Religion and Ethics Forum
General Category => Politics & Current Affairs => Topic started by: Nearly Sane on September 30, 2017, 12:14:49 PM
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Let's never forget that Boris Johnson as well as being an ambitious shite, happy to stick a knife in, is an unpleasant slugslurper
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/30/boris-johnson-caught-on-camera-reciting-kipling-in-myanmar-temple?CMP=share_btn_tw
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"... former international development secretary Andrew Mitchell says [Johnson] is “impossible to dislike”."
Like a great many people I've never found it difficult in the slightest.
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Let's never forget that Boris Johnson as well as being an ambitious shite, happy to stick a knife in, is an unpleasant slugslurper
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/30/boris-johnson-caught-on-camera-reciting-kipling-in-myanmar-temple?CMP=share_btn_tw
he's my kinda bloke, don't expect me to jump on the R&E forum band waggon ::)
and Henry Bolton, what a breath of fresh air
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Johnson is the UKs Trump.
A thin skinned, compulsive liar who would sell his own granny to get what he wants
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Johnson is the UKs Trump.
A thin skinned, compulsive liar who would sell his own granny to get what he wants
you've just described all politicians there.
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you've just described all politicians there.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/sep/30/why-it-was-no-picnic-growing-up-as-the-son-of-a-tory-mp
If we so dismiss all politicians we get the government we deserve.
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Its horrific and amusing in one. He is in the cabinet, in a position where he can continually undermine May, who dare not sack him for worry that he would rally the hard core leavers to replace her.
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Michael Heseltine has just said on the politics show that there is no chance of May leading the Tories at the time of the next election.
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The poem itself is actually about how brilliant Mandalay is compared to 'Hengland', so this shouldn't really cause offence.
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The poem itself is actually about how brilliant Mandalay is compared to 'Hengland', so this shouldn't really cause offence.
apart from him being in a temple at the time and if he continued about to refer to heathens and idols made of mud
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I have just e-mailed my MP to ask him to tell Theresa May from me that I recommend she treats that Grant Shaps's words with the contempt they deserve. The BBC are also to blame for giving him far too much air time yesterday evening, and I've just heard him again on Today.
I wish we stil have that old BBC emoticon of steam coming out of ears!)(
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I have just e-mailed my MP to ask him to tell Theresa May from me that I recommend she treats that Grant Shaps's words with the contempt they deserve. The BBC are also to blame for giving him far too much air time yesterday evening, and I've just heard him again on Today.
I wish we stil have that old BBC emoticon of steam coming out of ears!)(
You wont get much support around here for a stance critical of the BBC around here I'm afraid.
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I have just e-mailed my MP to ask him to tell Theresa May from me that I recommend she treats that Grant Shaps's words with the contempt they deserve. The BBC are also to blame for giving him far too much air time yesterday evening, and I've just heard him again on Today.
Were I a Conservative supporter, I would be emailing my MP requesting him to align himself with Grant Shapps immediately.
Theresa May ran an unnecessary and disastrous election campaign and is solely responsible for the unsatisfactory position in which the party now finds itself. She has given the continued impression that she is out of her depth. She has no apparent strategy for Brexit nor any visible objectives beyond hanging on in office.
She (just like her immediate predecessor) has been more interested in the immediate concerns of her party than in the long term needs of her country.
Should she continue in office for much longer she will alienate a sufficient proportion of the electorate to ensure the election of a Labour Party which seems to have adopted Venezuela as its benchmark for national management.
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You wont get much support around here for a stance critical of the BBC around here I'm afraid.
So you agree with Susan and think thy should be more supportive if May.
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I have just e-mailed my MP to ask him to tell Theresa May from me that I recommend she treats that Grant Shaps's words with the contempt they deserve. The BBC are also to blame for giving him far too much air time yesterday evening, and I've just heard him again on Today.
I wish we stil have that old BBC emoticon of steam coming out of ears!)(
Gove seems to support you which suggests Boris still wants Theresa or anyone to clear his Brexit poo up for him.
Looks like a remainer conspiracy to me.
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TM seems to have made a mess of things, but there doesn't appear to be anyone outstanding to replace her. The idea of Boris or Gove as PM is too awful to think about, imo.
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TM seems to have made a mess of things, but there doesn't appear to be anyone outstanding to replace her. The idea of Boris or Gove as PM is too awful to think about, imo.
