- “State of the Race: Bombshell poll, Reform Surges, 15 days to go” – On his Substack page, Matt Goodwin reports on a stunning poll from his company People Polling for GB News of 1,228 British adults, which puts Labour on 35%, Reform on 24%, Conservatives on 15%, Liberal Democrats on 12%, Greens on 8% and SNP on 3%.
- “Nigel Farage set to win Clacton with ‘biggest swing in modern history’” – The Times reports on a Survation poll that puts the Reform U.K. leader on course for 42% of the vote in the Essex race.
- “Labour on course for biggest landslide in 100 years” – Reform is further eroding Conservative support with Nigel Farage’s party predicted to pick up five seats and the Tories falling to 108, according to a YouGov poll, the Times reports.
- “Britain is about to pass the point of no return” – Labour will have free rein to unleash a technocratic, socialist redistribution of wealth, and to install a Brownite constitution from hell, laments the Telegraph‘s Sherelle Jacobs.
- “Reform turning a crisis into a catastrophe for Sunak” – The polls appear to show there is little the Prime Minister can do to turn the tide, says the Times‘s Chris Smyth.
- “Daniel Hannan: Why telling voters to ‘stop the landslide’ won’t work” – We limp, not blindly, but hardly enthusiastically either, towards the inevitability of a Starmer landslide, already aware that we will regret it – it doesn’t get much more British, says Daniel Hannan on ConservativeHome.
- “Boris Johnson can’t save the Tories from the coming wipeout” – Despite what you may have heard, Boris Johnson neither was asked nor offered to campaign for the Tories, says Patrick O’Flynn in the Spectator.
- “The two-party system is dying – and this vote may kill it” – Britain is already voting as if it has proportional representation, but the broken first-past-the-post system is delivering Soviet-style majorities, says Tim Stanley in the Telegraph.
- “Sunak to lose seat in Tory wipeout, major poll predicts” – A survey for the Telegraph predicts a Tory wipeout with Rishi Sunak, James Cleverly, Grant Shapps and Penny Mordaunt failing to make it among just 53 survivors. Note that the survey projects national trends onto constituencies rather than looking at local dynamics such as tactical voting.
- “Kemi Badenoch is the future of the Tory party – no one else survives” – In the same Telegraph survey the Business Secretary emerges as a leading figure on Right to take up the reins.
- “What’s the real reason Jim Ratcliffe is backing Starmer?” – Ross Clark in the Spectator smells opportunism in the changing loyalty of the Brexiteer Tory donor who owns one of Britain’s six oil refineries.
- “It shouldn’t be surprising that a Muslim son of immigrants is funding Reform” – Many second generation immigrants hate open borders as much as anyone, says Ross Clark in the Spectator.
- “Why Starmer will struggle to deliver growth” – Unless it changes tack, Labour is likely to find its core task defeated by Treasury sclerosis and entrenched interests, says Juliet Samuel in the Times.
- “Starmer Falsely Claims He Worked in The Police Force In Northern Ireland” – In Keir Starmer’s latest election broadcast featuring footballer Gary Neville the Labour leader falsely claims to have “worked in the Police Force in Northern Ireland”, says Guido Fawkes. In fact he was a part-time human rights adviser to an independent policing board.
- “Watch: Vote for my Tory Cabinet minister friend, says Sir Bob Geldof” – Meanwhile, Live Aid’s Bob Geldof endorses Andrew Mitchell.
- “Second Tory candidate investigated over alleged bet on election date” – Laura Saunders is reported to be under investigation by the Gambling Commission, the Telegraph reports.
- “PM’s police bodyguard arrested over ‘bet on election date’” – Seems they were all at it.
- “We’re set to be the illegal immigrant capital of Europe” – Labour will not stop the boats; it’ll make the UK the number one destination for illegal immigrants, says Suella Braverman in the Telegraph.
- “The silence of the Remainers” – Europe’s populist surge has shattered the simplistic, snobbish worldview of Britain’s pro-EU elite, says Jacob Phillips in Spiked.
- “France’s left-wing coalition would unleash migrant chaos on Britain” – In the Spectator, Gavin Mortimer sets out the extreme pro-immigration agenda of France’s ascendant Left.
