So it seems France is now reduced to a Frexit referendum by proxy.
Fascinating to see country after country being forced into fundamental party/socio-political realignments to counter the intransigence of the EU/euro monolith.
Merkel can’t allow Le Pen to even get within arms length - say 7-8 points. The entire German-led EU model at risk - unthinkable.
What does that have to do with soon-out-of-the-EU UK snap elections ?
But you’re right : while the current EU model is flawed and must be reformed, the Union is still our best bet for peace and prosperity (60 years and counting). Leaving isn’t just unthinkable, it’s preposterous. I’m sure glad that we don’t decide to go it alone and hope that everything will be better thanks to some unspecified miracle.
the parallel struck me; long-standing groups like Republican/Socialist, Labour/Conservative, melting into new configurations; pro/anti EU, euro, austerity, etc, etc - sections of each of the old allegiances on both sides.
But you’re right, it would have been more appropriate to say this in the French election thread.
Bloody Romans. What’ve they ever done for us?
Didn’t they build a wall to keep those nasty Picts out?
Well, OK, but* lately?*
They gave us Colonials the inspiration for the name Il Douche.
So there’s that. 
Hands up who’s liking Labour’s election approach so far; strong Brexit policy (Customs Union, managed movement, collaborative negotiations, continuing membership of science/tech reseach bodies ), coherent spokespeople, diversity of issues (NHS, education, etc).
Just got to send Corbyn, Diane fucking Abbott and McDonald on a 6-week cruise.
They are doing a decent job, I think. But I’m quite keen on the stated domestic policies anyway (foreign policy, eh, not so much).
Yeah, that. Starmer seems to be positioning himself…
for sure, he’s auditioning.
I hope to see Dan Jarvis more now the London Marathon is over, maybe on defence/security issues - esp. with Trident rearing.
A new Ipsos-MORI poll gives Con 49, Lab 25, LD 13 and UKIP collapsing to 4.
But the headline story is people’s rating of the party leaders’ competence. 61% - an all time high for any party leader - say May would make the most capable Prime Minister. Thatcher hit 48% before the 1983 election, Blair hit 52% before 2001. 61% is unprecedented. And it’s what’s going to win the election. Most people, I think, want the government to just get on with Brexit and stop bothering them, and May has been very good at presenting herself and the Tories as the party who will do that, and Labour as the party who are trying to/will mess it all up.
My personal opinion is that that impression of May is built a lot more on rhetoric and presentation than on any demonstrable achievements. The NICs U-turn, her continued failure as Home Secretary either to hit the <100K immigration target or to get Dave and George to drop it as unworkable, the farago over getting the date wrong on the arrest of Abu Qatada, the Go Home ads that were banned by the ASA… she doesn’t actually have an amazing track record of getting stuff done without fucking up.
But my personal impression is of limited use. Popular opinion is that she’s a safe pair of hands who can be trusted with Brexit, the economy and even the NHS (usually a Labour strong point) and this is going to win it for her.
(How much that high rating is down to flattering comparisons with Corbyn is an interesting question.)
I think you’re spot on.
This is actually an example of her turning a negative into a positive because the reversal was done very quickly. Contrast that with, say, Thatcher and the Poll Tax.
Well, there’s one positive thing for Mr Corbyn:
“I’m not the lowest! I’m not the lowest!” would be a catchy chant for public appearances. 
Tim Farron is a quick learner.
Asked awkward questions about his religious views on homosexuality, he took a full week of deflections and platitudes before he straight up said “I don’t believe gay sex is a sin” and finally killed the story.
Today, it emerged that a former MP who’d been sacked for anti-semitism had been selected by his local constituency Lib Dems to contest a seat. In the morning, Farron condemned his views but said he had no role in the selection of candidates and could not sack him. In the afternoon, he sacked him. While that may fly in the face of the niceties of the Lib Dem constitution, it spares him a week of “Why are you defending anti-semites?” which is rarely a good look.
I see Corbyn won’t take part in a TV debate. Good man: we’re not America. The BBC have just interviewed someone from the Adam Smith Institute about this and he had to explain to the presenter that no, we are not Americans electing a President and in the UK we do not elect a Prime Minister; rather, we elect MPs and they choose the Prime Minister.
Other PM wannabes have taken part in such debates in the past, haven’t they? He’ll look more cowardly (or uncomfortably aware of his own poor public-speaking skills) than principled.
Last time I looked Theresa May was dead set against a leader’s debate, indeed that started it all.
(Worth pointing out that they’re a recent phenomenon in the UK: the main party leaders are always debating each other in parliament anyway)
In 2015, Cameron said he wouldn’t take part (he did do one) and there was a debate with Miliband and the leaders of the other parties - Sturgeon, Farage, Bennet (Greens) and Wood (Plaid Cymru).
By keeping out of that debate, Cameron made Miliband look like one of a bunch of challengers, instead of the leader in waiting he needed to be. If he argued, he looked like a squabbler. If he agreed with people, that was further ammo for the Tory “Ed in fringe parties’ pockets” campaign.
Corbyn could use a debate to speak directly to people, but ducking out of it and presenting himself as on the same level as May is not a bad plan. (Although Labour are at the stage where “not a bad plan” ain’t gonna save them from a major kicking).
Was a good day (again!) for Labour with its NHS investment agenda, and Boris Johnson being allowed out of the attic to - are you sitting down - make a speech.
Can’t last, enjoy while you can …