2016 Conservative Leadership Election

[Benji]

A few years ago on Question Time, Will Self was saying that MPs are manipulative and would stab their colleagues in the back if it helped their own career, Michael Gove was on the same panel and refuted the claim passionately. Funny how that one turned out.

 

[Pagnell]

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

Bit disconcerting that Murdoch can just remove a candidate he doesn't like so easily.

 

[Abertawe]

Bit disconcerting that Murdoch can just remove a candidate he doesn't like so easily.

That's how the world works son.

 

[Pagnell]

'Everyone respects Theresa May' - Michael Ellis

Shut the fuck up.

 

[Abertawe]

'Shut the fuck up' - Pagnell

Shut the fuck up.

 

[Cheese & Biscuits]

http://www.thepoke.co.uk/2016/06/30/theresa-may-is-mom-from-futurama-this-is-fact-dont-at-me/

 

[Alty]

The supposedly 'moderate' Theresa May.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices...hes-no-progressive-conservative-a7109121.html

This is weak as piss. Like the whole of the Conservative Party, she stood on a manifesto promising to get immigration down to a net figure in the tens of thousands per year. A very popular policy throughout the country including with Labour voters. The only thing marking May out from the others in the race is she actually had to do something about the promise. It was impossible, of course. Partly because of FMOP rules and partly because it was such an about turn from the policies of the previous decade, but this hardly marks her out as "extreme".

The IP Bill is controversial but, rest assured, most of the establishment support it because they're scared shitless about the prospect of a massive terrorist event that could have been prevented. There are various safeguards in the bill. I don't claim the bill is perfect, but nor is it some evil plot on the Home Secretary's part. Even if we were to believe the authorities wanted to trawl through all the porn you watch and forums you spout on, there would be nowhere near enough time. The information would be stored away in preparation for the unlikely event that you come under suspicion of terrorist activity.

She's also done a fair bit I would have thought liberals would like: Hillsborough inquiry; modern slavery work; combatting FGM. And a voting record that includes supporting gay marriage.

I trust May to make a decent fist of the Brexit negotiations and think she'd be a decent, calm and authoritative leader. She isn't exactly my cup of tea (I'm one of those nutters who actually thought Ed Miliband was okay) but I'm genuinely baffled by anyone thinking she'd oh so dreadful and just as bad as Boris or Gove.

 

[Alty]

Looking like support for Fox is very weak. Today is likely to be a damp squib. Thursday is when things get interesting.

 

[Abertawe]

Going through the voting records of these lot is grim. It's a dire state when May looks to be the most desirable option.

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

Going through the voting records of these lot is grim. It's a dire state when May looks to be the most desirable option.

Yup. Although she seems by far the most desirable of the five...

Leadsom looks horrific.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Yup. Although she seems by far the most desirable of the five...

Leadsom looks horrific.

Why?

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

Why?

Check out her views on employees rights

 

[Abertawe]

Why?

I naively thought she'd be a good bet after I heard a two minute snippet of what a respectable career in banking & finance she's had. Then I scanned through her voting history, scary stuff.

 

[DarkSithLord]

I naively thought she'd be a good bet after I heard a two minute snippet of what a respectable career in banking & finance she's had. Then I scanned through her voting history, scary stuff.

That would make two of us then! But as previously mentioned the voting history of the all the candidates makes for bleak reading.

 

[Benji]

Ken Clarke has had his say.

 

[Alty]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36717447

Ha!

 

[DarkSithLord]

Stephen Crabb pulls out so we are down to three.....

 

[T.A]

This is very exciting.

 

[GodsGift]

Stephen Crabb pulls out so we are down to three.....

I'd prefer to say he's stepped aside. Theresa May is in such a good position she must be pinching herself.

 

[Alty]

I'd prefer to say he's stepped aside. Theresa May is in such a good position she must be pinching herself.

Guaranteed a spot in the membership vote, but also guaranteed to be up against a Brexiteer. Not a foregone conclusion bearing in mind Tory members are a Eurosceptic bunch.

Still think she's the best candidate.

 

[smat]

I think a Leaver will prevail. Possibly The Disgraced Liam Fox.

First out, baby [emoji41]

 

[GodsGift]

Guaranteed a spot in the membership vote, but also guaranteed to be up against a Brexiteer. Not a foregone conclusion bearing in mind Tory members are a Eurosceptic bunch.

Still think she's the best candidate.

Sorry, my post wasn't entirely serious. I was making an obviously poorly judged crab(b) joke.

But yeah, May will win it.

 

[Alty]

Sorry, my post wasn't entirely serious. I was making an obviously poorly judged crab(b) joke.

But yeah, May will win it.

*facepalm*

The fault is all mine. Altybot fails again.

 

[Kopper]

A few years ago on Question Time, Will Self was saying that MPs are manipulative and would stab their colleagues in the back if it helped their own career, Michael Gove was on the same panel and refuted the claim passionately. Funny how that one turned out.

A lot of people are buying into this treacherous Gove story. I believe Boris Johnson didn't want to become PM and have to trigger article 50. The safest way to scupper this plan without losing credibility was to have Gove declare himself as a candidate for the leadership. A leadership that'll result in him becoming Prime Minister. A job he's already said he doesn't want.

Neither will he get as he doesn't have the numbers to challenge.

Theresa May gets to become PM and trigger article 50. She gets to deal with the shit storm that brings.
The new PM is cornered from the outset. If the new PM opts for the single market approach she'll be seen to have betrayed the referendum. If she doesn't, the economy will fall into the crapper. Either way the next PM is a dead woman walking.
Boris will undoubtedly be seen as a saviour when he challenges her for the leadership. Obviously once she's done the hard graft and paid for the consequences with her political career.

 

[silkyman]

Andrea Leadsom says criticism of her CV is 'ridiculous', and she didn't have to put up with this nonsense when she was an astronaut.

 

[silkyman]

That's how the world works son.

So unelected beaurocrats in Brussels telling out govt what to do is bad, but billionaire press barons doing it from New York or wherever the fuck Murdoch lives, is 'just the way of the world'?

 

[Abertawe]

So unelected beaurocrats in Brussels telling out govt what to do is bad, but billionaire press barons doing it from New York or wherever the fuck Murdoch lives, is 'just the way of the world'?

It's maggots like you who vote for the tories and Blair labour that have given the press barons the power they have in the first place. I swear people like you are incapable of thought.

 

[shane]

"Maggots"

 

[shane]

I just had a look and like many said above, Leadsom's voting record really is terrifying.