The 2019 General Election

[Dogsauce]

Time to start stealing the contents of grit bins in Tory-leaning wards.

 

[andysays]

If the terms of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act are followed in future (and that's a big if, TBH) we can look forward to further General Elections in December.

 

[cupid_stunt]

If the terms of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act are followed in future (and that's a big if, TBH) we can look forward to further General Elections in December.

If the Tories get a majority, I suspect the Fixed-term Parliaments Act will be repealed.

 

[killer b]

If the terms of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act are followed in future (and that's a big if, TBH) we can look forward to further General Elections in December.

Both parties who might form a government have committed to repealing

 

[Dogsauce]

They’ll scrap that act. Presumably they’ll also be reducing the number of constituencies as previously proposed and gerrymandering the new seats (they’d already started doing this IIRC). Would be nice if they didn’t get away with this.

 

[Pickman's model]

If the terms of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act are followed in future (and that's a big if, TBH) we can look forward to further General Elections in December.

The ftpa seemed like a good idea at the time...

 

[cupid_stunt]

The ftpa seemed like a good idea at the time...

... by the LibDems, to secure their 5 years in ministerial roles.

 

[Pickman's model]

... by the LibDems, to secure their 5 years in ministerial roles.

Should have made parliaments annual, conceding the chartists' final unfulfilled demand

 

[andysays]

Should have made parliaments annual, conceding the chartists' final unfulfilled demand

So you want an election every December, you bastard. Won't somebody think of the Nativity plays...

 

[Pickman's model]

So you want an election every December, you bastard. Won't somebody think of the Nativity plays...

I am indeed, thinking of the part politicians could play as the victims of king herod's soldiers in the massacre of the innocents

Not that any of them would get to reprise the role in subsequent years

 

[Louis MacNeice]

I was asked what I believe Labour should do to improve their poll numbers, so have the first post on that subject.

Housing, especially affordable housing. There are many problems here but both parties are ignoring the best ways of solving the issues.

• Ban all non-UK residents from buying any property hasn't been on the market for at least six months from the first properly advertised offer date in the UK, but the price can't be lowered without resetting the clock.
• Tax the merry fuck out of any non-UK residents with more than one property so making it either unattractive, or raising money to build new council housing.
• Build as many new council houses as possible within the limits funds allow with only minimal borrowing
• Offer massive tax incentives to private builders who build affordable housing (Sales and rentals with a specified maximum price) on brownfield sites, but only if they cap the sale or rental price to an agreed maximum. Builders can still make money, but the upshot is cheaper housing. It would also be possible to make the buyer's contract state it can only be sold back to the builder within 5 years of the sale date, then only at cost + pre-negotiated interest.

The availability of cheaper housing will force down prices in general, the only losers being estate agents, and who gives a fuck about that lot?

The tories have nothing to moan about or attack Labour for, can't without looking like bastards, and only estate agents will get hammered - no loss there.

Why make private buyers borrow at higher interest rates than available to the government, to build homes that the developers will need to recoup the cost of (including any dividends to share holders) in the relatively short term? Why not let the government borrow cheaply to build homes which can be offered at genuinely affordable rents and the costs recouped over the many decades long life time of the properties? In other words why go for the more costly solution, the costs of which fall on those less able to pay, rather than the cheaper alternative, the costs of which can be shared more equitably across society?

But thanks for coming back with some content re. your prefered sensible socialism (even if it isn't either very sensible or very socialist). Keep up the good work.

Cheers - Louis MacNeice

 

[Louis MacNeice]

Actually to make use of the inadvertent double posting, I should point out that the costs of building council housing can be and has been recouped many times over over the lifespan of the housing. It all seems like a bit of a win win...unless of course you have a very strong ideological predilection for the 'free market' as your prefered housing provider.

Hey ho - Louis MacNeice

 

[MrSki]

Do the tories have an on-the-ground army of volunteers lined up to drive people to the polling stations? They might need them.

A lot of elderly voters have a postal vote. It is a shame the RM strike was blocked.

 

[SpookyFrank]

They’ll scrap that act. Presumably they’ll also be reducing the number of constituencies as previously proposed and gerrymandering the new seats (they’d already started doing this IIRC). Would be nice if they didn’t get away with this.

At least they won't be able to do it based on the 2015 electoral roll as originally planned. Probably.

