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UK Election results 2019: Boris Johnson returns to power with big majority [Post#486]

Shocking start to the campaign for the Tories. Already lost a few polling points. Boris has done his best to turn the tide in the last 24 hours with some typically bombastic speeches, and Watson’s resignation came out of the blue, so it will be interesting to see if this changes things or if the impressively calm Corbyn continues to inch further forward.
 
Watson is a big loss to Labour. I am surprised and saddened. The two big parties continued to be hollowed out of pragmatic, moderate, capable people, who are replaced by hard left and hard right zealots.
 
Watson is a big loss to Labour. I am surprised and saddened. The two big parties continued to be hollowed out of pragmatic, moderate, capable people, who are replaced by hard left and hard right zealots.

Mate, and what is Jo Swinson? She isn't hard left, she is extreme left zealot as they come. Of course her we all know why she is heading an undemocratic campaign, her husband's organisation is the recipient of EU funds, in the Millions.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Westminster voting intention:<br><br>CON: 36% (-2)<br>LAB: 25 (-)<br>LDEM: 17% (+1)<br>BREX: 11% (-)<br><br>via <a href="https://twitter.com/YouGov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@YouGov</a>, 05 - 06 Nov<br>Chgs. w/ 04 Nov</p>— Britain Elects (@britainelects) <a href="https://twitter.com/britainelects/status/1192126915789950976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Mate, and what is Jo Swinson? She isn't hard left, she is extreme left zealot as they come. Of course her we all know why she is heading an undemocratic campaign, her husband's organisation is the recipient of EU funds, in the Millions.

Most Labour people say she is a Tory for voting for austerity measures while a Minister!

I'd say she is on the right of the LD spectrum. She is attracting a few Remain Tories but possibly losing a few centre-left voters.

Come on mate, don't fall for hard left propaganda. Duncan Hames is part of an anticorruption NGO named Transparency International, which is funded by a variety of sources including several UN agencies and the EU. The NGO has chapters in a hundred countries.
 
Really do hope corbyn pull it off and wins, day by day the Zionists propoganda already are on his case
 
Most Labour people say she is a Tory for voting for austerity measures while a Minister!

I'd say she is on the right of the LD spectrum. She is attracting a few Remain Tories but possibly losing a few centre-left voters.

Come on mate, don't fall for hard left propaganda. Duncan Hames is part of an anticorruption NGO named Transparency International, which is funded by a variety of sources including several UN agencies and the EU. The NGO has chapters in a hundred countries.

I am still puzzled by the fact Jo is the leader of the LDs. Even though I do not support LDs, Vince Cable would have done are far better job than Jo. It's not just Labour party that have a leadership problem.
 
I wouldn’t vote for them - because they are now neither liberal nor democratic - however I don’t really get all this Lib Dem mockery and hate. They are doing well in the polls and will end up with dozens of seats next month.
 
I wouldn’t vote for them - because they are now neither liberal nor democratic - however I don’t really get all this Lib Dem mockery and hate. They are doing well in the polls and will end up with dozens of seats next month.

Here's the deal, since 2016, there is no such thing as traditional party values anymore. There was a time when you voted for a party, you were voting for an ideology. I find myself agreeing with certain points across all parties these days. However this General Election, and certainly the next few, are essentially referendums on whether to Leave or Remain. If you support Brexit, vote Tory. If you support Remain, vote LDs. If you are unsure, vote Labour!

I will go further and add I am in a dilemma where I support my local MP, but not the party he represents. I will be forced to vote another way. FPTP is a broken system too and needs a radical change.
 
Both major political parties have dropped a key target that would see the national debt falling over time.

The move will allow tens or even hundreds of billions more in investment spending on hospitals, schools, housing and public transport.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said Labour would change the way public spending is accounted for, freeing it up to spend.

Chancellor Sajid Javid also plans to relax his debt rules and spend more.

He said his new rule would allow 3% of GDP in borrowing for public investment - potentially an additional £100bn over current plans.

Mr Javid said he still expected the debt to be lower at the end of the next parliament, but this was not a hard-and-fast stricture.

Like Labour, he also channelled some of the same arguments about taking advantage of cheap borrowing.

He added that the looser rules on borrowing would allow the the party to spend more on improving hospitals, schools, roads, railways and broadband.

Labour's plans
Labour's plan is a major revolution in fiscal targeting, designed to allow hundreds of billions in extra investment spending to grow public sector assets.

Mr McDonnell described the new approach as targeting "public sector net worth", saying that it was akin to how companies report their balance sheets. It also builds on a new set of figures that the Office for National Statistics has started to report regularly.

It means there will be little incentive to use off-balance sheet mechanisms, such as the much-criticised Private Finance Initiative.

But it also means a much more generous treatment for Labour's plan to nationalise some privately owned utilities, because the funding required will be offset by the acquisition of the asset - the company.

It is radical too. It relies on the continuation of the current very low borrowing rates offered to governments around the world.

And while there is an emerging international consensus on taking advantage of these cheap rates to boost growth, at a time when central banks are running out of ammunition, there is a limit.

There is a new post-austerity consensus on spending more for the future.

The dividing line is whether it is tens of billions required or hundreds of billions. And who voters trust to spend it well.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-your-money-50329893
 
Both major political parties have dropped a key target that would see the national debt falling over time.

The move will allow tens or even hundreds of billions more in investment spending on hospitals, schools, housing and public transport.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said Labour would change the way public spending is accounted for, freeing it up to spend.

Chancellor Sajid Javid also plans to relax his debt rules and spend more.

He said his new rule would allow 3% of GDP in borrowing for public investment - potentially an additional £100bn over current plans.

Mr Javid said he still expected the debt to be lower at the end of the next parliament, but this was not a hard-and-fast stricture.

Like Labour, he also channelled some of the same arguments about taking advantage of cheap borrowing.

He added that the looser rules on borrowing would allow the the party to spend more on improving hospitals, schools, roads, railways and broadband.

Labour's plans
Labour's plan is a major revolution in fiscal targeting, designed to allow hundreds of billions in extra investment spending to grow public sector assets.

Mr McDonnell described the new approach as targeting "public sector net worth", saying that it was akin to how companies report their balance sheets. It also builds on a new set of figures that the Office for National Statistics has started to report regularly.

It means there will be little incentive to use off-balance sheet mechanisms, such as the much-criticised Private Finance Initiative.

But it also means a much more generous treatment for Labour's plan to nationalise some privately owned utilities, because the funding required will be offset by the acquisition of the asset - the company.

It is radical too. It relies on the continuation of the current very low borrowing rates offered to governments around the world.

And while there is an emerging international consensus on taking advantage of these cheap rates to boost growth, at a time when central banks are running out of ammunition, there is a limit.

There is a new post-austerity consensus on spending more for the future.

The dividing line is whether it is tens of billions required or hundreds of billions. And who voters trust to spend it well.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-your-money-50329893

Basically they have raised the debt ceiling.

Does not matter which government is power, Brexit or no Brexit, the debt will not be paid off.

Next best thing, do what the Americans do, sod the debt, and build!
 
Is there anything labour don’t want to ban?


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Labour's private jet ban plan makes 'little sense,' says industry <a href="https://t.co/1W2VWN5ydb">https://t.co/1W2VWN5ydb</a> <a href="https://t.co/vbTz0uWzK9">pic.twitter.com/vbTz0uWzK9</a></p>— City A.M. (@CityAM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CityAM/status/1191426272104050692?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Whats the reason the gave?
 
I wouldn’t vote for them - because they are now neither liberal nor democratic - however I don’t really get all this Lib Dem mockery and hate. They are doing well in the polls and will end up with dozens of seats next month.

Not like you to repeat slogans GS.
Illiberal how? The party is all about more and more decentralisation of power, taking power closer to the people with less and less central authoritarian control.

And every policy is decided by Conference so this undemocratic charge is inappropriate.

The Remain Alliance with help return 5-10 extra LD MPs beyond what the polls say.
 
I am still puzzled by the fact Jo is the leader of the LDs. Even though I do not support LDs, Vince Cable would have done are far better job than Jo. It's not just Labour party that have a leadership problem.

Sir Vince has retired from politics.

Swinson beat Sir Ed Davey in the leadership election by a long way. The members think she is more dynamic. She has a much larger social media presence. Plus it is time for a woman.
 
Momentum are pushing Labour back in the race. With the Zionist traitor Watson gone, the party is looking stronger and stronger by the day.
 
Momentum are pushing Labour back in the race. With the Zionist traitor Watson gone, the party is looking stronger and stronger by the day.

Please, please don’t use divisive hateful language like this. It’s poisonous. It’s why some good people are fleeing Labour. Where is your solidarity?
 
Chuka Umunna getting owned on LBC radio now. He is being asked whether he will be joining Conservatives or Green next! :)))
 
Chuka Umunna getting owned on LBC radio now. He is being asked whether he will be joining Conservatives or Green next! :)))

I think he would be a better LD leader than Swinson.

