The Politics Thread

[nicholaldo]

Well, for what it's worth, I don't think Mordaunt's doing that. She's trying to pitch herself as the reasonable option.

So her supposed 180 view change in less than a year is just coincidence then and not because she feels the need to ‘change her view’ if she is to stand a chance in the leadership contest?

I don’t really buy it.

I do in fairness suspect she is balanced and does have a nuanced and balanced view. She’s just scared to say it because that wont play well with the members.

I think there's a substantial difference between the constituency of people with well-reasoned objections and the "reptiles". My opinion, based on her recent comments, is she's trying to appeal to the former. The language she used was not the language of the "anti-woke".

I also think she has fairly strong sympathies in the opposite direction which she's trying to conceal.

I think that might be true. I’m not particularly suggesting that she’s a reptile just that it’s sad as you say she has to conceal her views so as to not scare members or reptiles or whatever we want to call the various factions in a party that a decade ago was very socially progressive at least by comparison to now.

I appreciate there are people among the membership (and the country) who have a more bigoted view but also that there are people who have really quite well-reasoned and well-intentioned disagreements with the more - for want of a better phrase - fervent supporters of trans rights.

This issue is more prominent now for a number of differing reasons. One is without doubt the "culture war" but another is that there has been a sharp reason in the number of people, particularly young girls, identifying as transgender and as that happens the complexities surrounding public policy are becomimg more visible.

[nicholaldo]

I see Javid's now withdrawn amid scrutiny of his tax affairs.

Is it a tax issue or did he not have numbers? Suggestion on Twitter is he didn’t have numbers and was not actually planning for a bid unlike Sunak and genuinely did resign on principle and didn’t have a campaign or backing in place. Where have you see the tax affairs thing? Thought that was Zahawi?

Probably a bit of both.

I can't ever seem to manage to post links to Tweets on here but The Independent has run a couple of articles about him supposedly exploiting non-dom status and also around a former offshore trust apparently being located in a tax haven.

I get the impression it might've hastened his withdrawal.

[Hoboh]

Looks like we might be In for a penny.

[BWFC_Insane]

Looks like we might be In for a penny.

She certainly seems better than many of the options.

So I’d breath a sigh of relief if it was her.

And Bruce would be happy too.

[Bruce Rioja]

Looks like we might be In for a penny.

She certainly seems better than many of the options.

So I’d breath a sigh of relief if it was her.

And Bruce would be happy too.

Absolutely. As you know, I'm something of a long-time admirer of hers.

My preference though would be Sunak as PM (principally because I believe him to be the only one who's truly across the numbers) with Mordaunt working cheek to jowl tight as his No.2

[BWFC_Insane]

Looks like we might be In for a penny.

She certainly seems better than many of the options.

So I’d breath a sigh of relief if it was her.

And Bruce would be happy too.

Absolutely. As you know, I'm something of a long-time admirer of hers.

My preference though would be Sunak as PM (principally because I believe him to be the only one who's truly across the numbers) with Mordaunt working cheek to jowl tight as his No.2

On the basis that I’m not a Tory that would be my preference to be honest. As you say Sunak does seem very well across his brief and the daily mail are campaigning against him so he must be decent on that basis.

I think from what I’ve seen Sunak or Mordaunt are the best out of this lot and both would steer us away from the dangerous right wing populist rhetoric that has plagued us these past few years.

[Worthy4England]

Funny innit. Conventional storytelling suggested that the main split in the Tories was Brexit and Remain. What's going on seems to be centre right v a lot more right.

[BWFC_Insane]

Funny innit. Conventional storytelling suggested that the main split in the Tories was Brexit and Remain. What's going on seems to be centre right v a lot more right.

I think the split like all politics is down educational and achievement lines. The less educated you are the more likely you fall towards the populist side of politics be it right or left.

And the Tory party is no different. I think the dividing line is not really economics now but social policy.

[Hoboh]

Funny innit. Conventional storytelling suggested that the main split in the Tories was Brexit and Remain. What's going on seems to be centre right v a lot more right.

I think the split like all politics is down educational and achievement lines. The less educated you are the more likely you fall towards the populist side of politics be it right or left.

And the Tory party is no different. I think the dividing line is not really economics now but social policy.

Self interest, that's what its about.
Many Tory backbench MP's are waking up to the fact that all talk and no action won't wash with the public next election and they need to do something Dammed quick to hope to survive. The fuel, energy and food problem needs working on now, not late 20/30 something or they are all toast next ballot day.