 

[MrSki]

A mistake? Changed the whole story of the clip.

 

[Combustible]

Time to start stealing the contents of grit bins in Tory-leaning wards.

Wouldn't flooding the postboxes be a better bet

 

[SpookyFrank]

I'm getting a little weary of this constant pulling the BBC up on all of their fuckeries as if each new example of the same old shit is somehow a new low, rather than a mere continuation of a clearly established policy. If the left can't effect change without the state broadcaster on side, well what would it cost to get them on side? More tory-lite bullshit, not that that did Miliband Jr much good either with the media or the electorate.

 

[bellaozzydog]

Rob Delaney the comedy writer and actor?

This gives me hay fever

 

[teqniq]

SpookyFrank I kinda see your point and yeah fair enough. But they are supposed to be unbiased when they are very obviously not. That's twice they changed the story of how this came about and now it's a 'mistake'. It would seem that quite a few people are pissed off with them over this and I'm guessing they've had a lot of complaints.

 

[danny la rouge]

Orgreave.

 

[SpookyFrank]

SpookyFrank I kinda see your point and yeah fair enough. But they are supposed to be unbiased when they are very obviously not. That's twice they changed the story of how this came about and now it's a 'mistake'. It would seem that quite a few people are pissed off with them over this and I'm guessing they've had a lot of complaints.

It pisses me off too, I just don't think that any of this should come as a surprise, or that endlessly moaning about it is going to change anything.

 

[andysays]

I'm getting a little weary of this constant pulling the BBC up on all of their fuckeries as if each new example of the same old shit is somehow a new low, rather than a mere continuation of a clearly established policy. If the left can't effect change without the state broadcaster on side, well what would it cost to get them on side? More tory-lite bullshit, not that that did Miliband Jr much good either with the media or the electorate.

It's not being argued as a new low though, is it? It is generally being pointed out as the continuation of a clearly established pattern, though some observers may be less aware of the existence of the pattern.

It pisses me off too, I just don't think that any of this should come as a surprise, or that endlessly moaning about it is going to change anything.

I look forward to the cessation of your seemingly endless moaning about a variety of subjects with immediate effect...

 

[teqniq]

Orgreave.

Is this a reference to distortion of facts by them during the miners strike? If so then the differnce is that it's far easier to call them out over it now than it was then.

 

[planetgeli]

Just had the first election leaflet. A really dull, poorly produced pamphlet from PC. I’m in a supposedly three way marginal (PC held, Labour 2nd, then Tories). Brexit party have just moved their candidate from next door, which is a Tory seat...to ‘not fight’ the Tories? But this is a Tory target seat, albeit about number 80 on their list.

Go figure. At least it should guarantee a split vote for the Tories.

 

[magneze]

It pisses me off too, I just don't think that any of this should come as a surprise, or that endlessly moaning about it is going to change anything.

If no one complains, likelihood is that it gets worse..

 

[SpookyFrank]

It's not being argued as a new low though, is it? It is generally being pointed out as the continuation of a clearly established pattern, though some observers may be less aware of the existence of the pattern.

There's definitely a lot of hyperbole going on. A lot of it seems to be based on the idea that there are some grown ups somewhere in a position to give the BBC a clip round the ear and make them stop being naughty. There aren't. It's all just bootlickers as far as the eye can see.

 

[danny la rouge]

Is this a reference to distortion of facts by them during the miner strike? If so then the differnce is that it's far easier to call them out over it now than it was then.

Just saying they’ve been doing it forever and keep doing it.

Battle of Orgreave - Wikipedia

(Trying to link straight to the media coverage section. Not working, but scroll down).

 

[teqniq]

Just saying they’ve been doing it forever and keep doing it.

Battle of Orgreave - Wikipedia

Yeah fair ernough too, but now I think particularly with the advent of social media people share stuff and the story gets out there more effectively. This has to a dergree caught them on the back foot. Witness the latest development - it was a 'mistake'. Weasel words really but they must be feeling the heat a bit to come out with it and actually it just makes them look more duplicitious in the end.

 

[weltweit]

Have they published the unedited footage yet?

 

[Badgers]

Love their work

 

[Badgers]

It pisses me off too, I just don't think that any of this should come as a surprise, or that endlessly moaning about it is going to change anything.

Bit defeatist that