[Malcolm Armsteen]

Full Tonto.
If Sunak doesn't do something about this it's the final proof that the Tories are Islamophobes and racists.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The party, if not yet Sunak personally, are living down to expectations. Utter horseshit. Anderson apparently meant something different to what he said. Which would be odd for a straight talker like Lee. And anyway, isn't it the decision of the Home Secretary to allow or not allow the "Islamist marches"?

The comparison is always made with Jews, but I think they deserve a day off. So how about someone saying "India controls the UK, it controls the Prime Minister". Would that be acceptable? Of course it wouldn't. And no "We were just raising questions about Sunak prioritising an Indian trade deal" would be acceptable either.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Quite apart from anything else, the responsibility for banning marches lies with the Home Secretary, not the mayor...

But Lee is preaching to the dimmest of the dim.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I wonder if he's trying to get chucked out. The main thing isn't successfully holding Ashfield (even though he's luckier than most in having a very split opposition), it's his media career.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Chance of winning: 17%

https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcg ... t=Ashfield

Screenshot 2024-02-23 at 20.55.29.png (190.21 KiB) Viewed 4068 times

[Youngian]

it's his media career

Late Night with Lee on Radio Nottingham. He says it as it is.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Chance of winning: 17%

https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcg ... t=Ashfield

Screenshot 2024-02-23 at 20.55.29.png

Would Reform really run against him? They say they will but really? If there’s a serious plan to take over (the rest of) the Tories, that’s not really helped by making it more likely Lee, Stella, Miriam and all lose.

I can imagine something like in 1997 where the Referendum Party didn’t run against Redwood etc.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Rather depends on what the independent does.

Given that he awaiting trial on 12 counts of fraud by false representation, four counts of income tax evasion and possession of cocaine his candidacy must be considered provisional...

[Tubby Isaacs]

Ashfield Independents hold 32 out of 35 council seats. Don’t know if they’re getting blamed for cuts, I’d expect not. On the face of it they should get support off Anderson.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Did any of the Cabinet apart from Sunak actually want Anderson to be given a job? Seems like it was a fairly personal thing by Sunak's, who's been acting like Lee's best mate in silly videos as well.

I think it's highly likely that whoever's stuck with the broadcast round tmrw refuses to defend Anderson and Sunak has to belatedly do something. But perhaps I'm being too optimistic. The only Tory MP I've seen call it out is Sajid Javid.

[Watchman]

Richie Rich showing his “strong leader” credentials; makes a martyr of 30p, yet is supine in letting Braverman say pretty well the same thing, and Lettuce Liz going full fash in America!

[Tubby Isaacs]

I’m relatively impressed he’s kicked Anderson out.

[Bones McCoy]

I’m relatively impressed he’s kicked Anderson out.

Even Rishi will have understood how this would work at next week's PMQs.

Does the Prime Minister agree with his recent deputy leader that ...

[Tubby Isaacs]

Yeah, but it's still an improvement on his usual performance.

[davidjay]

Six bob is another example of how the Tories bring in people from outside their usual demographic to say how inclusive they are, then dump them once they've outlived their usefulness. See also Thatcher, May, Warwick, Patel, Javid. Braverman was removed from the cabinet and she'll eventually go entirely.

[Watchman]

But at the end of the day, in ToryKip Land, there will be more saying “he’s not wrong”, than those saying “ well done Prime Minister”

[Spoonman]

Six bob is another example of how the Tories bring in people from outside their usual demographic to say how inclusive they are, then dump them once they've outlived their usefulness. See also Thatcher, May, Warwick, Patel, Javid. Braverman was removed from the cabinet and she'll eventually go entirely.

A phrase I've learned from the Americans - "Tokens get spent".

[Oboogie]

Rishi still hasn't kicked Truss out who's done far worse than any of them.

[Youngian]

But at the end of the day, in ToryKip Land, there will be more saying “he’s not wrong”, than those saying “ well done Prime Minister”

Bit late for Sunak to be marching to the centre, Lee’s suspension will cost a few points to Reform and no gains.

[Abernathy]

I think the Truss in America thing is being deliberately ignored by Sunak and his advisors, who are, I imagine, hoping it’ll just go away.

That might well be a tactical mistake, though. It may be too late now for Sunak to try to portray himself as the “hammer of the extremists” and get publicly tough on Truss in almost exactly the way that Starmer acted to neutralise an embarrassingly toxic former leader - Corbyn - by establishing that he would never stand for election as a Labour candidate again, but I rather think that he should. But of course, he is so shit that he probably won’t.