Strong and Stable, Ha, Ha, Ha

[Grecian]

Quick Theresa grab hold of the handbrake, now pull on it hard, see how easy it is to do a U-turn. Yep our 'Strong and Stable' leader has performed another U-turn only four days after launching 'her' manifesto proposing to screw the elderly. It seems that even her right wing press are unable to save her from this shambles, as the tories have taken out Google ads trying to defend their attack on the elderly, even the tories had to label it the dementia tax.

So Ms May is asking the country to give her a landslide victory at the general election to see off those nasty Europeans. As she buckles at the first sign of confrontation God help the UK if she allowed at the negotiating table with the '27'.

[mint]

Got home late this evening and watched the Andrew Neil interview of May.  Towards the end, I was so incensed by her non answers that I just had to walk out of the room.

You might like to read a summary of the interview from this Daily Mail reader (DM reader being allowed to post this uncensored???  Wow, just wow!)

Did Theresa May answer any question in 30 mins , not really, I think

really she should have been administered a truth drug or had a live lie

detector test. What I do find disconcerting is if she is lying and I

reality she was where are her Christian values. Her strong and stable is

well getting very annoying infact what can the Daily Mail readers see

in her to vote for her... Cant explain where 8bn is coming from for the

NHS, Cant explain the NEW U TURN cap threshold in Social Care, Cant

explain where a further 10bn is coming from for capital spending in NHS,

Cant explain the cap threshold on the Winter Fuel Allowance, Cant

explain no deal is better than a bad deal and what the consequences are .

It was 30 mins of vague responses, automated like a robot saying the

same things over and over again. Anyone voting for her and I say her as

she is promoting this as leadership vote and not a party vote must be

absolutely stuck in a Tory Timewarp or cant see the wood for the trees

[woolybanana]

Problem is that Corbyn is just so hideous; McDonnell is even worse, a closet Maoist/Leninist/ Stalinist, class warfare warriors both, controlled by commie unions.

But, yes, May has been a disappointment. The least worst?

[mint]

She's not the "least worst" by a long chalk.

In any case, we do not have a presidential system in the UK; we vote for the parties and their policies; we do not vote for the prime minister. Though no doubt May is acting very presidential these days

[lindal1000]

I've actually come round to thinking Corbyn isn't as bad as everyone makes out. His policies are consistent, he does not engage in personal attacks, he answers questions, he can debate, he has some diplomatic skills..certainly more strong and stable than the mayhem. Kier Starmer would be negotiating with the EU if he was prime minister and he is a barrister and QC. TM will be eaten for breakfast by Barnier. If she can't even cope with Andrew Neil who is one of her supporters how will she deal with the negotiations?

[mint]

Lindal, I so want to reply to your post and therefore I will.  And BTW, I am appalled by the terrible event in Manchester but I find it too difficult to talk about.

Anyway, Lindal, apparently now even the heavily biassed (how many s's?) right wing press are getting ashamed of the often unfair attacks on Corbyn.  They try and trap him into saying things which they can then put a slant on but JC is a bit too fly to be caught.

I am reproducing something that a Guardian reader has said (I make no apologies for using the words of those who say things much more succinctly than I ever can)

This piece is one person's response to last night's Andrew Neil interview which exposed so much of the cynicism and arrogrance (not to mention sheer incompetence) of May.

The ex-PM showed no leadership, because

she tried to wriggle out of her blunder rather than own up to it. She

was not brave (unless it is meant in the derogatory sense).

She made a somersault and did not land straight up. This showed a

lack of flexibility/adaptability and poor negotiating skills. She could

be very vulnerable in EU negotiations.

After all her trouble, she failed to make the problem go away for

her. There are more unanswered questions now than before, and she will,

sooner rather than later, have to 'clarify' (concede) more.

Worse, she failed to show any understanding of why her policies are

so unpopular with her own (Tory) supporters. This made her look at best

insensitive and at worst seemingly unfit to lead 'all' the people of her

country - an essential quality for any PM.

The media dubbed her "weak and wobbly" (to contrast with her

self-promoted image of 'strong and stable'). The fiasco demonstrated to

the EU that the ex-PM can be 'rattled' and 'turned' relatively easily,

through all the serious flaws mentioned above.

