General Election 2024

Who got your vote?

  • Labour

    Votes: 147 54.2%

  • Conservative

    Votes: 5 1.8%

  • Lib Dem

    Votes: 25 9.2%

  • Green

    Votes: 48 17.7%

  • Reform

    Votes: 11 4.1%

  • SNP

    Votes: 5 1.8%

  • Plaid Cymru

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Independent

    Votes: 8 3.0%

  • UK resident but not voting

    Votes: 18 6.6%

  • Spoiled my ballot

    Votes: 3 1.1%
  • Total voters
    271
  • Poll closed .
Status
Not open for further replies.
711 said:
BBC reporting Diane Abbott has had the whip restored.

I guess that means she won't be able to campaign for Jeremy. Can't decide if that's funny or not.
Click to expand...
According to the Beeb she's been offered the whip provided that she steps down as an MP at the election. The Guardian are reporting that Labour are looking at three potential candidates to choose from for her seat at the election.

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

I understand Diane Abbott was given the Labour whip back today.
She had been suspended as a Labour MP over comments she made about race in a newspaper last year.
The suspension made her ineligible to stand as a Labour candidate at this election.
Party officials had tried to broker a deal by which she would not run again in return for the whip being restored.
It’s not clear if she has accepted that arrangement, but for now she is once again a Labour MP.
Click to expand...
 
A white Labour candidate who publicly apologised after saying he had the “worst tan possible for a black man” at a Black History Month event privately dismissed criticism as being “part of a smear campaign” against him.

Despite apologising for what he called “extremely stupid and embarrassing” comments in 2022, a leaked email appears to show Barking candidate Darren Rodwell playing down the remarks when confronted by a constituent.

“What I can tell you [is] it was part of a smear campaign against me”, he wrote.

Rodwell is the leader of Barking and Dagenham Council and is standing to succeed Labour veteran Margaret Hodge as MP for Barking.

A Labour spokesperson said the party had "dealt with this matter at the time in line with its rules and procedures".

“Darren Rodwell offered an unreserved apology for these remarks when the video was first circulated in 2022," the spokesperson added.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ck558ky6273o
 
Frosty said:
What a generous offer.
Click to expand...
'Thanks for such a long and illustrious political career, but you're too far on the left for our "center politics" party that includes a bunch of folk on the right. Kindly please feck off and be quiet when doing so. But thanks again!'
 
Mr Pigeon said:
'Thanks for such a long and illustrious political career, but you're too far on the left for our "center politics" party that includes a bunch of folk on the right. Kindly please feck off and be quiet when doing so. But thanks again!'
Click to expand...

I am reminding myself that Blair in 1997 had Ken Livingstone, Diane Abbott, Bernie Grant, George Galloway, Jeremy Corbyn, Tony Benn, Jon McDonnell and goodness knows who else as Labour MPs.
 
Mr Pigeon said:
According to the Beeb she's been offered the whip provided that she steps down as an MP at the election. The Guardian are reporting that Labour are looking at three potential candidates to choose from for her seat at the election.
Click to expand...
Yeah I read the bit about not standing again but they didn't seem to know one way or the other and it seems unlikely she would agree just as the parliament was closing anyway, she wouldn't really be gaining anything. I wouldn't be surprised if she announces it's bollocks tomorrow.
 
Frosty said:
I am reminding myself that Blair in 1997 had Ken Livingstone, Diane Abbott, Bernie Grant, George Galloway, Jeremy Corbyn, Tony Benn, Jon McDonnell and goodness knows who else as Labour MPs.
Click to expand...
Ah, that would be the famous Tory Tony Blair, who led the most Tory Labour party?

Diane Abbot is seen as too dangerous to keep because she'll be weaponised by right wing press, and Starmer is too afraid to let that happen. "He's not making the same mistakes as Corbyn". Yes, true. But if he can't even reinstate a single politician then he'll never enact any change that will make a difference in our society for fear of angering some fat old Australian dickhead and his dickhead family.

But I keep going back to the sad reality that I'd rather live in hope that there's enough lefties in the party remaining, or society will force us to shift a bit further back to the old center, and take a chance on Labour than let the Tories pick the bones of the carcass that used to be a functioning country that wasn't built on division and food banks.
 
