A typical wet lettuce response from the guardian and from you, no surprise. They have Labour people on and are invited on but many won't go on, so who's fault it is that.And this from the Guardian's sketch writer, John Crace:
I suppose it was almost inevitable. Nearly every Conservative MP has their own show on GB News, so it was only a matter of time before it was Rishi Sunak’s turn. The prime minister is going to have a free diary after the next election. Perhaps he could do a weekly phone-in show from California. Though the £100,000 he might get for it probably won’t be nearly enough to make ends meet. He paid five times more than that in tax last year.
For Rishi’s Big Break on GB News, we got an hour-long Q&A on the People’s Forum – a lucky audience of undecided voters selected by the polling company Survation.
“Rishi here,” he gurned in trailers screened throughout the day. “Ask me anything.” Though hopefully not about tax. Sunak didn’t seem that keen to explain why he paid a lower tax rate than most of the rest of the country.
On the GB News message board, the first questions started rolling in. “Hedgehog” wanted to know why the Muslims got a special vote in elections. It’s possible Hedgehog hadn’t quite understood what commentators meant when they talked of the Muslim vote. Ray Sellars reckoned there should be daily flights of illegal immigrants to the Falklands. Somehow I didn’t think that question would get selected either.
Presenter Stephen Dixon opened the show with a brief welcome and then handed over to Rish!, who proceeded to make his opening remarks with his back to the camera. Not the greatest 60 seconds of television.
It’s been a tough few years, Sunak began. Covid. Ukraine. Curiously he didn’t also think to mention Brexit or the Liz Truss budget. Or 14 years of Conservative incompetence. Sunak is getting very forgetful these days.
Rish! then moved on to his five priorities. Sorry, your priorities. Yet again, he has merely been doing us all a favour. Mumble, mumble, mumble. So as we could all see – well, we might have done if we had been able to hear properly – he was actually delivering on all five of his priorities.
Everything was working perfectly. We had never had it so good. “I can offer change,” he concluded. Let’s run through this again. You can offer change from yourself and your government. That’s very big of you.
On to the first question. David from Darlington. Tell us one thing of any substance you’ve actually done. Rish! bounced into life. He had been to Darlington. Once. Never again. But he loved the north. That’s why he had levelled it up. Teesside was going brilliantly. Apart from the reports that said there were financial concerns. He finished off by lying about freeports.
Next. Alex from London. Why was the NHS falling apart? Sunak wiped away an imaginary tear. He came from an NHS family, which was why he was determined never to use the NHS again.
The doctors were all a bunch of greedy bastards who didn’t know a good deal when they were offered it. The Tories had given the NHS record funding. Though they do seem to have gone quiet on the imaginary 40 new hospitals they had promised to build.
Keith from Edinburgh wanted to know what was happening with social care. So too did Rishi. He suggested it was a problem for local government. Nothing to do with him. On to Linda from Middleton. Why was he so adamant about Rwanda? Everyone knew it wasn’t going to work.
Now Rish! got all down with the people. Keepin’ it real for GB News. He started dropping his consonants and introducing glottal stops into his sentences. “Stoppin’ the li-ull boats.” Rishi. The Millionaire of the People. The authen-ic voice of yoof. It was sad. Pathetic even. Tryin desperately to fi’ in.
Then he had nothing to say. Other than Rwanda would be a deterrent. He didn’t seem to grasp the difference between sending Albanians to Albania and Afghan refugees to Rwanda. He even tried to blame Labour for stopping him. This is a man who takes no responsibility for his own legislation failing to comply with international law.
There was a brief interruption from John who was furious about the Covid vaccine compensation scheme. “Look me in the eye, Rishi Sunak,” he barked. If it was all the same, Rish! would rather not. He’s not a man who handles confrontation well.
Jake from York wondered what Sunak could offer disillusioned Tory voters like him to stop him voting Reform. It was at this point we realised that the undecided voters were not primarily those torn between Tory and Labour. This was a GB News audience after all.
Robin wanted to know what the Conservatives could offer people who were LGBT. Rish! looked horrified. Why should he offer them anything? He was fed up with being inclusive. Hell, what was the country coming to these days. You couldn’t even make a trans joke in front of the mother of a murdered trans teenager without the Labour thought police being on your case.
Housebuilding was on the mind of 19-year-old Josh from Shrewsbury. There was nowhere to live. Rish! flicked the switch marked empathy. He felt Josh’s pain. He wanted Josh to be able to buy a house like he had. All it would take was for Josh to make his first million as a hedge fund manager for Goldman Sachs betting against sterling. That was the patriotic thing to do. Josh looked understandably deflated. He got the message. He was never going to have his own home.
And that was just about it. An hour that had passed quite quickly. If totally pointlessly. Because we hadn’t learned any more about Rish! than we already knew. That he’s just not very good at this sort of thing. He can’t connect with people. He lives in a parallel world to the rest of us.
