Urgent Statement from PM today

[MegaSteve]

You could argue that a few constituencies are very easy to predict (but after recent elections that is possibly less easy to predict nowadays) . However that is different from saying that your vote does not have any influence.

I do find it strange this attitude that if you do not vote for whoever won then your vote is worthless, it does not matter. Of course it matters, a 10,000 majority is a lot different from a 300 majority when it comes to how MPs behave and how they treat their constituents. Yes in both cases the particular MP has won and the winning party will set policy, but if a party has a number of MPs with a slender majority then the context is very different. I am increasingly more open to PR for our elections now as opposed to 1st past the post. As I think in modern society that is becoming increasingly out of date and will just lead to more and more entrenched ideological views and less and less compromise.

Living in a constituency where the person wearing the blue rosette gets 50%+ of the vote leaving the rest to fight over the scraps I genuinely feel my vote, in the scheme of things, counts for little... Lived here thru' nine GE's and only ever had one knock on the door from a prospective candidate or representative of... And, the way the boundaries have been manipulated, in recent times, I am sure there more than ever before constituencies with similar 'issues'...

 

[User62651]

I'm afraid it's just terribly weak leadership. She flip flops on the big issues, makes unambiguous statements only to change her mind later, shows rank hypocrisy over the timing of indyref2 while calling a GE and pure cowardice by calling an election but refusing to debate with the other leaders.

Embarrassing.

Bout sums it up for a lot of people!

Since Tories got a majority in 2015 seems it's been one disastrous decision after another for Conservative self interest, not for the country.
May is driving huge wedges further in to this already disunited Kingdom, poor leadership.
Knock LibDems all you like, that temperance to the Tory agenda 2010-15 was a very good thing. Coalition govt is needed, works in many countries. First past post system letting a 36.9% view control all is wrong.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

If my memory is correct Cameron refused to debate on TV with the others.

Regarding why she doesn't want to, rather than can't, I suggest it because she has better things to do with her time than stand on a stage with a bunch of Muppets throwing insults at each other.

Or it's a far better way to reach more voters and get your message across.

 

[Old Skier]

I'm afraid it's just terribly weak leadership. She flip flops on the big issues, makes unambiguous statements only to change her mind later, shows rank hypocrisy over the timing of indyref2 while calling a GE and pure cowardice by calling an election but refusing to debate with the other leaders.

Embarrassing.

Remind you of anyone up above the wall.

 

[SocketRocket]

Or it's a far better way to reach more voters and get your message across.

I'm not convinced it does anything other than make people even more critical of politicians. These staged 'so called' debates seem to achieve nothing, they can put people off due to the inevitable mud slinging they promote.

 

[Old Skier]

If Mrs May thinks she has such a strong case, why is she so afraid of debating it in public? Is it because she can't just read out a pre-written speech? At least David Cameron was a good debator! 

Maybe because, as many suggested on a thread previously that they are a waste of time and money and rarely change a voters mind.

 

[SocketRocket]

I'm afraid it's just terribly weak leadership. She flip flops on the big issues, makes unambiguous statements only to change her mind later, shows rank hypocrisy over the timing of indyref2

Embarrassing.

Enough on the SNP, lets get back to the election.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Sorry forgot to post the link in the post

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.in...ry-party-paul-nuttall-david-a7690106.html?amp

 

[FairwayDodger]

Remind you of anyone up above the wall.

It doesn't actually. I like sturgeon (assuming that's who you mean) even less than May but they are chalk and cheese.

 

[Old Skier]

Sorry forgot to post the link in the post

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.in...ry-party-paul-nuttall-david-a7690106.html?amp

Says MPs, unfortunately no names or party mentioned. Nobody daft enough to take information from an anonymous source seriously even if it might be true. Or are they.

 

[User62651]

Says MPs, unfortunately no names or party mentioned. Nobody daft enough to take information from an anonymous source seriously even if it might be true. Or are they.