[Hoboh]

Funny innit. Conventional storytelling suggested that the main split in the Tories was Brexit and Remain. What's going on seems to be centre right v a lot more right.

I think the split like all politics is down educational and achievement lines. The less educated you are the more likely you fall towards the populist side of politics be it right or left.

And the Tory party is no different. I think the dividing line is not really economics now but social policy.

Self interest, that's what its about.
Many Tory backbench MP's are waking up to the fact that all talk and no action won't wash with the public next election and they need to do something Dammed quick to hope to survive. The fuel, energy and food problem needs working on now, not late 20/30 something or they are all toast next ballot day.

[BWFC_Insane]

Funny innit. Conventional storytelling suggested that the main split in the Tories was Brexit and Remain. What's going on seems to be centre right v a lot more right.

I think the split like all politics is down educational and achievement lines. The less educated you are the more likely you fall towards the populist side of politics be it right or left.

And the Tory party is no different. I think the dividing line is not really economics now but social policy.

Self interest, that's what its about.
Many Tory backbench MP's are waking up to the fact that all talk and no action won't wash with the public next election and they need to do something Dammed quick to hope to survive. The fuel, energy and food problem needs working on now, not late 20/30 something or they are all toast next ballot day.

I think that’s on the nose too!

[Bruce Rioja]

Quite a worry that Liz 'cheese' Truss polled so well. It's to be hoped that those who voted for Hunt follow his advice and now get behind Sunak.

[Hoboh]

Quite a worry that Liz 'cheese' Truss polled so well. It's to be hoped that those who voted for Hunt follow his advice and now get behind Sunak.

I honestly think Sunak is the equivalent of soiled goods to be honest, just like Truss, my penny will go on Penny. I like her attitude so far anyway, Reckon all Sunak will do is moan about the need to balance the books and with what's going on I'm afraid his timing is out.

[Hoboh]

Oh btw sorry about posting twice earlier

[BWFC_Insane]

Quite a worry that Liz 'cheese' Truss polled so well. It's to be hoped that those who voted for Hunt follow his advice and now get behind Sunak.

There seems to be a push from the right of the Tory party, the ERG, to stop Mordaunt getting on the ballot for members given she seems far and away the most popular amongst Tory members and likely wins.

It goes back to who is in control in the party.

[TANGODANCER]

I make not the slightest apology for laughing out loud at the mental images caused by this..

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/na ... e0a449e9ac

[nicholaldo]

Quite a worry that Liz 'cheese' Truss polled so well. It's to be hoped that those who voted for Hunt follow his advice and now get behind Sunak.

There seems to be a push from the right of the Tory party, the ERG, to stop Mordaunt getting on the ballot for members given she seems far and away the most popular amongst Tory members and likely wins.

It goes back to who is in control in the party.

I think that push is more likely from the Sunak campaign. Mordaunt is the membership's current favourite, with Sunak the least - she literally has a 2:1 ratio in her favour when compared against him - and they won't want to be up against her if he makes the final two.

The ERG/right section of the party want to stop Sunak, who is perceived to be in favour of higher taxes - see Rees-Mogg's very direct criticisms of him.

[BWFC_Insane]

Quite a worry that Liz 'cheese' Truss polled so well. It's to be hoped that those who voted for Hunt follow his advice and now get behind Sunak.

There seems to be a push from the right of the Tory party, the ERG, to stop Mordaunt getting on the ballot for members given she seems far and away the most popular amongst Tory members and likely wins.

It goes back to who is in control in the party.

I think that push is more likely from the Sunak campaign. Mordaunt is the membership's current favourite, with Sunak the least - she literally has a 2:1 ratio in her favour when compared against him - and they won't want to be up against her if he makes the final two.

The ERG/right section of the party want to stop Sunak, who is perceived to be in favour of higher taxes - see Rees-Mogg's very direct criticisms of him.

Might be a bit of both but there has been talk the erg are pushing for Braverman and Badenoch to fall in behind Truss to get her on the ballot vs Sunak.

Also the members polls are quite mixed. Some iirc opinium and channel 4 have put Sunak in the lead with members.

It’s going to be a mess. The ERG don’t want Sunak or Mordaunt.

I’m sure Starmer is hoping Truss somehow wins it. What a gift that would be.

[Hoboh]

Just heard Truss on the radio putting her case, she sounded like a little whining girl! No wonder Putin's clowns took the pee.

[BWFC_Insane]

Just heard Truss on the radio putting her case, she sounded like a little whining girl! No wonder Putin's clowns took the pee.

She’s labours dream. I wonder if the Tory party will realise that?