Snap General Election called

[francoisfou]

Is Macron doing a Sunak, but calling time 2 years early in this case?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/artic ... exit-polls

Seems crazy, and irresponsible.

He’s taking a hell of a risk and could well find himself with a Prime Minister from the extreme right. But the French have only themselves to blame as nearly half the electorate stayed at home sitting on their backside and couldn’t be bothered to vote.

[Which Tyler]

Just throwing it out there, but... Might Macron actually be acting morally?
I mean, the European Election vote makes it pretty clear indication that he doesn't have a mandate from the populous.
Doesn't that make it... the right thing to do, to see who the French people actually want as their president?

I know virtually none of us want a LeStylo presidency, and are alarmed by the continuing rise of the far right; but if we're democracy, and that's the will of the people, then... isn't it what should happen?

And yes, I know how ludicrous it is to even think that a high-powered politician acting in conscience rather than self-interest.

[Puja]

Just throwing it out there, but... Might Macron actually be acting morally?
I mean, the European Election vote makes it pretty clear indication that he doesn't have a mandate from the populous.
Doesn't that make it... the right thing to do, to see who the French people actually want as their president?

I know virtually none of us want a LeStylo presidency, and are alarmed by the continuing rise of the far right; but if we're democracy, and that's the will of the people, then... isn't it what should happen?

And yes, I know how ludicrous it is to even think that a high-powered politician acting in conscience rather than self-interest.

He may also think that it's better to get the far right government out of the way with him as President to temper its excesses for the first three years?

Puja

[francoisfou]

Just throwing it out there, but... Might Macron actually be acting morally?
I mean, the European Election vote makes it pretty clear indication that he doesn't have a mandate from the populous.
Doesn't that make it... the right thing to do, to see who the French people actually want as their president?

I know virtually none of us want a LeStylo presidency, and are alarmed by the continuing rise of the far right; but if we're democracy, and that's the will of the people, then... isn't it what should happen?

And yes, I know how ludicrous it is to even think that a high-powered politician acting in conscience rather than self-interest.

He may also think that it's better to get the far right government out of the way with him as President to temper its excesses for the first three years?

Puja

But if he's a lame duck President with a "Peniste" (careful with the pronunciation) Prime Minister and cabinet, he'll surely have his work cut out to temper the excesses.

[Stom]

Meanwhile, in Hungary, where it was local elections alongside the european...

the equivalent of the Monster Raving Loony Party won a mayorship in the capital.

The Two Tailed Dog Party won the 12th district election.

Just to show you how far the opposition has fallen.

And in the EU elections, Fidesz got 11 seats, the guy who founded his party in April got 7!, and the coalition of opposition parties got 2 between 3 of them...

Yeah, a friend of ours resigned from his party over their opposition coalition with another party, and it's made the whole thing fall apart.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Meanwhile, in Hungary, where it was local elections alongside the european...

the equivalent of the Monster Raving Loony Party won a mayorship in the capital.

The Two Tailed Dog Party won the 12th district election.

Just to show you how far the opposition has fallen.

And in the EU elections, Fidesz got 11 seats, the guy who founded his party in April got 7!, and the coalition of opposition parties got 2 between 3 of them...

Yeah, a friend of ours resigned from his party over their opposition coalition with another party, and it's made the whole thing fall apart.

I wish Count Binface would stand in a 'winnable' seat for once. But he (or it??) usually stands against the Prime Minister. Actually that probably does make it a winnable seat, what am I talking about??

[Puja]

Meanwhile, in Hungary, where it was local elections alongside the european...

the equivalent of the Monster Raving Loony Party won a mayorship in the capital.

The Two Tailed Dog Party won the 12th district election.

Just to show you how far the opposition has fallen.

And in the EU elections, Fidesz got 11 seats, the guy who founded his party in April got 7!, and the coalition of opposition parties got 2 between 3 of them...

Yeah, a friend of ours resigned from his party over their opposition coalition with another party, and it's made the whole thing fall apart.

I wish Count Binface would stand in a 'winnable' seat for once. But he (or it??) usually stands against the Prime Minister. Actually that probably does make it a winnable seat, what am I talking about??

I believe Count Binface's pronouns are he/him, although I would be happy if they were Count Binface/Count Binface.

Puja

[Sandydragon]

Meanwhile, in Hungary, where it was local elections alongside the european...

the equivalent of the Monster Raving Loony Party won a mayorship in the capital.

The Two Tailed Dog Party won the 12th district election.

Just to show you how far the opposition has fallen.

And in the EU elections, Fidesz got 11 seats, the guy who founded his party in April got 7!, and the coalition of opposition parties got 2 between 3 of them...

Yeah, a friend of ours resigned from his party over their opposition coalition with another party, and it's made the whole thing fall apart.

I wish Count Binface would stand in a 'winnable' seat for once. But he (or it??) usually stands against the Prime Minister. Actually that probably does make it a winnable seat, what am I talking about??

I believe Count Binface's pronouns are he/him, although I would be happy if they were Count Binface/Count Binface.

Puja

In all seriousness, that would be the upset to end all upsets of Binface (Lord Binface if he were to pull it off) could unseat or just beat Sunak.

Come on, that HAS to be worth a social media campaign

[Son of Mathonwy]

I wish Count Binface would stand in a 'winnable' seat for once. But he (or it??) usually stands against the Prime Minister. Actually that probably does make it a winnable seat, what am I talking about??

