PMs change and lol we're all gonna die (but brexit will never end)

seems like the best option, whether figuratively or literally

Provided Labour doesn’t allow the election to be dominated by Brexit and instead focuses on fixing the symptoms of a failed economic model: austerity, wages, job insecurity and a long-term failure to invest, victory is there for the taking.

This doesn't seem likely, though - it's October / November 2019, Brexit will absolutely be 85% of the issues.

not on the stump necessarily, this is the point: of course brexit will dominate media coverage but that's the point of rallies and doorknocking, to end-run all that

To the things that people want to talk about more than Brexit, which do not exist.

Very happy to be wrong, but again this is now, not two years ago.

They defeated Farage in Peterborough by precisely concentrating on issues other than brexit

To the things that people want to talk about more than Brexit, which do not exist.

― Andrew Farrell, Sunday, September 8, 2019 2:08 PM (four minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

seriously i think this is bubble-fed nonsense

Absolutely.

Peterborough was after the Brexit date had come and gone, it was a relief to get to talk about anything else - if they can repeat that, then brilliant.

I hope you're right, Mark! But other information does not suggest it:

https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/qj23oopdop/YG%20Trackers%20-%20Top%20Issues_W.pdf

Peterborough is seen as just the kind of leave voting high immigrant area that you'd think would be obsessed by Brexit talk. "Date had come and gone" didn't make the issue go away.

I think if anything, most people are sick of Brexit. "Get on with it" includes a large continent of those simply childishly bored of the stasis as well as those intent on necking with Johnson before careening off a cliff in a ford Thunderbird.

Usual thread participants are clearly a different category

this was a song about a girl getting into bed with the far right joanne https://t.co/kUkz6yqi7U

— sarah m (@sazza_jay) September 8, 2019

I don't see a pact that really works for the BxP. Where can they win that isn't (or until v recently) already Tory? There are a few three way battles they could gain (Dover, Thurrock) but too risky and helps Labour more.

Tory election strategy appears to be based on the belief that the North of England is a hotbed of raging bigots and that by doubling down on anti-snowflake culture war rhetoric they will see a whole swathe of red seats turning blue. That didn't work so well last time, even without the Brexit Party in play. You'd expect the LibDems to take seats off the Tories elsewhere as well.

I guess there'll be a sprinkling of splashing the cash to end austerity but "only once Brexit is out of the way" as well but it's been telegraphed so heavily Labour should have an attack line ready for that.

The BXP have said they will stand aside for MPs who support no deal. To me, this seems a high risk with shire Tories in marginals, but it may just be their opening gambit and they’re relying on Boris being desperate and grabbing at anything.

They'll be expecting a knighthood for Farage, providing he doesn't win a seat in the racist shithole of his choice, and some position or other in goverment, and Tice to be made ambassador to the US, for starters. Foot in the door stuff.

... I mean ennoblement for Farage.

I have absolutely no doubt they've been negotiating behind closed doors all this time. As I said, Farage, Tice and Claire Fox et al have been careful not to be critical of Johnson personally.

I don’t think Farage is standing in a constituency fwiw.

I wouldn’t be so sure of that until the declaration deadline is in.

otm

The north might be full of old and old fashioned people who have slightly ‘traditional’ values, but those values include voting against tories. There’s no way the culture war stuff outweighs the visceral hatred of the party of Thatcher.

That's what they used to say about Scotland.

Reaching out to senior friends in Polish government this evening to ask again for them to consider vetoing any extension to Article 50. Not in either of our interests for this fiasco to continue. The sooner we leave the earlier we can start work on closer bilateral partnership

— Daniel Kawczynski (@DKShrewsbury) September 7, 2019

he's the tallest mp in history, not the brightest mp in history

He once did this!

A Conservative MP told a one-legged drug addict in a wheelchair begging outside Parliament to 'get a job'.

The Daily Mail reports that Daniel Kawczynski 'admonished' the man for begging and told him that help was available to people in his situation through a Government scheme.

Mr Kawczynski was heard saying to Mark McGuigan, "get a job, find some work. Yes, I know it is hard, I have struggled too."

Speaking about the incident, which reportedly occurred on 7 October outside Westminster underground station, Mr McGuigan said that the 6ft 8in ministerial aide made him feel small and humiliated, before adding that he had spoken out in order to 'name and shame' Mr Kawczynski.

he's officially a giant *and* officially a knob

A bilateral relationship with Poland means Poland has to leave the EU as well, no? Can they take Hungary with them?

from d'ancona's latest: It was routine for those on the left to say that they hated most Conservatives with a passion but could still imagine having a pint with Boris.

waht

maybe if you extend the definition of ‘having a pint’ to include glassing

he also says Boris was the heineken tory who can reach parts other tories cannot reach. absolute bolox and always was.

more like the beerhall putsch tory, despised in the north and in some of the tory shires now.

London media bubble shite.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ED9Ic8NXkAMNRQA?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

lol

power of Chris Patten compels you

Happy Science

You wouldn’t want a pint with BJ. Not that he’d put rohypnol in it or anything, but...

Dare I scan that qr code?

a pint of BJ feels like a hell of a lot

MAH BUCKET

I mean look I'll give it a blow go

If you look at the original Boris Johnson thread here, it's full of people saying they quite like him despite his toryness. He definitely used to be the Tory that it was OK to like. But oh how times change

Old ilx was 50 Londoners talking about belle and Sebastian. Lol not exactly the wasteland provinces that mostly think boris or any of his ilk iare complete fucking arseholes since forever

I was just looking through an old Boris vs. Ken For Mayor thread and failing to see any affection on there for Boris at all.

... not much for Ken either tbf.

I think by the time the mayoral election rolled around Boris had lost his loveable rogue appeal. But a few quotes from the original Boris thread:

Since even bad Tories can be funny on the spot and really know their Classics, he's got some redeeming qualities.

― suzy (suzy), Tuesday, March 23, 2004 11:06 AM (fifteen years ago) bookmarkflaglink

i quite like boris, for a tory...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, March 23, 2004 12:31 PM (fifteen years ago) bookmarkflaglink

I really want to like him, but the evil Toryness gets me every time.
― Anna (Anna), Tuesday, March 23, 2004 3:43 PM (fifteen years ago) bookmarkflaglink

i secretly quite like him in spite of his toryness.
(i would have written that in small writing to show my shame but am not sure if we're allowed to do such html tricks anymore.)

― toby (tsg20), Tuesday, March 23, 2004 3:46 PM (fifteen years ago) bookmarkflaglink

I like him, I think he's okay.

― jel -- (jel), Tuesday, March 23, 2004 6:44 PM (fifteen years ago) bookmarkflaglink

I love Boris. He made a very sensible point about people being penalised for talking on mobile phones while cycling or indeed driving - that is, one-armed people are allowed to drive and cycle, so what'd the difference? Bless him and his black-and-white thinking.
― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, March 23, 2004 7:08 PM (fifteen years ago) bookmarkflaglink

Etc.

Tories also seemed a lot more harmless in 2004 iirc?

I think not so much harmless as the fact they were in opposition at time and not differentiated enough from Blair to be of particular consequence. Subconsiously maybe a feeling of they don't really matter.

That said, those comments are still odd

It’s probably me but I don’t recognise 99% of those usernames...and it was 15 and a half years ago. You go back 15 and a half years from any point in history, you’re going to find lots of public figures are viewed quite differently. You could probably find similar comments about Trump or whoever. But bar a couple of examples, I don’t think that the comments were all that glowing anyway...? Plenty of people even back then saw through him or at least had suspicions.