Viva hate: the worst Tory big beast

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Not including Rees-Mogg or whatever, just the major figures who've held high office in recent times.

Poll Results

OptionVotes
Boris Johnson 27
David Cameron 9
Theresa May 8
George Osborne 8
Michael Gove 1


Alba, Sunday, 12 August 2018 11:22 (five years ago) link

Voting Theresa May as my family have been suffering from her actions at the Home Office for years with no end in sight, and watching her flail around and fail over the last couple of years has been the only positive from the whole mess we're in.

mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Sunday, 12 August 2018 11:29 (five years ago) link

May is probably the most inherently unpleasant.

Wag1 Shree Rajneesh (ShariVari), Sunday, 12 August 2018 11:32 (five years ago) link

Gideon for backing up his hate speak (in a high-viz) with impoverishing cuts that even that even the extremely tiny beast IDS baulked at.

calzino, Sunday, 12 August 2018 11:40 (five years ago) link

Interesting. I'd put Johnson up top for the most "I feel visceral rage when I think about his character", Cameron up top for the perhaps the biggest damage to the country combined with a 'nice guy' exterior, Osborne kind of similar with different focus of damage, Gove up top for "person who has the most immediately objective manner" and he and May both rescued from the bottom in my eyes for just not having the 'politics as a game' trait the other three have, most of all Johnson. Went with Cameron in the end.

Alba, Sunday, 12 August 2018 11:43 (five years ago) link

objectionable, not objective, sorry

Alba, Sunday, 12 August 2018 11:43 (five years ago) link

gove is not and never will be a big beast this is canon

mark s, Sunday, 12 August 2018 11:49 (five years ago) link

I'm voting with my 2015 pre-Brexit head on when Gideon seemed an imperious menace, and future PM elect etc.. May has done much damage as HS and PM, but like Alba said - so hopeless at the game, and "heavyweight" Gove with his Beavers, is a bit of a chuckle!

calzino, Sunday, 12 August 2018 11:55 (five years ago) link

Gove and May responsible for the most actual fucked-up shit in Education and Home Office respectively tho. i mean sure Cameron but Tories gonna Tory, it's deeply fucking personal with those two.

the Joao looked at Jonny (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 12 August 2018 11:55 (five years ago) link

On the proviso that they're all horrible. Cameron and Osborne have done the most damage, definitely. Gove is loathsome but unimportant, as is Boris really. May is pathetic. I'm voting Osborne.

Father Ted in Forkhandles (Tom D.), Sunday, 12 August 2018 12:01 (five years ago) link

Johnson is the only one who would allow himself to be openly courted by an actual fascist like Steve Bannon, so him. The fact that he doesn't even believe his own bullshit makes it even worse.

Matt DC, Sunday, 12 August 2018 12:55 (five years ago) link

Johnson: a fucking clown basically, transparently an arsehole. A big beast, yes, but unlikely to get anywhere near a position of power now.
Gove: fucked up Education. Also this official picture...
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Official_portrait_of_Michael_Gove_crop_2.jpg/220px-Official_portrait_of_Michael_Gove_crop_2.jpg
...more than halfway to being a Spitting Image puppet both in looks and behaviour.
Osborne: uncountable damage done as Chancellor. Looks like a horrible Machiavellian Tory cockbag in every photograph.
Cameron: worse than Osborne because ol' Dave pretends to actually care a la Blair. Nevertheless threw the UK under the bus by causing the EU Referendum just to secure his position as leader of the Tories and PM. Failed and resigned anyway. Possibly the worst example of a politician putting themselves ahead of their party and an entire nation.
May: despite that I voted for May as the worst. Davey may have caused Brexit but Theresa's inability to stop it or at least try and negotiate the least worst possible deal will cause long term damage.

Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Sunday, 12 August 2018 13:43 (five years ago) link

everyone should take this Michael Gove anecdote from yesterday's Times into account before voting:

For instance I was called by Michael Gove in 2011, the day after I wrote a story about him “messianically” calling for military intervention in Libya. Nervously, I answered. Rather than berating me he summoned his best Monty Python voice, declared “I'm not messianic, just a very naughty boy”, cackled and ended the call.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/end-of-days-feel-in-a-westminster-crying-out-for-strong-leadership-7kv3shkmh

soref, Sunday, 12 August 2018 14:04 (five years ago) link

good god! Somebody strike him hard in the face, please!

calzino, Sunday, 12 August 2018 14:17 (five years ago) link

Just been reminded of the greatest letter ever sent to Viz. pic.twitter.com/0VmeGsRfBg

— Eamonn Forde (@Eamonn_Forde) June 4, 2016

mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Sunday, 12 August 2018 14:21 (five years ago) link

lol!

calzino, Sunday, 12 August 2018 14:24 (five years ago) link

Voted BJ -- the most viscerally revolting of them all.