What about Hammond or Rees Mogg or Rudders? Gove wants someone to clean up the Brexit Do Do. I'm wondering whether Boris as PM might appear on TV and say ''waff waff waff gru Now look Chaps I've thought about this brexit thing and waff waff Gru it's a bit of a silly idea waffwaff gru so I've decided to waff waff kick it into the very long grass.''
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What about Hammond or Rees Mogg or Rudders? Gove wants someone to clean up the Brexit Do Do. I'm wondering whether Boris as PM might appear on TV and say ''waff waff waff gru Now look Chaps I've thought about this brexit thing and waff waff Gru it's a bit of a silly idea waffwaff gru so I've decided to waff waff kick it into the very long grass.''
Rees Mogg is an unpleasant hypocrite, apparently he claims to be against abortion, but has made money from the sale of illegal abortion pills in other countries!
Rudd doesn't fill me with enthusiasm.
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Floo, the Rees Mogg/ abortion pill situation is far more nuanced than that.
He's unpleasant anyway.
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I have just e-mailed my MP to ask him to tell Theresa May from me that I recommend she treats that Grant Shaps's words with the contempt they deserve. The BBC are also to blame for giving him far too much air time yesterday evening, and I've just heard him again on Today.
I wish we stil have that old BBC emoticon of steam coming out of ears!)(
Why should the BBC prop up Mrs May? If they did that, they would rightly be accused of bias. To ignore the obvious divisions in the Tories would be bad journalism.
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TM seems to have made a mess of things, but there doesn't appear to be anyone outstanding to replace her. The idea of Boris or Gove as PM is too awful to think about, imo.
Definitely agree, Floo.
What annoys me sometimes is that as soon as a person becomes PM, he or she is expected not to make mistakes.
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Why should the BBC prop up Mrs May? If they did that, they would rightly be accused of bias. To ignore the obvious divisions in the Tories would be bad journalism.
To me Ruth Davidson seems the best potential successor to May in terms of how she communicates and comes across to the public. Of the rest Johnson, Davis, Leadsom, Gove, JRM seem fatally flawed - Rudd and Hammond seem perhaps more acceptable in a 'boring but safe pair of hands kind of way'. However neither engages as Davidson does.
Having said that Davidson is actually deeply inexperienced - her biggest job being leader of an opposition party in a devolved assembly - no actual experience of having to make and implement tough decisions in government. There was a letter in the Times the other day stating that she was a proven winner - err what ... she has never won an election to any parliament or council in her own right, only as a list candidate. She did win the Scottish Conservative leadership election - but to do she only attracted just over 2000 first preference votes - my local county councillor got more than that!
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Why should the BBC prop up Mrs May? If they did that, they would rightly be accused of bias. To ignore the obvious divisions in the Tories would be bad journalism.
No the BBC should not prop up a PM or an MP, but if all that air time is given to anti-May Shaps, then equal space should have been given to someone pro-May. Perhaps they did, but I didn't hear it.
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Why should the BBC prop up Mrs May? If they did that, they would rightly be accused of bias. To ignore the obvious divisions in the Tories would be bad journalism.
Yes, this is a huge story. We could have another PM by Christmas.
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To me Ruth Davidson seems the best potential successor to May in terms of how she communicates and comes across to the public. Of the rest Johnson, Davis, Leadsom, Gove, JRM seem fatally flawed - Rudd and Hammond seem perhaps more acceptable in a 'boring but safe pair of hands kind of way'. However neither engages as Davidson does.
Having said that Davidson is actually deeply inexperienced - her biggest job being leader of an opposition party in a devolved assembly - no actual experience of having to make and implement tough decisions in government. There was a letter in the Times the other day stating that she was a proven winner - err what ... she has never won an election to any parliament or council in her own right, only as a list candidate. She did win the Scottish Conservative leadership election - but to do she only attracted just over 2000 first preference votes - my local county councillor got more than that!
Yes, I did hear the sound of breaking glass with her jibe against Corbyn of not even having won a raffle. And unless the Tories were somehow going to be lead by someone who wasn't PM she would have to win a seat first. I can imagine someone might be persuaded to fall upon their sword but it might not be easy to win such an election. (who knows some burly men might intervene!)
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No the BBC should not prop up a PM or an MP, but if all that air time is given to anti-May Shaps, then equal space should have been given to someone pro-May. Perhaps they did, but I didn't hear it.
