General Election 2017 | Cabinet reshuffle: Hunt re-appointed Health Secretary for record third time

[MoBeats]

Last nights attack will almost certainly hand the election to the Tories.

Depressingly predictable in its timing. I fully expect a passport to be found this morning.
It'll galvanise all the old racist feckers for sure. Thoughts go out to anyone involved.

 

[ThierryHenry]

Last nights attack will almost certainly hand the election to the Tories.

Likely, but similar sentiments after Jo Cox turned out to be untrue. It will obviously stunt any 'momentum' in the campaign though.

It should also mean any claims of JC being a terrorist sympathiser are stopped immediately. Anyone spreading such nonsense in light of last night has to be called out as an insensitive cretin.

 

[Oscie]

Might be an incredibly cynical way of looking at things but aside from the human tragedy I'm sure deep down the PM's advisors won't be disappointed that May's car crash of an interview with Andrew Neil on BBC One last night is now forgotten about in terms of the news agenda. She's awful on television. Even when she tries to pronounce the most simple words her face contorts like something out of a Ridley Scott movie. It's most bizarre.

 

[Kentonio]

Likely, but similar sentiments after Jo Cox turned out to be untrue. It will obviously stunt any 'momentum' in the campaign though.

It should also mean any claims of JC being a terrorist sympathiser are stopped immediately. Anyone spreading such nonsense in light of last night has to be called out as an insensitive cretin.

Facebook will be full of that shit by this afternoon unfortunately.

 

[altodevil]

Last nights attack will almost certainly hand the election to the Tories.

Yeah I think so - but might also help ukip?

 

[Oscie]

Nah UKIP are dead. UKIP was the Farage party. Whatever you think of him he was a very good communicator and was able to make people feel okay for disliking foreigners. Nuttall is a clown.

Could see Tories benefitting from it in a way that incumbents usually do at a time of national crisis/emergency. We forget how quickly news cycles change though. Not sure this'll have that much impact on the election.

 

[Ultimate Grib]

The horrific events will take away the focus from Theresas horrific interview.

 

[Oscie]

Whatever your views on Thatcher, Major, Blair and to some extent Brown, they were heavyweight figures of their time. I don't see any of that in Cameron, or May and not in any of the likes of Corbyn, Miliband and certainly not Farron. Maybe people seem more grand in hindsight but I think it's a long time since we've had a major political leader who, even though you might not agree with them, you wouldn't say they were awful at the job.

Sturgeon and Davidson in Scotland, even though I'm politically opposed to what both stand for, are the only two political leaders who in the UK who seem to be worthy of the job they hold.

 

[Tarrou]

Labour have drifted considerably in the betting since the attack, and maybe that was part of the reason for it. The timing is suspect isn't it?

 

[Raees]

Labour have drifted considerably in the betting since the attack, and maybe that was part of the reason for it. The timing is suspect isn't it?

Probably just a coincidence, but can't help but think it will definitely strengthen the hand of the Tories.. instead of focusing on how May responds to questions on her manifesto.. she can just focus on being stately the next week or so and bat away questions with saying it isn't the time or the place to be discussing politics right now.

Corbyn could probably use the angle that May has failed to make the country safer and that he has the way forward which would make the UK less susceptible to terror attacks, but he isn't cynical enough to do that.

 

[Adisa]

Likely, but similar sentiments after Jo Cox turned out to be untrue. It will obviously stunt any 'momentum' in the campaign though.

It should also mean any claims of JC being a terrorist sympathiser are stopped immediately. Anyone spreading such nonsense in light of last night has to be called out as an insensitive cretin.

The left and the right have different reactions to extremist incidents. Also determined by how they're covered in public. The very next day after the Jo Cox murder, papers were already talking about how the guy had been sick for ages.

 

[Kentonio]

The left and the right have different reactions to extremist incidents. Also determined by how they're covered in public. The very next day after the Jo Cox murder, papers were already talking about how the guy had been sick for ages.

Of course. If she'd been killed by a Muslim though, there would have been weeks of screaming about how our democracy was under attack by inhuman monsters and etc etc etc.

 

[montpelier]

she does deliver a good set-piece speech, comes across very well in that situation

 

[VeevaVee]

Last nights attack will almost certainly hand the election to the Tories.

