# UK Snap Election: 8 June 2017 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 18, 2017, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690 "2017-04-18T10:08:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 41
**Author:** ![marineris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@marineris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marineris)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/803 "2017-06-07T09:36:07Z")
Ruth Davidson says electing Scottish Tory MPs will “make Britain great again”, ignores fact that her party has been in power for the past seven years. [https://www.holyrood.com/articles/news/scottish-conservative-mps-will-‘make-britain-great-again’-says-ruth-davidson](https://www.holyrood.com/articles/news/scottish-conservative-mps-will-%E2%80%98make-britain-great-again%E2%80%99-says-ruth-davidson) Ruth Davidson faces pressure to account for mysterious £100000 donation from shadowy unionist group. [https://www.opendemocracy.net/uk/brexitinc/adam-ramsay-peter-geoghegan/dark-money-driving-scottish-tory-surge](https://www.opendemocracy.net/uk/brexitinc/adam-ramsay-peter-geoghegan/dark-money-driving-scottish-tory-surge) Tried to find the the above story on order-order but no luck. Seems the right wing blogosphere is quiet on this one. I’ve grown used to the utter hypocrisy and shameless cynicism of the Tory party, but Davidson is something else. I’m broadly pro-union but I’d rather face up to the challenges of independence than rule by a party that stands for nothing but more of the same old Thatcherite shite. MBGA my arse. ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/804 "2017-06-07T09:49:47Z")
Apparently Diane Abbott is stepping down as Shadow Home Secretary? A serious illness? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/805 "2017-06-07T10:03:40Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > I don’t trust the Tories to do that. Neither do I. Nor do I trust Labour - they brought in the much-abused RIPA. I will have to place my trust in the Lords. > [@marineris](#): > > Ruth Davidson says electing Scottish Tory MPs will “make Britain great again”, ignores fact that her party has been in power for the past seven years. Not in Scotland it hasn’t. > [@](#): > > I’ve grown used to the utter hypocrisy and shameless cynicism of the Tory party, but Davidson is something else. Yes. When she was at Crathes with May, she scuttled off and hid rather than actually meet people. > [@](#): > > I’m broadly pro-union but I’d rather face up to the challenges of independence than rule by a party that stands for nothing but more of the same old Thatcherite shite. I take the longer view. I’d put up with Thatcherite shite rather than break the Union. Remember that Thatcherite shite can be reversed but breaking the Union cannot. > [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > Apparently Diane Abbott is stepping down as Shadow Home Secretary? A serious illness? It’s called Chronic Incompetence. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/806 "2017-06-07T10:32:42Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > May’s suggestion of tearing up human rights in order to fight terrorism scares the bejesus out of me. [Sir Keir Starmer](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2017/jun/07/general-election-2017-campaign-final-day-human-rights-politics-live?page=with:block-5937b0d2e4b0be3ed1923c3d#block-5937b0d2e4b0be3ed1923c3d) has said: > [@](#): > > There is nothing in the Human Rights Act that gets in the way of effectively tackling terrorism. I can say that with this authority. **I was director of public prosecutions for five years.** I’ve worked very closely with the security and intelligence services and we’ve prosecuted very, very serious criminals. And the Human Rights Act did not get in the way of what we were doing. > > This is a diversion … We’ve had three terrible attacks in three months. The problem is people just coming onto the radar, then the question of how they are risk assessed, and what resource we’re putting in. And the prime minister, because she was facing searing questions about that yesterday, about resources, she has now brought up the Human Rights Act as if that stands in the way of the current problems. Bolding mine. He speaks with authority and experience here. ---
**Author:** ![marineris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@marineris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marineris)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/807 "2017-06-07T11:50:38Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Not in Scotland it hasn’t. And if this was an election to Holyrood that would relevant. Clearly, the Tories have no sloganeering skills, but a repurposed Trumpism is poor, even for them. > [@Quartz](#): > > Yes. When she was at Crathes with May, she scuttled off and hid rather than actually meet people. Well, to be fair, I’d guess that had more to do with Theresa May’s obvious discomfort in such situations. Davidson’s neck is made of solid brass and she’s clearly pretty confident when out front and centre. > [@Quartz](#): > > I take the longer view. I’d put up with Thatcherite shite rather than break