Page 1 of 2 [ 20 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

DuckHairback
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 27 Jan 2021
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Posts: 4,530
Location: Durotriges Territory

22 May 2024, 4:53 pm

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-69050450

Rishi Sunak has called a General Election for the 4th July.

Finally. It's been long 5 years.


_________________
It's dark. Is it always this dark?


Last edited by DuckHairback on 22 May 2024, 5:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Aspinator
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Age: 68
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,321
Location: AspinatorLand

22 May 2024, 5:23 pm

I am trying to understand British politics so please don't dismiss this as a dumb question. Unless Sunak is confident he will win, why is he calling for a general election? By the way your link does not work; all I get is error 404 page not found



DuckHairback
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 27 Jan 2021
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Posts: 4,530
Location: Durotriges Territory

22 May 2024, 5:29 pm

^ thanks, I've fixed the link.

He has to call an election before January because there's a time limit but the question of why now is a good one and its being hotly debated in the UK media.

General consensus seems to be he's concluded that things will probably be worse for him and his government if they leave it any longer. His party is deeply unpopular and facing massive losses at the election, I guess they want to make sure something is left after that they can rebuild from.


_________________
It's dark. Is it always this dark?


Rossall
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 20 Oct 2021
Age: 53
Gender: Male
Posts: 5,981
Location: Manchester, UK

23 May 2024, 8:57 am

I can't wait to vote out this sorry lot.


_________________
Diagnosed with ADHD - Inattentive type and undiagnosed aspergers.

Interests: music (especially 80s), computers, electronics, amateur radio, soccer (Liverpool).


blitzkrieg
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Jun 2011
Gender: Male
Posts: 17,445
Location: United Kingdom

26 May 2024, 12:05 pm

I think many people will be glad to see the back of the conservatives... especially disabled folk.



Lost_dragon
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 6 May 2017
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,942
Location: England

27 May 2024, 7:13 pm

Larry the cat for Prime Minister

Indeed.


_________________
Support human artists! Do not let the craft die.

25. Near the spectrum but not on it.


BillyTree
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 7 Oct 2023
Age: 57
Gender: Male
Posts: 750

28 May 2024, 4:34 am

I find it a little strange to choose the date 4th of July as the election day in the UK.


_________________
English is not my first language.


blitzkrieg
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Jun 2011
Gender: Male
Posts: 17,445
Location: United Kingdom

28 May 2024, 7:19 am

BillyTree wrote:
I find it a little strange to choose the date 4th of July as the election day in the UK.


The conservatives seem to want to turn the UK into a mini US, so perhaps it isn't so surprising.



eurovisionfan1990
Tufted Titmouse
Tufted Titmouse

User avatar

Joined: 15 Jul 2011
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Posts: 46
Location: Hemel Hempstead

06 Jun 2024, 7:13 am

No more Tories, please!! !

We want Labour back!! !



blitzkrieg
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Jun 2011
Gender: Male
Posts: 17,445
Location: United Kingdom

06 Jun 2024, 7:17 am

^



Biscuitman
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 11 Mar 2013
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,674
Location: Dunking jammy dodgers

07 Jun 2024, 11:09 am

Aspinator wrote:
I am trying to understand British politics so please don't dismiss this as a dumb question. Unless Sunak is confident he will win, why is he calling for a general election? By the way your link does not work; all I get is error 404 page not found


He only had a few months left to call one in anyway, inflation just came down so was the last good news moment expected under their government.

Also his main pledge of 'stopping the small boats' is going disastrously and the numbers arriving go up in the summer as the weather is good, so he wanted to get in before that.



DuckHairback
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 27 Jan 2021
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Posts: 4,530
Location: Durotriges Territory

07 Jun 2024, 2:50 pm

^While all that is true, I'm increasingly convinced that he'd just had enough. I don't like him, but it must have been a miserable job, when everyone in the country hates you and even most of your own party hate you. There's a lot of evidence that he didn't even tell most of his own party he was going to call it. Many seats didn't even have candidates lined up and all Conservative MPs had been told it was safe to book a holiday in July/August. It may have been that he'd been informed that it was getting close to a no confidence vote in his leadership and he just thought 'screw you lot then. We'll go to the country'.


_________________
It's dark. Is it always this dark?


blitzkrieg
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Jun 2011
Gender: Male
Posts: 17,445
Location: United Kingdom

07 Jun 2024, 3:01 pm

DuckHairback wrote:
^While all that is true, I'm increasingly convinced that he'd just had enough. I don't like him, but it must have been a miserable job, when everyone in the country hates you and even most of your own party hate you. There's a lot of evidence that he didn't even tell most of his own party he was going to call it. Many seats didn't even have candidates lined up and all Conservative MPs had been told it was safe to book a holiday in July/August. It may have been that he'd been informed that it was getting close to a no confidence vote in his leadership and he just thought 'screw you lot then. We'll go to the country'.


I had the feeling also, that Sunak had just had enough. If he was thinking about his party and its interest I think he would have held out for a winter election.



Biscuitman
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 11 Mar 2013
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,674
Location: Dunking jammy dodgers

09 Jun 2024, 12:17 pm

I keep finding myself feeling a bit sorry for him, then quickly pull myself out of it and remember what he is like :lol:

He is now 48 hours into refusing to speak to the media or answer any questions.



blitzkrieg
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Jun 2011
Gender: Male
Posts: 17,445
Location: United Kingdom

09 Jun 2024, 12:18 pm

^ He is surely toast as a possible, future prime minister at this point.



Biscuitman
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 11 Mar 2013
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,674
Location: Dunking jammy dodgers

10 Jun 2024, 3:17 am

blitzkrieg wrote:
^ He is surely toast as a possible, future prime minister at this point.


Tories are done for. The election is now only about what size majority Labour get, and how small the Tories are afterwards, because the smaller they are the easier it is for Farage etc to infiltrate and take over