Last night’s election debate repeat of lies and talking over opposition.

I thought Stephen Flynn showed himself very positively.

Yes I agree. He answered well and made some good points. Also he wasn’t interrupted if I remember correctly.

I don't know why I watched it. Farage is an abomination of a man I thought people had rumbled years ago for what he is.

I respected Mordant for her 'performance' at the coronation etc. I believed she had some gravitas- now she seems to have sold her soul and bought a very bad hair-stylist.

I thought all the other women gave a good account of themselves but the SNP guy, should give up flogging his dead horse and join the Labour party.

Agree about Farage - an abomination of a man is absolutely what he is.
Penny Mordaunt has seen her chance to lead the Tories finally slip away and she is furious.
Yes also agree about Stephen Flynn.

Dh reminded me that Penny Mordaunt kept pointing her finger at Angela Raynor as if to belittle her. Despite her rudeness Angela Raynor was the first to shake hands with Mordaunt

Agree that Penny Mordaunt did herself no favours with the pointing finger, interruptions and shouting over others.
Lost any respect I may have held for her.
Obviously a hair raising experience for her!

I didn’t watch it, although I’m very interested in politics and politician I’m sick and tired of their rudeness in debates, always interrupting and talking over others and shouting!

Farage is an abomination and a very fervent s**t stirrer too, for him it’s just another chance to be on the telly and he loves every second! Who knows, 8th time (un)lucky?

What are the Tories doing? If they wanted to appear more arrogant and out of touch they couldn't be doing more.

Mordaunt was dreadful, and Rayner kept her cool very well in the circumstances, I thought. Daisy Cooper came across well, although I'd never vote LibDem, and I liked Carla Denyer's 'Well, that was dignified' comment. It must be easier being on these things if you are over going to have to stand by what you say though.

Much as I loathe Farage and all he stands for, he is a good speaker. He knows which buttons to press, and even when he contradicts himself* he sounds convincing. As history shows, however, it's dangerous when a gift for oratory and a knack for populism sweeps people into power.

*eg when he said he identified with working people being frustrated at having to pay tax to support those who don't want to work, and then proposed the French medical system which is based on just that system.

As I said on the thread about the ITV 'debate', I wish the techies would turn off the microphones of all except the person whose turn it is to speak. That would stop the interruptions and shouting down, would give people a chance to refute some of the lies, and make the whole thing calmer.

IMO Flynn was the clear winner for the SNP and the only one to mention Brexit in this ill tempered debate, with the Green Party Carla Denya coming a close second. Mordaunt and Rayner were both embarrassing, and In fact the parties not realistically in the running for power had the most convincing arguments.
Farage?……….least said.

The whole thing was a farce. Twitter has Mordaunt and Reynor pictured laughing and smiling together. Probably both went together for a k large glass of wine.
Farage well..
The others can say what they wanted, it's not going to make a big difference.

Surely it's good that Mordaunt and Rayner were able to shake hands and smile together?

Visgir1

The whole thing was a farce. Twitter has Mordaunt and Reynor pictured laughing and smiling together. Probably both went together for a k large glass of wine.
Farage well..
The others can say what they wanted, it's not going to make a big difference.

They did. They are very friendly, off camera. It’s just about the politics in these sort of debates.

Mordaunt, though, is obviously campaigning to lead the Tories after the election.

Problem was partly that Rayner and Mordaunt couldn’t deviate much from what their leaders said two days before and there was no news. The questions were broadly the same, so From that viewpoint it would have been better not to have them at all😃

Anyway, Theyshouldn’t have been placed next to one another, the positions almost invited the pointing and talking. Agree that Rayner did well in the circs.

Wholly agree re Flynn and Denya

Doodledog Please explain. I don't understand your comment:

*eg when he said he identified with working people being frustrated at having to pay tax to support those who don't want to work, and then proposed the French medical system which is based on just that system.

I am sick with both LP and Tories vying with each other to convince the electorate that their party will be the one for lower taxes.
This happens at every election.

What I, and many others I am sure, would prefer to hear is a plan to invest in our broken public and health services after a decade of austerity.

Inequality is growing, food banks are now the norm, even for families who are working.
Child poverty is increasing, as is poor mental health.

Is this honestly the type of country we really want?

Farzanah

I am sick with both LP and Tories vying with each other to convince the electorate that their party will be the one for lower taxes.
This happens at every election.

What I, and many others I am sure, would prefer to hear is a plan to invest in our broken public and health services after a decade of austerity.

Inequality is growing, food banks are now the norm, even for families who are working.
Child poverty is increasing, as is poor mental health.

Is this honestly the type of country we really want?

It’s not the country I want, no!

Dinahmo

Doodledog Please explain. I don't understand your comment:

*eg when he said he identified with working people being frustrated at having to pay tax to support those who don't want to work, and then proposed the French medical system which is based on just that system.

One minute he said something about tax, and how he understood how working people resented having to keep paying more and more tax when others chose not to work (I paraphrase) and the next he was extolling European systems where those who 'can afford it' pay for medical treatment (whether directly or via insurance), and those who can't get it free. That seems like a contradiction, as in both cases those who work are paying and those who aren't are not.

My point, though, was that although I don't agree with his politics, and don't think he is always consistent, he is a good speaker and can 'read the room' better than most of the others.

It may not be the country some of us want but while how is Labour going to pay for it?' remains a central element if tory campaigning and the right wing media, and people believe the stupid lie that Labour crashed the economy when last in power , Labour is hardly likely to be proposing radical massive investment at this stage.

Do you honestly believe MaizieD that once in power Labour will morph from the neoliberal party that it has become, into a transformational party for the benefit of the whole country, or continue with more of the same, which benefits the few?

I can't speak for Maisie, but I live in hope of that, yes.

Doodledog

I can't speak for Maisie, but I live in hope of that, yes.

As I, and I’m sure many others, do too.

I believe they care for the many and will do their best in very difficult circumstances. Progress will be slow.

I’ve listened to Rachel Reeves and Wes Streeting and I do not believe that there is any intention of changing the status quo.
Taxing Wealth to invest in public services, I don’t think so!
Investing in the NHS? Streeting believes in private health care. Not a squeak about a fairer social care system.
Positive investment and taxing those who can afford it would win votes.

Farzanah

Do you honestly believe MaizieD that once in power Labour will morph from the neoliberal party that it has become, into a transformational party for the benefit of the whole country, or continue with more of the same, which benefits the few?

That's a difficult one, Farzanah, especially as you must be well aware of my economic beliefs, which are Keynesian at base, i.e you spend your way out of an economic slump, which stimulates economic activity, with all that follows on from said economic activity.

I would be happy for Labour to do that, but to say it in advance would be suicidal as far as the election is concerned, for the reason I gave earlier.

I'm as aware of the evil of neoliberal economic orthodoxy as you are

I'm just keeping my fingers crossed.