The one and only UK 2024 election thread - July 4

[Hal Jordan]

Decommissioning of oil platforms way behind schedule. I think we'll see a huge toxic legacy as companies abandon oil fields in one way or another:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cxr20270x50o

Yeh but green subsidies...

[Hal Jordan]

I stupidly took my EV down to Cornwall in a rush to see an old friend who was suddenly taken ill. Had to charge twice and missed him by about 20mins. Would have made it in an ICE.

EVs can be great, they can also be a fucking pain in the arse.

Sorry to hear this, if there's one thing EVs aren't great for it's the drop everything and rush situations.

[Lobby]

I wonder if this is another reason that the previous shit show of a Government called an early election.

"Rishi Sunak was warned by senior civil servants a week before he called the election that he was at risk of breaching his legal responsibilities if he failed to take action over the prison overcrowding crisis, a leaked document reveals.

The advice, sent to the former prime minister on 15 May, said that failing to make an urgent decision on prison capacity would mean the criminal justice system in England and Wales reaching the point of “critical failure”.

The Cabinet Office memo, seen by the Guardian, warned that the administration of justice would become “untenable” to the point that the police and judiciary would no longer be able to exercise their legal duties."

https://www.theguardian.com/society/art ... apers-show

As the report says, prisons have been at peak capacity of 99% since January 2023 and the Ministry of Justice repeatedly warned Downing Street that urgent action was required to avert disaster, but all attempts to do anything were blocked by Sunak and his key aides because they knew Tory rebels including Suella Braverman would oppose it.

By calling an election in July Sunak avoided having to deal with the prisons crisis and could leave it to Labour to clear up his mess.

[Paddington Bear]

I wonder if this is another reason that the previous shit show of a Government called an early election.

"Rishi Sunak was warned by senior civil servants a week before he called the election that he was at risk of breaching his legal responsibilities if he failed to take action over the prison overcrowding crisis, a leaked document reveals.

The advice, sent to the former prime minister on 15 May, said that failing to make an urgent decision on prison capacity would mean the criminal justice system in England and Wales reaching the point of “critical failure”.

The Cabinet Office memo, seen by the Guardian, warned that the administration of justice would become “untenable” to the point that the police and judiciary would no longer be able to exercise their legal duties."

https://www.theguardian.com/society/art ... apers-show

As the report says, prisons have been at peak capacity of 99% since January 2023 and the Ministry of Justice repeatedly warned Downing Street that urgent action was required to avert disaster, but all attempts to do anything were blocked by Sunak and his key aides because they knew Tory rebels including Suella Braverman would oppose it.

By calling an election in July Sunak avoided having to deal with the prisons crisis and could leave it to Labour to clear up his mess.

Yep. The FT had a good bit comparing (positive) economic data over the last 18 months with the Tories’ poll ratings. Tl;dr - the economic picture was irrelevant to their polling because people’s (correct) perception of public services falling apart meant they had already decided to vote the government out.

[tabascoboy]

I don't think that Farage and Truss are quite as important to DJT as they would like to think

[SaintK]

I don't think that Farage and Truss are quite as important to DJT as they would like to think

As we all know the wide mouth frog has got a skin as thin as tissue paper
Pretty sure Thick Lizzie hasn't a clue why she's actually there

[tabascoboy]

Is she going to wash a lettuce with it?

[C T]

Is she going to wash a lettuce with it?

Genuinely starting to feel my opinion of Truss moving from "I want this person to see the inside of a cell for what they have done." towards "I think this person is ill."

[Jethro]

As we all know the wide mouth frog has got a skin as thin as tissue paper
Pretty sure Thick Lizzie hasn't a clue why she's actually there

Hey Drump's knob isn't sucking itself Bro

[tabascoboy]

Conservative MP Victoria Atkins has been criticised for her behaviour during a parliamentary debate as she attempted to loudly interrupt another MP.

A video of the incident on Friday shows the shadow health and social care secretary standing at the despatch box and speaking over Labour's Steve Reed, while deputy speaker Christopher Chope calls for order. Mr Chope then tells the chamber: "The right honourable lady has behaved abominably."

Labour MP Perran Moon said Ms Atkins' behaviour was "an absolute disgrace" and called for appropriate action to be taken. Ms Atkins' office said she was "trying to get answers" during the debate.

Lib Dem MP Helen Morgan, who was in the room during the row, spoke of the incident in a post on X, external. "I witnessed this first-hand. The Conservatives proved the electorate got it right: they are not fit for government", she said.

