[Tubby Isaacs]

More "bad news for Sir Keir", from someone else who's not heard of tactical voting.

[mattomac]

And yet put together the LD and Lab vote and it aligns with the polls.

James Johnson doesn’t hide his leanings to the Tories all that well, no one did, in fact it’s the first time vote share seems to be trying to pushed as the narrative.

It’s obvious that the first time tactical voting had a massive impact, Labour generally won big in places that had all but been written off in the past, yes it’s not perfect but to be fair I can see a small majority off this.

As I said this is Sunak’s first electoral campaign which he led on with pledges on boats and trans women and yet he lost Thanet and Dover.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Johnson has often been good as a commentator. But he seems to be after his old job back.

The Reform Party didn’t bother with these elections properly. A fully focussed Farage at the next general election could really hurt the Tories. In terms of his media career, getting the band back together would probably make a lot of sense for him.

[Watchman]

Especially if he thinks Johnson pushed him under the Clapham omnibus

[Crabcakes]

“The Labour leader doesn’t face a much tougher challenge like I’d like you to believe, but I’m rapidly running out of straws to grasp at so here you go”

[mattomac]

The latest Delta Poll seems to match Omonosis.

Starmer is 17pts ahead of Sunak on approval.

It’s almost like all the narratives promoted have been ignored by people who looked at the results. The public aren’t fools, if the public voted for something they don’t want to be told that’s not what it meant.

[Youngian]

Haven’t seen any smart money on a convincing Labour majority and I doubt Starmer is banking on it as the only outcome.

[Crabcakes]

Disappointed by his stance on the protest bill. It’s an easy win to say it needs to be repealed because it’s too far reaching, especially at a time when trust in the police is so low. Even a lot of Tories are saying this, so coming out and stating he’d not touch it is bewildering. It’s a shit law made by a shit, authoritarian Home Secretary and a weak PM pandering to bigots. What the hell is a Labour leader with a very solid grounding in law doing supporting it?

[Malcolm Armsteen]

He isn't. As far as I can tell he said he would wait to see how it bedded down, and it wouldn't be enforced in the same way. An incoming Labour government would have more pressing matters to deal with.

[davidjay]

Disappointed by his stance on the protest bill. It’s an easy win to say it needs to be repealed because it’s too far reaching, especially at a time when trust in the police is so low. Even a lot of Tories are saying this, so coming out and stating he’d not touch it is bewildering. It’s a shit law made by a shit, authoritarian Home Secretary and a weak PM pandering to bigots. What the hell is a Labour leader with a very solid grounding in law doing supporting it?

The one thing that Labour have been shaky on from 2001 onwards has been civil liberties. It could be handled by saying there's so much to put right it may have to wait until a second term, but anything else is heading into very dangerous territory.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

How has Labour been 'shaky' on civil liberties? For over 20 years?

[Oboogie]

He isn't. As far as I can tell he said he would wait to see how it bedded down, and it wouldn't be enforced in the same way. An incoming Labour government would have more pressing matters to deal with.

There are bits of the act which are good, it needs amending, not repealing. It's not a priority because it affects so few people compared to eg the cost of living crisis and health.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Lots of Labour voters are pretty authoritarian. Blair and Brown didn’t take political chances on that score. Wouldn’t be surprised if Greens challenged Labour in Bristol and a couple of other places. But that’s not like the Tories winning in Sedgefield or wherever.

[davidjay]

How has Labour been 'shaky' on civil liberties? For over 20 years?

Refusing to repeal the bill that meant the football membership scheme could be introduced without a vote, then there was the talk about identity cards circa John Reid as Home Secretary, while it was at this time that private policing started to ramp up. Maybe I read these things wrong, but they rarely reassure me in this area.

[Youngian]

Don’t see many new votes for Labour competing with the LDs in taking a more liberal stance. But can see Tory support dwindling as they obsess about Labour’s Red Wall challenge. It forces the government’s hand to announce ever more reactionary gimmick policies that alienates the Tories everywhere else.
If that is Starmer’s strategy it appears to be working.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

How has Labour been 'shaky' on civil liberties? For over 20 years?

Refusing to repeal the bill that meant the football membership scheme could be introduced without a vote, then there was the talk about identity cards circa John Reid as Home Secretary, while it was at this time that private policing started to ramp up. Maybe I read these things wrong, but they rarely reassure me in this area.

That's a helluva bad record for 20 years...

[The Weeping Angel]

Here's what a Labour spokesperson said

[Crabcakes]

This is what I don’t get: rightly opposing it, then - days after it was used as a blunt instrument to arrest people for no reason *who had been assured they could peacefully protest* - saying the police have a “difficult job” and that the guidance <i>around</i> the law needs work (when the wording of the law is where the flaw lies as it is deliberately designed to be ambiguous so as to allow cover). It is simply not good enough. It was a poor call not to at the very least say it would be reviewed, and regardless of what Labour would actually do once in office (and I don’t doubt they’ll adjust it), this was an own goal when a win and an opportunity to put space between themselves and Braverman’s policies was easy.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

This act also gives protection from harassment to women attending abortion clinics. These things aren't as simple as people like to pretend.

[Crabcakes]

Well it’s good to know it has some practical application (though I suspect like its other alleged practical applications, there were already other laws that could be used to the same end), but let’s be honest - it’s legislation designed to let the likes of 30p Lee demand people like Steve Bray are locked up and the key thrown away, and it gives the police the power to do that. It’s a stinking band-aid - rather than deal with issues, the Tories made a law that lets them remove anyone pointing out issues. Or indeed anyone nearby that PC Strongarm doesn’t like the look of. Or indeed anyone not nearby that PC Profile takes a dislike to.

I’m not comfortable with it, and letting bad laws bed in doesn’t make them good laws. I’m not going to suddenly turn anti-Starmer and go all “junior doctor”, but I still think this is one time he could have clearly come through with a statement to help define how Labour in office would be fairer and more transparent by pledging to ditch something with very questionable application.