Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Richard Hakluyt]

There is a story behind that :

https://www.markpack.org.uk/107255/political-leaflets-used-look-two-edward-heaths-ballot-paper/

[Tonitrus]

I agree with general opposition to the debates. They ate indeed a stupid Americanism which really feed into the footballisation of politics that is a major problem these days.

But if they are to happen then I agree with the lib dems at least that they should be included.

As an American I agree they're stupid.  Calling them "debates" is an insult to the word...as they're really milquetoast joint press conferences, and bad ones at that.  The debates with more than two candidates only multiply exponentially in uselessness with each candidate added to it.  They feel more like a macabre political fashion runway aimed only to show off each's style and panache.

The "town halls" I suppose are a bit different.  A bit like how a steel cage match is "a bit different" in professional wrestling.

[Tamas]

This isn't about what is said on the debates and such. It is the symbolism. If you don't invite a party you signal they don't matter. Ergo they are wasted vote.

[Josquius]

Back to the original topic of the thread...

What do we make of the news of Aaron Banks (i.e. the guy who acted as a conduit for Russian money to the leave campaign) having his twitter account hacked?
Legit or fake?

[Sheilbh]

But sadly, with our system in lots of places that's true. One of these two will be PM (unless Johnson loses his seats or some other unlikely scenario - Tories lose enough seats that he has to resign but enough to form a minority government?).

Best ever Lib Dem result they got 23% of the vote - 7 million. And lost 5 seats taking them to 57 MPs. Not to mention UKIP in the old days, 12.5% of the vote and 1 MP. While the SNP win under 1 million votes and get 35 seats.

[Sheilbh]

Back to the original topic of the thread...

What do we make of the news of Aaron Banks (i.e. the guy who acted as a conduit for Russian money to the leave campaign) having his twitter account hacked?
Legit or fake?

It has been hacked and leaked - which is unlawful.

It feels like someone might need to publish them because there's lots of fakes doing the rounds.

[Sheilbh]

I'm not watching, but noticed this section:

Q: Does the truth matter in this election?

Johnson replies:
    I think it does.

The audience laugh.

[The Larch]

We've this kind of phenomenon in Spain (we call it "useful vote"), people voting parties they don't really like because they are the only ones that can beat the parties they hate. FPTP seems to make it more extreme.

Jay Foreman has a great video on that:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQRyGacBRA4

CGP Grey has also done plenty of videos on the terribleness of FPTP, if anyone is interested.

[Josquius]

I'm not watching, but noticed this section:

Q: Does the truth matter in this election?

Johnson replies:
    I think it does.

The audience laugh.

Hilarious in the context of the twitter scandal that is the main outcome of the debate.

[Tamas]

Sturgeon just said that even if Brexit was stopped she would continue pushing for a second referendum. Madness.

[garbon]

Sturgeon just said that even if Brexit was stopped she would continue pushing for a second referendum. Madness.

It is the core issue for her party. Why would they stop if Brexit was thwarted?

[Sheilbh]

Yeah. She's a Scots nationalist not a #FBPE activist.

[Tamas]

The whole independence idea is madness.

[Sheilbh]

I get it. I remember going up in 2014 and thinking if I'd taken a Scottish direction I would be very tempted by "Yes". And my dad (Irish) was calling all our family friends in Scotland encouraging them to vote "Yes". Anything further the decline of the Brits

In fairness I don't know any unionist Scots. And if Brexit happened I'd be 100% behind independence.

[Josquius]

The Scots I know were broadly anti independence in the ref, with some exceptions, though post brexit ref only one elderly aunt in Scotland is against independence.