Oddly, I think I find May the least worst of these, which is saying something.

the pinefox, Sunday, 12 August 2018 17:39 (five years ago) link

I suspect May engenders some levels of empathy in some by being a bit odd + socially awkward, transparently out of her depth in her job and being frequently lampooned or publicly humiliated because of these shortcomings, might make some think it is a bit personal. I say melt her in a blast furnace, on my kinder - more sensitive feeling days.

calzino, Sunday, 12 August 2018 18:18 (five years ago) link

Boris is going to take this easily because those of us USAnians who decide to vote are generally more aware of his godawful schtick than the others

El Tomboto, Sunday, 12 August 2018 18:23 (five years ago) link

I read that as US Asians at first, which also works.

calzino, Sunday, 12 August 2018 18:26 (five years ago) link

surely it's Cameron.
the shitfest we are all living through is all down to him.
the never ending chaos is all down to him giving the other scumfuckers positions of power and influence well above their actual capabilities.

mark e, Sunday, 12 August 2018 18:30 (five years ago) link

In a competition like this one, showing early foot does not count as much as one's present position in the pack. May has the rail. Although Boris has broken to the outside and is running hard, he has not overtaken. The rest are bunched.

A is for (Aimless), Sunday, 12 August 2018 18:31 (five years ago) link

And to pulling his party out of the IDS-Howard wilderness and getting them elected in the first place.

xpost

Suspect Gove will finish last.

Alba, Sunday, 12 August 2018 18:34 (five years ago) link

Boris Johnson's cuddly-demagogue shtick makes him the worst

"I have nothing to say about this matter except to offer you some tea..." @BorisJohnson greets the media armed with a tray of mugs amid burka row pic.twitter.com/5wknsuUBTH

— ITV News (@itvnews) August 12, 2018

soref, Sunday, 12 August 2018 19:38 (five years ago) link

I even hate his mugs.

Alba, Sunday, 12 August 2018 19:42 (five years ago) link

I can’t think of a good thing to say about any of theses, but the answer is Johnson, all the others have a veneer of principles or some level of acknowledgement of other people even if it’s warped or all they really care about is their rich mates. Johnson cares only for himself and will do anything for his own advancement.

American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Sunday, 12 August 2018 20:44 (five years ago) link

Gove did the stupid tea offering thing recently too. Did Jonathan Ross invent this back during 'Manuelgate'?

Johnson for being apparently the most racist and basing seemingly everything he says and does on a desperate desire for attention (in lieu of respect) with no concern of consequences.

nashwan, Sunday, 12 August 2018 20:58 (five years ago) link

I suspect May engenders some levels of empathy in some by being a bit odd + socially awkward, transparently out of her depth in her job and being frequently lampooned or publicly humiliated because of these shortcomings, might make some think it is a bit personal. I say melt her in a blast furnace, on my kinder - more sensitive feeling days.

It's a really interesting thread this - taking, e.g., the almost charming awkwardness and sad-person-ness of May and putting in the context of her Home Office regime, and its utter cruelty

Never changed username before (cardamon), Sunday, 12 August 2018 22:10 (five years ago) link

I went for Cameron - as someone else said, he's the one who worked to make the party electable in the first place, then installed all the others in places where they could hurt people, then (and this was inherent to the 'electable' part) decided to go along with the EU referendum condition in his contract with the insane eurosceptics

Never changed username before (cardamon), Sunday, 12 August 2018 22:13 (five years ago) link

He's like the keystone in the arch. Cannot imagine them being elected without him being there, standing there like a semi-reasonable manager you speak to for five minutes a week, for the creeps and wackos to hide behind

Never changed username before (cardamon), Sunday, 12 August 2018 22:15 (five years ago) link

Who's actually fucked things up the most = Cameron. Who could potentially fuck things up the most if ever given the chance = Johnson.

Zelda Zonk, Sunday, 12 August 2018 22:35 (five years ago) link

I agree with this about Cameron. He no longer seems quite the foulest of the set, given the competition, but it's true that causally he has probably done the most damage.

I agree that BJ's mugs are not very good. And is that his 2nd or 3rd home? (Apart from the FCO one he has been taking from the taxpayer?)

