Theresa May announces snap general election on June 8 - Polidicks

[QUOTE=The Jack;52123327]I don't see why anyone in their right mind would vote conservative. We know they're fucking us, have fucked us, and will fuck us. Maybe I've been in echo chambers (and I probably have) but the amount of anti-tory sentiment I've exposed to is pretty strong. Most know they've fucked shit up. That said, most have always hated them, and yet FPTP still lets them win. At the same time, I think the idea that we're going to destroy labour and get rid of Jeremy corybn... Kinda laughable. Jeremy is going to get more support if the torries win. There will be an increase in leftist thought as part of backlash against Conservative rule. The only real problem is people who want to vote Lib Dem.[/QUOTE] the cyclical power shift between the left and right has already happened, the left is losing because of a perceived lack of progress. you'll be right in 5 or 10 years, but you aren't right now. the labour party is in a slow motion crash, and this certainly wont be the end of it. on topic, it seems absolutely insane a government can just call elections whenever. does this reset the terms for those in power? or is the next scheduled election still held.

New labour was a fucking conspiracy :tinfoil: You're correct, I'm more likely going to be correct in a few years than I am now, I think it could really depend on the campaign rhetoric. I think the fate of britain will literally hinge on campaigning alone. A curse that I'm in a distant town in a Tory safe seat, I'd get pretty active if I had an audience.

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;52120459] His policies are literally just pulling money off the magic money tree I presume he must have if this is what he plans to do.[/QUOTE] Wow that's like a Daily Mail soundbite. By 2020 this government will have borrowed more and increased the national debt by the total borrowing of all Labour governments. But no, Jeremy Corbyn and his magical anti austerity money tree are the ones bankrupting Britain. Jesus Christ we're so fucked.

For people doing their exams: Remember you can vote via post way before the actual day of the election.

[QUOTE=Crumpet;52125014]Wow that's like a Daily Mail soundbite. By 2020 this government will have borrowed more and increased the national debt by the total borrowing of all Labour governments. But no, Jeremy Corbyn and his magical anti austerity money tree are the ones bankrupting Britain. Jesus Christ we're so fucked.[/QUOTE] This is what bothers me the most about our current political climate. Facts just don't fucking matter- once a sentiment becomes popular to repeat it might as well be true. Migrants get given free Aston martins!, ~benefit scroungers~ are currently looking to buy Buckingham palace on a weeks welfare!, and Jeremy Corbyn once devised a plot to blow up the houses of parliament using gunpowder manufactured from Winston Churchill's fucking ground up skeleton. Who cares if I can prove it or not? if it pisses people off they are going to take it right to heart. How do you inform people that just want to parrot the last thing they heard that made them feel righteously indignant? Ive seen my standard of living decrease on a week to week basis under this current government, ive seen my friends and family pushed into food banks, shelters, or even onto the streets- purely because of conservative spite. Everyone should know by now that the Tories are bad news, everyone should know by now that we currently have the worst possible people making the worst possible choices at every level, in every department- and yet somehow the prevailing popular opinion is that they are the ~only viable option~?. This government [i]fucks[/i] everything it touches, Our current health secretary co-authored a book on privatising the NHS- the Tory overhaul of the benefits system has transformed it into a spiteful program that aims to change the behaviour of the most vulnerable people in our society via application of suffering (haemorrhaging huge sums of money the entire time), and ofc as mentioned in the post I quoted, the national debt has risen to such an extraordinary degree that it's almost funny- Fuck, even [i] Brexit [/i] is the result of them fucking about trying to steal UKIP voters ... and I'm expected to believe that one of the other parties could somehow manage to do a worse job? Bottom line for me- Even if all the bullshit, tabloid character assassination, strawman, [i]shite[/i] about Corbyn and friends was completely true, I still think labour would end up doing a better job than the out of touch twats we have right now. Id take a party that's disorganised over one that's actively out to make things as bad as possible.

There's a spectre Haunting britain

[QUOTE=The Jack;52123327]I don't see why anyone in their right mind would vote conservative. We know they're fucking us, have fucked us, and will fuck us. Maybe I've been in echo chambers (and I probably have) but the amount of anti-tory sentiment I've exposed to is pretty strong. Most know they've fucked shit up. That said, most have always hated them, and yet FPTP still lets them win. At the same time, I think the idea that we're going to destroy labour and get rid of Jeremy corybn... Kinda laughable. Jeremy is going to get more support if the torries win. There will be an increase in leftist thought as part of backlash against Conservative rule. The only real problem is people who want to vote Lib Dem.[/QUOTE] you've been in echo chambers. all the remain rhetoric about small majority brexit win and how many people are so fucking devastated and regret their vote cos it was just to rebel bullshit, well now let's fucking see how many people are goint to come to their senses and vote the tories out shall we. hopefully this might fucking shut this bullshit echo chamber rhetoric down at last.

