UK and Europe World • Page 13

Apparently YouGov is projecting that Nick Clegg will lose his seat to Labour

 

It's looking pretty likely yeah, but I'm taking everything there with a pinch of salt. They also have Amber Rudd's constituency as leaning Labour.

 

I haven't bought Kerrang since my late teens but this is cool, could help get the young to vote.

 

"Theresa May’s television appearances have gone disastrously. It’s not hard to see why she doesn’t want to debate Jeremy Corbyn, who is warm, intelligent, and likable. But debate is integral to democracy, and “because the other side might win” is not a legitimate reason to shut it down. Theresa May’s avoidance of a public confrontation should be treated as a very serious indictment of her character and of her party’s respect for the British public."

Theresa May’s Refusal To Debate Jeremy Corbyn Really Is Shameful | Current Affairs

 

Interesting thread by Sky's political editor on the changes they've noted on the ground since the start of the election

 

"Forecasts in politics are based on the premise “if present trends continue” and it is in the nature of trends to change. That is what makes this election so interesting. We do not know what political groups are coalescing, what realignments are taking place. Politics is changing. What seems important today, history may well judge irrelevant. An election is a chance to snatch a cup from the stream of public opinion. While we stare into its depths, the river rushes on. Most pundits think the voters will repudiate Mr Corbyn’s Labour party. They may do so. But Mr Corbyn has shown that the party might be the start of something big rather than the last gasp of something small. On 8 June, Labour deserves our vote.'

The Guardian view on the election: it’s Labour

 

"People have been saying 'who's that woman in Labour who can't do numbers?' and when we show them a picture of Dianne Abbott they point at the picture and say 'that's her!'," the Lib Dem source said.

Pollster Lord Ashcroft today published feedback from his final round of general election focus groups. Abbott's LBC gaffe is repeatedly mentioned.

MEMBER OF PUBLIC: "It’s mostly the gaffes that stand out… The lady for Labour, when she completely messed up."
FOCUS GROUP CHAIR: “Diane Abbott."
MEMBER OF PUBLIC: "That’s the one. That sticks out for me."

http://uk.businessinsider.com/dianne-abbott-is-putting-people-off-from-voting-labour-2017-6

 

Lib Dem candidate says plastic in our drinking water is turning people gay

Susan King: ‘There are a lot of feminising hormones getting into the environment and that has to be taken into consideration. ‘It’s affecting people’s sexuality basically. People are at liberty to interpret how they want to live themselves.’ She said chemicals used in making plastic products, such as children’s toys, were already affecting the gender of fish stock.'

 

It's getting very hard to watch Question Time as they're all grilling Jeremy on his pacifist approach.

 

I think the fact of the matter is nuclear defence seems to me to be a right wing issue. That is, all the people that are against it tend to be conservatives, and wouldn't likely be affecting many potential Labour voters or undecideds because they already know Corbyn's position. May's lack-lustre responses on social care, mental health and education on the other hand, are issues that affect or can affect pretty much anyone. Lots of room to win new voters. The only worry is the potential for media to spin this against Corbyn.

 

I don't know if I agree with magazines taking a political stance like this, but it is pretty awesome to see Jeremy Corbyn on the cover of Kerrang:

 

I don't think the media will be able to spin the nuclear issue much against Corbyn, because as you said, his position is already well known. Labour are polling at 40% in two separate polls now, so it apparently doesn't bother people that much.

 

Not so much on a position basis, more on a competence of performance basis. I can see the reaction from the Sun and the Daily Mail now about how Corbyn has blown it, rather than the relative silence they've had to adopt when Corbyn has put in a strong performance.

 

I mean, the people who read the Sun and the Daily Mail are probably lost causes anyway. We need to win votes from elsewhere imo. It's really crucial that young people vote in this election. I think the turnout amongst youngsters will be higher than normal because of how well Corbyn has engaged with that demographic throughout the campaign, but I'm still not sure it will be enough.

 

Listening to Newsnight has eased my fears on questioning tonight a little. Thankfully I think the purdah that exists means the soundbites of Corbyn on nuclear defence is being played directly next to May's wobbles. The newspapers will do what they do, but TV's need to cover them both evenly is making up for it. TV as far as I can tell is what hits the middle-aged group, and that's who we're looking to win over.

 

I do wish Corbyn would take a stronger stance regarding nucular weapons. They agreed to renew Trident (good) but what is the point in a deterrent if your enemy knows the PM won't fight back? It just makes him look weak and naïve.

 

He's in a difficult position on that because of the insistence of the PLP and members generally to keep trident when he quite clearly doesn't want to. Therefore we have a missile system in place that looks effectively useless. I'd have been happier if he'd said to repeal trident because the deterrent defence is nonsensical in my opinion and would've avoided questions like he had tonight. He may have received wider questions about defence in general but he'd be in a better position to defend them because he'd be defending something he believes in. It's a similar situation with the EU really, he was defending something that although he was generally for he had some reservations about and it made his arguments seem less passionate.