Josh Fenton-Glynn, Labour MP for Calder Valley, also posted, external: "I think the fact you don’t get to speak as much in opposition is hard for them [Conservatives] to get used to".

The incident happened as Environment Secretary Steve Reed spoke during the planning, green belt and rural affairs debate in the Commons.

A spokesperson for Ms Atkins' office said: “Conservative MPs were trying to get answers about their budgets for farming, flood defences and food security, which the minister ignored.

“She will always stand up fearlessly for farmers and our rural area in Westminster, even if that means a rare admonishment from the Chair.”

Closing the debate shortly after the brief row, Mr Reed, Labour MP for Streatham and Croydon North, said: "I thank all members who have taken part in this constructive and insightful debate for their perceptive contributions and their dedication to making progress on important matters.

"After 14 years of chaos, there is once again hope for our environment, hope for our countryside, and hope for our rural communities."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2lk9yd04vgo

[weegie01]

I stupidly took my EV down to Cornwall in a rush to see an old friend who was suddenly taken ill. Had to charge twice and missed him by about 20mins. Would have made it in an ICE.

EVs can be great, they can also be a fucking pain in the arse.

Sorry to hear about that.

Friends who live in south west England have an EV and an ICE Audi for precisely this reason. They have aged parents in Scotland, and although they usually do the trip in the EV, if it is unplanned the Audi will be get them up faster.

[sockwithaticket]

Conservative MP Victoria Atkins has been criticised for her behaviour during a parliamentary debate as she attempted to loudly interrupt another MP.

A video of the incident on Friday shows the shadow health and social care secretary standing at the despatch box and speaking over Labour's Steve Reed, while deputy speaker Christopher Chope calls for order. Mr Chope then tells the chamber: "The right honourable lady has behaved abominably."

Labour MP Perran Moon said Ms Atkins' behaviour was "an absolute disgrace" and called for appropriate action to be taken. Ms Atkins' office said she was "trying to get answers" during the debate.

Lib Dem MP Helen Morgan, who was in the room during the row, spoke of the incident in a post on X, external. "I witnessed this first-hand. The Conservatives proved the electorate got it right: they are not fit for government", she said.

Josh Fenton-Glynn, Labour MP for Calder Valley, also posted, external: "I think the fact you don’t get to speak as much in opposition is hard for them [Conservatives] to get used to".

The incident happened as Environment Secretary Steve Reed spoke during the planning, green belt and rural affairs debate in the Commons.

A spokesperson for Ms Atkins' office said: “Conservative MPs were trying to get answers about their budgets for farming, flood defences and food security, which the minister ignored.

“She will always stand up fearlessly for farmers and our rural area in Westminster, even if that means a rare admonishment from the Chair.”

Closing the debate shortly after the brief row, Mr Reed, Labour MP for Streatham and Croydon North, said: "I thank all members who have taken part in this constructive and insightful debate for their perceptive contributions and their dedication to making progress on important matters.

"After 14 years of chaos, there is once again hope for our environment, hope for our countryside, and hope for our rural communities."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2lk9yd04vgo

Deputy speaker let it go on far too long before calling order. Also important to note that Kemi wasn't a good deal better.

[tabascoboy]

[Biffer]

How many reform?

[Insane_Homer]

How many reform?

Hopefully all of them.

I'm surprised the Tories haven't blamed Boris for killing off their base during COVID.

[fishfoodie]

Frog faced cunt has some paperwork ahead of him when he gets back from the Nuremberg Rally. .... sorry, Republican Convention.

Farage is forced to explain his finances

It will be the money the Reform leader isn’t making – every bit as much as the money he is – that could raise eyebrows

After being roundly condemned for forsaking his Clacton constituents to jet off to the Republican convention in a vain attempt to see Donald Trump, Nigel Farage potentially faces further embarrassment closer to home, with the parliamentary authorities expecting him to account for his extra parliamentary earnings by August 4.

Mandrake hears it will be the money the Reform leader isn’t making – every bit as much as the money he is – that could raise eyebrows. His attempt, for instance, to cash in on the Farage brand by launching his own Farage Gin has left him with something of a hangover. Farage Gin has just reported a £17,617 downturn in reserves last year, leaving it £6,789 into the red.

Farage’s financial affairs are, to put it mildly, complicated. On the speakers’ circuit alone, he is on the books of no fewer than six agencies, as well as bookable direct via the Office of Nigel Farage. He’s for hire in the UK via NMP Live, Champions UK and Prime Performers. His fee on NMP is listed at £16-£25,000.