Have you said the same about their coverage of Corbyn?
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No the BBC should not prop up a PM or an MP, but if all that air time is given to anti-May Shaps, then equal space should have been given to someone pro-May. Perhaps they did, but I didn't hear it.
Are you sure that there is anyone pro- May who wants the equivalent air time?
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Yes, I did hear the sound of breaking glass with her jibe against Corbyn of not even having won a raffle. And unless the Tories were somehow going to be lead by someone who wasn't PM she would have to win a seat first. I can imagine someone might be persuaded to fall upon their sword but it might not be easy to win such an election. (who knows some burly men might intervene!)
She could always be appointed to the Lords!
Interesting that increasingly we are seeing perhaps the most capable candidates in positions outside Parliament, making it difficult to see how they could be appointed leader (or even PM).
So arguably (and I'm sure many here will argue!!) the most credible candidates (in terms of appeal to a wide section of the population) to succeed May and Corbyn are Davidson and Khan.
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If only, ProfD.
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If only, ProfD.
Which?
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Have you said the same about their coverage of Corbyn?
I do not listen to the radio enough to have heard much and am not interested enough to find out what is being said about Corbym.
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I do not listen to the radio enough to have heard much and am not interested enough to find out what is being said about Corbym.
if you don't listen to the radio much how can you tell how balanced the coverage is overall?
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if you don't listen to the radio much how can you tell how balanced the coverage is overall?
I can't! I just get annoyed at the bits I do hear!
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She could always be appointed to the Lords!
Interesting that increasingly we are seeing perhaps the most capable candidates in positions outside Parliament, making it difficult to see how they could be appointed leader (or even PM).
So arguably (and I'm sure many here will argue!!) the most credible candidates (in terms of appeal to a wide section of the population) to succeed May and Corbyn are Davidson and Khan.
I think that there is an element of familiarity and some enormously crappy decision making breeding contempt. After the PM, the Mayor of London is arguably the highest profile elected person in the UK and they get the position on a direct vote. The role seems to allow people to be much less party political though in how they are potrayed.
As for Ruth, I think she is more familiar in Scotland and has been not as impressive as her forays onto the wider stage have appeared. I hasten to add that I am not particularly doing her down here, she is a hood politician and has many views that I am not unsympathetic to but there seems to be a novelty factor at work. That plus she is not besmirched by the infighting shenanigans as many in Westminster are after the leadership election. I do wonder if her position on Brexit would become a much more noticeable problem in any leadership election.
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Which?
Davidson and Khan. Two of the most able politicians in the country.
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Davidson and Khan. Two of the most able politicians in the country.
They both come across as normal people, able to communicate with other people.
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Have to say, based on events here is Scotland regarding her management of unpleasant Tories and her defending of the so-called 'rape-clause', I'm surprised at her being seen as some kind of saviour of the Tories - mind you, given the current crew, the bar is set so low you could trip over it.
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They both come across as normal people, able to communicate with other people.
I don't do party politics and I would love for the two main parties to have capable leadership that people can relate to.
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To me Ruth Davidson seems the best potential successor to May in terms of how she communicates and comes across to the public. Of the rest Johnson, Davis, Leadsom, Gove, JRM seem fatally flawed - Rudd and Hammond seem perhaps more acceptable in a 'boring but safe pair of hands kind of way'. However neither engages as Davidson does.
Having said that Davidson is actually deeply inexperienced - her biggest job being leader of an opposition party in a devolved assembly - no actual experience of having to make and implement tough decisions in government. There was a letter in the Times the other day stating that she was a proven winner - err what ... she has never won an election to any parliament or council in her own right, only as a list candidate. She did win the Scottish Conservative leadership election - but to do she only attracted just over 2000 first preference votes - my local county councillor got more than that!
Oy!
Tanky McTank Face is the leader of the Opposition in the Scottish Parliament,not the Assembly, a body which, though proposed, died a death in 1979.
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Oy!
Tanky McTank Face is the leader of the Opposition in the Scottish Parliament,not the Assembly, a body which, though proposed, died a death in 1979.
A Parliament is an assembly - the best and only way to describe the various devolved bodies set up in the late 90s (in Scotland, Wales, NI and London) is as assemblies.
