The Center Blows Itself Up: Care and Spite in the ‘Brexit Election’

john eden

male pale and stale
Now? Fuck it all can do, as you've pointed out. Might've been an idea to try and do something before stupidly voting for an early election that it was guaranteed to lose badly.

Might've been an idea to oppose the whole stupid project five years ago, in fact.

What's your plan Tea? You're a fully paid up member of the opposition so we're looking to you for some strategy here!

Surely you're not just going to spend the next 5 years saying coulda woulda shoulda and telling me I've got it all wrong?
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Now? Fuck it all can do, as you've pointed out. Might've been an idea to try and do something before stupidly voting for an early election that it was guaranteed to lose badly.
Exactly. All the people who were debating about the trustworthiness of the LDs have moved on to arguing about the new Labour leader. I'm feeling it hard to get up much enthusiasm for the debate. The battle is lost, Brexit is gonna happen, the Tories have a huge majority to do as much damage as they want over the next five years - to services, the NHS etc but worse, to the way democracy functions. It's going to be harder for Labour to win the next election as boundaries are going to be re-drawn and the courts' powers to oversee things reduced. It's a fucking mess. And that Private Eye article shows that Labour and LDs bear a huge responsibility for it for allowing this election to take place.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
I hope I'm wrong but I really think this election has been a serious disaster. The worst in my memory if not in yours.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
What's your plan Tea? You're a fully paid up member of the opposition so we're looking to you for some strategy here!

Surely you're not just going to spend the next 5 years saying coulda woulda shoulda and telling me I've got it all wrong?

Well I might indulge in some impotent moaning - I am British, after all, and there are certain standards that have to be maintained.

Of course I will use my vote to try and ensure that someone who stands at least a chance of not being totally useless becomes the next party leader.
 

john eden

male pale and stale
Well I might indulge in some impotent moaning - I am British, after all, and there are certain standards that have to be maintained.

Of course I will use my vote to try and ensure that someone who stands at least a chance of not being totally useless becomes the next party leader.

Are you able to tell us who you think the credible candidates are? (Secret ballot nothwithstanding)

I don't really give a monkeys so I won't give you a hard time about it, but would be interested in yours (and other LP members) thoughts.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
Are you able to tell us who you think the credible candidates are? (Secret ballot nothwithstanding)

I don't really give a monkeys so I won't give you a hard time about it, but would be interested in yours (and other LP members) thoughts.

Starmer and Rayner both seem OK. None of the candidates exactly have an air of incipient messiah-hood about them, which is probably just as well, after first Blair and then Corbyn.

TBH I'd be happy with anyone who can go on the news without looking like a prat, is going to offer some decent socialist policies and not just warmed-over Blairism, and has never been on fucking Press TV.
 

john eden

male pale and stale
Fair enough. Starmer is inevitably getting some flack from my lot for various things he did not do in relation to spycops and prosecuting the copper that did for Iain Tomlinson.

Which I would freely admit is pretty marginal in terms of big picture politics stuff and probably won't do him any harm. Unfortunately.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
And it absolutely has got to NOT be someone who thinks Labour needs to jettison a commitment to internationalism and anti-racism in order "listen to the working class", if "listen to" is taken to mean "indulge/patronise/pander to", and "working class" is taken to mean "reactionary white boomers in small towns in the north of England who think the NHS is struggling because of too many foreigners and that you can't even say 'happy Christmas' these days in case it upsets a passing Muslim".
 
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