What should Sunak do now?

No idea and I don't care what he does - the Tories will lose the next GE.

It could be out of his hands anyway - just heard someone called David Campbell Bannerman, who chairs the Conservative Democratic Organisation, which is basically a group wanting to reinstate Johnson, who apparently was ' badly treated' by his party!

No clue what Sunk will do.

I don't think that we'll have a GE.

I do miss politicians of old. Looking back with rose tinted glasses maybe but politics seemed to be more interesting.

I would have liked Angela Rayner as leader. I know she's not popular but I like her.

Angela Rayner? 😱

Angela Rayner guarantees a tory win

I have a sneaking admiration for Rayner, for all her faults.

Given her background and lack of formal education she certainly holds her own in Parliament and is a far feistier performer than Starmer at PMQs.

So much power in the hands of Angela Rayner is a scary prospect. She might be feisty but do we need that? Basic competence is welcome…. Not seen it yet.

Sunak is going to find a way to make everyone feel much better off about 3 months before the general election… not sure how but I have a gut feeling that is the plan!

ronib

So much power in the hands of Angela Rayner is a scary prospect. She might be feisty but do we need that? Basic competence is welcome…. Not seen it yet.

Sunak is going to find a way to make everyone feel much better off about 3 months before the general election… not sure how but I have a gut feeling that is the plan!

There are no rabbits that big ronib.

The strange thing about Sunak is that his politics are that of the far right but because he’s such a mild mannered sort of person the electorate tend to think of him as right of centre. They also tend to forget that he was happy to go along with everything that Johnson did until he realised that he was supporting a politician that was on his way out and then helped to bring about his downfall. Not imo out of decency but to save his own skin and further his own career.

Casdon maybe you don’t remember some time way back when there was a lull and the economy had a miraculous recovery about 3months before an election. Only for it to be unrecognisable about the next fortnight… I can’t remember if that was Labour or Conservative.

ronib

Casdon maybe you don’t remember some time way back when there was a lull and the economy had a miraculous recovery about 3months before an election. Only for it to be unrecognisable about the next fortnight… I can’t remember if that was Labour or Conservative.

The economy alone isn’t a big enough rabbit this time ronib, the level of disillusionment about the country going down the tubes is so great now. That’s why people are voting for any of the other major parties rather than vote Tory.

Good

ronib

So much power in the hands of Angela Rayner is a scary prospect. She might be feisty but do we need that? Basic competence is welcome…. Not seen it yet.

Sunak is going to find a way to make everyone feel much better off about 3 months before the general election… not sure how but I have a gut feeling that is the plan!

Why is it a gut feeling? It’s classic Conservative election tactics.

That might have been in the days when everything worked much better, ronib. When everyone could get a GP appointment and NHS dental treatment and our seas and rivers weren't full of sh*t t and we had modest pay increases every year, and we had enough policemen and the courts worked properly etc.

Then a tax cut bribe might have worked. But I don't think it will now..

Drawing on experience.. this has happened before. Just can’t quite remember when . Feel good factor before the election and definitely paid for it very quickly afterwards.

MaizieD more of the same isn’t what will get us out of the huge mess we’re in.,,

Sunak, Starmer, Davey... who knows what any of these bland, uninspiring figures will do next? Whatever they do, not one of them has convinced me that they have the ability to lead us back to prosperity. I'm pushing 80 now, and I honestly can't remember the last time we had such an impotent, ineffective and visionless bunch of politicians in "the Mother of Parliaments". Our democracy used to be something we could rightly be proud of, and we had true status and respect on the world stage. Just look at us now, adrift in a sea of troubles, widely disrespected abroad, with no capable hand at the wheel, and no prospect of even a new hand doing any better. You may understandably think that whoever takes over next time around couldn't possibly do any worse, but I wish I could be that confident. Depressing times, and what's worse, many people don't even seem to care. 35% appears to be about the average, apathetic turnout for this latest poll. OK, historically that may rise to 60 to 65% in a G.E., but it's still unimpressive. Maybe we deserve what we get...

NanaDana

Sunak, Starmer, Davey... who knows what any of these bland, uninspiring figures will do next? Whatever they do, not one of them has convinced me that they have the ability to lead us back to prosperity. I'm pushing 80 now, and I honestly can't remember the last time we had such an impotent, ineffective and visionless bunch of politicians in "the Mother of Parliaments". Our democracy used to be something we could rightly be proud of, and we had true status and respect on the world stage. Just look at us now, adrift in a sea of troubles, widely disrespected abroad, with no capable hand at the wheel, and no prospect of even a new hand doing any better. You may understandably think that whoever takes over next time around couldn't possibly do any worse, but I wish I could be that confident. Depressing times, and what's worse, many people don't even seem to care. 35% appears to be about the average, apathetic turnout for this latest poll. OK, historically that may rise to 60 to 65% in a G.E., but it's still unimpressive. Maybe we deserve what we get...