And you will note that I used the term 'assembly' (note no capital) not 'Assembly' (note capital, as you did). This was specifically to indicate her highest achievement in broadest terms - which is reasonable give that I rapidly moved on talk about Sadiq Khan, whose highest achievement to date is also associated with a devolved assembly (in this case in London). Albeit he obtained 1.15 million first preference votes in attaining his position as mayor, while Davidson received just 2,200 first preferences in attaining her position of leader of the Conservatives in the Scottish Parliament, which is a devolved assembly.
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Would the Conservative Party be in the state that it is in had Ken Clarke been elected party leader?
When Hague, Duncan Smith, Howard and Cameron each became party leader, their primary qualification for the post was that their name was not Kenneth Clarke.
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Would the Conservative Party be in the state that it is in had Ken Clarke been elected party leader?
I think it would have depended on when he had been elected leader.
If he'd been elected instead of Hague in 1997 he would still have been trounced by Blair in 2001 - arguably doing slightly better than Hague but he'd have still been on the wrong end of a landslide.
If in 2001 (instead of IDS), well that's more interesting, although I doubt he'd have done that much better than Howard in the 2005 election - maybe pushing Labour down toward a slightly uncomfortable majority. By 2010 he was yesterday's man and Cameron did well (ish) in that election precisely because he looked like the future rather than the past (Brown).
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apart from him being in a temple at the time and if he continued about to refer to heathens and idols made of mud
Similar I guess to visiting a catholic church and reciting the second commandment out loud, so no wonder the ambassador was worried. However, here's a quote from a Buddhist scripture:
<<Buddha said to him, "The sight of my foul body is useless; he who sees the Dhamma, he it is that seeth me">>
So Buddha himself would probably not have been offended.
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A Parliament is an assembly - the best and only way to describe the various devolved bodies set up in the late 90s (in Scotland, Wales, NI and London) is as assemblies.
And you will note that I used the term 'assembly' (note no capital) not 'Assembly' (note capital, as you did). This was specifically to indicate her highest achievement in broadest terms - which is reasonable give that I rapidly moved on talk about Sadiq Khan, whose highest achievement to date is also associated with a devolved assembly (in this case in London). Albeit he obtained 1.15 million first preference votes in attaining his position as mayor, while Davidson received just 2,200 first preferences in attaining her position of leader of the Conservatives in the Scottish Parliament, which is a devolved assembly.
A Parliament is an assembly - the best and only way to describe the various devolved bodies set up in the late 90s (in Scotland, Wales, NI and London) is as assemblies.
And you will note that I used the term 'assembly' (note no capital) not 'Assembly' (note capital, as you did). This was specifically to indicate her highest achievement in broadest terms - which is reasonable give that I rapidly moved on talk about Sadiq Khan, whose highest achievement to date is also associated with a devolved assembly (in this case in London). Albeit he obtained 1.15 million first preference votes in attaining his position as mayor, while Davidson received just 2,200 first preferences in attaining her position of leader of the Conservatives in the Scottish Parliament, which is a devolved assembly.
Far be it for me to argue wot the dregs of the pseudodemocratic shambles known as Westminster, but the Scotland Act, passed by that pseudodemocratic shambles, establishes a Scottish parliament.
Who am I to argue with the rabble in Westminster?
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Far be it for me to argue wot the dregs of the pseudodemocratic shambles known as Westminster, but the Scotland Act, passed by that pseudodemocratic shambles, establishes a Scottish parliament.
Who am I to argue with the rabble in Westminster?
Nope - the Scotland Act established the Scottish Parliament which is a devolved assembly.
Note the definition of an assembly being 'A group of people elected to make laws or decisions for a particular country or region' (Oxford Dictionary).
At similar times the Government also enacted the Welsh Assembly, the NI Assembly and the Greater London Assembly, which are also all devolved assemblies.
And the Westminster UK Parliament is also an assembly, albeit not a devolved assembly.
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watching Graham Norton, picture of Boris very popular. I think the GOBP might want one more night of posh passionate political porking courtesy of the Blond Old Etonian.
Also the BBC attached a piece of Boris's WhatsApp message to something Davidson had said.
Keep a look out for ''Boris says'' attachments of this kind as he is turned into a Budget Churchill.
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Seen elsewhere from Frankie Boyle 'Jacob Rees-Mogg, P G Wodehouse's flirtation with fascism given physical form.'
