General British politics discussion thread

ujjjjjjjjj · 15-05-2026 04:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124470679#Comment_124470679

No Scotland voted to stay in the UK. The SNP have been moaning about the referendum result ever since they lost. You simply can't keep having referendums until you get the answer you want. I think the UK government would in time consider giving Scotland another referendum if there was a long pattern of pro independence demand in the Scottish population. Only 42% of the population voting for pro independence parties and 58% voting for pro union parties in the last election just gone doesn't even come close to that level of demand.

Tell me how · 15-05-2026 05:23PM

This contains more of an ominous threat than at any Pro-Palestine March.

https://twitter.com/i/status/2055216990755729734

aidanodr · 15-05-2026 05:37PM

Apparently this By-election will happen 18th JUNE ( LBC )

midlander12 · 15-05-2026 06:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124470052#Comment_124470052

I heard him and the Liverpool mayor interviewed by Claire Byrne a couple of years and both were emphatically in favour orf rejoining the EU, while admitting it was not a realistic possibility in the near future.

midlander12 · 15-05-2026 06:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124469713#Comment_124469713

That might have been true two years ago.

Labour won between 50% and 60% of the vote in Wigan borough on average in the 2022/23/24 local elections, and then 45-48% in the 2024 GE. Last week Reform outpolled them 46% to 25% in the borough. Now I know Burnham's presence in the race, and a presumably higher turnout, changes the dynamics of it, but he's got a mountain rather than a hill to climb.

Incidentally, their margin over Reform in Makerfield was only 13% even in 2024. It was not 'one of their safest seats' even then.

midlander12 · 15-05-2026 06:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124470810#Comment_124470810

I wonder what the other 35% of Lab voters did - stay at home?

I suspect that 7% was a lot higher in parts of the north. Around Greater Manchester their vote fell to 25-30% from over 50%. Outside the city itself, Reform were the only serious gainers by this.

Water John · 15-05-2026 06:54PM

Brave call by Burnham. If he takes on and beats Reform in the byelection, that will be his coronation.

PommieBast · 15-05-2026 07:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124466267#Comment_124466267

Most if not all the "train" companies were pieces of financial engineering which didn't own anything they used. Even within the acceptance of privatisation it was a bad system.

Tell me how · 15-05-2026 07:39PM

Interesting thread here that shows the intertwinement of Israel and Labour focus groups.

https://twitter.com/i/status/2055321124787900645

I've long said Corbyn was not a good leader, but it's looking more and more lik he was royally shafted within his own party in a way in a way I can't really remember other leaders having had done to them.

Theresa May was kept standing on the trapdoor with the noose around her neck for an extended period until Johnson thought he could get through the mess that remained after Articke 50 negotiations (he couldnt) but I feel there was no one more terrified of the potential for a Corbyn government than people within his own party. Pretty stunning, when you think about it.

Manach · 15-05-2026 07:57PM

My 2c, based on remembering the historical events when Mrs. Thatcher lost her leadership is that charismatic candidates (in that instance Mr. Heseltine) could lose their sheen fairly quickly in the rough and tumble of a race and the compromsise/greyer selection (Mr. Major) might win. How this applies to the current Labour contest?

PommieBast · 15-05-2026 10:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124471432#Comment_124471432

Hard to compare at this stage. Major (and Hurd) were Thatcher loyalists who only joined in the second round once Thatcher had already withdrawn.

L1011 · 15-05-2026 11:43PM

Somewhat less noticed, two SNP MPs got elected to Holyrood and have resigned from the HoC. Burnham will be one of three BEs on the day most likely.

I believe they're both astoundingly safe SNP seats, but the SNP retaining them will be sold as a loss to Labour by the media.

PommieBast · 16-05-2026 01:20AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124472261#Comment_124472261

They are Arbroath & Broughty Ferry and Aberdeen South. Not my usual definition of safe.

Tom Mann Centuria · 16-05-2026 08:31AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124471398#Comment_124471398

But you can't say Israel interferes or influences UK politics, that's a COnsPiRacY theory. According to politicians (and sages on internet forums and social media) Russia, Iran and China are all doing it on an industrial level but definitely not Israel, they would never stoop so low, they just stick to messing with the result of Eurovision.

Randycove · 16-05-2026 09:34AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124471398#Comment_124471398

Jody McIntyre has to be one of the most odious people in or around UK politics. You only have to look at the abuse leveled against his opponents and in particular Jess Phillips to see that.

Tell me how · 16-05-2026 09:36AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124472591#Comment_124472591

Is Jody making up the things stated the threads?

breezy1985 · 16-05-2026 09:40AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124471432#Comment_124471432

Who thought Heseltine was charismatic ?

