The Political Thread

[Jim_Campbell]

So my old branch is no longer a Lloyds Bank then.

But it wasn't a Lloyds before the de-merger, either.

But you're right. Having a different logo on your cheque book is definitely a good reason to vote for a party full of bigots and homophobes, whose leader* is certainly philosophically disposed towards replacing the NHS with a system of health insurance, of the type we see in the US and are all so keen on moving to.

Jim

*Ex-leader? I lose track of whether he's in or out. Figuratively speaking.

[Old Tankie]

Come on Jim, don't be daft, I didn't vote Ukip because of my cheque book, I voted for them because I would like to be in a self-governing democracy, like many other countries in the world.  And, as for the alternatives to voting Ukip, I suppose I could vote Labour or Tory or even Liberal but Labour when in power authorized the killing of many people by military action and the Con/Lib Coalition carried it on.  So, no, I'll give them a miss.

[Jimmy Baker's Assistant]

Come on Jim, don't be daft, I didn't vote Ukip because of my cheque book, I voted for them because I would like to be in a self-governing democracy, like many other countries in the world.  And, as for the alternatives to voting Ukip, I suppose I could vote Labour or Tory or even Liberal but Labour when in power authorized the killing of many people by military action and the Con/Lib Coalition carried it on.  So, no, I'll give them a miss.

The idea that UKIP are the party of the conscientious objector is somewhat ludicrous. They may have opportunistically criticised a conflict they basically couldn't care less about to hoover up some protest votes, but that's about it.

Besides, Jeremy Corbyn is chairman of the Stop the War Coalition. Oddly I don't see Nigel Farage's name on the list of officers: http://www.stopwar.org.uk/officers

[GordonR]

The idea that UKIP are the party of the conscientious objector is somewhat ludicrous. They may have opportunistically criticised a conflict they basically couldn't care less about to hoover up some protest votes, but that's about it.

Besides, Jeremy Corbyn is chairman of the Stop the War Coalition. Oddly I don't see Nigel Farage's name on the list of officers: http://www.stopwar.org.uk/officers

Indeed.  UKIP's manifesto promises a 40% increase in defence spending to bring it up to 2% of the country's GDP. 

One of their promises is to build three new aircraft carriers.  Aircraft carriers aren't weapons of defence; they're weapons of force projection, allowing you to safely bomb people very, very far away from your home turf.  i.e. they're all about maintaining the kind of nasty overseas military adventures that Old Tankie says he's against.

If you're trying to claim that UKIP is some kind of non-interventionist party of peace then you need your fucking head examined.

[Old Tankie]

Well, in response to both recent posts, I'm not sure I said that Ukip were conscientious objectors, please show me where I said that.

And in regard to needing my fucking head examined, you might have a point if that was what I was saying, which it wasn't.

To join in wars thousands of miles from your own country for no logical reason seems a mad, bad and dangerous thing to do.  Isn't that what the then Labour Government did, which was then continued by the Con/Lib Coalition?  Why would I vote for any of them?

[The Legendary Shark]

I see Tony Blair is warning Corbyn will annihilate the Labour Party with his WMDs (Worshippers of Meaningful Democracy).

[Professor Bear]

One of two scenarios is playing out right now:
1 - it's all a double-bluff to encourage people to vote for a blatantly socialist politician by conning them into believing that "the time is now", thus ensuring a blatantly socialist politician is in place to take the blame when the IMF fucks the economy like it did in Greece and leaves the blatantly socialist politician(s) to carry the can while also discrediting the growing feelings of discontent with the wealthy right wing elite that run the world.
2 - Tony Blair and others like him are terrified of the prospect of the general public getting to vote for a blatantly socialist politician.  The narrative is that people don't want socialism, but to be honest I'm having a think here and I'm not sure where this notion came from.  I don't know where the notion that Corbyn couldn't win a general election came from, either, because people have voted for a lot worse than a man in a grey suit.

Either way, we're being played.

[ZenArcade]

So why shouldn't I vote Corbyn?'Z

[Professor Bear]

You should vote Corbyn.  After two defeats in a row against a mostly-hated government led by a man with a face that looks like it's been drawn on a frying pan, I think we can safely say the New Labour experiment is over.

[ZenArcade]

Yep I'm goin for the guy who doesn't like killing poor people or any other sort of people for that matter. Z

[M.I.K.]

David Cameron permanently looks like he's on the verge of an attempt to swallow his own nose.

[Professor Bear]

Remember when I said that the Labour party would get in line if Corbyn won?  Burnham is already hedging his bets by rolling back on his claim he'd never serve in a Corbyn cabinet:

In an interview with the BBC's World at One, which was dominated by questions about Corbyn, Burnham warned against Labour figures dismissing the frontrunner and suggested he could serve in the team of any of his rivals if they were to win.

To be fair, an MP's salary is pretty fat and it would be a shame to lose it over something as trifling as dignity.

[Banners]

What's the process with signing up? Now I've had an automated confirmation from Ian McNicol, and the £3 has gone from my bank account, how long until I receive the coveted "Registered Supporter" status?

[Dark Jimbo]

One of two scenarios is playing out right now:
1 - it's all a double-bluff to encourage people to vote for a blatantly socialist politician by conning them into believing that "the time is now", thus ensuring a blatantly socialist politician is in place to take the blame when the IMF fucks the economy...
2 - Tony Blair and others like him are terrified of the prospect of the general public getting to vote for a blatantly socialist politician....

Either way, we're being played.

I think you provided the more likely scenario yourself...

After two defeats in a row against a mostly-hated government led by a man with a face that looks like it's been drawn on a frying pan, I think we can safely say the New Labour experiment is over.

...Which is simply that the Party is a clueless, rudderless shambles. I never cease to be amazed by the intricate, machiavellan intrigues which folk like our own Legendary Shark so regularly ascribe to the Government and major parties, which credit them with an astounding level of skill and intelligence that I've yet to see any evidence of in day-to-day politics.

[Dandontdare]

What's the process with signing up? Now I've had an automated confirmation from Ian McNicol, and the £3 has gone from my bank account, how long until I receive the coveted "Registered Supporter" status?

You still need to be thoroughly vetted for Labour Values - and if they find any, you won't get to vote.