UK General Election - 12th December 2019 | Con 365, Lab 203, LD 11, SNP 48, Other 23 - Tory Majority of 80

How do you intend to vote in the 2019 General Election if eligible?

  • Brexit Party

    Votes: 30 4.3%
  • Conservatives

    Votes: 73 10.6%
  • DUP

    Votes: 5 0.7%
  • Green

    Votes: 23 3.3%
  • Labour

    Votes: 355 51.4%
  • Liberal Democrats

    Votes: 58 8.4%
  • Plaid Cymru

    Votes: 3 0.4%
  • Sinn Fein

    Votes: 9 1.3%
  • SNP

    Votes: 19 2.8%
  • UKIP

    Votes: 6 0.9%
  • Independent

    Votes: 1 0.1%
  • Other (BNP, Change UK, UUP and anyone else that I have forgotten)

    Votes: 10 1.4%
  • Not voting

    Votes: 57 8.3%
  • Undecided

    Votes: 41 5.9%

  • Total voters
    690
  • Poll closed .
Status
Not open for further replies.

MikeUpNorth

Wobbles like a massive pair of tits
Joined
Apr 26, 2007
Messages
19,954
What exactly do you think Blair’s political direction would be today that would be so effective that it would turn the tide away from populist politics?
Blair tends to move in a pragmatic direction to try to neutralise and stage manage popular sentiment.

I think he'd probably:
1. Push hard to reform Free Movement and control immigration (Tony Blair Tells The EU Changing Free Movement Rules Could Stop Brexit)
2. Increase spending on public services and trying to secure private finance for greater investment
3. Push technology and infrastructure investment to improve productivity (https://institute.global/insight/renewing-centre/tony-blair-foreword-technology-many).
 

Maticmaker

Full Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2018
Messages
4,844
It was the EU's fault.
Well in a strange and ironic way it was!

We had spent millions trying to help free Europe from the Nazi's and keep ourselves out of Hitler's grip and we were skint and the Yanks were unsure of lending us money because the Labour Government (to them) were too close to the communists.

However in 1948 the Yanks launched the Marshall Plan, that amongst other things help lay the foundations for the EEC... and the rest as they say is history
 

Kaos

Full Member
Joined
May 6, 2007
Messages
32,067
Location
Ginseng Strip
Blair tends to move in a pragmatic direction to try to neutralise and stage manage popular sentiment.

I think he'd probably be pushing hard to reform Free Movement and control immigration (Tony Blair Tells The EU Changing Free Movement Rules Could Stop Brexit), increasing spending on public services and trying to secure private finance for greater investment, and really pushing technology and infrastructure investment to improve productivity (https://institute.global/insight/renewing-centre/tony-blair-foreword-technology-many).
Thank you.

How do you think he'd attempt to tame the Brexit narrative specifically?
 

RedSky

Shepherd’s Delight
Scout
Joined
Jul 27, 2006
Messages
74,897
Location
Hereford FC (Soccermanager)
I think Labour members love Jezza because he validates their view of the world and makes them feel good about themselves. They currently prefer this to winning. At the moment, they can get away with this self indulgence. After the election is lost, and he steps down, they will have to decide whether they want to get serious about power, or want more feel-good.
Or maybe they love Jezza because they feel he actually represents them? A group that haven't been represented in perhaps decades?
 

MikeUpNorth

Wobbles like a massive pair of tits
Joined
Apr 26, 2007
Messages
19,954
Thank you.

How do you think he'd attempt to tame the Brexit narrative specifically?
I'm sure his policy would be another referendum between Brexit and what he would present as a reformed Europe. Whether his unique marketing abilities would be enough to command popular support, I have no idea. Obviously, we're talking about an imaginary untainted Blair-like politician here - not actual Tony Blair.

I think Blair feels Labour would win a general election if the Corbyn issue was not in play, regardless of Brexit.
 

Kaos

Full Member
Joined
May 6, 2007
Messages
32,067
Location
Ginseng Strip
I'm sure his policy would be another referendum between Brexit and what he would present as a reformed Europe. Whether his unique marketing abilities would be enough to command popular support, I have no idea. Obviously, we're talking about an imaginary untainted Blair-like politician here - not actual Tony Blair.
Within the current crop of Labour talent who would you see as being a good match for that profile?
 

sun_tzu

The Art of Bore
Joined
Aug 23, 2010
Messages
19,536
Location
Still waiting for the Youthquake
Thank you.

