[Youngian]

The next few weeks promise to be Christmas.

Let’s hope Santa’s generous this year.

[Tubby Isaacs]

One of the Cummings rump's been reading Sun Tzu (and holding the book upside down again).

That and "game theory".

[Oboogie]

Is there any evidence beyond six decade old hearsay from Harold Wilson that national sporting event fortunes can alter election results?

Not that I've ever seen. One claim I often see, that England winning the World Cup helped Wilson, is easily debunked (the election was in March, the football in July). That said, even if there was an impact in Wilson's day, when there was no means of recording or watching on catchup, it's minimal now as people who are interested in sport and politics can watch both.

[Abernathy]

Bloody hell, it's a long campaign though, but. 42 days until Tory bin day.

[slilley]

Is there any evidence beyond six decade old hearsay from Harold Wilson that national sporting event fortunes can alter election results?

Not that I've ever seen. One claim I often see, that England winning the World Cup helped Wilson, is easily debunked (the election was in March, the football in July). That said, even if there was an impact in Wilson's day, when there was no means of recording or watching on catchup, it's minimal now as people who are interested in sport and politics can watch both.

In fairness England lost to West Germany in Leon in 1970 2-3 having led 2-0. That was a few days before polling day in June 1970 and Labour lost.

Simon

[Spoonman]

Backbench Tory eyes are swivelling like a 70s office chair

If they seriously think that is possible & actually pulled it off, you're only making yourselves look like even bigger arses when the election eventually comes...

Politics of envy swamps the party of individual choice.

Hey, they're getting six weeks notice of (potentially) losing their jobs, which is six weeks more than P&O workers get.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Is there any evidence beyond six decade old hearsay from Harold Wilson that national sporting event fortunes can alter election results?

The BBC's coverage of the election is online, and I've watched it (or rather had it on in the background). I don't recall anybody mentioning football.

Isn't it generally agreed that some disappointing trade figures nailed Labour?

[Tubby Isaacs]

This prediction is simultaneously too good to be true and likely understating tactical voting. The Tories get 116 seats, while Gove holds his by 0.2% because almost 1/5 of the electorate vote Labour or Green.

[Rosvanian]

Over on Spiked, Brendan's not happy because Nigel wants to hang out with Donald these days because people have said nasty things about Nigel which upsets Brendan and it's just not fair because Richard isn't as good and Brendan's sick of Marina making fun of all of them.

https://www.spiked-online.com/2024/05/2 ... -dead-yet/

[Youngian]

Over on Spiked, Brendan's not happy because Nigel wants to hang out with Donald these days because people have said nasty things about Nigel which upsets Brendan and it's just not fair because Richard isn't as good and Brendan's sick of Marina making fun of all of them.

https://www.spiked-online.com/2024/05/2 ... -dead-yet/

Makes you proud to be British. The whole point of populists is that they’re only popular until they govern. Or not govern and blame those who have to implement their shit. As all Continental hard right parties have dumped their Eurosceptic positions, Brexit indeed had a domino effect. Yes you are a cockwomble, Brendan.

Our vote for Brexit in 2016 made waves that reached as far as Middle America, Australia, France, Sweden, Italy. We pushed the first domino in a worldwide offensive against the morally exhausted globalist elites. And yet now, you’ll search in vain for a halfway decent populist politician on this sceptr’d isle. Even Farage is packing his bags.

[Andy McDandy]

I'm reading Alistair Campbell's "But what can I do?" at the moment, and I like his definition of populism: policies that sound superficially good but are either impossible to enact, or are actually detrimental to the people voting for them.

Meanwhile, Brendan should consider that among the things the genuine working class don't do is read fucking Spiked.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I've made my first "intervention" in the general election campaign.

Typically, it's sticking it to the Green candidate in my constituency who's been talking up herself as the challenger to Sir Bill Wiggin. I've pointed out that there was an election in Herefordshire (PCC) last month, and Labour (and indeed the Lib Dems) got triple the votes the Greens did. Sure, law and order isn't really a Green Party issue, but equally their voters are higher engagement than average, and I don't see them winning over many of the very many voters who only show up for General Elections. Labour also got double the Green voters in the last election.

The Green candidate herself is a likeable local councillor who hasn't replied, but I've had someone else hit me with "genocide supporter Tory Starmer".

[Tubby Isaacs]

One to cut out and keep. All of these are possible, even Joy Morrissey and Richard Drax, but I can't believe that a fair few of them won't survive. Even if they did, it would be a rout.

https://x.com/stubroos/status/1793413434635436221

[Samanfur]

I'll be staying up for Jake Berry's result, or trying to.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Not quite up there with his greatest hits ("Are you in business?") but another great insight into Man of the People, Rishi Sunak.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Sure, he's entitled to pick anywhere he wants, but I've never looked at Richard Tice and thought "Bet he holidays in Skegness!" No doubt Mike Graham will be on his back, having said Ed Milliband being MP for Doncaster North is somehow ridiculous.

It seems like Reform have faded. They needed Farage to run. What exactly is his role now?

[Tubby Isaacs]

When I was 15, I once played golf in the rain without putting my cagoule on.

"You're a tough guy", said nobody at all.

[Youngian]

Not a bad try from Cleverly.

This must be the first time Sunak’s had to campaign outside his super safe constituency and a party election. And it will be the last time.

[Tubby Isaacs]

2 more Tory MPs going. Huw Merriman and Michael Ellis.

[Watchman]

Over on Spiked, Brendan's not happy because Nigel wants to hang out with Donald these days because people have said nasty things about Nigel which upsets Brendan and it's just not fair because Richard isn't as good and Brendan's sick of Marina making fun of all of them.

https://www.spiked-online.com/2024/05/2 ... -dead-yet/

What a fucking whining little brat