Have to see if he is still a MP at Christmas.
 
Not like you to repeat slogans GS.
Illiberal how? The party is all about more and more decentralisation of power, taking power closer to the people with less and less central authoritarian control.

And every policy is decided by Conference so this undemocratic charge is inappropriate.

The Remain Alliance with help return 5-10 extra LD MPs beyond what the polls say.

Their position on the brexit referendum, to reverse it, is undemocratic imo (although to be fair it’s refreshingly honest and at least they’re not trying to do it via the back door like so many others).

As for the whole liberal thing they say they want more power to be transferred to the people from the state but after what went on in the coalition government it seems the Lib Dems love a large nanny state just like the rest of Westminster do.
 
I think he would be a better LD leader than Swinson.

Have to see if he is still a MP at Christmas.

I agree, anyone would be better than Swinson at this stage, though he categorically ruled out LD leadership ambitions on the radio. His one defense when asked why he had switched between 3 parties was that he first joined the LD party when he entered politics. I got the feeling the public listening didn't buy it, and neither the present, Ian Dale.

Still I think this GE is perhaps the most exciting of the lot. Any outcome is possible. I have a 19 to 1! :)
 
Please, please don’t use divisive hateful language like this. It’s poisonous. It’s why some good people are fleeing Labour. Where is your solidarity?

Solidarity with who? Watson was poisonous and divisive, a man who pretented to be Labour. He is a Zionist , check his speeches. And the language I used it accurate not hateful, stop being so sensitive when it comes to Zionists or Jews. They can be criticised to and so we should of the Jewish Chronichile, complete clowns.
 
Solidarity with who? Watson was poisonous and divisive, a man who pretented to be Labour. He is a Zionist , check his speeches. And the language I used it accurate not hateful, stop being so sensitive when it comes to Zionists or Jews. They can be criticised to and so we should of the Jewish Chronichile, complete clowns.

Solidarity with Watson, who is credited with stopping more Labour MPs from joining TIG. Now they will leave the party too. If he were Leader, Labour would look more reasonable and competent, be ahead in the polls and I would still be voting for them.

You don’t form a government by calling your long-time allies clowns. Labour has lost the Jewish vote now. Unthinkable ten years ago. That trust is not easily won back.

The Z-word is often used in hatred as a dog whistle for Jew used by antisemites to avoid charges of racism. I would avoid using it altogether.
 
Their position on the brexit referendum, to reverse it, is undemocratic imo (although to be fair it’s refreshingly honest and at least they’re not trying to do it via the back door like so many others).

As for the whole liberal thing they say they want more power to be transferred to the people from the state but after what went on in the coalition government it seems the Lib Dems love a large nanny state just like the rest of Westminster do.

The referendum was advisory under law, not binding. The advice has been heard - do something about falling living standards, wage suppression, the CAP and CFP. These things will all get worse outside the EU.

The coalition is history, gone. It’s a new party, mostly.
 
Solidarity with Watson, who is credited with stopping more Labour MPs from joining TIG. Now they will leave the party too. If he were Leader, Labour would look more reasonable and competent, be ahead in the polls and I would still be voting for them.

You don’t form a government by calling your long-time allies clowns. Labour has lost the Jewish vote now. Unthinkable ten years ago. That trust is not easily won back.

The Z-word is often used in hatred as a dog whistle for Jew used by antisemites to avoid charges of racism. I would avoid using it altogether.

The Jewish vote was lost because of Corbyn's past. HE is accused of being a terrorist sympathizer (Hamas etc) yet our Queen and Government officials anoint Martin McGuiness for sainthood.

More Jews are now speaking up against the smear campaign against Corbyn. Just tune into LBC. People are waking up to the propaganda against Corbyn.

Anyway, how many seats would Labour lose if it lost the Jewish vote?
 
The referendum was advisory under law, not binding. The advice has been heard - do something about falling living standards, wage suppression, the CAP and CFP. These things will all get worse outside the EU.

The coalition is history, gone. It’s a new party, mostly.

And MPs voting to trigger A50 was also law.

This advisory excuse is a weak excuse I am afraid, one which died in the weeks after the result.
 
Their position on the brexit referendum, to reverse it, is undemocratic imo (although to be fair it’s refreshingly honest and at least they’re not trying to do it via the back door like so many others).

As for the whole liberal thing they say they want more power to be transferred to the people from the state but after what went on in the coalition government it seems the Lib Dems love a large nanny state just like the rest of Westminster do.

LDs have a habit of making gigantic U-Turns. Student fees is just one example.

LDs cannot be trusted, not an iota.
 
The Jewish vote was lost because of Corbyn's past. HE is accused of being a terrorist sympathizer (Hamas etc) yet our Queen and Government officials anoint Martin McGuiness for sainthood.

More Jews are now speaking up against the smear campaign against Corbyn. Just tune into LBC. People are waking up to the propaganda against Corbyn.

Anyway, how many seats would Labour lose if it lost the Jewish vote?

Yes and not only on LBC. There was a Jewish lady in the audience on Question Time yesterday that spoke out about this too.
 
Yes and not only on LBC. There was a Jewish lady in the audience on Question Time yesterday that spoke out about this too.

Indeed, I watched the clip on FB.

The game is up, and I would not be surprised if Labour gained more seats!
 
Maajid Nawaz is on the anti Corbyn bandwagon now! This guy spends most of his time attacking Islam/Muslims on LBC, but now defends them in a battle cry against Corbyn. What a paid shill if I ever saw one.

Here's his rant from his FB page.

New thread on UK Labour Party leader Corbyn’s defence of genocide against Bosnian Muslims, his attachment to Russia & Putin, his excuses for war crimes in Syria, his potential to break up the EU and the UK, his support for the IRA, and his contemptuous disregard for Jews. Please share (written on twitter, sorry for the shorthand style)

1) We blithely rehearsed every year on Holocaust Memorial Day, parroting #NeverAgain. Did we mean it? A man who believes anti-Semitic terrorists Hamas & Hezbollah are his allies, may soon occupy No.10. Corbyn did not just call Hamas his 'friends', he said much worse but too many ignored it
https://www.cufi.org.uk/…/corbyn-did-not-just-call-hamas-h…/

2)
This is a man who personally took (not as head of state, as a private individual) £20k from the Iranian regime, Putin’s ally that sponsors Hezbollah terrorists who murder Jews in Israel, Arabs in Syria & Iraq, and believes in enforcing “sharia” as law
Corbyn defends £20,000 payment for Iranian TV appearances

https://www.timesofisrael.com/corbyn-defends-payment-for-5…/

3) This man’s excuse is “we must meet all sides”. Yet despite this excuse,he doesn’t. He boycotted Trump. He even boycotted Chuka Umunna, yet happily befriends terrorists & President Xi of China (who also likes mass concentration camps. Sorry jews, but ����*♂️)

https://www.theguardian.com/…/corbyn-quits-party-leaders-br…

4) This is a man who has consistently sided with a hostile foreign state against our National Interests. Russia backed the Serbian genocide against Bosnian Muslims, led by War Criminal Milosovic
https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/…/corbyns-woeful-record-…

5) When Putin launched a chemical attack on British soil - let that sit for a moment: A. Chemical. Attack. On. British. Soil - trying to murder Kremlin defector Sergei Skripal and poisoning his daughter Yulia too, Corbyn is the man who kept defending Russia, throughout

https://www.theguardian.com/…/jeremy-corbyn-sergei-skripal-…

6) This is a man who - again - defended Russia, Iran and Assad when chemical attacks (again, Chemical attacks) were launched in Douma against Syrian Muslim civilians. This man is no friend of humans, or Muslims or Jews

https://www.politicshome.com/…/watch-jeremy-corbyn-suggests…

7) There isn’t a foreign policy issue where Corbyn hasn’t sided with Russia:
A) supporting architect of the Serbian genocide
B ) supporting Russian, Iranian &Assad’s mass slaughter in Syria
C) defending poisoning in UK
4) defending Maduro’s regime in Venezuela

https://foreignpolicy.com/…/jeremy-corbyn-is-a-national-se…/

8 )
In fact, Corbyn’s most senior advisor Seamus Milne has long been an advocate for Stalin revisionism. Here’s a column he wrote claiming that Stalin wasn’t as bad as we think (perhaps poor Joseph missed his Mommy, and was just really misunderstood)

https://www.theguardian.com/…/highereducation.historyandhis…

9) Seamus Milne is Corbyn’s Chief Strategist, the man is a Soviet apologist, a privately educated communist who belongs in the Cold War. If you thought Dominic Cummings in No.10 was bad, this man would be worse:

https://foreignpolicy.com/…/dont-underestimate-corbyns-pet…/

10) Corbyn’s capture by Russia is so complete that Ukraine has even banned his senior advisor (a former member of the Communist Party of Great Britain) Andrew Murray from entering their country on National Security grounds, over Putin’s invasion of the Crimea
Top Corbyn Aide Barred From Ukraine Over
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/…/andrew-murray-corbyn_uk_…

