the day after the deadline: can the union survive brexit and other deep questions

Let's not lose sight of the fact that, following the last election, 'young people' in Toryland is effectively anyone under 47. Looking forward to them coming up with a social media campaign that simultaneously appeals to an 18 year old and a 45 year old.

The Tories membership numbers are worrying because the current membership are hugely in favour of a far right, hard Brexit supporting leader and of a direction for the party that will turn off more moderate voters. The numbers also mean their ground game will never be able to approach Labour’s, even if you factor out Momentum. Going further to the right will alienate many of the moderate Tories who are or were pro-Europe, but making noises about centrism anger the stalwarts.

What is preventing the One-Nation wing from attempting their own version of Momentum?

If the numbers are as low as they are rumoured to be, taking on the headcases wouldn't exactly be an insurmountable challenge.

you've forgotten Activate UK already?

of course not, but that wasn't a concerted effort to recruit moderates was it?

it was, as well as being a joke, blatantly targeting the almost non-existent right of centre amongst the youth.

there's no real comradely spirit in conservatism, nor any need for a support network. no sense of working together for the greater good and there's no real initiative or even desire to recruit new members. they are in it only through self-interest. it would be like binding together with the ultimate goal being "more for me" - the end defeats the means (what's the word I'm looking for?)

You'd think the idea of the party heading into existential crisis and electoral defeat might concentrate a few heads with an eye on the future. But yeah, that the Tories are mostly a bunch of selfish nihilistic amoral cunts matches my prejudices against them.

you've forgotten Activate UK already?

Yes.

So are Carillon a Tory money vehicle, a NuLab money vehicle or does it even matter at this stage

What's the difference?

I have been through 3 redundancies in the past when much smaller construction companies folded, there will be a shitload of minor creditors that will get taken down with this one. Not that I give a flying fuck tbh!

same thing isn't it?

I assume they've lost a lot of PFI money which is largely a Brownite thing but we live in a glorious consensus economy so

love is a lie, folks

UKIP leader Henry Bolton says he has ended his relationship with his girlfriend after she reportedly made racist comments about Meghan Markle.

He said their romance was "obviously quite incompatible" with his role as party leader but he had no intention of resigning.

Jo Marney had sent texts saying black people were ugly and Prince Harry's fiancee would "taint" the Royal Family.

Mr Bolton said it was against UKIP's constitution "to be racist in any way."

well you wouldn't want to be racist in any old way, would you

Saw him dump her live on the BBC this morning, seemed a bit harsh, sure they'll have a laugh about it later and make up with some hot monoracial sex

not like i care what happens to these twits but dumping her in favour of his political career seems like nagl

particularly since his political career is likely to last for, at most, eight weeks

never make mind henry, there are plenty of other fash in the sea

"and make up with some hot monoracial sex"

fucking hell, need a "progressive eugenics" intervention here - before some diabolical creature is squeezed out!

make

xp obv

... the best part of breakin' up is when you're makin' up

twp but the p doesn't stand for Pele

god I'm never gonna get to be in charge of ruining universities at this rate

not with that attitude buddy

You'd think the idea of the party heading into existential crisis and electoral defeat might concentrate a few heads with an eye on the future

One or two, eg the otherwise pretty dimwitted Sajid Javid, appear to have had some kind of Damascene conversion over the last few months, but generally it looks like the Conservative Party has taken a long long at the situation and concluded that everyone under 40 in this country voted Labour because they were stupid. The Toby Young thing was just a case in point, a disastrous misreading of a changing mood that only served to further alienate the voters they'll need in the future.

yeah but that one Labour guy said kill Tories so it's 1-1

everyone under 40 in this country voted Labour because they were stupid

that was my reason for voting labour tbf

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DTlHc0YWAAA1Lr0.jpg

more like Eddie Izzn't, innit?

centrist dad of the year, now he's a wanker

not even a dad ffs

39,508 votes, wtf?

Got to admit one of my main motivations for maintaining Labour membership is just voting against that fucker every time he runs.

I'm sure he'll skulk back to the Lib Dems sooner or later

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/benefit-fraud-public-tip-offs-legal-action-police-no-evidence-dwp-work-pensions-department-a8144096.html

no data on how much of the 45m of fraud identified is eaten up investigating the 87% of fraudulent tip offs

tbf I'm sure a lot of people reporting to the Gestapo had their facts wrong too

it's just one of the small prices you pay for a "everybody polices everybody" kinda society

lol at 'fraudulent tip offs', i'm a headless chicken this morning, anyone who doesn't like it is getting reported

Around my area there is very much a prevalent "everybody polices everybody" society at work, grassing bastards get their windows bricked when they get exposed!

wd like to see names and addresses published of these dodgy tip-offs, to be sure.

lol and also the ones that were acted on ideally, in fact maybe especially those

We all have to pull our weight in May's Shared Society.

I'm waiting for the sharing bit tbh

I just spent the last few months informing on anyone who looked remotely like an illegal immigrant or a benefits cheat. I got a brick through my window and a more than average phone-bill. But you can't put a price on "doing your bit".

blockchain for grasses

NEW New Tory vice-chair Ben Bradley suggested unemployed should have vasectomieshttps://t.co/K2ILtnSeZx

— PoliticsHome (@politicshome) January 16, 2018

gold-standard opening para there:

A Conservative MP tasked by Theresa May with reconnecting the party with young people once called for the unemployed to have vasectomies to stop them having children.

Mr Bradley, 28, said: "I apologise for these posts. My time in politics has allowed me to mature and I now realise that this language is not appropriate."

In light of this story, I’m struggling to think of two more unfortunate tweets to have made today:

Genocide ey? Nice chap https://t.co/9VmmFKfedd

— Ben Bradley MP (@bbradleymp) January 16, 2018

Genocide ey? Nice chap https://t.co/9VmmFKfedd

— Ben Bradley MP (@bbradleymp) January 16, 2018