[QUOTE=UK Bohemian;52126196]you've been in echo chambers. all the remain rhetoric about small majority brexit win and how many people are so fucking devastated and regret their vote cos it was just to rebel bullshit, well now let's fucking see how many people are goint to come to their senses and vote the tories out shall we. hopefully this might fucking shut this bullshit echo chamber rhetoric down at last.[/QUOTE] Could someone credible confirm?

[QUOTE=The Jack;52126150]There's a spectre Haunting britain[/QUOTE] [IMG]http://cdn.static-economist.com/sites/default/files/images/print-edition/20130413_BRD000_1.jpg[/IMG] [highlight](User was banned for this post ("Image reply" - icemaz))[/highlight]

[media]https://twitter.com/SamCoatesTimes/status/854802665116717056[/media] haha wtf is up with the uk

MPs voted by 522 to 13 in favour of Theresa May's proposal to hold a general election on 8 June. so basically all the parties agree a GE is a good thing apart from the SNP. [editline]19th April 2017[/editline] [QUOTE=thelurker1234;52126368][media]https://twitter.com/SamCoatesTimes/status/854802665116717056[/media] haha wtf is up with the uk[/QUOTE] so all those voters who regretted voting for brexit as a protest vote aren't protest voting to right their wrong?

Don't be self defeatist and vote these arseholes out of power.

[QUOTE=UK Bohemian;52126378]so basically all the parties agree a GE is a good thing apart from the SNP.[/QUOTE] That's a fun way to spin it. I prefer to go with "all the parties know that voting against a democratic election would be political suicide, and the SNP are popular enough to abstain."

[QUOTE=Wiggles;52126399]That's a fun way to spin it. I prefer to go with "all the parties know that voting against a democratic election would be political suicide, and the SNP are popular enough to abstain."[/QUOTE] lol, how the fuck can it get any worse for labour and the limp dems.

I honestly don't know what the fuck is going on anymore. I don't know how Daily Mail brainwashed you need to be to not realise the Tories are destroying us and we're heading for total collapse. The Police, Armed Forces, NHS, Social Services, Schools and Council services are all running at maximum efficiency, on a shoestring. We won't last till 2020.

[QUOTE=UK Bohemian;52126415]lol, how the fuck can it get any worse for labour and the limp dems.[/QUOTE] If things can't get worse for Labour then why didn't they vote against a general election during a period of unpopularity?

[QUOTE=Jon27;52126431]I honestly don't know what the fuck is going on anymore. I don't know how Daily Mail brainwashed you need to be to not realise the Tories are destroying us and we're heading for total collapse. The Police, Armed Forces, NHS, Social Services, Schools and Council services are all running at maximum efficiency, on a shoestring. We won't last till 2020.[/QUOTE] Bad news man. The next election after this will be in 2022, not 2020.

[QUOTE=GrizzlyBear;52126528]Bad news man. The next election after this will be in 2022, not 2020.[/QUOTE] I wish I could post reaction gifs right now. Cue Morph saying "We're dead. We're dead we're dead we're dead!"

Is anyone else seeing a current trend in things? A sort of last grasp of the right, frantically trying to seize control, driven to extremes? Between May, Trump, and a bunch of radicals on the mainland, the right are doubling down on stupidity. They know the young is with the left, and Automation is just around the corner, and all they can do is try to enact policies that drive people further left away from them. Like they're becoming a satire against themselves in their desperate bid for power. I think, If May wins, the lizard king will become a tyrant, and the left'll have enough ammunition to kill every dinosaur out there. We're near the end of the line for free market capitalism, and it's making some people very uncomfortable.

No, I see a calculated decision to consolidate power they know that they can get. Far from being a last gasp, I think they have just started to stride forwards. Don't be fooled, the left is in the worst state it's been for a long long time, and I don't see any easy route back. Labour are going to be routed. Can't believe it's only taken two years for it to happen.