- “France is about to bring the EU to the brink of collapse” – The election that Macron has called could lead to a financial crisis and a showdown with Brussels that would dash Labour’s European hopes, says Allister Heath in the Telegraph.
- “House Probes NewsGuard’s ‘Fact-checking’ Operations, Citing Federal Funding” – Rep. James Comer, Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, last week launched an investigation into the fact-checking firm to examine the impact of NewsGuard on protected First Amendment speech, reports Children’s Health Defence. Comer’s letter specifically draws attention to a Daily Sceptic article.
- “Origins of Covid: A Historic Senate Showdown” – On the Courageous Discourse Substack, John Leake reports on the latest Senate Homeland Security Committee’s hearing on Covid origins, where Dr. Stephen Quay and Dr. Richard Ebright press home the culpability of the U.S. as well as China.
- “Breaking Publication: COVID-19 Vaccines: A Risk Factor for Cerebral Thrombotic Syndromes” – Dr. Peter McCullough reports on his team’s new paper that looks at official safety monitoring data and finds Covid vaccines hundreds of times more likely to cause strokes than the vaccines for flu and other diseases.
- “A potential association between COVID-19 vaccination and development of Alzheimer’s disease” – A new study from Korea finds a potential link between Covid vaccines and Alzheimer’s disease.
- “Just Stop Oil sprays Stonehenge with orange paint” – In their latest bout of criminal damage, Just Stop Oil protesters have sprayed Stonehenge with orange paint as members of the public try to drag them away, reports the Mail.
- “Professor McKitrick: Climate Story Is A Good Way of Expanding Government Power” – Interviewed by Hannes Sarv for Freedom Research, Professor Ross McKitrick says there may be both financial and political incentives behind the interests that are driving the talk of a climate catastrophe.
- “Is this the end for DEI?” – ‘Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’ hiring policies are unprofitable, patronising and regressive and some companies are finding a better way, says Andrew Doyle on Substack.
- “The voting conundrum for socially conservative Christians like me” – In Christian Today, Julian Mann worries about the impact of a Labour Government’s draconian woke agenda on Christians’ freedom of speech and religion.
- “Why won’t this museum let women see its Igbo mask?” – Cambridge’s Pitt Rivers museum is pursuing a regressive policy described as ‘cultural safety’ which means that an African mask cannot be seen by women, writes David Abulafia in the Spectator.
- “Why are the police hounding Maya Forstater?” – The gender critical hero is facing a criminal investigation for standing up for women’s dignity, says Jo Bartosch in Spiked.
- “Review of ‘Debunking the climate change hoax’” – On Rumble, watch Ivor Cummins look in depth at Doug Brodie’s recent climate paper.
- “Disney execs working on the new Star Wars flop” – Darren Grimes posts on X documentary footage of Kathleen Kennedy’s creative process in action.
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The following are true but the fault lies very much with the owners and editors of the organs involved. They have sought to demonise Farage and all those who worked to support him, they have taken it upon themselves to help get rid of elected PMs because they preferred someone else (Sunak).
1
Britain is already voting as if it has proportional representation, but the broken first-past-the-post system is delivering Soviet-style majorities, says Tim Stanley in the Telegraph.
2
Labour will have free rein to unleash a technocratic, socialist redistribution of wealth, and to install a Brownite constitution from hell, laments the Telegraph‘s Sherelle Jacobs.
There are a few glimmers of understanding. Perhaps Ross has a contract his editor can’t easily break:
The editor of the Speccie has been as culpable as the wet Tory back benchers and the DT in bringing in the coming reign of terror from Labour.
“Labour will have free rein…” – it depends what they mean. I seem to remember that previous Labour Govs have had a lot of difficulties with various trade unions, and others. When it comes to detail, it’s a lot more complex than just having a large majority in Westminster.
Totally agree, labour won’t get an easy ride with the unions, it’s their real jobs that are under threat from net zero policies and, certain demographics have masses more influence now then ever before, trying to please everyone all the time cannot work and Starmer is definitely not leader material
It’ll be 5 years of economic devastation for the uk!
At 72, it will be an utter delight to return to the 1970s and the complete fuck-up that that was.
So true, what a mess that decade was, and yet, still more realistic than this one!