How do you think he'd attempt to tame the Brexit narrative specifically?
specifically i think with a Blair like leader Labour would have won in 2015 and we wouldnt be in this mess
Similarly if they had a Blair like leader in 2017 they would have won again and he would probably have gone for a peoples vote but actually campaigned well for remain and would have won that as well
Of course if they had a Blair like leader now I again think he would have been the focal point of the peoples vote campaign - he would be campaigning on that basis with a clear promise that he would campaign for remain - and he would win both the election and the peoples vote
 

Smores

Full Member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
25,721
Or maybe they love Jezza because they feel he actually represents them? A group that haven't been represented in perhaps decades?
No no it can't be that.

The last couple of pages are fairly evident that the Blairites are far more fan boy than Corbynites.

I've hardly ever seen people try to say Corbyn is some great orator or leader. His weaknesses are accepted but obviously the policy direction is what underlines his support.

With Blair it's as if he'd single handily solve climate change, our midfield and every other issue in the world. Whilst his followers are dogmatic on praising centrism and always attacking Corbyn with nonsense they won't bother defending when called out on it, see Sun Tzu. They then have the gall to dismiss everyone else as echo chamber commentary.

I supported Blair and more so Brown i certainly wasn't against them despite disagreements but they caused so many of the issues Labour now face and were a huge contribution towards brexit occurring in the first place.
 

nickm

Full Member
Joined
May 20, 2001
Messages
9,255
Or maybe they love Jezza because they feel he actually represents them? A group that haven't been represented in perhaps decades?
Maybe. It's certainly obvious now why Blair felt he needed to sideline them in order to win.
 

Maticmaker

Full Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2018
Messages
4,844
You can see why he's desperately trying to avoid the Andrew Neil prime time cross-examination, he'd be absolutely torn apart for millions to see.
Boris is not as daft as many try to make out, unlike the other 'leaders' he could see the 'Hammer of Politicians' Andrew Neil coming and he's staying out of the way... got to have some brownie-points for common sense, surely?

"Will he or wont he" go up against Neil? Cummings has got this tied down now the next few interviews with Boris will all be about this topic, not about policies or anything else.

Is this called ' thinking on your feet' or has he played it that way?
 

RedSky

Shepherd’s Delight
Scout
Joined
Jul 27, 2006
Messages
74,897
Location
Hereford FC (Soccermanager)
Maybe. It's certainly obvious now why Blair felt he needed to sideline them.
I dunno, motivate the young, working class and down trodden into registering and voting and it could be massive for Corbyn. Like every election, it's motivating them to go out and actually vote is the real issue.
 

MikeUpNorth

Wobbles like a massive pair of tits
Joined
Apr 26, 2007
Messages
19,954
No no it can't be that.

The last couple of pages are fairly evident that the Blairites are far more fan boy than Corbynites.

I've hardly ever seen people try to say Corbyn is some great orator or leader. His weaknesses are accepted but obviously the policy direction is what underlines his support.

With Blair it's as if he'd single handily solve climate change, our midfield and every other issue in the world. Whilst his followers are dogmatic on praising centrism and always attacking Corbyn with nonsense they won't bother defending when called out on it, see Sun Tzu. They then have the gall to dismiss everyone else as echo chamber commentary.

I supported Blair and more so Brown i certainly wasn't against them despite disagreements but they caused so many of the issues Labour now face and were a huge contribution towards brexit occurring in the first place.
I don't think anyone thinks that. Some people just believe a moderate and competent Labour Party, led by a good political salesman, would have a much better chance of defeating the tories. And we would very much prefer a centre-left government to a hard right one.
 

Kaos

Full Member
Joined
May 6, 2007
Messages
32,067
Location
Ginseng Strip
Boris is not as daft as many try to make out, unlike the other 'leaders' he could see the 'Hammer of Politicians' Andrew Neil coming and he's staying out of the way... got to have some brownie-points for common sense, surely?

"Will he or wont he" go up against Neil? Cummings has got this tied down now the next few interviews with Boris will all be about this topic, not about policies or anything else.

