Free as a Dodo: UK Politics Welcomes 2021

We now go live to today’s forecast, with unprecedented levels expected across several regions pic.twitter.com/ic0AxTI4DS

— 𝕻𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝕻𝖍𝖎𝖑𝖎𝖕 (@papasombra) May 7, 2021

"Lab 25% vote share in GE2024 seems plausible/optimistic right now."

Yeah this was like a Pol sci experiment. How many ppl would still tick that box after a year of this shit. If you up that a bit in cities you are looking at 30%

Trying to do something with Starmkholm Syndrome but it won't come together

Frankly if Labour remained competitive in the GE it would be an outlier in Europe, wouldn't it? Where centre-left parties have mainly crumbled into dust?

The difference here is a two-party system. So 30% for an 'opposition' is just how the bosses and landlords like it. They've hit a real sweet spot.

Yeah that's a good point.

even some of the governing centrist parties in western/northern Europe seem to have policies that would be derided as "hard-left" in this shithole country.

Disappointing that the people of Hartlepool have yet again failed to understand the opinions and analysis of Britain’s political pundits and will have to wait until the next general election for the opportunity to regain their trust

— Huw Lemmey (@huwlemmey) May 7, 2021

The turnout for the London Mayor could be interesting though pretty much all of my left twitter timeline voted unenthusiastically.

that heady brew of hardcore affordable housing advocacy and not being a tory candidate is just irresistible to Londoners

'hardcore'

sorry my phone autocorrect malfunctioned on 'reluctant'

proud of our history 'warts and all'

Disappointing results overnight: we can’t just double down, we need to reflect how to demonstrate our values better and connect with people - more Olympic opening ceremony, proud of our history warts and all and less Brittas Empire tribute act.

— Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP🌹🏳️‍🌈 (@lloyd_rm) May 7, 2021

Lloyd Russell-Black Mould is a confirmed landlord ftr! jfc doesn't he realise what a parody he sounds like?

I find Russell-Moyle a bit embarrassing and will probably be relieved if I don't need to keep him on my ever-diminishing list of half-decent Labour MPs

Boris Johnson was only Conservative Party leader for 5 months when he transformed the party from an unworkable arrangement with no governable majority propped up by confidence and supply, to one of greatest ever Conservative electoral victories. No excuses. https://t.co/QIKhR8Hj42

— Jason Okundaye (@jasebyjason) May 7, 2021

Meanwhile just another cladded tower block in London currently on fire nbd

But I think this goes for Corbyn as well xp

yeah you can't just blame the hostile UK media and the backstabbing PLP for the failure of Corbynism to build on the near success of 2017, too many mistakes were made

Yup, here we fucking go.

🚨 20 fire engines on the scene of a fire at New Providence Wharf in East London this morning.

The building’s still covered in ACM cladding - the same type as was on Grenfell. Awaiting updates. @LBC pic.twitter.com/vvKaNzxTUW

— Rachael Venables (@rachaelvenables) May 7, 2021

No point in voting Labour now though because that's what they offer now too

I think it would be fair to say all the prevaricating and inertia over this highly dangerous cladding post-Grenfell is the ultimate indictment of the UK political system as it is.

omg I hope those people are ok

Was way too busy to follow this but lol @ this candidate:

The decision to field a candidate who was on the panel that shut down Hartlepool A&E was an unforced error. As was the decision to hold the by-election on the same day as the locals.

— Elvis Buñuelo (@Mr_Considerate) May 7, 2021

this guy?

A massive thank you to everyone in Hartlepool who voted for me, and to the incredible Labour volunteers who worked so hard#Congrats to Jill Mortimer.

I’m off to do the important job now of taking the kids to school.

— Dr Paul Williams (@PaulWilliamsLAB) May 7, 2021

Dudley Result #LE2021:

CON: 23 (+12)
LAB: 3 (-11)
UKIP: 0 (-1)

Council Now: CON 46, LAB 24, IND 2.
CON GAIN from NOC. pic.twitter.com/eTMVvoc27j

— Election Maps UK (@ElectionMapsUK) May 7, 2021

Seems bad.

