The 2024 UK General Election - news, speculation and updates

[Plumdaff]

I know what a vote is, you patronising twat.



My first or second post on this subject was that the members should chose their local candidate, without interference from any party's HQ.

You're being delightful, been getting canvassing lessons from Akehurst?

If these horrific CLP Trots can't be trusted to pick the party leader, why should they be allowed near any other decision?

 

[Elpenor]

Perhaps after the new prime minister is appointed they could remain in position for life rather than risk the people making another mistake

 

[Pickman's model]

Perhaps after the new prime minister is appointed they could remain in position for life rather than risk the people making another mistake

Depends how swiftly the assassin strikes. Since Spencer perceval was assassinated in 1812 4 us presidents have been killed in office. It's past time for us to have another pm offed.

 

[Elpenor]

Anyway Binface manifesto has dropped

Manifesto 2024 — Count Binface

Particularly like no 2:

2. national service to be introduced for all former prime ministers

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Anyway Binface manifesto has dropped

Manifesto 2024 — Count Binface

Particularly like no 2:

and

18 - shops that play christmas music before december to be closed down and turned into public libraries

 

[GarveyLives]

The Reform UK Party Limited candidate standing in the Welwyn Hatfield constituency described Adolf Hitler as “brilliant” and “able to inspire people to action” as part of a pseudoscientific theory that promotes 16 personality types:

(Source: Reform UK Party Limited)

Jack Aaron​

Reform UK candidate defends praise of Hitler’s ‘brilliant’ tactics

 

[Bingoman]

The Reform UK Party Limited candidate standing in the Welwyn Hatfield constituency described Adolf Hitler as “brilliant” and “able to inspire people to action” as part of a pseudoscientific theory that promotes 16 personality types:

(Source: Reform UK Party Limited)

Jack Aaron​

Reform UK candidate defends praise of Hitler’s ‘brilliant’ tactics

Where on earth do they find these people

 

[_Russ_]

I've had Matt Rodda round my house. He was pretty decent, understood my concerns, told me to wait for the manifesto as there would be some more left/real labour policies in it. Then we had a little chat about unions and that was it. He is a good MP generally so I think he will get my vote. He's a shoe in anyway so it probably doesn't matter much.

I've had a lot of flyers too. Can you guess which party this one is for?:

View attachment 429233

Punjab popular Front?

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Where on earth do they find these people

 

[Bingoman]

Well that's one place

 

[belboid]

Shouldn't Gill be involved in the decision?

There is widespread doubt as to whether Gill could take any decision without being told what it was in advance.

 

[PR1Berske]

Depends how swiftly the assassin strikes. Since Spencer perceval was assassinated in 1812 4 us presidents have been killed in office. It's past time for us to have another pm offed.

ah this is more like the Urban of old

 

[Combustible]

My first or second post on this subject was that the members should chose their local candidate, without interference from any party's HQ.

So what should the party centre do if a local party ends up selecting someone obviously unsuitable, either because of their views or conduct? Or if the local party gets hijacked by entryists? Should the Labour party be obliged to accept whichever nutter is chosen as a Labour candidate? The party centre will always exert a degree of control over who can stand under the name of the party through candidate selection and as has been shown by Starmer, in practice there is nothing that stops them almost entirely dictating who is a candidate. If you let then the same group of curated MPs entirely select the future leadership, that's a recipe for permanent control by a clique without even the hypothetical possibility of influence by the membership.

 

[A380]

Anyway Binface manifesto has dropped

Manifesto 2024 — Count Binface

Particularly like no 2:

11 of those I’d support with all my heart.

 

[AnnaKarpik]

Not off the trade unions? Then why was the manifesto signed off by them? And why do they give millions to the party?

The manifesto is endorsed by unions, not signed off. Nor has the latest one been endorsed by all unions, notably Unite think it's shite. I don't suppose I'm the only one to think that union members are getting precious little from the current Labour party in return for the affiliation fees.

 

[nino_savatte]

I think this is a good idea. Members have proven time and time again to be ill equip to choose a leader when the party is in power. I'd also go further and add that a change of leader in power means an automatic general election unless one was held within the previous 12 months.

So, internal party democracy doesn't float your boat? What do you think about democracy more generally? Is it overrated?

 

[Pickman's model]

I think this is a good idea. Members have proven time and time again to be ill equip to choose a leader when the party is in power. I'd also go further and add that a change of leader in power means an automatic general election unless one was held within the previous 12 months.

If members have proven inept then by extension the wider electorate choosing members of the commons have shown themselves similarly lacking

 

[nino_savatte]

Where on earth do they find these people

You should have seen Ben Habib on Newsnight last night.

 

[rasputin]

If members have proven inept then by extension the wider electorate choosing members of the commons have shown themselves similarly lacking

I'm not sure that follows. The problem with party memberships is the way they have shrunk since, say, the 1950s when both main parties had millions of members (but perversely didn't have any say in electing party leaders).