Is this called ' thinking on your feet' or has he played it that way?
I'm not doubting its effectiveness in terms of damage limitation and diverting the focus away from uncomfortable topic discussions, but it doesn't bode well for democracy when your incumbent prime minister cowers and is seemingly unable or unwilling to be able to defend his convictions or policies under gruelling scrutiny.

Unfortunately I'd agree that his cowardly no-show is likely to be less damaging than his likely performance in the interview.
 

sun_tzu

The Art of Bore
Joined
Aug 23, 2010
Messages
19,536
Location
Still waiting for the Youthquake
I don't think anyone thinks that. Some people just believe a moderate and competent Labour Party, led by a good political salesman, would have a much better chance of defeating the tories. And we would very much prefer a centre-left government to a hard right one.
yes but that makes us red tory centrist scum and we are worse than johnson etc
 

Maticmaker

Full Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2018
Messages
4,844
I supported Blair and more so Brown i certainly wasn't against them despite disagreements but they caused so many of the issues Labour now face and were a huge contribution towards brexit occurring in the first place.
Agreed, It was all about Blair, from the moment he staged the victory parade into Downing street after his first election victory 1997, it always was about him.
Sometimes I think Jose Mourinho took lessons on it being... 'not about me' … from Blair
 

Kaos

Full Member
Joined
May 6, 2007
Messages
32,067
Location
Ginseng Strip
I don't think anyone thinks that. Some people just believe a moderate and competent Labour Party, led by a good political salesman, would have a much better chance of defeating the tories. And we would very much prefer a centre-left government to a hard right one.
Without sounding too pedantic, I'd actually consider Corbyn a centre-left politician, its just the state of the current political climate that's (incorrectly) painted him as a far-left idealist. His proposed policies are no more radical than the bulk of competent social democratic nations in Europe and the rest of the democratic world.

Also worth remembering his predecessor was essentially a centrist (or 'centre-left' by today's supposed standards), yet he didn't exactly gallop triumphantly into number 10.
 

Smores

Full Member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
25,721
People like a winner.
Yes the simplistic view that because Blair won on his platform that the world doesn't change and only his platform can provide a victory now.

Conveniently ignoring its his legacy that caused so much mistrust in politicians, that left Labour branded as spend spend spend and unable to control immigration. Sometimes i think you lot think he would have carried on winning forever.

New Labour did a lot of good but you can't just ignore all the negatives. The people who Labour are losing to Brexit are people who New Labour lost a long time ago.
 

SteveJ

all-round nice guy, aka Uncle Joe Kardashian
Scout
Joined
Oct 22, 2010
Messages
62,851
How the right’s radical thinktanks reshaped the Conservative party
In the wake of the Brexit vote, ultra free market thinktanks have gained exceptional access to the heart of Boris Johnson’s government
In a speech to the IEA the same year, Dominic Raab also enthused about the organisation’s effect on his younger self. A few years back, he told the audience, he had been on a beach in Brazil. He’d had a couple of drinks, and had gone in to the sea to mull over an idea: that New Labour had “eroded liberty” in Britain and created a “rights culture” that had fostered a nation of idlers.
https://www.theguardian.com/politic...nservative-boris-johnson-brexit-atlas-network
 

RedSky

Shepherd’s Delight
Scout
Joined
Jul 27, 2006
Messages
74,897
Location
Hereford FC (Soccermanager)
yes but that makes us red tory centrist scum and we are worse than johnson etc
To be fair, I don't often come in here but when I do and I read your posts you're attacking Labour rather than Tories. Seems you lean far more right than you do left. If i've missed your posts on Tories then I appoligise.

Now, if I do a search on redcafe for "red tory centrist scum" am I going to find any posts?
 

MikeUpNorth

Wobbles like a massive pair of tits
Joined
Apr 26, 2007
Messages
19,954
Without sounding too pedantic, I'd actually consider Corbyn a centre-left politician, its just the state of the current political climate that's (incorrectly) painted him as a far-left idealist. His proposed policies are no more radical than the bulk of competent social democratic nations in Europe and the rest of the democratic world.
I'm really not sure about that characterisation. Is there another major democracy that forcefully expropriates 10% of private company shares for a combination on workers and the state? Is there another major democracy where the government directly sets the wages of 25% of private sector workers (as Labour plans with the minimum wage increase)?
 

sun_tzu

The Art of Bore
Joined
Aug 23, 2010
Messages
19,536
Location
Still waiting for the Youthquake
To be fair, I don't often come in here but when I do and I read your posts you're attacking Labour rather than Tories. Seems you lean far more right than you do left. If i've missed your posts on Tories then I appoligise.

