The 2024 UK General Election - news, speculation and updates

[PR1Berske]

Wouldn’t be surprised to see a chief constable or a general going on record tomorrow to say they simply don’t have the manpower to babysit peevish conscripts and there’s nothing useful they can do.

 

[pbsmooth]

Explain like I’m stupid…? Are these the safest Tory seats?

 

[moochedit]

Doubt the NHS army and the rest are on board with this nonsense.

Doubt many 18 year olds are on board either (or their parents).

 

[Silas Loom]

And that was back when they still had the infrastructure and NCO cadre from WWII conscription.

 

[BusLanes]

Explain like I’m stupid…? Are these the safest Tory seats?

Some are theoretically very safe but they're seats where the incumbent has decided not to stand in the election

 

[rubbershoes]

It's just what Rishi did at school. A year of compulsory Corps or community project.

It made him what he is today. Well, that and marrying a billionaire's daughter

 

[gosub]

Feels like the first result to come from today's "Rishi is tired and just needs a rest" period. What can they say to prove how truly Conservative they really are? National Service! Goes down well with traditionalists, people are always telling phone ins and Question Time about 'kids today' not having any discipline. Perfect headline grabber. Tories can now say that your teen can enjoy all the delights of being put on the treadmill of the local cadets, and they get to please the neighborhood watch types.

That's the trouble with the youth: need to be fitter and better trained with weapons

 

[MickiQ]

What's that noise tis the sound of barrels being scraped

 

[krtek a houby]

What's that noise tis the sound of barrels being scraped

That's the rifles being made ready for new conscripts

 

[Raheem]

I don't think this is even aimed at the voting public. He's desperately trying to get reluctant backbenchers to campaign or at least say something positive to a local newspaper.

 

[Lord Camomile]

Sound like my kinda guys

 

[andysays]

This "plan" is not really about bringing back conscription to strengthen the armed forces, and much of of the criticism appears to be based on the mistaken idea that it is, and so largely misses the mark.

Conservatives plan to bring back mandatory national service​

Under the plans, young people could choose a full-time placement in the armed forces or UK cyber defence, learning about logistics, cyber security, procurement or civil response operations. Their other option would be to volunteer one weekend per month - or 25 days per year - in their community with organisations such as fire, police and the NHS. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he believed bringing back compulsory service across the UK would help foster the "national spirit" that emerged during the pandemic.

A Labour Party spokesperson called the announcement "another desperate £2.5 billion unfunded commitment from a Tory Party which already crashed the economy, sending mortgages rocketing, and now they’re spoiling for more. “This is not a plan – it’s a review which could cost billions and is only needed because the Tories hollowed out the armed forces to their smallest size since Napoleon," the spokesperson said.

Liberal Democrat defence spokesperson Richard Foord MP accused the Tories of cutting troop numbers. Mr Foord said: "If the Conservatives were serious about defence, they would reverse their damaging cuts to our world class professional armed forces, instead of decimating them, with swingeing cuts to the number of our regular service personnel."

The "plan" looks to me like an ill-thought out sound bite idea, but in response, both both Labour and the LibDems are (sabre) rattling on about how the armed forces need to be built up again.

 

[danny la rouge]

This "plan" is not really about bringing back conscription to strengthen the armed forces, and much of of the criticism appears to be based on the mistaken idea that it is, and so largely misses the mark.

Conservatives plan to bring back mandatory national service​

The "plan" looks to me like an ill-thought out sound bite idea, but in response, both both Labour and the LibDems are (sabre) rattling on about how the armed forces need to be built up again.

Well the reason for this line of attack is that neither opposition party wants to be seen as attacking the idea of National service per se or the army. That’s how far right the Overton window has moved.

 

[brogdale]

Well the reason for this line of attack is that neither opposition party wants to be seen as attacking the idea of National service per se or the army. That’s how far right the Overton window has moved.

No matter how bonkers, UKIPy improbable tripe it is; rat-boy's team have finally managed to set a campaign talking point. This is a metric of their desperation; first real punt is aimed at geriatric core voters.

 

[kebabking]

Two things:

This is obviously a vacuous, desperate fag packet thing dreamt up yesterday in a panicked attempted to get spittle-flecked old people to vote Tory.

Worth noting that Sunak slapped down the outgoing Chief of the General Staff when he spoke about national resilience (not conscription) in a speech a few months ago, and that for all their fluff, the Tories have announced an 'increase' of defence spending about 50 times, and each time it gets pushed further back.

However. Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Denmark etc.. have various forms of national service, and they somehow manage to avoid being fascist dictatorships.

One of the failings of the left is that for all their professed hatred of the Tories, they don't half seems enthusiastic about believing every word that the most dishonest group of people ever assembled say....

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

Two MPs quoted the other day said they had planned to wrap up constituency work and the like over a six month period and now everything has had to be wound up. For all the lols and memes there are also offices with staff and volunteers suddenly unemployed.

