Corbyn

[realspiel]

Bad or good?

[Mexicola]

Depends what you mean by bad or good. I happen to like the guy. He's not perfect and he's probably about to get his arse handed to him in the election, but I believe he's honest and has some good policies. He's also not Kim-Jong May and that has to be a tick in the plus column to my mind. Sadly I don't think he has a cat in hell's chance. Pity. So to answer your question, good guy, good policies, bad if you don't want a thumping Tory majority. Make of that what you will.

[jcnporter]

I would say pretty much the same as Mexicola, although I believe his election was a symptom rather than a cure, a necessary step in the evolution of a Labour party that had lost its way and in my view was more of a caretaker leader than potential PM.
I don't think I've seen a politician actively hammered from day one by both his party and the press (including so-called left-leaning papers like the Guardian) like he was, so he's never really had a chance. Even without that, unfortunately he's just not what the average UK voter sees as a 'leader'. Cameron proved that anyone with a loud, posh voice and public school-honed air of authority can become PM, even with zero substance. We get the 'leaders' we deserve.

[warphead]

He's alright (though I doubt I'd vote for him), Dianne Abbott on the other hand......

[jcnporter]

It's interesting that, for all the talk of Labour's poor polling and it all being Corbyn's fault, if the pollsters have corrected their underestimation of Labour support since their poor predictions of the 2015 GE, Corbyn could well end up with a higher % of the vote than either Brown or Miliband managed.
The real story of the polling since Brexit isn't Corbyn, but the collapse of UKIP support and its defection to the Tories and the slow decline of the Lib Dems.
But you'd never know that judging by the media coverage.

[Techboy]

I have to say that if I was in England I'd be voting for Corbyn's Labour very fucking hard right now, infact I'd probably join the Labour party and commit some time to canvassing.

The manifesto looks great and it would be a game changer in UK politics if Labour somehow got a higher vote %age this time compared to last. That said I don't know if there actually IS an appetite for those kinds of policies or if the media campaign of bullshit has been too effective...

As it happens here in Glasgow it's a done deal, I'll be voting SNP because politics is pretty much a single issue affair up here at the minute. There are all kinds of boring reasons why I'd never vote for Scottish Labour's westminster candidates.

[Negamuse]

Amongst my friends when we did the "who should you vote for" quiz for a laugh we all came back with SNP as top. Which was a surprise cos mostly we know about that one issue and a general feeling that they're sort of politically in line with us but none of us (not living anywhere they're standing) had really looked into it in detail. Now I have its not surprising they've got good support (and actually the one or two Scots I know who aren't supporting them they're in line with all the other policies just sticking on independence). That's in my self selected left wing social media bubble though obviously. My vote is guaranteed 100% wasted where I live but if I lived anywhere it was feasible I'd vote labour this time round for sure. The manifesto has impressed a few people I really wouldn't have expected it to resonate with, and they're just now getting caught up on the "but how well they pay for it" question. They answer that in public a few more times I reckon it'll stick

[IanRedpoint]

Thanks to the infuriating FPTP system, my vote here is also 100% wasted. As a consequence of that, I can vote freely with my conscience. At the moment that is leaning heavily towards Labour. As futile as it seems now, I'm hoping that Corbyn is playing the long game by introducing younger voters to the possibility of a return to idealistically driven politics. That's about as much optimism as I can manage right now.

[jcnporter]

The manifesto looks great and it would be a game changer in UK politics if Labour somehow got a higher vote %age this time compared to last. That said I don't know if there actually IS an appetite for those kinds of policies or if the media campaign of bullshit has been too effective...

The right wing media own this country. Labour's manifesto in any other part of Europe would be seen as fairly bog standard social democratic policies. In fact the individual policies test well with Tory voters.
However as long as the media keep repeating that it's unaffordable hard left utopian nonsense, people's fear will hold them back from voting for it.
Corbyn's undoubtedly a factor as well, although incredibly I've heard quite a few people interviewed say that they like him, but there's no point in voting for him because he can't win (according to the media). So it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. The media have effectively 'baked in' the election result before the vote happens.

[realspiel]

Extremely scary stuff, got to get these bastards out

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 44176.html

[Negamuse]

Been an interesting week for Corbyn. The press have been doing the same old predictable stuff - Paxman spent a good deal of time asking him the same recycled questions about things he did and said 30 years ago rather than, I dunno, the state of the UK now, and his policies, but he handled himself, way, way better than May and it seems to be resonating better with all but the wilfully obtuse. Now he's going to join the 7 way debate. I mean, I don't want to jinx him at this point, but...

[Mexicola]

Tories will still get in. Blatantly​ tempting providence in the sincere hope I'm spectacularly wrong. When Jezza is in No.10 in two weeks time you can all thank me as I gulp down humble pie with gleeful abandon and ask for seconds. #takesonefortheteam #ifthiswastwitter

[jcnporter]

Whoever's behind Labour's election campaign is playing a blinder. It seems the more people see of Corbyn, the more they like him, and the opposite for May.
I'd thought he'd made the right move by refusing to appear on the leader's debate, but changing at the last minute and inviting May was a clever move, really cemented the idea of her running scared.
Incredibly it seems Amber Rudd's father died on Monday and yet May still made her do the debate - that's pretty telling.
The Tories will still win, I suspect, but their utter disaster of a campaign is making the run up to this election massively enjoyable.

[Mexicola]

Good comment from a mate of mine tonight. How is May expecting to negotiate a Brexit deal against the toughest political negotiators in Europe when she doesn't trust herself to string two words together in a simple TV debate? Strong and stable my arse. Whatever happens, she's run a lame dog of a campaign. If rumours of a hung parliament are true, things are going to get very interesting indeed. SNP as Kingmaker?

[jcnporter]

Labour now just 3% behind the Tories in the latest YouGov poll.
I'm almost tempted to believe that the Tories are throwing this away to avoid owning the shitheap of Brexit, either that or they're hoping that a real prospect of Corbyn as PM will ensure a good turnout of the Tory faithful on election day.

[Mexicola]

Oh they'll romp home, I have zero doubt. Remember the polls last time? The malcontent shout, scream and some even vote. The smugly-content keep quiet and vote in droves. Again, would love to be wrong.

[fujee]

It's been a positive campaign from Corbyn so far, he's clearly benefiting from Bernie's team offering support, however the shy tory will inevitably come out when the polling stations open. So with that in mind, I think it's going to be either a hung parliament or a minor conservative majority - which are clearly both failures in May's eyes. She obviously wanted a crushing victory and seems to have completely miscalculated the mood. Not showing up tonight was really poor form and people took notice - all of the parties seemed to be clubbing in to drive home how shite it is that she bottled it. Whatever happens, it's safe to say May is a dreadful debater and even worse campaigner, it's only not been a total fucking disaster because she has most of the press fighting for her.

Also, not sure if you guys having been watching the 'Anywhere but Westminster' series by John Harris on the Guardian? If not, I really recommend, it's great.

[realspiel]

Corbyn is oozing confidence in contrast May is looking close to a breakdown, a man hammered by the media for 2 years and looking as strong and prime ministerial as ever.

This article hits the nail on the head. If it's one thing you read today please read this.

http://www.filmsforaction.org/articles/ ... ing-viral/

[jcnporter]

Daily Telegraph reporting a poll which puts Labour just one point behind the Tories now.

[IanRedpoint]

Daily Telegraph reporting a poll which puts Labour just one point behind the Tories now.

Although I wouldn't put it past them saying that just to scare their Tory readership into bothering going to the polls on Thursday.