Thread: The 2017 UK General Election

Will it happen? It will be fascinating to see if Labour MPs will approve the holding of an election they know they'll be slaughtered in.

Originally Posted by Immigrunt

Will it happen? It will be fascinating to see if Labour MPs will approve the holding of an election they know they'll be slaughtered in.

Are there enough of them so minded to stop it?

She needs two thirds of the house I believe.

Added: Nope, there is another way.

The act did not change the ruling that If the House of Commons passes a vote of no confidence in the government, then Parliament is dissolved and an election must be held.

A governing party with a majority would have the numbers to pass a no confidence motion in its own government, which would trigger a general election. This is a particularly inelegant solution and it is no surprise Theresa May chose not to use it.

Labour have said that they will vote for an election.

If the Labour MPs stick to the party line. They'd be stupid not to, even though it might cost them their job.

Originally Posted by Immigrunt

Will it happen? It will be fascinating to see if Labour MPs will approve the holding of an election they know they'll be slaughtered in.

Yes, it will happen. Labour agreed to it before and Corbyn re-confirmed it today. The PLP were also polled earlier and they will not stop it.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Are there enough of them so minded to stop it?

No.

General election 2017: Latest polls – will Theresa May or Jeremy Corbyn win?

The Prime Minister made the announcement outside of Number 10 Downing Street earlier this morning.

She said: "Last summer, after the country voted to leave the European Union, Britain needed certainty, stability and strong leadership, and since I became Prime Minister the Government has delivered precisely that.

"At this moment of enormous national significance there should be unity here in Westminster, but instead there is division.

"The country is coming together, but Westminster is not.”

Mrs May confirmed that she will go to Parliament tomorrow to call a vote on an early election, and challenged opposition parties to put their money where their mouths are and back her plans.

Under the Fixed Term Parliament Act, two-thirds of Parliament must agree to the election.

“You have criticised the governments vision for Brexit, you have challenged our objectives you have threatened to block the legislation we put before Parliament,” she said.

“This is your moment to show you mean it, to show that you are not opposing the Government for the sake of it. To show that you do not treat politics as a game.”

Mrs May called on leaders to put forth their plans for Brexit and to allow the nation to decide who will lead us into talks with Brussels.

But who is likely to win the election?

The latest YouGov poll gives the Conservative Party a 21 point lead over Labour, who have slumped to their lowest poll ratings since 2009

Forty-four per cent of those asked said that they intend to vote for Conservatives, with just 23 per cent backing Labour.

Twelve per cent said that they would support the Liberal Democrats, 10 per cent plan to vote for Ukip, and 10 per cent said that they will vote for another party.

When asked who would make the best Prime Minister, 50 per cent backed Theresa May, with just 14 per cent saying that Jeremy Corbyn would make the best leader. Thirty-six per cent said that they didn’t know.

The Conservatives are odds-on favourite to win an overall majority at the general election, with odds of 2/13 at Betfair.

The bookmaker also offered 1/9 odds that Mrs May’s party will win the most seats.

Betfair Spokesperson, Naomi Totten said: “The Conservatives had already been the clear favourite to win both Most Seats and an Overall Majority in the next General Election and their odds have further shortened and now have around a 90 per cent chance of both following Theresa May’s statement that she would seek a June 8 date on Tuesday morning."

http://www.express.co.uk/news/politi...r-conservative

Surprised they are even offering odds, money down the drain for them this time. Still you never know Leiecster were 5000 to one against winning the premiership, no votes involved though.

Theresa May has taken Westminster by surprise this morning by saying she wants an early election. Tomorrow she will ask MPs to support a motion for a poll on June 8. It is pretty much certain that this will pass — any opposition MP who rejects the motion is effectively saying they want another three years of Tory rule.

Tim Farron has been the first out of the starting blocks to say that his party welcomes an early election — heralding the Liberal Democrats as the only party that will fight for Britain to remain in the single market. So, what of Labour? Well, after a sluggish start Her Majesty’s Opposition have issued a statement. Jeremy Corbyn has said he ‘welcomes’ the Prime Minister’s ‘decision to give the British people the chance to vote for a government that will put the interests of the majority first’.

The reaction of Labour MPs is muted. For some it offers hope as a dismal showing will help hasten Corbyn’s departure. But for many others it represents the end of their career as a Parliamentarian. With current forecasting, Electoral Calculus predicts Labour could lose around 47 seats. Tom Blenkinsop, the MP for Middlesbrough South, has become the first Labour politician to say he will not stand for re-election. He probably won’t be the last:

https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2017/0...means-labour/#

What the hell will happen if many millions of remoaners vote for the Lib Lems, to overturn brexit? Old news but now highly relevant.

Liberal Democrats pledge to keep Britain in the EU after next election

Saturday 25 June 2016

Leader Tim Farron said the result had been based on lies by the Leave campaign

The Liberal Democrats will stand at the next general election on a platform of derailing Brexit and keeping Britain in the European Union, the party has announced.

Leader Tim Farron said on Saturday night that he would be “clear and unequivocal” with voters that if elected it would set aside the referendum result and keep Britain in the EU.

He said the referendum result amounted to a “howl of anger” at politicians and that the election of a liberal government would be a way of registering a change of heart by the electorate

Though the next general election is scheduled for 2020 under the Fixed Term Parliament Act (FTPA), David Cameron’s resignation and major loopholes in the legislation mean it could come as early as the autumn or early next year.

A successor to Mr Cameron is planned to be in place by Conservative Party conference in October and it is expected that whoever is chosen will immediately come under pressure to call an early election.

This is possible under the FTPA if a simple majority of MPs vote no confidence in their own government and an alternative government cannot be formed within 14 days. Alternatively, a two-thirds majority of MPs can call an election with a vote.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...-a7103186.html

As usual, Jonathan Pie summarizes the issues pretty effectively.

Don't tell Putin ffs!

Insightful first impressions by two politicians.

Good move- but it hardly works in Thailand, does it?

The election was due in 2020. However May and her chums are well aware that the economy is moving towards recession and by that date they won't be popular. This is nothing to do with Brexit.

Didn't Thailand used to have these general election events at one time?

Originally Posted by Begbie

The election was due in 2020. However May and her chums are well aware that the economy is moving towards recession and by that date they won't be popular. This is nothing to do with Brexit.

My God ! Are you stupid, Scottish, or both ?

Originally Posted by Begbie

The election was due in 2020. However May and her chums are well aware that the economy is moving towards recession and by that date they won't be popular. This is nothing to do with Brexit.

Moving towards recession? You getting your economic forecasts from your tea leaves again?

The UK's economy is forecast to expand by 2% this year, stronger growth than any of the major developed economies apart from the US.

" Come what May ".

posts being deleted at an alarming rate ? mod bug ?

Originally Posted by Dragonfly

posts being deleted at an alarming rate ? mod bug ?

Because they are watching....

Defending the dominant paradigm is the calling.

NIGEL FARAGE has revealed he is considering standing as a candidate in June's General Election. The ex-Ukip leader said he could stand as a candidate in South Thanet after Theresa May announced her plans to call a snap election on June 8.

He said his decision would depend on where he could have most influence over Brexit proceedings.

Speaking during his radio slot on LBC, he said: "Where best could I serve Brexit? Could I serve it by running and trying to win that south Thanet seat, or could I serve it best by continuing where I am, leading a group in the European Parliament?"

Nigel is a fraud,

You should be more worried about his mate Le Pen.

she is harmless, and will hit her glass ceiling, like she does at every election