Said to Mr B at the start of this debacle ‘let them have a Labour govt and see how bad it is’ we’ve been there done it. Just feel sorry for my kids who have started fledgling businesses and grandkids future, being hobbled as they were by the current lot, will be worse with the incoming shower. As with Khan, they knew what he was like yet still voted him in. Can’t help turkeys voting for Christmas. Just hope Reform will make a dent in their complacency.
I don’t find this curious at all. It would be like Turkeys voting for Christmas.
One thing: The so-called ‘supermajority’ will not result in Sir Keir getting his own way on everything. It will result in internal divisions, infighting and factions within the governing party.
On the promise of ‘getting Brexit done’ Johnson achieved an 80 seat majority from having effectively a hung Parliament – and still he could barely deliver in the face of Conservative Party ‘Remainers’.
When Sir Keir’s government splits, let’s hope the people remember they can recall their MPs. Until he attempts to change that rule.
With such a majority the question should be how long Starmer remains leader.
The new Labour MPs will be even more left and islamic than they have now and I foresee him being removed.
Do you remember that Livingston only became London ma=yor by disposing an old-style Labour man soon after an election in London.
That isvery relevant.
There is Talk that Starmer will resign in approx 18 months & Khant will take over as PM
Give over…. Your scaring me now!
Somebody recently made the following forecast:
Two years in a Labour MP will “reluctantly” give up his London seat thereby sparking a by-election, up pops the Khant and Kneel will “reluctantly” resign because he has ‘nothing more to give’ and the Khant becomes PM.
Hell on earth will be unleashed if the Khant gets the top job. Unfortunately I find this predicted scenario entirely convincing.
Reform on 24%, Conservatives on 15% translates to 5 and 108 seats respectively. Hmm.
I can’t get my head round how the number of seats are allocated.
British democracy eh?
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/06/19/putins-ministers-ejected-from-n-korean-negotiation-room-for-entering-before-kim-jong-un-a85466
What’s really going on?
‘A North Korean official kicked out Russian ministers who entered the meeting room before Kim Jong Un.
Russian ministers accompanying President Vladimir Putin on his visit to Pyongyang on Wednesday were forced to leave the negotiation room by a North Korean official who appeared to be angered that they had entered before leader Kim Jong Un.
The incident took place during the live broadcast of Putin’s visit by North Korean state media.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the first to enter the room, can be seen sitting at the negotiation table and complaining that he had gotten dirty with something. First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov and Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev then sit next to him.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko and Roscosmos head Yuri Borisov are also seen entering the room.
“Stop,” a North Korean official off-screen can be heard telling them. ‘Go out into the hall’
A representative of the Russian delegation asks in response: “Why did we come in, then?”
“No, we have a protocol, our leader comes in first” the North Korean official says in Russian.
“You should have warned us right away,” the Russian representative says. “First, you tell us to run…”
The broadcast abruptly cuts to footage of the now-empty conference room where Putin and Kim would later lead bilateral negotiations.’
Awks……!
But why would the world’s second most powerful land power put itself through such humiliation?
Why, with things going so well, would such a powerful country, that now, after a short 28 month period, occupies a massive 16% of its previously well known to be militarily formidable neighbour Ukraine when, in June 2022, it only occupied a puny 24%…..?
Oh! Hang on……
There certainly does appear to be a tiny wee bit of a problem on the home front, as Russian blogger ‘Fighterbomber’ points out:
‘Two days ago, the UAC delivered the first batch of SU 24s to the troops.
This is definitely great news.
The number of aircraft in the batch is not indicated but we can safely say there were two aircraft in it.
So, in more than six months, two aircraft were made.
And we have at least two ‘non combat’ losses of SU 24 since 05 May.
I really want to believe and hope that the increase in aircraft production announced last year is not two SU 34 per six months.
People from the audience correct me that this is the second batch in a year. The first was in early April. So two more although it is not clear if the aircraft were new or restored.
But this does not change the point. This is too little’
https://t.me/fighter_bomber
Oops!
Scraping the barrel this morning.
Dangerous times for the Russian Ambassador in Pyongyang. He no doubt failed to brief the Russian President and his ministers on the instinctive assumption of racial superiority by North Koreans.