Whatever the questions, he gives the same boilerplate answers. He doesn’t believe what he’s saying, so why should we? He’s merely going through the motions. Someone should have a word. For his sanity as well as ours. It’s going to be a long eight months. Not all of us are going to get out of it alive.
What's interesting is you get the usual crowd who bash the Tories are never likely to to change their mind, Labour lifers, fully entrenched who bash threads like this.I quite like GB News and I’ve never drank from the toilet. I use a cup️
Assuming that's pointed at me, I can confirm I've also voted for a range of parties as well. Forget what 'Labour used to be like' what matters is what have the Tories done and not done and by any measurement their tenure has been abysmal.What's interesting is you get the usual crowd who bash the Tories are never likely to to change their mind, Labour lifers, fully entrenched who bash threads like this.
Not really no, never had any real feeling to go that way before brexit, which did change the landscape and I have no real love for them now.So your voting says you are a Tory unless they are really bad.
Why would that be at you, I replied to someone else.Assuming that's pointed at me, I can confirm I've also voted for a range of parties. Forget what 'Labour used to be like' what matters is what have the Tories done and not done and by any measurement their tenure has been abysmal.
Why would that be at you, I replied to someone else.
They have had a tough hand, brexit, no-one would come out of covid well, the following cost of living.
But they have messed up and probably had their chance, probably do deserve to lose. I'm not convinced Starmer is any good though.
Who said I'm not calm?JJ calm down. It doesn't matter what you think. The people will soon decide. And then you can properly weigh into PM Starmer.
Oh come on JJ...Sunak an impressive speaker? He quotes directly from the crib sheets he's been given. If you want good Tory speakers then look to Churchill, MacMillan, Iain McLeod, Powell (not the racist stuff), Thatcher (no humour unfortunately), Heseltine and Howe. Johnson imagines himself as a great orator but he isn't. Alongside these Sunak is both physically and metaphorically a midget.What's interesting is you get the usual crowd who bash the Tories are never likely to to change their mind, Labour lifers, fully entrenched who bash threads like this.
Whereas I've actually voted Labour, Tories, Ukip, probably Reform next.
I might actually consider Labour a lot more if they stopped being ridiculous and went back to what Labour used to be.
So this thread and infact Sunak’s debate wasn't to affect the people who are never likely to change their mind, it was for people who might genuinely consider their position.
I don't approach Sunak with any hate, so to watch it to me he is a skilled operator.
Maybe I've just seen too much slow Joe Biden.
But I will watch the Starmer one with the same open mind, if he dares to do it... but he's not as impressive a speaker.
He came across pretty well in that and controlled the debate.Oh come on JJ...Sunak an impressive speaker? He quotes directly from the crib sheets he's been given. If you want good Tory speakers then look to Churchill, MacMillan, Iain McLeod, Powell (not the racist stuff), Thatcher (no humour unfortunately), Heseltine and Howe. Johnson imagines himself as a great orator but he isn't. Alongside these Sunak is both physically and metaphorically a midget.
I’ll admit I know little about the Reform party. Which of their policies resonate with you most?He came across pretty well in that and controlled the debate.
Starmer seems an intelligent bloke, doesn't come across quite as easy to listen to, another one in the Labour party with a blocked nose.
Yes, you're right, Starmer doesn't get the blood pumping. He's not a Bevan, Foot, Benn or Blair. But the country needs rid of the Tories at the moment. I'm sorry JJ but they do need a time out. If there are one-nation Tories out there then no, I wouldn't support them personally. But God's teeth, they've got to be better than this shower of shit.He came across pretty well in that and controlled the debate.
Starmer seems an intelligent bloke, doesn't come across quite as easy to listen to, another one in the Labour party with a blocked nose.
Proportional representation voting will chnage the country forever and create TRUE democracy where every vote counts, regardless of if you're in a safe seat, so in reality may as well not bother voting.I’ll admit I know little about the Reform party. Which of their policies resonate with you most?
I like PR and was gutted that the country didn’t take that up when it had the chance.Proportional representation voting will chnage the country forever and create TRUE democracy where every vote counts, regardless of if you're in a safe seat, so in reality may as well not bother voting.
Plus other common sense issues.
I've said they do deserve to go, I'm just worried about what comes next. If under a government on the right struggle to get things through and get any sort of control, then what will the country look like under a man who dare not define a woman, u turns on everything and always wants more, more lockdowns at the time, more uncontrolled immigration at a pace where integration isn't happening. Also one of his MP's had no idea what they actually stand for.Y
Yes, you're right, Starmer doesn't get the blood pumping. He's not a Bevan, Foot, Benn or Blair. But the country needs rid of the Tories at the moment. I'm sorry JJ but they do need a time out. If there are one-nation Tories out there then no, I wouldn't support them personally. But God's teeth, they've got to be better than this shower of shit.
They couldn't give Stoma an hour, if they did everyone including Starmer himself would be too confused by all the u-turns he made in that hourGenuine post. Why was the Tory Leader allowed an hour long TV prograamme to spread his agenda? I Ithought there were supposed to be rules balancing the parties TV time?
