Carnelian posted:

 These events are ripe for conspiracy theories, and IMO, for good reason. There is something going on behind the scenes. Someone's pulling the strings.

I certainly agree that recent events will fuel conspiracy theories, and on hearing Leadsom's blatantly false "official" reason for quitting the race I was dreaming up some theories myself.

However: after some contemplation I think that - as I've posted elsewhere - the withdrawal of the likes of Leadsom and Johnson owes more to their growing realisation (perhaps for differing reasons) that the job was a poisoned chalice.

Anyone who's seen the pictures of Gove and Johnson following their "victory" will surely be aware that the Tory Leave campaigners had a collective "Oh, cr@p" moment immediately following the vote.

I remain convinced that many of them - certainly Boris - didn't actually want to win. The moment they did, they realized that they would have to clear up the mess, which is almost certainly why they tried to get Cameron to stay on as PM and negotiate Brexit (and fair play to him for politely telling them to take a running jump). Besides: although it's become common practise to mock the guy, I genuinely believe that Gove was right: Johnson really isn't up to the job. Whether Boris secretly admits that too, or else merely recognizes that his public popularity would likely take a nose-dive, I'm sure he currently considers the PM job to be a dodged bullet.

As for Leadsom: as I've also said elsewhere, I think that her leadership campaign was based on inexperience (or if you prefer, naivety) and hubris. Once the reality sunk in as to what the job would actually mean in practise (with her every utterance being open to public scrutiny, and her CV *ahem* "exaggerations" being immediately subjected to examination and ridicule), she panicked. It was blatantly obvious from the start that she's not equipped to be PM and had zero chance of winning, and by quitting now she's saved herself from many weeks of futile torture.

As for May: if I was her, I'd be concerned that she's being set up as a fall-guy. I'm still convinced that many of the expectations (note: "expectations" - not necessarily "promises"   ) of Brexit are simply impossible, and there's the possibility that a couple of years down the line there's going to be literally millions of disappointed Leave voters out there. Now if a Leave campaigner was PM, they'd be left in the embarrassing position of having to admit that these expectations were unachievable. However with a Remain campaigner like May in charge, the Brexit lot can merely dismiss any failings by saying "Oh, but she was never fully committed to leaving in the first place."

The irony is, however, that of all those standing for the Tory leadership, May is almost certainly the best equipped to actually perform the upcoming negotiations...

There aren't any valid conspiracy theories.

Cameron, fed up with the constant sniping of his right wing opposition took a risk in holding a referendum.

The British public turned out to be less informed than he thought and delivered the vote none of them were expecting, the wrong one.

Crisis of Hegemony just as I predicted :smug:

None of the people who through their misinformation and disinformation took us out of the EC wanted to run with it.

Except Andrea Loathsome who had too many skeletons in her cupboard and too much money in the Chanel Islands (see Private Eye)

May will now be under much pressure from the Business world to pretend to leave the market but retain our position in the EC otherwise our economy will tank completely.

Eugene and GJ made great points and summed it up well 

I agree with Eugene's last comments. To misquote Whitnail And I...

we've ended up with a capable, semi-decent politician in charge... by mistake! 

Carnelian, what do you make of today's Labour shenanigans? By behaving like absolute barstewards, surely they've lost voters, more than Corbyn would ever have lost them!

Why does JC not want to get the 51 nominations Angela Eagle has already got?

I know as things currently stand he doesn't need too but I still don't see why he is not willing to go that extra mile then those MP's who voted again him in the 'vote of confidence' would know exactly where they stood, if they don't already...

I know he has the overwhelming support of the Labour Party members but you can't form a viable opposition if your ministers keep resigning as soon as they are appointed...

There's a bit of a civil war between the MPs and the members. In general (and I mean in general) Corbyn is representative of old Labour particularly those of us who were brought up in trade unionist and WEA families. We've already suffered the suits taking over once and don't want it again.

Hi Carport! Been MIA Ealing Hosp.

I wasn't able to vote in the elfin' reffin' due to my incarceration! 

Xochi posted:

Hi Carport! Been MIA Ealing Hosp.

I wasn't able to vote in the elfin' reffin' due to my incarceration! 

 

Aww again! Xochi you poor thing    You've had such a terrible time xx Wishing you much better health xx 

Xochi posted:

Hi Carport! Been MIA Ealing Hosp.

I wasn't able to vote in the elfin' reffin' due to my incarceration! 

 

Aww Xochi, I hope you are on the mend now.

Ah Judith! Would you believe I took this photo tonight on Hohenzollern Straße hoping you might turn up. I hope you are better!