There is something strangely sinister and bullying about the way he repeatedly says 'You can have a cup of tea' regardless of what they say to him.

the pinefox, Monday, 13 August 2018 07:26 (five years ago) link

I think that May didn't seem awkward, sad, etc, until she was PM -- in fact, until the day after the 2017 election. Or maybe during the campaign ('nothing has changed') if you prefer. But as Home Secretary, person who talked about 'nasty party' in 2002, she never seemed to have awkwardness or pathos at all. She has come to occupy that persona as she has come under greater personal scrutiny.

the pinefox, Monday, 13 August 2018 07:27 (five years ago) link

The locks on the FCO one have presumably been changed by now.

Andrew Farrell, Monday, 13 August 2018 07:28 (five years ago) link

Or maybe during the campaign

Definitely during the campaign
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2017/apr/30/andrew-marr-theresa-may-voters-soundbites-robotic

the salacious inaudible (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Monday, 13 August 2018 07:44 (five years ago) link

http://cyberneticzoo.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/131114171215-eric-robot-richards-tea-horizontal-large-gallery-x640.jpg
May wowing party activists at Thornhill Cricket club circa '17, you had to be there .. apparently.

calzino, Monday, 13 August 2018 08:02 (five years ago) link

Cameron's just the anti-Blair in this regard, anything popular that might happen, Blair's face was all over it, regardless of whether he'd had anything to do with the policy in the first place. Ministers were often crowded out.

Because Cameron knew that so much of what he was planning would be unpopular, he had a very convenient zeal for restoring proper Cabinet government. Osborne isn't any worse than Cameron because Cameron was behind him every step of the way, it was his programme.

I actually have a tiny sliver more respect for Osborne because he didn't join in the Islamophobic baiting of Sadiq Khan before the Mayoral election, and Cameron did, playing politics with the same forces that would destroy his career like a month or two later.

Matt DC, Monday, 13 August 2018 08:46 (five years ago) link

osborne got the public to buy into his narrative justifying austerity which caused more suffering than anything the rest have done. he knew exactly what he was doing. the others are gargoyles which make better tv but he's the most insidious.

ogmor, Monday, 13 August 2018 08:48 (five years ago) link

But Osborne dealt in a different type of hate-speak, and for many it was just as vile as the Islamophobic dog whistle. And the massive cuts he had sewn into UC were pretty much his own doing, albeit under the wider remit of Cameron's austerity agenda. I might be wrong, but I think he had some wiggle room there. And what made him more hateful for me was some of the lame arch-Remoaners praise for him, as a brave armchair archer taking hypocritical shots at his own shambolic party's next shambolic phase, from the safety of his LES office.

calzino, Monday, 13 August 2018 08:57 (five years ago) link

Oh yeah definitely to all of that, I suppose the point I'm making isa that this was all the Cameron project as much as the Osborne project, they're inseparable when it comes to making the case for austerity because they both did so much of it. Suspect that Cameron was actually more effective because he was so much more palatable to the electorate than Osborne was.

I like how Philip Hammond has been Chancellor of the Exchequer for years and is completely absent from both this poll and this conversation.

Matt DC, Monday, 13 August 2018 09:01 (five years ago) link

he almost seems a decent sort by comparison

imago, Monday, 13 August 2018 09:03 (five years ago) link

as with any tory, until you see his voting record

imago, Monday, 13 August 2018 09:04 (five years ago) link

He's too boring to think about.

Father Ted in Forkhandles (Tom D.), Monday, 13 August 2018 09:09 (five years ago) link

the lol geek spreadsheet Phil image the party tries to cultivate, seems quite incongruous with the glimpses of real Hammond when he goes off topic and reveals himself to be an absolute grade a twat (female train drivers etc). He's basically a weak as piss non-entity who'd be long gone by now if May even had a teeny sprinkling of party authority. I'd forgotten that May started her '17 election with a hilariously dull, twin grey press conference with Hammond, and never tried that one again!

calzino, Monday, 13 August 2018 09:20 (five years ago) link

I'd forgotten that May started her '17 election with a hilariously dull, twin grey press conference with Hammond, and never tried that one again!

http://78.media.tumblr.com/90c8f20ed30b54fc8e4d4aa5adb76c84/tumblr_mi52chcpCD1s2gg27o1_250.gif

Father Ted in Forkhandles (Tom D.), Monday, 13 August 2018 09:23 (five years ago) link

It genuinely shocks me the visceral hatred I have or these "people", and the joy I can imagine myself gleaning from their being pummelled with baseball bats. I shall dance the most fearsome jig for each of them I outlive.