‘Strong racial pride always entails intense awareness of an inferior other. For the North Koreans, foreigners are inferior.’
https://foreignpolicy.com/2010/02/11/north-koreas-race-problem/
The North Koreans clearly have an ill disguised contempt for the Russian President and his ministers; a desperate loss of face for Putin which will not have (has not) gone unremarked in Russia itself (and elsewhere).
For the North Koreans, foreigners are inferior.
Now, be honest, that does not just apply to North Koreans, does it? In fact, having worked on a few international projects, I would maintain it applies to most nationalities.
The North Koreans clearly have an ill disguised contempt for the Russian President …
There was a video of Putin’s arrival in Pyongyang and his photograph and Russian flags were hanging on every alternate lamp-post. I would not call that a sign of contempt for the visitor.
They don’t forget ‘The Arduous March’
The 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union deprived North Korea of its main economic and security benefactor.
The post-communist government in Moscow led by President Boris Yeltsin showed no enthusiasm for supporting North Korea with continued aid and subsidised trade.
Moscow established formal diplomatic ties with Seoul in hopes of drawing South Korean investment and allowed its Soviet-era alliance with North Korea to expire.
North Korea experienced a devastating famine 1994-98.
Upwards of half a million North Koreans died.
But NK makes extremely good shells.
Watch out Ukraine. Another onslaught is coming to smooth your path to ultimate victory.
The North Koreans do appear to be very good at making flags, not necessarily an indication of advanced industrialisation.
It may be that the supplies they send to Russia indicate their real feelings:
‘Due to the systematic range spread when firing Korean shells, I carried out a check.
Based on the results of checking 5 random Korean NDT-3 charges with the same markings, it turned out:
– the copper wire is not always present in the cartridges
– obvious differences in the colour of the gunpowder, which indirectly indicates a difference in the quality of its combustion.
– on some cartridges there are traces of opening of the sealing caps
– the equilibrium ligaments of gunpowder in many cartridges are disrupted.
From the above, I assume that the difference in the range of a projectile at identical settings can be influenced by the following factors:
1. Alternating presence/absence of a decoupler, which entails a difference in the resistance force of the projectile passing through the barrel.
2. Not the same quality of gunpowder, as a result of violation of sealing caps and further improper storage.
3. There may be an uneven amount of gunpowder in the charges.’
https://t.me/vperedtolko/84
Literally rolling out the red carpet for Putin and Kim showing his contempt for Putin
Net Zero Endless Blackouts – latest leaflet to print at home and deliver to neighbours or forward to politicians, including your local Reform Party candidate, your local vicar, online media and friends online. We have over 200 leaflet ideas on the link on the leaflet.
Hannah regrets the results he helped to bring about. I know his residual fans will say he criticised his party’s enthusiasm for the EU but he was not prepared to put himself on the line for it.
O’Flynn wrings his hands for a few but he abandoned Farage when he was trying to get our politics onto a better keel.
Tgey all put personal comfort above duty. Likely many are shedding only crocodile tears because, in truth, they welcome the bigger state Labour is about to bring in.
How can they live with themselves?
Thought one might mention that the EU is fucked…
“A potential association between COVID-19 vaccination and development of Alzheimer’s disease”
I seem to recall that a little while ago the potential link between mRNA ”vaccines” and cognitive disorders was being dismissed as nonsense and yet along comes this report suggesting otherwise. The development of cognitive disorders can take some while to manifest into obvious symptoms and the assessment of cognitive disorders is a lengthy process and is more subjective than objective and thus a matter of opinion, consequently establishing any sort of link with mRNA ”vaccines” was never going to be an easy task.
Doubtless there will be many opinions refuting any such link but nonetheless it is interesting to see that this study has suggested that there may well be a link. I am guessing that even if the mRNA potions are a fault, once cognitive decline has set in it is irreversible.
The one person I know who may have suffered in this way is someone who always had severe dyslexia and had been having a few memory slip-ups. However this was all made much worse following the mRNA injections. As a general rule of thumb it does seem that the mRNA ”vaccines” have a general ability to act on any existing medical problem and make it worse!
See also here the Midwestern Doctor’s blog which discusses the link between the ‘vaccines’ and cognitive impairment with his usual thoroughness.
