Richmond By Election

[Walt Zingmatilder]

What do you reckon. Should the people of Richmond who did not vote for the Lib Dem candidate start a campaign to overturn the result or stop Sarah Olney taking her seat.......

Only if it's legal but then Brexiteers don't approve of legislative bodies.

My advice to those for whom this is a bad result is ''gerrover it!''

[Walt Zingmatilder]

What do you reckon. Should the people of Richmond who did not vote for the Lib Dem candidate start a campaign to overturn the result or stop Sarah Olney taking her seat.......

They ought to do what remainers have been advised...move on and never vote again.

[ProfessorDavey]

Good point.

What it does mean is that the Tories only have a 10 seat majority now, so the likelihood of a early GE has just gone up.

This says nothing about the come back of the LibDems only that they venally jumped on a bandwagon to win.

They are perfectly welcome to start a campaign to unseat her (and indeed I'm sure this campaign will already have started). And in a maximum of 3.5 years there will be a second vote in which they can kick her out if that's what the electorate chose.

Any chance we will have the opportunity to have another vote in 3.5 years to overturn brexit. Let's hope so.

[Hope]

What the by-election does it bolster the parliamentary view that it must have a significant say in whether we have the cake, or we eat it. And also it increases pressure on the government to make clear which of cake or eating it preferred.

I'm not convinced that we have that level of flexibility, PD.  It won't be what the UK Government may or may not want; rather, it'll be the EU leaders saying 'this is what we are offering - take it or leave it'

[jeremyp]

What do you reckon. Should the people of Richmond who did not vote for the Lib Dem candidate start a campaign to overturn the result or stop Sarah Olney taking her seat.......

Against a majority of 3.78% for Brexit she is happy to take her majority of 4.53% as a massive vote of confidence.

There will be an opportunity for the people who are against her to unseat her in 2020 at the latest. Brexit is forever if it happens.

[jeremyp]

This says nothing about the come back of the LibDems only that they venally jumped on a bandwagon to win.

What was venal about it?

The candidate was quite open that she opposes Brexit and she got in.

[Jack Knave]

They are perfectly welcome to start a campaign to unseat her (and indeed I'm sure this campaign will already have started). And in a maximum of 3.5 years there will be a second vote in which they can kick her out if that's what the electorate chose.

Any chance we will have the opportunity to have another vote in 3.5 years to overturn brexit. Let's hope so.

You'll be lucky if the EU exists in 3.5 years time! 

[Jack Knave]

I'm not convinced that we have that level of flexibility, PD.  It won't be what the UK Government may or may not want; rather, it'll be the EU leaders saying 'this is what we are offering - take it or leave it'

We could do the same. The EU is not in a strong position.

[Jack Knave]

What was venal about it?

The candidate was quite open that she opposes Brexit and she got in.

Don't understand your comment. You do know what venal means? 'Quite open' looks like the wrong comment to me, with this regard.

[ProfessorDavey]

You'll be lucky if the EU exists in 3.5 years time! 

You really are a deluded chap JK.

[Jack Knave]

You really are a deluded chap JK.

Are you aware of all the cracks forming in the EU and especially the Eurozone, which is party to all the big EU players - Germany, France, Italy.....

[Walt Zingmatilder]

You'll be lucky if the EU exists in 3.5 years time! 

I'm sorry Jack but unless Marine Le pen wins then the promises that the EU was washed up are blown.

[ProfessorDavey]

I'm sorry Jack but unless Marine Le pen wins then the promises that the EU was washed up are blown.

LePen won't win - and even if she did the French people would still support the EU.

JK's suggestion that the EU is about to collapse is deluded nonsense.

[jeremyp]

Don't understand your comment. You do know what venal means? 'Quite open' looks like the wrong comment to me, with this regard.

Yes, I do know exactly what venal means which is why I don't understand why you are applying it here.

[ProfessorDavey]

Are you aware of all the cracks forming in the EU and especially the Eurozone, which is party to all the big EU players - Germany, France, Italy.....

As is Austria who have just voted in Alexander Van der Bellen as their president, defeating a hard right eurosceptic, anti-migrant candidate.

Van der Bellen supports green and social liberal policies, and has described himself as a liberal. He is supportive of the European Union and advocates European federalism.

Not much evidence there for the cracks in the EU that you mention.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

350 million a week for the NHS, the collapse of the EU......promises, promises.

[Humph Warden Bennett]

As is Austria who have just voted in Alexander Van der Bellen as their president, defeating a hard right eurosceptic, anti-migrant candidate.

Van der Bellen supports green and social liberal policies, and has described himself as a liberal. He is supportive of the European Union and advocates European federalism.

Not much evidence there for the cracks in the EU that you mention.

Yes.

And given that Sarah Olney was arguably elected on a Lib Dem/Green ticket, I like to think that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

[Jack Knave]

I'm sorry Jack but unless Marine Le pen wins then the promises that the EU was washed up are blown.

So what about the result of the Italian referendum? I.e. the sorry state of the Italian banks; ergo the Euro.

[Jack Knave]

Yes.

And given that Sarah Olney was arguably elected on a Lib Dem/Green ticket, I like to think that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Clutching at straws. How sad.

[JP]

Italians have stuck the boot in and Austria dodging a bullet does not solve the underlying problems. France and the Netherlands to come as well as Germany. The main parties will probably hold on but is that enough.

I wonder if those in charge will pause for thought, or will they carry on down the same merry road. 

[Jack Knave]

Italians have stuck the boot in and Austria dodging a bullet does not solve the underlying problems. France and the Netherlands to come as well as Germany. The main parties will probably hold on but is that enough.

I wonder if those in charge will pause for thought, or will they carry on down the same merry road.

The real problem isn't elections per se but the dire straits and moribund sate of the Euro.

[jeremyp]

So what about the result of the Italian referendum? I.e. the sorry state of the Italian banks; ergo the Euro.

Do you know what the Italian referendum was about?

Clue: it had nothing to do with the banks or the EU.

[Jack Knave]

Do you know what the Italian referendum was about?

Clue: it had nothing to do with the banks or the EU.

Showing your ignorance again, Jeremy. It was about a constitutional change in Italy to quicken the processes of government. One reason for this was to implement more quickly changes that would keep their zombie banks in having the appearance of being alive and being animated. Once that goes Italy's bonds would hit the roof and the whole Eurozone would collapse - being that Italy is too big to bailout. All that is keeping it going are the ECB's bond buying programme (QE). But what that does is to drive down the Euro's market value so slowing the EU market down, which it can't afford.

Now Italy is pretty much in a state of stasis as it moves to yet another GE where the 5 Star Movement could actually take power. They want a referendum on whether to stay in the EZ or not. All factors that could drive those bonds sky high.

[jeremyp]

Showing your ignorance again, Jeremy. It was about a constitutional change in Italy to quicken the processes of government.

Please enumerate the constitutional changes. The fact is that I don't think you know what they were.

[Hope]

Showing your ignorance again, Jeremy. It was about a constitutional change in Italy to quicken the processes of government. One reason for this was to implement more quickly changes that would keep their zombie banks in having the appearance of being alive and being animated. Once that goes Italy's bonds would hit the roof and the whole Eurozone would collapse - being that Italy is too big to bailout. All that is keeping it going are the ECB's bond buying programme (QE). But what that does is to drive down the Euro's market value so slowing the EU market down, which it can't afford.

What a pity that the Italians who took part in the referendum had no idea that this is what it was all about, Jack.