Theresa May - Not up to the Job of PM?

[Hobbit]

Weak; No Leadership; No Vision; Cowed by hardline Eurosceptics; Hopeless; swamped by Brexit; Trying to appease all sides of the Tory Party while trying to deliver the impossible; pushed into triggering Article 50 far too early - stuck with a 'wish list' of objectives cobbled together to pacify the hardline Eurosceptics - but with no plan to deliver a realistic and achievable Brexit.

On Day 1 following her becoming PM I heard words that I liked the sound of - but since then I have seen nothing that puts any substance behind these good words...

Maybe I should hope she goes sooner rather than later - for her sanity and health - with a wish that one of Johnson, Gove, Davis, Leadsom or Rees-Mogg get the PMship. If all goes well with the negotiations and a good deal is forthcoming then they can take the credit - if we end up with a poor deal or no deal - then they can explain the mess to the country and tell us how they are going to get us out of that mess.

"Weak; no leadership."

The joys of retirement, I get to read far more than I used to. Just finished a piece in the New Statesman - great for yoghurt knitters? The piece revolved around a comparison between May and Macron, and about telling the people/EU/world what your country's stance is on issues and what your programme is for driving the country forward. Chalk and cheese. As much as I'm not keen on Macron, he is a competent politician. May isn't, or if she is she keeps it well hidden.

So what is the govt's stance on the NHS, the armed forces, social care, taxation? What is the govt's plan going forward? What is the govt's end goal in these areas? It may well have been articulated, but so badly it doesn't stick in my feeble brain. Who is selling the govt's message?

And if there was a GE tomorrow, what would I be voting for? I have a choice of 3 parties. The SNP, Labour and the Tories - forget the Libdems, they're a busted flush at present. Sturgeon articulates the SNP's position on so many things really well, and JC absolutely gets the message across. Who's that whispering in the background? May-who?

Tony Blair employed a PR, May desperately needs one of Alistair Campbell's capability. Like him or loathe him he did one hell of a job.

 

[Hacker Khan]

"Weak; no leadership."

The joys of retirement, I get to read far more than I used to. Just finished a piece in the New Statesman - great for yoghurt knitters? The piece revolved around a comparison between May and Macron, and about telling the people/EU/world what your country's stance is on issues and what your programme is for driving the country forward. Chalk and cheese. As much as I'm not keen on Macron, he is a competent politician. May isn't, or if she is she keeps it well hidden.

So what is the govt's stance on the NHS, the armed forces, social care, taxation? What is the govt's plan going forward? What is the govt's end goal in these areas? It may well have been articulated, but so badly it doesn't stick in my feeble brain. Who is selling the govt's message?

And if there was a GE tomorrow, what would I be voting for? I have a choice of 3 parties. The SNP, Labour and the Tories - forget the Libdems, they're a busted flush at present. Sturgeon articulates the SNP's position on so many things really well, and JC absolutely gets the message across. Who's that whispering in the background? May-who?

Tony Blair employed a PR, May desperately needs one of Alistair Campbell's capability. Like him or loathe him he did one hell of a job.

I am sure they do have. But Brexit is dominating everything (and a lot of that is down to the Tories themselves constantly infighting over it) to such an extent that very little else gets mentioned. And possibly done in government.

One thing that concerned me recently was the demotion of Justine Greening. As a chair of governors I pay more interest than most to education policy. And whilst I am no fan of Tory education policy in general, in the very short time she was there she was (relatively for a Tory anyway) not that bad, especially in the field of social mobility which she is very keen on. But she seems to have been sacked as she did not believe in the grammar schools and they have got a new one in now who does. So expect those to rear their ugly heads again soon.

But in general changing ministers who have different philosophies, even though they are all in the same party, every year or so is no way to run a government. And especially no way to run an education system for the future of our kids.

 

[MegaSteve]

On watching a report within Countryfile this morning...
I'd suggest we haven't had a government fit for purpose for far too long...

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

"Weak; no leadership."

The joys of retirement, I get to read far more than I used to. Just finished a piece in the New Statesman - great for yoghurt knitters? The piece revolved around a comparison between May and Macron, and about telling the people/EU/world what your country's stance is on issues and what your programme is for driving the country forward. Chalk and cheese. As much as I'm not keen on Macron, he is a competent politician. May isn't, or if she is she keeps it well hidden.