...

https://archive.ph/sfGek

[Guy Smiley]

Britain’s last Conservative government spent 700 million £ on its controversial plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, the newly appointed minister for immigration said Monday.
But no asylum seekers were ever deported to Rwanda under the initiative. Four people were put on planes to the central African nation this year, but they were asylum seekers who went voluntarily after being offered £3,000 each.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/22/worl ... -plan.html

Fucking hell.

[salanya]

Britain’s last Conservative government spent 700 million £ on its controversial plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, the newly appointed minister for immigration said Monday.
But no asylum seekers were ever deported to Rwanda under the initiative. Four people were put on planes to the central African nation this year, but they were asylum seekers who went voluntarily after being offered £3,000 each.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/22/worl ... -plan.html

Fucking hell.

James Cleverley made it clear this morning that he was there to keep the Labour government to account, and how disgusting their behaviour was as they hadn't said sorry to the Rwandans for cancelling the policy.

The Tories really need to wake up to the reality that people don't like their polarising and name-calling politics. All their nastiness and negativity has drained people's interest and engagement.

(The vast majority of people anyway)

[Guy Smiley]

The sheer cost of the Tories' lunacy should burn them for eternity...

[tabascoboy]

And just a day after Frog Face was twatting on about a referendum to leave the EHCR

[epwc]

Farage can't keep promises apparently, who'd have thought?

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ar ... acton-seat

[Sandstorm]

Farage can't keep promises apparently, who'd have thought?

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ar ... acton-seat

Scumbags will scumbag

[dpedin]

The sheer cost of the Tories' lunacy should burn them for eternity...

So good to see some adults back in charge of the country! How these grifting bastards sit opposite and not hold their heads in shame is beyond me.

[sockwithaticket]

The sheer cost of the Tories' lunacy should burn them for eternity...

There are a lot of older 'never Labour' voters out there due to experiences in the 70s, I've seen it posited that the last 14 years will do the same for the Tories. I've never felt inclined to vote Tory anyway, but for basically the entirety of my adult life so far they've done nothing but induce and oversea decay in pretty much every facet of society. They would have to have an unrecognisable platform and entirely changed mission for me to even conceive of giving them a vote at some point in the future.

[tabascoboy]

And judging by the noises being made in the run-up to the next in the ongoing saga of Tory leadership, they're just doubling down with more of the same of the policies - but harder - that saw them given a kicking earlier this month. Still shitting themselves over Reform taking away so much support.

[Dinsdale Piranha]

And judging by the noises being made in the run-up to the next in the ongoing saga of Tory leadership, they're just doubling down with more of the same of the policies - but harder - that saw them given a kicking earlier this month. Still shitting themselves over Reform taking away so much support.

This is standard. It's what labour did in the early 80s. It's driven by the membership and will likely take at least a couple of election cycles to unwind. Party members are normally more radical than both the electorate and the MPs. The moderates are keeping their heads down or getting out of politics altogether.

I have a couple of college friends who have both gone this way, one on the right, one on the left. After a big defeat (Corbyn, Sunak) they have both gone with the line that the failure was not being radical enough.

[tabascoboy]

Was better the first time tbh

Tory leadership candidate’s campaign slogan changed after it spelt out ‘TURD’

Tom Tugendhat’s campaign has had to change its slogan after it spelt out a rather unfortunate word.

The original slogan read: “Together we can, Unite the party. Rebuild trust. Defeat Labour” but it was soon pointed out that the first letter of the first word of each sentence read as ‘turd’.

It was quietly changed on Thursday, with the final line being replaced with the words: “Win back the country”.

[Lobby]

Join Liz Truss, Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage on their ‘grifter tour’ of America



https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... ns-cartoon

[Sandstorm]

[tabascoboy]

Braverman couldn't get enough support, is off to Reform or both?

Kemi Badenoch has promised to "renew" the Conservative Party as she becomes the sixth person to launch a bid to become the next Tory leader.

The shadow housing secretary said she would return her party to "first principles" including a focus on sovereignty and a revived confidence in capitalism.

The 44-year-old hoping to take over from ex-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak regularly tops polls among Conservative Party members.

She joins Dame Priti Patel, Mel Stride, Robert Jenrick, Tom Tugendhat and James Cleverly in the race to replace Mr Sunak. Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman has said she will not be running.

[epwc]

Priti was definitely playing the long game, invisible through the election campaign

[SaintK]

Should imagine there's been a huge collective sigh of relief!