The ex-PM declared herself to be 'bloody difficult' if required, and

she had said that 'no [EU] deal is better than a bad deal' - ie she

would relish being confrontational. Corbyn on the other hand, has a

non-confrontational stance, wants an amicable deal with the EU (a

prerequisite for a good trade and financial services deal), and he may

well deliver a far better outcome (even though the Tory press have been

trying to frighten UK voters into thinking otherwise).

[NickP]

I'd have thought that today everybody would be offering condolences to the people of Manchester, rather than trying to score cheap political points. Makes me realise why I don't post very often now.

[mint]

I'll try to score some expensive political points next time then; just hadn't realised that they came in different categories.

People react differently to appalling tragedies and I mentioned Manchester in passing because, when OH came in with my morning tea and the news, I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

The GE happens to be what is topical (as well as other news, of course) and I don't see that all life and discussions have to stop whilst you wring your hands in helpless inaction.

If you feel so strongly about "offering condolences", why not start a Condolence Book and send it to the people of Manchester?  Better still, why not start a fund?  Why not write to your MP protesting about cuts in police forces?  Caring means more than merely offering condolences and it might even mean that now is a critical time for scoring some political points, cheap or expensive or anything in between.

[woolybanana]

Started getting news of the atrocity late last night though the first newspaper web page to have a long report was the DM, oddly enough. The Guardian had nothing until later.

How are we supposed to react - send condolences, where? Let us wait and see what is under way as regards funds or whatever. I would willingly sign a book if there is one.

Meanwhile, we just get on as best we can, a little angrier, a little wearied, thanking our own Gods that our loved ones were not there and shedding a little humanity for those who have died or been maimed and their families.

Plus we wonder how minds can be so warped and perverted as to make them commit such barbarous acts.

[Grecian]

Quite right mint, life goes on I am afraid and whatever we think about what happened in Manchester, the consequences of who wins the general election will be with everybody for the next five years, or maybe three months, or 18 months or 3 years 2 days if May wins, (sorry that was very cheap).

All main political parties have stopped campaigning today, sorry another cheap shot coming here, I hope that there is a journalist out there somewhere counting how many times our great leader uses 'strong and stable' today, and tries in some way blame Jeremy Corbyn for what took place in Manchester.

[mint]

Actually, Grecian, her favourite word right now seems to be "crucial".....as in this is the most crucial election in my life time, it is crucial that you vote for me and not for Corbyn, it is crucial that Corbyn does not "sneak" (the word she used last night, yes, VERY prime ministerial but there it is) into No 10, it is absolutely crucial that we get Brexit right and so on and on and on.  She must have used the word 20 times if she used it once[+o(]

Then she said "me and my team", "me and my government" not once but twice.  So much good her grammar school education has done her!  And, yes, I nitpick, and yes I do notice these things.  I don't mind when us ordinary folk get the finer points of grammar wrong but then we aren't the prime minister who advocating bringing back grammar schools.

And, Wools, on one thing we do agree..........that we all seem to be getting angrier.  Perhaps I should pop some of the dog's "calming" tablets!

 

[crabtree]

As I approach my 60th birthday, I feel sad for the victims of the

Manchester attack and their families, as I did for Paris, London, Nice,

Brussels and all the over victims, and I wonder what has become of the

world. Over the past few years there have been numerous bombings and

killings around the world and every one sends their condolences to the

victims, their families, the people of that town and country and it's

leaders. Nothing else - then it happens again, more condolences but no real actions against the perpetrators.

Before I was born there was a certain Herr Hitler who threatened the

world, and the world come together to eradicate the threat.

I know

you cannot compare them, but I believe that these so called ISIS/DAESH

are as bad or even worse than Hitler, but the world uses feeble means to

combat them.

I am no warmonger, in fact I abhor it. However, enough is enough. It is time for the world and it's leaders to take action.

I have no contact with these leaders, Trump, Putin, Merkel, May, Macron and others. They must

act now, ISIS/DAESH are cold blooded killers, and will not be stopped

unless the rest of world come together. The are not real Muslims.

So the WORLD must STOP THEM.

[Chancer]

Have a look on youtube for the speech that Donald Trump gave before the Gulf Co-operation Council in Saudi Arabia, he gets pretty much nothing but bad press on here, you will find it echos with your views and mine.

[lindal1000]

Except it wasn't ISIS or DAESH that strapped a load of explosives to themselves and blew themselves up next to a load of kids. Dropping bombs on Saudi Arabia or Syria or Iran or any other country that happens to be taking the blame won't stop it.

