Winter election III

[blossomchris]

It's because

Sorry Seanm, nothing to do with this post but from a previous closed thread you advised me to vote Labour and after much discussion we
have decided to do just that. They do have a chance here as Robin Corbett? was the MP a while back.

Bloss

 

[Seanm]

If Neil had said and done nothing people would have been complaining that Johnson had 'got away with it'. As Neil said no one can force Johnson to be interviewed, and if - as you imply - Johnson had expected to be given an easy ride by Neil he would have agreed weeks ago. The fact that he hasn't speaks volumes about how he expected the interview to go.

Well, you have it exactly right. People *were* saying that Johnson had got away with it, and now they're satisfied that he hasn't: job done, I'd say - and they never had to do the interview. The interview had to be avoided because it would have damaged the stock of one or other of them: Johnson can't withstand Neil's trademark interview approach because he is so, so awful and the Conservative party have such bad policies and such a bad record, and the stakes for the right are very high. But equally, Neil can't afford not to apply his trademark interview approach because of the damage to his ego and reputation. So they couldn't meet.

 

[bob atherton]

Just a personal observation... In my life I talk to many people about many things and inevitably the election and Brexit often crop up. My , very personal, straw poll reflects what the national polls are expecting. Most people seem to have an opinion about one side or the other, yet can also see some sense to the opposite side to the way they might be voting. I know many people feel that the BBC are slightly bias, both left & right. I know many people who weigh up the Brexit arguments and yet can appreciate both sides of the debate.

I've always made it clear that I lean to the right side of the political fence, that said I usually vote Green.

Here on PFM the extreme left wing imbalance alienated me from entering into much debate. The straw poll vote here clearly confirmed this. Because of my right wing leanings I'm quite likely to be labeled as racist, fascist, xenophobic and totally self centered, something that I'm not labeled as in the real world.

Anyway.... I hope that the election brings you what you are hoping for. Bob

 

[MikeMA]

It's because he's a very vocal climate change denier, Chair of The Spectator, which has done a lot to bring some pretty extreme right wing ideas into the mainstream, has a history of boosting Holocaust deniers, has connections with very dodgy Hungarian (and British) right wing think tanks, and is a general all round ultra-Thatcherite roaster. The real question is why centrist types are willing to overlook all this. But then that isn't really a mystery either: they enjoy political theatre, especially of the macho bull___t variety, and look up to male authority figures.

Is his latest pompous stunt a break with the script? It's possible that his ego has driven him to make this gesture of defiance. But a gesture is what it is, and neither the BBC nor CCHQ will be troubled by it: the consensus seems to be that it's an acceptable substitute for the interview itself, so really it gets quite a lot of people off the hook, and all it's cost them is a Twitter-fart that will go unnoticed by most and will be forgotten this time tomorrow.

Well, whatever, he's scared Johnson off good and proper. CCHQ now saying interview definitely not going ahead.

 

[Cav]

Is his latest pompous stunt a break with the script?

He was clearly reading from the autocue,so it was a carefully considered piece.

 

[Lee T]

One might say, Brexit has enabled Johnson to become PM and the Conservative Party to hold on to power. Now for Act II, Britannia Unchained. Enjoy.

Without Brexit Corbyn bashing would have continued without restraint. Cameron, if still in charge would have wiped the floor with Corbyn in a head to head & would have sailed into power. Cameron, unlike Boris can answer questions on the spot, he was a superb talker in parliament & anyone who believes the Tory party winning this election is down to Brexit, are deluded.

 

[gassor]

In addition, I would say that Andrew Neil's comments about the refusal of the PM to be interviewed has done more damage to Brand Boris than anything Labour has managed so far.

 

[Seanm]

Sorry Seanm, nothing to do with this post but from a previous closed thread you advised me to vote Labour and after much discussion we
have decided to do just that. They do have a chance here as Robin Corbett? was the MP a while back.

Bloss

Good man Bloss. Is that Hemel Hempstead? Looks like the Conservatives have a healthy majority there TBH, but Labour had it for quite a while until 2005, and there was a big swing back to them in 2017, so it's not impossible.

 

[Seanm]

In addition, I would say that Andrew Neil's comments about the refusal of the PM to be interviewed has done more damage to Brand Boris than anything Labour has managed so far.

They've focused on policies, the right thing to do IMO: people care more about the NHS being dismantled than they do establishment politicians or establishment political pundits having a go at Boris. The people still capable of liking Boris like him largely *because* the likes of Corbyn and Neil have a go at him.

 

[Seanm]

Well, whatever, he's scared Johnson off good and proper. CCHQ now saying interview definitely not going ahead.

It was never going to go ahead.