So what is the govt's stance on the NHS, the armed forces, social care, taxation? What is the govt's plan going forward? What is the govt's end goal in these areas? It may well have been articulated, but so badly it doesn't stick in my feeble brain. Who is selling the govt's message?

And if there was a GE tomorrow, what would I be voting for? I have a choice of 3 parties. The SNP, Labour and the Tories - forget the Libdems, they're a busted flush at present. Sturgeon articulates the SNP's position on so many things really well, and JC absolutely gets the message across. Who's that whispering in the background? May-who?

Tony Blair employed a PR, May desperately needs one of Alistair Campbell's capability. Like him or loathe him he did one hell of a job.

At least if a GE tomorrow I would have another choice - Louise Irvine of the National Health Action Party - who I voted for in the last GE, just can't see myself voting Labour at the moment. If she didn't stand against Hunt goodness knows who I'd vote for. Probably LibDems as they have been traditionally quite strong in SW Surrey.

Loving Anna Soubry having a real go at Johnson and Rees-Mogg - and telling May to kick them and the other 35 bonkers brexiteers (not my epithet, but can't recall exactly how she referred to them though it was along these lines) - and then threatening to leave the party as not being the conservative party that she joined.

And that's where we are - May having to make a strong statement on the CU that simply seems designed to pacify that bunch - and at the same time trying to prevent a rift in the party and such as Souby from leaving the party. Good luck Prime Minister for this week.

 

[Hobbit]

At least if a GE tomorrow I would have another choice - Louise Irvine of the National Health Action Party - who I voted for in the last GE, just can't see myself voting Labour at the moment. If she didn't stand against Hunt goodness knows who I'd vote for. Probably LibDems as they have been traditionally quite strong in SW Surrey.

Loving Anna Soubry having a real go at Johnson and Rees-Mogg - and telling May to kick them and the other 35 bonkers brexiteers (not my epithet, but can't recall exactly how she referred to them though it was along these lines) - and then threatening to leave the party as not being the conservative party that she joined.

And that's where we are - May having to make a strong statement on the CU that simply seems designed to pacify that bunch - and at the same time trying to prevent a rift in the party and such as Souby from leaving the party. Good luck Prime Minister for this week.

Mmm, Anna Sourby. That'll be the MP who was Business Minister when SSI went to the wall on Teesside. She'll be the one that told the House that the govt had only learned at almost the last minute that SSI was in need of help. Maybe if she'd been truthful about the SSI approaches to her dept in the May and again in July, and that the govt's position was one of brinksmanship with SSI and the Thai banks. And that her dept was shocked when the Thai bank said no more money I'd be more amenable to listening to her.

I agree with what she is saying about Johnson and Mogg but to be honest she is as duplicitous as them. I have no time for her...

 

[bobmac]

Mmm, Anna Sourby. That'll be the MP who was Business Minister when SSI went to the wall on Teesside. She'll be the one that told the House that the govt had only learned at almost the last minute that SSI was in need of help. Maybe if she'd been truthful about the SSI approaches to her dept in the May and again in July, and that the govt's position was one of brinksmanship with SSI and the Thai banks. And that her dept was shocked when the Thai bank said no more money I'd be more amenable to listening to her.

I agree with what she is saying about Johnson and Mogg but to be honest she is as duplicitous as them. I have no time for her...

This Ms Sourby?

 

[Hobbit]

This Ms Sourby?

View attachment 24415

That's the hot babe in question

 

[MegaSteve]

That's the hot babe in question

Think you might need to get out of the sun...

 

[Hobbit]

Think you might need to get out of the sun...

Just imagine her in leather!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Just imagine her in leather!

Apparently Soubry gave Piers Morgan a good (verbal) spanking on Good Morning Britain this morning.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Well May did actually sound rather prime ministerial yesterday with her statement on the Salisbury 'terrorist attack' / 'act of chemical warfare' - but has she painted herself into a corner with the ultimatum that she gave Russia?