Great political reply, but doesn't answer the question. In the week of by-elections, the Tory leader gets an hour's Party Political Broadcast, that is against the rules. The fact that so few watched it is irrelevant.They couldn't give Stoma an hour, if they did everyone including Starmer himself would be too confused by all the u-turns he made in that hour
..trouble is, its spread to his brainStarmer seems an intelligent bloke, doesn't come across quite as easy to listen to, another one in the Labour party with a blocked nose
Proportional representation voting will chnage the country forever and create TRUE democracy where every vote counts, regardless of if you're in a safe seat, so in reality may as well not bother voting.
Plus other common sense issues, tough on immigration and blatant poss taking, tough on crime etc.
'Tory trade minister Dominic Johnson reportedly held a meeting at Infosys’s offices in Bengaluru in India on April 27 2023, with a readout saying he “made clear that he was keen to see a bigger Infosys presence in the UK and would be happy to do what he could to facilitate that”.He certainly knows what it's about.
His Missus earned £671 Million recently on her shares in Indian businesses.
He's no pauper either.
3,000 viewers on you tube and 153,000 streaming. Average age of viewer 65. The deluded talking to themselves.Quite enjoyed the setup. Thought he came across quite well tbh, clearly a sharp and intelligent politician and seems to know what he stands for.
Got quite heated with that bloke...
As for not knowing what their party stands for, this is embarrassing from a Labour MP.
Not quite but some similarities, bigger appeal, more broad party, not a one issue, even though they had some interesting policies.Reform is UKIP rebranded. Their plan is to go up against every Tory candidate. So a vote for Reform is music to all the other parties ears.
What figures are you looking at? Not like you to be wrong3,000 viewers on you tube and 153,000 streaming. Average age of viewer 65. The deluded talking to themselves.
What figures are you looking at? Not like you to be wrong
I still would not put it past Sunak to cut a deal with Tice whereby the Reform candidates were stood down in all Tory-held seats in order to avoid splitting the RW vote.Reform is UKIP rebranded. Their plan is to go up against every Tory candidate. So a vote for Reform is music to all the other parties ears.
What a sad twitter account.
Tice has said he won't be standing down, he isn't prone to u turns so we'll have to see, but it would massively weaken him of he did, can't see it.I still would not put it past Sunak to cut a deal with Tice whereby the Reform candidates were stood down in all Tory-held seats in order to avoid splitting the RW vote.
Just as Farage did in the 2019 general election for Johnson. I think that was maybe part of Farage’s long-term plan to rejoin the Conservatives after a decent interval.
It’s the obvious thing for Sunak to try. But what price would Tice demand? A peerage, perhaps. Would the price be too high? Would the electorate swallow that? Does Sunak have better morals? Who knows? I guess we will find out when the election is called.
Depends upon Tice’s long term ambition. He wants to be an MP, but he will only get that if proportional representation is made law. That may not happen for years.Tice has said he won't be standing down, he isn't prone to u turns so we'll have to see, but it would massively weaken him of he did, can't see it.
I am looking forward to Reform taking a goodly chunk of Tory votes across all seats. I am looking forward to the Lib Dems giving the Tories a kicking in the South West. Less certain is my hope that Labour can regain some ground against the SNP. In terms of their record in Government the SNP deserve to be punished big time. However, if their support holds up because of their Nationalist credentials, Labour may not do as well North of the Border as they should.Depends upon Tice’s long term ambition. He wants to be an MP, but he will only get that if proportional representation is made law. That may not happen for years.
He might be Reform Party “leader” but it’s not a party, it’s a company owned by Nigel Farage. Farage can do what he likes with it, including sacking Tice at a moment’s notice.
So perhaps Tice cannot be “weakened” any further, as he already has a weak position. If Sunak bribes Tice in the GE campaign to explode Reform’s chances, he might take it and defect. Depends on the price/reward.
Sunak would have to be desperate though as it would likely backfire on him. It would be too embarrassing as well. So, it will not happen. But a week is a long time in politics.
Depends upon Tice’s long term ambition. He wants to be an MP, but he will only get that if proportional representation is made law. That may not happen for years.
He might be Reform Party “leader” but it’s not a party, it’s a company owned by Nigel Farage. Farage can do what he likes with it, including sacking Tice at a moment’s notice.
So perhaps Tice cannot be “weakened” any further, as he already has a weak position. If Sunak bribes Tice in the GE campaign to explode Reform’s chances, he might take it and defect. Depends on the price/reward.
Sunak would have to be desperate though as it would likely backfire on him. It would be too embarrassing as well. So, it will not happen. But a week is a long time in politics.
Despite all the excitement, Reform have got just over 10% of the vote.Looks like those defecting to the far right UKIP, sorry Reform, are going to be the ones that bring down the Tories and put Starmer in. And that without Reform having any chance whatsoever of winning a seat.
BBC discussing this as a possible "extinction event" for the Conservative party.
Reform are a gift to Labour. Just sealing the deal for them.Despite all the excitement, Reform have got just over 10% of the vote.