11) Russia (like Corbyn) backs breaking up the EU, Spain and the UK. Russia has even set up a propaganda post in Scotland to force the issue
Russians 'set up shop' in Scotland to force new independence vote

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/…/russian-cyber-operatives-set…/

12) Just as Corbyn took £20K from Russian ally, Iran’s propaganda outlet (the now banned Press TV) likewise, SNP ex-head Alex Salmond was signed to Russian state propaganda outlet RT & continued to incite breaking up the UK even after being charged with attempted rape

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-47016694

13) There is a real danger that Corbyn seeks to bargain away the UK with the SNP, and break up our country, thereby once again doing Russia’s bidding. Even former PM Blair (not without his faults, obviously) has warned against this

https://www.politicshome.com/…/tony-blair-warns-jeremy-corb…

14) Today Nicola Sturgeon has explicitly told us that this is her condition for installing Corbyn into No.10 (after reading this thread, why would you believe Corbyn’s denials?)
Scottish independence vote is price for support, SNP warns Labour

https://www.theguardian.com/…/scottish-independence-vote-is…

15) None of this is new. Despite lip service to working “for the people” Corbyn seems to prefer terrorists over civilians. Corbyn has always sided with terrorist, against our National Interests
Corbyn's links to pro-IRA group were investigated by the police

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/…/corbyns-links-to-proir…

16) Now, as a security & counter-extremism analyst I say to you: this is a disaster. This is a disaster. If we instal Corbyn in No.10, we are complicit in damaging our national interests at home and abroad. You may argue Corbyn’s promised “state infrastructure investment” is worth it

17) But this is the very definition of “Appeasement”. Betraying jews because “we want better living standards” is what happened in the Weimar Republic. Chamberlain didn’t see this for years. Churchill did. We now know in hindsight who was right. But Churchill was alone for many years

18) The delay in checking Appeasement only empowered Hitler. It was too late by the time Churchill saw this, by then it could only be reversed by war. My plea here is precisely to avoid war. Appeasing Putin’s interference in UK & foreign expansion, increases risk of war to reverse it

19) And so, after all this, I appeal to moderate Labour MPs. People like Keir Starmer Jess Phillips Harriet Harman & others: you are about to campaign to put this antisemitism enabling, pro-Jihadist, Putin apologist, pro-Brexit asset into No.10 because ... “we don’t want Brexit!?!”

20) You all vow every year #NeverAgain. If you care that much about stopping Brexit, do a Chuka Umunna by joining the Lib Dems en-mass. You all parrot the lessons of history #NoToAppeasement and yet here you are, Appeasing and enabling a man that you know is a danger to our country.

21) That’s you Tulip Siddiq, Wes Streeting, Jess Phillips, Keir Starmer, Harriet Harman Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham. You all endorse a man who 86% of Jews believe empowers antisemitism. That’s the *definition* of Appeasement. What happened to #NeverAgain? Lip service?
https://www.thejc.com/…/more-than-85-per-cent-of-british-je…

22) Our country stands at a crucial moment. Boris Johnson has many,many faults, but he is not doubted by our security services of being a Russian & Putin apologist & he is not seen by our Jewish cousins as an existential threat. If, like me, you do not vote Tory, then vote Lib Dems

23) Sometimes, policy disputes, left or right, friendships and relationships must be put aside for the National Interest and for protecting vulnerable minorities from fears of victimisation and stigmatisation. Only arrogance can allow us to believe that we are immune to this danger

24) If you care about Jews, about preventing Putin’s expansionism in the EU & his desire to break up the UK, if you hate those who defend genocides, if you believe yourselves to be anti-racist liberals, then the only option is #NeverCorbyn. The rest of us will not forget this moment

25) This man is no friend of Jews. No friend of Muslims. No friend of Arabs & Palestinians (he abandoned these to slaughter in Syria). No friend of British people. No friend of the EU. There is only one consistent friendship he’s shown during his entire career: to Russia #NeverCorbyn
 
Election 2019: stage set for Nigel Farage in BBC Question Time specials

Nigel Farage is to be included in two television programmes under plans for the BBC’s election coverage.

The broadcaster’s proposals also include a second head-to-head clash between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn, while Mr Farage will be one of seven party leaders or senior figures in a debate programme.

The Brexit Party leader will also take part in a special edition of Question Time in the approach to polling day on December 12.

Jo Swinson, the Liberal Democrat leader, has failed to persuade the BBC to include her in its main programme, a debate between the prime minister and leader of the opposition six days from the election on December 6, however. The debate will be hosted by Nick Robinson and held in Southampton.

Ms Swinson, who has also been excluded from the ITV election debate on November 19, accused the corporation of being “complicit in another establishment stitch-up to shut down debate on the most important issue for generations — Brexit.”

She will take part in another special edition of Question Time in which she, Mr Johnson, Mr Corbyn and the SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon will each be quizzed by a studio audience over two hours.

It is Mr Farage who is likely to be the most pleased with the outcome of negotiations between the BBC and political leaders over its election coverage.

Mr Johnson’s willingness to debate Mr Corbyn twice underlines Tory confidence that side-by-side comparisons between leaders favoured them.

Denying Jo Swinson a chance to confront Mr Johnson directly will also help Conservative efforts to defend seats where they are vulnerable to a Liberal Democrat challenge.

Sky News has proposed a three-way debate including Ms Swinson on November 28 but has yet to reach agreement.

Conservative Campaign Headquarters is scarred by 2010 when David Cameron was usurped by Nick Clegg as the candidate offering a change from Gordon Brown. The Tory leader overruled advice from his election strategist Sir Lynton Crosby not to take part in any TV debates.

Mr Johnson will not take part in the BBC seven-way debate, also hosted by Mr Robinson, and Labour refused to say whether Mr Corbyn would appear or send a substitute. Other party leaders from the Brexit Party, Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru, SNP and the Greens are expected at the event on November 29.

Senior Conservative campaign sources suggested that Rishi Sunak, the chief secretary to the Treasury, could stand in for Mr Johnson in the seven-way leaders debate.

Mr Sunak is seen as having performed well during an appearance on The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One last week and on Today on Thursday.

He also has a lower profile than Sajid Javid, the chancellor, and Priti Patel, the home secretary, which it is hoped will draw focus away from the debate.

“We want as little attention paid to this debate as possible,” a campaign source said. “Rishi impressed this week and won’t draw the same level of attention as Sajid or Priti would.”

On December 9 the BBC will present a third Question Time special, this time aimed at an audience of voters aged under 30. It will be presented by Emma Barnett. It is not clear who the parties will field. ITV is also hoping to host a seven-way debate.

A Labour Party spokesman said: “We will consider all opportunities to explain our plans to voters and we are talking to the broadcasters about how to achieve this.”

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/...arage-in-bbc-question-time-specials-lgzszdtrr

Well well.
 
The BBC will host a head-to-head debate between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn in the run-up to the general election.

The Conservative and Labour leaders will face off live in Southampton on 6 December - six days before the poll.

A seven-way podium debate will also take place between senior figures from the UK's major political parties on 29 November, live from Cardiff.

And the BBC will broadcast several Question Time specials, including a show focused on younger audiences.

Mr Johnson said he was looking forward to the debate, tweeting: "I can't wait to share with you all our positive vision for Britain!"

A Labour spokesman said it would "consider all opportunities to explain our plans to voters", which it called " the most radical, people-focused campaign this country has ever seen".

But the Liberal Democrats called the decision to exclude them from the head-to-head "another establishment stitch-up to shut down debate" and said they would pursue legal action against the BBC - as they have against ITV.

Party leader Jo Swinson said: "After three years of chaos, it is shocking that the Liberal Democrats - the strongest party of Remain - are being denied the opportunity to challenge Johnson and Corbyn on Brexit."

The SNP has also complained at not being included in the head-to-head, with the party's Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, saying it "short-changed voters in Scotland".

Meanwhile, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage has challenged Mr Johnson to a debate over his Brexit deal, telling an audience in South Wales: "If you are really trying to tell the British public this gets Brexit done, let's have a civilised head-to-head debate on what this EU treaty means."

What is being shown and when?
First up is the Question Time Leaders' Special - hosted by Fiona Bruce - which will take place on Friday 22 November in Sheffield and be shown on BBC One.

The leaders of the Conservatives, Labour, SNP and Liberal Democrats will each take questions from the audience for 30 minutes.

Two further 30-minute Question Time specials are planned with the leader of the Brexit Party, Mr Farage, and one of the co-leaders of the Green Party - either Sian Berry or Jonathan Bartley.

Fiona Bruce said: "Question Time has a proud history of giving the public - the voters - the chance to put their points and questions directly to their elected representatives. That's never more important than during an election campaign."

The BBC Election Debate between seven parties will take place on Friday 29 November on BBC One, and the BBC Prime Ministerial Debate will take place on Friday 6 December on BBC One.