Arthur Funzonerelli (stevie), Monday, 13 August 2018 09:30 (five years ago) link

She does better with Arthur Askey next to her.

Mark G, Monday, 13 August 2018 09:33 (five years ago) link

she already seems to know enough about the rudiments of pantomime.

calzino, Monday, 13 August 2018 09:38 (five years ago) link

Oh no she doesn't!

(soz)

Mark G, Monday, 13 August 2018 10:22 (five years ago) link

Just thinking about the 80s, this conversation wouldn't have had legs back then: pretty much all the hatred was directed at Thatcher. How much this was down to the force of her own character and how much to her being a (gendered?) lightning rod for all anti-Tory antipathy I'm not sure. Who got angry at Douglas Hurd and Geoffrey Howe?? I can't really think of anyone else who was a hate figure except Tebbit. Maybe there was some niche antipathy towards Keith Joseph.

Alba, Monday, 13 August 2018 10:48 (five years ago) link

imagine ozyfest but for even bigger arseholes

ghost beef (bizarro gazzara), Friday, 17 August 2018 08:47 (five years ago) link

this is a book i need* to read:
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51tzDR%2BnR6L._SX332_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

*for professional** reasons
**my profession is being insane

mark s, Friday, 17 August 2018 11:37 (five years ago) link

if read, pls liveblog here on ilxor dot com

ghost beef (bizarro gazzara), Friday, 17 August 2018 11:41 (five years ago) link

I am interested in Loyd Grossman's career. His Wikipedia page doesn't give me the full picture I seek.

Alba, Friday, 17 August 2018 11:46 (five years ago) link

He reviewed Dark Side of the Moon for Rolling Stone!

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/dark-side-of-the-moon-255381/

Ward Fowler, Friday, 17 August 2018 12:22 (five years ago) link

Jet Bronx.

His single was one of the first 'punk' singles to come out in red vinyl. As soon as stocks of the red had gone and only black vinyl was left, it stopped selling.

Mark G, Friday, 17 August 2018 12:24 (five years ago) link

I'm sure I read somewhere that the Peanut Butter Conspiracy were his favourite band of all time... or else he was in the Ultimate Spinach... something like that anyway.

Scottish Country Twerking (Tom D.), Friday, 17 August 2018 12:47 (five years ago) link

xp LG reformed Jet Bronx & The Forbidden and played Rebellion festival a few years ago

Colonel Poo, Friday, 17 August 2018 13:37 (five years ago) link

nothing says 'rebellion' like a sixtysomething gourmand rockin' out

ghost beef (bizarro gazzara), Friday, 17 August 2018 13:44 (five years ago) link

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Saturday, 18 August 2018 00:01 (five years ago) link

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

System, Sunday, 19 August 2018 00:01 (five years ago) link

he could be the worst human, tbh.

Britain's Sexiest Cow (jed_), Sunday, 19 August 2018 00:17 (five years ago) link

I think that's almost certain.

Scottish Country Twerking (Tom D.), Sunday, 19 August 2018 00:21 (five years ago) link

Love him or hate him, you can't not vote for him!

Alba, Sunday, 19 August 2018 06:38 (five years ago) link

if humanity could learn to ignore a tiresome exhibitionist, the Boris project would have to rely more on his privilege to maintain momentum. So it wouldn't make any difference.

calzino, Sunday, 19 August 2018 07:23 (five years ago) link

was looking back on Youtube at that moment when for a second it looked like Ian Lavery was going to twat Boris. There is a decent level of pwnage, but it isn't quite as good as I remembered it!

calzino, Sunday, 19 August 2018 07:57 (five years ago) link

proven by science: m gove not a big beast

mark s, Sunday, 19 August 2018 08:45 (five years ago) link

One vote shows the scientific community is still divided.

Alba, Sunday, 19 August 2018 09:43 (five years ago) link

I could imagine Gove taking the light entertainment from hell route that Ed Balls has taken, when he is a political non-entity, very soon!

calzino, Sunday, 19 August 2018 09:57 (five years ago) link

gove still a big bast tho

ghost beef (bizarro gazzara), Sunday, 19 August 2018 09:57 (five years ago) link

his truly massive twat status has never been in question!

calzino, Sunday, 19 August 2018 10:01 (five years ago) link

Kind of astonishing that I would sometimes watch Late Review featuring Mark Lawson, Allison Pearson and Michael Gove AND ENJOY IT.

Alba, Sunday, 19 August 2018 11:30 (five years ago) link

I mean, he wasn't my preferred guest or anything, but STILL.