[QUOTE=UK Bohemian;52126196]you've been in echo chambers. all the remain rhetoric about small majority brexit win and how many people are so fucking devastated and regret their vote cos it was just to rebel bullshit, well now let's fucking see how many people are goint to come to their senses and vote the tories out shall we. hopefully this might fucking shut this bullshit echo chamber rhetoric down at last.[/QUOTE] I think it's really weird how blindly optimistic you are about brexit

[QUOTE=Lambeth;52127821]I think it's really weird how [B]blind [/B]you are about brexit[/QUOTE] [I]It's like he doesn't even go here[/I]

[QUOTE=Lambeth;52127821]I think it's really weird how blindly optimistic you are about brexit[/QUOTE] I think its really weird how blindly pessimistic and skeptical you are about it, or any position right of center for that matter. I routinely see you criticizing the right for things the left does all the time, perhaps its time to start thinking rationally and stop thinking as a cheerleader.

Will this election be a referendum on Brexit? Or will Labour not take a united stance on the issue? I remember Corbyn wasn't exactly supportive of the EU during the actual Brexit referendum. [editline]20th April 2017[/editline] I imagine more votes in Scotland would swing towards the SNP. Labour might claw back some seats in England and Wales if they take a firm anti-Brexit stance. [editline]20th April 2017[/editline] If Labour loses this election, it ought to destroy Corbyn's political career.

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;52120511]The tories do go overboard with austerity, but at the same time the country doesn't have a money fountain, you can't just spend billion and billions without getting it from somewhere. You think the rich will pay for it? No they'll do what the French businesses and rich people did which is move out of the country and stop investing.[/QUOTE] I will assume you have a credit card. When you buy something on your credit card you don't have the money at the time but if you're sensible you expect to have the money by the time it comes to pay off your debt. Businesses are much the same, they'll take out loans with the hope/expectation that they'll have correctly reinvested that money so when the time comes to pay back the loan they'll have the money to pay back + interest + extra which they gained from investing the money. Governments and countries are the same. They borrow money, invest that money in the economy and hopefully smart investments mean they can pay back the debt. I assume you pay taxes, why is it ok for companies like starbucks and apple to not pay their fair share in taxes? Do you honestly, seriously, legitimately believe that apple and starbucks would willingly lose access to the british consumers and all the billions of profit they get from them to avoid paying a far smaller amount in taxes? You're just repeated rhetoric you've heard I suspect. So there are 2 coolio sources of money for investment. More debt and closing tax loop holes. Hopefully a throbbing stimulus package from borrowing would boost the economy enough to pay to principle + interest and profits from it could be used to pay start to pay back the 980bn+ debt we've gained since the tories got into power; debt gained while they were cutting investment across the aboard and forcing economy mangling austerity measures down our throats. [editline]20th April 2017[/editline] [QUOTE=BF;52128311]Will this election be a referendum on Brexit? Or will Labour not take a united stance on the issue? I remember Corbyn wasn't exactly supportive of the EU during the actual Brexit referendum. [editline]20th April 2017[/editline] I imagine more votes in Scotland would swing towards the SNP. Labour might claw back some seats in England and Wales if they take a firm anti-Brexit stance. [editline]20th April 2017[/editline] If Labour loses this election, it ought to destroy Corbyn's political career.[/QUOTE] Itll be a general election so it'll be deciding which party has the most MPs in parliament effectively deciding the prime minister. Labour have spent the last year rubbing shit on themselves and barking madly so it'll likely be won by the tories, effectively strengthening their control turning a bad situation worse. A prime minister with a strong majority, weak opposition and a scapegoat (if the economy/qol goes to shit just blame brexit or fall back on tried and true classics, blame labour for 2008 recession, blame immigrants, blame europeans, blame the poor) will be horrible. If Corbyn loses he'll just slink back to the back benches and oppose stuff, he'll still be an MP and his constituents will probably still vote for him as MP. Or if he's feeling masochistic he'll remain leader of the labour party and prepare us for round 2 (3? 4? 5?) of labour infighting and shit flinging. [editline]20th April 2017[/editline] [QUOTE=UK Bohemian;52126196]you've been in echo chambers. all the remain rhetoric about small majority brexit win and how many people are so fucking devastated and regret their vote cos it was just to rebel bullshit, well now let's fucking see how many people are goint to come to their senses and vote the tories out shall we. hopefully this might fucking shut this bullshit echo chamber rhetoric down at last.[/QUOTE] Its a general election, not an election for Brexit. To use it as such would be disingenuous. o wait it's UK Bohemian