A final Question Time special with a selected audience of under-30s - hosted by BBC Radio 5 Live's Emma Barnett - will air at 20:30 GMT on Monday 9 December on BBC One, with special coverage on Radio 1, 1Xtra and 5 Live.

Emma Barnett said: "Young voters and their needs should not be forgotten about by the party leaders this election. These people are at the beginning of their voting career and this election will be generation defining."

After the election, an additional Question Time programme will be broadcast at 20:30 on Friday 13 December on BBC One.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2019-50347661.
 
Every Labour parliamentary candidate and their dog seems to be getting dropped and replaced. Mostly due to past social media posts. The vetting obviously wasn’t very good.
 
The Jewish vote was lost because of Corbyn's past. HE is accused of being a terrorist sympathizer (Hamas etc) yet our Queen and Government officials anoint Martin McGuiness for sainthood.

More Jews are now speaking up against the smear campaign against Corbyn. Just tune into LBC. People are waking up to the propaganda against Corbyn.

Anyway, how many seats would Labour lose if it lost the Jewish vote?

Golders Green maybe. I feel sad that the Labour - the greatest progressive political force in British history, and the natural political home for Jews has become inhospitable to them and they are being driven out.

McGuinness, in the end, was a peacemaker. Only he had the authority to persuade the IRA to disarm.
 
Maajid Nawaz is on the anti Corbyn bandwagon now! This guy spends most of his time attacking Islam/Muslims on LBC, but now defends them in a battle cry against Corbyn. What a paid shill if I ever saw one.

Here's his rant from his FB page.

Broadly speaking, Mr Nawaz has reached the same conclusions as I.
 
Golders Green maybe. I feel sad that the Labour - the greatest progressive political force in British history, and the natural political home for Jews has become inhospitable to them and they are being driven out.

McGuinness, in the end, was a peacemaker. Only he had the authority to persuade the IRA to disarm.

don't think that's a Labour seat is it? Most Jewish people don't even support Labour as the data shows and you have just made a racist, a-s statement yourself.
 
Golders Green maybe. I feel sad that the Labour - the greatest progressive political force in British history, and the natural political home for Jews has become inhospitable to them and they are being driven out.

Do you feel the same for Muslims who are subjected to Islamophobia from the Tory party?


McGuinness, in the end, was a peacemaker. Only he had the authority to persuade the IRA to disarm.

In the end, the British Government negotiated with terrorists.

One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
 
Do you feel the same for Muslims who are subjected to Islamophobia from the Tory party?
You’ve looked me in the eyes, what do you think I feel about that?

In the end, the British Government negotiated with terrorists.

Sure, and it worked. 3500 sectarian murders in 30 years dropped to 150 in the next 20 years.
 
In the end, the British Government negotiated with terrorists.

One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
When you've been treated like second class citizens for decades in conditions no better than the Jim Crow South, and exhausted all legal, political and constitutional paths - then every man has a legitimate right to armed struggle for their full civil rights.
 
When you've been treated like second class citizens for decades in conditions no better than the Jim Crow South, and exhausted all legal, political and constitutional paths - then every man has a legitimate right to armed struggle for their full civil rights.

sorry but that's hyperbole, sure nationalist community in NI suffered huge discrimination but is incomparable to Jim Crow laws of the South and black civil rights struggle
 
don't think that's a Labour seat is it? Most Jewish people don't even support Labour as the data shows and you have just made a racist, a-s statement yourself.

What was the racist / a-s statement ?
 
A row has broken out after the Conservative Party published what it claims would be the cost of a Labour government over five years.

The report, compiled by the party and not the Treasury, is based on a number of commitments from Labour's annual party conference but not its manifesto.

Chancellor Sajid Javid said Labour's proposals would leave the UK "on the brink of bankruptcy".

But shadow chancellor John McDonnell condemned the report as "fake news".

The Conservatives claim that Labour's policies would cost £1.2tn over the course of the next five years, if the party wins next month's general election.

The figure is based on costing Labour's 2017 manifesto and other pledges it has made since then.

But the Labour Party has yet to publish its 2019 election manifesto, detailing its policies and spending proposals.

Senior Labour figures will meet next weekend to decide which policies passed by the party's annual conference will become manifesto proposals for government, with some unlikely to make the cut.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2019-50363655.
 
The Tories say they will deliver 6,000 more doctors in general practice in England by 2024-25 to increase patient appointments, if they win the election.

They claim they will reach that target through additional doctors working and training in surgeries, international recruitment and better retention.

However, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said a previous Tory pledge to recruit 5,000 GPs by 2020 had not been met.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "You can't trust the Tories on the NHS."

He said despite the Conservatives' previous promise of more general practitioners made in 2015, GP numbers have declined.

Labour has said it wants to expand GP training places from 3,500 to 5,000 a year to ease the burden on GPs.

The Conservatives say their plan would see the current tally of 3,538 GPs in training every year rise by about 500 each year over the next four years.

And recruiting more GPs from overseas while improving efforts to retain current staff would lead to a total of 6,000 more doctors than there are now, they claim.

But it is not yet clear how this will be achieved.

In 2015, the then health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, pledged to have 5,000 more GPs working in the NHS in England by 2020.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Hancock acknowledged GP numbers had in fact decreased since 2015.

He said: "It's true the number of GPs was falling when I became health secretary [in July 2018].

"The numbers are now rising but I want them to go much further."

Previously the Department of Health said one of the challenges it faces in growing GP numbers is a irise in those taking early retirement and part-time working.

Richard Murray, chief executive of health think tank the Kings Fund, said the announcement only goes part of the way to solving this "vicious cycle" of hiring and retention.

"The outflow from General Practice is the problem the government's facing.

"They're not succeeding in retaining, particularly older GPs, and younger GPs wanting to work part-time."

The party has also promised to recruit 6,000 more NHS nurses, physiotherapists and pharmacists to work in surgeries.

And it plans to modernise systems for booking appointments and ensure all patients have the choice of a consultation on the phone, on Skype or online.

With more than 300 million appointments every year in England, the Conservatives forecast 15% more being created as a result of these plans.

The party said it plans to invest £2.5bn in the project over four years in addition to the £20.5bn of extra NHS funding pledged by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Dr Richard Vautrey, from the British Medical Association, said: "We wait with some trepidation to see if this latest promise can deliver.

"The lack of detail as to exactly how all these promises will be made good, particularly with no firm commitment for full reform of the ridiculous pension taxation system, means it remains to be seen whether these long overdue and very necessary improvements will be achieved."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-50351861.
 
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sorry but that's hyperbole, sure nationalist community in NI suffered huge discrimination but is incomparable to Jim Crow laws of the South and black civil rights struggle
[MENTION=53290]Markhor[/MENTION],

I’m forced to agree with [MENTION=632]irfan[/MENTION]. Certainly there was oppression and inequality in housing, justice and employment based on religion, but NI Catholics could vote.

Also the Civil Rights movement was for the most part peaceful protest by marching and passive noncooperation with the oppressors, they didn’t bomb shopping centres.
 
no, you made a statement using UK Jews as a stereotype collective - that their natural home is Labour, that's what I found wrong.

Labour are the party of the left that has traditionally fought for the rights of ethnic and religious minorities in British society, and Jews are a minority population everywhere that they live apart from Israel. I don’t agree that it is a racist or antisemitic comment to say that Jewish people would naturally be drawn to the Labour Party under another leader.
 
You’ve looked me in the eyes, what do you think I feel about that?

My friend, I am not suggesting you do not care for Muslims, and perhaps my point was not clear.

We have been rammed with the news of anti-semitisim of late but forget about Islamophobia in the Tory party, that's not because you do not care, it is because the media has an agenda, stop Corbyn by any means necessary, and the result on social media is that there are more comments on anti-semitism, than Islamophobia.

Media conditioning is a powerful force in society.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Britain Elects poll tracker - now updated. <br><br>Labour appears to be the beneficiary of this week, up 1.4pts:<br><br>CON: 37.8% (+0.2)<br>LAB: 27.0% (+1.4)<br>LDEM: 16.0% (-0.5)<br>BREX: 10.1% (-0.7)<br>GRN: 3.4% (-0.1)<br><br>Src:<a href="https://t.co/spVpGNV8oG">https://t.co/spVpGNV8oG</a><br>Chgs. w/ 04 Nov <a href="https://t.co/fhlDnNJdtR">pic.twitter.com/fhlDnNJdtR</a></p>— Britain Elects (@britainelects) <a href="https://twitter.com/britainelects/status/1193155302172119040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
no, you made a statement using UK Jews as a stereotype collective - that their natural home is Labour, that's what I found wrong.

But that isn’t racist, is it? Just as saying “Most Pakistanis like cricket” isn’t racist or “Most white English people like The Beatles” isn’t racist. Might be incorrect but not racist.

See the definition of AS.
 
My friend, I am not suggesting you do not care for Muslims, and perhaps my point was not clear.

