UK General Election 2024

[Elgarian Redux]

Despite all the talk of a great Labour victory, the statistics seem to indicate that the Tories lost the election, rather than Labour actually winning it. 40% of the electorate didn't vote at all. Only about 35% of those who did vote, voted for Labour. That means that Britain will be governed by a party that is supported by only 21% of the population. I'm very glad to see the back of the Tories - I've had quite enough of their country-wrecking antics - but these figures do concern me. A vote for 'anyone except the Tories' gets them out, but it would be more helpful to be able to have a consensus voting for something.

[Luke]

Did Sunak ever explain why he called for early elections?  From an outsider's perspective, things do not appear to have gone well for the Tories, so his decision seems sub-optimal in some ways. 

I've given my thoughts on this already, but this account is in a Guardian article this morning:

The decision to go for July had been taken by Sunak himself and his core team – Liam Booth-Smith, his chief of staff, James Forsyth, his political secretary, Craig Williams, his parliamentary aide, and Claire Coutinho, his energy secretary and former adviser. The theory they alighted on was that "nobody was listening" and they had to call an election to make the public start paying attention. "We need to make the undecided voters notice us," one No 10 insider said.

One of the strategies was to throw out eye-catching policies, such as the return of national service, in the hope that voters would give them a second chance and look to a Sunak-led future instead of a Liz Truss and Boris Johnson-tainted past.

Unfortunately, it only caught their own side off-guard. This was the start of a rupture at the centre of the Conservatives' organising effort, although there had been longstanding tensions over strategy between Sunak and Levido dating back to summer last year.

[Todd]

Looks like Sunak and crew were out of touch.  Oh well.  Now, it looks like Macron is in for a tough weekend.  Incumbents are having something of a rough go of it.  Maybe war and associated dislocations are not popular with voters.  Of course, it's worse on this side of the pond.  Here, Democracy! itself is at stake, and it is literally the most important election ever.  The people on the TV say so.

These are scary times.  Etc.

[vandermolen]

I was in hospital on Friday so missed a lot of the fun and have been catching up with the election news. I think that the Conservatives have Truss and Johnson to blame for the debacle. I was delighted to see Truss and Rees-Mogg thrown out. Felt sorry for Sunak who, I think, spoke with great dignity and was an excellent Chancellor during the Covid Pandemic. Personally I was very pleased to see the Liberal-Democrats win 71 seats, their best result for 100 years. My favourite candidate was Count Bin-Face.

[Brian]

I was delighted that Count Bin-Face got 300 votes in Sunak's race.

[Luke]

My favourite candidate was Count Bin-Face.

Mine was this guy [r] as Ree-Smug [l] lost his seat



Hope you are OK, Jeffrey.

[vandermolen]

Mine was this guy [r] as Ree-Smug [l] lost his seat



Hope you are OK, Jeffrey.

Thanks Luke - a scheduled (not major) operation which the surgeon, in a three second discussion afterwards, when I was still more or less comatose, told me had gone well (I think that's what he said!). Now recovering at home (they throw you out the hospital ASAP) and catching up on the election news. I tried to post s photo of Count Bin-Face but my computer is being very uncooperative when I try to post images which I have not already saved. Maybe you could post one on my behalf choosing an appropriate example! 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Hope you are OK, Jeffrey.

+1

PD

[Karl Henning]

Hope you are OK, Jeffrey.

+ 2

[Florestan]

+ 3

[Todd]

I was delighted that Count Bin-Face got 300 votes in Sunak's race.

Evidently, Elmo made an appearance:

[Iota]

One senses Cruella Braverman has come out of this somewhat licking her lips at the prospect of pouncing on No.10 in five or ten years time.

Thanks Luke - a scheduled (not major) operation which the surgeon, in a three second discussion afterwards, when I was still more or less comatose, told me had gone well (I think that's what he said!). Now recovering at home (they throw you out the hospital ASAP) and catching up on the election news. I tried to post s photo of Count Bin-Face but my computer is being very uncooperative when I try to post images which I have not already saved. Maybe you could post one on my behalf choosing an appropriate example! 

Good luck with the recuperation, vandermolen.    I don't think you missed a great deal with the election, all pretty much as expected give or take a few figures. I was surprised by how narrow some of the winning margins are, Hendon for example was by 15 votes!

Re Count Bin-Face, the video below gives a fair idea.

[vandermolen]

Thank you guys - I'm doing fine thanks. Recuperating at home. I'll spare you the details but it's a fairly common problem (for men of my age!) It was not major surgery (all done by laser). I was out the same day as the operation with nursing support 'Hospital at Home' for a few days. I am lucky - the operation, done privately would have cost me £7,000. The NHS charged me nothing and I had excellent care and a free egg sandwich and cup of tea afterwards 

[vandermolen]

One senses Cruella Braverman has come out of this somewhat licking her lips at the prospect of pouncing on No.10 in five or ten years time.

Good luck with the recuperation, vandermolen.    I don't think you missed a great deal with the election, all pretty much as expected give or take a few figures. I was surprised by how narrow some of the winning margins are, Hendon for example was by 15 votes!

Re Count Bin-Face, the video below gives a fair idea.

Thanks so much - great video! In my youth there was 'Lord Bucket-Head'.

[vandermolen]

Much as I like hijacking every thread to talk exclusively about myself I thought that I'd return to political events. I was moved to read that Rishi Sunak told his wife and children that they shouldn't be too sad as the election result showed how British democracy worked. Much the same can be said when Churchill was voted out immediately after the Second World War.

PS For correction see Luke's message below. The hospital anaesthetic hasn't quite worn off yet!

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Much as I like hijacking every thread to talk exclusively about myself I thought that I'd return to political events. I was moved to read that Rishi Sunak told his wife and children that they shouldn't be too sad as the election result showed how British democracy worked. Much the same can be said when Churchill was voted out immediately after the Second World War.

Well, I know one candidate here who won't except the results if he loses.   

PD

[Luke]

Much as I like hijacking every thread to talk exclusively about myself I thought that I'd return to political events. I was moved to read that Rishi Sunak told his wife and children that they shouldn't be too sad as the election result showed how British democracy worked. Much the same can be said when Churchill was voted out immediately after the Second World War.

I thought it was Hunt who said that? Maybe both of them....

[vandermolen]

I thought it was Hunt who said that? Maybe both of them....

Oh, I think you are right Luke - my apologies.

[vandermolen]

Well, I know one candidate here who won't except the results if he loses.   

PD

V good point PD!

[Spotted Horses]

Thanks Luke - a scheduled (not major) operation which the surgeon, in a three second discussion afterwards, when I was still more or less comatose, told me had gone well (I think that's what he said!). Now recovering at home (they throw you out the hospital ASAP) and catching up on the election news. I tried to post s photo of Count Bin-Face but my computer is being very uncooperative when I try to post images which I have not already saved. Maybe you could post one on my behalf choosing an appropriate example! 

You are important here. We need to see the full post-surgical report. It's comparable in importance to Biden's neurological report.