 

[Fatmarley]

Can I ask Tory voters what their thoughts are on page 48 of the Tory manifesto? Just wondered if the right wing media has mentioned it or are keeping quiet about it.

 

[billo]

My better half has banned me from watching the 6pm news bulletins, my rage is causing a bad atmosphere in the house-she's dead right too.

Me too, I think our TV now needs to go into therapy such is the shouting

 

[guey]

Well, whatever, he's scared Johnson off good and proper. CCHQ now saying interview definitely not going ahead.

Even though Boris has, unlike the other leaders, had sight of the questions he was going to be asked.

 

[JonR]

Good man Bloss. Is that Hemel Hempstead? Looks like the Conservatives have a healthy majority there TBH, but Labour had it for quite a while until 2005, and there was a big swing back to them in 2017, so it's not impossible.

If memory serves Robin Corbett was MP for Birmingham Erdington(?) but he lived in Hemel Hempstead (Wiki says he died in 2012).

 

[Tony L]

Well, you have it exactly right. People *were* saying that Johnson had got away with it, and now they're satisfied that he hasn't: job done, I'd say - and they never had to do the interview. The interview had to be avoided because it would have damaged the stock of one or other of them: Johnson can't withstand Neil's trademark interview approach because he is so, so awful and the Conservative party have such bad policies and such a bad record, and the stakes for the right are very high. But equally, Neil can't afford not to apply his trademark interview approach because of the damage to his ego and reputation. So they couldn't meet.

The interview was never going to go ahead as Johnson is a vacuous coward and a liar, and would have been demolished in that interview. As such Neil had two options, a) quietly roll over and accept it, or b) do a ‘Kay Burley’ and take the lying shit down. Which would you choose? To my mind Neil did exactly the right thing and did it rather well.

Given politics has now moved so far to the hard-right/fascism that the Conservative party leader now actually refuses TV interviews and scrutiny and even seeks to legislate against legal accountability in the party manifesto what exactly can the media do beyond empty-chairing the evasive lying con-artist?

PS Your AAV-style background check/character assassination of Neil has some basis in reality, but there is no love lost between him and Johnson and it would have been anything but a fawning Kunessberg-style interview, as well you know.

 

[Lee T]

The interview was never going to go ahead as Johnson is a vacuous coward and a liar, and would have been demolished in that interview. As such Neil had two options, a) quietly roll over and accept it, or b) do a ‘Kay Burley’ and take the lying shit down. Which would you choose? To my mind Neil did exactly the right thing and did it rather well.

Given politics has now moved so far to the hard-right/fascism that the Conservative party leader now actually refuses TV interviews and scrutiny and even seeks to legislate against legal accountability in the party manifesto what exactly can the media do beyond empty-chairing the evasive lying con-artist?

PS Your AAV-style background check/character assassination of Neil has some basis in reality, but there is no love lost between him and Johnson and it would have been anything but a fawning Kunessberg-style interview, as well you know.

But will those on the fence be swayed by this considering the daily Corbyn/Labour bashing. People forget this stuff very quickly as Boris well knows.

 

[roman]

Can I ask Tory voters what their thoughts are on page 48 of the Tory manifesto? Just wondered if the right wing media has mentioned it or are keeping quiet about it.

Nothing to worry about, our side would never harm us, thats what the sinister foreign meddlers do. Consider it another brexit dividend.

Once we're out of Europe we will have taken back control.

 

[Seeker_UK]

Can I ask Tory voters what their thoughts are on page 48 of the Tory manifesto? Just wondered if the right wing media has mentioned it or are keeping quiet about it.

I think it sits perfectly between pages 47 and 49.

 

[Minio]

No Neil interview.

Shame. It could have been even worse than the Marr one.

It was all wrong and awkward but I loved it. Better than "Have I got News for You"!

 

[Tony L]

But will those on the fence be swayed by this considering the daily Corbyn/Labour bashing. People forget this stuff very quickly as Boris well knows.

There is ‘bashing’ of leaders on both sides, and it is fully deserved IMHO!

A lot of potential Conservative voters will be put right off by Johnson’s behaviour I’m sure. My guess is he is making good headway in certain downmarket Labour areas where a simplistic chanted nationalist soundbite seems to be accepted currency, but he’ll be losing ground in the more nuanced and educated middle-class and up Tory heartlands. As I’ve said before the few Tories I know (all well educated professionals) are not voting for him, they are either sitting this one out or voting Lib Dem. The same goes for a lot of ex-Tory MPs etc. He and Cummings are certainly gambling the moderate educated middle ground in this election. suspect Cummings has done the math and will win, but there are certainly a lot of decent middle-class middle-ground Tories who no longer have a home politically (as there are the same demographic within Labour).