** The General Election Thread **

[Psamathe]

So, 8 June (2017) despite assurances to the contrary, May has called a General Election.

So, maybe keep non-cycling aspects discussions to a single thread (this one ?) rather than swamping the forum for those not interested in such things.

Ian

[honesty]

I have no idea what has prompted this decision. Would be interesting to see hat works its way out of the woodwork in the next few days...

[Psamathe]

Initial thoughts:
1. End of Corbyn - previously it was looking like we'd have to wait until 2020 for the General Election for Corbyn to completely flop and allow the Conservatives in for another term until 2025. At least now Corbyn will tank in 2017 meaning there is some hope Conservative rule will end in 2022 (or at least the opportunity for there to be a contender to stand against the Conservatives) and maybe we might get an opposition party for during the Brexit negotiations.

Ian

[Psamathe]

I have no idea what has prompted this decision. Would be interesting to see hat works its way out of the woodwork in the next few days...

I'm sure there are several aspects to the decision but I wonder if the potential loss of a few MPs from the election expenses scandal (that must be coming to a prosecution decision any day now), and with such a small majority and facing some by-elections (following the scandal) maybe it gets the election process out of the way before any court cases happen and get different MPs in for those seats so to effectively sidelines any court cases and protects the Party.

Ian

[al_yrpal]

The turkeys keep agitating for an early Christmas, now they have got it!

Al

[Psamathe]

The turkeys keep agitating for an early Christmas, now they have got it!

Al

I wonder if Labour will block the election (given they must know the outcome and who will be enabling that outcome).

Ian

[al_yrpal]

The turkeys keep agitating for an early Christmas, now they have got it!

Al

I wonder if Labour will block the election (given they must know the outcome and who will be enabling that outcome).

Ian

No they welcomed it!

Al

[ChrisOntLancs]

spoiling.

i would vote labour but i'm not entirely sure who i'd be getting. if i knew it was corbyn, i could live with that, if i knew it was somebody else, i could probably live with that too.

it's an election inside an election, they're the election party.

to be fair to labour though, my spoiling pre-dates labour's running leadership crisis.

[djnotts]

For the first time for some decades, I shall cast my usual Labour vote with a clear conscience. The rabid right wing press will of course destroy Labour's chances and once again the truly stupid will vote in the party that wishes the poor (read 90% of the population) nothing but harm. But hey our betters will keep all their ill gotten gains so that's alright then.

[pwa]

In the long term this might do Labour a favour if they lose as badly as most pundits expect. It could be the shock they need.

[Psamathe]

In the long term this might do Labour a favour if they lose as badly as most pundits expect. It could be the shock they need.

I would agree. Gets Corbyn out by mid-June this year and hopefully we'd then get some sort of new leader to form some sort of opposition to hold the Government to account. Yesterday we were facing no opposition party in Parliament until 2020.

I expect what May might have done is to force Labour to sort themselves out. She had a majority before the election and sounds likely she will have one after the election except hopefully she will have (indirectly) enabled a real opposition party.

Ian

[ChrisOntLancs]

if the PLP and worse yet voters are willing to see 5 years of tories to prove a point about the labour leader, any labour leader, my suspicions are confirmed.

[djnotts]

In the long term this might do Labour a favour if they lose as badly as most pundits expect. It could be the shock they need.

I would agree. Gets Corbyn out ...... hopefully she will have (indirectly) enabled a real opposition party.

Ian

No, she'll have returned Labour back to where it was - simply a slightly watered down Tory party. "Opposition" only in the narrowest of terms, with no intention of upsetting the boat of naked capitalism.

[Psamathe]

if the PLP and worse yet voters are willing to see 5 years of tories to prove a point about the labour leader, any labour leader, my suspicions are confirmed.

Probably a bit late for Corbyn to stand down now? Some commentators have said he could but I doubt it would help (new leader having no time to establish themselves and convince an electorate). So I think we are stuck with Corbyn until after the next election when Labour will have the opportunity to sort itself out (if it manages to do that - which is a big question). And I'd rather Labour get the opportunity to sort themselves out in 2017 rather than wait until 2020.

Ian

[PH]

And Scotland|? If as is likely the SNP get a clear mandate for their policies it'll be hard to deny them a 2nd referendum.