8 June

[rendelharris]

Forgot about that (the fixed term act), good point.

[keano77]

Oh dear, what a mess

A lame duck PM with no mandate to represent the UK in Brexit talks. Even if she resigned a new Conservative leader still would not be able to claim a mandate.

Brenda from Bristol must be pulling her hair out

[Louisa]

If no second election is called, which would be for the good of the country in these Brexit negotiations to try and sort out a working stable majority government, the only other option would be for the Tories to have a brutal and bloodied leadership election, and try to build some sort of 'electable' situation to take to the people in five years time. Seems highly unlikely. Country is in chaos. Again.

Louisa.

[edhistory]

Unidentified radio commentatrix said Mrs May got the election date wrong.

She should have selected 15 May when the university and polytechnic students would have returned home.

[Jeremy]

I know that the result is better than most Labour supporters were expecting.

But surely it's still a missed opportunity. Conservatives/May ran a terrible campaign. A more moderate version of the Labour party would have probably won a majority. Then we really would be in a position to do something about NHS and education spending!

[nxjen]

Jeremy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I know that the result is better than most Labour

> supporters were expecting.

>

> But surely it's still a missed opportunity.

> Conservatives/May ran a terrible campaign. A more

> moderate version of the Labour party would have

> probably won a majority. Then we really would be

> in a position to do something about NHS and

> education spending!

A lot of commentators are saying it is to a large extent the newly registered younger voters who are responsible for the high labour vote. Would these younger voters have been inspired to vote for a more moderate Labour Party?

[DulwichFox]

Teresa May called an Election because she thought she would get a Landslide Victory and strengthen her leadership.

That has backfired and she is now less of a Prime Minister than she was before.

Sadly there is no one strong enough to gain an overall majority.

DulwichFox

[JoeLeg]

Louisa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> If no second election is called, which would be

> for the good of the country in these Brexit

> negotiations to try and sort out a working stable

> majority government, the only other option would

> be for the Tories to have a brutal and bloodied

> leadership election, and try to build some sort of

> 'electable' situation to take to the people in

> five years time. Seems highly unlikely. Country is

> in chaos. Again.

>

> Louisa.

But they need 66% of MP's to agree to an early election. Can you really see that many non-Tory MP's giving up the chance to kick the Tories? I can't.

Unless they can be persuaded 'for the good of the country', but then will the Tories want to take the chance?

[Green Goose]

red devil Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Green Goose Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

>

> > I reckon you will lose your bet. It will be

> much

> > closer to, if not, a hung parliament. The young

> > (naive & idealistic) voters are highly

> motivated

> > this time and will be a major factor.

>

> Goosey calling it right...

I?ve come in for a bit of opprobrium in the forum (some of it understandable) from a few who disagreed with my robust take on certain issues, so your acknowledgement of my forecast is appreciated.

How did I call it, you may ask? Let me start by saying I voted, but neither Tory or Labour.

I took a totally objective stance (some may say cynical) and assessed only key factors. In descending order of importance here?s what I rated.

1. The word on the street was that many, many more youngsters were registering to vote than ever before. They are na?ve and idealistic. They are heavily into social media where there is lots of fake tweets created by twitterbots.

2. Many voters go for the party that will give them a positive pecuniary outcome. They will compromise their ideals if there is a financial benefit. That said, the biggie (for the new voters and their parents) was scrapping tuition fees and wiping out earlier tuition debt. Then there was the triple lock and the winter fuel allowance and scares about senior bus passes. Few understand that, just like with credit cards, govts cannot just keep on borrowing to meet day to day expenses ? debt always bites you in the bum in the end.

3. The middle-aged and elderly are mostly influenced by TV coverage. The coverage, as always, was biased against the Tories ? e.g. sneering Laura Keunnesberg.

4. TM came across as weak and did U-turns. She depended solely on Fiona Hill & Nick Timothy, her advisors, who got the strategy wrong and they sidelined Lynton Crosby who is a known winner. They didn?t exploit the dangers of nationalisation, union influence and fiscal indiscipline. They made Brexit an issue when they need not have done. They didn?t attack Labour,

5. JC surprised everybody by coming across as a cuddly avuncular type who could be trusted.

6. Never, ever be influenced by the bookies odds. They make money, almost always. They would have pulled in a massive amount with their offer of 1/4 on for a Con overall majority. Getting a 25% return on your money is not bad at all.

Now guess who I voted for.

[TheCat]

So does anyone know anything about the DUP?, who may end up deciding the fate of this country....i've read comments that they're a bunch of ultra-conservative religious fanatics...a northern irish version of UKIP if you will....but I personally have no idea, and guess it depends on who you ask...

[JoeLeg]

Couldn't give a monkeys GG. Your vote, your business.

Though I will say if you think social media fake tweets etc are solely the preserve of the young left wingers that you do look down on (great way to bring them round to your view), then you're just as naive as them.

[Loz]

(one quick post...!)

Best result possible.