Now, if I do a search on redcafe for "red tory centrist scum" am I going to find any posts?
try just red tory... you will find a fekton and yellow tory
 

sammsky1

Pochettino's #1 fan
Joined
Feb 10, 2008
Messages
32,841
Location
London
To be fair, I don't often come in here but when I do and I read your posts you're attacking Labour rather than Tories. Seems you lean far more right than you do left. If i've missed your posts on Tories then I appoligise.

Now, if I do a search on redcafe for "red tory centrist scum" am I going to find any posts?
All depends on how ‘Labour’ is defined. Clearly Corbyns Labour is a fundamentally different idea to Blairs.

I stop paying my party membership dues because I’m totally disenfranchised by Corbyns Labour idea.
 

Maticmaker

Full Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2018
Messages
4,844
I'm not doubting its effectiveness in terms of damage limitation and diverting the focus away from uncomfortable topic discussions, but it doesn't bode well for democracy when your incumbent prime minister cowers and is seemingly unable or unwilling to be able to defend his convictions or policies under gruelling scrutiny.

Unfortunately I'd agree that his cowardly no-show is likely to be less damaging than his likely performance in the interview.
To be honest I don't think its got anything to do with democracy, or being cowardly, when a PM can see 'bear-traps' coming and avoids them; the place to tie down the PM, any PM is in Parliament not on TV.

I want my PM to be light on his feet with the media, the media is biased one way or another, its all about viewing figures, or 'likes', or embarrassing the Politician, to ensure they get the next story hits the ground running.
Dominic Cummings loves this, it allows him to plan a way through for Boris and that's why he is employed by the PM. Its a pity Jeremy doesn't have a Cummings in his advisors camp; whoever he has got should be fired after the Neil interview.
 

Kaos

Full Member
Joined
May 6, 2007
Messages
32,067
Location
Ginseng Strip
I'm really not sure about that characterisation. Is there another major democracy that forcefully expropriates 10% of private company shares for a combination on workers and the state? Is there another major democracy where the government directly sets the wages of 25% of private sector workers (as Labour plans with the minimum wage increase)?
There are some policies which do veer a bit more strongly to the left (which the admittedly biased leftist in me would argue are necessary considering the dire straits we’re in with the bleak pockets of poverty we have in the country), but Labour’s intended increases on public spending and taxation still put them behind other contemporary European democracies, none of which you would categorise as catering to the radical far left.
 

sun_tzu

The Art of Bore
Joined
Aug 23, 2010
Messages
19,536
Location
Still waiting for the Youthquake
To be honest I don't think its got anything to do with democracy, or being cowardly, when a PM can see 'bear-traps' coming and avoids them; the place to tie down the PM, any PM is in Parliament not on TV.

I want my PM to be light on his feet with the media, the media is biased one way or another, its all about viewing figures, or 'likes', or embarrassing the Politician, to ensure they get the next story hits the ground running.
Dominic Cummings loves this, it allows him to plan a way through for Boris and that's why he is employed by the PM. Its a pity Jeremy doesn't have a Cummings in his advisors camp; whoever he has got should be fired after the Neil interview.
There is a strong argument that Johnson has seen this as a bit of a bear trap as well with i think 2 pmq's (perhaps 3) since he came to power and of course shutting parliament down illegally as well
Agree though that Cummings has a far better media strategy than Seumas Milne
 

nickm

Full Member
Joined
May 20, 2001
Messages
9,255
I dunno, motivate the young, working class and down trodden into registering and voting and it could be massive for Corbyn. Like every election, it's motivating them to go out and actually vote is the real issue.
Elections are won by those who do vote, rather than by those who should vote.
 

Smores

Full Member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
25,721
I'm really not sure about that characterisation. Is there another major democracy that forcefully expropriates 10% of private company shares for a combination on workers and the state? Is there another major democracy where the government directly sets the wages of 25% of private sector workers (as Labour plans with the minimum wage increase)?
They're not expropriating the shares, they can't be sold. It's far more accurate to say they're forcing companies to create a portfolio with the employees benefiting from the dividends.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.