DoBelieveTheHype

There was a frankly odd little visual introduction to the tournament and then the host went on to say (i'm paraphrasing) 'not being held in a country the size of a continent, not being held in the middle of a pandemic and not being held in a country with no footballing history'... Think it's safe to say they're glad to see Germany as hosts.

Throwing shade at the last 3 major tournaments is one way to start.

Labour seem to be taking a more carrot than stick approach though - Reform are talking about stopping benefits after people inevitably get reassessed under them as fit to work.

Put the current results of this poll into Electoral Calculus for a laugh and it has the Tories on 1 seat. Lab 549 Lib - 55 SNP - 21 Plaid - 2 Tories - 1 Reform - 1 Oth - 2 NI 18

He knows he can promise whatever he wants as he doesn't have to deliver it. The rest of their benefits policy is pretty closely aligned to the disgusting 'claimant blame' attitude of the Tory party. The 2 million sick and disabled can simply 'be motivated back to work.' It also repeats the lie about people earning more on benefits than in work. The idea reform are left-wing on benefits is for the birds.

So the earliest the home of football can host another World Cup is 2042? A mere 76 years after it last hosted it. Yet the US can have it a mere 12 years after last hosting it despite football being a minority sport over there? No wonder we went for the Euros instead then. FIFA rules can look stupid at the best of times but this takes the mick. Especially giving the 2030 edition features games in South American and Africa so is hardly a 'European' games.

I'm also amazed we got awarded the 2028 Euros after the disaster that was hosting the 2020 final with all the people breaking in - hopefully Wembley and the police/security can cope with hosting a whole tournament - I remain to be convinced. Although if it does go well it might work in our favour to try and get the 2038 or 2042 World Cup. Who am I kidding? Qatar will probably get it again.

Who are you voting for?

Umbrella should win this by a landslide.

With the Reform party overtaking the Conservative Party is there any one on here who plans to vote Reform?

Because they've already announced all of it. I don't need to read the manifesto. The ageist policy on lords can get in the bin too.

First of many polls to show Reform ahead of the Tories you'd imagine.

The Tories are absolutely screwed. https://swingometer.substack.com/p/the-half...edRedirect=true

Just general mocking of it.

The Sky TV gaffe really seems to be cutting through to voters. I've overheard more people talk about than I heard talk about the D-Day gaffe last week. Just reaffirms peoples existing opinion of him being out of touch.

Getting incredibly close to that Conservative/Reform cross over.

4 votes in so far - just over a week to get yours in.

England seem to have a pretty good group. Going to buck the trend and say they'll get 9 points.

I've not read it but nothing in Labour's manifesto excites me to be honest. Can easily see them dropping a few more % in the polls over the next few weeks.

So much for a return to serious politics under Starmer.

I don't see the need for the laughing emoji. The reports I've seen clearly show him struggling when he's actually questioned even if I haven't actually seen the debates. I may vote Labour due to a good local MP but to be honest could end up voting Lib Dem.

I've managed to avoid all the debates including this one so far and will continue this streak until 4 July. That said Starmer's performance in them is making me reconsider voting Labour.

This might be overshadowed by the Euros but it's worth noting the Copa America is running from the 21 June to 15 July for those who want even more international football to cram into their days. Fixtures here.

One of Sunak's aides bet on the date of the election days before it was called. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/articl...re-announcement

They'll blame Reform voters for not voting Tory - ignoring the numerous elections they wouldn't have won if it wasn't for a split vote on the other side of the coin. I really hope they come 3rd or even 4th in popular vote-share just to hammer home the point the public is done with them.