Alba, Sunday, 19 August 2018 11:30 (five years ago) link

(Obv. I preferred it when Tony Parsons was on)

Alba, Sunday, 19 August 2018 11:32 (five years ago) link

I could never stand Allison Pearson tbh, seems I was right not to like her.

Scottish Country Twerking (Tom D.), Sunday, 19 August 2018 11:32 (five years ago) link

people shd take a good look at the national curriculum and realise it won't get better any time soon

Noodle Vague, Sunday, 19 August 2018 11:32 (five years ago) link

Gove vs Parsons is a tough taking sides that i wd vote for Gove in without hesitation

Noodle Vague, Sunday, 19 August 2018 11:33 (five years ago) link

Show needed Tom Paulin doing his pained furrowed brow Ulster contrarian routine.

Scottish Country Twerking (Tom D.), Sunday, 19 August 2018 11:33 (five years ago) link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vhYIZTtIhU

Alba, Sunday, 19 August 2018 11:34 (five years ago) link

i did v much enjoy Paulin pretending to be baffled by popular culture

Noodle Vague, Sunday, 19 August 2018 11:34 (five years ago) link

naming some tweecore band after him probably a shade unfair to the lad

Noodle Vague, Sunday, 19 August 2018 11:34 (five years ago) link

alba proven the gove voter as proven by science*

*the science of liking allison pearson

mark s, Sunday, 19 August 2018 11:36 (five years ago) link

Don't blame me, I voted Cameron!

Alba, Sunday, 19 August 2018 11:36 (five years ago) link

tweecore bandmember once a prominent ilxor: i will not shame her as she is an irl friend

good late reviewers: bonnie greer maybe
i can't decide: tom paulin, paul morley
bad: everyone else
worst: john harris

mark s, Sunday, 19 August 2018 11:37 (five years ago) link

hard to think of any situation where those last three words won't hold true

Noodle Vague, Sunday, 19 August 2018 11:38 (five years ago) link

Time for another poll?

Alba, Sunday, 19 August 2018 11:42 (five years ago) link

crucial new ruling

"conservative big beasts"
About 209 results (0.31 seconds)
"tory big beasts"
About 6,270 results (0.36 seconds)

"labour big beasts"
About 12,700 results (0.51 seconds)

nashwan, Sunday, 19 August 2018 12:31 (five years ago) link

John Harris is fine. He's got a good heart.

Britain's Sexiest Cow (jed_), Sunday, 19 August 2018 12:36 (five years ago) link

He was really mean to his brother when I saw them running a quiz together once.

Alba, Sunday, 19 August 2018 12:39 (five years ago) link

I hate him.

Britain's Sexiest Cow (jed_), Sunday, 19 August 2018 12:42 (five years ago) link

John Harris is fine. He's got a good heart.

Unlike the poor old Tin Man.

http://thewizardofozblog.typepad.com/.a/6a014e8b29c8c3970d01a3fcf5cefb970b-600wi

Scottish Country Twerking (Tom D.), Sunday, 19 August 2018 12:46 (five years ago) link

JH wrote a really shit, and myopically smug and London-centric opinion piece on autism that made me want to throttle the cunt, earlier this year!

calzino, Sunday, 19 August 2018 12:47 (five years ago) link

he writes a lot of really shit, myopically smug, London-centric opinion pieces, i don't see why he'd be any better on neurodiversity

Noodle Vague, Sunday, 19 August 2018 13:01 (five years ago) link

he's fine.

Britain's Sexiest Cow (jed_), Sunday, 19 August 2018 13:08 (five years ago) link

(when he's slipped on a dog shit and broke both of his ankles) he's fine with me as well!

calzino, Sunday, 19 August 2018 13:14 (five years ago) link

seven months pass...

would anyone care to change their vote

PPL+AI=NS (imago), Thursday, 21 March 2019 14:40 (five years ago) link

she's next-levelled this

Helel Cool J (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 21 March 2019 15:27 (five years ago) link

Proud member of the OG8 here, not changing now of course.
I have zero respect for Boris, but not sure how he could possibly have done a worse job. Not sure how any living organism on the planet could have done a worse job.

mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Thursday, 21 March 2019 15:38 (five years ago) link

Then again, if MPs shit themselves into passing her deal at the 11th hour, she'll be the new Robert the Bruce spider for centuries to come

Alba, Thursday, 21 March 2019 16:36 (five years ago) link

NB I don't think this is very likely

Alba, Thursday, 21 March 2019 16:37 (five years ago) link


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