Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Sheilbh]

Local projections seem to have reform second basically everywhere with the tories usually in 4th.
Which is surprising

I wouldn't be surprised if that happened in parts of the red wall. But it is worth pointing out again that Reform have consistently under-performed national polling in actual elections. Stepping away from the internet, my experience is basically no-one knows who they are - that might have changed if Farage decided to run, but he hasn't (I think because he knows he still can't win a seat).

On fringe parties - I see George Galloway's party have dismissed a candidate for anti-semitism and I can't even imagine how bad it would need to be to get disowned by Galloway.

Edit: And I think there is a very real possibility of an almost total Tory wipeout/Canada 93....particularly with how the campaign has gone so far.

[garbon]

'Platty joobs, cozzie livs and now genny lec'

[HVC]

'Platty joobs, cozzie livs and now genny lec'

England finally broke garbon

[HVC]

The Tories have literally pointed to similar schemes being (re-)introduced in Sweden, France and Denmark in the last few years or the way it works in Finland and people are on about Nazi Germany and chattel slavery

Guess I could have also gone CCP reeducation camps. Create civic minded populace through good works!

[Legbiter]

I think the service should start with the oldest people who did not do national service, abolished in 1960,and work it's way down through the age cohorts. In addition the length of service should be proportionate to a person's wealth, those who have gained the most from the protection of the British state should serve the longest.

Are they going for the Zero Seats achievement? 

[Sheilbh]

'Platty joobs, cozzie livs and now genny lec'

England finally broke garbon

Platinum jubilee, cost of living crisis and general election

[Richard Hakluyt]

Brenda of Bristol won't be pleased either.

[Tamas]

'Platty joobs, cozzie livs and now genny lec'

England finally broke garbon

Platinum jubilee, cost of living crisis and general election

I am impressed.

[garbon]

'Platty joobs, cozzie livs and now genny lec'

England finally broke garbon

Platinum jubilee, cost of living crisis and general election

I am impressed.

I don't care for the general election one.

[HVC]

'Platty joobs, cozzie livs and now genny lec'

England finally broke garbon

Platinum jubilee, cost of living crisis and general election

So worst then broken, it's made him lower class

[garbon]

'Platty joobs, cozzie livs and now genny lec'

England finally broke garbon

Platinum jubilee, cost of living crisis and general election

So worst then broken, it's made him lower class

It was a quotation.

[crazy canuck]

They'll be able to vote but not sext each other or buy a pint in a pub. A bit of a muddle but probably not important.

So at least a few sober voters then

[Barrister]

And Tories propose bringing back national service for 18 year olds - either one year in the forced or 25 days of volunteering.

Honestly, like with votes at 16, I don't really hate it

Edit: And worth noting the forces bit is capped at 30,000 and only in the non-fighting bits (but I imagine it would/should be used for recruitment). So 95% would just be doing some sort of volunteering scheme.

So I don't mind the idea of national service - either in the military or otherwise.

My kid is going to a catholic school, and he's off to the food bank tonight to finish off his required volunteer hours (which of course he left to the very last minute ).  But I do think it "builds character" even if it is forced - and I had to do the same when I went to a catholic high school.

That being said - the Tories have been in power what - 14 years now?  It reeks of desperation to come up with bold new policies during the election campaign when you theoretically had the past 14 years to implement them.

[Sheilbh]

That being said - the Tories have been in power what - 14 years now?  It reeks of desperation to come up with bold new policies during the election campaign when you theoretically had the past 14 years to implement them.

Very much this. And the commitment is actually to set up a Royal Commission into it with an aim to establishing the scheme towards the end of the next Parliament.

I'd add that it also reminds me of the similar scheme proposed by Gordon Brown in 2009 for a National Civic Service (basically the volunteering but without a military route). So it seems like a lever you pull when you're approaching 15 years in office and want to show you've still got ideas

As I say, in principle, I don't really have an issue with it and think it may be worth exploring. But it is utterly desperate.

I think there's something to the argument being made that, after the first week, the Tory campaign is basically to try and limit their losses as much as possible - there's no attempt to win or even to not lose (both of which are how Labour is campaigning). As Alex Massie suggests, the best way to do that would probably be to say "look, we're going to lose but it's really important in our system that there's a strong opposition - so vote for us to keep them in check" (the Ruth Davidson strategy when she doubled the number of Tory MSPs to become main opposition and denied the SNP a majority). But not really sure you can run that campaign when you're the government.

[Barrister]

That being said - the Tories have been in power what - 14 years now?  It reeks of desperation to come up with bold new policies during the election campaign when you theoretically had the past 14 years to implement them.

Very much this. And the commitment is actually to set up a Royal Commission into it with an aim to establishing the scheme towards the end of the next Parliament.

I'd add that it also reminds me of the similar scheme proposed by Gordon Brown in 2009 for a National Civic Service (basically the volunteering but without a military route). So it seems like a lever you pull when you're approaching 15 years in office and want to show you've still got ideas

As I say, in principle, I don't really have an issue with it and think it may be worth exploring. But it is utterly desperate.

I think there's something to the argument being made that, after the first week, the Tory campaign is basically to try and limit their losses as much as possible - there's no attempt to win or even to not lose (both of which are how Labour is campaigning). As Alex Massie suggests, the best way to do that would probably be to say "look, we're going to lose but it's really important in our system that there's a strong opposition - so vote for us to keep them in check" (the Ruth Davidson strategy when she doubled the number of Tory MSPs to become main opposition and denied the SNP a majority). But not really sure you can run that campaign when you're the government.

Perhaps because it was the first election campaign where I was old enough to really understand what was happening but I often go back to the famous 1988 Free Trade election in Canada.

Mulroney's PCs weren't necessarily very popular even after their landslide victory in 1984, and often times were behind in the polls.  Mulroney however came in with a bold new policy - free trade with the US.  The Liberal Senate was blocking passage of free trade so he called an election around that single issue - and it worked.  Mulroney was re-elected.

But you'll note the difference here - this was an actual bill that they were actually trying to pass.

I think you can run on a "Help us form a strong opposition" - but you probably need to wait a week or two before you start acknowledging you're going to lose.  It is though an argument you can use to get your supporter to actually go out to the polls and not stay home (which they might otherwise do if you're losing).  It could presumably be useful to bring Reform supporters "back home".