Apologies for the link which doesn’t seem to work. Trying again. https://www.midwesterndoctor.com/p/we-now-have-proof-the-covid-vaccines?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=748806&post_id=145790424&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=riyp7&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
This is a very interesting article, thank you. It is very difficult, when both you and your friends are ageing, to say whether a symptom is due to advancing years or the vaccine. I know quite a few people who have developed strange symptoms, and two who died unexpectedly and very suddenly (literally, dropping dead) in their early 70s – far too soon in my opinion.
However, what I really wanted to mention is the queues in pharmacies. Every chemist I go to always has a massive queue for people generally dropping off or picking up prescriptions. I can’t recall this ever being the case prior to 2020. Speaking to people in the queues to pass the time, this is now an everyday occurrence. One lady said she now spends at least 4 hours a week queuing for pills. She blamed it on staff shortages, but there are usually a couple of people busy making up prescriptions, which is much the same as before. Personally, I think it’s because so many people are now suffering ill health. I bet, if anyone cared to ask, that the NHS drugs bill has gone through the roof – and aren’t there record numbers of people on the permanent sick?
Your post reminded me of this red-pilled psychiatrist who has become quite disillusioned with the medical establishment so has started a substack by way of discussing certain topics he can’t with his peers;
”The nonsense and lies of 2020 and 2021 opened my eyes to the extent of the corruption of medical education, the NHS, the Royal Colleges and the General Medical Council. All of them seem to sadly be in bed with the big corporations such as Big Pharma and Big Food. The GMC, after all, invests huge amounts of money paid by doctors in the form of professional fees, into the pharmaceutical industry and the industrial food industry. Patients in hospital are fed “food” that makes them sicker and more dependent on the system, all the while surrounded by artificial lighting and an environment that makes them worse.
Chances are that if you are admitted to hospital you won’t just come out the other side on 1 medication, but often 3,4 or 5! A drug to counteract the side-effects of another drug, then another one for the second drug that causes more side-effects, and so on and so forth. Meanwhile there is no real education or interest in trying to get people better. People are told that their lifestyles don’t matter. We are simply papering over the cracks with drugs that suppress symptoms, because every diagnosis has a drug protocol attached to it.
And guess what? See several different psychiatrists and chances are you’ll come away with different diagnoses! And the sad reality is that in psychiatry, often these drugs can make the longer-term outcomes for patients worse. Some of the drugs can even cause the same psychiatric symptoms or worse. I’ve seen plenty of people develop OCD on Clozapine and then there are the withdrawal symptoms. More on that another time…
If you stop and think for a minute, isn’t that just a perfect business model for Pharma?”
https://theenglishpsychiatrist.substack.com/p/a-psychiatrist-with-questions
A few years ago, my scalp was driving me mad – constant itching, resulting in scratching, then skin abrasions etc. It really got me down and nothing seemed to work. Reluctantly, I made an appointment to see the GP who prescribed some topical lotion, I can’t remember what it was – but one of the side effects was itching and skin irritation. I declined it. Shortly afterwards, my scalp complaint resolved by itself. I still don’t know what caused it.
ellie, I have had an itchy scalp most of my life and at its worst dandruff equivalent to a snow fall. I have tried every shampoo on the market, none worked. I have seen a skin specialist who prescribed a lotion which does work but I do not want to be stuck with it for life.
My home-made solution is 10 drops each of tea tree oil and peppermint oil in two tablespoons of water applied to the scalp. Not perfect but eases the itching and its natural.
Thanks for this tip, I’ll save it for when I’m afflicted again. I’ve had intermittent episodes since, which piriton helps slightly, then it seems to just disappear but I’m always wary that it’ll just as spontaneously reappear. I’ll now be prepared for when it strikes again
I’ve always had dry hair and itchy scalp. Nothing seemed to work and many treatments seemed to make my scalp itch more. A couple of years ago I heard Liam Halligan say on Planet Normal podcast that he never uses shampoo so I decided to give it a go. Haven’t looked back. I just wash my hair in fresh water once a week and it’s a lot better. An occasional salt water wash seems to help too but maybe that’s because when I swim in the sea I’m usually in a warm and sunny place.
