Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Syt]

As Shelf says, the generalist approach is dreadful. As soon as anyone gets any kind of expertise in an area, they are moved on. I recruited a government lawyer about 6 years ago. He was very happy in his job but was being forced to move from planning/regeneration to marine law. He's super clever and hard working and made partner this year. We gained (and so has he) but the Government has lost a talent and I'll be this happens all the time and the service is just left with the unambitious.   

Granted, it's been 25 years ( ) but during my public service curriculum in Germany the goal was overall also to train generalists who could then be working in any department as necessary - finances/accounting, immigration, traffic, youth matters, environmental affairs etc. etc. BUT. In practice you would gravitate towards one topic, and it wasn't unusual for people to spend 10, 20, 30 years in the same department, becoming specialized experts in their area. There was movement between departments but usually not on senior/expert levels.

[Sheilbh]

I am sorry but this bruhaha around the election date is ridiculous. It has to happen this year, and it's practically June already. There must be a better system to handle this.

My assumption is, as is normal for governments that are dying, it'll be the last possible date.

But it's always going to be asked and I think part of the story is actually just how bad Sunak is at dealing with the question.

Edit: On the other hand getting all the cabinet back (including Cameron and Shapps cutting trips short) and other external meetings cancelled for the cabinet is odd. If it is a July election it's very odd given the May locals (but, again, Sunak is maybe not very good at this)

[Josquius]

Turned on newsnight randomly yesterday and they were saying the election date was almost certainly going to be announced today.
...
Yup...

[Tamas]

I'll be away the first few days of July. I only missed the 2019 election by a couple of months with my citizenship, if I miss this one as well and won't be able to pop my British national election cherry until 2029, I'll be pissed.

[Sheilbh]

I'll be away the first few days of July. I only missed the 2019 election by a couple of months with my citizenship, if I miss this one as well and won't be able to pop my British national election cherry until 2029, I'll be pissed.

You can sign up for a postal ballot - I'd have to too. Or maybe proxy voting (never done that so not sure how it works).

Edit: Also unless things go catastrophically wrong next one should be 2028. If it's 2029 then somehow the Tories returned

[Sheilbh]

Turned on newsnight randomly yesterday and they were saying the election date was almost certainly going to be announced today.
...
Yup...

So I'm in holiday but working on media there's been a very big concern about the US and UK elections coinciding. Largely from a resource perspective but also issues like cyberattacks etc.

I wonder if security services have also been saying any time but October-early November?

[Josquius]

I'll be away the first few days of July. I only missed the 2019 election by a couple of months with my citizenship, if I miss this one as well and won't be able to pop my British national election cherry until 2029, I'll be pissed.

Is your seat competitive?

[Tamas]

I'll be away the first few days of July. I only missed the 2019 election by a couple of months with my citizenship, if I miss this one as well and won't be able to pop my British national election cherry until 2029, I'll be pissed.

Is your seat competitive?

Probably. In 2019 it was 59% Tory, 22% Labour, 15% LibDem. This month the only local election was police commissioner and the Labour candidate lost to the incumbent Tory with the tiniest of margins.

But it's more about the general principle.

[Gups]

I am sorry but this bruhaha around the election date is ridiculous. It has to happen this year, and it's practically June already. There must be a better system to handle this.

I think it's now at least 50/50 that it will be July 4th, given the higher than expected inflation figures and higher borrowing figures. Both make further pre election tax cuts less likely and that's the only real reason left to further delay the election to the autumn now

I think a mini-budget/fiscal event straight before an election would be so transparent it's not worth thinking about. I'd guess that they would like to see at least one interest rate cut before an election though.

[Sheilbh]

So an election it is, thank God

[Grey Fox]

Sorry Tamas, no voting for you.

Does the UK do advance polling?

[Tamas]

British news    "we repeat: there is NO prime ministerial crest on the stand, this CONFIRMS it's an election announcement"

[Gups]

4 July - independence day memes ahoy.

Thank God for that, it's been like purgatory.

[Tamas]

4 July - independence day memes ahoy.

Thank God for that, it's been like purgatory.

Hah I will be: back home.

[Sheilbh]

Sorry Tamas, no voting for you.

Does the UK do advance polling?

Not that I know but it's really easy to get a postal ballot - and there is proxy voting but I don't know how that works.

Not sure why he still did the speech outside given the rain, also not helped by someone playing Things Can Only Get Better over him