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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 (156 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, 11:40 AM Post #46 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) Leading leave campaigner Micheal Gove has predicted that the election will provide a “transfusion of democratic energy” to ensure that Theresa May’s vision of Brexit prevails. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme, Gove claimed that May’s position within her party was now “politically impregnable”. He said the election, which he is certain May will win, would provide the means to see off opposition to Brexit in the House of Lords and from the Scottish Nationalists. Gove said: “It is clear that within the House of Lords, there will be a determination to fight a guerrilla campaign. It is also clear that the Scottish National Party will do everything in its power to act as a parliamentary hooligan in order to try to disrupt this. “One thing they will not be able to resist is a mandate of general election victory which I’m absolutely confident Theresa will secure. That means given the constitutional balance in the House of Lords, they will have to respect both her leadership and the popular vote.” He added: “The Conservatives will gain ground in Scotland.” Lord Stewart Wood, formerly an adviser to Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband, agreed that the election was likely to boost May’s position on Brexit. He said: “There will clarity at the very least, but clarity for the hard Brexit that I suspect she’s been wanting for a long time.” Wood admitted that election would be a “struggle” for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. “People around him would be the first to admit that,” Wood said. He said: “The election we are facing is hard Brexit mandate election. Essentially it is a Brexit referendum mark II ... and Labour has to realise that.” But he added that May runs the risk of “looking arrogant and opportunist” if she portrays the election as a presidential contest between herself and Corbyn. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:41 AM Post #47 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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--Senior Labour sources confirm to Sky News Gorton by-election cancelled, because Parliament expected to prorogue on May 2 or 3 at latest. (Jon Craig, Sky News - 17 Spril 2017) |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:44 AM Post #48 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) This is from Rupert Harrison, George Osborne’s former chief of staff. --It's not possible for larger majority to both increase the PM's room for manoeuvre domestically and increase her bargaining power with EU... (18 April 2017) What he means is that, if Theresa May comes back with a large majority of Tories in favour of cutting the aid budget and building more grammar schools, those backbenchers will not allow her to compromise over Brexit. Is that true? It depends who the new Tory MPs are. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:44 AM Post #49 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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*goes back over thread thus far* .....at least I finally got the date right; its' the 18th of April, not the 17th of April.....excuse me:
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:45 AM Post #50 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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--Likely dates between now & #generalelection: parliament dissolved 3 May; deadline for candidates 11 May; deadline to register to vote 22 May (Ian Jones, UK Press Association - 18 April 2017) |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:47 AM Post #51 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) Alan Johnson, the Labour former home secretary who for several years was top of the list of ‘best alternative leaders’ for many in the party, has announced he is standing down. In a letter to his local party, posted on the Guido Fawkes website, he says: For me the personal decision is whether to retire now or in 2022 when I’ll be into my 70s. I’ve decided that going now will give me the opportunity to do other things with my life and is therefore in the best interests of me and my family. I also think it’s best for the party. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:47 AM Post #52 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) Gianni Pittella, the leader of the socialist bloc in the European parliament, described the prime minister’s announcement as “immoral”. He said: Theresa May is playing the same game that David Cameron played some years ago by exploiting Brexit to strengthen her political grip within her party and the country. It is immoral in a way. It is unacceptable to exploit such a sensitive issue as Brexit. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:48 AM Post #53 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) In her ITV interview Theresa May was asked how she would persuade people that her decision to hold an election was not just a cynical decision to take advantage of the huge Tory poll lead. She replied: Well, I think if people look at what I’ve done and what we’ve done in government since the referendum vote, since I took over as prime minister, we have provided stability and crucially we have rolled our sleeves up, we have got on with the job, we’ve said we are going to deliver on Brexit. We have taken that absolutely crucial first step, which is triggering article 50. There is no turning back now. The UK will be leaving the EU. I think, I hope, what people will see is I am somebody who likes to just get on with the job and get the job done and what I want to do is to be able to do that for the future. To deliver a real success of Brexit, deliver for working people up and down this country and to deliver a future, an ambitious future, for a stronger Britain in the future. I believe I can do that with a stronger negotiating hand in Europe and with the backing of the British people at an election. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:49 AM Post #54 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) Commons leader David Lidington says Commons will be dissolved on 2 May --David Lidington, the leader of the Commons, is making a Commons statement about tomorrow’s debate. MPs will be asked to approve a motion allowing the prime minister to hold an early election under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, he says. Valerie Vaz, the shadow leader of the Commons, says Theresa May’s U-turn explains why the government was so reluctant to confirm the date of the Queen’s speech (which had been due in May). She says that May ruled out an early election at least seven times. She asks when parliament will be dissolved. Lidington says it has to take place just after midnight on Wednesday 3 May. So in practice it will take place on the night of Tuesday 2 May, he says. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:50 AM Post #55 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) Bad news for the live blogging community. According to Channel 4 News’ Gary Gibbon, Theresa May will not be taking part in general election debates. It sounds like we are not going to get many press conferences either. Don’t expect many press conferences either or extended interviews. Theresa May is not a huge fan of these sorts of encounters and her team think they open up risks that don’t need to be taken. So the 2017 general election will make the 2015 one look like “access all areas” as far as the Tories are concerned. I hear the manifesto will probably be a slimmed down affair too. May didn’t think much of the 2015 effort with its 500 or so commitments. One minister said it was a “Christmas tree” of a document and “written without any thought to post-Brexit Britain”. But quite how much shape May wants to put on post-Brexit Britain at this stage is another matter. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:50 AM Post #56 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) David Lidington, the leader of the Commons, has just told MPs that there is no rule saying what should happen in the case of the Manchester Gorton byelection, which was due to take place on 4 May, after the dissolution of parliament, thereby electing an MP to a parliament no longer sitting. It is all up to the discretion of the acting returning officer, he says. But he says he would expect the byelection to be cancelled, as happened when this last occurred in November 1923. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:52 AM Post #57 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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![]() --Deutsche Bank, one of the biggest sterling bears in recent years, says it’s changing its view. 2017 election a “game-changer” on Brexit (Ed Conway, Sky News - 18 April 2017) |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 11:58 AM Post #58 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) Majority of voters think May right to change her mind and call an early election, poll suggests --ICM has carried out a snap poll today on the general election announcement. The state of the party figures are very good for the Conservatives, although that is not particularly surprising because other recent polls have produced similar results. What is potentially more significant is that the poll shows strong support for Theresa May’s decision to call an early election. Voters accept her argument for doing a U-turn on an early election, and do not seem to mind being dragged to the polls only two years after the last general election. Here are the key figures. Conservatives: 46% (up 2 from Guardian/ICM over the weekend) Labour: 25% (down 1) Lib Dems: 11% (up 1) Ukip: 8% (down 3) Greens: 4% (no change) --Conservative lead: 21 points This is the joint highest Conservative lead in Guardian/IMC polling, matching the Tory lead in June 1983. And, at 46%, the Conservative share of the vote is also at its joint highest, matching its figure in the 1992 general election. Snap Guardian/ICM poll suggests Conservatives have a 21-point lead over Labour, their joint highest lead since this polling series started in the 1980s. People were asked if they supported or opposed Theresa May’s decision to call an election. --Support: 55% --Oppose: 15% Most voters support an early election, the poll suggests. Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem voters back the early election in broadly equal numbers (64%, 65% and 60% respectively). Those least supportive are Ukip voters, only 49% of whom back holding an early election. It was then put to respondents that May used to be adamant that she would not call an early election. They were asked which of these three statements they most agreed with. --The situation has changed, and May is right to change her mind: 54% --Nothing has changed and May is wrong to hold an election: 21% --Don’t know: 25% A majority of voters think May is right to change her mind on an early election. Respondents were then asked what outcome they expected. --Around a quarter of respondents said they expected the Conservatives to win a majority of more than 100. People were asked if they would treat this as a normal general election or as a second Brexit referendum. --Normal general election: 67% --Second Brexit referendum: 17% There was a question about which team is best able to manage the economy. --Theresa May and Philip Hammond: 51% --Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell: 12% May and Philip Hammond have a 39-point lead over Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell on economic competence, the poll suggests. And finally there were questions about whether leaders are doing a good or bad job. May --Good job: 57% --Bad job: 24% Net score: +33 Corbyn --Good job: 13% --Bad job: 61% Net score: -48 May has a massive lead over Corbyn in terms of general approval ratings. ICM Unlimited interview a representative sample of 1,000 adults aged 18+ online immediately after the announcement that General Election had been called on April 18 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, 12:23 PM Post #59 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) Tomorrow’s debate on the motion allowing Theresa May to call an early election will just last 90 minutes, according to parliamentary sources. Assuming there are no statements or urgent questions it will start after PMQs at 12.30pm and MPs will vote at 2pm. |
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| Webster | Apr 18 2017, 12:36 PM Post #60 |
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Wasatch Storyteller & Resident Forum Curmudgeon
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(The Guardian) Angus Robertson, the SNP’s Westminster leader, has told reporters that he was prepared for opponents to pounce on any fall in the number of seats held by the party as a sign of slipping support for the party’s policies on independence. No doubt they will say that ... I’d just reflect on the fact that more neutral observers are suggesting that in such an outcome, in the circumstances you’re outlining, the SNP, with a clear majority of seats in Scotland would not be undermined. However, Robertson argued, with Scotland now a “two horse” race between the SNP and the Conservatives, he was hopeful of even gaining on the 56 of 59 Scottish seats won in 2015. We came very close to winning the three seats we didn’t in 2015, and we will be contesting those seats to win them, and will be contesting every other seat to hold them. On other matters, Robertson said the party’s national executive would decide what would happen in the seats held by Natalie McGarry and Michelle Thomson, who won seats for the party in 2015 but have since resigned the party whip. He also refused to be drawn on what the SNP manifesto might say on whether an independent Scotland should seek to rejoin the EU. “The policy of the SNP is for Scotland to be a member state of the European Union,” he said, adding: “Issues in relation to the manifesto for the snap general election will become clear when the SNP has written and presented that manifesto.” Describing the election decision as “a screeching U-turn by the prime minister”, Robertson condemned May for opting out of any TV debates: They’re running scared from debating Nicola Sturgeon, and I think that’s hugely disappointing. |
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date right; its' the 18th of April, not the 17th of April.....excuse me:
