So who will accept the poisoned chalice?

winterwhite

Yes I agree, GSM, that JH isn’t dependent on his parl salary but that was largely what I meant. He was chancellor and bore more responsibility than most for the financial situation. To use his own money to augment his own campaign, and then sit at home and not help his party doesn’t look well to me.

How on earth do you know that he sat at home and didn’t help his party? Pure fiction. He has helped his party by retaining a seat they were predicted to lose. Good for him putting his hand in his pocket. He could just have decided not to bother, like many others, but he didn’t.

How many will pour in in the next two years? And the next?

Many more than in the past I think. Lord knows how they can possibly be housed or what it will cost to feed them, or how much more their lawyers will trouser out of the meagre legal aid budget. But now that we have lefty lawyers in government …

I agree with Germanshepherdsmum regarding Jeremy Hunt saving his seat, credit to him for caring enough to use his own money to help his campaign. As he doesn’t intend to run for the leadership his motives must be assumed to be that he cares enough about his party to want to be involved in determining its future. It will be interesting to see who he backs for the leadership campaign

GSM
Labour know that the public gaze, whether pro labour or not, will be firmly focused on their ability/inability to solve the problem.

The GBP want to know what solving the problem will mean with regard to the housing problem, school places, food banks etc for people who live here.

I’m not so sure about priorities Mollygo. The number who voted for Reform, which is essentially just anti-immigration, was truly astonishing. I doubt anyone expected that.

Just re Jeremy Hunt again and your 'how on earth do you know', GSM.
In the run-up to the election there were frequent press comments along the lines of 'Where is Jeremy Hunt?'. We probably read different papers - mine are the Guardian and the little 'i' - but my comment was by no means 'pure fiction'. That's all.

I don’t rely on press comments, I prefer facts. He obviously wanted to continue in public service, to the extent of putting his own money towards his campaign. That can only indicate his desire to continue to serve the public- he isn’t interested in being leader of the party so obviously he just wants to continue to serve the public. Honourable, I would say.

Germanshepherdsmum

I’m not so sure about priorities Mollygo. The number who voted for Reform, which is essentially just anti-immigration, was truly astonishing. I doubt anyone expected that.

UKIP under Farage received 3.9 Million votes in 2015.

Reform UK under Farage received 4 Million votes in 2024.

UKIP was all about leaving the EU. Reform’s platform is uncontrolled immigration.

I apologise for not reading all the posts but in answer to the question I think Tom Tugenhat might be what is referred to as a safe pair of hands. He is well liked personally. I am sure Rishi will stick around long enough to give everyone a chance to think straight (for a change). Plenty of time now to reflect on it all.

Germanshepherdsmum

winterwhite

Yes I agree, GSM, that JH isn’t dependent on his parl salary but that was largely what I meant. He was chancellor and bore more responsibility than most for the financial situation. To use his own money to augment his own campaign, and then sit at home and not help his party doesn’t look well to me.

How on earth do you know that he sat at home and didn’t help his party? Pure fiction. He has helped his party by retaining a seat they were predicted to lose. Good for him putting his hand in his pocket. He could just have decided not to bother, like many others, but he didn’t.

Jeremy Hunt knew his seat was on a knife-edge and campaigned vigorously in his constituency. He was not just sitting at home doing nothing, he was out and about talking to local people and listening to their views.

He was chancellor and bore more responsibility than most for the financial situation

That was down to Truss and Kwarteng plus world events out of our control. He had a big task on his hands.

Starmer hopefully is a steady pair of hands. I’m no fan but do hope he can continue to control the more left wing and anti semitic elements of the party. He is no Tony Blair, thank heavens! That man hoodwinked us all with his charm but did so much long term damage to the country that we are continuing to live with today.

Ditto

I have voted for the same party for 50 years because it is the only party that cares only for Wales,
although I am fully aware they will not be successful in my constituency.

Callistemon213

^He was chancellor and bore more responsibility than most for the financial situation^

That was down to Truss and Kwarteng plus world events out of our control. He had a big task on his hands.

Jeremy Hunt was crafty he put OAP pensions up with the Triple Lock but failed to increase personal allowances making some pensioners forced to pay tax for the first time. One of the reasons they lost my vote. He thought the public were stupid and wouldn't notice.

They should never have got rid of Suella Braverman as Home Secretary and they should have supported Lee Anderson that's why voters switched to Reform in their thousands me included.

Suella Braverman would have been my choice for Leader and I would have voted for her.

Nicenanny3’s post exemplifies exactly what a tough task the new leader will have. I really think they will need time to unpick what went wrong and why, and what audience they want to support them.
My outside view on it is that the loud shouters on the right don’t represent what the majority of the electorate want or will vote for, as most people are at heart moderate. If Labour do succeed in reducing immigration, I just don’t see that the ‘issue’ masses who have deserted the Tories and dispersed to other parties will return to vote Tory if they move to the right. But what do I know.

KS is being compared to Tony Blair!!! He doesn't have anything like the charisma.
Charisma isn’t exactly what this country needs at this moment in time.

Totally agree MayBe70
Our new PM is his own person- I wouldn’t liken him to anyone.

If I was going to liken Keir to anyone it would be Gabriel Oak. I think the electorate have spent too many years being seduced by Captain Troy’s when all the time it was obvious that Gabriel was the one to go for!

Dear NiceNanny3

Suella Braverman has been my MP for the last too many years - thank God the Boundary Commission moved the boundary so that I no longer have to be ‘represented’ by the most divisive, offensive and utterly hopeless local MP there has ever been.

She did nothing for Fareham and is almost never here. The general picture here where she is supposed to represent local folks is that I am Suella Braverman, career woman - what is YOUR hobby?’ !

Neilspurgeon0

Dear NiceNanny3

Suella Braverman has been my MP for the last too many years - thank God the Boundary Commission moved the boundary so that I no longer have to be ‘represented’ by the most divisive, offensive and utterly hopeless local MP there has ever been.

She did nothing for Fareham and is almost never here. The general picture here where she is supposed to represent local folks is that I am Suella Braverman, career woman - what is YOUR hobby?’ !

Well her constituents voted her in again. Who came 2nd and third?

Aveline

He was a decent and serious young man. We were all glad of him during lockdown. I don't like to see him denigrated. There are far worse than him.

👏👏👏👏👏

luluaugust

I apologise for not reading all the posts but in answer to the question I think Tom Tugenhat might be what is referred to as a safe pair of hands. He is well liked personally. I am sure Rishi will stick around long enough to give everyone a chance to think straight (for a change). Plenty of time now to reflect on it all.

I hope that Tom Tugenhat is considered - I think he represents moderate Conservative views and will be able to draw a clear line between Conservatives and Reform. If we get Braverman that won't happen. I'm L Party but would far rather see a proper opposition not Reform-lite.