She gave them two options - and demanded they admit to one or the other by midnight today - I suggest that they will not admit to either. Then what? hand over to our Foreign Secretary to deal out the punishment? Well they already have dismissed May's words as a circus show - and so oh how the Russians would laugh were our very clown of a FS come to the centre of the ring.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Well May did actually sound rather prime ministerial yesterday with her statement on the Salisbury 'terrorist attack' / 'act of chemical warfare' - but has she painted herself into a corner with the ultimatum that she gave Russia?

She gave them two options - and demanded they admit to one or the other by midnight today - I suggest that they will not admit to either. Then what? hand over to our Foreign Secretary to deal out the punishment? Well they already have dismissed May's words as a circus show - and so oh how the Russians would laugh were our very clown of a FS come to the centre of the ring.

The Russians showed a picture on their tv of our foreign secretary stuck on a zip slide waving two Union flags.
How very dare them.

I have a gut feeling that this story lies a bit closer to home than Russia.
Remember the double agent spent six years in a Russian Prison

 

[MegaSteve]

I have a gut feeling that this story lies a bit closer to home than Russia.
Remember the double agent spent six years in a Russian Prison

In that case they should be targeting Salmond...
As he now works for the Kremlin...

 

[Doon frae Troon]

In that case they should be targeting Salmond...
As he now works for the Kremlin...

Salmond was an former politician when he chose to have a programme on RT.
How about you naming the current crop of MP's and political party's who are receiving funds from Russian sources and have had interviews and programmes on RT.
Strangely enough most of those MP's are Tory Party members.

 

[User62651]

May is hamstrung by what she can do or say, little real effective options are open to her. Ban a few diplomats maybe? Think we should have more proof before she throws allegations around too, weak leader had to be seen to lead I suppose.


Hypothetically what if the nerve gas case was reversed so that -

A former British spy who helped the Kremlin, Billy Doyle, turned Russian citizen living in Russia was attacked by stealth along with his daughter Pauline by undercover British agents using a British made nerve agent in a Russian City like Volgograd with traces in homes/pubs/restaurants there?
Hate to think where we'd be with the Russian Govt now- defcon 1 or whatever it's equivalent is!


Putin led Russia is a big bully doing more or less what it likes in terms of cybercrime, military campaigns (Ukraine/Syria) and professional hits on those who have done harm to her.

In response are we again just the bulldog with no teeth? - I'm going to tell America and the UN and the EU on you!

Is it not more likely a Russia mafia or gangs type hit rather than a Govt one? Do we know what the target was into in his retirement to keep up a comfy lifestyle?

 

[FairwayDodger]

Putin led Russia is a big bully doing more or less what it likes in terms of cybercrime, military campaigns (Ukraine/Syria) and professional hits on those who have done harm to her.

In response are we again just the bulldog with no teeth? - I'm going to tell America and the UN and the EU on you!

The leader of our main allies is beholden to Putin so isn't going to do much more than "hold our coat" in this fight. Maybe as a key member of a strong EU we'd be a tougher proposition for Russian aggression but that ship has sailed. Russia can pretty much do as they please and all we can do is complain about it.

 

[MegaSteve]

Maybe as a key member of a strong EU we'd be a tougher proposition for Russian aggression but that ship has sailed. Russia can pretty much do as they please and all we can do is complain about it.

Team EU hasn't really stopped Vlad doing his worst previously...

The best help we could get from Europe, presently, is all European teams withdrawal from the World Cup... Not sure if that would really put him on the back foot either...

 

[IanM]

EU claim responsibility for keeping peace in the region since WW2. (except for when wars have broken out!)

If the EU is now too weak to do this maybe the countries from around the North Atlantic could have some form of Treaty? Dunno

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Salmond was an former politician when he chose to have a programme on RT.
How about you naming the current crop of MP's and political party's who are receiving funds from Russian sources and have had interviews and programmes on RT.
Strangely enough most of those MP's are Tory Party members.

Salmond should get off RT - his reasons never ever really cut it for me that much - certainly doesn;t do it now.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

EU claim responsibility for keeping peace in the region since WW2. (except for when wars have broken out!)

If the EU is now too weak to do this maybe the countries from around the North Atlantic could have some form of Treaty? Dunno

That'll be the treaty that involves, as a critical member, a country who's leader appears to prefer Russia (Putin Pal) to the EU (Trade War) - brilliant - couldn't really make it up.