Out of interest you tell me which MP’s, PM’s you have found inspiring. And, isn’t it about more than prosperity? Isn’t the way we treat people just as important?

Sweeties will be predictably be offered just before the election, and few will be believed. This why I support Starmer making very few "promises"in advance.... Obviously a properly laid out election manifesto but its far too early for that especially since so much is changing so fast.

I'm rather fed up of Big Personalities and would prefer someone who gets on with the job and very much what MayBee70 has just said,

"And, isn’t it about more than prosperity? Isn’t the way we treat people just as important?".

Starmer has already set "well-being" as a key target (I know as I am in a small L Party group trying to work out best MH policies for the next election and "population well being" (just as in some Scandinavain countries) has already been declared as as much a key aim as "growth".

As regards voting turnout, I'm very concerned indeed. I'll copy this from another thread as its far more relevant here

"The figures aren't available yet, (for today's results) I checked 30 mins ago. I expect we will find out when all the results are in. In some ways that's as important as results.

Once we have constant figures under 30% it gets quite scary as to the future of our country, the non participation and lack of interest especially the young.

A lot of us grew up knowing that women had relatively recently got the vote, that it wasn't so far in the past that only property owning men could vote, and that it mattered very much indeed, and that it was a matter of pride we lived in a democracy and "had a say":

but when this belief slips, and conspiracy theories abound on social media, its truly worrying".

MayBee70

NanaDana

Sunak, Starmer, Davey... who knows what any of these bland, uninspiring figures will do next? Whatever they do, not one of them has convinced me that they have the ability to lead us back to prosperity. I'm pushing 80 now, and I honestly can't remember the last time we had such an impotent, ineffective and visionless bunch of politicians in "the Mother of Parliaments". Our democracy used to be something we could rightly be proud of, and we had true status and respect on the world stage. Just look at us now, adrift in a sea of troubles, widely disrespected abroad, with no capable hand at the wheel, and no prospect of even a new hand doing any better. You may understandably think that whoever takes over next time around couldn't possibly do any worse, but I wish I could be that confident. Depressing times, and what's worse, many people don't even seem to care. 35% appears to be about the average, apathetic turnout for this latest poll. OK, historically that may rise to 60 to 65% in a G.E., but it's still unimpressive. Maybe we deserve what we get...

Out of interest you tell me which MP’s, PM’s you have found inspiring. And, isn’t it about more than prosperity? Isn’t the way we treat people just as important?

Of course the way we treat people is of primary importance, but the practicality of delivering that appropriate, beneficial treatment is inextricably linked to prosperity. As for naming my choice of inspiring politicians, I quickly came up with a list of a dozen, some dating back to the 60's. The majority in one party, but also a sprinkling of others from 3 other parties. On that basis, on reflection I'll remain a wee bit coy about my choice, as I don't want to advertise my particular political preference on social media... that's strictly between me and the polling booth. My allegiance has also changed backwards and forwards over the years, and has always been more influenced by who I thought would best serve our needs at the time, rather than by party political dogma. Suffice to say I wish that some of those past politicians were still in harness, as they seemed to be able to deliver, and had integrity.

The turnout in elections is always low when people can't see much difference between the parties. The LP is not offering enough of a difference, so many people just don't bother.

Turn out here 28 %. Conservative win. Folks just didn't bother to turn out.

Glorianny

The turnout in elections is always low when people can't see much difference between the parties. The LP is not offering enough of a difference, so many people just don't bother.

Corbyn was Labour leader when this set of local elections happened in 2019, and they are predicting a similar turnout this time to then.

The temptation is to shout RESIGN!

But that would be gloating. Looking at some of the results coming in so far from the "posh" Home Counties I should think he's got his work cut out to keep his parliamentary party sweet. My advice to him would be to hang in there, sack the liabilities (like Sue-Ellen¹) and at least try to keep the ship afloat for the next 12 months without any dirty tricks.

¹ Yes, I know she likes to be called Suella but Sue-Ellen is her birth name and I can't help thinking that an alcoholic gold-digger with an abominable taste in men fits her.

Retire and sit in his counting house counting out his and his wife’s money