|
Dec 2019
8:32am, 15 Dec 2019
1,004 posts
|
Brighouse Boy
Spot on Simbil
Fozzy - it's not about being Centrist, it's about having a blend of both left and right policies that are more acceptable to the masses.
|
|
Dec 2019
8:40am, 15 Dec 2019
22,990 posts
|
Johnny Blaze
I think it's very easy to offer "free everything for everyone" and obviously that would be very appealing. Who doesn't want free stuff if someone else is going to pay for it?
I think wiser people know that you don't get everything for nothing and that's where the problems start to arise. Corbyn and McDonnell lost their minds with this manifesto and they got punished for it.
|
|
Dec 2019
9:22am, 15 Dec 2019
1,005 posts
|
Brighouse Boy
Yes JB, if it looks too good to be true, then it probably is!!
|
|
Dec 2019
9:37am, 15 Dec 2019
29,800 posts
|
SPR
Not sure it had much to do with the manifesto.
|
|
Dec 2019
10:15am, 15 Dec 2019
1,958 posts
|
Canute
Last night I went to bed with a feeling of fragile hope. Despite my negative opinion of Tony Blair, I was nonetheless intrigued and even encouraged to hear Boris echo Blair in Sedgefield. I trust Boris even less than Blair on account of the multiple distortions of the truth by the Tory leadership during the recent campaign. However I am allowing myself to entertain the hope that Boris is smart enough to recognise that it is in his own self-interest to increase resources for the north, and also to make a real effort to negotiate a sensible deal with the EU. However, I am not offering to bet even a half pint of beer in support of this fragile hope.
It is also crucial for the country that we have a decent opposition. I am encouraged by the fact that among the 9 or 10 names being touted as possible Labour leaders, all apart for Ms Long-Bailey are capable of developing sensible ideas and presenting them in a compelling manner.
|
|
Dec 2019
10:45am, 15 Dec 2019
2,453 posts
|
J2R
Sadly, Canute, I find it very difficult to share your hope. By far the easiest path for Johnson to follow is the one of right-wing populism, almost literally a no-brainer, and he will always go for the easy option.
I am also pessimistic about the prospects of a decent opposition forming. Given the stranglehold that the fantasist far Left still has on the Labour Party, I see no real prospect of their picking anyone more electable as next leader. For me, it clearly should be someone like Keir Starmer, Yvette Cooper or maybe even Jess Phillips. But it will be Rebecca Long-Bailey.
|
|
Dec 2019
11:11am, 15 Dec 2019
8,312 posts
|
simbil
Yep, as others said it may be 2 general elections before Labour get it together in an electable way.
In almost 50 years, it is only Blairite broad politics that has put Labour in power. For those clinging to a more narrow and/or radical manifesto, you've got an awful lot of hearts and minds to change.
I wonder where the Lib Dems will go from here - there is a great gap between the two big parties for them to fill but they are struggling and still not trusted by a great many. Maybe the brand is still just too tarnished.
|
|
Dec 2019
11:18am, 15 Dec 2019
3,406 posts
|
mr d
Not a lib dem voter, tactical voting cost them and they still added 4% onto their vote share.
They don't have a base to work from and I can't see them making significant progress in FPTP.
Same for the Greens.
Had a friend who blamed the lib dems as they should have formed a progressive alliance with labour. Had to remind them that Labour had a clear No Deals / No Pacts policy pre election.
|
|
Dec 2019
11:27am, 15 Dec 2019
29,801 posts
|
SPR
TBH it looks like the best thing Labour could have done was back Brexit. Once Corbyn looked like he was 'ignoring the will of the people', all the mud started to stick.
That would might have helped the Lib Dems as well and possibly led to a hung parliament.
People forget that in the 2017 election, Brexit wasn't a differentiator.
|
|
Dec 2019
11:40am, 15 Dec 2019
1,959 posts
|
Canute
If Boris makes a mess of Brexit (which is unfortunately remains very likely) and a mess of dealing with Scotland (also likely) there will be a real scope for a change of party at the next GE. (He will almost certainly make a mess of NI, but sadly, once we are no longer in the EU, re-unification of Ireland is probably the most workable long term solution).
In my view labour has a lot more really good people to offer than the Lib-Dems. Labour also have reasonable hope of receiving growing support from the young, especially on issues such as the environment and promoting growth of meaningful employment. But it is utterly crucial that they elect a good leader. I understand J2R’s fear that the ‘old-guard’ might ensure that Rebecca Long-Bailey gets the job, but I do not think it is inevitable – provided the sensible candidates are sensible enough to avoid forming a circular firing squad.
|
Fantasy General Election
Jul 2024