the Union. Remember that Thatcherite shite can be reversed but breaking the Union cannot. The union is all but done and the damage Thatcher wilfully inflicted onto the country is irreversible. The Tories have only campaigned strongly in specific areas - constituencies with large leave votes in the EU referendum. Davidson claims that she can stand up to the SNP but the reality is she is totally onboard with May’s desire for the hardest of Brexits. A vote for the Tories in Scotland is not for the union, it’s for something that’s going to do untold damage to the whole UK. Even if Tories win 10 seats in the north east, the vast majority of Scottish voters are going to vote in MPs that probably won’t be part of the next UK government. And we’ve seen how effective the SNP has been at turning that to their advantage. No, the only thing that might “save” the union is a Labour resurgence in Scotland and a Labour government in Westminster. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/808 "2017-06-07T12:44:38Z")
> [@marineris](#): > > Davidson’s neck is made of solid brass and she’s clearly pretty confident when out front and centre. And yet she hid. > [@](#): > > The union is all but done and the damage Thatcher wilfully inflicted onto the country is irreversible. Actually, IMHO it was Blair who did the real damage by setting up devolved assemblies. Toryism was in decline long before Thatcher. > [@](#): > > No, the only thing that might “save” the union is a Labour resurgence in Scotland and a Labour government in Westminster. Maybe, but that’s not happening in my constituency. So I have to vote Tory. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/809 "2017-06-07T12:48:26Z")
Well, Corbyn and his team deserve respect for giving it a bloody good go but it’s likely to be cider rather than Champagne for me tomorrow night … > [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > Apparently Diane Abbott is stepping down as Shadow Home Secretary? A serious illness? Only if being promoted way, way above your level of ability in an illness. There has not been a point in her 20+ year career when Diane Abbott has not been a liability to the Labour Party. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/810 "2017-06-07T13:11:53Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > Well, Corbyn and his team deserve respect for giving it a bloody good go but it’s likely to be cider rather than Champagne for me tomorrow night … I’ll be getting the Strongbow in too, I reckon. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/811 "2017-06-07T13:18:39Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > I’ll be getting the Strongbow in too, I reckon. Funnily enough… Yes, I too have cans of cider at the ready. I believe this is called Greatminditis. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/812 "2017-06-07T13:20:45Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > Apparently Diane Abbott is stepping down as Shadow Home Secretary? A serious illness? Stand down agent Abbott - return to GCHQ for debrief, your work here is done. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/813 "2017-06-07T13:50:50Z")
> [@busy scissors](#): > > stand down agent abbott - return to gchq for debrief, your work here is done. itym cchq. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![marineris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@marineris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marineris)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/814 "2017-06-07T13:58:51Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Maybe, but that’s not happening in my constituency. So I have to vote Tory. Rationalise it however you like, you’re voting for a party that hates the poor, the sick, the disadvantaged, workers’ rights, women’s rights and human rights, not because you have to, because you want to. > [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > Well, Corbyn and his team deserve respect for giving it a bloody good go but it’s likely to be cider rather than Champagne for me tomorrow night Definitely, not bad at all for an old school Labour man. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/815 "2017-06-07T14:10:45Z")
> [@marineris](#): > > Rationalise it however you like, you’re voting for a party that hates the poor, the sick, the disadvantaged, workers’ rights, women’s rights and human rights, not because you have to, because you want to. That’s drivel. The Tories are guilty of none of those charges. For example, there have been two Tory female PMs, but no Labour female PMs. Anyway, I’m voting against the SNP and for the Union. All else is secondary. And I’ll remind you that I voted Labour last time. ---