We have been rammed with the news of anti-semitisim of late but forget about Islamophobia in the Tory party, that's not because you do not care, it is because the media has an agenda, stop Corbyn by any means necessary, and the result on social media is that there are more comments on anti-semitism, than Islamophobia.

Media conditioning is a powerful force in society.

For the record, Islamophobia in the Tory party is unacceptable, a social cancer. But not entirely unexpected given that they are the party of maintaining the establishment power structure.

Labour are supposed to be the good guys, the friend to minorities, so AntiSemitism there shocks.
 
Labour are the party of the left that has traditionally fought for the rights of ethnic and religious minorities in British society, and Jews are a minority population everywhere that they live apart from Israel. I don’t agree that it is a racist or antisemitic comment to say that Jewish people would naturally be drawn to the Labour Party under another leader.

fine and I would say 50+ years ago Labour was the natural home for many Jews, however things have moved on and the data shows majority of Jews don't vote Labour & this was long before Corbyn became leader. Even with a Jewish leader, Ed Miliband, most didn't support Labour.

UK Jews are a relatively small minority and are heavily concentrated in the middle class suburbs of North London, you will find them disproportionately involved in the professions and business hence more naturally drawn to the Conservative party especially since the Thatcher era, herself an MP of a so called 'Jewish area'. In fact many prominent Jewish MPs were cherrleaders of Thatcher neoliberalism eg Keith Joseph (godfather of UK monetarism), Nigel Lawson, Leon Brittan etc
 
But that isn’t racist, is it? Just as saying “Most Pakistanis like cricket” isn’t racist or “Most white English people like The Beatles” isn’t racist. Might be incorrect but not racist.

See the definition of AS.

fine I acknowledge that. AS is expressing hatred of Jews simply for them being Jewish, racism is quite simple to define,we don't need the contentious IHRA definitions that conflate AS & Zionism. Black & Asian people experience various forms of racism on a daily basis in this country we don't need to be told or 'whitesplained' (thanks to Sayeeda Warsi for that) as to what it is.
 
Exciting times again! The 3rd General Election in under 5 years! 3 different PMs, with potentially a 4th in December. Here I thought Pakistan politics was unstable! LOL!

In all seriousness, if anything we have learned, that is, we cannot trust the polls.

My prediction is that Tories will have a majority (under 30), and will form an alliance with Brexit Party MPs. SNP and LUDs will be crushed. (More people voted for Brexit in Scotland than they did for the SNP party!).

The polls have been so wrong so often so i agree. I also think the way they are presented is to tell people how to think, not to reflect what they are thinking.

As for the election, this is crucial and Labour needs the votes. Not just for Brexit, which has become a red herring, but for the future of this country's healthcare, police force, education and employment

Dont let the Zionist media tell you otherwise.
 
fine I acknowledge that. AS is expressing hatred of Jews simply for them being Jewish, racism is quite simple to define,we don't need the contentious IHRA definitions that conflate AS & Zionism. Black & Asian people experience various forms of racism on a daily basis in this country we don't need to be told or 'whitesplained' (thanks to Sayeeda Warsi for that) as to what it is.

Please stop obfuscating and tell me how you think what I posted was racist.
 
The polls have been so wrong so often so i agree. I also think the way they are presented is to tell people how to think, not to reflect what they are thinking.

As for the election, this is crucial and Labour needs the votes. Not just for Brexit, which has become a red herring, but for the future of this country's healthcare, police force, education and employment

Dont let the Zionist media tell you otherwise.

Brexit impacts on everything. If it goes ahead then healthcare, policing, education and development will all get worse.
 
Jeremy Corbyn is the most Non charismatic leader, i ve ever seen. He is the reason why, after creating this Brexit mess, Torries are still leading in Polls.

Labour needs courage to get off the Fence with regards to Brexit. Infact i am getting to the conclusion that Borris is a better choice than JC.
 
A massive boost for the Tories.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">"The Brexit Party will not contest the 317 seats the Conservatives won at the last election"<br><br>Nigel Farage says his party will only fight seats held by Labour and "the rest of the Remainer parties", rather than field 600 candidates as previously promised<a href="https://t.co/s3iJabOx1J">https://t.co/s3iJabOx1J</a> <a href="https://t.co/xz5YtjmQOW">pic.twitter.com/xz5YtjmQOW</a></p>— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1193865954112851969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Not sure how that will play in Labour Leave areas, basically he's admitted BP are indistinguishable from Tories, will Tories stand down or not campaign in those seats to give BP a chance? This is just a re-run of the last election and de facto referendum, need to move on from that and talk about the real issues, in that sense Corbyn is right.
 
IMO, Corbyn made a big blunder by talking about another referendum. With the Tories on course to win with a majority needed to form a Govt. the will just wasn't there for more referendums and dithering about.

The polls are not set in stone but every single one does indicate the Tories are way out in front. Labour will need to do something to turn things around.
 
Brexit impacts on everything. If it goes ahead then healthcare, policing, education and development will all get worse.

It could do, it could not. The point is, the media has tried to frame it as a brexit or bust debate, which it is not. Regardless of Brexit, in fact, even before Brexit was an idea in Cameron's little brain, the Tories have been cutting and destroying our public services. Their stated aim is to reduce public service spending to just 34% or less of our GDP by 2020. They have destroyed the police force then blamed crime on the poor and coloured people of this country. They have destroyed our healthcare and then told us we shouldn't go to the doctor anyway...unless we're dying, then we can go there and die.

People need to look beyond, stop asking for Corbyn to commit to one thing or another, because that is both impractical and dishonest, and vote fort he best policies, which are the current Labour policies being worked on. If not, then all the idiots...I mean citizens of Britain need to stop moaning when the country gets even worse.
 
Corbyn had to offer something to the remainiacs within his party to shut them up and a second referendum was his solution. But you’re right all this dithering, uncertainty and mixed messages hasn’t helped his cause.


IMO, Corbyn made a big blunder by talking about another referendum. With the Tories on course to win with a majority needed to form a Govt. the will just wasn't there for more referendums and dithering about.

The polls are not set in stone but every single one does indicate the Tories are way out in front. Labour will need to do something to turn things around.
 
The Brexit Party has announced that it will not stand candidates in the 317 seats won by the Conservatives at the 2017 general election.

Party leader Nigel Farage said standing candidates across the country could increase the chances of another EU referendum taking place.

But he said the party would stand against all other parties - and focus on taking seats off Labour.

It had vowed to stand more than 600 candidates. The Commons has 650 seats.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson welcomed the move, calling it "a recognition that there's only one way to get Brexit done, and that's to vote for the Conservatives".

But Tory chairman James Cleverly added there was still a "danger" the Brexit Party could split the vote in target seats, leading to the election of MPs who could "frustrate the Brexit process".

Explaining his decision to supporters in Hartlepool, Mr Farage said Mr Johnson had recently signalled a "big shift of position" in his approach to Brexit.

He cited a pledge by the PM not to extend the transition period that would follow the UK's departure from the EU. This would see Britain sticking to the European Union's rules on issues such as freedom of movement until December 2020.

Mr Farage also said he was encouraged by recent commitments from Mr Johnson to seek further divergence from EU rules in a post-Brexit trade deal.

He added that this was a "huge change" from the kind of trade pact that had been planned under former PM Theresa May.

'Unilateral Leave alliance'
Labour Party chairman Ian Lavery urged voters to "reject this Thatcherite 1980s tribute act, which would lead to more savage Tory attacks on working class communities".

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Sir Ed Davey said Mr Farage's decision "shows the Conservatives and the Brexit Party are now one and the same".

Mr Farage had previously offered to not to stand candidates against the Tories in certain seats if the prime minister changed aspects of his Brexit deal.

But the proposal was rejected by Boris Johnson, who said deals with "any other party" would "risk putting Jeremy Corbyn into No 10".

Mr Farage said he had "genuinely tried" to forge a so-called "Leave alliance" with the Tories, but his efforts had gone nowhere.

"In a sense we now have a Leave alliance, it's just that we've done it unilaterally," he added.

Mr Farage has already confirmed he will not be standing himself in the election, saying he wanted to concentrate on helping his party's candidates.

Will Brexit Party move help the Conservatives?
By BBC political analyst Peter Barnes

The Brexit Party's decision to stand aside in constituencies the Conservatives won in 2017 should make it easier for them to hold on to those seats.

In marginals like St Ives and Mansfield, it ought to help them keep a bigger share of the pro-Leave vote.

However, to win a majority in the House of Commons the Conservatives need to win more seats - not just hold on to what they have.

And in those places the presence of a Brexit Party candidate may get in the Conservatives' way.

The best estimates suggest that 29 of the Conservatives top 50 targets, and 59 of the top 100, are in Labour-held seats that voted Leave in the referendum.

If the strategy is to target Leave voters in those places, it would probably be better to have a clear run - without the Brexit Party.