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And in this piece Boris Johnson as a 'malevolent baked Alaska'
https://amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/17/tory-power-sustained-cruel-confidence-tricks
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But he's a bit of a larf....
https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/foreign-affairs/news/90394/boris-johnson-blunder-risks-five-more-years-prison-british
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The Next Prime Minister will be St Jeremy of Corbyn. I hope.
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No better prospect than May, maybe even worse! :o
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So rather than retract his remark, Boris is happy to play with this woman"s freedom. He really is a repulsive slugslurper
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41890885
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Yes he is, but there is no point in retracting it anyway, the damage is done. What an utter wanker.
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Yes he is, but there is no point in retracting it anyway, the damage is done. What an utter wanker.
It's unlikely to help but he should still retract the comment. Sticking to it makes it worse and appears to only be about saving face.
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Apparently he is calling his Iranian counterpart!!! to ensure his remarks are not misrepresented. Take the numpty's spade away now!
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Anyone who thinks that Johnson may be "a safe pair of hands" now has evidence against which to evaluate that opinion.
If this is how the Foreign Secretary protects the interests of British citizens then heaven help us. There is also the situation of the imprisoned woman's baby daughter to consider.
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Boris is apparently going to Iran to try to rectify the situation, let's hope his buffoonery won't make it a heck of a lot worse.
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I don't think that his bufoonery will be the problem, Floo. I watched his performance in the House of Commons today when he made his "apology". My impression was that he was (at least) semi-detached from the problem he has created and lacking sincerity.
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Saw something on MSN ''most powerful women in the world-where does May rank?
First thought: Below Priti Patel.
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So after saying there was nothing to apologise for, he eventually apologises. Incompetent or playing a dangerous game with the future of a British citizen or possibly both. Is there another alternative? If not surely time to resign?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41972704
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41976749
A woman claims to have been groped by an official at No 10!
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The days since Boris Johnson did something sackable for which he didn't get sacked been reset to 0 yet again.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-42783247
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Lidington calling for party unity since the Tories are Neck and neck with labour in the polls. What?, party unity behind a lame duck PM, neck and neck(are people just being kind pre-election like they were to Ed Milliband?) after being 20 points ahead, and neck and neck with someone we are being led to believe is an extreme, loony left, fringe leadership........what optimism.
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There is a lack of leadership in the Tory party.....source the Tory party for demonstrating and acknowledging that T May is the best on offer.
Consider though Jeremy Corbyn. After the Brexit vote the shutters could have been pulled down on the labour party. The party largely abandoned the leader. Labour was in complete disarray it was days from destruction. A year on Corbyn had managed to pull the machine back together and a 20 point lead was overturned, Labour is making in roads to the agenda of Government and less than two years later it is now the conservatives on the brink.
The Corbyn story is more Churchillian than even Jacob Rees Mogg or Boris can spin for themselves.
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Rees Mogg off the blocks finally with a massive attack on the civil service and getting stuck into a fight which can't be bad for his credentials on the estates.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-42936613
Gerry Adams is backing Corbyn as next PM!!! A person, who was an active member of the IRA, backing Corbyn, who apparently had some sympathy with that cause, isn't a good omen, imo.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-42936613
Gerry Adams is backing Corbyn as next PM!!! A person, who was an active member of the IRA, backing Corbyn, who apparently had some sympathy with that cause, isn't a good omen, imo.
The guilt by low degree of separation was tried by the press at the last election and found wanting.
Even less people will remember Mr Adams at the next
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The guilt by low degree of separation was tried by the press at the last election and found wanting.
Even less people will remember Mr Adams at the next
I doubt that!
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And yet one time supporters of the loyalist paramilitary sit at Mays right hand and do her bidding at a price to the rest of us. Its almost like youve swallowed the daily mail in one big gulp.
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And yet one time supporters of the loyalist paramilitary sit at Mays right hand and do her bidding at a price to the rest of us. Its almost like youve swallowed the daily mail in one big gulp.
I never read that ghastly tabloid. :o
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I never read that ghastly tabloid. :o
Ok - but what about the point that so many people have blood on their hands in N.Ireland that picking one person out (Adams, and by extension,Corbyn) is just a form of confirmation bias on your part.
That is, you've decided you don't like Corbyn and you will use any fact that fits loosely into vilifying him to prove your point of his unacceptability.
I would suggest that if you dig deep enough, the most sainted of politicians will not measure up by these standards, so why pick out this one?