That’s interesting, I’ve heard about that approach previously. It’s likely that using different hair preparations will affect the scalp somewhat in some people. I’m currently using baby shampoo.
Oh yes, I forgot to add that I no longer use shampoo.
The local surgery cum pharmacy near to me now has an “automated prescription dispensing system”, which appears to operate a bit like an ATM for cash etc. No doubt it collects the latter, in effect. I haven’t used it yet, but no doubt it cuts the queue for repeat prescriptions. It’s mounted just next to a public footpath.
There’s no profit in healthy citizens.
with his or her usual thoroughness… (just saying, we don’t know whether the truly excellent Midwestern Doctor is male or female. My wife thinks “her” to be female…
This article is quite frightening because it reports on the significant increase in Parkinson’s ( I know, not the same as Alzheimer’s ) in recent decades and is looking at the possible link to pesticides. They do mention a significant increase in the last four years but as Parkinson’s is a disease which takes many years before symptoms manifest ( I’ve not heard of a ‘Turbo’ version but who knows? ) we can’t say this is exclusively linked to the death jabs, although that may have a contributing factor and we might see yet more increase in cases in the future as a result of the mass jabathon. The stats are scary though, but both of these diseases ( like other neurological diseases ) are incredibly cruel and rob the person of their dignity and quality of life;
”Cases of people with Parkinson’s disease are exploding worldwide, with a 30% increase in the Netherlands over the past 10 years, a new study based on data contributed by hundreds of doctors has shown.
The research, published in the Lancet medical magazine, shows 11.8 million people now have Parkinson’s compared to 6.2 million only five years before.
The number of Parkinson’s sufferers has doubled over the last 25 years and it is expected to have doubled again by 2040.
In the Netherlands the number of patients has risen by 30% in the last ten years and incidences may be accelerating, Radboud teaching hospital neurologist Bas Bloem told broadcaster NOS.
“In the last four years, the number of diagnoses at five of the hospitals we are working with has risen by 25%,” he told the broadcaster.
In another recent study, Bloem together with an American colleague, explored the link between Parkinson’s and pollution, particularly from the large scale use of pesticides in agriculture.
“I am convinced Parkinson’s is a man-made disease,” Bloem said. The introduction of extremely neurotoxic pesticides such as the now banned Paraquat in the 1970s probably marked the start of what is now an explosion of cases, he said.”
https://www.dutchnews.nl/2024/06/pesticides-play-role-in-parkinsons-explosion-says-dutch-expert/
John Campbell did an interesting interview with Patrick Holford recently on this topic. There’s a lot you can do to reduce the risk.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cXX4iMuwaVQ
Take the free cognitive function test yourself, foodforthebrain.org Direct order for Patrick’s book Upgrade Your brain, https://foodforthebrain.org/product/u…
“it does seem that the mRNA ”vaccines” have a general ability to act on any existing medical problem and make it worse!”
My conclusion…no shit Sherlock.
These mRNA brews of Billy’s are sophisticated concoctions which have been developed in such a way that kill, maim and sterilise are intrinsic but the added ‘bonus’ is that proving causality is extremely difficult.
Bloody Conservative Party – splitting the right-leaning vote.
I am still mystified as to why anyone who is “right leaning” is still intending to vote Tory. I’ve always assumed people who voted Tory did so in the hope that the Tories would implement the policies that Reform are proposing.
Implementing the policies they had in their manifesto would be a start.
Yes indeed. Surely if you’ve been voting Tory in that hope you’d have to be really thick to still not realise it’s not going to happen. Maybe the people still saying they will vote Tory don’t believe Reform can win, or somehow believe Farage is Literally Hitler, or a bit vulgar or something – it certainly doesn’t look like a rational choice to me.
Many Tories seem to have shifted leftwards and become as deluded as the Lib Dems.
If you mean the MPs, they do seem to have done. As for the voters, I am not sure. Why vote Tory if you’re a leftie – why not just vote for “out” lefties rather than closet ones.
In my experience many long-standing Tories have lost the courage to stand up for common sense and traditional values but don’t think of themselves as lefties even though to me that’s what they’ve become.
Yes I see what you mean. I am never quite sure whether people are saying what they believe or what they think they should be saying, and I guess I assume people who spout leftist stuff vote Labour, but maybe everyone except me has moved to the left!
