The Bishop
Labour
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 16, 2023 9:13:25 GMT
Cllr Jessie Hoskin, Lab to Ind, over Starmer supporting Israel blocking water etc to Gaza. Article on BBC Politics. Even though if he ever did support that, he doesn't now (as is clear from his statement widely circulated by Twitter on Saturday night)
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The Bishop
Labour
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Posts: 36,798
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 15, 2023 11:15:48 GMT
Well, depends who the Tories saying this actually are as well. All I really know about Tamworth is that Labour people on the ground there seem quietly confident.
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The Bishop
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 15, 2023 11:13:27 GMT
Yes, but this is Ceredigion Labour we are talking about.
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The Bishop
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 15, 2023 11:09:43 GMT
Whilst the above post is not wrong, there is truth in what mattbewilson says as well. The proposal to abolish the GLC was distinctly unpopular (to the surprise of the Tories) and gave Livingstone a lifeline. Any elections in 1985 *with the council under the threat of abolition* would almost certainly have seen Labour do well.
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The Bishop
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Posts: 36,798
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 14, 2023 11:40:25 GMT
I think his good performance in 2005 was most likely due to his higher profile in the previous parliament as leader of the opposition for a few years. Labour thought they had a chance in 2001 apparently, and fought it quite hard. The lack of swing then was surely pretty disillusioning, and likely meant them largely not bothering four years later.
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The Bishop
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 14, 2023 11:22:35 GMT
Can large corporations please stop supporting divisive social causes? Leaving the "divisive" question aside for the time being, isn't the (ahem) bottom line that they do this because there is money in it?
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The Bishop
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 14, 2023 11:08:55 GMT
Even earlier this year, there looked likely to be another Labour government despite (as was always obvious) a big swing to the Nationals compared to 2020.
Hard to avoid the conclusion that Hipkins blew it.
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The Bishop
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 13, 2023 11:23:27 GMT
Not a bad showing for Labour there, the best for them in this division since 2005 (which was of course on GE day)
OK for the Tories, in contrast to their result in Cheltenham which was dismal.
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The Bishop
Labour
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 13, 2023 10:17:03 GMT
I think that Labour people *did* go to Portillo's seat in the last week or so before the 1997 GE, whereas Chipping Barnet was almost entirely neglected apart from its local members. It was one of maybe a dozen places that might well have gone Labour then had we actually realised we were in with a chance, but that can be said of most GEs.
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The Bishop
Labour
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 13, 2023 10:12:39 GMT
Thoroughly enjoy reading John's excellent profiles. What strikes me is how many 'working class' towns and villages are 'solidly Conservative', especially across the Midlands area. Changed days Having said that Labour had notable local strength here in the Blair years, and some of that has returned in recent elections.
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The Bishop
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 13, 2023 9:55:32 GMT
The lack of defections in the 1983-1992 period really stands out if you define the "continuing SDP" MPs as sui generis.
Dick Douglas - arguably the one genuine defector between 1982 and 1995 - stood against Donald Dewar under his new colours at the 1992 GE.
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The Bishop
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 12, 2023 12:27:37 GMT
I suppose with just a week to go, it was predictable that the LibDems fabled Dead Russian Gambit would make an appearance
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The Bishop
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 12, 2023 11:17:43 GMT
Can anyone think of a worse action that Lisa Cameron could have taken to stick it to her former party besides defecting to the Tories right before party conference? She has singlehandedly destroyed the argument in Scotland that Labour are 'Red Tories' and discredited the SNP to large parts of the electorate in all parts of the country. A bit of hyperbole there. Most people won't know that this happened, most of those who find out will quickly forget, and most of those who remember won't care. Of course you are right to caution the more excitable whenever this sort of thing happens. However, my first thought when hearing the news was also "that's stuffed up a few tried and tested SNP attack lines".
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The Bishop
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 12, 2023 11:13:38 GMT
I think in the short term there is a good chance the gap slightly widens again, however. This coming winter is unlikely to be good for the Tories - that is one reason why there was chatter (however unrealistic in practice) of Sunak cutting his losses and calling a GE for next month.
Focus groups (yes, I know) done in the last few days have apparently been pretty positive about Starmer and the Labour conference as well.
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The Bishop
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 12, 2023 10:58:54 GMT
Could she not have kept her seat had she defected to Labour? Seems a bizarre move to jump from one sinking ship to another. Pretty sure that Labour have already selected their candidate here.
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The Bishop
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 12, 2023 10:53:07 GMT
The kind of utterly shameless defection one associates more with local government. Spectacular. Never heard you complaining about Wakeford. There has been widespread Labour cynicism about most Tory MP defections to them, going back to Alan Howarth. If you don't know by now that we are a deeply tribal party, there really is no hope for you
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The Bishop
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 12, 2023 10:48:20 GMT
This is the second time she has left. She rejoined under Corbyn after a period outside the party Something she carefully didn't mention yesterday, of course.
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The Bishop
Labour
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Posts: 36,798
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 11, 2023 10:13:51 GMT
Yes we are all individuals! im not Quite simply, one of the greatest one liners ever.
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The Bishop
Labour
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Posts: 36,798
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 11, 2023 10:08:07 GMT
Since polling was almost entirely done before the byelection, no.
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The Bishop
Labour
Down With Factionalism!
Posts: 36,798
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 10, 2023 12:57:13 GMT
On that topic, is the Lib Dem campaign pro or anti house-building? Both. The usual, then
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