The Tories' hard Brexit is dead (maybe even Brexit itself), but Corbyn's irresponsible spending plans don't see the light of day either. Lib Dems back in (partial) control of the balance of power.

May will be gone soon. If she doesn't go voluntarily, then she'll be pushed.

Labour still don't have a lot to celebrate. In footballing terms, they were expected to lose 10-nil, but they only lost 5-nil. They question is: have they peaked?

If the Tories were gamblers, they'd stand back and let Corbyn take over, because it is going to be an utter shambles for whoever moves into No 10. But I suspect Tory gambling days are over for a while...

Unlike the others here, I can see us back to the polls within a year or so. All it takes is for whoever gets the reins of power to turn a commons vote into a vote of no confidence and we're back to the booths. Governing with a minority government is difficult, if not impossible.

[Jules-and-Boo]

Labour did exceptionally well, particularly given the lack of confidence a year ago.

Give them time to prove themselves and they will grow.

This vote was not based on record of achievements, but promises and hope. If that is delivered, it will set the future for them.

[DulwichFox]

In a couple of hours time, Teresa May will go to Buckingham Palace to seek permission

from The Queen to form a Government. Can The Queen refuse her. Has that ever happened ?

DulwichFox

[Jenny1]

I was trying to dodge the election result until this afternoon - but I opened an email that I thought was about something else. So glad I did - this is all very interesting.

Very funny tweet from Hadley Freeman - Pity the poor soul this morning who will have to explain 'hung parliament' to Trump.

[edhistory]

Loz Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> The Tories' hard Brexit is dead (maybe even Brexit

> itself)

>

I heard on the radio that the Article 50 timetable makes a "hard" Brexit more likely.

[JoeLeg]

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> In a couple of hours time, Teresa May will go to

> Buckingham Palace to seek permission

> from The Queen to form a Government. Can The

> Queen refuse her. Has that ever happened ?

>

> DulwichFox

In theory, yes. But Brenda tends not to interfere like that. Far more likely she will have some choice words for May.

[leminks]

.

[pato]

Even now She would not Leave..She is a remainer!! She never leaves :)

..Hopefully another U Turn. MAYbe last one

[JoeLeg]

edhistory Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Loz Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

>

> >

> > The Tories' hard Brexit is dead (maybe even

> Brexit

> > itself)

> >

>

> I heard on the radio that the Article 50 timetable

> makes a "hard" Brexit more likely.

Well I suppose it becomes even more of a game of chicken.

Right now, today, we are perceived as weak and disorganised. We have limited time and if the EU try to squeeze us it's plausible the govt may respond by going hard Brexit. Yes, I suppose it's possible.

[Jules-and-Boo]

weak and without Leadership was the comment from one country yesterday. Sweden?

[Jeremy]

nxjen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> A lot of commentators are saying it is to a large

> extent the newly registered younger voters who are

> responsible for the high labour vote. Would these

> younger voters have been inspired to vote for a

> more moderate Labour Party?

I believe many of them would, yes. As long as they're focussing on the right things - NHS, education, fighting against "hard brexit" (or brexit altogether?). The main things which concern many of us about the last (and likely next) administration.

[sjsl]

Would love to be a fly on the wall at the Brenda May meeting...

[pato]

I think election shows the country not very happy about 2 things..

1)hard brexit

2)scottish independence..

Whoever gonna deal with Brexit needs to understands her mistake. Person in charge needs to take the referendum vote into account. Not only the 52% but also the 48%. PM is the prime minister of the country not the PM of the 52%

Never mind about negotiations. It s another lie. there will be no negotiations

Few weeks ago former Greek PM had a brilliant interview on bbc radio5 explaining why there will not be no negotiations as there was no negotiations for them

EU is trying to say it for a very long time there will be no negotiations. They be saying for very long time ...but she said they wanted interfere with general election.....

She would not listen. not the 48% of the country..no the whatever percentage of the 52% that anyway did not want an extreme brexit...not the 27 countries that are trying to explain to her there will be no negotiations..

That s her problem. She would not listen rather I believe a PM should be precisely that person that can read, smell and feel what the country wants and find a way that makes everybody happy with what they need and want

HM the Queen is not the Queen of the conservative only, or the 52%only etc. She is the Queen of a Kingdom so it should be the PM

Rather than pulling the country together she just broke it

[BrandNewGuy]

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> In a couple of hours time, Teresa May will go to

> Buckingham Palace to seek permission

> from The Queen to form a Government. Can The

> Queen refuse her. Has that ever happened ?

>

> DulwichFox

No and no. The only time there was a difficult decision to make was when Macmillan was ousted in 1963 in mid-term. The Queen (and her advisors) made it clear that she'd wait until a convincing leader emerged from the Tory infighting. Eventually Alec Douglas-Home told her that he could form a cabinet and gain the confidence of the Commons. If it had been left to the vote of Tory MPs from the moment Macmillan resigned, Rab Butler might well have won and become PM.