The stupid thing is we would surely be in a better position to stop it all with Corbyn. But most people won't see that.

 

[lem8sh]

Might be an incredibly cynical way of looking at things but aside from the human tragedy I'm sure deep down the PM's advisors won't be disappointed that May's car crash of an interview with Andrew Neil on BBC One last night is now forgotten about in terms of the news agenda. She's awful on television. Even when she tries to pronounce the most simple words her face contorts like something out of a Ridley Scott movie. It's most bizarre.

Fact.

 

[Adisa]

Might be an incredibly cynical way of looking at things but aside from the human tragedy I'm sure deep down the PM's advisors won't be disappointed that May's car crash of an interview with Andrew Neil on BBC One last night is now forgotten about in terms of the news agenda. She's awful on television. Even when she tries to pronounce the most simple words her face contorts like something out of a Ridley Scott movie. It's most bizarre.

These politicians and their team are cnuts. So what you're saying is a given.

 

[Dobba]

Wonder if the right-wing vote will divide again.

 

[dumbo]

Didn't put much stock in the Corbyn come-back theme but I reckon he's certainly done now. May's Dementia Tax Horror Show has been overshadowed by events. We tend to react emotionally to these things and I suspect the vicious cnuts appear a better match up to Terrorism than hippie granddad and friends.

Burying good days in bad news.

 

[VeevaVee]

The Sun already using it 'subtly' here for political gain. Disgusting. Won't even post the link, but this is the headline. Posted today.

THE SUN SAYS
The harm done by Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell sucking up to the IRA
Labour pair were snivelling IRA fanboys as it unleashed slaughter on Britain

 

[Pexbo]

Wonder if the right-wing vote will divide again.

It would be an interesting turn of events if this was expected to shift favour back to the Tories but ended up spitting the votes they'd picked up from UKIP back to UKIP.

 

[Spark]

The Sun already using it 'subtly' here for political gain. Disgusting. Won't even post the link, but this is the headline. Posted today.

THE SUN SAYS
The harm done by Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell sucking up to the IRA
Labour pair were snivelling IRA fanboys as it unleashed slaughter on Britain

If there's the faintest silver lining, every comment on that article is laying into the Sun.

 

[ThierryHenry]

It would be an interesting turn of events if this was expected to shift favour back to the Tories but ended up spitting the votes they'd picked up from UKIP back to UKIP.

Requires Nuttall taking over the narrative in a similar way to Farage. Can't see that happening tbh.

 

[montpelier]

It would be an interesting turn of events if this was expected to shift favour back to the Tories but ended up spitting the votes they'd picked up from UKIP back to UKIP.

probably a general compensatory shift covers the losses of Con to UKIP & others, #JustGuessing

 

[FC Ronaldo]

The Sun already using it 'subtly' here for political gain. Disgusting. Won't even post the link, but this is the headline. Posted today.

THE SUN SAYS
The harm done by Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell sucking up to the IRA
Labour pair were snivelling IRA fanboys as it unleashed slaughter on Britain

The sickening sight of the Murdoch propoganda trail. Lies, lies, lies. The Guardian shot it down straight away on Twitter tbf to them.

 

[Phil Jones Face]

As encouraging as it is to see all this support for Corbyn on the campaign trail, I still expect a overwhelming Tory victory.

It feels like we live in a bubble sometimes and that the Caf is an echo chamber. How will this surge in Labour support/Tory gaffes resonate with older/rural voters? I doubt they'll have seen it, or if they have, care. They still predominantly rely on the old, Labour critical media. "Twitter? Who's he?"

It'll take the eventual Brexit and fallout or a more moderate Labour before we see the Tories out again imo.

 

[Nogbadthebad]

Manchester police budget has been cut severely under the Tories. It is not certain this will play well for may, or she even has the competence to do so in the first place.

That sun article will just galvanize labour support, because it is so obviously disgusting propaganda written in the blood of children.

 

[Dobba]

Corbyn could probably use the angle that May has failed to make the country safer and that he has the way forward which would make the UK less susceptible to terror attacks, but he isn't cynical enough to do that.

