Andrea Leadsom

Let's hope the Conservative Party members think the same.

I'm not sure you're allowed to write 'bitch'. I was told off by one poster for calling her a 'nasty piece of work' a couple of weeks ago - and that was based on her policies and shallowness, before I even knew about the massaged CV, the dodgy trust funds or her obsession with being a 'mum' and babies.

If not allowed it will be deleted but It's the truth.

Leadsom is certainly making a song and dance about the Times report.

She ought to learn that a dignified silence says more about your strong character than all the screeching that she is doing.

I will be astounded if she gets the vote.

I think it says a lot about her character. Rather than apologising for being misunderstood and any offence she's caused, she's gone into overdrive about how she's being smeared and victimised. It's all "me me me". It's not a very mature repsonse.

I will be more than astounded, but nothing much surprises me any more.

Isobel Hardman on why Leadsom's comments could still be turned to her advantage.
It all depends on what influences the Tory membership.

I have read comments for many years but this is the first time I have felt strongly enough to comment myself. This woman since she first emerged has appeared shallow and playing to the galleries. I pray the grassroots membership see through her. I am getting fed up hearing the next PM HAS to be a Brexit supporter. No it doesn't! This vote is for PM of the UK which is about a heck of a lot more than leaving the EU. She has never held a cabinet post and is totally lacking in experience. Ah but say her supporters, David Cameron and Tony Blair had little experience. The big difference in their cases was they were in opposition when they became leader so they had years to learn their craft. Going straight in as PM is no job for an novice. So far we know she only decided to run because Boris failed to provide a written guarantee of a top post for her. She supports another vote on foxhunting, she is against gay marriage (or she may be for it since she voted for both, Children of single parents tend to turn out to be drug addicts or criminals, she is against maternity/paternity leave, pensions and various other benefits for employees of small businesses, she doesn't think the collapse in the value of the pound is a bad thing....and that is before we get onto her embellished CV and questionable past tax actions. I can't help thinking that this is a woman who says what she thinks her audience wants to hear. I have yet to hear anything from her that convinces me she is suitable for any cabinet post never mind PM. I shudder to think what will happen if she is elected. This may seem unkind but I can't help thinking of Donald Trump - all soundbites and no substance. I thought there was no chance of him being elected in November but it seems anything is possible.

I will be quite surprised if she doesnt get the vote.

And a person should keep a dignified silence if they think their words have been taken out of context in a national or for that matter, local newspaper?
Most people do not even do that on gransnet!!

I will be quite surprised if she doesn't get the vote

And I will be surprised if she DOES.
Leadsom has show herself up remarkably quickly as naive, inexperienced, over-eager to impress with exactly the opposite consequences. Even dyed in the wool Tories and "Leavers" such as the Telegraph and politicians such as Priti Patel, Liam Fox etc have spoken in favour of May and against Leadsom. Not PM. material.

Can you accept now obieone that this is not a stitch up by the media?

Most people aren't trying to be PM. Just highlights the woman's naivety and her lack of media awareness. I would be totally shocked if AL wins the contest, but given the total mad vacuum we are in at the moment who knows.

Imagine the incompetence of the woman. Dear oh dear. Mind you given what we've had to endure recently.

I havent seen the full transcript anywhere yet. So until I have, no.

Welcome our of the shadows Maglil. The problem is that Leadsom comes across as a lot more charming and personable than May. Even John Major, who was characterised as being "grey", came across as a lot more lively. (and certainly does these days!)
Also the demographic of the 150,000 Tory Party members who will vote for the leader is strongly reminiscent of the profile of those who voted to Leave. It's possible that there is a strong anti EU bias amongst the members.
I understand May has been quietly going around the country meeting the membership over the last year. I wonder if she comes across any differently in that situation.

Did you listen to the interview obieone?? (I gave you a link)
The rest of the country which has either read it in full in The Tines, extracts in other papers or heard the salient parts seem on no doubt.Your attitude reminds me of a certain "doubting Thomas"

JessM It worries me that people find her "charming". Having said that I didn't get the attraction of Boris either (at least not as a potential PM). I had 39 years in Financial Services and I had major doubts about her experience in Finance based on comments she made. Take that away and what are you left with? For any job there has to be key competencies and skills and this is surely even more important for the role of PM. I feel very, very sad about the prospects for this country. We are seeing similar vitriolic rants from some Brexiteers as we experienced from the so called Cybernats post IndyRef in Scotland. It does come from a minority but it is a sizable minority. The rise of these extreme groups should be a major cause for concern. I know they concern me.

anniebach
Not sure that is the right word!
DD's two bitches are very sweet, but have now retreated to their baskets, very upset.
Neither is a mum yet btw.

Manipulative? Unscrupulous? Naive?
Or having her strings pulled by someone who thinks she has charisma and appeal and who wants a puppet PM?

I've felt over the past few weeks that I, perhaps, need to insert a babelfish in my ear ....

I have heard that just before the referendum more than 95% of comments on social media were pro-brexit, in part due to the large donations (from Arron Banks and other unaccountable brexiteer millionaires) being used to employ trolls to post their poisonous and dishonest rhetoric day and night, (in the same way as the SNP cybernats).

If this is true, is this the only way that future political campaigns can be won? Such a depressing and dispiriting thought.

I hadn't heard of Andrea Leadsom before she stood up as a potential PM. I would have thought Theresa May's childlessness, although regretted, gives her an edge, since she won't have any childcare issues to distract her from her job. That's rather like a man, even in today's slightly more enlightened times! Cynical? Moi?

Good post, maglil.

My 18 year old son felt the same as you. Obviously, he's only a teenager, but he does have a huge interest in economics. He was supposed to be doing work experience at the Bank of England this Summer, but he's broken his leg and can't go - he's gutted. I also worked for Reuters Economic Services many years ago, so picked up something of the way about how markets, etc. work. I would expect a real economist to use some technical terms, but she just doesn't.

It was only my son's gut feeling, but he couldn't understand why anybody who was supposed to know so much about financial services couldn't answer any questions directly and was making financial 'promises' she must have known to be empty promises. She also said that she didn't see any immediate financial implications of BREXIT. Anybody with any knowledge about major change MUST have known there would be implications one way or the other. She comes over as somebody who has a good knowledge of the 'Noddy Book of Economics'.

Just think a few weeks ago we thought Boris as PM was the worst thing that could happen. Now we have the possibility of AL should we start a petition to Bring Back Boris?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Sorry, not funny but

(I heard you from miles away dd!)

Maybe if AL gets in she will give him a job- Boris as the new chancellor dd?

Go for it Andrea! Fresh blood is what is required! May sits on the fence.

Andrea Loathsome has shown herself to be completely and utterly unsuitable for PM. This is the most serious political situation for several generations and the country needs someone with experience to steer us out of the mire we find ourselves in. If this woman cant even see when she is being tricked by a Times journalist into saying things which are controversial, then she has no place in government let alone on the world stage. As for her silly little claims about it being unfair, just grow up and leave the big jobs to the grown ups. She is either very very stupid, and cannot see that the others who got us into this mess are leaving fast ( apart from the grinning sinister child catcher Ian Duncan-Smith), or she is maniacally deluded and really thinks that she is the one for the job. I could weep.