Been on holiday for a few weeks, surprised to find no general discussion of British politics so though I'd kick one off.

Tory leadership contest is quickly turning into farce. Trump has backed Boris, which should be reason enough for anyone with half a brain to exclude him.

Of the other candidates Rory Stewart looks the best of the outsiders. Surprised to see Cleverly and Javid not further up the betting, but not sure the Tory membership are ready for a brown PM.

https://www.oddschecker.com/politics...rvative-leader

Regarding the LD leadership contest, Jo Swinson is miles ahead of any other candidate (and indeed any of the Tory lot). Should be a shoe in.

Finally, it's Groundhog Day in Labour - the more serious the anti-Semitism claims get, the more Corbyn's cronies write their own obituary by blaming it on outlandish conspiracy theories - this week, it's apparently the Jewish Embassy's fault...

The irony of posting accepting and criticism-free comment about how racist the Tory party is while castigating Labour for anti-semitism seems once again to have totally passed you by.

Well, apart from being under EHRC investigation for anti-Semitism (as the Conservatives may soon be for Islamophobia), Labour have got even wider systemic problems.

Turns out David 'Son of Two Jags' Prescott, Labour head of Events, was subject to multiple complaints regarding sexual harassment, from a woman MP and from two female students, including the story about how he defecated on a woman's kitchen floor because she wouldn't have sex with him, and Jeremy, Seumas, Karie and Jennie ensured he was just nominally suspended from his job (but not the Party) for two weeks and then reinstated as if nothing had happened. Just like the SWP rape cult. The far left never change.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...tt-allegations

You want to try posting this again in a form of English that makes sense?

In unsurprising news, Chuka's walked from that group he joined after walking from Labour over their leadership, which he could have done something about had he not walked away from running for that as well

Over half of chuk has left. Anna Soubry in charge of the 5 who are left. Other 6 are becoming independents

What a cock up.

In fairness it was under/over six months before they fractured, merged with the Lib Dems, or both, just a bit odd that they packed it in that quickly. Then again, if they're not going to get any sort of traction in a PR pole which is being held at the best time they'll ever contest an election and still do **** all it's probably for the best

Moreover, they are all blaming each other for the failure and appear so lacking in self-awareness they probably believe what they are saying.

Reflects very badly on everyone involved.

I think they only had one shot and that was to have a large group of Labour MPs joining them early on. Maybe that's what they expected and maybe they even have a decent number of semi-promises. Maybe Tom Watson's intervention stopped it or maybe it was just pie in the sky.

Chuka Umunna has joined the Lib Dems now.

Meanwhile Change UK is changing it's name to 'The Independent Group for Change'

Anyone running a book on when Chuka will join the Greens?

Turing on the new £50

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...yside-49207480

Just what we need - yet another party. No news from Chuka yet.

McDonnell has just finished off the Labour Party in Scotland. Very sad to see.

Could just be a guff but I wondered if it was the first signs of a Labour/SNP pact

It's pretty much got to be, probably an unnoficial one though. SNP have basically been very hostile to Labour over the past few years labelling them, ridiculously, as 'Red Tories' so it's hard to see how they could enter any sort of official pact.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-49259093
Hadn't seen this but it's the Times front page headline

On the substance of what McDonnell said. I don't disagree.

If we leave the EU then it really should be up to Scotland to decide if they want a 2nd indy referendum. It's such a huge change that for Westminister to prevent it would be highly unreasonable

If we end up remaining then I'm not so sure but it's still just a matter of time.

Actually, the more I think about it an official pact is possible. No matter what the SNP voters will fall in line, it won't matter what has gone on or been said prior to this.

I wonder if a Lab/SNP pact would facilitate a Con/Brex alliance at an election?

I don't see how such a move would be bad for the Tories - Farage is a single issue politician with no other ideas or agenda, and are unlikely to win many seats. The Tories want to leave anyway, so why not let the Brexit party gut Labour votes in the north while not fielding candidates in Tory strongholds

I can't see the Tories refusing to field candidates in seats. It doesn't really send out a great message even in seats where they have no chance of winning. Greens done it in Scotland though to ensure the indy vote wasn't split with the SNP.

Nationalists in Scotland are anglophobic

https://twitter.com/katielfrank/stat...99364755591168

Do you want a deal Brexit or a no deal Brexit?

If you want a deal, Boris Johnson did the only thing he could go.

Will end up with no deal, everyone will get pissed, then they will negotiate.

Wrong thread.

Any anyway once no deal has happened it's a bit too late for negotiations.