# UK General Election {2024-07-04} **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 22, 2024, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932 "2024-05-22T23:15:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/181 "2024-06-13T22:17:15Z")
Here’s the scary part, and I speak from experience, the center - right is about to be replaced by a milquetoast center - left, if the new government doesn’t work, it may very well be replaced by the extreme - right. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/182 "2024-06-13T22:35:43Z")
Eek!!! ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/183 "2024-06-14T05:18:01Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > Here’s the scary part, and I speak from experience, the center - right is about to be replaced by a milquetoast center - left, if the new government doesn’t work, it may very well be replaced by the extreme - right. This was the plot of the 2019 BBC Miniseries Years and Years. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/184 "2024-06-14T12:53:36Z")
I had to stop watching that because it was too depressingly realistic ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/185 "2024-06-14T13:22:00Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > center - right is about to be replaced by a milquetoast center - left, if the new government doesn’t work, it may very well be replaced by the extreme - right. Germany, early 20th Century. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/186 "2024-06-14T13:29:30Z")
You would hope that people would at least give the center-left government credit for not being as bad as the horrendously-bad performance of the center-right. You would hope. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/187 "2024-06-14T15:22:23Z")
Brexit? What Brexit? [![](https://vol.co/cdn/shop/files/led_by_donkeys_set_v4C.jpg?v=15458453113941352547) ](https://vol.co/cdn/shop/files/led_by_donkeys_set_v4C.jpg?v=15458453113941352547) > [@PatrickLondon](#): > > And Farage has decided that, after all, Donald Trump can do without his services, that he’s delighted America enough and that he owes it to himself and the country to take back the leadership of his fan club (beg pardon - party, though since he owns it as a private company it’s not like the other parties) and to stand for Parliament after all. > [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Recent opinion polls have Reform as the third largest party (by national share) and they are not far behind the Tories. If even one poll shows Reform in second, you can expect to see massive panic in the ranks of the Conservatives. This is going to be funny. Next we will see the [Silly Party, the Very Silly Party](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVI5ZOT5QEM) and the Lettuce party overtaking the Tories in the polls too! > [@PatrickLondon](#): > > In other news, the ReformUK candidate Farage pushed aside to stand for Clacton is planning on standing against him as an independent. And so the fun goes on: > [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > And it has just happened… Not sure anymore this will be funny. It’s almost as if voters had no atention span and no memory. And no taste. ---
**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:** [June 14, 2024, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/188 "2024-06-14T16:46:45Z")
Well until we actually vote, we won’t really know. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/189 "2024-06-14T16:51:04Z")
Where’s Lord Buckethead when you need him? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/190 "2024-06-14T19:37:26Z")
Or Tarquin Fin-tim-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim-bus-stop-F’tang-F’tang-Olé-Biscuitbarrel! ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/191 "2024-06-14T20:14:19Z")
Unsure about the degree of wishful thinking involved but this guy claims his model based on the latest YouGov poll has the Tories at 20 seats and in 5th place! > > > Politics UK @PolitlcsUK ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/192 "2024-06-14T20:50:41Z")
The most unbelievable thing about that is the lib Dems doing so well ---
**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:** [June 15, 2024, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/193 "2024-06-15T12:39:50Z")
If anyone wants to delve into policy detail, the manifestos are now out: > **[What each party promises voters in its UK general election manifesto](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jun/15/what-each-party-promises-voters-in-its-uk-general-election-manifesto?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other)** > > A look at how Labour, the Conservatives, Lib Dems, Greens and Plaid Cymru compare on key issues ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2024, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/194 "2024-06-16T11:28:41Z")
An interesting story about fake accounts that may be trying to push Reform UK. > **[Are fake pro-Reform UK social accounts influencing the election?](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1335nj316lo)** > > The BBC traces people behind social media profiles posting hundreds of repetitive messages backing Reform UK. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2024, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/195 "2024-06-16T12:12:20Z")
I imagine that some of Reform’s gains this cycle are from conservatives who still want to vote for conservative policies, but who have decided that this particular bunch of conservative politicians are the problem, not the policies they’re pushing, and so have switched from Tory to Reform. As for the problem of Labour possibly getting too many seats, and so having resentful MPs for whom there’s no room in government… If that happens, it’ll be because a lot of candidates are winning in districts where, in recent history, it’s been extremely unlikely for a Labour candidate to win. Shouldn’t candidates of that sort be happy to just be getting into Parliament at all? You don’t go straight from being a no-hoper to being the Minister of Silly Walks, or whatever. (aside: I think this provides some important context for that Monty Python skit. Am I right in guessing that previously, when a party has held a very large majority, they’ve created a bunch of extra government positions just to have something to give to all of their MPs? And the Ministry of Silly Walks was a spoof of such extra positions?) ---
**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:** [June 16, 2024, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/196 "2024-06-16T12:26:22Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Am I right in guessing that previously, when a party has held a very large majority, they’ve created a bunch of extra government positions just to have something to give to all of their MPs? And the Ministry of Silly Walks was a spo I don’t think you are right. That was just juxtaposing silliness with po-faced bureaucracy. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2024, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/197 "2024-06-16T13:31:34Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > I don’t think you are right. That was just juxtaposing silliness with po-faced bureaucracy. There is a “[Minister for Common Sense](https://www.vice.com/en/article/dy3kva/minister-for-common-sense-esther-mcvey)” which is not that far off from “Silly Walks”, usefulness-wise. If I were PM, I would definitely appoint someone as Minister for Silly Walks, and then put some serious responsibilities as part of their portfolio, just to force MPs to make serious references to them during parliamentary debate. ---
**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:** [June 16, 2024, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/198 "2024-06-16T13:34:38Z")
Probably tailormade for [Ed Davey](https://www.barrons.com/news/ed-davey-uk-election-stunt-king-1883e189), if his party would let him ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2024, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/199 "2024-06-16T13:54:39Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > There is a “[Minister for Common Sense](https://www.vice.com/en/article/dy3kva/minister-for-common-sense-esther-mcvey)” It’s slightly disingenuous from Vice as the official title of that position is _Minister of State without Portfolio_ or _Constitution Minister_. Really it’s a way of putting an extra body round the cabinet table and they can pick up a few projects that don’t quite suit a minister with a department. The incumbent Esther McVey has been placed in this slightly meaningless position to appease the right wing of the Conservative Party and ‘Minister of Common Sense’ is a self-proclaimed title. I don’t think anyone else in the government uses that title to describe the position. But it does fit in with the government’s desire to wage culture wars that appeal to their base. A mistake I think, they should be taking the centre ground, but as usual the in-fighting in the Conservative party has dictated government decision making. ---
**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:** [June 16, 2024, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932/200 "2024-06-16T14:07:37Z")
Jacob Rees-Mogg was Minister of State for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency for a while. His tenure was marked by a distinct lack of identified Brexit opportunities or created government efficiencies. Mostly he just wandered around harassing civil servants. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2024-07-04/1001932.md?page=11)