Liz Truss has revealed that she may not back any Tory leadership candidates.
The former prime minister, who lost her seat at the election, has said that she may not back any of the six MPs, but urged the winner to “take on the unelected state”.
She told the Daily T podcast: “Any leader needs to be prepared to take on the unelected state.
“That was the biggest mistake we made over the past 14 years, is not reversing all the Blairite changes on things like the Human Rights Act, the quangos that powers have been outsourced to.”

[epwc]

She should go fuck herself

[SaintK]

No formal complaints or investigation but someones dishing the dirt. Patel will be looking over her shoulder....again.

Kemi Badenoch, the frontrunner to be the next Conservative party leader, has been accused of creating an intimidating atmosphere in the government department she used to run, with some colleagues describing it as toxic, the Guardian can reveal.

At least three officials found her behaviour so traumatising that they felt they had no other choice but to leave, sources claimed.

Morale was said to be so low in the Department for Business and Trade last year that senior officials thought it necessary to address concerns about the working culture during an official “town hall” meeting. This was attended by about 70 staff in person and online on 13 December 2023.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/a ... g-staff

[fishfoodie]

So much for the 1922 Committees Yellow Card for candidates acting like arseholes

[sockwithaticket]

No formal complaints or investigation but someones dishing the dirt. Patel will be looking over her shoulder....again.

Kemi Badenoch, the frontrunner to be the next Conservative party leader, has been accused of creating an intimidating atmosphere in the government department she used to run, with some colleagues describing it as toxic, the Guardian can reveal.

At least three officials found her behaviour so traumatising that they felt they had no other choice but to leave, sources claimed.

Morale was said to be so low in the Department for Business and Trade last year that senior officials thought it necessary to address concerns about the working culture during an official “town hall” meeting. This was attended by about 70 staff in person and online on 13 December 2023.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/a ... g-staff

It's a mark of how out of touch the Tories are that they see Badenoch as a realistic leadership candidate. Even if you knew nothing about her bar her public appearances she comes accross as supercilious with a particular disdain for being questioned. You don't have to be especially personable to be a politician, give me a boring technocrat over a popular incompetent any day, but you do actually have to be able to work with other humans who might not be quivalent to your job role without belittling them and inspiring their revulsion.

[fishfoodie]

No formal complaints or investigation but someones dishing the dirt. Patel will be looking over her shoulder....again.

Kemi Badenoch, the frontrunner to be the next Conservative party leader, has been accused of creating an intimidating atmosphere in the government department she used to run, with some colleagues describing it as toxic, the Guardian can reveal.

At least three officials found her behaviour so traumatising that they felt they had no other choice but to leave, sources claimed.

Morale was said to be so low in the Department for Business and Trade last year that senior officials thought it necessary to address concerns about the working culture during an official “town hall” meeting. This was attended by about 70 staff in person and online on 13 December 2023.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/a ... g-staff

It's a mark of how out of touch the Tories are that they see Badenoch as a realistic leadership candidate. Even if you knew nothing about her bar her public appearances she comes accross as supercilious with a particular disdain for being questioned. You don't have to be especially personable to be a politician, give me a boring technocrat over a popular incompetent any day, but you do actually have to be able to work with other humans who might not be quivalent to your job role without belittling them and inspiring their revulsion.

She clearly never heard the adage about being nice to people on the way up !

You can only imagine the number of people who'd walk a mile out of their way to piss on her parade, because she's such a disgusting individual to anyone she can't use .

I'd love to see her become Leader, because that should be the last nail hammered into the Tories coffin.

[dpedin]

No formal complaints or investigation but someones dishing the dirt. Patel will be looking over her shoulder....again.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/a ... g-staff

It's a mark of how out of touch the Tories are that they see Badenoch as a realistic leadership candidate. Even if you knew nothing about her bar her public appearances she comes accross as supercilious with a particular disdain for being questioned. You don't have to be especially personable to be a politician, give me a boring technocrat over a popular incompetent any day, but you do actually have to be able to work with other humans who might not be quivalent to your job role without belittling them and inspiring their revulsion.

She clearly never heard the adage about being nice to people on the way up !

You can only imagine the number of people who'd walk a mile out of their way to piss on her parade, because she's such a disgusting individual to anyone she can't use .

I'd love to see her become Leader, because that should be the last nail hammered into the Tories coffin.

She is a most objectionable person and would be an ideal leader of the nasty Tory Party. I honestly think she will be chosen/elected/appointed by the Tories as she embodies everything they believe in and everything that lost them the last election. I am not sure she is any cleverer than Truss ... and definitely thicker than an iceberg lettuce!