Today, even under the surge in Labour membership seen under Corbyn, membership numbers are nowhere near those peaks, and in the case of the Tories have diminished to an eccentric core whose views are a long way to the right of the general population. I'd argue the same is true, though to a lesser degree, of other parties. None of the party memberships are representative of the general population.

 

[Pickman's model]

I'm not sure that follows. The problem with party memberships is the way they have shrunk since, say, the 1950s when both main parties had millions of members (but perversely didn't have any say in electing party leaders).

Today, even under the surge in Labour membership seen under Corbyn, membership numbers are nowhere near those peaks, and in the case of the Tories have diminished to an eccentric core whose views are a long way to the right of the general population. I'd argue the same is true, though to a lesser degree, of other parties. None of the party memberships are representative of the general population.

You only need to observe the membership of the commons between 2019 and 2024 to realise how badly so many constituencies had chosen

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Tories expected to target voters with letters signed by Boris Johnson

Tens of thousands of letters signed by former prime minister expected to be delivered this week

www.theguardian.com

Be afraid, Labour, be afraid. They're wheeling out the big guns* now, THE COMEBACK IS ON!

* A disgraced former politician with a reputation so far down the toilet that he'd lose a vote to an actual human shit.

 

[2hats]

Be afraid, Labour, be afraid. They're wheeling out the big guns* now, THE COMEBACK IS ON!

That old trick: fighting liar with liar.

 

[cupid_stunt]

So what should the party centre do if a local party ends up selecting someone obviously unsuitable, either because of their views or conduct? Or if the local party gets hijacked by entryists? Should the Labour party be obliged to accept whichever nutter is chosen as a Labour candidate? The party centre will always exert a degree of control over who can stand under the name of the party through candidate selection and as has been shown by Starmer, in practice there is nothing that stops them almost entirely dictating who is a candidate. If you let then the same group of curated MPs entirely select the future leadership, that's a recipe for permanent control by a clique without even the hypothetical possibility of influence by the membership.

The selected candidate would, of course, have to be someone that fits within the rules, that should make it unacceptable to hold the most extreme views that aren't acceptable to society at large, but both of the main parties claim to be 'broad churches', and that should be maintained.

What shouldn't be allowed is the level of interference from the national executive committee that has been seen recently, an example near me is the East Worthing & Shoreham constituency, where the NEC prevented two local councilors standing for selection, one on Adur District Council, and the other was the Deputy Leader on Worthing Borough Council. Instead the NEC came up with a short-list that included no local representatives, and they ended-up with a councilor for Streatham Common, over 50 miles away and with no local connections.

The move sparked uproar among some Labour activists, with Worthing councillor Emma Taylor-Beal said she was “fuming” that members had been denied the chance to vote for local candidates who had been “activists, campaigners and servers of the local community for years”.

“We the members made this a target seat and now they hand it to strangers,” she said. Hilary Schan, Labour councillor for Tarring ward in Worthing, also expressed outrage at the “shameful” decision.

Chairman of Brighton and Hove Young Labour Tom Chatfield expressed his disappointment at Cllr Arnold’s exclusion from the race and said: “It is an utter disgrace that Labour Party members in East Worthing and Shoreham do not get the opportunity to pick a local candidate in their selection.

Row erupts as local Labour councillors excluded from race to be MP

Labour activists have expressed their anger after two councillors were prevented from running to be party’s candidate in a key target seat for the…

www.theargus.co.uk

 

[DotCommunist]

After the uprising of the 17th June
The Secretary of the Writers Union
Had leaflets distributed in the Stalinallee
Stating that the people
Had forfeited the confidence of the government
And could win it back only
By redoubled efforts. Would it not be easier
In that case for the government
To dissolve the people
And elect another?

-brecht

 

[Silas Loom]

A recall mechanism for the local electorate would be a very welcome thing to solve this.

As per Brecht, above, that’s exactly what we needed in 2016.

 

[belboid]

it appears my much beloved MP, Gill Furniss does exist!

She isn't exactly up to speed though. See if you can spot the one small error in her leaflet

 

[danny la rouge]

it appears my much beloved MP, Gill Furniss does exist!

She isn't exactly up to speed though. See if you can spot the one small error in her leaflet


View attachment 429484

Vote early etc.

 

[barlimo]

Don't all the parties talk a big talk about housing?

That's about the sum of it - they talk!

 

[cupid_stunt]

it appears my much beloved MP, Gill Furniss does exist!

She isn't exactly up to speed though. See if you can spot the one small error in her leaflet


View attachment 429484

I assume that was drafted because she expected the GE to happen when the locals were on, and no one checked it before going to print.

 

[two sheds]

or it's the same as for the locals?