[Watchman]

This is Bayo Alaba, Labour's candidate for Southend. The Tories are attacking him for going to Normandy to take part in the D-Day commemorations. He was there to take part in a parachute drop to raise money for the Royal British Legion, he is himself a veteran of the Parachute Regiment.
I wonder what it is about this particular veteran's efforts to raise money for veterans which the Tories find so objectionable? What do think readers?

Unlike the Tory Action Man, Johnny Minge

[Bones McCoy]

[Youngian]

‘Yebbut where’s Nick Brown?’ ‘Starmer let off Saville,’ ‘they’re all the same.’ ‘Apart from Nigel he an honest guy who says it like it is.’ Yes I actually heard that on a vox pop from News Agents in Leigh. An ex miner whose socialist old Labour is going to vote for ultra Thatcherite Farage. I worry for these people’s savings if a Bernie Madoff type swindler sees this and hits town.

[Andy McDandy]

Ask them when, prior to his death, Jimmy Savile was arrested. Or questioned. Or....no, don't bother. They don't care.

[Bones McCoy]

Ask them when, prior to his death, Jimmy Savile was arrested. Or questioned. Or....no, don't bother. They don't care.

You you never hear about all those Christmases when Thatcher missed another citizen's arrest.
All those protection officers in her company too.

[Bones McCoy]

If you can spare 30-60 minutes, and don't fear you heart of stone laughing you to death.

It is no good trying to ‘unite the right’ until we have answered the crucial question – around what?

Henry "Badfellas" Hill

https://conservativehome.com/2024/06/10 ... ound-what/

The comments illustrate the sad rump that remains of supporters and activists.

[Crabcakes]

2nd or 3rd comment is essentially “Let’s raid public sector pensions to pay for tax cuts. They’re all lazy, rich and unsackable anyway”

Fuck me.

[Youngian]

If you can spare 30-60 minutes, and don't fear you heart of stone laughing you to death.

It is no good trying to ‘unite the right’ until we have answered the crucial question – around what?

Henry "Badfellas" Hill

https://conservativehome.com/2024/06/10 ... ound-what/

The comments illustrate the sad rump that remains of supporters and activists.

I’ll go 30% that Farage taking over the Cons in parliament will gain traction and come disastrously close to taking on Labour in a future election. But 70% the project will be a skip fire. Imagine the low quality of the MPs or chances of reaching out beyond it dying core demographic. Even if they do take a few red wall trophy seats, I think the Lib Dems will be safe in Epsom.

[Bones McCoy]

Further to Youngian.

Look at the list of Conservative candidates in this election.
Now imagine half of them removed - the half less compatible with Farage's approach.
Now replace them with a selection of Reform candidates.

Does anybody imagine the overall quality would rise from today's limbo-low bar?

[Oboogie]

This is Bayo Alaba, Labour's candidate for Southend. The Tories are attacking him for going to Normandy to take part in the D-Day commemorations. He was there to take part in a parachute drop to raise money for the Royal British Legion, he is himself a veteran of the Parachute Regiment.
I wonder what it is about this particular veteran's efforts to raise money for veterans which the Tories find so objectionable? What do think readers?

There's been a development on this. The original attack came from a Tory councillor who has since apologised, congratulated Bayo on his fund raising and made a donation to the Royal British Legion. That could have been an end to it had Gavin Haran, the Tory PCC for Southend East and a man of Tamil heritage, not entered the fray by apparently calling Bayo a "coconut" and made it a whole lot worse. There are now calls for his candidacy, in what should be a safe Tory seat, to be withdrawn.
The details are covered in the linked Twitter thread.
https://x.com/sundersays/status/1799826 ... 57/photo/1

[Tubby Isaacs]

Core Vote Kemi says "Hey, plebs, take one for the US company profits!"Kemi has never voted for anything that's increased costs for business, of course.

The tone here is interesting too, pretty exasperated. "As I've said again and again". She'll be telling the electorate to "wake up" by next week. And calling them fools the week after.

[Youngian]

If the sprightly ex-para wishes to knock Mr sharan off his perch, I’ll provide the teddy bear prize.

[Tubby Isaacs]

If the sprightly ex-para wishes to knock Mr sharan off his perch, I’ll provide the teddy bear prize.

Looking like he might well do that at the moment. It's the larger of the two Southend constituencies, but seems to be more favourable to Labour. Not sure why.

[Youngian]

Southend’s only an hour’s commute from London and despite being the butt of jokes it’s not a bad place to live. As such it’s pricey for a lot of downsizing retirees.

[Bones McCoy]

Southend’s only an hour’s commute from London and despite being the butt of jokes it’s not a bad place to live. As such it’s pricey for a lot of downsizing retirees.

Back when I were a lad, it was regarded as East London's Florida.

Quite a number of retirees would move "to he seaside".
These included a sizeable "Orthodox Jewish"* diaspora.

* Back when I were a lad, we Goys (and my pals form the liberal Shul) described the lads with decorative Kippahs and side-locks, and their humburg wearing dads as Orthodox.
I understand that observant jews of all denominations now self-describe as such, through some are quick to exclude equally observant "wrong sorts".
It's complicated.

[Youngian]

This is what now passes for big beasts in the party of Disraeli and Churchill
https://inews.co.uk/opinion/there-space ... ce=threads

[Andy McDandy]

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024 ... l5tXTCD518

Long piece from the New Yorker on the effect of 14 years of Tory government on Britain. Fucking depressing, and perhaps a bit too much in thrall to Cummings for some (and in truth it seems that the author hasn't really spoken to anyone outside of the right wing), but a good idea of how we're seen from outside.

[Youngian]

I enjoyed detecting despair between the lines of the Tories interviewed.

Labour elected Keir Starmer, an unimaginative former prosecutor with a rigidly centrist program, the Party is competitive again.

I only envisaged Starmer getting Labour over the line when I voted for him not run over the Tories with a steam roller. So he’s more imaginative than I am.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Tory manifesto: £12 billion cuts in welfare.
To pay for bribes to white van man.

The cunts.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

And again he refers to National Insurance as a tax, when it is in fact a contribution.

Lying cunts. Cunting cunts.

Sorry, had a Dacre moment there...