Randycove · 16-05-2026 09:57AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124469658#Comment_124469658

it isn’t the gambling shops. They haven’t changed. It is the explosion in nail bars, dodgy fast food outlets and mobile phone cover/vape shops. The latter being one of the most blatant money laundering rackets I’ve ever seen.

breezy1985 · 16-05-2026 10:08AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124472636#Comment_124472636

The gambling shops are new. It's not bookies we are talking about its those tacky little micro casinos that are all over working class high streets.

L1011 · 16-05-2026 10:25AM

Also bookies being allowed have fixed odds terminals. There would be far fewer bookies if they weren't allowed, e.g. see the continuing drip of closures here.

UK TV ads are another example of how they're falling. Bingo, online casinos, "spin machines", ambulance chasers, prepaid funeral plans. Increasingly rare to see actual consumer goods

A Dub in Glasgo · 16-05-2026 10:55AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124472261#Comment_124472261

Aberdeen South is not a safe seat for the SNP at all

A Dub in Glasgo · 16-05-2026 11:00AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124472496#Comment_124472496

Indeed, any evidence is just swept under the carpet and ignored

Podge_irl · 16-05-2026 11:45AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124472496#Comment_124472496

I don't think anyone claimed they have zero influence. All countries influence UK politics to some degree (including our own).

What is a conspiracy theory is that they control it and like all conspiracy theories it falls apart in a Web of self contradictory nonsense. We now have an Israeli controlled MP stepping down to destabilise and replace the Israeli controlled PM. It makes no sense.

Tell me how · 16-05-2026 12:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124472496#Comment_124472496

I know its not the UK, but here's Thomas Massie talking about his experience of this in a much more succinct way.

https://twitter.com/i/status/2055373948133732462

As he said before he votes with Trump/Republicans 91% of the time, and when he doesnt it's because of wars the US is fighting which are widely accepted as being at the behest of Israel or because of the Epstein files.

And whether it is the US, or the UK, or the EU, elected leaders acting with motivations significantly influenced by foreign individuals or groups that are counter to the motivations of those who elected them, then that is a problem. A big one.

And the UK has problems in this area, Johnson going to Italy to meet a Russian contact without being accompanied while he was Foreign Secretary. Farage getting 5M from a crypto agent in Thailand or Labour Friends of Israel donating to and arranging "fact finding" missions to Israel for up to half of the Labour government, or Priti Patel having secret meetings with Israeli representatives while she was a UK Government Minister, or Lyndsey Hoyle visting Israel while he is sitting speaker of the House and Israel is being investigated by the ICC. All of it should be examined fully and the details publicized.

A couple of students climb a motorway sign frame or spray paint and all the talk is about them being funded and foreign influence and the likes but meanwhile, all of the above is being waved off or downplayed or flat out ignored. Its a problem. A big one.

Tell me how · 16-05-2026 12:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124472636#Comment_124472636

I'm referring to a noticeable difference between a typical highstreet in UK and Netherlands as thats what I was comparing. Im not saying its solely because of gambling shops that UK high streets are unpleasant, im saying they are indicative of the problem.

At this point, it's a cultural thing, UK city centres are not pleasant locations in which to live or spend a few hours (for the most part) compared to their Dutch equivalent. The Dutch also have vape shops, nail bars etc in their cities also, and casinos, but they don't have the uber gaudy plastic neon lit shopfronts for gambling that exist in the UK.

Whatever the reason, whether it's business rates, planning laws or other regulations, or just a cultural standard, theres a huge difference between how town centres function in the 2 countries. And the UK is suffering as a consequence I feel, the gambling shops always give me a particularly uncomfortable feeling, thats why they got a mention.

aidanodr · 16-05-2026 04:14PM

LBC - Wes Streeting declares he will stand in any leadership challenge called. Seems he is waiting for Burnham to get through by-election ( if ) & call his own leadership challenge

Randycove · 16-05-2026 04:15PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124472679#Comment_124472679

as the number of channels increase and advertisers move to other formats of media, advertising space becomes a lot cheaper, hence the large number of crap adverts for insignificant companies. Maybe we should blame thatcher for that as well and maybe go back to just having state owned television.

Tell me how · 16-05-2026 04:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124473451#Comment_124473451

You're missing the point. Deliberately, I feel.

L1011 · 16-05-2026 04:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124473451#Comment_124473451

The number of channels is dwindling.

More and more of those that remain ate starting Irish variants with only the ads changed - most Sky, Discovery, Channel 4 and UKTV ones for instance. These do not advertise the same abject shite as the UK variants.

Thatcher handed the second independent licence to a government corporation surprisingly, a rare case of sanity. C4TC remains state owned to this day despite Johnson era selloff plans

Manach · 16-05-2026 04:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124472602#Comment_124472602

From what I remember at the time, quite a number of political commentators given his tenure in Defence and his general air, espcially compared to many of his ex-frontbench collegues.

General British politics discussion thread

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Apparently this By-election will happen 18th JUNE ( LBC )