Brexit Party MEP Ann Widdecombe said Mr Farage had gone "a very, very long way" by ruling out standing in seats won by the Tories at the last election.

"That is an enormous concession, it is, as he put it himself, a sort of unilateral pact," she told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme.

She added: "You really can't expect that we're not going to take Labour on, and we are and any consequences that flow from that are down to Boris's stubbornness."

Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon said the Conservatives have "effectively become the Brexit Party".

Pro-Remain election pact
She added that defeating the Tories in Scotland "will help deprive Boris Johnson's increasingly extreme and right-wing party of the majority they crave".

Anti-Brexit parties Plaid Cymru, the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats have agreed not to stand against each other in 60 seats across England and Wales.

Their pact means that, in Wales, two of the parties will agree not to field a candidate, boosting the third candidate's chances of picking up the Remain vote.

In England, it will simply be a two-way agreement between the Lib Dems and the Greens.

https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2019-50377396
 
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Labour promises free jobs retraining for adults

Labour is promising a £3bn plan to offer adults in England free access to retraining to help their job chances and to tackle skills shortages.

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner wants to "throw open the door" to adults wanting to learn new skills.

The Lib Dems are promising a £10,000 training grant for each adult, which it calls a "skills wallet".

The Conservatives have a National Retraining Scheme for adults needing to update their skills for work.

With concerns about automation threatening jobs and warnings from employers about a lack of skilled staff, the political parties are setting out their stalls for adult education and retraining.

'Too expensive'
The CBI business group welcomed making training a priority, saying: "Adult participation in education is at its lowest for two decades."

The Edge vocational education charity warned the current skills shortage was costing UK businesses £4.4bn per year.

On Tuesday, Labour's election campaign set out plans to spend an extra £3bn per year to provide free access to vocational learning for adults - which it hopes will reach an extra 300,000 people per year.Ms Rayner says it will help people "who want to change career, are made redundant or didn't get the qualifications they needed when they were younger".

"For many, adult education is too expensive, too time-consuming or too difficult to get into," she says.

Labour would offer adults up to six years of training, such as for vocational qualifications in the healthcare and engineering sectors or adults wanting to go back to college to get academic qualifications.

Employees would also have a right to paid time off for education and training and there are promises to improve careers advice for adults.

'Change the culture'
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Ms Rayner said she wanted to "change the culture" so that "learning is part of everyday life, rather than something that is done to you at a particular point".

It was a "long overdue investment", she said, improving the skills of young people and adults, rather relying on skilled workers from abroad.

The shadow education secretary said access to adult education would be open to all and would be "free at the point of use" without means testing, with funding to come from changes to taxes for high earners and businesses.

Ms Rayner also restated Labour's commitment to scrapping tuition fees for university students in England. "We will abolish tuition fees, no ifs, no buts."

She rejected concerns from vice chancellors about whether university funding would be protected, accusing them of receiving "wild amounts" of pay, and saying they were paid much more than the prime minister.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says education should be "like an escalator running alongside you throughout life, that you can get on and off whenever you want".

'Skills wallet'
The Liberal Democrats have put forward their plans for adult education - based on the idea of individuals having a "skills wallet" to pay for training, with government funding being available to be drawn down at different stages of life.

At the age of 25, there would be £4,000 put into the skills wallet, £3,000 at the age of 40 and then £3,000 at the age of 55.

"In an ever changing workplace, people often need to develop new skills but the cost of courses and qualifications shuts too many people out," Lib Dem business spokesman Sam Gyimah says.

The Conservatives in government have begun to test plans for a National Retraining Scheme, supported by £100m announced in last year's Budget.

This is intended to help people train for changing jobs and alternative careers if their jobs are threatened by automation.

There are some local pilot tests for the retraining scheme, available to adults without degrees in low-income jobs.

It is scheduled to be rolled out more widely in 2020.

The Conservatives also highlighted their plans for new vocational qualifications, called T-levels.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said Labour was "making promises that it simply won't be able to fulfil".

'Sorely neglected'
But Jo Grady, leader of the UCU lecturers' union, warned of "steep falls" in numbers of adult students.

"For too many years, adult learning has been a sorely neglected part of our education system," she said.

Neil Bates, who chairs the Edge vocational educational charity, said employers would want to tackle the £4.4bn cost of skills shortages - and individuals needed to have the skills for "secure, well paid, sustainable jobs".

The chief executive of the Learning and Work Institute, Stephen Evans, who was a member of Labour's Lifelong Learning Commission, warned that currently "the number of adults taking part in learning at its lowest levels on record".

"Worse still, it is the adults who could most benefit from access to training opportunities who are least likely to participate," he said.

Employers have complained of skills shortages and Matthew Fell, the CBI's chief policy director, said it was important "lifelong learning is rising to the top of the political agenda".

He said businesses would also welcome support for technical education and giving it a status "on par with academic learning".

https://www.bbc.com/news/education-50378666
 
It could do, it could not. The point is, the media has tried to frame it as a brexit or bust debate, which it is not. Regardless of Brexit, in fact, even before Brexit was an idea in Cameron's little brain, the Tories have been cutting and destroying our public services. Their stated aim is to reduce public service spending to just 34% or less of our GDP by 2020. They have destroyed the police force then blamed crime on the poor and coloured people of this country. They have destroyed our healthcare and then told us we shouldn't go to the doctor anyway...unless we're dying, then we can go there and die.

People need to look beyond, stop asking for Corbyn to commit to one thing or another, because that is both impractical and dishonest, and vote fort he best policies, which are the current Labour policies being worked on. If not, then all the idiots...I mean citizens of Britain need to stop moaning when the country gets even worse.

Won’t work - millions of centrists will never think of Corbyn as a credible PM. Labour cannot win while he is still in charge.
 
Won’t work - millions of centrists will never think of Corbyn as a credible PM. Labour cannot win while he is still in charge.

Nothing to do with centrists. Most of the UK media have portrayed Corbyn as anti-semitic and pro-extremist groups. The people of this country sadly have too many that are very stupid when it comes to politics, they live on fear not on policies. Corbyn wont win because of this, nothing else.

Now we have raicists joining racists with Farage and Boris in bed together but its ok to many because they are white like them.

Boris will destory this nation in his first time but the stupid people will still be happy they didnt vote for Corbyn. This is how hillarious this election is, 3rd world nations have a better election campaign.
 
Revealed: Tory councillors posted Islamophobic content on social media
Exclusive: dossier on 25 current and former councillors adds to pressure on Boris Johnson to launch independent inquiry

Twenty-five sitting and former Conservative councillors have been exposed for posting Islamophobic and racist material on social media, according to a dossier obtained by the Guardian that intensifies the row over anti-Muslim sentiment in the party.

The disclosure that 15 current and 10 former Tory councillors have posted, shared or endorsed Islamophobic or other racist content on Facebook or Twitter will increase pressure on Boris Johnson after he backtracked on a pledge to hold an independent inquiry into the issue.

Inflammatory posts recorded in the dossier, which has been sent to the party’s headquarters, include calls for mosques to be banned, claims the faith wants to “turn the world Muslim”, referring to its followers as “barbarians” and “the enemy within”.

In 2017, one councillor, who has been pictured with Johnson, endorsed a suggestion that all aid to Africa helping feed starving people should stop, allowing “mother nature take her course”. She replied: “It’s nature’s way of depopulation.”

The dossier was compiled by @matesjacob, an anonymous Twitter user who campaigns against racism. After being presented with the posts by the Guardian the Conservative party suspended all those who are still members pending an investigation.

The news come days after Johnson made a U-turn on a pledge for the Conservative party to hold an independent inquiry into Islamophobia, instead saying the party would have “general investigation into prejudice of all kinds”.

The cabinet minister Michael Gove had previously said the party would “absolutely” hold an “independent inquiry into Islamophobia … before the end of the year”. It follows repeated warnings about prejudice against Muslims being perpetrated in the party’s ranks and investigations by the Guardian shedding light on Islamophobia in the Conservatives.

Among the series of instances in the dossier verified by the Guardian were posts from:

• Beverley Dunlop, a councillor in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, who posted messages in two Facebook groups with more than 11,000 members between them. In one posted in 2016 she railed against the burqa, adding: “I hate to ban anything really but I’d suggest we start with Mosques!” In another post, she responded to a call for an inquiry into Islamophobia in the Conservative party by hitting back last year: “How about them calling for an inquiry into Islamist rape gangs grooming underage, underpriveleged white girls [sic]?”

• The Walsall councillor Vera Waters who endorsed a suggestion that impoverished Africans should be left to starve, saying that famine is “nature’s way of depopulation”.

• Trevor Hales, a parish councillor in Sandiacre, near Nottingham, who complained on Twitter about Muslims in a stream of tweets last year in which he referred to them as “the enemy within”, claimed “spineless” governments had sold “us to slavery of Muslims”, and warned Sajid Javid: “How long are you going to allow this Muslim takeover.”