This expenses question was asked of PM in Commons yesterday by an SNP MP, May said question was unworthy of the asker and said no more on it. Never answers question on any topic she hasn't prepared for, can't think on her feet. She is turning into Maggie2, gawd help us all.

 

[Hacker Khan]

This expenses question was asked of PM in Commons yesterday by an SNP MP, May said question was unworthy of the asker and said no more on it. Never answers question on any topic she hasn't prepared for, can't think on her feet. She is turning into Maggie2, gawd help us all.

Unfortunately (IMHO) I think that idea is very attractive for a good number of voters...

 

[Hacker Khan]

I'm not convinced it does anything other than make people even more critical of politicians. These staged 'so called' debates seem to achieve nothing, they can put people off due to the inevitable mud slinging they promote.

Rightly or wrongly people make a decision for who they will vote for on a number of reasons. And how a potential PM behaves and carries themselves in a debate when they are challenged is one of them. Lets face it, the PM will be in quite a few 'debates' in the near future which are quite important to the future of the UK to say the least.

I for one would quite like to see how the potential leader of my country acts under pressure, how truthful they seem, on a basic 'likeability' level, are they the type of person I would trust to lead us. Her voting record and mostly ideological based policies in the areas of education and welfare do not overly endear her to me. If she thinks she is too busy to open herself up to the public and questions from other potential leaders of this country then so be it. But by ducking out of these I feel it says more about how TMay thinks of the electorate than she realises
.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

TM wont do a live debate because she doesn't need to. She is miles ahead. All that can happen from her point of view is that she looks bad and loses votes. She is not good thinking on the hoof, she is wooden and scripted. It is not her natural environment.

She is unlikely to gain more votes, none that will make a difference anyway, and so it is a free hit for all of the other leaders. TM does not have to do anything spectacular during this election, she just has to avoid banana skins. Live debates are a banana skin so avoid. No strategist would let her near a live debate.

 

[jp5]

And how will the PM not bothering to turn up to a debate go down with the electorate?

Not very well I would think.

She will have plenty of banana skin moments with the EU negotiations so not a good look to be dodging on the basis of that.

 

[spongebob59]

Having seen some of the US live debates, I fail to see what they add.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Having seen some of the US live debates, I fail to see what they add.

I'd disagree. Surely they gave people an opportunity to see how the candidates operated in that environment?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

And how will the PM not bothering to turn up to a debate go down with the electorate?

Not very well I would think.

Will she upset more of the electorate by not turning up than turning up and having a mare? She is so far ahead she can afford to upset the odd voter by ignoring the debates. If the polls were closer she would not have this luxury.

 

[jp5]

Will she upset more of the electorate by not turning up than turning up and having a mare? She is so far ahead she can afford to upset the odd voter by ignoring the debates. If the polls were closer she would not have this luxury.

The electorate should be entitled to know if she 'has a mare'.

Not too much to ask of our PM to stand on a stage for an hour and answer some questions, is it?

 

[User62651]

Will she upset more of the electorate by not turning up than turning up and having a mare? She is so far ahead she can afford to upset the odd voter by ignoring the debates. If the polls were closer she would not have this luxury.

The very first thing a wannabee politician does is learn how to debate. Debate is the backbone of politics. Not debating is the way of dictatorships.

She makes it look like she believes it's beneath her, if it's beneath her it shows contempt for the people she claims to lead. Did she really think being PM would be an easy ride? She may have nothing to gain from tv debate but she clearly feels she has something to gain from calling an early GE, why should she have it both ways as a publically elected official?

These debates tend to be popular with people, there are a good amount of floating voters who're undecided and it can help them decide. We don't know our leaders. TV debates lets us see them in sometimes uncomfortable situations, they're elected by the public so should be occasionally answerable to the public. Every 5 years (2 because of Mays choice this time) is not that often for a tv debate of party leaders. I enjoy watching them and I would say I am a floating voter with no party loyalty so imo May should be there and be scrutinised, she's a politician not The Queen.