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[Jezbollah]

Khan now mathematically unbeatable in the Mayor election. Good.

No one should win any kind of popular vote given the campaign that Goldsmith ran. yeesh.

 

[Mr. Sam]

Sadiq has pretty much won, Goldsmiths campaign is an example on how not to appeal to an incredibly diverse city

It was scummy regardless of how diverse anything was. Thankfully, it appears to have backfired dramatically. Goldsmith's reputation, even among fellow Conservatives, has rightly taken a beating.

 

[War Peaceman]

Also, interestingly, a rejection of Lynton Crosby and his political planning.

 

[phisheep]

I went for Mountstevens too, basically just because it was the only name I recognised, and that's only because you mentioned her. So I guess she's got you to thank if she wins by one vote ¯\_(&#12484_/¯

Well, she won by 18,000 - but one of them's yours!

 

[Maledict]

Khan now mathematically unbeatable in the Mayor election. Good.

No one should win any kind of popular vote given the campaign that Goldsmith ran. yeesh.

Yep. The Tories I know and go drinking with have said the same - it was a disgusting campaign that made them embarrassed to be Tories. And these guys work in the City, so shame is not something that comes often to them!

 

[Uzzy]

Meanwhile, Ruth Davidson seems to have run the kind of positive campaign that do the Tories credit. More of that and less of Crosby's hate and maybe the politics in this country might be improved.

 

[kmag]

Meanwhile, Ruth Davidson seems to have run the kind of positive campaign that do the Tories credit. More of that and less of Crosby's hate and maybe the politics in this country might be improved.

By pretending she's in a completely different party? The Ruth Davidson party? You'd have to listen very carefully to Davidson to even hear a mention of the Conservative party or Cameron and his policies. She made the Tories palatable to a proportion of No voters by pretending they didn't exist. Davidson ran a personal campaign as the party of No, she was helped by Dugsdale's prevarication and then subsequently weak backtracking on independence

 

[RedShift]

Just found out my MP is one of the ones being investigated for illegal campaign spending.

Can't help but feel if it was Labour who'd done this it would be getting a lot more attention in the media.

 

[Uzzy]

By pretending she's in a completely different party? The Ruth Davidson party? You'd have to listen very carefully to Davidson to even hear a mention of the Conservative party or Cameron and his policies. She made the Tories palatable to a proportion of No voters by pretending they didn't exist. Davidson ran a personal campaign as the party of No, she was helped by Dugsdale's prevarication and then subsequently weak backtracking on independence

Yup. That's hardly surprising, who'd want to be in a party where Goldsmith's campaign is not only allowed, but supported by the leader of the party from the despatch box during PMQ's? I hope that the Tories run as far away as possible from that campaign, and never consider doing something that disgusting again.

 

[Hazzuh]

It was scummy regardless of how diverse anything was. Thankfully, it appears to have backfired dramatically. Goldsmith's reputation, even among fellow Conservatives, has rightly taken a beating.

What did he do that was scummy? I've been busy with work so I haven't been following the mayoral election.

 

[Beefy]

Scott Mann and Alex Chalk MPs are being investigated over allegations they received help from the controversial Tory party battlebus.

Three others, Stuart Andrew, Craig Mackinlay, and Michelle Donelan are at the centre of complaints made to police. A sixth, Gavin Barwell was already facing accusations.

If all are found to have broken the law it could spark demands for a string of by-elections that may be enough to bring down David Cameron’s Government if they lost the seats.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/two-tories-probed-police-over-7907519

 

[Maledict]

By pretending she's in a completely different party? The Ruth Davidson party? You'd have to listen very carefully to Davidson to even hear a mention of the Conservative party or Cameron and his policies. She made the Tories palatable to a proportion of No voters by pretending they didn't exist. Davidson ran a personal campaign as the party of No, she was helped by Dugsdale's prevarication and then subsequently weak backtracking on independence

That's exactly what you do to rehabilitate a party. I don't see anything wrong with this. The conservatives at least deserve credit for letting her do this - and letting Scottish tories actually choose their leader in the first place. Labour needs to give scottish labour its freedom to do what it wants and needs to do.

 

[Mr. Sam]

What did he do that was scummy? I've been busy with work so I haven't been following the mayoral election.

This essentially summarises it:

 

[AHA-Lambda]

By pretending she's in a completely different party? The Ruth Davidson party? You'd have to listen very carefully to Davidson to even hear a mention of the Conservative party or Cameron and his policies. She made the Tories palatable to a proportion of No voters by pretending they didn't exist. Davidson ran a personal campaign as the party of No, she was helped by Dugsdale's prevarication and then subsequently weak backtracking on independence

Yeah, I get the impression the conservative gains are more to do with labour's growing irrelevance in scotland and so becoming the next bandwagon for No voters.

Least that's what I hope it is =/
I do repeatedly hear some disgusting things from members of my family who are all tory voters >_>

 

[twobear]

7 separate police forces are now investigating whether the tories illegally funded the last election

realistically if evidence is found, what's the outcome? it's literally a bought election, so i'm guessing, a slap on the wrist?

 

[Beefy]

7 separate police forces are now investigating whether the tories illegally funded the last election

realistically if evidence is found, what's the outcome? it's literally a bought election, so i'm guessing, a slap on the wrist?

Probably not even that.

 

[QuicheFontaine]

Well, she won by 18,000 - but one of them's yours!

Actually feels nice to vote for the winner for once

 

[War Peaceman]

Just found out my MP is one of the ones being investigated for illegal campaign spending.

Can't help but feel if it was Labour who'd done this it would be getting a lot more attention in the media.

Labour can't afford spending on a campaign, let alone exceeding the limits

 

[Fernando Fernandez]

7 separate police forces are now investigating whether the tories illegally funded the last election

realistically if evidence is found, what's the outcome? it's literally a bought election, so i'm guessing, a slap on the wrist?

I read somewhere that if found guilty the law says the MP can't be in that position for 3 years.

Sadiqs numbers were huge! With a larger mandate than Boris in 2012, the biggest personal mandate of any candidate in any UK election ever.

 

[Coriolanus]

Sadiqs numbers were huge! With a larger mandate than Boris in 2012, the biggest personal mandate of any candidate in any UK election ever.

The Corbyn Effect. /jest

but for real, telegraph on the victory / guardian on the victory.

Tldr: "khan is one of us, really" / "good news, but could be better".

 

[Mr. Sam]

The Khan victory is probably the happiest I've ever been at the outcome of an election. Perhaps it's a side effect of everything else I vote in normally resulting in a massive Conservative majority but that's living in Bromley for you.

 

[Fernando Fernandez]

Telegraph makes me laugh/sad. If Sadiq lost it would've been blamed on Corbyn. A lot of lies in that column too.

 

[kmag]

Yeah, I get the impression the conservative gains are more to do with labour's growing irrelevance in scotland and so becoming the next bandwagon for No voters.

Least that's what I hope it is =/
I do repeatedly hear some disgusting things from members of my family who are all tory voters >_>

Davidson ran a smart campaign but it had a pretty dangerous undercurrent. Orange framed leaflets (literally an orange border around the leaflet) in Lanarkshire and Ayrshire for instance. It's one thing to set yourself out as the defender of the union it's another thing to actively pander to sectarian elements.

Personally I don't think the Tories or their policies are any more palatable in Scotland than they were 18 months ago, Davidson is just a bit more personable but had managed to identify the big fracture point and firmly position their party at one side of it, while pretending essentially her party has no policy positions except to be a strong opposition and the defender of the union.

Currently all politics in Scotland is constitutional.

Dugsdale would have been better served just spending the last 6 weeks screaming "Union" in the middle of George Square, once she prevaricated on the independence question there were a large number of no voters with only one place to go.

 

[Moosichu]

Where does this leave each party in terms of the popular vote roughly?

 

[Xun]

The Khan victory is probably the happiest I've ever been at the outcome of an election. Perhaps it's a side effect of everything else I vote in normally resulting in a massive Conservative majority but that's living in Bromley for you.

I don't think things will ever change in Bromley, unfortunately.

 

[Jezbollah]

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/may/07/sadiq-khan-londoners-deserve-better-tory-campaign?

Pretty hard to disagree with anything he said...

 

[Moosichu]

Very interesting survey:

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/may/09/jeremy-corbyn-scruffy-old-fashioned-swing-voters

Voters have also noticed the internal dissent within the Labour party, a fact repeatedly highlighted by Corbyn’s close allies in the runup to last week’s votes. One participant said: “It’s just a shambles, so how can you vote for someone to run the country when they can’t even sit in the room together.”

Would say Ken Livingstone has caused a lot of damage recently, but those comments also apply to disgruntled MPs who keep sniping Corbyn.

Morris and Warren also found there was little recognition among voters of any of the potential challengers for the Labour leadership, with a list of names met with “blank looks and almost complete silence”.

I really hope Khan and Corbyn can learn from each other's successes.

 

[War Peaceman]

Nothing revelatory there. Of course people don't like a disunited political party.

It also isn't a bad thing that nobody knows any potential challenger. That's an opportunity. They have no baggage or preconceptions.

 

[Mr. Sam]

I'd think it would be highly unusual if they did know of any challengers. Many members of the public would probably have blank looks if you read a list of cabinet ministers to them.

 

[Beefy]

Only reason I vote Labour is I can't stand the Tories. I don't really see Labour as any great challenge for them though. All I see of Labour is infighting and Corbyn not looking that strong. Then you have the Lib Dems are basically dead.

 

[Moosichu]

Nothing revelatory there. Of course people don't like a disunited political party.

It also isn't a bad thing that nobody knows any potential challenger. That's an opportunity. They have no baggage or preconceptions.

I'd think it would be highly unusual if they did know of any challengers. Many members of the public would probably have blank looks if you read a list of cabinet ministers to them.

Yeah. Wasn't saying it was a bad thing. I just find these things a good reminder of how easy it is to get lost in a bubble where people are informed about politics.

