Only two weeks to go until the end of the Tory leadership contest Only two weeks to go

Well, so it's Liz Truss. I am trying to think of something positive to say about her. I like her hair. It's a nice cut and with lovely assorted blonde highlights.

Disillusioned young Conservative members not happy with either of the choices according to a suggestion I read?

I find the concept of 600 spoilt papers interesting. Out of such a small number of electors, seems quite a lot. Any idea?

Conservatives Conservative MPs (I bet you knew that)

Regarding the election of the Conservative Party Leader, nothing has changed. A Conservative won. We still have the problems they have caused us for over a decade.

We need a General Election but won't get that instantly. Remember, whatever they say now, only 200 of the 357 Conservatives openly backed her.

But when he ‘rescues’ the country from Truss, people will see him as the best thing since sliced bread, and will vote for him at next GE. People have short memories! It’s utterly depressing how many people, even now, are saying ‘Boris did a good job’. This is my worst nightmare coming to life.

But that doesn’t get them another term in government. He’s have to call an election, and he’d lose.

Indeed. I’m not surprised the majority of Tory party members have voted against what would be best for the country, but why have they voted against their own party’s best interests, since Truss is so unpopular with the wider electorate?

Because it’s all part of their plan to ‘Bring Back Boris’! Truss WILL make a hash of it; Tory party will get rid of her leading to another leadership election; Johnson will stand; Tory membership (many of whom idolise him) will vote for him. KerChing - Big Dog back in No 10

Well you got Liz Truss. Hope she doesn’t truss everyone up like a lot of turkeys!

Fleurpepper

Gawd help us !!!

Indeed. I’m not surprised the majority of Tory party members have voted against what would be best for the country, but why have they voted against their own party’s best interests, since Truss is so unpopular with the wider electorate?

Gawd help us !!!

Allsorts

Rosie agree with you. I don't post as not a staunch Labour at any cost person, I don't see things just black and white.

Why would "not being Labour at any cost" stop you from posting? Many posting on this thread and the forum are not, including me.

I see the need for a Labour majority at the next election but not an unfettered Labour government. My political view (democratic centralist) would push me towards that to move things away from the far-right not to have "Labour at any cost", whatever you may mean by that.

I can't work out which post you were replying to, by the way. It does help if you either quote it (using the "quote" button) or reference the date and time at the top of that post

Allsorts

Rosie agree with you. I don't post as not a staunch Labour at any cost person, I don't see things just black and white.

A great many on this thread said they were happy to vote for Lib Dems, SNP, or Greens- but tactically so not to split the vote. How does that make any of the 'staunch Labour at any cost persons' - or 'see things in black and white?

DaisyAnne

That was said at the beginning because they had set it up so that, if there were two votes under the same name, the second would be the one that counted Oldnproud. I thought they had decided not to make changes of mind possible. However, I can't find anywhere that says that happened. We shall have to see.

It's only a couple of weeks since my husband was told this, so if they did remove that possibility, it seems they mustn't have made a good job of letting their party members know.

Rosie agree with you. I don't post as not a staunch Labour at any cost person, I don't see things just black and white.

That was said at the beginning because they had set it up so that, if there were two votes under the same name, the second would be the one that counted Oldnproud. I thought they had decided not to make changes of mind possible. However, I can't find anywhere that says that happened. We shall have to see.

A Conservative party member told my DH that those who voted earlier were allowed to vote again if they changed their minds before the closing date.
Assuming that's correct, let's hope that some of the earlier votes in favour of Truss have since been replaced by ones for Sunak!

He is also talking about people - political talking heads - wondering if the Tories want to lose the next election. There are thoughts that this is why they will not increase the opportunities to have more doctors and nurses. Because they take a while to train, the increase in numbers would be delayed and enhance the Labour party if they are in power.

No party would put themselves ahead of the good of the country to that extent, would they?

Just listening to someone talking about internal Labour polling showing that the more people know Liz Truss the less they think well of her. We always need to remember that many people will not yet know much about her. They are not as obsessed interested in politics as we show we are, simply by being on this thread.

According to a poll by Opinium Truss is losing her appeal to Tory voters very quickly.

"The latest polling by Opinium for the Observer shows that whereas 49% of people who voted Tory in 2019 had believed Truss “looks like a prime minister in waiting” at the beginning of August, this had dropped to just 31% by 30 August.

Similarly while 55% said she was competent at the start of August, this had dropped to 35% among 2019 Tory voters by the end of the month. And while 52% of the same voters thought she was likeable at the start of August, only 31% felt that way by the end of the month.

The earlier poll, published on 3 August, came after Truss had two weeks of being talked about as the frontrunner having won her way through to the final runoff among party members, against the former chancellor, Rishi Sunak.

By contrast the later poll came after weeks of alarming stories about energy bills and a lack of clarity from both Truss and Sunak about how they would help people. In the same period the Labour party had published its proposals to freeze energy bills in the autumn, protecting people from 80% increases, which initially helped its poll standing.

While Truss’s ratings on a range of questions had fallen sharply in August, those for Sunak had declined by far less. Remarkably, 35% of 2019 Tory voters said in the later poll – towards the end of the leadership contest – that Sunak “looks like a prime minister in waiting” – while only 31% had that view of Truss.

The poll suggests Truss may have benefited from the fact that many party members cast their votes early in August before the decline in her ratings.

James Crouch of Opinium said: “If Liz Truss becomes prime minister on Monday, this will be because she caught the interest of Conservatives at a pivotal point in the campaign. However, she will arrive in Downing Street with much of that initial enthusiasm on the wane, seen even by Conservatives as out of touch and with unpopular views.”

She isn't old though, she's only 50.

I know most of realise that it’s not easy to lose weight as we get older but Coffey could at least attempt to look healthy.

She needs to read the French Chic thread, and take note.

If the rumours are true, this is our next health secretary.

Should have added