My MP is changing due to a boundary change. I've had quite a bit of correspondence with my now former local MP about housing issues. So I'll now have to brief my new MP about all the same issues. Given that I suffer from Complex PTSD as a result of the issues that persisted over more than two decades, it's potentially going to be triggering and traumatic for me to have to dredge up memories and re-recount incidents and problems.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

There's a story here about a bill being rushed through before the winding up of parliament which appears not to have been noticed. Interesting who they've chosen to write the story...

Cat and dog theft to become criminal offence in August​

Potentially tricky with cats though. I mean, some cats just leave their owners and move in with someone else, like, 'I live here now, feed me'.

Are people going to be prosecuted if they keep coming home and finding their neighbour's cat has come in through the cat flap again?

 

[andysays]

Well the reason for this line of attack is that neither opposition party wants to be seen as attacking the idea of National service per se or the army. That’s how far right the Overton window has moved.

This is true, unfortunately.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Starmer's just been on the 08:10h slot on Today, interviewed by Mishal Husain. He comes across as a man who plans to have a plan, but still doesn't want to elaborate.

Husain put Starmer on the spot over him previously declaring he was in favour of abolishing student tuition fees but more recently backtracking on that, and he stumbled and prevaricated, wouldn't commit to it.

Husain put him on the spot over welcoming Nathalie Elphick into the party but Diane Abbott still being without the whip. She specifically asked him if he wanted Abbott to be a candidate and if the disciplinary process would be concluded in time for her to stand as a candidate. He suggested it would be over in a few days, because deadline for declaring candidates is... 4 June? Which begs the question, if it can be concluded in a few days (if/when politically expedient), why has the disciplinary process dragged on so long.

Starmer also said he supported a Palestinian state but wouldn't commit to recognising Palestine. More wishy-washy bullshit.

Starmer comes across as a man with no principles, someone prepared to say what he thinks the interviewer and audience want to hear. A shifty man on shifting sands. Untrustworthy.

He was head of the CPS, that's one step removed from being Old Bill, so yeah, untrustworthy is built in with Keith.

 

[Kevbad the Bad]

This "plan" is not really about bringing back conscription to strengthen the armed forces, and much of of the criticism appears to be based on the mistaken idea that it is, and so largely misses the mark.

Conservatives plan to bring back mandatory national service​

The "plan" looks to me like an ill-thought out sound bite idea, but in response, both both Labour and the LibDems are (sabre) rattling on about how the armed forces need to be built up again.

No one that I've seen in the media seems to have noticed how this daft policy has become Tory party policy with no discussion within their own ranks. A plan to severely restrict the freedom of teenagers gets announced by an unelected PM and leader of the 'party of freedom and democracy'.

 

[ska invita]

Two things:

This is obviously a vacuous, desperate fag packet thing dreamt up yesterday in a panicked attempted to get spittle-flecked old people to vote Tory.

I disagree, they have known they had an election this year and they will have a plan for that campaign - expect more policy announcements yet to come.
National Service is popular with a certain type of voter
We've had a European-wide drum beat for militarising society further, we are proudly told we are post-peace, and this fits that neatly.
It's a good move from the Tories, but they're going to need a lot more like this to rile up the voters
Maybe bring back hanging next

 

[Silas Loom]

I disagree, they have known they had an election this year and they will have a plan for that campaign - expect more policy announcements yet to come.
National Service is popular with a certain type of voter
We've had a European-wide drum beat for militarising society further, we are proudly told we are post-peace, and this fits that neatly.
It's a good move from the Tories, but they're going to need a lot more like this to rile up the voters

They are already rowing back from the scheme being compulsory with sanctions for noncompliance. The WhatsApp groups must have been toxic last night.

This really does have all the hallmarks of a desperate last minute attempt to change the narrative, dreamed up by the very small team around Sunak. And if you look at the supposed detail of the plans, most of the cohort would be “volunteering” in civil society gigs rather than the paid military placements.

This is nothing that anyone in defence, national security or civil resilience thinks is a good idea. Even if countries like Denmark and Norway can get away with it, they already have high community cohesion and social protection which fosters senses of duty and responsibility. Trying to make volunteering compulsory in a disaffected populace puts the cart before the horse and would put a terrible strain on the public services involved.

 

[danny la rouge]

One of the failings of the left is that for all their professed hatred of the Tories, they don't half seems enthusiastic about believing every word that the most dishonest group of people ever assembled say....

I’m not sure who is believing what here. The point is not whether they’ll get to do, or even whether they believe they’ll get to do it, but that they’re pressing certain reactionary buttons for a reason and that both opposition parties are afraid to look like they’re disagreeing with the reactionary rhetoric, real or not.

 

[ska invita]

They are already rowing back from the scheme being compulsory with sanctions for noncompliance. The WhatsApp groups must have been toxic last night.

This really does have all the hallmarks of a desperate last minute attempt to change the narrative, dreamed up by the very small team around Sunak. And if you look at the supposed detail of the plans, most of the cohort would be “volunteering” in civil society gigs rather than the paid military placements.

