OV9

We've had a few. Notably one in very Labour colours, but with a small Tory logo. Quite underhanded.

Same, loads of crap leaflets in my mail. Also noticed that most of Surrey have Lib Dem signs up outside their homes. Only saw one Tory one.

I’m hardly seeing any signs / posters this year, probably the least of any election I can remember, and the odd ones I do see seem a pretty even split between all of them.

Been looking at the candidates in my seat a bit more, since I am genuinely undecided who to vote for. Except that it won't be Reform.

- It's a safe Tory seat with a big majority historically and the non-Tory vote has been split fairly evenly between Labour and Lib Dem. Unlike my last constituency, the sitting Tory MP isn't a dislikeable self-serving old guy who does little for anyone - he's actually someone who I'd be happy to vote for irrespective of party allegiance. It is his party which makes him a bit toxic now.
- Labour have parachuted in someone with no connections to the area as candidate. I think they recognise they have no hope and have done little campaigning. All the polls and tactical voting sites suggest voting Labour since they were just ahead of Lib Dem last time and have the theoretical best chance of getting the incumbent out. But there's no way I'd vote for her on an individual basis; she doesn't really represent the Keir Starmer or even Angela Rayner current Labour party IMO.
- Lib Dem. They weren't far behind Labour and would have been my default protest anti-Tory vote. But they seem pretty weak. However, now I've had a look at their key manifesto commitments the one which stands out is to go back into the single market. That alone makes them worth a vote.

So: vote Tory on the grounds that the actual candidate is alright; Labour as the best opportunity to get him out; or Lib Dem on the basis of manifesto commitments. Hmm.

Difficult position to be in.

Odds for lib Dems are long, the labour candidate unknown, and as you said, Tory party is toxic.

A large aggregated data set of the current predictions:


https://inglesp.github.io/apogee/

My constituency boundary has changed this time, from Windsor's absent Adam Alfryie - who didnt even need to turn up to be voted in to another Theresa Mays Naidenhead seat.

Neither are standing this time round so hopefully a fresher run. I expect the tories will still get both, but I'm voting Lib Dem - I like their manifesto and the candidate seems ok.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/ ... ly-ens-nfp

I'm not suggesting a similar type result for Reform here as the right wing has been on the rise in France for years nut this is quite a result.

Macron was an idiot to call an election when he did.

Handed one of Europe’s biggest governments to the far right on a platter.

Agreed - but I don't see the rise in right wing politics in Europe being as a result of significant right wing sentiments among the populations.

I think there's just a large group of people who feel marginalised and somewhat silenced both in the real world and also online and an election is the only place they can air their views anonymously without being shouted down and abused.

I’m sick of people saying that people are scared to express their extremist views like it’s a bad thing tbh.

The far right should be scared to express their views, they’re repugnant.

The modern idea that all opinions are of equal value has a lot to answer for.

ZedLeg wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2024 11:40 am I’m sick of people saying that people are scared to express their extremist views like it’s a bad thing tbh.

Somewhat Ironic no ??

It's not about being afraid to express extremist views. People with extremist views generally have no issue in expressing them.

The people I'm speaking about are afraid to express their moderate, balanced, fair, considered, thought out views if they go in any way against the accepted view of, lets be honest, the left.

I mean, can a person genuinely express views about say, the fair and reasonable controls on immigration, without being labeled a Gammon faced racist Brexiteer who loves Ferage ??? Or on gender issues without being labeled a dinosaur?

I don’t see it as ironic tbh. Like I said at the end, the problem is the idea that’s developed over the last decade or so that all opinions are equally worthy.

It depends on what you mean by fair controls.

Actually fund the asylum system and get through the backlog so it works properly? Sure.

Close the borders and send the buggers back? Not so much.

On gender stuff, the problem is that most people aren’t well educated on the issues and are taking their cues from people who either don’t know what they’re talking about or have their own agenda.

That’s just my opinion too though.

ZedLeg wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2024 12:03 pm I don’t see it as ironic tbh. Like I said at the end, the problem is the idea that’s developed over the last decade or so that all opinions are equally worthy.

That's not over the last decade - that's been going on fora century at least - see poor/normal people getting the vote, and then women and black people etc, etc.

Swervin_Mervin wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2024 12:12 pm

ZedLeg wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2024 12:03 pm I don’t see it as ironic tbh. Like I said at the end, the problem is the idea that’s developed over the last decade or so that all opinions are equally worthy.

That's not over the last decade - that's been going on fora century at least - see poor/normal people getting the vote, and then women and black people etc, etc.

Maybe I’ve just noticed more on social media.

Stuff like Trump leaning into Q anon and Starmer apparently wanting to run their lgbtqi+ policy past JK Rowling seems to bring the idea into sharp relief.

ZedLeg wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2024 12:16 pm

Swervin_Mervin wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2024 12:12 pm

ZedLeg wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2024 12:03 pm I don’t see it as ironic tbh. Like I said at the end, the problem is the idea that’s developed over the last decade or so that all opinions are equally worthy.

That's not over the last decade - that's been going on fora century at least - see poor/normal people getting the vote, and then women and black people etc, etc.

Maybe I’ve just noticed more on social media.

Stuff like Trump leaning into Q anon and Starmer apparently wanting to run their lgbtqi+ policy past JK Rowling seems to bring the idea into sharp relief.

yep, the algorithms are definitely getting more sophisticated at showing you what will get you riled up and hungry for more.

France undergoing similar to Italy with Meloni - not really sure what’s happened there since as it’s not covered in our news? Did she manage to nazify Italy? Has she stopped immigration?
Looks like she promised a lot and delivered bugger all

Mito Man wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2024 1:25 pm France undergoing similar to Italy with Meloni - not really sure what’s happened there since as it’s not covered in our news? Did she manage to nazify Italy? Has she stopped immigration?
Looks like she promised a lot and delivered bugger all

What happened in Sweden in the end ?

We were there when girls were told be be inside by 9pm as all the legal were a bit rapey and then the situation at the train station happened. Didn’t they start gaining popularity for a right wing party ? Or did they actually be sensible and fix the problem in Malmo ?

Dave!

Ed Davey has done a bungee jump and a Zumba class today. I’m impressed at how he’s taken the Lib Dem’s out of the shadows simply by virtue of his antics. They aren’t ridiculous like Boris on that zip wire, they just bring attention to him.

As for those marginalised - like incels who hang on Andrew Tate’s every word - they need to work out in what way they are actually marginalised rather than just believing the hype.