General British politics discussion thread

Fits perfectly they shouldn't have changed it.

Although in reality changing it probably generates more headlines so maybe it's a good thing

First Brexit and then the Covid-19 shambles.It seems the Tories just can't seem to catch a break.

Yet their approval ratings are up in a poll out today.

What is it going to take for the British public to tire of the Tory toffs ?

https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2021/08/11/voting-intention-con-41-lab-33-5-6-aug

I would say definitely visceral hatred for Johnson across many parts of the uk and i noticed in a separate poll over the weekend that his own personal approval rating is approaching record lows. But Starmers approval rating was down too so I think the polls yo yoing - tories oscillating between 40-45% from month to month - is just an illustration that lots of people, potentially swing voters, are dissatisfied but don't fully see a viable alternative for them as of yet. I really think both the greens and the lib dems should be savouring the current political climate, but difficult to translate that into seats when the time comes.

Of course, it seems utterly strange, bonkers even, that they seem to be emerging from colossal covid mismanagement with minimal damage, even though vaccine bounce appears to be gone. But, hey, there we are!

One of the metrics I always look at is the different classes of voters and what issues they prioritise and overwhelmingly for base tory voters, it is never immigration or other "woke" issues, but money in their pockets. For younger middle class, it is income tax. For the elderly, the core base, it is social care and not being rinsed out to pay for it. And unless they can be convinced a Labour government would be no threat to them and their hard earned, there's no way they'd ever dream of switching. I think that's what Starmer is hinting at when he talks about going back to blairism, but he has a way to go yet.

I'm sure there are several factors, biased media obviously a prominent one, but I think that's possibly one anyway.

They are good questions. Your guess as good as mine. Age demographics have almost supplanted class as the key dividing line, how does that evolve over time? Will the climate crisis radicalise a whole new generation of voters who might otherwise have taken little interest?

Labour are making it all about the red wall anyway. Eggs all emphatically going in that basket. Leaving the lib dems with a pretty clear run to nip away at the tories in the south I suspect, but i guess their top campaign strategists know best.

Coalition would obviously be the only hope. Some holding out hope for a pre election voting alliance but personally I can't see that happening beyond a very basic level.

Why would the average English voter care one way or the other about the SNP? Serious question.

A century ago, the average English voter survived the departure of most of Ireland from the union. There doesb't appear to have been any political blowback for the UK government that negotiated and implemented that.

Two years ago, the average English voter was happy to give a massive mandate for Johnson's oven-ready WA, which took the UK out of the EU against the expressed wishes of Scotland, and in a way that left Northern Ireland separated from GB by a variety of regulatory and fiscal barriers.

I'm not seeing much evidence that the average English voter cares very much about the prospect of the union being broken up. They may say they care, in opinion polls — I don't know; I haven't seen any polling on English attitudes to this — but they clearly don't care enough about it to allow such considerations to influence their voting behaviour to any great extent. They have other priorities.

Last week, Keir Starmer explicitly ruled out doing any deals with the snp either before or after the next GE. Now, I don't believe that actually rules out some sort of post election deal if it came down to it, as we know how these things go, but for Starmer to say what he did, as well as to attack the snp quite vigorously, there has to be a reason and, as most of what they are doing seems designed to appeal to a specific type of voter in England, i can only conclude that is the chief motive behind it. The previous labour administration was open to the idea of another indyref and it was an attack line for the tories to use against them. The present administration is determined to not let that happen.

For one Ireland is different as it is a separate island and viewed as such by English people who not only dont care about NI many dont understand its existence. I know word on the street isnt evidence but the idea that Corbyn = SNP coalition = break of of the union was a commonly regurgitated line in England at the time

I'm not sure the Scots will walk.Polling for independence is back to a negative rating and I reckon it just suits Sturgeon to huff and puff about IndyRef2 without actually doing anything.The real test is going to be when the effects of Brexit kick in.Job losses and the like.Roaming charges are not going to persuade votgers to change their minds.Personally I think the Tories will get in again with a much reduced majority and it's in Johnson's second term when he's got an uppity back bench and a small majority when things will happen.

The Brit public seems to think so.The latest IpsosMORI poll out this week has the Tory toffs a full eleven points ahead of Labour.That is some mountain to climb if Starmer is ever going to get the blond buffoon out of No 10.And that is after his crass Thatcher closed the mines quip.

Raab, the foreign secretary who was sunning himself on a beach in Greece as Kabul fell, sitting there grinning and heckling as Ian Blackford speaks. Just not even the merest iota of shame these people, emboldened by the full benches again. Not even the faintest hint of an apology that I've heard yet either.

Applause from all sides of the house for speech by Tom Tugendhat who remembered comrades who had fallen and applauded the bravery of Afghan troops he had fought alongside. Very moving.

The uk is not undemocratic

Their voting system is different to our own system but it is democratic.

Like most countries it does have corruption in all levels of public and private services and an issue with inherited wealth and status.