Malcolm Griffiths, a councillor in Redcar and Cleveland, North Yorkshire, who is also chairman of South Tees Conservative Association, and liked Facebook comments in 2017 urging migrants to “go back to where they came from” and to “get the **** out and go home”. In a separate post, Griffiths suggested Muslims were inbred.

• A Conservative councillor in Kettering, Paul Marks, who referred to London’s Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan, as a “vile creature” and liked a post ranting about the politician, which claimed he “will always lobby against anybody or anything which finds itself in direct conflict with Islam”.

The post added: “No doubt he will be voted in again by the exploding Muslim hordes that now dominate London and suppress any counter votes from the more white conservative outer London boroughs.” In reply, Marks wrote: “That this vile creature was a elected mayor of London tells me all I need to know about that anti-British city.”

Marks, the Kettering Conservative Association chairman, told the Guardian he regretted liking the post, saying the use of the word “white” was “completely irrelevant”. He added: “After all, Muhammad was probably paler than I am … I certainly don’t agree with [the use of the word] white and I don’t agree with hordes and I never wrote the post.” He said that he likes posts to draw attention to them but does not agree with everything in them.

Dunlop said the messages she had posted were private.

Sayeeda Warsi, who has been calling for the party to hold an independent inquiry into Islamophobia, said she was appalled by the comments in the dossier. “These further divisive and racist comments by elected Conservative councillors are a further indication of the issue of Islamophobia in the party,” she said.

“The constant argument made by the party [is] that there isn’t the evidence, yet dossier after dossier has been presented to the party. Now this one exposes a sizeable number of sitting Conservative councillors. These individuals seek to represent the party, and if the party truly believes in rooting out racism it should start from rooting out those with racist views from the party.

“Sadly, the party has been trying to downgrade, dilute and deflect the issue of Islamophobia.”

Sajjad Karim, a former Conservative MEP who has spoken out about facing Islamophobia in the party including from a serving minister, said: “The fact that the prime minister has now backtracked on his pledge to hold an inquiry is something that further cements my view that there is no real desire or intent in the party to deal with this issue.”

Waters, the Walsall councillor, whose Facebook profile picture shows her posing with Johnson, endorsed a suggestion that aid to Africa should stop and “mother nature” should “take her course”. In response to an article about UK aid helping fund voluntary family planning in developing countries, a woman wrote on Facebook in 2017: “I suggest ALL aid to Africa stops, ALL immigration from Africa stops – and let mother nature take her course – may seem harsh but it will never end no matter what we do.” In response, Waters liked the post, adding: “I totally agree with you. It’s nature’s way of depopulation.”

Griffiths, the councillor in Redcar and Cleveland, posted an article on Facebook in 2017 that claimed Muslims in Germany had started a petition to end the drinking festival, Oktoberfest, because it was “un-Islamic”. Underneath, a friend of Griffiths wrote: “They can go back to where they came from. Try going to a Muslim country and ask them to stop Muslim traditions because it offends incoming Christians How outrageous is sharia behaviour.” Griffiths liked the post.

In another post in 2017, he quoted Nicolai Sennels, an organiser of the Danish branch of the anti-Islam group Pegida, saying: “The genetic damage done to [the Muslim] gene pool since their prophet allowed first cousin marriages 1,400 years ago is most likely massive.”

Among the other councillors and former councillors whose racist or Islamophobic messages were seen by the Guardian, the councillor Roger Taylor from Calderdale, West Yorkshire, questioned why prominent British Muslim columnist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown was in the UK. In response to a post about the journalist hitting back at claims she is anti-British, Taylor wrote last October: “Why is she even in the country?”

When approached for comment, Taylor said he would be binning the Guardian’s email. “We are in an election and you are raising this to deflect from the antisemites in the Labour party,” he said.

A Conservative party spokesperson said: “All those found to be party members have been suspended immediately, pending investigation. The swift action we take on not just anti-Muslim discrimination, but discrimination of any kind is testament to the seriousness with which we take such issues.

“The Conservative party will never stand by when it comes to prejudice and discrimination of any kind. That’s why we are already establishing the terms of an investigation to make sure that such instances are isolated and robust processes are in place to stamp them out as and when they occur.”

https://www.theguardian.com/politic...rvative-councillors-islamophobic-social-media

The likes of Gove pledged to hold an independent inquiry into Islamophobia by the end of the year and nothing has happened. I'm not holding my breath one will take place even after this latest dossier of content.
 
New YouGov poll - first fieldwork to be released since the Brexit Party stood down in 317 seats - shows Johnson way out in front of everyone else with 42% of the vote.

Labour just don’t seem to have the answers so far. Their appeal outside of pro-Corbyn circles seems quite limited. The manifesto releases and TV debates are already looking like their best chances to turn this around.
 
Nothing to do with centrists. Most of the UK media have portrayed Corbyn as anti-semitic and pro-extremist groups. The people of this country sadly have too many that are very stupid when it comes to politics, they live on fear not on policies. Corbyn wont win because of this, nothing else.

So when Corbyn loses it will be because of the media and the thick electorate? Sounds like a sore loser getting the excuses in early.

Countless Labour MPs even hate Corbyn, is that because of the media too?
 
The UK cannot afford to "squander" more time deciding whether and how to leave the EU, Boris Johnson will say in his first major speech of the election.

He will argue that ending the current "groundhoggery" will deliver a big economic boost and enable the UK to focus on creating the jobs of the future and tackling climate change.

He has said a Tory victory will ensure the UK exits the EU on 31 January.

Labour has said the PM's deal is flawed and is promising another referendum.

Jeremy Corbyn has said he would negotiate a better deal on the terms of the UK's exit and give the public the choice of whether to accept it or remain in the EU in a public vote next summer.

Mr Johnson will return to his core "get Brexit done" message on Wednesday after spending much of the past three days dealing with the fallout from the severe flooding in South Yorkshire and the East Midlands.

In other election developments:

Labour is promising to outspend the Conservatives on the NHS in England
The Lib Dems are proposing a £500m investment in youth services aimed at combating knife
Former Tory rebel David Gauke is standing as independent candidate - on a second EU referendum platform - in South West Hertfordshire
Nigel Farage has been warned he has 48 hours to "save Brexit" by long-time ally and financial backer Arron Banks
The Green Party says it would appoint a Carbon Chancellor to oversee its Green New Deal and policy
On a visit to the West Midlands, Boris Johnson will say Labour's plans would only prolong the uncertainty for business and families - likening the past year's political deadlock over Brexit to the film Groundhog Day, in which TV weatherman Phil Connors has to relive the same day over and over.

"The UK is admired and respected around the world but people are baffled by our debate on Brexit and they cannot understand how this great country can squander so much time and energy on this question and how we can be so hesitant about our future," he will say.

"If we can get a working majority we can get parliament working for you, we can get out of the rut. We can end the groundhoggery of Brexit.

"At this election the country can either move forwards with policies that will deliver years of growth and prosperity, or it can disappear into an intellectual cul-de-sac of far left Corbynism."

Mr Johnson will use the visit to an electric car manufacturer to promise a future Conservative government will "drive a clean energy revolution" and harnesses the power of science, innovation and technology to tackle climate change and create high-skilled, high wage jobs.

Skip Twitter post by @BorisJohnsonEnd of Twitter post by @BorisJohnson
The alternative, he will argue, is a coalition between Labour and the SNP which would be likely to lead to another vote on Scottish independence - a key demand of the SNP - as well as more "political self-obsession" over Brexit.

"They will ruin 2020 with two referendums, they will ruin the economy with out of control debt, they will put taxes up for everyone."

In the party's first election broadcast on Tuesday, Mr Johnson said the UK was on the verge of leaving the EU with a "fantastic deal" last month but MPs refused to "knock it through" and the political system needed to be unblocked.

MPs backed Mr Johnson's Brexit deal in principle before Parliament was dissolved. But they refused to endorse his timetable to rush it through in days, meaning the PM had to abandon his "do or die" pledge to take the UK out by the 31 October deadline.

No 10 has insisted it will not extend the proposed post-Brexit transition period beyond the end of 2020. Opponents say this risks the "hardest" of Brexits because the UK will not be able to negotiate a new economic and security relationship in just over a year.

Mr Johnson is concentrating much of his campaigning efforts in the Midlands, where he hopes to take seats off Labour in areas which voted to leave in the 2016 referendum.

In Tuesday's election broadcast, the PM answers political and personal questions while wandering round his office, saying the last meal he cooked for himself was "steak and oven chips" while he was "incredulous" he could not get a curry delivered to No 10 due to security concerns.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2019-50398838.
 
Outgoing European Council President Donald Tusk has urged British voters not to "give up" on stopping Brexit.

As campaigning ramps up ahead of next month's general election, he warned that leaving the EU would leave the UK a "second-rate player".

In a speech, he also said Brexit would likely mark the "real end of the British Empire".

He is due to step down from his role next month, having held the post for five years.