Morning Chums ! Can anyone explain The First Past The Post system please ! It’s obviously Bent otherwise the Side with most votes would win wouldn’t they ! Help
Yes, FPTP is bent. A system in which it is possible that a majority of people in a constituency want anything other than a Labour (or similarly one of the other parties) candidate to win, yet exactly what they don’t want is what they get get, is bent. A system where ‘tactical’ voting is necessary is bent.
One of the alternative systems, Proportional Representation (PR), as practised in many countries, results in constituencies being represented by committees stuffed with Party List appointees – not a single representative you can try to hold to account – and a bloated elected chamber of government due to the committee nature of representation. It also seems to result in government coalitions of multiple competing interests. Look at Scotland’s Parliament, for instance.
The system in France looks interesting. FPTP but with multiple (two) rounds of elections. Votes for a candidate who fails to reach a threshold number can be re-cast for alternative ‘at least not as bad as the other lot‘ candidates (actually, I think all voters would be allowed to change their minds/votes in the second round but it probably does not happen that much).
Such a system in the UK might result in the Reform and Conservative votes combining behind one or other candidate in some constituencies to avoid the worse outcome of a Labour (or Lib Dem or Green or whatever) candidate winning.
I still favour the Alternative Vote (AV) system such as the option offered in the third UK-wide referendum (in 2011). Unfortunately, the people rejected it – I think because it was tarnished in people’s minds as ‘what the Lib Dems wanted‘ (actually I believe they wanted PR but were prepared to settle for AV).
AV is similar to what the French seem to use – except that you choose all your preferred alternatives ‘up front’ and don’t get to change your vote in a second round run-off. One advantage of AV would be that political parties might realise where their votes came from: Labour might realise how many of their votes are disappointed Lib Dems or Greens or Conservative’s votes coming from disappointed Reformers (or vice versa).
However, just because a voting system does not give me the result I want does not make it bent. People in London voted Khan in as mayor – already knowing his track record. If that’s what the majority of those who bothered to vote wanted then that’s what they should get.
Thanks
My understanding of the term first-past-the-post is that it relates to individual constituencies where the various candidates are metaphorically horses in a race and the winner is the horse that passes the finishing post first. Depending on how many horses are in the race, a candidate can win a race with maybe as little as 25-30% of the votes cast. And it’s winner-takes-all (voters for non-winners are not proportionally represented in parliament) and the margin of victory doesn’t matter – if you pass the post first, you are the MP.
From an aggregate point of view, under this system it is better to have a first place and a last place than to have two second places, which tends to work in Labour’s favour (historically, at least, with their first places in northern industrial heartlands and Scotland and Wales and last places in “the shires”).
And it works against minority parties, like the LibDems or Reform, both because their voters are spread more evenly across constituencies (lots of second and third places) and because their aggregate vote of 10-30%, say, is below the level necessary at a constituency level to win a FPTP race.
Thanks to you & SOR for the explanations, I will digest them over a Beer
as I have just arrived in Pembrokeshire for a weekend break 
The real problem is perhaps that our elected representatives don’t represent the interests of all their constituents as they are supposed to do ( regardless of their party affiliation). Too many become corrupted by party politics when taking on paid jobs as ministers and bag carriers.
Why won’t this museum let women see its Igbo mask?”
Utterly ridiculous. If you want to see an Igbo mask just look on the internet, there are thousands of pictures.
Selective reporting – which is normal, but this health related one was interesting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wICtdUuEYZY&list=WL&index=5 “The cholesterol lie:….” I’m not advertising, but of course the author is, but the nine minutes or so tells the story quite well.
Boris Johnson will go down in history as the Prime Minister that squandered the last chance to save the UK constitution and to restore the sovereignty of Parliament. We are now destined to be governed forever more by various unelected left wing institutions, quangos, international treaties, and courts.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/06/19/vote-tory-cabinet-minister-friend-says-sir-bob-geldof/
Well this short clip is just what Andrew Mitchell’s election campaign needs right now – a scruffy, hungover, unwashed tramp singing
his praises
By now the uk is fully aware of all the anti normal things Starmer has in store & yet he’s going to be PM