Conservative party/opposition watch

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 12 Jul 2016, 03:55

I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt for a while, after all she hasn't even taken up office yet! What she has said so far encourages me to think that she will lead the government in a different direction to the current leadership. I expect Gideon to go as well as Dave and most of the Eton boys will be on the dole themselves, figuratively speaking of course. Her new cabinet will speak volumes.

Little John · Post by **Little John** » 12 Jul 2016, 05:38

I couldn't give a toss about her. Not least because she was the establishment choice. What that means is she is not going to rock any boats and will broadly follow the line that the established has planned out for us all. In other words, if it wasn't her it would have been someone else. The reason Leadson was frozen out was, because for good or ill (for ill, obviously, from my perspective), she represented real and substantive change from that establishment line. Equally, for good or for ill, Corbyn represents real change. And so, again, the establishment is doing all it can to finish him.

woodburner · Post by **woodburner** » 12 Jul 2016, 07:10

Nobdy knows what having any particular person at the top means, until it starts to go badly. When Cameron got in he said it was the greenest government ever, and the environment was going to be at the top of the list. So we have HS2, fracking, a strong push towards GM crops, a strong push towards neonictinoids, glyphosate, nuclear, wood fuelled power stations, and soon it will be much more bio in diesel. Why anyone thinks an unexperienced truth distorting Leadsom should be a better option beats me.

She may be given Work and Pensions, that will finish her rise to the top.

Little John · Post by **Little John** » 12 Jul 2016, 08:39

I don't think Leadson would have been any "better". Indeed, from my perspective, I think she would have been much worse. What she would also have been, however, is more likely to break up and/or ignore existing establishment structures. But, along rabid right wing lines. So, from my perspective, May is probably less of an immediate danger to me and mine. But that is hardly a ringing endorsement. What we NEED is change. The existing systemic structures NEED breaking. I just happen to want that breakage to be done by the Left.

johnhemming2 · Post by **johnhemming2** » 12 Jul 2016, 08:54

The big issue is coping with Brexit. That is why so many people decided they didn't want to be PM.

We already have some cuts. Would you really like to be PM or Chancellor making even more cuts.

woodburner · Post by **woodburner** » 12 Jul 2016, 11:32

Little John wrote:I don't think Leadson would have been any "better". Indeed, from my perspective, I think she would have been much worse. What she would also have been, however, is more likely to break up and/or ignore existing establishment structures. But, along rabid right wing lines. So, from my perspective, May is probably less of an immediate danger to me and mine. But that is hardly a ringing endorsement. What we NEED is change. The existing systemic structures NEED breaking. I just happen to want that breakage to be done by the Left.

That was Thatcher's gambit too. Look what a mess that made.

Lord Beria3 · Post by **Lord Beria3** » 13 Jul 2016, 01:01

Leadsom was totally out of her depth and would not have been able to cope with being the PM.

Theresa May is the obvious choice to be the PM and she has committed herself to Brexit. She has my vote.

Politically, she is a more traditional version of a liberal, centrist Tory and a safe pair of hands.

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 13 Jul 2016, 03:57

I agree Beria, From what she has said so far she is a million miles from the Eton Tendency and not far off Ed Milliband, so Centre right!

AutomaticEarth · Post by **AutomaticEarth** » 13 Jul 2016, 16:00

Lord Beria3 wrote:Leadsom was totally out of her depth and would not have been able to cope with being the PM.

Theresa May is the obvious choice to be the PM and she has committed herself to Brexit. She has my vote.

Politically, she is a more traditional version of a liberal, centrist Tory and a safe pair of hands.

May was a Remainer, so not sure how that will go down. Plus she has presided over Police cuts...

johnhemming2 · Post by **johnhemming2** » 13 Jul 2016, 16:15

AutomaticEarth wrote:Plus she has presided over Police cuts...

As would any Home Secretary of any party.

AutomaticEarth · Post by **AutomaticEarth** » 13 Jul 2016, 18:42

What are the views on David Cameron over the last 6 years? I think he has made a number of significant mistakes, but offering a referendum on Europe (which he lost) was probably one of his high points. What does everyone else think?

woodburner · Post by **woodburner** » 13 Jul 2016, 18:54

Well, he did a wonderful job, he said so just today. He forgot to mention he got rid of automatic right to a jury trial, rights to legal aid, demolished the forensic since service, introduced the bedroom tax, sold the harriers to the US for a pittance, scrapped the only aircraft carrier, lhe list goes on. The best thing about his leaving is Boris is stuffed and Osborne has gone too.

AutomaticEarth · Post by **AutomaticEarth** » 13 Jul 2016, 20:05

woodburner wrote:Well, he did a wonderful job, he said so just today. He forgot to mention he got rid of automatic right to a jury trial, rights to legal aid, demolished the forensic since service, introduced the bedroom tax, sold the harriers to the US for a pittance, scrapped the only aircraft carrier, lhe list goes on. The best thing about his leaving is Boris is stuffed and Osborne has gone too.

I forgot about the Harriers being sold off cheap - that was a realy dumb move.. I just heard that Boris is now Foreign Secretary but Osborne has been given the boot, so it's not all bad news.

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 13 Jul 2016, 20:28

Boris is Foreign Secretary

AutomaticEarth · Post by **AutomaticEarth** » 13 Jul 2016, 20:36

PS_RalphW wrote:Boris is Foreign Secretary

Yes, certainly a turn-up for the books.

David Davies is Minister for Brexit aka Brexit Secretary (!). That should be an interesting move.

You can follow it all here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07 ... ts---as-b/