Last edited:
711 said:
Yeah I read the bit about not standing again but they didn't seem to know one way or the other and it seems unlikely she would agree just as the parliament was closing anyway, she wouldn't really be gaining anything. I wouldn't be surprised if she announces it's bollocks tomorrow.
Click to expand...
If it is bollocks then we'll know what the Beebs position is going to be at the election. I can't help but notice that Rayner, who has had plenty of headlines in recent months stating her guilt on the BBC, is missing from the front page now that she's been acquitted.
 
Mr Pigeon said:
If it is bollocks then we'll know what the Beebs position is going to be at the election. I can't help but notice that Rayner, who has had plenty of headlines in recent months stating her guilt on the BBC, is missing from the front page now that she's been acquitted.
Click to expand...
Good point. I keep meaning to do a tick list of the number of times Kuenssberg interrupts Labour politicians compared to Tory but I'm a bit too lazy. Maybe I'm just paranoid anyway.
 
Mr Pigeon said:
Ah, that would be the famous Tory Tony Blair, who led the most Tory Labour party?

Diane Abbot is seen as too dangerous to keep because she'll be weaponised by right wing press, and Starmer is too afraid to let that happen. "He's not making the same mistakes as Corbyn". Yes, true. But if he can't even reinstate a single politician then he'll never enact any change that will make a difference in our society for fear of angering some fat old Australian dickhead and his dickhead family.

But I keep going back to the sad reality that I'd rather live in hope that there's enough lefties in the party remaining, or society will force us to shift a bit further back to the old center, and take a chance on Labour than let the Tories pick the bones of the carcass that used to be a functioning country that wasn't built on division and food banks.
Click to expand...

I kind of detest Blair. But he’s still the best PM of my lifetime and the only one that genuinely made the majority of peoples lives better.

Most/All of Starmers goals are to the left of Blair.

You and I can despair at the fact they’re not far left enough. But it’s a 4-6 term task to get there. Or a 6 term out of 8 task. In great global economic conditions.

We’ll be close to death before we ever see it. And this we have to lower expectations. Sadly.
 
It’s New Labour all the way down!
GOkhDOrXMAAQdTJ
 
Rolandofgilead said:
Abbott says she barred from standing for labour. As expected.

Will be interesting watching the fallout.
Click to expand...

Ignoring the neccesary politics of it all for a moment, it's been so badly handled. It also seems to be completely against the findings about the disciplinary procedures. They've kept her around just so they could use her as an announcement once the election was called, so fecked up.
 
Smores said:
Ignoring the neccesary politics of it all for a moment, it's been so badly handled. It also seems to be completely against the findings about the disciplinary procedures. They've kept her around just so they could use her as an announcement once the election was called, so fecked up.
Click to expand...
Yeah I agree.

Political decisions aside, it's been handled terribly.
 
Rolandofgilead said:
Yeah I agree.

Political decisions aside, it's been handled terribly.
Click to expand...
I was thinking only two days back "gee, I wonder how long it'll take Labour to feck up what is an open goal election" and now we've got this shite.
 
Smores said:
Ignoring the neccesary politics of it all for a moment, it's been so badly handled. It also seems to be completely against the findings about the disciplinary procedures. They've kept her around just so they could use her as an announcement once the election was called, so fecked up.
Click to expand...

Yes, bringing back the popular cultural icon just in time to save the election.

Makes so much sense
 
Sweet Square said:
It won’t work though. It’s basically just PFI from the Mayor/Blair years.
Click to expand...
Why won't it work? How would you stimulate investment into the many infrastructure projects we need? It doesn't feel like it's plausible to fund it with extra borrowing at this time, maybe in 3-5 years we'll be in a better environment to that end.
 
To be honest, I think the focus on planning reform + increasing private sector investment is going to be the best political change that has happened to the country in a long time. Genuinely makes me pretty excited for the long-term potential of the Starmer government. It's bizarre that it's not being focused on, but it feels like the most significant outcome of the election.
 
Sweet Square said:
GOrITalXIAANjcE
Click to expand...
The commentary on tax is the part of the Starmer campaign I like much less. They'll need to significantly increase taxes through this parliament, they know that, and not being honest about that fact in an election they're going to win by a landslide is stupid, and going to create problems/ opposition attack lines for them down the line.

I can only think that there's another secret windfall/ stealth tax that they have planned for down the line. But most likely, just defensive politics.
 
Labour lead stands at 27 points in the first exclusive poll for Sky News of the election campaign.

 
Dobba said:
Iain Dale has left his LBC show to spend more time wresting pensioners to the ground.

Sorry, to run for parliament.
Click to expand...

That's a curious move for him, unless he knows who the next tory party leader will be.

Also shows that there is a huge hole of MP candidates that tories need to fill, I bet we will see plenty of opportunism and desperate moves - my prediction for most desperate addition is on either Tony Devenish or Susan Hall.
 
Mr Pigeon said:
I was thinking only two days back "gee, I wonder how long it'll take Labour to feck up what is an open goal election" and now we've got this shite.
Click to expand...
I'm not convinced it's going to be a massive deal in the end. But it definitely could have been handled a lot better and far more efficiently.

I did say and still believe it was the correct thing to do politically. But logically if Starmer had perhaps had a meeting with both Corbyn and Abbott the three could have maybe reached some kind of compromise. But off the top of my head, the only way I can imagine that going down is to offer them both a chance to resign and stands as independents. Realistically though I still think both would still try and make things as difficult as possible for Starmer.

So, he let's them stay and attack lines are very quickly drawn up by the Tories regarding national security.

I feel Starmer was damned if he did and damned if he didn't here.

EDIT: Kier Syarmer has now said she has NOT been barred from standing.
 
Last edited:
ZupZup said:
This is so detached from reality. I am pretty sure Starmer has recently done the one thing that will ensure a huge amount of attention is taken away from the Tories when he forced Corbyn to stand in Islington North against Labour as an independent. Do you not realise how much media attention that is going to get? It’s going to be a massive sideshow and all because of a political decision Starmer chose to make… the media attention surrounding anything Abbott does won’t even be a drop in the ocean compared to what Starmer has just unleashed himself.
Click to expand...

You are having a laugh.....'forced ' Corbyn to stand as an independent :lol:

The reality is that yes it will get some attention, that is precisely why Jeremy is 'choosing' to stand as an independent, against the party he once led (admittedly, almost to oblivion) .

The reality is that yes Diane Abbot should to be allowed to leave Westminster as a Labour MP, and by restoring the whip that's what she will get.

The reality is that yes as opposed to Jeremy, who over the years almost always voted against the Labour party's official line (on almost everything), Diane Abbot has served Labour well over the years, but in recent times she lost her grip and embarrassed herself and the Party and should be advised (by her friends) not to seek to stand as Labour MP.

The reality is that yes there will be some coverage (as with Jeremy) if Diane Abbot decide's to stand as an independent, but like the Jeremy 'road show' it would, for most voters, be seen as a 'side show'.
 
UnrelatedPsuedo said:
It’s all good man. While we disagree, I do respect your responses, regardless of how snippy I may sound. It’s cool to not all think the same thing.

I do think that underfunding schools and them turning to shit, causes more people to pay for private schools.

I honestly don’t care if Eton et al exist forever. Rich people want to exist outside the system and that desire will always be met.

It’s free market capitalists not being able to make a school work outside of tax breaks that angers me. If a school that’s stuffed to the gills with money can’t make it work, the answer isn’t to not charge them VAT. It’s to realise that the state school system is broken and we need to throw money at it.

Most of the complaining about VAT increases come from people that are paying for kids to go to a school that they don’t belong in. The vast majority of parents of kids in those schools will just swallow the cost. It’s the ‘poorest’ in the school that we’re hearing from. It’s irrelevant.

But thanks for indulging me. I know I can sound insufferable on some topics.
Click to expand...

No problem. I do have a vested interest too but not one i'm going to go into on here :wenger:

I did see one solution which would probably placate all but the most dogmatic socialists; make fees tax deductible. Virtually remove the VAT for parents who pay through earnings whilst still collecting it for overseas students, trust fund kids etc. You don't penalise those parents who are trying to give their own kids a better start than they had whilst still collecting the extra from the inter generational old money, stupidly wealthy etc.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.