# Rishi Sunak tries to lead the UK **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 24, 2022, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706 "2022-10-24T13:07:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 35
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/682 "2024-02-26T17:34:36Z")
So the Tories were content to keep him when he was merely advocating, as a law-maker, that His Majesty’s Government should break the law governing refugees. Open Racism and religious bigotry is apparently a bridge too far. I guess they do have _some_ standards. 🤨 ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/683 "2024-03-01T11:14:38Z")
Kind of OT, but anti-vaxx pro-Putin loon (who pretends to be pro-muslim, but I’m sure that can be shot down) George Galloway has been elected in the Rochdale by-election, showing Palestine is apparently labours kryptonite. Only real upside is that this loon won’t be an MP for more than 10 months, I don’t think any sort of sensible candidate from labour will lose next time. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/684 "2024-03-01T16:55:55Z")
To add a little context to this by-election result, Galloway (Workers Party Of Britain; founder and leader G Galloway) won because there was effectively no Labour Candidate. > **Sir Keir Starmer has apologised to voters in Rochdale for disowning Labour’s by-election candidate but insisted it was “the right decision”.** > > George Galloway stormed to victory in the contest, with Labour’s suspended candidate Azhar Ali a distant fourth. > > The Labour leader said Mr Galloway had only won because Labour had withdrawn support for Mr Ali over remarks widely alleged to be antisemitic. Source: > **[Rochdale by-election: Keir Starmer apologises to voters after George Galloway...](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68446423)** > > The Labour leader claims George Galloway only won because his party withdrew support for its own candidate. The Conservatives did slightly better than a disowned and suspended Labour candidate, trailing in third, with an independent (not party affiliated) candidate as runner up. j ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/685 "2024-03-01T19:52:31Z")
The turnout was barely 40%, so one can reasonably suppose massive numbers of Labour voters just stayed at home. If they can come up with a safer pair of hands to be candidate at the general election, Galloway may well be out again. There may well be boundary changes that would affect the GE result, but I’ve no idea what. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/686 "2024-03-01T21:12:36Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > George Galloway stormed to victory in the contest, > [@PatrickLondon](#): > > The turnout was barely 40% “Stormed to victory”? More like “lightly drizzled”. I hope someone doesn’t get bizarre and unjustified “people’s mandate” ideas. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/687 "2024-03-01T21:15:36Z")
Just to be clear, “Stormed to victory” comes from the article I quoted - not my words. (I certainly wouldn’t be bigging up Galloway like that!) 😉 j ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/688 "2024-03-01T21:16:33Z")
Yeah, I know. Discourse’s quoting is terrible. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/689 "2024-03-01T23:20:58Z")
For anyone who doesn’t know who george galloway is … [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6v9IXwFb_cg/hqdefault.jpg "Big Brother | CBB4 Pussy George | Channel 4") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v9IXwFb_cg) ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/690 "2024-03-01T23:46:08Z")
Ya know, I’m a reasonable person, and normally I’d feel bad for someone having that following them round for the rest of their life. But, it’s George Galloway - so fuck him. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2024, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/691 "2024-03-02T07:36:52Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > I hope someone doesn’t get bizarre and unjustified “people’s mandate” ideas. Someone so modest and self-questioning? Surely not 🤨 ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2024, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/692 "2024-03-02T15:11:14Z")
A bit more on Galloway’s history as the Farage of the Left: > **[George Galloway: constituency-hopping campaigner who is rarely far from...](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/mar/01/george-galloway-constituency-hopping-campaigner-who-is-rarely-far-from-controversy)** > > With Rochdale win, Galloway has been elected to represent voters in four cities for three parties across four decades ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2024, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/693 "2024-03-11T15:56:01Z")
And… back to Lee Anderson > **[Lee Anderson: Ex-Tory MP defects to Reform UK](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68532602)** > > The former Tory Party Vice-Chairman Mr Anderson was suspended after he said Islamists had "control" of Sadiq Khan. Reform, for any wondering, are even further to the right than the current Conservative party, and poll at about 10%, siphoning this support from the Conservatives (I assume)… From the article: > Home Secretary James Cleverly said Mr Anderson had “made a real mistake” in defecting from the Conservatives… > > …/Mr Cleverly said he agreed with Mr Anderson’s comments from January this year, when he said a “vote for Reform will only let the Labour party in”. Heh, Joined up thinking appears to be a thing of the past for the right wing of British politics. j ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2024, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/694 "2024-03-11T16:16:51Z")