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Ok - but what about the point that so many people have blood on their hands in N.Ireland that picking one person out (Adams, and by extension,Corbyn) is just a form of confirmation bias on your part.
That is, you've decided you don't like Corbyn and you will use any fact that fits loosely into vilifying him to prove your point of his unacceptability.
I would suggest that if you dig deep enough, the most sainted of politicians will not measure up by these standards, so why pick out this one?
Because he seems rather pathetic to me, but each to their own.
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Because he seems rather pathetic to me, but each to their own.
Yes but you weren't dicussing how pathetic he was. You brought up the issue of Gerry Adams support for Corbyn, not how pathetic he was. Or is support from Adams a signifier of patheticness?
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I don't believe Gerry Adams support of Jeremy Corbyn will count for much but neither do I see anything wrong with it. Nor was it wrong for Corbyn to have at one time been sympathetic to the IRA. He wasn't the only one, didn't mean they supported the terrorist activities, just the ideal.
Article about Rees-Mogg. Interesting, not entirely unbiased:-
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/jacob-rees-mogg-lies-brexit-theresa-may-dream-team-boris-johnson-michael-gove-deceitful-bully-18th-a8194011.html
Another one:-
https://www.ft.com/content/68f02dfc-099d-11e8-8eb7-42f857ea9f09
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-42936613
Gerry Adams is backing Corbyn as next PM!!! A person, who was an active member of the IRA, backing Corbyn, who apparently had some sympathy with that cause, isn't a good omen, imo.
Adams should not be as toxic as other members of the hard left.
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I thought he'd redeemed himself. I'm prepared to be proved wrong (have no love for him).
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I watched Marr and felt Adams gave a open honest interview and credit to Corbyn that he was telling Sinn Fien to start talking, although the IRA was infested with British Agents by the end.
After watching Vince Cable I also started to think the Libdems are the only sane ones left. i disagree with them on Brexit but at least they are very clear about their position and policy.
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I watched Marr and felt Adams gave a open honest interview and credit to Corbyn that he was telling Sinn Fien to start talking, although the IRA was infested with British Agents by the end.
After watching Vince Cable I also started to think the Libdems are the only sane ones left. i disagree with them on Brexit but at least they are very clear about their position and policy.
It is a shame the Lib Dems have fallen off their twigs so badly, they are hardly there at all. We used to vote Lib Dem at one time.
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It is a shame the Lib Dems have fallen off their twigs so badly, they are hardly there at all.
Would you like to elaborate, Floo? How have they "fallen off their twigs"?
My impression - for what it's worth - is that there have been two factors in the apparent decline of the LibDems.
1 Some passionate LibDem supporters were appalled that they went into coalition with Conservatives. The part's "purity" was thus defiled.
2 Nick Clegg gave a promise that student fees would be abolished.
My own view is that, in the first instance, this (a) provided the party with a valuable experience of political power and (b) did - to some extent - modify the activities of their Conservative partners. As the considerably smaller partner the LibDem's ability to influence policy was restricted. In the second instance, well, not achievable for a reason just mentioned.
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It is a shame the Lib Dems have fallen off their twigs so badly, they are hardly there at all.
Would you like to elaborate, Floo? How have they "fallen off their twigs"?
My impression - for what it's worth - is that there have been two factors in the apparent decline of the LibDems.
1 Some passionate LibDem supporters were appalled that they went into coalition with Conservatives. The part's "purity" was thus defiled.
2 Nick Clegg gave a promise that student fees would be abolished.
My own view is that, in the first instance, this (a) provided the party with a valuable experience of political power and (b) did - to some extent - modify the activities of their Conservative partners. As the considerably smaller partner the LibDem's ability to influence policy was restricted. In the second instance, well, not achievable for a reason just mentioned.
There are only 12 Lib Dem MPs, when they used to field much larger numbers. Farron didn't do their cause any good at all, imo. Let's hope Cable can give them a boost in popularity.
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Little Roses:- Farron didn't do their cause any good at all, imo. Let's hope Cable can give them a boost in popularity.
Agree with you about Farron, he was embarrassingly stupid. I like Vince Cable.
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Little Roses:- Farron didn't do their cause any good at all, imo. Let's hope Cable can give them a boost in popularity.
Agree with you about Farron, he was embarrassingly stupid. I like Vince Cable.
Vince Cable, as a tried and tested politician, is the best hope the Lib Dems have of coming out of the doldrums and making an impact on Parliament again.
