Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister

[EddieSteadyGo]

thetapeworm said:

bhstewie said:

And still they're utterly consumed by immigration.

https://x.com/SkyNews/status/1788228652649386461

Yet...



And if you take the 65+ people out and mess around with the filters a bit immigration drops even lower in priority.

https://yougov.co.uk/topics/society/trackers/the-m...

We need to keep in mind the clip is from Robert Jenrick. If you were Jenrick, you know Sunak is going to lose the election, then probably resign, and then move back with his wife to the US. So you are pretty certain there will be a party leadership vacancy. But, in a similar way to Braverman, you also know that you are not that likeable or trusted as a politician, and so you are currently not the front runner to get the job. So he needs to concentrate in the short-term on building a solid base of support ready for that campaign. And he knows an 'anti-immigration' stance motivates a portion of the selectorate. And he probably thinks he can be credible on that topic, because he resigned from the cabinet over the matter etc.

So from Jenrick's perspective, I can see why he thinks it makes sense to 'bang on' about immigration.

Having said that, I still think it's a big error. He would be much, much better advised to focus on saying what he believes to be true, rather than what he thinks a section of people want to hear. Even those who are overly bothered about immigration can tell when someone is being insincere and just saying what they want to hear. Even better, concentrate now on developed a positive vision, built on engaging ideas, for how he would improve the country. That's far more persuasive, even to cynical party members.

[MC Bodge]

Derek Smith said:

That is the reality I expect.

Very few knew who she was. What fame remains at the election will amount to her being the one who crossed the floor.

Labour must have thought that getting a Dover MP to lose confidence in the Tories on "immigration by small boat" and cross the floor, and not standing in the next GE, was worth it for the headlines into Joe Public's uninterested mind.

Had they publicly turned her down, it might have scared off some wavering Tory, potential Labour, voters?

Personally, I think he should have turned her down. Where would he draw the line?

[Tom8]

Would have made more impact if she climbed into a rubber dinghy and then pulled herself across the floor of the chamber on to the labour benches.

[S600BSB]

thetapeworm said:

Yet...



And if you take the 65+ people out and mess around with the filters a bit immigration drops even lower in priority.

https://yougov.co.uk/topics/society/trackers/the-m...

I’d like to see the environment higher. The way the government and the regulator have let the water companies damage our waterways is nothing short of a national scandal.

[OMITN]

MC Bodge said:

Labour must have thought that getting a Dover MP to lose confidence in the Tories on "immigration by small boat" and cross the floor, and not standing in the next GE, was worth it for the headlines into Joe Public's uninterested mind.

Had they publicly turned her down, it might have scared off some wavering Tory, potential Labour, voters?

Personally, I think he should have turned her down. Where would he draw the line?

I believe Starmer is going for the board church approach to grab as many voters as he can.

Although as some wag put it the church is now so broad they’re offering bar mitzvahs….

[MC Bodge]

OMITN said:

I believe Starmer is going for the board church approach to grab as many voters as he can.

Although as some wag put it the church is now so broad they’re offering bar mitzvahs….

I heard that too.

He needs to avoid becoming toooo welcoming

[abzmike]

I think this is being overthought... Ms Elphicke wanted to deliver a kick in the b*llocks to Mr Sunak - KS was more than happy to oblige her the opportunity. She isnt standing in the election, won't be involved in formulation of the manifesto or campaigning, so no downside for Labour, apart from the ultras.

[MC Bodge]

abzmike said:

I think this is being overthought... Ms Elphicke wanted to deliver a kick in the b*llocks to Mr Sunak - KS was more than happy to oblige her the opportunity. She isnt standing in the election, won't be involved in formulation of the manifesto or campaigning, so no downside for Labour, apart from the ultras.

I wonder what Elphick was actually hoping to achieve and why?

[EddieSteadyGo]

MC Bodge said:

I wonder what Elphick was actually hoping to achieve and why?

Newspapers are hinting she has been promised some kind of role developing Labour's housing policy after the election.

[MC Bodge]

EddieSteadyGo said:

MC Bodge said:

I wonder what Elphick was actually hoping to achieve and why?

Newspapers are hinting she has been promised some kind of role developing Labour's housing policy after the election.

From what I understood, she was not in social housing, but a paid advisor to a housing industry body.

[hidetheelephants]

So as much use as a one legged man at an arse kicking contest then, whoever becomes SKS' housing minister does not need the help of a construction industry lobbyist to solve the housing crisis.

[Condi]

Nah, her view on housing is very similar to that of Labour and was much further to the left than most Tories and Tory voters. It's seen to be the one area she is very much in tune with Labour in.

[bitchstewie]

Good grief

[CallThatMusic]

bhstewie said:

Good grief

Reform on track to provide the Opposition….

[Riff Raff]

CallThatMusic said:

Reform on track to provide the Opposition….

% vote doesn’t translate into seats. Ask the LibDems why. I’d be astonished if Reform get more than a handful of seats.

[MC Bodge]

Riff Raff said:

CallThatMusic said:

Reform on track to provide the Opposition….

% vote doesn’t translate into seats. Ask the LibDems why. I’d be astonished if Reform get more than a handful of seats.

Under our ridiculous, anachronistic (from when a handful of rich landowner chaps chose one of their mates to represent theie interests in London) First Past the Post system, unless you can persuade 1000s of your neighbours to vote for a candidate, your choice will not be elected.

Of course, any extra votes over second place are not worth anything and discarded. You can also pick up seats with a tiny majority.

Compare the popularity Vs seat numbers of the Greens or Lib Dems with the SNP, for example.

[768]

Riff Raff said:

% vote doesn’t translate into seats. Ask the LibDems why. I’d be astonished if Reform get more than a handful of seats.

It does, just lumpily and certainly not linearly. It might get interesting if Reform start appearing ahead of the Conservatives.

[S600BSB]

bhstewie said:

Good grief

Fantastic.

[EddieSteadyGo]

768 said:

It does, just lumpily and certainly not linearly. It might get interesting if Reform start appearing ahead of the Conservatives.

IMO the 'Reform' vote is soft, mainly consisting of disaffected Tories. I personally think a large portion of these people will hold their nose and vote Conservative at the General Election. I know that will sound arrogant or somewhat complacent to the Reform Ultras But the Conservatives haven't even started the negative campaigning / scare stories yet, and I think a chunk of those people will be susceptible to those tactics.

One other factor, putting aside their policies, I personally don't think Richard Tice is a good political leader. I don't think he even tries that hard to be persuasive, and he gives the impression of being a bit impatient and perhaps even short-tempered. The wild card though would be Farage standing. I honestly think that would solidify their vote massively.

[S600BSB]

Riff Raff said:

CallThatMusic said:

Reform on track to provide the Opposition….

% vote doesn’t translate into seats. Ask the LibDems why. I’d be astonished if Reform get more than a handful of seats.

They won’t get a single seat, never mind a handful.