**Author:** ![marineris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@marineris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marineris)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/816 "2017-06-07T15:16:10Z")
I think it’s obvious what’s drivel and what’s not. Conservative MPs who are women - 68, Conservative MPs who are men - 263. The 2 prime ministers thing is utterly irrelevant. VAT raised from so called tampon tax given to anti-abortion charity. Jeremy Hunt says abortion should be available in first 12 weeks only, Liam Fox wants to ban it altogether. NHS consistently underfunded as prelude to stealth privatisation, the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 cuts benefit payments to the sick and disabled, repeals laws aimed at reducing child poverty. The Welfare Reform Act 2012 introduces the Under-occupancy penalty, forcing people out of their homes. Employment tribunal fees introduced by David Cameron. the Trade Union Act 2016 further curtails union power and is deliberate attack on Labour Party funding. Record numbers of zero hours contracts as direct consequence of inequality of bargaining power. Just this morning May is vowing to rip up human rights laws, Damian Green wants a state of emergency, the Snoopers Charter, the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 which banned things that haven’t been invented yet. Britain, 12th richest country in the world takes just 4000 Syrian refugees. Theresa May, supplier of arms to despotic regimes who in turn facilitate terrorism in the western world. Just some of the Tories greatest hits. ---
**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 7, 2017, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/817 "2017-06-07T15:22:13Z")
Any recent projections on likely turnout? ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/818 "2017-06-07T16:05:57Z")
Low to almost mid 60%s; some returners, quite a few first-timers, some abstainers. Labour would need 70%+ to pull this off. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/819 "2017-06-07T16:07:39Z")
> [@marineris](#): > > I think it’s obvious what’s drivel and what’s not. > > Conservative MPs who are women - 68, Conservative MPs who are men - 263. The Tories seem to practice equality of opportunity, not equality of result. No all-woman shortlists - discriminating against men - for instance. > [@](#): > > VAT raised from so called tampon tax given to anti-abortion charity. Allow me to fight your ignorance: £0.25 million went to Life. £69.75M went to other women’s charities. > [@](#): > > Jeremy Hunt says abortion should be available in first 12 weeks only, Liam Fox wants to ban it altogether. Being anti-abortion doesn’t mean being anti-women. > [@](#): > > NHS consistently underfunded as prelude to stealth privatisation Rubbish. The NHS is something on which you could spend the entire GDP of the country and could still do more. > [@](#): > > The Welfare Reform Act 2012 introduces the Under-occupancy penalty, forcing people out of their homes. Yes, the spare room tax was stupid. It supposed housing stock which wasn’t there. > [@](#): > > the Trade Union Act 2016 further curtails union power and is deliberate attack on Labour Party funding. Good thing too. I wish they’d gone further: I think only UK passport-holders - so that excludes companies too - should be able to contribute to political parties. > [@](#): > > Record numbers of zero hours contracts as direct consequence of inequality of bargaining power. Actually the Tories reformed them in 2015 to be more in favour of the worker. [quote] Just this morning May is vowing to rip up human rights laws,[/qwuote] The Tories have long wanted to reform the HRA. > [@](#): > > the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 which banned things that haven’t been invented yet. Both Labour and Conservatives are to blame here - as you may recall, I want everything legalised. > [@](#): > > Britain, 12th richest country in the world takes just 4000 Syrian refugees. So what? There are plenty of countries nearer. But you know what? Even if everything you said about the Tories were true, I’d still vote for them in preference to the SNP if it meant defeating the SNP. Understand that I am casting a tactical vote against the SNP. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/820 "2017-06-07T17:40:14Z")
This is such a good point I’m going to report it from Twatter: > [@](#): > > Possibly THE key fact in this election; in 23 of the 50 Labour seats with the smallest majorities, UKIP is not fielding a candidate. … and those UKIPers will mostly vote Tory. Almost like an unspoken conspiracy, you might argue … Given what UKIP polled last time it’s certainly enough to make a huge difference. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/821 "2017-06-07T17:44:26Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > Almost like an unspoken conspiracy, you might argue … Unfortunately the various Unionist parties should have made such an alliance in Scotland but did not. > [@](#): > > Given what UKIP polled last time it’s certainly enough to make a huge difference. Plus there’s the way Remainers treated Leavers. The Brexit referendum has really shaken things up. We’ll see soon enough. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690/822 "2017-06-07T17:48:59Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > May’s suggestion of tearing up human rights in order to fight terrorism scares the bejesus out of me. It’s a fascinating experiment, a police state without any police. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690.md?page=40) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-snap-election-8-june-2017/784690.md?page=42)