The only aim of terrorist attacks is to create fear, violence, anger and unrest. The victims mean nothing to those who are aiming for that. Donald Trump won't find the answers playing with ceremonial swords in Saudi.

[Chancer]

I must have missed the bit where he addressed the Gulf co-operation Council in the presence of the Saudi ruler and spoke of dropping bombs on his and the others countrys. Didn't see a ceremonial sword either, I did hear a very well thought out diplomatic but firm and reasoned presentation.

[lindal1000]

He was doing a good show in Saudi and Israel. It's easy for him..lots of attention and ceremony and a carefully written speech to read out. All well rehearsed and pre planned by whoever it is that has his ear on foreign policy, which fortunately doesn't seem to be same lot that he listens to in Washington. In the meantime troubles at home continue for him. It won't make the slightest difference in combating extremism in the USA or Europe. I might have spoken of this before, but our friends son was radicalised in Canada, unbeknown to her..They are not Muslim but he was targeted via the internet. He ended up going to Syria where he was killed, but he could have equally been one who was encouraged to strap explosives to his body and stand in a public place. His family were and are normal, ordinary people and he had a pretty normal upbringing. Until we understand how that kind of indoctrination can happen and how it can be prevented then no one can be safe from the possibility. And it isn't a black and white solution. Anyone vulnerable can be targeted for any dubious religion, cult or belief, made to believe that their own lives are worthless, that the lives of others are a necessary sacrifice and given the link to an internet page that tells them how to pack themselves with enough deadly material to take out dozens of people. When people talk about punishing families for the acts of their offspring I think about my friend and her parents (who you have met) and who have spent two years struggling to understand and come to terms with what has happened, and I think how could you punish them anymore and what on earth would that achieve.

[crabtree]

[quote user="lindal1000"]Except it wasn't ISIS or DAESH that strapped a load of explosives to themselves and blew themselves up next to a load of kids.[/quote]

Sorry, but I think you are being a bit naive there.

[Patf]

Back to Trump - he got a good reception in the Middle East because the USA gives those 2 countries  money/ weapons.

They're not as daft as to bite the hand that feeds them.

[Grecian]

If the latest poll is to be believed then things have just got very interesting indeed, with the tory lead cut back to just five points. If this turns out to be the actual result, the projection is that May will have her majority cut to just two! I guess with a majority of two the EU will be quaking in their boots when Madame May breezes into town.

I know that it is only one poll, but the general trend has been a narrowing of the lead between Labour and the tories. I am not sure what Ms 'Weak and Wobbly' can do about the current situation, when she opens her mouth all that comes out are soundbites, U-turns and a personal attack on Jeremy Corbyn, and I could say telling lies about the eventual Brexit outcome. Whereas at least Corbyn is trying to give people some sort of vision and hope with his policies, although I guess if you earn over £80k you would not be voting for him. I suspect that the campaign will now turn a whole lot nastier from the tories side, with our Lynton blowing his dog whistles as loud as he can. I see that Davis pulled out of a speech today, obviously with the publication of the latest poll, Lynton has some serious thinking to do.

[NickP]

I can't wait to wake up on the 9th and find that Dianne Abbott is now head of the intelligence and security services.

[Kong]

...and responsible for the mathematics curriculum in primary schools.....

[richard51]

She can't do any worse than the current shower:

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-minister-admits-shanghai-maths-teachers-only-do-two-lessons-a-day/

[lindal1000]

The difficulty for TM is what happens if she wins but with less of a majority than she has now? She called the election because she said she needed a strong mandate during the brexit negotiations. If she doesn't get that mandate then her position is untenable isn't it? The worst of all outcomes really. The opposition cannot form a government but neither can she.

[Grecian]

If that turns out to be the case lindal then it will be of her own making, and I guess that the British public will punish her accordingly. I can only think that the tories are either stupid or arrogant, or I suspect both, to publish a manifesto that promises to punish their core voters, knowing that the Labour manifesto will be full of voter friendly policies. Whether Labour can deliver on their manifesto remains to be seen, but hey ho telling big lies worked for the Brexiteers and Trump, so good luck Corbyn.

[richard51]

One definite thing about Corbyn is that he does not lie to put a certain vote catching spin on things.

IMHO he says it how it should be.