[QUOTE=mdeceiver79;52128392]I will assume you have a credit card. When you buy something on your credit card you don't have the money at the time but if you're sensible you expect to have the money by the time it comes to pay off your debt. Businesses are much the same, they'll take out loans with the hope/expectation that they'll have correctly reinvested that money so when the time comes to pay back the loan they'll have the money to pay back + interest + extra which they gained from investing the money. Governments and countries are the same. They borrow money, invest that money in the economy and hopefully smart investments mean they can pay back the debt.[/QUOTE] err, governments and countries like the UK are not the same as businesses and persons with credit cards. Conflating the issues and requirements of currency issuers and currency users are what helps lead to the crazy austerity mindset of the Tories in the first place. How are you supposed to reduce the debt (in pounds) of the federal government of the UK without reducing the amount of pounds that non-federal government entities have available to them? [editline]20th April 2017[/editline] [QUOTE=carcarcargo;52120511]The tories do go overboard with austerity, but at the same time the country doesn't have a money fountain, you can't just spend billion and billions without getting it from somewhere. You think the rich will pay for it? No they'll do what the French businesses and rich people did which is move out of the country and stop investing.[/QUOTE] I'm curious as to where you think the rich got the pounds in the first place.

[QUOTE=Mitchd247;52128289]I think its really weird how blindly pessimistic and skeptical you are about it, or any position right of center for that matter. I routinely see you criticizing the right for things the left does all the time, perhaps its time to start thinking rationally and stop thinking as a cheerleader.[/QUOTE] I thought skepticism was healthy or is that only only okay when we're talking about climate change

[QUOTE=Mitchd247;52128289]I think its really weird how blindly pessimistic and skeptical you are about it, or any position right of center for that matter. I routinely see you criticizing the right for things [B]the left does all the time,[/B] perhaps its time to start thinking rationally and stop thinking as a cheerleader.[/QUOTE] Such as what And you can't use the actions of extreme ends of the spectrum because everybody agrees both are stupid. Also, why wouldn't you criticise Brexit it when it is an objectively bad idea, you can literally list the reasons. Please list me factual, objective reasons why Brexit is a good idea.

[QUOTE=Goberfish;52128648]err, governments and countries like the UK are not the same as businesses and persons with credit cards. Conflating the issues and requirements of currency issuers and currency users are what helps lead to the crazy austerity mindset of the Tories in the first place. [/quote] Governments borrow money to invest it. They do this on the assumption that the investment will be a good one and that they will get back, from a grown, strengthened economy; the money to repay the principle, interest and then some. This is why governments borrow. The aim is to "grow the pie" faster than the debt grows. You are right though there are differences, a government must look after more than profits (or debt reduction in this case) and there is a very strong moral hazard - one government can borrow and reap the rewards/popularity leaving the hot potato/problem of repayment to a next government. Fact is though most modern governments borrow money to reinvest to avoid having to save up for ages which has an opportunity cost. People are averse to borrowing and debt, but manageable debt and responsible spending are a good thing and they are necessary - like they are to businesses and people. So I think the comparison is fair, if anything a government has greater need to borrow since the price of failure is far greater than some private company failing. [quote] How are you supposed to reduce the debt (in pounds) of the federal government of the UK without reducing the amount of pounds that non-federal government entities have available to them? [/QUOTE] UK isn't a federation but I suspect this is just a mistype on your part I've no problem taking money away from private entities in the form of taxes, first and foremost though we should address loop holes rather than raise taxes. I'd probably be happier with lower taxes if it meant we defiantly collected them all - so those who played fair get it better off and those who cheated (by avoiding taxes) are finally carrying their burden. Taxes aren't some theft thing. Starbucks can run a profitable businesses in the UK because we have tax funded police for security and stability, tax funded education leading to relatively well off people with disposable income to spend on coffee and tax funded healthcare which is good value keeping people healthy and not worrying about medical bills. The tax funded state results in an environment where consumers are willing and happy to spend, where workers are healthy, educated and secure. If a company is avoiding paying their taxes they are in effect shirking their burden, letting others pay their way and leeching off of a society which is looking after them. I'm fine having private companies pay (through taxes) for the privilege to operate in the UK and benefit from our tax funded system. The optimist would say we wouldn't have to collect these taxes because we can grow the pie big and fast enough, the self interested politician and their bribing lobbyists would use that rhetoric to avoid necessary tax changes to protect private profits over public good. Personally I'm not sure we can pay off the debt but there is a better fighting chance borrowing money to invest as stimulus packages - than there is sitting there, fingers up bum while the economy stagnates and increasingly loses the ability to pay off current debts.

Here's hope that if political fuckups like trump could win against ridiculous odds, labour can win against ridiculous odds