I believe Count Binface's pronouns are he/him, although I would be happy if they were Count Binface/Count Binface.

Puja

In all seriousness, that would be the upset to end all upsets of Binface (Lord Binface if he were to pull it off) could unseat or just beat Sunak.

Come on, that HAS to be worth a social media campaign

I'm sure Sunak has a few more gaffes left in him. He can make it happen!

[Puja]

I'm surprised that Starmer isn't going harder on the Tories being unable to keep a leader in place. Surely an easy attack line would be, "Sunak's claiming he'd do this and that - how can he make promises for the next Parliament when the Tory party could oust him any minute? Last election people voted for Boris Johnson and got Liz Truss! And then nobody at all voted for Rishi Sunak, but they got him anyway!"

Puja

[Son of Mathonwy]

I'm surprised that Starmer isn't going harder on the Tories being unable to keep a leader in place. Surely an easy attack line would be, "Sunak's claiming he'd do this and that - how can he make promises for the next Parliament when the Tory party could oust him any minute? Last election people voted for Boris Johnson and got Liz Truss! And then nobody at all voted for Rishi Sunak, but they got him anyway!"

Puja

For many potential Tory voters the prospect of Sunak being removed isn't that unattractive. Especially those who jumped to FarageUK.

[Mikey Brown]

Yeah I don’t think the threat of ditching Sunak will mean much to any of them.

Starmer framing the Tory manifesto as ‘Corbyn-like’ is possibly a smart move in terms of rhetoric amongst conservatives, but he really is a fucking weasel.

[Banquo]

Yeah I don’t think the threat of ditching Sunak will mean much to any of them.

Starmer framing the Tory manifesto as ‘Corbyn-like’ is possibly a smart move in terms of rhetoric amongst conservatives, but he really is a fucking weasel.

slightly odd as he campaigned for Corbyn's manifesto, having supported his non stance on brexit. He needs to be a bit careful tbh.

[Sandydragon]

So the objects thrown at Farage have been upgraded from milkshakes to cans and bits of cement (apparently).

Farage is a gigantic twat but this not only gives him free propaganda, it also sets a dangerous precedence for assaulting MPs and candidates in general that we should be steering clear of.

[Mikey Brown]

What precedent is being set? Haven’t people been arrested for it?

[Sandydragon]

What precedent is being set? Haven’t people been arrested for it?

Yes and that’s a good thing. But considering the support on here for throwing a milkshake over Farage last weeks, I’m curious where the red line is.

[Mikey Brown]

Was it really even support? I just feel like if you’re choosing to be the biggest cunt in the world then of course somebody is going to have a disproportionate/inappropriate reaction to it.

I agree it’s not at all helpful, but I’m struggling to care much either way, as it seems to have been dealt with.

It might increase the use of the phrase “so much for the tolerant left” I suppose, which is pretty annoying to be fair.

[Puja]

What precedent is being set? Haven’t people been arrested for it?

Yes and that’s a good thing. But considering the support on here for throwing a milkshake over Farage last weeks, I’m curious where the red line is.

I'd say the red line is the same place I put it last week - a milkshake is an embarrassing and messy form of protest. I would also accept (uncanned) soup, water, and bubble bath. Anything which has the potential to hurt or damage is clearly unacceptable.

Why would you think the red line would be anywhere else?

Puja

[Sandydragon]

What precedent is being set? Haven’t people been arrested for it?

Yes and that’s a good thing. But considering the support on here for throwing a milkshake over Farage last weeks, I’m curious where the red line is.

I'd say the red line is the same place I put it last week - a milkshake is an embarrassing and messy form of protest. I would also accept (uncanned) soup, water, and bubble bath. Anything which has the potential to hurt or damage is clearly unacceptable.

Why would you think the red line would be anywhere else?

Puja

I don’t regard assault n any form as acceptable, which would include throwing a milkshake over someone else. Even for someone like Farage. That’s my red line.

[Which Tyler]

Personally, I condemned the throwing of the milkshake, but asking those who condone, or don't care, where their red line is, is surely disingenuous.
It's bloody obvious.

There's a huge difference between "something harmless" and "something harmful".

[Puja]

Personally, I condemned the throwing of the milkshake, but asking those who condone, or don't care, where their red line is, is surely disingenuous.
It's bloody obvious.

There's a huge difference between "something harmless" and "something harmful".

Nail -> Head and articulated much better than I said it.

I should have said, "Why would you think *my* red line would be anywhere else?" as that would've been much clearer.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Please tell me that's a deep fake - it has to be, surely.

Is he really blaming D-day for being a few minutes late to his interview?

[Puja]

Just an absolute car crash. The panic in his eyes as the interviewer asks, "So what did you have to without? Can you give me an example of something you sacrificed," as he babbles and tries to extemporise, and then settles on "Sky TV" as an example of his underprivileged upbringing, before desperately swerving back to his preprepared lines of dialogue.

With the way ITV are trailing this, I'm wondering if they have even worse material and this interview is a Prince Andrew level of debacle. Even if they haven't, "Famously Sky TV" is easily as bad as "Running through fields of wheat."

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

If any of you are thinking about (re)watching The Thick of It, now is a good time. Still painfully on point. There's a bit in the first episode I think where they almost schedule a press conference that clashes with the two minutes silence for remembrance day.

[Sandydragon]

Please tell me that's a deep fake - it has to be, surely.

Is he really blaming D-day for being a few minutes late to his interview?

Christ almighty. If that's true then how tin eared can one person be?