Yep. IMO he needs to push the fact the Tories are so eager to drop Leveson and point to the utterly appalling way the media have been hounding people, who have loved ones still missing, since last night's events. But, again, I don't think he's that sort of politician.

 

[hubbuh]

she does deliver a good set-piece speech, comes across very well in that situation

The small clip I saw I thought she looked terrible. It felt so disengenious and like she was really trying to evoke the expected reaction rather than it actually being sincere. Sounds incredibly cynical but everything about her feels orchestrated and she showed with Andrew Neil when it's put on her toes she doesn't have the guile or the competency to navigate her way through the situation.

 

[Oscie]

Racist humpty dumpty tweeted earlier on that his interview with Andrew Neil was cancelled.

Bit suspicious about the government announcing a halt to campaigning. If it's one day, fine but the Tories are having a diabolical campaign. They have a lot to gain from putting it on hold for as long as they can. For things like this it should be decided independently, I can imagine the chance to push pause for a few days is exactly what the Tories would want.

 

[Dobba]

The Tories will certainly be in no rush to get the campaigning going again.

 

[sun_tzu]

The Tories will certainly be in no rush to get the campaigning going again.

I don't know... when it kicks off I can imagine
Shoot to kill debacle will be revisited
Probably the whole negotiating with Isis and no doubt the old ira links being questioned.

I suspect the Tories can't wait for Corbyn to shoot himself in the foot again

 

[Ubik]

The Tories will certainly be in no rush to get the campaigning going again.

It is a very odd situation where May is in effect campaigning as PM on-the-job whilst the others can't get a look in, and it's the Tories that seemingly get to choose when to kick it off again.

That said, if there's genuine threat of another attack (and I presume this change is based on recommendations from the security services) then I'm not sure there's much else you can do.

 

[Dobba]

I don't know... when it kicks off I can imagine
Shoot to kill debacle will be revisited
Probably the whole negotiating with Isis and no doubt the old ira links being questioned.

I suspect the Tories can't wait for Corbyn to shoot himself in the foot again

So the big 'gotchas' are a lie by the BBC, something Corbyn's opponent in the last leadership election said and the same old bollocks. They're on to a winner there.

 

[SteveJ]

I suspect the Tories can't wait for Corbyn to shoot himself in the foot again

Because that's all they've got.

 

[Pexbo]

Seeing the Telegraph's daily fake news article on Corbyn, I have a funny feeling that the Telegraph is working alongside Cambridge Analytica much like the Right Wing news organisations were in America for Trump.

 

[Nick 0208 Ldn]

My view is that the terrorist attack will have the greatest electoral impact on the Tory base itself, as heretofore the manifesto had been the source of mixed feelings. Theresa May has still had a mostly uninspiring campaign, however, and the loss of the WFP is a readily quantifiable loss. The upcoming Q&A on the BBC is going to be a very challenging environment for her based on the most recent evidence.

If any politician is considering a strategy which overtly seeks to exploit the Manchester tragedy, i would expect consequences among mainstream public opinion.


Re: current hiatus in campaigning

It was reported earlier today that the Lib Dems expect to resume normal activity on Friday.

 

[DenisIrwin]

 

[ThierryHenry]

Are the SNP having a fairly poor campaign or am I too far away to accurately tell?

News of the attack on the nurse seems bizarre, I hope they're rightfully hurt by it.

 

[Smores]

If i was cynical id say the deployment of armed forces is certainly a political device aimed at her security weak opponent.

Its hard to care given the deaths of children tbh but any chance of limiting the tory victory have gone.

 

[Untied]

My view is that the terrorist attack will have the greatest electoral impact on the Tory base itself, as heretofore the manifesto had been the source of mixed feelings. Theresa May has still had a mostly uninspiring campaign, however, and the loss of the WFP is a readily quantifiable loss. The upcoming Q&A on the BBC is going to be a very challenging environment for her based on the most recent evidence.

If any politician is considering a strategy which overtly seeks to exploit the Manchester tragedy, i would expect consequences among mainstream public opinion.


Re: current hiatus in campaigning

It was reported earlier today that the Lib Dems expect to resume normal activity on Friday.

There is a risk to the Tories too. Their majority is going to be built on ex-UKIP voters. If Nuttall wants he could push the shameless Islamophobia for the next few weeks and bring some of those voters back