Mr Tusk's intervention comes as Conservative leader Boris Johnson said the UK Parliament was "paralysed" and had refused "time and again to honour the mandate of the people and to deliver Brexit".

Meanwhile, the UK has continued to refuse to put forward a candidate for the next European Commission, which is due to take office next month if approved by MEPs.

The BBC understands the UK's EU ambassador has written to the Commission saying that a candidate will not be put forward due to the election.

In the letter, Sir Tim Barrow is understood to say pre-election rules prevented ministers from putting forward nominees for jobs at EU institutions until after polling day.

However, he is understood to have insisted the UK does not want to stop the Commission being formed as soon as possible.

Mr Johnson is hoping to win a majority in 12 December's election so that he can take the UK out of the EU on 31 January with the deal he negotiated with Brussels.

But Labour is promising to renegotiate that deal and put it to a referendum, with the option of remaining in the EU, if it wins the election - and smaller opposition parties are campaigning to Remain.

Brexit 'extra time'
Speaking at the College of Europe in Bruges, Mr Tusk said: "Brexit may happen at the beginning of next year.

"I did everything in my power to avoid the confrontational no-deal scenario and extend the time for reflection and a possible British change of heart".

"The UK election takes place in one month. Can things still be turned around?

"The only words that come to my mind today are simply: Don't give up.

"In this match, we had added time, we are already in extra time, perhaps it will even go to penalties?"

Donald Tusk's term of office ends in a few weeks' time.

Which means he's prepared to brave accusations that he's interfering in the general election.

And that he feels free to challenge the sense developing among the rest of the EU, that it would be better if the UK left as soon as possible.

Speaking at the College of Europe in Bruges tonight, he quoted the philosopher Hannah Arendt to encourage those campaigning for Britain to remain.

His message was simply not to give up.

The EU has accepted an extension to the Brexit deadline, meaning the UK is now due to leave at the end of January 2020.

Mr Tusk has repeatedly hinted he would like to see the UK stay in the bloc - but his comments, in the midst of an election campaign - are likely to be controversial.

He acknowledged this in his speech, adding his remarks were "something I wouldn't have dared to say a few months ago, as I could be fired for being too frank".

He added that a "longing for the Empire" could be heard in the voices of Brexiteers who strive to make the UK "global again" through leaving the EU.

"But the reality is exactly the opposite. Only as part of a united Europe can the UK play a global role," he added.

"One of my English friends is probably right when he says with melancholy that Brexit is the real end of the British Empire."

Mr Tusk is due to stand down from his role on 1 December, when he will be replaced by former Belgian PM Charles Michel.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2019-50413638.
 
Nothing to do with centrists. Most of the UK media have portrayed Corbyn as anti-semitic and pro-extremist groups. The people of this country sadly have too many that are very stupid when it comes to politics, they live on fear not on policies. Corbyn wont win because of this, nothing else.

Now we have raicists joining racists with Farage and Boris in bed together but its ok to many because they are white like them.

Boris will destory this nation in his first time but the stupid people will still be happy they didnt vote for Corbyn. This is how hillarious this election is, 3rd world nations have a better election campaign.

Of course it is everything to do with centrists because that is where elections are won. Blair engaged the centre because he came across as competent and with a vision. Corbyn cannot because he comes across as dithering and not very smart or capable. He appoints people like Abbott who are decent constituency MPs but not up to Ministerial positions, subtracting centrist credibility further. Meanwhile the capable ones who could convince the centre like Malhotra and Jarvis are on the back benches.

He promises the earth and youngsters will be seduced, but older people know his sums don’t add up.

Worst of all, he does not look like a man who can defend the country, immediately taking the part of hostile powers, so centrists will flock the other way and vote blue to keep him out and elect the party that makes them feel safer.
 
Of course it is everything to do with centrists because that is where elections are won. Blair engaged the centre because he came across as competent and with a vision. Corbyn cannot because he comes across as dithering and not very smart or capable. He appoints people like Abbott who are decent constituency MPs but not up to Ministerial positions, subtracting centrist credibility further. Meanwhile the capable ones who could convince the centre like Malhotra and Jarvis are on the back benches.

He promises the earth and youngsters will be seduced, but older people know his sums don’t add up.

Worst of all, he does not look like a man who can defend the country, immediately taking the part of hostile powers, so centrists will flock the other way and vote blue to keep him out and elect the party that makes them feel safer.
A bit harsh.
Corbyn is a left wing socialist who cares about the poor and less fortunate. However, there needs to be a balance between compassion and reality. The uk can not afford the spending spree corbyn and labour will introduce if elected and the open door border is just foolishness of the highest order. But offering a second referendum on europe might just get the remoaners voting for labour.
Boris on the other hand is a right wing little britain type of guy, who has all the credibilty of a dithering fool. I dont trust him on the economy either.

Outcome - hung parliament
With a recession coming soon!

By the way, the insurgence of the snp has really hit labour hard when it comes to general elections..
 
A bit harsh.
Corbyn is a left wing socialist who cares about the poor and less fortunate. However, there needs to be a balance between compassion and reality. The uk can not afford the spending spree corbyn and labour will introduce if elected and the open door border is just foolishness of the highest order. But offering a second referendum on europe might just get the remoaners voting for labour.
Boris on the other hand is a right wing little britain type of guy, who has all the credibilty of a dithering fool. I dont trust him on the economy either.

Outcome - hung parliament
With a recession coming soon!

By the way, the insurgence of the snp has really hit labour hard when it comes to general elections..

I don’t think it is harsh. He is a good constituency MP who is miles out of his depth.

Johnson is actually a Europhile and a Tory liberal who has chosen to ride the hard right nationalist train to get elected. He doesn’t stand for anything except himself.

Sure, Labour have lost Scotland to the Nats.
 
The Conservatives will reduce "immigration overall" to the UK after Brexit if they win the election, Home Secretary Priti Patel has said.

Senior Tory figures have so far stopped short of making such a commitment before the party's post-Brexit immigration policy is set out.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "I have been pro-immigration, but also in favour of control."

Labour has yet to announce its policy.

But Jeremy Corbyn said he would commit to "a fair immigration process that recognised the huge contribution made by migrant workers to this country".

"We have got to be realistic about the needs of our economy for bringing workers in, skilled workers in to help us," he added.

An SNP spokesman said cutting immigration would be "hugely damaging" for the Scottish economy and called the issue to be devolved to the Scottish government.

And the Lib Dems' home affairs spokesperson Christine Jardine called the Conservatives' approach "an insult to the millions who have come to the UK and made it their home".

Ms Patel did not spell out in detail how she planned to cut immigration. The Conservatives say they will end free movement from the EU on 1 January 2021, if they win the election and get their Brexit deal through by 31 January.

The party is planning a "points-based" system, based on skills and other factors, which would apply to EU and non-EU migrants.

However, the party is expected to ditch its longstanding commitment to cut net migration - the difference between the number of people entering and leaving the country - to below 100,000, after repeatedly failing to meet it.

Security Minister Brandon Lewis acknowledged that, by not fulfilling the pledge the Conservatives had "let people down" and added he would "not be getting in to setting arbitrary targets".

Last week, Home Office Minister Victoria Atkins repeatedly declined to say whether immigration would be higher or lower under a future Tory government, in a BBC Radio 4 Today programme interview.

But Ms Patel has said in a statement released by the party: "We will reduce immigration overall while being more open and flexible to the highly skilled people we need, such as scientists and doctors.

"This can only happen if people vote for a Conservative majority government so we can leave the EU with a deal."

She claimed there would be a "surge" in immigration under a Labour government, which would put a huge strain on the NHS and other public services.

Elsewhere on the election campaign trail:

Boris Johnson will be campaigning in south-west England
Jeremy Corbyn continues his tour of Scotland
Lib Dem candidates Luciana Berger and Chuka Umunna use a press conference to unveil the party's plan for equalities and human rights
Nicola Sturgeon is doing First Minister's Questions, before announcing a five-point package for pensioners
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage holds a press conference in north-east England

https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2019-50412772
 
I don’t think it is harsh. He is a good constituency MP who is miles out of his depth.

Johnson is actually a Europhile and a Tory liberal who has chosen to ride the hard right nationalist train to get elected. He doesn’t stand for anything except himself.

Sure, Labour have lost Scotland to the Nats.

My dear friend, which politician isn't a career politician who does not think about themselves? Jo Swinson, Chukka, Thornbury, the list is endless.

Point being, you are wasting your time in character assassination, there is no point unless you can provide something exclusive to that said politician.

Let me ask you, and anyone reading, what are the 3 top NON-BREXIT policies of the party one is voting for? Tell me why you are supporting LDs, which policies, non-Brexit related?

We are so obsessed with character assassination that we have forgotten why we actually vote.
 
The funny thing is the Tories talk about reducing immigration, however if I am not mistaken they pledged this in the 2010, 2015 and 2017 elections and immigration actually went up. These are just soundbites to appeal to Joe Bloggs on the street - the types that say 'we want our country back'.
 
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