This is nothing that anyone in defence, national security or civil resilience thinks is a good idea. Even if countries like Denmark and Norway can get away with it, they already have high community cohesion and social protection which fosters senses of duty and responsibility. Trying to make volunteering compulsory in a disaffected populace puts the cart before the horse and would put a terrible strain on the public services involved.

It doesnt matter if the military think its a good idea, this is an election

I say again re last minute, everyone knows there is an election, they will have plans, Keir Starmer has had his Six Pledges To Do Fuck All written up in his best hand writing and in his extra special folder ready to go, and the Tories may be looking beat but there will be an election strategy and policy announcements over the coming weeks.

 

[cupid_stunt]

This really does have all the hallmarks of a desperate last minute attempt to change the narrative, dreamed up by the very small team around Sunak. And if you look at the supposed detail of the plans, most of the cohort would be “volunteering” in civil society gigs rather than the paid military placements.

Someone on Sky said only 30k, out of around 700k, 18-year-olds per year would be able to take military placements, the rest would be required to be a complete pain in the arse to the likes of the NHS and fire service, bonkers idea.

And, it'll be largely funded by clamping down on tax aversion, as if they haven't had 14 bloody years to do that already, or that they are ever likely to do that.

Still it gives Labour another item to add to their list of unfunded Tory spending plans.

 

[ska invita]

Still it gives Labour another item to add to their list of unfunded Tory spending plans.

No one gives a fuck about "unfunded" other than people who hate the Labour party

If you think kids today are soft shits who need to do some service then you definitely dont think can the government fund it or not

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

He was head of the CPS, that's one step removed from being Old Bill, so yeah, untrustworthy is built in with Keith.

Yes, and his track record as head of CPS left a lot to be desired. Not least him being DPP when the CPS failed to disclose crucial evidence about the spycop involvement in the case against protesters (including some friends of mine) who were wrongfully convicted.

Drax protesters' convictions quashed over withheld evidence of police spy

Lord chief justice says there was a 'total failure' to disclose evidence gathered by undercover police officer Mark Kennedy

www.theguardian.com

A message to anyone thinking of voting for Keir Starmer in the Labour leadership race

And it's not just because the last thing Labour needs is another white man

www.thecanary.co

And let's not forget, it was the CPS under Starmer's tenure that initially decide not to prosecute anyone for the death of Ian Tomlinson. Botching the job meant that after a jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing, the trial for manslaughter against the cop failed and he was acquitted.

CPS statement on the death of Ian Tomlinson

Read the full statement from the Crown Prosecution Service on the death of Ian Tomlinson at G20 protests in London in 2009

www.theguardian.com

Starmer likes to dine out on the fact that once upon a time he was a human rights barrister, but his track record over the years since then - including those incidents mentioned and also more recently his saying that Israel could withhold power and water from Gaza (punishing a civilian population in such a manner is illegal under international law, ie a war crime) and then lacking leadership, repeatedly failing to call for a ceasefire, until pressured by his own colleagues to do so - show you what he's really like, what he really believes.

When someone shows you who they are, believe them.

 

[MickiQ]

My Dad was amongst the last to do National Service and did 2 years which gets me wondering how long the service would be for. You get a choice of full-time service in the military presumably for 1-2 years or one weekend a month litter picking or whatever for how long? If it's also 2 years then everyone is going to go for that save those that actually want to join the military anyway. If it's going to be a comparable time then it's going to last until their mid-20's.
Will it be only men? If so will it get challenged on equal opportunities grounds?
This is something that Sevenbins has literally pulled out of his arse yesterday without talking about it with anyone in the bizarre belief that the public want it. Well they do if the public consists of a handful of rabid Tory Party members.
In order to win the election, the Tories need to do what they have always done to win. Economic growth, rising house prices and falling taxes.
They don't have a frigging clue as to how to do that so they're just coming up with these barmy schemes to distract from how utterly screwed they are.

 

[danny la rouge]

This really does have all the hallmarks of a desperate last minute attempt to change the narrative, dreamed up by the very small team around Sunak.

Of course. But that’s the tone of the election, is the point. Tories trying to put “clear blue water” between them and Labour, and Labour doing their best to deny it’s there.

 

[Silas Loom]

My Dad was amongst the last to do National Service and did 2 years which gets me wondering how long the service would be for. You get a choice of full-time service in the military presumably for 1-2 years or one weekend a month litter picking or whatever for how long? If it's also 2 years then everyone is going to go for that save those that actually want to join the military anyway. If it's going to be a comparable time then it's going to last until their mid-20's.
Will it be only men? If so will it get challenged on equal opportunities grounds?
This is something that Sevenbins has literally pulled out of his arse yesterday without talking about it with anyone in the bizarre belief that the public want it. Well they do if the public consists of a handful of rabid Tory Party members.
In order to win the election, the Tories need to do what they have always done to win. Economic growth, rising house prices and falling taxes.
They don't have a frigging clue as to how to do that so they're just coming up with these barmy schemes to distract from how utterly screwed they are.

One year. Men and women. Figuratively.