So the until-recently Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party has defected from the Conservative Party. And having previously loudly demanded that local by-elections be held where MPs switch parties (back when the Tories were losing members to UKIP), he is refusing to concede and hold a by-election. Such principles our Lee has. Reform is basically picking up all the nastier elements of the Tory Party who can see the writing on the wall for the next election and are hoping pushing the same bullshit under a new party name will avoid the stink of the last 14 years. It’s like the rats have all deserted the sinking ship and boarded an all-rat ship they’d built themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2024, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/695 "2024-03-11T16:27:29Z")
I’m not quite sure where to post this, but here looks like the best place, as it’s certainly an observation on current British politics, with a nod to Lee Anderson’s comments about Saddiq Khan (post 672). If I were to see a newspaper today whose front page headlines were: _FLOOD OF ALIEN IMMIGRANTS Muslim Power Over the Government_ _[Foreign] “Refugees”_ _Why is Labour Anti-British?_ With sub headings scattered over the front page reading: _PRO-ALIEN SOCIETIES_ _1 500 000 ALIENS!_ _ILLEGAL ENTRY_ - you know, I wouldn’t be surprised. That’s what much of our press is like. But if you substitute “Jewish” for “Muslim”, I saw it yesterday - and I _ **was** _ surprised. I still feel a little sick over it. Here it is. > **[THE BRITISHER](https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1506009443)** > > 1938 No. 5, June Imperial War Museum Cat. Record 2312-06-13 B. If you click on the link you can use the zoom to read the text, if you so wish. 1. Great. Just great. j ETA - I trust that it’s obvious that my last few words were bitterly sarcastic. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2024, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/696 "2024-03-11T16:48:21Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > It’s like the rats have all deserted the sinking ship and boarded an all-rat ship they’d built themselves. That’s frikkin brilliant. I salute you. ---
**Author:** ![UDS1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47774/32.png) [@UDS1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS1)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2024, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/697 "2024-03-12T01:08:40Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Reform is basically picking up all the nastier elements of the Tory Party who can see the writing on the wall for the next election and are hoping pushing the same bullshit under a new party name will avoid the stink of the last 14 years. It’s like the rats have all deserted the sinking ship and boarded an all-rat ship they’d built themselves. Which is good for the Tory party. Clearly, if they are to have an chance of returning to power in the election to be held in 2034 or thereabouts, they have to re-establish themselves as a credible party of the centre-right. That will take a lot of work, and part of that work will be purging itself of racists and quasi-fascists. To the extent that they purge themselves, the task is made somewhat easier. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2024, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/698 "2024-03-12T12:17:21Z")
And some more scummery from the scum party … > **[Minister defends donor over Diane Abbott remarks](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68542621)** > > Frank Hester allegedly said Diane Abbott made him "want to hate all black women". > Mel Stride said Frank Hester’s alleged comments the MP made him “want to hate all black women” were not “race-based”. > > Mr Hester has apologised for making “rude” comments about Ms Abbott but his remarks “had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin”. Right … > Mr Hester, who gave the Conservatives £10m last year, made remarks about Ms Abbott while criticising a female executive at another organisation during a meeting at his company’s headquarters in 2019. > The newspaper reported that he went on to say: "It’s like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV, and you’re just like I hate, you just want to hate all black women because she’s there, and I don’t hate all black women at all, but I think she should be shot. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2024, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/699 "2024-03-12T15:10:43Z")
“TRYING NOT TO BE RACIST”. Desperately, I think. What is very telling of the Uk media, is the claimed intelligence of total dullard males like Raab and Kwarteng, but jumping on Abbotts head for some arithmetical mistakes (when Johnson bibbled and bobbled total shite at the same time). Then again, they actually voted for Truss, a human vegetable. I guess party, then sex then race. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2024, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/700 "2024-03-12T16:11:28Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > I guess party, then sex then race. Money first, then power, then party etc. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2024, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706/701 "2024-03-12T16:27:10Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Money first, then power, then party etc “In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women.” [![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*gUSgn4duIQ5DH1P3.jpg) ](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*gUSgn4duIQ5DH1P3.jpg) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706.md?page=34) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rishi-sunak-tries-to-lead-the-uk/973706.md?page=36)