 

[Nicktendo86]

Cameron's 'Brexit could cause WW3' comments (I'm obviously paraphrasing there) today are an embarrassment. A few months ago he was saying he would be willing to walk away if he didn't get a few meagre changes from the EU, but is now saying if we did Europe would descend into war? Who does he think he is kidding?

Would post this in the Brexit thread btw but that seems to have died, maybe it will pick up now we are entering the shot campaign.

 

[Moosichu]

Cameron's 'Brexit could cause WW3' comments (I'm obviously paraphrasing there) today are an embarrassment. A few months ago he was saying he would be willing to walk away if he didn't get a few meagre changes from the EU, but is now saying if we did Europe would descend into war? Who does he think he is kidding?

Would post this in the Brexit thread btw but that seems to have died, maybe it will pick up now we are entering the shot campaign.

I hate fear mongering campaigns. It just muddies everything so much

 

[Mr. Sam]

I hate fear mongering campaigns. It just muddies everything so much

Then you're in for a rough ride from both sides over the next couple of months.

 

[Jezbollah]

Lets just have the vote tomorrow for fucks sake...

 

[Beefy]

Here's what Cameron said:

EU referendum: Cameron warns UK exit could put peace at risk.


Peace in Europe could be at risk if Britain votes to leave the European Union, David Cameron has warned.

The UK has regretted "turning its back" on Europe in the past, the PM said, arguing the EU had "helped reconcile" countries and maintain peace.

Was leaving the union a "risk worth taking", Mr Cameron asked.

But ex-London mayor Boris Johnson hit back, saying the EU's "anti-democratic tendencies" was "a force for instability and alienation".

The Vote Leave campaign said: "During the renegotiation the PM said he 'ruled nothing out'. Now he thinks leaving the EU would lead to war. What changed?"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36243296

Man this going to get worse isn't it? Both sides still yet to bring up any real figures.

 

[Moosichu]

Then you're in for a rough ride from both sides over the next couple of months.

A true race to the bottom.

 

[Beefy]

Jesus, I just heard Cameron's speech. Why the fuck did he bring up the war dead?

 

[Nicktendo86]

Jesus, I just heard Cameron's speech. Why the fuck did he bring up the war dead?

Bleak, isn't it. I mean the whole in/out debate has been a bit of a farce but invoking the war dead is just on another level.

 

[War Peaceman]

The six months have been really weird for Cameron. Something's changed. He's on his way out that's for sure.

 

[twobear]

remember that you're talking about the same david cameron who used his disabled son as a screen to protect the tories from criticism over their handling of the nhs

 

[Nicktendo86]

remember that you're talking about the same david cameron who used his disabled son as a screen to protect the tories from criticism over their handling of the nhs

I don't think that's fair, but he's a prick on the EU issue.

 

[twobear]

I don't think that's fair, but he's a prick on the EU issue.

what's not fair? that's literally what he did.

 

[Nicktendo86]

what's not fair? that's literally what he did.

Probably depends on whether you agree with him or not, I thought he was making a valid point with his son.

 

[twobear]

Probably depends on whether you agree with him or not, I thought he was making a valid point with his son.

even his own aides called it tasteless

[edit] okay well i should have read the article better, since apparently they're only referring to his opponents mentioning it, derp. either way it was tasteless as hell.

it was transparent and nasty, and i'm not surprised at all that he would invoke the war dead for his own political ends

 

[tomtom94]

The six months have been really weird for Cameron. Something's changed. He's on his way out that's for sure.

If I had to wager, I think he badly underestimated the Conservative party and was expecting

A) winning a majority would buy him support
B) the majority of the party backed the EU

Since neither has happened, and he has to know that he's on borrowed time after the referendum whatever the result, I think he's a bit shell-shocked, tbh. Also, the Crosby playbook having worked for England last time, he probably reckons it's worth doing again..

Not to mention, he doesn't have Clegg to fall back on this time, even if Corbyn is a bit of a punching-bag.

 

[Nicktendo86]

In all honesty I don't think Cameron really cares and probably sees the EU ref as his last real legacy, hence throwing the kitchen sink at it. I don't think, either way, he will hand on for anywhere near the full 5 year term.

 

[QuicheFontaine]

Cameron's 'Brexit could cause WW3' comments (I'm obviously paraphrasing there) today are an embarrassment. A few months ago he was saying he would be willing to walk away if he didn't get a few meagre changes from the EU, but is now saying if we did Europe would descend into war? Who does he think he is kidding?

Would post this in the Brexit thread btw but that seems to have died, maybe it will pick up now we are entering the shot campaign.

It basically has, and that breaks my heart ;_;

 

[phisheep]

It basically has, and that breaks my heart ;_;

I'll nip over there and liven it up a bit sometime in the next week. I still want you to vote "remain", Quiche!

 

[Empty]

eu referendum is just going to be a month more of who can say the most outrageously over the top thing possible every fucking day

i'm very pro eu but no-one should seriously think having a similar relationship to the continent as norway would be catastrophic.

The six months have been really weird for Cameron. Something's changed. He's on his way out that's for sure.

he's always been like this imo

i really think the surprise majority in 2015 made him out to be far more incisive and shrewd than he actually is.

just as a political figure he's simply not of the quality of blair or thatcher