Smint

To be fair there's quite a lot of pro trans MPs in the commons, obviously mainly in opposition parties but even some Tories are fully pro trans - Caroline Nokes is the most prominent but several others (Theresa May wanted to make life easier for trans people don't' forget). Yet Sunak pick someone who despises trans people as equalities minister. Like putting Rosemary West in charge of childcare say. I don't even think most Tory MPs are really anti trans personally - but it's the type of prejudice that people get away with because it's an easy target which enrages a small amount of the people with very little if any fightback from the trans people themselves (and they don't have lobby groups protecting them). And when their policies are failing, they bring out the culture wars card. Grim.

Initial polls for the first days of Sunak are NOT showing a significant bounce for him. You Gov lead went from a ridiculous Labour lead of 37 down to 28 but a Redfield Wilton went from 33 to 32 point lead. The previous polls were taken at the chaotic time of Truss resigning so Tories were at an extraordinarily low. And the austerity has yet to bite hard. Coupled with ridiculous decisions to place Braverman in a high position.

Agreed but also even more surprised at 'SOS' being as low as 32 with a similar instantly recognisable sample. That felt massive at the time and for a good while after.

The only 2 non collab Rihanna songs I would choose to listen to are 'Russian Roulette' (very dark and haunting) and 'Diamonds' (quite beautiful but that's a Sia song). Rest if ok but just not wild about.

I'm guessing pretty horrific, sadly, although they do have a lot more people in favour of trans rights than against, it's just a very loud foul minority. An example being this ghastly Tory MP Lee Anderson who made these comments about potential Labour candidate Eddie Izzard. Playground bully aptly describes him. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/oc...ut-eddie-izzard

True. The Billboard chart is quite ruthless when an artist can be excluded from the chart usually for good by an another artist's album bomb. In the UK it tends to be artists that knock themselves out by having over 3 popular hits at the same time!

I hope and pray and optimistically think that the Tories will lose this next one. God help us if they don't.

Sadly because she's a darling of the hard right and thinks he has to keep them sweet. But even if he had to play that hand he should have gone for Badenoch as she's more competent and hasn't broken the ministerial code (that I know of).

And as people have said on this forum Gavin Williamson must really know where the bodies are buried! Why on earth would people bring back this incompetent, not especially popular with the right (unlike Braverman say) sack of turd back into public life?

There are a few ok ones (bearing in mind this is the Tories) - Hunt, Mercer, Tugendhat and good he got rid of Mogg and Simon Clarke too but loads of rubbish from the past - Raab, Dowden, Jenrick, keeping Coffey and Braverman high up. And anti trans bigot Kemi Badenoch is now equalities minister as well as Trade. Not good for the LGBT community.

Well that's a mistake. She's unhinged and popular as a cancer wart. Not to mention disloyal.

In a way Sunak has positives and negatives in terms of holding up the Tory vote. As alluded to in this thread, the UKIPers who all voted for Johnson in 2019 (especially in seats where the Brexit Party didn't stand) may not vote for Sunak as a lot of the appeal was the dogwhistle xenophobia of Johnson and many dislike and distrust Sunak. However, it does put pressure on Labour to put some red water between them and the Tories in terms of policy. Their huge leads in the polls are due to the chaotic politics of Johnson (eventually) and Truss (From the complete start, the public couldn't stand her even if she had turned out to be competent). So Starmer didn't have to say much and just appear professional and calm. But now there isn't that much between them in terms of major policy (not going to reverse Brexit, tough on immigration, anti Climate change protestors, not commiting to inflationary pay for NHS workers etc etc) if Sunak is in anyway competent, even if policy hurts the poorest the most, the electorate would probably vote Tory again as that's the party the elderly like in this country, and the buggers all turn out and vote.

Lol at Johnson saying "I had the numbers but decided not to run anyway" line.. lying arrogant toad to the last. Interesting to see a lot of the far right/GB News crowd are now incandescent with rage and laying into Sunak as a 'WEF, Globalist Snake" - and many of the comments are saying he's not really British. Wonder if that will eat into the Tory vote share that hoovered up in 2019 a lot of the UKIP/Brexit Party type vote. They might not vote or there may be a resurgent far right party.

The momentum seems to all be with Sunak and rumours abound of a Johnson surrender this weekend. Torn between not wanting this embarrassing, damaging, basket case situation of hideous leaders to go on vs the inevitable destruction of the Tory party and big Labour win if Johnson gets back in... I'm verging to the latter emotionally although head says Sunak should be PM.

Really good track and lol at the suggestion that non festive tracks shouldn't be released in October nowadays because of Christmas. I mean (and know these aren't Buzzjack's favourite artists) DBE's 'Overseas' and ArrDee's 'Flowers' both released late last year had two top 10 runs, a pre Christmas and a new year rebound giving extra longevity.

Tbh I still expect tactical voting to hold in the South West and certain posh towns in Surrey, Oxfordshire etc... I hope Starmer doesn't get to agressive and rule out a pact. Nothing to be ashamed of - I think everyone who votes for either of the two parties will want the Tories out so even if the RW press try it and smear it as 'Coalition of Chaos' or 'Backroom deals' answer would be 'Yes SO?' 39 point lead though - my God!

Opinium poll showing Johnson isn't wanted. Overnight we ran three head-to-heads between the most likely Conservative leadership candidates. The results were: > Sunak 45% vs 23% for Mordaunt > Sunak 44% vs 31% for Johnson > Mordaunt 36% vs 33% for Johnson

It's all a personality cult - luckily most people in this country now would happily change the 'l' to an 'n' when talking about Johnson (sorry, hope that doesn't break the recent advice re language here!) He's lazy, flip flops all the time, liar and now about half of his MPs hate him. Unless he changes drastically (which I don't believe he wants to or is capable of) Starmer doesn't have much to worry about. Yes the lead might go from 30 points to 15 but that's good enough for me.

I think he will - there doesn't seem to be any momentum for the likes of Braverman and Badenoch (wisely as they would make Truss seem like Ms Popularity,l especially Braverman) so the hard right will go ahead and nominate him like they did Truss (especially as anonymous). Then add the loyalists to him who think he's their best bet electorally.

To be honest, I think it's far better he gets in and loses for the Tories rather than someone more competent like Mordaunt or Sunak. Completely destroy his legacy by defeat in the General Election rather than him being this "big beast" who becomes this legendary hero who can run again in future.

Initial MPs nomination information have him in the lead with 36 nominations ahead of Sunak's 26 so don't count on him missing it. More than enough loons in the Parliamentary party.

dp

Well if it is Johnson (hate it when people call him Boris) then so be it. He is not popular and has to handle a horrific intray and he'll no doubt make a huge hash of things again. He has to manage the fact that the ultra right wing cabal is not popular with the electorate and the markets hate their ideals but that they are very powerful. It's the party that will get trounced again. And at least on the brightside there will not be some other undeserving twunt getting an annual 6 figure 'Service' pay for a few months of chaos (assuming he doesn't get paid it twice).

He would easily win any membership vote sadly - would be such a farce though.

Won't be Sunak as just too hated. Mordaunt possibly but even then the right wing/ERG will want Badenoch. I think Mordaunt would win against Badenoch in a vote by the Party Membership. Interesting to see if the right wing press will lessen their intense criticism of her.