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Vince Cable, as a tried and tested politician, is the best hope the Lib Dems have of coming out of the doldrums and making an impact on Parliament again.
I can't see it myself. I have nothing particularly against him but he just doesn't convince me as being capable of anything much. But then none of the current leaders of the Labour, Conservatives or Libdems convince me, so it may just be a general sense of ennui I am suffering from.
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I can't see it myself. I have nothing particularly against him but he just doesn't convince me as being capable of anything much. But then none of the current leaders of the Labour, Conservatives or Libdems convince me, so it may just be a general sense of ennui I am suffering from.
I think many of us are suffering from it too. ::)
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And after months of incompetence from the govt, they are ahead in the polls.
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The guilt by low degree of separation was tried by the press at the last election and found wanting.
Even less people will remember Mr Adams at the next
Fewer. Most people have more sense than to believe the Daily Hate-mail's hysteria. I think St Jeremy of Corbyn will be the next P.M.
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Fewer. Most people have more sense than to believe the Daily Hate-mail's hysteria. I think St Jeremy of Corbyn will be the next P.M.
I hope not, I don't think he would make a suitable PM.
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I hope not, I don't think he would make a suitable PM.
Why not?
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Why not?
He is too leftie and pretty wishy wash as well.
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He is too leftie and pretty wishy wash as well.
That's todays in depth political analysis for you Steve.
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That's todays in depth political analysis for you Steve.
Yep! ;D
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That's todays in depth political analysis for you Steve.
Fairly par for the LR course!
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Little Roses:- Farron didn't do their cause any good at all, imo. Let's hope Cable can give them a boost in popularity.
Agree with you about Farron, he was embarrassingly stupid. I like Vince Cable.
Farron is a decent, principled bloke, who (eventually) put principle before ambition, for which he deserves respect, even if, like me, you disagree with the principle in question.
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How can St Jeremy be both too lefty and too wishy-wash[y] at the same time?
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How can St Jeremy be both too lefty and too wishy-wash[y] at the same time?
Because they are two different 'failings' in LR's view? So she would like a strong centrist politician?
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Because they are two different 'failings' in LR's view? So she would like a strong centrist politician?
I prefer someone with moderate views, who is neither left or right. The Lib Dems used to do it for my husband and I until they became a busted flush, that guy Farron did them no favours at all, imo.
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I prefer someone with moderate views, who is neither left or right. The Lib Dems used to do it for my husband and I until they became a busted flush, that guy Farron did them no favours at all, imo.
So you prefer someone wishy-washy, which is why you claim to dislike JC!
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So you prefer someone wishy-washy, which is why you claim to dislike JC!
They weren't wishy washy at one time, imo.
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I prefer someone with moderate views, who is neither left or right. The Lib Dems used to do it for my husband and I until they became a busted flush, that guy Farron did them no favours at all, imo.
Yes, that was what I was suggesting. I think SteveH is seeing wishy washy as a synonym for centrist )neither left or right). I am suggesting instead that you are using it to describe leadership style rather than views?
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It is a shame the Lib Dems have fallen off their twigs so badly, they are hardly there at all.
Would you like to elaborate, Floo? How have they "fallen off their twigs"?
My impression - for what it's worth - is that there have been two factors in the apparent decline of the LibDems.
1 Some passionate LibDem supporters were appalled that they went into coalition with Conservatives. The part's "purity" was thus defiled.
2 Nick Clegg gave a promise that student fees would be abolished.
My own view is that, in the first instance, this (a) provided the party with a valuable experience of political power and (b) did - to some extent - modify the activities of their Conservative partners. As the considerably smaller partner the LibDem's ability to influence policy was restricted. In the second instance, well, not achievable for a reason just mentioned.
If the Lib Dems had refused the offer of a coalition, they would have been castigated as being cowards who wanted to shout from the sidelines rather than responsible people ready to take awkward decisions.
FTR I would like to see a Lib Dem revival, hopefully it will begin with this years local elections.
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It will take a long time before the Lib Dems get back anything like their former status, imo.
It looks like it will take some time.
At least the ghastly Ukip are now a busted flush.
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It looks like it will take some time.
At least the ghastly Ukip are now a busted flush.
Which is a very good thing. The unpleasant Farage was UKIP, without him at the helm it has fallen apart.
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Little Roses - what specific policies of Jeremy Corbyn do you disagree with, and why?