Long Ian Austin

someone I follow on twitter has just had their account suspended for the nth time for posting material suggesting that Ian Austin shags dogs!

They were so sure of Saudi Paul that they had the PaulWilliamsMP handle waiting for him

only just heard of this guy and ok he seems like a total knob but what can I hate the Labour party. They brought antisemitism into my life. possibly mean?

For what it’s worth I hate the Labour party. They brought antisemitism into my life. They were led by a person who hates 🇬🇧 and eschews our natural allies in favour of despots. And the party is still populated by the worst types. I’d always voted Labour. I’ll never be “won” back

— leekern (@leekern13) May 7, 2021

they couldn't have parachuted a less electable candidate into Hartlepool if they tried. They are either extremely thick or it's part of some incomprehensible self-sabotage plan

xp

oh he's that comedy writer prick who worked on the last Borat movie. Hilarious guy no doubt.

Now it's Helen's time to shine

Helen Pidd

Those who are arguing Labour needs to move to the left to win seats may want to consider the result in Clay Cross North in Derbyshire, which has just gone Conservative for the first time.

Derbyshire county council leader Barry Lewis (Con), tweeted that he “never did imagine” it would be possible to push Labour into second place in the ward, for so long a Labour stronghold.

Clay Cross was home to Dennis Skinner, the Beast of Bolsover, who lost his parliamentary seat to the Tories in 2019. Clay Cross is a totemic area for the far-left, thanks to the defiant stance taken by its Militant-dominated Labour council in the 1970s. One of Skinner’s brothers, David, was among those taken to court for refusing to implement the Housing Finance Act, which forced councils to increase rents to a level comparable to the private sector.

When was this?

What happens here is he replaces Dodds with Reeves; Wes and Jess get more airtime; and his backroom staff is refreshed to include more Progress people. The leadership crisis goes away, because he’s surrendered the machinery of the party. https://t.co/ONV4tC0zKS

— Elvis Buñuelo (@Mr_Considerate) May 7, 2021

I heard Shed 7 have hired a new drummer and a new bassist.

this is the tweet the BBC have decided to share on their liveblog

If you are one of the massive slice of the public who is older, or a car driver, or a home owner, or voted for Brexit, you would think the Tories care about you and Labour doesn't. Until we change that those people will increasingly not vote for us and we will not win.

— Luke Akehurst (@lukeakehurst) May 7, 2021

If the brains trust think replacing low visibility so-called soft-left shadow cabinet members with more stridently awful ones like Reeves/McShitter is going to turn around their fortunes then the only plan they really have is waiting for the tories to implode, which isn't looking very likely at the moment.

It is classic "like the Tories but with better PR" shit to be followed by "look we made a SureStart and built some rental hospitals why isn't everybody middle class yet?"

Picture a sensible shoe stamping on a human face forever

Maybe hold our own Olympics every year

This is otm

This was the primary horror for them in 2017, which offered the terrifying prospect of a younger, more metropolitan, more ethnic voter base that could be built on and added to. Because a coalition like that would have no interest in or need for e.g. Stephen Kinnock.

— Flying_Rodent (@flying_rodent) May 7, 2021

No foreigners no sports just James Bond and The Queen throwing Yorkshire puddings at actors dressed as NHS staff for 10 hours a Mendes/Boyle joint

That Flying Rodent quote is absolutely otm, unfortunately the PLP has no interest or need for those voters either

He's lost the dressing room: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/may/07/humiliation-hartlepool-smalltown-detective-di-starmer

That Flying Rodent quote is absolutely otm, unfortunately the PLP has no interest or need for those voters either

― Chickpeas, Scamps and Beeves (Noodle Vague), Friday, 7 May 2021 bookmarkflaglink

Thing is loads of them will still turn out for Lab in 2024, which is why the racist taxi driver that Luke the Nuke loves will not be 'won back'

"The Tories have once again caught Labour with the Offsite Trap"

yet even more thermonuclear brilliance from the incomparable.... ..

Lord Adonis tells BBC that candidates in next Labour leadership race should not be restricted to members of the House of Commons 👀

— John Stevens (@johnestevens) May 7, 2021

Bring back Tony's prog-rock mullet!

he needs help