?

Well if everyone gets to vote you're obviously get some numbskulls, what's the alternative?

[DonnyOsmond]

BST you campaigned door to door in 2019. What was your experience of reasons ppl had for not voting Labour?

There's a YouGov poll on it too.

https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2019/12/23/their-own-words-why-voters-abandoned-labour

[BillyStubbsTears]

fewer and fewer people in the UK smoke and it's another lousy generalisation to say that poor people spend their money on fags, but even if they do, so what?

I would have thought any responsible parent would prioritize a balanced diet for THEIR children over a packet of twenty B&H. Don't shoot the messenger i'm only saying what i see roaming around town. Also i did say 'some' irresponsible parents, so i wouldn't say it was a gross generalization.

Problem is AL, attitudes like this are used ruthlessly by right wing politicians to generalise. To justify benefit cuts at a time of falling real wages, putting hundreds of thousands on the breadline.

The use of food banks has exploded over the past decade. Do you reckon that is because the number of feckless people has increased that much?