Taxi Driver Online

well Rishi the yank has upset and surprised his MP's by giving them little preperation time

and chosen American Independance day which historically was a bad day for the UK

oh well at least we can get it over with and end all the uncertainty


The next question is will Farage announce he is going to stand. I think probably not but it would make the election more interesting.

and of course will beer Starmer manage not to make a few big gaffes along the way and actually offer a real manifesto instead of vague promises.

can liz truss repair her damaged reputation and keep her seat ?

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

It will be interesting.

Everyone thinks Labour will win, which might keep a few of their voters away.

Be surprised if it's a 1997 Labour landslide, but really don't want a hung parliament.

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IDFIMH

I can't see labour losing this but once in power they will show their true colours and I think many might regret voting them in. Labour is essentially pro immigration and anti pensioner. This could result in the next election after that being fought on religious grounds with the rise of the islamic voice.

I wouldn't be surprised if the tories dropped to 150 seats but one or two byelection results might get reversed if the silent majority turnout to vote

I also would not be surprised if Mr Gallagher retains his seat and is joined by 2 or 3 more MP's and the Lib dems pick up a few seats

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Oh and pete are you going to be campaigning for your mate Alicia or not bothering at all.

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Come on, you need to keep up.
I left the Conservative party 2 years ago. I fought the last local election as an Independent.
Further more with the boundary changes Alicia is standing in the Rutland and Stamford constituency. She is no linger representing Melton. So the question is will you be campaigning for her?
I am still thinking of standing as an independent in the election.

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Grandad,

If you do i wish you luck



I haven't seen any mention of that online before now but then I don't often check the politics section of the mercury although there's always a story featuring her every week on the Mercury website

So that means it's back to our original constituency and no I haven't been involved in anything like that since i was a young schoolboy when my dad (a keen labour supporter) took me out pushing leaflets through the door whilst the local candidate (Dennis Skinner) knocked on doors.

I have never been keen on any particular party as they invariably do not align with my political views.

Locally I think either the lib dems or reform will be the main challenger to the tories but I can't see them succeeding. The old Stamford and Rutland constituency was one of the safest Tory seats in the country

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Thank you, i still have to decide if I can afford to lose my deposit. I would need at least 3000 votes to save it and independents around here tend to get fewer than 1000. Alicia polled over 36000 at the last election.

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Grandad,

Every other non-UK Gov party is jumping for joy about the election, but this mob is moaning FFS.

July election date disrespectful to Scotland - Swinney

First Minister John Swinney says the decision to hold a general election as Scottish schools begin their summer break is the "latest act of disrespect" from the UK government.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the poll would be held on 4 July during a rain-soaked speech at 10 Downing Street.

Mr Swinney said that holding the vote on the first week of the holidays showed the impact on Scots "will not have been given a moment's thought".

New Westminster constituency boundary changes also mean that Scottish voters will now return 57 MPs, down from 59 at the last election.

Mr Swinney, who became leader of the SNP earlier this month, said the Conservative government had done "enormous damage" to Scotland.

He added: "Scotland is protected by the SNP. If you vote for the SNP, you vote for a party that's going to put Scotland first."

The Scottish government had wanted to hold a second independence referendum on 19 October last year - when most schools across Scotland would have been on holiday, including those in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and the Highlands.

However, polling expert Sir John Curtice told BBC News that the SNP would "not welcome" the election timing.

He said: "They have just replaced their leader and John Swinney is hoping to turn things around.

"At the moment the party is running about five or six points behind Labour north of the border."

Sir John also said the future did not look bright for the Tories in Scotland, adding that Mr Sunak was “very brave or extremely foolhardy” to call the election now.

He added: "This is an election for Labour to win."

With support for the SNP at 29% in a recent YouGov poll, its tally of MPs could fall from 43 to 11.

Labour, which has two Scottish MPs, could stand to win 35 seats in Scotland.

At the last election in 2019, Scots elected just one Labour MP - down from seven - with Ian Murray holding on to his Edinburgh South seat.

The SNP won 48 seats. However, defections and the loss of Rutherglen and Hamilton West to Labour in a by-election means the SNP now has 43 MPs.

Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar promised his party would deliver change in Scotland.

“After 14 years of Tory chaos and failure, this is an opportunity that we cannot afford to miss," he said.

“Scotland is crying out for change and that change is only possible with a Labour government led by Keir Starmer that is on the side of working people."

The Scottish Conservatives said they were prepared to "fight" SNP dominance north of the border.

Leader Douglas Ross called the election a "huge opportunity to defeat the SNP" and end their "obsession" with Scottish independence.

He said: “If voters unite in the many seats where it’s a straight fight between the Scottish Conservatives and the SNP, we can get rid of nationalist MPs who have never focused on the things that really matter.

“In key seats up and down Scotland, only the Scottish Conservatives can beat the SNP."

The Scottish Liberal Democrats also hope to make gains from the SNP.

In 2019, the party won just four seats in Scotland, with then UK leader Jo Swinson losing her Dunbartonshire East constituency to the SNP.

They hope to gain from the SNP in the Highlands, specifically in the Lochaber, Skye and Wester Ross seat.

The area was previously represented by former Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy before he lost his seat to Ian Blackford of the SNP in 2015.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: “The Conservatives and the SNP have taken people for granted and made a mess of our country for too long.

"People have had enough, it’s time for change and Scottish Liberal Democrats are here for it."

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IDFIMH

so the debate was about as illuminating as using a single candle to light the royal albert hall. Sunak won the first half but Starmer the second half and neither really demonstarted any real change to the stus quo.

and afterwards the other parties were offered a brief 10 minute interview with a presenter in a studio. The Lib dem leader came across as pretty flustered and out od his depth. The SNP bloke was pretty good I thought and got his points across well as did Richard Tice . I didn't bother staying up to watch the greens.

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

No way would I spend any time watching these debates.

The BBC or ITV or whoever have so many impartiality rules they are basically boring.

Also, does anyone watch these programs and say 'you know what I was going to vote for X but now I will vote for Z'?

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IDFIMH

so tonights tv choice was an England friendly or a 7 party political debate

I chose the latter and I'm glad I did it ain't looking good for us in the Euros

So it was PM4PM and the 2 houses Raynor arguing and bickering all the way through whilst the others skillfully avoided answering the actual questions.

Surprise surprise we learned little but I must admit I was quite impressed with the SNP bloke and the greens woman

and as for the BBC claiming to have an audience representative of a broad range of the political spectrum it didn't look that way.

As sussex says these are a waste of time except that the tories and labour have both demonstrated their leadership is poor and policies somewhat lacking

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

and now they are all vying to see who can put their manifesto out last in order to see what's in the oppositions first

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

I don't think it works quite like that because any party manifesto has to be approved by their executive and then printed so they will already been done.

perhaps it just seems to be like that with "new" pledges appearing every day based on what the other parties are doing

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

So the latest yougov poll says;

Labour 37%

Reform 19%

Tories 18%

How thick were the Tory leadership for not agreeing a deal with Reform?

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IDFIMH