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| British PM Calls Snap Election For June 2017 | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Apr 18 2017, 10:22 AM (158 Views) | |
| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 10:22 AM Post #1 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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.....apparently, we're headed to election time in the U.K. in about 6-7 weeks or so..... (The Guardian) Theresa May to make statement in Downing Street at 11.15 --The BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg has tweeted (the following).... (1) PM making a statement in Downing Street at 1115 - only normally used for most serious moments (2) Watch election rumour mill go crazy.... has May decided to go for it? |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 10:52 AM Post #16 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) Here is Tim Farron, the Lib Dem leader, on the announcement. This election is your chance to change the direction of our country. If you want to avoid a disastrous hard Brexit. If you want to keep Britain in the single market. If you want a Britain that is open, tolerant and united, this is your chance. Only the Liberal Democrats can prevent a Conservative majority. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 10:53 AM Post #17 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) Theresa May's statement Here is the full text of Theresa May’s statement: I have just chaired a meeting of the cabinet, where we agreed that the government should call a general election, to be held on June 8. I want to explain the reasons for that decision, what will happen next and the choice facing the British people when you come to vote in this election. Last summer, after the country voted to leave the European Union, Britain needed certainty, stability and strong leadership, and since I became prime minister the government has delivered precisely that. Despite predictions of immediate financial and economic danger, since the referendum we have seen consumer confidence remain high, record numbers of jobs, and economic growth that has exceeded all expectations. We have also delivered on the mandate that we were handed by the referendum result. Britain is leaving the European Union and there can be no turning back. And as we look to the future, the government has the right plan for negotiating our new relationship with Europe. We want a deep and special partnership between a strong and successful European Union and a United Kingdom that is free to chart its own way in the world. That means we will regain control of our own money, our own laws and our own borders and we will be free to strike trade deals with old friends and new partners all around the world. This is the right approach, and it is in the national interest. But the other political parties oppose it. At this moment of enormous national significance there should be unity here in Westminster, but instead there is division. The country is coming together, but Westminster is not. In recent weeks Labour has threatened to vote against the deal we reach with the European Union. The Liberal Democrats have said they want to grind the business of government to a standstill. The Scottish National party say they will vote against the legislation that formally repeals Britain’s membership of the European Union. And unelected members of the House of Lords have vowed to fight us every step of the way. Our opponents believe that because the government’s majority is so small, our resolve will weaken and that they can force us to change course. They are wrong. They underestimate our determination to get the job done and I am not prepared to let them endanger the security of millions of working people across the country. Because what they are doing jeopardises the work we must do to prepare for Brexit at home and it weakens the government’s negotiating position in Europe. If we do not hold a general election now their political game-playing will continue, and the negotiations with the European Union will reach their most difficult stage in the run-up to the next scheduled election. Division in Westminster will risk our ability to make a success of Brexit and it will cause damaging uncertainty and instability to the country. So we need a general election and we need one now, because we have at this moment a one-off chance to get this done while the European Union agrees its negotiating position and before the detailed talks begin. I have only recently and reluctantly come to this conclusion. Since I became prime minister I have said that there should be no election until 2020, but now I have concluded that the only way to guarantee certainty and stability for the years ahead is to hold this election and seek your support for the decisions I must take. And so tomorrow I will move a motion in the House of Commons calling for a general election to be held on the eighth of June. That motion, as set out by the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act, will require a two-thirds majority of the House of Commons. So I have a simple challenge to the opposition parties, you have criticised the government’s vision for Brexit, you have challenged our objectives, you have threatened to block the legislation we put before parliament. This is your moment to show you mean it, to show you are not opposing the government for the sake of it, to show that you do not treat politics as a game. Let us tomorrow vote for an election, let us put forward our plans for Brexit and our alternative programmes for government and then let the people decide. And the decision facing the country will be all about leadership. It will be a choice between strong and stable leadership in the national interest, with me as your prime minister, or weak and unstable coalition government, led by Jeremy Corbyn, propped up by the Liberal Democrats - who want to reopen the divisions of the referendum - and Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP. Every vote for the Conservatives will make it harder for opposition politicians who want to stop me from getting the job done. Every vote for the Conservatives will make me stronger when I negotiate for Britain with the prime ministers, presidents and chancellors of the European Union. Every vote for the Conservatives means we can stick to our plan for a stronger Britain and take the right long-term decisions for a more secure future. It was with reluctance that I decided the country needs this election, but it is with strong conviction that I say it is necessary to secure the strong and stable leadership the country needs to see us through Brexit and beyond. So, tomorrow, let the House of Commons vote for an election, let everybody put forward their proposals for Brexit and their programmes for government, and let us remove the risk of uncertainty and instability and continue to give the country the strong and stable leadership it demands. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 10:55 AM Post #18 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) We still have not had a response from Labour to Theresa May’s announcement, but this is from the Green party’s co-leader, Caroline Lucas. Britain is at a crossroads – and today’s announcement means that people are rightly given a say over the direction this country is going to take. Only the Green party offers a bold, positive vision for a different kind of Britain. At this election we will stand for an economy that works for everyone, not just the privileged few; a Britain that’s open to the world and the protection of our precious environment. We will stand up to the politics of hatred and division that is scarring our communities and give people across the country a chance to vote for a better Britain. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 10:55 AM Post #19 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) The respected pollster John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde, claimed that May’s election gamble might not be as successful as she hopes. He said it was possible that her current opinion poll lead could narrow over the campaign. Speaking on BBC News, Curtice said: “We should bear in mind that Theresa May is very much going for a ‘vote Conservative for my vision of Brexit’. And that perhaps is going to make some Conservative voters unhappy. If that lead were to narrow then we could discover that she is back with a rather smaller majority than perhaps she is hoping for.” But Curtice added: “The Labour party is at sixes and sevens on its stance on Brexit. There are divisions inside the Conservative party but the opposition is probably even more divided on the subject and she’s probably banking that so long as this remains the central issue, the Labour party will not be capable of fighting an effective alternative position.” |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 10:58 AM Post #20 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) Corbyn confirms Labour will vote for early election --Jeremy Corbyn has put out this statement about Theresa May’s announcement. I welcome the prime minister’s decision to give the British people the chance to vote for a government that will put the interests of the majority first. Labour will be offering the country an effective alternative to a government that has failed to rebuild the economy, delivered falling living standards and damaging cuts to our schools and NHS. In the last couple of weeks, Labour has set out policies that offer a clear and credible choice for the country. We look forward to showing how Labour will stand up for the people of Britain. **Labour confirms it will vote for early election. To over-ride the Fixed-term Parliaments Act Theresa May needs a two-thirds majority in the Commons. That suggests 434 MPs. With the Conservatives (330 MPs) and Labour (229 MPs) voting in favour, May has her majority. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:00 AM Post #21 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) The Labour MP Tom Blenkinsop says he won’t be a candidate in the election..... --I will not be standing for re-election (Tom Blekinsop, Labout MP for Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland - 17 April 2017) He represents Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, where he had a majority of 2,268 over the Conservatives at the last election. But Arron Banks, the former Ukip donor, has confirmed that he will stand in Clacton against Douglas Carswell, the former Ukip MP who is now an independent. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:01 AM Post #22 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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![]() (The Guardian) The pound has surged to its highest level in over two months as the City welcomes the prospect of a June election. Sterling has erased its earlier slide and is now trading at $1.264 against the US dollar - its highest value since early February. The pound jumped once Theresa May began her announcement (ending the speculation about what today’s statement would be). And it just got another lift when Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn welcomed May’s decision, as you can see (above). The chatter in the City is that the general election will probably strengthen the PM’s hand in the Brexit negotiations, if it gives her a rather bigger majority in Westminster. Shilen Shah, Bond Strategist at Investec Wealth & Investment, explains: “After much speculation this morning, the Prime Minister has confirmed that she is calling an early general election to fully implement the Brexit process.... Overall, today’s announcement suggests that PM wants full control of the Brexit process without any interference from the opposition.” |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:04 AM Post #23 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP leader and Scottish first minister, has tweeted a response to Theresa May’s announcement.... --The Tories see a chance to move the UK to the right, force through a hard Brexit and impose deeper cuts. Let's stand up for Scotland. #GE17 (Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland - 17 April 2017) |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:06 AM Post #24 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) Guardian/ICM poll gives Conservatives 18-point lead over Labour --ICM carried out a state of the parties poll over the weekend. These are the first polling figures to be published since Theresa May’s announcement, although the fieldwork was carried out beforehand. Here are the figures. Conservatives: 44% (up 1 since Guardian/ICM two weeks ago) Labour: 26% (up 1) Ukip: 11% (no change) Lib Dems: 10% (down 1) Greens: 4% (no change) --Conservative lead: 18 points (no change) ICM Unlimited interviewed a representative sample of 2,052 adults aged 18+ online from 14 to 17 April 2017. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:08 AM Post #25 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) All political parties will now be seeking injections of cash to help fight the general election on 8 June. --Compared with the year running up to the 2015 general election, much less money has been raised by political parties over the past year, according to Electoral Commission records. Over the previous recorded year of 2016, the Conservatives raised £19.5m, while Labour has raised £21.7m. The Liberal Democrats have raised £6.425m and the Scottish National party has raised £1.5m. The 2015 general election was the most expensive in history – the Conservatives managed to raise £38m and Labour got about £32m in the year before polling day, suggesting David Cameron probably outspent Ed Miliband. Under Jeremy Corbyn, Labour has become almost wholly reliant upon donations from trade unions and individual members. In contrast, the Tories rely on money from individual wealthy donors. New donation and spending rules begin once the official “regulated period” begins, after an election is called and parliament is dissolved. Before the 2001 general election, there were no limits on what political parties could spend on national campaigns. The limit is calculated depending on how many seats a party contests; those that field candidates in all 650 seats are allowed to spend up to £19.5m, equivalent to £30,000 for each of the UK’s 650 constituencies. Each party must ensure it abides by the spending limits in Great Britain. Separate limits apply in Northern Ireland. UK political parties spent £31.1m for the 2010 general election. The Conservatives accounted for 53% of this total, the Labour party spent 25% of it and the Liberal Democrats 15%. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:10 AM Post #26 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) Paul Nuttall, the Ukip leader, has welcomed the early election. He says “Labour’s obvious weakness” is the reason for it taking place... (1) Every vote for @UKIP in this General Election will be a reminder to the PM that the British people want a clean Brexit with restored borders (2) We welcome the General Election, but make no mistake - it is driven by Labour's obvious weakness, not the good of the country |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:11 AM Post #27 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) Labour will call an emergency national executive committee meeting within days to draw up plans for candidate selection, which may require 2015 candidates in unwinnable seats to stand again, one senior source said. The source said: Obviously many of them may not want to, which is understandable. But it may have to be the case that the NEC imposes candidates on some local parties. That’s been a conversation we’ve avoided having because a lot of people on the committee won’t like that … It will be a tough battle. A snap meeting will also be called to discuss the party’s manifesto, though the 2015 manifesto is still technically party policy and much of it could be used again, the source said. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:12 AM Post #28 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) The National Union of Teachers has called on all parties to invest in education after narrowly rejecting affiliating to the Labour party. The general secretary, Kevin Courtney, put out this statement in reaction to the election announcement: Will press all parties to give commitments that if elected, they will invest and not cut education. At the moment, Theresa May’s government has taken decisions which mean 99% of schools are going to lose funding. Teachers and parents will lobby vociferously to put school and sixth-form college funding at the heart of this general election. Candidates must recognise what will happen to children’s education if we make the £3bn worth of cuts a year that the National Audit Office has predicted. It’s worth noting that the NUT conference in Cardiff over Easter came within a whisker of voting to affiliate to the Labour party for the first time, the motion being defeated with just 50.6% of the vote. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:14 AM Post #29 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) Here is Paul Nuttall’s full statement on the early election. We welcome the opportunity to take Ukip’s positive message to the country. However, we believe that the prime minister’s decision to call this election is a cynical decision driven more by the weakness of Corbyn’s Labour party rather than the good of the country. There is also the prospect of a slew of Tory held byelections caused by the seeming systematic breach of electoral law at the last election, predominantly in places where Ukip were pressing the Conservatives hard. We are in the midst of Brexit negotiations so this election will provide a perfect opportunity for the 52% to vote for Ukip – the only party wholeheartedly committed to a clean, quick and efficient Brexit. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:15 AM Post #30 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) And here is the full statement from Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP leader and Scottish first minister, on the early election announcement. This announcement is one of the most extraordinary U-turns in recent political history, and it shows that Theresa May is once again putting the interests of her party ahead of those of the country. She is clearly betting that the Tories can win a bigger majority in England given the utter disarray in the Labour party. That makes it all the important that Scotland is protected from a Tory party which now sees the chance of grabbing control of government for many years to come and moving the UK further to the right – forcing through a hard Brexit and imposing deeper cuts in the process. That means that this will be – more than ever before – an election about standing up for Scotland, in the face of a rightwing, austerity obsessed Tory government with no mandate in Scotland but which now thinks it can do whatever it wants and get away with it. In terms of Scotland, this move is a huge political miscalculation by the prime minister. It will once again give people the opportunity to reject the Tories’ narrow, divisive agenda, as well as reinforcing the democratic mandate which already exists for giving the people of Scotland a choice on their future. The SNP will always put the people of Scotland first – and between now and June 8 we will work harder than ever to retain the trust of the people. |
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